FANDOM: Avatar The Last Airbender
COUPLE: Katara/Zuko
REQUEST: The Kiss From Chapters 19/20 of 'The Prince's Choice' from Zuko's POV (so, if you haven't read my AU story, this probably won't make sense. However, if you like moonstruck Zuko, stick around anyway!)

How does one fall in love?

Zuko had always thought it would be sudden; like lightning. From all the stories he read, from everything people talked about, from the way that he grew up watching those around him, Zuko always thought that love would just be absent one second and then stifling, breathless, overwhelming the next.

He thought love was about passion and fire. He thought love was hard and rough and almost painful. He could scarcely recall his Uncle and Aunt, so he knew not much of their love, but he believed his parents loved each other, albeit dangerously. Like a summer storm, one that rattled the windows and wailed into the darkness.

Still, if you asked him to count back to that all-consuming moment where it all rushed in, where Zuko realized he loved Katara, he would not have been able to tell you.

It was strange. It was as though one day he enjoyed her as a friend and the next time he thought about it, he loved her. But when he looked back, he realized he'd loved her the day before, and the day before that, and all the days flung out past him like stepping stones to where he was now.

He didn't think he always loved her, but alas, perhaps he did.

Maybe something was fated between them the moment she knocked him off the roof. He remembers that moment brilliantly. He recalls the moon backlighting her hair, the rage inside her eyes, and spirits, how blue they were. She had been examining him so fully that Zuko felt himself being pulled back, bit by bit, by her unflinching gaze.

He could not have predicted the outcome, but Zuko knew at that moment he'd forever be sorry if he sent her home.

He was probably half-way to loving her even back then.

There was one thing that Zuko was absolutely sure of, though- that night at the ball, his heart thumped like a jackrabbit and he felt like whenever he saw Katara in that blue dress, the one that reflected like diamonds on the sea's foaming waves, he felt like his heart was going to leap out of his throat.

He wasn't sure if he was ready to propose, but Agni almighty, Zuko needed to tell her how he felt, or else he thought he may burst.

He'd been contemplating it all night, the right way to tell her, that is. Nothing flashy or showy; no, Katara wouldn't appreciate that like most of the other girls would. He liked to think he was beginning to learn all of the contestant's loves, hopes, and fears but Katara was different. It wasn't as though he was putting in a conscious effort to get to know Katara, she just seemed to transfer to his heart, his mind, his soul effortlessly.

He thought maybe he had a plan.

"Prince Zuko! What a great group of ladies, the choice will be hard, won't it?" A councilman for the Shao region intercepted him. Councilman Reuke, or was it Beuke? Zuko could hardly care about this right now, "So, our-"

"I'm willing to discuss this afterward but right now I would to dance with Princess Katara," Zuko said smoothly as he was able, cutting him off.

HIs voice echoed around the room. Without meaning to, the room had quieted. Everyone's eyes were either on his face or Katara's or switching frantically between the two. Even the musicians faltered for a second, until he saw Lu Ten cough and glance in their direction as they resumed a happy, airy melody.

It seemed like infinite space and none at all as Zuko crossed the ballroom to Katara. She stood, no doubt hearing his intentions, watching him. Waiting, for him. Like she had always been waiting for him.

Just as he wondered if all his life he'd been waiting for her.

"I don't know if this is a good idea. I'm an awful dancer." Katara whispered, biting her lip. Agni, how she drove him wild. If only she knew how that made his blood burn with desire and want to see her do that.

"I know. I was warned by Toph, and Lu Ten, and by Zhi," Zuko chuckled. Toph had commented the last time he'd run into her near the gardens. She'd been nearly breathless with laughter, trying to describe how Katara was dancing. Lu Ten hadn't said an unkind word but had commented at the bar that Katara had stepped on his toes. Zhi had come, greatly distressed, warning Zuko that if he wanted to make good impressions, Katara should not dance publically tonight.

