Chapter Text
It’s you and me, that’s my whole world
They whisper in the hallway she’s a bad, bad girl...
Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince - Taylor Swift
Yue had been to her fair share of extravagant balls and parties growing up – it came with the territory of being a princess, after all.
Ever since her family’s arrival in Ba Sing Se for the spring holiday season, she had attended more extravagant festivities than she could count.
She was all too skilled at plastering on polite smiles, falling into the familiar routine of socializing with her fellow party guests and chatting about nothing of consequence.
The Northern Water Tribe Princess was no stranger to intermingling with people she vaguely knew, carrying on polite bits of conversation as though they were the oldest of friends.
Of course, that was whenever she wasn’t standing at her parents’ side, smiling demurely and looking every bit the picture of ladylike perfection while murmuring polite words.
Her ability to carry herself with a sense of grace and composure had served her well back home, especially whenever the men of her tribe were present. The Northern Water Tribe was not known for being progressive after all, especially compared to its sister tribe in the South.
Even here, the women of Ba Sing Se were expected to be subservient and good ladies of society, always poised and proper.
Perhaps that was why she had been immediately drawn to one Prince Lu Ten, second heir to the Fire Nation, who was precisely everything that she wasn’t.
Because from the moment their eyes first met at the Beifongs’ party, her heart had been hopelessly ensnared.
~*~*~
His reputation as a shameless rake and known breaker of women’s hearts worldwide preceded him long before he ever stepped foot within the impenetrable city.
The Heartbreak Prince, they whispered, sounding positively scandalized.
The nobles of Ba Sing Se had gossiped fervently amongst themselves once word got out Crown Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation would be visiting the Earth Kingdom capital, accompanied by his devastatingly handsome heir to the throne.
His nephew would be accompanying them as well, although no one knew much about him. Prince Zuko would avoid being subject of the gossip circles until the night he met one Miss Katara of the Southern Water Tribe…
But when it came to his older cousin the Heartbreak Prince himself, well, there was plenty to talk about.
They say Prince Lu Ten can charm any woman into his bed with little more than a smile, leaving her ruined and pining the next morning.
You’d best be cautious around him should your paths cross, Princess Yue.
He may act like a gentleman in public, but between the sheets, they say he is most decidedly not.
Except if they had hoped to shield her from this Prince Lu Ten’s sinful nature, they had failed miserably.
Because if anything, they had ensured that she was more eager than before to meet this infamous womanizer in person.
Yue had been carefully sheltered from the less-than-virtuous facets of the world for as long as she could remember.
Oh, her imagination certainly ran wild in the darkest nights alone in her bed, when she had no one but her restless mind for company.
Yet she had never been kissed, much less seduced.
So the knowledge that one of the most shameless known rakes would make his debut in the polite circles of Ba Sing Se society easily attracted her interest.
Because with a reputation as scandalous as his, how could they expect her to not be curious?
She had no intention of falling for him or his sweet whispers of temptation, of course.
If anything, she would be content studying him from afar, like a curiosity of nature to be examined for scientific purposes.
But that of course was before his amber eyes found hers from across the crowded ballroom that fateful night at the Beifong’s party.
~*~*~
Prince Lu Ten slipped away from his father and cousin as they conversed with their hosts once they were introduced to the rest of the party.
Crown Prince Iroh easily struck up a conversation with their hosts Lord and Lady Beifong, while the youngest Fire Prince and Toph both looked equally miserable to be there.
But she soon forgot about everyone else at the party once she realized that no, she hadn’t imagined Prince Lu Ten’s enthralled look in her direction as he and his entourage made their entrance just now.
And Yue’s heart leapt into her throat as the gossiping in the crowd grew louder.
She watched in astonishment as the Heartbreak Prince made his way across the ballroom towards her with an unmistakable swagger in his steps.
Then she was blinking hesitantly up into his sparkling amber eyes, hardly daring to breathe.
He paused, drinking in the sight of her like an artist admiring a masterpiece before he bowed deeply.
“You must be Princess Yue,” he said once he was upright again, offering her a devilish smile. “Forgive my boldness, your highness, but I was hoping that I might have this next dance?”
His voice was low and inviting, full of damn bad intentions that she’d only dreamt of before now.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Lord Hahn glowering as he stood a short distance away.
No doubt he had been attempting to cook up yet another ill-fated attempt to ask for her hand, not that it would work. Her father tolerated the obnoxious nobleman at best and had politely yet firmly turned down Hahn’s offers every time, not that it seemed to do any good.
Yet she found it all too easy to forget about her stubborn would-be suitor who hounded her every chance he got.
Especially when a charming prince straight from her childhood fairy tales stood before her now with his hand outstretched.
And with that, she decided to cast aside the prim and proper lady she’d been raised as so she might dance with the devil tonight, to hell with the consequences.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, my prince,” she said demurely, ducking her head as her fingertips found his. “I would be honored to accept.”
With a smile of relief he led her into the middle of the ballroom, and both settled into position, ready to begin the next dance.
~*~*~
The Heartbreak Prince, as to be expected, was a natural on the dance floor.
He flawlessly twirled her around and led her about with practiced ease as they glided across the polished tiles, keeping her close by his side.
They were hardly the only couple dancing, though all eyes in the room seemed to focus on them and them alone.
Toph had disappeared somewhere, as had Suki, and there was no telling what Sokka was up to.
She noticed her dear friend Katara watching them from the sidelines, flashing her an encouraging smile when their eyes met.
Yue returned it whenever they passed by in front of her, giggling nervously.
However, she was soon distracted by the man leading her about the room instead.
And Lu Ten wasted no time striking up a conversation, his gleaming eyes never leaving hers.
“You know, I’ve heard about you before tonight,” he said softly. “They said you were the most beautiful woman in all of the world, but they fell short in their praises, it seems. Their stories hardly do you justice, my princess.”
She couldn’t help herself.
Yue burst into peals of loud, most unladylike laughter, allowing her head to loll backwards.
When she composed herself once more, she made no effort to conceal the giggles spilling from her lips seeing his confused grin.
If he was offended, Lu Ten gave no indication of it.
Rather, he simply raised an eyebrow while his smile grew even more.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
She was aware that others were staring at them now as they swayed together on the dance floor.
Her outburst just now certainly had caught the attention of several gossipers, no doubt scandalized by how unladylike she’d behaved just now.
But Yue could have cared less what the others thought at the moment.
“You are,” she replied. “I’ve heard stories about you too, you know. They said you were an irredeemable Rake with a capital R, a silver-tongued devil who could sweet-talk any woman in the world into his bed. And that’s the line you went with?”
