ooc:: log:: part 2/2

[hex_you_up]

Who: Ginny and Zuko
When: Last week -- the 8th
Where: Ember Island, in the Fire Nation
What: More emoing. Some other shit.

Rating: Still PG.



"It's nothing," Zuko said quietly.

"You too," Ginny said, offering Suki a smile as she left.

As the door closed she sighed, and then went back over to stand behind Zuko. "Please don't shut down on me, love," she said, resting a hand on his back.

"The last time I was in this room..." he said quietly. "Was when I was a kid. Before everything. Back when things were...nice."

"What about it?" She stepped a bit closer to him, leaning her cheek against his shoulder. Physical contact seemed to help him.

"Now... I'm here again," he continued, not looking at her. "And everything's changed."

"That's what usually happens," she said gently. "Why is it bothering you so much?"

"I was last here with my mother...." His voice was quiet.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, she thought. Rather than saying anything she slid her arms around his waist and hugged him.

He murmured softly when she hugged him, and turned his head to look at her. However, he said nothing.

"It'll be all right," she whispered after a long silence.

"So...." He turned around to face her, resting his hands on her waist. "What was that thing you didn't want to tell me about a few days ago?"

"Oh-- Zuko, I don't..." she trailed off, looking away from him. She really didn't want to revisit the subject.

"It really concerns me..." He frowned. "Why won't you tell me about it? It can't be that bad."

"Yes it can," she disagreed.

"No...." He shook his head. "You've nothing to worry about. No matter what you say, nothing will change. I'm with Mai. Nothing you say will change how I feel. I'm just worried that something is bothering you so terribly."

She sighed. "It's not that. It's not -- it's not you. It's the thing."

"What thing?" He arched a brow. "Tell me."

Did she really want to have this conversation with him? she wondered. Wouldn't he just think it was proving his opinion of her husband right?

Then again, he wasn't likely to leave her alone until she told him, she reasoned. She'd done the same thing to him in the past.

"Sometimes I wonder why Light asked me to marry him," she said finally, her voice flat.

"Here...." Zuko turned her around and guided her to the bed. "Lie down and explain. I think I know a way to help you relax."

"'Kay." She let him lead her to the bed and help her climb onto it, and then she lay down and curled up into a little ball with her hands tucked under her cheek. "I just... I don't..." She stopped to collect her thoughts. "There's a big difference between dating somebody and being married to them," she managed after a moment.

"There is," he agreed, settling in behind her. "You never really know someone until you live with them..." He let out a hot breath that tickled the back of her neck, and then placed his hands on her shoulders. They were warm. "Which I kind of did for a little while, in case you don't remember." He thought of that one time he went up against Azula and had almost gotten killed. He'd gone to her flat to recover.

She nodded. "That isn't my point, though. When I married Light, my entire life changed. I moved to a strange country where I didn't speak the language. For all intents and purposes I gave up my career, too, I think I've done maybe six shoots since then. Light... doesn't seem to have been affected. I don't know if he's resisting it or if he just doesn't care and either way if it's true why did he ask me to marry him?" She was talking very quickly so she wouldn't have to think too much about what she was saying. "I could have just dated him. I'd have been happy just to be with him at all. I can't imagine he did it just for me. So why?"

"This is just my opinion, but..." He bit his lip. His hands heated to a temperature that wasn't hot enough to burn, and he then started massaging your shoulders. "He might just want to have you around for the sake of having you around. There are guys out there who just pride in having a woman waiting for them at home, and someone there to sleep with. Without really caring for them and what they want. And...or... He may have just done it because you decided you'd rather be with him.... Rather be with him than me. Who you spent a lot of time with, and loved you unconditionally. Who went out on a limb to get you anything you wanted and tried to protect you. The fact you gave all that up... Probably hit some sort of nerve in him. Made him think 'Well if she gave all that up for me... Well then okay. If it's me she wants, then I'll be what she gets.' And he also probably did it to make sure he had you for himself. And that anything else you did you'd have to have his permission. If you were just dating, hate to say it, you may have been more likely to get around. But marriage is binding. And something in him knew that if he married you it'd pretty much keep you in a case." He sighed, pausing for a second, as if thinking. "But that's just what I think."

