Searching (Zuko x OC)

Chapter 26

Warning: This chapter will contain some graphic sexual descriptions. If you wish to skip this part, I will insert this: _____ so that you know where to stop reading.

With that out of the way, happy reading. ;')

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Zuko's POV:

I stayed by Sora's side the entire time she was asleep. I made sure to keep the cloth on her forehead to ease the pain. She never let go of my hand either.

To say I was relieved was an understatement. Hearing her tell me she wasn't mad at me and that she missed me was better than any outcome I had expected. She didn't even seem too worried. She seemed......ok.

But my happiness didn't last for long. Even if she wasn't mad at me, it didn't change the fact that we couldn't be together. Our friendship was still rocky territory and that had never stopped me before, but this was different. Being with her was impossible. Not only would my father kill her, or worse, but I would be disgracing the Fire Nation by being with someone of such low status. I sighed as the relief I had felt moments earlier was drowned by our sad reality.

I decided to get some rest. Sora would be out for a long time and I wanted to be as rested as I could be for the upcoming journey. I still needed to plan my attack and how to even escape with the Avatar once I had him. I had a lot of work to do and I would need to be ready for it.

I carefully crawled into bed beside her. I didn't have the heart to let her hand go. I simply wrapped my one arm around her and kept my other hand in hers. It felt like how things used to be. Back when we used to sleep next to each other every night. I had been a fool to think that I only wanted to be friends back then. She was always going to be more to me.

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Sora's POV:

When I woke up, the pain in my head was still present, but it had numbed significantly. I groaned and went to grab the wet towel Zuko had used to relieve the pain, but realized that I couldn't.

I opened my eyes and saw Zuko asleep by my side. He had his arm around my waist protectively and he still held my hand. I was shocked at first, but then I relaxed. I knew we wouldn't be able to do this anymore. Not after knowing what his father would do to me if he ever found out. So, I simply decided to enjoy the moment while it lasted.

I took a deep breath in and was met with the oh so familiar smell that Zuko carried. It was so stereotypical for a firebender to smell like firewood, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It was subtle, not too overwhelming but present enough. I felt his softly calloused palm and his slender fingers entangled in my own. I memorized the way his arm felt across my waist. The way the heat radiated off his body in constant waves, making me want to snuggle closer to him. I etched the picture of his face into my head. How the sharp edges of his jaw line contrasted so beautifully with the softness of his face, his cheekbones creating a smooth arch to his face. The way his scar seemed to glow in the lighting.

I never wanted to leave. I cursed the gods for making him so perfect. Perfect for me. My heart ached at the thought of him returning home to marry another woman and casting me away. Not out of malice, but because my life depended on it. We could never be anything more. Not even destined to be friends. And yet, against all the odds, I never felt more like myself than when I was with him. He was like the missing puzzle piece that would soon get lost.

"It's too early for you to be so deep in thought."

I realized that Zuko was now awake and was meeting my gaze. His eyes. Those perfect golden eyes. It was like part of the sun was ripped from the sky for him. They were filled with such light and they burned into me with such an intensity it was like I was trapped. I gave him a sad smile.