Zutara mini series

Chapter Eight

He woke up hearing birds chirping outside his window. Something warm was pressed to his front. Something that smelled like green apples and snow. Smooth skin touched his legs and slim hands rested on his back. Long hair was plastered on his arms and a familiar presence washed over him. He took a deep breath, trying to steal a few more moments of sleep, he couldn't bring himself to leave his bed. He knew that he had duties, meetings to attend and paperwork to do. He hadn't taken a single day to himself since he was crowned, he didn't want to fail his people. With a heavy heart, he made himself get out of bed and as he changed his clothes he watched the woman that occupied his mind as well as his bed.

Her long hair was a mess of knots around her and she was sleeping on her stomach and her nightgown had ridden up her long legs. Her dark skin was in contrast with the pale blue that hugged her curves. And the deep red of his sheets contrasted her skin, maybe he was going to keep them after all. He sat like that for a long time trying to commit this image to his memory before slipping out of his room and getting into another tedious day. He spent the evening waiting to see his friends. As he rearranged the dining seating plan, that's why he hated long tables. One of the things he had wanted to change was the dining table. He had found a dark round mahogany table at a yard sale and he had carried it back to the palace himself. Ready to switch them, but his advisors had different opinions saying that he shouldn't. That long tables were traditional and that it was a show of power to be placed at the head. Another thing he missed was eating dinner with company, any type of company. While Uncle Iroh visited him he spent every waking hour in his presence soaking in his warmth and his company. He was getting lonely, he didn't know who to trust and what to do. He was tired of compromising.

“Hey, man. Are you OK?” Sokka said before closing into his friend. “You know there is something so familiar with you frowning.”
Zuko chuckled before drawing him into a hug.

“What are you up to these days, Sokka of the Water Tribe.”

“Well, I am leading in the South as you know. It is getting easier by the day. More and more people are coming and it is getting kind of crowded. Suki and I are better than ever. We recently became engaged as you know. It is just … everything seems so calm and peaceful that I can't actually believe it. I am waiting for an attack to spring up to me every minute. And get this. Remember my girlfriend who turned into the moon? Well, she was a princess as you might know and an only child. Her father wanted to give me and Katara the honour of becoming her successors.”

“What?”

“Yeah. We both refused. I like where I am at the moment. I am close to my people, improving my hometown and my life is quiet. I already had many excitement and adventures in my life. And the White Lotus is inactive at the moment besides our meetings. So maybe it's time to settle down, you know.”

“You are lucky. I have to court someone acceptable apparently. And …”

“Katara isn't it?”

“What do you mean?”

“Please. You aren't subtle with it, at least not to me. I know you, Zuzu. And you like my sister, nah you love her. You let yourself get hit by lightning to protect her.”

“It doesn't matter.”

“I think it does. It's time for you to come clean don't you think? Either way, my wedding is a week away, maybe it is the best opportunity for you to make a move.”

“I don't know… I like our friendship. I don't want to risk it.”

“But you aren't happy, dude. So do something.”

The room was filled with laughter and crazy stories for the next hours as everyone shared their recent adventures. Toph and Aang were positioned at the Earth Nation. They run around trying to establish order and make the nation once again great. There was a tension between them that didn't previously exist. Apparently, there had been a late call, where Toph almost lost her life in the hands of a crazy criminal and the thing was that Aang hadn't been there to help her. And ever since he didn't leave her out of his sight. Toph on the other hand was getting annoyed by all his pampering and was making constant jabs at him that he promptly ignored. Iroh had commented in a previous letter about their behaviour as an endearing elder couple that never got along. And he had been spot on.

They had changed, all of them. They weren't the kids they used to be. And as everyone seemed comfortable in their skin and in their new roles. Zuko felt that he had fallen behind. He needed help, he knew that. And it was time to ask for some from his favourite person in the world. She was sitting directly opposite him. Her smile was radiant and her cheeks were bright red from all the laughter. He might have spent most of the dinner gazing at her with a soft goofy smile. She needed her more than ever by his side. She balanced all his bad traits, he was more rational around her and more confident. His court was demanding and pressing, waiting for him to make a wrong move and overturn him