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Opposites Attract	By : anndragera007 Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 15244 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Avatar The Last Airbender, nor am I making any kind of profit off of this story (not that I can see how) I write merely for the enjoyment of the story. - thought honestly I WOULD love to own Zuko!

Chapter List
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Opposites Attract – Pt 4

It has been near three whole weeks since that night on the beach, and Zuko hasn’t touched her again since then. Sozin’s Comet had already come and gone. Aang succeeded in defeating Ozai and took away the cruel king’s ability to fire-bend. Azula, who was to have been named Firelord in Ozai’s place, was defeated due to her and Zuko’s joined efforts. The war was officially over.

So why was it that Katara found herself waiting for an audience with Zuko, the new Firelord? Even she didn’t know why. Zuko was working hard at restoring both the peace within the Fire Nation as well as sending troops to help rebuild the Earth Kingdom. He acted as if there was nothing wrong, but for some reason Katara could tell that something was bothering him.

Worried, she had sought out the only person who seemed to know Zuko better than himself, his uncle, Iroh. Thankfully she had not been alone in thinking that there was something wrong; Iroh had sensed the same turmoil in his nephew as she had. But what was even better than that, was the fact that Iroh had a good idea about what it was that seemed to be troubling Zuko. His banished mother, Ursa (please correct me if I have her name wrong).

Katara remembered that Zuko had mentioned losing his own mother back when they had been trapped in the crystal caves beneath the city of Ba Sing Se. Unfortunately, before she could learn more, they were rescued by Aang and Iroh only to then end up being betrayed by Zuko as he joined Azula as fought to capture Aang.

Iroh revealed to her Zuko’s dark past. Everything from Ozai’s attempt to steal Iroh’s birthright of firstborn and right to be the next Firelord to the death warrant that had been placed on Zuko’s head, the price that his grandfather had demanded in order for Ozai to become the new Firelord. Thankfully his mother found out before the deed was carried out, thanks to Azula, and saved her son. But in doing so, she became branded as a traitor and was banished from the Fire Nation.

Now, with Ozai defeated and locked away in one of his own prisons, Zuko was desperately searching for the only other person that had ever cared about him. Knowing that this was something that Zuko would do, Iroh had spent the many years he had traveled with Zuko not only trying to properly train and guide the scarred youth, but also searching for his banished mother.

Unfortunately, Iroh never managed to locate his brother’s wife, and even now feared that Zuko’s own search might be in vain. He knew that the chances of finding Ursa alive and well after so many years were slim, but he didn’t have it in his heart to tell Zuko of his own failed search out of fear of destroying his nephew’s own hope at finding his mother.

So here she was, waiting for her turn to meet with Zuko in an effort to make the proud Firelord talk. She knew that it had to be killing Zuko inside to think that his mother might actually still be alive but that she was unwilling to return to her home, to return to her son now that Ozai was defeated. If anything she hoped that she might be able to comfort the silently suffering fire-bender so that he didn’t end up falling into depression.

Finally it was her turn and her name was announced. As she enters the audience chambers, Zuko was already climbing to his feet and banishing the flames before him as he moved to welcome her.

“Katara!” he cried happily as he pulled her into a swift hug. “What brings you here for an audience with the Firelord? Surely if there is anything that you or any of the others need, then all you have to do is ask. There is no need to seek an audience with me, but since you are here, how about we slip away to the palace gardens for a while?”

Katara returned his hug with eagerly, holding onto him for a second longer than she should have, but it had been so long since he had touched her that she couldn’t help herself. Finally, drawing back she nodded as she looked up at Zuko. “There’s something I want to talk to you about, but I didn’t know if you would listen to me unless I made it official.”

“What could you possible want to talk to me about that I wouldn’t listen to, Katara?” asked Zuko jokingly as her steered out of the audience chamber and down one of the many corridors that led to the inner gardens. As they made their way through the palace, Zuko asked her about Aang and the rest of their friends. Happily, Katara answered all of his questions.

Having finally been caught up to date on what was happening with each of their friends, Zuko turned to her and asked, “So, Katara, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Katara nervously bit her lip as they entered the lush gardens. Gathering her courage, Katara quietly whispering, “Firelady Ursa, your mother.”

Immediately the smile left Zuko’s face as he turned his back to the water maid. “What’s there to talk about? She’s gone. Even my own father can’t tell me where she is.”

Katara sighed, she knew that this was not going to be easy, but it needed to be done. In order for Zuko to move on with his life then he would have to accept the fact the either his mother was really and truly gone, or the she could not bring herself to face him due to what she had done in order to save his life.

Katara bit her lip nervously, before stepping behind the young Firelord and wrapping her arms around him. “Could you tell me about her?” she asked softly.

