Katara laughed and watched as Zuko emerged from his bedroom wearing his swimming shorts.

"Don't laugh!" Zuko frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

Katara smiled, "Sorry. It's just weird seeing the Fire Lord in shorts and nothing else."

"Weird?" Zuko asked, his brow raised.

For a moment Katara wondered what he meant. Was he questioning why it was weird? Or was he hinting that perhaps Katara thought something different about seeing him this way?

She shook her head to clear away her thoughts as Zuko moved to the stairs. She had never had to overthink things with Zuko before. But ever since the play she had been off with him, and he with her.

Katara had suggested that they spar that morning as they had yesterday, but Zuko had said he had work to attend to. She had a sneaking feeling he was avoiding her. But when she had cornered him in his study and asked to be brought to the beach, he had agreed.

Now she followed him down the stairs and watched as his black hair brushed against his shoulder blades. He had grown out his hair as Fire Lord. Oftentimes he reminded her of his father, the way he did half his hair up in a top knot. It was only his scar that stopped her from making the comparison.

In reality, she didn't mind his scar. He had hinted once in Ba Sing Se that he was now at peace with the scar. Katara had never found it to be an issue. She watched his body as he waited by the door for her.

The scar was definitely not an issue.

She swallowed hard and quickened her pace to keep pace with him.

Zuko had towels draped over his arm and he looked to her. "Are you sure you're fine with going this late?" He gestured to the sky where the sun was setting.

Katara nodded, "It won't be so crowded. And then you can actually enjoy yourself instead of hiding from your Fire Nation subjects."

Zuko laughed. It was a sound that Katara was growing accustomed to. She had never seen him smile when they were younger, only in the tea shop and when he had joined their group. It was a rarity to see him laugh.

She watched his eyes scrunch up with amusement before he turned to face the path in front of them.

There were a few people milling about here and there as they approached the beach. Families with young children were preparing to leave for the day. Katara smiled to a young boy as he stared at her, then at Zuko. She wrinkled her nose and put her finger to her lips.

The boy grinned and ran back to his parents.

Zuko marched across the sand.

"What's the rush?" Katara called.

Zuko blinked, and turned. "No rush."

She noticed how his fists clenched and unclenched. It was a sign he was nervous. Or preparing for a fight.

Obviously it was the former, unless he planned to attack her on the beach.

Katara caught up to him as he flicked out the towels. His pale skin glowed pearlescent in the warm light of the dimming sun.

"Okay. Go and play in the water." Zuko ordered.

Katara raised a brow, her hands on her hips as Zuko sat down on the towel. He looked up at her.

"What?" He asked.

"You forgot to punctuate that demand with 'peasant'." She half-teased. She wondered what was wrong with him? Had she done something?

Zuko smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. I just thought you would want to be in the water."

"Come on, Zuko. You have to come in with me!" Katara grinned, reaching for his arm. She tugged at his forearm, but he was much stronger than her.

He resisted her tugging and her hand slid down his skin till her fingers caught on his.

Both of them paused and looked to their interlocked hands. Katara felt the breath rush out of her.

Zuko broke the tension by releasing her hand and standing up. He dusted imaginary dust from his shorts. "Fine."

Katara grasped at his grumpiness like a lifeline that would return them to normal. "Come on, grumpy face." Katara turned to jog towards the water and waved him onwards.

She was filled with relief when she caught sight of his face and knew exactly what he was about to do.

Zuko set off at a sprint, silently racing her towards the ocean.

Katara laughed and rose to the challenge. An idea popped into her head when he began to pass her. She raised her arms and bending water from the ocean, she shot it towards him and knocked Zuko flat on his back.

With a yell of triumph, she leapt onwards and her feet slapped the water as she entered the ocean.

"That's cheating!" Zuko spluttered.

Katara laughed and closed her eyes to better feel the ebb and sway of the ocean against her legs.

"How did you knock me over?" He chuckled as he walked towards where she was. When his feet touched the water she could feel it.

