A/N: I don't really like to put author's notes at the beginning of chapters but i just wanted to say WOW I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. It means so much to me. Thanks to everyone who reviewed/faved/alerted, CAUSE THERE WAS A WHOLE BUNCH OF YOU. A kiss from Zuko for all of you c:

A few weeks seemed like a lifetime to Zuko, and a content one at that.

He and Katara had worked out a schedule that they followed daily, meeting each other here or there, at this or that time, just so they could spend a few glorious seconds together. They stole moments to themselves, around corners, between strangers, behind a veil of cloaked secrecy.

They were invisibly inseparable, tuned into each other's thoughts. They moved like satellites around the other's existence.

Now, there was a ten minute break between classes, giving them exactly seven minutes together to rendezvous in a small courtyard at the back of the school. There sat a lone weathered picnic table, a welcome sight for the two.

Solitude.

Rarely, a stranger would pass through the secluded space, but they thought nothing of the couple. Essentially, they were alone in their own little world.

Six minutes.

Katara laid on top of the picnic table with her head in Zuko's lap, eyes closed to bask in the afternoon sun, smiling faintly. She didn't notice Zuko staring at her relaxed face affectionately, or, if she did, she was used to it. She kept her eyelids shut as Zuko leaned down to place a small kiss on her lips. She only smiled wider, and let out a small, contented sigh.

They sat in silence for another moment before Katara said, "I'm going to tell Suki, Zuko."

Zuko choked on the liquid from the water bottle he had been sipping from, nearly spitting it all over an innocent, onlooking squirrel passing nearby. "I'm sorry- what?" He asked incredulously.

Katara sighed again and sat up, her smile faded away.

Five minutes.

"I'm done keeping you from my best friend." She turned to him. "This might sound weird or creepy but… by not telling her about you, I feel like I'm hiding part of myself-like you're a part of me now, Zuko. I know how that must sound, bu-"

She stopped talking as Zuko cupped her cheek adoringly, smiling crookedly. Leaning closer, he said, "It's not creepy. I know what you mean. I breathe easier when you're next to me. I sleep better knowing I'll see you the next day. My mind is clearer when you hold my hand. Like I'd be less… alive… if I didn't have you." His golden eyes smoldered with intensity.

Katara breathed out the shaky breath she had been unconsciously holding. She stroked her fingers across the arch of his cheekbone, and gave up resisting the temptation of his lips. It was difficult enough when he didn't have that crazed, passionate look in his eyes. Not that she had fought very hard.

Four minutes.

He immediately responded, moving his mouth against hers in the most mind-jumbling way. She felt herself get lost in Zuko.

Three.

His hands tangled into her hair as he brought her closer, closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, her lips parted. Closer.

Two.

One.

Katara pried herself away from Zuko's soft lips, out of breath, smiling wickedly.

"But you have to tell Sokka."

With that she hopped off the table and grabbed her bag, leaving Zuko's arms empty and his heart pounding.

The bell rang as she skipped around the corner laughing, leaving him dumbfounded.

xxxx

Katara's heart broke as she saw Suki's face fall.

"I swear, Suki, I didn't mean to hurt you! It's just that I was afraid to say anything and I was nervous about-"

"How could you have lied to me, Katara? After all this time! You had so many opportunities to tell me!" Suki's face darkened like a storm cloud and her eyes narrowed threateningly.

"What about you and Sokka, then? You didn't tell me at first! I had to catch you in the act," Katara defended.

"That's different, Katara." Suki stuck out her chin defiantly.

"No, it's not! It's the same thing! And I wasn't even angry at you," Katara said with more condescension than she had intended.

Suki's jaw clenched as she glared at Katara. She spoke through gritted teeth. "At least I didn't wait for three weeks! Three weeks!" Her voice turned shrill. "And he was your brother! Do you know how hard that made it to tell you?"

"Yeah, I kind of have an idea, actually!"

"I can't believe you! How can I trust you now? You've been dating Zuko for over three weeks and you never said anything? I thought you were my best friend, Katara."

Tears that had begun to well up in her eyes finally broke free and streamed down her cheeks. "I-I'm s-sorry, Suki. Really. I am your best friend. I didn't mean to..."

Suki was silent, looking off coldly in the distance and ignoring her friend's agony. Katara covered her face with her hands and tried to control the sobs that threatened to wrack her body. Finally, she couldn't take it a moment longer; she reached out to grab Suki's arm. "P-please, Suki...forgive me. I was wrong to hide Zuko from you. I was just scared and stupid. I shouldn't have yelled at you about Sokka."

