Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Painting These Streets Blue	By : moviefan Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 449 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter List
- 1-Part 1
- 2-Part 2
- 3-Part 3
- 4-Part 4
- 3
- 4
(A/N: And here we are, the fourth and final part. I guess you can see why I had to split it up into four parts with how long it was. Can't believe this was supposed to be a one-shot, but the plot bunnies in my head were going at it more than Zuko and Katara. Let's see the final result of it. I have a feeling not everyone is going to be happy with the outcome, I have mixed feelings about it myself. Not going to tell you what I mean by any of that, you'll just have to read on to find out. Enjoy.)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Part 4
They seemed to stand there for a long time, neither of them moving, then she let out a deep sigh. And when she began to turn around to face him, Zuko felt as if an Earthbender had opened the ground beneath him and he was falling to his doom. Every instinct he had was telling him to flee before she saw his face, but it was as if he had become paralyzed with fear.
But when she faced him fully and lifted her head to look directly at him, his eyes widened to see that hers were actually closed. She had this opportunity to see who he was and she wasn’t taking it. Instead, she kept her eyes closed as she brought up his mask, felt around for the top of his head, and slipped it back down over his face. Since she couldn’t see what she was doing, she predictably put it on wrong, with the front covering his side, but once it was back on, she moved her hands away, allowing him to reach up and turn it properly back into place.
Once his mask was back on properly, he lowered his hands and stared at her in amazement. Her eyes were still closed though, as if she were waiting for permission from him to open them again, and he found himself stretching out his pinky finger to make contact with the back of her hand. She seemed to take that as his ok and cracked open one eye, and then the other, going slowly so he could still stop her if he wasn’t ready. And once she saw that his mask was back where it was supposed to be, she gave him a smile.
“My Lady…” he whispered in awe.
Her smile widened, her eyes shining with love. “I told you, Blue. I love the person before me, and I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give.”
He just continued to stare at her, and she slowly moved closer, placing her hands on his chest and bringing her lips to his. She gave him a lingering kiss, then moved down lower to begin nibbling and pressing kisses to his neck, and Zuko found himself tilting his head back to let her. She then went to work with her hands, slipping them under his shirt and working it up over his head.
Zuko helped her with its removal, letting it drop to the ground. She then turned around again and took hold of his arms once more, moving them so he was hugging her from behind. He hesitated for a few moments before his arms tightened around her, holding her close, and then his lips seemed to gravitate to her shoulder and neck, pressing kisses to her skin.
Katara sighed at the contact, pulling his arms more securely around her so he hugged her tighter still. Then she once again began lightly moving to the music; not dancing like before, but gently swaying to the beat. Her bare bottom pressed against his front, and Zuko knew there was no way she couldn’t feel his erection. She only pressed her rear against him even harder with deliberate intent, rubbing against him through his pants.
Then her hands came down, one sliding down his thigh and the other down his abdomen to reach the bulge in his pants, and she rubbed him through the material. Zuko did his best to ignore what she was doing as he lavished her neck with kisses, his hands now covering her breasts and slightly squeezing them. His breath hitched though when she brought her hand up higher and slipped it into his pants, taking hold of his hardened length and stroking him gently.
At some point, Zuko realized that he wasn’t just moving his body as a result of Katara moving him with hers, but was steadily moving on his own to the rhythm. He buried his face into her neck and inhaled her scent as he gave her breasts a squeeze, and she made a pleased sound in response. She continued stroking him though as the hand on his waist began to work to push his pants down, and they slid further and further down his legs until they fell to his ankles, his underwear joining it.
For the next minute or two, they stood there in the nude, swaying to the beat, Katara’s soft hand massaging his length. But then she released it and bent over so her ass was pressed against his crotch, his cock running up between her cheeks. She moved her bottom up and down, her ass-cheeks massaging his length and causing him to dribble pre-cum.
Zuko caught himself running his hands up the length of her back and sides, lightly grazing his nails down the former, causing her to break out in goose-bumps. Then, remaining bent over, she moved close to the parapet, resting her arms over it before glancing over her shoulder at him with a look full of desire.
“Come to me, Blue,” she said, reaching a hand out to him. “Claim me.”
Zuko practically groaned at her words. Unable to deny her, he kicked out of his pants and shuffled over to her. All thoughts of how he shouldn’t be doing this with her were lost, buried beneath the desire he felt for her and his newfound feelings of love. Placing his hands on her rear, he rubbed the smooth surface as he ran his length against her slickness until she was fidgeting. Then he took hold of himself, running the head over her opening and lightly pushing the tip inside.
“Now,” she gasped out when it was clear that she couldn’t take it anymore.
He couldn’t take it anymore either. He needed to be inside her. And so he put them both out of their misery by slowly pushing inside her until his hips met her rear. Katara made a loud exclamation as he slid inside her, her back arching and her grip on the edge of the parapet tightening. She had watched him the entire time, her eyelids fluttering and her tongue licking her lips. She reached back and ran her hand over his chest, feeling his muscles.
Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Then he began steadily thrusting in and out of her, releasing her hand and gripping her waist. Katara turned away and gripped the parapet again, pushing back against him as she met his thrusts, squeezing her inner muscles each time he pulled back. If not for the music and celebrating going on down below, the two of them doing this with people so close would have been very risky, especially when Katara’s vocals began to kick in, but the noise going on at the party drowned them out to the partygoers.
Zuko set a rhythm, pounding into Katara as she pushed her rear at him. Grunts escaped him each time he slammed into her, seemingly knocking gasps and moans out of her with every thrust. He was aware of the fact that with her resting on the parapet the way she was that if anyone looked up that they might be able to see her, but then realized that it was too dark and they were too far up, so even if anyone did look up, at most, they would only see a shadowy figure on the edge of the roof. So them getting caught wasn’t really a concern.
Leaning over her, he brushed her hair aside to place a kiss to the back of her neck, one of his hands reaching underneath her to grab hold of her breast, massaging it in his grasp. Katara tilted her head to the side to give him more access to her neck, one of her hands coming up to cup his face as he sucked on her pulse point. She turned her head, her lips seeking out his, and they kissed for a time. When he pulled back, she rose with him, releasing his face and pushing up onto her palms.
Zuko never stopped thrusting into her as he rose to his full height. Gripping her hips, he spread her as he thrusted forward. Katara was now holding herself upright on her hands, using the parapet as leverage to push back at him. Slowly, she rose up onto her toes, the change in height and position allowing him to hit her at a different angle. Her cries seemed to be growing louder, her back arching more and more, and her head tilting further back.
Reaching out, Zuko ran his fingers through her soft hair. Halfway down its length though, he grabbed a handful of it, pulling back on it to force Katara’s head back even further. She seemed to enjoy it though, her eyes closed in delight, her mouth shifting from a pant to a cry.
