7A/N: And final in the B-day present to Storm is a zutara. For all my usual readers (kataang people), I advise you do not read unless you accept al shippings like I do. Happy Birthday agaian!
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Tennessee by Sugarland
Zuko sat and watched her as she practiced her waterbending with Aang. She was beautiful, even if she did hate his guts. He cold only watch her out of the corner of his eye. The last time she had caught him looking at her, he had been frozen in a block of ice while he was sleeping. The prince sighed as the small earthbender sat next to him, munching on an apple.
"Why so glum Princess?" she asked him.
Zuko sent a glare at her, only to remember that she couldn't see it. He sighed again and turned back to watching the waterbender flow from one movement to the next, beautiful and graceful as her element. Deadly as her element as well as he caught her glance his way and frown before turning back to smile at the Avatar.
"I can help you," Toph said in a teasing voice.
The prince frowned and turned away from Toph. She had punished him extensively for burning her feet, but had been the first to seek him out and make him open up to her. She knew how he felt about the waterbender.
"Why?" Zuko asked her, trying to find a hidden agenda. He knew Toph had one, she was too cunning not to.
The earthbender just smirked. "It'll be fun," was all she said before rising and walking into the temple.
Sighing, Zuko rose and followed her. He knew she would help, and he would be at her whim. With a quick glance back at the beautiful waterbender, he started to smile. But perhaps Toph's punishment would be worth it.
It ain't often I take time to answer calls on the request line
But this one says that we're his best last chance
So all you people in radio land, turn it up loud, loud as you can
Help to carry these words of a desperate manZuko felt stupid doing this, but he had to try. And Toph wouldn't let him back out. The prince straightened his shirt once more and arranged the simple bouquet again, making sure the panda lilies were in the center. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on Katara's door.
"Who is it?" he heard her sweet voice say from inside.
"It's Zuko. Can I talk to you?"
He heard her stomp towards the door and suddenly he was face to face with a blue eyed, fury filled siren. She glared at him and her eyes narrowed as she waited.
"Well?!" she snapped.
"Here," Zuko said, pushing the flowers into her hand. "I just wanted to give these to you. To say I'm sorry."
She dropped the flowers and continued to glare at him. "I don't accept."
With that, she turned and slammed the door in his face. Letting his shoulders sag, Zuko retreated to his own room, unaware that once he had left, Katara opened her door again and picked up one of the panda lilies, holding it close to her and looking in the direction of his room.
Do you believe in love and that we were meant to be?
Two words can free us, so repeat them after me
"I do." from a boy in love to a girl called Tennessee
"How can I do it?" Zuko yelled at the small earthbender as he paced and turned to her again. "Everything I do she shoots down! She hates me even more because of it! If you don't tell me something that will work, I'll kill you, before she kills me!"
Toph just continued to smirk up into Zuko's face as he ranted. She waited until he had stopped before she started grinning.
"Relax, Hothead. This time I've got it. All you need to do is get injured."
Zuko stood tall and glared down at the small earthbender. "And how do I do that?"
"Like this," Toph said as she kicked a boulder out of the ground and hurled it at the prince.
It's always scary when you find true love
Hits like lightning from high above
You might only get one chance to say
Zuko was on the edge of unconsciousness as he landed on his back next to the fountain. He struggled to rise, but fell back again. Suddenly he felt a cool balmy feeling on his sore ribs and heard yelling.
"What did you do Toph?!" Katara screamed.
"He had it coming. He even asked for it," the earthbender's smug voice came as Zuko struggled to open his eyes.
"Don't get up," Katara said, this time soft and soothing and close to his face.
He opened his eyes and saw Katara's blue eyes looking into his own, her eyes innocent and full of hope, not hate.
"Don't get up yet," she told him again, this time more sternly, but he saw a small smile tugging at her mouth.
Zuko nodded and let her heal him.
"You know, you didn't have to get hurt to get my attention," she said as she finished healing him. "Now, no more playing with Toph."
With a small smile, she rose and walked away from him as he stared in disbelief at her back. She turned back and smiled once more as Toph walked up to him and held her hand out to him. Taking the small girls' hand, Zuko was hauled to his feet by earthbending.
"There, I did my part. Now it's all you," Toph told him, smirking again before turning to walk over to Aang for training.
Do you believe in love and that we were meant to be?
Two words can free us, so repeat them after me
"I do." from a boy in love to a girl called Tennessee
Zuko waited until that night before seeking out the waterbender again. He found her practicing at the fountain while the others went to bed. Holding a single rose like a love struck komodo bull, he watched her bend the water around her gracefully. She was beautiful, her movements flowing from one form to the next effortlessly. She turned and stopped suddenly, seeing him in the shadows.
