Zutara Ao3 and Fanfiction.net Recs (Semi-Hiatus)

Not an automated blog but rather a blog of certified good fanfiction, Indefinite Semi-Hiatus

[demaparbat-hp]

THE CRAVING

Arc I: If I found my body in chains

Pages 1 & 2

Next

¦

Seems I get in my own way.

.

And so it begins! The first two pages are here, giving start to my biggest visual project so far. I hope you enjoy it (more than Katara does at the moment)!

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 6/7 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Aang (Avatar) Additional Tags: Zutara Week 2021, Another 'Katara left behind Au' that nobody asked for, tea themed because that's who i am bitches, Marriage of Convenience, Fake Marriage, Refugees, Katara and Zuko get fake married in order to blend in on the road to Ba Sin Se, Spoiler: they catch feelings, whoops, Iroh ships it, Zutara, Rating May Change, no beta we die like men, Violence Summary:

The Avatar’s Waterbender is left behind in the Si Wong desert. The disgraced Prince Zuko and General Iroh agree to escort her to the impenetrable city, Ba Sing Se. The White Lotus provides the three refugees with new passports, but also, unexpectedly, a marriage certificate for a certain Lee and Hua Mei. Fake Marriage AU. Zutara Week 2021. M.

[demaparbat-hp]

GOD i wish they kept katara's burn scars from aang's mistake

I agree.

[demaparbat-hp]

This AU is already wonderful but... What if Zuko thought he was the one who burned Katara's hands?

He notices her scars for the first time during his search for the Avatar, a few weeks after she got them. But he doesn't pay any attention to Katara during the fight, not really. It isn't until the Siege of the North that he truly sees the scars on her hands, and realises that they weren't there before (her hands had been soft and unblemished during the pirates incident, not like this, rough and darker and achingly familiar).

When did this happen? Was it during one of their battles? Was one of his men responsible? Or did somebody else do it? There is no doubt in his mind that these are bending scars, after all.

Zuko wonders, after the North, if he gave them to her.

He has always been careful with his bending, regardless of the rage and desperation that fuel his battles with the Avatar. He knows what being burned and forced to carry a constant reminder of the flames is like—he's incapable of causing such pain to anyone, not even an enemy.

But what if he already has?

It's a sickening thought, and it chases him during his travels through the Earth Kingdom, adding weight to his guilt. He tries to hold on to the thought that maybe, just maybe, somebody else burned the waterbender, and he isn't to blame. But time passes and he witnesses and does many terrible, beautiful things...

So he decides to carry the responsibility for the burns on the waterbender's hands. It doesn't matter anymore if it wasn't him who burned her—he might as well have.

When they meet again under the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se, he listens. She blames him for everything that is wrong in her life, and he accepts her rage, because he knows he can't defend himself against her. He doesn't want to.

He can be the face of the enemy. He's already a monster, after all.

(Father would be proud.)

But then she offers to heal him.

Him.

Doesn't she know he could be the one who burned her? Doesn't she care for all the stupid, horrible things he has done to her and her kin? Doesn't she see the ruthlessness and hate coursing through his blood?

Doesn't she care?

But then she's touching his scar with her burned hands and she's reaching for the blessed water and he can't do this.

"Don't."

She stops.

"Why? Don't you want to be free of your scar?"

"Use the water to heal yourself. I deserve to carry the weight of my sins, but you don't have to."

There's silence, and Zuko tries to tear himself apart from her touch, to get away from her and from the Catacombs and from the world. But her scarred, beautiful self reaches out for him again. Katara holds his face with her burned hands and gently forces him to look at her.

Flesh on flesh, scar on scar, they meet.

And somehow he knows what she's going to say next.

"Zuko, you didn't do this."

Then the Avatar arrives.

[flowersadida]

First of all, great art. The tenderness of the touch of two traumatized people is conveyed in such a way that I myself feel Katara’s fingertips on my cheek and palm on my chin. Are you a wizard?

Secondly, a great description that made me believe for a second that it was canon.

I also read the hashtags and want to comment on the AU itself. Let's start with the fact that the idea of scars on Katara's arms is genius in itself. A visual reminder of a mistake always works better than having a character remember it out of plot necessity. For example, this scene would have looked much worse if Katara had scars from Aang's previous burn, I would have looked at the emotions that followed it.

