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2021-07-18
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2023-01-08
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Guide Me Through The Dark

Summary:

Sokka and Zuko are soulmates, able to 'visit' each other through the Spirit World. This changes everything and nothing.
Ursa still disappears, Kya still dies, Zuko is still burned and banished. But when two Water Tribe siblings uncover the Avatar sleeping in an iceberg, they won't be the only ones joining him on his quest to restore balance. Together or apart, they will change the fate of many who cross their path.

Follow Zuko and Sokka through the worst of their childhoods and the best of their teenage years, between learning to see the world in a different light, Gaang shenanigans, redemption arks and saving the world.

Chapter 1: Reaching for the Sun

Summary:

Zuko and Sokka's lives pre-banishment

Chapter Text

"Azula always lies. Azula always lies. Azula always lies." Zuko repeated to his empty bedroom, hugging his knees from where he was perched in the middle of his bed. “ Azula always lies.

 

Father wouldn't kill him. Father loved him! And why would Grandfather order him to kill Zuko? It made no sense! Especially when they’d just lost Lu Ten. 

(Zuko couldn’t think about that right now, the pain of losing his older cousin was too much. They’d never been all that close, with Lu Ten being so much older than him; but he’d tried to make time for him and Azula when he was in Caldera. He’d taught them both how to play Pai Sho.) 

Honestly, Azula should have come up with a better lie if she wanted to scare him. This one was ridiculous. Zuko wasn't afraid. He wasn't! 

 

But Azula had looked sincere; worried almost. Not that Zuko could tell her lies from the times she told the truth, of course. Her sneer hadn't been quite right; it wasn't as vicious as it normally was. And mother had seemed a bit off as well when she came to wish him goodnight. 

(It had sounded almost like goodbye, like she was wishing him well for more than just this one night; like there were too many words she wanted to say and she didn’t know where to start.)

 

But Azula always lies , he reminded himself.

 

"Who's Azula?" asked a curious voice from next to him. Zuko startled and was quick to jump off the bed to put it between him and the boy. Wait. The intruder was a little boy? He looked like he was Zuko's age!

 

"What are you doing here? And why are you dressed all weird!" he demanded. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to say but Zuko wasn’t used to speaking to boys his age, okay? 

 

"Uh" the other boy trailed off, looking around the room, looking more and more confused. "What is this place? And who are you ? How did I get here?! I was in the middle of the village a second ago!" Now the boy seemed to be panicking, turning around frantically. Zuko felt bad now. The boy looked kinda like the baby turtleducks did when Azula threw rocks at them. The young prince shook himself; this boy was an intruder , in his room , in the middle of the night ! He shouldn't be worrying about his feelings! No wonder Father thought he was so weak.

 

"Hey! I asked first! You answer! I am Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, son of Prince Ozai and Princess Ursa, grandson of Fire Lord Azulon, and I order you to explain yourself this instant!" Zuko demanded. 

 

He usually wouldn't yell at a servant, because Mother said you should always be kind to the people who served you, but this boy had broken into his room and wasn't being respectful at all! Father would want him to put the boy in his place. Disrespect was inexcusable, and while Zuko didn't mind all that much, the other nobles at the palace would. The boy needed to learn if he wanted to survive around here. Not that Zuko cared, of course. Well, maybe he did. There weren’t many boys his age in the palace, and he usually wasn’t allowed to talk to them. It would be nice to have a friend of his own, for once . Princes didn’t have friends, it was undignified to need anyone outside of yourself. Azula is allowed to have friends , a snide voice whispered in the back of his mind.

 

"I'm in the Fire Nation?!" The look of abject horror threw Zuko off. How could he not know he was in the Fire Nation? He was in the middle of the Caldera Palace, for Agni's sake! But as the boy backed away from him, muttering unintelligibly under his breath, Zuko got a better look at him. He was wearing the thickest coat the young prince had ever seen ─ it even had fur on the edges! It was also blue, which reinforced Zuko's suspicion that it wasn't made anywhere near Caldera. They didn't make coats like these around here ─ why would they need to when it was always so hot, even during monsoon season? After further inspection, it dawned on Zuko that the boy didn't even look like he was from the Fire Nation. His skin was too dark, for one. And his hair was brown, longer on top and pulled up in some sort of ponytail while the sides were shorn close to the skull. His eyes were blue. Zuko had never seen that deep shade of blue before. It was mesmerising; like if you looked too long into them, you might drown and not even realise it before it was too late, and your lungs were already full of sea water.

 

"You're from the Water Tribe!" He couldn't be sure of course ─ Zuko had never met anyone from the other nations ─ but this boy really did fit his tutors' description of the savages that lived in the icy poles.

 

As soon as he said it, the scenery changed. Where a second ago had been the walls of his bedroom, all Zuko could see was white. The water tribe boy was still there, but they were now surrounded by ice. 

 

"Oh thank the spirits, I'm back! But wait─ how did you follow me?" The boy exclaimed.

 

"What─ I didn't do anything!" Where was he? How was he going to go back home? There was nothing around as far as he could see! And how had he even gotten here in the first place? What in the Spirits was happening? 

 

"Well I suppose you came here the same way I travelled to the Fire Nation…" the boy said thoughtfully. 

 

"Which is… how exactly?" Zuko asked tentatively. He didn’t think he’d done anything, let alone travelled hundreds of miles without noticing.

 

"Well, I don't know, but I think this might be a dream. It makes the most sense, right? I'm Sokka! What did you say your name was again?" The boy ─ Sokka ─ said, apparently comforted by his theory. 

 

Zuko thought about it for a moment and decided Sokka must have been right. After all, he had been in his bed. He’d likely drifted off and hadn’t realized. And how else could this change of location be explained? It was a weird thing for his mind to come up with, though. Maybe Azula’s warning had been part of the dream, too?

Well, it couldn't hurt to talk to this boy then, since he wasn't real. Right? If he was going to dream up an imaginary friend, he might as well have fun with it. Father couldn’t reprimand him for something that happened only in his head ─ at least Zuko didn’t think so.

 

(He’d learnt long ago how to have his nightmares silently. As long as no one ever found out about them, he was left alone. That meant he didn’t have Mother to reassure him when he woke up gasping for breath. He had to spark his own flames to light up the dark. They made all shadows look like monsters, but it was better than seeing nothing at all. Zuko wasn’t afraid of the dark, but if he didn’t have anything to look at, his nightmares would play themselves out in front of his eyes, whether he was sleeping or not.)

 

"I'm Zuko. It's nice to meet you, Sokka of the Water Tribe." The prince made sure to bow deeply, in case this was a spirit in disguise. He didn't think so, but it wouldn't hurt to take precautions. Mother had brought him along to enough plays that he knew to be wary of strangers in eery locations and odd events. If the hero didn’t treat them with enough respect, bad things happened.

 

"Likewise! But aren't you cold dressed like that? Do you want to borrow a coat?" 

 

"I don't really feel the cold actually. I can tell the air is supposed to be glacial but I don't really feel it? I guess that's just how dreams are. Like when you know what place you're in, even though it doesn't look like the real thing at all!" 

 

"Oh yeah, that makes sense!" Sokka looked like he wanted to say more but a woman rounded the bend of the ice moat just before he could.

 

"Sokka? Who are you talking to?" The woman asked, looking right through Zuko without seeing him.

 

When Sokka turned around again to point to his new friend, Zuko was gone. 

 

*****

 

The whole village was gathered around a bonfire, while Gran Gran told her story. No one else could see him, but Sokka knew Zuko was there too, standing silently by his side. The flames reflecting in his golden eyes made him look ethereal ─ more than usual anyway, which was impressive since he wasn’t actually real. Sokka would have been worried about seeing things that weren’t there if he’d believed in spirits.

 

"A very long time ago, before Tui and La took their mortal forms, the Moon and Ocean spirits were lovers, separated by a great distance; for Tui was confined to the stars, and La couldn't leave his waters." 

 

"They couldn't be together in body, but love, as it so often does, found a way. The Moon and the Ocean have always been connected, complementary, push and pull. And so too, were Tui and La linked through the spirit world. It allowed them to communicate despite the sky that kept them apart."

 

"Eventually, they got to be together in their mortal forms, but neither forgot what it was like to love from a distance. In their great kindness, they sometimes bless human lovers, soulmates kept apart by land, the ways of the world and fate. They give them the ability to visit each other through the spirit world."

 

"A link so strong, it can pull a soul from its body and guide it to one's soulmate for a time, no matter how far away. It is a rare blessing and a gift to be cherished."

 

She said the last words looking at Sokka, and her heavy gaze made him feel like she could see through him, to the furthest reaches of his soul.

 

Sokka didn’t believe in spirits, of course, but he supposed the explanation to what was happening to him mattered little. The important thing was that he wasn’t going crazy ─ or if he was, he wasn’t the first to experience that particular brand of madness. Maybe, just maybe, Zuko was more than just a figment of his imagination. Maybe the Fire Prince standing invisible next to him was real.

 

It seemed hard to believe, yet it rang like truth, like a part of him had never doubted it.

 

^∆^

 

The Fire Sage was talking, but Zuko was hardly listening. What had to be the whole of Caldera was gathered in the courtyard and beyond the Palace gates, the crowd decked in white spilling into the streets. If Zuko squinted, it almost looked like it had snowed over the city. Most couldn't see what was happening on the raised dai where Zuko was standing, but the coronation of a new Fire Lord was not an event to be missed.

 

Zuko didn't understand why father was the new Fire Lord. He didn't understand why grandfather Azulon was dead, or why mother was gone, or why Uncle Iroh was not the one kneeling in front of the Fire Sages, while the golden headpiece was fastened in his hair. He didn't understand why he was the new Crown Prince.

 

Father always said that Zuko was slow to understand, and he had to admit that was true. Azula, standing proudly next to him, didn't look confused. She looked smug, and her smirk was vicious. Then again, she'd always been better than him at hiding what she truly thought. His little sister had a tendency to become meaner when she was upset. So maybe that explained why she'd looked so triumphant when they'd learnt about mother's disappearance. Maybe she didn't truly mean it. Maybe she missed Mother and Lu Ten too. Zuko hoped so, anyway. Father would say hope was for fools and peasants, but he couldn’t let go of the baby sister that had played with him without always trying to win. He missed the Azula that wasn’t always in competition with him and winning. He missed the sweet little girl that had looked up to him. Before she learned to firebend and realized she had the most fun when someone else was crying.

 

The young prince was startled out of his thoughts by a flash of blue.

 

He watched, horrified, as Sokka started waving in front of people's faces and insulting them, but it was soon obvious he was the only one who could see and hear the Water Tribe boy. Zuko breathed a discreet sigh of relief, and tried to focus on the ceremony again. Father would be mad if he realised how distracted he’d been.

 

Sokka, however, wasn't inclined to let him.

 

"Hey Zuko, who's the old guy in a goofy robe?" When Zuko didn't react, he planted himself right in front of the Prince, "I know you can see me, stop ignoring me!"

 

It was only years of experience keeping up a stony façade that allowed him to hide his annoyance and pretend he hadn’t heard.

 

“Zuko! Stop it! Oh man, we need a signal for when we can’t speak aloud. I refuse to spend the rest of my life speaking to a wall when other people are around! You know, I could just be as annoying as possible until I force a reaction out of you. Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko ─ I can keep this up for hours, by the way ─ Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko ─ ”

 

Something must have betrayed his amusement at the other boy’s antics, because Sokka grinned triumphantly at him. 

 

And then his face morphed into the most ridiculous grimace he had ever seen. It was all Zuko could do to hold back a startled laugh. He must not have been very successful either because Azula glared at him sharply. Thankfully, no one else seemed to have noticed.

 

The rest of the coronation went by in a blur of trying not to laugh at Sokka's antics, and keeping an impassive expression as the boy made increasingly sarcastic commentary on the surrounding nobles and officials.

 

^∆^•

 

Sokka couldn't believe he had a soulmate. It was like having a built-in best friend who would always be with you, and what was better: he didn't have to share him with anyone! Sokka had something special that no one else did, not even Katara with her water magic.

 

Having a soulmate was a Sokka-only thing. Not that he'd told anyone about Zuko, of course. He could have used him to brag to the other children in the village, so that they finally saw him as the cool warrior he was, but it felt wrong somehow. Their visits felt much too intimate to talk about carelessly. It all felt so unreal; he was afraid the second he told anyone about Zuko, the other boy would vanish like he'd never been there.

 

That wasn't the only reason he kept it to himself. He didn't think his family would approve of him having a Fire Nation soulmate. It should have bothered Sokka, too. But this boy wasn't evil. He may be the Prince of a nation that had waged war on the world, but he wasn't evil. Maybe Sokka should be more wary of him ─ after all, he'd only known Zuko for a short time ─ but there was an irresistible pull to the other boy that drew him in. It was like his whole life, something had been missing, without him ever realising. Now that it had been returned, all he ever wanted was to see Zuko, and talk to him, and show him all the little things that made up his life in the South Pole. He wanted to learn about Zuko’s life in the Fire Nation as well. It was all so different! Sokka could never have imagined there were places in the world that never had snow .

 

And maybe he shouldn't, but he trusted him. Kind, awkward Zuko who fed the turtleducks in that pond he liked so much, and was always nice to the servants in the palace ─ even though none of the other nobles were. 

 

Zuko, who could make fire out of thin air but insisted he was a terrible firebender. Sokka didn't know much about bending in general, but if Katara's accidental waterbending was any indication, the prince must be pretty good ─ at least he never got Sokka soaked. The way he could light up a flame in his palms and not be burned was incredible. He had never realised before that fire could be so pretty. To Sokka, fire had always been nothing more than a necessity. (And something to fear, if it ever came from a firebender.)

 

It was strange seeing the Fire Nation and its people ─ who he'd heard so many horrors about ─ through their prince's eyes. There was no baby eating or drinking blood from the charred skulls of their enemies, for one. They were just, unbelievably, people . They lived their lives not so differently from Sokka's own people. They had different traditions and jobs, and they weren't barely surviving like the Southern Water Tribe, but they had husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. They loved each other too. 

 

In Sokka's mind, there were two Fire Nations. There were the common people of Caldera, shopkeepers and artisans and thousand different professions he had never heard about; the Fire Nation that was undeniably human . People like Zuko, he could learn to appreciate or even love, like the Prince so fiercely did. And then there was the Fire Nation he had learnt about in his childhood from tales of raids and genocide and the slow death of his culture.

 

Before, Sokka had hated the Fire Nation; no buts or ifs about it. It had been straightforward and unconditional. It had also been impersonal. An anger that was not his own, not truly, but that of his tribe, passed down through generations. 

 

It wasn't like that anymore. It wasn't so large and wide or impersonal anymore. In fact, it was focused on one person in particular. Fire Lord Ozai had become, in Sokka's mind and heart, the face of the Fire Nation, the one person responsible for all the hurt of a hundred years of war. If he couldn't hate all of the fire nationers, he could certainly hate this one.

 

It wasn't the Fire Lord he hated ─ although that too ─ but the man himself. It was the way he treated Zuko ─ his own son! ─ like he was dirt under his shoe. It was all the humiliating comments and cruel jabs. It was the way Zuko cowered in fear whenever his father's gaze rested on him. The other boy tried to hide it, but he was a terrible liar and had no talent for deception. 

 

Sokka didn't see Ozai very often ─ mostly because Zuko avoided him most of the time ─ but when he did, he was always left with a sick feeling in his stomach, rising bile and bubbling anger. No father should treat his son like this. He should have been protecting Zuko, teaching him how to navigate the intrigues of the court. Instead, he threw him to the orca-wolves again and again. Ozai demanded perfection from his son, but he continuously set him up for failure. 

 

Love shouldn't be conditional. Zuko shouldn't have to burn himself out to meet impossible expectations for the sake of earning his father's approval. As time passed, Sokka realised whatever Zuko did, it would never be enough. He was set up to fail from the start and every time he got close to the finish line, the boundaries of victory shifted.

 

Ozai would never love his son, as tragic and heartbreaking as it was. Zuko didn't know that, though. Sokka had tried to talk to him about it, but all he ever did was retract into his shell and insist his father loved him, that he only wanted him to be better, that it was for his own good and that he was lucky his father accepted him despite how flawed and useless he was.

 

Any arguments that Zuko was good enough were met by the unbeatable 'But Azula is better, and father loves her. If I could just be better, he would love me too' . The lapse in logic between the previous declaration and this one seemed to elude him. 

 

Privately ─ and sometimes not so privately ─ Sokka thought it was a good thing Zuko wasn't like his sister. Azula may have been a prodigy but she was also cruel and vicious. Zuko had kindness and mercy. Ozai called it weakness. Sokka knew having a heart was a good thing. The kind-hearted hero always won in the stories. 

 

If he had been old enough to articulate any of these thoughts into actual words ─ as opposed to the knowing and bone deep feeling ─ Sokka might have been able to show Zuko what he saw. He might have told Zuko that he was enough, that he would always be enough for Sokka and that Ozai didn't deserve him. Zuko might have believed him and learnt to love himself. But Sokka was young and he'd never been very good at voicing the feelings and vague concepts that lived in his mind. So Zuko learnt to see himself through the lense of his father's expectations and Azula's triumphs.

 

(It would be years before Sokka had the clarity to wonder how Zuko managed to become a good person and retain his heart despite the cruelty and hate he was raised into.)

 

Sokka's feelings about the Fire Nation weren't the only contradictory thing about his visits, however.

 

Zuko himself was a paradox. He was a shy and discreet kid, always somewhat sad. Sokka didn't always understand why his friend was sad, but he’d made it his mission ─ back when what they had was still new and fragile ─ to cheer him up as often as he could. It wasn't easy to coax him out of his shell, and extremely rare to get even a chuckle out of him.

 

But sometimes, Sokka would make him laugh that vibrant, full body laugh and it would be like when the sun rises for the first time in spring. 

 

To Sokka, Zuko was the sun. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko had always been taught that the Water Tribe was nothing but a bunch of savages that refused the culture and prosperity the Fire Nation was trying to share with the world. That they were too stupid and brutal to understand all the good they could bring them, and so fought them every step of the way.

 

They weren't savages. They were people living in an unforgiving environment, doing their best to survive. They were also a dying people; their numbers dwindling and traditions all but lost.

 

It had never occured to Zuko that maybe the peasants of the South Pole were perfectly content living the way they always had, and the Fire Nation had been the one to bring the war to them.

 

Hearing the story of the war from their perspective had sparked many conflicting feelings inside him. He did believe the Fire Nation meant well ─ of course it did ─ but maybe they had been going about it wrong. Perhaps they could have shared their culture and civilization with the rest of the world without violence.

 

Of course that had always been the plan. They'd only been at war because the other nations resisted this beneficial change. But Zuko wasn't so sure war was a viable alternative.

 

After all, it stood to reason that they would be reluctant to alter centuries of traditions ─ humans didn't like change, it was a well known fact. It also stood to reason that they would become even more reluctant if this change was forced upon them by means of violence.

 

Not that he presumed to know better than the Firelords that had preceded him of course. 

 

What he'd been told about the Water Tribe was undeniably mistaken, however. Which could be explained by minimal contact between their two nations in the last century.

 

Nonetheless, Zuko learnt many things during his spiritual visits to Sokka. The young boy was always eager to share bits of his life in the South Pole with Zuko, which led to the Prince witnessing many traditional activities such as fishing or sailing or even hunting ─ things no Prince of the Fire Nation should know about. 

 

Zuko didn't think he'd ever have occasion to put this new knowledge to use, but Sokka still did his best to teach him. Which really meant listening in to the tribesmen's lesson to Sokka who was learning about a warrior's duty. The young prince couldn't practice of course, but he made sure to listen attentively, and would often repeat advice to Sokka who had a tendency to get easily distracted during explanations and would then be at a loss when it came time to actually do something. 

 

They made quite a good team, Zuko thought. 



"Zuko, how do I tie the hook to the fishing pole again?"

 

"You just have to pull the thread left and then through the loop you just made. No, the other left!"

 

"Ouch!"

 

"Did you just plant the hook in your thumb? If you'd just done like I told you, this wouldn't have happened!"

 

"Oh shut up, I'd like to see you do it! But seriously, how do I get it out? It hurts!"

 

"You could… Use a second one?"

 

"Great! Now I have two fishing hooks in my thumb. Great plan Sunshine."

 

But what truly fascinated Zuko about the Water Tribe was the way its members interacted with each other. There were so few of them, it was like the whole village was just one big family. They weren't like Zuko's family, though. 

 

It had taken him embarrassingly long to understand the dynamics between Hakoda, Bato and Kya. He'd never seen adults act like this with each other before. It was Sokka who explained it to him, in the end. They were in love. Zuko didn't think his parents had ever been in love. He'd heard about love before, of course, but to him it had been a thing of stories and spirit tales like the ones they played on Ember Island that Mother used to take him and Azula to. 

 

Sokka had said the words like they were evident, an established and unquestionable fact. He'd also fake-gagged a second after. Zuko hadn't found it disgusting. It was mesmerising really, the way each of them would brighten up and smile when the others were around.

 

They loved their children too, equally and unconditionally. Zuko hadn't known love could be like that. He hadn't believed it at first.

 

Hakoda was a father and a leader. He had to be hard and unforgiving if he wanted strong children. And yet, Zuko had never seen him raise a hand to either of them.

 

At first, Zuko had feared for Sokka when he broke rules or was disrespectful, but there had never been more than light chastising. He'd concluded that the Water Tribe simply did not hold its children to the same standards the Fire Nation did. After all, their culture was different in so many other ways. Sokka was not punished because he wasn't breaking the ever changing rules of adults.

 

Sokka seemed to always understand what the rules were, like it was easy. Azula was like that too. Zuko never understood what the rules were. No matter how hard he tried, he would always end up crossing a line he hadn't known was there. It was no wonder Father thought he was stupid.

 

But one day, as Hakoda and Bato were teaching them ─ not that they knew they had more than one student ─ how to throw a boomerang, Sokka had let his fly and fall into the water of a nearby hole through the ice. Zuko had immediately braced for the inevitable anger over the failed attempt. Sokka, however, had taken off running ─ Zuko followed, it was instinct at this point ─ and jumped into the ice cold water.

 

Zuko would never forget the feeling of being trapped under layers of ice, plunged into water so glacial he could feel the cold despite his uncorporeal form. 

 

Panic rose as he couldn't find the hole they had fallen through.  

 

Where was Sokka? He had to find him!

 

Zuko blinked, and he was in his room in the royal palace, breathing with the candle flame in front of him, meditating.

 

Zuko blinked, and he was on the ice again, a blue lipped Sokka shivering next to him in the arms of a soaked Hakoda. He must have jumped in after them to rescue his son from drowning.

 

Sokka was clutching his boomerang in a trembling hand. That's when Zuko realised he hadn't fallen in the hole by accident. He'd jumped. On purpose . To retrieve a stupid boomerang. 

 

He could hear himself yelling at the boy about recklessness and putting his life in danger and "What were you thinking?!"

His voice sounded wrong, too deep. He couldn't even feel the words rolling off his tongue.

 

He finally registered that he wasn't the one yelling: Hakoda was. Angrier than Zuko had ever seen him. He shouldn't have been so shocked by it ─ he'd been expecting this for months ─ but it was jarring. Hakoda wasn't angry because Sokka had messed up the throw.

 

He was angry the same way Zuko was. Anger not born out of disappointment or shame, but fear . Fear for this reckless boy they both loved.

 

Sokka was loved in a way Zuko never had been. There were no ifs or buts about it. 

 

Father loved Zuko too. He had to . But not like Hakoda, Bato and Kya loved Sokka and Katara. 

 

Even Mother hadn't loved him like that. She hadn't loved him enough to stay .

 

Zuko didn't like to think about Katara. Observing her and Sokka was painful. Their relationship was everything he and Azula could have been, but weren't. 

 

He warmed up to her eventually. How could he not? She was sweet and kind, brave and fierce. She couldn't see him, and maybe she wouldn't like him if they ever met, but Zuko couldn't help loving her. He couldn't help loving Azula either, despite everything. 

 

It was the thing about little sisters. They were annoying and perfect and always better than you, but it was impossible not to love them. That was the thing he and Sokka had in common, the understanding of having a little sister.

 

They would spend hours sometimes, just talking about Katara and Azula. 

 

"Sokka look! I'm waterbending!" Zuko smiled fondly at the girl as she hovered a bubble of water above their heads, a smile bright like the sun on her face.

 

The Prince thought she was pretty good for a little girl that had never had a master to teach her. She was a long way from mastering her bending, but still.

 

A pang of guilt went through as he thought about why exactly Katara didn't have a master.

 

Inevitably, she lost her focus as soon as her brother faced her. The water went splashing all over Sokka who let out a shriek in a pitch that didn't belong to any human vocal cords. Zuko burst out laughing and doubled over at the betrayed look his soaked friend threw his way.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

"I still think swords are the superior weapon. Boomerangs are all well and good in large open spaces but if you're fighting in the streets, it'll just rebound on the walls and then it's just as likely to hit you in the head!"

 

"But boomerang!" Sokka exclaimed, "We don't even have streets in the South Pole. I don't need a weapon for enclosed spaces! And you're missing the point anyway. Boomerangs are a strategic weapon, they give you the effect of surprise against dumb Fire Nation soldiers: just when they think you've missed, it comes back and bonks them on their stupid heads!"

 

"You're just jealous you don't have swords as cool as mine! Besides, it's not like your boomerang ever comes back. We can have this conversation again when you actually know how to use it." Zuko replied, smugly raising his chin in the air.

 

"Oh I'm sorry Mr I-learnt-to-swordbend-from-the-best-swordsman-in-the-whole-fire-nation, I didn't start training before I could walk! I had more useful things to learn about. It doesn't mean I won't be a great warrior someday."

 

"Did you just say swordbend?" The prince asked disbelievingly, "And don't be all smug about your 'important things'. I had to remind you which way was starboard just three days ago; a sailor you are."

 

"Sokka? Are you talking to yourself again?" Little Katara asked, making Zuko shiver as she walked right through him. It was not a feeling he thought he would ever get used to. It was extremely uncomfortable, and not just because it reminded he wasn't actually present. Each time set his nerve endings on fire; it was how he imagined being hit by lightning felt like.

 

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck, a light pink tinge staining his cheeks. "Hey Ka. Did you need something?"

 

"You never play with me anymore," she whined and oh no , her lower lip was starting to wobble and her eyes were filling with tears. Zuko could not handle a crying Katara. It drove him crazy to see her sad and know there was nothing he could do about it. "You're always busy learning to be a warrior and even when you're not you just leave to talk to yourself outside the village! It's like you'd rather be alone than talk to me!"

 

Zuko turned his own set of seal-puppy eyes to a bewildered Sokka, silently urging him to do something .

 

While Sokka might have resisted one of their pleading looks, he wasn't armed to weather both of them.

 

"No, don't cry Katara! Of course I wouldn't rather be alone than with you! It's just our dads have been piling it on thick lately and I'm tired. I promise I'll try to make more time for you from now on!" The water tribe boy apologized, wrapping his sister in a hug. She kept sniffling a bit and burrowed deeper into Sokka's chest for a while.

 

When she pulled away, she was smiling again. 

 

"Look," she gasped, pointing to the sky. "It's snowing black!"

 

Sokka and Zuko both looked upwards, the former craning his neck back and extending his tongue to catch one of the dark grey snowflakes. As soon as it landed, though, he made a grimace that would have been comical if not for the growing sense of dread coming over Zuko.

 

"Something's wrong," he said. "Go back to the village; maybe your parents will know what's going on."

 

Sokka nodded gravely, picking up on his friend's discomfort, and led Katara by the hand back up the small hill.

 

The small village was bustling with activity, warriors grabbing weapons and donning armour and war paint while the women and elders herded the children to safety.

 

"Sokka, Katara!" Hakoda exclaimed as soon as he spotted them, relief washing over his features. "Go to your mother!"

 

"Dad! What's going on?" Sokka demanded, already pulling Katara with him.

 

"Fire Nation raid," Bato answered gravely, eyes set with determination.

 

Zuko had known this was coming but he still found himself rooted to the spot, his entire body seizing as the feeling that had been steadily mounting finally made sense. 

 

His own nation was attacking the place he had come to love like a second home. Attacking people that he thought of as family, even though they didn't know him. He had been watching them live, learning about their ways, always a ghost. Never real to anyone but Sokka.

 

And now they were in danger. 

 

Zuko felt sick. The world around him was spinning and he was barely conscious of his surroundings anymore as his breathing hitched and grew more and more erratic. 

 

(Back in his room, the candle flame flared and guttered in turn; too high then too low in an unnatural pattern)

 

When he came back to himself the ship had stopped and Fire Navy soldiers were pouring out of it. The Water Tribe warriors stood at the ready. Sokka was among them, boomerang in hand, ready to fight.

 

"Sokka, what are you doing ?!" He hissed furiously, afraid to disturb the still silent standoff. The other boy didn't even look at him, eyes fixed on the ship's captain.

 

"Hand over the waterbender and no harm will come to you or yours." Zuko gasped. Katara . They were here for Katara.

 

Zuko couldn't breathe. All he could see were flames flickering erratically. He didn't know what was burning. There was a whistling in his ears and he didn't know who was screaming. It sounded like a kettle releasing steam. It sounded like the grating of steel on steel.

 

Zuko blinked and the fight was over, the soldiers in red and black armour retreating back to their ship. The Water Tribe warriors were cheering. There were no bodies on the ground. Impossibly, the battle was over and no blood had been spilled.

 

Sokka took off running, Hakoda and Bato right behind him. Zuko didn't know what was happening, so he sprinted after them too. 

 

There was a lot of blood. It was everywhere: on the furs, the walls of the tent, Kya's dead body. Zuko had never seen a corpse before, but it was hard to deny that Sokka's mother was no longer alive with her throat slit open, blood still dripping from the wound.

 

Katara was wailing, clutching at her mother's clothes. Sokka was crying too, demanding to know what had happened in barely coherent yells. Hakoda was gathering his children in his arms, features betraying no emotion yet. Bato was staring at them all, standing frozen at the entrance of the tent.

 

Zuko was drifting. He felt like he was floating away. While earlier his mind had waged a war inside him, emotions churning and drowning him, the sight of this grieving family made him numb. He couldn't really feel his body anymore. His mind was quiet, information registering but making no ripples in his consciousness. 

 

Kya was dead, and Zuko couldn't feel anything. She was killed by Fire Nation soldiers and he was untethered.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko was alone in the courtyard, going through the same sequence again and again until he could do it flawlessly without a second thought. Azula had perfected it after only five tries, but it always took Zuko longer to get the handle of a new kata. He was willing to put in the work, and practice until exhaustion if it was what it took to catch up to her. 

 

Besides, it was a good way to get out of his own head. He'd be so exhausted at night from firebending practice, training with his dao swords and classes with his tutors he'd fall right into a dreamless sleep.

 

It was better that way. If he couldn't dream, he couldn't have nightmares either. He wouldn't have to be back in that blood spattered tent, seeing Kya die only for her to be alive again so he could be the one to kill her. Except then it wouldn't be her but Katara he saw dead at his feet.

 

Zuko knew that Kya's death had nothing to do with him, that there was nothing he could have done about it, but─

 

Someone had just appeared, putting themselves right in the path of his fire. The flames withered out seconds before reaching the boy as Zuko pulled them forcibly back.

 

"Wow that was a close one, good thing I'm not flammable." 

 

"S- Sokka? What are you doing here?"

 

"Where have you been?" The Water Tribe boy asked, tone accusatory.

 

"I didn't think you would want to see me," Zuko admitted quietly, unable to meet his friend's gaze. Guilt had been eating at him, and he couldn’t bring himself to face Sokka. He felt dirty , like there was blood on his hands and soot on his face. No amount of scrubbing would get the feeling to go away.

 

"I just lost my mother, I don't want to lose my best friend too," Sokka said, voice wavering.

 

When Zuko looked up, there were tears in his eyes and it broke the Prince's heart to see Sokka in so much pain; pain he was partially responsible for.

 

"Hey, no, please don't cry, you'll never lose me!"

 

"Promise?" Sokka asked around another sob, tears running freely down his cheeks.

 

"I swear on my honour. I'll always be here for you, no matter what." Zuko had never meant anything more.

 

"I'll always be there for you too, sunshine." The boy promised with a wobbly but happy smile.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

In the following years, Sokka and Zuko spent more time together than not. As they grew up, they had less and less occasions to spend long periods of time visiting, both of them having duties to attend to, so they would slip away for minutes or seconds at a time.

 

With some practice, they got it down to an art. They learnt that visiting could allow them to be in two places at once ─ with each other, first and foremost, but also in their own bodies. With enough focus they could achieve basic tasks from thousands of miles away. They couldn't hold a conversation or do anything that required concentration, but walking or eating were fine.

 

This was useful for talking without passing for crazy persons too. They could now alternate between the South Pole and the Fire Nation, only speaking when no one but the other could hear.

 

Sokka could hardly remember what life before Zuko had been like. The Fire Nation prince had become his whole world, the missing half of his soul. 

 

His family noticed the changes in him ─ he was more quiet, seeming always lost in thought ─ but attributed it to grief. And it was, in a way. Zuko had filled the void left behind by Kya. He hadn't replaced his mother. No one could, however much Katara tried. Zuko had become his home, in the way the prince was safe and warm and Sokka felt he was the only person that truly knew and understood him. Zuko was who Sokka could bare his soul to and receive only understanding and acceptance. He’d never been good with words, but he always seemed to understand without Sokka saying anything. 

 

Zuko was the sun and Sokka couldn't look away.

 

He felt guilty sometimes, about shutting everyone else out. But then Zuko would laugh at something he said or did, and it would all melt away in his brilliance.

 

It didn't mean they never disagreed or fought; about silly things like children are wont to do, about the important things sometimes too.

 

"Why do you let him treat you like this?!"

 

"He's my father! He's only doing it because he loves me, that's why he wants me to be better!"

 

"That's not how love works, Zuko!"

 

Their fights never lasted. They were too lost without each other to stay apart for long. They were each other's everything. Sokka was adrift, lost at sea and lurking in the shadows of his family’s grief. Zuko was the only bright thing in a world tainted by his mother’s death. The South Pole was full of painful memories, and seeing Fire Nation nobles gloat about military successes made him want to retch. Zuko made things almost alright, and Sokka was desperate for the comfort. 

 

^∆^•

 

By the time Zuko was thirteen, he thought he'd pretty much gotten the hang of being Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. Azula was still their father's golden child, but it had been ages since Father had gotten angry at him. Nowadays he just vaguely acknowledged him when they were in the same room, and outright ignored him the rest of the time.

 

Zuko found himself satisfied with this arrangement, as it gave him time to practice as much as he liked, as well as study Fire Nation politics with Uncle Iroh.

 

Which was why he found himself in front of the War Room before one of his father's strategy meetings. He knew his opinion on such matters would not be valued, but he thought listening in would be beneficial in the future. The guards, however, were not inclined to let him through the door.

 

"Prince Zuko, what's wrong?" His uncle asked, turning him around by the shoulders gently.

 

"I want to go into the War Chamber, but the guards won't let me pass!" He exclaimed as his uncle led him a few paces away.

 

"You're not missing anything, trust me. These meetings are dreadfully boring," Iroh said kindly.

 

"If I'm going to rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?"

 

Uncle considered for a moment before answering, "Very well, but you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know?"

 

Zuko thanked him with a bow and followed his uncle into the War Room eagerly. This time, no one stopped him.

 

His father was hardly more than a shadow on his throne, hidden behind a wall of fire. Zuko took his seat around the table of generals, taking in the map sprawled out before him with its various markers. He didn't know what all of them meant, but most of it was pretty intuitive. His stomach constricted uneasily at the sight of the red marker nearest the South Pole. Those were the Southern raiders' ships. The fact they were heading away from the pole at least made him feel a little better. 

 

He snapped back to attention when the Fire Lord declared the beginning of the meeting and one of the generals stood. 

 

"The Earth Kingdom forces are concentrated here," General Qin pointed to an area near Ba Sing Se. "A battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recomming the 41st division."

 

Zuko had never heard of the 41st, which was strange considering he'd spent the last week studying the strengths and weaknesses of the Fire Army's best battalions in preparation for this meeting.

 

"But the 41st is entirely new recruits," another general spoke up ─ that explained why Zuko had never heard of them; he was once again put at a disadvantage due to a lack of sufficient knowledge. He made a mental note to study all divisions of the army for the next meeting he attended. "How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?"

 

Zuko frowned, it didn't make sense to send their newest recruits for this mission. They'd just get slaughtered.

 

"I don't." General Qin replied. Then why─ "They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?"

 

Zuko saw red. How did this man, this general , dare say something like that? He had sworn an oath when joining the army to serve and defend the Fire Nation. How could he betray that with such confidence? It shouldn't be this easy ─ for anyone ─ to sacrifice lives so nonchalantly while staying in the safety of Caldera, never stepping foot on the front lines. Did this man have no honour? 

 

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" Zuko exclaimed, standing to give his words more weight. "These soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them?"

 

His outburst was met by silence. Zuko looked around for support, but it soon appeared evident none of the generals and ministers would back him, not even Uncle. All were looking at the Fire Lord, waiting for his reaction.

 

"Do you presume to know better than my best general, Prince Zuko?" His eyes widened, heartbeat going frantic with fear as blood rushed to his head. "Perhaps you need to be reminded of your place. For your disrespect, you will fight an Agni Kai."

 

His mounting horror receded, washed away by a wave of relief. He might be the worst bender in the royal family, but he could take some cowardly old general. Zuko would gladly fight for the lives of his people.

 

"I am not afraid," he declared proudly. "I will fight."

 

The Fire Lord's ominous smirk was hidden behind a wall of flickering flames that rose and fell with his moods.

 

^∆^•

 

Sokka's nerves were choking him. He stood at the front of the gathered crowd with an enviable view of the arena the fire duel was taking place. All these nobles and palace officials, cheering for a fight between a thirteen year old and a seasoned general made him sick.

 

He'd learnt through Zuko that everything he'd been taught about the Fire Nation wasn't true, but in that moment they were just as cruel and bloodthirsty as he'd always been told. They didn't expect Zuko to win. They were here to see their teenage prince be made a spectacle of.

 

Sokka knew that wouldn't happen. Zuko had said he could win, and Sokka believed him. The young prince was a great firebender already, despite what his father and tutors said.

 

But the rest of them didn't know that. Sokka would gladly cheer at the cowardly old man's defeat. What kind of man fights a child in a duel to the death? Not that this particular duel would end with either fighter dead ─ both were too important for that. It was tradition, Zuko had told him, but the rules of Agni required only a burn to declare a winner. It wasn't all that reassuring. There were already too many burn scars on the prince’s body. They came in all shapes and forms, but too many of them looked like handprints for comfort. Zuko had always refused to tell him about them, pretending they were training accidents. Sokka knew better.

 

Zuko was the first to step onto the arena, shirtless but for the ceremonial shawl on his shoulders. He knelt, back to his opponent's side of the stone dais. His face was set with concentration and determination. He looked both older and younger than he was like this. The toned muscles of a warrior and the gravitas of a future leader hung around him, but he looked small, kneeling alone in front of the hungry eyes of the crowd. Sokka wanted to shield him from the scrutinising gazes of those who would deelect in his humiliation should he fail. They disgusted him.

 

The whispers of the crowd grew louder as the other fighter stepped into the arena, before quieting entirely. The crowd was holding its breath.

 

Sokka turned to look at what had silenced so many people, and his blood ran cold at the sight. Icy fingers gripped his entrails and squeezed, nausea roiling through his body. Zuko wouldn't be fighting General Qin. He was expected to duel the Fire Lord, his own father or forsake all honour.

 

If Sokka had been disgusted before, now he saw red, a blood coloured haze clouding his vision. His hatred and loathing for Ozai had never stopped rising, but this was something else entirely. He'd always known the Fire Lord didn't love his son, and yet this was beyond cruel.

 

Because Sokka knew, without a doubt, that Zuko couldn't fight his father. 

 

The gong signalling the start of the Agni Kai sounded. Zuko gracefully spun around, falling into an offensive position as his silken shawl fluttered to the ground.

 

Time seemed to stop for an agonizing second as Zuko realised just who was standing before him, as if the spirits themselves were expressing their horror.

 

And then the inevitable happened. Zuko fell to his knees, bowing to his father, begging for mercy, "Please, father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" 

 

"You will fight for your honour."

 

Sokka would have fought in his stead if he could, but he was bound to the sidelines, a helpless spectator.

 

Zuko only bowd lower, forehead on the stony ground, "I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son."

 

But that was the issue, wasn't it? Zuko was too loyal for his own good, and Ozai only ever used his honour against him. There were no words for what Sokka felt towards the man towering over a cowering child at that moment. Anger or hate didn't even begin to describe it. Words did not feel like enough to describe the rage filling him at the sight.

 

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!" There would be no mercy for the Fire Prince. Zuko didn't seem to realise it, but Sokka knew. 

 

"I won't fight you." It didn't matter anymore whether he did. Even if Zuko impossibly won the Agni Kai, he would still be the loser in the end. There was no way out. Sokka didn't know what was going to happen. No one else did either. The entire room was standing still, waiting to see what the Fire Lord and Crown Prince would do.

 

Sokka didn't want to see whatever happened next. He couldn't look away.

 

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."

 

There were tears running down Zuko's cheeks as he looked up to his father.

 

Ozai reached towards his son’s face, cradling his cheek almost tenderly. Sokka, for a split second, dared to hope for the impossible.

 

And then there was only screaming. Sokka didn't know which of them was making those sounds like a dying animal. It was probably both of them.

 

It felt like his soul was being torn apart. All he could feel was pain. His thoughts turned to static as all he could hear were Zuko's screams. All he could see was his spasming body, held up only by the hand writhed in flames that was sizzling against his skin. The smell of burning flesh filled Sokka's nostrils with smoke and the nauseating scent of grilling meat.

 

And then everything turned to black.




When he opened his eyes he was blinded by the light reflecting on the white ice all around him. He was shaking all over. There were worried faces above him. Their lips were moving, but he couldn't hear what they were saying.

 

All he knew was the chanting in his mind of Zuko Zuko Zuko ZUKO!

 

He reached for the link that bound them, needing to know where he was, if he was okay ─ he wouldn't be, but Sokka needed to know , needed to see him. He tried to visit, but inexplicably he was still surrounded by ice and snow. He couldn't feel the comforting warmth that was like sunlight on his skin in the recesses of his soul. He couldn't feel Zuko.

 

This was his worst fear realised. Zuko was gone, like he had never existed.

 

Sokka was reaching for the sun, and it wasn't there anymore.

Chapter 2: Legacy Of Ash

Chapter Text

It had been two weeks, and still the sun hadn't risen in Sokka's heart. There was still no sign of Zuko. No sign he was even alive. Sokka thought he'd know if Zuko was dead but, well, the fact that he couldn't feel his light looked a lot like a sign from the Spirits. Good thing Sokka didn't believe in spirits, because there was no way Zuko hadn't survived that Agni Kai.

 

Ozai was a monster, but Sokka didn't think he would have killed his son. If only because it would look bad ─ why that hadn't weighed enough not to burn him, he didn't want to think about. Zuko was alive. He had to be. Sokka would not consider any alternative.

 

He could tell Katara and his dads were worried about him. They fussed over him a lot more than usual ─ each in their own way ─ since he'd passed out that day. 

 

He couldn't tell them what was wrong. They wouldn't understand. The last thing he needed was for his family to tell him Zuko's disappearance was for the best. Ugh, 'Zuko's disappearance', as if he had simply vanished without a trace.

 

Back in Caldera, Zuko was suffering. Sokka knew the pain of the burn wouldn't be the worst of it. He thought it must be excruciating, if the echoes of pain he'd felt that day were anything to go by. But the betrayal had to be what would truly break Zuko. The indisputable proof his father didn't love him. Sokka would almost be glad for it -- for the way it would finally open the Prince's eyes -- if he didn't know how much it would hurt him. He never wanted to see Zuko in pain. He'd already suffered enough. He shined so bright, and Sokka didn’t understand why the universe was so spirit bent on dimming that light. Or why Ozai was, he supposed.

 

Thinking of that Agni Kai made him sick to his stomach. The tears in Zuko's eyes, the hope and confusion─  

 

I am your loyal son

 

You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher .

 

The words turned over and over in his head; they plagued his nights and gave him horrible nightmares.

 

Every night, over and over, he saw the Agni Kai. Sometimes, Zuko died at the end, screaming as his father's flames devoured him. Every once in a while, Sokka would jump to his rescue, and he would be the one burning.

 

Some nights, he was in the audience, a useless spectator that cheered at his soulmate's suffering. On a few notable occasions, Zuko and he switched places entirely, and Sokka would be the one begging for mercy on that stone floor.

 

Once -- and only once -- it was Ozai he switched places with. 

After he'd woken up, he hadn’t been able to stop crying for hours. His family hadn’t known what to do to help him. Sokka hadn’t wanted to make them worry like that, and he really wished he could tell them, but there was still something stopping him. 

 

On and on it went, his mind replaying the scene on his every waking moment, glimpses of his nightmares shining through. It all played in a loop within his mind, making him fear being alone with his thoughts almost as much as he feared sleeping.

 

He was just so angry . He wanted to break something. He wanted to kill the Fire Lord. He was angry at everything and everyone for letting his Zuko, his sunshine, go through something so horrific. He was angry at himself for not preventing it.

 

No one had helped him. There had been a hundred people gathered for the spectacle, and not a single one of them had tried to help their prince. Not even his uncle Iroh, who Sokka'd thought was the only decent person in that entire spirits-damned family. But the Dragon of the West had only averted his gaze. How could he? His own brother was branding his child with fire, and he was too much of a coward to watch it happen?

 

He didn't notice the tears slipping down his face until a blurry red shape appeared in front of him.

 

"Why are you crying?" Zuko asked softly, his voice raspy from disuse ─ or screaming it raw, his brain supplied unhelpfully. Great, now he was hearing screams again.

 

"Zuko─" Sokka's voice broke on a whimper as he took in the other boy, relief quickly replaced by horror. Half his face was wrapped in white bandages, and he looked paler than usual, face ashen, with deep purple shadows under his right eye. But more importantly -- perhaps the most telling sign of Zuko's pain -- his head was shaved, a sole plume of dark hair tied in a ponytail on the top of his head. In the Fire Nation, shorn hair was a marker of shame and dishonour. Spirits, what had happened after their connection was broken? Why did Zuko think he needed to cut his hair? Or had he been forced to? Sokka wouldn’t be surprised if Ozai had blamed him for losing the duel.

 

"Don't look at me like that." Zuko’s voice was too quiet. He wouldn’t meet Sokka’s gaze.

 

"Like what?" Sokka whispered, afraid of the answer.

 

"Like I'm a weak and broken thing you need to protect." There was a challenge in his eyes, like he was daring Sokka to kick him while he was down.

 

"Of course you're not weak! You're the strongest person I know, Zuko. And you're not broken either," Sokka exclaimed heatedly. He took a steadying breath before resuming. Zuko didn’t like it when he yelled, so he tried to raise his voice as little as possible around him. He hated it when Zuko flinched away from him. "I do want to protect you though, even if you don't need it. I care about you, Zuko! I was just so worried─ I couldn't reach you anymore, when you needed me most, and─"

 

"It's fine, Uncle took care of me," Zuko interrupted softly. "I was out of it most of the time anyway. There was nothing you could have done. The fever finally broke this morning, the medic said the worst of the infection was over. He said it was unlikely I ever got sight back on that side, though. Maybe if I’d had proper medical treatment for more than one night."

 

Okay, so there was a lot to unpack there. What did he mean, no proper medical treatment? Surely the best doctors of the Fire Nation would have done everything they could to heal their Crown Prince. Unless Ozai hadn’t allowed it. He felt another flare of anger rise within him. Were there no limits to the abuse the Fire Lord was willing to give out?

 

"Zuko, you can't stay in Caldera. It's not safe for you with your father around!" It wasn’t the first time he’d said it, and Zuko never listened, but this time he had to. Even Sokka had never thought things would get this bad, but there was no denying the truth anymore. 

 

The prince's expression shuttered, his tone was bitter but resigned when he spoke again. "It's not like I have much of a choice on the matter." He averted his eyes again, gaze shifting on the ground as if in shame. "I was banished. The only way I can regain my honour and go home is by capturing the Avatar."

 

"But- The Avatar has been gone for a hundred years! And wh─ what do you mean ‘regain your honour’?!"

 

Tui and La ; Sokka's mind was spinning, struggling to process his friend's words. Banished?! And with a ridiculous quest, too. He wasn’t even sure the Avatar actually existed! All that Spirit stuff was nonsense, anyway ─ not that he could ever convince Zuko of that , there was no point even trying. He had bigger battles to fight.

 

"I begged for mercy and brought shame upon myself and the Fire Lord. That pathetic display of weakness must be atoned for. I need to show Father that I am still his loyal son and worthy of my title."  Oh no , he was getting all monotone, that was bad. Zuko was terrible at hiding his emotions; he only went toneless when he was too overwhelmed to even sort his feelings out enough for one of them to prevail. Sokka had to bring him back from the edge, say something jarring enough it would keep him from drifting.

 

"Zuko, what are you talking about? If someone was dishonourable that day it was Ozai, not you! Tui and La, what kind of man fights his thirteen year old son, burns half his face off, and then banishes him!"

 

"How dare you-" Ah, there it was, that edge of outrage that mirrored Sokka’s own.

