a/n Thank you everyone for all of the reviews! AND thank you for all of favorites and follows! Overnight my inbox held the confirmations of three new followers and favorites! How cool is that? ANYWAYS, I love the love you've been sending so again THANK YOU!
I know it's been awhile since I've updated and I'm sorry (and I sadly do not see any instance that would allow me more time to write). This chapter isn't exactly 'fluff' because Katara and Zuko both learn stuff about each other, but it's nothing new to us avid AtLA lovers/watchers. Read on and see!
Chapter 16 ~Sleep~
-Zuko-
She looked just as delighted as he felt. His heart felt so full no words could come out. Was he turning into a sap or what? Even though he knew how loving her exposed him, he just couldn't stop. Their love seemed only to grow and he just decided to stop questioning why.
Like earlier, when they stared silently at each other. He took in every detail of her beautiful face, her nose, mouth, hair, and of course her iridescent eyes. As he watched her and his body cooled he noticed her eyelids drooping.
"I'm sorry," she yawned, "I'm just so sleepy now." He smiled at her. I wonder why? He asked proudly in his head.
"Sleep now, sweet." He said. A few loose strands of hair covered part of her face, so he tucked them back.
"You sound like Toph."
"Yes, but I have a different reason for calling you sweet." Her body stilled against him and understanding spread across her face.
"Zuko!" she exclaimed and whacked him with her free right arm.
"Ouch, hey!" he chuckled. "Fine. Goodnight, beautiful." She retracted her arm and switched to her other side to nestle her back to his front. It felt so natural. Just like last night when she had slept in his arms.
"Goodnight, beautiful." She murmured. Does she think I'm beautiful? He shook his head at the foolish thought. No, she must be repeating me. But she says she loves me and I know she means it… No, his voice snapped, they are different. Just because she loves, you doesn't mean she thinks you're beautiful. Plus, men aren't beautiful, especially not me. "Zuko?" Her soft voice pulled him out of his pool of thoughts.
"Hmm?" he said distractedly.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing," he replied, pulling her closer to him. But she struggled free and turned back to lie on her left side to face him.
"Something is wrong. What is it?" She reached up to loop her arms around his neck. For some reason, it felt like she was staring at his scar. He closed his eyes and turned his bad side away from her. "Hey?" she tugged at his chin until he was facing her again. "Tell me."
"It's nothing… It's stupid." His eyes moved away from hers.
"Look at me." He did automatically at her request. "Please, what's wrong?" Guess I have to tell her.
"D-do you think I'm beautiful?" he asked quietly. Wow, his question sounded even stupider out loud. He was sure she'd laugh or shrug it off or tell him he was being ridiculous. But she didn't.
"Of course I do." She answered solemnly. It was as if Aang had just blasted him with air.
"Wh-what?" he asked confused. She really means it, doesn't she? "Say it again, please." He whispered. A smile spread across her face as she cupped his face with one hand.
"Zuko," there was that firm voice again, "I love you and I think you are the most beautiful person… inside and out I have ever met." He closed his eyes, savoring her words. Agni, how he loved her.
"Even my face? And this?" he pointed to the left side of his face. A sad look came over her face.
"Yes, of course," she stretched up to kiss his left eye close. "Your face is the face of my love." He smiled.
"Not the face of the enemy?" he joked, remembering what she had said in their imprisonment under Ba Sing Se. A look of horror appeared, marring her sweet face. Oh no, why did I mention that? "Sorry, bad joke." How do I change the subject? He thought frantically. "Did I ever tell you how I got my scar?" Wait. Why did I say that? This is so not a good bedtime story.
"No," she answered quietly, absentmindedly stroking the side of his face still.
"Do you want me to tell you?"
"You don't have to." I know.
"But do you want to know?" Now that he had started the conversation, he thought he should see it through.
"Zuko, I'd never ask you that…but I would like to know…" she drifted off. He had never shared the story of his scar before. His Uncle was there and no one else needed to know the details of his banishment. But he found that he suddenly wanted to tell her. It would form another bond he had with her. He took a deep breath, preparing himself.
"I was thirteen." She gasped and her hand moved away from his face to cover her mouth. "I went to a war meeting with my father…actually Uncle let me in, I wasn't supposed to be there. And…"
"Go on," she encouraged.
"I spoke out against a general's plan to use new recruits as bait," he seethed. It was still a horrible plan. "And the Fire Lord said I had completely disrespected him and ordered me to fight an Agni Kai. A firebending duel." He explained, seeing her look of confusion. Something else came to him and he gave a quiet laugh. "It's funny that you swear by Agni instead of Yue."
"Well," she replied slightly testily, "it's not like Agni was your sister's first sort-of boyfriend, hmm?"
"What?" He was completely lost, but at least they weren't talking about his scar…for now. She sighed.
