Sure, the blanket was still warm since it was previously wrapped around him, but the moment Zuko actually pulled her back into his arms, Sumiko was practically engulfed in the familiar, welcoming embrace she complimented him about not too long ago. She basically melted into him and didn't know that she had missed it so much until she was enveloped in it once more. Her face was pressed against his chest, but she was so distracted by how this warmth of his brought her instant comfort that she hardly notice how the tears she still had on her face were being absorbed into his shirt.
Sumiko then felt the softest kiss she ever received — was that much to say when she only received two as of that moment? — pressed to her forehead, into the space between the curtain of her bangs that he made. It unexpectedly drew out a shuddery sigh that was huffed right into the weave of his shirt and re-fogged up her glasses again; the shudder drew out an embarrassed laugh that matched the one that he had. When he pulled away, she finally lifted her head and caught the streak of a tear on his cheek as he cupped her own between his warm hands. She wanted to reach up and wipe that tear away, but instead she just leaned into one of his palms, eyes still locked on him. Her lip wobbled again before a huff of a laugh escaped her, now very aware at how close his face was to hers and her cheeks burned even hotter than his palms against them.
The irony wasn't lost on her as he told her that she doesn't have to be more than herself; did she not just tell him the same right before he kissed her? It still rang true; she would never ask him for more than himself. He already gave so much of himself already to her — so much more than she would have ever expected. Every bit of him that he shared with over the time they've known each other, big or small, never gave her pause to their friendship... and he continued to show her so many sides of himself. His trust was something she treasured wholehearted... and here he was, trusting her with his heart, his love. Her own heart ached once more as he repeated that he loved her, was in love with her. For her. Because of her.
She closed her eyes, holding there for a few moments as she tried to soak in his words while she felt his forehead against hers. The only sounds actually heard were the soft breaths of theirs that mingled in the close distance and whatever else that the nightlife of the city brought — but her mind was loud, still echoing his confession and her questions and all her doubts.
"Zuko," Sumiko sighed his name; though she said it herself, she could feel a shiver go down her spine as it broke the silence finally. "I care about you so much; so much more than I could have ever imagined." She could feel her brow wrinkle against his behind the darkness of her eyelids. Her mouth opened for a moment, but her next words got stuck in her throat, which drew out a frustrated sigh through her nose (to the best it could anyway) before she tried again, this time with her eyes open.
"I didn't know... I don't know what love feels like," she continued, her tone much more serious. "At least, I thought I knew what wasn't love, what I was told wasn't love..." Her voice got quieter for the second half of her sentence. "But you..." Once again, her mouth opened and no words came out as she got caught in the warm golden gaze he had on her.
With not much grace, she wriggled a hand free from the blanket so she could reach up and gingerly cradle his face. With no hesitation this time, her thumb traced where that one tear from earlier fell, smoothing over his scar as if to wipe that tear away like it was still there. She kept her hand there, just holding him. "You," she said much softer this time. "If what you said you felt was love... the feeling of comfort, the feeling of wanting to share in the good and the bad, wanting to just... be with you and to enjoy our time together and laugh about stories and share good food over tea and bird-watch and go for walks and sit here under the stars and just.. just..." Her chest tightened, not knowing what to say but also wanting to keep going with her babble, recalling all their good times together that she want to keep having. Her breath was too loud in her ears as she paused, trying to find her words again. "Maybe... you make it sound like I know what love is."
She pulled back so she could see his face fully, but not away from his hold on her face, nor did she take back her hand from his left cheek, once again gently circling the apple of his cheek as if he was something so precious to her — and he was. She didn't want him to cry more.
The word 'love' still felt so heavy, despite all the time she repeated it, but mostly in reference to his feelings. But the word didn't feel like it belonged to her, like she was allowed to have it.
"I want to see you happy for as long as possible. And I treasure every single moment we share. I want to have more with you. You've become so important to me." She turned her head more into one of his palms, now with her lips pressed directly into the warmth of it; it wasn't a kiss. It wasn't. But it was warm and comforting there and she felt like she could stay there if he let her. She sighed heavily into it before she said, muffled, "You're so important to me."
