A Match of Ice and Fire

Chapter 27: Zuko

After Yesterday, I knew seeing Kaya agian would be hard. But she really doesn't make it easy. Dressed in her angi kai combat gea.up on deck, Kayas olive skin shines in the morning light; ebony hair plaited back, memerisng mid-drift exposed to the whole crew. Kaya flips into a handstand,  sending a water whip arching over her toes before flipping back onto her feet and and tossing her plait out of her face. To top it all off, Kaya turns those ship-sinking ocean eyes on me. I Swallow.

"Do you take issue with what I'm doing, Fire boy?"

I'm hyper aware of the crew behind me, craning over the rallings to Gawk at Kaya. I have the sudden urge to throw them all over board.

"No." I breeze past Kaya, keeping my eyes firmly pinned to the prowl of the ship. "Why would I take issue?"

Kaya doesn't retort and I slow. Glancing back to study her agianst my better judgement...

Kaya's features are disarmed, ocean eyes mellowing to a dreamy turquoise in confusion."Its forbidden women to learn for waterbending in the Northern watertribe..."

"Well, we're not in the Northern Watertribe anymore, and it's a ridiculous rule so why would I inforce it?" I speak without thinking. I cast another glance back at Kaya and those damn eyes. I turn around and take off my overobe, focusing on my stretches. Over my bare shoulders, I'm aware of Kaya now watching me.

"So you don't take issue with the Firelady training to fight?"

"Why would I take issue with my Firelady learning to defend herself, when It's in the Throne's and all my peoples best interests?" Stretching my abdominal muscles, I twist to find Kaya Smiling right behind me.

"Guess You're not as thick as you look, Fire boy."

And for a moment I'm struck dumb. With one smile, Rendered complete speechless at her beauty.

Kaya looks better than she did last night.
She seems to have gotten over her cold, which is a relief. The hollows under her eyes have faded, though the shadows still present leading me to wonder if Kaya slept after i left. I know she woke up at some point in the night, she'd nibbled on the roasted Turtle duck I'd left out for her. But it couldn't have been nearly been enough to sustain Kaya. She'd skipped breakfast this morning training. Maybe it was my imagination but she already looked thinner than when we'd met. The thought terrifies me, that I am the cause for her misery.

"So was there another reason you were gawking at me?" Kaya prompts, snapping me out of my downard spiral.

"No," I say reflexly, " and I wasn't gawking."

Kaya tsks. "Gawking isn't very regal of you, Fire boy..."

And here, I almost forgot how infurating Kaya could be. "Would you Stop calling me that!? And I wasn't Gawking... I was merely... admiring your bending technique..."

Kaya cocks a brow, begging me to continue.

"What more do you want me to say?! I'm suprised by you're talent, that's all. I didn't realise you where such a skilled waterbender..."

"Really?" Kaya smirks."you didn't realise when i kicked your ass in that Angi Kai?"
She tags on as an afterthought, "your highness..."

From across the deck I here the crew stifle sniggers. My uncle make no such attempt, bursting to hysterical. I scowl up at Iroh standing on the brigde. Eventually, his laughter subsides.

Kaya leans in, "perhaps you need reminding of just how skilled I am..." and my heartrate is about to expire. For a girl who hates my guts, I think it's the hottest thing someone has ever said to me. Seriously, What is wrong with me?

"You wanna fight?" I ask incrediously. "Agian?"

Kaya shrugs. " I don't see why not. Unless you'd prefer not to get your ass kicked?"

I open my mouth to protest.

But Irohs interceeds on my behalf. "-that sounds like an excellent idea!"

I squint up at him. "You told me I didn't need a sparring partner anymore." These days, I'm way too advanced to spar with anyone other than the avatar. I'm better of training on my own.

Iroh waves a hand. "Oh that was just something I told you to take it easy when you were recovering.Your fighting forms are still a mess and your sets are rustyer than ever!"

"Thank you, uncle."

Kaya sniggers.

I  scowl.

Iroh swallows.  "But your healed now, so you can catch up on all your training!" He beams, hurrying down the steps to join us on the main deck. "I'm just going to fetch a pot of jasmine tea and when I get back l you two can start.

I cross my arms.

"Sulking about getting your ass kicked Fire boy?" Kaya punches me in the arm.

"Ow! what was that for?!"

Kaya's grin is both dazzling and terrifing. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on on the ass kicking this time, try make it a fair fight, you know?"

"This is hardly going to be a fair fight."  Last time I was injured and servely handicapped by my charkas being blocked. This time there's nothing holding me back. Agianst my better judgement I rise to the bate. "If anyones going to be kicking ass, I'm  pretty sure I've got that covered..."

Kaya rolls her shoulders, before sending a waterwhip, knocking me on my backside. She winks. "We'll see about that..."