Authors Note: Okay, so I honestly have absolutely no good reason what-so-ever for not completing this chapter sooner ;;; I won't even begin to try and make excuses. All I'll say is that after my trip to New York, things just started rolling and haven't seemed to stop. Anyhoo, hopefully you will all enjoy this chapter! It was a little shorter than I wanted to give you guys after such a long wait...but i guess this is better than nothing, huh? XD Writing this was a lot of fun actually, and you should all shower Lady-Mage from Deviant Art with love for making me want to work on this chapter XD 3

In any case, I did another pic for you all! Keep your eyes on my DA for the colored version I hope to have done soon!

Http:// www. /deviation /43235649/

(just remove the spaces)

Got Your Heart in a Headlock

Chapter 11: They danced with wings on their feet

The day dawned cool and overcast, but Zuko rose at sunrise none the less, feeling, dare he say, cheerful and refreshed. The man lay in bed a moment, stretched out on his back with his blankets somewhere down around his waist as he puzzled over this odd feeling. He never woke up in a good mood. It was just one of those things that never happened, at least, not until recently. Not since coming to know Katara.

That name, it sent trills of pleasure, excitement, and a forbidden sort of happiness running up his spine. He sat up, grinning like a fool, hardly feeling like himself at all. He made his way to the night stand on the other side of the room and washed his face with the cool water in the basin he found there. His face! The previous night came flooding back into his mind like a tidal wave through a river basin. His head shot up and his golden eyes went immediately to the mirror on the wall just behind the night stand. The reflection looking back at him was still wearing that silly grin, all pale porcelain skin without an angry looking burn in sight.

Zuko couldn't help but stand there staring for a few minutes. After so many years of that burn on his face, he just looked so…different without it. At long last Zuko tore himself away from his reflection and got dressed. Something told him that today was going to be a good day.

The firebender caught Katara on her way to the bath and quite unexpectedly swept her up into his arms and spun her around, set her back down, and kissed her on the forehead before continuing on without a word, whistling cheerfully.

Katara stood there, a little dizzy as she watched the ex-prince go. She couldn't help but giggle, breaking out into a happy smile as though Zuko's unusual good mood was contagious. She had an extra bounce in her step as she headed off to the bath, feeling as though all were right in the world, if only for a moment.

XXX

Zuko came to the door of the dining room, which was halfway open, and took a deep breath, schooling his emotions into calm once more, the giddy look disappearing from his face. Under control again, Zuko opened the door the rest of the way and stepped in as nonchalantly as he usually would, as though nothing were different. Emi and Eri looked up and were about to greet him as they always did, but were stopped by the sight of his un-scarred face, unable to speak a word for the surprise of it all. He ignored their looks as though nothing at all were different, and proceeded to walk over and take his usual seat by his uncle after collecting a plate of food from one of the workers. He dug into his food with gusto, feeling hungrier than he normally did, perhaps it was some side effect of Katara's healing on him.

It was Zuko's rapidity of eating that drew Iroh's attention, having been too absorbed in his morning tea to have noticed Emi and Eri's astonished faces. Normally his nephew was not one to show such enthusiasm towards his food so early in the morning. The old man looked up at Zuko and then back down at his tea before doing a comical double-take. Rather than acting surprised though, the ex-general smiled and stroked his beard. The young waterbending lady certainly knew her element! There was not a mark left on his nephews face to show that there had once been a painful burn mark there.

"Good morning, nephew, I take it you slept well?" Iroh remarked conversationally, smiling almost slyly over his tea.

"Well enough." Zuko countered. He was almost disappointed at his uncle's lack of surprise, but didn't let it ruffle him. As he finished his breakfast, Iroh spoke again.

"Miss Katara will be taking dancing lessons for the ball in about an hours time. I trust you remember your lessons well enough not to need a refresher course?" the old man asked.

"I can dance /fine/, Uncle." Zuko retorted and got smoothly to his feet, collecting his dishes and taking them to one of the workers to be cleaned. Just as he was about to exit the room though, his uncle spoke one more time.

