#plz everyone zuko deserves this win

[zutaras-where-its-at]

Baby, It’s a Wipeout [2]

Summary: It’s the final run, and Zuko’s sure Katara doesn’t stand a chance.

Notes: I have so many other things to do right now, but I decided to stay up until 2am writing this, so plz enjoy the product of my stress. (Also, I did some shoddy research on pro-snowboarding because I really don’t know jack about it, so please correct me if something is just completely off!)

“I guess I’ll see you there.”

That’s what Katara had told him as she’d stood on her porch just before he and Jet had left the cabin. All he could offer her at the time was a pathetic excuse for a smile and an uncomfortable grunt. Meanwhile, Jet had been all charm and sass and grins and big hugs around tan skin and a tiny waist. All because Jet is an only child and Zuko isn’t.

And now, Zuko is seeing Katara, but there’s no laughing over a silly card game. There’s only the frigid air, his tense shoulders, and Azula’s fifteen-point lead.

“Wonderful job, Azula.”

“Your dedication has paid off.”

Zuko shuddered at the monotone voices of Azula’s ancient twin coaches. He’d known them for over a decade and had never once seen them apart from one another. If he and Azula ever spent that much time together, they’d either kill each other, or themselves.

Beside him, his sister combed a well-manicured hand through her hair, her rusty-orange ski jacket unzipped to reveal a black sports bra.

She rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s paid off. And once I’m at the Olympics, the whole world will see just how dedicated I am.” Her shoulder bumped against his. “Isn’t that right, Zuzu?”

He snorted and crossed his arms, eyes watching as Katara’s silhouette shuffled to the starting line. He squinted against the sunlight that bounced off the fresh snow. “I think your ego’s big enough without me reaffirming it.”

Azula stuck her lower lip out and wrapped her hand around his arm. “Is this how you repay me for coming to every one of your football games in high school?”

Zuko turned his head to glower at her. “You only came to my games to flirt with my friends.”

Her pout lifted into a smirk, but before she could tease him further, the announcer sounded over the speakers.

“Our final halfpipe competitor of the day is eighteen-year-old Katara Siluk from right here in the Southern Isles. This is her first time at the Kuruk Games, but she has a nice home field advantage. Let’s see if she has what it takes to beat out senior competitor, Azula Jin, in this last round.”

“Not likely.” Azula’s snarky remark was just loud enough to reach Zuko’s ears.

He resisted the urge to cover his eyes as Katara’s figure finally stood, knees bending in preparation. His heart sank with the inevitable massacre of her spirit and soul. Azula always ruined everything.

She took off down the slope, her wild hair trailing behind her. Zuko’s fist clenched inside his jacket pocket.

“Here she goes with her first trick—beautiful takeoff—oh wow! A flawless frontside ten-eighty! Second take off—straight into a frontside nine-hundred, wow! Clean landing! Air to fakie, right into a huge crippler! Incredible air on that—right into the method—do you see the air she’s getting—No way, she went for a double Michalch—Katara Siluk has stuck the landing! She has landed a perfect double Michalchuk! What a way to end that run! It just might be enough! The crowd here is absolutely losing its mind!”

Azula’s grip had gotten steadily tighter and tighter around his bicep, but Zuko didn’t even notice. He could not believe what he had seen. It just wasn’t possible.

Apparently, Azula had similar sentiments.

“She’s a rookie. She’s a rookie.” His sister ripped her hands from where they were tucked into his elbow. She turned to Lo and Li, and Zuko was glad he wasn’t the focus of her wrath. “You told me that you scoped out the competition. You said that this would be a blow out.”

“We did. We watched her tapes along with everyone else’s. She never stood out.” They answered in unison, but their voices shook almost imperceptibly.

Their attention snapped back to the announcer as the speakers crackled to life. “And here comes the score for Katara’s third run from the judges.”

The scoreboard above the slope flashed a number. The crowd went into uproar.

“Katara Siluk has scored a 97.25! The newcomer from right here in the Southern Isles has taken the Kuruk title! For the first time, Azula Jin’s reign has been defeated by just 1.5 points!”

Zuko saw Azula’s back straighten in the slightest of movements, and he internally cringed for her mentors.

When she spoke, her voice was soft to the point of danger. “Does she stand out now?”

Lo and Li didn’t get a chance to respond as Azula abruptly turned and stalked towards the lodge.

