Chapter 09: Silent Night
Rating: K
Alright, so I promised a bump in rating, but that didn't quite happen. Not going to force it, but it will come eventually. Just not sure exactly when ^_^;; After taking a day off, here is chapter 9 for your reading pleasure. Ty Lee and Zuko spend their first night together after Zuko spills his guts about how he feels. Sweetness ensues, and Toph makes her first appearance. Read and enjoy, boys and girls.
Making his way slowly down the wide avenue, Zuko felt himself smiling as he walked, taking in the sights of the small town once more. To see it at night was different than mid-day, and even more so after the short burst of heavy rain. All around him he could see the subtle glinting of moonlight in the murky puddles dotting the street. As he walked, he felt his feet sink into the ground with each step, the murky sound sounding quite amusing.
Normally he would not like trudging through layers of mud, did not like to feel the substance coating his feet. But as he turned his gaze to the brunette to his right, he felt the smile deepen a bit, his hand squeezing hers tightly. The girl must have noticed his gesture, as she turned towards him, smiling back to him in return.
The thoughts of the sticky mud and the young girl holding his hand seemed to come together, and he got a little idea. Tugging on the girl's arm tightly, he pulled her quickly towards him, bending just slightly as he scooped her into his arms. As she settled into his grasp, her now messy braid falling idly over his right arm, Ty Lee looked up owlishly at the older teen, blinking a few times in surprise.
"Sorry, but it is a gentleman's duty to make sure a woman doesn't get dirty, right?" he replied confidently, smiling as her slender arms gently snaked around his neck. "Normally it would just be setting a coat over a mud puddle, but the whole ground is a puddle, and I don't have that many clothes," he joked, his heart beating faster as he listened to her amused giggle.
"Oh, you're so sweet, Zuko. Just like a Prince," she cooed, kicking her feet lightly as they hung over his other arm. Pushing her forehead against his shoulder, she smiled wide, her smoky grey eyes closing as she focused on his form. She wanted to remember the feeling of his warm body, the light scent of burned wood still sticking to his body.
"Well, I was a prince once," he reminded her sarcastically, feeling her grip around his neck tighten just a bit.
As Zuko walked the remaining distance towards the younger girl's home, they joked a bit, bust mostly filling the time with an oddly enjoyable silence, each simply enjoying the other's presence. Zuko focusing on the softness of her body, blushing a bit nervously as he felt the two mounds of flesh pressing carelessly against his chest. Ty Lee savored the warmth, the strong feel of his body as his arms held her securely in their grip.
Neither paid attention to the last remnants of the crowd disappearing into their humble homes, nor to the sloppy sound of feet treading through thick mud. Gradually the dark clouds disappeared, leaving the shroud of darkest night surrounding the bright looking moon, its eerie glow casting down on the small village. Zuko felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked down at the young girl in his arms.
The pale light seemed to catch her face directly, giving her smooth skin an ethereal appearance, as though an angel or some spirit had replaced his longtime friend. He noticed the slight roundness of her cheeks, different than the angled features of his sister and Mai.
He smiled awkwardly as he gazed at her, feeling his body warm up as though he were fire bending. She held a different quality than the dangerous, precise beauty of Azula, or the elegant, regal kind of high class beauty of Mai. Ty Lee had something more mysterious. Something more down to Earth, something more innocent and sweet. Just looking at her, he figured she didn't wear makeup often, and didn't need to.
"Zuko, is something wrong with my face? You've been staring for a little while now," her soft, sweet voice broke his short trance, and he shook his head a bit as he tried to bring himself back to the present.
"Ah, I was just, uh, thinking that, um you're really… pretty," he admitted honestly, feeling like his face would explode from the stuttering of his voice. He felt a bit better as he watched her eyes widen in surprise, her gaze then shifting slightly away from the young Fire Lord.
"Umm, thanks, Zuko…" she whispered, a tone that Zuko knew meant she was slightly embarrassed, but happy at the same time. Finally, they approached the small thatched roof structure that would serve as their shared home for the next week during his visit. As Zuko approached the structure, he watched the girl's arm snake forward, reaching for the knob.
