Zuko's mind was racing. He realized that this would never end well, but he had to do something. He would have never thought the young waterbender could feel this way, anyway about him.
Then slowly, carefully, he lifted his hand to the side of her neck and placed it there, rubbing his thumb across her jaw. He gently applied more pressure to her lips, kissing her back.
He sighed at the feeling. Every nerve in his body tingled, as if a cool breath had just enveloped his insides.
Suddenly Katara's eyes snapped open. The very thing she had been afraid of had occurred. She thought she had felt something as she lay stone still against him. But she did not want to know if he was awake or asleep, therefore she chose to leave her eyes closed. But she couldn't ignore him any longer. The pressure he was exerting on her lips was making her breathless, and one of his hands was tangled in her hair.
She gasped and pulled away from him. All tenderness was shattered by their ragged breath and flushed faces. She was still not far from him. Close enough to make out his amber eyes in the darkness.
"Katara..." he breathed her name. At this she wanted nothing more than to kiss him again. But she couldn't. She knew it wasn't right, that she had to get away. The situation between the two of them was complicated enough already.
"Zuko, don't" she whispered harshly as she began to stand up.
Zuko's temper flared. Was she serious? What was going on here?
"No" he said, grabbing her hand and pulled her back down to him.
Katara's breathing was becoming heavy at his closeness. Zuko's thumb moved back and forth across the top of her hand.
"Zuko, please" she said pleadingly, "Just let it go. I wasn't thinking."
At this Zuko growled.
"Listen" he began "It wasn't nothing. You and I both know that. And it's not as if we can make it go away. I didn't want it to..."
He looked up searchingly into her confused blue eyes.
"I know you felt it too" he said. He stopped stroking her hand and held it tightly now. Katara sat there in silence, her breath more steady.
"It was like a calming aura" he began "It filled me up, just as if cool breath had been blown into me. Everything smelled and tasted like rain on a spring day. I felt so serene and pure. It was as though I could feel the bending part of you inside of me" he finished.
They sat there in silence for a long time.
After a moment she moved towards him, their faces dangerously close. Katara lifted her fingers to touch Zuko's lips very softly. They both breathed out with contentment.
"Do you feel it?" he asked, his lips moving against her hand, his eyes closed in comfort.
"I do" she breathed "But it's not the same."
"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes opening. He took her hand from his lips and held it again.
She gave herself a moment to conjure a suitable explanation, one that would not describe the feeling of lust and fire she felt as soon as she made skin contact with the Fire Prince. But it could be described as nothing other than just that.
"Well..." she began. He looked at her expectantly from behind his dark, shaggy bangs.
"I feel this wonderful, warm sensation. At first it starts here" she placed her hand on her abdomen.
"But then it's like flood gates releasing this...this...feeling to every part of my body. The air smells of jasmine and spice and everything feels so sensuous. It's as though I'm consumed with..." she paused for a moment, wondering if she could make her final statement.
"With what?" he asked, intrigued. Katara sighed.
"With... with... want I guess you could call it" she chuckled nervously.
He smiled at this.
"Really?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Do you think I'm lying?" she snapped. She wished she had never said anything.
"Let's find out" he said, and leaned forward to kiss her again.
Katara knew normal precedence would have never allowed such a thing to happen twice in one night. But she concluded that it was simply destiny, or predestined by the universe, because at this point she didn't care. All that she wanted was him.
This kiss was nothing like before. It was no longer soft and tentative, but deep and searching. Katara's hand glided up and down the Fire Prince's bare torso, sending delighted shivers down his body.'
Zuko was a gentleman, she discovered. His hands were either in her lap or on her neck, never roaming.
When they finally pulled apart, they were greeted with a sight that awed them.
A faint glow surrounded them both, Katara's a halo of blue and Zuko's red.
They breathed out in unison.
Katara lifted her hand up, palm out, as did Zuko. They pressed their hands together, fingers spread, feeling the ice and fire as the two clashed and molded together. Two opposite forces attracting in such a way that touched the senses. The most opposing forces in all of nature blending together in harmony.
"Zuko" whispered Katara.
"Yes" he said, a smile on his lips.
"I forgive you" she whispered.
And she kissed him again.
