Previously on Unstoppable:
Katara discovers Aang's secret...
Toph wakes up in bed, naked, with Sokka beside her...
Zuko confronts Aang but is stopped by Katara and Iroh...
Katara behaves oddly around Aang and he questions her mindset and intentions...
Chapter 13: Perceptions and Betrayal
A few minutes after Zuko confronted Aang...
"Why won't you believe me Uncle?! What do I have to do to convince you that he is Amon?!"
"I'm not saying your suspicions hold no merit, nephew," Iroh stated, sipping his Jasmine Tea while Zuko paced around behind him, the men discussing Zuko's recent troubles within his office. "But your reasoning isn't the most convincing, nor do you have the sufficient evidence required to support your claims." It had been a few minutes since he'd pulled Zuko off of the Avatar and led him to his office. For a while, all the firebender did was rant about how Aang was not the person they all perceived him to be, and although he did speak with passion and conviction, Iroh highly doubted his nephew's claims held up to reality. Though, he did have to admit that a few of his points were sensible; Aang seemed unnerved; different, and during their brief interaction a few minutes ago, when Iroh pried Zuko off of Aang with Katara in tow, even the aged, wise man had to admit that a certain dark aura surrounded him, a presence that should otherwise be foreign to a pacifist, monk. Iroh, at that moment, had decided he'd investigate further himself. For now, however, he had to calm his nephew down to prevent him from making the illogical, rash decisions he was accustomed to making when upset.
Stirring the tea, Iroh smiled softly while Zuko continued pacing, recalling memories of the sweet innocent boy, now turned a man and the Avatar he had the pleasure of knowing. "Besides, this is Aang we're talking about. He's always had a knack for playing practical jokes, maybe this is one of them?" Iroh tried to excuse the airbender, though he knew his reasoning was shaky at best.
Zuko stared at his uncle, completely uncertain whether he was being serious or sarcastic or had utterly lost his mind due to old age. "C'mon uncle. You of all people should've noticed it. Haven't you felt something different about him… something dark?"
"Well, I've barely interacted with the young man since my arrival," Iroh answered, setting down his cup of tea as he stroked his beard in thought. "However, now that you mention it, I did sense a rather… eerie presence about him."
"Yes! You sensed it, didn't you?" Zuko celebrated.
"Indeed - however, we may have just misread something, neither of us can say for certain nor should we. So, we shouldn't confront him or mention anything we're discussing right now." At Zuko's responsive scowl, Iroh sighed as he stood to his feet and turned to face the Firelord pacing behind him. "We can't assume anything nephew. Aang is a dear friend of ours, and we must trust that he is the same lovely companion he's always been, at least until we're proven wrong." Almost as a plea, the wise man muttered, "Hopefully we aren't," under his breath.
"So, what do we do in the meantime? If we can't confront him, how are we to uncover the truth?"
"We observe him; make notes regarding his behaviour, his reactions and mannerisms - reflect on them," the tea loving man responded, offering his nephew a proposition. "Let me talk to him for the time being; interact with him. If I sense something's wrong, I'll inform you and investigate further." Relenting, Zuko nodded in return and was turning around to sit back on his office chair, but Iroh stopped him momentarily. Resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, he spoke softly yet his conviction was firm, "However, if I cannot make sense of anything, or if there is nothing to uncover, promise me… you will let this go; your fears have transformed your paranoia into a distraction, and now, your Council has been provided the opportunity to legally usurp… and they have viable reasons to do so."
"I know. I know," the Firelord sighed, walking around his uncle over to his chair and taking a seat dramatically. "What are we to do about them, uncle? Fang wouldn't have challenged me if he didn't have the votes; Zion told me he's been poaching the others for weeks. Unless a sudden crisis occurs tomorrow that will require our immediate attention, Fang will definitely have a quorum present to vote me off the throne."
"You need to win them back, my nephew."
He sighed as he sank in his chair, "How?"
"Recall the loyal ones, reassure them. For the ones who are genuinely concerned, hear their voices and offer solutions - no promises, not yet. For those who're siding with Fang for personal gain, identify and implement a strategy that will allow you to offer them what they seek, except with more efficiency than Fang can hope to offer," Iroh advised.
"And… what about Aang? "What do I do in the meantime? Act natural?" As Iroh nodded, Zuko felt the need to clarify, "Since I've already made a scene and raised my suspicions to him directly, it would be inconsistent and ill-advised of me to suddenly act like we're best friends again, don't you think?"
"That is correct, nephew."
"So, I shall be cold, retain my warieness - which won't be all that hard to pull off since I still doubt him. I'll remain aggressive; question him from time to time, feign slight ignorance as I try to force answers out of him?"
Nodding, Iroh took another sip of his Jasmine Tea, the warm properties soothing his calculating mind as he analysed the situation with an unbothered and unbiased perspective, unlike his nephew. "That would be wise. Just… don't push too hard - I've never known the Avatar to be an idiot; you become too aggressive, he'll likely suspect something. Only act how you think he'd expect you to act, my Lord." The cheeky old man smiled when Zuko growled in annoyance and chuckled in amusement afterwards.
"Please, not you too uncle. Everyone around me breathes formality; I've grown tired of it."
