I swear I must have OCD, I started with one story for Zutara Week 2009, and now I feel compelled to do all the prompts. I think Blood and Fireflies is all I have left now. I'm at a loss for Fireflies, but I have a thought for Blood.
Jealousy
The servant opened the door for the Fire Lord and Lady as they walked into their private chambers to retire for the evening. Zuko allowed Katara to enter first even though it had been custom for the Lord to enter first, he believed in chivalry as Uncle had taught him.
Zuko removed his heavy outer robes before sinking onto the edge of the bed. He laid back closing his eyes for a moment and letting the silence of their room envelope him. It had been a busy day filled with meetings with advisors. Something about a disagreement over the importing of some such thing that frankly his nation didn't need, needing his help to negotiate a deal with the Earth Kingdom. He reminded himself that he would contact Toph tomorrow first thing tomorrow. She would know what to do.
When he finally sat up, he saw Katara in her blue silk sleeping robe sitting at her vanity. She had already let her hair down and had brushed the long brown waves out. He watched as she grabbed one of the many jars and dipped her fingers into it meticulously patting the cream into her skin before grabbing a vial and tracing the contents along her eyes and mouth, ever mindful of where and how much she used just as she did every night. A goofy smile came to his face. He loved watching her night routine.
"What?" she finally asked looking at him through the mirror.
"Nothing," he shrugged, pulling off his boots and tossing them to the side. "I just don't understand why you put all that stuff on your face. Your skin is flawless."
"My skin is flawless because I put this stuff on my face," she explained pushing away from the vanity as she rubbed lotion into her hands and up her arms and walked toward where Zuko sat on the edge of their bed. Standing between his legs, she slid her hands over his shoulders and began massaging the back of his neck. "Besides I have to keep up with all those young, little courtesans out there."
He looked up quickly at her with a confused expression, "What are you talking about?"
Katara raised her eyebrow at him, "Oh, please. Like I don't see the way you look at all those young girls out there. All young and beautiful, fluttering their eyes at you, smiling at you, giggling every time you walk by. Trying to catch their beloved Fire Lord's attention."
Zuko couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, he looked at them. He was a man, not dead. They were beautiful and young, but they weren't his wife. And no number of eye fluttering, or playful hair tosses, or whatever other games they played interested him. They were fun to look at but that was about it.
She continued, "You don't think I don't hear what they say?" she brought her hand to her chin and looked demurely away while speaking in a mocking girly voice, "Oh that Fire Lord Zuko, he's so handsome and strong. He can light my fire any night. I wonder where else his scars are. I'd love to kiss every one of them. I bet that waterbender can't even handle a firebender of his stamina even if she has popped out a couple heirs for him."
Sliding his hands up the back of her thighs and her butt, he pulled her in closer, resting his chin on the space above her breasts golden eyes looking up at her. "So you're jealous of all the little courtesans?"
She pouted, "I'm not jealous."
"You are too," he beamed up at her smugly, tracing his hands over the silk of her robe.
"I am not."
"Are too. And what about all the advisors and guards around here, milady?" he taunted mockingly.
It was her turn to be confused. She tilted her head slightly, just as he continued. "Yeah, that's right. You don't think I don't see all the men that check you out? Ogling you? Since the day you first came here, they've been checking you out."
"They do not," she lightly slapped his shoulder and blushed turning her head away.
"Oh! Yes they do. Believe me. And you should hear what they say," he added, nimbly untying her sash and pushing the material off her shoulders. He ran his pale hand over her tan skin, "I wonder if her skin is that color everywhere? If she ever puts out his fire, she can come light mine. I've seen her bending and man can she move. I wonder if she does that in bed too."
Katara burst out laughing, "they don't say that."
"No they don't. What they say is much more vulgar," he admitted a frown on his face.
"Oh, is the Fire Lord jealous now?" she mocked, smiling as she slid past him and crawling on hands and knees to the top, giving him a nice view of her backside in the process. She then lay on her side provocatively, crooking her finger for him to join her.
"Yes. I am. And why shouldn't I be," he admitted, happily crawling beside this gorgeous creature that was his wife. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world."
"Even if I have wrinkles right here," she asked pointing to her forehead.
"Just means you think a lot," he kissed her forehead.
"Even if I have eagle-crow's feet," pointing to the outside edges of her eyes.
"Just means you laugh a lot." He kissed her eyes.
"Even if my breasts aren't as perky," she ran her hand over said body part.
He kissed his way down her neck to them, "Just means you gave nourishment to our children."
"Even if I have stretch marks on my stomach," she ran her hand over her body.
"Just means you carried and delivered our four beautiful children into this world," he kissed over her stomach, dipping his tongue into her belly button.
"Even if my butt isn't as firm as it once was."
"Just means you've sat by my side for the past twenty years as my Fire Lady," kissing his way back up to her lips.
Katara laughed again then gave another pout wrapping her arms around his neck. "So you don't care about all those young things out there?"
He kissed that pout right off her face before looking earnestly into her blue eyes that never ceased to captivate him, "Never. I may look, but trust me. You're all I'll ever need."
"Okay. I believe you," then with a deviously seductive look added, "And you're the only one who knows that my skin is this color all over and I do move that way in bed."
With a hungry growl he was all over her.
Even after twenty some years, they could still light each other's fires. If anything, the world should be jealous of them.
Aww… That's so sweet. Get the insulin.
I tried being different with the Jealousy. Originally I was going to do a Kataang-Zutara thing, but this came to my brain and I rolled with it.
Three non-lemons in a row. Wow! What's wrong with me?
