Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Author's Note: I've had quite a few requests for more Zutara action, so here you go – lemons for everyone! You're welcome.
Rating Warning: This chapter is M rated. Seriously.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
A Marriage of Convenience, Chapter Twenty-One: Discoveries
Bumi was apologetic when they returned to Omashu, although Katara insisted they didn't blame him for what happened. "You're not responsible for Haru and Tyro's actions," she repeated. "How could you have known they would trap us in the caves?"
"Knew something was up," Bumi grumbled. "Should've figured it out." He punctuated this statement by spitting on the ground, alarmingly close to her feet.
Scrambling for a way to change the subject before he spit on something else, she waved Zuko and his mother forward. "King Bumi, I'd like to introduce you to Her Royal Highness, Princess Ursa of the Fire Nation."
One of his bushy white eyebrows raised dramatically, like a caterpillar trying to crawl off his head. "Ursa, is it? An honor, m'dear." Rather than bow, he stepped forward and grabbed her left hand, placing a wet-sounding kiss on the back of her delicate fingers. "Your husband was a jerk," he announced loudly, "but I guess you knew that better than anyone, didn'cha?"
Katara bit her lip to suppress a giggle. Zuko's mother looked shocked, her mouth hanging open, and it was the first time she looked like a normal woman rather than some sort of untouchable sage. Aang and Toph snickered quietly but thankfully didn't say anything to increase Ursa's discomfort.
"Besides," Bumi added with another disturbing waggle of his eyebrows, "single women are always welcome in my palace."
Zuko reached out to snatch his mother's hand back. "Her Highness needs to rest after her ordeal," he growled. "I trust you have suitable quarters?"
"Hmmm, I think there's an empty room next to mine."
Katara grabbed Zuko by the arm to restrain him from possibly starting an international incident. "Zuko would like to spend as much time as possible with his mother after all these years. I'm sure you understand. Perhaps there's a room near ours?"
Bumi waved a guard over and gave instructions, but just as Ursa began to turn to follow her escort, he let his green robe slip open, revealing an amazingly muscular abdomen for a man of his age. "If you need anything, Your Highness, you can summon me anytime, day or night."
Katara couldn't quite read Ursa's expression – the Princess was either restraining a laugh or fighting the urge to vomit. But like a true lady, she simply inclined her head. "I thank you for your generous offer," she choked out, then retreated to her quarters with admirable haste.
Katara could feel the irritation coming off Zuko in waves, and decided to redirect his attention. "King Bumi, I'd like to see Haru and Tyro right away. I may be able to break through Azula's brainwashing. Where are they?"
"Got 'em locked up good n' tight. Used the same metal boxes the Fire Nation tried to keep me in." He snorted. "Couldn't hold me, though."
"If you escaped, don't you think they could too?" Zuko asked, frowning.
"Not unless they can bend with their NOSES!" Bumi pointed at his face and twitched one nostril, causing a piece of Jennomite to levitate next to his head. He promptly bit a chunk off, chewing noisily. "Want some?"
"Uh, I think I'll pass, thanks." Katara said quickly. "Can we go see them now?"
Bumi nodded and led them through the palace to the large, open earthbending arena. They walked across the dirt toward the far edge, where two large metal boxes hung suspended on chains. When they were about halfway there Bumi cursed colorfully, Zuko started running, and Katara strained her eyes to see what had alarmed them. Dark figures lay in the shadows next to the arena wall, and as Katara got closer she realized they were the slumped bodies of the guards. She looked up to find holes ripped in the sides of the empty metal cages.
Zuko slammed the wall with his fist, his frustrated groan erupting into a shout of anger as flames poured out of his mouth. Katara froze in surprise. She didn't think she'd ever seen him this angry. "Someone helped them escape!" he shouted.
Aang rose on a puff of air to inspect the cages. "The metal was pushed out, from the inside."
Zuko whirled around to point at Toph. "Metal-bending!"
Toph shook her head. "Don't look at me! I didn't do anything."
"You taught Haru how to metal-bend. I saw you, at our wedding."
Toph's mouth opened as if to defend herself, but for a moment she was speechless. "I – I forgot about that. I mean, I only gave him a few lessons. It was just for fun! I didn't think he was really going to be able to do it!"
Bumi started chuckling, quite inappropriately in Katara's opinion. "Practice makes perfect!" he shouted, bending over as his laughter got louder.
Katara thought she saw smoke coming out of Zuko's ears. Literally. "It's not funny!" he roared. "Lock down the city, send out your guards, catch them before they get away!"
The elderly king waved a hand dismissively. "Don't get yer panties in a bunch. We'll get 'em." Bumi headed back toward the entrance to the arena, barking orders while Zuko paced impatiently.