"I guess you can say I swept you off of your feet." Katara teased. The water emboldened her and made her reckless.

Zuko was too quiet for her liking, so she turned to watch him.

He stared at the ocean and walked further inwards.

"What does it feel like?" He asked her. "Does it feel different from what I'm feeling?"

Katara pursed her lips. How could she explain?

"It's like…" She shrugged, "I guess it's how earthbenders feel all the time." She smiled. "Capable of anything. Powerful."

Zuko nodded. "And airbenders." He commented.

"You really think airbenders let themselves feel powerful?" Katara scoffed, bending the water around her legs till she floated atop the water, her feet flush with the surface as it rose and fell with the tide.

"I don't know. I'm not the one dating an airbender."

Katara's mood fell at the mention of Aang. "Not just an airbender. The Avatar."

Zuko made a noise of agreement.

They were silent for another minute and Katara felt Zuko come up beside her. They faced the horizon and watched the moon grow pale and bright in the sky.

"Who comes to the beach at night?" Zuko asked suddenly.

Katara laughed, "That's what you're thinking about?"

"Why? What are you thinking about?"

"Everything."

Zuko scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest. "That's a fake answer, Katara."

"Oh, you know me so well." She said, then paused and met his eyes.

"We've never really talked about it." She murmured.

"What?"

"Zuko…" She tilted her head, frowning.

"Oh, yeah. That. We work well together, that's all."

"Not just that." Katara said as she turned to face him properly. "We can talk without saying a word. We're always in tune with each other. Isn't that weird?"

Zuko faced her, his golden eyes paler in the cool light of the moon. Katara could imagine how gold they would look in front of a fire.

"It is weird. But I'm grateful. For having that with someone. With the someone who was there with me when I faced Azula. I'm grateful for you." He spoke in a rush and left Katara staring with wide eyes.

Zuko looked up at her and rolled his eyes. "Don't make me regret saying it." He said.

She thought about it then. About putting her arms around him and inhaling that sage and jasmine. She thought about pressing her lips to his and having the freedom to choose what she wanted.

But she couldn't force that on Zuko the way it had been forced on her.

She met his eyes and smiled. Somehow, she was okay with this acceptance of her feelings for him. Perhaps it was because she knew it could never be. It was easier to pine after someone when you knew you had no chance with them. Zuko would never look at her the same again and she would lose his friendship that she had only recently realised she treasured.

When she thought of Aang however, she distracted herself. She knew she would have to do something about it. She needed to talk to him.

Zuko blinked, "Are you really not going to say anything?" He demanded, eyes wide.

Katara burst out laughing, shaking her head. "I'm sorry! I was lost in thought."

"I know. That's the point, Katara. I can see it on your face."

Katara grinned. "I am grateful to you, too. And for you. We both know that if you hadn't been there that night with Azula I would have died. And I'm grateful that I know you at all."

Zuko smiled, "We're overwhelming one another with our gratitude."

Katara raised her arms and the ocean spat in Zuko's face. He gasped and spluttered, fire forming in his palm.

She laughed, "What are you going to do? Burn me?" She teased.

Zuko wiped his face with his other hand and huffed. "I've got the short end of the stick. I can't playfully bend with you. I'll actually hurt you."

"Oh no. Poor Fire Lord."

Zuko glared at her and he sank down into the water. He looked up at her with both hands in the water.

Katara's smile faded. "What are you doing?"

"I don't need to waterbend to splash you in the face." Zuko grinned and slammed his hand upwards through the water to hit her in the face with it.

Katara laughed loudly and heard it echo across the empty beach.

She raised up a huge amount of seawater and held it above Zuko's head. "Maybe you should have thought twice?"

Zuko bit his lower lip and nodded before Katara let loose and the water drenched his whole body. His black hair stuck to his face until he ran a hand through and pushed it back. His top knot was bedraggled enough that it made Katara laugh again.

"Ha, ha. Very funny." He stood up, his hair sticking to his shoulders like black veins. Katara smiled and, without thinking, lifted a hand to sweep away the hair from his neck.

