Behind those crystal blue eyes...(zutara love story)

1. The memories that hurt me

Author note: hello everyone this is my first fanfic and I hope you all like it, I have yet to perfect my abilities to explain details so if anyone has constructive criticism I would appreciate the help! Go easy on me though or I might get discouraged.

Zuko POV

What is wrong with me? Why do I feel these feelings? Why do I have these thoughts? Why can't I escape these memories? Why do I keep asking myself these questions? Why do I torture myself this way? because you like her. wait...what? what did I just say? there's no way. It's impossible. There is no way I like that water tribe peasant! It's just a passing thought that's it! nothing more, just hormones! I crowned prince of the fire nation and heir to the throne, cannot and will not have feelings for a peasant! I have to get my mind off of this, all I have to do is think about the avatar and only the avatar! I tried to clear my thoughts and regroup.

It had been a week since we had a run-in with pirates that were trying to track down the avatar and his gang for stealing a scroll. I had helped them capture them but it was in vain. They had escaped as they usually did. It was a waste of time like everything always is. Why do I even bother? I'll never regain my honor.

I shook my head and tried to focus on my meditation. It was quiet in my room but I could hear the soldiers stomping around on deck. I tried to zone it out, I looked at my candles flickering in the dark, Growing larger with each breath. I have always found flames to be dangerous and deadly, after all, fire is what gave me my scar. I reached up and touched the left side of my face, running my fingers over the damaged, rough skin that stretched from my eye to my cheek and ear. No one could ever love me with this face. I don't blame them. I remembered the first time I saw her. In the icy nightmare that is known as the southern water tribe.

Flashback

My heart is beating so fast, I can't let my nervousness show, my soldiers will think I'm weak. I do my best to keep a straight face as I march off the ship into the cold arctic air. The wind is freezing on my face I already feel my face tingling. I fight the urge to breathe fire, I'm halfway down the ramp when some teenage idiot charges at me screaming some stupid excuse for a battle cry, his voice still cracks. I quickly kick him off the side of the ramp into the snow. As I took in my surroundings I saw the look of fear on the villagers faces. I walked up to them and scanned the crowd glancing at the children who hid behind their mothers the oldest was an old woman clinging to a girl who must be her granddaughter.

She had the most beautiful crystal blue eyes I have ever seen she looked so scared of me, I'll show her how scared she should be! I grabbed her grandmother by the arm and pulled her to me. I felt almost satisfied when I heard her gasp.

"He'd be about this age, master of all the elements?" I looked across their clueless faces, how can they act like they don't know who I'm talking about? I threw the lady back at the girl and she gave me the best glare she could manage. big mistake. I shot a stream of fire just above their heads and they screamed. "I know you're hiding him!"

the idiot teen came charging at me again. I guess he is too stupid for a sneak attack, I flipped him and he landed on his butt and I shot a fire blast at him, he rolled away and threw a boomerang at me. I ducked but just barely missed it. that was close he almost got me. once again he charged at me with a spear I grabbed it poked him in the head, broke it, and threw it on the ground.

suddenly I was struck in the back of the head by the boomerang "aaouhhh" thank Agni I was wearing a helmet. I fixed my helmet and stared down at the peasant. I glanced at the girl and she snickered, this boy is making a fool of me and she had the guts to laugh at me? fire daggers erupted from my hands. that's when something knocked me off my feet and I did a back flip landing on my head and I felt my helmet fall on my butt. the water tribe wench burst out laughing and everyone cheered. when I looked up she was holding the shoulders of a young strangely dressed boy. Is that her boyfriend? If so she could definitely do better. I heard the idiot say in a sarcastic tone, "Hi Aang thanks for coming." I stood up and looked at this Aang he was talking about. I gave my soldiers the signal to surround him as I took a fighting stance.