#zkminibang2021

[wary-cries]

Homecoming Weekend

Read Homecoming Weekend (author to be revealed December 23rd!) in the Official Zutara MiniBang 2021 Collection on Ao3. 

Check out @officialzutaraminibang for other event art and fics! 

The unmistakable rasp of a certain someone materializes from right behind her. Katara freezes like a saber-tooth moose lion caught in headlights. Her neck tingles uncomfortably and her back feels as though it has been lit ablaze. Now that she has heard his voice, every part of her body is suddenly hyper aware of his presence. Katara takes a deep, steadying breath, and tries to concentrate on whatever the fairly attractive man in front of her is droning on about. Saying. To her. She smiles pleasantly and nods, and gestures to the student who has recently joined them to elicit their opinion on the matter, doing her best to ignore the inferno behind her.

~

After years apart, Zuko and Katara meet again at their university's homecoming weekend. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to not wonder what was going on between them the first time.

[ID: Katara sits on the left-side of the image, looking toward Zuko, who sits to the right of the image. He is looking at her. They are in a secluded area of a library in the late afternoon, shadows engulfing the bookcases around them, except for the light coming from behind Zuko. The sun is at a low angle in the sky, creating a faint golden halo outlining his left side. Katara’s face is framed by two chestnut strands, and two others are pulled to the sides of her head, tied in a bun at the nap of her neck. The rest falls in loose waves underneath the bun. She is wearing a quarter-length purple shirt. Zuko is wearing a short-sleeved, dark grey t-shirt. His hair is pulled up into a messy top knot, secured by a pencil. Katara’s right hand is across her body, just shy of touching Zuko’s right bicep. Her gaze is mid point from leaving Zuko’s to meeting his eyes. On Zuko’s bicep are a cross-hatch of scars and crudely done tattoo lines. These tattoo lines are almost constellation-like, dots and lines making up a flame. This flame is half visible to the viewer. Zuko is looking at her, thin-lipped and stoic. His red and gold noise-canceling headphones are slid down around his neck.]

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[wary-cries]

Echo’s in the Silence

Read Echo’s in the Silence (author to be revealed December 23rd!) in the Official Zutara MiniBang 2021 Collection on Ao3.

Check out @officialzutaraminibang for other event art and fics!

Taking place in Book One. A tale of love transpires during the hard times of war. Katara and Zuko find themselves caught between loyalty and lust, an unlikely development that could either sedate the pain the one hundred year war has inflicted on them, or it may break them even further.

***

The corner of his lips tighten, “Yes, hate me. That’s what you’re supposed to do. I’m your enemy, not your fucking boyfriend. Leave, and forget this,” he points between the both of them, “ever happened.”

Tears break out, Katara’s sobs turning into uncontrollable weeping, “Why are you doing this? Why are you being so mean?”

“It's better than loving me,” he spat and that breaks her. Somewhere during her tear shed does Zuko fall to his knees, “Please, don’t do this to me. Don’t cry like that. Don’t *feel* anything for me. It hurts-“ He chokes, clenched fist grasping at his chest, “Let me let you go.”

[ID: Katara is on the left side of the image, face just resting behind Zuko’s right shoulder. They are both facing the viewer. The foreground is in shadow, as well as the background, though some treetops of the surrounding forest and an open, star-lit night can be seen. Katara’s right hand holds Zuko’s jaw tightly, his head is tilted back to expose more of his neck. Her right hand has burn marks running from her fingers and down her forearm that is visible. Her body and most of her right arm are hidden in shadow. One of her left fingers can be seen on the right side of the image, with an ice spear seeming to be held in that hand. The ice spear is at Zuko’s neck. Katara’s chestnut hair is down, though her hair loopies still frame her face and meet at the back in a small bun. Zuko is bald, though his dark hood is up. The rest of his body in view is also in a dark cloak. Katara’s brows are furrowed in anger, mouth slightly open, while Zuko’s face is fixed in place at the precarious position he has found himself in.]