Chapter 13: Emerald Green
Rating: K+
Well, here is chapter 13 good people. Not quite to the party yet, but next chapter for certain. Zuko has Ty Lee take him clothes shopping, as he has not brought enough with him. Basically just an excuse for some more nice moments between the two. Hopefully you all enjoy this one as much as previous installments. Look forward to more Ty Luko soon as well.
Wiping away a streak of condensation from the small mirror in the bathroom, Zuko looked himself over, his right hand running lazily over his firm facial features. Slowly his gaze shifted down, resting on the mirrored image of the large scars on his face and chest. They would serve forever as reminders of his past, but as he traced the latter mark, he found that the pain from them was almost nonexistent.
In the past, the burn mark on his face was thought of as a disfigurement, a reminder of how he was weak and unworthy of love or respect. But the only shame he felt now at the hardened skin was not speaking up more loudly, not making his opinions known to all. Both marks were reminders of when he had done the right thing, or at the least had tried to. A smile crossed his face as he looked around the bathroom for something to wear.
At that moment, he realized that he had no additional clothing in his pack, and that until his clothes were washed he would be unable to function normally. His mind raced as he thought of possibilities, any solution to the minor problem that this presented. He could go and ask Sokka for something to wear temporarily, but then he remembered Sokka's penchant for occasionally slovenly behavior, relying almost entirely on any girl present to keep him presentable.
Sighing heavily, Zuko realized that there was only one option. Running the thick towel through his hair once more, he then tied the damp cloth around his waist, somewhat hesitantly making his way back into the living room.
"Oh, nice look, Zuko," the soft voice of his acrobatic friend was the first thing to greet him upon exiting the bathroom, a small billow of steam following behind. His face lightened a bit as he watched the girl laugh brightly, before he remembered what it was that he had to ask her.
"Umm, Ty Lee?" he asked, watching nervously as she cocked her head slightly to the side, bright grey eyes seemingly smiling at him.
"What is it, Zuko?" she asked sweetly, her legs dangling from the edge of the sofa nearest him, soft chocolate brown hair hanging gracefully around her face. He had to resist an urge to take a few steps forward and capture her full pink lips with his own. Taking in a deep breath, he tried to keep a blush from forming on his cheeks.
"I, umm, don't have anything to wear…" he began, failing at containing his embarrassment over the situation. For a moment, the girl said nothing, and he thought that maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he had feared. But as he was feeling the sweet rush of relief, the girl broke into a loud laugh, darkening the blush on his cheeks.
"Oh, Zuko, I'm sorry," she tried to apologize, the words utterly unconvincing between fits of girlish laughter. "The only clothes I have around would definitely not suit your tastes," she laughed louder, picturing Zuko in the pinks and reds that she tended to favor.
"Ugh, this is so humiliating," he gruffed, thinking that the only way the situation could be worse would be if he were not covered with the towel at his waist. "Look, I just need something temporarily, then maybe you can just take me somewhere that I can get something?" he tried to reason, watching the girl wipe a few tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Oh. Okay, Zuko. But, they might be a tight fit," she said happily, bounding quickly towards her room. Rummaging through her dresser, she looked for the most fitting clothing she had, finding a pair of her red pants that might function as shorts for the young Fire Lord. "Here, try these," she said as she entered the living room once again, tossing the red cloth to the young teen.
"Thanks, Ty Lee," he answered gratefully, disappearing into the bathroom once more. The pant were a tight fit, as he had expected, but at least it was something to cover his bottom half until he got something more fitting. As he exited the bathroom, rubbing the back of his head nervously, he felt that familiar tension in his extremities arrive along with the brunette's failed attempts at holding in her laughter.
"Aww, you look good Zuko. But I wouldn't want you to keep that look. It doesn't fit you," she joked, earning a dissatisfied groan from the young man. Jumping off of the back edge of the sofa she had been resting upon, the girl grabbed Zuko by the arm, suddenly painfully aware that he was not wearing a shirt. "Umm, Zuko, you want to borrow a shirt?" she asked, her fingers slowly reaching towards the burn mark in the center of his chest.
