Zuko's POV
I yawn and stretch, rubbing a hand tiredly over my eyes, trying to get the grit out, even if I didn't get any sleep. Something kept me up... probably the fear and worry of nightmares, but also all the possibilities of emotion to show, around these people who encourage. I wonder how much longer I can go without sleep, before I just... collapse? Well, crap. I might have to take a nap somewhere, because I can risk collapsing anywhere here, no one but Toph would even bother to try and find me, and it's too risky, with the possibility of my collapsing being during a fight. I think I'll nap on Appa, his presence and fur always give me something to ground myself on when I do have nightmares, or at least I hope they will, since it'll be like having a giant stuffed animal.
I leave my room, heading straight for the courtyard, aware the rest of the group sleeps there, meaning Appa will be close to there as well. I try not to look like I'm in a hurry, that'll get more looks, but I really want some sleep, and the fact that I'm tripping over my feet isn't helping. Stupid body, relying on sleep to let it recharge, so I have to get to sleep soon, or else something bad will happen. I exit the hallway, and look around, spotting the tower of white fur called Appa in seconds,and heading right for him. I can see from the corner of my eye that no ones awake, besides maybe Toph, and probably Aang. Oh, well, they can see me like this, even if just for a moment.
Appa opens one eye as I get closer, but only moves enough that one of his legs is uncovered. I smile weakly, and settle down on it, sighing in relief when the foreboding feeling I had, the little wiggling feeling bearing bad news, nightmares and guilt and the like, becomes so small, I know I'll be able to sleep, at least for a short while. Unless some idiot decides to wake me up, or bother Appa before that. I drift into dark, knowing this is the best I'm going to get, no dreams, but no nightmares either.
I jerk awake when something jabs me in the side, sluggishly reaching for my swords, only to remember I left them in my room, and to spark a fire in my hand. I blink and clear my eyesight, only to find Sokka, holding Aang's staff, prepared to poke me again. I sigh and lie back down, looking at the ceiling above.
"Whaaaaaaat?"
He doesn't hear or care about the whine in my voice, and instead sets the staff aside before walking off. I blink, ok, was he pulling a prank, before turning on my side and preparing to drift right back into sleep... only to get whacked in the back of the head with the staff. I grunt and pull my hand to my head immediately, before glaring with one eye at the offender, who looks to be Katara. Of course, should've figured. I sigh at her glare and pull myself up, reaching out to gently pat Appa in appreciation, only for a small sliver of water, no thicker than the pinkie finger, but definitely longer, to shove itself through my palm. I wince and pull my hand to myself, before giving up, simply letting Appa know with body Language and my eyes how grateful I am.
Katara doesn't even turn around and she marches off, leaving me with ice through my hand and nothing to wrap or disinfect it with. Lovely. I know she hates me, but imparring Aang's learning isn't going to help her any, I know. Oh, well. I head for my room, aware I eat at different times for different reasons. My hand sends a fierce pain up my arm, but I ignore it for the moment, focused on getting over this section of the hallway, made for airbenders to bend or glide over, something. I jump the distance, having calculated where to land to not die, or injure myself further. The rocks under my feet shift, but I manage to stay up and soon, I'm in the room dubbed mine, surrounded by absolute silence. Not even the wind blows over here, and I feel loneliness slip into my cracks and wrap around me, reminding me why I don't have friends.
I shake those thoughts, using the pain as an unhealthy mechanism to bring me back, before softly melting the ice out of my hand, where I then gently heat the edges, to burn away any possible infection chances, from the water or the air, before wrapping the hand. I yawn yet again, but I can't bring myself to lie down, not knowing that Aang has a lesson soon, and I have to teach it. I just won't use bending today, my lack of sleep might cause it to go out of control.
I nod to myself and immediately stand up, forcing myself to walk in the straightest way I can, so I can bluff my way trough another lesson, and maybe get some sleep afterwards. Maybe. I manage to get to the training area and I feel the daggers burying themselves into my skin the second I enter. I sigh silently, but I can also feel the softer, more probe like gaze of Toph, so maybe I can get through this lesson, even with Katara glaring at me hard enough she might actually kill me.
"Sifu... You look bad. Are you sure we should do this? I don't want to work you too hard, or else it might take away more time, instead of us using that time."
"Wish Katara saw it that way. I'll be fine, just have to take a nap or something later, if I can manage to find somewhere Katara won't bother me. Or where I can cuddle or hear other people."
