97AN:Hey… I haven't posted anything on this site since 2011... but I've been having a lot of Zutara feels as of late. I honestly have no idea what this is that I just wrote, it just kind've appeared. It's cheesy and awkward and I'm sorry. It was just a way for me to get the feels out I guess…. Seriously, I don't even know where that last scene came from. Jeez.
I want to make this have two chapters maybe three because I have some more ideas... but no promises. I tend to not finish things I start. Okay thanks.
Disclaimer: Not mine yo.
Katara hadn't said a single word since they left Yon Rha cowering in the mud. Even when Zuko had reached down from Appa's saddle to hoist her up - a gesture that would normally result in a cold glare and rejection from the waterbender - she said nothing. She simply took his hands into her own and jumped up into the saddle without a word. Now Zuko held Appa's reigns and Katara sat behind him, staring out over the ocean at the parting storm clouds.
With the amount of traveling he had done during his banishment, he had grown accustomed to silence, welcomed it even. He wasn't one for conversation anyways considering that he had spent the past few years with only his Uncle as truly amicable company. Not that he had spoken to Uncle willingly, young Zuko had much preferred to sit alone in his cabin, undisturbed and left to brood.
Still, much to his surprise, Zuko felt the strong urge to say something - anything really - to the girl.
Katara had just faced down her monster, the man who took her mother away. The man who had hurt her in a way that no one else had before. The man - save probably for Zuko himself - that Katara hated most in the world.
The young firebender shook his head and checked the map. They would be back to camp before dusk, he guessed judging from their position.
As he rolled it back up and turned to place it in his pack, he snuck a glance behind him to check on Katara. She sat perfectly still, her long brown hair whipping in the wind. However, Zuko was surprised to find, she had turned around to face him.
Unlike before, Katara's face had no trace of that quiet rage, the determination, that thirst for vengeance that was so apparent in her eyes the previous night. In their place was something more solemn… something that Zuko understood. Her wide blue eyes were rimmed red, and she seemed to be looking straight through him.
Tears streaked her face.
"I-I couldn't do it…" she whispered, her wide blue eyes meeting his gold, "why couldn't I do it? Am I really that weak?"
He was at a loss for words. What would Uncle say? Agni, what would Uncle say?
Katara continued to hold his gaze, and he saw more tears forming. Her shoulders didn't shake, however, and her breath didn't catch. The tears just slipped silently down her cheeks.
Zuko turned his head slightly, not able to look at her directly as he started speaking.
"You know…" he began softly, hoping his voice would reach her over the sound of the wind "you know, ah, back in Ba Sing Se?"
He felt his cheeks flush, a wave of doubt passed over him as he remembered the glowing lights of the cave and warm fingers on his cheek. Should he really be reminding her of why she hated him?
When Katara gave him no response, he swallowed his fear and continued.
"I had never expected to see you," Zuko said, recalling his surprise when he looked up from the dirt to see the angry waterbender, "But there you were, just as fierce and passionate as I knew from our fights, shouting at me, challenging me, calling me out."
He turned forward, watching as the storm clouds dissipated and the sun began to peek through them. After a moment, he spoke again.
"I didn't know what to say, or what to think for that matter. I couldn't apologize for the pain my people have caused you because I knew it wouldn't make up for the loss." Zuko looked down at his hands that clutched Appa's reins. "But then you... the girl who threatened me, fought against me, the girl who I had only seen as an enemy, an obstacle… there you were offering to free me from my mark, offering me compassion and kindness that I didn't deserve." Zuko let out a deep breath. "And I wasted it…"
He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to turn around to see her face. "I guess… I guess what I'm trying to say is… it's you. Despite everything that I had done to you, to your brother, and to Aang… you still showed me kindness." Zuko swallowed nervously. "Your hands are meant for healing, Katara," his voice was soft when he said her name, "They aren't meant for revenge. So no. You aren't weak because you failed to kill Yon Rha, and you aren't evil because you wanted to... You choose compassion and kindness and mercy… and I think that takes great strength..."
He peeked over his shoulder at Katara. She had pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, as if she were holding herself together. Her eyes remained focused on his. She said nothing.
He turned away from her, tightening his grip on Appa's reigns. Had he said the right thing? Zuko wasn't sure exactly how to comfort someone, but for some reason the sight of Katara's tears made his stomach twist. He attributed this to the fact that she didn't deserve any more pain after everything he had done to her.
