This is a request fic from my classmate and fellow authoress, ShoheiTakano. She's addicted to M-rated fics and I happen to be kind when taking request fics. I hope she'll like this and I hope you guys will too. Oneshot. Rated M for you know what. Zutara!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar because it belongs to Nickelodeon. I only own this plot box. (Shows big treasure chest)

The night was cool and airy. The only problem was that it was raining so hard and lightning can strike you anytime. The animals of the vast forest started to stay in their warm homes, where they can be safe and warm from the drenching rain. Thunder boomed loudly in the black sky. A particular young lady had been stranded in the storm, trying to find her way out of there.

Stupid rain! I can bend it but the water is too strong! The water I bent in the Serpent's Pass was different from this. It was definite water, not continuous. I might not find Aang, Sokka and Toph. Oh well, as far as I know, they may be sleeping like oil and logs until sunrise. Katara thought to herself. She bended the water and managed to get some drops on her clothing even if the rain was like a bunch of pine logs falling onto her.

At the same time, a particular young man had been stuck in the storm. He had removed his sleeveless tunic and draped it over his head in order to stay dry. He shot a large flame at the sky and turned the water in that spot into steam. He grunted as more rain fell on him. He had to keep bolting at the rain in order to stay dry.

"Stupid uncle! Making me find jasmine leaves in the middle of the night! And in a storm too! Just because he ran out of those stuff it means he has to cry and make me get some!" the prince thought with his head already up to its boiling point. He went underneath a pine tree and squeezed his wet tunic there and kept his broadswords by his side in case of trouble.

Katara looked at the distance into the clearing. There, she saw a house made of mahogany wood. She saw that it was dark. She decided to go in there for she was tired trying to bend the rain away from her. Maybe nobody owned it. There was no light inside. She had to go and see.

When she found the house, she knocked three times. "Anybody home?" no answer was heard. "I guess I can go in." She twisted the doorknob and was surprised that it was not locked.

She closed the door and bended the water out of her clothes and hair. She put it inside her water pelt for it was almost dried up. She had dried off a bit but was still damp. In the dark place, she touched everything that she would go through until she found the bedpost. She sat there but only met the hardwood floor. She winced and soon enough found the mattress. She also felt a table and a lamp but found no matches.

Still in the forest was Zuko, drenched with his ragged hair soggy from the rain. He found the dark house and started running toward it. A house! Now I'll be dry and have some rest.

As he was on the door, he banged his fist gently on the door. "Anyone home?" he said in a slightly muffled voice due to the thick boards used on the door. Katara heard the knocking and the voice so she decided to know who was there. She knew that it was a man's voice and paced towards the entrance to welcome a guest.

The waterbender twisted the doorknob and was shocked to see the man at the door. In her shock, she slammed the wooden door but this Fire Nation Prince's hand stopped the door from closing.

"Look, I need somewhere to stay for the night. My stupid uncle told me to look for jasmine leaves at this time of night. Please, just for now?" Zuko reasoned out with an innocent and adorable smirk, "Fine, but just this once!" Katara said, bending the water out of his clothes and hair and throwing the water back outside. "Come in."

"Wow, it's dark in here." "I found a lamp, Zuko, but there's no match in here. Would you mind lighting it for me?" "I won't." Katara led him to the large table at the bedside. She took the oil lamp and slammed it on the table.

Zuko slid two fingers inside the glass and a spark came out of his fingertips. He removed his fingers and adjusted a small screw near the base of the lamp. It was a disc of metal with holes that would let the oxygen in and feed the flames. When his desired amount of flame had risen, he tapped Katara's shoulder and gave the lamp to her.

"Thank you." Katara said, as she waved the lamp to see what was inside the house. It seemed to be the house of a craftsman. All the things in that house were creatively carved out of wood and stone. When they opened the shelves and cabinets, they were empty. The house's previous owner must've moved. The bed was big although it had no curtains and canopy. The sheets were white like snow and the pillows were as soft as clouds. When she slightly opened the windows, a strong and chilly breeze raced into the house. Katara shivered while her companion was as numb as ever. She closed one of the windows.

"Cold?" Zuko said, knowing what made her do her previous action. "Yeah, it's too cold. Even the lamp can't supply that much heat. It may be cold because we're still a bit damp from the rain." Katara said, shivering. "I can fix that. Stay beside me." He took his broadswords and waved them around him in a circular motion. He kept the swords as the orbiting flames dried and warmed them.

"Thank you. You know, for such a jerk, you're so kind and warm." "I take that as a compliment," Zuko said, as they were already dry and warm. He made a gesture as if shooing the flames away. They disappeared at the wave of his hand.

