I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of it's characters
Yay my first Avatar story!!! I'm not finished with the show yet but Christmas is coming and this is Martha's (missmarthareads) present, we're broke(: --(haha I did not meet my deadline it's currently february and who knows when this will finally be done)
This story is based when Zuko and Iroh are freshly on the run and then Zuko leaves Iroh (SAD!!) and travels off to find Aang on his own and I guess Toph has either not joined them yet or has left them for that short time, either way she's not there sorry I do love her it just didn't work with the story. Also Zutara!
Loosely based on the beautiful movie Better Days (2019)
enjoy!(:
"But even a traitor may mend,
I have known one that did."
-C.S. Lewis (Edmund Pevensie)
Tall bright green tufts of grass reached softly up to brush his angry cracked leather boots.
His head hung from a tiring journey that had no solidified destination. His eyes only lazily studied the feathery mane of his ostrich horse.
Zuko's thoughts did what they could to stray from their regular routine of guilt, shame, and every other type of pestering angst.
As he boringly pondered if his companion had been named and if he was obligated to give him one, he could feel the air slowly changing. Shy yellow sun penetrated thin grey clouds rolling a sprinkly mist onto his ivory skin and the thirsty landscape. For the first time in what could've been hours, Zuko creaked up his aching neck, his eyes falling on unexpected terrain.
Plush emerald paddy fields layed like steps, layering the immortal mountains to make stairs for the sun rays. The rice crops were so still...overgrown and abandoned. Little sprouts poked up and out of the many forged bodies of water that were painted the color of the ever-changing sky encircled by their never-changing green rim. Deserted rakes, baskets and woven hats lay here and there with no one around to fulfill their purpose. That is except for the purple caddisfly crabs that thrived in the unclaimed harvest.
It had been only brown rock and harsh red cacti for the last twenty miles or so, (the earth kingdom had a way of surprising you). The sudden viridescent hills of quiet farmland forced peace into sore eyes.
Zuko followed the faded path through the tepid range as he held the frayed reins loosely in his curled damp fingers. The water in the mist was warm, meeting his rough form with captive intentions. He could've almost smiled at the relief of a moment in complete tranquility, but just when he might have allowed himself to his eye caught something in the grass.
He bent over holding onto the reigns with one hand, reaching to grab it as he pulled himself back upright and studied it. His fingertips wove gently through the cream colored and shockingly soft material as some of it fell to the earth or escaped to the wind.
Zuko's eyebrows scrunched. "The sky bison.", he croaked out to himself.
His gaze moved up ahead finding a discreet trail, enough for him to follow. Finally some fuel to keep going.
His ostrich horse (who's name he considered changing to Boe-Boe partly because he was bordering on delirious and partly because it just fit him), honed in stealth as his hooves were muffled in the hair-like pasture.
As they went steadily on Zuko's ears suddenly peaked. A river. Maybe a waterfall...maybe both. He wanted to follow it, luckily the fur trail seemed to be leading toward it.
As they veered left around the edge of a mountain there was a somewhat flatter open area. A few mossy boulders sat here and there and one large tree sitting alone near the river. It was a weeping willow, it's branches bountifully bleeding Lilly of the Valley. The flowers were like little bells tinted midnight blue, almost black giving the stormy droplets a delicate fall to the earth. It's trunk and mighty roots were a strong brown glistening in the sheen blanket of rain. Farther behind it down the flatter range sat a simple village.
Near the tree stood a humble waterfall at a natural perfect right angle. At it's base that would re-form the winding brook, a round mouth of water sat above a hot spring that boiled and bubbled. It turned the cold water that fell from the small waterfall to a warm haven for the river to bathe itself in.
Zuko found himself tempted to tie up his horse, remove his binds of cloth and crawl into the spring letting his headache and troubles float away with the current. But he noticed the light getting low. The tan sun was falling asleep on the horizon. It slowly fell deeper and deeper. The fur he followed seemed to leap over the river and further upstream. How far he didn't know but he'd find out.
He started to lead Boe-Boe...yeah Boe-Boe sounded right, in the correct direction. As he'd gotten closer he saw movements in the rushing water. About twenty feet away he tugged slightly on the reins telling his horse to stop. Behind one of the boulders he slid silently off the saddle. He looked ahead to reassess what he saw.