His mouth fell open, and to her delight a mortified blush rose to his cheeks.
“I-I- well, I just thought…” he began rather lamely.
She shook her head in disbelief.
“My apologies if I’ve offended you, sir,” she said, offering him a friendly smile. “But if that’s the best you can do, then you must not have met very many impressive ladies before now. That, or they were willing to overlook such a sappy, trite line to win your favor. Everyone knows that’s the oldest pick-up in the book.”
Had she said those words to any of her Northern kinsmen or openly laughed in their faces, they would have been offended beyond all reason, huffing and puffing at the audacity of a woman insulting them like that, no matter that she was royalty.
But her dance partner merely chuckled, ducking his face as it turned as crimson as his robes.
And she decided then that she rather liked Lu Ten’s company, shameless womanizer or not, as he didn’t seem to take himself too seriously.
“Well, then,” he was saying, grinning as he raised his head to meet her gaze again. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used that stupid little line before now, and yet you’re the very first one to call me out on it.”
“And now I’ve embarrassed you, and you’re trying to save face, is that it?” she asked.
Lu Ten chuckled again – and spirits, the laughter rumbling up from this man’s throat should not have sent a rush of warmth between her thighs, yet she found herself shivering all the same.
“Fine, fine,” he relented sheepishly. “Would you believe me if I said that was all a test, and you passed with flying colors?”
“Not particularly, no.”
“Well, can we pretend then that I use that line on every woman I find myself attracted to, and until now all have proven that they’re too afraid to call me out on it, except for you?”
“I suppose so, if that soothes his highness’ wounded ego.”
He let out a beleaguered sigh, even as he spun her around and gracefully pulled her back into the safety of his warm arms.
“What if I claimed that it all was a carefully laid trap?” he bargained. “That I purposefully used a sappy line on you to make you laugh, getting you to lower your defenses so I could charm my way into your good graces? Then move in for the kill when you least expect it?”
“Hm… That would make more sense, that the Heartbreak Prince is also a diabolically cunning mastermind.”
Lu Ten tilted his head to the side, examining her with renewed interest.
“You know, you are nothing like what I was expecting,” he said after a moment. “I’d heard you were a kind, gentle lady, the picture of grace and propriety. Yet you have the nerve to openly mock and insult me, toying with me like a cat with an injured sparrowkeet.”
His grin now split his face clean in half, so she knew that he was teasing her right back.
Yue shrugged her shoulders lightly, giggling.
“Have I offended you?” she asked.
“Not at all,” he replied. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve been so humbled and put in my place, much less by a lovely lady such as yourself. I must say, it’s an unexpected but fun change of pace.”
The song had ended, yet he made no move to return her back to the sidelines, instead twirling her around as the next dance began.
Which was perfectly fine with Yue, as she was too caught up in their little game to rejoin the rest of the tiresome gossiping partygoers.
She still didn’t see her other friends meandering about, although she noticed Katara continued to hover off to the side away from the crowd in the same place as before.
Except now, the waterbender wasn’t alone.
“So is your cousin also a known rake?” she asked, nodding towards Katara. “Do I need to warn my friend to be on her guard as well?”
Katara now appeared to be conversing with Prince Zuko, who’d crept forward from the shadows to stand at her side.
Even from here, Yue could see how stiff his posture was, a tactic she’d employed before when attempting to appear regal.
But if anything, the youngest Fire Prince just looked awkward.
Lu Ten’s eyes followed Yue’s line of sight, and his face split into a proud grin.
“I’ll be damned,” the prince muttered. “And here I thought he’d never actually…”
He trailed off, smiling down at Yue.
“No, you’ll be happy to know that your friend is quite safe with my younger cousin,” Lu Ten assured her. “Zu’s social skills are abysmal at best, but he’s a good person with a golden heart. If your friend doesn’t mind the mysterious, silent type, that is. He tends to keep his cards close to the vest…”
Both glanced back over at the pair currently engrossed in their own conversation, too busy to notice they were being watched from afar.
To her dismay, neither Katara nor the youngest Fire Prince seemed to be getting along that well so far, as neither looked particularly happy.
“I’m sure Katara will understand,” Yue said hopefully. “She’s a good friend of mine who’s always had a soft spot for the underdog.”
“That’s encouraging to hear,” Lu Ten remarked dryly. “I’ve been trying to get my cousin to come out of his shell ever since we arrived in Ba Sing Se… I’m hoping he doesn’t blow it like an idiot the first time he actually tries to shoot his shot.”
“Not like how you did with that overused pick-up line earlier, am I right?” Yue quipped before she could help herself.
Lu Ten’s jaw dropped, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
“You are vicious, Princess Yue,” he declared with a wink. “You flash a pretty smile one moment, then the next you twist the knife even deeper in my heart. I’ll have to keep an eye on you.”
She couldn’t help but burst into giggles once more.
Something in his very presence was intoxicating, and it was so easy to let her guard down around him.
Yue now felt rather emboldened, grinning up at him.
“You’ll have to forgive my impertinence, Prince Lu Ten,” she said sweetly. “You see, I was warned to stay away from you, lest you corrupt me like the other young women before me who’ve fallen victim to your charms.”
“So you admit that you do find me charming?” he asked, his eyes gleaming triumphantly.
“Undoubtedly so,” she relented, though not without a giggle. “I can see why they warned me to be on my guard around an incorrigible rake like you.”
“Oh, they don’t even know the half of it,” he said haughtily, puffing out his chest ever so slightly. “I’m afraid the rumors always leave out the juiciest bits. I take it you’ve never been with a man like me before, that all your previous suitors were too well-behaved and now you’re seeking a thrill?”
“To be completely honest with you, I’ve never been with anyone before,” she confessed, biting her lip.
Something unreadable flashed across his features.
She shivered under the intensity of the flames burning now behind his eyes.
“Is that by your own choice or are the rules of your tribe truly that restrictive?” he asked, sounding briefly serious.
“A little bit of both,” she answered truthfully. “Many men from my tribe have asked for my hand before, but none of their affections have been genuine. Thankfully my father refuses to force me into a loveless marriage and wants me to choose for myself.”
“And no one has proven themselves worthy of your heart or hand?”
“So far, I haven’t met anyone capable of sweeping me off my feet, no.”
“That’s a pity,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “A young woman of your caliber deserves only the best candidates for her future husband, and it seems you’ve been missing out.”
She sensed the danger she was in, that she was teetering on the edge of falling prey to his silver tongue after all.
But Yue merely shook her head back, raising her chin to meet his gaze.
