A/N: I loved awkward Zuko so much, and um, yeah, the next chapter will be longer than this. Please review! And send prompts!
The Blue Dragon
Effect
"Let's just pretend I said something funny instead of awkward and personal."
Her eyes couldn't take in the excess of everything as they entered. Zuko watched how she silently observed as they traversed the hallways. He tried to discribe each and every room to her, and she took a mental note of the key details for the individual rooms.
He motioned her into a suite, and Zarra stared at the fireplace, the queen sized bed that she couldn't wait to sleep in, yet it was the closet and bathroom that she gasped.
Never in my life have I thought of being...this lucky.
Well, I'm happy to accommodate you.
I'll... Let you get ready... I'll see you at dinner, Zarra. Zuko awkwardly excused himself, slightly uncomfortable.
Zarra hopped into the shower, taking her time. She stood in front of the huge closet filled with abundant outfits and dresses. Zarra clucked her tounge in indescison.
She just didn't know what to wear, as she wasn't girly, nor knew anything about the current fashions, much less Fire Lord acceptable.
Groaning, Zarra blindly reached into the depths of dresses, taking out a black fading to bright embery red sheath dress, that was adorned with a high collar with gold trimming, and a diamond shaped keyhole. Sleeveless.
As soon as she tried it on and looked in the mirror, she felt unreal. Zarra never knew she would experience anything like this. Never in her dreams would she even predict this.
Reality helped her strike the earth hard when the pain came back. Betrayal. Water. Loss of trust. Struggling to stay alive as the currents draged her to almost certain death.
She shook her head to force out the painful recollection of the ordeal, and she continued to attempt to make herself presentable.
Zarra managed with some practiced, light makeup, lipgloss and mascara, and pinned her hair so that her face was clear, twisting some of it into a braid down her spine, yet leaving the rest of it down. She didn't know if her hairstyle was even respectable for fire nation royalty customs.
She placed her katana on the bed, along with the medalion, and met Former Fire Lord Zuko for dinner.
The Great Hall was where they met, and he greeted her, apprasing her dress.
Zarra, you sure do know how to dress for the occasion!
I'm flattered, Zuko, thank you.
As they ate, Zuko asked her questions about how Harbor City was from the inside, and she explained that the citizens there had lost hope on improving their lives.
The conversation switched over to the Fire Lord asking Zarra about herself.
Do you have family?
No, I do not. It was as close to the truth that she could get to.
I'm... sorry. I didn't know. He looked at her in sympathy, and she replied
How could you have known? It is not your fault, but I do not wish to speak of it further. I know that your father scarred you, and that your sister was mentally... insecure. so for that, I apologize, but we are both alike in that regard.
They talked for a while, avoiding the sore topic of the past, until Zarra went to bed having a dreamless sleep.