A/N:

More of our toxic couple

Chapter 25:

Getting herself out of bed, Katara bathed and let the servants dress her. They had to add makeup to her face due to her puffy eyes and her tear stained cheeks. She wore a flat expression the entire time. Hating herself. Hating her life. And hating him all so very much that she was forcing herself to bear through with this pointless marriage and make his life as much of a living hell as her life was. She didn't want to be bitter all the rest of her life but he really didn't seem to understand that she hated him.

Once her crown was nestled in her topknot, the Fire Lady took to the halls to reach her husband's office and discuss what the plan was for their guests. She knew he was probably not going to want to see her after this morning but if they couldn't be cordial, they needed to at least be able to discuss business. There were more important things than their private life. Hopefully, he'd know that.

Reaching his office, the guards opened the doors for her and she waltzed in with no problem. Katara saw there were two Earth Kingdom representatives sitting in front of her husband's desk, laughing and sharing sake very early in the morning. As soon as her presence was known, the three men rose and she was greeted warmly by the guest as her husband poured himself more sake to drink.

Katara offered them a pleasant smile and thanked them for coming.

"You make quite the Fire Lady, your majesty." One of them began as he took her hand and kissed it. "Beautiful as always."

Ozai accidentally broke the sake glass when he saw his wife blush at the compliment and everyone looked in his direction to see he was annoyed.

Chuckling, "Ah, forgive me, I didn't mean to upset you." The representative apologized. "Lucky man you are, your majesty."

"Perhaps, we can resume later with the rest of our envoy. I'm sure they'd love to hear this plan of yours as well." The other representatives said.

As the men left, Ozai shot his wife a dirty look as he sat back down and focused his gaze on the paperwork in front of him. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what we planned to discuss with our guests to better relations." Katara said as she approached his desk.

Dipping his quill in ink, Ozai didn't bother looking up at his wife as he signed a document. "I'll deal with our guests. You can do something else."

"Like?"

"Anything but keep standing in my face."

Katara furrowed her brows and knocked the quill out of his hand, splattering ink over his work. She watched him fume and force himself to remain calm even though she could literally see smoke leaving his nostrils. His amber eyes were on her as she stared impassively at him.

"Why. Are. You. Taunting. Me?" Ozai bit out as he was trying his best not to yell at her while they had guests in the palace.

Staring at him, "I just felt like bothering you. Just want to get under your skin."

Ozai got up from his desk and stormed out of his office. Katara decided to follow behind him. She had to speed walk to match his stride but she managed to get up at his side, grabbing his arm to hold to.

"Let go." He hissed quietly.

"You want me to be clingy. You should be loving this."

Pausing, Ozai turned to his wife about to tell her off but she pulled his hand to her face, nuzzling her face into the palm of his hand. "I don't want to be away from you."

Confused, Ozai was going to ask her what the hell was wrong with her when he heard footsteps coming towards them and he saw his son and brother walk up to them. He mentally begrudged the 'act' Katara was so easily putting on but he wouldn't complain. They needed to keep public appearance up whenever others were around. Moving his hand into her hair, Ozai pulled her to him and kissed her on the lips. She grabbed his face and kissed him harder. His arms wrapped around her waist and his hand grabbed her ass. Katara tried sticking her tongue in his mouth until Iroh cleared his throat.

Pulling apart, the two straightened themselves out and turned around to acknowledge the two. Katara covered her mouth with her hand as her lips were swollen and she bashfully looked away from Iroh, who found this all too amusing.

"Perhaps you two need a room." Iroh chuckled.

Ozai side eyed Katara as she grabbed back onto his arm, "I think it best we aren't left alone."

"Agreed." Katara said as she smirked up at him. "You do get ahead of yourself."

"Only because you're a tease."

"I can't help that you get the wrong idea."

Snorting, "Wrong idea or you just wanting to test my patience."

Iroh raised his brow. He couldn't tell if they were serious or playing around. But Zuko had had enough of it and stormed off.

"Nephew." Iroh called after Zuko as Katara and Ozai watched indifferently.

"He needs to grow the fuck up." Ozai scoffed.

"Agreed." Katara replied.

Iroh saw the two of them staring scornfully at his nephew.

"So any plans for the day, you two?"

"Well, Ozai and I were-"

"I think it best that I deal with the representatives myself. They're a little too forward with you and I don't want to have to beat a man for kissing my wife's hand again." Ozai removed his arm from her and pushed her towards Iroh. "Keep her company. She's lonely." He said bitterly as he walked off.

Katara sighed and saw Iroh looking for her to explain.

"I stabbed him while we were in the middle of marital relations and before that, I smothered him with a pillow while punching it over his face." Katara confessed. "I hate him and he's upset I don't love him like he claims to love me. That's the truth."

