Archive of Our Own

Firelord Zuko was being followed.

The stalker was good, Zuko admitted, to be able to sneak into the back gardens of the palace. Anyone else surely would have missed the odd rustling of the grass or the ever-so-slightly out-of-place footstep.

Zuko noticed him, though, as he calmly walked through rows of peonies. Hands folded in his sleeves, Zuko's posture was as nonchalant as it could have been as he walked to the back of the garden, towards a dead end in the path leading to the back walls.

He had no reason to worry, after all.

He walked, steps measured perfectly enough to appear casual. He even started humming a bit to himself. From behind him, he could hear the assassin getting confident — the assassin's steps grew faster and heavier.

'Extremely confident', Zuko mentally noted as his left arm was suddenly grabbed and his back was shoved against the stone wall. He was just able to keep the back of his skull from smacking against the stone. Zuko levelled his gaze at the assassin — who was only wearing a thin cloth around the bottom half of his face.

Immediately, a dagger was pressed against his throat. Zuko slowed his breathing, feeling the knife's edge against him every time he took a breath. He was honestly surprised the assassin didn't just kill him immediately.

"You're either overly confident or stupid, Firelord Zuko." The assassin spit out his title like it was something to be ashamed of. Zuko only wrinkled his nose in thought; this guy could be a fringe supporter of Ozai or someone from the other nations still angry with the Hundred Year War.

Letting out a sigh, Zuko looked past the assassin's shoulders.

"He's neither."

Another voice cut through from behind the would-be assassin, and he spun around, movements jerky and off-balance. Zuko winced as the dagger was dragged across his neck, nicking his flesh. He could feel a tiny bit of blood dripping down the side of his throat.

It was over in an instant, though. The assassin's throat was sliced open so deep he was almost decapitated, blood gushing from the wound as he uselessly tried to grab his throat in his last, dying moments.

"He's really fucking stupid."

Zuko looked up from the bleeding corpse on his grass, catching the gaze of the tall, hooded, and masked man standing before him — only a pair of bright green eyes and sharp, angry eyebrows visible.

"Hi Jet," Zuko said to him, a smile on his face.

"Hi Jet? Hi Jet!? That's all you have to say? He had a knife to your throat!" As Jet was yelling at Zuko — very loudly, Zuko might add — he pulled off his hood and pushed the mask down under his chin.

"Do you have a fucking death wish!?"

Jet's tanned face had a few scars on it now, two large ones across his nose and along his chin, and some smaller ones scattered about. His hair was as messy and shaggy as it had always been, except now he had it pulled into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck. His dark uniform had a gross amount of blood on it, and Zuko grimaced.

"Did you have to do it so… messily?" Zuko eventually asked him.

Jet practically screeched in anger, moving up to Zuko and jabbing a finger at the Firelord's chest.

"Yes, I fucking did. How could you let him get so close? Are you suicidal again? Do you know how much danger you were in!?"

Zuko could only look up at Jet's eyes, at the scowl on his mouth and at the furious angle of his stupidly thick eyebrows. He couldn't help but give Jet a fond smile.

"What do you mean? I was never in any danger."

Jet groaned loudly, dragging his gloved hands down his face. He shot a glare at Zuko, who was still smiling, and Jet turned on his heel.

"Get one of the palace guards to get rid of his body, you asshole! I'm not doing it!" And with that, Jet stomped off, leaving indents in the grass as he walked off.

Zuko took one last look at the body as he sidestepped it to walk back to the palace, looking up at the bright blue sky, scattered with fluffy white clouds.

His gardeners weren't going to be happy that there was blood on the Firelord's prized peonies.

Jet was a dead man. He had died at Lake Laogai, buried in a mass, unmarked grave, and left to rot and be forgotten. Death certified and stamped by some Earth Kingdom official. Dead.

Well, on paper he was dead. In reality, he was sitting on the roof of the Fire Nation palace, scowling into the sunset.

Zuko was in the room below, in some kind of stupid bureaucratic meeting, where he was undoubtedly overworking and overextending himself. Zuko took the Fire Nation's burdens on his shoulders, doing everything he could to give a new era of peace to the world. No one gave him any grace, not the leaders of the Earth Kingdom or the Water Tribes; not even his own people.

