Protected Princess || Zuko

07 || Water Bending

I wake up to the calm sky and air around me. It's not too cold or too warm when it's this early. I honestly thought I was going to sleep longer than I did. Although, I did fall asleep not too long after it got dark.

I rubbed my eyes and reopened them to look at the sky. The tree's branches and leafs hung over my vision, many feet above me. I sat up and felt my sore muscles ache amongst my legs and feet. I look to my right and see that Iroh and Zuko were still asleep. As I place my hand down on the grass behind me, morning dew covers the surface of my palm.

I decide to stand up and make my way over to the lake. Once I make my way over to the lake I sit down by the edge.

"How am I going to bend the water without it glowing?" I say to myself.

I bend water out of the lake. It begins to glow and circle in my hand.

"Hmmm..." I say staring at the water circling my hand with a blue glow. "Maybe if I focus really hard."

I stare at the water thinking I want it to not glow. I stare longer but it feels like nothing's happening mentally or physically.

"Whatever." I say throwing my hand towards the water. As I do, the water lightly flows off of my hand and back into the lake. I still can't even THROW WATER???

I huff as I lay on my back and stare at the sky. I got bored quickly tho and turned over to my stomach. I hate being the first one awake.

"Hai?!" I hear a voice yell from the trees.

"I'm over here." I announce as I sit up.

Out from the trees comes Zuko, who looked worried.

"What's wrong?!" I say standing up, thinking something happened with Iroh.

"What are you doing leaving the group?" Zuko asks slightly angry. Probably anger formed from worry.

"I was just trying to water bend." I reply back. "I woke up before anyone and I was bored." I say.

"You shouldn't go off on your own, we don't know who's out here." He says as he goes to walk back to Iroh.

"If anyone around here wanted to kidnap us, Iroh wouldn't have said we could stay here." I reply back. "Come stay by the lake with me, I'm bored." I say plopping back down next to the water.

I hear Zuko's foot steps pause. They start again but this time in my direction. He sits down about three feet away from me and crosses his legs. I look over at him when he sits down. He notices my stare and slowly turns his head my direction. Once eye contact is make he immediately faces towards the lake. I slowly turn my head back forward.

"Ahem." Zuko clears his throat, "Morning, by the way." Zuko says in a low tone.

"Good morning." I reply back. The awkwardness is evident and I can't tell if it's from me or him at this point. Or both.

"Hey, Zuko can I ask you something?" I question, bending glowing water into my hand.

"What is it." He says, still in a stern voice.

"You don't trust me yet do you?" I ask, watching the water circle my hand, waiting to heal something that doesn't need to be healed.

"I don't need to trust you. You're just here to learn water bending." Zuko says, still with his mental wall up guarding himself.

"I'm gonna be here for a while, Zuko. I don't plan on going back home any time soon. Even when I learn water bending I'll stick around for a while to help out you and Iroh." I say, placing the water back to the lake, and looking at Zuko.