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Slow Heat	By : Spleef Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > General Views: 77367 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Slow Heat

Chapter 19 – Comfort

Mmm... juicy Zutara, what's not to like? As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated.

o0o0o0o
One Month, 10 Days BSC
Zuko

“I'm kinda sad to be leaving this place. It was so much fun here.” Katara murmured as she checked over her things, making sure she had all her clothes bundled together neatly. I nodded slowly. The Western Air Temple had its pleasures, like the all-day echo room. And all these private, quiet places where Katara and I could be alone...
“At least we had some rest and quiet time. It was something we really needed.” I replied as I folded my spare clothes and bundled them together. After the drama that we encountered in various towns, it was good to have a break.
“I'll always have good memories of this place.” Katara murmured, the slightest hint of mischief in her tone. I couldn't help but smirk.
“This isn't the only place that could have good memories, you know.” I replied calmly. My fingers brushed against her arm in a calculated manner, looking casual to anyone else, but Katara would know better.
The last few days had been glorious. We bantered playfully when we were alone or talked seriously, or we would simply bask in comfortable silence. In front of everyone else, we maintained our distance. I spent a decent amount of my free time sparring with Katara, learning a art that was very different from my own. And I returned the favor, teaching her my own way of meditation and stretching.
There were no words to describe how happy I was with her, now that she was no longer trying to drive me away. Being with her – no matter what we were doing – felt right, as if we truly were destined to be together. I had even meditated and prayed to Agni about Katara, and I hadn't received any indication that he disapproved.
“You're right. This isn't the only place.” Katara replied in a whisper as we noticed Aang approaching us. Katara turned away from me, her clothes and sleeping bag bundled together as she moved towards Appa. I stared back at Aang levelly. There were times when Katara and me had tried to sneak off to be together, and the kid would pop up, almost like he had made it his secondary mission in his life to be my personal cockblocker.
I chose to say nothing to him as I went to Appa, adding my luggage to the saddle before helping Katara pack away the food and cooking supplies.

o0o0o0o
Katara

There was not much time left before the solar eclipse, and the invasion of Sozun. Being in a village again reminded me of that, and I looked around at all the Fire Nation citizens. This village was closer to the Capitol than any we had ever been to yet. And it was readily apparent that here, the citizens were sheltered from the harsh realities of the War.
I held back am angry sigh, wondering how my father, his men, and the Earth Kingdom troops were doing. And what of Iroh? There were so many variables, and I wished there was a better way for me to keep in touch and know what was going on. Aang was doing well with his Bending. His Waterbending was just about as good as mine, Toph was pleased with his progress, and since he and Zuko had come back from the Sun Warriors, they both seemed so much more confident in their Bending. Aang still had concerns, since I had listened to them, but now with a good grip on all four elements, he was more confident. I was also feeling better. Azula had not been able to take over Ba Sing Se, and General How and his men, along with the Water Tribes, would help us. Zuko and I were no longer at one another's throats. The time at the Western Air Temple was what we had all needed. Yes, I was feeling optimistic.
Until the news of the capture of General How made it to our ears. I could not help but think of my meetings with him, and how I had come to respect him. He was firm and wise, with a desire for peace as much as any one of us. The Earth King was lucky to have How in his service.
It was big news in the marketplace, and Fire Nation citizens cheered at the fact that a mighty Earth Kingdom general and his army had been captured. With the Ba Sing Se army captured, this meant that the Fire Lord had one less worry to deal with, and the last stronghold of the Earth Kingdom was now the next target.

