26. WE EAT IN A SMALL ROOM WITH PIANDAO. The fare is simple, but filling. By mutual agreement, table talk is confined to trivial, inconsequential things. None has either the energy or desire to speak on more weighty subjects. All Piandao will confirm at this point is that he has the information we seek, and will give it to us in full in the morning, after breakfast. Other than that, conversation revolves around discussion of Sokka's three weeks in a skirt on Kyoshi Island, the time that Toph and Katara crash an exclusive party in Ba Sing Se, and Aang's apparently never-ending quest to convert all present to vegetarianism. Piandao shares a tale of my year at his school, when I was fifteen and thus, stupid. The tale is mostly embarrassing for me, but hysterical for the others (though I guess it was a little funny…). Throughout, we smoke and we drink (except for Aang, of course), until all are more than a little silly and giggly.

Our last order of business is to set up the briefing. Piandao agrees to brief us all, together; Aang and I insist on this. We agree on a time, then head to bed.

We take up three rooms, Toph and Katara to one, Aang and Sokka to another. I get my own; I don't like this, but Piandao insists. As he explains it, if I'm to be the Fire Lord, then I had best start getting used to what that means. In this case, it means my own room and two guards on the door. I object to it all, but I know when I'm beaten.

I should enjoy it, really. I know this, in that rational corner of my brain, down amongst all the doubts and the worries. The bed is large and soft, the room spacious, clean, tidy. It smells freshly washed, and a cool breeze blows in through the window when I open it. I stand there, smoking, listening to the rain beat down on the world beyond. Below me, the valley sleeps, the village dark and quiet. The rooftops rattle, and thunder rumbles in the distance. When I was a boy, rainy days were my favorites. I'd open all the windows and sprawl in bed, listening to the rain shake the world outside. The set-up is perfect, perfect for a night of rest and sleep, sleep without dreams. And yet…

And yet…

It's been over four years since I last slept in a room alone. I feel lonely, exposed. The room feels…empty, somehow, like an apartment before a move. I miss my friends, even the parts I normally hate. I miss Sokka's snores and Aang's tossing and turning and Appa's groaning and Toph's mumbling and I miss…

I miss…

I miss…

Tap-Tap-Tap!

I turn towards the door, say, "It's open!" It swings in, and a helmeted head pokes through. It's one of my guards, a boy named Muto. "Yes, Muto?" I ask.

"Pardons, your Grace, but the Lady Katara is here to see you. Shall I send her away?"

My heart leaps into my mouth, beating madly. I'm sure my eyes fly wide, but I can't be sure. I suddenly feel very warm. I force a smile. "The Lady Katara is always to be admitted, Muto, without question."

Muto dips his head. "Of course, your Grace." He starts to turn back to the hallway when I think of something.

"And Muto?"

He turns back. "Yes, your Grace?"

"Let's keep this between us, if you don't mind?"

He swallows a smile, winks. "Of course, your Grace." He bows his head, speaks to someone in the hall, and before I know it, Katara is in my room.

I never even notice the door click shut…

"So," she says, breezing into the room, "there I am, tossing and turning, mumbling and grumbling, and you know what Toph says?"

I swallow the lump in my throat, watching her twist and swirl through the room. "Gods only know."

"Heh…" She bites her lip, and I'd be lying if I tried to say I didn't swoon a little. "So, Toph rolls over, and she barks, I shit you not, Just go sneak into Zuko's bed already, before I toss you in there."

"That," I say, chuckling, "sounds like Toph."

"Right?! I didn't even bother to deny it, just got up and came straight here."

"You didn't really sneak, though."

"Why sneak? I mean, if we're trying to hide something, we're doing a real shit job."

"Aang hasn't noticed."

"Well…that's Aang. He hadn't even gotten The Talk before he got frozen in ice."

"What?! You're shitting me."

"It's true! Sokka had to sit him down and spell it out. My poor brother, trying to remember how our father phrased it. I don't think Aang slept for a we-"

She stops. I've grabbed her wrist, not hard, just enough to stop her twirling. She's been spinning and twirling, touching and fiddling, all over the room. We're face-to-face. I feel her pulse thumping in her wrist. Is my heart beating that fast? I don't know. I can barely feel it anymore. I can barely feel anything. All that exists is the warmth of the stunning woman not more than a few inches from me. She's beautiful. She's only wearing a thin pull-over, falling down to her shins and almost see-through. With a jolt, I realize I've been shirtless this whole time. Where is this going? What's happening?

Like I don't know…

"Hey, Katara?"

"Hmm…?"

"Are we a thing?"

"Heh…I thought you knew…"

"Just checking. I know how you like to be first."

"You're learning!"

"I learn fast."

"I'm sure."

I release her wrist, wrap my arms around her, reach up, run my hands through her hair. Her hands run flat, all over my chest. I'm very hot. I feel like I'm burning up. Blood roars in my ears. She is almost scalding in my arms. She pops up, brushes her lips against my ear.

"Hey, Zuko?"

"Hmm…?"

"I like you."

"Heh…I like you, too. Hey, Katara?"

"Hmm…?"

"Do you really have to always be first?"

She bites my ear. "Always."

I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know an order when I hear one, and I'm not at all ashamed to say that that was a command I followed to the letter. And when we finally slept, it was without being troubled by dreams.

In case you missed it, we just got Zutara boning. Woo! If you were hoping for graphic sex, well…I said in my story description that there wouldn't be any, and I'm sticking to that. I don't have a thing against graphic sex scenes, I really don't; even the poorly written ones can be fun to read. The thing is, I fucking suck at writing those. I always feel like I'm imposing my idea of what's alluring and sexual upon the reader, and besides, at heart, I'm still a little kid, and typing penis makes me giggle. If I can't write a sex scene without giggling, then I shouldn't be writing one at all. And besides, I much prefer to leave things up to your imagination. I trust you guys, and I believe you can fill in the blanks much better than I could.

That's really it for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed!