Blazing Crystal

Flight or Fight

First, I would like to apologize to everyone for falling off the radar. I really lost my connection to this story. However, after writing a story on fanfiction for Twilight, I realized I can't leave you all hanging. Blazing Crystal has been revised on my Fanfiction .com account. If you would like to read the clean version with corrected grammar, punctuation, and some other edits that do not change the context of the story at all, I have posted them on fanfiction. "Blazing Crystal: Rewrite!" is the name of the story. My profile name is faithy waithy.

https://www.fanfiction.net/~faithywaithy

Anyway, here is the much overdo chapter for you all. I am posting it on wattpad, and also on fanfiction.

Chapter 65: Flight or Fight

(Crystal POV)

The  sun seeped in through the window and shined on my face as morning  arrived. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Zuko was still sleeping next to  me from exhaustion. I could tell he was tired. Usually, he was awake by  sunrise. This morning he seemed to be in a much needed deep sleep. His  face seemed peaceful, and I was glad to see him relaxed for once. He had  earned the break after saving my father and Suki.

As I lay beside  him, I looked over his features in the light and ached to touch his  cheek to feel his warmth on my hand. I resisted the urge though, knowing  that my touch would wake him. He had washed up before going to sleep,  and his hair was messy from the pillow he rested his head on. I loved  his hair long and messy though. Before, when he kept his hair in a  topknot he looked so rigid and confined. Since the South Pole though, I  could see so much change in him. Not only his hair, but also his body.  He was so much more relaxed, and so much healthier than before. The  stress and anger in him before meeting me had probably been destroying  him from the inside out. Being with us, Zuko had finally found happiness  and peace.

After a few more minutes of staring at his sleeping  face, I decided the group would start to wonder where I was. I didn't  think my brother or father would be thrilled if they discovered I was  sleeping beside Zuko. While my dad had accepted Zuko finally as my  future husband, I knew seeing us so close would greatly earn us some  disapproval. With caution, I tried to sit up carefully to not disturb  him. As I went to sit up though, his arm wrapped around my waist and he  pulled me back to him.

"No... Five more minutes," he whispered with a tired voice. "Please."

I  sighed as I nestled my head against his chest again. "If Sokka or my  dad see us we're dead meat," I joked softly. "They've probably noticed I  didn't sleep on my mat."

Zuko pulled me tighter. "I've dealt with  both of their wrath before. I think I can handle it again. It's not the  first time we've done this before."

I shut my eyes as he pressed  his face into my hair. "But before we were miles from my dad," I joked.  "Don't say I didn't warn you."

We fell quiet as the two of us  rested with one another for a little longer. Zuko didn't let me go, and I  knew I was pretty much trapped until he was ready to release me. After a  moment, he asked softly, "Did you sleep?"

I gave a small smile. "Yeah. Finally dreamless. I guess I'm just relieved you made it back safely."

"Honestly, Sokka had me worried. I was really stressed we were going to be trapped there."

I  frowned then. Opening my eyes I stared at the fabric of his shirt but  let my mind wander a bit. "I overheard you and Sokka last night... Is it  true Mai helped you escape?"

Zuko sighed. "Yeah..."

I felt my heart clench a little. I knew why. Mai had feelings for Zuko, and for a second I felt insecure.