Taken aback, Iroh was stuck on how she stabbed him and lived.

…..

Sitting down with Iroh and Suki, Katara was able to tell them what was really going on behind the facade of things between her and Ozai. She drank her tea and noticed the two of them were eyeing her funny as she described all the details with very little emotion. They looked concerned and confused. Hell, she was concerned and confused herself. She literally hated her husband's guts but felt bad whenever she shot him down for just wanting to make things better. It was a paradox.

"So...you two are just pretending to be a loving couple?" Suki wanted to make sure she was getting this right.

"I am, at least. Ozai, he cares more than I do."

"Surely you must feel something. I've seen the way you look at him." Iroh pointed out.

Katara shrugged and drank more of her tea. Whatever she felt, she was keeping those feelings locked up after she threw the key away. Fear and pride kept her from attempting to work with her husband that obviously wanted to fix their relationship.

"Ozai wants us to go on a trip, just the two of us to the beach, then to the South Pole to see my grandmother, and then to Ba Seng Sei to work on a way to better relations between our countries. He got the wrong idea about me being nice to him and thought I wanted to go on some romantic getaway with him. He's really a moron. La, I can't stand him." Katara told them, every bit as annoyed as she was this morning.

Suki and Iroh exchanged looks with each other.

"I'm confused. So what do you want from him?" Suki tilted her head. "Like how are you two supposed to get better?"

"Who says I want to?" Katara asked back.

"Ummm...Katara, I think what we're trying to figure out is why you're purposely being a hindrance in your relationship?" Iroh tilted his head.

Shrugging, "He gets on my nerves and I really just don't like him." Katara said.

"I don't believe it." Suki sighed.

"I don't think I'm buying it either."

"What? You guys want me to get along with him?!" Katara stared at them in disbelief.

The two nodded.

"You said he told you he married you more for your benefit than his own." Suki pointed out.

Katara furrowed her brows, "Did I mention to you how he promised never to hurt me again but caused me to miscarry because he was angry that I wasn't being vocal enough for him?"

"Yes, but you've dealt him some blows and he hasn't retaliated. We can only assume he's apologetic and trying to make things better or somehow earn your forgiveness. I know my brother is not an easy man to deal with, I'm sure Ursa has told you a little bit of what she went through with him but maybe you should give it another shot, if it doesn't work, that's fine. Return to being cold towards him but he's trying, you should too."

The waterbender folded her arms as she couldn't believe she was getting lectured. But little did she know, they just wanted her to stop provoking Ozai and making her life harder than it had to be. What if he turned on her, fed up with everything, and became merciless towards her? None of them wanted that for her. They felt as long as the relationship was maintained she'd be safe and Ozai's cruel nature would be buried deep. Getting along with him was best for Katara and the fragile state of the world. She had to see that.

…..

Zhao informed the Fire Lord that a few of their guests wanted dinner with him and his wife. He knew Ozai really didn't want to be near his wife right now after she shot him down this morning over a trip he had planned for them. Honestly, Zhao wanted to strangle that ungrateful bitch. She really dared to make her husband feel like a fool when he was going out of his way for her. Zhao had given his two scents about the matter and Ozai wasn't completely in agreement. Of course, he didn't want to humiliate his wife or force his affections on her like before, but could the man do when she was being such a bitch.

Rubbing his temple, "It's fine. Katara knows to keep up appearances. She'll be tolerable for the evening."

"But afterwards do you think it's fair she treats you the way she has?"

Actually, he did think it was fair. Given their history over the last two years, he was surprised she hadn't killed him yet and that she would even attempt to work with him as his Fire Lady. But as his wife, Katara was cold and indifferent. It was frustrating but he hated that a part of him knew she was only like this because of his faults. Ozai thought for sure she was warming up to him and figured planning a trip for them would improve things even more. But he wasn't going to force himself and his feelings on her, he had told her that and he intended to stick to his word.

"Katara has her reasons. I won't punish her for being honest about her feelings." Ozai seldomly said. "In the end, she takes her position as Fire Lady serious and she plays along nicely when we're in front of others. I'll just bear through this until she finally sees I mean well."

"And if she never sees?" Zhao asked.

Ozai sighed as he looked to the blue flame he manifested in his hand and made it take the form of his wife. "Then I'll just die the way I came into this world. Not everyone is supposed to have a happy ending."

"I really do hate her."

Sulking while letting the flame of his wife dance, "I know but she's my wife. Watch what you say about her."

"As you wish."

….

"What?!" Sokka couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Zuko sat on the edge of his bed and held his head in his hands, "I literally watched them making out in the middle of the halls. Like who even does that?"

Sokka was thankful he didn't see it. He would knock that creep out for putting his hands on his sister. He didn't care if they were married or not.

