Here's the last chapter of Part 3, this should have been two chapters but I couldn't find a place to break it so you get a double chapter :)
Blue and the Healer - Part 3 - Chapter 4/4
Katara stood frozen staring at him wide-eyed.
"What are you doing, we need to go, now." he urged, but she didn't move.
Shit, had she figured him out? Did she know it was him behind the mask?
"THERE!"
Both of their heads swiveled toward the voice. One of the drunks had doubled back, spotting them in the darkness. Soon three more men joined him. He had already put down six, how many more were there?
"Get the girl!"
Whether she had or hadn't worked it out was no longer a concern, he had to get her out of here. Grasping for Katara's hand he laced his fingers with hers and tugged her down the lane, sidestepping them into another side alley. She was too spent to fight. That sad excuse of a fight she had put up when he grabbed her and her labored breathing told him that she wouldn't be able to keep running much longer either. She wouldn't be able to protect herself and there were too many of them for him to take on while trying to look after her. They needed to hide but her blue water tribe garb stood out amongst the wall of brown and green. If he was able to spot her from three blocks away, those drunks would find her no matter how much she ran. They just had to keep chasing that flash of blue until she couldn't run anymore, something that she had come too close to for his liking. How could he hide them? She was decked out from head to toe in white and blue. Then it struck him. Literally. Pushing green cloth out of his face he realized they had run into an alley of clothesline upon clothesline of Earth Kingdom apparel.
"We need to hide you." he told her as they ran.
"What do you think I've been trying to do?" she exasperated nearly breathless.
"I have an idea." he assured her.
Zuko slowed them down just enough to skim over the days washing as they flew past.
No, no, no …
too small, too bright …
maybe, no, not long enough …
there!
Without breaking stride, Zuko snatched a long brown cloak from a line, snapping the clips and knocking other pieces of clothing to the ground. He kept tugging her along despite her struggling to keep up, he knew she was tired but they had to keep moving. He scanned their surroundings as more buildings and alleys flew by. This was going to be risky but it was the only idea he had. He needed to find someplace that offered privacy but would let them be easily discovered. Agni, here's to hoping she went with his incredibly stupid idea and didn't punch him in the process.
He almost sped past the narrow inlet that laid between two decaying buildings. At only about fifteen feet deep the small alley was dim enough that you wouldn't see the back wall until you were nearly a third of the way in. This would do.
Katara tried her best to keep up but her body was giving out on her, she had been running in overdrive for too long. Even the continuous streams of adrenaline coursing through her weren't enough, the only thing keeping her on her feet was the constant pull of his hand entwined with hers.
She knew him. His voice, his movements, his touch. All of it was familiar, she knew him, and the way he was reading her, he knew her as well. So why was he hiding from her?
He dodged into a sharp right, roughly hauling her along with him as he rushed them down the short alley. Bringing them to the end he positioned them so her back was to the entrance of the alley and his was against the stone wall.
"Keep your eyes shut and don't open them until I tell you to."
His words were not a request, they were an order. She found herself readily complying despite her mind screaming at her to put it all together. She was well acquainted with the person before her, she knew that but no matter how she turned the pieces of the clues she gathered, they didn't add up. She had missed some considerable detail, the last and largest part of the picture was something at the core of him and it was absent. She tried to continue to analyze and appraise but the shouts of the men were growing louder in her ears and so was her panic.
"Will you trust me?" Zuko asked her.
Her head tilted, the question had come unexpectedly but after a heartbeat, she nodded.
"I need to hear it Katara." her name reflexively spilled from his lips and her eyes shot open.
Fuck, she hadn't told the Blue Spirit her name. She hadn't known who he was, but now he might have just blown his cover. There would be consequences, but there was no time to deal with the coming fallout right now.
"Eyes shut." he growled at her.
Katara's lids slammed shut in compliance but the edge on those words, the way he said her name. It was dangling on the edge of her consciousness but she kept drawing a frustrating blank.
