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Zuko stood quietly behind Katara, watching the scene in front of him unfold. Yon Rha was a cowardly old man, he decided; offering up his own mother in return for Katara's, just to spare his own pathetic life.

This wasn't the first time Zuko had seen her angry, quite the opposite; he had lost count on how many times he had been on the receiving end of Katara's rage. But this was the first time he had seen her absolutely, far beyond furious. And it scared him.

Katara didn't say a word on the entire walk back to Appa, her fists clenching and her body shaking as she forced the tears in her eyes not to fall.

"You should rest", Zuko said, wary of her mood and the likelihood of being thrown off of the bison's back.

Katara nodded and he couldn't help but release a sigh of relief as she drifted off to sleep, curled up like an exhausted child against the edge of the saddle.

It wasn't until hours later, when they landed in the middle of the forest to set up camp for the night, that she stirred from her sleep.

"We both need to eat and sleep", Zuko explained as Katara looked at him questioning from over the edge of the saddle. He had to bite down a smile at the sight; her hair tousled and wild and the sleep rimming her eyes, she laid propped up on her elbow with her chin resting on the edge. "We'll get back to the camp tomorrow."

"Why did you come?" Katara asked as they sat on opposite sides of the fire-pit. Berries laid divided on two big leaves and the stick Zuko was holding over the orange flames was pierced through the body of a fish.

"You needed closure", Zuko answered simply, not tearing his gaze from the fish.

"Yes, but why? You could have told me his name and let me find him myself", she prodded.

"The important thing is that you feel better."

"Stop avoiding the question, Zuko." Her voice was stern, demanding to be taken seriously, making his eyes flicker up to hers.

"I didn't want you to get hurt", he admitted quietly and lowered his gaze again.

Zuko didn't see the blush spreading on Katara's cheeks as she took in his words and decided, thanks to his vulnerable body language, his confession had been earnest.

"I think the fish is done", she said as to change the topic before standing up to fetch another leaf they could wrap it in. "Here." She handed him the leaf and they both averted their eyes as their fingers met; a spark shooting through their skin where they'd touched.

"Thank you", Katara whispered as she sat down next to him, plopping a berry into her mouth.

"Anytime", Zuko smiled, a blush spreading on his good cheek as he watched her tongue wrap around the tiny blue orb.

She saw him out of corner of her eye and felt the corners of her mouth turn upward; his smile was contagious.

"You know", she said as she let her tongue envelope another berry, "you should smile more often."

"Why?" Zuko didn't have much to smile about, he thought. They were in the middle of a war, fighting against his own father; the same man that had burned and banished him, the same man he had, even after that, looked up to and craved for his approval.

"It's beautiful", Katara admitted quietly, raising her gaze to meet his.

This time neither if them strayed away from the moment, neither wanted it to end.

Katara inched closer, lifting her hand to let it rest on his chest, craving to feel that spark again, craving to get her mind on something other than the hurt and anger she felt.

"Katara, I-", Zuko started but was cut off by her lips on his.

"Please", she whispered against his lips, spreading her fingers on his chest, feeling the warmth radiating from the fire within him.

Zuko let out a ragged breath before closing his eyes in submission, exploring her lips with his.

Katara knew she should've retreated at the taste of smoke on his lips. It should've reminded her of the monster she had faced just hours before. It should've reminded her of the terror she'd had to endure during the war. Instead she relished in it; the way his lips moved against hers, his hands hovering just above her hips, not daring to touch without explicit permission.

He felt warm and comforting, like coming home after a long day, not hot and threatening.

He was what she needed at that moment and she was what he had wanted for a long while.

Katara let her tongue probe at his lips, begging to be let through, and a moan escaped her as he invited her in. Zuko let his hands descend onto her at the sound, spreading his fingers around her waist, down to the small of her back and as she bucked into his touch he deepened their kiss, throwing caution to the wind.

It didn't take long for Katara to snake her hands underneath Zuko's shirt, letting her nails drag along his skin as she pulled the piece of clothing over his head. His hair was a mess once his head emerged and Katara bit her lip to suppress a smile.

She swiped the dark locks away from his eyes, allowing her fingers to caress the scarred skin as she went. "There", she spoke softly, her hand still lingering on the left side of his face, "now I can see you again."

"You don't find it disgusting?"

"Never", Katara whispered, gently grazing the edge between the scarred and the smooth skin with her thumb, before leaning in to kiss him once more.

They explored each other with wandering hands and careful lips and not before long the only thing separating their bodies was the fabric of his underpants and her bindings.

Zuko wrapped his arms around Katara's body as he kissed down the side of her neck, stopping only for a second to lay a hot, fierce kiss on the spot above her collarbone that earned a pleasurable mewl, before continuing down, licking the sweet skin above the edge of the white cloth wrapped around her chest. Katara gasped and writhed in his arms, rolling her hips as she straddled him, her arms flung across his neck, her nails scraping his skull.

Zuko cautiously bit down on the fabric, dragging it down her chest with his teeth, letting his nose tickle her sternum as the cool night air perked her nipples.

The white fabric pooled around her hips and Katara reached between them to unravel it completely, flinging the offensive piece of clothing somewhere behind her - only hoping, but not bothering checking, it didn't end up in the still burning fire.

Zuko growled against her skin as she continued to wriggle in his lap, his hot member growing harder with each passing second; the feel of it pressed up against her only egging her on further. Zuko didn't know if he could stop, he knew he didn't want to stop, he knew they should stop but before he could voice his concern her hand had sneaked its way between them again, into his underpants, making him swallow the words nervously. She gripped him firmly, confidently, with experience that surprised Zuko, and he let out a deep moan.

