This was originally all one chapter, Chapter 28, but it got waaaaay too long. So I split it into two instead…I think I left it at a nice cliffhanger too.
I think I did a pretty good job here. I haven't done any of the stereotypical no-no's associated with romance in fan fiction, but tell me if you think otherwise. Again, I apologise for not updating over the weekend. I am trying to buy a wireless router so I can get at ze Internet when I'm not at uni, but that might take a while since I am a pov uni student.
I bet there are people who are annoyed with my Aussie talking, since I know the majority of you aren't Australian (thanks to stats). Oh well. Just Google any weird words I use.
Did this instead of my essay last night. Oh yeah.
Vivisection
Chapter 29 - And Iroh Was Right
'Get do-' I started to say, going to leap on top of Zuko and shield his body with mine, but I stumbled and my foot skidded on the ground. Zuko pinned my body to the ground, covering me.
The combined explosion of all the fireworks was deafening. Zuko's torso shielded mine, his left arm protecting my head. My ears rang, and I tried to look up, see what was going on.
'Fuck,' I said, seeing blackened shirt peeling away from Zuko's left shoulder. 'Your uncle's going to kill me.' His hair had come loose, and I brushed the strands out of his face. 'Are you all right?'
'I'm fine,' he said tersely. We stood up, and I could tell he wasn't fine by the twist of pain on his face.
'Let me look,' I ordered, holding his arm. His shoulder was black and red, peeling blistered skin. I felt myself blanch. 'Zuko -'
'I'm all right,' he insisted, taking a step forward. 'It's fine if I don't move my arm.'
I took his right arm and put it around my shoulders. 'You're not all right and you know it. Don't be so stubborn.' He went to argue, but sighed and gave in. We walked back to the palace. It was hard work supporting him - he was heavier than me.
'I don't suppose that Katara girl is still around?' I asked, getting him inside the palace gates.
'No, she went home after the solstice.' Zuko breathed in sharply. 'I'm sorry.'
I nearly dropped him at that. 'What for?'
'For the crappy date. For - this.' He gestured at me, holding him up.
'The fact that you think you need to say sorry makes it all better,' I said, looking at him as we navigated up the stairs. 'That's very sweet. And it shows that you're not a douchebag.'
Zuko stopped, leaning against the wall to rest. His good arm pulled me towards him, and he kissed my forehead, then my lips. Once I was past the initial electric shock, I was surprised by how soft his lips were. His right hand rested on my back, warm and solid.
Then he stopped, pulling his mouth away from mine. 'If any of the court saw me do that -' he said.
'They'd think I was your concubine.' I snorted. Suddenly the idea was really funny. I levered him off the wall, and nearly ran into Iroh.
'Zuko! Nemi! What happened?' he said, looking alarmed.
'There was an accident with some fireworks,' I said. 'Don't worry, it wasn't an assassin. Please don't be mad at me.'
'I'm not mad at you,' Iroh replied, staring at Zuko. 'Where is he hurt?'
'As far as I can tell, just his shoulder. Are there any waterbenders around?' I asked.
'I don't know. Perhaps one of the concubines -' Iroh broke off. 'You take Zuko to his rooms. 'I will see if I can find her.'
Zuko and I walked to his room like some kind of weird animal that was built sideways with four legs and four arms. I opened the door awkwardly, and he fell on his bed.
'See, aren't you glad I'm not one of those tiny Fire Nation girls?' I asked. 'They never would've been able to carry you home.'
Zuko stared at the ceiling in silence. 'I wonder how long it'll take Uncle to figure out we were on a date.'
'Knowing your uncle, not long,' I said, sitting on the bed next to him.
'It'll make him happy,' Zuko replied.
I pulled his head into my lap. 'It made me happy,' I said, brushing out his hair with my fingers.
It should have felt weird, being this close to him, but it didn't. It just felt - warm, I suppose. Warm and nice.
I was pulled out of my reverie by Iroh coming in through the door, a girl about my age behind him. She had tanned skin, long hair which was a deep shade of brown, and blue eyes. I could tell she was Water Tribe, like Katara. She was taller than most Fire Nation women, although not as tall as me, and was wearing a long white nightdress.
She was carrying a bucket and looked nervous, probably at the fact that she was going to heal the Fire Lord. She sat on the bed next to me and picked up his left arm.
'Don't worry,' I said to her. 'It was his own stupid fault.'
Zuko looked up at me. 'Thanks for the gratitude.'
I scowled at him. 'I'm expendable, you're not. How long is it going to take for that to get through your head?'
The girl manipulated a long stream of water out of the bucket, wrapping her palm in it. I watched as she tried to get it onto Zuko's injury. It took her a couple of goes, and a few splashes of water on Zuko's bed. I guessed she hadn't practised her bending in a while.
Zuko glared back at me. 'Since when is my girlfriend expendable?'
The word was out there now. I was surprised that no one in the room except for me seemed to notice.
The waterbender girl looked like she'd succeeded with the burn injury. She lifted her hands away, and I saw smooth pale unmarked skin.
'Thank you so much, Hanna,' Iroh said. 'You can go back to bed now.'
The waterbender girl did an awkward Fire Nation bow, leaving the room. Iroh glanced at us, and his eyes lingered on Zuko.
'I knew it,' he said.
'Of course you did, Uncle,' Zuko sighed, lifting his head to look up at his uncle.
'Well, I'm happy for you. For both of you,' Iroh said, looking at me. He shut the door behind him.
'You do…want to be my girlfriend, right?' Zuko tilted his head up. 'It's all right if you don't.'
I leaned down and kissed him on the lips again. 'If you dump me I'll rip your dick off,' I said sweetly.
'Is that what you did to your last boyfriend?'
'No. He stopped talking to me for two weeks. Then we went out on a date, and he broke up with me,' I said. It was surprisingly easy to talk about. Maybe it was because so much more had happened since then.
'Why didn't he talk to you?'
'Don't ask me,' I sighed. 'Maybe it was something to do with the fact that we tried to have sex.'
Zuko's eyes widened.
I looked down at him. 'What? Is that not done here? Sex before marriage?'
'No! No, I didn't mean that.' He looked disgusted. That hurt.
'It's great to see you think so highly of me,' I said, going to stand up.
'No.' He looked at me again. 'I just wish I had him in front of me now.' I saw his hands tighten into fists.
'Oh.' I settled back down. 'That makes me feel better.'
It was quiet for a while. Then Zuko turned over, so that he was lying on his belly and his chin was in my lap.
'If you gave yourself to me,' he said, 'I wouldn't leave you because of it. I'd think…I was the luckiest man alive.' He nuzzled my thigh gently through my skirt.
The tingling between my legs came back, the same tingling that had been there when Zuko had made that comment on the solstice about me being his concubine. 'That's really corny and romance-novel-y,' I said, 'but at the same time kind of…hot.'
'I mean it,' he said. 'He must have been the worst filth on the face of the earth to do something like that to you.'
'You're cute when you're jealous,' I said.
He looked indignant at that, but didn't say anything. I slid off the bed, going into my room. 'Goodnight, Zuko,' I said.
'Goodnight, Lisana.'
It was odd hearing him use my real name, but nice. I shut my door behind me and started getting ready for bed.
