Reversal of Fortunes
Avatar: The Last Airbender fic by yanocchi
THE STORY SO FAR: Zuko's healing progresses. In a move that surprised everybody, even Zuko, he impulsively kisses Katara...!
Standard disclaimer applies.
CHAPTER NINETEEN: In which a misunderstanding is corrected.
Sokka looked up, brows furrowed, as Zuko wandered back into camp, Katara noticeably absent from his side. It hadn't occurred to Sokka until then how inseparable the two of them had been the past few days.
"Where's Katara?" he asked the young prince.
"Who knows?" Zuko mumbled, making a beeline for the blankets his uncle had already set up.
"Uh, YOU should know," Sokka reminded him, following Zuko across the camp.
"Well I don't," Zuko snapped, throwing himself on his blankets, back to his interrogator, and pulled the fabric over his head in a hood.
"Listen, you," Sokka growled, "if anything's happened to her—"
"No!" Zuko sat up abruptly, tossing the blankets aside. He stared fiercely at Sokka. "She's fine. There's nothing wrong."
Sokka leaned closer and returned Zuko's stare. "How do I know you're telling the truth." Zuko didn't speak. The young water tribe warrior stared into the other boy's golden eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, he trusted Zuko. There was no deceit in his gaze.
"Fine," Sokka said turning away. "I'm gonna go look for her."
"Want some help?" Aang offered, hopping up. He and Sokka heading in the direction Zuko had come from. The young firebender gnawed at his lip as he watched the two of them leave. When they found Katara, what would she say? Would she tell them how Zuko had kissed her? FORCEABLY kissed her? Would she be angry? In tears? Numb? His unproductive fretting was interrupted by a commotion from the search party.
"Katara!" Sokka gasped in surprise and his sister came barreling out of the woods. She crashed into him, nearly knocking him over. Sokka caught her by the elbows and steadied her, looking her over. "What happened?"
Even in the faint light of the dying fire, Zuko could see Katara stiffen. "Happened? Nothing happened! What makes you think something happened?"
Puzzled by his sister's odd behavior, Sokka peered at her intently. "Well, you didn't come back with Zuko. And now you're acting... funny."
Katara hid a grimace in a reassuring smile. "Oh come on, Sokka. I'm not acting funny. Zuko didn't do anything."
"He never said Zuko DID do anything," Aang pointed out, giving Katara an odd look.
"Er, right." Under his blanket Zuko winced. Obviously she didn't want her brother and Aang to know about what had happened, but didn't the girl have ANY talent for lying? "Anyway, I'm going to bed."
"Shouldn't you check Zuko's shoulder?" Iroh asked drowsily.
"It's fine!" the two teens said in unison. The others looked at them oddly.
"Er, I mean, I don't think there's any need to check him out right now," Katara babbled, hurrying towards her sleeping bag. "Well, I mean, check out his shoulder. He's fine. His shoulder is. Fine. His shoulder is fine."
Sokka and Aang also returned to their beds. Before retiring for the night Sokka paused to prod at the lump Zuko made under his blanket. The older boy sat up like he had been electrocuted.
"What?" he demanded.
"Your shoulder doesn't hurt or anything?" Sokka asked shrewdly.
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yes I'm sure," Zuko snapped.
"If you say so."
"I do," Zuko muttered, drawing his blanket around himself once more.
"Fine, fine." Sokka pulled his own sleeping bag up to his chin and wriggled to settle himself. "But when you wake up in the morning all stiff don't come crying to me. I'll have NO sympathy for you."
"Sokka," Aang said plaintively. "We've had a long day."
"Sorry. I know. And we've got another long day ahead of us tomorrow. I'm just thinking of how miserable it'll be, sitting for hours and hours when you're all stiff from sleeping funny the night before. And not just for you. All of us have to put up with it."
"Thanks for your concern," Zuko muttered in an undertone.
"I'm sure my nephew will be fine if he can just get enough sleep," Iroh said in a tone heavy with suggestion.
Sokka rolled over so he could look at his sister. Her arms were wrapped around her head and her eyes were squeezed shut. "I guess. What do you think, Katara? You're the doctor here. Kinda. You're not REALLY a doctor, I guess, but—"
"SHUT UP!" four voices demanded in unison.
Sokka winced and retreated into his sleeping bag like a turtle into its shell. "Sheesh, there's no need to shout. I'm trying to get to sleep here," he sulked.
Katara silently punched him through the sleeping bag.
Katara awoke slowly and blearily. Iroh, who, as a firebender, was in tune with the cycle of the sun, went around the sleeping camp before dawn and roused the others. Normally a sound sleeper, Katara's dreams had been restless. Rubbing at her eyes, Katara tried to recall what she had dreamt, but the few impressions she managed to remember fled as full consciousness took over.
