Why Bleach Was Invented

Author/Artist: MuffyTaj
Pairing: Zuko/Katara
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Theme: #12. In A Good Mood
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, or the series.

Iroh was, all things considered, in a good mood. There was a nice natural spring near the camp, they had a good supply of ginseng tea, and Zuko had stopped shouting.

Instead Zuko was busy sulking with a vengeance.

Sokka was also sulking with a vengeance, and a hand on his boomerang. His eyes were constantly darting to and fro, and sweat was beginning to trickle down his face.

Aang, on the other hand, was having a whale of a time.

"Look Katara, look! They have meat! And apples!" Katara smiled uneasily, as if she wasn't sure whether she was meant to congratulate their enemy or snarl at them.

"I'm … sorry about disturbing you, I suppose." She managed eventually.

"Oh it's no trouble at all." Iroh reassured her. "People in the woods must help each other, after all."

"Yeah, if you hadn't turned up we would have starved to death!" Aang said cheerfully. "Sokka can't catch anything!"

Zuko smirked slightly at that, and Sokka's grip on his boomerang tightened noticeably.

"Yes, we too have to cook our own dinner," Iroh said smoothly, "so unfortunately our fare is rather limited. Tell me, young man, do you know any meals we can make with apples and meat? We have ginger as well."

Sokka was slowly persuaded to let go of his boomerang and help prepare dinner whilst Katara and Zuko danced carefully around each other as they boiled the soup together. Aang, meanwhile, was busy teaching Momo how to drink tea.

Dinner was a grim affair, with Iroh happily humming (and then teaching Aang) a song, and the three teenagers each trying to stay prepared for attack at any moment. Eventually Iroh stood up, and stretched.

"Well," he said, "nature has prepared a bath for us, so I suggest we take it in turns to make ourselves clean. There are few things as satisfying as a nice, warm bath after a good meal." He smiled at Katara, "Ladies first, of course. And then I think Zuko, because he didn't have one yesterday and frankly is a bit-"

"Uncle," Zuko ground out. "I did bathe yesterday, you just fell asleep before I finished. And bathing so soon after eating is ill advised."

Iroh just smiled, and sent Katara on her way.

She felt too edgy to spend a long time soaking, and so was finished fairly quickly. "I'm done!" She shouted as she climbed out, and went into the bushes to dry herself and get changed. Within a few minutes, whilst she was still struggling with her bindings, she heard a man get into the water, and sigh softly. She instinctively covered herself, before she realised that she was hidden by the woods and he couldn't see her.

It was probably Zuko, sent by his uncle. For some reason the thought of the fire prince naked and wet just a few feet from her made her feel a bit stupid. She found herself wondering if he was burnt anywhere else, or if he had scars, or if his chest was all hard and flat like Sokka's or all furry and soft like her father's. A blush brushed its lips against her cheeks, staining them pink. Was he a man, or a boy still? Maybe if she found out, she could use it later against him as blackmail. Maybe it would be the perfect tool to humiliate him with, if Sokka was better developed than him. That would hurt his pride for sure!

Yes, just one glance and she would be able to crush him with words alone. She gently pushed the leaves apart, and peeked into the hot spring.

For a moment she stood perfectly still, as if cast in stone, before a horrified scream tore from her throat, and sent her stumbling blindly back to the camp.

Zuko blinked as she ran into the clearing half-dressed, eyes wild.

"Y-you!" She spluttered, grabbing his shirt. "You were meant to be bathing!"

"I never bathe so soon after a meal." He informed her with the care one uses towards to mentally unstable. "Uncle was joking."

"Uncle!" She sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "Hair! Hair! Uncle hair everywhere! Wrinkles! Hairy wrinkles! And his-his-his…." And with a sob, she fell to the ground.

"Is everything all right?" Iroh asked mildly as he walked into the clearing. "I thought I heard someone scream."

"Ah! Uncle, go back into the hot springs! Everything's fine!" Zuko said, covering his eyes. With a shrug, Iroh turned and left.

"Wow." Sokka said in the silence that followed. "Your uncle has a huge -"

"Say one more word and I will kill you."