Later, when Katara hugged him for the first time and he felt her in his arms - all warm and soft and forgiving - Zuko felt a weight lift off of his shoulders.
"And then the guard threw me right out of the door onto the street! All because of a stupid haiku!"
Aang and Toph laughed loudly at Sokka's anecdote. Suki giggled and gave Sokka a loving peck on the cheek.
"Honestly, Snoozles," Toph guffawed, "a poetry club? What's next? Are you going to join the Kyoshi warriors? I'm sure Suki would love to put you in one of those outfits!"
Suki gave Sokka a cheeky grin, "Who says I haven't already?"
The laughter grew louder, and Zuko quite enjoyed the shade of red the water tribe boy became.
The campfire glowed brightly in the center of their little circle, shadows dancing across their faces as the flames flickered. The six teens all reclined around it, drinking tea and listening as they exchanged stories with one another. Zuko found himself smirking in spite of himself.
"Come on, guys," Sokka grumbled, "Every guy has their embarrassing stories! Heck, I bet even Zuko does!" He glared around at everyone in the group, his eyes falling on the boy in question.
Katara scoffed, drawing her brother's attention, "In your dreams, Sokka. You remember Zuko when we first met him, all angry and demanding! He was so focused on Aang, I doubt that he had time for anything else."
Zuko turned to the girl sitting next to him and frowned. She only shrugged her shoulders at him as if saying sorry, it's true!
"That may be true, Katara," Sokka continued. Zuko glared at the water tribe boy as the latter examined him over the fire, eyes narrowed, a hand rubbing his chin. Zuko was about to growl something back when Sokka's eyes widened.
"What about when he was in Ba Sing Se! C'mon, Zuko, we didn't see you for weeks!" Sokka looked around at his friends, as if searching for agreement, before turning to Zuko and jabbing a stiff finger in his general direction, "Don't tell me you didn't get some attention!"
Zuko glared at Sokka. Honestly, Ba Sing Se? All Zuko knew in Ba Sing Se was the cramped apartment and Uncle's tea shop, in fact the few only other times he went out was as the Blue Spirit (something he certainly wasn't going to talk about right now) and that one time with Jin.
Jin. Zuko felt his heart jump at the realization before it settled somewhere at the bottom of his stomach.
Toph grinned wickedly. "Sparky? You got something to share?"
Zuko knew a dirty look was wasted on the little blind girl. He instead stared angrily at the fire.
"You have a girl you left in Ba Sing Se?" Toph taunted, "I'm not a fan of the city, but I hear that the girls are pretty."
Zuko remembered an airy laugh, food in his hair, lights reflecting on water. He exhaled slowly.
Katara nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "C'mon, Zuko. It can't be that bad…"
Zuko looked up at her. Her eyebrows were raised, but she had a taunting smirk on her face that Zuko took as a challenge.
He sighed.
"... there was this one time… Uncle made me."
Zuko went on to tell the story of his first real date, how his Uncle spent ten minutes doing his hair only to have it messed up in the first few seconds. Much to his annoyance, the group laughed when he told them about his failed juggling attempt. They stayed quiet as he tells them about the unlit lanterns and Jin's disappointment.
"So… I-uh- I told her to close her eyes," Zuko said, "and then I lit the lanterns."
"Where'd you get the spark rocks?" Aang asked.
Zuko looked down and rubbed the back of his neck." … I didn't…"
The group was silent for a moment until Sokka spoke up.
"Wait…" He pulled himself away from Suki to rest his elbows on his knees, gesturing towards Zuko.
"Let me get this straight. You used firebending in the middle of the Earth Kingdom Capital to impress a girl?"
Zuko gave Sokka a half-hearted shrug and crossed his arms across his chest as he glared angrily at the fire.
Sokka stared at Zuko incredulously, and then, to Zuko's chagrin, a slow smile snaked its way across Sokka's features.
"I'm actually pretty impressed. You've got game."
Zuko groaned, but the sound was lost in the other's laughter.
"Honestly! Who knew Sparky here could be such a romantic!" Toph guffawed.
Sokka hiccuped and clutched his stomach as he tried to catch his breath, "N-no wonder you have a girlfriend! Although I'm surprised Mai can stay so gloomy when she has such a -" Sokka clasped his hands together and pouted at Zuko mockingly, "- sweet, caring, and romantic man in her life!"
Zuko was only vaguely aware of the laughter around him as well as the surprised response of "You have a girlfriend?" from Aang and "Mai?" from Katara who whipped around to look at him in surprise.