 

"He'll never love you, Zuko! You shouldn't have to earn his anything ! That's not how love works! He doesn't deserve you, why can't you see that?" Sokka was distantly aware this was not the right way to go about this conversation, but he was just so angry .

 

"He's my father! Of course he loves me! What you're suggesting is treason ─ What do you even want me to do, Sokka? I don't have anywhere else to go. I don't have a choice !"

 

Was he being serious right now?! How could he still believe that?

 

"Why would you want to go back to that─ To that monster!" Zuko barely managed to hide his flinch at Sokka’s outburst. It sobered him up, like a bucket of icy water had been poured over his head. More quietly he said, "You could come here, live with us in the South Pole."

 

"Right. Like your tribe would let a Fire Nation prince anywhere near the village. Even if they did, you can’t ask me to give up my only chance of ever going home. I don’t want to live the rest of my life as a dishonoured, worthless Prince in this Agni-forsaken icy wasteland!"

 

That was his home Zuko was insulting! What, did he think he was too good for the South Pole? After four years, the Prince was still a prejudiced jerk sometimes. 

 

"So what? You'll go on a wild monkeygoose chase around the world? What will you do when you can't find the Avatar? Spend the rest of your days in the Earth Kingdom, hoping your father will decide you've waited enough and call you back?"

 

"Yes! I'm sure it won't be long. He'll change his mind, he'll forgive me." That stung more than Sokka was willing to admit, that Zuko would rather chase after his father’s approval than be with him and his family.

 

"He won't Zuko. Je already wanted to get rid of you when you were nine! Spirits, he tried to throw you off a balcony the day you were born ! But fine, I'll indulge you. Let's say he does have regrets and wants you back. What then? You just crawl back to him, tail between your legs like a beaten polar dog going back to its master? Let him abuse you some more, until the next time you speak out of turn, and he gives you a matching burn on the right side?" Sokka yelled. Zuko couldn't keep living in denial, it'd kill him some day. Sokka couldn’t watch him destroy himself like that, day after day, year after year.

 

"I forced his hand by being disrespectful, and am grateful for his mercy. I know better now. I won't fail him again." Zuko’s voice was steady. This had the air of something he’d repeated over and over until it was burned into his mind -- Sokka winced at the analogy.

 

"That's not the spirits-damned point! Why won't you listen ?! It wasn't your fault! You'll never be enough for him! Whatever you do, he'll always find something wrong with you! You can't live in fear of your father forever, Zuko! It's time you stop being your dad's 'loyal son'! He's already banished you, anyway. What more can he do? He can't hurt you if you're away from him."

 

"I may be honourless, but I'm not a traitor." 

 

Sokka was growing desperate, he needed to make him understand . Why did Zuko have to be so stubborn?!

 

"So you'd choose him over me? Because you have to choose, Zuko. You can't have me and the man who killed my mother both."

 

"I won't betray my nation or my Fire Lord for you."

 

Sokka felt the declaration like a punch in the gut. He hadn’t considered for even a second that Zuko might choose Ozai. The prince hadn’t so much as hesitated. The answer had been immediate, like he didn’t even need to think about it. It hurt. It hurt a lot . More than Sokka thought was possible for only eleven words.

 

"Fine! Then don't show your face here ever again!"

 

"Fine! I won't!"

 

And just like that, Sokka was alone again. Waves gently lapping at the shore like nothing had happened, like the ground hadn’t just been ripped from under his feet. It felt like being submerged in the icy ocean; cold seeping through his entire being until he could barely feel anything at all, apart from the burning of his lungs as they filled with salt water. There wouldn’t be anyone to dive in after him, this time. No one knew to.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the forest on the other side of the canyon. A strong breeze lifted his hair and tugged at his bandages. It made his burn hurt even more than usual, the throbbing sensation worsened by the pull of the fabric.

 

Beneath his feet, lay the first step of his path to redemption. He didn't think he'd find the Avatar in the temple below -- not so close to Fire Nation shores ─ but he had to start somewhere. Maybe he could find some hint in here as to where he might have gone. 

 

Your father and grandfather have sought the Avatar before you, Prince Zuko. They both failed. The answers you seek are not here,” Uncle had said. He hadn’t put forward any better ideas, though.

 

He took the winding stairs down until he reached the first platform.

The sight before him was breathtaking. The Western Air Temple was beautiful, made entirely of clusters of upside down pagodas. An entire city suspended in the air, carved in the pale stone of the canyon, and no doubt spreading underground as well.

 

It was empty, wind howling through the cavernous rooms like the wails of the deceased, and entirely abandoned. This was a dead place, the carcass of a civilization long gone. 

 

There were skeletons in some of the rooms and esplanades. Most of them were Air Nomads, men, women, even children . Piles of bones like puppets with their strings cut ─ or burned, some were charred and warped from the flames of firebenders. 

 

There were corpses in old Fire Army uniforms, too. Less than there should have been, if thr Air Nomads really had an army poised to strike. Then again, that part of the official story was almost certainly propaganda to appease the people. The real reason for the strike remained undisclosed.

 

The Fire Nation had attacked, killed all those innocent people, to get to the Avatar. They hadn't even had the decency to take care of their own dead ─ let alone that of the Air Nomads -- so that their spirits could be laid to rest. Zuko wasn't in touch with the spiritual, but he could almost feel the restless ghosts haunting this place.

 

This was the work of bloodthirsty savages. This was the work of his great grandfather. Fire Lord Sozin, who had ordered the slaughter of an entire element.

 

This was Zuko's legacy. Charred bones and genocide. 

 

Being here felt wrong. He didn’t belong here, in this place filled with angry spirits of the deceased. Zuko felt the weight of his ancestor’s sins settle on his shoulders, drawing them down with guilt. This burden shouldn’t be his to bear ─ he hadn’t even been alive at the time ─ but perhaps this was penance for his weakness.

 

It was no wonder Sokka didn't want anything to do with him. It was why Zuko had to let him go, so he didn't taint him with his bloody hands. It hurt to give up the brightest, happiest thing in his life. But why should Zuko deserve it, when his family had caused so much grief to the tribe that might have been a second home, had he been worthy of it.

 

This was wrong. This was all oh so wrong . Where would it end, all this pain and destruction for the sake of spreading Fire Nation values?

 

But what values were those? The other nations thought they were monsters. Everyone hated them. Maybe they were right.

 

This was what fire did. They were tied to an element that wanted nothing but to destroy whatever stood in its path. Flames only ever caused ruin and suffering. Fire was fickle and sharp, it was full of rage and fury.

 

They were cursed, in a way, for their ancestors' sins. Bound by duty to a senseless war they didn't start and couldn't end; a terrible inferno none of them could put out. Maybe they were damned because they didn’t even try.

 

Zuko could. Maybe, some day, when he became Fire Lord. If he became Fire Lord. This was why he had to regain his honour, why he had to find the Avatar. This was what Sokka didn't understand. Zuko was doing this for him, for his people, for a future that wouldn't see the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom wiped out like the Air Nomads had been.

 

Would it cost him his soul? Was the cure to his deficiency to burn down his own heart until only ashes remain? Zuko thought the answer must be yes, but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.




They had set camp in a clearing half a day's walk away from the cliffside. It would have been disrespectful to settle a Fire Navy crew anywhere near where their ancestors murdered the Air Nomads. The Prince had no interest in angering lingering spirits. He wished he could give them all a proper funeral but he didn’t know what the Air Nation’s traditions were. He suspected it would be sacrilegious for him to do it, anyway. He did, however, gather the bones of the Fire Nation soldiers that had died in the attack and set them aflame. 

(He had to ask for his uncle’s help. He hadn’t even been able to watch).




Zuko was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Beyond the treeline, he was greeted by flames. Cold sweat started dripping down his back as his breathing got choppy.

 

The firebenders in the crew were practising, on the other side of the camp from where he was standing.

 

Once, Zuko would have joined them. Now, he couldn't bear the sight of them. It made his stomach roil uncomfortably.

 

He couldn't even firebend anymore. A Fire Prince he was, flinching away from the faintest hint of flame.

 

He couldn't even produce a single spark of his own. 

 

It was ironic, a firebender afraid of his own element. The men had sneered at him when he refused to join them for practice after practice. They assumed he thought himself above training with common soldiers. Better that than thinking him a coward, he supposed, although it would be well and truly deserved.

 

The only one who knew the truth was Uncle ─ not that Zuko had told him, the old man was just infuriatingly insightful. He'd said it was common for burn victims.

 

Zuko thought it was just another proof of his weakness.

 

Uncle had promised to teach him to firebend again. He'd said it would take time, but he'd learn to trust his inner flame again.

 

For now, it was just lots of meditating ─ flameless meditating that is ─ and Uncle heating his tea with his hands to 'acclimate him' or whatever he'd called it.

 

Zuko was determined to succeed. He was terrified of it in equal measure. It took everything in him not to flinch anytime one of the crew, or even Uncle, used their fire for the most menial tasks.

 

There was fire everywhere, and no place for sensibility. 

 

Zuko longed for ice and snow, a world away.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The first thing Uncle taught him, on the long days at sea, was to control his breathing. 

 

"Power in firebending comes from the breath."

 

Zuko was used to breathing exercises, of course, but Uncle's weren't the same he'd learnt from his instructors back in Caldera.

 

Eventually, Uncle admitted they were airbending practices. 

 

"The elements are complementary. One cannot exist without the others. Understanding all of them will help you master your own."

 

He'd then given him bending scrolls to study for all four elements. Zuko had been reluctant at first ─ it didn't seem right to improve his bending with the knowledge of the very civilizations his people sought to destroy ─ but he'd given in eventually. He needed to learn and Uncle wouldn't help him if he didn't follow his teachings. The sacrifice was worth it, even though it made him uneasy. He simply hoped the scrolls were bought and not military trophies from his Uncle's conquests. 



When Iroh had considered him ready, he'd put a single lit candle before him and told him to keep breathing while focusing on the flame.

 

Zuko had spent hour after hour, day after day, staring at that one flame and convincing himself it wouldn't hurt him. He didn't know how long it was before it started breathing with him, rising and falling with the air flowing in and out of his lungs. His burn ached under the gauze, the skin tight and too warm.

 

By the time they reached the first coastal town, on their way to the Northern Air Temple, he was able to produce a flame of his own and hold it in his hand without hearing his father's voice. 

 

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."  



People shrank away from him and his crew in the streets, shop owners trying to offer him and his uncle free merchandise in exchange for sparing them and their families. Uncle talked amiably with them and accepted whatever they gave him. Zuko made sure to leave money somewhere they would find it before leaving the shops. These people obviously couldn't afford to give things away for free.

 

The fearful eyes and hateful glances were jarring, if unsurprising. Zuko had known for years how the other nations felt about his own, but it was different seeing it firsthand. There had been plenty of hatred for the Fire Nation to go around in the South Pole, but it had never been directed at him personally. 

 

The Prince made sure they didn't linger in the town any longer than was necessary. They resupplied and were gone with the next tide.




They heard rumours there were airbenders at the Northern Air Temple. Zuko seriously doubted that was the case ─ nothing more than fanciful folktales ─ but he supposed it was worth checking out, especially since the Temple was the next one on his list of places-to-look-for-the-Avatar.

 

(Lists reminded him of Sokka. He’d always been the plan guy. Zuko was terrible at planning things, improvising was his natural tendency.)

 

The same thing happened in each port they stopped at. Zuko made sure his crew behaved, weren't disrespectful to anyone, and paid for everything they took. They had a bad enough reputation as it was. The only reason they were allowed to dock in Earth Kingdom ports was because there was no one to stop them. A single cruiser wasn't worth deploying a battalion. 

 

The crew hadn't been happy about Zuko's orders. They were the low of the low of the Fire Navy, and were obviously used to doing whatever they wanted in Earth Kingdom settlements. The fact he was ─ at least in their opinion ─ a spoiled thirteen year old brat didn't help. 

(Not that Zuko did anything to disprove them; he spent more time yelling at them than speaking. He knew he was taking out his anger on them, but he couldn’t make himself stop. Every time he tried, he was reminded that Father would disapprove. Subordinates did not merit respect.) 

They'd been reluctant to follow him from the start, clearly aware this job was a punishment. The only reason they did what he said was because Uncle was there to silently back him up. They always looked to him for confirmation before following Zuko's orders. It annoyed him to no end but, then again, he was nothing but a banished prince. 

 

(He had learnt from Hakoda that if you want men to accept your leadership, you must first prove you are worthy of their loyalty. Zuko knew he wasn’t, so he didn’t bother trying.)

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The Wani docked in a small cove. The Northern Air Temple was only a day’s walk inland. Zuko left on his own, leaving his uncle and crew to camp on the beach, with instructions to do as they pleased until he came back in a few days. Uncle had protested and offered to accompany him, but the Prince had been immovable on the matter.

 

He'd rather be alone with his thoughts for a little while. There was a lot to think about. He'd known for years the war was wrong. He'd seen it in the Water Tribe's hate of the Fire Nation. 

 

Now, he saw it in the ruins of the Western Air Temple. He saw it in the fear of Earth Kingdom peasants who lived too far away from the front to have seen the war, and yet had learnt to cringe away from soldiers in the streets.

 

Fire inspired nothing but fear and hate to the world. It was a feeling Zuko understood better than most. 

 

The reality of the war had hit him in the face once before, in the form of a mother sacrificing herself for her waterbender daughter. It had again and again in each port they docked at to resupply. 

 

He'd once thought the end was good, even though the means were flawed. Now he could say with absolute certainty that there was no good to war, and that there never would be. The end didn't justify the means, but even the end couldn't be justified.

 

Because everything he'd heard about the good the Fire Nation did out in the colonies had been a lie.

 

They'd stopped in a Fire Nation village. It had been worse than the Earth Kingdom ones. The soldiers weren't protecting citizens ─ not all of them, at least ─ they were terrorising everyone. The villagers had been poor and struggling to get by, most of the product of their labor being commandeered for the army.

 

The war was hurting everyone, their own people as much as everyone else. No one in the world remained untouched by it. It was the one thing they all had in common, though few were aware of that.




There were flying shapes around the temple. Zuko couldn't see them well from where he was but they did look human at least. He felt hope swell in his chest. Or was it? It didn't feel like hope . If these were truly airbenders, then he could be on his way home in a matter of hours. 

 

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to get through that many airbenders to capture what had to be a fully realised Avatar. Maybe he should call for reinforcements ─ he could bring his own men, at the very least. But he needed to make sure this wasn't another dead end first ─ no sense in alerting everyone for a false alarm.

 

As he got closer, he confirmed there were indeed people flying around the temple, using what he recalled from his studies were gliders.

 

But even from this distance, he could tell they weren't bending. The illusion was almost perfect. He might not have noticed if he hadn't spent the last few weeks studying airbending scrolls ─ the fact they were dressed in Earth Kingdom greens and browns didn't hurt either. This realisation came with a pang of disappointment. Why did it feel so much like relief?

 

As he began his ascent towards the temple, some of the figures noticed him. They pointed his way, and yelled at each other. Everyone was out of the air and back to the relative safety of the Air Temple within minutes. 

 

Zuko was welcomed into the Northern Air Temple by a gathered crowd of fearful Earth Kingdom peasants ─ it wasn't a good word. It implied they were less than him, but it was the only one he had to describe them. One man stepped forward.

 

"If you would follow me to my office, sir," he said with a bow and a sign of his hand presumably in the direction of said office. "We would be more comfortable to talk."

 

Zuko hadn't expected that. He would have been less surprised if the man had drawn a weapon ─ not that he looked like any kind of fighter, but you never knew. He was reluctant to go anywhere with this man. It seemed dangerous when the other clearly had the advantage of knowing the place well. The weight of his dao swords on his back gave him the confidence to nod and follow the group's leader through a series of corridors.

 

His first thought upon entering the office was that Sokka would be ecstatic. There were maquets and blueprints for various contraptions Zuko couldn't make sense of, cluttered on every inch of available surface.

 

The prince's attention snapped back to the older man when he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I am known as the Mechanist. I don't think we've met?"

 

Zuko was growing increasingly confused. It had never been a good idea to show his uncertainty back home, though, so he didn't let any of it show on his face.

 

"Prince Zuko, son of Fire Lord Ozai and Fire Lady Ursa, heir to the throne," he introduced himself formally. Whether he was still those things was debatable.

 

The Mechanist's face grew at least three shades paler.

 

"Your Highness─ I─" he stuttered, "Please forgive me, but I do not have any new designs ready. Your generals collected the last ones only four days ago and─"

 

What in the world was he talking about? "And what 'designs' are these?"

 

"Oh! I still have copies of the blueprints, of course. I'll get them out for you, your Highness." The Mechanist fluttered about the room, retrieving several rolled up pieces of parchment and presenting them to him.

 

Zuko gingerly unrolled one and studied the diagram intently for several minutes. His eyes widened when he finally managed to figure out what it was. He went through the other ones with mounting concern and bewilderment.

 

"You're making weapons for the Fire Nation?!" He exclaimed disbelievingly. Now it was the older man's turn to look confused. "Why would you do that? Our nations are at war!"

 

"But─ You didn't know?!"

 

"I think you have some explaining to do."

 

Zuko couldn't believe this. What kind of man created weapons for the enemy? What was worse perhaps, was the location. This Mechanist was helping the Fire Nation's army in the very place that was the worst testament of what exactly they did to those they perceived as their enemies. The Air Nomads had been pacifists. To design weapons of war in the place they were slaughtered was so intrinsically wrong it made Zuko's stomach roil.

 

Zuko's disgust must have been clear on his face, for the man sat down with a weary sigh.

 

"I never wanted to use my talents as an inventor to hurt anyone. But I didn't have much of a choice. You see, about a decade ago, there was a great flood. Me and my infant son, along with everyone in this temple, became refugees. We didn't have anywhere to go. So when we found this place, we couldn't believe our luck. We made this temple our home. But one day, a Fire Nation general came and threatened to kill us all. I begged for mercy, and he asked what I had to give in exchange for our lives. I offered my services as an engineer; it was the only skill I had. I've been making weapons ever since, and the general comes to collect them once a year."

 

Zuko wondered how many others like him there were. How many men and women, forced to use their talents to kill and to maim? Every time he thought he understood what war meant, he discovered a new aspect he had never before considered. The Mechanist was the one making weapons in a Temple built for peace, but Zuko's own people were to blame. The fault always fell back on them. Because of one man's greed, and his successors who didn't have the presence of mind to bring a stop to this senseless violence. 

 

He didn't know what to say to the man before him. He couldn't help him, he had no power over his father's generals, and whatever he did now wouldn't last in the long run. It might even make things worse for the refugees. They probably didn't want his help, either way. He was a symbol, a face to associate with their suffering. The best he could do was leave them alone. He hated feeling so helpless. 

 

He had to remind himself forcefully that helping these people would be treason. He shouldn’t want to in the first place. Leaving this alone was the right thing to do; it was what a loyal son would do. 

 

(He couldn't help but think Sokka would know what to do, what to say. Sokka wouldn’t struggle with what was right or wrong, he was always so certain about those things.)

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko went through kata after kata on the deck of the Wani, his uncle drinking tea while giving him advice on how to improve his forms.

 

Fire had become natural again. Perhaps more so than ever before. 

 

Zuko had come to fear fire, especially the flames of other firebenders. So Uncle had taught him control, not only of his inner flame but of other's fire. Instead of working around his fear, he'd worked through it. Literally. 

 

His own fire couldn't burn him, so he'd learnt to make all flames his own. Be it the candle flames in his cabin or the ones his opponents threw at him.

 

Uncle had told him it was a technique akin to waterbending. It was adapting and going with the flow, but also controlling the current. 

 

Mostly, though, it was a battle of wills. It only worked if the firebender whose fire you were redirecting had weaker control than you did. (Zuko had a lot of determination. What he didn’t get naturally like Azula had, he made up for in sheer stubbornness.)

 

Uncle had also taught him the true meaning of fire. Fire was life. It had never been meant to burn, but to warm. It was a knowledge lost in the time of Sozin. Zuko might not have considered himself worthy, but he would work hard to be the man the masters had seen in him. Zuko would take their secret to the grave, come hell or high water. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The next port they stopped at was known for its neutrality, welcoming ships from all three nations.

 

It was therefore not particularly alarming to see four Fire Navy battleships docked along the quais. 

 

Zuko was on edge nonetheless. He hadn't crossed paths with any high ranking Fire Nation officers since─ well. Since that day . The issue wasn't that he was afraid of them. He was angry . All those generals had sat there, nodding along to a plan that involved sacrificing an entire division of their own men. And Zuko had seen what the Fire Nation did in the war. He really didn't want to have to play nice with one of them.

 

Considering the ships were flying the flag of the Northern Raiders, though, it would seem he would have no choice but to meet with their commander. Zuko had no idea who that was, but Uncle hopefully would.



"Come, Prince Zuko. These gentlemen have offered to escort us to their commander."

 

Zuko frowned. Summoning two princes of the Fire Nation like this was highly disrespectful. The commander should have come to them, not the other way around. He followed nonetheless, trusting his Uncle to handle the situation ─ he was more versed in these matters than Zuko was. 

 

He expected to be led to the main ship of the small fleet, but the soldiers walked right past it and towards the town instead. Did the man mean to greet them in the streets of a neutral town? That made no sense. If he'd wanted to make a show of power, his own ship would have been a much better symbole. What was he playing at?

 

Zuko glanced sideways at Uncle, but he seemed as unbothered as ever, with not a care in the world. The Prince wondered whether it was all an act or just how he was. Then again, he was an esteemed general, not a dishonoured young prince, yet to prove himself. He had no reason to worry about respect or the games of a navy commander.

 

Focusing back on his surroundings, Zuko realised something was off about the town. It should have been swarming with life and activity, merchants heralding customers from market stalls. Instead, the only people around were Fire Nation soldiers. They were present in alarming numbers as well; there were too many for just three docked ships resupplying before a sea journey. They walked around like they owned the place.

 

Zuko understood why when they reached the town hall, Fire Nation flags flanking its doors.

 

The town of Chu Sei had been conquered.




"Your Highnesses! It is such an honour to welcome two members of the royal family in this newly conquered village. All its resources are at your disposal for the duration of your stay, of course." Hypocrisy was oozing off of him in waves. Zuko immediately disliked him.

 

"Captain Zhao, it’s been a while. We were not aware Chu Sei had become a colony," Uncle commented mildly. "When did that happen?"

 

Zuko didn't know much about this Zhao, except Father seemed to favour him. He would probably be promoted to admiral in a few years if he played his cards right. 

That meant the Prince would have to be on his best behaviour, since anything he did would likely be reported directly to the Fire Lord.

 

"It’s commander now, actually. And it was just a few days ago," Zhao answered smugly. "We're just finishing rounding up their earthbenders, they'll be shipped off to the nearest sea prison soon."

 

"Oh? And where are you keeping them in the meantime? Earthbenders are not easy to contain," Iroh inquired. Zuko wondered why he was asking; the information could hardly matter to him.

 

"On one of my ships, under lock and key and watched by my best firebenders at all times. They're powerless with only metal around."



  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko waited until nightfall to explore Chu Sei. When everyone on the Wani was asleep, he donned an all black outfit, detached his dao from the wall, and tied his mother's Blue Spirit mask behind his head. He didn't want to be recognized, either by the town's citizens or Zhao's men. 

 

During the day, there had been soldiers everywhere. He hadn't gotten more than glimpses of the villagers. He wanted to see what was going on around here when people thought no one was watching.

 

He wanted to know what Zhao did, when he thought no one was watching.

 

The Blue Spirit  got out through his cabin's porthole, and clung to the side of the Wani as he let himself fall to the dock. He made no sound when landing on the wooden slats.

 

A careful look around confirmed no one had seen him, the soldiers on duty oblivious to the Prince creeping along the rows of ships.

 

The Blue Spirit took a convoluted route towards the village's center, sticking close to walls in back alleys and run down streets. 

 

He hid in the shadows when patrolling soldiers walked past. They were knocking at doors along the street. The Blue Spirit was too far away to hear what they were asking the terrified Earth Kingdom citizens.

 

He silently crept closer, until he could make out the woman's words. "We don't know anything about rebels! We have nothing to do with that!"

 

"Oh really? You see, that's very strange, because your neighbours assured us they heard some noise in here earlier tonight. Sounded like there were a lot of folks coming in. Isn't that right Lee?"

 

"Sure is," the other soldier nodded. "After nightfall, too. That's odd, I thought, since surely no one could be foolish enough to break curfew. Mind if we take a look inside, make sure no funny business is taking place?"

 

There was an edge to the man's affable tone, like a wolf orca smelling blood in the water. The house's owners tried to protest, but the men pushed right past them.

 

The Blue Spirit was about to walk past ─ this was none of his business after all ─ when he heard shouts from inside. His bad eye ─ now free of bandages ─ caught a flicker of light beyond the door. He was running inside before he had time to think it through. He didn’t try to fight this bizarre urge to protect a bunch of strangers. It hadn’t gone well for him the last time he’d done that, but he didn’t let himself think about it.

 

He jumped down a set of stairs, and landed right in the thick of the fighting. There were about fifteen people in the room, but it was clear the supposed rebels were no match for the two soldiers ─ even though only one of them was a firebender.

 

The Blue Spirit drew his swords, and used the confusion of a fight in a tight room full of people to get a jump on the firebender. He hit him in the temple with the pommel of his dao, knocking him right out.

 

Now that the major threat had been eliminated, he could focus on the other man. He didn't have the element of surprise anymore, but he hardly needed it.

 

He dodged the man's first hit, ducking down and swiping at his opponent's feet. The kick didn't land. He had to block the next strike with one of his swords, the collision sending a painful shock through his arm.

 

The soldier failed to anticipate The Blue Spirit's returning blow with his other sword. He managed a hit on the man's wrist, sending his weapon flying across the room. He cringed behind his mask ─ he really hoped no one would be hurt by the sword hurtling through the air.

 

His opponent barely had time to open his mouth and ask about his identity before the Blue Spirit hit him in the head and he fell limp.

 

After the noise of the fight, the sudden silence was jarring. No one really seemed to know where to go from there, the Blue Spirit least of all. What had he been thinking, jumping to these people's rescue, fighting Fire Nation soldiers? At least he'd had the foresight to hide his identity before going out. That was turning out to be a wise decision.

 

"Thank you so much!" A woman finally exclaimed. "You saved our lives. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't intervened."

 

"This just proves my point! We can't fight the Fire Nation on our own; we'd be better off keeping our heads down until most of the garrison is gone." A man spoke up.

 

"And let all our earthbenders be carried off to some awful prison? Our best shot at freedom is freeing them, and driving the rest of the ashmakers out of our harbour with them!" A younger voice cut in.

 

"And how do you suggest we do that, kid? We couldn't even fight off those two! I hate to agree with Rinne but we should wait until the commander leaves; at least then we won't have as many soldiers in the village. And we can request help from the garrison in Waiza."

 

"Maybe we don't stand a chance," the woman from earlier started, pointing at the Blue Spirit, "but he clearly does. If you helped us, we could free our benders. And then we'd have a fighting chance!"

 

Everyone turned to the Blue Spirit, expressions ranging from tentatively hopeful to grimly determined.

 

The masked warrior didn't know what to say. He couldn't help these people ─ could he? It would make him a traitor. 

 

But could he stand by and do nothing as his nation ruined more innocent people's lives? Some of the gathered rebels would fight, whether he got involved or not. He knew they would because they were protecting their own ─ sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. They were like the water tribe warriors putting on war paint, and fighting to protect their last waterbender. They would give their lives for a cause they believed in, because, to them, life under Fire Nation rule meant death and destruction. 

 

The Blue Spirit also knew they would lose. They were just ordinary people, with no fighting experience, taking on the Fire Navy. They would all die if the Blue Spirit didn't help them. They might still die if he did.

 

"I'll free your benders," he agreed. "After that, it's up to you."





Zuko went back to the Wani just a few hours shy of daybreak, put his mask and black clothes back in the hidden compartment of his trunk, and hung his dao back to their decorative spot on the wall.

 

After he left the rebels to their planning, he'd come back to the docks to investigate where the earthbenders were being held captive. He'd also taken some time to figure out where guards were posted, and how long their shifts were. He'd silently crawled around until he'd found a weakness in security, and he now had a plan.

 

(Ironically enough, sneaking around Fire Nation soldiers was a skill he'd learnt at the Palace in Caldera, back when he was a child. He'd spent hours, hiding and slipping past guards in forbidden areas of the Palace with Azula, when his mom had still been around and he trusted his sister not to snitch on him. In later years, he'd mostly just used those skills to avoid his father as much as he could. (Not that he'd been afraid of him, of course. It was just that the less Zuko saw him, the less he could mess up and disappoint him.))

 

 As soon as the tide permitted it, Zuko gave the order to leave port. There was some protesting ─ they hadn't fully resupplied, and the men had been looking forward to some downtime in town ─ but in the end, they did what they were told.

 

Uncle looked at him curiously, but Zuko's lie that there was no time to waste in their search for the Avatar seemed to convince him. There had been a strange look on his face when Zuko had mentioned his mission, though. The Prince couldn't tell what it meant, it was almost… sad? Perhaps Uncle missed home, too. He'd left everything behind to follow an honourless, angry teenager on a quest he obviously believed would never come to an end. Zuko still didn't know why he had come with him, but he was grateful for it, even though he scarcely showed it ─ he couldn't. It would be weak . Zuko didn't need anyone's help, and he certainly didn't need Uncle's pity.



"Your Highness?" Lieutenant Jee inquired, "Where should we set a course to?"

 

"Nowhere," Zuko answered, looking out at the waves crashing against the ship's hull. "I have a lead on the Avatar’s location. Just circle the area, and stay out of view from shore. I'll take one of the skiffs at nightfall, and go investigate it. I don't want someone to warn them somehow and give him time to escape."

 

He didn’t miss the lieutenant’s eye roll, but Zuko chose to ignore it. It didn’t matter what Jee thought, as long as he didn’t suspect his prince’s true intentions.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The Blue Spirit cut the engine on his boat right after passing the sea wall. He'd have to swim the rest of the way if he wanted to go unnoticed. 

 

Thankfully, his all black outfit was light, but it would still weigh him down significantly in the water. So would his swords, for that matter.

 

Maybe going the long way around ─ walking along the sea wall ─ would be a better idea, if time consuming. Better than getting to the ships exhausted, he supposed.

 

Decision made, the Blue Spirit made a quick prayer to Tui to guide his steps and started running.

 

Getting through the town and to the port took much longer than he had expected. By the time he reached the dock, the moon was already high in the sky. The Blue Spirit was grateful it was only a quarter full, shining very little light on the harbor ─ while better lighting would have made climbing easier, it would also have made it harder to sneak around unnoticed.

 

There were soldiers patrolling the quay, just as The Blue Spirit had expected. Most of the ships’ decks were empty, though; he supposed there wasn’t much sense in watching them if no one could reach the boats in the first place. The frigate that held the earthbenders, however, was crawling with guards.

 

There was no way The Blue Spirit would be able to sneak past all of them. 

 

Looking around to make sure no one had noticed him yet, he lowered himself silently into the water, and started swimming towards the prison-ship.

 

Finding purchase on the metal hull was not easy, but the Blue Spirit managed to wedge one of his dao in the crack where two metal plates met, and used it as leverage to hoist himself up. He repeated the operation with the second sword, until he reached the first row of portholes. From there, the climb was much easier, and he was able to slip through a cracked open window.

 

The Blue Spirit eased himself into the cabin slowly, taking stock of his surroundings. The sailor it belonged to must have been on duty, because it was blessedly empty. The Blue Spirit was on the second to highest floor of the main part of the cruiser. The prisoners would be in the cargo hold, five levels beneath him.

 

The Blue Spirit made his way to the door, and gingerly cracked it open. Once he was sure the coast was clear he got out of the room and closed the door behind him, careful not to let it creak. 

 

He dimmed the flames of the oil lamps around him as he walked to the end of the corridor, sticking close to the walls, to where he knew the staircase to be.

 

He’d only gone down two levels when the door below him opened, letting out two deck hands in the middle of a conversation. The Blue Spirit ducked down, and plastered himself to the wall, praying to Agni they were going down.

 

But of course, The Blue Spirit had used up all his luck when he was born, and they climbed the stairwell in his direction. The intruder only had a few seconds before he was inevitably discovered ─ the dimmed lights couldn’t hide him if someone walked right past him.

 

He hurried up the flight of stairs to the door of the previous level, hoping no one would be in that corridor either. For once, the spirits answered his prayer and he found himself alone in the hallway.

 

He put his good ear against the door and waited until the noise of conversation faded away. He counted to a hundred before slipping back through the hatch, just to be safe.

 

The rest of the descent went by without a hitch. There were two soldiers framing the door to the hold, but that was to be expected. The Blue Spirit was confident he could take them both in a fight. The only issue would be to do it without alerting anyone else. His timing was playing in his favour, though, because it was clearly nearing  the end of the women’s shift, and they were getting sloppy. The Blue Spirit wondered what kind of incompetent officer had put two firebenders on the night shift.

 

He jumped over the banister fluidly, and landed just in front of the guards, knocking the first one out before she had time to get in a fighting stance. He ducked under the other woman’s fiery punch, letting the instinctive fear pass through him, and swiped at her feet with his right leg. 

 

She jumped away, and sent another wave of fire his way. The Blue Spirit dodged and rushed at her, surprising the soldier enough that she didn’t react in time to keep him from tackling her. Once she was down, with him on top of her, he made quick work of knocking her out. 

 

The Blue Spirit searched the guard’s pockets, and retrieved her keyring. He found the right one on the sixth try and was finally able to unlock the door to the cargo hold. Inside were a dozen men and women in Earth Kingdom clothes, chained to the walls. 

 

They’d clearly been woken by the commotion, and most were standing at attention, ready to put up a fight if they needed to.

 

“It’s okay, I came to free you,” The Blue Spirit whispered, slightly breathless, but trying for a reassuring tone.

 

The earthbenders still looked wary, but a few nodded. He started to sever their bounds with his dao. It took a while, and was more noisy than The Blue Spirit was comfortable with, but melting them with his bending was definitely not an option. 

 

“Thank you,” a woman spoke up among the whispering villagers. “Will you help us take back the town, as well?”

 

The Blue Spirit hesitated ─ freeing Chu Sei had never been part of the plan; the smart move was to leave that part to the earthbenders. But there weren’t that many of them, they were wildly outnumbered. Even with the other villagers’ help, success was far from guaranteed. Especially considering they’d failed to stop the invasion in the first place. Then again, would one more person’s presence really change the tide? The Blue Spirit was a good swordsman ─ it was his only real talent ─ but he would be better used in discrete missions like this one than open battle. (What would Sokka do?)

 

“We should regroup with the other resistants first, you’ll need a good plan if you want to take back your home,” he said. “You don’t stand a chance in a frontal attack, there are too many Fire Nation soldiers.”

 

“Can you get us out of here without alerting them?” A tall and heavily muscled man asked.

 

Huh, he hadn’t thought of that. Moving such a big group of people through the ship and back to the village would be complicated enough as it was, but there were the two knocked out soldiers to take in consideration. They would wake up eventually and sound the alarm. He could lock them in here but─

 

“How often do they bring you food and water?”

 

“Once a day, as far as I can tell,” an old man answered. He really didn’t look like he was in any shape to fight, capturing him seemed a bit pointless. “Last time wasn’t too long ago.”

 

Well, that was good. Hoping the next set of guards didn’t check on the prisoners, no one would know what had happened until the next evening. That also meant that if they wanted to stage a surprise attack, they’d have to do it during the day…

 

“Allright, follow me,” The Blue Spirit said after a moment, re-adjusting his mask on his face.



  • ^∆^•

 

They couldn’t have found better terrain if they’d tried. It was perfect. There was nothing for miles around but natural stone pillars, without a hint of vegetation. It gave them plenty of cover and material for the earthbenders to work with. This was a lesson Zuko had learned from Master Piando, back in the Fire Nation: a good swordsman knows how to use his surroundings to his advantage.

 

The Blue Spirit and the other rebels were hidden among the rock outcroppings, waiting for Zhao’s soldiers to fall into their trap. 

 

Under his guise of Blue Spirit, and with the help of one earthbender, he had snuck into the townhall and captured the commander. Simultaneously, the other rebels had evacuated the whole town; subduing whatever soldiers stood in their way. Both groups had made sure to leave an obvious trail that would lead the rest of the force in the most disadvantageous terrain for a battalion of firebenders to fight in. Now, they were just waiting to see if they would take the bait.

 

They did. The occupying force fell right into their trap at noon, when the sun was highest. This was unfortunate, but Zuko hoped having the higher ground would compensate. At any rate, earthbenders were at the highest of their power whatever the time of day and night.

 

The Fire Navy’s infantry advanced in uneven columns, their formation already broken by the environment. They’d been twitchy at first, but after walking through there long enough, they relaxed, reassured they wouldn’t be ambushed in here. That had been part of the plan as well. They would let the soldiers through as far as possible, giving themselves time to encircle them entirely. Once everyone was in position, they would attack from all directions at once, leaving them only one direction to escape ─ well, that last part was just Zuko slightly betraying the inhabitants of Chu Sei to give his people a chance to retreat. These soldiers were not responsible for the orders of their officers.

 

The signal sounded, and it was all a blur after that. The Blue Spirit went through the motions of the fight relying mostly on instinct, everything going much too fast for him to think about what was happening. He ducked, and dodged jets of flame and rock alike; incapacitating as many soldiers as he could without killing them. He couldn’t stop to think about how the rebels were not so lenient. That would come later, when he was in the safety of his ship.

 

The Blue Spirit had no idea how much time had passed when he heard the order to retreat from who could only be Zhao ─ he must have been freed at some point during the battle. As the soldiers started running away, the prince had time to take stock of the state of both sides of the fight. There were bodies littering the stony ground ─ not too many of them were dead, from what The Blue Spirit could tell ─ and the commander’s forces were well and truly defeated. Zhao should have given the order to retreat ages ago.

 

Zuko was relieved to see the Earth Kingdom citizens were not giving chase. 




By the time they got back to the town, the cruisers were already out of the harbor, the town abandoned entirely. 

 

Amidst the cheers and celebrations, the Blue Spirit slipped away unnoticed.

Chapter 3: The Freedom Fighters

Summary:

It's been 3 years since Zuko and Sokka last spoke together. A lot has happened in that time. Hakoda nad the men of the tribe left to war, leaving Sokka and Katara on their own. The Avatar resurfaced, and they left with him.
Zuko left his uncle and crew somewhere along the Earth Kingdom's coast almost two years ago. He's living a very different life from what he imagined as a child.

Chapter Text

2 years later

 

Sokka was tired. He was always tired, nowadays. His life had been hard enough since his father and the other tribesmen had left, leaving him in charge of protecting the tribe and his sister. It had been a lot of responsibility to put on a fourteen year old’s shoulders. He’d suddenly had to hunt and fish for the entire village on his own ─ he’d had to figure out how to do all that on his own too. Overnight, Sokka’s days had been filled to the last minute with things to do, the survival of his village hingging on his success. They wouldn’t have survived that first winter if Katara hadn’t bullied him into letting her come along to hunting and fishing trips. Still, ressources had been sparse during that first year, and he’d had to teach the women how to do it too, so they wouldn’t starve. They’d eventually found a form of balance, enough so that Sokka was confident he wasn’t sentencing them all to death by leaving.

 

But then they’d found Aang, the actual Avatar, and had been on the run from the Fire Nation ever since. His life had gone from the mundanity of providing for his tribe to adventures each crazier than the last ─ spirits and volcanoes and sea monsters. His life looked more like one of Zuko’s most dramatic plays by the day.

 

The irony was not lost on Sokka, that the only Fire National he wanted to see was not the one pursuing them, even though it was technically his mission. 

He wondered if Zuko’s absence meant he had finally gotten free from under his father’s thumb. Hope was a cruel thing.

 

Well, he was kinda relieved actually; the last thing he wanted was to have to choose between Aang and Zuko. He knew there was a right choice there, but he really wasn’t sure that faced with golden eyes, he would be able to fight him. (Maybe he would freeze, unable to decide what to do; he would hate himself for his inaction as much as he would for anything he did do. There would only be bad options, if it ever came to that.) 

 

Also, he was pretty sure that if Zuko had been the one after them, instead of Commander Sideburns, Aang would have been captured long ago ─ was it weird he felt proud of that? 

 

“Where’s Momo?” Aang asked suddenly. Sokka suppressed a groan as the young airbender wandered into the forest without a care in the world. That kid was gonna give him gray hairs before his time ─ he would look fantastic, but still, it was the principle of the thing. He exchanged a look with Katara, and they both got up from where they’d been sitting on the forest ground to follow him.

 

They found the wandering lemur caught in a trap, suspended several feet in the air.

 

“Hang on, Momo,” Aang yelled, propelling himself up in the air with a burst of air. He gracefully flew up to where the trap was attached, using tree trunks to boost himself to the top. Aang then carefully lowered the cage to the ground, Sokka and Katara opening it when it came within their reach. Momo immediately jumped out to eat the lychee nut he had gotten himself caught for. Sokka facepalmed in frustration. Flying across the world with his little sister, the Avatar and half a zoo was not he’d bargained for. He’d been perfectly content living in the South Pole, thank you very much. He did not need all this adventure. Between the pirates, prison breaks and various jerkbenders, he’d had more than enough. All he wanted at this point was one day of peace. Was that too much to ask for? (When you were Sokka, it probably was.)

 

“All right, you too,” Aang said once his feet touched the ground again, and proceeded to back up and free the two hogmonkeys that were still trapped. Why he hadn’t thought of that before coming back down, was beyond Sokka. Why did no one else ever plan in advance? These kids wouldn’t survive a day without him. He hoped Zuko was doing well, wherever he was. At least he had his uncle Iroh to keep him from doing anything too stupid. Then again, Iroh didn’t have the best track record of protecting his nephew.

 

“This is gonna take forever,” he sighed as he threw his boomerang. He felt pretty smug when it cut through both ropes on the first try. The boomerang truly was the superior weapon, dao swords had nothing on him.

 

“That works,” Aang commented, and slid down the giant mapple with his usual airbender fluidity. Show off.

 

Sokka crouched down near one of the newly empty cages. “These are Fire Nation traps, you can tell from the metalwork. We’d better pack up camp and get moving.” He’d rather avoid running into whoever had put these up.

 

 

 

“Huh huh, no flying this time,” he exclaimed, interrupting Katara and Aang where they’d been in the process of loading up Appa.

 

Aang, like the twelve year old he was, immediately protested. “What? Why wouldn’t we fly?” He looked bewildered, like Sokka had grown a second head or something. Pfft, what would they do without him? They would never have survived without his awesome leadership.

He resigned himself to explain.

 

“Think about it. Somehow Commander Zhao and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It’s because they spot Appa, he’s too noticeable.”

 

“What? Appa isn’t too noticeable!” Katara exclaimed, hands on her hips. Little sisters were the worst.

 

“He’s a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him,” Sokka argued, waving his arms for emphasis.

 

Appa yawned, completely unconcerned, as Aang patted him reassuringly on the head. “Sokka’s just jealous ‘cause he doesn’t have an arrow.”

 

He rolled his eyes at the kid’s antics. He decided to once again be the group’s reasonable adult. “I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk.”

 

“Who made you the boss?” Katara asked provocatively ─ eugh sisters.

 

“I’m not the boss. I’m the leader.” Sokka said, puffing up his chest.

 

“You’re the leader?” Katara asked, and okay, that level of disbelief in her voice was actually kind of hurtful. “But your voice still cracks.” What did that even have to do with anything? He was still the eldest!

 

“I’m the oldest, and I’m a warrior,” and why did his voice have to crack, just then? “So I’m the leader,” he finished, making his voice as deep as it would go.

 

“If anyone’s the leader, it’s Aang,” Katara countered with a weirdly dreamy look. “I mean, he is the Avatar.”

 

“Are you kidding?” Sokka spluttered in indignation. “He’s just a goofy kid!” 

 

Said kid was indeed hanging upside down from one of Appa’s horns, proving him right, for once. “He’s right.”

 

Finally! Someone agreed with him!

 

“Why do you boys always think someone has to be the leader,” Katara grouched, arms crossed petulantly over her chest. “I bet you wouldn’t be so bossy if you kissed a girl.”

 

Now, that was a low blow, even for her. Golden eyes came to his mind unbidden, and Sokka forcibly pushed that train of thought away. Now was not the time for this, it plagued him enough as it was; Zuko really didn’t have to haunt every single aspect of his mind ─ the fact the other boy would have laughed at that and said it was a good pun was completely irrelevant. Sokka didn’t care where Zuko was or what he was doing. He didn’t care why the other boy had never bothered to ‘visit’ him in two years. He didn’t.

 

“I’ve kissed a girl. You just haven’t met her,” Sokka said, choosing to use the best tool at his disposal in this situation: denial ─ he’d learned from the best.

 

“Who?” Katara asked, a shit-eating grin on her face. “Gran Gran? I’ve met Gran Gran.”

 

“No, besides Gran Gran,” Sokka exclaimed, spreading his arms for emphasis ─ he’d dug his own grave, might as well lie in it. “Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot, and a leader has to trust his instincts.”

 

“Okay, we’ll try it your way, oh, wise leader,” Katara relented, not without a good dose of sarcasm ─ which totally wasn’t fair, sarcasm was Sokka’s thing!

 

“Who knows, walking might be fun,” Aang interrupted with his usual enthusiasm.

 

 

 

 

Not five minutes later, however, he changed his mind. “Walking stinks,” the young Avatar said dejectedly. “How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?”

 

Sokka was tempted to agree; walking had seemed like a nice change at first ─ he was getting sick of sitting around doing nothing on Appa’s back ─ but it really just sucked.

 

“I don’t know Aang, why don’t you ask Sokka’s instincts? They seem to know everything,” Katara cut in, jumping at the occasion to mock her brother.

 

“Ha ha, very funny.”

 

“I’m tired of carrying this pack,” Aang kept complaining.

 

“You know who could carry it for a while? Sokka’s instincts!”

 

“That’s a great idea!” The airbender exclaimed. They were starting to seriously get on Sokka’s nerves. “Hey, Sokka’s instincts, would you mind─”

 

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Sokka interrupted. “Look guys, I’m tired too, but the important thing is that we’re safe from the Fire Nation─” He trailed off, as they walked right into a camp. A Fire Nation camp. Full of actual soldiers!

 

They all turned to look at them, reaching for their weapons.

 

“Run!” Sokka yelled, abandoning his pack on the forest floor. Their escape was short lived, however, as a wall of fire blocked their only exit. “We’re cut off!”

 

And as if things couldn’t get any worse, Anng pointed at him. “Sokka, your shirt!”

 

Sokka yelled in a totally cool and not at all panicked voice as he started patting his sleeve, trying to get the fire to go out. He would have been unsuccessful if not for Katara’s water whip.

 

Crisis averted, the three of them got into fighting stances, and faced the soldiers that had made a half circle around them.

 

“If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you,” Sokka announced with as much confidence as he could muster ─ which happened to be quite a lot, despite the rather desperate situation.

 

“What are you doing?” Katara hissed.

 

“Bluffing,” Sokka whispered back between gritted teeth.

 

“You promise not to hurt us?” A soldier with an eye patch ─ he must be the leader ─ gave a derisive chuckle. His effect was pretty much ruined when he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

 

“Nice work Sokka,” Aang piped up. “How did you do that?”

 

“Uh, instincts?”

 

“Look!” Katara called out, pointing up into the trees. The teenager she was pointing at drew his swords ─ Hey! Sokka had never seen weapons like that; this hook thing looked pretty cool ─ and all hell broke loose, as he jumped down, landing on two unsuspecting soldiers.

 

Other kids dropped down from above and started taking out the soldiers in an impressive show of skill. The first one, with the hook swords, kept stealing Sokka’s glory right from under him with a level of smugness that was just obnoxious, (“Gotta be quicker next time”). There was an archer with a pointy hat, a girl with a knife, a kid that looked like he was much too young to be there and another one that really had no right to be this tall, seriously, the guy was a giant! They all wore the same kind of mismatched armor pieces. 

 

All except one, that is. Among the fray, was a warrior dressed in all black, a blue mask on his face. He danced through the battlefield with the grace of a dancer, dao swords glinting in stray rays of sunshine. There was something familiar about the way he moved that reminded Sokka of waterbending and long past afternoons spent watching a prince practice in a secluded courtyard. 

 

As suddenly as it had started, the fight was over.

 

“You just took out a whole army almost single-handed,” Aang said to the hook-sword kid, awe obvious in his voice.

 

“Army? There were only, like, twenty guys,” Sokka replied sullenly. It hadn’t been that cool.

 

“My name is Jet,” hook-kid said, turning back to them, “and these are my Freedom Fighters.”

 

Sokka was about to protest about the pretentious name but the masked warrior beat him to it. “Stop showing off, Jet. Besides, since when are we even called freedom fighters?”

 

“The dramatic one over there is Blue,” Jet continued with a wry smile, pointing to each kid in turn “Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, the Duke and Pipsqueak.”

 

While Aang went to talk to the latter two and got knocked to the floor, Sokka watched the ‘Freedom Fighters’ ─ what a stupid name ─ busy themselves around the camp, scavenging for supplies.

He moved to the side when Katara went to talk to Jet, wanting to listen in on their conversation ─ he had a bad feeling about the guy.

 

“Thank you for saving us, Jet.”

 

“I should be the one thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those guys all morning, looking for the right distraction. And then you guys stumbled in.”

 

“We were relying on instincts,” Katara snarked, looking at Sokka over her shoulder.

