A/N: Hi! Sorry for the slow update. Virus problem and then I couldn't get a document on the internet and I was like 'Grr.' Yah.
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Zuko woke when something (or someone) stirred in his arms. He opened a single golden eye to see Katara asleep in his arms. Her long chocolate hair streamed down her shoulders and her face was peaceful. A small smile graced her lips. The firebender looked over his shoulder toward the entrance of the small cave. It was light out, but just barely. Good. He hadn't slept in. He turned his attention back to the sleeping girl in his arms. He smiled as she snuggled deeper into his chest for warmth. The morning was bitter cold despite it being spring.
He didn't want to wake her. That would mean dragging her back into a painful reality of war. She had no mother and her father was at war. Katara was thousands of miles from home running from the Fire Nation princess with a fugitive. She didn't believe the Avatar or her brother needed her. But in her sleep, Katara was peaceful and happy. Her dreams were tranquil.
"Zuko! Help…" she mumbled, stirring again. Or not.
"Shh. It's a dream." the young man whispered in her ear, lips grazing her cheek. Katara seemed to loosen up with the influence of Zuko being there. Then she squirmed again. "Katara. I'm here. You're safe." The firebender felt a surge of emotion run through him. He loved holding her; making her feel safe and loved. She calmed down again, mumbling something he couldn't understand. Her voice squeaked and he pulled the waterbender closer.
Her curves fit perfectly against his muscular chest. He felt his heart rate quicken as he tightened his hold about her waist. "It's only a dream. It's alright. No one can hurt you. You're a master waterbender and you've got me behind you." Suddenly, Katara's eyes flickered open. They were wide and filled with fear. Zuko pulled her even closer, their noses touching.
"It's okay. It was only a dream." The firebender assured her. Katara swallowed hard.
"It was so scary." she squeaked. She squeezed her eyes shut, leaning against Zuko's chest.
"What happened?"
"Sokka… We were at the last battle. And…you were holding off your father and Azula while Aang took care of the comet… and Sokka and Toph and I were fighting. Toph went off somewhere and Sokka…" A tear seeped from the waterbender's eye. "He was killed. And I could have stopped it. I could have--"
"It wasn't your fault." Zuko said firmly. He ran his hand up and down her spine, savoring the feeling. "It was a dream. It's not real. You don't need to beat yourself up over it."
Katara swallowed and nodded, crawling higher to come face to face with the firebender. She smiled, gazing into his capturing copper eyes. He gazed back into hers with the same far-off smile. He laid a gentle kiss on her lips, making both smiles widen. He closed his eyes, snuggling into her hair. It smelled like wildflowers and water. How he knew what water smelled like, he hadn't a clue. Katara pulled back to rest her head in the crook of his neck. They lay like that for a while with Zuko twisting the waterbender's hair around his finger. And they finally kissed a long, burning passionate kiss. The man's hand ran up and down her back and she pulled him closer by the neck. The way their bodies were pressed together, it was nearly impossible to distinguish where one body ended and another began. Zuko rolled over, straddling the waterbender, heart racing. He was panting slightly and she was too. He leaned down to kiss her again with even more passion and love, tracing lines up and down her sides. He moved his hand to her stomach, slipping it under the hem of her shirt…
And Chi squawked. The pair looked up to see the ostrich-horse sitting in its corner, head cocked in curiosity.
"Zuko, not in front of the children!" Katara mocked, unable to stifle a giggle. Zuko laughed, rolling off the girl. He stood and pulled her up too.
"We should get going." the firebender suggested, gathering their belongings. Katara nodded.
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"Good morning earthbending student!" Toph said in a sing-song voice. She nudged Aang with her foot, not letting go of the ring on Appa's saddle. She felt so disoriented without that ring.
Sokka groaned, rolling away from the girl, all the way to the other side of the saddle. This was the second morning in a row she had woken up extremely and utterly giddy. It was getting old. One overly happy person was enough. Aang sat up with his gray eyes still half-lidded. He yawned, mumbling something. Toph leaned over, holding onto the Avatar's arm so she could crawl over without pulling a stunt like two days ago. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked up to see his earthbending mentor in front of him, holding onto his arm. Man was he slow in the mornings. He figured it was for balance. After all, she never let go of Appa's saddle.
