Sakura Beifong

The Aftermath of Ba Sing Se

Hello everyone, I hope you all are ready for the next chapter, enjoy!

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Normal pov

The hours following their escape from Ba Sing Se had been tense and filled with a heavy silence. Exhaustion weighed on everyone as they traveled far enough to find a safe hiding place, deep in a secluded forest surrounded by towering trees and natural barriers. Toph and Sakura worked together to bend two sturdy earth tents, one for the boys and one for the girls, ensuring privacy and safety. The group had barely exchanged words, their minds still reeling from the events of the battle. Sakura and Katara carried Aang and Zuko carefully into the boys' tent. Aang remained unconscious, his breathing shallow, while Zuko bore signs of exhaustion and minor injuries from the lightning redirection.

“I’ll take care of Zuko, he helped us escape. It’s the least I can do.”

“It'll be better if we take turns on keeping an eye on them. Let's just look after them together for now, just until everyone had finished packing the camp, than you can take the first watch."

Sakura nodded in agreement as they both lay the two unconscious boys on a sleeping mat and find a comfortable spot to sit and waited. Two hours crawled by as the two girls stayed by their sides, monitoring every breath and murmured groan. Katara was mostly focused on Aang, occasionally placing a damp cloth on hi forehead to cool him down, while Sakura was mostly concentrated on Zuko. Finally, after ensuring their condition was stable, Katara and Sakura left the tent as the other boys came in to get some rest, and went to the girls tent to sleep. The sun filtered through the trees the next morning, its light gently illuminating the forest floor. Inside the boys' tent, Zuko stirred, groaning as he brought a hand to his head. Everything felt hazy, and his body ached ached a bit, but was not in pain, he slowly sat up, blinking to adjust to the dim light of the tent. Before he could fully process his surroundings, he was suddenly wrapped in a pair of arms.

“Zuko! You’re awake! I was so worried!”

Zuko froze in surprise as Sakura embraced him tightly, her relief palpable. His golden eyes widened before he awkwardly returned the hug, his movements tentative but sincere. Sakura pulled back slightly, her hands still on his shoulders as she looked him over with concern.

“How are you feeling? Does anything hurt? You were out for a whole day.”

Zuko blinked, trying to piece together what had happened, but his memory was a bit hazy, so he asked what had happened and where they are. Sakura sat back, her hands falling to her lap as she explained everything—how they had escaped Ba Sing Se, the battle with Azula and the Dai Li, and how they were now hiding in the forest. She kept her voice calm and steady, though her worry for him and Aang was evident. As she spoke, Zuko’s gaze shifted to the corner of the tent where Aang lay motionless, his face pale and his body still. A mixture of emotions flickered across Zuko’s face: guilt, uncertainty, and an unmistakable weight of responsibility. He sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. The events of the last few days had forced him to confront truths he had been avoiding for too long.

“I made my choice, I’m not going back. I’m not going back home.”

Sakura’s expression softened as she watched Zuko spoke quietly, more to himself than to her. His voice held a note of finality, and it made form a small smile that had tugged at her lips.

“You did the right thing, Zuko. And we’re here for you.”

Zuko gave Sakura a smile before bringing Sakura back into a hugg before kissing her, showing how much he appreciates her being here with him. After Zuko broke the kiss, he stood, stretching his stiff limbs, and glanced toward the entrance of the tent as he muttered, his tone lighter than before.

“I need some air."

As he stepped outside, the crisp morning air greeted him, the forest alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant birdsong. He took a deep breath, grounding himself in the moment, though before he could take another step, he nearly collided with Katara, who was carrying a bowl of water into the tent. She stopped abruptly, but looked up at him before turning her attention to Sakura, and then back at Zuko.

“Is Aang awake?"

"No, not yet. He’s still unconscious.”

Katara nodded, her gaze lingering on Zuko for a moment, but she then gave a smile, and without another word, she stepped around him and entered the tent, her focus solely on Aang. Zuko sighed before running a hand through his hair again, and as he stood outside, Sakura emerged behind him, a small smile on her face.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine.”

Sakura fell into step beside him, and the two of them walked a short distance from the tents, the forest quieting their troubled thoughts. For now, they had a moment of peace, but both knew it wouldn’t last long. As Zuko and Sakura walked side by side after their brief encounter with Katara, the soft murmur of voices and the smell of food drew their attention. The rest of the group was gathered outside near a small fire, eating a meager breakfast to regain their strength. Toph was lounging against a boulder, her head tilted back as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Sokka sat cross-legged with a piece of jerky in hand, muttering about the lack of meat. Jet was leaning casually against a tree, though his sharp eyes flickered up as soon as he noticed the approaching pair.

“Looks like someone decided to finally wake up."

Jet's gaze lingered on Zuko, his posture subtly shifting, even though it wasn’t hostile, but it was intense, his eyes locking onto Zuko’s. Zuko hesitated, sensing the unspoken message in Jet’s stare. He knew that Jet would eventually find out his real identity, they were planning to tell him when the time was right, and he was guessing that Sakura and Iroh had told him the truth after he was taken by Azula. Zuko clenched his fists for a moment, before glancing at Sakura, who was now looking at him curiously.

"... I’m going to talk to Jet, alone.”

"... Okay, just… don’t let it get heated, alright?”

Zuko gave a curt nod before stepping away, Jet already standing and trailing after him without a word. The tension between the two was palpable, like a storm waiting to break. Sakura let out a sigh, watching the two figures disappear into the trees. She knew Jet could be brash, but she also trusted Zuko to hold his ground. Turning back to the fire, she walked over and plopped down beside Sokka, who was gnawing on his jerky.

“Finally decided to join us, huh?”

Sokka quipped, though his tone was more playful than serious. Sakura smirked faintly and grabbed a piece of bread from the shared pile.

“You should’ve woken me up earlier. I would’ve saved you from eating all the rations.”

Sokka rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, too preoccupied with his food. Toph snorted from her spot against the boulder.

“So, what’s Zuko and Jet up to?”

"They are going to talk things out."

Sakura sighed before she focused on nibbling her bread while Katara joined them, her face tight with worry but saying nothing as she sat down. The quiet hum of the group’s conversation resumed, with Sokka grumbling about their next move and Toph throwing out sarcastic comments about their chances of survival. But Sakura’s mind was elsewhere as she sat among her friends, her thoughts drifted back to Zuko and Jet. She really hoped that they talked it out, but for now, she could only wait and hope their conversation wouldn’t ignite more conflict. It was too soon to deal with any more fire, literal or otherwise.

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Hope you all had enjoyed this chapter!