As the door swung open, Zuko steadily pressed inside, adjusting the light body in his arms so that she didn't bang her head on the frame. He breathed a bit of relief as he finally entered the home, glad that his awkwardness had not made an appearance. Letting the girl out of his arms, he watched her bounce on her feet, a little spattering of mud landing a short distance away.
But as she slipped the now mud soaked shoes off, Zuko noticed an energetic chuckle from the younger girl, and he felt his brow rise in confusion. Pulling the tie out of her hair, the young brunette let the chocolate colored locks fan out along her back, ruffling it with her hair as she giggled.
"What's so funny?" Zuko asked gruffly, slipping his own boots off and discarding them next to the front door. The girl's voice seemed to lighten as she looked at him, a single ray of moonlight piercing through the pane of glass that served as the window.
"Well, just now it was almost like we were entering a room," she paused briefly, and he could swear he saw her cheeks darken just a bit, "as a married couple," she finished, and Zuko felt that blush from earlier creep on him.
"Oh," was all he could manage, the thought passing idly through his head.
"Well, I guess I should clean up so I don't have any trouble sleeping," she said, excusing herself with a subtle bow. Still a bit surprised at her choice of words, he watched as the girl quickly disappeared into her room before slipping into the bathroom. Blinking a few times, he grumbled in frustration, but with an odd grin on his lips as he made his way towards the greenish sofa.
Letting himself fall heavily onto the soft cushioning, Zuko felt the breath escape his body all at once, his body aching from the harsh activities of that day. Opening his golden eyes, he gazed lazily towards the ceiling, his ears pricking just a bit with the gentle sound of running water. Remembering all the meditation he had done in his life, he closed his eyes, breathing in slowly, steadily to drown out the thoughts swimming in his head.
The smell of burning wood still hanging in his nostrils, he found himself drifting slowly off towards sleep, images of the young girl in the burning structure etched onto the backs of his eyelids. He could still feel the heat all around him, the flames licking at everything in sight, out of control. The feeling of relief as he came into contact with the cool air outside, and knowing that the girl had gotten lucky and suffered only minor injuries.
His mood lightened immensely, relieved that he had been able to save the young girl. The light feeling in his chest turned heavy, as he began to imagine how he might have felt if it had been one of his friends trapped within the heavy flames. How frantic he might have behaved if it were one of his loved ones. How desperate he might have become if it had been the girl he loved…
Clasping his right hand lazily atop his chest at that last thought, he hoped that such a time would never come. As he lay atop the soft cushioning of the sofa, Zuko listened to the soft sounds of cloth against skin, a playful grin crossing his face as he imagined what Ty Lee might look like beneath her clothing.
"Ah, what am I thinking?" he chuckled as he scolded himself, letting the thoughts linger for only a moment longer. Finally the door clicked open, and he heard the soft patter of feet on cool wood. The scent of strawberries filled his senses, and he felt just a little dizzy as his eyes shifted gradually towards the young brunette. He nearly choked on his own spit as he mixed up his breathing reflexes, coughing loudly to the amusement of his "host".
"Zuko, you have to be more careful. How embarrassing would it be to die by choking on your own saliva?" she teased, clutching lightly at her sides as she bent at the waist in laughter. Despite her teasing, Zuko could not break his gaze away from the girl, watching the soft black shirt hang to just below her hips, just the suggestion of her curves visible to his gaze.
He realized quickly that he was staring again, something he wondered if he would ever stop doing. Feeling a short relief that she was so preoccupied with her laughter, he said a silent thanks that he had not been caught in the act, and pulled himself onto his feet.
"I guess I should clean up too," he said as he passed the girl, her damp hair pulled into a simple ponytail. "But this looks pretty nice," he whispered, brushing his fingers gently along the soft hair. He could see the girl's body tighten up at his touch, and chuckled as he disappeared into the bathroom.
"Oh, well, see you tomorrow then, Zuko. Good night," she replied softly, unsure if her voice had reached him beyond the bathroom's door. Flipping happily onto her hands as she did from time to time, Ty Lee walked with her hands back towards her own room, feeling the blood flow nearly in reverse through her body.
