imgonnagetyouback.
(Part two. Part one here.)
adult fire lord zuko x reader | contains smut | mdni. | wc: 6,2K
summary: in which one midnight knock leaves Zuko and the woman he left behind with very little room to decide whether theyâre meant to say goodbye⊠or finally find their way back to one another.
content: adult!Fire Lord Zuko x fem!Reader, post-canon, featuring the gaang, mutual pining, exes to lovers, second chance romance, unresolved feelings, yearning, hurt/comfort, sexual tension, explicit sexual content [p in v, praise, sprinkle of dirty talk?], morning after, happy ending.
note: inspired by an ask that got out of hand & imgonnagetyouback by taylor swift. this ended up becoming a two-parter, and part one is already out! lightly proofread. âĄ
You couldnât move. Your heart was hammering a frantic rhythm while your skin was still tingling, the sweet lethargy of your climax keeping you anchored to the bed.
Zuko knocked again.
You knew he wasn't leaving. Whatever silence you had hoped might spare you had already been broken.
Swallowing past the dryness in your throat, you swung your legs over the edge of the mattress. Your knees felt weak as you walked to the door. You took a deep breath and pulled it open.
Zuko was leaning against the doorframe.He was a mess. His hair was loose, tumbling over his shoulders, his tunic was half unbuttoned at the collar, revealing the flush of heat painting the skin of his throat and chest. He looked exactly as maddeningly handsome as you'd feared.
âFire Lord,â you said, crossing your arms.
âDirector,â he replied, his voice a raspy rumble.
âTo what do I owe the pleasure?â you asked, blinking up at him through your lashes.
Zuko let out a short breath through his nose, his knuckles white where his hand gripped the wood of the doorframe. âIf youâll indulge me, Iâd ask you one thing...â
You narrowed your eyes. âMake it count.â
âWhy did youâŠ?â His eyes trailed down your body, choosing for silence.
âWhy did I what?â You raised your eyebrows in impatience, your fingers dug into the silk of your sleeves. âDo finish your question, Fire Lord.â
Truthfully, he had too many questions standing before him.
For example: why were you looking so exquisite this late at night? Were you solely thinking of him, or had the thought of him risen enough while you were pleasuring yourself that you felt the need to say his name? Were you hoping heâd come at your door afterwards or he still had the ability of surprising you?
Was he being an inconsiderate douchbag by joining you after all he put you through? No, to that one he knew the answer, and it was yes.
âOh. Maybe you mean to ask about the terrible crime of enjoying the comfort of my own guest room?â you asked, moving your weight to one leg. âI think I have every right to do that.â
Zuko held your gaze.
âIs shouting my name part of that right?â
âI wasn't shouting,â you said, taking a step forward.
âNo?â He matched it.
âNo.â
Step for step, you kept going until neither of you could move without touching.
âThen the Beifong walls are thinner than I thought.â
You pressed a finger to his chest, making him pull back.
âPerhaps the Fire Lord has an exceptionally vivid imagination,â you said, your fingertips wandering down the front of his chest.
âI donât.â Zukoâs jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to your mouth before snapping back up.
âThatâs awfully convenient,â you gave him half a smile, âdonât you think?â
âJust like you wearing the hairpin.â He said, his hand dropped back to his side. âInvite me in, Director. We shouldn't bother the rest of the estate.â
You glanced past his broad shoulder at the empty hallway. If Zuko had heard you through the wall, then anyone wandering could hear the two of you now, even if the other guests were on a different floor.
You stepped aside and moved back into the dark of your room. He followed, and you clicked the door shut behind him.
Turning around, you braced your lower back against the door.
âI have a lot of hairpins, Fire Lord. Youâll have to be more specific.â
âThe ironwood one,â he said standing in the middle of the room. âThe one I carved after you complained the silver comb kept slipping out whenever you wore your hair loose.â
You gasped. It was such a small memory, you'd long since assumed it had belonged to you alone.
âYou sat on that fallen log for nearly two hours,â Zuko murmured, his eyes dropping to the floorboards between you. âWhile I ruined three perfectly good branches trying to make one that wouldnât snag your hair.â
His golden eyes snapped back up, searching yours with a fire that made your knees feel weak.