Giving pause for a moment, Zuko made his way over to his traveling pack, rummaging around for a small leather pouch. Hands digging through the bits of dirty clothing, he finally found the object of his search, tossing the metal filled pouch into the air. Turning his gaze towards the young brunette, he walked back towards her.
"That's alright. I really don't think your shirts would fit me," he responded, gently grabbing the girl's slender fingers in his right hand, smiling as he made his way towards the front door. "So, anywhere I could get some clothes on this island?" he asked somewhat anxiously, reaching for his boots as he stepped outside.
"Yeah, I think there's a little place at the bottom of the hill that could work. Not sure they will have anything to suit your tastes though, Zuko," she replied, slipping her simple red shoes onto her feet as she joined him outside.
"First, I think these need a washing," he said, nodding his head over towards the river a short distance behind her home. Ty Lee smiled warmly as she followed after the older teen, biting her lip gently as she watched the subtle movements of his lean muscles. Brushing a few strands of brown hair behind her ears, she sat on a large rock on the edge of the stream, watching as Zuko washed the dirt from his shoes.
"Geez, I think these are ruined too," he sighed, slipping the wet foot coverings in place. Motioning that he would follow, he waited for the younger girl to head towards the place that might grant him some sort of clothing, hoping at least that he could get something clean.
"Alright, here it is Zuko," Ty Lee said simply as they reached the bottom of the hill, noticing the embarrassed look on Zuko's face. "Aww, come on Zuko, it's not that bad you know," she said, trying to cheer the young man up.
"Easy for you to say. You're not wearing something girly, with no shirt on in a place you're not familiar with," he huffed roughly, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. The girl giggled a bit as he spoke, realizing that he had her in that argument.
"Good point. So, any idea what you might be looking for?" she asked, lifting the small straw mat that served as a door. Slipping inside, she watched as Zuko looked appraisingly at the items in the shop, trying to make up his mind.
"I don't really care, as long as it's not something for girls," he replied dryly, his lips pursing a bit as he looked at the simple blue cloth dotting the small shop. Nothing that he was used to, as he expected from a shop on a small island like this.
"Oh, customers. How can I help you?" A sweet girl, who looked about Ty Lee's age greeted the pair from behind the register, her blue sleeved arm wiping at a few beads of sweat on her forehead as she hefted a large box onto the counter top.
"You need some help with that?" Zuko asked helpfully, his natural kindness overriding his embarrassment for a moment. His eyes widened a bit as he watched the girl smile in response to his offer, his memory flashing momentarily with the face of that girl from Ba Sing Se.
"Jin…" he whispered softly, a pair of heads cocking in his direction before he caught himself. "Oh, sorry, you just reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago," he responded, grabbing the heavy box from its perch atop the counter.
"Ah, it's alright," the young girl answered happily, motioning towards the back of the shop, walking into a small back room with Zuko trailing slightly behind. As he walked, Zuko watched the small braid bounce as it hung across her right shoulder, a short pang rippling through his heart as he remembered the strange, sweet girl he had met in his time as "Lee".
"Thanks for helping me out with this," she said, her soft voice ringing pleasantly in his ears. The young Fire Lord smiled gently at the young girl, letting the memories slip from his mind. His smile warmed as he entered the main room of the shop, watching the young acrobat waving her feet in the air as she stood pointlessly on her hands.
"It's no problem," he responded as the black haired girl slipped back into the shop, taking up a spot near him in front of the counter. The embarrassment returned, and as a blush crept on his cheeks, Zuko looked again at the selection of items in the shop.
"So, are you looking for something in particular?" the girl asked, smile seemingly etched on her face as she looked the young man over. He swore he saw a light ting of pink on the girl's tan cheeks, before answering the simple question.
"Not anything in particular. Just something that a guy would wear," he joked, earning a light laugh from the girl. Taking up a seat on the small bench next to Ty Lee, he watched as the girl seemed to think for a moment, before her face lit up in realization.