"I think she was about to put her tongue in his mouth." Zuko swallowed hard as he squeezed his eyes tight.

Shaking his head as he rocked his son back and forth in his arms, "I will kill you if you tell me anymore."

"Hey, guys, we need to get dressed. There's a dinner arrangement tonight and we're expected to be there." Suki said as she entered the chambers to see her husband and Zuko looking out of it. "Is everything okay?"

"Zuko saw my sister and Ozai making out in the halls!" Sokka said squeamishly as his wife took their son from his arms.

Suki shrugged, "It's all an act." She said.

"What?!" The two men said in unison.

Suki told them what Katara told her and Iroh. Apparently, things were one sided but Katara went along with it because she knew they had to maintain appearances. But behind closed doors Katara had smothered Ozai, beaten him in his sleep, and stabbed him. Things were not pretty between them.

While Zuko saw this as a perfect chance to expose his father, Sokka was trying to figure out if his sister had really lost her mind.

"Come, Katara said the servants that look after Soji and Kai will watch Tota. We need to get ready for this dinner."

….

Things were quiet between the married couple. They didn't say anything as they were getting ready in their bedroom for the dinner. Katara kept thinking about what Iroh and Suki told her and it only made her that much more conflicted because they were somewhat right about staying on Ozai's good side. But also, she did want to move past the bad blood with him, she just didn't know how or if it was safe to do so. What if he turned on her again? La, she couldn't handle that happening ever again.

Blue eyes glanced over to the alabaster skin of her husband's back as he was applying his cologne. She really wished things could work and maybe they could but she wasn't ready to make a move in that direction yet. She was still very much hurt, otherwise, she wouldn't have her walls so high.

When the servants dressed them both for the evening, Katara saw Ozai was toying with his wrist and decided to see what was wrong. She came up by his side and took a look, seeing his cufflink had come undone. The waterbender wordlessly offered her assistance and it was accepted. She felt his gaze on her and noticed the pattern his heart normally beat change for just a second.

Sighing as she helped him with his other cufflink, "I don't want to hate you, Ozai. I wish I could return your feelings. I want us to be like the husband and wife we portrayed to everyone last night. I want what you want but...you hurt me and I can't just forgive you for that. You have to know that is not easy for me to do." Katara lifted her gaze to him once she was finished. "If you were me, Ozai, would you be forgiving?"

"No." He answered simply.

"Then you understand it's going to take me some time before I can return your feelings. It could be years."

"I can live with that."

"You sure?" Katara asked him. "Cause if you're not, you can always divorce me."

"Never." He replied sternly.

Katara nodded. "Okay then. In the meantime, don't read too much into what I do. I'll make my feelings clear to you when I've determined what they are. I'll tell you in words. I'm just in need of human affection and you're my only option other than my sons."

"Very well." Ozai was reluctant because he couldn't help but think she was softening up to him when she got clingy. He was always going to assume her feelings when she sought affection from him. But he'd work on not making it more than it was.

The two made their way to the dining hall to be greeted by their guests and dine with them. It was a less formal occasion than the banquet and so everyone was more lax. Everyone just stood and walked around holding their plates of easily eaten foods to allow them to freely mingle. Katara spoke with a few officials she was familiar with while Ozai spoke with other officials that wanted insight on his plans for the Fire Nation and its position in the world. A lot of what the Fire Lord had to say was to everyone's liking. Seemed he had a different outlook with the war being over but he jokingly blamed his wife for making him seek a different approach to things.

While speaking with Official Ping and his wife about a possible trading agreement, Ozai kept his arm around his wife's waist as she held a wine glass that the two of them had shared. A few officials commented on how close and affection the couple was. Especially given their history in the war. The two laughed it off and continued their facade. Everything was fine until Zuko showed up in front of them.

"You're not fooling me." The banished former Fire Lord said as he interrupted the conversation the couple was having with Official Ping and his wife. "You two are putting on an act."

The comment caught the attention of the whole room and Iroh tried stopping his nephew.

"Excuse me?" Katara replied before Ozai could say anything and handed him her glass.

Furrowing his brows, "I know the truth. I know you hate his guts and rightfully so. Especially after all the abuse he's put you through when he kidnapped you."

The room was full of gasps.

"Want to tell everyone how exactly you ended up pregnant with Soji? Or should I tell them how my father forced himself on you for months until we finally found you?" Zuko asked.

Everyone in the room was speechless but things got even crazier when the Fire Lady marched up to her friend and slapped him across his face.

Glaring furiously at him, "Or you can tell everyone how you impregnated me not long before you became Fire Lord and abandoned me for a woman that tried to kill me and our son!"

