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Everything had been going so well.
Aang was really catching on, and Zuko was looking on with no small amount of admiration as his student shifted through the basic forms they’d been going over, flames billowing and blossoming against the backdrop of the setting sunset. Ironically, it was the wind that did it. Just as Aang took his last stance and fire flickered to life in his hands, an iguana-parrot exploded from a nearby bush, squawking wildly. For the smallest of moments, the Avatar’s gaze flickered, and he lost his hold on the flames. After a moment of suspension, they were swept back by a current of air into his outstretched palms, and Aang shouted out in pain and surprise, breaking form and hunching over. Zuko was at his side at once, and when he took Aang’s hands he was relieved to see that, though burnt, the damage wasn’t severe.
“That’s enough for today. We’ll go back to the temple and Katara can heal this up.” Zuko said. When Aang didn’t reply, he wondered if the Avatar was fighting tears- it would’ve hurt badly, he guessed. But a moment later, his student piped up;
“It’s fine. We- We don’t have to show Katara.”
Zuko shook his head.
“This could affect your bending tomorrow if you don’t get it fixed. Besides, I’m sure it’s pretty unpleasant for you. You shouldn’t be embarrassed; this happens to every firebender, countless times.” He saw Aang’s gaze travel to his scar, and tried to ignore it. “Honestly, it’s a sign of serious talent that you’ve avoided it up until now.”
Aang gave him a wobbly smile, still clutching his hands protectively to his chest.
“Okay. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes when Katara finds out, though” He gave a carefree laugh. “Aw man, she’s gonna kill you!”
Zuko had hated how his stomach had dropped when Aang had said that. Obviously it had been a joke. The burns were an accident. Katara was going to be angry, obviously, but Aang would explain, Katara would listen .
It had been an accident.
When the pair arrived, they found only Toph at their campsite, lounging languidly on a frankly uncomfortable looking slab of rock. She stood to greet them, and explained that Katara had gone for a walk with Sokka, but she could feel that they were on their way back. Zuko took the time to sit Aang down and found a pail of water for him to douse his hands in. The Prince tried not to fidget- sitting with his legs firmly crossed, but he couldn’t help but drum his fingers erratically. Thankfully, Toph kept Aang distracted with a conversation about his earthbending, though this left Zuko to stew inside his own head.
Toph was the first to notice the pair approaching- Zuko was still watching Aang closely when she called out;
“Hey Ice Queen! Get over here and do your magic water thing, will ya? Aang’s burnt himself.”
“ What? ”
A flurry of footfalls, and then Zuko was pushed back out of the way as Katara appeared at Aang’s side.
“It’s really not that bad-“ He began, but Katara shushed him.
“I need to concentrate.”
She raised her hands in front of her and took a deep breath, before spreading her fingers as gracefully as if she were playing an instrument. Zuko had never seen healing like this before, and he couldn’t help but lean forward in curiosity as the water took on an ethereal glow that cast Aang and Katara’s faces in a strange blueish light. In a couple of seconds, it was over, and Katara was holding Aang’s hands, still streaming with water.
“Are you okay?” She asked gently, and Aang nodded, flexing his hands and sighing in relief before giving her a bright smile. Zuko averted his eyes, feeling like he was intruding, but no sooner had he looked away than Katara rounded on him.
“How could you let this happen?” She said it quietly, but Zuko could hear the shake of anger, barely concealed.
“It wasn’t Zuko’s fault, it was an accident-“ It was Aang who answered, and Zuko's earlier plans fell through- he wanted nothing more than to tell him to stop talking because arguing only ever made it worse, but Katara was barely listening.
“You should’ve been more careful!” She burst out, shooting to her feet. Zuko didn't move. “Why were you pushing him so hard? What if he’d really gotten hurt?”
Zuko stayed silent. He stayed down.
If anger was a thunderstorm, Katara’s wasn’t the lightning he was used to, striking unpredictably, white-hot. This onslaught was a barrage of icy rainfall, leaving Zuko worn under the torrent, heavy.
“You’re not even sorry, are you? I can’t believe this. Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”
She wanted him to talk? He hadn’t expected this. This was uncharted territory, and Zuko didn’t know how to navigate it. He swallowed thickly, and searched for a place to start.
Zuko looked up, and the fury in her eyes stole the breath from his lungs.
“Katara.” Shockingly, that was Sokka’s voice - now that Zuko had looked at Katara, he didn’t seem able to stop looking at her. “Lay off a just a little, will you?”
“Lay off?!” Katara exclaimed, though she hardly glanced at her brother. “Aang’s hurt. And it's because of him . And he won’t even apologise! You all keep saying he's changed, Zuko's changed, he's good now! ” She punctuated her exclamation with a stomp of her foot. "But quite frankly, I think he's just the same as the day we met him!" At that moment, she snatched for a water skin she’d left beside the firebender.
And at that moment, everything went wrong.
Zuko cringed away from her reach, throwing an arm up over his face, his breath hitching, his eyes flying shut. Only a couple of seconds could’ve passed as he waited, but it felt like a lot longer. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes cautiously, and it wasn’t until he saw the shocked expressions of the people surrounding him that he realised what he’d just done.
“Seriously?” Katara had pulled back, and her voice was filled with annoyance, but there was a new note of hesitation underneath. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Zuko. How are we supposed to trust you if you don’t even trust us?”
“I-“ Zuko choked out, half considering bolting, but his heart was thundering, his breathing agitated and erratic. He’d fallen sideways onto his knees when he dodged, was holding himself up by his arms, and he could feel that they were shaking. And still, some part of him was bracing…
“Is that seriously the kind of person you think I am?”
“No!” His reply was louder than he’d intended. “No.” He repeated. “I just…” He couldn’t get the air into his lungs.
Someone put a hand on his back, and Zuko leapt out of his skin all over again.
“Hey,” he turned and saw that it was only Aang, all wide-eyed concern. “Are you okay?”
Zuko nodded mutely, scrubbing a hand roughly across his forehead.
“I’m fine.” He managed, shifting back into a kneeling position and dropping his gaze.
“You’re lying.” Toph spoke up, frowning. “I can hear that you’re practically hyperventilating from all the way over here.”
“Yeah, calm down before you start firebending at us.”
“Well, excuse me , ” it was Zuko’s turn to explode now, and he wanted to stop himself but he was cornered, and- “if I’m a little on edge, because the girl who told me if I made one backward step, then she’d-” He successfully snuffed out the sentence, but it’d been enough to catch Aang’s attention.
“You did what?” He cried incredulously, but Katara’s eyes were on Zuko.
“What? Zuko, I’m not going to kill you just because Aang burnt himself training.”
“Lucky me.” Zuko muttered.
There was a palpable lull, the rain let up. Katara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“I’m- sorry I got so protective, Zuko. I guess I was just worried about Aang.”
“You’re... What?” Zuko asked, completely bewildered, tilting his head.
“I’m not repeating myself!” Katara snapped, but Aang shot her a glare. She shook her head slightly, like she couldn’t believe what she was saying. “I’m sorry for freaking out on you like that. I was… I was unfair.”
“Right.” Zuko said cautiously, unconvinced.
“So.” She stuck out her hand, and although Zuko started internally, he held his nerve this time. “Truce?”
“You- You’re seriously not going to murder me?” He asked uncertainly.
“If I was going to murder you, I’d have done it by now, don’t you think?”
Zuko considered this, and realised she was probably right.
He reached out to take her hand.