"You know that Admiral Zhao killed Tui, the original moon spirit?"
"Right…"
"And Yue was the princess of the Northern Water Tribe who… gave her life to become the moon spirit."
"Oh."
"Yeah and she and Sokka had something going on between them."
"Oh." He said again
"Yeah, 'oh,' now what happened next?" Couldn't sidetrack her for long…
"I thought I'd duel the old general, but on the day of the fight, when I entered the arena… my father turned to face me instead." She gasped again and hugged him tightly. "By speaking out against the general's plan in front of the Fire Lord in his war room…I had disrespected him. The Fire Lord." He paused, before she could speak he continued, "I fell to my knees and begged him for mercy. I remember telling him, 'I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son!' He ordered me to stand and fight, but I wouldn't-couldn't. I will never forget what he said to me right before… He said, 'You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.' And then the fire blast came. The pain was excruciating." He winced involuntarily, as if his face still burned. It took a long time for the pain to go away and it had taken him even longer to be able to sleep at night. He felt her burry her head in his neck, gripping him strongly. That's when he felt her tears.
"Hey? Don't cry." He soothed, stroking her long dark hair, but she just sobbed harder. "Please, Katara. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He should have never told her this story. Her whole body shuddered.
"No, don't be sorry, I wanted to know." She gasped through her silent tears, looking up at him, "I love you, Zuko. Scar and all. What Ozai did was…" she was at a loss for words.
"Shhh…shhh…I know. I know. But it's okay." He consoled her.
"No, it's not okay!" she said, finding her voice again. A sad smile spread across her lips, "Although, everything that happened to you, no matter how horrible and twisted, made you who you into the strong, smart, stunning person you are today and…" He smiled. Leave it to her to find the bigger picture.
"…And it lead me to you." he finished quietly.
"Yes," her sad smile widened weakly. Then her face turned dark.
"What?"
"Ozai," she snarled, her hand shaking against his face.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay now. We're here, together, and that's what matters." Was it bad that he sort of loved how mad she was? It wasn't the distant pity he sometimes got, but true soulful compassion.
"I know, I know, but…if Aang doesn't kill the Fire Lord, I want my shot. I am next in line." Wow. Maybe it's time to scale things back a little. He thought.
"I think that list is actually really long, so I don't think you can just skip like that." She laughed, probably a little forced, but it helped the atmosphere return to normal. She sniffed loudly and she snuggled up to him, her head just under his chin.
He kissed the top of her head and breathed in her scent. He loved the smell of her hair. It smelled like the ocean, salty and fresh, it smelled like her. His eyes drooped and he suddenly felt very tired. He had had a very eventful day. I'm no longer a virgin. Look at what I've been missing! NO, I'm glad it was Katara. Anyone else might have made it awkward or something. Plus, she loves me. She truly loves me. With that final happy thought, he drifted off to sleep.
-Katara-
They had said 'I love you' at the exact same time, could they be better matched? In short, she was delighted. She beamed at him. Every moment together she loved him more. When they were staring at each other earlier, she tried to memorize every line and detail of his beautiful face, nose, mouth, hair, and his golden eyes. Even the eye with his scar looked beautiful to her. She really didn't register it as a scar anymore. It was just part of him, a part of him that she loved.
The action packed evening was catching up with her and her eyelids felt increasingly heavy.
"I'm sorry," she yawned, "I'm just so sleepy now." He smiled at her. And I think you know why. She smirked in her head.
"Sleep now, sweet." He said and gently tucked a lock of hair back behind her ear.
"You sound like Toph."
"Yes, but I have a different reason for calling you sweet." She stilled. What do you mean? Suddenly it came to her.
"Zuko!" she exclaimed and whacked him with her free right arm.
"Ouch, hey!" he chuckled. "Fine. Goodnight, beautiful." She chuckled to herself and turned back to her right side to nestle herself against his front. She couldn't believe he had said something so… obscene. But yet, it was so him. He could be so serious, determined, and hot-tempered, but he could also be funny, unsure, and calm. Something about him was also so beautiful. She knew men weren't typically called 'beautiful,' but she thought if any man deserved the title it'd be Zuko.
"Goodnight, beautiful." She murmured. She could feel his intake of breath against her and then he quickly shook his head. "Zuko?"
"Hmm?" he said distractedly.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing," he replied and pulled her closer to him. Something is obviously wrong. She struggled free of his grip and turned to face him.
"Something is wrong. What is it?" She reached up to loop her arms around his neck. Her eyes searched his for answers, but he closed his eyes and turned his head to the left. "Hey?" she tugged at his chin until he was facing her again. "Tell me."
"It's nothing… It's stupid." His eyes moved away from hers.