The soft rushing sound of water echoed gently through the small home, like a slowly running river. Smiling to herself, she put more effort into her arms, hurtling into the air with her own natural grace. Landing gently on her feet, the young brunette reached into her dresser for a bright red towel, dabbing at her hair to dry it the last little bit. As she carefully rubbed the cottony fabric along her hair, she watched her subtle movements in the body mirror hanging from the wall.
Looking herself over, acrobatic young girl's ears pricked a bit as the sound of running water disappeared, quickly followed by a gentle click of the bathroom door. Touch drying the last strands of hair, the young girl turned her head in both directions, making certain that things were set. Nodding in satisfaction, she threw the now damp towel onto the top of the dresser, climbing slowly beneath the dark blue covers atop her soft bed.
Feeling her light body sink gently into the comfortable material, Ty Lee pulled her blanket up to just below her neck, nuzzling herself against the softness of her blue covered pillow. A soft sigh escaped her pink lips, and she let her eyes gently close themselves, anxious for a good night's sleep.
But as she lay beneath her covers, her feet began to move subconsciously, distracting her from the specter of sleep. Opening her smoky eyes, the brunette acrobat let her gaze drift about the room, watching the odd glow of moonlight against smooth wooden surfaces.
Lips pursing together in frustration, the young girl rolled onto her other side, trying once more to allow sleep to claim her. But after another few minutes, the same pattern was repeated, and her eyes again flew open in frustration. Roughly, she rolled onto her back, the bed suddenly not feeling as comfortable as it should, as it normally did.
"Maybe I'm just nervous," she reasoned with herself, feeling her dark brown hair tickling the back of her neck as she breathed, bangs framing her soft features as she lay in bed. The odd twitching of her feet continued, and she felt incredibly restless. The frown deepened as she thought about her situation, the thought of having a boy in the next room throwing her off just enough to make sleep difficult. Thoughts of the older teen's dark hair hanging messily around his face, not fully masking the large scar on his face slipped into her mind.
Then a grin appeared on her face as she threw the covers down towards the opposite end of the bed. Turning in bed, she let her feet drop against the cool wood of the floor, her body finally putting its fully weight on the appendages as she reached out for the thick blanket. Quietly she made her way towards the living room, wondering if Zuko had had any trouble falling asleep.
Lying prone on his back, Zuko felt the cool night air pass over his body, smiling to himself as he placed his hands atop his chest. The sofa was luckily quite comfortable, and figured he would have no trouble falling asleep. Soft breaths escaped his lips as he felt sleep begin to tug at his senses, darkness encompassing his vision more and more.
Yet, as he lay atop the sofa's cushion, he heard a second sound make its way slowly into the large room. Brows knit together in focus as he listened intently to the soft footsteps, before falling in amusement, his grin turning amused as he listened to Ty Lee "sneaking" up on him.
After a few moments, the footsteps stopped just behind the sofa, and Zuko wondered what she might be doing in the living room. His curiosity was answered as he heard a soft groan of effort pass through soft lips, followed by a heavy pressure on his legs as she took a seat on top of him. Opening his eyes, he noticed a heavy blue blanket draped across her shoulders, hanging down over her slender frame, blocking out the few traces of moonlight from his view.
"Something I can help you with, Ty Lee?" he asked playfully, hearing her whine in disappointment that he had been awake the whole time.
"Aww, you're no fun, Zuko," she pouted, cheeks puffed out a bit as she stared down at him. Letting the blanket fall more tightly around her, she noticed the moonlight illuminate the older teen's prone form. His red sleep shirt hung open a bit, revealing a second large burn mark near the center of his chest. A gasp of concern passed through her lips, as she reached towards the thick spot of skin.
"Zuko, is this from…" she began, watching as his eyes widened in surprise before softening, his right hand joining hers atop his chest, sliding the shirt open a bit more.
"Oh, yeah. That's from Azula's lightning," he responded, his body tensing just a bit at the cool touch of her soft hand against the injured spot. It was just another remnant of the war he would carry with him forever, a reminder of the good he had done to make up for some small part of the wrongs he had done.
"This was a pretty bad injury, right? If it had been even a little bit to the left," she began, catching the reminiscent look on Zuko's face. Pulling her hand from his warm body, she kept her gaze locked on the burn scar.
