Fire Queen

Chapter 20

"What are you doing on the roof, come back inside you still have a little fever,"

 Zuko said climbing out of the window, finding Ryu on the roof, in the middle of the night, wearing only her nightgown.

"It's okay, I am maintaining fire breathing" Ryu replied.

"Still, you need rest" he looked at the city, still bright and alive even late at night, he took off his shawl, putting it on Ryu.

"I was in bed all day, my lord"

"I thought we were done with that" He sighed.

"Done with what?" Ryu asked, a little confused, she turn to him to find him staring at the city, with his jaw clenched like there is so much he wants to say that it is threatening to escape, so he bite his tongue.

"Oh, yeah I am sorry Zuko" she looked down at her hands.

"Are you scared?" he asked digging his nails in his hands, terrified of the answer, since yesterday Ryu finally came up front and tell everyone what he has done, Second time in his life uncle Iroh have turned his back on him, refusing to say a word in his presence, and his best friend looked at him with so much hatred that it makes his soul shake, he even left with only one thing to say

"Hurt her again, I give you my word even she will not be able to stop me from killing you"

Katara yelled at him, hit him, and threatened him but finally settled down, While Aang did what Aang always does tries to restore peace and advise him to do what's right.

But in all this, Zuko still was not able to run from the image of his Ryu with tears in her eyes, against his chest, sobbing like a broken thing, did he broke her.

He always ruins his chance of happiness, has he done it again? has he finally ruined his chance to have a happy life with her, his Ryu.

"Scared of what?" she asked still staring at him, while he refuse to look at her as he can find his hands shaking a little.

"You? your crown? your power?, this marriage?" She asked, she left it hanging these questions in the air for a minute, then she turned her whole body toward him.

"Yes, I am scared, I am scared of you, that fancy crown, that overwhelming power, and this marriage" he let out a shaky breath that he had been holding,

"But, you know what I am most terrified of? She asked, he finally turned to her and find tears flowing down her cheek like that horrible night.

"I am terrified of the power you have on me, the love I have, love that is so overwhelming that I feel like I am dying, Love that refuse to let me leave your side doesn't matter what"

He wiped the tear running down her right check,

"You know I was about to run that day, everything was set, I could just leave you and all this behind, and I almost did" she looked down at his shaking hands.

"Then why didn't you?" he asked.

"I did, I stood at the end of the city but my own heart refuse to let me take another step away from you, I thought if I drink enough I might be able to gather enough courage, but I guess even drunk me wouldn't dare"

She took his shaking hand in her and kissed it, "you said one thing I need to know is that you love me, one thing that you need to know is that I will never leave your side, doesn't matter how much it hurt, you will always find me beside you in hell or heaven"

"In hell or heaven" he repeated, Ryu put her head on his soldier.

"In hell or heaven"

After a few minutes of silence, taking in the peaceful silence like the one you find after a storm when you know in your heart that you survived and even if it all happens again at least you are okay now.

"It's funny" Zuko smirked holding Ryu tighter.

"What is?" She asked, enjoying the comfort of his body heat on a cold night.

"I find myself on this roof, again and again, having one of the most difficult conversations and realizations"

"You know that's a good thing," Ryu said kissing his chest. "You know that doesn't matter how hard or painful it gets, we can find ourselves on this roof, and once we are on this roof we find a way to survive, like always, kind of comforting"

"Well when you put it like that, It does sound nice" he kissed her head.

As the sun starts to show signs of a new day, A new start has to be for them too.

"Ryu?"

"Hmm.."

"I am sorry for everything"

"I know, me too"

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What do you think guys, will this relation get more toxic or are they changing for better?