OMG TY LUKO WEEK HAS BEGUN! I am SO excited because I've never participated in a Week before, and so this is my first time! (Not writing Ty Luko though). And I'm so glad my ship gets a week :3 The next Week I'll be in on would be Zue so look out for news on Tumblr!

Ty Luko Week 2013

Prompt: Confessions

Ty Lee timidly rose a fist, then let it fall right back to her side for the umpteenth time. The Kyoshi Warrior was still hesitating, chewing on her bottom lip and having the strong urge to cry. Would he be in his room? Or was he gone? Is he doing something drastic? Will he turn her away like he always does?

This is wrong. This isn't appropriate! she chided herself with the negatives as they hit her. Mai is your best friend, you can't do this to her. If Zuko is willing enough, he's only using you as a rebound to get over her. Zuko doesn't even go for girls like you. What makes you so special? You're nothing but a tease.

The voice belonging to the negative thoughts ironically sounded like Azula.

But a small voice said, You'll never know unless you try. You've been hiding these feelings for, like, ever and if wasn't for you urging her they probably wouldn't have never gotten together! Weren't you the one who liked him first?

She closed her eyes tight. The small voice in her head was right. She and Mai had met Zuko at the early age of five, and already Ty Lee was quick to befriend the older but still young prince. She didn't know what the feelings met back then until he was banished, but she had been determined to make him laugh whenever Azula and Mai weren't around. Mai didn't start liking Zuko until two years later, and Ty Lee knew Mai was better off with him than she will ever be.

What people, and probably Mai too, didn't know was that there was a completely different side of Zuko. Sure, he was somewhat gentle with Mai but he was still bitter. Around Ty Lee and Uncle Iroh? He was a completely different person! Well maybe not completely, as in he was still quite withdrawn, but when he was feeling down and Ty Lee would ask what was wrong, he would tell her. And most issues were Azula and/or Ozai related. He would smile, and he had the most handsome laugh...The warrior didn't hear it that often anymore.

Well, maybe when Team Avatar comes to visit or even at parties and simple get-togethers. And even then, Ty Lee secretly paid attention to his behavior around them-she could tell he shared a close, brotherly bond with the Avatar now, and even the cutie from the Southern Water Tribe. His sister, Ty Lee had thought, even had more of a chance with Zuko than she ever would. Zuko and Katara shared a relationship that no one understood, with the exception of Aang on a certain level, and it still questions Ty Lee to this day.

If she couldn't take care of him, Ty Lee had thought during the time, Katara certainly could.

Ty Lee sighed. "I have to do this..." she whispered to herself.

And then she knocked.

"Ty Lee?"

The former acrobat jumped, whirling around, hand over her heart. Walking up to her, a fireball conjured in his hand for light, was twenty year old Zuko. His hair was even longer now, little past the shoulders, and he was finally starting to look like a man with the growing scruff of hair on his chin. He bore royal robes, the hems flapping around his ankles and the front hanging open, revealing his bare, toned chest and sleeping trousers.

"Zuko!" she gasped, then realized where she was and what she was wearing at the moment. "Um-!-I mean-!" she quickly made the Fire Nation sign and bowed respectfully. "Fire Lord Zuko!"

"Don't call me that," he said flatly, and the spark in her eyes vanished. "I mean, not when it's just the two of us and...-" He sighed heavily. "What're you doing here this late? And why aren't you in your sleeping quarters?"

"I uh..." Ty Lee quickly racked through her brain for something easy, and something quick. "It's my shift tonight. To keep watch," she said. Which was half true.

Zuko raised his good eyebrow skeptically. "And where is Suki?"

"She deserves a break, being leader and all..."

"And you don't?"

Ty Lee mentally cursed. When she didn't answer, his expression darkened.

"I know what you're doing. You're wasting your time. Go back to bed."

His voice was cold and distant, and by the time Ty Lee had looked up in shock, he was already halfway down the hallway from the direction he had came. She was quick to catch up with him.

"I don't think you know what I was doing exactly..." she said, trying to meet his gaze. But of course, he avoided her, and quickened his pace. But he was no match for she. The only chance he was gonna get to get away from her, he'd have to firebend at her.