"Yeah. I could have died," he whispered, smiling just a bit as he spoke. Ty Lee could feel a little crack form on her heart, thinking of just how close Zuko had been to dying, lamenting that she had not been there to help him when he might have needed it the most.
"You're such a jerk, Zuko. You can't be so careless with yourself, you know?" she asked sweetly, sighing softly as he reached up, entwining their fingers together.
"I know. But I guess it's just not in me to take it easy and let things go," he answered, playing idly with the younger girl's fingers with his own. The soft smoothness of them made him smile, slowly increasing the force of his fingers. Ty Lee seemed to catch onto his motives, and returned the gesture, their fingers quickly battling one another for dominance.
"So competitive, too," she teased, feeling the long ponytail hitting against her back as her head swayed in concentration. Spurred on by Zuko's confident smirk, the young girl refused to let him simply have his way. But after a few minutes, his natural strength proved too much for her, and she yielded, blowing on her fingers for some relief from the strain.
"Ty Lee, aren't you worried?" he asked, drawing a confused look from the young brunette.
"What do you mean, Zuko?" she asked in return, flowery voice teasing him just a little bit. Following his gaze, she smirked down at him, slowly reaching towards the bottom edge of her large black shirt. She barely suppressed a soft giggle as she slowly began to tug on the soft material, watching as he seemed to fumble with something to say.
"W-wait, Ty Lee, w-w-what are you…" he stuttered, eyes averting their gaze as the black garment flew up her lithe frame, the edge resting just below her nicely developed chest. His naïve reaction made it harder to hold in her giggle, and as the sound of laughter passed through her lips, Zuko allowed his gaze to shift back to the younger teen.
"Aww, you're so cute, Zuko. But these are pretty cute shorts, right?" Beneath the black shirt, Ty Lee had been wearing what had to be the smallest pair of shorts that could possible still be called shorts. Frustrated with her bit of teasing, the teen Fire Lord let his eyes roam over the newly exposed bits of skin.
"You call those shorts?" he asked playfully, his fingers brushing lightly across her toned stomach. The girl's body tightened a bit as she shivered, a light gasp escaping her lips. "But, they are cute, even if they don't really cover anything," he continued, smirking as she began to writhe on top of him.
"W-well, they're j-just for sleeping," she explained, trying to ignore the pleasant feelings passing through her stomach and chest. Ty Lee almost felt disappointed as his fingers removed themselves from her smooth body, her lungs trying to regain their normal breathing rate.
"And, why aren't you sleeping? Having nightmares?" he asked more seriously, smiling reassuringly at the girl as she looked down at him. Adjusting her position, Ty Lee sat cross legged on his thighs, as though it were a natural place to sit in.
"I don't think so. Just feel kind of restless, so I thought maybe we could talk until I fall asleep," she added cheerfully, leaving the older boy a bit surprised. Once the implication logged itself into his mind, he reached up, lightly poking the girl on the forehead.
"Suit yourself, 'circus freak'," he spoke somewhat sarcastically, placing his hands behind his head as he watched the girl hold the blanket tighter around her slender frame. "So, what do you want to know?" he asked directly, honey colored eyes not leaving her soft, warm body.
"What do you mean?"
"I figured you must have some questions in your head after tonight," he explained rationally, watching as the bubbly young girl pressed a finger to her chin in thought. After a moment of possibly exaggerated deliberation, the girl smiled, leaning own a bit towards him as she asked her first question.
"So, how long have you known?" she asked a bit nervously, biting her lip gently as she looked down at him.
"Known what?" he asked dumbly.
"That you, you know, to me…" she asked confusedly, more nervous than she had meant it to sound. Zuko mimicked her exaggerated thinking gesture, watching the girl fidget a bit on top of him.
"I don't know. I guess it started the other day when I saw you sparring with Suki, but I didn't know for sure until today," he responded, thinking back over the past couple of days.
"What makes you think you really do?" she asked again, her fidgetting increasing as she asked, watching his face light with a contented sort of smile.
"Your smile," he answered, placing his right palm firmly on her left cheek. "It's really infectious, almost annoying at times," he began, the girl's face contorting into one of hurt as he spoke, not liking his brutally honest tone of voice, "but it's really pretty," he concluded, feeling her cheeks pull into a smile as he finished.