âYou laughed because I cut my palm in the dumbest way⊠before curing it, that is.â
He lifted his left hand, his thumb rubbing over the inside of his palm to show he remembered the place.
âI still have the scar.â
You hadnât thought about that afternoon in years, not because it wasn't important, but because the memory tasted like ash.
âYou were right.â Zuko admitted.
âAbout what?â You said, lifting your weight from the door to walk slowly towards him, a bit spellbound by his recollection.
âYou told me Iâd regret giving you something handmade because Iâd never be able to look at another piece of ironwood without thinking of you. So you were right.â
You stopped your step and looked away first. Your gaze landed on the candle on your nightstand, anything to avoid the absolute sincerity in his face.
âHow touching⊠but it is a little too late,â you replied, refolding your arms across your chest, your skin warming up in embarrassment. âIâll be sure to look forward to the explanation for the breakup sometime around the next solar eclipse.â
Surprisingly, there was no sharp retort in response. He didnât try to defend his pride.
You walked back toward the door and grabbed the handle.
âNow if thatâs all you came to say, Iâd suggest youââ
âNothing about tonight makes sense anymore.â
Your hands left the handle.
âYou keep telling me youâre over me, so I believe you, but then you compliment me in the garden, avoid me, escape from the touch of my hand, wear the hairpin, and moan my name loud enough for me to hear,â he said, taking one final step into your space, abandoning the safe distance.
Before you could speak again, he reached for you. His fingers stopped at the loose silk of your sleeve, brushing the fabric at your wrist without quite touching your skin.
âBut I know you, and I know whatever youâre trying to do is no longer working the way you wanted it to.â
âIâm sorry Iâm so confusing, Fire Lord.â You yanked your arm back, clearing the distance between his fingers and your clothes. âIt must feel very bad to not understand the motives behind someone elseâs actions. Believe me, I know the feeling. After a while, you stop expecting explanations. You realize they're overrated. If you won't leave, then I will. Enjoy the rest of your stay.â
You made it only a step before his hand found your wrist.
âWhat do you think happened?â he asked.
âWhat?â You didn't turn around.
âWhen we broke up. What do youââ
âI donât know, Zuko! Thatâs the worst part⊠donât you get it?â You spun around, using the force of the turn to twist your wrist out of his grip.
His fingers slipped free, but his gaze didn't leave your face.
âI had no explanation whatsoever. And like I saidââ
âYou must have thought something.â
A bitter laugh escaped you. âOh, now youâre interested?â
His face didnât change. The stubborn set of his jaw only tightened.
âI need to hear it.â
âNo.â You shook your head, your chin tilting up defensively.
âWhat do you think happened?â He swallowed. âWhy do you think I let you go?â
He reached for you again, his palm open. You stepped back, the door met your back before you realized you'd reached it.
âIâŠâ Your hands curled into your palms until your knuckles blanched. âI need you to leave.â
He seemed to want to listen at first by a movement that came from his chest, but his feet remained in place.
âPlease.â
âYou are in no position to ask me for anything, Zuko! Get out!â You said pointing to the door. He didnât move. âFine. Iâm not talking to you,â you said, going to your bed and sitting on it, your back to him, âget out.â
After so much time, there was no way youâd confessed how bad he made you feel. The image of the stupid note refused to leave your mind: itâd been a piece of parchment that made you feel excited at first, thinking Zuko leaving it on your bed meant heâd finally invite you to one of his royal duties, the disappointment you felt after reading his cruel words was still stinging your chest.
Tears started spilling out of your eyes. You made an effort to hide it, pressing a hand to them and then your mouth to avoid the sobs. But it didnât work. You never thought the next time you saw Zuko would be like this, you thought heâd be crawling at your feet or that heâd be the one crying, but the fact that it was you was⊠unexpected. And you never appreciated the unexpected.
You didnât realize he had walked through the room until you felt his weight on the bed. You hugged yourself, trying to say something.