"Will you trust me?" desperation tinged his words, they were running out of time.
"Yes." the answer was almost instinctive.
"Promise me you'll keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them, no matter what."
Katara hesitated despite knowing the answer. For the love of Tui and La and all that Yue's light graces why did she innately trust this person down to her core when she had yet to see his face? Why did wanting to give in to it twist her stomach with a feeling of guilt?
"I need you to promise." he pressed.
"I promise." the words slipped out, almost too easily for her liking.
Zuko worked quickly, he needed them both to look like completely different people for this to work. That meant disguising her and shedding his own Blue Spirit guise. He flared the stolen cloak out behind her, hanging it off her shoulders and securing the clasp at her collar. Her mother's necklace caught his eye, he couldn't keep himself from running his thumb across the carved stone, like he had a hundred times before.
"It was my mother's", she told him from behind closed eyes.
"I know." he murmured.
It had been months since he had worn it but every so often his wrist would still feel empty without it.
Grabbing the ends of her hair he un-knotted the blue leather tie holding her braid together and shoved it into a pocket. Working quickly, he took her hair in his hands and unraveled the strands until her black-brown waves fell to her waist. Gently tracing her hairline he tucked her blue hair beads under her locks for good measure. Pulling off his gloves he let them drop to the ground behind him. Zuko reached for the bottom of his mask and prayed to Agni that he wasn't making a mistake.
Katara heard the dull thud of wood hitting the ground behind him. The mask was off and curiosity surged through her. The growing want to see him was killing her. In a bid to keep her promise she squeezed her eyes shut against the temptation. The sounds of movement emanated from in front of her as he pulled the too-long cloak around her, covering most of her body. Warm breath against her ear and a husky whisper of 'Please forgive me.' made her shiver but did nothing to prepare her for what came next.
Zuko begged her absolution before slipping a thumb under her lapel and pulling open the right side of her tunic. She immediately yelped and pulled back from him, but he was faster. Almost instantaneously, he had one hand pressed over her eyes, the other gently gripping her arm, keeping her in place. Katara had gone rigid under his touch and the clamor of the approaching mob was getting closer ratcheting up their stress. He knew she should have explained and asked for her permission but they were running out of time.
"What are you doing?!" Katara demanded angrily and a little too loudly for his comfort. For the moment he would be thankful that she didn't try to tear his hand from her face and run him through with an ice dagger, like he so thoroughly deserved.
"Please, trust me." he nearly begged, "I won't do anything to dishonor you or your chastity." he paused as his cheeks grew hot and flushed crimson, "I-It just needs it to look that way."
His whispered words were rapid and nervous, shy almost. She was beginning to understand what he was trying to do. She still had a full waterskin and while she might be exhausted but she could still fight if it came down to it. His swords would prove to be a challenge but as far as she could tell, he wasn't a bender. With all of the close calls they'd had, it would have been idiotic to not use the ability if he possessed it. If things went the way they should they would be clear of the men, if he betrayed her, she would run him through with an ice dagger. She could do this, she hoped.
Katara took a deep breath and sighed before he felt her nod under his hand. The fact that she was trusting him, gave him more hope that this stupid half-cracked plan of his would work. Part of him wanted to trust her in return. Taking the risk he dropped his hand from her eyes, and thankfully, they were still shut.
Grasping the front of her tunic, Zuko held the front of her tunic closed and continued to pull at the right eri exposing her collarbone. Reaching around her, he laid his right forearm against her back and grabbed the loosened blue fabric, scrunching it into the dull brown of the cloak, concealing it from view. He drew the handful of cloth down her back, carefully undressing her until a line of mocha skin was bared from neck to shoulder.
Zuko drew her flush against his chest earning him a small catch of breath that fell from her lips. Threading his left hand through her hair, he used it as leverage, tilting her head to the side and giving him access to her neck. Wasting no time, he buried the side of his face in the junction of her neck and shoulder, hiding the ruin of his scar in the softness of her skin.
