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“It looks dirty.”
“It’s not dirty.”
“It looks dirty.”
“Well, it’s not,” Katara said, her voice filled with exasperation as she glared at Azula. Katara was wading in the middle of a small lake, watching the other woman. Azula was standing at the edge of the lake with her arms crossed over her chest and a disgusted look written across her face. “Azula stop being such a child and get into the water.”
Azula snapped her head up at the statement, offense filling her face as her eyes widened. “I am not a child!”
“That sounds like something a child would say,” Katara teased, only causing Azula’s eyes to widen with further offense. “Will you just get in the water, please? You need to bathe before we break camp and leave.”
Azula narrowed her eyes at Katara, “Are you insinuating that I smell?”
Katara tilted her head back and let out a frustrated groan before asking, “Do you have to make everything fucking difficult-”
“-Yes,” Azula said haughtily. “And for the record, I do not smell therefore I do not need to bathe.” Katara rolled her eyes.
“Azula, be honest with yourself.” Katara chastised. “You smell.”
“I most certainly do not.”
“You do, you reek of body odor.”
“I absolutely, unequivocally do not ‘reek’ of anything,” Azula huffed. “You are most likely smelling yourself.”
“Will you please stop acting so high and mighty?” Katara asked as she rolled her eyes. “We’ve been camping and training for the past week and a half not to mention it’s hot out here, of course you smell.” Azula flared her nostrils as she shot Katara a defensive look.
She hated to admit it but Katara was correct. They had been camping in the Earth Kingdom for nearly a week now at Zuko’s behest. A training retreat he had called it. Fun he had the gall to describe it as.
As per usual Zuko had been wrong, as Azula knew he would be. This farce of a getaway was no more fun than it was a retreat. There were too many bugs, too much noise, and too many of Zuko’s annoying friends. They were camping in a large, open forest and yet somehow Azula felt crowded. She could never get a moment of peace.
She regretted agreeing to come on this excursion with Zuko and his motley crew. She had only agreed to come because, despite how much they got under her skin, when it came to training and fighting Zuko’s friends were among the few people in the world that gave her a real challenge.
Toph was one of the strongest benders Azula had ever met. As the Avatar, the same was easily said for Aang. Suki always presented a unique challenge while fighting and while Zuko and Sokka didn’t present Azula much of anything, she always enjoyed trouncing them.
Then there was Katara, the only one among them that Azula would consider a peer. Toph and Aang were both strong and knew how to keep up with her but not to the extent Katara could. She could always count on the other two to eventually slip up and make a mistake she could exploit.
Katara was far more frustrating. She seemed to be able to read Azula better than the others and always knew how to correctly counter her. Not to mention Katara as a person was just frustrating and spending time with her was a chore more than anything.
So, while Azula might be inclined to agree that despite bathing as much as she could since they began this trip - she probably did smell. After all, she and Katara sparred for upwards of three hours today and it was nearly as hot as it was in Caldera.
However, the last person she wanted to hear that from was Katara - who had won their last round of sparring and had made sure to thoroughly rub it in Azula’s face. If Azula wasn’t exhausted she would have demanded a rematch.
“I smell fine.”
“You really don't.”
“I promise you I smell amazing,” Azula lied. “Sweet like vanilla.”
“Ha!”
“Don't ‘ha’ me.”
“I don't know why you’re being so resistant. It’s not like I’m asking you to jump in naked or anything,” Katara pointed out, which for Azula wasn’t the problem. Katara herself was only in her underwear.
Azula didn’t mind stripping down either. It was the principal of the matter. She would not allow Katara to direct when she bathed and when she did not. That might work for the rest of Katara’s friends but it would not work on Azula who was decidedly not in a friendship with the waterbender.
Even if she was, Azula was 19. She would bathe when she saw fit and not a second before. No cajoling by Katara was going to change her mind.
“It’s not about that.”
“So what is it about then?” Katara demanded. “What is it just because I’m telling you to take a bath? Is that it?”
“No!” Azula said far too quickly and far too defensively. It gave her position away immediately. She watched with humiliation as the realization came over Katara’s face.
“By the spirits.”
“That’s not why!”