As she absently prepared a bland breakfast, she thought about what she should do. Too wound up to sleep, Katara had turned her problem over in her mind. She was fond of Zuko... She liked him. Okay, maybe she even loved him. Obviously he felt the same way about her, but just has obviously he didn't know that she reciprocated his feelings. On top of that, Zuko's flight the night before had prevented any conversation. Plus he had said "sorry." Why was he apologizing? Was she supposed to do something to let him know it was okay for him to kiss her? Did she do something wrong? Something that made him think she hated him?
"BREAKFAST!" Sokka's wail brought Katara back to the present. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she had forgotten to stir the porridge. With a gasp she pulled it off the fire.
"What's gotten into you?" Sokka complained later as he scraped another charred bit of porridge off his tongue.
"Sorry, I didn't sleep very well last night," she apologized.
"You can take a nap once we get started," Aang said with a chipper grin.
Zuko shuddered at the boy's enthusiasm. It was too early in the morning for chipper grins. He too had been kept awake by his thoughts. Mostly he felt guilty. He had forced himself on Katara. He had acted like an animal. No matter how guilty he felt about it, he couldn't take back what he had done. How could he face her? How could he make it up to her?
He watched absently as Katara finished her own breakfast and began to help pack up their camp. Really, she was so— so— PERFECT. She was gentle and kind and strong and brave and smart and dishes! The boy shook himself.
"What?"
"Zuko! The dishes!" Katara said in a tone that was clearly tired of repetition.
"Right!" As Zuko hurriedly gathered up the breakfast dishes it occurred to him that there was a way to apologize to Katara without causing a scene. "Sorry," he said, looking squarely at Katara. She returned his gaze for a moment, then turned away as her cheeks began to redden.
"It's fine," she said dismissively.
"No, I'm sorry," Zuko repeated more emphatically. Katara paused, sensing something different in Zuko's tone. She looked back over her shoulder at him briefly.
"Really, it's fine." Zuko opened his mouth to speak again, but Katara hurried off to some other chore on to other side of camp. Frustrated, Zuko washed the dishes in glum silence. Obviously this was going to be difficult...
Despite the close quarters for the passengers on Appa's back, Zuko managed to avoid Katara almost entirely for most of the early morning. He spent most of his time brooding while he sat the back of Appa's saddle, glaring fiercely at the scenery that passed below them. The weeks he had spent with Aang and his friends had slowly softened Zuko's stony personality. Abruptly reverting to his former prickly self made his companions jumpy and nervous, and none more than Katara.
While Zuko brooded, Katara was lost in her own thoughts. She went over in her mind all the possible ways she could try to make things clear to Zuko. Obviously the boy was too dense for hints. Outright confrontation might work, if only the other's weren't around. Katara had horrible visions of Sokka tossing Zuko off Appa's back. She could try writing him a note, but again, the others were too close; they'd notice. Katara wanted to keep the whole situation between just the two of them until things were sorted out a bit more.
Frustrated, Katara folded her arms and stared into space, one finger tapping idly in thought. An idea occurred to her abruptly and her tapping finger stopped. She smiled briefly, pleased with herself.
"Zuko, I didn't get a chance to look at your shoulder earlier," Katara said suddenly. Zuko twitched at the sound of her voice like a startled animal. The others jumped as well, warily eying the prince for signs of his famous fiery temper.
"Oh, my shoulder. It's fine," Zuko said in an abrupt and dismissive tone. Katara noticed that he refused to look in her direction. That would have to stop...
"Which one of us is the doctor here?" Katara demanded imperiously. Zuko glowered, but didn't reply. "I thought so. Now let me take a look at it," Katara said in a much softer tone.
Grumbling under his breath, Zuko obligingly shucked off his shirt and submitted to Katara's examination. The others, sensing a return to normalcy, relaxed and turned their attentions elsewhere. Sitting at a right angle to Zuko, Katara gently looked to his shoulder.
"It's almost completely healed," Katara told him after a few moments of silence.
"Oh."
Zuko relaxed slowly under her touch. Though his shoulder didn't ache anymore, there was still some lingering tension. With a few well-placed and gentle prods Katara erased the stiffness in his arm. She really was a remarkable girl...
As Zuko relaxed, Katara kept a close eye on his face. Gradually, it mellowed from stony sulk to an almost content expression. Firmly reining in her wildly pounding heart, Katara laid one hand on his shoulder. Zuko glanced up at her, wary of the change he sensed.
"After what happened last night, I was a bit worried that maybe you had over-exerted yourself," Katara said slowly, picking her words with care. For a moment Zuko's expression clouded with incomprehension, then it cleared a moment later.
'Is she trying to say that I went too far?' Zuko wondered in dismay.
"Now I see that everything is fine," Katara went on, increasing the pressure on his shoulder ever so slightly.
'So she means that we'll just ignore it?' Zuko translated mentally.
