*Again, I am posting this much later than I intended. I have NOT forgotten about this story. I will definitely see it through. Please be patient :)
NJay-Ficilist- Yes, it's possible. (seen it) I would assume it takes a certain amount of flexibility. And Sokka is very flexible ;)
Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed! Calenture, Tenshi Yami- Angel of Darkness, cassy1994, Mantinas, child who is cool, CharlieRoz, Amaranth22, Ultimashadow, and xXTheBlackFoxXx.
Warning: This chapter contains het sex-sorry if you're not into that
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"Dad! I'm so glad you're here. Is Katara with you?" Sokka ran to his father and pulled him into a hug.
"Good to see you too, Sokka. Katara and Aang are coming in a few days. I thought I'd come early and visit with you before Zuko's wedding, if you're not too busy."
"Sure," Sokka said. "My duties as his nakama are pretty much over. Except for the hashi, which is tonight."
"What's a hashi?" Hakoda asked.
"It's a party for the groom and the men who are invited to the wedding reception." Sokka blushed. "There will be concubines there, too."
"Oh, that kind of party," Hakoda laughed. "And you had to organize it?"
"Zuko's personal attendant, Kudan, helped me." Sokka paused. "You don't want to go or anything, do you?"
"Why not? I have an invitation to the reception."
Sokka blushed again. "But Dad, the concubines aren't there to dance. It's not like in the Water Tribe."
"Ha, ha. Sokka, I know what concubines are for," Hakoda laughed again. "I'll let you in on a little secret. We have those kinds of parties in the Water Tribe too. You were just too young to know about them."
"Dad." Sokka's mouth dropped open. "And you want to go to this one?"
"Weren't you just telling me the last time I was here that I should meet people? Female people?"
"I meant meet someone you'd like to date. You know, get know her for a while, maybe eventually settle down. Not have a . . . a one night thing with a woman who . . . you know, does that sort of thing . . . a lot," Sokka stumbled over his words, embarrassed to be speaking to his father about having sex.
"Sokka, you were the one who asked me about wanting to go. I only plan on putting in an appearance to be polite," Hakoda smirked. "Are you going?"
"I have to. I'm Zuko's nakama."
Smiling, Hakoda put a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "I'm not judging. You're young and free. Why shouldn't you have some fun?"
"I'm not going to sleep with any of them," Sokka protested.
"Okay," Hakoda shrugged.
"I'm not," repeated Sokka. "I wouldn't do that to . . ."
Hakoda narrowed his eyes at his son. "To whom? There is someone, isn't there?"
Panicking, Sokka tried to think of something to say. It seemed the truth was all he could come up with. At least part of it.
Shoulders slumping, Sokka sighed. "Okay. You're right. I am seeing someone. That's why I won't take part in the party activities." He used his fingers to make air quotes when he said the word activities.
"I knew it. Why didn't you want to tell me?"
"Because, I didn't want you to think it was the only reason I took the position as Advisor. It isn't. But it's partly why."
"How long has this been going on?"
"About a couple of months." Sokka tried to be vague.
"You just broke up with Suki a couple of months ago."
"I know. It happened kind of suddenly. But, it's pretty serious, Dad."
"Serious?" Hakoda smiled. "When can I meet her? I assume she lives here in the Fire Nation."
"Uh, you can't. We're keeping it a secret."
Hakoda frowned. "Why?"
"There are people who wouldn't like us together."
"Sokka, this doesn't sound like a good situation. Is she married or something?"
"No . . . not exactly," Sokka replied.
"Not exactly? What does that mean? I don't want to see you get hurt, son."
"Trust me Dad. We have it all worked out. It'll be fine. I just can't tell you who it is."
"Sneaking around in secret is no way to have a relationship. How are you going to have a family?"
"We're not. We've talked about it. We know it won't be easy, but it's worth it. We're in love."
Hakoda frowned. It wasn't the way he'd imagined his son's life would be.
"I know what you're thinking, Dad. But I'll officially be an adult in less than a month. Maybe you can force me to leave now, but it won't change the way I feel. And I'll come back, because I'm happy here. Even with this less than ideal situation, I'm happy."
Giving it some thought, Hakoda realized that Sokka was right. He could force Sokka to leave, but he would risk losing him in the process. Once he turned eighteen, there was nothing he could do stop Sokka from getting his heart broken, which he was sure would happen. All he could do was hope for the best.
"You'll always have a home with me, son. I want you to know that."
"Thank you. I promise, I'll be fine."
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Dinner that night was served in the smaller dining room. Sokka sat with his father and two of the other advisors, along with High Sage Shyu. Only two other tables were occupied.
They dined on steamed fish, rice and vegetables. The conversation was light, despite what Sokka had told Hakoda earlier.
