Category: Avatar: Last Airbender
Author: RedNovember
Title: The Hunter and the Prey
Pairing: Zuko/Katara
Genre: Romance/Action
Rating: T (PG-13) for now, but if I have to up it to M (or R) I will.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of this series. However, the fanfiction written, the plot contained and any original characters I might write (planning on a couple) I do own.

A/N: Bit more Z/K action in this chapter. Details on Aang and Sokka are forthcoming. They'll soon be making a bigger appearance, don't worry. On with the story!

Chapter 5: An Even MORE Uncomfortable Situation

The warmth of the sunlight pouring in through the windows of Prince Zuko's cabin went largely to waste, as the canopies of the elaborate bed kept the sleeping from waking.

What a shame, thought Uncle Iroh, striding into the Royal Prince's bedchamber. Prince Zuko really had to stop hiding in his canopy bed in the mornings. The boy could do with some healthy Vitamin D as well as a generous dose of optimism, something the sun could hopefully provide.

He drew in a deep breath before nonchalantly sweeping aside the curtain at the foot of the bed and proclaimed, "Rise and SHINE, your Majes-" before he was cut off short by the sight in front of his eyes.

His shocked face slowly widened into a grin as the sleepy prince slowly woke up next to his bedmate. Apparently Zuko had been EXTREMELY optimistic last night…


As a bright ray of sunlight hit his face, Zuko squinted in his sleep and concluded that maybe a bit of sun in the mornings wouldn't hurt now and then. In truth, this morning was the most warm and comfortable morning he had had in a long while. He unconsciously tightened his arms around-

Around what! Or, after a brief inspection, who? The realization came upon him suddenly and- "Oh shit."

He couldn't believe that after what he had said to Katara last night, he'd ended up touching her. And it really was his fault, for, judging from their position, it was him doing the touching, not the other way around. Sometime during the night, the two had moved closer to each other (very close, Zuko noted) and his arms had fastened around Katara's pliant waist, pulling her back flush against his chest, while his head was tucked over her shoulder, resting lightly on her neck. He was spooning with her! They were pressed so closely together he could hear her breath lightly next to his ears, long and peaceful. It was an extremely compromising position. But definitely not altogether uncomfortable.

Looking up, he caught sight of the 2nd worst thing that would happen to him that morning. His uncle's foolish, grinning face was peeking between the canopies that were letting the sunlight in.

"Having fun?" His uncle said slyly.

Zuko quickly brought a finger to his lips, motioning for Iroh to be quiet. The last thing he wanted happening was Katara waking up. Still, she shifted in his arms and mumbled something. Zuko fervently prayed she wouldn't wake up until he got out of bed.

A loud knock on his bedroom door and a cry of "Prince Zuko!" was the worst thing that happened to him this morning. Zuko, with a sinking feeling in his gut, recognized Captain Raku and First Mate Hurei's voices. Iroh, with a worried frown on his face, disappeared to open the door for the two men outside. Unfortunately, the knocking had woken up Katara as well. She shifted to face him and her eyes widened as she realized how close they were and where exactly his hands were placed on her body. She immediately sat up, raising her upper body off the bed (Zuko felt a very brief pang at the loss of her body warmth next to his) when Iroh's purposefully raised voice penetrated the dark privacy of the bed.

"Good MORNING, my DEAR CAPTAIN RAKU! Oh, and my oh my, has the FIRST MATE HUREI decided to join us as well? Come in and let's- OH! OFFICERS SAKAI AND TARU ARE HERE TOO! Is this not a fine morning for a gathering of FINE MEN, without, might I add, the company of FINE WOMEN?" A confused silence from the crewmembers greeted this enthusiastic declaration from Iroh.

Katara looked back down at Zuko underneath her and mouthed, "I think your uncle overdid it." He nodded in furtive agreement.

Officer Sakai's nervous, reedy voice raised itself from the silence. "We're here to talk to Prince Zuko, we know it's a bit early for his Majesty, but something urgent has-"

Iroh cut him off abruptly. "I'll go wake the Prince right now. Please give me one quick moment, gentlemen." He gave the confused crew a hasty smile before crossing back to the bed and poking his head in, but keeping the canopies tightly closed everywhere else, so from the inside it appeared as if his head was floating between the red curtains.

"The Captain, First Mate, and Officers are here, my dear boy!" His gaze flickered anxiously at Katara hovering over the Prince on the bed. "It's not my fault!" he mouthed silently.

