Sunburn

18

"I'll try to contain my joy." Zuko deadpanned sarcastically as he placed the tray of cups on a table and stormed out of the shop, slamming the door behind him.

Tsai looked at his retreating figured and sighed in exasperation. "Thank you, sir, this is very kind of you. We are very grateful," she said politically before bowing politely.

Zuko scowled as he stomped outside and leaned against the wall of the teashop by the door, his arms folded over his chest. His eyes narrowed.
"There you are," she said as she exited the shop, she approached him and ran a hand through his hair. "Can you at least pretend to be happy for your Uncle?" She asked with a small frown on her face. "His dream is coming true."

"What about my dream?" He challenged with his arms still closed across his chest. "What about yours?" He glared. She gave a step back letting her guard up. She hated it when he got like this. When he was mean. Her mouth felt dry as she went silent.

Her eyes widen slightly. She had never told him about it. 

"You're being mean," she stood her ground looking at him with a hurt expression.

"What happened to creating the perfect nation? Your socialist wet-dream where Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom are equal?" He pushed his words were cold and felt like knives against her skin. "Are you really going to settle for living the life of a tea server your whole life?"

She scowled at him, now fuming. How could he be so ungrateful? After everything that they had been through? She opened her mouth about to retort a petty comeback when a paper hit her in the face. Dreams changed and grew and that was OK! Why couldn't he accept that?

She ripped it off her face angrily and held it in her hand. "Listen!" She began, now even more aggravated. However, she noticed that Zuko's eyes were wide and appeared to be glued to that paper. Confused she brought it up to her line of vision and her went wide too. Who was dropping these flyers? 

She instantly saw that determined look flash before his eyes. He looked up clenching his jaw and not seeing anyone or anything climbed to the top of the nearest building. His eyes narrowing when he saw several fliers falling to the ground.

"Zuko, please don't," Tsai pleaded with him as she climbed after him. She already knew what he was looking for. She knew what this meant to him. How it would change him and what they had. This stupid flyer it had uprooted his obsession and ignited his obsession once again. He was looking for the Avatar. She looked down at the flyer of the missing flying bison in her hand and cursed.

"The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se and he's lost his bison," he said to her. She could see the burning determination in his gold eyes.

"Please, don't." She pleaded with him. She knew that whatever was going through his mind... It did not have a happy ending. "I've let this go. You have to let it go." 

"You've never understood..." He said darkly. 

"For some time I did." She said standing with him alone in the rooftop. "And for some time I wanted all those same things you did, but not anymore. I've changed and so has my dream and that's OK. This vile obsession... it's going to do nothing but poison your soul! We've been given a second chance at a normal life and what are you going to do throw it all away to chase this fantasy?"

He turned and glared at her with a warning look. She knew that look. That dangerous glint in his eyes. He wasn't going to change his mind. Now now, not ever. 

"You know what. Do whatever you want," she shook her head and made her way off the rooftop. "I'm done."

Xxx