Chapter 31

Zuko groaned as he left his third meeting of the day. It would only be a few hours til sundown, and he still had to process everything. Ty Lee was gone, her replacement would be arriving, he was taking a trip to the Pole soon, and he was being groomed to be the Fire Lord.

He smacked his forehead. He had totally forgotten about June! He glanced at the very late afternoon sun. There was still some time. He wanted to do something special for her, but he didn't have any idea what. He sighed and began the trip to the kitchen. The least he could do is ask her in person.

The kitchens were bustling with servants, and it took a moment to locate June. She was griding some wheat furiously, lean muscles rippling in her arms as she pushed. She didn't notice him until he was standing beside her.

"So… June." He cursed himself internally.

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Lord Zuko?" Her tone was innocent, but she was clearly mocking him.

"Would you like to have dinner tonight? With me, I mean?" Why was he so stupid? He couldn't string two words together.

She chuckled at his embarrassed look. "Sure. Your place or mine?"

He hesitated. "Mine, I guess? I'll make it. The dinner. Our dinner." His face flushed red.

June laughed outright now. "You're going to make it? I have to see this." She tilted her head. "How about I meet you up there in two hours? Would that work?"

Zuko nodded and dipped his head. As he walked away, he couldn't help but wonder why he said that. He didn't' know anything about cooking! Well, he knew one recipe…

He ordered a nearby guard to tell him when June left the kitchen, and left to begin planning the evening.

Whispers and giggles filled the hallway near the kitchen after Zuko asked them all to leave. The maidservants gossiped about why. "I heard that he's preparing a romantic dinner for just him and June tonight!"

Other rumors circulated, but this was the most accepted. Soon the topic changed slightly to more personal matters. Some had overheard just a few conversations, between Zuko and his wives or just among the wives. Pieced together, it made for a very romantic concept.

Rumors about their lovemaking grabbed the most attention, however. Some maids could overhear the distinct sounds when they just so happened to walk by. By all indications, Zuko was not some cheap pimp. The women's screams could be heard for a dozen meters.

Many of them collectively agreed that they wished they had been chosen to be part of it. Menolda reminded them that the two most beautiful women would be selected, and they hadn't met the cut.

This didn't matter to them much. Menolda felt inclined to ask about the many guards that were around. Surely they proved to be interesting prospects?

The girls pouted. Okay, so one or two of them might be able to compare to Zuko. Maybe. But that certainly wasn't enough. Unless, of course….

Rumors about the man that had fought for his two girlfriends had spread even to the castle. If he could have more than one woman, why not some guards?

Needless to say, there was little else discussed that night.

Zuko shifted nervously as June entered the room. She had changed into a lovely floor length dress, black as usual. Her hair flowed down her back, uninterrupted. Her bare shoulders and arms proved a small distraction for him as he stood and pulled out her chair.

June gave a smile. There was a table for two set up in his bedroom, with a mysterious platter sitting between the two plates. She sat as he scooted the chair forward, accidentally shoving her back into her seat. He muttered an apology and sat down.

Zuko didn't understand. Why was he acting so strange tonight? It's not like this would be his first night sleeping with her. If anything, this should be less awkward. He had hoped it would be a little more like his first with Katara, just natural and easy, but it was turning out to be anything but.

June's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "So, what is for dinner?" she wondered aloud.

Zuko yanked the lid off of the platter. "Roast turtle-duck, my mother's recipe." His face burned as she inspected the charred carcass.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't look so embarrassed." She grabbed a knife and began sawing off the charred parts. "I've never had roast turtle-duck, so I'll never know how it was supposed to taste."

He chuckled darkly. "Better than this, I promise. Don't give up on it because of this time."

Also decorating the table were several small bowls of dates, rice, and sauces. Those had been much easier to put together.

June began cutting herself off a piece. "So this is your first ever time cooking?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah."

She plunked the slice off onto her plate before starting to cut him one. "Is there a reason that you're nervous?"

He shrugged. "What makes you think I'm nervous?"

June laughed, and her laughter was contagious. Zuko found himself laughing too, despite trying to keep a straight face. Some of his anxiety began to fade. He grew solemn. "I guess I feel like you're going to judge me now that we're alone."

