For You

Book One Chapter Ten : Alive?

The room was full with groans and moans, occasionally screams of frustration and curses. Torn between the place you thought you wanted to be and where you belonged. You didn't know what to do, and you couldn't do much either. You were injured, badly. You had an open wound on your head which iroh came to treat twice a day accompanied by his board game and some tea. He was the only face you saw since you woke up.

The only person you trusted with your life at the time being. You oath silence to anyone else who would come to your room, specially him.

Right now the room was empty, poorly lighted by an oil lamp too far from your reach, you could see only as far as your bed and a table next to it. Any time you would try to sit up, your vision would darken and you felt like throwing up. Which explains why lately you have been staring blankly at the ceiling for hours, the only times you enjoyed your little prison was when Iroh would come to visit with his games and his tea.

You sighed as you heard footsteps approaching, "Is it you Uncle?".
The door opened revealing Zuko, with a plate of soup and some dried roots. "It's just me."

You gulped and turned away, your face now facing the wall.

"You still won't speak to me?" he scoffed and threw your plate on the table, splashing some of the soup on it. You groaned at the noise of the metal colliding, 'asshole'. You thought to yourself.

He coughed and sat down next to you on the bed. He was in his usual uniform, it was heavy on his shoulders so he took the upper armor off. Then, he was left only in his shirt and his bottoms, shortly after he took off his boots and sat quietly.

"I won't leave until you talk to me
Y/N"

The light flickered as he exhaled sharply. Zuko wasn't the patient type, well not anymore. While you on the other hand, what other option did you have.

"Uncle said that if you chew on these your nausea would ease." he handed you the roots, you turned gently and sighed. You reached for the roots with your shaky hands and chewed them slowly.

"Ack! It's bitter!" you spat it out.

Zuko chuckled, "For a moment I thought you would go mute."

You groaned again and tried to sit up,
"Easy..."he said quietly, he held your waist and your back. Zuko helped you up and put the roots away.

The roots kinda worked, you were a bit dizzy but didn't want to vomit.

"How do you feel? "
You stayed quiet for a second then answered, "Alive."

Zuko saved you, the least he gets is a bit of gratitude.

"You're welcome." he replied.

Even if you were happy you were alive, your thoughts were with the GAang. Did they make it? The last thing you remember before waking up in this room was the voice of Sokka calling you. You didn't want to think about dark things, Aang wouldn't let them die. He would save them, no matter the costs. You trusted him with that. Even if he is just a kid, he's the Avatar.

You looked at Zuko who sat there quietly, waiting for something. God knows what.
Truth is he didn't want to go, even if he knew you were safe and you were next to him. He wanted to make sure that you were okay. And... He wanted to be next to you, just to be sure.

Truth is, you were the only positive thing from his life at the Palace that didn't totally change. There was always this glow in your eyes when you looked at him, the way you looked at him never changed. Even if you said you hated him, even if you cried to him and cursed him out. Your eyes never lied the way your tongue did.