ok, so this is a Zutara oneshot for zutara month which I all but forgot about until I saw something about it on tumblr SO since these two are the mother of all ships for me and opened the doors to further shipping and picking out otps i decided to post a oneshot that i kind of just like came up with lol hope you guys enjoy, are there any other zutara fans here?
"It's your choice Zuko!"
I turned to look at Katara.
"Come back to our side Zu Zu, you'll be a hero to the whole fire nation for capturing the avatar!"
I looked at my sister.
"Katara he can't be trusted!"
Sokka exclaimed.
"You have good in you Zuko, it's time to embrace it!"
I looked at my uncle.
My pulse quickening, my head spinning, my heart beating a thousand miles a second.
"Katara you guys have to do something!" Aang exclaimed. Still struggling in my sister's grip.
No-one moved though.
The atmosphere was still, everyone looking at me, everyone waiting for my answer.
"What do YOU want Zuko?" Uncle asked, the same thing he'd asked just a few weeks back.
"Zuko don't listen to that traitor! You'll get exactly what you wanted, your honor, you'll be the fire lord one day, come with us!" Azula exclaimed.
I saw a tiny figure take a step forward hesitantly, barely taking half a step, her hands stretched out in front of her in surrender.
My eyes latched onto the figure.
As my pulse slowed a fraction and I took the time to focus on the figure in front of me I realized it was Katara.
Katara.
Motherless, just as I was.
Because of what I'D done.
Or more accurately, what my grandfather Azulon had done.
Look what my own father had done to ME!
I jumped at a slight touch.
Katara had slowly approached me and had placed her hand back on my scar as she'd done earlier.
"This is getting ridiculous, Zu Zu come with us now we must get the avatar back to the fire nation!" Azula exclaimed angrily.
"Zuko, you don't have to go with them, your destiny is your own choice." Katara whispered softly.
I looked into the worried, but still kind blue eyes of Katara.
And looked at the angry brown eyes of my own sister.
"Come on Zuko!" Azula practically screeched.
I lashed out at my sister with more fire power than I'd ever had before with my new found anger and freedom.
"NOT THIS TIME!" I exclaimed.
Aang managed the escape the blow and had now entered the avatar state.
I wasn't paying attention to anything around me though, I just kept pushing forward, continuously blasting my sister with fire.
Dodging her lightning in the process.
Suddenly a wave of ice trapped my sister and her accompanying guards in ice.
"We need to go NOW!" Katara exclaimed as we made our way out of a tunnel exit.
I gave one last look back at my uncle, still trapped in the crystals of the cave, he gave me an approving nod and I followed the rest out of the cave.
I'd save him later.
I PLANED on it!
We all quickly climbed into the saddle of Aang's flying bison and took off.
(later that night when everyone's asleep, Katara's p.o.v)
I sat at the edge of the cliff, bending a trail of water from the ocean stretched out before me thinking.
"Hey." I heard a voice softly behind me.
I dropped the water back into the ocean and turned to face the source of the voice behind me.
Already knowing it was Zuko.
"Couldn't sleep either?" I ask.
"No." he replies.
After a slight pause he scoffs.
"So much has happened tonight." he adds, sitting down next to me.
"yea." I reply awkwardly.
"I never got a chance to thank you." he says after a while.
"For what?" I ask.
"I don't know, for giving me a second chance...for forgiving me? And letting me ramble to you in ba sing se." he replies, unsure.
"It wasn't rambling, it's called opening up to someone." I reply with a slight smile.
"Yea, I wanted to thank you for that." he replies, plopping back into the grass.
"A lifetime of good deeds would never make up for what I put you and the others through!" he groans in exasperation.
"I've spent my whole life with nothing but hatred and greed in my heart and confusion." he replies.
"It doesn't matter how much wrong you've done Zuko, but what does matter is that you find the right path and I think you did tonight." I reply, lying back in the grass next to him.
He turns to look at me.
"You now if I hadn't spent so much time chasing after the avatar I might have actually taken the time to realize just how beautiful you are." he says with a smile.
I feel my cheeks flush with heat.
"T-thanks." I stammered, sitting back up.
He sits up too.
"Can you EVER fully forgive me for what I've put you through?" he asks.
I turn to look at him, feeling the same connection to him I'd felt in ba sing se.
and there came the confused feelings again.
"Of course...just don't give me a reason to think you might be pulling the wool over our eyes." I smile.
"Never." he replies.
There's a slight pause, nothing but the sound of the ocean smacking against the shore and the night birds singing their songs.
Zuko traces my jaw line, leaving a trail of tingles and sparks.
His fingers paused at my chin.
His eyes bore into mine.
Without pause I put my hands on his cheeks and pulled his lips to mine.
And those conflicting feelings suddenly vanished.
Because I now knew where my heart belonged.