literature

Zutara Week '09: Jealousy 1.0

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Okay so I know I said I was an artist, but my piece won’t be finished by today cause I’m coloring it…so I though it’d put this up so I represented some :)  I’m not very happy with the writing, but go ahead and give it a read.
It takes a few paragraphs to get zutara…gotta let the characters be confused and all. =P

Jealousy
Sometimes you miss what’s right in front of your face, staring you down.

This time, this place
Misused, mistakes
Too long, too late
Who was I to make you wait?


Mai is wonderful, Zuko thinks to himself, after he finishes signing the last of over a dozen royal proclamations. We’re always in sinc so much we never even have to talk sometimes. She’s just the girl I’ve always thought about.
He never thought he could be so lucky…he was fire lord, his best friend was the avatar, he had real friends, and he had the girlfriend of his dreams…he had everything he had ever wanted.

Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there’s
Just one left…
Cause you know, you know, you know…


Aang is wonderful, Katara muses to herself after a long day of waterbending practice. He’s a perfect gentleman and he never fails to make me smile. He’s just the kind of powerful bender Aunt Wu predicted I would marry.
She was completely content with his life…she was a waterbending master, the war was over, and she had a wonderful boyfriend…she had everything she had ever dreamed of.

I love you
I loved you all along
I miss you
But far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you’ll be with me
And you never know
I’d stop breathing
If I don’t see you anymore…


It’s Christmas time now. The whole Gaang is gathered in the fire nation, ready to spend the holiday. It’s the first time the whole group has gathered together since the defeat of the Fire Lord. There are plenty of hugs to go around, and laughter fills the room.
Just as the clock strikes twelve, signaling the change between Christmas Eve and Christmas day.
Aang is excited. He is bouncing around the room like a child.
Not that he isn’t, Katara corrects herself, wondering why that thought popped into her head so suddenly.
Suki is laughing, and the airbender swoops down on his glider to offer her a ride along with him.
Toph and Sokka are exchanging gifts. Toph is blushing…and although she cannot see it, his cheeks are slightly tinged also.
Mai has left her seat by Zuko to reminisce with Ty Lee. Mai is actually smiling at Ty Lee’s antics, and the girl’s arms are linked as they giggle secrets to one another.
The only people not involved in the joy are Katara and Zuko, sitting along the edges of the circle. Zuko has a quiet smile on his face, and Katara is quietly unwrapping a present sent from Haru.
Neither Katara nor Zuko looks at the other, but both are electrifyingly aware of the other’s presence. Neither teen is exactly sure why, and neither chose to broach the subject further.

On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand


All the presents have been exchanged. That is except for one.

I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know,
you know, you know


Dinner is done, and everyone has gone off to bed after a long day of celebration and fun. Just as his feet slide into his covers, Zuko stops. His hand has slid under his pillow, and his hand touches a cold metal. He freezes and mentally facepalms. Somehow
through all the exchanging of gifts, Zuko had forgotten to give the most important gift…well not the most important, he corrected himself. But the one that took him the most time.
He lifts the pillow, and pulls out a necklace. He’d deliberated for hours, deciding which charm and what color it should be…all to forget to give it to the young waterbending master.
She’d given him a wonderful journal. Okay, so it wasn’t that good. Okay. So it was horribly crafted, but Zuko suspected that she had made it for him herself, and the fact that she took that time meant a lot to him.
He sits there for a minute, deciding whether or not it would be a good idea to awaken Katara. On one hand, she would get a gift, but on the other, he would have to wake her up…
He shakes his head, grads the necklace into his fist, and walks out of his room, only briefly pausing to check his appearance in the mirror.

I love you
I loved you all along
I miss you
But far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you’ll be with me
And you never know
I’d stop breathing
If I don’t see you anymore…


A soft knock on the door.
Katara rolls over and groans. Who is at her door at this hour?
She brushes her hair out of her eyes and rolls out of bed. Her feet touch the cold ground and she shivers. Her hand turns the knob on the door, and before her stands Zuko. She can’t explain why it is that her heart leaps when his eyes meet hers and he smiles that rare goofy grin of his.
She swallows quickly, trying to regain her breath.
“Hey, Zuko.”

