Halloween Kidnapping [zukaang]

Part four

My favorite old song rn^^^^
🎃🖤🎃

Zuko led me down the hallways, the blood red walls growing darker this time. As we walked the gold trimming became more intense. A bit like a goodbye flourish. The floor became tiled, as we went into the older part of the palace. My heels clicked loudly and were a bit annoying. I stopped in place, causing Zuko to stumble and look at me confused.

"Everything okay?" He asked, suddenly alert looking around the wide hallway.

"S'fine just need to-" i kicked off my heel and sighed in relief. If my toes could breath, they'd be gasping for air. I kicked off my other shoe, collecting them, and took Zuko's elbow again.

He was smirking at me. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said still smirking.

"Mhmm," I say unconvinced. He just shrugged, we began walking again. This time my feet falling silent on the floor. My ankle was definitely cut, or at least peeled to the last layer of skin. My toes were probably purple and blue. At some point the pain had become numb to me. That's how annoying the heels were.

Now that my heels were gone, and I was walking barefoot. The bruises seemed a lot more real. I started wincing after every few steps now. Come on Aang, you're the freaking Avatar. Master of all the elements. Some bruises are nothing! Except they really hurt, and I'm escaping imprisonment. Also I'm wearing a ten pound fabric dress. An itchy wig, and dry paint. I really want to cry. Like badly.

Can I just cry? Please? I'm so done with today. My clutch on Zuko's arm becomes the tiniest bit tighter.

Of course Zuko just had to be a jerk and notice me shaking slightly. "Aang, what's wrong?" Zuko asks quietly. So quietly I almost didn't hear it. Almost.

"Just a long day." I said. Trying to stop my hands from trembling.

"Long day? What are you talking about? You slept in till lunch!" Zuko says, his voice sarcastic. Despite today, despite still being in the palace, despite my feet hurting. I cracked a smile and punched him playfully. He pretended to get hurt and rub the spot where I hit him. That just made my smile wider.

"For your information I don't get kidnapped every day." I mutter, trying to make my voice all serious like Zuko. He just hummed and guided me by the waist to an exit. We exited the palace, and I took big gulps of the fresh air. Gosh it felt good to be outside again. I manipulated a gust of wind to brush under my wig. Giving relief to my hot head. I sighed, a d enjoyed the fresh air.

This seemed to be an exit not commonly used. The grass was natural and went up to my hip. The old cobblestone courtyard was getting chipped, and there were cracks with grass peaking through. The forest caging the tiny courtyard in. A decent looking collection of carriages lined the tree line. Some ostrich birds were harnessed to a tree. Eating some corn and seed from a trough (I'm pretty sure that's how you spell it also corn)

Zuko led me to the farthest one from the exit. He leaned in close as to say goodbye. "You can wash off the makeup and take off the wig inside. Make sure the curtains are drawn." Quickly he brushed his lips against my cheek, and actually whispered goodbye. Like I actually was his date to this event. Like he actually wanted to do it. He smiled at me, and walked off. Me watching his back with wide eyes. Not fully comprehending what just happened.

I shook it off and climbed into the carriage. It was only a kiss on the cheek, no big deal. Hah.

In the carriage there was a simple basin and rag. A chest was next to the one sided seats. I closed the door, and made sure to draw and tie the curtains.