Work Text:
"You cannot be serious."
She was. As serious as the heart attack that took his grandfather so many years ago.
So serious in fact that she had even convinced him, a grave man, to even go along with it to begin with. Oh, how comical it must have looked to see this scarred man walk about this seaside fair with quite possibly the most jovial soul to ever grace the earth. While he sulked like a willow tree she bounced about on her heels pointing at everything that caught her doe-like eyes: which was everything. From toys to snacks. Tourists to street performers. She had no shame in her excitement and even came to the point where she was infecting him with such giddy thoughts!
Before long Zuko found himself looking at the plushy koala-sheep and the fire flakes with sweet-sour sauce. Perhaps one treat couldn't hurt.
No no. Temperance. The quality in which one abstained from trivial things. From stupidity. From tasty biscuits and honey fritters.
From créme caramel... and...
Good Agni. How much money was he even spending on this? Ty Lee had to be carrying a dozen assortments of candy and snacks alone much less what he had laying on this park table as they sat down to eat.
"You cannot be serious."
She was. As serious as his father when he met any form of opposition.
In his hand he was already holding a singular coin ready to toss it into a fountain all for a stupid little superstition. She said that tossing a coin would bring about a singular wish and how it would always, "cross my heart or hope to die", always come true. He was incredulous, naturally. She was a firm believer. Well, it wasn't something strange as she always spent her time talking about people's "auras" as If she could see anyone's inner thoughts with that supernatural haze. Ty Lee tossed her own coin and clasped her hands together before uttering some nothings that Zuko could hardly make out or even care to know. What could she even wish for? New shoes? New dress? New books? What did girls even like? What would a girl like her even wish for?
Peace and love? Zuko scoffed at that thought. A snarky little laugh that was meant to insult but to giddy Ty Lee rolled off like water off a raincoat.
Whatever, Perhaps one coin couldn't hurt.
The waters split and rippled as his coin sank to the marble bottom. As he watched the copper sink he couldn't help but think about what he would wish for.
"You cannot be serious."
She was. As serious as a dozen plushes within his arms.
It was a zoo of doll-like animals of all kinds won most easily by him. It's not like he was seriously trying at the carnival games. It was all childish. It was all just meant to entertain her and placate her of that incessant whining.
Ty Lee just couldn't be told no. She NEEDED that plushy monkey or she needed that silk fan with a paradise bird painted on it. To get them was nothing serious, of course, just throw wooden balls into spinning wooden bowls or toss a bronze dart at a paper cutout of a turtleduck. Too easy for such an accomplished young man like Zuko.
And hey, seeing Ty Lee parade him around telling strangers all that he won for her was quite a nice feeling. It wasn't often he was praised for his work or valued for his worth. Sure it may have been simple things like stuffed animals but the way it made Ty Lee so ecstatic was.., charming. She was cute. Her doe like eyes like copper glowed. Her smile ear-to-ear. Her hugs warm and welcoming. Her words endearing and lively.
"You cannot be serious."
She was. As serious as a sea and the tide which could not be stopped by any human means.
He didn't like being bare yet there he was standing in the salty waters with only shorts and a craven look as his crossed arms worked tirelessly to hide his chest and his long raven bangs snaked down to hide his scar. Ty Lee had note this and kept the situation informal as to distract him from his own shame. She joked. She laughed. She played around and splashed him with water she kicked up with her legs. She even scooped up a conchshell and pretended to be frightened by the crab within in a very comedic fashion that finally prompted the young man to smile and leave his own shell.
He neared her. Arms outstretched and arms ready to grab hold of her at the waist and pick her up in a playful spin before they set her down back into the water. Ty Lee kicked more water at him and Zuko played back in kind when he used his arms to hurl a bay's full her way. In the shock and the excitement the young woman exclaimed that she had lost the sunglasses that rested upon her brown locks and at once began to search the surrounding waters for any sign of them.
Zuko, feeling guilty, obliged in helping the search and began to search around close to her: his fatal mistake. Athletic Ty Lee grabbed hold of him and pushed him into the waters in one resounding crash such to her clear amusement as seconds after when the young man finally recovered from the water and the surprise she burst out into a fit of laughter and revealed the sunglasses safely in her other hand.
A smile came upon him.
“You cannot be serious.”
She was. As serious as two people standing on a hillside lookout overlooking the sunset upon the orange sea.
This was a date?! Inconcievable! Zuko stepped back in shock at the sudden declaration from Ty Lee as she looked at him expactantly glowing with the sun. He figured this was just a common outing! Something to take his mind off his grueling tasks and his terrible family life! There was no way this could have been a romantic adventure especially not with all the stupid stuff they’ve been doing all day! How could Ty Lee even think of this as a date if it was just getting snacks and going to a fair and going to the beach and all sorts of childish and foolish thin-
“I am serious, Zuko.”
She neared him, lips pursed and eyes shut.
Sun shining behind her bringing light.
Perhaps auras did exist.
Perhaps she was a little serious.
And giddy and cute…