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For all his life, Zuko wanted nothing more then revenge against the Fire Nation for killing his family, excluding Azula. They had killed his mother, who had done nothing but nurture him. They killed his father, who had lied about being the last Waterbender in their tribe to protect him. He wanted revenge.
Then, he met Aang. The young Avatar was a kind soul, believing that no one should die and always finding a way to resolve conflicts without bloodshed. It had changed his thinking for a bit, but he had already decided his path.
Hama then came. She taught him how to be a better Waterbender, where to find the liquid and the many ways to use it. He didn't know she was using him. Until the full moon. He shook his head at the sight of the squirrel in her hands that she had caught. She had pulled the animal towards her, and was now squeezing it without mercy.
"This. . . this is wrong!"
"Is it? Was it wrong when they threw me in jail with my brothers and sisters? That they left us to rot?"
Zuko shook his head. Of course it was wrong, "Of course it is!"
"And I thought you wanted revenge against the Fire Nation."
The Waterbender froze. It's true, he wanted the Fire Nation to be shredded to its last atom, but Jet had partially changed his mind with the way he treated that old man, alongside Aang with his mindset. He couldn't. He wouldn't. It was wrong—
"No! I won't! I've wanted it before, but its and—"
"Then you are not fit to be my successor!"
He gasped as his arms moved on their own, forcing him at his side alongside his legs.
It hurt.
Hama could. . . she could stop his blood flow, stop his heart and brain and—
"Zuko!"
Aang swooped in, brandishing his stick. But the older woman easily used the forbidden bending and hit him down wth just a small flick of her wrist. She anchored her hand and caught sight of a tree wth a particularly long branch, sharp enough to pierce clothing and skin. She smiled.
"Don't let your friend die, Zuko~"
And with that, she drove Aang towards the branch.
Zuko felt his breath stop, and it wasn't because of the bending. Aang was going to die— the Firelord would win and the next Avatar would come much later. With a shout, he felt his arms move, and this time it was on his own.
"NO!"
Closer and closer, the branch was about to impale itself in the Avatar's chest and—
He stopped.
Zuko had his hands out, shock, fear, and hatred engulfing his golden orbs. Shock from what he had just done, fear from realizing he had become a bloodbender, and hated directed at himself and Hama. Himself for letting it do such a thing, and Hama because she had groomed him, trained him so he could continue her work. Her goddamn dirty work.
But it was to late now.
His hands were shaking as he brought them down slowly, watching Hama kneel down at the movement of his hands.
Tears began to grim his eyes, but he held them back. He had just Bloodbended. . .
Toph soon came with the police, who took Hama away. It may have been victory in the eyes of others, but it wasn't the case. Zuko had lost, while Hama has won. He lost because he let himself Bloodbend, she won because she got what she wanted, another another Bloodbender. She looked over her shoulder and let it a chilly laugh, "Congratulations, Zuko, your a Bloodbender now."
Her only response was his silence.