Author's Note:Hello all! I hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry it is so late. Had to fly over to the mainland to deal with some things like a flooding apartment, but I am back with this properly edited chapter! The romance hits it's climax here, pun intended. Yes, we are on a path to destruction and angst for poor Mira. Oops?
CW: Sexy times
~Chapter 9 Start~
We spent about an hour sitting on top of the roof, most of our time spent discussing potential places an air bison could be kept in the city. It was hardly the romantic nighttime celebration I had in mind, but at least we were together. Every so often Zuko would touch my arm or brush a hand against my back. It was almost as if he was affectionate much the same way cats were. Eventually the cold began to prickle our skin so we headed back to help Iroh pack up our apartment. Zuko opened the door to the sight of Iroh stuffing some of his meager belongings into a small wooden trunk. He was humming to himself, a large smile plastered across his face. It was almost as if Zuko hadn't stomped out of the tea shop at all.
"So I was thinking about names for my new tea shop. How 'bout The Jasmine Dragon? It's dramatic, poetic, has a nice ring to it." Iroh asked as we walked in.
"I really like it." I chimed in as I stepped into our bedroom to collect my own belongings.
"Thank you, my dear." Iroh said, finally pulling away from his trunk.
Zuko pulled the missing poster for Aang's air bison out of his pocket and showed it to Iroh. Iroh grabbed the paper with a stern look, barely looking at it before placing it onto the table before him. I stepped out of the bedroom, wondering what was going through Iroh's head. The last thing we needed was for a fight to break out between Iroh and Zuko. I doubted Iroh would agree with Zuko chasing after the Avatar anymore; he was happy here in his new life. The realization struck me that even though I was happy with this life, I didn't want it either. In my mind this was just temporary, and I knew Zuko felt the same way. I looked towards Zuko, trying to gauge his emotions. His eyes were pulled tight against his scar while his lips were pressed into a frown. I could see his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides and knew this was not the reaction he had wanted or expected.
"The Avatar's here in Ba Sing Se, and he's lost his bison." Zuko explained, ignoring the poster in favour of pleading his case to his uncle.
"We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us." Iroh warned, his voice beginning to rise in volume.
"Good things that are happening for you. Have you ever thought that maybe I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?" Zuko snapped, turning fully to glare at Iroh.
I blinked, looking between the two of them. Iroh looked serious, but not quite angry yet. Zuko however was fuming, and I knew where this was headed; with Zuko storming out. Things were already growing too heated, everyone needed a moment to cool down. I opened my mouth in an attempt to suggest just that, but was interrupted by Iroh.
"There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want for life, and why." Iroh defended, looking straight through Zuko.
"I want my destiny. Mira seems to get that, why can't you?" Zuko desperately asked as he stomped his foot.
I watched, flinching as Zuko shouted my name. Zuko's eyes glanced towards the door and I knew it was too late, Zuko was already planning his escape while Iroh continued to try and reason with him. I was no longer watching Iroh, my eyes glued to Zuko's form as he turned towards the door, his hand already reaching out.
"What that means is up to you," Iroh responded as Zuko slipped through the door, "The Tea Weevil! No, that's stupid."
The door shut with a slam that shook the entire apartment. I was stunned as I watched Iroh turn back to his packing. I stared at his back unable to wrap my head around how quickly Iroh shifted the topic. Eventually, I snapped out of it and jogged towards the front door and wretched it open. Zuko was only a few paces away from me, his back tense like a pouncing feline. I rushed towards him, grabbing onto his sleeve and drawing his arm back. Slipping my fingers down, I wove them between his, holding on tightly. I looked up into his eyes, watching as he turned to face me. His eyes held a sadness I had never been privy to before, and I felt my heart shatter the tiniest bit.
I pulled him towards me, engulfing him a hug. Zuko sagged into me, slowly bringing his arms up to hold me back. His grip was tight and I snuggled my face into his neck, breathing in the scent that was all him. He smelled like a warm earthy fire, followed by the undercurrent of salt and the smell of stones baking in the sun. Everything about him reminded me of a dying star, burning brightly, bringing about great beauty and incredible destruction. I felt his arms tighten further around me, the intake of his breath hitting my hair. Drawing back slightly my hands slipped up to cup his face, my fingers cradling his cheeks. I was falling deeper into him, unable to imagine a scenario where he wasn't at my side. I was sacrificing my morals and the things that made me me, just so I could hold onto him just a little while longer. I was racing against the black hole in my stomach, unable to turn away from how he made me feel.
"You ok?" I asked, staring deeply into his warm eyes.
"I will be once we have the Avatar." Zuko said, leaning his head forward until his forehead was pressed against mine.
We stood like that for a few minutes, breathing one another in. It was a simple state of physical contact, a way to ground ourselves for what was to come next. I wasn't sure if Zuko knew I needed this as much as he did, but I didn't care. If only Zuko knew he already had the Avatar; me. I just hope that will be enough to keep him at my side.
~Break~
"I have a thought." Zuko said as we walked down the street.
I turned towards him, wondering what idea he had. We'd been walking for about ten minutes without really talking. I had mostly been basking in our previous physical contact, and sour thoughts, but it appeared Zuko was scheming.
"What?" I asked, turning my head to look at him.
"Those guys who took Jet away, they didn't look like regular Earth Kingdom soldiers did they?" He asked, a hand against his chin as he thought out loud.
