Thank you to all of you who continue to review: (The Prince's Choice) delirijumbaklave, Ana (The Warrior's Gambit) Cherokee69, Guest, Iris Quincy Rosewood, Chevalier Lecteur, Astra Across the Stars, lucel18, storyofanunknownfangirl, Guest, Little Margarita, KnightOwl247, sophiecambellbower, PaolaRavenclaw, Zebra Blu, MadamMoonStone, Samuel adams 17, and delirijumbaklave!

Ana: Teehee...on the A03 version of this story it's typed up as VERY slow burn...but I get your frustrations! But you are also right. when they get together it will be epic. I'm glad you enjoyed my OCs. I feel like usually, the problem with them, is they overwhelm the canon characters. And you will see more Ursa/Katara, no fear, as well as other Royal Fam! By this point, you've probably realized that though, I suppose. Thanks for reviewing!

Guest: I am to never have you expect anything ;)

Guest: Uhm, yeah, that's actually exactly what Aang is feeling. It was brought up in the last book, when they were talking about the myths, about how Katara was surprised she wasn't a waterbender despite having the literal moon inside of her. While I guess it won't be discussed exactly, the idea is that Aang's foryay into the Avatar state during the last chapter of The Prince's Choice 'flipped' it already. But yes, someone could totally use that to their advantage (COUGHOUGH ZHAO) so...tread carefully.

Katara was scribbling away in the gardens when Zuko found her. She was consolidating the knowledge from the morning lesson with Piandao, having found that manually scribing it helped to secure it in her mind. It was hard to write what Sokka was learning in his classes, since a lot of it was doing instead of 'knowing,' but she managed. She had gone up against Sokka once, and he won.

She was happy for him. He needed a good weapon, something other than a boomerang.

Her mind continued to wonder to Zuko. She was contemplating how to get back at him for that stunt at lunch.

Sitting on his lap in the meeting was her original idea, but upon consideration, that had been among friends. It wasn't the same was Katara spitting up her soup in front of the whole Royal Family and her competitors. Plus, she got the feeling that Zuko enjoyed her action. He probably wasn't even all that upset about it.

Katara needed to up her game.

It needed to be something public, but not something she was obviously trying to do. Part of the reason why the dinner thing had worked so well was because no one knew that Zuko was doing it.

It needed to be something that would cause him mild embarrassment, but nothing that would get him in trouble with his father.

It needed to be simple, or else it would just be obvious how much effort she'd put into this.

Why was thinking of anything within these parameters so difficult?

"Princess Katara!"

Zuko's voice was light, despite the formal title. It was tinged with a humor that made Katara's cheeks blush and her heart race at how glad he was to see her, how the smile on his face seemed to brighten the nearer he got to her.

"Prince Zuko, hello." Katara set her quills to the side, standing up to greet him. He lifted her fingers and gave her a soft kiss on the back of her hand. It was hardly the most scandalous thing they had done. They'd been together in ways far more intimate than something as silly as his lips pressing to her warm tanned skin, but the zing of electricity it sent up Katara's back reminded her of their first kiss. There was something very quiet in the motion, something far more personal than one may think. Katara liked it. She liked kissing him more, but it would hardly be proper in a garden so public, so this would have to do.

She wasn't complaining.

He looked around, and she could see his shoulders relax when he realizes they are more or less alone.

"Katara, I," Zuko was still holding her fingers. "I was looking for you."

"And you've found me," Katara purred. "Should I maybe reward you for that?" she asked, blinking up at him innocently, but her lips curling tell a different story.

She had stepped up close to him, enough so she could see his adam's apple bob as his brain worked through her words.

"Kat." His breath hitched, and he seemed ready to pull her against him, into a small alcove or a forgotten meeting room, but he placeed an inch of space between them. "I wanted to talk to you. I have managed to carve out some space in my schedule, so I will be continuing on with dates with the ladies in an effort to...well, to do as you wish me to do."

"Oh." Katara frowned. Her brow knit. She wasn't sure why this seemed to catch her off guard. It was what she told him to do. "I mean, okay? You didn't have to tell me," she assures, because it would be crazy of her to expect him to inform her before every moment with another girl, not when she knows he's still supposed to be choosing one of them.

