At first this was an idea for Taang or Zutara. I went with Zutara because I thought it suited them more.

This is technically not part of the December Drabbles since I already posted for the prompt 'wanting more' but this could be a second submission or just a fruity lil stand alone drabble

Blossom

Rich kid that knows the meaning of flowers trying to relay their feelings, but the receiver doesn't know flower meanings and isn't picking up the hints.

Zuko paid the seller and scribbled his name on the attached note so she'd know the sender. The man thanked him and reassured, "I'll send them out immediately, sir."

The Fire Lord smiled gratefully, "Thank you."

He walked away from the flower stand, mentally crossing off the first flowers on his list. He was going to tell Katara how he felt finally, when he couldn't seem to find the words.

Katara sniffed the yellow pansies happily. She knew they were from Zuko, but there wasn't anything else written on the note, so she imagined he just sent them for no particular reason. That sounds like something he would do. It was sweet.

She carefully arranged the flowers into a vase and set them on the counter. There weren't any flowers at the South Pole, so she was happy to have some to enjoy in the cold climate. She ran her fingers over the wide, soft petals.

Gran Gran shuffled into the kitchen, noticing her granddaughter sighing dopily over the bouquet. Hmm, yellow pansies. 'Thinking of you' was their meaning. She wondered if Katara had gained an admirer. "Who are those flowers from, dear?"

Katara flushed prettily at the question and smiled softly. "Zuko sent them, though I don't know what for."

Ah, the redeemed Fire Lord was sending her granddaughter flowers? Interesting... Did the young man understand meanings of flowers? It was an older art.

"They are lovely. How charming of him." Gran Gran teased. Katara simply rolled her eyes. She was sure she shouldn't look too much into it.

"Back again, my Lord?" The seller smiled.

Zuko nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "I'd like to send some more. Though I can't decide between Hyacinth or apple blossoms."

The shop keeper grinned. "Perhaps a colorful arrangement of camellias would get the point across."

Zuko's face burned red. "That would be too forward."

"Alright, alright. Apple blossoms, with blue hyacinth, and perhaps add some honeysuckle?"

The Firelord watched as the man brought together white apple blossoms 'I prefer you before all', blue hyacinth 'Your loveliness charms me', and yellow honeysuckle 'devoted affection'. The bouquet looked lovely, the colors complimenting each other. It wasn't too much was it?

It was very obviously hinting at his feelings towards the waterbender. The bouquet would no doubt be interpreted as a crush.

He took a deep breath, that was the whole point of this little operation. To get across his feelings.

"Okay. Let's send it."

Katara gasped as she opened her door, an exquisite bouquet presented to her. "Another delivery for you, Master Katara."

"Thank you.." She robotically took the flowers. They were beautiful.

She didn't know what types of flowers they were, but they looked wonderful and smelled fragrantly. She searched for another vase to put them in, as the flowers from before were still alive. They didn't own a lot of vases... It was the South Pole after all.

"Why in the world is he sending me flowers? I'll run out of vases..." Katara muttered.

Once the flowers were situated, she searched for a note only to find his name scribbled and nothing else. Just like last time. Maybe she should write him a letter.

Sokka walked in the door, and narrowed his eyes at the flowers. "Are those from Zuko too?"

"Yes." Katara said challengingly.

He shivered and made a face. "That gives me the oogies. Excuse me while I go throw up."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh whatever, Sokka!"

When the next colorful arrangement of flowers arrived, Katara had nowhere to put them. The first bouquet was just barely starting to wilt, she could throw them away...

But instead she grabbed her coin purse. Time to buy more vases.

Zuko took a deep breath.

"My Lord? Are you ready?" The merchant smiled kindly.

With shaking fingers, Zuko signed his name and handed it to the seller.

"I'm sure she's thrilled, whoever this lucky lady is."

Zuko chuckled awkwardly, "Let's hope so. These flowers might run her off forever."

The older man patted his shoulder. "Honesty is the best way to live. With these flowers, you've said your final piece."