“As you said, a princess deserves nothing but the best, and I have yet to meet anyone who’s left me completely breathless,” she said.
Yue wondered if that made her sound like a snob, but the prince nodded his head in agreement.
“And yet here you are, three dances in with a notorious rake whose wicked reputation is apparently known throughout the world...”
Had they already moved on to the next dance?
She hadn’t even noticed.
“Which begs the question,” he continued with a knowing smirk, “what on earth is a sweet, innocent girl like you doing associating with a devil like me?”
The words passed her lips before she could stop them.
“Because all of my life, I’ve been sheltered,” she blurted out. “I’ve always been a good, well-behaved princess, a perfect lady. I’ve never once done anything reckless. With a reputation like yours, how could I possibly be expected to stay away from such a temptation?”
Then she clamped her mouth shut, blushing hard.
And something downright dangerous flashed in his shrewd gaze.
~*~*~
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“How old are you?”
“I’ve just turned twenty, my prince.”
He hummed softly, a million thoughts visibly racing through his mind.
“Do you find me intimidating?” he asked after some consideration. “I am after all eight years older, and I’ve had more lovers over the years than I can count...”
Truthfully, she did find him daunting on some level.
He surely must have found her amusing or pitiable, as her experience compared to his was virtually non-existent.
She had touched herself before, and on occasion even slipped her fingers inside.
But no man had ever touched her intimately, much less buried himself in the warmth between her thighs.
What interactions she did have with other gentlemen who sought her affections were sterile, cold and formal, and they all treated her as though she was breakable.
And Lord Hahn, well… the less said about him the better.
Yue couldn’t even begin to fathom all of the exotic pleasures that Lu Ten must have experienced with his parade of past partners.
He could easily drop her hand in the middle of this dance to go seek out some other young lady who was more experienced.
Except she was a princess, and she refused to be frightened anymore.
She had played the part of the well-behaved good girl much too long for her liking.
She had accepted a dance with the devil knowing the possible consequences; it was time for her to stop cowering and meet him head-on.
“It takes more than a smooth-talking rake to frighten me,” she replied evenly. “No matter how talented his mouth is or how sweet his words are. I may lack your level of experience, Prince Lu Ten, but I’m no child. Nor do I desire to be treated as one. I’m not the breakable doll others think I am.”
His head cocked to the side.
“And you desire to be truly reckless for once in your life, is that right? Is that why you agreed to dance with me tonight, as an act of rebellion?”
Yue nodded.
“I thought I’d go right to the source,” she said, “as you seemed to be the expert on being wicked.”
He hummed, shaking his head in disappointment.
“You truly believe me to be a villain, don’t you?” Lu Ten lamented. “A shameless Rake with a capital R, always on the prowl for the next conquest. Is that really your impression of me, Princess Yue?”
There was no anger in his voice, only curiosity tinged with wry amusement.
“That’s certainly what everyone else I’ve spoken to before tonight wants me to think,” was her reply. “That you would seduce and corrupt me in a heartbeat with nothing but your silver tongue. Except so far, I’ve seen no evidence of your alleged prowess, only uninspired pick-up lines – ”
She gasped as he suddenly pulled her even further into his embrace without warning, until she was pressed flush against his tall, muscular frame, unable to wriggle loose.
~*~*~
To anyone else, they would’ve appeared to have paused mid-dance, his hand still holding hers up while the other rested against the small of her back.
Except they were standing much, much closer now than what was considered socially acceptable.
Pure strength radiated from his embrace; all of the power of the sun itself just barely contained within his body, flames dancing beneath his skin.
Her breasts were pressed up against the hard planes of his chest, his hips lightly grazing hers, and…
And… oh.
Oh.
Yue gasped softly, discovering the unfamiliar hardness pressed against her lower stomach now that was begging to be explored.
His amber eyes flickered sharply across her face, searching for signs of fear or discomfort, and found none.
Only a deep longing that she’d never even realized existed, a hunger that was screaming out from within, demanding to be satiated.
The rest of the world melted away, and all she could focus on were those gleaming eyes that seemed to burn right through her.
He smirked down at her, and harmless golden sparks escaped from his lips, floating out into the air between them.
She had never been so close to a man before, much less felt the weight of his desire burning so hotly for her even through the fullness of his robes.
And she had never been more aware of the throbbing emptiness between her thighs, or the epiphany of how damn good he would feel sinking inside of her.
At this point, she might actually let him.
The Heartbreak Prince had slipped through her defenses and sweet-talked her into lowering her guard after all, just like he said he would.
And Yue had walked into the trap with both eyes wide open like the foolish girl she was.
~*~*~
Neither said anything for a long moment.
She softly panted as he refused to let her go, much less move again and join the other dancers.
When he finally spoke, there was an unmistakable hint of something feral now in his low voice.
“Is this what you want?” he asked in barely above a whisper.
“… what are you…?” she began.
“I leave this entirely in your hands,” he murmured. “I will not force you into anything unless you’re ready. But if you say the word, Princess, then I’ll be more than happy to indulge you.”
Yue could only blink up at him stupidly.
Was he truly offering what she thought – what she suddenly hoped for more than anything in the world?
Lu Ten’s eyes darkened even more seeing hers widen, and he hummed, smiling down at her most wickedly.
“Do you want to be seduced, sweet girl?”
She couldn’t speak now, only stare up at him.
Yue was too stunned to even blink, as blood raced through her veins and rushed straight to her cheeks.
“Because if that’s what your heart truly desires,” he continued with a hint of a growl, “I’m sure my silver tongue that you’ve mentioned multiple times this evening would be more than enough to satisfy you.”
His voice now sounded more like the purring of a beast than a man.
“Come to think of it, you’ve been quite fascinated with my mouth since the moment I asked you to dance… perhaps I could show you once and for all just how talented my mouth happens to be.”
Her heart leapt into her throat as he continued, lowering his voice even more.
“I could give you all the pleasure you deserve but have been so cruelly denied, in ways you’ve never even dreamed of…”
“H-how?” she squeaked out.
The prince leaned forward, his lips hovering inches away from hers now.
“Have you ever wanted to let someone taste you?” he growled softly.
She breathed heavily, feeling her heart pounding.
“… taste me?” she whispered, not quite following.
His eyes flickered downwards, slowly skimming over the curves of her body until they rested just below her navel.
Right at the juncture of her thighs, which meant he –
And she gasped louder than she meant to once she understood exactly what he was implying.
Her thighs instinctively rubbed together in breathless anticipation.
“Oh,” was all she could whisper, her entire body suddenly trembling. “Oh.”
