A/N: I make like three references to Iroph in this fic. None of those three involve kissing or touching, but it is evident they are in a relationship. The interaction is so miniscule, especially given the plot of this story, that I didn't see the point of mentioning it. However, if that is too much for some then you might want to go.
The thing is, this is a very involved story, which isn't primarily focused on romance, which means that when I do focus on it, it's going to involve my OTP…Kataang, which is what the M rating is for. Not for any other couple but them. Hope that helps.
Chapter Two
"Can we talk?"
Zuko glanced up to find Aang regarding him with a most serious expression and he suppressed a resigned groan in response. The expression on Aang's face alone guaranteed that he was not going to like their conversation. His first instinct was to make an excuse and evade Aang's request altogether, but recognizing that would only succeed in delaying the inevitable, Zuko set aside his papers and beckoned Aang inside his study. After he stepped inside, the young Avatar closed the heavy, double doors securely behind him.
"You look serious," Zuko remarked casually, noting the grim set of Aang's jaw as the younger man regarded him.
"I guess that's because what I have to say to you is pretty serious," Aang replied.
Leaning back in his chair with an amused sigh, Zuko tapped his lips. "I wasn't aware you knew how to be serious," he teased Aang. The young Avatar barely cracked a smile. That's how Zuko knew it was going to be bad. "I'm really not going to like this, am I?" he concluded with a heavy sigh. "Okay. Out with it."
"I'm think you already know why I want to talk," Aang prodded soberly.
"You know, this is supposed to be a happy occasion, Aang," Zuko replied in a mild tone. "I would expect you, of all people, to understand the merits of putting off business at a time like this. Aren't you the one who's always telling me there's a time for everything?"
"That's not fair," Aang countered with a small smile. "Besides, putting off business is something you would never do. It's unlike you, Zuko, which probably means we definitely need to have this conversation."
"In a few days," Zuko suggested dismissively.
"I don't think we have a few days," Aang told him. "We need to resolve this now, Zuko." When his friend sighed, but said nothing, Aang continued, "You have to know that the conflicts in the Earth Kingdom are not lessening. Civil unrest has become the norm in some areas. There are even whispers of a formal split…and war."
"It won't come to that," Zuko said.
"What makes you so sure?" Aang challenged.
"You and I with Bumi and Kuei's help have done an excellent job of keeping those rebellions contained," Zuko said. "It will die down. They always do, only to resurge and die down again. This has been the cycle since the war ended, Aang. Why are you acting as if it's something new?"
"Zuko, it's not the same as it was in the beginning or even a year ago. People are beginning to question, not just your motives, but mine as well," Aang stressed. "These are dangerous times. We need to make a decision."
"I won't do it," Zuko declared before Aang could say anything further. "We've had this discussion again and again and you already know how I feel about it. Pressuring me is not going to make me change my mind."
"And you know how I feel about it," Aang countered stubbornly. "I can do this with or without your help, Zuko, but the transition would run smoother if it came from you. I don't want us to be at odds about this."
"Neither do I," Zuko returned softly. "All I'm asking is that you wait a little longer. If, in a few months, the situation hasn't improved then I'll consider what you're suggesting. In the meantime, we'll simple double our efforts to crush this new wave of rebellions. We've done it before and we can do it again."
"Zuko, it's been six years!" Aang replied in a sharpened tone full of exasperation. "Times have changed, my friend. There should be some semblance of peace in the Earth Kingdom by now, not more conflict. We're not dealing with a case of random rebels or even Ozai supporters here. These are Earth Kingdom citizens that once supported us! We don't have a choice anymore. You have to disband the colonies in the Earth Kingdom. It's the only way we can bring peace to those provinces for good."
"No!" Zuko snapped indignantly. "NO! What you're asking me to do…" He trailed off with a rough swallow, briefly shutting his eyes before replying with a definitive, "I can't. I won't."
"Zuko, I know this won't be an easy decision for you."