"Is that all?" she asked sarcastically, earning a light pinch from the older teen.
"Nope, but you'll have to find out the rest of it on your own," he answered teasingly, feeling his body becoming warm with his proximity to the energetic young girl.
"So, what about Mai?" she asked seriously, both teens stopping with the mention of the other girl. Looking into Ty Lee's eyes, Zuko could tell that the girl was worried about her friend, a look of guilt in her hazy spheres.
"I don't know," he answered honestly, letting his hand drop from her soft cheek, hanging idly at his side. "I wish I knew just what to say, just what to do to make everyone happy, but it seems all I can do is make people upset," he lamented, smirking dryly at his seemingly poor luck at dealing with other people.
"Zuko, Mai loves you," Ty Lee responded, running her right hand along Zuko's cheek, mirroring his own gesture. "So, I can't get in between you two," she said glumly, her thumb running tenderly over the hardened skin of his disfiguring scar.
"What about you, Ty Lee?" he asked roughly, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders.
"W-what do you mean?" she asked in turn, a bit frightened by his sudden forcefulness. He breath caught for a moment as he shifted on the sofa, pulling himself into a sitting position with the young girl firmly planted on his lap. His ferocious golden eyes flashed with his pure emotion as he looked into her own eyes, making her blush with the intensity of his gaze.
"What do you want, Ty Lee?" he asked, his voice nearly a shout as her eyes widened in surprise. "You're spent all your time just doing what other people want. Following Azula like a little puppy, giving up your crush on Sokka, quitting the circus, I wonder if you've ever made a hard decision on your own before," he finished, loosening his grip on the girl's shoulders as he leaned back a bit trying to calm himself down.
"Zuko," she whispered, feeling the tears beginning to poke at the backs of her eyes, hands clasped together in front of her now quivering lips. She watched as Zuko turned away from her, frustrated that he had lost his cool as he had.
"Sorry, Ty Lee. Maybe I should find somewhere else to sleep," he said, removing himself from beneath the younger girl. Turning his legs out from the sofa, he stood onto his feet, casting a sidelong glance at the brunette. But as he took a step towards the front door, he felt a small tug on the back of his red sleep shirt. Turning around slowly, he was met with a hurt puppy dog kind of look, and he felt a pang in his heart again.
"Wait, Zuko," she began, taking a deep breath as she looked into his deep gold eyes. "Just wait, Zuko," she spoke again, removing her hand from his shirt as he sat back down on the sofa, his eyes resting on her as she placed her hands gently in her lap.
"What is it, Ty Lee?" he asked, curious as to what she would say.
"I-I'm sorry for not speaking up more often," she began, her body slumping a bit as she spoke, mind thinking back to her time growing up. "I just always wanted people to like me," she admitted, earning an understanding look from Zuko.
"I get that, Ty Lee. You're not the first person to do some stupid things because you worried about what someone would think," he added to what she had said, his own life experiences giving him first hand experience with that.
"But, I don't want to lose you too, Zuko," she said softly, the tears nipping at the corners of her eyes. Clasping her hands over her eyes, she tried to will the tears to stop, laughing at her own sad state as she cried.
"I'm so pathetic, I can't even stand up for myself, and I just end up hurting my friends," she cried, calming just a bit as Zuko awkwardly threw his arms around her, pulling her tightly against his strong chest.
"Well, it's never too late, you know? But you have to ask yourself 'what do I want?', you have to think about things yourself," he spoke, remembering the words his uncle had once given him. He hoped that things would go better this time.
"Y-you think so?" she asked, sniffling as she lifted her head, staring into his warm eyes as he nodded in affirmation.
"Never too la-" he was stopped as the young brunette pressed her sweet lips against his, her body pushing against him roughly. Zuko was caught by surprise by the suddenness of her actions, and felt himself fall backwards onto the sofa. After a moment, the young girl pulled back, hands resting on the sofa on either side of his head.
"Then, I want you, Zuko," she answered shyly, blushing heavily with the directness of her words. "Ah, but not l-like that, I meant, you know," she was hushed as Zuko placed another kiss to her sweet lips, not allowing her to explain herself.
