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A Taste Of What Could Have Been	By : moviefan Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female > Katara/Zuko Views: 435 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter List
- 1-Part 1
- 2-Part 2
- 1
- 2
(A/N: Here we go, folks, my next lemon story. And yes, it's another Zutara one. They seem to be the ones that people are the most interested in, and they seem to be the ones where my lemon writing shines the most. What can I say, the two have such chemistry that it just seems to come naturally when I write them. This one takes place between the time jump after Ozai is defeated and the end of the series where Zuko gives his speech for peace to the nations. I intended for this to be a one-shot, and it is, but it's also a little lengthy, so I decided to split it into two parts; that seems to be happening a lot lately. Anyway, enjoy.)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"A TASTE OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN"
Part 1
Two weeks. It had been two weeks since the war ended. It was hard to believe, but it was true. After 100 years, it seemed like the war was just always going to be a permanent part of everyday life. But it wasn’t, not anymore, and many people were still trying to wrap their heads around that fact.
Katara was one of them. Even though she had played a major role in bringing about its end, particularly by defeating Azula. She knew it was over, but the war had been a constant in her life since the moment she was born, so even now it still didn’t feel real.
But just because the war was over didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of work to be done. Negotiations and talk of peace would undoubtedly go on for months yet, if not years. But at least all the fighting and conquering had stopped. And with Ozai and Azula out of power and locked away, Zuko was there to rein in his nation and rule it like a good and proper ruler. And with Aang backing him up as his friend and ally, the other nations would, hopefully, accept the new Fire Lord’s sincerity, especially since he had rebelled against the ones who were the driving force behind the war.
But still, it was going to be a lengthy political issue. And as one of the ones who aided in bringing an end to the wear, one of the Avatar’s closest allies, and the daughter of the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara was set to play an important role in all this, and so found herself caught up in all the post-war drama and issues.
Most of the meetings took place in the Fire Nation. One of the reasons for this was due to Zuko’s health. He wasn’t sick, but he was still recovering from his near-death experience after he had been struck by lightning directly over his heart. The hit had nearly been fatal for him, and would have been had Katara not used her Waterbending to heal him. And unlike with Aang, she hadn’t had been able to use spirit water to heal him, but had to rely on regular water, making for a slower recovery process.
While he wasn’t bedridden or anything, it would still be a long recovery process that would probably take months for him to fully heal from, and he was often still weak and in a lot of pain. Katara personally saw to helping him recover, using her healing to aid him. Not just because they were friends, but because it was the least she could do after he had sacrificed himself to save her by jumping in front of that bolt of lightning that Azula had fired at her.
Their healing sessions helped, as did other forms of physical therapy, but for his sake, Zuko primarily remained in the Fire Nation to be properly treated, and so other leaders would come to him to talk of peace and negotiation. In fact, they were in one now. Well, they were having a meeting in preparations for one. Iroh was currently standing in for Zuko at the moment while the Fire Lord in question was getting some recovery time and would be filled in later for the upcoming meetings. Katara’s father was present as well, as was her brother, Toph, Suki, and, of course, Aang. As the Avatar, he was basically required to be at any and all meetings since it was his job to keep the balance and maintain peace.
Katara was more than happy to do her part. After having been stuck in the Water Tribe, unable to do anything about the war until she and Sokka had discovered Aang frozen in ice, she now found herself unable to just remain on the sidelines and now sought to actively help people wherever and however she could. And that currently meant offering any input or advice in these meetings.
“Well,” Iroh stated, looking satisfied, “I think that should wrap things up for today. I’ll be sure to fill my nephew in on what we discussed for the upcoming meeting.”
Smiling, Hakoda nodded as he stood up. “We appreciate you standing in for the Fire Lord while he’s recovering.”
Less gracefully, Toph thrusted her fists in the air as she leaned so far back that she was balancing on her chair’s hind legs. “Yes! Peace talks done for today! Thank the spirits.”
Across from her, Sokka yawned loudly. “Yeah, all this peace talk is really dull. I’m about ready to nod off.”
Suki smiled in amusement next to him. “Aww, is my big, brave warrior tired? Maybe this will help.”
She leaned in and kissed him, immediately making him perk up with a big smile on his face. Hakoda and Iroh both chuckled at the public display of affection. “Alright, you kids, you can head out,” the former told them,
“Yes, thank you for all you do,” Iroh added. “You really do more than you should.”
Katara smiled wearily. “If it’s for the good of the world, we’ll do what we must.”
Sokka gave a thumbs-up. “That’s Team Avatar for you.”
“Minus Sparky,” Toph added, referring to Zuko. But then she frowned slightly. “Hey, it’s not insensitive to call him that now after the whole lightning blast thing, is it?”
Aang shrugged. “He hasn’t said anything about it so far.”
The Earthbender smirked. “Good, because I wasn’t going to stop.”
Katara glanced out the window at the position of the sun. “Speaking of Zuko, I should probably give him another healing session.”
Iroh gave her a thankful nod. “Much appreciated. I believe he’s in the royal sauna right now. Would you also mind filling him in on what we talked about to save this old man the trouble?”
Katara chuckled at the Dragon of the West referring to himself as an ‘old man’. “Sure, I’ll let him know.”
“Much appreciated.”
They stepped out of the meeting room, leaving Iroh and Hakoda behind to gloss over a few things. But as they left the room, Katara felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to Aang.
“Hey, Katara,” he said, looking somewhat hesitant, “now that today’s meeting is over, can we talk? In private.”
“Oooh,” Toph teased.
Katara cut her eyes at the blind girl, even though she knew she couldn’t see it, then turned back to the Airbender. “Sure, Aang, but can it wait until after I heal Zuko? I want to catch him while he’s still in therapy.”
Looking both disappointed but also eager, Aang nodded. “Yeah, that’ll be fine. I’ll find you later.”
“Smooth, Twinkle-Toes,” Toph mocked playfully as she and the others walked off.
Aang pouted slightly as he followed after the others. “How long are you planning on calling me that? I’m a full-fledged Avatar now.”
“Nicknames are what they are, Twinkle-Toes.”
Katara chuckled as she watched them go, shaking her head sightly in amusement. Then she turned and began making her way down the hall in search of Zuko. Iroh had said that he was in the royal sauna. That was good, the heat really helped to loosen the muscles and made his injury less painful. It would make for a good time to do some healing on him. And maybe she would take some time and enjoy the sauna afterwards as well; she could use some time to de-stress after that long meeting.
But as she came to the end of the hall, she paused. Frowning, she looked around, suddenly realizing that she was going the wrong way. The palace was so big that it was difficult to remember where everything was. But she had been to the royal sauna before, and so recognized that she was headed in the wrong direction.
No matter, she simply turned and went back the other way. But as she approached the room where they had spent the last few hours deliberating, she suddenly heard the voices of Iroh and her father talking. She paid the no mind though and fully intended to walk right by the room to continue on her way to the sauna, but what she heard caught her attention.
“Chief Hakoda, now that we have a moment to talk, I was hoping to speak to you about Miss Katara.”
She paused by the door upon hearing this, frowning slightly. Iroh wanted to talk to her father about her? Why?
“What about Katara?” Hakoda asked curiously.
Yes, what about her? Why did Iroh feel the need to talk about her without her being present? She hadn’t done something wrong, had she? Or was it something else? Were the Fire Nation people angry that she had taken down Azula? That had been a minor concern of hers this whole time. Not all the Fire Nations citizens were happy about the outcome of the war, and she knew that there were those who blamed her for the part she played in it. Was there an assassination plan for her that Iroh had heard about and was now warning her father of? Was that why he wanted to talk to her father instead of her, so as not to worry her?
Unable to help herself, she pressed herself up against the wall by the door. She knew that it was impolite to eavesdrop, but if something was going on that concerned her, then she had the right to know. But maybe it wasn’t even something to worry about. Maybe it was related to her healing sessions with Zuko. But then why not ask her directly?
“I’ve been giving this some thought for some time and wanted to get your opinion on it,” Iroh said, and it sounded as if he was choosing his words very carefully. “What would you think of a political marriage between your daughter and my nephew?”
The shock of that question hit Katara like a punch in the gut. Out of all the things she expected Iroh to say, that had not been one of them. She was so caught off guard by the question that she wondered if she had actually heard correctly.
A long silence passed where her father said nothing. Katara waited with bated breath, her own mind still blank from shock. Was her father equally as surprised by this proposition? And just how long had Iroh been contemplating this? Did Zuko know? Somehow, she doubted it.
“A political marriage between my daughter and the Fire Lord?” her father finally said.
Iroh made a sound of confirmation. “It would be beneficial in a number of ways. As the daughter of the chief, that officially makes her a princess in your culture, which makes her a potential candidate for the Fire Lord’s wife. And a union between our nations would be a sign to the world that the war truly is over and will act as a demonstration of unity, not to mention boost moral. It would be a great example of how the nations can come together, find balance, and learn from each other, and be of great benefit to both our nations and cultures.”
Katara sucked in a breath as she considered his words, and she realized that everything he said was true. A marriage between her and Zuko, it would be of great benefit to the world. They would be setting an example to the other nations, not to mention how much the Water Tribe would profit from their union.
“Yes…” her father muttered thoughtfully. “Yes, I must admit you’re right. But I would never entertain the idea of forcing my daughter into a political marriage.”
She got the impression that Iroh nodded at this. “Of course, I understand completely. However, it would both merely be a political marriage and a genuine one. I believe the two of them are very compatible with each other. I’ve had my eye on them for some time now, and not only do they get along very well, but they seem to be very good for each other. They seem to relate to and understand each other very well, and from what I’ve see, they both make each other better people.” He lowered his voice slightly and now spoke with a smile on his face based on his tone. “And if you don’t mind me saying, there’s quite a bit of chemistry between them.”
An annoyed growl escaped her father. “Damn teenage hormones.”
As Iroh chuckled, Katara felt herself blush. Chemistry between her and Zuko? Iroh had picked up on that? Her father had too? How utterly embarrassing. But she couldn’t deny that it was true, they did share a lot of chemistry. Truthfully, she’d found Zuko to be very attractive since the moment they met. Even when they had been enemies or when she had been angry with him for his betrayal and reluctant to have him in their group, there had always been this intense sexual chemistry between them. She’d just thought she’d done a better job of hiding it.
“I won’t deny the truth of what you’re saying,” her father admitted, then reluctantly added, “not even the last part. But would the Fire Nation even accept someone from the Water Tribe as their Fire Lady?”
“Mmm…” Iroh mumbled, and Katara could practically see the way he crossed his arms in thought. “I won’t deny that there will be those who would be opposed to it. There are already those who are against Zuko being Fire Lord and the war ending. Be that as it may, your daughter has a way of winning people over, and I think people will come around rather quickly when they see just how good she is for both Zuko and the Fire Nation as a whole. There will undoubtedly be hardships, but your daughter and my nephew are strong, and I believe that no matter what challenges they face, they will not only overcome them, but will come out stronger together and even closer. I truly believe she would be the best person to stand by his side.”
Katara’s heart was racing in her chest. This was all too much. With everything going on, she hadn’t had time to consider her love life, let alone the possibility of marriage. Yet she was surprised that no matter how sudden this felt, she wasn’t exactly opposed to it. Not only was everything Iroh was saying true and made sense, but her father was agreeing with him. And… she found that she was too.
