A/N: Day 25, prompt 26 – Amethyst. It's kind of really crappy, in my opinion. Sorry! I hope you can find some redeeming qualities in tonight's chapterish thing.
"Katara," Zuko said as he knelt down on one knee and pulled out a box. "Will you marry me?"
He paused for a second, and looked at himself in the mirror. No, that was all wrong! It was too brash, too stupid.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew that everything would work out for the best, but he wanted it to be perfect. He wanted everything to be perfect. ]
She was smart. She was pretty. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She was tough. She was funny. She was compassionate. She was both a dreamer and a realist. There were many reasons why he thought about putting the amethyst ring on her finger. Katara was graceful, and childish, but she could also be stubborn and mature.
However, the main reason he wanted to do this, why he wanted to marry her… he loved her.
He hadn't felt this way about anyone since Mai had died. It was amazing to think that after two years, he could finally get on with his life.
Proposing to Mai had been just as hard, but for some reason, he really felt like he was forgetting something with Katara. Like something just was not right in the way he was proposing.
He had decided he would do it at dinner, which was in... about five minutes.
"Come on, Zuko, think! What am I forgetting?" Nothing came to mind.
Typical.
A knock came at the door, and a servant declared that it was time for dinner. Zuko gulped nervously, and followed the man toward the dining room. The box was clutched in his hand, and the amethyst ring was secured inside.
Zuko was seated, and a moment later, Katara glided into the room, a huge smile plastered on her face. She was dressed in a new outfit, and his mind went blank at the sight of her. She was beautiful.
They ate quickly, enjoying a good conversation over their food, and at the end, the servants brought out the best wine they could find.
Zuko stood up, and walked over to Katara. She looked down at him in surprise as he got down on one knee, and opened the box.
"Katara…" Zuko started, looking up into her eyes.
"What are you doing, Zuko?" Katara asked, staring at the ring in confusion. "If you wanted to give me a ring, you didn't have to kneel in front of me."
The Fire Lord looked up at her in confusion. "Yes, I did. It's what you're supposed to do, Katara. That's how these things work. You get down on one knee, present the girl with the ring, and-"
"What things?" she asked, an eyebrow quirked. "You said that's how these things worked. What things?"
Zuko took a deep breath. He didn't know how she could not have gotten the message by now. He had the ring, the kneeling… EVERYTHING.
"Katara, please make me one of the happiest people in the world, and marry me?" he asked.
Her expression changed from curious to shocked. "I… but… Well, of course, Zuko! Yes, yes, a million times over!" Both of their faces lit up with smiles. "But what is the ring for? I just don't get it."
"It's what you wear to show you're engaged," he said. "So that other people know we're getting married."
Her hand flew up to the choker on her neck, and the pendant hanging from it. He could feel whatever he had forgotten slowly seep into his brain. He could almost remember…
"Like an engagement necklace, right? To show you're going to be married," she replied.
It dawned on him suddenly that Katara was not from the Fire Nation. She would now know that in the Fire Nation, women wear rings to show that they are engaged.
"Of course!" He berated himself. "I remember now, in the Water Tribe, it's an engagement necklace. I'm supposed to carve her a necklace. Damn it," he thought.
He nodded weakly. "Yes, Katara. It's like an engagement necklace."
She looked down at the ring. "I can wear this, if you want me to. After all, I am living in the fire nation. And it's such a beautiful-"
"No," Zuko interrupted. "It wouldn't have the same meaning to you that a necklace that I carved would. Katara, I promise that I will carve you a necklace, made out of amethyst, and it will be the most amazing engagement pendant you have ever seen. I want you to be happy in every way possible, because if you marry me, you will make me happy. What am I saying, you already do make me happy! I don't-"
She silences his babble with a kiss, and he calmed down. When she pulled away, Zuko was silent.
"Thank you, Zuko. Having my own engagement necklace will be nothing compared to the happiness I will experience when we're married. This is all… you're amazing. I love you."
"I love you too, Katara," he murmured, leaning in for another kiss.
A/N: Short and crappy. Sorry guys. I am just too stressed for much of anything right now. Please forgive this chapter. Not a lot of inspiration. I wanted to make it amazing, but… Eh. Sorry! Hopefully things will be better tomorrow.