White Hot Flames (ZukoxOC)

38

"You are a very good fighter," Haru murmurs as Rezalia walks over to test his portion of the floor. Rock solid, of course.

She glances at him. "Thanks."

The conversation doesn't go any further and both of them allow it to remain that way. It wasn't long before Teo and the Duke were whisking Haru off in search of hidden rooms. Katara snags Aang's sleeve before he could join them. "So, what's the new plan?"

Rezalia idly wanders around their little circle as she listens. "Well, if you ask me, the new plan is the old plan! You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes."

"That was your plan?" Rezalia asks increadusly. Sokka makes a face at her. "No, seriously guys, that might be the best plan ever. I don't think I've ever heard a better plan in my life. i can't wait until you guys are on councils and shit, the plans will be on another level."

"Okay!" Katara snaps. "We get it! The plan sucks!"

Rezalia sighs. "That's because it's not a plan. It's a to-do list full of things that he might not even be able to do. Who's gonna teach him firebending? And defeating Ozai before the comet? As much as I'd love to knock his ass down a few hundred pegs it's near impossible."

"I know that," Aang replies stubbornly. "But I have to try."

The firebender hums dubiously. Sokka speaks up, "Why can't you teach him again?"

"My fire is a lot different than his and also my teaching methods might kill him."

"...Noted. Maybe we can look for Jeong Jeong!" Sokka diverts.

"Yeah ... right. Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again," Aang scoffs as he lays down.

Toph's face scrunches up. "Who's- oh, whatever," she grumbles, crossing her arms. "If it's important we'll find out." Rezalia laughs a bit.

"Who's we? I know who Jeong Jeong is."

"Fuck you."

The others appeared to be ignoring them, opting to watch Aang divert all responsibility and go do loops in the air. Rezalia frowns as she watches him for a moment before walking away to roam the temple. The marble and stone was surprisingly stable for the things it had undergone so Rezalia allows herself to zone in and out as she walks.

At first, her thoughts are trivial. That plant looks funny. I wonder how much it would take to convince Sokka to eat that plant. I wonder how much convincing it would take to stop Toph from eating that plant. There are a lot of plants. Oh look a bug. The usual. But slowly they turn on her as they always do. Is he okay? Where is he right now? Does he still think about me?

The feeling from the invasion returns and Rezalia stops. "What's happening?" she murmurs, mostly to herself. The feelings persists, annoying in it's dullness. Simply a prodding prescence just behind her eyes that she could neither ignore nor place. It reminded her of Katara's jokes a bit. Makes no sense but unavoidable and demanding attention. The comparisson draws Rezalia's attention from the feeling for just a moment until it grows stronger.

"I don't know what you want from me," she whispers, staring blankly at the crumbing fountain before her.

The distant sound of shouting pulls Rezalia from her thoughts and she takes off, flames licking the stone as she propels herself faster. It takes mere moments to reach the others, skidding to a stop beside Sokka. "What's going on?" she demands before looking up and making eyecontact with the golden eyes that had been haunting her for months.

Everything stops as they stare at one another with wide eyes. "Zali," he breathes.

Rezalia doesn't deign him with an answer. Make him grovel for a while. Sokka's words pass through her mind as his arm presses into hers. Pain flashes across Zuko's face but he shakes it off quickly and turns back to Aang. "Right. Well, uhhh ... anyway ... what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uhhh, I'm good now, and well I think I should join your group, oh, and I can teach firebending to you. See, I, uhhh..." he trails off as Toph and Katara scoff loudly.

"You want to what now?"

Katara backs Toph up seamlessly. "You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?!"

"Yeah, all you've ever done is hunt us down and try to capture Aang!" Sokka adds as he sets a calming hand on Rezalia's back. Zuko follows the motion and presses his lips into a flat line before answering.

"I've done some good things! I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something!"

Said sky bison licks Zuko, evidently for the second time. Aang turns to Rezalia who nods slightly. "He did."

"Appa does seem to like him," Toph mutters.

The water tribe siblings weren't having. "He probably just covered himself in honey or something so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it," Sokka says stubbornly, free hand toying with the hilt of his sword.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past," Zuko replies and a traitorous part of Rezalia was so so proud of him for recognizing that. For saying it out loud.

Sokka snorts. "Like when you attacked our village?"

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Katara tacks on, arms crossed in a way that reminded Rezalia of Zuko's mother when she got mad.

Zuko shifts uncomfortably. "Look, I admit I've some awful things. I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I'm going to try and stop-"

"Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka rages, pulling his boomerang from it's holster and stepping in front of Rezalia. She did nothing to stop him.

The Fire Nation prince seemed to want to scream and slap himself and bury himself alive all at once. "Well, that's not his name, but-"

"Ohhh, sorry. I didn't mean to insult your friend!" Sokka snarks.

"He's not my friend!" Zuko snaps, hands clenching into fists at his side.

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph joins Sokka in standing, the ground trembling slightly beneath them.

Zuko glances between them and Rezalia knew that look. He was cornered and multiple people were coming at him and his mind was going a mile a minute. Usually, this would be where Rezalia would step in. She stays where she is and says nothing. Zuko turns to Aang. "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me."

Rezalia looks at the avatar as well. She'd never heard of this from either of them. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us," Aang replies after a moment of thought.

Zuko's expression drops and Katara speaks again. "You need to get out of here. Now."

"I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore!" he protests and Rezalia believed him. She hated that she believed him.

Sokka didn't care about whatever transformation Zuko had undergone. "Either you leave, or we attack."

When Zuko could come up with no other option, he drops to his knees and raises his wrists, offering to be their prisoner. Rezalia takes a step back at the sight and Katara demands his exit once more. Zuko looks up at Rezalia in despair but before he could speak, Sokka stepped in between them and snarled, "Don't look at her."

Zuko leaves and Sokka pulls Rezalia to his chest as she trembles.