Katara
Life is much better on the ship now. I get to shower every day, and with Hot Water! The only way to get hot water back in the South Pole was to boil it, and that took too long. Even when I learned how to heat it quickly with my bending, it was still stationary water in a tub, not water falling from above you, running all over your skin. I'm going to miss this when I leave, which is crazy, since I never thought I'd miss anything being aboard this ship. But now that I'm not a prisoner anymore, I honestly have to sometimes remind myself I'm on an enemy ship. I love my bedroom, and the way the silk outfits feel on my skin. I still wear my Water Tribe dress whenever it's clean, though.
I'll miss Iroh. He lets me meditate with him in the evenings, and he's also begun to give me bending lessons. He used to study waterbending styles. While he's not able to make me a master, I'm at least able to get some formal direction.
Begrudgingly, I admit to myself I'm going to miss the grumpy Fire Prince. I'm not letting myself forget that he attacked my village, he's hunting my friend, it's his fault I'm a prisoner in the first place, or that it's his nation's fault my mother died and all the Water Benders were taken from the South Pole. But, after over a week of him being confined to bed rest in the room adjoining mine, I've gotten to know him pretty well.
He's got this dry and wry sense of humor that gets me to laugh. Through many games of Pai Sho I've gathered that he's deadly smart, but impulsive. And quite quick tempered, although he tries not to be.
He's focused and disciplined too, getting up with the sun every morning to start the day with meditation. Sometimes I join him, then start our healing sessions when we're done. He's itching to get off of bed rest, but I can still feel extensive damage to his body from the strike, so he stays off his feet. And complains loudly about it. Regardless, he listens to me, probably just because even though he tries to hide it I can see him wince in pain anytime he moves too much. It takes a while, but after about 10 days, he's almost completely healed.
Right now, Zuko's laying face down on his bed with just a pair of shorts on as I run water all over his body with my hands. The time I spend with the Fire Prince is always confusing, blurring the lines of enemies and friends, but healing sessions are just down right frustrating. I've come to know that under his armor, his body is very strong and muscular. Having to run my hands all over him in the mornings during our sessions is making me physically feel things that can never be spoken of or acted on. He's the Enemy. I'm helping him heal because he saved my life, but that doesn't suddenly put us on the same side of the war. So yeah, he may be funny, focused, strong, and handsome despite the ponytail. Since he's been on bed rest for a while, his hair has grown in a bit around the ponytail, making it look a lot better and showing me how thick and jet black it is. Anyways, He may even be Selfless enough to take a lightning strike for a Water Bender at the expense of his own life. I may be physically attracted to him, and I'll admit to myself that I've grown to have feelings for him. But the war is bigger than those feelings, and as long as he's loyal to the Fire Nation anything I feel is irrelevant. So I'll stay on the ship until we make port, or until I'm rescued, and while I'm here I'll spend time with Iroh and Zuko: Training, healing, meditating, and playing Pai Sho. But once I'm gone, I can't let the affection I've grown for Iroh or the frustrating and treasonous feelings I've grown for Zuko get in the way of the war I need to help fight.
"You're freezing it, Katara." Zuko says, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"What? Oh, sorry."
"Getting Distracted, Water Princess?" He teases. I just sigh. I've long since stopped correcting him when he calls me a princess. I'm pretty sure he just does it to get a rise out of me.
"Just a little." I say and gently heat the water until he lets out a sigh. I send the water out the open Port Hole when I finish. "All done, Zuko." I say. He sits up with a grunt. Although he tries to hide it, I notice how his gaze sweeps over me and rests half a second longer than it should on my exposed midriff. I guess my treasonous feelings aren't completely one sided. Either that or he just thinks I'm pretty in the red silk Fire Nation dress I'm in. Either way, I'm something I'm sure he's come to the same conclusion as me about: We're enemies under temporary truce, a truce that ends the second I'm off this ship. Nothing can happen. All the same, his gaze still makes a heat rush through me.
"How much longer am I on bed rest?" He asks, taking a sip of the tea on his nightstand.
"You'll be sore for a while, but honestly you've been fine since yesterday. I just didn't want to say anything until I was sure. Remember I'm still a novice at this, I can't get training until I get to the North. So I'm not really Positive."
