Miles From Where You Are
Title: Miles From Where You Are
Author: ali_wildgoose
Pairing: Mai/Zuko
Rating: PG
Summary: Zuko finds himself alone among friends he never asked for.
Notes: Written for rawles
***
Zuko woke to the feel of a hand on his arm, shaking him gently. He opened his eyes and turned his head. Someone was sitting next to him, a black silhouette against the faint glow of moonlight that shone through the fabric of his tent.
"Are you all right?" she asked quietly.
He recognized the voice and frowned. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, glaring at her though he knew she couldn't see. "What do you want, Katara?"
"You were talking in your sleep again," she said. "Bad dreams?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business."
She flinched, her shoulders rising toward her ears. "Look, Zuko...we can't help you if you won't talk to us about-"
"I don't want your help," he said. "I just want to go back to sleep."
Katara reached toward him, her fingers brushing his bare wrist. "Zuko...I know it's been hard for you since Iroh died, but...you can't keep pushing us away like this."
Zuko slapped her hand away, disgusted. "I'm not interested in your pity."
"It's not pity, Zuko," she said. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love, and I know how much it hurts to be so far away from home. I just think it might be easier for you if you'd talk to-"
"I'm not here to discuss my feelings," he said, his tone icy. "I'm not here to talk to you about my dreams. I'm not here to be your friend. I don't owe you any explanations. I promised Uncle that I'd help you defeat my father, and that's the only reason I've stayed with you idiots as long as I have."
"But-"
"No. No 'buts.'" Zuko's fingers dug into his sleeping bag, his rage building as the haze of sleep burned away. "Now get out of my tent."
Katara bowed her head. A few moments later, she was gone.
Zuko sighed, the anger leaving him as suddenly as it had come, leaving behind a dull ache in his chest. It would be some time before he'd be able to fall asleep again.
He felt around for a lantern, then lit it with a flick of his wrist. Blinking in the sudden brightness, he pulled his rucksack into his lap and rummaged through its contents. His fingers closed around something cool and sharp. He pulled it out, then held it in his palm.
It was a small knife, as long as his finger, with a flash of red cloth tied to one end. He tilted his hand slightly, and the polished metal shone in the flickering light.
"I miss you," he whispered. He wondered if her sleep was any easier than his.
***
crossposted to maizuko
Author: ali_wildgoose
Pairing: Mai/Zuko
Rating: PG
Summary: Zuko finds himself alone among friends he never asked for.
Notes: Written for rawles
***
Zuko woke to the feel of a hand on his arm, shaking him gently. He opened his eyes and turned his head. Someone was sitting next to him, a black silhouette against the faint glow of moonlight that shone through the fabric of his tent.
"Are you all right?" she asked quietly.
He recognized the voice and frowned. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, glaring at her though he knew she couldn't see. "What do you want, Katara?"
"You were talking in your sleep again," she said. "Bad dreams?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business."
She flinched, her shoulders rising toward her ears. "Look, Zuko...we can't help you if you won't talk to us about-"
"I don't want your help," he said. "I just want to go back to sleep."
Katara reached toward him, her fingers brushing his bare wrist. "Zuko...I know it's been hard for you since Iroh died, but...you can't keep pushing us away like this."
Zuko slapped her hand away, disgusted. "I'm not interested in your pity."
"It's not pity, Zuko," she said. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love, and I know how much it hurts to be so far away from home. I just think it might be easier for you if you'd talk to-"
"I'm not here to discuss my feelings," he said, his tone icy. "I'm not here to talk to you about my dreams. I'm not here to be your friend. I don't owe you any explanations. I promised Uncle that I'd help you defeat my father, and that's the only reason I've stayed with you idiots as long as I have."
"But-"
"No. No 'buts.'" Zuko's fingers dug into his sleeping bag, his rage building as the haze of sleep burned away. "Now get out of my tent."
Katara bowed her head. A few moments later, she was gone.
Zuko sighed, the anger leaving him as suddenly as it had come, leaving behind a dull ache in his chest. It would be some time before he'd be able to fall asleep again.
He felt around for a lantern, then lit it with a flick of his wrist. Blinking in the sudden brightness, he pulled his rucksack into his lap and rummaged through its contents. His fingers closed around something cool and sharp. He pulled it out, then held it in his palm.
It was a small knife, as long as his finger, with a flash of red cloth tied to one end. He tilted his hand slightly, and the polished metal shone in the flickering light.
"I miss you," he whispered. He wondered if her sleep was any easier than his.
***
crossposted to maizuko