Disclaimer: I'm not in anyway affiliated with the creators or writers of Avatar, but you can bet if I were, the series finale would have been significantly different!
Author's Note: Author responses to reviews follow this chapter! Thanks to those of you who reviewed, favorited, or followed me so far!
Rekindled: Chapter 3
Hours had past, dragging slowly along like sacks of rocks across dusty and uneven ground. Zuko had struggled with time throughout most of his life. Almost always, it had seemed he'd never have enough time. No time to say goodbye to his mother before her mysterious disappearance. Not enough time to beg for forgiveness before his father cruelly burned and discarded him from the royal family. No time at all to chase the Avatar. Not enough time to prepare for the finale battle with his newfound allies.
It seemed terribly, tremendously, and torturously ironic now. Now Zuko felt as though he had more time than he could bear to handle. Traveling by airship was convenient—but it was a terrible bore. He and Katara had been on their journey for hours now, and all Zuko had to do was to occasionally get up and check the controls. Sometimes he would adjust them, slightly altering a rudder or the amount of heated air in the huge contraption, but that was the highlight of the past few hours. However, nighttime was blanketing the land, and soon it would be time for sleep. The Fire Lord welcomed the thought.
Seated lazily in his chair, his feet propped up unceremoniously on the control panels; Zuko glanced around and chewed his lip. Katara had left the bridge a long time ago, citing the need to prepare dinner for the both of them. Zuko could smell something pungent wafting from the ventilation system, and his stomach growled noisily.
Huffing, he stood up and began to walk in the direction of the airship's tiny kitchen. Naturally, this sort of ship didn't have the spaciousness of a ship at sea. They were, after all, suspended hundreds of feet above the ground, attached to giant hot-air balloons. There wasn't any way to build a huge cabin underneath the belly of the ship—it would simply weigh too much. Quarters were adjusted accordingly, and predictably the kitchen suffered the most loss. No soldier aboard was a master cook anyway, and with most battle sites easily within a day's reach there was no need for an abundance of food.
The Fire Lord stepped into the room, noting the change in temperature. The air in the room was warm. From the oven, Zuko guessed. One extraordinary thing about the design of these war balloons was that they were extremely energy efficient. Furnaces burned coal to heat the air, which was directed into the balloons, keeping them aloft. However, the air would slowly cool after a while, and the airship would then begin to lose altitude. To prevent this, air that was still quite warm was pumped throughout the ship's cabin—to heat the rooms (it was much colder at higher altitudes), and of course, to assist in the heating of the kitchen appliances. The oven was a coal-burning model, of course, but thanks to the hot air being administered to it constantly, it took less coal to make the oven twice as hot. Unfortunately for whoever was using the oven, however, it also made the temperature in the room skyrocket. Right now Zuko felt as if he was being cooked.
Katara was only a few feet away, leaning over the bulk of the oven, sweat beading on her brow. When she heard Zuko approach, she tossed her tresses of hair over her shoulder and offered an exhausted-looking smile.
"Just a little warm, don't you think?" She joked, and then sighed and wiped her forehead. "I'm trying to make some dumplings for dinner, but I'm not the best at cooking."
"Not without a campfire?" Zuko teased. "While you're cooking, I could make us some tea."
"Is it just me, or are you growing fonder of tea every day?"
"I suppose I've adopted some of my uncle's tastes."
The two benders laughed softly, and then Zuko moved about the room, searching for items needed to make tea. Katara continued leaning over the oven, occasionally poking at the dumplings with a spoon. The firebender watched her intently—it was a side of Katara he'd not seen before—as she gradually grew more and more agitated with the food.
"Aargh!" the waterbender finally groaned. "I give up! They are not cooking the right way!"
"What's the matter with them?" Zuko pressed forward, strangely propelled and eager to help.
Katara gestured angrily towards the pan, where the dumplings were sizzling. "They are getting crispy on the outside but not on the inside. You can feel it when you poke them."
The girl trust the spoon in front of the bewildered firebender's face, her shoulders tightened and her lips pressed together. Noticing Zuko's surprised expression, she slowly attempted to relax.
"I'm sorry," she excused. "I'm just not—typical domestic woman material. I can't cook, even when I try. I hate sewing. But…I love to fight! What a great wife I'll be someday."
"I think you'll make a wonderful wife," Zuko said without thinking about it first. He blinked and then glanced warily towards Katara to gage her reaction to his comment. The waterbender's eyebrows lowered for a tense moment, but then her face brightened.
"Thanks, Zuko," she said graciously, and sighing she took the spoon back and resumed poking at the dumplings.
Zuko breathed a silent sigh of relief that his comment hadn't created an awkward situation between the two benders. He glanced her way again, gesturing towards the food, and Katara stepped back and handed the spoon to him. Zuko took it uncertainly and began fingering the handle to the pan.
"You seem like a pretty normal girl to me," the young Fire Lord admitted after a short pause. "But then again, you have to look at the woman I've known all my life."
Katara smiled. "Azula, Ty Lee, Mai—you're right. None of them are ordinary either."
