Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Twenty-Five

There is a small fire that illuminates a small camp where Iroh, Kali, and Zuko have set up for the night. They had to stop. To rest. To sleep. For Kali to take the pressure off her injury. Zuko sits in front of the fire as Kali dozes against his side, tired but not ready to sleep yet, Zuko watches her though, watching amused as she fights her own subconscious. He moves to pull her closer to him, to settle her between his legs so she can rest against his chest instead. Across from them, Iroh watches them both. Content to see his nephew being that way towards someone he cares about.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Zuko whispers to Kali as she shifts against him, curling into him, getting comfy.

"No, I don't want to sleep" She complains, Zuko hums a little as he pulls a blanket around her back. "I feel like all I've been doing is sleeping or resting"

"You're still healing" Zuko offers. She sighs and sets her head back into his chest. "I was in bed for weeks whilst my face was healing" She turns a little to look up at him.

"You still haven't told me what happened" She points out as she touches his face, drawing her fingers over his scar.

"I did, actually" He argues, she frowns at him. "Sort of" He corrects, she tilts her head, thinking back to the conversations she's had with him. He draws the side of his little finger down her forehead and along her nose softly as he waits for her to figure it out.

"The Agni Kai?" She asks, he hums and nods. "Your father did this?" He nods again. "Zuko" She whispers. She honestly doesn't know what to say to that. How can she say anything that will matter when his own father marked him this way? What can she say? He shrugs a little, understanding that look in her eyes. He doesn't really know what to say about it either. She draws her palm around his face as he closes his eyes, leaning into her touch. He doesn't want to talk about it, so she won't. She hums a little and he peeks at her. She decides to change the subject. "Did you know that I can modify my own body heat using energy I can take from plants?" She asks him and gives him a look. He frowns and then fully looks at her as she snuggles into his chest.

"So every time you complained about being cold..." He starts, giving her a look. "Every time you climbed into my bedroll....?"

"Was so I could to be close to you" She admits quietly and shrugs. He lets out a small laugh and then sighs.

"You're unbelievable," He tells her, he is a little impressed actually.

"Worked though" She teases, pulling herself closer to him, he hums and looks down at her, eyes softening as she up smiles at him. He wraps his arms around her and rests his chin on the top of her head. He knows what she did. Why she shifted the conversation. She keeps doing that. For him.

.........

The sun blazes over a small village, tiny really with only a handful of small houses made from dry mud, there are no palm trees, or any plant life at all, and a tiny ice spring in the centre of the village which looks like it's seen better days. Kali pulls a face, standing at the gates as Iroh and Zuko tie up the two ostrich horses to a post outside. It feels dead. Like there is nothing in there. She knows there are people. She can see them, but it just feels so lifelike. Zuko threads his fingers with hers and leads her on. She's having to hide again. Covering herself from view and he hates it. She's beautiful and she shouldn't have to hide who she is. Or what she is. She should be able to be proud of her nature-bending and her connection to nature. She shifts closer to Zuko, curling her hand around his arm. Iroh leads the two of them towards a building that appears to be some kind of bar.

......

Inside, at a table, Iroh, Zuko and Kali sit, watching the patrons of the bar go about their day, drinking, talking. Kali keeps herself as covered as she can, her eyes scanning around all the people inside. She's not used to so many people. Even with Raya and all the others that came before her. They never let her be around so many people. And for months, it's just been her and Iroh and Zuko. She can feel eyes on her, even if they aren't actually on her. Zuko glances around the room with a frown on his face.

"No one here is going to help us" Zuko points out. "These people just look like filthy wanderers"

"So do we" Iroh counters, Zuko pulls a face of disagreement. Iroh then points across the room at a bald man sitting at a Pai Sho table. "Ah, this is interesting. I think I've found our friend"

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko asks, giving his uncle an annoyed look.

"I don't think this is a gamble" Iroh argues and gets up, heading to the table. Zuko groans and looks at Kali, she shrugs a little.

"Just let him play a game" She whispers. "I'm tired" His eyes soften a little and then nods. They have been on the road almost non stop the last couple of days, only stopping once to rest. Taking a break to let Iroh play his game doesn't sound so bad. He supposes. He stands and follows his uncle, pausing to check that Kali is following after him too. She is. She takes his hand when she reaches his side and he instantly seems to relax.

"May I have this game?" Iroh asks the Pai Sho player who inclines his head, Iroh takes a seat across the board.

"The guest has the first move" Iroh places the lotus tile in the middle of the board. "I see you favour the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways"

"Those who do can always find a friend" Iroh counters.

"Then let us play." The old Pai Sho player places another tile on the board. Iroh quickly places another tile as well. Zuko sits down with Kali and they both watch the game as the two men place tile after tile on the board in rapid succession. When they are done, the tiles form the shape of a lotus, with the lotus tile in the centre. "Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets"

"What are you old gasbags talking about?" Zuko asks them.

"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game" Iroh counters, Kali raises an eyebrow in question. "Little Flower?" He asks. "Have you ever played?" She shakes her head.

"No, but when I was a child, one of my...." She pauses and clenches her jaw. "He used to play....and I used to watch" Iroh rolls a tile over his knuckles and clutches it. "But I also know that it's not always about what's in front of you" She and Iroh shares a look, he fights a smirk.

"Smart girl" The Pai Sho player offers, Zuko frowns and looks at his uncle for some explanation. Two men approach the table, Xin Fu and Master Yu.

"It's over!" Xin Fu holds up two wanted posters. "You two fugitives are coming with me!"

"I knew it! You two are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!" The Pai Sho player yells out.

"I thought you said he would help!" Zuko scolds his uncle. Kali touches his arm.

"He is" Iroh argues. "Just watch"

"You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?" The Pai Sho player points out.

"Gold?" Another patron asks and suddenly every set of eyes in the bar are gleaming and looking up. The siren call of gold capturing all their attention. Several of them pull out knives and approach the group around the Pai Sho table. Zuko pushes Kali back, behind him as his eyes flicker around all the weapons.

"Uh... Maybe we shouldn't" Master Yu whispers to his friend. Suddenly two men jump in front of Xin Fu. The earth-bender spins around and delivers a reverse roundhouse kick, bending a rock from the ground which knocks the two men away. Master Yu enters his stance and bends the earth underneath one of the assailants, causing him to sink into the ground up to his neck.

.....

Outside, Zuko, Kali, Iroh and the Pai Sho player slip out of the building unseen, avoiding the conflict.