Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Avatar: The Last Airbender"! Nathing. NATHIIING.
Author's Notes: Oh Zuko, you made that bed, you gotta lie in it! (laugh) Sorry, no sex this chapter. The chickens came home to roost. And Azula was tired. Yeah.
Bookist: Glad you liked the pairing! It was only intentional for plot but I wound up liking writing it.
QueenTyzula: eheh enjoy, my friend! I swear I put Zuko through uncomfortable settings here just to get you to laugh :P
Reachabledig41: heheh just find out.
Maraghoul: my friend, still dedicated to you. You helped lay the groundwork for this tale. I hope you're enjoying! :P Who's gonna win the sulk-off, Zuko or Mai? Well, guess they're tied ^_^;;
"Stoking the fire"
Chapter seventeen "Adjusting"
Zuko flung the covers off his bed and grumbled to himself. He was dressed down for sleep in a bed robe, but his mind was far from relaxed. It had been a couple of weeks since his wife had returned, and she made her rounds through the palace, giving the odd comment to servants who liked her, but thoroughly ignored his efforts to at least have a civil conversation.
As the days dragged on, he felt more pressing the need to tell her the truth. He barely had any time with Ty Lee, for proper sake, and to not give the wrong idea to his lady wife. He couldn't help feeling like he was being laughed at by some of the servants. Any Fire Lord of the past would have done what he would have pleased, feelings be damned. But Zuko loved his wife and he had to make things right.
He didn't miss the forlorn looks Ty Lee had given him. She must have missed him too, friendship or touch he couldn't ascertain, and he hoped with his absence over the past several nights, she wasn't thinking of foolish thoughts. Foolish thoughts like Azula. It was petty, but Zuko wanted to take Ty Lee's mind off of his sister. At primal levels, his alpha pride and ego seethed at the thought, but at conscious level, he couldn't fault his concubine for pining or thinking of Azula. It wasn't like he was filling her empty moments lately.
"I should just go over there," Zuko grumbled. He paced back and forth in his chambers. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with Ty Lee; even her giggling laughter would have perked his mood. It was a far better thought that remembering the daggers Mai had shot at him that day across the courtyard. He couldn't even get close to her today without her flouncing off, servants in tow.
Zuko paced and flung open his bed room door. He stalked across the sitting room and opened the front door. Tsung and Yoshiko were on duty. They started at his disheveled appearance.
"My lord?" Tsung asked. Zuko ran a hand through his bangs.
"…Never mind," he decided. If he asked for Ty Lee or made his way to her chambers, even if it WAS for a game of Pai Sho, (no innuendo intended), it would get back to Mai and she would stop saying "hello" back at the worst. He would get nothing but glares and silence. He had finally gotten her to greet him back, even if her tone was sarcastic and hating.
Zuko said goodnight and closed the door. He paced back to his bed room and shut the door abit too firmly. Dammit, he was the Fire Lord! He shouldn't feel guilty about everything he did.
Zuko at least wanted to say goodnight to Ty Lee. She was pregnant with his heir and his instincts slammed through his mind. He needed to make sure she was safe. He snarled and flung himself on the bed. He scrubbed his palms over his eyes and rubbed his face.
"Good night," he sighed out loud. To his wife or Ty Lee was hard to say.
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Ty Lee tossed and turned. Ying opted to sleep in the wide bed with her, since Zuko stopped coming over to spend the night. It was foolish wishing, but she hoped it wasn't a permanent absence. Even if he just held her, she missed him. Listening to Zuko's soft breathing had soothed her heart and mind and helped her drift off. Ying snored softly and rolled onto her back. Ty Lee tucked against her side, face rooting near her shoulder. She gently rubbed the girl's sternum and her snoring slowed. Ty Lee buried her face in her pillow and sighed.
