Catalyst

Chapter 7: Embers

Zuko felt miserable which, he supposed, was an improvement. Floating farther out into the water, eyes closed, he tried to feel like the dragon he'd been in his dreams. Instead, everything within himself felt irreparably damaged.

Uncle was gone. Gone.

His chest felt tight like it had when he couldn't breathe. A sob worked its way up his throat and he choked it back, but his tears flowed freely, salt mixing with the water around him. How? Who did it? Who killed him?

That sergeant. The water began to warm around him as his anger grew. Forget the Avatar; forget Father. This man was going to pay for what he did—starting with getting burned all over and ending with him thrown into the same cell Uncle had to lay in for spirit's knew how long. Except Zuko was going to keep him alive for as long as possible, making him pray for death long before he got it.

Dark fantasies played inside his head as he floated on the picturesque lake. He wouldn't be merciful. Father was right in that respect: Mercy was for the weak. Uncle seemed to always have mercy, even for his enemies, and look where it got him: a foolish, dead man.

This time a sob did escape. It was just too much.

Grief overtook Zuko. His thoughts darted around, each one half-formed of its own accord before disappearing without notice. It didn't matter what the thoughts said, not really. Ultimately, they all reflected off of a single inescapable pool of grief in his heart. That feeling was all Zuko was aware of as he lay separate from the world.

After a time, he felt a current of water move underneath him, bringing him quickly back to shore. Looking up through teary eyes, he saw the waterbender standing at the water's edge and directing the water to bring him back gently but quickly. It was only a couple more seconds until he was laying at her feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked urgently.

He sat up but was still having trouble recovering. "I'm fi-hic!-ine! Lea-hic!-ve me alone!" he gasped through tears.

"Wait, what? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked, bombarding him with questions.

"STOP!" He knew he shouldn't have, but he needed her to just leave him alone! He threw his arms out. The small spurt of flame that came from his hands was absolutely pitiful.

"Whoa! Uh uh, we aren't doing that here!" Sokka yelled, running down to them, stupid boomerang in hand.

The Avatar and Toph were quick to follow. "Katara, get back!" The boy called out, but the waterbender had already taken a step back in response to the fire.

"I'm okay," she told them. Katara looked back at Zuko with such...such pity.

Frustration danced on his skin. He needed to escape but where, and how? It wasn't like he could up and run—he was still too weak. Shame and anger and bottomless sadness mixed through him, making him clench his teeth. He tried willing the tears to stop and control his breathing but had no such luck. He brought his legs close to his chest and buried his head in his knees.

Sokka asked Katara, "What happened?"

"I don't know. I was talking with you for a minute, and I come back to him floating in the middle of the lake and having a hard time breathing. I pull him back, ask what's wrong, and he tries to burn me." She drew out "tries" to show him just how much of a failure he was at everything.

"After all we've done for you?" Sokka yelled in Zuko's face. "We saved your life! And then you try to burn Katara, who sat by your side for hours, who saved you as you nearly died! How messed up is that?"