A/N-Hi! This is a sequel to my story The Color of Zutara. It's not necessary to read that before this, but it would give you some nice background to understand the beginning of the story.
Please read and review =D
After the encounter with Katara, Zuko was determined to tell her how he felt about her (a/n-he has a crush on Katara, she has a crush on him). He'd been exploring the temple waiting for something to come to him. Then it hit him! He'd try his 3 ways to win a girl!
1. (Uncle's Technique) Make her Some Food!
Zuko had borrowed Sokka's Wang Fire disguise and went to the nearest town. He purchased some arctic bowhead lobster and ocean kumquats. He went to the tea brewery and purchased a bag of jasmine tea leaves.
Zuko slowly walked back to the temple with his purchases under his arm. He hoped Katara would enjoy his meal! Though he didn't really know how to cook, he wondered how hard it could be.
Back at the temple, Zuko had found a pot and filled it with water. He lit a small flame underneath it, waiting for the water to boil. When it finally did, he dumped the lobster and kumquats in.
In a tea kettle, Zuko began the tea. Honestly, how hard could it be? He'd seen Iroh do it multiple times. He dumped the tea leaves in.
A few minutes later, Zuko thought the food was done. The kettle was squealing and the kumquats smelled…water tribey…of that was even a smell. He saw Katara by the fountain.
"Katara! Come here for a second!"
Katara looked up and ran over. "What is it Zuko?"
He poured the kumquats and lobster into a bowl and gave her a cup of tea. "Try my meal!"
Katara hesitantly put the cup to her lips and slurped. She spit it out. That had to be the WORST tea she ever had. She gave him a small smile and tried the kumquats.
That was even worse than the tea. She spit it out and wiped her mouth. "Ugh! That was nasty! Sorry Zuko!" She drank a swig of water from her canteen. "Better luck next time!"
Surely, there would be better luck! He still had two more plans.
2. Serenade and Play music for her!
Zuko (for some reason) had his uncle's Soongi horn with him. Maybe Katara was a fan of music! Zuko unpacked his Soongi horn and brought it out onto the air temple commons where Katara was water bending. Zuko bought the horn to his lips and began to play.
Katara turned her head and ran toward Zuko. He smiled, thinking he had won her over.
"Um…Zuko…can you play elsewhere? I need to concentrate."
"Oh, sure Katara!"
She smiled. "Thanks."
Zuko ran to his room and put the Soongi horn back. He ran back to the common and began singing.
"Winter, Spring, Summer and FALL!
4 seasons. 4 loves!
Winter, Spr-"
He was cut short. Katara marched over.
"Zuko, I need to concentrate!"
Sokka apparently also heard him. "On top of that, you sound like a tone deaf lion-walrus!"
Sokka began laughing hysterically. Zuko rubbed his face. He still had one more plan.
3. Good, old fashioned, wooing…FLOWERS!
Zuko went off toward the area in the temple where you could climb up the cliff. He climbed up the stairs Toph had made and went to the meadow above. He was amazed at the sight. Pink, yellow, blue, purple and red flowers dotted the cliff's edge. Zuko wasn't looking for any old flower. He was looking for the faded ice flower, a rare flower that was a magnificent blue color.
Zuko felt out of place as he picked through the flowers. Sure, he could've gone to the store in town and bought a bouquet, but handpicking them seemed more romantic.
Zuko was nearing the town when he saw it in a field of fire lilies. He dove toward the flower and pulled it out of the ground! He had it! The rare faded ice flower.
Since Zuko was in a good mood, he began picking other flowers too. A crimson fire lily, a faded jade flower (not as rare as a faded ice flower) and a bunch of pink flowers he thought were called Pink Irises. When he believed he had enough, he walked back down the cliff and went to go find her. She was standing by the fountain with Aang and Toph.
"Hey Katara…I was walking and I picked you some flowers…" he said a bit shyly.
Katara smiled. "Aww…thanks Zuko. You didn't have too."
He handed her the bouquet and thought he had won her when…
ACHOO!
ACHOO!
ACHOO!
Katara's face was becoming red and splotchy. "Zuko…what flowers are these?"
Zuko tapped his knuckles together. "Um…fire lilies, faded jade flower, a RARE faded ice flower, some pink irises…"
"PINK IRISES!" Katara coughed. "I'm allergic!"
She threw the flowers on the ground and ran off to her room, leaving the faded ice flower he looked hard for on the ground.
4?
Zuko sat on the edge of the cliff sadly. He was out of plans. He didn't even notice the girl he was trying to impress until she was next to him.
"May I sit?"
He sighed and scooched over. She accepted the spot.
"I know what you've been trying to do all day." Katara smiled.
"And what's that?"
"You were trying to impress me."
Zuko sighed, defeated. "Yeah and it failed. Just like my attempts at everything…"
"Not everything!" Katara exclaimed.
"Yeah, everything…admit it…and hey, didn't you get an allergic reaction to the pink irises?"
"Healing abilities Zuko."
Zuko nodded, feeling like an idiot. "Oh yeah…"
Katara moved a little closer to him. "You know Zuko…you didn't have to do all that to impress me…you already have…"
"How?"
"Well," Katara began. "You never give up. That's something."
"That's ONE thing!"
"You also chose the right path during the day of the invasion! To join us! Even though we didn't accept you at first…"
"But I chose the WRONG path in Ba Sing Se." Zuko muttered, silently cursing Azula and her manipulative ways under his breath.
"But through all those wrongs you gained sight of the right path and your destiny!" Katara exclaimed. "And I know how important your destiny is to you." she teased.
Zuko smiled a little bit.
"But, seriously…you didn't need to do all that stuff in order to 'get' me. You already have me. You have for a while."
She smiled and leaned forward an inch. Zuko leaned forward, closing the space between them, kissing her as he wanted to for a while. This felt so right. That stagnant feel of stupidity from before that clouded around him vanished and was replaced by glee, an emotion he'd feel more often from now on.
(Short Epilogue-Optional Read!-
Katara broke apart from the kiss first.
"Is something wrong?" Zuko asked a touch nervous.
"No, I'm just thinking of some new names for my new boyfriend…" Katara smiled at him.
Zuko smiled back. He felt complete.)
A/N-Wow…a story I wrote I actually like. Zutara is in my top 3 shipping list at a tie for first with Taang. I think I'm better at writing Zutara though.
Sorry for making Zuko a little bit OOC.
Please review! It would make Zuko and Katara happy =)