Zuko's pov
I glance to the side, watching the others as they interact, trying to ignore the bad feeling I'm getting, as I walk off and head to bed. I've been having this feeling all day, starting when I woke up, but I have absolutely no idea why and I haven't found anything nearby that would set off my gut instinct. But, I have remained tense and prepared all day, aware that all the running from the Fire Nation has made my gut instinct better than it used to be. I really wish I knew why I feel like this though. Maybe Azula sent an assassin after me? Or maybe Katara will make good on her threat? Or something will force me to do something I don't want to? There are so many things my gut instinct could be tellling me about, but I never know until it's happening, or right before it.
I crash down on my bed and sigh, ignoring my gut as I pull the blanket to my hips and then throw an arm under my pillow, curving it so my hand is gripping the handle of one of my swords. I sigh and relax as much as I possibly can, ignoring the faint shivering running through me.
I jerk awake as a hand meets my skin and level the sword to the closest thing I can. The person freezes and then backs up. I yawn and blink before recognizing the figure of Aang.
"Sorry, Sifu. I just wanted you awake, because I had a nightmare and I needed to make sure you were ok."
I can't blame him for waking me, not when this warm feeling is spreading through my body, because he cares enough to check on me after having a nightmare about something happening to me. I yawn and sheath my sword, stretching a little bit and then sitting up, and letting him settle in beside me. I throw the blanket over him, and he snuggles closer. I let him get comfortable, before throwing an arm over his waist and letting my hand slide along the arrow from his spine up to his head. He melts into me and I smile, before nudging his head gently. He whines, but snuggles closer, burying his face in my chest, stealing both my heat and the comfort I offer, letting him listen to my heartbeat.
"I started off in a ring, with faceless people surrounding me. As I tried to look around and spot anyone I knew, another figure stepped out and became your father. I tried to bend, but nothing happened. No air, no water, and no earth. When I got to fire, it worked, but barely did anything. I fought and fought, but he never moved. I finally collapsed and he started laughing, before saying how his 'worthless son had put up more of a fight' and 'this is the student he worked so hard to train?'. I was confused, but then a light came on off to the side and there you were, tied to a pole. You were so... beaten and burned, that I didn't know what they could do to make it worse, but then they set fire to the bottom and top of the pole, and I couldn't move, the shadows and your father forcing me to watch, as you burned and screamed and then just, blew away. I broke down and then woke up, and I needed to see you, to see you were ok, and not gone, breathing and..."
"Settle down, little one. You are safe, but I am also safe and I won't be going anywhere without your consent for the next day,ok? I will let you hang with me the entire day, even if we just do some light training the entire time, or sit and talk. We will do it and I will prove to you I am alive and well that very second whenever you need. Now, we need to sleep."
I smile and bury my head into the pillow, ignoring the small chuckle vibrating in my chest, before watching the room. I can feel him relaxing and then his breathing slows and he's out. I can't bring myself to go to sleep, and so I watch him, looking for the signs of a nightmare or anything else unpleasant bothering him. I don't sleep for the rest of the night, and I can feel the fatigue and heavy limbs already, hoping today isn't the day where the bad thing happens. I don't know if I'll be able to do anything if it does. I yawn and sit up as the sun rises, feeling it's energy waking me up and fixing my fatigue a little, but I know it won't last long. Sure enough, the energy fades as I stand and pull the blanket over Aang, smiling as he shuffles over and buries himself exactly where I was, before I change into my normal clothes and set my swords on my back.
I leave the room and turn the corner, heading to the main room where Katara will have breakfast starting soon, since she wakes up not too long after me, probably so I'm not left alone too long. I don't mind, but it hurts just a little how much she doesn't trust me. I sit on one of the rocks and watch the sunrise, panicking when I hear running footsteps. I get up, but relax and feel guilt swamp me as Aang rushes in, frantically looking around, my blanket still draped over his shoulders. He relaxes and stumbles towards me the second he sees me, and I gently take his weight, feeling his sigh as he rests on me.
"Don't... don't do that. I thought it was true for a second. You can't leave, not not, not ever."
I let him cuddle into me, before I collapse and he follows me, curling into my side and falling right back into sleep as soon as he can hear my heartbeat. I smile, but watch the temple, deciding it's better to watch for someone. With both me and Aang here, the likelability of an assassin or someone else finding us, is pretty hard. However, I know tons of assassins who'd be willing to do it for the money, or the thrill of killing someone.
I jerk awake, not really all that surprised to find myself soaking wet with freezing water, but I'm surprised she'd risk getting Aang. I gently roll him off me, smiling when he whines at the lack of heat, before slowly blinking his eyes open. He gaps when he realizes I'm soaking wet, before shooting a quick, unnoticed glare at Katara. He bends the water off of me, before setting it back in the fountain. I do a once over, to make sure he's not wet, but it looks like she kept it mostly to me.
"Katara, what are you doing up now, anyways?"
"I heard him moving around and got suspicious, because maybe he was contacting his father."
