The Little Dragon

||48

Thursday, July 23rd

Kaida

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

I laid awake that night. Zuko was fast asleep next to me not knowing what he had just done. I looked up at the ceiling thinking about all about my other friends. I am sure they are happily in Ba Sing Se, having the times of their lives.

But I was too. I smiled to myself. I didn't mind being with Zuko and Iroh, and seeing Jet every once in a while. As much as I hate to admit it, traveling with them was not something to go unnoticed. Though I think Zuko and I share the same fear.

We don't want to be here forever. I think Iroh is going to live here forever, and who can blame him, his son died here, he probably feels more connected here than anywhere else. That's how I would feel.

I turned my back to Zuko. I let out a sigh. My brain just wouldn't let me sleep today for some reason. Then all of a sudden Zuko's calm breathing halted. Oh no, did I wake him up?

"Kaida?" Darn. I feel bad now. I turn and look Zuko in the eyes.

"Sorry did I wake you?" I whisper so Iroh didn't wake up as well.

Zuko shook his head rubbing his eyes with both his hands. "What are you thinking about?" He asks, his voice a whisper.

"You don't need to worry. Go back to bed," I pull our covers up higher onto us.

"I'm awake now, just tell me," He put a hand on my cheek. I sigh and close my eyes.

"I don't want to be here forever." I opened my eyes, "I was just thinking about that." I said honestly, there was no point in lying to Zuko, he knows me inside and out. I didn't want to lie to him, not him of all people.

"Me neither." He looked out the window that was over my shoulder. "But for now, Uncle is happy, and we have nowhere else to be." He made eye contact with me once more. "Nowhere else we can go."

I smile, "we are the same." I rolled onto my back. "I'm just trying to enjoy this as much as I can. Who knows when I will have to leave you again." I put my hands on my stomach.

"Don't think about something like that." He put his hand over my eyes. "No point, just sleep." I notice how he didn't say, 'why don't you just stay with me?' Maybe he really didn't love me.

"Okay." I sighed with a frown. "Talk to you in the morning," I rolled my back to him. "Goodnight Zuko."

"Goodnight Kaida."

•• ━━━━━ ••●•• ━━━━━ ••

We were working once again and I was serving tea to an officer. Not to lie, but I was sweating bullets, it was like this guy could see right through me. I kept a tight grip over my sleeve, I don't know what would happen if someone knew what that dragon meant. Everyone in the Fire Nation knew.

"This is the best tea in the city!" The officer said as I was pouring another cup for him.

Iroh who was passing behind me spoke, "the secret ingredient is love." I rolled my eyes. In actuality, it was water and leaves, that only. Well, that and a little bit of heat.

Iroh waves a hand through the steam coming from the teapot and walks towards the back of the shop where the owner is. "I think you're due for a raise." I overheard the owner say to Iroh. My ears perked up at that. More money? Yes sir!

Not a second later, Jet slams the tea shop door open and steps inside. "I'm tired of waiting. These two men are firebenders!" I noticed how he didn't include me in that. Did he really not know that I was a fire bender? Wow, maybe I was a better liar than I expected. Wait, that shouldn't be a good thing.