disclaimer: I own zip, zilch, and nada... besides this delicious looking chocolate cake and go tart right in..front..of..me!1!111!one

YAY!

"Well, it was in the Northern Water Nation. You know, when he took me in Avatar State." He said a little vaguely. I nodded. "He was talking, I don't remember about what else, but for some reason, I came to a bit and I caught some of his words."

He stopped, as if beating himself up because he didn't want to go on. I was about to tell him he didn't have to tell me, but he went on.

"He said, 'Always, the Avatar gets what he wants, even if someone else wants it. Like the girl you travel with, Katara, you're not the only one who likes her and yet you get her.'" He said heavily, a bit lamely. "I don't know if that's word for word, but it's what he said.

"Aang, why are you so worried about that?" I asked, laughing. He shrugged, looking sheepish.

"I dunno… it just keeps popping up, like when that bounty hunter called you his girlfriend." Aang said. I laughed harder.

"Come on, Aang. That's ridiculous! You think that Zuko and I… like each other?" I stopped laughing, something tugging at the back of my consciousness. Something like unease, I guessed.

I thought a minute and grinned. "Was that just a hint?" He slapped his forehead and dragged his hand down, peering at me from above his fingers.

"Um… yeah?" He tried. I just smiled widely and tried to turn to Sokka, who was still rubbing the back of his head.

"Sokka, can you pass me my water-skin?" I asked. He nodded glumly, continuing to massage his lump. I uncapped it, flinching as pain erupted once more from my back. I turned to make sure no one could see my skin as I tried to pull the back of my tunic up. I bit back a scream.

Sokka, the best brother I could ask for, quickly helped me, lifting the back of my shirt up for me and averting his eyes for my modesty. I thanked him profusely and ordered the water to caress my back, healing the burn. I sighed in relief, leaning back into my brother's supporting arms.

He held me while I slept that night, my dreams disturbed by nightmares of flames and glowing disembodied golden eyes.

zzz

I groaned, forcing myself up as pain raked my body. I convinced myself I'd had worse. The water that the Avatar had used to knock me unconscious had dried my clothes at a weird angle, making them stiff.

Gingerly, I stretched. I looked around halfheartedly to see if the Avatar and the… girl were still there. Not surprised by the desolate feeling of the woods, I shrugged my clothes off and stepped into the water to wash off my blood.

Letting a sigh escape, I hastily washed and stepped out, drying myself with heat. I pulled my clothes on and slipped into a tree branch just see my worst fear below me: my sister, Azula, studied the lake.

She ordered her minions to spread out. Suppressing a smirk of satisfactory when she found out she was too late. I recklessly jumped from my perch and swung deeper into the forest to Uncle through the tree-tops, feeling spent.

zzz

I watched Sokka do his morning exercises, for once interested in something other than bending. Sokka noticed me watching and flexed his tiny muscles, grinning.

"Look at what working out can do, sis." He said, puffing out his chest. I laughed, shaking my head and returning to cooking.

"Katara, maybe Sokka could start teaching you hand-to-hand combat; you never know when you're going to be attacked without your bending or element around." Toph said brazenly, molding a rock into a mini Fire Nation Palace and obliterating it.

Sokka and I exchanged glances. I shrugged a gesture to show it was up to him. He nodded, gesturing me over. I obliged, casting one last look at the pot and did as he told.

"Alright, we need to do some stretches first. Do this: lay on your back with your legs straight up in the air and feet together. Place your hands behind your and raise your shoulders above the ground and clench your stomach." I did as he told, thinking it sounded easy enough.

After half an hour working on my stomach muscles, I couldn't stand up. Breathing heavily as sweat ran down my face, I looked up to see him grinning.

"Not that easy, huh?" I merely nodded intent on messaging my aching muscles. He helped me up and I made and excuse going to the stream near by to bathe.

Groaning, I lifted my tunic and breast-band off, slipped my leggings and loin cloth off and stepped into the three foot deep water. I shivered ecstatically as the cool water rushed around my body, tugging the sweat from it. I loosened my braid and leaned back, wetting my hair. Sighing as the cool water sifter through my tresses and massaged my back, I fell loudly into the water, letting my element engulf me.

When I stood back up, I felt a change but couldn't put my finger on it. Running my fingers through my hair, I flung the sopping wet locks over one shoulder and fingered my stomach.

I grinned giddily, feeling the taut, hard muscle as I clenched my stomach tightly. Maybe it was just me, but I felt considerable less skin and flesh above the muscle.

zzz

I walked through the woods quietly, drawn by the stream as my throat dried even more. I stopped at the tree line to sweep the area and froze. There she was, bathing in the water. The stream only covered her waist down, but her back was turned to me. She flung her hair over her shoulders and laughed.

My gaze fixed on her back. A pang of guilt surged through me as I saw the soft, tanned skin of her back flaming pink form the burn. I stepped farther back into the shadows of the trees and watched her avidly.

She ducked underneath the water and when she came up again, she was facing me. My eyes widened and I felt a blush creep into my face. Her hair had formed over her chest to cover up her… female parts. But still, that was the most skin of a woman or girl I had ever seen, admittedly.

I heard her groan as she stepped out of the water, bending her element off of her form. I had purposefully fixed my eyes on a tree branch across the bank as she pulled her clothes on. I waited until she left to sate my thirst.

zzz

After getting out, I slipped back to camp. Halfway there, I realized I left my necklace at the bank of the brook. I made a u-turn but my attention was caught by brightly colored fruit hanging temptingly from a tree. Glancing around, I plucked one.

It was a deep, crimson red giving off an aroma of sweet and crisp. I took a bite and my eyes widened. I grinned, wiping the juice off from my finger and licking it off. I took another bite and more juice ran down my chin. Something changed inside me.

I suddenly felt bold and daring. My mind came to a resolution and I walked purposefully to the stream to finish what I'd started. He was there, as an unconscious part of me had known. He didn't look up, probably not aware I was there. I slipped my clothes off, a smile tugging on my lips. Even when I dropped the fruit, he didn't look up.

I waded across the stream to him. That's when he glanced at me, and his eyes widened. I grinned heatedly and stopped before him, taking in his gaze.

"Hello, Zuko." I said huskily.

zzz

and that's why you never eat foreign, unknown food, my pretties- you never know what effect they have on you. or how long it will effect you. winkwinknudgenudge

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I lied. This is now officially a three-shot, maybe four-shot. depends on how I want to torture you so with cliffies... not that you guys like it, right?

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erica