A gentle seductive silhoutte blended itself through the steam. The black figure hummed something like a siren. Both the melody and shape were perfection.
His eyes widened as he caught sight of her familiar face. It was that water tribe girl that traveled with the avatar!
It was official, he'd found them. Before he could celebrate in his head or begin to strategize she unwillingly raised his eyebrows.
Her smooth sunset skin wore only white strips wrapping the sacred places she wouldn't even let the water see. Her hair flowed down soaked straight. Her thin fingertips bended droplets in shapes Zuko had rarely seen. They looked like ribbon or what the breeze might have looked like if it ever revealed itself.
"Foolish. Doesn't she know you can get killed for bending in these parts?", he mumbled behind the rock never breaking his stare.
She walked under the waterfall, tilting her head back with her eye's closed. It ran over her as she breathed slowly, lifting her arms up smoothing her fingers over her hair to her neck, then resting on each opposite elbow. Her black eyelashes kept silver droplets and a deep peace as she stood in her element.
"Katara?", said Sokka who popped up out of nowhere with Aang next to him. They covered their eyes.
"Are you decent?", asked Aang, Momo sitting cluelessly on his shoulder.
Katara giggled softly and dipped into the spring down to her shoulders. "Yes I'm decent. Thank you.".
"Oh good.", said Sokka uncovering his eyes. "Well Bojing the captain guy says we have to be at the docks before sunset so we're heading out now.".
"We'll be gone for about a week. Just long enough to get some money to last us awhile longer.", said Aang. Katara nodded in understanding.
"You sure you'll be okay all alone?", asked Sokka with concern.
Katara nodded happy to be cared for. "Of course, I have Appa and you're not the only warrior here you know.", she ended with a smirk.
"I know but it's really illegal to bend here. Especially water bending, you'll be killed on the spot. You never know where those pesky scouts are hiding.", said Sokka looking around suspiciously. Zuko ducked lower behind his trusty boulder.
"I'll be fine. You better get out of here, the sun is setting.", she said hoping to get a few more moments of peace. They nodded and waved goodbye as they left.
She was alone once again as she breathed in the steam that filled her chest.
It was just about completely dark outside now and the rain fell steadily.
"HEY!", shouted a terrifying voice that made her jump.
"Who are you?", asked a man leading three other men walking up to her. Their uniforms read of frightening authority.
"Just a traveler sir.", she said simply, hiding her fear.
He stopped at the edge of the river and cocked his head.
"Water tribe?", he said nodding toward her blue clothes on the edge of the pool. He sounded calm but his black eyes and strange look curdled blood.
"Well I-", she started.
"Get out.", he replied.
She did so, suddenly wishing for anything to be able to cover up.
The man didn't hesitate to grab the back of her hair tilting her head up with malice.
"You're not a water bender are you?", he asked with needlessly angry gritted teeth.
She couldn't answer as her strained throat swallowed painfully.
"You know we don't have many women in these parts.", he said close to her face as she shut her watering eyes. She could feel his sick breath on her chin.
Suddenly his grip was gone and Katara stumbled back confused.
Someone was fighting them though she couldn't yet tell who within the scuffle and darkness. He was doing well for a minute getting in quite a few good hits, but he was too outnumbered by the trained men.
Now they had whoever it was as they kneed him several times in the ribs. Katara tried shoving off the one hitting him but she was held back by two others.
They threw her to the ground as she slammed into it. The rain couldn't wash away the blood and dirt that now seeped her wraps and skin, nor could it drown out her cries.
They were relentless to the one who tried to help her. Punches and kicks continued on his downed form.
The man that led them turned toward Katara once more. He grabbed her chin turning it where it pleased him. "Look at all this water and rain. Too bad you can't bend.", he spat from old cracked lips.
He let go as he led all the men away, satisfied with the message he left.
Katara layed on the ground, her bent arms holding her upright. She looked over to him. The one on the ground who twitched in pain and shock.
