Work Text:
Katara had grown far from the foolish girl she was when she met Jet.
Jet, her first kiss, her first time. Jet was radical, yet misguided. But in the end, it wasn’t the fire nation that got to him like he feared- but the corruption of the Earth Kingdom.
Haru was sweet. Haru was gentle, he wasn’t like Jet. He was strong and treated her like the princess she was. Still, their romance was short lived and it was best that way. He’d still be her friend.
When she thought of Aang, she knew it’d never work. She was his first mentor, his friend. She was the girl who found the Avatar, the one who believed in him most. But he was not someone she could fall in love with.
Eventually, he got over it.
Zuko was never part of the plan.
Ba Sing Se brought first touches and power. She had the power to destroy him with his defenses down. Yet she wanted to heal him, she wanted it so badly for him.
For him.
Even when they parted, she thought of him. His scent, the pain in his face, the shock at her gentle touch. When he came back, she was livid.
How dare he.
How dare he....
“Katara?” He popped into her tent. 24 hours ago exactly did they come back from leaving Yon Rha alive. 24 hours since she forgave him.
Funny how they seemed closer.
“Zuko? She raised an eyebrow. It was after dinner, everyone was getting to sleep and agni knew the two of them needed it the most. “What’s wrong? You got that look on your face.”
“What look?” He frowned, touching the scarred side of his face. When he saw Katara smile, he relaxed. “Very funny,” he tutted, sitting down on the ground perpendicular from her. They were close. Not that close. “I wanted to see how you were doing without Avatar Peacemaker around to judge.”
She rolled her eyes at his smirk. Zuko and Aang understood each other better than before now, but he would still poke fun at him. She didn’t blame him, but she took on the motherly role and wondered when she’d stop being so protective over him. “I’m fine, really. I’m not sure if I did the right thing, and I don’t think I ever will be.” She leaned back on her sleeping sack, a far off look in her eyes. “And maybe I’ll go back and finish the job. Maybe he’ll die in the siege. But… it’s done. And for now, that’s enough.”
Zuko sat in silence with her, absorbing what she said. “If it comes to it, I’ll help you again. No matter what.”
How dare he come back to her, better than ever.
“Thank you for that.” She smiled warmly, yet something still hung in the air. There was always something between them.
I’ll save you from those pirates.
Bastard.
“When we were looking for him… What is that called? What you were doing to the other soldiers?” He asked cautiously, fearing he’d upset her.
“Bloodbending,” she replied emptily, not looking directly at him yet past him. “Lifeforms are mostly water. You can bend anyone if you’re angry enough.” She looked down at her hands, flexing and relaxing her fingers. “I learned it by force of an escaped water bender prisoner. Revenge had hardened her to capturing innocent people. I don’t want that happening to me.”
Zuko stayed silent, his skin crawling. Her bloodbending had been both terrifying and fascinating. He could almost feel his pulse quickening, and he knew it must’ve been calling to Katara like a nearby flame would call to him. He wondered what it felt like, he wondered if she’d do it for their fight. “I see,” he murmured, looking at her with an inquisitive gaze. “I don’t think you’ll ever be like that. You’re stronger than temptation like that.”
She narrowed her eyes, finally looking at him with a peculiar look. “Stronger than temptation?”
“Well, isn’t it tempting to feel like a god? You’re already the most powerful waterbender.” He shrugged, leaning back. “Though if anything, you could probably use it for healing.” He finally smiled, his voice coated with awe and respect. But the fear was there, it might always be.
Fear or fascination?
“I’m surprised you… understood that. Aang said I was too good and pure.”
“No one’s pure in wartime.”
They sat in silence, the energy thrumming. She could feel his blood, and all she’d have to do is raise one hand to steal his breath for a moment.
“What do you mean by healing?”
“Well, there’s a lot of illnesses with poor blood flow. If we get to grow old you can stop us all from having a heart attack or something.”
Certainly, that was an option. She chuckled, and he smiled. He liked that she could laugh near him.
“But don’t feel pressured to learn to do that either.” He never wanted her to feel as if her legacy was just in healing. She was a master waterbender, her legacy could be whatever she wanted.
“I’d practice on you,” she teased, wiggling her fingers at him. “Get myself a fire nation prince as a puppet.”
“You’d have the whiniest puppet.” He laughed with her, brushed the hair out of his eyes before glancing back at her. “But you could practice on me. I’m curious.”
She paused, seizing him up. She always went back to him in someway. While they were away she was a mess of violent rage and hopeless sobs. Coming back felt different. He was so different now.
She was too.
“Do you remember the north pole?” She asked softly, not accusatory.
