KISSES OF FIRE AND ICE
Summary:
Katara and Zuko's relationship is built to be strong after searching for Yon Rha. Sparks fly between them during their time together on Ember Island, neither act of their feelings until the Agni Kai. They kiss at the end of the battle with Azula, but in the aftermath deny their true feelings for one another. A year and dozens of letters later their attraction is put to the test during the Peace Summit in Omashu. What happens when Katara and Zuko are forced into an arranged marriage to ensure the Fire Nation will not start another war?
Hello! Hello!
I have always loved Avatar: The Last Airbender though, I will say I'm all Team Zutara, Kataang just didn't do it for me. This is why I am thrilled to be writing this FanFic! This idea has been in my head for years and finally, during quarantine I created an outline for it, more just to get it out of my head. But then after seeing my entire idea laid out, I couldn't not write it! So here we are posting a brand new FanFic.
DISCLAIMER:
To get some of the administrative stuff out of the way, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters from the show. I have adjusted some things to fit this FanFiction. There has also been a little bit of dialogue taken from the show for certain scenes. This will not be following any of the comics, only continuing from the end of season 3. Though I have added some things during the timeline of the show, which will be seen throughout some fun flashbacks.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Before we begin, I want to thank my sister for pushing me to write this story and to get back to FanFiction. Thank you for pushing me to write again, even though you told me you thought I was illiterate until you read this Fic. Haha! Thank you for helping me not only line edit but for pointing out plot holes, helping develop story ideas, as well as making sure we passed the Bechdel Test :) And of course, we cannot forget that you gave me the Azula ship! Which is pure perfection!
UPDATE SCHEDULE:
Our update schedule will be on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month in the mornings at 10:30 am CST. Always check my profile for Story News or follow me on Instagram JustAGirlWhoLikesToRead_ I will be posting some sneak peeks there as well as some incredible FanArt.
If you have followed me in the past, I have always posted in real-time as I write a story. But moving forward I have decided to post during my final edits instead. This means that in a little over a year this entire 40chapter story will be published. I hope you all enjoy it :)
REVIEWS:
Currently, I have Guest Reviewers turned on. Any rude or trolling reviews will be deleted. Constructive criticism is one thing, but using the Guest Review feature as an opportunity to be disrespectful is not welcome. If this becomes a pattern, I will turn them off. Please don't be the person who ruins it for everyone else.
Chapter One
"Thank you, Katara," Zuko rasped, gold eyes opening slowly to take in the waterbender as she healed him. His chest felt instantly better as the soothing water moved across it. The firebender's gasping breaths becoming deeper and more even as she worked to save his life.
"I think I should be the one thanking you," Katara whispered back, blinking back the onslaught of tears. She had felt a cross between terrified and awed when he jumped in front of her. The pure power Zuko had demonstrated as he redirected the lightning reminded her of the words Aunt Wu had said about her future husband almost a year ago. The waterbender's breathing was erratic as she concentrated on the wound in front of her.
Her hands were enveloped in water moving across his chest seamlessly as she worked, focusing only on the task at hand. She knew that she had to set aside her own emotion to save him. Katara could feel the blood rushing through his body as she healed him, timing the push and pull of the water to Zuko's own blood. His heartbeat strengthening and the smell of his burning flesh diminishing as she continued to save the firebender's life. She could see his torso rippling with every breath he took. Katara's eyes moved towards his face, the first thing she saw was hooded dark golden eyes looking at her.
The waterbender's breath caught in her throat. She felt like he was staring into her soul, she had never before felt as seen as she did at that moment by the Fire Nation Prince.
Zuko leaned forward, his hand coming up to brush back the silky lock of hair that had fallen out of its spot into her face. Her hair felt soft against his calloused hand. The firebender stroked the lock of hair back behind her ear, his hands leaving a stream of fire against her skin. He was taken back as he watched the expression of concern and terror across her face before it morphed into an emotion he did not recognize. Katara's sapphire eyes sparkled as they filled with tears as she healed him.
A tear rolled down her cheek leaving a trail in its wake. Zuko used his thumb to wipe away the tears that she didn't know were falling, his skin tingled as it touched hers. He looked into her deep blue eyes framed with long dark lashes, wet with tears. Her eyes which moments earlier had shown such fear, showed sweet relief now and that same emotion he didn't recognize. His chest itched and burned, the skin feeling taut as she continued to heal him, but Katara's touch alleviated the pain. Even with the pain, he would do it all again to save her.
Both didn't know when but the water that had been encompassing her hands, had fallen and now framed his body.
All he could feel was her skin against his, Katara pressed down toward him. Zuko pushed himself up so he was sitting. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close to him. She fell forward as he pulled her toward him and rested her hands on his biceps, fingers digging into to stop her descent. Katara was amazed to feel how strong he was, she felt small in his arms.
Zuko's hand that was cupping her face moved to wrap around the back of her neck. He pulled her face closer to his, she could feel his hot breath on her face as they moved closer. Katara stared into his hooded eyes, she felt a tingle of pleasure raced down her spine as she watched his tongue leave his mouth and lick his lips softly. This action caused Katara's breathing to increase and close her eyes as she leaned closer to him. A need she hadn't ever felt before crashing and rolling through her body as they moved toward each other, an invisible force pulling them together.
He watched her sparkling blue eyes flutter closed and his eyes quickly followed.
If asked, both could not tell you who started the kiss. Only that one minute Katara's nose bumped Zuko's and the next their lips were touching.
Katara would say the kiss was hot and needy, filled with every ounce of fire that Zuko held. Her lungs burned for air as he kissed her. She felt as if Zuko was breathing life into her body. Zuko felt her kiss was soothing and cool. It was an instant relief to the fire burning in and around him. They kissed each other in the easy way of two familiar lovers, no fumbling or awkwardness but still filled with a burning passion.
The firebender moaned into her mouth as he swiped his tongue across her bottom lip, asking for entry to her mouth. She gasped at the action, unknowingly, opening her mouth to allow him to deepen the kiss. He pulled her even closer, causing her to slip one of her legs around his hips the apex of her legs pressing against him. Katara felt her chest press against Zuko's, her breasts pushing against the newly forming scar making him groan.
Zuko didn't care about the slight burning pain he felt as she pressed into him. He was compelled to tighten his hold on her, she couldn't get close enough.
She tilted her head up toward him, silently begging him for more as he pushed himself into her. The hand on her waist tightening before moving to the small of her back, holding her to him. His fingers tangling into the fabric of her shirt as he molded her body to his. Katara's grip tightening on his arms as the heady kiss continued, before moving to wrap around his neck pushing them closer together. Zuko's hands felt hot through her shirt as he clutched her against him.
He had never kissed anyone like this before, he felt more passion in this kiss than in his entire life combined. Zuko wanted to consume her, there was not even a breath of space between them but he needed her closer. Katara had a similar thought running through her head as he kissed her. All too soon their kiss was interrupted.
"Prince Zuko," a voice broke the two of them out of their bubble. Zuko reluctantly pulled away knowing that he had duties to attend.
"Yes?" Zuko asked as he turned to the owner of the voice. Standing off to the side was the Great Sage who had been watching the Agni Kai. Katara untangled herself from the firebender. She stood before quickly helping Zuko, her skin heated with embarrassment at being caught kissing the Crown Prince.
"We need to have your injuries attended to, as well as you must make a decision about your sister," the sage gestured toward Azula who was manically screaming and jerking in the chains as tears ran down her face. A far cry from the calm and composed young princess she had been just weeks before. It was a devastating sight to see how far the Princess had fallen.
"I want Azula sedated for the time being and under a twenty-four-hour watch in her old rooms," Zuko responded, he breathed deeply to rid himself of the erotic thoughts running through his mind. Praying to Agni the Sage thought the breath was related to the pain in his chest. "Keep her that way until the Avatar arrives, he and I will discuss her crimes before sentencing her. Please have my room prepared, Master Katara will attend to my injuries there. Be sure to bring her anything she asks for, I want you to treat an order from her as you would myself."
The Great Sage nodded and bowed before turning to alert the little staff left to abide by Zuko's demands.