Zuko didn't care. He didn't care that she wasn't much of a housewife or that she didn't know any of the proper ways of living in a castle. He didn't care she preferred pants to dresses or that she hated make-up. He didn't care that she was firey and loud and opinionated and would tell him. Rather, this is all what he loved about her.

"But I'm willing to take those risks," He continued, but saw her hesitant face, "Just let me lead." He saw her eyebrows raise, "If you can manage, Katara," He teased. Her eyes lit up with humor and he knew they'd be alright in this crowded ballroom, the one that Zuko felt as though was only he and Katara at the moment.

He was almost glad that it was so quiet in the room. He was worried if he talked, now that Katara was pulled tight against him, that he'd spill exactly how he'd feel. That he'd ask her to stay forever. That he didn't think he could love anyone like her.

He wondered if she could feel how hard his heart was pounding, how he was sure that love was something deadly in this very moment, because how could he survive this feeling all the time? Yet, it was simply assuaged as soon as Katara looked up at him, a pink tinge to her cheeks as they floated in circles around the room.

"What do you really think of me?" He wondered out loud, but as soon as he'd said it, he was curious, "None of that safe-answer crap," He added, rolling his eyes.

Katara's face pinched for a second as she thought.

Great, he was going to get a 'it's not you, it's me' sort of answer. His heart would break. He'd have to find someone else, though he wondered if this was at all possible.

Katara took a long moment before she spoke, "You are, without a doubt, the best representation of a good person I've ever met. You are going to be the best Fire Lord this country has seen in a very long time. You are kind, and fair, and not at all what I thought you'd be, and being your friend has been so worth it all. You're smart too, and you will make a difference to this world, and I'm glad I get to see part of it. Whoever you marry is going to be so lucky. Wherever I end up, I'll be honored if I get to stay your friend."

He had to bow his head close to her mouth to hear any of her words, his nose nearly at her collar-bone. She spoke so quietly, but without any doubt.

These were words only for him. His fingers tightened around her hands as he replayed those words over and over and over in his brain, restraining himself with great effort to not kiss her right here, right now.

"Wow…" He whispered, choked a little, "You don't have to...no one's…" He wanted to give her an out. If she had never meant to say all of that, he'd forget it. He'd let them continue on, two shisp in a night, friends and nothing more.

"Zuko, it's not a lie. None of it."

Katara, oh, Katara. I love you...I love you…

"Oh." Zuko drew his head up, pressing his forehead to hers for the soft second between the end of her words and the start of his own, "Thank you."

As they broke away, Zuko could not stand it. He caught her eye and touched his top-pin.

Katara reached up as people swarmed between them, touching her necklace with a reverence and a carefulness he wasn't sure he could place right now.

Before he was attacked by a thousand lords and all the contestants wanting this and that, he threw a smile back to her.

She returned one that, dare he say, looked like what he thought destiny may resemble.

XXxxXX

"Zuko...if I'm speaking frankly…"

Zuko couldn't breathe. He couldn't move.

He paced his room for hours after the party, muttering under his breath exactly how he'd tell Katara, what he'd say. He'd perfected it, this entire speech. With all his devotion, all his emotions tightly packed.

Oh, real life was not so easily contained.

He hadn't expected this. Katara, coming forward, being emotional herself. Between the two, Zuko knew that Katara was the more pragmatic one and he was the one more likely to feel emotional. He wondered if he was dreaming.

If this was real? If this was fake.

"My thoughts on the competition may have changed," Katara was still speaking. It had only been seconds, but it felt like eons between it, as his mind whirled and his heart stood still in desperate anticipation of her next words, "For you. Because of you."

Because of him.

Of us.

Of them, and perhaps everything she saw that the could be, that they might be.

Or if she did not see it yet, by the great spirits, Zuko would do everything to peel back everything to show her this.

All his words failed him. All his plans vanished like mist. All his thoughts fell away except for one resounding rhythm, as steady as his heartbeat.

Katara, Katara, Katara…

He knew what to do and for once in his life, Zuko did not do the Princely thing. He did not do the expected, careful thing. He did not think.