Jet didn't really care about that. Yeah, the world being in peace was great! But he mostly cared about all the fucking assassination attempts Zuko had to deal with.

Before he arrived, when Zuko was first crowned, he heard there had practically been one attempt a week, sometimes more. Something in his blood boiled at that – that another person dared try to touch Zuko.

The Firelord's personal guards had also assumed Jet was an assassin too, at first.

Okay, yes, he had his weapons on him. Yes, he was sneaking into the Firelord's bedroom through his window while the Firelord was changing into his sleeping robes. That didn't automatically mean he was there to kill him!

He just wanted to see Li.

It was his ball-busting boss that got him to not completely despise firebenders or the Fire Nation anymore. Because when he first woke up out of his coma, he was burning with fury and hate and anger and needed a way to let it out.

His boss was tough, but she listened to him. Well, she didn't listen to his whining and bitching, as she called it, but she listened to him. About his childhood, about the fire and the trees and the flooded village. In turn, he listened to her as well. They got along well. Jet appreciated her giving him a job, letting him live as a ghost, and she appreciated that Jet didn't mind getting his hands dirty.

So he asked her about the Firelord. Because he knew, by now, that the Firelord was Li. He saw Li's stupid smiling face on a poster about the Firelord coming to visit Ba Sing Se for some festival. He swore he stood there for hours just looking at the drawing, at the details of Li's face. Immediately when he saw his boss again, he said he was going to the Fire Nation. She had just raised an eyebrow, not looking in his direction, and just told him to do whatever he wanted (that meant "good luck" between the two of them).

And that's how he found himself in chains in a Fire Nation dungeon. (Li had said his name, eyes wide with— with something as he stared, Jet staring back as he was pulled away.) He guessed he was only in the dungeon for an hour or so when Li came to visit him. For a long while, Jet and Li just looked at each other, Jet sitting on the floor, back against the rough stone walls, Li crouching down to look at him between the doors.

"Jet," Li said, voice breathless and — and hopeful. Jet cocked an eyebrow at the Firelord, shamelessly running his eyes over Li, over the regal robes he wore and the long hair tumbling over his shoulder.

"Li", he said back, keeping his voice even.

"Actually…" Zuko shifted a bit, his gaze moving to stare at the ground by Jet's feet. "It's Zuko."

"I know."

And they stared and stared at each other again, until Zuko stood up. He had a key and unlocked the bars of the cell. Then Zuko walked the cell. Jet jumped to his feet, unprepared and unable to think of what the fuck Zuko was planning to do. He tensed up as Zuko walked up to him, Zuko not even being able to look him in the fucking eyes and—

There was a clink of metal, and his shackles dropped to the stone floor.

Jet blinked and looked down at his wrists — and when he looked up, Zuko's eyes were on his, wide and thoughtful and looking at Jet like no one had ever looked at him before. (That was a lie. He pushed back the memories of Li looking at him like that, the two of them sitting on Pao's roof, their fingers interlaced, their lips touching and Li gasping and—)

"…you can get out of your cell now," Zuko said, stepping to the side slightly. Jet realized he had been standing there for almost a whole minute just staring at Zuko.

"I wasn't trying to kill you, you know," he blurted out. He couldn't keep it in; he needed Zuko to know that, at the very least. "I just wanted to— to make sure it was you."

Now Zuko's brows furrowed, and he tilted his head to look thoughtfully at Jet. There was silence in the dungeons for what felt like forever, until Zuko broke it with a soft smile.

"Do you want some tea?"

It was as if he had tumbled face-first into a new life after that. He and Zuko, together. They drank tea and played cards, and Jet slept on the floor next to Zuko's bed despite Zuko insisting Jet be the one to take the bed. They didn't talk about Ba Sing Se, not yet.

They did start kissing, though.

They were just sitting next to each other one night, leaning against the wall of Zuko's bedroom, each with a porcelain bottle in their hands. They were trading stories, and their talk had lulled into a comfortable silence. And then Zuko had leant over, pressing his lips against Jet's.

They weren't drunk, not even tipsy, but Jet felt his head go fuzzy. It took him a while for his mind to come back to him, realizing that Zuko was kissing him. Zuko, the Firelord. Zuko, the firebender. Zuko, the scowling boy with his bad attitude and tea-stained apron. Jet smiled and finally pressed back, pushing Zuko to the floor and kissing him, all the while Zuko murmuring his name softly.