She and Zuko would be good together. They could do a great deal for the world as a power couple. A marriage between them had endless potential, not just for the nations, but even for each other as individuals. She could honestly say that Zuko understood her better than anyone else in the world. And yes, she did think that they could handle anything together and come out stronger.
A resigned sigh escaped her father, as if he were reluctantly accepting the truth of Iroh’s words, even if he didn’t like it. “Everything you say is true. And as much as I hate to admit it, your nephew would be an ideal match for my daughter.” But then his tone became sharp. “However, I will not force my daughter into a marriage she does not want under any circumstances. After everything she has been through, she deserves a lifetime of love and happiness. As does your nephew.”
“Oh, of course!” Iroh exclaimed, giving Katara the impression that he was waving his arms. “I am by no means suggesting that we have them get married against their will, no matter how beneficial it would be. All I’m suggesting is that we present the idea to them and then let them decided from there. Even if they agree, there would be no need to have the wedding take place right away. They could have a long-term engagement, one that lasts a few years even as we clean up the mess of this war, then have them wed as a symbol of unity. That would also give them the time to get used to the idea of marriage, and to prepare Miss Katara for her role as Fire Lady. It would also give them time to fall in love. They may very well have some feelings for each other already; I have noticed quite a few sparks between the two of them.”
Another growl escaped her father. “When did my little girl become so grown up?” This was followed up by a sigh. “Well, I see no reason why we can’t present the idea to them, as long as we make it clear that the choice is theirs in the end. I mean, it’s not like Katara is being courted by anyone right now, so I see no harm in opening her up to the idea. And have there been any suitors for your nephew?”
This time Iroh sighed. “I’m afraid not. Not since my nephew lost Lady Mai. But as tragic as that was, I believe your daughter would be a much better match, and make a much better Fire Lady. Of course, I would never even suggest this if Lady Mai were still alive or if your daughter were involved with anyone already, but seeing how they are both single…”
There was a grunt from her father. “Yes, I see your point.” He fell silent for a time, as if contemplating everything Iroh had told him. “Very well, Iroh, I can find no fault in your logic, other than not wanting to let my little girl go. So, this is what I would suggest. We let things settle for a few weeks more while we deal with these political matters, and if neither my daughter or your nephew have any suitors at that point, then we can present the idea of marriage between the two of them, but we make it clear that the choice is theirs and that there is no pressure or expectations.”
“I think that is a fabulous idea,” Iroh replied, and Katara could once again hear the smile in his voice. “I simply wished to run this idea by you before taking such liberties.”
“I appreciate that, Dragon of the West.”
“Oh, please, no titles. After all, if all goes well, we’ll be family soon enough. So for now, how about a nice game of Pai Sho?”
Whatever her father said in response to that faded to the background as she drowned out their voices. A few moments later, they stepped out of the room, walking right by Katara without even noticing her hiding by the door. She barely registered them though as she stood there in a state of shock, trying to wrap her head around everything that had been said over the past few minutes.
A political marriage. Her and Zuko, married. The very thought of it felt almost, well, surreal she supposed was the word that came to mind. But then, she had never given much thought to the prospect of marriage; there had always been other things to worry about. For most of her life, everything she had done had revolved around taking care of her family and her people, and after that, helping Aang to stop the Fire Nation. Even the war being over still felt surreal, and now to have marriage thrown in on top of that. It was enough to make her head spin.
But was it a good idea? From a political standpoint, she could see that yes, it was a very good idea and made a great deal of sense. But on a personal level, she was still trying to wrap her head around the idea. At least her father said he wouldn’t force her into a marriage she didn’t want. Many women in the Water Tribe, and in other nations as well now that she thought about it, had no say in who they would wed. Her father and Iroh were merely going to make a suggestion and let her and Zuko decide from there.
Which presented the question. Did she want to marry Zuko? The simplest answer, she had no idea. Once again, the thought of marriage had seemed so far in the future, and with the whole war going on, hadn’t seemed important. So she’d never really thought about it or what her future would hold in general. Well, outside of her fortunetelling session with Madam Wu.
She sucked in a breath as she suddenly remembered what the old fortuneteller had told her. She’d said that she would marry a very powerful Bender. Granted, that was a little vague, as there were a lot of powerful Benders out there. However, there was no denying that Zuko was among the best. Excluding Ozai since he lost his Bending, Zuko was probably the most powerful Firebender in the world after Iroh and Azula. At the very least, that made him a potential candidate for whoever Madam Wu saw her marrying.
Was it true? Was Zuko her destined partner? Was he really the one she was destined to marry? Her soulmate? It honestly made so much sense, and thinking about their journey together and where they were now, she could almost see how the two of them were meant to be. In fact, it would pretty much make for an epic love story, the kind told in myths and legends, like Oma and Shu.
But the heart of the matter came down to one question. Well, two really. What were her feelings for Zuko, and what were his feelings for her? She cared about him dearly, of course. Along with Aang, Toph, and Suki, he was her best friend. Also, yes, she was very attracted to him. And yes, she silently admitted with a blush, there was a great deal of chemistry and sexual tension between them. It was just as Iroh said, they shared quite a good deal of sparks.
But romance, she wasn’t sure. She had more or less sworn off romance until further notice after the whole fiasco with her crush on Jet, choosing instead to focus on what really mattered, and that was doing whatever was necessary to end the war. So she had pretty much put a pause on her love life and not actually considered any possible love interests.
And what about Zuko? What were his feelings towards her? She knew he cared about her. Hell, he’d literally sacrificed himself for her with the way he had jumped in front of Azula’s lightning for her, and when Sozin’s Comet was high in the sky too, greatly amplifying Firebending. He was lucky he hadn’t died instantly. So she knew he cared for her enough to actually die for her.
He also understood her better than anyone else. He’d shown that in how he had helped her find her mother’s murderer. He’d known exactly what was bothering her and exactly what she needed to face and overcome that darkness. What more, she knew that he would have accepted and supported whatever decision she made during that time when confronting her father’s murderer. She honestly couldn’t say the same for anyone else in her group, not even her brother. Would they have accepted her decision if she had chosen to take revenge the way she was certain Zuko would have?
But did all that amount to love? Romantic love? Perhaps, but also, perhaps not. It definitely had the potential to become romantic love though, she knew that. But were they there yet? She didn’t know. She hadn’t had the time to sit and work out her feelings on this matter. And then there were Zuko’s feelings to consider as well. Perhaps entering a romantic relationship with anyone was still too soon for him after losing Mai.
Naturally, when Zuko and Sokka had returned from their rescue mission with Suki, they’d shared their story with the rest of them, and they were all shocked to learn how Mai had betrayed Azula for Zuko. It had been an unexpected development to be sure, but they were all certain that Mai was dead. What she had done was an act of treason to the fire Nation. That alone would have warranted a death sentence. But to betray Azula personally, the Fire Princess probably struck Mai down where she stood. None of them honestly saw there being any other possible outcome to Mai’s betrayal.
That couldn’t have been easy for Zuko. Katara still remembered how much it had destroyed Sokka to lose Yue. Fortunately, Suki had been able to heal his heart, but there had already been feelings between the two of them before he had even met Yue. Would Zuko be ready to move on with someone new after losing Mai not so long ago?
She shook her head to clear her thoughts, she was getting far too ahead of herself. Right now, her father and Iroh were only discussing the possibility of suggesting marriage between her and Zuko, and they were planning on letting the dust settle some more over the next few weeks before doing so. That would give her more time to think on this further and try to work out her feelings. Maybe she should even tell Zuko what she had overheard so they could discuss it amongst themselves before her father or Iroh spoke to them about it.
She suddenly gasped. Zuko! She was supposed to be giving him a much-needed healing session right now, but then she had gone and gotten distracted. She really should get to him before he finished his therapy session, so she pushed her thoughts on potential marriage aside and made her way to the royal sauna, in the correct direction this time, hoping to catch him before he finished.
But as she made her way to her destination, her thoughts wouldn’t leave her. How could they, it was such an important subject. Simply walking down these halls was bringing up the knowledge that this could one day be her home, with her at Zuko’s side as his wife, ruling the nation as Fire Lady. The thought brought a blush to her cheeks, but she had to admit, it wasn’t unappealing.
Unlike most of the palace, this section was closed to others outside of the royal family unless they had been granted permission to use them. But Katara and her friends had been given permission to use them, so the guards let her pass without question after they confirmed that Zuko was still inside.
“Great, I’m going to give him another healing session,” she told them, “so please make sure we’re not disturbed.”
“Of course, Mistress Katara,” one of the guards replied with a nod. “Your aid is much appreciated.”
She nodded back and entered the next room that led to the royal therapy room. It wasn’t the first time she had been back here. In fact, she and her friends had had the privilege of using the royal facilities themselves a couple times since Zuko had invited them to stay in the palace.
It was quite a nice setup too. Apparently, sections of the palace had been built around a natural hot spring, allowing those who entered to enjoy a nice soak, which Katara and the others had been able to experience, particularly after the final battle of the war. A sauna was also built right next to the hot springs, which is where she assumed Zuko still was when she didn’t find him in the main room.
She hesitated, though she wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t the first time they had used the sauna together; it had been quite relaxing and rejuvenating. However, the whole gang had been present back then. This time, it would just be her and Zuko, and after hearing that conversation with her father and Iroh, she was now feeling self-conscious at the thought of being alone with Zuko in such a… vulnerable setting.
She shook her head and scowled. She was being ridiculous. It was just Zuko. Same old Zuko from the last time they had enjoyed a sauna together, even if the others weren’t here this time. Granted, even that time she couldn’t help admiring his physique, but nothing had changed since then; that conversation she had overheard was just putting ideas in her head now, making her aware of just how much she had admired his body.
Still telling herself that this was just Zuko, she began to strip out of her clothes. Healing sessions could take a while, and if she did it in the sauna, then she knew that her clothes would be completely soaked through with sweat from the heat by the time she finished. Besides, it had been long, stressful day; she could use a nice, relaxing break in the sauna once she was done healing him.
Naked save for a towel wrapped around her center, she approached the wooden door, her heart racing. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself once again that it was just Zuko before she knocked. “Zuko, are you there? It’s me, Katara.”
There was a moment’s pause before she heard him answer. “Come in.”
Heart still racing, she composed herself as much as possible before sliding open the door. It was like being hit with a wall of heat. But then, that was the point of a sauna. And as she stepped inside, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of him. He sat lounging against the wall with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. His skin glistened with sweat, and his damp hair hung about his face, sticking to him in a way that looked so very sexy.
Katara swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. She once again told herself that this was no big deal, that she had literally seen him like this the last time they had all enjoyed the sauna. Yet that did nothing to calm her racing heart. She’d always thought that Zuko looked good, even with his scar, but did he always look that good?
“Hey,” he greeted as she stood in the doorway. “Healing session, or are you just here to relax?”
Licking her lips, she struggled to find her voice. “Both, if that’s alright.”
He motioned for her to come in. “I told you before, my palace is your palace.”
Oh, he had no idea how true those words might be in the future if his uncle’s plan came to fruition. Best not to mention that to him right now though, especially in their current state of undress; no need to make things awkward.
She must have been standing there for a while, because he gave her a questioning look. “Are you coming in? You’re letting the heat out.”
Feeling her cheeks color, she stepped inside and slid the door shut. It was so hot inside that she was already beginning to perspire. As she approached though, she pulled some water from the bucket on the floor and dropped it onto the pile of hot coals in the middle of the room, sending up a cloud of steam in response. The steam temporarily clouded her vision, but once it cleared, she caught Zuko’s eye. Had it been her imagination, or had he quickly looked away when she did? The thought made her blush further.