He nods, but there's somthing in his eyes that tells me this isn't over. I go through the lesson without bending, something both pupil and earthbender notice, though Katara simply narrows her gaze in suspicion,like I'm hiding a trick up my sleeve by not bending. I groan and send Aang off to lunch, Katara having left 10 minutes before we ended the lesson to start on and finish lunch. I follow, but only so I can fall asleep with sound, because that was the only time, when I was surrounded by sounds, familiar ones, that I ever got a decent sleep. I settle against a pillar, a good few feet away from the group, but close enough I can still slightly make out what they're saying, the sounds of eating and chattering, the laughter, relaxing me enough, I slip into sleep and barely realize I have.
I jerk awake not too much later, when something warm splashes over me. I blink and then yelp in surprise when an angry sound comes from somewhere in front of me.
"You think wasting food is a good thing?!? Do you know how low on food supply we are? Or how long it takes to make the food? Or any of the things that are important? Do you think yourself so far above us, you can't even eat the same food as us, so you're going to waste it? Well, now you won't get lunch. Go somewhere else. If I see your face before dinner, I mighty accidentally freeze the ground under you and you might accidentally fall off a cliff. It would be oh so sad."
I groan, but get up and swiftly head for my room, changing my clothes into dry ones and then heading for a room I found not that long ago, buried under rubble and the like so no one with eyes would ever see it. I hope it's loud enough I can fall asleep. I crawl through a tunnel a little bigger than me and sigh when I hear the rustling of leaves, the whispering of the wind and the occasional sound of an animal. It's good and I smile, resting my back against the wall and letting my head rest on my chest, as the sounds soothe me into sleep.
A small body pressing against mine wakes me, and I groan, because I can't have been asleep long, since the sun is still shining in faintly, not even that far above from where it had been. I glance down and find Toph looking at me, a blank look on her face. I sigh and run a hand over my face, before leaning back again.
"Zuko? You need to get to your room and sleep. Now. The lack of sleep is affecting you and Aang, who's been trying to find a way to make sure you sleep at night. Get over your problems, and sleep."
I know she means it, and the way her body is facing, tells me she will earthbend me out of here and to my room. I reluctantly crawl back along the path, standing up on the other side and brushing off, before heading off towards my room. I take the path where I'm less likely to run into anyone and slip into my room, and then onto my bed, just trying to sleep at this point.
However, I'm not asleep long, before I jerk awake, breathing harshly and covered in sweat. I sigh in frustration, before setting a small candle and meditating. It sucks getting so little sleep, but if I can manage to actually calm down enough, I can get in more hours of sleep. Hopefully. Maybe. Possibly. I blink and realize my fire had gone out at some point.
I groan and flop onto my bed, really just wanting to slip into a nice sleep, without having to worry about nightmares, or flashbacks or anything that might just wake me before I get a full nights rest. But, I guess with my luck that would be asking for too much. Right? Right.
I small noise alerts me to th presence of a small Airbender sitting at my feet. I blink, before sitting up to properly talk to him. However, hand shove me back and then there's a weight settling in my side and I tense, before relaxing in a way I never could quite manage. I yawn, feeling surprisingly more tired with the extra heat and close my eyes, entirely prepared to wake up soon.
I groggily open my eyes, seeing a muted sunlight, like someone drew my curtains closed and blocked the sunlight, but I can't bother to care, as I roll over and throw an arm over the waist of a girl this time, meaning that Aang probably switched with Toph or a really small guy. I am going to say it's Toph, however, and simply curl tighter against her, but I bury my face in her hair and whine when sunlight almost gets into my eyes.
Fingers start to dig into my shoulder muscles, massaging and working out any knots or another hard spots. I groan in relief as tension leaves my back, scooting as close to Toph as possible, before slipping back into a nice sleep.
When I next wake, it's two small bodies by me and the sun is gone, moonlight vaguely replacing it. I yawn and go to sit up, but hands are immediately shoving me back down, and I collapse with them, deciding my hunger can wait until morning.
"You are not getting up for at least another day, if Toph and I have my way, which we will, so enjoy the time to sleep. A bowl of food will be brought by me or both of us during every meal and we will be eating beside you, to make sure you go back to sleep after everyone. Going almost a week without sleep... stupid Sifu.... stupid, worthless Father that can't teach good sleeping habits."
I sluggishly tug him closer, trying to offer him some comfort as he continues to mutter things, but I'm slipping back into sleep, and I can't believe how much sleep I've already regained because of those little rascals. Maybe I'll let them stay to help me stay healthy, after we win the war. Maybe.