Behind These Walls, Part One
summary: zuko agrees to an arranged marriage with the princess of the earth kingdom but their alliance comes with terms. the most tasking one: producing an heir within a year. the only problem is zuko isn't over his ex, and you hate his guts.
pairing: firelord!zuko x earthbender!reader
wc: 6.5k
angst, zuko's kind of a dick sorry, abusive father, unprotected sex, creampie, forced marriage, series is not completely accurate to canon lore
queen charlotte au!!
𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀ঌ⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒
your clammy hands shook as you raised the inked brush to sign your name on your death certificate.
not death in the literal sense, but death in the sense of signing your life away. death in the context of marriage. a union you did not ask for, one you did not want.
only three months ago you were planning to finally break free of ba sing se and it's stuffy walls that locked you away from the rest of the world. you barely had friends, the only people willing to talk to you being the servants and your assigned guardian. as the eldest daughter and first born child of the king of the earth kingdom, most would believe you lived life in luxury and prosperity.
most people did not know that you were born to be a weapon. a tool specifically bred to gain an alliance with the fire nation and therefore, you spent most of your life hidden.
you had no real friends, didn't even know your own mother, had no social life outside of occasional appearances to keep gossip of the missing princess at minimum, and the once a year visit to the fire nation where you'd meet with firelord ozai and prince zuko to ensure the status of the forced betrothal and to bond with your future husband.
you were officially engaged at only ten years old, zuko being eleven. the visits moved to twice a year and during that time, you would be forced to spend time with the brooding prince. you had tried to, at minimum, be his friend but he was miserable and insisted he hated girls.
then ozai became firelord and the visits continued, becoming more frequent now that his father wasn't around to protest the idea of conquering ba sing se through marriage. after his rise in power, the plan was for you two to officially get married when you came of age at seventeen.
after zuko was scarred and banished at thirteen, the engagement was forgotten, though it was never actually called off. the attacks from the fire nation accelerated now that ozai wouldn't use his son to infiltrate the kingdom. this of course, was your fault in the eyes of your father. '
"you failed as his betrothed. if you had befriended him as i ordered you to, perhaps the brat would have been less motivated to speak out of turn! now look at us (name), you've doomed us."
of course this logic was nonsensical, but twelve year old you couldn't understand that. all you knew was that you disappointed your father and your people were dying because of you and the prince that refused to be your friend.
that was how you came to hate the man you were marrying.
ঌ
zuko was a man of honor. at least that's what he told himself to force his signature on the marriage document as he stood next to his bride who look equally as miserable as he felt.
he had put this off for as long as he could. he dated mai for several years, even came up with the idea to marry her but could never bring himself to do it. as firelord he could make it happen with the snap of his fingers but he could never get himself to just ask the fucking question, so he didn't. something always holding him back.
and he didn't blame her when she finally broke things off after his twenty-eighth birthday a few months ago, even if it turned him more bitter than he'd like to admit. she deserved someone who could give her the one thing zuko had not been able to offer.
later that night during the reception, zuko hardly looked at you, nor did you look at him. though when he did he couldn't help but to admire your beauty. you looked otherworldly in your bridal dress, which paid homage to both the earth kingdom and fire nation. your hair matched his in a half up, half down style and sat atop your bun was your crown that declared you firelady.
an uncomfortable feeling sat in zuko's chest that he tried to force away, snatching his eyes away from the ring on your finger when you had caught him staring. he kept his eyes forward, watching the traditional performance as a fire blazed in his chest.
it wasn't that zuko disliked you. he remembered you from when you were only children and how kind you had attempted to be to him despite his all but dismissive attitude. you would talk and he would sit with a permanent scowl on his face, wishing he could sink into the ground.
when his advisors had mentioned the idea of an experiment, seeing if the elements could mix, zuko brought up you. it was perfect. you were already royalty, an earth bender and legally, still his fiancé.
the last time he had seen you, was two weeks before he was banished for speaking out. you were charismatic as always, hoping to gain a sliver of the princes attention. now you were a woman, filling out your body in all the right spots and barely looked at him.
by the time the after party came and the dancing started, zuko was three glasses deep in wine and began to feel a little brave as a light buzz ran through his body. the stress of marrying someone he did not know and the conditions that came with it, slipping to the back of his mind as the music began to flow through his body.
zuko wasn't much of a dancer. he fucking despised dancing, but it was his wedding night and he was feeling brassy, so fuck it.
he stood from his chair, tall frame hovering over you as he stared down with golden-yellow eyes that burned with a look you couldn't quite decipher. he reached his hand out to you, lips quirked in what one might understand as a forced smile.