"Novice or not you saved my life more than likely." He mutters, looking down.
"Then I was just returning the favor. We're square." I say just as quietly. After a moment of both of us being awkwardly silent, I clear my throat. "Pai Sho?" I ask him. He rolls his eyes.
"I'm so tired of that game."
"Because I keep winning?" I smile at him.
"You've won the last three times, but that's three out of like a couple dozen."
"So I need to win more to even it out." I joke. "Should I get the board?" I ask him. He's silent for a second, then out of no where throws his pillow and kicks a fire blast at it.
"Just get out!" He shouts.
"Excuse me?" I question, my energy rising to match his as I try to think of what set him off this time. I don't think my teasing was enough to do it, so my best guess is it's pent up anger about still being on bed rest.
"Why are you still sitting there?!" He yells. "I said go!" I glare at him.
"Listen here, Fire Prince." I say, and put both hands on his shoulders and push him back on the bed. I'm surprised he lets me, but he doesn't resist, just returns my glare. "I am not one of your sailors. I'm not one of your servants. You want to be alone? Fine. You can ask nicely and I'll be happy to go. But you don't get to speak to me like that."
"You're still on my ship! So yes, I do!"
"You're horrible, you know that? All I asked is if you wanted to play Pai Sho!"
"Just get out when I tell you to! Go!"
"You know what, That's it!" I shout losing my temper. "I'm pulling Chi Reserves to finish healing you. I'm done coming in here every day If you're going to sulk and yell at me!"
"Absolutely not!" He growls, putting a death grip on my wrists, keeping my forearms pinned to his chest.
"And why not?" I demand, trying to break his grip, but I can't, which sparks a touch of fear and forbidden excitement inside me, realizing the position he's in: Laying in bed and shirtless. "Zuko, let go."
"You are not pulling chi reserves again! You think I took that bolt so you can die anyways?"
"I'll be fine! If I didn't die during the storm no way healing you the rest of the way will kill me. And why do you even care if I live or die anyways?!"
"I don't know!" He yells, and quicker than I can blink he flips over, keeping his death grip on me so I'm flipped under him; On my back, in his bed, with my wrists pinned on either side of me, and Zuko on his knees between my straddled legs.
"Zuko!" I try to yell, but it comes out more like a squeak.
"Calm down, Water Princess." He says with snark dripping in his voice. "If I was going to hurt you, don't you think I would have by now?" He growls. I stop struggling under him. He's right, if I was going to be touched by him or anyone else it would have happened by now. But whatever the heated feeling rushing through my body is, it doesn't stop at his assurance. And somehow I find myself staring at the Fire Prince's mouth. "You're not risking your health and life again." He says firmly.
"Tell me why you care, Zuko." I say quietly, my voice thick and my eyes blinking back tears. I don't know why I'm about to cry. I guess I'm just so overwhelmed by things and feelings I don't understand. "You kidnapped me, took me from my friend and brother. You kept me locked up for weeks without sunshine or the ocean air. You're using me as bait to capture Aang. And before that, you attacked my village. You were born into and are fighting for a warmongering nation responsible for two bender genocides, one of which was the South Pole Water Benders, but you're protecting me. Treating me well. Spirits, you risked your Life to save me!" I yell the last part, getting overwhelmed again. "And don't say it's because you need me to catch Aang, because if that was true you wouldn't be letting me go at the next port! So Why?!" I shout. He just looks at me a second, his face pained and confused. And then he does the last thing I expect him to do: He looks at my mouth, then leans down and kisses me. I freeze, so shocked I can't move. But as soon as I snap out of the shock I pull water to me using my feet like Iroh taught me, and I kick Zuko off of me with a push of water so hard it knocks him off the bed and against the wall.
'What the Spirits?" I try to yell but it comes out as a whisper. Zuko looks up at me with his face neutral, masked. But I can see the real look behind that: Shame. "Why?" I demand.
