A/N: so, if you haven't noticed, I changed the title of my book once more! It's now called: When gold met blue. I don't know, thought this fit better :). Less boring this way, haha. This is a treat for you guys! 5000 words strong!
Chapter 19 – Misty Palms Oasis
Milah was walking in front of the ostrich horse that held Zuko and Iroh on top of it when the latter let out a groan. Another week had passed since the incident where she had so weakly begged Zuko to hold her so she could feel some warmth. The whole situation still brought a flame to her cheeks and neck. Stupid.
However, Iroh didn't stop groaning and when she looked back to see what was going on, she almost burst out laughing. Zuko had his face contorted into one of utter annoyance while Iroh was dramatically holding his shoulder where his injury wasn't even present.
''Maybe we should make camp,'' Zuko interrupted the silence. Iroh's eyes filled with hope.
''No please, don't stop just for me!'' the old man said with a twinkle in his eyes. Zuko rode on, but after several more groans coming from Iroh, he finally dismounted roughly, helping Iroh after. Milah tried to hold in her chuckle, but when the ostrich horse suddenly became rigid, Zuko looked alarmed and took on a fighting stance.
''What's going on?'' Milah asked him with a hint of fear in her voice. Zuko simply grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him before several rhinos with Fire Nation soldiers on top of them appeared from the thicket. Zuko cursed softly, still holding on to the Waterbender's arm.
However, some of Milah's tension left when she felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder reassuringly. ''Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise,'' Iroh greeted the leader of the group. He had a nasty looking face filled with piercings, with a ponytail and a beard going on. Milah shuddered, making Zuko pull her in closer.
''If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps,'' the colonel answered Iroh, readying himself for battle together with his companions.
Zuko turned to his uncle, saying, ''you know these guys?''
Iroh had a particular look in his eyes, Milah noticed. ''Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They are also a very capable singing group,'' the old man commented, making the leader of the group raise his fist in fury.
''We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!'' Mongke announced.
''Would you like some tea first? I'd love some. How about you, Kahchi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right?'' Iroh asked the riders with a secretive tone in his voice, giving each one of them a side-eye. Milah prepared herself for battle, an icy cold feeling spreading through her stomach.
''Enough stalling! Round 'em up!'' Mongke shouted his order at last to his fellow soldiers. A fight broke loose.
Milah was harshly pushed out of the way by Zuko who knocked away a burning arrow that was shot at him. Meanwhile, Iroh avoided several attacks and slapped a rhino so it would spook and run off. Milah cursed herself. There wasn't any water nearby, making her somewhat useless.
However, she did avoid several fire blasts that were sent to her by Mongke who had a nasty look on his face. One that made her skin crawl.
''There were rumours about Prince Zuko having a woman by his side. I didn't believe them at first, but now that I see you… I get why he's keeping you around,'' he spoke to her, firing more fire blasts at her. ''You must be good at what you do. I'll find out tonight, won't I, you little-'' but he was cut off by Zuko who kicked the vile man off his rhino. His frantic eyes met her panicked ones, disgusted by the implication of the colonel.
''Quickly!'' Zuko motioned to her and was suddenly hoisted on top of their ostrich horse by Iroh, followed by Zuko jumping on it behind her.
A grenade was fired after them, but luckily the ostrich horse kept its calm and continued running on with three people on its back. Milah decided to retrieve a treat for it once they made camp again.
''It's nice to see old friends,'' Iroh suddenly spoke up, making Milah snort, relieving some of the tension in her body. She was still a bit shaky after the sudden attack.
''Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you,'' Zuko retorted, his chest vibrating with his voice against her back. Milah suddenly became very aware of the fact that since not two, but all three of them sitting on the ostrich horse, Zuko was pressed up against her. All of her.
''Hmmm, old friends that don't want to attack me…'' Iroh pondered out loud, stroking his beard. Suddenly he knew exactly where they needed to be going.
After a while, they deemed it safe enough for one of them to dismount the ostrich horse, noticing the difficulty the ostrich horse had to endure with all three of them on its back. To be honest, Zuko was glad that he could take some space from the girl that was in front of him. Even breathing was hard to do, seeing he could feel all of her against him.
Not long after, they arrived at what Iroh called, the Misty Palms Oasis. It contained an ice sculpture in the middle of the place, surrounded by several homes and shops. Even a tavern was present to Milah's delight. They could finally sleep in a real bed tonight if they procured enough money before that.
''So… what, exactly, are we doing here, Iroh?'' Milah dared ask when the old man had dismounted the ostrich horse. Zuko looked like he had been dying to ask him that as well.
