꧁ chapter twenty-six ꧂
life-changing trips

✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚˚✧₊⁎⁎⁺˳✧༚

MEILUNA SHOT UP hearing the sound of an explosion, she looked around and vaguely made out a Fire Nation airship coming into view. Several bombs were sent down towards the air temple, crumbling the portion of the ceiling directly above Meiluna. Before she had the chance to move she was quickly pushed out of the way.

"Watch out!"

Zuko held her as the two narrowly missed the falling debris, roughly landing on the floor. Meiluna felt the tips of Zuko's hair tickle her face as he leaned over her. She barely got a word out before Katara ran over pulling Meiluna up as she glared at Zuko,

"Come on!"

The two girls ran to where Toph stood as she created an exit using her earthbending,
"We can get out through here!"

As everyone started to to enter the passageway Meiluna checked behind her and saw Zuko standing, facing the airships.

"What are you doing?" She called out to him.

He turned back to face her,
"Go ahead! I'll hold them off. I think this is a family visit"

"Zuko! No!" Aang cried out as Zuko took off running towards the danger.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Sokka yelled, grabbing the Avatar's arm to pull him back.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

"Wow, camping, it really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" Aang smiled.

"If you really want it to feel like old times I could chase you around for a while and try to capture you" Zuko said lightheartedly.

Meiluna cracked a smile as everyone else laughed.

"Ha, ha" Katara grumbled, glaring at the prince.

"To Zuko! Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today he'd be our hero!" Sokka toasted.

"Hear, hear!" Everyone cheered.

Meiluna laughed as she clinked her cup with Zuko's, watching him beam.

"I'm touched," His smile dropped from his face as he looked down, "I don't deserve this"

"Yeah, no kidding" Katara spat before she walked away.

"What's with her?" Sokka asked looking back at his sister.

Zuko stood up to follow her,
"I wish I knew"

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Zuko paced back and forth nervously in front of Katara's tent. Meiluna only knew this because while she lay down with her eyes closed, she could hear the noisy sounds of his feet crunching twigs beneath him.

"Are you okay?"

Zuko jumped slightly upon hearing the Princess' voice interrupt his inner monologue. He turned and noticed Meiluna peeking her head out of her tent.

"Uh, yeah," Zuko answered uncertainly, "Sorry for waking you"

"It's okay," Meiluna shook her head slightly, "I wasn't sleeping"

She quickly covered her mouth as she felt a small yawn escape her.

"I think Katara hates me" Zuko confessed abruptly.

Meiluna stared at him expectantly as he paused his pacing, watching her carefully.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Zuko asked curiously.

He had honestly expected her to give him some kind of advice on how to handle his predicament, seeing as he felt he could trust her.

"Like what?" Meiluna tilted her head slightly in confusion.

"Maybe some words of encouragement?" Zuko scratched the back of his head awkwardly, realising how pathetic his words sounded.

"Oh!" Meiluna still looked at him oddly, "But I think she hates you too"

Zuko's shoulders slumped visibly as he brought his hands up to his face, groaning in frustration.

Meiluna's eyes widened in horror as she had finally registered how harsh her response sounded. She quickly got up and sped over to stand in front of him, reaching up to wrap her hands around his wrists, slowly pulling his hands down to meet his embarrassed gaze.

"But," Meiluna hesitated for a moment, trying to find the best way to handle the situation.

"I thought I hated you too, and I'm kind of getting over that now, so I don't think you need to be too worried about Katara" She continued to ramble.

Zuko barely paid any attention to the words coming out of the girl's mouth as he stared in disbelief at her petite fingers wrapped around his arm. He couldn't help but blush at their contact as she held his hands so close to her own chest, looking at him with an expression that made his heart beat a thousand times faster.

"Zuko?"

Zuko's eyes immediately flew up to meet Meiluna's as he gave her a blank look.

"Oh, uh," Zuko gave her a small smile, "Thank you, Princess"

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

"So, you were just gonna take Appa anyway?" Aang looked to Katara with his eyebrows raised.

Katara nodded plainly,
"Yes"

"It's okay, because I forgive you," Aang said dramatically as he placed his hand over his heart, "That give you any ideas?"

