Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Thirty-Four

A/N – I COULDN'T FIND A DEFINITIVE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THEY ARE IN BA SING SE, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT IT IS LONGER THAN WE SEE, I'M GOING TO SAY AT LEAST A MONTH. (APPA ALSO FEELS LIKE HE WAS MISSING FOR A WHILE)

Kali lays on her stomach in her bed with Zuko who leans up at her side. The blankets rest around her lower back and legs. Zuko's fingers tough the feathered scar from Azul's attack. It's healed but she is going to be forever scarred by it. By his own sister. He leans closer to her, presses his lips to her scar and closes his eyes, his hands on her waist. There is a warmth to her that he likes, he thinks it might be a fire-bending thing. Being around her, it's like he can feel the sun on him, even indoors. He draws his hands upwards, can feel other scars under his fingers. Scars from her history. From her past. He pulls her hair from her shoulder so he can nuzzle into her neck. She is ignoring him, but he's fine with it. She has her book open in front of her as he teaches her to read, when he's not getting distracted. She traces the letters on the page, a little frown on her face.

"Are you stuck?" He asks, she shakes her head. He hums a little and kisses her shoulder as he peers over at her book. The pages are open on a drawing of a woman. But it's not someone with green skin. Like hers. It's a woman that looks like everyone else. He glances at her face. She's feeling self-conscious again. He doesn't understand how she can look at herself and see something wrong. He understands that she does though. He touches her back and closes the book with his other. "Kali" He starts softly.

"I know" She stops him. "I know that you like..." She pulls a face. "I can't help the way I feel when I see...When I watch them from the window and they get to go out and spend time in the sun...walk down the street with the people they...." She sighs and turns onto her back to face him. His hand moves up to cup her cheek. He knows what she wants. She wants to go out there and spend time with him. And he knows that she's not meant to be kept shut away. She's meant to be out there among trees and plants. He needs to do something to cheer her up. To make this more like home. Iroh was right. She's going to need more foliage. He can do that for her. For everything that she's been through.

"I should get you some plants" He comments and glances around. "That's a start"

"A start?" She whispers, he hums and nods.

"To build a home here" He looks back at her. "You and me..." He nudges her nose and smiles softly.

"You would be happy with that?" She asks him, he shrugs.

"I can try to be" He answers. "I mean, maybe not...in the Lower Ring, but...as long as you are here..."

"Stuck in here?"

"I'm trying to figure something out" He defends. "I know you hate it...hate being here..."

"No" She stops him. "I don't hate being here" She draws her hand around his neck. "I hate being stuck in here all the time" She sighs. "Staring at the same four walls....and they are not even that interesting" She teases a little. He leans closer and kisses her.

"I'll figure something out" He whispers against her lips. Promising her that he will find a way. For them to go out and do something. Like real people. Like a real loved up couple. To go out on a real date. Their first date. They should probably have done that before falling into bed together.

"How long do we have?" She asks him, he glances outside at the position of the sun and then back down at her.

"Long enough" He answers, brushing her hair back from her face. He gives her a small smile, trying to be reassuring. But he doesn't know how he can help her. As much as he wants to.

....

Later; Kali sits on the floor with Bing who has his head in her lap as he plays with his ears. Other than Bing, Kali is alone. Iroh and Zuko have left for their afternoon shift at the tea shop. Whilst this morning was nice with Zuko, she's feeling a little abandoned still. She stares in the mirror propped up against the wall across from her. She'd taken it from the little bathroom to sit in the light, to get a better look at her new trick. She takes a deep breath and holds out her hands, they glow green as she concentrates. Trying to redo the trick with her skin. If she can make her skin normal then she won't have to hide anymore. She just has to be able to keep it up. To keep it going long enough that she can go out. A warmth rolls over her skin before she peaks through her lashes to look at her reflection again. The green has gone and she looks beautiful. She smiles at her reflection and brushes her hair over her shoulder. At least that remains red. She loves her hair, which at least hasn't changed. Just her skin that's the issue. Hopefully, that can change now.

She frowns at her reflection as blood trickles from her nose, she's overdoing it. Forcing something that she's probably not meant to do. Her eyes flutter before she passes out, falling back against the floor. Bing stops playing with his ears and looks down at her.

....

Iroh finds a bloodied cloth hidden away in the laundry basket. Hidden away in Kali's old clothing. He glances over at where she sleeps beside Zuko. He assumes it has to be hers. Why would Zuko feel the need to hide something like this in her laundry? But it makes him worried. If she's hiding something like this from them.