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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 34026 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
- 205
- 206
- 207
Chapter 203
Mu opened the door for Zuko so he wouldn’t disturb the sleeping Waterbender in his arms. He followed him inside the room and set the key on the dresser while Zuko carried Katara to the bed. The prince was about to lay her down then remembered they hadn’t properly bathed after the battle.
“Mu do you mind putting a pillow here?” Zuko asked as he carried Katara to the spot where they spent the previous night.
“Surely she deserves better than the floor?” Mu inquired as positioned the cushion on the floor next to Zuko. “2 told me that you wanted to apologize to her. I don’t think denying her a soft place to sleep will aid that endeavor.”
Zuko carefully shifted Katara from his arms and made sure she didn’t wake up before replying, “We didn’t bathe earlier. Katara used her bending to wash us up but it wasn’t a real bath. I don’t want that in our bed.”
Mu inhaled and exhaled deeply as he watched Zuko fetch a blanket from the dresser and place it over Katara. He waited until Zuko was standing beside him to whisper, “Mai seems to think that Ty Lee was burned earlier. Ty Lee insists she wasn’t but you know how Mai is once she gets an idea. I’ll do what I can to discourage her. I’m sure Ty Lee will also after seeing the way she snapped at her. I know if I show her how Katara has been helping the animals she won’t tell she’s a healer.”
“Thank you,” the words were quiet but Mu could hear the gratitude in them.
Mu sighed, “Zuko, were you injured during the battle? Your gait…”
“No, I’m just tired. Katara and I hid in the restaurant’s bathroom after the battle. You saw how I had to wrestle with her to calm her down. She’s not big, but she’s strong,” Zuko rambled hoping to distract Mu.
Mu nodded and made his way to the door. He stopped when Zuko called his name.
“Neveremind, I was going to ask that you have water sent up, but I see we have some.”
“There was water in the admiral’s room also. They most likely filled it during the battle and went back into hiding,” Mu accurately theorized.
He was leaving again when he remembered something he needed to tell his friend, “Zuko, I was at the stables when Azula demanded a messenger hawk from the aviary next door. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to be careful. There have been several rumbles that founding the Ursa House has suspicious timing and that you only did so because she swayed you. They say you are sullying Princess Ursa’s good name and making a mockery of the work she did for the women of our nation to cater to the whims of the Waterbender. Your father will kill you if he believes them.”
Zuko nodded quietly, “I know. Katara wasn’t the only reason. I…I haven’t been a good son,” Zuko sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Today really is Mom’s birthday. I know she wouldn’t approve of my behavior towards Katara but today at least I wanted to do something and be a son that she’d be proud of.”
Mu bit his lip not sure how to answer. He and a few of the other sons of nobles had often taunted Zuko about being a mama’s boy. It was a charge the prince proudly accepted. He patted his friend’s shoulder, “She would proud of what you are doing to help the women of this city. Even if she were not proud of your actions towards Katara she would be proud of the intent behind them. You are too kind, Zuko. Princess Ursa would be angry to see how you foolishly jeopardize the life she gave you even if it is to help others.”
Zuko smiled, “Do you remember how mad she was when I jumped in the pond to save the baby turtleduck I thought was drowning?”
“I didn’t think anyone other than my mother was capable of yelling like that,” Mu replied with a laugh. There was a wistful smile on his face but his voice was somber as he added, “You’re sixteen Zuko not six. It’s time you realized there’s no point in jumping in to save someone when you can’t swim yourself.”
“But...” Zuko argued glancing over his shoulder at Katara.
“If your dumbass drowns who the fuck is going to throw her a life raft? Azula? Agni! Think Zuko. You have a pretty good head on shoulders when you actually decide to use it. Go back to your Waterbender. I’m going to bed. I’m tired. You should get some sleep too. The outpost regiment is south of here. They will start arriving tomorrow.”
Zuko watched his friend walk down the hallway and disappear into the stairwell before shutting the door. He removed his shoes and outer tunic before doing the same for Katara. She was trembling so he tucked the blanket around her body before lying down beside her. Zuko allowed himself to pretend she wriggled closer to him for a reason other than searching for a source of warmth.
He stared out of the window and searched the skies for a particular constellation. There were tears in his eyes and his voice trembled as he sang happy birthday to Ursa Major.