Zuko didn't catch her eyes for he had stood and stormed away to his tent before he even realized his feet were moving.
He plopped down onto his bedroll with a huff. He wasn't angry with the others for teasing him, rather, he was angry at the sudden guilt that settled in the pit of his stomach. He was angry with himself for realizing that he left Mai stranded at the Boiling Rock with his sister of all people! Not to mention after she had just saved his life. And he didn't even have the decency or compassion to even think about her and her fate! Agni, he was despicable.
Falling flat onto his back, Zuko stared up at the cloth ceiling of his tent. It was windy and the fabric rustled. After a long while, the sounds of the others outside faded and he guessed that they had gone to their tents as well. He frowned. He hadn't meant to ruin the mood, but Sokka just had to bring up such a touchy subject.
Then there was a gentle voice calling to him.
"Uhm, Zuko? Can I come in?"
He didn't answer but looked up to find Katara pulling back the flap and entering his tent.
"Do you need something?" he asked in a low voice. Hearing his tone, Katara seemed to hesitate for a moment as if trying to determine his current mind set. She seemed to make a decision though as she cleared her throat and settled into a lotus position in front of him.
"I - ah - wanted to see if you were okay," she said plainly.
Zuko frowned at her, "And why wouldn't I be okay?" The question was redundant, he knew why she came. That's what she was like, always worrying, always mothering.
"Well, you kind've stormed away a little dramatically. Everyone was a little worried."
Zuko shrugged, stubbornly refusing to meet the girl's eyes. "I didn't ask for them to worry about me. And I'm not going to turn on Aang if that's what you're thinking so you can leave."
Katara didn't move, and she didn't say anything for a long moment. Zuko turned away from her - hoping that she would eventually leave - and turned to polish his broadswords.
She didn't leave, but after a long moment of what Zuko guessed to be deliberation, Katara asked him a question, her voice measured as if she hoped that the words wouldn't ignite something.
"What happened to Mai?"
There was a hiss as Zuko jerked his arm away from the blade in his lap, blood dripping from the tips of two of his fingers. He glanced from his hand to the bare tent around frantically, looking for something to wipe the blood with. In a moment, however, Katara had crawled forward and taken his hand into hers. She sat right beside him, and pulled water from the pouch around her waist. Zuko was quiet as her glowing hand swept over his own.
Her voice was soft, and she didn't look at him as she brushed her fingers over his. "They haven't given us many details about it… but Suki did mention that you ran into your sister back at Boiling Rock. And I was a little surprised that Mai and Ty Lee weren't with her at the temple."
Katara was finished healing Zuko's hand, but neither of them moved. His hand stayed rested in her palm
"Did something happen back at the prison?"
To his misfortune, Zuko took this moment to finally look up at Katara. Her wide, blue eyes stared back at him unabashedly.
Now, aside from from the heavy guilt weighing him down, he felt like the temperature in his tent had suddenly risen. He pulled his hand away from her, but Katara seemed unaffected. She stared at him in the same manner, waiting for him to speak.
Heat rushed to his cheeks and he looked away quickly.
"Zuko."
He wasn't sure if it was due to his discomfort or if something deep inside him really wanted to give something to the girl in front of him, but Zuko responded with a soft, resigned "Yeah."
He sensed as Katara inched a little closer.
"Yeah…" Zuko's voice was low as if he was afraid of someone overhearing, "Sokka and I snuck in dressed as guards… and well… soon I found out that the prison warden was… well…"
Katara's face was laced with concern. She sat surprisingly close to him, their knees an inch or two apart.
He continued, "Mai's uncle."
The weight in his stomach didn't settle as Zuko told the story of their break out, growing more agitated as the story progressed. Katara didn't speak as he did, she just continued to watch him in concern, shifting only once to sit in the lotus position.
"And well… the last thing I saw as the gondola jerked forward was Mai sticking about a dozen men with her knives."
Zuko groaned and brought his hands to his face, "Honestly! How could I be so selfish! I didn't even think twice when we left that gondola! I know how my sister is, I didn't even consider what she would do to Mai for her betrayal!"
Zuko was honestly disgusted with himself, so many people had suffered because of him and his blatant inability to figure out his path in life. Even if Mai had been on his sister's side, she left Azula to side with him, and how did he repay her? He abandoned her! He had been so preoccupied with winning the Avatar's approval as well as the approval of the boy's friends that Mai hadn't even crossed his mind.