"Of course I do. You came to talk me into getting back with Mai. Well it's not going to work." His jaw clenched as he muttered, "And it's never gonna work..."

By then, they had reached the courtyard, Zuko slowing down his walking and Ty Lee trailing behind patiently.

"That's...not it," she said, and he stopped.

"Then what?" he demanded without turning.

Ty Lee chewed on her bottom lip again.

"What, Ty Lee?! God!" He finally whirled on her, and she didn't flinch.

She almost smiled; his short temper was adorable. She looked up into his firey gold irises, forcing her mouth open, and she spoke.

"I want you to know that I'm here for you, Zuko. Always. Okay? I know we haven't talked much lately...in fact, we haven't talked since you and Mai started dating..." She watched his facial expression, which was complicated, since he could muster five different emotions at once. "You see, it all started when we were five-well, when me and Mai were five. You were the first guyfriend I had, and you know what? You were probably one of the best things that have ever happened to me because you were the only person who liked me for me and didn't care about how 'perfect' I should look and act." Her eyes watered as she continued. "You actually talked to me and got to know me and listened to me, you let me cry on your shoulder when I felt that no one cared about me. But you did! That's important to me, okay? Mai started liking you and I knew that you two were meant for each other and so I pushed you to her when I wished I hadn't! I guess I'm such a selfless person that I just wanted everyone I cared about to be happy while I was hurting!

"That day, at the Agni Kai with your father...I-I was there! And I was so scared for you! I screamed for you, but I had to be dragged out! And then when you were banished, it tore me apart...I used to think you didn't care because you didn't even say goodbye. I used to think that you just didn't care anymore!" she sniffed.

"During the war, I tagged along with Azula not only because she manipulated me into going with her, but I just wanted to take any chance to see you again. And I did! I knew the timing to talk to you was off since you were in a relationship and you had so much on your plate, so I tried to get over it. I pretended to be clueless and naive when it came to boys, and I figured that it could get your attention, but it never did!

"That night on the beach...I really wanted to talk to you, but you were so fed up and angry! And then..." Her voice trailed off.

"...And then what?" Zuko said finally.

A tear fell down her cheek. "Did you really think I was a circus freak, Zuko? Did you really think that I didn't know you at all? After all that we've been through as kids?"

Zuko was quiet, and right then she finally saw the sorrowful look in his eyes. He looked at her from underneath his eyelashes. "I'm sorry, Ty Lee," he said earnestly. "But back then, I didn't know the difference between right and wrong. I didn't mean to hurt you, I just..." he sighed. "I guess I just can't stop hurting the people I l-care about."

Love was a hard word for him, she knew, but her heart couldn't help but jump.

Don't get her wrong, she loved Mai, but-"Do you realize that this is the first time we've talked face to face in seven years?"

The shock and realization was written all over his face.

"I-It's been that long?" he whispered.

Ty Lee's gaze flickered down to the grass, and she reached for his hand and squeezed it. "I've missed you, Zuko."

He squeezed back. "I can't believe I'm saying this but...I've missed you too."

She looked up at him, heart hammering inside her chest. "Good," she replied softly, stepping closer to him as she spoke, "then you can't blame me for doing this."

And she took his face in her hands, leaned up, and kissed him full on the mouth before he could reply. Automatically, Zuko stiffened, but she held on still. Her lips parted from his, her breath uneven. His lips had been warm, and up close and personal he smelled so good...-

His lips crashing against hers brought her back to reality with a gasp, feeling his big yet slender hands cup around her hips, fingerpads digging in her back as he pulled her closer to him surrendering with a groan. He was finally reciprocating to her, and she gave him all she had, hitting him with every kiss, every touch she had been holding back for all those years. Then it suddenly clicked. This wasn't a rebound.

Because she knew him.

Zuko and Ty Lee kissed each other passionately underneath the moonlight, where a white-haired blue-eyed spirit smiled down on them.

Did I just pull a Ty Lue? xD I figured ah, why not? I should probably start a week of my own! (Since Ally and Ava are the driving forces for Ty Luko and Zue week. This one's for you guys! :3) Hope everyone liked it! Read, review, get involved in Ty Luko Week!

Next prompt: "I Know You"