Note: I DO NOTE OWN ATLA, because if I did, ZUTARA would've happened.
FOOLS
Those hardest to love need it most…
It has been a few weeks after the failed invasion; the eclipse that was supposed to bring the fire benders down. It has been a few weeks since he left; he left everything he thought he ever wanted. The affection of his father, the recognition of his sister, his place inside the palace walls, his honor.
But all of that was nothing but a spec in the dust. All his life, he was devoted on capturing the avatar just to bring back his honor. But he has forgotten what he truly needed… peace and love. He already bought his honor back, the moment he decided not to go back to the fire nation, the moment he decided to help his uncle into serving tea's. Who would've thought that such thrival thing would be honorable? At least, it was a decent living.
But everything changed when she returned. He traded everything just to bring back what he thought he needed. But deep inside, that's not what he wanted.
By helping Azula, fight the Avatar, he betrayed the first person to trust him… he betrayed her.
Now, here he is, watching as the group huddled into the fire, telling jokes, having fun, exchanging witty antics, care of Toph.
He would've traded anything just to bring it back. But now, she loathes him… she even threatens to end his life, if ever he tried plotting again to hurt Aang. But he'll never do that. All this time, he was chasing after a wrong person. Aang has been nothing but good to him, despite the way they treated each other before. He even got Sokka's trust, Toph seems to ease on him too, aside from the heavy punches she lands on him occasionally, but Katara is a different story.
He has betrayed her, like he betrayed his uncle.
A blistering pain ached inside his heart just by remembering what he did. She was the first person to ever look him in the eye. Now, those eyes are full of hate…pain and anger.
Heaving a deep sigh, he waited for a perfect timing to talk to Sokka. He's the only one who can tell him how to make it up to Katara.
"The fire nation took my mother…"
It echoes inside his head, haunting him every time he sleeps.
He must find a way to make it up to her, and that is by knowing who killed the waterbender's mother.
"What should I do to make it up to you?"He said to himself, unknown that a certain Kiyoshi warrior is about to enter Sokka's tent when they accidentally bumped on each other.
"Ooops! Wrong tent!" she said as she felt the collision between her and Zuko. Feeling a bit awkward that he might find out on where she was going she immediately turned her eyes away from him.
"Sorry, do you need to talk to Sokka too?" he stated, sounding a bit worried on bumping the girl while asking if she wanted to the lad.
Turning to Zuko again, she gave a sheepish smile and a quick answer. "Nope! Not me!" flustered, she immediately denied the fact that she was obviously going to see Sokka.
Ignoring the sudden awkwardness that Suki sported earlier, Zuko made his way towards his destination.
Entering the tent, he carefully lifted the fabric that is keeping it hidden, immediately; his vision was directed to an overly "awkward" posed, Sokka, who happens to be holding on a rose with his mouth. The tent was decorated with rose petals and candlelight.
Rolling his eyes, he dismissed the fact that the two are going to "catch up" on whatever they need "catching up"
"Well hello—Zuko! Yes! Why would I be expecting anyone different? So what's on your mind?" Sokka was giving that seductive welcoming remark, when instead of a brunette, raven locks and amber eyes pooled his vision. Feeling the intensity of Zuko's arrival, he willingly swallowed the rose stem and pretends that nothing happened.
For some reason, he seems to be stating the obvious, the moment he tried to alter Zuko's attention by asking him what's on his mind. If he could just answer him directly, he will say that She's actually on his mind, Invading every inch of him and its making him feel so weird and giddy.
He shoved the idea as fast as he could and focused on his objective. "Your sister,she hates me…" he said while sitting on the floor and eyeing Sokka.
He continued. "Your sister, she hates me, and I don't know why, but I do care what she thinks of me…" he said sadly, hating the fact that he too did a massive damage on why she hates him so much. No wonder, Katara has trust issues when it comes to him.
Giving him an "don't worry bud" look, Sokka did the best thing he could. "Naaaah, she doesn't hate you, Katara doesn't hate anyone…" for a moment, Zuko felt relieved what Sokka was just starting.
"—except maybe… some people in the Fire Nation…" sensing that Zuko is feeling a bit offended on what he said, Sokka tried to brighten up the Fire bender. " No! I mean, uhm,not people who are good but used to be bad, I mean…bad people. Fire Nation people who are still bad, who've never been good and possibly won't be…EVER!"
