A few miles outside the village, he tells the procession to wait out of sight. There is no need to alarm the people, this close to the former front line, by showing up with an escort and everything. He takes the leash of the ostrich horse he's brought and makes his way into the village on foot. This isn't some run-down watering hole in the middle of nowhere, this is a place people call home, and so he's switched his red tunic for green garbs. The clothes of a commoner. He sets foot into the village unbothered, just another man passing through on a journey.
He has to take a deep breath before knocking on the hospital door.
When Song opens, her kind expression falls once she recognises Zuko and her entire posture slumps. The profound sadness in her eyes is almost painful. In a way, it would be easier if she just screamed at him, he thinks. Insults, threats, anything but that deep disappointment, the hurt look of betrayed trust.
"Hello."
"Why are you here?"
"May I come in?"
She studies him for a moment; he half expects her to deny him. But that's not in her nature. She's kind, even to a fault. The door is opened fully, and he steps inside. Without the war, the hospital must see much fewer patients than previously; today, nobody is inside at all. Zuko awkwardly sits down on the floor and Song, after a moment of hesitation, follows and sits down opposite him.
"So I suppose you know I took your horse."
That provokes a sad smile from her.
"Stole, you mean."
Ouch. "Yes."
"Why?"
Deep breath. You can do this.
"I lied to you. My name is not actually Lee."
"I know."
"You do?"
"Many refugees come through here, and many have a good reason to take on another name. You weren't the first."
"No, that's not it." Zuko searches for words for a moment. "My real name… is Zuko."
The name is clearly not from the Earth Kingdom, and he watches her put the pieces together. Expects her to recoil in disgust at the realisation that he is from the Fire Nation. But she doesn't. If anything, she looks sadder now.
"Fire Lord Zuko", he adds.
"Oh."
Now the apprehension is there, the fear, but even then, her kind nature doesn't allow any disgust to creep into her expression. Confusion, worry, concern, but no hatred.
"I'm not sure how much news you've heard", he begins, but she shakes her head.
"You're… the Fire Lord?"
"New Fire Lord", he clarifies. "When I met you, I was just a banished prince. This", he reaches up to touch his scar, "my father gave me this to punish me."
He seeks out her eyes and she doesn't avert them.
"I wasn't lying about that part", he pleads. "The Fire Nation has hurt me. I really was running from them. If my family had caught me… I would be dead."
Realisation dawns on her. Perhaps she has heard more news than he assumed.
"When I mentioned the Avatar… you sounded angry…"
"Yes", Zuko confirms. "My father sent me to find him. I was supposed to die on that mission. When he did return… I wasn't needed any more. He couldn't afford the risk that I would find him and claim my birthright."
It's all a bit much for her, even he can see that.
"But the Avatar is alive. And you are Fire Lord."
"Yes."
When he's done explaining, the sun is well past its zenith, and Song regards him with eyes that are a little less fearful, a little less sad. They sit on the porch, not of her house but the hospital, and it reminds Zuko of so long ago, when she opened herself up to him and he repaid her in betrayal.
"Why are you here? Now?"
"I didn't come just to explain myself. I'm here to repay what I owe."
He leads her to where he's leashed the ostrich horse.
"It's not the same", he apologises. "I had to leave it behind. But I hope that you can accept it. It's the least I owe you."
The animal bows its head to examine her, and allows her to pets its beak. It's a well-trained one, Zuko has made sure of that, purchased from the finest breeder in the Earth Kingdom. He can see Song's face soften as the animal rubs its feathery head against her shoulder. Sees the surprise in her eyes when she notices the bags it's ladden with.
"What is this?"
"Medicinal herbs. My uncle helped me put together a selection. It's a donation to your clinic, for saving his life."
She nods in gratitude.
"And your uncle… his name isn't Mushi either, I suppose."
He shakes his head.
"No. It's Iroh."
That gets her attention
"The Dragon of the West‽"
He knows what she must think. Once upon a time, Iroh had been the most fearsome, most acclaimed general of the Fire Nation, revered by his soldiers, feared by his enemies. The idea of the round, eccentric old man with the impeccable manners who tried to make a white jade plant into tea must be hard to reconcile with Song's idea of him.
"Yeah. But he's not like that any more."
"I see."
"Without him, I would never have been able to find my way again. He's the one who liberated Ba Sing Se from my father's armies."
He follows her as she leads the horse back to her house. The pen is still empty. Not much money to replace an animal around here.
"I… thank you."
"No. You don't need to thank me. It's me who owes you an apology, I don't deserve your gratitude."
For the first time, she takes his hand in hers, and it's her who seeks out his eyes this time.
"But you do. After what you've told me… not everyone could have changed themselves like you have. You do deserve it."
A single tear escapes Zuko's healthy eye, and he squeezes her hand to say all the things he can't put into words right now.
"Will you accept my apology?"
She reaches up with her other hand , and this time, he doesn't swat her hand away. Her fingertips brush over the burnt skin, and there is sadness in her eyes, but it is a shared sadness that connects them.
"I already have."
After a moment, she lets go of his hand and face, and Zuko turns to leave. But he hasn't made it more than a few yards when she calls out behind him.
"Lee… Zuko… would you stay for a meal?"
He turns back around, and it's just like a year ago. The sun is setting, the glow of the lanterns from inside the house. Song standing in front of it, vulnerable and uncertain, the unspoken bond of kinship connecting them both.
"I would be honoured to."