Plus, it would work to parallel them with Zuko: while Zuko has a reminder of his mistake literally carved into his face, Aang has it carved into the arms of a loved one. This is a very nice detail that strengthens their bond as hero and villain.

Regarding your addition to this AU, I really like that the scars affect not only Aang, but also Zuko as a direct bearer. I like how having it in Katara's arms continues the theme of the harm of fire in people's lives and is the final stage in this arc.

Overall, I see the scene in the catacombs as the culmination of Zuko's journey. He observed a lot: somewhere it was pain and suffering of people, somewhere it was deprivation, somewhere it was love and care, somewhere it was hope - and all this educated him during the season. And in the catacombs he meets a person who unites all this in himself - Katara.

Therefore, it's logical that in addition to all this, Zuko will also encounter trauma from fire as an element in her. The phasing is obvious:

1. He gets burned by his father and becomes bitter;

2. He sees the burns of the enslaved side and learns empathy again;

3. He meets Katara at the end of the journey and displays his previously acquired final form of empathy as a result of the journey.

Therefore, the reaction you describe to this trauma is invaluable because it creates the missing piece of the puzzle in this chain. And perhaps this would have greatly influenced Zuko's decision in the season two finale.

However, personally, it seems to me that he would still choose his father. He's too attached to the love he desires to notice the love he was going towards. An attachment that keeps him on this earth and doesn't allow him to connect with cosmic energy, something like that.

But scars on Katara's arms would have given the connection to her even more meaning in the moment, so Zuko's suffering at the beginning of season 3 could have been significantly worse.

You're right, it's full of angst, but I like it. Down with the weird filler atmosphere of the season trying to pretend that everything is fine. I want soul-searching, and your AU opens the way to it

[demaparbat-hp]

This addition is amazing.

[thegratitudeworkshop]

That drawing is hauntingly beautiful, and I'm so intrigued by this AU! If I may share some thoughts, please: The first thought that came to mind for me was - What kept Katara from healing herself in the first place when she was burnt, and how does that impact her moving forward? In the show, Katara heals herself after running away from Sokka and Aang, so what if in this AU, Aang and/or Sokka go after her, and she doesn't get the chance to put her hands in the water because they work to treat her burns in a non-bender manner? That I think would set-up some really interesting development for her moving forward.

In the series, it seems like we largely see waterbenders having to use their hands in order to bend, so having injured, and then healing/scarring over, hands could negatively impact Katara's growing abilities as a bender for the remainder of Season 1. It's likely that Katara would continue trying to learn because she's driven, but she would have to work twice as hard for the progress we see her making in her abilities. Having to work so much harder would be a solid narrative tie-in with Zuko's disclosure that he was not a bending prodigy as a child but instead has had to work extra hard to become a powerful and skilled bender.

Additionally, once she gets to the North Pole, not knowing that she has healing abilities (abilities that she might have been able to use to heal her hands) could make for some more interesting dynamics with regard to the very gendered roles of the North Pole. A Katara who wants to learn to be a master waterbender (to be able to fight like her father and to also have been able to protect her mother) still works in this AU, but based on her healing journey we might have seen her struggling even more in her battle with Pakku, and we also might have seen a Katara who, because of her own experiences, was also interested in healing - not just because she's a girl, and it is therefore expected of her, but because this Katara would personally know that healing, like fighting, is a form of rebellion against the dangers of the Fire Nation (and fire itself).

I also think that learning about healing after it is too late for her to heal herself, would be a fascinating exercise in working through the heartbreak of not having known that at the time Aang burned her, wonder at the ability itself, and working towards acceptance and maintaining a positive view of self. That growing to accept her scars could be something we got to see her do after the Norther Pole, particularly after the transition into the Earth Kingdom's Upper Ring, where we see Katara having some of her first experiences of being pretty and painted-up for society (and herself). I also love the idea of Toph being totally cool with Katara's scars (not only because Toph doesn't care about that sort of thing, but also because they make Katara even more easily identifiable, by touch, to Toph).

