It'll Be Okay...

She looked at him her eyes filled with pain as he stared up at the ceiling. His hands laced over his stomach, breathing evenly, he looked peaceful. But she knew it was only a façade. Only a way to mask the pain he felt. The pain that radiated off him in tsunami-like waves that knocked her off her feet.

Hitting the back of her head on the wall she was slumped against, she wanted so badly to give him some words of comfort, something to make him feel better, anything to take away the pain. But there was nothing. She was as useless as her brother right now. She couldn't do a damn thing to make this situation better.

Biting her lip, she spoke as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb the silence, but needing to know if her presence was just a nuisance. "Uhm, do you want me to leave you alone for a while?" she pulled on a string that had started to unravel from the beautiful deep red rug on the floor.

He didn't move, didn't falter in breathing, only kept staring at the ceiling. It seemed like an eternity passed before he opened his mouth and his breathing shifted. "I…" He spoke softly, barely a whisper on the air, "N-no…" he hazard a glance in her direction, "Not unless you want to go of course…"

Sighing angrily, she looked at him again, but he was back focusing on the ceiling, "For what reason would I want to leave? I'm not going to be offended or hurt if you want me to go, Zuko." She thumped her head on the wall again, angry for losing her composure with him.

No emotion came from him, save the pain of course, "You should tell me…Do you want to go?"

She gnawed on her lower lip again, trying to remain calm. She didn't want to play these games; she only wanted him to tell her to stay with him. "No. Strangely enough, I had hoped you would know that by now."

His body seemed to relax a little more, "Then please. Don't go. S-stay…" he stopped and took a deep breath, trying to regain his speech, "Stay with me."

She wanted to jump with glee, that he still wanted her to be there. He was numb and the way the body shut down like his did, sometimes another person's being can make you crazy, "Okay then, I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here until you tell me otherwise."

He looked up at her, "May I have a hug?"

Her heart leapt in her throat, she had always thought it was the sweetest thing when he asked her instead of just doing it. She managed a small smile before scooting across the floor to him. She took hold of his arm and pulled with all her might until he was sitting up. Without waiting for him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close to her, wanting to give him some of her strength.

"Th-thank you." He held her close and tightly against his body, burying his face in her hair, taking comfort in the dark waves that cushioned around him.

She dipped her head, kissing his neck gently before laying her head on his shoulder, still holding him in a tight embrace. She searched for something profound to say, instead in a muffled voice came, "Everything will be okay." She prayed to Tui and La that she wasn't lying.