"Yes?" she asked him, turning to him and placing a hand on her hip.
Zuko felt his throat go dry as he thought how gorgeous she looked in the moonlight with her hair flowing over her shoulder and her blue eyes glowing.
"Well? Are you just going to stand there and stare or did you want something?" she asked, her eyes narrowing seductively, a small smile tugging at her lips.
He knew in that moment he wasn't worthy of her. He had hurt her so many times. Could he bear to hurt her again? He walked up to her and held out the rose. She looked shocked, but took the rose.
"A thank you," he told her softly. "And a reminder that I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry I ever hurt you, and I promise I won't hurt you again."
With that the prince used every last bit of willpower to turn away from Katara and walk back to his room. He lay down on his bed and watched the stars outside of the window, knowing he did the right thing. But if he did the right thing, why did he hurt so much?
He got scared and let her slip away
Now he knows he's not afraid
I'll put him on the air in case she's listening somewhere
Zuko stayed away from Katara for the next few days, avoiding her if at all possible. The only interaction he had with her was at meals and then he was silent, brooding. Aang and Sokka tried to get him to talk about it during training and sparring, but he remained silent. Toph pushed and prodded the firebender, but to no avail. And Katara stole glances at him, trying to catch his eye and wanting to say something, but didn't know what.
Finally Toph cornered him while he was on the plateau above the temple, meditating. Zuko tried to ignore her as she sat behind him, but the earthbender started flinging pebbles at his head.
"What?!" Zuko finally roared, turning to the earthbender with flame covered fists.
"Finally," Toph sighed.
"What?" the prince asked, perplexed as Toph just stayed seated and smiled up at him with her smug, knowing smile before that turned into a scowl.
"I finally get it through your thick skull that you can get her attention and that she could like you, and what do you do? You blow it! You stood up to her and you blew it, again! Did you ever once think she might like you too? Idiot dunderhead of a jerkbender!"
She had stood as she yelled at him and had risen up on an earthen platform until her misty green eyes were on the same level as his golden eyes, her finger pointing into his chest.
"I blew it!" he yelled back at her. "How could I blow it?! They were your ideas! And she…she likes me?"
"Duh!" Toph said, rolling her eyes.
Zuko just stared at her in disbelief.
"Finally I get through your thick skull. Are you sure your mom wasn't an earthbender?" Toph asked him, smirking.
Zuko relaxed and smirked back. "I'm sure. So what now?"
"Simple, tell her how you feel."
Take it to heart, keep in mind
Try to reach out through the telephone line
Caller you're on the air, say it so she hearsZuko continued to avoid the waterbender throughout that day and into the next. He knew what he had to do, but finding the right time and words was hard. As he was mediating on the plateau, he heard someone approach him from behind. Thinking it was the earthbender there to goad him again, he said two words.
"Go. Away," he growled.
"No," he heard Katara say. "Not until you tell me what's going on."
The prince rose and turned in one fluid motion and watched the waterbender warily as she watched him. Her hands were on her hips and her and a frown was on her face. But her eyes showed hurt and confusion.
"I can't," he told her.
"Why not?"
"Because I just can't!" he yelled, turning away from her again.
"No. You will tell me. I know something's been going on, and then you looked so sad when you gave me the rose. Please Zuko, just…just talk to me."
Her voice was so full of anguish, pain and confusion. Suddenly her hand was on his shoulder.
"I don't want to hurt you again," he whispered. "And I know I will."
"And I'll hurt you if you don't turn around and face me," she said smugly.
Zuko turned and saw her smiling up into his face. She placed a hand over his scar as she had done in the crystal catacombs.
"Now, Toph told me you had something to tell me. What?"
He looked into her eyes and found his strength. Smiling, he bent towards her.
"I've never been known to back down from a challenge. And the challenge I almost backed down from was you."
"What do you mean?" Katara asked, backing away slightly as his face inched closer to her.
"This," he replied and quickly moved forward and captured her lips with his own.
She was surprised, but quickly started kissing him back, her arms moving to wrap around his neck as his wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to his body. They moved closer to each other until they heard Toph let out a wolf whistle.
Katara quickly backed away from Zuko, but he caught her wrists. She looked into his eyes, questioning him with her blue eyes.
"I like you. I think it may be more, but…I think we're meant to be. Please…can we start again?"
He pleaded with his golden eyes as he locked his gaze with hers. She looked intently into his eyes, searching for something, and finally smiled.
"No," she said finally. "I don't want to start again. I want to continue."
And with that she stepped up to him and kissed him passionately, not caring as Toph let out another wolf whistle.
Do you believe in love and that we were meant to be?
Two words can free us, so repeat them after me
"I do." from a boy in love to a girl called Tennessee
