She wakes up to his breathing.

It isn't unusual really, the banished prince breathes very heavily in his sleep. They are laying on Appa and sleeping and facing away from each other. For some reason that kills her. To know that they are this close and yet this far apart. Katara shuts her eyes and tries not to think about what this might mean. It is strange really, her ability to overcomplicate things, the way she always over thinks what is going on, and yet how she always hopes.

Hope.

Something that feels so foreign now that she is laying in the quiet moonshine, on Appa's fluffy, oh so comfortable bed of fur. For some reason she's lost her ability of optimism. She doesn't know why she feels this way and yet she does. Maybe it's the way he is turned away from her, maybe it's the way she is turned away from him, she doesn't know. All she knows is that she feels this incredible world of pain. Could it be that she feels for the young prince, could it be that she has unspoken emotions for the scarred man?

Yes.

Though she doesn't let the word surface to the front of her brain. She is turns on her other side and looks at the prince, her prince. And then she realizes just how much she wants to touch him, how much she wishes she could hold his hand, how much she longs for memories to form between them, secrets to be shared; though it is painfully clear that that will not happen. He has the girl with the knives and she has Aang, even though she doesn't love the airbender the way she is expected to. She only hopes Zuko would say the same about Mai.

She's seen his face light up upon mention of the young woman and to be quite honest, Katara's felt the ache and the pain and the sorrow that filled her being and engulfed her when it came to light that he was indeed taken. She knows that Toph knows how much she… cares about Zuko. Cares is the only word she allows to reach her conscious mind regarding her feelings for Zuko, because anything more would mean that she is susceptible to being broken. Toph knows, and even though Katara expects the young girl to tease her or insist that the prince accept Katara's caring nature, she does none of these, instead sometimes when Katara isn't in a particularly good mood, the girl would place a warm hand on her shoulder. And Katara knows that it is because the earthbender knows a loss cause when she sees one.

Katara sighs and reaches a hand out to the young man. The skin of her fingers is so close, so painfully close to Zuko she can hardly breathe. And then, slowly, gently the man turns on his side and she is touching him, her skin is in contact with the scarlet flesh. Her body is warm, her insides are tingly and all she knows is that she longs for him to return the favor, for him to touch her, to share in her happiness to drink in this uncontrollable joy that is her emotion.

But he doesn't.

Her joy would quickly dissipate had it not been for the fact that his eyes open lazily and his lips tighten at the sides. Had it not been for his curious gaze and his slightly apparent blush. She doesn't want him thinking that she is strange, that she is one of those girls who would throw themselves at him, one of his many admirers. Even though it is not a lie to say that she does indeed care for him. The last thing she wants is for him to think that she is in love.

He looks at her, his eyes open. She doesn't breathe a word. She isn't sure what she should do, if she should pretend like this is a figment of his imagination, if she should tell him what she has been refusing to tell herself, that she is in fact in love with him. She doesn't say anything; instead she closes her eyes and turns away from the scarred prince.

"Katara," he breathes and the hairs on the back of her neck stand. It's the way he says her name, the way that there is that note of pity in his voice that stops her from ignoring him. She doesn't know why she responds but she does. She turns to him, her eyes quickly softening and her body relaxing. His lips are pressed into a tight line and she feels her breath hitch from her core. "Couldn't sleep huh?" is what he says and she is relieved, disappointed, happy, upset that he doesn't acknowledge her fingers on his scar.

"No… I was thinking…" she tells him and he smiles softly, oh how she loves it when he smiles.

"What about?" he asks and she freezes for a moment. And then a thought comes into her mind, she opens her mouth and queries about his personal life.

"Mai… you love her," it isn't a question.

He doesn't say anything; he doesn't need to, though he wants to. He wants to tell her how perfect Mai is, how much he loves the nobleman's daughter, how she saved his life from Azula's wicked plans, how he hopes to marry her, and be the father of her children. But he doesn't. Instead her inches closer to her, so close that both teenagers stop breathing.

"Close your eyes," he tells her and she does. And then slowly, softly, he allows his lips to touch hers. She sighs into the embrace and pauses for a moment, memorizing this perfect situation. And then she allows her body to respond, to work, to move. And before long, she finds herself straddling the young prince.

"Wait… Katara…" he says in between kisses and licks. "We can't do it here." He tells her and she pauses mid grinding. Katara wants Zuko, she wants him inside of her, she wants her around him, she needs him… she loves him. And so reluctantly she rolls off the young man and he lifts himself off the ground. "There is a lake further up there," he tells her and she nods wordlessly. He leads her into the clearing and finally when they are covered by the trees, and the shrubs and all that greenery, he presses his lips to hers and they resume their activities.

He is warm to the touch and how she loves that she is touching him, and spirits he is touching her. Slowly, he pulls her clothes off her and gently rolls her onto her back. She is in her bindings now and all he can think of at this moment, is Mai, the love of his life, the woman who he wants to spend eternity with. But he has to fulfill his duty to the perfectly beautiful waterbender who lays half-naked beneath him. At least once, at least once, she will have the right to call him her own; for one night, he will truly belong to her; and her to him. He kisses her fully on the lips and even begs her for entrance. She complies because she wants to taste him.

He feels himself respond to their kissing and he is hard, so very hard. And before long, he is rocking himself on her clothed vagina. And she is moaning, he has to admit that that sound is absolute music to his ears. It isn't that he was born to be such a good lover, but he was taught the art of lovemaking one windy night on Ember Island with Mai. He squeezes his eyes shut at the thought of his lover. And immediately pushes the thought out of his mind and tries to concentrate on the waterbender moaning beneath his warm body.

He rolls off her and stands, throwing his pants as far as he can and settles between her legs. She swallows hard at the sight of his enormous member. There is something feral, animal-like almost that threatens to spill from her; that threatens to rear its ugly head. She is tempted to tear off her bindings, pin him to the ground and ride him like there was no tomorrow. But she bites back the intense desire to do all those things and instead settles for the submissive role in their lovemaking. She lays there and allows him to undress her, he is so gentle, Spirits, so gentle she finds herself closing her eyes and enjoying his warm hands on her dark skin. He licks and sucks and kisses the flesh on her neck and she makes a low noise at the back of her throat.

Before long, Zuko has expertly and successfully removed all Katara's clothing. Slowly, he inches his way to the juncture between her legs and kisses the inside of her right thigh. She inhales softly and longs for him to stop with his teasing. She longs for him to satisfy her cravings for his body. Zuko moves his mouth to her opening and laps at her vagina, pressing his lips softly around her clitoris. She moans and he responds by licking the soft nub. His hands reach up and cup her breasts and she closes her eyes, as she tries to keep her orgasm at bay.

"Zuko… please," she begs and he moves from his position at her thighs to her lips and kisses her so very softly and lovingly or so she imagines. He positions himself between her legs and penetrates her, breaking through her barrier and eliciting a quiet gasp.

"It's okay," he tells her because it is okay. And he wants her to know that this pain is temporary, that it will go when then pleasure seeps in. And then he is rocking and thrusting in and out, in and out, at a steady pace, his tongue never leaving hers. And then she climaxes around him and at her sudden tightening, he reaches his orgasm. He moans loudly and releases his juices into her body, not concerned that he might get her pregnant, not now at least. "I'm yours," he tells her, even though it is just for one night. And she knows, but that doesn't matter, it's all well, even if it's only for one night.

A/N: Okay so i'm assuming all of you have seen this picture where Zuko and Katara are lying on Appa and facing away from each other? well this story is based on that scene. Please read and review! THANK YOU :D