First burn

The beach

"I'm so excited to spend the weekend on ember island," ty Lee stood at the front of the small wooden ship with Azula and Katara, Azula had her back to the ocean but Katara let the salty breeze push her thick hair back.

"It's gonna be great to hand out on the beach and do nothing," she smiled back as Zuko and Mai sat on the red cushion benches on opposite sides of the top.

"Seems like a waste of time doing nothing," Zuko crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Being sent away on a forced vacation when there's a war is a waste of time, I feel like a child," he huffed a little tilting his head back.

"Even though I thought we were only allowed to bring one extra person," Zuko sent a look at Mai.

"Got something to say?" Mai sat up straighter.

"Lighten up, dad wants to meet with his advisors alone without anyone else around, it's not personal," Azula rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Its not like your exactly trust worthy to him?" She shrugged.

"It's only a weekend Zuko, I've never been to a vacation island," Katara stood at the edge of the bench and he glanced at her raising his brow.

"Are you guilt tripping me?" He frowned.

"No...it's just I never got to travel and see tourist places cause I grew up with only ice and snow," she smiled sarcastically and he groaned.

"Doesn't your family have a house on ember island?" Ty Lee popped in.

"We use to come every summer when we were kids," Azula looked at her softly.

"Oh how fun! Is that where we're staying?" She clasped her hands together excitedly.

"No, no ones been there in almost eight years," Azula waved her off.

They arrived to the docks as lo and li were waiting for them in pink robes and large sun hats, they usually were with them as guides with many things in the palace like when Katara first got to the fire nation.

"Welcome to ember island kids," the two women said.

Behind them was a small beach house they'd be staying at. No one was amused.

—

"It smells like old lady in here," Zuko whispered concerned as they got inside the house as Katara was next to him.

"Wow, I wonder why," Katara giggled a little as she looked around the living room thst had a beach theme with pink everywhere.

"Oh I love the sea shell bedspread!" Ty Lee laid on the side bed and touched the silky sheets.

"Are you serious? It looked like the beach threw up all over it," Mai scoffed looking at her friend as they went to the guest room.

"We know that your not happy that you were forced to come here this weekend, but ember island is a magical place, keep an open mind," li smiled at the children.

"Give it a chance," Lo agreed.

"And it can help you understand yourselves and each other," they both said.

"So your telling me maybe Zuko will get laid this weekend if he's not grumpy?" Ty Lee laughed a little.

Zuko and Katara looked horrified at her as she giggled innocently.

"That's why they get the other guest room to themselves," Azula smirked.

"They've shared the bed before right? I mean your engaged," ty Lee snickered seeing how red the two were getting.

"I'm leaving," Zuko left the room as Katara gasped at him abandoning her with the girls.

"The beach has its special way of smoothing even the most ragged edges," Lo sighed and handed Katara a smooth rock that was on the table. She looked at it flatly and handed it to ty Lee who was interested.

"Time to hit the beach!" They clapped and took off their robes to reveal their swim suits. Katara gasped and ty Lee covered the tan girls eyes as she clung into the gymnast.

—

"I feel like I'm wearing almost nothing," Katara blushed as she walked with ty Lee to meet Azula and the others at the beach since ty Lee had to help the water bender who forgot a swim suit.

"You didn't like my other spare," ty Lee pouted a little as she wore a bikini.

"Because that one was a thong ty Lee," Katara groaned. She wore a deep v red swim suit with a gold outline as she had a small red skirt with a bikini bottom under, her crease of her behind showed a little but she couldn't pull the skirt down anymore.

"Your skin and body is really nice, you should try showing it off more," ty Lee motioned to her and Katara blushed more as she used the towel to cover her chest and stomach more even though her whole back was showing.

"I thought you said otherwise," she mumbled and ty Lee remembered when she was talking to Mai.

"I'm sorry I said that, I didn't mean it, mai is my friend and doesn't have much assets so I was trying to make her feel better," ty Lee admitted as they found the others on the beach.

"We should tan together! I bet you don't even get sun burn like how Zuko does," ty Lee beamed brightly as she saw Zuko still wearing a shirt.

"Tanning?" Katara blinked confused.

"I was going to go swim," she smiled awkwardly as ty Lee set down her stuff.

"Wow hey do you need help setting up?" A boy ran over to ty Lee and Katara.

"Sure! Thanks," ty Lee beamed brightly.

"I'm okay, I got it," Katara hugged her towel around her tighter.

"Lemme help you out," a friend of the boy walked over and touched her shoulder to take her towel.

"Oh-hey, hands buddy," Katara frowned as she backed up to ty Lee and grabbed her arm a little as the boys set their towels down flat and nice against the warm sand.

"Thank you," ty Lee winked and sat on the towel.

"A-ah.. no swimming?" Katara sat on the towel nervously as the boys made shade for them using their bodies to block the sun.

"In a little," ty Lee giggled.

"Hey Zuko, can you swim?!" Katara called back to the boy who was sitting a couple meters from them with Azula fanning herself and Mai sat under an umbrella.

"Can I- what?! Yes I can swim?" Zuko made a face of confusion and Katara got to her feet.

"Thank the spirits, your swimming with me,"  she ran over as Zuko noticed the boys  tilting their heads to the side and lower themselves a little, smiling like animals.

"Yea okay," Zuko took off his shirt and let her grab his wrist to drag him. He glared at the boys that stared at the girl before.

"Why did you assume I can't swim?" He scoffed  offended and she ran into the water.

"I don't know, some people can't swim?" Katara laughed at him and dove into the water as Zuko swam after her.