THE FIRE LORD'S AFFAIR

by Madame Bomb

Zuki Week – Day 5 (April 2nd)

Prompt: CAUGHT

Rating: M

Summary: Zuko and Suki's secret relationship is put on the line when someone catches them in the act.

Notes: Almost smutty? Smut light? Not quite smut. I can't believe its not smut. You won't believe how close this writer got to writing smut without actually doing it.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Fire Lord Zuko," Chief Hakoda said, bowing to Zuko. Zuko bowed back, smiling a little.

"And with you, Chief Hakoda. You're always welcome in the Fire Nation," he said warmly. Sokka and Katara's father smiled at him and clapped him on the shoulder.

"And you in the Southern Water Tribe. You always honor us when you visit," Hakoda said, and then glanced at Suki. "And you as well, Suki. We don't see you nearly enough since..."

But Hakoda stumbled, his weathered face going red as Suki, who had been standing on Zuko's left, looked down, embarrassed.

"Since Sokka and I broke up," Suki finished for him.

"I know it's not my place, but I hope that the two of you get back together," Hakoda said in a rush, as if he'd been dying to say that to her since he'd arrive. Zuko thought maybe he had. He glanced at Suki and saw her shift uncomfortably in place, glancing at him, and then back at the Chief.

"Hakoda..."

"Ah, well, I've put my foot in it," Hakoda said, seeing her obvious discomfort. "I think it's time for a hasty retreat. I will see you at the feast tonight, shall I?"

"I'm looking forward to it," Zuko said diplomatically, but he was looking at Suki out of the corner of his eye. He watched her as Hakoda and his men bowed out of the room, leaving Zuko with the rest of his team. They'd been hammering out a much-needed trade deal with the Southern Water Tribe, and the negotiations had gone very well for both sides. He had a good relationship with Hakoda, and he liked the man tremendously. He knew that it was mutual.

What he didn't like was the look Hakoda's words had put on Suki's pretty face. She looked miserable, and he knew why. And he couldn't say anything to her at the moment. Not with the room full of his ministers and council members.

She stood at attention and he kept half an eye on her as he went through the motions of governance. By the time he'd dismissed everyone it was getting late. They were holding a feast for the Southern Water Tribe delegates that evening and he needed to get ready for it.

The last of his scribes left the room, and Zuko found himself alone in his office with Suki, who was lingering near the window, looking out at the gardens. She had something in her hands.

He went over to her and slipped his hands around her waist.

"You've been very quiet," he said, leaning in toward her ear. "I hope he didn't upset you."

"He didn't," she said, glancing back at him. "Hakoda likes me a lot, Zuko. I like him too."

"Mmm," he intoned, and then looked down at the object in her hands. "What's that?"

"Hakoda left his hat. I was going to return it to him," she said softly, and then put it down on the table beside the window. She put her hands over his and squeezed. "He wanted Sokka to marry me."

"I think he still does," Zuko said lightly. "Is that what you want?"

Suki turned around in his arms and looked at him. "You know it's not."

"Do I?" he teased, and his hands spread on her lower back, bringing her against him. She went willingly, sinking into his arms like she belonged there.

And she does, he thought fiercely.

He nipped her lips and then whispered, "I don't know what I know, Suki. You won't put a label on us and we keep sneaking around, hiding it. I think you're ashamed that we're having an affair."

"We are not having an affair," she said, grinning. "We're both single."

"I'm not single," he said stubbornly. "I'm with you. Or at least I want to be, if you'd let me."

"It's not that simple, Zuko," she said, and it was a familiar argument, one they'd been having for months. It had been a thrill, at the beginning of their relationship—and that was what it was, no matter what she said to the contrary—to sneak around together, making love in secret and sneaking out of each other's suites in the morning.

At first, he'd liked keeping his feelings for Suki to himself. But the more they'd been together, the deeper he'd started to feel for her, until he was ready to shout at the top of his lungs that he was in love with her, for everyone to hear. He didn't care who knew that they were together.

Suki, however, had dragged her feet. He knew what the problem was. She was afraid people wouldn't approve. She was his bodyguard, and maybe some people would have a problem with that, but he found he didn't care very much.

There was more to it than that, though, and he knew it. She and Sokka had broken up in a fiery blaze, and she'd been hurt for a long time by it. She'd still been getting over it when they had started this little not-affair, and though she'd moved past Sokka, and he knew that she had, she was still trying to protect her damaged heart.

Zuko knew how she felt about him—she hadn't been shy about it—but he also knew that she wasn't about to leap into anything without knowing what was at the bottom. She wanted to know that he'd catch her. That it would all work out.

He didn't want to push her, but it wasn't easy. And he was getting very mixed signals.

"It is that simple, Suki," he said. "You either want to be with me, really be with me, or you don't."

"You know that I do, I just..." She trailed off, biting her lip. "I don't want to get hurt again."

Zuko moved, pushing her forward until her back hit the window. His hand spread on her hip and on the windowpane, his lips hovering over hers.