"I just want him to love me," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. "That's all."

"I'm going to tell you something...." His voice lowered. "You probably don't want to hear it, but I think you should. All the times I confronted him, before and after you two hooked up... He never said he loved you. I think I said it more. When I went to beat the shit out of him, he was just defending his own ass. I can tell just by how he fought he wasn't doing it for anyone but himself. And the things I tell him, he reacts to them as more of a sting to his pride than anything. I do believe he cares for you as a close friend... But other than that. No. I didn't get a single vibe off him. I got more loving vibes from your cat."

"He's said it to me," she said. "That first night... when I went to talk to him... I felt it then. He told me he loved me and he just... held me all night and I don't understand why that changed. Every once in a while he does something that reminds me of that night--" She sniffled and reached up to scrub at her eyes with a fist. "I mean, I know he's not a demonstrative person anyway, and that's fine, but... I just want to feel like I mean something special to him. Is that so much to ask?"

He fell silent for a minute. For once he thought hard before he spoke. "For some people... It is."

"I love him so much," she said quietly. "I've never even wondered why. I just do. I love him so much it's an actual, physical feeling sometimes." She wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "I just want him to love me," she repeated herself, her voice breaking on the words.

He sighed, and continued massaging her shoulders, resting his chin on top of her head. "I've got a question for you..."

"Mhm?"

"You..." His voice lowered. "You never doubted me...how I felt... Did you?"

"Never for an instant," she replied. "I never had to. I could always tell, just by the way you looked at me--" She choked on a sob.

"Shh..." He hugged her. "It's alright." Against his better judgment he nuzzled her cheek and gave it a quick kiss.

At that she finally gave up fighting tears; her face crumpled and she turned her face to sob brokenly into the pillow.

Face red, Zuko panicked for a moment. Worried that someone would come running, worried if he did something. He chewed his lip and debated what to do. "Shhh...." He murmured, rubbing her back with one hand. "Please don't cry... It's okay...."

"It's not, it's not," she managed. "I just-- want someone-- to love me--"

"You do have someone...." He bit his lip.

She hardly heard him. "All I've-- ever wanted--" She took several deep, shuddering breaths, trying to calm down enough to at least be able to speak. "All I've ever wanted was a family of my own. I wanted to be like my parents, they've been married for decades and they're still just as much in love with each other as they were when they were kids, and that was all I wanted out of life, I just wanted a family like the one I had but mine, and I thought I had it but-- but--" She wailed and turned her face back into the pillow.

"....You probably wouldn't have been happy with me either," he said quietly. "My world...my country....is vastly different from yours. There's a language and thousands of rules and customs you'd have to learn. You'd probably have to hide your magic, or else risk being treated like a freak. As happy as I would've been to have you.... I know you would've been miserable after a while...."

Ginny waited a long time to respond, getting herself under control enough to be able to speak clearly. "What do I do?" she finally whispered.

"....I...." He chewed his lip and glanced away. "I don't know. You know I'm willing to do just about anything for you. After the war ends...and if I make it... You're welcome to stay with me anytime. Mai likes you so she probably wouldn't mind."

She shook her head. "I can't leave him, Zuko. I love him too much. And-- and the baby..." One hand drifted down to rest on her stomach.

"Well...If you need to just get away for a while... Change of scenery? I'd like to have you...." He smirked. "And you know my guy already likes your guy..."

"You don't understand. I need him." Her other hand scrubbed at her eyes again. "It-- he's all tangled up with me," she said, trying to explain how integral he'd become to her very existence. "I can't just--" She made a motion with one hand, placing a fist over her heart and then slinging her arm as though she was throwing something away from her.