"I'm just teasing, Zuko," the wise man shrugged, still smiling. Though, he pursed his lips when he noticed his nephew's frown returning. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," he muttered softly while shaking his head, the rasp in his voice emphasising his pain and troubled thoughts.
"Zuko…" Iroh began warningly, raising an 'I-used-to-change-your-diapers-from-time-to-time-and-dealt-with-your-whole-angsty-I-hate-the-world-emo-phase-you-really-think-you-can-lie-to-me?' eyebrow, which defeated the Firelord.
Zuko pondered on it for a moment, wondering the extent to which he should reveal regarding his fiance and Aang's supposed unfaithful transgressions, which he believed to be true. "I caught her…" he muttered, trailing off as he lost his courage until Iroh nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "Last night, before Amon attacked, I left the party to see if Katara was alright. When I passed Aang's room… I heard him a-and… I heard him and h-her."
Knowing exactly what his nephew was indicating, Iroh couldn't help but grow entirely doubtful. "I may not know her as well as I would like, but one shining quality I've observed about the waterbender is her loyalty," the wise firebender stated, gazing into his nephew's eyes challengingly yet with understanding when they met. "She is not the kind of person who would do such a thing."
"I thought so too," Zuko answered sadly.
"Tell me if I'm wrong but, I recall you saying that during the meeting, Aang had claimed he spent last night with your sister."
"I'm not happy about that either."
"If you think about it, maybe he was telling the truth. I mean, how can he be with your fiance and your sister at the same time? The only way that's possible is if they -" the 'not-so-wise-in-the-moment' uncle blushed in embarrassment as he bit his tongue, thus forcing himself to derail his doomed train of thought
"Really, Uncle?!" Zuko growled, more annoyed than angry as he covered his ears dramatically and shut his eyes as if he'd seen Sokka naked on his bed, inviting him to join. "That is not something I wanna think about, hear about or envision!"
"My apologies," the embarrassed firebender chuckled nervously. "It seems that spending time with that lovely lady has loosened my tongue and mind somewhat."
"Who? Wait - June?" Zuko asked, his curiosity and previously sour mood disappearing as he leaned forward in interest when his uncle nodded shyly. "She's in Ba Sing Se?"
"She… visits, from time to time," Iroh answered as vaguely as possible, cheeks growing a shade of pink as he chuckled in embarrassment again. "But we're getting sidetracked," he stated firmly - mostly to halt his nephew's upcoming teasing. "The point is, throughout all the years you've known Katara, has she ever displayed any signs that would lead you to believe she was capable of being unfaithful?" Iroh asked, already knowing the answer.
"No," Zuko answered, sighing as he leaned back on his chair, eyes now staring up at the ceiling. "She hasn't."
"Could it be that your mind was just playing tricks on you?" Iroh suggested.
"How so?"
"I can tell you've been battling these fears and doubts for at least a week now. The bags under your eyes suggest a lack of sleep; perhaps you've been having nightmares." Iroh took his nephew's silent response as a sign to continue shining his wisdom, "The mind is powerful, my young Firelord. It provides us with the mental fortitude we need to face devastatingly difficult tasks, however, it can also cause us to spiral into our own delusions when we entertain the painful thoughts we wish to eradicate. I cannot say for certain, but, there could be a chance that you simply manifested your fears, that you heard what you truly dreaded, when in reality, it was far from the truth."
"I know what I heard," Zuko muttered angrily, defiant. "I heard them screaming each other's names while they banged each other against the wall! And, just a few minutes ago, Aang taunted me, bragging about how he fucked my fiance last night and couldn't wait to do it again since they apparently still love each other! I didn't imagine any of that!"
"Then there's more to the story than we're aware of," Iroh stated. "We know for sure that Aang led Katara to her room last night, most party-goers can corroborate that. However, the events that transpired afterwards are riddled with uncertainty; alibis and memories and perspectives contradict, and our perceptions are simply what we've been led to believe. We must construct the entire image together before passing judgement on the meaning behind the puzzle."
The Firelord pondered on it for a moment; he was certain that Aang was playing mind games with him, but he was also sure that he'd seduced Katara back into his arms as well. Zuko had witnessed their recent blossoming friendship revitalising during the prior weeks, and he'd also witnessed a few intimate moments shared between the two during their stay. It was no secret that Aang was still in love with Katara - Zuko knew for a fact that he was - Katara however, had held her cards close to her chest; those few budding, intimate moments were the only indications to the idea that she too was still infatuated with airbender, if not entirely in love.
Yet, his uncle's argument was valid as well, that he couldn't dispute.
"Alright, uncle. I'm still unsure, but I'll try not to think about it much," he agreed reluctantly, sighing as he smiled at the old man while he finished his tea and stood to his feet. Before he could leave however, Zuko asked him a question he'd pondered on for a while, "Why did you stop me last night?" Iroh turned to face him, "Why did you redirect my lightning?"
"I don't recall most of what happened between you two after the war as I wasn't present," Iroh began. "But, I specifically remember the two of you standing tall, side by side as you addressed this very Nation. I remember the gratitude you felt towards the airbender, and I remember the promise you made."
At that, the Firelord's eyes grew wide when the memory struck him like lightning.
