A Kindred Spirit [Reader x Zuko]

Chapter Seven

A Kindred Spirit
Chapter Seven

You couldn't see much of the room that Zuko had lead you too. You knew that there was a fire based source of light in the corner. You could smell the burning coals even from the door. There was also a large bed based on the fuzzy, muddy red shape near by. There was a few other things in the room but mostly they appeared like dark spots to you.

Zuko left the bedroom door open after you'd gone inside. He stayed near the opening as you lingered there as well. It was a stalemate between you and he. Zuko didn't want to tell you what to do or where to go. Meanwhile, you were too skittish to go very far into his room without being told to directly.

The sound of footsteps caught your attention. For one second you had a surge of deja'vu so powerful that it was hard to breathe. It felt like you were back in that cell in Ba Sing Se. You could feel your body freaking over as it became hard to breathe. The sensation was like a slowly rising tide threatening ever so slowly to sweep you out to see if you didn't move. The problem was that you couldn't seem to bring yourself to move.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Zuko spoke up as he held a metallic bucket.

Shakingly you extended your arms, feeling like ice water was running up through your veins instead of blood. It was hard to get a grip around the sturdy handle but when you finally managed that, you regretted it. As Zuko let go the weight became too much for you to handle. The water sloshed as it and you were quickly brought to the ground. The coldness in your arms reversed as a burn replaced it. You hadn't the strength to do something as simple as pick up a bucket of water.

Zuko didn't say anything as he stared down at you. If he had any thoughts on the matter he didn't share them with you. Instead of trying to read a face that you couldn't actually see because of the damage that the sunlight had done, you focused on placing your hands into the water and feeling it move around your skin. As you calmed down the chill from the rest of your body rapidly faded. In its place was a hint of fear that the sensation had been a sign of things to come.

With your hands in the water you tried to focus on that sensation instead. You slowed your breathing down and closed your eyes out of habit. There was a sensation of life that spread over your mind. A glow of pleasant and familiar coolness.

You brought your hands up to your face. Iridescent water streamed up with your skin as though it was somehow attached. You worked in a calm pace as you spread this water over your closed eyes. As it started to drip down and around your face you opened your eyes. You tilted your head back as far as you could and repeated the action. This time the water seeped  into you eyes and the glow chilled the area as it sunk in. You blinked rapidly before gathering all the excess water back into your bucket.

The world quickly came back into focus once more. You could see the tapestries along the wall and the details on the bed that was near by. You turned a grateful smile towards Zuko but the words you wanted to say stopped in your throat.

The burn on his face was familiar.

"What?" Zuko snapped.

"I saw you back in Ba Sing Se," you spoke out feeling unsure of yourself. "As we were starting to leave right?"

The distrustful look on his face faded away quickly. It wasn't that hard to figure out that he might have some issues with the mark on his face. He had started to get defensive when you'd seen the burn after all. When you brought up something else that had faded.

"You passed out," Zuko informed you, looking at you through cautious eyes.

You lowered your eyes towards your hands as you picked at your cuticles. It was easier than meeting his sharp expression.

"There you are."

The authoritative voice brought your eyes back up. Once you visually confirmed that Princess Azula stood behind Zuko you lowered your gaze once more. You never saw that triumphant expression on her face at you submission. Nor the irritated look on his.

"You can't keep the avatar all to yourself Zuzu. She belongs to the people," Azula remarked.

Her statement was still hard to digest. You had lived for years knowing that you were a water bender born to a captain of the fire nation. You had survived the Dai Li only because you had been seen trying to heal someone after the siege on their Great Wall had failed. They had used you and your mother for years because of that. You had been helpless for so long that you weren't sure you would know how to function anywhere else in the world. And now that was all having to change so quickly that it didn't feel real.

Your mother and sister had died. In that commotion you had somehow tapped into a power you never knew you had. Azula had brought up the fact that there had been water around you, water that had been frozen in their pipes, when your mother had been attempting to give birth. You hadn't seen any or felt anything at the time but you didn't doubt her words.

"I know that," the prince spoke in a quiet tone as he turned around to look at his sister. "Did you want something?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I want you to start teaching the new avatar how to behave. After being a slave for the last six years I can't imagine she's ready for anything much less a life in the palace."

See, despite the fact that she was speaking to someone else you couldn't help but tremble. Azula spoke about the palace and you somehow being a part of it. That notion was terrifying. She was right when she deduced that you weren't ready for such a life. You may have been twelve when your father died in battle but that didn't mean that any etiquette you had learned was still there. Or that it was up to the same level as you would need for the life she was throwing you into. You had been born and raised during a campaign; you remembered more about a tent then you did polite society. And even that knowledge was fuzzy as it had gone unused and unneeded for six years.

"You want me to teach her?" Zuko's voice had an incredulous tone. "Wouldn't Mei be a better choice? She's a girl."

You watched as Azula casually shrugged and stared at her brother. "Mei has only known how to live in high society. She would take things for granted. Whereas you, Zuko, have been...traveling for the last few years. You have a better grasp on what she would and wouldn't need to know. Besides Mei isn't a firebender. Who am I supposed to trust to teach her the basics more than my own brother?"

She was eloquent. It wasn't the dark loquaciousness that Long Feng portrayed. Though considering that she had conquered Ba Sing Se you knew she could be dangerous. It was just that where most people saw a conqueror you saw a violent savior. One who was talking about reintroducing you to the highest levels of society. You weren't ready to be around sailors on your own. How were you going to handle important dignitaries?