"Katar-"

"Shut up, Zuko! Don't go making shit up just because you're upset your father married me when you wouldn't!" Katara snarled as she shoved her finger in his chest.

"I'm not making this shit up! I'm telling the truth! And you know it! Why are you defending him?!" He was in disbelief.

"Because he's my husband and you've insulted us both! You're a guest here now, Zuko! Don't step out of line!"

"This was my home first!"

"Well it's my home now and I won't have you making up false stories!"

"He raped and tortured you, Katara! Suki even told me everything!"

Katara was about to slap Zuko again when Ozai grabbed her and pulled her behind him as he glared at his son.

"You've said enough, Zuko. Why don't you have your uncle see you back to your rooms so you can sleep off the alcohol you clearly have been drinking plenty of?"

Iroh quickly grabbed his nephew before he could say anything else and forcefully removed him as Suki and Sokka quickly followed behind them.

With Zuko gone, Ozai looked over his wife and saw she was incredibly upset. Completely embarrassed. She was practically in tears and he didn't know what else to do but to pull her to him. Her face buried itself into his chest as she clung to his robes, sobbing.

"That jealous brat. I told you not to bring him." Another official told Official Ping.

Not at all happy with the former Fire Lord's outburst, "I didn't know he would make accusations like that."

Literally everyone believed what Zuko said was a lie. None of them could picture the waterbender siding with Ozai if any of that were true but little did they know it was.

Having to end dinner early due to the incident, Ozai took Katara back to their chambers and sat in bed while she locked herself in the bathroom crying. He really didn't know how to comfort her. Especially when she was embarrassed by his son bringing up their past. Though no one had bought it, it was still not a good look.

When Katara finally came out, she was undressed and climbed into bed, sniffling the last of her tears away.

"I'm sorry about tonight." Katara apologized. "I shouldn't have responded to Zuko."

Ozai looked over his shoulder as he sat at the edge of his side of the bed. "You did nothing wrong, Katara. Just go to sleep."

"Are you going to leave?"

"Yes."

Katara pulled the covers up to her face, "Okay then...Goodnight."

"Night."

…..

In the morning, Katara was having her breakfast in the study, trying to keep herself busy with something. She figured with the healthcare plan she devised being put into motion in a few weeks that she needed to find something else to do. At the moment, they had foreign guests here that were wanting better relations with the Fire Nation. She and Ozai seemed to win them over so far with their public personas. However, it would take more than that to make things better in the long run.

Katara was very familiar with the state of the Earth Kingdom as a whole. The southern regions had a lot of issues with droughts and having had their resources depleted from the 100 year war. The Northern half was not hit as hard and still had most of their resources intact. She tried coming up with a trade plan that would benefit both territories while also benefiting the Fire Nation. It would be a bit challenging and perhaps, she'd need to propose the idea of a trade agreement and then present the terms when she and Ozai left the country. Maybe it would give her enough time to make a solid plan.

As she drafted up a few ideas just for brainstorming purposes, Katara heard a knock on the threshold of the study and looked up. She saw her husband had returned and was already dressed for the day. Her eyes only lingered on him for a moment before she looked back down on her work.

"What are you working on?" Ozai asked her as he entered the study.

Jotting down another idea, "A trade proposal. It might take a while to come up with a plan that'll work but I want to propose an idea to our guests."

"I can have one of the ministers work on it." Ozai told her.

Pulling her hair behind her ear, "None of your ministers have been to the Earth Kingdom nor do they know the common issues in different territories throughout the Earth Kingdom. I, however, do."

"But you still need my permission to bring this up to our guests."

Katara set her quill down, "So you don't want me working on this?"

"No, I don't." He said sternly.

"Why not?" She kneaded her brows in confusion.

Ozai only stared at her. He didn't say anything. Just waited for her to figure out why it was he didn't want her working on it. But she didn't quite understand.

"Okay, Ozai, you don't want me to do this. What can I do?"

"I'm sure our sons will want to see their mother. Perhaps, you should go spend time with them."

Katara's attempt to be in a better mood vanished all in a few words of disapproval. She pushed herself out of the study chair and rolled up the plan she was brainstorming, shoving it into the desk drawer.

When the waterbender left the room, Ozai went to the desk drawer and pulled out what she had written. Seemed she had a little more insight on the Earth Kingdom. However, he didn't want her working with their guests or really any other projects for a while.

…..

"Good job, Kai." Katara applauded her eldest son as he showed her the routine firebending exercise he was working on with his instructors. She held her youngest, Soji, in a sash over her chest that mothers tend to use to carry infants.

The three were in the gardens spending some time together. Kai mostly wanted to show his mother everything he learned in both firebending and his formal education. She was happy that Kai was doing well here. It was the one thing that let her know she couldn't just get up and leave. Things might not be what she wanted. Her marriage surely wasn't but if her children thrived, she'd have no complaints or desires to leave this place.