The contact of his fevered skin against hers was sudden and unexpected, the sensitivity of that small spot made her shudder against him. Almost of their own volition, her arms encircled him sliding up the expanse of his back. Her hands grasped his shirt, crumpling the dark fabric under her fingertips. Where her cheek laid against his chest, the scents of smoked lapsang, jasmine, citrus, and clove filled her senses. He was so warm, his body heat bleeding into her through their clothes, warming her against the chill of the night.
If it weren't for the men chasing them, the seedy side alley, and the unbearable frustration of not knowing who he was, this could almost be, nice.
She couldn't figure it out, who was this person to her? What connection did they have that allowed her to place her life and safety in his hands? There was only a familiar feeling in her gut to go on, but it had saved her life once before. Katara made the decision understanding that it wouldn't be one of her brightest ideas - then again, this whole journey had not been the smartest of ideas. She could be wrong, very wrong, but she trusted in herself and in turn trusted him, whoever he was.
They were no longer running and hiding, they were putting on an act and for it to be even somewhat credible she would need to play her part. She would need to surrender to it. Katara dropped her defenses, giving up the structure her bending forms depended on. Trusting him to watch over her, she let herself soften in his hands. The response in him was nearly immediate, his hold on her became gentle almost caring. Their closeness growing intimate as he shifted her closer and the face she had yet to lay eyes upon, nuzzled deeper into her shoulder. It made her feel like her edges were blurring into his. The feeling was short-lived, she could feel tension light through every muscle on his frame as he grit his teeth. The sounds of the men drew closer. They were almost here.
Zuko pressed his mouth to the soft skin of her shoulder, a mockery of what he hoped to be a kiss. He did his best to ignore the shiver managing to run through every inch of her that was pressed against him. He peered over Katara's shoulder forcing as much want and anger as he could muster into his half-hidden gaze. If they weren't convincing enough, he might actually lose her this time.
In a matter of moments, he had crossed so many of his lines, reached so far beyond the things he told himself he would never do, and once again it was with her. He promised her, swore on his honor but it seemed that each time he honored that promise, it cost him just a little more. Each time he found her in his arms and it tore at every single carefully placed wall he had erected to protect himself. He wouldn't get much time to ponder the consequences of tonight, just as planned, someone had found them.
How well could he fake an experience he was never meant to have?
A shadow preceded the approaching footfalls, only making it about five feet into the alley before coming up short. The dim lighting revealed to the intruder that they had interrupted something quite intimate. Zuko brushed his lips along Katara's shoulder and looked up at the man with a gaze of molten gold. He no longer needed to put on an act, the anger he pretended to feel was now very real and threatened to boil over inside of him.
"Oh, sorry 'bout that," the drunk who had been called Eun sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and took a step back, "didn't mean to disturb a man getting a taste of honey."
The large man winked at Zuko who was trying to repress a look of disgust and failing. Eun began to head back the way he came but only made it a few steps before turning back with a sly smile.
"You know, I have a few silver pieces if you don't mind sharing some of that sweetness."
Katara's body surged into his and went absolutely rigid, he felt her bury her face into his chest and her nails dig into his back. Slipping his hand from her hair he wound his arm possessively around her and pressed her form so close to his, he wondered if they'd meld into one.
At that moment he wanted nothing more than to draw Katara behind him and beat the hungry sneer off of the lecherous man's face. Unfortunately doing so would cost them. His scar and the rising popularity of Pao's was making 'Lee' more recognizable by the day and currently, his most discernible feature was hidden in the embrace of his charge. To make matters worse his alias was plastered along the walls of every ring, if anyone found out that he was the Blue Spirit, they would all be hunted by the Dai Li. Any move away from her risked them both being revealed. He needed to persuade the man to leave and that would take a lie. Azula had once told him something about lies, about why she was so good at them.