"I know, I well." He bit his lip. "I thought I should be the one to tell you, unlike the last time. The first girl I'm taking out on another date is Mai."

Katara thought that there were two ways she could take this info. The first, and the one she wanted to do, was to cuss a little and get angry. He was coming to tell her in a motion of good faith, but it didn't mean she liked Mai. Hated her, really.

The second option, the one she knew was better to go with, still took a second to fully form. She paused, making sure she wasn't going to say something that would get her into a fight with Zuko.

"You couldn't take Suki or Alcina out first?" she asked, attempting to put a tinge of humor into her voice.

"I have to take her on a date eventually, or cut her," Zuko pointed out. "And, despite your opinions - the one written all over your face - I actually...well, like her."

Katara was silent. So, Zuko kept talking. This hadn't been her intention, but she didn't mind the next words.

"Of course, it's hard for me to compare her to you, because you're...well, up here, and the rest are way down here." He makes a motion with his hands. "But Katara, we're...we used to be friends. I'm confident that maybe we can be friends again."

Katara pushed herself up on her heels, cutting him off with a quick kiss. "Zuko, it's fine. You can do on dates with whoever you want. And, I guess, I'm glad you told me."

Zuko relaxed. "Okay."

"However…" Katara raised an eyebrow. "I still think Suki is your best choice after me."

"I haven't forgotten," Zuko clipped, and she couldn't tell if he was upset with her interference. "And I will consider it."

Katara wanted to say more, but in the end, she could not think of anything that wouldn't lead to a big blow out. So, she just played with her fingers. She was a little upset Zuko said nothing else either.

"Enjoy your date," she whispered.

"Do you really mean that?" he asked.

Katara held back something between a laugh and a cry. "Don't ask questions you wouldn't like the answer to."

XXxxXX

Zuko attempted to shake off his frustrations with Katara as he walked to his date with Mai. A part of him wished he'd never even told her, since he sort of knew how it would end. Another part was glad he got it out of the way, because his ribs still ached from the fallout of the last time he went on a date with Mai and specifically hadn't told Katara.

He didn't want to admit it to Katara, but a part of him was...well, excited for this date with Mai. He could have put it off until he'd cycled through the girls again, but he and Mai had been friends once. He was very much interested in seeing if they could be friends again.

On his way from stopping at his room to grab something for Mai, Azula slid out of the shadows.

Her eyes flickered to the item in his hand. She snorted.

"Going on a date with our darling Mai?"

"Uh, it's not a secret. Any of my attendants could have told you where I was set to be," Zuko said, trying to slide past her. His hands were itching after his minor quarrel with Katara. Oh, did he ever want to fight Azula. Or maybe just punch her. That is, if he found it honorable to punch girls, which he did not. Was Azula truly a girl, though? Or more of a cryptid? Answer unsure.

"Do you think you'd marry her?" Azula asked, coming into step beside Zuko. Zuko gave a shrug that told Azula nothing.

"Well, if she's still here, you have to like her-"

"Did Mai set you up to this? I thought Father strictly forbade you from interfering or trying to bend the competition in your favor." Zuko gave a shake of his head. "I know she's your friend, but honestly-"

"I think we're far past me 'interfering'," Azula pointed out, laughing. "And no, she doesn't have a clue. This is just for me."

"Oh?"

"Actually," Azula said, patting his arm in a motion that made him jump away from her, just out of practice. "I was going to say that I'm not sure Mai is the right one for you anymore."

"Really." Zuko said, absolutely dumbfounded. "But, as children you were impossible when it came to the two of us. I can't count all of the crazy plans you had for us to 'accidentally' get locked in closets together or 'accidentally' have to sit next to each other at dinner. It drove me mad."

"What can I say," Azula said innocently, "People change."

"Uh-huh. And what has caused this drastic shift?"

"Just...oh, intuition. I was actually going to ask what you think of Ty Lee."

"Ty Lee?"

"You know, as a wife."

Zuko held back a laugh. It ended up sounding more like a choking sound. Azula raised a single, manicured eyebrow at him, but waited for him to catch his breath. How kind of her.

Zuko imagined liking Ty Lee like that. Ignoring the fact that he knew how much Aang, his adopted kin, liked her, it was still almost laughable. Plus, Aang may be a pacifist, but he thought he might whoop Zuko's ass, or punch him, if he tried to corner in on Ty Lee.

