(no subject)

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Shaozu (Zuko/Mai), Kaguya (Sokka/Yue)
Warnings: AU, possible drama, possibly dirty

Under the influence of Avatar Aang's boundless enthusiasm and Toph Bei Fong's hard-nosed business sense, not to mention a dose of inventiveness from Sokka of the Water Tribe, the Earth Rumble tournament had evolved from a second rate small-town event to a multi-national competition. Over the years it had become so large that it had to be moved from its original location to a wide, empty plateau. There, over the course of ten days, people gathered from every nation to form a temporary, highly-structured village, at the center of which was the arena where benders of all elements would compete.

That had been the idea, anyway. But there were, of course, no airbenders around to participate until the Avatar's children were skilled enough to take part. And though the Fire Nation posessed what seemed like a glut of benders for such a relatively small country, they weren't entirely welcome in the Earth Kingdom, and so there were very few who made the trip to take part in the event.

It wasn't every year that they had royalty come to watch the event, and after King Bumi wiped the floor with the competition several years after the tournament's inception, none had stepped up to participate. So it was especially exciting that not only had five firebenders come from the Fire Nation to demonstrate their skill -- the top five in their class at the Royal Academy, in fact -- but that the Fire Lord's eldest son was among them.

The impression that most people got from Shaozu immediately was that he was quiet and intense. He was not actually taking part in the competition, but had come to conduct a demonstration which included a rare event that most of the onlookers had never before seen; a full ceremonial Agni Kai. And while there were certainly many among the crowd who would have made the assumption that the other young men were letting Shaozu look good, anyone who knew more than a thing or two about bending could note his obvious skill. When he concluded the final demonstration by shooting a bolt of lightning into the sky, there were few who could deny it.

Girls alarmed their fathers (and some, their husbands) by waving and shouting and flinging scarves and handkerchiefs to the firebenders and the prince especially as they exited the arena, the young men still bare-chested from their dueling. One or two waved back, but Shaozu's gaze was fixed straight ahead, and he did not stop or look around until he had slipped back into the tent, his tent; his status allowed him at least this much privacy, if not a whole building constructed solely for him.

Shaozu splashed water onto his face and wiped the sweat from the back of his neck with a damp cloth. It had been dustier than he had thought it would be, and now his skin was covered in a gritty film.

He'd need to have someone prepare him a proper bath sometime that evening. Shaozu wasn't as fastidious as his mother, but he was not particularly fond of being dirty.

Comments

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

Shaozu loosed the ribbon from his topknot and tossed it aside before dunking his head underwater, raking his fingers through his hair. He splashed around a little more, washing off the dust and sweat, before finally climbing up out of the tub.

He stepped closer to Kaguya, his feet bare and silent on one of the many rugs that covered the floor of his tent, the heat of his breath the only warning. Then he was half-leaning against her back, craning his neck over her shoulder to kiss her cheek, still naked and dripping.

"Thank you," he murmured.

[ameonna.livejournal.com]

Kaguya didn't bother to disguise the shiver at the press of his weight against her, and leaned back into him almost instantly, her brown cheeks going deeper pink, lips curling in a genuine smile.

Her head bent further forward, baring the nape of her neck as her silky dark hair slid over her shoulders.

"You're welcome," she breathed, tightening her backside with the impulse to wiggle her hips, which she suppressed. "I'm glad I could help."

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

Shaozu made a sound in the back of his throat, hands shifting to her hips as he accepted the invitation to kiss along the back of her neck, his damp hair trailing against her skin. But it was only for a moment, and then he tore himself away, walking off in search of something to dry off with and offering, tersely, "I don't want a wet floor."

[ameonna.livejournal.com]

Kaguya counted to four out of ten before she cast an eye back over her shoulder and drew her hands together in a deliberate instruction of chi, freezing the tub so solidly it didn't seem to sweat, even on the warm night.

"I could take care of that," she murmured, doing her best to maintain her word on not peeking and failing miserably, devouring him from the corner of her eye.

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

"So can I," Shaozu said and, giving up his search for a clean scrap of fabric, pressed his palms together and effectively evaporated the droplets of water that clung to him. Steam was still curling from his skin as he pulled on a pair of dark trousers and laced them, shaking his hair out of his face as he turned toward her again.

"But I don't like to waste energy unnecessarily," he said. "I'm not into party tricks."

[ameonna.livejournal.com]

She stepped closer to him uncertainly, and though her eyes were a bit disappointed, she didn't comment on the concealment of his skin, murmuring instead, "It's more like housekeeping. I don't do that sort of thing often, but I wouldn't mind being a bit domestic to make you more comfortable, in the absence of servants."

Her smile tugged her lips again as she drew near enough to have to tilt her chin upward to look at him. "It's a quaint, feminine custom, I'm sure, but I like to make you comfortable when I can."

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

Shaozu turned toward her, still blessedly barechested, his unbound hair skimming his jaw and still clinging damply to his skin.

And then he actually smiled.

"Is that why you came here? To make me comfortable?"

[ameonna.livejournal.com]

Kaguya beamed, lifting her hand to cover her teeth when he smile got too large, blue eyes sparkling.

"Well, yes! You did such a great job of your exhibition, I couldn't help noticing you got all sweaty and I thought you might like a bath and some company, and I wanted to see you and thought I might handle two birds with one stone," she explained, her hands twining so that her arms pressed her breasts toward the neckline of her sleeveless blouse.

"I know the ice wasn't subtle, but, ah- I don't know. I wasn't sure if you liked your baths cold or hot, and it takes more energy to transport that much water if it's liquid."

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

Though she was serving up a pleasant eyeful, Shaozu's gaze did not wander, and his smile faded as he turned to scoop up a clean shirt. Some might have thought Shaozu predictable. Kaguya knew better than that.

"It was a good idea," he said. Then he gestured toward the table where he had been sitting upon her arrival and asked, "Would you like some tea?"

[ameonna.livejournal.com]

Though she was sure that somewhere in the massive poetry section of Wan Shi Tong's library, there had been a recitation of a lady so unmercifully teased and lead on by her lover that the heat inside her furs could make her ice sculptures melt, that library was now lost to the world, and Kaguya might end up eventually recreating those poems herself.

"I would love some tea," she replied, smiling brightly.

[shes-unreal.livejournal.com]

Shaozu finished closing the line of golden clasps down the front of his shirt before sitting to pour her a cup of tea. Well, he was still barefoot and his hair was unbound, so she would have to console herself with that.