Mornings Ch 4

Aang felt at peace. The Phoenix King was defeated, Azula was in prison. Zuko had been crowned Firelord and the war that had been allowed to go on too long—the war that he, Aang, was responsible for not stopping—was finally over. Zuko gave a moving speech to a gathered crowd of mixed nations. He had asked Aang to stay at the palace for a couple of months while they make plans to reconstruct areas destroyed by the Fire Nation.

Toph decided to head back to the Earth Kingdom to see her family, this time with The Boulder and The Hippo. Sokka and Katara were planning on going with Bato to help rebuild the Southern Water Tribe. The night before they left, Katara met Aang on one of the balconies in the palace. The breeze was warm. A sliver of moon hung in the inky sky.

"I'm sorry I have to leave, Aang, but—"

"I understand."

Aang took Katara's hand and squeezed it. She stepped closer to him. Their shoulders bumped and Aang wondered if he loved her. He supposed he did. He was no longer attached to her like he had been—he couldn't be. In accepting his destiny, he had also accepted that he couldn't be attached to anyone. Earthly attachments were not for the Avatar.

"I'll be back before you know it, Aang."

"I know."

Katara leaned forward and kissed him. Aang wrapped his hands around her waist and noticed just how thin she was. They pulled away and hugged. She smelled like some sort of perfume. And there was so much hair. Aang tried to spit it out of his mouth without her noticing. He kind of wished she would cut it short like Toph, or Suki, or Zuko.

After Katara left to go pack, Aang stood out on the balcony and stared at the moon. It was pretty, its light soft, not strong enough to warm the air or his skin.

The next week passed by in a haze. There were meetings with Fire Nation advisors, Northern and Southern Water Tribe representatives, and Earth Kingdom ambassadors everyday and evening. The meetings were long, full of arguments and complaining. But Zuko seemed to handle things well. Often he didn't even need Aang's help reinstating order in the meetings. And when things really got out of hand, Zuko would defer to Aang, hand over the reigns so that Aang could lead as the Avatar and as someone with allegiances in all nations.

"You're doing very well," Zuko told him.

They were having a rare evening of peace. No meetings, no obligations. Just a game of pi sho between friends. Zuko was attempting to teach Aang all he knew, which wasn't much.

"Thanks, Zuko. That means a lot."

They played in silence for a while.

"I'm not very good," Zuko said. He looked disdainfully at the board. "I can't even tell who's winning."

Aang laughed, and Zuko joined in. They were sitting in firelight in Zuko's royal chambers. The muted light was great for Zuko's skin, Aang decided. The sharp shadows thrown by the hair that hung in his face looked odd but familiar and comforting. Aang hadn't seen Zuko with his hair down since he was crowned.

"It's good to see you all relaxed like this," Aang said.

Zuko smiled. "It's rare is what you mean." His smile faltered a little and he pushed the hair out of his scarred eye. "I don't know if I'm cut out for this, Aang."

"Of course you are. You're the Firelord." Aang hoped his voice conveyed all the confidence he had in Zuko.

"The Firelord is supposed to command fear and respect."

"Sometimes," Aang said, trying to find the words, "the people need to have a ruler who is kind. They will respect you for your humanity."

Zuko smiled again and Aang felt a little flutter in his chest.

"I hope so," Zuko said.

Zuko stared at the board, a frown pulling at the corner of his mouth. He scratched his chin.

"I think I won," Zuko said. He got up and stretched.

Aang watched the way his body pulled at the silk robes he wore.

"Up for a walk?" Zuko asked.

It was a beautiful night. The moon was waxing full, almost round. They walked by the turtle duck pond.

"When I was young," Zuko said, "this was my favorite place."

They stopped under a tree and Zuko leaned against it. He closed his eyes and breathed in. Aang watched him, and had that violent urge to kiss him, to press him up against the tree. Aang took a step closer.

"Zuko," Aang said. But it wasn't necessary. Zuko was already watching him, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. There was something so vulnerable in Zuko right at that moment that Aang couldn't bring himself to be menacing. He crossed the distance between them and put his arms around Zuko's shoulders, pulling him into an embrace.

Zuko tensed for a moment, then, with obvious effort, relaxed against Aang's chest. His head hung and he rested his forehead on Aang's shoulder. Slowly, Zuko inched his hands around Aang's waist. Aang's breath caught in his throat.

Aang held Zuko as he sobbed lightly, and didn't let go even after the hiccups subsided. They continued to stand there for hours, or at least it felt that way, their breathing matching, their bodies sharing the heat between them in the cool night wind.