"You made a promise, Zuko. And… if you're right about Aang, you mustn't break it… especially now."
"I understand," he nodded, his voice soft and raspy. "Thank you for your advice, uncle."
"Anytime, my dear nephew," the old man smiled before the swinging and closing of the door emphasized the emptiness of the room; Zuko certainly didn't feel like he was present, for his mind was elsewhere.
'He's my friend,' Zuko thought to himself. 'He's fucked with me, but I've betrayed him too.' As the amber rays highlighted his thoughtful features, the wind whistling as the loose, escaped bangs from his hair-pin sway alongside it, Zuko wondered if he could surrender his selfishness, and help his friend.
Later that evening...
Her heart pounded as she rushed to find something - anything… anything at all that would reveal what he was planning.
It had been immensely difficult for Katara to remain neutral, to pretend as if her heart wasn't creating elaborate tattoos as it pounded against her chest while she held him close earlier that day. The shock of Aang actually being Amon had extremely frightened her, and Katara's only option was to cling onto him and dig her face into his chest as deep as she could so he wouldn't see her horrified expression. Because if he had, he'd have realised that she was aware of his secret, and she knew that wouldn't bode well for anyone. She settled her pace, the quick-short breaths transforming into longer, controlled ones, slowly revitalising her as she willed herself to calm down, the shock the truth provided still coursing through her veins; evident in her hoarse voice and mere whispers that were roughly muffled against his chest.
In that moment earlier, Katara knew she couldn't let him recognise his error. So, thinking on her feet, pun intended, she stepped atop his feet and took refuge there, knowing that due to her thick clothing and her leverage from the ground, he wouldn't be capable of sensing her heartbeat. Therefore, he wouldn't be able to decipher whether she was lying when she spun falsehoods and tales about understanding and sympathising with Amon; the steel cap of the shoes he'd worn earlier provided extra security. To be fair, Katara was never a creditable actor - if judging by the way whenever she and Aang intended to prank Sokka or Toph; once everything was setup, she'd make a sly and suspicious remark before giggling like a crazed serial killer, thus ruining the prank and surprise - she'd apologise after, claiming she wasn't 'good with this sort of thing'.
However, years spent in the tundra of her home had hardened her expression; whenever someone gossiped about her or told stories of Aang's supposed unfaithfulness, she'd have to force a smile and act like it didn't get to her - she'd cry afterwards - thus also improving her acting skills. Skills that Aang was unaware of, a miscalculation that had now doomed him - to be fair, he too was just as shocked by what she was saying regarding Amon to truly take a moment to ponder on her radically transformed behaviour. Not to mention, her tempting warm body pressed against his - even through the thick layers of her clothing - was quite distracting. She recognised that, and even used it to her advantage; wiggling and snuggling deeper into his embrace as she made sure her hot breath landed on his neck, knowing exactly the kind of reaction she'd get as he squirmed on the spot.
If the circumstances were different, she would've enjoyed it. However, the situation was worse than she could imagine, and now wasn't the time to be fantasising about the airbender or pondering on the lack of romance in her life. After their brief conversation, Katara had excused herself and left hurriedly, leaving a stunned, confused yet pleased Aang within the war room as she opted to reset her state of mind and regroup in her room.
The waterbender had spent the next several hours battling her thoughts, similar to that morning. While her rational and logical mind was screaming at her to go to the authorities or to relay all this recently uncovered information to Zuko, Katara's compassionate heart, the one that still bled and pounded against her chest for the airbender, was determined to create a ruckus; throwing excuses left, right and centre, defending the airbender until she was an emotional wreck. It seemed that hours had passed where she laid limp on her bed, a million thoughts barraging her, screeching and scratching her as they surrounded the waterbender like terrifying wolfbats. Only within the sway of the evening breeze against her ruffled chocolate curls and the incessant chirps of the crickets allowed her a momentary peace - as she basked in the short-lived tranquility, clarity revealed itself to her, bittersweet like the moment a loved one dies in your arms from old age - a fulfilled life lived, yet now, gone.
'I have to stop him,' she'd decided that evening. 'I have to stop him so I can help him. He needs to be behind bars, but he can be saved. I can help him. I can bring him back, the real him - I can pull him from whatever pain that's latching onto him. I know I can get through to him. But first, I just need to know what he's planning.'
And that led her to Aang's room for the second time that day.
When the sun had begun to set, Aang had left the Palace to deal with what he claimed to be 'boring Avatar business she wouldn't be interested in'. So, Katara took the opportunity to discreetly search his room for anything that would reveal his plans. So far, she hadn't found any remnants of the bag she'd stumbled upon in the morning, containing the face paint and the photograph - or any indication that it even existed. For a brief moment, amidst the silence of the walls and the whiff of the incense sticks lying on his study, Katara wondered if she had gone crazy; maybe everything she saw this morning was a nightmare. She almost believed it, her heart conjuring the perfect excuse to relieve herself of her doubts and worries, thus allowing her to also embrace ignorance as she'd race into the airbender's arms and never release her grip. It reminded her of the hope she'd held onto all those years ago; left standing with limp arms above the snow as she watched him smile at her sadly before taking off with Appa, the snowflakes of their love falling in her hands, dissolving before her eyes - battling the icy truth as she told herself he'd be back soon. .
