Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Smile Because It Happened ❯ Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 

Katara turned away from the young Fire Lord, aware that she very nearly kissed him. And she was engaged to Aang! Without looking up again, she put her good arm down to help her get to her feet.

 

A spike of pain pierced her ankle and she fell. Peering through the faint light, she could see that her ankle was bleeding- and probably sprained, if not broken.

 

“You hurt your ankle too, didn't you?” he observed.

 

“I'll be fine,” Katara replied, the no-nonsense tone back in her voice. “I just need…”

 

He watched as she realized the water from her waterskin was gone, having been used in an attempt to shield herself when Azula burned her- and the fire that had been shot at her evaporated every drop.

 

“You need to shut up and let me help you.”

 

“I don't need your help! I can walk perfectly fine-!”

 

Ignoring her protests, Zuko lifted Katara into his arms and carried her through the passageway, the green glow of the stone-crystals lighting the way. His face was as stern as Katara had ever seen it.

 

I could've figured out a way to walk on my own. It hurts, but it's not that bad. Her eyes drifted back to Zuko's face. Not as bad as the pain in my heart…

 

Feeling horribly guilty but unable to deny herself this tiny pleasure, she leaned against his chest as he walked, listening to the beating of his heart and the flow of blood through his veins.

 

So strong. He's overcome so much since the first time we met… He's become a true leader.

 

She perked slightly as a familiar feeling washed over her. Zuko's golden gaze lowered to hers. “I figured you would've sensed it before now,” he murmured.

 

“Water,” she whispered. Sure enough, the faint drip-drip of water falling on stone reached her ears, and the liquid called to her Waterbender's soul. “It's over there.”

 

“I know. That's why I'm going this way.”

 

She blinked at him. “You knew?”

 

He gave a wry smile. “In this darkness, your other senses become more acute. I could hear the echo of the dripping, plus I could smell it.”

 

Her expression was one of skepticism. “And your Firebending sense had nothing to do with it?”

 

Zuko shrugged despite holding her bridal-style in his arms. “You can tell when there's fire around, can't you?”

 

“Of course. Any Bending Master should be able to identify their element's opposite when in any situation.”

 

They reached a small dead-end cave, alit with numerous stone-crystals that reflected part of the floor. As they approached, Katara could see that it was actually a small pool where water had gathered as it seeped through the cold stone walls. Zuko set her down near the pool and carefully removed his tunic from her shoulders.

 

Katara stared at him as he knelt next to her, his gaze intent on the wound on her arm. Without his shirt on, she could clearly see the scar on his abdomen… the one he got when he saved her from Azula all those years ago.

 

“Well? Aren't you going to heal yourself?” he asked, breaking her out of her trance.

 

Blinking several times, Katara caught herself and nodded. She knelt carefully by the pool, gazing silently into the seemingly black water. Wincing, she lifted her left arm halfway in order to bend the water to the burn. A tightening pulse of pain shot through her arm and she let the appendage fall, dropping the water back where it was with a splash. “I can't,” she whispered, hating how weak she sounded. “I can't move my arm to bend.”

 

Zuko moved to her side and reached into the water with one hand. “It's shallow here,” he said, “but it feels like it gets deeper. Would it be better if you could be in the water?”

 

Katara mulled that over for a minute. “That might work best.”

 

He didn't look at her face, but instead reached out with the intent to pick her up again. “Wait!”

 

Zuko stopped and finally met her gaze. “What's wrong?”

 

She blushed lightly. “I…” She looked down at her clothing, assessing the damage. The yellow sash that had been wrapped around her waist and flung over her left shoulder had gotten badly scorched and had fallen off back where they had fought Azula. The orange robe that covered her from neck to wrist had the entire left sleeve burnt off and part of the skirt was singed, as was the brown pants underneath.

 

Coming to a decision and knowing she needed to check herself over for more damage, she reached for the seam of her robe. “Could you… turn around?” she whispered.

 

His eyes grew wide. “You… you're…?”

 

She nodded just before he quickly turned his back to her. In the crystal-light, she saw the faded scar on his back- and winced. Now he and Aang bore similar scars on their backs.

