Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.
A/n: This is my first Zutara fanfic, hope you enjoy it.
Chapter One: The Hut
A few nights ago Zuko joined Aang, Sokka, and Katara on their quest to defeat the fire nation. Aang and Sokka had finally trusted him, but Katara was still trying to decide where his allegiance lied. Zuko kept glancing over at Katara, who continued to look angry.
The sun had set about two hours ago, Sokka was already asleep, mouth wide open and drooling over Appa's saddle, and Aang was up front steering Appa, trying to find a safe place for them to land and stay for the night. Zuko turned to Katara,
"I'm not as bad as you think." Katara looked at him-straight into his golden eyes,
"And what makes you think that?" Zuko frowned,
"You'll just have to trust me on that-" Katara rolled her eyes,
"If there is not logical truth to why I should trust you then why in the world should I?" Katara whispered fiercely.
"Because you and I are not very different." he answered quickly; Katara raised her eye brow, "The fire nation took both of our mother's from us." Katara turned back, looking at him.
"They-They did?" Katara said automatically feeling saddened towards Zuko. Zuko nodded,
"Yeah I was pretty young when they took her away." Zuko confessed.
"Me too-it feels like so long ago-I miss her a lot." Katara said softly, tears watering in her eyes. Zuko put a comforting hand on her shoulder, suddenly Katara felt a pleasurable shock coming from her stomach, "Um, thanks." she said, feeling slightly awkward.
"Zuko, Katara, Sokka, I found somewhere I think we can stay." Aang said from the front. Suddenly, Appa dived down, causing it's passengers to fly backwards. Katara was slammed backwards into Zuko's lap.
"Sorry guys-forgot to warn you." Aang laughed not turning his back to look at his upset passengers. Katara blushed when she realized she was straggling over Zuko's lap.
"Sorry." Katara apologized sliding off of him; Zuko nodded looking at Katara with a small smile on his face.
Sokka had been woken abruptly and was now sitting next to Aang poking Appa with his boomerang. Katara faced the front with her back on Zuko.
Appa landed moments later on a small island. It was grassy and cool, and there stood an abandoned house near the beach.
"Wow-good spot, Aang." Katara complimented, Aang smiled,
"Well we should get unpacking- Katara, you and Zuko go to that hut and see if there's anything in it-or even if we can sleep in it- me and Sokka will unpack the stuff." Zuko nodded, while Katara tried to protest,
"Come on." Zuko said, grabbing Katara's arm softly-she felt the shiver through her body again.
"You know- you have a pretty strong grip there." Katara said, not meaning to either compliment or flirt with him. Zuko let go of her arm,
"Uh-thanks…" he said. Katara blushed noticing how that may have come out.
"I didn't mean it like-I'll just shut up…" Katara said embarrassed.
Zuko smiled, "I know what you mean-and I agree- I am pretty strong- where else does sixteen years of training get you?"
Katara shook her head and began noticing how muscular he really was. His arms were tight; behind his shirt she could see the outline of his tight abs. The two teenagers went into the abandoned hut, Zuko leading the way. They were erupted by sudden darkness, as the door closed behind them, "Zuko?" Katara called out, frightened. She felt something touch her back, she jumped.
"Don't worry- it's me." Zuko said, suddenly a light flickered right beside Katara, and she saw Zuko holding a flame in his hand. Katara followed Zuko down around the small hut; there was one bed, a small washroom, a bookcase with only four books in it, many candles around the room, and a small rug in the middle of the room.
"I don't think we could be able to stay here- too small-let's go tell the others." Katara said, heading back for the door, Zuko agreed and followed her. Katara grabbed the handle to open the door but it wouldn't budge, she banged her shoulder into it while pushing but it wouldn't open.
"It's stuck!" Katara said outraged.
"I'm sure it's just too much for your petite body to endure." Zuko said moving Katara out of the way and grabbing the doorknob and trying the bang the door open-it didn't move an inch.
"Really? My petite figure? What's your excuse?" Katara teased. Zuko glared at her, and then began banging his shoulder against the door over and over.
"Stop it before you hurt yourself." Katara said cautiously. Zuko hit the door one practically nasty and hard time, causing him to fly back groaning in pain. The flame from his hand went out and they were in darkness again.
"Zuko?" Katara said walking around cautiously.
"One second." Zuko said, close to Katara. Zuko raised his hand and made a flap movement, and suddenly the room was light by all the candles in the room. Katara noticed that Zuko was grabbing his shoulder with his left hand.
"I told you not to do it so hard." Katara said, even though she looked at him regretfully. Zuko gave a small groan as he tried to move his arm. Katara gave in.
"Here, you big baby." Katara said playfully, grabbing Zuko's other arm and guiding him towards the bed. Zuko sat down, rubbing his shoulder.
"I can try healing it, if you want." Katara suggested. Zuko nodded,
"That may be good." Zuko replied.
"I-um-need you to-take off your shirt." Katara said bashfully. Zuko tried to hide his smirk,
"I kinda need help." he said directing his eyes to his shoulder. Katara nodded and walked over to him. She lifted his shirt up slowly, trying not to cause him any pain. He put one arm through his shirt and she slid the shirt over his injured arm.
"So, how are you going to do this? Waterbending? Do you have the magic touch?" Zuko teased. Katara rolled her eyes; "I just need some water." she looked around the room, suddenly spotting a bowl of clear clean water near the bathroom door. Katara went over and got it, then came back to Zuko. She kneeled with one knee on the bed, leaning into Zuko. She lifted the water out of the bowl and placed it on his wound, it swirled around and it began to heal.
Zuko gave a groan of pleasure, "Wow-it's really cold." he said with a small chuckle. Katara ignored him; she wasn't trying to forgive him for what his people did-and what he did personally to her.
"Come on, Katara, lighten up. I'm not the person I was a few weeks ago." Zuko said looking into her ocean blue eyes.
"Does this feel better?" Katara said ignoring his last statement.
"Yes." Zuko said.
"Okay-well that's all I can do." Katara said lifting the water from Zuko's shoulder and dumping it into the bowl. Katara then walked away from him as Zuko just sat there, shirtless on the bed.
"It's getting late- I don't think Aang and Sokka are coming." Zuko said standing up and walking towards her. Katara crossed her arms,
"I'm staying up-you can go to sleep if you want." Katara said sounding worried that she'd be stuck in this shack with Zuko forever. Zuko put his hand on her shoulder, "I'm not sleeping if you're not." he said going over to the bookshelf and looking at the four books. Katara couldn't help yawning every couple of minutes. Zuko sat on the bed, tired looking, holding open a book Katara knew he wasn't reading.
"I'll just sit down." Katara said going to the edge of the bed and yawning again. Zuko closed the book and closed his eyes.
"I'll just rest my eyes." he said, also yawning.
Soon Katara heard Zuko's snores. She could barely keep her eyes open. She scooted over to the front of the bed, and laid down on the pillow, back turned to Zuko; and soon she too was deep asleep.
A/n: Love it? Hate it? Think its rubbish? Want to kill me for writing this? Think you're going to cry because it's that good? It's fine-but you've read better? It sucks but I'm going to keep reading? It's great update soon? Whatever you feel please review, I'll update as soon as I can.