Uncertainty of Attraction

"Zuko," Aang pleaded, "I want you to give Katara a romantic evening."

The Fire Lord stared at the Airbender like he had turned into a Sky Bison. "What?"

Aang smiled. It was that disturbing, 'Can't we all be friends?' smile. "I have a hot date tomorrow, and you should invite Katara over and give her a great time."

Zuko blinked repeatedly. He understood each of the words, but he must have been missing the overall meaning, because what he heard didn't make any sense. Fortunately, Zuko had a reaction ready. "What?"

Sokka looked over from where he was painting at Zuko's desk. The three were in Zuko's private study, in the heart of the Palace, ostensibly to hang out as friends. "Isn't tomorrow Flames of Passion Day?"

Aang nodded. "That's why I think Katara deserves a nice time. I mean, we were both okay after I-" He glanced at Sokka.

The Water Tribal didn't look up. He waved a hand nonchalantly and said, "After you broke up with her, for perfectly good reasons, and you were nice about it, plus you were never anything but honest, and afterward Katara agreed with you anyway. Don't worry about it. Katara may still be lonely a little, but she- and I- are okay with it."

"Thanks." He turned back to Zuko. "So, since you don't have a date either-"

"I never said that!"

"-I thought it would be nice if you and Katara enjoyed each other's company. You're my friends, and I would feel awful if you were both unhappy on Flames of Passion Day."

Zuko considered that. Despite Aang's penchant for pranks, he logic behind the odd request worked, and the Airbender seemed earnest, but there was one point he couldn't let pass without a fight. "Who says I don't have a date?"

Sokka glanced up. "Is Ty Lee in town?"

"No."

"Then I says." He went back to his brushwork.

"I know girls besides Ty Lee," Zuko huffed.

Aang frowned. "But you and Mai broke up."

"Besides Mai!"

Sokka snorted. "Sorry, Zuko. Suki's taken."

"Besides Suki!"

Aang's eyebrows raised. "You and Toph are dating? Because she told me-"

"Besides Toph!"

"Zuko." Aang looked him in the eyes. "No, you don't."

Zuko sighed. "No, I don't."

Aang patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay. You're a busy guy. But I've got your back." He paused as he thought about something. "You think Katara's pretty, right?"

"Aang, when I met Katara, she was three years younger than me. We were opposing soldiers, I hadn't thought about girls for a full three years, and I was focused on something else whenever we met. (You, of course.) By the time I joined your team and became Katara's friend, I was under a little stress about the end of the world and trying to redeem myself. Plus, I missed my girlfriend."

Sokka chuckled. "So, in guy talk, that's a big 'Slush yeah!' isn't it?"

"Slush?" Zuko sighed. "Yes, I guess that's the phrase for it. I mean, I wasn't in love with her or anything, but I did notice her. Even had a few of those embarrassing dreams about her."

"Zuko?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how you wanted to be told when you said something 'uncool' and inappropriate because you're such a big goofball?"

"I wouldn't word it that way-"

"Well, what you said lives on the island of Too Much Information. Especially since Katara's brother is here. Who is me."

Aang left Zuko's side to approach the desk where Sokka was working. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"Making a Passion gift for Suki!" The Water Tribe man held up his parchment. "See? It's a picture of her and me sitting together on Kyoshi Island, watching the Unagi!"

"...oh. I thought it was... well, never mind. Just be sure you explain that it's the Unagi, okay?"

"Why?"

Zuko did not want to hear that explanation. "So, where is Katara, anyway? I'd like to invite her myself."

"She's sparring with Toph," Aang said, ignoring Sokka. "They're out on your secondary training grounds."

"With all the dirt, and the little fountain?"

"Yeah."

Both Aang and Zuko were quiet for a moment. When Katara and Toph used it, that arena had another name- 'The Mud Pit.' Katara had only become prettier since Zuko had first met her, and Toph had grown into a strong, lovely young lady. And they were probably wrestling in the mud.

Zuko had long considered the sight of Katara and Toph sparring together to be one of the great wonders of the world, above the Gates of Azulon, the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se, Omashu's Slide System, and the Spirit Oasis of the North Pole.

"I'll go ask her now."

"Can I come?" Aang squeaked.

"No."

Katara was quite surprised by Zuko's invitation, but he stammered out an explanation involving Aang, Sokka, and the Unagi, so it all started making sense, or as much sense as Zuko ever makes. He was right that it would be nice not to be alone during the Fire Nation's romantic holiday, and he kept his eyes steady even though she was wearing nothing but mud and a minimum of underwrappings, so she accepted his offer.

Dinner together in the Palace at Sunset.

It shouldn't have been important, just dinner with a friend, but for some reason, Katara couldn't stop thinking about it. Anticipating it. Zuko wasn't Aang, and Katara certainly didn't lack for friends around her, but something about a nice, private dinner struck her as a rare treat. She missed things like that. Or was it Aang she was missing? Katara went to the best dressmaker in the city, undoubtedly busy on the day before Passion Day, and said, "I need a dress for tomorrow. I'm having dinner with Fire Lord Zuko, and want to honor his kindness." Then, on an odd impulse, added, "And I want it to be kind of revealing here, here, and here. Thanks."