Suki flinched slightly, but looked at Katara. After a moment, she lowered her head.

"Okay," was all she said.

Katara stopped suddenly and swallowed the sob in her throat. "W...what?"

Suki unfolded her arms and threw them around Katara. "I'm sorry! It's not your fault. I should have realized..."

Katara held onto her tightly as Suki mumbled things into her shoulder, and she felt tears soak into the fabric of her shirt that covered her shoulder.

"It's okay," Katara finally said, after they both had stopped crying. "I'm sorry," she said again, for the hundredth time.

Suki sighed. "I forgive you. I should have realized that an Economics project wasn't nearly as exciting as you two acted like..." She looked up at Katara. "I'm probably just mad that I've missed three weeks of gory details," she finished with a smirk.

Katara laughed. "Oh, you mean like the time my dad nearly walked in on us on my bed and Zuko had to hide in my bathroom? Or that time after school in his car when we..."

xxxx

"You're what?" Sokka shouted as his voice cracked.

The air in Zuko's lungs was forcefully pushed out as a soccer ball smashed squarely into his bare chest with tremendous force. He stumbled back a few steps and bent over, gasping for air.

They were out on the school's soccer field during fourth hour "team sports" class. They had been playing on opposite teams-Sokka's team, shirts, and Zuko's, skins- and had paired up. It had all been friendly until Zuko had blurted out something about Katara.

"I should kill you, Zuko!"

Zuko held up one hand to Sokka as he braced himself on his knee with the other, still trying to suck in a breath of air, his lungs burning. He heard Sokka growl and saw him start to storm towards him across the field. Zuko straightened just in time to duck Sokka's fist from connecting with the side of his head.

"Sokka, stop!"

"I can't believe you're dating Katara! My little sister!"

"Sokka, I can explain, just quit trying to hit me-" he twisted away from another flying fist and tried to create some distance between himself and his maniacal friend. He tried to avoid fighting Sokka back even though he could have easily taken him; Sokka was gangly and uncoordinated where Zuko was packed with long, lean muscle from all the firebending practice he had been forced to endure his entire life. After all, punching Sokka in the face would just be adding insult to injury, right?

"That is against everything... It's not natural!"

At this point, the other guys had come over to break up the sudden fight, prying a kicking and screaming Sokka off of a shocked Zuko.

"Sokka! Stop being an idiot! If she was any other girl-"

Sokka writhed against the hands holding him back. He let out a string of curses directed at Zuko. "It's not any other girl, though! It's my little sister!"

With this, all the boys turned to look at Zuko, eyebrows raised. "What?" he snapped at them collectively.

One in the front shook his head solemnly and said "Dude, that's not right."

"See?" Sokka squeaked hoarsely, struggling against his team members. "Let me go so I can bash his face in!"

Zuko saw the expressions falter on the faces of those holding him back, so he tried to save himself quickly.

"Every girl is always some guy's little sister! It's not like I meant for this to happen! What if I found Suki's brother and told him all about what you've-"

Sokka suddenly went still, eyes widening. "Don't. Do. That."

"See? Every girl." Zuko tried. He shrugged, and then mumbled quietly. "This one just happens to be yours..."

Sokka gave up struggling, the crazed look in his eyes gone. His shoulder sagged, and his head lolled forward in resignation. "Why does it have to be you, though? My best friend and my sister?" He pouted.

Sensing a shift away from a fight, the other men started to walk away, resuming their game and ignoring the friends. He saw a few of them shaking their heads. Zuko slowly approached Sokka's limp figure. He cautiously reached up to put a hand on his friend's shoulder and said, "Are we cool?" He was tense, prepared to make a quick escape or fight back if necessary.

With a tired sigh, Sokka looked up at Zuko sternly.

"Yea, we're cool. Just watch yourself with my baby sister, got it? I'm watching you, now."

Mai felt her heart constrict painfully in her chest as she turned the corner, the breath knocked out of her, like she'd been stabbed with a blade laced with her own personal poison.

Mai hid behind the wall and saw him smile peacefully as she whispered something into the space between them, pressed close with their faces nearly touching. He pushed her back against the wall as he leaned in for a kiss.

That was her kiss.

