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He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was beautiful. She always had been, even if it had taken a while for him to admit it, even just to himself. But now she was… unreal. The water she was healing him with cast her face in an ethereal blue glow, and she looked like a spirit sent to save him.
And she had saved him, surely he’d be dead by now if she wasn’t such an expert. Even now, when each breath no longer felt like his lungs were on fire, she was still bent over him, her brow knit in concentration, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth.
“Katara.” He murmured, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. The effects of the comet were wearing off, and the walk to his chambers had drained nearly all of his remaining energy.
“You need to take a break. Get some rest.” He told her.
She gave him a fleeting, tired smile before turning back to his wound.
“In a bit. Don’t worry about me, you already-” Her voice hitched there, and she gave a small shake of her head. “You go to sleep Zuko, I’ve got you. I’ll rest soon.”
He didn’t quite believe her, but his eyelids felt so heavy, and he was so tired… The last thing he saw before succumbing to unconsciousness was her beautiful face, glowing in the blue light.
He slept fitfully for the next few days, waking every so often to find Katara bent over his chest, all alight in blue. He preferred the times he awoke to see her curled up on the chair beside his bed, flickering candlelight dancing over her peaceful features. At least she was taking some time to rest.
The others came and went, filling his chambers with cacophonous laughter until Katara shooed them out, insisting that Zuko needed his rest. She was the only constant.
Before the comet, he’d tried to hard to bury his crush deep within himself, resolved to never bring it up to her. They were good friends, and always would be. The war would end, and she would leave the Fire Nation, and he just needed to come to terms with that. And he had. Or at least, he’d tried to.
But she must know his feelings for her by now. As if leaping in front of the lightning wasn’t obvious enough, he had woken out of nightmares several times to find himself calling her name. Each time she’d given him a kind smile (sometimes a sleepy smile, if she too had been asleep), and reached out a hand, caressing his hair, or his cheek, and murmuring that it was okay, he could go back to sleep.
The first time- the first few times- he’d caught her hand in his, gripping it tightly as though she might disappear if he wasn’t holding onto her. But eventually she’d always lull him back to sleep, and he’d be mortified by his behavior when he awoke.
She never brought up the nightmares, which just confirmed to him that she did not return his feelings. He’d never expected her too, but it ached all the same. A part of him- a small, selfish part- dreaded getting better. He dreaded the day that she would proudly announce that he didn’t need her healing hands anymore, so she was off to see the world with Aang, or go home to the Southern Water Tribe, or something. Something that didn’t involve being with him.
Would she let him down gently, or would she simply pretend she never discovered his feelings for her, turn a blind eye and hope they just faded away? He prayed it would be the latter. Being properly rejected would be too much to bear.
About a week after the comet, the day he dreaded came. He was steadily improving under her skilled hand, and was able to start bending and walking short distances on his own.
He awoke with her name on his lips- but his heart wasn’t racing this time, it wasn’t a nightmare. He frowned, trying to remember his dream, and found that all he could recall was the way she smiled at him, her eyes sparkling cheerfully.
With a sigh, Zuko scanned the moonlit room for her familiar form- then he scanned it again, his heart racing.
She’s fine. He told himself, panic mounting in his chest. She probably just went for a moonlit stroll. He glanced out the window, and relaxed ever so slightly when he saw that the moon was full. Katara could never sleep during a full moon. She probably really did just go for a walk. She wouldn’t just leave without saying goodbye.
Pathetic as it was, there was no hope for him falling back asleep without her presence, so Zuko rose, pulling on a light robe to go for a walk himself. He wasn’t going to look for her, he was just going to take a little stroll of his own. And if he just so happened to bump into her, that would be a happy coincidence.
Zuko slowly made his way to the turtleduck pond, where he and the others had eaten lunch earlier that day. Not because he thought that’s where she might be, but because it was his favorite spot.
When he made it there, he sighed in relief when he saw a female figure sitting by the pond, lazily bending a stream of water in a twisting spiral. He stepped forward, a wide smile already spreading across his face.
“Zuko!” She called in surprise, dropping the water into the pond and leaping to her feet, rushing to his side.
“What are you doing out here so late?” She demanded. “You shouldn’t be walking around like this on your own, what if you had fallen?” Katara snaked her arm around his waist, even though they both knew it was unnecessary for her to support him like that anymore.
“I’m fine.” He assured her, though he made no move to pull away. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I just woke up and noticed you were gone. Since I couldn’t sleep, I figured I’d go for a walk.” He winced as a sudden thought came to him.
“I’m not bothering you, am I?” He asked as she led him back to the edge of the pond. “If you’d rather be alone-”
“Don’t be silly.” Katara laughed, bumping him lightly with her hip. “I always want your company.” Zuko’s heart leapt, though he reminded himself that she didn’t mean it like that.
“Is the full moon keeping you up?” He asked as she helped him take a seat on the ground, promptly tucking herself back into his side once she had. For a moment his brain malfunctioned, and he had to focus to hear her response. She’s probably just chilly. He told himself.
“Yeah, you know how it is for me.” She gestured to the pond and the courtyard around them. “And it’s just so beautiful out here! And the jasmine smells so sweet.” She closed her eyes dreamily and inhaled. Zuko was transfixed by the sight of her for a moment, but then an idea came to him.