Her friend missed her past lover too. She was certain of it. Ty Lee held her belly as she curled on her side. Without Zuko to fill her waking thoughts with his presence, her mind went to still pleasing areas. She thought of the baby, and what it would look like. Would he or she be a bender; would they be an alpha? Would he or she have Azula's black hair and flashing golden eyes? All the better to mirror Zuko in some looks, as he was claiming it. But her thoughts went back to what had started the baby to begin with.
Azula was a being that seemed to thrive solely on passion; she remembered how she had driven her back into the wall during their last rutting. How her breath had been hot and ragged against her neck and throat, her hands tight on her thighs, holding her open. Ty Lee scrubbed a wrist against her eyes, smiling in her mind. Azula's panted obscenities of passion in her ear had spurned her on.
Ty Lee felt an answering throb between her thighs and she slid a hand low to take care of things. She rolled away from Ying and worked her hand back and forth. Her fingers glided through sopping wetness, and when she closed her fingertips over her clit, she gasped loudly enough to wake her friend. Ying didn't open her eyes so she worked herself faster and faster. Azula's eyes gleamed at her in her mind.
"Open for me, my traitorous flower," Azula murmured in her memory. Ty Lee gasped and pressed her face into her pillow. As her fingers stretched herself, Azula's face shifted to Zuko. He grinned at her, eyes gleaming with passion and he gently lifted her in his arms. Ty Lee remembered their last coupling and how good it was to wake up and pull him inside her. She gave a small gasp as his face rubbed against her shoulder in her mind's eye.
Ty Lee came hard and as quietly as she could. She rubbed her clit and brought herself down, hearing her harsh pants echo in the bedroom. She COULD just go to Zuko's chambers, Mai be damned. She wanted some comfort and currently she had been getting it from the Fire Lord.
'You only want him because you can't have Azula. And you made that happen,' Ty Lee's inner conscious argued. Ty Lee flushed to herself in the dark. She burrowed against Ying's shoulder, wishing someone else was in her bed. Whether it was Zuko or Azula, she couldn't admit out loud.
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Surging thickness pushed between her legs, thrusting deep within dripping folds. Ty Lee arched on her back, widening her thighs. The body above her was toned and athletic, and her fingers roamed up and down abdominal muscles that were defined by touch. Ty Lee's fingers grazed up and down the smooth flesh along her lover's sides and her curious fingers grazed the undersides of the alpha's breasts. Ty Lee smiled deeply. Azula, it was Azula, gasping with loud passion as she thrust in and out of her.
When Ty Lee opened her eyes, she was so glad to see it was Azula hunched over on top of her, inside of her, a long smile stretching her red lips. Ty Lee raked her hands up and down Azula's sides, and the princess purred when her fingers grazed under her breasts again. Her fingers were bold enough to stroke the erect nipples and Azula growled. She hunched lower, thrusting deeper inside, making Ty Lee fall back and gasp. Her hands clutched the princess's back gladly. She would keep her inside her, as long as she could…..
Azula's teeth worked against her upturned throat and Ty Lee arched back further to present herself more fully. Yes…yes…this time, she'd make it right…..
"Azula!" a familiar voice growled to the side of the room. Both women snapped their attention over and Azula stopped mid thrust. Zuko was in the doorway of the bed room, fully naked. Despite herself, Ty Lee's gaze dipped between his legs. His cock jutted proudly, mirroring his anger.
Azula hissed and withdrew and Ty Lee clutched at her hips with grasping fingers. She couldn't form words, but her every instinct wanted to keep Azula inside her, where she belonged…. But Zuko was here and he was challenging Azula for her. Her current attachment to Zuko made her heart flip flop. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she didn't want them to kill each other!
"Get out, Zuzu!" Azula growled. Zuko hissed and fire streamed from his fists as he strode forward to meet her. Ty Lee pressed her damp thighs together, joined fluids from her and Azula on her skin. She was finally able to move and she angled off the far side of the bed.
