Chapter 10
+Just a little sick+
(Zuko's room)
Zuko woke up to find that what woke him up was Li coughing really badly. He saw she was a bit pale and she looked like she was cold. Zuko noticed Li was awake as well and looked like she had been for a while the way she had been dressed and ready to walk out the door as she put her boot on.
"Li you all right," Zuko asked noticing that Li was coughing uncontrollably now. After to minutes she finally was able to shake her head yes and started to get up.
"Li you don't look alright," Zuko said as he got up and walked over to her.
"I'm fine Zuko," Li said in a voice that even made her sound sick.
"No your not your sick, I guess Uncle was right for once," Zuko said leading her back over to the mattress.
"I said I'm fine Zuko I just need to get some air and walk around and I will be fine," Li said as her butt hit the mattress.
A knock came on the door and Zuko and Li both looked at it and in a lightning fast move Li got up and ran at it. When Li opened it she saw Iroh standing there looking at Li as he cocked an eyebrow.
"Li are you feeling alright you look sick," Uncle said as he raised a hand to her forehead to feel for a fever.
"Yep Li you have a fever," Uncle said frowning.
"See Li I told you, that you looked sick," Zuko said appearing beside Li. Iroh and Zuko lead her back inside and onto the bed so she could lie down. Zuko began to take of her boots when he noticed she gave him a death glare.
"What your sick it's not my fault blame yourself," Zuko said looking at her.
"I can take off my own boots thank you," Li jerked back her foot and began to take of her own boots while Zuko looked at his Uncle.
"I'll go get something to help out with this cold you just make sure she stays in bed Zuko," Iroh said smiling.
"Uncle I have work to do can't you get some servant to do it," Zuko said looking at him.
"No because you know Li, she won't blast you because you're a friend," Uncle said closing the door.
"You know I would blast you," Li said from the mattress.
"Yeah but apparently he doesn't," Zuko said staring at the door.
"I don't think that door is going to talk to you Zuko," Li said as she got in the bed.
"Just shut up and stay in bed," Zuko said walking over to his matt and sat down. Zuko began meditating and tried to get his anger under control again but found that harder than anything.
Zuko had been sitting on the matt for probably more than eight minutes when he heard the door open and in walked Uncle Iroh bringing in some tea and some kind of brown and green stuff mixed in. Zuko noticed that stuff was used to cure a cold and also noticed the way Li was looking at it with disgust. Zuko turned around and kept on trying to meditate. When he heard someone spit something out and then some coughing he turned around and saw in time Li jumping up about to get sick. He watched as she ran out the door and down the hall to the bathrooms where he heard Li throwing up. He laughed a little at this and noticed his Uncle wasn't there anymore. He guessed Uncle Iroh had ran after her to make sure she didn't throw up on anything. Zuko got up and began to get dressed into his armor and then he walked out the door and down to the prison hold.
(Dungeons)
Sokka awoke to the door to his cell opening and then closing again. A torch was lit and then he saw Zuko standing in front of him. Great another fire bender to harass me, Sokka thought as he watched Zuko studying him carefully like he was trying to calculate to kill him or not. Sokka got up and walked to the bars.
"What do you want," Sokka asked in a venomous tone.
"Just trying to see how in the world Li likes you, I mean you aren't much of a warrior and you simply are not a water bender," Zuko said laughing.
"I might not be a water bender but I am from the water nation," Sokka said.
"Hey I do have respect for you though, your racked up against me for her list of guys she likes," Zuko said smirking.
"What do you mean list," Sokka asked.
"I mean that she likes a lot of guys, some are on this ship, some back home, and one dead," Zuko said smirking.
"But for some reason she has her heart sat on you, seeing that she was out in the storm last night. Could of got herself killed because of you but all she has is a stupid cold," Zuko said.
"Why do you care about her so much anyway, I thought you were a selfish brat for a prince," Sokka said looking at him.
"Because her and me been in and out of more trouble than you will ever know, and her and I have been very close friends since I was six. Her and I are like sister and brother, but I feel a lot more for her than in a brotherly way. I respect her, and care about her, I can also make sure she gets the best of things and what can you do, all you can do is get her hurt," Zuko said with anger in his voice.