 

“You’ll get yourselves killed, doing that,” Blue cut in, somber.

 

“As if you’re one to talk, Mister Act-first-think-later,” Jet huffed at his friend.

 

“Hey Blue!” The Duke called out, “Those barrels are full of blasting jelly.”

 

“That’s a great score,” Jet said.

 

“And these boxes are filled with jelly candy,” Pipsqueak remarked.

 

“Also good,” Jet answered with a chuckle.

 

“Let’s not get those mixed up,” Blue added gravely. And wow, how had Sokka not noticed his voice before? It was all rough and smoky but also super smooth, and really, how was that even possible?

 

“We’ll get this stuff back to the hideout,” another kid ─ Sneers? ─ said from where he was loading up boxes on a cart.

 

“You guys have a hideout?” Aang asked excitedly. Oh no. There was no convincing him to fly away now, was there? This was the last time Sokka ever suggested walking.

 

“You wanna see it?” Jet asked. Blue looked like he was about to protest─ although it was hard to tell considering he still hadn’t taken his mask off ─ but Katara was quicker than him.

 

“Yes, we wanna see it,” she rushed to say, hands clasped in front of her.

 

As they walked through the forest ─ ugh, more walking ─ Sokka fell into step with Blue.

 

“Hey, what’s up with the mask?” Sokka asked. The other boy tensed up next to him, so he decided it must be a sensitive subject and chose not to pry. “Is it the Dark Water Spirit from Love Amongst the Dragons? He’s my favourite character from that play!”

 

“It… is,” Blue replied, and there was something in his tone that told Sokka there was a story there. Katara and Jet must have been paying attention, because they turned around simultaneously, twin looks of surprise on their faces.

 

“What in the spirits is Love Amongst the Dragons?” Katara asked with a frown, at the same time Jet said “Your mask is a theater reference?!”

 

“For your information, it’s considered one of the best works in Fire Nation litterature from Fire Lord Zoryu’s era, and one of the only plays of that period that are still enjoyed today in both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom,” Sokka recited, his mouth running away from him before he had time to think about what he was saying. He smiled a little to himself, remembering Zuko’s numerous rants about how the Ember Island Players always butchered his favourite play. 

 

(“We used to reenact the final duel on the beach, afterwards. It was the worst, Azula always made me be the Dark Water Spirit!” Zuko said, pouting with childish dramatics.

 

“Well, if you want we can do our own reenactment of it and I’ll be the Water Spirit,” Sokka offered, because he knew Zuko missed going to the theater with his mother. “He’s obviously the coolest character, anyway.”

 

The abject look of horror on the prince’s face was absolutely worth it, “Sokka! He’s the bad guy! He can’t be your favourite character!”

 

“Can too,” Sokka replied with a laugh, sticking his tongue out.)

 

When Sokka tuned back into the world around him, he was met with baffled looks and narrowed eyes. He floundered for an excuse, there was no reason he would know the play and Katara didn’t, and especially not this well ─ no reason he particularly felt like giving at the moment anyway. Fortunately, he was saved from replying when the whole party stopped and Jet announced they “We’re here” ─ which was ridiculous, they were still in the middle of nowhere, no hideout in sight. He looked over at Blue curiously when he heard the other boy breathe a sigh of relief ─ guess they both had secrets.

 

“Where? There’s nothing here,” Sokka remarqued, stepping forward.

 

“Here, hold this,” Jet said, handing him a rope. 

 

Sokka looked at it curiously, “Why? What’s this do?” The answer came in the form of Sokka being suddenly pulled into the air by the hand holding the rope, a very dignified shriek escaping his lips. 

 

He landed on a platform, head spinning, and as he looked around, realised there was a whole city hanging in the red leafed trees, made of treehouses and ramshackle bridges.

 

Aang was up next, closely followed by Blue, and then Jet, carrying Katara in his arms. Sokka grit his teeth and didn’t comment.

 

“It’s beautiful up here,” Katara breathed.

 

“It’s beautiful, and most importantly, the Fire Nation can’t find us,” Jet replied proudly.

 

Smellerbee came out of nowhere, startling Sokka, “They would love to get their hands on you, wouldn’t they Jet? You and Blue, both.”

 

“It’s not gonna happen, Smellerbee,” Blue answered.

 

“Why does the Fire Nation want you?” Sokka asked suspiciously.

 

“I guess you could say we’ve been causing them a little trouble. See, they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back,” Jet explained.

 

“We’ve been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything we can to mess with them,” Pipsqueak added.

 

“One day, we’ll drive the Fire Nation out for good and free that town.”

 

“That’s so brave,” Katara said, with way too much wonder in her voice.

 

“Yeah, nothing’s braver than a guy in a tree house,” Sokka snarked, putting himself between the two - there would be no flirting with his little sister under his watch.

 

“Don’t pay attention to my brother,” Katara said, glaring at him.

 

“No problem, he probably had a rough day.” Sokka did not like that condescending tone, at all.

 

“I hate it when you play magnanimous leader,” Blue grumbled, glaring at Jet. Well, Sokka supposed he was glaring, it was kinda hard to tell with the mask.

 

“No you don’t,” Jet scoffed.

 

“So you all live here?” Katara enquired, ignoring the exchange. 

 

“That’s right,” Jet answered, “We used to live outside the town because the Fire Nation wouldn’t let a bunch of orphans into their village. It was Blue who found us and gave us a cause to fight for. Many of the kids here needed that. Longshot over there, his village was burned down by firebenders. And we found the Duke trying to steal our food, I don’t think he ever really had a home.”

 

“What about you?” Katara asked gently.

 

Sokka didn’t hear the other boy’s answer, too caught up by the first part of what Jet had said. So Blue was their founder? Why wasn’t he the leader?

 

“Hey, Blue! What’s your story?” Sokka called, after a while.

 

“Don’t bother,” Jet said, having apparently caught up to them again. “None of us know anything about Blue’s life from before. He’s a walking mystery. He even refuses to tell me. It’s part of the reason we broke up, actually.”

 

“You two dated?!” Sokka exclaimed, once again distracted. 

 

“That is not why, Jet,” Blue said, sounding flustered. “We broke up because you tried to kill me, remember?”

 

Okay wait, what?! He’d tried to kill him? What in the spirits was going on here?! Sokka knew these kids were bad news!

 

“Oh and why was that, I wonder,” Jet snarked, in what seemed to be an oft repeated argument. “Because of your elusive past, perhaps? You have to admit it was pretty suspicious.”

 

“I’d just saved your life!” Blue cried, waving his arms in a manner not unlike Sokka.

 

“With firebending!”

 

Wow, Sokka’s head was spinning, this conversation was way more than he could handle.

 

“You’re a firebender?!” Aang exclaimed, flabbergasted.

 

Blue rubbed his neck sheepishly, “Well, yeah.”

 

“Wait a minute,” Sokka said, raising a hand in the universal sign for I’m-confused-can-we-please-rewind. “What’s so bad about being a firebender that you tried to kill him.”

 

His question was met with bemused stares.

 

“We’re at war with the Fire Nation. That enough reason for you?” Jet deadpanned.

 

“That doesn’t mean they’re all evil!” Sokka exclaimed, offended on the nation’s behalf.

 

“Oh really?” Katara asked, glaring daggers at him. “Do you know any non-evil firebenders?”

 

“Well, I─” Sokka spluttered.

 

“I do,” Aang saved him from further embarrassment. “My friend Kuson was great! Hey Blue, could you teach me firebending? I really need an instructor and you’re, like, the only one that’s not loyal to the Fire Nation.”

 

“Aang, you can’t just trust the first firebender we met that doesn’t immediately try to kill you!” Katara said protectively, glaring at the masked bender.

 

“But Katara, when am I ever going to get an opportunity like this again?”

 

“I won’t teach you,” Blue says firmly. “I can’t.”

 

“Wait, really? Why not?” Sokka asks, frowning. You’d think anyone would jump at the opportunity to teach the Avatar.

 

“I’m no master, I’m not even good at firebending,” Blue said, and huh, didn’t that sound like someone he knew.

 

“Hippo-cowshit,” Jet interrupted, rolling his eyes. “I’ve met enough firebenders to know a good one when I see him. I’ve seen colours in your flames that have no business in fire.”

 

“Wait─ Did you say colours?” Sokka asked, mind snagging on another distant memory. “You can make blue fire? Is that where the nickname comes from?”

 

“Of course not,” Blue huffed like it was a ridiculous idea. “It’s nothing but brief flashes of purple and green, nothing to make a fuss about.”

 

Sokka was about to protest, and from the look on Jet’s face, so was he, but Aang was quicker. “I don’t know, that sounds pretty cool! I can’t even make sparks. So really, whether or not you’re a master doesn’t matter all that much. You could just teach me what you already know!”

 

Aang made the biggest polar dog puppy eyes Sokka had ever seen. There was no way anyone could say no to him when he looked like that. He turned away, sure that the argument was won.

 

“No,” Blue answered curtly. He was already gone when Sokka turned back around, nonplussed. All he could do was stare at his retreating back, swinging over a branch and disappearing from view.

 

 

•^∆^•

 

Later that day, a feast ─ in the loose sense of the term ─ was organised to celebrate their victory against the Fire Nation soldiers and welcome the newcomers.

 

Zuko didn’t know what to do with their presence. He’d given up on chasing the Avatar years ago. He’d stopped being the Fire Prince and became the Blue Spirit, an honourless traitor fighting his own people, safely hidden behind a mask. He had forged a new life for himself. 

 

And now, this. The spirits were taunting him, dangling the Avatar right under his nose in the form of an overexcited twelve year old. Zuko had lost his home, but he’d made a new one here, same as everyone else. He’d hit rock bottom, and these children had helped him rebuild himself into someone new. They’d become his family. This place was supposed to be safe. Safe from the Fire Nation, safe from his past, safe from who he’d been and who he was supposed to be. Safe from a destiny he hadn’t chosen, but had been thrust upon him.

 

The ghosts of the past had come back to haunt him. Sokka and Katara were here, travelling with the Avatar. He’d thought he’d never see either of them again. He’d thought he would never see his home again, either, because the Avatar had been gone a century, and Zuko had been sent on an impossible quest.

 

But he was here, and it would be so easy to capture him and bring him back to Father ─ all would be forgiven, he would regain his honour and finally get his father’s approval. It was everything he’d dreamed of.

 

Two years ago, he wouldn’t have hesitated. But things were different now. He wasn’t the boy he’d been back then. He wasn’t Zuko, a failure and a disappointment two separate families had wanted to get rid off, worthless and sad and always so so angry.

 

It still hurt, it still twisted his insides with fury, and filled his nights with nightmares. Rejection had broken something in him he’d thought he’d never get back. It was that broken, twisted pain that had driven Iroh away, and led Zuko to leave him and the Wani’s crew, and depart for the Eastern Air Temple on his own.

 

Jet and the Freedom Fighters had given him something to believe in, when he had nothing left. They’d taught him to trust again. And even though things had been complicated when they learned he was a firebender a year ago, they’d eventually come to the conclusion it didn’t matter, and he was still one of them ─ it probably helped that they all would have died without him that day.

 

Seeing Sokka opened up old wounds he’d thought mended. He realised now they were just barely starting to heal. He couldn’t even bring himself to take off his mask. He couldn’t bear to see his reaction.

 

He’d gotten more than a few weird looks and concerned glances for it. He always wore his mask on raids and expeditions but he didn’t normally keep it on in the hideout. The only reason he’d gotten away with it so far was because they knew he was wary of strangers and kinda paranoid ─ Smellerbee’s words, not his. He didn’t doubt they would start nagging him about it if the water tribesmen and airbender didn’t leave soon. Which Jet apparently didn’t have any intention of letting happen. Zuko would talk to him about it ─ they were co-leaders of the group, after all ─ but he had no good reason to give.

 

So Zuko sat next to Jet at the table as his friend made a speech. Zuko wasn’t too fond of the rhetoric, but Jet had significantly toned down his hate of the Fire Nation since they’d met ─ they’d reached a compromise, of sorts.

 

“Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine.” There were cheers from the other children. At least Sokka looked like he was enjoying himself even less than Zuko. “I got a special joy from the look on one soldier’s face when the Duke dropped down on his helmet, and rode him like a wild hog monkey.”

 

The Duke got up, looking extremely proud, and walked around the table, pumping his fist in the air under the applause of his friends.

 

“Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don’t have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they’re right,” Jet says, pausing to take a sip from his cup. The gathered Freedom Fighters booed loudly. Jet really did know how to talk to people, how to draw them in and play with emotions. Zuko thought he would have done well at court. “Or maybe they’re dead wrong.”

 

When the cheers and applause died down, Zuko stood up; it was his turn to make a speech.

 

“Now that Jet is done with his dramatics, let’s talk strategy.” There were a few chuckles from the older kids, the ones that had been here from the start. They knew Zuko was just as prone to dramatics as his friend, if not more. It was usually less intentional than Jet, though. Zuko tended to get into inspired speeches when he was angry or outraged. He wasn’t very good at public speaking on command. “Today’s operation was successful, we actually got a better haul than expected. Congratulations to everyone for a job well done. Don’t let it go to your heads, though. Jet will go out on a scouting mission tomorrow morning, Pipsqueak, Smellerbee, you’re on it. I’ll lead another team in the opposite direction with Longshot and Sneers. Everyone else, business as usual. But for tonight, let’s enjoy the food. We’ve even got jelly candy, so enjoy it while it lasts!”

 

Zuko’s speech elicited less enthusiasm than Jet’s, but that was to be expected ─ there was a reason they split up their duties like this. 

 

“Nice speech, Jet,” Katara said when everyone started digging in. The besotted way she looked at the other boy made Zuko bristle. It wasn’t jealousy, despite what one might think, but protectiveness over the girl he viewed as a sister. He knew he had no right to have brotherly feelings for the Water Tribe girl when she didn’t even know he existed, but he couldn’t help it. He’d seen her grow up, same as Azula, Mai or Ty Lee, and even though he wasn’t welcome in either family anymore, he didn’t think he could ever stop loving them. Or at least the memory he had of them. Because Katara wasn’t the little girl he’d known, anymore. She had grown a lot in the past three years. She also hadn’t changed all that much, if her interactions with Sokka and the young Avatar were anything to go by.

 

“Thank you,” his friend replied, with a flirtatious smirk Zuko had seen directed his way enough times to recognize. He knew from experience it was very effective, and wasn’t surprised to see the bright pink blush it brought to Katara’s cheeks.

 

Sokka must have seen it, too, because he looked positively furious ─ that look was very close to the face he’d used to make when Azula said something mean, and he had a scathing remark on the tip of his tongue that she couldn’t hear. Zuko wondered why he was holding himself back, this time. Maybe he was afraid of Katara’s reaction ─ she certainly wouldn’t appreciate the overprotectiveness. 

 

“Right. Well, thank you for the food, unfortunately, we have to leave tonight.”

 

Zuko should have been relieved to hear it. They would all be gone soon, and he could lay the past to rest once more. Instead, he felt his throat constrict with too many contradictory feelings for him to parse through.

 

“Sokka you’re kidding me,” Jet called after his retreating back. “I needed you on an important mission tomorrow.”

 

The Water Tribe boy stopped in his tracks and turned around. Zuko’s heart stopped beating ─ what in the spirits was Jet playing at?

 

 

•^∆^•

 

After the feast, Zuko made his way to Jet’s room. He entered without knocking, and closed the door behind himself before taking off his mask.

 

“What can I do for you, Blue?” the other boy asked, in that tone that conveyed he had been expecting Zuko’s visit ─ when had he gotten so predictable?

 

“What the fuck are you playing at?” Zuko said, cutting right to the heart of the matter. 

 

“You’re gonna have to be a little more precise than that.”

 

“Don’t bullshit me, Jet. Why are you stalling their departure? I know you have a plan.”

 

“They have a waterbender, the Avatar and a flying bison. You know exactly how useful they could be. With them on our side? We can free the valley within a week,” Jet explained with a raised eyebrow that wondered why Zuko was so eager to see them gone. “What’s up with you?”

 

Zuko sighed ─ he wasn’t going to get out of this without explaining himself first. He couldn’t lie, either, because Jet would see right through him.

 

“I─ They’re people from my past. I used to know them before─ well, before. We didn’t exactly part on good terms.”

 

Jet looked genuinely surprised for once, he clearly hadn’t expected that answer. “And the plot thickens. Every time I think I know what your story is, you prove me wrong. How come you’re acquainted with two Water Tribe kids?” Zuko didn’t answer, and let Jet make his own conclusions instead. “You weren’t part of the raid that killed their mom, were you?”

 

All the air left Zuko’s lungs like he’d been punched. It had been a long time since he’d thought about that day. 

 

Black snow falling from the sky, blood spreading under Kya’s body, little Katara’s wails─

 

“No, I─ I wasn’t,” Zuko said, because as much as it would be easier to let Jet think what he wanted, he couldn’t let him think that. 

 

“Wow, relax, I was joking!” Jet said, an apologetic twist to his mouth. “Whatever, I know you won’t tell me. It doesn’t matter, anyway. That Sokka guy obviously wants to leave, so you can just keep your mask on until they do. I’ll still take him on tomorrow’s mission, and then we’ll part ways and you can go back to being all broody and mysterious.”

 

“Thanks, Jet.”

 

“You’re welcome, man. We were doing fine on our own long before the Avatar came back, anyway. We don’t need them.”

 

Zuko turned to leave, fastening his mask behind his head.

 

“For the record,” Jet added. “I think you should tell them the truth, whatever that is. I don’t know what kind of bad blood there is between you guys, but it might be good to talk it out. It worked with us, didn’t it?”

 

Zuko hated how perceptive Jet could be. It was certainly tempting to show Sokka he wasn’t the lost son trying to please his father anymore. But he wasn't sure he was ready for that quite yet. He didn’t dare let himself hope, because what if it didn’t change anything? He’d tried changing to please someone before, and it had never made a difference. 

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

•^∆^•

 

The next morning, Sokka was crouching on the branch of a red-leafed tree, Jet signalling to the rest of the small team with bird calls a few levels down. Sokka didn’t know what the whistling meant, but he had to admit it was pretty impressive. Maybe he should instate something similar for Team Avatar ─ it could certainly come in handy. Having a way to communicate that Zhao couldn’t understand would at the very least drive him into a fury, and the man tended to make mistakes when he was angry.

 

Not to be outdone, he planted his whale-bone knife in the trunk, and leaned in to listen.

 

“What are you doing?” Jet hissed at him.

 

“It amplifies vibrations,” he shushed him.

 

“Good trick.” Ugh, why did he have to sound so smug and superior when giving out compliments? This guy was really the worst with his speeches and smirks and cool fighting style. He was definitely hiding something, as well; Sokka just had to find out what before it became an issue.

 

“Nothing yet,” he said, focusing back on listening for approaching footsteps. “Wait, yes! Someone’s approaching.”

 

“How many?”

 

“I think there’s just one,” Sokka said. The Freedom Fighters exchanged a few calls, most likely communicating this new piece of information.

 

“Good work, Sokka. Ready your weapon.”

 

Sokka got his knife out of the wood without any real difficulty, and prepared himself to jump down when the time was right.

 

He peered at the ground ─ what he could see of it through the leaves, anyway ─ until he spotted the traveller. He looked awfully frail for a soldier, in fact─

 

“Wait! False alarm! He’s just an old man,” he yelled before Jet could jump from his branch. The other boy completely ignored him, and drew his swords before leaping off the tree, landing just a few meters in front of the old man. Sokka watched in horror as Jet held him at swordpoint.

 

“What are you doing in our woods?” he demanded.

 

“I’m just a weary traveller,” the man said, voice wavering slightly. 

 

The man took a few stumbling steps back, trying to get away from Jet, only to bump into Pipsqueak’s large form. He spun around and lost his footing, now sprawled on the ground with the two fighters looming above him. Sokka could tell he was trying to keep a brave face, but his fear was pretty obvious.

 

“Do you like destroying towns? Do you like destroying families? Do you?” Jet yelled, getting into the man's face with a snarl.

 

“Let me go. Please, have mercy!” the man begged. 

 

“The Fire Nation doesn’t know mercy!” Jet growled, baring his teeth. Sokka climbed down from his perch, ready to intervene. “Lucky for you, we aren’t monsters.”

 

Jet spit on the ground near the old man’s head, and left without another word, Pipsqueak and Smellerbee following close behind. Sokka helped the man back to his feet before jogging after them ─ he could easily get lost in those woods if he wasn’t careful.

 

He was glad the situation hadn’t gone the way he expected, but also a little confused. He’d been so sure Jet was about to beat up the old geezer, but instead he’d just threatened him before leaving the scene entirely. It was weird. What was even the point of coming down from the trees in the first place? Sokka was also seriously wondering what this ‘special mission’ had even been about. As far as he could tell, they were going back to base empty handed.

 

 

•^∆^•

 

Sokka couldn’t wait to leave this place. He’d asked for some peace, and okay, he was getting it. Nothing had really happened since they’d gotten here, but he was constantly on edge, and he didn’t know why. For some reason, the Freedom Fighters were bringing up lots of memories he would rather stay buried. He didn’t really understand what it was about the place ─ or the people ─ but he kept getting sucked into his own head, golden eyes flashing in his mind’s eye. It was a summation of small details, like Blue’s mask or the dual dao hanging on his back.

 

He had done his best, in the past three years, not to think about him. He couldn’t, because if he did he would have to dwell on how much he missed him. Zuko had been the center of the universe, the sun around which he orbited; and then he’d been gone and Sokka’s world had tilted out of balance. And it wasn’t like Zuko was dead, or even really gone. All Sokka had to do was reach for that intangible thread that bound them, and follow it back to the prince. He didn’t have to wonder where he was or what he was doing. He could see it for himself, if he chose to.

 

The temptation was always there, tugging at the back of his mind. Some days it was so faint he didn’t think about it at all, other times it was physically painful to keep himself from pulling on the link. 

 

He couldn’t, though. Zuko had made his choice very clear, that day on the icy shores of the South Pole. Sokka had asked him to choose, taking his answer for granted, so sure of what the prince would decide. He regretted it sometimes, but mostly he was angry. Rejection stung, but it was more than that. Of course it hurt that Zuko would choose Ozai over him; but despite his wounded feelings, he was worried. The Fire Lord’s relationship with his son was abusive on a level most people couldn’t even imagine. Well, at least Zuko was away from his influence now, even if he still believed in his father’s poison. It wasn’t quite as reassuring as it could have been.

 

Sokka was interrupted from his brooding by Aang’s bright laughter, and he turned to see the twelve year old spin around a rope, landing easily on the platform he’d been sitting on.

 

“Sokka, look what the Duke gave me,” he exclaimed excitedly, producing a small object from his satchel, and throwing it at the wooden floor. It exploded on impact, startling Momo, who furiously climbed on the Avatar’s shoulders, and started throwing more explosives at his feet with a vindication only a flying lemur could achieve.

 

Then, because apparently they had decided to gaang up on him ─ ha, get it? ─ Katara climbed down a ladder. “Hey, Sokka. Is Jet back?” 

 

Sokka did not like his sister’s crush on the guy, at all. He was way too old for her! And a manipulative asshole, probably. 

 

“Yeah, he’s back,” he answered anyway, “but we’re leaving.”

 

“What?” Aang asked, surprised.

 

“But I made him this hat,” Katara pouted, showing off the most ridiculous hat Sokka had ever seen. Alaright, not the most ridiculous ─ the pointy hats of the Fire Sages took the cake, but it was a close thing.

 

“And I still need to learn firebending!” Aang exclaimed. “When am I ever going to find another teacher like Blue?”

 

“We can’t stay in one place for too long, it’s not safe,” Sokka said reasonably. “Besides, we still need to get to the North Pole to find you a waterbending teacher, and after that you’re supposed to learn earthbending, right?”

 

“He only has until the comet, though,” Katara butted in. “There’ll be plenty of people to teach him earth and water. What are the chances we can find another firebender that doesn’t want to kill us?”

 

“Look, let’s compromise,” Sokka said, because they did have a point. The only firebenders he knew were specifically tasked with capturing the Avatar, morally grey, or downright crazy. “If you can convince him to come with us, then great, that solves our problems. Otherwise, we can still come back later; he’ll still be here in a few months. You have until lunch to convince Blue, we can’t afford to wait any longer than that.”

 

“Alright,” Katara said, after exchanging a nod with Aang. “Let’s go find him; there’s no time to waste.”

 

•^∆^•

 

Zuko had spent most of his time in the past day trying to actively avoid the Avatar, so he did not appreciate the deceptively young looking boy cornering him in Jet’s hut, accompanied by his two Water Tribe friends.

 

“What do you want?” he demanded. He almost felt guilty when the boy flinched slightly at the harshness of his tone.

 

“Well, we’ll be leaving in a few hours, and we wanted to ask you to come with us.”

 

Zuko wished Aang could see his face, because he wasn’t sure he could appropriately convey his disbelief with words ─ expressing his emotions had never been his strong suit. The confusion on Jet’s face must have been enough to prompt further explanations, though.

 

“See,” Katara picked up the thread. “Aang needs to master all the elements by this summer. Right now, we’re travelling to the North Pole to find him ─ and me ─ a waterbending teacher. I’ve already started showing him what I know, but we both need more training. After that, he’s supposed to learn earthbending, which should be easy enough ─ there are plenty of masters in the Earth Kingdom.”

 

“Firebending, however,” Sokka said, making Zuko even more tense, “is another matter entirely. You’re basically our only hope, and considering we’re on kind of a tight schedule, it would be best that you come with us, so he can learn on the road.”

 

Zuko couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Why in the spirits would I do that?” he blurted, eyes wide behind his mask.

 

That seemed to confuse everyone. Even Jet was looking at him weirdly.

 

“You should go,” he said, and wow, way to stab a friend in the back. “We’ll manage here without you, and it’s more important to stop the war than to free one valley.”

 

“I know it can be scary to leave everything behind,” Katara said earnestly, in that gentle tone Zuko had never heard from anyone else, except perhaps Kya ─ it was crazy how much like her mother she was getting. “I was scared too, but what we’re doing will be worth it, in the end.”

 

“Have you all gone mad?” Zuko asked, because what the fuck were they on? Had they eaten the wrong kind of mushroom, or something? “I’m Fire Nation! I’m already betraying my country by letting you go; I’m not going to help you destroy my people!”

 

There were a few seconds of stunned silence as his words sunk in.

 

“We- Stopping the war doesn’t involve wiping out the Fire Nation!” Sokka finally cried. 

 

“Yes,” the Avatar nodded emphatically. “The world is already out of balance as it is, I can’t imagine what would happen if another nation disappeared. And we’re not murderers!”

 

Zuko’s mind was spinning, could they be telling the truth? They seemed genuine enough, and he was pretty sure he could still tell when Sokka was lying to his face, even after three years. But then again, the Avatar was supposed to be a master of deceit. Maybe he'd convinced them of this farce so they would follow him ─ never mind that so far, he just appeared to be a goofy kid. Although, as a child, he’d also been taught that Sozin had attacked the Air Nomads because they had an army prepared to strike on the Fire Isles ─ obviously that had been utter hippo-cowshit. So much of what father had told him had been nothing but lies and propaganda; how was he supposed to know what was true anymore?

 

“So what, you’re going to stop the war without killing anyone?” Jet asked. At least he was still thinking straight ─ well, as straight as Jet could think. “How do you plan to do that, exactly?”

 

The Avatar opened his mouth to say something, but Sokka was quicker.

 

“Obviously, that’s not possible,” he said. “At the very least we’ll need to take out Ozai, but I think we can all agree we would be doing the world a favour.”

 

Zuko clenched his fists at his side, smoke escaping his nostrils, and blurring his vision for a moment. “Can we?” he said through gritted teeth. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter. But what about his council? His generals? The nobility? Most of them will stay loyal to their Fire Lord. Are you going to ‘take them out’, too?”

 

He knew better than to discuss his father with Sokka, it was one of those things they could never agree on. Aang and Katara looked slightly green at the suggestion, and Sokka was looking down at his feet. 

 

“Even if they decided to side with you once you’ve won, do you really think the Royal Family will?” Zuko asked, because apparently he liked to twist the knife in his wound. “Will you kill them? Princess Azula is only fourteen.”

 

The twin looks of horror on the Avatar and Katara’s faces were at least a little satisfying. They were obviously at a loss for words. A quick look at Jet showed he was merely waiting to see how this played out. Eventually, Sokka looked up, blue eyes seeming to pierce Zuko’s soul.

 

“We won’t need to,” he said, with more confidence than he had any right to have. “Not if Prince Zuko takes the throne.”

 

There were audible gasps in the room, but Zuko barely heard them through the ringing in his ears. What in Agni’s name was Sokka planning?! 

 

“What the fuck makes you think he’s not an evil jerk like the rest of his family?” Jet’s voice finally pierced through the bewildered outcries.

 

“I─ well─” Sokka stuttered, not sure how to explain his bold statement. “He was banished, for one! So if he did something that pissed off his dad enough to throw him out, he must have done something right, no?”

 

That had to be the least convincing thing he could possibly have said, but it was enough to shock-start Zuko’s brain back into working order ─ or at least it jarred him out of the full stop his thoughts had screeched to. It had also surprised the rest of the room into silence.

 

“That’s ridiculous,” Zuko said, with all the certainty sixteen years of existence had granted him. “He’ll never be accepted as ruler; not as long as he hasn’t regained his honour. If you’re going to put someone else on the throne, it should be someone who deserves it. It should be U─ Prince Iroh.”

 

Sokka had the nerve to snort at that, “Are you kidding me? He’s nothing but a coward.”

 

Zuko had already pinned the other boy to the wall, fist raised before he even realised moving. The fire inside him flared high, flames flickering between his clenched fingers. How dare Sokka say such a thing about Uncle? He was the most honourable man in the whole Fire Nation! He barely had time to take a settling breath before he was being hauled back, Katara and Aang assuming fighting stances in front of him.

 

“What in Tui and La is wrong with you?” Katara yelled, fuming. The Avatar looked like a lost kid at her side.

 

Zuko couldn’t take his eyes off Sokka’s face as a hundred different emotions flashed behind his eyes, too quick to recognize. He watched in fascinated horror as the gears of his brilliant mind got to work, and realization washed over him. Zuko couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. He should have gotten away before it was too late, but his feet were rooted to the ground as Sokka took a few hesitant steps towards him.

 

He flinched when Sokka reached slowly for his face, a hand of fire flashing through his mind. But old habits die hard, and he couldn’t convince his brain Sokka meant harm. He didn’t move when Sokka lifted the mask off his head, with a gentleness Zuko didn’t understand.

 

•^∆^•

 

“Zuko?” he choked out, throat constricting around the name. It was barely above a whisper, and for a second he wasn’t sure he’d even said it out loud. There were no words for the torrent of emotion that overtook him. Zuko was─ he was here, in the flesh, close enough to touch. Sokka realised this was the first time he’d ever actually seen him. 

 

That golden hue that bathed everything when ‘visiting’ wasn’t here anymore, and it put everything in sharper focus. Zuko had changed, in three years; his jaw was more defined, his cheekbones sharper and─ Oh spirits, the left side of his face─ Sokka had seen it happen, he’d seen the bandage covering half his head a few weeks later, but he still hadn’t been prepared to see it. An angry red circled his eye, keeping it narrowed in a constant scowl, and faded to a lighter shade of pink until scar tissue was replaced by unmarred skin under his cheekbone. Part of it was hidden beneath his hair, and the way the black locks framed his face softened it, somehow, made him look every bit as young and lost as he really was.

 

Anger and relief clogged up Sokka’s throat, warring against each other.

 

“You let your hair grow out,” were the words that finally passed his lips, like there weren’t a thousand other things he needed to say. But it meant something, just like cutting it after the Agni Kai had. Sokka wasn’t sure what, didn’t dare hope─

 

“Don’t look at me like that,” Zuko said, voice hoarse like he’d been screaming it raw. Sokka tilted his head to the side, because even after all this time, they didn’t need words to understand each other. “Like─ like you care.”

 

Zuko spit the words out like they left a sour taste on his tongue. Sokka took a step back, surprised by the venom in his voice.

 

“Uhm, what’s going on?” Katara asked confusedly.

 

“Don’t do that, don’t turn this on me. You’re the one who left and never came back. You had a choice, Zuko, and you chose him.”

 

Sokka wasn’t sure how much of this he said aloud, how much the others could hear, and how many of his words were spoken directly in Zuko’s mind, but he didn’t care. Zuko was right here, and nothing else mattered in that moment but the two of them and the chasm that had grown in the space left by three years of absence.

 

“You once told me love should be unconditional,” Zuko whispered, and Sokka stopped breathing. The unspoken ‘you had conditions’ hung in the air between them, heavy with years’ worth of pain and heartache.

 

Sokka registered distantly that there were tears running down his cheeks. His last conversation with Zuko came slamming back to the forefront of his mind. Zuko had been hurt and desperate and begging Sokka to stay with him. He hadn’t said the words, of course not, but it had been there, in his guarded look and the way he had seemed to be bracing for impact. In the way his voice trembled ever so slightly, and the hard words. It was typical Zuko behaviour, really; pushing people away because he was too scared they would leave of their own accord. Like his mother had left him, and his cousin Lu Ten before that.

 

And Sokka had let him, hadn’t seen through his façade, and simply discarded him like Zuko didn’t matter. It wasn’t what he’d meant to do, he hadn’t been testing him; he’d just wanted for Zuko to see reason, for once in his life, to push him toward making the right choice. Not only for Sokka, but for Zuko himself. But that’s not how Zuko would have seen it. Not so soon after his own father, whom he’d tried to please his whole life, had discarded him and hurt him beyond measure. 

 

“Zuko I’m─ I’m so sorry,” Sokka choked out, and it wasn’t enough, it wasn’t what he wanted to say, it wasn’t what he needed to say, but his words were getting scrambled in his head, all trying to rush out at once, and he found himself tongue-tied, incapable of forming a coherent sentence.

 

He couldn’t read Zuko’s face, there was too much there, and his face wasn’t as expressive as it used to be. It didn’t move like it had, back when they were children, alive with the boy’s every emotion.

 

“Right,” Jet cleared his throat, and wow, Sokka had never wanted to murder him so much ─ not even when he’d been flashing flitartious smiles at his little sister. “Far be it from me to interrupt this little reunion, but care to explain what’s going on?”

 

“Yes, Sokka,” Katara said, hands on her hips. “I’m sure we’re all dying to know how the two of you know each other. It would also be nice if you could make one whole sentence at some point. How can you even understand each other when you’re only saying half the words you should use to make sense?”

 

Oh, so they had been ‘visiting’ then. Well, that was for the best, this was a private conversation.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Zuko cut in. “You were leaving, remember?”

 

“Oh, no you don’t,” Sokka said, pointing an accusing finger at his friend’s chest. “I won’t let you. And before you start objecting, I want you to think real hard about how stubborn I can be.”

 

Zuko just raised an unimpressed eyebrow, in an expression Sokka took to mean ‘have you forgotten I can be extremely stubborn too’. 

 

“You won’t get rid of me so easily this time.”

 

“I’m usually the one people want to get rid off,” Zuko said bitterly, but his lips didn’t move.

 

“That’s not funny,” Sokka said, frowning.

 

“It wasn’t meant to be.”

 

“I’m sorry about the things I said that day, I didn’t mean it,” Sokka said, because he needed Zuko to know he had never meant to abandon him like that.

 

“I'm sorry too,” Zuko sighed. “You were right about most of it, anyway. I’m sorry it took me so long to see the truth.”

 

Sokka wanted to say more, to explain and speak through the intricate mess of feelings that was their last fight, but he was interrupted before he could muster the words.

 

“Uhm, hello, earth to Sokka,” Katara’s tone was getting dangerously annoyed. “What is happening? Who are you?”

 

The last question was directed at Zuko, who gave an awkward little wave as he answered, “Hello, Zuko here.”

 

Sokka facepalmed. Spirits give him strength.

 

“Zuko, as in Prince of the Fire Nation Zuko?!” Jet yelled. “The banished one? I thought you hated the guy!”

 

Zuko turned around to look at him, and Sokka surreptitiously reached for the club hanging at his hip, ready to intervene if Jet tried anything funny.

 

“Uhm,” Zuko said eloquently. “Surprise?”

 

How had he gotten even more awkward as a teenager?

 

“You’re a prince?” Aang asked, flabbergasted.

 

Jet just stared for a few seconds, dumbstruck, before he threw his head back and laughed. Zuko seemed as surprised by this turn of events as Sokka was, and Katara and Aang looked at each other, apparently not knowing how to react to the situation.

 

“So,” Zuko started hesitantly. “You don’t hate me?”

 

“You have to be the most ridiculous person I’ve ever met,” Jet said. “And I’m as surprised as you are, but no, I don’t hate you. Better not tell the others who you really are, though. They don’t know you as well as I do.”

 

Sokka wasn’t sure what that last part was supposed to mean, but Zuko seemed to get it. A smile unfurled on his lips, like a flower seeing the sun for the first time in a while ─ which Sokka only knew because of his time in the Fire Palace’s gardens; they didn’t really have flowers in the pole.

 

“Are we just going to skip over the fact that he’s the son of the actual Fire Lord?” Katara asked, nonplussed.

 

Sokka spoke before Zuko could say something unhelpfully stupid. “Do you trust me, Kat?”

 

“Of course I do, but─” she started, a confused frown settling between her brows.

 

“Then trust me about this, just a little while longer. I promise I’ll explain everything.” When his sister nodded ─ although not without some visible reluctance ─ Sokka turned back towards Zuko. “So, will you help us or not? Because I have a plan to defeat your dad with minimal bloodshed, and it kinda hinges entirely on your assistance.”

 

“Did you think up this plan in the last thirty seconds?” Zuko asked, eyebrow raised as high as it could go.

 

“Well, yeah,” Sokka rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “But we have until summer to figure out the finer details. That's more than enough time for you to point out all its flaws three times over, at least.”

 

Zuko didn’t answer right away, but Sokka knew he’d won just from the way his eyes narrowed slightly.

 

“Fine,” he finally sighed, long suffering, because Zuko was nothing if not dramatic.

 

Chapter 4: The Fate of the World

Summary:

Sokka is oblivious and Zuko pines

Chapter Text

“So, what you’re saying,” Katara started, and Zuko winced at her deathly calm tone. “Is that you’ve been hiding your friendship with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, for the past seven years ?!”

 

Everyone on board the flying bison's ─ Appa ─ saddle cringed at her furious screech. Zuko wanted nothing more than to disappear into the ground. Oh, how he wished he could still be invisible to Katara’s eyes.

 

“Uhm,” Sokka stuttered. “Yes?”

 

“Very eloquent,” Zuko quipped in his friend’s ear, there and gone in a second, no one noticing the vacant look in his eyes. Sokka just glared at him from across the saddle, but didn’t do anything more, with Katara standing in the middle.

 

“And you ,” Katara whirled around, pointing at Zuko, “have just been lurking around our lives silently?”

 

“In my defense,” Zuko gulped, “I couldn’t have made a noise even if I wanted to.”

 

This was apparently the wrong thing to say, if the mighty glare she levelled at him was any indication, but Katara whirled back to her brother anyway ─ Zuko assumed it was easier to direct her anger at someone she actually knew.

 

“How could you do this?” She asked, voice trembling slightly. “How could you betray us, your own tribe, your own family !”

 

“I never─ I didn’t betray anyone,” Sokka cried, but Zuko heard the uncertainty in his voice. Katara was uttering aloud fears that had plagued them both in the silence of the night. She was shaking the foundations of something fragile, years of friendship based on learning and unlearning what they’d been taught, getting past prejudice, all the while lying and keeping secrets, not from each other ─ never from each other ─ but from everyone else. They had created their own little world, away from nations and duties. Now both worlds were colliding, and there was bound to be collateral damage.

 

“He’s Fire Nation!” she screamed. “They killed our mother!”

 

Katara choked on the words; they twisted painfully in Zuko’s gut. He still had nightmares about that day. His nation, his very family, had taken so much from the rest of the world. It was a realization that had stolen the breath from Zuko’s lungs a hundred times over, each time more staggering with the weight of a legacy of blood and charred bones falling on his shoulders. Kya’s death had perhaps not been the most important, but it had vivid realness that none of the others did. There was a difference between seeing the remains of a people that had been dead for a century, and a woman who had been alive moments ago lying in a pool of her own blood.

 

“I─” Zuko started, an apology falling from his lips unprompted. He was interrupted before he had the chance to make more of a mess of things. 

 

“Zuko had nothing to do with that!” The conviction in Sokka’s voice startled Zuko. It was true, of course; he’d had no hand in the raids on the South Pole, but Katara’s anger had never been directed at him in the first place. She was angry ─ had every right to be ─ at the faceless mass of an entire nation, for the pain caused by soldiers and their leaders. Zuko just happened to be there, a name and a face to put on the blurry shape of Kya’s murderers. And after what Zuko had done, he─ He deserved it. He deserved every last bit of her scorn and anger, and he would gladly bear it, if it alleviated even a fraction of Katara’s pain. Because he’d never been good enough, strong enough, to protect Azula.

 

Katara must have said something back while Zuko was lost in his own mind, smoke and burning buildings clouding his vision, because Sokka was winding himself up, prepared to defend Zuko.

 

“Sokka,” Zuko said, stopping him in his tracks, mouth open, but no words passing his lips. “Katara is right,” he continued, looking her in the eyes. 

 

“There are no words I could say that would ease your pain, or even begin to atone for my people’s sins. I know my apology means nothing to you, but I’ll still say it, because you deserve at least that.”

 

Zuko got to his feet and bowed, in front of Katara, and then in front of the young Avatar.

 

“I’m sorry for what my people have done to you and yours. I’m sorry for the suffering my family has caused to this world. I’m sorry for the senseless violence, and the hundred years of war and hate. You have every right to hate me for the legacy I bear. I can't promise to make it right, or to fix any of it ─ I realise it is much too late for that. But I’ll do everything I can to put an end to it all, and prove through my actions that I can be better than my father and his father and grandfather before him; this I swear. I only ask that you spare some mercy for my people, they are not responsible for the crimes of their leaders.”

 

Zuko sank to his knees and bowed again, feeling tired down to his bones.

 

“Thank you for saying this, Zuko,” the Avatar said, voice uncharacteristically somber. “I hope we can work together to make this world a better place, for all of our people.”

 

Zuko rose from his bow, although he stayed on his knees, looking at Katara next. Her eyes were shining, just a little too much to be a trick of the light.

 

“Well,” she said, chin raised, “I suppose it’s not fair to blame you for someone else’s crimes. It doesn’t mean I like you or trust you just yet, but maybe we can get there eventually.”

 

Zuko nodded, his heart breaking a little bit, but there was hope, too, soaring in his chest. He was grateful for their easy acceptance, and ready to work for their trust. 

 

"I would be honoured."

 

Everyone turned to Sokka, waiting for his judgement. He looked back at them blankly, clearly wondering why they were looking at him. No one moved for a while, until understanding dawned on the Water Tribe warrior.

 

“Wh─ Well, of course I forgive you, Sunshine,” Zuko felt heat rising to his cheeks from embarrassment at hearing the old nickname. “I never blamed you in the first place; honestly it’s hard to think of you as evil once you’ve seen the way the turtle ducklings in Caldera flocked to you─ Right, I’m getting sidetracked again. I guess you’re still a bit of a jerk for not giving me any news for three years, but uhm. Yeah.”

 

Zuko chuckled ─ Agni, he’d missed the idiot. “Thank you, Sokka; such a poet, as always.” His tone grew serious again as he turned back to the younger members of the group, “And I owe the two of you my gratitude, as well, for giving me a chance.”

 

He bowed again, for good measure, and received two solemn nods in response. The occupants of the saddle lapsed once again into silence, but it wasn’t so heavy this time. Zuko felt lighter than he had  in years, actually, some of the guilt weighing him down receding slightly. Maybe someday, he’d actually feel worthy of their forgiveness.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

When Zuko got back to the camp, carrying an armful of firewood, he found the water tribe siblings in the middle of an argument ─ which, typical really. He quickly put his branches down, and swooped in before the drama could escalate any more than it had to ─ he’d gotten surprisingly good at stopping childish fights after two years with the Freedom Fighters.

 

“Thank you, Katara,” he said, scooping up the ─ admittedly pretty sorry, Sokka had a point ─ twigs she was holding. “Those are great to start a fire.” Not that Zuko needed it, firebender and all. He ignored the betrayed look Sokka cast his way and went to build the campfire. 

 

"No one asked for your opinion, Zuko!" Katara yelled ─ Zuko had apparently failed to stay out of this.

 

"Don't talk to him like that," Sokka exclaimed.

 

Zuko used the distraction to slink away to the fire pit he had prepared earlier. They could sort the rest of that debate about tarps on their own, Zuko didn’t need to get involved in their drama. He knew from experience nothing good ever came from putting oneself in the middle of a sibling squabble. 

 

 

By the time Aang intervened and stopped the brother and sister from throttling each other, a merry bonfire was flickering in front of Zuko, its flames rising and falling in time with his breath. He had to admit he was pretty impressed with the Avatar’s mediation skills ─ of course settling a small dispute between people who loved each other was very different from making peace between nations, but the kid was also twelve, he had time to learn. Or maybe there was no time at all, with the comet only a few months away, and they were doomed from the start.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Watching the two Earth Kingdom tribes fighting about whether or not they could get along long enough to share the canyon guide, Zuko already felt a headache coming on. It was taking a lot of his willpower to not start shouting at them to shut up and stop acting like angry toddlers. The only reason he didn't give in to the urge was that he expected it would only make things worse. He had a bad feeling about this whole ordeal.

 

He was immensely grateful to the Avatar for at least stopping the yelling, although it meant they would have to cross the canyon on foot in the company of the Zhangs and Ghan Jins, Appa carrying the sick and elderly across the divide. Sokka seemed just as exasperated by this development, but he wasn’t particularly vocal about it, which was very out of character for him. Zuko had thought the news they weren’t allowed to bring food for the crossing would get a reaction out of him, but his friend only gave a disgruntled sigh and let it go. 

 

Zuko elected not to bring it up, but he was definitely going to keep an eye on that situation. Maybe it had something to do with his incessant fighting with Katara. The both of them kept arguing about ridiculous details, and while that wasn’t exactly uncommon for them, they seemed to be getting particularly mad over it. He suspected it had something to do with Sokka’s long-kept secret being finally out in the open, but he couldn’t be sure ─ there might have been something else at play he wasn’t aware of, a lot could happen in three years, and they’d already been travelling with Aang for weeks. The glares Katara kept directing his way pretty much confirmed his suspicions, though. She was clearly distrustful of him ─ her comments were very pointed, and not at all subtle.




Zuko’s day only got worse from there. A fucking canyon-crawler had attacked them just when they’d gotten to the bottom of the cliff. And of course their earthbender tour guide had broken both his arms in the fight, because, as father used to say, Zuko had been lucky to be born, and the spirits couldn’t be expected to be any kinder than that. Sokka, of course, would argue none of it had anything to do with chance, and this was simply a matter of the brittleness of old bones. 

 

(Then again, Sokka would keep denying the existence of spirits even if one hit him in the face. Which had as well as happened , since he'd been kidnapped by one a few short weeks ago. Honestly, reports of the trio's travelling experiences were more than a little alarming. Zuko couldn't believe Katara had stolen a waterbending scroll from pirates, and got herself imprisoned on purpose to stage a prison break. Even Zuko wasn't that unconscious of danger! He was seriously starting to wonder if they were just having a go at him.)

 

The fact they were trapped in a rocky wasteland with two groups of refugees that hated each other’s guts did not make his day any easier, especially when they started arguing about which one had smuggled food in. Zuko suspected the Ghan Jins, because the more civilized people appeared, the more attached they were to creature comforts, and the less they cared about rules set by others. Add to that a sprinkling of old prejudice against a tribe considered barbaric, and they were the obvious culprits.

 

Zuko was honestly relieved when it was decided they would travel in separate lines. He elected to go with Katara and the Ghan Jins ─ and “No, Sokka, I’m not taking sides, this is just more practical so the two groups can communicate.” ─ a choice apparently no one was happy with ─ Zuko least of all, as the pompous fools got on his nerves about three seconds in, and Katara was being particularly snippy now that her brother wasn't there to act as a buffer anymore.

 

There was a particular kind of irony in the fact the two clans’ views on whether or not tarps were worth putting up in the dry season reflected the water siblings’ earlier argument. The fact both tribes had brought food in the canyon despite the very clear interdiction because they thought the others would was just typical ─ Zuko really should have seen it coming. The reason for their feud was even more ridiculous, with their stories of stolen sacred orbs and unjust imprisonment, two completely different versions of the same story, most likely both inaccurate. The whole thing hit perhaps a bit too close to home.

 

Zuko chose not to get involved in the siblings' later fight about which tribe was right, and simply informed the Avatar that both groups had hidden food in their belongings.

 

He then had to stop the two tribes’ leaders from fighting a duel to the death, separating them with a wall of flame. He was saved from having to deal with the panic accompanying the revelation he was a firebender by the arrival of an army of crawlers ─ which really, that was way worse. It was only the Avatar’s ingenuity that got them out of the divide safely, climbing out on the back of the disgusting creatures after working together ─ not as reluctantly as one might have feared ─ to wrangle the beasts into temporary submission.

 

Zuko was even more impressed when the kid convinced the clans to stop their futile war with a retelling of the origin of their feud made up on the spot ─ it was incredible everyone had believed the preposterous tale he weaved; even Sokka and Katara had bought it! Zuko would claim to his dying breath he had known all along it was no more than a fable.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

That damn fish was gonna end up being dinner! Couldn’t a guy camp on a riverbank without being mocked by a stupid fish?!