 

That's right. Think of Aang. Don't think of Zuko, sitting there without a shirt on. Don't think about the fact that you're going to have to strip down to your skivvies in FRONT OF ZUKO in order to heal yourself.

 

Taking a deep breath, she parted the robe and attempted to slide the garment off her shoulders. Another twist of pain gripped her arm when she tried to shift her left shoulder and she muffled a cry.

 

Zuko spun around on high alert. His face went red as he saw that her robe was open, even though he couldn't see anything underneath- yet. “Hurts?”

 

Katara nodded, once more ashamed that she couldn't overcome this pain. “I need… to get these robes off,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “So I can see if I'm hurt anywhere else.”

 

He swallowed. Hard. “…Need some help?”

 

Embarrassed, she nodded again.

 

Zuko took a deep breath and moved so that he was behind her- and out of line of sight for what he was revealing. Slowly he put his hands on her shoulders and very, very carefully slid the robe down her arms.

 

She hissed as the charred edge of the fabric brushed over her raw skin and he winced. “I'm sorry,” he mumbled.

 

“It's not your fault,” she gasped, realizing that the burn was more critical than what she thought- and without treatment, it was likely getting worse.

 

“It is my fault,” he protested, finally getting the robe off and holding it up like a shield between them. “If I had killed her when I had the chance…”

 

Katara turned herself on her hip and glared at him, ignoring the fact that she was wearing only her bindings across her chest from the waist up. “You're not a murderer,” she snapped. “Don't ever lower yourself to her level.”

 

Turning back to her clothes, she managed to wriggle her way out of the baggy brown pants one handed all while Zuko held the singed robe between them like a wall. The scuffling sounds stopped and Zuko heard her say his name, softly.

 

“Zuko? I… I'm ready now.”

 

He closed his eyes and fought against the myriad of emotions that washed over him at both her words and her hesitant tone of voice. She belongs to Aang, she belongs to Aang, she belongs to Aang…

 

“Are you planning to carry me over to the pool while holding my robe?”

 

Sense returned, albeit slowly. He averted his gaze as he dropped the damaged garment- but not quickly enough. He mentally swore.

 

“I… don't want to hurt you more.”

 

Katara lifted an eyebrow and he cursed again. Why am I still looking at her? Stop it! Quit looking! “I need to get in the water, Zuko,” she reminded him. “This burn's going to get worse and I need to heal my ankle so I can walk on my own.” A naughty little smile hinted around her lips. “Unless you'd rather carry me around on your back like you did Toph all those times?”

 

He groaned. “Okay, okay.” Carefully, and somehow without looking at the vast expanse of browned skin revealed by her skimpy outfit of only bindings and loincloths, he picked her up and stood, holding her carefully against his bare chest as he walked toward the dark pool.

 

Katara's gaze drifted over Zuko's chest, thoroughly aware of how warm he was. Well, duh. He IS a Firebender… Pale skin against her darker skin- it always amazed her that people that lived in such a sunny climate could be so pale, whereas those from the Poles were so tan.

 

Zuko stopped at the edge of the pool. “Can you walk at all?”

 

The throbbing in her ankle told her no. “I think you'll have to put me in the middle,” she said regretfully.

 

He glanced at his pants as he managed to kick his boots off with a grunt or three. “You'd better bend the water out of my clothes after this.”

 

“I promise.”

 

Slowly he entered the water- and bit out a rather heated oath. Katara giggled. “Water chilly?”

 

“Like walking in ice.”

 

She smirked. “Warm it up then, Fire Lord.”

 

He smirked right back. “Your wish is my command, Peasant. One hot spring, coming up.” He shifted his foot and soon there was a gentle steam rising from the dark water.

 

The bottom of the pool dipped quickly, catching him off guard as he took a few more steps forward. He slid and fell half into the water before righting himself- and realized he was holding a snickering, somewhat-soaked Waterbender.

 

“Oh ho HO,” she chortled. “You should've seen the look on your face!”

 

He blew wet bangs out of his eyes and glared at her. “There,” he announced as he dropped unceremoniously her in the water. “You're in your element. Now fix yourself.”

