It wasn't their first exposure to alcohol, merely the first time it was just the two of them, not in the company of their inner posse. Zuko would never think of Katara to be one for any sort of liberating activity, what with how stuck-up and motherly she had always been, but maybe it was because of how she was that drew her to it. The pair of now-adults sat in the back of the Fire Lord's palace, secluded, on the very edge of heavy brush, a pond giving home to numerous frogs that croaked in the muggy nighttime a few feet away. The drink was hot in their throats as they laughed and reminisced the years ago when Katara used to hate his guts, when she blamed him for the death of her mother, when she still held that ugly grudge, and how Zuko came into the group; of course, every party unwilling except for the ever-wise Aang. Thinking of the Avatar, her love, made her laugh even harder, and before long, there were tears squeezing out of the corners of her eyes.
The fire bender knew there was something about Katara that he just couldn't put his finger on, something that drew him to her. Perhaps it was the way that she was so defiant, so reluctant, maybe it was the fire he saw burning in her blue eyes when she spoke of seeking revenge for her mother; something about how she moved when she controlled her element. Finally, taking a few deep breaths as he tried to clear his swimming head, Zuko looked to the woman's vivacious visage, enjoying how her eyes glittered in the moonlight. The moon… he grinned with the idea he so cleverly devised.
Taking a deep breath, blinking slowly in an attempt to clear his vision, the Fire Lord spoke, "Katara, you should try bending,"
She looked at him like he was crazy, "Right now! You're more insane than I thought you were," and with that, she let out a delighted titter.
Rolling his eyes, Zuko couldn't contain his laughter; he knew she was just poking fun, "No, I'm serious, I want to see who can bend better right now," he paused then looked off to the side, remembering exactly what element it was that he controlled, "Or… maybe it's not so safe for me to try anything."
Katara laughed and brought herself up from the low cement wall she was sitting on, "Alright, fine, you want to see what I can do when I'm practically incapacitated?" the corner of her lips upturned in a devious smile, and Zuko's lips twitched in a want to return it, adoring the way she was when she came out of her shell. Staggering over to the pond of water she took a deep breath and raised her right arm slowly, water springing up and twirling, moonlight shimmering off its surface. She made the liquid spin over her head, then around her, turning with it, still managing to maintain her balance. The fire bender drank in the sight; she'd never looked more graceful than she did in that moment, and suddenly, Zuko never wanted it to end. Pursing his lips, he watched as Katara made the snake-like stream flow over to him, the end hovering in front of his face for a moment before twining around his neck, the cool substance just barely brushing over the hot, sensitive skin. Mouth dropping open the slightest at the sensation that sent goosebumps down his spine, he locked gazes with the water bender as he took in a slow breath. It was strange knowing that he had let his guard down enough to let her get so very close to killing him; all she had to do was freeze the water into needles and drive them right into his neck, he'd be over. Then again, it was strange that the two of them were even spending time alone like this. Zuko could only barely remember what had happened earlier in the evening, and why Aang nor Mai were here. He thought it was something like, Mai had some business with her Uncle, and Aang went off… to do something Avatar's do.
Shaking himself out of trying to recall the day's events, the water slowly twirled back the way it came, running over his rapidly heating skin just as lightly as when it wrapped around him. Zuko took in a slow, deep breath as the contact faded, and he looked up from the glimmering stream to the bright eyes of the bender that controlled it. A light blush tinted her tanned cheeks, and she grinned a little, "Is that good enough for ya?" Katara purred, taking a few steps closer. There was something about that twinkle in her eye, that smug-looking smirk, the way her arms supported the water with a set of invisible strings… she was lovely.
"…No," he rasped, voice husky with the want that overtook him so suddenly. Before either of them could blink, he leaned forward, reaching out his hand to grasp roughly onto the collar of her summer dress, bringing her within a hair's width of his lips. The shocked gasp that sucked the air right out of his lungs was the most amazing sound to ever fill his ears, splattering water could be heard mixed in with the croaking frogs and chirping crickets, "Not nearly good enough," his tone was low and carried a danger that made Katara's face grow warm as her brain caught up with what had just happened. She was bent over at such an odd angle, her arms flailed out to try to balance herself when she was yanked down, her eyes now level with Zuko's.