"It's not your fault, Zuko," Katara said. She sounded sure and confident of this and for some reason that annoyed Zuko even further.
"Yeah, of course it's not, Katara," he said sarcastically, "because I definitely didn't just tell you about how I stranded my girlfriend in the middle of a volcano with my devil sister!"
Katara huffed at him, her cheeks reddening as her mouth twisted into a scowl. "Zuko. You can't shoulder the burden all of the time!"
"I'm not shouldering anything, Katara!" Zuko was fuming by this point, his hands clenched in anger. "This is my fault! I could have left her to her death for all I know! And the saddest part is that she hasn't even crossed my mind since!"
This was true. Zuko had spent the time after his trip with Katara, trying to win her trust. And he now realized that his face was a mere inches away from Katara's. He felt flushed and his stomach knotted. Why was he even telling her all of this? He didn't think that she honestly cared.
"You're being unreasonable," Katara said slowly for emphasis, "Mai made the decision for herself! She knows just as well as you do what your sister can be like and she still chose to act the way she did. She's her own person just as you are and both of you make your own decisions."
Zuko refused to answer or even look at Katara, not until she reached out and placed her palms on top of his clenched fists. Zuko stared at their hands. She squeezed his lightly.
"Zuko," she said softly, "from my experiences with Mai she's as deadly as her senbon and by implying that she needed you to save her - well- I think that's a little unfair to her. She's strong. She can handle it. You can't blame yourself for everything that goes wrong."
Katara smiled at him. Her eyes shone with encouragement and reassurance. He couldn't look away. "You're with us now, Zuko. You've found the right side, you're doing your part to restore balance, and we will help Mai as soon as we can. I'm sure she will understand. I mean she loves you and you love her don't you?"
She spoke of love so simply, and for some reason, Zuko hesitated when he replied with a yes.
When Katara left his tent a few moments later, his previous feeling of guilt was gone but it was replaced by something new and strange that made him nervous.
The moon was full the first night that Zuko found himself back on Ember Island. He briefly contemplated the irony of his second visit. A few months ago he had been with his sister and her friends, now he was here with the Avatar and the Avatar's friends.
Life changes very quickly, he decided.
The teens had been ecstatic to be staying in the lavish and comfortable - albeit a little dusty - royal beach house. Zuko dreaded it. Of course, he and Azula had burned a lot of the sentimental pieces on their last visit, but the halls still held the ghosts of the long summers he had spent here when he was a boy.
When he was young and innocent and honor and destiny were just things his Uncle mentioned in his nonsensical proverbs.
Now, Zuko lay on the beach, his feet buried in the sand and a lantern nestled in the sand to his right. The buzz of summer cicadas and the sound of waves breaking a few yards in front of him. Zuko considered how far he had come to make it to exactly this point. His Uncle was right in saying that he had gone through a metamorphosis; he was definitely a different person from the angry thirteen year old sent to hunt the Avatar.
If only he had realized sooner then maybe Uncle wouldn't hate him.
The sky was the kind of clear only seen in the summer and the stars only further reminded Zuko of his three years at sea with his Uncle when he had learned how to navigate by the stars. Slowly, he raised his hand to trace the familiar shapes in the sky: the tsuzumi drum, the phoenixes Huang and Feng, the water dragon Mizuchi, even the two brightest stars making the Eyes of Agni. The Eyes of Agni were always Zuko's favorite. His mother had told him the story of the fire god and his volcanos that made the rich land of the Fire Nation. The god had left the earth and retreated into the heavens, but he watched over the people of his nation, bringing them messages from the realm of gods.
It was for this reason that Zuko always looked to the Eyes when he was at sea. They offered him comfort in the belief that Agni was always watching over him, guiding him towards his destiny. They gave him hope that he would find his path.
Zuko watched the two twinkling lights fondly before deciding, begrudgingly, to find somewhere to sleep. He could probably settle into one of the plump couches in the lounge room... any of the bedrooms would bring back too many memories and he would like to get as much sleep as possible.
Standing up and stretching, Zuko brushed the grains of sand from his back and turned to start up the hill. He didn't get very far before he heard a loud splash coming from the ocean somewhere to his left. He paused and strained to see if there was anything out in the darkness. Sure enough, he could just make out the familiar silhouette of a waterbender standing knee deep in the dark water.
Zuko stopped and watched her as she moved in and out of various bending forms. Waterbending was a graceful Art in comparison to the powerful strikes of firebending. Each form flowed into the next and water spiraled and looped at her will.