"No, they didn't. They were dressed like nobility, and had strange rock gloves they could bend. I just assumed that meant they were guards from the upper ring." I explained, halting my movements as I tried to recall where we had seen them appear from.
"I noticed the same thing. I think we should follow one of them, figure out what they are doing and where they are doing. If someone has the Avatar's air bison hidden in Ba Sing Se, they've probably used earthbending to do it." Zuko said as he looked around to spot one of their uniforms.
"That would make the most sense, someone would have seen an air bison in the city by now if it was hidden in a large building. He isn't known for being super silent either, and he can also airbend. Hiding the air bison underground might be a problem for us, we can't earthbend. Plus, they kind of just appeared last time there was trouble, how are we supposed to find them this time?" I sighed, seeing nothing but regular soldiers pass by.
"Well, I guess we're going to need to find some trouble then." Zuko grinned.
I didn't like the look on Zuko's face and gave him a warning look. If I ended up in jail tonight, I was going to kill him. It wasn't that I lacked faith in Zuko, it was more or less the fact that he hated waiting for things to happen, he preferred to make whatever he needed happen instead. Which of course meant he made things happen for me too, by proximity, lucky me.
~Break~
It didn't take us long to find the troublesome part of town. All we had to do was follow the noise until we discovered bar fights and drunken altercations in the streets. We creeped through the darkened streets, finding the area devoid of most people. Slipping into an empty alleyway, I watched as someone shouted out of their window, tossing a pot of what looked like urine out. Oh dear, it smelled like it too. My nose crinkled up, finding the stench more than I could deal with. Zuko pulled me deeper into the alley way, before he held up his hand for me to wait. He reached behind his back, grabbing something stashed in his shirt.
"Here." He said holding out my Red Spirit mask for me.
"You kept it?" I asked in a breathy whisper.
I looked at the mask, and then at his face. I was awestruck, staring at the mask like a frozen fool. My hand darted out, grabbing the mask quickly from his hands with a beaming smile. I couldn't believe he had saved my mask for me, despite the fact we had argued and split up. Maybe Zuko did like me back then.
"Yeah, I thought you might...want it back." Zuko said with a flush.
"I did, thank you." I said, pulling him into a tight hug.
Zuko returned the hug faster this time causing me to blush out of pure joy. I tucked my face into his neck once more, finding it my favourite position for Zuko hugs. His scent washed over me, calming me to the core. I would feel his body temperature rising to accommodate me and stifled my chuckle against his shoulder. Zuko withdrew from me with a smile off his own before giving me a small kiss on the top of my head. It wasn't exactly the kind of kiss I wanted, but I would take it.
"We need to get ready, I got you a pair of swords today too, here." He said handing over a pair of swords similar to his own.
I stared at him with amusement now, my loving smile morphing into a grin. He had bought me swords, Zuko was the first boyfriend to buy me a gift I actually wanted. I wonder if he knew what the gift meant to me, probably not. He'd probably just play it off as a simple necessity.
"Aww, it's like it's my birthday and Christmas at the same time. How did you ever know all I wanted for a courting gift were bladed weapons." I gushed, feigning heavy romantic intent causing him to turn red.
"They aren't courting presents, stop messing around and let's go!" He huffed as he pulled his mask over his face to hide his cherry red face.
"Sure thing, your highness." I purred, my hand tracing his chest as I walked by.
My fingertips grazed his chest just enough to cause slight pressure, but nothing more. My actions and words caused him to let out a choked gasp. He made some sort of strangled yet annoyed noise, jumping back slightly, his face tilted towards my hands. He was most likely giving me a look behind his mask that was warning me to stop. I know that I was playing with fire, but I was tired of the shy glances and light touches. So, I pushed him just a little bit and was playfully flirting with him more and more. Now that I knew about his feelings for me, it was hard not too.
"I said stop messing around!" He groaned, wiping his hand down his mask since he couldn't reach his face.
I let out a small laugh, putting my own mask on as well. I followed him out of the alleyway and across the street. We systematically went through each alley, looking for one of those strange guards from before. It didn't take us long to find one as the noise from a nearby bar became clearer. He was walking down the street keeping an eye out for trouble makers and criminals. He was checking each alley as he stepped by, sticking his head in and scanning the dark areas, before moving to the next one.
Zuko placed a finger to his mask, pointing towards the guard and giving me a signal to wait. I watched as he took off in a run, barrelling towards the guard. He bumped into him with a fierce hip bump, causing him to almost fall over. I slinked forward, watching Zuko intently for my cue to act.
"Out of the way, skinny!" He shouted as he turned down another alley.
The guard stared at Zuko angrily and went to pursue him. I followed after, staying at the entrance of the next alleyway. Covered by shadows, the guard took a quick glance around and missed me entirely. When he turned back to the alley, Zuko was standing a few feet away, swords drawn. I took the distraction to sneak up on him and place my swords around his neck, placing my mask against his ear. I felt his body stiffen, before he started to squirm around. Zuko began to walk over, his swords pointed towards the guard.
"Shh shh shh, we wouldn't want anyone to get hurt, now would we?" I whispered as I felt his body freeze up.
"Now, if you don't want to end up dead, you'll do what we say." Zuko ordered as he began to bind the man's hands.
