AN: Okay part 2! This was, strangely, the part I had the most fun with. It's also going to be the longest because I couldn't stop myself once I started. Sorry. This is also the chapter that contains the scene that spawned the entire fic. So it's pretty important. Again, I need reviews to say if I should take this fic down or post the last chapter. And I need help to get the characters back IC! The OOC-ness is making my eyes bleed. Ugh. Anyway, I hope somebody enjoys the chapter at least a little.
Shoutout to all of my reviewers- LOVE YOU GUYS! And a special word to ZarosKnight for some of the funniest reviews I've gotten in a while.
Rating: T+ again. Don't say I didn't warn you ;)
Pairing: ZUTARA! With hints of Kataang, Sukka, Maiko and Mai/ Ruon-Jian. (Mai-Jian?)
Disclaimer: Own nothing. This was written purely for my own enjoyment.
Part II
As usual there were no guards in the war room, but this time the Firelord was not seated at the levitated throne at the end of the vast room. Instead he was bent over the low table with the rest of the gang while Iroh pointed to a spread out map.
"The problem is that Ba Sing Se is inhabited by many different nations," the old general said. "As you know these differences caused many difficult riots over the past two years. We had thought peace was instilled in the city, but our sources bring us news that another large-scale riot is being planned."
Zuko was only half-listening; he'd heard all of it before. He would have been the one explaining all of this to Aang and the rest, but his uncle had requested that he do it as he had a plan of action, and the Firelord had agreed.
"Now this riot probably won't happen; the people in Ba Sing Se love peace too much. But we cannot take that chance." Iroh sighed. "We could just send in more troops to keep the peace, but I'm afraid that will just make matters worse. If the riot is to happen, it will definitely happen before the Winter Solstice. That means we have to keep an eye on Ba Sing Se for the next two months."
"How are we going to do it?" Aang asked, looking intrigued.
Iroh smiled. "Under-cover. Two of our number will go live in the city as refugees. Our sources inside the city walls will convey all the information to them, and they will be in the perfect place to quell the riot. If it does actually begin, that is."
"Ugh… Living in Ba Sing Se again? Count me out," Toph shuddered. "That place is worse than prison."
"It's gotten better now," Aang said fairly. "Besides, I doubt whoever goes will be living in the Upper Ring."
He looked to Iroh with a raised eyebrow, and the general bowed his head.
"No, unfortunately not. Whoever goes will be living in the Lower Ring. That is where all the information is. And its people do not know much about the world dignitaries: we have less chance of being recognised down there."
There was a knock on the door and everybody jerked toward the sound, surprised. Ursa came in leading an old man that Zuko recognised as the member of the Order of the White Lotus who had helped them escape to Ba Sing Se all that time ago. He bowed to both Zuko and Iroh.
"Grand Master Iroh invited me here to help get papers for the two who are leaving to Ba Sing Se. And to check that their story is believable enough."
"So. That raises the only question we haven't asked yet: who's going?" Sokka looked at everybody with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll go." Heads shot to Zuko in surprise. He kept his eyes on the map. "The people of the Lower Ring will recognise me. From before."
He looked at Iroh for a long while before his uncle nodded. A lot more passed in the look than anybody else could ever hope to understand.
"It will be easy for my nephew to blend back in," Iroh agreed, but there was a hesitant note to his voice, as if he doubted Zuko's will to do it. "I will talk to my friends in the city and arrange that our old employer take Zuko back."
"What's your story gonna be?" Toph asked, looking doubtful.
After a pause Zuko said, "I'll tell him my uncle died and that the rich man decided he didn't need me any more. I'll say when I was thrown back to the Lower Ring I met my companion, and that both of us are searching for jobs."
The White Lotus member nodded his head slowly, finding no fault with the story. "But who will your companion be?"
There was silence. Suki looked at Sokka, and the Water Tribe warrior shifted uncomfortably. Under normal circumstances he would have gone but with Suki pregnant… Aang opened his mouth thoughtfully but Katara beat him to it.
"I'll go." Aang looked at her in surprise, but she spoke directly to Zuko. "There are quite a few Water Tribe refugees in Ba Sing Se. I'll say that I came to the city looking for a better life and I was in the control gate when you were pushed in with me. We got talking and you told me you thought you knew where to get a job. We decided to join forces and find work together. Watch each other's backs."
"It would work," the White Lotus member nodded. "with one little adjustment."
"What adjustment?" Zuko frowned.
"People will be suspicious if you say you met and as friends you decided to travel together. But nobody will look at you twice if you say you are lovers."
Both Zuko and Katara's eyes widened at that. Toph started to snigger as she felt the horror in their heartbeats.