A lie was just a story with a thread of truth
She was his charge
The good lies were the ones that went to the grave and were never found out.
She had claimed him
The best lies were the ones that you convinced even yourself to be true.
He had claimed her
Pressing an open mouth kiss to her mocha skin, he let his teeth graze along her neck. Holding her up as she shuddered in his hands, he locked his half-hidden gaze on the man. Zuko's eyes bore a fury that bordered on violence and he made sure the man drank in every iota of it before he spoke.
"She's mine, get out."
The order was uttered with such authority Katara, buried in his embrace, almost believed him. The words dripped so much venom she swore they could eat through stone.
Eun's lewd expression flitted to fear, holding up his hands be quickly backed up stuttering, "Dharani, I-I meant no offense, if she's your wife you should have just said so."
Eun turned on his heel and stumbled out of the alley as fast as his feet would take him.
She could feel the tension fall from his frame. It was finally over, but neither dared to move. Even as the sounds of the men melted into the night and silence engulfed them, they stayed entangled in the other. Neither willing to disturb this unseen but incredibly fragile thing holding them together.
They didn't know how many moments had passed before Katara finally broke the silence speaking into his chest.
"You know me."
"Yes." he confirmed, "Do you know me?" he asked her unsure which answer he feared most.
"I do."
Zuko's heart nearly stopped at her words.
"I know you," Katara continued, "but I don't know how. You're familiar enough that part of me knows to trust you, knows that I'm safe almost. But I can't place you. It's frustrating."
Relief and disappointment flooded him, his secret was safe and she would be too.
She shuffled shyly against him, "Will you let me see you?"
Zuko thought of Jet being hauled away and shook his head against her shoulder, "I can't, it'd put too many at risk, including you."
More silence stretched between them. Despite their stillness, the moon moved across the night sky above them. Time marched on, it was time to go.
"The monorail shuts down soon and the Dai Li will be making curfew rounds soon. You need to leave." he told her.
Her hands on his back gripped him tighter for a moment before they slipped away.
"Keep your eyes shut." he reminded her of her promise.
Zuko unwound his arms from around her and gently, he drew the cloak over her bared shoulder. Taking the edges, he pulled the oversized brown garment around her front concealing her watertribe clothing before stepping back. The small distance he had put between them, felt like an aching chasm. Resisting the curious urge to brush his knuckles along her cheek, he turned to retrieve his gloves and mask.
"Open them."
Katara blinked in the dim lantern light that seemed too bright after so much time in darkness. Staring back at her was the grotesque smile of his mask, behind it, a paradox of a man.
"You need to go."
He was right she knew that much but his words still stung. Then there was the problem of how to get back.
Katara looked away from him, her cheeks reddening, "I don't know how to get back to the monorail, I got lost. I'm not even sure where we are."
In what must have been a reflexive movement, this Blue Spirit, brought a hand to his face, encountering the mask he let it drop. She needed to find her way and soon or she'd be stuck in the lower ring for the night. The men may have moved on but she couldn't be sure. Even if she wasn't exhausted and knew where she was going, traversing the alleys wouldn't be safe. Right now she'd give anything for something soft and mostly clean to curl up on and fall asleep.
He didn't like the idea, Agni, she probably wouldn't be thrilled either but their other options weren't that great, not if he was going to get her back safely.
"I'll carry you there."
"You will?" Katara asked clearly surprised.
The Blue Spirit nodded at her silently.
"Will we be safe walking there? Those men might still be in the alleys."
"We're not taking the alleys, and you're not walking," he said pointing at her.
Zuko pulled the dyed leather strap attached to his swords' qiao over his head. Turning Katara around he grabbed her hand and threaded one of her arms through the black loop, pulling it over her head and hanging it on her shoulder. He gathered her loose waves at the nape of her neck and gently pulled them from where they were trapped under his swords.
"Don't lose them." he told her simply.
She looked at him confused as he walked past her. How else were they supposed to get there? Why did she have his swords? And what did he mean she wasn't walking?