His lips were on hers, the two moving in sync seamlessly. Her hands were pressed against his chest, fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. She felt as if he was breathing fire into her body as he kissed her. His hands were tangled in her hair as she was pulled forward, her hands clutched to his shirt as she pressed even closer to him. She could feel her body's natural lubrication beginning to form between her legs.
Incredibly hot hands slipped from her hair to rest against her hip and pull her closer. He moved his hand to the back of her thighs before lifting her legs to wrap around his hips. Effortlessly lifting her and pulling them even closer together. Her heated core was flush against his hips, she need more.
Katara instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as she was lifted, her ankles crossing to hold herself against him. He pressed his growing erection into the apex of her thighs as he kissed her. The waterbender rotated her hips against him creating the pleasurable friction she needed. She didn't want him to stop.
He pulled back to take a breath, her name coming out softly against her mouth.
"Katara," Zuko moaned.
Katara jolted awake, her body feeling tingly and her lips feeling cold. The dream had been extremely vivid, it felt real. It had left her core throbbing and wanting. The waterbender could feel the wetness between her thighs. She brushed her fingers against her mouth before shaking her head turning to look at the man she had just dreamed about across the bed from her.
It had been two days since the Agni Kai with Azula, two days of healing Zuko. After the initial healing, he seemed okay, but the moment they were in his room the adrenaline had finally worn off.
Zuko had collapsed mere inches from his bed, thankfully Katara was able to have some of the staff assist her in making him comfortable. She had saved his life in the arena, but such a large wound needed much more care and attention. Since the comet, Zuko had been in and out of consciousness. Only being awake for a couple of minutes when he did have the strength to open his eyes and during those times he wasn't lucid. Katara healed him most of the day and during the nights would be there to soothe any pain that would come.
The waterbender had taken to sleeping next to him because she was worried the lightning had done damage to his heart. She wanted to be close to him in case he needed her. The bed was plenty big enough and with the number of servants moving through the room she felt it was safe to do so without damage to her reputation.
But after that dream, she didn't know if she should stay. Her body ached for him.
She stared at the man next to her, her mind traveling to the day of Sozin's comet. Katara didn't know what to make of the kiss in the palace arena. The two hadn't had a chance to talk about the kiss. For all she knew, Zuko didn't think of her that way. She wasn't even sure how she felt about it or Zuko. In addition, she remembered Sokka telling her that Zuko had a girlfriend before coming to join them at the Western Air Temple. The waterbender didn't want to get her hopes up if he was just going to push her aside.
And then there was Aang.
Now that the war was over, she needed to give the avatar an answer about the two of them. She couldn't delay any longer. But after that kiss with Zuko, Katara wasn't sure she could ever be with Aang. Zuko's kiss left her feeling as if she was on fire, Aang's kiss had left her feeling shocked and confused. How could she go from such passion to just mildly okay?
"Master Katara," Giya, one of the servants, called from the doorway after a series of quick knocks. "There is a message for you and Prince Zuko. I don't want to disturb you but it looked urgent."
Katara removed herself from the bed and made her way towards Giya before taking the scroll that was offered. "Thank you, Giya."
After assuring Giya they did not need anything, Katara turned to the scroll in her hand. Her blue eyes quickly scanning the contents, she recognized the messy writing instantly.
Katara and Zuko,
We did it! Suki is telling me to write that Aang did it. But either way, we won the war! Aang was able to take Ozai's bending away, how cool is that? Apparently, he learned how to do it from a lion turtle! That's where he disappeared to, he was on the lion turtle learning how to energy bend.
We are on our way to the Fire Nation now. We should be there soon. Everyone is fine, except me. I might need those healing hands on my broken leg, little sister.
See you soon,
Sokka
Trust Sokka to want to take all the credit, she shook her head softly as she re-read the letter. The waterbender was unsure how to process the knowledge of Aang taking away Ozai's firebending. It seemed a little surreal, almost impossible. But after a little over a year traveling with the Avatar, she knew to always expect the unexpected.
"Katara," Zuko moaned in pain from his spot on the bed, his arm reaching out to feel for her. His eyes flashing open as he looked around frantically for the waterbender, his chest felt as if it was being stabbed. He rasped for air, a sense of panic rising in his body as the pain returned and he couldn't find the healer.
Katara turned to look at her patient, he was clearly distressed at not being able to find her in bed next to him. She quickly made her way back to him, noticing for the first time that his eyes seemed to focus on her.
Looking into his golden eyes instantly brought her back to the last time they had focused on her, in the arena. She felt a shiver down her spine as her mind was brought back to when he kissed her. She could still remember the feeling of being in his arms and his lips on hers. The memory causing her body to feel hot and cold at the same time. Katara pushed all that out of her mind so she could focus on the present.
"Hey sleepy," she greeted him quietly as she sat on the edge of the bed next to the firebender. Her hands twitched to brush the hair out of his face. Instead, she pulled the covers around him tighter to combat his shivering. "How are you feeling?"
Zuko's heart beat faster as he looked into her eyes. They looked darker in the middle of the night he observed. Her hair was falling around her in a mess of curls, it looked as if she had woken up only a few minutes before him. Zuko loved how her hair looked at this moment. He wanted to reach out and touch it again. The Fire Prince sucked in a breath through his teeth as he tried to curb the urge to kiss the waterbender.
He was pulled from his daydreaming of Katara by the sudden pain in his chest. He felt suffocated and as if someone had reached a fiery hand into his chest to squeeze his heart in time with his breaths.
"It hurts," he groaned as her hands went to touch his forehead and check his pulse.
"Yeah, it must feel like you got struck by lightning," she joked lightly as she pulled the water to her from the bowl next to his bed. She was pleased to see that the wound didn't look infected.
Zuko chuckled at her comment before moaning in pain. "Oh, Agni!"
"I wasn't able to get to you fast enough to stop it from scarring but I don't think you will have any lasting damage once we are finished. It might take a few more days though to fully heal," she explained as she rested the water against his chest.
Her hands instantly went to work on healing the fried nerves beneath the skin. She had done as much as she could in the arena, but with so much damage her main concern was that he would live. She had spent the last two days working on all the other underlying issues as they presented themselves. Katara tried not to let her mind wander to the feeling of his muscular chest beneath her fingers.
As she worked, Zuko could feel the pain receding. His mind played back to the last memory he had of her hands on his chest. The kiss coming to the front of his mind as a lock of hair fell into her eyes, reminiscent of how she looked in the palace arena right before their lips had touched. He wanted to reach up and touch the lock like he had in the arena but stopped himself. He was an honorable man and would not force himself on her. The Fire Nation Prince would not touch her again until he knew if she felt the same way.
"Katara, about that kiss," Zuko began nervously. He desperately wanted her to feel the same way, he could not imagine kissing anyone else after that. He knew that he needed to be the one to broach this conversation, but he was terrified to be rejected. The firebender prayed silently to Agni that she would love him too.
The waterbender heard the nervousness in his voice and mistook the reason for it. Her heart broke, no it felt as if it had shattered into a million pieces. She knew he would say that it was a mistake, taking away every ounce of pleasure she had ever felt. Being the stubborn and headstrong waterbender she was, Katara wanted to beat him to the punch, before he broke her heart.
"No need to worry about it, Zuko," Katara interrupted before he could finish his thought, her hands continuing to move across his chest.
She wanted to tell him that she had never been kissed like that before. That somewhere between the caves in Ba Sing Se to Ember Island he had shown her what it meant to truly love someone. She wanted to say that she didn't think she could ever kiss another knowing that there was someone out there that could kiss her like that but she didn't.
Reluctantly she told him, "We both were caught up in the heat of the moment, you almost died. I promise we can keep it between the two of us."
His skin felt incredibly hot through the water as she continued to heal him. She could feel the blood rushing through her body and her heart beating faster with each second as she waited for his response. Katara tried not to let herself hope for even a moment that he would try to deny her words.
Zuko felt as if she had frozen the water she was using to his chest. His throat closed up and shoulders dropped, he swallowed twice before responding. "Thank you, I agree it was just the circumstance. I hope we can still be friends, you are my best friend, Katara."
"Of course, Zuko," she replied quickly as if the thought of not being friends with him didn't even occur to her. But in reality, she had feared he wouldn't want to speak to her again after the kiss. "You are part of the group, one little kiss will not change that. We will forget it ever happened."