Only as his face groaned toward the moonlight did she see the scar she learned to hate. Her eyes widened in shock as she asked herself what to do. She trained herself to defend herself against him at the first sight of him. But now his soul bled innocent adolescent lonliness and misery. His body shivered from the cold. Blood and bruises helped his swollen eye and split lip beg her for grace. Her heart and instincts fought hard with each other. And what else could she do but crawl over to him. She lifted his head into her lap as his breath left him unsteadily. His bloodshot eyes looked at her with surprise and confusion, but he put their view back on the harsh ground that he laid upon with exhaustion. She could not shake the strongest instinct inside her that was a maternal mercy. Sympathy and empathy for those who didn't know love or had had it stolen from them. Maybe he was one of them.
As the rain only thickened Katara raised her hands over his wounds. Zuko's hand softly grasped her wrist. He couldn't let her chance it. Her tears fell harder now as she let her hands rest.
They'd stay there for awhile until Katara found his eyes starting to droop closed. Carefully she stood up taking him with her. He followed her without question, his arm around her neck, the other around his throbbing ribs.
His world was blurry and painful until suddenly she laid him down. The material beneath him was very warm like a cup of tea between frostbitten palms. It was so soft like a meadow made of cloud. It was familiar to his fingertips. Every tensed muscle in his body relaxed as he felt a deep sleep consume him entirely. Katara did the same, laying close to him for a reason she didn't try and decipher at all.
Katara layed in her ripped, tainted, once white wraps, wishing for her clothes. Her finger grazed a cut on her arm with dirt in it's crevice. It stung from the rain, the very thing that could've healed it. But somehow she knew those men would be back. And if they saw her healed they were bound to know what she already knew they knew. Her cheek buried itself as deep in Appa's fur as it could. She should've been afraid sleeping so close to the enemy. She should've wondered what would happen tomorrow. She was just too dazed, too tired. The silky hair soaked her silent tears, her face stayed strong and still in the misty twilight.
Appa huffed sleepily into the moonlight.
-
Merigold rays of sun dried every bit of dew or mist from the nights downpour. Tight fresh eyes opened from the hardest, longest, deepest sleep Zuko ever thought possible. Nightmares and sleeping with one eye open so-to-speak became his only known routine since a young age.
Everything from the night rushed back suddenly as he turned to look for her. He winced at the soreness he felt but was more focused on the face near his to care much.
He stopped only for a moment to study it. He made himself scowl at first to sustain what has always been. As always he feared change especially internally. The face that he somehow couldn't stop himself from helping, he could no longer paint as an adversary.
The anxiety of her opening her eyes soon forced his weary body up. He silently thanked Appa for the good night's rest and left quickly and quietly.
Zuko walked in what he thought was the right direction with fumbled thoughts and no next steps in mind. He held his torso in place as he walked, afraid to let go of it. At the mouth of the spring he stopped. Looking in through the steam he found his reflection. His eye was no longer swollen, only a small purple cut sat in it's place on the peak of his cheekbone. Zuko slipped his fingertips into the surface of the hot water. It bubbled up his palms as he cupped his hands, washing his face. He winced at the sting of his injuries but it felt very good at the same time. He touched his split lip to make sure it was still there or to make sure it still hurt. What a ridiculous instinct to have he thought.
The hot liquid dripped down his neck smoothing every goosebump in it's path. It wasn't cold outside but his anxiousness made him shiver. For once he decided to ignore his sense as he took off his shoes and clothes sinking his body into the boiling pool. Why shouldn't he? He stayed under the surface submerging his body and thoughts in the only remedy he'd found lately for his troubled conciousness. Every scrape, bruise, and ache was washed and felt infinitely better from the feverish healing water.
Zuko brought himself up for breath and took a sigh.
He slowly got out and shook off his hair. He could already feel the sun evaporating the droplets off his skin. Back on his clothes went as he walked over to yesterday's hiding spot.
His ostrich horse layed curled up in the grass. His feathers were fluffed and sundried.
"Wake up Boe-Boe.", Zuko said tapping his head.
"We're gonna wait around here for a while. We made it this far, the Avatar will be back here in a week and then finally will our honor be restored. Well my honor, I'll get you a nice stable or something.", he said to the animal who was now chewing on what was his bed.