With his back to her, he dropped to one knee, "Get on."
Oh, that's what he meant.
"That's ok, really, I can walk." she said taking a step back.
Looking over his shoulder, Zuko clenched his jaw in irritation, "There isn't time and you won't make it walking. Get on now or I throw you over my shoulder, your choice."
Katara's hands balled into fists, an argument sat sharp on her tongue. She begrudgingly bit it back. Her hand slipped to her last waterskin, her element calling to her. She had his swords, she could argue and fight, but what good did that do her? She didn't know where she was, asking for help only got her in trouble and the last monorail to the upper ring would be leaving soon.
Reluctantly she stepped forward and circled his neck with her arms. Letting her chin rest on his broad shoulder she felt his hands slip up the backs of her thighs as he stood, lifting her easily. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, allowing him to free his hands. She looked over his shoulder confused as he turned away from the entrance of the alley.
"Hang on."
She swore she could hear the mischievous smirk hidden behind the mask before he took off running toward the wall.
Zuko launched himself from the balls of his feet toward the stone wall, pivoting in midair he pushed up and off the wall to a low roof. Finding handholds in the decorative brickwork he climbed up to the top of the building. He felt her head lift from where she buried her face in the back of his neck. Looking down caused her body to tense and her fingertips to dig into his chest. She regularly flew hundreds of feet in the air, to find that six or seven stories made her nervous, was amusing to him.
"Will you keep trusting me?" he asked over his shoulder.
He felt her nod precariously.
"Hold on as tight as you can, I won't let you fall." he assured her.
She responded by pulling herself as snug to his back as she could get and tightening her grip on him. The warmth of her cheek pressed against his skin where the edge of his hood exposed the crook of his neck.
They needed to go.
Zuko stepped up on the roof's parapet taking a minute to understand the change in their center of gravity. After making a few adjustments he found his range of balance and took off running along a ledge.
Lanterns, streets, and buildings flew by as he ran. Every time he jumped she would feel a split second of weightlessness followed by a drop that, more than once put her heart in her throat. But, each time they landed upright, and as promised he didn't let her fall. Despite her extra weight he easily cleared the spaces between buildings, moving from roof to roof, ledge to ledge in the tightly packed tenements of the lower ring. The muscles in her thighs ached from gripping his hips but she still clung to him as they moved across the Ba Sing Se. Every so often he would take them high enough that she could see clear across the walls of the city. She could just make out the raised tracks that spiderwebbed out from the inner ring. They were getting closer by the minute, for once that night she could believe that she would get back to the others safely.
Almost too soon they arrived at the station. He stepped off a nearby building, easily dropping the two stories down to the street. The sound of her soft gasp made him smirk. Zuko crouched down and she slipped unsteadily off of his back. He turned, grasping her by the shoulders and holding her in place until she found her feet. It had been a long night and somehow, they were finally at the end of it.
She slipped her thumb under the black leather strap that laid across her chest and lifted it over her head. Taking the qiao in both hands she held it out to him. Out of an ingrained habit, he bowed to her and lifted the swords from her hands. Reaching through the strap he pulled the blades snugly against his back.
A whistle echoed down from the platform, the last monorail of the night had just arrived. It was time for her to go. She looked up at the train, where citizens of Ba Sing Se were filtering in and out of the open doors and then back to him. Taking a step towards him she reached up for his face. In a dark flash, he grabbed both of her wrists in an iron grip. Completely unfazed, Katara didn't fight him or even try to pull away, just fixed him with a look and a raised eyebrow.
"I trusted you, now trust me." she insisted.
Zuko hesitated before releasing her hands and giving her a curt nod. Holding still, he let her reach for him. He could feel her fingers brush along the edge of his hood, feel her tug it apart from his collar, exposing warm ivory skin from collarbone to just below his ear. She leaned in, her warm breath tickled the fine hairs along the junction of his neck, making him shiver. Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed the softness of her lips firmly against the sensitive skin, in a kiss that made his hands shoot up and grip her waist. Her hands slipped down his chest and wound around him, he immediately wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her into him.