"Stop it!" she screamed. The room shifted as if an earthquake was happening, and when the curtains on the window rippled, both siblings vanished like smoke. Ty Lee gaped and turned her head to and fro. She blinked and suddenly she was one of the long corridors of the palace, torches flickering in their sconces on the wall. She heard the sounds of crackling of fire, impacts of explosions and despite the misgivings swimming in her belly that could only be fear, Ty Lee ran closer to the sounds.
As she ran naked down the corridor, a body flew and collapsed at her feet, limbs tangled together. Ty Lee gaped. It was Azula, nakedness hidden by simple trousers and red tunic, hair pulled back in a topknot. Burns dotted her arms and her hair mussed out of its knot, laying around her face that was oddly vulnerable since she was unconscious. Ty Lee gasped and sank to her knees. She pulled the limp princess into her arms.
A cry sounded from further down and through her tears, Ty Lee looked up to see the Avatar holding Zuko in his arms. The Fire Lord was dressed as well, trousers and tunic, and as equally burned and damaged. His eyes were closed and Ty Lee's heart lurched. She didn't even know if the woman in her arms was alive, or if Zuko was. Her heart seethed and tears flowed down her cheeks.
Avatar Aang held Zuko tenderly, openly sobbing. "I should have stopped you… I should have stopped you!" he was saying. His girlfriend sank to her knees beside him and tried to take Zuko from him. Ty Lee knew she was a healer, she could help….but Aang was far beyond listening to her. His tear-filled eyes gleamed pure white and holy light streamed from them as his clothing and the tapestries on the walls rippled with his unseen power.
Ty Lee clutched Azula's head to her breasts and cradled her, trying to protect her from the Avatar's seething power. She hid her face in Azula's collar, as the harsh winds buffeted her bare skin, and her hair streamed back.
Then she fell to darkness.
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Zuko slid into a pair of trousers and shouldered into a tunic. It was well past the witching hour and he still couldn't sleep. Maybe if he could walk around the palace, he could wear himself down to sleep. Zuko slung a cloak around his shoulders and slid into his boots. He carefully opened the front door to his apartments and discovered Yoshiko and another Kyoshi Warrior at attention. They weren't dozing persay, but they had been relaxed leaning against the wall. They snapped to attention noticing him.
"My lord," Yoshiko murmured. Zuko gave a tired smiled. His face felt like it was falling off and he wished he could just sleep.
"I'm going for a walk. You don't need to come with me," he offered. The two women nodded and stood at attention.
"We'll wait for you here, my lord," the other Kyoshi Warrior said. Zuko smiled and waved as he walked off. The curtains over the tall windows in the corridors blew with the evening breeze and he shivered. He burrowed into his cloak to fight the night chill and moved faster to warm his blood. A slow plume of smoke streamed from his mouth as he warmed his chi and spread it through his limbs. It was still mid-summer, but odd chills crept into the Fire Nation at night. Zuko had a feeling the winter was going to be a bad one. With luck, it may hole Azula up in snow as well as the royal palace being swept into hibernation.
As Zuko moved along, he passed the odd palace soldier, who righted his gait at comical speeds upon noticing him. Zuko raised an eyebrow. He should correct this behavior. Maybe he should start doing odd walks at night more often.
He heard shuffling nearby and Zuko imagined it was another soldier, scrambling from a nap. What he saw was far more personal. Ty Lee was shuffling along, eyes half slit open. Her hair was unbraided and pushed over one shoulder of her bed robe. Her bare feet peeked from the robe, and oddly she didn't trip as she moved along, half seeing. Zuko was about to call out to her when Ty Lee began mumbling and he knew she was dreaming while on her feet. He slowly ventured close and moved to take her arm.
Ty Lee screamed suddenly, startling Zuko so badly he visibly jumped. "Ty Lee! Ty Lee! Wake up!" he whispered hoarsely. Ty Lee pushed out at him at his touch and Zuko would be lying that the intention behind her fear didn't hurt. He took her shoulders and gently shook her. Ty Lee's eyes snapped open and her knees almost buckled. Zuko didn't blame her; it must be startling to wake suddenly and find yourself vertical when you had gone to sleep laying down.
