Rewatching again this summer so I thought I'd update? Yeah, I hate me too.

Not wanting to fight her way through the vast earth nation, and despite not wanting to interact with people, Dezi travels through the towns and villages instead of the shore. It was strange for the teen, not hearing distant waves every night, but if she would've stuck to the shores, it would've taken much longer than cutting through the mainland.

Going through the towns not only meant more people, but more civilized areas where wanted posters of Zuko were posted everywhere. Dezi felt more relieved to see his face, knowing that there must be a good reason for him not to visit this year if he pissed off the fire nation this badly.

Making sure no one was looking, Dezi snatched one of the many posters in her bag before leaving the quaint little town on the ostrich horse she'd purchased two towns back. She couldn't help but to feel proud and a little less guilty for getting intimate with the fire nation prince knowing he was now an enemy to his own people.

The water nation born girl had been treading the water in her underclothes in the waters that almost took her prince two years ago.

The bonding time with her element was cut short when she heard a distinct cough from the harsh shore. Turning quickly, she saw her smirking prince. Swiftly, she swam to the rocks, not caring that her attire was clinging to her newly formed curves. She laughed when he tore his eyes away and started blushing.

Without warning, she began to tear his armor off. "Come swim with me." She held back a smile before continuing. "We don't want a repeat of last time."

Swatting her hands away, he continued to take the armor off himself. "Contrary to what you think you know, I know how to swim, Dezdemona."

Once he was down to just pants, Dezi reached up and took out his top knot, allowing his hair to fall to the nape of his neck before leading him into the water.

"I missed you." He confessed, kissing her neck before wrapping his muscular arms around her waist.

She wouldn't dare admit this to anyone, but she was happy the Avatar couldn't be found if it meant that she could be with Zuko. Even if it was only once a year.

"I missed you too." Dezi initiated the kiss, resting her arms on his broad shoulders and things began to get heavy pretty quickly.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and one of his hands found her rear, which caused her to squirm, but her motion instantly ceased when he grazed her breast with the other.

Quickly snapping out of her brief paralysis, she moved her lips to his neck, nibbling and sucking as his hands roamed her body. But the pleasure was short lived, Zuko pulling away from their embrace. "Stop! You're going to leave a mark."

Dezi made a face at his silly request. "Shut up. Your uniform has a high collar." She whispered before returning to her task.

Zuko's voice was low when he spoke again. "Dezi…"

The water around them was steaming and Dezi pulled back a little to see the Prince's eyes lidded, but not completely filled with lust. There was another emotion behind them; confliction. As if he was torn between throwing her off, or pulling her impossibly close.

He settled on a compromise of sorts, removing her legs from around him, but keeping their arms around each other. Dezi didn't find his actions discouraging in the slightest and leaned up to kiss him once more before saying, "You know Zuko, you've been looking for the Avatar for two years now and I've been lucky to have your company for these three short shore leaves. But if you catch him… will I ever see you again?"

He turned his head, not wanting to look her in the eye. "No."

That's what she thought. "Then let's make tonight count." She reached down into the water and to his pants to quell his hesitance and once her hands found their destination, Zuko wasn't the only one to gasp.

He was not only lengthy for a boy his age, but it was really warm. Warmer than the rest of his body.

After recovering from her initial surprise, Dezi resumed the task she set out to perform.

Upon his return to the fire nation, girls will surely be throwing their selves at him, so Dezi made it her goal to leave a mark on his memory while still keeping her modesty. She will not let Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation forget Dezi, the waterbender from Gaoling.

She'd never done anything like this before and tried not to let it show that she was concerned if she had even been doing it right. Daring to look up and see Zuko's facial expression, she found encouragement in his slightly parted lips, closed eyes and deeply furrowed brow.

Her grip tightened and she increased her pace. His hands were gripping her sides and his breathing became labored. "Dezi…" He moaned again desperately and she leaned forward to continue her exploration on his neck.

He buried his face in her shoulder, occasionally groaning and grunting with her constant stroking. Out of curiosity, she nipped at his burned ear and like a chain reaction, his breath hitched in his throat, a warm sticky substance filling her hand.

Zuko toppled backwards into the shallow water and Dezi landed right beside him. "See? That wasn't so bad." She laughed, taunting the panting Prince despite her nervousness. Had she been too bold?

Unexpectedly, her back hit the rocks they'd been laying against and Zuko's lips covered hers in a slow rhythm that felt like he was thanking her… with kisses.

"You look weary, lady." A little boy spoke to her from down on the ground. She'd just entered another city, and this boy had bags around his young eyes proving that war had probably reached this town as well. "You too, kid." Dezi smirked wearily before hopping off her ostrich horse.

"Do you know any places for a passerby to stay around here?" The kid quickly shook his head before silently observing her, looking more relieved when he was done. "No, but you could stay at my farm."

She raised an eyebrow at the boy. "Really? That would be very kind of you, thank you." He led her to the outskirts of the village to a quaint little farm before stopping at a stable of sorts. "You can stay here to rest and I'll come get you for dinner in a little bit ok?"

"Thanks kid." He was almost out of the barn before Dezi stopped him. "Wait!" He halted his movement and turned back towards the teenager. "You never told me your name."

"I'm Lee." He smiled for the first time causing her to do the same. "I'm Dezi." She replied before laying down on the pile of hay next to her ostrich horse who was eating for the first time in a few days.

Her stomach growled and she closed her eyes, hoping that dinner wouldn't take long.

It was only minutes before she heard footsteps entering the hut. It was Lee and he was carrying two bowls of stew with him. Dezi accepted one from him before he began to talk. "Sorry you can't eat inside. My mom is kind of paranoid about strangers these days." She didn't expect to be invited in, grateful enough to even be staying there. "That's reasonable." She muttered before stuffing her mouth with food.

Lee left his bowl to start looking through her bag. Dezi was much too interested in her meal to notice exactly what he was doing.

Sifting through her things for something cool like a weapon and out fell a folded piece of paper. Not wanting her to lose anything, Lee picked it up, taking a peek before putting it back in the bag.

Dezi sat her bowl down, finally finished filling her stomach when she noticed what Lee had been up to. She should've been formulating a good excuse as to why she had a wanted poster of the fire nation prince in her bag, but she was more concerned with the frightened expression on Lee's face.

"Do you know him?" She asked and he nodded before telling her of yesterday's events.

Dezi smiles, happy that Zuko's still so sweet and valiant to protect this boy despite the rejection of these people. "If he did all that for you, then why are you afraid of him?"

"Because he's fire nation." Lee answered with no hesitation.

"Ok, but that doesn't mean they're all bad." Lee couldn't say anything, turning his head and setting down her bag.

"Do you know what direction he went?"