"Thank you." she murmured in his ear.
On the platform the conductor was shouting the last call, reluctantly he loosened his hold and let her go. She looked up at him with a sad smile.
"Go." he told her.
She nodded and turned, running for the platform. He followed her movements until she was safely in the car and the train had pulled out of the station. Melting back into the shadows the Blue Spirit turned in the opposite direction and headed home.
…
Toph laid on her back with palms and feet press to the floor, suddenly bolted upright, "She's here!"
Sokka, Toph, and Aang rushed for the door swinging it open before Katara had even made it up the steps.
Sokka collided with Katara pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.
"Where were you? I was so worried." he pulled back looking her over and pointed to the brown cloak, "And where'd you get this?"
"Out of the way Snoozles!" Toph pushed Sokka aside and gave Katara an uncharacteristically warm hug.
Toph could smell the scent of smoked lapsang tea that clung to the waterbender, a favorite of a certain interesting old man. She could already tell, whatever Katara recounted to them, wouldn't be the whole story. Sweetness was back safe and sound, whatever happened, however it happened, wasn't her business. Sugar Queen would tell her if she wanted her to know.
"You got into trouble again, didn't you?" Toph murmured in Katara's ear.
Katara surprised nodded slightly into the young girl's shoulder. Toph slapped her on the back with such force she thought she would have bruises the next day.
Letting her go, Toph smiled knowingly, "Glad you're back Sweetness."
Aang followed close behind pulling her into a quick hug before looking up at her with hopeful eyes, "Did you find Appa?"
The day's events, the odd encounter, and her exhaustion all collided with her at that moment, falling heavily on her shoulders. In the chaos of it all, she had completely forgotten what she originally set out to do that morning. Now the young avatar stood hopefully before her, looking for an answer.
Katara placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I'm so sorry Aang, I didn't find anything on where he could be."
"Ok." Aang gave her a sad nod head turned to head inside.
Sokka wrapped an arm around his little sister, "Come on, let's get you inside and you can tell us what happened."
At her brother's words, an inexplicable feeling of guilt climbed up from Katara's stomach. She hadn't done anything wrong but she felt like she needed to keep some pieces of the night to herself. She let herself be ushered into their lavish but temporary dwelling by her brother and friends. Despite wanting to nothing but clean up in their shared washroom and fall into the softness of the down bed, she had some explaining to do. Per the expectant faces of Aang and Sokka who now sat on short stairs to the lounge. Toph, on the other hand, had decided to go up and drop onto one of the lounge's many cushions.
"So what happened Sugar Queen? What kept you?" Toph questioned, her stained feet propped up on the lounge railing.
Katara sighed, inside the cloak, her hand gripped the brown fabric, she might as well start at the beginning. Unfastening her waterskins she began to tell them of her day.
"I was putting up posters in the lower ring for a couple of hours when I overheard a man talking to a nurse at a clinic. His daughter had been hurt but all of the clinics in the area were full and none were able to help." she explained.
"So you did." Sokka answered, knowing his sister all too well.
"Yes." Katara admitted, "I spoke to the nurse Hisa and ended up helping out for the day. I got a little carried away and ended up leaving later than I meant to." with the ties loosened she unhooked her waterskins from her hip, one empty and one full, and rested them on a nearby side table.
"When I tried to head back to the monorail I got lost, so I tried asking for directions, except the people I asked turned out to be a group of drunks who hate refugees. They got angry and started to chase me." she dropped her satchel to the floor where it spilled open letting a stack of flyers and her rail pass slip out onto the floor.
Aang's interested expression went wide-eyed as he jumped up, "You still have all of those flyers." he accused pointing to the spilled parchment.