''We're here to visit some of my old friends,'' he cryptically stated, stroking his beard in the process. Zuko simply looked at his uncle, then Milah, and shrugged as if to say, I think that's all we're going to get for now. Milah sighed, not feeling comfortable with the idea, but trusted Iroh nonetheless.
Together, they walked to the tavern that she had spotted earlier. Out of nowhere, Zuko had pulled out a pouch with some money from his pocket. Where he had gotten it, she didn't know, but now was not the time to ask questions. Not when she was so hungry she could eat a whole penguin.
It became clear to them that the tavern wasn't exactly like the tavern they had visited in the Earth Kingdom town just a few weeks ago. The same tavern where Zuko and Milah had shared their first kiss-
No, not the time. Definitely not the time, Milah thought to herself, a blush inevitably appearing on her cheeks.
Anyway, the tavern where… that had happened, had looked nice and cosy, filled with musicians and couples dancing around the room. The people that had been present there had been going out for the night. Maybe some were from the village itself, meeting up with friends and wanting to have a nice night out. This tavern, however, consisted solely of travellers and merchants. To say the least, it was dull here.
Zuko scowled at the company in the place. ''You expect us to find some decent food in here?''
''Be nice,'' Milah scolded him while pinching his arm. He rolled his eyes at her.
''I'm always nice,'' he retorted, making her shake her head. A small smile appeared on his face.
''Dream on.'' And with that, she followed Iroh who had taken a place at an abandoned table in a corner. Zuko didn't follow them, going to the bar to order some drinks and food instead before they all passed out.
Milah felt her skin crawl. Ever since they entered the tavern, she had been stared at. Men were whispering to each other, pointing to her and giving her looks that told her they hadn't been around a woman her age for a while. She took place at the table Iroh had chosen and sat down facing the wall so she wouldn't have to see the vile look she received everywhere.
''Are you okay?'' Iroh asked her, noticing her discomfort. She nodded with a smile, not wanting to worry him.
While waiting for the bartender to finally appear, Zuko had noticed the eyes the men were giving the little Waterbender as well, setting off his mood. He would fight every man in here twice if they only breathed the wrong way towards her. Sometimes he remembered the way her body had shaken and the way her eyes had betrayed her fear on the night she had been assaulted on his ship. Never again would he let something like that happen. Never.
God, he thought, that seems like ages ago. They had been travelling together for 7 months now, give or take a few weeks.
Suddenly, he heard her laugh. She threw her head back and laughed loudly at something his uncle had said, who was clutching his big stomach with one hand while the other pinked away a little tear as a result of his banter. She turned her head then, catching his look, a twinkle in her eyes which he rarely got to see these days.
He saw his uncle whisper something again, making Milah snort while still looking at him. He raised his brow at her as if to ask, are you making fun of me?
Milah raised hers as well, signalling, what if I am?
He couldn't suppress his smile then, turning around to face the bar instead. Finally, the bartender was ready to take his order.
Meanwhile, Milah was marvelling at Zuko's back. She could almost picture him without his shirt on, the muscles that were hidden by the stupid piece of cloth. Heat pooled in her core out of the blue, making her blush. She had been getting more and more of these bodily reactions lately because of the beautiful Prince, embarrassing her greatly. She had never had these sort of reactions with another man, but man, the particular Firebender she was madly in love with accomplished it with her.
She wasn't going to lie; she had been having dreams lately. Dreams where she and he were engaging in a rather… naked activity. An activity that she had only read about in romance novels. An activity that she would really, really, really like to engage in with Zuko in real life. Not just in her dreams. A little sigh escaped her lips.
When Zuko turned around after placing their order – the bartender having said that he would bring the beverages once he had prepared them, so he wouldn't have to wait – he caught Milah staring at him, a glossy look over her eyes. Her cheeks were red and he noticed her thighs were more pressed together than usual – apparently, he had been starting to notice her usual way of sitting on a chair as if that wasn't unusual – making him wonder what exactly she was thinking about.
Once he passed her line of sight and took a seat across his uncle, it was like she had woken from an intense trance, her head shaking slightly and turning around again, placing her hands on both her cheeks and leaning with her elbows on the table, eyes cast down at said object. Zuko stared at her for a little while longer, trying to figure out her thoughts.
Milah couldn't stand the look Zuko gave her. It felt like he had discovered every thought that had gone through her head in the past minutes. Who am I even kidding, she thought to herself, he doesn't even want me. Not like that.
''I have to pee,'' she announced shamelessly, standing up from her place. She had to get away from the golden eyes that were studying her profusely.
Zuko stood up as well, saying, ''I'm coming with you.''
Milah shook her head, not meeting his eyes. ''Why would you?''
