Decisions
The warm wind flowed across Zuko's face, sweeping his loose hair across his cheek. The darkness pressed in on him from all sides. The stone paving was cold against his back as he dangled his feet in the icy black water of the East Stellar Courtyard, it was the 2nd half moon of the year, and for the young royal, that meant decision time.
He sighed and sat up, placing his hands at his side and drawing his legs up, letting the cold water pool around him. He wrapped one hand around his legs and drew patterns using the water with the other. The reflection of the moon caught his eye, it's slow creep towards the horizon meant that time was running out, he had to decide tonight, before it was too late.
Zuko found his way through the lavish gardens of the Fire Palace. Leaves and branches pushed themselves against his clothes and hair urging for him to turn back, these were the gardens of The Council and held the spirits of Zuko's ancestors in the soils. Maybe they're right, maybe I should turn back. What if they're wrong? Zuko wasn't going to take that chance, not after all this time, he knew where his heart lay.
The thorns of the flower pricked Zuko's fingers as he stole silently down the lavishly decorated halls of the palace. His heart danced wildly in his rib cage, he was sure every Earthbender could hear it from here to Kyoshi. Finally he arrived outside the door to his quarry. He breathed deep and swung the door open.
He could hear her light breathing coming from the bed in the centre of the room, his heart quickened and his hand started to instinctively heat up. The flower! He panicked and the flower drifted to the floor, he stooped to pick it up and froze. She was waking up. He stayed where he was, bent over, fingers brushing the stem. He was there for what felt like an age before he was confident enough she'd gone back to sleep and knelt silently to the floor, sighing with relief.
He crawled over to the side of the bed and knelt by her head, her arm stuck out over the side of the bed and he resisted the urge to run his finger along its length. She looked more beautiful than he had ever imagined, so peaceful in whatever land she dreamt in. He picked up the flower. Doubt struck his mind.
What would she think? I was so stupid coming here, she's the Avatars girl, she belongs to him, but, what if, just what if, she loves me? Hope surged in his stomach and he reached out to her face, just wanting to touch her, to feel her smooth skin under his, he hesitated and she flinched. He let his hand drop back down to his side. Who was I kidding, she's way too pretty for me, she's never even thought twice about me, not whilst Aang's around. He sat back on his heels and tilted his head to the ceiling, fighting back tears, one last sigh and he rose, flower in hand, gazing down at the sleeping girl one last time, but still, he couldn't help himself, he lent down.
"I'm in love with you, Katara."
He turned and walked slowly from the room, it was nearly daylight and Mai would suspect something if he wasn't in bed. He raised the flower to his face. Brushing it against his lips, and smiled. She'll never know, maybe it's better that way, friends. He thought about setting the flower on fire. No, it'll be destroyed with the dawn. He cast it to one side and walked down the corridor, down the steps and out into the courtyard, never looking back.
*
A Detailed And Extensive Encyclopaedia Of The Flora And Fauna Of The Fire Nation - Lang Cho
"They say that the Valenti-Fire-Orchid (fig 57) is the rarest flower in the known universe, it blooms for one night, and one night only. It is said that whomever plucks the flower and presents the one they love most in the world will have an unbreakable bond between them, a bond that transcends time and logic. At the dawn of the next day, the flower burns and dies, leading to it's name of the 'Fire-Orchid' Unfortunately, the last specimen of this rare and beautiful flower was presented to Fire-Lady Kinhi by Fire-Lord Kunzo of the 3rd Sinho Dynasty. Though many still believe the species must still exist somewhere on the main isle of the Fire Nation Empire..."
*
Katara opened her eyes, it was still dark outside. There was a noise outside her room. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slipped onto the floor, tiptoeing to the door, she pressed her ear to it, counted to 3 and swung it open.
Nothing.
She sighed and took a couple of steps forward. Just my imagination. She turned and took a pace forward. Oww. her foot landed on a needle, she bent down and felt around, blind in the dark, and came across a-a flower! She spun around and ran to the door, flung it open and peered down into the courtyard. A figure slunk away, towards the royal chambers. Zuko! But, What!?He doesn't, he couldn't, he... She felt her heart leap. Oh, wow. She sat down at the top of the stairs, she looked down at the flower in her hands, she squinted, it was nearly dawn but there were no stars. Wait, thats a- No! It cant be, it's not a-as she studied the petals, the sun finally crept over the horizon and as the first beam of sunlight hit the tip of the flower and it burst it to flames. She smiled. And lay back on the top step, watching as the tendrils of burning flower were swept out and over across the fire palace. She was overcome by bliss, she felt complete, finally. Me too. Happy Valentines Day, Zuko.