Outside, Zuko let the boy down, and he ran to find his family. There was no attention gotten; people were already trying to mitigate damage or rushing to medical facilities. He let out a shaky breath before walking over to Sora who was still kneeling in shock. He sat down next to her, wiping some soot off his brow before trying to speak.
"You okay?" Zuko said.
"Am I okay?" Sora breathed, incredulous.
"Yeah." Zuko dusted his shirt off from ash.
"I....Thank you, Zuko." After some silence, this was all Sora could say as tears welled behind her eyes.
Sora cried, staring at no one but Zuko in fear that anyone else would see her break down. Zuko winced; he felt more afraid in this situation than when he was in the fire. What do I do? How do I comfort her? Why the hell is she staring at me dead in the eye?
"Um," Zuko hesitantly scratched the back of his head, "No one's left in there. So, don't worry. Your friends are safe."
Trembling and gasping for breath, Sora nodded amidst ugly sobs. She had never felt this much worry in years. Suffice to say, it was not only Zuko who was surprised to see her so vulnerable. Sora had always tried not to get attached. She believed that nothing ever lingered—not places, not people, nor love, or fear. It was simply better not to care. That's what she had always assumed.
But it was in that moment when she realized that truly and secretly she did care a whole lot. She cared about her life in the circus, the magic of performance, and all the people in her troupe. As she witnessed that very love dwindle from life's thread before her own eyes, she had become too afraid to even move. She was too stricken with worry to have sensible thoughts.
In the chaos, she could only think about how she should have realized how important the circus was to her sooner.And she cried and cried because she acknowledged that she was so close to not having the chance to recognize this love if not for the boy standing in front of her.
Staring at Zuko then, she wondered if there were any gods in this life—if there were such a thing as destiny or fate that guided them all into being. Whomever or whatever was out there, she prayed and thanked them for letting her meet Zuko—for Zuko himself. As she looked into his eyes for so long, she felt a brightness that made her look away. At that moment, Zuko seemed like light itself.
Barely being able to see through continuous tears, she felt a hand slowly reach across her shoulder. Zuko had patted her on the back before covering her in a blanket that had been passed around by some citizens.
"You'll...Uh...You'll be okay, Sora." He said awkwardly.
And for the brief moments when his hand lingered, she could have sworn that they had been so warm. When they left her, Zuko had stood up, given her a knowing nod, and turned to leave.
Where's uncle? Is what was stuck on Zuko's mind, but a sudden pang of pain ripped through his head. It disappeared as quick as it came, but it made him dizzy. He stopped for a moment to hold his head but was interrupted by a sudden yank on his sleeve. He turned to see the two siblings from the fire with a man he assumed was their father. The man was holding back tears.
The old man, wrinkled with relief, smiled and hugged Zuko tightly, "Thank you for saving my nephew."
Zuko stiffened, and for a moment, he became self-aware—almost as if he was staring at himself in third person, dissassociating. He saw the Dai Lee arriving in the scene, he saw relief goods being distributed, he saw the two kids who had only grateful eyes staring back at him, and finally, he saw the peppery hair of the man hugging him tightly. He was stubby, and his beard tickled Zuko's neck. The man reminded him of his own uncle.
"I was too afraid." The man said quietly, a slight tremble in his tone, before releasing Zuko from his hug to look him in the eye, "I should have been braver for them, but I just couldn't do what you could. You are a great, young man. I could never thank you enough for what you've done."
"I-"
The old man wiped a tear away from his eye and let out a loud bellowing laugh as he laid a firm hand on Zuko's shoulder, "You must have been a great man in your past life, eh? Someone who is as brave and honorable as you are now. Perhaps you're the great Avatar Roku's descendant! You don't bend four elements by any chance, do you? Haha! Let us treat you one day. Please! To our family, you are a true hero."
Zuko did not know this man, and this man surely didn't know him. However, the man's words struck Zuko deeper than he probably may ever be able to comprehend. Before Zuko could even muster a reply, the panging pain from before returned to his temples. It made him wince. He looked at the man and weakly nodded before turning around to find his uncle again.
It hit him once more; it made his head throb. The pain made him lose his balance until he was swaying whilst he walked. His mind was aching, and his ears heard a sharp ringing sound. It all happened so fast; he could've sworn he was fine just moments ago. Thankfully, he had walked far enough from the crowd to reach a nearby wall, where he had tried to hold himself steady.
He looked up quickly, looking for his uncle, but the search hurt more than its purpose reaped. His vision became foggy, and his limbs became weaker. What was happening—he did not know, but what he did understand was that he was being overwhelmed by a rapid sickness of confusion. He slid slowly down the wall, feeling heat rush through his body like a fever before looking up to find a familiar face rushing towards him from the crowd. It was his uncle, but far before he could even recognize it to have been him, Zuko had passed out.
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"What is this feeling? I've never felt like this before."