“It’ll be even prettier in a moment.” He promised her, closing his own eyes and centering himself for a moment before shooting rapid fireballs at the various lanterns around the pond. The sharp intake of breath beside him let him know that she’d opened her eyes.
“Oh Zuko, it’s so pretty.” She murmured, her eyes bright with delight. His heart skipped a beat as he took her in. The lights reflected off the water, painting her with gold and orange highlights in addition to the silvery glimmer of the moon. She was positively glowing. He felt a pang as he remembered that she would be leaving soon, that he wouldn’t be treated to this sight for much longer. So he would just have to drink it in as much as possible now.
“You know, you really shouldn’t be bending so much with your injury.” She told him, trying her best to look reproachful despite her obvious enchantment with their surroundings.
“Don’t worry about me, I’m in very good hands. I’ll have you know I’m being treated by a waterbending master.” He told her with a smirk. Katara giggled and nudged him gently before settling her head on his shoulder.
“If I wasn’t so dazzled with the scenery, I might actually scold you, you know.” She told him. Zuko just hummed a response.
They sat there in comfortable silence for a while, Zuko watching the shapes Katara lazily twisted the water into, spellbound at how they caught the light.
“I’ll miss you.” The whispered confession slipped past his lips without his permission, and heat immediately rushed to his cheeks. Katara pulled away from him slightly, and he peeked at her to see a small smile playing at her lips.
“Am I going somewhere?” She asked teasingly.
“Aren’t you?” He asked, surprised. “I just figured- I mean, I thought you’d be going back to the Southern Water Tribe soon. Sokka keeps talking about it.” He hesitated. “Or- are you going with Aang?” He asked, wincing slightly. He looked back down at Katara, and saw that she was giving him an odd look.
“I’m not going with Aang.” She told him firmly. “And as for home… I miss Gran Gran, but so much has happened since I left the tribe, it almost doesn’t feel like home anymore.” She admitted before giving him a lopsided smile.
“I was thinking I could stay here for a while longer. With you.” His heart leapt. “That is, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.” He said, too quickly. “You can stay as long as you like. I would love it if you stayed with me.” He admitted, giving her a little squeeze. Katara’s eyes flashed with something, but before Zuko could determine what it was, she was looking down at the water.
“And even when I do leave, I’ll write a lot. You’ll have to promise to write me back.”
“Of course.”
“And I’d like to return, when I can. I think I’ll miss you a lot.” Zuko stared at her, speechless. Katara still wasn’t looking at him, instead looking determinedly at the turtleduck pond, the arc of water she was spinning turning faster and faster, in time with her words.
“I’ve gotten really used to being with you all the time, and I don’t think I want to stop being with you. Ever.” The circle she was bending was moving at a dizzying speed now, but Zuko didn’t quite think that was to blame for his lightheadedness.
“And I know you don’t really need me anymore-”
“I need you.” He interrupted. The circle splashed into the pond, and Katara turned to stare at him with wide eyes, and he felt his cheeks get hot.
“That’s not what I meant, I don’t need- you’re obviously free to do whatever you want.” He stammered. “I just meant- I want you here. With me.” He admitted quietly, not quite able to meet her eyes.
He startled when he felt her cool hand on his hot cheek, her thumb caressing his cheekbone. He finally met her eyes again to see her gazing at him intently.
“You’re blushing.” She murmured, a fond smile playing at her lips. “It gives your cheeks the prettiest glow.” His heart pounded hard in his chest.
“Katara, you must know how I feel about you.” Now that the confessions had begun to spill from his lips, he couldn’t stop them.
“I think I do.” She said with a smile. “And I feel the same.” Before Zuko could fully process her words, Katara leaned forward pressing her lips in a feather-light kiss against his. He was too stunned to react at first, sitting frozen, but when she began to draw away he followed. He wrapped his hands tighter around her shoulders, and he felt her hand slip back from his cheek to cradle the back of his neck, holding him to her.
Finally, breathless, they broke apart, resting their foreheads together.
“Katara.” He murmured, unable to come up with anything else. If she wanted him to, he thought he could fly.
“Zuko.” She sighed back happily. “You have no idea how long I wanted to do that.”
His loud laugh surprised them both, and they broke slightly apart.
“Oh Katara.” He found he was holding her hand, and squeezed it tightly. “I’m sure I’ve been dreaming of you for longer.”
The shining look in her eyes at that confession filled him with a warmth unlike anything he’d ever known. Laughing, he leaned forward to kiss her again, and again, and again.
The next morning, he awoke before her, and took in her sleeping form on the bed beside him, and his heart skipped a beat. Her tunic was rumpled from sleep, and her hair was all over the place, and she looked gorgeous. The golden daylight bathed her face, catching in her long eyelashes, which cast shadows across her cheeks.
No matter the lighting, Katara had a glow about her. Zuko had a sneaking suspicion it had nothing to do with lighting, that the glow belonged to her and her alone. And he would have plenty of time to bask in that glow.
She was staying. He reminded himself, beaming. Katara was staying. Not forever maybe, but she would always come back to him. For him. She had assured him of it last night, as they were finally drifting off to sleep in the early morning hours.
Zuko brought their clasped hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. For the first time in his life, he felt lucky.