"Look at me." She ordered and he did. "Please, what's wrong?"
"D-do you think I'm beautiful?" he asked quietly.
"Of course I do." She answered immediately. By his face, she could tell he was expecting a different answer.
"Wh-what?" he asked confused. "Say it again, please." He whispered. Of course, I will. Her right hand cupped the left side of his face as she smiled.
"Zuko," she filled her words with as much solemnity and love as she could, "I love you, and I think you are the most beautiful person… inside and out I have ever met." He closed his eyes, absorbing her words.
"Even my face? And this?" he pointed to the left side of his face and her hand. Sadness spread through her heart.
"Yes, of course," she stretched up to kiss his left eye close. "Your face is the face of my love." He smiled his shy/unsure smile that she loved.
"Not the face of the enemy?" he asked. NO! of course not! Why would you say that?! "Sorry," he quickly apologized seeing the horror that must have been evident on her face, "bad joke." 'Joke?' Oh. Ba Sing Se. "Did I ever tell you how I got my scar?" he asked quickly changing the subject.
"No," she answered quietly, still stroking the side left of his face that was covered with said scar. The way his scar was positioned, she knew he would have been staring right at his attacker.
"Do you want me to tell you?"
"You don't have to." She didn't want to make him tell her, if he didn't want to.
"But do you want to know?" He persisted. I wonder if he's ever told anyone…maybe he needs to let it out.
"Zuko, I'd never ask you that…" it was too personal "but I would like to know…" He took a deep breath.
"I was thirteen." She gasped, horrified. Her hand moved away from his face to cover her mouth. "I went to a war meeting with my father…actually Uncle let me in; I wasn't supposed to be there. And…"
"Go on," she whispered with her eyes wide, sleep forgotten.
"I spoke out against a general's plan to use new recruits as bait," his face and jaw hardened. "And the Fire Lord said I had completely disrespected him and ordered me to fight an Agni Kai." A what? "A firebending duel." He chuckled at something, "It's funny that you swear by Agni instead of Yue." Humph.
"Well, it's not like Agni was your sister's first sort-of boyfriend, hmm?" she retorted.
"What?" He asked confused and she sighed and told him about Sokka and the princess of the Northern Water Tribe becoming the moon spirit.
"Oh." He said when she finished.
"Yeah, 'oh,' now what happened next?" She wanted to hear the end of his story.
"I thought I'd duel the old general, but on the day of the fight, when I entered the arena… my father turned to face me instead." She gasped again and hugged him tightly. I'm sorry, Zuko. I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what that was like. "By speaking out against the general's plan in front of the Fire Lord in his war room…I had disrespected him. The Fire Lord." He paused. You don't have to say anymore, it's okay, but he continued, "I fell to my knees and begged him for mercy. I remember telling him, 'I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son!' He ordered me to stand and fight, but I wouldn't-couldn't. I will never forget what he said to me right before… He said, 'You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.' And then the fire blast came. The pain was excruciating." The cords in his neck tightened, as he (most likely) winced. She burrowed into his neck farther, hugging him as tightly as she could. No. No. No. No. Tears started to pour out of her eyes. Her heart was breaking for him.
"Hey? Don't cry." He soothed, stroking her hair, but she just sobbed harder. "Please, Katara. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"No, don't be sorry, I wanted to know." She gasped through her silent tears, looking up at him, "I love you, Zuko. Scar and all. What Ozai did was…" she couldn't finish her sentence.
"Shhh…shhh…I know. I know. But it's okay." He consoled her.
"No, it's not okay!" she said fiercely. How is it okay? Your father burned you, banished you, and… A sad smile spread across her lips, "Although, everything that happened to you, no matter how horrible and twisted, made you who you into the strong, smart, stunning person you are today and…" He smiled back, understanding where she was going.
"…And it lead me to you." he finished quietly.
"Yes," her sad smile widened weakly. But Ozai, that monster, that monster doesn't deserve to live.
"What?"
"Ozai," she spat, buzzing with rage.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay now. We're here, together, and that's what matters."
"I know, I know, but…if Aang doesn't kill the Fire Lord, I want my shot. I am next in line." She had no qualms about killing him.
"I think that list is actually really long, so I don't think you can just skip like that." She laughed, he was right. The Fire Lord had many, many enemies, but now she had a new reason to hate him. She sniffed loudly and snuggled up to him, her head under his chin.
She felt him kiss the top of her head and take a deep breath. She smiled against his warm skin, breathing in his scent. She loved the way he smelled. She loved that his strong arms wrapped protectively around her. She loved that she was his first. And she loved that he loved her. With that final happy thought, she drifted off to sleep.
a/n THANK YOU FOR READING! Please review!
I'm starting to get a little unsure of my story line/pace and I would really appreciate any and all reviews! Thanks!