~Break~
The guard was apparently called a Dai Li agent, something he viciously swore at us when I had called him a 'simple guard'. After some persuasion on Zuko's part, he led us towards a large lake at the edge of the city. Hey had apparently found the air bison and had kept him here as long as the agent had known about him. The Dai Li agent used his bending to create a walkway, extending to a closed hatch. Zuko made him open up the tunnel leading down below the surface of the entire city. We followed him inside where Zuko knocked him out after asking him where Appa was. We stashed him inside a closet that looked like a utility closet, and booked it through the labyrinth of halls. It was surreal to think there was some sort of indoctrination shit going on below the surface.
We passed a room with it's door ajar. A streak of light cut into the hallway piquing my interest. I stopped and looked in to see many similarly dressed women repeating after another Dai Li agent. I shuddered at the knowledge that they knew how to brainwash this well thousands of years ago. This was beyond war propaganda, and I felt my sense of belief rocked to its core as I realized that the Earth Kingdom wasn't so innocent after all. A feeling of hopelessness hit me and I was consumed with thoughts of how I could fix this too. There was too much happening all at once and I felt myself grow dizzy. My blood was thundering through my ears as my vision began to tunnel. I grasped the doorway, my knuckles as white as my face.
"What are you doing?" I heard Zuko whisper, startling me from my thoughts.
I twisted around staring at his blue mask. I was breathing heavily behind my own, my vision beginning to finally clear. Snapped from my previous thoughts, I let go of the door and stepped towards Zuko. His head tilted in concern as he waited for me to speak.
"Nothing, let's go." I softly spoke, moving to run down the hallway again.
Zuko wasted no time in catching up to me. We rushed through the halls, keeping a quick pace as we finally came upon a large set of doors. These doors were different, larger than the rest and doubled up. It looked the perfect size to herd an air bison into. Zuko picked the lock as I kept watch for more Dai Li agents. He opened the doors, and we stepped inside. I heard Appa let out a groan as I rushed forward to check on the poor creature. My heart let out a stuttered beat as my fingers brushed his fur, I felt his anguish as I looked into his eyes, feeling my eyes begin to burn.
"Expecting someone else?" Zuko asked snidely.
"Oh be nice, can't you see he's hurt?" I hissed as I turned to give Zuko a disapproving look.
Appa let out another pained grumble and brought his head close to mine, eyes sliding shut. I felt a connection within us snap and wanted to cry. Appa was in so much pain and he was oh so lonely. I saw the flash of the sun lit sky and knew Appa yearned for nothing more than his freedom. I knew then I had made the right choice in helping Zuko, because now I could help Appa return to Aang.
"Shh shh...it's ok, no one will ever hurt you again." I soothed, petting Appa's head.
"Stop playing with him, he's not a pet." Zuko muttered as he stepped over to remove the chains binding Appa.
"I'm not playing with him, I'm calming him. Would you prefer he was angry and violent?" I asked, staying calm but shooting Zuko a warning glare.
Zuko gave me a disapproving look as he attempted to figure out what to say, but came up with nothing. I continued to soothe Appa, stroking his fur and face as he let out a rumbling purr. I felt fiercely protective of him, feeling a sense of comfort and acceptance in his presence. I wasn't sure if it was an Avatar thing, or my empathy and love for animals.
"Fine, do whatever you want." He sighed as he finished removing the chains.
I held onto Appa's horn tightly as I leaned in close. I breathed his scent, smelling stale urine and matted fur. I knew he had suffered greatly, and if we weren't careful and he grew startled, we could end up seriously hurt. Zuko was right about one thing, Appa wasn't a pet, but that didn't mean he didn't deserve kindness and respect either.
"I promise you I'll get you home to Aang. I know you recognize me, even just the smallest part of you, so I'm going to need you to dig deep and focus on that. I won't let anything happen." I promised in a barely audible whisper.
Appa gave me a funny look before giving me a large lick along my face. I felt my hair sticking against my cheek at an odd angle and had to wipe my dripping face against my shirt. I recoiled, pulling my shirt away from my skin in horror. Appa had a huge tongue and I was not prepared for this amount of saliva at all.
"Oh, yuck!" I coughed as I stared at Zuko pathetically.
He started to laugh at my wet predicament, walking towards me as he shook his head. The tension had suddenly dissipated and I couldn't help but join in with his laughter. Appa thumped his tail as he let out a burst of air. It felt like he was laughing at me too, but I wasn't sure. Either way, Appa was incredibly intelligent and sweet.
"Your mask is falling off, here." He chuckled as he reached behind my head.
His fingers brushed my neck and I shivered. Goosebumps spread across my skin causing my hair to stand up on end. I was stuck frozen as Zuko righted my mask and retied it for me. As he withdrew his hand his fingers brushed the tips of my ears and I had to close my eyes to stop another shiver. I wasn't sure, but it almost felt like Zuko was doing this on purpose to get me back for my flirting earlier.
"Thanks." I said as I stood up, brushing the dirt of my pants.
"Now let's get this beast out of here." Zuko declared as we turned towards the doors.
I continued to hold onto Appa's horn, leading him towards the door. We were interrupted in our departure when Iroh slipped through the doors and closed them. I stopped, my hand almost dropping from Appa's horn. Out of all the things I had expected on the other side of that door, Iroh wasn't it. I felt Appa let out a low rumble, the vibrations shooting through my arm and shoulder. I glanced at Appa finding him watching Iroh intently with fierce eyes.
