Burning Souls - Book 2 // Zuko

chapter 14

Shira burst through the back door and Iroh had to steady his hand to keep from burning himself on the tea he had just heated. When he looked over at the girl, Shira had closed the door behind her and had pressed her back to it as if trying to hold off anyone from following her as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Shira..." the old man started but stopped when he saw the tears streaming down her face and her quivering lip. "What happened?"
The girl looked over at where Iroh began to take cautious steps toward her. She took a few wobbly steps toward him before she broke down into sobs. Iroh was at her side in an instant, pulling her into a warm, comforting hug before gently leading her over to the table. Pulling out a chair, he had her sit down before pouring her a cup of tea. When he handed it to her, Shira took it but instantly the tea froze over from her anxious state.

"Z...z....Zuko....He...." Shira stuttered through shaking sobs.

"What happened between you two?" Iroh gently urged.

Shira took a deep breath before setting her cup down and drawing her legs to her chest, hugging them tightly against her, "He... pr...pr...proposed...."
Iroh almost choked on the tea he had been sipping but he managed to calm himself a little, "He proposed? Well I knew something strange would happen during his state of unusual joy but this is even more than my imagination could imagine."
Iroh looked over at the girl cautiously to see her rocking herself back and forth, trying to keep the tears back but failing, "Why aren't you happy about it? I took it that you two loved each other."
"I do!" Shira said, her voice rising. "I love him with everything in me and i would have said yes but.... He...."

"Wait," Iroh said, setting his tea down. "You refused?"
"I might as well have," Shira replied. "I apologized instead of answering and told him I couldn't do 'this'..."
Iroh pursed his lips in thought, "And in 'this' meaning marrying him?"
"No...." Shira replied, using the palm of her hand to wipe away her tears, "... 'this' meaning that Zuko isn't himself."
the old man paused, his face lighting up in realization. "So, it is not the fact that Zuko proposed that upset you... but rather that the Zuko proposing isn't the Zuko you know."
Shira nodded, "I know that it is selfish to be like this, considering that he loved me even when I was Raven and didn't remember being Shira.... But... I was still Shira even when I was Raven. I still had my slipups.... All of it.... but this Zuko is... too perfect."
"One would think a girl would want a perfect guy," Iroh muttered to himself.

Shira let her legs down and gripped her knees, "I DON'T WANT A PERFECT GUY! I WANT ZUKO! I just want him the way he is with the ups and downs, the good and the bad. I just want the Zuko I know."
The girl stopped when she heard a soft chuckle and looked over at Iroh to see him smiling at her, "Then you should tell him that."
"WHAT!?" The girl cried, jumping to her feet, "He probably hates me now! I just refused his proposal!"

Iroh shook his head, pouring himself another cup of tea, "If I know anything about my nephew, he would never hate you no matter what happened. The only men who hate a girl for refusing them are the ones who aren't looking for love but possession."

*********

When Shira stepped onto the back porch, Zuko was still there, seated on the bottom step but this time with his head in his hands. His shoulders were slumped and from the way his breathing was shaky, Shira knew that she wasn't the only one upset.

"Zuko," the girl called softly.

When she received no reply, the girl carefully walked over to sit down on the step behind Zuko. Reaching out, she went to touch his shoulder, but he drew back before she could.

"Zuko...."
"I'm sorry," the boy muttered. "What I said.... How I said it.... how I was acting....I should have expected it to be turned down..."
"Not that's not what I mean," Shira replied, reaching out again and this time too fast for Zuko to avoid and she gripped his shoulder.