I consider myself a professional reader – I can tell good FanFiction from...the slightly less good but still quite enjoyable stories. Keep in mind that this doesn't guarantee my being a professional writer. I am but a lowly student who wishes to procrastinate on her physics project by whatever means necessary. The following one-shot is the result of my effortless efforts. My first FanFiction. Even though you're probably going to hate it, please review. That'd be awesome.

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon does. How can this be proven? Easy – Zutara isn't the main ship.

Regret

Katara

Katara was really regretting having saved the world. No, that sounded wrong – of course she was happy the war was finally over and that the four nations lived in harmony once more. She was merely a mite perturbed that there were no more thrilling adventures to be had. Yes, that sounded about right. It was the lack of constant running, ridiculous disguises, and cabbages that made her miserable. That and the dull white of, well, everything in the South Pole.

After Fire Lord Ozai had been defeated and Zuko had taken the throne, things were sorted out unbelievably simply. Toph returned to the Earth Kingdom, but only to inform her parents she survived – she was named an Ambassador to the Earth Kingdom by Zuko, and accepted his invitation to stay in the Fire Nation. Aang set to work ensuring that everything worked out between the nations, then he was off, starting his long quest to find any surviving airbenders. Zuko had the hardest jobs – gaining back the trust of the rest of the world was bound to take some time, not to mention taking care of his psychotic sister and searching for his long-lost mother…and making sure Iroh kept his blood-sugar level under control.

So obviously Katara was frustrated that Sokka and herself were shipped right back to the South Pole with their father. They had saved the world, and this was the thanks they got? A practical exile from everything exciting in the world? She had asked with Zuko to let them stay in the Fire Nation like Toph. Pleaded. Begged.

One month ago - Zuko

The door to his study slammed open, causing him to spill ink all over his letter to the Earth King.

He sighed. "What is it, Katara?" he asked exasperatedly without even turning around. He knew she was the only one who would enter without caring about permission.

"Please, Zuko. Don't make me go back there!"

A smirk. "What's the matter Katara, can't handle the snow?"

"Zuko, I'm serious! We've chased each other all around the world; I can't just go back home and settle! Father has been hinting at marriage…I'm fifteen for crying out loud! I can't get married! Please, Zuko, I'm asking you as a friend. Please don't make go home to that. I – I just want to be free." He stood from his desk and turned to face her. Her eyes were desperate, sparkling with the truth in her words. Zuko knew what it meant for her. Marriage meant living with some blubbery old man in an igloo. It meant cooking and mending clothes and having as many children as possible. No more waterbending. No more adventures. No more seeing him. He visibly flinched at that last thought. Not only would she be across the world from the Fire Lord, but she'd be married to a faceless stranger. Not him.

He'd only realized it a week beforehand. The bolt of lightning coming at her with a sick accuracy. The shocked look on her face, that of a startled rabbiroo. The realization that she was defenseless, that she was about to…die. The agony he experienced in that one moment, the pain of the mere thought of losing her, was a thousands times worse than pain he felt from the thousands of volts from the bolt he took for her. Zuko realized what the strange feelings that had been manifesting since their first meeting had been, what his uncle had been hinting at for so long. The odd feeling in his chest he got whenever she smiled at him. The resentful feelings he was having towards Aang. The uncontrollable desire to make her happy. He was in love. With Katara.

After the battle was won and everyone started celebrating, he began to think about his predicament. Yes, he loved Katara more than his own life, but he wasn't good enough for her. He'd been the cause of so much of her pain. His nation. His family. She could never love him. So he would try to forget it. And sending her away seemed like the best idea. He'd talked her father into it – Hakoda had overlooked the Fire Lord's internal struggle and agreed to the idea. He'd agreed to set up a marriage for his daughter. He had unknowingly agreed to keeping his daughter safe from Zuko. Surely Zuko could now convince Katara that this was the most logical path.

"…Marriage? Katara, I don't think I should interfere with that. It's all tradition, right? What your fa- Chief Hakoda wants for you is probably…best…". He trailed off at the livid look on her face.

"Don't tell me you actually agree with him?! How could you agree that after all we've done, after saving the world and restoring peace to the nations, I should just be sent home to get married like a good, proper little girl? In case you haven't noticed, Zu-Zu, there's nothing proper about me! I'm not some little puppet that you men can control! I refuse to be treated like I can't think for myself. I refuse to be shipped off to an iceberg and be cut off from everything and everyone I love! I will not be obedient! You can't make me!"

Zuko was frozen, still taking in the waterbender before him. Her eyes of ice shone with a fire he knew all too well, one of determination and defiance. Her chest was heaving as though she'd just run a marathon instead of just finished screaming at the Fire Lord. She'd even called him Zu-Zu, knowing full well that it ticked him off. This is what he loved about her. No one was as stubborn as she was; no one argued as well as she did. She would fight until she won. He loved her more for it. It killed him to send her away. But he had to.

"Katara," he whispered, his voice cracking, "You know that I only want the best for you. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. You are the strongest bender I've ever met; the strongest person I've ever known. It's not that I don't want you here, but…I just don't think your future here lies in the Fire Nation."