Suddenly, and without warning, she erupted into an orgasm. Zuko blinked at how out of the blue it suddenly seemed to happen, but there was no mistaking the feel of her cumming. Katara seemed just as surprised as him, pushing off the parapet and swinging her arms around wildly. Her legs began shaking violently, and Zuko felt them start to buckle. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from collapsing and pulled her straight up against him, one of his arms going under hers and across her chest to grip her chin, keeping his face close to hers, and his other wrapping around her waist and finding place on her lower stomach.
Katara continued to quiver in his arms, reaching back as she dug her finger into his hips. He kept thrusting into her throughout her climax, and moved his hand lower to begin flicking his fingers over her clit. Katara cried out even louder and started shaking even more violently as the additional stimulation either set her off on another orgasm or rose the one she was already going through to even greater heights.
In either case, Zuko never ceased his thrusting, and continued to hold her to him until her shaking stopped and she seemed capable of standing on her own once more. And once she could, she reached back to cup the back of his head before turning hers so they could kiss. And as they did so, they began to sink down to their knees, only this time intentionally, until they were both kneeling, with Katara’s legs on either side of his.
Once she released his head, Zuko gripped both her arms. Katara leaned forward slightly in response, allowing him to thrust into her even harder and faster than before as he pulled back on her arms. She let out a mumbling sound with each of his thrusts as his own grunts joined her in chorus every few seconds. However, the rougher texture of the roof they were on was hard on his knees, causing it to rub and irritate the skin. He knew the same must be true for her too, and so before their knees got too torn up, he released one of her arms so he could reach for his discarded clothes and pull them over.
“Here,” he said, ceasing his thrusting and pushing his shirt underneath her.
She glanced back at him with a grateful smile and shifted her knees on top of the material. He did the same for himself, sticking his pants underneath his own knees, then reached for her hips once more. Katara was now on all fours as he knelt behind her and resumed his thrusting as if there had been no interruption.
Katara jerked and moaned with each impact of his crotch colliding with her rear, her breasts swaying in time with her body’s motions. Zuko’s gaze ran up and down her body as he thrusted into her, fascinated by the arch of her back, the twists and turns of her head, and the way she shoved herself back at him each time he pushed into her. His gaze went lower to where they were joined and he spread her wider, watching as his length disappeared into her and then reappeared again. Even in the limited light of the moon, he could see his cock glistening with her wetness and how her nether-lips clung to him each time he pulled out.
As their passion increased, Zuko instinctually found himself going faster and getting rougher, slamming his hips into her harder and harder each time. Katara went from simply jerking in response to his movements to getting shoved forward and then getting pulled back as he yanked at her hips. She didn’t seem to mind though; on the contrary, she really seemed to enjoy it, and her rising vocals were evident of it. And as Zuko continued to lose himself in her, he found himself rising up to full-on mount her.
Katara bent over completely, resting her head on her extended arms as Zuko practically laid on top of her, holding himself up on one hand while the other gripped her shoulder. The wet slapping sounds of his sac smacking against her rear joined her near screams and his audible grunts as he drove himself into her. Katara was no longer moving with him, but simply taking the pleasure he was giving her as she scratched at the rooftop. To any observer in the distance, they must surely look like two animals fiercely mating in the dark.
Then Katara was struck by another orgasm. This one had more of a build-up though, with her body growing tense and her voice rising until the tension released and the waves of her climax shook her whole body. Zuko had felt himself growing close as well, but for some reason, had been unable to hold himself back this time, fueled by an unexplainable need to fill her with his seed.
He began slamming into her with such force that her upper body slid further and further across the roof until her legs stretched out and she was lying down flat on her stomach with Zuko lying on top of her. He never ceased his thrusting though as he gripped both her shoulders while driving himself into her, trying to join her in climax. And as he felt her cumming around him, he rapidly drove himself towards the finish line rather than draw this out, and managed to get there as she was reaching the end of her orgasm.
Ashe finished emptying himself into her, Zuko’s strength failed him, his full weight coming down on her. He was breathing heavily, as was she, though it must have been more difficult for her with him lying on top of her. Yet he found that he had no strength to move, not even enough to lift his hand and wipe the sweat that had gathered around his eyes from his mask. Katara, however, gave no word of complaint about being flattened beneath him.
Once his strength recovered enough though, he turned them onto their sides and gathered her in his arms, being sure he didn’t slip out of her body as he held her to him, savoring her closeness as he wondered what had come over him. While he wouldn’t call this session between them fast, it had been shorter than the other times. He was a little disappointed in himself for that, even if he had managed to get Katara off twice. He usually liked to make things last, focusing more on his partner’s pleasure than his own, enjoying making them feel good, especially in Katara’s case. This time though, he had been unable to hold himself back or draw things out. He’d been overcome with the need to, as she had put it, claim her.
He wondered why though, and the conclusion he came to was that it was related to his realization that he was in love with her. Perhaps that revelation coupled with the knowledge that he could never truly have her, that their time together had a limit to it, had driven him into a state of passion-fueled desperation. He really didn’t know. Aside from whatever companionship he and Mai were offering each other, he never had an actual relationship before, and he had certainly never been in love before. And knowing that this love had an expiration date, he’d just lost control of himself.
The spirits must really hate him. Or maybe it really was karma for his past sins. In his attempts to make things better, he had found himself mixed up in circumstances that had him falling for the one woman he knew he could never have and had no right to, all while those same circumstances had her falling for him as well, even though that would never happen outside of those circumstances. It certainly felt like some form of divine punishment. If not, then it was sure as hell a series of coincidental circumstances that allowed the stars to align so these series of events could happen.
But one thing had become certain to Zuko after that. He knew that he couldn’t resist Katara, and that it was pointless for him to try. And if at the end of this journey, he was going to have to let her go, then he would do it. Not that he had a choice in the matter, and that hurt. But it was no less than he deserved, or so he told himself.
Perhaps the divine punishment he was facing wasn’t due to his past sins, as he had realized that he had been misguided back then, not outright doing the wrong thing, but his inability to keep his hands to himself when he had no right to touch Katara, despite her advances, that was another matter entirely. Maybe then he wouldn’t have fallen for her, and so wouldn’t face the pain of having to give her up when the time came.
But he had come to a decision about something. Since it was clear that he couldn’t resist her, he stopped trying. If he was going to face the pain of heartbreak eventually, then he would enjoy and cherish this time with her while it lasted and get the most out of it. If he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t, then wouldn’t it be better to treasure this while it lasted?
And not just for his own sake, but for Katara’s too. He knew that she would face heartbreak once this ended, as they both knew it inevitably would. Even if it was wrong, he would be the only one burdened by that knowledge, so shouldn’t he at least do right by her by allowing her to experience as much love and happiness with him, or, rather, with the Blue Spirit, as possible?
