AN: Hmm, this chapter is considerably shorter than the last one. Revised 2/11/2015

"I don't think red is really my color..." Katara felt like she had been repeating herself far too many times, but the saleswoman never seemed to hear it. This was the fifth outfit she had tried on, the previous four rejected for their lack of decency or downright unattractiveness. Something about Fire Nation clothes was just so tacky. She felt bad for making Zuko wait outside, and the fact that she hadn't shown off any of the clothing was a touch rude.

Why should I show him anyway? Not like his opinion decides anything, she thought stubbornly. Every now and then, when the attendant slid back the thick curtain to enter her dressing room, she caught a glimpse of the young Fire Lord sitting on a round ottoman. The last time she had seen him, his arms had been crossed over his chest and he was jiggling his leg out of habit. Whether he was annoyed, bored, or apprehensive about being in the decidedly girly store, Katara was unsure. My time, not his.

"Red is everyone's color," the attendant insisted, securing the midriff halter top from behind with a final tug. This red was more of a burgundy, matching the cropped pants under the brighter red skirt. To complete the look, the woman tied Katara's hair into a topknot with deft hands. Admittedly, this was the best combination she had come across thus far. She twisted around, checking her backside for anything unsightly in the mirror.

Bindings not showing: check.

Fabric laying correctly: check.

Body shape flattered: check.

Not that she found the way her body curved to be unsightly, but it was different dressing a woman rather than a girl. Placing her hands on her hips, she strutted around the spacious room before deciding that it also passed the 'comfortable' test.

"I'll take this one," she told the patiently waiting woman with a grin. The saleswoman left in a flurry, telling the clerk at the desk the amount her ensemble added up to.

"Don't I at least get to look at what I'm paying for?" She heard Zuko growl to the clerk, but she knew it was directed towards her. Katara had planned to change into her new clothes later, but it would be easier to keep them on now. But what about the clothes she had worn here? She bit her lip as she thought, drawing back the curtain after said clothes had been gathered into her arms.

Needless to say, the eyeful that Zuko got satisfied all his wildest dreams and then some. Even though she wasn't looking at him when she stepped out, he was looking at her. Well, more like staring. The furrow in his brow had smoothed out, the pouch of coins still held tightly in his hand all but forgotten. He had seen her in red, before the Comet. But somehow this time was different. This time they weren't kids trying to save the world.

"What about these clothes?" She asked him as she approached, clutching the familiar clothing to her chest and looking at him for the first time. He wanted to curse every spirit that he hadn't seen her in red more often, and then praise them because it was happening now. Agni, how she looks good in red.

"I'll have them sent back to the palace," he said in a low voice upon returning to himself. He didn't want everyone knowing who they were; no need to go shouting it from the roof tops.

"I'm not really sure red suits me," Katara confessed. Maybe it wasn't too late to back out of this. Her new shoes felt strange with the subtle point at the end, and the strap at her heel made her feel vulnerable.

"More than you know." His face was so intently serious that she felt embarrassed to look at him, and she averted her gaze to her hands until they departed. It did not go unnoticed by her, though, that he had slipped in a few extra coins for her blue clothes to be taken to the palace.

Now what should we do? He thought, stepping out into the street after taking her hand in his. There were a number of things happening in the capital at different times of the year. Considering that it was early autumn, late summer...maybe it wasn't too late to catch a Fire Lily Festival? Zuko hadn't seen any signs of the celebration, but then again, he hadn't been looking. While he stopped a man to ask for information, Katara let her mind wander.

I should probably make up my mind about him, she thought. I mean, it wouldn't be too bad to just try it out. Right? It's not like they were going to be engaged to be married. Dating was casual, loose even, in comparison to engagement. I still have my people. Yes, she would not abandon her people if she had anything to say about it.

Before she could get any further in deciding, Zuko was tugging at her hand and they were off once more. He seemed to know where he was going, but Katara was annoyed at not being informed as to their destination. She stopped abruptly in the crowded street, causing several people around her to swerve so they didn't run into her.

Her guide stopped too, his fingers were loose around her hand with her sudden halt and his mouth opened to ask just what she thought she was doing. Surely she knew that stopping in the middle of a bustling street was not a good idea. But before he could speak his mind, she spoke hers.