Kissing just sort of became part of their routine then. Kissing and more, Jet noted very happily.

The first time Jet protected Zuko, they were kissing in his room. Jet sensed it a half-second before Zuko did, and he grabbed a particularly sharp letter opening, throwing it at the open window.

The open window, which now had a dead body slumped over the windowsill. His "official" job started then; official as a dead man could have anyway. No one still knew he was there, other than Zuko and his boss, and he rather liked it that way.

Even when no one else knew he was around, Zuko knew he was around. He had interrupted and stopped many an assassination attempt before the palace guards even had a chance to react. Jet smirked with pride. He could still beat a firebender.

Well, he wasn't smirking now. Now he was glaring at the setting sun, waiting for Zuko's meeting to finish. He got up when he heard the shuffling of feet, muffled platitudes and farewells. Jet walked across the roof, still scowling, wishing he had a cigarette in his mouth. The Fire Nation made some damn good cigarettes.

He swung himself into Zuko's room through the large window with his hook swords before Zuko even came in. He heard Zuko dismissing the servants and guards, the soft click of the door unlocking, and the pattering of Zuko's feet as he walked into the bedroom.

Jet was pointedly not looking at Zuko, standing in front of the window, swords leaning against a piece of furniture, arms crossed in front of him. He heard Zuko shuffling around in the room, changing out of his royal robes into simple sleepwear, silk pants and a soft, airy robe on top.

"You still have blood on yourself, Jet." Jet could hear the concern in Zuko's voice. So now Zuko was concerned about something. Jet ground his teeth together, jaw clenching, wishing Zuko would have as much concern about himself.

Jet turned around, his eyes bright and angry. Zuko actually had the gall to look surprised, eyes going a fraction wider, blinking at Jet's fury.

"Jet…?" he asked, lips pursing into a tiny, questioning frown. "Are you… still mad?"

That had Jet fuming. Jet knew if he were a firebender, he'd be smoking from his nostrils by now. He walked up to Zuko, pulling the bloodied and soiled top of his uniform off and throwing it to the floor. Zuko was still staring at him, but his gaze flickered to Jet's exposed chest for a brief moment.

"Yes, I'm still mad," he hissed out. Zuko was standing at the foot of his bed, still looking confused. "I'm fucking pissed. I'm so mad I could—" Jet stopped his tirade, inhaling sharply through his nose. He shut his eyes and counted to ten in his head, breathing in, and then out. In and out.

He opened his eyes, looking at Zuko.

"Safe word?"

Jet could see a shiver run through Zuko's spine. Zuko's soft breath hitching and his cheeks going pink. Zuko looked up at Jet through long lashes, gaze heated.

"Wisteria," Zuko practically whispered out, giving Jet the confirmation he needed.

"Good boy."

There was a soft thump as Zuko sunk onto his knees, still looking up at Jet with half-lidded eyes and lips parted. Jet gave Zuko a pleased smile, hand going to Zuko's chin, thumb pressing against his bottom lip. Zuko's tongue came out to lick at the tip of Jet's thumb, and Jet took that as an invitation to push the finger into Zuko's mouth.

Zuko's tongue was soft under Jet's calloused finger, and he pressed down, feeling Zuko's tongue press against his thumb. Zuko was still looking at him, pupils blown wide, his face now flushed and red. His golden eyes squinted in frustration as Jet pulled his finger out, letting out a small, disappointed whine, only for Jet to shove his pointer and middle finger in Zuko's mouth.

His whine turned into a pleasured moan, and Jet's fingers pushed to the back of Zuko's throat. Zuko opened his lips wide, letting Jet pet his tongue, thrusting his fingers in the warm cavern of his mouth. Zuko let out a few gags when Jet shoved his fingers too far, Jet's fingers rubbing over his tongue softly in apology. He pushed a third finger in, drool spilling from Zuko's lips and down his chin. He let out a whimper, trying to nuzzle into Jet's hand.

The only reward Zuko got was Jet pulling his wet fingers away from Zuko. His eyes crinkled in frustration, his chin tilting up.

"Jet—" he started.

Zuko was cut off as Jet slapped the side of his face with an open palm. It wasn't strong, not as strong as Jet could do, and he waited a beat for Zuko to say his safeword.