Before he could decide whether he should follow her or not, a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Dude, it was a nightmare to get down here.” Jet huffed out a cloud of steam. “I had to wait until the security guard wasn’t looking in order to get out of the stands.”

“Why did you—”

“Well, I took one look, saw you standing here like a goddamn garden gnome, and knew you needed my help.”

“Your help with what?”

Jet rolled his eyes. “For one, connecting the dots. And secondly, helping you talk to Katara since you’ve been angsting over her all morning.”

Zuko spluttered and tried to shake Jet’s grip from his shoulders. “I have not been—Okay seriously, dickhead, stop shoving me.”

“Quit squirming. I promise you’ll thank me later.”

“She’s probably in the locker room away from all the reporters, you asshole!”

“Good thing you’re not a reporter.”

“Azula will literally behead me if she knows that I went and talked to her!”

“Well, Azula’s not here, is she? And since when have you been scared of Azula?”

“Since when have you not been scared of Azula? I’m not kidding, Jet, stop fucking pushing me—”

“Shut up and smile.”

“What are you—”

“Oh hey, you guys. I’m surprised you made it through that crowd.” Sokka clapped Zuko on the arm, his cheeks rosy and a bright grin stretching his face. Just behind him, Katara was wrapping up a brief interview with a reporter.

“Zuko here insisted on congratulating Katara after that epic run. Said he wouldn’t let anyone get in his way. Right, Zuko?” Jet elbowed him in the ribs and purposefully raised his voice. His light brown eyes sparkled when Katara’s head jerked to the side mid-sentence and landed on the two boys.

Over the noise of people, Zuko heard her turn back to the reporter and politely dismiss him before she started toward them.

Her whole face seemed to glow with her victory, and a few strands of sweat-dampened hair clung to the sides of her smooth neck. She had abandoned her helmet and goggles, and her blue scarf was on the verge of unravelling to the floor, but she didn’t bother to take notice of it.

“I told you guys that I was better than you had assumed.” Her chapped lips couldn’t stop smiling, and Zuko found that he naturally returned her cheer.

“Congratulations.”

Her smile widened just the slightest bit more and Zuko felt a hot blush spread across the tips of his ears.

“Thanks.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry about your sister though. Really. I hope she wasn’t too upset.”

“She wasn’t,” he lied.

Their eyes connected for just a touch longer than normal, and right when Zuko was about to excuse himself out of sheer flustered embarrassment, Jet cut in.

“Congrats, Katara. You deserved that win without a doubt.” He swung an arm around Sokka’s shoulders. “By the way, Sokka, I was meaning to ask you about sparring sometime. You mentioned fencing last night, right?”

As the lanky brunette casually led the other boy into a friendly conversation a few feet away, he snuck a quick wink to Zuko and Katara.

Zuko coughed lightly into his hand. Then he reached up to scratch the back of his neck. But then he realized that he was fidgeting out of nervousness and quickly shoved his hands back into his pockets, actively avoiding Katara’s eyes the whole time.

“So…” She drew the word out awkwardly.

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering—”

“Could I—”

They both stopped, eyes wide. Katara laughed and gestured for him to speak.

Zuko carded his hand through his hair. “I was gonna ask if I could call you sometime, maybe?”

Her laugh grew a little breathier. “Funny. I was going to ask if you were staying in town for a little while longer. I could, I don’t know, show you around?”

She wrapped her hands around the ends of her scarf and tugged anxiously. A self-deprecating snicker escaped her teeth. “God, that sounded so cliché. Wow. Okay, I’m gonna just go throw myself from the top of the ski lodge if you don’t mind.”

Zuko’s expression softened, and he took a small step closer to her. “I’ll be here for the next two weeks. Technically this is my vacation hours from work, and Azula planned to train on the slopes here after the competition.” Another step closer. He had never realized how short she was before. “You know, I’ll probably need someone to help make sure I don’t get my dumbass stuck in the snow again.”

Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she peered up at him. “Oh, well, in that case, it’s probably my moral duty to not let you out of my sight.”

“You’re right. Do you want to help me out tomorrow, maybe? I might get lost on my way to dinner.”

“We wouldn’t want that to happen, now would we?” A fake frown shifted her features, but one corner of her mouth quirked up. She let out a loud sigh. “I guess I could spare some time tomorrow. How does five o’clock sound?”

Zuko’s fingers lightly brushed her wrist and he felt her skin twitch.

“Five o’clock sounds great.”