Dancing Beneath Masks

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender...I really wish I did.

A/N: WARNING! This story MAY contain spoilers for the Secrets of the Fire Nation, and possible later on! Read at your own risk!

Summary: A masquerade in Ba Sing Se is being held. Zutara oneshot (based on info from ComiCon 2006 with a little of my own personal twist).

"I'm not wearing a mask, Sugar Queen." Toph sighed impatiently in her formal wear. Each of the kids had been dressed up formally for a ball in Ba Sing Se. It was a masquerade and they slid a mask on. Katara's only covered her eyes, while Sokka's and Aang's covered their entire face. Toph was refusing to wear the mask.

"But, Toph...I'm wearing one and Sokka and Aang are wearing one..." Katara protested.

"Whatever. It's not like I'm planning on actually staying long." Toph crossed her arms.

"Be reasonable..." Katara begged.

"You want to put that mask on me? You're going to have to tie me down and make me go attached to a chair. There is no way I am going to let you do it. Now move out of my way, Sugar Queen." Toph shouted at her and left the room in the palace. The Earth Lord had been kind enough to give each of them a private room, but it was large and they had trouble finding their way around the giant city. Katara heard a knock at there door.

"Hey, Katara! Toph and Sokka and I are ready to go! I can't wait for the party!" Aang cheered and Katara nodded her head.The kids planned to leave a little earlier to find their way back to the mainpart of Ba Sing Se andsee all the sights. Katara looked up and saw a young man, with his arms crossed. He seemed to feel a little out of place. When he looked her way, Katara blushed instantly and looked away, but not before their eyes met. He seemed familiar, but Katara couldn't place him. Especially because he, like almost every other citizen, excluding Toph and a few others, was wearing a mask.They finally made it to the main part of town and a group was playing music.

Uncle had forced Zuko to ask a young dateless girl to the ball that evening. She was pretty and sweet and humble, but she apparently had no concept of being on time. She was already ten minutes late. He was wearing formal wear, which he didn't normally wear, at least not any more. His hair had gotten so long he was able to part it on the side (insert fangirl squeal). Zuko was being forced to wear a stupid mask for the masquerade that he didn't want to wear, but he had no choice in the matter. He was waiting outside her small apartment, when he saw a group of four teenagers, two girls and two boys. Zuko's arms were crossed and when he saw her there eyes met briefly, before she looked away. She was familiar, but he couldn't remember her. He continued watching her, even as she looked away. Until his date arrived and touched his arm. He flinched at her touch, but was kind enough to escort her to the ball.

"Want to dance, Katara?" Aang asked shyly, while blushing. He really liked her, but didn't know how to say it. Katara nodded her head and Aang led her to the outskirts of thedance floor.

"Aang, you're doing fine...but you keep stepping on my feet. Relax and breathe. One step forward, OW!" Katara tried to soothe him. Aang was so nervous having Katara this close to him with his hand on her hip that he kept messing up.

"I am sorry, Katara! Oh my...I didn't mean to! Oh, please forgive me!" Aang dropped his hand and backed away and Katara smiled.

"It's alright. I think that's enough dancing for now..." She smiled and he led her back to the others. Toph smirked.

"It seems you have two left feet on the dance floor, Twinkle Toes. And you weren't much better, Sugar Queen." Toph smiled maliciously.

"I'd like to see you do it!" Katara snapped.

"I would accept, your challenge, except, you don't have a dance partner. And I doubt that your brother would suffice." Toph pointed to Sokka, stuffing his face at the buffet.

"I'll take you up on that offer, if she's willing to dance." The mysterious man from earlier extended his hand towards Katara.

Zuko had danced with the girl a few times, but she was too quiet and was one of the women who preferred to be seen and not heard. Unlike his sister or the pretty girl who traveled with the Avatar. "Pretty girl? Where did that come from!" Zuko mentally shouted and slapped himself. The girl excused herself to go freshen up after a recent dance and he saw the young boy lead the girl from earlier back. He seemed to be an awful dancer. "Maybe I'll recognize her if I get closer to her." He thought to himself. Zuko noticed that the older boy made sure the table they sat at was close to the buffet, so he stood over there and listened in on the conversation. After hearing the rude, smaller girl challenge the older one, he decided he may recognize her if he danced with her. His date was missing, and it wasn't like she would explode at him.

"I'll take you up on that offer, if she's willing to dance." He extended his hand to the oldergirl. She took it and theyounger girl, stood up and dragged the other boy to the center.

"You're on. Loser has to do whatever the winner wants for one day." The small girl smirked at the older girl and waited for the music to start.

Katara felt the young man knew plenty about formal dancing and waited for the music. It was fast paced and he twirled her in his arms swiftly and easily. She somehow knew exactly what dance move he was planning next and kept following his lead. She looked to see Toph and Aang step away from the center, as the crowd had formed a circle around the center and everyone's attention was focused on them. Katara's cheeks turned crimson, but he didn't realize it and kept dancing.She continued following his lead, they twirled faster and faster, her hair coming apart. The music picked up again and with one swift motion, Katara's hair came apart and fell around her shoulders. The music stopped and she found herself leaned back, her arms around his neck. The crowd started applauding.

"Thanks." Katara blushed, while standing back upand quickly moved away.

"Do I know you?" He grabbed her by the wrist and whispered in her ear. It felt similar to the day that Zuko tied her to a tree and tried to make her give Aang up for her mother's necklace. "Why am I thinking about Zuko!" She screamed in her head.

"I think we'd recognize each other if we did." Katara smiled and walked back to the others.

"What was that, Katara?" Sokka demanded, before shoveling more food in his mouth.

"Nothing. A friendly competition between Toph and I. To which, Toph quit, so that means she has to do whatever I want for one day!" Katara answered and crossed her arms.

"You were right. Twinkle Toes isn't very graceful at dancing." Toph sat back down in a chair and started drinking punch. Aang blushed and sat down, quite embarrassed.

"Dooohevenknowoohheis?" Sokka asked with his mouth full.

"What was that?" Katara asked.

"I said, 'do you even know who he is?'" Sokka repeated.

"No." Katara shrugged and poured herself some punch. "But I wish I did." She thought to herself.

His date finally came back, but he was more interested in the girl he had just danced with. Who was she?

"If you don't mind me asking, do you know that girl?" She asked meekly.

"No." He excused himself to get some punch, just as the girl he had danced with sat down. "But I wish I did." He thought to himself.

A/N: The spoiler was that in the second season, there is supposed to be a formal event. It was revealed at the ComiCon 2006. Look on my profile for more info.