"What is that?"
Zuko sat up, back pressed against the pillows and head of his massive bed. He had been two blissful seconds from falling asleep for the night (and what a long night it was, with the dinner party that seemed to drag endlessly) when he heard his door creak open.
He summoned a flame to his hand to discover Katara hesitantly poking her head into his private chamber, dark bottle in hand. Zuko squinted at the bottle she was holding, and then scowled, but didn't stop her from fully entering his bed chamber. "Can you maybe stop mooching my best reserves?"
"At least I'm sharing." Katara gracefully padded over the red carpet, as if she were Firelord. She climbed into the giant bed, right into the middle where he half was, and gave a gentle shove. "Budge over."
Zuko did, lighting a candle in the meantime, not even bothering to remind her there was a whole other side of the bed that he wasn't occupying because one, he was too tired to care and two, it was Katara. As his best friend, and only person who could really kick his ass in a spar, of course she could share his bed.
Katara settled in the bed, shoulder to shoulder with Zuko, pulling the thin silk blankets over her bare legs, and popped the bottle open. She took a swig of the sweet wine and shoved it in his face when she was finished, the liquid sloshing inside.
He took it without a second thought because it had been a long night and indulging suddenly felt sounded better than sleeping. It tasted as sweet as it smelled, and a warmth flushed through him as it settled in his stomach.
"Thank Agni," he muttered as he passed the bottle back to her.
"Was the dinner really that bad?"
"Yes," was his immediate answer, which caused her to giggle. "What?"
"You looked like you were having fun."
She was on her third swig-he scowled at her greed and reached out for the botte.
"It's my job," he said, frowning at how cool her body seemed. He lifted his other hand and idly traced circles on her thigh, spreading warmth into her smooth skin. He took another two swigs to match hers.
"Funny," Katara said as she stole the bottle away. "When I came over you said, and I quote, yes I'm having fun."
Zuko snorted at her poor imitation of his voice. He yanked the bottle out of her grip, before it could touch her lips. "I don't sound like that. And I only said that because my advisors were listening."
"Excuse you," the bottle ripped out of his hands and went immediately to her lips, where a drop rolled lazily down her chin and then her throat and it was probably the most interesting thing he had seen all night. "You lied to me."
Zuko chuckled and settled back into his pillows. She had that authoritative gleam in her eyes that was so fun to play with. "Don't use the Mom Tone on me."
The alcohol felt good. The bed felt good. Katara felt good. He closed his eyes; his hand stopped circling her leg and now lay flat on her thigh.
"And why not?" A weight dropped onto his head, entangled in his hair, playing with the strands.
"I'm not a boy you can order around," he breathed as his body further relaxed. Pudding. That's what he was.
"You're right," Katara said, and he could hear the smile in her words.
She scooted further down, so she was lying at his side; his hand brushed up her leg and lay on her stomach. It was so smooth, so soft. He could feel her racing heartbeat...or was that his?
Did it matter? Maybe not. All that mattered was that she was in his bed and he had never felt more at peace.
"You're very much a man," Katara finished as she pulled him into her, his body relaxing into the bed with ease.
"I'm the worst drinking partner is what I am," Zuko said, though he didn't lift his head to see where the bottle had gone.
"It's my fault. The sun has been down for hours and it's a full moon."
"Of course it is."
"Hey, Zuko?"
"Mmm?"
"Aang wants to talk to me."
And just like that, he was awake, a stone dropped into his stomach, his blood freezing to his core and yeah, that was his heart racing.
"Are you going to go?"
It was silent for a few moments...eternity...then, "I don't know."
"Do...do you love him?"
More eternal silence. Or was it seconds? Long enough.
He sat up, Katara's arms falling to her side, and his body cursing at him to stay even as it begged to move, to do something.
"Go to him, then," he said, crossing the room, to the door she had slipped through moments before.
"Zuko."
"You're my best friend," he said flatly. He didn't look back at her because the sight of her in his bed...He scoffed and shook his head. "I want you to be happy."
"Zuko…"
How useless was this? Her vacation to his palace, their familiarity, in his office with his notes and his bed with wine, with her teasing and wild hair and moon eyes and perfect, beautiful skin...all while she was in love with someone else.
He shook his head again and strode from his chamber and into the silent palace. Useless.
Q: Hey, TB, how'd you spend your eight hours at work?
A: Tweaking this chapter to an inch of its life and it's still not perfect T_T...I hope you enjoyed it anyway. xx