-
Katara awoke looking on the gentle blue sky. It was dark vibrant navy and cloudless. And where she looked she couldn't find the sun giving her eyes a soft place to land. Her heart quickened at the memory of last night. What might've happened had Zuko of all people not stepped in. He took what would've been hers. But what was his motive? She knew somehow he didn't have one. It was all too strange. She looked over not surprised to find him gone. And with the thought of what the day or night might bring, she wished he wasn't.
If only she could run or hide. She hated the sound of that weakness. She knew she was strong, but without her bending she was no match for four against one. She had to stay where she was camped in case the boys came back early. Not to mention Appa was exhausted from some very long days of flying and she didn't expect him to move any time soon.
Katara sighed and rubbed her eyes.
"I'm not doing myself any good with these thoughts.", she said to herself.
With a huff she stood. She rolled her head to soothe her aching neck. Her bruised body hurt and her wraps were still in need of cleaning and covering. Both issues could be remedied at the spring.
Her bare feet didn't miss the protection of her sandals, the grass being as soft as she always imagined the clouds would be. Her fingers brushed their slender tips that danced like satin when it's hung up to dry in the breeze.
At the waterfall she dipped in one foot followed by the other. She softly scrubbed her skin and her hair. The dust dissolved from the white cloth wound around her body. She ran her hands carefully through her black strands untangling for as long as it would take.
After she was satisfied with her cleanliness she brushed off her clothes. Sokka wasn't there to re-braid her hair so she took a square piece of cloth folding it halfway across into a triangle and placed it on her head tying it under her hair behind her head. With her long bouncy curls nicely pushed from her face she decided to go upriver a few feet before the spring turned the water hot, and gathered some cold fresh water for camp. Then she'd eat her designated rations and calmly brush through Appa's hair little by little. She peacefully hummed to pass the time not sensing any dangerous visitors tonight.
Zuko walked along a paddy sitting halfway up a vibrant jade hill. His stomach growled ferociously, but what was there to eat. Except maybe Boe-Boe.
"What am I supposed to do for six more days?!", he grumbled annoyed. He sighed for the billionth time as he rubbed a hand down his face.
He walked along the watery rice fields so long back and forth, he was completely lost in thought. And somehow he'd passed enough time where the sun was once again melting into the horizon. It was getting very cold as black clouds rolled into the atmosphere.
Rain threatened as Katara felt a sense of foreboding wash over her. Zuko felt it too. She put her hand to her chest because of it and Zuko looked quickly around for a cause. And maybe it was just some stormy clouds...but where there's smoke there's fire.
It was the kind of bad feeling that didn't come from anything in particular, but made you want to be held. Starve for touch. For protection. Like something was coming and to be alone was a death sentence.
Zuko shivered and ran his hands through his hair in angst. He looked in the direction he knew she was. His chest knawed at him to go to her. He didn't know why nor did he ask. He barely knew her, he was supposed to loathe her. But somehow he didn't recognize her as that person, she was someone entirely different and they had an anchor pulling them to each other.
Katara held her own arms as she trembled anxiously, unable to look anywhere but the hostile sky.
Just as she was trying to rub away the feeling from her chest she heard an unfamiliar steady beating of the ground.
Around the bend came Zuko on the ostrich horse. He stopped right next to her as they stared at each other. Somehow she knew to get on and she did so in lack of hesitation.
Her hands hovered around his waist in question. Her instincts were fighting with the gravity that pulled her soul toward him.
"Don't be afraid.", he said in a rough gentle voice. Without anger to raise his voice, the pain that dripped from his words was so evident. Scars of mistreatment that she could see so clearly.
She slipped her hands around his torso landing softly on his slim stomach. Her head rested on his back as he began to ride through the rice paddy's and between the mountains that never ended.
Thick gold light painted a clear haze over their unprepared skin as it broke underneath the storm front that they wouldn't be able to stop. But at least they could float here until it came.
The rays penetrated their eyes but didn't blind them. They could do nothing but look right towards it. It caressed the hills and the water that sent shimers right back. The hundreds of pools all reflected the light, like solid plates of gold. Her grip tightened as he realized his chest was unwound for the first time.
Then it started to rain.
For awhile the rain shared the air with the gold.
The wind on their faces whirled away thought. Their bodies soaked together in the vengence of the clouds. But as the droplets slid down their bones so did the last of the sunlight.
