1. Ty Lee
The worst part of it all, Katara would think later, was that it had been her first kiss.
Katara had blocked the girl from obstructing her bending, but she wasn't able to dodge the strike to her leg. As she went down, her hand flew out for one last attack--
But Ty Lee didn't attack. Ty Lee kissed her.
Katara's eyes widened, and the water she had been bending fell back down into the ground.
"Got you," said Ty Lee cheerfully, delivering two quick pokes to Katara's arms.
---
2. Sokka
Katara tugged uselessly at the rope binding her hands.
"You might as well not bother," the soldier guarding her said. "You won't be able to get out of th--"
There was a blue flash, and--the soldier crumpled to the floor.
"Sokka!" Katara cried. She paused. "That mask is ridiculous, by the way."
"Oi," Sokka said, as he cut her bonds. "I rescued you, and that's all you can say?"
"No," said Katara, and, slipping his mask off, pecked him on the cheek.
He wiped it off. "Ew, sister cooties."
---
3. Toph
One moment, they were sitting by the riverbank, playfully arguing as usual; the next, Toph had kissed her.
She kissed surprisingly gently, Katara thought--soft and hesitant. One of Toph's hands clutched the front of Katara's shirt, while the other one tangled in Katara's hair. Her eyes were closed.
Katara was almost reluctant to break away.
"Toph, I--"
"What?" Toph was glaring at her. "What, Sweetness?"
"I don't--I can't--" Katara looked away. "I'm sorry."
"Don't you dare feel sorry for me, Sweetness," Toph spat. "Just say it, why don't you? You don't like me that way, I get it. So why don't you just say it?! I can handle it--" She was crying, now.
Katara reached one hand out to stroke Toph's hair.
---
4. Zuko
"You are the most insufferable and rude person I have ever met," Katara said.
"And you're the most bossy and overbearing person I've ever met," Zuko returned. "Can't you just leave me alone for one second?"
"You said you came here to teach Aang firebending, but you've just been snapping at him the whole time!" Katara threw up her arms. "If you can't be civil during lessons, I'll--"
"You'll what?" Zuko met her glare with one of his own. "You need me as much as I need you, we both know that. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving."
"Get back here!" Katara reached out to pull him towards her--
Zuko turned around and stepped right into her face.
She wasn't quite sure who'd initiated the kiss, only that it happened. Katara clawed with fingernails at Zuko's back, Zuko was pulling on Katara's hair. Violent didn't even begin to cover it.
And then--it was over. Katara stepped quickly away from him. "I hate you," she said.
"The feeling's mutual," Zuko replied.
---
5. Aang
He was sitting by the campfire when she returned.
"So, uh," he said. "Um."
"Aang?"
"I, uh, saw you kissing Zuko," he said.
"Oh," she said. "Oh. Aang, it wasn't--"
"It's okay," he mumbled. "I guess...I'm just a kid to you, huh? You probably want someone more mature--"
"Aang," she said. He looked up at her in surprise. "You are far, far more mature than Zuko will ever be."
She looked down. Her hand was on his sleeve. She smiled and leaned in slightly...
Later, Katara would think that she was glad it hadn't been her first kiss. Because now she knew, without a doubt, that it was the best kiss she could have ever hoped to have.