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Katara may have been Sokka's little sister, but she was a big sister to so many others. The Southern Water Tribe was one big, tight-knit family and the little ones all looked to her for guidance.
From a young age she held infants at her hip, and kissed the knees of countless crying scraped-up rowdy boys. She was the one girls came to when they started their first bleed. Being a big sister came as naturally to her as breathing.
So she thought nothing of it, really, when Zuko came to her for comfort. It was her fault he was feeling so vulnerable. Taking Azula's lightning had hit his body hard, and he needed frequent healing from the Palace medic and Katara herself. It was the least she could do.
He was touch starved from years without familial love, and Azula's fall had hit him hard. When he whispered to her in an embarrassed tone one day that he wished she'd been his sister instead, Katara's heart melted.
He was a tender child underneath the mask and it must have been tough for him with Azula being as cruel as she was. Katara did her best to get along with Mai, but she was a pretty cold fish. She doubted she was giving Zuko the warmth he needed.
It started off small really, he'd taken to invading her personal space everytime they were in casual company. He didn't seem to realise he was even doing it. Aang would sit one side and Zuko on the other, both pressed against her sides, knees knocking.
Then he started resting his head on her shoulder. It startled her the first time but after a while it became second nature, and she'd reach out absentmindedly to play with his hair.
After a while he began to hug her tightly when he greeted her. He'd slip his hand in hers absentmindedly during conversation, looking for a reassuring squeeze. He'd fiddle with her hair and clothes when he was bored. He'd playfully tickle her when they'd goof around on those rare evenings he had time with everyone.
He'd grown attached to her, it was natural he felt safe around her and want a comforting touch. He began to seek her out when his headaches got too much, laying his head in her lap while she switched between healing him and stroking his hair.
With his health being unstable as it was Katara had taken to staying close with him for as many hours of the day as she could. He wouldn't be able to defend himself well in a fight at this point and he needed healing throughout the day to manage his duties as Fire Lord.
It suited Katara to stay near him and she found that he often asked her opinion on matters of politics both domestically and internationally. He gave Katara the title Southern Water Tribe Ambassador which helped hide his need for her healing.
Aang wasn't happy about it and it caused some tension between the three of them. Katara and Aang were taking things slowly. She had never dated before, and this was all so new to her. She's sure it looked strange from the outside. Aang wasn't wrong to be jealous.
But Katara held firm with him. Zuko just needed a loving family, Katara could relate to missing a comforting hug and soft voice. She was his healer, and this is what he needed to heal. Aang just had to deal with it. Though Katara wished Zuko would ease up on touching her in front of him.
Even Katara found it hard to justify it when he started visiting her at night. But Mai had just broken up with him, and he was lonely and anxious. His health had improved but his breathing could give him trouble at times, and the nightmares never stopped.
When he climbed into Katara's bed with her one night she resolved not to tell Aang, it would only cause arguments. He just needed to be held to fall asleep, like she used to do for Sokka when their mother died. He clung to her in his sleep with a furrowed brow, and Katara would run her thumb along the crease to smooth it.
The fire nation was much warmer than the Southern Water Tribe, and Zuko ran much hotter than Sokka did. She slept in nothing but her wraps each night, him in loose pants. Sweat rolled down their backs. Sometimes they'd fall asleep still holding hands, fingers tightly interlocking.
Afterwards Katara would say nothing, simply getting dressed for the next day and leaving without speaking a word about it. But she began to notice his eyes watching her in group settings, and his touches turned more possessive. His hands would linger a moment longer.
Katara wondered if she should say something but Zuko had enough on his plate. She was enjoying feeling needed after the war. She enjoyed the political work Zuko had given her and found she was good at it. The secret nights together continued and Katara looked forward to them.
But when a sleeping Zuko pulls her closer to him and buries his face in her chest one night, Katara becomes suddenly aware that Zuko is a man. Zuko is a man, not her brother, or one of the tribe littles. He's Aang's friend. The Lord of the Fire Nation.
They'd be in so much trouble if they were caught here. She moves to push him from her but in his sleep he grips her tighter, possessively. His fingers curl her waist in a tight grip and his other hand tangles itself in the hair behind her head.
"Katara! Please! Katara!"
She gasps as he cries her name, thinking she's woken him. But she hasn't. He's having another nightmare. She hastily shakes him awake. He bolts upright, panting. Seeing her there he pulls her to his chest and grips her tightly, right where Azula once struck him.