She covered her mouth with her hand to muffle the repressed sob that left her gasping, her heart breaking into tiny pieces.

She heard them both laugh, saw him cup her cheek with his hand as she squeezed his other hand between her own two hands.

That was her touch.

She dug her sharp, black-polished nails into her palms, the pain doing nothing to quell the storm roiling within her.

Bleed, Agni damnit.

She felt too much. She sunk down to the ground in a helpless slump, feeling the sharp, icy claws of the darkness of her agony consume her.

He was hers.

[One week later]

She felt him before she heard him.

He stepped in close to her back, pressing his weight against her. He lightly lifted the hair off her shoulder, pressing his mouth into the space between her collarbone and her neck. His shaggy hair and steady breathing brushed against her skin, causing goosebumps to form, and his hands fixed on her hipbones. She shivered as she clicked her lock shut, forgetting about her homework.

She turned around in his arms, smiling lightly, and met his waiting lips eagerly. She let herself melt into him for a moment, before pulling back slightly to see his face. His golden eyes shined happily as he said, "Good morning, lovely."

"Morning," she grinned back, craning her neck to look up into his face.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked, sounding a bit unsure himself.

"Yes. That is, if... if you want to..." she stumbled. He surprised her by kissing her again.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, I promise," he whispered. She nodded, trusting him. He grabbed her hand surely, scooping up her backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Here we go, then. Into the lion's den," he smirked at his own joke. Katara's frown deepened.

As they entered the main hallway of the school, they were suddenly swallowed in a sea of people. More and more stopped to stare, freezing mid-sentence to gawk at their entwined hands. Katara grew shy and tried to shrink into Zuko's side. She caught Suki's eye in the crowd; she was smiling, and Sokka looked sick to his stomach beside her. Zuko and Katara had never been in public together before, and she knew it was sure to cause quite a stir, but she hadn't expected this. This... disbelief.

Zuko, though, seemed to be basking in it, savoring every second. He threw his arm around her shoulder, and bent to whisper in her ear. "They just can't believe that I'm the lucky guy that gets to hold your hand, Katara."

She blushed and tried to hold back her smile, instead twisting her mouth. She swallowed. "Yea, something like that," she muttered. Zuko laughed and bent again to kiss her on the cheek.

Show-off, Katara thought, rolling her eyes but relaxing enough to ignore their onlookers and focus on the feel of Zuko's arm around her, their hips bumping as they walked together. Together.

She couldn't help the small smile on her lips.

"I have a question," she asked as she swallowed.

Zuko tore off another bite of his burger, the warm grease filling his mouth delightfully. He had to resist moaning; this place was heavenly. How he had never stopped to eat here before was beyond comprehension now.

"Shoot," he said around a mouthful of meat and bread. He popped a miniature corn muffin into his already too-full mouth and took a sip of his Coke.

Katara took another slow, deliberate bite of her own burger and looked around to see if anyone else happened to be listening. She saw only the warm faces of smiling, happy strangers and the twinkling lights lining the green rafters of the non-functional roof of the Whistle Stop Cafe. The patio was completely open to reveal the starry sky, but the "roof" added a special touch to the place, strings of twinkling white lights lighting up the terrace. It was her favorite place to eat, especially on warm nights when the sky was lined with infinite stars and endless happiness. She sat for another moment, delaying what was to come. She tried to shake off the cold she already felt, despite her warm surroundings.

Finally, she slowly asked, "What's the story with Mai?"

Zuko nearly choked on his food. He grabbed for his drink, trying to remove the lump of food and shock from his throat. Katara patted him on the back until he gasped a breath of air, as she dodged the stares of the cafe's other patrons. "Maybe if you didn't eat like a starving animal..." she mumbled.

After he'd had a chance to regain normal breathing, he saw Katara watching him with one eyebrow lifted, waiting. He looked at her dumbly, trying to hide how uncomfortable he was. It was no use; he knew she wouldn't let it go.

"Don't think that choking gets you out of answering the question, mister."

He sighed, running a hand down his face. He had been hoping to avoid this particular conversation for as long as possible, preferably forever.

"Why does it matter to you?" he asked, a bit gruffly.

"Because she's been staring at me in school like a serial killer?" Zuko snorted. Katara went on, ignoring him. "I figured you had something to do with her. I guess I was right, judging by your reaction. Does she have a crush on you or something?"