Boe-Boe led them back to the seething spring that sliced heat into the frozen rain. It pulled them in like it always did. They silently dripped in.
His skin had been deprived from touch since his mother. So as her hand cupped his cheek and her nails ran circles in his hair, he let himself feel it. Let his anxieties rest as he shut his eyelids for the moment. Her eyebrows creased in sadness at finding touch to be foriegn in his atoms.
His heart beat visibly as she put her hand over it. He put his hand upon hers as the concept of time was as elusive as the sun.
Not a word was spoken as the moonlight led them back to her camp and into the coma inducing fur. Kataras head went naturally to his chest as her warm hands held onto him.
He held her back gently without condition. They laid like that for what might've been hours, or perhaps several eternities.
"Is it painful to see?", she asked gently.
He didn't break his gaze from the stars. A phantom tear slipped from the corner of his eye falling over the scar she'd asked about and down the side of his face.
"It is.", he replied.
-
The next day Katara took her rations and split them between her and him. They ate and walked together. And as she sewed one of Aang's shirts he used his dagger to carve something from a piece of wood. The day went by in a softness. And as the sky darkened they silently prayed to the clouds to keep the rain at bay.
He took her hand leading her over to the enchanting willow. His tall frame reached up as his fingers plucked one of the bell shaped flowers. He brought it down slowly and handed it to her.
The river could be heard slipping over the mossy rocks it liked to kiss. The waterfalls rushing white noise and the wind that howled through the hills. It all sent a melodic tune through their ears. Their mystically connected thoughts danced with each other putting genuine smiles on their faces. His hand took hers straight up as he stayed still and she spun just once. Her long hair flowed like silk, her soft skin falling on the milky night light with unmatched beauty. His leathery, scarred, and callous muscle statue didn't match the look in his eyes and made the moment so much more beautiful.
Back to Appa they went and soon Katara's eyelids grew heavier with the full moon that lulled them to rest again, though Zuko's eyes stayed open.
He slid away from her unknowing form and onto Boe-Boe.
He rode fast and hard down to the lights of the village. To the local square his instincts led him that he found to be right.
The four tantalizing authoratative men drank spirits and ate steaming noodles at a table in the quiet. Now they were drunk with power and wine. Before they could speak or acknowledge Zuko's presence he took their leader from behind with his dagger a hair from his throat.
"Stay away from the girl at the spring.", he threatened.
His anger was hard to reign once he unchained it. The very tip of his dagger shone crimson. A single drip of blood slid down the mans wrinkled drunken neck as Zuko disappeared into the pitch black of night.
-
The morning came again as Katara gave a loving scratch to Appa and Zuko started the fire to warm the meal they'd share.
She easily cooked the simple food as Zuko just watched her. She smiled with a tint of blush on her cheeks at his watchful eye.
One of them made a joke about Boe-Boe and Appa's opposition to friendship as they laughed freely. A genuine no-strings-attached or manipulation inducing smile had never came naturally to his face. His eyes of happiness sparkled endearingly as they were rarer than most things, even to the all knowing earth.
After eating and a few chores that needed doing it was already mid-day. Zuko brushed through the feathers of Boe-Boe, the horse got cranky when they were unclean. Katara asked him to stay as she went to bathe. He told her not to worry, he had to give his steed some exercise on the flat range west of the spring.
Hours passed by as he surveyed the land. He ran into a lavender field with blue mist hovering above the purple foliage. She'd probably of expected him back by now but the area he'd stumbled upon was not only uniquely entrancing, it was also a previous battlefield. Half-a-century old helmets, swords, armor, and tools of war riddled the contrastingly heavenly brush. He couldn't believe he'd stumbled upon it.
Meanwhile Katara felt the warmth of the day start to fade. She washed clothes against the rocks of the spring as her nerves trembled slightly. Something in the air told her something was wrong. Where was Zuko she wondered nervously. He was her unspoken protector.
She scrubbed out a Sokka stain that the river stole helpfully. He was such a messy eater. That thought would've made her chuckle but for the thunder that tumbled in sweeping an eeriness in with it. And as she turned around her heart slammed to the ground beneath her knees. Sokka's shirt fell from her hands as it floated down the river. The four men she anticipated walked toward her. Their daunting silhouettes sauntered through the innocent grass as the sun started to leave.