Zuko wanted to tell her that it was more than a little kiss. He wanted to say that kissing her made him feel like the most powerful man in the world. He wanted to tell her that kissing her was something he could never forget. He wanted to say that her mouth against his enlisted more passion and arousal within him than all of his previous sexual encounters before combined.
Instead, he said, "You are right, it will be like it never happened."
"Katara, what should I do?" Zuko asked his friend as she worked on healing his chest wound. His eyes closed tightly in frustration.
He had just received news from the palace physician who claimed Azula was mentally unstable. The physician worried that putting her in prison might cause her to become even more unhinged. A sane Azula was a massive threat, but one who was not thinking rationally was an unpredictable opponent and perhaps much worse.
Zuko needed to make a decision about his sister soon. Aang would be arriving with Ozai tomorrow and he did not think it would be a good idea for them to even potentially cross paths. But this was his baby sister, Zuko had so many mixed feelings about the situation. He didn't know what to do about her.
"What do you want to do?" She asked him as her hands moved along his chest. She was trying to only focus on the task at hand, but she kept getting distracted by the way his muscles moved when she hit a sensitive spot. This was his tenth healing since being shot with lightning and the waterbender knew there was still many that lay ahead.
"She's dangerous! How many times has she tried to kill me? Aang? You?" He chuckled darkly, gold eyes opening to find blue. It wasn't really funny but there was no other way to react.
"Azula is very dangerous, we all know that," she whispered thoughtfully as she healed him. "Her skill as a firebender is unmatched only by Aang. It took her being unstable and both of us to take her down."
"Exactly, how can I justify not sentencing her?" Zuko clenched his teeth and hissed as Katara moved over a particularly painful spot on his chest. This was day three of her healing him and while things were getting better, there was still a good bit of pain.
"Then sentence her," Katara shrugged as she pushed and pulled the water in a circular motion over the wound. "You can still get her help if she is in prison, how she is treated is up to you."
Katara had a point, he thought to himself. He would be the one who would decide how she was treated. He could sentence her for her crimes and still get her the help she desperately needed. But why did that leave such a bad feeling in his stomach?
His mother would not want Azula sentenced. She would want her daughter to heal and Ursa would not believe that could happen in prison. Zuko knew this, it was why he was struggling so much with what to do. He wanted to do the right thing not only for the Fire Nation but for his family too.
"She's my sister," he sighed looking away from his friend. "My little sister, I'm supposed to protect her and take care of her. And . . ." the firebender trailed off not ready to voice the thoughts in his head. He was afraid the waterbender would think less of him.
"And she's some of the only family you have left," Katara finished his sentence for him. She deposited the water into the bowl next to the bed before sitting on the chair adjacent to Zuko. She deliberately looked anywhere but his chest.
"Yeah," he whispered as he sat up and closed his tunic. "And if there is any chance of getting my sister back, I want to take it. Does that make me a bad person? A bad leader?"
"Zuko, no!" Katara exclaimed as she looked at him. Her heart lurched as she saw the broken look on his face. "It makes you a good brother."
"She tried to kill you," he mumbled, his breathing becoming labored as he remembered the Agni Kai.
"And she didn't succeed," Katara added trying to soothe him.
"She successfully killed Aang and almost succeeded in killing me," he argued back, his eyes filled with fire as they looked at her. "Sentencing her would be the logical thing to do, it would make me a good leader. It would be a good thing for the Fire Nation."
"Sentencing her would make you a good leader," Katara agreed with him. She watched Zuko's face fall as the words left her mouth.
"Then I will sentence her," the words left a bitter taste in his mouth and Katara could tell.
"Zuko, when your mother left and you were banished you had your uncle. Iroh was there to help guide you and helped you become the man you are today. All Azula had was Ozai, she had more years with him than you ever did. I can't imagine the kind of pain she endured," Katara's words speaking more truth than any others before.
"She was the favorite," Zuko grumbled as he moved to stand. Part of him knew that the waterbender was right, but another part didn't want to admit it to himself. His sister had done terrible things to him, she was manipulative at any and every chance she had. He looked down to see the new scar forming on his chest, he literally wore the mark of his sister's abuse. So why did he want to help her? Why should he help her?
"And how much more pressure did she have then? Pressure to be perfect? Pressure to never have a hair out of place," Katara argued. Zuko moved to look out the window as she continued. "You might not realize the pain and abuse she suffered because she might not have realized what was happening. And maybe she was just better at hiding it."
"I want to get her the help she needs, the help she deserves," he mumbled looking outside. He was unsure of the emotions running through him. Memories were resurfacing, almost long forgotten of his baby sister. But he knew he would always regret it if he didn't help Azula.
"Choosing to get her the help she needs and not sentencing her for the crimes she committed would be the right thing. It would make you a good brother, a good person," Katara took a deep breath, she knew the words he needed to hear. Her voice was steady as she spoke truth into the Fire Nation Prince. "And most importantly an honorable leader. It would be honorable to not sentence a woman who faced madness because of the poison someone inflicted on her."
Zuko was silent for a moment as he stared at his mother's garden outside his room. He kept repeating her words over and over in his head. He could feel the truth in the waterbender's words. Finally, turning back to meet sapphire eyes across the room he asked, "Do you think I can really get my little sister back?"
"I think you wouldn't be Zuko if you didn't try," she affirmed softly.
"Aang," Zuko greeted his friend with a quick hug. "I'm glad you are okay."
Aang hugged Zuko back instantly, he was shocked to have that amount of physical affection from the future Fire Lord. His friend was not a touchy-feely person. "I'm glad you are okay too! Are you ready for your coronation?"
"Almost," Zuko nodded as he gestured for Aang to follow him down the hallway. "I wanted to tell you, I spoke to Shyu earlier today. His grandfather passed down to him all of the artifacts from Avatar Roku. Including Roku's things from when he studied at the Southern Air Temple. I wanted to offer them to you."
Aang's heart stopped for a second as he processed Zuko's words. He was offering him a piece of home, a piece of his history. His throat felt tight and he felt the tears well up in his eyes. It was like when he saw Bumi again after being in the iceberg for a hundred years.
"Thank you, Zuko. I would really like that," Aang thanked his friend. His words coming out a little rough as he tried not to cry. Zuko not being good with emotions awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.
"Ozai is in custody?" Zuko asked Aang as they moved into the Fire Lord's office. It still felt weird that his father's office was now his. He gestured for the Avatar to sit in one of the chairs across from the desk.
"Yes," Aang responded after clearing his throat, taking the seat that was offered. "The guards have him in the cell you arranged."
Zuko nodded as he sat down at his father's desk — no it's his desk now, Zuko reminded himself. It had been three days since Aang returned with Ozai, almost a week since the comet, Zuko was shocked to learn his father was alive. But he did have a small part of him that was relieved. While Ozai was a horrible person and an abusive father, he was still Zuko's father and he would much rather Ozai spend his time in prison than have the Avatar take his life. Aang already suffered from emotional trauma caused by the genocide, it would not be fair to have him carry the burden of taking his friend's father's life.
"What do you think we should do?" Zuko questioned his friend, hoping the Avatar had an idea of how to handle the situation. The Fire Nation Crown Prince struggled with the aftermath of the war. He had expected his father to be dead, but now that he was alive Zuko was unsure how to lead. He had not prepared to lead a country with the dethroned Fire Lord still alive.
"I don't think Ozai should ever walk free again," Aang admitted softly, he had been nervous to see Zuko's reaction to his father still living. The firebender had been adamant that the only way to stop Ozai was to kill him. The airbender was pleased to see that his friend was not in turmoil because his father was alive. "I think it would be appropriate for him to have a sentence of life in prison."
"I agree," Zuko nodded as he mulled over Aang's words. It was clear that his father was a threat to the peace he would be creating. Life in prison seemed like the logical response but there also seemed to be something not quite right with it, Zuko thought.
Ozai would sit in a cell for the rest of the days and do what? Be bitter that his quest for world domination was unsuccessful? Would he ever see the error of his ways? If Zuko had not been forced to travel the world or been forced to live as a refugee would he have seen the error of the Fire Nation? Or would he still believe the lies that were taught to him at birth? Would Ozai truly understand the damage that was caused?
The resounding answer in Zuko's mind was no.
