Polar Opposites *A Prince Zuko Love Story*

Chapter 14 - Metamorphasis

Hello everyone, so before you guys start reading this chapter, I just want to let you all know that I don't really know how often I'm going to be updating in the next few weeks because I have finals coming up and I want to study as much as possible so that I can graduate at the community college that I've been going to since I graduated High School!!!
I will try my best to update in the next few weeks, but no promises since I need to study A LOT for my American Sign Language final!!! (Yes, I am taking sign language!) Anyway, like I said, I will try my best!!!
But for now though, enjoy this chapter!!!

As we got close to the apartment I noticed that Zuko was not looking too good since he's dragging his feet and sweat is dripping down his forehead. "Hey, you okay?" I ask him quietly. He slowly nods. "Yeah, I'm just feeling a little hot." he answers. I think that maybe the exhaustion is getting to him. We haven't slept in almost 24 hours.

I get to the door of our small apartment, entering the small apartment, the 2 firebenders following me inside. "You did the right thing, letting the Avatar's bison go free." Iroh says as he closed the door behind him. Zuko drops his dual swords before holding his head. "I don't feel right." I hear him say feebly, which makes me turn to face him, a worried look appearing on my face. I take a step toward him, ready to lead him to the couch to sit down, when he suddenly collapses unconscious to the floor, breaking a vase on the table in the process. "Zuko!" Iroh and I exclaim, alarmed as we rush over to Zuko's side, making sure that he's alright.

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It's been a couple of hours since Zuko passed out. Iroh and I had moved his mattress into the living room so that he wouldn't have to lay on the hardwood floor. I look down at the unconscious prince in front of me worriedly, seeing him like this worries me. He has an intense fever, his skin is pale and slick with sweat. I'm currently trying to heal him but to no avail, it doesn't seem to work... It doesn't even cool his temperature... I can feel something when I have my hands over his bare chest. I can tell that it's not a physical condition, so I have no idea what to do.

I try to rack my brain for anything that I can try. That's when I remember something that Katara had said to me about something called 'chakras' whenever she was teaching me about healing and what to look for while I heal people. I figure that trying to clear up Zuko's chakras could help with his condition, so I follow the pools of heat in his body, but all I can do is poke at them. Zuko groans softly under my touch which makes me move away from the area that I was just focusing on, not wanting to hurt him.

I let out a frustrated groan, balling my hands into fists, not knowing what to do to help Zuko. "This isn't something that can be healed." Iroh spoke from across from me, in a sedating tone. I look at him in confusion. "He will be fine." he reassures. "This is something he needs to do on his own." he finishes. I sigh softly, knowing that Iroh is probably right. 'He's always doing things on his own...' I think to myself as I take the wet rag out of the bucket beside me, pressing it against Zuko's forehead, to hopefully bring his fever down some. Zuko tosses and turns under his blanket for a moment before slowly opening his eyes. "You're burning up." Iroh states to him as I put the rag back into the bucket again, wetting it again, "You have an intense fever." I state softly as I place the cloth over the prince's brow, making him turn his towards me. "This will help cool you down." I continue. "So thirsty." Zuko says feebly. He then tries to sit up but Iroh and I push him back down onto his mattress. "Here's some clean water to drink." Iroh says to him as he ladles water from another bucket that's beside him. Iroh supports Zuko's shoulders while he drinks the water from the ladle. "Stay under the blankets, and sweat this out." Iroh tells him softly, but Zuko snatches the ladle from him, draining it completely. He tosses it away, turns and grabs the bucket beside Iroh, pouring it down his throat and splashing his chest.