97cw/tw: bodily fluids - there's some gross stuff near the end of the chapter
Katara and Aang don't end up returning to the palace, much to Katara's surprise. Instead, they veered off down a road that she immediately recognized to be the path to one of her favorite gardens.
"Is this the surprise, Aang?" Katara asked him suspiciously. They had mentioned that Sokka had been planning something for her, but honestly she hadn't expected more than just a simple dinner with some sweets.
"Yep! You'll love it, I promise," Aang replied, picking up the pace. He hurried along a few paces in front of her before stopping abruptly at the gate and turning to her with a smile. As she approached, he gestured for her to walk through and Katara felt her breath catch in her throat as she entered.
This garden was one of Katara's favorites for practicing her bending as it was one of the few she'd found that rested on the banks of the capital city river. The river itself wasn't that large, maybe only a few yards across, but the water was delightfully clear for being in a city and it was always amazing to practice with flowing water.
Now, the setting sun had arrived just so that the air around them shimmered golden and drops of warm sunlight reflected on the rippling water. Set up on the grass were a few low tables of steaming food under a warmly lit tent, draped with blue fabric and fur. Sachi stood nearby placing a few dishes down and Suki and Toph sat lounging on cushions around the table. They turned and waved at Katara as they saw her arrive. A little ways down, the path to the riverbank was lit by dozens of glowing luminares. Sokka stood in the shallow of the water a few feet away, his pants rolled up so as not to get wet as he pulled the ropes to what Katara realized with shocking delight were two Water Tribe canoes.
"Oh, Aang," she breathed, a wide grin on her face, "It's beautiful!"
Aang beamed at her and squeezed her hand before the two hurried down to join their friends.
Sokka and Suki had come prepared with all the necessary ingredients to cook Katara, a traditional Water Tribe feast.
"Compliments of Gran-Gran," Sokka told Katara as he poured her some Five-Flavor Soup. "She had all the ingredients sent down and had all the recipes recorded in detail which I gave to Sachi."
Upon hearing this, Katara smiled widely at the older girl, "Oh, thank you so much, Sachi! I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble. I definitely owe you."
Sachi laughed. She placed a roasted arctic hen in front of Katara before giving her a loving squeeze on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Your grandmother was very specific so the recipes were easy to follow. Consider this my birthday gift to you."
Katara's heart warmed and she squeezed Sachi's hand and murmured a thank you to her.
Dinner continued amicably, everyone joking around with each other and Katara sitting in stunned happiness. She felt warm all over, surrounded by her friends in a tent draped in blue and fur, the familiar smell of Water Tribe cuisine wafting around her. Even the sound of the water lapping against the banks of the river reminded her of home.
Next to her, her brother twirled some more seaweed noodles onto his chopsticks, and Katara nudged him to get his attention.
"Thanks, Sokka, I really love this."
He slurped up the noodle he was eating and smirked at her. "What? The sea prunes?" he asked teasingly, motioning to her plate. "Yeah, you don't have to remind me, Katara, they've always been your favorite."
"No, Sokka," she said with a huff. "I'm being serious." Katara gestured sweepingly to everything around her: the plates of steaming food, the decorations, her friends… "Thank you for this. For everything. For all of it. I really love it."
Sokka seemed to notice the tears that were pricking her eyes and he put down his bowl to reach over and wrap an arm around Katara.
"No problem, little sister." he said in that tone of voice so particular to Sokka - teasing but nevertheless endearing and genuine. "But, I do have to admit it was a team effort."
"Who? I know Sachi cooked and you and Suki brought all the supplies."
"Well, yes," Sokka started as his face took on a pensive expression and he started to count the contributors on his fingers.
"Gran Gran collected the ingredients and Dad the furs and the canoes. Toph and Suki set up the tent and most of the decorations and Aang kept you distracted while we prepared. Oh, and this spot!" Sokka clapped his hand onto his fist as though to punctuate his point. "Zuko mentioned it was one of your favorites in a letter he sent me. Said it would be perfect for the canoes."
This surprised Katara, how did Zuko know she liked this garden? She was sure they'd never spoken about it before.
