#zutaramonth2022

Day two: Cave of two lovers.

I thought quality time as a couple would be more romantic inside a cave.

Happy day two!!

---

It could be worse, Katara was telling herself. It could be worse.

Ever since she was a little girl, Katara knew she'd eventually be whisked away to a palace far away from her beloved home. Every girl wanted to be a princess, but few of them wanted to be married by proxy to a complete stranger that they would only meet when they turned eighteen. That had been Katara’s life as the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.

She was eighteen, and terrified.

She’d expected an older man, but the prince she'd just met, her husband, couldn't be much older than her. His face, far from stern and austere, was expressive and hid nothing. He called her Master Katara and complimented her beauty, and the scar she'd heard so much about wasn't a source of terror but compassion.

It could be much, much worse.

Prince Zuko's shoulders were stiff. Words were said hurriedly and skittishly. He seemed as wary and nervous as Katara felt. And yet, there was no relief to her mistrust; that unassuming veneer could always hide something sinister. They walked alone, but Katara was almost glad they were in the palace gardens. They were most certainly being watched from a distance.

"I like coming here when I need some time alone," the prince was saying as they made their way slowly toward the gazebo in the courtyard. "I hope you'll like practicing your bending here. I'll make sure no one bothers you."

Katara frowned.

"Would it really be okay for me to practice waterbending so openly?"

"Why wouldn't it be? A princess should be able to defend herself." He shrugged, as if the matter hadn’t been one Katara had lost sleep over for the past ten years. "I'm only going to ask that you don't disturb the turtleducks."

"Turtleducks?"

Prince Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but he stopped for a second as a flash of an idea crossed his eyes.

"You've never seen a turtleduck, have you?" When Katara shook her head, his face lit up in the first real smile she'd seen on him. He grabbed her hand to guide her toward the lake. She could only let him, startled by how warm his touch was, how gently he was leading her even in his excitement. "Look."

Now that Prince Zuko brought her attention to the water, Katara could see the creatures. There was a lone turtleduck in their proximity, but it was still too far away for her curiosity to be satisfied. Without thinking twice, then, Katara knelt down and extended her arms to bend the lake's surface, bringing the turtleduck closer in a steady flow. Prince Zuko stood still, his gaze alternating between her and the water.

"Is that...? Are you doing that?" He blurted out, so unabashedly awestruck that Katara couldn't contain a grin.

Once the turtleduck was at the edge of the lake, it quacked at her, but it didn't swim away. It was adorable, round and fluffy, wary but curious about the strange girl that could manipulate the water underneath. And once it was clear it wouldn’t swim away, Prince Zuko sat down next to Katara, bringing a finger to the turtleduck's head to pet it.

The tension that had gripped Katara began to let go, and she allowed herself the freedom of examining the prince more closely. He had a handsome face, twinkling golden eyes, a kind smile, and a warm demeanor that no one could have prepared her for. This was far from the Prince Zuko of her nightmares.

"You really care for these turtleducks, don't you?"

"Yeah. They remind me of my mother. She left the palace when I was a kid. She... she wasn't really happy here." Saying those words seemed to embolden him; he took a deep breath, eyes piercing Katara's, and kept going before she could interrupt. "Listen, I... I know you didn't ask to be here, but I really don't want you to hate me. If there's anything..."

He trailed off, and for a minute, Katara had no words. The knots in her chest were coming undone little by little. Pieces were falling into place. In a few sentences, the prince had revealed everything she needed to know.

"We're in this together, aren't we?" Katara offered him her hand. "I think we can start by becoming friends, Prince Zuko."

The prince breathed out. The tension in his posture was gone. Instead of shaking her hand, he held it tenderly and brought it to his lips, making Katara's heart flutter.

“Sir, we have another report of a woman on one of the outer islands, going from village to village and healing the sick, providing the poor with food, and helping to settle disputes.”

“Yes?” Zuko asked, not looking up from what he was working on. What was wrong with a woman trying to help others?

“She’s only operating at night and dressing up like a spirit from one of the towns on the island. The Painted Lady.”

Zuko’s head shot up, finally looking at his manservant. He’d heard of the Painted Lady, everyone in the capital had. It was one of the most famous, if not the most famous, story from the war. A woman dressed as the Painted Lady saved a river village from the local factory ruining their river and killing them slowly with pollution, starvation, and lack of medical care. Apparently she had been a waterbender with extraordinary abilities.

