Chapter Text
(ZutaraWasRobbed)
Mai Sighed. "Why are you always looking at that scar?"
"What?" Zuko asked.
"The one on your chest." Mai pointed. "It doesn't cause you pain- at least not physically. And every time you do, you smile . Why?"
Zuko looked bewildered by "Because, it's important-"
"Stop lying to me!"
Zuko froze. "I don't understand-"
"The scar isn't important. She is, isn't she?" Mai accused.
"I-"
Mai rolled her eyes. "At least look me in the eyes."
Zuko sighed. "She's my friend Mai… Of course she's important to me."
Mai scoffed. "I don't see why you care about her so much. She's just a peasant. And I don't know why you so easily offered her a place to stay here."
"She needed safety!" Zuko snapped. Katara was terrified when she arrived three weeks ago. She was shaking and crying, saying she didn't know where else to go. She was his best friend. How could he not let her stay?
"Oh please." May sighed. "From her boyfriend? So he had a temper tantrum-"
"He could've killed her!"
"Doesn't mean She needs to be here. If you don't kick her out, I'll just tell Aang where she is-"
"Don't. You. Dare." Zuko glowered. "If you tell him she's here, he'll just guilt her into forgiving him."
"She should forgive him. It's not like anyone else would love a Southern Water Tribe peasant anyway-"
"Tell him where she is, and I'll consider it an act of treason," Zuko warned.
Mai remained still. She was calm as usual but unnaturally so...
Zuko's eyes widened in realization. "What did you do?"
Mai smirked. "I had to keep you distracted long enough for her to leave the capital. I doubt she'll come back now that she thinks you were the one who sent him her location."
Zuko: How could you, Mai?
Mai: Pretty easily, it turns out. A few well placed letters, a quiet word of warning, and she scampered off like a frightened little rabiroo.
Zuko: Why? Why would you do that to her? She has never been anything my but-
Mai: Please spare me the righteous indignation. Was I supposed to sit by and watch my boyfriend pine over another woman and do nothing?
Zuko: I am not pining for her! Katara has never done anything to come between us! But if you think I'm marrying you after this-
Mai: Oh, I think you will. You see, Zuko, I was not the only person who noticed your little crush on the water peasant. Several members of your council saw it, and they want to put an end to it. They have spoken to me and they agree that the best thing for the succession is for you to marry a suitable woman as quickly as possible, and in a rare show of common sense, they have decided that I am most suited.
Zuko: They can't make me marry you. I am the Fire Lord.
Mai: Yes you are! And if you want to stay the Fire Lord, you had better start sending out those wedding invites. Honey.
Zuko: No. If they want me to marry a Fire Nation woman, then I will, but it won't be you.
Mai: I thought you might say that. That is why I have a little insurance.
Zuko: What do you mean?
Mai: Do you know where your little friend ran off to? I do
(ZutaraWasRobbed)
Zuko: What are you going to do with this information-
Mai: I have instructed a close confidant of mine to send a letter to the avatar of her whereabouts if you make me leave.
Zuko, gritting his teeth: What do you want?
Mai: Simple, once you formally announce our engagement, I'll instruct my contact to destroy the letter. But if you don't, I'll make sure there's nowhere she can hide where the avatar can't find her. She'll be living in terror the rest of her life, and it will all be because of you.
Zuko, Begging: Mai, please don't do this. Hurt me? Fine. But she's done nothing to deserve this. I'll do anything.
Mai: Send the invitations. We're done here.
(Mauve_Avenger)
It wasn't as hard as he'd feared to find Katara, though it occurred to Zuko to be concerned at the ease. Katara didn't seem surprised at the Blue Spirits' sudden appearance at her window.
Katara: That took longer than I expected. What kept you?
Zuko: Y-you know who I am?
Katara: snorting How long did you expect Aang to sit on that? I'll give him this, he did wait until you'd been with is for a few days.
Zuko: Oh…. Listen, Katara, I didn't tell Aang where you were. I swear I would never -
Katara: I know it wasn't you, Zuko.
Zuko: I didn't- wait, you know?
Katara: The letter I saw wasn't stiff enough to be your writing. Your letters always read like you're expecting to be graded.