But even from the beginning, there had never been much there.

It hadn't been like with all the other girls that he'd had an immediate reaction to. In those first brief interviews, if they hadn't interested him (among other key warning flags) he'd sent them home right away. He couldn't say Ty Lee had, but he'd kept her in from their friendship and history. She was also just so nice and Zuko had wanted a kind soul around the palace. He'd, in the beginning, had the hope that perhaps he could grow to appreciate Ty Lee in a romantic way from her caring personality, but it hadn't happened. Plus, Aang had made pretty clear - as much as he tried not to - that he cared for her more than normal.

At this point, the only reason he wasn't sending Ty Lee home was because she was entangled in the mess of the Avatar and there wasn't a reason to make her leave. She seemed to know - although he admitted he'd never asked her - that her fate did not end with Zuko.

"Do you think I'm stupid, Zula?" Zuko questioned. "All that reverse psychology. Just stay in your lane, huh?" Of course, Azula had to be pulling his leg. Getting him to think that Mai wasn't tangled up in Azula and then pick her. It would probably make Azula gleeful to see Mai on the throne.

"Zuko, truly, I am just looking out for you. Do you not trust me?" Azula gaped dramatically.

"No."

Azula laughed to herself. She patted his cheek.

"Probably wise. Except I'm being honest now, dear little brother."

Zuko didn't think it was worth pointing out he was older than her.

"Mhh. Well, I have a date to get to. Please, make yourself useful and…" Zuko frowned. He couldn't actually think of something useful Azula could do. "And just...scram."

"Ohh," Azula said, but started to slow her pace to let Zuko hurry away. "You're just a master with your words, Zuko."

As soon as she was out of sight, Zuko kicked a wall.

"Dammit, Azula!" he cussed under his breath. He left a little scorch mark on the wall. He felt a little bad about it, but he owned the wall, technically, so…

He shook his head out and told himself he was going to enjoy this date.

But what if Azula was telling the truth, and she knew something he didn't, and she was actually looking out for him?

Azula always lies.

Arg, she'd gotten in his head!

He stopped in an alcove, breathing in hard. He meditated for ten minutes, wiping away his worries. When Uncle had insisted that he learned proper meditation, Zuko had thought him mad. It was proving to be more useful than he'd ever guess of late, however.

He met Mai outside of the tea room, as they'd agreed.

She saw the bouquet of foxgloves in his hand, and for just a second, her eyes softened.

She offered up a quirk of a smile as she accepted them, her fingers rubbing over the petals.

"You remembered," she said.

"Considering when we were ten and I gave you roses and you set them on fire in front of me, I'd be crazy not to."

For all the fronts Mai put up, Zuko knew that - on rare occasions - Mai liked feeling girly and loved just as much as anyone else. It was probably the only romantic gesture he'd manage the whole date, but he was glad this one made her so pleased.

"You're late," she said, her face turning back to a frown. She punched his arm. Not lightly, either. When she punched, it was painful.

"Azula ran into me. Or, came looking for me. I don't know." He decided to test the waters. See if she'd react at all to Azula, if there was truly something that Azula could use to kick her from the competition. Instead, her face stayed impassive. Mai was nothing if not a good warrior. Of course she'd stay impassive.

"Oh? What did she want."

"Nothing important," Zuko said, telling himself Azula was just trying to get under his skin.

"So, where are we going?" Mai asked, walking respectfully next to Zuko. Close enough to indicate they were going somewhere together, but not touching him or his arm, like a good proper highborn lady. Zuko placed her hand on his arm; it was tradition for him to make the first move. She allowed it to stay there, but he could feel her relax just an inch as she moved close enough so her robes brushed his.

"I would say it was going to be a surprise-"

"But I hate surprises," Mai said, her voice devoid of any emotion. Sill, her eyes had a quiet glimmer to them.

"Exactly." Zuko rubbed his fingers over his remaining eyebrow, wincing even though the event they were both thinking about was six years ago and his eyebrow had grown back just fine. Mai noticed and tilted her head.

Zuko found himself wishing for more emotion. It was hard not to compare her to Katara, when all Katara often was was overpowering emotion. Even if she tried to quell it, often it still seeped through. If one didn't know Mai better, they'd think she was bored with the entire world. Well, she was a lot, but Zuko knew that she enjoyed certain things. She'd once even laughed with him.

