Oh man, this one went all weird and pear-shaped on me. *hides*
. . . Katara knew that Zuko had guessed why she had come the moment she stepped into the room. A smile, hesitant and false, played across his face and stretched the fine lines around his good eye. A decade of rule over his people had made its mark on his handsome face.
Their eyes met, and for just a moment Katara wondered if Zuko meant for this to play out here and now. In front of his advisors and palace court. But he only gave a small nod and rose from his seat, dismissing the meeting without word or gesture.
Katara’s hands clenched under her robes. If this was to be a private meeting… So be it.
Had this been ten years ago, when they were both young; she the companion of the Avatar and he the new Fire Lord, she would have already been screaming at him. Now she was ambassador to the Water Tribes, mother of two rambunctious airbending children. Katara had learned patience the hard way. She kept silent, and so did he.
Zuko’s private chambers had hardly changed since Mai’s death, Katara noted. With the exception of a wooden-red cradle. Zuko crossed the room to it at once, dismissing a flurry of nurse-maids with a single glare. He bent to check on his son – putting the baby between himself and Katara, she thought, cynically. Mai would have been so proud.
“I know why you’re here,” Zuko said, as he pulled a tiny red blanket up and tucking it under little Lu Ten’s chin.
“Do you?” Katara had meant for her voice to be strong and cold as sea-ice. She hated the bit of wistfulness that crept in anyway. Longing for the time when things had been good between them… when she had considered Zuko to be a friend.
The Fire Lord didn’t answer for a moment. He fiddled with his son’s blanket, smoothing out invisible creases. Katara wished she could have just imagined the small look of tenderness on his face. She wanted to hate him, wanted to think he was a complete monster… she didn’t want to see the boy she had known in there at all. Not anymore.
Finally satisfied, Zuko straightened up and looked at her. “I didn’t have any choice, Katara. They’re my people. Not yours. Not Aang’s. Mine.”
“And it’s your job to protect them! And… and you…” Something in her throat closed up and she shook her head. She had thought she had been beyond this by now. Beyond the rage. The disgust. “There were still people—whole families still untouched. Zuko, how could you?”
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timeasmymeasure
Katara Bloodbending Zuko Part 1
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Katara knew that Zuko had guessed why she had come the moment she stepped into the room. A smile, hesitant and false, played across his face and stretched the fine lines around his good eye. A decade of rule over his people had made its mark on his handsome face.
Their eyes met, and for just a moment Katara wondered if Zuko meant for this to play out here and now. In front of his advisors and palace court. But he only gave a small nod and rose from his seat, dismissing the meeting without word or gesture.
Katara’s hands clenched under her robes. If this was to be a private meeting… So be it.
Had this been ten years ago, when they were both young; she the companion of the Avatar and he the new Fire Lord, she would have already been screaming at him. Now she was ambassador to the Water Tribes, mother of two rambunctious airbending children. Katara had learned patience the hard way. She kept silent, and so did he.
Zuko’s private chambers had hardly changed since Mai’s death, Katara noted. With the exception of a wooden-red cradle. Zuko crossed the room to it at once, dismissing a flurry of nurse-maids with a single glare. He bent to check on his son – putting the baby between himself and Katara, she thought, cynically. Mai would have been so proud.
“I know why you’re here,” Zuko said, as he pulled a tiny red blanket up and tucking it under little Lu Ten’s chin.
“Do you?” Katara had meant for her voice to be strong and cold as sea-ice. She hated the bit of wistfulness that crept in anyway. Longing for the time when things had been good between them… when she had considered Zuko to be a friend.
The Fire Lord didn’t answer for a moment. He fiddled with his son’s blanket, smoothing out invisible creases. Katara wished she could have just imagined the small look of tenderness on his face. She wanted to hate him, wanted to think he was a complete monster… she didn’t want to see the boy she had known in there at all. Not anymore.
Finally satisfied, Zuko straightened up and looked at her. “I didn’t have any choice, Katara. They’re my people. Not yours. Not Aang’s. Mine.”
“And it’s your job to protect them! And… and you…” Something in her throat closed up and she shook her head. She had thought she had been beyond this by now. Beyond the rage. The disgust. “There were still people—whole families still untouched. Zuko, how could you?”