Episode 9: Not A Date

"Your instep is too deep, you'll lose your balance." He proved it by pivoting and catching her with his shoulder. She fell to the ground with a hard thump and heavy huff.

"This is too hard!" Katara announced. He'd been twisting or shoving her to the dirt for the past hour. Every time she thought she had finally picked up on a move, he would change it up into something new and send her tumbling down. The Blue Spirit laughed, then turned it into a cough when she turned sharply his way. "That's why we practice, m'lady."

"Why don't I do the healing part and you do the fighting?" she offered. "Then I don't have to learn all this hand to hand stuff. I think my time would be better spent studying the scroll anyways." She crossed her arms, ignoring the fact that she'd basically just turned herself into a pouting child sitting in the dirt.

The Blue Spirit dropped into a crouch. "Am I hearing this correctly? Are you giving up?"

She glared at him through the thin slits of her mask.

"I may not always be around to protect you," he added. "You need to be able to defend yourself."

Katara heaved a sigh before standing and brushing herself off. "You're right," she said, but she didn't give him too long to bask in satisfaction before slamming a current of water into his face. He shook his head, but his hood and suit kept most of the water stuck to his body. Not for the first time that night, she wished she could see his face. Katara laughed to hide her thoughts.

"You deserved it," she said.

"Did not!" he insisted, "I'm motivating you!"

She shrugged. "I'm motivated now."

"Good," was his response as he lowered into a fighting stance. "Because I've found my fighting spirit reinvigorated as well."

He beat her into the dirt a couple more times before letting her move on to the scroll. By that point, she could barely move, but the idea of learning a new bending technique had her skipping towards the creek on the far side of the ledge. It was amazing, this small utopia he had discovered. Even with the cramped, dark chasm that they'd had to go through to get here. She shivered at the memory, both in disgust and with...something else. Katara had felt like she might have combusted when he'd taken her hand, but she couldn't react. He didn't know it was her, he didn't know she was the one he'd planned an activity with. He didn't know that he was all she'd been able to think about for the past twenty-four hours.

Maybe she needed her own splash of water to the face.

Today she focused on the concept of ice, shifting the water through the phases of liquid to solid and then bending the shapes of each form. It was grueling work, but she found the more she explored, the more comfortable she became with the connection between herself and the element. It helped that the full moon was only a couple of nights away, the night when her bending would be in pique condition.

The Blue Spirit watched her from a sitting position on a nearby rock. If it weren't for his random sarcastic comments when she made a mistake, she would think he had fallen asleep sitting up. She was glad he'd told her that he was a firebender, even if it had seemed out of some kind of distress, and his vulnerability had softened her even more towards his predicament. What would it be like if she were afraid of using her waterbending? She'd always pushed herself to delve further and further, it was a part of her in the same way being a nurse shaped her life. She couldn't imagine being terrified of her own abilities...and he was terrified, that much was clear.

She looked towards him.

The Blue Spirit tilted his head. "What?" he asked.

"I want you to come with me somewhere," she said.

The Spirit shifted from side to side for a moment. "Uh...I kind of...have someone I'm interested in."

Katara fought to keep her body still even as her heart plummeted. Of course she hadn't meant it that way, but still, the thought stirred something inside her. Something hidden and fragile and newly broken.

He has someone.

"Nice for you," she mustered out, "but not what I meant. I want to show you something."

"Oh." He jumped up from his perch on the boulder. "Well then lead the way, my lady."

Her heart beat hard against her chest as if trying to push through her ribcage and punch him in the face with her feelings. Not that she had feelings.

He respectfully turned away again so that she could switch from the mask he'd provided back into her hat and veil. Then he proceeded to lead her out the same way they came in, her face heating as she remembered the way his hand had felt in hers.

He has someone.

"So where we going?" he asked once they'd stepped back out into the open air of Omashu park.

"The Village."

He stopped and she almost ran into him. Correction, she almost ran into his swords. "Hey, watch it!"

"Why do you want to go to the Village?" he asked. There was a hesitance and warning in his voice she'd never heard before.

"Is there a reason you don't want to go to the Village?"

"I just think..." he started, turning to face her, "that maybe the Village isn't the best place for us to be right now."

