Morning light was starting to cast over the roofs of Caldera City, indicating the first golden hour of a new day. But no one was aware of the beauty playing above the highest tops of the volcano.

Well.

Except for one.

Zuko had been up before anyone else, using this quiet hour to perfect his already perfect firebending techniques. It was his way of clearing his head before a busy day and it helped.

Most of the time.

He curled his fist and flicked his wrist. Burning fire was sent outward, it's flames arcing through the air and roaring loudly like a dragon, breaking the tranquil atmosphere at least on the training grounds. The last time it had roared like that, Zuko had been in an Agni Kai, dueling with his sister, Azula, over the throne of the fire nation. Now, years later after the war, there had been no such tragic reason for his inner flame to burn this bright. There shouldn’t be. And yet it was.

All because he saw one of the earth kingdom's diplomats talk with Kanae, hell, even making her laugh by cracking some stupid joke about cabbages. For a hot moment Zuko even considered annulling the peace between the two nations...but then he mentally berated himself for even going there. It was not worth risking anything, much less the newly built peace, especially when the cooperation between firelord and earth king was going this exceptionally well.

But this...newly fanned flame has stayed and now Zuko couldn't think of anything else than Kanae and how she was attracting male attention like a moth to a flame. Whether it was a diplomat, their personal cook or that one waterbender guard they've encountered on their last trip in Agna Qel'a, eyes followed her everywhere and when there was an opportunity, men almost stumbled over themselves to engage in a conversation with his partner.

It...unsettled him. Too much for his own good.

He had always known that people liked her, how couldn't they? She was outgoing, kind, naturally charming and when she smiled, it was like watching a sun rise. That's just how she was. But he couldn't remember when it had ever been this extreme.

...or maybe he had been a little dense because, again, Kanae was an exceptional woman...and inhumanely gorgeous.

Zuko exhaled sharply and looked down at his fist, interrupting his training session, because it didn't clear his head at all.

In fact it made him want to punch them even more. Damnit. He wanted to burn them down, one by one until there was nothing left but a pile of ashes. In his mind, he already did about ten, maybe twenty times, unwillingly fueling this ugly, green feeling that had been curling in his stomach.

A sigh escaped his lips and he left the training grounds to go back to his chambers. There, his most favorite sight greeted him. Kanae, lying on the red bed, her body tangled in the silky golden sheets. Her hair was all splayed out and the morning light casted a golden hue over her bare back. Yeah...no damn wonder, they were all going crazy. Like he said, exceptional..and inhumanely gorgeous.

Zuko silently climbed onto the bed and leaned over her, his lips gently grazing over her bare shoulder. "You're mine" he murmured against her skin.