The Events of a Rainy Day
Katara Pov
Being a water bender you would assume that I would love the rain. But after watching it come down for days upon days a person tends to get tired of it. I had come to visit Zuko four days ago, and it was the wet season in the fire nation, which translated there would be a lot of rain. I just never thought there would be this much. I found myself rather bored when Zuko was away in his private study finishing paper work. Zuko had been locked away in his study since I awoke earlier this morning, and I was growing rather curious about what he was doing in there. Pushing through the rather extravagant door that sealed his office off, I noticed he had his hands in his hair and he was glaring down at the paper in front of him like he was about to turn it to ash. Beside him sat a newly open bottle of Fire Whiskey. His desk sat in the center of the rather small space, a window right behind his huge black chair, book cases lined the walls, except for the walls with the door and the window. He only glanced up for a split second when he heard me enter.
Dropping myself down in the over stuffed chair in front of his desk, I smirked when I saw him just at my sudden movement. Sitting quietly I began to fiddle with the rather ornate dragon figurine on his desk, moving it about like a five year old playing with a toy. He glanced up and firmly placed a hand over the figurine stopping anymore of my play. Smiling evilly I sat back in my chair and looked him in the eyes, only when he looked back down at the paper in front of him did I rise from my chair. Walking around his desk to stand beside the bottle of fire whiskey, "Do you know how boring the palace is when it rains?" I asked raising the bottle to my lips. The liquid burned as it went down and took me a moment to recover from.
"Mhmm" he murmured. "I'm so bored I'm starting to sound like Mai." I said smirking down at him and taking another swig. Taking my gaze off of the suddenly annoying fire lord, I looked out the window into the courtyard with the turtle duck pond. Zuko would have his office over look his favorite place in the world. I was overjoyed when I saw that the rain had stopped. "Zuko look, the rain stopped." I said smiling
"Mhmm" he murmured again
"Zuko stop looking at those damn papers and come outside with me." I said grabbing his arm.
"Katara I really need to get this done." he said looking up at me.
I pushed out my lower lip and made my famous puppy dog face, please Zuko I came all the way from the south pole, just to spend time with you. Now please take five minutes from you damn papers and spend sometime with me." I said adding a little lip quiver and finally a small, "please" finally won him over.
"Fine, but I get to bring this with me." he said givig me a small smile and holding up the bottle of fire whiskey. Finally we were outside beside the turtle duck pond, it was still cloudy but a break from the rain felt amazing.
"You know even after days of rain this place is still beautiful." I said looking around the court yard, the gray cloudy sky seemed to contrast with the greens of the plants and the blue water of the pond.
"You know I was surprised when I came home after defeating azula and found this place still as beautiful and peaceful as ever." Zuko said taking a swig of fire whiskey.
"You know I would be careful Zuko, you might end up an alcoholic if you keeping drinking like that." I said taking the bottle from him and taking a long swig.
"Look who's talking Katara" he said with a smirk, grabbing the bottle and sitting on the moist grass under the tree. I sat beside him, starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.
"You know I never thought a goody two shoes like you could stomach something as powerful as this stuff" Zuko said holding up the bottle. His Adams apple moved up and down as he took another sip.
"Well believe it buster." I said taking the Bottle from him when he removed it from his lip. Taking another sip, I saw a glazed looking in his eye, the alcohol had a hold of him too. He stood up suddenly, wobbling and flaring his arm like an idiot. I couldn't help cracking up as I watched him. He stopped and just looked at me and it made me laugh harder. He soon joined me in a well needed laugh.
I stopped and looked over at the small ducks who were emerging onto the pond, "Zuko do you believe in miracles?"
"Of course I do, I mean it was a miracle we won the war, and defeated my father. It's also a miracle you forgave me when I did or we never would have won the war." He said with a drunken smile
"Haha, well yeah, but I'm talking about the kind of miracles that don't happen everyday, you know like my mother coming back to life, or Azula turning into an amazing little sister to you." I said standing beside him
"Well Katara, I believe sooner or later a miracle as wonderful as those will happen to you, you just have to believe." He said taking another swig of fire whiskey.