Ozai would never see the error of his ways if he was not able to see the results of his actions, of his forefather's actions. And neither would the Fire Nation as a whole.
"Zuko?" Aang insisted when he noticed his friend's silence.
"I think he should face trial for his crimes against the world. I don't think he should get to ignore the destruction he caused and I'm afraid if he isn't tried, he can ignore the pain he inflicted," Zuko ruled, his tone strong and brow furrowing. He would stand firm on this action, Ozai would have to face the destruction his choices had caused.
Aang looked at his friend and saw the incredible leader Zuko was about to become. He would bring honor and peace back to not only the Fire Nation but the world as well. In that one sentence, Zuko showed how he understood the pain his forefathers had brought and how not ignoring the past but facing it was the only way to restore balance. The future Fire Lord had a difficult job ahead of him. The job would be tiresome, not only for having to undo a hundred years of pain but because of the many complicated decisions he would have to make regarding his family.
"I think that many of the other world leaders would appreciate the opportunity to face Ozai," Aang responded thoughtfully and delicately after he absorbed Zuko's words. The avatar hadn't thought of putting Ozai on trial for his crimes, Zuko was demonstrating his skill as a leader. "I am sorry you have to deal with this Zuko."
"It needs to be done," Zuko replied quickly a knot forming in his stomach. He did not have the energy to deal with his emotions right now, he would worry about that later. "I think Katara was looking for you earlier."
Aang nodded, easily noting his friend's exhausted look and the obvious push for the avatar to leave. Zuko had a big job ahead of him, if he wanted to wait to deal with the emotions the ruling to his father caused then Aang would let him.
The young airbender speedily slipped from the room, barely registering how Zuko leaned in on himself with his head in his hands. They would talk later but right now, the future Fire Lord needed to be alone.
After a few minutes of searching, Aang found Katara in the infirmary. She was working on healing Sokka's broken leg. The tribesman flailed around on the bed he was on, as he dramatically made his pain and displeasure known as his sister worked.
"Stop being a baby," the healer murmured with an eye roll, ignoring Sokka's squeals of discomfort. He sounded like he was being tortured.
"Hey, Katara!" Aang greeted as he moved toward the Water Tribe siblings. His grey eyes focusing on the waterbender. "How's his leg?"
"It's doing much better," she smiled at Aang. Sokka grumbled some more as Katara pushed his healing. "He should be up and walking by Zuko's coronation."
"Do you think you can take a break? I was hoping we could talk," Aang inquired, his face feeling hot. His eyes scanned over the young woman standing in front of him, the Fire Nation clothing did wonders for her figure.
"I know what that means, smooches," Sokka teased as he made kissy faces at his sister and friend. His dramatics being forgotten for a moment while he poked fun of the two people in front of him.
"Sokka, shut up," Katara sighed exasperatedly. She instantly dropped the water that she was using to tend to his leg and moved towards Aang. "I guess you're feeling good enough that I can go talk to Aang."
Katara grabbed Aang's arm and dragged the boy out of the room. She was incredibly embarrassed by Sokka's comment, not because of Aang but because of the last person she had kissed. Her brother might not have meant anything by it, but she instantly thought of Zuko when he said the word "smooches."
As they exited the infirmary both heard Sokka loudly exclaim to Suki, "What did I do?"
Katara knew that she needed to tell Aang that she couldn't be with him. There was no way she could be with Aang now that she had felt like what it was like to be kissed by Zuko. And even if Zuko didn't want her, she couldn't fake a relationship with Aang. Katara would rather be alone than try to force something with Aang.
Aang let Katara lead him to one of the larger private gardens the Fire Nation palace had. He knew they needed to have a conversation about their relationship now that the war was over. But he didn't want to hurt Katara. For the longest time, he thought he needed her.
Aang learned on the lion turtle that his attachment to Katara was merely superficial, she was the first person he saw after being frozen in ice for a hundred years. He needed to attach himself to something to survive the new world he was thrust into, and that something had been the waterbender. She gave him the hope and drive to become the avatar, but now he didn't need that.
After speaking with Avatar Yangchen, Aang knew his duty was to the world and his responsibility was to revive the Air Nomads. It would not be fair to force Katara into that, it wasn't her destiny. Aang knew to be a true spiritual leader for the Air Nomads he needed to take on all the practices of the monks. Including celibacy. But if he had to repopulate an entire nation, he couldn't have a monogamous romantic relationship.
"Katara," Aang started hesitantly looking up at her blue eyes.
"Aang," Katara said at the same time. Their eyes met briefly. They both stopped talking and blushed, before looking away from each other. "You go first," she gestured to him.
"Katara, I don't know how to say this. Umm, when I was on the lion turtle trying to figure out how to not kill Ozai, uhh," Aang began his voice cracking slightly, his hand scratching the back of his head nervously. "I learned that my destiny is to the world to be the Avatar, which I always knew. But, umm, I mean that I learned what that actually means."
"I'm sure it must have been a lot to process," Katara commented when Aang stopped to take a breath. Her heart was beating faster as she listened to him speak.
She was terrified that Aang was wanting to talk to her about them being together and what that would look like now that he was a fully realized Avatar. She loved Aang but not like that and she was nervous to potentially break his heart.
"As much as I love you, I need to love you as a friend only," Aang stated in a rush. He felt the sooner the words were out of his mouth the better.
Katara instantly felt lighter as she processed Aang's words. It was as if she could breathe again. She was also thankful that she would not be the one to break his heart, but that they could come to this decision calmly and maturely.
"Aang, I understand," she finally responded to him, the relief evident in her tone. "I think it would be better if we stayed friends too."
They both let out a collective breath.
"Well, that went better than I thought," Aang chuckled lightly. His hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck again. "I honestly thought you would be mad at me."
"I thought I was going to break your heart," Katara laughed lightly. She felt free in her friendship with him for the first time since he kissed her before the invasion.
"Still friends?" He asked her, holding his arm out in a traditional Water Tribe greeting.
"Still friends," she agreed with an easy smile, taking his offered arm effortlessly before releasing it. They stood there for a moment before Katara spoke again. "I should probably head back and check on Sokka, finish healing his leg. I'll see you later?"
"Yeah," he nodded in agreement before she headed back toward the infirmary. He would always love Katara, she rescued him from the iceberg but now he could love her as a friend.
The young airbender looked out at the garden for a while, thinking over everything that had happened the past couple of weeks. He finally felt at peace about his role as the Avatar. And more importantly, he felt like he could revive the airbenders the way they should be. Letting go of Katara was his last earthly attachment, he could do everything he needed to now.
"Twinkle Toes," Toph called as she walked over to Aang. "Did you tell Sugar Queen that you love her?"
"Actually no," he shook his head. "We decided we were better off as friends, it's the right thing."
She was straddling his waist, he moved his hands to her hips to grind her against him as she kissed him. He could feel her soft breasts pressed against his chest. Her hands rested on his biceps as she pulled herself closer to him. The young woman's body felt extraordinary against him. He felt her hair fall around him and brush against his arms, he heard a small moan of pleasure come from her.
Zuko felt like he could consume her if she let him. Her cool nature soothing the fire that raged inside of him but at the same time caused his body to burn. He needed her, he wanted her. He felt like her kiss was the only thing keeping him alive at the moment.
Her mouth opened and he snaked his tongue into her mouth, tasting all of her. She tasted sweet and slightly minty. His teeth lightly pulled at her bottom lip before soothing away the sting of the bite with his tongue.
Her hands moved to wrap around his neck, one tangled into the hair at the nape of his neck. Zuko pulled away from her mouth and trailed kisses down her throat, pausing when his lips settled against a spot that made her moan, nipping and sucking softly.
He slid one hand from her hips up one side of her body, feeling how small her waist was as his hand settled underneath her left breast. His thumb stroking the side of her breast as he moved his mouth back to her lips.
Zuko pressed himself against her as he felt himself harden, he wanted her desperately.
"Katara," he mumbled against her lips.
"Zuko," she whispered. "Zuko?!"
The Fire Nation Crown Prince jerked awake to the voice. His gold eyes hooded with arousal and sleep rested on the woman he had just been dreaming of standing in his bedroom.