“You mean the time an idiot firebender tried to take on a master waterbender in her very own element?” He snorted, a hint of a smile. There was always that respect in his voice. “Yeah. You kicked my ass.”
She smiled, yet she still felt cautious. “And the pirates?”
His expression fell as he swallowed thickly. How could he forget? That was years ago, but his cock remembered it like it was yesterday. He had never thought of her or any other woman like that- Mai was a crush, but he was so young. He wanted to fuck her then.
Now, he couldn’t imagine such a thing.
“Because I do.” She looked at him with her blue eyes piercing so deeply, he felt as if she was digging an icicle into his neck, forcing him to hold her gaze.
He was nervous.
“And Ba Sing Se,” she whispered. No one knew the embrace they shared, how close she was to tearing her skin apart for him. They weren’t as young as they were when the pirates happened, but the years it took between that moment and Ba Sing Se seemed like a lifetime.
And it was.
He wanted to touch her so badly then. Throughout the years they dueled, they fought. He never won against her, not really. Even when he got away with the upper hand, he still had to release himself to the thought of the water tribe peasant.
Well, princess, as he later understood.
“Katara.” He breathed, finally. They didn’t move but their breathing was different.
His pulse was calling to her, delectable temptation right under her fingertips.
“Zuko,” she responded, tasting his name on her lips. She always whispered it to herself when she’d come, her fantasies ranging from having him beaten and bloody at her mercy to now, a tender moment fueled with tension and primal want. “Come closer,” she demanded, eyes alight with need. “I won’t hurt you.”
He stared at her, at the red cloth against her skin. He wondered if she wrapped herself in them or if she let her breasts free, held together by the top. He wondered what she tasted like and if she’d let him have a taste. Once, after waiting for her outside her tent, he smelled her arousal and had gotten so hard he needed to come right away.
He wondered if when she had whispered his name, it was because the thought of him fucking her made her come.
So he crawled to her, watching as she sat against the wall of the tent. Him bent down, hands besides her hips, face close to her. Her, hands hovering to his side, her breath intermingling with his.
“I can feel your blood pulse,” she whispered, her hand trailing down her own sternum instead of reaching for him again. “I feel it most here,” she trailed her hand down to the crotch of her skirt, where her wetness was growing.
Surprisingly, he didn’t look away from her face until that moment.
Feeling bold, Katara spread her legs, pressing her palm to her sex. She wanted him, Agni did she want him.
He waited, straining against his trousers, begging for touch. Like yesterday. Like in Ba Sing Se. Like when he tied her up.
Fuck, his thoughts went from wanting to be used by her to wanting to pin her down, wringing an orgasm out of her as his cock pounded into her. He wanted to rub and suck on her clit till she begged him to stop. He wanted to make her come.
“Katara,” he demanded, his breath changing as he watched her rub herself through the skirt. “Katara…”
Stopping her movements, Katara finally, finally touched him. Her hand was on his chest as she watched his arms tremble. “Sit,” she ordered, watching as he did. She wanted to ride him, to finally have her way with him. She wanted his cock to spread her apart and drive her off the edge. They had gotten close like this before, but nothing like this moment all at the same time. She touched him in Ba Sing Se and it was like the floodgates had poured.
Her hands were on his chest that time, much like they were now. He felt warm, so much warmer than before. Trailing her hand down his chest, Katara took a moment to gaze upon him and how his tunic fit, how his chest heaved. As soon as her hand reached his stomach, she pulled on the energy of his blood and heard a choked gasp escape from his lips.
“Fuck,” he swore, cock twitching, hard and throbbing. He was turned on before, but now? What did she do to him? “Katara?” He gasped, a question in his voice as she pulled her hand back again.
“I feel that.” She mused, eyes intently focused between his legs. “I did that.” She had gotten practice bloodbending the soldiers, but their intermingling arousal helped her focus on him.
“Do it again,” he begged hoarsely, eyes shutting tightly from pleasure. “Kat, please…”
She smiled at the familiarity, twisting her wrist to hear a strangled shout. He was an expressive prince, and she wondered how many times she could make him make those sounds again for her. Still, she eased her grip till she no longer was holding onto the energy of his blood, till his cock throbbing was because of himself and him alone.
Leaning back, Zuko tried to even his breath till he opened his eyes, finding the blush on her cheeks. This damned girl, no woman , who had ran through his mind all these years. She was never supposed to be part of the equation and here he was, risking everything to get her approval.
And now she could control his cock deliberately. Fuck, he was going to die because of her.
There are worse ways to go.
Perhaps that’s what made him bold enough to grip her leg, gently pulling on it from under her. They played this game for years now, and with their impending doom coming to fruition, he wasn’t even sure if they’d live past the comet. So why shouldn’t they explore themselves and seek comfort with one another? “Katara…” His voice came out almost like a prayer as his hand moved up her leg, eyes scanning hers.
