When Hatred turned to Love (ATLA Zuko x OC)

Chapter Forty-Four - The Headband

He tossed and turned around his bed. It'd been thousands of efforts to sleep and he just couldn't. Although this was his bed, this was his home, it didn't feel like it. He felt like he was surrounded by enemies and not the people he was supposed to call family.

What tortured, Zuko, the most, was that every time he closed his eyes he saw her face, her eyes, the betrayal, the pain in them. Every time he was getting reminded of that image he couldn't stop blaming himself. She died, right in his arms... he thought she was dead, he saw her die. Yet he still had a hope she'd survived.

He remembered when Katara showed him the Water of the Spirit Oasis from the North Pole. She had said the water had special properties and he suspected the Avatar and his sister would have survived. But he wasn't the only one he had that suspicion. Azula was smart enough to suspect that too. And she said to Ozai that Zuko was the one who killed the Avatar and the Defender. If they found out that the Avatar survived, Zuko didn't want to think of what would happen to him afterward.

He turned again on the left side of the bed. Iris used to lie on the left side, and every night they slept together in Ba Sing Se, she'd rest her head on his chest and she'd lie there. Zuko felt tears forming in his eyes... She's dead... Forget her! He shouted in his mind trying to push her out of his thoughts. But he couldn't. He couldn't because he loved her.

Zuko buried his hands in his black hair is if he was trying desperately take her out of his mind and he woke up. Maybe Iroh would help him to this but even his own uncle was in prison for trying to save the Avatar and his sister.

This is so messed up!

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Next morning came quicker than she expected. Thanks to Aang and Katara they camouflaged Appa to a cloud and they flew towards one of the many Islands of the Fire Nation.

"I think I see a cave below," Aang said.

"Schuss!" Sokka immediately tried to schuss him. "Keep quiet!"

They finally landed on the shore getting off the cloud Aang had created. Sokka was the first one to get off Appa.

"Great job with the cloud camo but next time, let's disguise ourselves with the kind of cloud who knows how to keep its mouth shut," Sokka said crossing his arms.

Aang and Katara helped Iris get off Appa and she walked with the others with the cane's help. She was surprised that she managed to walk straightly with it despite those sometimes her chest hurt.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in," Toph said sarcastically.

Sokka looked cautiously behind the boulder he rested his back on and then he turned around saying "Hey, we're in enemy territory, those are enemy birds," and he pointed at the birds that stood on the boulder.

One of them hopped on his head and the others minus Iris laughed amusingly. "When I said we should be cautious I didn't mean it even to the birds," Iris said placing her one hand on her waist and pressing some of her weight on the cane.

"Better safe than sorry," Sokka said raising a finger.

They all started walking towards the cave they had spotted but they stopped when Sokka landed in front of them giving cautious looks around the place. Iris face-palmed her forehead and like the others she ignored him and they continued walking until they entered the cave.

"Well, this is it, this is how we'll be living until the Invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave... after... cave..." Sokka said, his head bending over in every word and the enthusiasm disappearing.