o0o0o0o
Zuko

I could practically feel Katara's horror when we came to the marketplace to buy food and supplies. The news was very fresh, and all around me I heard proud or snide comments on how the Earth Kingdom 'barbarians' would now have to bow to Fire Nation. Right now, the prisoners would most likely be somewhere in transportation, to a prison. I already knew that as Fire Lord, I would order all prisoners of war released. But that would be a while away, and anything could happen during that time.
Agni, give me strength, I silently prayed as I saw an effigy of a Earthbender being set on fire in the middle of the marketplace as the townspeople cheered, some of them yelling praise for Agni, the Fire Nation, my father or Azula, or the General whose army had been responsible for the capture of the Ba Sing Se troops. I recognized the General's name as one of the men in the War Room who had wanted to use the 41^st division of the Fire Nation army as a sacrifice. I had never liked General Jinsk, and hearing his name here brought that distaste surging anew.
Since we didn't have much money left, we opted to camp near the town rather than buy inn rooms. The mood was somber in light of the defeat of the Ba Sing Se troops. Even Toph, who usually had a sarcastic or blunt comment to offer when others were in a low mood, was silent. My mind raced as I ate my rice, thinking of what to do or say. I had to remain optimistic, of that I had no doubt. If I was going to become Fire Lord, I must maintain my resolve. After all, I had the Avatar on my side. Before we had met the Earth King, we didn't even know if he would give us all these troops. It was foolish to pin all of our hopes on someone else. Besides, it was the Avatar who was supposed to defeat the Fire Lord. It was his destiny, after all.
Katara walked away after the meal, and I held back a sigh, wondering if I should go after her or just leave her alone. My concern for her overrode any reservations I might have felt, and after what I deemed to be an appropriate time, I rose to my feet, making the appearance of going to meditate.
Katara was sitting against a rock, staring out at the ocean. Silently I approached her, sitting down without saying a word. She didn't look at me, but she didn't tell me to leave or move away from me. I took that as a good sign, but I chose to remain silent for a while longer, letting us bask in the other's presence. I knew she was hurting, and what was more, worried about her father. If General How and his mighty army could be captured, then so could Hakoda.
After what I figured to be about a quarter of a hour, my hand slid across the grass to rest slightly atop hers. She flinched slightly and I felt her fingers wiggle around. I kept my touch light, so she could easily move her hand away if she wanted to. But to my relief she didn't, and her fingers stopped wiggling. I felt her relax slightly, so I took hold of her hand and squeezed it tightly.
“I know you're feeling bad right now. So am I.” I said quietly. A terse nod was her answer.
“Do you want me to leave you alone?” I asked hesitantly. She shook her head 'no'.
“Look... I know you're worried about your dad. But I'm sure he's okay. He was traveling separately, that was the plan. And besides, when you started this journey with the Avatar, you didn't know if you'd ever get to Ba Sing Se. I didn't know I would be joining your group. But every time something happened, we always did the best we could, right? Besides, it's the Avatar's destiny to take down the Fire Lord, not anybody else's.” I asked gently, trying to meet her eyes. She looked down and nodded.
“Katara, when I become Fire Lord I'm going to release all the prisoners of war. I'm not saying that this doesn't mean you should not worry about them.” I continued. General How had a strong character, and he was serious about keeping Ba Sing Se safe, and helping us defeat my father. He and Uncle had gained a respect of the other as they worked together on the battle plans. “But we can't dwell on the fact that they got captured. We have to move on. As far as anyone knows, the Avatar is dead, and we've been traveling incognito. In fact, capturing the Ba Sing Se troops will only make the Fire Lord more sure of his victory. Can you imagine how surprised he will be when the Avatar comes to defeat him?” I asked. Slowly, she raised her head to look up at me.
“You're right.” She nodded as she squeezed my hand back. Feeling buoyed at the fact that she now apparently welcomed my comfort, I pulled out the dagger that Uncle had given me. Her eyes widened slightly as I pulled out the blade, its polished face glinting in the moonlight. The inscription of “Never give up” was easy to read.
“My uncle gave me this when I was ten years old.” I explained. “Even now, just reading that inscription makes me feel better.”
“You're right. You and I, we've been through some rough stuff. But we're here, aren't we?” she asked. I nodded slowly. Both of us had lost so much. But we kept going on, refusing to give up, even though I know that we both felt like giving up at times, in our darkest moments. Agni knew I had enough of these. Gingerly, she took the knife. I offered no resistance and watched as she examined the workmanship of the blade, turning it around in her hands.
“We'll just keep training the Avatar and one another. You're doing great in our spars.” I said. I showed her calisthenics and meditation, and we sparred together without Bending. I had even let her try my swords once, though they were a too heavy for her.
“Thanks. Hey, you're doing good too.” Katara replied, now smiling a bit. Having cheered her up, I was content to fall silent. She didn't say anything, and I leaned against the rock, staring out at the ocean and stars with her. As much as I enjoyed being passionate with her, I wouldn't trade these quiet moments for anything else.