As he walked closer, leaving the lantern behind and instead cradling a small flame in his palm, Zuko was reminded of a story that Aang had told him a few days ago. During one of their few training breaks, Aang had taken it upon himself to get to know Zuko. First he asked about the fire nation and its culture and customs and Zuko had been painfully reminded of how old the avatar actually was when the boy called him "sifu Hotman." However, as he watched Katara he remembered another part of the conversation, a part concerning the girl.
Aang had mentioned that they had stumbled across a small fishing village on their travels through the fire nation. A small village that loved and worshipped a spirit called the Painted Lady. Zuko knew the story as well as he knew that of the Eyes of Agni. The story of the Painted Lady had been Azula's favorite... Until she decided that kindness was equivalent to weakness.
But it was somehow unsurprising to Zuko that Katara had become the Painted Lady, a spirit known for her kindness and love. And Zuko wasn't blind, Katara could definitely pass for a river spirit, she glowed under the light of the moon and the water around her glittered like fallen stars.
He finally got close enough for her to see him so he sat down in the sand to wait for her to notice.
It only took a second for him to be surrounded by icicles pinning him to the sand. And it only took another second for Katara to call out in concern when she recognized the boy.
"Oh, Zuko! I'm sorry!" She called as the icicles around him melted leaving his clothes wet.
Katara jumped out of the water and landed lightly in the sand before she ran towards him. Zuko concentrated and steamed his clothes dry before standing up to greet her.
"I'm so sorry, Zuko" she said breathlessly, "I didn't think anyone would still be out! It's pretty late!"
She smiled at him before bending the water out of her clothes and onto the sand.
Zuko shrugged. "The night is a good time to think... I don't want to bother you if you're practicing though..."
Katara shook her head. "No! It's okay I just can never sleep on nights with the full moon. I rise with the moon remember?" She smirked and placed a hand on her hip.
Zuko rolled his eyes, leave it to her to remind him. "Yes, and I rise with the sun I know. I know."
Katara laughed and plopped down in the sand, gesturing for Zuko to sit next to her. He did.
"Whenever the full moon is out I just can't sit still." She motioned towards the ocean and a stream of water pulled towards her wrapping around her arm. She twisted her fingers and it gathered on her palm in a pool. "It's like it's calling to me, pulling me." She let the water drain from her fingers into the sand.
"I get it," Zuko said, "I feel the sun too... Especially on the summer solstice." Even now, because of the hot summer months Zuko felt each breath threaten to smoke like a puffing dragon.
Katara sighed. "I told Aang about it, but I don't think he feels it as intensely as I do... Maybe it's because he's the Avatar and he's always had a preference for air."
They chatted back and forth for a while, Katara often teasing Zuko and the boy responding back with short, quick replies that made Katara huff and Zuko smirk. Gradually, the conversation turned to the stars and Zuko found himself telling Katara the story of the Eyes. She listened closely and then told him a Water Tribe story about the moon spirit chasing the sun. Zuko decided that he wanted to know more Water Tribe stories.
The two fell into a silence afterwards until Katara continued. "The full moon just makes me feel so powerful..." Her sentence trailed off wistfully as she lost herself in her thoughts.
After a few moments, Katara turned to him quickly, the moon only illuminated half of her face, but her eyes sparkled in its light like the water. They darted quickly as she examined each part of his face, searching for something.
Zuko swallowed thickly.
"I - I never explained something to you..." She said quietly with a deep breath, "Uhm... Back on the ship with the Southern Raiders..." Zuko noticed Katara's cheeks flush.
She was quiet for a long moment - deliberating - and Zuko ripped his eyes away from her to watch the ocean again.
After another long moment, she spoke again with a voice barely above a whisper.
"It's called bloodbending..."
Zuko felt his brow furrow. He remembered his surprise when he watched the bigger man crumple like a rag doll. He remembered the fear he had felt when he realized that it was Katara who was moving his limbs like he was her puppet.
"Please don't tell anyone..." She whispered. "Especially Aang... Please don't tell him I did it..."
Zuko could hear the desperation in her voice. She looked so small and different from the girl who snarled at her mother's killer. She looked trapped and afraid.
"I promised myself I would never use it. It's evil and I honestly can't believe I did it... Please don't tell Aang." She grabbed onto his upper arm and squeezed, "I don't want him to worry about me. He's going through so much right now and I can't have him trying to fix my pain too... I don't want him to see me slip... I could never forgive myself for hurting him..." Her head was bowed and tears slipped down her nose.