 

“It’s taunting us!” he yelled, but the others only laughed at him, which─ rude! Even Zuko didn’t look sympathetic to his plight, that traitor. Sokka turned around, rummaging through his bag for his fishing rod. Of course, it was at the very bottom, because nothing could ever be easy for him. When he finally reached it, he went back to the edge of the water, and threw the line in with practised ease. That fish wouldn’t laugh much longer!

 

“There’s no line!” he exclaimed, nonplussed ─ where had it gone? Why did these things only ever happen to him!

 

“Sorry, Sokka,” Aang piped up from where he was sitting cross legged near the campfire, sounding distinctly not sorry. “I didn’t think you’d need it.”

 

Sokka swivelled around to find Aang holding a piece of tangled thread in his hands, with a flower in the middle, “What did you do with my fishing line?!”

 

“I wove it,” the kid explained, a proud smile plastered on his lips. “Look Katara, I made you a necklace, since you lost your other one!”

 

Sokka huffed, looked at Zuko for support, but when the firebender ignored him, he decided to take matters into his own hands ─ literally ─ and walked to the middle of the river. That fish would not escape him!

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko watched amusedly as Katara showed off her new necklace, and the Avatar went all red and dreamy eyed. He really was just a goofy kid. He was less amused with the reminder Katara had lost the only memento she had of her mother. It must make her grief just that much worse.

 

“How do I look?” Katara asked demurely, and Zuko got an inkling Aang’s feelings weren’t quite as one-sided as he’d first thought. Guess she’d gotten over Jet pretty quickly.

 

“Do you mean your neck or the rest of you?” Aang asked, stuttering only slightly. “Because both look great!”

 

Wow, real smooth. If nothing else, this whole trip to the North Pole would be entertaining. If Zuko ever made it past his teenage years and found himself with lots of spare time ─ ha, like that was likely to happen ─ he would write a comedy about it, and have the Ember Island Players act it out. They may have butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every summer, but no one did comedy pieces better than them.

 

“Smooshy smooshy,” Sokka crowed from the background, holding his fishy archnemesis against his chest. “Someone’s in loooove!” he singsang, seconds before the fish started to fight back and sent him sprawling into the river. 

 

Zuko barked out a laugh at the wet croco-cat look his best friend had going on, and doubled over with renewed vigor when that earned him the most dramatic betrayed look in Sokka’s repertoire. He wondered if he’d practised that one, or if it just came naturally to him ─ Zuko knew it wasn’t the case with all his facial expressions, as he’d spied him practising in front of smooth sheets of ice more than once when they were kids. He drew a small measure of satisfaction in the fact he had never mastered glaring to Zuko's level ─ or even Katara's.

 

“You jerk! Why don’t you try and catch the damn fish?”

 

“Forget about the fish, Sokka. Come here, I’ll dry you off,” he offered with a fond smile. His friend eagerly came over, and Zuko rose to his feet, putting both hands on Sokka’s shoulders. He was momentarily distracted by the muscle he felt there ─ Agni he hadn’t realised his friend’s scrawny form hid such strength. Shaking his head, he focused on sending a wave of heat through his arms and towards Sokka’s body, taking care to keep it just on the right side of warm. Within seconds, steam was rising from blue fabric.

 

“Oh man, that hit the spot,” Sokka sighed, melting into Zuko’s touch. “How did I live so long in the pole without a firebender? That would have been so nice to have all those times Katara soaked me in ice water.”

 

“Hey, I didn’t know firebending could do that,” the Avatar exclaimed, a fascinated look on his face ─ he was almost vibrating with excitement.

 

“Uhm, it’s just a trick I picked up from palace servants as a kid, after one too many times being pushed into the pond; it’s not proper firebending or anything,” Zuko explained sheepishly, rubbing his neck.

 

“Don’t sell yourself short, Sunshine,” Sokka interrupted, a sly smirk on his lips that heralded nothing good. “It certainly works with the ladies, if you know what I mean.” Did he─ did he just wink ? What in Agni’s name was happening? “Mai was positively smitten, that one time you did it for her!”

 

Oh. Zuko should have known better than to think Sokka would have grown out of his painful obliviousness during his travels. 

 

“Mai, huh?” Katara said, elbowing him in the ribs ─ she’d warmed up to him considerably in the time since they’d left Gaipan. “Is that your girlfriend?”

 

Zuko was about to deny it but Sokka spoke over him, “Oh, he wishes! Unfortunately, he never had the courage to ask her out.”

 

Not for lack of trying on Sokka’s part, Zuko thought wryly. His friend had certainly tried to convince him to do so. He and Mai as a couple would never happen, though, even if he ever went back to the Fire Nation. She was one of his favourite people in the world, because they really vibed together ─ Zuko wished he had the glum apathy look down as well as she did ─ but they would never be anything more than friends. Zuko wouldn’t have it any other way. He wondered about Mai, sometimes, what she was doing these days. He knew Ty Lee had run away from home to join a circus ─ which certainly suited her, and wasn’t as much of a surprise as it could have been ─ which meant their gloomy friend was now alone at court, save for Azula. Maybe they were still friends, but Zuko had his doubts. It was likely that after his banishment, pressure on his little sister had increased exponentially, and she didn’t have time for friends anymore ─ not that she would ever call them her friends, of course, they were tools and nothing more. He hoped Azula wouldn’t believe too many of the lies their father fed her and forget what it was like to be human. She’d always been stronger and smarter than him, but maybe that was just wishful thinking, a way to not feel as guilty for abandoning her. He hadn’t wanted to but─ maybe he had, maybe he’d been relieved to finally step out of her shadow.

 

Fortunately, they were all distracted by roars in the distance before Zuko had to explain himself. They took off running in the direction the noise had come from ─ because apparently they were all suicidal, who’d have thought ─ and found the source of the ruckus in the form of a platypus-bear intent on murdering the man standing before it.

 

The man seemed perfectly relaxed in the face of the huge beast swiping dangerously clawed paws at his head, simply dodging the blows with a serene smile. Zuko had to admit he was impressed; the man moved with the kind of fluidity that spoke of years of martial arts training. The fact he wasn’t striking back against the bear was weird, though. He clearly had enough skill to make a swift escape at the very least.

 

“Well, hello there” the man said cheerfully, dodging another attack. “Nice day, isn’t it?”

 

“Make noise! He’ll run off!” the Avatar told him with an anxious expression.

 

“No, play dead! He’ll lose interest!” Sokka cut in, cupping his hands around his mouth in an attempt to make the sound carry.

 

“Wow, close one!” the man chuckled after barely dodging a paw in time.

 

“Run downhill, then climb a tree!” Katara advised.

 

“No, punch him in the bill!” Sokka interjected.

 

Zuko rolled his eyes at the nonsense advice and got into a bending stance, ready to erect a wall of flames between man and platypus-bear if the situation got any more out of control.

 

“And then run in zig zags!” the Avatar added.

 

“No need, it’s going to be fine,” the man said not-so-reassuringly. The bear’s next attack did serious damage to a tree, right where the crazy man’s head had been only seconds before.

 

Aang sprang into action before Zuko could, jumping in front of the bear and driving it back with a burst of air. He wasn't sure what his plan was, but they were saved from having to find out by Appa roaring menacingly from behind the beast, making it lay an egg in fear and slink back into the water. Apparently a ten ton flying bison ─ even an herbivorous one ─ was considered scary by smaller predators.

 

Crisis averted, they all rushed to Appa and Aang’s side, Sokka picking up the egg upon arrival. “Lunch!” he hummed excitedly. 

 

“I’m not cooking that for you,” Zuko commented, slightly disgusted at the prospect of eating a platypus-bear egg ─ were those even edible?

 

“Lucky for you we came along,” Sokka added, turning to the middle aged man before them, and completely ignoring Zuko.

 

“Thanks, but everything was already under control. Not to worry,” the man said serenely. Zuko, along with the Water Tribe siblings, raised a sceptical eyebrow. “Aunt Wu predicted I’d have a safe journey.”

 

“Aunt who?” the Avatar asked with a confused frown.

 

“No, Aunt Wu,” the man corrected. “She’s the fortune-teller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future.”

 

“Wow, it must be,” Katara said. Zuko remained unimpressed, exchanging a look with Sokka. ”That explains why you were so calm.”

 

“But the fortune-teller was wrong,” Sokka exclaimed, apparently done with the man’s nonsense. “You didn’t have a safe journey, you were almost killed!”

 

“Well, technically” Zuko said thoughtfully, “he did have a safe journey, since we were there to drive the platypus-bear off.”

 

“Exactly!” the man exclaimed, clearly thinking Zuko was taking his side. In reality, he thought it was hippo-cowshit; the only reason he had intervened was to piss off Sokka, which was working brilliantly if his friend’s indignant sputtering was anything to go by.

 

“Alright, have a good one,” the man said, bowing and walking away calmly. He was only a few paces away however, when he turned back. “Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travellers, to give them this.”

 

Aang accepted the bundle the man handed him, a baffled look on his face. Sokka approached, peering suspiciously at the package.

 

“Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun,” Katara suggested, having apparently bought the man’s nonsense.

 

“Oh, come on. Fortune-telling is nonsense.”

 

Zuko stepped warily away from the Avatar as he started ripping the carefully wrapped package open.

 

“What do you know, an umbrella!” he said, having finally wrestled the bundle open. His words were followed with a crack of thunder and pouring rain, soaking all except Aang who was still standing under his orange umbrella.

 

“That proves it!” Katara said, stepping closer to the Avatar and out of the rain. Zuko had to admit she had a point, the timing for this was uncanny.

 

“No, it doesn’t. You can’t really tell the future,” Sokka objected, never one to believe in fate and spirits ─ which Zuko thought was pretty hypocritical of him, with the soul-bound and all.

 

“I guess you’re not really getting wet then,” Zuko and Katara said at the same time. There was a second of silence as they stared at each other, before they both burst out laughing.

 

Sokka was so indignant he fumbled his egg, and it went crashing on top of his own head, cracking open on impact.



“Of course she predicted it was gonna rain,” Sokka continued as they started along the road in the direction of the village. “The sky’s been gray all day.”

 

“Just admit you might be wrong, and you can come under the umbrella,” Katara offered from where she and Zuko were crammed against Aang’s side, trying to stay dry.

 

“Look, I’m gonna predict the future now,” Sokka said, slowing down. “It’s going to keep drizzling.” Zuko repressed a fond smile at the way Sokka flapped his arms around like a disgruntled racoon-crow.

 

His words heralded the end of the storm, gone as quickly as it had come.

 

“Not everyone has the gift, Sokka,” the Avatar commented wryly. Zuko, taking pity on his oldest friend, dried him off with a wave of heat for the second time in as many hours.

 

The parting clouds revealed a volcano surrounded by forest, and at the foot of which lay a village. Zuko felt a nostalgic pang squeeze his heart at the reminder of home. This particular volcano was small, compared to the one in Caldera, and obviously still active in a way the one he was used to treading wasn't. But still, it felt just a little bit like the home he might never see again.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Aunt Wu is expecting you,” a villager with shaggy white hair greeted them when they reached the fortune-teller’s house. Sokka sighed to make his annoyment known, eliciting an amused huff of air from Zuko. A pleased little smile graced his lips ─ at least he still knew how to make his best friend laugh!

 

“My name is Meng, and I’m Aunt Wu’s assistant,” a little girl with a frankly baffling haircut greeted them when they entered. She gave a little gasp as she caught sight of Aang, and Sokka could practically see little hearts swimming in her eyes. No accounting for taste, he thought, looking at Aang, shoulders slumped and the least attractive Sokka had ever seen him ─ which was saying a lot, actually. “Well, hello there. Can I get you some tea or some of Aunt Wu special bean curd puffs?”

 

“I’ll try a curd puff,” Sokka said as they all went to sit on the cushions laid out for them, only to be ignored.

 

“Still thinking with your stomach, I see,” Zuko remarked idly as the conversation went on around them. “Glad to see some things never change.”

 

“Oh, come on! I know you want some too. Don’t think I’ve forgotten about your sweet tooth!”

 

“I do not have a sweet tooth!” Zuko denied the accusation, just like Sokka knew he would.

 

“Sure you don’t.” Sokka smiled smugly, tuning back in to what Meng and Aang ─ try saying that five times in a row ─ were talking about in time to hear it had derived to the size of the Avatar’s ears, “Don’t be modest, they’re huge !”

 

“Well, it was nice meeting you. Very nice,” Meng said, tone just on the edge of creepy.

 

“Likewise,” Aang said distractedly.

 

“I can’t believe we’re here in the house of nonsense,” Sokka groaned once she was gone.

 

“Try to keep an open mind, Sokka,” Katara chided. “There are things in this world that just can’t be explained. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some insight into your future?”

 

"Yeah, don't you wanna know if you'll ever get taller than me?" Zuko said slyly. 

 

"You are not taller than me!" Sokka argued. He elected to change the subject before Zuko could point out he had half an inch on him. “It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs.”

 

Sokka stole the tray a very besotted Meng handed Aang right out of his hands, and started shovelling a few into his mouth. They were surprisingly good, for Earth Kingdom cuisine. They still had nothing on stewed sea-prunes, though.



He and Zuko entered a small eating war that distracted them through Katara’s reading, and Aang’s subsequent bathroom break. When Aunt Wu came back out, she had a prediction for Sokka.

 

“Your future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted.”

 

“But, you didn’t read my palms or anything,” Sokka spluttered, offended by the ridiculous prediction.

 

“I don’t need to. It’s written all over your face,” Aunt Wu said with a very condescending tone. “You there, come with me.”

 

Zuko stood up and followed Aunt Wu into the next room, but not without sending a pleading look Sokka's way, which he correctly interpreted as an invitation to sit in on the reading.



“This is the most reliable way of telling someone’s fortune. The bones never lie,” Aunt Wu explained, signalling for Zuko to pick a bone from the jar next to her. “You throw it into the fire, and I read the cracks.”

 

Zuko obliged, looking only slightly less sceptical than Sokka felt. But as soon as the small bone hit the coals, the fire flared high, white hot at the center, and turning to shades of pink, green and blue on the edges. Sokka was mesmerised. He’d never seen fire do that before. But that wasn't quite true, was it? Azula's fire had turned blue just months before that fateful Agni Kai. This wasn't what this looked like. Aunt Wu's fire wasn't unicolour, its hues shifted and changed ─ it was similar to the way Zuko's firebending looked as of late, but on a larger scale. Sokka wondered how she had managed that; the woman certainly knew how to put on a show, it was very convincing.

 

Zuko was wide-eyed, shock evident on his face, which told Sokka this hadn’t been his doing ─ or at least he hadn’t firebent consciously, if such a thing were possible. When the flames flickered down to normal height and temperature, there was nothing left of the bone but scattered ashes.

 

“Oh, I’ve never seen that before,” Aunt Wu gasped. “I see great suffering in your past, and more is yet to come. The fate of the world rests on your shoulders, although you shall not wear this weight alone. You must light the way through the dark, and guide your people to an era of peace. If you succeed, there will be great happiness in your future; two great loves to guide your steps on a path of duty, honour and forgiveness. Do not let the moon go dark, my boy, for it will harbring nothing but death and suffering.”

 

"I gotta hand it to her, she's good at deduction," Sokka commented when the seer was done speaking. "Or she's seen your face on some kind of poster before. You are pretty recognisable."

 

"That is quite the destiny for an Earth Kingdom boy," Aunt Wu remarked, looking at the prince suspiciously.

 

Zuko didn't say anything, but he looked a bit shaken by the fortune teller's words. The prince thanked her, and exited the room.

 

As they waited for Aang to get his future read, Sokka planted himself in front of Zuko.

 

"Come on, Sunshine, don't tell me you believe in that nonsense!"

 

"I don't know Sokka," Zuko sighed. "She was right about a lot of things. I do have a responsibility to my people to stop the war and bring peace."

 

"Yeah, sure, but as I said, she could have guessed who you are. Nothing magic about it," Sokka reasoned. "Besides, what was that thing with the moon even about. What, are you supposed to stop an eclipse somehow? Honestly, she could have come up with a better lie."

 

"Maybe it's a metaphor," Zuko grumbled.

 

"Hey, at least she said you'd be successful in love!" Sokka argued, trying to bring his spirits up.

 

"You're right," Zuko sounded determined now, so at least he was back to his normal stubborn self. "What she said was hippo-cow shit."

 

Well, that wasn't the conclusion Sokka was expecting, but he was glad his friend agreed. He'd at least managed to turn one person over to his side.

 

"You know, I can tell when you speak by telepathy or whatever," Katara cut in sharply. "It's very rude of you. What do you even have to say that's so secret the rest of us don't get to hear?”

 

"Sorry," Zuko and Sokka chorused sheepishly. They didn't promise not to do it again. Katara huffed, not missing that fact.

 

  • ^∆^•



“Well, now you got to see for yourselves that fortune-telling is just a big, stupid hoax,” Sokka said as they exited Aunt Wu’s house.

 

“You’re just saying that because you’re gonna make yourself unhappy your whole life,” Katara mocked, having clearly enjoyed her reading more than either Zuko or Sokka.

 

“That woman is crazy! My life will be calm and happy and joyful!” Sokka yelled angrily, kicking at a small rock to make his point. Unfortunately for him, the universe seemed to have it out for him today, and the rock rebounded on a shop’s sign and hit him on the head. “That doesn’t prove anything!”

 

“Well, I like my predictions,” his sister replied. “Certain things are going to turn out very well.”

 

“They sure are,” Aang said, a huge grin splitting his face. Zuko wasn’t too sure what that tone was supposed to mean.

 

“Why? What did she tell you?” the waterbender asked eagerly.

 

“Some stuff. You’ll find out,” Aang answered vaguely. Zuko frowned, it seemed he was the only one who had gotten such a dire prediction. “What about you, Zuko?”

 

“Uhm, you know, the usual,” Zuko evaded. “Some stuff about finding love and making the right choices.”

 

The youngest members of the group seemed satisfied in his answer, still blissed out from their respective prophecies. Zuko wondered what Aunt Wu could have told them to make them look so happy about their futures. He wasn't sure he believed in fortunes, but he was glad they had something to look forward to in a time where the future was so uncertain.





Their small group witnessed Aunt Wu’s annual cloud reading, which predicted the village would not be destroyed by the volcano that year, as well as a bountiful harvest, and luck for twins.

 

“I can’t believe all these saps,” Sokka grumbled, now alone with Zuko and Aang, his sister having run off to ask for another reading. “Someone really needs to scream some sense into them.”

 

“Are you going to take on that strenuous task?” Zuko asked, voice dripping in sarcasm.

 

“They seem happy, Sokka,” the Avatar remarked.

 

“Not for long! I’m gonna prove Aunt Wu’s predictions are nonsense.”

 

“Is there a point to this?” Zuko asked wearily, as Sokka started haranguing villagers about the fortune-teller’s predictions, and grumbling about self-fulfilling prophecies. He really should learn to pick his battles ─ they had more important things to worry about than some Earth Kingdom village’s naiveté. 

 

“So, Sokka, you know some stuff about ladies right?” Aang asked after a while.

 

“Some stuff?” Sokka answered, all prideful male satisfaction. “You’ve come to the right place.”

 

“As if!” Zuko scoffed. “The only girl his age in the whole south pole was Katara, don’t let him fool you with his ridiculous ego.”

 

“Says the guy who never had the guts to ask his crush out!” Sokka replied before turning back to Aang, convinced he had won the argument. Zuko sighed wearily at his friend’s obliviousness. “What can I do for you?”

 

“Well, there’s this girl…” Aang said.

 

“I think I know who you mean,” Sokka interrupted, slinging an arm over his friend’s shoulders. Zuko seriously doubted that was the case.

 

“You do? And you’re okay with it?” Aang exclaimed, surprised and a little anxious. 

 

“Of course. To tell you the truth, I’ve picked up a subtle vibe she likes you, too,”

 

“She does?”

 

“Oh yeah, she’s crazy about you. All you have to do now is not mess it up” Sokka confirmed with utmost confidence. Zuko privately thought he might be right, if only by accident.

 

“Well, how do I do that?”

 

“The number one mistake nice guys like you make: being too nice,” Sokka explained in a professorial tone. Zuko called hippo-cowshit, but elected to stay silent on the matter a while longer, just to see how deep a hole Sokka would dig himself.

 

“You can be too nice?” Aang asked, crestfallen.

 

“Yep. If you want to keep her interested, you have to act aloof, like you don’t really care one way or the other.”

 

“Oh, Agni,” Zuko groaned. “Don’t listen to him, Aang. Sokka wouldn’t pick up a vibe if it hit him in the face. He never even figured out that the reason I never asked Mai out ─ outside of the fact I wasn’t interested ─ is that she’s a lesbian .”

 

“She’s a what?!” Sokka was looking at him with wide eyes, completely blindsided by this revelation ─ it really ought to have been obvious, but, then again, Sokka was not the best at understanding girls.

 

“What do you think I should do then, Zuko?” Aang asked, tilting his head to the side, comically mirrored by Momo. It was crazy how similar those two were, sometimes.

 

“Just be yourself. You can’t build a healthy relationship without trust and honesty,” Zuko said. “It’s what my Uncle Iroh always used to say, anyway.”

 

Zuko smiled fondly, remembering all the disgusting flirting his uncle had subjected him to during their travels around the Earth Kingdom ─ he had to hand it to him, the man knew how to talk to women.

 

Aang hummed thoughtfully, and led them atop the volcano in search of the rare panda lilies that only grew at the very top of Mount Mapaku. As it turned out, the volcano was about to erupt, and it was up to their little group to save the village. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Is it me, or do volcanoes always erupt when we’re nearby?” Sokka asked, trying to fill the silence as they flew away from Mapaku village on Appa’s back; ready for new adventures, now that the village had been saved.

 

“Wait, you mean this has happened before?!” Zuko exclaimed, turning to stare at Sokka.

 

“Oh yeah, it’s no big deal really,” Sokka tried for nonchalance, not wanting to show Zuko just how scary coming so close to a fiery death had been.

 

“What do you mean it’s no big deal?! We almost died, Sokka!”

 

“But we didn’t,” Sokka said, in his best imitation of platypus-bear man ─ Tui and La, he should have asked for the guy’s name.

 

“Sokka,” Zuko growled. “What in Agni’s name happened?”

 

“Alright,” Sokka started, settling in for a long story. “So we went to this temple, on Crescent Island, because Aang needed to talk to Avatar Roku─”

 

“You went to the Fire Nation?!” Zuko interrupted. “How did you even get to the island, there’s a blockade to keep exactly that from happening!”

 

“It was really important Avatar business, okay? We didn’t have much of a choice. Anyway, we just ran the blockade. Appa is surprisingly good at avoiding flaming trebuchet shots─”

 

“You─ You ran the blockade,” Zuko said faintly. Sokka ignored him and kept talking.

 

“Anyway, we got to the temple, but then the Fire Sages tried to stop us getting to the sanctuary. We just kinda ran around for a little while, until we found a Sage that didn’t want to kill us. Shyu even helped us get to where the statue of Roku was. I’ll spare you the details, but we got Aang into the sanctuary in time for the solstice. Things kinda went downhill from there… Once it was just me, Katara and the other Fire Sages up there, Zhao came in and─”

 

“Wait, you know Zhao?” Zuko asked, spitting out the name like it had personally wronged him ─ which, from the look on his face, he just might have.

 

“He’s been hunting us since Kyoshi Island,” Sokka explained, remembering the countless times Zhao and his men had caught up to them and they’d had to flee. The man had been hounding them for months, and he was relentless.

 

“He’s been what ,” Zuko snarled, sparks flying from between gritted teeth.

 

“I mean, he’s pretty bad at it,” Sokka said placatingly. “If you’d been the one going after us, Aang would already be on his way to the Fire Nation.”

 

“Why would Zuko be the one pursuing us?” Katara asked, head tilted to the side in confusion. Sokka froze, and exchanged a slightly panicked look with Zuko.

 

“No reason,” he said quickly. “By the way, how do you even know Zhao?”

 

“I ran into him once or twice during my first year in the Earth Kingdom. He’s the absolute worst,” Zuko answered ─ there was definitely a story there, Sokka would have to get it out of him. “Wait, did you say Kyoshi Island?”

 

“Yeah, why?”

 

“I spent a few months there two years ago,” Zuko explained, a fond smile gracing his features. Sokka was hit by how beautiful Zuko looked when he smiled like that, eyes soft and happy. He shook his head a little, refocusing on the conversation. “Have you met the Kyoshi warriors, then?”

 

“You bet I have,” Sokka boasted, puffing out his chest. “I even trained with them, in full uniform!”

 

“You too?” Zuko exclaimed, eyes sparkling and─ wait what the fuck? Zuko had trained with Suki and her warriors? Then it dawned on him.

 

You ’re the guy Suki never shuts up about?” Sakka yelled, indignant. “She spent the whole time taunting me about how the last guy she’d trained had been so much more respectful of her talents, and a better student!”

 

Zuko had the gall to burst out laughing, “She said that? Did you say something sexist about how girls can’t fight? You should have known better, Sokka. I’m glad she kicked your ass, you deserved it.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know. In my defense, I thought it was just a Fire Nation thing, not a girl thing.”

 

“A Fire Nation thing?” Aang asked curiously.

 

“There was a ridiculous number of prodigies in the Caldera Palace; how was I supposed to know the same principles applied everywhere else?” 

 

"Dumbass," Katara snorted, never one to miss an opportunity to make fun of her brother.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

A few days after the debacle that was the fortune-teller’s village, they stopped somewhere along the Earth Kingdom coast for the night. Appa had landed in a wooded area, and their little group was now walking through the trees, looking for berries, mushrooms and edible roots for their dinner. 

 

Their haul so far was pretty spare. As they got further and further north, the local flora changed, and their knowledge of edible plants was starting to fail them. Katara and Sokka had learned everything they knew from Aang, and Zuko had spent enough time with the Freedom Fighters to know his way around scrounging up food in the valley they'd lived in, but not anywhere else. He guessed they were lucky to have the Avatar with them, who had travelled so much in his childhood. At this point, they were relying solely on his knowledge of the local flora and the supplies the villagers had given them.

 

“Hey, look, a knife made out of whale tooth,” Aang exclaimed from somewhere to Zuko’s left. He frowned ─ weren’t they too far from the poles to find orca-whales? The water couldn’t possibly be cold enough around here for them to be commonly found… And since when did the Earth Kingdom make weapons with anything but metal?

 

“It’s a Water Tribe weapon,” Sokka breathed out. Zuko peered over his shoulder, and sure enough, the knife was obviously tribe made. He wondered what it meant, to find this here. It wasn't like the Northern Tribe ever wandered out of the pole. Perhaps Haloda and his warriors had been through here some time ago. Zuko wasn't sure how he felt about that possibility. “Look around, see if we can find anything else.”

 

Back to his own body, Zuko started looking through the bushes for any further signs of Water Tribe presence in the surrounding underbrush. He gravitated back towards his friends in the process ─ he had a bad feeling about this. He wasn't sure if it was worry for what had caused a warrior to drop his knife in the middle of the woods, or something else. 

 

They soon found signs of a fight between the warriors and some firebenders, with scorch marks on the trees. Dread started pooling in Zuko’s gut as he followed Sokka at a run toward the beach, afraid of what they’d find. Bodies? More evidence of a struggle? Or worse: survivors.

 

“The trail ends here,” Sokka said glumly, head hanging between his shoulders. Zuko put a hand on his shoulder in silent support, a reminder that he wasn’t alone. It felt like a lie. His friend sent him a grateful, barely there smile. 

 

Katara spotted the boat a second before Zuko did. Hopeful grins lit up the siblings’ faces as they ran toward it, Aang and Zuko not far behind.

 

“Is it dad’s ship?” Katara asked eagerly.

 

“No,” Sokka said, but he was smiling. “But it’s definitely from his fleet.”

 

The probability of running into tribesmen was getting higher. Sokka and Katara were giddy with hope, although they were visibly trying to push it down, bracing for disappointment. The uneasy feeling in Zuko's chest did not recede. The feeling was anticipation. He could almost see the blow coming from the edge of his vision. But every time he turned his head to see it more clearly, it escaped, sliding just out of sight.

 

They decided to camp by the boat for the night, in hopes its owner would make an appearance.

 

Zuko couldn’t sleep. Nervous energy coursed through his body, as he considered the implications of a chance encounter with the Southern Water Tribe warriors. He knew them, but they didn’t know him. To Zuko, these people were almost family, in the way some servants at the Palace had been ─ not outright someone he had ties to,  but family-adjacent, people that had shaped Zuko by existing around him, who had cared for him, but not quite about him. But to them , Zuko was the enemy, an ashmaker prince that needed to be killed before he could hurt them. He didn’t know what to do with that knowledge. The pole’s icy landscapes were home , safety, laughter and freedom. But if he ever was to step foot near the village, things wouldn’t go well. He wouldn't be accepted, because he wasn't one of them. He was apart, not really Fire Nation anymore, but not Water Tribe, either. It was a strange feeling, drifting through people’s lives, invisible and inaudible. Zuko supposed Sokka would understand what he meant, but then again, maybe not. Sokka’s home had always been a good place. The Fire Nation wasn’t. It was home to him, it always would be, but it was also harsh words and high expectations and fire . It was a place he loved, but not one he thrived.

 

He startled out of his meditative stance when he heard footsteps in the sand. Zuko was on his feet in an instant, flames dancing at his fingertips, “Who’s there?”

 

He gasped as the figure was illuminated by his fire, “Bato?!”

 

Zuko hardly had time to process what was happening, that Katara and Sokka were already hugging the warrior, happy smiles on their faces.

 

“Sokka? Katara?” he asked, clearly surprised by the armful of teenagers he had just received. Then his face hardened, blue eyes locking on Zuko’s golden ones. He pushed both siblings behind himself, putting his body between them and Zuko. "Stay away from that ashmaker. I’ll take care of him.”

 

Zuko’s eyes widened as Bato drew out a knife and charged at him. He noticed one of his arms was wrapped in bandages up to the shoulder, but he couldn't remember why that mattered. He stood frozen as his friend’s second father sprinted towards him, weapon raised and ready to strike. His flames guttered and died, and so did the campfire, plunging him in the dark. 

 

He closed his eyes, but somehow he could still see. (This was why Zuko had never liked darkness.)

 

“You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.”

 

His father’s hand coming to cup his cheek, the gesture almost tender.

 

Looking up into his face, hoping for mercy; ready for whatever punishment the Firelord would distribute. Cold eyes, a warm gold as unforgiving as the endless blue and white ice of the South Pole.

 

And then Zuko knew nothing but fire and pain; the smell of burning flesh filling his nostrils. 



  • ^∆^•

 

Sokka pushed Bato’s frozen figure out the way as he kneeled before Zuko. His heart broke at the sight of his best friend, his sunshine, shaking on the ground, head buried between his knees, hands covering his ears.

 

He wanted nothing but to reach out and gather him in his arms, but he knew Zuko wouldn’t react well to that. He could hear him muttering under his breath, and glass shards lodged themselves in his chest when he realised what Zuko was saying. He’d heard those words before ─ a son begging for his life to a father who didn’t care. Sokka felt tears rising to his eyes, but he pushed them down.

 

“Zuko, hey Zuko, it’s okay, you’re safe,” Sokka whispered, keeping his tone soft so as to not panic him more than he already was. “He can’t hurt you, Sunshine. I won’t let him hurt you ever again.”

 

Sokka could hear Bato yelling behind him, but he ignored it, trusting Katara to keep him away from Zuko. He felt anger bubbling up inside his chest toward the man who had sent his best friend into such a state, but he pushed it aside too. He could be angry later; right now, Zuko needed him to be calm and gentle.

 

“Hey, Zuko, please look at me,” Sokka wasn’t sure his friend could hear him at all, but he kept trying, breathing exaggeratedly and counting aloud in the hopes it would help Zuko calm his breath. Eventually, his friend stopped hyperventilating, finding a healthier rhythm. His breath was still a little ragged, but it was miles better. 

 

“Sokka?” he whispered, voice small and rough breaking on his name. Tears were running down both their cheeks by now, but Sokka didn’t care.

 

“Can I hug you?” he asked, unsure of what he could do to help his friend. Zuko hesitated for a long moment, just staring at Sokka as if unsure he was real. Eventually, he nodded a bit wearily.

 

Sokka moved slowly, telegraphing his movements as he wrapped his arms around Zuko’s body. He was so tense Sokka considered retreating entirely, but Zuko suddenly unwound, melting into Sokka as he wrapped his arms around his back, holding on to him like he was a lifeline.

 

There was a desperation in the way Zuko clung to him, burying his face in Sokka’s neck, that shattered his heart all over again.

 

Sokka didn’t know how long they stayed like that, but by the time Zuko pulled away, he didn’t feel like his friend would shatter if he let him go. 

 

The others had gathered around the campfire a few meters away, having relit it at some point. Bato stood up when he caught sight of them, and Sokka put himself protectively in front of Zuko but he made no move to attack.

 

“I apologize for my behaviour earlier, I didn't mean to frighten you,” he started. “I reacted on instinct and did not stop to think about why a firebender would be travelling with my children.”

 

“It’s okay,” Zuko answered quietly. “I remember what being afraid of fire is like.”

 

Sokka resisted the urge to wrap Zuko up in a blanket and hide from the world and anyone who would want to hurt him forever, and settled for taking his hand instead. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

They followed Bato to the abbey in silence, no one daring to talk after what happened. Zuko wanted to tell them that he was fine, and they should enjoy this chance to spend time with the man who raised them, but he was too drained to speak.

 

He hadn’t had a panic attack this bad in almost two years, now. Sokka’s presence had helped more than Zuko would have expected ─ physical contact was usually something difficult for him on a good day. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy it, he just wasn't used to touching not being harmful. But he’d never felt safer as when he was wrapped up in his friend’s arms. Then again, Sokka was the exception in so many parts of Zuko’s life; it made sense he would be for this too. He was probably the only person to ever really see him, every fragile hope and sharp edges, and accept him not despite it, but for it. He was the only one who had never asked him to change.

 

There had been their fight three years ago, and the subsequent time apart. It had hurt perhaps even more than his mother’s disappearance or his father’s rejection, but Zuko understood it now for what it really had been. They’d hurt each other that day because they had been incapable of communicating. Both of them had been too caught up in their grief and anger to realise they wanted the same thing.




Dinner was a stilted affair. While Katara and Sokka had obviously been eager to hear about the warriors of their tribe, and excited by the reproduction of an igloo’s interior in Bato’s room at the abbey, the air felt heavy with all the things that went unsaid. 

 

Zuko smiled fondly at Sokka’s joy when he saw the stewed sea-prunes in a pot on the fire. He was forced to admit he was quite eager to try them, after all the poetics his best friend had waxed about the dish throughout the years. Aang was more dubious, sniffing at his bowl with a repulsed frown. He outright laughed when the Avatar spit his mouthful out discreetly with a grimace. He found himself rather liking them, although he thought it would taste better with some spices.

 

As the night went on, conversation picked up, and Bato recounted some of his and Hakoda’s adventures from their childhood.  Sokka and Katara hung from his every word, having heard all the stories before. When Aang asked for some background context to understand the tale, he was quite rudely rebuffed by Sokka with a half-assed promise to explain another time. Zuko frowned ─ this was really no way to treat a friend ─ and when he saw the youngest member of their group’s dejected face, started telling him the stories himself in hushed tones from a little further away. He had to admit he was growing quite fond of the twelve year old. He was, admittedly, kind of like an excited puppy.

 

“Excuse me,” a nun knocked on the door. “I have a message for Bato of the Water Tribe.”

 

Everyone turned to look at her as the warrior got up and retrieved the scroll of paper in the woman’s hand.

 

“Thank you, Sister Bira.” Bato came back towards the fire in the center of the room, breaking the seal on the missive. “It must be the location for the rendez-vous point with the other warriors I told you about.”

 

“Wait, so this is a map to dad?” Sokka asked, looking over Bato’s shoulder.

 

“It is. You can come with me, if you want.”

 

“It would be amazing to see dad again, it’s been years,” Katara sighed wistfully.

 

“Having the whole family together again,” Sokka added, nodding. Zuko looked to the side at Aang, the kid was trying to slip out inconspicuously. 

 

“Hey, you okay?” Zuko asked once they were both in the courtyard.

 

“They’re gonna leave now that they’ve found their dad,” Aang whispered, eyes downcast. “And I don’t blame them ─ I’m happy for them, even!”

 

Zuko frowned. “Are you really?”

 

“I want to be.”

 

“You’re allowed to be selfish sometimes, you know. If only in your own thoughts. But for what it’s worth, I’m not leaving. I’ll come to the North Pole with you. I know it’s not the same, but… you won’t be alone.”

 

“Promise?” Aang asked, looking up at Zuko with shining, hopeful eyes.

 

“Yeah,” Zuko breathed, some unknown emotion clogging up his throat. He gave a startled gasp when the Avatar threw himself at him in a tight hug. He gingerly placed his own arms around the airbender’s back, squeezing a little in support.

 

“Thank you, Zuko. You’re a really great person.”

 

Zuko didn’t think Sokka and Katara would follow Bato back to their dad, however much they might want to. They had promised to take Aang to the North Pole, had promised to be his family; they would never abandon him. But the young airbender probably wouldn’t believe Zuko if he told him that. He needed to hear it from them. The prince could only give himself as comfort, for now. It wasn’t enough ─ how could it be? ─ but it was all he had to give. It seemed to help, at least.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

In the morning, they gathered on the beach to see Bato off. Sokka was sad to see him go ─ he’d missed his dads a lot in the past two years, but they had something more important to do. Back then, Sokka had begged Hakoda to let him come with the warriors. Now he was finally doing his own part in the war. He and Katara couldn’t afford to be selfish with this.

 

Bato hugged them both, promising to pass along their stories to Hakoda.

 

“Next time we see each other, you’ll have to tell me all about your ice-dodging ceremony,” Bato said, putting his uninjured hand on Sokka’s shoulder.

 

“I never went,” Sokka reminded him sadly.

 

“What’s ice-dodging?” he heard Aang ask Zuko in a whisper. The firebender explained at the same volume.

 

“Oh, that’s right,” Bato looked embarrassed. “I forget you were too young when we left.”

 

“Yeah,” Sokka sighed. “I suppose it’ll have to wait until we all get back home.” If we ever do , went unsaid.

 

“Or we could do it now,” Bato hesitated. “Unless you’d rather wait for your father to be there.”

 

“That would be amazing!” Sokka exclaimed, heart swelling at the prospect ─ it wouldn’t be the same, of course, but having only one of his dads with him would have to be enough. Besides, the rest of his family was here: Katara, Aang and Zuko. The family he’d been born in, and the one he’d found along the way.

 

“But how can you ice-dodge without ice?” Katara asked. “There are no icebergs around here.”

 

“Well, that’s true, but look at those rocks,” Bato pointed further along the coast to a few rock outcroppings pointing up from the water, creating harsh current and frothing sea foam. “They seem like a fitting replacement.”

 

They all took their spots on Bato’s small boat, Sokka assigning roles as they went. He smiled as they started sailing. There was no one in the world he’d rather have as his team right now. They moved like a single unit, following Sokka’s orders without question, Zuko even going so far as to anticipate what he was going to ask. That came as no surprise of course, as they'd learned to sail together. Zuko had apparently gotten some practice in addition to the theory he’d learned from the Water Tribe ─ it looked like he was acting mostly on muscle memory. Sokka would have to ask how that had happened when the Fire Navy used metal ships exclusively.

 

Sokka knew his friends well enough to use their strengths, and that was how they were able to use water and air bending to sail between two rocks that were too close for a normal crew to go over.

 

After, when they were back on shore, Bato concluded the official ceremony, marking Sokka as a man in the eyes of his tribe.

 

“The Spirits of water bear witness to these marks,” Bato intoned, dipping his fingers in the paint. “For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned.”

 

“For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us.”

 

“For Aang, the mark of the trusted,” Bato continued. “And for Zuko, the mark of the strong. You are now honorary members of the Water Tribe.”

 

Sokka felt his heart swell with pride as Bato painted the symbols on Aang and Zuko's foreheads. They were his brothers, both of them. Now they were members of his tribe also, the two people that didn't have a family of their own. He was especially proud of Zuko, who had more than earned his place in the tribe, since he was as knowledgeable about their ways as Sokka himself ─ this just made it official.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko watched silently as Bato’s boat disappeared on the horizon. Sokka and Katara were holding on to each other like their lives depended on it, waves lapping at their feet.

 

Zuko wasn’t sure what he felt about any of it. He’d just legally became a member of the Southern Water Tribe. It was the dream he’d never admitted to himself he had, a fantasy of his childhood, when his father got angry and cruel at his failings. He’d never thought it would come to pass. He supposed that meant he wasn’t homeless and nationless anymore. When this was all over, he’d have a place to go to. It didn’t feel real. Zuko wondered if he should feel happy ─ as it was, he was kind of numb. Would the tribe ever fill the hole left by the Fire Nation in his chest? It would be a kinder place, perhaps. But the Fire Nation had never been un kind, that was all his father. Zuko was still made of fire, deep down. He still burned ─ anger, grief, happiness, every one of his emotions was fire rising in his chest. He’d never truly be Water Tribe, however much he knew about their culture, however long he spent in the pole ─ it couldn’t change who his family was. Zuko was ─ and would always be ─ the blood of Sozin. 

 

“You must leave!” One of the nuns from the abbey was running in their direction, a panicked look on her face.

 

“Why? What's going on?” Aang asked, looking around wildly.

 

“The Fire Nation is here! They must not catch you there, Avatar.”

 

“Zhao,” Sokka cursed.

 

“But Appa’s still there,” Aang cried. “They’ll see him, even if we call him back here.”

 

“And we can’t let Zhao harm the Sisters,” Katara added resolutely.

 

“Let’s hurry, then,” Zuko nodded grimly, setting off at a quick pace back toward the abbey. The nun that had warned them looked slightly disapproving, but also grateful for their decision.




By the time they reached the abbey, its courtyard was already flooded with Fire Navy soldiers. Zuko stepped up, putting himself at the front of their little group.

 

“Commander Zhao,” he greeted with a scowl. “It hasn’t been long enough.”

 

The man turned sharply at the sound of his voice. His eyes widened then narrowed into a glare.

 

“So you survived,” he sneered. “I’ll make you regret it. Oh, and it’s Admiral now ─ I was promoted by the Fire Lord in person.”

 

“I’m sure my father will be delighted to hear news of my survival,” Zuko said somewhat bitterly.

 

“Oh, he’ll be most saddened to hear of your treasonous ways, I’m sure,” Zhao snidely. “Now, Prince Zuko, hand over the Avatar.”

 

“Or what?” Zuko taunted ─ he’d be damned if he lost his countenance in front of Zhao.

 

“Or I’ll burn this temple to the ground.” Aang and Katara let out horrified gasps. Zuko looked around for a way to deescalate the situation, gaze passing over the frightened nuns that had been herded into a corner by a few soldiers. 

 

“How did you even find us here?” Katara demanded, uncorking her water pouch.

 

“Thanks to this,” the Admiral declared smugly, Kya’s necklace dangling from his fingers.

 

“That’s mine!” Its owner yelled. “Give it back!”

 

“Not until you give up your little friend with the arrows over there.”

 

Zuko took a deep breath, battling with the idea that had taken root in his mind. “Admiral Zhao, I hereby challenge you to an Agni Kai. If I win, you’ll leave this place and its inhabitants unharmed.”

 

“Are you crazy?!” Sokka shouted, appalled.

 

“Was the first one not enough?” Zhao asked, amusedly gesturing at his scar.

 

“Are you declining? What, are you too scared a sixteen year old is going to beat you?” 

 

“There are too many witnesses for him not to keep his word,” he added, for Sokka’s ears only. “Get Appa while they’re all distracted and be ready to fly away. He’ll leave the nuns alone if we leave.”

 

“When I win, you will go with me willingly as my prisoner,” Zhao said, his smile auguring nothing good. “Do we agree on the terms?”

 

“Fine,” Zuko growled.

 

“Then I accept your challenge.”




They didn’t bother with traditions, only taking off their armor and boots, so that they were kneeling facing away from each other bare chested. Zuko felt cold sweat breaking out over his skin as memories of his first ─ and only ─ Agni Kai flooded him.

 

But Zhao wasn’t his father, and he had nowhere near the level of firebending of the Fire Lord. Zuko was determined, and certain he could defeat him. From the sidelines, Sokka’s stare was burning a hole at the back of his neck, the other boy anxiously fidgeting. He was clearly remembering the last time too, and none of Zuko’s  reassurances had been enough to assuage his worry. Aang and Katara seemed jittery too, but they weren’t as apprehensive.

 

An officer announced the beginning of the duel, and Zuko stopped thinking about anything else. He spun around and up to face Zhao, sizing him up. He’d learned from Master Piando that it was essential to study one’s opponent to figure out their tells and exploit their weaknesses ─ everyone announced their actions in some way before moving. What he knew about the Admiral was this: he had a temper, and was most likely to make mistakes if riled up ─ something he’d learned from Aang’s retelling of one of their fights. He was also proud, and likely to underestimate Zuko’s abilities.

 

He didn’t have time to devise a strategy before Zhao attacked. Zuko had been observing him, and therefore was expecting the move, but it still took all his focus to divert the jet of fire that hurtled toward him. Zhao was relentless, and kept attacking with the same move over and over, forcing Zuko to step back as he blocked.

 

On the next blow, instead of blocking, Zuko ducked under the flames, rolling forward to stand right in front of Zhao, physically blocking his arm. The man bodily grabbed him in an attempt to throw him to the ground, but Zuko used one of the moves he had learned from Suki and flipped their positions instead. Zhao was able to catch himself before hitting the ground, but it had given Zuko enough time to evade. 

 

He didn’t give the Admiral time to regain his balance, spinning low and swinging fire directly from his feet. This time Zhao really fell to the courtyard’ stone floor, laid out flat on his back.

 

Zuko stalked forward, ready to put an end to his life right then and there, but a voice at the back of his mind that sounded suspiciously like his uncle’s stopped him. 

 

“Finish what you started, coward!” Zhao shouted at him.

 

Instead, the fire that came out of his closed fist only burned Zhao’s left sideburn off.

 

“I don’t need to,” he smirked. “I already won.”

Chapter 5: The Northern Water Tribe

Summary:

Yue's pov; pining boys (and girls); Pakku being his usual charming self; D R A M A

Chapter Text

Yue was listening to her father’s speech, waiting for her cue to appear before the assembled tribe. Today’s banquet was in honor of the Avatar’s arrival, and his companions from the Southern Water Tribe. She almost hadn’t believed her father when he’d told her about this. To her ─ as it was for most of her people ─ the Avatar was hardly more than a myth, someone who had existed once, but had abandoned the world a hundred years ago. That he would resurface now was a spirit-sent miracle. 

 

A council meeting had been called for the next day, and she’d already started drafting her speech in favour of helping the airbender stop the war. Her tribe had stayed neutral for a very long time, but with victory so near, there was no reason to hold back anymore. She’d always thought leaving the rest of the world to fend for itself was perhaps not the best course of action, and she finally had a good reason to change that policy. The fact the Fire Prince was also travelling with the Avatar would also be a good argument in her favour ─ it proved future relations with the Fire Nation might just work out, although they were all a little wary of his presence ─ that was the second topic of tomorrow’s meeting.

 

It wasn’t what had her hands going clammy inside her thick tigerseal gloves, although it certainly didn’t help. Today was also a celebration of her sixteenth birthday, making her an adult in the eyes of her tribe. It should have been exciting. It would have been, had it not also meant she was now of marrying age. Soon, her father would arrange a betrothal for her, hence essentially choosing the next chief. Yue knew it was her duty to her people to marry whoever her father chose for her ─ she knew she should have been honored. She tried so very hard to be, had laughed with her attendants and friends about what handsome warrior she would get to marry ─ most expected it to be Hahn ─ but her heart wasn’t in it. Try as she might, she couldn’t make herself happy to be forced into a loveless marriage. Maybe she could have brought herself to love her future husband, but if it was Hahn, she knew it would be impossible. They were not a good match in any sense of the term. She doubted Hahn would even make a good chief. He was too arrogant and self-absorbed for that. Maybe he would be a suitable choice in times of war ─ although he didn’t seem like a very good strategist ─ but if there was peace in the coming years, it would surely be a disaster. From the few times she’d talked to him, she knew he certainly had no diplomatic inclinations. 

 

Which was exactly why she had to marry him, of course. Being the chief’s wife would give her a spot on the council, and that would allow her to get more involved in the tribe’s politics. She already sat in on all meetings she could, but no one really listened to what she had to say ─ even her father only paid her much mind if she agreed with his position.

 

“We also celebrate my daughter’s sixteenth birthday,” her father said to the assembled crowd. “Princess Yue is now of marrying age.”

 

Yue took a steadying breath and stepped forward, flanked on both sides by her attendants, who were also the closest thing she had to friends. She waved gracefully at the applause, and bowed before the people eating at the main table ─ the council on her father’s right, the Avatar’s party on his left.





Once the banquet was well underway, Yue stood up and went to sit among the Avatar’s friends, settling at the end of the line, next to the water tribe boy ─ spirits, what was his name? She should have asked earlier. On his right was Prince Zuko, and the water tribe girl sat next to the Avatar, closer to her father.

