Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

White Lotus

Kai and Zuko circled each other in the sitting room of his new Upper Ring apartment, staring each other down as they made their rounds. That is, until Kai's eyes drifted down Zuko's shirtless torso. He'd shed it early in their sparring session, but it wasn't giving him much of an upper hand.

"I still don't think this is fair." Zuko whined, "You're tracking me with your feet, you fucking mole."

Kia smiled his direction and took a step toward him, "As will any earth bender that you battle."

He took one step back, opposing her advance. Kai's lifted arms fell to her hips, she rolled her eyes until they met Iroh's from across the room. He was sitting at their spacious dining room table, sipping tea and pretending to read a newspaper.

"Iroh, tell him to fight me like a --" In the midst of her childish tattle-telling, Zuko spun his ankle out toward hers. It was the same move that he'd used against her in the darkness of Pao's Tea House a few weeks ago, but he pulled it off this time. Kai fell flat on her ass with a loud thump! against the wooden floors, "— like a man. Not a coward, you ass."

Zuko smirked down at the girl that sat there defeated, "It's called being opportunistic, you should try it."

Her lips pouted, the rest of her face bearing an annoyed expression. He wanted to touch her lips and tell her to suck it up so badly, but not with his Uncle here. Zuko reached his hand out for her to grab, holding the smug smile on his face.

"I know all about opportunity." Kai grunted. She grasped his hand and hooked her foot behind his legs, kicking his knees loose underneath him.

They struggled around intensely on the floor. Kai got Zuko into a headlock, she yelled for him to cry mercy but just before he submitted to her strength, he was able to wiggle free. At some point, Zuko had Kai face down against the ground while he twisted her arm painfully behind her back. He laughed and shouted for her to do the same, until she was able to climb to her knees and spin back around toward him. They were chest to bare chest. Kai's shirt had long ridden up on her torso and Zuko could feel her cold sweat against his skin.

Zuko refused to let go of her wrist that he had a death grip on. And even if he'd wanted to, he was frozen solid. Her fingers moved smoothly to the rope belt around his waist. Zuko didn't know what she was planning on doing, but whatever it was.. he didn't want her to stop.

She pulled the belt free from his waist and kicked up one of his legs, quickly tying his ankle to his wrist. Zuko finally let go of her as he hopped one footed around the room until he fell back into the couch against the far wall.

"That's cheating!" Zuko yelled, his face halfway buried against throw pillows.

"Ha!" Kai wiped the sweat from her face and joined Iroh in the open kitchen, she poured herself a glass of water and chugged it eagerly, "Says who?"

He looked up at his uncle, waiting for him to speak out in his favor — but Iroh did no such thing. He simply folded up his newspaper and finished off his teacup, scooting his chair back from the table.

"I have no horse in this race and, as it is getting very late, I think I'll be retiring to my bedroom for the night." Iroh bowed respectfully to Kai and then to his nephew, who'd just freed himself from his restraints, "You kids have a lovely evening, let me know who won in the morning so I can start keeping tally."

"Goodnight, and congrats on the new tea shop, Iroh."

The teenagers were left standing in the main house. They hadn't been alone together in almost a week, not since their lips were hastily begging each other for more as they sat against the cold ground of the Earth Kingdom. And frankly, Zuko was finding it harder to speak to her now than he ever did before.