A/N: shh, don't tell anyone, but this one isn't one of the sixteen zutara prompts. I'm in the process of writing Shattered Fates (see chapter sixteen of this fic) and inspiration hit me. I just had to use this as a drabble. So think of it a preview for a future fic.
Also, Zula may seem OoC, but that's okay, because for the plot, she sort of needs to be. If you are still confused, think of it this way: Zula is trying to get on Zuko's good side, because she needs him to do something for her.
And that is all I will tell you. :evil smirk:
Enjoy!
Jak
And now for something different…"Okay." He said quietly, after a few moment of consideration.
Zula let out the breath she had been holding. "You will?"
He nodded. "Yes. After all, what sort of brother would I be if I let my sister go out into the world SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER?"
She smiled sweetly and wrapped her arms around her older brother's neck. "Thank you." She whispered. "I swear, you won't regret this."
He scowled. "I better not."
"You won't." She smiled. "I'll help you capture the Avatar, just like I promised." She let go of her brother carefully, an awful smirk on her face. "Who knows? Maybe I'll even help you get a girlfriend."
Zuko snorted.
"A boyfriend, then?"
Zuko glared at her. "You really have lost your mind since the last time I saw you."
Zula rolled her eyes. "Come on, brother! This won't work for either of us if we can't think of a good enough story to tell Father!"
Zuko just continued to sulk.
Zula sighed. "I suppose we'll just have to invent a girlfriend for you, then." Zuko continued to ignore his sister as she began rambling.
"How about this?" She said, closing her eyes carefully. "A girl—Fire Nation, of course, but that's not the point—"
"Why Fire Nation?" Zuko asked, bemused. "You forget—I've been all around the world these past three years. I've seen girls of every nation, why would I choose one of Fire?"
Zula blinked. "You mean you'd…seriously consider someone from another nation?"
Zuko didn't answer. He didn't need to; Zula continued just fine without him.
"Well, for our purposes, she's Fire Nation. She had long, pretty red hair—"
"No." He growled. "No redheads."
"Why not?" Zula asked, curiously. "Redheads are cute."
"I said no redheads, isn't that good enough?" He glared.
Zula sighed. "Fine then. She had the typical black—"
"Black's boring."
"You're boring!" Zula snapped, annoyed. "What other hair colors are there? Brown?"
Zuko paused, thinking it over slightly. "Brown will do."
"Alright then. So she had long, flowing brown hair and hazel colored eyes—"
"Why hazel?" He asked. "Isn't that usually an Airbender-type eye color?"
"Well, since you're so adamant against Fire Nations colors, I figured I'd do something unique." She snarled. "Why, you have something better in mind?"
He muttered something so low his sister couldn't hear it. It almost sounded like 'blue'.
"What did you say, brother?" She asked, a curious look on her face.
He blushed. "I said nothing. Go ahead and do what you want. I don't care anymore."
A crazy thought entered Zula's mind—it was so crazy, she had no other choice but to blurt it out as soon as it came. "You like someone, don't you?" She blurted. "I mean, you genuinely like some—oh, this is rich!" She laughed.
Zuko's face turned a darker shade of red.
"Well?" She asked, still chuckling. "Who is it?" He didn't answer. "Come off it, brother, you can't give me just a little piece like that and expect me not to bug the hell out of you 'til you tell me more!"
"It doesn't matter." He whispered lowly, thinking curiously.
"I'm your sister!" She said playfully. "I have every right to know who it is that you're crushing."
Slowly, cautiously, he answered her. "It's that—that girl." ("So I'd hope, brother." "Shut up.")
"The Avatar's companion."
Zula blinked. "You don't even know her name? That's pathetic, Zuko, even for your standards."
"I know her name!" He shouted out. "It's Katara!" He turned his head down almost shamefully at his confession.
Zula raised an eyebrow. "The Water Tribe girl?"
Zuko nodded, unwilling to meet his sister in her eyes.
Zula paused, considering what to say. "Well, she is pretty, even if she is Water Tribe. Is she strong?"
Zuko looked up, surprised. "Very strong. My equal—sometimes my better, if the moon is out."
"Beating you isn't exactly a show of strength, bro." Zula snorted. "But I guess I see where you are coming from." She grinned. "Have you kissed her yet?"
Zuko spit out his drink. "N-no! I'd be surprised if she even…if she ever thought about me outside of battle."
"Tsk." Zula smiled, clicking her tongue. "We are just going to have to change that then, aren't we, brother? If anything, think of it this way:" She said awry. "When the Fire Nation takes over the world, you can have her as a consort!"
Zuko wanted to say something, but knew better. He wanted to say that he didn't want her as a consort, but as a wife, a lover. He wanted to say exactly what he admired in this girl, but knew his sister would not appreciate the conversation.
He could keep such thoughts to himself, for now.
XXX
Hope you liked it!