Intertwined Legends (Zutara)

Chapter Eight

"I forgive you."

        Katara slipped her hand out of Zuko's and began walking out of the cave, back to the boat on the shoreline. By the time the firebender got out of the cave (wearing a surprised expression), Katara was already sitting inside the boat. The silence between the two of them on the way back to the village was, in a sense, awkward, but not in the sense that they had nothing to say to each other. It was more like they didn't want to break the silence, if it even made any sense.

        But whether it made sense or not didn't matter to Katara. Her eyes were glued to the dark, murky water on the lake that Lee—correction, Zuko—took them across. She obviously knew that Lee was most likely a fake name, but the factor that threw her off was that his personality had changed. A lot. It was as if his personality were the same as when they were back inside the crystal caves. When he had grabbed her wrists like he did... it reminded her of when they were still new to the world, newly out of the Southern Water Tribe. Her mind began to wander to when she said those three words. Did she mean them, or was she just saying them because it was the right time?

        No. She meant it.

        Katara wanted to trust Zuko, and now she did. But the next thought that occurred to her would never happen in a million years. Her group would never accept him; Zuko most likely wouldn't accept them either...

        And the Blue Spirit. When Katara thought of the masked stranger, the face that overlapped was the firebender's. And suddenly, two sentences popped into her mind.

        I can't tell you.

        You know me all too well.

        "Katara." After all the silence and the thought process that went through her mind, she felt herself jump slightly at the sound of Zuko's voice. "We're here."

        "Oh." She took his hand as she got out of the boat, her feet fumbling over each other and causing her to trip and fall onto Zuko, who caught her easily. His arms encircled her, steadying her almost immediately. Katara stammered out a thanks as she felt her cheeks heat up—along with the rest of her face—and he gave her a small smile. Katara walked with Zuko back to his hut, but she knew she had to return to camp. Surprisingly, they had spent more time than they thought together. It was almost sunset.

        "I, uh, I have t-to go now," she stuttered out. He nodded in understanding.

        "Will you still be here tomorrow?" he asked. Katara already knew the underlying message. Will the Avatar and his group be back on the road?

        "I don't know what'll happen, to be honest." She shrugged.

        "Alright then. Um... goodbye." Zuko began to turn away. Before he could start retreating to his hut, Katara grabbed his wrist and forced him to turn back to her. "Wha—"

        Katara cut him off with a quick press of her lips against his. A simple peck and nothing more. She resisted the urge to smile in such a serious moment as she watched Zuko's pale cheeks turn a light shade of pink. Leaving him stunned in his place, the waterbender ran back to her camp to prepare for the night.

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Placing a wad of grass into her sleeping bag, Katara snuck off and prepared herself for another busy night. As she was leaving she heard Momo chittering—she knew that wasn't a good sign, but she didn't look back.