Beauty in the Beast (Zutara)

Chapter Thirty-Five [End]

"You know I'm not going anywhere right?" Zuko laughed softly as Katara clung to his chest. She looked up at him angrily before lightly hitting his chest.

"Oh sure, let me just believe you even though you hung up on me shortly after there were gunshots at your house!" He stroked her cheek lovingly as she huffed, a small smile growing on his face.

"I'm sorry I scared you. Really I am. It's just not wise for me to be on the phone if I had to you know..."

"Shoot someone. I know Mafia child." She leaned against him exhausted. "Just...hearing that really solidified everything for me. What you grew up in. When you told me that you were a decent shot back when we were in the hospital, I didn't think I would...have to think about it. It all became so real." He wrapped his arms around her leaning his head on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Katara. My father was arrested. What you heard was him and many of the bodyguards fighting back against the police. It ended just as quickly as it began." He kissed the side of her neck. "Like I told you when I called you back. It's going to be all over soon." She slumped into his body holding his hands.

"I hope so. You really scared me."

"Hopefully, it won't happen again." He said before kissing her temple once more. "Hey...did you mean it?"

"Mean what?" She asked.

"What you said when I called you back last weekend?" She gave a small smirk, azure eyes gazing up at him.

"When I called you an idiot?" He shot her a playful glare before biting at her neck pleased at the noise she made.

"When you said you loved me. You knew what I was asking about." She smiled softly heat rising to her cheeks.

"I think...it all just came to surface after we were talking about what we loved about each other and then when you just hung up and went to go off to play shooter ranch." Zuko rolled his eyes.

"I'll have you know; I didn't fire one shot that night."

"That's not the point! You were intending to shoot if you had to and that alone scared the hell out of me!" Zuko pulled her closer and leaned his head against her.

"I'm right here."

"I know." She closed her eyes slowly. "I think it was just the fact that you could've been gone. Just like that. I had no idea what was going to happen. Then I thought of what I was going to do if you were gone and... I realized I couldn't bear the idea of that happening." He stroked her knuckles softly. "So when you called back I just felt relief."

"And then you called me the Godfather of idiots." He snickered. She let out a small laugh.

"Among many other things, yes." She squeezed his hand softly. "But I meant every word." He kissed her temple again letting his lips linger on her skin.

"Good. Glad the feeling is mutual." He chuckled before tilting her chin up to meet his eyes. "I love you, Katara." He grinned as she crashed her lips onto his eager to hold her close, squeezing her softly. He let his fingers get lost in her locks once more as he deepened the kiss. She shivered and held him tight, unwilling to let go.

~~
Iroh smiled at his sister in law as she came into the dining table.

"You look well rested for once, Ursa." He commented. "It's been a while since I've seen you so happy." She sat next to him, coffee in hand.

"It ends to happen when Ozai isn't around." Iroh sighed shaking his head.

"I don't know how you dealt with my little brother all these years."