The Painted Lady and the Blue Spirit

The Water Bender and the Fire Lord

*Smut Warning*

Zuko gets no sleep that night.

He returns to the stack of paperwork he ignored from the previous night, Katara watches him work; she watches him from his bed, laying on her side with one of his pillows pressed to her chest.

"Lucky pillow," he thinks as he looks to Katara for the second time after sitting down to work. Zuko becomes focused, he finishes his paperwork and then turns to Katara, only to find her fast asleep, with a small smile on her face that makes Zuko's heart race like a cheetah stallion.

Zuko doesn't know how long he sits there, staring at Katara while she sleeps, bathed in moonlight that makes her skin glow.

Zuko watches Katara until the sun starts to rise behind him, he watches as Katara shifts and opens her eyes slowly.

"You look terrible," she breathes with a smile.

Zuko laughs and stands, he crosses over to the bed and leans over Katara.

"I was up all night waiting for you," he says. Katara smiles and pulls Zuko closer, she kisses him and then pulls him closer, making him fall into bed with her.

Zuko laughs against Katara's lips as he wraps his arms around her.

They lay together, peaceful as the sun colours the room in warm shades of orange and pink.

"I've had a thing for you since that day in the catacombs," Zuko admits as he traces lines up and down Katara's arms.

"Truthfully, I think we were always meant for each other," Katara admits, whispering softly as she brushes Zuko's hair off his face, "Around you, I can be myself."

Zuko kisses Katara and then gets out of bed.

"Where are you going?" she asks, sitting up in confusion.

"I am still the Fire Lord," he says, going to his wardrobe, "There's council meetings to attend and people who I need to meet with."

Katara sighs and then gets out of bed, she places a kiss on Zuko's scarred cheek and then leaves his room for hers.

She changes her clothes and then spends the day touring the capitol.

Katara returns to the palace, eager to lunch with Zuko, but he is not in the dining room when lunch is served. She is told by one of the servants that Zuko is in his office. Katara takes food to Zuko's office and knocks softly, but he doesn't answer, Katara opens the door quietly and finds the Fire Lord asleep with his head on the desk.

Katara closes the door behind her and then places the plate on Zuko's desk. Katara watches as the corner of his lips quirks, she smiles and then gently brushes the hair that has come loose from his bun, out of his face.

She kisses his scarred cheek and then his eyes slowly open.

"Kat?" he asks groggily, "What are you doing here?"

"You fell asleep," she smiles, "The servants said that you were still in your office, I thought I'd bring you food."

"Thank you," he says, stretching out his back and yawning.

"You know you could have slept last night," Katara says, "It was your bed after all."

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable in sharing a bed," Zuko says, he eats his lunch while Katara sits across from him, watching him with a smile on her face.

"What?" Zuko asks, noticing Katara's look.

"Nothing," she says with a blush, "I was just looking think how handsome you are."