Fire Lord Zuko | ATLA (badatbeinggood) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2024-03-31 19:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | !april, !completed gdoc, !log, katara (masterkatara), zuko (badatbeinggood) |
WHO: Zuko and Katara
WHAT: A Discussion does not go well
WHEN: A bit After their arrival
WHERE: A park by the river
WARNINGS: None
STATUS: Closed/Completed Gdoc
Zuko could not say that he was happy to be in this place. In fact, he was actually quite frustrated to have been kidnapped away when so many important things were happening back home. He had finally found his true purpose - only to be pulled away and thrown into this place where he understood and recognized almost nothing.
He was actually quite proud of himself that he’d managed to control his anger and to only melt his ‘phone’ once.
Finding out Katara was here had been a bit of a shock, too, but a good one. At least neither one of them had to face this place alone. He liked to think that they were at least becoming friends, even if they weren’t entirely there yet. Unfortunately, she seemed to be from a different time (how that was possible, he’d not yet figured out) and it looked like he was going to have to win her over all over again. And she’d been the hardest to win over the first time. Oh well, it seemed like he would have plenty of time for it here, at least.
He’d asked her to meet at a small park near the river. It was dark now, so there were no children out playing, meaning they’d have some space to themselves to discuss what needed to be discussed. Hopefully they wouldn’t be fighting, but if it came down to it having an open space for that was good too.
He sat on the picnic table, his feet on the bench, waiting for Katara to arrive. He was dressed in red - something that was second nature to someone who lived in the fire nation, his hair starting to curl a little around his face. It was too long, but he hadn’t felt like cutting it. He kind of liked it, if he was being honest. He held a small flame in his hands for warmth, feeling the pulse of it ripple through him as he did.
**
Katara wasn’t even sure why she was doing this. Zuko had asked her too, but why did she give a damn what Zuko wanted? Because he’d supposedly changed? Why was that a thing she suddenly cared about? She showed. But it was cautiously. Zuko was in the middle of the open. He wasn’t hiding someplace unknown. He didn’t look like he was about to attack her, but still she couldn’t be sure he wasn’t going to. She had a small flask of water on her as always when she approached.
“You wanted to talk?” There was a question there in her eyes of his intention, a doubt. He really had no reason to attack her, but that hadn’t meant anything in the past. So yeah, she was cautious.
**
Zuko had learned the first time that winning Katara over would not be easy. The Fire Nation had hurt her deeply, and she had a thousand reasons not to trust him. Those had been his fault, and he regretted them. It was only cautious for her not to believe him…to question his motives.
He swelled the fire in his hand so that it would be large enough to warm both of them, but did not threaten her with it in any way. Her face flickered through the light of his flame. He probably didn’t have to worry about her being cold, not with the climate she came from, but it was only fair to share the warmth.
“Yes,” he said simply. “I wanted to talk. A…A lot has changed since you last saw me. I have changed. I’m not who I used to be.”
**
Her expression lacked it’s normal warmth reserved for Aang or Sokka. It was as cold as the climate she came from as she watched Zuko closely with that flame. Weather didn’t bother her. At least cold weather. She gave zero indication of being affected by it, but what she did do was take a single step back from the flame. She’d worked out some of her issues with her mother’s death sure, but she still hadn’t seen a fire controlled like that up close yet that wasn’t about to attack her. She’d steeled herself so fear wasn’t present, but it wasn’t a step back of anything else but that.
“Last time I saw you, you were trying to destroy the northern tribe. Hours ago actually.” Tone even, no indication of anything. She didn’t want to show him any kind of emotion that could be manipulated if she could help it. But she was still just fifteen.
**
Zuko noted her step back, away from his flame. He’d only been trying to help, but apparently she didn’t see it that way. He curled his fingers into a fist, and the flame disappeared. He could call it back if he wanted it, but he didn’t want to make Katara uncomfortable.
“Yes,” he said carefully. “I was there…but not to destroy the water tribe. I only wanted the Avatar.”
Even at his worst, Zuko had never wanted to destroy entire nations. That wasn’t who he was.
**
She was still wary. She’d read back online as much as she could, but the internet was still a new concept to them. Seeing Zuko in person didn’t ease those fears. Especially with the flame he had
She rolled her eyes at his wanting the avatar. As if that made it any better. “That’s all you want?” It was beyond her why he would want to destroy the hope for their worlds. She folded her arms uncomfortably as she watched him. She was good at compartmentalizing, it was a strong suit. Unlike Sokka who was very reactionary and probably would have tried punching him at least once by now, Katara refrained. For now.
She was very clearly uncertain what to make of this situation. Or how to make things less awkward.
**
Zuko didn’t want to destroy hope. He’d just wanted to go home. Was that so bad? Yes, he’d been obsessive about following the Avatar, but it was the only way he had to win back his father’s approval, and to have his exile revoked. So he’d tried, for years. And he’d failed. Or had he? He’d never captured the Avatar, but he’d found himself along the way. And he’d helped the Avatar restore the world to balance by teaching him Firebending.
He looked over at Katara for a long moment. How could he make her see? He was different now, he’d changed for the better. He saw himself as being good now, but he wasn’t always all that good at it.
He held his arms out to the sides, not bringing out any fire.
“Hit me,” he said. “With your water bending. Do it. It’ll make you feel better.”
**
That didn’t quite answer her why question. Zuko wanted her to hit him? She just stared dumbfounded for a moment. She had half a mind to drown him with her waterbending. But that would also make her no better than the fire benders that couldn’t control themselves.
“You’re a jerk!” Was all she managed, but that icy exterior she’d put up had melted a little. She bolted, no real destination in mind-not as though that wasn’t new. They were always on the run, no thanks to Zuko. There was no water spray, no nothing. Just an empty spot where Katara used to be.
**
Zuko’s shoulders fell as she raced away. Why was he so bad at this? When he’d been chasing them, everything had made sense. He’d known what he had to do and even if it was a crazy idea to catch the Avatar it was something that he could hold to. Now that he was trying to be a good guy? Well, it seemed that the thing he was best at was screwing things up.
He couldn’t do for Katara here what he’d done back home. Could he convince her without that? He hoped so, but he honestly didn’t know how.
He sighed sadly and returned to the picnic table, sitting on top of it and creating a warm little flame in his hand. He would keep thinking, and maybe someday, if he were lucky, she’d forgive him for what he’d done.