"Stop…okay listen." Zuko let out a sigh, he really need to straighten things up with Katara. "—I know it seems out of nowhere… but I want to know what happened to you mother…" feeling his chest tightened, Zuko didn't mean to pry or anything but it's the best he could do. The pain of losing your mother is very much engraved into his soul. If there's anyone who can understand Katara, that would be him.
Scratching the back of his neck, Sokka eyed Zuko sheepishly, his grey orbs darkening at the thought of that dreadful day.
"What? Why would you wanna know that?" Sokka added, feeling a bit suspicious that the fire bender is up to something.
"—Katara, mentioned it before when we were imprisoned in Ba Sing Se, and again just now when she was yelling at me, I think somehow…she's connected to her anger about that…to her anger about me."
Avoiding Zuko's gaze, Sokka couldn't help but feel like a child again. "it's not a day I like to remember…"
Listening intently, Zuko made a mental note on asking about the attackers. If it wasn't for Katara's mother, what would've happened to the little Katara back then? "Mothers… they have a way of complicating things…" he said with a bitter smile, remembering how his mom kissed him goodbye telling him that she only did it for the sake of protecting him and Azula.
As the story ended, Zuko asked what he had in mind earlier.
"I was so relieved when it was over but…that's because I didn't know what happened…I didn't know we lost our mother." Sulking, Sokka tore his eyes against Zukko and shut it bitterly.
"—Wait! Can you remember any details about the soldiers who raided your village?" Intently, Zuko asked Sokka. "—Like, what the lead ship look like?"
"Yeah…sea ravens" he stated, as if recalling a sudden memory. For some reason Sokka have a feeling about this. "the mains ships have flags with sea ravens on them."
As if a light bulb opened, it quickly hit Zuko about the soldiers who raided the water tribe, before. "The symbol of the southern raiders." He said quickly. "Thanks Sokka." He gave the man a soft smile before slowly making his way out of the tent.
"Noooooo problem! Thanks for stopping by!" he said while remembering the interrupted "catching up" earlier.
Zuko rolled his eyes, knowing that the couple was hiding something, but he let it slide, he has a lit of straightening up to do with Katara.
"At least, let me fix you…" he said with a sigh while walking his way towards Katara's tent. He doesn't know why, but the moment the he saw hate into her eyes, it broke his heart. Like something inside him is cracking up.
"I need to make it up to you… you showed me how I can change, you gave me a chance but I betrayed you." A painful smile escaped his thin lips. His hands trembles like it's going to break. He never acted like this before, all he ever know is that and angry Katara is worse that being challenged into an Agni Kai.
A bitter smile escaped his lips, the cool breeze brushing his raven locks. From afar, he can hear the splashing of the sea, its waves rippling through the moonlight.
He would do anything to bring it back. "I just need you to trust me again… just give me another chance." His amber eyes dimmed thinking on how he betrayed her.
"I was the first one to trust you!"
Her voice echoing through the darkness as he made his way to the edge of the cliff. If someone will see him standing like that, they will come to a conclusion that Zuko is ending his life, but no… he's just too sad to do that, even his limbs are giving up on him but he found hope in her.
Her azure eyes tearing every piece of loneliness inside him, she was the first waterbender to show him kindeness.
"You were right uncle, I shouldn't have craved for more…in the end, it was all in vain."
Ever since he laid his eyes on her, he felt a connection, and as much as he hated to admit it, he never felt anything like that whenever he's with Mei.
He let out a deep sigh, smoke coming out from his mouth like a dragon, breathing out fire. A sad smile etched into his face. "She doesn't trust me because I am a monster…" I just have to make trust me again, even if it means doing everything I can just to prove myself.
The pain he bought her left a mark and it's making her act just like him. "As tough as nails…"
Suddenly, remembering something that an important person told him, he closed his eyes trying to focus on the sudden remembrance of the Fire Lady.
"Those hardest to love need it most…" the memory of his mother telling him that phrase made him miss her.
TBC…
A/N: this is a two shot, haha the next one will be Katara's POV, sorry if it's not that cheesy, I just started writing a Zutara fic and I have no idea on how to execute my thoughts. Tell me what you think, this chapter is mixed with the original episode 16 though I altered some stuffs to make it work. I do hope it is to your liking, tell me what you think. God bless :D