This date was important in a lot of ways. Zuko was getting to the point where he needed to really examine all the girls carefully. If there wasn't any hint that they could return to the friendship they had as children, Zuko was sorry to say, but he'd have to let Mai go. He wasn't going to marry a girl he would feel estranged from.

"So?" Mai quirked an eyebrow.

"Shooting range on the first level of the city. I heard you've been practicing archery."

Mai tilted her head. "I've mastered throwing knives. I figured it was time for me to expand my skill set."

"Very logical," Zuko nodded. He helped her into the palanquin. It was maybe a twenty minute walk away. If he were with Katara, she'd insist they walk, to the horror of the guards. He didn't have to ask Mai. He knew she'd prefer to be carried.

"Is this acceptable?" Zuko asked.

Now that they were inside, alone, Mai sat right next to him instead of across the way. She nodded, letting herself grin a bit.

"Very much so."

Zuko let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

It was difficult, he wasn't going to lie. There was a lot of Mai to chip away, the Mai that had been raised to be dutifully married off to a highborn Lord, the Mai that her parents had molded her to be. Many Lords may find that more than agreeable. Zuko didn't want that. He wanted a friend in his wife.

He didn't want to overwhelm her, because he knew it was hard to shake the teachings that had been pounded into someone their whole life, but Zuko kept at it with small jokes and soft nudges to her arm, hoping he'd get her to reciprocate.

It was near the middle of their date, after Zuko managed to get a bullseye after a couple of very horrendously aimed arrows, that Mai actually giggled.

"There's hope for you yet," I'd say," she said, arming up again. Zuko had ensured that the range was empty except for them and the waitress bringing them fresh tea.

"Do I hear a joke?" Zuko asked, going over to the sheet and wrenching his arrows from it.

Mai gave a casual shrug, but he could see her usually porcelain cheeks reddening.

"A small jest," she said quickly. She knocked her arrow, but didn't raise it. She tried to, but then looked back at Zuko.

"Stop looking at me like that," she complained, but Zuko wondered if she was enjoying his quiet smile.

Zuko raised his hands in a 'not me' sort of way and purposely looked the other way. He watched her raise the bow out of the corner of her eye, but then she put it down.

"Do you remember," she started slowly, her words never raising above the soft lilt she had used her entire life. "When we were kids and Azula got in trouble for attacking that guard that 'looked at her weird'?"

"Agni, how can I forget?" Zuko barked out a laugh. It had been the first time that Azula had bled as a woman, and she hadn't quite figured out how to control her emotions. "My dad blamed me for it somehow, as though I was supposed to jump in between Azula and the guard and stop Azula. As though someone could stop Azula." He scratched his head. "It would be a bad memory, had you not intervened."

"It wasn't fair," Mai said. "Plus, I don't think your father truly knew what he was getting into."

"You told him that your cycles were synced and you were tempted to give your attendant an unexpected haircut at lunch," Zuko recalled. "My dad had no idea how to handle that admission, nor you talking so plainly about 'woman things'."

"Well, I had to do something," Mai said, and he saw a wide grin slip onto her face. "But, we both know that guard was completely looking at Azula weird."

"Well of course he was! Azula was burning all of her food to ash and then eating it. It wasn't normal," Zuko said.

"I got in so much trouble for that," Mai recalled. "My dad was furious. 'Mai,'" Mai mimicked in a low voice, "'It is unladylike to talk about your monthlies, in front of the Fire Lord, no less! I am completely horrified.'" Mai shrugged. "But, of course he said it with a completely straight face, and followed it up with saying, 'Can't you see how upset I am.'"

Zuko laughed so hard he snorted. This caused Mai to dissolve into laughter herself, forgetting everything for a second.

"Man, it's good to see you laugh," Zuko said, wiping his eyes.

Mai clammed up. Zuko tried not to wince.

She patted her cheeks, inhaling. Then, silently, she raised the bow and hit the target with scary accuracy.

As she returned from grabbing the arrow, Zuko sighed.

"Mai, you're enjoying this date, right?"

Mai frowned, looking upset. "Well, of course I am. Is that not obvious?"

Zuko considered what would be the worst option; lying or telling the truth. He was the Heir Apparent, he decided. Truth it was.