Ming brought over some sweets from the kitchen and set them on the patio by the pond for them. The Fire Lady invited her to eat with them but she had to refuse. The Fire Lord had given her orders to maintain her role as a servant when others were around and though they were the only ones in this part of the garden, someone could easily stumble upon them.

"I'll deal with my husband. Just eat with us." Katara assured the woman.

"But your majesty, I can't. Your husband's orders override yours. I'll be punished if I disobey." Ming tried to explain.

Sighing, Katara nodded and accepted this.

"Mama, is it okay if I call grandpa papa?" Kai said as he bit into the sweet bun.

"Why would you do that?"

Kai shrugged, "Cause my real dad doesn't want me but grandpa always tells me I'm his son."

Katara listened to her son tell him how his grandfather visited him a lot during his instructional time and praised him for his firebending, telling him he would make a fearsome firebender someday. Apparently, Ozai would call him son and told him when he was old enough, he'd take over teaching him. Kai showed his mother the armbands his grandfather got him and told him it helped firebenders focus their chi.

"If he's okay with it, you can call him that." Katara told him as she felt a little bothered that her son felt his own father didn't want him, which he wasn't entirely wrong. Zuko had a chance to connect with his son but he didn't even try once he had the opportunity. Ozai might have his faults as a father in the past but he was more a father to Kai than Zuko ever was.

Holding Kai's hand as she cradled Soji in his sash, Katara was planning to go see Ursa to hopefully have someone to talk to. She just needed to have a normal conversation with someone, anyone. Ozai wasn't an option and he stopped Ming from being able to be her friend. Her actual friends were estranged and she didn't know how to talk to them anymore. Things hadn't been the same since she was kidnapped. Sure, she had her kids but they were her kids, there was only so much she could talk to them about. Other than Ursa, she didn't have anyone and it made her extremely lonely.

Arriving at the private sanctum of the palace, Katara saw Ursa was speaking with someone and noticed that that someone was Zuko. She paused and so did Kai. She noticed this and looked down at her son to see he looked upset.

"Mama, I don't want to see him." Kai said.

Katara nodded, "We'll come back when he leaves." She told her son.

Kai nodded.

As they were about to leave, they ran into Iroh and were greeted with a warm smile. Kai seemed to smile back at the old man as he was familiar with Iroh always being nice to him. Iroh offered a hug to the boy and Kai accepted. Katara didn't say much as she wanted to leave before Zuko or Ursa noticed them but it was too late. She heard Ursa calling her name and the Fire Lady reluctantly turned around to see them both approaching.

"Katara, I have good news." Ursa said as she reached them.

"Good news, what is it?" She tried not to be obvious about not wanting to be here.

"Ozai says I can leave with Iroh and Zuko. He's not forcing me to stay."

Katara forced a smile but it was awkward because this was not good news to her. Ursa leaving meant she'd really be alone here. But she should be happy. Ursa hated this place and hated being near her ex. She knew Ursa's experience with Ozai was much worse than her own and it wasn't right for her to want her to stay.

"That's great." Katara pushed herself to say. "I'm glad you can be away from this place."

Ursa hugged Katara, being careful not to squish the sleeping baby resting in the sash and whispered quietly, "I'm sorry I have to leave you here."

Hugging her back, "It's okay. I'll be fine." Katara lied.

Katara noticed Zuko staring at her as she was hugging his mother and she quickly pulled away, "Well, we'll come back to see you before you leave."

"Actually, Katara, I wanted to talk to you." Zuko spoke up.

Immediately, the waterbender's eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

"I think you've said enough."

"Please, let me explain myself."

Furrowing her brows, Katara looked to Kai and saw her son nodded. Looking back at Zuko.

"Fine."

While Ursa and Iroh looked after Kai, Katara was pulled aside by Zuko to speak and she warned him not to raise his voice since Soji was resting. She saw his gold eyes gaze down at the son she had with his father and stare scornfully. It pissed her off that he was looking at her infant son that way when his own son didn't even want to be near him.

Refocusing his gaze on her, "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"Then what were you trying to do, Zuko? You told everyone your father raped me!" She hissed quietly.

"It's true."

"But don't you think that makes me look just as bad? Your father doesn't even want me around our guests now. Even though no one believes it, it doesn't look good."

Zuko nodded. He had been drinking and he couldn't stand seeing the two of them pretending to be a perfect couple when he knew the truth. Katara was miserable here. Suki and his uncle told him as much. But he wasn't thinking straight when he confronted them in front of everyone. He was told his father ended the dinner early because Katara had been so upset.

