Scars and Ashes (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfic)

Bending

"You're actually fine with her staying?"

"Don't be so excited," Birmeg said. "If you are found out, I pretend ignorance to all of this. It wouldn't hurt, though, having a bender closer to your age than I am to spend time with, but don't do anything that will tarnish your honor, Lee."

"So you are a bender! A waterbender like me. Perhaps you could teach me something sometime?" Katara asked.

"Absolutely not," Birmeg said, looking away. "I am, after all, feigning ignorance of this whole thing." He turned. "I'll be outside, so behave."

"So..." Zuko looked at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck, feeling a slight heat against his cheeks and neck, a heat he held no control over as he did the heat from the hot water bottle.

"So, there is obviously water kept here," Katara said, heading over to the pool of water, holding her hands out and bringing up an orb of water, delighted to bend with someone, even if the other person didn't bend the same element. "And that makes this an ideal place for bending water."

"Uncle is practically the only firebender I'm able to train with, so I'm often training with waterbenders," Zuko said, taking a deep breath and moving slowly.

"Well, that's not expected?" Katara said, looking over.

"Breathing is an integral part of firebending," Zuko said, not looking her in the eye. "And it's something I can focus on when I'm not with uncle, Aunt Hama or Birmeg without anyone guessing I'm a firebender."

"So you really are hiding that from everyone?"

"It's complicated," Zuko said, glancing away. "My life is complicated, really."

"So, you're not going to show me any firebending?"

He glanced over, watching her maneuver the water around. "My firebending. It's really not anything special."

"Really?" Katara frowned.

"I mean, compared to uncles and..."

"But your uncle is a master, no?" Katara said. "Why are you even comparing yourself to a master when we're still supposed to be learning?"

"I'm behind where I should be," Zuko said, not looking her in the eye.

"But what do you know?" Katara said. She took a deep breath, then moved the water, causing it to shoot out like a whip.

Zuko's eyes widened. "That was..."

"That was me having fun," Katara said. "With my bending? How about you?"

"Fun with my bending?" Zuko closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "If I were to have fun with my bending, then..." He relaxed, moving in the smooth movements of dance he'd learned from Piandao in order to perfect his swordsmanship while incorporating certain movements outside of that, anything that felt at ease, ending with him low and crouched to the ground. He opened his eyes. "Well?"

—silence—

"Yeah. I knew..."

"That was amazing? Why are you so hard on yourself when it comes to your bending?" Katara asked.

Zuko moved into a standing position. "That?" He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. "That isn't how firebending is taught. My..." He took a deep breath, folding his arms across his chest. "That type of bending is highly frowned upon in the Fire Nation. If there isn't power and strength behind your movements, you're weak and ineffective."

Katara tilted her head. "Funny. It didn't look that way to me." She took a deep breath. "But then, you've never seen anyone who bends like yourself?"

"Bends like me?" Zuko frowned, looking at the ice and tracing her foot across the ground. "Nobody does. I mean..." He stopped. "I guess I should show you how it's actually done, then?"