Zuko looked unsure, not knowing what to answer. ''I don't like the idea-''
She held up her hand, stopping him from continuing. ''I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself, Zuko. I don't need you to do it for me.'' She stepped away from the table before turning around once more, saying in a low voice, ''I don't see why you would even care, anyway.''
She knew it was a low blow, but it felt good at that moment. She had to keep pushing him away from her, trying to keep her feelings at bay. It crumbled her heart every day, knowing that when she would lie in his arms every night her heart would sing out for him while his heart would probably be indifferent.
Zuko watched her disappear through the doors that led to the bathroom and kept watching it intently, ignoring his uncle who had been trying to gain his attention for a while. But after 5 minutes and after noticing that not one of the men in the room made a move towards the bathroom, he decided he would give his uncle the attention he had practically been begging for.
Milah stared at herself through the filthy mirror. Her face was flushed from her earlier embarrassment and the exposure to the sun day in day out. Her hair was pulled away from her face with a ribbon, resting in a knot at the back of her head. Several strands had already escaped it, framing her face. The green shirt she was wearing was stained from the days without a proper wash.
She traced the necklace that was still hanging around her neck. It calmed her down like it usually did. The whole tavern and scenery were just messing with her mind. It was as if-
A knock sounded on the door, interrupting her thoughts. A voice came from the other end, saying, ''Milah? You okay in there?''
She opened the door, letting the Prince in who she had escaped from in the first place. ''I'm okay.''
He closed the door behind him, towering over her, and gave her a questioning look. ''You sure?''
His golden eyes penetrated her soul, making it seem as if he could see her every thought and desire. Her face flushed.
After clearing her throat, she answered him in a soft voice, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling self-conscious, ''I'm sure.''
They stared at each other for a moment, both not knowing what to say but neither one of them wanting to break the moment that was going on. Zuko was enthralled by the way her lips were set into a soft gasp, or the way her breasts were slightly pushed upwards, or the messy state of her hair. How good it would feel to kiss those lips, to press those breasts flush against him and wrap his hands in her hair-
Milah broke the moment by turning away from him and to the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her eyes had a kind of sadness over them, a sadness which he hated.
''We should probably go back to my uncle,'' he finally suggested, pointing with his thumb to the door. ''Besides, the food has arrived.''
Milah nodded, still facing the mirror. A lump had formed in her throat over the past few minutes and only intensified when she heard Zuko leave through the door. The way he had looked at her just now… it was almost like he did want her, just like she wanted him. But he had made it clear that he didn't. That he had kissed her and he had found out that he didn't.
After washing her face, she left the bathroom only a minute after the Prince did. It did her no good to dwell on the thoughts she had just been having. It only hurt her in the end.
While they finished their food, not much talking was done. Only Iroh spoke to the two of them, offering bits of his wisdom in everything he said. And when the bartender took their plates away, a conversation started between Iroh and his nephew, but Milah didn't listen. She just stared at the cracks in the table, cancelling out all noise. She just wanted to be alone.
A warm and familiar rough hand touched her arm, making her jump. ''You coming?'' Zuko asked her. She nodded absentmindedly and followed them like the sheep she was. They approached a Pai Sho table with a stranger on the other end of the board.
''May I have this game?'' Iroh asked the man and sat down after being approved. Meanwhile, Zuko was still holding her arm, distracting her from what was being said. Her sole focus was on the Prince who had sat her down next to him by the Pai Sho table and guided his hand from her arm towards her hand, gripping it before giving it a tiny squeeze, finally letting her go after.
And before she had time to process the train of thoughts and feelings that went through her, completely thrown out of balance, the man that just played Pai Sho with Iroh stood up from the table, pointing with his finger towards them. She learned his name was Fung.
''I knew it! You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!'' Fung said out of nowhere, snapping Milah out of her current state and into a ready-to-waterwhip-some-ass one. The three of them shot out of their seats at once, preparing themselves to fight.
''I thought you said he would help!'' Zuko accused Iroh, gripping Milah's arm a little tighter.
''He is. Just watch,'' Iroh replied calmly, putting his hand on his nephew's shoulder to reassure him.
''You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?'' Fung went on with a loud voice, attracting everyone's attention in the tavern.
''Gold?'' some stranger asked himself, standing up while taking a knife from his belt. Several others followed his example.
And then a fight broke loose. A big man with long black hair made his way towards Zuko, who roughly pushed Milah behind him to fight him off, but two other men beat him to it. Zuko grabbed her arm once more, using the distraction caused by Fung to slip out through the door.