Instead, Zuko let out a loud, long moan, his eyes slipping shut.

"Good boy," Jet repeated, his voice coming out a quick breath. "Isn't that right?" He moved his hand up Zuko's face, over his unscarred cheek, to grab a fistful of Zuko's hair. He pulled it, tilting Zuko's head to side as the man on his knees let out another quiet moan.

"I'm good…" Zuko looked up, opening his eyes, glasses over and blown out. "I'm good for you," he said again, trying to nuzzle into Jet's wrist.

Zuko's breath hitched as Jet pulled his hair again, dragging Zuko forward, pressing Zuko's face to his crotch. Zuko let out a happy moan, feeling the heat from Jet's cock even through the thick fabric of his pants. He turned his head to press his nose to the clothed bulge, his mouth open, panting against the fabric and wetting it with open-mouthed kisses. His hands were fisted in Jet's pants, leaning against Jet's thighs, and he looked up at Jet with so much want. He mouthed at Jet's erection, trying to kiss and suckle him through the wet clothing.

Jet, hand still gripping Zuko's hair, looked down at him. He pushed a thumb into the waistband of his pants, pushing them down a fraction.

"Do you want it?" Jet asked Zuko, almost cooing at him. Zuko groaned and nodded against his cock, eyes never leaving Jet's. "Do you think you deserve it?"

"Please, please, please, please, sir, I want it." The words came tumbling out of Zuko's mouth. All he could think of was the heat that was trapped under Jet's clothing, how good it felt, how well it filled him up—

"I didn't ask that." Jet pulled Zuko away from his cock, rough and abrupt, making Zuko whine out. "I asked if you deserved it."

Zuko breathed out, looking at Jet through half-closed eyes. He let out a whimper, at the mercy of Jet's hand. Jet let him sit there, on his knees, as he slowly pushed his pants down past his hips, cock bobbing free, hard and leaking and red at the tip. Zuko inhaled a breath, feeling his mouth water as he stared at it.

Jet kept a hold on Zuko's hair, controlling him as he brought Zuko's face up to his cock. He slid it over Zuko's cheek, precum getting on Zuko's skin. Zuko only stared up at Jet, licking his lips. With a tiny smirk, Jet tilted Zuko's head back.

"Open your mouth for me," he told him, and Zuko did, lips parting and tongue coming out. Jet slapped the tip of his cock against Zuko's tongue, and Zuko let out another pleased moan, his tongue lapping at it, lips kissing the tip and licking the precum that dribbled from it. He suckled on the head, trying to push forward and take more.

But Jet didn't let Zuko take control, instead guiding him by his hair to take more of his cock. He was slow, his shaft sliding across Zuko's tongue. He kept going and going, until he felt the head of his cock hit the back of Zuko's throat.

Zuko didn't gag; instead, he held himself there, mouth wide and open and waiting. Jet brought both of his hands to Zuko's head now and held him in place as he shoved in further.

He could feel Zuko's throat working to take him in, Jet letting out loud, unabashed moans as he felt Zuko's throat tightening around his cock. It was bliss, and he kept pushing Zuko forward until Zuko's nose was pressed against his abdomen, his entire cock nestled warmly in the Firelord's throat.

Zuko's face was wet with drool and spit and precum, dripping from the sides of his mouth down to his chin. His eyes were glassed over and wet, tears clinging to his lashes — Jet watched a few fall as Zuko blinked — and he tilted his chin up to try and take even more of Jet in his mouth.

Jet let out a low growl and held Zuko's head still, and he fucked his throat. He pulled his cock out so that the tip was resting against Zuko's bottom lip, letting him take a breath of air, before plunging in again, holding Zuko still as his cock was forced down his throat again and again.

Each time Jet's cock battered his throat, Zuko could feel himself close to choking — he tried to moan, the sound coming out stifled. He could feel his own dick twitch in his sleep pants, leaking into the soft fabric. He took a breath when he could, his eyes never leaving Jet's face, even through the haze of tears and the lack of oxygen.

His chest heaving and panting, Jet ran his fingers through Zuko's hair, petting him, fingers going to scratch behind Zuko's good ear. He swore he could feel the vibrations of Zuko's moan on his cock. Zuko finally let his eyes shut, his fists in Jet's pants loosening, pressing his palms against Jet's covered thigh.

