DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

"Realization"

1.) coming to understand something clearly and distinctly

2.) making real or giving the appearance of reality

They fought, somehow turning the raging battle into a sort of dance. If she moved to the right, he would move with her. Never averting his eyes, never making one wrong move. Watching carefully as she executed her own unique techniques with her ever- faithful water pouch hanging beside her waist. The tendrils of water were spiraling around her arms, the same rage and anger evident in their depths as their commander's.

She was his opposite but also his equal. She balanced him. She could never be just one or the other; however, she would always be labeled with both. That was what killed him most inside.

Those beautiful blue eyes had taught him, in just the course of a few minutes, how to see the world in a new way, and he had thrown her kindness back in her face.

He felt a blinding pain deep within his gut, spanning out until it touched every part of him. No where hurt worse than his chest; his heart ached with the knowledge of what he had done to her.

Her words were still fresh in his mind. "I thought you had changed!" she had cried, evident excruciating pain laced into the sentence. That same pain and anger could be felt when he received yet another blow from her. He had inwardly flinched and then spoke what he had known for a while now. "I have changed." And, in a way, he had.

He may still be the enemy to her, but she was no longer his enemy. Not really. She was his beacon of hope; she had taught him in just a few short minutes that the entire world was enduring the suffering and pain that inhabited his chest. He wasn't alone. She was there, even offering to heal his scar.

He realized several things in that moment she placed her cool hand upon his scar.

He realized that he had never allowed anyone else to touch his disfigurement. It was a mask in a certain way. It hid the pain he felt; it hid his hatred towards his family and towards the world. It hid his intentions. It hid everything from everybody… or so he thought. Everybody but her. She seemed to always be able to read his face when nobody else could. And, for whatever reason, he was allowing this peasant girl he barely knew to relive his past. She was learning more about him than she already knew.

He realized that he was letting her in, past the barriers he had so carefully and painfully sculpted so that he would never hurt again.

Then he realized that he couldn't let her into his life. He couldn't allow that beauty to be tainted with the evils of his existence. She was too pure, too innocent, too vital to the world and to the prince himself. He couldn't let her in. Never.

And as he saw her tears pour over the avatar's unresponsive body, he felt a stab in his chest that hurt even more than receiving his scar. Her accusative eyes turned his way, killing him slowly and agonizingly with their pain.

He had realized something he hadn't within the caverns beneath Ba Sing Se… something too late.

He loved her.

****Surprisingly enough, I really liked this one. I thought I captured what Zuko may have felt in this scene had Zutara eventually happened. *Sigh* but that's why, my fellow Zutarians, we have fanfiction!!! :D

So anyway, comment and subscribe!!!

Kisses,

~Moonlit- Silhouette