Chapter Two:

The cold air really got under my skin. I shivered as I kept thinking back to my "prize". Intimacy. I would've easily had that with Lee but always Zuko was on my mind from the moment I decided to leave. Damn, was he using me or was the Avatar a decent excuse to get me back in his arms? Knowing him the answer was both. I cleared my thoughts as I approached the small village of igloos and a poorly structure tower?

A boy wrapped in a fur coat was atop the structure. When he saw me he started flailing his arms about, like I was threat. Sigh, gonna be one of those days. From his pocket he drew what looked like a boomerang. Only problem was his hand slipped and it landed,say, about a foot away from where I was standing. I took five paces forward and picked it up. At this point he was panicking beyond belief and fell off the 10 foot structure. When he hit the ground he made a noise that reminded me of a whining duck. I assumed he was injured or at least felt really stupid at this point.

I walked over to him not knowing whether to just shake my head and pass him or to help him help then hit him in the head with the boomerang. To my surprise he was quick to get back on his feet and dust himself off as if he was trying to impress someone.

I smile because, well, he was kind of cute. He had was tall, with deep blueberry eyes, mocha skin, and his hair was shaved on the sides the rest of his hair was pulled back in ponytail. Zuko was cute but not this type of cute. Zuko was a masculine type of cute, the kind of ,masculine that can snap you in half. This guy was that kind of I want to cuddle with you and stare into your beautiful blue eyes kind of cute.

I was at a complete loss for words. I was obviously staring at him and he was staring back. As a light breeze blew and snapped me out of my daze I remember why I was here in the first place. Avatar.

"Um this is yours." I spoke while pointing to the wooden boomerang in my hand.

"Uh yea." He reached forward and grabbed it, his hand brushing mine, and for just a moment I felt butterflies even through the thick mittens I felt warmth from his body. I was completely mesmerized. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." A huge gust came and blew my hood off. The stray strands of blonde hair blew everywhere from left to right. I shiver and struggle to keep my hair in order but the wind had beaten me.

"You, you have a lot of hair." he noticed

"Yes, I know. It's hard to manage." I let out a small giggle.

"You know my sister is hairy too." I glared at him. Hairy? He laughed an awkward chuckle, almost sounded forced. "I mean not hair, you're not hairy. Hairy as in has a lot of hair. Not like a saber-tooth walrus but like-"

I placed my hand over his mouth. He was just making more and more of a fool of himself.

"Hush. I'd love to get help taming this mess of hair. Just take me to where I need to go." He nodded.

At this point I was focused on getting out of the cold, and maybe, just maybe the Avatar would slip into my plans.

~/~

The igloo was very cluttered with random things. From black cauldrons, to spears, to ribbon, to salted fish. It was a mess in here. I just wanted to get to cleaning right away but then again that would be rude. Mr. Cutie immediately went rummaging through a bunch of small boxes in the corner the igloo. I didn't know whether to help or take a seat between the sharp spears and the random pieces of parchment paper. Before I could decide he surfaced a small jewelry box decorated with little blue stars. He walked over to me and opened the box. Within was a sapphire comb, a rabbit bear toothed comb, and black ribbon. I reached out to grab the box but instead he made a gesture that meant to sit down.

I did as he instructed.

He unzipped my coat and slid it off my shoulders. Without the coat holding it up the full length of my hair was revealed. It fell down to my waist. I couldn't help but blush. Back at home no one but your husband was supposed to see all of your hair but here it may be different. I could understand how. It's customs or feed your family.

Running his fingers through the length I felt a smile creep upon my face.

"You're really going to comb all of this hair?"

"Of course. I do this all the time for Gran Gran when my sister is out."

"You live with your sister and grandmother?"

"Yes." he answered quickly as he ran the comb from my roots to the ends, getting caught in the middle on tangled pieces. Again he ran over the same section with the comb and then with the brush.

"You have nice, soft hair." he spoke softly. "Like my mother."

I scowled. I was smiling until he said like my mother. So I remained him of his mother now? I was almost offended until I realized he lived with his sister and grandmother.

"Is she not around?"

"No. The Fire Nation raided the tribe and left her dead when I was very young. My father left and went off to fight in the war. He left me in charge of protecting the tribe and taking care of Gran Gran and Katara." he explained in an almost monotone voice.

