Kaida Queen Of Ice <<ATLA; Book two: Earth>>

CHAPTER EIGHT

In the morning I slowly started waking up. I felt nice and warm, the hay felt firm now and I moved my hand to pat the hay but felt a fabric material. I opened my eyes to see I was laying on Zuko's chest, his arm wrapped around me. I don't even remember how I got there!
   I looked up at Zuko, he was still sleeping. He looked peaceful his chest slowly rising and falling, a warm huff of breath occasionally escaping past his lips.
   I jumped when a loud knock came from the door. I blushed and prayed that Zuko was still asleep and thankfully he was, I sighed and slowly got up again not to wake Zuko. I opened the door to see it was Sela.

"Oh sorry, we'll leave." I spoke but she stopped me.

"No, I came to ask if you two wanted breakfast before you left." She kindly said and I was ready to refuse on Zuko's behalf but before I could he answered.

"If it's all right with you, we would be honored too." He said and she smiled.

"You can help Lee, with his morning chores." She told Zuko. "Natsumi, you can help me with breakfast."

   "Okay, great." I smiled at her. "I'll be inside in a few minutes."
   I left the door open a crack and started picking the straw of hay out of my short and annoying hair. I looked over at Zuko who was doing the same, heat rose in my cheeks as I remembered how we woke up, I wondered if he knew. He looked over at me and that's when I saw a tint to his cheeks, He knows!

   "See ya later." I said leaving.

I walked into the house and went back to the kitchen, greeting Sela she was washing up. We spoke and I asked where her husband was along with Lee.

"Gansu, usually goes shopping in the mornings for things for the farm." She told me and I smiled.

"You have a wonderful family." I looked out the window at Zuko and Lee talking while walking with buckets of water.

"Thank you." She replied. "You're awfully young to be thinking of a family."
A blush crossed my face and I looked at her, she chuckled and I relaxed seeing she was just teasing.

⇢ ⇢ ⇢

Soon we finished, Lee and Zuko walked in at the right second. They washed up and came to the table as we waited for Gansu.

He came back and sat at the table with us. "Sorry I'm late, the market was buzzing with Rumors of an Angel Bandit."

Angel Bandit. Nice name. I glanced over at Zuko and he was already glaring at me.

"What happened?" Sela asked.

"Gow and his play army were asking for the bandit, they had been trapped in a hole by her." Gansu explained. "She gave the money to the vendors to give people the things they needed."

"A female bandit?" Lee asked his father who nodded. "She must be really powerful."

"It's just a hole." Zuko said and we all looked at him. "I mean right?"

"I'm glad someone is putting those men in their place." Sela said while sipping her tea.

After breakfast Zuko went out to help Gansu with more farm work while I helped Sela clean the house. Lee was out watching Zuko and Gansu finishing the roof, he rambled to Zuko who was clearly getting annoyed.
The boy came over slumping clearly bored out of his mind because Zuko was too busy to talk. Sela and I were taking down the clothes from drying.