 

“Hi, there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe,” the boy introduced himself as soon as she sat down, for which she was grateful. As she got a better look at him, she was struck by how handsome he looked. He was all smooth dark skin and sharp angles, a well defined jawline and high cheekbones. Sokka’s eyes were kind, and sparkled with a hint of mischief that made her smile back instinctively ─ a real smile,  not the polite one she usually gave at these events. Even his slightly cocky grin made him charming, where it would usually annoy her. Maybe that was because it was confident, while also not looking down on her like she was somehow lesser. 

 

“Very nice to meet you,” she bowed shallowly. An awkward silence followed, as Yue tried not to stare at the boy ─ it would not be proper.

 

“So,” Sokka trailed off. “You’re a princess, huh?”

 

Yue nodded eagerly, happy he was starting the conversation ─ she didn’t have the first idea how to talk to a cute boy.

 

“You know, back in my tribe, I’m kind of like a prince myself.” 

 

“Prince of what?” His sister scoffed from two seats away. “Leave the royal part to Zuko.”

 

“Do you mind, Katara?” Sokka swivelled around to glare at his sister. “I’m trying to have a conversation here.”

 

“What happened to being too nice?” the Prince muttered under his breath. Yue looked at him curiously ─ she’d never met someone from another nation before. 

 

Her breath caught when her eyes met the pure gold of Zuko’s. She never knew eyes could have such a mesmerising colour. The prince was handsome, in a way wholly different from Sokka. His skin was pale, in sharp contrast with his ebony hair. The strands fell like fine silk around his face, almost liquid in the way they shifted with his movements. The burn scar that took up the left half of his face should have been horrific ─ and it was, it must have hurt a great deal ─ but Yue thought it only added to his attractiveness. It gave a dangerous edge to his figure that sent a thrill down her spine. The prince looked sharp and hard, but she could also see a softness in his eyes and in the curve of his lips. She mentally chided herself for the thought; handsome or not, he was still a prince of the Fire Nation. She couldn’t trust him ─ not until he’d proven his intentions were good, at least.

 

“My apologies, Prince Sokka,” Katara bowed mockingly. Sokka turned around toward Yue again, drawing her attention back to him.

 

“So it looks like I’m gonna be in town for a while. I’m thinking maybe we could…” he trailed off, looking almost shy as he searched for the right words. “Do an activity together?”

 

“An activity?” Yue asked, amused at Sokka’s awkwardness. It was endearing, really. She wasn’t sure what ‘doing an activity’ involved, but she found herself eager to say yes anyway. Sokka was charming and kinda funny, and she would be delighted to get to know him some more. 

 

“Smooth,” whispered Prince Zuko, elbowing his friend in the ribs playfully. Yue’s eyebrows rose. It seemed impossible these two could be friends, but there was an unmistakable familiarity in the teasing smirk playing on the prince’s lips. It made her wonder if they were more similar than it seemed.

 

Sokka didn’t answer either of them, suddenly standing very straight, eyes wide and cheeks darkening. Instead he focused on eating like it was the most important thing in the world. Yue shot an annoyed look at the prince, bummed that her chance to go on a date with Sokka had been lost.

 

Well, if Sokka is not going to speak with her anymore, she might as well start preparing for tomorrow’s meeting. 

 

“So, what is the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation doing travelling with the Avatar?” she asked, going for the direct approach ─ something she would do more often, if she could. The boy startled, eyes widening in shock as he looked at her.

 

“Uhm,” the prince stuttered, starting the conversation out of balance ─ just as Yue had hoped. “I’m teaching the Avatar firebending.”

 

“Really? But why? He’s an enemy of your nation.”

 

Zuko was already shaking his head before she was finished. “He might be an enemy of my nation, but he’s not an enemy of my people. I’m only fulfilling my duty towards them by doing my part in stopping this war. The Fire Nation is as cruel to its people as it is to the rest of the world.”

 

Yue hadn’t expected that answer, nor the determination in the prince’s eyes. He truly believed in what he was saying. She was surprised by how much she understood this feeling; duty toward her people was something she was intimately familiar with. She hadn’t expected to find herself mirrored in the prince’s golden eyes. It was jarring to meet this foreign prince, and realise that he was perhaps not so different from herself. In her mind, the Fire Nation was apart from the rest of the world. She was suddenly reminded that the four nations once lived in harmony.

 

“But the Firelord is your father,” she stated, because there was something she didn’t quite get about this. A little something that was nagging at the back of her brain, telling her something was off. 

 

“He is,” Zuko nodded, his features contorting .

 

“If he thinks peace is preferable, why doesn’t he stop the war himself?” 

 

“I am not here with my father’s blessing,” the prince answered, voice tight and sharp. “But duty must prevail above one’s personal interests and feelings. I imagine you are familiar with the concept, Princess Yue.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“You’re an idiot,” Zuko muttered under his breath.

 

“Shut up, Zuko,” Sokka replied sullenly. “You’re, like, the most awkward person I ever met.”

 

“And you’re the most oblivious guy I know,” the prince shot back. “She was obviously interested, you imbecile. She would have said yes if you hadn’t pig-chickened out.” 

 

“Why would she? I’m just a Water Tribe peasant, and she’s a princess. Someone like her is never going to be interested in me ,” Sokka sulked, looking down at his boots. He was allowing himself to be vulnerable, and voice feelings he never would tell anyone else about. Talking about his feelings had never come easy ─ a man was supposed to be strong after all, and Sokka had been forced to grow up very fast in a war ravaged world ─ but this was Zuko, and he could tell him anything. His friend would never judge him for his fears and insecurities. He’d missed having someone to talk to these past few years, keeping it all in had taken its toll on him. 

 

Zuko stayed silent for long enough that Sokka looked back up at him. Maybe it was stupid, but he’d hoped his best friend would at least try to tell him he was wrong about this. He hadn’t expected Zuko to be staring at him, something like hurt written all over his face. Had he said something to offend him, he wondered, quickly going through everything he’d said that evening and coming up blank.

 

“Do you really think she's that shallow?” he asked, looking away. Sokka frowned, thrown by his friend’s bitter tone. 

 

“Hey, you okay buddy?” Sokka inquired tentatively, not understanding what had set off Zuko’s sudden bad mood.

 

“I’m fine,” the prince snapped, picking up pace to catch up with Aang and Katara, leaving Sokka to stare after him confusedly. Was Zuko truly getting mad on Princess Yue’s behalf, or was there something more at play? Probably it was the princess’s questions about his father that had put him in such a bad mood, he reasoned.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue was sitting at the front of her gondola, gliding through the canals of Agna Quel’a on her way to the town hall where that day’s meeting would take place. She hummed quietly to herself as the events of the previous night replayed in her mind.

 

The Avatar and his companions had been very far from what she had expected. The young airbender hardly seemed like the hero destined to save the world, he was just a kid. She could tell he was extremely kind, compassionate and thoughtful; he seemed perfectly suited to his role of restoring peace and keeping the balance of the world, but he wasn’t a warrior. Yue herself didn’t know much of war though, as her tribe had stayed neutral in this century-long conflict. And Aang was not alone in this, he had friends and allies that would help and guide him toward victory. Yue was confident that her children would not have to be born in a time of war, something she was so very grateful for.

 

Katara was friendly and interesting, Yue looked forward to getting to know her better. She’d never had friends her age before, but she hoped the fierce waterbender could become one. Yue admired her strength.

 

Then there was Sokka, whose smile had haunted her dreams that night. They hadn’t spoken much, but she was already falling for him, hanging from his every word. For all that he was funny and charismatic, he was also surprisingly smart, with a sharp mind full of brilliant ideas. She had spent an embarrassing amount of time daydreaming about him since she’d first laid eyes on him; her heart skipping a beat and butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the mere thought of him. She wondered what it would feel like to kiss his full, pink lips.

 

Almost as often as her mind was drawn to Sokka’s ocean eyes, her thoughts drifted to the fourth and last member of Team Avatar. Zuko was mysterious and closed off where Sokka was open and exuberant, but that only made her more curious. The Fire Prince was a puzzle she wanted to solve, if only she could find all the missing pieces. She understood him on a deep personal level, with his sense of duty and talk of honor, but there was also something off about him. It raised alarm bells in her mind, but not the kind that screamed at danger ─ Zuko was dangerous, there was no doubt about that, but it wasn’t what troubled her. There was a story, she thought, behind the scar on his face and his decision to train the Avatar. She didn’t understand how he could both betray his father, his nation’s leader, and believe he was doing his duty to his people. Of course, she agreed that stopping the war was probably best for everyone, including the Fire Nation, but how did Zuko know that? How could one grow up in the heart of the Fire Nation Capital, be the son of the Firelord, and still have the foresight and the goodness of heart to betray everything he knew for the sake of his people? 

 

It was incredibly brave, and it made Yue wonder if she would have done the same in his place. Would she have seen what was wrong with her nation’s ways and stood up against the leaders of her tribe for the sake of its people? She wasn’t so sure ─ she’d never questioned the council’s decisions before, even when she didn’t agree, always assuming they knew best what to do. But what if they didn’t? What if they were wrong? What if being neutral in the war this whole time had been a mistake? Had they been cowardly, abandoning the world ─ their own sister tribe ─ to the violence of the Fire Nation? 

 

Even if that particular decision had been the right one, this put so many things in perspective. It made Yue want to be brave and stand up for her people, too. It made her want to stand up to her father and the council when she believed they were wrong.

 

In the privacy of her own mind, Yue decided she would never stand by and let things be again. She would do her duty as a princess, and be brave for her people. She would make those who ignored her listen to what she had to say. Her days of quietly sitting in on meetings and reporting her opinions to her father afterwards were over. From now on, Yue would make herself heard, because if a Fire Nation prince could do it, so could she.

 

“Princess Yue, good morning,” Sokka yelled, running along the canal to catch up with her boat. “Hey, how about that picnic last night? Boy, your dad sure knows how to throw a party!”

 

“I’m happy you enjoyed yourself,” Yue said, trying to convey her sincerity in her smile.

 

“Well, it wasn’t as much fun after you left.” Yue felt her cheeks heating, flattered. She glanced to the side to see that Sokka’s cheeks were looking a little pink as well. “So I’m still hoping we can see more of each other.”

 

“Do an activity, you mean?” Yue asked teasingly.

 

“Yes, at a place, for some time,” Sokka said, swinging his arms around awkwardly. She noticed he was very expressive, making wide gestures to emphasize his words, whatever the topic.

 

“I’d love to,” she answered with a chuckle, giddy at the prospect, heart speeding up. “I’ll meet you on that bridge tonight.”

 

“Great, I’ll see you─” Sokka was cut off by a yelp as he fell right into the icy waters of the canal, having been too distracted to notice he’d reached the end of the sidewalk.

 

“Sorry,” Yue said with a wince before bursting out laughing at the ridiculousness ─ she felt a little bad about it ─ it couldn’t have been pleasant ─ but Sokka didn’t seem to take it badly.






“First order of business for today: Fire Prince Zuko,” her father started when everyone had arrived. “As the Avatar vouched for him, we shall give him the opportunity to defend his case.”

 

There were a few discontent grumbles from the elders, but no one disagreed outright with the idea, so Prince Zuko was called in.

 

“Our nations are at war,” the chief addressed the prince. “Why should we welcome you within the walls of our capital city?”

 

Well, her father was going for a rather more direct approach than was traditional ─ with some luck, the matter would be resolved quickly.

 

“I come to you in peace, with the sole objective of helping the Avatar stop this senseless war. I am to be his firebending teacher once he has mastered water and earth.”

 

“What proof do you have that this isn’t some treachery of the Fire Nation?” asked Elder Nakke.

 

“None, but I can assure you I no longer obey the orders of the Firelord,” Zuko replied, not missing a beat.

 

“So you’re a traitor,” sneered Darroq.

 

“As a prince, I have a duty to  my people to do what I believe is right, for them and for the rest of this world. If that means being branded a traitor, so be it.”

 

Once again, Yue was struck by the intensity in the prince’s voice, the way certainty and purpose made his voice boom across high ceilings of the council rooms. Already, she could see the leader he might one day become. So many wrongs could be righted by a ruler who believed in peace and balance.

 

“You’ll become Firelord, after the Avatar defeats your father,” Yue spoke up. The whole room turned to look at her, displaying various degrees of astonishment and disapproval, but she ignored them all, focusing on the prince standing before the dais. “What are your intentions towards the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom?”

 

The elders around her gave a few reluctant nods at her line of questioning, despite their misgivings.

 

“Call back the troops, and put an end to the war. No more fighting and no more raids will take place under my rule. But most importantly, I want to restore true and lasting peace,” Zuko listed, carefully picking his words. Yue realised he was probably making this up on the spot, from the way his eyes seemed unfocused, as if he was looking inward instead of out at the ice walls surrounding them. “That means treaties and trade agreements, a complete revision of Fire Nation legislation, and reparations for those that were wronged. I can’t erase the past or make things right, much as I want to, but I can try to rebuild for a better future.”

 

Yue wanted to ask more, inquire about details and concrete plans, but her father spoke up before she could.

 

“Thank you, you are dismissed,” he addressed the prince. “The council will deliberate in private and get back to you with a decision.”

 

When the prince was gone and silence had descended over the room once more, he spoke again. “I propose to let the prince stay as long as the Avatar remains in the city. He vouched for him, and can take responsibility for his actions. As long as he remains pacific and doesn’t come across sensitive information, I see no reason to make him our prisoner. All those in favour?”

 

Yue raised her hand, along with most of the council, and so it was decided the Fire Prince would be allowed to remain free within the walls of Agna Quel’a.

 

The meeting carries on to less captivating topics, such as the arrival of hunting season and preparations for the summer. Yue weighed in here and there, but there wasn’t really much need for her input on the matter, the Northern Water Tribe was a well oiled machine.

 

It wasn’t until the end of the council, when everyone was wrapping up, that her father brought forth another topic.

 

“Before we are done for the day, there is another matter I would like to bring to your attention,” he started, and Yue stood straighter at the gravity of his tone. “We have been asked to reconsider our neutral status in the war, now that its end is near.”

 

“The Avatar is just a kid who’s been gone from the world for a hundred years,” huffed councilman Nakke. “It’ll be years before he’s mastered all the elements, and is ready to confront the Firelord.”

 

“You’re forgetting about the return of Sozin’s comet in the summer,” Elder Natik said. She was the only woman on the council, but also one of its most respected members, as was granted by her role as an Augur. “Whether or not the Avatar is ready, the Fire Nation must be defeated before then, or all hope is lost.”

 

“It’s unlikely Ozai will go for the North Pole in his attack, he’ll use the comet's power to defeat the Earth Kingdom at long last. We should just wait it out,” Darroq interjected.

 

“We can’t just leave the Earth Kingdom to fend for itself!” Yue exclaimed, appalled at how casually another potential genocide was being discussed. She wanted to argue it wasn’t right, but she took a deep breath to calm herself. It was true, but it wouldn’t make the elders listen. “Where do you suppose the Fire Nation will strike next, once all other targets have been defeated? Agna Quel’a doesn’t have the means to defend itself from the full might of the Fire Nation, especially not one that controls the rest of the world already.”

 

“No one asked for your opinion, little girl. You are too young to understand the complexities of war,” Talam interrupted condescendingly. 

 

“I understand well enough to know it would be both cowardly and stupid to hide behind our ice walls while the rest of the world burns,” she replied calmly, chin raised and not letting through her irritation ─ the elders were like tiger sharks, show any hint of weakness and they’d tear you apart.

 

“Princess Yue!” her father snapped, voice sharper than he would usually use with her. “That's quite enough! It is not your place to argue on matters of war. You are dismissed.”

 

Yue wanted to protest, but one look at her father’s face told her it would be no use. This was his Chief face, that meant she should know her place and stay quiet like a good little girl. She’d promised herself only a few hours ago that she would make herself heard, but maybe confrontation wasn’t the way to go. She’d made her point, it was time for a tactical retreat; in the end, the decision to aid in the war would still be her father's, whatever the Council of Elders said. She could convince him later, when it wouldn’t be seen as a challenge to his authority as Chief.

 

Yue nodded, bowed politely to the elders and her father, and made her way out of the council chambers.

 

Past the doors she ran into Prince Zuko, who had apparently been waiting for an answer about his presence in the pole this whole time. She decided to put him out of his misery. “Prince Zuko, it’s nice to see you again. The council has deliberated: you are free to roam the city at your leisure for now.”

 

“Princess Yue, I’m glad to see you as well,” Zuko said in that raspy voice of his; the hint of smoke in his voice sent a shiver down her back that had nothing to do with the cold. “It’s an honor to be here, the North is a beautiful place.”

 

She made a split second decision before the prince could turn away. “Would you like to grab some lunch? We were interrupted earlier, and there are a few things I would like to discuss, if that’s alright with you.” She saw him hesitate for a few seconds, eyes wide and surprised, then narrowed in suspicion. Yue waited patiently for him to come to a decision.

 

“It would be my honour.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Princess Yue was not at all what Zuko had expected. She was not the tame little girl her tribe wanted her to be. She was a politician, Zuko could tell, but not in the way of the Fire Nation. She was not in it for personal gain, but because she truly cared about the wellbeing of her people. She reminded him a little of all the girls he knew. She had Azula’s intelligence, Ty Lee’s kindness, Katara’s fire, Mai’s imperturbable poise, Suki’s fierceness. She had that steel in her gaze that told Zuko she would fight for what she believed in, but also the smoothness of water in her way of adapting and changing around conversation.

 

They spent most of the meal talking about international relations and suitable reparations for the damage done to the Water Tribes. Her questions were like arrows targeting every weakness in his discourse. She listened to what he said, and she didn’t hesitate to interject and point out contradictions or inaccuracies, but she also seemed surprised that he listened to what she had to say ─ she hid it well, but Zuko had spent most of his life being overlooked, and he could recognize it in someone else.

 

He almost wished he could hate her, if only because it would make everything easier. But he couldn’t because she wasn't just some beautiful girl that caught Sokka’s eye. He already knew his friend would fall irrevocably in love with Yue ─ and the princess would fall for him in return, because how could she not, confronted with the full intensity of Sokka’s attention. He couldn’t even feel bitter about it without a wave of guilt washing over him, because they were a good match ─ separately, they were both incredible, but together they would be blinding, like sun reflecting on pure snow. At the end of the day, all Zuko wanted was for Sokka to be happy, and if that wasn’t with him, well. He’d learn to live with it. He’d bury his feelings somewhere deep, and never let them see sunlight ever again. If their intensity burned him to ashes, it was nothing he didn’t deserve.

 

It was so painfully ironic, that his own soulmate would prefer someone else. The spirits had played another cruel joke on him, binding him to someone who could never love him. 

Maybe no one ever would, because Zuko was every bit as unloveable as he deserved to be, as the monster he had become ─ had always been? Maybe there was no point trying to redeem himself and do the right thing, maybe he’d been doomed from the start, the heir to a legacy of ash.

 

“How are you enjoying your meal?” Princess Yue asked, breaking a silence Zuko hadn’t realised they'd fallen into. “I imagine this is very different from Fire Nation cuisine.”

 

Zuko looked down at his bowl like he was seeing it for the first time. He’d already eaten more than half its contents and not tasted a thing.

 

“I like it,” he said after a while. “It’s indeed very different from what I’m used to, but it reminds me of home.”

 

At Yue’s puzzled look he realised his mistake. He’d said it tasted like home ─ and it did, it really did ─ but he’d been thinking of the ocean stretching as far as the eye could see and the soft blue and whites of ice shelves. Zuko had said home, and thought of ice and snow and days that lasted too long or too short, of tribesmen laughing uproariously around a fire, singing their legends to the stars so they could never be forgotten. But that wasn’t his home, and it certainly wasn’t the one Yue was thinking of. 

 

“I was wondering,” Yue ─ bless her ─ changed the topic, probably sensing his panic. “How did you happen to meet the Avatar and his companions?”

 

Well, maybe this new subject wasn’t any less of a minefield, but somehow that was what a normal conversation sounded like, to Zuko. The only person he’d never felt that way with was Sokka. His friend knew him in and out, and there was never a wrong answer when talking to him. Unless they were talking about Ozai, but they’d been studiously avoiding the topic for a while.

 

“It was mostly chance really,” he started, because that much was true. “I was in the Earth Kingdom when their little group more or less stumbled into me and some friends. When they found out I was a firebender, Aang insisted I needed to be his teacher, and it sort of went from there.”

 

It wasn’t the whole truth, not by a long shot, but it was as much of it as he could give the princess without spilling his many secrets. 

 

“And what were you doing in the Earth Kingdom, if you don’t mind me asking?” Yue’s polite demeanor betrayed a sharp edge in her tone. She wasn’t asking out of pure curiosity ─ she wanted to know if he’d been there with soldiers, raiding some poor village.

 

“I was working with a group of rebels to overthrow Fire Nation rule in Banjir Valley, in the Hongye Province,” Zuko could have said a thousand more things about exactly why he’d been there or what it meant, but he gave her the bare bones of the truth once again. 

 

“So you were already working against the Firelord before meeting the Avatar,” Yue said slowly, like she was trying to wrap her head around the idea. She paused, thoughtful. “That’s very brave.”

 

“Wh─ What? ” Brave? Why would she say that? Zuko stared, dumbstruck. Out of all the things Yue could have said ─ stupid, treasonous, dishonourable ─ this was the one he expected least.

 

“Not only did you challenge the things you had been taught your entire life,” Yue explained, painfully earnest. “You were willing to leave everything you’d ever known for the sake of doing what was right, even though you would be scorned and branded a traitor for it. I think that shows a strong sense of honor and duty. It must have taken a lot of courage.”

 

Zuko wanted to cry. Bitterness flooded him, and he choked on it. Of course it would sound like some great act of bravery to someone like her, who was good to the bone. She didn’t know Zuko, and she didn’t know the whole story. She didn’t understand that even years of abuse and banishment hadn’t been enough to shake Zuko’s belief in his father, his ridiculous yearning for Ozai’s love and approval. She didn’t understand that Zuko would have done anything for those things, that he would have chased Aang ─ sweet, caring Aang ─ to the end of the world for it, that he would have delivered a twelve year old child, last survivor of his nation, to his father’s feet just to earn a word of approval from him. She didn’t know that even going through town after miserable town would not have been enough. She didn’t know Zuko would have watched the world burn at his father’s hands, would have helped even, if only his father had given him even the smallest sliver of his love. And Zuko would have done it, knowing all the while how wrong it was.

 

It wasn’t brave. It was too little, too late. The truth was, Zuko should have left the Fire Nation the second Kya was killed. Staying for so long was one of his biggest regrets. So many things had gone wrong, simply because he had clung to the fantasy of his father’s approval for so long. It had taken the unspeakable for Zuko to finally, finally break down. He’d crumbled entirely, that fateful day  on Kyoshi Island. Sometimes, he wished he hadn’t built himself back up. But Zuko was made of fire, the element of strength ─ always resilient, refusing to be defeated. Even the smallest ember could turn into an inferno once more, with only a spark. So he’d shaved his phoenix tail off, and had left Kyoshi. He’d wandered the Earth Kingdom for a while, a ghost roaming among the living, until he’d reached Gaipan. Until he’d met Jet, Smellerbee, Longshot and all the others. They’d been the spark that rekindled his fire, had built him back from the ground up.

 

Zuko took a steadying breath, letting smoke fill his mouth and releasing it slowly, using his breath of fire to center himself. Now was not the time to spiral into the depths of his own self-loathing, tempting as that was.

 

“If you’ll excuse me,” Princess Yue spoke after a few minutes of eating in silence. “I’m afraid I have to go, my father asked to see me earlier.”

 

Zuko barely held back a relieved sigh. He enjoyed Yue’s company a lot ─ more than he could really explain to himself. There was a sense of peace that surrounded the princess, and soothed Zuko’s tortured mind just a little ─ but this whole conversation had been mentally taxing, and he needed some time to himself.

 

“That’s quite alright,” he replied politely. “Thank you for the meal, I enjoyed it a lot.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Sokka looked up at the sound of the door opening.

 

“Oh, there you are, Zuko! How did it go?”

 

“Fine,” his friend said, but he didn’t look all that happy about it. “I’m allowed to stay.”

 

Well, he knew how much Zuko hated these kinds of things, he was probably tired after a long meeting. He’d never been comfortable with public speaking, but the last meeting he’d been in couldn’t have helped. Sokka clenched his jaw, forcing the anger down. Zuko had gotten out of there and that was all that mattered now.

 

“You’ve been gone a while, did you get lunch yet?” Sokka had already eaten with Aang and Katara earlier, but he wouldn’t mind going for seconds ─ for Zuko’s sake, obviously, no other reason.

 

“I had lunch with Princess Yue,” Zuko answered with a small smile. Sokka’s breath caught, as something ugly reared his head inside his chest.

 

“You what?!” he exclaimed, the words coming out angrier than he’d intended. Zuko started, head snapping up to stare at him. “How could you!” he hissed furiously.

 

What kind of friend was he, going on a date with the girl Sokka was clearly interested in ─ he’d spent ten minutes waxing poetics about her to Zuko just the previous night! ─ behind his back.

 

“I─ What?” Zuko asked, and he had the gall to look confused. He could be so oblivious to other people’s feelings sometimes; it drove him crazy!

 

“You─ ugh,” Sokka groaned in frustration. “I can’t talk to you right now.”

 

Sokka stormed off without a look backwards in the direction of his friend’s spluttering, slamming the door closed as he went with a satisfying ‘bang’ .

 

  • ^∆^•

 

At nightfall, as Yue walked through the icy streets of Agna Quel’a, her mind was still reeling. When her father had requested to talk to her, she had known what was coming ─ of course she had. It didn’t mean she had been prepared for the reality of it.

 

She’d just turned sixteen the previous day, and already she was engaged. The identity of her betrothed, at least, came as no surprise. Of course it would be Hahn; who else? It had already been an open secret among the tribe for months before the official engagement.

 

Hahn himself must have discussed it with her father a long time ago, long enough for him to have carved a betrothal necklace for Yue. The silk ribbon tied around her throat felt much tighter than it really was. Yue felt like it was winding around her neck tighter and tighter with each breath, choking her with the weight of her responsibilities.

 

She couldn’t believe her father hadn’t told her about this sooner. He’d hinted at an imminent betrothal, sure, but he’d never said it outright, had never told her she was to marry Hahn. He’d planned it all behind her back, only to spring it on her the day after her birthday, along with the official engagement ceremony. It showed exactly how much he valued her as an advisor and as a princess. It was unfair, so so unfair. He hadn’t even had enough respect for her to warn her in advance.

 

And now she was meeting Sokka on the bridge, and she could barely hold back her tears. She wished she’d met him sooner, she wished they’d had more time. Because she couldn’t see him now, she couldn’t “do an activity'' with him, couldn’t get to know him better and learn what made him laugh. It would be dishonorable, and disrespectful ─ she might not love Hahn, but she refused to be unfaithful. Whatever her feelings on the matter, she intended to make the best of it and be a good wife, as was her duty.

 

This is wrong , the sentence turning over and over in her head, as still, she made her way toward that bridge where the boy that made her heart flutter waited. The boy who was not her betrothed .

 

After what felt like an eternity, much much too soon, Yue found herself standing on a bridge made of ice, one of the many overlooking the city’s canals. And there he stood, a beautiful figure bathed in moonlight that made him look ethereal, some spirit sent to drag her under the waves, never to be seen again. In that moment, she wouldn’t have minded, disappearing under the waves with a selkie seemed more appealing than it had any right to.

 

He turned toward her, a smile already stretching his lips, and as his ocean-blue eyes met hers, she wished she could drown in them.

 

“Hey, Yue,” he greeted her, shy and excited at the same time. “I’m so glad─”

 

Her heart lodged itself into her throat, and she felt nauseous. “I’m sorry, Sokka. I can’t.”

 

The words were a choked off sob, and almost before she had time to register the hurt on his face, she had turned away and was running back the way she’d come, taking turns at random. She couldn’t let herself do this. Stealing time with Sokka would only make things harder for her in the long run.

 

(She wasn’t quick enough to miss the look on his face when she turned away and ran. Her heart wasn’t beating loudly enough in her ears to hide his slightly desperate cry of her name.)

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“How was warrior training today?” Katara asked later that evening, when the whole group gathered in their temporary house.

 

“Ugh,” Sokka groaned, flopping down on his sleeping mat. He’d had a pretty terrible day, between his fight with Zuko and the debacle that had been his date with Yue.

 

“That bad?” his sister asked. He could hear the slight wince in her voice. He was tempted to brush her off and mope on his own, but his need for comfort won out in the end.

 

“Training was fine,” he sighed. “It’s Princess Yue... I just don’t get it! One minute she’s telling me to meet her on that bridge, but then when I get there she runs away! She even went on a date with Zuko!”

 

“It wasn’t a date! We were talking about international relations, and reparation projects for after the war,” Zuko exclaimed, indignant.

 

And right, like that was any better. “So you went on a romantic lunch date, and you impressed her with your great diplomatic skills. Thanks buddy, I feel so much better,” Sokka deadpanned, because Zuko could be so oblivious to the effect he had on others it was frankly ridiculous. The worst part was, he believed him. Zuko had genuinely spent that whole time thinking this had been some kind of business meeting, because he had such low self-esteem he didn’t think anyone could like him for anything but how useful he could be to them. Except Zuko was handsome ─ even more so with that scar, Sokka thought ─ and he was awkwardly charming, and nice, and really fucking charismatic. It was all so effortless to him! Zuko wasn’t magnetic because he tried to be, like Azula was. No, the prince was a gravity pit in his own right, as blinding as he was impossible to look away from. And he didn’t even realise it , because Ozai had spent his whole life telling him he was a worthless failure.

 

It was why he’d been banished, really. It never had anything to do with disrespect ─ the crown prince of a nation had every right to question a general’s plan, even one older and more experienced than himself ─ and everything to do with the fact that Zuko was growing into an awesome prince, and Ozai was afraid about the threat to his authority he could pose, if he ever realised that ─ maybe even if he didn’t, and others did for him. Ozai hated his son because he had a mind of his own. Zuko had never been the perfect prince that agreed with everything his father said, and Ozai was well placed to know that made him dangerous.

 

The thought had made him sick, when it had first occurred to him. He hadn’t wanted to believe it ─ it was so unfair! But weeks, then months had passed, and it wouldn’t get out of his head. The more he thought about it, the more he turned it around and examined all its angles, the more it made sense. It was sick and wrong and so terribly unfair, but it was the only thing that made sense. Because as much as Sokka wanted to believe Ozai was nothing more than a senseless monster, he knew the man was a better politician than that. Ozai didn’t care about people, but he cared how he could use them. Despite all his efforts, he’d never quite managed to control Zuko. Despite all the insults and abuse, he’d never managed to break him to his will. The prince had always been loyal to his father, of course he was, but he’d never truly stopped thinking for himself, he hadn’t trusted his father’s judgement blindly, not entirely, not the way Azula did. If he truly had been as weak and useless as Ozai led him to believe, it wouldn’t have been a problem.

 

But Zuko was a good prince, beloved of the Nation, and so he was a threat. And if he couldn’t be Ozai’s puppet, then he needed to be shoved out of the way. It made perfect sense, in all its horrible simplicity.

 

The knowledge festered inside Sokka, stoked the fire of his anger and made it threaten to boil over. Someday, he’d tell Zuko the truth about all of this, like he desperately wanted to any time his friend tried to defend the Firelord's actions. Not yet though, he didn’t think Zuko was ready to hear it.

 

“Whatever,” he muttered. Then, turning back to Katara and Aang, “How did water magic training go?”

 

“Pakku refused to teach me because I’m a girl, ” Katara exploded, rightfully angry.

 

“That’s ridiculous! Girls can bend just as well as any boy!” Sokka exclaimed, redirecting his anger. He may have believed for the longest time girls couldn’t fight as well as boys, but bending had never been a question ─ how could it be, when he’d met Azula ? He realised now that there had never been any difference between what both genders could or couldn’t do of course, Suki and Katara had made sure of that.

 

“He’s nothing but a stupid old man!” Zuko fumed, just as mad about this as any of them. “He has no right to keep you away from bending like this. He’s just afraid you’ll be better than all his students put together if you get proper training.”

 

“Well, joke’s on him, because you already are!” Sokka said. “Besides, just because he won’t teach you doesn’t mean you can’t learn. You’ll just have to practice at night, when Aang can show you what he earned during the day.”

 

“Sokka, you’re a genius!” The Avatar jumped to his feet, already dragging Katara outside.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“What do you want me to do?” Yue’s father asked the Avatar and his Southern Water Tribe companions ─ Yue noted with a tinge of worry that Zuko was not with them. “Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?”

 

“Yes, please,” Katara replied, looking down at her feet.

 

“I suspect he might change his mind, if you swallow your pride and apologize to him.”

 

Yue hoped Katara didn’t; she was strong and fierce and she shouldn’t have to grovel before a man who thought she was less than the snow beneath his feet. Most of her tribe was heavily misogynistic, but Pakku was one of the worst ─ he’d made his displeasure at Yue’s presence during council meetings loudly known.

 

Katara looked conflicted, turning back toward her friend before speaking again. “Fine,” she bit out.

 

“I’m waiting, little girl,” Pakku said, in that tone that made Yue want to break something. She hated when people called her that. It was belittling and condescending. What made it worse is that it was mostly used when she made a point they couldn’t refute while disagreeing with them. 

 

“No! No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!” Katara yelled angrily, fists clenched at her sides. The ice beneath her feet fractured loudly, cracks spider-webbing all the way up to the dais. Yue smiled. She had a feeling Pakku was about to eat his condescending words. He might have been a master waterbender, but he was no match for the fire that burned in Katara’s eyes.

 

“Uh, Katara?” Aang whispered uncertainly as the huge vats of water flanking the dais broke and spilled their content on the floor. She paid him no mind.

 

“I’ll be outside, if you’re man enough to fight me!” Katara stormed off, followed by the echoing gasps of the elders. 

 

“I’m sure she didn’t mean that,” the Avatar shuffled his feet awkwardly..

 

“Yeah, I think she did,” Sokka interjected flippantly.





By the time Yue extracted herself from the council rooms, Katara and Pakku’s fight was in full motion.

 

Pakku had trapped both of them in a tightening circle of water, forcing the young waterbender to get closer to him.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you,” the master said, arms still moving in wide arks to spin the water around them both.

 

With one wave of her arm, Katara deflected the flow of water, sending it crashing harmlessly to the side ─ and soaking her brother in the process, Yue noticed with a chuckle.

 

She returned her attention to the duel, in time to see Pakku raise a wall of ice between himself and Katara who was running at him, a water whip already in hand. She ran over the ice, jumping from its edge and pirouetting in the air, stumbling slightly as she landed behind Pakku on the stairs’ banister.

 

The master melted the ice and sent it crashing towards Katara in a great wave. The latter had seen it coming, however, and frozen her feet to the ground. The water flowed around her, not even a drop landing on the girl.

 

“You can’t knock me down,” she yelled, standing proudly.

 

She ran at Pakku, throwing punches instead of using her bending, but none landed. Pakku shoved her backwards with another wave. Katara fell in a pool of water, shaking her head as she emerged, her hair escaping from its braid.

 

She fired razor sharp discs of ice at the master, and he dodged and blocked all of them ─ the last did get pretty close though. Yue cheered for Katara discreetly.

 

The two waterbender flung arcs of water back and forth, each taking control of the wave and flinging it back to their opponent, until Pakku managed to knock her down.

 

Katara was now breathing harshly, hair in disarray and obviously starting to tire, while Pakku was still fresh as an arctic delphinium .

 

Not one to give up, Katara collapsed twin decorative ice pillars on him, but the waterbender was able to dissolve them into a cloud of glittering snow before they connected.

 

“Well, I’m impressed,” he said when it dissipated. “You are an excellent waterbender.”

 

“But you still won’t teach me, will you?”

 

“No.”

 

The fight continued, flowing water turning to ice as the two fighters slid gracefully on glittering ramps.

 

It ended as Pakku sent dozens of ice spikes crashing down on Katara. Yue held her breath, but Pakku was a master, and not a single one touched Katara, only trapping her in a prison of ice.

 

The gathered crowd watched in dismay as the incredible waterbender was defeated. It seemed impossible she had been able to hold her own for so long, and so terribly unfair the master still wouldn’t take her on as his student, even though she’d proven she was more than adept enough at martial bending, even though she was probably better than all Pakku’s students put together.

 

“This fight is over.”

 

“Come back here! I'm not finished yet!” Katara yelled after his retreating back, still struggling against her bonds.

 

“Yes, you are.” Pakku paused mid-step, eyes widening in wonder as he picked up something from the ground. “This is my necklace.”

 

“No, it’s not! It’s mine! Give it back!” Katara shouted, and as Yue got a better look at it, she realised what it was: a betrothal necklace.

 

“I made this 60 years ago, for the love of my life,” Pakku whispered, not paying her any mind. “For Kanna.”

 

“My Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?” Katara asked tentatively, dismayed. The ice around her melted, freeing her.

 

“I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her.”

 

“But she didn’t love you, did she?” Katara asked, voice sad. “It was an arranged marriage.”

 

Yue felt tears rise to her eyes, her own betrothal necklace resuming its choking hold around her throat. 

 

“Gran Gran wouldn’t let your tribe’s stupid customs ruin her life. That’s why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage.”

 

Each word was like a shard of ice lodging itself into Yue’s heart, and she suddenly couldn’t bear it anymore. She broke into a run, her sobs making it hard to breathe.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Sokka took his time catching up to Princess Yue, giving her time to compose herself ─ nothing at all to do with the crushing nervousness he felt, no sir, nervousness was for other people, not him.

 

Finally, he found her standing on a bridge, her back turned to him. The moonlight shone brightly on her white hair, almost like it was shining just for her. His breath caught for the thousandth time at how beautiful she was. He couldn’t believe he'd been blessed enough to meet her.

 

“What do you want from me?” she asked, voice hard despite the tears still streaming down her face.

 

“Nothing,” he assured her. “I just want you to know I think you’re beautiful, and I never thought a girl like you would notice a guy like me.”

 

“You don’t understand,” Yue said, avoiding his gaze.

 

“No, no. See, that’s the thing. I think I do understand now. You’re a princess and I’m… I’m just a southern peasant.” It hurt, but it was the truth, and Sokka really couldn’t blame Yue for preferring Zuko ─ they were a good match, after all. The sun and the moon, it made more sense than the princess and the peasant ─ although Zuko might have disagreed, theater nerd that he was; but perhaps this was a Dragon Emperor and Dragon Empress kind of situation, and Zuko wouldn’t have anything to add.

 

“No, Sokka─”

 

“It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I’ll see you around, okay?”

 

Before he could get far, Yue grabbed his arm, pulling him in. Sokka’s brain sort of short-circuited when she took his face in her hands gently and kissed him. He was too stunned to do anything for a second, but his brain eventually caught up to his body, and he kissed her back eagerly. 

 

Holy spirits , this was his first kiss, and it was with the most beautiful girl he’d ever met.

 

They broke apart much sooner than he’d like, and he shoved back a pang of disappointment at the loss.

 

“Okay, now I’m really confused!” Sokka exclaimed as reality caught back to him ─ slammed back into him would be more accurate. “Happy, but confused.”

 

“I do like you, a lot,” Sokka barely had time to celebrate before Yue continued. “but we can’t be together, and not for the reasons you think. It’s because… I’m engaged. I’m sorry.”

 

Sokka reared back in surprise, too shocked to stop Yue from running away once more.

 

She─ She was engaged ?! To whom??

 

Oh. He supposed that explained her reaction to hearing about Gran Gran ─ which was just another thing! She’d almost married Pakku , of all people? No wonder she’d never told them about her Northern origins.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue ran with no destination in mind. She turned corners and crossed bridges at random. She didn’t really care where she was going. She simply wanted to get away . Away from Sokka and the selfish desires he awoke in her, away from the blue ribbon around her throat, away from her father and her duties.

 

She had to marry Hahn, there was no alternative. This was her duty to her tribe, one she’d prepared for her whole life. An arranged marriage was inevitable, and out of all the young warriors, Hahn was the best. Yue didn’t have a choice , and it made her feel more helpless than ever before.

 

Her own guilt was choking her. How could she be so selfish? Why couldn’t she just be happy about this? Hahn was every girl in their age range’s dream, so why couldn’t Yue be like all of them and be excited about her own marriage?

 

Marriage was the highest honor a princess could do her tribe, the most precious gift, the most sacred duty. Maybe Tui should’t have given her life, all those years ago, if this was the kind of princess Yue was. Because despite everything, she didn’t want to marry Hahn, and she thought she would do just about anything to avoid it.

 

Yue stopped running, out of breath, when she realised where her mad dash had led her to. She gave a short bark of bitter laughter; of course this was where she’d go, the place that represented every selfish thought and improper desire.

 

Yue stood before the gate to a secluded inner courtyard no one ever went to anymore. It was why she’d chosen it, years ago, to teach herself archery. It had seemed so daring and exciting at the time, to steal a bow and a handful of arrows and find a place to learn. It had been a small act of rebellion against the rules that told her she couldn’t be a warrior, that she had to learn to sew and cook and take care of children, just because she was a girl. 

 

Learning to use the weapon had been a long and gruelling process. The bow was too big for her, even if it was made for young warriors to practice with. At ten years old, Yue hadn’t had the strength necessary to properly pull back the string. But she had been determined, angry and fueled by spite. She hadn’t given up, had kept practising until her arms hurt and her fingers bled, whenever she could get away from her duties without retribution.

 

If anyone had ever found her, she’d have been in an iceberg of trouble. Women were forbidden from training with weapons just as they were forbidden from martial bending.

 

Yue had had to sneak around, sometimes in the dead of night, to get just an hour or two of practice. She knew it wasn’t enough, that real warrior training took hours and hours of complete dedication, but six years later, Yue could say without a doubt that she was a better archer than most of the men of her tribe ─ she knew because she had spent a not insignificant amount of time spying on them, fishing for advice that wasn’t meant for her.

 

She was as proud of the achievement as she was ashamed of disrespecting her tribe’s customs so blatantly. It made sense, that as she was struggling between her own desires and her sense of duty, her feet would lead her here. Yue knew she should turn back and go to sleep, but she was too weak to resist the call of venting her frustration with a few well aimed arrows.

 

With a resigned sigh and a thrill of adrenaline, she pushed the gate open.




Yue hadn’t expected to find anyone already there, and for a second, fear gripped her, before she realised who it was.

 

Prince Zuko was whirling around the courtyard, flowing from form one to the next with the grace of a waterbender; his dual broadswords caught the moonlight every so often, shining like quicksilver and sending ripples of light through the ice walls of the courtyard. 

 

Yue was breathless, all the air stolen from her lungs at the sight of him. There was a fierce intensity to the way he moved, a polar leopard on the prowl; but he mostly looked like he was dancing, blades a whirlwind of steel all around him, sparks flying in his wake. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

 

Yue didn’t know how long she spent watching him, hidden in the shadow of the arched doorway, entranced. She let out a startled gasp as Zuko ran straight at a wall, running horizontally on it before spinning in the air and landing in a defensive stance, only a few feet away from her.

 

He lowered his blades when he caught sight of her, quickly schooling his face in a neutral expression ─ but not before Yue saw the shock in his eyes.

 

“How long have you been here for?” he asked. After a second, he seemed to remember himself and bowed, hands forming a flame.

 

“Just a few minutes,” Yue replied sheepishly, looking at her feet. “I didn’t know you were such a skilled swordsman. I had heard it was considered improper for a firebender to use a blade in the Fire Nation?”

 

“It is,” Zuko answered, thankfully going along with her change in subject. “I learned before my bending appeared, but after that the lessons stopped. I was never very good at firebending though, so I kept practising in secret.”

 

“Oh,” Yue said quietly. Then, because she thought it was only fair, “I know quite a lot about practising in secret, actually. I usually come here to practice with a bow, even though women of the tribe aren’t supposed to use weapons.”

 

“Your secret is safe with me,” the prince said with much more solemnity than was required by the situation ─ Yue thought it was rather endearing. “I can leave, if you want to train in peace.”

 

Yue only hesitated for a few moments before coming to a decision. If anyone could understand what she was going through and would be able to guide her, it would be Zuko.

 

“No, stay. Actually… There was something I wanted to talk to you about.”

 

“Of course, what is it?” Zuko asked, and the gesture was so genuine it almost brought tears to her eyes. There were so very few people who actually listened to her, she would miss the prince when he left.

 

“I know we’re not really friends, but I find myself in need of advice, and you’re the only person I can talk to about this,” Yue started. She took a few steadying breaths before resuming. “I got engaged the other day, after our lunch. It’s an arranged marriage of course, for the good of the tribe. And I know it’s my duty to marry Hahn, but I can’t help having these selfish thoughts. I don’t love him, I don’t think I ever will…”

 

“And then, there’s Sokka. I really like him, and I want to spend time with him, get to know him better, but I can’t because I’m engaged and it would be wrong ,” she looked up, meeting the prince’s gaze; she couldn’t read his expression. “I don’t know what to do, Zuko. I don’t know how to do what’s right, even if it’s hard and goes against my every prospect of happiness.”

 

By the time she was done speaking, there were tears running down her cheeks. She huffed a small laugh when he patted her lightly on the shoulder, transparently uncomfortable with comforting a crying girl. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, carefully considering his words. Yue was content to wait him out, so she led him to a nearby bench to sit on so they would be more comfortable ─ she had a feeling this would take a while.

 

“I’ve always known mine would be an arranged marriage,” he started slowly, seeming unsure of where he was going with that admission. “I was lucky enough that my prospective bride is a good friend. We’d never loved each other romantically, but she was one of my best friends, and we would have been relatively happy together.”

 

“My parent’s marriage was arranged, too. My mother wasn’t a noblewoman, though. She grew up thinking she would marry for love and grow old in her small village, doing what she enjoyed.  My father stole that future away from her when he forced her to marry him. She must have thought she could grow to love him, or maybe it was her feeling of duty to her nation that made her go willingly. Maybe she was just young and afraid that he would catch up to her if she ran away. I guess I’ll never know.”

 

“My father is a horrible man, and he made her miserable. I didn’t see it, growing up; but thinking back on it, she grew sadder each year, an invisible weight dragging her down. She must have been lonely,” Zuko trailed off, sorrow written all over his face. Yue didn’t know what to say.

 

“I’m afraid I’ll do the same to Mai, if I ever go back to the Fire Nation. I’m afraid of trapping her in a loveless marriage and watching her slowly fade away. I don’t have a choice in the matter, but she should. You should.” The vehemence in Zuko’s tone surprised her. For someone who was ready to get married for the sake of his nation, he seemed to have a strong opinion against the concept.

 

“But I’m a princess, whoever I marry will be the next chief. I have a duty to my people,” she said, because Zuko was not giving her the advice she wanted.

 

“Do you think Hahn would make a good chief?” Zuko asked.

 

“My father─”

 

“No,” he interrupted. “I’m not asking what your father thinks. What do you think?”

 

“I─ I don’t know,” Zuko was looking at her with such intensity she found herself telling the truth, rather than the watered down answer she would have given anyone else. “No, I don’t think he would be. But as his wife, I might be able to guide him in the right direction.”

 

“Sometimes,” the prince told her. “What is best for our people is not what our fathers think. You have a duty to your people, yes, but you must do what you think is right for them, not blindly follow some else’s lead. Who will stand up for them, if you don’t? You’re good at this, Yue. You’d make an excellent Chief, and if that’s not possible, I’m sure you’ll make a great advisor. But if whoever you marry will be the next chief, you must choose wisely. Can a man you can’t stand really be a good leader?”

 

Yue stared at Zuko, gobsmacked. It all seemed so obvious when he put it like that. She had promised herself only days ago that she would make her voice heard, and already she was back at being Chief Arnook’s obedient little girl.

 

“So you think I should break off the engagement?”

 

“What I think doesn’t matter, Yue,” Zuko stated. He continued in a more playful tone. “Although, I do believe Sokka would make an excellent leader.”

 

“I─ This isn’t the advice I was looking for, but I think it’s the one I needed. Thank you,” Yue said, trying to convey how much she meant it with her tone.

 

“Anytime,” Zuko replied with a lopsided grin that made something flutter in Yue’s belly. Oh, this boy was trouble .

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Hey guys,” Zuko greeted Katara and Aang when they entered the little house after a long morning of practice. “How is waterbending practice going?”

 

“It’s great!” Aang replied cheerfully. “Katara’s already better than everyone else, there’s nothing better than the look on the other student’s faces when they get beat up by a girl!”

 

“I bet,” Zuko agreed with a laugh. “What about you, learn any cool tricks today?”

 

“Please don’t encourage him, you know how he gets!” Katara sighed, but it was fond. Zuko did know, but it made Aang so happy, he would gladly watch his airbending marble trick a thousand times. The kid’s enthusiasm was absolutely adorable. “Why don’t you make yourself useful and tell Sokka to get back here so we can eat?”

 

“I think he’s with Yue,” Zuko protested, not at all eager to interrupt whatever they were doing. 

 

“I don’t care if he’s hanging out with his girlfriend,” Katara insisted. “Tell him if he’s not here in fifteen minutes, we’re starting without him!”

 

“Fine,” Zuko sighed, bracing himself for whatever he might witness.

 

Zuko blinked, and he was standing on the icy sidewalk, a canal to his left. Thankfully, Sokka and Yue were just chatting amicably.

 

“Sorry to disturb you,” he said with a small wince. “Katara says if you don’t get your ass back at the house in the next quarter hour, she’ll start eating without you.”