“Katara! Katara!” I heard the Avatar cry out. Instead of calling back, Katara remained silent. I could not help but smirk at that. She would rather be out here with me than with Aang! She quickly handed the knife back to me, and I sheathed it before tucking it away, hoping it was a unnecessary measure. But the kid was stubborn, and he stumbled across us in a short time. Fortunately, I had already moved my hand away from Katara's, so we simply looked like two people sitting together casually. I set my jaw as the kid came in sight, wishing he had taken Katara's silence as his cue to leave her alone. He looked genuinely surprised to see me sitting with her, and I regarded him with a calm stare.
“I was calling for you. Didn't you hear me?” he asked. Of course! I wanted to scream at him. But we didn't answer, doesn't that tell you something!
“I was just staring out at the ocean. I guess I wasn't paying enough attention.” Katara replied casually. “What do you want?”
“I was thinking we could practice our Waterbending together.” Aang replied, sounding eager.
“Not tonight, Aang. I'm tired.” Katara murmured. I glanced over at her. She did seem tired, and it was getting late, after all. But I also knew that she would rather be near me than dealing with the Avatar, and that made me feel a bit smug.
“But...” Aang glanced at her with some concern before he looked back at me. All I did was gaze back at him levelly, acting as if the fact that Katara and I were sitting together was a mere coincidence.
“We'll Bend together tomorrow.” Katara promised, and I held back a sigh of relief. The only responses I had been able to think of were well... snarky. Aang stared at us for a few more moments, as if trying to figure out what we were up to.
“Good night, Aang. We have a long day tomorrow, and I'll be going to bed in a few moments.” Katara finally said after several long moments.
“...Good night, Katara. You too.” he added quickly as he looked at me, before he scampered out of sight. I heard a soft sigh escape the Waterbender's lips. We remained quiet for a few minutes, and I paid attention to every small sound around us, to make sure that the kid wasn't lurking nearby and trying to eavesdrop. I'd have loved to have Toph's Earth-sight. An idea suddenly occurred to me. If Toph could use her Earthbending to see, then perhaps I could use my own Bending. Or Katara could use her own. I considered the possibilities. I could try to 'see' other people's body heat or sense it. And Katara could do the same with the water in people's bodies. Already my mind was racing with the potential that such a skill could do for me. I could feel flames around me, so that was a start.
Deciding to keep quiet about my idea until I had a better understanding of it, I carefully lifted my arm and draped it around Katara's shoulders after scooting closer to her. She offered no protest, and I smiled to myself as she leaned against me, her head resting against my shoulder. I was happy for these quiet and private moments between us, as determined as ever to have Katara stay with me when the War was over. But I wasn't going to bring that up now, not when we had so many other things to be concerned about. And I would savor what I had right now.
Her body was so warm and snuggly that I could not help but tighten my grip a bit. A quiet sigh escaped her lips, and I smiled to myself as her hand came to rest on my knee. This sort of gentle intimacy suited me as much as heated passion did if not more, and I gently pressed my lips to her temple. Having already discussed the news of the Earth Kingdom troops and given her reassurance, I saw no reason to say anything more.
After what I guessed was a quarter of a hour – probably more – Katara lifted her head to look up at me. I stared back quietly, rubbing her arm lightly.
“There's something I've wondered. But I was always afraid to ask before.” she whispered.
“What is it?”
“Your scar. You told me... that it was a parting gift from your father. Why would he do such a thing?”
I let out a slow sigh. I had never talked to anyone else about my scar. The memories surrounding it were painful – physically and emotionally. I had seen how Hakoda so clearly cared for his son and daughter, and had felt jealous.
“If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. Sorry I asked.” Katara said quickly when I remained silent. I shook my head as she started to move away, and I gently tugged her back.
“I want to make one thing clear.” I said as I stared down at her. “I don't want you to be afraid of asking me things. And I hope you'll welcome my questions. But I also want to make sure that if we talk about things, it remains between the two of us.”
“... Of course. Did you think I was going to blab about our talks?” she asked, her tone all seriousness. “I've never told anyone else about what we talked about ever since we became friends and...” The word lovers hung in the air between us.
“Before I talk about my scar, I'd like us to make that promise to one another.” I replied quietly, buoyed by her words. She stared at me with curiosity for several moments before nodding and offering her pinky finger.
“I promise that what is between us stays between us, and will always stay that way.” she said quietly. Even though the pinky thing might seem silly to other people, her tone held all solemnity in it. I lifted my own hand, hooking my pinky around hers.
“And thus, we shall keep one another's secrets.” I added. She nodded slowly before taking her hand from mine. I leaned my head back against the rock, gathering my thoughts.