Zuko: I-what? No, forget it. If you knew I didn't send the letter, why didn't you say anything? You just left.
Katara: Because Aang really is coming and it was better if you didn't know where I was.
Zuko: throwing his hands up. Um… Bad news.
(ZutaraWasRobbed)
Sure enough, Katara was right. Less than a week after they last saw each other, Aang arrived at his doorstep begging for his help.
"You have to help me. She's my forever girl. She doesn't know what she wants. If I just talk to her I'm sure I can convince her-"
Zuko groaned. "I don't know where she is Aang." It wasn't technically a lie. He didn't know where she was right now. But that didn't mean he didn't know how to find her.
Aang looked desperate. "But you're the Fire lord! Can't you use your resources? You can send a search party-"
"I'm not gonna send a search party and waste valuable resources on someone who isn't truly missing." Zuko was having a hard time keeping his voice level. "It's like you said. She left. She wasn't forced to. She left willingly and doesn't want to be found. I'm not gonna force someone to show themselves when they aren't in danger."
"You don't know if she's not in danger though! She's all alone with no one to protect her."
Zuko was certain if he didn't master his element, the room would be on fire. "She can protect herself. She never needed to protecting Aang." Except from you. He almost added but held his tongue.
"I'm desperate."
Clearly. "I don't know what you want me to say. I have a responsibility to my people and," his voice shook, "a wedding to prepare for. I can't add this to my list of pressing issues. Especially since this issue isn't really pressing or even an issue to anyone but you."
Aang looked genuinely surprised he wasn't getting his way. "First Jun, and now you. What are you keeping from me? Why are you keeping her from me-"
Jun? Did he really … "You asked Jun to hunt her down like a lost pet?" Zuko barely held the anger in his voice.
"We'll clearly it didn't work, she refused to help me." Aang snarled. "Just like you are now. I thought we were friends."
(NightHeron)
Aang was fuming. Zuko had offered him a room, but Aang was afraid if he stayed he'd reduce the palace to rubble. He stormed out towards the paddock where he'd left Appa. He'd find someplace to sleep for the night, then the next day, he'd get up early to continue his search. Katara was close. He was sure of it. He would find her. Make her see reason. Then.
He reached into his pocket and ran his thumb over the polished metal disk. Katara had told him she didn't want it, but Aang knew it was just cold feet.
"Avatar Aang." Aang let out an undignified yelp and spun around. Mai seemed to materialize from the shadow of the stables. There was a smirk on her face that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Oh, um…hi, Mai," Aang greeted her.
"Are you leaving so soon?" She asked.
"Yeah. I was looking for-"
"I'm aware."
"I got Zuko's letter, and he said she was here, but just now-"
"He didn't send the letter," Mai told him. "I sent it."
"You?" Aang blinked in surprise. Mai sighed and shook her head.
"She was here and Zuko was never going to say. He can be so selfish that way. He thinks I don't know…"
"Know what?" Aang asked in concern.
"Please understand, Avatar Aang, I don't believe Zuko would cheat, but the way he looked at her…"
"The way he looked at who?" The concern was abruptly gone from Aang's voice. His eyes narrowed sharply. Suspiciously.
"Katara," Mai said sadly. "I could tell they were…a distraction to each other."
"Distraction?" Aang repeated, outraged. "Did he touch her?"
"I couldn't say," Mai dropped her he and and shook it slowly. "I don't think so, but they spent so much time together. I love Zuko. And that is why I wrote to you. You and your waterbender need to get back together. If she and Zuko are apart, they can both think clearly. And everything will be as it should."
“I want to,’ Aang said. "I've been looking everywhere for Katara, but I don't know where she is." The corner of Mai's lips curled up into a sharp smile.
"I think I can help you."
"He thinks I don't know, but once he figured out I sent the letter he squirreled her away to the country to keep her from you. He's moved her several times, and I might be able to predict where she'll be next." Might as well put that network of spies she'd built up over the years to good use. Even Zuko's intelligence network was ineffective compared to hers, and he was the Fire Lord.
