Zuko woke in agony.
He blinked his eyes open and realized he couldn't see out of his left one.
He put his hand to the bandages wrapping his head as he remembered what had happened.
He remembered the cruel plan the general tried to implement, wrongfully sacrificing recruits that believed in their nation.
He remembered the Agni Kai he agreed to, thinking he would have to fight the old general.
He remembered staring at his father, shaking in fear as he begged him for forgiveness.
He remembered the foolish relief he felt when his father held out his hand. The thought that maybe this time his father wouldn't punish him.
He remembered his father's words as pain engulfed his entire world.
You don't deserve the blessing Agni gave you. You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.
He fell back into a dreamless sleep as he fainted from the lingering pain.
.........
It had been a few days since his nephew had started to wake up.
He had always fell back under within a few minutes, delirious from pain.
Iroh watched his sleeping figure, looking toward the bandages that covered his face.
He recalled his brother, and how he burned the beautiful golden tattoo that used to cover his nephew's left eye.
Iroh felt unimaginable shame, remembering how he looked away as his nephew was burned and banished. His nephew trusted him and he froze in the moment Zuko needed him.
I am sorry nephew...
As if responding to his thoughts his nephew started to wake up, slowly opening his right eye.
Iroh looks into his eye, seeing that they were cognizant. Iroh saw his nephew's despair at that moment, the full reality of what had happened hitting him in that moment.
"Good morning nephew."
Zuko was dead silent. He didn't know how to face his uncle. He was told not to speak during the meeting but he did anyway.
I'm an idiot...
"I'm sorry uncle... you told me not to say anything and I did anyway. I was stupid and dishonored myself. I should've...."
Zuko flinched heavily as Iroh put his hand on his shoulder. Iroh slowly took his hand off Zuko's shoulder, berating himself for being careless.
"Never apologize for this Zuko. You stood up for your people, for your nation. You were the only one in that room that had any honor, including me."
Zuko watched with wide eyes as his uncle bowed to him with tears in his eyes.
"I am so sorry nephew. I should have never let you go through that. I failed you and I am sorry."
Zuko felt himself breaking down as he launched himself at his uncle, tears in his eyes from the pain in his head.
They held each other for a long time after that.
.........
"Where are we uncle?"
Uncle had brought him tea after they broke down, and even though he still had a headache the tea calmed him.
Iroh looked away from his nephew, "We are on the Wani. It is an old ship that your father was going to dismantle. He has..."
He watched as his nephews eye went from concern to grim understanding.
"He has banished you nephew. He said you can't return without the avatar."
Zuko took a second to process the terms of his father's punishment.
He let out a humorless laugh as he grasped the true terms of his banishment.
"Ha. The Avatar that hasn't been seen in 100 years. He wants me to hunt that Avatar."
Iroh watched with concern as his nephew let out a self-deprecating laugh. He saw the pain hidden behind his nephew's cackling.
Slowly his nephew descended into silence, never leaving his downcast eyes from the ground as he did so.
"He doesn't want me back does he?"
Iroh wished he could lie to his nephew, but he knew that his brother wanted Zuko to die from his injuries. He probably would have if Iroh hadn't called a medic in time.
Iroh shook his head slowly, "No nephew he doesn't."
Zuko took the information with a numb acceptance. He had already known his father was disappointed in him, he had been told as much every day since training started.
But now his father had as good as disowned him, ensuring that he would never be allowed to return home.
Part of him wanted to try and find the Avatar. Part of him wanted to see if he could get back home, see if he could finally get his father's approval.
But his mind flashed back to his first time finding out he could heal, holding his mother's bruised cheek as she warned him.
Her voice floated into his mind, Your father is not a good man, if he finds out your different from other Firebenders he will hurt you.
He chuckled at the irony.
Mother was right.
Zuko turned out to be weaker than other Firebenders and his father did hurt him. Repeatedly, precisely, and ruthlessly until he finally had enough of Zuko and got rid of him.
He looked at his hand and wondered if he should try to heal his injury.
The second he thought of lighting a flame his mind flashed back to the sensation of his skin melting off his face. The agony of having his face scarred until all he could smell was the charred remains of his burnt flesh.
He looked away from his shaky hand and refused to look at Uncle's gaze.
"I think I need some time alone."
Iroh nodded sadly, knowing his nephew needed time to process what had happened to him.
"I will be right outside for when you need me."
Zuko watched as Iroh closed the door behind him, leaving the room in total darkness.
Zuko fell asleep, opening his eyes to the grey interior of his cabin instead of the icy blue of the Oasis.
What?
..........
HOW DARE HE!
Agni hadn't been this angry since Sozin attacked the air nomads. He hadn't burned this hotly since Sozin started the hunts of his beloved friends, the dragons.
He was boiling in anger as he heard someone enter his domain.
Tui entered his domain with a panicked expression, La following close behind her.
Agni! What happened!? Yue didn't make it to the dream Oasis. She was crying about it hysterically, what's going on?
Tui and La froze as they saw Agni turn toward them with a murderous expression.
Tui had known Agni for a long time, and she knew he wasn't one to anger easily. He may have been hotheaded, but his true anger was hard to come by. He was the sun, he liked to comfort and warm those that sought him out.
But looking at Agni now she knew something was wrong. He looked livid, she hadn't seen him this angry since Sozin started the war.
She soothed her voice, trying to calm the rising anger coming off of Agni.
Agni, what happened?
Agni looked at his sister and forced himself to calm down.
He burned it.
Tui looked at Agni, a little confused at his explanation.
What do you mean, he burned it?
Tui and La watched as Agni failed to calm his anger.
The boy's father. He burned the mark off him. He burned the blessing off him! HE DARED TO SAY THAT HE DIDN'T DESERVE THE BLESSING I GAVE HIM!!
La stepped protectively in front of Tui as Agni lost control of his anger. Agni's domain shaking with heat as he raged at the desecration of his human.
Agni's domain stopped shaking after a minute. He looked at Tui's horror stricken face, and even if he knew it wasn't aimed at him he still felt ashamed.
I'm sorry Tui and La, I didn't mean to lose control like that.
Tui ran up and hugged her brother. She knew how painful it was to see a human you cared about hurt. She had felt it enough to know how Agni was feeling.
It's okay Agni. I don't blame you. Your human was hurt, it's natural your angry.
Agni sighed, releasing some of the tension he had.
Thanks Tui. I'm sorry about the dream Oasis. I couldn't save it when he lost his mark.
Tui mourned the loss of the gift her and Agni had so carefully crafted for their humans, but she understood.
Zuko losing his mark made the connection between him and Agni weaker. The same would happen to her if Yue lost her white hair.
It's okay Agni. You did what you could.
La watched as Tui and Agni comforted each other. He may not have been as invested as the two of them in their human's affairs, but it still hurt to know that they lost their connection.
He had watched Yue come to him and Tui in tears, begging them to bring back the Oasis, asking them if she did anything wrong. It hurt him to see the human Tui loved so heartbroken, and even more so because there wasn't anything they could do about it.
The dream Oasis was created by connecting Yue and Zuko through their connection to Tui and Agni. Now that Zuko's connection was weakened, neither of the humans would be able to get to the Oasis.
La wasn't one to wish anything of humans. He kept his distance and let them live their short lives as they pleased.
But as he watched Tui and Agni despair over the misfortune of their humans, he wished that Zuko and Yue would find a way to make it through this.