“How you doing?” she asked in reference to his injury.
Lowering his arms from where he’d had them stretched out, he placed a hand over the starburst shaped scar on his chest where the lightning had struck him. “As well as I can be. The heat helps.”
She nodded, having expected such an answer as she hesitantly approached. He scooted over, even though there was already plenty of room for her to sit. She accepted his invitation though, making sure her towel was secure before glancing at him again. His face was already flushed from the heat, but did his cheeks just turn a darker shade of red?
“I miss anything important at the meeting?” he asked curiously.
She shrugged. “The usual stuff. I’ll give you the rundown after I take care of you.”
Once again, she felt herself blush. She hadn’t meant anything by what she had said, but now she realized her choice of words could come across as suggestive. That never would have occurred to her before. Damn Iroh for putting these thoughts in her head.
Deciding to distract herself, she dropped her gaze down to his lighting scar. Well, that certainly distracted her alright, but not in the way she intended. Her eyes traveled over his chiseled chest, and her fingers itched to touch it. She gave into that desire, but only to check his injury, or so she told herself as she grazed her fingers over the scar.
She heard Zuko inhale as she touched him, and she glanced up at his face. “Does it still hurt?”
He gave a small shrug. “It’s tender. It mostly bothers me if I do any excessive movements.”
Yes, she figured as much. It would probably be several months before he healed fully. It had taken Aang weeks to recover, and she’d used the spirit water on him.
She continued to run her fingers over the scar. And though she kept her touch professional, her fingers still lingered longer than what was necessary. She was also suddenly overcome with the urge to kiss the mark, but she resisted that particular compulsion.
“I wish you hadn’t jumped in front of me like that,” she told him sorrowfully.
“I wasn’t going to let her hurt you,” he replied seriously. “I’d do it again too if I had to.”
Yes, she knew he would, just like she knew that she would do the same for him if their positions were reversed. This mark on his chest would forever be a sign of his bravery, of the bond they shared in how they saved each other’s lives that day.
Lifting her eyes, she met his gaze once more, and found herself unable to look away. He was staring at her, and this time she was sure his cheeks darkened. She felt her own fill with heat as well, and not because of how hot it was in the room. It was clear that they were both aware of their proximity and how lacking they were in clothing. Was Zuko now feeling what she felt since it was just the two of them alone here?
Clearing her throat, Katara averted her gaze and removed her hand from his chest. She reached for the bucket of water instead, pulling a stream from it with her Bending. It gathered around her hands like thick wet gloves, and she turned back to Zuko. The water was naturally rather warm due to the temperature of the room, and she used her Waterbending to drop it to cooler degrees.
The water began glowing in her hands, and she pressed them against Zuko’s chest. He gave an involuntary hiss, likely from the coolness against his heated skin causing him to tense up and cause his injury pain, and she mumbled an apology, to which he replied with, “Don’t be, it feels good.”
Once again, she felt her cheeks heat up. She tried not to dwell on the fact that she was now running her hands over Zuko’s well-sculpted chest and focus on her healing, but she couldn’t deny just how good it felt to feel his muscles beneath her palms, and she had to make a conscious effort to not caress him in a way that wasn’t required for healing.
“Katara, are you ok?” he asked, snapping her out of her daze.
Willing away yet another incoming blush, she nodded. “Yeah, sorry. Just feeling a little distracted today.”
She stole a quick glance at him. Yes, he was definitely looking flustered, and not just because of the heat. She quickly returned her gaze to his chest so he didn’t notice how she was reacting to him. She’d never felt this way when healing him before, however, that talk of marriage she had overheard was putting ideas in her head and making her more aware of him in ways she hadn’t been before. She was now not only conscious of Zuko being not only a prospective love interest and marriage candidate, but a potential sexual partner.
She once again felt her heart start racing and noticed that her breathing had increased. And was it just her imagination or did the sauna somehow just become even hotter? She tried to ignore it though and focus on her healing, but was once again distracted by his well-toned body. She found her gaze moving beyond the area of his chest that she needed to focus on, traveling up his body and roaming over his well-defined arms, down to his hands where they rested in his lap. A lap that was hidden by the towel he had wrapped around it.
She found herself staring at his towel as her mind suddenly took an inappropriate turn as she began to wonder what exactly he had beneath it. Strange how she had never thought about it before, not about him or any of the other boys she had interacted with. But then she felt a type of thrill go through her when she realized that if the two of them did indeed get married that she would not only find out what he was like beneath his towel but that he too would find out what she had beneath hers. The thought caused a flash of embarrassment to go through her, but also a wave of arousal.
“Katara?”
She silently swore as she glanced up at him. She had stopped her healing and had simply been holding the water to his chest, and he had clearly noticed. He was looking at her questioningly, and with something else she refused to identify. Was he as aware of her as she was of him? Had he always been and she just hadn’t noticed, or had her behavior made him aware the way her eavesdropping had made her aware?
“Sorry,” she said again. “Like I said, I’m just having trouble focusing today.”
He frowned, now looking concerned. “Did something important come up during the meeting that you didn’t tell me?”
She quickly shook her head, reaching up to wipe the sweat from her brow as a distraction. “No, nothing like that. This is a me thing, trust me.”
He nodded. “I do trust you. But if something’s wrong, you know you can talk to me about it, right?”
She returned his nod. “Of course I trust you. Really though, it’s nothing for you to worry about.”
But it was something she was worrying about. And while she did trust him, with her life in fact, the realization that she was very much attracted to him and was now entertaining inappropriate thoughts was not something she was willing to discuss with him. Hell, she’d always been attracted to him since the beginning, she’d just refused to acknowledge said attraction at the time since they were enemies, and then later because she had wanted to focus on the war after they became friends.
But there was no longer anything to distract her now, and her eavesdropping on her father and Iroh had brought that attraction to the forefront of her mind. And Zuko’s near state of undress wasn’t doing anything to cool her attraction, and her own lack of clothing wasn’t helping the situation. Not to mention their close proximity while they were alone in such states.
She could feel her nipples harden beneath her towel and liquid heat pool in her stomach, and she discretely attempted to rub her legs together to try and relieve some of the pressure that was building up there. Never mind enjoying a relaxing sauna, once she finished healing him, she was going to need to go back to her room for some private time. And she knew her thoughts would be full of him when she did.
Her healing, she silently scolded herself, she had to focus on her healing. Not think about how attractive Zuko was. Or how sexy his body looked glistening with sweat. Or how appealing his silky hair looked hanging around his handsome face that she wanted to run her hands through. Or the intense look in his eyes that kept coming back to her. Or his hard muscles she was itching to touch. Or his lips that looked so very kissable. Or his strong hands she was suddenly so eager to have touch her. Or how–
No, she had to stop this train of thought before she did something stupid. She just had to complete her healing session and get out. Or would that seem suspicious after she had asked to enjoy the sauna? She didn’t want Zuko to think he had done something to upset her. Maybe she would get lucky and he would leave once she finished healing him. He had been in here for a while, hadn’t he? And you weren’t supposed to stay in for too longer or else you could overheat and pass out, right? Or did that not apply to Firebenders?
Focus, she had to focus. Now wasn’t the time to be lusting after her friend. Or was he more than a friend? She hadn’t worked that much out yet. Best friend with the potential for more? Possible crush? Future husband? Gods, what a mess. One she wasn’t ready for right now.
She at least knew that what she was feeling right now was akin to what she had felt for Jet, before he had revealed himself to be a manipulative murderer, only these feelings were far more intense. They were also conflicting with the platonic feelings she had for him as well, because she did love him as a dear friend, which was very confusing. Was it possible to have both kinds of feelings for the same person?
All things to be figured out later after she cleared her head and wasn’t alone in such proximity to him in such a state of undress while she was touching his bare skin in such an intimate fashion. So she focused all her attention on her healing, trying to block out everything else. She was pleased to find that she was half successful, managing to keep her focus on his injury and how bad it still was.
“You’re on the right path to recovery,” she assured him. “It’ll still be slow going, but you are gradually getting better.”
He let out an annoyed grumble. “Not fast enough. I feel so useless right now.”
She sighed. “Zuko, you almost died. It’s going to take time to recover. And you’re not useless. The fighting is over, right now we need to focus on negotiating and peace talk.”
“Maybe so, but I don’t want to get sloppy.”
She rolled her eyes. “You can worry about training again once you fully recover.”
He grumbled again, making her smile in amusement. Zuko was always so uptight, as if he didn’t know how to relax. As admirable as she found that, she really did wish he would learn to take it easy every once in a while. He really needed to loosen up and have some fun before he drove himself crazy. She understood that he was the Fire Lord now, but even the leader of a nation needed to take some time for themself before the stress got to them. He didn’t need to take on everything by himself. He had people who were willing to help him. She was willing to help him.
That thought process reminded her of what Iroh had said, and that one day she might end up ruling by his side as his wife and Fire Lady, which immediately sent her heart into overdrive once more. This thought in turn brought back the awareness and feelings of self-consciousness, making her feel awkward in front of him. Hoping he wouldn’t notice, she once again tried to focus on her healing once more; she was almost done.
“There,” she said about a minute later, “that should do for now.”
And not a moment too soon, as being this close to a nearly shirtless Zuko was driving her crazy. But as she made to pull away, one of his hands came up and caught her wrist. Letting out a startled gasp, she let the water drop from her hands, feeling a jolt of electricity run through her at the contact. She looked up at his face and actually felt her heart skip a beat at how intense his gaze was.
“Katara, are you sure you’re alright?” he asked in a serious voice.
No, she was most definitely not alright. Her heart was beating so hard and so fast she was afraid it would burst out of her chest. She could actually hear it pounding in her ears, and she was afraid Zuko could too with how loud it sounded.
“I… um… I…” she stammered, having trouble finding her voice.
He was still staring at her so intensely, it was doing funny things to her insides. She felt like she had butterflies in her stomach, and there was a tingling sensation between her legs. She was also aware that her breathing had grown heavier, and it was hard to think straight. The heat of the sauna certainly didn’t help either, as it seemed to amplify everything she was feeling.
She shyly looked away. “I-I told you, I’m fine. I just have a lot on my mind.”
He was still holding her wrist. As a Firebender, he naturally had a higher body temperature than others, but right now his touch almost felt like it was burning, and she had to resist snatching her hand away from him.
Seemingly having no idea of the affect that he was having on her, he gave her wrist a reassuring squeeze. “If there’s anything I can do for you, I hope you’ll tell me.”
At his words, Katara’s mind conjured up a number of different things he could do for her that would help her right now, and all of them had her blushing. She found her gaze drawn back to him as she felt waves of desire wash over her. Almost against her will, she found her eyes dropping down to his lips, and she subconsciously parted hers, licking them slightly.
She quickly became aware of what she was doing though and returned her gaze to his face, just in time to see his eyes widen in realization, and she heard a slight intake of air from him. She blushed again, this time in embarrassment as she realized that Zuko had figured out what was going on inside her head, or at least suspected it. She then watched as his own eyes traveled down to her lips, and she found herself parting them again in an exhale. They then briefly traveled lower to her chest, protected only by the towel wrapped around her.
He seemed to catch himself and his gaze quickly returned to her face, his cheeks coloring slightly, and hers filled with more heat as she realized he had been checking her out. She watched as his eyes seemed to darken, shifting from warm yellow to a brilliant gold as they filled with want. The thought that Zuko found her desirable sent an erotic thrill through her that now had her heart pounding so hard she wouldn’t have been surprised if her towel came undone and fell away.