"Don't forget Toph. She's about as far from domestic as you get."
"Right."
Katara eased back against the kitchen counter, somewhat comforted about her lack of cooking skills. She watched, confused, when Zuko suddenly picked up the dumpling pan and took it off the stove.
"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.
"I'm cooking the old-fashioned firebender way," Zuko said, and with his free hand, he lit a small flame underneath the metal pan he was holding. Gradually, he allowed the flame to grow hotter and hotter, and in less time than it took to have the conversation the dumplings were cooked. He placed the pan, still hot, on the kitchen table.
"Here, try it." Zuko stabbed one of the plump dumplings and offered it to Katara.
The waterbender took the food and cautiously bit into it. Sure enough, the center was deceitfully warm. "These are perfect!" she exclaimed. "Zuko, I didn't know you knew how to cook!"
"I had to find some way to feed myself while I was wandering around the Earth Kingdom alone," modestly explained the Fire Lord.
"What else did you learn while you were wandering in the Earth Kingdom alone?" The waterbender pressed on.
Seriousness overtook the firebender's expression. Then he glanced back at Katara, the lines of a grateful smile crossing his face. "I learned that sometimes it's better not to be alone."
Katara was taken aback by his revelation, but she offered him a confused, shy smile. "I guess that's one thing we've all learned from you. None of this would have been possible without you."
Zuko nodded graciously, thinking of the events of the recent past replaying in his thoughtful mind. "Thank you, Katara,"
"No, I should be thanking you! Not only for what you did for all of us, but what you did for me. I…I never really properly thanked you—formally—for what you did for me the day of Sozin's Comet."
Cautiously, Katara reached out a delicate, tanned hand and brushed her fingertips against the front of the Fire Lord's silk robes, just above Zuko's near-fatal injury. The deadly bolt of lightning Azula had meant for Katara was the only thing he still had nightmares about. Zuko's reaction had been noble, and it had probably saved the waterbender's life, but it had very nearly cost him his own. In the weeks since that day, the angry red scar on his chest and the pain it caused was a constant reminder of his split-second sacrifice. However, Zuko didn't even feel a twinge of remorse regarding his decision. More than anything, he was certain that if given the same choice again—even a thousand times—that he would choose the risk of death every single time to protect Katara.
That was, after all, what he had promised to Aang to do, wasn't it?
Katara watched as the memories flashed through Zuko's amber-colored eyes, her fingers still brushing against the fabric that hid the young Fire Lord's wound. She stepped closer. Katara's palm flattened against Zuko's chest, resting just above his heart. She could feel the strong muscle pounding rhythmically beneath his ribcage. His eyes met hers, and the heat in the room seemed to increase exponentially in that moment.
Suddenly, Zuko visibly winced. Katara jumped back, alerted by the firebender's reaction to her touch.
"I'm sorry," Katara whispered suddenly, wringing her hands nervously. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
They regarded each other with strange and somewhat frightened glances, as if an electric shock had stretched between them, and each blamed the opposite for the pain.
Zuko inhaled, slightly embarrassed by his reaction to Katara's slight gesture. "No, I'm not. I'm just jumpy. Sorry."
Katara stared at him for just a moment longer, then seized the pan of dumplings and retreated across the room, hastily grabbing plates and utensils from various cabinets. With her back turned, Zuko was able to breathe that sigh of relief that he couldn't while those ocean-colored eyes were fixed on him. He gripped the front of his shirt where she had touched, and felt the slight sting as the pressure of his fingertips bit gently into his wound.
"Do you want to eat here, or somewhere else, Zuko?" Katara asked, glancing over her shoulder as she arranged their plates and brought them to the table.
Zuko lifted his head, trying to shake off the strange moment he and the waterbender had just shared. "The kitchen is too cramped; we can eat on the bridge if you want."
Katara shot him an uncertain smile. "Okay,"
Ten minutes later, the two benders were seated comfortably and casually in their seats at the bridge of the war balloon. They'd made conversation just as casual, but somehow the subject of discussion had gradually sunk back into the murky pool of relationships. Zuko found out the hard way how much girls could talk about romance if you let them; however, he was surprised to discover that he actually didn't mind hearing about the complex details that Katara confessed to him. He found himself enthralled with her stories, willing to learn more about her, and even more eager to offer help.
Now, Zuko busied himself with finishing his meal and listening as Katara relayed to him the unseen events that had conspired between her and Aang the night their group had attended the play put on by the Ember Island Players. He watched thoughtfully as the waterbender's expressions shifted—like waves on sand—as she explained.
"So after the third act of the play, I went outside to find Aang," Katara was telling him enthusiastically. She'd suddenly grown very trusting, and no detail of her story was off limits.
"He was there, and he started asking me if I had 'really meant what I said'—in the play, of course—and if he really was just like a little brother to me." The waterbender continued. "He wanted to know if that was true and if we kissed on the Day of Black Sun, then why weren't we together now? And I told him that I didn't know because at that time—you know—we had so much more important stuff to deal with like with your father and the war, and that isn't the sort of backdrop I would every want to start a romantic relationship in anyway, so—"
"Katara—you're starting to ramble." Zuko murmured. He felt the need to remind the girl every once in a while that she needed to take a breath.
