Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender purely begins to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.
Summary: Building a new world is never easy. Years after the end of the war, one night between Zuko and Katara leads to the reveal of hidden truths and disrupts their plans of the peaceful lives they thought they'd have. Even when everything spins wild, they will always find each other. They could fight the entire Fire Nation together, but what are they willing to sacrifice when the other is on the line?
A/N: Full explicit version available on AO3
Last Time...
His unspoken declaration hung in the air between them. Zuko's last secret taking up the scant space between the couple. It wormed its way into Katara's consciousness and into her heart. Slightly trembling, she pressed her lips against his softly in tender acquiescence.
"Katara, for tonight, can I call you mine?" he asked quietly against her lips, almost scared.
Katara nodded, her eyes closing as his lips lowered again to capture hers in a deep, sensual kiss. Slowly, he lifted a hand to cup one of her breasts, kneading it before lightly pinching the hard peak, causing Katara to jolt and her knees to buckle from the sensation. It was as if his touch went directly to her core and she shivered as the ache between her legs increased. Zuko released his hold on her breast to catch her, their bodies pressed together from hips to chest. Katara mewled at the feeling of her sensitive nipples brushing against the heated planes of his body.
Zuko then ducked his head to tenderly kiss the valley between her breasts before mouthing at her right breast and taking the nipple between his lips, moaning at how she reactively gasped his name, spurring him to pull harder. She inhaled sharply and arched against his mouth, greedily seeking out more. Soon enough, she had one hand dragging his face back up while her other hand skimmed over the front of his pants, palming his length and reveling in the throaty groan escaping him.
"Zuko, I'm yours," she answered.
Her words set Zuko's blood on fire. He dreamed of hearing those words fall from her lips countless times and now that it finally happened in real life, he was taken over by his need. As she continued to stroke him over his pants, he lost his focus on her breast, distractedly placing open-mouthed kisses on her chest before tucking his face into her neck and pressing his lips directly where he felt her pulse thrum.
Zuko's hands flew to her butt, squeezing the firm muscles before lifting her into his arms. The sudden movement caused Katara to yelp and her hands momentarily left him to steady herself as she gripped his shoulders tightly. She peered down at him and giggled as she was now at the perfect level for him to tease her. He began dragging his teeth over the meaty flesh of her breast again, soothing the bites tenderly with his tongue afterwards.
"No fair," Katara whined softly, causing him to chuckle lowly.
He watched, enraptured, as she tossed her hair back to shake her hair away from her face, the curled tips brushing against Zuko's hands. Her ankles crossed at his lower back and she scooted even closer to him, purposefully grinding against him, sighing happily at the weight of his thick length against her, her eyes fluttering closed as the need intensified in her lower belly.
Zuko brought his attention back to the slender column of her neck, moving aside the pendant of her mother's betrothal necklace carefully, and kissing the hollow of her throat, settling at the skin just below her ear, nipping and sucking, worrying the skin until it turned red and he was sure he would leave a mark. "So pretty," he murmured.
Katara hummed happily and turned her head to allow him greater access. He managed to make his way through the house, sometimes stumbling into a wall or corner, the two of them laughing as their hands and lips continued to explore, their Bloodbending proposal left forgotten in the other room as he carried her into his bedroom. Zuko carefully lowered her onto the bed and leaned over her, admiring how her brunette curls surrounded his pillow, forming a halo around her, her blue eyes a bright beacon in the rich brown of her skin and hair. He caressed her face, staring into the cerulean orbs, intense but half-lidded, her already full lips swollen from being thoroughly kissed.
"Katara, you're beautiful," he whispered reverently.
Katara smiled bashfully and pulled him down for another quick kiss, whispering against his lips, "Zuko, don't you know how frustrating it is to be half naked around a man like you and not have him touch you?" She grinned and teasingly nipped at his lower lip before her expression sobered and added, "Please, Zuko. I need you."
"I don't want to rush," he said, his voice strained.