Was it not like what she had said had been the case with her mother, where she should be able to cherish her time with those she loved while it lasted? It was what she wanted after all. So should he not give that to her? Was it not his duty to her since he had allowed things to come to this between then since he hadn’t been able to resist her? Or were those just logic loops he was doing to continue to get into her pants?
No, it wasn’t that. If it was just about sex, then he had Mai for that, even though he hadn’t touched her since the night he had slept with her in the hopes that it would help him resist Katara. No, this wasn’t just about sex. He loved Katara, he truly he did. She wanted what he was able to give, and since he couldn’t resist her or deny his own heart’s desires, then he would give as much of himself to her as he could.
And in regards to the wrongness of it, that weight would remain on his shoulders alone. He would never taint her love for the Blue Spirit or the time they spent together by letting her find out the truth. He would allow her to go on believing for her sake that she loved the person he was as the Blue Spirit, and not tarnish that by letting her see who he really was. And then, when the time came, he would let her go, no matter how much it would hurt.
But despite this decision, he would not take advantage of her. Which is why, even though he stopped resisting, he always let her make the first move, and he would then reciprocate. Even though he hadn’t said anything about their relationship status since he realized he was in love with her and decided to stop resisting her, it seemed she had sensed that change in him, and now she too was fully committed to getting the most out of their time together. Which resulted in the two of them making love nearly every night they got together for the next few months. Unless they were too exhausted or too sore from any injuries they received once they were healed, they would find themselves wrapped up in each other’s intimate embrace.
They made the most with what they had, meaning that they had their periods of passion on rooftops, balconies, in back allies, or anywhere else they wouldn’t be disturbed. On a few occasions, they had even been able to sneak into inns and make use of the beds in unrented rooms. It was rather nice to make love to Katara in an actual bed, and he longed to do so in his own bed, to see her lying back on his own sheets as he pleasured her. But he knew that was one fantasy that would never come to be.
Of course, they never let things between them get in the way of their nightly duties. They went out as the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady for a purpose, and only after they finished their nightly patrols or took care of whatever job they needed to deal with did they allow themselves to give in to their desires. Only one night had been the exception, a night of the full moon.
Katara had always been extra energetic and passionate on full moon nights, but on this full moon on particular, it had also been raining. And while they had patrolled in the rain before, the moment they had met up, Katara had all but attacked him in a fit of lust and desire. Fortunately, they’d had no plans that night outside of a normal patrol, as they ended up never leaving their meeting spot and had furiously made love all night long in the rain under the light of the full moon until the crack of dawn had been on the horizon, and then they’d both had to quickly rush back to their designated places to be before their real selves were discovered to be gone by their companions. Sufficient to say, neither of them had shown up the next night due to how utterly exhausted they had been, but it had been a night that Zuko knew he would never forget.
Katara respected his boundaries regarding his identity and the status of their relationship. While it was clear that she still desired to know who he was and to truly be with him, she accepted that the Blue Spirit was all she would ever get, but was determine to get the most out of it. Zuko appreciated that, even though it tore him up inside. He wished he could give himself to her fully, but knew that to do so would destroy what they had.
Whether continuing this affair while carrying the burden of the guilt his secret left was right or not, it was what he felt was the only course of action. After all, what was the alternative? He’d tried resisting and turning her away, only to have that backfire, and to let her know the truth would utterly destroy her. So his only option left seemed to be to let their makeshift romance play out and then to have them part ways with pleasant memories of their time together, even if it would hurt them both to do so.
And that was how things had led to now, to this night, where they once again found themselves getting lost in each other on the balcony of someone’s home after she had been late to their meetup but in time to save him from the soldiers that had cornered him. But as they made out, Zuko noticed that something seemed off about Katara’s behavior. Her touches and kisses were almost… desperate. She tore at his clothes with an urgency he hadn’t seen since that rainy, full moon night, devouring his mouth as if she were trying to swallow him whole.
“My Lady, is everything all right?” he asked when he managed to separate his mouth from hers long enough to get the words out.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, pulling him back to her and running her hands up under his shirt to feel his muscles. “I just really need you right now.”
Her words concerned him a bit. Was this her reacting to the thought of having almost lost him after she had found him cornered, or was this something else at work that was causing her to behave this way? But before he could dwell on it further, he was swept away by her kisses and touches as she scrambled to get his shirt over his head. He took over the task himself, and Katara instead went to work at tearing off her own clothes.
Once they were both bare, they came together, with Katara practically launching herself at him as she leapt into his arms. Zuko crushed her to him as her arms and legs wrapped around him and her lips slammed against his. He turned them around, pinning her up against the wall a little harder than he meant to as her hands desperately explored his body, seeking to touch him everywhere at once. Her lips were just as desperate, kissing him repeatedly as she sucked in a quick breath when they broke contact. Zuko almost felt like she was trying to quite literally devour him.
With her legs wrapped around his waist, Zuko ground his hips into her, feeling just how wet she was. She groaned into his mouth and unwrapped an arm from around his neck to reach between them and take hold of his length, pushing his head against her entrance. Sensing her desperation, Zuko wasted no time in pushing into her, causing her to groan even louder before she tore her mouth away from his to suck in a large breath as her free arm once again wrapped around him, her nails digging into his back and her heels pressing into his rear.
Zuko immediately began thrusting into her, and her legs squeezed his waist every time their hips met. As Katara grunted against his lips each time he thrusted into her, Zuko found himself remembering when their relationship had truly taken an intimate turn, going beyond just kissing. He’d had her pinned up against the wall like this back then too, bringing her to orgasm through their clothes. He’d fled after that before he himself had found release, hating himself for giving into temptation and feeling as if he had been taking advantage of her ignorance.
How things had changed between them since then. While he still felt that he was, at least partially, taking advantage of her ignorance of who he really was, he also knew that there was so much more to them than that. It didn’t relieve him of his guilt and self-loathing for getting involved with her, but he had decided months ago that that weight on his shoulders would just have to be something that he and he alone carried. And besides, to be able to have Katara in his arms like this, for however long it lasted, was more than worth the guilt and self-loathing that came with it.
The sweet sounds Katara emitted as he loved her served to drive away his darker thoughts, and he buried his face into her shoulder as she clung to him, her limbs squeezing him tightly as she began to shudder in orgasm. He kept her pinned to the wall all throughout her climax, and when she eventually called down, he pushed off the wall and carried her to the middle of the balcony, where he sank down to his knees and then shifted to sit. He remained inside Katara the entire time, and she adjusted to sit more fully in his lap. They both clung to each other as they rocked together, their lovemaking becoming slow and sensual rather than the frantic and desperate way it had started out as.
