Burning Love [ATLAB Fanfic]

Ch. 12 Do you trust me?

Kairi exited Prince Zuko's bedroom and headed towards her room. As she walked, she looked at the burn scars on her right leg. The wounds had always haunted her because it reminded her of the day her mother got killed.

" Mama!" A young Kairi screams and runs towards her mother's body, hugging her tightly.

Yon Rha stared blankly at young Kairi, who hugged her mother's body tightly.

" I might as well start disposing of all of your bodies. Cannot risk you lot rising from the dead." He says, turning around and beginning to burn the tent with his Fire, not caring that a child was inside.

" Kairi! Watch out!" A voice called out, bringing Kairi to reality.

Kairi winced when she bumped her head against the metal door. She turned and saw Iroh looking at her worryingly.

" Are you okay?" Iroh asked, his eyes glancing at the burns on Kairi's right leg before looking at her in the eyes.

" Yeah. I'm fine. I was, um, daydreaming." Kairi awkwardly laughed while rubbing the back of her neck with her right hand.

" How was your conversation with my nephew? I hope he didn't give you a cold shoulder. I could scold him for you. He should know better when it comes to treating a lady." Iroh firmly says, but Kairi could see the glee in his eyes, meaning he was joking around.

Kairi stayed quiet, remembering her conversation with Prince Zuko.

" Kairi. I want to, um. Say that I am sorry for nearly burning your face earlier." Prince Zuko apologized, even though Kairi knew it was hard for him.

" He didn't give me the cold shoulder," Kairi reassured. " He apologized to me for what happened earlier. You know, with him almost burning my face and all." She says.

Iroh nodded.

" And between us, I revealed my burn scar to your nephew because I wanted to let him know that I wasn't pitying him and that I understand his pain." Kairi looks at the burn scars on her right leg.

Iroh looked at Kairi's burn scars, and his usual joyful eyes dimmed.

" I have always hated this scar because it reminded me of the day my mother died. But, as I got older. It became like a remembrance. The same with this necklace." Kairi lightly rubbed her mother's betrothed necklace with her right hand.

" It's like her memory will always live on with me." She looked at Iroh and sadly smiled.

Iroh opens his mouth to say something but gets cut off by the intercom.

" Change of temperature. We have left the South Pole." The intercom says.

Iroh and Kairi intently stared at one another.

" I can't believe it. It's my first time leaving my home country." Kairi turned to the metal door and put her hand on the handle. " I. Um. I'm going to rest. I'll see you around." She says, opening the door and entering her bedroom.

Iroh nodded, watching Kairi's bedroom door closed. His gaze saddened, feeling sorry for what the young girl had gone through.

His eyes blinked, remembering his only son, Lu Ten, saying those exact words as they left the Fire Nation.

" I can't believe it. It's my first time leaving my home country!" Lu Ten smiled, looking out the window from his bedroom on the ship.

" Lu Ten," Iroh whispered as a tear left his eyes. He turns around and walks away towards his bedroom to rest.