After a long moment Katara spoke again.
"I don't want him to know that I'm a monster..." She whispered. Zuko wasn't sure if it was directed towards him, but it upset him nonetheless. Katara was not a monster. Katara - brave selfless and kind Katara - was not a monster. Ozai was a monster. Zhao was a monster. Yon Rha was a monster. But the girl sitting in front of him was not.
He wasn't sure what pushed him to act... Whether it was the tone of the girl's voice, a voice laced with self loathing - something that Zuko understood better than anyone else - or if it was something else deep within himself pushing, but Zuko did something that surprised both of them.
Slowly, he raised his left hand and pushed a strand of hair away from Katara's tear stained face. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he pulled her into his chest.
She stiffened at first, probably in surprise at the prince's rare show of emotion, but nevertheless, she soon melted into him and he held her close.
"You're not a monster…" Zuko murmured into her hair.
He felt the Eyes of Agni watching him.
Zuko used to hate the color blue. Blue was the color of the endless sea he sailed during his banishment. The sea that seemed so vast and empty, like it would swallow up his tiny ship. It was the color of his grandfather's fire, the cruel Fire Lord that sentenced him to death. It was the color of the Blue Spirit, his mask of shame. It was the color of his sister's lightning, a constant reminder of a standard he could never reach. He was the disappointment. He was the failure. He would always remain in the shadow of his sister.
Yet, when he came face to face with Azula, he accepted her challenge. Something was off, and Zuko naively thought that keeping Katara out of the fight would protect her. He naively thought that she needed protection.
That would explain the sudden fear that stopped his heart cold when he watched Azula's eyes dart somewhere behind him. It explained the pure terror he felt when the blue lightning scorched its way towards the girl behind him.
He didn't think, his body moved of its own accord, His instincts screaming, Stop. Stop. Stop the lightning. Don't let it hurt her. Protect her.
And then everything was blue, a burning painful blue that lit a fire in his chest.
He heard a shout. Was that his name? Was that Katara? He needed to get to her. Protect her from his sister.
Blue fire raged in his vision.
Zuko pushed himself up, his chest screaming out in pain from the effort. His arms shook beneath him and he hit the dirt hard.
Then suddenly, there was a snarl and the blue fire was gone. He let out a strangled gasp, hands clawing at the dirt. He wasn't going to make it he wasn't going to make it.
He was going to die, death by his sister's blue fire.
His pain clouded mind danced with visions of blue.
"Zuzu! Look what I can do!" Azula ran towards her brother, a bright blue fame resting in her palms.
"This boy is a disgrace," Azulon said in a low gravely voice, the orange flames of the throne room turning a bright blue.
"Mother abandoned us!" Azula yelled, hurling a rock into the blue turtleduck pond.
The blue sea swallowing up the land on the horizon as he sailed away.
The Blue Spirit mask, sinking to the bottom of Lake Laogai.
He had learned to hate the color. It only caused him pain. And yet here he was, desperately trying to protect a girl who came from a land of only blue and white.
Zuko's vision was fading. He had failed, just like he was always destined to.
He thought of his mother. He thought of his Uncle. He thought of Katara, the girl clad in blue.
He imagined he could see her eyes right now. Glowing like they did in the moonlight on Ember Island. Zuko had always thought blue was a cold color, cold and calculating like Azula and her lightning. Getting to know Katara changed that. He came to find comfort in the blue tones of her wardrobe. Found a playfulness to the color as she bent her element to spar with him. The glowing blue of her healing hands. The sparkle in her eyes.
In the blackness of his mind, Zuko was underwater. Maybe death felt like drowning. It seemed fitting, he decided, for death to feel like the element of the girl he sacrificed himself for.
There was a light somewhere above him, it was murky, like seeing the light of the moon from under the ocean waves. He swam towards it. As he got closer, the light changed into two pin points.
The Eyes of Agni.
The Eyes grew brighter as Zuko swam. Soon they illuminated the water in an ethereal blue light that was familiar to Zuko. Like the blue of Katara's healing water.
He thought of warm fingers on his cheek.
And then Zuko opened his eyes to find two blue eyes staring at him.
Katara.
Her hands were rested on his chest, coated in a layer of water. She had brought him back.
"Thank you, Katara," he gasped.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I think I'm the one that should be thanking you."
It wasn't until he met Katara did Zuko realize that blue could be beautiful.
AN: hahaha i am zutara trash.