His fingers gently worked into her shoulders and he held her firmly. "It's me! It's Zuko!" he insisted. Ty Lee's glazed eyes focused and tears filled her eyes.
"Zuko! What….how did I get here?" she demanded. Zuko's heart lightened when she clung to his back and pressed her face to his chest.
"I don't know. You must have slept walked. It's okay, let's get you back to bed," he said gently. He faltered when Ty Lee's hands moved up and down his sides, fingers skimming the fabric of his tunic. "I'm okay. I'm all here."
The horror of her dream slowly faded from Ty Lee's eyes and she nodded. Her knees still wobbled so Zuko bent. He pressed one hand under her knees and lifted, hoisting her to his chest. Ty Lee protested, then went limp. She pressed her cheek to his chest and Zuko slowly walked her back to the concubine's apartments.
Inside, he found Ying scrambling to find her shoes, bed robe askew. Her wild eyes alighted on the two of them and she stopped, hand going to her rapidly beating heart.
"I woke up and you weren't there! Are you okay?" Ying asked. Ty Lee nodded. Zuko carried her to the bedroom and laid her on one side of the wide bed. When Ying made to go to the second bedroom, Zuko signaled her in.
"It's okay, I'm just going to sit here. I won't take your spot," Zuko said. Ty Lee's eyes flashed disappointment, but she sidled up beside Ying when she slid under the comforter.
Zuko sat in an overstuffed chair on Ty Lee's side of the bed and reached for her hand. Ty Lee held it. "What were you dreaming about?" he whispered.
Ty Lee's eyes filled with terror and she shivered. "I don't want to say. I just hope it never happens."
Zuko swallowed. He leaned his head back into the chair and slit his eyes closed. "I'll be right here. Until you fall asleep."
Ty Lee pressed her other hand to her belly as she faced him. "Good night, Zu," she whispered.
Zuko's heart lurched pleasantly at her nickname for him. All three gradually drifted off.
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When Zuko's eyes opened, he was startled by the sunshine streaking into one of the bedroom's windows. Ty Lee was watching him, head propped on one arm.
"Hi," she said softly. Zuko smiled at her, rubbing his eye.
"Morning," he whispered. Suddenly, he wished it were a few weeks ago, and that he was waking in her bed. Ying was at Ty Lee's other side, softly snoring. He smiled ruefully at how unabashed she slept.
"Guess we all nodded off," he sat up and stretched his arms above his head. Ty Lee sat up and pulled her bed robe around her curves.
"We better get you out of here, then," Ty Lee said, without any teasing in her voice. Zuko accepted her hand on his sleeve as they moved through the apartment. At the front door, he paused to open it and Ty Lee craned on her tiptoes. She pressed a kiss against his cheek.
"It'll be a good morning," she said brightly. Zuko gave her a rueful smile.
Two palace soldiers were on duty outside of Ty Lee's chambers. Zuko nodded to them and walked off to his own apartments. He sighed internally, knowing that they would gossip about his involuntarily spending the night at his concubine's.
"Agni, take me," he muttered under his breath. Back at his apartments, Zuko stripped his tunic and went to his washroom to shave. It was the washroom he shared with Mai and he remembered bathing with her, and her shaving him as well. Mai shifted into Ty Lee in his memory and he sighed.
He really had to get a handle on things. After dressing appropriately for the day, he walked to his family's apartments to share breakfast. His stepfather made him feel welcome and he cherished the hugs and kisses his mother and half-sister bestowed on him.
Foolish to dwell, but these women in his life loved him. He hadn't done anything to hurt them, but they still respected and cared for him.
'Ty Lee cares for me. I know Mai still loves me….kind of hard to turn that off,' Zuko thought.
"Sit by me, Zuzu!" Kiyi insisted. He smiled ruefully and sat in the chair offered by his sister.
