Burning Souls - Book 2 // Zuko

Chapter 7

Raven yawned again as she leant against the outside wall of the bar. She was waiting for Iroh and Zuko to return from finding some sort of passage to Ba Sing Se. Since Iroh and Zuko were now fugitives, they needed to go somewhere safe from the Fire Nation and where better than the strongest Earth Kingdom in the world?

Just then, the door opened and the two rushed out with a strange old man with them. Raven didn't even get a chance to ask if they had been successful before she heard a crash from inside the bar and Zuko grabbed her hand.

"Don't ask, just follow," he whispered in her ear and she nodded, allowing him to pull her after him.

The old man led the three to another building which turned out to be a place full of plants.

"I thought we were finding passage," Zuko hissed to his uncle. "Not a flower shop."
"It's pretty," Raven whispered absent mindedly, looking around at all the potted plants.

Zuko looked over at the girl in surprise while Iroh talked to someone on the other side of the door. The door opened to reveal another old man who made way for Iroh but the moment Zuko went in to enter, the door shut on his face. Iroh opened the peephole at the top of the door.

"Sorry but it is for members only. You stay here." He told the two.

Zuko huffed in annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Don't take it to heart Zuko," Raven replied from across the room where she was smelling flowers. "At least they're not locking us up in a pit of smelling ooze!"
Zuko rolled his eyes, "You're in a cheerful mood today!"
"Just trying to be positive," Raven replied, walking closer to Zuko as she ran her fingers over the smooth leaves of the plants. "Considering everything that's going on."
Zuko shrugged, "Not everything that is going on is that bad."

Raven smiled as she turned so her back was to Zuko, reaching up to touch a blossom on a tall potted plant. "Maybe I'm just trying to keep my mind on other things other than the pain we're experiencing..."

The room was silent for a moment before Raven felt two arms encase her from behind and she found herself wrapped in a warm embrace. Zuko hoped that he didn't appear to be stiff but he dearly wished to lay his face in her hair, but he didn't want to cross a line.

"It'll be alright," he whispered. "I promise."

Raven stiffened before she relaxed against Zuko's chest. Her acceptance of his sign of affection surprised Zuko but he felt himself relax and he laid his cheek against her hair, the softness of it was soothing against his scarred cheek.

"Zuko," Raven whispered. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," the boy replied, not really paying attention since her scent was basically lulling him to sleep.

"Erm... if you had to choose between Raven and Shira.... Which would you choose?"
Zuko froze before he took a step back, releasing Raven and then turning her around gently. Grasping her shoulders, he leant down to her level so that he was staring at her intensely in the eye.

"I wouldn't choose," he replied quietly. "Because they're one in the same person. Even if you had never become Shira or if I had never met you as Shira but only as Raven, I would still feel the same way about you. I have always cared about you and even before I knew that you were Shira, I cared about you as Raven. You're important to me no matter your name or appearance or memories..."

Raven stared up at the boy in surprise at the declaration of affection he had just given her until a smile spread across his face. "Zuko...."
She never got to finish for Zuko bent down and laid a feather light kiss against her forehead but did not draw back all the way, keeping their faces close... but just far enough apart that Raven could see Zuko's eyes. The usual amber color that burned with hatred, anger or fury were now softened but held a heavy pain... a want and need but also hesitation and doubt. Raven didn't have to speak to know exactly what the doubt was about. He was afraid to take the next step because she hadn't yet expressed herself like Zuko had just now.

That pain... the pain that made his eyes seem to shake even though he was not moving... the pain of being unwanted by people in his past.... and fearing that Raven would just be another one of those people on the list.... Not this time.

Raven carefully reached up, allowing her hand to rest upon his shoulder, keeping him from drawing back any further. Zuko seemed surprised when she leant up toward him but Raven just met his gaze with determination... and assurance. That was all Zuko needed before he leant down the rest of the way and gently pressed his lips to hers.

Ice met fire and everything around them completely stopped. Raven let out the slightest gasp when she felt Zuko's warm and firm lips brush hers. They were rough.... But the warmth seemed to wash the roughness away and Raven felt her head begin to swim in the warmth that emitted from Zuko's body. His hands that were on her shoulders had drifted down to her waist and behind her back, keeping her close against him so that she could feel every ounce of warmth radiating from his strong arms and chest.

Zuko had known that Raven's lips would be cold, but he wasn't prepared for how they felt when he finally kissed her again. Unlike when they had kissed as children, her lips were pouty, firm but incredibly soft and just the right cool temperature to make it feel like a fresh spring running over a burn that sooths you. He could help but want to hold her closer but he was afraid to scare her so he had to settle for just holding her around the waist in the kind of embrace that would be called a hug.... If he was not presently kissing her.

When the two finally broke away, they didn't stray far but pressed their foreheads together, their breathing ragged and faces both flushed to the limit.

"Why did you let me?" Zuko whispered.

Raven gently reached up and touched the scarred skin on his face, "Because I want to remember.... That day you told me about... the day of your birthday...."
Zuko's eyes widened and he pushed back a little to look the girl in the face, "You heard me? You were unconscious!"
Raven smiled, "I heard every word you said.... I also heard you pacing back and forth the whole time I was out."
Zuko let out a shaky breath when Raven leant up and placed a short, feather light kiss on his lips before fully pulling back, "The first one was a thank you."
The boy watched as Raven returned to admiring the plants before he managed to speak, "And the second one?"
Raven paused before looking over her shoulder with a smirk, "That is for another time."