"You can't use him to justify your existence." He shook his head. "A man shouldn't complete you. You complete yourself. Your partner needs to work with you, balance you out. For your positive he's your negative and vice versa. You'll never feel happy...until you complete yourself."

"I know. I just... don't know how anymore." She shook her head.

His hands slid up the back of her shirt and he put a little bit of warmth on her back. "It's something that happens with time..."

"I can't keep living like this, though," she said. "I know it's bad for me, I can feel it -- breaking me down and turning me into someone I don't like and I don't know what to do about it."

"Anything you want me to do?" he asked softly, gently moving his hands up and down. "...Is this helping at all?"

She nodded. "Can you maybe just... hold me for a while?" she asked, feeling as she did so another wave of tears trying to sneak up on her. "I just need to feel like somebody cares."

"...Sure," he nodded. He shifted so he could scoop her up and wrap his arms around her. "Like this?"

She sniffled and burrowed into his chest, feeling tears escaping her eyes even though she tried to blink them back. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Mm..." he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head. He wasn't sure what else to do.

Ginny took several minutes to calm herself down, closing her eyes and getting her tears under control. Finally, she sat up, pushing her hair out of her face and wiping at her eyes, hoping she wasn't smearing eye makeup everywhere. "Thanks, Zuko," she said again, offering him the tiniest of smiles.

"Everything is going to be fine," he assured her, even though he wasn't so sure himself. He smiled briefly before sighing and glancing away.

"What is it?" she asked, concerned.

"Nothing, nothing," Zuko sighed again, flopping back on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling.

"Zuko. What."

"It's nothing," he said quietly, but in that Clearly I'm Overthinking About Something And Will Sulk About It In A Few Seconds tone of his.

"I know you far too well to fall for that, love," she said.

"No..." He groaned, flipping himself over so he could smother his face in the pillow.

"I'm only trying to help," she said gently.

He sat up for a moment to gently grab her and pull her back down with him on the bed. "I don't like hovering. Makes me feel like a child."

She snorted and curled up next to him. "Okay. Now tell me what's eating you."

"I wish something was eating me," he grumbled. "Be a nice change."

"Zuko!" She smacked him lightly across the chest. "Seriously. How'm I meant to be a good friend if I can't help you when you're hurting, hmm?"

"I just have a lot to think about," he replied softly, shifting himself to avoid touching her. "Nothing bad, really."

"Zuko." She gave him a Look.

"I'm fine," he said, rolling away from her.

"I don't believe you."

"I'm fine," he repeated.

"And I don't believe you."

"Believe what you will then," he grumbled.

"I just want to help you," she said. "You sat here and listened to me have a freaker. The least I can do is try to help you."

"You did earlier," he reminded her.

"And you're also my friend and I don't like to see my friends hurting," she continued.

"I'm going to 'hurt' for a while," he said quietly. "Nothing you can do."

"I can listen," she offered.

"I already told you what's bugging me," he grumbled.

"Oh." She sighed and gnawed on her lip for a moment. "Zuko..." she said finally. "I'm not going to tell you that you don't have any reason to be scared, because that wouldn't be true. But I do think if you had a little more faith in yourself, you'd feel better about it." She sat up and leaned over so she could see his face. "Please let me help you."

He debated thinking of something else to say on the matter, but he already said what he felt. There was no changing it. "It's fine..." He shook his head as he sat up slightly. "I'll know where I stand soon enough. For now we just got to prepare." He bit his lip. "You hungry at all? I could get you something."

She looked at him for a moment, debating pushing him until he talked to her. Finally, though, she decided to let the subject drop for the time being. "Sure," she said.

"You okay with spice?" he asked, standing up. "That's all I really make."

She shrugged. "Sure. No weird cravings at the moment. Help me up," she added, sticking out a hand.

He took her by the hand and gently helped her to her feet. "This way," he instructed as he guided her out the door. "There's some stuff in the main kitchen."