~*~*~
It was the middle of the night when Katara woke. She had been dreaming of what Sokka had told her before she fell asleep and she expected to see the inside of her home. It took her a while to realize she was on the floor cuddling with Zuko. She pulled away slightly but not before noticing the tear tracks on his face. Her mother’s birthday had been before the invasion. Aang and Toph did what they could to make things easier for her and Sokka. She couldn’t imagine being alone on her mother’s birthday. Out of pity she slid closer.
Zuko’s eyelid fluttered and he yawned before opening them fully. To his surprise Katara didn’t turn away from him.
“Zuko, why are we on the floor?” she muttered sleepily.
“We haven’t had baths. I didn’t want to dirty the bed,” he explained while moving to heat the water.
She sat up and stretched. The hotel employees had placed a large tub of water in the room as well as an empty one. She rearranged the privacy screen then undressed. She bent water over the soap then her body and finally out of the window. She repeated the process several times before adding some to the empty tub. She put on a robe then asked Zuko to heat the water before sitting in the tub and actually bathing.
After she finished she separated the water and put her dirty clothing in the tub. She washed them then asked Zuko for his. She sent that water into the garden behind the hotel along with the rest. She rinsed tub then walked back behind the privacy screen. Zuko didn’t have a sense of modesty or care if she saw him. After they’d switched sides she dressed in a nightgown and pair of the cotton underwear made by Mine. She watched as Zuko’s silhouette stood in the tub she just vacated, poured water over himself, grabbed the soap and began washing.
She had washed like that before receiving training in her element. It was inefficient and never left her feeling clean.
Zuko was reaching for the pitcher a second time when the water slid over the soap and towards him. He stood slowly expecting the worse but the water gently caressed him before exiting through the window. Once it was gone another stream washed over him. He didn’t want it to end but he wanted enough water to be left to soak in. He swallowed thickly before speaking, “I’m clean Katara.”
Katara closed her eyes inhaling the scent of soap and Firebending as the water began to steam as Zuko reheated it. Growing up she attributed the scent of a fire to whatever was burning but now after spending so much time around Firebenders she realized what she had been smelling was smoke. Fire, pure fire generated without combustibles, had its own unique aroma. She took a deep breath letting the steam clear her nostrils of the earlier scents of battle and her brother. She loved Sokka with all of her heart but since Mu had put him to work he always carried the scent of animal manure.
She was almost asleep when the bed dipped. She opened her eyes to see Zuko’s naked form sliding beneath the sheets with her. She stiffened when he got closer and began threading his hands through her hair. She relaxed when it dawned on her that Zuko’s legs were intertwined with hers and she wasn’t being poked; his penis remained a soft warm lump against her leg.
Zuko absently dried Katara’s still damp hair while holding her. He’d also dreamed of home. He was six and back at the turtleduck pond. He jumped into the pond when he saw the baby turtleduck floundering. Suddenly he was sixteen and the turtleduck had turned into the Earth Kingdom women. Instead of Azula on the shoreline screaming for their mother was Katara. She was surrounded by noblemen and screaming for him to help her.
Each time his head rose above the water another piece of her clothing had been ripped off. She was on the ground and Lord Asami was on top of her. His pants were around his ankles. He was almost at the shoreline when the nobleman penetrated her. Water filled his mouth as he cried out to her. He could still hear her calling his name and begging for help as he submerged one final time. The Earth Kingdom women were on the other shore laughing at them.
After what Mu said earlier he didn’t have to think too hard to understand the dream’s meaning. He bit his lower lip wishing he had not gone to that house to ask for an Earthbender or seen the way Fan eyeballed Jin’s refugee cousin or that he didn’t find it odd that Azula had asked if he would consider the couple Jin’s family and therefore under his protection.
He had not developed his uncle’s eye for spotting an Earthbender. They had parted ways and Iroh never got the opportunity to continue the lesson but Fan had. Fan had lived among them for over 30 years so he was even better than Iroh at noticing the subtle nuances of their movements. Fan had told him to study the Dai Li agents Azula commanded.
Zuko was nowhere near being able to detect an Earthbender by watching them walk but he had noticed all martial artists regardless of discipline carried certain traits of their master. Just as a few of his and several of Azula’s strikes resembled Ozai’s, all of the Dai Li agents began with the same opening sequence. The carpenter, Yong, who had built the Ursa House started with that same opening sequence.
