Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters.
It was something Katara did often; sitting in Zuko's lap was simply second nature to her. It was as habitual to her as her morning routine. Wake up, bathe, fix hair, the usual. Make dinner, sit in Zuko's lap, eat dinner. She had never once given it a second thought.
The first time she truly pondered why it was so natural to her was when she felt something soft and smooth press against her temple. Katara looked up to see Zuko looking straight into her eyes and… could it be… a smirk on his lips?
"You like that?" he murmured.
Shoving down the butterflies that threatened to control her, she sent Zuko a smirk of her own and replied, "What if I don't?"
"Then I will be utterly humiliated and leave most promptly."
Afraid he might actually leave her, she swiftly returned to her previous, playful manner, "and what if I do?"
A mischievous grin spread across Zuko's face until he wiped it away and replied in the most serious tone he could muster, "Then I will be tempted to kiss you again, only possibly more than once, and not just right here," he kissed her temple again for effect, "and I promise you, you'll like that, too."
"Oh?"
"Oh," he nodded, continuing with that deep, husky voice of his, speaking slowly so that each word had its intended effect, "without a doubt. I'll start with your collarbone, plant a few kisses there until I have you shivering, and certainly not from the cold." He moved his finger along her collarbone to demonstrate, "Then I'll move my lips to your neck, maybe use a little firebending there to warm them up, kiss you until you're moaning and begging me to make my way to your lips. Then I'll finally do as you desire, but I'll stop, just millimeters away from your mouth, until you can't stand the tension any longer and close the distance yourself."
"I…" she had difficulty speaking since his fingers rested on her lips, "I like the sound of that."
"Do you?" he drawled and stroked Katara's left cheekbone to see her ever-present blush turn a deeper crimson.
"More than you know." She whispered, thoroughly embarrassed.
Zuko, not to her surprise, was a man of his word.
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