“I can not believe it!” Katara scoffed, not even bothering to listen to Azula’s protests. “Are you telling me you’d rather walk around stinky than take a bath just to do what? Spite me!” She exclaimed, causing Azula’s frustration to grow.
“Don't flatter yourself!” Azula said hurriedly.
“Azula just bathe!”
“Why are you so intent on this?” Azula demanded. “Why does it matter to you if I bathe or not? It really should be none of your concern.”
“It is my concern because I have to be around you,” Katara snapped. “Appa’s saddle isn’t that big! Toph and Sokka are bad enough, we don't need you adding to their stink.”
“I don't stink!”
“I will drag you in here if I have to.”
“You will do no such thing,” Azula said, completely incensed. “It’s bad enough you used this disgusting lake water during our last spar but now you want me to submerge myself in it? And tell me, is it really bathing yourself if the water you're using is dirty?"
“The water isn’t dirty!”
“It is!” Azula inched closer to the edge and prodded the water with her foot. “Look, don't you see? It’s green.”
“The water isn’t green you weirdo it’s clear,” Katara laughed. Laughed! Azula had never been so casually offended in her life. “The green stuff is just the algae growing on the rocks, which by the way, I know you know.”
“Oh?”
“You aren’t an idiot, right?”
“Of course not…” Azula grumbled. Of course, she knew that it was the algae on the rocks, she knew that the water wasn’t dirty, and she also knew that Katara would never bid her to do anything. She turned back to Katara to say as much but was surprised to see Katara had disappeared.
Azula immediately straightened up, her heart quickening as she scanned the surface of the lake. She took a hesitant step forward, searching for any signs of Katara.
“I sense a trick!”
Her proclamation was met with silence. She took a step back but before she could fully retreat Katara broke the surface of the water only a few inches away from Azula. Before Azula could do anything Katara reached forward and wrapped her arms around Azula’s tightly.
“Katara!” Azula shouted just as Katara pulled her into the freezing lake water, causing the princess to let out a sharp gasp before Katara pulled them both under the water. Azula struggled for a few seconds, clawing her way out of Katara’s grasp and quickly swimming up to the surface.
She took in a big gulp of air just as Katara came up to the surface, the waterbender’s wild laughter filling the air.
“How dare you!”
Katara continued to laugh.
“I did not consent to that!”
Katara’s laughter grew louder.
“It’s not funny!”
“It’s pretty funny!” Katara howled. “Oh, you should have seen the look on your face!” Azula gritted her teeth together before she impulsively smacked her hand against the surface of the water and splashed Katara.
Katara gasped and turned to look at Azula with complete surprise. A triumphant feeling came over Azula and she puffed her chest out, “You should have seen the look on your face!” She mocked.
“Oh really?” Katara laughed. “That’s the game you want to play? With a waterbender?!” Azula’s face dropped.
“Oh…well…”
“You idiot!” Katara laughed before bending a small wave of water at Azula, splashing the firebender with such force it caused her to rock back in the water. Not one to take anything lying down, even in the face of insurmountable odds, Azula splashed back at Katara as hard as she possibly could.
Katara, who could have easily dismantled the splash, just laughed as the water hit her much to Azula’s surprise. She didn’t have time to think about it before Katara was bending water at her again.
“You find the oddest things funny,” Azula said as she splashed back at Katara.
“You do too, apparently,” Katara said, her smile mimicking the one that was growing on Azula’s face. Azula scoffed as she continued to splash at Katara, their conversation falling to the wayside as they continued to drench one another.
Their splashing fight went on for a few more seconds before Katara ended it after Azula splashed her particularly hard. A wide smile spread across Katara’s face as she brought both hands up and bent as large of a wave as she could in such a small lake. As the shadow came over the princess's face she found her smile dropping.
“This is overkill,” she proclaimed in a monotone, unimpressed tone right before the wave swept both her and Katara up bringing half of the lake’s water with them. The water pushed them to the muddy bank of the lake and neither said anything for a moment as they picked their heads up.
“...Perhaps that was a bit of overkill,” Katara admitted as she looked toward the lake and how little water was left. She turned back to Azula who raised an eyebrow at her. A second passed, then another before a small giggle escaped Katara’s lips. She attempted to fight it but couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled over.