Katara unclasped the cloak, feeling the exhaustion tugging at her bones looked at the young Avatar confused, "Yes?"
"Well, did you post any?" he demanded.
"Of course I did Aang, I just told you I was posting for hours in-"
"Don't you care about finding Appa?" Aang interrupted angrily.
"Aang, you know I do, but those people needed help." Katara defended.
"ENOUGH!" Toph yelled silencing them both.
"Twinkletoes, didn't you hear what happened to her?" Toph was standing now, her hands gripping the lounge railing, "She was attacked and you're mad about some stupid posters?"
"But Appa." Aang said softly.
"What about Appa? We're doing all we can to find him and you have the nerve to act like this?" Toph demanded, "First you accuse me of not caring when Appa got taken and now you're yelling at Katara. I kept an entire fortress from sinking into the spirit world, while half-blind in the sand to save your life and you blamed me for Appa getting kidnapped. Now you're accusing Katara of not caring about Appa when Dharani knows what happened to her in the lower ring? Newsflash airhead, Appa might be yours but you're not the only one who cares about him, stop being such a jerk."
Aang sat back down on the steps letting his head drop, "I-I'm sorry."
"You should be." Toph retorted flopping back onto her cushion, "What happened next Sweetness?"
Katara looked back and forth between a dejected Aang and irritated Toph before meeting her brother's blue eyes. Sokka with no answers could only shrug.
"They were chasing you?" Toph supplied.
"Yes.", this is where things got complicated.
"I tried to hide but they kept finding me because of my clothes, Water Tribe blue really stands out in the Earth Kingdom." Katara explained wearily, "I got the cloak and was able to disguise myself until I got home."
She shrugged off the cloak revealing her mussed tunic and partially exposed sarashi. Sokka shot up and angrily strode toward her.
"Did someone touch you?" Sokka demanded pointing to her clothes.
Katara looked down a blush creeping up her cheeks when she recalled what transpired in the alley. Pushing down her alarm she glanced up to find Sokka's irate expression staring back at her and Aang, clearly troubled, looking on.
"It's not like that!" Katara blurted.
"What do you mean? No one touches my baby sister!"
The anger Katara had swallowed hours earlier reignited in her belly, she was getting so tired of being told what to do.
"I am NOT your baby sister, I turned fifteen over three months ago." Katara shot at Sokka, "I take my rites in less than a year."
"That doesn't mean someone gets t-" Sokka didn't get to finish.
"What if I wanted him to touch me Sokka?" Katara snapped, "Just because you're my older brother doesn't mean you are allowed to dictate what I am allowed to do, or who with.", she pointed angrily to herself "I'm the only one who gets to make those decisions."
Katara had, had enough, "I've had a terrible night so if no one has any other questions, I'm going to bed." she announced.
"I do." Aang said quietly, "Who is he."
Katara froze, guilt welling back up in her stomach, dampening the anger that had been driving her.
"I don't know." Katara confessed.
"What do you mean?" Sokka asked incredulously.
Toph realized Katara was telling the truth, she had no idea who she had run into.
"I didn't see his face, he just got me a cloak and to the monorail."
"How could you not see his face?" Aang asked skeptically.
"I just didn't." Katara said with finality, "I'm going to bed."
Katara left the trio in the lounge and slammed the washroom door behind her making Sokka and Aang wince.
Toph made her way out of the lounge and stood before the boys, "You two dunderheads are real smart, aren't you?"
Not waiting for an answer, Toph headed for her room and shut the door behind her leaving the boys to sit in silence.
…
Too few hours stood between him and the first light of sunrise, but sleep wouldn't come. He twined the thin strip of blue leather between fingers as the night's events looped in his head. How did one person cause so much trouble?
The streets had been filled with murmurs that followed him home. They spoke of a healer from the Water Tribes that worked miracles for a day. It was then that he understood why she was exhausted.
How could she be so careless? he thought angrily.