"It's not just about that. Listen to me, Aang," Zuko pressed on urgently, "Since the war's end, I have done everything in my power to make amends for the damage the Fire Nation did. I have lent my troops, my time and my resources. I have withheld nothing while my people are continually brutalized and barraged by Earth Kingdom attacks! They are mistreated and reviled and, despite the persecution they have suffered, the endless conflicts, they choose to remain in the Earth Kingdom. They are willing to die to stay there because that is their home now. If they are willing to endure so much to stay where they are, to keep what they have worked decades to build, who am I to take it away from them?"
"Their Firelord," Aang answered softly. "Zuko, bringing them home is not an injustice. It's way to establish peace. It's a protection, to them and to the Earth Kingdom citizens! How is it fair that your people remain in the Earth Kingdom, but live under Fire Nation law?"
"It is an injustice, Aang!" Zuko retorted. "These people you're asking me to forcibly remove from their homes have done nothing wrong! They are the victims! They have made their homes, their lives, their livelihood in the Earth Kingdom and you want me to disperse thousands of people because a few can't deal with the idea of Fire Nation citizens residing and flourishing within Earth Kingdom borders? How is that right?"
"It's not that simple, Zuko, and you know it," Aang muttered wearily. "It's not just about your people's presence there, it's about the perceived authority you wield there…in the Earth Kingdom. Your colonies flourish and they push their borders all the time and, as they expand, the Fire Nation expands with them…in the Earth Kingdom! People are still very mistrustful and there are some who believe that the Fire Nation hasn't relinquished its hold there at all."
"You know that's not the case, Aang," Zuko ground out. "I protect my people! I don't abuse my power."
"I know that," Aang sighed. "I know you're not abusing your authority. But how does it look to the world? I don't want to fight with you, but we can't pretend this isn't a problem anymore."
"And what kind of message do you think that will send to our enemies, huh?" Zuko countered. "What's to keep them from thinking that all they have to do is exert a little pressure on us or be persistent enough with their attacks and we'll concede? We will look weak, Aang. The Fire Nation will look weak. How do you think my people will react to something like this? We have worked so hard to rebuild what we once had. As Firelord it is my duty to protect the rights of my citizens!"
"And as Avatar it's my duty to promote peace!" Aang retorted. "I'm trying to prevent a war, Zuko! Don't tie my hands! Please!"
"How am I tying your hands? You're the one proposing to offer up the Fire Nation up as your sacrificial goat!" Zuko flung back sardonically. "That's brilliant, Aang! You're supposed to protect the world and we're a part of the world too! Where's your benevolent feeling for us?"
"Don't do that," Aang muttered through clenched teeth. "Don't imply that I'm choosing sides, especially when you know I'm on yours!"
"Are you?" he challenged.
"If you seriously have to ask me that, then I don't know what to say to you," Aang mumbled, half in disappointment, half in hurt.
Closing his eyes briefly in regret of his harsh words, Zuko inhaled a calming breath and carefully planned what he would say next. "Aang, all I know is that we've have always managed in the past to get a handle on these kinds of things," he said. "I think you're acting prematurely on this."
"That's easy for you to say, Zuko," Aang bit out irritably. "But, I've been to the Earth Kingdom, remember? You're tucked away here in the Fire Nation palace, but I've been through the territories and I know how bad things are getting. I've seen it with my own eyes! The people want the Fire Nation out! There have even been revolts and assassination attempts against Bumi and Kuei over this! It's getting out of hand!"
"It's wrong," Zuko uttered. "What you want me to do is wrong."
"Zuko, come on…"
"It's wrong and you know it is!" Zuko fired again. "Don't try and sugarcoat it, Aang! Someone obviously has to lose here and you've decided it's my people…when they've already suffered and are still suffering!"
"Don't talk to me like I don't care!" Aang shouted.
"Then act like it!" Zuko shouted back.
Aang had to stamp down the inclination to walk out right then and there. It was his mode of operations, after all. He'd much rather walk away than fall into an endless argument he knew he had no chance of winning. However, the urgency of the situation forced Aang to remain rooted in place, even when everything inside him was screaming just to ignore it and let it go.
