Katara couldn't remember where it started, but if she could start anywhere, the day Piandao, the vice president of her company, called her and the head of illustrations into his office for a meeting. (Later to be known as THE Meeting.)

The head of illustrations sat across from her at the conference room. They held many meetings here, most when discussing a new volume going out or new trainees coming in. She remembered sitting in here during her training days. Almost like it was yester- "Any idea what this meeting is about?"

Katara sighed and turned her head to the annoyance of her thoughts, Zuko, head of illustrations. Now, you have to understand it wasn't the guy's appearance that annoyed her. Zuko was hot in his black jeans, some band t-shirt, a dark gray or red hoodie and then either a jean jacket with patches or a worn black leather jacket. To top it all off his black hair way long and shagging, he would from time to time pull it back with a hair band, but the tips of his bangs always fell over his left scared eye. So, you have this mix match version of 'struggling artist' and 'bad boy'. He was nice to look at, just not nice to be around.

So, maybe it didn't start here… it started in the training room, two years back. They were both interning in hopes to be in their respective departments. They actually had two projects they worked together on. Katara would look back now and say they were a great team. But then it all changed when positions started to be filled slowly by the interns and it was every man for himself. Katara was able to sweet talk her way into editing and translating, while Zuko fought to be in printing. Katara always wondered what happened with that. Then during the last final project everything went to Sozin's ass. Her project was missing pages, or the chat bubble was cut off, one of her pages was just black ink. Another incident happened when she brought in coffee for everyone, everyone claimed the coffee tasted like salt. Katara didn't think those were connected, but if they were, it was Zuko who did it. The only one who would see her success and his failures in one little comic. All in all, she ended up failing the last project and barely getting the job.

"Hopefully it's to fire you and promote me." Katara hissed out and thumbed through her notebook. She had a romance and an action comic that needed to be sent to the printers tomorrow. Her team was very capable without her, but this was crunch period and she really wanted those comics out today.

"Oh? You think so highly of your-," Zuko stood as his eyes flickered behind Katara. Katara stood to as Piandao greeted them.

"Please, sit." Piandao gestured to them to sit again. "Do either of you know of Yue North?" He pulled out two stacks of paper and handed one to each of them.

Katara's eyes lit up at the pages in her hand, "Isn't she the one who writes and illustrates The Moon's Desires. It's an internet romance comic." Katara noticed that these pages were new to her, "No way!" Katara clutched tighter to the pages. "This is her next chapter! She hasn't even uploaded yet."

"You are holding the first copies." Piandao chuckled and sat back in the chair. "The next chapter will be the final one until the next and first volume that Yue will be writing for us."

Katara could barely contain her excitement, "You got her to sign?!"

"Yes," Piandao smiled along with Katara's ever growing grin. "Now, I know that you both already have heavy workload. But," Piandao became serious and crossed his arms over his chest. "I need my best of the best to make sure that her writing," he looked to Katara and then to Zuko. "And her illustrations are White Lotus Comic's quality. She needs to meet time lines and page prints limits. I expect you two to make sure that she is welcomed and comfortable." Piandao began standing up and soothing down his jacket. "Don't disappoint me. Have a good rest of the day. We will have a meeting with everyone next Tuesday when Yue arrives." Piandao leaves the two standing in the conference room.

"So, The Moon's Desires?" Zuko and Katara were the only ones left after the big meeting to discuss the major things like editing and printing of Yue's volumes.

Katara rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, Zuko. It's a romance." Katara stood up and began packing away her things. The longer she sat there with him the more her blood began to boil. "Which you've probably never heard of, huh?" Katara began shuffling the papers in the correct order and glanced up to see Zuko raise an eyebrow at her. "Romance, you know, falling in love, kissing and being happy with your partner?" Katara added a quick humorless laugh, "Oh sorry, I forgot who I was talking to."

Zuko jerked and stood up at that, "I know romance."

"Your right hand on a lonely Friday night is not romance," Katara mentally high fived herself for that one. She worked quicker because she was sure she had nothing better. Katara watched from the corner of her eye as Zuko came around the table. She was sure he was going to leave out the door from behind her. Point for Katara.

Katara gasped as she felt warmth press in against her backside and two arms trap her to where she is slightly bent over the table. Warm breath tickled her ear and the curl blew across her cheek, "Challenge accepted." Zuko's lips brushed against the shell of her ear.

The editor felt dizzy as he pulled away, "What challenge?" She turned around to where he was opening the door.

"To make you fall in love with me." Zuko smirked. "Later 'Tara."

"That was NOT a challenge!" Katara called after him. She thought she heard him laughing as the door closed behind him. Katara shoved the rest of the papers into her folder and grabbed it to hurry after him. But the elevator was already gone.

The next day Yue, Katara and Zuko sat around the table with Yue's upcoming chapter. "These are great but," Zuko picked up the three paneled drawing. "The kiss here is sloppy. His head isn't tilted right. He's taller than her by 3 or 4 inches, right? Then the tilt should be more, right?" Zuko went to tilt the paper as if to get the tilt he was looking for.

"I-" Yue started but then nodded.

"Her chin should be up more and if it's a softer kiss, then shouldn't he barely be touching her jaw or cupping her cheek not just standing there with his arms at his side." Zuko stood and brought Katara with him. He positioned her at an angle to Yue. "And Katara, I thought you said that her stuff is very real? That angle is not working for this kiss." Zuko pulled Katara to him with an arm around her waist causing Katara to gasp. Katara pushed against him to move out from his arms "Watch, this is more natural."