"wife." he grumbled and you took in a sharp breathe. you hadn't expected him to speak to you. "care to share a dance with me?"
you inwardly cringed, though being careful not to show it. you wouldn't ruin your union, not again. you would show your father that he could trust you, count on you to bring peace to the kingdom. maybe you would prove that you were worth treating as a daughter now. someone he could love as much as he loved his sons.
so as much as you wanted to decline, you gave a strained "yes." and took your husbands hand.
the dance was gentle, uncomplicated and would have been quite enjoyable if it were with anyone else. at least that's what you told yourself that night, arms around his neck as he bent slightly so could reach. his large hands gripped your hips as he pulled you close to his chest.
you smiled politely as the knot in your stomach unfurled and traveled between your thighs. heat spread across your cheeks but you weren't in the slightest embarrassed. while you had never had anything more than oral sex, you were far from a liar and knew you wanted this man in your bed.
he was beautiful and the long hair gave him an aura most men lacked.
this would be so much easier if he was ugly. you thought.
you hated him for his actions that led you to being seen as failure by your father but that didn't mean you were against fucking him. you were his wife after all, you were expected to perform your duties and that was far from the problem.
your father had ordered you to be with child within a year but you knew you could never have a child with a man you would never love. this union had turned into something distinct from it's original purpose. an experiment they called it, to see if royals from different elements could marry successfully and produce an heir. within a year.
you had your own plan, which was to take the preventative herbs (you bribed a servant for it) anytime zuko fucked you. you hoped that soon enough he would realize his poor wife is barren and pick up a few concubines to carry his heir.
you had other ways to make the marriage successful, even if that meant no child.
"i hope the night has exceeded your expectations, my queen." the words soured on zuko's tongue. here he was with a beautiful woman in his hands, and still his ex lingered in the back of his head. the relationship had been failing for some time, he knew that, but the sense of familiarity being snatched from him left behind a hole he couldn't seem to fill.
still, he tried to his best to forget about her. it was his fucking wedding night and his wife looked good enough to eat. he made a mental note to lay off the wine for the rest of the night, lest you show interest in consummating the marriage.
you faked a smile. "did you have a hand in any of the planning?"
you wondered. your father hadn't given you a say and left the planning to the professionals, with the one rule of incorporating earth kingdom culture. you were upset about being excluded from your own wedding but the green banners mixed in with red littered the room and it looked like a dream as the earth and fire symbol blended as one.
"not much." he chuckled as he spun you and brought your body back to his, swaying as he tightened his grip on you. not enough to hurt but enough to keep you put.
"i only played a part in approving the budget, if that counts for anything. not much of an expert in the wedding area. got kicked out of the room when I asked why decorations were necessary"
you fought a smile and nodded in agreement. a sick part of you was glad he had been forbidden from participating as well, knowing you weren't the only person deemed unworthy of planning.
your first common ground as a married couple. nice.
just when you were about to respond, you were cut off by an obnoxiously loud voice yelling over the music and moving closer to where you and zuko stood. you could see the annoyed but amused smirk spread across your husbands face as he straightened and you despised his happiness.
when he pulled back from you and took your hand in his as you turned to face the incoming squealer, you had to fight the urge to snatch your hand away.
for the earth kingdom. for my honor. you reminded yourself.
"flameo hotman! congratulations on the wedding." yelled the avatar himself as he gripped zuko's shoulder, clearly drunk and pulled him into a quick hug. another man with shaved sides and a bun joining in. you had forgotten zuko was now friends with his once mortal enemy but you had no idea who the other person was.
your stomach churned at the thought of zuko having friends. something was truly wrong with you if he could buddy up with someone he once wanted to capture and not you, a girl who only wished to hold a basic conversation.
you swallowed your jealousy and smiled at the men who gawked at you.
