𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕕𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 15- Holding Back

Zuko," Nico scoffed, as they stopped by an worn out abandoned home, not to far from the previous visited deserted town. "This place is nasty."

"You have a better place to go?"

"You're right," Nico huffed, gently placing Iroh on the ground with a few blankets underneath him.

Nico, found some bandages in her bag. She opened Iroh's tunic and applied some cream around the wound.

"Where'd you get that?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, I stole it from the inn."

Zuko chuckled. "Typical."

After Nico was done wrapping Iroh, she sat back on her heels and heaved a deep breath.

"You should rest," Zuko suggested.

Nico looked up at Zuko. "I think you should rest."

"Don't worry about me," Zuko raised his voice. "I'm fine."

Nico glared at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you," Zuko apologized. "I'm just tired."

"Yeah," Nico huffed. "That's why I offered you some rest."

The two remained silent, they have had some awful fights, these past weeks.

"Uh, Zuko, I think I should leave."

"What?" Zuko gasped. "Why?!"

"I feel like you don't want me here," Nico admitted. "We've been fighting a lot, frequently and I don't like it. I feel like I'm holding you back."

Zuko slid next to Nico and cupped her cheeks, tears began developing in her eyes.

"Hey, look at me." Zuko said calmly. "I need you as much as you think, okay, don't ever think you're holding me back, I'm holding myself back."

Nico sniffed. "Really?"

"Yes, freckles,"

Nico smiled through her tears. "Don't go soft on me dork," she punched Zuko's arm.

Zuko winced but laughed. "Seriously rest,"

"Only if you rest too."

Nico placed her head on Zuko's shoulder as they both allowed themselves to fall into a light repose.

❆ ❆ ❆
Nico woke up to Iroh grunting.

"Uncle, you were unconscious." Zuko said. "Azula did this to you. It was a surprised attack."

Iroh hissed as he sat back, leaning against the wall. "Somehow that's not so surprising."

"I hope I made it the way you like it." Zuko said, handing Iroh a cup of tea, he made himself.

Iroh immediately grabbed the cup, taking a sip, only to gag. "Mhmm good. That was very, um, bracing."

Zuko, grabbed the empty cup, filling it once more and handing it back to Iroh, who quickly tossed it out the window, while Zuko was refilling a cup for himself and Nico.

Nico, accepted the tea, but didn't drink it.

"So, uncle, I've been thinking," Zuko said. "It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I'm going to stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her."

Iroh placed his cup down. "No, she's crazy, and she needs to go down."

"Agreed," Nico said, walking out of the abandoned home.