3 Years BSC

I had never sat in a War meeting before. Sure, I had sat many times in Court, and in larger and more public meetings. But ever since I had learned to talk and read and write, my great-grandfather's War had been a huge part of my life. The glory of the Fire Nation had been drilled into my head more times than I could count. My duty as part of the royal bloodline was to uphold Agni's glory, and to add strength to the Fire Nation. I admired Uncle and Cousin, and Lu Ten had always promised me that when he became Fire Lord, I would become his second-in-command, and loyal right hand.
Then Cousin died, and Uncle hadn't contested my father's succession to the throne. Mother disappeared, and everything changed. Now, I was the heir to the throne – something I never would have expected. Lu Ten would have been such a good Fire Lord, and I would have been perfectly happy being his second-in-command. In the span of less than a week, I had lost my cousin, grandfather, and mother, and was now Crown Prince.
I did my best to console Uncle. He was filled with grief, and I always tried to make him happy. Even when Lu Ten was alive, Uncle had always welcomed me, treating me like another son. Now, I had seemed to take the place of his dead son. If Uncle wanted so badly to be my mentor, how could I say no?
I was thirteen, and my fourteenth birthday was but a few months away. It was spring, and many of the flowers and trees had just come into bloom – a time that Mother had always loved, for we would walk amongst the gardens, finding tranquility in the maelstrom of Court intrigues and politics and the ever-present War.
At this age, I was curious and wanted to learn more. I was ever conscious of my position as Crown Prince and the responsibilities I would take on as Fire Lord. Of course, at that age, I didn't know the full extent of responsibilities that my ancestors bore. All I knew was that it was a lot, and I wanted to understand it. That was the main reason why I wanted to sit in a War meeting. I wanted to see how strategy was planned, and to understand the War better.
But it was nothing like I had expected. At least, later on. At first, the strategies seemed ordinary to me. I had heard enough tales of Sozin and Azulon's victories in various battles and the strategies that they had employed. Lives were lost, cities were destroyed, but back then, I didn't understand the full cost of war. I had never fought a battle, or seen a prisoner of war, or seen any kind of destruction whatsoever.
But when I heard that a whole division of soldiers were to be thrown away – like they were nothing more than toys to dispose of – I got my first taste of the injustice of war. All I saw in that room to represent the soldiers were small figurines on the map. Yet in my mind I saw soldiers of living, breathing flesh – soldiers who loved their Nation and wanted to protect it, so that they would have a home to go back to, and families to welcome them back. Did the generals sitting around the map not see that? How could someone want to throw away men that had shown their loyalty to Fire Nation by fighting for it?
So I rose to my feet and stood up for these men. As Crown Prince, I could do no less. My honor demanded it.
When I climbed onto the Agni Kai arena, I vowed to myself that I would show that General the error of his ways. But it wasn't that man who towered over me, his form silhouetted in the sunlight as he glowered down at me.
This was the last thing I expected – what I was sure anyone else would have expected at all. The story of my defiance towards the General had rippled through Court like wildfire within the span of a day, and I had spent that span physically and mentally preparing myself. But nothing could have prepared me for this.
To fight my own father. Even though he had explained why he was here – to defy one of his handpicked generals was to defy him – I couldn't fight him. I just couldn't. He was my father, and I hadn't defied him on purpose.
So I pleaded. I tried to explain myself, and why I had done what I did. I was a loyal son, who wanted only to please his sire and prove himself worthy of the line of Agni by defending those who would fight for the Fire Nation. To my shame, I felt tears stream down my face.
“You will learn respect, and pain and suffering will be your teacher.”
Then I saw his fist, and the flame that surrounded it. My sire was nothing but a dark figure, the sun behind him and making him difficult to look at.
There was a flash of searing gold and red before the excruciating pain shot through my face, all the way back to my head.
I screamed and lifted my hands, clawing at my face, feeling raw skin and bits of flesh come off under my fingers. And then everything went black.