"I guess your right."
Apparently the rain couldn't hold any longer because with the snap of lightning and a roar of thunder the rain started again. Pouring down on both of our heads. Zuko and I just stared at the sky like idiots for a minute then he looked at me with a smile and said "run"
We took off like a bunch of idiots towards the door to the palace. We sealed the door and ran down the hall to Zuko's office, dripping onto the nicely polished floor. In his office I pulled off my dripping over robe. Zuko removed his royal robe and under shirt only leaving on his pants and boots. I watched as his muscles rippled from his movements. I watched as he fumbled around in a dresser beside the door. He was beside me with an armful of towels. After cocooning myself in a large bath towel, he picked up a smaller towel and began to rub my hair. In the process of drying each other off, we were becoming a tangle of arms and towels; Zuko couldn't stop laughing, and neither could I.
The laughter died in us both at precisely the same moment. All of a sudden Zuko and I were very sober, gazing at each other intently, motionless and silent in the middle of his office.
After a prolonged moment of silence, Zuko took a jerky step backwards, and he seemed about to say something. He did not say anything to me. What he was thinking was written not only in his amber eyes but all over his face. Desire and longing were etched there...for the first time in a our friendship I finally understood how much he cared about me as a woman.
I stood there, rooted to the spot, mesmerized by his unblinking golden gaze, and unexpected desire flared in me. This startled me. I realized I was seeing Zuko differently, in a way I had never seen him before, not as my enemy or one of my best friends, but as a man I desired sexually and with whom I wanted to make the most passionate love.
I took a step towards him, every part of me wanting to now. At exactly the same moment, as if he had read my mind, he was moving towards me, reaching out for me. I stepped into his arms, and I knew as I did so that this was where I belonged, and always belonged. He clung to me, and I held on to him, tightly, wondering if he could hear the thundering of my heart. Again his expression told me everything I needed to know, and it was confirmation of what I was feeling for him. He brought his mouth down to mine and kissed me gently, tenderly, and he began to kiss me with greater eagerness that inflamed me further.
My body pressed to his; I felt the light touch of his tongue on mine, seeking, seeking. He ran his hands down my back and onto my buttocks, pulled me tighter to him, pressed me closer. Clinging together in this way, we shared a moment of total and complete intimacy I had never known before.
It was then I knew that I was his, would always be his. There was a sudden stillness about Zuko now as he murmured softly against my neck, "come on, Katara, come with me. Let's be together."
Arms around each other we moved from the office to his bedroom. Zuko closed the door behind us with one hand without letting go of me and led me over to the fairly large silk covered bed. "take this off," he muttered, touching my satin under garment. Stepping away from me, he swiftly shed hid soaking pants and boots.
He wrapped the towel he had brought around his waist, picked up the one I'd dropped on the floor, and tied it on me toga-style. Without a word me lay down next each other. Neither of us spoke. My heart was raising.
Suddenly Zuko raised himself on one elbow and gazed down at me. My eyes stayed on his face expectantly.
"I never thought this would happen. I've waited so long for you," he said in a quiet voice thick with emotion, and his face was congested with desire.
"oh, Zuko I-" He cut me off. "don't say anything. Not now."
It was apparent he had an overwhelming physical need for me, as I did for him, and we reached out, clutched at each other, devoured each other with our mouths. Our tongues grazed, touched, caressed, and then lay still. Unexpectedly, Zuko pulled away from me, tugged at the towel knotted around me. It fell open, he brought his mouth to my neck and then my breast. He sucked on my nipple and at the same time he was stroking my inner thigh.
I could feel his mounting excitement. His heart was slamming against mine and I held him tighter, pressing my hands on his back and shoulder blades. I moves my fingers up onto the nape of his neck, and they were strong and supple against his skin. Moving a hand to rest on his chest I slowly grazed my way down to the towel around his waist, removing the knot. I ran my hand a long his hot manhood. He let out a slight hiss, at the contact of my cold hand down there. Kissing me with every once of fire in his soul. He pulled away and breathed out "my beautiful Katara," his fingers seeking to know me fully. I stiffened as he touched the core of me, and he whispered, "relax, darling, let me love you like this." And he slid down the bed, rested his head against my thigh, and eventually his mouth joined his fingers in his search for the center of my maidenhood. I found myself relaxing as he had asked, and I floated away on waves of ecstasy of a kind I'd never known before. And then at that moment he pulled himself on top of me and took me to him. "Mine." he said. "You're mine now."