"Okay, Ki," he said, shortening her name as well. Kiyi giggled.
"Manners, Kiyi," Noren scolded lightly. He gestured to the cloth napkin and Kiyi pulled hers into her lap and sat up straight. "Much better. Thank you."
Zuko sat straight to match her posture and winked at her.
"How's Ty Lee doing?" Ursa asked him. Zuko had just taken a bite of a dumpling and he coughed so hard he began to choke. "Zuko!" she said with alarm.
One of the braver servants ran to clap him on the back. Zuko got the bite of dumpling up. He spat it into his napkin, grimacing, "Sorry, Mother…"
"Are you okay?" she asked with concern. Zuko nodded as Kiyi clutched his forearm.
"Yes…geez, I didn't mean to scare all of you," he said.
Noren took a sip of tea. "It happens, Zuko."
Zuko smiled. "To answer your question, she's fine, Mother. The court healers will look over her again soon, but she's been eating right."
Ursa nodded, though she was careful not to ask about Mai. Zuko looked somewhat frazzled even though he was trying to show he wasn't. "I'm glad. I can look in on her."
"She might like that," Zuko said. "You know she doesn't get along with her mother."
"Poor dear," Ursa said. "You kids were always on the road. It's about time you all up and settled down."
Zuko gave a wry smile, remembering their travels. "It's good not to be on the run all the time."
His mother sobered at his impromptu words and he could have kicked himself. 'Like Azula is on the run…..'
There was a knock at the apartment doors and Iroh was let in by the Kyoshi Warriors. "Mind if I join you?" he smiled.
"Uncle Iroh!" Kiyi called happily. "Yeah, it's okay! Right, Zuko?"
Zuko's smile was wide and unforced. "Of course! Join us."
Iroh walked forward quickly on the balls of his feet and slid gracefully into a chair across from Noren. "Thank you, nephew. How fares your morning?"
Ursa beamed at her once brother-in-law. "Wonderful! Zuko's going to be a father and winter isn't for a while. It's a great day, I'd say."
Zuko was oddly touched. Always his mother thought of his well-being. Iroh grinned widely at his nephew.
"Are you nervous yet, nephew? You'll have servants to help with everything, but a baby is still a huge responsibility."
Zuko was told his uncle helped the servants with a lot of Lu Ten's upbringing, and got his hands dirty more often than not. It had tended to put Fire Lord Azulon and his brother off. That's what servants were for, they insisted. But Zuko knew he would be around the baby a lot, same as his uncle was around his.
"Abit! Ty Lee's in good spirits about it, and she's in great health. I guess I am nervous. Well, scared for Ty at least. Giving birth is an ordeal, isn't it?" he directed this to his mother. Noren gave a knowing smile and winked at him.
"I won't say I wasn't afraid everytime I went into labor," Ursa admitted. "You and Kiyi were easy births. Just like your nature, your birth was very accommodating. Azula's was far more difficult…." Ursa's voice trailed off. She sighed.
Iroh gently poured her another cup of tea. "Don't worry too much, Ursa. Azula is a smart and capable woman. I'm sure she's fine no matter where she is."
As Ursa smiled again, Zuko flashed a worried look to Iroh. They shared a thought in that look that seemed to say 'Capable and planning.' He knew his uncle was as secretly worried as he about whatever it was Azula was planning.
She had attacked him. And Zuko knew she would do so again.
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Azula grunted, going over the layout palace map with Lord Shun. Two visiting lords were at her elbow.
"The palace guards watch the north and south walls of the interior," Azula said. "They're under allegiance to me."
"We can scale in over the south wall and secure that part of the palace with the guard's help," one of the lords said sagely. His eyes gleamed down at the map. Azula tapped the parchment with one finger.
"We can secure this area, and turn the other soldiers to the west and north areas of the palace. Those who resist will be taken down," Azula ordered. The lords smiled, nodding.