Fortunately, the music and other dancers’ conversations drowned out the sound.
His amber eyes were now nearly overtaken by black, his evil smirk growing as he saw how his words had left her unsteady.
She surely would have fainted, except his sturdy arms kept her upright.
Vaguely, she was aware that the rest of the partygoers were now participating in some sort of group dance and were no longer paying them any attention.
Any moment now, Yue was quite certain that she would combust or swoon or maybe even both.
“I wouldn’t stop there, of course.”
He whispered like a sweet-spoken demon, hellbent on attempting to lure her down his path of iniquity.
And heaven help her, she almost wanted to give in to his temptations now.
“Because if you asked me to, I could show you all the ways that a lady might be seduced,” he murmured. “I could have you sobbing out my name in ecstasy with my mouth and hands alone, until you were begging me for more…”
“…more…?” she whispered breathlessly, trembling in spite of herself.
Lu Ten chuckled, even as his eyes grew impossibly darker.
The temperature of the air surrounding them suddenly spiked, as though they were standing in the midst of a raging wildfire.
Then his hot breath hit the shell of her ear.
He leaned forward to whisper the words only she could hear, going in for the kill.
“You want me to fuck you, don’t you Princess?”
Yue released a shuddered breath as it took all of her strength to keep her knees from buckling underneath her.
Please, she wanted to scream out, though she forced herself to remain silent with what little remained of her dignity.
“The how of it would be entirely your choice, of course,” he continued, spurred on by the dazed look in her wide eyes. “If you wanted, I could be slow and sweet, taking you with gentle strokes and drawing out your pleasure as long as possible before you came trembling around me, or…”
Here his eyes gleamed dangerously in the lowlight, his mouth curving upwards in triumph.
“Or if you decided that you didn’t want a gentleman, I could take you so hard that you would scream out my name until you were hoarse…”
Lu Ten paused, drawing a deep breath as if to steady himself.
“Do you want that, sweet girl? For me to be so rough that you wouldn’t be able to walk a straight line afterwards? To wear bruises on your hips after I pound into you from behind, to carry bite marks sprinkled all over your inner thighs after I tease you into a frenzy?”
She was outright panting now, swallowing hard.
“I wouldn’t have all the fun, of course,” he murmured, as though an epiphany had struck him. “I don’t consider myself a selfish lover. In fact, I think I’d rather have you fuck me.”
Her mouth fell open in shock, and she was aware that her entire body was shivering.
“Would you like that, Princess?” he breathed, the smell of smoke heavy in his voice as his lips hovered above hers. “Ride me until you’re worn out from coming all over my cock?”
She let out a strained moan that ought to have mortified her, had she been capable of thinking clearly.
As it was, she was too enraptured by the sudden mental image of her straddling his hips, rutting shamelessly against him, how damn good he would feel sliding in and out of her slick folds…
“… oh,” she whimpered, rubbing her legs together and not caring who saw. “Oh, gods…”
The prince’s eyes were nearly black now; almost no amber remained.
“Is that a yes? Is that what you want?”
All she could do was nod.
Encouraged, he leisurely rolled his hips against hers in a fluid motion that reminded her of dancing, an imperceptible grind that went unnoticed by the other partygoers.
And she panted softly, feeling all of him once more, inviting her to play along.
His eyes flitted all over her face again, watching as her eyelids fluttered weakly.
He then repeated the movement a second time.
And this time, she carefully rolled her hips forward to push back, causing Lu Ten to exhale wisps of smoke, pleasantly surprised.
”That’s it,” he growled softly through gritted teeth. “Good girl.”
Her vision was growing hazy with want, and she was burning, burning, burning hotter than a fever…
“I can see it now,” he said in a low voice, his breaths quickening.
The Fire Prince too sounded like he was on the verge of losing all self-control, and she had no intention of reining him in, too busy holding on for dear life.
“You could be in charge, riding me as fast or slow as you wanted… I’m more than happy to let you to use me for your own pleasure, to let you dominate me… how fucking incredible you’d feel finishing wrapped around my – ”
Lu Ten abruptly stopped, squeezing his eyes shut.
He exhaled more wisps of dark smoke that curled in the air around them, as though in a futile attempt to calm himself down.
When he opened them again there was a long silence, his glowing eyes never leaving hers.
An eternity passed before she managed to swallow.
Hard.
“Are… are you toying with me?” was what she finally squeaked out.
His brow instantly arched upwards in disbelief.
“Did you not feel me just now, how badly I want you?” he asked incredulously in a low, dangerous voice.
That overwhelming dizzying sensation was sweeping over her again...
“I…I…” she whispered.
“Because if you asked me to, I would fuck you right here, right now in the middle of this dance floor,” he half whispered, half snarled, cutting her off.
Desire pooled unbidden between her thighs, and her throbbing core was soaked.
His eyes were blown wide open, full of desperation and madness that she was all too eager to partake in.
“And if you gave me permission, I would carry you off to my bed and rip that gorgeous dress right off of your body…” he vowed. “I would take you as many times as your heart desired, and I would not stop, not until you were sated and sore afterwards in the best way possible…”
The knowledge that he was whispering such salacious things while the rest of the partygoers danced around them, ignorant to the true nature of their conversation, sent a reckless thrill racing down her spine.
Then she squealed, finding herself abruptly leaving the safety of his strong arms, as he spun her out and pulled her gently back into his embrace without warning.
A cacophony of sound suddenly came rushing back into her ears, not that she was paying attention to the rest of the world anymore.
Her mind was racing, her heart thundering inside of her ribs.
And he slowly, triumphantly leaned forward to whisper in her ear once more.
“How’s that for leaving you breathless, Princess?”
Lu Ten then pulled back, putting a respectable distance between them again.
And he had the audacity to send her a dazzling smile, looking every bit like a cat that caught a sparrowkeet.
Yue gawked up at the Fire Prince as he resumed leading them through the steps of the dance without missing a beat.
As if he hadn’t rendered her speechless and weak just now, with slick arousal seeping through the bindings covering her inner thighs.
He could carry me out of here and straight into his bed, she realized with a gulp.
And I would let him without a second thought, without any protest.
Spirits help me, I would beg him to at this point.
~*~*~
The pair shared an oddly comfortable silence for the next few minutes, despite the thrill of all his sinful promises hanging heavy in the air between them.
All the while, he never took his eyes off hers, keeping her close in his arms as they continued a slow dance.
When he eventually spoke again, there was no trace of his earlier wickedness.
“If I’ve overstepped in any way, Princess Yue, then I do sincerely apologize,” he murmured, his brow knitting. “I – I admit I got carried away just now, and it was not my intention to make you uncomfortable.”