"Where are we going?" The woman's voice was tight with stubbornness. Not a good sign. In her own defense, Katara was not familiar with the capital and therefore felt very unsafe with all of the tall stone buildings and mobs of people.

It wasn't like in Ba Sing Se, where there were three tiers separated by class and therefore the streets were less crowded. Here, it was all a large jumble of people. Not that she minded rubbing elbows with beggars, but the war had left people in desperation if they had chosen the wrong side. What if they recognized her or Zuko? She didn't even have her water skin for protection! Her eyes were wild like a cornered animal's, her grip unconsciously tightening on Zuko's hand.

"We're going a few blocks over. It's lucky that we came into the city today, because it's the last day of the Fire Lily Festival," he said slowly. Clearly something was going horribly wrong in her mind, and harsh words wouldn't do them any good in this situation. He had years of experience that vouched for this line of thinking. In fact, it was almost a perfected art by now. "Have you ever seen a Fire Lily?"

"Of course," she replied. Katara thought back to the field full of the flowers, and how Hama taught her that water could be found anywhere. Not to mention bloodbending. "How could I spend so much time in the Fire Nation without seeing one?" She rolled her eyes. A flower festival? It sounded totally lame.

"Well you've obviously never been to a Fire Lily Festival, because you'd be begging me to hurry along." He cocked his brow, waiting for her to trust him.

"Ha! Like I'd ever beg you for anything!" Katara laughed. "Besides, they're just a bunch of flowers."

"Flowers that happen to be a symbol of my nation." They also happened to be a symbol of fiery passion, but that was beside the point. She could mock him all she wanted, but beating up on his Fire Nation pride? No way. And the waterbender knew she had crossed a line, because even though she stood there still looking miffed, there was a trace of guilt now in her features.

"Fine. Whatever. Stupid flowers..." She grumbled to herself and bumped Zuko's shoulder with her own, encouraging him to continue on. He settled for one last hard look - he couldn't hate her no matter what she did - before tugging her through the crowd once more.

"Customarily, festivals are held at night. This is one of the few exceptions because the lilies close up when the sun goes down," he lectured. Was that his Fire Lord voice he using on her? Ugh. Why did she agree to this?

Stay positive, Katara, she told herself. Maybe the flowers wouldn't be so bad. Besides, what else is there to do here?

"He said it was just around...here. What do you think?"

Zuko had just pulled her onto a wide side street when he asked, staring down its length. The red lilies were everywhere - in garlands along the building fronts, climbing columns in masses, hanging pell mell from unusual places, and even the festival goers had the flowers hanging from them in chains. Sweets stands were the primary food source, and they were accompanied by peddlers selling flowers in all forms. Crowns, necklaces, bouquets - you name it, they had it. The best part of all, everyone looked happy. Children shouting in delight between their parents, young couples were shyly holding hands, and a group of friends shared a good laugh.

"It's hard to believe something so nice would come from the Fire Nation," she murmured. Katara knew that all Fire Nation people were not out for blood, it was just hard to swallow when you always thought them the enemy since you were old enough to understand.

"One of our better qualities," he agreed. His mother loved Fire Lilies. How could anything his mother loved be bad? That begged the question: did she ever love Ozai? His stomach clenched at the thought of the man. "Come on, let's look at the flowers."

All kinds of people filled the street, and of all ages. Rich and poor, young and old, and all were happy. Zuko determined the first flower seller to have inadequate goods, claiming they were too wilted though they looked fine to Katara. On their meandering from peddler to peddler, the waterbender's ears picked up the aged voice of a storyteller.

" - and they loved each other very much. They had a duty to uphold, though, and could not be together. The sky goddess had to make clouds and bring up the sun, while the earth god had to nurture the plants and help them grow."

Katara pulled at her companions sleeve, not taking her eyes from the decrepit old man once she had caught sight of him. A captivated young audience sat before him, and he was sitting elevated on a stone slab.

"The sky goddess became very sad, and she only made storm clouds with her tears. She sent so many storms that it began to flood the earth. Her beloved cried out, drowning in the rains she sent down. He begged her to stop, because she was killing all of the plants and animals. Especially the one flower that he had made specifically for her." The storyteller whipped out a Fire Lily from under his cloak. "The Fire Lily, a sign of their passionate love. The goddess stopped her crying, and she is comforted in this beautiful flower every year."