Another thing I'll have to thank him for today.
"Where is he, by the way?" Katara asked Sokka.
Her brother shrugged. "Said he had a meeting, but he'd make it after dinner. He has a surprise for you."
Katara bit her lip, hesitating. At the mention of Zuko, she felt the worries from this morning start to seep into her body. Still, she couldn't help herself.
"Did you tell him about what I saw?" she asked pointedly to which Sokka pulled his arm away to give her a look that was mockingly offended.
"Of course, I did, Katara," he replied, "And you know what? Zuko agreed with me that you need to stop worrying because everything will be fiiiine." He smirked, "Zuko called you a worrywart who can't even enjoy her own birthday-" Katara scoffed" - to which I wholeheartedly agree."
As if Zuko's any better, Katara thought as she shot a glare at Sokka that only made him shrug again.
"I'm just saying, Katara. I don't think you should be worried for now, wait until tomorrow and you can bug everyone with your usual…. Katara-ness."
She huffed in annoyance before grumbling "I guess..." Somehow though her brother's reassurance did help to ease the swirling pit of dread in her stomach.
"Well, anyways, back to you." He gives her a more serious look as he continues. "I have another surprise."
Katara's eyebrows quirk up, "What is it, Sokka?"
Her brother didn't answer, he simply grinned at her and pulled a tin from his pocket that he handed to her.
"What? Did you make me another fish hook necklace?" Katara teased as she opened the tin, however, when her eyes saw its contents she stopped.
"A few weeks ago, we hunted our first whale in… well, a few decades is what Dad said?," Sokka explained to her as Katara pulled out the carved object. "It was pretty exciting, I wish you'd seen. And well… you know how dad would always make something for each of us when he'd hunt. Well this is what I made for you."
Katara held the object in her hand. It was a smoothly carved stick of bone about as thick as her finger. One end was detailed with carved patterns of crashing waves that had been meticulously filled in with blue paint while the other tapered off into a fine, twisted point.
She stared at the object for a second, then at Sokka who grinned at her widely.
"Sokka, it's very beautiful… but, uh, what is it?"
At her question, her brother visibly deflated. Taking the object from his hand, he held it in his own, the way that one would hold a brush.
"It's a dip pen," Sokka stated matter-of-factly as though that would clear up Katara's confusion. When it didn't he grimaced and tried again.
"It's for writing? According to the mechanist it's supposed to be quicker and last longer than a brush. Plus it looks more fancy and cool since I made it."
He mimed an action which Katara understood to be dipping the twisted end in ink and writing.
"I figured I'd make you something you'd get more use out of, than like, a fancy comb or something," he said as he placed the pen back into her hands. "You've been telling me about all the paperwork you've been doing here, and I know Dad has a lot of projects he wants you to help with at home. Thought this would make it feel more official."
"That's actually very thoughtful of you, Sokka."
He narrowed his eyes, "Why do you seem surprised?"
"I'm kidding!" she exclaimed with a laugh and nudged him with her elbow.
"But, thank you. Honestly."
Seemingly satisfied with her reaction, Sokka offered a flat "Well... you're welcome" and turned back to his food. Katara, however, could see the edges of a grin trying to work their way onto his face.
Soon enough the dinner began to end, and Sokka decided it was time for canoes. The small group all headed down to the banks of the river and chatted quietly while appearing to be waiting expectantly but for what Katara didn't know.
"Well, who wants to go first?" she asked in the hopes of prompting some action, but no one responded. Instead she heard someone clear their throat behind her.
"Sorry, I'm late, Katara. Happy birthday."
Katara turned quickly, and there was Zuko, looking sheepish and holding a large box. She couldn't help but smile at him.
"It's about time you showed up," Toph quipped. "Did you have trouble shimmying out of your thousand pound robes?" Aang snickered and Suki offered a "Good one, Toph."
Zuko scowled. "No, obviously, I just had some things I forgot to bring." At that, he placed the box down on the ground. Toph and Aang came over to inspect what was inside while Suki and Sokka called Sachi and a few other servants and guards to join them. Katara couldn't see what was in the box, but Zuko had pulled a few items out, hid them behind his back, and was now approaching her.