Together, the four of them walked through the streets of the Misty Palms Oasis. Night had fallen and the remnants of the full moon that had appeared in the sky yesterday were lighting up their faces. They entered a section where all shops looked like each other, and when Fung opened a door to one of the shops. It appeared to be a flower shop, several pots and bouquets resting all over the place.
''It is an honour to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets,'' Fung said to Iroh after having closed the door.
Zuko crossed his arms over his chest, turning his head to Iroh. ''Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this club going to offer some real help ?'' he said with an annoyed voice. Milah scowled at him, not liking the tone of which he spoke to the two older men.
''You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts,'' his uncle apologised for Zuko to Fung, who looked at him with a frown on his face. The Pai
Sho player then led them to a door in the back, knocking two times.
A small window was slid open, revealing a man. ''Who knocks at the guarded gate?''
''One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries,'' Iroh replied with a secretive smile and the door opened, letting Iroh and Fung inside. However, when Zuko and Milah tried to enter, the door was slammed shut in their faces. The small window opened again, Iroh appearing at the other side.
''I'm afraid it's members only. Wait out here,'' he told them and the window was shut once more, leaving them in silence.
Milah stood there for a while, staring at the battered door, while Zuko walked over to a pillar to lean against it. The silence was deafening, making her realise how fatigued she was after the long journey they had today.
'Are you okay?'' Zuko started suddenly, making Milah look up from the door and see into his golden eyes. A warm feeling spread over her stomach like it always did whenever she would look into them.
''What?'' she asked him dumbly, distracted.
''You know, after that fight in the tavern.''
''Oh. Right,'' she said, nodding her head. ''I'm okay.'' He didn't look like he believed her. She wrapped her arms around herself once more.
''You don't seem okay,'' he stated, pushing himself off the pillar to take a step towards the vulnerable looking woman before him and who always managed to make his head spin.
''I know,'' she simply answered, turning away from him to gaze at the multiple plants around the room. A hand appeared on her shoulder, but she made quick work to shrug it off.
''Milah,'' he said her name softly, as if it hurt him to speak it.
''Zuko,'' she replied, walking away from him and sitting down against the door on the other end of the room. Unfortunately, he sat down next to her.
''Would you just please tell me-'' he tried persuading her once more, more than aware of their legs touching each other.
''Fine. It was that tavern. It brought back some memories,'' she finally admitted the truth to him, covering her face with her hands to conceal her blush.
''What memories?'' he asked after some time, confused by the situation.
''I just-'' she tried, but cut herself off, swallowing.
''Yes?'' he carried on, wanting to pull her worries from her. He hated seeing her like this. He hated that it was most likely his fault as well.
She mumbled something from beneath her hands, something he couldn't hear properly. ''What?'' he asked, trying to pry her hands from her face.
And then, suddenly, she ripped her hands away and stared deeply with her blue eyes – the ones he loved so fucking much – and at last, told him what was on her mind.
''Our kiss, Zuko. I was reminded of our kiss,'' she told him, her face dangerously close to his.
He sucked in a breath, turning away from her. This he had not expected. She had made it clear that she despised him now. And he had believed it. He still did after what he did to her when she admitted her love for him.
''Our kiss,'' he repeated stupidly, staring at the floor. ''What kind of memory do you have on it?'' He just wanted, no, needed to know.
''I don't know,'' she admitted, staring at the ceiling herself. ''It was my first.''
He probably didn't hear that right. ''What?'' His gaze was back on the girl that made his heart sing.
''That was my first kiss, Zuko,'' she told him, swallowing away her fear. She had just made herself the most vulnerable ever since the night she told him she loved him.
''That morning, in the tavern…'' he started, bringing back the memory of her soft lips pressed against his soft ones, or the way his head had rested on the softness of her breast. His blood rushed downstairs, making his pants tighten. ''That was your first kiss.''
''Yes,'' she whispered, bringing her to look back to him. ''You were my first kiss.''
A moment or two passed between them, both simply staring into each other's eyes. Milah could swear she saw the love she gave him reflected in his own. Like he held love for her after all. But she knew not to dwell on dreams and hopes.
''I, erm,'' he started, scratching his throat, breaking the moment. ''I'm sorry.'' He knew nothing else to say, other than feeling an immense amount of regret for stealing something like that from the girl. No matter how badly he wanted to kiss her at this moment. To make up for the one he had already stolen from her.
''For what?'' she asked him. He breathed in deeply.
''For kissing you that morning,'' he answered her.
To say she was taken aback was an understatement. And to say she got angry after this was about right. She harshly stood up from her place, needing to have some space from the man that had just admitted he regretted kissing her for the second time.
''You already said that,'' she told him shakily, anger making her shiver. ''On that night you left me. You already said that.''