"wow zuko, didn't think you were capable of swooning a goddess." the man in blue joked.
zuko groaned as you bit back a laugh. "sokka. please stop." though his hand moved to your lower back, posssessively.
"this is my wife, (name)." he allowed the men to introduce themselves. you of course already knew who aang was but took a special interest in sokka. he was funny and you loved that he embarrassed zuko. you could still hear his laughter as your husband walked you two back to your now shared room.
behind you, trailed your father, some earth guards and a few of zuko's advisors and guards of his own. they escorted you to the bedding ceremony but would not be staying. when you both got to the door, zuko turned and talked to his advisors while you turned to your father.
your heart skipped a beat at the look on his face. he was a tall man but still shorter than zuko and every bit your reflection, which made your lack of a relationship even more depressing.
"you've gotten this far. do not disappoint me child. remember all that is at risk." was all he fucking said.
not I love you, or I'm proud of you. not even a simple well wish for his daughter on her wedding night. but you smiled anyway and when you went to drop into a bow, his hand grabbed your arm to stop you. you ignored the burn from his too tight grip and bit back a wince.
"you are the firelady now. you bow to no one."
you stood straight and nodded your head, acknowledging that you heard him. his grip tightened a bit before loosening but not letting go completely.
"an heir within a year daughter-"
"wife. everything alright?" a deep voice cut through the lecture you were about to receive and you turned to see zuko with a death glare on his face.
"firelord zuko, all is-"
"wife. are you okay?" zuko ignored your father, eyes locked on you as if no one else existed.
you nodded and rubbed your arm after your father dropped it. you fought the burn in your eyes and moved toward the room door. your father didn't wait, simply smiling and moving down the hall. guards on his tail.
zuko left you in room that night after making sure you were fine, moving through the doors that connected yours to his. you had expected him to consummate the marriage but he only bid you a goodnight and closed the door behind him.
you of course, had no idea that zuko spent the next hour fighting the urge to find your father and knock his head off his shoulders for putting his hands on you.
you awoke to the sound of bells the following morning, your hair a mess from the deep sleep you had fallen into. only a minute later, servants and what appeared to be your lady in waiting burst through the doors with clothes and a tray of fruits and cheese.
after you ate and washed, your lady (who called herself yuri) began to dress you in a silk thin strapped dress before adding a corset and tying it tight to your body. you winced as the woman sat you at the vanity and began pinning up your hair, adding whimsical fire lilies and daylilies.
you grumbled at the manhandling but kept quiet nonetheless.
after breakfast, you found yourself walking through the halls of the palace, on a mission of exploration.
"yuri. what is expected of me today? will I have any council meetings of my own?" please say no.
she chuckled next to you, speeding up to match your pace, two guards following behind. "you have no schedule, firelady."
"and why not?" you shot her a look of confusion. your father had you tutored in fire nation politics and etiquette since you were a child, so you weren't expecting this.
"because you are on your honeymoon, my lady."
you stopped, the guards behind you slowing their pace with annoyance. you hadn't thought of a honeymoon. you and zuko were supposed to be spending these hours cuddled in bed but he was no where to be found. what would you say anyways? you still hated him and felt incredibly awkward after he experienced the way your father handled you.
so you spent your first days as firelady eating sweets, drinking tea, exploring the palace grounds and reading a book. you did not see zuko. not at breakfast, or tea time, or dinner. how were either of you meant to fulfill your duties if he avoided you like you were a plague?
your guards began to bother you. they were constantly on your tail, the only alone time you got being when you slept or bathed. you had no doubt that zuko ordered them to do so, though you couldn't understand why. you were his wife, not his enemy and there was peace between your respective kingdoms, as far as you knew. plus you were more than capable of defending yourself.
the next time you saw zuko was five days past your wedding night. internally, you were fuming and feeling more insecure than ever. on the outside, you flashed your practiced smile and sat with him over a private breakfast in the gardens. he had a small enough table brought out and the two of you sat in silence.
he looked everywhere but at you and you stared through his soul. he looked hungover and agitated, as if he would rather do anything but be in your presence right now.