“I… I…” she stammered quietly, unable to articulate actual words.
She glanced down at where he was holding her wrist, her mind completely blank. She watched as Zuko released her, but then gently took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers. Katara had done the same, interlocking her fingers with his without even thinking about it, as if it were natural. She then looked up at him once more, and her breath got caught in her throat as she realized how close their faces had become without her noticing.
Zuko had a look on his face she had never seen before, but it was one she could only describe as wanting, and his eyes were shining with what was undoubtedly lust and desire. She knew that the same thing was reflecting in her own eyes, and that she too was wearing a similar expression. This was a turn she hadn’t expected this taking, though now that she thought about it, it didn’t seem so unexpected given the direction her thoughts had taken regarding the two of them after her eavesdropping.
Her lips parted to speak, but no sound come out. She felt them tingling though, and she realized very much that she wanted him to kiss her. And with their faces so close, the distance seemingly slowly closing more and more, that now not only seemed like a possible outcome, but an inevitability. And with that realization, she was forced to reexamine their interactions in the past and realize that this hadn’t been the first time she had entertained such thoughts.
Thinking back on it, she suspected it began with their very first meeting. Despite being the enemy invading her home, she had acknowledged that Zuko was attractive. Not that that had meant anything, as she had met a lot of attractive boys in her life, but Zuko was definitely top tier, despite his scar; she’d found that it actually added character to his face.
Then there had been the time he had ‘saved her from the pirates’. As scary as it had been being his prisoner, there had a part of her that had felt a strong excited thrill. And she hadn’t been able to stop her mind from conjuring up different scenarios of the same situation under different circumstances. She’d even dreamt about it on more than one occasion. However, he had been the enemy back then, and so she had denied any actual interest in him, dismissing her thoughts as mere teenage hormones going wild. Zuko had merely been some guy she had found attractive, not someone she would actually go for.
There were also the Bending battles they had fought, particularly the one in the North. Despite then fighting each other, the sexual tension had been there was well. She had also been unable to help appreciating how skilled of a fighter and Bender he was. But again, nothing too drastic there. Zuko may have been an enemy, but she could acknowledge and appreciate his skills; she had recognized that the likes of Zhao and Azula were skillful fighters as well.
But perhaps the most significant acknowledgment, or at least the start of her genuine draw to him, had been in the crystal caves of Ba Sing Se. That had been when they had really begun to connect, and she was actually surprised how much and how quickly, she had opened up to him. That was when she had begun to see him as more of a person and less as an enemy. And doing so had caused her to acknowledge her attraction to him in a way she hadn’t before.
Perhaps what was why his betrayal had hurt so much. Of course, she had been angry, and rightfully so, that he had betrayed her, but it had felt worse than it had with anyone else, more personal and painful. What she had felt had been more akin to what she had felt when Jet had revealed his true colors. It was also part of the reason why she had held such a grudge against him when he joined their group. Not only because his betrayal still stung and she genuinely doubted his sincerity and change of heart, but because she had still been drawn to him and found him attractive against her will, and she had hated that about herself.
Him helping her find her mother’s killer had changed all that. Not only had she managed to forgive him for all he had done, but because he had been able to give her the closure she had needed. He understood her and connected with her in a way no one else did and provide her with what she needed when no one else did or could. That understanding and delivery had connected them together in a way that created a unique bond between them that was different from anyone else.
But even so, she had intended to focus on the war and not complicate her life with anything else. That had been why she had inched away from him when they had been portrayed as star-crossed lovers by the Ember Island Players. Not only had it been awkward and embarrassing to see some of her innermost thoughts and desires that even she was making an effort to ignore be portrayed for everyone to see, but it had made her feel self-conscious and transparent, like her inner-thoughts and feelings were on full display. Had the same been true for Zuko? Had that been why he had put some distance between them the same way she had when he saw that?
Seeing him jump in front of her to take Azula’s lightning blast had horrified her in a way unlike any other. It had instantly gone right up there to one of the most terrifying moments of her life, such as the time she had found her mother dead or the time Azula had struck down Aang. She hadn’t had time to dwell on it though, as she had needed to immediately do battle with the Fire Princess.
But probably the closest moment she could think back to where things between them might have taken a more intimate turn was when she had revived him after defeating Azula. Seeing him regain consciousness as she desperately tried to heal him had been one of the biggest reliefs of her life, and one of the most joyful. And, if she were absolutely honest with herself, now that she had time to think back on that moment, had the captured Azula not flown into a literally fiery, broken-down rage, drawing both their attention, she sincerely thought that she might have kissed him in that moment.
And now here they were, alone, practically naked, their faces less than a foot apart, both of them acknowledging their attraction towards and desire for the other, with the possibility of marriage on the horizon for them. Zuko was unaware of that last part, but Katara couldn’t help but recognize the significance for what that meant for them. And she found herself wanting to explore that possibility, to see where this attraction between them could lead, to truly figure out her feelings for Zuko and what they could have together.
Still gripping his hand, their fingers still interlocked, she brought up her other hand and cupped his cheek, the one with his scar. That was another thing. As far as she knew, she was the only one who he let touch his scar. The texture felt almost leathery beneath her hand, yet she felt no revulsion from it or saw any ugliness in it. Rather, it was something that made him uniquely Zuko. And upon having learned of its origin, she saw it as a mark of bravery, one he had obtained trying to do the right thing by attempting to save lives, just like the one he now had on his chest from when he defended her.
“Katara,” he said softly, whispering her name.
“Zuko,” she whispered back, her face slowly moving closer to his.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice filled with uncertainty, but also desire.
She paused, her lips just inches from his own. “I… I don’t know,” she told him honestly. She hesitated a few moments before following up with, “But… I want to find out.”
With that she closed the distance between them completely, pressing her lips to his. He hesitated for a brief moment before he began to kiss her back. And as their lips pressed together, she felt a surge of heat and electricity flow through her. It wasn’t her first kiss, but it was unlike anything she ever felt before.
The kiss lasted for several long moments, and when it finally came to an end, they broke apart, but kept their faces close, close enough so their noses were practically touching. Katara opened her eyes and found herself looking into his hooded gaze. His eyes were shining with desire for her, and she knew that same desire was reflecting in her own for him. Her lips tingled from the kiss they had shared. It had been everything she expected a first kiss to be and more.
She stroked his cheek and his grip on her hand tightened. He pulled it to him, turning their hands around so he could press his against his heart. She could feel it beating in his chest against his heart. She could feel it beating in his chest against the back of her hand, and it was pounding just as fast and as hard as her own. His other hand came up to cup her cheek in the same manner she was cupping his, his thumb gently stroking hers.
Slowly, he moved in, this time being the one to close the distance between them. Katara let her eyes slide shut as she prepared to receive his kiss, and their lips met once more. It was as sweet and tender as the last one, holding the promise for the start of something, something wonderful. But as their lips remained pressed together, Zuko’s slowly began to move his against hers. She hesitated for a moment before she began to follow his lead and began moving her lips against his as well.
This kiss lasted longer than the other, but it too eventually came to an end. When they came apart again, they rested their foreheads against each other, their breathing slightly labored. Katara felt somewhat light-headed, and it had nothing to do with the heat. Never did she think a kiss could make her feel in such a way.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now,” Zuko admitted quietly.
His words had Katara’s stomach doing flips. She had been wanting to kiss him for a while now too, even if she hadn’t realized it before now. Or maybe she had realized it but had been in denial about it. Had that been true of him as well?
Perhaps he hadn’t wanted to risk ruining things between them after fighting so hard to gain her trust and friendship. Or maybe, like her, he had wanted to focus on the war and put everything else on hold so there wouldn’t be any distractions. Or maybe he had simply still been hurting over losing Mai. Or perhaps it had been all of the above.
But they were here now, finally giving in to their desires. And Katara wanted more. And as Zuko lifted their interlocked hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles, her heart skipped a beat. His actions had set a thrill through her, and she was surprised at just how intimate it had felt. But she didn’t want his lips on her hand, she wanted them on her own, and… elsewhere.
And so she gently extracted her hand from his, lightly placing it on his shoulder instead while still cupping his face, and leaned in to kiss him again. He moved to meet her, and they met in a kiss even more heated than their last two. Their lips moved together, but a little more aggressively and more forcefully than before. And as the seconds ticked by, their kiss became more heated, and Zuko’s other hand came up to comb through her brown locks. Katara decided very quickly that she loved the feel of his fingers running through her hair.
Their kiss progressed further, and amongst their lip movements, it began to feel as if Zuko was attempting to coax her mouth open. Katara barely gave it any thought as she was swept away by the sensations of his lips against hers, and simply let instinct guide her. Her lips slowly began to part for him and he mimicked her until they had begun exchanging open mouth kisses.
Then she felt something that changed things entirely. It started with the mere brushing of Zuko’s tongue against her lips, simply grazing them a few times. But then as she opened up for him again, he carefully deepened the kiss. She inhaled slightly at the feel of his tongue entering her mouth, but then he did it again, and this time his tongue rubbed up against hers.
An unexpected jolt of pleasure ran through her at the contact, and she broke the kiss in surprise. Pulling back slightly, she looked at him with wide eyes. This may not have been her first kiss, but she had certainly never had a deep kiss before. Well, until now. And as she stared at Zuko in surprise, she took note of the look of worry on his face, as if he were afraid that he might have overstepped.
But that hadn’t been the case at all, she had simply been caught off guard. Both by his actions and at how it had felt. But she wanted to experience that sensation again, and so she made a point of silently reassuring him with her eyes that she was ok with what he had done before moving in and sealing their lips together once more. This time though, she was the one to open up for him first, encouraging him to deepen the kiss once more.
He hesitated for a few moments before he accepted the invitation. This time, she was prepared for the invasion. Her tongue still jumped slightly in her mouth when she felt his carefully make contact with hers, as if he were testing the waters. But then she hesitantly touched her oral muscle to his, lightly stroking against it. He tentatively responded, curling his tongue around hers as their small, pink muscles engaged with each other.
Katara let out a small whimper at the feel of their tongues rubbing against each other. Zuko let out a groan of his own, but kept the kiss going. Waves of pleasure began racing through her, from the top of her head to the ends of her toes, the small digits curling in delight at the sensation. Their kiss became even more heated as their passion increased, and her fingers spread out from cupping his cheek to running through his damp hair.
Never did she think a kiss could feel like this. She felt so very alive, as if every cell in her body were filled with energy. Electricity ran through her veins and more heat pooled in her stomach as she pressed her lips harder against his, wanting more of him. She was so focused on kissing him that she plumb forgot to breath, and only became aware of her need for oxygen when her lungs began to burn from the lack of it.
She held on until she could no longer before breaking the kiss and sucking down some much-needed air. Her heart was racing in her chest and she was breathing heavily, and not just from the lack of air. Zuko was panting as well, his eyes still closed, and when he opened them and looked up at her, there was a look of wonder in his gaze and Katara could filly relate to it.
Wow, she wanted to say, the sentiment on the verge of her lips that were tingling from the kiss. Words failed her though, and she could only bring herself to stare at him with the same level of amazement that he was clearly feeling from the intensity of their kiss. Was such a reaction normal? If so, she understood why people enjoyed kissing so much in a way she never had before. And this was only the tip of the iceberg compared to the possibilities to come.
