THIS 1 IS REALLY SHORT SORRY BUT THERE IS JUST TONS OF INFO AND I LOOOOVE SUSPENSE *);-D

Fire and Ice

Chapter 8

The door flew open and the Fire Lord stood there. Zuko gripped her hair harshly and lifted his face from hers. She had smeared tears running down her face. Zuko turned towards the doorway.

Katara turned her head away from him; the Fire Lord smirked at his son. "I see you are busy, visit me when you are finished with your concubine" Zuko nodded formally and the Fire Lord exited the room leaving the door open behind him.

Zuko grumbled and got off of her and right before he reached the door the Fire Lord reappeared a smirk painted on his lips. He said to Zuko loudly enough for Katara to hear "And Zuko? Try to make this one last longer this time?" wit that said he disappeared.

Zuko mumbled something unintelligible and slammed the door closed. She remained in the same position he left her, crying. Zuko turned around and looked at his ruined room. His shoulders were slumped and his face slack, his eyes closed.

His fists clinched and he leaned face first against the wall. Katara stared at him with a mix of confusion and fear. All of a sudden he hit the wall with both of his fists with a wild yell.

Katara flinched and lay back down. He turned to her and growled "this is the only time I will allow you to bend, now take all the water and get rid of it" she didn't react.

He could see her breathing but he could not see her face. He walked slowly over to her, pulling her robes down to cover her and hissed "now water peasant" she sat up slowly looking up at him with fury and fear.

Zuko stepped away from her and she closed her eyes. Then her eyes shot open and her hands thrusted palm-up into the air.

All the water in the room rose around them. Zuko looked in shock and awe but he was careful to keep his face blank. He murmured "don't try anything" she made all the water combine into a steady stream and Zuko opened the window she pushed the water outside and Zuko shut the window.

He went to go turn off the water from the tub. When he returned she was curled up on the bed her face blank and closed.

He sighed and said "do not bend or I will take you to our mania room, it is equipped with metal and you will be shackled to the wall.

There will be no light, and they will torture you it is a forgotten form of mind-bending and is very painful" Katara looked up at him and scoffed

"how would you know" Zuko turned away from her "because it made me who I am" with that said he turned and walked out of the room and into his bathroom.

Katara looked sullenly at the door then sighed and leaned back into the pillows.

Zuko stepped into the room, steaming from the waist up. He had a towel wrapped around his torso, and his hair was loose.

As soon as the room's temperature had risen considerably Katara had opened her eyes looking around curiously. She saw Zuko walk over to his dresser. He started rooting through his dresser searching through his clothes. As he had before he just threw clothes onto the bed.

Katara marvled at the various shades of maroon and gold. He finally found what he was looking for. She turned to him, only to look at her hands; anything but to think about him naked.

She blushed at the thought and he chuckled "like what you see?" she scoffed turned onto her side. She heard him gathering all the clothes to put back in the drawers and pulled back the covers. He sat on the bed and sighed, the lights went out and he lay down.

He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him.

Katara stirred she whispered "Zuko" his name left a foul taste in her mouth.

She heard him sigh and turn towards her, she could imagine his eyes just glaring at her in the darkness "hm?" came his husky voice. She gulped audibly; he must have heard her for he sat up leaning on his forearms staring at her.

She couldn't see his expression; she thanked the gods for that. She mumbled incoherently. Zuko sighed impatiently "spit it out" she squirmed slightly then whispered louder "why did you kiss me?"