Life Happens Wherever You Are (Zuko x OC)

Chapter 4

I felt Zuko jolt up with a gasp. I turned over to see him sitting up, with his knees to his chest, and his head resting on them. I could tell that he was breathing hard.

"Zuko?" I sat up, "Are you okay? What is it?"

"Sorry, it was just a nightmare. You can go back to sleep Mara."

I sat up and crossed my legs. "When I was little, my mother used to always tell me that it is not good to keep your nightmares inside, that they will only release you if you let them out."

Zuko sighed, "So what, you want me to talk about it?"

"We can talk about it now, or later. When is up to you."

He slumped down and to the side, resting his head next to my lap, and looking up at the sky. "I've always had this dream, that when I go home, everything changes. My father still doesn't accept me, and my sister challenges me to an Agni Kai for the right to the throne. In my dreams, she wins. Then she goes on to destroy everything... I don't know what's going to happen when I go home, or even if  I go home. What if I don't capture the Avatar before someone else, and I lose my chance to regain my honor?" he closed his eyes.

"Zuko," I said gently, "It's okay to be afraid of the future. No one will ever truly know what it holds, or what will change. You just have to take it step by step, facing each challenge without thinking of what the next one will be. If you do that, you will drive yourself crazy. Osana always told me to follow my heart, and that requires trusting and believing in yourself. Maybe capturing the Avatar isn't what will give you back your honor. But for now, it is the only option you have."

"I never felt like my father loved me. He always favored Azula, I knew that. She learned so much faster than I did, he used to say that she was so naturally talented. He thinks I'm a failure, an embarrassment. That's why he sent Azula to take us back, so that he could throw me in jail where he wouldn't be further embarrassed by me."

"It doesn't matter what your father thinks of you. What truly matters is what you think of yourself. If you constantly surround yourself with people who think and talk negatively about you, it will taint the view that you have of yourself. Also, if you think too hard and too long about those who think of you negatively, and you think about what they have said, what they might have said, or what they will say about you, it will consume all of your thoughts. Filtering that out can be a hard process, but it is definitely worth it," I leaned on my hand next to him.

"I just," he sighed and looked at me, "I just feel like I always make the wrong decision. I overreact, and I don't think things through. I've been very careful with that around you, I don't want you to be afraid of me, like many others have been."

I smiled at him, "No one is perfect. We all let our emotions get in the way of reason sometimes."

He stopped to think for a moment, and then said, "Mara, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Whenever a decision has to be made, will you help me? Like, will you tell me if you think the decision I am making is wrong?"

"As long as if you don't throw fireballs at me for disagreeing with you," I joked.

He took on a small smile.

"Yes, for as long as you accept my opinion, I will tell you if I think you need to rethink your decision. However, no matter what you end up deciding, I will support you. As long as if it's nothing too crazy," I laughed lightly.

Zuko sat up and faced me. We locked eyes, and after a moment he broke the silence, "I never realized how blue your eyes were until now."

I blushed, "Well, you are only just now paying attention."