"It's getting dark, isn't it?" he asked wryly. Katara glanced around suspiciously. The sun had set, yes, and the only lights around them were the moon and the glowing lumiares on the sand.
"Well, yeah, Zuko," Katara said, her voice dripping in sarcasm, "It is night after all."
Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes at her tone, but continued anyway. "Well, yes it is. So, uh, you'll probably want some more light."
From behind his back, he pulled out what looked like a little wooden boat attached to a white paper lantern. Before Katara could ask, he snapped his fingers and from within the lantern there was a spark that lit what Katara assumed was a candle. Without saying a word, he walked past her towards the water and placed the glowing light onto its surface. With a nudge, it cast off, a spot of warm orange floating over the dark water. The rest of the group followed suit until the water around the canoe was filled with bobbing orange lights.
Zuko came back to stand next to her while the rest of the group chatted amicably all watching the bobbing lights. She could feel his eyes on her, gauging her reaction, but her eyes were transfixed on the water.
"It's so pretty, Zuko," Katara said as she gazed out at the little spots of light. "I've never seen lanterns like these before."
"It's a traditional Fire Nation practice," he replied with a shrug. "We normally light them at important celebrations like festivals or weddings. And well... your birthday is definitely an important celebration if you ask me."
Katara turned to him to say something else, words of gratitude on her lips, but she was interrupted by the sound of Sokka calling for her.
"You're up first, Katara!"
Sokka was waiting over by the canoes where Aang was already seated on the opposite side of the canoe, waving for her to come over.
"You should go," Zuko said kindly with one of his rare soft smiles. "Birthday girl goes first, right?"
Katara laughed sheepishly as she stepped forward towards the water. She felt flush from happiness. "All this feels like too much."
Zuko shook his head at her and she heard him chuckle as she hurried towards where Sokka was calling for her.
The rest of the evening passed cheerfully. Katara and Aang used their waterbending to make the lantern boats swirl in circles around the canoe or to have them float through the air on streams of water. Sokka challenged Aang to a canoe race with "absolutely no bending" and when Aang almost tied with him he huffed that Aang must've cheated since there was "no way anyone could catch up to a Water Tribe Warrior in a canoe race." He was proven wrong a few minutes later when Suki won their race.
Toph made shapes in the sand on the side of the riverbank, sometimes flinging snowball sized clumps of sand trying to hit where she guessed the canoes were. On one attempt, she nailed Zuko firmly in the back while he took a turn on a canoe. There were some gasps from the servants and guards who were nearby, but Zuko simply brushed off the sand and scowled at Toph who flopped to the ground in laughter. The others had joined in and eventually Zuko cracked a smile as well.
They stayed on the boats for a while, dancing about the floating lanterns that Aang and Katara drew back to them when they drifted too far downstream. Eventually, however, the night drew into a stillness and slowly but surely enough the celebrations were over.
When Katara returned to her room for the night, she couldn't wipe the smile on her face. Instead she sat in front of the golden plated mirror in her room, plaiting her hair as she got ready for bed.
As she caught her own eyes in the mirror, she was startled. Briefly, Katara imagined a different face in the mirror staring back at her, one with pride for her daughter swimming in ocean blue eyes.
As she gazed in the mirror, she heard the sounds of footsteps pierce the quiet night. They seemed to be echoing down the hallway, coming towards her room. Immediately, Katara felt some sick twist in her gut - a premonition - and she rushed to the door, tearing it open before even registering her actions.
There stood… Mai.
"Mai?" Katara started, "W-Wha-"
"Katara!" Mai exclaimed. She reached out for Katara's arm and yanked her out from the doorway to drag her behind as they hurried down the hall.
"Mai, what's wrong?" Katara questioned breathlessly. Mai didn't answer, but the tightening of Katara's chest as they rounded the corner to Zuko's room told her all that she needed to know.
There was a commotion outside. The guards on duty hurried past, some calling for the palace doctor. Servants gathered in groups in the hallway, some crying, some standing still and silent. Mai shoved past them all and ripped the door open. Entering the room, Katara felt her heart seize.