"There you go," Jet said, his voice low and soft and comforting to Zuko's ears. He moaned again, trying to swallow more of Jet down, despite his nose being pressed to Jet's lower stomach. His head was fuzzy in that good way that only Jet could bring him, his whole body relaxing.

Jet gave a few more short thrusts of his hips, Zuko's mouth lax and wet, his cock still inside Zuko's throat, neck bulging from Jet's girth. He ran his fingers down Zuko's cheek on his unscarred side, moving to cup his jaw. A soft groan was Zuko's only warning before Jet came, spilling down his throat, Zuko gulping it down greedily. Spit and cum spilt out of his mouth from what he couldn't swallow, and as Jet pulled out of his mouth, he gasped sharply, eyes still glazed over.

Jet was still cupping his jaw, tilting Zuko's face up, Zuko's whole body lax. Zuko finally nuzzled into Jet's palm, his tongue coming out to lick the mess he left on Jet's hand. Jet couldn't help but give a soft laugh, kneeling down to kiss Zuko, despite his face being wet and messy.

He licked into Zuko's mouth, Zuko only having the energy to flick his tongue against Jet's. Jet broke the kiss, and Zuko let out a soft huff.

"Come on." Jet held Zuko's wrists as he guided the firebender up. The whole room felt sweltering, and Zuko was the epicentre of it. It was an overwhelming but comforting heat, like the sun bearing down on him on a summer day. He guided Zuko to the bed and, deciding to be a little mean, gave Zuko a small push, sending Zuko tumbling down onto the plush blankets on his bed. He crawled in, Zuko giving him a soft glare.

"What?" Jet teased him, crawling over Zuko. Zuko glared at him again and pulled on his pants, scowling up at Jet.

"Get these off," he said, words tumbling together. Jet's lips pulled up into a smirk, but he obliged his Firelord's wishes, shimmying his pants off as Zuko pressed kisses to his face and lips. Jet let himself bask in Zuko's warmth for a moment, in the soft feel of Zuko's lips against his. He pulled away, Zuko trying to follow him, only for Jet to press him down back to the bed, hand loosely against Zuko's throat.

"Be good," he scolded, feeling Zuko swallow under his hand. He moved off Zuko to reach the bedside table, opening a drawer and fumbling around. He was only slightly distracted by Zuko pressing kisses to his neck and chest, mumbling Jet's name over and over again.

Jet came back with a vial of oil in his hands (the palace servants kept wondering why the Firelord needed so much hair oil). He let the bottle tumble to the bed besides him, leaning back on his knees, Zuko letting his head fall back on the pillows.

Jet looked at the expanse of Zuko's naked body. He ran his hands up Zuko's toned thighs, up over his belly, to his heaving chest. Jet smirked, his hands cupping Zuko's chest, squeezing it as Zuko gasped.

"Do you like that?" he asked. Zuko's face flushed red. "Do you like it when I fondle your huge tits?"

Zuko inhaled through his teeth, blushing up to his ears.

"Je-et," he moaned out, closing his eyes and turning his head to the side, embarrassed. Jet smirked, fingers going to pinch his nipples, tugging them harshly.

"One day," he murmured to Zuko, who was shivering under his hands. "I'm going to slide my cock between your fat tits and fuck them." Zuko let out an embarrassed moan, teeth clenched together. He pulled Zuko's nipples harder, the nubs going cherry red under his fingers.

"Jet, Jet, please, I've been good," Zuko whined out to Jet, opening his eyes just barely, enough for Zuko to see a flash of his golden irises. Jet narrowed his eyes, letting go of Zuko's nipples, his hands immediately going down to grab Zuko under his knees.

"You haven't been good," Jet said, his voice almost a growl. Zuko groaned unhappily, rocking his hips, his leaking dick bobbing in the air. Jet grabbed the vial of oil, pouring it messily over his hands, not caring if he got the sheets messy with it (they would be so much messier by the end of the night). He put Zuko's knees over his elbows, his middle finger rubbing against Zuko's cheeks. Zuko got more desperate, rolling his hips down, trying to get Jet to do more.