"Why can't you tell me where she is now ?" Aang asked, sounding more like a petulant child than the keeper of world peace.
"She's currently in transit, and I won't know for sure where she is until she reaches her destination. She left the estate just last night- I got word of it right after Zuko returned from an 'outing.' "Mai stressed the last word, playing the part of the scorned lover.
"He knows where she is? He lied to me !"
A windstorm kicked up out of nowhere, and Aang's eyes and tattoos began to glow an unearthly white.
(ZutaraWasRobbed)
Katara was staying in the beach house at Ember Island. She knew Aang was coming. It was obvious he'd try to come to the Fire Nation eventually. Still, the fact it took him this long, just proved how little he cared to listen to her. Every fight they had revolved around building a home with roots. And soon those fights evolved into fights about the last time she felt truly at home and how it no longer was in the South.
At first, she agreed but didn't know why. Aang was convinced it was because her home was with him. But one day it just slipped out. Another fight about "home" and the words "Fire Nation" escaped her before she could hardly believe it herself.
It didn't take long for her to realize it wasn't the Fire Nation she saw as home. It was him, Zuko. Home is where the heart is and after the north started to force their ideals on her homeland, her heart could no longer truly belong there.
"Katara?" Zuko whispered.
Katara's shoulders relaxed at his voice. Of course, he'd find her here. Not like she was hiding from him anyway. She wasn't exactly subtle when she said she needed to 'soak up the sun by the waves.' Unlike Aang, Zuko always knew how to listen.
Zuko coughed lightly. She still had yet to say anything. "I'm here Zuko. Why are you?"
"I came to warn you-"
"No need, I know he's here. I told you he would be."
"Are you okay?"
That made her laugh. "Of course not. I'm running away from my ex-boyfriend who refuses to accept our breakup. And now I have you running around worrying about me when you should be focusing on your wedding."
"Don't remind me," Zuko said bitterly.
Katara raised a brow at that. "What do you mean by that?"
"Forget it. It's no big deal"
"You are many things Zuko, but a liar isn't one of them… What's going on? What do they have on you?"
Zuko sighed, "You…"
"What are you talking about?" Katara asked warily.
"I have to marry Mai. It's the only way to keep you safe"
"What?" Katara's voice cracked at his admission. "B-but… you said yourself you didn't send the location-"
"She did Katara"
Katara froze, suddenly everything made a lot more sense… All this time she thought it was a radical Ozai supporter. But Mai makes so much sense- too much sense. Mai must've found out about her feelings for Zuko. La, this is such a mess…
Zuko huffed before continuing. "And Mai didn't just have your location at the time. She has a sample of your scent so that he could find you anywhere! Don't you see…"
"How did she-"
"You're right." Zuko cut in. "I'm not a liar and I don't break my promises. I promised to keep you safe and if this is the only way-"
"Buffalo-Bull shit! I will not let my problems leave you unhappy. You deserve love Zuko-"
"It doesn't matter who I marry if it isn't you!" Zuko's eyes widened once he realized what he said.
Katara was equally shocked as the weight of his words crashed down on her. "Zuko…"
"Katara, please," Zuko was quick to grab her hands in both a plea and a promise. "I gave up on marrying for love a long time ago. So please, be happy and find the love you deserve. You don't owe me anything. You don't owe me your affections, you don't owe me your freedom. You owe yourself happiness. Don't let my feelings stand in the way of that."
(Mauve_Avenger)
Zuko loved her. Katara always knew he did, but she thought it was platonic. This was a whole new revelation entirely. It left her giddy and elated even as the small voice on her head reminded her that he was engaged and soon to be lost to her forever.
