Forbidden | Avatar the Last Air Bender

Chapter 21: Growth

Change is inevitable, it is a part of growing up.

Tasha's POV

When I returned back to the tea shop, Uncle Iroh had offered us to stay in his shop. I simply obliged, and he offered me to stay in a room with Zuko. But I rejected his offe: I needed some space alone, to think over the things that has been going on in my head for quite some time. He simply shrugged and lent me the spare room, and he told me he would tell Zuko that they would be sharing the same room instead. I thanked him briefly and brushed past the confused Zuko, whose gaze never lifted off me the entire time.

I didn't look at Zuko at all, and never said a word to him. 

After discussing some administrative matters with Uncle Iroh, I went to my room and slammed the door shut wearily. I felt confused and conflicted, and I didn't know whether to feel happy or sad that the Avatar's friends didn't trust me.

I mean, I was glad Aang trusted me, but obviously I still felt deeply troubled by it. Of all the people in the whole who could go against me, only the Avatar trusted me. It didn't feel right at all. He doesn't even know me very well, much less know that I can fire bend. It was bad at first that Katara seemed to hate me, and how things have unravelled to now... I just didn't know what to feel.

I curled up on the bed into a fetal position. I needed to rest, to get all these needless thoughts out of my mind.

A few hours later, I got woken up by a slam of the door, and the shuffling of feet. I took a look out of the window and noticed the light of the full moon shining into room from the narrow gaps of the window. I sat up, while noticing that I had been asleep for a few hours. It was probably dinner time right now.

I silently opened up the door and proceeded out of my room to get myself a cup of tea. The shop was closed, and I was wondering where was Zuko and his Uncle.

I saw that the light of Uncle Iroh's room was switched on, and I decided to knock on the door in my groggy state.

Uncle Iroh opened the door, and he looked at me with genuine concern.

"I was just wondering, if you've seen Zuko?" I said, trying not to sound too awkward.

"Zuko's caught a fever. He's resting right now. Come in, if you must." Uncle Iroh sighed and opened the door wider for me to enter.

Once inside, I spotted Zuko lying on the mat, his eyes shut. He was sweating uncontrollably, and his face was a grotesque mask of rage and pain. He wasn't in the pink of health at all.

"W-what happened?" I rushed over to his side immediately, touching his forehead gently.

Uncle Iroh sighed. Without another word spoken, I grabbed the bucket of water next to me and bended the water to my hands. I placed them over Zuko's steaming hot forehead and tried to cool him down and heal him.

"It's a long story, Tasha." Uncle Iroh finally said, after a few moments. 

After a moment of silence passed, Zuko opened his eyes weakly. I looked at him with genuine concern.

"Hey." Zuko managed to speak up as his eyes landed on mine.

"Don't speak, rest." I whispered. Zuko nodded his head slightly and groaned a little. He flipped his body away from me. I turned my attention back to Uncle Iroh.

"What exactly happened?"

"My nephew is going through a big change." Uncle Iroh started, and then sat down at a chair in front of me. He went on to explain how Zuko released the Avatar's sky bison and chose this act of good, over his original evil intentions of capturing the Avatar for his honor. And now, he's actually going through a change as he made a decision that conflicted his once thought of destiny.

I could only stare on in disbelief. I didn't know Zuko actually would do such a good thing, and I was truly shocked. 

I knew Zuko always had good in him.

"That certainly doesn't sound like something he would do." I touched his face gently, wiping away some of the sweat on his forehead.

"He's going through a very difficult phase and the energies in his body is all haywire at the moment. But it will pass." Uncle Iroh said, smiling at me. 

"I'm glad you can be here for him as he realises what his destiny entails."

I nodded in response and stared at Zuko, finally with some positive energy flowing through my head.

After so much unsettling events that has had happened today, I'm finally happy for once.

I'm glad Zuko is changing for the better.