"where have you been?" you broke the ice. tea long gone, patience beyond worn. five fucking days. unbelievable.
zuko straightened and ran his fingers through his hair. it was free today, falling down his back as the wind blew it back gently. "I uhm-" he cleared his throat.
"have i offended you?" you had always been blunt when upset and no matter how much your guardian attempted to erase it, that had remained your one trait that stuck.
his eyes widened as he faced you fully this time. "no! i- just, i was busy with firelord duties. I did not mean to make you feel neglected."
you scuff and ball your fists under the table, fingers digging into your palms, your own hair whipping from the wind adding fuel to your agitation. it was more than just his duties, the man was actively avoiding you. you never saw him in the halls or pretty much anywhere and whenever you asked for his whereabouts, you were stiffly told that he was otherwise occupied. you were beginning to think-
"do you have a lover?" you hadn't the energy to bite your tongue. he was your husband after all and if you could not speak freely, this marriage was sure to fail.
he sighed and put his elbow on the table, forehead going onto his hand. "i am far too tired for this conversation. can we postpone?" the bottom of his palm rubbed at his sunken eyes.
your eye twitched. how fucking dare he. "when is a convenient time for the firelord to argue with his wife? i must admit, I thought you would have grown out of this by now, seeing as your buddies with your mortal enemy but can't spare your wife a few minutes to converse or let her know you're fucking alive."
"you are unbearable." he muttered before standing.
you were hot on his heels, following him to your rooms in a silent rage as to not cause a scene. you were madder than you had ever been. the only person to have ever dismissed you so rudely was your father and you would die before you took it from your husband as well.
but why were you so upset? you hated him, you shouldn't have wanted anything to do with him. maybe it was your trauma of being treated as less than, maybe it was jealously that his attention was going elsewhere. maybe you were sexually frustrated and needed a release.
it didn't fucking matter. zuko was acting like anything but a husband and you refused to deal with it past this day. which is why as soon as the door to your room slammed shut, you followed him to his conjoined chambers, ignoring his grunts of annoyance.
"why don't you just tell me what i've done wrong huh?" you bellowed, fist balled at your side.
zuko stared at you like you were mad as he shrugged off his robes. you tried to not stare at his arms, failing miserably. "are you so self absorbed that you believe everything is about you?"
"ha!" you sarcastically laugh, throwing your hands up. "considering you've been avoiding your new wife when we should be on our supposed honeymoon. can you really blame me for feeling that way?"
this man was maddening and you were fuming at yourself for having this conversation. you should have allowed him to stay away, to avoid building any kind of bond with this animal who you despised.
why were you allowing him to get under your skin?
"you've done nothing wrong, wife." he spits the word with disgust and the feeling was fucking mutual.
zuko honestly didn't know what had gotten into him. he was frustrated, hung over from his visit to republic city with sokka and consumed with guilt over his marriage after he'd gotten a letter from mai.
he'd hid it away without reading it, opting to leave his past in the past. he was fucking loyal, wether you believed him or not he was a far cry from the man his father was. so why couldn't he just say that?
"fine, I'll leave."
he ignored your yells as he marched out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
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for the next two weeks you danced around each other, only saying good morning, small hellos if you passed one another in the hall, or short conversations if you needed to discuss anything that required both of your signatures. it was a marriage in the formal sense only. you weren't even friends, hardly acquaintances, far from lovers.
most of your time was spent making public appearances, council meetings with zuko, reading, gardening or honing your bending skills in the training yard.
that's where you had been when zuko summoned you for the first time. anger burning bright as you used your feet and hands to earth bend, lifting different sized boulders, smashing them against walls and metal bending surrounding weapons. your hair which was braided behind your head, whipped with each vicious turn.
the guards watched with concern and a mild interest. some glared, not happy about the reminder that their firelord married an earth bender, let alone one that could bend metal.