âZuko⊠donât even⊠thinkâŠâ
His hand found your back, moving in slow motion up and down. He scooted closer, you were just seconds away from stopping this nonsense of yours when he reached for your arms.
âI thought I wasnât enoughâ You confessed. âI wondered If you had simply⊠outgrown me. I clawed through every single conversation we ever had trying to find the exact moment you realized I wasnât worth a goodbye.â
The tears came all at once, years of careful composure dissolving before you could gather it back together. Your shoulders trembled with each uneven breath.
Zuko drew you into him, and the moment your forehead found the curve of his neck on his scarred side, the sob you'd spent years swallowing escaped. His arms came around you, holding you.
âI thought you just stopped loving me,â you said. It was a simple, flat admission, stripped of any drama.
Zuko flinched as if the words physically stung. âNo. Never.â
A tearful laugh escaped you. âDon't do that, Zuko.â
You drew back just enough to look at him. Your eyes were rimmed with red, your cheeks still damp with tears.
âYou have done enough.â
He didnât argue. His eyes fell shut before he leaned in, resting his forehead against yours.
âI canât change what those three years did to you.â He said as a tear slid down his own cheek. âI would if I could.â
His thumb brushed beneath your eye, hesitant, asking permission before wiping away another tear.
âBut if there is one thing I cannot let you carry for another minute⊠itâs the idea that you were at fault.â His eyes searched for yours desperately. He shook his head. âNot for a single heartbeat. I loved you too much to watch them use you against me. So I made the worst decision Iâve ever made.â His jaw trembled. âI decided for you. I never asked what you wantedâŠ.â A tear of his own fell over his scar.âAnd I have hated myself for that every day since.â
You searched his face, looking for the smallest hint that he was telling you what he thought you needed to hear.
You found none.
âYou really thought you got to decide that?â
Zuko lowered his gaze. âI thought I was keeping you safe.â
âNo.â You shook your head, retreating onto the bed on your knees. âDonât dress it up as a favor, Zuko. You looked at our life together, at me, and decided you knew what was best without asking me a single question?â
He mirrored your position on the mattress, every trace of certainty gone from his face. âI didn't think I had a choice.â
âYou took away my choice,â you said, shoving his shoulders.
âI know.â
âYou took away my future with you,â you pushed him again, harder.
âI didâŠâ
âYou took away my dignity,â you drove your palms into his chest, forcing him down against the mattress. âBecause you were terrified.â
He flinched, looking up at you from where he lay, offering no resistance.
âI had to read that stupid note by myself,â you said, your body on top of his. âI had to explain to everyone why Iâd suddenly left the Fire Nation.â
You planted your hands on either side of his head, pinning him to the pillows.
âTell meâŠâ You lowered your face toward his. ââŠhow you convinced yourself I wouldâve wanted that.â
âI didnât.â
You frowned.
âI convinced myself it didnât matter what you wanted.â Zuko reached up, his palm cupping your cheek. You stilled beneath his hand. âI was so terrified of losing youâŠâ
His eyes filled again.
ââŠthat I⊠became the person who did.â
You looked down at him, and the impossible puzzle you'd carried for years came apart. There had been no hidden scheme, no careful cruelty or impossible choice made for reasons beyond your reach. Only Zuko being foolish enough to mistake love for something that could be protected by leaving it behind.
ââŠYou idiot.â The words came out in such a whisper they almost sounded affectionate. âYou absolute, unbelievable idiot.â
You were already so close, that the only reasonable option left was to press your lips against his.
Zukoâs hand caught and slid from your jaw, his fingers tangling deep into your loose hair to hold you, while your opposite hand climbed the solid breadth of his shoulder to cup the side of his neck.
He proceeded to pull his legs around, sitting cross legged on the mattress and gathering you into his lap. The breath stealing kisses gradually lost their urgency, punctuated by lingering pecks that tasted of salt and smoke.
Finally, you pulled back, pressing your forehead against his, your eyes closed tight as you let your hands rest against the unbuttoned collar of his tunic.
âYouâre not forgiven,â you whispered, your breath hitching. âNot yet.â
His forehead pressed back against yours, his hands resting against your waist. He nodded.