More, she needed more. More of this, more of him. And so, she pushed all nervousness aside as she got up from sitting next to him and actually sat on his lap. She saw his eyes widen in shock, and she too was surprised by her own actions. Embarrassment gripped her, but her desire, her need for him, was so much greater, allowing her to take this bold next step as she settled down on top of him, practically straddling him. She’d wanted this for so long, whether she had been aware of it or not, and it was finally happening.
As if they had minds of their own, her hands settled on his shoulders. His own hands came up to rest on her torso as she hovered over him. Both were flustered in a way that had nothing to do with the heat from the sauna, and both of them were still breathing heavily. Sitting on his lap put Katara at a higher height than him, and she stared down at the Fire Lord hungrily.
“Katara,” he whispered breathlessly, “what are we doing?”
He’d asked a similar question earlier and she didn’t really have an answer for him then, she’d simply been following her instincts and letting her desires guide her. She still didn’t know exactly what it was she was doing in engaging with him like this, but she found she didn’t want to fight it.
“What we both want,” she whispered back to him. The way his pupils dilated at her words had her heart skip a beat. “I don’t know where this will lead, but I still want to see where it goes.” She then gave him a near-pleading look as the awareness of her inexperience began to settle in. “Show me?”
He studied her for a few seconds as if to determine that she was sure about this. Katara’s heart pounded the whole time as she waited for him to make a move. Then he brought up one of his hands and leisurely ran it through her hair to gently grip the back of her head before slowly drawing her in. She went willingly and their lips met again.
It started off as a gentle kiss, but that only lasted for about two seconds. As soon as their lips met, it was like an explosion went off, and they immediately began kissing enthusiastically. A breathy sound escaped Katara as she opened up to him, letting his tongue invade her mouth. Her hands left his shoulders and she instead encircled her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. Zuko’s own arms went around her, pushing against her back to hold her against him. Only the towel wrapped around her torso prevented their naked chests from coming in contact with each other.
Their kissing continued, their heads turning left and right as they grew more frantic. Zuko’s tongue continued to explore her mouth, and she massaged it with her own. She followed when it retreated, and soon found herself the invader as their two muscles swirled against each other. The kiss only ended when the need for air became too great, but then they immediately picked up where they left off.
The tingling feeling between Katara’s legs grew more intense and she shifted in his lap, a bent knee on either side of him. Unlike him, whose towel was firmly wrapped around his waist, hers was around her entire torso. As such, the end of it didn’t extend far past her rear, and her bare bottom rested directly on his lap, separated only by his towel. The material rubbed against her most sensitive area, and she couldn’t help but to rub against it.
As she did so, her shifting about caused her to come in contact with something beneath his towel, something hard. Through her lust-filled mind, it somehow registered to her what exactly it was she was feeling, and she froze. She broke the kiss with a gasp, staring at him with wide eyes. His own eyes were wide as well as he realized that she realized what it was she was feeling, and his cheeks became even more flushed than they already were. He almost looked… nervous, as if he were afraid of what her reaction would be once she got over her shock.
Almost against her will, she found herself glancing down. She could just barely make out the outline of his cock beneath his towel. Unable to help herself, she wiggled her rear slightly, and a flash of pleasure ran through her from her core. Zuko let out a small groan as well, and she found her gaze returning to his face. The expression he wore was one of pleasure, but also one of torture, and he gave her an apologetic look.
“Katara, I–”
“Shh,” she shushed quietly, pressing her middle and index fingers to his lips. “It’s ok.”
She moved her hand from his mouth, then leaned in and kissed him again. He was slow to respond, as if was worried how she would react in light of his reaction to her. She attempted to kiss away his concerns, and began to slowly grind her hips against him. He began to relax and engage in their kiss once more, and their passion resumed.
Katara continued to grind her hips against him, moving forward and back in his lap. Grinding on him felt good, the movements sending waves of delight flowing through her, and she did it some more. It felt even better when she rubbed against his hardness, and she made a point to do so, adjusting in his lap so his length was pressed directly against her core. He let out another groan as she rubbed herself against him, and she began doing it even harder, enjoying it as well.
Thus far, Zuko’s hands had remained firmly on her back. At least they had been there the last time she had been aware of them. But at some point, while she had been distracted by their intimate make out session and her grinding on him, they must have gone on the move. One of them, it seemed had slid down to settle on her hip, but the other had moved around to her front to grip her breast through her towel. It was this hand that had drawn her attention when he gave her breast a firm squeeze.
Once again, she froze, but didn’t pull back right away. She was slow to do so as she looked down at his hand on her breast, then looked at him. She got a feeling of déjà vu as he once again looked nervous, but also surprised by his own actions, as if he had grabbed her breast without realizing it. Once he got over his shock though, he was quick to release her.
“Sorry,” he told her bashfully.
She didn’t answer. Katara’s heart was now racing faster than ever, and her breathing was labored. Her body was craving for skin-to-skin contact, to feel his body against hers, and she stared at him for several long moments, contemplating, her body humming with desire and her mind clouded with lust. She considered the situation for several long moments before coming to a decision.
Unwrapping her arms from around his neck, she sat up straight on him. With shaking hands, she reached for the top of her towel and opened it. She let it fall back and drop to the floor, now sitting on top of Zuko completely naked. She watched as the Fire Lord’s eyes widened at the sight of her and she felt herself blush to the roots of her hair, hardly able to believe she had just done what she had done.
Yet as nervous and as embarrassed as she was, she found that she didn’t regret it. What more, she didn’t want to stop. Which was why she lifted herself up onto her knees and slowly reached down to take hold of his towel. She pulled on it and it came undone, but she couldn’t remove it due to him sitting on it. She leapt her eyes on him though, silently asking if this was ok, and after a few moments, Zuko lifted himself up, allowing her to remove his towel completely.
With that, he was now bare before her as well. She held his towel beside her, still keeping her eyes on him, still too nervous to look at what she had unveiled. Letting the towel drop from her hand, she worked up her courage and slowly looked down at his lap. Her breath caught in her throat as she gazed at his fully erect member. It stood up straight, long and hard, a droplet of clear liquid gathered at the top, and it seemed to be pointing directly at her exposed entrance.
It took Katara several moments to realize that she wasn’t breathing. She took a breath and realized her mouth had gone dry as well. But then she returned her gaze to Zuko’s face. He seemed utterly transfixed at the sight of her naked body, seemingly completely oblivious of her own reaction to him. The way he was looking at her made her feel so completely desired that it almost eliminated her embarrassment and nervousness, filling her with an emotional sense of pleasure.
Slowly, she lowered herself to sit in his lap so she was straddling him once more, his member now resting against her stomach. Zuko’s own gaze went back to her face, and he gave her a needy yet questioning look. “Katara, I… Are you sure?”
Was she sure? Her body was most definitely sure, and she searched her head and her heart to see if they were sure too. And it didn’t take her long to realize that, yes, she was sure. She wanted this, she wanted him, more than she wanted anything else. She wanted to share her body and her heart with him, and she wanted his in return. She wanted her first time to be with Zuko, to give him her virginity and for them to become one. She had never been more sure of anything in her life.
“I’m sure, Zuko,” she told him in a quiet voice, yet with the utmost certainty.
His eyes seemed to darken further at her words, and he carefully brought his hands up to settle them on her hips. She could have sworn she felt sparks of electricity on her hips where he was touching, which was strange since they’d touched each other’s skin countless times before now, but for some reason, this time it felt different.
One of Zuko’s hands slowly began to travel from her hip and over her stomach. Like him, her skin glistened with sweat, practically making them glow in the dim light of the sauna. The perspiration didn’t bother her though, in fact, it just made things feel even more erotic. Higher up her side his hand went to her head, gently stroking her cheek before it combed through her hair.
“So beautiful,” he whispered, making Katara’s stomach flutter.
His hand then traveled lower to her chest and he began to move it over the swell of her breast. He trailed his fingertips over it, making slow circles closer and closer to her nipple, and her already hardened buds beaded even further the closer to them he got.
Katara’s eyes fluttered as she enjoyed his touch. He finally grazed her actual nipple with his thumb and she inhaled loudly, her eyes flying open. She looked down at him as he gently caressed her and was overcome with the desire to touch him as well. She placed her hands on his shoulders and finally set about to begin exploring the plains of his chest like she had been wanting to since the moment she had stepped inside the sauna.
She paused shortly after though as her left hand traveled down his chest, stopping before it reached his injury. She frowned as she stared at the starburst-shaped mark, mentally kicking herself for not considering it before she had started all this. But then, she hadn’t exactly planned this happening when she came in here.
“Zuko, can you…?” she began, unsure of how to ask. As much as she wanted this, she didn’t want to hurt him. “Are you ok to…?”
The caressing of her breast stopped as he followed her gaze and looked down at his chest. He let out a sigh though before he gave her a reassuring look. “I’ll be alright.”
She studied him for a short while, trying to determine if he really would be alright or if he was just pushing himself. But she trusted that Zuko knew his own limitations, and so she reached up and pressed his hand over her breast so he was fully cupping it. Then she leaned in and kissed him, snaking her arms around his neck.
It was the most erotic and pleasurable moment of Katara’s life. Straddling Zuko as they kissed, their sweaty, naked bodies embracing, his hand on her breast, his hardened length pressed against her. And to think, all this happened because she overheard her father and Iroh talking, allowing her to recognize her desires. Eavesdropping may have been wrong, but seeing as it had led her here to this moment, she had never been so glad to have done something she shouldn’t have.
As they proceeded to kiss, Zuko’s hand began caressing her breast once more. She moaned into his mouth and began grinding against him again. His other hand settled on her lower back and he shifted her closer. She lifted up slightly and then sat down on his cock, tearing her mouth from his in a gasp as the length of his member pressed up against her dripping center. She tightened her hold on him and rested her chin on his shoulder as she began grinding against him, slathering his length with her wetness.
Both of Zuko’s hands went down to grip her rear as he began pushing and pulling her in time with her grinding. Pleasured grimaces flashed across Katara’s face at the stimulation as she sought more of it. She began grinding her hips against him harder and faster, rubbing her breasts against his chest as she did so. His cock was nestled snuggly against her slit, and as she pressed down harder on him, she felt her nether-lips part to wrap around his length, allowing her to slid against his hardness. It was twice the pleasure, and she couldn’t hold back the whimper that escaped her.
As Katara ground against him, Zuko nuzzled into her neck. She felt his lips against her skin and let out a sigh, tilting her head to the side to give him more access and pressing her hand against the back of his head encouragingly. He moved lower to her shoulder, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. Katara sucked her lips into her mouth to keep from letting out any noises, but they still came out as muffled sounds.
Tangling her hands in his hair, she leaned back slightly to give him a more room, and he trailed his kisses even lower, down to her chest. A loud gasp escaped her as he began kissing her breasts, getting ever closer to her nipples. The hardened buds stood out fully erect and aching for his mouth, and it was the sweetest relief when he closed his lips over one.
Gasping loudly, her back arched, and Zuko’s hands pressed against her back to stop her from falling back. Katara barely noticed though as she enjoyed the feel of his mouth on her, hooking her hands behind his neck to keep herself from falling. The feel of Zuko’s hot mouth sucking upon her nipple, teasing it into an even harder bud was a wonder she never could have prepared herself for.