June's smile hadn't faded. "Why is that scary? I judge everyone," she stated matter of factly. "I've been judging you since I got here."

Zuko hesitated. What had changed? He bit his cheek as a thought came to him.

June held up a bite of duck to his mouth. "You're trying it first. Just in case you're trying to poison me or something."

Zuko rolled his eyes, but accepted the bite. His eyes widened. "It's really good, actually. Here," he said, grabbing a piece of his own. "Try it."

She delicately took the meat with her mouth. Her eyes shot up in surprise.

She spat the duck out at the same time Zuko did. "You tricked me?!" she questioned, shooting him a death glare

Zuko was laughing. "That is the rottenest duck I've ever eaten. I wish you could have seen your face!"

June tried to keep an angry face, but a smile kept pulling at her lips. "I never took you for a trickster, my prince."

He winced. "Please don't call me that. I hear it often enough…"

June's smile faded. "Sorry. I never took you for a trickster, Zuko." She rolled his name off of her lips. She didn't say his name often.

He shivered. He was positive she hadn't meant to sound sensual, but that's how it came out.

June cleared her throat as the silence grew wider. "So why don't you like to be called a prince? Isn't that your title?"

He nodded glumly. "It makes it seem like I'm somehow different than everyone else. It's what my father and sister go by." He met her eyes. "I'd rather be associated with you than with them."

It was June's turn to hold back a shiver. "I see." She grabbed some delectables and added them to her plate, avoiding his gaze.

Zuko couldn't hold it in anymore. "Do you remember what we talked about that night with the knife? How…" He trailed off. "June, do you think we could fall in love?"

June almost choked on her date. She gave him a look, gauging his sincerity. He was being entirely honest. She rolled her eyes. "Are all men such idiots, or just the one I'm married to?"

That stung. "I think it was an acceptable question," he stated, his temper rising. "What's so wrong about that? Just say no if you don't think so."

June stared at him in disbelief. "Are you seriously so dumb?"

Zuko was becoming very frustrated. "So first my question was bad, and now saying it might not happen is wrong? At this rate, I won't be able to talk without-"

June leaned over the table to kiss him, silencing his thoughts as well as his words. She pulled back, keeping her face inches from his. "Zuko, I fell in love before I climbed into your bed that first night. I was in love with you when you made love to me and Suki. I've been in love with you the whole blasted time, and you're so stupid, you haven't even realized it."

She sank back into her chair as Zuko processed her words. "And now, I found out you don't feel the same way." She sighed, draping a leg over one of the armrests.

Zuko snapped out of it. "June, that's not true." He stuck out his chin. "You want to know why I was so nervous tonight? I was afraid," he choked, "that you could never feel the same."

There it was. Mutual confession. Neither had thought that this is how it would feel, but here they were. The silence stretched long between them, neither sure of how the dynamic was playing out.

June huffed impatiently. "You wanna bang?"

Zuko shrugged. "Let's do it."

The sexual tension was ripe, and they were both unclothed and on the bed in a blink of an eye. June was nervous. Last time, Suki had provided a bit of a buffer. She didn't really have to look into Zuko's eyes much, the whole time lost in a state of physical pleasure. This time would be a bit more… intimate.

He kissed her gently, lifting her chin with one hand. She met the kiss calmly, but some passion leaked through her. Real, genuine desire. She wrapped her arms around his waist as he deepened the kiss. Neither wanted to risk her returning to old habits of manipulation, so their mouths remained closed.

Zuko gently pushed her down onto her back, his arms resting on either side of her. Deep down, he was still processing. Of all of the women, June was the one he had been least expecting to fall in love with. A month ago, he never would have imagined this.

Her legs hugged him and she let out a gasp as his manhood touched her folds. No, she wanted this to be special, not just another night with another woman for him. She pressed her pale hands against his shoulders. "May I do something first?"

Zuko was surprised. "Of course." He sat back up, allowing her to move. She pondered on her next move. Watching her mother gave a variety of ideas, of course, but she was confident Zuko would dislike most of them. Watching his gaze trail down her body confirmed her course of action.

She leaned back against the headboard and beckoned her husband closer. He moved across to her, eyeing her suspiciously. She took hold of his shaft and tenderly placed it between her breasts. Their eyes met.

She smiled. "I think you know what to do."