"Um…Sorry."
"It's alright. Go on."
"Okay…where was I again? Oh yeah, Aang asked why we couldn't be in a relationship after the Day of Black Sun. And I told him that I didn't know; that there were more important things to worry about. But he insisted, and I told him I was confused—but then he kissed me!" Katara's eyes grew wide as she recollected the events. "And at that moment I just thought what on earth could he be thinking to make him think that doing that was right at that moment, so I left him there."
The girl crossed her arms and gazed solemnly out of the wide, expansive windows. Her dark lashes blinked rapidly, but Zuko was unsure if their movements were triggered by the girl's growing frustration or an attempt to hold back tears. He continued to listen as Katara spilled out more of her heart.
"I feel bad about it now, of course. But obviously, Aang's forgiven me. And—and now, everything's alright, and I know I shouldn't, but…but I still feel confused!" The waterbender's brow furrowed, her blue eyes burning in frustration. She took a bite of one of her hot dumplings and chewed. "I just get so—so angry at myself for this."
Zuko cocked his head thoughtfully to the side. "Why are you angry at yourself? It sounds more like you're angry at Aang."
The girl shook her head adamantly. "No—it's just that…" she sighed and paused to collect her thoughts. "It's just that, all my life, no matter what happens I've always been certain what is right and what it wrong. But lately it's all been muddled together. First with the Southern Raiders, now with Aang…I'm not sure anymore if what I'm doing is right."
Zuko's eyes shifted to the ground. "You mean, about being with Aang?"
Katara glanced at him, apparently surprised, for an instant. She then took another small bite from her plate, moved the food around in her mouth with her tongue, but found herself unable to swallow. Her eyes slide down to the floor.
"Yeah," she admitted, and took another bite.
"If it's any consolation, I have similar feelings about Mai," Zuko laid his head back and stared at the riveted ceiling. "Everyone around us thinks we're meant for each other, but I always wonder how they can be so sure, when even I'm not. Mai and I have liked each other since we were kids, so I guess it can be assumed that we are meant to be—but love is such a big step, and—and I don't want to make any more bad decisions."
"I think you're on the right path now, Zuko."
"Yeah, but I thought I was on the right path before too—you know—when I was chasing you and Aang and your brother around the world like a mad man!"
"But you were confused then—"
"I'm confused now!"
Katara and Zuko glanced at each other then, their eyes locking. The waterbender stared deeply into the Fire Lord's harsh golden eyes and tugged one of her braids nervously.
"I know," she answered him softly. "I'm confused too."
Personal Thingy:
I totally know that I'll get tons of hate reviews from Kataang shippers from this chapter. Sorry canon—thou art mine enemy, not thy friend! Please be nice and review! Love the reviews!
BlueHawk1785: Thanks very much for your compliments. I'm glad you like my attention to detail—it's one of the hardest things to get right as an author. It's wonderful that you noticed! Thanks again!
XrhiaX: Thank you! I'm glad you like how I've interpreted Aang's character. One thing I pride myself is keeping my characters as close to the canon as possible. I hate it when well-meaning authors completely change a character's personality to suit their stories. I mean, the show became popular because the viewers fell in love with the characters—so why change a good thing? Thanks again for your kind review!
Amore1993: Thanks for your review; I'm glad to have caught your interest! I'm glad you noticed my "subtle" hint about how Zutara is more logical than Kataang. Please review again! Thanks!
ML7: Hey there, my friend. Thanks for continuing to review! I'm super busy as well—isn't everyone nowadays? Luckily for me, I've been writing "Rekindled" on an off for the last few years, and I've got 5 more chapters after this one already written. I'm glad you're looking forward to Zuko and Katara's arrival in Ba Sing Se—I'll be the first to admit that this chapter was rather uneventful—but fear not! The next will be much better. Unfortunately, however, they will not find that the city is free from corruption. Whoops—spoiler alert! I plan for some major drama in the future. Thanks again for your wonderful compliments and faithfulness! See you soon!
Scattered Bronze: Please don't cry—my fics are not meant to make you cry! LOL. I'm glad you like them though; thanks very much for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the way I interpreted the characters—that's one of the things I take pride in. Thank you again for the compliments!
Blackrosee84: Thanks very much for your review! I appreciate it very much and am glad that you're looking forward to the rest of the story. Please review again! Thanks!
Rashaka: I liked your review, continues. LOL. Thanks very much for the compliments!
Yumi 26: *Also strokes nonexistent beard* (Also nonexistent because I'm a girl too). I'm glad you enjoy the story! Thanks very much for the review!
KJun: Thanks very much for your review and your kind words. I think you're not the only one who noticed the similarities between Katara and Zuko—maybe one of the few who was conscious of it, though. I think one of the reasons that the fans came up with the pairing is because there WAS such a similarity in their characters. Thanks very much for your kind words; I'm glad you're looking forward to reading more!