"Katara, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Of course not." Katara's welled with tears. "You didn't think about how that would make me look or that maybe if I am so miserable, pretending is the only way I forget about what goes on in private. You have no idea what I've been dealing with. I'm only keeping it together for my sons. How dare you come here and try to tell me what I already know. You don't even know the half of it."

The waterbender was about to leave when as she didn't want to say anything else but Zuko stopped her, hugging her from behind.

"Please, Katara, I still love you. I hate this as much as you do."

Shaking her head, "Leave me alone, Zuko. We're over! We've been over! Why don't you get that?!"

Zuko was going to reply until Soji woke up from his mother raising her voice and started crying. Katara tore herself away from him and tried soothing her son but he wouldn't calm down. The baby's crying and her bottled up emotions were causing her to cry profusely as she rocked the child. Trying to calm him and herself down.

"Kat-"

"Get away from me!" Katara screamed.

Hearing the woman's voice, Ursa and Iroh looked in the direction where Katara was. Kai ran from them and went to where his mother was crying. He immediately went to kick Zuko in his knee and push him away from his mother. Taken aback by this, Zuko saw his son glaring at him before yelling.

"Saying away from my mom and little brother!" Kai yelled. "You're a bad man! I'll get my dad on you!"

Zuko wanted to say something to his son. Tell him that he was his father. That he wasn't trying to hurt his mother but then the boy threw a fireball at him.

Iroh hurried to step between them, telling Kai to go with his grandmother and take his mother to go rest. Kai nodded but shot his father a mean look.

"Don't come near us again." Kai said to Zuko.

….

Ozai was in a meeting with his ministers and a few officials from Ba Seng Sei when a servant came up to him and let him know in confidence that the palace physician had been called to give his wife a sedative. The Fire Lord resumed his meetings, deciding to check on her when he wrapped things up here.

The meeting lasted another hour and Ozai was then pulled into a thirty minute conversation with officials that wanted to set up a time for him to meet the Earth King. He eventually got around to going to see how his wife was but when he got there she was asleep in the middle of their bed. Her servant, Ming, was looking after her and demanded she tell him what happened.

"Her majesty had run into your eldest son. The conversation wasn't pleasant and she became hysterical, so Lady Ursa asked that the palace physician put her to sleep for the time being." Ming said as she applied a warm wet cloth over the Fire Lady's puffy eyes.

Clenching his fists, "Arrange for me to speak with that idiot."

"Yes, your majesty."

A little while later, in his sitting room playing himself in pai sho, Ozai saw his son had finally brought to him and already the bastard looked upset.

"Have a seat." Ozai told Zuko as the servants left him standing a few feet in front of him.

Refusing, Zuko folded his arms.

"Have a seat before I make you!" Ozai shouted as he threw the pai sho piece aside.

Not coming here for a fight, Zuko reluctantly took a seat and stared at his father.

"What happened earlier with Katara?" Ozai asked as he resumed his game.

"We talked. She got upset and Kai attacked me because he thought I was hurting her." Zuko said harshly as he glared at his father. "For some reason, he thinks you're his father."

Ozai maintained his focus on his game, "I might not have been the one to sire him but he is my son and I am his father."

"Like hell!"

Lifting his gaze from his game, "There's more to being a father than impregnating a woman with your seed. Just as Katara was in labor, I showed up to take her and my child where I can watch over them. 'Your' son was right in your face and you ignored him. The boy hates you."

Furrowing his brows as he suddenly realized this.

"He knows who you are but in his mind he believes you don't want him. I don't blame him. You've never spoken a word to him. Katara has told me as much. But back to the issue at hand, Katara is my wife, as a husband, I don't appreciate another man upsetting my wife. If you had a wife, surely you'd understand this."

Zuko clenched his fists.

"Our marriage is not perfect. Far from it. She hates my guts to be very honest and you've discovered how far that hate goes from you mentioning it last night in front of everyone, embarrassing Katara and myself. I'm working on it. I've made her unhappy and I have to fix it. But in the meantime, you will not harass her. Keep your distance or things will get ugly." Ozai warned. "Understood?"

Zuko hated how his father was talking down to him like a child.

"I asked you if you understood?"

Standing to his feet, "Understood."

As Zuko stormed out, Ozai sighed and went back to his game.

…

It was night when Katara woke and found it must really be late because her husband was asleep on his side of the bed. She sat up slowly and slipped out of the bed, tiptoeing to the bathroom. The waterbender ran herself some water and poured an elixir in it to make bubbles. Once the water was right where she wanted it, Katara undressed and slowly slipped herself into the warm water.

A few minutes into her soaking, she saw the bathroom door open and her husband lean against the doorway, his arms folded. Her gaze fell from him and stared at the bubbles.

