I can't seem to help myself. I don't know why but I can't. I know Legend of Korra was a pretty great series, I know Aang's kids are a big part of the reason why. But when looking at the original Avatar the Last Airbender I just can't stop seeing this ship, and I can't stop wanting to see this ship. And I can't seem to keep my stories from following this formula. So all the people (likely no one) who wants more like I do here you are, a Zutara fic long after most people have stopped caring.

A Not Unpleasant Awakening

Zuko rarely slept while riding on Appa. When he had first been banished it had taken months to adjust to the motions of the ship, and his somewhat limited airship travels had been much the same. Now he had found himself trying to adjust to the new set of motions that came with air bison travel.

All the same, days were long and the rides were usually uneventful. So, on rare occasions, even the banished prince would drift off to the sound of rushing wind. If only for a short while.

Now he felt his nap coming to an end, wakefulness rising to the surface through the peaceful darkness of sleep. He didn't want to be awake. He still felt air whipping over the saddle telling him the flight wasn't over yet. Why sit up and be awake through a dull and uncomfortable ride? Besides, this high up the wind ripped coldly through his clothes and his pillow was soft and warm.

He lay there for a moment enjoying the scent of an ocean breeze that seemed to be coming from his pillow.

Then he started to question why his pillow had that scent. Then he questioned where he'd gotten a pillow from in Appa's saddle. Everything they had was packed away into rough duffel sacks of canvas and leather, but he was certain he was feeling silk under his cheek.

The questions in his head had chased away some of the haze of sleep from his mind and he opened his eyes to answer them. Across from him he saw Aang perched on Appa's neck, Suki and Sokka napped huddled together against the wind. Toph sat just outside the range of his peripheral vision. Under his head he saw red silks over a dark pair of hakama pants, from which poked a pair of tanned sandaled feet. The realization was slow coming to his sleep addled mind. He turned his head up to see Katara, absentmindedly bending water between her fingers. A small smile was pulling at her cheeks which were faintly flushed with pink.

He only saw that for a moment. She felt the motion on her lap looked down to see Zuko glancing up at her with sleep in his good eye. Suddenly the pink in her cheeks was replaced with a deep red. Her momentary embarrassment broke her concentration and the water that had been dancing between her fingers gave way to the influence of gravity. Suddenly her lap and the face in it were soaked.

Zuko sat up coughing and spluttering, all the exhaustion chased away by the sudden dousing. Toph let out a snort followed by long fit of laughter, apparently the saddle was solid enough for her to get a good feel for the situation. The sudden commotion pulled Suki from her own sleep, though Sokka snoozed away unabated. Aang looked back for a moment and let out a bit of a giggle at the situation himself before returning his attention to his steering.

Now Zuko was cold, wet, and embarrassed.

He turned his attention back to Katara, she was quietly giggling to herself with her cheeks still red. It was too cute not bring a hint of blush to Zuko's cheeks.

After a moment Katara regained her composure and with a single fluid motion she pulled the moisture from his skin and whisked it over the side of the saddle into the open air. "Sorry about that," she said with a smile.

"It's okay," he said as he ran a hand through his now mostly dry hair. When she had pulled the water from his skin it had carried the warmth from his skin with it and for half a moment he wished to just lay his head back down onto her lap and soak in more warmth from her.

Then he realized what he was thinking and mentally slapped some sense into himself.

He breathed in through his nose and let it out through his mouth, pulling his warmth from the sun like a proper fire bender. And even as he warmed up he couldn't help but give Katara's lap a sidelong glance and smile.

All things considered, it had been a not unpleasant way to wake up.

…

Was that cute? Am I bad at this? Do others still care about this (now sunken by the canon) ship? I can't tell. I've been trying to write an original book for a while now so I've fallen a bit out of the swing of fan fiction. I still like fan fiction but there's something immensely satisfying about writing my in my own world with my own characters. Oh well, never mind. I guess you never know when you might see something new from me. Reviews still appreciated as always, arigatou gozaimasu!