"Oh, I think I have just the thing for you. Just hold on a minute, Zuko," she spoke, a mix between honor and familiarity in her tone of voice. As she disappeared into the back again, he felt a hint of curiosity enter his mind.
"How did you know my name's Zuko?" he asked dumbly, feeling his brows raise at the laugh that escaped the girl's lips from within the back room. A light nudge from his friend brought his attention back to her.
"Geez, you're the Fire Lord, dummy," she responded teasingly, causing Zuko to smack his forehead in realization. "By the way, I think she likes you," Ty Lee added, flipping back onto her feet, before taking up a sitting position next to Zuko.
"I kind of got that feeling," he said, smiling weakly as his thoughts drifted back to the girl from the teashop.
"So, who's Jin?" Ty Lee asked, something like doubt on her voice. Foggy grey eyes drifted to the grey carpeted floor, fingers idly playing with each other as she tried not to look at the young Fire Lord. A strong arm wrapped around her shoulder, and she smiled as he held her body close to his own.
"A girl I knew a long time ago," he responded, giving his acrobatic friend the quicker version of his story from Ba Sing Se. "I wonder what she's up to now," he added nostalgically, his golden eyes drifting towards the ceiling as the scent of cinnamon flooded his senses.
"Wow, Zuko, I always knew you would be good with the girls," Ty Lee joked, jabbing a finger playfully into his side. He winced a bit, but smiled as he leaned down a bit, placing a gentle kiss on the crown of the younger girl's head.
"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything," the shop girl said, a trace of disappointment on her voice as she watched the scene in front of her. Zuko and Ty Lee nearly jumped apart at being spotted, Zuko walking slowly towards the young girl.
"No, I'm sorry. So, what did you get back there?" he asked curiously, noticing a white box in the girl's arms. She smiled as she held the box out, watching as Zuko lifted the lid of it. His eyes widened in surprise, his fingers running gently over the fabric within the box. Gaze shifting to the young shop keeping girl, he watched as she continued to smile, nodding gently for him to take the garment.
"This is probably the only clothing fit for the Fire Lord on this island, Zuko, so I hope it suits your tastes," the girl responded nervously, watching as Zuko pulled the shirt from its resting place in the box. His honey colored eyes ran from the shirt to the girl, before resting on the shirt.
"Wow. I wouldn't have guessed something like this would be here. Where did you get it?" he asked curiously, his fingers taking in the smooth feel of the fine silk.
"It's a secret," the girl replied playfully, holding a finger to her lips as she smiled at the young Fire Lord. Zuko nodded in understanding before undoing the small black buttons on the front, slipping his arms into the fine blue fabric. Simply having a shirt was a relief, but to wear one of such fine quality was more than he had expected.
Fine strands of blue silk melded perfectly together, soft gold dragons stitched carefully along the bottom edge of the shirt. Fine black linen formed the hem of the garment, a second dragon embroidered on the collar, its roaring jaws reaching the edge of the right collar.
The sleeves reached comfortably just to his wrists, the material hanging almost perfectly loosely around his strong arms. Straightening the shirt out, he then set about re-buttoning the shirt, the black circles slipping easily into the small holes on the opposing sides. Turning back to the girl once the shirt was secured on his torso, he asked if there was anything he could wear in the way of pants.
A simple nod, and the girl made her way behind the counter, producing a second white box. As the top was removed from the box, Zuko's eyes fell upon a nearly perfectly matching pair of black pants, the fine material going well with the dark blue of the shirt adorning his body.
"Umm, is there a changing room here?" he asked nervously, earning a small giggle from the young girl at the counter.
"No, sorry," she admitted, watching the young man sigh heavily. Motioning for the girl to stand next to Ty Lee, he then took a position behind the counter. Thankful that the counter was made of solid wood, he slipped Ty Lee's uncomfortably tight pants from his legs, sighing in relief as the black linen made its way up his legs. Grabbing a nearby strip of blue cloth, he tied the dark material around the waist of the pants, securing them around his waist.
