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ELEANOR CAN'T SLEEP.
She still has yet to come down from the high of sex. It was the rushed kind — the kind that had been anticipated for so long that neither Eleanor or Zuko had bothered to take it slow, the kind that ended so early that the two of them were almost disappointed, the kind that Zuko was afraid to enjoy for fear that he would finish too soon.
Nonetheless, the climax of Zuko pinning Eleanor to the wall with her legs wrapped around his waist, her fingers in his hair, and her eyes tightly closed as he rested one hand on her hip and the other against her mouth — the walls weren't all that thick, and he didn't want to risk the boys hearing — managed to make them both melt into blissful euphoria.
Eleanor couldn't help but smile when he mumbled a breathless profanity into her shoulder. She couldn't help but chuckle when he buttoned their pants, set her on her feet, and kissed her on the cheek before laying on the floor with a content groan, his shirt discarded long ago. She couldn't help but grin after she laid next to him, meeting his eyes for a few moments until he said, "I think we ought to call you Sally now."
Despite all of this, she can't sleep. Not with his arm around her, not with the steady sound of his beating heart, not with the possible danger of the morning seemingly hours away.
Maybe it's because she's nervous about what could happen. Even though Ripley from the camp in New York told them that everyone would be safe, something could still go wrong. That's a likely reason to keep her awake — but then again, she should trust the others in her organization.
Of course, there is always one thought in the back of her mind: Taron. Maybe she feels guilty for having sex with someone else. Maybe Zuko does, too, and maybe in the morning they will agree on being friends.
But then Eleanor remembers the days she spent without Zuko — the days when all she could think about was Taron, because she had nothing else to distract her.
Distract. Was Zuko just a distraction? Had she been using him?
No. He's funny, and kind, and she loves his company. She's just confused.
Eleanor decides on giving them a chance, and promptly rolls over to hug his bare torso and rest her head on his chest. Zuko wakes up just enough to hug Eleanor and kiss the top of her head. She closes her eyes.
☁
Eleanor doesn't remember ever falling asleep, nor does she remember having any dreams, but as soon as she hears the first gunshot ring out through the arena she finds herself opening her eyes with a start.