What would have happened to her if he wasn't there? What if he wasn't there next time? Agni, how could she trust him so blindly, she'd never even seen his face! And yet she trusted him, felt safe with him. Again.
Him, her enemy.
Zuko ran his hand through the short ends of his hair frustrated. His fingertips came to the crook of his neck, where she had pressed her lips against his skin. Where she had kissed him. They were enemies but he kept finding her in his arms. They were enemies but for a few moments in a dingy alley under the cover of darkness, she had felt like his. She had surrendered and sunk into him. In that moment he could do nothing but hold her like she was the most precious thing in the world and brand her skin with a kiss. But she was of the water tribes, and like the currents, too soon she slipped from his hands.
Emptiness had filled his chest as he watched the monorail disappear down the track. It still sat heavy and yearning in his chest. He had once again broken his promise to himself, once again he had given in to the things he swore he would never do, only this time he had damned himself in the process. Tears slipped down his temples as he lay staring up at the ceiling, the scent of gardenias and peonies still clinging to him.
…
Katara stared at herself in the mirror, her reflection stared back. Wrapped in a towel, water trailed down her skin and her damp waves were plastered to her back. Gently she brushed her fingertips along the junction of her neck and shoulder. Where the Blue Spirit unmasked, had hidden his face. Where he had kissed her. Her eyes had been shut, but every detail of how it felt to sink into him, his hands in her hair, his possessive hold, how he called her his, all of it, was now seared into her thoughts.
She had done her best to memorize every detail of him, to add to the puzzle of this Blue Spirit but none of it would add up. Katara had listed off the clues a hundred times; he was non-bender, possibly Earth Kingdom military, skilled with broadswords, knew about her mother's necklace, and knew her. Haru didn't use weapons and he was a bender. She had gotten to know a few men at the outpost, but she hadn't shared with them anything about her mother. None of the Freedom Fighters fit the bill except Jet. Jet had been the first one to come to mind, but it was all wrong, he didn't sound like him, didn't move like him. Jet had felt nothing like that when they were together.
No one they had met since leaving the South Pole matched those things either. Katara shook her head, she needed to stop or she'd drive herself mad. Maybe she'd have better luck figuring things out in the morning when she wasn't so exhausted.
Giving up for the moment Katara headed for her room and got ready for bed. Sitting in the lush down of the mattress, she distracted herself by writing down everything she could remember from Hisa's lessons, patient by patient, part by part. It wasn't long until the parchment slipped from her hands and her eyes fell shut. Sleep had come for her, her subconscious had been piecing something together and it was time to show her. For the first time in what would be a long line of nights, the Blue Spirit stood before her. Each time he stared back at her with his wicked azure smile, waiting. For what she didn't know, but every time, from the endless black depths of his eyes, came a flash of gold.
…
"Table for two please."
"Uncle I need two Jasmine, one green and one lychee."
"I'm brewing as fast as I can."
Katara's gaze fell on him and her heart dropped like a stone falling heavy in her stomach. It had been haunting her dreams almost every night, the azure mask whose black eyes flashed gold. It darted across her memory and everything snapped into place. The swords, his movements, how he knew about her mother's necklace. It was him. She bolted moving as fast as her feet would take her. The Fire Nation prince who'd saved her, held her, kissed her, and called her his, was within the walls of Ba Sing Se but to turn the tides of this war she would have to turn him in.
Iroh looked up from a steaming cup to the now empty doorway. The shift that had stood on the brink for days finally fell like the last nail in a coffin. He looked at his nephew and his heart sunk. Their course had changed, the road ahead would prove to be painful and uncertain. The Dragon of the West could do nothing but pour another cup and hoped that they found their way.
Thank you for reading, you can let me know what you think or just let me know you liked it in a review.
I'll explain when part 4 is up but it's a lot different from the other parts of the story and will update differently as well.
Part 5 is in the works - I'm behind - but proving difficult to write, I hope to have it done sooner than later but I think I will need to take a pause to get back on schedule.