As Zuko walked from behind the counter, he noticed both girls staring at him, their gazes uncomfortable as they fell across his body. "So, how does it look?" he asked a bit nervously, watching as the girls looked from him to each other, playful smiles teasing at the edges of their lips.
"You look great Zuko," Ty Lee spoke first, the shop girl nodding gently in response. Feeling a bit better, Zuko bowed his head gently, slipping his right hand into the right pocket of Ty Lee's form fitting pants.
"Thanks. So, how much for everything?" Zuko asked, holding the dark brown leather pouch in hand as he tossed the pants playfully towards the young acrobat. The shop keep seemed to look intently at the bag, curious as to its contents. A sly grin crossed Zuko's face as he rummaged his fingers into the bag, slipping a few coins into his hands.
"I hope this will be enough," he said, tossing the pouch towards the black haired shop keep. Emerald green eyes shot open in surprise, as she looked curiously from the bag to the young Fire Lord.
"Oh my, that is too much. I can't accept this," she said hurriedly, trying to thrust the bag back towards the young man. He simply held his hand up towards the young girl, letting the pieces of gold in hand slip into the silk lined pockets of his new pants.
"Now, you wouldn't refuse a gift from the Fire Lord, right?" he asked, feigning seriousness in his tone. The girl cowed a bit in his presence, bowing respectfully as she retreated a short distance away. "I am only kidding. This is no small thing you have done for me, so I want to show my gratitude. Is that alright?" he asked kindly, watching as the girl clutched the pouch to her chest.
"It is alright, Fire Lord Zuko," she responded, smiling warmly at the older teen. With a nod of his head, he placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder, leaning a bit closer as he spoke his gratitude.
"Thank you very much for the clothes. I hope you wouldn't mind if I grabbed some simple clothes for working out, and a pair of shoes as well?" he asked, hoping that he was not making too large a request.
"Oh, not at all, Fire Lord-" he raised his hand once again to silence the girl.
"None of that. While I am here, I am just Zuko, alright?" he replied somewhat shyly, grabbing a light blue cotton shirt and dark blue pants, followed by a simple pair of black shoes, similar in style to Ty Lee's. A nervous nod from the young girl and Zuko bowed respectfully in turn, smiling as he slipped the shoes upon his feet.
"Have a good day, Zuko," the shopkeep girl whispered as he exited the shop, her heart fluttering lightly as she thought of his kindness. Opening the small pouch again, she watched the shimmer of gold in the rays of sunlight, a soft smile crossed her lips. "Come back any time," she whispered this time to herself, turning slowly back towards the back of the shop.
"That was pretty sweet of you, Zuko," Ty Lee said, slightly in teasing of her older friend. Zuko turned his head towards the peppy brunette, smiling as the messy black locks of hair fluttered about his face in the light breeze that passed through the town.
"It was nothing. I had a little extra money, so I figured it would be better to give to someone who needs it," he said simply, taking note of the difference in the looks directed his way.
"Looks like everyone likes the new look, Zuko," his bubbly friend spoke appreciatively, drawing his honey colored eyes towards her.
"I never would have thought it, but I kind of like the blue," he admitted, looking at the light sheen of the fine silk on his shirt. A smile crossed both their lips as they made their way back towards Ty Lee's house.
"Yeah, blue suits you pretty well," Ty Lee added, he feet lightly sounding against the hard wood of her porch as they approached the house. As the door swung open, Zuko entered first, blocking the entrance from the young girl.
"Hold on a minute. I want to do a little bending practice before this party, so meet me down at the beach," he said simply in response to the curious look the brunette gave him. After a moment, she nodded, before slowly heading towards the beach.
As she reached the meeting place of sea and earth, Ty Lee stopped, staring idly out at the wide expanse of sea in front of her. The sheer size and beauty of it was something she enjoyed watching from tie to time, a smile crossing her face as she dropped into a sitting position on the sand.
