Fire and Ice

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He sits quietly, his gaze boring into my own, causing me to have to shift my gaze away from him and to the wall.

"Did you ever plan on telling me?" He questioned.

"No."

"How about telling anyone else?" "Never."
"Were you expecting someone to find out?"
"No."
"Even me?"
"Especially you."

We sat in silence for a moment before he finally asks something that just breaks me.

"Don't you trust me?"

My eyes widen as tears start to form, I look down as they slowly start pouring down my cheeks.

"I don't know. I don't trust anyone anymore..." I look back at him with an intense gaze.

"I don't know how to trust anymore, because every time I trust someone it always ends up being a mistake. I-"

I was cut off and muffled. At first I couldn't understand what was happening, but then realization struck me.

An arm was wrapped around me while another's hand was softly pushing me to a chest. Zuko was hugging me, maybe even trying to comfort me...?

I didn't seem to have enough energy to fight against it so I just allowed myself to break down completely and sob into his chest.

Once I had calmed down once more, I looked up at him, directly in the eyes. "Secret?"
He nodded. "Secret."

We both seem to smile softly before realizing the close proximity we were in. With red faces, we quickly separated and put a few feet of distance between us.

"W-we should probably go back to the village now. I'm sure your uncle is probably worried about you." My heart was racing at least a million beats a second as I rush around the house, grabbing whatever I needed for the day before quite literally shoving Zuko out the door. Realizing that I accidentally pushed him too far out the door, I made a large bubble of water down below to break his fall as I closed and locked my door.

"Sorry, I forgot for moment that I live in a tree. Hope you don't mind getting a little soaked." I smirk while he still couldn't see me, before I turn around with a sigh and jump into the bubble myself. The bubble bursts and I'm left standing perfectly untouched on the ground while Zuko, the poor soul, was left soaked and face-planted on the ground. He got up and glared at me, obviously super pissed.

"Oh hush."
"I didn't say anything!"
"Yes you did! You're scolding me with your eyes and you know it!" We stop our brief argument and just look at each other, slowly realizing what was happening.

"Did we just-?" I start nodding. "I think we did. Man, it's been forever since we last did that. Okay, now let's get you dried off." I take a few steps away from him before raising hand up and producing fire. Somehow, unlike normal fire-benders, because let's face it I'm not anywhere close to being a normal bender, I start controlling the fire so that it swirled around Zuko. It stayed at a distance from him that was close enough to dry him while not burning him.

After that was done we started making our way back to the village. By the time we reached that village, we just happened to have recovered his lost hat and he was now wearing that to keep his identity hidden. We went right back to the tea shop I worked at and surely enough we find Uncle Iroh sitting inside drinking some tea.

"Morning, Klare!" The owner's daughter calls when she's me walk in. "Morning!" "Oh, hey, Klare, Kito was hoping you'd do a performance today. The normal girl is taking a break." I roll my eyes. "Yeah, sure. I'll do it, but this'll be the last time I help him out. There's no way you're gonna succeed in setting me up with that guy. He's nice and all, but I just don't share his feelings and you know that." She laughs and tosses me a rather cute looking dark dress. "Here, wear that please. Today's couples day, so his theme this week is 'protected'. Have fun! Get changed, then I'll do your hair before you go."