Zuko.
He lay collapsed on the floor as though he had fallen from his chair, a shattered tea cup to his side. Next to him, vomit pooled on the floor. Immediately, Katara flew to his side.
"Zuko, Zuko! Look at me!" Katara called frantically. He was drenched in sweat and his shallow breaths were interspersed with heaving as though he were to vomit again. She put her hand on his cheek to turn his eyes towards her, but his head was slack in her hands and his eyes distant as though staring through the ceiling. She felt for his pulse and registered only a weak hum.
"Poison?!" Katara questioned Mai.
"Isn't it obvious?" Mai bit back.
"When?!"
"Maybe 20 minutes ago."
20 minutes. Not too much time had passed. Her head spun.
"Someone get me a bowl!" she snapped at the servants hovering in the corner. "A big one! Or a vase! Anything that can hold fluids but be quick!"
"Push him onto his side," Katara directed Mai as she flew to her feet. "We need him to vomit again." Mai moved immediately and rolled Zuko over. He immediately began coughing and spitting up bile and blood onto the floor.
Katara hurried to the suite bathroom and cranked the faucet to the tub. As the water flowed out in a burst, she whipped some into the air above her head and ran back to the room. She held the water afloat with one hand as she rolled Zuko's head into her lap.
"We need to get all the poison out," Katara decided. "I'm going to try and flush his stomach."
She said it aloud more to convince herself than for Mai's sake, but the latter met her eyes with a steely expression.
"Okay."
With a deep breath, Katara piped the water into Zuko's mouth, moving quickly but carefully so as not to choke him. She felt the water underneath her palms as it entered Zuko's body and thought back to her healing lessons as she guided it down to his stomach where she prayed most of the poison still was.
It was messy- disgusting almost - Katara knew. Yet, she'd seen worse - seen bloody wounds and bodies torn or burnt to bone. She had birthed babies and seen sickness so closely that her stomach was immune to the smell of vomit.
With a sweep of her hands, she pulled the liquid from his mouth in a fluid motion and banished it to the empty flowerpot that the servants had brought her.
Zuko's eyes were closed now. He breathed a shuddering breath, and then nothing. In desperation, Katara screwed her eyes shut and searched for his heartbeat, prayed to feel it underneath her fingertips.
"C'mon, you can do it," she whispered, laying her palms flat across his chest as she willed his heart to beat. "Please, Zuko."
She could feel it inside herself before it registered beneath her fingers - the rush of blood as his heart pulsed faintly, like the flow of a slow stream. Katara grit her teeth, whispering either swear words or prayers for all she knew, as she willed the blood to move, his heart to beat. For moments, she could hear nothing but her own frantic heart echoing in her ears as she felt his heart stutter. An eternity passed until, yes, there it was again, another beat, then another.
Katara let out a sob as she felt the familiar thrum of life start up beneath her fingers and gradually strengthen into a steady rhythm. She hadn't noticed the tears that had streaked down her cheeks and immediately wiped them away onto the shoulder of her shirt.
"Is he okay?"
Katara lifted her face to meet Mai's eyes and find them equally brimmed with tears. She smiled and let out a relieved laugh, the tension escaping with her breath and leaving her feeling weak and light-headed.
"I think so... For now, at least."
Hello!
Thank you for being patient with my sporadic updates.
It's crazy because I started this fic when I was maybe 16/17. It was the first fic I had ever sat down and plotted out from beginning to end on this like 11 page Google Doc. Still, life happens and I get caught up in so many little details of the story that this is moving at a snails pace. Also, I'm 22 now so this has been my baby for like 6ish years lol.
Hope everyone is doing well or managing during this chaotic time! I'm in my final semester of college and everything is a doozy now that we're online. (ie: i still have a lot of work but also don't have any motivation to do said work given the current situation.) Stress levels are high.
Keeping everybody in my thoughts :) hope my fic helps you to escape from your stress for a bit. Pls leave comments with any suggestions/reactions you have! I live for them.