not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter thirty six |

(when I tell you that picture made me cry I mean it.
out of happiness or sadness?
yes.)

Zuko woke first and looked down to see Saki, asleep with her head on his chest.
He smiled sleepily, kissed her head and got out of bed, leaving her wrapped up in blankets.

Walking out the door and into the kitchen he saw Iroh, ready to start a day at the tea shop.
"What time is it?" Asked Zuko, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you ready so early?"

"It's not early." Laughed Iroh. "I looked in at you and Saki and you both seemed so cosy, I thought I would leave you to get some sleep." He told his nephew as he pulled on his shoes.

Zuko's face flushed a light pink and he quickly looked away at the floor.
"Yeah. She seemed kind of ill so I-" He stammered, looking at his feet.

"Don't worry Zuko, I didn't see anything." he said with a wink and started to walk out the door. "Come down when you're ready."

The door clicked shut and Zuko hid his face in his hands. He sighed, cursing everyone for letting his uncle see him and Saki like that, when that's not what they were. Unless-

"Zuko?" He looked up to see Saki, poking her head out of the door. "Where's uncle going?" She asked, sleepily.

"Work." He told her, pulling his hands away from his face.

"Work!? What time is it!?" Saki exclaimed, suddenly very awake and in a state of panic.

"Don't worry, Iroh said that we can go down when we're ready. And you should rest today anyway." He told her, walking towards her.

"But I'm all good now! See!" She did a little jump and waved her hands around to show how much better she was.

Zuko's didn't seem convinced, but he couldn't help but smile at how cute she was, so she went about her day anyway.

Saki casually wondered over to the kitchen and climbed on the side to look into the cupboards.

"You're gonna get hurt doing that one day." Zuko told her, following her over.

"You've already told me that. I need to get some food." She said, digging around in the food cupboards.

"Then let me get it." He said, looking up at what she was trying to get. As he did so, he got a good look at the sweater she was wearing.

"Who put the bread this high anyway." She muttered, grabbing it and throwing it to Zuko, who nearly dropped it because he was distracted.

"Are you wearing my sweater?" He asked,  putting the bread on the counter top and his hands on his hips.

"Hmmm perhaps." She said, pretending to think hard about it.

"I didn't say you could wear that." He pointed out, coming closer to her.

"You said stay warm, and I thought this sweater would be the best way." She told him, pulling at it to show him.

Zuko grabbed onto her legs and put his head between them just above her knees. He pulled backwards and her feet slid off the counter as she squealed. She grabbed onto his head as she fell backwards and her butt landed on his shoulders.

Zuko laughed as he walked around with her on his shoulders.

"Zuko you idiot! You could've at least warned me!" She exclaimed, hitting him on the head.

"Where's the fun in that?" He asked, grinning as he walked over to the couch. He sat down in front of it so Saki could fall backwards onto it and then stood.