She leaned back further, pushing her chest out to him as she continued to thrust her hips at him. But as he paid attention to her one breast, her other ached with need, demanding its own attention. As if he picked up on her desire, one of his hands came from her back around to her front and grasped it. Katara made a mumbling sound in response as he gently squeezed and kneaded her breast. Her nipples became even more erect as he swirled his tongue around the one and tweaked and flicked his fingers over the other.
Katara’s whole body felt on fire in the most pleasant way. The more Zuko stimulated her, the more her desire rose. A feeling of emptiness consumed her that she became desperate to fill, and she ground herself against him even harder, coating him in more and more of her wetness, and he thrusted his hips up at her as well. But as good as it felt, there was something unsatisfying about it. She knew she would be able to reach orgasm if she kept this up, but she was craving something more.
Pulling herself up to sit up straight on him, she grasped his face and kissed him with all the passion she felt. He kissed her back with equal enthusiasm, but the longer their making out went on for, the more it slowed down, becoming slower, more gentle, more loving, as if it were becoming more about being expressive than lust-fueled. She took the lead, pressing light, tender kisses to his lips before slowly moving up higher and placing a kiss right over his eye on his scarred side.
She felt him tense up at the contact, but she persisted, soothing him with light kisses all along the scarred area, showing that she was not repulsed by it, showing how much she loved the side of him that was carrying and compassionate, the very thing he had obtained his scar being, the very thing she saw his scar being a symbol of.
Slowly, she felt him relax, his hands settling on her lower back to pull her close, no longer grinding against each other, but maintaining contact. She then kissed her way back down to his lips, exchanging a few loving, chaste kisses with him before pulling back and giving him a look she hoped conveyed the level of desire she had for him, for all of him.
“Zuko…” she said quietly, feeling her nerves twist her insides into knots. “Make love to me.”
She saw his eyes widened and shock flashed across his face. She supposed she could understand his surprise. In Water Tribe culture, a woman’s virtue was highly valued, and they were expected to be virgins for their wedding night. So what they had done thus far was probably surprising enough coming from her, but what she had just asked of him was so final, something she could never take back.
“Katara…” he practically stammered. “That’s…But… I… I…” He gave her an uncertain look, but there was no mistaking the want in his eyes. “Are you sure? Really sure?”
He’d asked her that already, but his consideration only served to make her want him more. But there was no need for him to question her decision. She knew what she wanted. She’d known it since the moment she had bared herself to him. And while things had progressed further since then, she was more certain than ever that this was what she wanted. And if Zuko was meant to be her husband, then what was there to hold them back from giving in to their desires?
She stroked his cheeks, giving him a look that told him she had no doubt that she wanted this, wanted him. “Yes,” she whispered. “I want this, Zuko. Please, make love to me.”
He stared at her for several long moments as she stared at him, pleading with her eyes for him to complete her. Then she saw him relent, giving her a nod, and she felt her heart soar with elation. The nervousness was still there, but the anticipation she now felt practically had her fidgeting in his lap. Or perhaps that was pure desire that had her unable to keep still. Or both.
Zuko’s hands gently traveled over her bottom, stroking her as they made their way to her hips, and he urged her to lift. “Up,” he said softly, imploring her to rise up.
Katara felt like she was on the verge of hyperventilating and had to actually struggle to keep her breathing to a mere pant as her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest. She carefully rested her hands on his shoulder though and lifted herself up on her knees. At his further urging, she scooted closer, and then watched as if she were in a trance as he reached down and took hold of himself, aiming it upward, directly at her dripping opening.
As the head of Zuko’s cock rubbed against her entrance, her eyes fluttered in delight. She looked down between them to see his upturned member poised to enter. His size intimidated her, sending a sliver of fear through her, but it was overcome by her excitement. It may look like it wouldn’t fit, but she knew this part of a man was designed to fit inside a woman.
Since it was her first time, she also knew that it would hurt, but her body’s instinctual promise of the pleasure to come and what she had experienced so far all but assured her that any pain that she would feel would be well worth it. That and she was overcome with an indescribable need to join with him, to take him inside her body and become one with him, to bond them together on a physical and emotional level. That need was, perhaps, even greater than the physical, carnal desires of her body’s demands.
Anticipation raced through Katara as she felt him nudge at her entrance. She was wetter than she had ever been in her entire life, and not because of how much she was sweating. And as she hovered over him, she felt her nether-lips begin to part, welcoming him into her body as he gently eased her down. He easily began to slide in, her labia parting around his head. A feeling of sheer delight ran through her at the feel of him entering, but it was also accompanied by some discomfort as she began to be stretched in ways she had never been stretched before.
He continued to ease her down, keeping his invasion slow, either to give her time to change her mind should she choose to or in an attempt to make it as painless as possible as she adjusted. Knowing Zuko, probably both. She took more of him though, until she felt him come in contact with her hymen. He felt it too and paused here, glancing up at her in concern. She could see the strained look on his face and could tell how hard he was trying to hold herself back for her sake. It only made her appreciate his consideration of her and want him all the more.
“Last chance, Katara,” he told her in a strained voice. “Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?”
Swallowing slightly, she gave him a nod. “It is. I want you, Zuko.” A concerning thought suddenly occurred to her. “Don’t you want me?”
It was a foolish question, as the way his body was responding to her made it very clear that he did want her. But a physical needed fueled by lust was one thing. Whether or not he wanted her, specifically her, not just any female body, was another.
At her question, he gave her a look of astonishment, as if he couldn’t believe she had asked such a ridiculous question. “Of course I do, Katara,” he insisted, dispersing her doubts and causing warmth to fill her chest. “Can you not feel how much I want you?” He rocked his hips slightly, causing her to inhale. “I’ve wanted you for a long time now, since before I even joined your group.” His face softened, then his look of concern returned. “I just want to make sure that you’re sure. There will be no going back for you after this.”
Yes, she knew that. As a woman, especially a Water Tribe woman, she knew that very well. But there was no doubt in her mind about this. And so, to emphasis her determination and to truly drive home her resolve, she gripped his shoulders tightly and dropped her full weight down onto him. A flash of pain ran through her as he tore through her virginity, and he became fully embedded inside her. A pained cry she had been unable to hold back escaped her as her hips met his and she settled fully on him.
Zuko let out a cry of his own, only his was one of pleasure. Katara was so distracted by the tearing and stretching feeling inside her that she barely noticed. Her nails dug into his shoulders, scratching deep grooves into his skin and causing him to let out a hiss of pain of his own, but he didn’t offer a word of complaint.
Fighting back against the pain, Katara kept her hips pressed to his to keep him as deep as possible, and there she held herself still. Her legs squeezed his sides as her muscles remained tense, and after several long seconds, she realized that she was holding her breath. She let out the breath she was holding and forced herself to relax, taking slow, deep breaths.
Zuko’s hands went to work, gently stroking her, distracting her from the pain. His hands traveled over her body, her sides, her legs, her chest, her back, soothing her however he could. Leaning forward, he began pressing tender kisses to her face. She began to relax further under his touch and slowly began to press kisses of her own to him. His lips sought out hers when he felt her responding and they began exchanging light kisses.
As Zuko continued to sooth her further, she went from gripping his shoulders to sliding her arms around him. His own arms went around her as well as they embraced each other. Breaking the kiss, Katara rested her chin on his shoulder with a sigh. The pain of her hymen tearing was slowly fading, allowing her to focus on other things. Their bodies pressed together, his arms around her, his hands rubbing her back, her breasts sliding against his chest with every breath, and, of course, the feel of him inside her.
The more the pain faded, the more she became aware of him inside her. She felt so… full, so complete. She could actually feel how Zuko was stretching her, how her insides were reshaping themselves to accommodate him, as if to adjust for him as her mate. She could feel him pressing against her cervix, his tip kissing the mouth of her womb. And with every beat of his heart, she felt him twitch inside her.
A mumbling sound escaped Katara and she tightened her arms around him. The pain was fading more and more, and she shifted on his lap experimentally. She heard Zuko inhale in response and lifted her head. Zuko’s eyes were closed as he struggled to keep himself still to give her the time she needed to adjust, and she felt her heart swell at the display of restraint.
She leaned in and rested her forehead against his, their noses touching. Zuko’s eyes opened and stared directly into hers, and she saw so many emotions in them. One of his hands left her back and began stroking her hair, the sensation relaxing, and she let out a sigh of contentment before pressing a kiss to his lips.
“Are you ok?” he asked softly when the kiss ended.
Was she ok? She never felt better in her entire life, and she closed her eyes and completely gave herself over to the feel of him. Minutes had passed since she had impaled herself on him, and the pain from the act had been reduced to a small stinging sensation. But she felt so much more than that.
She could feel her inner muscles contracting around him as if to try and pull him even deeper into her, her nether-lips squeezing at the base of his shaft as if to make sure he could never leave her. She felt so utterly full, deliciously stretched, his member so hot and hard inside her, making her feel as if a missing piece of herself had fallen into place and completed her. And as the remnants of the pain of losing her virginity started to disappear, it began to be replaced by a delightfully pleasant feeling.
But beyond the actual physical sensation was the knowledge that it was Zuko who was inside her. That fact alone had an emotional impact on her that practically had her on the verge of climax. Perhaps the intense heat of the sauna was going to her head a bit, but just the thought of having taken him inside her body had her absolutely euphoric. It sent her emotions into overdrive and actually had tears creeping up into her eyes.
“Katara?” Zuko asked, now sounding concerned.
She opened her eyes and a tear fell from the moisture that had gathered in the corners of them. He gently reached up and wiped it away, the tender gesture causing her to tear up further. But then she realized that she ever answered his question, and a humorous smile crept up her face.
“I feel amazing,” she answered truthfully. She pressed a kiss to his lips before whispering against him. “Can I… Can I try moving?”
Now he was the one wearing an amused smile. “If you feel you’re ready. I can wait longer if you not.”
He said that, but the strained look on his face suggested that keeping still was torturous for him. It both warmed Katara’s heart and made her smile in mild amusement to see how hard he was trying to hold himself back. But the truth was, she was feeling the intense urge to move as well, and it was only getting worse.
Still feeling nervous, yet eager at the same time, she sat up straight on him, resting her hands on top of his. He looked upon her with interest, as if he were wondering what she would do, but she found that she didn’t really know what to do. Did she just… start moving? Start moving how though? She understood the basic idea, but how exactly to go about it was what she was unsure of.
Deciding to experiment, she sucked her lips into her mouth and rose up on her knees. Zuko’s cock rubbed along her inner walls at the movement, causing him to groan and a gasp to escape her. There was a little pain, but it was accompanied by something so much greater. A feeling of pure delight that sent tingles of pleasure shooting through her body. She was completely caught off guard by the sensation to the point where she didn’t even make the conscious attempt to lower herself back down, and another wave of pleasure flowed over her as her hips met his again.
That had felt amazing. The pleasurable feeling had drowned out any lingering pain, and her body immediately demanded more of it. And so she repeated the up and down motion, this time intentionally lowering herself. She was greeted with the same exquisite feeling, and immediately craved to feel it again. She gave into that desire and rose up, then came back down. Up and down, up and down again, each time more pleasant that the last.
Feeling as if she were beginning to get the gist of things, she grew bolder and began to move more confidently. Zuko’s hands moved to find place on her hips, and he began to guide her into a rhythm that they both soon fell into. The last traces of pain soon faded away completely until only the delightful feeling of him moving inside her was left.
“Agni, Katara, you feel amazing,” Zuko uttered in a hushed voice.