"I know what you mean, Ty Lee," he answered as he pulled his lips from hers, his arms pulling her down on top of him then pulling the blanket over both of them. As Ty Lee snuggled against him, he placed his right arm across her back, holding her firmly against him.
"We'll talk more tomorrow, alright?" he asked, smiling as he felt her head moving gently against his chest as she nodded. A quick kiss to the top of her head, and Zuko felt his eyes flutter closed, sleep taking him quickly.
Yet, as Zuko's chest settled into a steady breathing rhythm, Ty Lee turned her head a bit, looking up at the Fire Lord's strong face. A smile crossed her lips, holding firmly as she nuzzled against his chest.
"I love you, Zuko," she whispered, sleep visiting her quickly as her eyes closed for the night.
***************
The following morning, as the Sun's rays replaced the soft glow of the moon, all the village woke from their night of slumber, anxious to start the new day. Word spread quickly that the Avatar had graced their village with his presence once again. His group of friends each gathered in the meeting hall at the top of the hill, save for two noticeable absences.
"Where's Toph?" Sokka was the first to ask his sister and her love interest, Aang. Aang rubbed the back of his neck nervously as Katara huffed.
"She said she was too 'busy' to come with us, but she might come by if she felt like it. I swear, it's like we're not even friends," the tanned girl spoke, annoyed with the sometimes irritatingly defiant attitude of the little earth bender.
"'Busy' with what?" Sokka asked curiously, leaning forward at the table, a bit of food spilling from his mouth.
"She said she was looking for someone, but wouldn't go into any more explanation," Katara continued, smacking her brother on the back of his head for lack of manners.
"Hmm, I wonder who she could be looking for," Suki wondered, her green eyes wandering about the hall. "And, where's Zuko?" she asked, a wolfish grin on Sokka's face.
"I was just wondering that myself. Maybe we should all go see how the poor Fire Lord is doing," he added, a sense of mischief filling the room.
"It's unusual for Zuko to sleep in, so maybe something is wrong," Katara said, a hint of worry in her voice. A nod from the others and they headed out, slowly making their way through the throng of cheering people.
"Wow, seems like people are pretty lively," Aang murmured into his older friend's ear, earning a slap on the back from the Water Tribe boy.
"Well, people are always looking for a reason to party, and now they have two, so of course they're excited," he explained happily, looking forward to the probably festivities later in the day.
"Sounds like fun, Sokka. Think Zuko will show up?" Aang asked nervously, amused chuckles all around at the image of socially awkward Zuko as the center of attention at a party.
"Oh, he will show, I guarantee it," Sokka said playfully, as the quartet approached Ty Lee's home. Wanting to be the first to potentially embarrass the young man, Sokka darted ahead, propping the door open as sunlight flooded the living room. "Hey sleepyhead, rise… and… shine…" the sight was not quite what he had been expecting, and after a few embarrassed blinks, the dark skinned boy turned away from the door, closing it carefully behind him as he walked back to the group.
"Is he not inside?" Aang asked, concerned for the state of his friend. Sokka simply shook his head numbly, a teasing grin gradually finding its way to his face.
"Oh, no, he's most certainly inside," he said, sly grin plastered across his face. The innuendo of his words were not lost on the two girls among them, who looked to one another with amused smiles.
"Ah, maybe we can give him a little more time," Katara spoke innocently, earning a nod from the other girl.
"Give who a little more time?" A familiar, direct voice pierced the silence among the group as the little earth bender made her way towards them, brushing off a bit of dust from her shirt. Sokka and Katara looked at one another, then at the younger girl, each with the same thought.
'This is going to get a bit rough,' Neither having any desire to be Zuko on this particular day. They just hoped he wouldn't end up shoving his foot too far into his own mouth. After all, the death of the Fire Lord at the hands of a well respected earth bender would not do any to help relations between the nations.
Definitely implied here that Katara and Sokka know something, and it involves the benders for fire and earth. What could they be thinking? Hopefully another chapter tomorrow, and it will be mostly humorous stuff, people, but with a bit of drama. Not too much, I hope.