"Zuko, I am glad for you." he said with a warm smile for his nephew, and he wasn't talking about remembering how to dance.

The young firebender only grunted in reply, but felt a certain sort of gratitude towards his uncle under his gruff appearance. He nodded slightly and then quit the room.

XXX

An hour later, Katara had left off her light morning practice to head to the room that had been designated for her dance lesson. The young woman felt slightly nervous, afraid that she might make a fool of herself before the person that was to be her dance teacher that day. It was only three days until the date of Azula's masked ball, meaning she had only two to learn to dance well enough not to attract undue attention or ridicule while at the party. In a way she envied Zuko for his royal upbringing, at least /he/ wouldn't have to take dancing lessons with a stranger as he had probably been dancing since he was young. /She/, however, had never danced a day in her life.

She reached the room via an outside walkway, and saw Zuko in the courtyard just outside it, doing his morning exercises. She gave him a slight wave and a nervous smile before entering the room. He paused only long enough to give a nod of acknowledgment, but Katara knew better than to take offense by now, he was simply concentrating on his bending, not trying to offend her. She mused slightly that there was a time, not so long ago, that she probably /would/ have taken offense at his seeming lack of manners, but now she knew that was not the case.

Turning away from the rather tempting idea of delaying a few minutes to watch the handsome young man practice, Katara took a deep breath and then opened the door to the room and stepped in. It was the largest one she had been in yet here in The Sanctuary. It had no soaring ceiling, or decorated walls though; it was a simple room with a great deal of floor space. She didn't think such a large room must be used often, as it was not even furnished but for a few chairs along the walls and a small table.

"Ah, there you are, Miss Katara." came Iroh's familiar voice from the far end of the room off to her right. A young man that she did not recognize was standing there with him. She looked to be about her age, though younger than Zuko. He had short brown hair that curled about his face and lively green eyes that distinguished most people of the Earth Kingdom. He was slight of build, and didn't look particularly strong. He did, however, look very self confident and had a certain grace about him, even as he stood there, feet planted firmly on the wood floor. He smiled at her, and Katara couldn't help but smile back. He had one of those smiles that seemed almost contagious, lighting up even the darkest, dreariest rooms.

"Katara, this will be your dance teacher, Li. Li has been staying here with our delightful hostesses for some time now, and was happy to offer his services as he is a great proficient in dance." Iroh explained cheerfully. "I would teach you myself, but I am afraid I am not so light of foot as I was in my youth, nor have I even had a chance to dance in many a year now." The man said with a laugh as he patted his rotund belly.

"I am glad to offer my services to such a lovely lady." Li said with a graceful bow from the waist and then said "Now, shall we begin?"

XXX

Zuko had tried to practice, oh yes, he'd tried so hard to ignore the fact that Katara was in the room just to his left dancing...with another man. After nearly burning himself twice in a row, Zuko finally gave up and moved silently over towards the door. He crouched slightly and pressed an ear to the wood planking of the door, trying to make out what was going on in the room beyond. Laughing? She was laughing?! Several angry thoughts came into his mind at what he'd like to do to her dance partner came to mind as he peered through the slight crack between the door and it's frame. He couldn't make out much, but what he did see discouraged him from peeking in through the window just above and to the left of his head. His uncle was standing straight across from the door with a perfect view through just that window. However, there was a window on the other side of the room...

Unable to resist the temptation, Zuko crouched down and ran under the window and circled around to the other side of the building to the other window directly across where he'd just been. Sitting beneath the window out of sight, Zuko closed his eyes and opened his ears. He could hear quick footsteps and simple music from a single stringed instrument, no doubt it was his uncle playing. The old man had always been proficient with stringed instruments, something he'd proved weekly during music night on the ship while they'd been traveling. The man shook his head and brought himself back to the present. He listened further, able to hear a young mans voice speaking, and Katara's voice replying. He couldn't make out quite what they were saying, but there was the occasional burst of laughter that filtered through the window above his head, noting that the pair seemed to be getting on well enough.