He moved with his heart, letting it lead him like the north star.

The first contact of his lips on hers was like nirvana. Zuko kissed her softly and in awe, trying to say everything he felt as though his tongue was failing to articulate.

Perhaps something got lost in translation because with a feeling like someone had just slammed into his face, he was being pushed backward. His hand flew to his nose and he cursed under his breath, staring at Katara. Katara, who was looking at him with a mixture of horror and utter embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry! Oh spirits, oh spirits…"

Thank agni it hadn't been a purposeful attack, although he sort of had to laugh. Somehow, in all his thoughts, Katara attacking him hadn't been part of it. Though, in hindsight, it should have been.

"You're just a danger to my health, aren't you?" Blood oozed through his fingers and his nose smarted like hell. Katara moaned.

"Spirits, I am," She said, hiding behind her hands as though she wanted to curl up and vanish, "You're laughing. I just broke your nose and you're laughing. Let me fix that," She insisted.

Glee wasn't what Zuko was feeling, not exactly. More like that the universe was reminding him of some cosmic joke, he supposed.

He waited as Katara fixed his face. He supposed he completely deserved that, didn't he? This is what happened when he forewent his training about being a good, respectful boy. If his mother ever heard, she may say he deserved a broken nose for assaulting a girl.

And, while Katara's feelings may have changed, that didn't mean he was owed a kiss from her. In all, he felt incredibly embarrassed himself he'd let his feelings so overtake him that his good sense left! Katara was right to look unsure.

And when he told Katara this had been his first kiss, he hadn't meant to make her feel guilty about anything, he just wanted her to know. To know that he didn't give it out lightly, and she was free to internalize it however she wanted.

She just had a right to know.

"Let's just back up," Katara was saying. Zuko blinked at her, "Just pretend those last ten minutes or so never happened."

"Okay?"

Well, that was fair that they just forget this happened. It would be difficult returning to a 'just friends' status, but Zuko wasn't going to deny her. He could hardly deny Katara anything, that much was becoming increasingly obvious.

"And well, let's give you a new memory of your first kiss, shouldn't we?"

Zuko stared at her. Had he truly heard that or is that what he'd wanted to hear and was projecting? Katara, always one step ahead of him and ready to completely pull the rug out from under his feet, never saying what he thought she was about to. If they were in a dance or a chase, Zuko felt like he was always one step behind her. And gods, did Katara leave sparkling gold everywhere she stepped and Zuko was just following like a moon-eyed fool, trailing in her wake like a warm breeze after a typhoon.

She leaned in and a horrible thought occurred to Zuko.

"Time out, I've got to ask. This isn't a pity kiss, is it?" He wheezed, his heart clenched painfully at the thought. "Because if it is, let's just not. I shouldn't have forced the kiss on you and you shouldn't feel the need to fix me. It's fine, really," It would be fine, in time. He'd maybe kiss someone else (not tonight, but eventually), or go and cry in his bed. Or get a little drunk. Or go bother Aang whilst drunk. Or maybe none or all of the above.

"Zuko, it's not a pity kiss."

Katara reached for his fingers. She linked them together; her molten warm-toned skin flush against his bluish pale flesh. Their fingers slotted perfectly. She took a step forward, bringing herself to him, an offer. "I'm kissing you because I want to. I'm kissing you because I've wanted to for weeks now. I'll never tell a soul about the other kiss if you don't."

What was Zuko thinking in that moment? Nothing. He'd completely lost all ability to think or talk or move or do anything. Somewhere in the back of his brain, something kickstarted his lips and only one word hissed out, like air escaping from underwater. He felt like he was drowning. It was a wonderful feeling.

"Okay," Zuko agreed. He unlaced his fingers and he placed both of his hands on her cheeks, keeping her in place.

He gave her a chance to move back, to spare any more unfortunate injuries.

One, two, three...nothing. Just her eyes looking at his in expectation.

He lowered himself and did not hold back.

It was like lightning electrifying through his bones.