Courting a Prince: Book 1 (Complete)

ch. 17: Don't Touch Him pt. 3

Here we go again with the battles!

It's sunset and Zu challenged Commander asshole to a... A..... What did he say, an ankle? Meh, I forget. Some kinda traditional battle unique to Fire Nation history. I get to sit and watch.

Even though it's sunset, it's hot. Too hot.
Zuko has changed a lot since we were kids. He's bigger, stronger, and...... And....

I unconsciously fan myself, trying to concentrate on the fight, but my eyes keep getting drawn to Zu, and only Zu.

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Third

Iroh laughs when he notices May's predicament. He had a feeling she only saw him as the little boy she once knew, but now she's seeing him clearly, as the grown teen he is.

May's cheeks begin turning a rosy color, and brighter the longer she watches Zuko. She didn't take notice of her raising pulse, or the fact that it started getting harder to breath. Her pupils slowly start dilating the longer she just thinks about him, her eyes seem locked in place.

"May, you're drooling." Iroh chuckles and wipes away the small amount of silvia coming from May's mouth.
It seems she finally sees Zuko as a person of the opposite gender, rather than just her childhood friend.

"I..... Uh... Sorry... Uncle." She speaks in kinda broken English, like she's trying to wrap her head around the situation. She wanted to think of Zuko as the little soft boy she grew up with, but now she can't stop imaging Zuko doing things to her, unspeakable things.
(Probably will never expand on this.....probably)

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The fight concludes with Zuko as the victor. May finally snapped out of her little internal struggle, just to rush over to congratulate her friend.

But- as luck would have it- Zhao tried to hit Zuko while his back was turned, which really pissed May off. Not only did she stop his attack, letting the fire burn off her sleeve and bandage, she grabbed the commander's foot and dug her nails into his skin.

She glares and speaks in a low, threatening tone. "Listen well, because I won't say this again. Don't. Touch. Him." She twists his ankle and flips him over so he lands on his side. "Such a fucking disgrace." She holds her arm while she walks away. "I'll wait elsewhere, see ya'."

Zuko is actually surprised at her out burst. The May he knew was a little more cautious and kind hearted, but knew when enough was enough. This May shows no mercy, and is at least twice as terrifying as she was back when they were kids. She just broke a grown man's ankle with one hand, no added force.
She is not the same little girl he used to train and play with, not the little girl he accidentally got locked up all those years ago, she's not a little girl anymore. - and that thought shakes him.

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May tries to clear her mind of all the indecent thoughts she had about her childhood friend, to no avail. The damage has been done and she is quaking.
"What to do!? I've been treating him the same as when we were children- even going as far as to call him cute!"  She frantically fans her burning face, she can't hide her embarrassment with anger all day. "What is wrong with me!? We're both just teens it's not morally right to be thinking things like this! Ugh why isn't this more like video games! What the hell is going on in my head right now!"

No amount of video game, books, visual novels, or stories could've prepared her for the real thing. She has a crush, and no idea what the hell she's gonna do about it.

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May quietly returned to her room on the ship, taking extra measure to avoid Zuko at all costs.