"I could never hurt you, Suki."

"I know that."

"I'm not Sokka," he said and she bit her lip.

"I know that. I love you," she said, and that was his undoing. He darted forward, kissing the words from her lips. Her arms went around him, and she held on tightly to him, kissing him back with the same ferocity as he felt. He was always hungry for her, and watching the pain in her eyes had made him want to show her just how he felt about her.

He never wanted her to doubt his feelings, no matter how she wanted to label their relationship, or how quiet she wanted to keep things.

Her mouth was sweet and warm against his, her gloved hands in his hair. He caught hold of her thigh, lifting it against his hips as he pressed her against the window. He wanted to be inside of her. He wanted to hear the excited sound of his name on her lips as he took her, hard and fast, right there in his office.

He reached her for her belt, just as she reached for his. They broke the wild kiss and laughed at each other's excitement.

"I want you," she said unnecessarily against his mouth, her hands yanking his belt open. He kissed her, biting down on her bottom lip, as he got her belt undone, too. Then she squeaked, breaking the kiss and trying to shove him back. "The window! Zuko, someone will see!"

"I don't care," he said, his mouth on her neck, his good sense scattered like ashes in the wind. He bit down on her pulse point and she gasped, her hands in his hair, pulling him against her, and against the window.

"You should," she said, but he turned his head and captured her mouth again. He knew she was his then, in the way that she kissed him, as wild and hot as before. It was always like this between them. She drove him mad with desire, and all common sense fled in the face of it.

He didn't care one bit. Not when she was in his arms.

He was fully intending on making love to her right there against the window, consequences be damned. He didn't care if anyone saw them.

He didn't get the chance, however. The door opened with a soft knock, and Chief Hakoda walked in. They both whipped their heads to the door. Zuko went still against Suki, his heart in his throat. Suki gasped, her lips smudged from his hungry mouth, her shocked eyes on her ex-boyfriend's father.

Hakoda stopped in the doorway, a look of shock on his face as he looked between them. Zuko knew that there was no way to explain what he'd walked in on. It was pretty obvious what they'd been doing, and about to do. He was still holding Suki against the window, her belt and gambeson on the floor at their feet, and his pants drooping on his hips, Suki's hands down the back and one of her legs slung around his thigh.

A blind woman would know what they'd been doing. And Hakoda was not blind. Or stupid.

"Uhhh..." Zuko started, whipping around to face the door, putting himself between Suki and Hakoda, as if he might protect her, somehow. He grabbed at his drooping pants, gathering them at the waist. "Chief Hakoda. I didn't hear you knock."

Hakoda recovered faster than Zuko did, his hand going to his face, which flooded with color until he was the shade of bright red roses.

"My apologies, Fire Lord Zuko. I... I left my hat. I'll go. I'm sorry. Very sorry." Hakoda's shocked and embarrassed eyes met Suki's for a moment. Then he darted for the door at his back. He started to go out the door, but then stopped, turning on them. "Does Sokka know you're having an affair?"

Zuko looked at Suki, and saw her bite her lip.

"No," she said, shaking her head.

Hakoda took in a deep breath and his hand ran down his red face. "I... I won't tell him. It's none of my business. I'm sorry to intrude."

"Hakoda, wait!" Suki said, her fingers at her smudged lips. She glanced up at Zuko, who looked at her in confusion. Hakoda hesitated, still looking pained and like he wanted to sink into the floor in embarrassment. Zuko understood how he felt.

Suki took a breath. "Zuko and I are dating. We're not having an affair. I don't care if Sokka knows about us."

Hakoda opened his mouth and then closed it. He bowed his head a little. "Of course. Suki... Fire Lord Zuko, my sincerest apologies."

And with that, he bowed out of the room, leaving Zuko to turn on Suki in stunned disbelief. She looked up at him, her face pinched with emotion. She looked like she couldn't believe she'd just said that to Sokka's father. Zuko knew how she felt. He couldn't believe it either.

"Was that just to save face in front of Hakoda, or did you mean all of that?" Zuko asked uncertainly, as her words sunk in.

Suki took another breath and looked up at him. "When he walked in all I felt was relief that he knew that we were together. I realized I didn't care if he knew. I don't care if anyone knows. Even Sokka," she said softly.

"Does this mean we can stop sneaking around all the time?" he asked. "I want to be with you for real, Suki. You know that."

Suki searched his face for one long, hard moment. Then she lifted up on tiptoe and slammed a hot, deep kiss to his mouth that left him stunned, as stunned as Hakoda's unexpected entrance had made him. He kissed her back, holding her tightly, his pants slipping down his hips as he put his arms around her.

When she pulled back they were both panting, and her hands were in his hair.

"I want to be with you too," she said. "In every single way, Zuko."

"I have news for you, Suki," Zuko said against her neck. "You already are."

She laughed and kissed him again.

They had just enough good sense to move away from the window this time so that no one in the garden got a free show of the Fire Lord and his girlfriend making love in his office.

But only just.

(end)