Fuel To My Fire - Book Two (ATLA Zuko Fanfiction)

Chapter Ten

Sakari's POV

We followed the man until we reached an area with just a few buildings, and followed him inside one of them, shutting the door behind us. The room was full of many kinds of flowers.

"It is an honour to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order." The man said to Iroh. "Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets."

"Order?" I whispered to Zuko.

"Grand Master?" He whispered back, just as confused as I was.

We followed the man through the flower shop, until we reached a large door with a peephole in it.

"Are you gonna do some flower arranging now?" Zuko asked sarcastically. "Or is someone in this little club gonna offer some real help?"

"Forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." Iroh explained to the man.

The man nodded with a smile and knocked twice on the door. A man opened the peephole almost immediately.

"Who knocks at the guarded gate?" He asked.

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." Iroh replied.

I gave Zuko a confused look as the door opened and Iroh and the man stepped inside, but when Zuko and I tried to follow them we were stopped by the door shutting in our faces.

"Hey!" I yelled.

"I'm afraid it's members only." Iroh said through the peephole. "Wait out here."

Zuko took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, looking around at all the flowers and deciding to sniff one sitting in a vase, making me chuckle a little.

"Smell good?" I asked.

"Meh." Zuko shrugged. "I've smelt better."

"So... We're all alone..." I said shyly, getting closer to him.

He wrapped me in his arms, smirking a little as he did, and pulled me closer to him. Next thing I knew his lips were on mine, kissing me deeply, and I took notice of his hands as they travelled down my back.

"Ah!" I jumped slightly as his hands squeezed my butt.

He chuckled and brought his hands back up to my waist, smiling down at me in a cheeky way, and I realised that my cheeks were burning.

"You're blushing, Ri." He stated.

"Ri?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

"Yeah. Sakari? Ri? You don't like it?" He asked, trying to think of a nickname for me.

"I love it, hothead." I replied with a smile. "Much better than ice queen."

Zuko laughed, remembering how he called me that after we fought by the river so long ago. I was about to kiss him again when the door suddenly opened, making Zuko and I spring apart immediately.

"What's going on?" Zuko asked, a little spooked by the sudden opening of the door.

"Is the club meeting over?" I asked Iroh as he stepped through the door.

"Everything is taken care of." Iroh replied, then bowed at the Pai Sho man. "We're heading to Ba Sing Se."

"Ba Sing Se?" Zuko asked shocked. "Why would we go to the capital of the Earth Kingdom?"

"The city is filled with refugees. No one will notice three more." The man explained.

"So, it'll be like hiding in plain sight?" I asked Iroh.