So, here we are, on the last day of Zutara week, and now, I promise, things are getting interesting.
I want to thank each and every one of you who takes the time out of their day to spend even a moment in indulging this little corner of the internet.
Chapter 18: Zutara week, Storm
Tonight the storm resides in her heart, not the air.
Katara sat on the end of her blue bed. Her posture was rigged and sharp. Ok, so she lied, sitting here, being understanding was incredibly difficult. Her mind was running a million miles a second. It didn't help that he sat across the room from her, looking so small so completely and utterly sorry.
No! She had to remember, she was mad at him, sort of. It's not like he cheated on her, they had to be together for that to apply. No, they weren't together, they certainly weren't together… But it certainly felt like it to her. Zuko had the right to be with who he wanted, no matter what Katara thought. What did one kiss or two mean? Or even the nights they spent together, talking until the sun rose. But how many times had he done that with Mai too? Her blood boiled to think of.
"Damn it Zuko." Katara got up, her body unable to sit still any more. Her bare feet paced along the silky carpet, "I mean, how many second chances am I supposed to give you?"
The stab hurt, that was for sure. "Come on Katara, can't I explain-?"
"No. Zuko, no you can't." The words slid from her like an ice pick, freezing the air in his throat. "Don't you get it? Over and over I give up everything, un-root my entire life and for what?" Katara worked very hard not to look at him, but the curtain outside, the blankets on her bed, the hem of her shirt, were all so interesting. She didn't want to look at him because deep down she didn't know who she was talking to, Aang or Zuko. "I just don't understand… What did I do?"
Zuko walked up behind her, his hand rested on her shoulder. His breath warm on her neck, slowly erasing her pains and fears, "No, stop it." It took all her energy but somehow Katara managed to shrug off his comforting touch. It was hard to remember but Aang used to touch her like this too. She used to find such warmth in Aang's touch, comfort; but we all know how that ended. "Don't touch me."
Her slight form walked away, the steps small but calculated. "We've done this once before. How many times do you expect me to move past it? How many time do you plan on tearing me apart and still find me sitting here, waiting for you. I can't do it Zuko, every time I do something, you do something then I'm left feeling a whole lot of something."
"Katara—" His voice was soft, barely heard above her rant."
"First there was the caves, then that man from the Southern Raiders. Then fighting Azula, I thought you were dead—you know that's when it happened, when I first noticed I couldn't live without you—and then what? You ran back to her, because we both know how much more she can offer then me."
"Katara—" he tried desperately to catch her attention.
She however, just talked right over his efforts, "It didn't matter what I was feeling, it didn't matter that I ran away to help the love of my young life rebuild his nation. But you know what did matter? That I hated you. I hated the ground you walked on, I hated the very air you breathed."
"Katara, I fail to see—"
"But what I didn't see, that hatred, or what I thought was hatred was actually fear. I was afraid of what you could do to me, again might I add." She finally stopped, the darkness inside even skewed the icy color of her eyes, those eyes, the color of the night sky, were completely fixed on her, the gaze very reminiscent of their early days. The tension so thick it was almost touchable, "And then look what you did." Katara felt the tension building inside her, the built up anger breaking through, she'd been tame for far too long.
"Look what you did Zuko. What the hell were you thinking?" Streaming from random directions, water pooled around Katara's hands, the liquid so pure, Zuko knew this would hurt.
"Katara, you're not listening to me!"
"What is there to listen to? You haven't said anything!"
"That's because you won't let me." Zuko tried to inch closer to her, maybe he could sooth her.
"No, don't come near me." The water in her hands hardened, turning to ice, much like the fire daggers he uses. It's a wonder she's not a Fire Bender, she has the temper for one.
"Ok, fine." He held up his hands in surrender, "But listen, it was an accident."
Katara's icy fire of a voice laughed out, "An accident? Like I haven't heard that one before."
"No, you don't understand."
"Sorry, Aang already used that line."
"Katara, shut up!" He'd tried to be calm, he'd tried to reason, but clearly that was out of the question, luckily, his outburst worked for a minute, she was too stunned to retaliate, at least for a minute. He had to explain as quickly as possible in as few words as possible. "Mai came to my room, she's delusional, she started going on about stupid things. But I told her to leave, and when you showed up she tried to tell me to get rid of you, and I snapped. My room is ruined, my temper is shot, and because of that I'll probably never get a chance to give you the necklace I made, well Toph made it, but I carved it first…" His mouth stopped a moment too late, his eyes the size of saucers. Oops. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag." He silently pulled the long box from his pocket, but didn't dare step any closer, in case she tried to kill him. So, without a word he tossed the box to her, praying it landed in her hands, though the workings inside probably wouldn't break if a hippo-bear stepped on it.
"Zuko, what—?"
"Just open it." Zuko swore he could hear the beating in his ears. But hell, the day couldn't get much worse. Well, it could, she could say no.
A small gasp escaped her lips, drifting only on the air until it reached his ears. "I wanted it to be more romantic then this, but I guess—" the voice that escaped his throat was so uncharacteristically soft, but the moment was cut short by the slamming of the doors, suddenly thrown open.
"ZUKO!" A small Kyoshi warrior burst into the room, crying out loudly.
"Now's really not the right time…" He didn't even bother to look at her but he smelt the vague smell of burnt fabric, but that might just be him.
"No, your sister… she's—she's…"
His patience was wearing thin, what could be so important about his sister that she felt the need to run in here, without even bothering to knock.
"She's gone. Broke free, some warriors were lost…" Zuko finally turned to the girl, question filling his eyes.
"Tylee…?" She was bleeding profusely through a disgusting wound in her stomach. Crimson slime oozed through her fingers, over the rich green fabric of her uniform. But it was too late, even for Katara, the life had been leaving her eyes long before she'd arrived.
"Save… Azula…" Tylee fell to the ground, inch by inch, first to her knees, then her chest until there was no hope, no chance Katara could win. Even the glowing water around her hands couldn't reach inside girl, there was nothing to connect to, no soul to fight. Katara and Zuko could practically hear the excited whisper dance through the air as her spirit departed, leaving them only with an empty shell of the girl she once was.
How could this happen? Everything had been so perfect lately, so calm and perfect. Less than 24 hours ago everything was perfect. He was about to propose to the most amazing woman. Azula was on the mend, with Katara's aid. The court had been suspiciously calm, no riots, no rebellions. Everything had been so calm, unfortunately, it seemed only to be the calm before the storm.
So, Zuko had been wrong, this day could get worse.
