Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Kali gets more and more withdrawn, spending her days in her bed, or sitting in front of her plants with Bing. It worries Iroh and Zuko. Seeing her so quiet and despondent. Each day that passes shut away, she loses something of herself. The weeks that pass have her falling into almost silence. Whilst she is happy with Zuko, being around him and Iroh is the safest she's ever felt, she's not content or happy being stuck inside all the time. She wants more. Zuko touches the fabric in his hand. A new cloak for Kali, enough that it will wrap around her properly, protecting her from sight. He got it after the day he had yesterday. With Jet bursting into the tea shop to accuse Iroh and Zuko of being fire-benders in front of everyone in the shop. Whilst true, that's not something they were telling people, obviously. And he made a comment about Kali that had Zuko seeing red, but it isn't like he was wrong. Even Jet thought that there must be something going on, if they keep her locked up inside all day and night. So Zuko went out, got the cloak, made plans to take her out. To do something with her. To get her out of the tiny apartment. He moves towards where she is sitting with Bing on the floor. That creature seems to be the only thing that gives her any comfort at the moment. Kali lifts her eyes from Bing to Zuko, Bing instantly starts to paw at her hands for attention. Zuko crouches at her side and holds out the cloak.

"What's this?" She whispers.

"It's a new cloak," He tells her, she bites her lip, she has a comment right there on her tongue about never going anywhere, but she knows she shouldn't say it. He bought it, thinking that she'd like it. And she is torn between practicality and honesty. She takes it from him, drawing her fingers over the fabric. "Meet me in front of the tea shop at sundown; after my shift there," He tells her, she frowns at him.

"No, Zuko, you know that..."

"Today you are" He stops her, taking her hands gently in his hands. "Please?" He whispers, she softens a little and then nods. Knows that if he is saying please he must really want her to do this.

"Alright" She assures him, he leans closer and kisses her softly before pulling back and away from her, her eyes following him, still a little confused as to what is going on with this.

.....

The tea shop door opens as Zuko steps out into the street, the sun only just having set. He isn't wearing his usual brown clothing, instead, he's wearing a much smarter, cleaner, sharper, green outfit, something often seen on people around Ba Sing Se. Though the most startling and humorous change in his appearance is that his hair, which is usually shaggy and unkempt, has been combed and parted. He walks out into the middle of the street and looks around as Kali emerges from an alley at the side of the shop and approaches him.

"Zuko?" He turns to face her and she instantly pulls a face. She's not sure what to make of his new appearance. He looks....not like himself. She scrunches up her nose then reaches up and messes his hair so it looks normal again. He lets out a long breath but offers a soft smile, threading his fingers with hers at her side.

"It took my Uncle ten minutes to do my hair" He scolds weakly, not at all bothered that she fixed his hair. He didn't like it either. He touches the edge of the cloak. It does hide her well enough, but that doesn't actually make him feel any better. She shouldn't have to hide who she is, simply because she doesn't look like everyone else. But right now, this is all they have.

.....

Zuko leads Kali into an open area with a large fountain and several posts with candles on top surrounding it in a circle, none of them are lit, but he knows this, he set this up, with Iroh's help, for her. To do something to cheer her up. In the centre of the circle, is a little table set up waiting for them. Zuko releases Kali's hand and steps up behind her.

"Close your eyes" He whispers in her ear, she glances at him. "And don't peek" He gives her a look, she lets out a breath and closes her eyes. Zuko walks out into the circle of candles, holds his hands together, and closes his eyes as he prepares. Using his pointer and middle fingers on each hand, he shoots small bursts of flame in all directions at the candles to light them. Once finished, he stands straight and looks at Kali, still with her eyes closed. He smiles softly at her as she waits. "Okay. Now you can look" She peeks through one eye before she opens them both, a smile splitting her face.

"Wow..." She whispers as she looks around at all of the lit candles. But as touched as she is that he brought her out here, it just makes her feel like she is missing out on stuff because she is stuck inside. He brushes away the tear on her cheek, but he knows why she is upset, she's been so stuck indoors, that this means a lot to her. As Zuko examines his work, Kali brushes her hand through her hair, ruffling it back to the way it was before and smiles at him sadly. It's not on him to fix this. It's on her. Only she can change the way she feels about herself. Only she can find a way. She should never have expected him to do it for her. It's not on him, or Iroh, to heal her. She reaches over and grabs his hand to hold it. Having attracted his attention, Zuko turns to look at her. She is thankful he did this. That he thought of doing something to make her feel better means a lot to her, even if it isn't actually making her feel better, because, at the end of the night, she'll go back to that apartment and be stuck. He's come so far from that boy she first met, all angry and pained. He's softer now, more understanding, kind to her. And he is trying here in Ba Sing Se, she's just starting to believe that this isn't a place meant for her. That she belongs out in the trees. Away from people. Even from Zuko and Iroh.