synergy || zutara

three

Directing Appa, Katara realizes she's going to have to send the gentle giant back somehow. Maybe Zuko will have a solution. Zuko.

She hasn't seen him since they fought Azula together and save each other's lives. A sigh leaves her lips. It's cruel that when the world was so complicated she was far happier.

She takes her water pack out and begins healing her burned neck, she started this process far too late and it's bound to scar but any little bit helps.
——
She lands within the palace gates. No one shoots fire at her because the flying bison is a symbol of the Avatar and he was a friend of the Fire Nation because Zuko loves Aang as a little brother. She shakes the thought out of her head and descends from Appa. A servant then escorts her into the house and tells her the Firelord is attending an important meeting.

She waits for him to finish in the library. She sees a scroll about the Tale of Two Lovers and cries. She lets herself mourn her relationship with not only the Avatar but the boy she found frozen. The exciting spirit who only wished to help people. She doesn't know what happened. When she sees him with others, that part of him still exists, but somehow she's no longer on the receiving end of his happiness.

Her tears dried and the only thing signifying her distress is red in her eyes and the trembling of her hand. To anyone who didn't know her they'd just assume her to be odd. But that's just the people who don't know her.

A presence enters the room and Katara looks up. A smile is on his face and his arms open for a hug "Katara!" He smiles and she accepts the hug briefly. "Zuko, I've missed you!" She says and it's the whole truth. She watched him grow into the man he is today and he had the most impressive self-journey she's ever witnessed. Although once banished, he looks regal as ever in his Firelord attire.

"What are you doing here I thought you'd be too busy at the Republic City planning summit with Aang. Now that I mention it-" his thoughts leave his mind entirely when he sees a bandage on Katara's neck. A bit of pink is poking out from behind the fabric and his cool breath turns into warm air. He tries to calm his temper which had been at bay since he's began taking meditation more seriously. However, something is off and he is becoming increasingly worried. "Katara what happened?" He asks confused as to who caught the master water bender off-guard enough to leave a scratch on her. 'Are the rebels out of hand?' he thinks to himself.

She thinks about lying to him. But that would be pointless considering she came here for help. Although they became friends and she's forgiven him, she feels conflicted in asking Zuko for help because of the past.

Katara inhales deeply as Zuko is mumbling about the rebels, and exhales slowly ready to tell him what happened, the truth.

"I didn't know the restoration rebels were so angry. You and Aang should've told me, although our armies are smaller I could have deployed some men." She shakes her head shakes no but doesn't elaborate. Zuko is feeling confused as ever.

"Speaking of Aang, where is he? Did you come here alone?" His eyes widen. He whole-heartedly believes she can take care of herself but after something like that, she should be resting or having a travel partner at least.

Her shoulders slump and Zuko feels guilty for questioning her so much. He sighs and studies her for a moment. He ponders over the idea that Aang was captured or killed, but she looks embarrassed and ashamed so he rules that out. She'd be furious if his assumptions were correct. "Katara, believe that I'm glad to see you. But I need to know what's going on, I know you didn't come all the way from Ba Sing Se to have tea."

Her eyes shine with tears but she doesn't let her voice waver. "I didn't say anything because rebels haven't done anything. This wasn't them." Zuko drops his rebel ideas and realizes something is extremely wrong. She grows silent and he knows this must be hard so asks her once more. "You know how I am

it was Aang."

There is immediate silence in the room and Zuko feels dumbfounded. He doesn't let himself breathe because he feels as though fire would leave his lungs.

"Aang did this?" He asks, just to make sure he heard right. She nods hoping he'd believe her. "Listen I know you and Aang are close but he's changed Zuko. I need you to believe me because- I don't know what else to do or who to talk to." She stops talking and is crying once again, the weight of the situation finally hitting her.

The mans arms enclose around the crying woman and she lets herself break down. They move to the floor and he just holds her. The firelord feels disbelief. How could Aang do this? He knows Katara would never hurt him and Aang is more powerful than most men alive— yet decides his wife is a fair fight? She may be more powerful than most men too but she is more caring than most too, and far too forgiving.

Her cries quiet down and she looks back at the her old friend, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get like that." Zuko shakes his head in understanding. "Never apologize for being honest. After my father banished me and left his mark, I bottled up my emotions for years and it only hurt me. You're not weak for this Katara, you're brave. Braver than any other person I know." Katara almost cries again but doesn't. Instead she smiles and takes the compliment. "That means a lot coming from you, because you're one of the bravest people I know." His face remains neutral but that comment will never leave his memory.

"Is it okay if I stay here for a while? I need to figure out what to do and I don't know where else to go." Zuko stands and holds his hand out to help the water bender up.

"Of course, take all the time you need, I'll have a servant take you to the guest room."

That night Katara falls to sleep with more ease than she's felt in months. Zuko on the other hand, tosses and turns all night. 'How could Aang do such a thing? He was supposed to be good, especially to Katara...'