"Want to tell me what's going on with you?" Ozai asked her.

Katara tilted her head and waved her hand over the bubbles, "I will if you can get the servants to bring some wine."

Ten minutes later Katara had her wine and even invited her husband to join her in the bath and drink with her. He didn't even think about it and got in. The tub was basically a mini pool and allotted her enough space to be comfortable from him, though she noticed he made himself comfortable directly in front of her. She could literally feel his large feet touching her thighs.

"Going to tell me now?" He asked her again.

Katara had to drink her entire glass, refill it, drink it all, and then fill it again to sip on before she could say anything. Once she got herself together, the waterbender sighed and looked at her husband with a somber expression.

"I'm sorry...about the other morning." Her eyes fell away from him. "You were only trying to cheer me up and I was rude and insensitive. I shouldn't have been. There are times when you don't necessarily deserve it. And you haven't done anything to deserve me snapping at you like that in recent. So, I'm sorry...truly."

Watching the waterbender sweep her wet hair from her face, "You're forgiven." He said and tilted his head, eyes still on her.

Sighing in relief, Katara drank more of her wine and then some more. "Also," she started as she was starting to feel the wine hit her. "I needed to ask you something."

"And that is?"

"What made you want me? You could have whoever you wanted but you wanted me, why?"

Smirking, "Our little adventure together made me want you. At first, I wanted to kill you but then you just kept putting up a fight at every turn. I admired your resolve. Your strong will and resilience. You reminded me of myself."

"So you wanted me because I'm you, so you want yourself?" She seemed confused as she tried piecing it together.

Ozai laughed at this.

"What?"

"You should stop drinking, waterbender." He told her and moved towards her, taking the glass away from her.

Staring up at him as he loomed over her, setting her wine glass away from her, Katara's eyes roamed from his face down.

"We can talk more when you've sobered up." Ozai told her, knowing she wasn't thinking straight. "Let's get you in bed…"

Refocusing his eyes on her, he saw she wasn't staring at his chest and then down where his lower half disappeared into the water. Her eyes shot back up to him when he reached to cup the side of her face. Ozai saw her face was flushed from the heat of the bath and the wine. He watched as her wide eyes soon became hazy and longing took shape in them.

"Don't take this the wrong way." She told him.

"Take what the wrong w-"

Katara jumped to wrap her arms around his neck and smashed her lips to him, pulling him down to her. His hand went to her thigh, pulling it up to his waist as he pushed her up against the edge of the tub and pried her mouth open to shove his tongue into her mouth. She grabbed his face and sucked on his tongue, moving herself against him in a sensual fashion.

"Fuck me, Ozai."

That, he was definitely going to do. Breaking his lips from hers, Ozai went to bite her neck as he lifted her thigh a little higher and entered her. She moaned blissfully as her nails raked his shoulders and then his back.

Finding themselves in bed, Katara's voice borrowed in her husband's ears as he had her on her back, thrusting into her dripping wet sex. He caressed her skin and sucked on her neck as he held her tight to him, not wanting any space between them. The waterbender clawed his skin, begging him for more and wanting him deeper.

"I'm cumming!" Katara panted.

Moving his mouth to her breast, Ozai thrusted harder into her, wanting her to cum hard for him. And as soon as he felt the rush of her juices spill all over his cock, the Fire Lord repositioned himself over her and pounded her juicy pussy even harder. Katara screamed so loudly that he had ringing in his eardrums and her nail dug so deep that his back was bleeding.

"Yes! Yes! YES!" His wife screamed directly in his ear as she hugged him to her.

When Ozai finally came, the waterbender grabbed his face and kissed him passionately as he rolled off of her. She threw her leg on him and he held her against him, running his hand up and down her thigh.

"You feel so fucking good." Ozai murmured against her lips, feeling her up and obsessing over how soft her skin was. "Agni, I only want you."

Katara giggled as he trailed kisses from jaw down to her breast, nipping at her nipple.

"None of those whores are as good as my queen." He showered her in praise. "Say the word and I'll get rid of all of them."

Still hazy from the wine and her climax, Katara combed her fingers through his hair. "I want to be good to you, Ozai. I do but it's hard. It's really hard."

Pulling his head up from her breasts, Ozai moved back up to look her directly in the eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt you, waterbender." He caressed the side of her face as she cried.

"I don't forgive you." She shook her head.

Ozai pressed his lips to her forehead, "Then I'll go until you do."

When he started pulling away from her, Katara quickly grabbed him and tried pulling him back into bed. "Don't go. Please, I don't want to be alone."

"Fine but I'm not done with you yet. You can stop me when the sun comes up." Ozai told her and tugged the waterbender into his lap, pushing his length back into her.