"Am I supposed to be quiet again?" she stage-whispered as she followed him down the hall.

"Nah," Zuko shrugged. "They know we're here now." He led her down a different staircase to a short corridor that emptied into a larger, better kept kitchen. "In the icebox, I made some soup, if you want some...."

"'Kay." She climbed up to sit on the edge of the giant butcher-block island in the middle of the kitchen. "Where is everybody, anyway?"

"Aang's probably training outside with Katara and Toph," he guessed. "As for Sokka... Well... Suki is his girlfriend.... I don't think I want to know what they're up to." It was hard to hide a grimance and a begrudging look as he sorted through various pots in the icebox before pulling out an iron bowl with a glass lid. He placed it on the stove and his hand on either side. It glowed red for a moment before it started to steam. He then took the lid off and grabbed two bowls from a high cupboard and poured enough for each of them.

"Useful trick," she said, taking the bowl he handed to her. "Before I eat this -- what is it?"

"Hm..." He tapped his head as if it took a lot of thought. "It's called Dragon's Fire Soup here.... Uh... I think I may have had your world's equivalent when I went to a Chinese place with Misa... Um... Hot and Sour, I think?"

"Oh, okay." The soup was hot, but it wasn't too spicy for her to get down. "I liked her," she added after a moment, referring to Suki.

"She's okay," he shrugged and then trook a sip. It would've appeared crude if he were in the Western part of the other world, but he downed it right form the bowl like it was the most normal thing ever. "I admire her skills in combat." And then as an afterthought. "She's not bad for him... Sokka that is..." It was hard to keep a sad glint from hinting in his eyes.

"Mai's good for you," Ginny said. "Much better than that idiot ever was." She still hadn't forgiven Sokka for being so awful to her.

"Hm..." Zuko grunted, glancing out the cracked, slightly opened window, that was above the washbasin. He then brought his attention back to the bowl cupped in his hands. "I know you don't like him... He has his biases... Especially when it comes to things he doesn't understand, or afraid of.... He didn't like me at first, remember?"

"That doesn't excuse him for being an immature berk," she said shortly.

He wasn't sure why he still felt the need to apologize for him, or try to justify his behavior, and Zuko was startled by that fact. "You accept my behavior, and I'm a lot worse than him," he pointed out.

"You've also matured since I met you," she said. "More often than not, when you do something idiotic, it's because you think you're funny. You've grown and gotten better. He hasn't."

"He has so," Zuko snapped bitterly. "I had my doubts when we went to that prison. But he proved himself in the end...." He didn't want to add that several attempts to get back out of the prison had failed, and if it hadn't been for Suki and a prisoner they befriended they probably would still be there at that moment. "He just makes up his mind when he really doesn't like something." He let out a sigh with an expression on his face that was either long-suffering puppy love, or unrelented teenaged lust. Both expressions on his face looked startlingly similar.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Someone's defensive."

"I'm not," he grumbled after downing the last of his soup. He then put the bowl down, folded his arms, and sulked.

"You just snarled at me, Zuko."

"..." He thought for a second. "...No."

"Oh, yes you did." She put her own bowl down, tilting her head consideringly at him. "You're still not over him, are you."

"I am too," he replied a little too quickly, frowning and looking at the window.

"You're not!" she exclaimed, surprised.

"What did I just tell you?" He grumbled.

"Oh, Zuko."

Zuko grunted. "What?"

"You're no good at letting go, are you, sweetheart," she said softly.

"I'm fine," he turned away from her. giving her his back.

"I'm not either, you know," she said gently.

He said nothing, just made a gruff, garbled, annoyed noise.

"I just want you to be happy, love," she told him.

He was highly irritated that the subject had been brought up in the first place. While he was over a lot of things, for some odd reason, this was still a sore spot for him. Probably because he saw Sokka all the time and they both agreed to no longer acknowledge their previous relations. It may have been that reason why he was still hurt. "Whatever."

