Before he could fire bend at you, you froze his body briefly.

"Don't." You responded plainly before letting him go. "Ya ain't here to hurt no one, is ya?"

"No! No! I really want to help the avatar! I know now that that is my destiny! Really!" He blushed as he walked closer to you. "And I just wanted to say... I mean... I don't really know how to say this..."

"Yes, Zuko?" You asked as you looked away.

"I... I like your new clothes!" He blushed and looked away.

"Thanks, they're my adult cloth--"

"No, wait! That's not what I wanted to say. I mean I did want to say that. But what I really meant to say is that... I made a choice." He was whispering now as his head over your own. You hadn't realized how tall he actually was. Especially compared to the people you had been traveling with.

"Well yeah, to leave ya daddy, but I don't think that changes anythin--"

"No. I left Mai." His burning eyes met yours. "I left the entire Fire Nation behind. My destiny isn't only with the avatar. It's also with you."

You had been ready to yell at him. Scream at him. Explain the betrayal, the hurt and the pain you had felt. Every bone in your body radiated anger with him and each nerve signaled to your overwhelmed brain that you should probably just start a fight with him. You were so irrationally angry, so sad even, that you had a visceral reaction whenever you thought about that day.

But of course, you couldn't help but let that anger melt away. Why? Because Zuko's lips had captured your own and the passion behind them was so hot that your heart could hardly stand it. The anger could wait. The betrayal, hurt and pain could wait. For now, you just wanted to fly.

As his lips pulled away from yours, just briefly, his eyes looked at yours with a pain.

"I hurt you. I betrayed you. And I allowed atrocities to occur while I watched over you." He began softly.

"Atrocity is a strong wo--" You were shushed by the placement of his finger on your lips.

"I don't expect you to forgive me any time soon. Even if my plan here fails. Even if I can't fulfill my destiny. I just know that I need you. Please," He held your face in his hands. "Tell me your feelings."

"I...I don't know what to say." You leaned your head into his hands, swept away by the moment you were having.

"Don't say anything," His lips brushed against yours and you had a close up look at his clear, begging eyes. "Feel it. What do you feel for me?"

"Love." You responded suddenly, brushing your own lips against his as well. "I love you, Zuko."

"I love you too." His eyes closed as he mumbled his response before pushing his lips against your own, wrapping his arms around you powerfully.

This kiss was different. The passion had gone from simply sincere, to white-hot. He needed you and he needed to prove that he needed you. And it would have been a lie if you didn't feel like you needed him as well.