She was breathing so hard she’d thought she’d hyperventilate. Instead, she spread her legs out, nodding her approval. He was scared, scared of not surviving and scared she’d cast him out again. But all those years of fighting, of anger, of frustration, she was tired. Tired of war, tired of only imagining him between her legs, tired of not letting herself love him. “Zuko,” she sighed as he bunched up the fabric of her skirt and pushed it up. He wouldn’t push her, and she wouldn’t let him, but they understood.
He shivered at the way she said his name, like he had value to her. He looked up at her rather than the wet spot on her bindings and in that moment, he smiled. They were probably going to die soon, and if they didn’t, she was probably going to go back home to be with her family and he’d have a nation to run. He could’ve confessed everything to her then, could’ve told her how much he loved her, but that would be for another time. “You’re beautiful,” he stated, moving up away from her legs to her face. “Tell me to stop and I will,” he promised.
When he finally kissed her, it took everything in her not to cry. Not from sadness, but from relief. This kiss felt like everything would be alright, even if that was far from the truth. Cupping his face, Katara pushed her tongue between his lips and fell into a dance. His tongue brushed against hers, her teeth tugged on his bottom lip and his mouth moved with hers to deepen their kiss.
He told her she was beautiful, and she’d have to say the same.
Pulling his lips back from hers, Zuko moved them to the side of her face, trailing kisses along her cheek to her neck. Her hands moved to his tunic and he helped her remove it, leaving his chest bare. His lips found trailed to her decollete and gently he sucked at the skin, earning a mewl of want from her. Fuck, he could listen to those sounds forever. Despite the aching of his cock, Zuko wanted this moment to last lest she came to her senses and stopped this. So slowly he kissed his lips to the strap on her shoulder and pulled it down, biting gently at the brown skin, earning another sharp gasp from Katara.
Agni, he wanted her.
Pulling her top off, Zuko was pleased to see he was right, that she didn’t bind herself when wearing the fire nation garb. His gaze lowered to her breasts, and back up to her face. There was always so much to say between them.
“Please,” she whispered, giving him permission to touch her. She sighed in pleasure as he cupped her breast, yet he didn’t touch her nipple like she hoped. Instead, he drew circles, and they grew smaller and smaller until finally his thumb brushed against the stiff peak, earning a gasp. “Oh, Zuko,” she moaned softly, her head tilting back as his lips latched on. She felt his teeth graze as her hand moved to his hair, her nails scratching lightly at his scalp. She felt his pulse spike then, a small smirk on her lips as she did it again. Never had they been so in tune, but like water there was a clear ebb and flow. It was his turn to tease her, but she didn’t have to sit back and take it obediently.
Her nails left a delightful sting to his skin and that when he decided to bite at her nipple lightly, causing her to yelp. Soothing the bite, he sucked softly before giving the same treatment to her other breast. Feeling her squirm at his touch was more than enough, yet he wanted more.
He wanted to taste her.
Kissing her lips once more quickly, he started a trail down to her stomach, watching her skin quiver as he got closer. Glancing up at her, he saw her nod and just like before, he bunched her skirts up and pulled at her bindings. He cursed then, realizing he’d need to find the right strap. Hearing Katara’s giggle, he himself chuckled softly.
“You’re enjoying this?”
“In more ways than one.”
“How about this?” He challenged in a teasing tone, wrapping his lips around her clothed clit, sucking firmly. Of course he wanted to tease her before reaching her clit, yet her shuddered cry was too tempting.
“Okay, okay,” she panted, finding the right strap to unravel her bindings, “you’re a tease.”
“And you’re amazing.” He retorted proudly, laughing softly as she did as well. Spirits, was she beautiful laughing like that. She always was. Even when she was terrifying, even when she hated him. Taking a moment to gaze up at her, Zuko smiled before kissing softly at her inner thigh. Agni, he could smell her. And it was even more intense than the other night. Fuck, he wanted to bury himself in her and make her scream. He settled for sucking a small mark into her thigh, relishing in her hands in his hair.
Katara was squirming as she watched him kiss and suck everywhere but where she wanted most. She was panting now as he got closer and closer but when she felt his finger slide in, she sharply moaned, her hips arching slightly. “More,” she ordered, licking her lips as he added another. Fuck, she wanted him to make her come like she wanted nothing else before. When his tongue finally circled her clit, Katara couldn’t help the low moan.