Katara hugged herself to him so tightly Zuko was surprised she could get enough space between them to breathe, yet the breathy sounds of her panting was hot in his ear as she nuzzled his head. They weren’t so much as thrusting or even rocking as they were simply rubbing their bodies together while he remained buried inside her. She was whispering his name on repeat, seemingly without even realizing that she was doing it. Or, rather, she was whispering “Blue” instead of his real name over and over again, but he allowed himself to indulge in the fantasy that it really was his name that she was gasping out in such a loving, needing way.
Their slow intimacy eventually became more passionate once more. The gentle rocking became thrusting as Katara began bouncing somewhat in his lap, using her legs to lift herself and then drop back down while keeping her arms wrapped around his neck, her breasts rubbing against his chest as she did so. Zuko’s hands had moved down to her lower back, pulling her down onto him each time she dropped down. He looked up into her face, marveling at the way her eyes were closed in bliss and her mouth hung open as she panted.
As if sensing him watching her, her eyes cracked open and she stared at him with such love and desire that Zuko felt his heart skip a beat. But then she was pressing her lips to his, forcing her tongue into his mouth to engage with his as she tangled one hand in his hair and ran the other up and down his back, the ends of her hair tickling his wrists as he kept his hands just above her rear, and rather than bouncing on him, she began to push and pull her hips forward and back.
Zuko assisted her hip movements by pushing and pulling her against him, and small cries began escaping Katara each time she slid forward. She seemed to be leaning further and further back though until she had to hook her hands around his neck and he was practically holding her upright, but then she released his neck and leaned back completely, planting her hands on the ground behind her, using it to push herself into him. Zuko reached behind him as well with one hand while keeping the other on her hip to aid her movements as he pushed into her as well, and they both moaned in unison each time they came together.
Zuko’s gaze once again returned to Katara’s upturned face, taking in her delightful expressions as her head rolled around on her shoulders. His eyes then lowered to her breasts as they moved to their bodies’ motions. Releasing her hip, he grasped one of her breasts, causing her to gasp out loud and shiver all over. They maintained their pace though, bringing each other closer and closer to climax until Katara was crying out, struggling to hold herself up as her whole body shook.
Her orgasm set off his own, and his fingers dug into her breast as he reflexively squeezed it. Katara’s eyes flew open at the feel of him cumming inside her, and she suddenly pushed off the ground to wrap her arms and legs around him, hugging him tightly. Zuko’s own arms wrapped around her as well as they both shuddered in their climax, and as she buried her face into his shoulder, he heard her repeating the words “I love you” against him over and over again.
Hearing her declarations of love caused his eyes to prick with moisture, but he did his best to hold back any tears that threatened to creep up on him. There were so few people left in the world who he truly believed loved him. His uncle, yes, but he was also pretty sure that the man now hated him for his betrayal, or at the very least was furious with him. Mai, he wasn’t entirely sure about. Yes, she was fond of him and showed him affection, but the girl was practically impossible to read and even seemed to be avert to emotion in general. His father, Zuko had come to realize only loved power, and his love for others only extended to how useful and beneficial they were to him, even when it came to his own children. And Azula, well, Zuko didn’t even think his sister was capable of love.
And then there was Katara. She loved him, he had no doubt about that. She really, truly loved him. The only problem was that she didn’t love him, she loved the Blue Spirit. He was who she was in love with, not him, not Zuko. Zuko she hated. Zuko she could never love. He knew that. Which only made the taste of the love she had for the Blue Spirit hurt all the more, because it was both something he had, but at the same time, also didn’t, and that had him feeling like his heart was being crushed in his chest.
Hearing her declaring her love for him like this, and in such a deeply emotional way too, had him choking back the words he wanted to say to her too. There had been several instances during their intimate moments where he had not only almost cried out her name, but had also almost let the words “I love you” slip past his lips, only to catch himself at the last possible moment. To let her hear those words would only make their parting that much more painful, especially for her, and he intended to make things as painless for her as possible; he owed her that much.
And he knew that day was coming soon. The Day of Black Sun was almost here. In fact, it was only a week away. He knew that that was the day that Katara and her friends and allies were planning to invade the capital to try and overthrow his father. And when that day came, their relationship would come to an end. That was the sad truth they both knew would come to pass, and had known ever since they began this illicit affair.
But they still had tonight he told himself. And for however long they could keep this up until the invasion, Katara was still his, and he was going to savor that time. Which was why, as soon as he was ready again, he made love to her once more, conveying to her how he felt about her with his body since he couldn’t do it with words. And by the time he could go on no longer, he had reduced her to tears after having brought her to climax several more times.
But something was still wrong. He sensed it. Katara had this sense of… perhaps doom about her was the best way to put it, as if something horrible had happened. He recalled how she had been late to their meetup tonight, as well as the desperation and urgency she had seemed to need him. He suddenly became worried that something may have happened to her brother or one of her friends; they were in an enemy nation after all.
“My Lady,” he asked as they got dressed, ready to call it a night, “I know I asked this already, but is everything all right?”
She froze at that, having been making the finishing touches to her outfit. Nearly a minute passed before she finally sighed. “No, Blue. It’s not. Not at all.”
He’d figured as much, and walked over to her, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong? Is there anything I can do?”
After a long stretch of silence, her own hand came up to cover his, and she squeezed it tightly. “I have to tell you something, Blue. Something’s happened. Something important. Nothing is ever going to be the same again.”
She seemingly said the last part to herself, speaking in a near-whisper. Behind his Blue Spirit mask, Zuko’s eyes widened as his brain jumped to conclusions, and he found his gaze lowering to the center of her back, imagining her front, and his heart began racing.
Was she pregnant? That was the first place his mind went to, and it made him feel light-headed and queasy. Based on what she had said, or at least how she had phrased the start of whatever she was about to tell him, which was undoubtedly going to be something big, it certainly seemed like a way to start off breaking such news to him. And with how often they did it, it wouldn’t be surprising in the least.
Had he expected too much of her? Katara was always so mature and responsible, so he had assumed that she would be taking the right precautions if she was going to be sexually active. Contraceptive herbs weren’t hard to come by, and she was smart enough to know that she couldn’t afford to get pregnant right now. And she had said that she would take care of things the first time they had made love. Again though, that remark could have multiple implications, but he had assumed that that had meant that she was being careful and responsible. But had he overestimated her? Had she forgotten to take anything a few times after having gotten back to wherever she and her friends were hiding away?
If she was pregnant, it would explain her behavior tonight. Maybe that had even been why she was late, because she was trying to figure out how to break the news to him, and what would they do once she did. A baby would definitely overcomplicate the already overcomplicated. Where would they go from here? What would they do? Would he still be able to keep his identity hidden from her? And if he couldn’t, how would she react to finding out that she was actually pregnant with Zuko’s child?