Katara opened her mouth to respond, but only a breathy moan escaped her. He thought she felt amazing? He was the one who felt amazing. The feeling of him inside her, no amount of touching herself or rubbing up against him could compare. If this is what sex was supposed to be like then she could certainly see why people enjoyed it so much. And to think, they were only just getting started.
But it wasn’t just the pleasurable aspect that made it feel so amazing. It felt so intimate, so personal, the way they were sharing their bodies with each other, her taking him inside her, essentially making them one person. That alone brought forth a feeling so rapturous that the joy she felt bubbling up inside her simply couldn’t be put into words.
Up and down, up and down she went, her movements slowly getting faster. Her nails began digging into his shoulders, and she felt his bury into her hips. He wasn’t merely guiding her movements now, but was also pulling her down onto him as she came down while lifting his hips up to meet her. This somehow caused him to penetrate her even deeper, and Katara closed her eyes at the pleasure of it.
Amongst the delightful feeling she was experiencing, she became conscious of the sounds passing by her lips. Gasps, moans, little whimpers, intakes of air. She hadn’t even been aware that she had been making such sounds, and a feeling of embarrassment filled her. She quickly covered her mouth to silence herself, but Zuko immediately scowled in disapproval and reached up to grab her wrist, pulling her hand away from her mouth.
“Don’t silence yourself,” he told her. “Let me hear you.”
Katara blushed. He wanted to hear her? Somehow that was even more embarrassing. She complied though, placing her hand back on his shoulder once more as she resumed rising and falling on him. Zuko nodded and his own hand returned to her hip. But then it and its twin moved further down to grasp her rear, and he changed the motion of their coupling. Rather than having her go up and down, he kept her hips pressed against his and began to push and pull her against him forward and back.
Katara’s eyes widened in astonishment at the new, pleasing sensation that began racing through her. Oh yes, she liked this much better. It kept him lodged inside her as deeply as possible, allowing him to rub against her inner walls in a way that was different but equally as delightful, if not more so. She began moving with him, thrusting her hips forward and back, and a pleased gasp escaped her as her head fell back and her mouth dropped open, her eyes rolling back in bliss.
Their mating reminded her of the ocean. Forward and back, in and out, like the waves crashing out on the beach and then receding, every movement sending a different kind of wave flowing through her. It seemed like such an appropriate comparison in light of her being a Waterbender. And how poetic that her lover was a Firebender, their two elements coming together to create steam.
Katara continued to emit her sounds of pleasure to the heavens as she ground her hips against his. The more they moved together, the more she found that every twist, every turn of her hips, every motion she made in addition to her forward and back movements sent additional waves of pleasure through her. Zuko seemed to take equal delight in it as well based on the grunts and hisses escaping him.
Opening her eyes, she looked down at Zuko. He was watching her with such intensity that it had her blushing. His face contracted with pleasure, almost making him look like he was in pain, though it was clear he was experiencing the very opposite. Katara found his expressions to be an even greater turn on, as were the sounds he made. Now she understood why he insisted on her not silencing herself; she very much enjoyed hearing how much he was enjoying their coupling.
The experience became even more delightful when Zuko’s hands went on the move. He began exploring her body, running his hands up and down her back, then moving to her front. It felt as if he were touching her everywhere as his hands traveled over her stomach, her breasts, her legs, anywhere he could touch.
She shared in his desire to explore, and began running her hands over his body appreciatively, admiring the hardness of his muscles against her palms. She was careful to avoid the injury on his chest, but anywhere else was hers to explore, and she took full advantage of it.
They both took their time, familiarizing themselves with each other’s bodies. One of her hands eventually made their way up to his scar and she gently caressed the rough texture. His own hand came up to cover hers, lightly pressing it to his face, and he gave her a look of the utmost seriousness.
“You know,” he told her affectionately, speaking through his grunts “aside from my healers, you were the first person I ever let touch my scar.”
His words caused her heart to skip a beat, and she found herself remembering that day back in the caves of Ba Sing Se where she had offered to use her spirit water to try and heal his scar. Had she really been the first person he let touch her there? For some reason, that made that experience feel so… personal, so intimate.
She lightly grazed his scar with her thumb. “You have nothing to be ashamed of, Zuko,” she told him breathlessly. “This scar is a symbol of how compassionate and honorable you are.” Her other hand slowly made its way down to his chest, gently touching his injury that would surely become a new scar. “As is this one.”
Only the one on his chest was extra special, it connected her to him in an unbreakable way since he had obtained it sacrificing himself for her. And while she was sure he would have done the same for Aang, Sokka, Toph, or Suki too, it didn’t change the fact that he had done what he had for her.
Zuko gripped her hand against his face before bringing it to his mouth and pressing a kiss to her knuckle. It was such a tender gesture that it had Katara holding back a sob. She was suddenly overcome with the need to get closer to him, even closer than they already were. Leaning in, she pressed her lips to his and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself flush against him. Zuko’s arms circled around her, holding her to him so every part of her was in contact with every part of him.
They kissed tenderly but deeply, their tongues sensually running against each other. Katara kept the kiss going as long as she could before pulling back and taking a deep breath. Then she rested her chin on his shoulder and hugged him even tighter as she resumed moving on him again. Zuko’s hands went down her back to grip her rear to push and pull her against him.
Forward and back, just like the tides, they moved. And just as the tides rose, so too did the passion building up inside them. Katara could feel it growing in her stomach, the knot that had formed there getting tighter and tighter. She recognized the telltale signs of her body approaching climax. Only it was very different from when she found release with her own hand. It was so much better, so much greater, so much… more.
Everything about making love with Zuko amplified everything, and provided so many more sensations. The feel of him stretching her inner walls as he moved within her, his hands trailing over her body and assisting in their love making, her breasts rubbing up against his hard chest with their movements, getting to explore his body with her hands and mouth, feeling his heart beat against her chest, his heavy breathing in her ear, hearing the mutual sounds of pleasure they made, his scent, his taste, everything about him. It took her to a whole world of sensation and wonders she never knew existed.
And it was only becoming more intense. The closer her orgasm got, the more desperate she became. She began grinding her hips against him harder, stimulating herself as much as possible. The way Zuko moved his hips and pulled her against him practically had her seeing stars behind her closed eyes, practically drawing blood with how hard she was biting down on her bottom lip.
Her heavy breathing was accompanied by whimpers. Katara felt her mind slipping further and further away as she got lost in a haze of pleasure. She rose ever higher to that peak, seeking that splendid feeling of release she knew lay just over the precipice. She was close, so very close, she could taste it, and she could tell it was going to be bigger than any orgasm she had experienced before.
Lifting her head off his shoulder, she sought out his lips, opening her mouth to him. Her arms tightened around him as her movements began to gradually speed up, but still maintained a steady pace. Zuko seemed to pick up the fact that she was close and began pulling her against him even harder. Small, high-pitched moans escaped Katara with every thrust that he swallowed, not breaking their kiss as their tongues engaged with each other. She hugged him even tighter as she got closer and closer, until she was right… there!
The knot in her stomach released, and she felt what was akin to an explosion go off inside her. She almost felt as if she were hit by a tsunami as wave after wave of pure ecstasy flowed over her. She seemed to lose all control of her body, and began shaking all over. She released a whimpering cry into his mouth until her head fell back and she began crying out to the ceiling instead as she clung to him.
She kept cumming, and it was utterly glorious. There were truly no words to describe the insurmountable pleasure she was experiencing. She clung to him tightly as her voice broke, and she practically began choking on the air she seemed unable to suck down as the flash of white light she had seen behind her eyes when her orgasm hit gave way to stars.
Somehow through her haze of pleasure, she became aware of Zuko cupping here cheek as he spoke to her. “Katara, breathe,” he told her in a strained voice.
It took her a few moments for his words to register to her, and a few seconds more to realize that she had indeed forgotten to breathe as she’d gotten lost in her pleasure. Having it brought to her attention suddenly made her aware of just how much she needed air, and she struggled to regain enough control of her body to begin sucking in oxygen.
She began panting heavily as she returned her attention to him, cupping and stroking his face. He did the same to her, smoothing back her hair that was stuck to her wet face, as if seeking to see as much of her face as possible. Katara began doing the same to him as she began to come down from her high, her breathing still heavy, but slowly evening out.
Aftershocks of her orgasm continued to run through Katara, causing her to give small jerks, but as her body calmed down, she was suddenly hit with a tidal wave of emotions that threatened to consume her. It was so overwhelming that she couldn’t stop her eyes from filling with tears or hold them back as they began running down her cheeks. She saw Zuko’s own eyes fill with concern and he gave her a worried look.
“Katara?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Holding back a sob, she just shook her head before kissing him desperately, needing to feel his lips against hers. She must have caught him by surprise, or it simply took him some time to get over his worry for her, because he didn’t respond right away. But soon he was kissing her back, returning her passion with just as much enthusiasm.
They kissed for a time, then Katara buried her face into the crook of his neck, hugging him tightly. Neither moved as they simply held each other, save for one of Zuko’s hands gently stroking her sweat-soaked hair. Perhaps doing this in the sauna wasn’t the best idea. Both she and Zuko were sweating so extensively that they looked like they had just finished swimming, and she was so overheated that she almost felt on the verge of passing out. Yet at the same time, it felt almost appropriate to be so overwhelmed by heat with her having taken a Firebender as her lover. She almost felt as if she could melt into him, allowing them to fuse together into a single person.
She felt Zuko’s lips against her neck and it brought a smile to her face. She began shifting in his arms and that’s when it finally registered to her that he was still hard inside her, meaning he hadn’t cum yet. Well, that wouldn’t do. She didn’t plan to be the kind of person who left her lover unsatisfied.
Lifting herself up, she looked deeply into Zuko’s eyes and slowly began moving against him again. She felt Zuko’s hands come up between them and cup her breasts, kneading and rolling them around. She quickly felt her arousal return with a vengeance, only now it came with a craving that was less emotional and more primal. Her body was now seeking a satisfaction for pure lust rather than desire, and her nails dug into Zuko’s shoulders as she gripped them tightly trying to convey her need.
Zuko hissed at the feel of her nails biting into his flesh, but his face remained set and strained like he was still holding himself back. Was he still concerned for her or thought she was sore and didn’t want to hurt her? If so, his worry was in vain. She may feel some soreness, but it was completely drowned out by the pleasure he was bringing her. And right now, she didn’t need tenderness, she needed him to be rougher, she needed his passion. But if he was going to insist on holding back, then she would just have to take charge and show him what she really needed in this moment.
Releasing his shoulders, she reached back to rest her hands on his knees, using them for leverage as she thrusted against him, one of Zuko’s hands left her breast to circle around her to her lower back to keep her from falling. Katara licked her lips as she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him moving inside her. She increased the speed of her hip movements, moving against him faster and harder. The faster pace served to fuel her lust, and her breathing quickly grew rapid and rigid.
Remembering what he said about liking to hear her, she allowed herself to be vocal, letting him know just how much she was enjoying his touch as she let her sounds of pleasure fall freely from her lips. Zuko’s other hand was on the move, sliding up and down her front. He moved down to between her legs and began running his thumb over her clit, and she mumbled incoherently in response. Her head twisted around on her shoulders as she gasped out her pleasure, feeling her wet hair slap against her back in time with her movements.
She was tilted back further as Zuko leaned over her, capturing a nipple in her mouth and circling his other hand around her back as well to keep her from falling. Katara released his knees as she all but leaned back to lay on his legs, now balancing her hands on the floor to hold herself up. The position wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it allowed him to strike a new angle inside her that was different, but just as delightful.
