I'm finally going to write a more Katara centric entry. Just the thought of it felt refreshing after, like, three days of the male perspective.
BTH
4. Date
It had been a particularly sunny day, the day when Zuko asked her out, and she had been practicing water bending in the near by lake. A simple training exercise, to try and strengthen her water bending at it's weakest point of the day. She stood on top of the water and moved more water around in the air. He, Zuko, was training Aang in more fire bending on the shore. She had felt it necessary to make the training as difficult as possible, which did include distractions. Katara wasn't immune to her hormones, so she knew that the most distracting thing to her would be to practice right next to a shirtless, sexy Zuko.
Ah, yes, in the past, when these feeling for Zuko were just emerging, she put on her best armour. Denial, denial, denial! However, slumber parties always seem to get the best of teenage girls, and soon, Suki and Toph made her face the heavy truth that was her crush on Zuko. After that, it was easy and, well, kind of nice. This was the kind of thing normal girls her age should be experiencing. So, she accepted her feelings for the fire bender she once hated, as little sense that it made to her logical self, and her feelings grew with time.
At any rate, Aang and Zuko's lesson ended and Aang went to find Toph for the next one. Strangely, Zuko didn't leave. He just watched her for a few minutes before she felt so nervous and awkward that she blurted out an irritated sounding;
"Do you need something, Zuko?"
Cursing herself for sounding so gruff and impatient she glanced at him to find he was scowling and slightly blushing.
"Sorry. I don't want to bother you." He said, annoyed and prepared to stomp off.
"No, no! Wait, I'm sorry!" The water in her control shifted and she had to steady herself, so she wouldn't fall in.
Zuko sat himself back down and watched her again, then began to look around at anything other than her. Through the chase moments Katara allowed herself to look at the prince, she saw that it looked like he was having some great internal battle. Concern getting the best of her, she spoke up.
"Is something bothering you, Zuko?" She asked, worry evident, "Is it something I can help with?"
She watched him with interest as his face turned a deep cherry red and his eyes widened. What did she do?
"I, uh, need to ask you a, um, question. If that's okay!" He said, rubbing the back of his head and looking like he wanted to kick himself. Katara nodded, confused and continued to bend the water around her as she stepped a few feet forward on it.
Zuko took a deep and shaky breath, "Would you go out on a date with me."
Katara lost it. She tumbled into the lake with a large splash and Zuko panicked as she made her way onto shore, gasping for air.
"Are you alright?" he cried.
"Yes." she panted.
"Good, should I get some help?" he asked, still shocked and worried.
"No! I mean, yes! Yes, I'll go out with you!" she said, recollecting herself and standing up.
"Great! So, um, how's tonight? Or tomorrow! When ever's good!" He said, clearly flustered.
Katara laughed, heat creeping onto her cheeks as she rung out her hair. He looked so cute, in such contrast to the stoic and handsome man he was, usually.
"You don't ask out too many girls, do you, Zuko?" she said, still laughing.
Zuko started to laugh with her.
Smiling, he said, "Only the ones I really like. Tonight's good, then?"
She nodded, caught off guard by the directness of his comment.
He smiled and turned away, " See you tonight, then."
When he was gone, Katara turned to see her reflection in the lake. A furious blush had over taken her features, but she was happy none the less. A thought occurred to her and she raced back to camp, flying right by Zuko, who, unbeknown to Katara, was grinning like an idiot.
When she returned to the camp site, everyone was doing their own thing. Sokka was drawing up and scratching out plans for who knows what, Aang and Toph were having a very audible lesson, based on the sounds of Aang's screaming and Toph's laughter and Suki was practicing some warrior stances.
"Suki! I need your help!" Katara said, grasping the other girl by the arms.
"Katara, you're drenched! What happened?"
"Huh? Oh!" She said, bending herself dry, "Doesn't matter! I'll tell you what does matter, though!"
Katara looked at her brother and then continued in a whisper, "Zuko asked me on a date!"
"WHAT! THAT'S AWESOME!" Suki cried, causing Sokka to look up suspiciously and Katara to clamp her hand over Suki's mouth.
"YEAH, THE NEW SUMMER FASHION IS JUST INCREDIBLE!" Katara said loudly for Sokka's benefit. The effort worked, as Sokka turned back, brushing the out burst off as 'weird girl talk'.
Katara took her hand off Suki's mouth and her friend immediately dragged her behind a tent.
"When? How? Where? What did you say? You're not gonna wear that, are you?" Suki babbled in an excited whisper.
"Just now, at the lake. He looked really nervous, but I said yes, it's tonight and I don't know where but, why would I go on a date in my bending outfit?"
