Chapter Text
Zuko tied on his shoes then stuffed a crushed beer can into the overflowing bag near the door, wincing at the crunching metal sound. He stared at the bag for a moment before snatching his gym bag off the ground and heading out.
He balanced on top of the road barriers while absentmindedly gazing at the ocean a few meters away. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend that everything was normal again. That his sister was just up ahead yelling at him to hurry up and stop embarrassing her. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but an empty street.
It was going to be a long summer.
~*~
Basketball was Zuko’s release. Practice was the only thing that kept him grounded since the accident.
His teammates cheered as he made another basket. Zuko missed the dirty look Chan gave him as he sprinted back down the court. He was about to go for another lay up when Chan tripped him. Losing his balance, Zuko fell hard and scrapped his knee.
“That’s what you get for being a try hard, Scarface.” Chan sneered at him only loud enough for Zuko to hear.
Zuko gritted his teeth and let out a low growl.
He’ll get that bastard.
~*~
“I’m disappointed in you, Zuko.” The coach scolded as he leaned against the desk. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Chan started it! He tripped me on purpose!”
“So, you broke his nose?! He may have to get stiches!”
Zuko balled up his fists and angrily looked away.
“So what? That guy’s a jerk.” He grumbled.
The coach sighed heavily. “Zuko, this is the third fight you’ve been in this week. You’ve been unnecessarily aggressive and uncooperative lately. I understand why but it’s getting out of hand and putting your teammates in harms way. I’m going to have to kick you off the team.”
“WHAT?!”
“Unless you apologize to Chan and show some discipline, don’t bother coming back.”
“You can’t do that!!!”
“I just did.”
The coach shut the door leaving Zuko in the gym office alone.
He kicked over a chair before storming out.
Zuko didn’t know where he was going. He just didn’t want to go home yet. Father was still there drunk as usual. Zuko leaned against the bridge railing and stared out the ocean. A mild summer breeze whip across Zuko’s face and he breathed in the salty air. His mind drifted back to a happier time when his family used to go to the aquarium together.
He walked aimlessly through the town. Without realizing it, Zuko found himself at the aquarium’s entrance. He numbly watched the crowd of tourist pour in excitedly. His heart ached, remembering all the times he raced Azula to the doors. Zuko almost turned to leave before an employee handed him a flyer. He looked at the painted whale leaping on the paper before stuffing it in his gym bag and walking in.
Zuko hovered close to a tourist group then broke off on his own. The dim lights soothed his scar which had tightened up from being in the hot sun. He ran his hand along the tanks watching the fish follow his every move.
“Zuko, is that you?”
He turned and saw Ming nearby.
“Spirits it’s been so long! Look at you! All grown up now! Are you looking for your mom?”
“Uh yeah...”
“She’s in the back fixing the tanks. I’ll take you to her.”
Ming unlocked the employees’ only door with her key card then beckoned Zuko to follow. The hallways were littered with supplies and pipes going every which way. Zuko squinted in the bright artificial light. It was a starch contrast from the low lights of the aquarium display room. Ming veered off and opened a side door.
“Ursa, Zuko’s here to see you!”
He stepped in and saw his mother screwing a large pipe back into place.
“Zuko? What wrong, dear? Did practice let out early?”
He didn’t want to tell her he was kicked off the team, so Zuko nodded instead.
“Okay. I got some tasks to finish up so feel free to wander around.” Ursa said as she kissed his head then headed out the door.
Zuko sighed heavily. He strolled through the maze of hallways looking for a door back to the main room. He should had asked for directions. Zuko hit his head hard while ducking in between some pipe lines. The sound echoed eerily through the abandoned halls. Zuko suddenly got the feeling that he was being watched.
He was probably just paranoid.
Zuko wandered into a different room this one filled with opened air tanks. He peaked over one and jumped back against a diving suit rack when a large sea turtle blew some saltwater on him. Zuko hung back up a suit he knocked down then took a closer look at the sea turtle. It stared back at him with curious eyes. Zuko felt a smile creep on his face.
The diving suit fell off the rack again. When he went to move it, the suit sprung to life and hoped into a different tank.
What the-
Zuko rushed over and peaked in to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. Instead, he was greeted by a girl with impossibly blue eyes. Zuko yelped as he tripped over his own feet and fell back. The girl laughed then leapt out of the tank and sprinted out the door.
“Hey wait!!!”
Zuko clumsily got back up and rushed after the girl, following the sound of her bare wet feet slapping against the floor. He caught her balancing on the edge of the whale tank before diving in.
“Hey!”
Zuko quickly descended the stairs to the lower level then pressed his face against the tank. The girl placed her hands where his rested against the glass and smiled widely at him. She wore a simple outfit consisting of a loose white t-shirt and blue jean shorts. Her dark brown hair floated around her like a halo and her blue eyes matched the ocean water perfectly.
“My name’s Katara. What’s yours?”
How was she talking underwater?
“I’m…” Zuko gapped, still not processing.
“I’m?”
“I’m…Z-Zu…ko…”
Katara beamed. She then shot upward impossibly fast and spread her arms apart.
“ZZZUUUKKKKOOOOOOOO!!!”
Katara glided effortless through the water, spinning and twirling, as the fish circled all around her. Zuko stared in complete awe.
It was like she was flying.
“A mermaid.” He whispered to himself.
“Not quite.” Ming walked up from behind him. “Katara and her sister were found washed to shore. They were raised by dugongs at sea and have to keep wet because their skin dries out faster than other humans. We’re keeping them here for research.”
“Is that legal?”
Ming made an eh sound and shrugged her shoulders. “It is government sanctioned but it’s best not to tell the public.”
Zuko continued to watch, not taking his eyes off Katara once. He suddenly flashed back to the last time he visited the aquarium. It was at this very tank when Zuko saw a massive humpback whale covered with glowing white stars giving it a ghostly appearance. He was so young but he stilled remembered the way his heart raced as it soared passed him.
Ursa called him, snapping Zuko out of his trance. She was going to drive him home since she had to work afterhours. Zuko gazed back at the tank but the mysterious girl had disappeared.
When they returned home, Zuko poured through his old marine life books about whales until early in the morning.
That night, he dreamt about stars, oceans, and eyes that held both.