"Lovers?" Aang didn't look pleased. "They'd have to pretend to be… together?"
"It isn't as bad as you think," the man soothed hastily. "All they'd have to do is hug occasionally, touch one another's cheek or brush stray hair behind their ear… Little gestures that people can see and be satisfied with. But… er… they will have to sleep in the same room…"
The Firelord and the Waterbender looked at each other, both of their gazes calculating. Katara sighed and shrugged; she'd slept on the same flying bison as Zuko before, the same room wouldn't be much different. Zuko raised his one eyebrow and then turned to the man and nodded.
"But no kissing?" Aang stressed, looking from his fiancée to the Firelord and back.
"No kissing," he soothed as Zuko and Katara winced at the idea.
"Well then," Iroh beamed around the room and clapped his hands heartily. "That seems to be settled then. The Ba Sing Se mission will be taken on by Zuko and Katara. You two will leave in a day's time."
Katara caught Zuko's eye and he smiled reassuringly. And Katara, despite the knowledge of how much could go wrong, was reassured.
-x-x-x-
The night air was still and warm, letting the stars twinkle undeterred above him. Zuko sat by the edge of the turtleduck pond, a small piece of bread in his hands. He pulled a piece of the bread off and twirled it in his fingers, deep in thought. An impatient quack brought him back to the present and he smiled, tossing the food into the water just in front of the female.
She gobbled the morsel up quickly, but instead of demanding more her attention focused to Zuko's left. He looked around to see Katara making her was quietly to his side. He smiled in welcome and silently handed her a bit of bread. For a while they sat in silence under the stars, feeding the two turtleducks. When her bread was finished Katara sighed and tipped her head back to the heavens.
"Are you sure about the Ba Sing Se mission?" she asked him suddenly. "I know you know Iroh is capable of fulfilling your Firelord duties for two months but I'm not sure you'll be able to live without your country for that long."
"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I need this," he added quietly. She looked at him with an arched eyebrow and he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I know this sounds cowardly but… I don't want to be here when she gets married or when…"
Katara squeezed his shoulder gently, her eyes full of sorrow.
"What happened?"
Her voice was kind and reassuring but also curious. All she knew was that the baby's father had come and that Mai was marrying him very soon. Zuko was silent, his eyes fixed on the bread he was tearing into smaller and smaller shreds. Then suddenly his shoulders slumped.
"The father of the baby came. And… it turns out she suspected him all along but just didn't want to say anything. We both know him."
"How? Is he one of your friends?" Her stomach clenched at the very idea.
"Not really. We met once, a long time ago. When the war was still on. His family owns a house on Ember Island and he was there when we were visiting. At the time his flirting with Mai was… Well, innocent, I guess. He just saw her as a pretty girl he'd met on the beach. But I still got really mad when he talked to her and… Yeah. I kinda lost it with him and pushed him into a vase."
Katara tried not to roll her eyes at that last part: she could imagine the irate Zuko very clearly.
"That was the last time I saw Ruon-Jian, and I almost forgot he existed." He paused, and his hands clenched. "Mai told me that she contacted him a while after the beach incident to apologise. He replied and they started communicating via letters, as friends. They met at parties both of their parents attended and apparently there was some harmless flirting between them when I wasn't around. Then came Bumi's party, where everybody got drunk and the harmless flirting turned into…" Katara gently prised his hands open in fear that he'd hurt himself.
"Then he realized the baby was his and took Mai away?" she guessed.
Zuko's face contorted slightly. "No. Then he realized the baby was his and came to confess to me. Mai beat him to the actual confessing part and I called a meeting to figure out what to do. I told both of them that the original plan could still be implemented: I'd still pretend the baby was mine. But he said… He said that if Mai wanted he'd marry her and raise his own child. Something about it being his mistake and his… blessing. And Mai… Mai told me about the past flirting and how she'd always suspected it might be him but that she didn't want to say anything. She said that she was sorry for lying but that she wanted to save… us. Then she said that she'd just been trying to deny the inevitable, that we'd grown too far apart and both changed too much… And she chose him."
There was silence. Katara was aware that her face showed how shocked she was, but she couldn't bring herself to change the expression. She literally had no idea what to tell him, and he kept his eyes on the water, his face hard as stone.
"I'm so sorry, Zuko," she finally whispered, hearing the catch in her own voice. "I'm so sorry."
He shook his head. "What's done is done. I just need to learn to live with it, now." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I guess I will always love her, in a way. And I know it won't sting this much one day but for now… For now I'm going to take the excuse not to go to her wedding."
"Well… on the bright side now everybody knows you never slept with her," she said in a falsely cheery voice, trying to lighten the situation.
