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Falling.
Zuko was falling headfirst down into the canyon after his blast clashed with Azula’s. With no airship below him, he could do nothing but stare wide eyed into the misty depths below.
His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar groan of the sky bison approaching. As Appa came closer and Zuko had a better view of the saddle, he saw a blue clad figure standing and all but leaning over the edge of the saddle. Katara.
She reached out both of her arms as far as she could towards him, anchored to the saddle by Sokka and Suki, one holding each of her legs. Desperately, Zuko reached his arms out to her, and she gripped his forearms tightly.
Their eyes met for the briefest of moments, but it felt like ages to Zuko as he saw emotions he did not expect to see in her eyes after her previous animosity towards him, after he let her down.
Katara’s blue eyes were wide with desperation, fear even, as she grasped his arms. In that moment, her resentment, her distrust, her hatred towards him were gone. Her eyes assured him that she would never let him fall to his death despite her threats, and he felt a slight bit of guilt for assuming she would.
With a secure grip on each other’s forearms, Katara pulled Zuko towards the saddle, towards her. He did not stop looking into her eyes. She looked so relieved to have caught him. He realized that her eyes looked the same as they had in the Crystal Catacombs. She had reached out then too, showing him compassion and care despite being his enemy. Even when he didn’t deserve it, her instinct was to help, to protect. Zuko realized then that he was falling in more ways than one.
How could he have betrayed her?
The world sped back up as he crashed into the saddle. Katara’s arms and his were still locked together, and Sokka and Suki caught him around the back to steady him. Katara pulled away from him and shifted towards the front of the saddle without a word, and Zuko watched after her.
He would make it up to her.