*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
˚ ₊ ♡ ❰  MIRACULUM ❱
*✧ ─── ❝ ❪ METAMORPHOSIS ❫ ❞

⋆ 🌪. CHAPTER THIRTY ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
˚ ₊ ♡ 112 a.a ─── book two: earth

THE WAY BACK TOWARD THEIR HUMBLE HOME HAD BEEN SPEND IN SILENCE. THE MOON GLOWED ABOVE THEM, and Uki tilted her head up toward the sky, and for a moment, she swore she could feel Yue smiling down at her from somewhere between the darkness and the stars. Something peaceful had settled inside her, like a raging ocean that had finally lowered its waves. It felt strange to look at Zuko now that he had turned away from his teachings—well his father's teachings. It left her feeling strangely warm inside.

The door of their apartment creaked open as she pushed the door open with her hip, a pleased sigh leaving her lips as the warmth covered het like a blanket.

"Home sweet home," she murmured around a yawn, stretching her arms above her head. She cast a glance over her shoulder at Zuko, a tired but amused grin tugging at her lip—one that faltered as she took note of his gaunt expression, the way his pale skin looked even more translucent than usual. "Zuko?"

He blinked slowly, as if her voice were traveling to him from far away. His gaze drifted toward her, but didn't quite land. Like he couldn't find her through the haze.

"I... I don't feel right," he rasped.

Uki's eyes widened as he started to stumble his hands reaching out before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Uki darted forward just in time to catch him, his weight slumping into her arms. Slowly she lowered him to the ground, worried eyes scanning over him—another hand already reaching to uncork her waterskin.

The water glowed faintly as she let it hover over him, but she could not find any physical ailment. "Iroh? What is wrong with him?" She looked up at the older man who had approached and knelt down next to his nephew's side.

"I am not sure child." Iroh carefully manoeuvred the boy, "but I have an inkling."

He didn't elaborate, and instead turned to her, "help me get him onto a cot."

Uki nodded, still shaken, and together they carefully lifted the boy. His body was limp, skin clammy with sweat, breath shallow but steady.

Once Zuko was laid out across the low cot in the corner of the room, Iroh covered him with a blanket and sat beside him, silent in thought.

Uki hovered nearby, her arms crossed over her chest as her eyes lingered on Zuko's pale face. His lips were parted slightly, brow furrowed even in sleep as if he was fighting some kind of battle.

Without a word, she turned and padded softly into their small kitchen. She rummaged through some of the lower cabinets until she found a small basin that she could fill up with water. She filled it with clean water from the jug, then carried it back toward the cot.

She brought it to Iroh who gave her a kind smile before she moved away to retrieve a washcloth from the bathroom.

Uki knelt beside the basin, dipped the cloth into the cool water, then wrung it out before folding it carefully.

Wordlessly, she leaned over and pressed the cloth to Zuko's forehead, smoothing the sweat from his skin with a tenderness she hadn't expected from herself.

Zuko groaned in his sleep, "you're burning up." Iroh said softly, unsure if the boy was hearing him. "You have an intense fever—this will help cool you down."

Time moved slowly, silently and at some point, Uki had slumped against the wall, arms wrapped loosely around her knees, still close enough to watch the soft rise and fall of Zuko's chest., to feel the heat he radiated even whilst deep in slumber.

Her eyelids sank lower and sleep took her.

The clinking of a pot woke Uki with a start. A soft gasp erupted from her throat—wide eyes darting up to see Iroh moved around, a waft of freshly made tea reaching her. A moment passed, before she realized Zuko wasn't laying down anymore, instead he was sitting, slight hunched over. Sweat still coated his brow and his eyes were still halfway closed.

"Zuko!" Uki gasped, her voice cracking under the weight of relief and surprise. A smile broke across her face before she could stop it, the tension in her limbs unraveling all at once. She scrambled to her feet and closed the distance between them in a few quick steps.

"You're awake," she breathed, the smile blooming into something unguarded and wide.

Before she thought better of it, her arms came around him in a soft embrace. She didn't squeeze. Just rested against him, one hand gently braced against his back, the other curled around his shoulder.

His body stiffened beneath her touch, and for a moment he didn't move. His breath hitched, as if the warmth of someone else's concern had caught him off guard more than waking up from a near-death fever.

Uki immediately began to draw back. "Sorry," she murmured. "I didn't mean to—"

"No," Zuko croaked, his voice hoarse and low, the word catching somewhere in his chest. "It's okay."

His hand raised, trembling slightly, and touched her wrist as if to assure her he wasn't rejecting the gesture—just overwhelmed by it.

Behind them, Iroh approached, setting down a tray of tea with a quiet thud.