"Zuko!" Katara yelps and pushes him away. Heat flushes to his face and he covers it with his hands, apologising over and over again profusely.
"Katara I'm so sorry, I had a nightmare Azula hit you with lightning. It felt so real. When I saw you there I was so relieved I acted on instinct."
"Its okay, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." She pulls him back to her chest and he presses his face against her neck. The heat of his lips presses against her skin. She feels hot tears wet her neck as he tangles himself against her once more.
His arms cage her against him and Katara remembers what she was thinking about before he called her name. Her face flushes. She needs to extract herself from this but she can't bring herself to stop holding him. He'd sounded so afraid. He felt so good against her.
"Zu-Zuko" her voice comes out stupidly hoarse and breathless. He pulls back, brow furrowing again as he takes in her face, cradling her cheek with calloused hands. They're both breathing heavily. His eyes dart briefly to her lips.
"I can't do this anymore" he whispers.
"I wanted everything you gave me so badly to be enough Katara, but it's not. I keep feeling myself taking more and more of you. Its never enough. I need all of you. I can't sate myself on your fingers in my hair on stolen afternoons together. I can't just lie in bed next to you anymore, knowing no matter what I'll dream of you."
"I dream of you dying and I dream of you underneath me screaming my name and I dream of you smiling at the turtleducks. I dream about you almost every night and I haven't stopped since the Agni Kai."
Katara looks away from him and steels herself. "Its... common... for someone to feel this way after they risked their life for someone. It bonds them... it can't have helped that I was your healer too. We've been spending a lot of time together... I should have noticed it sooner."
"Bullshit Katara. You bring me to your bed every night. Has Aang even been in your room yet? Have you told him what we do after you've made up that you're tired and need an early night? Do you really feel nothing for me?"
Katara is water bending him off the bed before she knows what's happened. Zuko lies there in shock, wiping water from his face. Katara kneels over him and grabs him by his wraps. They're both breathing heavily. She can't keep the anger from her voice.
"How dare you!!"
"Tell me I'm lying Katara, tell me you don't feel this too. Tell me you feel nothing for me."
"I... I feel nothing for you... Zuko."
Katara hears it, the lie on her lips. Zuko hears it too.
"Agni forgive me" he laments and kisses her deeply. His lips press firmly against hers and she gasps in shock. He licks into her mouth. Katara has never been kissed with tongue before but she finds herself meeting his kiss instinctively.
Bolstered by her enthusiasm Zuko grabs her by the waist and pulls her under him, legs caging her in. He kisses down her neck, to her chest and palms her breast through her wraps. Katara has never been touched with such need before and she moans brokenly at the sensation.
She can feel him hard against her hip. His cock throbs against her at the sound of her moaning and he kisses her skin to bruising. He's pulled at her wraps and exposed her nipples to the cool air where they instantly harden. He takes one in his mouth and sucks at it hungrily.
Katara bucks her hips into him with a frustrated whimper. He laughs softly and shifts to press his knee to her sex. Their hands interwine as he presses her into hard floor. She grinds against his leg as he kisses her on the lips once again.
Katara can't understand how they got this point, and her mind scrambles to find the moment it went from innocent touch to this perverse wanting. How long has Zuko felt this way? How long has she? Katara didn't know Zuko was capable of this wild animalism.
He speaks to her between kisses as his hands roam every part of her body.
"Need you... now... please."
She can do nothing but nod, speaking it would make this too real. She needs this to be a dream.
Zuko kicks off his trousers and palms his cock softly above her. His body is bathed in moonlight. His hair hangs loosely around his shoulders. His skin is perfect, smooth and pale, except for an angry scar across his chest. His cock is long and slender. His eyes take her in.
She expects him to press himself against her sex and penetrate her swiftly. That was what Jet had done. Instead, he kisses along her thighs and spreads her open with his palms before burying his face inside her.
She keens with shock and pleasure. Her hands fly to his hair and she yanks him back sharply. He gazes at her, mouth slick with her juices.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
"... preparing you?"
"Is this how Fire Nation nobles act behind closed doors?"
"Well the Earth Kingdom girl seemed to like it"
Katara swats at him and he laughs, gripping her thighs more tightly and lapping more feverishly. He loosens his right hand to massage her hip, moving closer and closer to her sex. Katara grinds against his face despite herself.
Zuko draws back and gently pushes two fingers inside her while laughing softly.
"You're so knowledgeable about everything I figured this wouldn't surprise you."
"Who was I going to ask... my gran gran? Sokka?"
"Mmmm point taken."