âI shouldnât be,â he murmured. âI understand I canât undo the last few years in one night. But I canât allow myself to walk back into my room knowing you still think I ever stopped loving you. I need you to know that I never did.â
You let out a ragged sigh.
âI tried so hard to stop,â you confessed, your voice in a thread. âI donât know how.â
A tear traced the scarred side of his face. Even so, the corners of his mouth bent into the smallest of smiles.
âNeither do I.â
He leaned in, catching your mouth in another peck. He pulled away just enough for you to notice the unsteady rise and fall of his breathing.
âFor the record⊠âYou made me a better man long before I deserved it..â
A laugh broke through your tears as your fingers lightly swatted the back of his neck.
âYou are still terrible at complimentsâŠâ
âIf youâll let me,â he said, his thumbs rising to trace the line of your cheekbones. âIâd like to spend whatever time youâll give me trying to do better at them, and everything else, incluiding not choosing for you. If youâre generous enough to give me yearsâŠâ He brushed another stray tear away from your eye. âIâd do anything.â
You searched his face.
âAnything?â you asked suspiciously.
âAnything.â
You shook your head, smiling despite yourself.
âWell, Zu, you can start by shutting upâŠâ
Zuko blinked.
â⊠and once in your lifeâŠâ You leaned closer, your fingers sliding up into his loose hair until your noses brushed. ââŠjust kiss me.â
He didn't need to be told twice. He kissed you. True to form, he couldnât resist interpreting your instructions rather generously. His hands slid down your back, feeling the curve of your spine through the silk robe, while your fingers trailed down to his chest.
Right against your mouth, Zuko let out a hushed laugh.
You pulled back. âWhat?â You asked, allowing your fingers to trace his jawline.
âIâve wanted to do that again for so long,â he rumbled.
You rolled your eyes. âYouâve become unbelievably sentimental, Fire Lord. Was it three years or fifty?â
He laughed.
âI like to think Iâve become more honest.â
You smiled. ââŠAbout time.â
You leaned down and kissed him again. Unlike the times before, the kiss stretched out, deepening as the two of you got even closer. Zukoâs hands tightened on your waist, and with a tilt of his hips, he guided you backward onto the mattress, his frame rising over you as you sank into the sheets. His forearms came down to bracket your head so he didn't crush you.
Your fingers moved up, threading through the strands scattering across his shoulders. âItâs longer,â you whispered.
He smiled down at you. âSo is yours. You look beautiful.â
Your hand slid to his face, your thumb tracing his scar. Under your touch, he realized there had never truly been a time when he wasnât yours.
Zuko turned his head into the touch, pressing a kiss right into the palm of your hand.
As he pulled his head back, his eyes caught the light reflecting on your wet cheeks.
âHeyâŠâ
You swiped at your eye. âStop saying things Iâve wanted to hear again.â
He gave you a radiant smile that reached all the way to his eyes, and looked down at you, studying your features in the glow of the candle. âYouâre still the most extraordinary woman Iâve ever known,â he said.
You snorted, a deep blush immediately warming your cheeks. âYou can try again.â
He shook his head slowly.
âI saw you in the reception tonight⊠â he looked up at you, âand I forgot how to breathe.â
Your blush deepened, your hands sliding up to cover his mouth out of overwhelmed embarrassment.
âSpiritsâŠâ
He nipped shorty at the edge of your palm until you dropped your hand, his eyes dancing triumphantly.
âIt happens to be true,â he whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to the tip of your nose.
Zukoâs eyes traveled from your own down to the loosened robe. His hands, that were still bracketing your head, slid down to rest against the skin of your collarbones.
He didnât move any farther.
âZuko,â you breathed, your fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him down.
He caught his breath, his eyes locking onto yours. âAre you sure?â he whispered. âI can just hold you all night. I donât want to take anything from you again.â
âIâm glad youâre learning, but donât worry. You wonât.â
Your hands slid up his chest, your fingers wrapping around the backs of his elbows where his arms were locked to hold his weight up, and with a pull, you buckled his arms outward, breaking his balance.