"Katara?" He questioned, his voice rough with sleep and arousal. The firebender blinked rapidly to dispel the sleep from his eyes. He was unsure if he was dreaming or if she was really in his bedroom. "What are you doing here?"
"You asked me to do your healing session now, remember?" Katara asked as she tried to ignore the reaction her body had to the sound of his voice. Her core clenched at the sound of him.
"Right," he grumbled, his cheeks turning pink at having forgotten. The Prince adjusted himself in his bed to a propped-up position. He tried to inconspicuously hide his arousal under the blankets as Katara moved a chair next to his bed.
"You look flushed, are you having any pain?" She inquired once she was settled next to him. Katara looked over his chest as he went to answer her question.
"A little," his voice deeper and hoarser than normal. He cleared his throat harshly. The waterbender passed him a cup of tea which he eagerly accepted taking a sip. "It comes and goes in waves but it's still pretty bad."
"Let's get started then," Katara nodded as she thought over his complaints. She pulled the water to her and rested it against his chest as she began working.
Zuko watched her as she healed him. She left her hair down today, he thought. Katara's hair loops weren't in today either, he decided he liked her hair down. He noticed how her brow furrowed as she concentrated on what she was doing. He wanted to kiss the wrinkle away.
Katara thought she saw his body twitch and she looked down his torso. Zuko's abs had a light sheen of sweat covering them. She observed the grooves and ridges of his torso, she wanted to trace her fingertips through the valleys of his abdomen. Katara moved her eyes back to the lightning scar on Zuko's chest. She should not be sexualizing a patient, and Zuko was her patient right now.
Zuko let out a soft moan as he noticed the swell of Katara's breasts, her chest rising and falling as she breathed. All he could think about was how the mounds would feel in his hands.
The firebender's moan sent an instant tingle of arousal through the waterbender, causing her to almost lose the grip on the water she was manipulating.
"Is this hurting?" Katara asked trying to distract herself from Zuko's moan. She willed her body to stop preparing her core to take him, it would never happen.
Zuko realized the moan he let out was loud enough for her to hear. He could feel the blood rush to his cheeks as he tried to calm his arousal down.
"It hurts a little," he responded trying to cover up his moan. It was true, his chest did hurt. Not as bad as it did earlier in the week but there was still some residual pain.
"Where exactly is it hurting?" Katara pulled the water from his chest so he could show her where the pain was the worst.
Zuko traced his fingers down his chest, settling as the tips brushed over the top of the scar that was forming. "Right about here," he murmured his response, searching for the words to describe the discomfort. "Every time I breathe I feel some pain. It's sharp at first and then turns into a dull burning sensation."
She placed her water-covered hands back on his chest, right where he indicated the most pain. She could feel something beneath the surface wasn't right, more than just the nerves. It felt like it could be in his veins or perhaps an artery, it was difficult to tell right now. Katara knew her bloodbending would be able to tell her all the answers, but she didn't want to do that without Zuko's consent.
"I can feel something is wrong, but I would need my . . ." Katara trailed off nervous to explain how she could find out the problem. It was still such a taboo subject.
Zuko knew instantly what she was referring to, bloodbending. His mind went back to the day he learned about the subspecialty of waterbending.
Zuko was sitting on the roof of his family home on Ember Island. He felt claustrophobic in the house. He needed to get out of it, so he decided to hang out on the roof. It was something Lu Ten showed him as a kid.
Team Avatar had arrived on Ember Island earlier that evening to join Zuko and Katara after their search for Yon Rha. Suki and Sokka were currently indisposed as they typically were whenever night fell lately. Aang and Toph were practicing their earthbending on the cliffs.
"Oh, I didn't know you were up here," Katara muttered, her tone showing her surprise as she took in the young man after climbing onto the roof. "I'll just go, I don't want to bother you."
"No, stay. Please?" Zuko asked softly. He wasn't sure what compelled him to ask her to stay. Maybe it was because he didn't want to be alone? Or maybe it was because he found her attractive? All he knew was that he didn't want her to go.
"I'll stay," she responded nodding. The waterbender made her way toward the banished prince and sat next to him.
The firebender noticed how her hips swayed as she walked. He had always found her attractive, but seeing her in Fire Nation clothing had stirred a slow burn deep in his belly. He looked back out at the view in front of him, not wanting her to see the attraction he felt to her. The banished prince was still a little unsure where the two of them stood.
"Can I ask you something?" Zuko's voice breaking the silence that had settled over them.
"You already did, but what is your other question?" Katara shrugged her shoulder as she teased him with a small smirk. Since the two had gotten back from hunting Yon Rha, Katara began noticing that she liked talking to Zuko. He always surprised her.
"What was that thing you did? On the ship of the Southern Raiders?" He asked her softly. His mind going back to the captain of the ship, Katara had done something but he didn't know what it was. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, he was captivated by it.
"Oh," her cheeks colored in embarrassment. She had hoped that he didn't notice when she bloodbended or at least that he forgot. Katara should have known better, Zuko didn't forget anything and he noticed everything.
The banished prince watched the expression on her face change at his question. A row of pearly white teeth captured her plump bottom lip as she shifted nervously at the question. He thought she looked beautiful in the moonlight, her hair flowing around her in the wind and blue eyes sparkling. The waterbender's tan skin seemed to glow under the moon. This wasn't the first time he noticed how beautiful she was, but it was the first time he saw the blush color on her cheeks.
Katara took a deep breath before responding, "It's called bloodbending, the only other Southern Waterbender I have ever known showed it to me. Aang hates that I know how to do it, I hate that I know how to do it."
"Why?" Zuko exclaimed without thought. His first reaction to hearing about the subspecialty of waterbending was that it was extraordinarily powerful. "That's an incredibly useful skill. Imagine all you could do with it!"
"What?" Katara asked in shock, her sapphire eyes filling with fire as they snapped to look at him. "It's a horrible technique, to reach inside someone and control their body. Take away their choice."
"Who said you have to use it in combat?" He inquired with an eyebrow raised in question. He was shocked to learn that she would not want to learn how to control this power. "My uncle used his ability to lightening bend in multiple situations that were not in combat. He redirected lightning away from my ship multiple times during a storm."
"That's different, bloodbending isn't like that," she argued back. She hated bloodbending it was vile and perverse. Hama created it out of her hate for the Fire Nation, it twisted everything good about waterbending. Not to mention, she promised Aang she would never do it again.
"I knew of a firebender who was so skilled with lightning he was able to use it to heal. He was able to restart someone's heart because of his skill," Zuko retorted rolling his eyes. Sometimes Katara frustrated him, this was an amazing power she should learn how to use. What he would give to have half her talent when it came to bending.
"You can use lightning to restart someone's heart?" She looked at Zuko in shock. Her displeasure about bloodbending was momentarily forgotten as she processed his words. She had seen the firebender use his bending in simple tasks during their time together: cooking, lighting a fire, staying warm, and heating water for baths. But she hadn't even known there were other ways to use firebending for good.
"In certain cases," Zuko nodded turning to look back at the island, he could just barely see the waves crashing on the beach. "I'm assuming that with bloodbending you could do so much more."
"I never thought about it that way before," she whispered in awe. Her mind remembering why they were fighting and her voice hardened. "But it doesn't matter, I promised Aang that I wouldn't do it again. I feel disgusting when I do it and after. No other bending is like it."
"Katara, every bending can be used in a vile way. Bloodbending is not the first time someone has abused their power. I don't need to get into how firebenders have abused their power. Earthbenders can crush people to death and airbenders can pull the air from people's lungs," Zuko's eyes snapped back to hers as he argued, running a hand through his unruly hair in aggravation.
"I promised Aang that I wouldn't do it again," Katara explained. Zuko just wasn't getting it, though she thought out of everyone he would. "I shouldn't have done it, I feel so guilty I used it again."
"Aang is a child," the firebender mumbled exasperated. He moved to lean back against one arm, his brow furrowing and gold eyes hardened as they moved to look away from the waterbender.
"He's the Avatar," she retaliated, but even to her own ears, the defense sounded weak.
He cleared his throat before speaking again. "Aang is a child, he may be the Avatar but he is not all-knowing. He hasn't lived the life you and I have, he doesn't understand the whole lot of grey areas in the world. He also is not the person who gets to decide if you should learn how to harness this power or not."