"my lady. the firelord wishes for you to join him for lunch." yuri called from afar, too scared to get close.
you wished you didn't hear her because now you sat across the table, glaring daggers at your husband who looked unfairly desirable with his hair tied behind his head, bangs falling to the sides of his face.
you were freshly showered, now dressed in a fire colored silk dress, hair covering your shoulders as it was still drying from your bath. you were silent but zuko said nothing either, both waiting for the other to crack first.
a servant waltzed over to refill your cups before sensing the tension and hurrying their task, wishing to be far away from the dam that was cracking.
"i know you hate me and you have every right to." he started, his deep voice making the hair on your arms stand up. you hated that he was able to coax this reaction from you.
you only hummed in response so zuko swallowed his pride and continued. "I have not given you much reason to like me, i suppose. disappearing after our wedding, avoiding you, living in the past. it was selfish and i deeply apologize for it."
you didn't know what to say, anger withering a bit as you sat stunned and frozen to your seat. you hadn't expected him to be so straight-forward, it was far from his personality.
"you don't have to respond. i just- wished you to know that and hope that maybe we can start over. can we be friends?"
you quirk a brow. "i did try that, if you don't remember. you rejected me over and over then went and got yourself banished. i suffered years of abuse for that little stunt by the way."
you knew you shouldn't have been blaming him for that. from what you were told, he did the right thing by standing up for his people even if he suffered the ultimate consequence.
he grimaced before offering a small smile as a peace offering. "believe in second chances?"
lucky for him, you did. zuko spent the following weeks learning about you as if he had never met you before. every night, no matter how hard the day was, you'd find yourselves on either his bed or yours, asking the most mundane questions to deep, personal ones.
"how'd you get the scar?" you asked, legs crossed on zuko's bed. he sat in front of you in nothing but his pants, opting out of wearing a shirt. he claimed it was too hot, though his window had been left open, cooling the room with the outside breeze.
you didn't mention it, instead focusing on the scar on his chest.
"hmm, a gift from my lovely sister." his hand ran over the red mark.
he explained to you how azula had tried to kill his friend katara and he jumped in the way of the lightning. your heart clenched. this zuko was a different person from the selfish, angry boy you once knew. it made you wonder what he might do to protect you.
"what's your type?" you quickly ask in an attempt to smother those very much unwanted thoughts.
"isn't it my turn?" he chuckles, raising his brow at you. he leaned back on his arms, his hair framing his face as it fell down his back. your eyes betray you as they travel from his muscular arms and chest, down to his happy trail. you didn't mean to, really, but you bit your lip when you noticed his cock was straining against the confines of his trousers.
"my wife."
you head snaps up, face flashing when you realize you've been caught by the shit eating grin on his face. "hmm?"
"my answer is my wife. next question."
the shameless flirting continued after that. you had shown clear interest and zuko wouldn't let the opportunity pass. he was doing much better than he was during the first week of his marriage. the more he spent time around you, the less he thought of mai. in fact, zuko couldn't remember the last time he did think of her in the past two weeks.
it had taken him an embarrassing amount of time to notice just how truly attractive you were in looks and personality. his cock ached every time you were near and lately, his right hand has become his best friend. some days you would notice the effect you had on him and purposely entice him. like the other night during your twenty one questions session, you had worn a tank top with silk shorts that fit your hips just right and didn't leave much to the imagination.
zuko became possessive after that. any man who looked or talked to you became a potential threat. at galas he'd scare off any onlookers, standing right behind you with a death glare that reminded people that he was in fact, ozai's son.
you never noticed of course. your friendship was still blooming and he didn't want to mess up that progress because he decided to finally notice you and hated that others did too.
that would end the following week, when zuko's advisors requested an audience. all seven of them. and they requested for you to be present.
you sat at opposite ends of the long table, each side hosting all of the men that called this emergency meeting.
"pray tell what you've summoned my wife and i for?"
the men seemed almost embarrassed to speak up, grumbling their gratitude for their firelord accepting this meeting. just when zuko thought no one would talk, his grand chamberlain cleared his throat. you fiddled with your hands under the table.