"Don't want to be seen with me?" Katara shook her head to clear the bitterness away, she didn't really want to know the answer to that question, and then crossed her arms. "Something you want to share with the class, bud?"

The Spirit shifted his weight back and forth for a moment. "I'm just not sure how I feel about our history when travelling that part of town together."

Katara stepped forward and patted his shoulder twice. "Don't worry, Spirit," she said, "If you get scared, I'll protect you."

He snorted. "I thought I was the protector in this relationship and you just played with magic water."

Her heart skipped a beat at the word 'relationship' but she breathed through it. "Good thing you're coming with me, then."

Hesitating still, he shifted.

Katara rolled her eyes. "What?" she demanded.

"I just-" His fists clenched and released at his side. "I am quite certain you are being sought after by dangerous characters, my lady, and they know you often visit the Village making it a poor choice for attendance."

Katara's eyebrows rose behind her veil. He was surprisingly diplomatic and...concerned for her? Or did he think she was weak? She stood straighter. "I am aware of Phoenix Industries attitude towards my activities." He wasn't the only loquacious one here. "I have been aware, but I will not allow fear to hold me back." She tilted forward in challenge. "Will you?"

The Blue Spirit straightened, his shoulders pushed back. "I'll drive, but don't say I didn't warn you, m'lady."

He has someone, she reminded herself yet again.

She considered asking him to stop calling her that, but that would mean confronting the buried, fragile entity inside her and Katara didn't know if she was ready to do that just yet.

Now, how to get downtown...Katara was weighing the thought of how the Spirit would react to being rapidly propelled underwater when she noticed he was no longer next to her.

A loud sound to the left startled her. When she turned and saw what had caused it her legs almost gave out. The Blue Spirit was seated on a sports motorcycle, his swords strapped to the side, and he seemed to be under the impression she was going to join him.

"Coming?"

"Are you insane?" she demanded, "do you have any idea how dangerous those things are?"

"What happened to 'I will not allow fear to hold me back'?" He revved the bike just to be cheeky. Katara chewed the inside of her cheek in debate. On the one hand, she had said that. On the other hand, it would be worthless to have said it if they ended up dying on the way.

"I don't have a-"

He held out a black helmet with a darkened visor.

"What about you?" she grumbled, grasping at straws as she stepped forward to take it.

"Well, I didn't know we were taking an excursion this evening otherwise I would have brought a spare," he said. "For now, we'll make sure you keep safe."

Katara blushed.

He has someone.

"Don't watch," she snapped. He turned away and she brought in a brief mist to obscure them just in case before removing her hat and placing the helmet on her head. She got it over her hood and face okay but struggled with the buckles for a couple of seconds before letting off a groan.

"I can't figure out the strap," she announced.

The Blue Spirit chuckled as he turned back to face her and motioned her closer. "Come here, I'll get it for you."

She stepped closer until she was standing close to the bike. A small yelp fell from her lips when the Spirit reached out and drug her the final steps closer to him so that he could reach the clasp beneath her chin. For the second time that night she was pressed close enough to feel the warmth of his body. "Look up," he ordered, pushing her chin up slightly. His gloved hands worked quickly but she was still tense by the end of it. Every time his finger had brushed her throat, she'd fought the urge to lean closer.

He has someone.

"You're all set," he said, then patted the seat behind him. She used the word 'seat' loosely. It was just an extension of the leather cushion he was sitting on, slightly elevated with no backing. Which meant-

"You're going to have to hang on to me until you get the hang of riding," he said.

Cute that he though he would convince her to ever get on this death machine again. Sokka would firebend before she allowed that to happen.

"We can always go another night," he mentioned when she didn't move.

Katara stood straighter. He was doing this on purpose! He didn't want them to go to the Village. For some reason he was convinced they wouldn't be able to handle themselves in the slums of the city and this was his last ditch effort to dissuade her from the visit. Like she would give him the satisfaction.

Gritting her teeth, she moved to the back end of the bike and swung her leg over the side, grateful that she was wearing pants beneath her cloak. They would have fallen over if he hadn't braced her with his arm and leveled his stance.

