Stare.

My story for Zutara Week!

PLEASE READ:

A/N: The words written in bold are from Zuko's POV. The words not in bold are from...you guessed it, Katara's

I DO NOT OWN AVATAR NOR ANY OF IT'S FEATURES. IF I DID, ZUKO AND KATARA WOULD HAVE HAD MANY HEALTHY CHILDREN BY NOW.

I took a second look at my shoes. They were killing my feet, but I'd rather look at them then at the scene around me. The dizzy swirling scene around me was deeply hypnotic.

Sure, I was excited to be the Fire Lord. I was ecstatic. But all the joy and mirth that came with this situation was now exploding in front of me with a force that was so powerful, it was like a blow straight to the head.

I was surrounded by spinning figures, ladies in red, and men in darkly divine fire nation suits with shoulders sharp enough to kill you. I was being tortured: locked in a room with nothing to do but…dance.

I took quick glances at the figures around me. I had never seen so many different shades of red. It's amazing what colors can do to you, because I was getting extremely dizzy.

The fire emblem was shining on a brilliant flag held high above the ballroom door. There was a woman whispering to another woman, pointing her dragon-like finger at a wide-eyed girl dancing with a tall and handsome man.

My uncle was chatting in the center of a mob of women, many of whom were laughing and spilling their drinks. One woman had her hand oddly placed on my uncle's shoulder.

Drunks… I furrowed my eyebrows as the old man spotted me began to stagger towards me.

"Sokka, we're gonna be late if you don't pick up the pace! Yip yip!" Toph was shouting from the shoulders of the young Water Tribe "warrior". He sighed and quickened his pace a bit. Behind him, her olive green dress was flowing in the wind, and the toes on her bare feet wriggled in the air.

"I see she has grown attached to you, Sokka." Suki whispered to him. He immediately blushed and rolled his eyes. Suki giggled and her earrings shook.

"Yea, well, I'm a likeable guy." He responded and cleared his throat.

"Yes. Yes you are." She responded, pinching his red cheeks. He turned to look at her growling. She gave him a small peck on the lips, and he immediately stopped and smiled a goofy grin.

Aang and I were trailing behind them, and with a slight smile tugging at my lips, I wondered if I would ever find the kind of love Suki and Sokka had found in each other. I lifted a delicate hand to my necklace and closed my eyes.

Suddenly I felt a sharp warm hand creep its way into my hand at my side. I should've known it was Aang, but that didn't stop me from looking down at our hands, wide eyed. I looked away quickly, biting my lower lip, a bit too hard perhaps.

I could feel Aang tightening his grip. No, no, no. I prayed Not now. I could see his blushing, bald, and innocent face before my closed eyes…and I couldn't take it anymore. I had been thinking of ways to convey my feelings for him. Everything had seemed too drastic or too unkind. Until now, I had been telling myself that he understood that I could never love him the way that he loved me. I didn't want to believe that I could possibly be hurting him. And now that his eyes were constantly on me, his looks always eager and filled with longing, I couldn't stand the pain.

I tugged my hand ever so slightly, and he loosened his grip. I took a breath for the first time in what had seemed like years, and pulled my hand away from his.

"C'mon, we're gonna be late." I managed to say, and we ran through the large doors to the palace, my pace slightly quicker than his, even in my dress shoes.

"Hello, my boy!" He coughed. His eyes darted across my face and he grinned widely, pointing to the drink. "This tea is amazing!"

"That's not tea, Uncle." I said through slightly gritted teeth.

"Well, I just have to ask, have you had a chance to notice all the pretty ladies in the room tonight? I'm sure you have!"

Oh no. I should've seen this coming. I rolled my eyes, cursing myself. "Sure. I've seen them all."

"Yes, you have. But have you SEEN them, Zuko? Have you SEEN them?" He hiccupped and chuckled. "Did I tell you how amazing this tea is?"

"Yes you did. And it's not tea. Its wine imported directly from the Earth Kingdom Vineyards" I rolled my eyes.

"Zuko, I've been talking to some of these women, and they seem to have taken a liking to you! Don't look now, but one of them is staring"

I scoffed and looked at the hoards of women that had been surrounding my Uncle. They all simultaneously waved a flirtatious hand at me, as if it had been some sort of rehearsed act. My face grew red, partially with anger and partially with embarrassment "Hah! They don't even know me, Uncle."

"Yes, but they can GET to know you." He hiccupped again, spilling some wine on the floor. He frowned, looking at the floor "Ooh, that will be a tough stain to get out…But it's so good…" He smiled and turned to me. "You know, Prince—I mean, Fire Lord Zuko! Who knows how long it will take me to get used to that—how much thought have you put into marriage?"

My heart almost skipped a beat and my face grew more flushed. "Marriage!? I haven't even considered--"

"Well you should get to it, before all these pretty ladies are gone! I mean, look at this place, filled with so many graceful flowers, and so many buzzing bees…I that bet every single one of these men and women will end up happily married."

I crossed my arms and attempted to cool the red from my cheeks. Uncle took a swig from his wine glass.

"Yum!" He approached my face and leaned in to whisper. His hot alcoholic breath burned my cheek. "Have you thought of Mai?"

"Mai!? What, NO!" Some of the dancers stopped dancing and women stopped socializing. They turned to look at me for a brief second, and then continued with their doings.

