A Price to Pay
A/N: This is a Zutara oneshot and the beginning takes place about a month after 313, the ending two months after, but disregarding the other episodes after it, so it's sort of an AU. Avatar is copyright Nickelodeon. I own nothing.
Oh, and for those of you who don't know: Italics Katara's thoughts, regular text everything else.
Of course Katara regretted what she had done to Zuko after it was all over. If only I had known . . , she thought.
It had all started a few days after he had joined their group. Zuko had quickly bonded with everyone in the group. Everyone except Katara.
Not that he didn't try. Everyday, he helped her do her chores, yet she ignored him. Every time he tried to speak to her, his efforts were rewarded only with harsh words. Still, he kept trying.
He asked Aang, Toph and Sokka for advice. Aang even tried talking to her. Still nothing worked. Zuko should have known something was up when she started being nice to him.
At the time, Katara had felt it had to be done. Zuko had to be punished for joining Azula at Ba Sing Se and everything else he had done to them.
"Thanks for helping me with my chores today, Zuko. It was really sweet of you," she had said, while he helped her clean up after dinner. Zuko looked at her curiously, then smiled.
"It was nothing. You just looked like you could use some help, and since no one else ever helps you, I thought I should," he said. Katara reached out and took his hand. As much as she had hated touching him, she had to be convincing.
"I'm really sorry for the way I've been treating you. The more I'm around you, the more I realized how much you've changed, Zuko. Do you think you can ever forgive me and we can put aside our differences and be friends?," she said. Zuko looked at her for a moment, and Katara thought that she saw something flicker in his eyes, then he put his arms around her and hugged her. He was so happy that he didn't even feel Katara flinch.
"I missed you," he whispered, pulling her closer. It's a trick., Katara thought, He hates you. He's lying. The first chance he gets he's going to hand you over to Azula.
"I missed you, too, Zuko," she lied. Zuko patted her on the back, then pulled away.
"Come on, these dishes aren't going to wash themselves," he said lightheartedly. Katara thought that, for a moment, his face was red, but then she realized it must had been a trick of the light.
The next morning, he approached her on her way to train with Aang.
"Katara, you know that I'm sorry for betraying you at Ba Sing Se and that I would never do anything to hurt you, right?," he asked. Katara picked up the worried tone in his voice. What if he had somehow found out about what she planned to do to him?
"Of course, Zuko. Why would you ask that?," she replied. Katara stepped closer to him, and grabbed his hand and placed it on her cheek, leaning her face into it.
"It's just . . . I think it's a little strange at the least that you just suddenly decided to be nice to me for seemingly no reason," he said.
"I know. I would find it strange, too, but, like I said yesterday, the more I was around you, the more I realized what a wonderful person you've become. I just wish that it hadn't taken me so long to realize how wonderful you are," she said. Their eyes met, and Zuko couldn't help but stare into her beautiful sapphire eyes. He lightly stroked her cheek with his hand and, despite herself, Katara felt herself begin to blush. He's lying. He's just going to hurt you again. He doesn't care about you. He's just interested in capturing Aang,, she thought, Still, you need to gain his trust to make him pay for everything he's done and plans to do, so it's best to play along . . . He leaned in closer to her and closed the distance between their lips. Zuko moved his other hand up to cup her face, while stroking her hair. Katara put her arms around his neck.
"Oh...," she sighed as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Zuko groaned, obviously pleased with how things were going. Katara felt her heartbeat speed up and, as much as she hated to admit it, she was enjoying herself. Zuko was an excellent kisser, and it didn't help that he was clearly enjoying her reactions as much as the kiss itself, and adjusting himself so she would enjoy it, too. He moved his lips away from hers and trailed his mouth lightly down her cheek to her neck, placing a kiss there, then pulling away.
"Zuko . . ," she whispered, reaching up to touch his face. He pulled away.
"I'm sorry, Katara. I shouldn't have done that . . ," he said. And with those words, he walked away. He's upset because he kissed me and he's still planning to hand Aang and me over to the Fire Nation, she reasoned. Still, I need him to be back to normal by tomorrow, or else I can't put my plan into action.
"Katara! Are you coming or should I start without you?," Aang yelled.
"Coming, Aang!," she shouted cheerfully.
The next time she saw Zuko that day was when he helped her prepare lunch.
"Listen, Katara . . . I'm really sorry about before. I know I shouldn't have just kissed you like that, and I hope we can just forget about it," he said. He doesn't want to go and establish a relationship with someone he knows he's going to betray.
"No, it's ok. I really like you Zuko, and think you're a great guy, but I wished you hadn't just kissed me out of the blue like that. I'll need some time to think about . . . if I like you the same way," she said. Zuko nodded understandingly.
"I hope that what I did doesn't change too much between us. I'd still like to get to know you as friend, and if you want to be more than friends, then just tell me," he said.
"Hey, Katara, is lunch ready yet?," Sokka interrupted.
"It's almost done," she replied, "Come on, Zuko, we'd better hurry."