The elderly man bowed his head in acknowledgement as the cheers of the audience ricocheted off of the wall behind him. Katara was one of those people, her enthusiastic claps melding with others. Who knew the Fire Nation could have such a romantic mythology? The pair dispersed with the crowd, children wildly twirling red ribbons on sticks.

This doesn't really have that date vibe, Zuko thought. It seemed that the day was a lot of disagreeing like they usually did. They were holding hands, but how could he take it to another level? His eyes darted around for inspiration, and he nearly whacked his forehead for his own stupidity. Of course. He stopped her at a flower peddler, and asked her opinion.

"I want to get my mother something, but I'm not sure what she'd like. What do you think?" The Fire Lord was hoping that, in his round about way of asking her what she wanted, he could surprise her in the end.

"Hm? Oh, I don't know. You know her better than I do," Katara replied absently, fingering the silky petals of a lone lily. I wonder if he'll buy me a flower?

"I thought you would know. Being a girl and all." He didn't want to ask her outright, but the waterbender was oblivious to his secret plan so far.

"We're not all the same," she frowned, still staring at the flower. Her eyes were narrowed though, and Zuko had to give up the charade if he wanted to avoid another conflict.

"That's not what I - look, I'm trying to buy something for you without you knowing. Like a surprise," he grumbled, because Fire Lords did not pout. But he did look like a small child who was trying to tell you something you already knew.

"Oh." Needless to say she was taken aback. For some reason, she had thought Zuko would be better at romance. Or maybe it was she who was doing it wrong? No, she was a girl, and romance was therefore her forte by default. "This one." It was the single flower she had been focused on the whole time, and he paid the man before she could change her mind.

"Here..." Zuko snatched up the lily and stopped her in the shadow of a building before they had gotten far. He shortened the stem, trying to secure the flower behind her ear. That was romantic, right? She laughed at his fumbled attempts, and guided his hand so that the flower was well placed. His hand lingered only because her own covered it lightly, her temperature tepid compared to his firebender's natural heat. Katara was smiling up at him - Did she ever smile like that at me before? - and her eyes looked softer in the early afternoon light.

His hand escaped her touch by trailing down her jawline, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. What a peculiar sensation, she thought. He stopped with her chin held between his finger and thumb, and she couldn't miss his eyes on her lips. This is where we should kiss...

"You look absolutely radiant when you smile," he said instead. It wasn't a lie, because it lit up her whole face and became quite contagious. He wanted to kiss her, but he had no idea where she stood on public displays of affection. Or how she might choose to go off on him this time for his boldness. He could wait.

Katara was worried. The fact that she had wanted him to kiss her was troubling, but the worst part is that she had been disappointed when it didn't happen. What was wrong with her? Yes, he was an undeniably good kisser, and she attributed the weird feelings she got when they kissed to that fact.

"Do you know how ridiculous you sound?" Katara snorted. Who used "radiant" to describe anyone outside of a romance scroll?

Zuko's heart sunk a little. Everything had been going smoothly yesterday. They danced, they kissed, they had fun. Now it felt like everything was crashing down around his ears. They argued, they glared, they pouted. Her moodiness just confused him even more. Didn't girls like compliments? Why is she making this so difficult?

"I didn't know paying you a compliment was such a horrible thing. I'll keep that in mind." He didn't feel guilty (okay, maybe a little) when Katara looked hurt. She recovered quickly. As if he expected anything less. "We don't have to go dancing. It was a stupid idea anyway," the young man continued dismissively, frustration boiling just beneath the surface.

"No!" Katara said quickly, and maybe too loudly since people were looking at them now. "I mean, I want to go. I haven't really done anything like people our age are supposed to do in a long time." What with being wrapped up in the South Pole or in delicate negotiations, her life didn't leave much time for being carefree. It was now or never if she wanted that opportunity.

"It will probably be a waste of time," he said, but he had hope. At least he had another chance to...do what, exactly? Sweep her off her feet? Zuko settled for 'showing her a good time,' because it sounded the closest to what he wanted: for her to be happy.

