Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Sweet Talk

Kai walked solemnly down the long, empty corridor the next evening, her hair tucked into a tight ponytail like the rest of the female guards. Her teeth sat clenched together in her mouth. She was ready to get the hell out of here, she was ready to make their escape, but most of all — she was ready for a fight.

The iron latch to the door lifted up in her hands, mimicking the weight of a feather under her strength.

"I can take you back to your cell if you've learned your lesson." Kai said, folding her arms and resting against the door frame.

Zuko was huddled on the ground at her feet. He lifted his head, smiling as a small puff of fire blew from between his lips. His palms opened to reveal the screws and bolts that he'd stolen from the inside of the room. "Yes, I have... completely."

Kai pulled off her helmet, "Sokka took Suki and Chit Sang out of their cells a few minutes ago, they'll be waiting for us at the shore."

She reached her hand down to lift him up, and he took it, toasty against her quickly chilling skin. Zuko yanked her by the wrist into the cooler with him, slamming the door shut. He pulled her under his wing and tucked their bodies against the wall behind the door, someone was coming.

"Yeah, new arrivals coming in at dawn."

"Anybody interesting?"

"Nah, just the usual. Some robbers, a couple traitors, some war prisoners, though I did hear there might be a pirate."

Kai looked with wide, hopeful eyes up at Zuko. They were only a hair apart, but he still managed to shimmy a finger between the two of them and quietly "shush" here until the guards were gone.

"War prisoners. That could be Sokka's dad." He finally whispered, foggy breath filling the space between them.

"We'll have to tell him."

They snuck out of the prison, sticking to dark corners, abandoned stairwells, and underground tunnels. Many times, Kai tried to flex her wrist, she tried to put a tiny bit of space between the two of them, but Zuko simply wouldn't allow it. They moved as a unit, breathing in time with each other and hearts beating as one.

There they were, the others, sitting at the shore of a lake just as hot as the sun. They'd detached the cooler during Zuko and Kai's journey and it sat in front of them now. Sokka had already changed into his old Water Tribe outfit. He'd begun outgrowing it over the past year as his muscles filled out and he slowly transformed into the warrior that he was meant to be.

"Took you guys long enough." Chit Sang, a beast of a man, began. He motioned to the other two prisoners he'd helped escape. "This here's my girl and my best buddy, they're coming too."

Kai's eyes darted across the group until she met Suki's, noticing the gold flecks that swam amongst her chestnut irises. Suki smiled, and she reached out for the girl. Kai threw her arms around her and held her like they were old friends that'd been long separated by nothing other than time.

"You know when things go south, it's gonna be me and you saving all their asses, right?" Kai joked.

Suki giggled with her head on Kai's shoulder, "Has it ever been any different?"

"If you two are done cuddling, can we get a move on?" Chit Sang had one foot already in the boat.

Sokka felt Zuko's comforting hand on his shoulder. Something wasn't right. He turned and saw that this once enemy was coming to him as a friend. "We overheard a few guards in the prison..." Zuko said, "A group of war criminals is being dropped off in the morning. One of them could be your dad."