Clouds ( Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Chapter Fifteen.

I sat gracefully on the roof, glaring at a paralysed Zuko. I probably should've helped him but I was pretty happy on my spot on the roof, it was warm.

"Damn it! Kumo, help me." Zuko roared, unmoving on the ground. I raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, help me!" He snarled once more, his face contorted in anger. I scowled.

"Learn some manners first." I ordered, stroking Kaze's furry head. This is why Kaze was my favourite. I liked Zuko, but he could just be so insensitive sometimes. I heard him groan in frustration.

"Fine, please help me, Kumo." He sighed, I smirked.

"Getting closer." I urged, leaping down from the roof. I heard him huff.

"And thank you, for saving my life and many other things." He spat, blushing furiously. I chuckled.

"Is wittle Zuko embarrased?" I taunted, grabbing his arm and pulling it over my shoulder. He growled at me but was powerless. I chuckled, before turning to Iroh, who was laying on the ground with the woman. "I take it you can handle her and safely return to the ship, so I'll be off."

I paused, I wasn't going to carry Zuko back so how was I going to get him on Kaze.

"Hey, Zuko, can you move your fingers?" I asked, pausing as I walked. Kaze stood impatiently in front of me. He shrugged, his fingers twitched. "Ah, good."

I helped him into a sitting position on Kaze, he struggled to stay on. I got on in front of him, patting Kaze's head. I faltered.

"Grab my arms or something will ya?" I asked, sighing as I did so. Zuko stayed silent, struggling to move his arms, but he slouched forward, resting his chin on my shoulder. I tensed, a faint blush covered my cheeks. I grabbed his arms, placing his hands on my forearms. "Just hold on, okay?"

-

I lay on my back on deck, basking in the heat. Zuko refused to leave without Iroh, so we waited. I draped my arm over my closed eyes, Kaze sat next to me, watching vigilantly. I heard the patter of feet before a shuffle.

"You know, you'll get heatstroke if you stay there too long." Zuko informed, I kept my eyes closed and didn't reply. We stayed in silence for a while, listening to the gentle wind. "You're not asleep, are you?"

"No, I'm not." I replied, I heard a shuffling. The silence crept in again. Before I felt a cool hand on my arm. 

"What's that?" I heard him ask in curiosity. He was like a little kid sometimes. I made a noise of confusion, i felt his finger trace something on my wrist. "The swirl."

"Oh, I don't know." I answered nonchalantly, it was true. I didn't know. I'd been abandoned with the strange swirl tattoo on my wrist. "I've had it since as long as I remember."

I could almost picture him frowning, I chuckled at the thought. 

"So," I started, letting out a sigh. "You and Katara, huh?"

"What? No, thats stupid." I heard him snap, removing his hand from my wrist. I chuckled. "She's friends with the avatar."

"Ah, but you have to admit, she's gorgeous." I sighed, imagining my 'spirit-like' hair and cold eyes. At first even the water tribe thought I was a spirit left for them, the suspicion grew when my air bending appeared. "I wish I looked like her..."

I smiled sadly. I guess I was jealous of Katara, that's why I didn't like the idea of her and Zuko together. Oh, I was turning into such a bad person. I rubbed my face with my hands and sighed. But yelped in shock as Zuko grabbed my writs and tugged me up into a sitting position.

My eye's snapped open to meet his furious ones. I shrunk back from the ferocious glare, before attempting to pull my wrist out of his grip, it didn't budge. He leaned closer to me and I froze.

"Is that what you think?" He growled, narrowing his eyes as I nodded. He scowled, before pulling me up to my feet and dragging me with him as he marched off the boat. He tugged me to the shore. "Look."

I glanced into the rippling waters to see myself. Just myself, that was all. I glanced back to Zuko.

"What am I meant to see-"

"Yourself," He snapped, narrowing his eyes. "You're far more beautiful then that water tribe girl."

"Yeah, well other people-"

"Who cares what other people think?" He snarled, pulling my wrist. I winced.

"I..."I sighed, looking down at the lush grass before yanking my wrist out Zuko's grasp. I scowled before darting back onto the ship, leaving Zuko alone on the bank

-

The storm rumbled overhead like a mighty dragon, inflicting its wrath on the sea. The waves rocked the boat violently, I whimpered as the thunder crashed again. I chewed my lip anxiously as fear clawed at my chest.

I sighed, getting up drowsily, stumbling slightly from the malicious waves. Zuko's chambers weren't too far. I slipped on my grey cloak before opening my door and padding out into the hallway. It was dark and dimly lit by small candles.

I scurried down the hall, desperately trying not to make a noise as I tiptoed past the crews rooms. I reached Zuko's shortly and waited outside, maybe I shouldn't be here. The thunder crashed again and I jumped. I knocked on Zuko's door. Maybe he wouldn't wake up and I could just leave-

The door cracked open, Zuko stood with a scowl on his... and no shirt. I looked away awkwardly.

"Look, I'm sorry for before but I-" Zuko sighed, pulling me into his chambers. He seemed to pull me a lot. 

"You don't need to say sorry," He sighed, "are you scared?"

I nodded mutely, avoiding looking anywhere but his chest, but my eyes might have got a little distracted at one point, Zuko cleared his throat, smirking at me.

"Like what you see?" He teased, I scowled at him before whimpering at a loud clap of thunder. Zuko sighed, pulling me to him and dragging me down with him as he flopped onto his futon.

"You're safe with me."