She took his hand and guided it down her body, past her chest and past the smooth planes of her stomach to the waistband of her leggings. Without preamble, she pushed his hand beneath and Zuko could feel the edge of her wrappings there, the sheer heat of her skin through the thick cotton. "You're not rushing me," she assured him. "I want this. I want you."
Lowering down to kiss her again, Zuko growled, "Lift your hips."
Katara did as she was told and placed her feet flat on the bed to raise herself, allowing Zuko to drag the leggings down, admiring more of her bronzed skin as it was revealed to him. Her legs seemed endless. They were slender but strong, and she had some bruises from their sparring. He made sure to press his lips to those spots, gently nuzzling his face against the mottled skin in mild apology, savoring the feeling of Katara's fingers as they carded through his hair, her nails scraping against his scalp.
Zuko ran his palms up from her calves to her thighs, squeezing her hips reassuringly before he hooked his fingers into the top edge of her wrappings. He lifted his eyes to hers questioningly. Katara lifted herself up onto her elbows to nod and watch as he tugged on the strips, loosening the wrappings and disentangling them from her body. As he gazed upon her naked body, air whistled as it escaped from his lips, his golden eyes darkening as he stared at the apex of her thighs and the neatly trimmed curls that covered her most intimate area. He motioned to touch her but Katara scooted away a bit.
He looked up at her in worry that he was moving too quickly or that she wanted to stop but her lips were curved in an sultry smile as she shook her head. "Your turn, Zuko."
Zuko smirked at her and stepped off of the bed, standing at its edge. Without hesitation, he removed both his pants and underwear, kicking the fabric away from him before standing proudly before her. Katara sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, leaving space for him to step towards her. She let her fingertips trail down from the center of his chest, past the sunburst scar he had gotten for saving her life, over the rippling muscles of his abdomen, and followed the sparse trail of hair that thickened as she got closer to where his legs met.
He kissed her heatedly, capturing her face in his hands and leaning down, gently pushing her backwards. Eventually, they settled back onto the bed, with Zuko moving between her legs. He pressed his lips softly against hers once more before leaning back onto his knees. He looked to Katara questioningly and while she was nervous, Katara knew that she was safe with Zuko. With an exhale, she nodded and parted her legs further, watching Zuko's eyes hungrily take her in.
"Beautiful," he told her affectionately, kissing her cheek. "We still have to finish the Bloodbending draft," he reminded her, just barely holding onto one final semblance of responsibility. "If you want to stop, now is the time."
"Don't you," she gasped, "dare stop." Katara gripped his face with her free hand, forcing him to look at her, and added, panting, "We have plenty of time for that, Zuko. Right now, I need you." Her demand was only slightly marred by the fact that her voice strained and breathless.
"What about—"
"There's a tea I can drink in the morning," she assured him, urgently rocking her hips against his fingers. "And I'm a Master Waterbender, Zuko. One that is literally begging for you to keep going." she reminded him, a bit of a growl to her voice.
"As you wish, Master Katara," he retorted, a smirk curving his lips, hiding the relief washing over him.
"Zuko, I want you," she whispered. "Please make me yours."
"Katara, you have no idea how long I've dreamed and waited to hear you say that," he confessed, the need in her voice tearing at his self control. "Agni, it's better than I imagined."
Katara smiled softly and assured him, "I'm saying it. It's real. I'm ready." She was trembling slightly and Zuko made sure to kiss her lightly, comforting her and praising her softly.
He settled down at her side, pulling her closely into his arms, kissing her forehead tenderly. He stroked her cheek and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you okay? How do you feel? I wasn't too rough, was I?"
Katara felt boneless and closed her eyes, turning her face to kiss his palm affectionately. "I feel more than okay. That was wonderful; you're wonderful," she murmured tiredly. "You?"
"Perfect," he agreed. "You're amazing."