And yet despite the terror and dread he felt at how this would change both their lives completely, behind it all, he felt an overwhelming sense of joy. As scary and as catastrophic as it would be, he couldn’t help but feeling happier than he ever thought possible at the thought of the woman he loved having his child. Even now, he already felt love for this hypothetical child, and she hadn’t even told him that she was pregnant yet.
But he was getting ahead of himself. He didn’t even know if that was what she wanted to tell him. It was just that the way she had started off telling him what she wanted to tell him that her being pregnant could have been what she had to say. It was best not to make any assumptions until he knew for sure. But even the possibility of her being with child had him half wanting to fall into a panic attack and half wanting to pick her up and kiss her joyously.
His mind was at work as well, conjuring up images of her swollen with his child, of her holding an infant in her arms that was a perfect blend of her and him. He was surprised at how appealing he found that imagine to be, and was suddenly very glad that he was wearing his Blue Spirit mask right now so she couldn’t see what kind of face he was making.
“What is it, My Lady?” he asked gently, squeezing her shoulder encouragingly as he tried to keep his voice calm and neutral. “You can tell me.”
He was greeted by more silence, but then she slowly turned around to face him, and he saw that there were tears in her eyes, and not the happy or emotional ones he had brought her to when they made love. He felt his stomach flip as his mind once again jumped to the possibility of her being pregnant. If she was as scared and unsure at the prospect as he was, then those tears were definitely warranted.
“There’s a reason I was late tonight,” she said slowly, her voice sounding unsteady. “The reason I didn’t tell you before though is because I didn’t want to say anything about it tonight until I had to.”
Zuko’s heart jumped in his chest. Great Agni, was his assumption accurate? Was she really going to tell him that she was with child? “What is it?”
She down-casted her eyes and seemed to be trying to find the strength she needed to say what she had to say, as if the words were hard to get out. But finally though, she took a deep breath and looked up at him. “This will be our last night together.”
Silence met her statement. Several long moments passed as they simply stared at each other. Or, rather, he stared at her while she stared at his mask. But then he blinked as her words got through to him, and he found his mind going completely blank.
“Our last night?” he found himself repeating.
A few tears slipped from her eyes as she nodded sadly. “The Avatar and his friends are planning to invade on the Day of Black Sun. That’s in one week. The final preparations for that are beginning to take place. I need to help out with that, so I won’t be able to come out as the Painted Lady anymore after that. And once the invasion is over, whether it’s successful or not…” she averted her eyes, now looking heartbroken, “I won’t be around anymore. So this… this is the last time we’ll be able to meet.”
Zuko felt his heart shatter in his chest. She wasn’t trying to tell him that she was pregnant, she was trying to tell him that this was it, their time was up. He’d always known it had an expatriation date, but somewhere along the line, that fact had faded to the back of his mind, the day seemingly so far away. But now he wasn’t only being reminded of it, that day was here.
And if that weren’t devastating enough, he also surprised to feel a deep sense of loss at the realization that she wasn’t pregnant. As scary as the thought had been, he now felt as if the greatest sense of joy had been ripped away from him, denying the child with her he hadn’t realized he wanted until the possibility of her being pregnant had occurred to him. One final form of mockery or punishment from the gods for his misdeeds? Perhaps. For he now felt as if he lost two things, Katara and the child they could have had together.
But then his fists clenched together as he reminded himself that Katara was never his and never could be. She was in love with the Blue Spirit, not Zuko, and no matter how much he loved her, he could never tell her the truth, and so could never be with her. He’d never be able to love her freely with the limitations of him being the Blue Spirit would allow. This love had been doomed from the start, he’d known that, he’d told her as much as well. And yet he had allowed himself to get wrapped up in it when he realized that he was unable to resist her.
For the second time tonight, he was glad his mask was hiding his face from her. Even so, it was taking every bit of his willpower to stay in control. He had known this day was coming, had been prepared for it, and was now going to do the right thing by letting her go as gracefully and as easily as possible for her sake, even as it tore him up inside.
“I see,” he said, removing his hand as he did his best to keep his voice steady. “So that’s it then. Our time together is over.”
The look of heartbreak on her face nearly broke him. “Blue…”
“We always knew it would come to this, My Lady,” he told her. “I said so from the beginning. That was why I tried to discourage such a relationship between us.”
Perhaps that had been a little harsh, but the pain he was feeling in his chest was stirring up his anger a bit. And why shouldn’t it? It always seemed like the things he loved were being snatched form him. But then he also reminded himself that he deserved this pain for being foolish enough and weak enough to touch Katara the way he had when he had no right to.
Katara lowered her eyes at his words, looking deep in thought, but then she lifted her head almost proudly as she told him in a determine voice. “I still don’t regret it. Any of it. I told you that I would rather get what I could have while I could have it than never get to experience it at all, and I meant it; that hasn’t changed. If I had the choice, I would do it all over again,” she took both his hands in hers and gave them a squeeze, “because I really, truly love you, Blue.”
But not him, he once again reminded himself. The real him wasn’t even worthy of Katara’s love after everything he did. And yet a part of him, the Blue Spirit part, so to speak, had still gotten to experience it. And that had been worth anything, even if he had damned himself in the process for his deceit, however unintentional it had been.
So, steeling his nerves to do the right thing, he gave her hand a squeeze in return, still trying to make this as painless as possible for her. “I too will cherish our time together, My Lady. Forever. You truly are an amazing person, and I thank you for all that you’ve done.” He reached up and stroked her cheek. “Not just for me, but for the Fire Nation and the world itself, and I truly wish you all the best.”
He supposed that was a good a time as any to take his leave. If she was put off by such an abrupt departure, then maybe her getting angry with him would help drown out some of the heartbreak she would be feeling, which might make it easier for her to get over him and move on. Easier for her, maybe, but he knew not for himself. He knew he would never love anyone the way he loved her, nor would he ever stop loving her. No matter who else appeared in his future that he may or may not also develop feelings for, Katara would always be in his heart.
Wanting to bring this painful moment to an end, he turned to leave, but hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she called out to him. “Blue.”
He paused, telling himself that he should just keep going, that staying any longer would just be more painful for the both of them, that it would be better to have things between them end on decent terms rather than to stay and have them go south. And yet he once again found himself unable to resist her, and soon found himself turning to face her.
“Yes, My Lady?” he asked, still trying his hardest to keep his voice neutral.
Her eyes were sad and full of longing as she stared at him for several long moments before asking, “Is that really it? It’s over? We’re really just going to go our separate ways and never see each other again? Just like that?”
