@zutaraweek

@zutaraweek

Day 7: Rebirth

(Part 4/4)

There was, of course, pushback when Zuko and Katara announced to the rest of the world that they were dating, though perhaps not as much as they were anticipating. By then, Council had introduced so many single people to Zuko that they were most likely just relieved he was dating someone. (Part of why he was so keen on the announcement was because he just wanted the awkwardness of all that to end. Katara didn’t even get jealous so much as she liked to watch him squirm when the women flirted with him.)

There were Fire Nation nationalists who hated the idea of their ruler being with someone so very not Fire Nation, but they were overshadowed by the rest of the world who saw it as a step in the right direction in proving the Fire Nation was serious about maintaining their peace treaties. Surprisingly, they were often pointed to as proof that it was no longer taboo to marry outside your own kingdom or tribe.

Years later, when they announced they were getting married, barely anyone blinked an eye. The ceremony and reception was a mix of both their traditions, but it was kept relatively simple. Aang happily offered to conduct the ceremony as a means to satisfy both nations and Katara was completely thrilled. It had taken some time, but her relationship with Aang renewed in strength, even if the dynamic was somewhat changed.

Zuko would admit he had been unsure of their decision to go to his family’s house on Ember Island for their honeymoon. It offered exactly what they wanted— mainly complete privacy— and was the easiest option, so it made sense. But the house still carried a lot of confusing emotions for him. Sure, his time there training the Avatar and subsequent visits had added to the happy memories he associated with the house, but that couldn’t quite replace a whole childhood of emotions. He already had to live under his father’s shadow just by living and working in the palace. Did he really want his first memories with Katara as his wife to be in a place that represented to him a failed family?

He kept his doubt to himself, but Uncle Iroh still had the uncanny ability to sense his unease and pulled him aside during the wedding reception. “It makes me very pleased to see someone so deserving find such love and happiness, Zuko,” he said proudly. “You’ve come so far from a life filled with anger and fear and I am certain, with Lady Katara at your side, that you both will continue to create a life worth remembering.”

Later, when he was sitting on the beach watching his wife waterbend the incoming tide, he thought back to Uncle’s words. What really was a life worth remembering? Obviously there was no one answer, so what was a life he wanted to remember? As painful as his childhood was, he didn’t want to forget all of it. But he also didn’t want to memorialize it, which is what he had been doing with this beach house, in a way.

No, a life worth remembering was one where he stayed true to himself and one where he lived happily with Katara. That was all he needed to look back fondly without regrets. So perhaps he could rededicate this old home to his new happy life, chase away the ghosts of his past and replace them with the new spirited memories yet to be created, yet already filled with love. A rebirth of sorts to begin this new chapter in their lives. And someday he could bring his own children here and give them nothing but happy memories of their own.

He smiled fondly up at Katara as she walked back from the surf, bending the water from her hair and smiling back at him. “You finally look relaxed, Zuko. What have you been doing while I was practicing?” She sat next to him and he pulled her close, kissed her tenderly until they needed air.

“Watching you,” he said. “And thinking. I was suddenly reminded how much I have to look forward to.”

——-

Phew! That’s it for me this year! Considering how much trouble I’ve been having drawing lately, I’m pretty happy with meeting my goal of four drawings in one week. Leave it to Zutara to supply to right kind of inspiration. <3

Thank you to the mods for working so diligently to reblog all the pretty Zutara things for us all! Happy Zutara Week! :)