The Closet

Iroh grinned mischievously. This was too easy. He pocketed the key and turned away from the door as yells penetrated the door while the two teens pounded on the thick metal.

"UNCLE! YOU UNLOCK THIS GOD DAMN DOOR NOW!"

"IROH! UNLOCK THIS DOOR!" Iroh only smiled as he listened to Katara and his nephew scream at him. He looked up only to see one of the soldiers, Lieutenant Li, staring at him.

"Ah, Lieutenant Li, is there something you need?" The man looked behind Iroh at the door that the two teens were trapped behind.

". . . . um, sir, is there any reason you locked those two up in that broom closet?" Iroh glanced behind him to look at the door.

"Those two need to just get their feelings out in the open." Li blinked, confused.

"Sir?" Iroh motioned for the lieutenant to follow him.

- - - - -

"Milady," Ceres turned and raised an eyebrow to see a servant enter the room. "Admiral Zhao wishes to see you."

"Again!" Ceres hissed. "Tell that old fool that I am tired and do not wished to be disturbed." Nodding, the servant left. Sighing, the demon collapsed on a chair. She was in the room the admiral had given her to sleep in. If he found it odd that she slept and ate like a normal human, he said nothing. Perhaps he did not wish to experience her wrath. Ever since she got anger at him for mocking her power, he was walking on eggshells. A smile tugged at her lips at the thought of the mighty Admiral Zhao being afraid of a beautiful young lady. True, she was a demon, but that was not a detail known to the crew. And it would stay that way. Otherwise she would have all the firebenders coming after her. And he would have the Fire Lord himself after him. Holding out her hand towards her door, Ceres made the door lock itself. Removing a black glove, Ceres covered the flesh with her mouth and bit down, breaking the skin. Pulling her hand back, Ceres licked her lips and stood up. She smeared the blood on the ground in a circle and sat in the middle in the lotus position. She held her arms out to the side and pressed her middle finger and ring finger to her palm before chanting in an old forgotten language. Slowly she rose up int the air and looked down below her at the blood. It glowed before fading away.

- - - - -

Katara fought back a blush as Zuko sighed, giving up on pounding at the door. There was barely any room in the broom closet. Meaning that Zuko and Katara were standing up and merely inches away from each other. With a scowl Zuko looked down at Katara, realizing how he was several inches taller than Katara.

"What could that old man be thinking!" He snarled as he glared at the door. Katara sighed herself and glanced at the door. Had the room not been so small, Zuko would have been able to melt down the door. But because it was so small, he could not. Not without risking burning the two to a crisp.

"I think I heard him say before shoving us in here that we need to talk." Zuko raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"About what?" The young waterbender could only shrug.

"Your guess is as good as mine."

- - - - -

Lieutenant Li sat across from Iroh as the old man sipped his tea.

"Sir?" Setting down his tea cup Iroh smiled.

"Yes, Lieutenant Li?"

"Why did you lock those two in that broom closet?" Iroh chuckled merrily at the thought.

"Simple, those two have been avoiding speaking to each other for four days! They need to talk about it. And unless they do, I'm not letting them out of that closet." Li blinked as Iroh crossed his arms, proud of himself.

". . . . do they know that?"

". . . . crap."

- - - - -

The shadow appeared behind Ceres and its red eyes opened. Black tentacles wrapped themselves around Ceres. She closed her eyes as wind blew up from where her blood had lain.

"The darkness was born of evil." Her voice filled the air but her lips did not move. "The darkness was born of man's desire." A darkness filled the circle. "Now darkness comes to claim. It comes to sire!" A dark mist began to come out of the circle. However, before anything else could happen a pounding resonated on her door, breaking her concentration. The dark circle disappeared along with the dark shadow behind Ceres. The young looking demon fell to the ground in a heap. Glaring at the door she blew a lock of hair out of her face.

"WHAT!" She roared, anger evident in her voice.

- - - - -

"So, Iroh . . . . is he always like this?" Katara asked, bored out of her mind. Zuko shrugged.

"Never locked me in a broom closet before, if that's what you mean." Katara smiled wryly.

"Great." Katara sighed. "Well, I guess it could have been worse."

"How?"

". . . . I have no clue."

"Great."

- - - - -

"Dammit Lilith! When I ask you to come you come!" Ceres felt her eyes narrow as her eyebrow twitched while Admiral Zhao yelled at her through the door.

"Well when I say I'm tired, I expect to have some privacy!" She roared at him.

"Open this door right now!"

"NO!" She screamed as she stood up. Ceres brushed off her black dress. It was the same style as the red one only this one was plain black.

"WHY NOT!"

"I will NOT be ordered around! That's why!"

- - - - -

Iroh hurried back to the door he had locked Katara and Zuko behind. He listened quietly to the two, hoping to hear some kind of conversation. Iroh's hopes were rewarded, but not in the way he had hoped.

". . . . so, what's your favorite color?" That was the young waterbender. Iroh fought back a scowl. He wanted them to talk out their problems! Not talk about their favorite colors! But then again, the two were talking.

". . . . I guess . . . . I don't have one." Lieutenant Li stood behind Iroh, listening to the two as well. Li and Iroh exchanged a curious look.

"Really? I would have through red or gold. Those are the colors of the Fire Nation."

"Yeah but I saw those colors all the time. I rarely saw any other color."

"Don't you like other colors?"

"Well, truthfully, I've never given it any thought. I was always busy."

"Busy?" Curiosity laced her voice. "How?"

"Training, studying, searching for the Avatar . . . ." Zuko trailed off. That was all his young life was composed of. "OH MY GOD! KATARA!" Iroh's eyes widened in horror as he pulled out the key and shoved it into the lock. In one fluid movement he unlocked and opened the door. Before he had a chance to look at the young benders, two blurs darted out of the closet and behind the prince's uncle. "Old man." Zuko growled from behind Iroh. Iroh turned to look at the two. Both of them had their arms crossed and Katara was tapping her foot. A look of annoyance and anger was plastered on their faces.

"Um . . . Katara! Are you alright?" Zuko narrowed his eyes as flames came to life around his hands.

"Nothing happened. We saw your shadows." Iroh smiled as he stepped aside and dodged a fireball.

"Well, that's good to know."

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING OLD MAN!" Zuko roared. The retired general smiled brightly at his nephew while pulling out a fan and fanning himself.

"Well, I thought it best to get you two to talk."

"BY LOCKING US IN A BROOM CLOSET! WERE YOU EVEN THINKING UNCLE!"

"I was concerned for you Prince Zuko. You two have been at odds for four days. It's not healthy." Zuko was about to blow up at his uncle but stopped when Katara placed her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her questioningly while she merely smiled at Iroh.

"Thank you, Iroh, but perhaps next time you could refrain from locking us in a closet." The prince narrowed his eyes angrily.

"I can handle this." He hissed. Iroh smiled smugly as the two began to bicker while he and Lieutenant Li slowly got away.

"Not without blowing up all the time." Snapped Katara.

"What's that suppose to mean!"

- - - - -

Hi! I think I might be over the writer's block for the most part. I have to thank all of you for all your help. And thank you for all the reviews. Reviews make me happy. So please review. Thank you, ja ne!