When Zuko had contacted Aang to ask if he knew where Katara had disappeared to, Aang had blown up at him, demanding to know why Zuko wanted to know, if he and Katara had something going on behind his back, had had something going on all this time which caused him to lose her. Once Zuko realized the implications of Aang’s crazed ravings, he quietly forwarded the letter to his uncle, who had taken upon the mantle of the Head of the White Lotus, asking him to track Aang down and get him out of the public until he could be made to see reason.

This had caused another drought in Zuko’s search for Katara, but resurfaced rumors of a woman pretending to be the Painted Lady, who before had been a spectacular waterbender, were too much of a coincidence for him to ignore.

“Ready a ship,” Zuko said, standing. “Have someone pack my things. I’m going to visit this island at once.”

“Yes sir,” his manservant said, rolling up the report scroll and bowing before backing out of the room.

When they touched land on the island housing the mysterious legend, Zuko donned a disguise, adopting the persona of a normal traveler so he could conduct his research.

It wasn’t long before he found the village with the most recent sightings, or experiences, rather. Only glimpses had been caught of this spirit, so it wasn’t confirmed whether it was actually a spirit, the woman from the war, or someone new altogether.

Zuko spent weeks tracking the sightings from village to village, eventually coming to the last one she could possibly visit. He hadn’t slept well since he’d started his quest and felt as though he was going to be ill himself. Eventually he had to submit to his body’s needs and found a family on the edge of the village who let him sleep in their barn.

As soon as his head touched the pile of hay he’d turned into a pillow, he was out.

Something glowing bloomed beyond his eyelids, gently pulling him out of his deep slumber. His eyes opened and he saw someone bent over them, a large hat and a veil over their face, keeping it in the shadows. Though he did his best to keep the person from realizing he’d woken, they were not to be tricked. Their head swung toward him, eyes wide, and as gold met blue Zuko knew he’d been right.

He reached up and caught her by the wrist before she could run away. To his surprise, she didn’t resist, merely ceasing to leave and letting him hold her wrist.

“Katara,” he breathed.

“I should have known it was you,” was all she said.

“Would you have refused to heal me if you’d known?” he countered.

This made her look at him, her eyes wide and indignant.

“Of course not!” she snapped. “I would have simply been more careful not to wake you.”

“Katara, where have you been?” he asked, hearing the begging tone in his voice but not caring. He couldn’t believe she was here.

“Everywhere,” she whispered. “I’ve been hiding, trying to avoid everyone and keep Aang from losing his cool and destroying the world.”

“Why would he do that?”

“I told him I didn’t want to date him.”

Aang’s letter suddenly made more sense to him, and Zuko briefly wondered if he’d return to his office to find a report from his uncle about the Avatar.

“That doesn’t mean you have to hide,” Zuko said. “That’s his problem, not yours.”

She made a face at him and he sighed.

“Katara, the war is over. You don’t have to have the whole world on your shoulders anymore.”

Katara shook her head, pursing her lips, and Zuko couldn’t hide his frustration. In one quick motion he sat up and took her hat off, revealing her face completely. He also dropped her wrist.

“You are not responsible for saving the world from Aang,” he said slowly and clearly. “If Aang were to go on a rampage because you refused him, it would not be your fault.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she retorted. “If there’s even a chance–”

“There’s no more chance,” he cut her off. “I asked Aang if he knew where you were and he sent me a letter full of craziness. I asked the White Lotus to detain him. He won’t hurt anyone.”

She stared at him, and he saw her inner battle of whether to believe him play out on her face. Finally, she settled on relief.

“Thank you, Zuko,” she whispered. “I know I should have told you or Sokka what was going on, but I felt so terrible.”

“You’re more than welcome,” he said, leaning forward. “I would do anything for you.”

Her face darkened in a blush and suddenly he felt embarrassed.

Before he could try to save himself, she was kissing him, throwing herself into his arms and ending up in his lap. He froze for a moment, surprised, but just as she was about to pull away he responded, pulling her as close to him as he could get her and deepening their kiss.

Hakoda passes in his sleep in the snow hut Katara had built for him. The snowfall is soft and light, the sun reflecting off the white-blanketed ground making everything seem brighter, as if the world were spirit-touched. Perhaps it is, on this day.

