Not what I would call my best writing, but I haven't updated in a while, so enjoy. As always I OWN NOTHING!
The days seemed to stretch infinitely on, and for the most part Zuko and Katara, stayed in the ornate and large imperial chamber the pair had retreated to three days previous, following the conclusion of Zuko's Battle with Azula. Zuko was convalescing well with daily treatment from Katara. Azula had been removed to a temporary jail, under the constant watch of guards, until a permanent residence could be established. And while all seem to be going smoothly, anxiety permeated and widened the space between the couple, word still had not arrived as to the fate of their friends.
It was Katara who first that broke the 49 hours of solemn silence one contemplative morning during a healing session, "Zuko?" she asked, voice hoarse from disuse. "What if-, well, if Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki, Iroh and everyone else aren't successful, If they—if something happened to them," her voice shaking and faltering. "Shouldn't we be concerned that Ozai could walk through the Palace doors any moment?"
"No," he responded resolutely. "My father would go out of his way to prove his power to the defeated, its better that we haven't heard any news at the moment." He said as he rolled onto his side, as the healing session concluded.
"Well then, I guess that means you can become Firelord once we do get news as to what happened to the rest of the group." She said in a mildly belligerent way.
"Or you could just fly Appa back to Guru-Goody-Goody, and his Heroic Gang of Honorable Wonder Teenagers," he retorted voice filled with vicious venomous violent sarcasm.
"I didn't have stay here, you know Zuko!" she yelled at the back of his head. "I didn't even have to come with you! Would you like to know why I did?" she continued not waiting for a reply, crawling across the bed till she hovered over him. "Because you asked me," she grabbed the back of his head and sadistically pulled his hair, thus turning his head to face her. "Because you needed me, Zuko!" she lowered her head, so that her face was mere seconds away from his. "Don't you think I would rather be with Aang when he faced Ozai? That I'd rather help him, and be there if something happened to him?" Her yelling had softened into a fierce and deadly whisper.
Zuko paused briefly in his response, then lifting his head just barely from the bed bringing his face closer to hers to respond, "No." And swiftly, deftly he brought his lips to meet hers. What had compelled him to kiss her he was unaware. The instant he had committed the act, he knew the water bender would react, and yet the kiss continued, she hadn't reacted, she hadn't pushed him away.