"Alright. Now for some light exercise, just so I don't get too rusty," Zuko joked lightly, jogging towards her. Turning her head, she watched the slight movement of the loose fitting blue garb, the sleeves reaching just above his elbow. The black pants billowed a bit with each movement, the pant legs reaching to just below the ankles.
"Just don't get too excited about it, Zuko," she teased, giggling as he tossed the dark red towel over her head. Pulling it from atop her mess of chocolate colored hair, Ty Lee set the towel in her lap as she watched the young teen stand closer to the sea, his body straightening as he began his breathing exercises.
With her usual excitement, she watched as he went through his various bending movements, bursts of flame dancing in nearly all directions. Sudden thrusts, punches and kicks, each alight with flame cast shadows on the sandy shore in front of him.
Gradually the movements became more intricate, evolving into horizontal flips and somersaults. His movements were smooth, precise, just like Azula's used to be. The thought of her old friend made Ty Lee a bit sad, imagining the young woman screaming madly within her single room in the mental institution.
But her attention was brought back to the present as she watched Zuko hold his hands in front of his chest, eyes closed in concentration. The sound of deep breaths wafted gently over towards her. His eyes flashed open as he thrust his hands outwards, a large burst of emerald green flame the size of his body spiraling from his palms out towards the crystal blue sea.
As the flame disappeared, Ty Lee realized that her mouth had begun to hang open a bit, mesmerized by the sight. She had witnessed the blue fire from Azula, the result of her natural talent and her cold demeanor. But never had she heard of anything like green fire. The brightness of it was so wondrous, she wanted to know how long Zuko had been able to produce such a thing.
"Wow, Zuko, that was amazing," she said happily, shooting to her feet then over to the young Fire Lord. His attention was shaken from his upturned palms to the brunette bounding over towards him, a look of confusion etched on his face.
"So, you saw it too?" he asked curiously, bringing a look of confusion to the energetic face of the Fire Nation acrobat as well.
"Of course I saw it. How long have you been able to do that?" she asked, handing him the thick towel. As he wiped himself off, he felt confused by the spectacle he had witnessed, still finding it hard to believe that he himself had produced such color in his flame.
"I don't know. That was only the second time I did it, but they were both on accident," he said, hanging the towel across his shoulders as his gaze shifted to the wide, beautiful ocean. "But, when I saw the masters, Ran and Shao, they showed me fire in so many different colors," he spoke, watching out of the corner of his eye as the bouncy brunette took position at his side.
"Ran and Shao?" she asked innocently, wondering why she had never heard of such amazing masters before. Zuko chuckled a bit as he debated whether or not to tell the girl.
"You promise you won't say anything about this to anyone, right?" he asked seriously. Ty Lee nodded enthusiastically, eager to know such an apparently important secret from her old friend. "Ran and Shao are the last remaining dragons," he answered somewhat vaguely, not wanting to go into details on the whereabouts.
"Dragons? I thought they were all dead," she said sadly, looking at Zuko for any hint that he might be making it up somehow. Finding none, she bounced back and forth on her feet as she took the information in.
"No. They are the last two, so we have to keep it a secret to prevent anyone from hunting them, understand?" he asked hopefully, his eyes stern yet warm with the sincerity of his plea.
"Alright, Zuko. I won't tell anyone," she spoke, smiling as she gazed into his soft golden eyes. "And, thanks for telling me."
"I just want you to know that I trust you, Ty Lee," Zuko said simply, brushing his right palm against the girl's left cheek. The girl sighed wistfully at the soft touch, her arms wrapping gently around his waist.
The pair pulled in close to one another, as though pulled by some unseen force. Both sets of eyes closed, and soft, pink lips met harder peach toned ones. Their lips pressed together with a hunger, a need for more closeness. Hearts began to race, thoughts becoming hazy as they lost themselves in the moment.