A moment later Azula found herself unable to stop her laughter as well and both young women dissolved into a fit of giggles. Azula sobered up first, her face bright red from how hard Katara had managed to make her laugh.
“I can’t remember the last time I laughed that hard,” she admitted as Katara propped herself up on her elbow. She looked at Azula for a long moment, the look in her large blue eyes was unreadable for Azula - much to the princesses' frustration.
“How is it that she can read me but I can’t do the same with her?” She wondered just as Katara pushed herself forward.
“You’re so beautiful when you laugh like that,” Katara said softly, catching Azula completely off guard.
“I-”
Katara leaned forward and captured Azula’s lips in a soft kiss, causing the firebender to go completely rigid. She had never been kissed before. It felt good. Katara’s lips were soft and warm and made Azula’s tingle with pleasure.
Her body relaxed and she pressed her lips back against Katara’s. After a few moments, the two pulled apart.
“You kissed me,” Azula blurted out.
“I did,” Katara said, sounding a little sheepish. “I hope you don't mind, I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I saw you smile.”
“You have?”
“Yes.”
“You have?!”
“Yes!” Katara laughed, her face turning bright red.
“Why?”
“I don't know, I can’t help that I’m attracted to you.” Katara shrugged. “You’re beautiful when you smile and laugh. And when you’re deep in thought or listening to someone speak. You’re even beautiful when you get frustrated and scoff…it’s quite annoying actually.”
“Well…I…thank you,” Azula said awkwardly, not sure how to respond. Usually, when someone called her attractive she had something more witty to say. Compliments on her appearance made her uncomfortable and always felt disingenuous by those giving them to her.
However, Katara’s words felt sincere and made Azula’s stomach twist with an unfamiliar feeling.
“It’s true.”
“I- yes…well…coming from you it means a lot!” She said quickly, her face turning dark red as she found immense interest in the muddy ground. Her mouth went dry under Katara’s intense stare.
“It does?”
“Well of course you are quite beautiful yourself… you're so beautiful that you could- that you might- that you…you could be the most beautiful woman in the world!” Azula said, tripping over her tongue to think of something enticing to say. She nearly threw up with embarrassment when she fully absorbed what she had just said.
Her embarrassment only grew when Katara began to laugh. Her brows furrowed as she finally picked up her eyes to look at Katara who was smiling widely at her.
“Don't laugh at me I’m not…I’m not practiced at being flirtatious.” She admitted.
“I’m not making fun of you,” Katara said softly. “I think what you said is quite charming.” Azula perked up a little at this.
“Really?” Katara nodded her head as Azula felt her confidence returning. “...Well, that is very good to hear.”
“I’m glad…did you enjoy the kiss?” It was Katara now who sounded a bit self-conscious. Azula nodded.
“Yes, it was pleasing.” Another smile bloomed across Katara’s face.
“I liked it too,” Katara admitted. “I wouldn’t mind if we kissed again.”
“I wouldn’t either,” Azula admitted as she inched forward a little until their noses were brushing against each other. Katara leaned forward and kissed her again causing another shiver to tear down Azula’s spine. When they pulled away this time, their noses were still touching neither one of them wanting to get too far away from the other.
Katara reached forward and began to gently stroke Azula’s cheek, causing the firebender to melt. Katara pecked her lips this time before reaching up and pecking Azula’s nose.
“You still stink.” She said softly.
“If only someone didn’t drain our bathing source.”
“So you admit the water was clean enough to bathe in?”
“I admit nothing,” Azula chuckled as Katara began to pepper kisses along Azula’s cheek and then forehead.
“You’re so hard-headed, Azula.”
“Funny coming from you, Katara,” Azula whispered.
“Hilarious.” Katara agreed between sweet kisses.
“Amusing.”
“Humorous.”
“Comical,” Azula muttered as Katara sighed before kissing Azula again, this time slipping her tongue between Azula’s lips. Pleasure exploded throughout Azula, causing her to let out a soft whimper.
“Good?” Katara asked as she pulled back. Azula could only nod her head, finding herself unable to speak. “Are you going to stop arguing with me?” Azula shook her head, causing Katara to giggle softly.
“Of course not, I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Katara teased. “I can expect you to kiss me again.” This time, Azula didn’t have any issue with doing as Katara commanded.