Zuko glared at his uncle for a moment before clearing his throat and raising his voice to address the men in his room. "Gentlemen, I will be right with you."

There were murmurings of assent and uncomfortable shuffling outside as Zuko pushed Katara back down on the bed, mouthing "stay here!" before attempting to straighten his sleep rumpled clothes. Katara pulled the back of his shirt straight for him, and he nodded at her before climbing awkwardly out of bed and smoothing down his trousers before walking over to join the Captain, his uncle, and other crewmembers gathered around his maps on the table. "Good morning. What's the rush?"

Katara let out a breath of relief and relaxed back into the still-warm hollow Zuko had left in the bed as the men outside began to talk excitedly to each other. Hopefully they thought she was being contained in another room on the ship, not in Prince Zuko's own bedchamber, nevertheless in his own bed! The questions could wait. She would let Zuko deal with this… intrusion before her own inquisition would come for him.

Zuko's voice raised in a surprised and anxious note outside, and the furtive mumblings and excited jabbering from the Officers got louder. Katara frowned. The velvet curtains around the bed could sure dampen the sound pretty well. She caught one word, "pirates" and fear filled her insides. She brushed it away quickly. Why would a large and impressive fleet such as this one fear pirates? Most pirates traveled in single ships, sometimes grouping up in twos or threes to attack bigger prey. Even against a three-ship pirate attack, the Fire Nation fleet was certainly big enough to put off any sort of attack from any pirates. Confused, Katara moved gently, trying to make as little noise as possible towards the foot of the bed next to the curtain. The words "this morning" and "black flag" reached her ears and she pressed closer to the curtain.

Suddenly, the pillow underneath her slipped sideways and so did she. Fear and horror clenched her insides. She scrambled to grab hold of the bedpost but lost her grip and slid out from behind the curtains into a heap on the floor of the cabin.

The room fell silent, and Katara felt 6 pairs of eyes lock onto her.

After several moments of silence, First Officer Sakai was the first to ask the question. "Is this… your prisoner, Prince Zuko?"

Katara's cheeks blushed red. There weren't many explanations for this incident. The few that were available weren't respectable or particularly innocent in any way. She could hear the crewmember's minds clicking and whirling as they arrived at the absolute worst possible conclusion, as people have a tendency to do. She could also feel Zuko's and Iroh's horror radiating at her from the table at which they were standing.

She felt like jumping off the side of the boat and staying underwater for a long, long time.

Uncle Iroh cleared his throat, as Zuko seemed incapable of speech at the moment. "I believe the Prince and the lady need a bit of alone time, Captain, so why don't we and your lovely officers proceed out the door and to a more, shall we say, unoccupied meeting place?"

Iroh ushered the men out the door, with Officer Sakai being the last to leave as he threw a suspicious glare at Katara who was still in her frozen position on the ground.

As the door clicked shut, an impenetrable silence descended upon the room.

"I'm sorry." Katara whispered, breaking the silence.

A loud whoosh came out as the Prince sighed heavily. "That was probably the absolute worse thing that could have happened at the moment." He said calmly, regarding her from his standing position.

"I'm really sorry." Katara murmured again, this time raising her face to look at him.

Zuko moved as if to help her from the ground, but she stood up herself before he could reach her, and he cleverly disguised the movement by turning to the left and reaching for his armor instead.

She collapsed in an armchair, watching Zuko as he first put on the armor on his legs, which were little more than metal plates strapped to his thighs, knees, and shins. However, she could tell the dark metal was good quality.

"I should be apologizing for… for this morning." His bent head slightly muffled his voice.

"It's really okay." She said quietly, watching him from her chair.

"Yeah… it was pretty okay for me too." He stood up, unable to meet her eyes and scratched the back of his head a bit absentmindedly. Privately, Katara thought his discomfort was a bit… cute.

She hesitated, wondering what his real meaning was. "Yeah, it was okay… really okay for me as well." An awkward situation, but it was the closest either of them would ever come to admitting that sleeping in the same bed hadn't ended up being overly uncomfortable for both of them. Meaning they'd both liked it. A lot.

Katara grinned shyly, deciding it was time for some comic relief. "You're lucky. If your hands had been any more south of where they were originally, I would've sliced them off and you wouldn't have anything attached to your arms right now."

Zuko stared at her for a moment, unsure whether she was joking or not. He saw her smile and couldn't keep a slight grin off his face as well. He hid it, for it wasn't exactly good Princely behavior, consorting with the prisoner, and turned his face back to his armor. But Katara had seen it, and that was enough.