 

Before Sokka could answer ─ probably with a horrified screech ─ Yue spoke up.

 

“Zuko? You just appeared out of nowhere!” The princess gasped, eyes wide.

 

For a few seconds that stretched on for eternity, everything was still. No one moved as the three of them just stared at each other. Zuko’s eyes were jumping from Sokka’s gobsmacked expression to Yue’s confused face, his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out.

 

“You can see me?!” Zuko asked, thinking this must be a dream, at the same time Sokka asked “You can see him?!”

 

Yue gawked at them for a second. “Well, yes─ Why wouldn’t I see him, he’s standing right there!”

 

“No, I’m not!” Zuko cried ─ which, yes, he did realise how dumb that sounded. “I’m not actually here.”

 

Sokka pointed at him, nodding vigorously. Yue just tilted her head in confusion, she obviously wasn’t getting it.

 

“Wh─ Why aren’t you saying anything?” she asked, looking right at Zuko.

 

“I… just did?” It came out sounding more like a question, his voice rising at the end.

Yue kept staring at him, brow furrowing.

 

“Oh,” Sokka said, like he’d just realised something. “You can’t hear him, can you?”

 

Oh. Well that explained some things, Zuko thought. He was still left with a whole lot of questions, though ─ like how the fuck was Yue able to see him right now?!

 

“Uhm, no?” Yue answered, looking more confused by the second, her braids swishing as she looked between the two of them.

 

“So you can see him, even though he’s supposed to be invisible to everyone but me, but you can’t hear him. See, this is why I hate all those spirit shenanigans!” Sokka exclaimed, laying out the facts in an orderly fashion like he always did ─ Zuko really didn’t know how he had survived three years without Sokka ─ obviously, he had gotten all the braincells in the divorce.

 

“What do you mean invisible ? Plenty of people see Zuko!”

 

“Uhm, well yes, but─” Sokka stammered. He sighed. “It’s a long story.”

 

“I have plenty of time,” Yue replied, crossing her arms.

 

“We might as well tell her,” Zuko sighed. “Not here, though. I don’t think we should be discussing this in the open. Also, Katara was serious about the food.”

 

“Alright, come with me then,” Sokka told Yue. “We can talk while we eat. I guess it’s time for an official Team Avatar meeting.”





“Right, okay, explaining time!” Sokka explained, halfway through a fairly awkward meal; between Yue looking at once confused and expectant and Aang and Katara exchanging meaningful looks while trying to understand the weird mood the other three were in, the silence had been somewhat uncomfortable. “So, it all started seven years ago, when─”

 

“Sokka,” Zuko interrupted before his friend could expose his childhood trauma. “I don’t think they need all the details, keep it simple.”

 

“Well, if you’re so good at it, why don’t you tell them,” Sokka replied sullenly ─ the glint in his eye betrayed that he was joking, though.

 

“Basically,” Zuko started; he paused, realizing he had no idea how to continue that sentence.

 

“That’s what I thought,” Sokka smirked, picking up the thread. “Zuko and I have this sort of spirit bond that allows us to see and talk to each other from whatever distance, which is something we discovered when we were kids. We’ve been using it ever since ─ we call it ‘visiting’ ─ and became friends, and we basically grew up together. Which is actually funny, when you think about it, because I half grew up in the Fire Nation palace, and Zuko knows how to sail a water tribe boat─”

 

“You’re getting side-tracked again,” Zuko sighed, smiling fondly at him. Sokka had a tendency of telling stories backwards, going on tangents so long he forgot what he’d been talking about ─ Zuko didn’t count the number of times he’d had to remind him of what story he was telling. Not that he minded, it was pretty cute. “Normally, though, no one is able to hear or see us when we’re ‘visiting’. Not before you, anyway.”

 

“Do you know why you’re able to do this?” Yue asked with a frown. “Is it something common in the Fire Nation?”

 

“Not at all,” Zuko said. “We don’t really know, honestly, and we’ve never heard of anyone else in a similar situation, although that may just be because they’re keeping it a secret.”

 

“Actually, there might have been others?” Sokka spoke up again. “Remember that story Gran Gran told us, all those years ago, about Tui and La linking souls─ I don’t remember how the story went but─”

 

“Wait, I think I know that story,” Katara interrupted, a weird look on her face. “It’s the one about the Moon and Ocean spirits creating soulmates, right?”

 

Zuko and Sokka looked at each other. “Yeah, that’s the one!”

 

“So,” Yue edged. “The two of you are soulmates?”

 

“I guess so,” Zuko answered. “Doesn’t explain why you can see me, but not hear me when I’m visiting Sokka…”

 

“Does it even work the other way around,” Sokka asked suddenly, in that ‘I will explain every single thing about the universe with science’ tone he got sometimes. He then immediately ‘visited’ Zuko, and started speaking to Yue.

 

“It’s really weird,” she said. “There’s two of you now. I can’t hear what you’re saying, though.”

 

“Maybe it’s because you and Sokka are… you know,” Aang gestured vaguely between the two of them.

 

“How does that make sense?” Sokka asked incredulously.

 

“I don’t know.” Aang trailed off. “Because the spirits love love?”

 

Zuko huffed a laugh ─ of course that was the conclusion Aang would come to, sweetheart that he was.

 

“But,” Yue interjected, looking sad and resigned. “If what you said is true, I’m in the way of what the spirits want.”

 

Zuko froze, suddenly feeling very exposed. He knew exactly what Yue meant, but Sokka obviously didn’t, and Zuko wasn’t sure he could take his best friend’s reaction to the suggestion.

 

“What do you mean?” Sokka frowned, genuinely confused.

 

Yue’s eyes skipped rapidly from Zuko’s panicked face to Sokka’s oblivious one, and something seemed to dawn on her. “Uhm, nothing, nevermind.”

 

“But─” Sokka spluttered. But Yue wasn’t the one Zuko should have been worried about.

 

“What Yue meant, Sokka, is that the spirits apparently decided Zuko should be your partner, and she’s worried about you guy’s relationship’s future,” Katara explained gently. 

 

Oh Agni, he knew she meant well, but this really was the last thing Zuko wanted to be said aloud right now.

 

“Wh─ WHAT?!” Sokka exclaimed, gesticulating frantically. He quieted down when he saw Zuko’s wince. “Me and Zuko?! What is wrong with you, we’re just friends! Entirely platonic soulmates!”

 

Everyone in the room winced and looked back at Zuko, who had been expecting this, and therefore had time to school his face into a mostly neutral expression. It hurt more than he was willing to admit, to have the boy he’d been in love with for the better part of five years confirm he would never return his feelings. Zuko, of course, had known this, but it still felt like an ice shard lodged in his chest. He swallowed, hard, taking the time to make sure his voice wouldn’t betray him, before speaking.

 

“Sokka’s right,” his voice remained perfectly even ─ guess growing up in the flaming snake pit that was Caldera City paid off. “You have nothing to worry about, Yue.”

 

There were an awkward few seconds of silence as everyone looked from Zuko’s neutral facade to Sokka’s energetic nodding. 

 

“Right,” Yue said, somewhat faintly, and as her icy-blue eyes met Zuko’s, he felt like she could see right through him, all the way to his damaged, bleeding soul. Zuko wrenched his eyes away from hers, unable to bear the compassion and understanding in them. She knew

 

It shouldn’t have felt like such a big deal, to have this one secret exposed, to have one person know ─ it wasn’t even Zuko’s darkest secret ─ but it tore him open nonetheless, leaving him feeling empty and too full of something all at once.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue shot arrow after arrow at the target in front of her, but for once, it did nothing to calm the whirlwind of her thoughts. 

 

She plucked her last arrow from the ground, knocked it back, pulling the string as far as it would go. She took a deep breath, and released it, letting the projectile fly at the tail end of her exhale. It flew fast and true, landing exactly where she’d aimed, completing the circle she’d made around the caribou-yak’s eye. (She’d stopped aiming for the center of the target after splitting an arrow in two with a second one landing in the exact same spot.)

 

As she went to pluck the arrows out of the target, her mind drifted back to the revelations of that day. She didn’t know what to think about all this. First, there was the weird spirit bind between Sokka and Zuko and the strangeness of her being an exception to its rules. But that had mostly become secondary to her, when the other realisation hit her.

 

The two boys were literally destined to be together; and while Sokka seemed convinced there were no romantic feelings involved, Yue knew that wasn’t true. Because Zuko was in love with him.

 

In hindsight, it was so obvious Yue had to mentally slap herself for not realising sooner. It made so much more sense, the way they interacted, the soft look on Zuko’s face when he spoke about Sokka, the way he was always kind of hard and frowny, but his eyes would light up whenever they landed on the other boy. 

 

Sokka, of course, was completely oblivious to his friend’s feelings, or he wouldn’t have been so insensitive in their last conversation. It seemed impossible for him not to know, but Sokka wasn’t cruel ─ Yue winced, remembering the truly horrified face he’d made when his sister had suggested any kind of romance could exist between the two boys.

 

She suspected though, that however heedless, Sokka might return Zuko’s feelings. He cared about him a lot, that much was obvious, but it looked like it could be more than simple friendship. Yue didn’t have that much experience with friendship, but she wasn’t blind. She saw the way Sokka looked at him, like it was both impossible to look away and painful to rest his eyes on the prince. Whenever Zuko was near, his eyes would drift his way, his body angled toward him; like he was rearranging his whole being, a flower turning to the sun.

 

Yue couldn’t even blame him; Zuko was magnetic, to say the least, and she could hardly help herself from being drawn to the prince, too. She was self-aware enough to know she had developed a sort of crush on the Fire Nation national, and she wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that , either.

 

But Sokka and Zuko seemed inevitable, as obvious and unstoppable as the sun setting beneath the waves. Yue’s feelings were just getting in the way of that, and she would be foolish to try and stop it. She would only get her own heart crushed if she tried. She didn’t even want to. Despite her own hurt and disappointment, she was kind of rooting for them. (Maybe, she admitted quietly to herself, that was because she was a little bit in love with them both.)

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue stopped hanging out with Sokka after that. He was kind of hurt, but also really confused. Was being so weird just a girl thing? ─ wait no, Suki would kick his ass for that thought. He really didn’t understand what the problem was, though. She liked him, he liked her. Why did it have to be any more complicated than that? At first, she’d been reluctant because she was engaged to someone else ─ which, okay, that made sense ─ but then she’d decided, kind of out of nowhere, that it wasn’t an issue anymore ─ Sokka had yet to find out more, so far all he’d gotten about her change of heart was ‘someone very wise for his years gave me good advice’, which was mysterious to say the least. Her newest issue, however, was much more perplexing: she “didn’t want to get in the way of fate”. 

 

That was ridiculous! Yue wasn’t getting in the way of anything! He’d told her ─ multiple times ─ that there was nothing between him and Zuko, and there never would be. Sure, they were friends, and Sokka wasn’t about to ever let him go, but the way he felt about the prince was completely different from how he felt about Yue.

 

There was just no comparing the two, like sea prunes and lychee nuts! It was silly to even try.

 

He loved Yue because she was beautiful and smart and funny and her laugh sounded like cascading water. His feelings for her were straightforward, clear as day. He’d fallen for her at first sight, and still hadn’t reached the bottom. Being with her was easy, simple, obvious ─ yes, despite her strange behaviour.

 

Now Zuko, that was another matter entirely. Everything he felt for him was tangled, intrinsically linked to the war and the Fire Nation, his own prejudice and how he’d changed his mind on so many things. It was hatred of his family, as well as a fierce desire to protect Zuko from further harm. It was all the times he had felt crippling helplessness, watching him get hurt again and again, unable to do anything . Zuko represented his feelings of inadequacy as much as he was the only person who could reassure him that he was, in fact, worthwhile, not despite being a nonbender, but because of it .

 

Thinking about it, Zuko was a part of every aspect of his life. He’d been the center of his universe once, and while that wasn’t the case anymore, Zuko was still a huge part of him. Even when they didn’t ‘visit’ anymore, Zuko had still been everywhere .

 

Sokka knew Zuko better perhaps, than he knew himself, and the opposite was true as well. The two of them hardly even needed words anymore. It felt like Zuko always knew what he was thinking without having to ever say it. This bone-deep understanding came from years of growing up together, but it wasn’t only that ─ otherwise he would feel the same about Katara, and he definitely didn’t. 

 

Zuko and Sokka were similar, in some ways; they were complete opposites in others. They were fire and ice, steel against steel. It was symbolic, but not only. It was reflected in the way they moved around each other, each motion coordinated like they were fighting, or dancing. A sort of push and pull that─ wait.

 

Oh.

 

Shit.

 

He was in love with Zuko.

 

Sokka didn’t get the time to process this mind-chattering realisation. All he could do was stare helplessly at the sky, dread pooling in his gut.

 

All around him, black snow was falling, graceful harbingers of doom.

Chapter 6: The Siege of the North

Chapter Text

“The day we have feared for so long has arrived,” Chief Arnook declared. “The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness that I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts.”

 

“Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits─” Arnook raised his arms to the sky, fervent and grave─ “Spirit of the Ocean, Spirit of the Moon, be with us!”

 

The assembled tribesmen repeated his plea to the spirits. After the noise died down, Arnook lowered his arms and turned back to the crowd. His features were set into a serious frown ─ it was clear the more practical part of the assembly was about to start.

 

“I am going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission,” the Chief continued.

 

Sokka was the first to stand up. When his father had left for war, he’d been too young to follow. He was old enough now, and he refused to be left out again. 

 

“Count me in!” Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zuko move to do the same, but he pushed him down with a hand on his shoulder. “No. One of us needs to stay to protect Aang and Katara. There’s no one I trust more than you,” he whispered. He knew Zuko wanted to argue, but the fight seemed to go out of him, and he merely nodded, wearily. Relief washed over him ─ he had meant what he said about protecting Aang and Katara, but that wasn’t the only reason he wanted Zuko out of this mission. The further away from the fighting the prince would be, the better. Sokka knew the idea of fighting against his own people must already be tearing him apart with guilt. At least this way he would both be safe and preserved from the worst of the battle. 

 

“Be warned─ many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task,” Arnook continued as more warriors stood up.

 

Sokka made his way to the raised dais at the front of the room and bowed his head as Chief Arnook drew three lines in red paint on his forehead. He only glanced back at Yue once as he left. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko watched as the first trebuchet shots were fired at the ice wall protecting Agna Quel’a. It fractured and broke, huge chunks of ice falling into the sea. There was nothing he could do about it. He hated feeling so helpless.

 

Black snow fell from the sky, and Zuko was reminded of the first time he had seen soot covering icy shores. There was nothing he could have done then, but he wouldn’t be a useless witness to his nation’s atrocities ever again.

 

He didn’t want to fight the soldiers on these ships. They might be the enemy, but they were still his people. He should be protecting them, not swinging at them with his dao and his fire.

 

Zuko closed his eyes, and prayed to all the spirits he knew to save some mercy for his people.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Men, you will be infiltrating the Fire Nation Navy. That means you all need one of these uniforms,” Chief Arnook explained. On cue, a young warrior emerged from a doorway in  red and black armor. Sokka burst out laughing at the sight of the proud teen. He covered his mouth with a hand when everyone turned to stare at him.

 

“What’s your problem?” the boy barked ─ and wow, okay, he already sounded like an asshole.

 

“Fire Navy uniforms don’t look like that,” Sokka explained patiently. Next to him, Zuko was still laughing his ass off, the invisible jerk.

 

“Of course they do,” the other guy said, apparently convinced he knew better than everyone. “These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers.”

 

“Sorry to break it to you, but those uniforms have been out of commission for the last eighty years.” Zuko’s ridiculous history lessons about uniforms and fashion in the Fire Nation were finally paying off ─ Sokka would have to apologize to Master Taikutsuna, for all the times he’d distracted the prince during his lessons by telling him they were useless. “The Fire Nation doesn’t wear shoulder spikes anymore. The newer uniforms are more streamlined.”

 

“How do we know we can trust this guy?” Jerkface bristled. “Such bold talk for a new recruit.”

 

If the guy was trying to be intimidating, he was failing spectacularly, Sokka could take that idiot anytime.

 

“Bold talk for a teenager who’s never left the North Pole,” Zuko sneered. Sokka certainly agreed with the sentiment, but he kept his mouth shut.

 

“Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn,” Arnook said ─ ha, so the guy had a name. “He is a capable warrior and I value his input.”

 

Sokka shot a smug look at Hahn before turning back to the Chief.

 

“Now, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer.”

 

“His name is Zhao,” Sokka interrupted. “Middle-aged, big sideburns, bigger temper.”

 

“Actually, he was likely promoted to Admiral if he’s able to coordinate such a large-scale attack,” Zuko added. 

 

“Sokka, I want you to tell Hahn everything you know. He’s leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law,” Arnook commanded.

 

Sokka’s jaw dropped.

 

“Now I get why Yue didn’t want to marry the guy, he’s an idiot as well as a narcissist jerk,” Zuko commented wryly. “Think Arnook is making him lead a suicide mission in hopes he doesn’t come back? Or is he just hoping by the time he retires his grandchildren will be old enough to lead the tribe?”

 

“Princess Yue is marrying you ?” Sokka decided to ignore Zuko’s grim wonderings to focus on the more important point.

 

“Yeah, what of it?”

 

“Nothing,” Sokka said, turning away. “Congratulations.”

 

He had never meant the words less, but now was probably not the time to fight the guy over Yue’s hand ─ not that she had any interest in marrying Sokka either. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

A barrage of fireballs kept raining down on the city. Thankfully the fleet was still far enough away that a lot of them went wide, but the trebuchet’s aim got better the closer they sailed. The wall wouldn’t resist much longer...

 

Master Pakku and his students were using waterbending to intercept the projectiles while Zuko did his best to put them out. He couldn’t bend the shots out of the air, but he could at least make the waterbenders’ jobs easier by taking care of the ‘flaming’ part of the problem. That way their vision wasn’t obscured by clouds of steam that hid the next boulder.

 

It wasn’t enough, but it was all he could do for now. 

 

Aang was in the air, closer to the fleet and doing his best to disable the trebuchets, but it seemed impossible for him to get them all. He was only one child, after all. From where Zuko was standing, he appeared as nothing more than an orange dot against clouds dark with soot. Zuko wondered if he would have to watch as his countrymen raided the Water Tribe once more. Could he really make a difference this time? He thought back on the last attack he had witnessed, and the sick guilt surging in his gut seemed to say “no”. He’d chased Zhao off of Kyoshi Island, but at what cost? He didn’t know if he was willing to pay that price again. 

 

The attack stopped as suddenly as it had started. After the chaos of the afternoon, the silence was deafening. For a moment, Zuko thought the fleet was retreating, but he quickly understood it for what it was. Waterbenders drew their power from the moon─ they were simply staying the attack until daybreak when their firebenders would be at their strongest. Zhao wasn’t stupid enough to attack the north’s stronghold when the moon was nearly full ─ not at night, anyway.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“They stopped firing,” Yue remarked, looking at the dreadful fleet on the ocean before her, the setting sun setting the sea alight. It looked like it was on fire.

 

She was distracted from bad omens by the sight of the Avatar’s bison landing below the platform she and Katara were standing on.

 

“Aang!” Katara yelled, running toward him.

 

Bison and airbender both slumped as they touched ground, looking defeated. 

 

“I can’t do it. I can’t do it,” Aang repeated, his head held between both hands.

 

“What happened?” Katara asked, concerned.

 

“I must’ve taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships,” he said. “but there’s just too many of them. I can’t fight them all!”

 

“But you have to,” Yue pleaded. “You’re the Avatar.”

 

If you don’t help us, we’re all going to die , she didn’t say. Yue had been holed up in council meetings for most of the day, she’d seen the numbers. They couldn’t win. They just didn’t have the striking power to keep the Fire Nation at bay. Things might have been different if their women were trained to fight, she thought bitterly, but as it was they didn’t stand a chance. Evacuation plans had already been put in motion, as Agna Quel’a’s downfall was a question of when , not if .

 

“I’m just one kid,” the Avatar said regretfully. Yue closed her eyes. Of course he was, being the Avatar didn’t change the fact he was only twelve years old. The fate of the world that had been thrust upon his shoulders was much too great for him to bear.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Let me tell you, Sokka,” Hahn said as they sharpened their weapons. “I’ve courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest, and she comes with the most perks.”

 

Perks?! What does that mean?” Sokka shrieked, face contorting in anger and outrage. He couldn't believe the gall of this guy! He was lucky enough that he got to marry Yue, and this was how he talked about her?!

 

“I mean, Yue’s nice and everything, but the points I’ll gain with the Chief aren’t bad either.”

 

“Princess Yue is wasted on a self-absorbed weasel like you!” Sokka growled.

 

“Hang on. What do you care? You’re just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe,” the other warrior sneered. “What would you know of the political complexities of our life? No offense.”

 

Oh Sokka knew plenty about the complexities of political life, thank you very much. He’d been in the Firelord’s court! But he didn’t think about any of that as he tackled Hahn with an angry yell.

 

They rolled on the ground in a mess of elbows and knees, each trying to gain the upper hand, grabbing and pulling with more rage than skill. Sokka managed to pin Hahn beneath himself.

 

“You’re just a jerk without a soul! No offense!” Sokka snarled, pulling back his arm to punch him in his stupid face. Before he could, though, Hahn had flipped them over, and they went back to rolling across the room.

 

“That’s enough!” Arnook ordered, pulling them up and apart by their anoraks’ collars. “Sokka, you’re off the mission!”

 

The Chief was gone before he had time to protest. Hahn brushed himself off, smug smirk firmly back in his lips.

 

“All right. Fall in, men. Everybody listen to what I say, and we’ll take out this Admiral Cho in no time.”

 

“It’s Admiral Zhao !” Sokka yelled out after him.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“The legend says the Moon was the first waterbender,” Yue recounted, looking up at the sky. “Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves.”

 

“I’ve always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night,” Katara mused. Yue was’t a waterbender, but she thought she understood the feeling. She felt more alive when the moon shone in the sky, like all her senses became sharper.

 

“Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon. Our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance,” she explained. 

 

“The Spirits!” Aang exclaimed, Momo chirping at him. “Maybe I can find them and get their help.”

 

“How can you do that?” Yue wondered. She may have been blessed by Tui at birth, but even she couldn't communicate with the spirits of her tribe.

 

“The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World,” Zuko explained.

 

“Aang can talk to them,” Katara finished, putting a gentle arm around the young airbender’s shoulders.

 

“Maybe they’ll give you the wisdom to win this battle,” Yue enthused.

 

“Or maybe they’ll unleash a crazy, amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!”

 

“Sure, that sounds likely,” Zuko deadpanned, dousing Aang’s enthusiasm. 

 

“Or wisdom, that’s good too.”

 

“The only problem is, the last time you got to the Spirit World by accident,” Katara interjected. “How are you gonna get there this time?”

 

“I have an idea,” Yue suggested. “Follow me.”




“So is this the way to the Spirit World?” Aang asked. They had stopped in a small courtyard, in front of a low wooden door.

 

“No,” Yue answered with a laugh. “You’ll have to get there on your own, but I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole.”

 

Yue opened the door with a proud smile. Aang had to bend down to enter, which prompted Momo to wrap himself around Katara's head with a chitter, clearly unhappy to have been so rudely dislodged.

 

They all entered into the oasis to the sound of Aang’s awed laughter. Yue smiled ─ this was one of her favourite places in the city. The oasis was so peaceful, and its warm atmosphere resonated with something deep within her ─ she assumed it had something to do with the Moon Spirit’s blessing. 

 

It took her a moment to realise Zuko hadn’t followed them inside. 

 

“Zuko?” she asked. “What is it?”

 

“This is a sacred space,” the firebender whispered, eyes downcast. “I have no right to be here while my people lay siege to your home.”

 

Oh. Of course. Yue gave him a sad little smile; this must be terribly hard for him, struggling between doing what was right and protecting his people ─ she couldn’t imagine how he felt.

 

“If you don’t feel comfortable coming in, you don't have to,” she said softly. “But you are welcome; the spirits, in their great wisdom, know this isn’t your fault, they wouldn’t blame you simply for being Fire Nation; what matters are your actions, not your origins.”

 

Her words, meant to be comforting, seemed to have the opposite effect on the prince, who recoiled like he’d been burned. She wanted to reach out and hug him, but Yue had a feeling the gesture wouldn’t be received well. “In your own time,” she said instead, and turned to join her friends at the center of the oasis.

 

“I never thought I’d miss grass this much,” the Avatar was saying.

 

“It’s so warm here,” Katara added. “How is that possible?”

 

“It’s the center of all spiritual energy in our land,” Yue explained, strangely entranced by the dance of the black and white koi swimming in the pond.

 

She glared at Momo when the little lemur tried to catch the fish; the animal looked back at her and Katara guiltily, big ears drooping, before sauntering away.

 

“All right,” Aang declared, dropping into a meditative stance. “I can feel… something. It’s so… tranquil.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Is something wrong, Sokka?” Chief Arnook asked, in the relative silence of the empty armory.

 

“Oh, no," he snarked, not looking up from his task. “Hahn’s out there on the top-secret mission, while I’m here sharpening my boomerang. Everything’s fine. ”

 

“Listen to me,” Arnook said. “I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you.”

 

“What, you want me to scrub the barracks?”

 

“I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue.”

 

Oh. Alright, he had Sokka’s attention. He stood up, still a little confused. He thought back about what Zuko had said earlier, about Arnook’s intentions toward Hahn, and couldn’t help but wonder if his friend had been right.

 

“Sure. That wouldn’t be too hard.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Why is he sitting like that,” Yue whispered to Katara. They were both observing Aang, who was sitting facing the pond, and hadn’t moved for the better part of an hour.

 

“He’s meditating, trying to cross over into the Spirit World,” Katara explained. “It takes all his concentration.”

 

“Is there any way we can help?” Yue inquired.

 

“How about some quiet?!” Aang exclaimed, apparently reaching the end of his fuse. “Come on, guys, I can hear every word you’re saying!”

 

“For a monk, you’re not very good at meditation,” Zuko remarked, cracking one eye open from where he had been meditating a little ways away. “You should try focusing on something if you’re having trouble concentrating. How about those circling koi?”

 

“Thanks, Zuko,” Aang gritted out, very mildly glaring in his direction. Zuko was unimpressed ─ the kid was not very good at glaring either, it seemed.

 

“Is he okay?” Yue exclaimed after a while. Zuko opened his eyes to see that the Avatar’s tattoos and eyes had started glowing.

 

“He’s crossing into the Spirit World,” Katara explained soothingly. “He’ll be fine, as long as we don’t move his body. That’s his way back to the physical world.”

 

“Maybe we should get some help,” Yue worried.

 

“No, he’s my friend. I’m perfectly capable of protecting him.”




They spent the night watching over Aang, who didn’t stir once. When the first rays of the sun shone, Zuko rose from his stance. He wasn’t as well rested as if he’d had a full night of sleep, but then again, that hadn’t happened in years, so. 

 

“The attacks are going to start again soon,” he announced. “I’m going back to help defend the city. Sokka’ll be here with Appa soon; apparently Chief Arnook asked him to guard you, Yue.”

 

As if on cue, the Avatar’s flying bison landed on the grass next to them.

 

“Great,” Yue said, looking alarmingly determined. “Then Sokka can take us both back to the front lines.”

 

What ?” Sokka spluttered. “No way! I’m supposed to be protecting you, not bringing you into danger!”

 

“I can fight, and I will protect my city and my tribe alongside my people, with or without you” Yue declared. “If you want to keep your promise, you had better come along.”

 

Zuko shook his head at Sokka, clasping his shoulder; he knew from experience there was no arguing with a determined princess.

 

“I’ll stay to watch over Aang,” Katara said. “Be safe, you three.”

 

They exchanged solemn nods and climbed into Appa’s saddle, ready to head into battle.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Ships collided with the wall of Agna Quel’a, soldiers with spears pouring out of their hold with a war cry.

 

Sokka, face paint on and club in hand, his boomerang securely strapped to his back, looked behind himself at the northern warriors, and further behind at Yue, who looked more beautiful than ever with her own war paint on, bow in hand. Zuko was on his right, dao drawn. He felt a surge of warmth, looking at them both. He was heading into battle, facing an army that outnumbered them, but he wasn’t alone. He knew, without a doubt, that his friends had his back. All they had to do was hold out long enough for Aang to win the battle with his spirit wisdom.

 

The first soldiers reached them, and Sokka didn’t have any more time to think. His whole world narrowed down to the five meters around him and Zuko. They fought in sync, reading the other’s movement better than any words.

 

Sokka ducked under one spear, by the time he straightened up on the soldier's other side, the man was only holding a stick, his weapon cut in half by one strike of Zuko’s dao. Sokka swung his club at the man’s head, and he fell limply to the ground.

 

He swung around, blocking a strike to his head, and the man crumpled like dead weight as an arrow to the center of his helmet knocked him clean out. 

 

He saw someone come at Zuko from his blindspot, and tackled the soldier before she could strike. They wrestled on the ground for a few moments, but Sokka easily gained the upper hand as the woman was encumbered by her spear and heavy armor.

 

Next to him, Zuko was a whirlwind of metal, cutting down spears and blocking the occasional burst of flame. There was a pile of unconscious bodies forming around him. Around them both, arrows were flying at an impressive pace, expertly aimed to incapacitate rather than kill ─ he’d have to remember not to get on Yue’s bad side.

 

Sokka’s momentary distraction almost got him impaled, but fire came down on the soldier in a scything ark, effectively giving Sokka the opening he needed to take him down.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko had lost all notion of time, all his concentration on the battle around him. He focused on swinging his dual dao and firebending, keeping an eye on Sokka as much as possible. He was incredibly grateful for his friend's presence at his side, protecting his blind side for him. Zuko kept the firebenders at bay in exchange, making sure to block their flames before they reached the tribesmen. The attackers the two of them missed, Yue took down from her perch further away.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue had the advantage of an all encompassing view of the battlefield. She focused on where Zuko and Sokka were fighting, making sure no one slipped through their guard.

 

She’d seen Zuko train before, and she’d known Sokka was a warrior, but seeing them in an actual fight was not quite the same. The two of them were incredible. They moved together like they were two bodies animated by the same mind, each motion completing the other’s moves. They reminded her of the koi fish at the Spirit Oasis, forever circling each other; push and pull.

 

The growing pile of unconscious soldiers around them was truly impressive; they were much more efficient than most of the combattants around her ─ all sides combined. 




Finally, after several long hours of fighting ─ Yue had run out of arrows many times in the interval, and been forced to resupply ─ the Fire Nation called for retreat as the sun started to set.

 

They were immensely lucky that at this time of year, nights were longer than days; Yue didn’t think they would have held out much longer otherwise. She could see the warriors tiring, Sokka and Zuko in particular. She hoped that by the time the sun rose again, the Avatar would have a solution to win. 

 

Agna Quel’a would not resist another day of open battle. Even if they could heal all the injured warriors and send them back into the fray the following day, they had already suffered significant losses. And the Fire Nation obviously didn’t need to care about their own injured, as they still had dozens of ships’ worth of fresh soldiers to throw at them.

 

It seemed that Yue had tempted the universe, because as the foot soldiers retreated, the tanks came out, along with leagues of firebenders. They took down wall after wall, forcing the warriors to retreat.

 

The Fire Nation forced them to fight within the city itself, between evacuated homes and canals.

 

Sokka and Zuko ran back to her as the warriors scattered in a last minute strategy change. Now was not the time for open battle anymore. The three of them climbed on Appa and took flight, surveying the fighting below.

 

The full moon gave the waterbenders more power, allowing them to hold their own against their attackers. The warriors had been relegated to carrying the wounded away while benders covered their retreat.

 

“I can’t aim in the dark!” Yue cried, not knowing how to help.

 

“And I can’t fight tanks,” Sokka added gravely. “You’re the only one of us that can still help, Zuko.”

 

“With the full moon, they don’t need me,” Zuko shook his head. “I’m more worried about what Zhao is doing there. It’s not his type to fight on the front line; he’s planning something.”

 

Yue looked in the direction he was pointing and─

 

“The Spirit Oasis!”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

They were too late. Katara was fighting off two dozen firebenders, struggling to keep Aang protected on all sides. Sokka was worried about her, of course he was, but he knew she could hold her own. Besides, this wasn’t the most pressing issue.

 

Seconds before Appa landed, the world turned red. Sokka looked up, confused, only to see the moon turning blood-red before his very eyes. Katara’s water fell, like she had lost all control over it. What was happening ?

 

“I am a legend now,” Zhao announced, brandishing a burlap bag, something wiggling inside. “The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the Moon. They will call me Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Moon Slayer, Zhao the Invincible!”

 

Okay, great, so the guy was crazy, that was just awesome.

 

“The koi,” Yue whispered, horror written plainly on her face. “It’s the Moon Spirit’s mortal form. If he kills it─”

 

Oh. Oh . They were so, so fucked. And there was nothing they could do to stop Zhao, not when he was still holding the spirit hostage, not without risking, like, the end of the world or something. Did he not realise the Fire Nation needed the Moon, too?

 

His dramatic display was somewhat hindered by a vindictive Momo landing on his head and pulling at his uggly sideburns.

 

“Get it off!” he shouted, batting his hands at the lemur.

 

Momo did eventually fly off, landing on Aang’s arm who... had apparently woken up from his Spirit World adventure, and was now standing next to Sokka ─ how had he even missed that? ─ and this discovery prompted him to take stock of his other friend’s locations. Katara was being held captive by two firebenders, having lost her own bending along with the Moon’s capture. Yue was standing on Sokka’s other side. Zuko was─ Zuko was nowhere to be seen. Great, that was just great, where had he disappeared off to─ Ha! There! He was slowly creeping along the glacier cliff, getting around Zhao and his firebenders, presumably to rescue Katara at the most opportune occasion.

They all took fighting stances as both sides faced off.

 

“Don’t bother,” Zhao sneered, and held his fist in front of the koi-containing bag, in a clear threat to blast it off. They all dropped their weapons.

 

“Zhao! Don’t,” Aang cried, distressed.

 

“It’s my destiny... to destroy the Moon and the Water Tribe.”

 

“Destroying the Moon won’t just hurt the Water Tribe,” Aang tried to reason with him ─ which was useless in Sokka’s opinion, but if they could distract Zhao long enough for Zuko to get the bag from him… “It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the Moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea how much chaos that would unleash in the world.”

 

“He is right, Zhao,” Yue said, storm clouds gathering in her eyes.

 

“Who are you ?” Zhao sneered, but he seemed a little wary nonetheless.

 

“The Fire Nation needs the Moon, too, you know,” the princess added idly. “We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit will be unleashed on you and your nation tenfold! Do you really think you can kill a Great Spirit and get away with it? The Sun’s own sister?  Let it go, now!”

 

Sokka was weirdly comforted by this nonsense talk of spirits ─ well, okay, it didn’t sound like nonsense when Yue said it, but still. Zhao held her gaze for a long moment, but eventually lost the stare off, bending down to release the fish. Around them, the world returned to its natural colors. Sokka released a relieved sigh, happy to see the admiral wasn’t as stupid as he seemed.

 

But Zhao’s apparent surrender had been nothing but a ruse. With a yell, he unleashed a great burst of fire.

 

It never reached the water, as Zuko threw himself in front of it.

 

For the second time in three years, Sokka screamed as Zuko burned.




Sokka couldn’t believe this was happening again. He’d failed to protect Zuko twice . And now he was─ he was─ No! No, no no, Sokka would not accept that he’d died. Zuko would be okay, Katara could heal him. He’d survived the first time, and he would survive again.

 

He barely registered the fighting around him as he dived for his best friend’s limp body. It was─ It was bad , much, much worse than the burn on his face. His whole torso was burned and charred. Bits of skin flayed off as Sokka moved him to the side, away from the fighting. 

 

But Zuko was still breathing, if labourosly, so that had to count for something. It had to. Sokka flinched back as a small burst of steam rose from Zuko’s chest, before he realised it was his own tears evaporating on contact with the firebender’s skin.

 

That was─ Oh Tui and La, he was still burning , under the first layer of red and black skin. Sokka was sobbing uncontrollably, feeling more helpless than ever. If only he was a waterbender, then he could help him.

 

“KATARA!” he screamed, trying to be overheard in the middle of the shouts of fighters.

 

“I’m here, Sokka, I’m here,” his sister reassured him, kneeling next to Zuko. “It’s gonna be okay, I promise.”

 

Sokka didn’t have the mental capacity to say anything to that, as he reached desperately for a connection that wasn’t there anymore. No no no no no no , this couldn’t be happening again .

 

Katara’s hands started glowing as she hovered them over Zuko’s wound.

 

Sokka was too out of it to really register what was happening around him, incapable of looking anywhere but Zuko’s face. “Please don’t leave me,” he sobbed, not caring who heard. “Not again, I can't do this without you, Sunshine. You’re not allowed to die, the world needs you, I need you.”

 

His sister took her hands off Zuko, releasing the water back into the pond.

 

“Wha- What are you doing? He’s not healed yet!” Sokka half said, half screeched; something dark and frantic clawing at his insides.

 

“I’m so sorry, Sokka,” Katara whispered, looking defeated.

 

“No. No no no, Katara you have to heal him. Please, you can’t let him die,” he begged, more desperate than he had ever been in his life.

 

“I’m sorry,” she shook her head, tears falling down her face. “There’s nothing more I can do, he’s too far gone.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue watched in horror, tears streaming down her face as Sokka crumbled before her eyes. Sobbing, screaming and kicking as his sister held him down. It was the most awful thing she had ever seen. She hadn’t even known someone could feel such visceral pain. She wanted to throw up.

 

Yue sobbed harder, sinking to her knees, as everyone around her fell prey to their grief. Sokka had stopped struggling, and was now clinging to his sister’s clothes, shaking from the force of the sobs wracking his body.

 

He didn’t see Aang’s tattoos start glowing as he entered the Avatar State, nor did he see the Ocean Spirit use him as a vessel and descend on the city. Yue witnessed both in terrified wonder as the Great Spirit avenged the boy who had given his life to save the Moon’s.

 

She was blinded by a sudden burst of light that lit the whole city as if in full daylight.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko was─ Zuko was not in pain. It was the first thing he noticed as he opened his eyes. The second was that he was absolutely not where he’d been a second ago.

 

The landscape around him was sort of… Backwards? No, more inside-out . The colour scheme was just kinda wrong, with the sky a color that could only be described as muddy.

 

...He was dead, wasn’t he? That didn’t make sense, since the last thing he remembered was throwing himself in front of a deadly burst of fire─ 

 

Oh. He resisted the urge to facepalm, but only barely. He couldn’t believe Zhao, of all people, had killed him; it was truly undignified.

 

Zuko hoped his sacrifice had allowed his friends to defeat the bastard. At least he got to die for something that mattered; his life had been worthless, but his death would save his people. It wasn’t quite enough, they weren’t free from Ozai yet, but he’d have to trust Sokka and Aang and Katara to take care of that. The family he’d chosen, defeating the one he’d betrayed.

 

He felt weirdly little about his own death. He couldn’t say he was relieved, or that he’d ever truly wanted to die, but he wasn’t sad about it either. Zuko felt at peace, for the first time in his life. There were no conflicting emotions or duties, no threats, no nothing .

 

It felt like falling, that strange in-between moment when you’re hurtling toward the ground but it feels more like weightlessness, like flying. Zuko felt like he was suspended in mid-air, like gravity had no hold on him anymore.

 

He wondered what he was supposed to do, now. There was no one around to guide him through the afterlife, and he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. Maybe he could just… wander around for all of eternity? That didn’t feel as boring or depressing as it would have when he was alive. Time didn’t seem relevant anymore, like each second was the flap of a dragonfly’s wings and a thousand years at once. 

 

Time simply didn’t exist here, he realised; past and present and future were one and the same. All possible outcomes met in this place, as did all the souls of the dead (or were they not yet born?).

 

“Hi papa,” an old woman in Firelord robes greated him. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

 

Zuko had never met her. Zuko had held her in his arms the day she was born, and held her hand on his own deathbed.

 

“Izumi,” he said, like he’d said this stranger’s name a thousand times before. “How are you here?”

 

“Time is an illusion, and so is death,” Izumi said. “Follow me.” 

 

Zuko did.

 

They stopped in a field of fire lilies, one step or a thousand miles away.

 

A dragon was coiled at its center, shimmering scales in all the shades of dragon fire. Zuko bowed before the Sun Spirit.

 

“You saved my sister’s mortal form,” the dragon said, eyes the same shade of gold as his own pinning him in place. “It was not your sacrifice to make, nor your fate to accomplish.”

 

“In another life, I would have made a different choice,” Zuko replied, and knew it to be true.

 

“All this time, and humans still surprise me, from time to time,” the Sun Spirit mused, circling Zuko. “It is not your time yet, little one. You cannot rest before you have completed your destiny in the mortal plane.“

 

“I understand,” Zuko said, because he could see the past and the present and the future melted in one.


Wake up ,” the dragon hissed, voice of crackling embers booming like thunder in the flower field.

Chapter 7: Secret Tunnel

Summary:

Previously: The Siege of the North happened, Zhao (in usual Zhao fashion) tried to kill the Moon Spirit. To the relief of all, Zuko managed to stop him - at the cost of his own life! The good news is, Yue is still alive by the end of the siege, and Zhao is defeated. But since I'm not actually that cruel, an intervention from the spirits brings Zuko back from the brink of death!

Chapter Text

“Father?” Yue asked, knocking on the door to Chief Arnook’s study. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

 

“Please come in,” he answered with a warm smile. “Was there something you wanted to tell me?”

 

Yue took a deep, steadying breath, bracing herself for the conversation to come. 

 

“There is. The Avatar and his companions are leaving tomorrow, now that Prince Zuko has recovered enough to travel,” she started, keeping her expression carefully neutral. It had been almost two weeks since the Sun and Ocean Spirits’ miraculous intervention had saved Zuko’s life and the city, respectively. 

 

Yue still had nightmares about the siege, the worst of which featured Sokka’s broken sobs over the prince’s charred body. After that blinding burst of light ─ it was visible in the whole North Pole, Yue had learned later ─ there had been nothing left of Zuko’s injury but a tattoo-like mark in the center of his chest depicting a dragon in shades of fire and Northern Lights, curling around a full moon. 

 

The firebender hadn’t woken up for another week after that. Sokka had refused to leave his bedside, only sleeping or eating when his sister forced him to. It had been a difficult time for everyone on Team Avatar. Yue hadn’t been able to help them through any of it ─ not that she would have been much use, struggling as she was with her own emotions ─ she was too busy organising the reconstruction of the city. 

 

She realised she’d paused for too long, lost in thought, when her father cleared his throat encouragingly.

 

“Yes, I was apprised of their intentions,” he prodded, brow furrowed. She could see in his eyes he wasn’t as oblivious as to what she was getting to as he was pretending to be.

 

“I intend to leave with them. It is high time for our tribe to stop cowering behind walls of ice, and start doing its part in putting an end to the war.” She continued to speak, raising her voice over her father’s spluttered protests. “As a princess and the future Chief, it will benefit me to see some of the world and earn some experience. Do not try to stop me; it would only hurt both of us.”

 

“Pakku and some of our waterbenders are already going south to assist our sister tribe. There is no need to put you in harm’s way,” her father said reasonably. “If you want to travel the world, there will be ample occasions after the end of the war.”

 

She saw her father's jaw twitch, and she knew he was choosing not to argue her status as the future Chief. She knew he wanted to, and was grateful he hadn't shut her down immediately ─ it meant there was some hope for the future. She still had to push down the hurt and anger simmering in her gut before resuming. 

 

“I need to do my part to make sure that happens, that our tribe has a future to speak of,” Yue stated, looking her father in the eyes. She refused to bend on this matter. She was leaving with the Avatar, whether her father gave his blessing to the endeavor or not.

 

“And what do you hope to accomplish, a sheltered nonbender girl, among the Avatar and master benders?” her father scoffed. “You would only be in the way, or get injured. No, you will stay here and honor your duty to our people.”

 

Yue had never been quick to anger, but her father’s words filled her with inexplicable rage. It was years of pent up frustration coalescing into a burning, clawing thing inside her chest, trying to free itself from her ribcage. She let it, because she was tired of being underestimated and overlooked. She was tired of being a good little girl that never argued and let her father make her choices for her.

 

“I’m a better archer than half the warriors of the tribe!” she yelled. “And I’m done being treated like a stupid little girl who’s opinions are only valid if they align with yours! I’m more than a bargaining chip you can marry away and control! I’m leaving whether you like it or not, because that is my duty to our people!”

 

She was panting by the end of her tirade, but the weight she felt off her shoulders was worth it. She lightened the load some more as she ripped the engagement necklace from her throat, and threw it at her father. 

 

Yue knew it was petty and childish, but it still felt good to slam the door on her way out. 



  • ^∆^•

 

It had been weeks, but Sokka still couldn’t take his eyes off Zuko. He was terrified that if he let him out of his sight, reality would catch up to them, and his friend would be dead again, limp and lifeless in his arms.

 

Intellectually, he knew Zuko really had been healed by the spirits. He knew he was out of danger, but he couldn’t get the image of his dead body out of his mind. Zuko had just smiled fondly at him, at first, gently teasing, but he was starting to get annoyed, Sokka could tell. He supposed it made sense ─ he wouldn’t appreciate having someone constantly shadowing his steps either, after all. In the last few days, while they sailed across the sea from Agna Quel’a to the Earth Kingdom, Sokka had downgraded to keeping an eye on Zuko in spirit form only, which his friend wasn’t nearly as grateful about as he should be. But his father had once said the best compromises were the ones neither party were happy about, so this worked.

 

Unfortunately, rationality did nothing to assuage the constant taste of bile in the back of his mouth that made it hard to eat. It did nothing for the terror that overtook him when he fell asleep and didn’t immediately see Zuko upon waking. He’d always prided himself in favoring logic over emotions, but he’d also rarely felt emotions quite this strong before. There had been a single occurrence in the past ─ it couldn’t be helped, when one grew up in the middle of a century-long war. The first time had been after the raid that killed his mother. He should have been terrified while it was occuring, but really it hadn’t hit him until some days after. He’d woken from a nightmare one day in a fit of blind panic that hardly let him recognise where he was. He’d scratched red gouges into his father’s face when he’d tried to reassure him.

 

It was now time for them to separate from Pakku and his waterbenders, so they’d soon be back to travelling on Appa’s back, which would force proximity anyway. He hoped it would be enough to make him feel at least a little bit better. 

 

It really was starting to get crowded up there, with five people in the saddle. Sokka hoped no one else would be added to their little group, or they’d really have a problem. That was probably too much to ask for though...

 

“Katara, I would like to give you this,” Pakku said as they were preparing to leave, holding a small vial. “This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis. The water has unique properties. Use it wisely.”

 

“Thank you Master Pakku,” Katara said, giving the old man a quick hug.

 

“Aang, these scrolls will help you master waterbending. But remember, there’s no substitute for a real master.”

 

Aang bowed before joining Katara, Zuko and Momo on Appa. Yue was up next.

 

“Princess Yue, for your bravery in battle, here is a warrior’s bow fit for your skill, and the arrows to go with it,” Pakku said, handing her a beautifully carved water tribe bow, if slightly smaller than the ones the warriors usually had. It had obviously been made for a woman’s use, proof perhaps, that women hadn’t always been forbidden from fighting, even in the North Pole. Or maybe it was a special order, a sign things were changing for the better.

 

“Thank you,” Yue took the weapon from Pakku delicately, almost reverently. Zuko gave her a hand as she climbed up to the saddle.

 

“Sokka,” Pakku said when he was the only one left standing before him. He patted him on the shoulder. “Take care, son.”

 

Well, that was a bit underwhelming, as parting words went. Everyone else had gotten cool gifts! At least Zuko and he could sulk together. Pakku hadn’t even bid the firebender farewell.

 

“Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base to the east of here. General Fong will provide you with an escort to Omashu. There you’ll be safe to begin your earthbending training with King Bumi.”

 

As Pakku gave them his last instructions and well wishes, they took flight.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko let his friend’s easy chatter wash over him, not focusing on their words, but letting himself be wrapped up in the feeling of safety and acceptance their voices evoked. 

 

He had been in a strange kind of mood since the sun had risen, and himself with it, unable to sleep with the light of Agni shining upon the waves. He felt it perhaps even more acutely than he ever had before, his link with the sun strengthened by the gift of life he had been given ─ the rainbow-colored dragon curling around the moon inked permanently onto his chest a permanent reminder of the debt he owed. Zuko wondered what the price would be, when it came time to pay up.

 

That night had been peaceful, the quiet sound of waves rocking him to sleep, keeping his usual nightmares at bay ─ in truth, he hadn’t slept so well in months, perhaps years. But as the sun rose over the horizon, painting the sea in gold, Zuko remembered.

 

Today, three years ago, he had lost everything. He wanted it all back ─ his throne, his honor, his family, his illusions. He wanted nothing to do with any of it anymore.

 

Grief and hope, anger and relief blended together in his chest, turning his thoughts to a hushed sort of static, electricity running over water. 

 

You will learn respect.

 

Fire swimming in his vision ─ his inner flame thrashing inside of him, eager to defend itself, to push back against the flaming hand cupping his cheek. His inner flame guttering, terrified of burning. 

 

And suffering will be your teacher.

 

It was all sort of distant, nothing like the vivid nightmares he still had sometimes, or the way the memories haunted him through the days. He wasn’t reliving them today, so much as they turned and thrashed in a faraway corner of his mind, unleashed and free on this day of remembrance and regret. Zuko felt detached, drifting away from both his body and his mind, only the vague outline of emotions keeping him tethered to reality.

