Day 5 : Harmony :: Zutara : OTP :D

This takes place during "The Southern Raiders" episode, on their way back to the rest of the Gaang.

Disclaimer: No, I do not own A:TLA, neither the TV show nor the movie. But if I had a choice I would rather own the TV series :D (because of its obvious superior awesomeness)


Harmony

Katara was silent as she steered Appa over the whispy white clouds, though at the rate they were flying they wouldn't make it to the island before sundown.

Zuko was wary of Katara.

"I think we should stop for the night," he said. The waterbender didn't answer.

"Katara?" He hesitated, then reached out to touch her shoulder, but she spoke.

"Yeah, you're right," he barely heard over the wind. Appa began to descend.

Zuko looked over the edge, and saw a canyon engulfed in mist.

"The Western Air Temple?" he asked. She nodded.

"No one's here, unless you count Combustion Man." Her voice was louder now. "Though I doubt he'll be bothering us." Her grip on the reins tightened, and she brought Appa down in the rubble-strewn courtyard, where the fountain still flowed freely. Zuko slid down from Appa's saddle, landing lightly on his feet. Katara was still on Appa's head, staring off into nowhere. He looked up at her with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Her eyes snapped to his, the uncertainty clear on her face. Zuko felt out of his element*, but he wanted to help her.

"I'm going for a walk," she said suddenly, and she slid from Appa's head to the floor, though with less grace than Zuko. She stumbled, and he reached out to steady her.

"I'm fine," she said, waving him away. She turned and strode off into the emerging shadows, and Zuko watched her go. He debated following her over unloading for the night, and decided he needed to make sure she didn't hurt herself. The sun was still above the horizon, but in the canyon the shadows solidified rapidly, and he held out his palm and produced a small flame for light as he set out to follow Katara. He tread lightly so as not to make too much noise, and searched the buildings surrounding the courtyard, but found no sign of her. He started to worry when everything became pitch black, the only light source being the flame in his hand.

Suddenly he heard a voice echoing not too far from where he was standing. He followed the sound, down another deserted hallway and around another corner as the voice rose and fell, like tides against the sand. He closed his fist and the flame was extinguished. He felt his way along the wall of the corridor, still following the voice, for it had to be Katara. She was singing, she had to be, no other voice had such resonance just by talking. His fingers touched the edge of a doorway, and he pulled himself into the room, where the music echoed all around him.

The All-Day Echo Chamber, he thought. Though he couldn't see a thing, he could feel how huge the room was by the sheer nothingness that pressed down on him. Katara was in here somewhere, her voice resonated around him, ringing of her longing of moonlit snow and dancing lights in the sky, of warm hugs and of the bluest ice deep in the sea. It was so heartbreaking, tears formed in his eyes. He knew what it was like to miss your home so much it was a constant ache, though that wasn't what Katara was singing about. All these images brought to his mind by her song were the things that reminded her of her mother.

Zuko walked forward into the Chamber, no sound escaping his footfalls. He stopped when he was sure Katara was very near him, as her voice was louder. He sat down, opened his mouth and began to sing with her, his voice flowing like a river under her delicate tones. Her voice faltered for a second, but returned almost immediately as he sang of firelilies blooming in the dawn, and warm glowing embers that mesmerized you into a dreamless sleep. Their songs blended together in perfect harmony, each complementing the other, completing each other. They rose and fell together, and even when both their voices faded, the two songs echoed around them for what felt like hours, and they listened until silence eventually fell.

Zuko held out his hand again, and a small flame appeared, lighting a small area around him in an orange glow. Katara was seated not three feet from him, and whipped her head around when the light appeared. Her face shone with the tears she had shed, and he felt his heart lurch. She stared into his eyes for a few seconds, then turned her body all the way around to face him, and her gaze slid to the ground as her cheeks turned pink. He hesitated, then stood and reached out his free hand to her. Her eyes moved from the floor to his hand, then to a spot above his head, then back to his hand again. She reached up and grasped his hand, then pulled herself to her feet, still determined to not look at him.

Zuko put an arm around her shoulders and gently guided her out of the room. They made their way back to the courtyard, where they found the mist had dissipated, and they could see the black velvet sky littered with stars. They gazed up in wonder, and both felt a sense of peace befall them.

Katara sighed, and Zuko looked down at her. Her eyes raised to meet his gaze, and in them he saw the stars reflected.

"Thank you," she whispered, and buried her face in his neck as she hugged him around his middle. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.


* no pun intended ^^

ahh, gotta love the fluff :)

we never really got to see the Western Air Temple other than the courtyard, so Aang's comment about the All-Day echo chamber got me thinking about it, and I imagined this HUUUGE chamber where the Air Nomads would gather and play music :)

-C