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A/N: Everyone is still awesome for favoriting, reviewing, and alerting.
Looking back Zuko realized he'd had more opportune moments in his life than he thought. Sure some of them he'd done stupid or foolhardy things but that didn't matter. What mattered was when he needed an opportunity life seemed to supply him with it.
It had been sheer luck (and Iroh's desire to see the Southern lights) that had Zuko sailing the waters of the South Pole when the Avatar awakened. Not only that, but he discovered something else that shouldn't exist: a Southern waterbender. Both these things gave him, well; he wouldn't say hope, but a very very intense drive.
He had no trouble tracking the Avatar to Kyoshi. However it was luck that he happened to visit that prison after the waterbender helped lead a revolt. Not to mention that he found her necklace (really, he hadn't known it belonged to her, not like he noticed what she was wearing (he definitely didn't want to know what she looked like under that heavy coat of hers)).
Opportunity shined on him again when after the debacle at the Temple where he had been lucky to even escape with his freedom the second the pirates mentioned who stole their scroll.
He considered actually thanking Fate or Opportunity when he found the waterbender (Katara? He thought that might be her name) alone and captured her. He did regret using her mother's necklace against her (he was sure if he would give up his ship to have his mother back). He also took the moment to get close to the girl without her heavy coat on and he admired her.
After his very fortunate run in with Jun Zuko had to admit his luck was running a bit thin. He did manage to survive his ship's destruction, sneak into the Northern Water Tribe, and capture the Avatar but it was all for nothing. He ended up on a raft with his Uncle battered and bruised with nowhere to go.
His next choices seemed to be between the lesser of two evils. Earth Kingdom captors or Azula, steal or beg, stay and be lectures or leave, turn away help from (former?) enemies or take it, and so on.
He made the wrong choice when he chose Azula and his old life over the kindness Katara offered. Fate made sure to punish him in the form of guilt and later Katara after he finally realized what his Uncle had been trying to tell him: his father did not care about him and that the world would be a much better place without him in power.
All those missed moments and very fortunate moments had taught Zuko how to notice the opportune ones. He'd realized that, at their three year reunion where he was single and so was Katara, he was presented with a genuine opportunity. Especially when they managed to seclude themselves to catch up and she looked beautiful. He knew it was now or never and never regretted kissing her, especially when she kissed him back.