So far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know


He’s not even sure what to say when she opens the door. Her expression is sleepy and droopy, but at the same time he can’t help thinking beautiful. He can’t keep himself from smiling shyly.
“Hey, Zuko.”
He smiles again. “Hey, Katara.” He pauses. Why is he so lost for words? “Uhm…so. I missed giving you my gift. I never gave it to you. I forgot-or I didn’t forget…I guess I did. But I didn’t mean to! I swear! And so…uhm here it is.” The words spill out of his mouth faster and faster, and Katara is surprised she understood him. He hands her a small box wrapped in blue paper and tied with blue ribbon. It was tied terribly, but at least that meant he did it himself she notes.
She blinks, and then smiles. “Oh…thanks, Zuko…I didn’t notice. Or I did! But not in the way where I was mad…or anything.” The truth is, she’d noticed right away. She’d spent all night wishing for some reason she could not fathom for him to bring her a gift, just so she wouldn’t feel so silly for putting so much time and work into his present.
“Oh, yeah. Well I’m sorry I missed getting it to you on time…”
“Well, it’s still Christmas. So I won’t punish you too harshly,” she joked.
They laughed quietly.
“Well I should let you get to sleep. We have a lot of celebrating to do tomorrow, so…yeah.”
“Yeah.”
He turns to walk away and makes it several steps. Until Katara calls him back.
“Hey, Zuko!”
He turns back and sees her peering out at him from her doorway.
“Yeah?”
She looks unsure and confused for a second, but then runs toward him. She wraps her arms around his waist. He pauses for a moment, and then leans into her warmth and his arms coil around her.
Katara can’t help but notice that it feels nice to hug Zuko…when Aang hugs her, his face is to the same level as hers, and she cannot rest her head on his shoulder like she can with Zuko. And when Zuko hugs her, his arms are gentle, but still strong. When Aang hugs her, she almost feels like he is crushing her to him in a completely unpleasant way.
Zuko can’t help but notice that when he hugs Katara, she really means the hug. So many times he had hugged Mai; but he never really felt the warmth or happiness that came with hugging Katara. Her body almost melded itself to him in comparison to Mai, who would be as stiff as a board.
Katara slowly backed away from the hug and she smiled at Zuko before turning back to her room.
“Good night.”
Her door closes.
“Good night, Katara…”

I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say


The next day dawns, and the first thing Katara realizes is there is a small box in her hand. Zuko’s gift. She hadn’t opened it once she’d entered her room…she’d simply stared at the box; not caring what it was, only unbelievably happy that Zuko had given her something. She couldn’t explain the happiness at all…but it felt nice to be so happy about something.
She slowly unwraps the present to reveal a silver chain with a pendant hanging off of it. The pendant is a silver heart, with water-like waves in it, carved in blue, and red, and purple. She sighs happily and clasps it around her neck. It hangs on her breast bone, so she finds that she can wear it under her clothing all the time.

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long


Hours later, Katara is with Aang, walking aimlessly through the palace hallways. She watches from afar and sees Mai and Zuko walking the corridor ahead of them. He’s regal and confidant as always. But Katara would have expected him to look comfortable around Mai. She was his girlfriend, after all. But he didn’t.
As Aang drags her to him into a hug and presses his lips against hers.
She can’t help but wonder what it would feel like if it were Zuko kissing her and holding her hand instead of Aang. And if she was the one with him instead of Mai, would he look more comfortable?
Mai couldn’t be right for him. There had to be someone better. Not Mai.

So keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it


Zuko and Mai are looking out a window, talking about this and that. But mostly nothing. He hears Aang’s laughter and turns his head slightly to see the young Avatar dragging Katara along behind him. He feels the fire flare in him…couldn’t Aang be a little gentler? Did he have to crush Katara to him? Was it necessary for her to look as if she was in pain as he kissed her?

Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go


No matter how wonderful or perfect someone seems, they may not be wonderful or prefect for you.
Sometimes what you’ve been looking for all along is right before your face.
You just have to notice it before you lose your chance.
This is my third entry for Zutara week. I wrote it really quickly because i realized my picture wasn't going to be finished on time. I'll upload it soon though, promise :)
It's tje basic idea for jealousy...you know; Zuko is jealous of Aang, and Katara is jealous of Mai.

It's Zutara obviously...there a hint of Tokka in there though. :)

Info for zutara week can be found on :icongreenifyme: 's profile. here's all the prompts :)
THEMES:
Day 1 (Aug. 10): CROSSOVER
Day 2 (Aug. 11): BLOOD
Day 3 (Aug. 12): JEALOUSY
Day 4 (Aug. 13): CACTUS JUICE
Day 5 (Aug. 14): FIREFLIES
Day 6 (Aug. 15): RHYTHM
Day 7 (Aug. 16): LICK
:iconzutaraweekplz:

Drawing is mine but
Zuko and Katara copyright to Bryke
"Far Away" is Nickelback's
© 2009 - 2024 cullenwaylandblack
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EdinaElric's avatar
AWWW! I adore Nickelback!^_^Heart  w00t!