As Zuko was about to leave he saw a fire nation flag was staked in the ground far across the field, ripped, singed, but still flying in the breath of the land. He rode to it with the intent of taking it. Retrieving a battle flag more than fifty years after a victory would've been considered very honorable. Fire nation loved to prove their point for a while by letting it fly on their conquered land, then take it back to display in a conceited museum.
It took a while but he reached it. He dug for the deeply submerged end for what felt like hours. The overgrown vines and plants made it very difficult to just slide out. Once staked the pole that flew the flag released spikes making it hard to simply take out of the soil. And he couldn't just rip the flag off because it succeeded his height three fold.
And so he dug relentlessly with determination using desperate muddy hands. Eventually he got deep enough down to wiggle out the pole. He laughed at the victory, climbing his hands down it and retrieving his prize.
"Father will be proud Boe-Boe!", he said smiling as he unclipped it and gripped it, holding it up proudly.
He folded it up and hid it safely in his layers before getting on the saddle and heading back.
He was excited at the idea of showing Katara for a moment, but then he realized she wouldn't be. And for a second he let himself realize he didn't blame her. Though at least he could show uncle next time he saw him, that is if he ever did. The idea of showing up at the firelord, his fathers feet with the avatar in one hand and the flag in the other pushed adrenaline through his veins. He decided not to think if Katara had changed those plans. He smiled once again at his victory as he slapped the reins getting closer to camp.
Black engulfed the land now with silver light shining clearly from the moon. Boe-Boe trotted tapering off from the steady run he'd kept up. They were coming around the bend about to reach camp. As they passed the spring Zuko noticed something off around the peaceful water.
The grass and soil seemed disturbed. There were other indications of something he'd missed, but nothing conclusive. Though it was enough to get his heart racing with slight panic.
Zuko raced the short distance to camp before yanking the reins to a stop.
His eyes were wide as he swallowed hard.
Katara looked up at him by the fire she'd kept going from that morning. Dried blood poisoned perfect skin leaving a ghost of unwarranted violence. Tears sparkled in her eyes and streamed through the dirt on her face. Her knees folded under her in innocence. The clothes that she always wore sat on her damaged skin hung by loose threads, every part of them ripped and torn. If not for her wraps underneath she'd have been completely exposed. She'd pulled her hair back in a haphazard bun but many strands escaped falling over her eyes. Her whole body shook as her unsteady fingers attempted to sew the broken blue necklace that her neck had always claimed. Dust and blood painted her face and body with a message of worthlessness.
Zuko slid off and walked up to her. As he knelt down his hands hovered over her cheeks, afraid to touch and find a hidden bruise.
Suddenly he grabbed his sword and dagger as he went to expel revenge, anger coursing feircely through his eyes.
Katara got up and grabbed him from behind before he could. He fought back as she held a tight grip around his arms and torso.
"What will you do? Kill them all?", she asked through sobs.
"YES!", he yelled feverishly.
He continued to fight her but she did not relent.
His face bled agony, his hands finding hers as he dropped his shoulders and weapons, letting his chest heave helplessly. His head hung with defeat. He turned around carefully pulling her head to his chest. He held it there as she curled her arms around him still but now with desperation for his hold. She sobbed into his chest as he bit back bloodshot spills, his eyes looking up with nowhere safe to land and his chin finding the top of her head. A few tears escaped down his nose and passed his gritted teeth.
He kept his arm behind her back as he bent down putting his other arm under her knees and picking her up. Katara let him hold her delicately as she turned her face into him, hiding it from the world.
He walked them to the hot spring and carefully sat her on the edge. He cautiously helped her remove the outer ripped clothing and set it aside. Then she got in down to her shoulders, most of her hair floated in the water as he ran his fingers through it carefully. He softly untangled the knots and rubbed the spots matted with mud.
She closed her eyes in his safety. She didn't need to ask, with him she knew her white wraps would never be violated. He knew she knew.
Her shoulder blade held a cut that was painted dark red. His cupped hand let the water fall from his palm over the imperfection. His thumb wiped it clean as gently as it could, though with his touch she could feel no pain.
His face stays still as tears slip from his eyes. Her face is made of stone on a body of glass.