Slowly, Zuko relaxed. Placing one of his hands over her own, he leaned into back against her. “She was . . . was so amazing, Katara. Kind and gentle. She believed in me. She made me believe that I could do anything, unlike my father. She was one of the few people in my life who didn’t see me as a failure.”

Katara continued to hold the quiet fire-bender as he told her about the woman who had raised him. As she listened, Katara couldn’t help but like Firelady Ursa. The woman was just as brave as her son, and had a heart of gold. Silently, Katara sent out a prayer that if it were still possible, that Zuko’s mother was found and brought home.

“I – I miss her so much Katara,” admitted Zuko softly.

“I know.”

“Why won’t she come home?” asked the young fire-bender as he turned in Katara’s arms seeking comfort.

“I don’t know, Zuko,” answered the water-bender as she looked up into the tormented eyes of the man in her arms. “Perhaps she hasn’t heard about your father’s defeat. Or if she has, she may not realize that you, yourself have come home.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Zuko as he pulled back.

“Well,” started Katara nervously, “She may have found out about your own banishment, Zuko. And if she did, how is she supposed to know that you have returned and now sit on the throne, instead of Azula.”

“Hmmm,” mused the fire-bender, “Honestly, I had never thought about that. But how can I change that? How can I let her know that it is safe for her to come home?”

“Well, you could always do something like Azula did to you and Uncle Iroh.”

“Meaning?”

“When she had wanted posters sent out for your capture, only this time make it a notice or invitation for Firelady Ursa to return to the Fire Nation. And be sure to include that it is at the request of the new Firelord and that she is pardoned for any crimes that may have been committed,’ suggested Katara. “Or you could just hire a certain female bounty hunter and her shuuzo.”

“I already tried that,” answered Zuko. “Unfortunately there was nothing left in the palace that had enough of my mother’s scent on it to do any good.”

“Oh, Zuko, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. There was no harm in trying,” replied the fire-bender. “We’ll find her, you’ll see.”

Katara wanted to agree with the young Firelord, but she knew that she would only be giving him false hope. Biting her lip once more, Katara looked away sadly as she quietly voiced the one fear Zuko would be unwilling to hear. “And what if there is nothing left to find?”

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!” Zuko’s reaction was immediate as he quickly turned her around to face him again.

Slowly, Katara looked up into the raging fear-filled eyes that glared down at her. “I said, ‘what if there is nothing left to find?’ It’s been over thirteen years since you last saw your mother, Zuko.”

“DON’T KATARA! DON’T SAY IT!”

“What if she didn’t survive the war? What then Zuko?” challenged Katara, hating herself for the pain she was undoubtedly causing her friend. Unfortunately it was something that needed to be done. Zuko had to accept the possibility that his mother may indeed be gone. “I’m not telling you to give up all hope for her, Zuko, but you do need to consider the fact that she may not have survived.”

Angrily, Zuko turned on her, “Then what do you suggest I DO!?”

“Stop sending your men to hunt for her as if she were a some kind of criminal. If she is capable and willing to return then she will find a way. Make the invitations, have them posted and let your people know that nothing is to happen to her should they see her. But just in case she doesn’t return, grieve.”

“Grieve?”

“Yes, grieve. There is nothing wrong in crying for someone who is gone, Zuko,” answered the water-bender as she gently reached out to the fire-bender. “You helped me to find closure by finding the man who took my mother from me, now it’s my turn to help you.”

“I don’t know if I can,” admitted the Firelord softly. “I haven’t cried in so long that I’m not sure if I still can.”

“It’s alright,” whispered Katara as she saw the first tear beginning to fall. “Just let your memories go, they will show you the way.”

Zuko did as she advised and let the memories of his mother wash over him. As they did, he buried his face into Katara’s neck and hair while he clung to her for support as he grieved. Crying for the one other person who had meant so much to him but was gone now.

######

Katara didn’t know how long she held Zuko as he silently cried in her arms, nor did she care. As Zuko’s tears began to slow, Katara began to kiss away the remaining tears as they continued to fall.

Beginning at his the side of his jaw, she slowly and tenderly kissed her way up to his cheek. Unfortunately, as soon as her lips touched the outer edge of the scar left by his father, Zuko turned away.

“Katara, don’t,” Zuko whispered softly as he pulled out of her arms. He really disliked it when people touched his scar. To him it is a constant reminder of how his own father saw him as a failure. It marked him, making him hideous to even look upon. “I don’t want your pity.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Katara. “I don’t pity you. I never have and I never will. So why is it that you think that I would pity you? Because you still miss your mother? Hell, Zuko, I still miss my own mother.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

With his back still turned to the water-bender, Zuko silently reached up and covered his scar. “You don’t have to hide it, I know the scar makes me look ugly.”