It didn’t last long though before Zuko sat up straight, pulling her upright again. He kept his mouth latched onto her breast though, sucking on and twirling his tongue around her nipple. His arms remained wrapped around her, holding her close, and she hugged his head to her chest, running her fingers through his wet hair. But as good as his mouth felt on her breast, her lips hungered for his, and she grasped his face, pulling it up to kiss him.
As they made out, she shifted in his lap, wrapping one leg and then the other around his waist, locking her heels together behind him. The new position allowed her to settle more fully into his lap, and she felt him even deeper than before, pushing against her cervix. She whimpered in response, rubbing her body against his as she moved in his lap. He thrusted against her, hugging her tightly, pressing his lips against her neck and sucking on her pulse point.
Katara practically clawed at his back in a desperate and impossible attempt to get him even closer than he already was. Her legs tightened around him as she dug her heels into his backside to help pull herself against him. She was moaning louder and more often than before, unable to hold back her cries of delight if she wanted to.
Faster and faster she moved in his lap, practically slipping and sliding on him. Zuko groaned against her neck as he too seemed to be trying to bring them even closer than was physically possible. When he pulled his mouth from her neck, she was sure he would leave a mark, and the thought sent a thrill through her, making her want to mark him as well. She smashed her lips to his, kissing him deeply before aggressively pushing him back against the bench, intending to find the perfect spot on him to leave her own mark.
That desire was immediately replaced with concern as he let out a gasp of pain. Her eyes widened and dropped down to the wound on his chest. She stopped moving and immediately cursed her foolishness. Here he was being so careful to see to her comfort and be careful not to hurt her for her first time while she had allowed herself to get swept up in passion and completely forgotten about his injury. How ironic it was that she had been the one who had ended up being too rough and hurting him.
“Zuko! Oh, La, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed. “Here.”
She waved her hand towards the bucket of water, pulling some out and cooling it. She then gave him an additional healing over his wound, wondering just how much pain she had put him in before he had let that gasp slip. Perhaps not all of those grunts and groans he had let out had been ones of pleasure.
“It’s fine, Katara,” he told her as she ran the glowing water over his chest.
“It’s not fine,” she insisted. “I can’t believe I forgot that you’re hurt.”
He suddenly grabbed her wrist, stilling her hand, and the water surrounding it fell away. She gave him a concerned look, but then her breath got caught in her throat at the intense way he was looking at her.
“Katara, whatever pain you caused, you not only made it worth it, you’ve made up for it tenfold.”
She stared at him for a few moments, seeing he meant what he said, and her worry slipped away as a smile grazed her face. “Kind of like you did for me.”
He seemed confused at first, but then he seemed to catch her meaning, the heat she felt filling her cheeks at what he said possibly tipping him off. “Then I failed,” he told her. She gave him a confused look and he elaborated. “If I only made up for it tenfold, then I’m going to have to try harder.”
Then, before she even had a chance to think about what he meant, he surprised her by suddenly standing up, picking her up in the process. He hissed in pain from the effort, but he pushed through it, and her arms and legs locked around him in the process.
“Zuko, what?” she gasped out.
He didn’t answer and instead just turned them and laid her down on the beach so he was on top of her. She unwound her limbs from around him as he lifted up and a moan of protest escaped her as he pulled out of her, leaving her feeling empty. She was concerned for him though, worried he was stopping because he had hurt himself when lifting her; what was he doing picking her up like that while he was hurt?
But then he got down on his knees on the floor and spread her legs. He stared down at her dripping center with a look on his face that could only be described as hunger. Katara felt her heart jump in her chest and heat full her cheeks, as she realized what his intentions were, and her suspicions were proven to be accurate as he brought his face closer before glancing up at her.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a while too,” he told her.
Katara held her breath in anticipation as he slowly leaned in. That breath soon came out in a rush though as she felt Zuko’s warm, wet tongue run over her. Her hips jerked upward in response, and Zuko grabbed hold of them and pushed to keep them down. She whimpered as she felt his tongue on her again, and after a few experimental licks, he really set to work devouring her.
It was good, too good. A pleasure on par to having him inside her, but different. It had her squirming around, keening in delight as the feel of his tongue sliding up and down and penetrating her slit sent wave after wave of pleasure through her. But the rest of her body ached to be touched as well, and Zuko was currently preoccupied with trying to hold her legs down and open as he feasted on her. She compensated for this as she began running her own hands over her body, grabbing and caressing her breasts, imagining that it was Zuko’s hands on her.
She humped against his mouth as Zuko’s tongue continued to work its magic on her. At some point, one of her hands found place on the back of his head, pulling him into her. Her other hand was squeezing her own breast to the point of it hurting, almost as if she needed a counter to the level of intensity to the pleasure she was feeling. Moans wouldn’t stop coming out of her, and she released her breast to instead bite down on her finger as she closed her eyes in bliss, feeling herself getting closer to another orgasm.
Zuko kept at it, and for the next several minutes continued to delight her with his oral skills. But then his hold on her hips shifted and she felt him insert a finger into her. A mewling sound escaped her as she squirmed about, the hand on his head now gripping his hair. His tongue now focused on her clit as his finger moved in and out of her, curling and wiggling around inside her in the most delightful way. Even his fingers felt so much better than her own, and he seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her.
Her fidgeting increased as she felt herself getting close. Zuko seemed to pick up on it as well and suddenly pulled his mouth away. His hand remained on her though as he rose up over her, and she felt him insert his middle and ring finger into her. She opened up her eyes to see him looking down at her as he began aggressively shoving his two fingers into her. She flushed in embarrassment at the wet, sloshing sounds she heard coming from her nether region as Zuko brought her ever closer to the edge.
Biting down on her finger to the point that she nearly drew blood, incoherent mumbling and groaning escaped her. The pleasure was too great for her to worry about how embarrassed she felt. The intensity in which Zuko was staring at her, as if he desired nothing more than to watch her climate, had her whole-body flushing. Yet she found herself giving him what he wanted as her orgasm approached, and her mouth opened involuntarily as the pleasure mounted, followed shortly by the scream that tore its way out of her.
She lost all control of her body as her limbs began flailing about, her hips rising and falling on the bench. She attempted to grab something, anything to anchor herself in place as she felt herself getting carried away by the waves of pleasure washing over her. She was certain she would have completely toppled off the bench had Zuko not been holding her down. She attempted to grab hold of him, but even her fingers refused to cooperate in allowing her to take hold of anything.
Through the sheer overwhelming pleasure, she became aware of Zuko’s moving on top of her, his body weight keeping her thrashing body in place. She wrapped her arms and legs around him tightly, clinging to him as if he were a landline as her orgasm continued to wash over her. She received no mercy though, and before her climax even came to an end, she felt him line himself up and slam into her.
Katara’s eyes practically bulged out of her head as he filled her. Her back arched and she let out a scream at feeling him stretch her once more while she was still in the midst of her orgasm. It was almost too much though, her climax leaving her feeling extra hypersensitive, to the point where it was almost painful. He seemed to understand this though as he held himself still inside her, letting her ride out the last of her climax, and she tightened her hold on him as much as possible.
She was panting so heavily she was practically hyperventilating, and it seemed to take an eternity for her breathing to even out to something reasonable. Her consistent moans and cries made it hard to get the air she needed too, but then they too began to fade out, and low more relaxed sounds began slipping out every few seconds instead. Her limbs began relaxing as well, her muscles seemingly having locked up when she had wrapped them around his waist and neck.
It seemed that Zuko was still without mercy though, as just as she was about to relax into a puddle of blissful goo, he pulled back and slammed into her again. She sucked in a big gulp of air, her eyelids flying open after having drifted shut in contentment. She got no reprieve though as Zuko began steadily moving in and out of her, causing her to let out a loud moan every time.
He started slow, working up to a faster rhythm as he reignited her passion. She kept her arms wrapped around his neck, but let her legs fall open, spreading herself wider for him. One of Zuko’s legs hung off the side of the bench, and he pushed off the floor with it with every thrust, allowing him to drive into her even harder. With every thrust, he grunted in her ear, and Katara relished in the sounds he made.
Feeling his weight on top of her like this added a whole new dimension of sensation, and Katara quickly decided that she liked it. The whole of him was in contact with the whole of her, their bodies sliding together wetly, the layer of sweat that covered them both making their movements slicker. She loved the feel of her breast flattened against his chest, her pebbled nipples poking into him as he pounded into her, and her arms unwound from around his neck so she could run her hands down his back and settled on his rear, gripping his cheeks as she pulled him into her encouragingly.
She couldn’t believe it, but he was working her towards another orgasm. The faster, rougher, frantic pace they had set getting her faster than the other two times. And while she was inexperienced to say for sure, she suspected that Zuko was getting close as well based on his current performance. His movements were becoming almost desperate, as if he were struggling to maintain control, not just in an attempt to hold himself back, but also seemingly in an attempt to get her there before him.
For some reason, the thought of making Zuko lose control sent an exciting thrill through her that she found incredibly arousing. Knowing that she could affect him in such a way, that he took such enjoyment in her that he could no longer hold himself back, it made her feel things she never had before. And the thought of him cumming inside her was something she suddenly wanted to experience very badly. She knew there would be risks that came with him releasing inside her, but there were herbs and stuff that would prevent such complications.
Almost as if he had read her thoughts, he suddenly grunted out in her ear, “Katara, I’m going… to cum soon…”
So she had read his body’s reactions right. It gave her no small level of satisfaction to know that she understood him so well. She released his rear with one of her hands and moved it up to the back of his head as she turned hers to a whisper breathlessly in his ear.
“Do it,” she gasped out, urging him on. “I want you to.”
He let out a low growl. “Are… you… sure…?”
She tightened her grip on his hair and dug her nails into his rear. “I want to… feel it. Oh, La. Cum in me, Zuko… Cum for me.”
“You… first…” he practically snarled, and began driving into her harder than ever.
He was indeed trying to get her off again before he finished. The force of his thrusts practically slid them across the bench, and he hooked his arms beneath hers to take hold of her shoulders to prevent it. Katara’s mouth dropped open in a silent scream and she squeezed her eyes shut as he rapidly pumped into her, and she squeezed her inner muscles around him, hearing him groan in response. At this rate, she wasn’t going to last much longer.
Scratch that, she was already there, her eyes rolling up into the back of his head and her voice echoing through the room as she screamed out her pleasure. She heard Zuko emit a mumbling sound in her ear as her orgasm seemed to push him over the edge. His back arched and he lifted his head as a cloud of steam erupted from his nose, his teeth and eyes clenched together tightly.
And then she felt it, the feel of Zuko cumming. His length began pulsing inside her as he released his seed, and she could actually feel it blasting against her inner walls and spreading within her, so hot it nearly burned her. The sensation had her crying out even louder as her orgasm become even more intense, rising to heights far greater than she thought was possible.
Zuko kept himself buried as deeply in her as possible, and Katara pulled him back down on top of her, pressing her face into the crook of his neck, clinging to him tightly. It felt as if their shared orgasm would never end. Even when she felt him stop spurting inside her, she could still feel his cock jerking as her own body continued to spasm, held in place by his weight on top of her.
Zuko eventually went slack on top of her while her body continued to shake, easing down from her frantic spasming to small tremors until it finally faded off into the occasional twitch. And as the last traces of her orgasm dissipated, her entire body went limp. The euphoria that had overtaken her though soon gave way to a blissful feeling of calm.
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A Taste Of What Could Have Been