Reborn In Water || ATLA

Don't Wanna Miss A Thing

"Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do." - Aerosmith

🌊 🌋 🔥 🌪

Zuko was a man of his word. Aelita was the one person left in this world he was determined to make sure was always okay. She was too damn important for him to do any less. After insisting to carry her the whole way, Zuko brought her aboard the ship and to her room. Along the way he gave instructions in soft tones to the crew, knowing his friend hated when he raised his voice. He told one man to bring clean water to her room to fill her bath basin, and another to send up fresh towels. He sent word for the cook to send up two bowls of miso ramen, Aelita's favorite, and even asked Iroh for jasmine tea.

Iroh couldn't hold back his smile when they walked away. Sure, he was worried about the young girl as he was fond of her himself, but he knew his nephew would take care of her. His boy was becoming a man to be proud of.

The two arrived at her quarters just a moment before the water did and Zuko finally set Aelita down. After the crew member added the water to her bath basin Zuko placed his hands in it, heating the water until it began to steam. He grabbed two bottles off her shelf nearby adding a few drops of lavender oil and a fair amount of bubbling soap. Aelita was quiet, partially from still being light-headed and a bit shaky on her feet and partially from having been so amazed at the lengths her Prince was going to for her.

"Get in, I'm going to go fetch your tea from Uncle." He said turning to face her

"Zuko listen, it's fine really, you don't need to take care of me. You just finished dueling and it's nightfall now and..." He cut her off.

"Lita, I'm fine. Let me do this. Making sure you're alright is as much for me as it is for you."

But she couldn't, she couldn't feel like a burden to him. Aelita wasn't going to be anyone's pity party, and she didn't want Zuko to forget to take care of himself. She huffed and turned to walk away but he caught her arm. "That makes no sense!"

"The way that I feel about you doesn't have to make sense to anyone but me. Now come on Aelita, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way."

"You get in and I'll fetch you the tea Zuko, and you can tell me about your match because I won't be your broken little doll to care for! Besides, you're disgusting anyway, I can smell you from here."

Tired of the fight he knew she wouldn't back down from, Zuko caught her completely off guard. He was the only one who ever did. In one fluid motion, the Prince of the Fire Nation gripped the bottom of her dress and pulled it over her head, leaving her standing in nothing but her wrappings and undergarments.

Aelita had never been ashamed of her body, she had always been comfortable in her skin but now that Zuko was in front of her, trying his best not to stare and slightly regretting the action he hadn't fully thought through, she wasn't so sure. She could've sworn she felt Zuko grow warmer, but she didn't pay much mind to it. The younger girl's cheeks turned an embarrassing shade of pink and she fumbled for a towel that had been dropped off shortly before to cover herself.

What the hell was he thinking?

It seemed like a good idea in his head. He'd make sure Aelita was comfortable in her bath, something she knew she was fond of but didn't allow herself the luxury of often, and he'd get her tea from his Uncle. When she had soaked long enough he would make sure she ate and drank, and then he'd put her to bed for much-needed rest. She never took care of herself, she was always so focused on every damn other person but herself. But of course, Aelita had to fight him. She was stubborn like that. She didn't like feeling as if she was taking advantage of anyone, and she didn't know how to be cared for since her dad had so often been away before he passed at the hands of his own. She wanted to turn this situation around on Zuko? Fine, he'd bite. That was what compelled him to pull her dress off her. He was going to put her in the water himself.