Katara

It was a long day today with Sokka fishing, so when we get back I eat dinner, then fall asleep on Zuko's shoulder during story time that night.

When I wake up, though, it isn't to the Sun-Rise. The full moon is shining through the smoke hole at the top of our house, telling me it's around midnight. Zuko's kneeling over me, shaking my shoulder gently and putting his finger to his lips telling me to be quiet.

"What's going on?" I whisper. He's fully dressed with his coat over his arm. He smiles and leans down to gently kiss my mouth.

"Get up. Get dressed in something you feel good in. I want to take you on a date. We haven't had time yet."

"What do you want to do?" I ask, sitting up.

"Watch you WaterBend under the Full Moon and celestial lights. If I end up kissing you half the night or more after that I wouldn't be upset." He whispers, making my heartbeat pick up.

"Wait for me outside so I can get dressed." I tell him. "Ill be right there. We have to be back by first light though or we'll be in a lot of trouble."

"I won't get you in trouble, Katara. I promise."

"I love you." I say, and he cups my face to gently kiss me again.

"I love you, too." He says as he pulls back, then sneaks outside the hut. I get dressed as quietly as I can. I pull on my favorite outfit. It's a light blue wrap dress with a fur lined collar and bottom, short sleeves, a navy blue torso synch, and a white belt in the middle of that. It's knee length and the sides are split up to my hips. I pull on some leggings and knee high boots under it. It got humid enough yesterday I can bend the temperature so I don't bother bringing my coat. I bend some water over myself to freshen up and bend myself dry, comb my hair but leave it down since I know that's how Zuko likes it best, and sneak outside.

In the moonlight, I see exactly how handsome he looks. He's wearing knee high boots and black pants with long sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a vest coat that's knee length in the back and on the sides but open from the hips down in the front. It's red and has a gold belt around his torso and black fur lining the edges. A Really good looking water Tribe outfit in Fire Nation colors. The perfect blend.

"You're staring." He smiles at me, knocking me out of my thoughts.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm glad you like looking at me. You look particularly amazing right now, by the way."

"So is there anywhere in particular you wanted to go?" I ask.

"I'll let you lead the way. I know you'll know the best place to watch the celestial lights."

"I do." I smile at him, and step closer to steal a quick kiss. "Follow me."

After about a fifteen minute walk, we get to the spot. The lights have already started.

"Wow." Zuko breathes. "I've never seen anything like this."

"It never gets old." I tell him, and we sit down, me settling between his legs leaning my back onto his torso. We watch for a while in silence, Zuko's chin resting on my head and occasionally playing with my hair or making me gasp by kissing my neck, which leads to him kissing my mouth, much to my pleasure. Eventually he pulls back enough to whisper to me.

"Dance with the water. Please." I smile and kiss him again, something I'm getting drunk off of.

"Okay." I tell him and get up. I call water to me, and as he asked, start dancing with it. He smiles and leans back on his elbows as I do, and I smile as I spin and twirl and command the water. When I start to get dizzy I stop and laugh as I steady myself, and Zuko gets up to help me.

"Hope you're happy." I tease him. He smiles so tenderly it warms me up.

"Of course I'm happy. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Katara." He breathes, and my heart rate picks up as he gets down on one knee. I gasp as he pulls something out of his pocket.

"Zuko! Are you-"

