A/N: Started as a drabble for the Avatar100, but, uh, grew. I did three sets, one for Aang, one for Katara, and one for Zuko. I hope you enjoy it and will please review for me. This is just one of the many ways I could see zutara happening (slowly). This particular drabble is Zukoreflective. Juicy.

Maybe--Zuko

Jakia

He was a Prince.

He was also a powerful Firebender. A soldier. A dedicated and compassionate young man who had dedicated his life (however reluctantly) to capturing the Avatar for the sake of his nation. At the age of sixteen, he had commanded a fire navy ship, to which he earned the respect and trust of his men.

Yet, he was just a boy.

And boys, after all, were allowed their crushes. They were allowed to let their eyes wander to their female betters, and think thoughts they had no business thinking. At least, this is what Iroh believed; he just never thought he would have to deal with Zuko and a crush.

Zuko never believed he would either, until it happened to him.

He figured he would get married some day, but he always imagined it being in an arranged marriage, prearranged by his father to some Fire Nation noble. Now, however, he couldn't get the idea of that damn waterbender in the white marriageable silks of his nation.

And yes, she was that damn waterbender. Sometimes water-witch. Never Katara. To refer to her as Katara would admit that he thought about her, that he acknowledged her, and he could not bring himself to do that. Even if it were true, he would not allow such thoughts to betray him.

And yet, here he was, thinking about her.

It was starting to get ridiculous the amount of time he spent thinking about that damn waterbender. He hadn't even obsessed over the Avatar this much, and the Avatar was his only chance home. Then again, the Avatar wasn't a girl, with a lovely feminine form that had suddenly invaded the Prince's dreams…

You're doing it again. His conscience berated him. And still the image of Katara (A/N: I wish FF did strikethrough. When you see Katara italiced, pretend there is a line through her name.) the young waterbender stuck in his head.

It was crazy, but in a few short weeks, Katara the waterbender had managed to invade his innermost thoughts, the kind he didn't even realize he had. They weren't bad thoughts, at least, not all of the time. But above all, the thoughts (and dare he say feelings) he held for Katara made him feel…normal. Like a normal, average, sixteen year old boy experiencing his first crush, and not some duty-bounded, honor-hungry Prince trying to kidnap a twelve year old.

He wasn't for sure how he felt about that, only that it was different, and, with time, he could probably like it.

It figures that he would fall for her, of course. Zuko had tofall for a girl who could beat him up. His pride wouldn't let him have it any other way. No damsel in distress for him, no siree, he wanted a girl who could challenge him, who would fight him tooth and nail over anything and everything.

A few times, he wanted to try and talk to Katara the waterbender, but that never did work out for him. He was shy, mainly, and any and all attempts to flirt or at least treat her like a human being instead of a punching bag did not end up well for him.

So he did what he was good at: He insulted her.

And in the process, fell for her. Harder.

It was borderline disgusting, really.

Almost made him sick to his stomach how lovesick he was for this girl.

He wondered silently if she thought about him at all. He wondered if she spent half the amount of time obsessing over him as he did over her.

…or not. She probably would be scared if she knew how much he thought about her.

He couldn't help it, damnit! He can't help the fact that he has an obsessive personality. He always has! Ever since he was a kid he's been like that. When there is something he wants, he obsessive over it.

He wondered if he would ever speak to her without fighting her. He wondered what he would say. He wondered if he'd be able to say anything without clamming up.

So he wondered.

XXX

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