The Guider Effect ☼ Zuko || ATLA

Locked Up

Rein and Zuko sat side by side on the ship's edge. The rising sun glowed in the distance, peeking slightly over the horizon. Zuko watched as the girl he secretly adored practiced her waterbending, fascinated over the fact that she could bend without moving anything but her fingers.

"Want to try some firebending?" Zuko questioned, startling Rein from her focus. His heart warmed as her eyes lit up, nodding profusely at his suggestion. He bit his lip to hide his smile but his single dimple gave it away.

"You don't have to pretend to be a hardass, Zu." Rein giggled, standing up and dusting off her clothes. "I won't make fun of your goofy smile."

"Goofy?" He scowled, following her actions. "Well maybe I don't want to help you anymore."

"No! I'm sorry! I can't help it, you're just so easy to tease!" Rein laughed. Zuko rolled his eyes and pulled her towards the center of the deck, giving them plenty of room to practice. Rein hissed in pain as Zuko touched her wounds. Realization struck his features as he remembered what he did to her a few weeks back. The burns must have been really bad if she's still hurt by him simply grazing them.

He opened his mouth to speak but Rein quickly cut him off, completely against hearing whatever apology he was about to spew out. She was still enraged over the fact that he hurt her but she'd rather live peacefully on the ship than live in awkward tension. "Teach me a combo."

Zuko sighed but complied nonetheless. He walked around Rein, positioning her body in the correct stance. "Uncle always scolds me for this but it's the only way I can bend powerful flames, so don't tell him I taught you this."

Kireina nodded and urged him to continue. "When you're angry, where do you feel it most?" He asked her.

She thought for a second, "It builds in my stomach."

"And where is the fire chakra?"

Her eyes lit up, "The stomach!"

Zuko grinned proudly at Rein, impressed that she retained the information he taught her a while ago. "So what do you think you should focus on when trying to firebend?"

"Things that make me angry?" Rein answered unsurely.

"It's a start until you can get a hang of it. Then we'll be able to teach you how to bend without needing emotions to trigger it." He explained. "Now close your eyes and picture something that makes you shake with rage, feelings you've locked deep inside to protect your brother."

Rein didn't have to dig deep to find something that made her furious, it was already sitting on top like a fresh wound. Ironically, it was a fresh wound...

Her hands balled into fists and she dropped her stance as she recalled Zuko attacking her a few weeks back. The hollow look in his eyes, the tight grip he had on her arms, how his teeth grit together so hard she thought they would surely shatter. She remembered the pain she endured and the fear she felt in that moment. Then she thought of the nasty remarks he said to Sokka, how he spoke of her like she was nothing to him but a toy. With each memory she grew hotter until she felt as if she was on fire.