The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo || Zuko x OC Fanfiction

Peach Blossoms

One spring day, when all the peach tree blooms..

Akari walked along the palace's courtyard slowly, taking her time to watch the peach blossoms along the walkway. She was just released from her mission that day. It was a harsh mission for her because she had to conceal the fire in her and only rely on her swordsmanship during the mission. She heaved a sigh as she walked down the paved path between the perfectly lined peach trees.

"Akari!" Suki called her name out from behind.

Akari turned her head and waved her hand, "Suki! Sokka!" She ran and approached both of her friends and gave them her warmest hug.

"How was the mission?" Sokka asked.

"It's tiring. I can't use my sparks," the girl slouches her shoulder and opened her palms to show a  small flicker of her vermilion fire.

"But, did you win?" Sokka asked, earning an elbow to his ribs from his girlfriend.

"It was more like a stealth mission where i should not wear my yukata and stripped my warrior identity off of me. So nobody will know that I am someone sent from the republic to gather information from them," Akari answered. "No more question, Sokka! It's top secret."

"I know what you need!" Suki beamed.

"What is it?" Akari tilted her head cutely.

"General Iroh has just sent a package of spring flavored teas. they're in the kitchen. Let's join Aang and Katara in the Kitchen to taste all those tea," Suki pulled Akari's hand and took her to the kitchen.

Little that the three knew, Zuko was also in the kitchen with Katara and Aang, sipping on a cup of warm and calming jasmine tea, his favorite.

"Suki, Akari!" Katara waved and signed for the other two to come closer.

"Fire Lord," Akari greeted awkwardly.

"Soldier," Zuko raised his cup.

"Spirits, why are you two so awkward around each other. It's not yesterday you guys knew each other,"  Sokka facepalmed.

"Akari, are you okay?" Suki asked as she catched Akari when she limped on her shoulder.

"Suki! Her stomach," Katara saw stain on Akari's shirt. Nobody had noticed that until they were at the kitchen.

Zuko immediately put his cup down and carried Akari into one of the empty rooms at the palace and laid her down on the bed, Katara followed behind with a bucket of water for healing purposes.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said as he looked at the unconscious Akari.

Katara then lift Akari's black shirt and revealed a huge gauze on her stomach with blood oozing all over it. "Spirits!" She gasped.

"How bad is it?" Sokka peeked through Katara's head.

Zuko couldn't help but to blame himself for putting Akari into this trouble. He was quiet. Katara's voice woke him up from his thoughts.

"Zuko, Suki, Sokka, Aang, can you guys wait outside? I'll heal her wounds first. I think it's still fresh from the last mission," Katara requested.

"It's my fault," Zuko looked down.

"Zuko, it's not your fault. She's doing her duty to the Republic City," Suki tried to comfort Zuko.

"Let's wait until she's healed and let her tell what happened to her," Sokka patted Zuko's shoulder.

"You like her, don't you, Sparky?" Toph suddenly appeared after doing some meeting with the police officers.

----

Katara took hours to heal the stab wounds on Akari's stomach and waist. She had lost decent amount of blood by the time Katara healed her. So, everyone decided to give her some time to rest and sleep. However, Zuko stayed and kept an eye on her. He really took that chunk of time translating his worried feeling and Toph's rhetoric question along that time. He decided to cut some branches of the peach blossoms and put it by her bed as an apology for putting her into a really dangerous mission.

After what feels like a few days, Akari woke up to find a blurry vision of a guy with burns on one side of his face, classic royal top knot half updo, and a full set of royal armor robe by her side. 

"You're up," Zuko shot awake when he felt some movements near his head.

"Y--Your highness," Akari rubbed her face. She was shocked that Zuko was there taking care of her.

"I'm sorry," Zuko apologised.

"It's my duty to the kingdom, Your Highness," Akari shook her head. "It's none of your mistake."

"I put you in the mission," Zuko insisted.

"And, remember that we are friends, I am not your superior here. Just call me Zuko, please," He pleaded.

"And I accepted that. Zuko, you saw me as your friend off-duty. But at the Republic and in this Palace, you're my superior," Akari paused. "The wound is occupational hazard."

"Next mission, please comeback alive, don't give us surprises like this. You're dismissed from missions until you're fully recovered," Zuko firmly said. "I can't afford to lose a friend." 

"I can't risk losing a friend neither," She nodded.

"Everyone's been dying to know what happened to you. So, let's get to the lake. We can catch up with you while feeding the turtle-ducks," Zuko suggested. 

Next thing she knew is that Zuko squatted down in front of her as if he offered himself to be her personal palanquin. "Climb up," he said.

"Zuko I hurt my stomach, not my leg," She retorted.

"Just climb up my back. It's not like everyday I offered this for you," Zuko joked.

-----

Zuko carried Akari on his back to the pond where everyone waited for the two while watching the turtle-ducks. He carefully put her down to sit beside Suki and sat beside her. 

"Akari! Feel better already?" Sokka asked.

"Much better," Akari nodded.

"Come have some mochi," Suki offered and handed her the glutinous rice balls.

"So, care to fill us in? What happened to you during the mission?" Katara asked.

"I was in a mission, Katara. It was a tough one, The Fire Lord asked me and my squad to infiltrate this resistance gangsters spreaded all around Republic City. They were mostly non-benders. I had to only fight with my samurais. We did pretty well until someone caught me off-guard. I didn't realize that the man aimed for me. I was in my hideout, trying to piece out my information when that person came and knocked my squad out for a while before he got to where I was and stabbed me," Akari said.

"You could've used the fire," Sokka stated.

"I can't, Council Man," Akari shrugged. "They were non-benders and they will destroy me as soon as they found out I'm a bender."

"Thought you have a hawk," Aang rubbed his chin.

"A hawk would notify that I'm someone from the palace," Akari shrugged.

"I'm sorry I put you in a difficult position," Zuko looked at Akari.

"It's okay, Zuko. It's my occupational hazard, remember," Akari tried to ease the guilt on Zuko's shoulder.

"The worst thing was I just knew that right after Katara noticed the blood stain on your shirt. You are so good at hiding it," Suki shrugged.

"I'm alive, that's what matters," Akari grinned.

"You got us worried, woman," Sokka growled.

-----

To Be Continued