Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Kali sits on the floor of the apartment, humming away as she weaves herself a flower thing, Zuko's watching her work away from where he sits behind her, legs tucked against hers, her back pressed to his chest. Iroh left earlier to give them the morning to themselves, even taking Bing with him. Just to let them have some time to work through Kali's mood from the day before. To cheer her up. She wiggles her feet, watching her new sandals, and smiles softly to herself, but he sees it, he follows her gaze to her feet and smiles himself.

"Do you like them?" He whispers as he plays with her hair. She wiggles her feet again, her new sandals flexing with the movements. She really hasn't ever had shoes before. Usually going around barefoot. For as long as she can remember. Shoes increased the chance of escape, so of course, she was never allowed any.

"I do" She assures him warmly. No trace of her mood from the night before. She smiles and then chuckles, Zuko's own smile growing. At least she is happy about something he's done recently.

"And...the other things?" She hums and nods, drawing her fingers through her skirt fabric. She loves it. Turns out that she loves all of it. That he really thought about her when he picked them out. Thought about the way she moves.

"Thank you" She offers and smiles to herself. "I love them" She admits and touches the fabric of her top.

"Do you want to do some more reading today?" He asks her. "We have some time before I have to...." He stops himself, almost choking on the words. She laughs and pulls away to turn and face him.

"You can't even admit that you have a job, that you have to work...." She teases, he pulls a face. "There is no shame in hard work, Zuko," She tells him fondly. "Hard work shows the true character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all." She teases and pokes his nose. "Which one are you going to do?" He hooks his hands under her knees and pulls her forward so she's almost in his lap, her legs on either side of him.

"If it gets us out of this" He muses and looks around the apartment. "Hole..." She gives him a look. She doesn't think it's that bad. She supposes that is something that differs in their world views. He is used to everything being handed to him. She is used to nothing. "...then I will turn up my sleeves" He answers and nods. "I don't want this for you" He admits, she tilts her head. "This tiny little home...being trapped...being..." He touches her chin. "Sad" She goes to argue but he gives her a look. "I heard you last night..." She looks away from him, taking his hand from her face. He uses his other hand to touch her face. "Please don't hide from me" He whispers, she sniffles and glances at him. "If you're sad...show me you're sad, don't hide when...." He stops himself and closes his eyes, lets out a breath, not really wanting to voice it. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you..." He adds, opening his eyes. "I hate that I hurt you. You know, you deserve everything"

"No...I don't" She argues.

"After all the pain you suffered, all of those years of nothing but...." He gives her a look. "The way that each of them treated you, and yet here you are...." She lifts her eyes to him. "Kali, you are by far the best person I have ever met" He admits.

"I don't know" She counters. "I think your uncle is pretty great" He snorts and then nods in agreement. "I bet your mother was too" She adds, watching him. "She must have been..." He frowns and looks at her. "She did something right with raising you..." He softens and looks away. "Despite Azula being..."

"Psychotic?" He asks with a small smirk.

"I was going to be nicer about it" She admits as she touches his neck. "But yes"

"She was always....twisted" He offers. "Even our mother didn't understand why she was that way, she got worse....after she left"

"Everyone is wired differently, Zuko" She comments. "Maybe losing your mother just...pushed her too far, those wires crossed and snapped something in her...but that doesn't mean she's a bad person" He touches her shoulder and her scar.

"How can you think that?" He whispers. "After she hurt you?"

"She wasn't aiming for me" She argues.

"No, just her own uncle" He counters giving her a look. "I know you want to see something good in her, in everyone" She sighs a little and looks at her fingers, playing with the edge of his robes. "I can see that you do" He adds. "But not her" He argues. "I know her, Kali, I know what she is capable of...." She nods a little as he brushes his hair behind her ear. "This" He moves his fingers to her scar. "Was nothing to her...." He shakes his head. He doesn't like thinking about what could have happened. If that shot of lightning had hit Iroh like Azula meant to, if it had hit Kali in the heart. He leans closer to her and kisses her scar.

"Let's talk about something else" She counters and he pulls back with a questioning look. "Teach me some more," She tells him, reaching for her bag where she knows their little book is. "Whilst I have your attention" He hums in agreement before he smirks.

"You always have my attention" He assures her, pulling her closer to him as she picks up the bag.

"If that's the case, then maybe we skip reading" She starts, he frowns a little. "Well, we finally have this place to ourselves" She muses and lets out a breath. He hums in agreement. "Your uncle won't be back for hours" She coos and pulls herself into his lap, Zuko's hand moving to her waist and around to her back, holding her close to him. "We...have a soft bed..." His eyes search hers. "But if...you want to use this time to teach me to read, then we can do that..." He grabs the bag from her hand and throws it aside. She's not wrong. They have been waiting for this moment. For somewhere comfortable and safe and alone. She smirks a little and presses her forehead to his.