"It's so calm"
Zuko said as they are sitting by a waterfall, hearing water falling from the hill and then blending in with the rest of the water of the pond without any difficulty.
"Yeah" Ryu smiled, putting her head on his shoulder, and looked down at the fish in his hand that they just cooked, "you want a bite?" he asked lifting it to Ryu.
Ryu smiled and nodded taking a bite, "You that was an indirect kiss" he said like children do, "Don't you think we are too old for things like indirect kisses" Ryu laughed.
Zuko took a bite from where Ryu have just eaten, "Beggars can't be choosers, got to live with what you got" he took another bite, looking at Aang and Appa in the pond.
Ryu lift her head to the left a little peck on the side of his lips, he put the fish aside and looked up at the star-filled sky above "Thank you" he whispered, smiling ear to ear.
"Water is amazing, jump in" Aang called out from the middle of the pond.
"No, we are good" Zuko replied, Ryu stood up, "Come on, water does look refreshing"
Zuko stood up and whispered in her ear, "I don't want you to take your clothes off"
"Why, Come on Aang have seen me like this before at the beach remember" Ryu tried to argue.
"Well that was different" Zuko looked back at Aang, "It's not him, well it is but it is more me, I don't think it will be good for me" he looked down at the ground trying not to look at her.
"Oh okay" Ryu stepped back and turn to Aang "Hey I am going to bed I am tired, I will maybe take a dip in the morning"
"Okay, Zuko coming?" Aang asked as Zuko saw her returning to his separate tent,
"Yes, buddy"
In the morning Ryu woke up earlier than them, after giving Appa some fruit Ryu decided to take a dip, but the water is too cold, what's the point of being a fire bender if you can't even warm water? Ryu dipped her hand in the water and after a few minutes, it turn into a hot spring.
Ryu Sighed stepping in she forgot how much she use to hate traveling, it was just too much for her body, Ryu found a place to use as a take and closed her eyes, only a few minutes she thought, but those few minutes turn in to more few minutes and few more bending to warm the water, that turn in to hour or hours, who knows.
But after some time Ryu felt like something was wrong, so she kept her eyes closed and tried to focus on her surroundings I am being watched she thought, suddenly someone seemed to jump from one tree to another, and Ryu waited for another moment.
*Crunch*
The noise of leaves being crushed under a foot came to the left, Ryu turned and bended a flashy flame, "Woah" Zuko said using his fire to block hers.
Ryu turned to him, "We are being watched" she said looking around the trees. "Are you sure, It wasn't just me you sensed" Zuko looked around where Ryu was looking but nothing moved in the trees.
"There might be an animal" he took a knee by the pond.
"No it was too big to be an animal that can jump on trees, it has to be human" Ryu finally turned to meet his eyes but they were busy a little down from her eyes, Ryu let herself go a little down so water covers more.
"It might be in your head" Zuko took off a shirt.
"What are you doing?" Ryu asked.
"Water look's so great, I was hoping you wouldn't mind sharing" he waited for a reply.
"I am not.." he cut it off "I know, I won't do anything" he lifted his hands in the air.
"Okay," Ryu said swimming to the other side, she heard the flash he created and turned around to find him underwater.
She smiled knowing exactly why he is underwater, she warm the water more so that he can not stay underwater anymore, and he pulled himself up. "Little warm don't you think?" he asked combing his hair back with his fingers.
"Nothing but the best for my king" Ryu smiled swimming more back.
"You are so cruel" Zuko shook his head and sat where Ryu was a few minutes before.
"It's that smoke?" Aang asked getting out of his tent, "Yes, a man-made hot spring" Zuko said.
"Excuse you, woman made" she smiled, he put his hands in the air, "Yes I apologies my queen" he faked a bow.
"May I?" Aang asked coming closer, "Yes, please jump in Avatar" Ryu replied getting out, she looked around for her clothes and found them falling from the branch she hung from to the mud.
"You wouldn't mind?" Ryu said pointing at Zuko's clothes, "Please go ahead" Zuko smiled looking at Ryu walking away in his shirt, which is bigger than her.
"You have been smiling more than usual," Aang said, Zuko turned around in a little shock, "When did you get in?" he asked with his hand on his heart.
"While you were staring at her, no shock you didn't hear me" Aang ran a wet hand through his bald head.
"I don't understand why you do things you do if you want to be with her?" he asked.
"I wish I had the answer to that" he turned around and looked at the tent Ryu went in "In that moment, everything goes black, it's like I forget everything, I just know one thing anger" Zuko sighed, getting out to get dressed.
"You should probably take care of these anger issues, you never know how much she can take"
"I know"
"Go gather wood, I will cook," Ryu said now dressed in red, tieing her wet hair in a bun.
"I like you in red" Zuko walked to her still shirtless and put his hand under her chin, pulling it up "Yeah, it suits me better" Ryu replied, He kissed her on the forehead and went on to gather wood.