"Iroh?" I asked as Appa let out an angry snarl. "Shh, baby, it's ok. Iroh is a good man."
I had turned back to Appa to calm him down. Shame rippled through my body at having been caught by Iroh. I knew my intentions were good, but what Zuko had planned wasn't. Iroh had no way of knowing I wouldn't let Zuko kidnap Appa next. I looked just as guilty by association. Appa clearly felt my anxiety and uncertainty and he let another low warning rumble.
"Uncle?" Zuko asked, putting down his swords.
"So the Blue Spirit and, is it the Red Spirit now? I wonder who could be behind those masks." Iroh mused, stroking his beard.
Despite his nonchalance and jovial words, his face was incredibly severe, showing incredible disappointment. Iroh pinned us with his stare and I felt myself shrink back. Out of everyone in the world, I wanted to disappoint him the least. The only thing grounding me in this moment as my heart raced was Appa's warm presence and thick fur.
"What are you doing here." Zuko sighed as he removed his mask.
I took my own off and gave Iroh a sheepish shrug. No point in the mask anymore if the cat was out of the bag. It felt easier to be able to have Iroh see my face. It softened the slightest bit as he took in my distressed expression. My shoulders sagged slightly as I realized while Iroh was upset, he didn't hate us.
"Sorry." I mouthed.
"I was just about to ask you guys the same thing. What do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment?" Iroh asked as he stepped towards us. "Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?"
"First we have to get him out of here." Zuko evaded, looking back at me and Appa.
"And then what?!" Iroh shouted, "You never think these things through. This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You had him, and then you had nowhere to go!"
"I would've figured something out." Zuko defended, his face twisting into surprise.
"No! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death! You would have gotten Mira killed! All this time dragging her around, have you never once considered how your actions could affect her?!" Iroh yelled, no longer holding everything in.
"I know my own destiny, Uncle." Zuko shouted back, looking away from both of us.
"Is it your own destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?" Iroh continued to shout with such fierce determination I flinched.
"Stop it, Uncle. I have to do this." Zuko pleaded.
"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you, and what do you want?" Iroh pressed on, his arms spread out at the question.
Zuko let out a loud scream as he tossed his blades and mask to the ground. I watched in stunned silence, unable to find the words to provide him some comfort. My heart ached as I watched him battle with some sort of internal demon. Iroh had been harsh, but wasn't this what Ihad wanted to do too? Make him give up on hunting the Avatar and help him instead? Then why did I feel so rotten about it...
"Zuko..." I whispered.
"Is this what you think as well, Mira? Do you think what I'm doing is foolish?" He asked, looking at me with such sad eyes.
I stared into his pain filled eyes and knew I couldn't lie this time. things were different, my answer didn't determine my ability to survive, and I respected Zuko too much not to be honest about my feelings. All I could do was trust our relationship was strong enough for me to be honest and blunt.
"It's not that I think all the same things as Iroh, but...this...he's right. What are we going to do with Appa? We can't keep him locked up, Aang will eventually find him and us. It would out us within the Earth Kingdom's largest city, one even Iroh couldn't defeat. I'm worried about what will happen, I'm worried about you if they find out you're the prince. I don't want to lose you." I admitted, looking away so I wouldn't have to see his hurt expression anymore.
Iroh may have made it seem like he forced me into all those dangerous situations, but the truth is I enabled them every single time. Zuko didn't say anything, but turned away to look at Appa. I watched as Zuko made the hardest decision of his life, returning Appa back to the Avatar.
~Break~
Looking up at Appa as he flew away I couldn't help but give Zuko a proud look. Appa was going to be back where he belonged, with his own family. I stared at my own small family and couldn't help but feel hopeful for our future. Maybe Zuko and I could go the distance, he had just let Appa go, it was a momentous occasion. Maybe changing his mind wouldn't be as impossible as I had thought.
"Thank you." I whispered as I hugged him tightly.
He didn't return my hug at first, but eventually did, sagging into me, my face nestling into the crook of his neck. I took a deep breath, rubbing against his hard back before we parted. We then started our long walk home as the sun loomed on the horizon. We headed back out where we had come in. Zuko helped Iroh out as I stared into the blue sky catching sight of Appa flying away once more. I felt my insides twist around as I couldn't stop the sense of accomplishment bleed through me. I had done something good, something that made a positive difference this time.
"You did the right thing, nephew." Iroh said.
Zuko looked at his Blue Spirit mask as Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder. I watched as his blank expression twitch, his brows furrowing in a tell-tale sign he was having an inner dilemma or debate. I began to feel my previous hope start to sink. Would Zuko be okay with letting this go too?
"Leave it behind." Iroh said simply.
At Iroh's words Zuko walked over to the water and tossed his mask in. My mouth opened in surprise as my previous fears dissipated instantly. Zuko had done it, he had let the final symbol of his hunt for the Avatar go. He turned and gave me an expectant look and I realized I was still holding my own mask. I moved to join him, giving my mask one last look before tossing it into the lake. We watched as the masks sank, disappearing from our view before our eyes slid up to one another's.
"Let's go home." I said as I grasped Zuko's hand.
He didn't hesitate in holding my hand back, following me without a fight. His eyes slid towards the ground and I gave him a concerned look. I wrapped my arm around his waist, offering whatever support I could and he didn't pull away. He sagged into me, his eyes staring straight forward with a dull glint in them.