We made love for a long time, absorbed in each other and our bodies. I was reeling from
amazement, startled by the passionate and erotic feelings he aroused in me, and reveling in them as well. He came in me, bringing us to our rather loud climaxes.
Finally spent and exhausted, our desire for each other sated at last, we lay still and unmoving on the bed. Half groaning, half sighing, Zuko eventually slid off me and flopped against the pillows, "Oh Agni, Katara," he muttered, and then he reached for my hand and held it tightly before bringing it up to his lips and kissing it with tenderness.
Then suddenly he was half on me again, flinging one leg and part of his body over mine, pulling me closer to him. "I'm never going to let you go. Not ever, Katara."
I made no response to this statement of his. I just lay there next to him, still filled with awe at our amazing lovemaking. I felt euphoric; I was also thriving in the sense of wonder and joy he sparked in me.
"Who would've ever though we would be so passionate with each other," I murmured at last.
"I would," he answered swiftly, and pushed himself up on his arm, looked down at me. "I knew it from the moment I saved you from Azula's lightning bolt. At least, I knew how I felt."
"You did!" I said surprised
"Sure. When I saw that evil grin form on her face, and her eyes shift to you, I knew I had to do what ever it took to protect you. Every kind word, every smile, every touch played in my head as I ran to stop the bolt from striking you. And I knew that if I didn't live that at least I got to protect the woman I loved." He paused and grinned at me.
"With me, You were in love with me?"
"Of course you, who else?"
"But you didn't show it, didn't say it!" I exclaimed, staring at him intently.
"How could I? I knew that after the war was over, you would live happily ever after with Aang. Then Mai came to me and offered me a second chance, and I knew if I didnt have you that I could at least try to be happy with her. When Mai left me for Han, I felt nothing. Because I knew I had to wait as long as I had to in order to be with you. Mai had found her happily ever after, and I was willing to wait for mine. That whole time you were with Aang, I was out in the cold and there wasn't much I could do about it."
"Oh Zuko, if only I'd known"
"What difference would it have made?"
"A big difference, I think. If I'd known how you felt before, I'm sure I wouldn't have been with Aang as long as I had been. He and I had...well, quite a few problems when we were together, and there was a lot to be desired in our relationship. And for lots of reasons...some of which we now know."
"Yeah, that's true, I was well aware things weren't always great between you two. But I don't go around snatching my best friend's girl, that just isn't me."
I nodded, "But I always had a...bit of a crush on you, Zuko," I admitted softly, suddenly feeling a little shy with him. "You were in such a tangle when you were banished, and then you were with Mai. I just tried to be your friend, and sort of disappeared into the woodwork, I guess."
"I wish you hadn't," he muttered, sounding regretful
"So do I." As I said this, I couldn't help thinking how different my life would have been if Zuko and I had been together. What a lot of heartache and pain I would have avoided ultimately; I felt sure I would have found a great deal more happiness with Zuko than I had with Aang. He was a much more compassionate and driven man. And unlike Aang, he had integrity, and certainly he was honest and straightforward.
Zuko was saying, "Listen, that was then, this is now. Whatever will be, will be...it's our time now. Anyway, I hope it is, Katara" His burning amber eyes searched my face questioningly, "It is, isn't it?"
"Oh, yes, Zuko, it is!"I reached out, put my arms around his neck, and pulled him down to kiss me. It was a lingering kiss, and we embraced for a long time, finding pleasure in just holding each other close.
Outside the storm was raging. The rain sounded like nail heads hitting the windows, sharp and metallic against the glass, and the wind was so fierce. But I felt secure there with Zuko, in his arms. And I, who didn't believe in miracles, knew that one just happened to me. My miracle was Fire Lord Zuko.