Katara yawned, covering her mouth. She stretched up and left Zuko near the bookshelf. She shook her shoes and let her beautiful auburn hair loose. "I didn't know you were that pretty with your hair down." The prince said.

"Well, I've always liked the way you looked with that kind of hair. Is it me or it's so steaming hot in here when I look at you?" she said, fanning herself with her hand as sweat went down her brow as she looked at the prince.

"Don't flatter me, Katara. I've always wanted to tell you this..." "What do you want to tell me?" "I love you." Katara almost hit the wall as she heard his lips say those three words that she wanted to hear. She couldn't believe that she was hearing it. She ran to him and embraced him tightly, her head on his chest. "I love you too…but it's too cold. Darn it." She said, trying to feel more of the heat that came from the intensity of his element.

"Maybe you'd want me to share some heat with you?" "Zuko…are you sure? Sokka might find us here or bad things may happen, and…" she was cut off at mid-sentence when his inviting lips locked with hers. He was hot, steamy and intense. She was cold, inviting and gentle. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders as he pinned her to the wall. Their tongues fastened around each other, tasting each other.

He tasted like tea, mixed kinds of tea, slightly tasting like jasmine, a part of ginseng, slightly like mint, slightly like coconut root, a bit of green tea and some black tea.

She tasted like coconut juice. As his tongue swept around her teeth, he could have swore he found bits of coconut meat at the back of her tongue. They both tasted so good, each of them was intoxicated by the lust to feel more.

Next, Zuko slid Katara's dress a bit more until it showed her delicate collarbone. He bit her soft flesh and she gasped and moaned. He stuck out his tongue and licked her dark skin. He ran his wet tongue on the part where marks of his ivory-like teeth had bitten. She smiled as the pain from his strong bite alleviated bit by bit. He stuck his lips on her jawline as she ran her gentle fingers on his soft hair, that had been styled in a different way instead of a shaved head and ponytail, feeling the strands become like the heat of fire that evoked her lust.

Thunder and lightning rumbled outside the cottage but they didn't seem to care. As Zuko broke the kiss, she silently opened her water container, released a blast of water and said, "Zuko, think fast!" He shot back with a raging flame and the elements collided, making steam that covered the whole house. The duo's passion went up like flame that had been well fed. Zuko swept Katara off her feet as he carried her in a swift move. She threw her water container to the nearby table as the lamp flickered.

He went under the sheets as she lay, not moving, waiting for his next move. He crept on her and loosened her robe. Darn, her undergarments were still on. She unbuttoned the little buttons on his sleeveless tunic and threw it on the floor as he took it off. He straddled her thighs like he did to his ostrich horse. Thank that ostrich horse for helping him learn mounting techniques.

He threw off her robe and threw it on the floor. Katara was currently closing her eyes. What if I don't look good enough for him? What if my breasts are too small for his liking? What if my stomach isn't as flat as I want them to be? What if…

Her thinking stopped when he smiled at her. As her undergarments were still on, the first thing he noticed was her flat stomach and her womanly curves. He unbuckled his belt and took off his shirt. To Katara, he seemed to rip his shirt rather than take it off. When she saw his lust-evoking body, passion raced up inside her as she ran her hands from his waist to his chest and pulled him down.

When she pulled him down closer to his face, he kissed her rapidly and wildly. He's rough, all right. Don't stop! Don't stop! He pinned her down to the mattress underneath his weight. She was comfortable even underneath the body on top of her. But that body brought pleasure to her. He removed her breast binder and narrowed his eyes that had a hungry glint in them.

"Let's start." He said, in a determined voice. Katara was ready and she would give him all that she had. He suddenly knocked his face into her breasts, sucking on her nipples and squeezing them. She was turned on by his act and it was now her turn to give something back. She held to the waistband of his pants and started pulling it down. As Katara pulled it down, his underwear followed. She threw off his pants to the table, covering her water container. A naked, young, banished prince was seen under the covers, still suckling on his love.

He moved his lips downward, while tugging at the covers to support him as the friction increased. He kissed her dark stomach smoothly then started to bite at it afterwards. She turned over, causing her body to land on his abdomen. She sat up and spread her legs apart and let her knees tighten their grip on his thighs. She put her left hand on his hip and traced circles on his abdominal muscles with her other hand. Zuko took her hand and held it tightly. With a swift move, she fell from his body and unto the mattress. She embraced him tightly and they locked lips with some steam coming out of their lips. Zuko stealthily took off her remaining undergarments and was engrossed by just looking at her dark-skinned naked body.