Zuko frowned further, temper simmering at the idea of his Katara in the arms of some other man...Finally the dark haired man could take it no longer and he shifted up just enough to peer quickly in through the window, ducking back down before the dancers could move back towards him and catch sight of the firebender peeking in at their lesson. He doubted he'd ever live it down from his uncle were he to be discovered.

It was as he had feared, from his quick glimpse into the room Zuko had seen Katara wrapped up in another man's (an unfortunately good looking man's) arms, smiling as he swept her gracefully about the room. He had also noted that she seemed to have taken to dancing like a turtle-duck to water. And did he call that dancing? Pathetic! Zuko could out-dance that pathetic little peasant any time!

The firebender's thoughts rambled on like that for some time before he suddenly got fed up and lunged to his feet, marching around the building again, and then flung the door open with a snap.

XXX

Katara was smiling happily as she was swept around the room once more by the graceful Li. This dance was quick and exhilarating with enough spins and dips to nearly make her dizzy. She was breathless but smiling, as Li whipped her out from against his body, making her spin gracefully out across the floor. She was alone at this point, eyes closed and body performing the smooth twirl and sweep of her arms that Li had taught her before she spun back in, one hand outstretched for her partner to catch.

The hand that caught hers though was not the same as the one that had released her. It was larger and more calloused, but had a familiar feel. It brought her back in with a gentle pull that made her spin once before one hand instinctively went to his, interweaving her fingers and her partners, and the other went to her skirt, holding it up as delicately as though it were the finest silk. His hand closed about her, and the other went to her waist, pulling her in against his bare chest.

Katara's eyes flew open as their bodies contacted, surprised, and yet somehow not, as she was met with Zuko's steady golden gaze. She said nothing, only smiled, and she swore she saw the edge of his lips turn up in the slightest of smiles before they both turned their attention to the dance. She hadn't heard him open he door, nor had she noticed him march in and shove her partner with a deft movement that had fairly sent Li flying. Now though, Zuko guided Katara around the room in the sweeping steps of the dance as Iroh looked on, still playing. The old man was smiling in bemusement, chuckling to himself at his nephews actions. He felt a little sorry for Li, but didn't want to stop the dance of the young couple to console the rejected young man. He seemed to be unharmed in any case, so Iroh played on.

Completely oblivious to all around them, Zuko and Katara moved in unison, each seemingly able to read what the other was about to do and complied with their own actions, bodies moving as though one. The couple spun and dipped, reeled and leapt together, feet scarcely seeming to touch the floor, both of them feeling as though they had long since left the earth to be caught up in flight, dancing as though with wings on their feet.

Too soon, though, the song came to an end, the last few notes echoing across the room as Zuko and Katara came to a stop at long last, both breathing hard but feeling exhilarated. For a time, all the pair could do was try to catch their breath, eyes locked on one another, arms still poised as though ready to dance once more. Eventually though, Zuko let his arms drop away from Katara's lithe body, though a little reluctantly. He did, however, catch her hand in his before saying "And /that/, is how you dance." He pressed his lips gently to her hand and then was out the door as quickly as he had come in, leaving a breathless and surprised young woman in his wake.

XXX

I did another pic for you all! Keep your eyes on my DA for the colored version I hope to have done soon!

Http:// www. /deviation /43235649/

(just remove the spaces)

Alright, I promise that next chapter will actually get the ball rolling on the plot once more! There's probably only about two more chapters left after this one, so enjoy!

Okay, so I honestly have absolutely no good reason what-so-ever for not completing this chapter sooner ;;; I won't even begin to try and make excuses. All I'll say is that after my trip to New York, things just started rolling and haven't seemed to stop. Anyhoo, hopefully you will all enjoy this chapter! It was a little shorter than I wanted to give you guys after such a long wait...but i guess this is better than nothing, huh? XD Writing this was a lot of fun actually, and you should all shower Lady-Mage from Deviant Art with love for making me want to work on this chapter XD 3