Riddled with internal conflict, Aang shook his head sadly, sympathizing with Zuko's viewpoint even while he knew he couldn't support him. "I wish I could come up with a solution that was acceptable to you, Zuko," he sighed despondently. "But, as things stand now, you're placing me in a really bad position."
"And what do you think you're doing to me?" Zuko retorted hotly.
"Okay, okay…" Aang relented finally, unwilling to fall into yet another shouting match with him. "This discussion is obviously taking us in circles and, like I said before, I don't want to fight with you. Why don't we just table this whole thing until Bumi and Kuei arrive at the end of the week and we'll discuss our options then?"
"That's what I wanted from the start," Zuko replied in a moody tone. "Listen, we don't see each other nearly as much as I'd like. All I want is to spend time with you and my family. I'd rather not spoil it by us having the same, aggravating argument we've had for months now, especially before we have to."
"We're going to have to settle it eventually, Zuko," Aang inserted reluctantly.
"And we will." Zuko strode forward and clapped a hand on Aang's shoulder, his eyes imploring. "But does it have to be today?"
"No," Aang sighed, his features splitting in an unguarded grin at his friend's implied offer for ceasefire. He laughed softly when Zuko hooked an arm about his neck in a gesture of brotherly affection. "I don't suppose it does."
****
"You look very pleased with yourself."
Though JianJun had been quiet, graceful and undeniably stealthy in his approach, Azula had sensed him long before he said a word. It was in the subtle shift of the wind against her cheek, the turn of shadow that fell across her forearm, the scattering of the birds and small wild life behind her. His surroundings betrayed his presence even without his making a sound.
"You knew I was back here the entire time, didn't you?" JianJun queried when she failed to respond to his observation.
Though Azula didn't turn her gaze from the crashing ocean waves beyond as he came around to sit alongside her on the moss covered, stone bench, her lips did curve with a ghost of a smile. "You did teach me well," she conceded.
"And you have been an exceptional student," he returned.
"I suppose I must compensate where I can," Azula considered bitterly, "being that I'm without bending now."
"Your bending does not make you who you are, Princess," JianJun insisted sincerely. "You are dynamic and wonderful even without it."
Azula favored him with a cynical, sideways glance. "Flattery won't mask the truth," she told him. "It's easy for you to be dismissive. You still have your bending." He started to open his mouth, probably to ply her with a series of platitudes, but Azula held up her hand for silence. "It doesn't matter," she dismissed. "I don't wish to speak of it."
"Shall we discuss other matters then?"
"Like?" Azula prodded, sensing that his question was more than casual. He was looking to talk about something specific. "What is on your mind, JianJun?" she demanded shortly.
"You seem to be in good spirits this morning."
"And you know this because?" Azula challenged dryly. "Was it in the way I was contemplating the waves? Or perhaps you've added mind-reader to your many talents."
He wasn't dissuaded by her frosty response as he had learned long ago that Azula made herself vulnerable to no one. "You were smiling a moment ago." Though she made no flat denial of the charge, she didn't bother to validate his claim either. Instead, she surveyed him with unfathomable eyes. "I saw your mother leaving as I arrived."
"She didn't see you, did she?" Azula demanded in a flash of alarm. "Is that why you're acting so oddly?"
"No, I kept out of sight," JianJun reassured her swiftly. "It…it's only that I noticed she was smiling as she left and you seem…almost pleased. I can only imagine your visit with her went well then."
In truth, her visit with her mother had gone surprisingly well. Ursa had helped to brush her hair, had complemented her on how beautiful it had become…how beautiful she had become. For that one, surreal hour, they had felt like a true mother and daughter. There had been no talk of Zuko, no noble attempts to "help" Azula see the error of her ways, no bitter tears or recriminations. There had only been her and her mother, enjoying one another's company for what seemed like the first time ever. The visit had left Azula shaken and reflective.
There was a part of her that was unquestionably happy, but then there was also part of her that was ridiculously frightened. Her mother was slowly beginning to batter down the emotional wall of ice surrounding Azula's heart and no one had ever been successful in doing so. Azula wasn't sure she wanted that to change either.