He straddled her once again and then lay at her stomach, with his feet on her neck and his mouth at her hips. He looked for her private part and then pressed his lips on it while his tongue danced on it. She was melted in so much pleasure. She moaned and groaned at the every touch of his mouth on her. As he stopped, she pounced on him, capturing his dry lips and locking them with hers. If some pervert was looking at the windows, he could have sworn that he saw steam emitting from their lips but the storm was still strong for anyone to roam.

Flipping over, Zuko was now on top. He rubbed Katara's arms and pinned them to the headboard gently. He thrust himself into her and she screamed from both pleasure and pain. Of course there would be a moment of pain but it didn't last long. Pleasure soon mounted. "Oh, don't stop! Don't stop!" she said, panting heavily. "If that's what you want." He said. He thrust himself into her once again. Lightning and rain coincided louder. Their moment of climax came at the same time and the strength of the storm became the reflection of their passion.

"Oh…Zuko!" she said in a throaty voice. He locked his lips with hers at every moan that escaped her mouth. He thrust himself into her again as she moaned and was breathing heavily but welling in lust.

Gasps of pleasure were heard from both as the flickering flame danced inside the bronze lamp. Soon, they had to separate. What if Sokka or Iroh heard about this? What if Katara got pregnant or something? What if Aang gets jealous? What would happen?

"Well, I'm afraid of your brother and my uncle. We have no choice." Zuko said, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry." She said, eyes watering with tears as she put her clothes back on. "But I'll stay here with you. I want to protect you and be with you forever." He said as he dressed up.

"Goodnight, Zuko." Katara said as she cried herself to sleep. Even in her tears, she was unable to sleep. "Goodnight, Katara," he replied as he looked for a cushion or anything to support him as he would sleep on the cold floor. He found a cushion and placed it under his head. He took off his sleeveless tunic and draped it on the chair. He stood up from the hard floor and moved the white sheet on the bed to cover Katara. "It's going to be cold tonight. Stay warm." Zuko said. She was listening but she pretended only to sleep. He blew out the flame and adjusted the metal disk so that no oxygen can enter.

The banished prince lay down on the cold, hard floor. He tried to look for a blanket and found one. He presumed that it was made of wool, just like Katara's. But as long as you're at some house that doesn't have an owner, you have to make the most of what you can find there. The storm was still too strong for any of these two to go out. So they slept through the lonely night.

A few hours later…

Zuko was awakened by the sound of chattering teeth, a shivering person and thunder. He wouldn't shiver because he was a firebender. He never grinded his teeth and froze like an icicle when he had an incubus. Surely, Azula won't be here in this poor excuse of a broadleaved forest. What kind of deciduous forest would have bad weather for so long? The only forest that I know that rains almost 24 hours and 7 days is a rainforest back home. I hate my life, stupid rain, stupid uncle, and stupid tea. If Uncle will keep screwing my life as his tea shopper for the Jasmine Dragon, I'm running away with Katara. The prince shut his eyes and went back to dreamland in a few seconds.

The chattering and shivering person woke up, breathing heavily, with beads of sweat covering her face. She shivered underneath the covers and looked at everything around her. It was just a dream; it was just a dream, Katara. She thought to herself. "How come that firebender is sleeping like a log?" she said. She almost lost balance as she stepped out of the bed and walked on the wooden floor. She stuttered and lost balance as she slipped on a part of her blanket that fell to the floor. She fell to the ground but no sound was heard. Katara fell beside Zuko and she knelt in time for her head not to be hit.

"Z-z-zu-k-ko? W-w-wa-wake u-up. I'm f-f-free-z-z-ing here. I w-w-oke up f-f-rom a n-night-mare." She said, her voice sounded like as if she had been eating ice cubes all day. The storm was brewing hard and it was already uprooting everything in its path except this wooden house. "Huh?" he said, blinking his eyes. He took his tunic and draped it on her shoulders.

"Uhm…Zuko, I just wanted to know if you mind sleeping beside me. I need someone to stay with me. I'm cold." She blushed slightly as she said that. "Let's go to sleep." He said, getting his tunic and putting it on himself as he led Katara to her bed.

"Goodnight, Katara." He said, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. "You too." She said, returning the kiss. The storm stopped as they slept. He wrapped his arm on her waist as she held his hand in her sleep. Dawn came with the beauty of the rising sun. Four people were ogling at the two in their sleep.

"My, my. I told him to find jasmine leaves but he found a woman and slept with her." Iroh said, slapping his forehead. "When that Zuko wakes up, I'll smash his head for sleeping with my sister." Sokka said, unsheathing his knife. "Katara is sleeping with the enemy?" Toph said, shocked. Her blind eyes became the size of saucers. "Katara, I promise to kill you later. What does Zuko look like anyway?" "Choppy black hair that seemed to not be cut by a barber, a massive burn from his left eye to his left ear, weirdly gold eyes and he's as pale as you." Sokka said to Toph. "Oh. He looks good to me." She nodded.