Zuko carefully pushed a wave of hair behind Katara's ear and tilted her chin up with his fingers under his jaw. Katara's fight instantly left her. A less powerful shove to his chest as he leaned down and Katara's eyes widened in surprise and a soft "Mmmhph!" to come from her lips as they touched Zuko's. There was a split second where they stood frozen. The world holding time in place as warmth spread over her cheeks. Then the light coax from Zuko's lips caused her to kiss back. Her eyes fluttering closed and her hands snuck up to hold onto him. One holding onto the wrist that tilted her head back the other slipping up to clench at his shoulders.

Zuko's hand slid down her throat and then back into her hair. The kiss unannounced to Katara turned heated. And when Zuko took in a breath as he tilted his head in another direction to fit their lips more correctly, Katara gasped, realizing how breathless she actually was. She was shocked back into reality as Zuko ran the tip of his tongue over the seam of her lips.

Katara pushed back gasping. She looked over to Yue with wide eyes. Yue was just as shocked but when the girls' eyes connected, she smirked. Katara blushed and pushed harder against Zuko to move from his arms. "I- uh." She glanced over briefly to Zuko who was still standing there shocked. Katara cleared her throat. "I'm going to go get a water from the machine. Yue, can I get you anything?" Yue shook her head with her lip bit. "Oh-kay then." Katara turned and practically ran out of the conference room, turning left to her office and not right to the machines.

Katara drank through a whole bottle of water when Suki found her. "I thought you were in a Moon's Desires meeting."

"I was," Katara breathed out and ducked her head in a blush. "But then something came up and…"

"Something?" Suki folded her arms over her chest and leaned against Katara's desk. Katara sunk down into her chair. "Does this have anything to do with the challenge?"

"Oh, my Spirits!" Katara shot up in her chair. "He kissed me because of that freakin'-!" She pushed back from the desk and started back to the conference room. She pressed the elevator button a few too many times. She had calmed herself somewhat as she yanked open the conference room door. Katara gritted her teeth as she watched Yue and Zuko begin laughing at something.

"Zuko," Katara ran her tongue over her teeth. Zuko turned his head to her, his smile faltering into a smirk. "Can I see you in the hallway?"

Zuko stood up with an apology to Yue and that they would be back. As they exited Katara crowded Zuko and shoved him towards the wall.

"You. Manipulative. Son. Of. A." Katara jabbed her finger into his chest.

"Woah!" Zuko held up his hands as he hit the wall. "What are you talking about?"

Katara huffed and turned away from him pointing back at the conference room. "You. This." Her hands curled into fists.

"Full sentences, Katara." Zuko chuckled and stepped away from the wall to her.

Katara rolled her eyes and took a step back. She shook her head and wagged her finger at him, "We are not playing this game. You, Zuko, will not, I repeat, NOT, make me fall in love with you." Katara gasped when her back hit the opposite wall Zuko had walked her back against. Her eyes dropped to Zuko's lips and then closed as his head tilted closer to hers when she tried to keep Zuko's lips in her view.

"Are you sure about that?" Zuko asked, lips lightly brushed against hers. When she didn't fight about it Zuko kissed her fully. The response was immediate, hands sliding up into his hair with an innocent tug. Zuko pressed her fully against the wall with a hand around her waist to pull her just a little bit closer to him. They fitted together perfectly.

Katara's shrug had fallen off of on shoulder and Zuko craved to take advantage of the flawless skin. But kept his cool as he ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. Again, slightly shocking Zuko, the response was immediate. Katara's tongue brushed against his, she tasted of coffee they had been having in the meeting. The bitter taste of it surprisingly sweet on her tongue and lips.

"I didn't know there was going to be another demonstration." Zuko was shoved hard and stumbled back until his shoulders hit the opposite wall. "I would have brought my sketch pad if I would have known." Yue stood there with a large smile and her arms folded over her chest. Blue eyes slid to blue eyes and a smirk seemed to form in them.

"This is not-"

"We're not-!"

Yue nodded and turned to go back into the conference room, "Don't worry I won't tell anyone of your relationship."

"There is no relationship." Katara and Zuko both blurted out. Katara blushed as she looked over to Zuko, whose hair was still distraught.

Yue hummed and went back in and closed the door.

Katara quickly pulled her shrug back closed and brushed down on her suit pants getting rid of invisible wrinkles. "This won't work. You told me your game. And I won't let you win." Katara turned to go back into the conference room.

Zuko grabbed at Katara's wrist, "Look I'm sorry." Katara thought he almost sounded genuine. "Let me take you to dinner. I'll show you I can be romantic and that will be it. Game over."

Katara ripped her hand away from Zuko, "You think it's that easy? That I will be 'romantized' after one dinner? That in itself shows how truly unromantic you are." Katara made it into the conference room this time.

When they were done with meeting Katara helped Yue gather her things and gently stack them. Zuko held the door open for them both. "Uh, Katara?" Katara turned around and raised an eyebrow at him. "You never gave me an answer earlier."

Katara paused slightly with her eyes solely focused on Zuko. "Pick me up here at 8. And good luck!" Katara turned and began walking with Yue again. "You're dealing with a storybook romantic."

So this is going to be an extremely short story. Two for sure but maybe three. I had a request for some Enemies with Benefits type deal. And it's been a while since I've done an Office AU so... Why not!?

Anyway! Let me know what you think! Comment/Like are always great! Also follow so you get the update... (Not sure when, yet but soon. Life is throwing lemons at me. But I have much smut planned for next chapter.)

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