Date

Here they are, sitting on the Ember Island beach, basking in the twilight. Zuko is certain he'd never seen anything so beautiful as Katara, backed by the sea and the setting sun. She is everything. She fills his life with light. Zuko remembers dates with Mai. He was never entranced by her, always retaining his own mind, always thinking.

Katara won't let him think, much. He has to feel, and do. Otherwise, his gestures fall flat, and she accuses him of insincerity. Sometimes he upsets her even when he isn't thinking. But always, he apologizes, and kisses her hand, and she giggles and smiles, and he knows that he is still in her good graces. He hasn't messed up tonight. Yet.

Katara is just happy to be with Zuko. They don't need to talk, really. One of them would just put their foot in their mouth if they tried to talk.

Katara reaches out and puts a hand on Zuko's knee. Shy. He moves around the fire to be closer to her. In the flickering light, Katara can see his scar. He let her try to heal it, once. At the end of the session, she'd been exhausted, and the scar was merely fainter. But it doesn't look so angry anymore. It's a closed scar, white lines on his face, and Katara barely notices it, except as a distinctive feature that adds to his looks. Zuko's the most attractive boy she knows, actually. She will always remember the look on his face when she woke up two days after attempting the healing, to his face, and the words, whispered as she looks at what she's wrought: thank you.

She takes his hand, and smiles at him. Talking with her eyes. Zuko, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know if this is love, but I've never been this happy.

His eyes seem to return her sentiments, her joy-in-the-now, joy in their togetherness.

Zuko is grateful that she's with him. Somehow even with all the anger in the air, with all her good intentions and good reasons, she's with Zuko now. They're taking some time for themselves, away from the group that is fractured because of this. But they can't let it go. None of them are ready to go home, and Aang won't accept Katara dating him out of duty. They've stolen moments like these for weeks, as they've traveled, spreading word and rule of the Avatar's peace as they invite the leaders of the world to the Ember Island Peace Conference, representing each nation each time they stop.

Zuko pulls Katara into his lap, wraps his arms around her, and holds her tightly.

"Katara?"

Zuko has begun to speak. Katara hopes he won't mess it up.

"I love you."

She trembles in his arms, which don't let go, don't let her distance herself from this.

"I love you too." She chokes out.

"When…whenever we stop traveling so much…I'd like to take you. On a real, fancy date."

Katara wants to stop him, but he continues.

"I'd like to be with you forever, you know. But I thought we should start with just the normal things, before we think about forever."

Katara manages to turn around in his arms and kiss him.

"You're perfect," Katara whispers into his shoulder. "I'm so glad you understand." She kisses him again, and this time, they fall down to the sand, arms around each other. Zuko breaks the kiss so that he can gaze into her eyes. She's so beautiful. So beautiful.

Katara's eyes light with an idea and she pulls him up to standing, then draws him toward the sea. Zuko follows, giddy, as they wade in. Then Katara bends the water around them, making a shield of water.

Zuko kisses her, and the water collapses, soaking them both. They are beyond caring. He summons warmth and dries them, and they stand together in the spray, kissing. Then they put out their fire and walk back to the beach house together, in that close, tentative way, knowing that their paradisal moment is fading.

A/N: I'm sorry for the delay...as you all know, (yes, you people, out there. If any of you are still reading this story.) "Real Life" gets in the way, and that's what has happened here. The good news is that the rest of the story should be up in the next week or so. Thanks to those of you who reviewed, who added the story to their Alerts list or Favorites. I'm glad you're enjoying it.