"Release, woman! Your grip is going to be the death of me."

Katara had apparently been startled by their near topple and her hands were gripping him intensely at the shoulder and the hip. Pulling back her hands, she fought to keep her balance on the back seat.

"Lean against me," the Spirit instructed, "Copy my balance and put your hands here-" he reached back to grab her hands and pull them around his ribs before adding, "gently."

Her arms wound close around his middle fitting against the hardened muscles of his sides while his back pressed against her front.

He has someone.

These reminders were NOT working. They did nothing to stop the rapid increase in her heartrate, the heated blush that rose to her cheeks, or the fact that the more she learned about the Blue Spirit, the more she wanted to know.

"Hang on!" he called, and with a roar of the engine they took off.

Katara took it back. She would be perfectly content never speaking to the Blue Spirit again. In fact, she hadn't spoken to him since they'd arrived and she'd been able to peel herself off the bike. He'd complained about her death grip again but she couldn't care less.

That jerk hadn't taken it easy on her at all. Instead, he'd taken the sharp corners at a lean, threaded between cars, and Katara swore the speed never dropped below sixty miles an hour. She grumbled beneath her breath the entire time he hid the bike and they made their way through the canal streets towards the center of the Village.

"So..." the Spirit hummed, jogging to catch up with her. "Want to tell me what we're doing here?"

"I'm going to show you what a real hero looks like," she said cryptically.

"And when are we going to meet this real hero?" he asked.

Katara playfully glared at him even though she knew he couldn't see her face and he chuckled.

"It explains a lot, I guess," he said as they continued on.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You seeing yourself as a hero," he clarified. "Don't get me wrong, I think what you're doing is great, but...I don't know that I'd ever be able to call myself a hero."

Unable to come up with a response, Katara remained quiet as they walked side by side through the Village streets. "We're almost there," she announced. The whole point of this exercise was to be encouraging, but it felt like she'd just cut out his feet from under him.

Katara stopped just before the end of the final alley, the Blue Spirit stopping a few steps ahead.

"I think you can be a hero, Spirit," she said quietly.

His shoulders stiffened and then immediately relaxed. "Thank you," he whispered.

She gave him another moment before stepping up next to him and nudging him with her shoulder.

"Come on," she said, "We're almost there."

Turning the final corner, she felt the Spirit stop a second time beside her. Laid before them was a street overflowing with people who had obviously seen better days. There were whole families huddled together on mats, children held close beneath raggedy blankets in an attempt to keep warm. The sick and elderly were off to the side where a fire was burning inside a trashcan. Few men and women were able to move about, passing around meager amounts of food to the gathered families. It was one of these women who broke away from the crowd and came right up to the masked spirit to spit at his feet.

"Get out of here if you know what's good for you," she said, her eyes burning with fury. "Phoenix Industries is not welcome in these parts."

The Spirit remained frozen and made no move to defend himself or leave. "What happened here?"

The woman scoffed. "As if you didn't know. You Agni Kai's have taken our husbands, our sisters, our sons." Her voice had broken with despair and Katara swore she saw the Spirit flinch.

She'd been an idiot to think the people would be okay with her brining him here, even if he was with their supposed hero. To them, he was the face of the enemy. The entire street was looking at them now. Many of them were angry, some looked scared. Mothers pulled children closer, husbands stepped in front of wives.

"The Blue Spirit is here to protect me," Katara spoke up. "He didn't realize the effects of his actions."

The woman scoffed again. "Is that what you told her?" she demanded of him. "You've lied to yourself so much you imagine yourself blind? Only a fool wouldn't know that this city is in ruin."

Katara was about to step in again when the Spirit placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She stopped and looked at him, holding her breath.

"She's right," he said.

The tone of his voice caught on something deep inside Katara. She felt an irrational urge to hug and protect him.

He continued in a solemn voice. "If I'd taken the time to pay attention, to look past my own selfish motives, I would have seen what was happening here." In the grime of the street the Blue Spirit knelt before the woman, before all of them, and bowed his head. "I am truly humbled to be in your presence. Please accept my offering of peace."

Katara's heart cracked a little bit more but the crowd wasn't as readily swayed.