Zuko let out a gasp as his chest met yours at last. The sudden impact forced his hips down, making you feel the rigid length of him press hard against your thigh. Your arms wrapped around his neck, trapping him there as your lips brushed the shell of his ear.
âThis is my choice,â you whispered.
He shuddered before his mouth met yours.
His hands moved to the tie of your robe. They unknotted the silk, parting the fabric to reveal your bare shoulders. His lips moved from your jaw down to your throat, reacquainting himself with the taste of your skin.
âI cannot believe I have the honor to hold you close,â he murmured against your skin, his hands smoothing down your waist, tracing the curve of your hip making your body melt into the mattress. He smiled against your neck. âArenât you⊠the most valuable asset of the enterprise?â
You couldnât help but laugh, your fingers threading curling into his hair. âZukoââ
âYou settled three rival guilds before sunset,â Zuko teased, his thumbs tracing the line of your ribs. âAnd every major guild in the Earth Kingdom knows your name. No wonder everyone looks at you the way they do. You make everyone want to surrender.â
âYou are ridiculous,â you gasped, you said with a breath of laughter, your head tipping back into the pillow as his fingers drew the silk from your shoulders.
âIâm just stating facts, Director,â he whispered, moving between your thighs. He looked down at you, a curl of steam rising from his skin, floating in the background.
âI believe, most importantlyâŠâ Zuko leaned down, his forehead resting against yours and his hands sliding up to frame your face. ââŠyouâre the woman who still owns every single thought I have⊠every piece of my heart⊠and every inch of me.â
You arched your hips, your heels digging firmly into the small of his back, pulling him flush against you and urging him to close the distance between your bodies.
âEvery inch, huh?â you murmured, your voice a sultry challenge.
Zuko nodded, his face drawing closer until he reached for your mouth, desperate to lose himself in another kiss.
But before his lips could touch yours, you brought your hands up, holding his face by his jaw, and keeping him just a breathless millimeter away.
âCareful, Fire Lord,â you whispered, earning the curve of his mouth. âYou know how meticulous I am with my assets. Iâll be measuring if theyâre enough.â
Zukoâs breath hitched, a growl catching in his throat at the audacity of your words.
You released his jaw and sank your fingers into his shoulders just as he drove forward, sliding inside you in a deep motion.
An equally shared and fractured moan tore from both of your throats, swallowed by the bruising kiss that followed as your rhythms locked back together.
When he began to move into you, you closed your eyes, your mouth falling open while soft noises spilled from it involuntarily at every thrust. Your palms slid up the wide expanse of his back to press him close, your body adjusting to his size moving in and out.
His face pulled away from yours to hide next to your neck, a moan vibrating right against your ear before he whispered, âIs it enough?â
âIâm still decidingâŠâ you panted, âand adjustingâ, your breath catching as the sensation overwhelmed you.
âYou can take itâŠâ
The words served as a warning as he plunged in and out a fraction faster. His mouth found yours again in a messy kiss that didnât quiet your moans but muffled them. Your inability to stop the noises made him thrust harder and deeper, angling his hips until they met the sudden hook of your legs, pulling him down once again.
âDid you get another freckle on your neck?â he asked, buried deep inside of you, pausing momentarily.
âI donât⊠know,â you gasped, every coherent thought entirely wiped from your mind.
His fingertip hovered over the spot in your skin instead of touching it. âI wouldâve remembered,â he murmured, his brow furrowing deep in thought.
âSpirits, Zuko,â you grunted, arching against him. âKeep going, please.â
He laughed right as his movements restarted. His length made you feel incredibly full, leaving no room for anything that wasnât him.
You kept moaning as you stared into his face. His eyebrow pulled inward, tense, his mouth open as he drew heavy breaths at every thrust that turned increasingly urgent. One of his strong arms slid beneath you as you squirmed, while his other hand remained braced next to your head, his thumb lightly caressing your cheek as your head pressed back into the mattress.