"Your wrong I can care about her and love her," Sokka said staring right at Zuko with anger in his eyes.
"So you admit that you love her," Zuko said smirking.
"No…yes…I mean…no…. hell I don't know," Sokka said clutching his head.
"One part wants me to hate her while the other wants me to love her and kiss her," Sokka said sitting down on the cot.
"It's hormones boy get used to it," Zuko said smiling, " That was the same exact way I felt with her as well, but more like us just I thought we were just supposed to be friends."
"How did you handle it then idiot," Sokka said looking up.
"It's called ignore it until you can't take it then let it loose in your fire bending, but for you I think you will have to loose it in a battle," Zuko said smirking.
"You said Li has a cold, how is she doing then," Sokka asked.
"By the looks of it she might even get worse than she is, I'll let you out since we are out in the ocean and there is nothing you can possible do to get away, so maybe you can see her that way I don't have to tell you," Zuko said opening his cell door for him to walk out. Sokka walked out but kept his gaze on Zuko.
"There is a catch isn't there," Sokka said looking at Zuko.
"Yes, you have to be Li's servant and help her out with her cold, I can't I have work to do, I haven't even had any breakfast yet so you will be taking care of her since she might not blast you," Zuko said walking out of the dungeon and into the hall and noticed the boy's reaction as well he looked up.
"She is not aloud to leave the room and any other servant she might give a severe burn, but she will listen to close friends, I think maybe you got into her cold heart boy," Zuko said smirking.
"It's Sokka," Sokka said looking at Zuko.
"You are my prisoner I will call you what I want BOY," Zuko said the last part to just make him mad.
"So you like Li to," Sokka asked looking at Zuko.
"None of your business," Zuko said with a venomous voice.
"Because your Uncle told me you loved her," Sokka said trying to anger him and annoy him.
"My Uncle can lie," Zuko said looking at him.
The rest of the time they did not speak or say a word. When they reached Zuko's room he opened the door to find Uncle sitting near Li she was holding her stomach.
"I swear that stuff is poison, the only thing it did was upset my stomach," Li argued a bit but he noticed her words was a bit messed up from her sickness.
"It will help it's just the taste that might make you feel sick," Uncle said chuckling, " But that taste will go away in about three hours when I bring you more and some food that you might be able to get down in your stomach without coughing it up."
"Oh great," Li said slamming her body back on the bed.
Uncle looked up and noticed Zuko was there with someone and when he finally noticed who the boy was he smiled. He walked over to Zuko and said, "So you got someone you know she won't hit with a fireball."
"Yes," Zuko said looking at his Uncle.
"But don't be so sure I mean she is still mad and sad for him turning her down and it is his fault she got this cold in the first place," Zuko said smirking as he looked at Sokka. "Now I have work to do so I will be of to find the Lieutenant, we have important matters to discuss, Like what we need on the ship when we dock tomorrow and load up on supplies," Zuko said looking at his Uncle.
"Well then I must leave as well, I have a bet that I can win against this soldier in Pai Sho," Uncle said chuckling as he left with Prince Zuko who shut the door behind him.
"Well this is so great I got a water tribe peasant taking care of me," Li said in an angered tone as she sat up.
"I think you need rest," Sokka said sitting down leaning against the wall.
"So this your room," Sokka asked with some amusement.
"No actually this is Prince Zuko's, I usually sleep with in Uncle Iroh's room with my own side of the room," Li said smiling.
"This is whose room," Sokka asked looking at her with some jealousy flashing across his face.
"Prince Zuko's, problem for you water tribe peasant," Li said smirking the best she could.
"Yes it is you're a girl he's a guy and you slept together last night," Sokka asked jumping up.
"Yep but what is the deal I mean we're just friends," Li said smiling.
"Not what those guards say down near my cell," Sokka said his voice raising, " they say you and him are together and love each other." Sokka watched as she turned beat red and then without warning started laughing hysterically.
