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Title: I’ll Take You Where The Water’s Deep
Author:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
redbrunja
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: R for sexual themes.
Author’s Note: Sequel to “Or Else This Heat Might Turn To Frost”
Prompted byrashaka’s reminding me of how awesome and apropos this song is. Written for zutara100, prompt 002. Ends
Summery: “When she was a child, she used to play with the lamp flames.” Katara tries to do the right thing.
Author:
redbrunjaFandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: R for sexual themes.
Author’s Note: Sequel to “Or Else This Heat Might Turn To Frost”
Prompted by
rashaka’s reminding me of how awesome and apropos this song is. Written for zutara100, prompt 002. EndsSummery: “When she was a child, she used to play with the lamp flames.” Katara tries to do the right thing.
“This was a mistake, and it’s over.”
And it was, and it is, and Katara knows she made the right decision.
When she was a child, she used to play with the lamp flames, before she realized that it caused the oil to vanish faster, and they didn’t have oil enough to spare, not just so she could get her fingers sooty while she waited on the endless Southern Winters. But she remembered how to do it; the trick was quickness. Katara would drag her fingers through the flame, fast, and there would be only a flicker of warmth over her unburned fingers.
Zuko was the same; the longer she circled around him, let herself be tempted and worse, let herself succumb, the more likely it would be that instead of walking away with sooty lips and hair snarled into knots from his hands, it would end badly, Sokka furious, her father disappointed, Aang betrayed.
She was a Master Bender of the Southern Water Tribe, and there was a difference between making a former enemy a begrudging ally (“Well, fine, if you really want to, you can heat up the dish water and I suppose it couldn’t hurt if you heated up the bathwater too–”) and willingly taking him (his lips on her neck, his exhale hot enough to raise blisters, hands gripping her hips hard enough to bruise) to her bed.
No, it was better to end it now, while no one knew, while there would be no awkward looks, no questions, no recriminations.
She lasted a week and a half.
Then Katara was slipping into his room as the sun first creep over the horizon, falling into his arms while light the color of honey filled his chamber.
He kissed her like she’d been years away, gone to fight in some horrific war, instead of having seen her ten hours ago at dinner.
This was a betrayal, she knew it was, but when Zuko was moving over her, as slow and steadfast as the sea on a summer day, she couldn’t care.
She choked on her sobs when she came and Zuko kissed the tears away from her cheeks and murmured promises she knew he’d die to keep.
Somehow, that just made it worse.
And it was, and it is, and Katara knows she made the right decision.
When she was a child, she used to play with the lamp flames, before she realized that it caused the oil to vanish faster, and they didn’t have oil enough to spare, not just so she could get her fingers sooty while she waited on the endless Southern Winters. But she remembered how to do it; the trick was quickness. Katara would drag her fingers through the flame, fast, and there would be only a flicker of warmth over her unburned fingers.
Zuko was the same; the longer she circled around him, let herself be tempted and worse, let herself succumb, the more likely it would be that instead of walking away with sooty lips and hair snarled into knots from his hands, it would end badly, Sokka furious, her father disappointed, Aang betrayed.
She was a Master Bender of the Southern Water Tribe, and there was a difference between making a former enemy a begrudging ally (“Well, fine, if you really want to, you can heat up the dish water and I suppose it couldn’t hurt if you heated up the bathwater too–”) and willingly taking him (his lips on her neck, his exhale hot enough to raise blisters, hands gripping her hips hard enough to bruise) to her bed.
No, it was better to end it now, while no one knew, while there would be no awkward looks, no questions, no recriminations.
She lasted a week and a half.
Then Katara was slipping into his room as the sun first creep over the horizon, falling into his arms while light the color of honey filled his chamber.
He kissed her like she’d been years away, gone to fight in some horrific war, instead of having seen her ten hours ago at dinner.
This was a betrayal, she knew it was, but when Zuko was moving over her, as slow and steadfast as the sea on a summer day, she couldn’t care.
She choked on her sobs when she came and Zuko kissed the tears away from her cheeks and murmured promises she knew he’d die to keep.
Somehow, that just made it worse.
no subject
Oh man, I love that observation of Zuko... he is the sort who would only make promises like that if he sincerely meant to keep them. The boy is so devoted (look at how long he stayed loyal to Ozai), that if that devotion turned to a girl or a woman, and if he made her promises to that regard then I think he'd be completely serious about it. It's part of his whole "I must be honorable and keep my word" thing, which makes the betrayal of Iroh so ironic because Zuko never swore loyalty to his uncle, never outright like he owed his father. He betrayed Iroh emotionally but not technically, not in the literal sense of breaking any promises. Anyway, that's off-topic. I just mean that if Zuko says it, he means it. That's something I love about his character. I'd believe a vow from Zuko before a vow from Sokka. Although Sokka is probably more trustworthy in the overall sense and certainly more reasonable, I think Sokka would only metaphorically go to the ends of the earth whereas Zuko would show up 15,000 miles later with a retinue and an itinerary.
He kissed her like she’d been years away, gone to fight in some horrific war, instead of having seen her ten hours ago at dinner.
That's a lovely image.
Even though this still ends on an unhappy note for Katara, it feels more hopeful (and thus true to the characters, as these are good kids) than the previous one. Also, I'm a fan of the romantic inevitability narrative.
no subject
*nods* He's so that boy.
He betrayed Iroh emotionally but not technically, not in the literal sense of breaking any promises.
I know, he did, and I think that's one reason that he was so confused for so long (besides the writers being jackasses) because he couldn't understand feeling as bad as he did when he hadn't broken his word. I think Zuko has trouble with the concept of emotional truths and oaths, and that they, you know, even exist.
