His leg stretched out before him, trying desperately to reach the other side. Amber eyes were lit by the surrounding flames compiled of rushing heat, and his body would be more or less charred if he didn't get out quick. The raven's attention remained focused on the small child in his arms despite this; and as he somehow magically made it to the other side of the broken staircase with one giant leap of faith, he felt as if his solemn attitude had been uplifted in the lightest while he battered through the rest of the apartment building.

''Moooommy!''

The child's screams were something he had tried to ignore for the past few minutes, dutifully faking as if he couldn't hear them as he stared at the blazing furniture every few feet. If he wasn't careful...

''Shit!''

He ducked down as a piece of ceiling came flinging at them, his instincts the only thing that kept the pair from being pinned...or knocked out. The child's screams were more shrill as he picked up his pace through the building he had hoped to have gotten out of minutes ago; his shoulder consequently used as a ram to get fallen timbers out of his way while his arms draped protectively over the kid more so than before. He could fell the heat rising inside, and as the ashes marred his cheeks to make them look like a coal-miners, the twenty-two year old male disregarded everything-- even the child...apposed to before --and charged toward the nearest window of the first floor. Shattered glass beckoned around him as he even went so far in shielding his charge by pulling his head over her, landing on his side rather belatedly as a fiery blast followed them out the door...Trying to reach out and nip the edge of his heels while his fellow fighters blasted liquid in the direction of his exit.

''Zuko! You lucky bastard!''

His ears were ringing, and as the child's palms reached out to struggle free of the his grip, Zuko did nothing to stop her. The mother had already come running forward yelling the brats name...Rikku... something or other...so he saw no ideal in watching after her longer than he had. The chief came barreling toward him as soon as he saw this too, still exclaiming his previous remarks as he heaved him up to a standing point.

''Shit, boy. Mother fucking shit.''

Zuko groaned while giving out his smallest of frowns, not really caring to feel his Uncle's arm as he was lifted up better than he already had been...and dragged off to the edge of a truck.

''Your so lucky, Zuko. Do you realize that?''

Amazing how everything could change so fast. Wasn't it? Tch. At least, in the man's eyes...it was. He was burned on his shoulder severely wear the uniform had withered back, but...less than five minutes ago, he could have sworn he wasn't going to make it out of here anything short of a broken leg. And now. With one simple jump, he was on the front lawn of some apartment, dragged off a ways to sit on the back of a fire truck. So, yeah. Zuko did consider himself lucky. Extremely so.

''Stay here. Do you understand me? I'm going to bench your ass for going in without someone.''

Another groan. It was all Zuko could manage as his hand raised up to run through his tangled ends of hair, consequently pushing off his helmet so it went clattering to the floor.

''You can't be serious, Iroh.''

''Dammit, I sure can. You don't scare your chief like that.''

The elderly man looked fierce as he mentioned his title, glaring down at his nephew as if he'd started this blasted fire himself. Shoot. Even from his scarred eye hidden behind spiky hair, Zuko could tell the man was pissed. Probably for more of a reason then the fact he just ran into a building without waiting for orders; simply because some mother was crying about her kid.

''Your going to the hospital.''

Amber eyes widened at this comment. Hospital? No way! He couldn't afford to go to a hospital for another burn! Or, handle another one of the 'welcome home' beatings he got from-

''Uncle...''

''Don't.''

''Aw, come on. You know I only did it for the kid. Don't make me go to the hospital. It's...not that bad.''

''Fuck it is! Your uniform is shredded over the burn!''

''It's just a flesh wound.''

''Stop arguing with me, Zuko. You almost got fried.''

Stupid Chief of his department. What did Uncle think going to the hospital was going to do for him anyway? The raven hated the place with a living passion, and for good reason too! See, the longer his uncle became a worry-wart about his injuries, the longer the hospital got into tallying pointless bills for the sake of 'comforting' him. You know. X-rays? Blood work? Private hospital rooms?

'' You can't tell her.''

''Shut up. I'm going to call her as soon as the men finish up putting this thing out.''

That time, Zuko cursed out loud. The one person in the entire world who he hated to find out more than anyone else, was her. She was worse than Uncle when it came to the fact he was a tad reckless for a 'firefighter', and it made the poor guy fear for his life whenever she barged through the hospital kicking ass while taking names just to find him. The woman was fierce when she wanted to be, which had been one of the main reasons he fell for her...but...

Also, one of the reasons he made sure he never chased after his feelings, either.

I mean, really. What woman would want a scarred firefighter like Zuko? He couldn't even go in for a kid without getting all burned, lest, follow orders. How was he supposed to face her every time he got hurt? Every time he couldn't pay for something...because he was in the hospital so much?

...There wasn't a way. He figured that much out, after the first time he experienced his facial burn.
There...just wasn't.

''Can I get a medic out here...? Zuko fucked himself up again.''