Traitor - Zuko X Reader

Chapter 34

Aang and Zuko were practicing their firebending and it took everything in me to focus on what Katara was saying and not stare at the shirtless firebender that stood a few feet away from me. Once the waterbender stopped speaking to me I finally was able to turn my gaze back to where Aang and Zuko stood in the center of the courtyard. They had finished their training and bowed to each other before parting ways. I kept my eyes on Zuko as he walked away. I felt my knees grow weak when he raised his arms above his head and I watched as his muscles stretched. His muscles, while not as prominent as they were when we first crossed paths, were still visible despite his lanky frame and I preferred it that way. His skin was pale, but nevertheless still clear and beautiful under the midday sun. I found it harder and harder to pull my gaze away from the boy as he took large gulps from his canteen, my mouth parting at the sight.

"Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the Firelord in his own house?" Katara asked, finally causing me to break the one-sided staring contest I was having with Zuko's back muscles.

We had been staying in the royal family's vacation home on Ember Island for about three days now. I had visited once before as a kid when Zuko and I had begged our respective parents to go stay here for the summer. Back then, the vacation home was well-kept and the place seemed to envelope those who entered in a warm blanket of comfort. While the warmth remained thanks to the presence of my friends, the home was covered in dust and cobwebs and its greenery was overgrown from its long-held vacancy. Despite this, it was still better than camping on the hard ground and everyone had gotten to choose their own rooms.

I chose the exact same room I had stayed in that summer that Zuko and I stayed here. It looked as if no one had touched it since then, the same (f/c) bedspread, the large bookcase built into the wall, and the same intricately-carved wardrobe in the corner. Zuko had chosen the room across the hall from mine, the same as the one he stayed in all those years ago and, just like back then, he would sneak across the hall almost at night into my room so we could spend hours chatting away or simply reading and enjoying each other's presence before he would bid me goodnight and leave to go back to his own room.

"I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy and that was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us," Zuko responded. My face fell at the statement about his family and I turned back to Zuko, my face instantly flushing at the sight. He was sitting on the fountain in the center of the courtyard, his legs spread with his forearm resting on his thigh. His other arm was drying his hair of the sweat that had accumulated from his previous bending. His abs were more prominent in the position and I felt my eyes take in his figure, taking a mental picture against my will.

I thanked the spirits Sokka wasn't here to tease me about it. Since the Boiling Rock, Sokka had been the first to notice how close Zuko and I were growing. He would catch us talking and wiggle his eyebrows or would catch me staring and begin to tease about 'wedding bells' or 'Future Fire Queen (Y/N)'. If the other members of the GAang noticed our new closeness, they didn't mention it. I was thankful for that. Sokka's teasing I could deal with (as I had been dealing with it for months already), but I didn't think I could handle the rest of the group's remarks. Additionally, I didn't want what Zuko and I had right now to change because of any awkwardness that could be caused by them. I had a strong sense that Zuko had feelings for me that weren't platonic. That much was apparent from the blushes, physical contact, and smiles I received from Zuko on a daily basis. Though, a small part of me doubted it and would chalk it up to our past like I had so many times before. Still, I didn't dare bring it up to Zuko or think about confessing my feelings. What we had now was comfortable and unspoken. We knew we had each other no matter what and that was enough for us.

Sokka came running into the courtyard, "You guys have got to see this! There's a play about us."

"We were just in town and we found this poster," Suki clarified, gesturing to the poster Sokka was presenting to the rest of us.