"What can I do to help, Zuko?" she pressed. She hated seeing him so sad about something, and feeling as though she couldn't fix it.

"Nothing!" Zuko replied a little too sharply, and then turned a chair around and sat in it the wrong way so he could sulk better.

"Zuko." Ginny hopped off the counter and crossed the room to him, crouching down in front of the chair so she was in his line of sight. "You're my best friend. I hate seeing you like this. Please let me help."

"Everything's fine..." he said quietly. "I'm with Mai again. Things are fine." There was a subtle hint of doubt, but he did sound pretty sure of himself.

"I know you better than that," she said.

"If you know me so well then why are you pressing into it?" he grumbled. "I know things happen I can't change, but that doesn't mean I like it, alright? Fuck."

"Because I can tell there's more than just... the war bothering you," she said. "Like I said. You're my best friend. It makes me sad when you're hurting."

"I'm never happy," he said flatly.

"I'd like to think that's not true."

He sighed. "It is."

She hesitated a moment, looking away. "Were you happy when-- when we were together?"

He really did not want to answer that. "Yes..." He said quietly. "...And no."

"...What's that mean?" she asked, still not looking at him.

"I was happy..." he whispered. "...When I was with you. But there was so much going on... It was a nightmare at the same time..."

She nodded. She couldn't think of anything to say.

"I was afraid a lot...." he explained. "I was still a fugitive. I thought Mai had moved on to something...better. And felt down on my luck a lot. When I was with you it was nice....but your friends...and things you did... It was a lot of stress...." He then looked away from her. "...Sorry."

"...Yeah." She stood up and went back to lean against the counter.

He looked up at her. "Did I say something....wrong?"

"No. It's okay." She gave him a small, tight smile.

"No..." Zuko shook his head and stepped over to her. "I don't like that look."

"I'm all right." She played with a bit of her hair. "I'm always all right," she added under her breath, very sardonically.

"No, no," he shook his head. "I know you better than that." He kneeled a bit so he was level with her. "What?"

"I have the strangest sense of deja vu," Ginny said to nobody in particular.

"You just said something similar to me about an hour ago," he chuckled.

"Yeah, I know I did."

"Now it's my turn," he said in a very serious tone. "What is it?"

She shrugged, still not meeting his eyes. "I'm just... not in the happiest of places right now."

"Can I kiss it better?" He asked jokingly.

She just gave him a sad look in response.

"Is that a yes? No? Maybe?" He smirked, looking into her eyes.

"Don't," she protested weakly.

"Alright," he laughed softly. "Just trying to help you feel better."

"Well it's not helping," she snapped.

"...What?" He looked startled and hurt.

"I'm just." She rubbed at her eyes, which were starting to sting. "Not. I don't know. I'm sorry."

"Gin'...." He frowned. "Come on...."

"I don't know what you want me to do," she said flatly.

"Something is bothering you," he said quietly.

"I told you what's bothering me. I did the big fucking emotional breakdown thing." She folded her arms and looked away.

"Don't swear at me, babe," he said sternly. "It's not lady-like." He then quickly gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You know I'd do just about anything for you, yeah?"

"I'm not ladylike. And yeah, I know. Thanks and all, but that really doesn't do much for my emotional state." She knew she was being a bitch, but she couldn't help it.

At that moment, he snapped. Just acted by instinct. He slapped her across the face. "What's the big problem? You've got everything you want. And more. Try jumping into something, knowing you'd lose half your family afterwards. And their blood would be on your hands. You've got it so nice now. So why are you bitching about it?" This was the first time he raised his voice with her in a long while.

Ginny was too shocked to even move. She just stared at him, tears rolling down her face. "How..." she began, but she didn't know what she had been planning to say, so she stopped.

