Hey. I wanted to start changing Zuko because he's cringy, so I decided to make this chapter. The change won't be immediate, but let me know what I can write better. There's also the beginning of a romance plot here. Enjoy.
Please comment and write reviews. It helps the fanfic reach other people.
Chapter 18
A few days after the incident, life at the teahouse returned to normal. No police or Pro Heroes came to question Zuko again.
The case was simple. They had the perpetrator. No one was harmed. The court doesn't have time to deal with practically solved cases, so it was officially closed.
Villain was taken into custody, where he awaits trial. He had already been questioned, but he remembered little. He didn't even know who attacked him, or he hid his shame at being defeated by the teenager.
Iroh covered up the incident from Pixie-Bob. Zuko pretended nothing had happened, so the old general decided to do the same.
Kyoka had trouble accepting Zuko's actions. The truth was, he had saved the hostages, and no one had been harmed except for the villain. She began to observe him more closely.
A month had passed since they started living and working together, and he was still so unavailable.
He mostly trained alone, unless they happened to go to the gym. Back then, he'd been training with Shoji or other guys.
He didn't initiate conversations, but he would answer if someone asked him something. It irritated her that he and Shoji had this secret language of 'nodding'. She didn't understand how they managed to understand each other.
One evening, when she found herself alone with Iroh, she decided to talk to him.
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*FLASHBACK*
Kyoka stopped wiping the table mid-work.
"Mr. Iroh?"
Iroh was sweeping the floor. He didn't like using the vacuum cleaner. He looked up at her with a warm gaze and asked with a smile.
"Why is Zuko... like this?"
Iroh stopped sweeping. He leaned the broom against the wall. He sat down at the nearest table and gestured for her to join him.
"Like what exactly, Miss Jiro?"
Kyoka sat opposite, nervously twirling one of her jacks between her fingers.
"Well... so withdrawn. He acts like he doesn't care about the world, but his actions prove otherwise. It's not that he's unpleasant. He's... okay. He helps out at the tea shop, he's efficient. But sometimes I look at him and I get the impression he's carrying something enormous on his shoulders. Something he doesn't want to share with anyone. Not even you."
Iroh sighed softly. The scent of jasmine tea wafted through the air, bringing momentary solace.
"Zuko... carries a burden. Because of his quirk, he considers himself a guardian of sorts. Someone whose duty it is to protect people from all threats. He believes that great power comes with great responsibility."
"Is it because of that earthquake? He helped save many people!"
Iroh nodded.
"He saved many, but not all. And since that day, he blames himself for every death he failed to prevent."
"That's absurd!"
Iroh smiled sadly.
"Not for him. If I understand correctly, your quirk significantly enhances your hearing, right?"
The girl nodded cautiously in agreement. Iroh continued.
"Zuko's quirk... allows him to feel vibrations through the earth."
"So... he felt them underground?"
"Every heartbeat. Every last beat as the earth suffocated them. For my grandson, this is a defeat he can't accept."
"It wasn't his fault."
"You're right, Miss Jiro, but it doesn't matter to him. He believes he should have stopped the avalanche. He blames himself for not being strong enough to prevent the tragedy. Zuko has a powerful quirk and is very talented. That's part of his problem. He blames himself without justification."
A vision formed in Kyoka's mind of how she might react if she heard the heartbeats of the people she couldn't save stop... and she didn't know how she would react. A chill of dread ran through her.
"To feel people dying... and not be able to do anything."
Iroh smiled gently.
"Do you understand his behavior now?"
Kyoka shook her head.
"No... I don't understand. I can't understand it. I don't even know how to understand it, but I think Zuko is afraid. Afraid of failing again. I think I know why he was so insistent on training at U.A."
Iroh nodded.
"I think so too. He doesn't want to get stronger for fame or fortune."
Kyoka shuddered as she realized something.
"He wants to get stronger so that next time he doesn't have to hear someone die."
*END OF FLASHBACK*
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Kyoka checked her watch. 11 p.m. Everyone should be asleep by now. Her room was right next to Zuko's. She pressed her phone against the wall... it wasn't like she wanted to spy on him! She was just... worried. Yes. She was just checking if he was okay.
She heard movement, and then the door to Zuko's room opened. He walked down the hall and went down the stairs. He didn't come back.
She put on her slippers and went out into the hall. She carefully descended the stairs.
She found him sitting at the table. Part of his face was illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window.
She stared at him for a moment. She knew he knew of her presence through his quirk... She didn't know his range, but it was definitely greater than the few meters separating them.
She went to the kitchen and turned on the light. She reached for the milk in the fridge and pulled out some cocoa from the drawer.
She boiled milk and prepared two mugs of the drink.
She left the kitchen, leaving the door open so the light could partially illuminate her path to Zuko.