"But he is supposed to keep balance," Katara replied as she adjusted the position she was in, pulling her knees to her chest. She didn't know how to take Zuko's arguments and enthusiasm for bloodbending.
"And in the spirit of keeping balance don't you think that you should learn how to use this power for good?" He insisted. Zuko moved so he could look at her straight on, her blue eyes doing their best to avoid his as he looked at her. "You will never abuse this power if you learn to use it, but if you don't then you could. Knowing how but never mastering is the real abuse of power."
Katara was stunned into silence at his words. Sapphire eyes finally meeting the fire-filled gold ones. She had never thought about it that way. He was right that bloodbending could be used for healing. But she hadn't ever thought that she would be abusing the power if she didn't master it. Then again her element wasn't as volatile as firebending, her eyes looked at his scar. Zuko would know how non-mastery of an element could be dangerous.
"I promised Aang," she whispered grasping at straws. She was conflicted.
"Your mother died protecting you," the firebender continued, thinking out loud. Unaware of how the waterbender's eyes were taking in his scar. "If you don't learn how to master this, it's a betrayal of her death. Forget about fucking balance! She died so you could live, so you could learn to waterbend. You could be the greatest waterbender of our generation, but you are too stubborn to even admit there is a use for this. By not mastering it, you are disrespecting her memory."
After he said his piece, Zuko stood and began making his way off the roof. Katara didn't care about his opinion, he wasn't sure why that hurt him. He wanted more than just her forgiveness. He wanted her to trust him and confide in him, he wanted to be there for her. He wanted, he didn't know what he wanted from her. All the banished prince knew was that the waterbender brought feelings out of him he didn't know he had.
Katara looked after the firebender in surprise, her eyes wide as she watched him walk away from her. Everything Zuko said was true. No one had ever understood her the way that he did. And in that last sentence, he had shown how well he knew her. Her stomach lurched as she observed his retreating form. She didn't want him to leave because she had upset him. But it unnerved the waterbender that the banished prince could see her so clearly.
"Zuko?" She called after him softly.
He turned to look at her, his chest tightened as he saw her blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight. He took a deep breath to steady the feeling of attraction that was bubbling up inside of his body. "Yes?"
"You are right," she admitted her voice carrying across the wind to him. She had been wrong earlier, he did understand. He understood better than anyone. "Thank you."
That was the first of many nights that Zuko and Katara sat on the roof together after everyone went to bed.
Zuko was brought back to the present as he realized that was the moment he began falling for Katara. Sure he had thought of her as attractive when he chased the Avatar, he noticed that the first day he saw her in the Southern Water Tribe. She was so spirited when she fought him at the North Pole, that was when he saw her as a warrior. In Ba Sing Se was the moment he saw her as more than just an attractive woman and a warrior, he saw her as a complex person who had pain just like him.
But that night on the roof, that was the night he realized he began falling for her.
And he knew right now with her hands on his chest that he, Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, son of Ozai and Ursa, future Fire Lord, was in love with Master Waterbender Katara of the Southern Water Tribe.
"Katara, you know how I feel about your bloodbending," Zuko comforted her instead of admitting his feelings. He swallowed the words he wanted to say and continued, "I know you have been practicing. The full moon isn't until tomorrow, can you do it now?"
"I can probably find out what is wrong now, but I might not be able to heal it until tomorrow," she told him, biting her bottom lip nervously. The waterbender waiting for his nod of confirmation before she proceeded.
She dropped the water back into the bowl next to the bed before moving her hands back to his chest. Katara concentrated searching for the blood running through Zuko's veins. Once she was able to feel it, she focused on the push and pull. Finally, the waterbender searched the spot that he said was hurting. Katara could feel scar tissue that was surrounding his heart, too close to his heart, and something else that was disrupting the flow of his blood.
Katara felt her stomach drop, as she located the blockage from the scar tissue. It was way too close to his heart. She had thought the healing she did in the arena had taken care of the worst of the damage. But while it kept him alive it left its mark on him. She didn't think he would ever be fully healed from it, there would always be a scar on his chest. But the scar tissue around his heart needed to be fixed before it caused too much damage and pain.
"Ah," Zuko cried as she found the source of his pain. "Right there."
Katara released her hold on his blood and moved back from him. "There seems to be a lot of scar tissue surrounding your heart and it's disrupting the flow of your blood," she explained to him.
"Can you fix it?" He asked her as he rubbed his chest, willing the pain to disappear.
"I don't know," she confessed, her blue eyes downcast. "I haven't done anything on this scale before."
He could hear the fear in her voice. The fear for him. Zuko knew that Katara needed to heal the tissue around his heart if he was going to be able to live a healthy life. But he also could hear the doubt. The doubt of her skill. She was afraid to even try because she didn't want to hurt him
"Katara, I believe in you and trust you," Zuko affirmed, his hand going to reach for her but he pulled back before she could see.
"Thank you, Zuko," she responded to him. Her eyes reaching his, unaware of his almost offer of physical comfort. Katara moved to stand. "We are done for tonight. We can try tomorrow night after the moon comes out, we will have to go slow."
"Okay," he nodded his head.
"You should get some sleep, tomorrow's healing will take a lot out of you," Katara instructed as she cleaned up the bowls of water surrounding his bed. "Especially considering that your coronation is in the next couple of days."
"Yeah, you are probably right," he agreed as he felt the exhaustion settle into his body.
"I'm a master healer, of course, I'm right," the waterbender teased lightly as she finished tidying up. She closed the door to leave him to rest in peace, "Sleep well, Zuko."
"Goodnight, Katara," Zuko said huskily as she left his room.
Zuko groaned and pressed his palms to his eyes as he heard the knock on his office door. He did not have the energy to deal with another councilman trying to pledge their loyalty to him. His coronation was in two days and he was not looking forward to it.
Mai was due to arrive at the palace sometime today and he knew he needed to have a conversation with her. Last night after he confirmed his feelings about Katara, he knew that he could not be with Mai. It would not be fair to drag her into a loveless marriage. But he didn't know how to tell her, he had already hurt her when he left after the solar eclipse. And she was still his friend.
Honestly, he wasn't sure if he ever loved Mai in a romantic way. Sure, he loved her as a friend. She had been in his life for a long time, he cared about her. He was remise to say that he had only been in a romantic relationship with the noblewoman because it was expected. It didn't help matters that because of their familiarity, things were easy. But after realizing his feelings for Katara, Zuko finally knew what real romantic love felt like and it was never like that with Mai.
Zuko didn't know what to do. He wished Uncle Iroh was here, but he wasn't scheduled to arrive from Ba Sing Se until tomorrow. The future Fire Lord really needed someone to talk to right now.
"Come in," Zuko called finally when he realized he could not ignore whoever was requesting an audience with him. He watched as the door to his office opened and in stepped Mai.
"Hi Zuko," she greeted him. The noblewoman looked exactly the same since the last time he saw her at the Boiling Rock.
"Mai," he replied back to her as she went to sit in front of his desk. "How are you? Are you okay? You don't look to have any lasting damage."
"My uncle is the warden, idiot," she teased him with the same words from the last time he saw her. Causing a small smile to grace his face as she kept speaking. "Ty Lee and I were taken care of until the letter came with the Fire Lord's seal pardoning us. Are you allowed to use it even if you aren't coronated yet?"
"Minor detail," he brushed off with a smirk. Zuko was thankful that she was okay. He felt so guilty that Azula would have done something horrible to her two best friends. It actually gave him a bit of hope to learn his sister hadn't put out an order like that.
"Zuko, I was hoping we could talk," Mai pressed as she watched Zuko shift.
She had learned a lot about herself in prison and one of them was while she loved Zuko, she didn't love him like she probably should. Mai had listened to many of the inmates talk about the people they loved that were on the outside and she did not feel the way they described. And she never thought she did.
On top of that, she could never be the wife Zuko needed. Mai might have been groomed to be Fire Lady, but she did not want it. She wanted a life on her own terms and that started with not being the Fire Lady. She also wouldn't be a good Fire Lady now, Zuko needed someone who would help change the Fire Nation for the better and that was not Mai.
"Of course, Mai," Zuko responded instantly. He was stalling, he had his own things to discuss with her but he didn't know how to start the conversation. "What's on your mind?"