"I dunno! Look, I bought some clothes not too long ago with some money I won off of Toph when we played one-on-one volleyball. I don't know why she even accepted, but that's not the point. Do you wanna borrow an outfit?" Suki asked.
"Yes! You're a life saver, Suki!" Katara said, somewhat relieved.
"Alright, let's get you fixed up! From the looks of things, we've got a long afternoon ahead of us." Suki said, eying Katara up and down.
"Hey!" Katara said with offense.
"Oh, quit whining. This is the start of Date Night Boot Camp! It's gonna take more than a killer outfit to get you ready."
"Ready for what?" Toph asked, appearing suddenly.
"Toph! This is great! You can help me keep Katara in line!" Suki exclaimed.
"Wha-!"
"Sounds interesting! Fill me in!"
One brief and exaggerated explanation (provided by Suki) later
"So Sparky finally got the stones to ask you out, eh, Sugar Queen? Well, 'bout time. Suki can handle the makeover part, since I think we can all agree that I'm not very qualified. Meanwhile, I'll run through some scenarios!"
"I really don't think all of this is necessary, guys!" Katara said, not really liking where this situation was going.
"Shut up, Katara, this is for your sake. Don't you want to impress Zuko? He's a prince, right? You've gotta stand out or you'll never get his attention again!" Suki said.
"This is sounding dangerously close to a cheesy romantic-comedy."
"Well, it's your romantic-comedy, Sweetness, so get in gear and tell me what you do if you get something stuck in your teeth!"
" How would I even know it's there!" She cried at Suki pulled various articles of clothing out of a trunk.
"You can borrow my pocket mirror! Now, do you prefer the green Earth style dress with the braided embroidery, or the mint tea dress with the lace at the hem? Oh, but then you'd need the olive Kashmir shawl to go with it! Hold on!" Suki continued to did through the trunk.
" If you're going to a restaurant, do you let him pay and tip, you pay and he tips, he pays and you tip or you both split the cost?"
"Why does he get the choice to pay for both and I don't?" Katara asked.
Suki and Toph each gave her a look like she'd grown a second head.
"Because, duh, if he's even half the man he should be, he would never let the girl pay for everything!" Toph explained.
Katara opened her mouth to protest but Suki beat her to it.
"And don't even complain about gender equality because dating is one of the few areas in which girls get the perks. Don't blow it for yourself."
"I'd split the cost evenly, then." Katara said indignantly.
"Good enough. Next scenario!"
"Hold on a second, Toph. Katara, how do you feel about eyeliner?"
Zuko had spent the last few hours feeling intense amounts of anxiety. He checked over himself over for the fifth time for anything that was out of place. Clothes, shoes, hair, plans, everything seemed to be in order. Still, Zuko was well aware that the wooing of those of the female persuasion was not what he would call his area of expertise.
Just as Zuko was going over himself for the sixth time, Katara walked out to meet him, sporting a simple pastel blue sundress and her hair in a messy bun. He took one look at her and forgot everything he had been fussing over, choosing to walk over to greet her.
"You look good! Uh, really good!" he said, uncomfortably.
She laughed at his awkwardness, "You clean up pretty nice yourself, Zuko. So, what's on the agenda tonight?"
He smiled back at her and offered her his arm, "How's dinner and a walk around town sound?"
She looped her arm in his and gave him a playful shove, "Sounds good."
So, off they went, Suki and Toph hiding behind a tent eavesdropping.
"Oh, they look so good together!" Suki gushed.
"I wouldn't know, but Sparky's had it pretty bad for her for a while now. I'm he finally made a move" Toph said with satisfaction, "Now we should probably get the camp fire started while Aang's taking a nap."
An hour later, Sokka emerged from his tent, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Check it out guys! I've finally come up with the perfect schedule to get us ready for- hey where's Katara? And where's Zuko?" He asked, looking around.
Suki smiled brightly at her boyfriend, "They're on a date!"
Sokka looked blankly at her for a moment, as he fumbled with words that didn't seem to exist until he came to a confused, "With who?"
"With each other, Snoozles. They like each other, so they're going on a date together." Toph elaborated, knowing exactly what kind of mayhem it would create.
Sokka then bolted toward the nearby town faster than anyone had ever seen him run.
Later, when Suki and Toph would ask how the date went, Katara would tell them that it was very interesting. The dinner was delicious, they had split the bill, they enjoyed themselves as they wandered around town to different stalls and talked about lots of subjects until her brother had appeared out of no where screaming and tackling Zuko to the ground.
She couldn't wait until the next date.
I feel all bleh. I wish I were caught up.
Remember everyone: If you have sound effects, you're never at a loss for an adjective!