I'm conflicted. I've never felt so confused. Today, just a few hours ago, I watched my father fall. The Avatar brought him to his demise. As much as I feel I should, I feel no anger towards Aang. He gave my father every chance, he was amiable and forgiving, but my father, the hard headed, stubborn man he was, chose death instead, by his own hand in the end. Daft old fool. Then, after his death, my sister's body joined his, after a foolish attempt at Aang's life, the Avatar's friends all attacking her in his defense, and I had found myself at their side, facing my sister in proud defiance. I no longer held any fear of her, nor did I have any sense of family ties…and yet…here I find myself, sitting alone in the throne room, the simple golden Fire Nation crown laying in my hands, and I can't help but feel overwhelmed with grief.
I'm alone.
Sure, I have Uncle, and he's always been more family towards me then anyone since my mother, but he knows nothing of ruling the Nation; he gave it up. I am surely alone in this uphill battle, and in the fate of this Nation. Do I fight tooth and nail to keep a peaceful regime they aren't used to, or go against everything the Avatar is expecting of me and continue my ancestor's road to total domination?
Just then, as if she heard my very thoughts, Katara timidly enters the room, seeing me behind the wall of fire as though she could see right through it. She then walks along the walkway in front of the fire, looking over the great meeting hall meant for councils, admiring the grandness of everything, though this room was quite plain in comparison to most of the…or shall I say my…palace. Stopping directly in front of me, she turns towards the flames and looks at my shadowed figure, her eyes squinting to catch the flashes of me.
"So," She starts, putting a hand on her hip, "are you going to lower this thing so I can see you, or are you going to pout up there all night?" My right eye twitches as my lip sneers slightly.
"I was not pouting." I say quietly as I lower the flames, nearly extinguishing them, but leaving enough to still keep a dull glow in the room.
"Right, Fire Lord's don't pout." She smirks as I try not to; it's hard when I love hearing the title coming from her mouth. "They're wondering when you'll be making the announcement." She says after a few moments of silence, tipping her head towards the doors in reference to Aang and everyone else. I look to the ground in front of me, as my brow furrows in thought. I don't know if I'm ready for this. It's all I've wanted all of my life, what I fought so hard to get, and now that I have it, I'm not sure I can do it. I'm not scared, I'm just…nervous. "Zuko," Her voice breaks my thought as I look up to see her on the dais, her hand on the water skin, bending the water back in. Resourceful, using the water to bend herself up here. "Are you alright?" It's a strange question, despite how simple it is. When I don't answer and just look back to the ground, waving a dismissing hand, I feel hers on my shoulder. "It has to be a strange sensation." Her voice is sad as I look up into her blue eyes, then to the hand on my shoulder, slender and tan. "If you ever need to, you can talk to me."
"I know." I say quietly as I reach up to grab her hand from my shoulder, pulling it around and down to bring her in front of me. "Just…just stay here with me for a little while." I ask her as I keep pulling on her, bringing her down into my lap, settling her over one of my legs as I wrap my arms around her waist, her arms going around my neck and head on my shoulder, as she easily fits into place, without struggle or questions.
In this embrace, I know things are going to change, I know nothing will ever be simple, for I, Fire Lord Zuko, am in love with Waterbending Master Katara.
And I'm not alone.
-----
AN: I hope throughout this fic the characters aren't OC...though to be honest, I've only seen the first season because I can't commit to watching it as it airs, so I'm waiting for season 2 to come out completely on DVD. Damn Nickelodeon for taking so long.