Wow it's been ages since I last logged on, but here I go! Here's to Zutara in very much AU universes. Enjoy these drabbles/lemons/fluffs :)

Katara's POV

When you see your actual life flash before your eyes, you normally have that quick-passing thought that you didn't know would be your last. When the lightning struck out of her fingers, my mind immediately went to Sokka and his cactus juice moment. It was a pure moment of innocence and idiocy that would make you laugh beyond years. Frozen and stuck to the ground, Azula showed no remorse in this battle, but- something happened.

I should have died at that moment. I should have died. But I didn't. Zuko saved me.

He was fighting all of his blood, sweat, and tears to restore his honor and position on the throne, and the only person who stood in his way was his own sister. Exiled from this hell, he could have ended her. She was losing it to strive for a throne that was never going to be hers. And Zuko threw himself in front of me to redirect the lightning away from me. The thud of his body hitting the ground is what shook me out of that hypnotizing moment of near-death.

My eyes went wide, and I was silent. The constant lightning kept striking towards me and my mind went straight to Zuko. His head and hands trembled and my mind was scrambling that may the Avatars in the past let him continue fighting.

Azula finally caught up to me and yells at me, "There you are you, filthy peasant," and it's in that moment I knew. I knew that death would never be sufficient for her, but the shame of being shackled and imprisoned near the very throne itself. She was losing it throughout the entire battle, her greed for power was her weakness and there she struggled in the chains when I ran to Zuko.

The water around me glowed bright blue healing the scar that could have killed him. Zuko winced at the touch of water, but heat radiated off and into my hands. I felt the battle brewing between life and death in his blood and bones. He was never supposed to endure such a dangerous battle at such a young age. He was 17 and having the weight on his shoulders to be throned already once Aang defeated Ozai. It was heartbreaking. He whispers his small thank you to me and winces to get back up.

The way he stood made me wonder. This was a boy who at first hated me and I hated him, that threw himself into a lightning bolt to protect me. There was more to that. And I hoped that even after all of this hell ended, I would talk to him.

Weeks pass before I run into Zuko in the province. His hair is shaggy and loose, something that kings normally don't do, and he looks down. It breaks my heart but we were victims of an awful war. Though, my mind went to the first action to do. Drag him into the nearest room.

"Hey!" He yelps, but I ignore him.

It took every ounce of me not to pester him with questions, but I started with the first comment, "Thank you."

"Katara, it's okay. It happened, and you're okay."

"No, Zuko, you need to understand, I never officially got to thank you. You helped save the Fire Nation from completely taking over, please take credit for that."

He huffs and stares at his feet, "Katara-"

"Why did you throw yourself in front of me?" I asked. There was hope that maybe there was something, and it was stronger than what I had felt with Aang when I kissed him.

Zuko stares and looks up. His golden eye pierces back at me, but there's longing behind that look. There was confusion and fear that an adult had to make these decisions for him, but here he was, making the decisions now. It was empathy that I felt because I understood as I was looked at as the one who was looked to for guidance. Then my feet step towards him.

He closes his eyes and whispers, "You're with the Avatar. Please don't do this." So in that moment, I don't. I don't move or say a single word. This silence made us stronger and more fearful for what would happen, but it was a silence that was hug-like, and comforting. He opens his eyes again, and we stare without saying anything. He closes the space between us with one single kiss.

I responded by parting my lips and allowing us to let our tongues intertwine with each other. His hands warmed up and he placed them right at my hips, and my hands snaked around his neck. The temperature in the room got warmer as the flames raised higher than they normally were, and settled after Zuko slowed down with his kiss. We both parted at that moment, and our foreheads were touching.

"Stay with me. Please"

I did.