Jet's middle finger rubbed against Zuko's hole, and Zuko let out a shaky breath. Jet kept petting over his hole, watching Zuko's head toss back and forth, Zuko's arm going up to bite his hand. Jet pet over the center of the ring, pressing his finger in easily. Zuko was relaxed and hungry for it, and Jet easily slipped in a second finger, working them in and out of Zuko's ass. Zuko helped by rocking his hips up and down, practically fucking himself on Jet's fingers.

The room was hotter now; Zuko was hotter now, his whole body burning, sweat dripping down the both of them. Jet speared three fingers into Zuko, stretching them, spreading Zuko's ass to get him ready for his cock. Zuko was still mumbling out Jet's name, voice soft and begging and whining. Zuko's voice broke into a cry as Jet pulled his fingers out, looking at Jet with tears down his face.

"Jet, Jet, more, more, more, more," he repeated, moaning out, his voice almost breaking into a sob. "Want it, want you, please, please, please."

Zuko's rambling was cut off with a sharp gasp as Jet bent Zuko's legs forward, bending him, Zuko's thighs almost pressing against his chest, his ass exposed for Jet. Jet leant forward, looking at Zuko in his ochre eyes, watching Zuko pant heavily, and waiting for him.

They both let out deep moans as Jet sunk inside, Zuko's ass practically sucking him inside. Jet leant down, growling against Zuko's wet cheek as he started fucking him. He sunk in so easily, but each time he pulled out Zuko's ass squeezing around him, as if begging him not to leave. Zuko also clung to Jet, wrapping his arms around Jet's wide shoulders, panting into Jet's shoulder.

Jet's hands were gripping the underside of Zuko's thighs, pressing them down more and more until Zuko was practically bent in half, until all he could do was lie there and take it as Jet fucked him.

Jet could feel Zuko's nails digging into his back, Zuko's voice getting louder. Zuko was always so loud when they fucked, Jet relishing in the way Zuko couldn't hold back the pleasure Jet gave him. But the sharp sting on his back made him snap back to the present.

There was still a cut on Zuko's neck.

He looked at it as he fucked Zuko, Zuko's head thrown back in, throat bobbing with every cry he let out. He thought back to the man with his dagger pressed against Zuko's throat, close enough to draw blood, the man actually drawing blood, the trickle of it down Zuko's neck. The fear that swallowed him up when he saw it. He pushed Zuko's arms off his shoulders and grabbed his wrists in a tight grip, pinning them above Zuko's head.

"Look at me."

Zuko's gaze pulled down to meet Jet's eyes, and he blinked, his breath hitching. Jet had slowed, his hips pressed against Zuko's ass, his cock stuffing him full. Zuko's tongue peeked out, and his breathing was heavy in the silent room. Jet's grip on his wrists was almost painful, Zuko flexing his fingers under them. When Zuko's vision started to clear, his eyes went wide, breath catching in his throat.

The expression on Jet's face was raw and open, and the look he was giving Zuko was something Zuko had never seen before.

Fear.

He had seen Jet happy. He had seen Jet be prideful. He had seen Jet angry and furious and betrayed. But he never saw him scared. Zuko's tried to talk, but his voice was caught in his throat.

Jet was holding Zuko's wrists with one hand now, his other hand coming down to Zuko's neck. He wasn't pressing down, fingers just lightly grazing over the healing cut. Zuko only looked up at Jet, unsure what to do. Jet eventually let his head fall to Zuko's shoulder, still holding Zuko's wrists, cock still inside him.

"…I was so angry today." Jet's voice was warm against Zuko's skin, and Zuko could only stare wide-eyed at the ceiling. "I was angry and furious and fucking scared." Jet's hands tightened around Zuko's wrist again. He lifted himself up, the two of them looking at each other again.

"I haven't felt fear in a long time, Zuko," he continued. "I worry about you, about your carelessness for your own life. I get pissed off at you for taking on the weight of all the Fire Nation's sins. But I was never that scared before.

"I know you have me around you but—" Jet licked his lips, nervous. "What if I'm too slow? What if I'm looking away? What if something happens and I'm not there for you?"

Jet pressed their foreheads together, the two of them breathing in each other's air. Jet closed his eyes.

"The thought of that makes me so fucking terrified, Zuko."

Zuko looked at Jet, at the exhaustion Jet was carrying, at the worry and fear and tension in his body. And Zuko understood. He understood Jet's cares and worries and the fear eating him right now. So Zuko tilted his head up, kissing Jet.