He looked at her with tired eyes.
"I think I woke you up. Sorry."
She placed the mugs on the table and sat down next to her. She shook her head.
"I couldn't sleep anyway. Why aren't you sleeping?"
"I can't."
"Why?"
"If I'm not tired enough, I... have unpleasant dreams."
"Nightmares?"
Zuko didn't answer. He reached for the cocoa.
Kyoka looked at the tired face of the boy who had decided to take on more than anyone else could bear.
"Zuko... You can't live like this..."
"I know."
His answer surprised her.
"Then why are you acting like this? You'll burn out before you finish school, man."
"I don't want to live like this, I just don't know how to stop. I know it's stupid. I know Iroh's right. That Mom is worried. But if only I were a little stronger..."
Kyoka placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're not a god, Zuko. You're human. You have your limits. Maybe not the same as others, but you do have them."
"Jiro. I know you're right. I'm just too stupid to do otherwise."
"No. You're not stupid, just stupidly stubborn."
Zuko snorted softly, and Kyoka took it as a small victory.
"It's easier for me to train than to think. When I have too much free time, I..."
Kyoka squeezed his arm lightly.
"Don't do that, Zuko... think of something else. What do you like to do?"
Zuko shook his head, but replied.
"I used to like playing at arcades."
"Did you?"
"I don't know if I can still enjoy playing. Ever since that avalanche, I..."
"So, we're going to the arcade tomorrow."
"Excuse me?"
Kyoka stood up and stretched.
"I said. Tomorrow. We're going. To. The. Arcade. I won't accept any excuse. Come on, you need to get some sleep."
Zuko hesitated for a moment. He didn't move. Kyoka sighed lightly after a moment, remembering that he suffered from nightmares. A stupid and absurd idea struck her. Her heart beat a little faster.
"Listen. Let's do this. I'll help you fall asleep on the condition that you never, ever tell anyone about this. If you do, I'll stab you to death."
Her jaws rose alarmingly in the air, but a blush adorned her cheeks.
"Um... You don't have to."
"Listen to me, Zuko. Either you go to bed right now, or I'll drag you there myself."
"You don't have to do this."
"Damn it. I KNOW I don't have to, but I WANT to. What kind of pro hero would I be if I can't help someone?"
Without waiting for his answer, she grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him toward the stairs. Zuko, too surprised to resist, was standing there.
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Zuko's room was sparse, depressing to be honest. On the desk was a laptop and several metal spheres of various sizes. A large bed sat against the wall. The walls were devoid of posters, just like Jiro's room.
"God, man. We need to bring some life into this space. What are you planning to do here? Your future tomb?"
Zuko sat on the edge of the bed and shrugged.
"There just hasn't been time."
"We've been here a month. Admit it. You're too lazy to do anything here. Luckily, you've met me, and I already have a plan for how to use this space."
Kyoka smiled triumphantly, picturing the posters on the walls. But she quickly regained her composure. She had come here with a purpose. She climbed onto the bed and pushed away the pillow.
"Again. If you mention this to anyone, I'll kill you and then commit suicide. Got it?"
She didn't wait for an answer. Using her quirk, she pulled Zuko onto the bed and cradled his head on her lap.
For a moment, she thought Zuko would stop her, or think she was a weirdo. Nothing happened. He didn't comment on her behavior. After a few moments, she placed her hand on his head.
She slowly threaded her fingers through his hair and began to brush it.
She felt her face heat up. Zuko stiffened for a split second. He exhaled slowly. She whispered to him, her voice trembling.
"Don't... don't think about anything... just close your eyes, okay?"
He didn't answer her, but she felt him begin to relax. His breathing slowed.
*What am I doing?*
A thought flashed through her mind as she gently scratched his scalp with her fingernails.
She hadn't thought this through carefully. She wanted to help him, but now she wasn't sure if it was still just help... or something more.
"You're safe... get some rest, Zuko."
Kyoka looked down at him, biting her lip.
Oh shit. He'd fallen asleep.
It was dangerously intimate. Too intimate for someone who barely knew him a month ago. And yet, even though she knew she should, she couldn't bring herself to stop.
Her fingers continued to lazily run through his hair. Kyoka herself was starting to feel sleepy. Her eyelids were growing heavier. She shook her head a few times, trying to shake off the tiredness.
*Damn... I can't sleep here.*
She tried very gently to replace her thighs with a pillow so she could go back to her room. It didn't work.
Sleeping Zuko buried his head even further into her thighs, muttering something incomprehensible.
*Damn it, Jiro. What have you gotten yourself into? Stupid, stupid, stupid!*
She sighed heavily, and her fingers returned to his hair, stroking it lazily until her own eyelids felt too heavy.
She had no idea how she would explain herself tomorrow.
End of Chapter 18