Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Spilled Tea

Season 2, Episodes 12 and 13
To anyone that's been reading so far, THANK YOU 💛💛 Character art is coming soon and I swear things are about to actually get smutty. Comments are always appreciated, I love talking to you guys.

Zuko

Kai kept her promise, she was gone before Zuko had the chance to wake up. Though she seriously considered it this time.. waking up surrounded by the cool mist, it was nice to have someone's warm breath on her neck. But she knew that there were things to be done, wrongs to make right. She awoke with Zuko's cheek resting on her back and peeled her body away from his, silently throwing her bag over her back and strapping her blade sheaths over her shoulders. She sighed looking down at him, thinking of how unfortunate it was that they hadn't met in different lifetimes, then made her way toward the back of the ship where she would catapult off of the railing.

Zuko rolled onto his back without bothering to feel for a body in the space next to him. He knew she wouldn't be there. He stretched his long limbs and gathered his things, walking toward the stern and staring out into the dense fog.

"You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were." Zuko felt a chill creep up his spine as Jet's voice pierced through the calm morning. His palms warmed up, readying to do whatever necessary.. "You're an outcast, like me. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs. Because no one else will."

Cool down, Zuko.. He told himself. Jet leaned against the railing next to him, a fresh stem sticking out of his mouth. Zuko avoided eye contact with him like he did most people these days, but mostly just because he felt like he'd.. betrayed Jet in some way? He wasn't sure why, Kai had made it clear that she wasn't his, or anyone's for that matter.

"I've realized lately that being alone isn't always the best path."

"Of course. But if you're looking for an attractive companion --" Jet responded and Zuko shot him a look that could kill, "She's not the one, Lee."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Zuko pushed off of the railing and left to join his uncle at the exit dock.

Kai

Kai landed head first in the water and watched the ferry sail further and further into the dense fog that morning. Out of sight, out of mind, that's what she told herself before summoning the floor of the sea up to her submerged feet. One foot after the other, her steps were caught by rocks from far below until she reached the bank. From there, the earth turned to pebble. Not ideal, but at least it wasn't fucking sand again.

She scaled the fortress, assuming that someone besides Long Feng was now in charge. No way would he leave his outer wall this poorly guarded. And this easily navigable? Absolutely not. She sat atop the wall and did a full three-sixty, taking in the vast landscape on one side and the miles and miles of city on the other. She could scarcely see the inner wall and figured that's where she would find anyone that she cared to search for.

It would've been helpful to have a glider, like Aang's, her journey would've been much easier. She was walking along the stories high wall, looking for the best place to enter without being noticed when she heard a familiar sound. The uprooting of earth and flowing of tides, but from this high up, it had to have come from something massive.. Her head turned toward where the sound came from just in time to catch view of the bottom of a lake disappearing back under the water.

"That sneaky bastard.. of course."

She slid down the wall on her heels and walked until she was waist deep in the large lake. It didn't seem deep enough to hold anything of much real substance. Still, she held her breath and dived deep, deeper, deeper.. until she felt like her chest was about to cave in. That's when she saw the glowing green lights the led her directly where she needed to go.