"…I trust you, Jet," he said, voice soft. "I trust you to protect me, even when I can't see you."

He licked his lips, looking up at Jet, trying to convey the intensity of what he felt. The immense care and faith and love he held for the man holding him down, and he smiled up at Jet.

"I trust you with my life." He tensed his trapped arm to demonstrate. "I trust you with everything I have." He saw Jet's face crumple, and Zuko wanted so badly to comfort him.

"You can't, Zuko," he said, his voice shaking. "You can't trust me like that."

"But I do," Zuko said back, voice gentle in its confidence. "I thought you figured that out by now."

Jet was speechless, and now his eyes were wide and open as he looked down at Zuko. Jet's head dropped, and Zuko went to press his cheek against the top of Jet's head.

A sharp moan was pushed out of him as Jet's body jerked forward, his cock pushing so deep inside Zuko that his eyes rolled back. He moaned again as Jet started to fuck him again, the oil in his ass making every thrust sound loud and lewd and wet. He started to pant again, Jet slotting their mouths together, swallowing up every one of Zuko's cries as he fucked into him.

Every thrust hit Zuko so far inside, the head of Jet's cock pounding against his prostate, making Zuko sob and whine, his legs shaking. He mumbled out Jet's name, and somehow, Jet understood, and he let Zuko's wrists go so the Firelord could wrap his arms around him again.

"Jet," he sobbed out. "Jet, Jet, Jet, I—"

"I know," Jet said back, their mouths together as he talked between kissing and licking Zuko's mouth. "I know, Zuko."

Another loud cry, Zuko unable to hold himself up anymore as he came, all over his own stomach, getting Jet's abs dirty with his cum. Even when he had no strength left, he couldn't let go of Jet. Jet's hands cupped Zuko's head, cradling him as he kissed him. Jet kept fucking him, even when Jet hissed, his hips slamming into Zuko's ass as he came inside. Zuko shivered and moaned softly as he felt Jet's cum, hot and thick and shooting inside him.

Impossibly, he managed to squeeze Jet closer, Jet groaning and giving small, aborted thrust as he came. Zuko clenched around Jet's cock, feeling some of the cum spill out of him every time Jet's body rocked inside him. He didn't have the energy to wrap his legs around Jet and keep him there, and he wanted so much for Jet to stay inside him.

They lay there, holding each other for a long time, Zuko basking in the warmth. They were both sweaty and covered in cum, the bed sheets undoubtedly ruined, but Zuko couldn't find it in himself to move. He wanted to stay here, warm and comforted and safe.

As Jet pulled out, Zuko groaned in disappointment, trying to pull Jet back down into his hug. Jet let out an amused, affectionate laugh, thumb brushing over Zuko's cheek.

"Come on, Firelord, we have to clean up so we don't scandalize the morning servants. Plus, I know if I don't clean up now you're going to pass out covered in our cum."

Zuko made a face at Jet's crude language, pulling another laugh from Jet, but he finally loosened his hold on Jet, letting his arms collapse on the bed with the rest of him. He felt Jet climb off the bed and heard the splashing of water from the adjacent room, Jet now coming back with a wet cloth.

Zuko let out a sigh as he felt Jet move his legs, cleaning up his stomach and the cum dripping out of him. Zuko was able to at least roll over enough for Jet to pull off the bed's top blanket, laying in a heap on the floor for the cleaning servants to deal with in the morning. He grabbed another, lighter blanket and moved onto the bed, snuggling up besides Zuko. Zuko hummed and rolled onto his side so he could wrap his arms around Jet's middle, his face pushing into Jet's chest. Jet smiled, pulling the blanket around the two of them.

"…I have insomnia, you know," Zuko mumbled out with a yawn. Jet snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, right. You pass out right as your head hits the pillow, Your Royal Sleepiness."

Now Zuko let out a small, tired chuckle, curling himself more into Jet's arms.

"'m only able to 'cause I know you're there," he said into Jet's chest, before tilting his head up, looking at Jet's surprised expression, a blush rising up to Jet's cheeks.

"What?" Jet asked, looking down at him.

"I told you," Zuko said, pressing one last kiss to Jet's lips. "It's because I trust you."

And, true to his word, Zuko fell right asleep.