~Break~
When we got home Zuko was dragging his feet as he held onto my waist to help keep himself upright. He was unusually quiet and could barely keep his eyes open as we made our way up the stairs. Once Iroh opened the door, Zuko tossed his swords to the ground and headed straight towards his bed. I watched as he unrolled his sleeping mat, pulling the blankets out from the closet. He didn't even acknowledge me or Iroh as he mechanically worked.
"You did the right thing. Letting the Avatar's bison go free." Iroh praised, turning to start a pot of tea.
"I don't feel right..." Zuko whispered as he fell to the ground.
"Zuko!" I shouted as I rushed over to him.
He was groaning as I helped him sit up. He seemed to be going in and out of consciousness as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I struggled to properly situate him on my lap, looking up at Iroh pleadingly.
"Iroh, what's going on?" I cried.
Iroh rushed over to me and placed a hand on Zuko's forehead. He hummed to himself as he gathered Zuko into his arms and brought him onto his bed. I helped him remove Zuko's shoes, socks, and outer clothing. Iroh worked on his shirt as I went to get some water and rags for his burning fever. When I returned Iroh had Zuko tucked into his bed. I wrung out a damp cloth and handed it to him, chewing on my bottom lip as I watched Iroh work. He folded the cloth and placed it over his nephew's searing forehead.
"Is he going to be okay?" I asked.
"I'm not sure, but he should be." Iroh sighed as he checked Zuko's pulse.
"What should I do?" I asked, wringing my hands.
"If you could put on a pot of tea that would be lovely." Iroh smiled as he continued to check Zuko over.
I left the room, happy to have busy work, and started to boil the water. I sniffed as I started to feel tears begin to fall. What was I going to do if something happened to Zuko? It didn't seem fair that we had only just admitted our feelings to one another, and now he was sick. Did they even have anything that could lower a fever in this time? Were Iroh and I at risk of catching whatever Zuko had? I was suddenly struck with a thought, had I gotten Zuko sick somehow by something that came from my time? Could something survive long enough on myself or Sadar and his army to make Zuko sick now? I had no answers as I continued to make tea, my gut twisting into knots.
~Break~
Zuko had been out cold for a few hours now. Every so often he would groan and I would attempt to soothe him with a cold rag pressed against his cheeks. He was sweating up a storm and seemed to be having a bad dream. I knew firebenders ran hotter than most humans, but this was well beyond normal for Zuko. The heat he usually radiated became such a comfortable normal for me I associated it with his presence. Now it was burning hot and sticky. My cool hands could feel the heat that ran across his skin like scorching metal. Zuko was slightly conscious as Iroh spoke soothingly to him in an attempt to guide Zuko through the pain.
"You're burning up. You have an intense fever. This will help cool you down." Iroh said as he replaced the rag on Zuko's forehead.
"So thirsty..." Zuko moaned, partially lucid.
"Here." I said, helping him sit up against my lap and brought a cup to his lips.
He drank it hungrily, before tossing the cup away and grabbing the basin of water we had placed next to him. He pulled it towards himself and began to down as much of it as he could. I reached a hand out, hovering over his back in worry. Was it really a good idea to dump that much water on an empty stomach?
"You need to stay under the blankets and sweat this thing out." Iroh lectured as he tried to get Zuko to lay back down.
We managed to get Zuko back under the covers and tucked him in as he rolled over. He snuggled into my thigh as he let out a deep breath before coughing. Iroh pulled the covers up further as I started to play with his hair. I began to hum a lullaby as he fell back asleep. I exchanged worried glances with Iroh as he went to replace the water Zuko had drank. I really hoped he wasn't going to be sick even though all he had was water.
~Break~
Zuko did not end up getting sick all over me, but his fever did not go away either. He seemed to be burning even hotter now and I couldn't figure out what his symptoms meant he had. Zuko began tossing and turning again, a sign he was waking up and in pain. I placed a cloth to his forehead as I shh'd him, petting his hair as he was lulled back into sleep.
"I'm getting really worried about him. Without medicine a fever can kill someone, Iroh." I spoke, the anxiety in my voice causing me to talk fast.
"Do not worry, I think he is just having a nightmare. This too shall pass. My nephew is at a crossroads right now and is facing an internal crisis. We need to let him heal as he lets go of the pain in his past." Iroh said quietly as he wrung out another cloth and handed it to me.
"I wish I could help ease his pain..." I sighed.
Touching the water I came up with an idea. I bent it using the cloth and brought it over his forehead, beginning to help heal the headache the fever had no doubt caused. He slowly calmed down as I worked. His brow began to ease it's tension and he fell into a deep rest. I caught Iroh staring at me as I worked. He gave me a funny look before smiling fondly. I swallowed and turned back to Zuko feeling my cheeks heat up. Was I being too intimate? Or did Iroh catch me bending? No, there was no way plus he knew I was a firebender and that Aang was the Avatar, even if he thought that was what I was doing. It would be statistically impossible for me to do both without him knowing I was from the future.
~Break~
"You should know this is no natural sickness, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea." Iroh spoke as he served us all some tea.
