I do not own Avatar
The animal's tongue strikes her neck so quickly she doesn't have a chance to even attempt and move out of the way. Her body goes numb, arms, legs, and muscles unresponsive. She falls to the ground, can't do more then draw a shallow breath and try to call out to Sokka beside her. There's a wet spot on her neck from the creature's tongue, warm and wet and sticky with saliva. Her face is so close to the dirt she can smell it, a fresh, earthy, almost metallic scent.
"That isn't a very nice way to treat your girlfriend." The dark haired woman says to Zuko, and she isn't quite sure who she's talking about. She doesn't think anyone can love Zuko, because while his exterior is good, a harsh sort of handsome(if a girl is into Fire Nation men of course, and she isn't), his spirit is evil, and no proper woman can love evil.
Warm hands grip her, familiar hands, and Zuko picks her up, holds her in both arms, close to his chest as he carries her. She still doesn't have control of her muscles and her head lolls onto Zuko's shoulder, so close she's sure he can feel her breath against his neck. She catches a whiff of Zuko's scent and he smells like smoke, a sweet smoke, and he smells like heat and expensive soaps from the Fire Nation. He doesn't smell evil, and as he carries her to the animal, he carries her almost gently, and he doesn't feel evil either. His hands are hot, his chest is hot, everything about him is hot and she's certain that if she touches his face it too will have heated skin. Zuko sets her on the back of the animal behind the saddle and goes to Sokka; he throws Sokka over his shoulder with ease and throws him beside her.
The ride is bumpy, the animal jumps and sprints and it feels like she's going to be tossed off and onto the ground at any moment. The creature can clearly follow scents because they're at the abbey in only a few minutes. They jump the wall and she's sure she's going to fall when she feels warmth on her back and fingers gripping a handful of her dress. Confusion strikes her because Zuko's doing something nice and she can only assume it's a reflex to reach back or maybe Zuko's wants to keep her alive to use her scent.
They're riding on Appa later, after Zuko's defeated and Aang won't stop smiling at her, like he has some kind of hidden secret he wants to share.
"I have something for you Katara." Aang pulls her mother's necklace out and her heart skips a beat in her chest.
"How'd you get that?" She can't help but wonder if Zuko gave it back, but she's expecting too much from someone so evil.
"Zuko gave it to me." Aang is only joking and for some reason it hurts a bit more then it's supposed to.
"Awww, that's so sweet of Zuko, make sure to give him this for me when you see him." She kisses Aang's cheek and fastens the necklace around her neck; it's cool and familiar against her skin.
As they fly a hand drifts to her neck to play with the water symbol, and she wonders why Zuko bothered to keep the necklace at all.
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