Thanks Znpk and Sparkysparkbo0mman. :)
I know up to this point, The Beach episode is pretty rough on Ryuu, don't worry, it'll get better for her. I promise.
~The Beach ~
(Or, Just messed up)
Ryuu POV
"What Lo and Li said came true. The beach did help us learn about ourselves. I feel all smoothed. I'll always remember this."
Ty Lee picked up a rock and ran both hands over it - she was smiling gently in the firefight. I didn't feel too smoothed... Mai turned to Zuko and met his eyes. He gave her an apologetic smile. Azula smirked and tapped her chin.
"You know what would make this trip really memorable? "
Wherever this was going, it was bad. She suggested they go 'smash up' Chan's house for fun. I sat with the fire and declined Ty Lee's offer to come. They went off and soon, from the direction of the house, I heard Chan yell something about 'My Papa's favourite plate!' I have to admit, it was kinda funny to listen to...
...
"That was so much fun," Mai had a tiny sliver of a smile of her lips. Ty Lee skipped along by her side. Azula stomped along and Zuko shuffled his feet along. Getting up to follow them back to Li and Lo's place, I stared at the dying embers. One managed to get caught up in the wind and floated slowly out into the darkness covering the sea.
As we passed the Fire Lord's beach house, I got a chill down my back. The place glowered down at us from the place it sat on. It was almost alive. Something about it at night made me want to run for the hills. But I had to trudge along behind the others at a steady pace.
"Ugh," Zuko bit his thumb, "The twins are gonna ask where we were, aren't they?"
The others groaned in collective frustration. I stared at my feet as we made our way up a path to the beach house - so I didn't have to meet anyone's eyes. Something bugged me about what Mai had said earlier - 'Yet you love her more than me.'
Zuko didn't love me, I had convinced myself he didn't. But Mai had said it so matter-of-factly that a little twinge of hope was dancing inside of me. But Zuko had yelled at me - practically telling me that I was a loser. He couldn't love me. Why would he?
"You're late," A twin snapped apon our return. The other finished the sentence, "For our game of charades."
I licked my lips as everyone made excuses to go to bed. Eventually, I was the last one left and the elderly twins would not let me go to bed until till I guessed what Li was miming. It was very hard to figure out as she randomly jabbed her arms about.
Li got so exasperated by my lack of a correct answer, she ended up clipping me around the ears and scolding me for being stupid. I was too tired to care. Her mime was revealed to be literature. How did jabbing arms mean literature?! Anyway, I rubbed my eyes and the twins left me to retire to bed.
The bed - which turned out to be the couch in the living room - was positioned so a draft caught it. I changed back into my palace uniform and tried to huddle myself warm. No blankets, no pillows, no hot water bottles - nothing. I shivered as I lay with my eyes screwed up.
'Sleep', My body yelled.
'I'm trying,' I screwed my eyes up tighter.
'But we're not asleep,' My body mumbled.
'Mabye because it's so freaking cold?'
Honestly, I must've lain there for about two hours, trying to fall into a state of unconsciousness. No luck. Groaning - I crossed my arms over my eyes and rolled onto my back. Someone was descending the stairs with light feet, trying not to wake me. My mind had already kept me awake thinking stupid things, so the person was beat to it.
"Ryuu?" Zuko's voice called out my name. The foot falls got closer until I felt him right by me. I flicked open my eyes and scowled through my dark circles.
"Sorry to wake you-"
"You didn't. "
He flopped on the edge on the couch and crashed his head into his hands. In return, I slid myself into an upright position next to him. I was in two minds about speaking to him: One, I was so glad to speak to him. Two, I hated what he said earlier.
"I'm sorry for what I said," He whispered. I leant my arms on my knees and my head on them.
"You keep apologising but you never truly mean it."
He got angered by that, but calmed down quickly enough. I met his eyes and saw genuine sadness in them. Biting my tounge, I moved and put a hand on his shoulder. He smiled softly and sat back - leaning against the couch.