"Don't try and stop us" Katara told him sternly.

"I wasn't planning to, this is a journey you need to take," Aang spoke wisely, "You need to face this man, but when you do, please don't choose revenge, let your anger out and then let it go. Forgive him"

Zuko rolled his eyes as he climbed aboard Appa,
"Okay, we'll be sure to do that, guru goody-goody"

"Thanks for understanding, Aang," Katara said as she turned to grab Appa's reins, "Yip-yip"

Meiluna waved goodbye as the two of them departed on the bison to which Katara sent her a small smile while Zuko also sent her back a kind wave.

"You know, you're pretty wise for a kid" Sokka spoke up, addressing Aang.

"Thanks, Sokka" The Avatar smiled.

"Usually it's annoying, but right now, I'm impressed" Sokka continued.

"I appreciate that" Aang thanked him once again.

"So, can I borrow Momo for a week?" Sokka asked hopefully.

Aang and Meiluna instantly turned their heads to look at Sokka suspiciously.

"Why do you need Momo?" Aang asked.

Sokka simply shrugged as he walked back to their campsite. Meiluna followed after him, dragging her feet as she watched the others aimlessly sit around.

"Is this what you guys did while we were on our life changing trips with Zuko?" Meiluna asked as she sat down beside Suki.

Aang, Suki and Sokka looked to each other as the nodded, answering Meiluna's question. She let out a soft sigh.

"What?" Sokka looked at her mockingly as he let out a loud laugh, "You miss him already?"

Meiluna crossed her arms defensively,

"No way"

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

"Katara? Are you okay?" Aang rushed over to the girl who sat at the edge of the dock.

Meiluna watched him run over to his lover before turning to face Zuko who stood beside her.

"Does Katara still hate you?"

Zuko hesitated before answering, still focussed on the scene before them of Aang comforting Katara.

"I tried my best to help her," Zuko's voice came out far less confident than he intended, "But I don't know if it was enough"

"I think she seems happier" Meiluna noted, but of course, she believed that could also be attributed to having Aang by her side.

"Really?" Zuko looked at the Princess.

Katara and Aang got up from their spot and approached the two. Meiluna moved closer to Zuko. He felt himself instantly burn red at the feeling on Meiluna's mouth so close to his ears. She had one hand on his shoulder, her entire body pressed up against his arm, making him feel all the more lightheaded.

"Whatever you did," Meiluna spoke softly, "It was more than enough"

Meiluna stood back in her spot beside him once again, giving Zuko a kind smile. She patted his shoulder twice in reassurance when she turned and noticed Katara moving to stand in front of Zuko.

"I didn't forgive him, I'll never forgive him," Katara looked to Zuko with a slight smile, "But I am ready to forgive you"

She quickly hugged him before continuing to walk away.

"You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer" Zuko told Aang.

"It never is" He agreed.

"Then I have a question for you," Zuko looked at Aang seriously, "What are you gonna do when you face my father?"

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

"Did you really need me for this?" Meiluna asked Zuko with a curious smile.

Zuko sat beside her while she used her waterbending to put out the campfire. He leaned backwards to lie on his back while Meiluna remained seated upright, watching the smoke of the, now extinguished, flame float up gracefully into the night sky, vanishing without a trace.

Meiluna wasn't particularly sure why Zuko had asked her to come with him to take care of the campfire, when she knew he could have just as easily done it himself. However, Meiluna was usually awake at this late hour either way, so she agreed without asking him too many questions.

"Well," Zuko began to feel his cheeks burn with shyness, "I just wanted a chance to watch the stars with you"

Meiluna turned around at his words, a small laugh escaping her lips while she brought a hand up in a poor attempt to hide her happiness. Zuko thought her amusement was contagious, he didn't even notice the soft smile gracing his own features while he stared up at Meiluna.

He admired the way her eyes twinkled, the inky black sky reflected on to them, only making it that much more difficult for Zuko to stop himself from getting lost in them. Meiluna moved to lay down beside him, resting her head right next to his.

"Zuko?"

Zuko's focus on Meiluna didn't waver as he replied,
"Yeah?"

"It's cloudy"

☆☆☆