Clenching his fists to hold himself back from leashing out like he wanted to, he took a step towards her. “And what do you expect me to say, My Lady? We both knew that it would come to this eventually. You said you were fine taking what you could get while you could get it and wouldn’t regret it. Well, this is it.”
She down-casted her eyes for a few moments before looking back up at him. “But… what if it doesn’t have to be?”
He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
She hugged herself, rubbing her arms as she shyly glanced away. “This doesn’t have to be the end of us. I know you know that I’m associated with Aa– with the Avatar and his companions. And since I won’t be becoming the Painted Lady anymore, I won’t need to worry about my identity getting compromised. So what if…” she looked back at him, “what if I tell you who I am. This way you could come find me later. Then we could–”
“No,” he said quickly, realizing where she was going with this. “I told you, no one can ever know who I am.”
“They won’t have to,” she told him. “You could come to me as your real self, not as the Blue Spirit. I would never tell anyone who the real you is. And since no one, not even my friends, know that I’ve been masquerading as the Painted Lady again, they’ll never know that I know the Blue Spirit’s real identity. But even if it does somehow get out that I’ve been the Painted Lady again, I can still pretend that I don’t know the identity of the Blue Spirit, and I can act like the real you and the Blue Spirit are two different people. No one will ever know who you are, not even the Avatar. We won’t ever even need to mention the Blue Spirt at all. And far as anyone else knows, the Blue Spirit and Painted Lady would have nothing to do with us. We’d just be two normal people who met after the invasion. Then we could…”
She trailed off, but there was no need for her to say anymore. He understood what she was saying, and under different circumstances, her plan could work. The only problem was that he could never go to her as his real self and tell her that he was the Blue Spirt. It would be a moot point since she wouldn’t want anything to do with him. So it was with the heaviest of hearts that he shook his head, watching her face fall as he did.
“I’m sorry, My Lady, but I’m afraid that’s not possible, even if I wanted to. Yes, I wanted to help the Fire Nation however I could, and becoming the Blue Spirit was how I was able to do that without compromising my real identity. But even if the invasion is successful and I no longer have to be the Blue Spirit, I still can’t come to you. My real self has important duties and responsibilities that I can’t walk away from, not for anything. They’re bigger than me, and I can’t give them up for anything or anyone. That’s why I had to be the Blue Spirit in order to do what I needed to help.” He gave her a pleading look through his mask, begging her to understand. “I’m sorry.”
The look on her face was enough to break his heart all over again. It was made worse because he saw that she did understand. And after taking a few moments to digest his words, she sucked in and let out a deep breath. “I… I understand. You’re saying you can’t come to me even if you want to. Some things are bigger than us. They take us away from the people we love and prevent us from doing what we really want. It’s not fair, but that’s just the way things are.”
Zuko had a sneaking suspicion that she was referring to how her father was forced to leave home to fight in the war, among other things. He hated using that knowledge against her, but it was necessary in order to shoot down her idea. And what he had said was true, he did have duties that were bigger than him that would require him to make many sacrifices.
“I’m sorry, My Lady,” he repeated sadly, “but I told you from the beginning that this was how things would be.”
Katara nodded, looking utterly miserable. “Yes, you did. I guess a part of me just hoped that… you would change your mind, I guess.”
He had to hold himself back from reaching for her. “It’s not a matter of changing my mind, I’m afraid it was never an option. I tried to tell you as much.”
She nodded again. “You did, and I understand. I don’t blame you for this. I can’t. Like you said, you told me how it would be from the start. I guess I just hoped that… something would change between then and now.”
Things had changed. They’d changed so much. It was the circumstances that hadn’t changed. He would always be Zuko and she would always be Katara. And as long as that fact remained, they could never have what they did as the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady.
“I’m sorry, My Lady,” he said once again. “I never wanted to hurt you. I–”
“You haven’t,” she insisted. “Any pain I get out of this I invited upon myself. I knew what this was, yet I wanted it anyway. And yet…” she gave him a hard look, “I still don’t regret it.”
She stepped towards him reaching out. Zuko thought she was going to hug him, but instead she rested her hands on his chest and then her head, pressing herself up against him. His arms came up in reflex to embrace her, and he couldn’t help but notice how utterly perfect she felt in his arms, as if she belonged there.
“I love you, Blue,” she said quietly. “I know that this is the end for us, but I will always love you. Even years from now when I fall in love and marry someone else, I’ll still love you. You have my heart forever. Even if we can never be together, I truly believe you and I are soulmates.”
Zuko felt his heart clench, because he felt the same way. But alas, not all soulmates got to end up together. Some never met, some wedded someone else, some perished, some were prevented from being together due to circumstances beyond their control. That seemed to be the case for them. Two destined lovers never allowed to become what they should together.
His hold on her tightened. He didn’t ever want to let her go, but he knew that this was the last time he would ever get to hold her like this as her lover. And when he let her go, he would be doing so more than just physically.
“If I might make one request of you, My Lady,” he said quietly as a thought occurred to him.
He felt her grip his shirt. “You can ask me anything, Blue. You’ve already given me so much.”
He hesitated for a few moments. “Even if neither of us become the Blue Spirit or Painted Lady again, could you please not mention anything about this to anyone, even to those you trust. I would rather not have any association to the Blue Spirit tied to myself, however minor. So if it’s not too much trouble, never mention to anyone that you met the Blue Spirit, as the Painted Lady or otherwise. Not ever.”
A humorless chuckle escaped her. “I won’t say anything. I promise. I don’t even think my friends would like or approve of me being the Painted Lady again after what happened the last time I pretended to be her; that’s why I haven’t told them anything. They think the rumors about me are either the real Painted Lady or someone else impersonating her that I inspired. Plus, I think everyone would be better off thinking that the real Blue Spirit and Painted Lady were willing to step in and do some good rather than just two normal do-gooders pretending to be them.” She nuzzled into his chest. “Besides, I think I want to keep my time with you to myself. Something special just for me. So don’t worry, I promise I won’t ever tell anyone, not even the Avatar.”
That was a relief. It had been a constant worry in the back of his mind that her friends would find out that she was the Painted Lady, again, and that she was associated with the Blue Spirit. At which point, the Avatar may comment how he, Zuko, had impersonated the Blue Spirit to break him out of Zhao’s imprisonment. Of course, even if the first part was brought to light, there was always the possibility that Katara and her friends would think the Blue Spirit this time was someone else besides him, but it would better to not have any of that be a factor at all and risk her figuring out who he was.
“Thank you, My Lady, I appreciate it,” he told her.
He felt her nod against him, and for the next several minutes, they simply stood there holding each other. Neither seemed willing to let the other go, but time waited for no one, and Zuko knew that they were going to have to head back to their designated locations soon or risk getting caught not being there by morning.
“It’s time, My Lady,” he said quietly. “I’m afraid we must part.”