"Why do you do this?" He snapped. "You tell me things get better and it's not so bad. That I should stop worrying and thinking about everything. You've got everything you want. A job you love. Your husband. You've got a family you wanted. The rest of your family is around and happy. You've got nothing to be bitchy about." He lunged at her and pinned her where she stood. "You've got everything. What would you do if you were told that the only way for things to be right in the world would be if you had to kill your parents? Huh? How would you handle that? Or what if you've had everything stripped from you because that's what fate decided? I can't think of a possible reason for you to be upset!"

She flinched away from him. "Let me go, Zuko," she said, her voice unsteady. "Just let me go, and I'll go home."

"Not until you answer this for me," he said, his tone low and even again. He looked her dead in the eye. "Do you honestly regret leaving me, or were you lying?'

"I regret having to hurt you," she said carefully, blinking hard as she tried to stop crying.

"But do you regret leaving me? Like you said earlier?" he repeated.

"I didn't say that," she disagreed.

"It came up in a cry-fit," he said. "When you were going on and on about how fagface doesn't love you."

"No, Zuko." She shook her head.

"Come with me..." he said quietly. "We shouldn't do this here."

"Fine." She climbed off the counter, swiping at her eyes, still not understanding what was going on.

He picked her up swiftly with both his arms, like she weighed next to nothing, and stalked down to the corridor that led to the staircase near his bedroom. "See? I got fancy tricks too."

She shrieked. "Zuko! Stop-- be careful oh my god."

"Don't worry," he smirked, taking the stairs two at a time and then practically flying down the hall to his room. The door burst open when he hit the knob with his knee, and he padded to the bed to set her down on it. After he closed and locked the door he sat beside her. "Better."

She flinched reflexively away from him. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," he shook his head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a hug. "It's just, if you're going to get all scream-y and shit I'd rather do it up here than where people would come running."

"I'm... not..." she trailed off. She didn't want to set him off again by telling him that he was the one who'd been screaming at her.

"Argh...." he groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I'm a wreck... You're a wreck.... The fuck is wrong with us?"

She shrugged. "I dunno."

"It's like something out there is trying to tell us something and the message isn't getting through," he said thoughtfully.

"Like what?" she asked, getting up and walking toward the window. He was making her nervous; his outburts were never that short and there was undoubtedly another one coming.

"I don't know," Zuko shrugged. "Sorry...about earlier.... I'm just really stressed...."

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"I'm sorry..." he said again.

"I know." She leaned against the windowsill, looking out at the beach. She could barely hear the soft sussurus of the waves rolling in to shore. She could tell she was still crying but she didn't care enough to stop herself.

"Hey..." He went up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. ".......Have you ever been in a porno?"

She jumped, not having heard him approach. "No," she said, scowling, as she tried to unobtrusively wipe the tears from her face. "What kind of a question is that, Zuko, honestly."

"Well... I was watching one and the chick looked just like you," he said, ruffling his hair sheepishly. "And you're a model so.....thought I'd ask."

"No. Eurgh." She made a disgusted face. "I'm glad you think so highly of me."

"It was hot," he pouted. "I would've been proud."

"I would have hated myself."

"I'd do it," he raised his hand. "It looks silly."

"You can do whatever you want," she said.

"I'm trying to cheer you up here," he said softly. "And I'm running out of options."

"It's not going to work," she said, blinking hard. "Thanks for trying, though."

He thought for a good minute, tapping his chin with his index finger. A mischievious grin spread across his features and he leaned in and licked the tears off her cheek. "How about that?"

She squealed and jumped, not having expected him to lick her, of all things. "Zuko!" she shrieked.

"Did it work?" He blinked.

"Oh-- Zuko..." She turned and let her head fall against his chest. "Thank you for trying," she said again. "I just... don't have any laughter in me right now."

"There is something else I could do..." His voice lowered to a whisper. "Used to work before. Back when you'd come to me to chase your nightmares away. But I don't think I should...."

She shook her head. "No."

"I..." He sighed. "I just want to make you happy."

"I know," she said in a small voice. "I want you to be happy too."