Unfortunately for Zuko, everything went as Katara planned for the rest of the day and the next. Briefly, she wondered if what she was doing was wrong and if Zuko really had changed. Then she remembered how he had acted in Ba Sing Se only moments before betraying her. It must be done, she thought.
"Um . . . Zuko? I was wondering if I could talk to you alone when you're done eating," she said innocently to him while they were eating dinner. It was the day after he had kissed her.
"Sure," he said. He quickly finished eating and made a small flame in his hand.
"Oh, don't worry about seeing where we're going. We have the light of the full moon and stars to guide us. Besides I don't want to wander too far," she said. Zuko nodded in agreement and put the flame in his hand out. She took his hand and the two walked into the dark woods. As soon as they were out of earshot, Toph turned to Aang and Sokka.
"She's up to something," Toph said. Aang rolled his eyes.
"Really, Toph. You've been saying that since yesterday. I think you're being paranoid," he said.
"Yeah, the reason you think she's been lying is because she's been so nervous around Zuko lately. Besides, there's no way she could take him in a fight, considering Katara didn't bring her waterskin and Zuko still has his firebending," Sokka said.
"I guess you're right," she said, "But I still can't shake the feeling that she's up to something."
"This should be far enough," Katara said to Zuko. He looked at her, and smiled. Then he noticed the look on her face.
"Katara . . . what are you doing?," he asked as she backed away from him. She didn't answer. Suddenly, Zuko lost all control of his body.
"Katara, what are you doing to me?," he whispered in disbelief.
"I'm making you pay for what you've done. There's a price to pay for betrayal, Zuko," she said coldly. Zuko stood still as she slowly walked towards him. He didn't even flinch or scream as she punched him across the face or as she knocked him down and stepped on him. He didn't beg her to stop when she broke one of his arms. All he did was look her in the eye before he fell unconscious.
"See, I told you something was wrong!," Toph shouted to Aang and Sokka as they stepped into the small clearing. Katara gasped.
"Toph, I can explain-," Katara started, but Toph stopped her.
"Don't try to lie! How could you do this to him, Katara? All he tried to do was be nice to you! Look what you did to him!," Toph yelled.
"You could have killed him!," Aang added.
"I warned him that you were up to something, and he believed me. But he thought he could make you see how much he cared for and about you. All he wanted was for you to care about him, too! He said as a last result he'd let you let your anger out on him, but I didn't think that you'd go this far," Toph yelled. It was at that moment she realized what she had done. Despite the obvious proof that Zuko had genuinely changed, she had pretended to care about him to hurt him. He loved me., she thought. We could have been happy together, then I did this to him. She looked at him, and felt herself begin to cry.
His clothes, face and hair were soaked with blood. She was sure that his ribs, nose, arms, jaw and maybe a leg were broken.
"Zuko . . ," she sobbed. Katara knelt down next to him and began to heal him. "I'm sorry, Zuko. If you can hear me, do you think you can ever forgive me?," His eyes flickered open. For a moment, he watched her cry. Then he turned away. Katara began to cry even harder. She finished healing him, and Aang and Sokka picked Zuko up to carry him back to camp. They refused to look at her.
That was a month ago. Zuko was better, but he refused to even look at her. He no longer helped her with her chores. She was sure he could hear her crying in her room at night, but he didn't say anything. Whenever she tried to get close to him, he would flinch and back away. When Zuko was getting better, even though she wasn't allowed to be alone with him, she would bring him flowers and he wouldn't say anything.
Even Aang, Sokka, The Duke and Haru were nervous around her. Sokka was ashamed of her at the very least, The Duke and Haru were so scared of her they could barely say three sentences to her. Aang was also ashamed of her, and a little scared.
Only Toph could see that she truly had no intention of hurting Zuko again and was sorry for what she had done.
"Well?," Katara asked Toph one day after she had talked to Zuko. "What did he say about me?"
"I don't think he's going to be forgiving you anytime soon. You hurt him really badly emotionally, Katara. I don't think he'll ever recover. He feels like a fool for thinking you ever cared about him and hates himself for ever being in love with you. He wants to forgive you and trust you, but he can't," Toph said.
"I'm going to try to talk to him tonight," Katara explained. Toph nodded.
"I doubt he'll listen to you, and I can't blame him, but I hope he does," she said.
That night, Katara knocked on his door.
"Who's there?," he asked.
"It's me, Katara. Can I come in?"
"Is Aang, Sokka, or Toph with you?," he answered coldly.
"No, but I'd like to talk to you alone. Please let me in."
"Talk to me from outside, then."
"Fine. Zuko, I'm really sorry for what I did to you. I was so mad at you for betraying us at Ba Sing Se that I let it cloud my judgment. I miss when you used to help me do chores. I miss your friendship. I know that if I were you, I wouldn't forgive me, but I'm sorry. I didn't realize it before, but I love you, Zuko. I want to start a real relationship with you, and I promise I won't try to hurt you that way again," she finished.
"I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I ever trusted you and wanted to be your friend. I'm sorry I ever kissed you, that I ever helped you, and that I ever loved you. I feel sorry for you for wanting my love and friendship back, but knowing that you're never going to get it. I'm sorry, Katara, I really am."