Zuko slid down, grimacing as bark scraped his back. He peered into the darkness, waiting silently until he saw a small shadow approach him.
Katara knelt down next to him, smoothing her skirts. She smiled, reaching out to brush a lock of hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear, letting her fingers linger on the edge of his scar. She looked beautiful, Zuko thought; her hair was down, curly around her shoulders, falling to her waist, and the moonlight making her bright eyes sparkle.
"Do we really have to meet here? Wouldn't it just be easier to… tell them?" she murmured, wrapping her callused fingers around his palm. She curled her body next to his, easily fitting in the space under his arm.
Zuko sighed, frowning. She'd asked him this before and Zuko hated giving her the same answer. "You know why, Katara. And you know I wish we could just tell everybody. But we can't. Not yet anyway – not until I can change the council's opinion." He wished he could say yes. He wished he could go the council that night and tell them his intentions. He wished he could tell everybody.
Katara smiled again, understanding and sad, dropping their entwined fingers to her lap. "I know. I just wish I could tell Sokka."
"And I wish I could tell my uncle," Zuko sighed, pulling her to his chest and pressing his nose to her soft hair, inhaling the fragrance that was heady and sharp and completely Katara. "But unless we can make sure they can keep their mouths shut – and we both know Iroh can't do that – we have to wait." Zuko tilted her head up to him, kissing her gently, savoring the softness of her mouth.
"But we won't wait forever will we?"
"No. This is only for now." Zuko wrapped his arms tightly around her, rubbing circles against her back.
"Promise? I'll hold you to that." Katara gave him a sly look, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing the corner of his mouth.
"Promise."