"Apparently, JianJun," she remarked in an icy tone, "I've given you to the mistaken impression that I'm willing to share these kinds of things with you. We don't have that type of relationship."
"You share other things with me, Princess," JianJun pointed out in a soft, deliberate manner.
"Just because you occasionally have access to my body does not mean my mind is an open field for you, JianJun," Azula informed him with a glacial stare. "Remember your place."
"And what is my place with you, princess?" JianJun queried boldly, sadly.
"Wherever I wish it to be," she told him, abruptly bunching her hands in the loose material of his tunic and pulling him forward for a possessive kiss. It took only a few seconds before he yielded to her advances, his earlier annoyance with her forgotten. When she pulled back JianJun was regarding her with glazed eyes full of besotted devotion. In an unguarded moment, Azula found herself wishing that she could feel something more for him than the occasional flash of admiration, but then quickly grew annoyed with herself because the idea had even occurred to her at all.
Frowning, she composed herself and dismissed the kiss from her mind altogether. "Tell me of your progress with Long Feng."
While his disappointment over her abrupt switch from passion to business was evident, JianJun dutifully answered her question. "We have an army now."
"And I'm sure Long Feng thinks he controls that army," Azula laughed to herself.
"For the time being, he does," JianJun said. "However, once you reveal your hand, he won't have their loyalty for very long. You will have the entire Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation at your feet…just as you should."
"Good," Azula replied. "In the meantime, let Long Feng keep that happy delusion. It will make the look on his face when he discovers he's been little more than my puppet all the sweeter."
As Fire Nation royalty, and one of questionable sanity at that, Azula did not have much clout with Earth Kingdom officials and she knew that. But Long Feng, despite his brief stint in prison, did. He had connections more far reaching than either she or JianJun had anticipated. When the time was right, she would reveal herself to him and "convince" him of the many merits of taking her on as a partner. Once that happened, Long Feng's allies would become her allies. She would earn their fealty by default and once they learned of the power she held, once she persuaded them to see the wisdom in following her rather than Long Feng, she would have their loyalty by design as well. And Long Feng…he would be of no further use to her.
"Are you ready to proceed then, Princess?" JianJun asked her, interrupting her self-satisfied musings.
"Yes, it's time," Azula replied. "Both things must be taken care of quietly and quickly. It won't be enough to have the Avatar if we don't destroy all means of finding him afterwards. I'm trusting you with this, JianJun. Do not disappoint me."
"It will be done just as you have specified, Princess," JianJun replied with a deferential nod. "Shall we put it all in motion tonight then?"
Azula smiled at him. "Yes. Tonight would be excellent."
****
"So how did it go?" The sour look Aang tossed her as he dragged into their bedchamber was answer enough for Katara. "I suppose that means not very well," she muttered under her breath.
"I don't really want to talk about it," Aang said, slumping down into the nearest chair. Anxiety and defeat were etched into every line of his body and, for that reason Katara simply could not let it go.
"Surely, Zuko saw the reason behind your proposal," she insisted in spite of his weary dismissal. "He has to realize there's no other choice. I'm sure he's mad right now, but he'll get over it."
"Really, Katara. I don't want to talk about it," Aang emphasized.
"Listen, I know you're upset," she cajoled, crossing the room to take the spot behind his chair to begin massaging away the stiff tension from his shoulders. "It couldn't have been easy, especially given how Zuko feels about it, but it needed to be done, Aang. In time, he'll…he'll understand. I know he will."
"I didn't tell him," Aang confessed reluctantly.
Katara's nimble fingers came to a sudden halt. "What?"
Mentally preparing himself for her lecture, Aang shrugged out from beneath her hands and twisted a look around at his speechless wife. "I didn't tell him the decision was already made," he reiterated softly. "I…I tried, but I couldn't do it. I didn't have the heart." At Katara's disappointed sigh, he added plaintively, "Don't be angry with me."