"Honestly? No. You're so hard to read these days. I hardly know if you even want to be in the competition or if it's your parents who want this."

Mai's frown deepened. At least she wasn't throwing knives at him yet, which maybe meant he hadn't horrendously screwed up.

"I want to be here, Zuko," she said slowly, as though he was a child, like it should be so clear. "Very much so."

"Oh."

"I...I hadn't not realized...it's…" She struggled against all of her professional teachings. "I would think it would be unbecoming of me to show my emotions so clearly. Crass."

"When have I ever cared about that?" Zuko asked, tilting his head. Mai seemed to be considering his words carefully, digesting them. Zuko had no idea what her next response would be. Instead of all the things he'd predicted, it was a soft string of four words.

"No, I suppose not."

XXxxXX

Katara didn't want to think about what his date with Mai was like. Was Mai tenderly holding his hand? Was she staring longingly into his eyes, while he stared back? Were they kissing?

Okay, all of those things seemed extremely unlikely to Katara, but she couldn't help thinking of them. Even imagining Mai doing normal Mai things with Zuko, like practicing her aim with her shierkins or painting happy things black grated at her mind, leaving Katara unable to do anything other than obsess over this damned date. Maybe it would have been better to just find out later, instead of him telling her beforehand.

She found herself aimlessly wandering around the castle, hoping to stumble upon something worth the effort or for an event to take her mind off things. She considered finding Sokka and challenging him to spar with some of the weapons, but she knew she was very distracted. It would be dangerous to be around sharp pointy things with her mind halfway somewhere else.

"Katara, hey!"

Katara blinked as Suki jumped in front of her path, wearing a casual dress.

"I was calling your name for like the past five minutes," she teased. "You were somewhere else entirely."

"I guess." Katara winced. "What are you up to? Practicing for the fights?"

As she'd walked around the palace, she'd run across a large number of girls practicing different fighting methods, reminding Katara of the steadily approaching date in front of them. Katara was nervous about that, but less so than most of the girls. A lot of these Palace ladies had never done anything violent in their lives.

"Oh, ha, no," Suki shrugged. "I mean, I'm concerned, but I'm also confident," she said. "Kyoshi prepared me for something like this."

"They prepared you for the day you'd have to fight one of your possible future in-laws?" Katara asked, a sly smirk creeping onto her face.

"Not that exactly, but for something like an Agni Kai," Suki said. She steered Katara off the path to a blanket where it seemed she'd just been enjoying the sun. There was an open ink pot and some parchment rolled, telling Katara she'd been writing home. "But to be honest, I don't know if even fighting in this will help me win this."

"Oh, you mean, Zuko." Katara said. It was easy to forget with her friends, such as Yue or Suki or Alcina, that they were all here to win Zuko's heart too. What once had been a commonality between the girls just left a bitter taste in her mouth. She doubted they'd step aside to allow Katara to win, as kind as they were, if the Prince proposed to them.

Maybe that's why she'd become so close with Toph of late. She knew that Toph had zero interest in Zuko at all.

Still, she didn't want any awkwardness between her and Suki. She genuinely liked the warrior.

"I told Zuko to marry you."

She wasn't sure where the words came from. Maybe, had she not been so distracted, she would have thought it through before blurting them. Or, maybe not.

Either way, the words tumbled out in a rush in some attempt to make sure that there wasn't any weirdness in their friendship. She wasn't sure it achieved that effect.

Suki snapped her head up, eyes widening.

"You...oh…"

At first, she just seemed shocked. Then, her whole face creased, like a parchment in someone's fist, as she just stared at Katara.

"I have been, since he proposed to me. I told him that I think out of everyone, you'd make a good Fire Lady. Fair, nice, kind...I know you'd treat him right. He deserves someone who really will. Not someone who just wants the throne. I don't think you do. I think you like him for who he is. He's so much more than just a title, and I think that at the end of the day, you could be the person he's real with. Ground him too. He can fly off the handle a little, needs someone earthy," Katara continued. "But, I'm sure you've thought of all this about yourself too."

"Well, I suppose, yes." Suki was still looking at her with a face that told Katara maybe she'd said the wrong thing.

"I didn't mean to overstep. Tui, I just...I wanted you to know that while we're both in a competition I don't want any of that cattiness. That, in truth, I'm gunning for you."

