Avatar; The Royal Firebender.

A Day Under The Sun

Katara furrows her brow as she holds up two dresses to her chest, gazing at her reflection in the standing mirror. The first is a simple green and gold kimono, similar in style to the one Jin wears but the colors are reversed. Honey-gold silk clings softly to the form, accented by deep green trim at the sleeves and waist. Elegant. Modest. Safe. The second is far more striking: a deep purple Earth Kingdom gown, its fabric threaded with blue undertones and embroidered with white lilies curling along the hem. The chest of the dress is cut by a horizonal window, the edges are lined with the curling lilies that would magnetize the eyes toward it. It's seductive, beautiful. Regal, even. The kind of thing royalty might wear to a garden festival. And that's the problem. Purple silk is the most expensive textile on the continent; only nobles and diplomats wear it. This isn't a coronation. It's an afternoon walk. With a friend. "This isn't a date. It's just a walk through the city with your best friend... isn't it?" The voice in the back of her head echoes, and the slight twang of anxiety subtly boiling in her chest is giving her an answer she didn't know she wanted. A sudden knock at the door nearly makes her scream; she jolts upright, dresses flying into the air from the knee-jerk reaction as she clutches her chest in surprise.

"Knock, Knock." Yue says as she opens the door, Katara stands in the center of the room staring at her in a mix of terror and embarrassment. "Hope I didn't startle you, but I just had to see what you were going to wear on your date today." Katara's face explodes in pink blush again, she stomps her foot on the ground, throws her arms downwards and shouts back at her sister-in-law.

"I told you it's not a date!" She declares, slamming her foot on the ground so hard that Yue thinks that she's about to earthbend.

Yue raises one perfectly plucked eyebrow, completely unfazed. "Right. And I'm just here for fashion just after sunrise with a hairbrush, makeup kit, and the emotional support of your entire romantic subplot." Her voice drips with so much sarcasm that Sokka, who's not even in the room, roars with laughter.

"Attagirl Babe! That was the best one yet!" Katara growls under her breath and stalks over to collect the two dresses of the floor, the entire time she gives Yue the hardest stink-eye she can manage.

"How about we pretend this isn't a date and just help you pick the perfect outfit for it anyway?" Jin pokes her head in through the doorway, a wicked grin spreading across her face at the sight of Katara's embarrassment. "Sounds like a plan?"

"You two aren't going to leave even if I say no, so... ugh whatever." Katara rolls her eyes, she takes a deep breath before holding up the two dresses again. "I was thinking the blue one might be a bit much. The purple silk is way too flashy for just a little outin-"

"It's perfect!" Yue exclaims, causing Katara to blink at the statement as her brain short circuits.

"What?" She asks.

"You wont just steal the show, you'll steal the attention from the entire province." Jin continues, Her grin deepens dark, dramatic, undeniably pleased with herself. "And... you'll steal his heart. Ab-so-lutely criminal." Before Katara can even process what Jin said, Yue snatches the gold dress out of Katara's hand and throws it haphazardly over the bed. Jin quickly slams the door shut and bolts it.

Their maniacal laughter echoes into the front sitting room where Aang and Sokka stare at a pai sho board set up on the table. Sokka lifts a spoon of rice to his mouth as he waits for Aang to take his turn, around him seven other empty bowls lay strewn about like war casualties. Aang sits half cross legged, one leg lays flat on the ground and the other is raised with his knee pressing against his chest. His arms sit lazily wrapped around his leg as he stares at the board in quiet contemplation. In his hand is a white lily tile made of pristine ceramic, he flips it between his fingers for a second before reaching down to place it on the board. Zuko sits in a meditative pose near the back door facing them, his scarred eye pursed open just enough to watch the two play the game. A slight smirk grows on his face as an idea comes to life, and with a subtle movement of his wrist he moves Sokka's red lotus tile out of the four cornered harmony he's set up. Aang doesn't notice, and neither does Sokka who's face deep in his eighth bowl.