"I have an important announcement to make, class. Next Friday, the most important event of your young lives is going to take place. The Golden Dragon Dance."
And then Master Roku burst into flames.
Smellerbee quickly closed her wide eyes, trying to hide her blushing cheeks behind her mop of hair. Was Longshot looking?
She was relieved as the rest of the class stood for recess, and she made sure to let Longshot go first. After all, her cheeks were still burning, and he would tease her for eternity if he knew she would want to do something as girly as go to a dance.
"Catch!" Her head shot up, her eyes targeting the ball and her small form leaping to pluck it from the air. Landing crouched for a moment, she was already pelting it back to its owner. She sprinted the final steps to where Longshot was already climbing up their tree.
He glanced sidelong at her and she flashed a smile. With ease he hoisted her to the first branch and quickly followed as she made her way into the thick foliage.
Straddling her familiar branch, Longshot took his position, his eyes wide and absorbent.
They watched in their comfortable silence as Jet chased after Katara. They watched as Zuko and Haru chased after Katara. Smellerbee finally huffed, "How stupid. It's just a dance. They act like it's an engagement."
Longshot turned his attention to her, giving her the impression that every aspect of him was attune to her. A slight raise of his brow and her cheeks flushed again.
"Yeah. I mean, sure it sounds fun," she gave him the 'and if you say anything I'll push you from the tree' look, "but they are a bit too into it."
Longshot smiled.
"Of course I know who I'd want to go with." She turned away from Longshot, ears burning beneath her. She distracted herself by watching Jet's futile attempts at attracting Katara's attention. Longshot's fingers lighted on her shoulder.
Glancing over, she could tell he was biting the inside of his lower lip, a habit he picked up to keep his face passive when he didn't want to betray his feelings. His question was clearly asking if she'd want to ask Jet.
"Oh, no. Nothing like that, I'd go with you, of course, I mean, if we were to go. I know you don't like dances so, I wasn't going to pressure you."
And she was granted a rare moment of his laughter.
She couldn't help but join, as the understanding formed between them. By the time they stopped laughing, they were being summoned for lessons again. As they left the tree, she shot a glance to him, "Well if you wanted to ask, you should have said something."
Running ahead, she only glanced behind once to see how far behind he was, and paced herself so they would walk in together, as always. Before walking in the door, Longshot gripped her wrist, holding her back a moment. Leaning down, his lips nearly on her ear, he whispered, "Please?"
Without waiting for an answer, he stepped inside. She followed, not bothering to say the word that he already knew. "Yes."
After a gentle knock on the door, she was summoned in. "Mushi--err...Master Iroh?"
"Yes, Smellerbee?" He motioned her in.
Taking a seat on the edge of the lounge couch, she shuffled her feet, "I have a question--about the Golden Dragon Dance--and what I should wear."
"You're going?" Smellerbee looked up. While she was pretty sure he was doodling and not paying attention to her at all, he could sound a little less surprised at her attendance.
"Yes, and I'm not for dresses, or dressing up, and I'm wondering what would be acceptable?"
"You must look inside yourself to find the beauty that will light the dance floor."
"And?"
"Good-day."
"Thanks." She shuffled out of his office and down the hall. Look inside yourself? Crazy old man. And this wasn't something she could ask Longshot about, after all, she wanted to surprise him that night.
The night had gone well, so far. But then, she hadn't been to the dance yet. Longshot had agreed to meet her under their tree before heading in. And to be honest, she was a little nervous.
She turned when she heard his soft steps in the grass, coming around the tree. His normally torn garb was replaced by formal robes, lake blue with rusty red trim. She could see underneath he still wore his old boots, but he had pulled back his hat, letting it hang around his neck. His hair was tied off with a matching red ribbon.
And when he saw her? He smiled. He reached out his hand and touched her shoulder, following the seam of the formal robe -- that which was normally reserved for males--then tapped her cheeks lightly--where she had scrubbed dutifully to remove the red marks--and then through her hair--which he could actually run his hands since she'd spent an hour combing it.
Smiling, she took his hand and turned toward their school hall, which for the evening had become a dance hall, and together they surprised everyone.