Zuko didn't know how it happened, but somehow they ended up laying down on Katara's bedroll. Her fingers were tangled in his hair and he kept his hand on her waist even as his tongue made it into her mouth.

This was everything he'd imagined and more. Why did I stop us from doing this before? he wondered. Zuko was certain that he'd had a reason, but he sure didn't remember it now.

Her hand slipped from his hair and to his chest, and finally, Zuko dared to move his hand from her waist as he ran his fingers through her hair. It was softer than he'd thought it would be, thick and curly and everywhere. She was everywhere. All he could smell was the sea breeze scent that she seemed to carry, even though she'd been away from the ocean for months now.

Her lips were soft against his, but firm, insistent, and he was willing to let her take the lead. Part of him was still processing that this was happening at all. Why don't people do this all the time? he thought. It was amazing.

Zuko didn't know how long they made out for before he finally pulled away from her. Katara looked up at him, and even in the dark, he could see the blush in her cheeks. His heart was thrumming against his ribs and his blood was roaring in his veins. Zuko thought that he would do anything she asked him to, so long as she gave him the privilege of her kisses.

The corner of her lips pulled up. "Are you actually going to say something now?"

"Wow," was all he could manage.

Katara giggled and pressed her face against his chest. He wondered if he had said the wrong thing, but then he felt her lips on the corner of his jaw, and his heart stopped beating. Then she looked up at him again.

"Was that better than stupid Jin's kiss?" Katara asked him, her teeth flashing in a smirk.

"Way better," he breathed.

"Good."

Zuko arched his brow at her. "Are you jealous?"

She looked away. "No."

Zuko smirked. "You so are."

"So what if I am? You were jealous over Jet," Katara retorted.

Now Zuko looked away, not only because he had been jealous, but also because she didn't know that he and Jet had fought, and that he'd been arrested.

"Whatever," he muttered.

She cupped his unscarred cheek until he turned his gaze back to her. "I thought it was sweet."

Then Katara kissed him again. Yeah, he could get used to kissing her.

She kept her hand on his cheek, the pad of her thumb stroking his cheekbone. It was nice, in a way that he wasn't used to. He rarely let other people touch him. But something about Katara made him feel...safe, almost, or something. He felt...nice. She felt nice, against his lips and under his hands.

Zuko wasn't a prude. He'd thought about girls, had noticed how pretty they were and knew how his eyes were drawn to their curves. But he'd never really been around girls his age, not since he was banished right when he was first starting to notice them. But he had definitely noticed Katara, even before they began traveling together. And being with her had only made him notice her more.

But part of him knew that it wasn't just a physical attraction. He liked her. Zuko liked the sound of her voice, and the way she said his name (Zuko, not Lee, the way the syllables sounded when she said them), he liked how smart she was, and caring. He liked the way her eyes looked in the moonlight, and the way she smiled at him in that soft way she had, like he was good. Like he was worthy.

Katara breaking the kiss pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her, wondering why she'd stopped. Had he done something wrong?

"What made you change your mind?" she asked him softly.

Zuko pressed his lips together. "I—I guess I just realized how much I like you." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I kept trying to deny it, to push it down. But I just can't."

"And you did that because...you thought you weren't good enough for me?" Katara asked. "You thought you'd hurt me?"

He closed his eyes. None of that had changed. But Zuko was weak, and he couldn't stop himself anymore. Not when he liked her so much.

Zuko pulled away and sat upright, his fingers pushing through his hair as he hung his head. "I'm not good enough for you, Katara."

He heard her sit up beside him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

"Why do you think that?" she asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Because I'm not," he said sharply. "I'm the prince of the Fire Nation. I've done all of these awful things. I'm not good enough for you, and I don't deserve you."

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his shoulder. Zuko wanted to pull away from her, but he couldn't bring himself to.

"I've already told you, Zuko. You are enough." Her voice was muffled against his sleeve. "And I want to be with you, okay? The world is scary and bad enough. But this? Me and you? I'm not scared, Zuko, because I know that you are good."

He blinked back the unexpected tears that stung his eyes. Could it be true? Could he believe her? He had spent so much of his life being told that he was weak and spineless and useless. He had spent years doubting himself, hating himself. Could he believe Katara?

Zuko peered over at her from the corner of his eye. "And what about when you find your friends? What happens to us then?"

Katara lifted her head, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "You and Iroh can come with us. I've told you that. That hasn't changed."

Zuko looked down again. Could he do that? Could he turn his back on his nation, his family, for her and her friends? He felt torn in two directions. That hadn't changed all this time that he had been with her. But it could. And being with her now, Zuko thought that maybe he could.

She pressed her hand to his cheek and guided his head until he looked at her. Katara offered him a small smile.

"But we don't have to talk about it right now," she whispered. "I don't know when I'll find my friends. But I found you, and I want to be with you. Can that be enough for now?"