"I beg your pardon for broaching a matter of a more personal and delicate nature, but may I ask about the well-being of your majesty’s union, and whether there has been any progress toward securing an heir to the throne?
your heart dropped but zuko only looked annoyed. in the weeks of getting to know each other, you had forgotten what you were sent here to do in the first place. secure an heir. show that the elements can mix and bring peace to both nations.
you made a mental note to throw out your herbs, guilt eating at you as you now considered zuko to be a decent person. you had expected him to still be that arrogant boy he once was and having no idea what kind of marriage you were walking into, had a servant secure you the preventatives.
it wasn't malicious but merely a way to protect yourself.
when you both retire to your chambers that night, zuko lingers in your room, towering over you as he holds your hands, thumbs rubbing over your knuckles in a way that makes you ache.
"i hope you understand that I would never force that on you. this is our marriage and we decide what happens in it and when, not creepy old men who no longer represent what this nation needs."
you weren't sure you loved him yet but you didn't need to love him in order to uphold your duties and create an heir for the nation. a symbol of peace for the rest of the world. you had never had more than oral sex from a few more than willing guards but your body craved zuko's touch and his cock as if it had experienced the feeling of being stuffed before.
"and what would you do if I said I wanted that? to give you an heir? this is our duty after all, our marriage is an experiment and maybe.. it's time we actually put it to the test."
zuko looked pained, as if every word you spoke brought him closer to death. you sank into his touch, head tilting as his hand moved up and cupped your chin. his thumb slowly rubs against your bottom lip
"if your words were truthful, I would take you to bed right now. show you how sorry I am for waiting to do this and then i'd fill you until you were full with my child."
you gasped, your stomach doing flips as he used his other hand to pull you impossibly closer, your breasts flush against his lower sternum. the man was a giant and you had to lift your head to look at him while this close.
"then do it, my lord, because i can assure you that my word is always truthful."
zuko smiled, a true one that showed his very small dimples before he slowly leaned his head down. when his lips finally met yours, fireworks exploded in your body. his lips were soft, movements gentle as he held your face in his hands.
you moaned against his mouth when his tongue dragged across your lips, testing your boundaries. you gladly opened your mouth, trading saliva with your husband as your tongues fought for dominance.
zuko fought the urge to bend you over the bed and take you deep and fast. he was well experienced in matters of the bedroom but you had him leaking precum and feeling like he could burst right there like a fucking virgin, his cock twitching in his trousers, begging to be inside of you.
he moved his hands from your face and slowly slid the robes down your shoulders until they fell to the floor. he pulled back from you for only a few seconds.
"you are truly ravishing wife." and before you could respond, his lips were back on yours. large, calloused hands dragged your dress up your hips before one spread your legs, fingers teasing your clit in slow circular motions.
you were soaked, your liquid coating the inside of your thighs as you whined against zuko's mouth. you returned the favor and pushed his robe off, fingers moving to undo the bun atop his head, throwing his crown to the floor.
"fuck." zuko grumbled before quickly discarding your dress and pushing you backwards toward the bed, his hands exploring your naked body as his mouth attacked yours.
when he finally had you laid out on the bed, he stood back and watched you. his wife. you were beautiful, dressed in nothing but your skin, hair fanning out across the sheets, body drawing him in like a moth to a flame.
"tell me what you want." he teased. zuko tossed his shirt then lowered his pants only half way, his hands freeing and gripping his thick cock.
your mouth watered at the size of him as your own hand made its way down to your dripping cunt, mouth dropped open in a moan as your fingers made contact.
"fuck me husband. do your duty to our nations and bed your wife."
zuko was whipped, quickly discarding the rest of his clothing and framing his long body between your legs. his cock rubbed against your pussy, your juices mixing together as zuko gripped the sheets above your head in an attempt to calm himself.
he lowered his head, trailing his nose against the skin of your neck, inhaling deeply before placing a kiss against your pulse. he began to grind his hips against yours, moving his hand to grab onto your breast, lowering his head to take a nipple into his mouth.