Some of the lines left Zuko's face. "Yeah. Now I get ashamed and pitying looks from my Council instead of dark ones." He turned to face her again, his face serious. "What about you? Are you sure you want to go to Ba Sing Se with me?"
Katara nodded firmly. "I'm sure. Aang and Toph are too conspicuous, Suki is too pregnant and Sokka deserves to stay with his wife. And besides, I need a change."
"How does Aang feel about his fiancée pretending be another man's girl?"
"He's not too happy," Katara admitted. "But he understands that it's important. And it's good for him too; it will give him time to decide if he's really ready for this."
"You don't think he is?"
"It's not that I don't think he hasn't thought it through… It's just… He's only fourteen. Whoever heard of a fourteen-year-old getting married? When I said yes I thought we'd wait at least two years before actually…"
Zuko's eyes widened and he gaped at her in shock. "He wants to get married now?"
She nodded glumly. "The wedding was set for two months' time. Now it has to be postponed and I'm hoping… I don't know. He said he doesn't want to wait but… I think he just doesn't know what else to do: marriage is the only direction our relationship can actually grow…" She sighed and fingered her new necklace.
"What did you do with your mother's necklace?" Zuko asked her suddenly.
She blushed guiltily and slowly drew out a long chain that had previously been hidden by her hair and dress. On the edge of the thin metal hung her mother's necklace.
"I couldn't bring myself to just stop wearing it," she mumbled, blushing.
"Earth Kingdom dresses have high collars; you'll be able to hide it easier in Ba Sing Se."
Katara beamed at him, the starlight making her eyes dazzle.
-x-x-x-
The streets of the Lower Ring were bustling with people as they made their way towards the teashop Zuko had once worked at. Some of the people didn't look friendly at all, and Katara found herself moving closer to Zuko. She could defend herself only with Waterbending and doing so would give them away at once. The reminder that she was basically powerless made her gulp.
Zuko glanced over to her at the sound, but turned away again when he was sure she was alright. He had been rather silent since they had reached the city the previous night, and she was sure he was missing his position of Firelord already. However, Zuko didn't complain at all, so she wasn't sure if she was right. They reached the door to the teashop and Zuko stopped, fiddling with his Earth Kingdom clothes nervously. Both of them were dressed in simple, ordinary attire, but Katara's dress was a lighter shade of green and more decorated than Zuko's tunic and pants.
"If he says no we're in deep trouble," Zuko muttered, looking slightly apprehensive.
"Your uncle assured us that he all but secured this job for us," Katara reassured him. "Trust him."
Zuko nodded slowly, then turned to look at her. "Remember our story. I'm Li. You met me at the gates to the Lower Ring and we fell in love almost at first sight."
She nodded. "I came from the Northern Water Tribe to start a better life," she recited. "My name is… uhm…" They both looked at each other, faces blank. They hadn't really thought up a name for Katara yet. "I guess we'll just wing it," she said after a while. "If worst comes to worst I'll use the name Hama; nobody will know her."
Wondering vaguely why she shuddered at the name, Zuko pushed open the door to the shop. For a while all he could see were customers, but then he spotted the owner and, taking a deep breath, started towards him with Katara hot on his heels. The storeowner turned around and nearly fell over when he noticed Zuko.
"Good gracious! Li! What a surprise; I haven't seen you in years."
Zuko bowed to the man slightly, and Katara could see that a part of him hated the movement. "I'm sorry to just barge in like this, sir, but I need your help." He took a deep breath. "We're looking for a job and a place to stay, and I was hoping you would consider hiring me again."
"Well what a coincidence! My last server left only two days ago, and I'm looking for a replacement." He looked around expectantly, and his face fell. "But where is Mushi?"
"My uncle is dead," Zuko replied quietly. "When he died the owner of the teashop threw me back to the Lower Ring. We're in desperate need of a job." His teeth grit; he hated begging.
"Oh that is so sad!" Whether the man was sad for Zuko or sad that he would not regain his star tea maker, nobody knew. "But you said that you and somebody else needed…?" His eyes fell on Katara, and they widened. "Well! I see you found yourself a lady friend. Hmmm, Jin will be displeased…"
Katara frowned and shot Zuko a questioning look. Zuko winced.
"I'll tell you later," he muttered in a low voice. Then he turned back to the man. "Please, sir. I know I am not as good as my uncle, but I have learned from him. All I ask is a job and a living place for me and my… girlfriend… I promise we shall work hard." He bowed again.