She tasted amazing, she was amazing. Her sounds were intoxicating and she was so fucking wet. Thrusting his fingers in deeper, Zuko experimentally curled them up, eyeing her reaction for the right exact moment. As he rubbed them upwards, he heard her hitched breath and knew he was right on point. Flattening his tongue, Zuko licked her clit upwards and started sucking on one of her lips, groaning softly into her pussy. Keeping his fingers thrusting, he felt her tug on his hair so he finally wrapped his lips around her clit and slowly sucked on the bundle of nerves, relishing in the way her thighs trembled and her moans grew louder.
She should’ve been quiet, but everyone else was asleep and she had waited far too long. Clenching around his fingers, Katara cursed as he sucked on her clit with such fervor, one would think he had been starving. He very well could’ve been, for his hunger for her was apparent with the way he seemed to be devouring her pussy. Throwing her head back, Katara’s breasts heaved with each groan, tugging harder on his hair as she felt her climax approaching. “Fuck, Zuko,” she gasped. “Oh, Spirits…”
His free hand holding onto her thigh gripped tighter, his cock straining. Fuck, he was going to make her come. He wanted nothing more than that, he wanted to hear her moan for him for the rest of his life. Sucking harder, he lapped his tongue back to her clit, encircling it eagerly as his fingers thrusted in deeper. The stimulation must’ve been what undid her, because a sudden rush of wetness coating his tongue and her cries grew louder the same time her hand gripped his hair tighter. Fuck that was hot. He was besides himself, sucking her clit harder to extend her climax. It took everything in him not to push her down and slide himself in right then and there, but he restrained as he slid his fingers out and lifted his head up to see her panting and squirming slightly.
Katara blinked her eyes open to see Zuko down between her legs. She watched him suck her wetness off his fingers as he sat upon his knees to hover over her and she groaned at the sight. “You,” she breathed, trembling slightly. “Are far too overdressed.”
“No more than you,” he teased, yet he was smirking. Tugging down her skirt, Zuko slid out of his trousers next and his cock sprang free. He was so hard for her, that he had to stroke himself once to ease some pressure. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to make you come?” He mused, sliding his hands under her hips. “I could do that for hours.”
“And one day I’ll hold you to that.” She smirked back, eyes gazing at his cock. The one she manipulated. One day she’ll do plenty of things to him that would be seen as too vulgar for a princess, yet tonight she was ready for him.
Finally.
Finally.
“Zuko,” she breathed and gripped his shoulders, “fuck me.”
“You sure?”
“Fuck me hard, Zuko.”
That was all he needed. Gripping her neck, Zuko pulled her up so he could kiss her deeply. Letting go of her throat, he gripped her breast and squeezed, making her squirm from his touch. “Lay down,” he uttered, watching her lay on her back. He took a moment to gaze down at her naked body, drinking her in. This was more than the pirates, more than Ba Sing Se.
He never knew he could love someone so much.
Taking one of her legs, Zuko brought it to his waist, pulling her down closer so her pussy almost engulfed him. Sliding a hand between them, Zuko guided himself into her and groaned deeply as soon as he pushed in. “Fuck,” he moaned and gazed down at her.
Katara had slid her hands to his back, digging her nails into his skin. This urged him on, and soon he was thrusting his hips, his cock delving in deeper inside of her. She clenched around him and arched her hips up, moaning in unison with him. “Zuko,” she moaned, her eyes rolling back as his thrusts grew faster.
The sound of skin slapping against skin as he thrusted harder and deeper was obscene, but she didn’t care. She was clawing at his skin, gasping and crying out every time he his a certain spot inside of her. Fuck, this was nothing like her fantasies. Yet it was everything she needed, everything she wanted.
He was everything.
She felt his pulse spike and as his hand slid to her clit, she knew he must’ve been close. Pulling him down so he was on top of her, cheek to scarred cheek, Katara felt him. She felt all of him, around her, inside of her. She felt his other hand move to her throat and held on for a lifeline. She felt her clit throb and her legs tremble with the familiar sensation of her orgasm approaching her. Opening her eyes into his, Katara raised her hand and made a fist, the both of them coming together with a sharp cry.
“ Fuck, Katara! ” He growled, spilling inside of her. He hadn’t expected that, but he felt her wetness surge and coat over him, making him groan. “Fuck.”
She was gasping, her nails still dug into his shoulders. Fuck indeed, she thought, her arms moving to slide around his neck. They stayed that way, just breathing hard and deep, drinking each other in.
“It was always us, hasn’t it?” He mused after having pulled out of her, the both of them laying down together, her head on his chest.
“Yes.” She sighed, burying her face into his skin. “If we die in this war, I want you to know I-”
He kissed her, cupping her cheek and holding her closer. “Not yet. We’ll survive. It’s you and me, we always survive.”
They always did.