This is my first Zutara fanfiction...actually its my first fanfiction of anykind haha. Please give me advice on making my writing better and such :) dont be too mean, but advice is always good.

Chapter one: I care about you

Zuko sat on the sandy beach looking up at the glimmering moon that was casting a bright reflection on the rippling tide beneath it. Team avatar had decided to stay at Zukos family's summer home on an island near the fire nation, he hated it here but he knew his family never visited it anymore so it was safe. So many painful memories. He thought of all the times he had come here with his mother and sister, his father rarely came with them, being the Fire Lord he was busy. Most days he would have gone on walks with his mother and she would tell him stories and they would watch the cute little turtle ducks play in the ponds. But that was long ago, and his mother has gone. He always liked looking at the moon at night, even though he was a fire bender. The soft pureness of the moon made him relax and remember his loving mother, the soft light caressed his skin much like his mother had when he came to her crying about something Azula did to him.

He ran his fingers though the soft sand and sighed, it was late at night and he knew everyone else was probably asleep by now. Soon the comet would arrive and this war would be done with, at least that's what he had kept telling himself. He felt so alone, his new "friends" hadn't fully trusted him yet and sometimes he wondered if they ever really would, he didn't blame them though. All the times he had hurt them, trying to kill them, he was surprised they were forgiving enough to accept him now. Teaching Aang fire bending hadn't been easy, Zukos fire bending was becoming weaker and weaker because of his lack of hate. He tried telling himself that wasn't a bad thing but it was his duty to teach Aang all that he knew and what he tried teaching him looked like shit. Just the other day he was trying to teach Aang a simpe move Zuko had probably learned at the age of ten, but all that came out of his hands was smoke, fire wasn't even visible.

"I'm such a fuck up!" Zuko held his face with his hands, trying to keep all his emotions in, he was worthless, he was no good to either side. He couldn't be good and he couldn't be bad. He ran his hands through his coarse hair that was covered in a thin layer of sweat, it hadn't been cold out but he had been getting so frustrated with himself. What good was he to anyone? He felt his scar, the ridges were so familiar, it was numb to the touch which was something that had always bugged him. It felt as if that part of him was dead, it was just scar tissue that was made in the past. He clenched his jaw in anger at himself, he was disgusting and he was worthless. He let out a frustrated groan, he wouldn't cry, he never cried.

"Zuko?" said someone behind him, he hadn't heard someone coming but their footsteps would have been muffled by the sand anyways. He could tell it was Katara, her voice didn't sound worried or anything, just curious.

"Yeah?" he responded lamely, not bothering to turn around and look at her.

"What are doing out here? You should he sleeping," again, she didn't sound worried, he wanted someone to care but he could tell she didn't.

"Just thinking," Zuko could see that she slowly walked over to sit next to him in the sand. He looked over at her from the corner of his eye, she looked so tired, and she should be the one sleeping.

"Yeah, me too," she sighed softly," the moon always helps, the moon always understands and doesn't judge"

"You didn't have to come out here" Zuko frowned, the last thing he wanted to be was a hassle.

"I don't mind, you looked like you needed some company," her voice softened and she laid a hand on her shoulder, "I saw you from the window."

"Thank you," Zuko replied; trying not to give away his feelings, he had always seen her caring towards her friends and talking with them and always wanting them to be happy. He wanted that, he wanted her to comfort him, the way no one else had. His uncle had but it wasn't the same. He was family and he was supposed to care for Zuko, he wanted someone to care for him because they wanted to, not because they had to. He lowered his head and examined the rocks and shells in the sand, trying to avoid Katara, even though he wanted her attention so badly.

"I know we aren't really close but I want you to know if something is bothering you, you can talk to me," he was so tempted, he needed to let all his feeling out, they were tearing him apart.

"I don't know if I can," he was so embarrassed, he didn't want her to see him like this; he felt a warmth in his face and a slight stinging in his eyes. You can't cry, you'll make everything worse, worse than it already is.

"Zuko please, it's not good to keep everything inside all the time," she moved closer to him, he could feel that she was cold by the hand she had on his shoulder, and she was shivering, but then why did he feel so warm?

"I'm worthless," he muttered, he knew she hear him though.

"No Zuko, you're not worthless, you're teaching the avatar fire bending! That is something extremely important for him."

"You see me teach him sometimes don't you? I've lost my anger, my rage, I can't fire bend without that."

"That can't be true, I'm sure you'll find a way, I know it. You're smart Zuko."

"No! I'm a fucking idiot!" he was shaking now, not of anger but of fear, fear of himself.

"Zuko please" she placed her hand on his face, the side with the scar, she had done this before. He raised his hand and grasped her hand that was softly touching his face. He looked into her blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes, he had always tried to avoid them but they seemed to be magnetic. They were like precious gems that only royalty could own.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered, his voice cracked and he could feel the sides of his mouth tremble.

"I'm here for you," she said quietly as he let go of her hand, she let her had fall slowly into her lap. She could tell he needed to let out all his emotions, she knew if he did he wouldn't hurt her, it wasn't anger he had, it was sadness.

Don't cry you fucking waste of space! Zuko's brain screamed at him. But he couldn't help it, it was too much, thinking of his mother and thinking of the terrible mistakes he had made in his life. Tears rolled down his face and he grabbed Katara and held her in his arms, he made sure to be gentle. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. He sobbed, his whole body shook and all the tears he had kept in all those years rushed out of his body. It felt so good to have someone there to hold him. Especially her, that beautiful Katara.

"Zuko, it's okay," she said soothingly to him, "I know it hurts," she held him tighter and could feel how warm he was. He was sobbing so hard, she had never imagined him acting this way. He seemed more human than he ever had before. She smiled lovingly and rubbed his back.

"Thank you so much Katara," Zuko managed to say, his crying had softened and he relaxed.

"I care about you Zuko, even though I didn't seem like I did," she sighed, she knew she had been rude and mean to him many times, "but I always knew you were a good person, under that shell you had."

It took a while for Zuko to finally calm down, they broke their embrace and katara wiped away his remaining tears. He loved her soft smile; it made the world seem like a good place again. He felt like a new person, he held his hand out. He felt a new power inside of him, a good one, and a happy one. He made a flame, not a powerful flame but a controlled flame. He could see Kataras face so much better, she smiled wider at him, he had learned to make fire without anger.

"Look Zuko," she laughed happily, but he put out the fire quickly and kissed her. He held her face gently with his hands and leaned into it. She was surprised for a second but then leaned into the kiss too.

"I think I love you.

Well there you have it :) the first chapter! thanks for reading and if you have any ideas or suggestions just tell me :) please review, i need all the help i can get lol.