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It had been months since the Gaang had spent the night in a legitimate building of any kind, and at least a week since you had eaten a proper meal (not cooked by Sokka). When Aang suggested that the seven of you find a nice inn to put up for the night, there were no objections, even from Toph. Appa and Momo would stay back at your old camp for the night. As usual, Appa was in charge.
“It’s beyond perfect!” Katara explained after she and Aang had returned from scouting the inn-situation in the town. “They have a buffet, it’s not super expensive, and it’s run by the town fortune teller!”
You, Toph, Suki, and Zuko were familiar with the story of the last fortune teller the group had come across, so you recognized the hefty groan from Sokka. Katara had led with “buffet” for a reason.
“Fortune teller! I’m in on the food, but not on the whole psychic-powers thing. There doesn’t happen to be a volcano nearby, does there?” Sokka grumbled.
“No volcano!” Aang protested, “And, the most important part is yet to be told! You’ll never believe this, they have-”
“A FULL SPA! INCLUDED!” Katara interrupted, stars in her eyes.
“Hey, I wanted to give the big reveal…”
“Sorry, Aang, I got excited!”
“Ugh, they’re going to try to fix my feet again! I like’em the way they are!” Toph reminisced. You were too busy thinking about the glories of being properly clean, and tuned out on the rest of the conversation.
“Woah, it’s massive!” Suki gasped as you drew up closer to the inn. Resort was more like it.
The doors opened with a bang before Aang could knock.
“Welcome! Welcome! I have your room all set up. We don’t normally let guests stay without a reservation, especially not at the affordable rate you are being given, and to get one by the rules you’d have to book your stay months in advance… Anyway, I knew you were coming, and you are the avatar—plus six, so I’ve had a room set aside for a week. It was all we can spare, I hope you are all fine with sharing a bed. Our beds are large and luxurious, shouldn’t be a problem… Buffet is on the right, Spa is back that way, and your room is up two flights of stairs and the third room on the left. Here is the key, enjoy your stay!” with that, the fortune teller left you all standing dumbfounded in the middle of the hallway.
“The buffet is huuuge!” Sokka drooled.
“Share…a bed?” Katara whispered.
“I only sleep on the floor anyways,” Aang reasoned.
“I hope they have a hot tub!” Zuko enthused. Everyone’s heads snapped to him in surprise before agreeing with matched enthusiasm.
“I can’t wait to be properly clean!” You sighed, looking longingly at the spa doors. The interior of the hotel was very chic. The group voted to eat first, spa second, and crash in the room third. There were no belongings to drop off, so you hit the buffet in record time, with zero chit chat as everybody stuffed their faces.
“That was delicious,” Sokka grinned.
“Spa time!” You said, jumping up from your seat. This was going to be great!
After a visit to the shower locker room to get clean and changed into the spa attire (swimsuits and fluffy robes) you surveyed the area. There was a room for pedicures, a sauna, an empty cold pool, four hot tubs on the pool corners (two of which were full of creepy looking old guys, and the third with a bulky scary guy), a room for massages, and a mud-facial station.
You opted for the pool to start, Sokka and Suki for the sauna, Katara tugged Aang to the pedicure room, Toph went for the mud facial, and Zuko for the vacant hot tub. You folded your robe and set it on the side of the pool, dipping a toe experimentally before plunging in. It felt good to let the icy water numb your sore joints; you were a skilled fighter and the constant sparring challenges from Sokka had worn you through. After swimming for a few minutes, you noticed Zuko by himself in the hot tub. If you weren’t so frozen by the pool, you would’ve blushed at his toned shoulders. He looked relaxed, and it couldn’t hurt to have a little company, and the cold was starting to become a little too much. Now that you thought about it, weren’t you supposed to go from the hot tub or sauna to the cold pool, and not the other way around? Oh well. You pulled yourself out of the pool and shivered as you pulled your robe back around your shoulders, wrapping it across your front when you saw the old men looking.
It was an awkward walk around the pool to Zuko’s hot tub, though he thankfully seemed too preoccupied with untangling a knot in his hair to watch you approach. He took notice when you took a step onto the first shelf of the hot tub, shedding your robe and lowering yourself into the bubbling water. A blush rose to his cheeks, and he quickly returned to detangling his hair.
“This is the life,” You exhaled, sinking your shoulders down into the water to warm them from the pool before leaning back.
“Yeah, it’s pretty nice. Uncle had the right idea about hot tubs, he was always lounging in them before. Everyone thought he was lazy, but he really did know his stuff…this is great.” Zuko sighed and looked around the room. “I’m glad you came over. I know we’re all friends, but it’s been a bit awkward fitting into the group, y’know, finding someone to talk to and all that. You’ve really made me feel comfortable from the start, even before the three ‘field trip’ extravaganzas.”
“I’m glad,” you smiled before continuing, “And I understand, for the most part. It was difficult at first for me, too. I may not have made the leap from definite-enemy to friend,” Zuko’s mouth quirked, “but it took everyone a little while to trust me all the same. I was a bit of a stowaway, and they thought I might be a spy at first. Anyways, I was glad when you joined, and a bit surprised. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but it turns out you are kind and make great tea!”