Katara rolls her eyes playfully.
"Just put it inside me before I change my mind."
Zuko kisses her again to quieten her. She decides to let him get away with it one time. He presses himself against her entrance, rubbing the head against the folds to spread her open before sinking into her slowly. Nothing could prepare her for how good he feels.
Zuko sinks into the hilt and pauses inside her.
"Fuck you feel so good Katara. You're so wet for me."
"Fuck me please."
"Give me a second."
"You don't have to go slow on my account. I've done this before."
"I wasn't... with who?"
"Um... Jet."
He takes her face in his hands and kisses her forehead.
"Its ok to have complicated feelings about that."
"I know."
He kisses her again, his touch melting her thoughts away.
"Zuko, I need you to move now."
"You've always been so impatient."
Katara laughs.
Slowly he begins to move inside her, gradually pushing deeper and faster. He nips at her ear, her neck, her breasts. He sucks his thumb and reaches between them to stroke at a spot above her entrance. Electricity jolts through her. Katara stifles a moan. Katara's fingers trace the edges of his scar along his cheek. Her hands run down to his chest, pressing against the knotted scar at the centre of his chest. He presses his lips to her forehead and cradles her head.
He's fucking into her hard and fast now, thumb still rubbing circles on that nub. Katara can feel a crescendo building inside her, this overwhelming tension building between her legs. She lifts her hips desperately to take more of him.
"Zu-Zuko need you... deeper... ahhh."
Katara wants to cry with pleasure so desperately, but she settles for quiet whispers in the Palace. If they're caught now it'll be an international incident. She hates that the danger of that excites her.
Zuko hooks his arms beneath her legs and pulls them over his shoulders. He leans close to kiss her, folding her in half and driving himself deeply inside her.
"Ffffuck so good" Katara's words are coming out slurred. The weight of him against is both claustrophobic and insanely sexy. Sweat clings to her forehead.
"I feel... something happening... feels too good" Katara grips around him tightly. He's hitting deep inside her now, a spot she's never felt before that has her slack jawed and desperate.
"If you cum around me Katara I won't be able to stop spilling my seed inside you. You need to tell me if you want me to pull out."
Those words send Katara spilling over the edge, her body spasming around him. Her back arches from the floor and her hands fly to his shoulders.
The tension releases in waves, radiating throughout her body, turning her boneless and sensitive. She let's out a broken cry despite herself and Zuko kisses her to quieten her once more. She makes a mental note that he's done that twice now.
Zuko comes tumbling over the edge with her, as he warned her he would. He tries to pull out but doesn't fully make it, cumming inside her and all over her sex and stomach. Katara moves to bend it away, but he snatches her wrist and licks a stripe up her stomach.
She can't believe this is Zuko doing these things to her. Zuko, who tells terrible jokes that make only her laugh. Zuko, who tried to kill her and tried to save her and damned her instead. Awkward, intense, kind, Zuko. This was the man pinning her in place and lapping his seed from her sex.
"Zuko, I need to bend it out if..." She trails off, mortified.
"Ah, sorry! Sorry! Got carried away."
She bends away his seed. She'll need to discreetly procure some moon tea and drink it later. She should have asked him to pull out earlier but she couldn't bear to.
Zuko collapses beside her, exhausted. She can't believe they just made love on her bedroom floor. They didn't even make it to her bed.
"What happens now?" Zuko has the decency to look guilty.
Katara sighs.
"I heal the hickeys you've left all over my neck, talk to Aang and move back to the Southern Water Tribe for the next few months. You might want to make yourself scarce for the next few days."
Zuko begins to protest, but Katara interrupts.
"We've a lot to figure out and I can't do that if we're falling into bed together every night. I've been neglecting my people for too long and rumours are already spreading. You're mostly healed now. We need to figure out how to make this work with clear heads."
"So you're saying you want to be with me?" Zuko's frown has turned into an uncharacteristic grin.
Katara smiles.
"I'm saying I'm willing to try and make it work. But I can't do that until I've settled things with Aang. And you do things to my logic."
Zuko's brow furrows briefly at the mention of Aang. Neither of them wanted to hurt him. Katara thinks it will be okay. She hasn't been the girl of his dreams he wanted. They were drifting apart anyway. He'd understand, eventually.
Zuko takes her hand, kisses it and presses it to his chest.
"I think we can safely say the feelings mutual."
Katara kisses him again. She'll have a lot to work through in the morning, but this night is just for them.
"So what else did you get up to in the Earth Kingdom?"