The doors to the hall opened without warning, allowing Zuko and Mai to walk in. The Fire Lord was not expected to dine with his guests that evening. Servants scrambled to greet them.
"Our apologies Fire Lord. We were not prepared to serve you this evening. Please let us set up place settings for you." The head servant bowed several times.
"Our plans changed, Shin. We will wait for you to prepare."
"Thank you Fire Lord."
Shin hurried away, shouting ordering to the other servants.
Sokka, along with nearly everyone else had stopped eating to observe the pair as they waited for their table. He smiled to himself, thinking how handsome Zuko looked in his dress uniform.
The smile on his face didn't go unnoticed by Hakoda.
"They do make a striking couple, don't they? She will be a stunning bride," Councilman Tae Chin commented.
Sokka's smile dropped at the mention of the wedding.
"Yes," Councilwoman Tondra agreed. "She's lovely. Don't you think, Councilman Sokka?"
"Yes. Very lovely," he said without enthusiasm.
Once the royal couple sat down to eat, the guests slowly went back to eating their meals and carrying on conversations. Throughout the meal, Hakoda noticed Sokka's attention wander often to Zuko and Mai's table. By the end of dessert, the Chief thought he had figured out Sokka's secret.
"I have to go," Sokka said, getting up without eating any of his tart pie. "I need to go make sure everything is prepared for the hashi. Excuse me."
He abruptly left before Hakoda could tell him he wanted to talk.
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"Whoa, this place is incredible," Sokka exclaimed, looking around the redecorated sitting room.
"Is this not what you specified?" Kudan asked.
"Well, yeah. But I didn't think it would come out this great. This is exactly what I wanted," Sokka told him.
Kudan smiled smugly. "This is the Fire Nation Palace. Of course it came out great."
The large sitting room had been converted to an exotic area filled with small, intimate tables, curtains hung for privacy spaces. A trio of musicians were setting up their instruments in the corner while servants were setting out trays of food. Candles and lanterns lit the room, setting a relaxed, intimate mood.
"You should go get ready," Kudan urged Sokka. "I will stay and greet the guests. They will be arriving shortly."
"Okay, thanks Kudan." Sokka began to walk away, then stopped and turned back around. "You know, for everything."
"It's my honor and my duty," Kudan replied.
"Yeah, but you could have ratted us out. You could have ruined Zuko if you wanted."
"I could never do that to him. I made a promise to always look out for Zuko."
Sokka blinked in surprise. He had never heard Kudan refer to Zuko by his first name only.
"Zuko?"
"Uh, I mean the Fire Lord," Kudan corrected. He cleared his throat. "You'd better go."
Sokka scratched his head as he walked away. He had never seen Zuko's personal attendant get flustered before. It left him wondering who Kudan had made that promise to. It seemed more personal than just serving his master.
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Zuko walked into the room and was amazed at the transformation. It bore no resemblance to the formal sitting room it was before.
Men were sitting and standing in groups, enjoying expensive food and drink, and music. Only a few of the concubines had arrived, but the men didn't seem interested just yet anyway.
Typically, they partied together first, then began to go off with the women of their choice. The higher ranked gentlemen chose first while the others waited their turn. There were seldom enough concubines to go around at once.
As Zuko looked around, he felt badly for the young women. Many of the men were older, not in the best shape, and generally unappealing in his eyes.
Then he caught sight of Sokka.
Zuko's heart sped up at the vision of him in his form fitting Fire Nation clothing. How he enjoyed when his Water Tribe boy wore red. The sleeveless tunic showed off Sokka's lean, but toned arms. And the gold arm band contrasted his tan skin beautifully.
Zuko wished all the other people in the room would go away. As Fire Lord, he could order it. However, it would be very suspicious to end the hashi before it even began.
Turning away, Zuko tried to think of unpleasant thoughts to bring down his growing arousal. Jai, one of the concubines, approached him and bowed.
"Good evening Fire Lord. Can I be of service to you?" she smiled sweetly.
Though she was pretty, Zuko had no interest in her. However, he didn't want to be rude.
"I have not yet decided, thank you." He returned the bow.
At least, the interaction took his mind off Sokka and his problem disappeared.
Making his way around the room, Zuko greeted his guests, accepting congratulations. One of the well-wishers surprised him.
"Chief Hakoda, I didn't know you would be here."
"I came a few days early to spend time with Sokka." The Chief laughed. "He seems to be popular."
Zuko turned to follow Hakoda's line of sight. Sokka had been cornered by two of the concubines and was looking very nervous.
"Yes, he does," Zuko frowned. "His friendly, outgoing manner has gained him the attention of several young women," he said, gritting his teeth.
The scowl on Zuko's face only confirmed for Hakoda his earlier suspicions.
"Is there some tension between the two of you?" Hakoda asked. "Sokka gave me the impression that things were going well."
"No. Everything is fine. Sokka has been a valuable addition to my Council."