He kissed the opposite side of your neck, his pace faltering as your walls tightened around him. You pressed one hand to his back and gripped his thigh, urging him to go deeper. He obeyed without hesitation, his head pulling away from your neck only to fall next to yours, your hair tangling together from the friction.
âDonât stop, ZukoâŠâ
âWouldnât even dream of it,â he rasped.
He dived in deeper than before, hypnotized by the way your mouth parted and your eyes rolled every time he moved.
Deciding the view wasnât enough, he hoisted his weight upward without breaking the rhythm. Bracing himself on one hand, he used the other to gather both of your arms above your head. He pinned your wrists together beneath his palm, the new angle allowing him to move faster than before.
When you looked up, his jaw was tight with concentration at the sight of you under him, the pleasure noises leaving your lips nonstop as your body moved in time with his. But when his gaze dropped between you, a sharp gasp caught in his throat.
You dared to look down to the place your bodies joined. The sight of sweat running down his abs, flexing at every movement, guided your view to where he ran thick and wet into you. It was enough to push you over the edge. Your spine arched off the mattress once again as your muscles gripped him. At the sensation, Zuko dropped back down to your mouth, the hand that held your wrists freeing itself to tangle in your hair, keeping your head angled to receive his mouth over yours.
You came around him, your cries muffled by his lips. His own thrusts became ragged and desperate as he followed your climax. He drove into you just a few more times before pulling out, collapsing into the space beside you.
The sheets tangled around your legs as Zuko settled beside you, spent. He didn't say a word, but his hand sought yours, weaving his fingers through your smaller ones and pressing them flat against his chest, right over his heartbeat.
He leaned over, pressing his lips to your temple, then to your cheek, and finally to the corner of your mouth. Each one entirely devoid of demand and feeling the closest to a vow.
You looked up at him.
"I'm right here," he whispered into the room filled with steam, his thumb tracing the back of your hand. "I'm not going anywhere."
You nodded, your forehead drifting down to rest against his shoulder. You just held onto him, matching his breath until the dark turned to dawn.
đâËâč⥠âđâË
Your eyes snapped open to the bright sunlight piercing through the window screen. For a disorienting second, the room felt unfamiliar, making your chest rise with anxiety. The export shipping manifests, the supply chain deadlines⊠your mind scrambled to grab the logistics of the day, panic rising in your throat as you wondered if you had left Lao Beifongâs entire board of directors waiting at the estate gates.
A pair of lips brushed against your bare shoulder blade, working wonders youâd only experienced drinking one of Irohâs calming teas.
Zukoâs broad arm crossed your waist to drag you back against his chest. He buried his face into the crook of your neck, letting out a sleepy breath that woke your skin.
âYouâre thinking too loud,â he mumbled, his voice a gravelly morning rasp.
You let out a shaky breath, your hands coming up to grasp his forearm, melting into the solid mass of him. âThe factory tour. Zuko, I was supposed toââ
âToph came an hour ago,â he said against your skin, his grip relaxing just enough to let his fingers stroke your stomach. âBefore everyone left.â
You froze, your eyes widening. âShe came here? To the door?â
You felt him smile before he spoke. âI opened it. She didnât say anything, she just grinned, punched my arm, and told everyone in the hallway that the Director was taking a personal rest day.â
The relief of knowing the day had been cleared allowed your shoulders to drop, even if you knew you werenât going to be spared the continuing âI told youâsâ from Toph.
The daylight forced the reality of the last three years back into the room. Zukoâs hand slowed its movement against your skin, his fingers coming to rest flat over your ribs.
âDo you know what the worst part was?â he asked.
You didnât answer. You kept your back to him, staring at the dust motes dancing in the sun.
âEvery time something good happenedâŠâ Zuko swallowed, and you felt the next breath he drew. ââŠyou were the first person I wanted to tell. The day the treaty with the Southern Water Tribe was signed, the night the new schools opened in the lower districts... Every single victory felt completely hollow because Iâd turn around to look for you, and the room was empty.â
His forehead pressed against your shoulder blade.