"Aang, Toph, let's get Appa," Zuko suggested. "If we fly around the city, we may be able to catch them before they get very far." Aang nodded and blew his bison whistle.
Katara knew Zuko was itching to get out there personally and lead the search, but she didn't want him to go. She wasn't sure why – perhaps it was the vengeful glint in his gaze, or the angry clenching of his fists. She wanted Haru and Tyro captured alive so she could get a chance to break their conditioning, but in this dangerous mood, she wasn't completely sure Zuko would bring them back in one piece.
"Zuko, let Aang and Toph go without you," she pleaded. "You need to check on your mother, make sure she's comfortable."
"She'll be fine. This won't take long." Appa descended with a gentle roar, landing in the center of the arena. Aang and Toph headed toward the bison and Zuko turned to follow.
Katara sighed, then made the one request she knew he wouldn't refuse. "Stay with me, Zuko. If you don't, who will keep me safe while you're gone?"
He froze in his tracks, and she could see the muscles in his back and neck corded with tension. The pull of revenge was strong, but she was counting on the fact that his love for her was stronger. When he turned back to her, the guilt in his face nearly broke her heart. She wanted to take back what she had said, but then he would just go hunting for her friends. Instead she walked to him and let him wrap her in a fierce embrace.
"Of course, Katara," he rasped huskily. "I won't leave you unprotected. I won't give them a chance to hurt you. Never again."
They walked back to their chambers in silence while the palace bustled with activity around them, guards mobilizing to search for the escaped prisoners. Katara's eyes burned with fatigue, her hands trembling slightly with the after effects of all the adrenaline that had kept her going. They hadn't slept during their ordeal in the caves, so they'd both been awake for the past day and a half. Now that the immediate danger was over, she could feel exhaustion setting in quickly. Her steps became heavy, as if she was wading through water, and she knew Zuko had to be tiring as well, even though he wasn't showing it.
As soon as they got to their rooms, she instructed the servants to draw water for a bath. They were both covered with grime from the caves and she wanted to get clean before she passed out. The bathroom that adjoined their chamber was as fine as anything she had seen in the Fire Nation palace, marble tiles lining the walls and floor in a delicate pattern of brown and green. Bumi had engineered a series of stone aqueducts to bring water directly inside the room, so they merely had to turn a knob to begin the flow of water.
"Ingenious," Katara murmured, watching as the servants carried buckets of water from the spout in the wall over to the fireplace to warm.
"Don't waste time heating it," Zuko instructed, waving at the servants to deposit the water directly into the large marble bathtub. "I'll do that myself."
They finished quickly and Katara shooed them away, closing the door after them with a sigh of relief. She and Zuko quickly stripped off their filthy clothes, throwing everything into a pile in the corner of the bathroom. He finished first and climbed into the tub, lowering his fists into the water to generate a soft orange glow. The water began to steam and he groaned with pleasure, stretching out his legs and leaning his neck back against the side of the tub. His eyes were half-closed with exhaustion but he still turned his head, watching her unabashedly as she finished undressing.
Katara didn't feel any embarrassment standing nude before her husband. She moved toward the tub leisurely, lifting her hands to take out her braids. She saw his gaze glide over her bare body, across her full breasts and the planes of her gently rounded stomach, slipping down to the juncture of her thighs as she walked. She trembled, feeling his bold stare as intensely as if it were his hands stroking her.
She perched on the edge of the tub across from him, dipping her toes cautiously in the hot water. He leaned forward, his hands encircling her ankles as he pulled, slowly but surely, spreading her legs wide and drawing her body into the bath. She shivered from the delicious heat – both from the water that relaxed her muscles, and from the potent look Zuko gave her as he guided her onto his lap. His touch was gentle at first, soothing rather than arousing, as each of them enjoyed helping the other wash away the last remnants of their adventure. Despite his restraint, his strong hands moved assuredly over every inch of her, massaging her body from the top of her scalp down to the soles of her feet. Her touch grew more confident as well as she traced soapy fingers along the muscled contours of his arms and shoulders with a thoroughness that was not strictly hygienic.
His body was a study in contrasts, hard and soft, firm and yielding. She leaned forward, the tips of her breasts brushing against his chest as her body swayed lightly in the water, and felt his muscles slack with relaxation even as the hard lines of his collarbones teased her nipples. The soft hair on his legs gently tickled the insides of her thighs, but the hard length of his erection slid insistently between her legs. His hands came together at the base of her spine to tilt her hips closer. He kissed her neck, his lips gentle as his tongue traced a heated path from ear to shoulder. The tender caress would have relaxed her, but the rough stubble on his chin prickled and burned, the pain a thrilling contrast to the pleasure, quickening her arousal.
