There are aus where Zuko ends up going on his search for the Avatar without Iroh. Whether it’s because Ozai forbid it or because he was ‘taken care of’ while still in recovery. Either way, there’s not a lot of incentive for the less honorable Fire nation soldiers to keep him around.
He’s alone in the Earth Kingdom. Barely able to stand with his mind fuzzy from trying to recover and fight off infection at the same time.
He’s so out of it that he barely even notices when he collapses. In his mind’s eye, he’s still moving because he can’t afford to waste a moment. Get healed. Find the Avatar. Go home. He has to.
He couldn’t hear anything other than soft muffles. Gentle hands prodding and examining him. He could feel something soft underneath his head and he realized that there wasn’t dirt in his mouth anymore. Someone had placed him on his back on some soft surface. Not as soft as his bed in his room, so he must’ve messed up during training and lost his bed privileges again.
The smell of flowers.
He wonders who it is. Father hated flowers, called them frivolous nonsense that would stop themselves from catching on fire if they were worth anything. Azula only liked flowers when they were in the oils the servants put in her hair. Aside from that, she only liked them for target practice.
Only one person smelled like flowers in the palace and that was-
“Mom?”
The soft hands stroking his hair jerked back and he let out a soft whine. Apologies fell out of his mouth. He’s sorry, he didn’t mean to mess up. He’ll practice his tsungi horn, he’ll play along with Azula’s games. Just please don’t leave again, Mom.
The soft hands returns and an unconcious soft noise left his lips. He would be good so that Mom would stay this time.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Get some rest.”
“Lily? Did he wake up?”
“Shh, Chong, you’ll wake him. Get some more hot water for me?”
--
Zuko gets adopted by the Singing Nomads