Zuko met her gaze. He could see that she was genuine. He wanted it to be enough. Desperately.

"Okay," he said softly. "It's enough."

Then he leaned over and kissed her again.

Katara woke up slowly from some pleasant dream where she was warm, like she was walking on the sun. As she swam up from the murky fog of sleep, she realized that she was still warm, pleasantly so, and when she woke up, she found Zuko laying beside her.

His arm was around her shoulders and she was using his chest as a pillow, snuggled up beside him. She didn't remember falling asleep, let alone Zuko staying with her, but she was happy that he was there. Last night was...amazing. She didn't know how else to describe it. Katara had been thinking about what it might be like to kiss him for weeks, and now that she had, she felt like maybe everything would work out.

She would be lying to herself if she said that she knew what Zuko's plans were all this time, that he would choose her, choose the Avatar, choose good. But the truth was that she had never known. Every time she tried to bring it up, Zuko would shut down. She could understand it—she was asking for a lot. But now she felt like they had been through enough together that maybe, maybe he would choose to do what was right.

And if he was choosing her, she thought that he was.

Katara tilted her head to look up at him. To her surprise, he looked down at her, already awake. The corner of his lips pulled up in a half-smile. He had such a beautiful smile.

"Morning," Katara murmured.

"Morning," he whispered back.

She rolled onto her back and stretched. Zuko turned onto his side and propped his head up on his hand. Katara glanced over at him.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked him.

"Since not long after dawn," he replied quietly. His eyes darted towards the door. "I'm waiting for Uncle to leave. If he knows I'm in here, he might kill me."

Her brow furrowed. "Why?"

She watched color rise in his cheeks. "Because, um, he doesn't think we should be sleeping together." His eyes widened. "Shit—I mean, he thinks we shouldn't be sharing a room. I mean, he doesn't think we should be sleeping together either—"

"Oh spirits, stop talking!" Katara covered her face with her hands. "Before you embarrass either of us anymore."

Zuko flopped backwards onto his back. "I'm such an idiot. Sorry."

Katara giggled. "It's fine. I may have had a, uh, rather mortifying conversation with Iroh a few weeks ago. About the pennyroyal tea he bought. Just in case."

Zuko groaned and threw his arm over his face. "I am so sorry."

"It took me a few days to be able to look him in the eye after that," Katara muttered. "Good looking out, Uncle Iroh, but I haven't been so embarrassed since my gran explained to me what the sparrowkeets and the butterbees is."

"At least it wasn't Uncle giving you that talk," Zuko remarked dryly.

Katara grimaced. "Yeah no, I'm good."

They fell into a silence that was surprisingly not uncomfortable, given the conversation they just had. Katara thought that it was...nice. After weeks of awkward tension between them, it felt like they had returned to how things were before, but different now. In a good way.

Out in the living room, she could hear Iroh moving around, humming to himself. She could smell tea brewing.

"Does he ever get sick of tea?" Katara asked.

Zuko snorted. "Uh, no. Once, not long after the North Pole, he brewed a poisonous plant into tea and drank it. He was covered in this gross rash. It was awful."

"Wow," Katara chuckled. "It must be a dream come true for him, working in a tea shop."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."

"Do you think he'll be leaving soon?"

"I hope so," Zuko muttered. "I have to pee."

Katara snorted. "Me too." Then she looked over at him. "Isn't he going to think it's weird that you're not out there? Do you think he'll know?"

"Maybe," Zuko murmured. "I can just tell him I went out early or something. He'll probably know it's bullshit, but I don't wanna explain this to him yet."

"Right," Katara agreed. She rolled onto her side and looked at him. "You're off work today, aren't you?"

Zuko looked up at her. "Yeah. Why?"

A mischievous smile curved her lips. "I'm off today, too. Do you want to...hang out, maybe?"

"And do what?" Zuko asked.

Katara shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever we want to do. Maybe we can go into the Middle Ring and see the university, or just take the train and look at the city. It's so big here, but I don't feel like I've really gotten to enjoy it, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess." Zuko shrugged. "I mean, that's fine with me."

"Great!" Katara beamed a smile at him. "Once Iroh leaves, I can make us some breakfast, then we can go."

"Sounds good."

Suddenly, Iroh's voice called out from the living room, "No need to make breakfast, Katara! I made enough for both of you!"

Katara and Zuko looked at each other, their eyes wide. Katara's cheeks burned, and Zuko's face grew red.

"Shit," Zuko whispered.

"How did he know?" Katara hissed, embarrassed.

"I don't know," Zuko muttered, his cheeks red.

"I had assumed Katara wasn't in there laughing by herself," Iroh called out. "So you two don't have to hide. I know you're in there, nephew."

"No, I definitely do need to hide," Zuko moaned. "And never, ever look my uncle in the face again."

"And don't forget we have the pennyroyal tea!" Iroh added.

Katara slapped her palm to her forehead. "Can I join you?"