He seemed contrite, completely unlike the smoldering arrogance from earlier, and the abrupt shift was rather jarring.
“You’re more than welcome to walk away at any point, if that’s what you’d prefer...” Lu Ten offered softly. “I won’t make a scene…”
She managed to swallow, shaking her head.
“N-no, no, that’s quite alright,” she squeaked out, mentally kicking herself for sounding so timid. “I’m not offended at all, your highness.”
Lu Ten’s eyes widened, pleasantly surprised.
“Is that so? You’re not simply putting on a brave face right now?”
“No, my prince.”
He hummed, looking rather amused.
“You know, you really are nothing like what I expected,” Lu Ten admitted quietly. “When I first saw you tonight, I promise I had no ulterior motives.”
“So you weren’t originally planning on seducing me?” she whispered. “What was all that about just then?”
His eyes darkened again.
“Oh, believe me, I would love nothing more than to haul you over my shoulder and make good on everything I suggested just now,” he growled.
It was irrational, but Yue decided then that she rather liked whenever he growled.
Even if she’d never admit it out loud.
“I only wanted to share a dance with the loveliest lady in the room on my arm,” he promised. “Get an idea of what you were like, chat with you for a bit…”
Yue wet her lips, and she noticed how his eyes immediately zeroed in on the movement.
“And yet somehow, you’ve already managed to entangle me in your web,” he added softly. “And I find myself content to stay here at your mercy, as long as you’ll let me.”
She wanted to argue that if anything, he had trapped her in his web…
“Which is why I’ve come up with the most reckless idea, to do the one thing in the world no one would ever expect from me.”
Yue had no idea how he could behave any more recklessly than he already had.
Not after he so effortlessly tempted her, but right now she was far too eager to see what he had in mind.
“What are you suggesting, my prince?” she breathed.
His face broke out into a smile as radiant as the morning sunlight.
“I’m proposing to court you like a true suitor, to be an actual gentleman for once in my life,” he replied grandly. “What would you say if I asked you to dinner later this week for a proper date?”
Now that she certainly hadn’t been expecting.
He chuckled seeing the bewildered look that no doubt had swept over her face.
“Call me a hopeless romantic, a fool, whatever you prefer. But I’ve already grown rather fond of you, and I would love nothing more than to court you like you deserve. Meet your parents, bring you flowers before every date, kiss your hand in public, all of those good things. What do you say, sweet girl?”
The prince carefully twirled her around before pulling her back into his embrace.
Her thoughts were still racing, her breaths too unsteady as they swayed together.
“And what if I wanted an adventure and excitement as well, all of the thrills you promised?” she whispered. “Do you think you’re up to the task?”
Then she squealed softly, finding herself weightless in his arms as he dipped her low for the end of the song.
“I think you’ll find I’m up for many things, most of which would cause quite the scandal,” was his devious reply. “But if that’s what your heart desires, then I will guarantee you all the adventure and excitement you wish for, all the pleasure I can give you, with full discretion and without sullying your reputation.”
“Can you also promise not to break my heart?” she blurted out, her eyes scanning all over his face for a hint of duplicity.
Lu Ten’s face broke out into a tender smile.
“I’ll never break your heart, sweet princess,” he vowed. “On that, you have my word.”
And spirits help her, she believed him.
~*~*~
She would have been content to dance with Lu Ten all night.
Perhaps she would have, had his cousin not stormed over in the middle of the very next dance and interrupted them.
One minute she was sharing yet another gaze of adoration with her dance partner, nervously biting her lower lip; the next he was being ripped from her arms without warning.
“What the – hey!” Lu Ten grumbled once he realized who’d grabbed him by the back of the collar and started yanking. “Cut it out, Zu! What is your problem?”
Prince Zuko had started to drag him away from the dance floor, though once Lu Ten got his bearings he quickly wriggled loose, staring down his fuming younger cousin.
“Have you seen Uncle?” the youngest Fire Prince barked out. “We’re leaving as soon as we find him.”
Yue, who had regained her composure, found herself comparing their familial resemblances while watching the pair of cousins interact.
Most of their features were similar, except while Lu Ten’s were softer and more inviting, his younger cousin’s were sharper, more angular.
And of course, while the elder’s eyes were warm amber oozing like honey, the youngest Fire Prince’s were blazing gold like the sun.
He was handsome as well in his own way, she thought to herself, and the harsh crimson scar branded across his left eye did nothing to detract from his good looks.
Even his raspy voice was enticing, pleasing to the ear and drawing in the listener like a moth to a flame. While she had no idea where Katara had gone off to, something told her that her friend had probably enjoyed hearing him speak.
Lu Ten pursed his lips to prevent himself from sighing in annoyance. He flashed her an apologetic smile before he gathered what remained of his patience to face his cousin.
“What’s wrong, Zu?” he asked again pointedly. “Because I’m a little preoccupied right now… have you even met my lovely partner, Princess Yue from the Northern Water Tri-”
“Sure, whatever, the pleasure is all mine,” his cousin grumbled. “Look, I told you and Uncle that coming here tonight was a bad idea, and I was right. So can we please get the hell out of here, now?”
The elder cousin’s brow furrowed at this rude behavior.
“Charming as ever,” he remarked dryly, turning to address Yue. “I must apologize for my cousin’s lack of manners…”
He noticed Prince Zuko seething, reaching out a hand to grab a glass of something alcoholic from a serving tray passing by.
“Oh, no you don’t!”
Lu Ten was quick to snatch it away and down it first in one gulp before his cousin could.
“Hey!” Zuko protested.
The elder prince ignored his belligerent cousin’s death glare, coughing loudly despite his best efforts not to, drawing several pairs of disapproving eyes towards them.
“Sorry Zu, but – oh, spirits, that was strong – with the mood you’re in, drinking is the last thing you need to be doing,” Lu Ten advised once he cleared his throat, even as his eyes watered. “Agni’s eternal flames, what the hell was in that?”
The princess sniffed the interior of the glass, wrinkling up her nose.
“It smells like Southern Water Tribe vodka,” she offered helpfully. “It’s said to be incredibly potent. Personally, I’ve never cared for it myself.”
For some reason the younger Fire Prince’s scowl deepened, which she didn’t even think was possible.
Lu Ten coughed loudly once more, wiping the corner of his eyes with the heel of his palm.
“I believe it,” he choked out. “Why, I – oh, fucking hell, Zu!”
With that, he snatched away yet another glass that his cousin somehow managed to find, filled to the brim with vodka, sloshing some on the floor.