"What are the guards names Sokka," She asked Sokka turning over on her side smiling. Sokka could see she was pure white almost and her eyes had red bags under them. He also noticed how she sounded and knew she was sick but what amazed him was he knew what that sickness was he had it once after one storm one time. Aang told him he would need a Frozen Wood Frog to suck on and he knew that if he didn't tell Zuko or Iorh this she might end up delirious like he was. Katara had told him that he actually thought he was an earth bender and thought Momo and Appa were talking to him.
"Sokka those guards names are, Yama, and Kenji," Li said laughing, " they love talking so they will make up anything Li said getting up and walking over to the mat that Zuko usually sat on to meditate. Li turned around and began meditating for a while until she started coughing uncontrollably Sokka noticed this and quickly walked over to see if she was okay. Li got up and walked over to the bed and sat on it before Sokka could do anything.
"I know that sickness, you need a Frozen Wood Frog to cure it," Sokka said looking at her.
"And how can you cure this cold with a Frozen Wood Frog," Li asked laughing a bit.
"Sucking on it," He said as he watched her face turn from pale to green.
"Now that is gross," Li said staring at him as she looked down.
"You have no clue," Sokka said as he let out a small laugh.
"Hey Sokka,"
"Yeah,"
"Listen I didn't mean to get you captured but I couldn't leave you in that cave so I did what I could and that would be getting you captured, if I can ask Zuko if he will give you a better room that isn't a prison would that be a bit better," Li said as she looked around trying not to make eye contact with him.
"That would be nice and thanks for saying that it makes me feel a little bit better about you," he said as he looked at her.
"Listen everything that has happened in my life is my business so the friendship between me and Zuko is a personal thing, he was actually the only one who noticed I was a person and not a thing, dad did to but not much believe me on that," Li said looking at Sokka.
"Why did you just say that," Sokka asked looking at her.
"Because I want you to understand what I'm about to say, Sokka I love Zuko I always have but not in the way I'm beginning to like you I never have had these feelings toward anyone else and it's scaring me, Sokka I think I--," but she was cut short as the door to the room opened to reveal Zuko who seemed a bit upset.
"What's wrong Zuko the soldiers acting like idiots," Li said looking at him as she smiled but began to cough again.
"Yes and you don't seem to be getting better do you," he said as he crossed his arms and looked at her.
"Hey Prince Zuko I think I might know what could cure her," Sokka said looking at Prince Zuko who had turned his head toward him and had his eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face.
"And what would that be water peasant," he asked as he looked at him.
"I'll ignore that for once, she needs a Frozen Wood Frog to suck on something about its skin having some kind of substance that can cure her," he said as he looked at the prince.
"I think we might have some of those in the kitchen, it's a delicacy to eat those things but I'll see if I can get some frozen and then brought up, Li do you think you could try and freeze a wood frog," he asked looking at Li.
"Yeah I did it to the water in the bathroom while I was puking, don't ask why," she said looking at them.
"Alright I'll be back with a frog and some water," he said leaving the room and locking it with his key.
"Now what were you going to say before he came barging in," he said as he looked at Li.
"Nothing Sokka, nothing," Li said as she looked at the door.
A little while later Zuko reappeared in the room with the Frozen Wood Frog and some water that Li froze over the frog and then took it to her mouth and began to suck even though she had put up a big fight with Zuko and Sokka about it. When Li was done she sat the frog on the table and let it hop off near the door where Zuko picked it up and walked outside with it. Li laid down in bed and began to fall asleep as Sokka was pondering on the thing she was about to say to him but nothing would come to him so he closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall and fell asleep. A little while later Zuko came back and got him to take him back to his cell and the whole way there neither of them spoke until they reached the cell and Zuko began to talk as he latched the cells door and locked it.
"You know we are both in a race for that girls love right," Zuko said as he stared at him and leaned against the wall.
"Yes," Sokka said as he went to sit down on the cot.
"Then if you know what's good for ya you will lose this race you should know she is better off with me I can provide for her more than you can boy," he said staring at Sokka.
"I will not back out I will keep running, Li will chose who she really loves," Sokka said as he looked up at Zuko and noticed he was a little angry at this then said, " fine but I'm warning you boy you'll regret staying in the lane with me." Zuko walked out as he let out a sigh and walked back to his room for the night's rest.
There ya go review please.