"The first years on that throne... I was drowning," he admitted out loud, his words coming in an unpolished rush. "Every morning I sat in that council chamber surrounded by the same ministers who had funded my father's war, watching them smile while trying to figure out how to manipulate me. I had to learn to sleep with a dagger under my pillow. I had to look at my own familyâs history, and all I could see was a cycle of cruelty that destroys everything good. You were the only whole, uncorrupted part of my life. I became so consumed by the fear that the crown would force me to become someone dangerous⊠someone who would eventually drag you into the line of fire for a throne you never asked for⊠that I panicked. I thought if I kept you near me, the palace would swallow you whole, just like it did everyone else. And you didnât deserve that. You still donât.â
You turned around in his arms, forcing him to look at you. His eyes were clear in the daylight, shadowed by exhaustion.
âDo you know what I wouldâve chosen, Zuko?â you asked.
Zuko searched your face, already preparing himself to deserve whatever came next.
âYou,â you declared. âI wouldâve chosen the old men on the council, the targets on our backs⊠Zuko, I wouldâve chosen all of it if it meant choosing you. You never gave me the chance.â
The realization did what you knew it would. It destroyed the last of his self-inflicted martyrdom, confirming that his grand sacrifice had been nothing but a theft of your agency. A tear left his scarred eye.
Your thumb rose to catch the dampness on his cheek.
âIâm still angry,â you whispered, your fingers staying against his cheek.
Zuko nodded, his hand rising to cover yours, pressing your palm to him harder. âI wouldnât ask you to feel any other way.â
âIâm probably going to wake up angry tomorrow, too,â you warned him. âWe can't just erase these past few years in one night, Zuko. It doesn't work that way.â
âThen Iâll be there tomorrow,â he answered. He leaned in, his nose brushing yours. âAnd the day after that. Iâll take every bit of your anger for as long as you need to throw it.â
After hearing your words the night before, Zuko knew that whether you welcomed him back or closed the door on him once more, he would meet your answer instead of running from it.
âI understand why you did it. Even if I donât agree with your ways, I understand. And from now on, you can rest assured you donât need to decide for me.â
âI wouldnât dare to believe that anymore,â he said, brushing strand of hair away from your cheek with the back of his fingers. âLosing you was the worst mistake in my life.â
You bit your lip.
âEvery inch, remember?â
His knuckles grazed the side of your neck on their way to your waist, where his hand drew you back onto the bed.
He didn't go for your mouth right away. Instead, he slid down the length of your body until his head was positioned between your thighs.
Your fingers gathered the sheets around you. Zuko wet his lips, his eyes tracing the line of your hips. He slid his thumbs over the inside of your thighs.
âI used to think about this every single morning,â he murmured while he looked up the length of your body. âJust watching the sun find you. I forgot how much it completely ruins meâŠâ
You tapped a finger against his collarbone. âThen I suggest you focus, Fire Lord. Youâre currently operating on Earthen Fire time, and my schedule is exceptionally demanding.â
âIâll ensure my performance meets your highest standards, Director,â he rumbled, his grip tightening.
Zuko looked up at you from between your thighs before his mouth descended to your pelvis first, leaving a kiss right against your skin, exactly like he always used to.
đâËâč⥠âđâË
The estate doors groaned as Zuko pushed them open, stepping out into the crisp afternoon air with you right at his side⊠Three years had taught you how to walk alone. It took only a few steps to remember how to walk together.
Sokka, who had been in the middle of an animated gesture while explaining something to Katara near Appaâs tail, froze mid stride. Kataraâs jaw dropped, her eyes darting from your face to Zukoâs. Even Aang, who was adjusting Appa's saddle, paused to blink down at the two of you in realization.
"Uh..." Sokka blinked rapidly, pointing a finger between you both. "Did the sky fall while we were at the factory or am I hallucinating? Are you two... not trying to glare each other into ash anymore?"
"Theyâre fine, Snoozles," Toph interrupted, leaning against a nearby stone pillar with a grin on her face. She didn't even turn her head as she added, "I stuck âem on the same floor for a reason. What happened after that? Not my problem.â
Zuko coughed into his fist, clearing his throat trying to look anywhere but at your laughing friends.
"Toph," you warned.