A man stepped up beside the woman. "Words are nice, but there's no way we can trust you after everything you've done."

"The Painted Lady made a mistake in bringing you here," another Villager agreed.

"No, please," Katara spoke up, "I brought him here to explain how he's not that person any more."

"Either he leaves, or we attack," another man said.

Katara couldn't believe how poorly this was going. She'd severely underestimated the amount of pain Phoenix Industries had caused these people, the amount of time they'd spent suffering.

"Violence won't solve problems," she insisted, "I know you're scared. There's always a risk. Sometimes it hurts more to hope, and it hurts more to care, but that doesn't mean you give up."

"Hope?" It was the first woman to greet them who had asked the question, her voice edged with despair. "What hope do we have? Everything we love has been taken from us."

"It's a choice." The Blue Spirit rose from the ground, all eyes on him. "You must never give into despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road, and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength."

Zuko didn't know that he'd call it lucky he'd remembered the exact words Iroh had spoken to him all those years ago. No, not luck. That line haunted his dreams.

The sun was barely streaming through the windows, the smell of freshly brewed tea completing the serene atmosphere of the morning. Zuko moved through the Jasmine Dragon in a daze, his mind still wrapping itself around the events of last night.

Those people had been prepared to beat him within an inch of his life. He knew that kind of hate, had felt it himself. If the Painted Lady hadn't been there, he probably wouldn't have even gotten the warning they'd allowed.

It wasn't until after he'd used Iroh's words, words that had allowed him to crawl his own way out of the darkness, that they'd at least calmed down a little bit. He wasn't blind to the women who'd clutched their children closer or the men watching his every breath as he followed behind the Painted Lady.

She'd been amazing. She'd used her healing abilities on the sick and elderly, even providing natural salves from her bag for them to use while she was gone. Then she'd moved down the street, mat by mat, family by family, greeting every single one with a smile and a ration of food. No doubt stolen food, and Zuko could figure out from where, but he didn't care. It was technically his empire anyways and they had plenty to spare.

The people loved her. It was obvious from the way they greeted her that she had done this many times before. Children fawned over her, little girls had painted red stripes along their own arms and face to match hers. Some of the young boys blushed whenever she tried to talk to them. Zuko empathized.

It was the children who first became curious of him as the Blue Spirit. A brave little boy had finally approached him and asked him about his mask.

"Hey, mister."

Zuko looked down to see a young boy, about age five, staring up at him with wide green eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked, crouching down so that they were eye to eye.

"Why do you wear a mask?" the boy asked.

Zuko touched a finger to the ceramic covering. "It keeps my face hidden from people who might want to hurt me or my friends."

"My mom says you're a bad guy," the boy said. Zuko had indeed noticed the woman a couple feet away watching them with wary eyes and a frown.

"I was a bad guy," Zuko replied. "But then I met the Painted Lady and she saved me. You know what that's like?"

The little boy broke into a large grin. He had one tooth missing and another just starting to grow back in. "She saved me too!" he gushed. "She helped my mom walk again!"

Zuko held his thumb up since the kid couldn't see his smile. "I'm glad she was able to help you out. I'm just trying to make sure she stays safe. Can you help me?"

"Yeah!" the boy pumped his fist into the air. Next thing he knew, he was surrounded.

Children ages three to ten were all competing for a moment of his attention, asking him questions and pleading with him to show them his swords. It had taken the Painted Lady creating water animals over their heads to distract them long enough for him to get away.

Zuko smiled at the latest customer, passing them their tea before getting started on the jasmine pot Iroh would no doubt want when he arrived.

He was more tired than usual due to being out late and getting up early but it had been worth it. After the time spent in the Village he'd driven the Painted Lady back to Omashu park. Zuko couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of her death grip around his ribs, her body trembling at his back.

"You were amazing," she said once she was finally away from the bike.

Zuko shrugged. "You were the one healing people."

"That's not what I meant." She shook her head. "You changed their minds. You brought them hope."

He thought for a moment. "I know what it's like," he said. "To feel like...everything has been taken from you and the only way to get it back is to fight."

He appreciated that she was patient, waiting for him silently as he worked to find the right words.