“Thanks,” Zuko replied, blushing again and hoping it just looked like a flush from the hot water. He hadn’t known about how you’d joined team Avatar, he’d kind of assumed you’d fit right in immediately. You sparred often with Sokka, and everyone else seemed to like you a lot, too. “Uh oh,” He said, eyes widening.
You turned and saw Sokka and Suki sprinting out of the sauna and towards the cold pool. Towards you and Zuko’s end of the cold pool.
“CANNONBAAAALL!” Sokka yelled, followed by a half-laugh half-shhhh from Suki. The two splashed into the pool and sprayed cold water all over you and Zuko.
“Aw, man,” You sighed as you wiped the water off of your face. Sokka sidled up to the hot tub, leaning his arms on the barrier between the hot and cold water.
“How’re you two doing? Looking like peas in a pod out here.” Sokka grinned, before winking at a bewildered Zuko. Smooth, man, he mouthed, nice work!
Unfortunately for Sokka, you were literally right there for the whole exchange, and you hit him on the head.
“Ow,” He groaned, holding a hand to his head. You shot a smile at Suki, whose shoulders were shaking in silent laughter at her boyfriend.
“Yip yip,” You laughed, pushing Sokka off the divider wall.
“Alright, alright.” Sokka deadpanned, “I get it. You two want to be alone so that you can make heart eyes and compliment each other to death. It’s cool. I didn’t want a compliment anyway.”
He backstroked his way over to Suki and dunked her in the water. You watched her splash him in the eyes before turning back to your conversation with Zuko. After chatting with him for about an hour, you noticed your fingertips had wrinkled, and your toes felt equally as prune-y against the bottom of the hot tub.
“I think I’ll take a quick dip in the cool pool and go get a massage, care to join me? It seems my body’s been in the water longer than it likes.” You indicated your fingers. Zuko hesitated, he wasn’t really one for massages, but it was getting uncomfortably hot spending so long in the hot tub, even for a fire bender. And he enjoyed spending time with you, even if there wasn’t much talking in the way of massage-getting. Maybe there was a painful twinge in his neck, his right shoulder, he was kind of tense…everywhere.
“Uh, sure.” He said, standing up. You pried your eyes away from the tempting sight of water running down his torso and sat up on the divider wall, swinging a leg up.
“Ready?” You said, eyes widening from the chill as you dipped a toe in. “Go!”
The two of you plunged into the freezing water and came up gasping; it was such a harsh contrast to the hot tub.
Hair covered your eyes, and you pulled it away only to see Zuko dangerously close. Your eyes widened, any guard was down. There were no guards to lower in the first place. The guards were off duty.
“Huh?” Were your final words as he picked you up from your false sense of security and threw you further into the cold water. “Eek!” You yelped as you splashed down, this time staying under as you swam quickly back towards where he stood, pulling him off of the pool ladder and climbing out first. “To the massage room!” You cried, pointing with a valiant pose before running to the doors.
Zuko laughed breathlessly as he chased after you. From the other side of the room, Sokka, Suki, Aang, and Katara (having exited the pedicure room) stared in shock. Zuko was laughing and playing around? Zuko never laughed. Not even at Sokka’s brilliant jokes!
The massage was amazing, and you stretched happily as you exited the room, Zuko hot on your heels.
“I can’t believe he said I was the tensest person he’d ever massaged!” Zuko frowned, “Apparently I had a ‘centuries’ worth of stress in my back’…” He rolled his shoulders. “I do feel a lot better, now.”
“Good!” You grinned. “Let’s find the others, the spa will close soon, I bet. Besides, I’m so relaxed, I could pass out any second.”
After changing back into your normal clothes (now washed by the staff), you and the Gaang headed up to the room. It was certainly luxurious: the bed was huge, and there was a massive window with a balcony overlooking stars on the mountains.
You all stripped down as much as you felt comfortable, seeing as everyone would be in the same bed, and took turns in the bathroom. You merely removed your shoes and long-sleeved tunic, leaving you in leggings and the fitted top you wore for warmth while up on Appa. You got really cold in the high altitudes.
Katara was wearing leggings similar to yours, Aang was dressed and passed out on the floor by the door, Sokka was in a black undershirt and pants, Suki hadn’t changed (her travelling clothes felt light compared to the Kyoshi warrior garb), Toph was already asleep fully-clothed near the middle of the bed, and Zuko had taken off his boots and outer layer, leaving him in his matching red wrap V-neck shirt and flowy pants.
“Should we get Aang off of the floor?” Zuko asked, looking down at him worriedly.
“Nah, he kicks,” reassured Sokka, “Besides, he either sleeps on the floor or Appa’s tail every night, so it’s the norm.”
Without further conversation, you all climbed into bed.
On Toph’s left (and larger) side, Suki, Sokka, and Katara climbed in, in that order. On the right side, Zuko slid in, leaving you to lay next to him.
