The Blue Spirit ღ (Zuko x OC)

Chapter ⅩⅠⅩ: Dissonance

"Don't move." The voice was menacing and volcanic, and Ying made certain he did what was being told of him. A jolt sent itself blazing through Nala as she looked up to see who had assailed them.

"... Zuko?" She breathed, feeling winded, but not from the fall. "Don't hurt him ..."
"He hurt you, Nala. I saw what he did." He hissed, his grip tightening on Ying's shirt. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't end you right here."

"We were acting, Zuko, it wasn't real. I'm fine ... Look at me." She got to her feet, pulling backward on Zuko's shoulder to make him turn to her. "See? It was part of an act we were rehearsing ... I just didn't land right because I thought I saw ..."

Zuko's eyes softened as he saw her, letting go of Ying. She could feel how he savoured her as his amber eyes fell upon her, and turn her to honey, cutting off her words as butterflies took wing inside of her. There was a long pause that would have been reserved for regular pleasantries like an embrace ... had this been any other two people. Three sets of footsteps ran up to them belonging to Chikaro, Qigo and another girl.

"Lee?" The girl asked expectantly. "What's going on?"

Nala cocked an eyebrow at how the girl addressed him. Zuko found himself feeling comfort in how familiar her mannerisms still were. Even with long black hair, even with all the time that had passed, she was still the Nala he knew. He tried to come up with an explanation, fumbling his words.

"Lee interrupted our performance." Nala chimed in, as if tossing him a lifeline. She moved over to stand beside Ying and Zuko felt a pang of jealousy.

"Oh? Do you know each other?" The girl asked, clearly seeing the silent exchanges between her date and this girl with blue eyes.
"Y-yeah ..." Zuko answered robotically.
"I'm Nala. This is Ying, Qigo and Chikaro." The troupe bowed on cue to the girl with the brunette ponytail. Zuko sighed in relief. There was one thing that had changed. Nala had become a lot more confident, and for this, he was very thankful. She'd saved him already at least twice from awkward explanation. Then again, Nala had always been a girl living on her toes.

"I'm Jin. It's nice to meet all of you. I'm sorry if Lee and I intruded."
"I'm sure you can make it up to us. Why don't you both join us all for dinner?" Ying chimed in, not missing a beat. Nala swallowed the sinking feeling she had as brunette curled her arm around Zuko's.

"That sounds nice! What do you say, Lee?"
"Sure." Zuko's eyes were glued to his feet.

*✧*

Qigo led them through the streets of Ba Sing Se, hand-in-hand with her beloved, giggling between each other. Behind them, Zuko walked with Jin curled around his arm. Ying and Nala were hanging back. Ying threw his arm around Nala, pulling her in close and leaning in to murmur to her.

"Out with it. No dancing, Blue-Eyes."
"You already know what it is, Ying." Nala hissed back, not intending for her words to be as coated in venom as they were.
"Just confirm it for me ..."
"That's him."
"Thought so. You could cut the tension between you two with a knife, then serve it with sauce."

Zuko turned back to steal a sidelong glance to Nala, looking grimmer than ever. Ying watched the disappointed grimace cross the Fire Nation boy's face and felt a sardonic grin take hold, cluing in to what he'd just witnessed.

"Should I take arm away?" He teased, with no intention of doing so.
"Do it and I'll run."
"Oh ... This is delicious." Ying laughed to himself in a way that almost sounded maniacal.
"Wh— ... Hey! Don't enjoy this."