First of all, I have to admit that I am not a native speaker, so there might be a few mistakes, but if you write me a message to tell me of them, I will correct them as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and I don't earn my money with these stories.

This story was written during the National Novel Writing Month 2022.

Paralysed

Katara lay motionless on the shirshu, having been paralysed moments before. As the beast rode back towards the monastery, she feared falling at every sharp corner it made. But there was always a hand, holding her.

Prince Zuko sat right in front of her, one hand on her back to make sure she wouldn't fall. She could feel his warmth even through her dress and her paralysed body. She should hate him for touching her, but she was glad his hand was there to steady her.

In the courtyard of the monastery, Aang flew towards them and over the beast's head, so that it leapt up and fell back down which meant that all his passengers flew to the ground. There was nothing Katara could do to soften the blow but once again there was someone to hold her. Zuko had put his arms around her protectively so that her head lay against his chest.

After the landing, Zuko looked at her with wide eyes. He seemed surprised by his own actions. He wanted to get up, but the shirshu was still trying to catch Aang who was flying above his head and his tongue found Zuko's neck. The Fire Nation prince fell back against Katara with a thud.

Now they both were paralysed and lay closely together, their head mere inches apart, his arm around her waist.

Katara stared at Zuko whose golden eyes stared back at her. Her cheeks coloured.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said.

Her eyes squinted. "For what? Another desperate attempt to capture Aang?"

He tried to avoid her gaze, but their heads were so close that it was difficult.

Meanwhile, the fight was going on around them where Appa fought the beast, and Aang the woman who owned the shirshu.

"Tell me," Katara spat. "Why would you rid the world of its only hope? Are you truly that evil?"

"No, I'm not," Zuko said defiantly. "Just that you know: only if I capture the Avatar, am I allowed to return home." His eyes were suddenly sad and Katara softened.

"What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't understand…"

Katara could by now move a bit more and managed to put some distance between their heads, so she could see him better. "There's nowhere for us to go at the moment." She smirked. She couldn't believe this but being this close to the prince wasn't as bad as expected.

And so he told her. About how he had dishonoured the Fire Nation and his father and how he had gotten the scar along with his banishment.

"That's not dishonour," Katara said afterwards. "Quite the opposite. You were brave enough to speak out when no one would. You tried to save those young men." Suddenly she saw him with different eyes. "I believe your father is the evil here."

"My father is a great man!" Zuko shot back.

"Are you sure?"

Zuko looked pensive and Katara gave him time to think this over.

Suddenly a strong smell washed over them.

"What's that?" Katara said and automatically held her nose. She looked around and saw that Sokka and the nuns had spilt the perfumes everywhere which made the shirshu go berserk before running off.

"Hey!" the dark-haired woman shouted and ran after it.

Katara looked back at Zuko. Then she realised that she could move her hands and arms again. She tried to get up but couldn't yet fully. So she put her hand in front of her, near where Zuko's hand lay.

He stared back at her and then slowly he moved his fingers to touch hers.

Katara gasped.

"Hey!" someone suddenly shouted and Sokka stood next to them. "Take your hands off my sister!"

"I would but I'm paralysed!" Zuko said with gritted teeth.

Sokka then took Zuko's arm that still lay on Katara's waist and lifted it while Aang helped Katara up, then he let the prince lie on his back.

She looked back at the Zuko on the ground and felt strangely lonely without him.

Suddenly General Iroh stood with them as well and smirked at his nephew. "I must say, Prince Zuko, is that why you always carry her necklace around with you?"

Zuko blushed. "No, of course not. We just fell, okay?!"

"So you still have my necklace?" Katara asked.

Zuko sighed. "Yes, it's in my pocket."

Katara knelt next to him. "Where?" she gently asked.

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Right side, under my armour."

Katara gently put her hand under his armour and got the necklace out. It was warm. "Thanks," she said and put it around her neck.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled. "We should go before he's able to follow us." He and Aang already sat on Appa.

Katara looked back at Zuko. A part of her didn't want to leave him. "Think about what I said," she then whispered and squeezed his hand. Then she hurried towards her friends, and they flew off.

Iroh still smirked at his nephew. "Did you kiss her?"

"What? No!" Zuko yelled, starting to feel his legs again and sat up. He stared after the flying bison. But I wanted to…

THE END.