 

Katara surfaced with a cheerful grin on her face. Wiping the water out of her eyes with her good arm, she blinked up at him, realizing that although the water came up to her ribcage, it was only hip-deep on the tall Firebender.

 

And he looked like a drowned squirrel-rat.

 

She couldn't help it. She laughed. She laughed right in his face. “Oh, oceans!” she wheezed. “You… you look like…!”

 

He ran a hand through his wet black hair. “Like a powerful Fire Lord?” he purred, his eyes glinting in the reflection of the crystals off the water.

 

The change in timbre in his voice caused an involuntary shiver to ripple down Katara's spine. She stopped laughing and stared up at him, slightly confused, more than a bit wary, and a lot entranced. “Z-Z-Zuko?”

 

He took a step closer to where she was balancing carefully on one foot while submerged in the water. “Don't you know better than to tease a dragon?” he asked, his voice low.

 

Katara refused to retreat. “I'm not teasing anything- or anyone.”

 

“Yes you are,” he hissed, snaking an arm out and catching her around the waist. “Saving my life over and over again, staying by my side to fight against my crazy sister, then asking me to carry you in your underwear into a pool of water where no one else could possibly know where we are?”

 

She blushed furiously and pushed half-heartedly against his chest with her good arm. “I'm here to heal my arm,” she pointed out. “And my ankle. I can stand on one foot here in the water, but-!”

 

“I can't take it, Katara,” Zuko growled and she blinked at the intensity of his molten gaze. “I can't take knowing that you're in love with Aang; that you're going to marry him and have hordes of little Airbending and Waterbending babies with him…!”

 

“I don't love Aang!” she blurted out before she could stop it. Under his piercing stare, she swallowed nervously. “I… I mean… I love him… but I…”

 

He released his hold on her waist and stepped away, his eyes hidden underneath his bangs as he turned. “Hurry up,” he said in short, clipped tones. “Heal your arm and your leg… so we can get the hell out of here.”

 

Katara lowered her head and turned, focusing her healing abilities on her arm first, lowering herself into the water so that she was neck-deep in the pool.

 

Zuko walked- stalked, rather- out of the water and sat down irritably on the cold hard ground, aware that now he was out of the warmed water, he was freezing. He held up his hands and blew out a puff of flame to warm them.

 

And then he watched the Waterbender.

 

Aang's Waterbender.

 

Not his.

 

Aang's.

 

The water surrounding her was glowing, but it was different than the crystals on the walls- it was blue, casting light on her face and illuminating her features.  Abruptly she ducked under the water and he sat forward, slightly alarmed.  It soon became apparent that she was merely ensuring that her healing… thing that she did was all over her body.

Soon the glow faded and she resurfaced with a flourish of water.  Ever so slowly she turned and looked at Zuko where he sat on the ground.  Even at this distance she could see the fiery intensity in his topaz eyes.

Glancing down at herself, she realized what he was looking at.  The white bindings across her chest and covering her lower region were soaked- and slightly transparent.  The luminosity from the crystals didn't help much either- in fact, they seemed to enhance the shadows.

Now she knew why he was staring at her like that.  She recognized the emotions in his eyes.  It surprised her to no end, but there was no mistaking it.

And she echoed it.

Their gazes locked, the tension high.  Cautiously, she walked out of the water, looking every inch a siren or water nymph come to lure him to his doom.

And that was, undoubtedly, what she was trying to do to him.

She stopped in front of him, her skin glistening in the faint crystal-light as it reflected off the water dripping off her body.  Her oceanic eyes were shimmering and seemed to be asking something.

Zuko regarded her from his seat.  Not a word was spoken.

Katara lowered herself to her knees and knelt in front of the Firebender.  That lingering question was evident in her eyes.

He cleared his throat.  “All healed now?” he managed to say.

She nodded slightly.  “Except for one thing.”

Zuko frowned.  “Your arm?”

She leaned forward, a blush on her cheeks and her pulse racing in her ears.  Droplets from her wet hair dripped onto his still-bare feet.

“My heart.”