The next day, the dress- made with thin blue material complimented by embellishments in bright red- was ready at an hour to sunset. The seamstress didn't even charge.

Zuko's unscarred eye visibly lingered "here, here, and here" when he saw her. Katara couldn't help but smile in amusement. "Sorry. But since it's Passion Day, and we're pretending to be a couple, I thought I'd do my best to play along."

Zuko's lip quirked in return. "I always knew you were an honorable opponent." He took her hand and led her into the dining room, where a small table was laid out for them. A bouquet of Lava Orchids were on display in the center, red as blood and love, and surrounded by a compass of candles. Upon the Fire Lord's arrival, a servant began playing a slow tune on a large string instrument. "We even fight exactly the same way."

Katara laughed.

As they knelt down, Zuko actually blushed. "I never got the chance to do a fancy dinner with Mai, once I came to appreciate the idea. She hated silly stuff like this, anything ostentatious. I guess she preferred something more honest, but..."

"But you can't play pretend while being honest," Katara finished for him. "I stopped playing when my mother died, but I never stopped wanting to."

Zuko nodded at that.

A new servant brought the meal, some unfamiliar meat covered in unfamiliar sauces and unfamiliar spices, but it was all tasty. Zuko had never been the most talkative person, though Katara had always found him to be an excellent listener, so she was content to carry the bulk of the conversation. "...but he said that Suki wouldn't let him read it, so he had to do it while she asleep at night! He was yawning for a month!"

Zuko shook his head, his mouth quirked in amusement. "Your brother is very strange. I told you about the picture he was painting for her?"

"Yes, with the 'Unagi' in it." Katara rolled her eyes, and then looked back down at her plate. She was startled to see that she had finished her dinner.

"Oh," Zuko quickly said, "there's desert for later, but first I have a surprise in the garden."

"A surprise?" Katara let him take her hand as she stood up.

"Yeah." He gave her a sly look. "It's something that can be shared between friends, but I'm told that it sets a ridiculously romantic mood."

"Ah," Katara drawled teasingly, "so you got the idea from your uncle."

"Of course. I stole the idea completely. I actually do that a lot, now; I read history books for good decisions made by the Fire Lords of the past, and then copy them for today's situations. It seems to please people when I can rattle off a historical precedent. Always worked for Azula, too."

Katara stepped close to him so that she could tweak his nose with her free hand. "Zuko, you missed your calling as a Master Conman. Toph would be proud." He grinned widely at that, but Katara didn't think her taunt was that good.

Zuko led her out into the palace's private garden, where the nighttime darkness obscured everything around them. The air was silent, not even broken by the natural sounds of birds and insects. "Ready?" Zuko whispered.

Katara nodded before she realized that he wouldn't be able to see her. "Yes," she breathed.

"Hey!" Zuko shouted, making a Firebending motion. "She's ready! Let them go!" Katara was torn between grimacing and giggling; no matter how well-instructed he might be, Zuko would never be smooth.

Then the sky lit up.

It looked like a rain of candles at first, golden tongues of fire that flickered and danced as they fell. As she stared at the beautiful sight, she perceived some kind of twinkling around each of the flames. They also danced strangely, moving more chaotically than the still air should have accounted for. Then, as the lights began falling around her head, Katara saw them for what they truly were- little glass containers filled with some burning fuel, kept aloft by transparent, gossamer wings.

"There are little pipes in the glass bodies," Zuko explained at her gasping wonder. "The hot air is released and provides lift against the wings. Uncle discovered the artisan who made them during a vacation. He bought the whole collection to set the mood when he celebrated his engagement to his wife."

Katara's eyes never left the flurry of light. "What was her name? Iroh's wife?"

"Oh, it was Jasmine. I never met her, though."

"Jasmine?"

"What?"

The mood was broken, and Katara turned to face her oblivious date. "Jasmine? Like the tea?"

The look of horror on Zuko's face was too much. Katara broke into giggling, which blossomed into laughter, which erupted into the most undignified guffaws as she sunk to the ground. By that time, Zuko was laughing, too, and sank to his knees beside her. His chuckles were quieter, but genuine.

Katara rarely heard him laugh.

The fire-flyers were still falling around them, and in sudden inspiration, Katara leaned over and kissed Zuko.

The kiss lasted only a moment, but before it quite ended, it pulled the pair back into deeper contact, which grew into a full embrace. By the time it ended, the glows had gone out around them, except for two little flyers on opposite ends of the garden path that shed only the slightest of lights. It was just enough for Zuko and Katara to look each other in the eyes.

"Are we still playing pretend?" she asked.

"I don't know how to tell," he answered.

So they didn't worry about it.

Aang led his date to the top of the calderas, where both the Capital and the moonlit sea were visible. "What do you think?"

"Zuko has taken me up here dozens of times. It's a pretty common makeout spot." Mai sighed. "This has been the most boring date ever."

"I'm not getting laid tonight, am I?"

"Odds are low."

END