The Mistress of the Fire Lord

Chapter 23 - Reconciliation

I had spent some days in that routine, and she didn't seem to improve at all. Actually, I was starting to fear there was not much to be done except for making the end of her life a little more comfortable. I hardly ever saw Zuko again, and it was always weird. One morning, I had just arrived at my quarters, after spending a whole night tending his wife when, as I was leaving the bath, I heard a knock at my door. Without being able to think, I put a peignoir and went to answer to it, too sleepy to even question a visit so early in the morning.
-- Zu… Fire Lord. Are you OK?
He didn't seem to be OK. He seemed to have spent the night awake. Without waiting for my invitation, he entered and sat on my bed. At a loss, I closed the door and sat awkwardly beside him.
-- Are you OK? -- I repeated.
-- I haven't slept in two days.
-- You are worried with her, right? -- I tried to keep sympathetic and shoo away any delusions that it would be about me. I still haven't found the courage to tell him of how bad she was.
-- Yes -- he paused for a few seconds that seemed endless, before adding. -- But there's more to it.
-- Hm?
-- Don't play naive. It's you. It's always been you who have kept me awake at night. But it used to be nicer. Now it's just… Lonely.
-- Fire Lord…
-- Please, call me by my name. There's no one else here.
-- Zuko -- I conceded --, it's wrong. I love you, but it's wrong. Now, it's completely wrong. She's not well, Zuko.
-- I knew it. I saw it myself.
-- I swear I am doing my best. I want to save her. It's personal.
-- Why is it personal? -- he asked, seeming confused.
-- I owe it to her. I hurt her before, now I have to compensate for that.
-- I also did my best to compensate for hurting her. But I couldn't touch her anymore. All I could think of was you.
-- But Izumi…
-- Do you remember that dawn? When you almost got killed? -- he turned to me and looked on my eyes.
I nodded.
-- Well, that was the day she was conceived. I had to prove her there was nothing wrong, that you were innocent.
Gross.
-- That's too much information. -- I retorted.
-- But it's a necessary information. You thought I lied to you. I never did. I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen to me. Then you left me…
-- I am sorry. -- I held his hand, and we stayed there for a few minutes, just beside each other, feeling our proximity, when reality hit me.
-- You have to leave. Soon, the others will wake up, and you can't be seen here.
I stood up and touched the doorknob, when he held the hand on the knob making the door continue closed.
Then, he pushed me against the door and kissed me softly at first, but gradually growing more hungry.

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DISCLAIMER: The following excerpt has explicit content. If you are under 18 or don't enjoy this type of content, just skip the rest of the chapter.
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His hands opened my peignoir, and that's when I remembered that I was wearing nothing underneath it. Then, he placed tho fingers inside me.
I would have moaned if I wasn't kissing him. I know he was sleep deprived and probably not on his right mind, but so was I. The heat was growing, and my breath was coming with more difficulty when he suddenly stopped:
-- I really have to go.
I looked at him with pleading eyes, bit my lip and then part of my senses came back.
-- You're right. -- I was shivering.
Then, he gave me a farewell kiss and left, right after sucking his fingers and looking at me with a wry smile.