Zutara Week. Day One. Mask.

She hadn't killed him.

Zuko still couldn't get passed the events that had happened today. She had the weapons of ice sharpened like blades, heading toward Yon Rha at amazing speed. She executed a disciplined form of bending that the prince had never seen her use before. In itself, her whole being was poised to kill. A precision fit for an assassin.

But, while the blades had flown toward the coward's face, the firebender realized in that moment that maybe it was all a mistake.

The girl who he had helped track down her mother's killer was not Katara. It was a pseudonym. An icy mask that took hold of the real girl unexpectedly.

Just as he was about to move in to stop the massacre that was about to unfold, the shards stopped a hair from Yon Rha's face. Zuko looked back to her and was relieved to see reason cracking the mask that had molded to her features. The ice was bent back to water and Katara had ceased her control of the rain. He watched as the pathetic old man begged for his life and she hissed her words of hate and anguish at him.

"...But, as much as I hate you, I just can't do it."

She turned away, leaving the man to squabble at his knees. Zuko stared at Yon Rha, taking in his defeated form and turned to follow the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe back to Appa.

Now, the two teens were making the trip back to camp in complete silence. The dark sky was filtered with many clouds, some threatening to let go of the water they held in their grasp. Zuko looked down to where she was steering, letting himself feel some concern. She hadn't said a word since they left the old man.

Hey, um, Katara? Are you-"

Suddenly, Appa groaned and turned sharply to an island that came into sight. The prince was thrown into the side of the saddle harshly and he grabbed for the edge as the bison gained speed.

"Katara! Stop! What are you doing?" he screamed over the wind.

As the island came into view, Zuko saw the beach she was heading for and she pulled heavily on the reins, causing Appa to stop and land on the pearly white sand. Just as his six feet landed on the earth, she jumped to the ground and walked toward the water.
Bewildered, the firebender watched her sit at the shore. He shook his head as he sighed loudly and slid down the bison's tail, joining her by the water while he waited patiently as she stared out at the dark ocean.

"…Have you ever thought about an alternate universe? Like there was a you that didn't have to go through all the things we have been going through since we were born?"

Zuko looked at her from the corner of his eye as he raised his brow. He shrugged. "It doesn't do anything to think of the what ifs. You just have to deal with the life you have now. You'll only be more miserable by imagining a different life and a different you. Trust me. Save that for the next life. "

Katara acknowledged his words by burying her chin farther into her knees. "There could be an alternate universe me still living in the South Pole. A me that never even experienced a war because Roku stopped Sozin in time before he died. Where I wasn't the last Southern waterbender, and my mother was alive…"

The Fire Prince turned his head to stare at her profile. "Well, yeah. That'd be nice. But, you probably wouldn't be as good as a master as you are now. You wouldn't know bloodbending,"-she flinched at the word-"wouldn't have traveled the world and met all the people you've met. You'd be stuck in ice for the rest of your life, not making a difference like you are now." He lifted his hand, igniting a flame to ward off the chill that made the girl shiver. "You were given this life because you are strong enough to bear it."

Katara looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "It doesn't matter. At least in a different version of my life, I'd have my mother." On the word "mother" her voice had tightened up as she fought back tears. "She would be there to congratulate me on perfecting a form in my bending and she'd give me advice about things that a mother just knows to tell her daughter and….and…" The waterbender's words died on her tongue as tears appeared in her blue eyes and a sob escaped her throat. Burying her face into her arms, her shoulders shook with every ragged breath she took.

The more the waterbender cried the more panicked Zuko became. The firebender was definitely not an expert in comforting the upset. Especially a girl.

Fortunaletly, he remembered a time when his uncle's words of advice weren't completely ignored. "Nephew. A young lady is like a delicate tea leaf. You need to nurture her and keep a close eye. If you tend to it properly, she will grow stronger with time."

Swallowing heavily, Zuko moved closer to the distressed girl and hesitantly put his hand on the middle of her back, slowly moving his hand in a warm circle. "There, there," he mumbled.

Suddenly, Katara moved and threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest. The prince stiffened as she clutched at him. He was surprised beyond anything that Katarawas holding onto him, looking for comfort he had no idea how to give. She had threatened him not too long ago that she would kill him for any slip and now...Where did they stand?

Soon enough, he relaxed to wrap his arms around her, one going across her shoulders and his other hand resting on her hair.

The two benders sat in the sand for a while as she cried her heart out into his chest. Absently, he moved her hair away from her wet face as he tried to warm her when rain started to fall on them.

Sooner than later, he sobs had quieted down to soft whimpers and the rain around them slowed to a sprinkle. Finally, Zuko was brought out of his thoughts by her moving and clearing her throat.

"Uh, Zuko? I'm okay," she said in a tired voice.

"Oh. Sorry." He left her go and after a moment, she looked up into his eyes and he could see that her cerulean ones were clear and bright.

"Good to see you're back," he said.

"What?"

He gave her a small smile and stood, offering his hand to her once he was on his feet. "Well…before it felt like you were a different person. Like you had an icy mask covering your face. It was pretty unnerving but, I could relate."

"What do you mean?" she asked as she gave him her hand. He helped her shakily stand up and they started to walk toward Appa.

"Well, I can relate because the same thing happened to me when I was chasing you guys. All I wanted was The Avatar and my honor back and I was blind to everything else. Luckily, you still had enough reason to stop yourself before you killed Yon Rha."
Katara nodded and looked at her enemy-turned-ally. Maybe even a friend. Silently, they helped one another get back on the bison and Zuko took the reins, getting back on course to their friends.

"Hey, Zuko?"

"Yeah?"

"…Thanks."

Zuko looked back at her in surprise as she smiled before sitting back in the saddle.

"…You're welcome, Katara."

HAPPY ZUTARA WEEK, EVERYONE!

I hope everyone enjoys my entries for this year. :3 This is the first time I am participating.

See you tomorrow for History!

Good luck to everyone out there participating!

For the record: Iroh's beautiful advice is the making of my lovely friend, IFeltHope44. She is a fellow Zutarian like myself. Check her out. You won't be disappointed. u/1721175/IFeltHope44

Review, please!

Oh, and check out some fan art being posted on dA. Some are amazing. Especially Windy-Asylum: gallery/8052711#/d41km4f