"Hmmm…" The tea maker considered him closely. "Well I am looking for a worker, and you were diligent before… Alright, Li, you're hired. I shall give you the key to your apartment and you will both start tomorrow. I trust you still remember what time we open?"
Zuko nodded and the man went into the kitchen, returning with a bundle of clothes and a key. Both Zuko and Katara thanked him, and he smiled at the Waterbender quite widely, stating that he had no problem with her keeping her hair loose if she wanted. Zuko rolled his eyes but refrained from saying anything, and pretty soon they were making their way up to their new home. Katara was halfway up the stairs before she realized that the owner had not even asked for her name. That gave her more time to think one up.
"Wow." Zuko interrupted her thoughts and she turned to find him standing in the middle of their new apartment, staring. "It's the exact same place Uncle and I stayed in…"
"Yeah, I can see that," Katara said, raising her eyebrow as she noted a burn on the far wall.
Zuko winced. "In my defence I was sick," he said quickly. "And everybody believed the story of the fallen candle." Katara frowned at him. "What? They did!"
"No not that… You got sick?" The concept was rather foreign to her: Zuko never got sick.
He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. She waited for a moment but he did not elaborate. Apparently she was not going to hear about his illness.
"A lot happened to you here, didn't it?" she asked quietly. He looked around the room and nodded, sighing slightly. "Well, you're going to have to tell me one thing. No excuses."
He turned sharply to her, his face weary. "And what would that be?"
Katara smirked widely. "Who's Jin?"
-x-x-x-
Katara and Zuko quickly fell into a familiar pattern. When they woke up in the mornings Zuko would make them both a cup of tea and while she made breakfast he would train with his swords outside. Then they would head down to the shop, both wearing their uniforms, and the day of work would begin. Katara had nearly cried with mirth the first time she'd seen Zuko wearing an apron, and he had blushed blood red and had refused to speak to her for the rest of the day. He did, however, chase away three men who got a little too cosy with her while she was serving them.
As the days wore on she got better at balancing the cups and remembering orders, and Zuko's tea also increased in quality. It was still nowhere near as good as Iroh's, but it was much better than anything else in the Lower Ring. It was the combination of the good tea and the beautiful foreign waitress that brought more and more customers in by the day. The owner was very pleased at the rise in business, and even gave Katara and Zuko a raise. At the end of each day the owner left them to clean up, and when they were sure nobody was looking Katara used her Waterbending to speed up the process. Then she would go upstairs to make supper while he roamed the streets, looking for information about the riot. He'd come back for supper, and they'd talk for a while before heading off to bed.
It wasn't a very exciting life, especially since it was becoming less and less likely that the riot would take place, but Katara found some comfort in the routine. Zuko never complained, but she would catch him staring outside, and she knew he was wondering about his nation and his family. She missed her brother and friends too, but took comfort in the fact that they were safe.
Both of them were very surprised at the lack of suspicion surrounding them. Nobody seemed to look twice at Zuko's scar, and Katara hadn't even been asked her name yet, not even by the storeowner. (This was probably a good thing, as she could not for the life of her decide which alias she wanted to assume.) In fact, everything ran completely smoothly until a week after they arrived, when a very special guest entered the store.
"Li! I don't believe it!"
"J… Jin! Uhm… hi…" Zuko looked panicked and he was frozen in place, gripping the tray rather tightly.
"I thought you'd moved up to the Upper Ring!" Jin was still beaming brightly.
"Uhm… We did… But… My uncle died and-"
"Oh no! Oh Li I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"
"Uh… Yeah… I'm fine… I…"
Katara saw his stuttering and decided to take mercy on him. The great Firelord reduced to a stuttering fool by a single Earth Kingdom peasant. She chuckled at the thought.
"Hi," she smiled at Jin, who immediately narrowed her eyes. "You must be Jin. It's nice to meet you."
"Oh… Yeah… Uhm Jin this is…" Zuko waved vaguely at Katara, searching for a name.
Luckily for them, the spirits still seemed to be on their side and Jin interrupted before they had to suck one out of thin air.
"Oh." Her smile had faded. "Are you two…?"
"We met and it kinda just… happened," Katara gushed, pretending to blush.
"How nice." Jin's smile was very fake.
"Li, why don't you go and make Jin a cup of tea?" Katara suggested, and Zuko zoomed away gratefully at once.
Jin did not return after that, and Katara could see Zuko was both relieved and slightly guilty. She did not press the subject; some things should not be teased about. For days after that life continued as mundane as it could be, and Zuko began to get restless. She was beginning to think up ways for him to release his frustrations when the men appeared in the store.
