Disclaimer: I don't own The Avatar: The Last Airbender

Chapter 20

Sparks will fly

Small amounts of water dripped from the bathtub faucet and the soft breeze of air hit his body nicely. Zuko thanked the heavens above for his tall length mirror in his oh so heavenly bathroom. Agni must have really loved him so much as to let him stare at his horrifying reflection.

How could he have missed the abnormally shaped purple mark decorating his left shoulder? How could he have not known that there would be some kind of evidence to prove that he, Fire Lord Zuko, husband of Katara, was in fact, guilty of…fortification. Okay, well, not exactly fortification since they didn't get involved in sexual penetration or any thing but close to it.

He examined the mark closely, thinking about all sorts of hell he would go through if Katara would had seen what hid behind his shirt. She had already accused him of cheating on her. All the shit he had to go through just to prove that she was wrong and now he got this! A very noticeable passion mark on his shoulder, not given by her.

It seemed like the Gods were on his side and against him. They couldn't make up their minds on whether they wanted to make him happy of miserable. He wished they could make up their minds. He praised himself for having the ability to come up with such a lie as quick as he did to get her off his back about the smell she complained about.

He had decided to take a quick shower to get out of any more questions that she would ask. He didn't notice anything when he got in the shower but caught a glimpse of himself when getting out.

He reached over the faucet sink and grabbed a towel. With one hand to hold it closed around his waist, he grabbed a t-shirt from a gold rimmed cabinet and slipped it on.

--

"Hey! What's up with the shirt?" Katara's voice rang.

She had preoccupied herself with a local magazine, waiting at the edge of the bed. Not being able to roam the palaces corridors sent boredom crashing down her parade. Zuko, being in the bathroom, was absolutely no help to her at all. She had figured she'd have some kind of conversation with him. One of interest, of coarse. It was only natural for them to "bond" as often as possible.

They needed to talk about something that would steer her boredom into the direction of interesting, fun, and exhilarating. Just so happens that the magazine that she was reading was a 'love mag' named Sparks will Fly; typical naming of Fire Nation things.

"Geez, Katara. What is this? 21 question?" Zuko's voice danced in annoyance. "Is it a problem that I'm wearing a shirt?" Zuko had totally forgot that he didn't wear a shirt when he went to bed. It was a habit he picked up and he mentally killed himself for forgetting such a thing. Of coarse Katara would notice. It was like she waited on him to do stupid things. She was watching him. "I just decided to put on a shit. GODS!" He raised his voice higher than needed to be, causing Katara to become irritated as well.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she thought about how she had just lost her baby and was still not yet out of sorrow. But HE of all people was practically yelling at her because she was asking questions. And who the hell was she? She could ask her husband a million questions if she wanted to. Fire Lord or not. She was the boss, so she thought.

"Well, excuse me My Lord for irritating you so." She growled mockingly, sitting her magazine page side down on the nightstand. "I truly apologize for my raging curiosity." She hissed, raising her nose in the air to show disobedience. It would have made a better effect if she could leave the room but unfortunately for her and luckily for him she couldn't budge. Damn doctors orders! Exactly how many times had she cursed the healer orders?

Zuko's once angry demeanor soon turned to that of guilt. Was he being inconsiderate again? He couldn't help his normal jerk self.

"Look…" he started, having a comfortable seat at the edge of their great bed. "I'm sorry, okay." He looked at her as if she should pity him. She scuffed and turned her face to the side in un-acceptance. He continued. "It's just…" he scanned his brain for some lie. "I've really had a rough day today and all these questions are really killing me here." It wasn't all a lie.

A sympathetic glance from Katara soon lit his hopes as to have another score to his lying abilities.

"Fine." Was all she needed to say to satisfy him, and she carried on with her business, picking up her discarded magazine. She snuggled deeply into her silk pillows and turned another thin page with high interest.

Zuko followed suit, ready to lay off the stress he had so quickly built. He was hoping for a very long and quiet nap. He was grateful to his wife for suggesting such a wonderful thing.

While scanning the magazine, Katara found a small, but very fascinating AD in the Lovers section. It wasn't exactly something she would normally find interest in but the picture compelled her to it. She watched as golden dragons danced in still motion, circling each other, head to tail, tail to head. A lovely work of art, one that would entrance her in to a great depth. It reminded her of the door that lead to her and Zuko's private bathrooms. Only these dragons could not fall into the shadows when the door opened. They could not leave her vision.

These dragons did not want to stop entertaining her. It was like they were drawn to amuse her and only her just like Zuko was born to love her and only her. Wasn't it the same thing?

Of coarse, it was silly to actually compare love to a drawing. Was it weird that she felt what she felt? To be grasped by a simple picture. Maybe she was losing it. What was up with her and dragons, anyway?

Brushing it past her, she turned to have a look at Zuko. He lay beside her, face the opposite of her, breathing lightly…it defiantly wasn't a snore.

"Zuko," she decided to wake him. He couldn't have been in a very deep sleep, judging from the fact that it had only been a mere five minutes. "Yes?" his answer was muffled into his pillow. Katara turned another page of her magazine, glaring at something uninteresting then replying. "What was today all about?"

Not that she really cared. Probably the same ole, same ole. She just wanted to talk and what better way? They'd been going through a lot of things and she hadn't really been able to convert with him. Its either a fight, a make-up or an awkward silence. This didn't use to be them. What was wrong with her? What was wrong with him? What was wrong with them?

Zuko moaned in protest, turning to face her. "The usual stuff..." he replied with a small sigh.

"What occupied your time?" She was going to tell him anyways, so why not just give her what she wants.

"Finished a book…"

Zuko knew that tone of voice. He turned, his eyes shifted to meet hers.