"It took someone else having faith in me to get me away from that hatred and help me to realize that the thing I was angriest with was myself." He sighed. "I want to help...if I can."

She lifted her chin enough that he could barely make out the blurred image of a smile though her veil. "We'll make a hero out of you yet, Spirit."

The sound of the phone ringing pulled Zuko from his thoughts. He let out a breath, pulling his friendliest voice from the depths of his exhaustion as he answered the phone: "Hello! You've reached the Jasmine Dragon, my name is Zuko, how can I help you?"

"Nephew!"

"Uncle?" Zuko asked. He checked the clock. It was about 7:30 a.m., Iroh should be arriving any minute for his Saturday morning tea. "Where are you?"

"I must apologize for what is about to happen!" Iroh continued on the other end of the phone sounding out of breath. "I meant to call her after the other night but-"

"Call who?" Zuko asked. "What are you talking about?"

The bell over the door dinged through the cafe drawing Zuko's eyes. But it wasn't another customer...it was Jin.

"Good morning, Zuko," she called with a wave, her smile so bright her eyes seemed to close.

Zuko's grip tightened on the phone. "Uncle."

"Let me speak to her," he said quickly. "Perhaps I can change her mind."

Zuko gave Jin a tight smile. "Right on time," he said, "Uncle is on the phone for you."

"So cute that you call him that," she said, joining him behind the counter. Zuko didn't miss that she made a point to brush her hand against his when she took the phone. It felt similar and yet completely different to the time when he'd held the Painted Lady's hand the night before.

What would Sokka say when he found all this out?

"Hey Iroh!" Jin said into the phone. Zuko tried not to stare as he waited tensely for what would happen.

"Yup! Just me and Zuko!" She turned to wink at him and Zuko thought he might die. The gang had always teased him about gaining too much attention from the ladies but he'd never truly felt it until now.

"Oh."

Judging by her tone he knew Iroh must be coming up with some excuse as to why she needed to leave. He fought the urge to cross his fingers.

"Well..." Jin's eyes caught his but his hopeful expression was misinterpreted. "It's no problem. I'm already here, so we'll just make the most of it. You take the time to rest up."

Monkey feathers... as Aang would say.

"Have a good day!" Jin hung up the phone.

"Something wrong?" Zuko asked.

"Not at all," she said. "Iroh was trying to convince me that he was strong enough to come in, but I told him to use the time to rest up. No use in him extending himself when I'm already here, right?"

She leaned towards him.

"I'm going to wipe down the tables," Zuko blurted. Well, at least it was better than confessing he was a firebender. Quickly grabbing the nearby rag, he tried his best to not run out from behind the counter. If it were possible, the situation got worse.

"There he is!"

Zuko groaned towards the ceiling.

"Well, good morning to you too, Sparky." Suki teased, swinging around to sit at the table he was wiping down. "Where's Iroh, I thought he was your Saturday morning buddy?"

Zuko looked towards Jin who was adding sugar to the Jasmine he had started. "He stuck me with Jin this morning instead."

"Oooooh! Is Jin your mystery girl for tonight?" Suki gushed, trying and failing to subtly check out his coworker behind the counter. Zuko blushed, his nose scrunching in anger.

"What's tonight?"

The heat that had erupted a moment before was gutted with those two words spoken softly from directly behind him. Zuko gulped before he turned to face none other than Katara.

She was dressed casually with her hair down and she was wearing her glasses. Judging by the blanket and small book she clutched in her arms she'd no doubt come to grab a cup of tea before spending the morning reading in the nearby park.

"Zuko has a date," Suki sang over his shoulder.

Sokka was going to have to miss out on his chance to date the perky cop because Zuko was going to murder her. His expression darkened as Katara's fell, or was that his imagination?

Then she smirked at him. "Who'd agree to go on a date with you?"

You, he thought. Then shook his head. Not a date.

"Do you need something?" he grumbled.

Her eyes narrowed on him but it lacked the bite she usually exerted. "Ginseng, please."

"Coming right up," he said, tossing the damp towel over his shoulder. "I just finished brewing a new pot this morning."

Katara joined him at the far end of the counter while he poured her tea into a thermos. "You can use Sokka's," he said, "Just bring it back when you're done."