Aang was shedding tears at the foot of the bed. No…Zuko got ahead of me. Wahhhh! Wahhh! No! At least Toph's here! "I'm so happy for my nephew! I just can't believe how this could happen. Anyway, my nephew is fully clothed and so is your sister." Iroh said as everyone except the sleeping lovers and Toph looked at him.

"Shut up! They're stirring!" Sokka said, as Zuko's eyelids started moving. They didn't have a chance to escape as Zuko rose up and fired a large blast at them. He looked horrified as they were in the house. "Uncle? How did you get here?" Katara also woke up from the morning sunlight that peeked from the windows and reached for her water container. As she was fully awake, she saw her other companions. "Toph, Sokka, Aang? How did you guys find us?"

"Nephew, I told you to find jasmine leaves. When you didn't come home, I decided to get some myself. Then I found them, looking for Katara. I decided that maybe I would find you too. We searched the whole forest until Aang saw this house and decided to see." "We spent up all night looking for you, Sugar Queen and Scarface!" Toph blurted out.

"Sorry." Zuko and Katara chorused. "Now that's better!" Sokka dragged his sister by the hand. "Sokka! Wait!" she broke free from his grasp to give the prince a soft kiss on the lips. He kissed her back and waved goodbye as Sokka, Toph and Aang dragged her back to Appa and Momo. As they left, Zuko and Iroh were left.

"So nephew, what happened last night?" Iroh asked as Zuko took his belongings. "Can you promise not tell anyone?" "Of course." Zuko whispered his secret to his uncle's ear. Iroh cried and laughed at the same time. "Let's go now, Prince Zuko. Someone might be watching." Uncle said as they went back to the teashop.

"Katara, what happened last night?" Sokka asked. "Nothing." She said, her cheeks turning red. "Toph, I got something to tell you." She whispered. "What?" Toph asked. Katara whispered the most dangerous secret she had ever told and Toph had sworn never to tell anyone.

"What were you two talking about?" Aang asked. "Nothing!" Katara said as Aang continued to maneuver Appa in the clear sky. Toph and Katara raised their thumbs behind Sokka's back. Thanks, Zuko. You really made me happy last night. I love you.

Back at the Jasmine Dragon…

"So Prince Zuko, you seem so happy today." Iroh said as the exiled prince swept and whistled as they prepared the shop that morning. The broom whipped all the dirt into nothing. Zuko had a big grin plastered on his flushed face. "It's just that I had a good rest last night." He replied, his cheeks becoming a more intense shade of red.

Thank you, Katara. I love you. For the rest of the day, he was serving the tea with a cheerful smile that made the tea more delicious. Seeing your waiter with an optimistic smile would really brighten up your day, especially the best waiter in the metropolis.

That afternoon, Katara came together with the others. The young prince kept blushing when he looked at her. She cupped her chin on one hand and looked at him, smiling. "May I take your order?" he asked Aang.

"One green tea please!" Aang said, grinning. Zuko looks funny in green! "Hey, Mr. Former-Ponytail-Guy! I'll take black tea please!" Sokka said. "Scarface, I'm having ginseng tea!" Toph said, tugging at the prince's apron. "I'm having the specialty around here." "You mean jasmine?" "Yeah." Katara said as their diligent waiter scribbled down the orders.

"Uncle! One green, one black, one ginseng and one jasmine!" "Here you go, one ginseng and one jasmine. I'll just follow up the green and black." Zuko gave Toph and Katara their orders. Toph gulped down the tea. "Delicious!" The waterbender sipped the tea. This is the best tea in the city. "What's the secret ingredient?" Toph asked. Zuko looked for some cheesy one-liner that he had heard from his uncle. Then, something went into his head.

"The secret ingredient is…love." He said, gazing at Katara. Aang and Sokka glared at him. "Aren't you supposed to be giving us our orders?" "Oh, sorry!" he rushed to the counter and found the two cups of tea that had been followed up. He also refilled some of their cups that have been emptied.

"Waiter! Bill, please!" Aang shouted with so many other customers around him. "Here you go." "Forty gold pieces. Fair price." Sokka said as they split on the money and paid. "Thank you, please come again." Zuko said. Katara waved goodbye as Momo whimpered on her shoulder. The night went well for Zuko and Iroh. It was tiring due to many customers but for Zuko, just the thought of Katara takes the aches and pains away.

For Katara, when she felt alone or afraid to tell something to Toph, Sokka or Aang, she filled her brain with thoughts of her beloved Fire Nation prince and she would have a smile on her lips.

-TDYSG

This is my first M-rated fic. Please review. Onegai!