"Good," Hakoda nodded.
Kudan approached the pair and bowed. "All of the concubines are here."
"That's my cue to leave," The Chief said.
"You're not staying for the entertainment?" Kudan asked.
"It's not my way," Hakoda replied. "But you enjoy yourselves." He nodded to Sokka and left the hashi.
The way Hakoda phrased his words, and his tone, led Zuko to believed the he disapproved of the Fire Nation tradition. He couldn't truly disagree.
"Fire Lord, it is time for you to choose your courtesan," Kudan informed him.
Zuko turned to him in a panic, trying to keep it from his face. He whispered, "But I don't want to."
"It will be all right. You must select one or two of them to maintain your reputation as our virile leader," Kudan replied. He leaned closer. "I have a plan. Don't worry."
Zuko bit his lip. The last thing he wanted to do was peruse the girls for his favorites in front of Sokka.
The concubines all began presenting themselves for the Fire Lord, primping and pouting seductively. It didn't matter much to him which ones he picked. He wasn't planning on having sex with them anyway.
Kudan gave Zuko a gentle nudge. "The one in the gold robe is very pretty," he said quietly.
Zuko nodded, and Kudan motioned for her to come to them.
"And the one next to Sokka," Zuko said, if only to get her away from him.
The girls each looped an arm around Zuko's and stood smiling, waiting for him to take the lead.
"This way, Fire Lord." Kudan pointed the way toward an area marked off with heavy tapestry. He pulled it back, revealing a small, cozy room filled with pillows and blankets. A single lantern sat on a table with a small pouch containing prophylactics made from animal intestines.
Zuko hesitated.
"Trust me," Kudan said.
Ducking inside, the firebender and the girls made themselves comfortable.
"I will bring you some rice wine," Kudan bowed and left the space.
"What can I do for you, my Fire Lord?" one of the girls asked.
"Um, nothing right now," he answered, hoping for Kudan to return soon.
The other girl fingered the buttons on his shirt. "Can I loosen this for you?"
When he didn't answer, she began to unbutton his tunic. He didn't want to appear uneasy, and allowed her to do it. Kudan pushed back the curtain, raising an eyebrow.
Zuko quickly sat up straight, a guilty expression on his face. He held out his hand for the wine.
"This is for your companions, Fire Lord. I will bring more for you if you wish," Kudan. He gave a glass of wine to each of the concubines.
Within a few minutes, the young women were relaxing in a semi-conscious state against the pillows.
"What did you do them?" Zuko asked.
"I added some herbs to their wine. It's only going to make them sleepy. They probably won't remember that you left," Kudan told him. "You can slip out through this small gap. Just be careful when you step out into the corridor, if you don't want anyone to see you."
"What about Sokka?"
"I will do the same for him."
"Okay."
"Fire Lord, if you wait a moment . . ." Kudan stopped him. "I will be back."
Zuko looked at the sleepy girls and shook his head. He wasn't sure he approved of Kudan's method. However, it seemed to work. The concubines weren't really paying him any attention. As he sat waiting, he could hear other couples through the curtains, moaning and grunting. He was getting more and more disgusted, when Kudan finally arrived back.
"Sokka has slipped out of the party. Most of the other men are occupied," the personal attendant said.
"What about the girls?"
"I will tend to them," Kudan assured him. He nodded. "Go ahead. Sokka will meet you at your room."
"Kudan, thank you," Zuko bowed his head slightly. "I don't know what I would do without you."
The attendant bowed and simply said, "Fire Lord."
Zuko moved as stealthily as he could toward his own quarters, excited by the anticipation of spending the night with Sokka.
Meanwhile, Kudan blew out the lantern and sat down on the pile of pillows inside the small space cordoned off by tapestry. It took a moment or two for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, and he could see just well enough. One of the courtesans had already passed out in the corner. Not that Kudan was surprised. He had given that one a bit more of the herbs. The other girl, the one in the gold robe, was impaired but conscious.
He reached out and touched her hair. It was as soft and silky as it looked.
"Mmm," she moaned. "There you are. What can I do for you?"
Kudan caressed the side of her face, then kissed her. Her hands roamed, untying the strings of his tunic. In less than a minute, she had the tunic off plus the undergarment beneath that. She also managed to loosen his pants. He was amazed at how adept she was, even in her wasted state.
His hands ran down the length of her body as he lay her back on the pillows. Opening her robe, he discovered that she was nude underneath. Her skin was velvety and smelled of roses. He leaned close to take in her scent.
She spread her legs for him, as a good concubine would. But instead of taking her, he leaned down to the smoothly shaven snatch to perform cunnilingus.
"Oh, Fire Lord," she groaned. "You don't have to do that. Let me please you."
"This does please me," he replied, then continued.
"As you wish," she giggled.
