Do not own

sacred whispers of longing

Skin on skin, lips on lips, hands on chest, hands in hair.

He pulls away first; her eyes are still shut, breathing still heavy, lips still set in shape. Beautiful. Zuko stops for a moment and catches his breath. This moment is to be savoured, he thinks as he presses a kiss to the top of her head. He is feeling happy, for once in a long, long time, he is feeling happy. The young Fire Nation man doesn't know an experience that comes remotely close to this. And he wants his heart to stay like this forever. But there is another emotion, he feels guilty; damn it, he feels guilty. This is the waterbender that belongs to the Avatar, he isn't supposed to lover her, she isn't his.

And yet there is a touch of defiance. Katara isn't property, she has a mind of her own, and she belongs to no one but herself. Maybe people don't belong to people; then again, maybe they do. One thing Zuko is sure of; if people are property, then he belongs to Katara, he only wishes she belongs to him too.

"Zuko," she whispers after more than a heartbeat has passed and he is still. And he is brought back down to reality. He doesn't want to think about the status of their relationship now; he doesn't need that. All he needs, all he wants is to hold her, hold this moment; live in it forever. The world fades away, bit by bit, piece by piece, until there is nothing but fire and water, yin and yang, Zuko and Katara.

A/N: Took a long break. But here I am again. Review.