Katara
Iroh gets here the next morning. I find him drinking tea in the kitchen when I slip out of Zuko's still sleeping arms to go and get us some breakfast.
"Uncle Iroh!" I exclaim when I see him, surprised and delighted. "When did you get here?" He smiles at me.
"Maybe an hour ago. I came straight here, where years ago I hid my favorite brew stash of Jengsin tea. It is delicious. Would you like some?" He asks. I nod and he pours me a cup as I sit down. "So. Zuko won the duel. But he got struck by lightning in the process. I assume he's on bed rest while you help him heal like before?" He asks. I nod.
"Yes. And he's a much more cooperative patient this time." I giggle.
"And the two of you?" He asks.
"Together." I smile. "And not hiding it anymore. But we'll have to find a way to delicately break the news to Aang. I don't want to hurt him but I can't let that get in the way anymore." Iroh nods. "Wait, how did you know Zuko was struck by lightning? I didn't put that in my message back to everyone."
"Well, I didn't come straight here. I stopped by Azula's cell first. I would like to thank you for the kindness you've shown her so far, even if she doesn't know how to appreciate it yet."
"What did she say to you?"
"Not much. She wasn't in much of a mood to talk since she wasn't in any control of her situation. But she told me of the duel, if for no other reason to tell me how bad Zuko was hurt. She probably meant to make me think he wouldn't pull through, but I know you'd battle the grim reaper himself to keep him here." Iroh chuckles. "She also told me good luck running the palace without any servants, that she had banished them all."
"Oh. That explains it. We were wondering where everyone was."
"I went to the docks and found a large group of them getting ready to flee. I told them they were no longer banished, and would still have work at the palace under the New Fire Lord. They're in the process of finding everyone else, and then they'll all be back."
"You're taking care of everything, aren't you?" I smile. He laughs.
"I'm taking care of things while you take care of my nephew. As soon as he's well, I'll be back to running my tea shop!" He sets down his cup.
"Would you like to see him?" I ask. "I was coming here to grab us both some breakfast.
"I would love to."
"He's in his usual bedroom. I'll get some food prepared and meet you in there."
"Thank you, Katara." He winks at me and takes his tea with him as he heads down the hall. I grab some eggs and scramble them up, along with some porridge and fresh fruit. By the time I get back up to Zuko's room, Iroh's on his way out.
"Would you like to eat with us?" I ask, hoping he says no. He shakes his head.
"No, Zuko was happy to see me here, alive and well, but I think he doesn't want anyone with him but you. I'll have the servants send you up some clothes when they get back." He says, and my face flushes.
"Thank you. My room is the one next to Zuko's on the right." I say. Iroh smirks, making me blush harder.
"Of Course. I'll tell them to put the clothes in that room then." He winks and walks back to the kitchen. "Oh, and Katara," He calls before I open the door.
"Yes?"
"I'll take care of Azula. Please focus your attention on my Nephew…helping him heal, of course."
"Of-Of course." I reply and go in the door.
…..
We stay in bed the next three days. Servants bring us anything we need under Iroh's orders so I can just focus on healing Zuko, and that works out just fine for us because it gives us time to simply be together. Once everyone gets here and the Peace Summit starts, we're going to be pulled in a thousand different directions, so the uninterrupted time together is nice. I hear servants in the hall gossiping about the Water Tribe girl sleeping with the future Fire Lord, but I ignore them. They don't know what they're talking about, and I'm not about to let them ruin this short bliss.
Every night, I try to say goodnight and go to my own room, but it never works out. When sleep comes and we're alone, all it results in is nightmares for both of us. Zuko's stays quiet in his, and just endures them in a cold sweat. Not me, though, I wake up screaming. So despite trying not to, I end up in his bed for most of the night.
On the third morning, I wake up before Zuko does. Normally, he wakes up at first light, the rising of the sun giving him a burst of energy every morning, but he's still healing from the Lightning blast, so his body is resting hard. Thanks to my healing abilities getting stronger, he's almost completely healed. Just some muscle soreness remains. Even so, he's still sleeping in. This works out for me, since it gives me time to wash up before he sees me.
I go into the bathroom and shower, enjoying the hot water. Growing up, it was impossible to get hot water without filling up a tub a bucket at a time then boiling it. It was years before I learned to heat water with my bending, so for a long time I was used to nothing but cold baths, which made me want to bathe as little as possible. But here, hot water is at your fingertips, the turn of a faucet. Waste is disposable at the push of a lever, into sewers to keep the streets clean. It's something that could really help the world, and now that Zuko's going to be Fire Lord, maybe it's something he can share with the world through trade instead of conquest.
I finish washing and bend myself dry, clean my teeth, and slip into a knee length red and gold silk robe. I open the door gently, trying to sneak back into my room and get dressed before Zuko wakes up, but once I step out I see he's already awake and sitting up. I blush at the look on his face when he sees me.