"Fine," he said aloud, turning away.
Recognizing a dismissal, Katara lifted her hand from his shoulder and withdrew, temper rising. Were all boys as incredibly STUPID as this one? She had all but told him in plain English! And still he wore that expression of suffering repentance!
"Katara? How's his shoulder?" Aang asked in innocent concern, Sokka at his side.
Katara turned the full force of her angry glare on the pair of them. Both boys felt a chill run down their spines. Cowed, they shrank in their seats in an attempt to provide a smaller target. Without even bothering to reply, Katara turned away and returned to her own sulk, braid snapping angrily with the force of her motion.
"Boys!"
Already sunk into a fresh funk of depression, Zuko was unaware of Katara's anger. Really, it was no surprise he was so attracted to the girl. She was beautiful, of course, but that wasn't the only thing. She was powerful. To a boy like Zuko, who was already much stronger than many adults easily more than twice his age, it was refreshing to meet somebody his own age (two years his junior, even) who could give him a run for his money. On top of that, she was clever, kind, brave... 'And an excellent healer,' Zuko added, rolling his shoulder appreciatively.
Suddenly a thought struck him. For all her wonderful traits, was there anything about Katara that Zuko liked unselfishly? He considered it worriedly. 'I admire her healing, that's selfish. She's smart, she got us out of trouble and... no, selfish. She's kind and gentle to others. I'm not selfish for liking that about her. No, wait, I'm one of the others that she's kind to. Her looks?' Zuko glanced up at Katara and briefly admired the way the wind stung her cheeks a very becoming pink. 'Spirits help me, I like her for all the wrong reasons!'
Zuko shook himself. 'What was I doing, kissing her? That was the most selfish thing of all! And she's been treating me so— so— GOOD, even after I did something like that. I don't even deserve to speak to her after that. She probably hates me now. And I deserve it, too.' Having reached this totally erroneous and equally depressing conclusion, Zuko's expression grew so black nobody even attempted to engage him in conversation for the rest of the day. The five of them ate an uncomfortably silent meal. The atmosphere was so gloomy even the irrepressible Momo seemed afraid to try stealing a morsel from an unguarded plate.
Katara watched Zuko out of the corner of her eye throughout dinner. Obviously the stupid boy was working himself into a right blue funk about the whole thing. It was time to set him straight. As Zuko began to silently collect the dishes, Katara held hers back.
"I think once you're done with those we might give sparring another try," she said lightly. Her voice grated against the tension like a bow against a poorly tuned string. She met Zuko's slightly panicked eyes and he shrugged and turned away before she could get a good look.
"I guess," he conceded, and Katara relinquished her plate to him. While Zuko performed his chore, she watched him carefully. She didn't want him slipping off when her back was turned in an attempt to avoid the conversation. Not that she thought he was the type to run from a challenge. If anything, he would dive in to a fight without a second thought.
Once the dishes were washed Katara saw Zuko heave a great sigh as he gathered himself to face her. Oh yes, this had gone on QUITE long enough.
"Ready?" Katara asked brightly when Zuko finally approached her. He muttered something that sounded vaguely like a 'yes' of some sort, and Katara rose from the rock she had been sitting on, dusting her hands off. "Let's try this way," she said conversationally. "I think I saw a gap in the trees from above. There might be a stream over here." As Katara led the way, she waited for Zuko to make some sort of reply. The scarred boy remained silent, stomping through the underbrush.
"It's kinda nice being able to see everything from up in the air," Katara added a bit nervously. "Maps don't always have everything written down." She could tell she was starting to babble, and swallowed her next comment in an attempt to save herself from looking like a complete idiot. They walked in awkward silence, the only sound the tramp and rustle of their passage.
After a few minutes, as Katara had predicted, they came upon a small stream winding its way through the woods. As soon as Katara saw the light of the moon glimmering off the surface of the water, she turned on Zuko.
"Zuko, what—" she began, but he interrupted.
"I'm sorry!" he said again, bowing in a formal apology.
"You've been saying that all day, and I'm sick of hearing it!" Katara told him heatedly, hands on her hips. Zuko raised his head and the pain in his eyes made Katara bite back her tirade.
"I don't know what else to say," Zuko admitted in a low and tortured voice. "I— I can't make it up to you. I just— I don't know how. I can't. What I did, it was inexcusable," he went on, grimacing. He lowered his eyes and looked away, unconsciously turning so his scar was more visible. Despite, or perhaps because of, his repentant words Katara felt her anger rising again. On top of that, it was almost impossible to read his expression when she could only see the scarred half of his face. She opened her mouth to object but Zuko just kept going.
"I don't know what made me do it. I just— It's all my fault. I should never have k— ki— I should never have kissed you," he said in a rush. "You don't have to keep forcing yourself to be nice to me like this," he continued, finally raising his head. "Let's just forget it ever happened. I'm really sorry, and I— No, I'm sorry." Straightening, Zuko began to back up as though he were about to make another dash back to camp. "I swear, it'll never happen again. I'll just meet you back at camp."
