Zuko glared into the now burning letter that was clutched in hands. It was a lie, that fucking girl had to be lying to him.
It was one time. One time. It wasn't possible.
But he knew that beneath his raging heart, in the sane part of his being, that Katara wouldn't lie. Not about something like this.
Next to that dimmed feeling however, was another set of feelings that still begged to bloom, but he'd snuffed them out long ago. He was with Mai. She was with Aang. That's how it was meant to be, right?
But now, with his flames burning away that one, single sentence, he couldn't ignore those feelings. And he wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to.
No. He couldn't afford to think like that. This wasn't meant to be. She'd just have to explain to Aang that she'd cheated on him with some water tribe warrior from her village and that's who the father was. A firebending baby with black hair and golden eyes? Easily explained. That warrior was a firebending spy, left over from the war. Yes, that was it. That's what she would have to go.
The letter turned to ashes, falling to the floor. Stupid, stupid stupid.
He couldn't do that to her, not to Katara. He couldn't ruin her relationship with Aang because of that. And he wouldn't let his...his son grow up without a father.
The thought stinged Zuko, so badly he had to lean onto the bed to regain his bearings. A father. He was going to be a father.
And that child needed a father, a father who loved them, who cared for them, who believed in them. He wouldn't let his child go fatherless, and more than that, he wouldn't let his child grow up with a malicious father of any sort. It wasn't an option.
His child would have a family, a real family.
Turning fiercely, he punched the wall behind him, only to scream out in pain. This was too much, it was too fucking much. What was he going to do? What would they tell Aang, tell Mai?
He dreaded their arrival.
break
"Zuko!''
Aang hopped the bison, a puff of air softening his fall. Zuko only stared. His stare widened, however, when he saw that not only had Katara brought Aang along, but also Sokka, Toph, and Suki.
Fuck.
They made their greetings, and Iroh led the gang into the palace, chattering away.
Except for the waterbender.
Zuko loomed over her, and he could see it all laid out in her glowing eyes. Fear, anger, confusion. Worry. Lots of worry.
"Are you sure?"
Katara rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You think I'd come all the way here if I wasn't sure."
"Why did you bring everyone?"
"It was Aang...I told him I...I missed you, and he suggested we all come. I couldn't say no, because…"
He knew exactly why she couldn't say no. She was about to break his heart. She couldn't do any more damage.
"Are you sure it's not...Aang's…?"
"We've never laid together, Zuko, it's not his. It's, it's…"
Images of that night flashed through his mind, her lips on his, the way her wetness felt around him, her sweet, sweet scent…
No. Not was not the time to have such thoughts. Not when…
"What are we going to do?" Katara cried, pulling Zuko from his thoughts, "I can't...I don't think I have it in me to tell him, let alone everyone else!"
When Zuko said nothing, she sighed, burying her head into her hands. After a moment of strained silence, she looked back up.
"I can...I can run off, Zuko. I'll move into the Earth Kingdom, somewhere where no one knows me, and I'll have the child and you'll never have to deal with it again, no one will know-"
"No!"
Katara flinched at the scream, stepping back. He cursed, reaching out in attempt to sooth her, to run his fingers across her shoulder.
To his surprise, she didn't pull away from him.
"We're going to have to tell them, Katara. There's no other way around it. And…"
"And what?"
"You're carrying the heir to the Fire Nation throne. You're going to have to marry me."