Intertwined Legends (Zutara)

Chapter Five

Zuko couldn't believe the Avatar and his group were in the same village as him. He couldn't believe Kai took him to talk to Katara, especially after recalling their history. He couldn't believe she believed the stupid made-up story about his scar...or did she? Katara didn't recognize him—or if she did, she didn't show it—and he was surprised that he invited her over and that she agreed.

        Back when they passed his house, Kai left to help his mother. The boy told Katara and Zuko that his mother was beginning to speak more now, running off and leaving them alone. Katara kept looking out to the lake where the factory was dropping waste into the water in a continuous fashion. She looked over at Zuko. "So, Lee, where did you live before coming to this village?"        

        The gears in Zuko's head stopped working. "Oh, uh, I've been everywhere. Like a nomad, I guess."

        "Oh, so you're an airbender?" she joked.

        He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not, maybe I'm a nonbender." Even though it was a harmless joke Zuko's throat felt thick after saying it. At least she wouldn't think it was him; hopefully she would think he really was just a traveller named Lee with a new scar on his face.

        When they reached Zuko's hut, he took some of the wood he bought the previous day and placed them in his fire pit. Katara stood awkwardly on the other side of the room, looking out the window and down at the polluted water. When she turned away and met Zuko's eyes on her, he gave her a small smile. "Could you go into my bag over there and take out a pan?"

        "Okay." Katara's back was facing him while she searched for a pan and in that short time Zuko used his firebending to light the wood. He wasn't worried about her finding his mask and swords, seeing as how they were hidden in a secret padded compartment in his bag. Her face held surprise when she saw the fire. "How did you make that so fast?"

        "When you travel a lot, making quick fires becomes a survival skill," he lied.

        "I see..." Katara sat near the fire as Zuko unwrapped the almost-fresh fish, put them in the pan, and slowly cooked them over the heat of the flame; he had to resist the urge to use his bending to make the fish cook faster. She wrapped her arms around her drawn-up knees, resting her chin on top of them. The quiet crackling of the popping fire was the only sound as the two of them sat in silence. Zuko looked out the window; according to the sun's position, it was almost five o'clock.

        "So you said you travelled a lot. Did you go around with anyone or were you alone?" Katara asked. When Zuko met her eyes, they were an honest, deep blue—pure curiosity, no suspicion. That, or she was a skilled actress.

        "My..." he swallowed. "My uncle. But I did something unforgivable to him recently and I just know that he doesn't want me back. I think—I think he hates me."

        He directed his gaze back to the fire, feeling a hand on his shoulder moments later. "I know what it's like to lose people you love, no matter who's fault it is."

        "Really?" The memory of the crystal caves resurfaced to Zuko's mind once more.

        "Yeah. I want to avenge the firebender who took my mother away back when I was younger." He met the waterbender's eyes once more, full of determination like her voice.

        Zuko couldn't help it. He knew she was talking about something important, but he found himself blurting out, "Do you think my uncle hates me?"

        Katara's eyes went wide. "Of course not!" She sat back. "Just becaues you strayed from your original path doesn't mean anything. If I were him, I'd be worried about you, not hateful towards you."

        "Yeah?"

        "Yeah." She gave him a small smile and they were both bathed in a comfortable silence once more. Keeping an eye on the fish, Zuko saw it it was finished cooking. He took the pan off the fire and wrapped the hot fish in several layers of seaweed, handing it to Katara.

        "I'm sorry it isn't much," he aplogized.

        Katara shook her head and stood up. "Thank you for the fish, Lee. I appreciate it a lot."

        Zuko got up and walked her to the door. When Katara stepped outside, her face looked as if she were seeing the sky for the first time in her life. "Oh! How did it get so late? I need to get back to camp."

        Before she could take another step Zuko wrapped his hand around her arm, making her turn around and look at him questioningly. "Yes?"

        All he was able to do was stare into her eyes, eyes the colour of clear lakewater... like the water surrounding them before it was polluted. It was a beautiful colour, indeed. "Thank you" was all he was able to muster out of his lips.

        When Katara smiled, her eyes crinkled slightly. "I should be thanking you," she said, turning around fully to kiss Zuko on the cheek, "so...thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."

        He nodded as he felt his cheeks heating up. Just before she turned away, he saw that her cheeks were pink as well. He stood in place as he watched her hurry back to her campsite, touching his cheek where he had felt her soft lips.