"High praise, coming from the Fire Lord," she told him sleepily, happily enjoying the reassuring warmth and weight of his body against hers. She brushed a hand against his chest and felt how his heart thrummed against it. Zuko rhythmically stroked her spine as he rolled, pulling her on top him and holding her close. She snuggled closer and relaxed as he dragged the sheets up to cover them.
"Sleep," he ordered. He stroked her hair and brushed it away from her face. "Thank you, Katara," he said so softly she wasn't sure she was supposed to hear it.
Pillowing her face on his chest, Katara fell asleep with his heartbeat in her ear, his arms around her body, and his lips against her forehead.
Katara gradually woke to the sensation of fingers dancing along her bare back, teasingly sliding down over the curve of her butt before coming back up her spine. As she stirred, the fingers became more insistent, another set gliding to where they rested on her ribs, waiting.
She hummed and blinked her eyes open to see Zuko staring down at her with an easy smile, his eyes crinkled with happiness. She leaned up to kiss him and greeted, "Good morning." Her voice was still rough with sleep and Zuko shivered at the husky sound.
"Good morning, beautiful," he responded, closing his eyes to lengthen the kiss.
Katara obliged, breaking away after a long moment to catch her breath. She lowered her gaze shyly. "So about last night..." Katara could feel Zuko's body stiffen and his face looked stricken when she lifted her eyes to his.
"Katara—"
"Zuko, relax. I have no regrets," she assured him quickly, pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Last night was amazing and I wanted it. I just wanted to talk a bit more about what it might mean for us moving forward... if that's alright with you?"
The stress immediately left Zuko's body and he sighed and nodded, kissing the top of her head. "Of course. And last night... was better than I could have imagined. And believe me, I imagined."
They laughed together and Katara blushed as she lightly swat at his bare chest.
"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked again, concern softening his golden gaze.
"More than alright," she confirmed. She sighed and settled against him more comfortably. "So back to the matter at hand about how we plan on moving forward..."
Zuko smiled wistfully, his golden eyes sad. "Katara, I don't expect more than what you feel comfortable giving. And I would never want you to feel like you have to meet any other expectations."
In a quiet voice, Katara asked, "And what if I want more than just last night?"
Fighting the smile that tugged at his lips, Zuko joked, "Am I really that good in bed?"
Katara threw her head back to laugh. With mock seriousness, she met his eyes, her own sparkling, and nodded somberly. "Why else would I ask?"
Zuko playfully growled at her and began to tickle her ribs, joining in Katara's laughter as she squirmed away, gasping for air as she now fought the incessant fits of laughter that bubbled out of her. Once they both settled down, Zuko stroked a hand through her hair as his eyes roved over her face hopefully.
"But tell me... do you want more? I know what you said last night, but you were in the heat of the moment and you're allowed to change your mind."
Katara smiled at him softly, a bit of hope in her expression. "I think it's time that I let myself go after the things I want without worrying about my duties or other people's expectations of me. I... I meant it. I want to see where this goes. I want more than just your body, Zuko, I want you. The friendship, the intimacy, all of it."
"Thank Agni for that," Zuko said with relief, capturing her lips sensually, his heart pounding at her words.
"What have you done to me?" she asked, slightly breathless, once they had pulled apart. "You've turned me into some needy sex addict. Spirits, the way you were talking last night..."
"Was it too much?" he asked shyly, completely at odds with his behavior from the night before.
"No," she said adamantly. "It was..." Katara's lips twisted into a shy smile and her cheeks pinked, more than enough evidence to let Zuko know what she thought about it.
"I'm not sure what the Fire Nation thinks of the Water Tribe, but sex isn't quite a taboo topic among my people. We just prefer to keep things private and within the family unit. And growing up in my tiny village, everyone was practically family. The way the men talk around a fire pit can get rowdy and loud. So unless you're planning to tell others how I enjoy a little bit of dirty talk, then I'm more than alright. I may have been a virgin, but I don't know that I would call myself innocent. I know what I enjoy and that includes everything I asked for and what you did last night."