"I'm touched. Honestly." Suki seemed finally able to shake her head of that look. "I...thank you."

"I don't know if he'll listen," Katara whispers.

"He seems to listen to you a lot," Suki considers.

"Not about this. He'd only choose a wife he really likes."

Katara can see now why it might have been ill-advised to say something. She wouldn't want Suki to think she's been picked as a second choice, just Zuko listening to Katara.

"Katara, it's clear you care about him." Suki laughs a little. It seems a little forced. "The way you talk about him…" She shakes her head. "Can I...be frank?"

"I guess, since I was just maybe a little too honest with you, it's only fair."

"Zuko proposed to you. You denied it. He's head over heels for you, you're in really deep…" She seemed to be considering her next words very carefully. "You have to be prepared to lose him."

"I am!" Katara argued, "I told him to marry you!"

"You're not," Suki said sharply. "And I get it. Feelings don't just vanish. But I know that he's currently on a date right now with Mai, and I'd bet my place in this competition that's what's got your head so far away. You can't not think about it. Is this how you're going to spend the rest of your life if he really does marry me?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Katara scoffed, a little angry with her.

"Is it really, though?" Suki muses out loud. "You don't get to play with his feelings-"

"Hey!" Katara stood in a huff.

"That was maybe a little harsh, but damn it, Katara!" Suki grabbed her arm, forcing her to stay put. "You declined his proposal and you're still here. You think that any of the rest of us could get away with that? For as much as you're telling him one thing, your actions are saying another."

Suki's grip loosened and she sighed, tilting her head and looking at Katara. Katara bit her lip, trying not to get over-emotional about this. Somewhere, she knew Suki was right.

"Maybe," Suki whispered, "The best thing to do for him and his chance at truly loving someone else is to leave?"

Katara wanted to hate Suki. She wanted to shove her, fight her, make her recant all those words. But she couldn't. Not when Suki said it so delicately, not when she looked so pained to say it herself. Not when, deep down, they were the same thoughts that had been swirling around in her own mind.

"I'll think about it." It seemed like too little to say, but in reality, Katara would. She also needed to be alone. Suki's eyes searched hers before the girl gave a sharp nod.

Once her arm was free, Katara fled.

She found a space inside, near a closet of some sort, and she pressed herself against the wall, breathing hard. She didn't feel like crying, but something in her chest was constricting.

She wanted Zuko so badly. She didn't think it was possible for her to cut him away, not when he still wanted her here.

But a part of Suki had been right. She wasn't sure he'd ever be able to look past her to other girls when she was still around. A part of her hoped he wouldn't, that spiteful part of her that had gotten her in trouble so many times in the past.

But Katara was selfish. She wasn't sure she could take herself out of this game quite yet. Not until something else forced her out. If not Zuko, then Ozai, or losing the Agni Kai, or something she couldn't yet guess. At that point, she'd go. She'd go without a fight, she promised. She would leave so Zuko could move on, and maybe she too. She'd return home and rule her land and maybe cross paths with him once in a blue moon.

She felt better, even with this 'plan' that, in reality, was not a plan and was pretty vague.

Still, it felt like there was more of a moment she was hurtling toward when her time here would be done.

So, she had a choice.

She had - at the very least - maybe a couple more weeks here. If she somehow won her Agni Kai, maybe a couple months at best. In that time, she could go about her way two options.

One: she could pull back, restrict her interactions with Zuko. So that, by the time she left, he'd hardly notice her presence gone.

Two: she could be greedy of every part of him, soaking in the last time she'd ever get with him.

Would that be cruel, she wondered, to spend every moment with him, enjoy kissing him and dressing up as the Spirits with him, only to leave abruptly?

But, she argued, if she wasn't enjoying her time with Zuko now, why was she even still here? If she went with plan one, what was the point? Wouldn't it just be better to leave tomorrow if she intended to hardly speak with him above the minimum and not touch him?

Katara dropped her head into her hands and groaned. Things would be so much easier if he hadn't proposed and they could have just carried on without that milestone being...jumped over. If she was still just a constant, her presence wouldn't be such a difficulty.

She laughed, and considered that she might be going batty, and then laughed a little more.

She might be the only girl in this history of The Choice to be upset over a proposal from the Prince.

