"You look like you're going to turn into an icicle," teased Katara as she handed her boyfriend a cup of hot chocolate. Zuko pouted, and accepted the piping cup of cocoa.
"I am," he replied, his teeth chattering his legs pumping up and down in a desperate attempt to get warm. His nose was running, and totally red. She snuggled close to him.
"Here, I'll keep you warm," she chimed, leaning her head into his shoulder as he sipped the cocoa. "Just ask him, Zuko. My father likes you, I swear."
"Why would he like me? I threatened his mother, chased his children across the world, and now I want to 'take his little girl away'?" Zuko vented. He wanted to marry Katara. He loved her, and she loved him. But, if he ever wanted to have a decent relationship, a grade above the one with his own family, he needed to respect Water Tribe traditions, and respecting Water Tribe customs meant asking a father for his daughter's hand in marriage.
"He likes you because you take care of me, you protect me, he knows you love and care for me, he trusts you, you saved his life, you saved his son's life, you practically died to save me, and you are helping his country and restoring the world to peace," Katara answered for him with a smile, trying to quell his doubts. "Besides, he really just likes you, Zuko. He thinks you're a nice boy, he's told me, he's told Sokka."
"I don't think he wants you to be fire lady," Zuko muttered, biting his nearly frostbitten lip, shivering, the wind blowing so fiercely, tears fell from his eyes. "I mean… the royal family is responsible for taking his wife away…"
"Zuko," Katara spoke, turning his frozen face to face her. "That wasn't you. I know that. He knows that. He knows the difference between you and your family. So do you. You know it was awful, you condemn it. He doesn't blame you, neither do I," Katara assured him.
"I'm still scared," Zuko mumbled in confession.
"I know, that's normal. But, my father is a kind man, Zuko. He knows I love you, he would never say no," Katara told him, but the young fire lord still looked unconvinced. Katara smirked, "If you go ask, you can stop avoiding him out here, and be warm~?" She said in a singsongy voice, "You don't have to be frozen solid out here," she supplemented, and with that, she got a curve of his lips.