Zuko was partially awake, laying on my lap again. I had taken to staying close by as whenever I left his pain seemed to grow worse. It was easier being there to help soothe him than to let him suffer in pain. Plus, whenever Iroh left I could help sooth his fever with my waterbending. I helped Zuko sit up as Iroh held a cup of tea to his lips. Zuko took a fevered drink as he stared at Iroh.
"What, what's happening?" Zuko asked.
"Your critical decision, what you did beneath that lake, it was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within your own mind and body." Iroh explained.
"What's that mean?" Zuko asked after taking another sip.
He started coughing again as he lay back down and curled back up on my lap. His chest heaved as he let out another wet hack. I began to run my fingers through his sweaty hair, trying to calm his shivering body. His body soon calmed its movements as he took deep breaths against my leg.
"You're going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience. But when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be." Iroh explained as he placed another damp rag on Zuko's forehead.
~Break~
I was awoken by Zuko screaming as he bolted up. I snapped to attention with a shriek of my own. My chest was heaving as I turned to look at Zuko, bewildered by his sudden consciousness. Sitting up I found him giving me a bleary eyed look, confusion written across his face. His skin was still pale, slick with a fresh layer of sweat and I made a movement to help him. My arms reached out and stopped just shy of him, my hands hovering above his shoulder.
"Mira?" Zuko asked as he started touching his scar.
"Yeah?" I asked as I took a steadying breath to calm my nerves.
I looked around and noticed Iroh wasn't in the room, I must have been asleep for longer than I had thought. He must have had to go check on how his new tea shop was coming along. If I was remembering correctly his sign was being installed today too. I turned back to look at Zuko to find him staring at me intently. His eyes seemed to be looking through me and I felt suddenly vulnerable. Swallowing hard I squirmed where I sat, attempting to focus on Zuko's health as I withdrew my hands. My body felt warm and I knew that Iroh had left the windows closed so Zuko could sweat his fever out. I felt sticky myself so I pulled my collar away from my neck attempting to fan some air against my damp chest.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Dehydrated, I have a bit of a headache, but otherwise I feel fine." Zuko smiled, brushing his hand through his hair.
"That's good, here." I said, turning to retrieve a small glass of water and handing it to him.
He drank it greedily, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as a small bead of water dripped from his mouth and slowly moved towards his collar bone. It stopped for a moment, resting in the hollow of his neck, before slipping towards his naked chest. I swallowed thickly, returning my gaze to his eyes. Why was this affecting me so much now? I had seen him shirtless plenty of times, even touched his bare body before during sparring sessions. I knew the answer of course, our relationship had changed and this was still unknown territory between us. Up until recently I had been distracted from luxuries like attraction and intimacy, but now it was different. Zuko and I were in a relationship, we were also budding adults who had grown immensely close. It wasn't just physical, it was also emotional and I was thrown for a loop. My face was heating up and I quickly looked towards the ceiling to calm my nerves. It was hard to deny that Zuko was an incredibly attractive young man and it was affecting me more than I cared to admit. I looked back down realizing I had been staring at the ceiling for a suspiciously long time.
"Like what you see?" Zuko asked, his voice ringing with laughter as he raised an eyebrow.
My eyes snapped back up to Zuko's as I realized I had begun to stare at the line of his abs without noticing what I was doing. He had a grin on his face as he basked in catching my straying eyes. My face felt even hotter now as I attempted to salvage my composure, as well as dignity. At least we were technically dating so this wasn't as embarrassing as it could have been. Scratch that, it was still equally embarrassing as Zuko was pretty much laughing at me now.
"I mean yes, but not like that..." I coughed, getting flustered because of course, I did mean it like that.
"Not like what?" He goaded, a smirk on his face, clearly knowing I was lying.
I opted not to respond as he leaned in close to me, his breath tickling my neck. I shivered, my eyes sliding shut as I felt his nose brush against my skin feathery light. He chuckled before moving closer, his lips ghosting my neck now. I was feeling my resolve weakening and let out an airy whine, wishing for more than anything he would touch me more. I was craving a rougher touch and a deeper kiss, but every time I attempted to press closer Zuko would pull away.
"What if I want you to mean it that way?" He almost purred against my lips.
I didn't know what to say to that, so instead I wove my hands around his neck and pulled his lips to mine. I could feel the grin on his lips as I maneuvered my body over his. Straddling his lap I pulled back, balancing on my heels as I observed his face in the softly lit room. His eyes were soft lidded, staring heavily into mine. His chest heaving as his lightly wet lips shone in the candle light. His messy hair was tickling his brow and I felt my insides clench. Heart thundering in my chest I connected our lips once more, sucking in his bottom lip. I was no longer consumed by him, instead I was the one doing the consuming.
We parted once more, our lips lightly brushing one another's. My hands shook as I moved them towards his face, caressing his scar lovingly, before moving them towards his hair. I pulled him closer and pressed my forehead against his. I smiled as my nails lightly scratched his scalp, my lips moving to press against the corners of his at first, and then fully, pouring my relief into the kiss. His hands found my hair, and almost reverently, he cradled my head, angling my neck back as he deepened our kiss. It was sweet and slow, the fire slowly raging between us until it was unbearable. It felt like I couldn't feel enough of his skin as I pressed myself closer to him as I let out a small whine.