He paused, taking in her reaction. Her stance faltered slightly, the fire in her eyes burnt less bright. He found the strength to continue in the fire. "You have so much compassion and love to give...you'll make a wonderful mother. Any man would be lucky to have you as his wife." He closed his eyes in an attempt to shut off the pain. It didn't work.

When she spoke, her voice shook. "Fine. I should have known better than to count on you." He heard her soft footsteps exiting the room, pausing in the doorway. "I thought you would help me. I trusted you, Zuko."

His eyes shot open. She was gone.

He was screwed. He loved her. She had trusted him. He had let her down. He had to make things right. But…how?

Present time, Katara

An irritated sigh escaped her lips as she stood up, grumpily brushing the snow off of her furs. What's the point? There's more snow outside...where isn't there snow in this damn place? Muttering various curses towards certain influential firebenders, Katara trudged out of her family's hut, planning to aimlessly wander about until something exciting found her. Ugh, I'm spending way too much time with Sokka – his planning skills are rubbing off on me!

The plan wasn't working too well. How long had it been - a couple minutes, a couple hours? Nothing had happened. Just as she expected. And it made her even more angry with him. This was his fault. Stupid firebender.

Suddenly, Katara became absolutely furious. So angry, apparently, that her vision became clouded with red. So angry that the red formed a solid mass. A mass so solid that Katara crashed into it and fell backward into the white mush. The mass chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" She mumbled grumpily. She was too mad to even bother identifying the mass.

"You, obviously. Doesn't red stand out in all this white?" Another laugh.

Katara froze. She knew that voice. She couldn't forget it. That was the voice that condemned her to this frozen tundra. The voice that was eternally engraved in her broken heart. Now she was angry.

She jumped to her feet and began pummeling every inch of Zuko she could reach, not even stopping to remember that she could waterbend the hell out of him. One small part of her noted the unusual lack of resistance, but a much larger part of her being was busy becoming more angered with the incessant laughing. What the hell is so funny?!

Warm arms encircled her, pulling her closer to him. She shivered at the warmth and contact.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you." He nuzzled her hair as he spoke, the warmth of his breath driving her crazy. No. Katara, focus. He said no. He didn't want you with him. Who cares how…amazing he's making you feel. He's just a big…

"JERKBENDER!"

"…Excuse me?" His voice suggested astonishment…and a challenge. She grinned. – apparently that last bit had been verbal.

She pushed away from the confines of his arms, immediately regretting the action. He was so warm. "'Happy to see me'? You seemed all too eager to be rid of me! What's with the sudden change in attitude? Did Toph get too annoying?" No, she couldn't stay mad at him. Not with the amber fire in his eyes melting her resolve.

He grinned, glad that her fury wasn't full. "You know Toph, she can't stop complaining. 'Zuko, I'm so hot! Can you get me a fan?' It's called the Fire Nation for a reason!" Zuko smiled, but his grin lessened as he saw the look on her face. "Katara, I wasn't eager to get rid of you. Why do you think I'm here? Why else would a firebender come to the coldest place on earth? Now?" The amber eyes squeezed shut, mustering enough strength to continue. Katara had the strangest urge to hug him, to hold him - anything she could do to help. But the Fire Lord found what he was looking for. Katara gasped as his golden eyes shot open, piercing her own.

"You infuriate me. Since I first saw you, the Avatar's girl, I detested your essence. The thought of you made my insides boil." Katara frowned; Zuko smiled wider. "Over time, however, things changed. Living in the Earth Kingdom got me thinking. The queasy feeling I got in my stomach wasn't hatred. The shivering that came with thoughts of you wasn't out of loathing. I realized it under Ba Sing Se…but it scared me. I went with Azula. I regretted every minute of it. Then I joined the Gaang, and –"

"Stop beating around the bush! What is it you're trying to-"

"I love you, Katara. I love you more than I should, not enough than you deserve. I – I've hurt you, I know. I'm responsible for the loss of so much in your life – your tribe, your mother's life – and I know that you can never love me." His voice cracked at the end, reminding Katara of their last conversation. He…loves me. Zuko actually loves me…

All her feelings of anger and detest towards him immediately evaporated. He loved her. He felt responsible for the pain in her life, but it wasn't him. Even if it was, she would forgive him. She couldn't hate him.

Time stopped just then. Katara froze. That was why she couldn't leave the Fire Nation. That was why she couldn't get married to that faceless stranger. It was the reason she didn't want to settle. She loved him too.

Zuko was fire. Fire didn't just stand still; fire moved and changed, not able to stay in one position too long. Katara loved the fire. Katara loved Zuko. And Zuko loved Katara.

"Zuko, I-"

"No, Katara, hear me out. I don't want you to feel guilty. I understand – no one could love a monster like me. I know you'll be able to meet someone who you can love, someone who will love you back. That doesn't mean that I'll stop loving you. But I'll go back to the Fire Nation. I'll leave you in peace –"

"Oh, shut up already," she said impatiently, flinging her arms around him and effectively cutting him off.

He got the message. And didn't mind one bit.

Yes, the ending sucked, and the fic was overall Fluffy, I know…hey, you know what else is fluffy? These two new Plot Bunnies I got! They were just SO adorable…that author seemed desperate to get rid of them…wonder why…