Zuko lifted the top part of his armor off the stand, and Katara watched him from behind. "That looks heavy." She commented, feeling a bit more at ease now.

He glanced at her sideways. He was still new to this Be-Nice-To-Katara-The-Prisoner thing. "You want to try it on?" He lifted it up questioningly.

She shrugged and got up, walking over and lifting her arms in the air as he settled it over her. It wouldn't hurt to try.

But it did. A lot. She gasped as he let go and the full weight of the metal pressed down hard on her smaller shoulders, making her reel backwards from the heaviness of it until she landed in her armchair. Sitting down, the suit of armor's shoulders went up to her ears, and the bottom half of her face was lost inside of it.

Zuko couldn't keep the stupid grin off his face. She looked hilarious, pinned to the chair like that.

Her arms flailed wildly. "Get it off me!" She gasped, and couldn't help laughing. "I won't be able to get up with this thing on. It's pinning me to the chair!"

He gave her a sly grin. "Maybe I'll just leave you there for the rest of the day. It looks much more effective than a guard or a lock."

"No!" Was her indignant reply.

He walked over and lifted it up before settling it over his own shoulders. It fit him well, and he was used to it. Katara stood up, rubbing her aching shoulders and glared at him. She knew her physical strength wasn't the same as his. For one, she was naturally smaller. Second, she depended much more on her mental and spiritual abilities to bend water as her form of defense and strength. Physical strength was not on her list of things to work on. That was usually her brother's department.

Zuko grinned wryly and turned his back to her, asking her silently to help him buckle up the straps on the sides. She did, pulling them tight before saying, "All done."

He buckled on his sword and knives. He didn't really need them, but they were there in case something came up that he couldn't deal with a bit of fire bending. Katara was silent behind him, and he wondered what was wrong as he turned around to face her. He was in an uncommonly good mood, even with the embarrassing incident from this morning.

Her worried face stopped him. "They think I'm sleeping with you." She said quietly, serious again.

It was her reputation she was worried about, Zuko surmised. "Well, you technically were." He meant it as a joke. He felt unusually optimistic this morning. How did she get his spirits up so fast? Nobody else could do it.

"You know what I mean."

Zuko sincerely hoped she wasn't out to destroy the good mood that she herself had built up for him this morning. He'd need it, what with the things he would be dealing with as soon as he stepped outside. The information brought by the Captain had not been reassuring.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" A bit of frustration crept into his tone. So much for the good mood.

Katara's eyes met his own before she looked away again. She did that often, he noticed. "I don't know."

"Well, I don't know either!" The tension in the room mounted again.

"It doesn't bother you?" She asked coldly.

"Well… yes… but, it's different for me."

"How so?" Her tone became more and more icy.

"I'm their prince. They won't dare contradict what I do, nor who I choose to keep in my bedchamber!"

She glared at him. "You are so arrogant. You think being a Fire Prince will excuse you from just about any type of behavior?"

He couldn't believe how fast they'd moved from joking to arguing in the space of a mere two minutes. "YES!" He bellowed, before stomping to the door and pulling it open. There were more important problems to deal with right now (for example, pirates) than an angry woman in his bedchamber. Apparently she could destroy his good mood as easily as she had built it up.

Before he slammed the door shut locked it, he looked back at Katara, who had flopped back onto the rumpled bed sheets. "Do you want to come outside?" He asked a bit gruffly.

"No." Was her short answer.

He was about to close the door all the way when her voice stopped him again.

"Wait. Come get me before lunch, okay?" She didn't sound as angry anymore.

"Fine."

He made sure to lock all four locks securely on the door. He was starting to learn that this girl was more unpredictable than he'd thought.


Prince Zuko arrived at the Officer's dining room where the Captain, First Mate, Officers, and Uncle Iroh were waiting for him. Uncle Iroh met him at the door with a quick "Did you solve everything?". Zuko gave him a quick nod before standing forward, meeting the eyes of his subordinates firmly and apologizing for his lateness.

Captain Raku pointed out the window at five black ships looming on the horizon. "I'm sure you recognize this group of pirates, my Lord."

Zuko took the telescope Officer Taru handed him and pulled it out to a length where he could focus on the flags of the ship. The sigil of two wickedly crossed swords met his eye.

"The Pirate Rishku?"


A/N: Good interaction for Z/K? A bit OOC? Moving too fast? Too slow? I'd love to know, if you could just click that one button down there that says a simple "Submit Review" on it...