I could feel the heat roaring inside of me as my heart hammered against my rib cage. Our kiss took a deeper turn and I gasped, feeling his hips shift into mine, meeting my desperation with equal heat. My hands became more desperate as I grabbed a hold of him anywhere I could. He was my anchor in this storm, I felt as if without him I would drown in the intensity of my feelings. A deep groan was pulled from Zuko's lips and he wrapped one arm around my back and pulled me in close, my hips angling just right against his. His fingers were tracing small designs against the small of my back where my shirt had ridden up. He was toeing the line now, the hem of my shirt beneath his fingertips as he pulled away from our kiss.
"You never answered my question." He stated, breathing heavily.
I stared, lost in his amber eyes. He captivated me as my eyes drifted towards his lips, almost missing his words completely. I was confused for a second until it dawned on me, he was asking for my consent. I gazed into his eyes, my love bursting forth as I felt like I could cry. I stared into his eyes and found nothing but affection and patience as he waited for my response. A smile was breaking out as my mind slowly cleared from the heat of our connection.
"I'd say yes, enthusiastically." I whispered, my hand coming up to hold his scarred cheek.
His smile sealed my fate as he pulled me back into a kiss, his lips searing against mine. He pulled my hips towards his as he ground his hips into mine, another groan spilling from his lips. They were met with small moans of my own, my lips breaking away from his to pull my shirt over my head. His eyes drank me in, no longer heavy they shone like beacons. I smiled genuinely as I began to unravel the binder I was wearing. He returned my smile, his eyes locking with mine as he leaned back and waited. On the last piece I pulled my binder apart and folded it in my arms. Placing it off to the side I turned to look at Zuko with a soft smile, my arms resting near my waist. Feeling little to no embarrassment sitting before Zuko half naked, I waited for his response as I couldn't help but turn my smile into something wicked.
His eyes were no longer on mine, taking in the sight of my small pert breasts dotted with the odd freckle. I made the first move, pulling him back to me as my lips found his. His hands wound around my back, pulling me towards him. I could feel his fingertips trailing along my spine, before his curiosity got the better of him and he ventured towards my chest. His touch was hesitant at first, ghosting over my areola before brushing my nipple. I arched into him with a small gasp and I felt him press against my nipple once more, less hesitant this time. He watched my reactions as I let out a long throaty moan, feeling my panties already growing wet. His eyes stared at my body's reactions and as I writhed against his hands I caught sight of his eyes flicking towards mine and he smiled so warmly I gasped out his name.
"Zuko..."I said as I felt his hands pressing harder into my flesh, pinching one nipple between his forefinger and thumb.
My eyes slid shut as he took control, his other hand threading through my hair to press his kiss harder against my lips. My hands found his back and lightly scratched, my tongue snaking out and meeting his. He tasted of orange spice and stale air. I groaned into him, shifting my hips to press closer to him. I was panting, moving myself faster against his hips as he shifted back, laying down and taking me with him. His hair fanned against his pillow as mine fell around us in a curtain. He pulled me into another long heated exchange that muffled my moans. I bit his lip and tugged it into my mouth, sucking on it lightly. Zuko moaned and bucked his hips into mine and I was reminded of the barriers still yet in the way. I pulled away and Zuko tried to follow, nipping at my lips in protest. I pressed a hand against his chest and pushed him back. Coy grin in place I leaned on my haunches and pulled the blanket away, moving to straddle him once more.
I could feel his hardness now and groaned into his mouth. Our kissing becoming a heated exchange of saliva and teeth. We pressed closer together, his hand moving to tweak my nipple once more reminding me of the unfair advantage he had. My fingers ghosted over his own causing his body to arch into my touch. Feeling bold and filled with a surge of feminine pride, I moved down his body, pulling away from his touch and kiss. He watched me like a hawk and I felt his gaze burning my skin. I grasped the hem of his pants and began to pull them away, Zuko helping me along. His smalls had long since been removed by Iroh during his fever and I was met with his hard penis glistening with a bead of precum. I moved my lips to the tip and gave it a small kiss. I heard Zuko let out a small hiss, the intake of his breathe causing a heat to pool in my abdomen.
I moved my mouth around and tip and sucked experimentally, my eyes raising to meet his. Zuko's eyes were clenched shut tightly as he let out a shaky moan. I chuckled and went about my work, my tongue dipping into the small opening on the head of his penis. My tongue ring hit his sensitive skin, the hot bead sliding against his silky tip. Zuko began to moan as his hand grabbed hold of my hair. He did his best not to pull and I let out a small chuckle, the low thrum of my throat causing him to let out another groan. I pulled him deeper, hollowing my cheeks as I sucked in and angled my throat. I took him to the base and back up, slowly bobbing on the head. I used my hand to pump the parts I couldn't reach. I slipped back low again, holding back a gag and hummed in my throat a second time. He let out a deeper moan and pulled me away.
"If...if you keep going, I won't be able to last." Zuko voiced, his tone coming out husky and croaked.
Understanding what he meant I licked my lips and moved up his body. My fingers danced across his toned chest and I started to lick a pathway up from his groin and towards his neck. Curling around him I felt his hands rest on my lower back. They pressed against the muscles there, lightly kneeling and massaging their tightness. I placed a kiss against his pulse point and moved towards his ear to nibble at his lobe. I trailed down, towards his neck and sucked into the curve of his skin.
"Mmm..." He vocalized, his throat vibrating against my lips.