Zuko took his dry shirt from the edge as he softly wrung out her hair and wrapped it up in the warm cloth. He soaked up as much of the water as he could before unwraveling it.
They found their way back to camp as they sat with the warmth of Appa under them. He sat still next to her as she sewed her torn blue fabrics.
Soon she finished mending the clothes that held her tribe close to her. And as she put them on he helped her with complete unselfish intent.
A pile of broken wood and branch sat near them as Zuko used his bare hands to light it without regret. She wouldn't argue, what was done was done and the dark of night would hide their unlawful acts of innocence.
Scarred battered hands focused on a damaged symbol of equal parts delicacy and strength. Her necklace. He'd once used it as a tool of leverage in the game of redemption, before he'd seen it's elegance in intricacy that held maternal connection in it's fibers.
She waited as he fixed it, finally wrapping it around her empty neck.
And as they layed down he curled his form around hers, their bodies mimicking a thin waning moon. His arms held her to him with tender protection. Her fingers weaved through his. If they could've been any closer they would've been.
And as she felt his warm breath atop her head she was able to close her eyes. Only then could she let herself safely dream.
-
And somehow it was morning once again. An early warm sun engulfed them as they stretched in Appa's sun-baked tufts.
She didn't yet allow herself to open her eyes. She felt his warm tuscan skin against hers. She could see the sun through her closed eyelids and she felt it's caress. His pure euphoric lips grazed the back of her neck with safety in their message.
Katara turned over to look up at who embraced her so softly.
The stain of malice still left on her skin made him want to set the world ablaze. With the amount of emotion flooding his red veins he thought he really could've.
She knew his thoughts and put a hand on his cheek to ease his troubled mind.
He held the hand in his own for a moment before standing up and taking it with him to stand her up.
He pulled her behind him and she was happy to follow without an idea of their destination. He only looked back at her with a smirk, his intentions to blur her harsh memories and hurting conciousness.
Every inch of land soaked up a pure gentle sun, no piece of shade being forgotten.
Their feet followed the river as they grinned while avoiding rocks and things to trip over. To the right of the hills and their paddy's led the river as it leaked into a large pond or very small lake. At it's discovery they stopped and stared, looking into it with hands still locked together.
The subtle heat nudged them into the safe secluded haven. They could see clear through to the bottom of the shallow pool, knowing it was safe to investigate and travel through it's body.
Their heads dipped under water as they swam slowly together, their eyes open with wonder.
The remote tributary's water was so incredibly clear it's bed was bathed in sunlight below the surface. An almost mythical seeming landscape of miniature mountains and valleys carpeted by algae, hairgrass, aquatic fern, and other delicate bright green and yellow ever-thirsty plant life.
It was a whole other world down there for sun rays to take naps, resting in the tiny fields and soft mossy hills. Bubbles slowly floated up sparkling soothingly in the light.
A small school of twenty or so tiny thin orange fish swam around one of the larger middle extremities.
They came up for air, the perfect droplets falling off them acting as bright mirrors for the high sun. They softly laughed at the miracle they were surprised to find.
They took in breath looking now at only each other, their chest's slowing down with the focus of their gaze.
"Could we just have this now, no future or past.", she asked burying fear to protect this moment that decieved time.
He nodded with a smile only introduced to her eyes and her eyes only. His hand slid over her face resting itself in her hair and on her cheek. She looked into him with only hope and wishes.
"Stay right here, I'll bring back breakfast. We'll eat it on that boulder while the sun dries us off.", said Zuko sweetly. She agreed happily.
Zuko rushed his lazy feet through the tall grass to shorten their time away from each other as much as possible.
At their camp he gave a snoring Appa a pat and wrapped up the food.
Walking back he found a porcelain white flower on the way. It laid alone almost hidden by the forest of grass around it. It reminded him of her and he looked forward to the beautiful smile it would give him in return. He could see her in his mind waiting for him on the warm dry stone, her body lined in docile blonde light. And her blush lips like a morning April sky, turning up at his presence with purity and sincerity.
He quickened his pace through the submissive foliage with a smirk of happiness on his face and an alien spark of excitement in his chest.
As Zuko found himself coming around the bend to the tributary he lifted his eyes to find her where he imagined.
His smile broke instantly.