She almost relented. However, the feel of discreet scars still lingered on her fingers, reminders of the fact that she wasn't in wonderland, and that he wasn't who she initially thought he was.
With her resolve strengthened, Katara continued rummaging through the Avatar's room, refusing to admit defeat. However, after searching through his closet, his drawers, and even his bathroom, all she'd found were miscellaneous items and a few files irrelevant to her current situation. And so, she now found herself by his study, searching the desk for a file or photograph or item of significance or any source of information that could provide clues regarding his plans, intentions or motives. Katara had already cleaned up the mess she'd made during her detective work; his room was almost spotless once she was done, though there were a couple things she'd forgotten about and had misplaced, but she didn't think he'd notice. Even he wasn't that attentive to detail.
The concept of time had seemingly became foriegn to her as the minutes that passed by felt like hours, the time she spent flipping through pages of diaries and folders precisely filtered out by what she thought was her impending doom. After analysing the last folder, the waterbender had discovered nothing; letting out a disappointed and frustrated groan, Katara snapped as she slapped the folder onto the desk. Upset, she took a few steps away from his study and ran her hands through her hair. The folder was the last one, the one at the bottom of the pile that rested on his study, and her last hope of gaining insight was seemingly dead. Thoughts of failure lured her brain to double-check, to revisit that folder one more time, and she prided herself on the fact that her instincts had also strengthened. While nearing the desk, her eyes grew wide with hope as she discovered that an item she hadn't noticed during her frantic search earlier had slipped out of the folder.
'A letter?'
From a distance, she noticed that the parchment didn't seem old even though the reseal indicated that it had been previously opened - this meant it was likely recently delivered. She could also barely uncover the hard talon marks embedded into the letter - they were fresh. 'So, it was delivered by a hawk, perhaps,' she observed. Determined, the waterbender began walking towards it, reaching out to analyse further. Unfortunately for her, just at that moment, a rather surprised voice dared her to make that bold move.
"Katara?"
Her body turned rigid, the blood in her viens solidifying into a icy variation of her very own element as she flinched and froze on the spot, the airbender's voice looming above her head, challenging her; she'd supposedly been caught, 'Fuck, what do I do now?'
"What are you doing here?" He asked, stepping into his room, surprised.
Biting her lip, Katara turned around slowly, hardening her expression, knowing she'd once again have to feign ignorance and hope he wouldn't figure her out. 'I can't lie, cause he'll use his earthbending to uncover the truth. So, how can I swing this?' Once she was facing him entirely, Katara stuttered out the first excuse she could conjure.
"I was… worried about you," well, it wasn't a complete lie. In fact, it was the truth; ever since her revelation a few hours ago about him being Amon, she'd been rather worried about him, among other things. Mentally, she was amazed to discover that even her subconscious mind revolved mostly around Aang; she could've made many other viable excuses, however, Aang was the only thing on her mind regardless of his deception - her compassion and love for him, yet again, shined through. "I came to see if you were here," that too wasn't a lie; even though he'd stated he was leaving for the night and likely wouldn't return till next morning, she'd approached his room cautiously to see if he was present within or nearby, not wanting to enter and then get caught immediately, thus blowing her cover.
Now as she met his eyes, Katara noticed the way his dark orbs analysed her, gazing into her own oceanic irises and right into her soul, calculating, observing. He was trying to get a read on her, and for a moment, she thought it was over. However, the waterbender didn't panic until his eyes began scanning the room instead.
'Fuck. If he sees that open folder and letter, then he'll know I was lying. What should I do?' Katara was blocking the majority of his view of his study, so he hadn't recognised the misplaced folder or the breached letter just yet. However, if she allowed him to scan further for even a moment longer, she knew she'd be made. 'I need to divert his attention.'
Aang was indeed suspicious; Katara was never a good liar, and he could always easily read her. However, it seemed that she had honed her skills further more so than from when they were dating; he couldn't decipher if she was lying even through his rather weakened seismic sense. As his eyes scanned the room, the airbender knew he should probably use his seismic sense to its fullest potential to uncover the truth; the steel capped boots were a major obstacle however. Also, unfortunately for him, since he hadn't slept in the last twenty-four hours, and due to recent stresses, Aang was completely exhausted, and he understood that if he used that ability he'd likely falter and pass out, which would in turn give Katara free roam to search his room if she wanted to - he couldn't allow that. So, Aang decided to decipher her body language and tonal reflections instead.
Realising that his eyes were now nearing his study when they darted towards her, Katara let instinct take control as she did the first thing that came to mind: the waterbender swiftly closed the distance between them and dragged his face down to her lips as she pressed her own lips against his desperately.
She melted as soon as their lips caressed each other, completely forgetting that this was a tactic she'd used to distract him and wasn't for her own pleasure - still, she couldn't help it. It had been almost four complete years since she had tasted him, and after being parched for what felt like an eternity, Katara couldn't restrain herself from indulging in the slightest. Utterly shocked, it took Aang a moment to recognise the fact that Katara was kissing him before he responded, and though he did find her behaviour completely odd, he recognised he hadn't in him to deny her as he'd been starved of her taste for too long to restrain himself as well. In the back of his mind, he knew this action wasn't acceptable - it was wrong. She was Zuko's fiance; although he had teased and tortured the firebender while he flirted with Katara, Aang had never actually intended on having an affair with the waterbender;; others may perceive him a monster, but he didn't identify himself as one. Regardless, he couldn't help but give in.