"Everything that interferes with your duties is a waste of time," she retorted, but it sounded more witty than angry. The smirk on her lips was also a cue that she was willing to forget whatever she had been snippy about before in order to be more amicable.

"Work has a tendency to pile up if it doesn't get finished," he commented dryly, thinking how backed up the system was, even with his mother doing her best. He did not regret the masquerade, however, because it had given him someone invaluable. They would have come together, regardless. Something told him it was destiny.

Destiny is a funny thing.

Oh, how right Uncle was.

"Well, what's next?" Katara asked, bringing him out of his reverie. Her large blue eyes were expectant and trusting. Zuko couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for her. The woman's trust had not been easy to earn, and he was grateful to have it.

"Do you, uh, want some mochi?" He asked after spotting a nearby sweets cart.

"I don't think I should..." The woman patted her hip experimentally. "It'll just go straight to my hips. I'm already getting chubby." Not that she had anything to be concerned about; she was still young and bending practice kept her in shape. The firebender merely gave her a blank face, as if to say that what she implied was simply ludicrous and he would have none of it.

Besides, I happen to like your hips the way they are.

"You're starting to look a bit pudgy yourself," she teased, pinching his cheek lightly. "Too many late night snacks for the fearless leader?"

"I think you could use some fattening up. Just look at your shoulders." He completely ignored her playful jab and focused on his own offense, poking his finger at the dimple on her back where the ball joint met the shoulder blade.

"I just have boney shoulders!"

"One little piece won't make you as big as Appa. We could split a big one," Zuko said, making the suggestion sound more like a command as he steered her by the shoulders.

"You know, you've been quite pushy today," she accused, but it didn't seem to phase him in the least.

"Sometimes you need to be pushed, Miss Stubborn Britches." He would have shrugged, but he was still holding Katara by her shoulders even though they were now in line.

"Oh, so now you're giving nicknames?"

"I'm pretty sure Toph has called you that before."

"Not to my face," she sulked, settling for crossing her arms. Truthfully, she wanted that mochi so bad her mouth watered at the idea. It was just fun to try and get a rise out of Zuko nowadays, since he had been working on his anger problems. The man in question rested his chin atop her head, pressing his chest to her back as he tried to see what sort of flavors the peddler was offering.

"He has red bean, green tea, and mango," Zuko informed her, the hum of his voice feeling strange on her head. "Sorry, no sea prunes."

"Shut it," she laughed. Red bean was her personal favorite, but the green tea flavor wasn't bad either. Mango was a new concept, however, and she did like mangos...

"Alright, which one?" Sooner than Katara had anticipated, they were at the head of the line and the decision was hers. When Zuko released her from his clutches, the warmth was missed but she was in calm denial.

"Mango, please," she said brightly to the vendor, and the exchange of money for the mochi was completed. The confection was wrapped in a leaf, and upon opening it in an out of the way place, a thought occurred to the Fire Lord.

"It would be easier for you to eat half and give the rest to me, instead of tearing it apart. The filling might spill out..." He frowned at his lack of foresight, but proffered the sweet to her mouth nonetheless.

"I can feed myself," she said, as if it wasn't obviously clear. Suki had told her that men liked the chase, and she was certainly leading Zuko on one heck of a pursuit. His patience persevered as he explained his logic.

"This is a date. It's just something cutesy that people do. Now that I think about it, you might try to bite my fingers off."

Katara couldn't help but laugh. She was more used to Sokka's brand of brash hilarity, but Zuko's quirky sarcasm was just as delightful. The waterbender opted for taking her half of the mochi in one obscenely large bite, to Koh with manners!

His lone eyebrow twitched in surprise before popping the rest into his own mouth, the flavors of mango curd mixed with red bean paste exploding on his tongue. Savoring the sweet flavor as he chewed the glutinous rice cake, Zuko mentally confirmed mango mochi as his favorite. Katara was munching happily, eyes creased in pure delight at her own excellent choice. Sometimes it was good to take a risk, she decided. Whether the risk concerned mochi flavors or dating guys, however, was a very different matter. Before she had even swallowed her bite, Zuko had downed his portion and was looking at her strangely.