Zuko gaped at her, his mouth half-open as he processed what she said. "Very different from Fire Nation nobility," he finally said.
"Learning together, right?"
Zuko nodded. "Together."
Eventually, Zuko's husky laughter joined hers in the quiet of his bedroom. "Now that I've had you, I don't know how you expect me to go back to the Fire Nation without throwing you over my shoulder and locking you in my chambers." He ducked down to give her a quick peck on the lips. "If I wanted you before, now I'm insatiable."
He punctuated his point by lightly pressing his length against her hip while his fingers lowered and stroked her.
Katara sighed and arched her body against his as she carded her fingers through his dark hair that curtained over them. "Maybe… I could be convinced to visit the Fire Nation more frequently."
Zuko's face fell at her suggestion. "I was teasing, Katara. Partly. I don't expect you to give up your desires to travel the world and help others. I know that's what you ultimately want to do and I could never take away your freedom."
"I really don't know what I did to deserve that kind of treatment."
"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you."
Katara rolled her eyes and stopped herself from retorting, knowing they'd be arguing all day long. Instead she commented airily, "I rather like the idea of being the Fire Lord's secret lover. Makes it seem so much naughtier than it actually is."
Zuko's other fingers danced along her side and pinched at her skin in light censure. He looked her in the eyes as he told her, "Katara, I wouldn't do this with just anyone. You mean too much to me for this to just be—"
Katara smiled sweetly at him and cut in with a chaste kiss. "I know," she whispered.
His heart leaping into his throat, Zuko broke out into a slightly goofy smile. "Really?"
Matching his grin, Katara nodded, just a bit shy. "I don't just hop into bed with anyone, either," she said smartly, earning a roguish smirk from Zuko for her sass.
She furrowed her brow for a moment and pressed her lips together in thought. "But if it's alright, could we keep it between us for now? After having such a public relationship with Aang… I think I want to keep you to myself for a little longer. Without the fanfare and attention. I want to be a little selfish. I want to be able to date you and get to know you in this way without the pressure of the whole world watching."
Zuko couldn't deny that he was a bit disappointed. He wanted to be able to let everyone know that Katara was his. But he could certainly understand where Katara was coming from, especially after hearing the false accusations the man from Yu Dao made about her before they left the former colony.
"For now."
"You don't think we're moving too fast, do you?"
With a laugh, he answered, "Katara, when have you ever known either of us to be someone who thinks things through?" He brushed his nose against hers affectionately. "We probably are," he said reluctantly. "But I think history's proven that it tends to work out alright for us in the long run. Now, I have to know. Are you sure you're not hurt or sore?"
Katara frowned in confusion and shook her head. "Maybe a little sore, but nothing I'm bothered by."
"Good." Zuko gave her a predatory grin and renewed his attention to his fingers by increasing the pressure he used to play with her. Then, he dipped his head to give her a deep kiss.
Katara huffed and playfully slapped at his chest before the sound broke into a throaty groan, wanting to stretch out this moment a little bit longer before they had to return to their responsibilities.
The duo made their way from their carriage to the Earth King's throne room, Katara tightly clutching the scrolls that contained their draft of proposed Bloodbending regulations in one hand. Zuko squeezed her free hand and offered a reassuring smile.
"It'll be okay," he promised her.
Before they reached the final set of doors, Katara leaned up to kiss him quickly and nodded at him. He adjusted the collar of her dress, making sure the high neck covered the love bites he had given her, but not before tenderly stroking the bruised skin. With one more squeeze, Zuko reluctantly let go of her hand and opened the door. They entered the throne room and pulled up shortly at the occupants. There was a much larger audience than what she was expecting from their usual summit members.
Katara blinked and felt her jaw drop as she scanned the room. "Sokka? Dad?"
As she spoke, the two familiar Water Tribe men approached them. Sokka came over with a wide grin and hugged Katara tightly before clapping a hand on Zuko's back enthusiastically. Hakoda embraced his daughter warmly and nodded at Zuko amiably over the top of her head.
