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“Katara!” Zuko yelled right before the door slammed in his face. He heard her turn the lock, effectively locking him out of his own apartment. Agni help him. The first day that Katara comes to stay with him and he’d already pissed her off.
“No, Zuko! Don’t bother! You know damn well that what you did was rude and totally uncalled for!”
Well, it wasn’t totally uncalled for. Those stupid movers had stared at Katara with a certain look in their eye—a look that only he was allowed to have. One of them even had the audacity to lick his lips as Katara trotted up the stairs with a box cradled in her arms. Zuko stared, but so did the other two. Just because he watched doesn’t mean they had the right to.
“What do you think you’re looking at?” Zuko growled.
The guy turned to him and smirked, completely ignoring the menacing look Zuko was giving him. “Man, you know exactly what I’m staring at. You’re lucky that a guy with a face like yours got that fine piece of a—”
Zuko wrapped his fingers around the guy’s throat, squeezing and cutting off the words before he finished the sentence. The younger guy next to him paled, and Zuko could see he was about to bolt. His leg shot up, catching the younger one square in the chest before he could run, knocking him to the ground. Zuko couldn’t help the satisfaction that washed over him as the younger guy struggled to catch his breath and scrambled away as fast as he could. He slowly swiveled his head to look at the one that was turning blue from lack of oxygen. The guy’s words echoed in his head, and Zuko growled, slamming him on the side of the truck.
“Talk shit about me all you like,” Zuko snarled. “But if I ever hear another derogatory word about my girlfriend come out of your mouth, I won’t hold back.”
The guy couldn’t even nod; Zuko was squeezing too tight. His lips curved into a terrifying smile, hoping this guy would have nightmares about his face for years. When his eyes rolled back in his head, Zuko released him with disgust. He turned around and met Katara’s big blue eyes and chased after her as she darted up the stairs into his--their apartment.
“They were making insulting comments about you, Katara! I couldn’t just stand there and take it! You’re my girlfriend, I’m supposed to protect your honor!” He knew she would protest, so he went on. “I know you’re capable of handling yourself. You just weren’t here at the moment, so I decided to step in.” His voice softened slightly, knowing Katara was standing right there, just a few inches away from him.
Katara smiled slightly, despite the fact that she was trying to stay mad at him. He knew her so well. It was one of the reasons she loved him so much. But if she was being honest with herself, she was never actually mad at Zuko. She let her mind wander, recalling the flexed muscles along Zuko’s arms…chest…back. He had stripped off his shirt because it was hot while he helped the movers, and the tank top he wore underneath was tight, clinging to his body like a second skin. She shivered, but she wasn’t cold.
“Please open the door.” His muffled voice said to her.
“No.” she answered, resting her forehead against the flat surface between them.
“I told you the reason for my actions, sweetheart. I know that you are fully capable of handling yourself. Why are you still mad at me?” he asked, and she could hear the underlying tone of worry in his voice. She smiled, touched that her opinion of him mattered. Katara knew that Zuko was thinking back, trying to see if there was anything else he did wrong. She sighed, deciding to tell him.
“…I’m mad at myself.” She mumbled. Zuko barely heard the quiet words, and he was surprised and a little confused.
“Why?” She didn’t answer. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not your fault you’re so Agni-damned attractive.” He muttered loud enough for her to hear. Zuko could practically feel her grin through the door, and he grinned as well, glad he was able to make her smile.
“…Because…because you’re sexy when you fight.” She confessed. His grin deepened, and he stepped even closer to the door. “I liked watching you beat them up for me,” she said. Then she asked, “Does that make me a bad person?”
That doused cold water on him, and his grin faltered slightly. “Katara. Open the door.” He said firmly. One click, and then the door swung open. Zuko ran his eyes over her. His grin returned as he took in the red cheeks and the embarrassed way she held herself. But, her eyes never left his even though she was embarrassed and ashamed, and that was only one of the things that he loved that about her.
“No,” he said, answering her question. “That doesn’t make you a bad person. They stared and one of them said something inappropriate. They deserved what they got.” She still didn’t say anything. “I didn’t kill them, if that’s what you’re wondering. One ran off, and the other is unconscious. He’ll wake up soon.”
“Okay. Good,” she said, letting her eyes travel up and down his body. He saw her visibly swallow, and he took a step closer to her.
The wicked look in Zuko’s amber eyes made Katara shiver in the best way. She backed up, watching his fluid movements and feeling even more attracted to him than she already was.
“You really think I’m sexy when I fight?” he smirked.
“Uh…well…yes, but—” she stammered, and Zuko suppressed the laugh that wanted to burst out of him. Their roles were reversed. Instead of Zuko being the awkward one, Katara was, and he reveled in this new feeling. He backed her into the kitchen.
“But…what?” Zuko asked, still grinning impishly.
“N-nothing,” she said as he pressed his hard body against hers, trapping her between him and the island in the kitchen.
“Good,” he echoed her earlier response, picking her up and setting her on the counter…