Katara wasn't surprised when she awoke the next morning to find that Zuko wasn't in the tent with her. The sun was up and he was sitting on the beach watching the ocean waves crash. She was surprised to see him doing this. Most of his actions as of late perplexed her. The fish from the night before were gone, no doubt they went bad or Zuko found bugs feasting on them. Katara smoothed out her hair the best way she could and cleared her throat. His golden orbs truly looked like two suns staring at her. For a moment his gaze was imposing, but then he smiled.
"Morning! It's about time." His grin broadened, and she felt a small blush creep along her cheeks.
"Good morning."
"Well, hopefully it will be. I figured out a place we can go other than this beach." Katara's heart skipped a beat at his words.
"Really? Where?"
"My parents' old beach house, it's not far from here and if we keep a move on or can find some way to get there via animal."
"What about Appa?"
"Right, like Aang will let us use his bison."
"Who said we had to ask for permission?" This stunned Zuko. He didn't think he'd ever hear Katara say those words, or even think those thoughts. "We could just take him in the middle of the night and then tell him to fly back here. Appa and Momo still like us." She gave a soft chuckle, but Zuko could see a hint of pain in her eyes. And who could blame her? She'd been through a lot in the last couple of days. But it was probably best if they concentrate on the future.
"Well, if that's what you want to do I'm fine with it. But I think once we get to the beach house we should train right away and get ready for the battle with Azula." She nodded her head rather sternly.
"That sounds like a great idea. As for the rest of the day, until we leave tonight, I'm kind of hungry," she gestured to the ocean sheepishly. Zuko sighed and began hitching up his pants. He had no problems getting fish, although he did miss the days when it would be served up on a silver platter for him and his uncle. He should have valued those days more and listened to his Uncle Iroh. Instead of worrying about his honor, he should have absorbed all that his Uncle taught him.
As he waded out into the water, he took notice of Katara bending some water into different shapes onto the beach. She was always practicing and it made him smirk to himself. But soon his smile faded as he remembered what he woke up to only a few hours prior. He was cuddling with Katara. She must have crept into his tent while he was asleep, and they embraced during the night apparently. He hadn't minded which was why he didn't want to bring it up to Katara; didn't want to make her feel self-conscious in any way. He himself was actually shocked but glad with how he woke up. His face was buried into her curly hair, and it smelled great. Her body was warm, although it was mostly due to him.
And then a strange thing began to happen, and he was glad in that instant his waist was under the water. Or else Katara may have gotten an image she'd rather soon forget. Light red adorned his cheeks, and he began thinking of dead horn-puppies and a common game played in the Fire Nation. It wasn't helping. Zuko heard her giggling to herself, and he waded out further into the ocean. Did she see? Was it even possible with the dark blue water surrounding him? He decided not to risk it and just focus on catching the damn fish. If he took any longer Katara might swim out to help him.
Katara could feel the water. She pushed and pulled it easily, and it brought her nothing but absolute joy. She even found herself humming and giggling as she did so. It was just so simple. The water flowed from the sea into the air, and with a flick of her wrist it formed into a whip meant to strike somebody down. If Zuko took any longer catching the fish, she was going to smack him in the back of the head. Her gaze shifted from the water whip to the half naked man wading out into the water.
The water splashed against his pale, muscular form and her cheeks heated as she watched the water droplets trickle down his body. He kept walking further out to sea, and the water kept hiding different parts of his beautifully sculpted body. The water was high around his waist slightly pushing him back each wave after the next. His dagger was in his hand as he looked down trying to seek out a suitable fish for the pair of them to eat. The way his hair wisped over his face caused Katara to bite her lip and go through the waterbending movements more vigorously. These feelings had never risen in Katara before. She'd never looked at Aang or even Jet and bit her lip or felt…turned on? Was that was this feeling was?
She wanted to run through the water, even part it with her bending so she could reach him faster, and just tackle him. But after the tackling, she imagined him kissing her fully on the lips. The waves would continue to crash around them, but steam would rise from where they stood. He'd then cease kissing her, and drag his lips to her neck kissing, biting and sucking at her sensitive skin. Her hands would caress his wet taut body, and his hands would cup her face as he returned kissing her.
"Hey, Katara!" His voice snapped her out of her daydream and the water she was bending fell to the dry sand below. She looked back at him after collecting her thoughts, and saw he had two fish skewered on his dagger and was trudging back. He had gone out even further than when she had last looked at him. The waves were higher, water splashing around his shoulders. She smiled and waved to him trying to cover up the fact that she had just been thinking about him in a less than respectable way.
Her eyes went wide as a surprisingly large wave formed behind the unsuspecting firebender. "Zuko!" She cried out, and he looked behind him only to be knocked down immediately and disappear under the blue water. When he didn't come back up, Katara ran into the sea. Using her bending she pushed the water out of her way letting her run faster. Diving under the water she opened her eyes and saw why he didn't come back. His pants leg was caught on small piece of coral and there was a small cut on Zuko's forehead. Apparently when he got knocked under, his head knocked a rock. Bending the water once more she created an air pocket around Zuko's and her mouths. Katara sliced his pants with the dagger freeing him and dragging him back to shore.
Once on the dry land she bent any water out of his lungs, and proceeded to heal the cut on his face. While he was still unconscious, her curiosity got the best of her, and she attempted healing some of the scar over his left eye. It took some time and a lot of water, but she actually healed a bit of the outer edges on his ear. It wasn't much, but something told her that if she were to heal his scar daily, after a while, it might heal completely. The process of healing him did exhaust her, which had never happened before. She could imagine that healing scars, injuries that have been around for a while, took more out of her than healing recent injuries and small cuts.