Ming was surprised to find the Fire Lord and Lady the way she did the following morning. Every servant was pretty sure they wouldn't catch the sight of the two like this again. The two were laying at the foot of the bed, the Fire Lord on top of his wife as she cradled his head to her breasts. They were both snoring, clearly having been up late into the night.

Waking the two proved to be challenging and an unsavory sight. Neither of them looked too happy to be disturbed and the Fire Lord told them to all get the fuck out before making himself comfortable against his wife again, his face buried in her breasts. When the couple did finally decide to wake up, Ozai had missed two morning meetings and breakfast with Official Ping. However, he felt he had a good excuse. He was exhausted. His back hurt and he was sure Katara caused him to pull a muscle in his thigh last night. He'd have to get back to morning workouts if he was going to keep up with his wife when she had need of him.

Groaning as she rolled over on her side as Ozai was sitting up, "You don't need me to do anything today, do you?" She asked him.

Ozai brushed her out of her face and kissed her lips, "You can go back to sleep."

"Good. I'll get up in a few more hours." Katara said as she pulled the covers to her head. "I have a really bad hangover."

…

The week was slowly coming to an end and Katara felt slightly better. She still hadn't forgiven Ozai and she held onto some of her resentment towards him as well but she was willing to soften up to him for her own sake. She needed affection from time to time. As for sex, she decided it wasn't something he should get too comfortable with between them. Not until she was completely ready to move past their past. But she was willing if the need came over her. Which the last few days she had been in dire need.

"I have a meeting in ten minutes." Ozai told Katara as he had her up against the wall, his face buried in her neck. "I'll have to wrap this up."

Katara begged him to just show up late again but he had been late three days in a row now.

"We can continue tonight." He promised her as he kissed her cheek and gripped her thighs tight as he took her with much more violent thrusts to make things quick.

Finishing, Ozai carried the waterbender back to their bed and disposed of her there. She laid there and pouted.

"We have weeks to go at it." He reminded her of the trip as he buckled his pants back up.

Katara sat up on her elbows, "What if I don't feel like it then?"

"I said I'd bring a few concubines. I'll entertain myself." Ozai told her.

Furrowing her brows at this, Katara forced herself to look away from him and scowl off to the side.

"If you told me you wanted to be the only one to fulfill my needs, I'd make it just us." Ozai took her by her chin and forced her to look at him. "I can live with only having you but you've made it clear you're not ready for that. I can be patient."

Tearing her chin from him, "I definitely won't touch you while you have your dick in some other woman." Katara said as she climbed out of the bed and hurried herself to the bathroom, slamming the door.

Ozai sighed and ran his hand through his hair. That woman was really confusing him. She said she hated him still all while riding him in the middle of the night with her lips passionately kissing him. Told him she didn't forgive him when she clung to him lovingly, begging him not to let go. And she wanted other women to look after him but is seemingly jealous of the idea that he'd be with anyone but her. He told her she was who he wanted but she didn't want him the same way. What did she want from him?

After his meeting, Ozai ran into his brother who was seeming to have a conversation with Katara's brother. They both looked at him with different expressions. Iroh looked his usual jolly self while Katara's brother was clearly not fond of him.

"Ozai, this is your wife's brother, Chieftain Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe." Iroh formally introduced the two. "And Sokka, I'm sure you're more than familiar with Fire Lord Ozai."

Sokka sucked his teeth, "The man that killed my father and raped my sister, how could I not be familiar with him?" He said disdainfully.

"Wish I could say I was as familiar with you. Katara has never mentioned you." Ozai lied but was very nonchalant about it. "I guess you don't mean much to her."

The Chieftain was about to retort something until Iroh stopped him.

"How about we put the past behind us, shall we?" Iroh came between the two men.

Both men scoffed and averted their gaze from each other.

"You hurt my sister. I can't forgive that."

"On that matter, I only answer to her. You and anyone else can shut the fuck up about it. None of you fucks were there. It wasn't what you thought."

"So, you didn't kidnap my sister and force yourself on her?"

"There was more to it."

"I'm sure but it doesn't change that you did it at all."

"How about you stop wasting your breath with me and go see your sister, since you care so much." Ozai said sarcastically.

"Fine! When can I see her?" Sokka folded his arms.

"Tonight. Dinner. Bring your wife and child." Ozai said before abruptly leaving as his nerves were bad.

Iroh gave thumbs up to Sokka and the Chieftain scoffed.

"I better not see them do anything weird or gross."

Chuckling, "I'm not sure what you expect from married people, Sokka."

…...

A/N:

Alrighty, Wondering how long this couple is going to last before they blow up again. Katara wants affection without feelings and Ozai wants her to feel something for him. Or will everything turn out for the best? Not sure, Katara seems pretty hellbent on not giving in.