When he turned back to the front of the shop all three girls were huddled around the cashier side of the counter eyeing each other.

No good could come from this.

"Uhh-" Say something. Anything. Zuko took a step forward.

"So, you're Sokka's sister?" Jin asked, her tone clipped.

Katara straightened. "Yeah."

"That's nice." Jin smiled, then she turned to Zuko. "Is that for her?"

"Uhh..." Zuko's eyes moved between the three of them, unsure how he'd arrived at this moment and wishing desperately for it to end. Katara was glaring at Jin while Suki seemed to be observing her as a possible date. Jin's smile was wide but her eyes were anything but friendly.

"Yeah," he said. "Here you go."

Katara pulled her eyes away from Jin to look at Zuko and she gave him a smile. "Thank you, Zuko," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Y-yeah," he replied, passing her the tea. "See you."

With a wave, she grabbed Suki and headed out.

"You're seeing her tomorrow?" Jin demanded, all pretense of friendliness gone.

"We study together." Zuko shrugged. "She's helping me with some school stuff."

Jin's eyes passed to the door. "She's pretty."

'Pretty' didn't begin to describe Katara, but he couldn't very well admit that to the girl he knew was currently crushing on him. He chose to remain silent.

Jin twirled some hair around her finger, still not looking at him. "Is it true you have a date tonight?"

Zuko sighed. "It's not really a date," he said, "more of an...activity?"

Her lower lip pouted out before she sucked it back in. "That sounds fun."

"I suppose," he said quietly. Now would be a great time for someone to need a cup of tea.

"Would you want to maybe go on a...date?" she asked.

How was this moment still going?

"I don't..."

Her face fell. He wasn't built for this!

"...see why that would be a bad idea."

What was happening?!

Jin was beaming at him and yet he'd never felt worse.

Zuko sighed. "Jin," he began. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that."

Her brow pulled together in confusion. "I don't understand."

"I don't mean to hurt you, really, you're a great girl," he said, "but I'm kind of interested in the girl I'm meeting tonight, even though it may not technically be considered a date."

Several emotions crossed her face as she seemed to work through a decision in her mind. "Well...what are you planning on doing with her tonight?"

"What?" Zuko asked.

"It's important you make a good impression to let her know you're interested," Jin explained.

"You're not...you're not mad?" Zuko clarified.

"No, I'm not mad, Zuko." She smiled at him. "Thank you for telling me."

A weight seemed to lift off of Zuko's chest. "Thank you, Jin."

"Now," she said, settling on the stool nearby. "Tell me about this girl."

Zuko would literally rather do anything else, but at least she wasn't trying to flirt with him anymore. Now he just had to make it through the next three hours without giving away that the girl he was meeting tonight was the same one who had just left.

The hours seemed to tick by at a snail's pace. Katara had never had trouble making the time go by when she was working. More than once she had stayed past her shift to the point where Pakku had to physically escort her to the locker room before she would leave. But tonight, it felt like she'd been walking up and down the halls of the psych ward for a week while the long hand of the clock had only taken a single rotation.

Her mind couldn't get away from the idea that she was meeting with the Blue Spirit tonight. For fifteen minutes on the rooftop during her break she would have him all to herself. Her heart was a rollercoaster of emotions. On the one side, she'd seen what he could become the night before when he'd interacted with the Villagers. In particular, the way he'd entertained the children and played with them in the streets. She smiled at nobody just thinking about it.

On the other hand, he'd also admitted to being interested in someone. His reasonings for coming tonight were to thank her for saving his life. It wasn't like it was a...date.

For some reason her mind jumped to that morning's events. She'd gone to the Jasmine Dragon to get some tea before heading out to the park for a little reading and sunlight. She hadn't expected to run into a girl who was obviously into her classmate, or to find out that Zuko was going on a date tonight.

It had bothered her more than she understood. Suddenly she'd found herself acting territorial, over a boy she was trying her best to hate.

