Fire & Rain: Book 1

Metamorphosis

Y/N's POV
Zuko dragged his feet through the door of our little apartment, we had yet to move to the upper ring.

Iroh assured him,

"You did the right thing. Letting the avatar's bison go free."

Zuko looked dizzy and pale, he mumbled,

"I don't feel right."

I ran over to him as he started to topple over, he smashed into a ceramic pot on a stool but I caught him before his head hit the ground.

Iroh cried out,

"Zuko!"

He rushed to his side and felt his face,

"Y/N, grab some fresh water, pillows and a blanket."

I nodded gently moved his torso from my arms and handed him to Iroh.

When I returned with what he asked for, Iroh had laid out a mat for Zuko to lie on and picked up his head as I put the pillow beneath it.

I grabbed another bucket of water, the first was for Zuko to drink from, this one was so I could try to heal him when he woke up.

Eventually, Zuko started groaning and rolled over onto his back.

Iroh put a cloth in my healing water and squeezed it out, dabbing Zuko's forehead:

"You're burning up, you have an intense fever. This will help cool you down."

Zuko sat up and muttered,

"So thirsty."

Iroh pushed him back down and used a ladle to bring drinking water to Zuko's mouth,

"Here's some clean water to drink. Stay under the blankets and sweat this out."

Zuko gulped down the water in the ladle before throwing it across the room and grabbing the bucket of drinking water, he drank straight from it, excess water spilling down his torso before throwing that across the room when it was empty.

He laid his his back on the pillow and coughed as Iroh tucked him in.

I felt his hand reach for mine and I held onto it as he whispered,

"Y/N? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Can you stay with me?"

"Of course"

I felt my cheeks heat up and I glanced away, holding onto Zuko's hand.

Zuko's POV
I sat on my throne, surrounded by my flames, two dragons circled around me, one crimson red, one azure blue. The blue dragon sounded like my sister,

"It's getting late, are you planning to retire soon, my Lord?"

"I'm not tired."

"Relax, Fire Lord Zuko. Just let go. Give into it. Shut your eyes for a while."

I felt my eyelids grow heavier and heavier.

"No, Fire Lord Zuko!"

The crimson dragon sounded just like uncle, he continued,

"Do not listen to the blue dragon. You should get out of here right now. Go! Before it's too late!"

Then from my other ear the blue dragon whispered,

"Sleep now, Fire Lord Zuko."

Then all around me everything crumbled, my throne, my soldiers, my palace.