"I'm so sorry. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They need to be stopped." I couldn't believe that came out of my mouth. I was the one working for the son of the Fire Lord. He muttered "mhmm", concentrating on my hair. He split my hair into three section and began braiding, wrapping one section around the other. He seemed like a pro at it. It had only been a minute and he was half way done.

"What's your name?" I asked before he put the ribbon around the end to tie off the braid

"I'm Sokka. What's your name?"

"Cry-"

Before I could get my name out the igloo opened. Two people entered. A young girl around my age with dark chocolate hair and the same blueberry eyes Sokka had and a young boy maybe a foot shorter than the young girl with gray eyes. He sported orange and yellow and BLUE ARROWS. So the Avatar was here after all. My eyes widened.

"I um have to go." I quickly put my coat back on and stood up.

"Are you sure?" Sokka asked.

"Yes. I have somewhere to be but thank you." I turned around and gave him a quick embrace followed by my running out of the igloo. From outside I could hear laughing followed by yelling.

"Aw poor Sokka. Your girlfriend ran away?" a female voice teased

"She's not my girlfriend and shut up! She only ran away because you and your stupid friend came before I could get her name. Something was different about her, I could feel it when we talked."

"What? You think she actually likes you, slim chance Sokka." Katara laughed again

"I never said I liked her. She's pretty, that's it." Sokka said

I smiled before launching my body forward. I had to deliver the news in person to Zuko. Three years at sea and the Avatar was finally here.

~/~

Stepping through the door to Zuko's room I was a little shocked to find no one was in there. I had just asked the helmsman where he was and he was quick to say in his room, so that's where I went and low and behold, no Zuko.

I took another step and suddenly I was forced to the bed and pressed down by another body. When I finally opened my eyes the impact of the golden eyes meeting mine was enough to make me jump. He did something I could hardly expect next. He pressed his lips to mine. Immediately his tongue tapped against lips and I opened quickly for entrance. I reluctantly would've let him continue the heated kiss but he pulled back.

I could tell it took everything in him to stop. He wanted this as much as I did but he had a motive, I did not. He got up and so did I. We were stand parallel to each other.

"What is it?" he spoke softly nibbling my neck

"The Avatar. I've found him." When I finished the sentence his eyes lit up. He pushed me back down onto the bed and kissed me like nothing else mattered like responsibilities had all floated away Reaching for the sash of my robe he worked his way under the material and made his way to my chest. I moaned when he rubbed my nipple. Though it felt so good I had to stop him before we were right back to where we had been before. This world is much bigger than us and we couldn't act like we were the only people matter. I pushed him away. My body ached and longed for more. The look on his face was confusion and pain.

"We can't not right now. Work has to be done."

Clearing his throat he fixed his posture, no longer sloppy and animalistic but more conformed and masculine. "Know as soon as business is taken care of you will be mine, you will not get away next time, and you will love every single moment of us working our way to ecstasy."

"There's nothing I'd ever enjoy more." That was one thing about Zuko and I's relationship. We never lied to each other.

~/~

Approaching the village I felt so free I could let out a gleeful scream right there. I smiled. As I walked towards the entrance Sokka was walking out.

"Hey you came back Beautiful." Sokka smiled at me and my legs almost turned to snow.

"Yea I know."

"You came back to tell me your name right?"

He looked so eager and what was I going to say. I came back to capture your friend and maybe destroy your home in the process.

"Um. Something like that."

It just dawned on me. Zuko never once called me beautiful, never complimented me, never thanked me, never even looked at me like Sokka was except beyond when it was convenient for him. It felt so good to be not loved but adored.

"Tell me because I wouldn't feel right fishing and not knowing the stunning girl who came into town today's name."

"I'm not stunning."

"If anyone told you you weren't they're lying. You are the most beautiful girl I've seen in awhile. I mean not that I see other girls but still yea you're pretty top on that list."

"If you knew me you'd know I was far from beautiful."

"That's just it. I don't know you and that's something I've wanted to since you came. I know it's weird but I feel so connected to you. It'll be fun. Come fishing with me um and your name is?"

I for one was NOT the person you take fishing or the person you trust alone except if you're being hunting down by something. I didn't have time. What if Zuko found out? But that word fun came into my mind. Fun as something I hadn't had in awhile. I exhaled.

"Crystal. I'm Crystal and I'd love to go have fun right now."

Author's Note: Done! Sorry it took forever! Review!

~Bre~