zutara week 2012 | day five | heartstrings

His heart gave out.

She is daydreaming again, and she watches as his eyes flutter and his limbs grow still and his heart gives out. She watches her own helpless fingers frantically splay over the cold flesh, trailing droplets of stale water. She feels her blood reach out to his. She feels her own heart break when it refuses to respond.

Any other way. If he had died any other way than by his heart, maybe she wouldn't feel so horrible.

Because Zuko had given his heart to Katara, and she doesn't allow herself to let harm to come to things in her possession.

Even now, years later, her heartstrings are pulled to their limits, trying to follow him down.

Sitting in the garden, bathed in the waning light of a Fire Nation sunset, she pulls them back to herself. She retracts them so that her heart can be given to someone else.

Someone handsome.

Someone caring.

Someone who would die to protect her and kill to save her and who just needs a mother.

Someone like Zuko.

"Mom, dinner's starting. Great-Uncle Iroh says he's making your favorite tea tonight. Are you okay?"

Katara glances up from the turtleduck pond and smiles at the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. At her son.

"I'm fine. Everything is fine."

Wiping salty tears from her cheeks, she joins the new boy that has her heart.