Zuko pulled her in for a hug and held her close. "I think you're my Kryptonite."

"Your what?" she asked, amusement tingeing her voice.

"'Maru gave me this thing to read called 'Superman'. Said if I read about any superhero, he was the best one because he wasn't an angsty douchebag. Anyway, he's like superhuman but this rock called Kryptonite weakens him and he can't fight or do much of anything when he's around it. It's pretty interesting." he said in a lighthearted tone.

She spluttered. "So I'm a rock?" she asked, teasing him.

"Uh....like a rock?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"You're ridiculous," she said fondly.

"You going to stop weeping all over me?" He smirked. "I only have so many shirts."

"Yeah. F'r now."

"What do you mean 'for now'?" He chuckled.

"I'm hormonally imbalanced, I can't make any promises." She turned her head to rest her cheek against his chest and wrapped her arms loosely around his waist. "You're nice to hug," she said softly.

"Then hug me all you want," he said quietly, still holding her.

"'Kay," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"Anything else I'm nice for?" He asked with a smile.

"For being my best friend," she offered.

"That's cool." He nodded.

She snorted and looked up at him, sort of amused. "What's that mean?"

"What?" He blinked.

"Heh. Never mind." She dropped her head back down to his chest again.

"Hey..." he murmured. "Is part of the reason you're upset....is because you don't feel pretty anymore?"

She shook her head. "I'm not even a bit worried about that. I know I'm attractive, that's all that matters."

"I envy your confidence," he smirked.

She shrugged. "I wouldn't be a model if I wasn't attractive." She said it matter-of-factly.

"Doesn't mean you can't have bouts of insecurity," he shrugged.

"I'm not."

"At least when people stare at you, it's a good thing." He smirked.

She sighed and looked up at him. "Zuko."

"What?" he half-whined. "It's true. You're pretty, and I'm a freak. You're beauty and I'm...." For some reason he sensed that would be a pun of some sort.

She leveled an exasperated look at him. "How many times have we had this conversation?" she asked rhetorically.

"It is true and you know it." He folded his arms.

She rubbed a hand over her eyes. "You know what. I don't have the energy for this argument right now."

Sighing, he pulled her closer to him. "You can rest on me if you want to....or something." He shrugged. "I could rub your back again."

"I'm fine, really."

"You sure?" He rested his chin on her shoulder and blinked up at her.

She giggled at him. "Yes. I promise."

"Could I make it better or worse?" He blinked again.

"No." She ruffled his hair and smiled. "It's fine."

"I still think you're pretty," he informed her.

Ginny giggled. "Good to know."

For a minute he was at a loss. "You want to stay here tonight?" ...That came from nowhere.

"No, it's all right. I need to talk to Light anyway." She patted his head. "Thank you, though."

"You sure?" He tried not to look disappointed.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm not going to solve anything by running away."

"Alright," Zuko nodded and then stepped over to a trunk and rummaged through it. "Before you go..." He pulled out a knife. "My uncle gave this to me a long time ago...." He held it out to her. "I want you to have it... In case I... Yeah."

"Oh, Zuko," she breathed, reaching out to take it carefully from him. "...I'll hold onto it for you," she agreed after a moment, smiling at him. "But only until after your big battle. Then I'm giving it back."

"Fine," he nodded. "Well...I guess...this is it...."

Ginny threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "You be careful," she whispered in his ear, her tone fierce. "I am not losing you, do you hear me?"

"You have me," he replied quietly, hugging her back just as tightly before pulling away. "But things will be different."

"As long as you're careful, I don't care," she said. She reached up and pulled his head down to kiss his forehead.

"I will be," he nodded. "It's getting late here.... Your husband's probably already home. I'll let you know what happens...."

"Damn straight you will." She hugged him again. "I'll see you later, Zuko."

"See you later, Gin." He nodded with a smile.

She stepped away from him, smiling back as she sketched a salute before Disapparating.