Eyes sinking in bliss, the Avatar wrapped his arms around the waterbender's hips and tugged her forward, pulling her flush against him as he tilted his head and introduced his tongue. Entirely unaware that she was allowing herself to lose focus and not caring in the slightest, Katara reciprocated the action and opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to enter and dance with her own, thus deepening the kiss.
His tongue met hers, and she realised that she didn't ever want to kiss another man. She loved him – Katara had admitted that to herself. After all these years, she still loved him and she needed him. She needed him four years ago, and she couldn't have him. So, there was no way she was going to let this opportunity slip by.
Groaning into the liplock, Katara wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, her fingers found his hair and she tugged, thus causing him to moan into her mouth. Marvelling at how good it felt to know that she still had such an effect on him, and how pleasuring him was ecstasy to her, Katara further gave into her desire as she tugged at his hair harder, pulled him closer, kissed him deeper.
Utterly lost in each other, the pair's deep kisses were unfortunately cut short due to a momentary loss of breath. For once, in that short moment, Aang declared his native element of air his enemy as it prevented him from kissing her forever, without breaks. Though, once they did separate, he was finally able to think clearly. Now in his right mind again, Aang opened his mouth to ask her what this meant but she silenced him by pecking his lips.
"I missed you," she whispered against his pink lips, knowing it was a truth he wouldn't contest while she regained her focus; now entirely determined to gain the upper hand. Completely marvelled by the fact that she was still his, Aang grinned as he kissed her this time; he didn't need to use his seismic sense to know she was telling the truth. In the back of his mind however, Aang understood he was getting side-tracked, that he was allowing his feelings and desire for the gorgeous waterbender in his arms to possibly jeopardise his mission… something he promised he'd never allow himself to do. Not to mention, he was actually indulging in an act of unfaithfulness.
He thought he could keep that promise, thought he could remain himself.
He had miscalculated; he'd forgotten how warm she was, how soft and pliant, how good she tasted – honey mustard and moon peaches laced her tongue. He underestimated just how tempting she was, just how much he loved her… how much he wanted her, lusted after her.
Katara fisted his robes as she pulled him closer while taking several steps back, her lips, hands, and tongue all competing for his attention. Aang wrapped his arms around her waist once again and walked with her, stumbling to a halt when her back met his desk, where his now opened and scattered folders laid. He began undoing her thick robe, removing the buttons while she used her hands to balance herself against the desk. Their tongues danced an eternal dance, and he couldn't help but lose complete control when his hands met the warm and deliciously soft skin of her now bare shoulders. Crazed, calloused hands travelled to her hips with the sole purpose of hoisting her up and planting her onto his desk - the airbender was unaware of the fact that she was exactly where she wanted to be. Katara's soft moans and whimpers filled the air the moment his tongue dragged a wet trail from her naked shoulder to her earlobe, the added stimulation of Aang roughly and perfectly groping her breasts through her bindings provided her with an ecstasy she almost lost herself in again, that is, until she felt the parchment beneath her hands. To balance herself, Katara wrapped her legs around his hips, her thick thighs pressing into his midsection as she squeezed him while leaning back, her hands now latching onto the letter.
Her mewls and whimpers flooded his ears, and Aang relished the fact that he was hearing them once again. There was once a time when he thought she'd never want him again, that he'd hurt her too much, too badly, that she'd never kiss him again. Now however, he felt all those fears fading into the void – it was impossible not to give into temptation when she squirmed against him and tugged at his hair, pulling him back up to her pillow-like, plump lips so she could kiss him senseless.
The sounds of slapping lips and molding of tongues, arms, legs and bodies continued to surround the heated atmosphere alongside the incense sticks until distant voices and whispers caused the pair to disengage. The door to Aang's room was open, and if they didn't stop, things would certainly end badly. Still, they tried to ignore the impending danger and tasted each other once again. However, when they heard something crashing just shy of the door, Aang immediately pulled away and turned around to uncover what had happened. After a few scrutinizing glances, he sighed as he realised that one of the paintings decorating the walls of the corridor had fallen, missing the droplets of water soaking the frame of the painting and the surface it laid upon. Katara used the momentary distraction she'd created to tuck what she wanted inside the pocket of her thick robe and covered herself up as Aang turned back around.
They were both panting from the aftermath of their heavy make-out session, both flushed and both their brains slightly fried. Aang wanted to confront her, to ask her what all this meant, to ask her why she kissed him. Even though he thought he knew why, he still needed confirmation. Katara however, wanted to keep it short and sweet.
"We should…" she panted, her flushed state causing her cheeks to glow pink alongside her wet, plump velvet lips as she spoke, "we should probably stop now." Katara tried to avoid the implications of what she'd just done as she began buttoning on her blue robe; discreetly, she checked to see if the parchment was safely tucked into the pocket of her robe when Aang faced her, running his hand through his short, black locks while her feet met the solid ground beneath her.
