Zuko woke up from a dreamless sleep, frowning.
"What the h-"
"Zuko!" Iroh rushed over to Zuko's side, rubbing his back. "You really had me worried. Once your bed's flame was extinguished I assumed the worst."
Zuko groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"I-"
Zuko didn't get to finish before he leant over the side of the bed, throwing up his stomach bile onto the floor and wincing as it started to smoke.
Iroh jumped out of the way quickly, "I am going to get somebody to mop this up, stay right here."
His uncle left the room while Zuko was left dry heaving, "where else would I go," he rasped bitterly before shutting his eyes and drifting off.
"hng, what?!" Zuko's eyes snapped open at the sound of his door opening and somebody who was not his uncle in his room.
"Shh," his uncle stroked his cheek, hissing in pain at his temperature, "it's just a crew member. He's cleaning up the mess that the grass has caused."
"I don't," Zuko gnashes his fangs, "want him in here... there's a traitor amongst us..."
Zuko growls low in his throat, eyes narrowing as he spat sparks, blue dancing among the yellow.
"Zuko!" Iroh scolded, pushing Zuko back onto his bed, "he does not mean that he is merely sick."
The crew member snorted while mopping up the small mess, "yeah he's sick alright," his gaze is drawn to the scorched claw marks that mar the walls of the prince's room.
Zuko snarls once more, causing the other two men's hair to stand on end and the crewmember to pause his mopping.
"Thank you very much, Liang, you can resume your previous duties now," his Uncle smiled as the man left and turned to his nephew's scowling face.
"You really should be nicer to them, they will learn to respect you more," Iroh advised wisely.
Zuko narrowed his eyes, "don't lecture me about respect."
Iroh pursed his lips and change the subject quickly, "I received word by messenger hawk of a healer that might be able to help you."
Zuko's brows furrowed together, "messenger Hawk? That fast? How long was I out?"
"A little over a day," his uncle responded, "I've redirected our course to Kyoshi Island."
Zuko shot up ramrod straight, "what? Over a day!" He swung his legs over his non-burning bed and let his bare feet touch the cold, metal floor, steam rising up from the contact.
"Hey! Back into bed with you, you are sick!" Iroh places his hands on Zuko's shoulders for as long as he can before pulling them back from the heat.
Zuko lent back into his bed frowning, "why Kyoshi island? I need to look for the Avatar and-"
"Zuko, you are sick!" Iroh swat his nephew affectionately on the head, not missing the way that he flinched too harshly at the contact. "We need to find out what this grass is and how to fix you before Zhao spreads the word of your... err allergy," he finished awkwardly.
Zuko huffed, "fine, wake me when we get there," he turned over on his side, away from his uncle, "please."
The last whispered part caused Iroh to smile warmly at his nephew before picking up his tea mug and making his way out of the room.
YOU ARE READING
Pretty Little Monster
Fanfiction(ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AO3 by ME under the username: zimny) Zuko is a monster. He's known this since the moment he was old enough to know. His father had whispered it in his ear as held Zuko's clawed hand in his own. Azula used the word like a whip...