Her grip on his shirt tightened, like letting him go was absolutely the last thing she wanted, and her hand began trembling, as if she were terrified to do so, because she knew that she would never see him again.
She was clearly trying to be strong though as she lifted her head off his chest and looked up at him pleadingly. “Kiss me first, Blue. One last time.”
She was already reaching for his mask before she finished her request. Zuko wouldn’t have been able to deny her even if he wanted to. And the moment she pushed his Blue Spirit mask so it rested on top of his head, he slammed his lips against hers, kissing her with all the love, passion, and desire he had for her. She kissed him back with just as much enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around his neck. His own arms dropped down to her lower body so he could take hold of her hips and pull her against him as they put everything they had into what would be their last kiss.
Zuko didn’t know how long they kissed for, but he did know that if he didn’t put an end to it now that they would end up making love all over again, and as appealing as that sounded, they sadly didn’t have time for it. So it was with the greatest reluctance that he tore his mouth from hers, rested his forehead against hers as he took a moment to catch his breath before giving her a sorrowful look.
“Goodbye, My Lady,” he said with finality. Then he stepped away from her and turned away, pulling his mask back down as he took off.
“Blue!” she called after him, sounding as if her heart was breaking. “Blue!”
He kept going. He had to while he still had the strength to do so, even if with every step he took he felt like he was stomping down on his own heart. She didn’t follow him, nor did she call his name again. And as he jumped from one rooftop to the next, he only paused when he was able to step out of sight. But once he was sure she could no longer see him, he carefully poked his head out of his hiding spot to look back at her, making sure she couldn’t see him.
He watched as she stood there alone on the balcony before she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands as she began to weep. The sight of her crying tore at his heart while also making him feel like a total scumbag for making her cry. It took every ounce of his strength not to go back to her, but somehow, he was able to force himself to remain in his hiding spot.
Even though he knew he should go, he just couldn’t bring himself to leave her while she was this distraught. She continued to cry for a half hour or so before he saw her wipe her eyes and force herself to stand up. She then turned away from him and spent the next minute or two staring up at the moon. Suddenly, she let out a scream, heedless of who’s attention it might draw. It was a heartbroken cry full of anguish, and hearing it nearly destroyed Zuko. And when she finished her cry, she leapt off the rooftop and disappeared down a dark alley.
That was it, she was gone, and what they’d had between them was over. He didn’t have time to dwell on it though, knowing that her broken-hearted shout would soon bring soldiers along to investigate. So he instead began making his way back to the palace.
As he made his way back, his own inner turmoil began to spill over. He’d been able to keep himself in check in his attempt to be strong for Katara, but now that she was gone, he was beginning to lose it.
He still managed to retain control of himself enough until he had snuck back into his room. Once he was safely and securely inside, he tore off his mask and let out his own agonized bellow, much as Katara had done earlier, howling out his pain. A stream of fire erupted from his mouth as he screamed, and he had to be careful not to catch anything on fire. From there, he went on a borderline rampage, turning over furniture and throwing things across the room, though he at least had enough sense to only throw the unbreakables.
As he continued his tantrum, his second mask became stifling. He yanked it off and then looked down at both it and the Blue Spirit mask he still held. Feeling a surge of anger, he grasped both masks in his hands and set them ablaze. His cloth mask practically evaporated as his Blue Spirit slowly became blackened and burned before glowing orange cracks spread across it, and soon enough it crumbled apart into a pile of ashes and embers.
Somehow, witnessing the destruction of his Blue Spirit mask suddenly caused all the strength in his body to seep out of him. He practically stumbled back into the wall and then slid down it into a sitting position, hugging his legs to himself. He couldn’t believe how much this hurt. He knew it would be painful, but he hadn’t anticipated just how painful it would be. Today easily ranked up there as one of the worst days of his life, right next to the day his mother disappeared and the day his father burned and banished him.
But he wasn’t just sad and hurt, he was angry too. And some of that anger, he reluctantly admitted, was directed at Katara. If only she hadn’t pursued this relationship between them. But he couldn’t really blame her too much. It wasn’t her fault she had fallen for him, and he understood her perspective of wanting to get the most out of the limited time she had with those she loved. It wasn’t her fault that she didn’t have all the cards the way he did or that she couldn’t even fathom the possibility of who he really was. Ignorance wasn’t a sin, not really.
No, the one who he was really angry with was himself. Because unlike Katara, he did have all the cards. He knew the extent of the impossibility of them having a relationship, not to mention how wrong it was. And yet he had still been stupid and weak enough to not only fail to resist her or discourage her enough to make her give up her pursuit, but he had actually allowed himself to fall in love with her as well. So the only one he could truly blame for the pain he felt now was himself.
And it wasn’t going to get any better or easier. On the contrary, it was going to get harder and worse, because he had come to a decision, months ago, and no, it had nothing to do with his relationship with Katara. Like him taking up the guise of the Blue Spirit to help his nation, he now sought to help the world by joining the Avatar.
As hard as it had been, being banished had been the best thing to happen to him. It had opened his eyes to the rest of the world, allowing him to see the truth of the war instead of the lies and propaganda his nation pushed. It was just a shame he hadn’t been able to see it before he’d returned home, before he had betrayed Katara. Maybe if he hadn’t, maybe if he had joined the Avatar back then, then he and Katara could have…
He shook his head. That was neither here nor there. He’d blown any chance he had with Katara back then with his stupidity. And now the love affair they’d had was almost like the spirits were taunting him with what he could have had if he had chosen differently back then. But again, that wasn’t the issue. He knew what he needed to do. His father, his nation, they needed to be stopped. The war had to end, and it couldn’t be the Fire Nation who won, especially since his father planned to burn down the Earth Kingdom once Sozin’s Comet came.
He couldn’t let that happen. The Avatar had to restore balance. And if the invasion on the Day of Black Sun failed, then the Avatar was going to need someone to teach him Firebending before Sozin’s Comet came. In either scenario, Zuko had no intention of staying in the Fire Nation. He planned to confront his father, break out his uncle, and then join the Avatar. If the war ended during the invasion, then he would offer terms of peace and surrender, and if it didn’t, then he would offer to be the Avatar’s Firebending teacher.
Whatever outcome it was, it wouldn’t be easy to earn the trust of the Avatar and his friends. Why would they trust him after he had hunted them down for so long? And then there was how he had betrayed Katara back in the caves of Ba Sing Se. There was actually a good chance one of them would kill him on the spot once he approached them.
This was yet another reason why he wasn’t able to let Katara find out he was the Blue Spirit. Getting her to trust him was going to be practically impossible already, if she found out that she had been unknowingly having sex with him in disguise, he could forget about ever gaining her trust and would instead need to worry about her not literally killing him.
