Kuai and Zuko

Chapter 11: Burnt to a Crisp

Sokka, Toph, and Katara walked back to where the group had been earlier. Kuai grabbed Ming's reigns and walked far behind them, Zuko next to her. They both remained silent, Kuai constantly chewing on her bottom lip, and Zuko running his hand through the hair on the back of his head. Their heated confessions caused awkwardness for future conversation.

Zuko walked closer to her, and she looked the other direction, not trying to be rude, but attempting to find words to break the quiet. Zuko could only see that she was turned away, so he turned himself, and started walking faster to get ahead. But Kuai stretched out her arm and grabbed his hand, which made him pause for a few seconds until she caught up.

They continued to walk silently next to each other, Ming by their side. Sokka glanced back at them, and smile and tapped Katara to make her turn around and look. Katara giggled when she saw them.

Katara: *whispers* Hey Toph. Can you see Kuai and Zuko?

Toph: With my feet I can. It's adorable!

Sokka: SHHH!

Katara: *to everybody* We're almost back to camp, guys.

Zuko: Hey. We'll catch up, okay?

Toph: What?

Sokka: Just come on, Toph. They want a little smoochy-smoochy time.

Kuai: HEY!

Sokka: Just saying, it's true. Alright, Zuko, we'll leave you two lovebirds alone.

Kuai handed Ming to Sokka. She and Zuko stopped walking and waited for them to walk out of sight-distance. They were still holding hands at that moment.

Kuai: So you're crazy about me, huh?

Zuko: I guess.

Kuai: You're so cute!

Zuko: What part of that makes me cute?

Kuai: You come across as angry and emotional but you're the shyest person I've met.

Zuko: I'm not shy!

Kuai: Whatever you say, cutie.

Zuko slid his hand from Kuai's, up to her neck where his thumb grazed along her jawbone. He took his free hand and placed it where his thumb was on her neck and his palm was on her collarbone. Kuai stood awkwardly while looking into his glittering yellow eyes. She placed both her hands on his upper chest, the tips of her fingers touching his shoulders.

She felt his gaze move from her eyes to her lips back to her eyes. She just realized that he was almost a head taller than her, because it took effort to look up at him when she was that close. She closed her eyes and tilted her head down, but Zuko used the hand nearer her chin to lift her head back up as he kissed her lightly.