Might as well head up to the roof now, even though she would be a couple minutes early. It wasn't like she was getting any work done. When she finally arrived, she got more than she'd been expecting. First of all, there were twinkle lights crossed between the communication beams sending a soft glow onto the rooftop. Under the lights sat two camping chairs with blankets draped over them, a ring of mismatched candles lining the ledge they were facing towards. It was beautiful.

"Oh, you're early."

Katara looked to the left to see the Blue Spirit walking towards her holding two mugs of something steaming.

"I brought you some tea, I hope you like it."

"Spirit," she whispered, looking back over the scene before her. "What...? This...it's beautiful."

"Thanks." He bent his shoulders in embarrassment. "Someone helped me with the idea."

Katara tried not to get her hopes up, but this seemed a little beyond a 'thank you for saving me' evening activity.

"So...tea?" he drew her attention back to himself and she grabbed the mug he was holding out to her.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"It's my favorite," he said. "Sweet and spicy. Shall we sit?"

She followed him over to the chairs where he picked up the blanket so that she could sit. As soon as she was situated he drew the blanket over her legs before dragging his own chair closer to her side and taking a seat.

"We only have fifteen minutes, right?" he asked, looking out over the city before them. Katara nodded.

"I suppose I should start with my thank you." He chuckled. "Without you, I don't know what shape I'd be in today."

"You're welcome," she said. They sat in silence for a moment, sipping their tea. It wasn't uncomfortable for her, but she figured that was because she felt as though she knew him already. On the other hand, as far as he knew, they'd only spent a single night together. "You've been in the news quite a lot lately," she remarked.

"The Painted Lady is trying to make me into some kind of hero," he sighed.

Katara rocked back and forth in her chair. "You don't want to be?"

"It's not that." He shrugged, his fingers playing with the lip of his mug. "I never really wanted to be a..." He hesitated. "-a...a hero."

She got the sense he'd been about to say something else but decided not to press.

"Not sure you are yet, but we'll keep working on it." She nudged his shoulder with her own and took another sip of tea. "What would you do? If you could do anything, who would you be?"

The Blue Spirit smiled. Well, he did that little tilt of his head that made her think he was smiling behind the mask.

"I think I'd enjoy teaching," he said.

Katara snorted a quick laugh then tried to backtrack, a slight flush on her face. Here he was pouring out his deepest secrets and she was laughing at him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just can't imagine you...teaching. What would you teach?"

"Well, I've been teaching a little bit of hand-to-hand combat lately which has been fun. Though my student gets frustrated pretty easily."

Katara choked and then coughed. That's right, he was teaching her.

"When did you realize you wanted to be a doctor?" he asked.

She took another sip of the spicy tea, her eyes wandering to the moon. "I guess...since I was a little girl I've always liked taking care of people," she said. "Helping people through whatever they're going through, seeing them overcome it." She shivered. "It reminds me that I can overcome things too."

There were a couple more moments of quiet.

"The Painted Lady told me that it's my actions that define who I am," he said. "I've still got a long way to go but now I know people can change. I think you can overcome anything if you have enough help." He turned to look at her. "I really admire what you're doing here."

If she could only see his eyes. His smile. The color of his hair. Anything.

She felt like she was starving, suffocating from the inability to see him. Was she shallow for wanting that? Or was she simply so infatuated with his words and his actions that she thirsted for anything more she could get from him?

He was right there, the two of them unconsciously leaning closer as they spoke. It would be easy to reach out and remove the mask. Who knew, he might even let her.

"The news says you guys have been spending more time together," she said. "They're calling you the nightly spirit duo."

"What's with these names?" he mused. "Painted lady...Blue Spirit...Get creative! I was thinking more like-"

"Flamey-O Ninja?" she suggested.

"What?" The Blue Spirit reeled away from her.

"Sparky Sparky Boom Man?"

"No!"

"The Dancing Dragon? Oh, I've got it." She snapped her fingers. "Mr. McDramaKing."

The Spirit shifted his shoulders in a mocking manner. "Y'know what? Blue Spirit is fine."

She laughed. "I don't know, I think that nickname is actually pretty spot on."

"How could you say that?!"

She smirked, her eyebrows high.

He wagged a finger at her. "Touché, Nurse Katara."

"I know my patients, Mr. McDramaKing." She settled back in her seat and took another sip of tea.

