Something Ugly (kataang)

Something Ugly

Summary:

It was always attention from men that made things so complicated. Desired attention from the wrong man, undesired from the one wanted. When a flame of envy gets lit does someone always have to get burned?
//
Aang gets jealous.
(Smut.)

Notes:

Have you guys ever finished a fight with your partner and had sex and after having sex realise maybe you wouldn't have fought if you'd just had sex earlier? Anyways that and jealous!Aang are really what spurred this to pour from my soul to the page for you all. Prepare for general Kataangst and smut duh.
I also need to shout out and thank the legendary Flameohotwife for her help with this story!! I don't think I'd like this work nearly as much if not for your thoughtful comments, ideas and willingness to read my (very) messy drafts. If you haven't yet, I urge you to go read her work! It's all stunning / the kind of Kataang I breathe for.

Aang-

It is to my own dissatisfaction that I request your aid here in the capital urgently.

Myself and Mai were recently endangered by a rather sophisticated, organised assassination attempt. With Mai's current condition, I am in dire need of trusted figures here.

After this incident, power in the palace feels unstable. With the majority of the Kyoshi warriors currently indisposed, I hope you will be able to come to our aid. Not only is your protection highly valued, but your presence builds positive sentiment which I believe will combat bad rumours when news breaks.

I'm sorry for the short notice, I realise you've just returned home from the Earth Kingdom. Anyone you feel is qualified may accompany you as an additional guest. Obviously, Katara is more than welcome. Send word and I'll have accommodations organised.

Take care and safe travels,

Zuko.

Once Aang had read the scroll, he felt the piercing spark of sorrow and pinched the bridge of his nose as he slumped against the back of his chair. She would return, beaming and beautiful, while Aang would have to spend the next hour sorting out the right way to word the news. And after that they would have to try to spend the rest of the night not aching with the knowledge that their reunion would be so short lived.

In a tired attempt to distract himself, Aang fingered through other scrolls of correspondence, but it only took a few minutes before he sighed in frustration. He couldn't even absorb a sentence. He reread the letter from Zuko, and memorised the details. Despite the frustrated urge pushing him to burn it in his hand, he tucked it in his desk drawer and went to take his dinner alone. But he knew even eating would be unable to get the sour taste of disappointment out of his mouth.

He supposed he could tell Appa first. The bison surely would also be annoyed to have to start another fly. Thankfully, this one was a bit shorter (that was the only scrap of optimism Aang's rational mind could scrounge up).

The images of the summer he had wanted to spend with her started to crumble and fade. Duty took their places. Now the expectations set before him were work and work and more work despite the perfect, warm, long days that stretched out like lazy badger-cats on hot sidewalks. Summer nights with Katara were also a limited resource he didn't want to squander or share. He wanted to sprawl out with her on cold sand at empty beaches, go for late swims and take her on dates to the circus or take her camping. Just the two of them, preferably.

What could he give her for the night?

Well, he considered. They were more than capable of occupying each other for a night. But was that all he had to give her? He didn't like the thought crossing his mind, and he didn't want her to think of it like that either.