"Yes, love birds." Toph replied, matter-of-factually, and Katara could see Zuko's embarrassed look out of the corner of her eye, but Katara very well hid her embarrassment with what she tried to make off as anger. She was a little annoyed Toph had barged in while they were... together. Having a bit of a moment. And if Toph knew what they were doing before she even got here through seismic sense, wouldn't she have the sense to leave them alone? Or prepare dinner herself because Katara was, well, helping Zuko feel more at home. "It wasn't too hard to feel where that was headed." She shook her head. "If you're done, we're waiting, Sugar Queen." She told her with a chuckle, and finally turned to leave.

"Sugar Queen?" Zuko questioned after she'd left, a hint of amusement showing in his tone, and Katara pouted a little. "It's not a nickname i took willingly!" she defended herself, and he just chuckled, moving in close to her again now that he was able to, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "No, but you're kinda cute when you blow up over stupid stuff like that." He murmured, and she, gratefully, slid her arms around his neck, and pressed a brief kiss to his lips, eyes closing for the gentle moment they spent together. Finally, she parted from him, and motioned for him to follow her as she headed back out to the group, hoping both that Toph hadn't mentioned anything to anyone (they really should've asked that she keep their actions from before under wraps, but she'd been so intent on getting rid of her and having a moment alone with Zuko that it slipped her mind). But also, that if, hopefully, she didn't say anything, them being off alone together for so long hadn't been too suspicious. They already rose suspicion before with their little hug. They couldn't afford to do that again if they wanted to stay low-key about this, for now

And so, they entered the group gathered around the fire, and Katara wordlessly began to prepare their dinner, thankfully getting no questions. Zuko didn't seem to be being asked anything either, to be given odd looks or anything like that. But when the meal was finished and Katara began dishing out food to everyone, she could tell Toph was just waiting to burst out innuendos and jokes at them the moment she slipped on her words, or Zuko said anything he didn't realize would be butchered into something humorous and most likely embarrassing at a moments notice. Conversation ensued, but Katara was sure to keep quiet about anything relating to Zuko and their time together, and he thankfully did the same. Finally, when they'd all eaten and decided that after such a long day, they should rest. Aang would begin his firebending training first thing tomorrow with Zuko, and they both needed their rest. So they all cleaned up from dinner, and headed to their respected places for rest. Katara couldn't believe how well that'd gone; not a single word about the make out session they shared before from Toph. Were they really going to get away with this? Just as she headed towards the temple, to head to Zuko's room for a bit of... talking before bed, her luck ran out.

"Don't get into any hotpants tonight, sweetness." Toph called in a bit of a sing-songy voice, which was really only heard by Katara and Zuko on their way to the room, but it was loud enough that if the others were paying attention, they could've easily heard. Hotpants.

She was pretty much ready to die. The redness of Zuko's face pretty much plastered a sign saying he was embarrassed too. It hadn't looked like anything until she made a goddamn sex innuendo as they were going into a bedroom together. She wished Toph hadn't heard them. Or feet-saw them. But there was no escaping a girl who could see pretty much everything if she was in close enough range. It was a nightmare and a miracle all at once. For their particular situation though, it was definitely not much of a blessing. She really wished they could have privacy. But hotpants?

Was that what she was going to call Zuko?

Not that it wasn't true.

Because he a firebender

That's obviously what she meant

Just that he was a fire bender and fire was hot

"Don't get into any hotpants tonight". She was telling her not to get in Hotpants' hot pants.

She was so glad no one else had heard. She probably would've died if anyone heard. Not to mention hearing about giving Sokka the "oogies" again. Though she had to admit, if her kissing someone gave him the "oogies", her sleeping with someone would probably ensue another word for him to describe his absolute disinterest in hearing about his siblings romantic rendezvous. Which was good obviously, but he could at least try to be more mature about it.

But whatever. She didn't need to think about her childish older brother at the moment. She followed Zuko into the room, wishing there was more than just a curtain to draw in front of the door, but she settled for what they had. Smiling, she moved in close to him and laced her arms around his neck, leaning up and pressing an affectionate kiss to his cheek, resulting in a soft chuckle from him at the contact, as if the awkward dining and embarrassing remark from Toph had faded away and they could be as loving as they were before dinner again. "Hotpants?" She questioned him, referring to when he questioned Toph's unwilling nickname for Katara before. The repeat of that name made his cheeks grow a little pink, and he hid his face away in her hair, talking, though it was a bit muffled. "That was not my choice of a nickname." He huffed , and Katara laughed softly. "It wasn't, Hotpants?" She asked, a playful little grin on her face, and he pouted a little dropping his head a bit so his brow rested against hers, and she could quite clearly see his embarrassed expression (which Katara couldn't deny was quite possibly the cutest thing she'd ever seen).

"That nickname will be the death of me." he insisted, pretty over dramatically, Katara thought. "You, being a complete dork, will be the death of me." She replied, and he chuckled, leaning forward so his nose brushed hers, eliciting a few giggles from them both before they kissed briefly, a gentle press of their lips together, before parting and resuming their close position. She leaned in again, giving him a longer, more luxorious kiss, rather than the brief one they'd just shared. She pressed herself against him, head tilting into the kiss and eyes falling shut. A hand slid up to entangle in his dark hair, pulling him closer to her. His arms wrapped around her waist so fittingly, as if they were just meant to fall into place there. The kiss was growing more and more heated, Katara pressing into it more, into him more, pressing him into the wall and letting the other arm that wrapped around his neck fall to grip the hem of his top. But as quickly as the kiss began, it ended.

"I should go."

She'd told him, knowing that if she hadn't so badly wanted to keep going to, this would be considered teasing. "They might get suspicious, and Toph will definitely assume we did well.. exactly what she joked about." She replied, looking at him a little apologetically. She wished she hadn't been so selfish as to throw herself into such a passionate moment, knowing full well they wouldn't be able to do anything more tonight if they wanted to avoid be discovered before they were ready. Zuko looked as if he were about to agree with her for a moment, as she knew he was an "honorable prince" and wouldn't pressure her. But it was Katara he was talking about, and she should've expected the dominance to change, and for Katara to know be pressed to the wall of the small room, round eyes widened as she looked up at him, but there was an undertone of want beneath it all. That every time she said this was innappropriate right now, it made him want to do what was called wrong so many times so badly. And Katara would be lying if she said she wouldn't have taken similar action if she was in his position

"She'll assume we... got busy in here either way. We've been here awhile, alone. Why not prove her right?" He whispered, brow resting against hers again, and although the words he said would've been spoken with a smirk and a hot, breathy whisper against her neck by anyone else, Zuko's shy face and quiet whispers were what came of it.

And Katara didn't think she'd ever wanted to be with anyone more

Hey there! So i haven't really been speaking at the end of chapters, mostly because i just write and post and write and post and blah blah. But i guess its resulted in little to no reviews? Dont be shy about commenting! Praise is always a fucking plus, and constructive criticism is too! uvu