"Yeah..." Zuko let a huge breath go.

It was up to her how this played out.

"Hmm, yet another message from your secret admirer?"

Katara blinked, stopping her rearrangement of the newest bright red bouquet, "Wait, Gran Gran, do these flowers... meansomething?"

Her grandmother laughed, "Oh, dear I thought you'd never ask! Of course they have meanings."

"What does it mean then?!" Katara asked excitedly. Of course Zuko was actually trying to tell her something. He was sweet and awkward and not a man of many words.

Gran Gran shook her finger at her granddaughter. "This poor boy is smitten for you, Katara. Surely you've realized that without knowing the meanings of the flowers?"

Katara flushed, threading her fingers through a lock of her hair. "Well... I thought that maybe he was trying to be romantic..."

"Trying and succeeding, dear!" Gran Gran pointed to the first yellow flowers. "Thinking of you was the beginning. And then the next one this sappy boy sent you: charming and lovely, preference and affection."

Katara felt her face growing red. Kanna continued, "You are inspiring, thank you for understanding me, I will never forget you... He has got it bad, Katara."

The elder woman grinned, running her fingers over cornflowers, pink camellias, and gardenias. "Be gentle with me, I long for you with a secret love."

Katara thought she might have a heart attack. Was that possible at the age of 19?

Her grandmother giggled at her expression. Kanna's hand fell to the last bouquet just delivered. "And this one, oh my. Red tulips and red roses. Simply, I love you."

The young water bender squealed, covering her pink cheeks with her hands. "Gran Gran! What should I do?!"

"Well, you answer him. Do you love him, dear?" Kanna looked at her granddaughter seriously, with no trace of teasing left.

Katara blushed, but smiled softly. "Well... yes. I don't think I could ever love anyone more."

Gran Gran patted her hand, "Then you tell him that dear. With a flower."

Zuko looked up from his desk as a servant knocked on his office door. "Yes, come in."

"Sir, an urgent delivery for you... of flowers." The confused maid laid a bouquet at his desk before exiting.

The Fire Lord stood, running his fingers over the petals in awe. He found a note that simply read Katara.

Red Camellias. He snorted at her humor.

"You know, I had a feeling that as soon as you would receive my answer, you'd immediately drop everything and try to leave."

Zuko spun with a gasp of surprise, a grin already stretching at his cheeks before he saw her. Katara pushed off the column she leaned on, walking towards him slowly as she continued, "But then I thought, out of the two of us, I was the one in a better position to leave at a moment's notice."

"Katara." He breathed.

She grinned at him. "At first, I had no clue why you were sending me so many random flowers. They just kept coming. I had to buy more vases."

Zuko rubbed the back of his head- stupid, he should have sent vases with the bouquets.

"And then, Gran Gran told me that flowers have meanings."

He groaned and covered his face. "You didn't know..."

Katara smiled at him, close enough now that she could pull his hands away from his face. "I didn't, Lord Fancypants."

Zuko pouted at her while she laughed. "I appreciate the gesture. Next time though..." She cradled his face, her thumb tracing the edge of his scar. "Just say I love you."

He rested his hands on the small of her back and pulled her closer, "Well then, if you didn't realize, I love you."

She giggled, "I love you too."

Zuko smiled down at her happily.

Katara teased, "Do I need to find a flower that means 'kiss me'?"

He rolled his eyes at her, but still happily obliged her request.

Yellow Pansies = Thinking of you

Apple Blossoms = I prefer you before all

Blue Hyacinth = Your loveliness charms me

Honeysuckle = Devoted Affection (or Bonds of love)

Angelica = Inspiration

Hydrangea = Gratitude for being understood

Pink Carnation = I will never forget you

Cornflowers = Be gentle with me

Pink Camellias = Longing for you

Gardenias = Secret love

Red Tulips = I declare my love (or Passionate love)

Red Roses = I love you

Red Camellias = You're a flame in my heart