Well THAT was the last straw!
Without giving Zuko time to react, Katara closed the distance between them. Before she had time to think she reached up and grabbed his face in both hands. She felt the hot textured skin of his scar on her fingers. Then she unceremoniously hauled Zuko's lips down to her own.
For a moment things were a bit uncomfortable. Zuko's lips pressed almost painfully against his teeth and Katara had a panicked thought she was doing something wrong. Then Zuko recovered from the shock and, inspired by a heartfelt and mutual emotion, the two of them figured things out nicely. Zuko's arms went around Katara, she released her hold on his ears and they relaxed into each other's embrace.
After a long minute, they came up for air and found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Katara looked away first, her eyes skittering off to the side. She could feel herself blushing from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair. If Zuko hadn't been holding her so tight she would have fled to find a hole in which to hide. Granted she didn't plan on letting him go, since he was probably thinking the same thing, and she wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste.
"So, you're not angry with me?" Zuko said stupidly.
Katara looked back at her partner with raw incredulousness. "ANGRY with you?" she repeated. "Of COURSE I'm angry with you!" Forgetting her earlier resolution, Katara dropped her arms from around Zuko's neck and placed them on her hips again.
This made Zuko's brows furrow in confusion. "But— then why—?"
"I'm not angry at you for kissing me," Katara told him impatiently. "You just acted like such an idiot afterwards! All that moping around and sighing..."
"But you—" Zuko began again. Katara silenced him with a look.
"Did I EVER tell you I was angry with you? No, wait. Did you even ASK if I was angry with you?"
Zuko opened his mouth to protest, realized she was right, and shut it again. "But why didn't you say anything?" he asked, feeling stupid and annoyed.
"I did," she reminded him.
"I thought you meant— Why couldn't you just SAY it?"
"What, in front of my brother?"
Zuko didn't have a response to that. "So, you don't hate me?" Zuko asked warily, as though he were afraid of the answer.
"Hate you?! Of course not!" Katara spluttered. "You don't kiss people you hate!" Having said that 'k' word again, Katara blushed again and tried to avoid Zuko's gaze. It was hard to do when his own eyes were only inches from her own. Zuko tipped his head to catch her eyes and, giving up a useless battle, she hesitantly glanced up at him through her lashes.
"You don't mind that I kissed you?" Zuko asked, simultaneously amused, charmed and shy.
"No," Katara replied with a similar mix of emotions.
Zuko hesitantly brought his face nearer. "So I could kiss you again, if I asked?" Cautiously, he reached out and took her hand.
"Yes," she whispered, lifting her face to his.
"Katara?"
"Mm?"
"Can I kiss you?"
"Yes."
He did. He didn't ask for the second kiss, or the third, but it didn't really matter at that point.
They lost track of time for a little while, but a sound in the bushes brought them back to their senses immediately. Simultaneously they leapt apart, tucking their hands behind their backs and staring expectantly at the source of the noise. A moment later a small vole-like creature peered out from the bushes, found the clearing to be occupied, and went to look for dinner elsewhere.
Zuko and Katara exchanged glances, then began to laugh.
"We should probably head back," Katara suggested, pushing one of her loops back shyly.
"Yeah," Zuko agreed awkwardly. For a moment neither of them moved. Then they turned and started back towards camp. They walked, shoulders barely brushing, in a comfortable silence.
ATOGAKI: OMG IT'S A NEW CHAPTER!!
First of all I'm sorry for making you wait so long for a new chapter. Not only was this hard to write because I wanted it to be just right, but a lot of other things got in the way. AWS (Avatar Withdrawal Syndrome) affects us all differently...
I've always thought that Zuko would be very uncertain in a relationship. I see him as the kind of guy who's always saying things like "I'm not good enough for you, are you SURE you want to go out with me?" That makes him really fun to write, but it's also a challenge. I tried to be sure I covered the thought processes of both Katara and Zuko, but it was hard to do without dragging it out. Just imagine Zuko is angsting a lot and Katara is getting more and more frustrated. Shouldn't be too hard... ;3
I used the phrase "plain English" because I have no idea what they call the language that's spoken in Avatar-verse.
I do not recommend spontaneous grab-and-kiss. It's usually very awkward, no matter how romantic people make it seem.
Ever-patient Gorenbeans read the first half of this chapter, but the second half hasn't been checked.
In the (how many??) 2 or 3 months since I last updated, I've gotten a job, lost my apartment, and I'm not preparing to move yet again. I'm once again a hostess at a Japanese restaurant, but this time things look more promising. Hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently now that my life isn't TOTALLY spiraling out of control. For those of you on spring break, have a good one!