"I love you, Zuko," Mai began. Zuko started to open his mouth to speak but she sent him a sharp look that silenced him before he could speak. "But, only as a friend. I cannot be what you need. You need a wife that will be a true partner to you in rebuilding the Fire Nation. One that will help bring in a new era of peace and help dispel old archaic ideas. And I cannot be that for you. I don't want to be that for you. I want to live my own life without having any expectations placed on me."
"You've been raised to be Fire Lady," Zuko argued, the look of surprise clear across his face. He was shocked to hear these words from Mai. "It was the reason you were thrust into being friends with Azula. You would be perfect, why do you want to throw that away?"
"Because my entire life I did what I was supposed to and I hated it," she retaliated, anger slipping into her words and eyes narrowing. "I liked being with you, but all it was was nice. Can you tell me that you felt any different?"
"Most Fire Lords just have nice relationships with their spouses, very few have pleasurable marriages," he responded to her as he looked down at his desk. "We would be great together. The royal court would be so happy with our marriage."
"Zuko, please don't make me do this," she pleaded to him, her voice wavering. His eyes snapped to meet hers. It was one of the few times in her life she showed any emotion. "When you left the Boiling Rock, I understood what you were doing. Your destiny is to bring honor back to the Fire Nation, but that's not mine. And I don't want it to be. Please, for the first time in my life, let me do something that's just for me."
He could hear the pain in her voice as she spoke. He understood that pain. It was how he felt on Ember Island all those months ago with her. He finally was able to understand his destiny after that trip. Mai deserved to follow her own path.
"Mai," Zuko began softly. He was going to argue with her again, but the words died in the back of his throat as he saw the raw emotion cross her face. He took an uneasy breath through his teeth, "I understand. I love you too but as a friend. I don't think we would ever be happy long-term. I would never want to force you into a role you did not want."
"Thank you. I'm glad we aren't going to enter a marriage just to appease some nobles," she blinked back tears and sent him a small smile. "And maybe one day both of us can have the love story we deserve."
The firebender tried to smile at her but it came across as a grimace as he thought over her words. He hoped that Mai was able to find someone to love her the way he couldn't, but he was already hopelessly in love with someone who didn't want him.
"Zuko, there is someone else isn't there?" She inquired as she watched the look on his face change. "You can tell me, I'm still your friend."
"I think," he cleared his throat. His palms felt sweaty, this would be the first time he admitted it aloud. "I think I fell in love with someone else, and she doesn't feel the same way."
Mai's mind went instantly to the waterbender, Katara. The two would make a beautiful couple, Mai thought.
There were many things she could have thought of when she thought about the couple. Both completely opposite but more alike than people thought. They both were fiercely loyal and believed in honor above all else. Each of them were master benders in their own right and could clearly face each other evenly in a match. They both had strong ideals and would do wonders for the Fire Nation.
But what Mai thought of was not that. No, she thought of the way Azula said the two interacted in the caves of Ba Sing Se. The Fire Nation Princess had commented on the crackling chemistry in the air as the two interacted and how each word passed between the two felt intimate. Even those in the middle of a battle.
Mai did not believe for a minute that Katara did not have feelings for Zuko.
"Are you sure?" Mai retorted with one eyebrow raised at him. The firebender was extremely dense when it came to women.
He paused to think over her words, "I don't know what to do."
"Just be you, Zuko," Mai said as she stood to leave. Right before she left she turned back and said, "You both are fools if you can't see what's right in front of you. She's beautiful and would be a perfect wife for you."
Zuko sat there in stunned silence.
After leaving Zuko's office Mai went in search of Ty Lee, the two had not spent much time together in prison. They actually had only spent a few days together before Ty Lee was sent to another prison. Azula was not stupid, she knew keeping her friends apart was a good idea.
"Mai!" A ball of pink exclaimed before it pulled her into a fierce and tight hug.
"Hi, Ty Lee," Mai greeted her friend as she returned the hug. "How are you?"
"I'm good! I made friends with the Kyoshi Warriors and I want to ask Suki, their leader if I can join!" Ty Lee pulled back and instantly started to ramble about the Warriors and all that they did.
Mai could not help but notice how stunning her oldest friend was. Ty Lee was a very attractive woman and Mai began observing the feelings in her own body as she looked at Ty Lee. She had noticed these feelings before though had always ignored them since she was expected to marry Zuko. But now with a marriage to the Fire Lord no longer in the cards for her, the noblewoman allowed herself to feel.
"I think that's great, Ty," Mai responded once her friend finally took a moment to breathe.
"Have you seen Zuko? Are you getting back together?" Ty Lee inquired, her hand going to curl around a lock of hair.
She was trying to be subtle about asking after her friend's love life. Ty Lee had always had a little crush on Mai but never told her. She did not want to ruin a perfectly good friendship when she knew Mai was attracted to men.
"I did and no," Mai shook her head lightly. "Zuko is amazing and I will always care about him, but I'm not in love with him. I don't think I ever was."
Ty Lee was stunned, hearing her friend's words. "I'm sorry, Mai," she murmured. "Our life was so different, filled with rules and expectations. Once I ran away to the circus I realized how much we all were playing a part in a weird game."
"You were lucky to learn that then, I think that's why you were able to survive Azula so well," Mai stated. She thought over Ty Lee's words, she was surprised at how right they were. They were all playing a part in a game they didn't know was happening.
"Zuko is going to change that though," Ty comforted, her hand going to rest on the girl's upper arm. "And I think it's for the best."
The two stood in silence for a moment thinking over their life prior to Zuko taking the throne.
Ty Lee gave herself a moment to dream about her and Mai being together. Same-sex couples were not frowned upon in the Fire Nation but based on the two girls' ages and their noble families it would never have been a possibility before. They each were plunged into the royal family in the hope of potentially one of them becoming the future Fire Lady. Now that Zuko had taken the throne, maybe just maybe, Ty Lee and Mai could be together.
"Do you know what happened to Azula?" Mai asked hesitantly. She had forgotten to ask Zuko when she went to see him earlier.
"No," Ty Lee answered timidly, it was something that had been on her mind since she had been pardoned. "I'm afraid to learn what happened. I'm sure Zuko will make an announcement at his coronation. I know what she did was awful, but she was still my friend."
"Our friend," Mai corrected lightly before wrapping an arm around her friend.
"Katara, are you ready?" Zuko asked her.
The two were in his mother's garden by the pond with the turtle ducks. While they typically conducted their healing sessions inside his bed-chamber, tonight Katara wanted to be as close to the moon as possible.
"I think so," she nodded quickly and jerkily. Her anxiety was high. This wasn't just anyone she was healing, it was Zuko. Someone she cared about, someone who extracted feelings from her that no one else had. Not to mention, he was the future Fire Lord. There was no room for error tonight.
Zuko laid on the ground and opened his tunic to bare his chest for her. Katara's eyes traveled down his muscular upper body before she forced them back to the scar on his chest. She moved to sit on the ground next to him, tucking her feet beneath her as she settled against the grass.
He watched as her hand went to her necklace, her fingers rubbing the pendant. Zuko had observed that she only touched her mother's necklace for two reasons. The first was when she missed her mother, the second when she was nervous. He knew that she was concerned about messing up and that bloodbending made her uncomfortable. He assumed she was nervous about healing him.
"It's going to be fine, Katara," Zuko reassured her as adjusted himself on the ground. "I trust you."
She nodded absently in response before taking an unsteady deep breath. Katara gave herself another minute then she began.
Her hand went to touch the top of his scar where he had stated earlier had the most pain, his skin was so warm against her cold hands. Zuko hissed as he felt her cool fingertips brush across his heated chest. The act itself was innocent but it felt so sensual and erotic to both of them.
Katara tried to focus on the blood running through his body so she could ignore the tingle of pleasure that trailed down her spine when her skin touched his. The push and pull of his blood was easy to identify in the full moon. She matched his breathing to hers as she worked on the scar tissue surrounding his heart. Every single muscle in her body was tense as she worked.
The future Fire Lord had to force himself to think about anything besides her hands on him so his arousal would not be noticed. He noticed the light sheen of sweat beginning to cover her body as she worked on healing him. Her brow furrowed as she worked on healing him. The tip of her tongue coming to rest on her upper lip as she concentrated, it was almost sultry the nervous habit.