Zuko turned his head so that his face was pressed against Aang's neck, his breath warm and steamy against Aang's skin. Aang felt his heartbeat quicken, the blood in him pooling to a certain area that could surely destroy this moment. His knees felt weak. His neck was tingling where he could feel Zuko's lips against his skin. He tried not to shiver with what felt like lightning running up and down his spine.

Aang's arms were going numb from supporting Zuko, but he didn't care. He felt Zuko's lips move against his skin. Was—was Zuko kissing him? It sure felt like it, the lips warm and dry and pressing again and again on Aang's neck. Aang bit his lips to keep his moan in. Zuko's arms pulled him closer and the lips traveled up Aang's neck to just behind his ear.

"Ah—mmmm." Aang shivered. "Zu—Zuko."

The dry lips moved down his jaw. Aang felt Zuko's chest break contact with his body. Zuko was looking at him, searching his face. Aang couldn't speak. He shakily cupped Zuko's scarred cheek with his hand, and slowly pressed their lips together.

Zuko jerked back, his eyes wide.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Zuko said. His eyes darted around the courtyard, then returned to searching Aang's face, looking for something Aang didn't know he could show. "I'm too old."

"I'm old enough to save the world, but not old enough to kiss you?"

"I—"

Aang pressed his lips against Zuko's again, and this time firmly trapped Zuko's head against the tree. Zuko's lips were parted slightly in surprise, but then Zuko kissed him back. Aang threaded his hand into Zuko's hair, and Zuko pulled him even closer. Aang could feel Zuko's hands hot through the thin cotton of his shirt.

He had never kissed anyone like this. He didn't even know if this was kissing anymore. Zuko's tongue was in his mouth and his teeth were nipping at Zuko's lips, and it felt so wonderful Aang wished it would never stop. The lightning bolts in his body were intense, and only got worse when Zuko switched their positions so that Aang was pressed up against the tree and Zuko was kissing his neck, licking a trail hot and wet down to Aang's collarbone. Aang moaned and clasped Zuko's shoulders for support.

Aang should've felt the pressure of an erection but what Zuko was doing to his skin was too much to bear. So when he pulled Aang off the tree and switched their positions again, pulling Aang's hips against his own, Aang thought he would die. His own erection touched Zuko's, and even with all the clothing, this was too much for Aang to handle.

He felt his lips move, beg something and moan, still holding onto Zuko's shoulders. Aang attacked Zuko's neck, biting lightly at the skin and kissing there the way Zuko had kissed him. Zuko pulled their hips closer, working a rhythm into their bodies. Aang rubbed himself on Zuko and felt something wet slide into the inside of his underwear.

Zuko whimpered, his mouth open and his eyes scrunched up.

"Oh god Aang."

Aang kissed Zuko's collarbone and pulled at the fabric of the shirt to get at more skin. Then he realized that he could get Zuko's shirt off so he untied the strings and pushed the shirt off to float to the ground. He quickly took off his own shirt. Their bare chests touched. Zuko's hands roamed all over his chest. Aang gasped when Zuko's fingers rubbed at his nipple. He kissed his way down Zuko's chest and took Zuko's nipple in his mouth.

Zuko moaned again, louder this time, more of a growl.

"Aang—oh…please, Aang."

Aang kissed down the hard stomach, on either side of the little trail of dark hair that ran down from Zuko's belly button. Aang pulled down on Zuko's waistband and licked at the skin.

Zuko slid slowly down the tree. Aang felt fingers on his chin, pulling him up. Zuko's face looked pained, but he was smiling, his mouth open. Aang kissed him again, deeper this time. He positioned himself so that he had his knee in between Zuko's legs. He rubbed his thigh against Zuko's erection. Zuko whimpered.

Aang untied the drawstrings on Zuko's pants and pushed his hand down into the fabric. The moment he grabbed Zuko's erection, Zuko shuddered against him. Aang stroked Zuko like he had done to himself. Zuko's hands pushed their way into Aang's pants and grabbed him. They worked in rhythm. Zuko bit down on Aang's shoulder, convulsing until Aang felt the warm liquid run down his fingers. Just that feeling, of the liquid on his hand, of Zuko holding him, his wet mouth on Aang's shoulder, was too much and Aang came, thrusting into Zuko's hand and moaning.

They lay like that for a while, spent, shaking, feeling the warmth of the other body. Aang wanted to lay like that forever, a crumpled heap at the bottom of the tree, their limbs entangled, shivering against each other under a cold autumn wind.