He stood up as well, running his hand through his short hair. ''I know what I said that night.''
''Then…'' she started, but didn't know what to say after all.
Silence met the room once more.
''I don't think I'm sorry after all,'' Zuko took back his apology from before, making his way towards her front. ''I'm not sorry at all.''
She looked up at his chest that was dangerously close by and followed her gaze upwards, towards his inviting mouth and his soul-seeking eyes.
''Or maybe I am sorry,'' he said. ''But not for kissing you. I'm sorry for not kissing you properly.''
And with that, he took her face in his hands and finally, finally, gave her the kiss she had been yearning for. The kiss she had dreamed about for weeks, no, months finally came true. Became a reality.
His rough lips softly moved over hers, her hands finding their way to his waist and put to his strong arms, following them towards his hands which he took off her cheeks and moved them towards the small of her back, pulling her in flush against his body. Meanwhile, her hands found their way towards his face, caressing the scar he hated so desperately, but she, instead, seemed to worship and traded her fingers through his hair. And suddenly, she felt his hard member against her lower body, making her own body respond by giving her an ache down below, heat pooling in her underwear.
A soft moan escaped her lips, drawing a grunt from the man who now opened her lips with his own, slipping his tongue in carefully. A gasp left her mouth, giving him further access to softly touch her tongue with his own. He pulled her in even closer, giving her a feel of the size of his manhood. And for what she could tell, it was big. Big enough to probably ruin her lady parts should they have sex for the first time.
''Zuko,'' she sighed against his lips, earning another grunt from him, his member twisting against her. Her hands moved from his face and hair down to his chest, his abdomen, and finally to the end of his shirt, pulling it up as best as she can. She needed to feel his skin against her hands. She craved it.
Luckily, Zuko helped her, breaking off their kiss and pulling it over his head before pulling her in once more and continuing their heated kiss. But before he could do that, she pulled off her shirt as well, needing to feel his bare skin against her bare skin. For a moment, he stared at her, a wild look in his eyes. She still wore her chest binding, but the look he gave her might as well have given her away as completely naked.
They went back in their heated kiss not a moment too late. He suddenly picked her up, squeezing her soft and round bottom and wrapping her legs around his waist, his member pressing against her core. A somewhat louder moan escaped her this time, her back hitting one of the pillars. His hands moved from her bottom towards her thigh, pushing up her skirt to her hips. His fingers slipped under the back of her underwear, squeezing her bare bottom once more.
Milah was busy exploring his chest with her fingers, loving the feeling of his infinite muscles and abs, tracing every one of them with her hands, bringing goosebumps all over his body. But when he groped her bottom as he did at that moment, she decided to redo the favour, slipping her legs from around her waist and putting her feet on the ground, this way accessing his inviting ass way better.
His hands found their way up eventually after Milah slid back to the ground, feeling the softness of her bare waist, slipping one thumb under her chest binding. A sigh paired with a moan slipped from her mouth again, testing his self-control. He hit the curve of one of her breasts, his thumb suddenly stilling.
Milah pressed her breast against his chest then, inviting him to go on. She hadn't even been kissed by a man before Zuko, but man, the feelings she experienced at the moment were inexplainable. She didn't ever want to stop kissing him. She didn't care that they were fighting most of the time. She didn't care that he didn't love her-
It was like a bucket of ice was poured over her.
He doesn't love you.
She broke off the kiss suddenly, just as he had grazed one of his thumbs over her tiny nipple, making fire shoot through her core once more.
''Stop,'' she panted, her forehead and icy cold hands resting against his bare chest that was going up and down at a faster pace than normal as well. ''Stop.''
''What is it?'' he asked her huskily, his hands never having stopped caressing her back, dangerously low near her butt.
''Just stop,'' she answered, getting distracted again by the movement of his hands.
''Did I go too far?'' He feared he did.
''No,'' she answered honestly. ''It's not that. It's just…''
''Yes?'' he encouraged her.
''I remembered something.'' She looked up with that, meeting his fiery eyes. She wanted to push him off her then but refrained from doing so, remembering what happened the last time she did. His hands did still on her back, a frown taking over his face.
''What did you remember?'' he asked her, wanting to know. What could she have remembered that stopped their moment of pure bliss?
She shook her head, not answering. He let her go slowly then, her hands sliding from his chest and wrapping them around her once more. She didn't meet his eye, going for her shirt that lay abandoned on the floor instead. He didn't move to pick up his, savouring the way she looked at that moment instead. Her face flushed and her lips swollen like the last time they looked when they kissed. He loved that look on her. He only wanted to have her have that look with him. Not with anyone else.
Because he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.