Sweat slipped off his brow from his suddenly spiking pulse. The guard he'd let down shot back up too quick for his nerves to comprehend. His hand didn't need to be told to ardently grip the spectre of his dagger that was left back at camp. For the first time forgotten and without it's normally mistrusting owner. Now his surprised fingers held an empty holster and his panicked pupils desperately read a violent scene.
The man he'd been beaten by, the man he threatened, holding Katara up by her neck, her feet an inch from the ground.
Rational thought had no existence in his rapid mind as limbs acted without instruction.
"You should've listened.", he thought.
Vicious orange flames cut previously peaceful air with nothing but bloodlust.
The shocked men moved to defensive positions as their leader dropped Katara, her breathless form harshly caught by the earth.
"NO!", yelled Katara at Zuko's easy sacrifice.
But it was too late and four burned men thought of only vengeance. As they stood immobile in pain for that moment Zuko would take every second he could get. His whistle for Boe-Boe worked almost instantly as the steed galloped over quickly, possibly hearing the urgency in his riders voice.
Zuko was finally to Katara where he lifted her onto Boe-Boe. But she harshly shook her head and grabbed desperately onto him not letting go as she balled screaming no.
Zuko tried pealing her off of him as his own tears fell. "Katara please go Katara go!".
He roughly threw her hands off of him tearing his tunic as the malicious men found their footing. Her hands reached toward him with the fabric of his cloth flowing in the wind and the white flower he'd forced into her palm.
Zuko slapped Boe-Boe telling him to ride fast and hard. Her cries destroyed her as she watched Zuko being brought to his knees and his watery black pupils locked onto hers for as long as he could manage. In that look they heard everything they were thinking and saying through crestfallen bodies.
Zuko who was being arrested and beaten once again became smaller and smaller in the spared girls vision.
-
Hours or days passed she was unsure. Time was a loose or maybe lost construct.
Her body layed by the water that was so still, a crinkled flower yet to leave the crease of her grasp. The singed grass and scorched boulders made her feel sick, though she could do nothing but stare at them. It was something he created and therefore was as close to being with him as she could get.
Though the sun shined softly she couldn't feel it's warmth without him.
"Katara!", distantly yelled a voice.
Her head shot up in hope as she looked around.
But as the voice called again she recognized it as Aang's.
She quickly stood up and straightened herself out. She walked toward camp finding the two oblivious boys.
"Hey there she is!", said a happy Sokka.
She got closer to them honing every appearance of normalcy she could manage. Sokka kissed her on the head as the unaware boys welcomed themselves back.
They went on with stories of the week as she painted on a smile and listened. Any visible injuries she would explain with a simple lie of tripping on a hidden stump in the grass. Eventually when asked of her week she described only a few mundane events of no consequence. No words spoken about the authoritative men of malice or any events of falling in love. She couldn't live through it again. Maybe it would be easier to pretend it was a dream. A ripped heavenly dream.
-
Katara swiped her hand across a coral blue fabric with gold beads along its edge. Her feet followed her companions through the bustling colorful market. Sokka bargained a man down as Aang was happily fascinated with the vibrant products. She was coasting through it as she had with everything else since. And if she'd been anything but numb her grief would've destroyed her.
"Hey how's your cousin? Yi-Fe?", asked a shopkeeper to a familiar customer.
"Oh not good. She was arrested back in Fán. You know Rice Paddy Village. Anyway I guess they're moving her and the other prisoners to Ba Sing Se. Man she's always getting into trouble.", answered the customer.
Katara covered her mouth. If there was a shred of hope she'd take it as far as it would let her and then some.
Of course eventually Ba Sing Se became their goal and destination. And when looking for Appa she hoped, actually she prayed to find the other half of her heart.
Zuko sat up against a cold metal wall unknowingly below Lake Laogai. His head hung devoid of hope or life. In that moment as he stared at an un-cared-for floor and as he decided giving up was unavoidable, a breeze blew under the far away cell door.
He looked up as something was carried by the gust of wind to his feet.
A familiar white tuft.
A/N: Okay yay I finished!!! Sorry if I got anything wrong pls review and yes of course they found Zuko and they were reunited and their love would last forever!!!!! Also idk what happened to Boe-Boe