Zuko swallowed. "You sure are full of strange ideas." He leaned down, releasing his manhood from her pillowy embrace to give her a kiss. "But I trust you." He leaned back up, returning to his original position.

That's when June noticed the lack of lubrication. She gathered saliva in her mouth, and gently spat it onto her breasts, rubbing it around with one of her hands. "There. Now go."

Zuko started with a small push, groaning. Her hands pressed her breasts together providing the tightest and softest sheath Zuko had ever known. His eyes rolled back in his head with pleasure.

June smiled as Zuko stopped, clearly distracted. It was a bit awkward from her position, but she managed to begin sliding up and down, holding her breasts together tightly. He clearly enjoyed it, looking as though he might pass out.

In truth, he was closer to splurging at every second. After only a minute, he stopped her. "June, I'm about to release."

June hesitated. "What's wrong with that? I don't mind."

Zuko put a hand on her shoulder, effectively stopping her. "I want to be a father." He looked into her eyes in question.

She had never really considered motherhood. Honestly, it terrified her. Her own mother hadn't been very good, and her life was almost very different. What if she did no better?

She looked up at Zuko. He seemed confident. Not to mention, she wouldn't be the child's only mother. If she was doing poorly, Kya or Suki would certainly step in to correct her. She smiled. "Alright."

Zuko pulled away, his head pulling down to her hips. "Your turn."

Before June could react, his mouth made contact with her clit. She cried out in surprise and pleasure as he began toying with it softly. He barely brushed his lips across it, and pangs shot through her body.

He quickly moved down to her folds. He began licking, testing her sensitivity. Soon his tongue was buried inside her, granting pleasure that she hadn't experienced last time. When did he get so good at this? Her thoughts were interrupted by another barrage of pleasure as he switched back to her clitoris.

She trembled, trying to hold back her release. "Zuko, stop. I'm going to-"

His fingers entered her, pushing up towards her top, and pulling, gesturing for her to come. And indeed she did. His mouth continued sucking on her clit she orgasmed, a light splatter of fluids ejecting from her gash.

She didn't even notice, lost in bliss as Zuko climbed onto her. He began kissing her neck, unafraid of the marks that would show. Let the world know she is mine. In one swift thrust, he buried himself deep inside her.

She screamed, squirming with pleasure. He tried to take note of what she enjoyed, and he began experimenting. For the next several minutes, he tried pushing faster or deeper, slower or shallow, and finding the right angle for the job. To his surprise, most of her moans came when he pulled out, not when he pushed in. Her folds begged his shaft to never leave, and the sensation was incredible when he tried.

He began pushing in slowly, then suddenly pulled out most of the way. Her cries encouraged him, so he continued. His mouth moved lower, locking onto her breasts as he began to suckle on them. June's breasts were extremely sensitive.

Unfortunately, his endurance was almost up. He began pumping in and out rapidly as June met his lips for another kiss. She pulled back. "Zuko, I-" He statement was cut short as thumb scraped her clit again. "Zuko, I really…"

She was trembling in earnest now. "ZUKO, I LOVE YOU!" Their climaxes arrived at that very moment, and he buried himself deep within her loving core, ensuring every drop would arrive in her womb.

Zuko looked down at his lover, panting for breath. She was sweating profusely, her mouth agape as an aftershock hit her. He gently pulled out of her, a slight pop sounding as another shock shook her body. She sighed in contentment.

He rolled off to her side, wrapping his arms around her. "You're beautiful." He kissed her neck, marking a very dark hickey just under her chin. She hummed and rolled to face him.

"And you are very talented."

He chuckled at the innuendo and sighed. "I wish life could go on for a while this way."

June raised a brow. "With jealousy rife in your harem?"

Zuko gave her a concerned look. "With you and Kya? I thought that was over!"

June shook her head. "Katara and Mai. Wait, you really haven't noticed? Those two are nemeses!"

He groaned. "Can't we just pretend that everything's okay? Just for one night?"

June pressed against him, snuggling into his shoulder.

"Just for tonight."

REVIEW OR THE TURTLE-DUCK WAS POISONED AND THEY WAKE UP DEAD HAHA

That should give those pesky servants something to talk about. If they aren't busy trying to make their own harem haha