"What about your lady mother? She and her family should be put on house arrest," one of the men suggested. Azula's mind clamped over to red spots. She clenched her fists.
"If they cooperate, sure, by all means, arrest them. Any outrage, and feel free to take them out too," Azula growled. One of the men blinked.
"But the adults aren't benders and Kiyi is a child," he protested. Azula fixed a deadly stare at him.
"Oh, feel free to disobey my orders," she suggested. The man balked.
"Of course, Princess Azula. Any outrage from them, and they will perish," he agreed. Azula smiled widely.
"As for Zuko, feel free to fire at will. If I get to him, all the better, but anyone can have a go if they get to him first."
"I personally hope I come face to face with him first. Stopping the war when we were winning…. The entirety of the Earth Kingdom continent would have been ours to do as we wished!" one of the lords complained.
"Coward," one of the other men growled.
"He betrays our nation each day he sits the throne."
Azula smiled to herself as the men growled complaints. Zirin sidled up to her elbow and leaned to look at the palace map with them.
"Should we call the soldiers into play soon? Summer won't last another two months," Zirin said. Azula nodded.
"I want to secure my place as Fire Lord before first snow fall," she vowed. Zirin knew what she meant. In the capital city and northern islands, snow could hibernate the population until spring. They still had the rest of summer and fall to plan their attack and put it to motion. Zirin knew the winter could be a horrible one. Even as summer began, the evenings had a severe chill in the early hours. It was disconcerting to compare it to what was to come.
Azula's next question caught Zirin off guard. She blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
"When we take the capital, what shall we do with your parents? They're the ones who put you in that awful institution," Azula said. A slow smile spread across Zirin's lips.
"Banishment to the colonies would be just. They take such precious pride in their ancestral home, that to lose it would destroy them," Zirin confessed. Azula nodded briskly.
"We can gift the house to the Kemurikage. Unless you had plans for what's yours," Azula asked. Zirin grinned.
"I'm half inclined to tear the building down. Ha! That would make them freak." A slow laugh erupted from Zirin's lips. Azula nodded and clapped her on the shoulder.
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Mai cupped her breasts and looked at herself in the washroom mirror. She was as skinny as ever, but there were subtle changes invading her body. Her breasts were severely sensitive and her robes chafed her nipples now. She was on the verge of nausea and lust as the day went on, but damned if she would take up with her husband. He would see it as her forgiving him and she was nowhere near THAT.
It was almost enough to seek out her old flame, Kei Lo. But a Fire Lady couldn't be seen mingling it up with everyone. She had taken a big enough risk to sneak out to snare Azula.
"What is wrong with you?" Mai muttered under her breath. Her golden eyes watched herself sullenly in the mirror's reflection. She swept her loose black hair over her back and arched her back. Her small nipples were erect and her breasts heaved with the movement. She sighed and shrugged into her robes.
"Shall I comb your hair, your highness?" one of her servants ventured to come in and ask. Mai nodded. She settled into a chair and tried to still her chi. She was so tired. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as the girl set the comb to her unbound hair. As she lounged, being ministered to, Mai's thoughts darted in frantic yet smug circles that bordered on terror.
'Well, Ty Lee, looks like you're not the only one who's going to be the center of attention around here,' she thought. Mai set silent plans into place. They had to come first before she dropped the news into her husband's lap. One had to make certain of their outcome, even if in her heart, she knew what was happening to her.
In her heart of hearts, Mai wished it were happy news she were giving Zuko; she wished he had never gone after Ty Lee and none of what had happened had ever happened. But when one fucked in their bed of deceit, they had to lie in it and reap the outcome.
End for now
End notes: Yes, I've woken up sleep walking before. Luckily, I didn't get far and woke up with my face in the bathroom wall. I've read you're not supposed to wake up a sleep walker, but Zuko doesn't know any better. In a lot of ways? :P Also, Ty Lee is about two or three months along. We're at early summer at this stage in her pregnancy.
Most sincerely, pen
11/29/2016