This story is penance to all my Zutarian fans for writing that Maiko lemon. It's not a lemon just cute fluffy Zutara goodness.
Appreciation
Zuko picked his love up and brought her to the expansive bed of the Fire Lord. Carefully laying her on the red and gold silk comforter he began undressing the girl beneath him leaving her in the white wrappings. He leaned over the blue-eyed brunette and gazed lovingly down at her. He loved gazing at her. He could do it for hours and sometimes he did. Like this afternoon for instance. It was like each time he looked at her, he found something new to love and admire about her.
Zuko ran his eyes over her face and stopped at her eyes, big and blue, "Like fat blueberries," he decided aloud, getting the cutest giggle as the blue-eyes stared up at him, entranced with his voice.
He ran his finger along her cheek, "I love your skin. It's so soft." His finger went to her cute little nose, so dainty, and tapped it lightly getting a happy little purr from the beautiful creature below him. "I love your nose. I love your mouth." Her thick lips opened and closed and smiled up at him. Her hands reached for him and he pulled the delicate fingers into his palm. Her hand fit perfectly within his own, the tan of her skin contrasting nicely with the pale of his own. He kissed first the right one then the left. "I love your fingers and your hands. So small, but they are so strong."
His eyes then landed on her belly. So smooth and soft. He placed a gently kiss at the navel, the moved to her legs that she brought up towards him. "These knees," he smiled into her skin as he touched his lips to the flesh of her knee. He moved down further and took her foot into his palm, "And your feet. And your toes," he kissed the soles then the toes. He wasn't normally a foot person, but hers were just so perfect that he couldn't help himself.
The girl beneath him laughed and squealed and he couldn't get enough of that sound. Placing his hand on her belly he began tickling her fully, her tinkling laughter filling the room. Her fingers pulled at his dark hair that he had released from the formal top knot flowing gracefully across his shoulders.
As he continued to plant gentle kisses on her cheeks and tickle her stomach and sides his deep laughs mixing with hers, the voice from behind him startled him.
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you love her more than me?"
Turning to look over his shoulder with a baby hand at his mouth, was Katara watching as Fire Lord Zuko lavished his fatherly affection on their eight-month-old daughter.
"Well, maybe when you are done with the baths and the feedings and she is asleep, I can show you just how much I love your parts too," he rolled to his side as Katara settled into the pillows loosening the top of her robes.
Katara lifted her chin and met her husband's eyes as he crawled beside the two, then placed the child to her breast, "I'll be expecting that, my lord."
"Gladly, my lady. It's the least I can do to show my appreciation for bringing such a wonderful gift into our lives." He kissed her sincerely, then kissed the top of their daughter's head running his hand along the child's thick brown waves that were starting to match her mother's. Leaning his head against Katara's and wrapping his arm around the one that cradled their child, he let the aura of serenity wash over him.
It was times like this that made him truly lucky to have been born.
Did I redeem my Zutarian honor?