“What makes you think that I think your scar is unsightly?” asked Katara.

Surprised Zuko’s head snapped back around to look at her. His eyes wide he asked in disbelief, “Don’t you?”

Katara shook her head no. “Of course I not. To me, that scar is a mark of courage and loyalty. You were willing to fight a master fire-bender in order to protect the innocent lives of your people against those who would have used them for slaughter. And when you found that your opponent was your father, you showed loyalty. You should treat it as a mark of honor, not shame, Zuko.”

“But don’t you see Katara? I DIDN’T fight!” counter Zuko, as he looked away again. “I was a coward.”

“That is where you are wrong, Zuko,” admonished Katara. “Just because you didn’t fight, does not make you a coward. Hell, it was your own father that you were facing! Even I wouldn’t want to end up in a duel against my mother or my father. And it is not your fault that you were deceived either. It was your father’s own choice to enter that ring. You willingly bowed down before your father out of loyalty, and fool that he was, he saw it as weakness and punished you as he saw fit.”

When Zuko was still unwilling to look at her, Katara stepped in front of the silent fire-bender and reached up. Gently, she lift his chin until his eyes met her once more. “I want you to know this here and now, Zuko. Your father was and always will be a fool. Don’t let his actions in the past continue to rule your life. You are free now, and you have friends who care about you. So you have a scar, which I for one happen to like, but Aang has arrows tattooed all over his body. Do you see him complaining?”

“No but then again, Toph is blind remember?” counter the fire-bender.

“So, she still knows that they are there, thanks to how much he complained about having to hide them,” answered Katara.

Zuko had nothing cause he knew that she was right. The Avatar had indeed complained quite a bit about have his arrows hidden while they were hiding in the Fire Nation.

“So . . . you, like my scar?” he asked nervously.

“Do you honestly think that I could possibly find you hideous after the night I saw you bathing in the river?” demanded Katara.

Zuko’s eyes lit with mischievously intent as he knowingly asked, “And what night was that exactly?”

Katara blushed as she remembered what she had witnessed that night on the bank of the river just over a month ago. “You know what night it was, hell you looked straight at me!”

“Maybe I did, and maybe I didn’t,” answered Zuko as he teased the water-bender to no end. “But why don’t you remind me? What was it exactly that I was doing that night?”

“You were bathing in the river?”

“And what else did I do that night?”

“You . . . you ended up pleasuring yourself,” answered Katara, her face completely red from embarrassment.

“It’s called masturbating,” corrected Zuko, “And how was I to know if you actually found me attractive? If my memory is correct, you left.”

“Well what was I supposed to do, Zuko?” counter the water-bender. “I was both shocked and surprised to find out that you actually liked me. That you saw me as a desirable woman. Do you even realize that you were the first person in our group to do so other than Jet or Aang? I actually thought that Jet liked me, but in the end he was using me against my own brother. And although I really care about Aang, he was like a brother to me. Plus, after all the fighting and mistrust that was between us, I didn’t quite know how to deal with you or your feelings.”

“I can understand that . . . now,” admitted the fire-bender. “To be honest, I was actually surprised to find that I was falling for the very same girl I had fought with for so long. So, I guess I can understand what you were going through, but what about the second time?”

“What second time?”

“Ember Island.”

Katara flushed again. “What about it?”

“You fought me.”

“You snuck up on me! Not to mention, gagged and blindfolded me. Who wouldn’t fight back? Hell, we were hiding from the Fire Nation WITHIN the Fire Nation. How was I to know you were a friend or an enemy.”

“Fine,” Zuko continued, “but what about later, when we were on the beach?”

This time Katara looked away. “I was scared, Zuko,” she admitted softly, “Things were moving too fast then, and I wasn’t ready.”

Hanging his head in defeat, Zuko turned to leave. His hope that Katara might actually love him as much as he had grown to love her was dying painfully at her admission. But before he had even managed to take five steps, a gentle hand at his shoulder stops him. Gently the hand tugs until he is once again facing the water-bender.

Slowly, tenderly, Katara lifts her hand and cups it along Zuko’s jaw and scar. “I wasn’t finished Zuko,” she admonished, “I said that I wasn’t ready then, but I am now.” Thankfully this time, when her hand caressed over his scar, Zuko didn’t turn away.

“Are you sure, Katara?”

“Yes, I am very sure, my fiery prince,” promised Katara, as she leaned forward just as Zuko leaned down. The lips met eagerly, hungrily for the first time in weeks. And while Zuko reveled in the taste of her once more, his heart soared. She had come to him at last.

Finally finished part 4 - One more chapter to go! And it's the good one! Enjoy!
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Opposites Attract