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A sudden gust of wind is Zuko’s first and only warning that his boyfriend has arrived at the Fire Nation Royal Palace. He’s just stepped out of a meeting with his advisors, Iroh at his side, when a strong breeze sweeps a few strands of his sleek black hair out of its carefully-tied bun. His head jerks away from his uncle’s face just in time to see Aang barrelling down the hallway, arms open and beaming.
“Zuko!” The airbender cries in the split second before he leaps off the ground, diving through the air and into the arms of the startled Firelord.
Zuko’s amber eyes widen—he doesn’t have time to brace himself before Aang’s slender figure collides with his. He crashes to the floor with an undignified squawk of surprise, flinging his arms around Aang’s middle reflexively. The airbender’s arms are tight around Zuko’s shoulders, his face buried in the man’s neck.
“I missed you!” Aang says around peals of breezy laughter, pushing himself up to straddle his boyfriend.
The whispers of Zuko’s advisors mingle with Iroh’s muffled laughter. Zuko’s face burns red and he leans forward, propping himself up on his elbows. “Aang, I’m in the middle of something—!”
The rest of Zuko’s sentence is cut off by the press of Aang’s plush lips against his, gentle and inviting. Zuko startles, eyes blowing wide, still fretting about his advisors and uncle, who are bearing witness to the improper display. But then Aang’s hands travel up from his shoulders to grip the base of his neck and a single finger curls around a stray lock of his boyfriend’s hair. He kisses Zuko with a little more urgency, and the world goes hazy.
The Firelord, for all of his insistence to the contrary, doesn’t seem to mind the interruption very much after that. He goes limp and pliant in Aang’s hold, eyes fluttering shut as he keens desperately up into the warmth his boyfriend provides. He’s not coherent enough to be embarrassed about how laughably weak he is to even the slightest of his boyfriend’s whims—one kiss from Aang and everything goes fuzzier than the down on a turtleduck.
It’s only when Iroh pointedly clears his throat that they break apart. When Aang pulls away he’s grinning triumphantly, cheeks dusted pink and his grey eyes sparkling. Beneath him, Zuko is flushed red to the tips of ears and can’t manage more than a dopey, lovestruck smile. Aang smiles with faux innocence as he clambers off of the Firelord and offers him a hand. A little shiver runs up Zuko’s arm when the airbender pulls him back onto his feet. He finds himself swaying closer to Aang, hooking an arm around his waist to drag him closer before he can think better of it.
Aang fits himself against his side as if that was where he was always meant to be. Then, the airbender turns toward him and giggles at the sight of Zuko’s wobbly lips and flushed face. Zuko opens his mouth to speak, most likely intending to deliver a stuttered apology to his company. Just to embarrass him further, Aang leans in and presses a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth, then another to his jaw. Zuko’s brain short-circuits: his shoulders sag, his eyes blow wide, and whatever words he’d been about to speak die on his lips.
“Hi, Iroh,” Aang greets with a smile while a lovestruck Zuko melts into his side.
“Avatar Aang,” Iroh greets, voice heavy with fondness, “it is always a pleasure to see you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine.” Aang says smoothly in response. He turns to Zuko’s advisors and greets them with charming smiles. They all respond respectfully without paying much notice to their dazed leader, more than used to the effect the Avatar has on him. It isn’t uncommon for Aang to show up unannounced at the Royal Palace, nor is the sight of the Firelord being peppered with kisses until he’s struck dumb when they reunite.
“Well, I think we’re gonna go catch up for a little bit,” Aang says breezily, slipping his hand into Zuko’s and smiling cheerfully up at the man. He draws little circles against the man’s palm as he speaks. “Right, Zuko?”
Zuko nods dumbly in response, hypnotized by the small spiral Aang traces upon his hand. “Mhm,” he hums, more than happy to do whatever his boyfriend suggests. Aang is taking advantage of how easy it is to fluster him, and Zuko is delighted to let him.
“Great! Thanks for letting me steal him, everyone; we’ll see you at dinner!” Aang exclaims cheerfully as he steers Zuko away from his advisors and uncle.
As he’s guided away, Zuko’s mind slowly returns to him. He squeezes the hand of the man who has stolen his heart and broken all of his defenses with a stubborn blush glued to his cheeks, and is rewarded with another swoon-worthy smile.