His tongue flicked and swirled, bringing her a pleasure that most of her patrons did not bother with. She moaned and writhed under his ministrations.
"Oh, yes," she muttered.
Kudan replaced his tongue with a finger. "Quan," he whispered. "May I enter you?"
"You may do as you wish," she replied. "You need not ask."
Wasting no time, Kudan pulled down his britches far enough to release his throbbing cock. He took a prophylactic from the small table and put it on.
As he pushed his way in, he murmured, "Oh, Quan. You feel . . . so wonderful."
He continued to stimulate her while he rocked back and forth.
"Oh, Fire Lord. You are so skilled," Quan moaned. "I'm going to cum soon."
"Good, Quan. Let me hear you when you do. I want everyone to hear."
Quan whimpered back.
They kept up their rhythm, lost in the sensations of the moment. Suddenly, Quan's back arched as she dug her nails into Kudan's arms.
"Yes! Oh, yes, Fire Lord," she cried.
The concubines often pretended to have an orgasm while servicing their patrons. Sometimes to end an unpleasant sexual encounter, sometimes to boost the ego of an inexperienced young man. However, Kudan could feel her tremble beneath him, and her muscles clench around him. He knew her climax had been genuine.
In turn, he held her closely while he came, whispering her name. He kept his position for a few minutes before disengaging to lay beside her.
Carefully, he removed the animal intestine sheathing his waning cock. He placed it on the floor near the entrance of the private lair. The physical evidence, along with Quan's cries of passion would be enough to convince anyone that Fire Lord Zuko had performed well, according to the traditions of the Fire Nation.
Satisfied, in more than once sense, Kudan dressed and prepared to leave. Gazing down at Quan, who was on the edge of sleep, he sighed. He felt guilty for deceiving her, even though he treated her with more tenderness and care than most Fire Lords would have.
She murmured in her stupor.
Kudan leaned down to close her robe around her. "Sleep now, Quan." He kissed her softly on her brightly painted lips. "Sleep my love."
The attendant left the same way Zuko had, heading for his own quarters. He had completed his duties for the evening, and he was tired. Pleased with himself for his cleverness, Kudan quickly fell asleep.
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"Who's there?" Zuko froze as he walked into his bedroom.
"Just me," Sokka answered. He stepped out of the bathroom and stood fully nude, and grinning.
Zuko relaxed and walked to his lover. "I didn't think you'd get here so fast."
"I left right away," Sokka said. "Kudan tried to get me to pick one of the girls and make it look like I . . . you know. But I just wanted to leave."
Nodding, Zuko replied, "Kudan insisted I do the same. He made me choose two of them to take into the private place set aside for me."
Sokka frowned. "Your tunic is unbuttoned."
Looking down, Zuko frowned as well. Then he looked up into Sokka's eyes. "No, wait, I didn't actually do anything," he said. "One of them started to do this, but that's all. I promise. Kudan . . . drugged them, so they fell asleep."
"Okay, I believe you. Let's get you out of these clothes, though. I'm at a disadvantage here." Sokka swept his hand down his body, indicating his naked state.
"I think you put me at a disadvantage. You're perfect that way."
"Oh, yes, I'm the picture of perfection, with these scrawny arms and shaggy hair. Not to mention, the lack of bending."
"Come to bed with me and I'll tell you all the ways you're perfect." Zuko swiftly shed his clothes and pulled Sokka under the sheets with him.
Sokka immediately began kissing and stroking Zuko. He sucked on his neck.
"Don't leave a mark," Zuko warned.
"Why not? You were supposed to be screwing around with the concubines. No one will wonder why you have love bites."
Pulling back, Zuko's brow furrowed. "I hate that."
"Okay, I won't suck on your neck," Sokka pouted.
"No, that's not what I hate," Zuko assured him. "I love when you do that, especially what you do with your tongue." He blushed.
"Then what do you mean?"
"I mean I hate that everyone is going to think I cheated on you."
"Zuko, no one even knows about me. They'll think you cheated on Mai."
"I don't want anyone to think I'd cheat at all. I love you. A man in love doesn't need concubines. A man in love doesn't need anyone else to satisfy him, or make him happy. It's a stupid tradition."
"But it's done. And I know you didn't cheat. That's all that matters." Sokka leaned in for a kiss.
Zuko returned the kiss, but broke it off before it could progress.
"Would you mind if we didn't have sex tonight?"
"No, but . . . why? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, of course not. It's that . . . I don't know, I want to just be with you. This is nice. This is something I don't do with anyone else."
Sokka smiled. "Yeah, I know what you mean." He snuggled closer.
"Besides, I haven't told you all the ways you're perfect," Zuko told him. "I think I'll start with your hair and work my way down."
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Thanks for reading!
coming in future chapters: Hakoda confronts Mai, a visit from Iroh, and Kudan's secret