"You should know this is not a natural sickness." Iroh started as he began pouring tea. "but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying tea."

Iroh was gentle as he held the cup to Zuko's lips.

"W-what's happening?" Zuko rasped out.

"Your critical decision, what you did beneath the lake, it was in such conflict with your image of yourself that you are now at war within you own mind and body."

Uki blinked, surprised.

"What's that mean." He coughed and Uki quickly helped him lay back down again.

"Easy."

"You're going through a metamorphosis, my nephew." Iroh explained, "it will not be a pleasant experience. But when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."

Uki smiled at Iroh as he said it and she gently brushed Zuko's hair out of his eyes. "Told you there was someone better inside there." She teased, mirth shining in her eyes.

SUNSHINE FILTERED THROUGH A WAFTING CURTAIN BY THE WINDOW. Uki sat at the small kitchen table, legs tucked under her and hands cradling a cup of jasmine tea while Iroh was busy stirring a large pot of stew. Ba Sing Se was slowly waking up, below the open window, voices of merchants called out in singsong tones, bartering and bantering as carts clattered over cobblestones. A group of children laughed in the alley, the sound distant and light, like birdsong echoing off stone walls.

Her head turned away from the window as footfalls echoed behind her.

Zuko was trudging inside, blinking away sleep, but he had looked lighter than yesterday—like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"What's that smell?" He muttered, rubbing at his eyes.

"It's jook." Iroh replied without looking up. "I'm sure you wouldn't like it."

Uki couldn't help the soft laugh that slipped out, quickly hiding her smile behind the rim of her teacup. Zuko shot her a side-eye, but it lacked its usual heat. He stepped toward the stove, curiosity piqued, and leaned down to inhale the steam curling from the pot. "Actually, it smells delicious."

Uki blinked. She coughed into her cup, startled by the admission. "What?" she sputtered, eyes wide with mock shock.

"I'd love a bowl uncle."

Iroh eyes him suspiciously as he continued the stir, "Now that your fever is gone, you seem different, somehow."

Iroh poured the jook inside a wooden bowl and Zuko accepted it with a smile. "It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today is the grand opening of your new teashop. Things are looking up uncle."

Uki watched the firebender in surprise, eyes following him as he moved to sit down across from her. He smiled at her, warm and bright. "Right Uki?"

"I—you uhm" She stammered before slowly relaxing. "Yeah...it seems they are Zuko."

Breakfast was a quiet affair, passing with simple conversation about Iroh's teashop. As their bowls became empty and time passed. Iroh was the first to leave—final preparations for his teashop as he said.

Uki had gone to gather their empty dishes. Zuko remained seated, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Uki."

The waterbender hummed in response.

"I'm sorry."

Her motions paused for a second, then she turned to look over her shoulder.

"I—" Zuko started, "I should've not been so angry with you, about the poster...about what you said to me, or well, what you've been trying to say to me."

For a moment, Uki didn't know what to say. She could only look at him, at the way his eyes didn't seem to shimmer with anger or fire, instead gentle, sincerity sparkled in their depths.

She smiled, gently. "Thank you. I forgive you."

He smiled at her and nodded almost shyly.

"You've changed," she said after a moment, her voice soft but sincere. "I'm glad."

"My father used to tell me that Azula was born lucky." Zuko suddenly said, his voice soft, unsure—vulnerable. "And I was lucky to be born."

"Zuko..." She mumbled, moving back to the table to sit down across from him.

"I always had to prove my worth to him, nothing was ever good enough, because she was always better, smarter, earlier." He continued.

"I'm sorry Zuko." She hesitated for a moment before reaching out for his hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze. "No child should ever hear something like that from a parent."

He mumbled incoherently.

She took a deep breath, thoughts racing. She didn't know what to say, or what to do to comfort him. After a moment , her fingers grasped the pendant around her neck. "My grandfather gave me this necklace before I left the Northern Water Tribe. In our culture they bring good luck." She started. "But this one is special. It has been in my family for a long time. It had been gifted to my ancestor Atka as a token of appreciation from Avatar Kuruk."

Zuko looked up in surprise. "The avatar?"

She hummed, "I guess it runs in the family." She joked. "I already know my destiny is to help Aang save the world—" she reached up and untangled the knot at the back. "I want you to have it. As a reminder that you can make your own luck—be your own person. Decide your own destiny."

Zuko watched, something in his gaze she could not quite place as she held it out in front of him. "Go ahead. It's yours now."

Slowly he reached out for the pendant before grabbing onto it. His thumb caressed the intricate carving with a gentleness she had never seen him display.

"I—thank you."

"you're welcome Zuko."

⋆⋅ ━━━━ ‧ ༻✩༺ ‧ ━━━━ ⋅⋆
wordcount: 1880