Anguish to Peace (Zuko x OC)

Chapter 5: Azula

Words: 1434

We sit in our small village place to drink some tea and rest. Iroh was being massaged by some of the people that lived there.

"Are you okay?" I said sitting beside Zuko who looked coldly at the ground.

"I failed!" Zuko snapped "I failed with capturing the avatar again!" Zuko clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

"I know your angry Zuko but i know that we would have died if the Avatar's friends hadn't saved us.'' I said softly, grabbing his hand that was still in the fist. He looked at me with anger

"We would have survived" he growled harshly "i would have gotten him back"

"How?" I asked , looking at him, "We didn't have much of a boat, Zuko? We didn't have much of a chance of survival"

"I would have figured it out" he growled

"Yeah right" i smacked him on the arm and got up from my spot

"Hey!" he got up and looked at me with a scowl "i can handle myself"

"Well apparently you can't handle the avatar!" I walked from him down to the abandoned house that we've been staying at.

I widen my eyes as soon as I see a girl with black hair in a ponytail. She was definitely a Fire Nation. I stopped and looked at her. Once she turned around and saw me, she smirked.

"Well, well, well it's a simple waterbender. '' She mocked me while walking around with Zuko and Iroh?" she smirked again which was kind of weird to me.

"Azula!" it was Zuko and Iroh was behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"You know in the fire nation they say a pleasant 'hello'" she mocked looking at Zuko

"What do we have this honor Princess" Iroh said calmly grabbing Zuko's shoulder to keep him from attacking

"Hmm must be a family trait" She smirked and looks at me "you won't be able to drag the waterbender to go home"

"What do you mean, I can't go home?" Zuko questions looking back at me for a split second before back at Azula

"Father decided that family is suddenly so important to him, he's heard rumors to overthrow him he said family is the only one you can really trust" she paused "father regrets your banishment he wants you home" i don't hear anything else as Zuko is absolute silence for the first time in a while i smirk at my though "did you hear me? You should be happy, excited, and grateful. I just gave you great news"

"I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment" Iroh explains calmly but apparent Azula hated Iroh

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!" she snaps "I still haven't heard my thank you" she's speaking to Zuko now. He mumbles something and I can tell he is pretty excited although he's not really the type to jump for joy. Apparently the two siblings mumble something that I can't hear.

"I don't trust her, go to the river we will meet you there" Iroh commanded softly into my ear and i looked at him to nod. Azula left suddenly and I walked from the room looking at the trees. Is Zuko really planning on just leaving me here? I know I'm a waterbender but... I am lured from my thoughts when I hear the two of them talking. Iroh expresses concern for Zuko, but i dont think Zuko is listening.

"He cares about me!" Zuko blurted, like he fully believed it.

"I care about you!" Iroh snapped before I could hear anymore. I got up to leave the two of them behind.

"He never wanted you, he never cared for you. You have no one who cares for you now." a voice in my head mumbles to me as I walk down to where the river spot was. Your own mother wanted to get rid of you as soon as you turned 16." I shook my head as a tear slipped. He's doing the same thing. As soon as he could he would always leave you.

"But Iroh wont" I mumbled out loud looking at the stars. I stroked the water simply to clear my head "Iroh cares for me too.. Right?" Actually i can never think if he did or not was he simply just making up for crashing my boat.

"I fear for that boy.. He's losing sight of who he is' ' I jump at the voice. "Dont take it to heart Rain hes blinded by this"

"Iroh.. you don't have to apologize for him '' I shrug, putting my feet into the water.

"I'm not going to just leave you" he puts his hand on my back and looks at me with a caring gaze "but i am pretending i will.."

"What if what Azula says is true?" i ask looking at him

"It's not the way she said it, the way she looked. She's definitely lying but I must let zuko find that out himself. I will be there to keep him safe from her." he looks at me "let us get back okay?"

"I'll stay out here for a bit" I see a nod from the corner of my eye and Iroh got up and walked back

For a bit I rested my head in my hands and swayed my feet around in the water. I suddenly got up and shook my thoughts out before walking back. The ground was a bit squishy under my feet but it made me smile. I walked around half way back before I saw a figure walking towards me. I smiled when I realized who it was.

"Zuko?" i smiled and he looked up from the ground

"What are you doing out here?" he asked gruffly "you could have been taken" his words made me roll my eyes

"You're out here?" i smirked "i can definitely take care of myself" we stayed there for a bit before he nodded

"i guess you can" he said looking at me with a small smile "im sorry"

"What do you expect me to do when you leave tomorrow?" I asked as calmly as I could. And he looked surprised to hear it.

"You could come with"

"Im not fire nation, nor a fire bender" i shrugged

"Well you could anyways, i'll protect you from anyone trying to harm you" i rolled my eyes

"That won't be enough. There are generals and your father scouring that place and I'd be imprisoned as soon as I stepped foot in the village." I shrugged once again "I think I'll travel the world by myself though the earth kingdom has many hidden gems." I smirked"maybe I'll find some travel companions on the way?"

"That doesn't even sound safe, you shouldn't go alone" he sat by a tree and patted the place beside him.

"Nothing is safe" i shrugged "plus its better than going to the fire nation"

"You could be right" he shrugged "i really wish you could go with us though"

"I do too" I smiled a bit, finally sitting beside him. "I am really sorry for hitting you.. I shouldn't have done that.. It was wrong of me to lay my hands on you, disrespectful." he nodded in response

"You were a bit right though" He looked at the top of the tree "i really need to plan better"

===

The next day I was sitting by the river as commanded the two had left for Azula's ship to be brought back. I don't know why but I secretly hoped she wasn't telling the truth. It was a bit selfish but I hated wondering about the world alone plus going back home would worsen Zuko's attitude and he needed to learn the world and be better to the people in it, like the avatar.

"Rain!?" Zuko suddenly said behind me. I looked and saw both Iroh and Zuko there like they had been running for their lives, which they probably had. Zuko shook his head and went beside the river. He grabbed out his knife and chopped off his ponytail. I smirked at his new look although I hoped it would grow out. That pony tail with the bald around it was truly awful. As Iroh did the same thing i took my dark brown hair and chopped it so it was barely longer than my ears with my own dagger"

"Azula saw me too, this is just precaution" I smiled as Zuko nodded.

"Let's go," Zuko said suddenly. As we walked down the path I gently grabbed Zuko's hand to hold it in which he let me. 

(A/N so you met Azula, did i make her pretty accurate? Just so you know I re-watched the certain scenes so I can get the better conversation but obviously ill add and cut some lines if theirs ever an iconic line that I didn't put in MAKE SURE I KNOW because their are a lot of Iconic lines in this show and I want to include as many as I can and obviously I didnt add all because whats the fun in that you know?)