Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or any characters.
Authors note: Hello everybody! Wow it's been a while but I was really stuck on what to write and I think I finally got something! I'm so excited to write again! Oh, and I will be writing a Twilight song fic that will be up soon to if you would like to read it. Ok again with Zuko, Katara, and Uncle on the little boat.
Katara rolled over on her side and groaned slightly. A fire nation insignia hung on the wall over her head. She shot upright, not knowing where she was. Then the night's events came flooding back to her. She was free. Still sleepy, she strained to hear the noises coming from the deck, and then she recognized what it was. Swords. Clashing swords. She leapt of the bed, and bolted on deck, halting in a fighting stance. The only person on deck was Zuko, practicing his broad swords. Relieved, Katara forgot to drop her fighting stance.
Zuko looked over and said with his half smile, "If I had known you wanted to fight that bad, I would have brought the extra broad swords out of the hull…"
Katara dropped her stance quickly with a slight blush. Zuko motion for Katara to come join him, which she complied.
Zuko looked Katara up and down, and finally asked, "…Do you want to learn?" Katara thought about it for a second. If her bending was ever blocked in battle, it would be good to have an extra weapon, especially considering that tomorrow night would be a lunar eclipse, and she would be almost powerless. She nodded her head.
"I will get the swords then," said Zuko.
"No need, Nephew, "said Uncle, as he came on deck. He was carrying the swords. Katara walked over to him. "Be careful, and don't let him get the best of you," Uncle whispered to Katara with a wink.
Katara laughed and said, " I'll try."
Un-sheathing the swords as she walked, Katara stopped at Zuko's side.
"The most important thing to remember when using broad swords is that even though they are exact opposites of each other, they are one weapon," Zuko said as he repeated his lessons. " If you were a fire bender, then this move," he said as he made an X with the blades and dragged the metal across each other, "could be used to generate fire along the length of the swords. Try it."
Katara did and… Nothing happened. As was to be expected.
Zuko smiled, " The perfect form, but not the right kind of bender." He continued to teach Katara broadsword forms, and on the second day she had gotten the hang of it. That night was the lunar eclipse, and Katara felt horrible, completely out of touch with her element. Zuko and Katara sat on one bench around the fire while Uncle sat on the other with a sitar. He began to play, and hum a song. Zuko's head shot up to look at his Uncle. The song was about a young man having feelings for a young woman, but the man wasn't sure if his feeling were returned. The young man turns to the young women and instead of asking, he kisses her. Zuko had always thought that the young man in the song had compromised the girl's honor by not asking. Uncle began to smile and a look of horror played across Zuko's face, as he realized what Uncle was planning. Uncle wanted Zuko and Katara to kiss.
Zuko shook his head ever so slightly so that only Uncle would see. Uncle winked and got up from his spot.
"I'm going to make some tea. Would either of you like any?" Uncle asked as he walked toward the stairs.
"Yes please, General Iroh," said Katara.
"Please," said Iroh, "Call me Uncle."
Katara nodded. When Uncle was gone, she turned to Zuko. "Why were you shaking your head?" Katara asked confused.
Zuko's eyes widened in surprise before he could control his expression, then he tried to cover it with a cough and said, " I don't know what you are talking about?"
Katara's face scrunched into her searching for answers expression, "You shook your head at Uncle when he played that song…"
"You're Wrong!" shouted Zuko. Katara's face became hurt and she dropped her eyes to her palms. She began tracing the lines with her finger. Zuko growled, and held his face in his hand.
"What?" Katara asked, wanting him to say something to her. She just wanted to hear his voice because… because… a tightness came in her chest as she fought back a few tears. He treated her so cruelly sometimes, but that didn't change how she felt about him. She continued to stare down at her hands.
Zuko looked at Katara, the way the fire cast shadows across her face. She really was beautiful. He leaned over and whispered, "Can I kiss you?" A shiver passes through Katara. Zuko was a gentleman, asking for her permission. Katara, not sure what so say, nodded, but looked straight ahead into the fire, not wanting to meet the Prince's eyes. To tell the truth, she was scared. She had never been kissed before.
Zuko was puzzled that Katara would not look at him, but leaned over anyway. He pressed his lips to Katara's cheek. Katara felt the light grazed of warmth on her cheek and turned slowly to look at Zuko. A kiss for a kiss seemed only fair… So Katara leaned over and gently kissed Zuko's scarred cheek. She discovered the scar to be soft and warm, and Zuko was pleasantly surprised to find that even though Katara was a water bender, her lips were warm, almost hot on his cheek. Katara pulled back to stare into Zuko's eyes, unsure of what to do…
Zuko made to decision for her. He leaned in to give Katara a more lingering kiss on the cheek, but Katara had other plans. Just when his lips were about to touch her cheek, Katara turned her head and presses her lips against his. Zuko froze, time seemed to stop. Zuko's eyes closed. The fire whipped up, the water crashed against the boat, the earth under the water shook, and the wind picked up reluctantly at first but then whipped around causing Katara's hair to tickle Zuko's face. They pulled apart and the world was still. Katara looked at Zuko and then quickly averted her eyes back to her hands. Zuko looked down at her, in complete shock. Then he felt heat rise to his face. Uncle had gotten his wish…
Then a gruff voice came from the darkness at the bow of the boat, "Now isn't that sweet?" Zuko jumped up and stared into the blackness. Out of the dark, stepped the pirates.