There were four of them, and they were big-built and filthy. As soon as they entered the shop the atmosphere tensed and people hurried out; everybody could tell they were trouble. Katara, however, was a Master Waterbender and they did not scare her in the least. So she walked up to them and asked for their order without a trace of fear in her eyes. They were pretty rude, as expected, but refrained from being vulgar. At first. It was when they were about to leave that they became rough and clingy. When Katara refused to go with them, one grabbed her. She began to panic: either she would have to let them take her or she would have to Waterbend and expose herself, and possibly Zuko.
It was at that moment that the Firelord interrupted, swords drawn. The group did not take kindly to his threats, and a fight broke out. Too late they both realized that all four were Earthbenders. And good ones, at that. Zuko held his own, chopping the rocks with swift movements and pushing the benders towards the door. But they were not honourable and when they realized they were losing, they started to play dirty. One grabbed a tablecloth from the nearest table and wrapped it securely around Zuko's head. Blinded, Zuko could not see the man who grabbed him from behind. His friend joined him and they each held one of his arms and their leader advanced, hammer in hand and a smirk on his face.
"Zuko!"
Katara couldn't keep the call of horror in as the man clubbed Zuko hard in the back. He crashed to the floor hard and for a long moment he didn't move, dazed and winded. Katara rushed forward to help him but some concerned customers held her back. Zuko began to push himself up, slowly, but a foot crashed down on the small of his back and sent him sprawling again. She caught sight of his face and knew with a sinking heart that he was on the verge of Firebending the men to an inch of their lives, no matter the consequences.
Luckily for them some customers had run to fetch some of the new guards of Ba Sing Se, and they came in and apprehended the men, after a pretty long and cuss-filled battle. Most of the customers followed them out but Katara rushed to Zuko's side, helping him up and into a chair.
"Are you okay?" She was anxious, even as he nodded, wincing slightly. "Do you need me to heal you upstairs?" she asked in a very low voice.
"No, I'm okay," he told her, rolling his shoulders very slightly. "Those idiots would have been beaten if they'd fought fair," he growled, as though she'd openly questioned his skill.
"Is Li alright?" the storeowner asked Katara worriedly.
"I'm fine," Zuko answered with a growl as Katara opened her mouth. "It's nothing."
The storeowner did not go away, and instead frowned deeper, seating himself in a chair opposite Zuko.
"Uh…" He seemed unsure on how to begin. "During the fight…" He looked at Katara. "You called him Zuko…"
Both their hearts sank as ice flooded their veins. Katara gulped, her mouth suddenly dry as she realized her horrible mistake. She'd thought she was too far back in the store for anyone to hear her, but the storeowner had obviously been behind her, standing in the kitchen doorway. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
"Ugh… Yeah…" Zuko shot her a disapproving look. "I told her not to call me that in public… It's embarrassing, you know," he added to her, sounding sulky.
The storeowner and Katara both blinked at him in surprise.
"Uh… I don't think I follow?" the man said, and Katara silently agreed with him.
"Oh it's a little nickname she has for me. I told her to only use it in private, though."
He shot Katara a look and she caught on. "Yeah he's embarrassed because it means… Sugar Dumpling. In Water Tribe."
Zuko glared at her, the tips of his ears reddening slightly, and Katara fought down the urge to laugh. Oh he was not going to let her get away with this…
"Water Tribe, you say? I wasn't aware they had a language…" The man seemed stunned.
"It's very ancient," Katara supplied quickly. "Nobody uses it any more. In fact, very, very few even know about it," she added truthfully.
"Well isn't that something… Er… How do you spell that nickname?"
"Uhm… Z… OO… K… O… U…" Zuko raised his eyebrow at her, but she ignored him.
"Zookou… That's very interesting… Does your name have any special meaning?" Then it finally hit him, and he frowned. "I'm sorry, but I don't even believe I know your name… I believe I've heard Li call you Katana?"
"It's Katara, actually. Unfortunately," Zuko said at once, and she shot him a dangerous look.
"Why unfortunately?"
"It's a very common Water Tribe name," Zuko said, rolling his eyes for effect. "I called her name once and at least five girls came up to me. It's going to be a pain if we get married: Li and Katara could be a million people."
The storeowner laughed and, pacified, returned to the few customers that were left. Katara scowled at Zuko.
"Common? My name is very special and unique, thank you very much."
"I had to say something," Zuko defended with a scowl. "Zookou? Seriously?"
"I think it was pretty good for thinking under pressure. Though it's a good thing he didn't ask again what my name meant…"
"Huh. I would have been able to answer him. It means annoying."
She shoved punched him on the shoulder, scowling.
"Oh just get back to work, Sugar Dumpling."