o0o0o0o

“Zuko.” Katara sounded like she was having a hard time talking. Her hands were on her chest as she stared at me with wide eyes, shock and dismay clearly written on her face. I inhaled and exhaled slowly but said nothing further. She remained silent for several moments, seeming unsure of what to say. I studied her face, looking for her emotions. I saw anger, shock, and a good amount of surprise. But to my relief, I didn't see any pity.
Katara had already made it clear to me that she didn't think less of me because of my scar. I remembered the times she would touch it gently, or let me rub it against her.
“Come here.” she whispered, holding out her arms. Without hesitation, I leaned down as I felt her wrap her arms around me. Her chest was soft and warm, and I let out a quiet sigh as I closed my eyes.

o0o0o0o
One Month, 9 Days BSC
Katara
We had slept near one another in our sleeping bags, and Aang slept at my other side. I had seen the slight surprise in Aang's face when he saw that Zuko was sleeping near me, but I offered no explanation. All of us wanted to sleep near the fire, and for all anyone could see, the fact that Zuko slept near me was merely coincidental.
In the morning, Zuko and I had done calisthenics and stretching, and I immensely enjoyed this activity with him. We no longer had the privacy that the Western Air Temple offered, but we could still spar or practice together with the others knowing, since there was nothing out of place with sparring. The Avatar trained with me, Toph, and Zuko. Zuko trained with Sokka and Toph. I trained with Aang and Toph. So why shouldn't I train with Zuko? It was a excellent way to be together, and there was no denying the value of what we learned from one another.
I lay on the grass, staring up at the clouds. Today's sparring with Zuko had been most satisfying. There was something about going against him that was entirely pleasing for both of us, especially since we now had no desire to maim one another. And there was no denying the pleasure of seeing him shirtless. I felt a small blush creep across my face as I remembered how he had pinned me down after the match and whispered a couple of naughty things into my ear, promising a different kind of sparring for when everyone else had gone to sleep.
He was now with Sokka, out of sight and leaving me to enjoy a quiet moment for myself. My mind wandered to more serious matters, and the things we had discussed the night before. I was still reeling at the fact that his own sire had done that to him, to hurt him in such a devastating way before adding insult to injury and banishing him and sending him on what was apparently a wild-goose chase. From what else Zuko had told me, his great-grandfather, grandfather, and even his own father had done the same search with nothing to show for their effort – except pillaged villages and destruction left in their wake.
“Hey, Katara.” Aang's voice interrupted my thoughts, and I opened my eyes to see him peering down at me.
“Yeah?” I replied casually, twirling a blade of grass between my fingers. He sat down next to me, clearly having something important on his mind. Perhaps he just needed to unload about his worries again. After all, he had a lot on his shoulders, being the Avatar and expected to make everything right. The wind blew through his short black hair as he lifted his hand to rub his head slightly.
“I... well. I couldn't help but notice that you've been spending time with Zuko lately.” Aang replied, clearly unsure of just how he wanted to bring this up to me. It was inevitable, I suppose. I had already prepared for such a thing, and my face and body betrayed none of my feelings for Zuko.
“So?” I replied calmly, acting as if there was nothing out of the ordinary about the fact that Zuko and I now acted in a civil and friendly manner around one another, rather than the cold aloofness or the heated snarking between us. Granted, we still did snark a bit at each other, but it was more out of habit and for show.
“Well.” He flustered for a bit. I couldn't help but smirk mentally, even though I knew that was a bit mean, considering how he felt for me. “It's just... so different. Before, you would ignore one another or just scream and argue. Now you're sparring and training together and even being nice to one another!”
Was it just me, or did I detect a note of jealousy in Aang's tone over the fact that I was spending time with Zuko?
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Slow Heat