I think Sokka would only metaphorically go to the ends of the earth whereas Zuko would show up 15,000 miles later with a retinue and an itinerary.
This line make be laugh out loud. And is, so, so true. And part of that is there different personalities - Sokka is more about the big picture, while both Katara and Zuko are unable to NOT focus on the details. Like, I think Sokka would be a better tactician than Zuko, because Sokka would be able to say, 'okay, we're going to need to sacrifice these soldiers over here so we can win' while Zuko would be bending over backwards to find some way to get out of that choice. (And I'm assuming 'sacrifice these soldiers' as part of a valid strategy, not 'let's just throw there lives away, m'kay?')
He kissed her like she’d been years away, gone to fight in some horrific war, instead of having seen her ten hours ago at dinner.
That's a lovely image.
I'm glad you liked it - I worried about it being too one the nose, but I loved it too much not to add it in.
Also, I'm a fan of the romantic inevitability narrative.
You mean, the whole, I don't want to want you but I can't stay away? Yeah, I'm a sucker for that too.
icon match! yours makes me want to change mine back... two great poems; how to choose?
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This line make be laugh out loud. And is, so, so true. And part of that is there different personalities - Sokka is more about the big picture, while both Katara and Zuko are unable to NOT focus on the details. Like, I think Sokka would be a better tactician than Zuko, because Sokka would be able to say, 'okay, we're going to need to sacrifice these soldiers over here so we can win' while Zuko would be bending over backwards to find some way to get out of that choice. (And I'm assuming 'sacrifice these soldiers' as part of a valid strategy, not 'let's just throw there lives away, m'kay?')
Glad to get a smile. :D I think Zuko would take an oath like that literally, and be surprised (and probably somewhat irked) to find out the person had meant it metaphorically. It's an exaggeration, but it works.
Excellent observation about the personalities... I think you're spot-on about the war/tactics example. Brings to mind Katara's "never turn my back on someone who needs me" claim... though Zuko *would* turn his back if he felt an overriding higher commitment, if he was in the situation you describe he'd do his best to not have to sacrifice people. The motivation's the same... focusing on the details instead of the broad picture. That's always been Zuko's problem, not seeing the big picture. He's getting wiser, though. :grin:
Re: icon match! yours makes me want to change mine back... two great poems; how to choose?
And yes, Zuko's getting much better at looking at the big picture, but it's still not something he does naturally.
(*psst* I'm maybe thinking about doing a third installment to actually give these crazy kids a happy ending. Musical suggestions?)
Re: icon match! yours makes me want to change mine back... two great poems; how to choose?
If You Want This, You're Gonna Have To Ask ...Nicely
Our musical tastes? So sympathico, I can't even describe it. I've never had someone who has talked music and mentioned so many songs that I love that I expect no one to have/listen to.
And yes, Melissa Ferrick is a goddess, and that song... *guh* I have written so much Hakkai x Yaone smut listening to that song, I can't even tell you. Have you heard "Honesty Eyes" or "The Stranger"? Two other fabulous songs by her.
Re: icon match! yours makes me want to change mine back... two great poems; how to choose?
Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
Sting – Valparaiso
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – The Line
Straylight Run – Existentialism on Prom Night
The Tea Party – Cathartik
Something Happens – Momentary Thing
The Verve Pipe – The Freshman
The Killers – All These Things That I’ve Done
Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home
The Muse – Time Is Running Out
Alison Krauss – That Kind of Love
Franz Ferdinand – Forty Feet
OK Go – It’s A Disaster
Pretenders – Human
Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
SR-71 – Last Man On the Moon [and] Right Now
The Beatles – Hey Jude
Amanda Abizaid – A Place In Time
Sheryl Crow – Strong Enough
New Order – Bizarre Love Triangle
The 22-20s –Devil In Me
Interpol – Slow Hands [and] Evil
Bruce Springsteen – I’m On Fire
Nada Surf – The Blizzard of ‘77
Rufus Wainright – The Origin of Love
Diana King – I Say A Little Prayer For You
Garbage – Bad Boyfriend
Violent Femmes – Kiss Off
David Bowie featuring Queen – Under Pressure
Citizen Cope – Son’s Gonna Rise
Placebo – Special K
The Walkmen – Little House of Savages
Counting Crows – Colorblind [and] Margery Dreams of Horses
Radiohead – Karma Police
Angie Hart – Blue
The four bold ones you might be interested in for this!
Re: icon match! yours makes me want to change mine back... two great poems; how to choose?
Do you want these five songs? I'll happily send them along.
racing with the rising tide to my father's door ....oh. I've been bunnied.
Sting – Valparaiso
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – The Line
Straylight Run – Existentialism on Prom Night
The Tea Party – Cathartik
Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home
OK Go – It’s A Disaster
Pretenders – Human
Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
SR-71 – Last Man On the Moon [and] Right Now
Amanda Abizaid – A Place In Time
The 22-20s –Devil In Me
Interpol – Slow Hands [and] Evil
Nada Surf – The Blizzard of ‘77
Diana King – I Say A Little Prayer For You
Citizen Cope – Son’s Gonna Rise
Placebo – Special K
The Walkmen – Little House of Savages
Counting Crows – Colorblind [and] Margery Dreams of Horses
Radiohead – Karma Police
Any of those above songs, I would love to have. Especially The Black Motorcycle Club one. (Have you heard "Faultline"? My mother and I call it our 'daddy issues song.) So feel free to send my a couple of your particular favorites.
(And if there's any songs that you'd like, that I've mentioned, or you could even just ask me if I have such-and-such, please let me know.)