It was nearly impossible to sleep knowing he was right there…all handsome and asleep and stuff. You shifted, facing away from him, then on your back, then facing away from him again as you struggled to calm your racing heart. It was a tight fit, even with the monstrosity of the bed, and Toph’s widespread approach to sleep wasn’t making things any easier. Zuko was staring up at the ceiling, his heart pounding each time you inevitably brushed against him. There was no position to lie in without touching somewhere.
On the other side of Toph, things were easier. Suki and Sokka had no qualms about cuddling up, and Katara had slept next to her brother plenty of times because they grew up together. You and Zuko eventually fell asleep, you on your back, and him on his side facing towards you.
You were both so relaxed from the hot tub and massage, and so exhausted from a brush with insomnia, that you didn’t notice when Toph flailed in the night. The impact from one of her arms lightly shoved Zuko onto his front and partially on top of you, and on her other side Toph was kneeing a now alert Suki in the lower back, which jostled Sokka and Katara awake as well.
“Ow,” whispered Suki, rubbing a hand to her spine.
“Hey, look!” Sokka whispered back. He had sat up, and was pointing over Toph to where Zuko had fallen onto you in a cuddling position. His shoulder overlapped your body, the connected arm had wrapped up to where his hand rested on the far side of your head. His nose nuzzled into your neck, chin resting on your shoulder, a leg draped between your own.
The two of you were thoroughly entangled. As Katara, Suki, and Sokka looked on, you shifted in your sleep to further accommodate Zuko, wrapping your free arm around his waist and turning your face into his dark hair, now mussed from sleep and being shoved by Toph.
“Aww, how cute,” Katara murmured, smiling. “Let’s get back to bed, I don’t want to disturb them.”
Sokka and Suki laid back down in agreement.
Aang woke with the sun, Sokka not long after. “Wake up everyone! This outing was carefully worked into our schedule, and we need to be on the move! Come on, come on, wake up guys!”
Zuko didn’t want to wake up. He was more comfortable than he’d ever been, the pillow smelled great, the pillow was holding him, the pillow was holding him?
“Just a little longer, Sokka, you’re crazy…I’m so cozy…” Your arms tightened around a slim waist. Wait. You opened your eyes.
Zuko was in your arms. His head rested on your shoulder, your nose in his hair, his fingers brushing the side of your neck, your legs tangled. The sunlight made him glow with warmth, and you blinked in shock at both the brightness of the morning and the way you two had snuggled in the night. You could feel his warmth intermingling with your own, and you could feel a flush rising in your face.
The hand that had touched the side of your neck now tangled in the base of your hair as Zuko stretched as much as he could while still wrapped up in you. He was fully regaining consciousness now, and wasn’t quite sure what to do.
“Um,” He said, unsure of whether or not he should apologize for lying on top of you, but also unsure of whether he should attempt to get up, as your arms were across his back. He decided on “Good morning.” His lips brushed against your collarbone as he spoke, and he could feel goosebumps spreading across your skin.
“G-good morning,” you responded. Toph had rolled out of bed and was walking towards where Aang and Katara were out on the balcony. Suki and Sokka were out of sight, probably brushing their teeth.
“Everyone better be up by the time I get back out there! That means you, too, lovebirds!” Sokka shouted from the bathroom, and you released your grip on Zuko’s waist as he extricated his legs from yours. It appeared that the two of you were just going to pretend this was normal. This is fine. Everything is fine.
The hand that was in your hair moved to the side to help Zuko push off from the bed, his face flushed as he met your eyes briefly before glancing to the side as he sat on the edge of the bed now.
You propped yourself up.
“Did you sleep well?” Zuko asked politely, eyes trained sheepishly on the floor, face a fiery blush. “I didn’t disturb you?”
“I slept great,” You confessed, “best I’ve slept in a long time.”
“Really?” He said, looking back at you. A few seconds passed in silence.
“Oh, come here,” You smiled, reaching around the back of his neck and nudging him gently towards you. He smiled back and kissed you firmly, letting one hand cup the side of your face while the other ran through your hair and came to rest on the wall beside your head.
“I like you,” He murmured against your lips, then kissed you again. “A lot,” He added.
“I like you a lot too,” You responded, your breath catching when he softly bit your bottom lip.
“We’d better get up before Sokka finds us still in bed,” You said, giving him one last peck as you stood up, his face chasing yours for a millisecond longer.
“Damn straight,” Sokka remarked, hands on his hips.
Out on the balcony, Toph and Suki joined Katara and Aang as they watched the sun climb in the sky.
“You know, Toph” Suki said, “You sure can flail something fierce in your sleep.”
“Yeah!” Katara said. “You woke me up too, and I was two people removed from the impact.”
“I don’t flail in my sleep,” Toph said, smirking smugly. “I just assisted a situation that needed assisting.” She nodded back towards the room, where you stood next to Zuko.
“But…why did you knee me in the back, then?” Suki muttered.
“Oh, just collateral damage.”
“Hey!”