Grief in the Southern Water Tribe is a public affair. Her people believe that it is not right to keep these things unexpressed. But Katara is so used to living with grief, that silent companion. There was no room for expressions of grief when her mother died. Just because things are different now doesn’t change the guilt of it, and it seems wrong to her that she should cry for her father in a time of peace, when the sun is shining and reflecting off the snow, at a time when the world should be brighter.

Sokka had gone off to rebuild Kyoshi Island with Suki, and then there were other things to do. Engineering school in the Earth Kingdom, technological wonders to discover forged by the newly allied Earth and Fire. They were going to change the world, her brother said.

It is changed already.

Yet so much is still the same. The same grief sits within her heart, although there is room for much more there, now. More than what that lonely girl could handle, back then. There is joy, and love, and hope.

Zuko never sheds a tear. Whereas Katara’s heart is awash with her grief, the same emotion in Zuko sits like a stone. She can see it in his face, the way he schools his expression, a tactic he’d learned in childhood.

Katara does everything she can to make herself busy, including taking up the mantle that her father’s absence left. There is no time for grief when there is work to be done.

It’s Zuko who visits the stone where her father’s body lies buried, every day of the prescribed mourning period. Her husband who she has never seen cry, whose own father burned and scorned him. She sees him standing on the horizon with the mourners, sometimes kneeling among them, into the day and after the stars come out. From a distance, she hears his voice leading them in prayer for her father’s spirit, performing the rituals as if he were born to them.

Hello All!  Welcome back to Zutara month!!!!!  I'm excited to write again, it seems like it's been months since the last time I've taken a moment to write something.

I will be participating in some of these prompts for Zutara month.  I did decided that some of the prompts are just not up my alley and I personally rather sit those days out.  I will try my best this year to keep up, but it is also my birthday month so I will be rather busy.

(You can also see my full collection of works for this month on my FF.net )

As always, Happy Reading!!!

Zutara Month Day 1: Fire Lady Katara

    They were complete opposites. Katara was (mostly) always a by the book gal strictly abiding by the rules and with an unwavering grip on her moral compass. And Zuko... he was whatever the opposite of that was. Or at least, that is what Katara now saw him as. He was just getting back in touch with the way of goodness after losing his way, and while he pledged to himself that he would be good from now on, it didn’t mean it was easy or that he would be great at it right away. But he was trying, and damn her good heart, she already felt herself wanting to be understanding and give him a chance to be good like the rest of them. She wouldn’t tell him that though... no. She would never, and she would be sure he knew how displeased she was to have to be in his presence. 

   “You know I’m only being civil because Aang thinks it’s the right thing to do, not because that’s what I think.” Her arms crossed, while her eyes watched him skeptically. It was hard to trust him after he betrayed her before.     “I know... you’ve made that clear.” Zuko replied softly, doing everything he could to keep his composure. “But it’s okay, I understand.” His voice had this rasp to it that sounded strangely endearing and sweet, which annoyed Katara.     “Do you?” She answered accusingly. When she was met with only one arched eyebrow she scoffed. “You know what I am talking about. In the cave. I trusted you and you--”     “Katara,” Zuko interrupted, stepping closer to her, but Katara stepped back, standing her guard. “I told you... I lost my way.” He went on. “I thought I needed my father’s approval, to regain my honor but in the end, I realized it wasn’t what I wanted at all. I regret it.” He spoke.    “Well, you don’t get to do that! You don’t get to just show back up and decide you changed your mind and that everything would just be okay, because it’s not.” She didn’t realize how emotional she got until she felt her lip quiver. “Aang almost died and to think... I was ready to heal you.” Her teeth clenched as she bit those last words out, and as intended by her sharp words, it felt like a knife to Zuko’s heart. 

   “I know.” He bowed his head, his eyes closing, but quickly opening to find her deep blue ones. He stepped closer again. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, you don’t have to. But I hope that one day I can show you that I am sincere.”     Katara glanced down at their proximity, which was closer than she wanted but she wanted to show him that she wasn’t afraid, so she remained in place. “Well, don’t expect me to wait around watching you do good things until I decide to trust you, only to get stabbed in the back AGAIN.” She sighed and looked down at her feet, before closing her eyes. She was realizing that she needed to get ahold of herself. She didn’t like being angry, but around him, after everything, she couldn’t help it and her bitterness flowed out in her words like a river of hate.