I took a deep breath and lowered my voice to a whisper. "I could never…No. We…" I stuttered of a way to explain my "relationship" with Mai, which was technically non-existent. The sad truth was that I never really loved her, just the idea of her. I was in love with the idea of someone to distract me from the problems that were eating away at me inside. It was a bit sad to think of how I used her, but she is really better off without me.

"Ah, I knew it would never work out! I think I might have said this before, Zuko, but destiny is a funny thing!" He hiccupped again. "Have I told you how amazing this tea is?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, took a long breath, and loosened my tightened face.

"Is it really?"

Slowly, I made my way into the ballroom. What was before my eyes was amazing. The whole palace was amazing. Walls dripped in red and gold, waiters stepping in orderly formation, and women in red flooding the lively dance floor. I shuffled my feet. I wasn't the best dancer I knew, but I could learn to be better. I focused my eyes on one woman in the middle. She was roaring with laughter as her partner dipped her low to the ground. Beautiful.

"C'mon! Let's get this party started!" Toph clapped her hands and jumped to the ground from Sokka's shoulders, causing the ground to vibrate. She ran towards the dance floor and began to spin around. Her olive green dress was almost hypnotizing. I glanced at Aang, who almost seemed to think so too, but who knows what goes through his mind.

Sokka cleared his throat and puffed out his chest. He turned to Suki "So, my fair lady, would you like to dance?"

She punched him in the chest, causing him to almost fold his body over. "Sure! Let's go!" She grabbed his hand and led him, plunging head on into the sea of red.

Aang shuffled his feet, and for the first time in a while, we made direct eye contact. I blinked a bit and turned away, fighting back tears. Aang merely smiled.

"I'm gonna go get a drink, you want anything?" I shook my head. He shrugged and walked off, toe to heel toe to heel in his shiny new shoes.

I was beginning to lose all hope in my survival at this ball. How come everyone here except me could have such a good time? There was so much life in everyone's faces…of course, half of them were drunk…I began to make my way towards the nearest waiter with the fancy drink tray.

If only mom were here to see this… I stared down at my dress. It was too exquisite. I felt ten times the woman I was in it, but also ten times more self conscious. I couldn't let anybody see that. I furrowed my eyebrows and put on a brave face. Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair.

This could help me cope…but it could also cause me to make a complete fool of myself. I plucked a glass of wine from the tray. I swirled the glass, causing the rich ruby liquid to funnel into a little cyclone. It looks so harmless…oh Uncle. My lips curved slightly upwards as I brought the edge of the glass to them.

Okay, Katara. Only a few more steps and you'll be on the dance floor. I lifted a delicate foot and inhaled. And then…

Then, through the shimmering glass edge, just before the wine touched my lips…

I saw him.

I saw her.

Is that…who I think it is? It had to be. He had the scar to prove it. Zuko. He must have had some drastic transformation between the last I saw him and tonight…It was the only explanation…Only two days is not long enough for a drastic transformation. But he looked so different that I almost didn't recognize him.

She was wearing blue. That was a color that I hadn't seen in a long time. Even the turtle duck pond and the reflecting pools did not show a true enough color as the color of her dress. True blue…well she was a water bender...If I'm sure of who she is…which I'm not…Katara…

I know Zuko…or at least, I thought I knew Zuko. For a brief moment in my life, I was not sure. I guess I did not speak to him much after he joined our group. Had he always been so…striking?

I was staring, I admit. My eyes were locked on hers, like a predator on prey. It had to be Katara, for she was wearing that necklace…that necklace…My cheeks began to burn again.

His eyes are golden. Golden catlike eyes met my wide blue ones. The heat in my ears grew to be almost unbearable as I was staring back at him. He was all too mysterious…but why…

She was perfectly formed. It was as if she had been molded by a god. Her curves ran like an hourglass. Why have I never noticed this before? It's not like she was never around me. I saw her often…but never in a dress that was so form fitting…

It was as if time had stopped. Minutes, hours, years could have gone by, but I wouldn't have known. The only one in my line of vision…The only one who mattered for the eternity that I stood in that very spot was…

Katara. Why is this all so new to me? The name, her body, her eyes… they were all more beautiful than anything I could remember…or imagine. I put my glass back on the tray as time froze around me.

The one man I had always longed to hate was now pulling me in to him in some sort of otherworldly fashion. Zuko…He looked so sturdy and strong and…red…

I began my long walk towards her. For a moment, I wasn't even sure if she was real. I could've been hallucinating. I was walking towards a goddess.

Something in my presence was pulling me off of my feet. I walked, almost flew, towards him, my feet growing lighter with every step.

The room around me became a reddish blur. It was like a haze that clouded all of those who were frozen dancing in the middle. Red dresses were like cloudy flames in the presence of her blue dress.

He was like a spirit, looking proudly over the land of his people. His face showed one of a complete daze…It was illegible. He was almost like a ghost, the way he approached me.

We would meet in the center of the room, and my sense of time would forever be lost in the reddish haze.

I put out my hand, which was warmer than ever, and forgot the need to breathe as he brushed his fingers over mine…

And red met blue.

"Katara…"

"Yes?"



"Would you like to dance?"

yay, i actually really like this one...so be nice. ahh i'm kidding, be nice, but only if you want to. i can take critizism...i think...

for those of you who know your Shakespeare, this was a total Romeo and Juliet party-scene-inspired-moment. think about it...