"Through what? My imaginary messenger hawk? My amazing water bending skills? My even better telepathy?"
She glares at me, spearing me with invisible sharpened spears of ice. I wince, because I'd be dead if looks killed, but, they don't, thankfully. I sense the chi of the others as they start to converge on this area and smile when I see some stumble or trip over small rocks. Soon enough, everyone is here and we all take one look at Toph and Sokka's hair, before bursting out laughing. I chuckle, not bothering to stop myself, because I already know the surprise will be worth it. It is, as the others stop laughing to look at me, all of the gaping and blinking in surprise. But, Toph starts to laugh again, probably because she realized what happens, and soon everyone else is too. I can tell some of them are uncomfortable, so I quickly beckon to Aang.
"I will be waiting in the training room for you. See you there."
He nods, but he looks worried and kinda annoyed. I know he worries I never get enough to eat, especially since I only get one bowl, because I will not take food from him, not even with the knowledge that he will get more. It's not right to take the food of others. Especially not little brothers. I don't know why he's mad however, and I really hope I haven't done anything to make him mad at me.
I hurry along, away from the group that's calming down, and I notice a few throw sad looks my way. I don't know why, but I kinda like how they all seem to at least somewhat care. I enter the training room, glad that this room is big and wide enough to not have anything to be caught on fire, and it's close enough to the others they can hear almost everything done, but not quite the words. I smile as I sit down and start meditating, matching to the chis of the others and regulating those to the speed of my breathing. I almost get lost enough to not notice the extra chi, but I do.... at the last minute.
I yelp as I'm tackled, but my hands are immediately pinned in place by ice and then my ankles. I struggle, having been put in a similar hold by Katara, but the person doesn't give me any time, before pulling out a knife. I panic when I feel Aang's chi heading this way, but as I open my mouth to warn him, the knife plunges into my ribs, getting right between them. I howl and twist, trying to stop the pain wracking up my side, and yank up on my wrists, which only tears the skin there.
"Now, to finish you off. Be silent, you weakling. The knife won't kill you. But my water will."
I open my mouth to yell, but water fills it and starts rushing down my throat and into my lungs. I panic and try to cough it out, but that does nothing, since it's being forced down my throat. I thrash and wiggle around, trying to fight as I'm drowned. Then, the weight on me leaves and the water stops, some of it flowing out of the corner of my mouth. I cough and hack as I feel the water move in my lungs, and then curl up the second the ice is moved. My side hurts and I really don't want to move, but in order to actually heal, we'll have to remove the knife.... and empty my lungs. Hands grab frantically at my arms, rolling me onto my side.
"Zuko! Come on, you need to stay still, so I can bend the water out of your lungs. It'll feel weird and you'll have to trust me, but it can't stay there or it'll keep drowning you."
I nod and open my mouth as wide as possible, completely relaxing, as much as I can when pain wracks up my side with every breath. I moan and wince as water is pulled up and out of my mouth, gathering in the air by Aang's head. I can't believe how much water there is, but start to hack and cough on instinct, trying to expel the little water left. Aang lets me, putting a hand on my back as I curl on my side and keep coughing. I moan and hiss after each one raw pain sparking up my side.
"Katara! Need your help in here! Sokka, Toph, need your help too!"
I groan, but smile weakly at Aang as bloods seeps out of my side slowly, barely a trickle. He smiles back, but he's obviously distracted, and I wince as pressure is applied to my wound, sending the pain up my ribs and further down into my leg, and I moan.
"Sorry, but I can't have you dying. Let's get you all better... Katara! Zuko's been stabbed! I don't care right now weather you hate him or like him, you need to save him. Sokka, I need you to check the assassin, see if you can find somewhere to put him that won't give us away or anything. Toph, help him."
No one argues and I wince as Aang pulls me up,resting me alongside his body so Katara can have an easier time reaching the wound. I can't help it as I clench one hand, trying to fight off the pain, even as the water goes into my body and starts moving things around, quickening the healing. I spasm at a sharp pain, but a hand settles in my hair and I blink, before glancing at Aang. He smiles and nuzzles closer, burying his nose in my scent. I smile and wince as the wound is pulled on.
"That's the best I can do. Get him to bed."
I go to protest,but one look in Aang's eye and I know I may as well just let him do it, so I do. He pulls me up and settles under my shoulder like a crutch, before heading towards my room. I'm exhausted and still in a little pain, because the healing used my body for energy to heal and she didn't heal it all the way. I stumble and we barely manage to stay upright, before heading slightly slower for my door. I start to pay ,more attention to how hard it is to move my feet, and soon we're in my room, Aang helping me to lie down. I moan lightly, and sigh, before managing a smirk as I move one arm, letting him settle in next to me and get comfortable.
"Just rest,Zuko. I'll watch out for you, and make sure nothing gets to you. Let me keep you safe, please?"
I nod and throw an arm over his waist, letting him know I'm agreeing, before closing my eyes to drift into sleep. Before I slip all the way in, I feel fingers start to thread through my hair.