"I don't know!" He yells. "I'm sorry! I stopped thinking. You're hard ot be around, Katara. It's why I was trying to get you to leave. But you stayed and I crossed a line that chipped away another part of my honor. Can you please go now?" He sighs. "I'm healed enough, so don't feel like you need to keep coming back. I'm a little stiff but I'll be resuming my duties and training tomorrow. So just…stay in your room. Away from me." He tell me dejectedly. I just sit where I am on his bed and look at him. He's against the wall with his knees to his chest and his head down. I get up. But instead of leaving, like I know I should, I do something that surprises me even more than Zuko kissing me did: I walk over to him, and kneeling in front of him I gently take his face in my hands and make him look at me. Then I close the gap and put my mouth to his. He's surprised for a second and I almost pull away but before I can he responds. And spirits does it feel good.
I can't be doing this. I can't be enjoying it. It's treason. But I also can't stop. Zuko deepens the kiss and tangles his fingers in my hair. It makes me dizzy. I lean forward and put my forearms on his chest. A moment later he pulls back.
"What are you doing, Katara?" Zuko asks breathlessly. Heat fills my face and I turn and put my head against his knees to hide it. He's right, what am I doing? What was I thinking? Aside from the treason, and despite the fact that he kissed me first, it's probably not even me he wants. I just happen to be the only girl aboard.
"I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I guess I just figured I'll be gone soon so to Hell with it." I sigh. I don't know why I keep talking. "It's okay that you don't want me. I'll just go-" I start to get up, but he puts his hands on my waist and pulls me sideways on his lap.
"You think I pulled back because I don't want you, Katara? Agni you're wrong."
"Then why?"
"Because the only reason you're on the ship in the first place is because I kidnapped you! That's not- we can't- It would be wrong." He says firmly. And yet I'm still sitting in his lap.
"Isn't that for me to decide?"
"No."
"I'm not delusional, Zuko. I know we can't be together without one of us committing treason. I just, I don't like to see you hurting, so I stopped thinking." I admit, but instead of trying to get up I nestle closer to him, feeling the warmth of his chest against my cheek and his toned torso against the midriff in my dress. And he doesn't push me away.
"Why do you care if I'm hurting?" He mummers with his lips against my hair. Why am I still sitting here? It's Treason plain and simple. I'm not willing to betray my tribe or the Avatar for him. So why am I not getting up?
"Why have you protected me the last few weeks?" I return instead of answering. He's silent a moment.
"Katara, I-" He starts, but he's interrupted by a guard knocking 3 times then two times then 3 again. "I've got to go." He says and squeezes my waist where his hands were resting on my skin.
"Zuko-" I start, but he moves me to the side and stands up.
"No. Stay here. I'll be back soon."
"What's wrong?"
"Just stay here, Katara!" He yells as he pulls on his boots, making me flinch. He sighs. "Spirits damn it." He groans, then walks back over to me, takes my face in both his hands, and kisses me firmly and deeply on the mouth, making my insides melt a little. "Please stay here, Katara." He pleads then runs out of the room, pulling his shirt and helmet on as he does.
All the confused and complicated emotions in me well up and I let out a frustrated scream as I throw some water at the wall. Look at me! I'm the daughter of the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, friend of Avatar Aang, and I'm supposed to be helping him on his mission to master the 4 elements and save the world. But here I am, sitting in a Fire Nation dress and in the Fire Prince's bedroom, and I just gave him my first kiss! What has the last few weeks here done with my head?!
There may be more to Zuko than I thought before I came aboard, but that doesn't change the fact that he's the Fire Prince, hunting my friend. And the way I've been treated doesn't change the fact that I was kidnapped in the first place! I rub the red silk between my finger and thumb. No. I can't wear this right now. I go back to my room and change back into my Water Tribe clothes, even my boots. I need to try and feel at home right now. I open my windows, and let the sun shine on my face and the sea air fill my lungs and try to meditate.
I can't do this. I can't fall for Zuko. It's wrong. I know it. He knows it. So why is my mouth still warm just thinking about how good it felt to be kissed? I need us to get to port fast. I have to get away from him, and find Sokka and Aang.
"Katara!" I hear, making me jump. I turn around just in time for my brother to crush me in a hug.
"Sokka!" I say with surprise and relief.
"Are you okay? How bad did they hurt you? Can you walk?" He asks rapid fire questions.
"Yes! I-I'm fine."