For the next hour Katara kept an eye on Zuko to make sure he was alright. He moved a little stiffer than usual, but never did a wince cross his face and so she let him be. Zuko, on the other hand, knew Katara was watching and he kept an expressionless face stubbornly; it was bad enough that he'd been beaten. When Katara finally focused solely on work again, he allowed himself to lean over the table when he had nothing to do to try and alleviate the growing throbbing in his lower back. As the hours wore on the pain got worse and by the time the shop had to close for the night he had to work very hard to keep a wince off his face.
Katara seemed to have forgotten about the fight, and the absence of her hawk-like gaze made it easy for him to sink, unnoticed, into chairs while they closed up for the night. When she called to him that she was just finishing up and that he could go on ahead he jumped at the opportunity to be on his bedroll before she could see how he was limping. But the spirits were not on Zuko's side that night and it was just as he was hobbling up the stairs to their apartment, wincing and rubbing his back, that Katara spotted him.
"Zuko?" Her voice was soft and alarmed and he cursed profusely in his mind. "You are hurt! Why didn't you say something?"
With a disapproving look she slung his arm gently over her shoulders and, ignoring his protests, helped him to their room. Reaching it she lowered him gently onto his bedroll (which was made more clumsily than her own one at the other side of the room) and stood up to fetch some water.
"Wait!" Zuko caught her arm, wincing slightly at the jarring motion. "It's too risky. It's too open and public here; if someone sees you we're done for."
She bit her lip, then tugged at his shirt. "Let me see it," she demanded, and he complied with a scowl.
She gently tossed his shirt to the side, refusing to look at his toned abdomen, and then gently made him lie down on his stomach. Her breath caught at the sight: his back was bruised badly in a few places, especially at the bottom where one of the biggest bruises she'd ever seen lay. And she was sure that even the places that weren't marred by the bruises were sore; he'd been hit hard.
"I can't just leave you like this…"
"It's fine." His voice was muffled by the pillow. "In the morning it'll be better."
"You know that's not true." She sighed. "At least let me massage you; it'll get rid of some of the pain."
"I don't need- Aaaah…"
"Sorry!" She quickly removed her hands from his back, wincing at the moan. "I didn't mean to hurt you…"
"…You didn't…" There was a tinge of shame to his voice. "That just felt… Really good…" She could tell he hated admitting it.
A smile slowly made its way across Katara's face, and she lowered her hands to his back again, beginning to rub the skin in strong, circular motions. Zuko made a little noise as she massaged, but this time she could tell it was not a noise of pain. A smirk crossed her face.
"Who knew you had a weakness so simple?" she teased.
Zuko stiffened and began to push himself up. "I don't-! Aaaaaaah…"
At the second moan Katara felt her smirk grow even wider, and she rolled up her sleeves to have better control. It was quite amusing to see Zuko submit to her by just moving her thumbs around a bit. And the amusement doubled when she realized how much he must hate admitting how much he enjoyed it. She massaged his whole back, biting back giggles every time he moaned, and when she was done her hands were aching.
"Does you back feel better?" There was silence, and she leaned forward. "Zuko?"
He was fast asleep. A genuine smile crossed Katara's face as she pulled a blanket over him. She stood up and watched his peaceful face for a moment before she headed to her own bedroll. As she fell asleep she decided not to tease him too much about his quick surrender to her hands.
-x-x-x-
The next day found Zuko still limping, but less so. Katara kept a close eye on him all day, and so she saw how his pain increased as the day wore on. That night when they reached their apartment Katara made supper before offering to massage him again. He refused quite vehemently, but his refusals disintegrated as her fingers began to massage his back. Finally he gave right in and lay down again on his stomach while she worked, smirking every time she got a reaction from him. This time he managed to stay awake, though it was barely.
From then on a new component was added to their daily schedule. Katara still made supper while Zuko roamed the streets for riot information, but after supper they talked less and used some of the conversation time for massaging. Zuko was past attempting to pretend he didn't want the massages, although he still despised his 'show of weakness', as he was convinced it was. Katara didn't tease him too much about it, as she had begun to enjoy the massages as much as he did. Every time he let out a moan a flash of almost unexplainable pleasure and satisfaction ran through her. And with the satisfaction came smirks that were even harder to explain, but just as easy to accept. But as the days wore on, Zuko got good at keeping silent as she massaged, which made Katara frustrated.
Finally she resorted to almost desperate measures: she shuffled closer to him and nearly straddled him in her attempt to get more power into her hands. Her actions caused her to blush quite profusely but she was rewarded almost at once. Zuko both moaned and tried not to moan, and the result was a high gurgling sound that made Katara laugh.
"That was cute," she sniggered.