"Proposing? Yeah. I've been wanting to for over a year now." He smiles and opens the box he's holding. Inside of it are two beautiful white gold pieces, one a necklace with markings that match my mother's, and a ring that curves like waves. "You can have either or both. Water Tribes do necklaces so I made you one, but I wasn't sure you'd want to give up your mother's. Fire Nation people give rings to their spouses, so I made you one of those too. But none of that really matters. What matters is that Katara, I spent years of my life in Anger and suppressing the light. You've spent your life in the light and suppressing your darkness. And you were the first person, other than Uncle Iroh, to offer me a way out. You're the first person I let touch my scar. The first person I told about losing my mother. You had compassion on me and showed me kindness even when you were a war prisoner. You spent weeks on my ship not just saving me, but bringing me back to full strength when you didn't have to. You forgave me when I betrayed you. You saved my life from lightning again. And this past year has in some ways been the longest of my life because I've been away from you for most of it, and it's flown by with me looking towards the future I want with you. I love you. And I want you by my side the rest of our lives. I've spent the last year fighting for the approval of the Fire Sages, and I spent the last day getting your Tribe's blessing. So all that's left is to ask: Katara, Daughter of Hakoda and Kaya, Princess of the Southern Water Tribe, Will you marry me?"

I freeze for a second, not able to move or take my hands away from my mouth. His soft smile starts to falter and that snaps me out of it, and I throw my arms around him so fast we both fall to the ground, kissing and laughing.

"So that's a yes?" He asks.

"Of course it is! Yes, Zuko!"

"Do you want the ring or the necklace? Or both?" He asks as we sit up. "For now, the ring. But what I think I'm going to do is have Toph bend the gold around my mother's necklace next time we see her since you used the same design. Make it gold plated without damaging it. This way, I can wear both." I tell him. "If that's okay with you, of course."

"That sounds like a great idea." He tells me and kisses me again. I deepen it, and he puts his hands on my hips. I move them up higher so they're over them hem of my pants and he can feel the skin on my torso. He moans, making me want him even more as He lays down on the ice and I tangle my fingers in his hair, gasping as he starts to kiss my neck, wanting more and more.

"Stop." I gasp, hating myself for doing so. We're still only halfway there. One more year. "We need to stop." I get off of him and stand up. "I don't want to, but we really need to stop."

"Uggggh." He groans. As he sits up. "Shit. You're right. Any way you could be a little less tantalizing, Water Princess?" He teases.

"I could start wearing your way too big clothes." I offer.

"Seeing you wear any of my clothes? Yeah, sure, that won't just make me want you more."

"Okay I guess I could steal Sokka's clothes." I joke. "Walk around in those way too big not flattering outfits."

"Okay yeah, that might work." He chuckles. "But you'd still be beautiful. C'mon, lets go back to your house before we get caught sneaking out."

We walk back, me riding on Zuko's back most of the way, the two of us still staring at the moon and stars and Celestial lights. This has already been the best night of my life. I can't wait to tell everyone tomorrow.

But when we get back to the village, instead of everyone in their homes asleep like before, Fires are lit and a huge celebration of some sort is going on. When they see us, everyone cheers, and I realize that since no one thought I would turn Zuko down, they went ahead and did our betrothal party now.

"My beautiful girl." My dad says walking up. He hugs me, and I see Sokka and Zuko embrace in my peripheral. Gran Gran and Paku are looking on from the side with pride in their faces. "Your mother would be so proud of you, Katara." Dad says to me, making my eyes water.

"Thanks, Daddy. I love you." I say and kiss him on the cheek. The second he lets go our friends and family in the tribe swarm us.

The rest of the night is crazy, but wonderful. Many people give us gifts, ask us stories of how we got together, plans for the future, and give us advice for a good marriage. There's music and dancing and Sokka accidentally catches his pants on Fire before I douse him out. Tomorrow the whole village will be exhausted, but I'm filled with love that they all came together to put this on for me. I'll miss them when I leave.

"By the way, I'm going to be traveling back and forth every once in a while, but since my mother has such a good handle on things, I'll be spending more time in the South Pole over the next year than anywhere else." Zuko whispers in my ear when he wraps his arms around me form behind. I spin to face him.

"Really? You're not messing with me?"

"Of course not. The betrothal is a year long, I respect that. But I can't imagine spending another year away from you. So I'll be here as often as I can." He promises, and kisses my forehead. "I love you, Katara. Now come on, the party's wrapping up. Let's get some sleep before the sun's up."

…..