Façades [A Zuko x OC Story]

33 - Forgiveness

'Bang!' The sound of a loud explosion awakes me from my slumber, "Ah!" I exclaim as I jump out of my sleeping bag, arms raised and ready.

Three Fire Nation warships come rising out of the fog below. Aang runs over to us and blows shut the doors around us. The blasts from the explosions make the ceiling above us crack and crumble. A large section of it breaks off and starts falling towards Katara, "Katara!" I cry out.

"Watch out!" Zuko yells and tackles her to the ground out of the way of the falling rubble. In front of me, Toph and Haru form a tunnel through the temple, "Come on! We can get out through here!" Toph points to the large hole.

I run with everyone into the tunnel but I notice Zuko has stayed in his spot, "What are you doing?" Aang asks him.

"Go ahead! I'll hold them off. I think this is a family visit." The prince responds before running off.

"Zuko!" I call him but he doesn't stop. Someone takes my hand from behind, "Come on! We've gotta get out of here!" The voice and hand belong to Sokka.

"We can't just leave him alone!" I shake my hand free. I run after him and ignore the cries of my friends behind me.

I spot Azula standing atop one of the Fire Nation warships. Zuko jumps off of the crumbling temple and lands short of the ship. He struggles to grab onto anything and falls into the abyss.

"Zuko!" I cry and run as far to the edge as I can without falling as well, "No." I feel tears well up in my eyes. Suddenly Appa comes soaring out from behind me and hovers just close enough for me to climb on. Toph forms a shield out of the rubble and we fly towards Azula and her ship.

I look over the back of the saddle with a glimmer of hope that Zuko will appear and almost as if I had summoned him, a second Fire Nation ship comes into view and Zuko stands on it. I let out the breath I was holding.

Zuko runs across the warship and jumps to the one on which Azula stands. I am unable to focus on their fight as we have to keep swerving out of the way of fire blasts. Katara and I with the use of her waterbending and my firebending are able to keep the fire at bay.

While trying to avoid getting hit we almost run into one of the warships. We have to swerve upwards at the last minute and I almost go tumbling out of the saddle.

A large explosion comes from the ship Azula and Zuko stood on. In the distance, I can see the two siblings falling into the fog. Appa flies down as quickly as he can and I'm able to reach up and pull Zuko down into the saddle.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders so tightly my arms hurt, "I thought you were dead." I choke out and before I know it I'm full-blown sobbing into his chest.

We pull apart and look over to where Azula was falling, "She's not gonna make it." Zuko says. Azula creates a plume of flames from her feet towards the rock wall. She digs her hairpin into the rock surface and stops her fall, "Of course she did." Zuko grumbles.

I sniffle loudly and wipe the snot and tears from my face. Zuko strokes my back in an awkward but comforting manner.

Why can't I seem to hate you?

-

The fire that sits in front of me warms my face and body as I eat my dinner. Four tents surround the group of us.

"Wow, camping ... it really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" Aang fills the silence.

"If you really want it to feel like old times, I could, uh... Chase you around a while and try to capture you." Zuko jokes with a smile. All of Team Avatar laughs minus Katara, "Ha. ha." She says dripping with sarcasm.