Well this is it. For your Zutarian enjoyment and pleasure (I hope), I've started a drabble/one-shot series, like most people who have their brains ravaged by countless merciless plot bunnies. And just like those other people, I don't wanna go crazy by trying to ignore them. So here we go! (oh and I'm really surprised the name "Zutarabbles" wasn't taken. BOO-YAH FOR ME. 8D)
Hope you enjoy!
Title: Stupid Lesson
Rating: K+
Word count: 1341
Summary: Sometimes little things, like learning something new, can be trying on Katara's health.
Katara never really regretted her actions. She never really felt the need to rethink the things she does, so it didn't register in Katara's mind that this most recent action would be a bad, bad decision.
Stupid Zuko.
"Hey Zuko, teach me your dancing dragon dance."
"What? Why?"
"C'mon, we have nothing to do while everyone is in town! Aren't you just a teeny bit bored?"
"...Alright."
Stupid boredom.
Stupid mouth.
Stupid Zuko.
"Okay now you lift your arms out and straighten your back... yes, exactly. Now lift your chin... not that high... yeah that's it." Zuko stood behind Katara, almost flush against her back, as he held her arms out with his hands. His stupid warm breath was all over the back of her ear, making that and the other one heat up. Not to mention his stupid nakedness kept pressing against her whenever he would fix her posture here and there. She felt herself stiffen when Zuko's very naked chest pressed into her shoulders. "Katara, why're you so tense? Relax."
How could she relax when he was all but man-handling her? This isn't how you teach someone anything! He was completely doing this on purpose-- taking advantage of her acceptance and forgiveness for him—that stupid arrogant jerk.
"I am relaxed! You're just teaching me incorrectly." She growled out, nonetheless keeping her stance straight, tipping only slightly when his hands skimmed her forearms lightly.
"How am I incorrectly teaching you, Katara? Stop being ridiculous and relax." He whispered the last word, as if telling a scandalous secret. Damnit, had she even asked to hear a secret? No! "Zuko, I think I've got it."
"No no, you still need to adjust your left leg alittle... no, up more... no don't bend it so much... here, hold on." With that he knelt infront of her and his warm hands (stupid firebender) landed on her thigh and calf muscles of her left leg, gently lifting it up and re-adjusting it. Why couldn't she have been doing something other than practicing her bending in the lake before this? Why couldn't she have added more clothing to herself? Because Zuko meditating, shirtless I might add, drew you to him like a moth-fly to a flame, so you didn't think twice of his and yours' apparel.
Stupid deceitful brain.
"If you would just relax the muscles in your thigh, you'd get this stance a lot quicker, Katara." He murmured as his soft fingers trailed her across her thigh. Trailed, Katara? He poked your thigh. Stupid know-it-all brain. Stupid soft Zuko-fingers. "Yeah well, my form doesn't have to be perfect too--"
"You asked to be taught, so here I am-- teaching. "
"Fine fine, Sifu Hotman." She grinned at his scowl, knowing all too well he disliked the nickname Aang had affectionately given him.
"Why does he call me that ridiculous name!? I never did anything to hi—"
"Oh sure, and chasing him around the world, trying to capture him then hiring a one-eyed beefy assassin after his head isn't anythi—"
"Okay! Okay fine, I get it. But still, he doesn't have to call me 'Sifu Hotman.' Why doesn't he call you anything like that?"
"He does. It's the same as yours, Zuko: 'Sifu Katara.'"
"Sifu Katara?"
"Yup! Doncha like the ring it has?"
"No. And that's not the same as mine; I have that absurd nickname! Why doesn't he call you… call you…call… you…"
"Don't hurt yourself, Sharpy."
"Shut up. Why doesn't he call you 'Sifu Coldman' or something? Water's cold."
"Not necessarily."
"Why not?"
"'Cause not all forms of water are cold, Sifu Hotman."