The air was heavy and full of silence for a swift moment before Zuko finally gave in to what he had wondered about for years: what it would be like to kiss the water bender. Her lips were cold against his, which meant both of their body temperatures were different enough that when they combined, the contrast was shocking. Katara let out a whimper, but didn't fight, in fact, she eagerly opened her mouth to let his fiery tongue probe in. The heat that pooled so quickly in between his legs made Zuko release a short, soft groan, and he pressed his talented tongue against hers. The Fire Lord didn't think about Aang, or Mai, or what would happen if they found out about this, all he thought about was the slick muscle that felt like ice moving against his. The water bender was swift to show off the skills she had learned over the years with Aang; she wrapped her lips around his tongue and sucked languorously on it, mimicking teasing she wanted to do later. Zuko shivered and brought his hands up to her shoulders, gliding down over her slim body to rest against her upper thighs; Katara inhaled a sharp breath at the contact, and the fire bender wrapped his long fingers around as much of her curvy legs he could grab onto, before tugging her closer to him. She abided as best she could, stumbling a little bit as she staggered, the alcohol finally setting in. Zuko settled her over his thighs, their crotches far enough away so that the want to grind them together was only minimal at best, the kiss was never even broken. She nibbled on his lips, he flicked his tongue over hers as he would do to her second pair of hidden lips. They shared the same breaths, the excessive carbon dioxide making them lightheaded, coupled with the alcohol flowing through their bloodstreams.
Katara finally broke away and looked at Zuko with half-lidded eyes, mouth agape, lips swollen as she panted for breath. It had certainly been one of the hottest things she had ever experienced, in more than one sense of the word. She grinned mischievously before diving down to nuzzle her face in his hot neck, "How long…?" she asked, lust dripping from her raspy voice.
"Years," he panted, tilting his head back to the violent attack on his neck. Teeth pinched and tongue laved, lips kissed and sucked and left numerous, pale pink marks in their wake. She was certain they would be gone by the next evening. The lust was deep, the most intense feeling Zuko had ever felt as his hands took an almost death grip on her thighs. She twitched and cried out, arousal shooting to her most sensitive place, throbbing. Years of want had built up for the both of them, something that they had always been curious about, but didn't care enough for one another to teach each other the basics of pleasure and be patient enough to learn. It was nice to have an experienced Katara and a proudly obedient Zuko.
His hands moved higher, her skin steadily growing warmer beneath the thin fabric of her seasonal dress, and she buried her face against his collarbone, arching up her hips in the most desperate way. She needed the feeling of something there. Now. Katara tugged at his vest, pulling it open a little bit as she moved lower, her back curving as she leaned down, not wanting to move her center any farther away from his erection. The Fire Lord gasped a little and let his hands travel further to rest on the front of her hips. He thumbed her hipbone through her dress and she cried out against his skin; so Mai wasn't the only girl with sensitive hips.
The water bender could feel the wetness slowly seep out of her now, and she lifted herself from his neck to peer down into his burning amber eyes, "Please…" it was soft, high pitched with a whine, "please, Zuko," she begged and rocked her hips up, getting dangerously close to his clothed erection. A short moan escaped his throat and his thumbs moved downward to stroke the outer lips of her arousal. She cried out and bucked her hips forward again, her head going back in a pleading, submitting gesture. Zuko groaned again and finally let his right thumb brush over her center, pressing just hard enough to find the little nub that would send her reeling. Katara cried out in earnest, trying desperately to get him to touch harder, "Z-Zuko!"
The Lord inhaled a sharp breath at the sound of his name being called, and he gave in, pressing harder, yet not too hard, and flicked his thumb rapidly back and forth over the upper part of her. Katara let out a shuddering sigh and her legs began shaking, the pleasure traveling throughout all of her midsection. She could feel more of her fluid leak out and she knew her undergarments would be soaked; and that's when reality set in. The buzz she was feeling before was suddenly gone, and just like that, she realized it was Zuko that was touching her. Inhaling a sharp breath, she pulled away, standing up and instantly regretting it for the dizziness that over took her. She began to fall to the right, whereas Zuko-even though he was as confused and worried as ever-shot out his hand to catch her. The water bender caught her balance before he could though, and straightened, looking to Zuko's guilty face, "What is it?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed.
She looked away, preferring to stare at the dark ground instead of the sad look she had put on his face, "I…I can't, Zuko," she said slowly, "I'm sorry…"
"No," he said, straightening himself up, "I'm sorry, I was the one that started it," he silently willed for his raging erection to go away, suddenly ashamed of how turned on she had made him.
Katara looked at him for a moment, and then looked away, "But I didn't stop you either," she sighed and returned to her seat next to him, "I don't think you and I drinking together alone again is a good idea."
Zuko let out his own sigh of disappointment, of shame, at a loss for words, "You're probably right," he made to stand up and head back to the palace, where he would grab a fresh bottle of whisky and drink the rest of his night away alone, when she stopped him.
"Hey," she said softly, still seated on the bench like she would stay out here for a while longer. He turned around and raised his brow. "I won't let things get weird." she said, and he offered her a weak smile, feeling more and more like an idiot with every passing second.
"I won't either," he replied, shaking his head a bit before turning back around to make leave once more.
"And Zuko," she started again. The Fire Lord stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around this time, "I think about you more than you know,"
If I get enough of a response out of this, I'll post an alternative ending where they go all the way. But only if you speak up!