Hey so this is my first one shot of many!!! I'm so excited for my one-shot series:)

Quick A/N: Zuko is 17 and Katara 15.

Rating: T

I don't own Avatar. Well, R&R and enjoy, of course!!!

Silenced

There he was. Twenty minutes had passed and Zuko was still sitting on the edge of the dock with one of his knees propped up and the other knee was bent. His toes were stretching to reach the water located at least three feet below.

He has something in his hand she thought. Silently, careful not to step on fallen twigs, Katara leaned forward from behind the tree in front of her. It was a letter, filled with fresh creases and rough edges. She had thought that she had seen him crumpling something and then flattening it out earlier. He had done this a couple of times, in fact. She blushed at the thought of how long she had been stalking him

Katara hesitated as she stepped out of her comfort zone. She thought of the ancient rule about how campers should not intrude on counselors during their break…or that silly rule about camper/counselor relationships. But Zuko was not just a counselor, and Katara was not just a camper. Plus, she was very sure that her relationship with Zuko was…different than the restricted ones. At least, she wanted to believe it was.

With all the confidence that she could muster, she took a few steps into the open, and onto the rickety dock. It creaked under her weight, but Zuko did not stir. Katara almost turned around when she thought she saw a tear disturb the still water; its ripples extending continuously.

"Hey you," She started, "Mind if I sit?"

"Go ahead," He breathed. As she sat down, she peered at is face. He turned to her and smiled a soft smile. Katara stared right through the smile. She felt, breathed, and was immersed in his pain.

"You missed a great game back there. Aang is quite the soccer star…"

"Mmm…"

Her eyes traced his body from his white Volcom t-shirt to his beautifully sculpted arms to the cuffs of his dark jeans. She was blushing again, and quickly turned her head to the water.

Zuko watched Katara as her legs swung over the edge of the dock. She was breathing heavily, and she had a stray hair that rested on the side of her face, which flew every time the breeze picked up. In truth, he didn't want to talk to her. He really really did not want to talk to her, but there she stayed.

"Is that a letter from home?" Zuko blinked. He was falling in and out of sleep. Over the course of the first three weeks, he had become an incurable insomniac.

"What? Oh…yeah. From my dad. He's…a jerk."

She blinked. "What did he say to you?"

"He just keeps telling me about what a disappointment I am." Zuko tore off a small woodchip from the dock and tossed it.

"Azula's in Italy on some summer immersion program, and he keeps reminding me of the fabulous future she's creating for herself…while I sit here, making paper planes and hosing 12 year olds." He tore off a larger piece.

"Best part is, she's probably drinking her face off."

He laughed harshly and crumpled up the letter again, tossing the letter in to the lake. The paper ball floated on the water, sinking slowly. He looked at Katara, who seemed slightly frightened, her azure eyes shaking. The sudden eye contact made her blush, and she quickly turned her face away from him.

The sun was setting in the west, and the fireflies were just beginning to emerge. It was so quiet around them. Zuko had always found the best places to be alone. Except this time, he had small company; Small, doe-eyed, wavy-haired company.

"Hey…Don't mind me. I'm just tired and cranky." He whispered, as if to refrain from disturbing the tranquil air.

"No, I shouldn't have bothered you about it." She whispered back.

Suddenly, she flinched as she felt his warm arm creep its way around her waist. He tugged at her side, and he pulled his newest friend closer to him. Katara turned her head from the sun, and stared at him. He stared back, smiling. With his other hand, he twisted his fingers in the stray hair. She looked down, and smiled.

"Don't mind me," He repeated softly. She raised her head again and looked into his eyes. Her eyes were brighter than ever in the darkness of twilight. He could see them sparkling.

He began to feel wrong. He began to have dangerous thoughts. He began to feel anxious. He began to remember his girlfriend, who was coming to visit him the very next day. And Katara read all these feelings and more upon his scarred face. Things she feared, things wished to be untrue...her eyes could read them all.

And when he let go, she swiftly obliged by sliding away from him. She frowned, and Zuko could hardley bare to see her so forlorn.

Quickly, she composed a smile. "Oh! I almost forgot." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a red and black friendship bracelet, intricately twisted and twined.

"I made like a million of these today, thought you deserved one…maybe?" He smiled at her.

"Thanks, Katara. That's pretty sweet."

"I try…" She winked at him. He stuffed the bracelet in his pocket.

"So…Aang's quite the soccer player?" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Katara smiled with thoughts of the young boy. "Yeah. You know, he's really enjoyed himself a lot here. Five weeks in the middle of nowhere can be tough for a first time camper."

"It's because of you." He whispered.

"What?"

"You are aware that he has a huge crush on you…"

"What?! No!" She turned red. "I…I don't even--"

"He really likes you, Kat. I mean, isn't it obvious?"

She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Well apparently not obvious enough!"

Zuko stared at her small hands on her hips. She was very shapely…for a kid. She's fifteen he thought, not a kid. His eyebrows furrowed with frustration. She looked quite desirable, wearing blue athletic shorts and a white tank top which was unfortunately not very see-through. He mentally slapped himself.

"Well, how can he resist with you looking so good all the time?"

He shouldn't have said that…He was playing with her. She pursed her lips and folded her arms over her chest.

Katara leaned forward so that her face was right above his. He had to lean his head backwards to see her eyes.

"One more comment like that and you're going in the lake."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really."

Before she could say anything else, he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her into the air, tossing her into the silent lake. She screamed just as she hit the water, muffled only by the splash. Luckily, Katara was an excellent swimmer.

"You...you…BUTTFACE!" She shouted as soon as her head emerged from the water. Zuko roared with laughter.

"Buttface? Really, Katara?"

"Quiet! Do you want them to hear us?" She whispered.

"Me? You're the one who's shouting!" He whispered back.

"Ugh! Zuko, you KNEW I was kidding!" She whispered. It echoed over the rippled water.

"Did I now?"

"Yes!"

"You knew better than to threaten me…" His voice trailed off as he stared at her, her clothes soaked through. Her shirt…He began to turn red, and even in the cool darkness of impending evening, she noticed.

"Come on in, the water SUCKS." She beckoned with a splash.

He smiled slightly, but it faded quickly. He couldn't say a word. Not now. Not to her. He did not want to talk to her...he knew what he would ultimately say. And as a result, Zuko was irrevocably silenced. Slowly, he turned away, and walked up the dock, into the forest and out of sight.

There she stayed, quietly floating in the cool greenish water.

And in her hand was the letter that he had painfully tossed away.