(no subject)
Author: brokenpencils
Prompt: 023. Hair
Title: untitled for the time being.
Word Count: 565
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This is actually my first post here, and my first Avatar fic ever. So it's probably not all that great, but everyone's gotta start somewhere. But please, please! help me get better at this and let me know how I can improve.
I could never decide which of Zuko's hairdos I liked better, but either way he is one hot tamale.
One of Zuko's favorite things about being in the presence of that slim, beautiful, blue-eyed Waterbender is the sense of peace she brings him. She's so much the perfect embodiment of her element that sometimes it scares him, like maybe he thinks one day she'll simply turn into water right there in his arms. But right now, he's not worried about that; in fact, he's not worried about anything.
They're lying beneath a large, shady tree in complete silence, enjoying the serenity and comfort of each other's company. Katrara is curled up in front of him, her back against his chest, his nose in her hair, when the sudden urge to feel all of her hair against his face and fingertips overwhelms him. Zuko checks to see if she's sleeping (she is), carefully trails his hand down her braid (she's not awake yet), and begins to undo it (she shifts slightly but her eyes are still shut). He's gotten about halfway through, his pale fingers gently untangling the long, dark tresses, when she jerks awake.
"What are you doing!" She sits up and swats at his hand and he looks up at her, startled.
"I just wanted to-- I didn't mean to-- your hair.." Zuko trails off sheepishly. When Katara continues to stare at him, her face expressionless, his face morphs into a defensive scowl. "I wasn't trying to wake you up, you know," he mutters gruffly.
To his surprise, Katara lifts her hands and finishes undoing her braid before lying back down to face him, her eyes level with his. She reaches out and runs a hand through his short, peasant-style haircut. "I remember when you had that.. that topknot."
He doesn't say anything when her thumb moves down to rub against his scar.
"That was before this," Katara gestured to their positions. "I never got to touch it, but I always wanted to."
Zuko reaches out and combs through her thick locks with one hand, thoughtfully. "Do you want me to grow it back?"
She pauses, clearly not expecting such an answer. "What?"
"Do you want me to grow it back?" he repeats, leaning closer to rest his lips on her forehead.
"You'd do that just so I could touch it?"
"Mmmhmm."
There's a pause, as if Katara's thinking this over. Then she laughs, looking up at Zuko with a smile dancing in her blue eyes. "I think you love me."
Zuko stares back at her, his face a mask of seriousness. "Really, Katara, do you want me to grow it back? I don't mind." He rubs a hand over his closely shorn head.
"That's the haircut you have on all those Fire Nation Wanted posters. You'd be more conspicuous."
He gives her a look, a look that says, did you forget about that disfiguring scar on my face?
She gives him a look, a look that says, I never cared about that disfiguring scar on your face.
And it's not disfiguring.
They both stare at each for a few minutes, the slight tension tinging the air between their noses melting away.
"Besides, you're adorable with this hair!" Katara amends, laughing and burrowing her face into his chest. Zuko can't help but smile as well.
They fall silent and still again. "I do love you," Zuko says after a bit, even though he's pretty sure Katara's fallen asleep again. She nuzzles against him and, rubbing the palms of his hands against her back, he decides to start growing the topknot again.
Prompt: 023. Hair
Title: untitled for the time being.
Word Count: 565
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This is actually my first post here, and my first Avatar fic ever. So it's probably not all that great, but everyone's gotta start somewhere. But please, please! help me get better at this and let me know how I can improve.
I could never decide which of Zuko's hairdos I liked better, but either way he is one hot tamale.
One of Zuko's favorite things about being in the presence of that slim, beautiful, blue-eyed Waterbender is the sense of peace she brings him. She's so much the perfect embodiment of her element that sometimes it scares him, like maybe he thinks one day she'll simply turn into water right there in his arms. But right now, he's not worried about that; in fact, he's not worried about anything.
They're lying beneath a large, shady tree in complete silence, enjoying the serenity and comfort of each other's company. Katrara is curled up in front of him, her back against his chest, his nose in her hair, when the sudden urge to feel all of her hair against his face and fingertips overwhelms him. Zuko checks to see if she's sleeping (she is), carefully trails his hand down her braid (she's not awake yet), and begins to undo it (she shifts slightly but her eyes are still shut). He's gotten about halfway through, his pale fingers gently untangling the long, dark tresses, when she jerks awake.
"What are you doing!" She sits up and swats at his hand and he looks up at her, startled.
"I just wanted to-- I didn't mean to-- your hair.." Zuko trails off sheepishly. When Katara continues to stare at him, her face expressionless, his face morphs into a defensive scowl. "I wasn't trying to wake you up, you know," he mutters gruffly.
To his surprise, Katara lifts her hands and finishes undoing her braid before lying back down to face him, her eyes level with his. She reaches out and runs a hand through his short, peasant-style haircut. "I remember when you had that.. that topknot."
He doesn't say anything when her thumb moves down to rub against his scar.
"That was before this," Katara gestured to their positions. "I never got to touch it, but I always wanted to."
Zuko reaches out and combs through her thick locks with one hand, thoughtfully. "Do you want me to grow it back?"
She pauses, clearly not expecting such an answer. "What?"
"Do you want me to grow it back?" he repeats, leaning closer to rest his lips on her forehead.
"You'd do that just so I could touch it?"
"Mmmhmm."
There's a pause, as if Katara's thinking this over. Then she laughs, looking up at Zuko with a smile dancing in her blue eyes. "I think you love me."
Zuko stares back at her, his face a mask of seriousness. "Really, Katara, do you want me to grow it back? I don't mind." He rubs a hand over his closely shorn head.
"That's the haircut you have on all those Fire Nation Wanted posters. You'd be more conspicuous."
He gives her a look, a look that says, did you forget about that disfiguring scar on my face?
She gives him a look, a look that says, I never cared about that disfiguring scar on your face.
And it's not disfiguring.
They both stare at each for a few minutes, the slight tension tinging the air between their noses melting away.
"Besides, you're adorable with this hair!" Katara amends, laughing and burrowing her face into his chest. Zuko can't help but smile as well.
They fall silent and still again. "I do love you," Zuko says after a bit, even though he's pretty sure Katara's fallen asleep again. She nuzzles against him and, rubbing the palms of his hands against her back, he decides to start growing the topknot again.