"You didn't expect us to miss out on your first piece of legislature?" Sokka beamed. "There's no way I was gonna skip out on such a monumental moment for my little sister."
"But your honeymoon! Where's Suki?"
"She understands that I couldn't not be here. The messenger hawks you and the other Water Tribe representatives have been sending kept me too curious. Besides, Ember Island is much closer to Ba Sing Se than the Southern Water Tribe. With eel hounds, I can be back there by tomorrow." Sokka's line of sight slid to Zuko. "Thank you, by the way. For letting us use your summer home."
Zuko nodded. "Someone ought to. Consider it me making up for not being able to make the wedding."
Katara raised her eyebrows at the two men's conversation. She already knew how generous Zuko was with his wedding gift since he wasn't able to attend the ceremony in the Southern Water Tribe. The kindness and generosity he showed those he considered his friends never failed to surprise her. Nor his humility.
She leaned in and said through her smile, "You never told me you lent them your summer home, too."
Clearing his throat, Zuko whispered back, "I missed their wedding. You'd think I'd let them go to Ember Island for their honeymoon without offering the royal summer home?" He paused. "Why? Would that have changed anything?"
Katara rolled her eyes and teased, "Maybe I would've been a little more amenable sooner." She heard Zuko snort and glanced up at him. "No, it wouldn't have changed anything," she said earnestly. "But it's things like this that remind me to remind you that you are a good man more often."
Sokka watched the two curiously. "What are you two whispering about? Do you guys have something special planned for the summit's review?"
"No," Zuko answered easily. "It's all on the scrolls. We were up all night."
Katara's eyes widened and she hoped to the spirits she wasn't blushing. "Working on the draft. We wanted to make sure that we thought of everything."
Hakoda nodded thoughtfully. "You and Fire Lord Zuko are renowned war heroes so your reputations already offer a substantial amount of trust and legitimacy to your proposal. And I know from firsthand experience that you two will stop at nothing to protect what is good and right."
Zuko blinked at the Water Tribe man's vote of confidence and ventured a rare smile of gratitude at the chieftain, feeling relieved when it was returned. "Thank you, Chief Hakoda. That means a lot from you."
The older man stroked his jaw thoughtfully. "After all, if you were willing to risk your life at sixteen to help my son rescue a sorry bag of bones like me, with no plan, I can only imagine how successful you'd be working with my daughter to create a plan," he added good-naturedly. Hakoda raised his arm in greeting. "Ah, there they are."
Katara frowned in confusion. "They? They who?"
She looked over her shoulder to see the summit's Northern Water Tribe representatives, Inuk and Tulok, along with three other Northern Water Tribe members. Two women and a young man stepped forward shyly, each clasping their hands in front of them and hinging at the waist in a short bow.
The young man spoke up, "Chief Hakoda, Master Katara, Fire Lord Zuko. Sokka."
Sokka made a face. "That's Councilman Sokka, to you, Toriq."
The man Sokka addressed as Toriq was younger than Inuk and Tulok. He was taller than Sokka and broader in the shoulders. He had the usual square jaw of Water Tribe men and his blue eyes were a deep navy instead of the bright cerulean that Sokka and Katara had. His dark brown hair reached his chin and the top was tied back in the usual warrior wolf tail. The man smirked at Sokka and grinned widely.
"My apologies, Councilman," he replied smoothly with an amused smile, no hint of apology in his tone at all. "Since Master Katara's been present in Ba Sing Se throughout the duration of the summit these last few weeks, I wasn't sure of your position."
Sokka scoffed. "C'mon, man, it's my honeymoon."
"Toriq! It's been so long— I barely recognized you!" Katara exclaimed.
Toriq blushed and smiled sheepishly as he looked down at her. "It has been a while."
Tulok snorted. "A while plus a lot of weightlifting to add on muscle and a very late growth spurt. We thought he'd never grow into his limbs."