"Please, Zuko. I want you inside me again," she whispered, bringing her hands up to fist in his hair.
He slid his mouth back up to her ear, eliciting another shudder from her before replying, "It's too soon. I don't want to hurt you."
She clenched her thighs around him in protest, trying to guide his erection into her, but he grabbed her bottom with his hands, holding her in place. He slid his right thumb around, quickly finding the burning focus of her desire and stroking in just the way she needed. His touch was gentle but his rhythm unyielding. Katara stopped fighting and closed her eyes, accepting the pleasure he was so willing to give. The water in the tub began to splash with their movements, then to swirl, then to pulse and throb around them as her passion peaked and crashed. She threw her head back, crying out, and a sudden explosion flooded the room as all the water in the tub vaporized instantly. Droplets flew against the walls and ceiling, steam hung heavy in the air, and as Katara's head dropped heavily onto Zuko's shoulder, she felt rivulets of water sliding across her skin as the water began to condense and rain back down upon them.
Zuko stroked her wet hair, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter. "I guess I'll never have to wonder whether or not I've satisfied you," he said wryly. "You can't fake a reaction like that."
Katara considered poking him, but that would have required entirely too much effort. Instead she was content to cuddle against him as he lifted her out of the tub and grabbed one of the slightly damp towels off the rack. He carried her to their bed, laying her carefully on the green silk sheets and gently patting her dry before tossing the towel on the floor. Despite his tenderness she could see that he was still rigid with arousal. She held her arms out to him. "Please, Zuko, you need me."
He shook his head stubbornly and lay on his right side, turning her body so that her back was pressed against his chest. "You need more time," he insisted, pulling the coverlet over them and draping his left arm over her waist. "Come on, Katara, you're already half-asleep. Close your eyes."
She grabbed his hand where it nestled against her belly and stroked his knuckles with her thumb. "And leave you tossing and turning all night? Worrying about all the things you can't control? No, Zuko. Let me take your mind off of things." She wriggled her hips, scooting back until she could feel his stiff flesh pressing against her. He hissed and tightened his arm, trying to hold her still, but she flipped onto her back and reached down with her left hand to seize his erection.
"You pleasured me," she whispered, squeezing and stroking while he gritted his teeth. "Let me pleasure you, Zuko." She tightened and twisted her grip, and when he groaned and closed his eyes, she knew she had him.
She kicked back the covers and rose on her knees, one hand still pumping him slowly while she admired the view. His penis seemed to move on its own, twitching and pushing into her hand, damp and sticky and pulsing. His body jerked tautly with each stroke, muscles straining, fists clenched in the delicate linen. She smiled.
He was beautiful. And he was all hers.
She bent over to kiss the soft tip and was rewarded with a milky droplet, salty as sea water. She glanced up to find him watching her, the fiery pleasure in his gaze nearly burning her. She licked her lips and hummed her approval, smiling as he growled in response. She continued to meet his tortured stare as she opened her lips wide, her tongue darting out to taste him lightly just before she took him into her mouth, suckling him as hard and deep as she could. He broke then, his head falling back on the pillow as his neck and back arched involuntarily, thrusting himself even deeper into her.
Just like he had done to her in the bath, she found a rhythm he seemed to like and used it, working her mouth and hands on him ruthlessly. Soon she had him panting, twitching, mumbling incoherently, his fingers locking in her hair to hold her close – as if she would pull away now. Finally he gasped, "It's – I'm – Katara!" as he filled her mouth with his essence, substantial but with a hint of bitterness and a tang of spice, just like the man himself.
She swallowed and continued to suck gently while the tension eased out of him, the pulsing gradually slowing until he grew smaller and softer in her mouth. She released him carefully and slid up his body, pulling the covers up behind her and nestling her head on his shoulder. She tilted her face to look at him, meeting his bemused gaze.
Katara reached up, stroking a finger along Zuko's forehead, down the scarred side of his face to rest on his chest. He returned the gesture, gently pushing a lock of hair behind her ear and running his thumb softly across her lips. "You didn't have to do that, you know," he whispered. "I didn't touch you because I wanted something in return."
Katara smiled. "I'm not keeping score. I love you. I like being able to make you happy."
He turned on his side, facing her, and gathered her against him. Her leg slid between his, their feet intertwined, bellies pressed together. Katara felt herself slipping into unconsciousness, and when Zuko spoke softly in her ear, his words were the last thing she remembered. "I would do anything to make you happy, Katara. Anything."
Love me, she thought, just before sleep claimed her.