Now, that work on acceptance isn't to say that Katara wouldn't take the blessed water and occasionally consider using it on herself, but Katara is someone that we repeatedly see believing in herself and being cared for by those around her (though we could have seen it more often throughout the series). Sokka would be extra protective for a time, but he'd also come to tell her about scars being considered impressive amongst Water Tribe warriors, telling her that they are a sign that she'd survived something significant. Aang would take time to forgive himself, but he'd be more mindful in the future, more aware that his actions have consequences. For Katara, that could be a silver lining, and an olive branch for addressing the physical and emotional hurt she felt as a result of his carelessness. As stated above, Toph wouldn't really care and would still probably call her "sugar queen" for kicks and giggles.

By the time we reach the Crystal Catacombs, therefore, Katara's hands might still hurt, and her bending might not be as strong as it would be if she hadn't been harmed, but she is largely at a place of peace with herself, her body, and her appearance. Zuko, however, who thinks he has caused her such significant pain, who has himself known so much pain, who unlike Katara has never known the love and approval of a father and sibling, and has shut himself off from the one source of love and care he's had in his life in the last three years is a different story. Katara recognizes that pain in him, and offers to use the spirit oasis water on him not out of a sense of self-sacrifice but from a place of healing herself. Offering to heal him (in more ways than just physically) is the ultimate act of accepting herself as she is and will now continue to be.

@demaparbat-hp, This is just such a great AU! I spent over an hour writing this, so thank you so much to you and @flowersadida for sharing your thoughts on it and to the anonymous person who prompted your drawing for it. You have all inspired me!

[demaparbat-hp]

First of all—I may or may not have shed a tear at this. It's beautiful, and bittersweet, and a very thoughtful addition to Katara's journey.

Initially, Katara did try to heal her hands, and succeeded to a degree (repairing the damaged nerves and speeding the healing process, for example)—but instinct could only take her so far, so both the scars and limitation of movement remained.

Waterhealing must have limitations. It must be learned, like a language, like real medicine, and no matter how much raw talent you have—that means nothing unless you know what you're doing.

However, your idea that Katara didn't get to discover she could heal in time, for something as simple as not being alone at the moment, is heartbreaking and bittersweet and, Agni, I love it.

You've explained the ramifications such an incident would have, and it fits really well with the themes of this Book, this series and Katara's character in general. How healing Zuko's scar is her way to finally heal herself broke me.

Thank you for such a wonderful addition, and for the time and effort that went into this. I really hope more people will see this and feel compelled to add to this AU.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Underage Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Growing Up Means Growing Pains, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Genocide, Deals with Colonialism & Trauma, Consensual Underage Sex Summary:

Zuko goes into exile with a scar, a mission, and a wife.

The girl wears ill fitted ceremonial silks. She is too thin, with jutting bones and hollowed eyes. Dirt smudges her cheek. Her lower lip has a healing split in it. Gaudy as her finery is, she wears it like prisoner’s rags.

All of this Zuko registers in the time it takes him to reach the dais and bow. Every muscle aches with the remembrance of what happened the last time he knelt before Father. This time there is no begging, no roar of the crowd, no burning. Still—Zuko’s grateful to stand once more.

Slipping into soldier’s parade rest, he waits for what will come next, all too aware of the girl’s defiant body next to his.

“I am told that this is Katara of the Southern Water Tribe,” Father says, cruel amusement oiling his words. The phrasing makes the girl sound like a thing. “The last waterbender of their pathetic tribe.” Flames conceal all but his shadow, yet Zuko knows from long experience the exacting blade of his father’s smirk. The smirk he must surely wear now. Because he has built up his insult and now he lets it fall. “Your bride.”

[zutara-ao3-feed]

I will be posting a rec in a moment, but first a little message just to muse on the age of this blog. I made this blog in middle school. I am currently in college. In that time I've gone through about 5 different main blogs, but luckily have always managed to maintain access to this one.

I'm justing posting on this blog when I read a Zutara fic I really like (which since I'm not in an active Zutara phase happens less often, but I do organically stumble on them from time to time).