He inhaled and exhaled deeply, willing himself to regain his composure so he wouldn't be blindsided by her again, even though he most certainly welcomed her acts of defiance earlier. "Why did you do that, Katara?"
"Are you telling me you didn't like it?" She countered, deciding that evading his questions was her best option, or answering vaguely at least, if she had to.
"You know I liked it," Aang stated firmly, turning back to take a few steps away from her, feeling their proximity was only making him want to kiss her again… and harder… and not stop. Suddenly, the memories of a distant breeze of a cool, summer night flowing through his clothes, the shine of the full moon highlighting his insecurities and fears, and the soothing yet nerve racking voice of the waterbender refusing to work with him on a balcony tugged at his heart - the ghost-like memories of Ember Island haunting him still. It all felt surreal; he felt thirteen again. "Kissing you is always an outer world experience for me, but… what does any of this mean? Why did you kiss me? You're engaged to Zuko for Spirits sake."
Aang did enjoy the kiss - and everything else - however, in reality, he had no intention of betraying Zuko in such a manner. As far as he was concerned, she was still betrothed and the only person who could kiss her was her fiance – a third party had no right. Yet, when her lips met his, his self-control was basically rendered non-existent; a myth, a figment of his imagination. Now however, during the aftermath of it all, he felt immensely guilty.
"You could've stopped me if you didn't want to do it," she stated in a matter of fact way, choosing to deflect for the time being.
"You know I - It's not even about that. It doesn't matter if I want to or not, we shouldn't have done it," the airbender argued, while Katara grew genuinely surprised as he'd been flirting with her non-stop since his return.
'If he didn't want to do this… if this wasn't his endgame, then what was everything else about?'
"You've been flirting with me non-stop since your return," she argued, her arms crossed with an eyebrow raised as her gaze scrutinized him. "Why are you suddenly acting like you didn't want this?"
"I flirt, yes," he relented. "But… I don't cheat - I'm not… I don't want to be doing this behind Zuko's back."
'But you have no problem lying to our faces; acting like you're some innocent, charming boy when in reality you're a crazed psychopath!' She wanted to scream, to confront him that very second, but she'd learned a thing or two from Aang and her brother. 'You don't show the other side your hand if you have the advantage,' she reminded herself. The waterbender bit her lip as she pondered on how to respond to the airbender and escape from this situation - she needed to study that letter sooner rather than later.
"What does any of this even mean Katara?" He asked in her verbal absence. "Was this just hormones? Or… do you… do you actually feel something fo-"
"I don't love Zuko," Katara simply answered, interrupting the airbender with a smile as she took several steps towards him and cupped his cheek. "And I don't want to marry him. I won't."
"Then who do you want to be with?" He knew he shouldn't be focusing on her as more pressing issues begged for his attention, but he was too far lost in her warmth, her taste, and her essence to surrender without a proper answer. He had the mind to step away from her, to prevent her from fogging his mind again with her proximity, but she was already holding him again, and he was paralysed… again. A predicament he'd chastise himself for in the future, no doubt.
Smiling wolfishly, Katara stood on her tiptoes and kissed Aang's cheek, allowing her soft velvet lips to linger for a moment longer as she whispered in his ear, "Isn't it obvious?"
Despite the situation, the airbender couldn't help but feel the sweet scent of relief invade his senses - her scent; rosemary and the fresh tides of the ocean. In the beginning, he certainly had no intentions of actually winning her back, due to believing she hated him as he'd seemingly abandoned her. He thought she'd curse him out of the Palace, punish him with snide comments and the silent treatment when it suited her. However, their blossoming friendship revitalised the hope that lingered in his broken and battle-damaged heart, a hope that remained doubtful until this very moment.
While he was planning to respond, Katara used the excuse of distant footsteps echoing down the corridor to make a strategic exit. "Someone's coming," he heard her whisper again as she leaned down and began shuffling away. Her hand lingered on the door to his room when she glanced back and shot him a small smile along with a promise, "We'll talk later."
Katara had to physically and mentally control her pace as she strode to her room, knowing that if her movement suddenly became frantic and hurried, it would make it seem like she was escaping, and he'd catch on. Only once the door was softly yet completely shut behind her did she let out the longest and deepest breath she'd taken - Katara didn't know for how long she'd been holding it in, but the relief she felt when she released it indicated that it was probably around the time she kissed his cheek.
As the beating of her heart quieted, Katara retrieved the letter from her robe and placed it onto her desk - her mind however, still lingered on the airbender a few doors away. As the implications of her actions once again attacked her, Katara shuffled to open the window, needing the surprisingly cool breeze to help soothe the heat lacing her skin. Mortified, Katara sat on the edge of her bed as she mulled over the situation - she indeed felt awful; the waterbender didn't like manipulating Aang, kissing him and making bold and vague statements to confuse and distract him from her true agenda. For a moment, she was horrified of herself, questioning what she'd become; the Katara she knew, the proud yet respectful woman she believed herself to be, wouldn't have committed the acts she had moments ago. Not to mention, the fact that she had just played with Aang and his feelings didn't help her feel justified in the slightest, however, she couldn't deny the obvious facts.
