Greetings, avid readers!

I'd like to start with thanking all the reads, favs and follows in this story. Even if silent, your support means a lot. As for the ones that took their time to write a review, thank you as well!

I am back from vacation, and I am *dead* on my feet. Adulting sucks sometimes. But... you gotta do what you gotta do. Though I'm starting to fall back into the stupid desire to have a partner in my life, I know I'm not ready for it. It's not that I'm immature, well maybe a little, but... people deserve someone whole, or mostly whole, that though sometimes may carry baggage, is willing to welcome someone in. And I don't think I'm... stable enough in myself to receive that blessing of having someone in my life like that. Though I want to, it's something that I can't offer at the moment.

Sorry for the rant.

My weekly obsession is... I don't even know. Cake? Cake sounds good. I'm sorry, loves, I'm not in the right mind to rant and be preppy. Still waiting on the book, blah blah blah, have the chapter.

Brain Fart, that sounds... accurate!

Dommie, yes. Zutara. I love you too baby, and thank you. I hope you enjoy it.

This is my first try at a Avatar fanfiction. Go easy on me. Reviews and flames are always welcomed, for they keep my cat and I warm at night.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar nor any of the characters. Such credit should go to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. I do own a... certain amount of characters that will be recognized further into the story.

****NOTE****

This chapter comes with implicit scenes of sexual intercourse. If you are uncomfortable with it, feel free to skip this chapter.

If needed and flagged, I will change the rating.

Thank you.

****NOTE****

Thank you, and enjoy the chapter!

Chapter XX: The Everlasting Love

X—X

"Hey."

Zuko looked up from the scroll he was analyzing to see Katara poking her head inside his private chambers. She smiled and stepped inside, softly closing the door behind herself. She leaned against it, raking her eyes down his figure. His shirt was sleeveless, showing off his broad shoulders and muscled arms.

He took a moment to watch her as well. Her hair was down from the usual half topknot, falling in waves down her chest and back. Her azure eyes seemed to capture all the light there was in the room, for they glowed like the ocean under the stars. She was down to her one-shoulder red top that showed her stomach, and a long red skirt with a thigh-high slit that had golden embroidery at the bottom.

"Hey." he nodded.

"Can we talk?"

"About what?" He turned back to his work.

"... you know."

"I'm sorry, Katara. I should have never told you that." Zuko shook his head.

"And why is that?" she crossed her arms.

"You've been here for four days, and you already got hurt because someone was trying to kill me." he gulped. "Even if you felt the same, we could never be together. You'd be in danger because of me."

"I can take care of myself. I clearly took care of myself." she glared at him. "And of you too!"

"I can't put you in danger." he looked up from the scroll to the wall.

"So first you shout to all seven winds that you love me, and now that I want to talk about that, you take it back because you want to protect me?!" she exclaimed "Do you even love me?!"

"Of course I do!" he slammed his hand down. "I would never lie about that!"

"Then why are you trying to take it back?!"

"Because I want to protect you!" he stood up, shoving his chair back.

"I don't need your protection, I need you!"

"What?" he watched as she crossed the room to him.

"You stupid, stupid prince with an ego bigger than this whole damn palace!" she pushed him. "How could you possibly think that I'd be okay after you tell me you love me?! You can try to take it back, but I'm not going to let you, and you can bet your ass I will not let you marry some random girl just because your councilmen want you to!"

"Why not?!" he shouted back.

"Because I want to marry you!"

His whole world skidded to a halt. He watched her, gasping and angry, her words playing over and over again in his head. Had she really said that? Would she really be willing to be with him, a dishonored prince made Fire Lord, trying to fix the mess his father had made? Would it really be willing to stand beside him through all, love him through all his scars?

"...what?"

"How can you be so fucking blind?! You really think I don't feel the same way about you?!" she pushed him again. "For Tui's sake, I've been in love with you ever since you saved me from your sister's lightning!"

"...what?"

"But yeah, go on and take it back." she looked away. "See how that fucking works out for you."

He watched her pull away from him and turn to the door, but he was not ready to drop the subject that easily. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

"I'm leaving, oh mighty Fire Lord." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, and at some other time, he would have found it amusing. But now, he was just angry she had dared to walk away from him after that bomb.

"Come back here." his voice dropped an octave, and Katara shuddered.

"I don't have to follow your orders." She shook her head.

"Come. Here."

She turned back around and walked to him, crossing her arms. "What?"

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"You know what." He stepped closer to her.

"And if I don't?"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. "Say it, Kat."

"Make me."

Zuko pulled her to him and spun her around, shoving her against the desk. He stepped into her, effectively trapping her, and glared down at her. Her eyes, blown wide revealed traces of the fight in her, but Zuko hoped that was not all there was. He leaned down so that their noses were inches apart. Katara's breath got caught in her throat and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. But he soon turned serious, golden eyes locking with her blue ones.

"Say it," he whispered.

"...I love you."

He crashed his mouth against hers in a hard kiss, cradling her face. A gasp escaped her, but the worry Zuko had of this being unwanted soon faded when Katara wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down. She kissed him back just as hard, entwining her fingers in his hair. Zuko molded his mouth to hers, hot breaths escaping his parted lips as he pulled away for a moment, only to kiss her again.