Once more Lu Ten chugged it down in one gulp, albeit with a little more difficulty, his face turning green this time afterwards.
How Katara and Sokka and their kinsmen from the South managed to stomach it, Yue would never know.
She took it upon herself to helpfully rub Lu Ten’s upper back, at least until he stopped coughing.
Prince Zuko for his part stood seething with crossed arms at his foiled attempts.
His attention seemed caught by seeking out something or someone out in the crowd of dancers, loudly gritting his teeth when it proved fruitless.
When the elder prince managed to compose himself and no longer looked as though he was about to be sick, he clapped his hand on Prince Zuko’s shoulder.
“Okay,” Lu Ten croaked out, wiping a shaky hand down his quickly blushing face. “The first one was a mistake, the second just guaranteed I’ll have a bitch of a hangover tomorrow…”
He noticed his cousin eyeing yet another tray of something else alcoholic heading their way, and he snapped his fingers, drawing Prince Zuko’s attention back to him.
“Nuh-uh,” he growled. “Don’t even think about it, or so help me, I will kick your ass. I don’t know what’s come over you, but you need to calm down right now.”
His cousin rolled his eyes.
“Please,” Prince Zuko snorted. “We both know you haven’t beaten me in a fight since I was sixteen – ”
“And yet, I seem to recall claiming victory during our sparring matches earlier this week!” Lu Ten shot back.
“That was firebending, that’s different!” Prince Zuko spat. “The point is that when it comes down to it, I could still beat you in a brawl with both eyes closed–”
“Ohhh, good luck with that, Zu!” his older cousin retorted hotly. “Because if we were to square off right now, you would not like the outcome!”
Yue’s eyes flitted back and forth between the two quarreling firebenders, curling her lips inwards to shield her smile.
Gone entirely was the suave, sweet-talking charmer from minutes ago.
In his place now stood an exasperated prince who seemed ready to tug his own hair out in frustration from arguing with his petulant younger cousin.
And oddly enough, that just endeared the elder Fire Prince to her even more.
Maybe it was because it made him seem less like a shameless rake and more like an annoyed older brother trying to talk the younger out of doing something incredibly stupid.
In a way, she mused, they reminded her of a pair of rambunctious boys.
Lu Ten suddenly remembered her presence, his head whipping around to face her.
“My sweet Princess Yue,” he began with a bow of his head. “I must ask for your forgiveness…”
“It’s quite alright, my prince,” was her amused reply.
She had no choice but to bring her hand up to her mouth to stifle the giggles that threatened to escape.
“Perhaps you two might like a minute to converse and clear your minds, though?” she offered. “The gardens here are quite lovely, and you might also find your father out there.”
Prince Zuko huffed but nodded, ignorant to the fact that his uncle was actually standing off in the distance behind him.
Unlike his surly nephew, Crown Prince Iroh was laughing and conversing with a large group of party guests as though they were old friends.
Lu Ten had spotted his father in the crowd earlier as well, and his face broke out into a conspiratorial grin.
“A most excellent idea, my lovely princess!” he proclaimed, raising her knuckles to his mouth for a kiss that lingered a bit too long to be considered proper. “If you wouldn’t mind waiting, I will be back in a heartbeat.”
“Take all the time you need,” she assured him demurely. “I’ll wait all night for you if I have to.”
His lips curled outwards into a pout.
“I won’t be too long, sweet girl,” Lu Ten promised. “Or I’ll miss you too much.”
Clearly, the vodka was already starting to take effect, she mused wryly.
Prince Zuko, meanwhile, was rolling his eyes, muttering something rather rude under his breath in annoyance.
But his older cousin paid him no heed – instead, Lu Ten kissed her knuckles again, winking at her.
“See you soon,” he promised. “Though not soon enough…”
He started to turn away, except the sound of his younger cousin clearing his throat stopped him.
To the surprise of them both, Prince Zuko turned address her, quickly bowing his head as though he’d just remembered something.
“My apologies for the interruption, Princess Yue,” he said quietly. “I won’t keep my cousin for too long, so the two of you can continue your evening soon enough.”
Yue tilted her head to the side, blinking up at Prince Zuko in surprise.
“Thank you, your highness,” she said, caught off guard by this unexpected apology. “As I said before, take all the time you both need.”
Then Lu Ten was disappearing into the crowd towards the gardens with his ill-tempered cousin in tow, leaving Yue shaking her head in disbelief at all that had transpired in the last hour or so.
A few guests sidled up to her once the Fire Princes were gone, clucking their tongues.
“Pardon me, Princess Yue, but what was all that about?” sniffed one man, both him and his wife shaking their heads contemptuously.
“Mark my words, he’s got nothing but bad intentions for an innocent thing like you!” added the man’s wife. “What are you doing associating with the Heartbreak Prince?”
She had no answer for that.
Instead Yue clapped her hand over her mouth and turned away as she burst into uncontrolled giggles at how absurd her life had just become.
~*~*~
“So are you going to tell me what this is all about?” Lu Ten inquired as he and his cousin set foot in the Beifong gardens.
“No,” was the curt response. “Let’s just find Uncle so I can tell him I’m leaving. You can stay if you want, but I’ve had my fill of misery for the evening.”
Lu Ten sighed, letting his head loll backwards to gaze up at the moon.
His hope was that if Zuko calmed down, he might be talked into sticking around.
He and Father knew that his cousin was never comfortable in social settings of this magnitude, but Zuko had just been so glum lately that both thought a change of scenery might do him good.
Besides, what his cousin really needed was to get out and meet some of the lovely young ladies in Ba Sing Se.
Zuko wouldn’t need to settle down anytime soon, of course.
Hell, if his cousin decided to spend the rest of his days in the city doing nothing more than bedding as many women as he possibly could, Lu Ten would be fine with that.
The crown prince would have disapproved of having another shameless rake in the family, of course – that was the one thing Lu Ten and his father had always disagreed on.
Iroh had staunchly refused to accept his son’s argument that sometimes the best cure for life’s problems were a few good orgasms.
Instead, his cousin had continued to mope about over his failed engagement to the Lady Mai, who had seemed disappointed enough as well but had already moved on.
She had clearly wasted no time agreeing to wed some other lord that her parents had hastily set her up with.
In Lu Ten’s opinion, she ought to have put up at least a little more protest, even if she ultimately had no say in the matter.
Frankly, he was glad that Zuko was now free to pursue someone better, although he was wise enough not to say so out loud.
Lu Ten had also hoped that the pretty girl his cousin had been talking to earlier tonight might have shared a dance with him, but it seemed like that had gone bad.