Zuko sat up at once, a scowl on his face as he glared at her. They were very close to each other, so she could see the exact way his eyes sparked in embarrassment and pride.
"You would react the same way," he growled at her.
She scoffed. "Yeah, right."
Zuko was behind her almost instantly and his fingers made their way to her back. The sensation was nice, but it wasn't near enough to make her moan.
"Maybe you're just not as good as me," she said smugly.
"No," he replied firmly. "You just have a different weak spot."
He moved up to her shoulders and Katara had to admit that it felt really good to be massaged there. But still no sound escaped her mouth. She could feel Zuko glowering.
"Yours must be on your neck then," he muttered, moving his fingers up.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Zuko. Just admit that- Aaaaah…"
She broke off with a moan as Zuko's fingers pressing on her neck sent her body into shocks of pleasure. It was like he had touched a nerve directly, and Spirits did it feel good.
"Found your weak spot," he said smugly in her ear.
Katara blushed and scowled heavily.
"No you didn't! You hurt me, you big bully. It had nothing to do with… Mmmm…"
Zuko had begun to massage her neck again, and she couldn't deny that it felt really, really good. Her skin was tingling and shivering at the same time, and she vaguely admired him for being able to keep silent; the sensations seemed to draw out some form of vocal appreciation whether one wanted to make a sound or not.
"Now you can't use my back against me," Zuko sniggered, his breath on her ear making her shiver again. "Because now I have my own weapon to use against you."
"Fine," she sighed. "It's a truce then."
She let her eyes slide closed, unable to summon enough embarrassment and pride to try and fight him any more. Zuko rubbed her neck with a firm gentleness that made her understand how he could have fallen asleep the first night; it was heaven.
"You know, there's one thing I don't understand," Zuko said suddenly.
"Mmmm?" She rolled her head to the side to give him easier access.
"How could you not have known your neck is your sensitive spot? Hasn't Aang ever kissed it?"
"No, actually he hasn't," she mumbled, feeling the blush stain her cheeks.
"Really?" He was surprised.
"Yeah. I've had kisses on the lips, the cheek, the hand and even the forehead. But never the neck."
Zuko did not pursue the subject, and she was grateful.
Their schedule took another small change after that: they added Zuko massaging Katara to the list. Now the Waterbender could not laugh at Zuko's moans, because he drew similar sounds from her right afterwards. But she still found the same satisfaction every time she got him to break his silence, and she wondered if he felt the same rush every time she allowed a groan to escape her lips.
Then, after they had been living in Ba Sing Se for just over a month, Katara realized she was getting the worse end of the deal. She was putting her all into massaging Zuko, but he was barely putting half of that into massaging her.
"If I press any harder I'll choke you," he told her in an irritated voice when she called him out on it.
"Well… Isn't there another way to massage a person's neck? With… I don't know… rocks or something?" She was half teasing and half pleading.
Zuko hesitated, and his eyes became weary. He looked at her cautiously, and she felt herself becoming curious.
"There is… one other way I can think of… But I don't think you'll like it…"
"Don't knock it till you try it," she told him brightly.
He swallowed, looking so nervous she wanted to laugh. Then, slowly and cautiously, he moved over to her and moved his hands up to her neck. He rubbed the skin with that same gentle firmness that she knew and she smiled in contentment. But she was still waiting for this new way that had him so nervous, and he knew it. He took a deep, almost calming breath and suddenly bent his face towards her. She was about to ask him what the hell he was doing when he bit her neck.
In the first few seconds shock and outrage filled her body- what the hell was he thinking? No wonder he'd looked like she would beat his butt! This was just preposterous!- but then her shocked brain caught up with what the nerves in her neck were telling her, and a moan escaped her lips as realization struck: it felt good. Darn good. Zuko lifted his head and looked at her cautiously. She didn't answer but instead tipped her head to the side to expose her neck, blushing at what was happening. A part of her was dying from awkwardness and embarrassment and the other half was dying from anticipation.
It continued like that for another week. It would start out with Katara sitting next to Zuko and massaging his back and it would end with Katara almost on top of him grinding into his back. Then it would move on to Zuko massaging her neck, and it would end with him biting her, gently enough to never cause a bruise. They never spoke of it, but as night approached they would sometimes catch each other's eye and grin with the tinge of embarrassment. They hardly ever spoke during the massages either, although the occasional smug laugh or giggle was inevitable. There was sometimes guilt and the question to whether it was wrong, but they both could not find anything wrong with it. And so the shy and silent nightly massages continued.