"What, I don't have a very big mouth," she tried to say, thinking that his staring must be at her exaggerated chewing motions. Her words came out unintelligible around the mochi, which resulted in a smirk from her would-be mocker and face reddening on her part. She couldn't make up her mind to be angry or embarrassed.

"There's, uh..." He gestured to his face, hoping she would understand that in her large bite, she managed to smear some filling just beyond the corner of her lip. This was the most graceful way he could think to alert her without embarrassing her, but Katara didn't seem to get the hint. Instead, she continued to glare at him.

Unfazed by it - really, what else was new? - he opted for wiping it away on his own. She probably wouldn't take kindly to such a personal gesture, but he didn't see any way around it at the moment.

Rather than knit her brows further, the woman's face went unexpectedly blank. Well, her eyes still flickered with life, but not with anger. The first word that came to mind was intense, as if he were a scroll she was studying or a particularly interesting painting.

Is that a good thing?

Katara had stopped chewing upon feeling his thumb near the corner of her mouth. She didn't realize her breathing had stopped until her lungs began to tingle. It was as if she was captivated, wondering what he would do next to surprise her, to surpass all of her low expectations.

"Some filling. On your face. I got it." Zuko held her gaze with uncertainty, the mango curd still damp on his thumb. Great, what am I supposed to do with it now?

He couldn't just wipe it on his shirt and go around the rest of their date looking like a slob, even if it would just be a tiny spot. For lack of a better alternative, he broke their eye contact and quickly licked off the problematic filling. She swallowed her bite with a gulp.

"You're funny when you don't know what to do," Katara said suddenly, her calm face wrinkled by her amused smile.

"Well if you knew you had stuff on your face, I wouldn't have been in that situation," he replied in his defense. "You were practically asking for it."

"Right. I was soooo asking for it because you're too polite to let me go around with food on my face?" She snorted. No way was she taking the blame. "Are you sure I don't have any leftovers from lunch either?" Katara wiped her face, making a show of scrubbing at a nonexistent crumb.

"I was just trying to look out for you - "

"I can take care of myself!"

"I know," Zuko sighed. "And you take care of everyone else too. Let me take care of you, so you don't have to?" Pride dictated that he should not be asking her permission, that he should do it regardless. Something else, probably his Uncle's advice, told him to communicate honestly with this woman. He cautiously took her hand in his own, relaxing when she did not resist. The touch felt natural, their hands fitting together like two jigsaw pieces.

"That's such a dumb thing to ask," she mumbled, turning her head away from him in embarrassment. Secretly, she was pleased. The world could be thoroughly enjoyed without so much weight on your shoulders. Not that he would do much - really, she could take care of everything herself - but the gesture was not overlooked. A tiny smile escaped her before it could be quelled, because she was too busy looking at the young man out of the corner of her eye.

He's sweet, she decided quietly as he shrugged off her comment.

"I didn't know we had been here so long." Zuko was looking at the sun, which was just reaching the skyline of the city. They must have been wandering around for quite a while. "We could eat, if you're hungry."

Does he think I'm a pig with an insatiable appetite? Katara thought. It felt like they had just eaten lunch, and she was still full, so she shook her head. What else could they do to kill time?

"I've never seen the monument for Avatar Roku," she hinted, remembering it to be a popular tourist attraction. Whenever she came to the Fire Nation to fulfill her ambassador duties, she rarely went out into the city. Now was the perfect time to take in the sights.

"Really? I thought you would've gone with...someone else," he finished lamely, trying to avoid anything that had to do with Aang. Seeing the monument might not be the best plan, now that he thought about it.

"No. Sokka says it's really something."

To steer clear of the inevitable tense silence, Zuko started talking about random passersby, pointing out their different indicators of what class they belonged to. The one that made her laugh was a fat, balding man who was trying to pass for a noble. His costume jewelry might have fooled anyone who glanced at him, but the Fire Lord could tell what his real status was by the age of his shoes.

"So, let's go see Avatar Roku," he said after her recovery. "It really is an impressive sight."

"Alright. Lead on, Oh Mighty Fire Lord," she grinned, adding a formal curtsy suited more for court than a side street.