Zuko loved her, and it was all Katara could focus on after he left with a promise to return as soon as he could. The thought followed Katara through her day as she made her meals and trained by the seaside. It followed her to the market and on her meandering walk to the hot springs. It was no wonder then that she was too distracted to notice the odd shadow that passed overhead until Appa landed in front of her. Until Aang slid from the saddle. She had hardly called up the first tendrils of water before the air was suddenly forced from her lungs and the world went black…
Aang scooped her up gently and placed her in the saddle. With a quick "yip yip" to Appa, they were on their way. He would take her to the air temples, where she would finally see sense. And if she wouldn't, the air temple wasn't too far from Ba Sing Se. Surely there were some old Dai Li members there who still remembered their persuasion techniques…
(ZutaraWasRobbed)
Zuko was rushing back to the capital. He didn't have time to think about what had happened between him and Katara… or really what didn't happen. He left quickly before she could respond to his wayward confession with a promise to return soon,… you know… like an idiot. He had no idea if she even wanted to him to return after that. The last thing she needed was another person's feelings to worry about when she was already dealing with the consequences of another's. Yes, he was stupid, but he didn't have time to dwell on that. It didn't matter anyway. He promised to keep her safe, and now he had only one option to do so… Marry Mai.
The palace was a mess when he returned, there were no storms that frequented the capital, but he doubted this was the result of natural causes. The statues of his grandfather and great grandfather were either beheaded or collapsed… no love was lost there. But there was no telling the damage on the inside. Or worse, who was hurt. The first person that came to mind was his father. Had he escaped?
No, Zuko reasoned. If he had, he was certain he would've heard about it from someone. And he was sure the capital wouldn't be as calm as it seemed now. He rushed inside.
"My lord! You're here; thank the spirits! When we couldn't find you, we sent a search party-"
"What happened, Hao?" Zuko interrupted.
Hao's face hardened, "the avatar had an episode."
"Damn it!" Zuko cursed. Hao was one of his newest council members. He was also his most trusted. He came from Yu Dao with his husband and adopted daughter Ming. He was also the first addition to his council since the last regime. He was only seven years Zuko's senior with eyes from the fire nation but all other features of the earth kingdom. "How many were injured? Any-" Zuko swallowed, "any killed-"
"No, your majesty." Hao placated. "Thankfully, no one was killed, but we have around seventeen injured… It's times like these. I wish princess Katara were still in the castle; she would've been able to heal them."
Zuko may be slow, but he wasn't completely stupid. Hao was not subtle in his favor of Katara's presence. She was one of the few people who treated him kindly. She was also the first one to ask about his husband and play with his daughter. "Any children?"
"Four," Hao remarked sadly. "But they are expected to make a speedy recovery. They're in the infirmary being cared for by the best healers as we speak. Oh, and Lady Mai is also fine." Hao mentioned it as an afterthought.
Hao also wasn't subtle in his dislike of Mai… he didn't blame him. "Thank you for the report. Anything else?"
That made Hao look nervous.
"Hao?" Zuko asked with a warning.
"The avatar left shortly after… he said he was on his way to find-"
Zuko didn't need to hear the rest. He stormed into his home, paying no mind to the shocked looks on people's faces and hasty bows and greetings.
"Where is she?!" Zuko screamed. It wasn't hard to know who he was looking for.
"Lady Mai is in the spa-"a servant answered.
Zuko ran. He was going to kill her.
"Zuko-"
"What. Did. You. Do? "
"What are you-"
"The palace is in chaos, Mai! What the fuck do you think I'm talking about?! What did you do? What did you tell Aang?"
Mai's face quickly shifted from shock to a mask of indifference. "I guess he got impatient with the lack of help-"
"Don't you dare act like you didn't cause this."
Mai glared. "All I did was tell him she wasn't here… not anymore at least-"
"You did what? "
"Will you relax? He probably just went to get some air to cool off-"
"Do you have any idea of the danger you just put-"
"Oh Agni, if you say Katara, I'm going to gag-"
"I'm not just talking about Katara! Look around you! What kind of queen puts the lives of innocent people in danger for a grudge? Did you even think about the people in the palace? Have you even visited -"
"Don't you start talking about putting people in danger! You were the one who put yourself and this country in danger when you decided to jump in front of comet powered lighting bolt for a filthy peasant!"
"If I were you, I would consider yourself lucky, Mai. If you were in her place that day, I doubt I would have reacted as fast." Zuko said darkly. "Get out of my sight. If you are found anywhere near the palace walls, I will have you arrested for trespassing."
Mai froze in shock.
Zuko started to leave but paused. "And in case it wasn't clear, this engagement and our relationship is over."