'But he manipulated me too,' she argued. 'He manipulated me for weeks. Lied to me. Flirted just to play with my heart. How do I know he was honest at all? How do I know he wasn't lying about still being in love with me? If he can lie to all of us, act like he's innocent when really he's Amon… how do I know if anything he said at all was the truth? Regardless, I had to do it. I need to stop him. And as bad and cruel and manipulative as it was… it had to be done. He needs help, and I had to do it to help him.' Although Katara acknowledged that what she did was immoral, she couldn't help but feel somewhat justified. And so, she shuffled towards her desk to study the letter, and to distract herself from the lingering feeling of his lips on hers, her neck, her chest… and his hands roaming her body with excitement and lust as they had on multiple occasions years ago, only now, the lust was heightened due to their hormone finned, tempting adult bodies.
Meanwhile...
True to his mastery over the element, the airbender remained rock-like; immovable, except for the movement of his fingers touching his lips and his tongue darting out, reliving the taste of her, the softness, the warmth. Aang knew that what they'd just done wouldn't likely happen again – he wouldn't allow it, at least not until she broke off her engagement with Zuko. Yet, he couldn't help but feel like a lovesick teenager once again.
Still reeling from the make-out session, Aang stood absentmindedly for a long moment, numb to the footsteps indicating a servant's approach towards his room, too lost in her distinct aroma dispersed around him. He could practically still feel her; the chill that ran down his spine when she traced his biceps, the excitement coursing through his veins when she tugged at his hair and yanked him down, kissing him harder while he felt the smoothness of her midriff. It took the loud tapping of knuckles against his wooden door and several calls from the servant to shake him from his lovestruck state.
He regarded the woman by the door, an apologetic smile tugging at her lips. "Apologies Avatar Aang, but Master Sokka has been searching for you for quite some time. He sent me to find and inform you of the investigation he's been assigned to. Apparently, they've gained new knowledge and he wishes to gain your insight and opinion regarding the situation."
Aang shook his head as he responded, "No need to apologise, tell him I'll be with him shortly." Aang wanted to stay behind for a moment to scan his room, to ensure Katara hadn't done anything or wasn't searching for something, however, he didn't get a chance to.
"He… he said it was urgent," the servant stated shyly and warily – Aang didn't miss the mortified expression she had dawned. "He also said something about a 'significant' spicy fire-flakes eating contest afterwards – he wanted you to participate with him, and it starts soon."
Amusement engulfed his laughter as his eyes scanned his room - he'd return and search properly, but for the time being, another quick glance would have to suffice. 'The bed seems the way I left it,' he observed, 'my closet seems untouched, and I can't see anything in the bathroom, but there's nothing there for her to find anyways.' Immediately, his grey orbs darted towards his study, where he knew at least one item could be seen as questionable. Automatically, he took notice of the several folders and paperwork of his taking refuge on the floor - 'those aren't supposed to be there.' He thought, however, he also recalled what had happened a few moments ago; in their lust filled state, Aang had sat her onto his desk and he certainly recalled the thuds caused by items meeting the ground while their makeout intensified. Blushing at the memory, Aang simply concluded that they must've knocked them over during their moment and didn't analyse further.
Relenting, he turned to the woman, closing the door behind him as he gestured for her to continue. "Very well. Please, lead the way." After locking the door, he followed the servant, making casual, small talk along the way… completely unaware of the fact that an important letter was now missing from his study.
Later that night...
General Fang grinned as he took another sip of his whiskey. The day had been a successful one; Amon had played his part and could now be dealt with, Zuko was slipping up and the Council was growing tired of his passiveness, and he had the support of the council to overthrow Zuko – everything was in place for him to take over. Yet, one rather significant task remained, and it was the riskiest of them all, yet a crucial step nonetheless.
"Find and contact Amon," he ordered his assistant, not noticing that the man he'd ordered around stood frozen by the door. "Tell him I want to talk – "
"Speak of Vaatu," a voice emerged from behind him, "and he shall appear."
Startled, Fang's hand quivered in surprise, therefore causing the whiskey in his glass to trail down his chin and pool at his collar as he turned in his chair to regard the hooded, clown-like phantom.
"You certainly have a knack for timing," Fang commented, smirking as he subtly pressed an emergency button underneath his desk while wiping his chin, thus alerting the guards that the intruder had arrived. 'Today's the day you die, clown,' he thought - overconfidence oozing from his demeanor. Fang laid back into his chair, crossing his arms casually as he stalled with conversation until his personal guards arrived. "I'd say everything has gone according to plan so far."
Amon grinned wolfishly, "Indeed. The plan is proceeding as expected..."
"Zuko is on his ass, the Nation is sick of his rule and complacency, and I'm now in the perfect position to take over," he continued smugly, unaware of the fact that his assistant was shivering in fear. "You have been a big help," he continued grinning smugly, "and I want to offer my thanks, Amon."
"And how do you plan on repaying me… oh generous one?" The clown matched his smug smile.