"No!" he immediately denied, a bit too quickly. "Well, actually maybe. Probably. I don't know. Agni, I hope not," he winced.

"Zuko..." Katara's tone warned, knowing he was leaving something out.

"Fine! We dated for two years, okay?" he blurted out in a rush. "I thought I loved her but now I know I was wrong. I broke up with her after I realized that, over a year and a half ago. She hasn't gotten over it yet, apparently, so she may or may not have some sort of vendetta planned for you." He rubbed his palm across his scarred cheek. "Knowing Mai, she probably does. She was kind of obsessive." He blinked. "Obsessive and possessive."

Katara's face was unreadable. "So...that's why you went M.I.A. at our house my freshman year! You were with Mai?" She let a laugh slip out and shook her head, taking another big bite out of her burger and enjoying the situation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko defended.

She looked taken aback. "Calm down Zuko, I didn't mean it like that. She always just so... monotone. If you're into the whole 'doom and gloom' thing. I don't know, she just seems-"

"You don't know her like I do, Katara. She's not really like that."

"Then why would she act that way in school?"

Zuko looked at her for a moment, a darkness in his eyes. "We've all got our problems, Katara," he said quietly. "You of all people should understand that, as well as I do."

The dig at her mother stung, causing a wave of pain to spark in her chest. Her eyes turned icy and she pursed her lips in silence as the waiter unknowingly interrupted to refill their drinks.

As she watched him walk away, Katara bent forward and snarled out in a rough whisper. "Well, guess what? I'm not Mai. And you don't sound like you're over her. Why are even with me then, Zuko?" She threw up her hands in an agitated gesture. "It sounds like you'd prefer if she were here rather than me! Am I just another screwed up girl from a broken family that you can 'relate' to?" She made quotation marks with her fingers, her eyes stormy." My problems are my own- I don't walk around moping and trying to make others as miserable as I am, just to feel a little less pitiful. And how dare you bring my mother into this?" She was furious, but during her rant she never rose above a whisper. Her voice remained steady as death and laced with a threat that made Zuko sit back in his chair, as the tears stung her eyes.

When she sat back again, seething and staring him down intensely, he returned her stare for a few seconds, contemplating. His face was serious. It was his turn to lean into her.

"Katara."

She looked away from him, refusing to meet his eyes.

Zuko sighed, before beginning. "I'm glad you're not Mai, and I don't ever want you to leave. That's not what this is about. There's a reason I'm not with Mai anymore, Katara. There's a reason I'm with you." He gave her a leveled look, as Katara sat back away from him and crossed her arms with a dramatic huff, but some of the tension in her frame dissolved. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? It's just- I still consider Mai my friend. I feel like I should defend her. We grew up together, 'cause she's one of Azula's best friends." He shook his head, thinking and letting out a humorless laugh. "I never should have started dating her. I was young and hormonal and... I don't know. It wasn't real, it wasn't like what I feel about you." He glanced over to see a slightly less-angry Katara blushing a light pink under her tan skin. "Now, can we please let this go? You can't be angry if you're blushing," Zuko smirked.

She "hmmphed", and uncrossed her arms, picking up her food again. "Fine. But if you ever leave me for Mai, I swear I'll waterbend your ass so hard, you won't be able to walk straight for years."

Zuko grinned genuinely. "I'll hold you to do that."

Azula flipped on the light switch at the top of the grand staircase, clutching her scarlet robe tightly to her chest. Her eyes were groggy with sleep, but she could see the outline of the figure rapping mercilessly on the glass of the large front door of the Kyato mansion. She drifted down the stairs towards the visitor.

When she reached the door and turned the multiple locks Ozai insisted upon, she saw a drenched Mai, arm upraised in mid-knock and looking like she'd just been attacked by a komodo-dragon. It was pouring rain, and the streetlights outlined her face, stained with the heavy black makeup that had run down her cheeks, whether from tears or the rain, or some combination of both. She was gasping and shivering desperately, drenched clothes dripping onto the bricks of the front patio.

Azula was surprised, to say the least. She formed her face into an agitated expression before addressing her friend. "Mai? What are you doing here? Everyone's asleep-"

"Where's Ty Lee? Is she here?" the girl interrupted, a desperate tone in her voice.

"She's upstairs, sleeping. Wh-?"

Mai pushed past her, making her way towards the stairs. "I need your guys' help."

The cafe mentioned is a real place in my home town, links are on my profile if you want to see the real thing. :)