Afterward Adventures (ATLA Zuko X OC)

Chapter Nine - The Search Pt. 1

Thump-thump... thump-thump...

A heartbeat. That's all she heard pounding in a peaceful rhythmic tempo. She felt the cool breeze of the morning kissing the bare skin of her left shoulder. Iris finally lifted her eyelids, allowing the first sunshine that entered from the window, to sparkle on the deep purple color of her eyes.

It didn't take long to realize where she had slept that night. She raised her head, only to see Zuko's handsome face. He had just opened his eyes and he stared down at her, with a smile threatening to escape his lips.

"Good morning, cupcake," Zuko said softly cupping her face, and pushing some of her hair behind her ear.

"Good morning, Flamehead," Iris said kissing his hand and taking it in hers.

"I guess I didn't dream last night," Zuko said with a mischievous smile on his lips.

Iris chuckled and she leaned closer planting a gentle kiss on his lips. She pulled back after a brief moment smiling warmly down at him "No, you didn't," she assured him and she rested her head back on his chest, with her nose nuzzling in his neck.

They didn't speak for a long moment, both trying to enjoy everything from the only moment they had together. Iris slipped her gaze around the luxury room.

"So, all the guest rooms are like this?" She asked.

Zuko hesitated for a second "Not exactly... this, actually, is... the Fire Lord's room," he said hesitantly.

Iris raised her head to look up at him. Eyes wide in surprise "Holy shit! You had planned all this, hadn't you?!" Iris exclaimed pointing accusingly at him.

The mischievous smile returned back on his lips "I'm really glad I did,"

"You son of a-" Iris tried to say but she was cut off as she found herself lying back on the bed with Zuko on top of her and smirk on his face.

He kissed her once again, fiercely, suckling on her lower lip until she quivered beneath him. She pulled back cupping his face.

"You know, we'll have to get off this bed sooner or later. We have to go to Hira'a today," Iris said.

The smirk on his face disappeared and he sighed disappointedly. He wanted to find his mother, he really wanted to, but it just felt like the wrong moment to do that.

"I don't wanna get off this bed right now," He said complainingly, like a five-year-old boy not given his candy.

"Do you think they'll let you spend all day on the bed fucking the Defender?" Iris asked teasingly.

Zuko sighed disappointedly, getting reminded once again that she was always right "No,"

"Besides, the whole gang is here. If my brother finds out what happened here, he'll freak out," Iris said smirking.

"Nah, I think he'll understand..." Zuko said leaning closer and he started planting kisses from her cheek and down to her neck "...he's a teenager, after all..." and then he looked back down at her "...there's no doubt they've done the same with Katara,"

"What?! No, no, no, no, no... he would have told me. Besides, he's too young for that," Iris said immediately.

"Too young?! I'm only three years older than him," Zuko said incredulously.

"But you still seem to be a lot experienced with this," Iris said smirking, recognizing that hungry gleam in his golden-brown eyes.

Zuko drew in a shaky breath and he leaned again down at her, giving her a hard kiss. He started slipping his lips away from her mouth and down to her neck. Her thin fingers sinking in his pitch black hair as her breathing ratted.