Title: Fireflies
Author: redbrunja
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Zuko, Katara.
Author’s Note: written for![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ivy_chan .
Summary: "The wind was rustling in the leaves of the lemon-palms, the sun was beating down as mercilessly as the Fire Nation's army had marched across the South Pole a generation before, and the most powerful waterbender in the world walked up the steps to the Palace with bare feet and a dress that had been mended many times." [post-series]
In the fall of the 16th year of the reign of Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar's waterbender came to the Palace.
She arrived on a hot, dry day. The wind was rustling in the leaves of the lemon-palms, the sun was beating down as mercilessly as the Fire Nation's army had marched across the South Pole a generation before, and the most powerful waterbender in the world walked up the steps to the Palace with bare feet and a dress that had been mended many times.
The Fire Lord greeted her before she could reach the door.
He reached out, squeezed her hands in his. He was smiling but his eyes were worried.
Katara of the Southern Water Tribe did not join the royal family for dinner.
When the Fire Lady commented on this, Zuko shrugged.
"She's just really tired," he said. "I think she walked all the way from the Port."
"When do you think she'll be ready to teach me? She's still going to, right?" Mako asked excitedly.
Her little brother chortled in response to her tone and Mako bent the water out of her glass and twirled it in the air above Lu Ten's head. It formed into a dragon and Lu Ten's nurse clapped softly as the baby cooed.
"No bending at the table, Mako, I've told you before," Mai said.
Mako lost her concentration and the water dropped across Lu Ten's face. He started to wail and his nurse hustled him out of the room.
"Oh," Mako looked stricken and started after her brother.
"Ask permission before you leave the table, daughter," Mai commented, eyelashes veiling her eyes.
"You may go," Zuko said before Mako could.
Mako went.
The Lord and Lady of the Fire Nation finished their meal in silence.
Much later that evening, The Fire Lord was sitting on a bench, watching his daughter practice her bending in the turtleduck pond. Fireflies danced around the lamp he'd brought out to illuminate his paperwork.
"She's beautiful," Katara said from behind him.
Zuko twisted in his seat.
Katara was dressed in a deep blue robe, the silk hem brushing a pair of gold slippers.
"Thank you," he said. "Did you sleep well?"
Katara stretched, her clothing clinging to her hips and almost slipping off one shoulder. She'd lost weight since the last time Zuko had seen her.
"Yes, I did," she nodded towards his daughter. "She moves well, but her balance needs work."
She seated herself next to him, careful to keep a respectful distance between their shoulders.
"I'm worried about you, Katara," he said after a moment. She was wearing the new hair beads he'd had the maids set out for her and the fireflies danced around the gleam of moonstone.
"Worried?" Katara frowned.
"You're exhausted," Zuko noted, fixing his gaze on his daughter. "He's not taking care of you."
"I can take care of me," Katara said coolly.
Mako was bending the water into multi-pronged whips, feet moving in a variation on The Dancing Dragon firebending form.
"I know," said the Fire Lord, "but he should be taking care of you anyway."
Author: redbrunja
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Zuko, Katara.
Author’s Note: written for
ivy_chan .Summary: "The wind was rustling in the leaves of the lemon-palms, the sun was beating down as mercilessly as the Fire Nation's army had marched across the South Pole a generation before, and the most powerful waterbender in the world walked up the steps to the Palace with bare feet and a dress that had been mended many times." [post-series]
In the fall of the 16th year of the reign of Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar's waterbender came to the Palace.
She arrived on a hot, dry day. The wind was rustling in the leaves of the lemon-palms, the sun was beating down as mercilessly as the Fire Nation's army had marched across the South Pole a generation before, and the most powerful waterbender in the world walked up the steps to the Palace with bare feet and a dress that had been mended many times.
The Fire Lord greeted her before she could reach the door.
He reached out, squeezed her hands in his. He was smiling but his eyes were worried.
Katara of the Southern Water Tribe did not join the royal family for dinner.
When the Fire Lady commented on this, Zuko shrugged.
"She's just really tired," he said. "I think she walked all the way from the Port."
"When do you think she'll be ready to teach me? She's still going to, right?" Mako asked excitedly.
Her little brother chortled in response to her tone and Mako bent the water out of her glass and twirled it in the air above Lu Ten's head. It formed into a dragon and Lu Ten's nurse clapped softly as the baby cooed.
"No bending at the table, Mako, I've told you before," Mai said.
Mako lost her concentration and the water dropped across Lu Ten's face. He started to wail and his nurse hustled him out of the room.
"Oh," Mako looked stricken and started after her brother.
"Ask permission before you leave the table, daughter," Mai commented, eyelashes veiling her eyes.
"You may go," Zuko said before Mako could.
Mako went.
The Lord and Lady of the Fire Nation finished their meal in silence.
Much later that evening, The Fire Lord was sitting on a bench, watching his daughter practice her bending in the turtleduck pond. Fireflies danced around the lamp he'd brought out to illuminate his paperwork.
"She's beautiful," Katara said from behind him.
Zuko twisted in his seat.
Katara was dressed in a deep blue robe, the silk hem brushing a pair of gold slippers.
"Thank you," he said. "Did you sleep well?"
Katara stretched, her clothing clinging to her hips and almost slipping off one shoulder. She'd lost weight since the last time Zuko had seen her.
"Yes, I did," she nodded towards his daughter. "She moves well, but her balance needs work."
She seated herself next to him, careful to keep a respectful distance between their shoulders.
"I'm worried about you, Katara," he said after a moment. She was wearing the new hair beads he'd had the maids set out for her and the fireflies danced around the gleam of moonstone.
"Worried?" Katara frowned.
"You're exhausted," Zuko noted, fixing his gaze on his daughter. "He's not taking care of you."
"I can take care of me," Katara said coolly.
Mako was bending the water into multi-pronged whips, feet moving in a variation on The Dancing Dragon firebending form.
"I know," said the Fire Lord, "but he should be taking care of you anyway."