Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Seventy-Five

As the morning sun starts to stream through the trees, Zuko leans against a tree, slightly away from where Kali is currently sleeping alongside her collection of animals. He didn't want to disturb her. He barely slept. He just held Kali as she did. Until his mind started going over and over what is to come. Not the fight. No, that's not all that scary. But facing the Avatar and his friends and apologising for his actions, asking to stay with them, to help them. Once he fell down that rabbit hole, he spiralled.

"Hello ..." Zuko raises an arm in a faux greeting. He decided to practise what he is going to say. If he could figure it out then maybe he wouldn't be so nervous about it. If it sounded right, then he will know that he won't screw this up. "Zuko here, but I guess" He nervously rubs his hand against the back of his head and sighs. "You probably already know me, sort of. Uhhh ... so, the thing is I have a lot of firebending experience, and I'm considered to be pretty good at it. Well, you've seen me, you know, when I was attacking you. Uhhh ... yeah, I guess I should apologize for that. But anyway, I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but I realize I was bad" Zuko appears to get visibly uncomfortable and drops his arms into a slouch. "But anyway, I think it's time I joined your group and taught the Avatar firebending" Zuko finishes and lets out a breath before the throws his head back. Annoyed at himself for how stupid that sounded.

"What are you doing?" Zuko squeaks surprised. He spins to find Kali watching him from the ground. Bing and Ran-Ya curled up against her side.

"Nothing" He answers and she gives him a look. "I...was practising what I am going to say" He caves, his shoulders slouching. "To them..to get them to let me....stay....with you and to help..." He runs his fingers through his hair and then closes his eyes. "Petal..." He starts. He doesn't know how this is going to work. He can't see them forgiving him or trusting him after everything he's done to them. She shoos the two animals softly and then pushes herself to her feet as Zuko buries his face in his hands. He can't see a way for them to forgive him after everything he's done to them. Kali touches his face softly and curls her palms around his cheeks.

"You'll be fine" She assures him. "Show them the Zuko that I fell in love with...and they won't be able to resist" He smiles a little and nods before he opens his eyes to look down at her softly. "Turn up your sleeves" She adds, harking back to a conversation they had a very long time ago now. She's asking him to show his true character and fight for this. To work hard for this. For them.

"Turn up my sleeves" Zuko repeats, more to himself than to her.

"Are you ready?" She asks him, he hums and shakes his head but takes a step back, her hands falling from his face so he can thread his fingers with hers. He might not be ready for this, but it needs to be done. He needs to face them. He takes a deep breath and then walks away, with Kali trailing along behind him, her hand held tightly by him.

......

It's almost instantaneous. The second that Kali and Zuko walk into the camp where Katara, Aang, Toph and Sokka are all gathered, packing up their belongings from the night before, they are spotted. Sokka screams and points at Zuko. Kali rolls her eyes a little and squeezes Zuko's hand in reassurance. He can do this. She has faith in him. Katara's eyes harden as she glares straight at Zuko. Aang goes a little stiffer in stance, but very clearly tries to keep his face neutral. Toph....well Toph is still facing the other direction, but her head has tilted slightly in their direction. She doesn't really need to fully turn around.

"Hello.." Zuko greets and raises his free hand up to wave at the group. "Zuko here" The gang prepares to attack Zuko the second he finishes his greeting.

"Guys" Kali scolds, placing herself in front of Zuko and between him and the threat that is now facing him. "You promised you would try...remember?" Aang shifts first, settling into a more relaxed stance. Sokka glances at him and then sighs before he follows his example. Kali is his friend and he will give her this. Toph has nothing against Zuko so she easily caves too. Katara is the issue. But Kali knew that Katara would be the hardest to persuade. She's holding on to so much grief and pain from her own personal history with the Fire Nation, despite Zuko having nothing to do with what occurred in the past. Kali has her own personal history with the Fire Nation, her people were almost eradicated by them, Azula shot her with lightning, her home with Rana was burnt to the ground, and she herself was burnt in that attack. She got over it. And she knows it's not the same, not really, but still. Appa growls close by before moving to Zuko, Zuko closes his eyes expecting pain, but instead, Appa licks him twice. Zuko rubs his cheek onto his shoulder trying to remove the flying bison's saliva. Appa then moves to Kali's side, letting her scratch at his head as Zuko faces his fears.

"I know you must be surprised to see me here" Zuko offers, his fingers tightening around Kali's fingers.

"Not really, since you've followed us all over the world" Sokka counters. Zuko pauses a moment because that makes sense.

"Right. Well, uhhh ... anyway ... what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and I, uhhh, I'm good now, and well I think I should join your group, oh, and I can teach firebending to you" He looks at Aang who watches him back. Kali has been very vocal about the Zuko she knows and Aang is trying hard to see him here. He wants to believe her, he wants to believe what Zuko is telling him here.

"You want to what now?" Toph asks.

"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?!" Katara snaps causing Zuko to flinch. Kali knew that Katara would be the hardest to win over.

"Yeah, all you've ever done is hunt us down and try to capture Aang!" Sokka adds, standing with his sister. Kali is a little disappointed but not entirely surprised. Sokka loves his family, he will stand with her.

"I've done some good things too" Zuko argues. "I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I.." Zuko stops and looks at Kali. "We set him free. That's something!" Appa licks him again, much to his surprise. Kali leans into Zuko's arm and smiles.

"What?" Aang asks Kali who glances at him. "You....you saved Appa?"

"Zuko helped" She answers. "I couldn't have done it without him" Zuko rubs his thumb over the back of her hand to thank her for including him in that.

"Appa" Toph starts, rubbing her toes into the grass. "Does seem to like him"

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past" Zuko comments, taking a step closer to the group.

"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka asks.

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?" Katara adds.

"Look, I admit I've done some awful things" Zuko agrees with them. "I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe" Zuko glances at Kali at his side. "But....I...I've changed" He turns back to the others. "I want to help" Kali gives them all a look, pleading with them to say yes. They need Zuko. Aang still needs to learn both naturebending and firebending. If they say no to Zuko, then she is going to walk too. She is not losing him again.

"We should talk about this" Aang offers turning to his friends. "Before we...." Katara shakes her head at him but Aang can see something here. The Zuko they met at the Water Tribe, the Zuko that chased them every step of the way, he is not here. There is little of that young man left. He's here, asking for forgiveness, the Zuko that chased Aang all over the place would never have done that. Katara then stomps away, followed by Sokka and Toph.

"Kali" Aang turns to her. "You should be a part of this" He adds and gives her a look. In this conversation, she will be the only voice that is entirely on Zuko's side. She needs to speak up. She nods a little and then turns to Zuko as the others shift away from them to talk in peace. Kali turns to Zuko.

"Don't worry" She whispers to him. "I won't let them send you away" He leans forward to press his forehead to hers. He really hopes that she is right about this and them.