Title: And Did I Really Have To
Prompt: #048 Guilty
Notes: Takes place at the very, very end of Seige of the North Pole Pt. 1. Oh come on. Don't tell me no one's noticed how she slams into a pole, gets knocked out, and then miraculously ends up laying down like five feet from where she landed. Okay, probably just animator error, but still! (Also, Zuko has a serious forgiveness complex when it comes to Katara. I like to imagine that this is what started it.)
And Did I Really Have To
So there he is, Avatar finally in his grasp (for what, the fifth or sixth time? Honestly.) and a war at his proverbial doorstoop. He has no escape route as of now, which is mildly worrying but he's sure he can think of something. Except while he's standing there, trying to think of how he's going to escape…she's laying there like a rag dollie against the same pole that so sucessfully rendered her unconcious. And he's just a little guilty.
Sighing heavily, he drops the Avatar and hurriedly grabs her arm. None-too-gently (alright, maybe he's treating her like his mother's fine china, it means nothing) he pulls her until she's in a slightly more comfortable position on the ground.
The guilt eases. But not enough. It consumes him even as he figures out his escape route. (Thus begins his forgiveness complex regarding Katara.)