[Earth on Fire] Zuko x OC

Chapter 22: The Desert (Part 1)

Something was wrong.

Iroh frowned, his arms crossed, as he watched the two teenagers bustle around their temporary campsite. Zuko worked on dismantling the fireplace and getting rid of any evidence that they were there while Kioni fed the ostrich horse, stroking the animal's neck and murmuring quietly to her.

Despite the semblance of normality of the scene, Iroh's sharp eyes didn't miss the details. He didn't miss how Zuko kicked apart the wood with more force than usual, or how Kioni visibly tensed as the young man passed her on the way into the shack, or how the two were studiously, determinedly avoiding each other.

Iroh pursed his lips and studied them, puzzled. They hadn't so much as looked at each other all morning. No disdainful glares, frustrated looks, or fleeting glances when the other wasn't looking.

Thinking back to the previous night, Iroh tried to remember Zuko's expression when he had stormed back into the hut, soaking wet, but all he could recall was a stony face and a terse, "I'm going to bed."

"Where is Kioni? She went to look for you!" Iroh had called after his nephew, but had never received a response.

She had arrived about an hour later, just when Iroh was starting to seriously worry, also dripping wet and shaking with cold. Concerned, Iroh had ushered her inside with a blanket draped around her shoulders and questions ready on his lips, but she'd merely huddled in a corner, shivering and silent.

"I... I didn't see him," she had said, distracted, as she'd glanced at Zuko's hunched form in the opposite corner. "I'm tired, Iroh, I'm going to sleep."

Iroh had seen right through her lie, and judging by the way they were currently ignoring each other, he had guessed they'd fought viciously. But something else seemed different in the silence that hung between the two - it was tense, crackling with something undefinable that both set Iroh on edge and made him curious.

Don't meddle Iroh, he scolded himself, just before he saw his nephew glance furtively towards the ostrich horse, something like guilt crossing his face. They are teenagers, they will work it out for themselves eventually.

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"Who's a sweet girl?" I crooned, stroking the ostrich horse's mane as she gobbled corn kernels out of my open palm. "You are, Izumi, yes you are a good girl."

"You named her?" I whirled around, blushing slightly at the amused look on Iroh's face.

"Izumi," he repeated, walking forward to place a hand on the creature's beak. She blinked lazily at him.

"Yeah, well," I shrugged. "I figured we were in the desert and all, so it seemed appropriate." Iroh's lips quirked upwards as he continued to stroke Izumi's head. He stepped back and looked at me, his gaze questioning and calculating in a way that made me nervous.

"We should be heading out soon," was all he said, however.

"Yeah, Izumi is ready to go and I think... Z-Zuko is packing things up," I finished quickly, a blush coloring my cheeks. I winced slightly as Iroh raised his eyebrows at my stumble, looking down at the ground and hoping he wouldn't press the issue further.

I was fairly sure Iroh suspected something that happened last night, but I was also fairly sure that he didn't know what. And thank goodness for that, because I wasn't sure exactly what had happened myself.

Hot breath lips moving roughly tight grip on your waist water pouring lightning flashing-

I shook my head quickly, banishing the memories from my mind before my blush could become even more pronounced. I didn't know how I could ever face Zuko again. Thankfully, he seemed to be avoiding me as much as I was avoiding him, so our system was working out quite well.