"Did you even wanna take a nap?" He sighed, knowing the answer.

"No." She replied sheepishly.

"Are you bored?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to talk?" Another sigh.

"Please." It practically sounded like a call for help.

Zuko turned on his stomach and pillowed his head in his arms, watching her. He was expecting her to speak but she stayed silent.

"What do you wanna talk about?" He sounded half-sleep.

"I don't know." She replied, her magazine lay flat on her chest.

"Well," Zuko turned to his side opposite of her again. "Let me know when you find something." Katara's face was back into the magazine.

--

Zuko was almost asleep when he heard her call his name. "Huh?" He sounded groggy as he turned back to his wife, in sleepy anticipation. Her face showed curiosity and if he had had a smile on his face, it would have fell. He already could tell…this was going to be uncomfortable.

He pillowed his head in his arms again, waiting for her to get it over with. Instead of answering to his 'Huh' she turned back to her magazine. "Katara--"

"It says here in this article that not to many women know half the amount of women their spouse has slept with." She stared at him for a while. "Am I one of those women?" It was more of a question towards herself then him.

Zuko groaned. He knew this was going to be uncomfortable. "Why do you even read stuff like that?" He avoided the question given.

"I never asked…" She ignored his question, reading more into her well received article.

"Why must you even ask such questions after two years of marriage?

Now, out of all the things they could have talked about, why did it have to be this particular thing? And since when did she start reading love/marriage magazines, anyway?

"Other than Mai, who had you slept with before me?" Katara ignored his discomfort. She was bored and this article gave her both something to talk and think about.

Zuko squirmed in discomfort. "It was only one other person."

He could have lied and said there wasn't anyone else. But would if she would have found out anyway. He couldn't take that chance. He had enough problems to deal with.

Katara's gaze stayed planted on the nervous lord of a nation. Of coarse, he knew this question was coming. "So, who was she?" Her demeanor was cool, but that didn't mean it couldn't change in millisecond. She told her self it was just plain ole curiosity and nothing more. She wasn't going to get all worked up about it. It wasn't like they were together at the time.

Zuko really couldn't ignore this question. If he did then it would ignite her suspicions that something was going on-which it wasn't- with a particular person.

He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Ember."

Silence

As Katara took it in her eye's grew big in horror. She didn't notice (Zuko did) how tightly she grasped her magazine and how in crumbled in her fingers. "WHAT did you just say?" Her voice held quite the edge of harshness.

Zuko scattered away to give himself a little distance from his outraged wife.

"You mean to tell me that you actually had sex with HER!" She pointed to thin air.

He had to keep a manly image. "You see, this is exactly why I didn't want to talk about this with you, but noooooooo, you just had to ask." He sighed. "Look at your reaction. It isn't necessary."

Not so smart, Zuko. Not a smart idea. "Oh, SO NOW THIS IS MY FAULT?" She nearly jumped out the bed.

Think, Zuko, Think! "Katara. Please. Sit back down. I didn't say that."

"Oh, please. I can practically see it on your face." She scuffed at him.

"Your over reacting. Look what you did to that poor magazine." He kinda felt sorry for it. Better it that him, though.

Katara looked down and saw what was left of her precious magazine. She groaned and put her head into her hands.

"So when were you planning on telling me this or were you just waiting for me to ask?" She snapped with out knowing it. It was bad enough she had already suspected him of cheating on her with that slut, but now he was telling her they did sleep together.

Her mind was a mess. Should she be angry, she didn't know, but she was.

"I was 14, Katara, Gods!" he explained. "She was my first. I didn't think it would be a problem not telling you. What did you want me to do. Pull her to the side and say Hey, Katara! Meet the girl who took my virginity. with a huge grin." He grinned mockingly to show what he meant.

Katara was beyond being appalled. To actually think that her Zuko had been with that…that woman was just wrong. It was very hard to deal with.

"No wonder why she likes you so much! You ignited that crush she has for you." She rolled her eyes, planting all the blame on him.

"Ember doesn't have a crush on me." He paused. "We were young and…experimenting."

Who's idea was it? Yours or Ember's?" Katara asked, about to make a valid point.

"Ember's." Zuko answered before he realized the trap that was set for him. He turned his head from her in complete defeat.

"Exactly what I meant." Katara's eyes darted.

"Well, that was along time ago." He laid his head back in his comfy pillow. "A school girls crush." He stated. "It's normal to have a crush on a prince." he figured.

Katara's upper lip turned into a snarl. "That floozy is obsessed with you and you call it a school girls crush?" She jabbed her finger into his back.

"Your acting crazy, Katara." he laughed a little.

Katara's face flushed a crimson red from pure anger. Was Zuko really that blind or was this just an act? She wasn't sure because he was kind of stupid when it came to females.

"I'M NOT CRAZY!" She raised her hands up in fury, swinging them like a mad woman. Zuko cowered before her, putting his hands up, protecting himself from her rage. "Okay, okay…" he soothed her. He would have jump for joy if he could have when Katara turned around with a "hmph" and laid back down.

Now that that was over he turned to his side, back to her and comfortably prepared himself for his long awaited nap. He was out like a light bub in a matter of minutes, leaving Katara to lay on her side of the bed to think to herself.

--

Zuko had slept for a good 3 hours. When he awoke, Katara was still in bed, starring at the ceiling. Him sitting up pulled her out of her stir, causing her to stare at him in which made him not so sure about himself. He wasn't prepared for what she was about to say.

"I want you to sign us up for marriage counseling…."

Marriage counseling was never a good thing. Did it ever even work?

A/N: THIS CHAPTER SUCKS ASS! I hate it but I couldn't make you guys wait any longer. Next one will be better. SRSLY!

Oh, Yeah! Um...Sorry? I have no excuse

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Smooches W23