He replanted his feet, spreading his toes wide to feel the earth, squared his shoulders, took a deep breath, and relaxed before each major movement. He made doors by stepping forward with his right foot, extending his right hand, palm sideways, then slowly turned his hand and foot simultaneously to gently angle it open. Four of Azula’s Dai Li used that same method. The majority simply walked up and punched it into the wall.
If Azula had stationed Dai Li at Jin’s house it was ensure she remained a virgin. She could not claim he was lying about sleeping with her and that Katara was not his first if a soldier disobeyed his decree and raped her or if she gave herself to an Earth Kingdom boy. Katara had to be his first woman if she was to usurp the throne. He remembered how Jet had come to the teashop and accused them of being Firebenders one day but the next didn’t recognize him. For days several people whispered “the Dai Li got him” and explained how they invaded a person’s mind.
Jin was friends with the hotel owner’s children. She knew their bedsheets had been clean. Too much time had passed for Katara to still be on her cycle. All it would take for Katara to be taken from him was for Jin to learn that their sheets still were clean and the Dai Li to rip the information from her mind.
Zuko pulled Katara closer to him and kissed her forehead. Today was his mother’s birthday. All he had wanted to do was wake up in Katara’s arms, have breakfast with Azula then go spar. After sparring with his sister, he had planned burn incense and light candles with Chu-hua then have lunch. He’d then spend the afternoon reading in the meadow with Katara and Korhi. They’d come back to town order dinner to go at the restaurant and lay in the garden behind the hotel and look at the stars. He’d introduce Katara to his mother after he sang happy birthday to her.
The day that actually happened was all wrong. He wasn’t supposed to get sloppy drunk last night and today’s battle was not supposed to happen. He was not supposed to be placed in a position to reassert his claim over Katara on the day of his mother’s birth. Today was supposed to be the one day he didn’t do anything to shame or disappoint his mother.
He licked his lips but his mouth was still too dry and his voice was more of a croak than anything when he called her name, “Katara.”
He cleared his throat and tried again but it was rougher than the first time. Katara rose onto one shoulder and called water from the pitcher. She exhaled slowly while directing to Zuko’s mouth. He understood why when he took the first drink. He wasn’t sure how long it had been sitting on the dresser, but it was cool against his lips.
“Katara…I….” he paused and took a deep breath. His voice trembled as he spoke, “Katara, there are Dai Li agents stationed at Jin’s house.”
“What? We have to warn her family,” Katara said genuinely concerned for the other girl. She remembered what they had done to Jet.
Zuko shook his head, “We can’t. They are posing as her family; both Jin and her mother recognized them as cousins from her Dad’s side. They’ve already been brainwashed.”
“But the other…” Katara said quietly
“I don’t think they know. They agreed to take them in based on what Jin told them. If we tell them we could put them in more danger.”
“They are Dai Li, Zuko,” Katara said emphasizing the importance of warning the unsuspecting family.
“I know,” he sighed. “I don’t think they are there to hurt them. I think Azula put them there to look after her.”
“But why? It doesn’t make sense for Azula to want to help her,” Katara argued.
“Azula doesn’t want to help her. She wants to help herself. Jin is just receiving the side benefit. Katara, you already know that Azula wants to use the fact I gave you my first to take the throne away from me. That was her purpose in throwing that debacle she called a manhood celebration.”
Katara nodded, remembering that horrible night.
“I was able to cast doubt on that by saying I slept with a woman during by banishment. It was foolish of me to say Jin was that woman but it was the only reason I could give to protect her family. I’m sure Azula has already had Jin examined to see if her maidenhead is intact. The Dai Li agents there are to ensure it stays that way. A royal decree only goes so far without anyone willing to enforce it. You saw what that man did to her earlier and how he disrespected me. I don’t know who the base commander or provisional official will be. He could rape her himself to show the banished disgrace of a prince has no true authority and no one would care. I can’t take the additional protection away from her,” Zuko explained.
“So why are you telling me if you aren’t going to do anything?” Katara huffed.
“Jin knows our bedsheets have been clean. If-,” Zuko exhaled puffing sarcastically then corrected himself “-when the Dai Li find out they’ll report it to Azula. I’m still not sure if she’s the one stealing our bedsheets from the Ursa but it can be taken as a sign I’ve lost interest. I don’t want to risk you being taken away from me, Katara.”
It felt like he had been stabbed in the gut as he whispered almost inaudibly, “Our bedsheets need to be dirty.”
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Borealis: A Zutara Story