"Watch it! Do you want everyone to know who I am?" He asked, hastily reclaiming her hand. She had let go of his hand to execute her curtsy, but allowed herself to be collected once more. Hand holding was nice and innocent and hardly something to worry about, she thought. Besides, she liked how he radiated heat. Firebenders were weird, but a good weird.

Making sure his companion wouldn't be causing any more mischief for a while, he merged with the people on the street and led her along as before. The crowd contained considerably less people than earlier, likely due to the approaching darkness, and they could now easily walk side by side.

"How do you even know where you're going?" Katara asked as they forked to the right when the street gave them the option. The thought just occurred to the Water Tribe woman that just because he lived in the palace didn't mean he knew how to get around the city.

"This is my city. Why shouldn't I know my way around?"

"How many times have you been out in the city before you were banished, honestly?"

"A handful."

"And how many times since you've been crowned?"

"...More than a few."

When Katara looked up at him. Zuko looked guarded which obviously meant he was keeping a super interesting secret from her. Time to put her womanly charms to good use.

"Zuko, what are you hiding from me?" Her voice was suddenly a soft purr, making him wary. The sneaky Fire Lord knew exactly what her game was. Katara saw he was steeling himself like she was about to water whip him, and tried a different approach. "I can't believe you'd keep secrets from me," she pouted, jutting her lower lip out. Now he wasn't looking at her at all, meaning she must be close to breaking him. Abruptly, Katara maneuvered herself in front of him, effectively stopping his forward motion.

"How many times do I have to tell you: we can't stop in the middle of the street." He was firm, but the scolding lacked influence due to the lack of eye contact. Currently he seemed preoccupied with something just above her head.

"Zuko," she said, sounding so heartbroken he couldn't help but look at her.

That would be his undoing.

Her polar bear puppy eyes were in full swing, complete with half formed tears in her large blue eyes. He wondered if any man could resist that look. Not the Cabbage Merchant Guild, and certainly not him.

"Okay, okay, just stop. You look like I just killed your favorite penguin or something."

The waterbender immediately brightened, unshed tears evaporating like a puddle in the summer months and a broad grin lighting up her face. Much better, he thought, and stepped around her to continue their trek.

"When I was a refugee in the Earth Kingdom, back in the war, I had to sneak around to steal stuff. Clothes, food, and supplies Uncle and I needed to survive. That time in my life was still fresh in my mind when I ascended to the throne, so I'd go out at night and get to know the city better in secret."

"Wouldn't everyone know your face?"

"I wore a mask that - uh - I threw in a lake. But I make sure to keep my face covered." How stupid could he be? He had almost told her about his Blue Spirit mask, and if she made the connection to "Lee" and his mask...he didn't want to think about it.

Before she could ask another question, they came out into a large, flat area with a statue in the center. The likeness of Avatar Roku loomed over them, his shadow nearly to the edge of the surrounding buildings. A ring of fire wrapped around the base of the statue, which was on a craggy sort of island in the middle of a large pool. All of the elements were represented, the element of air being all around them.

"He looks very serious," Katara pondered aloud, pausing at the edge of the placid water. The tales she had heard of Roku depicted him as a kinder man than this stoic portrayal.

"It's lucky Sozin didn't have it demolished. They used to be friends until he wanted to take over the world." Zuko joined her at the waters edge, staring up into the stone face.

"That's what I've heard," the woman confirmed, her hand swirling in the air above the water. She watched it dance to her will in the gathering darkness, the sun sinking below the skyline. He was the first to break the silence.

"I know it's not dark just yet, but we can still go to the club." It felt wrong to be speaking of such a modern, reckless, young activity in the presence of the former Avatar for some reason. Maybe it was just his imagination.

"Might as well," she shrugged, but Katara felt a tingle of excitement. "What's this place called anyway?"

"The Hot Spot."

She snorted. "Does everything in the Fire Nation have to be named in relation to fire?"

"Tradition," he explained simply. It didn't bother him in the least. "I bet you have a hundred words for snow."

"There are a lot of different types!" Katara insisted to Zuko's back as he started walking away without her.

"Whatever. Are you coming or not?" He asked over his shoulder, not slowing his stride. She had to jog to catch up.

"It's my day to have fun. Of course I'm coming." She rolled her eyes, and the firebender simply smirked. What a pair they made in the pinks of the setting sun.