Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Double Date Pt. 1

Season 2, Episodes 14 & 15

Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph stood in horror. The dark green walls of the Royal Palace library surrounded them, while far below their feet Jet sat restrained in front of a flashing white light. A neon fire roared behind Long Feng, who'd pulled them out of the birthday party early.

Aang threatened the Grand Secretarian, telling him that he would spill the secrets of the war to every citizen of Ba Sing Se. A threat that wouldn't go over lightly between those walls. Long Feng leaned down, meeting Aang's boyish face with a stern, unflinching stare and warned him.

"Until now, you've been treated as our honored guest -- thanks to your acquaintance, Kai. But from now on, you will be watched every moment by Dai Li agents. If you mention the war to anyone, you will be expelled from the city. And the girl..." He stood back up straight, hands tucked coolly behind his back and walked toward the fire, "She will be collected and returned to which she came from, where she will face the consequences of her crimes."

"Crimes?" Toph whispered to herself.

"I understand you've been looking for your bison." Long Feng continued while peeking over his shoulder, "It would be quite a shame if you were not able to complete your request."

Aang's body visibly tensed with pure fear, before going rigid with rage. Long Feng didn't care, he didn't have the mental capacity to be bothered by the emotions of a teenage boy. He took a seat at his chair in the middle of the room and the group heard the towering doors open, followed by Long Feng's voice again, "Now, Joo Dee will show you to your home."

They turned and the women facing them was not the Joo Dee they'd met before.

*****

Kai scaled the top of the stories high wall that separated the lower ring from the middle, she looked over the edge at the ground that was far below her. For some, free-falling from this height would be a death sentence. A suicide attempt, no doubt. But for her, it would hopefully serve as a breath of fresh air, a wake up call. She spun on her heel and fell back-first, her braid whipping around in the atmosphere. The cool air quickly dried her sticky, salty skin and helped her suck in a deep, refreshing breath.

And right before she hit the ground, it faltered beneath her. Catching her fall like a bed of feather pillows stuffed and stitched just for a prince. A prince. She sprung to her feet and surfed across dry land, all the way to the next wall where she replayed her actions all over again. It didn't help. Her swollen heart still pounded against her rib cage, she couldn't shake the feeling of his fingers off of her skin.

Just as her last wave of uprooted earth pushed her to the apartment, she noticed a carriage sitting in their cobblestone driveway. Her friends spilled out of it one by one, their heads cast down in what she assumed to be defeat. Kai rubbed her face, hoping to push the blood out of her cheeks and straightened her hair as she followed them up the steps.

The minute the door shut behind her, Sokka spun around and shoved her against it. His boomerang grasped in his hand, forearm pinning her shoulders back. He was inches from her face, snarling like a rabid animal, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Kai's attitude didn't change, she looked bored of the dramatic charade and didn't bother trying to push Sokka off of her.

"She didn't do anything, numbnuts!" Toph yelled, delivering an effective blow to Sokka's rib cage, "That Grand-whatever is a liar, he was just trying to turn us against her!"

Kai stepped over Sokka, who'd fallen to the ground clutching his bruised torso. She sighed, "Great, I take it you guys met my old friend, Fengy."