 

“Hey, you okay?” Sokka asked suddenly, concern drawing tight lines in his features. Zuko didn’t have it in him to lie, not today.

 

“Today is the anniversary,” he said quietly, voice raspier than usual, like there was smoke filling his lungs. Maybe there was.

 

“The anniversary of what?” Aang asked, far too eagerly.

 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sokka asked softly, understanding in his eyes. 

 

“You don’t have to,” Yue added.

 

“But we’ll listen if you do,” Katara finished.

 

Everyone was looking at him, and Zuko didn’t have words for the thoughts and feelings warring within him, but maybe he needed to find them, to tell his story. Hakoda had used to say a burden shared was a burden halved. It sounded like the sort of thing Uncle would say, except a more straightforward, less inscrutable proverb wrapped in three layers of metaphor.

 

“Three years ago,” he started, not meeting anyone’s gaze. He didn’t want to see the moment wary curiosity turned to pity. “My father held a war meeting. I was young and stupid and eager to learn, so I begged my uncle to let me in. He agreed, on the condition I stay silent throughout.”

 

Sokka took hold of his hand, squeezing tight. The gesture was as much support for Zuko as it was comfort for Sokka. Zuko looked at the clouds overhead and beneath, the way they changed and moved, casting strange shadows on the ocean below.

 

“There was a general, presenting a battle plan. He wanted to use a legion of new recruits as bait, letting them be massacred by Earth Kingdom forces so more experienced soldiers could swoop in and win the battle. He was talking about these young soldiers ─ kids really ─ like their lives meant nothing at all, lambs to the slaughter─  And in that war room filled with old generals, no one said a word. They were nodding along , like this plan didn’t go against everything our nation stood for, like they hadn’t sworn to protect those under their command when joining the army.”

 

Even three years later, rage filled his mind at the thought. Once, he’d thought speaking out had been a mistake. He’d thought surely there was a reasonable explanation and his father knew better, saw something he didn’t. He now knew there wasn’t anything more to it than a disregard for the lives of their people. Zuko had never quite managed to make himself hate Ozai for what he’d done to him, but for this, for the 41st, he truly did hate the Fire Lord.

 

“I should have stayed silent, but I didn’t. I couldn’t . They were my people , the future of the Fire Nation, sons and daughters that would never come home,” Zuko took a shuddering breath, bracing himself for what came next. He still refused to look at the other occupants of the saddle, but it didn’t keep him from hearing their indignant huffs of breath and disgusted scoffs. “But by speaking out against the general’s plan, I had disrespected him. My father told me I would have to fight an Agni Kai to repair this slight.”

 

“That’s a duel between firebenders,” Sokka supplied helpfully, although his voice was strained.

 

“I said I would fight, that I wasn’t afraid. And I wasn’t, because I would gladly fight some old general who hadn’t seen the field in decades to defend my people. But because I had spoken out against my father’s general, it was the Fire Lord himself I had disrespected,” Zuko stopped, unable to speak through the lump in his throat, through the words ringing in his ears. He thought he could smell smoke on the wind.

 

“When I turned around in that arena, it was my father standing before me,” he paused as the others let out shocked gasps. Sokka’s grip on his hand tightened, becoming painful. Zuko was grateful for the sensation, for how grounding it felt. “I begged on my knees for mercy, refusing to fight him. I assured him I was his ‘loyal son’, said I was sorry. He didn’t care. He told me to fight, that I was being dishonorable, a disgrace to the family. And still, I didn’t stand, I didn’t fight. I begged and cried until he brought his hand to my face and I passed out from the pain.”

 

“I woke up on a boat, dishonored and banished, unable to go back home until I had captured the Avatar. It was an impossible task, one meant to keep me away forever. But I didn’t want to see it at the time. I thought I deserved all of it, and that I needed to redeem myself. It took me a long time to realise I had been right all along, and my father was the one in the wrong. I still don’t quite believe it sometimes.”

 

His voice sounded hollow and far away to his own ears. It was, perhaps, that distance that gave him the courage to finally look at his friends. There were tears running down all of their cheeks, and righteous anger burning in their eyes. Sokka looked haunted, trapped in his own memories of that day. Zuko squeezed his hand back, which was no small feat considering his friend already had a white-knuckled grip on him.

 

“That’s horrible!” Aang cried, the first to break the silence. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”

 

“What kind of monster would hurt a child ─ his own kid! ─ like that?” Katara seethed. Ozai was lucky she couldn’t reach him right then. It would have made Zuko smile, if he’d had the energy for it.

 

“Thank you for sharing with us,” Yue said, sincere and kind as ever. “It can’t have been easy. But if I may ask; what changed your mind?”

 

Zuko drew in a sharp breath; leave it to Yue to cut right through the heart of things, like an arrow piercing his soul. It was a difficult question, one he wasn’t sure how to answer. There wasn’t just one reason, one moment where it all became obvious. It was a collection of things, realisation after realisation slowly piling up from the day he met Sokka to the attack on Kyoshi, charred bones and haggard faces scattered in between.

 

“A year mostly alone on a boat gives you a lot of time to think,” he settled on. Not a lie, but not the truth, either. It felt too big and personal a thing to share, this weight that had settled ever so slowly on his shoulders. He’d lost some of it in the process, too, some of the poison in his veins slipping out, drop by drop. He’d let go of the shame and remorse. He was still trying to let it go, to remind himself that he hadn’t deserved it, that he had been right to speak out against that general. Except he didn’t know if he would do it again, given the chance. It hadn’t saved the soldiers of the 41st. It hadn’t accomplished anything but getting him banished. He had suffered for nothing. He had fought for his people, when no one else would; even if it hadn’t been enough, it was worth it. He had found a family that loved him, even if the one he was born in didn’t. What kind of monster might he have become, struggling in that palace to be a son his father could be proud of?

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The group descended into silence for the rest of the ride, each of them still processing Zuko’s words. Sokka had known the story of course. He’d lived it, but hearing it retold like this, so clinically, felt wrong. It was a distorted version of reality, facts exposed without the emotional weight they held. Sokka didn’t know how Zuko had been able to say all this, barely anything showing through his neutral façade; he didn’t think he’d be able to do the same without breaking down halfway through. Zuko was usually an open book, unable to hide what he was feeling ─ this apparent numbness was concerning. Then again, it was very in character for his friend to dismiss his emotions as if they were nothing but a show of weakness. It was one of the many ways Ozai had permanently scarred his son, and one more reason for Sokka to hate him.

 

Sokka shook his head, trying to dislodge the memories. Instead he studied the fortress they were flying toward, with its sprawling walls and clean courtyard. He could make out people milling about, although from this height they looked more like fire-ants than soldiers. 

 

They landed on a terrace at the top of a tower, because of course they did ─ Aang liked to keep people on their toes. Momo jumped off one of Appa’s horns to fly around, inspecting the new location.

 

They were greeted by a man in armor only seconds after getting off the bison’s back, so maybe they were more predictable than Sokka thought.

 

“Welcome, Avatar Aang,” the man said jovially. “I am General Fong. And welcome to all of you, great heroes: Momo, Appa, Princess Yue, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara!”

 

“Mighty Katara? I like that,” his sister mused.

 

“Pardon me, but─” Yue started, before being interrupted by fireworks. Looking down, Sokka saw earthbenders propelling them into the sky.

 

“Not bad, not bad,” he nodded appreciatively at the display, earning himself a pointed glare from Yue. What was up with her?

 

They all followed the general into what passed for an office in the Earth Kingdom. The room was huge, a high ceiling held up by tall pillars adorned with torch-like green crystals to light it up. The room was completely empty, save for Fong’s desk, behind which were maps mounted on rolling boards, and beyond that, the open sky.

 

“Looks familiar, doesn’t it?” Zuko remarked, low enough he was the only one to hear him. Sokka frowned, wondering what he meant, until it hit him all at once; this place did look a lot like the Firelord’s throne room, without the wall of flame and adding a few windows. The room’s openness felt a lot more stifling, suddenly.

 

“Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you single handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole,” General Fong declared, stroking his beard. Sokka winced as Zuko let out a low growl and the rest of his friends looked slightly distressed. The reminder was not welcome ─ whether all of them were aware of what exactly happened to armoured soldiers in freezing waters or not. “I can’t imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It’s an awesome responsibility.”

 

“I try not to think about it too much,” Aang replied chipperly. Sokka thought that was a good thing, or else he’d probably crumble if he ever realised the sheer number of people the Ocean Spirit had killed by using him. Sokka himself did his best to push those thoughts away. This was war, and he couldn’t afford to feel sorry for every enemy lost, especially not when they’d almost cost him Zuko. He didn’t want to think about how that kind of thinking was the same that led to that Agni Kai, because were those soldiers really his enemies? He didn’t want to think about how that made the prince feel, either.

 

“Avatar,” Fong resumed as if Aang hadn’t spoken at all. “You’re ready to face the Fire Lord, now.”

 

“What?” Aang exclaimed, speaking for all of them. “No I’m not!”

 

“Aang still needs to master all four elements,” Katara agreed as they all glanced at each other worriedly. After what they’d heard today, it was clearly cemented in their minds that none of them were ready to face Ozai.

 

“Why?” Fong asked. “With the kind of power he possesses ─ power enough to destroy a hundred battleships in a matter of minutes ─ he could defeat the Firelord now!”

 

Okay, maybe the man was getting ahead of himself there.

 

“But sir, the problem is,” Sokka interjected. “Aang can only do those things when he’s in the Avatar State.”

 

“See, it’s a special state where─” Aang was cut off in the middle of his tentative explanation.

 

“I’m well aware. Your eyes and tattoos glow, and you’re able to summon unbelievable power. Without you, we’d be squashed long before we even reached their shores. But with you leading the way as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through the heart of the Fire Nation.”

Sokka did not like his twelve year old friend being called a weapon . Aang was a kid, and people really needed to start remembering that! No child should ever have that much responsibility on his shoulders, but Sokka also thought viewing the Avatar as nothing more than a weapon was a dangerous path.

 

“At the cost of countless civilian losses,” Zuko cut in heatedly. “Do innocent lives mean nothing to you?”

 

Innocent ?” Fong barked. “No one in the Fire Nation is innocent. Not that I would expect ashmaker scum like you to understand that.”

 

“That is the kind of mindset that caused and fed this war in the first place,” Yue cut in smoothly before the room could descend into a shouting match. “Surely we can find a more… subtle approach.”

 

“Of course,” Fong inclined his head, but his smile was strained. “We can work out the details later.”

 

“Either way,” Aang said, trying to diffuse the situation as Zuko seethed quietly beside Sokka. “I don’t know how to get in or out of the Avatar State, much less what to do once I’m there.”

 

“So it’s decided, then. I’ll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State, and then you’ll face your destiny.”

 

“No, nothing is decided,” Katara exclaimed as they all stood up. “We already have a plan. Aang’s pursuing his destiny his way.”

 

“Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on, costing hundreds of Earth Kingdom citizens their lives,” Fong scolded them ─ Sokka did not like that patronizing tone. As if they didn’t know that already! As if it didn’t keep them up at night, plagued with nightmares of those they’d lost, of the things they’d seen. “May I show you something?”

 

They reluctantly followed Fong over to a window overlooking a courtyard. “This is the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones: they came back. Every day the Fire Nation takes lives. People are dying, Aang. You could end it, now! Think about it.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue was woken some time during the night by Aang’s return to their shared room. Momo chirped at her as he was roused from his nap on her belly when she sat up. The Avatar sat on his bed, looking uncharacteristically defeated.

 

“I told the general I’d help him by going into the Avatar State.”

 

“Aang, no,” Katara exclaimed. “This is not the right way!”

 

“Why not?” Sokka interjected from where he was lying down in his own bed. “Remember when he took out the Fire Navy, he was incredible!”

 

Zuko popped up in front of the Water Tribe boy, gesticulating angrily. Yue didn’t know what was said, but Sokka looked properly chastised when Zuko disappeared.

 

“There’s a right way to do this,” Katara said. “Practice, study and discipline.”

 

“Or just glow up and stop that Firelord,” Sokka said; apparently Zuko hadn’t succeeded in changing his mind. Yue scowled at him, and the water tribe boy looked away. She had a hard time believing he felt so flippant on the matter. The previous day’s events and reminiscence must have hit harder than he’d let on.

 

“If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we’ve worked for, fine, go ahead and ‘glow it up’,” Katara threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

 

“Katara, I’m just being realistic,” Aang tried to appease her. “I don’t have time to do this the right way.”

 

“So what?” Zuko cut in angrily. “You’re just going to throw all your principles away and kill everyone in your path? Every life is sacred, except if it’s the Fire Nation?”

 

“It’s not like your family has ever cared about innocent lives!” Katara shouted at him. “You’re the last person who has any right to say that to Aang!”

 

“And what am I supposed to do? Say nothing while you plan the murder of hundreds of my people? If this is your version of peace, count me out,” Zuko shot back.

 

Yue winced ─ they both had a point, even if neither was expressing it correctly.

 

“Let’s not lose our tempers and say things we might regret,” she cut in before the situation could escalate any more. “No one said anything about killing innocent civilians. As for whether or not we should go along with Fong’s plan, I say we compromise. I’m of the opinion the spirits made things the way they are for a reason, and Aang should learn to master the elements. However, it wouldn’t hurt to master the Avatar State, too.”

 

“Yue’s right,” Sokka agreed. “Aang can learn more about the Avatar State and how to use it while we’re here, and we can decide what to do with it later. In the meantime, Katara can keep training you.”

 

There were a few seconds of silence as everyone thought it over, before they agreed this was a good plan of action. Yue repressed a relieved sigh as the tension in the room lowered and quiet apologies were exchanged. She had a feeling this would not be the last time she had to mediate between her friends. All of them had strong personalities and were prone to being stubborn when overcome by emotion. Someone needed to keep a cool head and be rational when tempers were flying high. She didn’t mind the role, as it helped soothe her own volatile feelings.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko couldn’t sleep. Today had been a lot, from telling his new friends about his banishment, to their fight about the Avatar State. He hadn’t meant to lose his temper like that, but he’d been sitting on the events of the North Pole for weeks, eaten away by guilt. He didn’t know how many soldiers had died during the Ocean Spirit’s attack, but the number must have been in the thousands. With approximately a hundred ships and a hundred people in each, that made ten thousand victims at least.

 

The number was too big, Zuko couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. They’d all died, drowned in the polar sea, and he had helped defeat them. They were his people, and Zuko had betrayed them, fighting behind enemy lines. They wouldn’t even be granted proper funeral rites, lost as they were to La’s rage. The thought made him sick, pulling to the surface memories of temples strewn with bones, souls lost to the winds of time. He prayed to the spirits they’d find their way home in the end.

 

Attacking the spirits had been wrong, but that didn’t mean anyone but Zhao deserved to pay for it ─ the soldiers and sailors were just following orders. Aang and Katara didn’t seem to realise what had truly happened, they hadn’t made the connexion between wearing metal armour and falling into the sea. As much as he wanted to rage and yell, he wasn’t cruel enough to break it to them. He didn’t want to be the one who took away their innocence. Sokka and Yue must have had the same idea, because neither of them mentioned it, although Zuko saw the grave looks they got when the invasion was mentioned ─ that still hadn’t stopped Sokka from being flippant about the matter in their argument earlier.

 

And now Fong wanted to do it again, except this time casualties wouldn’t just be soldiers. If Aang got into the Avatar State and cut a path right through the Fire Nation, there was bound to be collateral damage, if only inside the Royal Palace itself. Zuko thought about Azula, who would no doubt fight the Avatar if he attacked, thinking herself the invincible prodigy as always. He knew their father wouldn’t hesitate to save his own skin, even at the price of his favourite child’s life. Azula might still have been loyal to Ozai, but she was only fourteen, and she’d never been out of the Fire Nation. She didn’t know any better. Zuko wished he knew how to help her. But his little sister was far away, and he had no way to reach her ─ not that he thought she would listen if he tried talking to her, but he had to at least try to find the words to sway her. They would surely meet again before the end, and he needed to be ready when that happened.

 

Zuko turned east, where he knew the first rays of Agni would soon shine. He could feel the sun was close, from where he was overlooking the eastern courtyard of the military base on his balcony. He had always been able to tell where the sun was in the sky instinctively, but ever since the Sun Spirit had saved his life, he felt his connection with Agni stronger than before.

 

There was the distinctive sound of bare feet on stone behind him. Zuko turned around just as the soldiers rought the hilt of a dagger to his temple. 

 

Everything went black.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

After a whole morning of failed attempts at triggering the Avatar State, Aang had finally announced it was time to give up. Yue suspected there was more to the decision than simply discouragement, but she didn’t pry. If Aang needed to talk, he’d most likely go to Katara, but she would be happy to listen if he chose to come to her instead.

 

They were on their way to announce the bad news to General Fong when Zuko appeared, looking fairly disoriented; stranger still, he was still in his nightclothes. Sokka had stopped walking to listen to the prince, and he looked increasingly furious.

 

“Sokka, what’s wrong?” she asked, biting her lip. Maybe she should have been more worried when Zuko didn’t show up for breakfast or any of the morning’s activities. She had assumed he needed some alone time after the day he’d had, but maybe there was something else going on. 

 

“Fong put Zuko in a cell!” Sokka whisper-shouted, careful of the soldiers milling around casually.

 

“What?!” Aang exclaimed, drawing startled stares. 

 

“I should have seen it coming,” Yue said. “Fong had it against Zuko since the moment we landed. I didn’t think he’d try something so obvious, though.”

 

“This has got to be a misunderstanding!” Aang said, because he always saw the best in people. “I’m going to go confront him!”

 

“Wait, don’t," Sokka grabbed his arm before the Avatar could go marching in the general’s war room. “You and Yue go tell him you’re done trying to trigger the Avatar State. Just pretend nothing’s wrong and we didn't notice. I’ll go free Zuko, then we can all regroup with Appa and Katara and leave.”

 

“That sounds like a reasonable plan,” Yue nodded. The sooner they could get out of here, the better. Open confrontation would only slow them down and put Zuko in danger. “Come on, Aang.”




Things didn’t go according to plan. Fong’s reaction to Aang’s refusal was much more violent than any of them could have predicted. Yue did her best to help in the following fight, but there was only so much she could do against a battalion of earthbenders. She was forced to give up entirely when Katara started sinking into the ground, for fear it would only make Fong kill her faster.

 

Her heart was beating itself out of her chest as her friend sank deeper and deeper, Aang begging at Fong's feet. 

 

The general got what he wanted, in the end. As Katara disappeared from sight, Aang’s tattoos started glowing. Fong reaped what he’d sowed, as the Avatar lay destruction to the military base in a fit of rage. Even getting Katara out from beneath the stone floor didn’t help. Yue had the unsavoury thought that it was well deserved.

 

Eventually, the wind died down and Aang collapsed to the floor. Katara ran to his side, hugging him tightly. Even from a distance, Yue could see her hands were shaking. She realised distractedly that so were hers.

 

“I’m sorry, Katara,” the Avatar said tiredly. “I hope you never have to see me like that again.”

 

“Ha! Are you joking?” Fong exclaimed, walking toward the hugging kids. Sokka and Zuko emerged from the rubble on the other side of the courtyard. “That was almost perfect! We just have to find a way to control you when you’re like that.”

 

Oh, wow, that guy could not read a room. Yue felt rage burning in her gut. How dare this man threaten one child to make a weapon out of a second one and still call himself one of the good guys?

 

“You’re out of your mind,” Aang said, glaring at the general.

 

“I guess we’ll figure it out on the way to the Fire Nation,” Fong continued as if he hadn’t spoken. Yue walked behind him and hit him on the head with the tip of her bow, knocking him clean out. It was every bit as satisfying as she had imagined it would be.

 

Sokka cheered as he reached them. “Anybody got a problem with that?” he asked sternly to the soldiers picking themselves out of the ruins. They all shook their heads quickly.

 

“Do you still want an escort to Omashu?” one of them asked, bowing low.

 

“I think we’re all set,” Katara declined the offer, as Momo flew in from wherever he’d been to land on Zuko’s shoulder.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Hey, Zuko!” Aang called from where he was practising his waterbending with Katara. “Let’s get started on my firebending training!”

 

“Not before you’ve at least got the basics of earthbending down,” Zuko sighed, for the ten thousandth time since meeting the young Avatar.

 

“But─”

 

“Zuko’s right, Aang,” Katara interrupted him. “However, maybe you could practice with us for a bit? Maybe we can learn from each other!”

 

Zuko looked at his friends’ hopeful expressions, and knew he would never be able to resist them.

 

“I suppose I could use some practice. I haven’t done a proper set in ages.”

 

“Show us! I’ve never seen firebending from up close before,” Aang said. “Well, not outside of a real fight, anyway.”

 

Zuko got up from where he’d been sitting with his feet in the water with Yue to reach the open area where Katara and Aang had been practising. They both moved a safe distance away as Zuko started his warm up set. It was a simple one with slow stretching motions and no fire, meant to prepare his body for the harsh stances of firebending katas.

 

When he felt sufficiently warmed up, he started his demonstration. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“You guys are gonna be done soon, right?” Sokka asked in the direction the three benders were still theorising ways to incorporate different bending styles into their own. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover if we want to make it to Omashu today.”

 

“What, like you’re ready to go right now, naked guy?” Katara said, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.

 

Yue repressed a chuckle as she let the slow current carry her, looking to the side where Sokka was drifting, sprawled across a huge leaf with Momo curled on his belly. He did look pretty ridiculous, all sun-drunk and relaxed.

 

“I could be ready in two minutes, seriously, whenever,” he replied, brushing a wet strand of hair out of his face.

 

“So, you were showing us the octopus form,” Aang said, drawing Katara’s attention back to the lesson.

 

“Right, let me see your stances,” Katara said in her most professorial tone.

 

Zuko and Aang both got into position as Yue watched on with interest. She wasn’t a bender herself, but she found their practice sessions oddly fascinating.

 

“Your arms are too far apart,” Katara declared, moving closer to the Avatar to correct his position, eliciting an adorable little blush from Aang. “See, if you move them closer together, you protect your center, you got it?”

 

“Oh, yeah. Thanks.”

 

“Zuko, try to relax your muscles, it won’t work if you’re too stiff.”

 

“Sorry. Force of habit, I guess,” the firebender replied dutifully.

 

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”

 

Aang went first, drawing from the water at his feet to wrap around himself. As Katara sent ice shards his way, he caught them easily with tentacles of water, and even managed to snake one of them around Katara’s ankle.

 

“You make a fine octopus, pupil Aang,” the waterbender praised with a teasing smile.

 

It was then Zuko’s turn to try, standing safely on the shore so he wouldn’t hurt himself with boiling river water. His opening moves were very different from Aang’s, probably because he couldn’t draw from the water at his feet. Instead, he wrapped himself in a column of colorful flames, sending thin tendrils of fire to intercept Katara’s ice darts. 

 

It wasn’t the first time Yue had seen Zuko firebend, but it took her breath away all the same. There were colours in his fire that she’d never seen anywhere but in the sky as the Northern Lights danced across the heavens.

 

They were all distracted from the display by the sound of music and rustling leaves coming from the edge of the forest.

 

“Hey, river people!” The man at the front of the group greeted them.

 

“We’re not river people,” Katara shrugged.

 

“You’re not?” the man asked, squinting at them. “Well then, what kind of people are you?”

 

“Just people,” Aang answered as their little group moved closer together, facing the singing travellers.

 

“Aren’t we all, brother?” the man agreed nonsensically.

 

He was certainly… interesting.

 

“Who are you?” Sokka demanded, stalking up to the man.

 

“I’m Chong, and this is my wife Lily. We’re nomads,” the man ─ Chong ─ explained, pointing to the woman at his side. “Happy to go wherever the wind takes us.”

 

“You guys are nomads? It’s great! I’m a nomad,” Aang exclaimed happily.

 

“Hey, me too!” Chong said, apparently not realising he’d already said so. Yue raised an eyebrow, wondering if it was possible these people were descendants of the Air Nomads, or just more displaced refugees.

 

“I know, you just said that,” Aang replied, expression midway between annoyance and confusion.

 

“Oh,” Chong rubbed the back of his neck, not looking all that embarrassed. “Nice underwear.”

 

That last part had been directed at Sokka, who turned an interesting shade of red, Zuko snickering next to him.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“Hey, Sokka, you should hear some of these stories,” Aang said enthusiastically. “These guys have been everywhere!”

 

“Well, not everywhere arrowhead,” Chong corrected, idling plucking the strings of his instrument. “But where we haven't been, we’ve heard about through stories and songs.”

 

Sokka raised a dubious eyebrow. These ‘nomads’ were seriously getting on his nerves with all their nonsense. They were currently braiding Appa’s fur, as well as Katara and Yue’s, weaving flowers into their hair ─ Yue looked beautiful like this, but that was beside the point.

 

“He said they’d take us to see a giant nightcrawler!” Aang enthused.

 

“On the way, there’s a waterfall that creates a never-ending rainbow!” another of the nomads exclaimed.

 

“Look, I hate being the wet blanket here, but since Katara is busy, I guess it’s up to me,” Sokka said, eliciting a mighty glare from his sister. “We need to get to Omashu. No side-tracks, no worms, and definitely no rainbows!”

 

“Wow, sounds like someone’s got a case of destination fever,” Chong said, to Sokka’s rising exasperation. “You worry too much about where you’re going.”

 

“You gotta focus less on the where, and more on the going,” Lily added.

 

“You don’t win a war by dilly-dallying around rainbows,” Zuko scowled. Usually, Sokka would tease him for being such a grouchy old man, but for once he agreed wholeheartedly.

 

“Zuko’s right,” Katara sighed. “We need to find King Bumi so Aang can learn earthbending somewhere safe.”

 

“Well, sounds like you’re headed to Omashu,” Chong interjected, looking proud of himself.

 

“Yes, thank you,” Yue replied, tone a little sharper than was usual for her; it seemed Sokka wasn’t the only one getting annoyed with the guy’s nonsense.

 

“There’s an old story about a secret pass, right through the mountains,” Chong said thoughtfully, for once staying on topic.

 

“Is this real or a legend,” Katara asked dubiously.

 

“Oh, it’s a real legend, and it’s as old as earthbending itself,” Chong replied. Sokka and Zuko facepalmed in sync.

 

Oh no. The man started singing.

 

Two lovers, forbidden from one another 

A war divides their people

And a mountain divides them apart 

Built a path to be together

 

“...Yeah, and I forgot the next couple of lines, but then it goes…”

 

SECRET TUNNEL!

SECRET TUNNEL!

THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN! 

SECRET, SECRET, SECRET, SECRET TUNNEL! "

 

“Oh, I know that story!” Zuko exclaimed ─ he had that theater-nerd look on his face that Sokka found adorable. “It’s the tale of Oma and Shu, right? They were the first earthbenders.”

 

“I think we’ll stick with flying. We’ve dealt with the Fire Nation before, we’ll be fine,” Sokka interrupted before Zuko could build up to a full on retelling of the play; they’d had enough of the singing nomads as it was.

 

“Yeah, thanks for the help, but Appa hates going underground,” Aang agreed. “And we need to do whatever makes Appa most comfortable.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

As it turned out, crossing the mountains via flying bison was a terrible idea, as they were pummeled with fireballs on the way. They ended up going back to the nomads and their secret tunnel plan.

 

“How far are we from the tunnel?” Yue asked curiously.

 

“Actually, it’s not just one tunnel,” Chong said. “The lovers didn’t want anyone to find out about their love, so they built a whole labyrinth.”

 

“A labyrinth?!” Sokka yelled, appalled. Yue was inclined to agree.

 

“I’m sure we’ll figure it out,” Chong replied flippantly.

 

“What about the curse?” Zuko asked. Wait─ Curse?!

 

“According to the legend, you need to trust in love,” Lily answered, seemingly unbothered.

 

No one but Sokka reacted to this revelation.








"Hey Hey, we’re here!”

 

“What exactly is this curse?” Sokka asked as they stood at the entrance of the tunnel ─ or tunnels, Yue supposed.

 

“The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves. Otherwise you’ll be trapped in them forever.”

 

“And die,” Lily added helpfully.

 

“Oh yeah, and die,” Chong nodded. “Hey, I just remembered the rest of the song!”

 

He gave a dramatic pluck of the strings of his ukulele, “AND DIE!”

 

“That’s it! There’s no way we’re going through that cursed hole,” Sokka exclaimed, fed up.

 

“Hey, someone’s making a big campfire,” one of the nomads said, pointing to where a column of smoke was visible in the distance.

 

“That’s no campfire, Moku,” Katara said.

 

“It’s the Fire Nation,” Yue completed. “They’re tracking us.”

 

“So all you need is to trust in love to get through these caves?” Aang asked hopefully.

 

“That is correct, Master Arrowhead,” Chong agreed.

 

“We can make it,” the airbender decided after glancing longingly at Katara.

 

“Everyone into the hole!” Zuko ordered.

 

There was a great rumble and they were suddenly plunged in the dark as the entrance of the cave collapsed behind them, helped along by the Fire Nation soldiers that had followed them.

 

The sky bison began pawing at the pile of rocks in distress.

 

“It’s okay, Appa. We’ll be fine,” Katara said soothingly, petting the bison’s sides. “I hope.”

 

“We will be fine,” Sokka assured. “All we need is a plan. Chong, how long do those torches last?”

 

“About two hours each,” the musician answered.

 

“And we have five torches, so that makes ten hours,” Lily added, lighting them all at once. Yue sighed. This was going to be a long day.

 

“It doesn’t work like that if they’re all lit at the same time!” Sokka exclaimed, as Zuko doused the torches with a flick of his wrist. “I’m gonna make a map to keep track of exactly where we’ve been. Then we should be able to solve it like a maze and get through.”







“Sokka, this is the tenth dead end you’ve led us to,” Katara complained after about an hour of wandering through the labyrinth.

 

“This doesn’t make any sense, we already came through this way!” Sokka exclaimed in frustration, turning his makeshift map this way and that.

 

“We don’t need a map,” Chong reasoned. “We just need love. The little guy knows it.”

 

“Yeah,” Aang trailed off. “But I wouldn’t mind a map also.”

 

“There’s something strange here,” Sokka said. “There’s only one explanation…”

 

“The tunnels are changing,” Zuko finished for him. “It makes sense actually, if this is really the tunnels of the legend, they were built in part by the badgermoles who taught Oma and Shu how to earthbend. They must still be around.”

 

“The tunnels, they’re changing!” Chong exclaimed as if it was a great discovery on his part “It must be the curse, I knew we shouldn’t have come down here.”

 

Zuko groaned from where he was standing near Katara, shaking his head.

 

“Right,” Yue groused. “If only we’d listened to you .”

 

The argument was interrupted as a pack of flying beasts descended on them with angry shrieks.

 

“Giant things with teeth,” Chong cowered near the ground, covering their heads.

 

“No, it’s a wolfbat!” another of the nomads corrected, which was not at all reassuring to Yue.

 

Zuko tried to scare the creature away with a short burst of flame, but as the creature caught fire, it plunged toward Appa. The scared bison started thrashing around in fear, causing the ceiling to collapse.

 

As the dust settled, Yue took stock of the situation. She was alone with the nomads on their side of the crumble of stone.

 

“Hey, is everyone all right?” She yelled, stomach twisting as she waited for an answer.

 

“Me and Aang are fine, over here,” Katara called back. “Appa calmed down, too.”

 

“We’re all right too,” Zuko said, presumably cut off somewhere else with Sokka.

 

“Let’s just find our own ways out and regroup outside,” Sokka called. “I don’t think we can find our way back to each other like this.”







Yue and the nomads wandered aimlessly through the tunnels, Chong singing all the while.

 

“Oh, don't let the cave-in get you down.

Don't let the falling rocks turn your smile into a frown.

When the tunnels are darkest that's when you need a clown, hey!

Don't let the cave-in get you down, Yue!”



 She had taken the lead, but considering she had no idea how to find a way out, it was not going great. She sighed in defeat, they were thoroughly lost.

 

“What was it about trusting in love to get out?” She finally asked, stopping at an intersection. “You guys have any ideas?”

 

“Wow, wait a minute,” Chong said suddenly. “We’re thinking of ideas? ‘Cause I’ve had an idea for like an hour now.”

 

“Yes, we’re looking for ideas” Yue sighed, struggling to stay polite.

 

“Well, listen to this: If love is the key to get out of here, then all we need to do is play a love song!”

 

That sounded like a particularly stupid idea, and Yue was about to say so when she heard a low growl coming from the tunnel to her left.

 

“Oh no, more monsters?” She said instead, backing away.

 

More wolfbats flew ahead of them screeching. Yue threw herself to the ground along with the nomads as the beasts’ claws caught in her hair.

 

“Yue, you saved us!” Chong exclaimed once the animals were gone.

 

“No,” she said, slightly panicked. “They were trying to get away from something!”

 

“From what?” Lily asked fearfully. Finally a reasonable reaction from one of the nomads!

 

They soon got the answer as the earth around them shook. Once the dust had settled, they realised they were trapped between two huge creatures ─ Yue had never seen the like of them, but she assumed they must be the badgermoles Zuko had mentioned earlier.

 

One of the beasts advanced menacingly on Yue, throwing her to the ground. She scrambled away, not daring to get up and run ─ not that there was anywhere to run to ─ until her hand hit Chong’s ukulele. Hearing the instrument’s sound, the badgermole stopped, tilting its head.

 

Yue, seeing her chance, quickly grabbed the instrument and started plucking the strings at random; she didn’t know how to play, but it didn’t seem to matter all that much to the animal.

 

“Hey, those things are music lovers!” Chong exclaimed. Yue held back a sigh.

 

Badgermoles coming toward me, ” she started singing. 

Come on guys, help me out!

The big bad badgermoles, who earthbend the tunnels,

Hate the wolfbats , but love the sounds !”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

“So since this map plan isn’t working out too well,” Sokka started, turning to Zuko. “Could you tell me more about this legend? Maybe there’s a clue somewhere.”

 

Zuko smiled, knowing very well Sokka absolutely did not believe the solution to get out of the labyrinth might lie in a myth, and he was only asking to fill the silence ─ and indulge Zuko’s passion for theater.

 

The Tale of Oma and Shu was not a play he knew particularly well, as it had been forbidden from performance in the Fire Nation, but his mother had owned the scroll anyway, and Zuko had read it eagerly, as the style and verse was quite different from what he was used to. He unfortunately couldn’t remember any lines, so the odds of finding clues were pretty low even if there had been some, but he did remember the story pretty well.

 

“They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages. The villages were enemies, so they could not be together… but their love was strong, and they found a way. The two lovers learned earthbending from the badgermoles. They became the first earthbenders.”

 

“Wait, how did the badgermoles even teach them?” Sokka asked.

 

“Same way the first firebenders and waterbenders learned from dragons and the moon, I assume,” Zuko replied, before resuming the story. “They built elaborate tunnels, so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would  forever be lost in the labyrinth. But, one day, the man didn't come. He'd died in the war between the two villages.”

 

“Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her earthbending power. She could have destroyed them all… but instead she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love.”

 

“Huh, I didn’t expect this to be so relevant to today’s world,” Sokka said thoughtfully after a while.

 

“Legends usually have a message,” Zuko agreed. “This one is about choosing to do what’s right, despite one’s own feelings. I’ll have to re-legalise it when I’m Firelord, maybe add it to the official school curriculum…”

 

“This is why I love you,” Sokka said, smiling at him.

 

Zuko felt like he’d been punched, unable to breathe for a few seconds, until he realised Sokka hadn’t meant it like that. That feeling was way worse. (In the dark tunnel, he didn’t notice the panicked widening of Sokka's eyes, nor the embarrassed blush spreading across his cheekbones.)

 

“The only quote I can remember from the play is ‘Love is brightest in the dark’, but I doubt that’s very relevant to our situation,” he said to change the subject, pleasantly surprised when his voice remained steady.

 

“Of course you’d only remember the cheesiest romantic line,” Sokka teased, falling back into old habits.

 

“It’s been a while since we’ve really talked, just the two of us,” Zuko said quietly in a bout of nostalgia. I’ve missed you , he didn’t say aloud, but maybe Sokka heard it anyway.

 

“Yeah, there’s always somebody around,” Sokka agreed. “I mean, it doesn’t really change anything from before, but I dunno, it’s not the same somehow.”

 

Zuko knew what he meant. There’d always been other people around, but now that they were physically close, it felt weird to ‘visit’ to have private conversations. It didn’t feel as intimate and comfortable as it used to. 

 

“Well, we’re here now, so what’s going on with you?” he asked, trying for a lighthearted tone and sounding painfully sincere instead.

 

“I mean, it’s not like I’ve done anything without you lately,” Sokka trailed off. He sighed, apparently coming to a decision. “I guess, since we’re in a ‘you must trust in love’ labyrinth, we could talk about our… feelings?”

 

Zuko laughed at how awkward his friend sounded. “You first,” he said, because it was Sokka’s idea and he was not about to throw himself to the orca-wolves.

 

“Alright,” Sokka sighed reluctantly. “I think I’m in love with Yue.”

 

Zuko ignored the stab of pain in his chest at hearing those words ─ it wasn’t like he hadn’t already known.

 

“I mean, she’s beautiful, and smart, and funny, and super badass in a fight,” Sokka said dreamily. Zuko’s chest constricted painfully, as he couldn’t disagree with any of it. “She’s basically the perfect woman.”

 

“She’s also way out of my league,” Sokka continued with a self-deprecating chuckle. “But miraculously, I think she likes me too. And she even broke off her engagement to that asshole! But she’s been keeping her distance lately, and I don’t understand why . Don’t get me wrong, I was kinda grateful for that, it gave me the time I needed to sort through my own feelings, but time’s getting long, and I don’t know what to do.”

 

Zuko took a steadying breath. They deserve to be happy together , he reminded himself.

 

“Have you considered talking to her about it?”

 

“We’re in the middle of a war, it just never feels like there’s a right time for it,” Sokka said, but there was something strange in his tone, like he was talking about something else. “What about you?”

 

Zuko startled at the question. “What about me?”

 

“Well, I’ve just told you about my love troubles, so it’s your turn, now,” Sokka said, sounding both hopeful and reluctant. Zuko frowned, confused by his friend’s expression; maybe he was just seeing something that wasn’t there.

 

He opened his mouth, before closing it, realising he had no idea what to say. He couldn’t exactly tell the truth, could he? He certainly wasn’t about to tell Sokka he’d been in love with him for years, or that sometime during their time in the North Pole, he’d fallen for Yue too. He couldn't tell him about the gutted feeling seeing them together gave him, or about the jealousy. Zuko couldn’t say any of it, because it would be selfish, and greedy, and completely ruin their friendship. This could be enough, this was more than enough, a friendship to last a lifetime. He was grateful for what he had, he was .

 

“I’m bisexual,” he blurted out instead, because that was a much safer confession. The only other persons he’d told were Mai and Jet. “It means─”

 

“Yeah, I know what it means,” Sokka interrupted. “I think I am too, I only found out pretty recently, though.”

 

“Oh. Thank you for telling me,” Zuko choked out. That was─ Well, that hurt a lot, actually. Because that meant he and Sokka wasn’t a far-fetched fantasy, but a very real possibility. It meant that Sokka would never love him like that, not because he was a boy, but because he was Zuko . And maybe both those things were entirely out of his control, but it hadn’t felt so personal a rejection before.

 

“Yeah, it took me an embarrassing amount of time to realise it,” Sokka continued, unaware of Zuko’s inner turmoil. “How long have you known?”

 

“Pretty much forever,” Zuko shrugged, trying for nonchalance and mostly succeeding ─ he was getting pretty good at suppressing his emotions.

 

“You never said,” Sokka said quietly.

 

“It never came up,” Zuko shrugged again.

 

“So, Jet, huh?”

 

Zuko startled at the non-sequitur. “What about him?”

 

“Do you miss him?”

 

“A bit,” Zuko admitted. “Him and the rest of the Freedom Fighters. But Jet most of all, I suppose; he’s a great friend when he wants to be.”

 

“Think the Fire Sages will let you marry him, when this is all over?” Sokka asked, looking away.

 

Zuko’s flame almost went out in his shock; what in the spirits was Sokka talking about?

 

“I’m not in love with Jet,” he settled on saying. “And he sure isn’t in love with me. We broke up a long while ago, but even before that, I don’t think it was ever more than attraction.”

 

“Oh, I thought─ well, I don’t know what I thought,” Sokka trailed off, looking straight ahead at the portion of the tunnel Zuko’s small flame lit.

 

“I don’t think anyone can ever love me like that,” Zuko admitted to the dark labyrinth, offering up a truth that had been festering in his chest for longer than he’d been aware of it. “Why would anyone want me? I’m too broken and damaged, all sharp edges and cutting glass. I wouldn’t want me either.”

 

A hand on his arm yanked him backwards, and he realised Sokka had stopped walking. His friend was now staring at him in open shock, and what looked a lot like the horrified look he’d used to have when Zuko talked about things about his upbringing he’d considered normal before Sokka showed him what family actually meant.

 

“What are you talking about?” Sokka demanded angrily. “Anyone would be lucky to have you!”

 

“Come on, Sokka, be honest,” Zuko said with a bitter chuckle. “I’m angry and mean and disfigured. My own family wants me dead.”

 

“Shut. Up,” Sokka growled, with more vehemence than Zuko expected from him; he was only stating the truth, after all.

 

“There’s no point in denying it, Sokka. And I appreciate what you’re trying to do, really, but I’ve accepted the truth a long ti─”

 

Zuko’s words died in his throat as lips connected with his own. He stood stock still, unable to process what was happening. Too soon, the kiss was over ─ it was a kiss , oh Agni it was a kiss ─ and Sokka stepped away just as suddenly as he’d come closer in the first place.

 

“Oh shit, Zuko I’m so sorry,” Sokka said, tone panicked as Zuko relit the small fire in his palm. “You were─ and I─ Oh, Tui and La, I’m so sorry…”

 

Sokka was rambling apologies, but Zuko couldn’t understand a word he said. His brain was scrambling to catch up with the present, and Zuko felt like he’d missed a step ─ or the whole staircase.

 

“You kissed me,” he blurted out, cutting off whatever Sokka had been in the middle of saying. “Why?” was all he could think of to ask, the question echoing in his mind ─ it didn't make sense; Zuko felt like the world was backwards, and no one had warned him to change directions with it.

 

“Because─ Because I’m an asshole obviously,” Sokka exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air.

 

...What?

 

Sokka must have gotten from his blank expression that Zuko wasn’t following, because he started speaking again.

 

 “I shouldn’t have done that,” Sokka said, and the world made sense again. Of course, Sokka regretted it, it had just been a heat of the moment thing, and now he was sorry the impulse had ever crossed his mind. “Because consent is important, and you obviously didn’t want to be kissed.”

 

Zuko was confused again.

 

“I didn't?” he asked, because apparently he had no brain-to-mouth filter anymore and he was going to voice every nonsensical thought that crossed his mind.

 

“Well─” Sokka frowned. “Did you?”

 

Zuko actually made the effort to think about his answer, trying to make sense of what he was feeling. “I don’t know? I didn't not want to be kissed?”

 

Sokka just stared ─ and yeah, that tracked, because Zuko had no idea what he was trying to say either.

 

“You… never answered my question,” Zuko said, as his brain did loops in his skull, thinking in wobbly circles. “Why did you kiss me?”

 

Sokka took his time to answer, visibly conflicted.

 

“You were saying all these horrible things about yourself, which weren’t true ,” he continued pointedly. “And I know that because you’re the best person I know, Zuko. You may be an imperfect, angry jerk, but you’re my angry jerk, and I wouldn't give you up for anything.”

 

“You almost died, that day at the North Pole. You did die, and I─” Sokka cut himself off, taking a shaky breath. “Losing you is the worst feeling in the world. And not just because you’re my best friend, or I’ve known you my whole life. I’ve been in love with you for so long, Zuko, and I didn’t even know.”

 

“You─” Zuko choked out, running out of breath after the first word of the sentence. He couldn’t possibly have heard that right, Sokka was not saying what he thought he was. What Zuko so desperately wanted him to mean.  

 

“I love you, Zuko,” Sokka seemed to understand him anyway. “And not just as a friend. But I get it if that’s all you ever want this to be, I’m not saying this expecting anything in return. I just thought you should know. You’re not unloveable, Sunshine; you never were.”

 

Zuko let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob, as the muddled thoughts in his brain finally slotted together in something resembling order.

 

“I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say those words,” Zuko said breathlessly. “I never thought I’d get to tell you how I felt, either. I’ve known I was in love with you for a frankly embarrassing amount of time.”

 

“You have?” Sokka chuckled a bit wetly.

 

“Yeah,” he grinned. “Unfortunately, you can be painfully oblivious sometimes.”

 

“Shut up, you jerk,” Sokka elbowed him playfully in the ribs.

 

Zuko’s mood soured as quickly as it had sored, as something else occurred to him.

 

“But what about Yue? You said─”

 

“I know what I said, and I meant it,” Sokka said. Zuko’s heart plummeted, a stony weight in his gut. “But that doesn’t change how I feel about you. It’s part of the reason this whole situation is so confusing, honestly. I didn’t want to choose between the two of you, but since I really didn’t think you were interested─ And now… I’m sorry, that probably made no sense to you.”

 

“No, it─ It does, actually.” Zuko took another deep breath, using an airbender technique his uncle had taught him. “I get it, Yue is… Well, I would be lying if I said I haven’t been falling for her too.”

 

“So you… feel the same?” Sokka asked, tentatively hopeful.

 

“I do,” Zuko huffed a laugh. “We really have been rubbing off on each other.”

 

And it wasn’t that funny, but suddenly both of them were laughing, ribs hurting but incapable of stopping. Soon they were hunched over, struggling for breath. Zuko felt a bit unhinged, in truth, but his every attempt to regain control of himself inevitably failed when he caught sight of Sokka.

 

It was hysterical laughter born of both giddiness and relief, adrenaline and years of pent-up emotion fizzling out of their bodies. It was contagious and raw and uncontrollable. It was mad and painful and beautiful.

 

They did manage to calm down eventually, after an indeterminate amount of time.

 

“So, are we… dating?” Sokka asked as they started walking again.

 

“I suppose we are,” Zuko laughed, still a little disbelieving.

 

“Does that mean that if, say, I wanted to kiss you again, I could?” Sokka inquired, tone at once giddy and unsure ─ if Zuko didn’t know any better, he’d think his friend ─ boyfriend? Wow, that felt weird ─ was nervous.

 

“You definitely could,” Zuko breathed, completely failing at sounding casual and relaxed.

 

Sokka gave a jerky little nod, a decisive look overtaking his features. He moved closer to Zuko, gently cupping his jaw in his hands and leaning in. This second kiss somehow had a feeling of firstness that the previous one didn’t ─ probably because this time his brain had time to process what was happening. But Zuko soon lost all ability to form coherent thought and got lost in the feeling of Sokka’s soft lips on his, his hands on his face. It was sweet and careful, but it set Zuko’s blood on fire.

 

When he reluctantly drew up for air, Sokka chased after him with a small sound that sent a shiver down Zuko’s spine.

 

He opened his eyes to the sight of Sokka’s beautiful face lit in eerie green. It took him a moment to realise the light shouldn’t be that colour, and another to locate its source, not in the unlit palm of his hand but on the ceiling of the cave itself. Above them, small green crystals shone like stars, guiding their way out to the other side of the mountain.

 

“We just had to trust in love,” Zuko whispered, and then laughed at the ridiculousness of his own words.

 

“You’re going to bring this story up every time I say something against your beloved theater pieces, aren’t you?” Sokka said, longsufferingly.

 

Zuko winked, and took his hand and they walked out of the cave together. They were the last ones out.

Chapter 8: She Assembled The Perfect Group

Summary:

Previously : The Gaang make their way through the Earth Kingdom, en route for Omashu. The secret tunnel and a meeting with traveling musicians leads to some revelations.

Notes:

I have nothing to say for myself. Enjoy this bit of Azula pov. To be honest I'm still not quite happy with how this turned out, but I refuse to go trhough editing it a sixth time.

Chapter Text

Azula walked through the rows of red tents, head held high and stride purposeful. Circus performers and other dirty peasants were running around, carrying boxes, bales of hay or flashy accessories. Most of them ignored her, too air-headed to know to bow to their Princess. She would have them all punished for the lack of respect if she didn’t have better things to do with her day. Fortunately for them all, they were too far beneath her to warrant her attention.

 

Why Ty Lee would choose this of all places to live was beyond her. Of course, her friend had always been a bit wilder than was strictly proper, but this was a new low. She could have done so much better for herself if she'd stayed by Azula's side in Caldera City. She hadn't ordered her to stay of course ─ Ty Lee would see the errors of her ways soon enough. She'd lasted longer than the Princess had expected. She supposed her dedication deserved some respect.

 

She eventually found the girl doing a hand-stand in a remote corner of the campsite, decked-out in her usual all-pink outfit ─ at least that much hadn’t changed.

 

“Ty Lee? May that possibly be you?” she feigned surprise, as if there could be any other reason for her presence here.

 

“Azula!” Ty Lee exclaimed cheerfully when she saw her. She twirled around and back to her feet before sauntering up to Azula and hugging her. The princess allowed herself to hold on for a few seconds, a strange warmth spreading through her. “It’s so good to see you!”

 

“Please, don’t let me interrupt your…” She trailed off, raising an eyebrow. “Whatever it is you were doing.”