Moving back towards his ear I took his earlobe between my teeth and pulled, my hands moving towards his nipples and lightly pinched. He let out a groan and shifted his hips, the feeling of his slick member pulsing against my clothed, but still equally wet, crotch. I moved away from him, kneeling above his naked form as I removed the last two barriers between us. His eyes greedily took me in as I descended upon him again, claiming his lips with mine. I could feel his slick heat against mine now and groaned when he rubbed our naked bodies against one another. It felt like I couldn't get enough of him as I pawed at his flesh, pulling myself tight against his burning skin. I felt completely consumed by him as his lips hit my neck and sucked. Another groan was wretched from my mouth, a symphony of our passion echoing off the walls. His hands were pulling at my body, sinking into my flesh as his heated pants hit my ear. I moved away and stared into his eyes, before sitting on his hips and moving to my knees. I grasped his member and stroked it, causing him to writhe underneath me. Our eyes locked and a silent question sung between us. He nodded with a smile, his eyes brightening as I aligned our bodies.
The moment I sunk down onto him I felt an explosion in my head. I groaned out and hunched over, my hair pooling around us once more like a curtain. He smiled at me as he brushed the hair from my face, his one hand lightly holding my hip. I smiled at him as I began to move, a groan wrenching from him next. He seemed hesitant to really take control so I helped him, taking his other hand and placing it on my hip I moved back. I rode him slowly, my chest puffed out and his hands moving my hips in languid movements. He was slowly loving me and I could feel my heart begin to burst at the realization at how intimate this act truly was between us. It was at that moment I knew I was completely and irrevocably in love with Zuko. Sweat clung to our bodies as we moved, my pants and soft groans covered by Zuko's more confident moans. I could feel my own wetness beginning to slip from my folds and down his length. The wet sounds began to join our varied moans and groans. I felt him twitch inside me and writhed, letting out a deep moan as my hands slipped to his chest to steady myself. His hands held my hips harder now, moving me faster as he struck somewhere deep within my walls.
"Oh god, Zuko..."I breathed as I felt myself slump towards him as he started to thrust deeper into me.
He sat up, catching me as his arms wound around my back as he began to slowly move deeper within me. I adjusted for the new position and began to rub my clitoris against his groin as I let out a breathy moan. Our eyes locked and I froze mid moan as he moved forward, his lips circling my nipple. I arched onto his ministrations, his hot tongue moving around my nipple with such precision I almost fell apart around him right then. I gasped out, my moan falling into a trilling whine. His hands held me tighter then, thrusting deeply into me as he worked my body. His lips left my nipple with a wet pop as he looked deeply into my eyes.
"You're so beautiful..." He breathed, his hot breath hitting my wet nipple causing me to shiver.
I couldn't muster a response, so instead I moaned out his name, pulling at his hair as he continued to suckle at my breast. Something between us shifted and Zuko began to move harder within me. No longer slow and deep, but fast and hard. His breath was hitting my chest as he raised to his full height, his mouth consuming mine. I let out a husky mewl as I felt my body quake around him. I began to meet his thrusts, hitting down as he came upward. We let out unison groans as our pelvises hit. The sounds echoing off the walls as I clawed at him. His strong muscles bulged as he all but used my hips to thrust against me.
I held on tightly, letting go as his thrusts became erratic. I was all but consumed by him and I could feel the heat in my nethers hit a point of fire that all I could do was hold on and scream Zuko's name. I felt my inner muscles began to clench around Zuko's thick heat and a pleasurable spike slipped through me. I saw white as I let out a wanton moan, my toes curling as Zuko fucked me through my orgasm. His hands were in my hair as his pants got heavier, his cock twitching inside me as I felt him follow soon after. He moaned deeply into my neck, holding me close as he rode out his own crashing orgasm.
We stayed like that for a few minutes, clinging to one another and breathing heavily. Zuko was rubbing my back as I pet his hair, humming softly as I closed my eyes. Zuko pulled us towards the bed as I felt his softening member slip from my folds. I climbed in myself as he tucked my head beneath his chin. His hands were now lightly rubbing my goose-bumped arms in contentment. He held me that way for the rest of the night, until I began to doze off.
"I know I promised to get you home one day, but would you be okay with me changing that to giving you a home? With me I mean?" Zuko asked.
I shifted and looked into his amber eyes and smiled. I wasn't sure what compelled me but the want to whisper my secret hit my lips as my mouth said something different instead. I wanted to live with Zuko, I wanted to make a life with him, I was in love with him. I loved him like no other man and it scared me as much as it exhilarated me.
"Zuko, I keep telling you I have no home to go to anymore." I answered in a sing-song voice.
"I know that, I just mean...do you want to have your home be with me? Or I mean do you want to make a home with me? That's not it..." Zuko cursed as he looked away.
"Oh Zuko..." I smiled with a shake of my head. "Perhaps this is just the afterglow of sex talking, but the truth is, my home is wherever you are anyways. I'd love to make a home with you or whatever."
Zuko blinked twice before he broke out into a grin.
"Good." He said simply, holding me tighter.
Truthfully, I wanted to tell him the truth but knew that there was a risk he would be angry at me for lying for so long. I wanted to be with him as long as I could. I wasn't willing to sacrifice our budding relationship, and perhaps...perhaps I was blinded by my love for him, but I couldn't find it in me to utter those three words.
I'm the Avatar.
~Chapter 9 End~