   Zuko took advantage of her looking away and made himself so close to her that when she looked up again, she nearly swayed against his chest. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She’d never seen him that close-- never got such a good look at his handsome features. His soft, smooth lips and golden eyes, even with that scar, they were captivating. “Katara. After everything, you still treated me with kindness... it took me this long to be good, but you have always been, despite everything you’ve been through. and the truth is... you inspire me.” He spoke tenderly. 

   Katara was struggling internally between pushing him away and wanting to believe every word he said. “R-really...?” The words slipped out of her mouth and her hand went up to gently tuck a piece of her brown hair behind her ear. Damn it, why was she always so quick to assume the best of people? She had to keep her composure, even with the handsome fire prince standing so close and searching her eyes delicately. Her doe-eyed stare quickly turned back into a soft glare. Whatever trick he was trying to pull, she wasn’t going to fall for it.

“Well... good, then. You ought to learn from someone, because clearly you don’t know how to do it yourself.” She grimaced and tried to fill the air with familiar bickering to push away the strange new tension between them, something she wasn’t sure was actually there or not. 

   Zuko took notice of the way her eyes scanned his features when she looked up at him. It was as if she seemed to be actually seeing him for the first time. This made his lips curve into a soft grin, which only irritated Katara more.     She could hardly believe it. She was insulting him and yet, he smiled. “Why are you smiling?” She snapped, turning her body halfway to the side, as if not wanting to look at him anymore. 

 Zuko wasn’t that great at romance, he just knew that the look in Katara’s eyes when he got close to her meant something, and he wanted to find out if it was real.     He gently took her shoulders to turn her toward him again, not in any mean way, but to Katara it was all the same as she tried to pull herself out of his grasp, not knowing what he was trying to do. “Let go of me.” She snapped again, remembering when he grabbed her arms once before with such anger in his eyes. However, this time, his eyes were soft and gentle.

   With Katara facing him again, Zuko pressed his body against hers and in seconds, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers delicately.

 This took Katara by surprise... no, surprise was an understatement. Her body froze up in pure shock and her eyes closed instinctively. After a few seconds she started to realize that it actually felt good, and she allowed herself to be swept into it as her lips moved against his and she whimpered softly. Zuko felt her kissing back, so he parted his lips slightly to deepen the kiss and exhaled deeply into the kiss. In response, she inhaled deeply, taking in his scent which was undeniably intoxicating. His body felt nice and strong against hers and his lips were soft and so kissable. It was different from kissing Aang... Instead of fumbling nervousness from someone younger than her, Zuko had such mature passion in his kissing. It was an intensity she never felt before. An intensity that made her want to hold onto his shirt and kiss him for hours. Then, she felt Zuko’s hands press against her lower back to push her closer against him and for a moment, Katara completely forgot who she was kissing. Zuko, the man she wanted to hate. When reality crashed into her again, she shoved him away. Zuko’s body went from being pressed against her to being shoved a foot away. 

  “What? I thought you liked it.” Zuko almost whined. 

  Katara blushed and she couldn’t believe what just happened or what came over her. “I... did. And that’s the problem!” She said with exasperation. 

   Zuko blinked at her. “If you liked it, then how is that a problem?” 

   Katara groaned as if he asked the dumbest question possible. “Because! It makes no sense! I should hate you. You made our lives miserable and hurt us, and besides, I never... you know... like liked you before so... I- I don’t understand. and the others, what would they think? God, I am so stupid.” 

   Zuko listened to all of her reasons and shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what they think.” He commented without thinking much of it.

   This comment enraged her so much that she nearly regretted kissing him back. “Of COURSE it matters what they think, what is wrong with you?!” She raised her voice at him. 

   Zuko cringed slightly, realizing he was digging himself into a deeper hole. “You’re right. I am sorry.” He sighed and looked down at her. “I know it won’t be easy to regain your trust. But I will do whatever it takes. I am ready for a new chapter in my life, and to help the avatar take down my father once and for all.” He said proudly and sincerely. “And for what it’s worth...” He added, earning eye contact with Katara as she looked up curiously. “I am glad you liked it.” He smiled a bit and Katara blushed softly. She could still feel the feeling of his lips on hers. 

Day 3: Soulmates

Just a few words....

The feeling that unites us is the same.