Epilogue: One step closer

Ursa found out. That was the obvious course of events when Katara seemed to like nothing better than to fall on Azula on the beach and kiss her stupid in full view of the few neighbors she had.

Stupid was the word. Azula's awareness of her surroundings went to nothing, focused on Katara's mouth and her body in those situations. She'd read about sex and understood the definition of pleasure, but nothing had prepared her for finding out the truth. She'd been in her own body all her life, but Katara could make it disobey her. Azula's hips would move; her hands would clench; and her mouth would allow noises and even words she'd never betrayed before.

She would have been afraid if she were the only one affected, but Katara had already proven she felt it too. Even that first night, shy kisses had caused Katara to lapse in her waterbending concentration, and they'd both been spilled into the ocean after the ice bridge melted and cracked. Azula had been angry; Katara had laughed in delight and drawn her in for more kisses.

That had been about a month ago. Tonight would be a good night, she was sure. It had better be, after Azula dealt with Ursa's quiet disapproval for several days. Iroh might have been a respite to Ursa's simmering mood, but he hadn't come with her this time. It felt like a set up.

When they'd finally had the conversation Azula avoided the entire visit, her mother's voice was quiet and her expression sober. It was disconcerting to see Ursa not angry so much as disappointed. "She's a waterbender," Ursa pointed out so gravely. "Think of your reputation."

"You were so happy we'd become friends," Azula had reminded her mother. "I'm seventeen and already I have no reputation to speak of after my conduct during Sozin's Comet. Even if that weren't the case, why should I care about noble rumors? I'm sure they've been chattering about Katara sharing my home for almost half a year." Katara was worth more than all of them combined.

"Before it wasn't the truth."

"I don't care what they think, and I never have. I never will."

Ursa's jaw tightened. "I worry about you fixating on one person. Are you sure you can trust her with your heart?"

"Katara isn't up for discussion."

Whatever Ursa had heard in her tone had dissuaded her from continuing her protests. She'd soon after packed up and returned to Capital City. The Ember Island estate was their own after almost a week of avoiding touches and kisses, and Katara looked at her now with dark hunger.

Azula was surprised to feel fear as she let Katara push her onto her bed.

Of course Azula knew about sex. She'd seen komodo rhinos rut before. She'd watched mongoose dragons mate. She'd read about sex both as clinical descriptions in medical texts and lewd illustrated scrolls that described different sexual positions. It had been nothing but curiosity that had caused her reading. Yet she'd learned a thousand times more about her body with Katara so far than she'd gleaned from all those books and scrolls combined.

Katara broke their kiss to shut and lock her bedroom door. Azula wasn't sure why; the servants knew better than to interrupt. They weren't suicidal.

The bed smelled like Katara, and Azula relaxed for the moment as she enjoyed that. When Katara came back, she pushed Azula firmly into the pillows and straddled her. She tried to pull off Azula's tunic, but it was caught on her sleeve ties.

After a minute of frustrating fumbling, Katara said, "I can't get them off."

Azula couldn't stop her nervous laughter. "How hard can it be? They're just square knots."

Katara snapped the silk.

She nearly said Katara was worse than her mother and managed to hold those awkward words back. "I've heard about bodice rippers before, but I never—"

Katara interrupted her. "Shut up, Azula. I want to see your breasts."

That silenced all of Azula's protests. Katara pushed her tunic from her shoulders and unclasped her breast support with a little help, leaving Azula naked from the waist up. She was vulnerable in this position, but Katara took that fear away when she looked her fill and whispered, "You're so beautiful." Azula heard those words all her life, but they were very different from Katara.

"You too," Azula said. Her voice had less demand than she liked. "I want to see you too."

Katara nodded and got off the bed to shuck her clothes. Azula pushed her trousers and undergarment off as well. Before Azula could get a good look at Katara, Katara clambered onto her and practically smothered her with a heady kiss.

It was deep, wet, and so much. Katara's hands fell to Azula's breasts, and she cried out, shocked by how full and tender they felt. Katara's touch almost hurt her, but it was too good to be pain. Her hips thrashed on the bed; she was wet and hollow and desperate. Was this pleasure? It felt more like pure need.

Katara kept kissing her, even as she pressed her palm where Azula needed it. Azula thrust her hips, and Katara squeezed, and they were out of synch, but it didn't matter. Azula's legs thrashed, and she bucked as her body wrung itself out. This was pleasure, she realized.