"We never stopped yesterday." the girl pointed out.
"And I really gotta go to the bathroom." Sokka added, not moving. His voice was muffled from all the blankets he used.
"Okay. I'll find somewhere to land Appa." Aang said, standing. Toph held onto him still. "Want to come?" he asked. She gave a nod and he led her to the reins, sitting on the flying bison's head. The earthbender readjusted herself, now holding onto Aang's hand. If she noticed, she didn't show it. The young airbender had, however. He blushed, turning away. He forgot Toph couldn't see him.
"Uh… You'll need to hold onto something else. I need my hands for this." Aang said awkwardly. He swallowed.
"Right." She held tight to his knee. The boy swallowed again, taking the reins in his hands and guiding Appa toward a forest. As they came in for a landing, Toph gripped his hand again, nearly losing her balance. They fell off the bison in a heap as they hit the ground. Sokka, who had by this point crawled out of his sleeping bag, ran off into the woods. The earthbender stood, stepping away from her pinned student, blushing and smiling nervously.
"Sorry. I'm still trying to get used to the landings."
"Right." Aang replied, tugging at his collar. An awkward silence fell over them like a blanket. Toph took her friend's hand, leading him to the center of their clearing.
"Let's try earthbending again, Twinkle Toes."
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Zuko and Katara bounced along a trail, riding Chi. The ostrich-horse was well rested and was already making good distance between them and Azula. It was a little bit before noon. They hadn't stopped once all morning; not even for water. The waterbender had the sense to fill both of their pouches before they left the cave. But they were empty and they were passing a river. The firebender pulled on the leather reins, making Chi squawk and come to a stop, clawing at the ground.
Katara jumped off, taking Zuko's pouch for him, filling it. He led the steed to the stream for a drink. After a quick bathroom break, they were off again, Katara praising the ostrich-horse. The girl really seemed to have a thing for animals. The firebender smiled to himself, kissing his girlfriend's cheek. She smiled, leaning back against him. She could really get used to traveling like this.
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"Ty Lee, hurry up!" Azula yelled over her shoulder. This acrobat was really getting on the princess's nerves. Ty Lee was always stopping to smell the flowers. Literally. She caught up with the other two girls, smiling ear to ear. She put a small red wildflower in Mai's hair with a giggle. She did the same to Azula's. The princess ripped it from her bangs with her good arm at an instant, throwing it to the ground and lighting it on fire. She stomped it out and continued on her way. Her face was fiercer than ever. And her collar bone really hurt…
Ty Lee looked hurt. With a sigh, Mai plucked a flower from the ground, tucking it in the acrobat's hair. The pink-clad girl beamed.
"I can't believe you, Ty Lee!" Azula fumed. "We would have been out of that stupid campsite by sunrise if you had got ready when I woke you up! Mai was ready to go but we had to wait for you to fill your canteen and wash your face." The angered princess threw out her arm. "It's not like we have to look pretty during a war! Just get up and go!"
Mai had sense enough to keep her distance while Azula had her little fit. She kicked the flowers like a small child. Azula might have been a spectacular fighter and fierce firebender on the outside, but Mai thought the princess was still daddy's little girl on the inside. Spoiled. Not that she had ever admitted that out loud.
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Zuko and Katara stopped in another cave that night. They had made it all the way around the mountain and there was a town very nearby. They would stop there in the morning to buy some new clothes. Theirs was in sorry shape and Katara stuck out like a sore thumb in her blue outfit. They didn't have much money, but it would be enough if they kept their underclothes and shoes. Hopefully.
They settled down again, Katara snuggling into Zuko. She loved how he was so warm. She yawned, biding him goodnight as she drifted off to sleep. The firebender said nothing, only watched her sleep.
It wasn't fair that she was caught up in this…
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A/N: Fluffy! Too much? TELL ME! (Shakes screen)
REVIEW, SWEATERMONKEYS! (Ha ha. It's from 'Bring It On.' That is one good movie.)