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 21/21 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Ursa & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Ursa (Avatar), Ozai & Zuko (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Hakoda & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Aang & Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Ursa (Avatar), Azula (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Hakoda (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Jeong Jeong (Avatar), Kuei (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Firelord Iroh (Avatar), Eventual Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Slow Burn, Internal Conflict, Zuko (Avatar) Has Issues, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Road Trips, Order of the White Lotus, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Fire Nation Royal Family, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko is a literature fanboy, Slow Burn Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Slow Romance, Married Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Politics, Cultural Differences, Hakoda (Avatar) is a Good Parent, Southern Water Tribe, Awkwardness, Male-Female Friendship, POV Male Character, Inspired by Hamlet, Cross-cultural, Flashbacks, Aged-Up Character(s), Canonical Child Abuse, Epic Poetry, oral traditions, Family Bonding, azula has mommy issues, Azula needs a hug, Azula Gets a Hug Summary:

Driven from his home in the Fire Nation and forced to ally with his Water Tribe wife, Zuko comes face to face with his heritage and must choose once and for all where his loyalties lie.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 29/? Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar) Characters: Zuko (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Aang (Avatar), Azula (Avatar), Mai (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Jet (Avatar), Freedom Fighters (Avatar), The Blue Spirit (Avatar), The Painted Lady (Avatar), Hakoda (Avatar) Additional Tags: Romance, Action/Adventure, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fire Nation (Avatar), Resistance, Hope, Rebellion Summary:

The Avatar has been captured.

The 100-year Civil War is reaching its peak. Without the one true hope, the Rebellion cracks under the pressure of the Fire Nation. The Southern Water Tribe Princess, Katara, returns to the Rebellion after four years of water bending training.

Ba Sing Se has fallen. With the fall of the city, the Freedom Fighters are pushed out. Fortunately for The Rebellion, an important prisoner has been captured. Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko, is sent to The Rebellion headquarters in The Southern Water Tribe.

A miracle is needed to save the Rebellion. That miracle may come in the form of an unlikely alliance.

*AU Where Books 1-3 did not happen, but a different version of it*

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 20/? Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Zuko (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Azula (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Zhao (Avatar), Hahn (Avatar), Hakoda (Avatar), Pakku (Avatar), Arnook (Avatar), Jet (Avatar), Pipsqueak (Avatar), Haru (Avatar), The Duke (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai (Avatar), Your OC, Long Feng, Bumi (Avatar), June (Avatar) Additional Tags: Romance, Drama, Politics, War, Character Death, Slow Romance, Sexual Tension, Smut, gory, Dark, this gets better/worse as time passes, Obsession, Soulmates, AU Series: Part 1 of Subterfuge Summary:

Thirty years ago, the Fire Nation attacked, throwing the world off balance. Katara entered the Fire Nation war camp at Ba Sing Se as a healer, prepared to do whatever it takes to play her part in stopping the war. Getting kidnapped with the Fire Prince and falling in love with him were not parts of the plan.

AU. Zutara.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Aang (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Painted Lady & Blue Spirit Series: Part 2 of Zutara Month 2017 Summary:

When being the silently dutiful girlfriend of the Avatar starts to chafe, Katara takes up the mantle of the Painted Lady once more and finds herself in the process.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: Book 2: Earth, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fake Marriage Summary:

“Just explain it to me again.”

“There is no way you can pass as my brother and we are way too conspicuous as two unrelated people, from different nations, traveling together. So we’re pretending to be married.”

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: Legend of Korra Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Aang (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Bumi II (Avatar), Izumi (Avatar), Kanna (Avatar) Additional Tags: Korra Compliant, Minor Aang/Katara, Aang POV, Zutara Month, Zutara, Bittersweet Ending, Bittersweet, Eavesdropping, Family, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Regret, Parenthood, Gifts, What Ifs Series: Part 7 of The Beauty in Imperfection, Part 3 of Flirting With The Path Untaken Summary:

Everything went as Aang had hoped. He married his forever girl had a rambunctious little boy and another baby on the way. However he finds himself in an awkward position that makes him face the question... Was the way he'd wanted things to go really the best way?