"Dad!" Toriq hissed. "Stop talking about me like I'm a polar bear dog."
The group shared in light laughter at Toriq's expense. Zuko watched the exchange with curiosity. He wasn't blind to how Toriq would steal glances at Katara and so Zuko subtly shifted closer to Katara, their arms nearly brushing as they stood together.
He addressed the Water Tribe group, "Forgive me for interrupting," he said coolly, "but I'm intrigued by the larger audience. Katara and I weren't aware that you all would be coming to Ba Sing Se for the summit's end."
Sokka explained, "Well, like I was saying before, based on what you guys have written in your letters as well as the news that's spread, we thought that it would be best to bring the best healers in the world to witness the outcome. Yugoda sent these three in her stead since long travels are hard on her now. Once it passes—"
"If," Katara and Zuko chorused together.
"— they'll be here to know firsthand and assuming there's any time, Katara can coordinate how she plans on sharing and teaching it to the healers." He rolled his eyes at them. "Jeez, you guys, have some faith in yourselves."
"A little notice would've been appreciated, Sokka."
Sokka held up his hands. "Hey! It's called a surprise for a reason. We thought you'd get nervous if you knew we were coming."
Katara began to shift her weight uneasily, her eyes darting around the throne room, which was filled with more people milling around than in the last few weeks. "I just want to get this over with. What are we waiting for?"
Zuko considered the crowd and suggested, "It's the last official meeting of the spring summit. I'm sure King Kuei wants as many representatives present as possible when we summarize the work over the last few weeks as well as finalize decisions. The selection of the United Republic Council is noteworthy to many and I wouldn't be surprised if some people have come to Ba Sing Se to lobby and campaign for a spot on the council. The only other person I can think we'd be waiting for is—"
"Aang!" Sokka yelled, waving eagerly at the young Airbender walking into the throne room. He made a show of covering his mouth with one hand and talking surreptitiously out of one corner of his mouth. "Katara, you two have talked, right?"
Katara glared at her older brother. "Oh for Spirits' sake, Sokka! Of course we have. Stop acting like it's such a big deal. People break up all the time. Aang and I are still friends and are mature enough to put aside personal feelings to focus on our responsibilities."
Sokka visibly relaxed. "Phew, good to hear. I was telling Suki I wouldn't be able to deal if it was awkward between you two."
Rolling her eyes, Katara drawled, "Yes, I can't imagine how terrible that would've been for you. I'm so glad I didn't inconvenience you with my personal life."
Hakoda chuckled and put a hand on each of his children's shoulders. "Alright, that's enough now. Since Aang's here, I'm sure we'll get started shortly."
"Chief Hakoda! Sokka! I wasn't expecting to see you two here." Aang greeted genially once he reached the growing group.
"Avatar Aang. I hope you've been well. I've been hearing of a lot of progress at the Eastern Air Temple."
"I have been, Chief Hakoda, thank you. It is nice to have a bit of a break, but it is very rewarding to see how my people's customs are being shared and revived." Aang's joy was palpable and as was the usual case with the Airbender, it spilled over to everyone around him. He turned to Zuko and Katara. "I'm excited to select the council for the United Republic of Nations. I was able to talk with Avatar Roku in the weeks that have passed since Yu Dao and we've come to an agreement regarding its creation."
Katara smiled. "I'm so glad," she told him sincerely, recalling how distraught he was at disappointing his old friend with the creation of the fifth nation. "I really think that it's the first great step of many more to come."
A gong reverberated and the rumbling of conversation stopped as King Kuei entered the room, Bosco at his side. The duo climbed the dais leading to the throne and once King Kuei was seated, he announced, "Thank you all for coming to Ba Sing Se. I'm happy to share that we've had another successful quarterly summit with even more work accomplished to continue our ongoing journey for peace and harmony between all nations. We have many great things to share and hope that you feel excited to spread the news at home so all of our citizens can remain informed and trust in our work. Now, let's get started."