The Blue Spirit shrugged, leaning back in his seat. "The media can say what it wants. It's mostly been on accident but...last night was the fist time we did training together." He seemed to realize something and shot up from his chair, waving his arms frantically. "Its not like that!"

"Like what?" Katara asked, then realized what he'd implied and blushed.

He has someone.

"I didn't think it was like that," she mumbled, looking down at her hands.

"Oh good," the Spirit seemed to sigh with relief before plopping back into his chair. "I don't mind the media but I wouldn't want you to think that there was anything more than...what there is."

"Don't worry, Spirit." She forced a grin. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I know." He was suddenly very close again, his mask inches from her nose. She could smell a faint woodsy scent coming from him that mixed delicately with the burning candles.

"You kept my secret," he continued. "I can't tell you what that means to me."

"Isn't that what the candles are for?" She was amazed she could breathe, let alone get out a sentence, with him talking to her like that.

"Partly," he conceded, retreating into his chair. "My friend who helped me said that a beautiful girl deserved a beautiful scenery."

Katara choked, spitting her tea across the rooftop. Her eyes were streaming, her nose running as she coughed out the last of the tea.

Nice one, Katara.

But the Spirit only laughed gently patting her back. "I'm sorry," he said between chuckles. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

She'd never heard him laugh so outright before. Katara didn't know how much more of this she could take. Thank goodness her break only allowed for fifteen minutes or she might have to be admitted for heart failure.

"You think-" she coughed, facing him with her mess of a face- "I'm beautiful?"

"I will admit you've looked better than this moment," he teased with another laugh, but his hand continued to rub soothing circles into her back when he said, "but yes, you are beautiful."

Katara straightened, rubbing her face with the sleeve of her jacket. He thought she was...

I have someone I'm interested in.

She was an idiot.

Someone should have told him how hard this was going to be. Not talking with her, that was easy. She was so natural and a good listener. Everything she had to say was interesting.

Man...was he whipped?

Zuko shook his head.

No, the hard part was where to keep his hands, what to hold back and what to share. He'd called her beautiful and she'd almost died. Okay...that had been funny, but not quite the dramatic reveal he'd been looking forward to.

He'd learned her favorite color was blue, her favorite flower was moonlace (because it bloomed in darkness), and her favorite food...was a peach smoothie. They'd paused the argument due to time constraints but promised to revisit it later.

She glanced at her watch. "Oh..." she sighed, getting to a stand. "I have to get back, my break is almost over."

"I understand," he replied.

She bit her lip and wavered, swaying gently on the spot. Zuko got the sense she was waiting for him to say something.

"This was..." he searched for the right word. "Nice." Nope. Not that one. "Fun." Making it worse. "I didn't hate it." Just throw in a chuckle and maybe she'll think you're joking. "Heh heh."

She giggled lightly behind a hand.

Nailed it.

"Definitely my favorite break since I've been to this city." She smiled at him and he forgot how to breathe for a moment.

"We could...uh...do this...again?" he suggested, not bothering to hide the hope in his voice. "Maybe? If you want to, that is."

Katara smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd like that."

Zuko beamed before coughing to pull himself back together. "I'm glad you agree, I'd hate to have to stage a near death experience every time I wanted to talk to you."

"I would appreciate it if you could avoid those for the foreseeable future," she agreed with a nod.

They stood awkwardly next to each other for a little bit, it seemed she wanted to leave about as much as he wanted her to go.

Just as he was about to suggest something stupid like coming with her for her shift, Katara leaned forward and placed a swift kiss on the side of his mask.

"Don't ever tell anyone I did that," she giggled, her face bright red. "I'll see you another time."

Turning around, she practically ran inside, looking back only once just before the door closed.

Zuko hadn't been able to settle his grin even as he ascended the final steps to his apartment. Katara wanted to meet with him again. She hadn't frowned even once!

Not only that, she'd kissed his cheek. He'd never been more jealous of an inanimate object.

Turning at the top of the stairs he noticed someone standing in front of his door and froze, the blood draining from his face.

The person turned towards him, all sharp edges and calculating looks.

A smile tugged at her painted red lips. "Hello, brother."