So no, he could never let her know. Even if he somehow managed to gain the trust of the Avatar and his companions and through some miracle become the best of friends with them all, he could still never let Katara find out. He’d been unable to let Katara know he was the Blue Spirit before for obvious reasons, and because of what had happened between them during that time, he could never let her find out in the future either. It would ruin any potential bonds he might be able to build up if they let him join their group, and it would tarnish the love Katara had for the Blue Spirit and likely scar her for life. So he alone would just have to bear the burden of that truth.
And it wasn’t going to be easy. On the contrary, it would be the hardest thing he ever had to do. Not just because he would be carrying this secret with him forever, but because it was going to be agony being near Katara, loving her and never being able to have her; worse, pretending he didn’t love her. The Blue Spirit was no longer in her life, so she would eventually be able to move on. But he would continue to love her from a distance, forced to watch her move on with someone else when the time came, all the while hiding his feelings for her.
Even if she never found out who he was, he wouldn’t be able to sincerely be with her romantically with his secret hanging over them, and to tell her would ruin anything romantic between them anyway, so there wouldn’t be any point in pursuing anything with her beyond friendship. It would be painful, he knew that, but it would be no less than he deserved. The pain he carried in his heart would be his punishment and atonement for his wrongdoings. He had come to accept that.
He sat in his fetal position for a long time before he finally found the strength to get up. Removing his clothes, he shuffled into his attached bathroom and into the shower, pulling the lever to have the water pour on him. He only pulled the lever for the hot water though, and the room quickly filled with steam. The water was scorching, but he grit his teeth against it, needing to feel anything other than he numbing pain he felt consuming him, and the burning sensation served to distract him from the pain in his heart.
He stood under the hot water until he could no longer stand it before pulling on the lever to add cold water to the mix just short of where he would have begun to develop blisters. His skin had turned red by then, but it had only served as a temporary distraction from his heartache. But there was nothing to be done about it. He’d made his choices, and now he had to live with them. He would just have to take things one day at a time and hope that they got easier. While he knew that he would always love Katara, hopefully those feelings would fade or a least lessen over time and being around her would be easier.
Also, he mentally reminded himself as he dried off, if the Avatar did let him join the group, he would need to make a point to ask that the Avatar never reveal that he was the Blue Spirit who saved him from Zhao. It would be easier to keep his secret that way. Worst case scenario, if that news ever did get out, he could always pretend that the Blue Spirit that Katara had known was a different person who had also taken up the guise, but best not to complicate things any more than they need to be.
Slowly, he crawled into bed, hoping to get at least a couple hours of sleep in before dawn. But after a few minutes of being beneath the covers, a strange feeling came over him, a feeling of being watched, for the next several minutes, he tried to ignore the feeling, but when he could no longer take it, he sat up and began looking around.
There was no sign of anyone anywhere, yet he was certain that someone was watching him. And as he looked around, he caught movement out of the corner of his eyes. He turned to it, but only caught a glimpse as it disappeared out onto his balcony.
Throwing off the covers, he rushed out onto his balcony, skidding to a halt once he was outside, but there was no one there. So he rushed over to the side of the balcony and looked down, still seeing no one. He instead looked above the balcony, yet still saw no one. That was impossible though, no one could scale up or down his balcony that fast without flying.
Once again, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and he looked out off his balcony. And what he saw had him frozen to the spot and sucking in a breath, for there were two people standing out over nothing, hovering in the air. And he recognized them both.
It was the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady. The real ones. If the sight of their glowing ethereal forms wasn’t enough to convince someone that these were the real things, then the sight of them floating was. The Painted Lady did indeed reflect Katara’s portrayal of her, but there were clear distinctions between the two. The Blue Spirt had the ogre-like face of the mask he wore, though it was clearly no mask, and red eyes stared out of his head instead of empty eye sockets. He was also much taller and far more muscular than Zuko was too, wearing black armor instead of black clothes, and he wielded two swords with blades made of blue fire.
Zuko’s heart was racing in his chest. Was he about to receive some divine judgment for impersonating the Blue Spirit? Did they appear to Katara as well? He remembered her saying that she had seen the real Painted Lady one time. Was he getting the same treatment now? Why?
He didn’t move or say anything, he just stared at the two spirits, completely dumbfounded. What did one do or say when suddenly confronted by spirits, especially when you had been impersonating one of them and your partner had been impersonating the other? Neither looked angry though. In fact, the Painted Lady was smiling. Her mate though… well, Zuko supposed he might be smiling as well, but it could just as easily have been an angry scowl; it was kind of hard to tell with a face like that.
But then the Blue Spirit gave him an acknowledging nod. Next to him, the Painted Lady lowered her head in the smallest of bows. Then the two of them faded away and disappeared, leaving no trace of them, as if they had never been there at all.
Zuko blinked as he now stared at empty space. Had that really just happened? That had actually happened, hadn’t it? The real Blue Spirit and Painted Lady had actually paid him a visit. But why? And what was the purpose of the Blue Spirit’s nod and the Painted Lady’s bow? Were they acknowledging him? Thanking him? Encouraging him? Reassuring him? Guiding him? Why did spirits have to be so mysterious?
Whatever their meaning, he decided to take it as a sign that he was finally on the right path. It would still be a long and painful journey, but doing the right thing wasn’t always easy. And after being lost for so long and making so many mistakes, he was going to do whatever it took to do the right thing.
A sigh escaped him as he mentally prepared himself for what he would have to do come the Day of Black Sun, and for whatever he had to do following it. He knew he would be giving up a lot and be receiving a lot of pain and hardships in return. Being around Katara would be especially agonizing, but it was something he would have to do, because he was determined to do the right thing from now on.
But no matter what happened in the future, even if he had to keep his love and his precious memories to himself forever, he knew that he would never forget his time with Katara and the nights they painted these streets blue.

THE END

(A/N: Well, that's the end of it. Let me guess, not what you wanted, right? Well, how exactly did you expect this to go? For them to ride off into the sunset together. Sorry, but that wasn't going to happen given the circumstances, it just couldn't, especially since I was keeping this in canon with the show. Can't exactly have this be a canon insert if Katara found out the Blue Spirit's identity. No, I'm afraid this had to remain a private side-story between the two. I hated doing it, but I had to set everything into motion for this story to end where the series picked up. Kind of gives you a whole different outlook on things after Zuko joined the group with this having happened between him and Katara. But with that, this story comes to an end. Don't worry though, because this story has inspired another one. So if you're thirsty for some more Zutara smut, I'll have a new actual one-shot in, I don't know, three maybe four weeks. I'm still cleaning up the final draft, but look for it soon, and let me know what you think of this one. Ok, later.)
- 3
- 4
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Painting These Streets Blue