"Here eat" Ryu handed him the bowl full of broth, she had to make it vegetarian so that they didn't have to cook two meals like last night when she first forgot Aang can't eat fish.
"Thank you" Zuko smiled taking it, his now somewhat dried hair has started to get frizzy, Ryu ran her hand through them "Your hair is getting too long",
"Yeah I like them long, I think crown looks better like that" Zuko relaxed enjoying Ryu's fingers running through his hair, Ryu gathered them up and put them into a rough bun.
"They are getting damaged, if you want to grow them you need to take better care of them" Ryu sat next to him and handed him a piece of bread.
"I have no idea how to" he took a bite of the bread, "You just have to oil them" Ryu pour some broth for herself.
"Again no idea" he took another sip,
"Come on you are not a child you can take care of yourself"
"Why would I, when I have you to do it for me" he smiled like a Ryu took a sip of the broth, and shook her head "It needs salt, why didn't you tell me" She got up to get some.
"It tastes perfect to me" Zuko took another big sip and put the empty bowl next to him on the ground.
"I didn't want to say anything, you did cook for us" Aang scratched the back of his head.
"Come on let's gather the tents," Zuko said walking away with a piece of bread still in his hand, still shirtless.
"Idiots" Ryu laughed shaking her head, "They are supposed to be the guardians of the world"
As Ryu gave up on trying to somehow pour the broth down her throat she threw it under the tree that probably wouldn't mind lack of flavor. Something moved right above her when she looked up branch was still moving but there was nothing.
She waited for a few minutes for further movement but nothing, she decided Zuko is right she just haven't been out in the world for a bit, and everything feels a little strange.
They packed away the tents and rest of the stuff and again climbed on Appa to be on their merry way, "Did you guys feel it too" Aang asked when they were up in the air.
"What your lack of brain, yes we did" Zuko joked.
"No, we were being watched, I just couldn't find anyone"
Zuko's head turns to Ryu. "Ryu said she felt like being watched"
"Really?" Aang flew back on the saddle with them, "I thought it was all in my head, but we both couldn't have the same feeling without any good reason" Aang scratched his head.
"There was more than one person in those tree's for sure" Ryu leaned on Zuko who put his arm around her.
"What makes you so sure?" Aang asked.
"I just know, the movement in the tree's made it too obvious, but like Aang, I couldn't find anyone"
Zuko took Ryu's hand in his and kissed it. "Well we left whoever they were behind, we should just look forward" he looked at the ring Ryu forgot to take off.
"I have a feeling this will not end here" Ryu sighed putting her head on his chest.
"What do you mean?" Aang asked.
"Nothing, I just have this uneasy feeling about this"
"Pretty ring" Zuko commented, looking at it closely. "but It looks cheap"
Ryu tore away her hand from his and moved away, "And now the king of fire nations knows all about jewelry too?"
Zuko sat up shocked by the sudden change "Ryu why are you getting so mad, I am just saying this ring is metal, you normally wear gold"
"What's wrong with metal, I thought we were over you trying to control every small thing in my life"
"Guys come on" Aang tried to cool the situation, he for sure was not ready to deal with this all alone.
"Why don't you see how unfair you become sometimes" Zuko opened his bun and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.
"Unfair how, by telling you not to make useless comments about things that do not concern you"
"Guys stop, we haven't even started traveling for less than two days, you need to stop" Aang again tried but all his attempts went unheard.
"Not concern me? Everything about you concerns me" Zuko raised his voice more than he needed to, he took a deep breath "I just don't understand why you are getting riled up over a metal ring?"
"Because I don't want you to comment on my things, I am sure you have bigger concerns than women's fashion"
Aang flew back to Appa's head all tired and defeated.
"Okay I am sorry, I will not share my opinion with you again" Zuko laid down pretending to go to sleep.
"That will truly be appreciated" Ryu smiled sarcastically.
"By the way, who gave you that ring that you are ready to kill your husband for it?" he asked again raising his head.
"I bought it for myself" Ryu lied.
"I thought I send you good money" Zuko turn to his side, after Zuko left Ryu with an uncle he made sure the fixed money she got as the Queen is still given to her even if she is not performing her royal duties on behave to her still being his wife.
"I liked this, should I ask for your approval next time I buy something for myself, your highness," Ryu asked
"No, why are you being so defensive about a metal bracelet?" Zuko asked raising his arms in the air.
That's a good question Ryu thought she took a deep breath why is she being so defensive it's not like Zuko said something offensive, he just commented on what he saw, and she took another deep breath trying to calm herself.
She put her head on his shoulder "It's not about the bracelet, I just don't want you to go back to trying to control my every small action" she lied.
"I won't"
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Okay, So i want to end this series and am little confused where should i end this story? so where would you guys want to see this ending?