"Wow." He breathes, swinging his legs out of bed and getting up to walk over to me. "You're so beautiful, Katara." He tells me, cupping my cheek with his hand. I lean into it.
"Alright, Fire Prince." I smile. "One kiss. Then you're getting back in bed for your last healing session while I go get dressed."
"Sounds good." He chuckles, then gently presses his mouth with mine. The gentle kiss is nice, but it doesn't take long for us to want more. It turns from gentle to passionate, and without breaking our kiss Zuko walks backwards towards the bed and sits down. I groan and straddle him, a nagging voice in the back of my head reminding me all that's separating us is the thin pair of pants he's wearing and that I should really get dressed, but the rest of me just wants this, just wants him, and drowns that voice out.
"We need to stop." Zuko pants, pulling back for a second.
"I know." I breathe, then keep kissing him anyways. He groans but doesn't pull back, instead moving his hands on my thighs, which elects a squeal out of me I didn't mean to make. A minute later he flips me on my back, and if possible my heartbeat gets even faster.
"This is going to go too far if we don't stop." He says, but the words are forced out and there's lust in his eyes, putting a flame under me.
"No it won't." I tell him, not really believing myself. "Just don't stop." I reach up and run one hand through his hair, and that does it. He moans and keeps kissing me, his hands back in my hair as I lace mine behind his neck with my forearms on his bare chest, relishing the strength and power I feel in him.
"Katara." He moans, and the flame becomes a Fire. I pull myself closer to him, and his hands move back to my bare legs, rubbing and getting higher and higher until he's an inch away from forbidden territory.
"Katara!" He says sharply all of a sudden, jarring me out of my lust. I meet his eyes, and they look fierce and afraid. "We need to stop. You need to get dressed. I'm hanging by a thread."
"And if I want that thread to snap?" I whisper, not believing the words coming out of my mouth. But I want him so bad.
"Please stop making this so hard." He says in a low voice. "I need to be able to look your dad in the eye when I ask him to marry you, and I can't do that if we do this. Please get dressed." His eyes are intense and tortured. I can tell he means what he says. If I push him right now, even just a little bit, We'll be having sex in a matter of minutes. I never thought I could have a feeling so passionate it would make me not care about my tribe's customs. But like him, I'm hanging by a thread. If he pushes, even a little, I'll give him everything. I want to. But he's right. We need to wait.
"Okay." I nod, and he stands as I sit up. "I'll go get dressed. I love you."
"I love you too, Water Princess." He smiles. "One more." He says, and gently, lightly, presses his mouth to mine. He pulls back before it can get deeper, then kisses my forehead, making my heart flutter.
"Zuko-" I start.
"Katara?!" I hear and gasp, looking at the door and seeing Aang. He's standing with a look of hurt and disbelief on his face.
"Aang!" I shriek, my voice an octave higher than I meant it to be. "This is-"
"This is why?" He cries. "Why it was never the right time? I can't believe this!" He shouts. I panic and look at Zuko, who's standing up straight with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face.
"Aang-" I start, but he cuts me off.
"No!" He shouts, anger replacing the hurt on his face. "I don't want to hear it. You were my forever girl! And Zuko, you're one of my best friends! How could you?"
"Don't talk to her like that, Aang. We didn't-"
"Shut up!" Aang yells, and hits Zuko with a wind blast that makes him hit the wall.
"Aang!" I yell, but he's already running. He jumps out the window and opens his glider, flying away. Tears fill my eyes as I rush over to Zuko, who's groaning but getting up.
"Well that sucked." He says, shaking his head to focus.
"I don't think he could have found out in a worse way." I sigh.
"Sure he could have. He could have come in twenty seconds sooner." He chuckles. I take a deep breath.
"Lay down. I'm going to get dressed then I'm healing the rest of the damage." I say. He nods and does as I say, and I head next door, changing into a Fire Blue halter top with a matching flowy skirt. Walking back into Zuko's room, I kneel next to him and call water to me, sending it through his body and healing the wounds from both the lightning and the impact against the wall. When I'm finished, he sighs in relief and I send the water away. "You're done." I say, then sniff as my eyes tear up. "What now?" I ask.
"Now." He says, sitting up and kissing my forehead. "You go find my Uncle and the rest of the Gaang. I'm sure if Aang is here, they are too. Start getting set up for tomorrow. I'm going to go find Aang and smoothe this over.
"You don't think I should be the one to go after him?" I ask. He shakes his head.
"Right now, he won't do anything but want to either change your mind or hurt you because he's hurt. I'll have a better chance with him. We'll probably fight, and once some of his anger is spent, we'll be able to actually talk."
"Alright." I say, "Find me after. I Love you."
"Love you too." He kisses my temple and jumps out the window, following Aang.