"We had an agreement, Aang," she reminded him softly. "You said you wouldn't put it off for too long."
"I know…I know…"
From the moment he left Ba Sing Se, Aang had known what he had to do. Dread over what awaited him had eaten away at him and Katara had been miserable to see him so miserable. When he had begged her not to say anything to Zuko, she had complied. When he had made it clear that he wanted a few days, at least, to enjoy being with their friends before tackling the more serious issues, she had complied but with the stipulation that, when he did talk to Zuko, he would inform his friend of his decision to disband the colonies.
Katara surveyed him with sad eyes, not so much disappointed as she was worried that he was going to cause himself more pain than necessary. "Aang…"
Before she could even finish the admonishment, he leapt from his chair and began pacing the polished length of the marbled floor. "I know what you're going to say," he rushed out. "But I had a valid reason, okay! I didn't want to just go in there and lay it on him! I…I was hoping that maybe he would see my side of things…that maybe he would agree with me and then—,"
"—You're doing it again," Katara interrupted gently. "You know that, right? You're avoiding your problems rather than facing them head on, Aang."
"Is it so wrong that I just want to enjoy this visit?" Aang cried defensively. "Zuko doesn't want to fight and neither do I!"
"And neither of you are doing the other any favors by avoiding this!" Katara flashed back. "Whether you talk about it or not, something has to be done. You can't afford to waffle about this and if you can't tell him, then exactly how solid are you in the decision?"
"Don't you think I know that, Katara?" Aang fired back. "None of this is easy for me! I know what I need to do, okay! I don't need you reminding me every ten seconds!"
Katara snapped to attention with his sharp retort, as if he had slapped her. "Fine. I'm sorry I said anything," she replied in a tight tone. "I'll stay out of it from now on." She turned away from him then to begin compulsively straightening their bed linens, mutinously blinking back the hurt tears that sprang to her eyes. Moments later, she stiffened slightly when he slipped his arms around her waist and pull her back against the solid wall of his body.
"I'm sorry," he whispered regretfully against her ear. "I didn't mean that. I know you're just trying to help me."
Her anger and resentment leaking from her chest in an expansive sigh, Katara turned against his chest. She leaned into him, plucking idly at the front of his wrap. "It's okay," she mumbled. "You're scared. I get that. I know better than to push you to talk about something when you don't want to do it."
"I still shouldn't have snapped your head off," Aang sighed.
"Agreed," Katara conceded with teary giggle. She tipped her head back to smile at him. "I forgive you."
"Thank you."
"So now that you've let off some steam, are you feeling better?" Katara asked.
"Not really. It's not about the decision," Aang explained. "I'm afraid of how he'll react. This is the first major disagreement we've had since becoming friends. Up until this point, we've had a like mind about how to proceed with rebuilding the world. I…I don't know how it's going to go between us after this."
"Zuko's your friend," Katara reminded him gently. "He loves you. He'll eventually come around."
"Yeah…maybe," Aang muttered glumly, unconvinced. He moved to perch himself on the edge of the bed, shaking his head in grim contemplation. "I guess I've just been preparing myself for the possibility that we might not be friends after this," he confessed sadly. "That's why I've been putting it off."
"That's not going to happen, Aang."
"You don't know that," he refuted mournfully.
She reached out to frame his face in her hands, gently coaxing his despondent gaze to her resolved one. "It is not going to happen," she declared with absolute conviction.
"I really want to believe you," Aang whispered.
"Then believe me," Katara insisted, brushing a tender kiss across the tip of his arrow. She lingered against his skin, feathering her lips across his eyes and kissing away the droplets of unshed tears clinging to his lashes. She nuzzled against his mouth, glancing his lips with soft kisses. "It won't happen, Aang," she murmured again, expelling a small sigh of relief when he finally began to respond to her coaxing. His fingers slipped inside the folds of her robe to stroke the bare skin beneath. Their clothing rustled and whispered as they shifted closer and their kiss deepened.
"I love you," Aang murmured into her mouth as he pulled her down against him.
"I know. I love you too."