Zuko closed his eyes, he focused on the feeling of her skin against his to distract himself from the pain.
"There," Katara finally murmured after an hour. She pulled her hands away from his chest. "How does that feel?"
Zuko took a deep breath and for the first time since Azula hit him with lightning, he was able to breathe without pain. "So much better," he acknowledged. "It doesn't hurt to breathe anymore. I honestly feel great, rejuvenated."
"I wasn't able to get all of it," she admitted as she went to help him sit up. "But I think with a few more healing sessions over the next few days, it will be a lot better and almost fully healed."
"Almost?" Zuko inquired. He thought the purpose of using her bloodbending would be to finish the healing.
Katara breathed deeply, she felt a little dizzy. Healing Zuko with her bloodbending took out a lot of energy, even with the full moon. She was concerned about Zuko though and pushed her own needs away so she could focus on him.
"You will probably need some ongoing healing for the rest of your life," she explained, wiping the sweat from her brow. She was lightheaded. "The lightning did a lot of damage and while I will be able to get it almost fully healed, you will need it to be looked at probably at least once a year to make sure there are no lasting effects."
"I'm assuming you mean a waterbending healer," Zuko replied thoughtfully, his eyes took in her exhausted form. "How is that supposed to happen when you are probably the only waterbender comfortable enough to be in the Fire Nation for an extended period of time."
"Aang mentioned there will probably be a yearly anniversary meeting because of the war, I'm sure I can make it work so during that time I can come to check on you," Katara smiled reassuringly at him. "Don't worry Zuko, I will make sure you keep up with your headings."
Zuko smiled at Katara, she looked a little flushed. Bloodbending was difficult for her and took a lot of energy, even with the full moon. Zuko stood and reached a hand out to help Katara to her feet. He noticed how she took almost twice as long to stand than was normal, she must really not be feeling well. Her hand felt cold and clammy in his.
"Thank you, for everything," he said softly.
"You're welcome," she responded. She swayed a little on her feet. "Woah!"
"You okay?" His voice portraying his concern. He wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Zuko tried to ignore how small her waist felt in his hands.
"Just a little dizzy," Katara brushed him off. She wanted to lean into the arm supporting her. Zuko's arm around her waist felt better than she could have ever imagined.
"Why don't I walk you back to your room? It's the least I can do for saving my life," Zuko suggested not wanting to let her go. His memories of her in his arms did not do the waterbender justice.
Katara's first reaction was to say no, but knowing that shortly after Zuko's coronation she would need to head back to the Southern Water Tribe she decided to say yes. She might never get to be with Zuko the way she wanted but she could at least have a few more moments alone with him.
"I would like that, thanks," she accepted hesitantly.
His hand squeezed her side and he began leading her back toward her room. He wished that she would lean in a little more to him. But also knew that she didn't feel the same way about him. If all Zuko could get was this moment with Katara, he would take it and savor it.
"My last day in this room," Zuko muttered to himself. He was standing on the balcony to his room looking out at his mother's garden. The sun was just starting to set, casting an orange glow across the scenery.
Tomorrow was his coronation and after that, he would spend his first night in the Fire Lord's chambers.
The sages had tried to get him to stay in Fire Lord's chambers since the Agni Kai with Azula, but he wanted it remodeled before he spent anytime there. Zuko did not want to spend any time in that room until all traces of his father were eradicated from it. He would not live with the poison of his father in his personal space.
"Tomorrow you will begin the journey of bringing peace and honor back to the Fire Nation," a gruff and steady voice stated behind him.
Zuko whipped around to see the owner of the voice. "Uncle!"
In a few steps, Zuko crossed the balcony and hugged his uncle. Within seconds the scent of home settled across the future Fire Lord as he hugged Iroh. The old general smelled of ginseng tea and jasmine with a hint of smoke.
After the emotional reunion, Zuko and Iroh sat down at the tea table set up on the balcony. Iroh began heating the water Zuko had let cool earlier before he began brewing the tea.
"I'm so proud of you, Prince Zuko," Iroh stated as he poured the tea for both of them. "Tomorrow you will take on the mantle of Fire Lord and I think you are more than prepared for it."
"Thank you, Uncle," his nephew responded accepting the cup that was offered to him easily. "I'm nervous though. I think I have made some decisions that not everyone will like."
"What decisions?"
"Aang and I have decided to let Ozai live but he will be put on trial for his crimes against the world," Zuko began explaining, only pausing to take a sip of his tea. "But mostly, I will not prosecute Azula."
"That is a bold decision," Iroh muttered thoughtfully, his hand going to rest on his chin as he looked inquisitively at the young man in front of him. "What is your reasoning, nephew?"
The future Fire Lord shut his eyes as he thought back to the day of the comet, the Agni Kai against his sister. Azula had looked unhinged. The careful control she always maintained a distant memory. Her hair falling all around her, uneven and greasy. Her makeup smeared as tears rolled down her face. The blue fire spewing from her mouth as she sobbed and cried out. He was unable to suppress the shudder that raced through his body as he recalled the day.
"She is unwell, Uncle," Zuko's eyes opened, the sorrow and compassion were palpable in them as he admitted what he remembered. "That day, the Agni Kai, I didn't even recognize her. She is a shell of who she was before."
"Zuko," Iroh pressed after Zuko was quiet for a moment too long. The Dragon of the West was unused to seeing such emotion cross his nephew's face when speaking of the Fire Nation Princess.
"Katara pointed out when mother left and I was banished I had you to help guide me. To help me heal," the young firebender continued, his voice unsteady as he expressed the distress of his sister. "Azula had Ozai, we do not know the extent of the poison he fed her. She deserves an opportunity to see who she truly is without Ozai's influence."
"Zuko, that is very honorable," Iroh nodded after hearing his nephew's explanation. The old general had always suspected that his niece had suffered. But until now, Zuko was never in a position to truly see the pain she carried. "I will help as much as I can with Azula, she is my niece."
"Thank you, Uncle."
"You are taking on a large role, Prince Zuko," Iroh commanded after a moment, pride evident in his voice. "You are thinking things through now, which you haven't always done in the past. You will need to continue that as you lead the Fire Nation into a new era."
"I know, Uncle," Zuko nodded as he listened to the wisdom of his uncle.
Iroh spoke about all that would be expected of him as a ruler. He instructed Zuko to stay steadfast in his ideals. To remember who he was and not to get sucked into the vipers of the royal court. Iroh spoke of keeping his honor and that meant making decisions not everyone would like sometimes.
"You will also need to pick a good partner," Iroh continued cautiously. "A woman who can help you rule. Someone who can be there for you when things are difficult but will rejoice in the happy times with you. A lady that will look after the Fire Nation the same way you will."
"Yes, Uncle," Zuko agreed easily. It was something he had thought about since Mai had left his office the other day.
"Are you still with Lady Mai?"
As much as Iroh liked Mai, he didn't feel like she would be a good fit for Zuko as a partner. Especially now that Zuko was going to make some controversial rulings. He had to if he wanted to lead the Fire Nation in a new direction.
"Mai and I came to the conclusion that we were not compatible," the future Fire Lord stuttered out nervously, he was unsure of his uncle's view on the match and hadn't wanted to disappoint him. "We will always care for each other as friends but that is it."
"Would you be interested in a possible political marriage?" Iroh asked casually. He already was thinking of potential brides for Zuko and it would be easy to convince the royal court if they could claim it was political.
"I will do what I have to in order to secure peace," Zuko stated before muttering under his breath. "Unless somehow I can be with the girl I love."
Hope you enjoyed chapter 1 of Kisses of Fire and Ice
Thank you to everyone who added this story to your alerts and favorites, as well as those who followed me on social media. If you don't follow me, you can find me on Instagram JustAGirlWhoLikesToRead_ I post sneak peeks along with keeping everyone informed of my updating schedule on there!
The update schedule for this story will be on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of each month. This story has finished being written and now is in the final edit stage, but there are probably are still some mistakes. I want to thank you in advance for your grace.
And of course, I want to thank my sister for putting up with me since I started writing. You have been an incredible help in not only motivation, editing, and plot lines. But in telling me the honest truth.
I will see you all on October 15th, 2021!