"Agni, Katara", he breathed, blowing cool air over her nipples before enclosing one between his lips.

"Oh", Katara whimpered at the sensation of it and moved her hand up and down Zuko's hardened length. She massaged it gently, her grip just tight enough, and the twist she did with her wrist when she reached the end of his tip made him squirm.

Katara's free hand came to rest on his chest, pushing him down to the ground fearlessly, determined. She let go of Zuko, just long enough for a whine to escape his throat, only to find the hem of his underpants, throwing them over her shoulder to join the rest of the discarded clothes.

Zuko's cock sprung free into the night and he swallowed thickly as Katara drank him in. He had only ever been with one other woman; one that didn't bother to inspect his body the way Katara did. She dragged her fingertips along the crevice of his collarbones, the dips between his abs, encircling his navel before venturing further down. She massaged the juncture of his thighs with her thumbs, holding his legs as her eyes finally met his, her lips curling at the ends to reveal the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

"Wow", Zuko whispered breathlessly, earning a chuckle from Katara as her smile widened.

She stood up, a foot on each side of his thighs, slowly dragging her hands up the sides of her body, cupping her breasts softly, a sweet moan escaping her lips. Her hands wandered down her lean stomach, her fingers slowly but surely disappearing below her bindings.

Zuko watched intently as Katara unraveled the white fabric, letting it fall down her legs. He sat up, then, stroking her smooth skin as he placed a kiss on her thigh. Katara's breath hitched and she swallowed audibly with nervosity as his kisses neared her center.

Zuko dared himself a long lick across her folds, her legs shaking from the sensation of his hot tongue on her. With Katara's hands in his hair and the sensual sounds she made Zuko gathered all the courage he mustered, his fingers traveling along her thighs before coming around to grip her ass firmly and his tongue exploring the salty tasting heaven between her legs.

"Oh, La", Katara moaned above him, her hips moving in rhythm with the darting of his tongue and her nails scraping his skull in an attempt to grip onto something, anything.

As Zuko sucked on the sweet bundle of nerves above her opening he decided he very much liked the way Katara moaned his name in combination with the names of her gods and that he didn't care if he was never allowed to touch her again; the magnificently arousing sounds she made, made up for that.

"I want you", she moaned, sinking down to her knees, her wet, hot core grazing the shaft of his cock, making him shudder.

"Agni, I want you", Zuko repeated, his hands steady on her hips as he grinded against her.

Katara's hands cupped his face as she crashed her lips to his, reveling in the feel of his length moving against her. But it wasn't enough. She wanted more. She needed more.

"Please", she begged, his lips moving with hers as she spoke, "please."

Zuko pressed his mouth against Katara's again, letting his tongue dance with hers as he slipped one of his hands between their bodies, centering himself against her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, feeling the tip of his cock rub up against her slick core, her juices already coating its head.

Katara nodded in response, biting her lower lip as she took a deep breath, holding it while she braced herself for what was to come.

They moaned in sync as he sheathed himself inside of her. Katara's hands splayed out across his chest - subsequently pushing him back down on the ground - scraping her nails along his pecs as she gripped at his skin, wanting nothing more than to soothe the throbbing between her legs.

Zuko cupped her ass and gripped the side of her hip as he slowly began to move, making Katara gasp above him, her nails forming red half-moons on his chest. Her knees already trembled from the fire prince's previous actions and when he sped up the pace, his fingers digging into her hips, she felt like her legs would give up right then and there.

His hands were calloused and demanding, but Katara didn't mind, rather the opposite, she enjoyed the rough feeling of his skin, the roughness of his need for her. She moaned loudly as his hips angled in just the right way, hitting the spot deep inside her that made her see stars.

Zuko bared his teeth as he kept building the speed, the rhythm growing erratic as his mind clouded with lust and the climax built in his stomach. He cussed and moaned as the pleasure increased with each thrust, Katara's nails still digging into his chest, her hair hanging down both their faces like a curtain shielding them from the outside world.

"Oh, Zuko", she screamed, throwing her head back in ecstasy. She tightened around him as she came undone in his arms. Her fingers clutching tighter at any and all skin they came across, her legs shaking ferociously, eyes squeezed tight and her lips trembling. It was the most beautiful sight Zuko had ever seen.

He grasped her hips firmer, allowing himself to stare at the magnificent woman above him as he drove into her harder, quicker. He watched as her hair swayed from side to side, her skin glistening in the moonlight, and with her lust filled eyes meeting his and her name falling off his lips Zuko released himself inside of her.

Katara collapsed on his chest, still connected below the waist, both breathing heavily as they recovered from their shared climax.

"Great spirits", Zuko gasped, "that was…" he trailed off, throwing an arm over his eyes as he chuckled in ecstasy.

"Yeah", Katara agreed, forcing her body to move, to roll off of him and they both winced at the sensitivity that came from it. Zuko immediately missed the warmth and wetness of her core surrounding his cock and Katara whined inwardly at the emptiness she felt between her legs.

Zuko draped the arm covering his face around her shoulders, prompting Katara to snuggle in closer to his side, her face resting on his chest, his erratic heartbeat just under her ear.

"Thank you", she murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the side of his chest.

Zuko looked at the sleepy waterbender in his arms, smiling to himself, before answering. "Anytime."