XXxxXX

"Did you kiss Mai?"

Zuko pulled back, frowning.

"In the middle of our make-out session, you're seriously wondering about me kissing someone else?"

Yes, when he put it like that, it did seem a little ridiculous.

Katara gave an uneasy chuckle, her fingers curling in the hair at the nape of his neck.

They were currently in one of the still-rubbled rooms from the attack, a room that had yet to be fixed and repaired, other than clearing out the debris. It had been Zuko's idea, or maybe Katara's, maybe both. Either way, it was a spot where they were unlikely to be interrupted.

If Katara was a better person, she'd encourage Zuko away from meeting her in secret shadowy spots, but in truth, maybe she wasn't.

And, she reminded herself, she might be a bad person in general, since she'd clearly been unable to enact option one for more than ten seconds after Zuko asked to meet up with her in the night, placing her in option two.

And, oh, was Katara enjoying him…

"Call me crazy, but I just have to know," she shrugged.

"I think you're a little jealous," Zuko whispered, nipping at her neck, his tongue flicking out to lick over the area his teeth had grazed. "And I guess I'm equally as crazy, because I'm liking it far more than I should."

"Zuk-oh!" Katara's tone pitched as he found one of her sensitive spots, biting it a little bit harder than before. She quivered, hands grasping at the stiff material of his robes, nails ranking on his shoulders.

"No, I didn't," Zuko breathed, panting. "And to be honest, my date with Mai isn't what I want to be talking about."

Katara just managed a hum, cut off as his lips dragged upwards, back to her own. She was sort of sitting in his lap right now, facing him, as he sat on a nearly un-destroyed couch. There were a couple scorch marks on it, but other than that, it was in good condition, enough for a pair of lovers to utilize for the hour they had.

Katara lifted her hands to his hair again, scratching his scalp as she tried to press herself closer to him, desperately. She was wearing one of her under-clothes sets and he still had on his day's outfit, and Katara wanted to reduce the number of clothes they were wearing to zero.

In a flash of a moment in which her hands were not connected to her brain at all, it seemed, her fingers began to fumble for the clasps of his ornately embroidered jacket. Zuko's response was to gasp a bit, and trail his hands down to the area right above her lower back, pressing his palms against her. It caused her to rock forward a bit, sending a shiver up both of their spines.

"What would you rather be talking about?" Katara asked, tearing her lips away to focus on the tiny and difficult sewn buttons. She managed to get them. Zuko seemed all too pleased to shrug off his jacket. He was still so warm underneath, but it was one step closer to his bare skin against her own.

"I don't really want to talk at all," Zuko admitted, his left hand tracing at the laces on her back, the ones that were really the only thing keeping her dress on her at the moment. She wondered if he was gathering the courage to yank it, but one look into his gold eyes told her he was more or less teasing her.

In the end, his fingers strayed back to her front. She wondered if it was truly because he liked to watch her squirm, or if he hadn't been ready for that yet. She certainly knew that from the pair of them, she was the more sexually advanced. Even if he was a boy, he could still be unsure about certain steps. Katara would never want to rush him. She enjoyed this just as much.

Zuko seemed to enjoy it as well; she knew how she affected him. She wanted him to be the one pushing the boundaries, though. She'd let him take the pace.

She'd pretty much agree to whatever he wanted to do, however far he wanted to go.

"Let me…" Zuko mumbled, and before he could finish his thought, he was flipping them so that she was now laying on the couch. He hovered above her for just a second before diving back in for more contact, his mouth frantically seeking hers, his hands gripping her waist. Katara wrapped her legs around his, sighing in bliss as she felt his hips thrust forward just a little bit, enough to give the ache she was feeling a momentary respite.

"Oh, gods," she whispered.

Zuko's nose nudged her jawline, when he exhaled, steam left perspiration on her skin.

"Mhh?"

"I just...I lo-"

Katara paused. She started, so suddenly that Zuko sat up off of her.

It had been like her lips hadn't been connected to her, either. It seemed, in general, when she was around Zuko, her body parts seemed to work without consulting her. She hadn't even known what she was about to say.

That's a lie. She did sort of know, even if she wasn't sure where the declaration was coming from.

"Katara." Zuko pulled her up to him.

