Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Two

It's dark and quiet. The telltale sign that night has fallen. Kali sits against the wall. She doesn't feel comfortable enough to sleep yet. She doesn't feel safe or settled enough. Iroh snores. Loudly. Against the wall in his cot. Kali bites her lip. Trying to figure this whole thing out. It's hard for her to comprehend why he let her go. Why he paid for her and then released her from the whole thing. Zuko is sleeping with his back towards her. But she's not sure about him. He's more reserved. Iroh seems to just be what he shows. But Zuko. The way he watched her. Cautious. He trusts her as much as she trusts them. Which is smart. But not comforting. At all. She takes a deep breath and then pushes herself to her feet. She shouldn't. She shouldn't try it. But she's gonna. She's gonna try the door. Iroh said she was free to go. Or stay. But she could leave. She's going to try. Her bare feet are soft and silent as she crosses the little hut, moving to the closed door. She touches her arms, drawing them around herself. It could be a trick. A trap. A way to test her. It wouldn't be the first time. She lets out a breath and stands at the door. Staring at it. She reaches out and wraps her fingers around the door handle. But she's not sure she could be on her own. She pulls her hand back and hangs her head. She has no money. She has nowhere to go. No home. No family. Nothing. Where is she supposed to go? What is she supposed to do? She's green. That's hard to hide. There is nowhere she can go that people won't stare at her. No one will help her. No one has ever helped her. She steps back from the door and moves back across the room to sit back against the door. Wraps her arms around her knees as she rests her chin on the top.

........

Kali's the first one awake the next morning and that is likely because she didn't sleep in the end. She just couldn't turn off long enough to get any sort of rest. Too on edge. Too unsure. She thinks that it is worse with Iroh being so kind to her. She's second-guessing him and his intentions. She'd rather if he was going to turn on her that he'd just get on with it. The waiting is torturous. But if he is going to play nice, then so is she. She is going to make it seem like being nice to her makes her work harder and not the other way around. So she makes a little breakfast. Iroh and Zuko sit together, both still half asleep but the smell woke them and now they are being ruled by their grumbling stomachs. Kali carries two plates to the table.

"I wanted to say thank you" She offers. "For what you did..." She then pauses and looks at the food. "It's not much" She sets down the two plates, pancakes covered in papaya and mango pieces and slathered in a moon peach sauce.

"Where did you get the fruit from?" Zuko asks. That wasn't part of Iroh's supplies from the market. Kali swallows a little and hangs her head. That's not something she wants to admit to.

"It's okay" Iroh stops her. The two of them sharing a look. "You don't need to tell him" Zuko gives his uncle a weird look. She raises an eyebrow at Iroh, still not sure if this nice person is going to last. It never lasts. She turns away and moves back to the small kitchen area where she picks up the tea tray and moves back towards the table. Kali gasps a little and then drops the tray in her hand. Everything on it shatters as it hits the floor. Iroh moves to her side and looks down at the scattered pieces. "It is just a couple of mugs, do not worry" Iroh assures her as he crouches to clear it up. Kali's eyes go completely blank. Empty. Void. Zuko raises an eyebrow as he watches her. But there is nothing.

"Uncle" Zuko points out. Iroh looks up and notes the look in her eyes. He stands and cocks his head. Then waves his hand in front of her face but there is no change. "No wonder her last owner was in such a rush to get rid of her" Zuko comments. "She's defective" Iroh gives his nephew a look.

"Zuko" Iroh scolds slightly. "She is our guest, and we don't insult our guests" Kali blinks and looks down at the shattered mugs.

"Oh," She lets out and then lists up a hand to rub at her head.

"What was that?" Iroh asks, Kali blinks and looks at him.

"Angry girl is coming" She answers, Zuko gives her a weird look.

"What does that mean?" He asks her, she shrugs a little.

"It means....angry girl is coming" She answers, keeping her head down. Zuko turns his look on his uncle.

"She, apparently, is capable of seeing the future" Iroh offers, Zuko closes his eyes and lets out his breath. Of course his uncle was tempted by a fortune teller. "She's a seer" Zuko shakes his head and lets out a breath. "Raya was very convincing" Iroh defends.

"Is Raya attractive?" Zuko asks. Iroh is and always has been a sucker for a beautiful woman. Iroh shrugs slightly. Zuko turns to Kali to answer him, she pulls a face and then side shrugs as she tidies up the broken mugs. She can't leave the mess on the floor, someone will get hurt.

"She's not unattractive" Kali offers. "But she's old"

"How old?" Zuko asks. Kali shrugs.

"I don't know, like...in her thirties" Iroh gives her a look as Zuko fights a smirk. "What?" Kali asks softly, innocently.

"I can't begin to imagine how old you think I am" Iroh comments, Kali shrugs a little, wisely choosing not to even try.