"What Mai said was true. Mai... She's amazingly talented at knife throwing, georgeus, my crush since childhood..."
I rubbed my eyes to rid them of my overwhelming exhaustion and confusion at where this was going.
"... But only a crush. I- I- I- Dammit, Ryuu, I love you - still."
The temperature in my cheeks rose as he turned to gaze into my eyes. His beautiful golden eyes, flecked with dissipating traces of red - like the first time we met. Then, I hated him. Now, despite everything, I love them.
I love him. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation...
"Why did you say those things?" I found myself blurting out. Zuko gave a hiss and pulled his eyes away. He locked them on a table in the middle of the room. I clapped both hands over my mouth in apology.
"I wasn't angry at you. At myself. I intended them towards myself, but they came out at you..."
I pressed my lips together, "Why did you fight me then... in Ba Sing Se? "
Something passed over his face but it was gone before I had the chance to recognise it. Carefully, he reached out and tried to cup it around my cheek. At first, I flinched. Then, when I realized he meant no harm, I let him touch me.
"I regret it every day. Thinking about what I did to you- I will never forgive myself. Ryuu... "
A slim silver tear ran from his eye and across his scarred cheekbone. I wiped it with my finger - swiping it away. Zuko caught my hand and crushed it between his scar and hand. His warmth was so welcoming after a long night of nearly freezing. He noticed I was shivering from the cold and pulled me closer.
Quietly squealing, I tried initally to resist, but it was futile. My face crashed into the Prince's neck. His breath in my hair was so soothing. But it was wrong. I knew it was wrong. He was the Fire Lord's son, heir to the throne, Firebender; he had harmed me.
"I don't expect you to forgive me," his voice cracked with tears, "I never will... "
Pulling my face away, I could see the start of a flood rolling down his cheeks. How could I keep doing this to him? I was making him cry. Then - out of nowhere - he kissed me. It was mainly through sympathy and comfort... at least that's what I told myself.
The kiss was feathery and unsure. Quickly, I pulled back - apologising and trying to act like it was an accident. Mai and the others were just upstairs. If they came down and saw Zuko kissing his handservant - there was a high chance of me being killed.
"Ryuu, do you... even if I... ?" He trailed off.
I smiled and watched his eyes, "I love you too - you idiot. Mistakes are just one way of seeing what you truly need and who is on your side."
...
After that, I managed to get to sleep - Zuko's warmth still on my lips.
He went back to his room to avoid suspicion because - frankly - if you saw someone laying next to a person everyone suspected they liked, a lot of things will go through your mind - especially Mai - she would probably turn me into a pin cushion.
The next morning, it was time to pack up and returnto the capital. Ty Lee was first to descend the stairs after Li and Lo. I was stood at the table, having completed cooking breakfast... as best I could. The bacon was a tad burnt and the eggy bread looked slightly poisonous, but whatever.
"Oh, Ryuu," Ty Lee clapped her hands, "Your aura's completely changed. It's all red and grey! Something good must've happened. "
I chuckled, pouring her a glass of orange juice, "You have no idea."
Li and Lo ate thier breakfast in sync - which was creepy. Azula stretched as she entered the kitchen. Grabbing a mug from the table, she held it out for Ginseng tea. She instructed that extra caffeine be added, which I honestly didn't know was possible. Li pointed to a cupboard and garbled something about some concentrated tea leaves through a mouthful of egg.
The last people were obvious: Zuko and Mai. They descended the stairs together. Mai was none the wiser to Zuko kissing me last night. She grabbed his collar and pulled him into a kiss. My insides churned but I maintained my painted smile.
"I thought you two love-birds broke up," Azula chugged her tea.
"That-" Mai sat down "- Wasn't serious. Only temporarily. "
Zuko ground his jaw as I glared at him from behind the glass jug of orange juice. Things were getting increasingly messed up... what on earth was going to happen next was anyone's guess...
