****I wrote this a while back, but never posted it. I just found it while I was checking the inventory in my Word Processor. I rather enjoyed writing this one; oh goodness, this was fun! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own, Avatar: The Last Airbender; all rights are reserved for its original owners.

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Sweaty

1.) Covered, moist, or stained with sweat

"Ah!" Katara yelled as she dodged an oncoming cluster of tendrils of fire, executed by none other than Zuko. She regained her footing quickly, and had enough time to send her foe a glare.

He just smirked, the corners of his lips turning up into a small smile, the fire in his eyes outshining that of his bending.

Both benders circled one another, attempting to predict each other's next moves. With each attack, the other countered, and the cycle was repeated.

Their sparring arena consisted of a square of the forest behind their campsite, cut away by numerous fire blasts to the greenery and outlined by charcoal- colored tree trunks. Tree limbs dangled lazily as the breeze caught them, making them sway to and fro.

The two didn't take recognition of anything other than each other, training their eyes on the footwork and stances that their rival used, hoping to gain the upper-hand.

Katara's water whip bashed against the pale porcelain colored skin that was Zuko's arm; he hissed, startled.

It was Katara's turn to smirk; however, the action caused her to, momentarily, divert her attention from the subject in front of her. This gave Zuko the ideal opportunity to corner her between his body and a large tree trunk.

Once she had taken notice of this, she wanted to stomp her foot like a child, and demand a rematch, because she could see that she was beaten.

Still, she didn't give in just yet. Narrowing her eyes, she bended the sweat that had been collecting on her bronze forehead away, preparing to attack him head- on… and hope it was enough to startle him; thus, allowing her to slip back into her previous position in the makeshift arena, away from the tree trunk.

The triumphant smirk that was beginning to turn Zuko's lips upward just furthered Katara's need to beat him in this battle; she used her annoyance to her advantage, adding it to the vat of energy that was simmering inside her, preparing to be unleashed.

However, Zuko was faster; she underestimated him too much. He was suddenly right in front of her, his hot breath tickling her nose. She was frozen, unable to unlock her eyes from his beautiful, molten ones, burning with amusement; he chuckled, pushing her backwards until pieces of the burned tree trunk were biting into her back. She didn't notice.

One of his huge palms encircled both of her wrists, the heat radiating from that palm exploding in the waterbender's veins. Pinning those frozen hands above their possessor, Zuko finally leaned in, his nose touching hers. Oh La, was he going to kiss her?

For some odd, foreign reason, Katara didn't actually mind the thought of Zuko's lips touching hers, his heat merging with the cooler temperature of her, their arms encircling each other's necks, his tongue pushing its way past the barricade of her teeth—

"Don't waterbend your sweat away again—ever," he whispered huskily, hot breath whisking across Katara's face. "I find you rather sexy when you're mad and sweaty."

With that, he unpinned her, leaving her rather flustered and bewildered. He smirked again, and walked away, his bare chest glistening with his own accumulation of sweat. Oh Agni, she mentally screamed, her annoyance returning, one of these days I will wipe that damn smirk off of his face!

****Haha, I really enjoyed writing that one. :) So, if you don't mind, drop me a review, ok? Tell me how I did. :)

Thanks guys,

~Moonlit- Silhouette