Zuko x OC : The Phoenix Princess

Chapter 12

Aria clenched her simple yellow dress, then moved on clenching her braided hair, then her hands and then all again from the begining. She couldn't stay still. She heard Katara going on and on about what Zuko did to them and what kind of person he is, with Zuko sitting on the ground not mattering a word and her trying to desappear inside a crystal. It seemed like he hadn't completely noticed that she was there, that or he didn't really care. She couldn't believe it was him! It's been so long and things have changed so much that she didn't know how to act. It felt like they had so many things to say and at the same time, nothing was there to be said.

Aria focused on what Katara was saying and how Zuko didn't fight back. 'Was it all true then? Why isn't he denying anything?' Aria thought with the terrifying realization, that she hadn't really believed what Katara and the others had said to her about Zuko. Inside her, there was something that hoped and believed that all of these weren't true, that it was a misunderstanding. That somehow, the boy she remembered was still infront of her eyes.

"Are they true?" Aria asked in a soft whisper 

Katara's little accusing speach stopped for a moment and she looked at Aria.

"What are you talking about Aria?" Katara asked her in a gentle voice, the complete opposite of the one she was using a few second ago

At the name 'Aria', Zuko turned around abruptly and was on his feet in seconds. He took a good look at the girl a few meters away from him. He didn't recognise her, but then again he couldn't clearly see her face as she was looking down. But her name reminded him of many things.  

Aria lifted her head and looked Zuko dead in the eyes, with tears threatening to spill at any given moment. Zuko's expression changed from realization to shock, as the fact that the girl in front him was, really, the little servant girl he remembered, hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Are these true? What Katara says...Is it true that you did all of that?!" Aria asked Zuko with a trembling voice and a hint that she somehow hoped that Zuko was going to deny all the things Katara said.

Zuko looked down. He couldn't face her, he didn't know what to say to Aria. He felt horrible that she knew all the terrible deeds he did to capture the Avatar, to get his honor back. He was fine with anybody to know except her. Anyone but her.

"So, they are true...How could you?! Why? You were different! Different just like General Iroh! You two were the only good people from the palace! Even when Lady Ursa left, you remaind good, unlike everyone else! I really thought that...you ..were different.." Aria said with balled fists, anger starting to get the best of her. 

"Aria I...can't deny the things I did. But I've quited this old purpose of hunting the Avatar! I've realised that I can choose my own destiny!" Zuko tried to explain to both Aria and Katara

"Don't lie! You are the Fire Lord's son! Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood! You have no idea what this war has put us through. I don't know all the details about Aria but she didn't have it easy! And me... the Fire Nation took my mother away from me!" Katara said with tears spilling down her chocolate cheeks.

Aria put an arm around her kneeling form, trying to comfort her friend. She, really hated seeing her newfound friends in this kind of state. 

"I am sorry, that's something we have in common" Zuko said with a hushed voice. 

After some minutes of silence, with Zuko staring at the ground, and Aria comforting a crying Katara, Aria wipped her tears away and helped her stand up.

"I am sorry that I yelled at you before. It's, just, that whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy..it was your face" Katara told him

"My face ..I see" Zuko said touching his scar.