"Great. Let's go, we have to be fast. Aang's holding them off." He says, and pulls me by the arm out of the room at a run.
"How'd you find me?"
"I got lucky you were on the first floor. This was a last ditch desperate attempt!"
"How'd you get below deck?" I ask as we round another corner.
"Aang caused a distraction, and I dove off Appa and climbed up the Anchor chain. They don't even know I'm on board. Up this ladder!" He pants. I follow him up and squint as the sun hits us from above when he opens the hatch. We run across the deck and Sokka whistles for Appa.
"Aang! C'mon!" Sokka yells.
"Do NOT Let them get away!" I hear Zuko yell.
In my peripheral vision I see Aang hit them with a powerful enough wind blast to knock a couple fire benders off the ship, and he runs to us. Just before we all jump on Appa, I see Zuko kick Fire at Aang. Without thinking, I jump in front of him, and I scream as the fire hits me instead.
"Katara!" I hear, but I'm not sure who yells it. I feel wind go over my head, then someone picks me up, making me scream again as they touch the burn, and the person runs. It's Sokka.
A few seconds later he jumps and I feel the blankets of Appa's saddle under us.
"Katara, are you okay? Please tell me you're okay." Aang says, scooting next to me as Appa Takes off. My vision is splotchy and I can hardly focus on anything other than the searing pain in my left shoulder blade.
"Let her breathe, Aang." Sokka says, and pulls him back by the collar. "Katara. I am so, so sorry we couldn't get to you sooner. I'm so sorry-"
"Water!" I cut him off. "Water, Please!" He quickly passses me a water skin. I bend it so it covers the burn and cry in relief as it heals. After a few seconds, I feel fine. Aang scoots behind me.
"Your dress is burned, but the wound is healed. It…it did leave a scar, though. It's not bad, just white, shaped kinda like a sunburst. I'm-I'm sorry, Katara. That blast was meant for me."
"Don't apologize. Either of you." I say, sitting up and hugging them both.
"Zuko is going to pay for every last thing they did to you." Sokka says through gritted teeth.
"He didn't do anything to me, Sokka. I haven't been hurt until just now." I tell him. He looks at me in surprise, then disbelief.
"Katara, you don't have to pretend nothing happened. It's okay. It wasn't your fault. And that Bastard is going to die for it to make it right. The whole ship will."
"Sokka, we need to choose forgiveness. Without forgiveness, none of us will ever heal."
"Shut up, Aang! This isn't the Southern Air Temple."
"Both of you, Stop!" I tell them. "I'm not lying. I don't know why he did, or didn't do what he did."
"Katara, Zuko told me exactly what he would do to you if he ever captured you."
"I know what Zuko told you. He lied. He was trying to scare you into giving up Aang. But the last three weeks, I haven't been touched, starved, dehydrated, or even denied bending."
"That doesn't make any sense." Sokka says. "Why would they treat a prisoner so well?"
"It doesn't have to make sense. It's the truth. I don't know why Zuko treated me as well as he did." I tell him, hoping my blush isn't noticeable as I remember the kiss we shared before we were interrupted and Sokka got me off the ship. "Let's just try to forget it and hurry to the North Pole. We have three weeks to make up for.
"Sounds good to me." Aang says and jumps on Appa's head. "Yip Yip, Buddy." He tells the Bison. Sokka scoots over and holds me in a hug.
"I'm glad you're safe, Katara." He says. "We did save something for you, by the way." He pulls back and rummages through his bag. A second later he pulls out a scroll.
"The water bending scroll! Thank you, Sokka!" I say and hug him again.
"Now you can finally start learning." He laughs. I decide to not tell him Iroh already started teaching me.
"Yeah, Sokka. Let's find a lagoon not stalked by Pirates." I chuckle.
"Yeah, or Onion headed Fire Princes." He jokes, stabbing my heart a bit. Hurt, confusion, and anger swirl in me along with gratitude for protecting me. I decide to focus on the anger: The anger for kidnapping me, hunting Aang, burning and scaring me, and confusing my feelings. I'll focus on the Anger. The next time we face him, and I'm sure we will, I'm going to give him a scar to match the white sunburst on my back.