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 7/? Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Aang/On Ji (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Song (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Aang (Avatar), On Ji (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Mai (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, College AU, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Postage Puns, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern Era, Not Anti-Anyone Summary:

Every student at Ba Sing Se University has a CPO number, well, except for the first fall semester of Katara’s junior year. Since it turns out that she’s been sharing one.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 29/40 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar) Additional Tags: Worldbuilding, Slow Burn, Uneasy Allies, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Adventure, World Travel, POV Alternating, Season 3 rewrite, I will add other background ships/characters/locations as they appear! Summary:

“Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.” ― Confucius

One moment changes the course of history. Katara and Zuko are imprisoned by the Fire Nation Army during the Day of Black Sun, and when they escape, they find themselves adrift in the Fire Nation with no one to rely on but each other. With only six weeks before Sozin’s Comet arrives and four nations to cross, the pair must track down Katara’s allies, save the world—and learn to trust each other.

Canon divergent from Part 2 of 'Day of Black Sun.'

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Ursa (Avatar) Additional Tags: Soulmate AU, Canon Compliant, Fluff, a little fighting??? i guess???, Enemies to Lovers, so its a soulmate au, where the fire of a bender changes color when they touch their soulmate Summary:

He softened, stepping away from her. “When I was younger, my mother told me this story. About this Prince of the Fire Nation— Kai and the woman he fell in love with, Gira. She was an earthbender and when she touched him, his fire turned green. Apparently, princes and princesses of the Fire Nation throne carry this trait.”

Katara’s brows drew together. “When benders touch you, your fire changes colors?”

He bit his lip hard enough to taste blood. “No. When your ‘soulmate’,” he put air-quotes around the word, his voice shaking, “touches you. I mean almost no one after Kai married a bender— whether it was their soulmate or not. There’s no way to know it’s true.”

“But I’ve seen your fire turn bl— oh. Oh.” she shook her head, turning away from him. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I know.” he huffed.

“But your fire—”

“I know.”

Silence fell over them.

Zuko jolted when Katara laid a warm hand on his shoulder. He told himself he was imagining the tingling feeling that spread through his palms. “Let’s try it.”

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 2/3 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Jet (Avatar), Haru (Avatar), Long Feng, Joo Dee (Avatar) Additional Tags: Princess AU, Bodyguard AU, BAMF Katara, Modern AU, so cliche it just might make you roll your eyes but oh well Series: Part 3 of Zutara Month 2018 Summary:

Two countries on the brink of war, and all that stands between them is a seemingly vapid Princess, and the bodyguard assigned to protect her.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 7/16 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar) Additional Tags: General, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Friendship Summary:

“I’ve been saving it for something important.” She said slowly, looking back up at the face of the enemy.

She managed not to flinch when his eyes narrowed at her searchingly, and simply held the vial of oasis water between them. Without saying anything further, she reached for his face. The left side.

The scar tissue was a strange mix of textures. She’d never gotten so close to long-healed burn scars before. The skin moved loosely beneath her touch, but the bumpy tissue beneath it remained stiff and unmoveable. Zuko’s breathing seemed harsh and shaky, but his face managed to remain impassive.

“But…” She pulled her hand away. “I only have enough water for one attempt. It may not even work…” she trailed off, feeling uncertain, but he was watching her again and the sense of empathy, of strange camaraderie, that she’s started feeling when he mentioned his mother’s loss grew. “But I’ll try.”

 10 more minutes can change a lot. Canon-divergent from the end of season 2.

[zutara-ao3-feed]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 16/30 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Yue (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Azula (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Mai (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), Yon Rha (Avatar), Appa (Avatar) Additional Tags: AU, really - Freeform, Really AU, but still Cannon consistent, not compliant, but consistent, Swearing, Preachy!Aang, restructured canon timeline Summary:

“It’s me. Take me as your prisoner,” said her mother, holding up her wrists. “I’m the last Waterbender.” “Prove it.” She had gone back. She heard a scream before she could reach her father and had gone back. “Mom!” The ice had torn, but the man, the Fire Nation man, stood over her, smiling. He lifted her by her neck, leering. “There you are.” ~|~|~ AU where Katara is taken by the Southern Raiders. She becomes General Iroh's 'guest' at the Imperial Palace, but when Fire Lord Azulon dies, her status is thrown more toward prisoner. Crown Prince Zuko often forgets. Princess Azula never lets her.