The words never said

Wait here

Zuko

Should I ask to come in?

Nah. She would probably kick me out before even hearing what I have to say.

And I am not walking into other people's tents after the "Sokka-incident".

Besides, I can't intrude into a girl's tent. What if Katara's doing something... um... private?

Not something "Sokka-and-Suki" kind of private! – Or at least I don't think she's planning on doing something that kind of private. (With whom could she do it?)

Maybe I should simply ask her to come out and talk.

She's not asleep yet, I can tell because the lantern inside her tent is illuminating it from the inside out, as if the fabric was rice paper. Her dark shadow is strikingly distinct on the lit cloth as she prepares herself to sleep. I could easily ask her to talk right now, but the news I have to deliver aren't exactly something that you say and then go to sleep. (How do you tell someone that you know who her mother's killer is?) (Would it be more thoughtful if I left this for tomorrow's morning?)

Katara is still going on with her night routine. Accommodating her hair, apparently. She's pulling it over her head, styling it in a bun, exposing the shape of her delicate shoulders and the curve of her back.

She is quite curvy.

I mean, I've already seen Ty Lee, and she has quite a... physiognomy, but it is mostly her... um... assets the ones... that... Never mind.

Katara's more slender. Dainty. Her body is artistic, and it shows itself in the most simple of the movements. Like her slim arms raising her thick, wavy hair; drawing the attention to the perfectly delineated arc of her back, and her concave stomach, displaying the shadow of her generous breast. I imagine how her dark skin must look like right now...

I slap myself.

I literally, physically slap myself. Where did all of that come from?

Sleep deprivation must be affecting me already. That must be it. I should probably just go to sleep and then talk to Katara in the morning, it's the most reasonable thing to do. But...

This is very important for her.

And in a way, it is important to me, too.

I want to help Katara with this, I want to bring her justice. I want to heal her pain. This is more than just making amends with her, it is my mission to bring Katara peace.

In the meantime... no more crazy horny thoughts. (I finally befriended Sokka, the last thing that I need is to start fantasizing about his little sister.)

Not that I was fantasizing about Katara! It was... It was nothing. It was a one-time thought that won't repeat itself.

Katara slips her robe off her shoulders.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! What in the world does she thinks she's doing?!

I turn away, even though I can't really see her undressing. And I vehemently refuse to contemplate the idea of her sleeping naked.

I'm sweating as if I was in the middle of the Boiling Rock's waters but I can't tell if it is because of my newfound inexplicable nervousness or because of the heated weather. This certainly is a hot night. No wonders why Katara is taking off her clothes for sleeping.

I slap myself again, I told myself I wasn't going down that road. Seriously, what's wrong with me tonight?

This is all because of the stupid teenage hormones! If I was Firelord, I would banish all teenage hormones! Permanently! I would be saving a lot of boys my age from trouble with girls like me right now or back at the capital with Mai.

Mai.

I haven't thought about her since we left the Boiling Rock. I... Is she okay?

Azula saw her helping us to escape from the prison. Knowing my sister, she didn't take such betrayal lightly, and I can only imagine what punishment she decided for Mai.

It is useless to think about this but I keep wondering, could I have saved her? Returned for her? – No, I couldn't. Not without serving myself to Azula in a silver platter. There are more important things to think about than my love life and I can't afford to be captured – or executed – by my power-hungry family. I need to protect the world from them.

Moreover, what could I have said to Mai? Ask her to desert the Fire Nation and come with me? She still considers me a traitor, both to the country and to herself. The fact that she saved me doesn't mean she changed her mind about that. What would she say if she saw me right now? Having "improper" thoughts about another girl and all.

Possibly nothing. She would just throw one of her knifes directly at my throat.

I sigh. Man, I really miss her.

Is Katara asleep yet?

I turn around to confirm it and her tent is dark, the lantern is off. She's definitely asleep.

So what am I supposed to do now? Await for her to wake up in the morning?

Did I truly think this plan through?

Guess I didn't.

But I'm not backing off now, I can always sleep right here in this rock that I'm sitting. I suppose. It wouldn't be the worst place where I've slept. Maybe Katara will wake up at some point during the night and save me the waiting.

Would she come out of her tent with her robe still off?

I growl, it seems like my thoughts only keep betraying me tonight! For the record, I am definitely not wishing to see Katara with her robe off! Just like I'm not replaying her quite-seductive night routine, or imagining the smooth, dark skin of her bare shoulders; or...

I growl again.

You know who would most certainly kill me for having this kind of thoughts about Katara? Katara. She would freeze me in an ice block (wouldn't be the first time) and throw me to sink into the depths of the ocean. I imagine the ice caging me, and Katara's wicked smirk and blue eyes looking at me through the thick wall of frozen water...

I shiver and sweat at the same time. Katara canbe quite mischievous when she wants to be.