The pressure of Katara's hand was too much, suddenly. She sank back into the bed and moaned in protest when Katara kept touching her. "I can't; Katara, I can't, I…"

Katara's finger slipped inside her, and Katara made a muted noise of pleasure. Her mouth was on Azula's again, and Azula suddenly could. Whether it was the peculiar sensation of Katara sliding in and out of her so gently or Katara's evident enjoyment, she could a second time. She'd had no idea, none, and oh… Azula cried out as a second orgasm ripped through her.

Katara's eyes were wide. She whispered fiercely, "I felt that."

Azula was gasping like she'd just fought an Agni Kai and couldn't manage a response in words. She looked at this girl—her lover—and thought of all those texts she'd perused. She might as well put her scholarly curiosity to good use.

Katara yielded to her back with no protest. Azula sat back to study her for the first time in detail. She was beautiful, softer in body than Azula, who was more muscle than anything. Azula ran her hand between Katara's breasts and palmed the transition between tight abdominal muscle and the soft curve of her lower belly. Azula studied where her pale hand contrasted with dark, warm skin. This was the perfect embodiment of Katara: hard muscle and soft flesh meeting to create something beautiful.

"Azula," Katara whispered.

Azula went lightheaded at the pleading note in Katara's voice. She was powerless to do anything but obey that whisper. Azula bent her head to kiss one of Katara's breasts.

Katara jolted beneath her with a muted cry.

Azula gave the other breast attention until Katara was gasping to the rhythm of her tongue. It was a heady power, and she knew exactly what she wanted now. She pulled back on the bed and pushed Katara's thighs apart to look at her.

All the sketches and diagrams Azula had seen were so clinical. Katara was not. She was wet; she smelled of musk; she was very beautiful.

Azula lowered her head to take a taste.

"What are you—oh, wow," Katara gasped, her fingers tightening in Azula's hair almost painfully. Katara lifted her head from the pillows then dropped it back with a groan.

Her pubic bone knocked Azula's nose hard enough to warrant attention. She dropped an arm over Katara's belly and held her down to avoid a broken nose. Then she returned her attention to Katara's pleasure, exploring her taste and texture. Azula hadn't expected to feel such pleasure doing this. She'd so stupidly assumed it was only give and take.

Azula had no idea what she was doing, but that didn't seem to matter, not when Katara grabbed hold of her head, overpowered her arm, and ground down against Azula's mouth. Katara's hips jerked, and she gasped harshly.

"Too much!" Abruptly Katara shoved Azula's face away. She wasn't gentle.

Azula didn't know why she was surprised that Katara was a little rough when it came to this. On the contrary, it fit Katara perfectly to know what she wanted and not be ashamed of taking it. Azula was smug that she'd coaxed such a response. She darted back for another long kiss to Katara's sex, garnering a gasp and shiver.

Azula pushed herself up the bed to lie down beside Katara. Katara pulled her close and kissed her in a wet, sloppy way that made Azula shiver. Katara paused in consideration. "Is that what I taste like?"

"Mmhm." Azula heaved a pleased sigh, too happy to hide her satisfaction.

"How did you know to do that?"

"I read about it."

For some reason, this provoked laughter. After a moment, Katara sobered. She touched Azula's cheek and shook her head in wonder. "I had no idea it could be like that. You are so full of surprises."

Had Katara slept with the Avatar? It wouldn't entirely surprise Azula. If so, she was pleased at the thought that she was apparently much better in bed. It was to be expected, certainly. But still… She felt like she needed to make sure.

"You felt good then?" Her question was more vulnerable than she'd meant it to be.

Katara nodded just as shyly. "Do you want to sleep here tonight?"

She did, feeling as vulnerable as she did now. Somehow she'd given a bit of herself away tonight. She didn't want to be alone.

They dressed shyly and settled back onto Katara's bed. Katara quickly dropped off to sleep. Azula studied her features until her own eyes grew heavy. She'd thought sleeping next to someone else would be a bother, but the quiet sounds of sleep Katara made—shifting her head, smacking her lips, giving a little sigh—soothed Azula to sleep.

She awoke sometime before dawn, hot and uncomfortable. Katara had wrapped around her body like a vine, and there was a bearded cat asleep on her belly.

It was sort of a family, wasn't it?

She traced her fingers through Tonkara's fur and gently ran her touch over Katara's hand.

Maybe this was just another step in her life. Azula vowed right then that she wanted to take many more, specifically with Katara. She would play for keeps. Katara was worth that. Katara would be leaving in a few weeks to return to the Southern Water Tribe, and Azula would figure out a way to make her want to come back to her again.

-end part one-

AN: I guess I could have called this an inter-chapter. I waffled between uploading the books as separate stories or keeping it together, but there's not much point in separating them. Book 2 to follow.