"Just keeping everyone updated," she cackled, pushing off the pillar and strolling toward you. She dropped her voice enough for the two of you to hear, tossing a friendly elbow into your side. "Glad you finally stopped overthinking your logistics, Director. You were getting unbearable to work with."
Before you could offer a suitably corporate retort, Lao Beifong marched in, flanked by three assistants buried beneath towering stacks of leather bound ledgers, manifests, and inkwells.
âBy the way, youâre taking vacations. Also on my account.â
âIâm taking what?â You asked.
Laoâs face lit up the moment his eyes landed on you, settling the matter before Toph could speak.
"Ah! There she is!" Lao said, waving his hand to dismiss his helpers, who scurried to stack the paperwork on a nearby stone bench. He stepped forward, taking your hands in his with excitement. "Toph told me the news when we met at the tour this morning. I cannot tell you how incredibly relieved I am that you are finally taking some personal vacation time!"
"Thank you, Lao," you said, with a grateful smile. Whatever Toph had planned for you, you had learned to accept. Your professional instincts did flare as your eyes drifted to the massive stacks of paper. "But you know I canât completely disappear, the Omashu guild agreement is still waiting on my revisions, and I promised the arbitration committee Iâd review the shipping contracts before the end of the week. I can finish them whileââ
"Absolutely not,â Lao interrupted, raising a hand. âYes, I brought the paperwork because I knew you wouldnât sleep without checking the final registry. But you are not to worry about company business for the next month.â He smiled. âEarthen Fire Industries will survive without its finest asset for a few weeks.â His voice got lower. âPlease⊠you deserve to be happy.â
Lao gave your hands a squeeze before stepping back toward his assistants, leaving you a moment of space.
You looked up at Zuko, who had moved closer and was watching the exchange with an immense respect for the life you had built entirely on your own. His hand found the small of your back, his thumb tracing a comforting circle through the fabric of your coat.
"And where exactly would those vacations be spent?" Zuko asked, a teasing smile touching his lips. "Because I happen to know a place or two in the Fire Nation that have changed quite a bit since you left. Besides..." He leaned down. "...a certain dragon has been terrorizing the palace guards because he misses his favorite handler."
You tilted your chin up, smiling by the thought of seeing Druk again.
âI donât know," you murmured playfully. "I'm not sure if the Fire Lord would be particularly fond of me spending all my time at his palaceâŠâ
Zuko reached around, your hand fitting neatly within his. "The Fire Lord would gladly hand you the keys to the entire nation if it kept you there," he replied, his voice earnest.
Across the yard, Lao smiled at the sight of your happiness, while Toph made a dramatic gagging noise from her pillar.
"Oh, thank the spirits," Sokka groaned, throwing his arms up in the air and marching toward Appa's mounting ramp. "My favorite couple is finally back together! I couldn't take another day of the brooding. To be fully honest, It was ruining the vibe."
Katara rolled her eyes, giving you a supportive nod as she climbed up the sky bison's side.
"Seriously, please board Appa immediately," Sokka continued, gesturing for you both to get in the saddle. "We will deliver ya right to the palace ourselves so you can go back to your royal stuff, make your little fire bending babies, and live your grand Fire Nation life. Just no more pining. I'm begging you."
Aang laughed, settling into the driver's seat and grabbing the reins. "Are you guys coming, or do you need another personal rest day?"
Zuko looked down at you, his thumb brushing across your knuckles. He didnât answer his friends. His attention remained on you.
You smiled and gave his hand a tug.
âLetâs go home.â
note: i hope you enjoyed this! iâve been looking forward to finishing both parts so you wouldnât have to wait for me⊠i guess all the waiting happened before the release instead lol. thank you so much for reading ⥠requests are always welcome (just processed very, very slowly). also, taylor is allegedly getting married today/tomorrow (what??????). if so, happy wedding to my personal friend taylor swift wherever she is! xx
đ·ïžmy dear taglist (based off your approval in the last whaletail island series - always open!xx): @highlady0239 @xoxocelestial @eepypupy @maee67 @keropiiko @yeonatingz