With a light smack, they pulled apart, the Sun a little past the center of the sky. The pair smiled warmly at one another, Zuko offering his hand to the younger girl. Ty Lee took it happily, her stomach fluttering gently as he entwined their fingers together.
"So, how about we get ready for the party? I have a feeling Sokka will want an early start," Zuko joked, earning a nod from his friend. His heart felt as though it would simply overflow, his usually empty, cool self filled with a warmth and happiness he wanted to hold onto.
"Yeah, he does love his parties," she added, each snickering a bit as they imagined the excited looks on the Water Tribe boy's face as he fussed over decorations and other arrangements.
"I'll just be a minute, Zuko," Ty Lee said easily as she slipped into her bedroom, closing the door gently behind her. Watching her slender frame slink from sight, Zuko took a seat on the sofa which had been doubling as his bed the last few nights. As the sensation of her strawberry flavored lips lingered on his, he felt his mind haze over a bit.
"Mmm, maybe just a short nap," he mumbled, falling gently onto the couch. His eyes fell closed, and the world faded from consciousness.
As he slept carelessly on the comfortable sofa, Ty Lee exited her room. Her upper body adorned with soft, pink satins and darker silks, the material joining together just above her toned belly.
Her pants were bloody tone of red, one that contrasted yet matched the pink hues of her shirt well. Approaching the young teen, Ty Lee sighed in mock frustration, watching the subtle rise and fall of his chest.
"Geez, I was only in there for like 5 minutes," she complained, smiling as she brushed a few stray strands of black hair from his face. Slowly, she leaned down, crawling seductively along his body. Beneath his new training clothes, she could still feel the firm muscles of his body, her own body becoming warm as she stretched out atop him.
"Guess he won't mind me taking a nap myself," she whispered teasingly, allowing her smoky grey eyes to close gently, her body filled with a sense of contentment as his arms subconsciously reached around, clutching her tightly by the waist.
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"Hey, I thought Katara said no strenuous activity?" Sokka joked, watching as the older teen's eyes slowly opened. Golden spheres drifted from the tan Water Tribesman to the slender acrobat perched atop his body, a light smile forming on his lips.
"Nothing happened. Just fell asleep," Zuko answered simply, brushing some of her hair that had come loose behind her ears. The soft ponytail had been re-done into her usual braid, the long style falling easily at her side.
"If you say so. Anyway, the gathering is in a few minutes, so you might want to get ready and meet me at the Meeting Hall," Sokka said, same tone of teasing mixed with a hint of genuine gratitude. Zuko nodded in affirmation, watching as the dark skinned boy exited the small home, a joking leer on his face as he cast one last look at the scene on the sofa.
"Ugh, I think you need some locks, Ty Lee," Zuko said, smiling as he heard the small giggle from the younger girl.
"How did you know I was awake?" she asked, looking up at the young man from their prone position. A quick flip reversed their positions, Zuko resting atop the soft, warm girl who he had grown so fond of.
"Just easy to tell. So, I'll get dressed, then we can go," he said easily, giving her a soft, almost ghost like kiss before standing. Gathering the new garments he had obtained that day, he slipped into her room instead of the bathroom, exiting a minute later garbed in his fine clothes again.
Ty Lee smiled warmly as the Fire Lord slid his arms beneath her, lifting her light frame easily from its resting place. A second movement set her on her feet, and his right arm hooked at the elbow.
"Shall we?" he asked somewhat sarcastically, watching as she snaked her arms easily through the opening.
"If you would like, Fire Lord Zuko," she responded, following his lead out of the house.
Alright, the explanation for the green flame. I saw somewhere (something like symbolism of color) that green is representative of eternity, family, harmony, health, peace and posterity. The harmony and peace aspect especially stuck with me, as it is the kind of feeling I get while writing this story. So, it is basically mood fire :P But not quite as gimmicky as that. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this, and are looking forward to more Zuko and Ty Lee sweetness next chapter. What happens when someone spikes the punch at the party? And, how does Zuko handle his liquor? Have to wait and find out. Until next time, loyal readers.