"zuko." you huffed, bucking your hips up for more friction, his tongue playing with your nipple sending chills through your body. "enough. i need you inside of me." you tug his hair lightly.
he complies almost immediately, a sly smirk on his face before he smashes his lips onto yours. zuko pulled his hips back only slightly, reaching his hand down to line his cock with your entrance. his rubbed the tip up and down your pussy a few times, covering himself with your juices before he slowly pushed forward.
you were unbelievably tight, your walls gripping and contracting around his cock. the fit wasn't perfect, zuko had to put extra force behind his thrust until he sat snug inside you.
a virgin. zuko fought the urge to cum then and there, the thought of being the first person to be inside of you doing awful things to his mind. pride and possessiveness swelling in his heart and making his head big.
you were in another world. the stretch of your husband finally stuffing you had you making sounds you didn't think possible. and when he finally moved, your hands clawed at his back as your eyes squeezed shut.
this was better than your time with your guards. the mixture of pain and pleasure setting your body ablaze as zuko thrust his fat cock deep inside of you.
"nngghh, that feels-oh! so good zuko." you moaned, tears forming at the corner of your eyes. when you finally opened your eyes, he looked down at you in awe.
his mind spun with feelings he wasn't ready to admit yet. the way you looked at him, eyes glassy as he was deep inside of you. something about the moment was too intimate, too close to a feeling he refused to acknowledge.
so when you cried out for him to go harder, he obliged. he hooked one of your legs over his arm and went deeper, his balls smacking into your ass as he pounded his way to ecstasy.
all too fast, a knot was forming in your stomach. "ooh fuck, m'gonna cum!" you cried, wrapping your other leg around his waist.
"that's it, love. let go for me." he grunted into your ear, nibbling at the lobe and you were gone. head thrown back in pleasure, your orgasm crashed into you like a wave. red pulsing pleasure pulling you under as tears streamed down your face.
zuko fucked you through it, his strokes faltering as he neared his own orgasm. he buried his head in your neck as he fucked you harder, one hand moving to grab your ass as he pounded you ruthlessly.
he grunted as he shot ropes of cum deep inside of you, painting your walls white as the wind was knocked out of him. he didn't stop, he kept his pace as he dropped buckets into you, his hand squeezing your ass tight enough to leave a bruise.
his mouth dropped open only an inch as steam rose from his body.
ঌ
the next day you were an entirely different person. you let your ladies bathe you, dress you and fix your hair without any complaints. you didn't mind your guards following you as you made your way to where you were told you could find your husband.
there was a confidence in your step. you felt and walked like a woman now. gone was the young sheltered princess and in her place was a firelady who was possibly carrying the future of this nation.
"oh!" you gasped as you passed the gardens and thought of the new plants you were experimenting with. a mixture of fire and day lilies to represent yours and zuko's union. you smiled to yourself as you thought of your plan to bring him here later and show him what you had been working on.
you weren't an expert in gardening but as a locked away princess, a lot of your time was spent in the garden when you weren't taking lessons in etiquette, politics or earth bending. the palace gardener took pity on you, a young girl mopping about the lawn, and began to teach you when you were eight.
"one quick detour gentlemen, and then we'll go to my husband."
when you found your special plot which was tucked away near the fountain, you stopped dead in your tracks as your heart thumped violently in your chest, smile vanishing in an instant.
stood with his lips locked against a woman you did not recognize, was your husband. his eyes were wide before he pulled back and stepped away, running his hand through his head. the woman was beautiful, with hair darker than zuko's and features so sharp they could cut.
"zuko." you whispered, but it was loud enough for him to hear you as he whipped his head towards you, eyes wide as time seemed to slow. why couldn't he speak? sweat beaded at his neck as his hands shook.
"what is the meaning of this?" you asked as tears formed in your eyes. how could he? after everything. after the weeks you spent together, after last night. did it mean anything to him or was he simply playing his role and carrying out his duties as firelord?
"love, it's not-"
"I was just leaving." the woman cut in but you bolted before she had the chance. tears streamed down your heated cheeks as you hiked your dress in your hands and ran past your guards, the men following in confusion.
your marriage was a faux and the reality of that left you glued to your bed for the rest of the day. tears streaming down your face as you wished you never threw away those herbs.
part two
𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀ঌ⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒
note: as per the results of the poll, here's part one of the zuko arranged marriage fic! it's based on the show queen charlotte so expect some more angst in future parts but i promise it's worth it!
zuko taglist
now i'm gonna work on my frat kuna fic 🤪