If he had to guess, that was part of the reason behind Zuko’s foul mood.
Meanwhile the two glasses of Southern Water Tribe vodka that he’d intercepted were already working quickly.
His steps were becoming heavier, and he found he had to blink several times to focus.
“Listen Zu,” he began, stumbling over a rock and cursing faintly. “I get it, really I do. I know this is outside of your comfort level – ”
“What a clever observation – ” Zuko interrupted, rolling his eyes.
“Oh, knock it off with the snark for a minute, will you?” Lu Ten shot back. “Look, I know that we had to drag you here tonight, and in hindsight, that was a misstep. I’ll be the first to admit it that we probably should have let you stay home like you wanted in the first place.”
His younger cousin sighed despondently, exhaling wisps of smoke.
“But don’t go home just yet,” Lu Ten bargained. “At least stick around and see if you can’t… can’t find something good about the neeving – the veening – oh fucking hell, that vodka was potent, just like Princess Yue said.”
That at least earned him an amused hmph from his cousin.
“I could have told you that,” Zuko remarked dryly. “I had the misfortune of getting sick off of a bottle some time ago, back with my friend Sokka… the next day was brutal, but I couldn’t remember anything the night before.”
“Well, I probably won’t remember the rest of this night now, so thanks for that,” Lu Ten grumbled, wiping his bleary eyes as his head started to swim. “And I was hoping I’d never forget a single moment with Princess Yue. I really like her, you know.”
Zuko scoffed lightly.
“You say that about every pretty girl you meet.”
“I’m serious about this one, Zu. She’s clever and funny and sweet, and when I pulled out that old line about how she was the most beautiful woman in the world – which is true this time – you know what she did? She laughed at me. She has the prettiest laugh, you know? And Agni help me, that was it. That was the moment I realized I love her, because when’s the last time a woman has called me out on it? And I know I just met her tonight and we’ve only known each other a short time – ”
“Okay, you are most definitely drunk off of your ass now,” Zuko interjected dryly. “We should probably find you some water or something.”
“No, no, my beautiful moon princess is more than enough to quench my thirst,” Lu Ten insisted, feeling the overwhelming need to laugh for some reason. “You know her name means moon, right?”
“Really. I had no idea.”
“Be nice, little cousin. One day I might marry her, and we will live happily ever after. And I will spend every waking moment with her in our bed, making lots of beautiful steambabies…”
Lu Ten paused, snickering.
“Steambabies, get it? Because she’s Water Tribe, I’m from the Fire Nation…”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Zuko groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Ugh, I should just leave your drunken ass out here and go home.”
“But the night is young, and there are countless pretty ladies back in there for you to dance with! Come on, you might even find someone special too! I guarantee Zu, you’ll feel so much better after getting laid- ow!”
His cousin had rudely smacked his arm, and the elder prince rubbed the place he’d been struck, wincing.
“You can get mad all you want, but you know I’m right, Zu. Seriously, calm down and go back inside, and see if you can’t find someone to dance with. At least try.”
Zuko shook his head, crossing his arms.
He glared back in the direction of the ballroom light stretching out across the darkened gardens the two of them were strolling through.
“I wouldn’t count on it,” was his morose reply. “But at least one of us is having fun tonight.”
A tall row of bushes was coming up ahead, and he slowed down to wait on his inebriated cousin, who was grinning like a damn fool now and gazing up at the moon again.
“I’ve never had so much fun in the Earth Kingdom before!” Lu Ten declared once he caught up. “Nor have I seen so many beautiful women in my life!”
His cousin snorted.
“You’re most definitely drunk then, because you were dancing with the only pretty girl,” Zuko grumbled, shaking his head. “Most of them were backwater peasants in ball gowns, thinking that money makes them important. No thanks, I’d rather not waste my time on them.”
“Princess Yue is definitely the most exquisite woman I’ve ever beheld!” drawled Lu Ten, clearly undeterred. “Though the pretty girl you were talking to was just as beautiful, wouldn’t you agree?”
Had he been sober, he might have noticed how Zuko’s spine stiffened, how his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched at his sides.
How his cousin took a deep breath to calm down, how he looked as though he’d never despised himself more.
“I saw you with her earlier, while I was dancing...you know, the other young lady from one of the Water Tribes…" Lu Ten was fumbling now for words. "Oh, Princess Yue mentioned her friend's name but I can’t remember now… it’s on the tip of my tongue…”
There was a long silence as the elder cousin let his sentence die down, searching his scrambled brain for her name.
It was something with a K or C, he was sure of it… what was it again?
Kata? Kara?
“I’d say she’s thoroughly tolerable, but not nearly enough to tempt me,” Zuko finally said, with a snort of derision. "Unlike you, some of us have a more discerning taste."
Lu Ten was tempted to snort as well, pointing out his cousin’s boldfaced lie.
The youngest Fire Prince had barely said two words to any young lady since their arrival in the city. So for him to finally make a move like that meant that someone had caught Zuko’s eye at long last.
And he had seen out of the corner of his eye how nervous Zuko had been as he slowly but surely had made his way to the Water Tribe maiden’s side before exchanging a few words.
For a bright, shining moment Lu Ten had hoped his cousin was finally, finally coming out of his shell.
She certainly had been lovely enough, Yue’s mysterious friend, whatever her name was. Had he not been so enamored by the princess’ beauty, Lu Ten might have even attempted to woo her himself.
So there was no way in hell his cousin hadn’t been thunderstruck by her on some level.
A part of him had even foolishly hoped that she and Zuko would hit it off, with the best-case scenario of them also getting married and making lots and lots and lots of steambabies, too…
Adorable little steambabies, just like the ones he was going to give his pretty moon princess someday…
His inebriated mind suddenly decided that the more steambabies there were in the world, the better…
“Come on, let’s find your lovely lady again so at least one of us can enjoy the rest of the evening,” Zuko was muttering. “You’re wasting all your smiles with me.”
That sounded like an excellent idea to Lu Ten, who couldn’t stop the stupid grin on his face as he stumbled along after his grumpy cousin back towards the ballroom.
~*~*~
Just as Zuko had predicted, Lu Ten would remember very little regarding the remainder of the evening, though he remembered bits and pieces very vividly.
He recalled returning to the ballroom with his cousin, discovering Princess Yue chatting with a friend of hers from the Southern Water Tribe.
Who also just so happened to be Zuko’s old friend Sokka, who he’d met through Master Piandao’s Academy a few months back.
Wasn’t life grand, Lu Ten mused while watching the pretty lights spinning overhead.