One night it all changed. Zuko was massaging Katara's neck when suddenly he bent his face to her neck. But instead of nipping her, he nuzzled her. The action was a lot softer than his teeth, but somehow it made her shudder just as much and a whimper left her lips. Zuko chuckled against her neck, his breath warm and welcome. Something started stirring in Katara; a strong desire she had never felt before. And before she could stop and examine it, her body was acting of its own accord. She was, instead of tipping her head to the side for Zuko, tipping her face up to his. And suddenly her lips were on his and the world was exploding in heat and fireworks.
He froze for all of half a second and then he was kissing her back, and the part of both of their minds that was screaming at them to stop was ignored. Their inner voices must be misinformed: how could this be wrong when it felt so right? For a long while the two of them kept their teeth closed as they kissed, but then the wall was breached and Katara was having her first real kiss with tongue. Zuko allowed her swollen lips some recovery time and instead kissed her along her jaw and then, with a devilish grin, along her neck. She groaned and evened the playing field by massaging his back as he kissed her.
How long they sat together on his bedroll they didn't know, but eventually the fire simmered down into a glowing coal and they both lay down on the mat. The kisses turned soft and chaste again, and before she knew what was happening, Katara was falling asleep in Zuko's arms.
-x-x-x-
The first rays of the sun fell on Zuko's bare arm and it roused him. Usually he left the room silently without waking Katara: he knew she did not like rising with the sun like he did. But this morning as soon as he moved she stirred, as her head was resting solely on his arm. Both pairs of eyes flickered open at the same time, and it was the sight of each other that became their first sight of the day. They both froze as memories rushed back to them, and a dark blush crept up Katara's face, neck and ears. She could feel her heart begin to pound ferociously and she swallowed, slowly sitting up. Zuko did the same, looking at her cautiously. Neither knew what to say, and the silence stretched on, becoming heavier with each second.
Both of them prepared to speak, saw that the other was about to talk and shut up. Then they just sat and stared at each other, hair askew, eyes still full of sleep, fear and embarrassment. None of them knew who moved first, but suddenly their lips were entwined again, and the feeling of rightness returned. Zuko's hands wove into her hair and messed it up even further, causing her to growl in annoyance. He just smirked and nipped her neck in a place he knew was tender. She sighed and melted into his arms, forgetting everything except the moment.
Abruptly Zuko pushed her sideways so she flopped onto the bedroll with him directly on top of her. He kissed her from her hairline slowly down to her lips, and she couldn't help but giggle at his playfulness. It was a side of him that she had not seen before, but that she was not surprised by. Maybe she had always known it was there, hidden beneath layers of guard. Her fingers, seemingly on their own accord, made their way down his back and to the hem of his shirt. She grabbed the hem and started to pull the shirt upwards, towards his head. Halfway there her fingers touched his skin, and they were so cold that he jerked up and suddenly seemed to realize where he was and what was happening.
His lips left Katara's and he propped himself on his arms above her, looking down with wide, shocked eyes. She stared back, panting and on fire, dread and horror washing through her as realization after realization struck. She had been kissing Zuko. Firelord Zuko. In a hired apartment in Ba Sing Se. On his bedroll. And her fingers had been… Her heart began to pound faster with something other than fear as he slowly leant in towards her.
Then, so suddenly it left her blinking, Zuko was gone. She sat up to see him backing away with wide eyes. They stared at each other, blue to gold, for a long moment. Then Zuko bent down, picked up his shirt, and left the room. Katara swallowed and let her head fall back down to the pillow. Suddenly her betrothal necklace seemed to weigh more than a house. Guilt added to its weight by the minute until she felt like it was choking her. She was no fool. She knew exactly what would have happened if they'd continued to kiss. She knew what he would have done after she'd removed his shirt. And she knew what they would have both allowed to happen after that.
When the storeowner asked her why Li had left with such a peculiar look on his face that morning, Katara could only shrug. As the day wore on and he did not return the man started to get a knowing look on his face. And when, four days later, Sokka turned up stating that he was Hahn, the lover Katara had left Li for, the storeowner accepted it without any question.
Sokka told her in private that Zuko had arrived back at the Fire Nation, telling them all he couldn't stand slumming it in Ba Sing Se a minute longer. Katara agreed that this was the reason he'd given her before he left, but in her heart she knew for certain that Firelord Zuko had gone because if he had stayed they would have ended up doing something that they shouldn't. She had missed Sokka a lot, and he filled Zuko's information-seeking roll well, even if he did lament after Suki almost constantly. But she still felt empty, and she missed the massages with all her heart.
AN: Whoo 7696 words! Probably the longest chapter I've ever written! Feel privileged! Or disgusted, if you hated it. Please review and tell me how to improve! I beg you! And thanks for reading =)