Zuko was meditating or trying to at least, it was hard for him to focus when Katara was practicing her bending in front of him. Her gentle movements could calm the soul. She and Aang had just broken up, and her heart still needed mending. True she broke up with him, but he was cheating on her with Toph.
Zuko wanted nothing more then to hold her in his arms and keep her safe in this rough time, but he had a Nation to rule. How could he dare himself to get close to her just so he could leave her broken? Zuko himself was nineteen and Katara seventeen, they were pretty close when it came to age. But being such a young Fire Lord, a quick vacation was much needed for this young man. He could relax with the Gaang and imagine himself side by side with his Katara. He too though was suffering in silence, he and Mai had parted ways, leaving him broken. But now Zuko wanted nothing more then to pick up the pieces with his Katara.
Unknown to everyone else, he and Katara once shared something special. A quiet spark, and even a sweet, although quick, intimate kiss. But when Zuko left to rule the Fire Nation, Katara and he parted ways as friends. How could he once again come to her as a lost love sick puppy?
But as Zuko thought...'Splash'!
"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!" Katara had lost concentration and dropped an orb of water all over Zuko!
"No harm done," Zuko stood up with a smirk, "Not yet at least!" He lunged at her and they both landed in the water bed with a splash. They rolled around in the mud and water as if they were children, but they both enjoyed this good laugh. In the end Katara was lying on top of Zuko, "Okay, Okay, you win," Zuko chuckled.
"I know," Katara giggled.
Zuko brushed back her muddy hair and stared into her dazzling blue eyes. Both were momentarily hypnotized. Katara put her face right up against his and their lips were barely apart by an inch. The warmth of her breath, the closeness of her body, the way his arms were around her waist, Zuko couldn't help himself but kiss her, and unexpectedly she kissed him back!
A sweet passionate kiss and a quiet spark relit in the both of them. There they lay in the river bank as the gentle waves slowly washed away the mud, cleaning them. And as they lay there, their quiet spark became a small flame and they let it grow!