Katara submitted and drew a deep breath, pushing out the image of topless Zuko out of her mind. She relaxed considerably as the image of topless Aang came to mind, and her muscles loosened.
"There you go, Sifu Iceman." He whispered against her ear earning a small shiver. Zuko didn't know why, but being in such close proximities with this waterbender made him feel rather… bold.
He coughed and righted himself as he got behind her and took to the task of setting up the next stance. "Okay Katara, we can do the next stance." She nodded and.. gulped? Zuko quirked an eyebrow at this but didn't question it, instead he let his gaze wander down her curly brown tresses to her backside. He caught himself staring for the fifth time that lesson and blushed, looking away.
He didn't know how his afternoon had turned out to this, but he wasn't complaining-- in fact, he was enjoying himself. His new found forgiveness had lifted the tension between them allowing them to get closer as friends, unfortunately, it felt like their interaction was always accompanied with a certain different sort of tension. "Zuko?"
"Wuh?" Came his intellectual reply. "What're you doing? My leg's starting to cramp up!"
"Oh oh, sorry sorry. Here, the next stance you should kick out and stretch out your leg... yeah, don't bend your knee... and bend over to accommodate the pose-- farther, yeah there you go." Katara bit her lip as she watched Zuko kneel beside her and mirror her form, comparing and contrasting. Why did he have to be so passionate about everything? It's not like she was going to use this dance in the future, she had just wanted to pass the time. Why need everything so perfect? And what was with that stupid nickna-- Oh, Tui.
Zuko didn't look at her as he slowly let his eyes wander down her unbent leg, "If it's uncomfortable, you're doing it wrong. Here." With that he reached over, placing that stupid warm hand on her thigh again and trailed it -- Okay, I admit he is so trailing this time-- down her leg, leaving a streak of goose bumps. She felt her breath catch and she closed her eyes again, imagining Aang. Aang wouldn't touch her like this. He was much too respectful of her space. Yup. Aang's hands wouldn't be this soft or warm or leave her wanting to be touched everywhere else. AangAangAangAangAangAangAangOh, Zuko.
"...uhm, yes?"
Her eyes popped open. Did she just say that out loud? Oh, Spirits, just kill her. "Uh... hi?" Smooth, Katara, very smooth. He blinked and coughed, forcing a chuckle through his lips. "Hi."
"So um... how am I looking?" Amazing. Zuko cleared his throat again and backed up alittle, inspecting their positions. Form. Dancing-dragon form. "Perfect." Zuko couldn't lie, right?
A new coat of tension and silence enveloped them as they caught eachothers gaze and stilled. Stupid golden eyes. Stupid royal tongue wetting stupid royal lips. Stupid body, leaning in like this. Why is his face getting closer?
"Thanks." Katara whispered as she neared his face, her eyes flickering down to his lips again before looking up again at his gorgeous stupid eyes. Their breathing mingled, the centimeters slowly diminishing between their parted lips, and finally--
"HEY, KATARA! GUYS! WE'RE BACK!"
They sprang apart and sat a respectful distance from eachother, catching slightly labored breaths. Sokka, Toph, and Aang came over the hill and towards them, carrying supplies.
"Woah... what happened here? Did someone attack or somethin'? Your hearts are hopping around like two headless monkey-chickens in heat." Toph inquired, the care in her words failing to match the knowing smirk on her face.
No answer came as Katara, composing herself first, got up quickly and walked to Sokka. Without a word, she took a bag that held their new supply of food and all but ran towards the camp, somewhat huskily declaring she was going to "cook dinner." Zuko too got up, but headed the opposite direction, gruffly declaring he would be off "meditating" under his breath. Aang and Sokka looked at eachother with clueless expressions and shrugged. Toph, on the other hand, grinned cheekily and walked away, snorting something about things getting "good."
Meanwhile, both teacher and student's thoughts wandered back to the end of the lesson, to what almost was, and then to the who and the how of the interruption.
...Stupid Aang.
End.