“This is so wild!” Sokka was exclaiming, giving his friend a much-needed bear hug. “Buddy, I’ve missed you and all the wild stuff we used to get up to. I mean, having my family here is great, but I’m surrounded by women constantly now – ”
“Oh, how dreadful,” Yue remarked sarcastically, though not without a twinkle in her eye.
At least his cousin’s grouchiness from earlier seemed to have vanished, and Zuko chuckled along with the rest of them.
Leave it to sweet, lovely Yue to get someone like Zuko to cheer up, Lu Ten mused.
Spirits, she was perfect, the perfect little moon princess…
Sweeter than a moon peach, in fact, and he couldn’t wait to get a taste…
Though maybe when there was only one of her, not when her duplicates were floating beside her… but having multiple Yues all to himself did sound pretty damn appealing…
“So this must be the infamous Prince Charming who swept Yue off of her feet,” Sokka was saying cheerfully enough, turning to greet him. “Pleased to meet you, Prince Lu Ten, I’m – whoa, you alright there? Your pupils are completely dilated, what happened to you?”
“He um, drank a couple glasses of Southern Water Tribe vodka by mistake,” Zuko explained sheepishly.
“Oof. That’ll do it, I remember how badly it affected you all those months ago. Maybe we should get him some water, or maybe sit him down for a bit?”
“Already tried that. He said something about how Princess Yue was already more than enough to quench his thirst.”
Oh, Lu Ten was definitely going to kick Zuko’s ass now for throwing him under the carriage like that.
Assuming he remembered this whole encounter later.
Except he heard Yue burst into laughter, and he decided that well, if it made her happy…
“He did not,” she giggled. “Please tell me he did not say that…”
“I did, and I’ll say it as many times as I’ll have to!” Lu Ten declared, extending his hand. “Sweet lady, would you hoo me the donor… wait, that’s not… no, will you share a mance with dee?”
He entirely missed his cousin’s facepalm and beleaguered groan, as well as Sokka’s amused snort.
All he noticed was Yue’s pretty face blinking up at him in surprise before her brow knitted.
“Are you even sure that you’re good to dance, my prince?” she asked skeptically. “That doesn’t seem very wise right now.”
Lu Ten may not have been sure of a good many things at this point, but of that, well, he was absolutely certain.
“For you, sweet girl, I’m always up for anything,” he promised, making himself stand up straight. “May I please have this next dance?”
He could have cried for joy when she said yes.
And when he was holding her in his arms once more, swaying them back and forth in a corner of the ballroom away from the others, all felt right with the world again.
“Are you sure you’re fine?” Zuko asked from somewhere nearby behind his back. “Because Sokka and I can get him settled down somewhere if he’s too much – ”
“It’s okay, I’ve got him,” his sweet girl replied, sounding rather amused. “I’ll let you know if I need any help.”
The two friends exchanged questioning glances with each other, then shrugged.
“We’ll keep an eye on you two though, so yell if you need anything,” Sokka offered. “Katara and the others are hanging around here somewhere, so one of us should come running – ”
“Katara?” his cousin interjected, perking up. “Your baby sister’s here at this party, too?”
That name sounded so familiar for some reason…
But Yue was whispering something to him, not paying attention to the others’ conversation anymore, and he was quickly distracted as well.
His lovely moon princess was asking him if he actually felt alright or if he wanted to sit down.
“Never been better, sweet girl,” Lu Ten murmured with a shameless lopsided grin.
She smiled up at him, and off to the side Sokka’s face also broke out into a grin.
“Oh that’s right, I almost forgot you two still haven’t met!” the tribesman said excitedly. “Yeah, my sister’s here too, with a couple more friends of ours that I’ve got to introduce you to. Especially my girlfriend Suki – ”
“Wait, you have a girlfriend now?” Zuko asked, smirking. “How’d you get that poor girl to go out with you?”
Sokka fired off some good-natured retort, but he wasn’t listening anymore.
Neither was Yue, for that matter.
Lu Ten barely even noticed the two of them disappearing into the crowd either, in search of this mysterious Katara.
But that was perfectly fine with the intoxicated Fire Prince, who only had eyes for the pretty lady in his arms.
~*~*~
“Hi,” he whispered at one point once the other two were gone.
Yue giggled, biting her lower lip.
“Hi,” she whispered back.
“Can I tell you a secret?”
“I’d love nothing more, my prince.”
“Did you know that your name means moon, and that you’re glowing like moonlight right now?”
The princess seemed like she was trying not to laugh out loud.
“Those two glasses of vodka really did a number on you, didn’t they?”
“Nonsense! I’ve never been more aware in my life.”
“Prince Lu Ten – ”
“Call me Lu, if you’d like. Or Ten, or Tenny, or Lute, or – ”
“Lu,” she interrupted, shaking her head in amusement. “I’m not glowing, so for you to think so must mean that you are most definitely intoxicated.”
That was ridiculous – surely everyone else could see the soft, ethereal blue halo shining down on her right now?
But she was insistent, so maybe he was a little too far gone at the moment.
“Well, if I am indeed drunk, it is because I’m drunk on you, gorgeous moon lady.”
Yue actually snorted from laughing so hard, not that he found it any less endearing.
Spirits, he was in trouble.
He’d meant what he told Zuko earlier, that she had captured his heart the moment she burst into laughter hearing his tried-and-true terrible pick-up line.
But one day, he’d already decided, he was going to marry her and give her as much pleasure in every way conceivable for the rest of their lives.
He would spend every waking moment buried to the hilt in the warmth between her thighs as often as possible, whenever his mouth wasn’t already worshipping her there, at least.
And if she wanted to bear his children, he would gladly fill her with every drop of his seed, until it overflowed and dripped out onto her dusky skin…
“Oh, my prince,” she lamented, shaking him from his inappropriate thoughts and bringing him back to the present. “Whatever am I going to do with you?”
“Keep dancing with me?” Lu Ten half begged. “Make me the happiest man in the world?”
Marry me tonight?
Fortunately, even he wasn’t that drunk to say that out loud. Someday he’d ask, but not yet.
Her smile was sweet and full of laughter.
“I would love nothing more,” she murmured.
~*~*~
Yue rested her cheek against his shoulder, not caring who saw, and she shivered instinctively when Lu Ten drew her even further into his warm, safe embrace.
She didn’t care if this was foolish, that she was quite literally playing with fire – she was having too much fun.
Imagine that, Yue thought to herself.
Yue closed her eyes, sighing contentedly when she felt him rest his cheek against her hair, sighing happily as well.
The Heartbreak Prince had managed to steal her heart away, after all.