Flamed Out (Zuko Love Story)

Chapter Twenty Four

"UNCLE!" Estella squealed running out to the deck just as Zuko caught her and began spinning her around.
"Where you think your going huh?" He whispered in her ear as she giggled and kissed his lips with his arms wrapped around hers.
"You two are just adorable it warms my heart to see you two," Uncle says while looking out into the waters.
"Thanks Uncle that means a lot, Zuko here was running after me,"
"She thought it was funny to put whip cream on my face!" Zuko complained causing Estella to laugh.
"But you wiped it off before anyone can see," she pouted causing him to roll his eyes.
"You lucky I love you or I would've-"
"Would've what? Do tell Prince Zuko?" She asks smiling before Zuko blushes and looks away.
"You know Prince Zuko, you haven't gave any orders in awhile with the men,"
"They can do what they want.... The Avatar isn't really my concern anymore,"
"Oh?" Iroh asked surprised at his Nephew. "Than what is your concern?"
"The only one I love and care for.... She's my only concern," he said as Estella blushed when he moved some hair from her face.
Just then the ship began to jerk as Zuko grabbed Estella in protection so she won't fall over. When they looked it was a giant beast causing Estella to shriek in fear for she's never seen an animal like that before.
A young woman with black hair and brown eyes was mounted on top of the animal known as a Shirsu. The fire benders on the deck started running away as she had a whip in her hand.
"GET BACK! WERE AFTER A STOWAWAY!" She shouts as Zuko pushes Estella behind him protectively.
"There are no stowaways on my ship," Zuko growls out to the woman on board.
The woman and the shirshu,  tears off a chunk of the metal deck flooring and hurls it in Zuko's direction. Alarmed, the prince ducks turns around in order to shield Estella as he was going to take the blow instead, the firebenders and Iroh move to the side, and the metal piece hits the doorway leading to the main compartments of the ship with a clang as they turn around to watch it hit the door. Zuko looks on in frustration considering his fiance could've been hurt while the firebenders and Iroh take a firebending stance, a gaping hole is present where the metal flooring once was. The animal sticks his head inside and begins sniffing around. It focuses on a single barrel which topples over, revealing that a strange man has been hiding in there.  The stowaway appears, dashing away from the scene. The animal shoots forward in hot pursuit of him. Estella gasps at the man trying to flee; the animal lashes out his elongated tongue. The unknown man falls onto the deck, paralyzed, and with a terrified look on his face.
"He's paralyzed," the two lovers yell in sync, before looking at each other and looked away blushing.
"Only temporary," the woman says before lifting him up and onto her shoulders. "Are you two lovers by chance? I saw the way you were protecting her like your life depends on it," she says smirking causing the two to blush more.
"So what if we are? What's the difference?" Zuko asked looking up at her.
"Oh nothing, anyways The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he'll be in jail and I'll have my money,"
"But how did you find him on our ship?" Estella asked stepping forward as she was curious.
The woman smiled at her.
"Your really an innocent one I can tell, I can see why he loves you so much, to answer your question My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away," she says mounting the man on its back.
"Is that what that animal is? I've never seen one before," she says walking closer however Zuko grabbed onto her wrist.
"You saw what he did to that man, I don't want the same happening to you,"
"He wouldn't hurt a fly unless he was provoked, but I do understand the concern," she said before getting up on the Shirshu.
"Well I'm impressed," Uncle said as she got the whip out and left the ship. "very impressed," he said stroking his beard as Estella and Zuko looked at him in disgust.
LATER
Estella, Zuko and Iroh we're at the Earth Kingdom tracking down the woman from the ship this morning. The lovers were holding hands as they were passing by a bunch of people that were gathered around.
"Out of my way!" He yells Pushing a man out of the way. "Step aside, filth!"
"ZUKO!" Estella yells letting go of his hand and grabbing onto his ponytail harshly.
"Ouch!" He yells glaring at Estella.
"That wasn't nice on what you did to the old man back there!"
"He means no offense! I'm certain you bathe regularly!" Iroh also says apologizing to the man.
"Let me go, I'm not some child Estella!" He says getting out of her grip as he made his way to the front where the woman from this morning was arm wrestling with a guy.
"We need to talk to you!" Zuko says as the three emerges.
"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy, innocent girl, and Uncle Lazy," she says smiling as she gains the upper hand and wins the arm wrestle.
"Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back!"
"Shouldn't our ship be in that sentence?" Estella asks trying to keep her cool with him.
"Well, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money. Drinks on me," she says to the crowd causing them to cheer.
June the woman moves to take sip of her drink, but Zuko grabs her wrist in anger as Estella grabbed his ponytail in anger.
"WOULD YOU QUIT IT?! DONT MAKE ME REGRET TAKING YOU ALONG!" He shouted to her, but his eyes widened as hers became sad as she released his hair.
"Estella-"
"Don't, just Don't Zuko," she said in the brink of tears as Zuko winced.
"Yelling at your girlfriend, how can you live with yourself?" June asked as he grabbed her wrist tighter.
"Shut up, money isn't what I had in mind in the first place," he said getting into her face.
A/N: after a whole year I'm back with this story! I missed writing this one out of all the others! Story continues hope you'll like it!