He wasn't waking up. It concerned her. After healing his injuries and removing the water he breathed in he should have woken up. Maybe, just maybe, he needed extra air. She had learned a technique from her Gran-Gran after there were no more benders left in the South Pole. Drowning had unfortunately become a rare, but tragic side effect of having no benders. And without any benders, the village people were taught a different way to save people. It involved opening the air way and breathing into the person's lungs. In between this, pressing on the heart would stimulate it back into action. Katara now found herself pressing on his chest, and biting her lip again as she stared at his slightly blue tinged lips.
Tentatively, she lowered her face down to his. Upon being less than an inch from his mouth she could feel light breaths coming from him. But even with knowing he was breathing, Katara was still tempted by the predicament she found herself in. And he wasn't awake yet, what harm could it do? Pressing her lips to his was easy, but what to do afterwards she wasn't sure. His lips were considerably cold, but hers were warming them the longer she pressed her lips against his. Soon, she found herself closing her eyes.
Zuko wanted to cough. But something was keeping his lips shut. He opened his golden orbs and saw Katara, up close and personal. His brain must have not been working because it took quite a bit of time to realize what was going on. He couldn't cough because another set of lips were restraining him from doing so. And those lips belonged to somebody that he never expected would kiss him: Katara. He couldn't help himself, even though he had honestly dreamed of this. But he jerked away, startled.
Her eyes which had been closed opened, and her face was apologetic. "Zuko! You got knocked over by a wave, and could have drowned! I-I uh, I saved you." She said all of this rushed and with pink adorning her cheeks.
"I know. It's all right Katara." He sat up slowly coughing, but no water came up. Surely she bent it out of him. His dry lungs now hurt, something he assumed she didn't expect, and he was thirsty and needed fresh water. "Do you have anything to drink?" he rasped. She nodded her head quickly and pulled out her water skin. He took a sip and felt better instantly. "Thanks," he whispered. He wasn't making eye contact with her.
"I-I'm sorry Zuko!" Katara blurted out randomly. "I was worried that my waterbending didn't heal you, and in my country we were taught another way to save drown victims and it's this process of pushing on the heart to get it beating again, and breathing air into the person's lungs. That-That's all I was trying to do and I'm sorry if I frightened you or something, I didn't mean t-"A pruny finger smashed against her lips, silencing her. Zuko sat beside her, now looking into her glassy blue eyes. She didn't realize that tears were starting to form. Maybe she could convince him they were out of embarrassment.
"Stop." It was all he said before something else was pressed against her lips. Zuko replaced his finger with his lips. They were warmer now that he was awake, and Katara gasped at the contact. It was easy when he was passed out, but now that he was kissing her, of his own volition, it was something else. It wasn't hard, or easy. It was just…wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. She kissed him back, praying to Yue she was a good kisser.
Katara didn't know what she was doing, that much Zuko could surmise. But he was turned on by her enthusiasm. She just had to soften her lips a bit, passion didn't mean puckering up so tight that her mouth was a fortress. He broke away and ran a padded thumb over her bottom lip. "Relax," he whispered so softly he thought for a second she didn't hear him, until she nodded and licked her lips. A gesture that he found irresistible. He kissed her again, and was pleased when her lips remained soft and plump. A quick learner; Zuko liked that. If she was adventurous, he could really have some fun with this.
Using the tip of his tongue, he lightly caressed her top lip. She smiled at this mid-kiss, and he did it again. She liked it when he was sweet. Then, he nibbled lightly on her plump bottom lip eliciting a short intake of breath from the waterbender. But also, a soft petite noise of approval. She liked it if he was a bit rougher.
Adventurous; a complete turn-on to the exiled prince.
Katara cautiously put her arms around his neck, and he grabbed her waist in response pulling her closer. How easy it would be if he laid back and had her straddle him; To continue this significant kiss and possibly have it turn into something more. It would have been easy, but nothing about Katara came easy, and Zuko thought that was one of the reasons he was attracted to her. She didn't cave to his whim, or take advantage of him. Although certainly a few minutes ago she took advantage of his unconscious state. But what a sight to wake to.
Zuko's eyes widened and he broke the kiss abruptly. Katara's lips were still puckered, but now the tinge of pink was returning back to her mocha skin. He had been so swept up in the kiss until one crushing moment. Katara's hands had skimmed against his neck and ears. It was a fairly harmless act; except for one problem. Zuko felt it on both sides of his head. His right ear had never been a problem, but his left? The nerve endings from the scarred skin had lost most feeling, and therefore any physical contact he did not feel. But he felt Katara just now. He brought a hand up to his ear and felt the skin. Skin. Not a burn or scar. The tip of his ear was reshaped and healed.
"What did-How…" He had lost his ability to speak.
"You had a cut on your forehead that I healed, and curiosity kind of got the better of me. You were going to let me try it in the crystal catacombs. I didn't think it would be a problem, I'm sorry." Her voice was meek and trembled faintly.
"And it worked?"
"A little bit, yes. My theory is if I worked on it everyday or something, it might heal completely." His right eye widened at this shocking news.
"You're kidding…?"
"No." Her eyes met his and Zuko felt something deep down in his stomach. He gripped her chin gently and tipped it up making her eye level with him.
"Thank you so much Katara." And he pressed his lips against her again, this time with more passion behind it. She responded again, happy now that she knew he wasn't upset with her. His hand dipped under her clothes touched the skin of her belly, which jerked in response to his touch. She never once broke the kiss though. Not until a voice shot out from above.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The pair broke apart only to find themselves staring into the very angry blue eyes of Katara's only brother:
Sokka.