Zuko tensed, his eyes widened.

Katara could see his scarred eye widen a little as well. She pulled her hand back. "Shall we head back? It's cold." She murmured.

Zuko nodded. "Sure. But I thought the weather doesn't bother you anymore?"

"Oh, it doesn't." Katara shrugged. "I'm looking out for the Fire Lord." She nudged his ribs with her elbow, if only to have the excuse to touch him.

Katara couldn't believe herself. She almost winced at her own idiocy.

Zuko picked up the towels and folded them over his arm. Katara followed him back to the villa where they parted ways to wash up.

When she was done with her bath she dressed into her sleeping clothes. There was a knock at her door.

"Katara?" Zuko spoke from the other side of the door.

She walked to the door and opened it. Her heart picked up in its pace.

Zuko leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. His hair was still damp from his bath and it was let down and loose about his face. His eyes lingered on her face, then took in her clothing.

He was wearing his sleeping clothes, too. A loose shirt that tied about his waist and pants. It was familiar. Katara had seen him in it before when they was younger.

"I was wondering if you wanted to have some tea in the sitting room with me?" He asked.

Katara nodded and smiled. "Sure."

They went downstairs to the sitting room and Zuko closed the door behind them.

Katara helped herself to the tea and sat across from him by the fireplace. They sat in comfortable silence until Zuko looked to her and set down his cup of tea. He clenched and unclenched his fists.

"Why do you avoid talking about Aang?" He asked.

Katara raised a brow. "I don't. I told you about him the day before yesterday." She frowned.

"I know. But it wasn't the whole truth, was it?"

Katara almost denied it, but she knew he would read her face. "I feel awkward talking about it with you."

"Why?" Zuko asked.

They stared at each other and Katara put her cup of tea down on the table beside her.

Zuko looked uncomfortable. He ran a hand through his hair, and stood up slowly.

Katara felt her breath catch in her throat and stay there.

He eyed her and she could see how gold his eyes were now that he was in front of a fire.

Perhaps it was this distraction of his eyes that allowed him to come close to her and kneel in front of her without Katara's attention on his movements.

Zuko was breathing heavy and it brought her back to the present. She leaned back in her chair and spoke, "Zuko?"

He didn't respond. Instead, he placed his hand over hers.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She remained still and watched on with wide eyes.

He cleared his throat. "Katara…" He bit his lip and Katara realised that it was a strange thing to see. He never bit his lip like that.

"Katara. I'm not going to do it until you do it first."

"What?" She said instinctually, but she knew what he was talking about.

They were both blushing like teenagers.

Zuko's thumb stroked over her hand and that set her off. She fell back into the familiarity of anger.

Katara snatched her hand back and stood up, causing Zuko to do the same.

"You think I would do that?" She demanded and frowned deeply. "You think I would take that step with you? I would leave behind my people to live in the Fire Nation? I would leave Aang behind?" Her voice rose in intensity.

Zuko just stood there. He crossed his arms over his chest. Katara could see he was retracting into himself. He had her answer. But it wasn't the right answer.

Katara panicked. She didn't want to let him go. She didn't want to let this moment go. She wanted to take what she wanted for once. She wanted to choose.

Katara stepped forward towards him and wrapped one arm around his shoulders. Zuko was tugged downwards and let out a noise of surprise until it was muffled by Katara's lips on his.

Her other hand rested on his forearm, but it was shifted as Zuko seemed to come to his senses and he uncrossed his arms.

She let her hand rest at his waist and felt his warm palm lay on her waist in return.

Their kiss was like their sparring. It was electric, and yet comfortable. And they both seemed to fit together and know what the other wanted with just the slightest of movements.

Katara let her hand move into his hair, tangling the black locks around her fingers.

He pulled her closer and they kissed until they both ran out of air.

Zuko smiled and slid his arms further around her, holding her close to him.

Katara breathed in the sage and jasmine scent, mixed with the lingering salt of the ocean on his skin.

She closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat. Her own heart beat hard with emotion. Each beat felt like freedom.