"I...whew, can we go back to kissing?" Katara asked weakly.

His fingers laced with hers.

"Please finish that sentence. Please."

He was flat out begging. The desire and want in his voice overwhelmed her. Not the sexy type, but the desire for her, as Katara, and her emotions to be voiced. She hadn't ever considered until now the weight of any word, but this tiny four-letter one had Zuko completely unraveled, even if it was half-said.

Katara dragged her legs underneath her, clasping her palms over her lips.

"It's not fair to you," Katara argued weakly. This, though, wasn't fair. This whole situation. Nothing was. She didn't need to make it worse.

"I don't care," Zuko said heatedly. "Katara, please."

"You know this will end." Katara motioned between them. "It would be easier if we didn't."

Zuko was silent, his gaze fixated on her with such pain that it nearly caused Katara to say it, just to see his face brighten.

"Why," she asked in a low, quiet voice, "does it matter so much? Do you really want to hear it, even if it will just hurt you?"

"It matters," Zuko replied softly. "I would rather hear it said once, and know that I did hear it, than let you go without ever hearing it at all."

Katara's heart hammered.

"And, look, I'll...the last time, it all came out and we brushed it away, but I think we both knew. I love you Katara. Please, please, can you say it back to me?"

Somehow, Katara felt her emotions overwhelm her.

Maybe it was hearing him say those words so easily, when she was stumbling over them herself, that made her brain jump to an imagined scenario where they were married years down the line. She imagined he'd say that to her as they woke up in the morning, snuggling closer to her, and she'd be able to say it back as easy as breathing.

She didn't mean to cry. Agni, she hated crying, but this entire scenario was really frying her wits.

Zuko's eyes immediately widened in panic.

"Hey, hey!" He shushed and patted her arm gently. Seeing Katara cry must terrify him, she figured, since she was usually such a strong figure. "Look, I didn't mean to…pressure you...damn it. Look, you don't have to say it. You never have to say it, if you don't want to. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

He was so concerned, Katara couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Oh, Zuko," she breathed out, wiping her cheeks. "I'm not ready, but that's not why I was crying," she assured, and was relieved to see his shoulders sag.

"Then, what?"

"I was just...imagining this...us," Katara whispered. She didn't say the truth. The truth being that she didn't want to leave him. But it wasn't just him. She didn't want to leave her friends, or Aiga, or Aang, or the people of the town, or her Painted Lady costume. The world had become so much more full since arriving here. "And how hard it will be to leave." She decided this was the softer way to phrase it.

"It grows on you, I guess." Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. "Despite annoying sisters and scary fathers. But, the palace is pretty. It has its perks."

"It's not even that, it's you," Katara said, feeling like Zuko deserved something. "I think, had we met differently, I still would be drawn to you. If we were two peasants or if I were an actual heiress and you were the commoner or any other worldly incarnation."

"We do work well together," Zuko said, and as his fingers led a trail up her arm, she considered how electrifying he always felt to her. "We make a good team."

"Us," Katara rephrased, "We make a good us."

That was the crux of it, wasn't it? Take away everything and she wanted Zuko, the person. Not the Fire Nation, not the politics, not the competition or the money. Just him. If there was any way this world could be reversed or she did not have to choose between her people and Zuko, she'd pick him. Without question.

"I think the hour is up," Zuko said, sighing. "I...thank you, Katara."

"I didn't say it," Katara said, frowning. Or, she hadn't said what he so wanted to hear.

Zuko re-buttoned his jacket. He gave a little shrug. "You said other things that mattered. So, maybe, you didn't have to."

Hope you all enjoyed that last scene ;) And anyone have a guess what Azula is up to? Do you think she's being honest? If so, why?

So, in the date scene, as much as I disliked Mai in the series, I figured I give her a fighting chance in this one. Well, not a fighting chance WITH ZUKO, but to be liked. She's, at least, an interesting character to write!

I might be able to start updating once a week once summer hits and I have less on my plate. MIGHT. No promises. Though, if you want this to happen, show me some love!

People who get drabbles this week is Lucel18!

I'm totally editing and posting this chapter to 'Spirit: Stallion of the Cimerron'. Who else remembers that? Ah, memories...

Anyway, for those of you who celebrate it, happy Easter! Next chapter our girls go to the first location. Anyone have a guess where?