"You'll find out soon enough," Fang tapped his fingers against his desk, the iron from his ring meeting the flat wood, imitating the marching footsteps of his guards, who he was sure would arrive in a few seconds. However, even after a short while, the sound of stomping of several boots against the concrete as they approached his office was deaf to his ears. So, Fang improvised and decided to play along, attempting to stall for a longer duration. "I can gift you gold and silver, thousands of yen, properties and weaponry, artworks and ancient artifacts beyond your comprehension." Amon remained stoic yet amused, so he continued. "Or, if you're seeking something else, like pleasure perhaps, I could offer you the finest slaves in all Four Nations – choose your pick; Fire Nation, Watertribe, Earth Kingdom; experienced sluts, shy virgins, large breasted, petite… we got 'em all!" Now, Amon seemed bored, so, to amuse himself and gauge his reaction, the General decided to let him in on a little secret – 'It's not like he'll be alive in a few minutes to spill anyways,' he reasoned.
"Better yet, maybe you're in the market for something younger," Amon's dipped head raised ever slightly, his smile dropping and his eyes narrowing the tiniest amount. "The latest shipment came in. If you're interested, you can have her," Amon's warning glare didn't wipe the disgusting grin off Fang's face, "she's barely thirteen."
Amon remained neutral, his demeanour and expression unwavering. Though, his eyes did lose their previous playfulness and his smile was basically non-existent, for once.
"You like that, don't you?" The General further prodded, "I could tell you were that type of guy. To be fair, I don't judge you; I've indulged myself with the younger ones more than a couple times." Fang's eyes glinted with mirth when Amon scowled, knowing he was riling him up and that Amon hadn't noticed that he was still stalling.
The discreet heavy breathing of Fang's assistant, who stood by the door - horrified - was the only sound filtering out the silence between the three men, until Amon opened his mouth.
"If it's not too big a deal, I think I'll pass."
"Will you now?" Fang chuckled, his past fear of the phantom seemingly non-existent due to his belief of having the advantage. Standing from his seat. General Fang walked around his office desk, nearing the ghost-faced phantom with defiance as he gritted out, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. Hopefully we can arrange something for you… once you're rotting in prison."
Once again, apart from the gentle, incessant ticking from the clock, nothing but silence was heard within the room. Amidst the tension, General Fang awaited his guards to bust open the door and formally arrest Amon – Amon awaited the moment the General would realise his plan had been anticipated and jeopardised.
Impatient, Fang clenched his fists as he yelled, "Guards!?" When he received no recognition for his call, Fang spared a glance at his assistant questioningly before his eyes landed on Amon again. It was then, in that moment, when Amon's trademark sinister grin returned, did the General realise his position had been compromised. "Wh- what did you do?" General Fang quivered in fear as he stumbled backwards when Amon laughed at him, his high-pitched rasp attacking the General's eardrums with dread-enticing mirth.
"You've outlived your usefulness," Amon ignored his question, choosing rather to amuse himself as Fang stumbled further backwards.
"What's h-happening here?!"
"You were never part of the endgame – "
"No! I will be Firelord!"
"You were simply a means to an end – "
"You won't get away with this! I will not let you win!" He turned to his assistant, defiance and delusion fueling the fire in his eyes. "Call the authorities right now!"
Amon too panned his head towards Fang's assistant, regarding him with a stern glare as he nodded towards the door, "Leave us. Wait outside."
"No! You stay right there," he pointed at his assistant in an attempt to gain leverage and strengthen his baseless demands while raising his voice. "I'm still in charge!"
In response, Amon's hand gripped Fang's shoulder gently yet intimidatingly, squeezing with a warning as he spoke in a low, raspy voice, "Do you feel in charge?"
Clearly realising the position he was in, and the severe repercussions that would occur if he didn't do as commanded by the phantom, Fang's assistant hastily left the room, sparing the General a pitiful glance before the door slammed shut behind him. Fang slowly and reluctantly met Amon's glare, gazing up into the dark soul that resided within his broken eyes as his voice quivered, "I – I gave you all the r-resources you needed – "
"And this gives you power over me?"
"What is this?" He whispered, fearing if he raised his voice even slightly, he'd lose his tongue.
Amon's calloused and heated hand wrapped itself around the back of the General's neck, gripping tightly, "Your money and influence has been important... until now."
The General diverted his eyes from Amon's piercing black holes.
"Wha - what are y-you?" His voice quivered. .
"I'm the world's salvation… and your reckoning."
The pathetic general whimpered, "You're e-evil."
"I kill evil."
"Wait -"
Without hesitation, Amon covered the General's face with his large hand while the man struggled, his pathetic screams muffled against the phantom's gloves. Fang's hands fought Amon's grip, hands punching and shoving, legs kicking - all in vain. Frustrated, Amon exhaled heavily as he tightened his hold and began twisting the General's neck.
"You shouldn't have let him out… now, you will pay for the part you played…" Amon whispered cryptically.
The assistant heard his superior's muffled screams and his heart-wrenching chokes, growing in volume the more he struggled - that is, until a crack and a snap brought about an abrupt halt. Following that, the struggling, screaming, pleading and suffering was no more, and only the heavy breathing of one individual echoed within the room behind him.
General Fang… was no more.
Author's Note: So, I hope this chapter was just as interesting as the previous. My last final exam is next week so afterwards, I'll have more freedom to write and post chapters on a frequent basis. But, until then, please leave a review and let me know if you're enjoying the story, it gives me insight on how you guys are feeling and whether I should change something that seems inconsistent within the world I've set up.