He was in heaven, hands gripping her waist as her arms kept him in his place. She tasted like the meal he had his servants prepare, and a touch of something fresh he could only say was hers. He grabbed her waist and lifted her up, sitting her on his desk. Katara was quick to part her legs, and Zuko to step between them, letting one hand fall to the exposed skin of her leg.

He pulled away to take a shuddering breath. She panted in front of him, fingers clenching his loose hair and shirt, trying to grasp reality. He understood her in a way. It felt like a dream, having her there with him, full lips bruised from his thorough abuse. He silently swiped at her bottom lip, mouth parting, and trying to regain the breath he took from her.

"Again." He whispered, looking up to her eyes with something akin to abandon.

And she smiled, brighter than he had ever seen, and she whispered the words he wanted to hear for the rest of his life. "I love you."

He kissed her again, gentler this time. He felt guilty, he was taking everything he could that she would give him, but she was not pulling away. He felt guilty because of Aang; the young man did not deserve the betrayal from both their ends. Katara was his forever girl, and Zuko was his teacher. But, with Katara in his arms, the young man decided that, for once, and only once, he would be selfish. He would stop putting others before him, and just take what he wanted.

He pulled away from her delicious mouth to press open-mouthed kisses to the skin of her neck. He nibbled on the tanned skin, so precious and flawless, and heard the sweetest whimper in his ear. His free hand moved up, under her skirt. He was nervous that she would stop him, but when Katara groaned and let her head fall back, he smirked. Somehow, he realized he had lost his shirt to her nimble hands, and let his hand slide deeper under her skirt.

"If this is all I can have, let me have you just this once..." he gulped. "I won't ask for more, just once, please Katara."

Her nod was shaky, nervous, but there. He locked eyes with her, silently asking her if she was sure. It was her turn to kiss him, with a determination and desire that Zuko had to hold himself back from having her right then and there. Instead, he picked her up and walked her to his bed, letting her collapse on the fluffy mattress. She giggled when she fell, and looked up to him, who watched her with so much love. She smiled and tugged on his pants, and he willingly followed her.

The moon was high in the sky. Zuko noticed as he watched it through his window, the perfect round shape shining its white light on them. His fingers traced soft swirls on her naked arm, swung over his chest. He could feel her leg, shimmered between his, and her breath against his collarbone. The night was quiet, save for their easing breaths, and the young man found himself praying to a spirit that was not his for the night to never be over.

"I honestly thought you and Aang..." he commented, brushing her hair back from her forehead.

"Never." she snuggled deeper against him, nose pressing against his neck. "I never wanted to."

"I'm sorry." he gulped.

And he was. He had taken something precious to her, something that she seemed to have willingly given him. But he betrayed him, his student, his friend. He had taken her from him, even if just for one night. He knew he would regret this night after she was out of those doors. He would never be able to forget her, patting and moaning his name under him. He would never love another woman. But he would never regret being with her; only that he had to let her go.

"Why?" She frowned.

"You and Aang..." he sighed. "I promise I'll try to be happy for you. But I know I never will be."

"...Zuko." She smiled, raising herself up to her elbows.

"Yeah?" He gulped.

"...Aang and I broke up."

"What?! Why?"

"Seriously?" she raised an eyebrow, looking at their naked bodies.

"Hey, I'm not complaining!" he chuckled, relief taking over him. "Just want to know if I'm the reason why and if I should apologize to the Avatar before he castrates me."

"We... talked. Realized we weren't the same people, and we wanted different things." she smiled. "We grew apart, and we... had to move on."

"Did he realize what his feelings for Rea were?"

"I think I was the only thing holding him back from realizing." she trailed swirls over his naked chest, tracing the scar he had gotten saving her. "I'm happy for him."

"Me too." he moved to grab something from his nightstand. "So."

"What?" she cocked her head to the side.

"You just got out of a relationship. A long one."

"I did."

"Is it too early to ask you to marry me, or...?"

"What?!"

He opened his palm and something tumbled down. Katara gasped. A thick, dark red velvet strip held a beautiful golden pendant with a blue medallion. Carved into the stone was a large wave curling over a round ball of fire encrusted with tiny orange gems. The wave lines were also lined with precious gems, sapphire in color. She took the necklace in her hands and gulped. It was beautiful, clearly expensive, and looked hand-carved. She looked into his smoldering golden eyes and swallowed hard.

"When...?"

"About a week after Aang defeated my father." He admitted, closing his hand around hers. "I've known I wanted to marry you for a long time, but I only finished this afterward."

"But you and Mai-!" She tried.

"I only got back together with Mai because you and Aang started dating." He licked his lips.

"Oh, Zuko..." she smiled and took it in both her hands. "It's beautiful."

"Made it myself." he smiled shakily.

"I love it."

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

She smiled and sat up, turning her back to him. He raised his hand to caress the dip of her back, smiling when goosebumps rose in her skin. He watched her as she gathered her luscious hair and pulled it over one shoulder. He sat up as well and took the necklace, fastening it around her slender neck. Once he finished the clasp, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. He took a deep breath and gulped.

"Marry me?"

"Yes." she turned to face him. "A million times yes."

He grinned and pulled her close, capturing her mouth in a deep kiss. She moved, pushing him down on the bed and following him.

A/N: I promised Zutara and I delivered. I got to the point of no return where I can't drop the story... but still. Keep in mind, I'll keep this story up or drop it depending on your feedback.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to review if you want, or if you don't, I hope you liked it!

First to review gets a cookie!

Lots of love from this weirdo,

LoneeWolf :)