 

Ty Lee, unphased by the Princess’ tone, folded herself in two and was once again upside down, as seemed to be the position she was more comfortable in. Azula smiled, perhaps all the blood rushing to her head was what made her so careless and cheerful.

 

“Tell me, what is the daughter of a nobleman doing here?” Everyone knew, of course, that Ty Lee had run away from her family to join a travelling circus, tired of living in the shadow of her seven sisters. “Certainly our parents didn’t send us to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls to end up in places like this. I have a proposition for you. I’m hunting a traitor, you remember my failure of a brother Zuko, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, he was so funny!” Ty Lee said. Azula held back a scoff at the preposterous declaration and feigned inspecting her already pristine nails.

 

“I would be honoured if you would join me on my mission,” Azula finished. She phrased it like there was no wrong answer, but really it wasn’t a choice at all. Who would deny the heir to the throne, after all?

 

“Oh, I─” Ty Lee winced, jumping back to her feet “I would have loved to… But the truth is, I’m really happy here. I mean, my aura has never been pinker!”

 

“I’ll take your word for it,” Azula said, tone flat, ignoring the ridiculousness of her friend’s declaration ─ she was unfortunately used to this sort of behaviour on her part, and had never quite been able to train it out of Ty Lee when they were in private. Maybe that was because she hadn’t bothered trying very hard.  

 

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to give up the life you love just to please me,” she said, giving the appearance of gracious resignation. In truth, she had expected this answer, though it left a sour taste in her mouth. 

 

“Thank you, Azula,” Ty Lee bowed, a soft smile on her pink lips ─ so easily fooled. Time away from the court had only mellowed her further. This would need to be corrected swiftly. As Azula started leaving, she went back to her gymnastics.

 

“Of course, before I leave I’m going to catch your show,” Azula threw over her shoulder like an afterthought.

 

“Uh, yeah, sure, of course,” Ty Lee floundered.

 

Azula left with a smirk teasing the edge of her lips.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

A few hours later, Azula found herself seated on a raised dais, sole spectator to the show Ty Lee was about to put on. The circus’s owner had gotten rid of every other patron as soon as he’d heard about Azula’s presence ─ it seemed he was the only person in this dreary place with the slightest notion of proper etiquette.

 

“Today, we are honoured to welcome the Firelord’s daughter at our humble circus,” the man ─ she hadn’t bothered to learn his name ─ declared, bowing before her. She almost corrected him on her title, she was Crown Princess Azula, not merely Ozai’s daughter. But if she wanted to ensure the man’s compliance, it was best not to irk him so soon, though she bristled at the notion. “Please don’t hesitate to tell us if there’s anything we could do to make the show more enjoyable.”

 

“I will,” Azula said evenly, fully intending to take advantage of the offer ─ she hardly needed the man’s permission to make suggestions, but she appreciated the deference.

 

Ty Lee was standing on one hand, some sort of strange pile of random objects balanced on a string beneath her. She was wearing a slightly ridiculous costume vaguely resembling a flower, a golden sun-shaped headdress adorning her head. While utterly preposterous, Azula had to  begrudgingly admit it rather suited the girl.

 

Ty Lee carefully switched which hand she was balancing on. The display would have been impressive, perhaps, if Azula hadn’t grown up with her, and seen her do much more interesting things. This was a waste of talents, pure and simple. Ty Lee’s potential would be put to much better use on her mission to hunt Zuzu and the Avatar down, rather than playing the circus clown. Still, there was something slightly mesmerising in seeing her in her element.

 

“Incredible,” Azula feigned amazement for the benefit of the circus owner sitting below her.  “Do you think she’ll fall?”

 

“Of course not,” the man answered, falling right into her trap. He glanced at her nervously, clearly unsettled by the enthusiasm she displayed at the prospect of a fall. Good ─ he should fear her. That was much better than the way he’d previously been looking at her.

 

“Then wouldn’t it make it more interesting if you removed the net?” she suggested, a hint of danger slipping into her voice.

 

“Uh,” the man floundered, reluctant to agree to her demand. That just wouldn’t do. “The thing is, the performers─”

 

“You’re right. It’s been done,” she nodded benevolently, reporting her attention to the show. 

 

“I know!” She snapped her finger, her lips curling into a smirk.  “Set the net on fire.”

 

“Of course, Princess,” he gulped, unable to hide his alarm. He used his own bending to execute the order, as there was no one else save Ty Lee in the wide tent. Azula’s contempt for the man only grew. He was nothing but a coward, unwilling to fight for the sake of his performers. What kind of circus master would let his bread-makers get hurt? It was shameful. The Princess hated unnecessary waste.

 

“Brilliant, just brilliant,” Azula said eagerly. “Oh! What kind of dangerous animals do you have?” 

 

“Well, our circus boasts the most exotic assortment─”

 

“Release them all,” Azula ordered, cackling.

 

Near the ceiling of the tent, Ty Lee’s smile had been replaced with a tense frown, sweat running down her forehead. She was visibly uncomfortable, even from a distance. At least now she would have to give this show her all. Azula thought she might even enjoy the challenge.





After Ty Lee’s performance was over, Azula declined staying for the rest of the night’s show ─ she had better things to do than watch silly acrobatics. Instead, she went straight for Ty Lee’s tent, where the girl was removing her make-up.

 

“What an exquisite performance,” she told her, not meaning it in the slightest. “I can’t wait to see how you’ll top yourself tomorrow.”

 

“I’m sorry, Azula,” Ty Lee said, sounding just as genuine as she always did. Azula wondered how she could reproduce it. Seeming so painfully sincere would be useful, and she always fell short. “But unfortunately, there won’t be a show tomorrow.”

 

“Really?” She didn’t let her satisfaction show quite yet. It wouldn’t do to gloat and give the game away.

 

“The universe has given me strong hints that it’s time for a career change. I want to join you on your mission,” Ty Lee said, just as Azula had known she would; the girl was just too easy to manipulate. Or perhaps Ty Lee was more perceptive than she gave her credit for . She finally let a victorious smirk grace her pink lips. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The next stop on their journey was Omashu, where they were greeted by a stony-faced Mai. Azula found it frustrating to no end that even after all those years of friendship, she still couldn’t read the gloomy girl’s expressions when Mai didn’t want her to know what she was thinking. She decided to correct this shortcoming during the course of this mission.

 

“Please tell me you’re here to kill me,” Mai said as she bowed, bored as ever, before her lips lifted into a sharp smile and she burst into laughter. It was a rare show of joy from her. Azula couldn’t help the burst of satisfaction she earned for having caused it.

 

“It’s great to see you Mai,” Azula said, giving her a short hug. It was the most elation she would allow herself to show.

 

Ty Lee launched herself on Mai, giving her a fierce embrace. The broody girl looked surprised for a second before she schooled her face back to indifference and hugged her back, a small smile gracing her features.

 

“I thought you ran off and joined the circus. You said it was your calling.” Mai raised an eyebrow.

 

“Well, Azula called a little louder,” Ty Lee shrugged, winking. Azula felt there was a joke there she was not in on.

 

“I have a mission, and I need you both,” Azula said, putting her hands on each of her friends’ shoulders to draw their attention back to herself.

 

“Count me in,” Mai said immediately, in a tone that equated to boundless enthusiasm for her. “Anything to get me out of this place.”





Azula sat on a throne, Mai’s family kneeling before her. She had come only to retrieve her friend, intending to spend the night and be gone first thing in the morning, but the state of affairs in Omashu forced her to prolong her stay. 

 

“I apologise,” Governor Ukano said. “You’ve come to Omashu at a difficult time. At noon, we’re making a trade with the resistance to get Tom Tom back.”

 

“Yes, I'm so sorry to hear about your son,” Azula said coldly. In truth, she could not have cared less. “But really, what did you expect by letting the citizens leave?”

 

She stood up for dramatic effect ─ let it not be said all of Zuzu’s ranting about theatre had been for nothing. Back when she had been young and eager to please her brother, she had listened attentively. Later, she had found some use in the trivial information she had memorised.

 

“My father trusted you with this city, and you’re making a mess of things.” Such incompetence was unforgivable. 

 

“Forgive me, Princess,” Ukano bowed, his forehead touching the ground. His grovelling left her indifferent.

 

“You stay here,” Azula ordered, towering over him. “Mai will handle the hostage trade so you don’t have a chance to mess it up. And there is no more Omashu. I’m renaming it in honour of my father : The city of New Ozai.”

 

Azula thought it was a bit much, but her father was vain enough to appreciate the idea.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

As they reached the platform where the exchange was supposed to take place, Mai led the charge, Azula and Ty Lee flanking her. They were too far away to make out the faces of the five rebels facing them, but Azula was pleased to see they hadn’t lied about bringing Tom Tom.

 

Even from here, though, she could tell the resistants were not what she had expected. She thought they would be facing a few earthbender and non-benders from the army, grown men and seasoned warriors. These rebels were just teenagers in mismatching outfits, nothing but kids from the city. She was immediately on high alert.

 

This had to be a trap; the kids were bait, and there were other rebels lying in wait somewhere. Or, just like Azula and her girls, they were more powerful than they looked ─ Azula was not about to make the rookie mistake of underestimating her opponents.

 

“Don’t let your guard down,” she whispered so that only Mai and Ty Lee could hear. “This might be a trap.”

 

She received shallow nods in acknowledgement, discreet enough they wouldn’t be noticed by observers.

 

King Bumi’s metal cage was lowered to the ground beside them.

 

“Hi everybody,” the mad king laughed. Azula eyed him warily. The old man reminded her too much of her uncle for comfort.

 

“You brought my brother?” Mai demanded.

 

“He’s here,” one of the rebels agreed. “We’re ready to trade.”

 

“I’m sorry, but a thought just occurred to me,” Azula interrupted. “Do you mind?”

 

“Of course not, Princess Azula,” Mai answered, following the plan.

 

“Azula?!” One of the rebels shouted in shock. 

 

The princess frowned ─ what was up with that guy? And why did his voice almost sound familiar? She’d only been in the Earth Kingdom for a few days, there was no way they’d met…

 

There was some disquiet among the five members of the resistance as they whispered furiously at each other.

 

“Pull him back up,” Azula ordered, gesturing at King Bumi. Something unforeseen was happening, and she didn’t like surprises.

 

“Bumi!” the first rebel to have spoken yelled as the King made his way back up the scaffold. As the kid ran toward him, Azula advanced to meet his approach with a burst of blue fire. The kid avoided it, jumping up on the surrounding scaffolding.

 

She didn’t have time to send another burst of fire his way as the kid was hidden from her view by a jet of flame. Azula whipped around, ready to block a blow that never came.

 

Standing a few feet in front of her, was a boy she hadn’t seen in three years, ugly red scar sprawling across his left eye.

 

“You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.”

 

“Zuzu?” She exclaimed in shock. Azula quickly swept her emotions back under control, and a dangerous smirk spread across her lips. “Just the traitor I was looking for.”

 

Her father would be very impressed when she brought the traitor to him after only a few days in the Earth Kingdom. The Princess was almost disappointed her hunt had come to an end so quickly. Trust Zuko to always ruin her fun.

 

“Azula─” her worthless brother cut himself off.

 

“Eloquent as ever, Zuzu,” she mocked. “I don’t suppose you would believe me, if I told you father regrets your banishment and wants you home.”

 

Zuko faltered, eyes widening and mouth falling open for a second before his face set in grim determination.

 

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t want to come back,” he said, with less certainty than she would have expected from the prince that betrayed his nation and his family to ally himself with the Avatar he was supposed to hunt ─ the kid in orange, she supposed. That would explain how he’d dodged her attack so easily. “This war is wrong, Azula! We’re not bringing our greatness to the rest of the world. Everyone hates us! And they’re right to, because we’ve brought nothing but pain and destruction to them.”

 

Azula just stared for a moment. Was Zuko─ was he trying to convince her? It seemed he’d only gotten dumber with time.

 

“I’m not a traitor, Zuzu, that’s all you and Uncle,” she sneered instead, trying to find her footing in this unanticipated situation. Zuko nodded, apparently accepting her words ─ why he’d thought she might turn to his side in the first place remained a mystery. Then again, her brother had always been quite the optimist.

 

“I just want you to know, even if we’re on opposite sides of a war right now, I’m still your brother and I love you, Azula,” Zuko said.

 

Overcome by a swelling rage of unknown origin, Azula attacked. She was not about to listen to Zuko’s lies. Her brother had always been a terrible liar, absolutely incapable of deception, wearing his heart on his sleeve.  

 

“I don’t care,” she said between gritted teeth, sending wave after wave of fire at her brother. He dodged and blocked them all, but she noted with satisfaction he was already losing ground, forced to step back.

 

Around them was chaos as Mai and Ty Lee joined the fight against Zuko’s companions. Azula paid them no mind, focused on her prey. Her girls could handle themselves.

 

Zuko’s firebending had certainly improved since the last time she’d seen him; she had to give him that. He could almost hold his own against her, now.  It seemed he was finally up to royal standards. How ironic, when he had been officially branded a traitor, and she had orders from the firelord himself to capture him and bring him home for his execution before the court.

 

She pushed Zuko back toward the edge of the platform, until he couldn’t back away anymore without falling off. Maybe he’d start actually fighting back, instead of simply defending ─ it made her irrationally angry. Didn’t he realise this was a fight for his life ? 

 

But as she punched a fireball in his direction, Zuko jumped right off the edge. Azula’s stomach dropped and she rushed to see where the dum dum had fallen ─ what was he playing at?

 

She mentally slapped herself when she realised her brother was fine, skidding down the stone ramp of New Ozai’s mailing system. Azula jumped after him, propelled by jets of fire coming from her hands for speed.

 

When she was almost to Zuko’s level, she jumped, arcing through the air and twisting, sending flames hurtling toward her brother as she went. She landed ahead of him, blocking the way.

 

“I don’t want to fight you,” Zuko shouted. Azula narrowed her eyes. If he refused to take her seriously, she would make him.

 

“All you have to do is surrender, dum dum,” she replied, rolling her eyes. 

 

Zuko only sighed wearily ─ like she was the one being unnecessarily difficult ─ and jumped aside on the nearest rooftop, running along the tiles of several buildings as she chased after him.

 

She had almost caught up to him when he jumped through the air, missing the next rooftop by a mile. She smirked, sure she had him ─ the roofs weren’t so high he would die on impact, he’d have a broken leg at worst.

 

When Azula reached the edge, a huge beast shot up into the sky, five people on its back. She sent  a burst of blisteringly hot fire after it, but it was deflected harmlessly to the side.

 

Azula watched as Zuko and his new companions escaped on the Avatar’s flying bison’s back. She didn’t allow herself to feel awe at the sight of a beast that should by all rights be extinct.

 

Her smirk slid off her face, determination replacing it. This was nothing but a minor setback. Next time, she would be better prepared. She wouldn’t let herself be distracted by her emotions again. On their next encounter, she would put the Avatar and her brother both in chains.

Chapter 9: Time is an illusion

Summary:

Previously : Azula gathers an elite group to hunt down her brother

Chapter Text

Though I was trapped in the body of a mortal, you willingly gave me your heart! I cannot help but give you mine in return! ” recited Zuko with none of his usual awkwardness. 

 

Yue was floored by his acting talent. The prince had spent the better part of the flight recounting the plot of his favorite play, Love Amongst the Dragons for her benefit, even including quotes here and there. It seemed he knew most of the play by heart. While his storytelling skills were not the best ─ he had a tendency to lose himself in the details ─ the amount of emotion he put into each performed line was more than enough to make up for it. Yue felt completely involved in the story, compassionate to the characters’ plights. 

 

Next to them, Katara had abandoned the scroll she was reading, wrapped up in the story as well. Sokka hadn’t stopped sharpening the blade of his machete, but from the way he sometimes mouthed the lines along with Zuko, she guessed he’d heard it all before ─ probably even seen it acted out in a real performance. She could also tell he was not one bit as annoyed as he pretended to be, shooting fond smiles at Zuko whenever he thought no one was looking. 

 

Yue had noticed them both doing that lately, trading soft smiles and casual touches. A gentle warmth enveloped her at the sight, bringing a soft smile to her lips. She thought perhaps she should have been jealous, but she simply did not have it in her to be anything but elated for them. Her bubbling crush for the boys had turned into a tender affection that felt far more comforting. It was like something had fallen into place in her chest and finally fit perfectly.

 

“Hey, you taking us down for a reason?” Sokka asked suddenly, pulling Yue out of her musings. Looking over the edge of the saddle, she noticed they were indeed flying closer to the ground than they should be. There was no answer from the Avatar. “Aang! Why are we going down?”

 

“What?” Aang startled. His eyes widened comically. “I didn’t even notice!”

 

“Are you noticing now?” Sokka insisted as they kept losing altitude.

 

“Is something wrong?” Katara asked, Momo perking up from where he was perched on her shoulder.

 

“I know this is gonna sound weird, but the swamp is… calling to me,” Aang said, making the rest of the group frown confusedly.

 

“Is it telling you where we can get something to eat?” Sokka jibed, though he was clearly unsettled by the strange phenomena.

 

“No, I─ I think it wants us to land.”

 

“No offense to the swamp, but I don’t see any land there to land on,” Sokka said.

 

“Would it kill you to be serious for a second?” Zuko rolled his eyes.

 

“I don’t know, Bumi said to learn earthbending I would have to wait and listen,” Aang wondered aloud. “And now I’m actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it?”

 

“Yes,” Sokka deadpanned.

 

“I don’t know,” Katara hesitated. “There’s something ominous about that place.”

 

“It’s full of spirits,” Yue agreed. The energy emanating from the swamp reminded her of the Spirit Oasis, though it did not feel as welcoming. “I’m not sure we should disturb their sanctuary like this. Then again, if they’re calling to you...”

 

“Not all spirits are benevolent,” Zuko butted in. Yue shrugged a little helplessly. He was right, and there was no way to know what the spirits wanted from them. Their presence didn’t feel malicious, yet the Northern Princess was no expert.

 

“See, even Appa and Momo don’t like this place,” Sokka argued as the bison groaned loudly. Yue wasn’t convinced it had been a noise of dislike, but she didn’t know Appa well enough to tell.

 

“Okay,” Aang said, a bit reluctantly, as he started steering them back up.  “Since everyone feels so strongly about this, bye swamp. Yip yip!”

 

Almost as soon as he’d said it, Yue whipped around at the sudden roar of wind, only to see a tornado heading straight for them. It was strange in that it seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and the rest of the sky was just as calm and blue as it had been a second ago, not a cloud in sight. It seemed they were about to find out what the spirits’ intentions were after all.

 

“You better throw in an extra ‘yip’,” Sokka exclaimed frantically, spotting it a second after Yue. “We gotta move!”

 

The tornado was gaining on them, and they had to grip the saddle to not be sucked into it. Even when Aang protected them with a ball of wind wrapped around Appa, they were unable to escape the gale’s pull.

 

They were all thrown off as Aang lost control, screaming as they plummeted toward the ground. 

 

Yue clenched her eyes tightly shut as she was flung through the air, the wind tearing at her clothes and hair. 

 

Yue’s fall was thankfully broken by tree branches as she hurtled through them, earning a good number of scratches and bruises as she went. She landed in the water below with a splash.

 

She lay on her back for a long time, heart rabbiting in her chest as she fought down the nausea. Her breaths came in painful huffs and tears stung her eyes.

 

“You okay?” Zuko asked from where he was rubbing his shoulder a few feet away. She noticed he was winded too, although he seemed to be handling the near-death experience much better than she was. She wondered absently how he could stomach to stand.

 

“Yes, I’m fine, just a bit shaken,” she answered. It was quite the understatement, she was shaking all over and her legs felt ready to give out ─ quite a feat considering she still hadn’t stood up. “What about you? Is your shoulder bothering you?”

 

“No, it’s alright; just a nasty bruise, I think.” Zuko thankfully chose not to comment on her lie, albeit she was certain he had picked up on it.

 

“Did you see where everyone else landed?” Yue glanced at their surroundings, a knot forming in her stomach as she suddenly realized they had been separated from the group. She hoped they had at least been lucky enough to land together. She feared what might happen if someone were to get lost in the foreboding swamp.

 

Zuko was silent for a few moments, a far away look on his face. Yue waited patiently for him to come back.

 

“Aang, Katara and Sokka are together,” he said eventually. Yue sighed in relief at the news, the worst of her fears abated. “They landed in some other part of the swamp. They don’t know where Appa and Momo are, though.”

 

“Appa! Momo!” Yue yelled, but no answer came. She huffed, trying to come up with a solution. “Do you have any idea how to find the others? Can your soulbond help?”

 

Zuko shook his head. “I can see where Sokka is, but it looks just like here; there’s no way to tell which direction they're in. They must be pretty far, because Aang apparently went up a tree to call for us and the animals and didn’t find anything. And since we didn’t hear him either…”

 

“This is like the tunnels all over again,” Yue groaned. Why could nothing ever be easy for Team Avatar?. “Except singing love songs to badgermoles won’t save us this time… What do we do now?”

 

“I don’t know what we can do, except walk and hope for the best.”

 

Yue nodded resignedly and they picked a random direction, walking in tense silence, shoulders brushing. This swamp was making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

 

“I feel like we’re being watched,” she whispered eventually, although she saw nothing but trees and vines when she looked around. In fact, the swamp seemed oddly still, without even a faint breeze to sway the branches.

 

“Good to know I’m not going crazy,” Zuko muttered. “I’m sick of this fucking swamp.”

 

“It’s going to be night soon,” Yue said, apprehension thick in her voice. “We should make camp for the night.”

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Sokka woke up with a scream as he realized the vines dragging him away from the campsite were not, in fact, a figment of his imagination. He struggled against his bounds, and eventually managed to free his machete and hack at the plants. Despite his best efforts, the damn things kept growing back as soon as he sliced them up. His stomach lurched at the realization that he was being dragged away from Aang and Katara, whom from what he could hear, were facing a similar plight. He started to slash at the moving plants with renewed vigor.

 

By the time he was completely free, there was no sign of either of his friends, and there was no answer when he shouted their names save for the scream of a screeching bird. He shuddered ─ the nasty little things gave him the hibbie-jibbies. 

 

As he stumbled on a root, Sokka spotted movement a little ways ahead. He approached the figure in red warily, an ominous feeling steering in his gut. 

 

“Zuko?” he called out hopefully. But as the person turned around, his stomach sunk down to his feet as he recognized the man standing before him.

 

“You’re not real. You’re not real, you can’t possibly be here, the swamp is just playing tricks on my tired brain. Please don’t be real,,” Sokka pleaded, turning away and clenching his fists to hide the shaking in his hands. It didn’t do much good as the rest of his body started trembling like ice was pouring inside his very bones.

 

Ozai appeared right before his face just as he tentatively opened his eyes, and Sokka jumped backwards in surprise with a shout; stumbling and falling on his butt in the water. By the time he got his bearings again, the Firelord was gone.

 

Sokka pressed a clammy hand against his chest, trying to calm his panicked breathing.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Zuko paused to catch his breath as the last of the vines burned to ash beside him. There was something seriously wrong with this place.  Vines were not supposed to move on their own and drag unassuming travelers to their swampy deaths! The corners of his lips briefly quivered as the thought that sounded like something Sokka would say. 

 

He stood up, quickly drying himself off with his bending, before starting to walk back the way he’d come, calling Yue’s name. A terrifying thought slipped into his mind: maybe she’d been dragged further away than he thought; she didn’t have firebending to use against the vines, the only weapon she had was the knife Zuko had given her ─ it had been a gift from his uncle, but she needed it more than he did, archery was all well and good, but it was useless at close range. She was getting pretty proficient at throwing it under Zuko’s tutelage ─ a skill he’d learned from Mai, once upon a time ─ although that wouldn’t do her any good now .

 

Zuko startled as he heard a noise coming from behind his back, whipping around only to come face to face with a young Fire Navy soldier. His breathing stuttered to a stop as static filled his ears. 

 

This was a face he knew better than his own, as it haunted his dreams. He didn’t even know the soldier’s name. This was the first man Zuko had ever killed, all the way back on Kyoshi Island when Zhao had attacked. Zuko had fought with Suki and her warriors, even though they only knew him as Lee, an Earth Kingdom refugee.

 

He had still been loyal to his father and the Fire Nation, back then. But he’d fought, and this soldier, only a year or two older than Zuko himself, had died by his blades. A surge of shame threatened to swallow him whole at the memory. 

 

This was the death that had broken him, leaving him like a ghost wandering the Earth Kingdom, phoenix tail cut to the root and hair left to regrow on its own.

 

That was how the Freedom Fighters ─ then only street orphans ─ had found him, and taught him how to live again.

 

The soldier disappeared, and Zuko was alone in the swamp once more; left with nothing but the phantom feeling of blood on his hands and a burning in his eyes.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Yue lay on her back in the muddy swamp water, catching her breath, finally still vines in tatters around her. Zuko had been right to worry about the benevolence of the spirits, it seemed.

 

The waning moon shone a murky light on her from above, not as reassuring a sight as it usually was.

 

She eventually stood up, prying twigs and clumps of algae from her hair. She kicked at the cut up vines a little to make sure they wouldn’t attack her again.

 

Yue looked around herself for signs of Zuko ─ or anyone else really ─ and came up empty. When calling their names gave no further results, she started walking. She hadn’t imagined joining Team Avatar would involve so much walking in random directions. She gave a quick prayer to Tui, hoping the Moon Spirit would guide her steps in the right direction.

 

She spotted red in her peripheral vision, and turned, dreading what she might see ─ please don’t be a soldier, please don’t be a soldier ─ 

 

The woman smiled at her, dressed in what had to be a Fire Nation noble lady’s robes, a red hairpiece in the shape of a flame adorning her white hair. Yue realized with a start that the woman was herself, somehow. She was a slightly older version of Yue, maybe in her mid-thirties. Inspecting her clothes more closely, she noticed there were hints of her Water Tribe heritage in the design and embroidery. 

 

She stared, dumbstruck, at this older self wearing Fire Nation clothes like it was natural, a blue engagement necklace carved with crescent moons and flames adorning her neck. It couldn’t possibly mean what she thought it did. Her mind recoiled at the possibility, balking at the betrayal of her countrymen. 

 

Except ─ it made sense, politically speaking, for Yue to marry Zuko. It would be good for international relations, securing peace and a lasting alliance with the Water Tribes. The union would also provide heirs, something Sokka never could. This was an arranged marriage that she would happily agree to, though her heart ached at the thought of her friend, and his place in that particular equation. 

 

Yue didn’t know what this vision meant. Were the spirits showing her the fate that awaited her? Or were they trying to guide her toward this future? The smiling lady before her gave no hint one way or another, leaving Yue confused and blinking back tears.

 

She turned at the sound of yelling, and the woman disappeared seconds before someone bumped against her back. Before she had time to realize what was happening, Yue was down in the swamp water, tangled in a mess of limbs that were not merely her own. Her friends were all here again, in a messy heap on the ground.

 

“What do you guys think you’re doing? I’ve been looking all over for you!” Sokka cried, swinging his machete wildly in the air. Yue took care to stand widely out of range.

 

“Well, I’ve been wandering around looking for you !” Katara retorted.

 

“I was chasing some girl,” Aang said, surprising everyone out of a shouting match.

 

“What girl?” Yue asked, eying Katara from the corner of her eyes but not seeing much of a reaction apart from the bewilderment mirrored on the rest of the group’s faces.

 

“I don’t know. I heard laughing and I saw some girl in a fancy dress,” Aang rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

 

“There must be a tea party here, and we just didn’t get our invitations” Sokka mocked, although Yue could tell it was only a front to hide how rattled he truly was.

 

“I thought I saw mom,” Katara whispered, looking down at her feet. Her brother looked guilty for making fun of Aang, now.

 

“Look, we were all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That’s why we all saw things,” Sokka said, trying to rationalize the situation.

 

“You saw something too,” Yue said. It wasn’t a question.

 

“I thought I saw the Firelord,” Sokka answered, turning away. “But that doesn’t prove anything.”

 

“I saw myself,” Yue admitted. “I think the spirits were showing me a version of my future.”

 

“We saw people we felt strongly about,” Zuko cut in, not looking at any of them. “It’s probably just swamp gas or whatever.”

 

“What about me? I didn’t know the girl I saw. And all our visions led us right here.”

 

“Where’s ‘here’ anyway?” Katara wondered. “The middle of the swamp?”

 

“Yeah, the center,” Aang nodded, pointing up. “The heart of the swamp.”

 

Yue looked up at the gigantic tree towering above them and the rest of the place, and thought the Avatar must be right. This spot was to the swamp what the Spirit Oasis was to the North Pole. She could feel its thrumming energy right down to her bones.  

 

“It’s been calling us here,” Aang continued. “I knew it!”

 

“It’s just a tree, it can’t call anyone,” Sokka exclaimed, ever the skeptic. “For the last time, there’s nothing after us, and there’s nothing magical happening here.”

 

“Just like spirits aren’t real, you mean?” Zuko raised an eyebrow..

 

Just as he said this, a monster made of vines and algae emerged from the water below them, a wooden mask in the place of its face.

 

They screamed.




The monster attacked, swinging its long arms around and extending one of them, grabbing Sokka as he tried to run.

 

Aang hit the creature with a short blast of air, causing it to drop the Water Tribe boy. The thing turned, sending the Avatar careening through the air, landing in the water a dozen meters away.

 

“Can’t you use your fire on it?” Yue asked Zuko urgently.

 

“Not with Sokka so close to it,” he shouted back, drawing his broadswords instead.

 

Yue felt useless facing an enemy that wasn’t made of flesh and bone. She knocked an arrow in her bow anyway as Zuko ran at the creature, Sokka at its feet hacking at the vines that were still tangling around him. She aimed for the thing’s mask, but it blocked easily with one of its arms, the arrow staying planted in it. 

 

Katara sped along a wave of her own creation, blocking the monster’s retreat as it fled with Sokka captive. She shot ice spears at it, making a hole in its shoulder, but the vines grew back in a matter of seconds.

 

Katara ran at the creature, fighting it as best she could with her bending while it still had Sokka in its grip, but the thing hit her, sending her sprawling near Yue’s feet. The waterbender had at least succeeded in distracting the monster, allowing Zuko to come at it from above, severing the arm holding sokka at the elbow ─ or the place where an elbow should be.

 

Unfortunately, this maneuver didn’t end well for the firebender, who was caught as he helped Sokka up. He was disappearing inside the monster’s body when Aang arrived on an air scooter, landing on the beast’s head and slicing at it with his airbending. It wasn’t enough to bring the thing down, but it did force it to focus on growing its vines back and allowed Katara to freeze the banished prince in a ball of ice she quickly separated from the monster.

 

The creature’s next attack sent Aang flying through the swamp again. Yue thought the monster would regret making Katara mad as she started rotating her arms, slicing through the beast almost faster than it could regrow.

 

“There’s someone in there!” Yue yelled as she caught sight of a man through the gaps. “He’s bending the vines!”

 

Katara’s next attack cut the thing’s head off, leaving a man dressed in only a leaf loincloth.

 

“Why did you call me here, if you just wanted to kill us?” Aang demanded.

 

“Wait, I didn’t call you here,” the man said distractedly.

 

“We were flying over and I heard something calling to me, telling me to land,” Aang explained. None of them shifted out of their fighting stances.

 

“He’s the Avatar,” Sokka added. “Stuff like that happens to us a lot .”

 

“The Avatar? Come with me,” the man said, eyebrows raised high in surprise.

 

They looked at each other, thrown by the change in behavior.

 

“I don’t trust him,” Zuko hissed.

 

“Neither do I, but we might as well follow. What else are we gonna do at this point?” Yue contered. The group considered for a few seconds, and they eventually nodded, eying the man warily.

 

“So who are you, then?” Katara asked as the man led them back to the tree.

 

“I protect the swamp from folks that want to hurt it. Like this fellow with his machete.” he explained. Yue didn’t understand what he was referring to, but the pointed glare Katara sent her brother seemed to indicate she did.

 

“See, completely reasonable,” Sokka said, ignoring his sister. “Not a monster, just a regular guy defending his own. Nothing mystical about it.”

 

“Oh the swamp is a mystical place all right,” the former swamp monster disagreed. “It’s sacred. I reached enlightenment right here, under the banyan-grove tree. I heard it calling me, just like you did.”

 

“Sure you did, it seems real chatty,” Sokka’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.

 

“See, this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles. Branches spread and sink and take root, then spread some more. One big living organism, just like the entire world.”

 

“I get how the tree is one big thing,” Aang said. “But, the whole world ?”

 

“Sure,” the man shrugged. “You think you’re any different from me, or your friends, or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel everything growing. We are all living together, even if most folks don’t act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree.”

 

“But what did our visions mean?” Katara asked.

 

“In the swamp, we see visions of people we lost, people we loved, folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they’re not. We’re still connected to them.”

 

“Time is an illusion, and so is death,” Zuko finished with him. They all turned to stare at him. “It’s something someone told me, although I can’t remember who it was…” 

 

“Oh, come on, not you too,” Sokka muttered, but was ignored.

 

“But what about my vision? Or Yue’s?” Aang asked. “It was someone I had never met.”

 

“You’re the Avatar,” the man replied. “You tell me.”

 

“Time is an illusion...” Aang trailed off, deep in thought. “... so, it’s someone I will meet?”

 

“Sorry to interrupt the lesson,” Sokka cut in. “But we still need to find Appa and Momo.”

 

“I think I know how to find them,” Aang said slowly, crouching to put his hand flat against the tree’s root. “Everything is connected…”

 

He was silent and immobile for a while, his arrows glowing. When the light faded, he stood up. “Come on, we gotta hurry!”




They found Appa and Momo with more swamp people, who had apparently captured them, intending to eat the animals. Their fight was cut short as they realized they were waterbenders, and their little group spent the night at the tribesmen’s camp, eating dinner around a campfire in a friendly atmosphere.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Gaoling was the third biggest city of the Earth Kingdom, right after Ba Sing Se and Omashu. Which meant it had a very well stocked market ─ it was certainly a step up from the small towns and villages they had passed through so far.

 

This was not playing in Zuko’s favor, although it certainly seemed to please Sokka immensely. He’d spent the better part of the last hour going from stall to stall, dragging the rest of the Gaang ─ as Zuko had very reluctantly taken to calling them after his boyfriend had come up with the name ─ along with him. The last five minutes had been spent examining one single bag , agonizing over whether or not he should buy it. Zuko was at the end of his rope.

 

“It’s pricey, but I really do like it,” Sokka was saying, as if any of them were actually listening.

 

“Then you should get it,” Katara said helpfully, likely trying to speed things along. “You deserve something nice.”

 

“I do, don’t I?” Sokka nodded enthusiastically. “But no, it’s too expensive, I shouldn’t.”

 

Aang was sitting on the ground, back propped on Zuko’s shins, looking like he was about to pass out from boredom, while Yue watched on amusedly.

 

“Alright, then don’t,” Katara sighed. Zuko was very impressed with her patience. If it were up to him, he’d have caved and bought the damn bag already just to shut Sokka up.

 

As they were finally leaving, a dejected Sokka following them, he doubled back.

 

“You know what? I’m gonna get it.”

 

“You’re just as bad as Uncle,” Zuko groaned.

 

They were waiting for him to pay with money they didn’t have, when a man approached them, advertising Master Yu’s Earthbending Academy.

 

“Look, there's a coupon on the back, the first lesson is free,” Aang exclaimed, reading the small pamphlet.

 

“Who knows, this Master Yu could be the earthbending teacher you’ve been looking for,” Katara agreed with more optimism than was really warranted.

 

“I don’t know,” Zuko shook his head. “We can’t exactly afford the lessons. Earthbending is traditionally passed down through families, which explains why there are so many bending styles. The only people who pay for lessons are the upper classes that aren’t quite nobility, we probably can’t afford the guy’s fares.”

 

“I’m sure he’ll make an exception for the Avatar,” Aang argued.

 

“If the first lesson is free, we might as well give it a try,” Yue said diplomatically. “If it doesn’t work out, there are still plenty of benders in the Earth Kingdom. We should be able to find you a teacher without too much trouble.”




After a worryingly short lesson, Aang came back out, shaking dirt out of his ears.

 

“He’s not the one,” he said with a shrug.

 

“Maybe we could go back to Haru and his dad, I’m sure they’d be willing to teach you, Aang,” Katara suggested.

 

“Who’s Haru?” Yue and Zuko asked at the same time. For some reason, that made Yue blush, which caused Zuko to blush because his skin was so pale the slightest hint of embarrassment showed on his face.

 

“Katara’s boyfriend she broke out of prison,” came Sokka’s answer.

 

“Since when does Katara have a boyfriend?” This was news to Zuko.

 

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Katara cried at the same time as Aang’s “She doesn’t!”

 

Yue and Zuko exchanged another look, but their teasing was interrupted by the loud chatter of the earthbending students pouring out of the building.

 

“I think the Boulder is gonna win back the belt at Earth Rumble VI,” one of the kids coming out of the ‘academy’ was saying to his friend.

 

“He’s gonna have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to even get a shot at the champ,” his companion argued.

 

“Excuse me, but where is this earthbending tournament exactly,” Aang ran after them, excited polar-puppy look turned on at maximum level.

 

“It’s on the Island of Nonya,” the almost-bald one said. “ Nonya business !”

 

The two friends walked away, laughing uproariously. Katara and Yue ran after them with the same too-sweet smile Azula had on before she tried to singe off Zuko’s eyebrows when they were kids. They came back with the time and location for the tournament. A girl has her ways indeed.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

The tournament was taking place underground, the entrance nothing but a hole earthbended into the mountainside, and wasn’t that just the coolest thing ever .

 

The arena inside was huge too, with a wide gap between the stands and the fighting grounds. Sokka was relieved to see the arena looked nothing like the one in the Royal Palace, and the knot in his stomach loosened.

 

“Hey, front row seats!” Aang exclaimed. “I wonder why no one else is sitting here.”

 

“Guess that’s why,” He said as a boulder landed only meters away from them. Sokka sent a wink over his shoulder in his boyfriend’s direction when he noticed him sitting shoulder to shoulder with Yue a few rows above them. Zuko blushed profusely, eliciting a laugh from the Water Tribe boy. He waved away his sister’s questioning look and turned back to the arena.

 

“Welcome to Earth Rumble VI,” the host announced from the center of the rink. “I am your host, Xin Fu!”

 

“This is just gonna be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn’t it?” Katara asked, inspecting her nails contemptuously. 

 

“That’s what I paid for,” Sokka was hyped . This was gonna be the best!

 

“Hopefully some of them will have a modicum of finesse,” Zuko said, sounding like he didn’t hold too much hope for that outcome. “Otherwise this is going to be a long night.”

 

Why am I dating you again?” Sokka asked, offended by his lack of enthusiasm.

 

“Because swords are cooler than rocks,” Zuko shot back with a wink ─ wow, he actually winked. That certainly did something to Sokka’s traitorous heart, he really hoped the dim lighting would hide his blush.

 

“Ew, stop flirting when I'm around,” Katara fake-gagged. Aang and Yue just laughed.

 

“The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring, and you win,” Xin Fu announced before jumping up to his referee booth. “First round: The Boulder vs The Big Bad Hippo!”

 

On the stage, the fighters appeared. The first was an impressively muscled man that definitely looked like he deserved his nickname, while the other was a tall and fat giant with four teeth (he deserved his nickname too). And no, Sokka wasn’t drooling, but that didn’t stop him from appreciating the view.

 

The Boulder was trash-talking his opponent, but Sokka was too busy staring at his arms ─ holy shit his arms ─ to listen. He won of course, in an impressive show of rock-chucking.

 

“How about the Boulder?” Katara asked Aang. “He’s got some moves.”

 

“I dunno,” Aang shrugged uneasily. “Bumi said I needed a teacher who listens to the earth. He’s just listening to his big muscles. What do you think, Sokka?”

 

Sokka was cheering his head off, so he didn’t hear the question, but he was definitely a go on the add-the-Boulder-to-the-team plan.

 

“Agni, he’s ridiculous,” Zuko muttered, unheard by anyone but Yue.

 

“It’s cute,” Yue agreed. They shared a knowing smile.

 

“Next fight, the Boulder vs Fire Nation Man,” Xin Fu announced. What was that guy doing here? And why was he representing Zuko’s country so poorly? He was wearing Agni Kai armbands, but he’d added a little cape and was waving a flag around, smiling proudly like the crowd wasn’t booing him.

 

“Please, do rise for the Fire Nation anthem,” he yelled, fist raised in the air. “ Fire Lord, my flame burns for thee ─”

 

Everyone booed, Zuko included, to their group’s surprise.

 

“What? He’s singing off-key and this isn’t even the official anthem, that’s just the parody they do in the Earth Kingdom,” Zuko explained, looking affronted at their surprise ─ Sokka had known that, of course, but it was fun rilling the firebender up.

 

“Will you sing the real anthem, then?” Sokka asked cheekily. “I know for a fact you’re a very good tsungi horn player, and you’ve definitely had singing lessons at some point.”

 

“I’m not singing,” Zuko scowled, just like Sokka knew he would.

 

“You can play?” Aang exclaimed excitedly. “Oh, Zuko, you have to play for us as soon as we find an instrument!”

 

“No.”

 

“Please?” Aang turned wide eyes on him.

 

“Absolutely not,” Zuko shook his head. 

 

By the time the two had stopped arguing ─ and Zuko hadn’t even given in to Aang’s polar-puppy eyes, Sokka was impressed ─ Fire Nation Man and the Boulder’s next three opponents had already bit the dust.

 

“Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for,” Xin Fu announced dramatically. Sokka was on the edge of his seat, waiting for the next fighter to be revealed. “The Boulder versus your champion, The Blind Bandit!”

 

A─ A little girl was holding a belt bigger than her entire torso above her head. What were the kid’s parents thinking , letting her fight in an earthbending tournament against a man like the Boulder?!

 

“She can’t really be blind,” Katara said disbelievingly. “It’s just part of her character.”

 

“I think she is,” Aang breathed, dismayed.

 

“I think she is going down ,” Sokka shouted, because he wasn’t above cheering against a blind little girl apparently. It was her own fault for participating in the first place.

 

“Are you willing to bet your pretty new bag on that?” Zuko smirked.

 

“Of course,” Sokka asserted. “The Boulder is going to steamroll right over her.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Zuko mused, apparently confident in his ridiculous bet. Azula was right, he was a big dum-dum.

 

“The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl,” the Boulder said ─ should Sokka start talking about himself in the third person? It sounded pretty cool when he did it.

 

“Do not speak about yourself in the third person, it just sounds stupid,” Zuko interrupted, apparently reading his mind.

 

The others looked at him weirdly, but Sokka just glared and turned back to the fight.

 

“Sounds to me like you’re scared, Boulder,” the Blind Bandit mocked, and okay, she was good at trash-talking at the very least.

 

“The Boulder is over his conflicted feelings, and now he’s ready to bury you in a rocka-lanche.”

 

“Whenever you’re ready, The Pebble,” the girl laughed evilly.

 

“It’s on!” 

 

The Boulder was the first to move, lunging forward. The girl only shifted her feet, sending a line of crackling earth in her opponent's direction. As the Boulder’s feet landed on the ground, he was unbalanced, the earth driving his feet apart. He yelled in pain at the forced split. 

 

Zuko whooped from behind him, as Sokka winced ─ that looked like it hurt.

 

“Looks like the Boulder isn’t all that flexible,” he snarked. “Who would’ve thought?”

 

“Oh, shut up,” Sokka shot back. “It’s not like you can do the split.”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Zuko rasped, voice low. Sokka turned around, eyes bugging out, to see him smirking.

 

“I can do the split too!” Aang cut in, oblivious to the crackling tension.

 

“That’s great Aang.”

 

Sokka turned back to the fight at the sound of a body hitting the walls of the arena.

 

“Hand over the bag, Sokka,” Yue grinned as she and Zuko high-fived in victory.

 

“Your winner is still the champion, the Blind Bandit!” Xin Fu bellowed as the crowd roared.

 

“I’ll miss you,” Sokka whispered to his beautiful green bag, clutching it to his chest before mournfully handing it over to a smirking Zuko. It was unfair how good smugness looked on him.

 

“To make things a little more interesting, I’m offering this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit!” The host jumped down from his platform to resounding silence. “What? No one dares to face her?”

 

“I will!” Aang sprung up.

 

“Wait, what?” Sokka whipped around, bemused.

 

“He wants her to teach him earthbending,” Katara supplied.

 

“Go Aang! Avenge the Boulder,” Sokka cried, hyping his friend up.

 

“Do people really wanna see two little girls fighting out here?” The Blind Bandit asked.

 

Aang said something back ─ likely about not wanting to fight, knowing the kid ─ but Sokka couldn’t hear over the noise of the audience.

 

“Boo, no talking!” he yelled, because he wanted to see some action.

 

“Don’t boo him,” Katara chided, hitting him upside the head. Zuko snorted behind him. Sokka didn’t bother turning to glare at him, this time ─ Zuko was pretty much impervious to the stink eye, having mastered that art long before Sokka had.

 

The fight went on, Aang jumping above the pillars of rock the Bandit tried to impale him on and landing light on his feet. The girl must have been actually blind, because she obviously had no idea where he was as long as his feet didn’t touch the ground ─ a fact Aang was making good use of. Sokka’s strategic mind must be rubbing off on him.

 

As the Blind Bandit chucked a boulder at the Avatar, he produced a strong gust of wind, sending the girl flying off the platform.

 

“Way to go, champ,” Sokka exclaimed, collecting the prize.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

They snuck into the Beifong estate, climbing over the wall to the garden, out of sight of the guards ─ honestly, they didn’t even have guards on the lookout above the walls, it was like they wanted people to sneak in.

 

Or maybe they didn’t need security, Zuko thought as the earth beneath his feet propelled him up in the air, sending the Gaang sprawling into the decorative bushes.

 

“What are you doing here, Twinkletoes?” The Blind Bandit demanded, although she was barely recognisable, dressed as she was in fine silk.

 

“How did you know it was me?” Aang tilted his head curiously.

 

“Don’t answer to Twinkletoes, it’s not manly ,” Sokka hissed.

 

“Shut up, Sokka, all the girls we know could kick your ass,” Zuko glared. “This one included,” he added, pointing at the Beifong girl.

 

“Thanks, Raspy,” the Blind Bandit quipped. “How did you find me?”

 

“A crazy king told me I needed to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp─”

 

“What Aang is trying to say is,” Katara interrupted hurriedly. “He's the Avatar, and if he doesn’t master earthbending soon, he won’t be able to defeat the Firelord.”

 

“Not my problem.” The girl crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“It will be when the Fire Nation’s armies reach Gaoling,” Zuko snapped. “They already took Omashu.”

 

“Get out of here or I’ll call the guards.”

 

“Look,” Sokka tried. “We all have our part to do to win this war, and yours is to teach Aang earthbending.”

 

“Maybe pressuring her isn’t─” Yue started, but was interrupted by the girl’s call for guards to come to her rescue.

 

Their little group was forced to retreat, having no interest in fighting the Beifongs’ security team.

 

“Now are you ready to do this through the proper channels?” Yue asked, glaring at them all. She didn’t say ‘ I told you so ’ but she didn’t need to ─ she had predicted this would happen, after all.

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Dinner was a stilted affair, the Beifongs pulling out all the stops to greet the Avatar and his companions. Yue wasn’t used to the requirements of dining with Earth Kingdom high society, and Katara seemed just as lost. Zuko, however, apparently knew what he was doing, and if the way he was glaring at Sokka was anything to go by, the Water Tribe boy was simply choosing to ignore proper protocol in favor of shoveling as much food in his mouth as he could. 

 

“Blow on it, it’s too hot for her,” Lao Beifong ordered as a servant put a steaming bowl in front of his daughter. It made Yue bristle, although she wasn’t sure why. It was the way the man talked as if Toph wasn’t there perhaps.

 

“Allow me,” Aang said, using his airbending to cool down the dish, to polite clapping up and down the table.

 

“Avatar Aang, it’s an honor to have you visit us,” Poppy smiled amiably.

 

“In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?” Lao asked mildly, like he was merely asking about the weather, rather than the fate of their world.

 

“I’d like to defeat the Firelord by the end of summer,” Aang answered, tone hesitant. “But I can’t do that without finding an earthbending teacher first.”

 

“Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land, he’s been teaching Toph since she was little,” Lao suggested.

 

Yue raised a dubious eyebrow. She had serious doubts the girl had gotten this good just by following the man’s teachings, considering how useless his lesson had been. This master probably wouldn’t last ten seconds in Earth Rumble VI.

 

“Then she must be a great earthbender!” Aang exclaimed. “Probably good enough to teach someone else─”

 

The Avatar was interrupted by his own surprised shout, jostling a little in his chair. Toph hadn’t moved a muscle, but Yue suspected foul play on her part.

 

“Toph is still learning the basics,” Master Yu interrupted, which was just ridiculous. From what Yue had seen, she was already better than most. She obviously didn’t need to learn the basics .

 

“Yes, and sadly, because of her blindness, I don’t think she will ever become a true master,” Toph’s father added sadly. It made Yue want to punch something ─ or some one .

 

“I don’t see what blindness has to do with anything,” Zuko said, tone stiff like it was taking everything he had to keep his voice level. “A bender doesn’t need to see his or her element to feel it.”

 

“Yes, I’m sure she’s better than you think,” Aang agreed readily. This time, both of them seemed to be hit, Aang even finishing with his face in the bowl in front of him. He looked up, annoyed. Then he smirked and sneezed strongly enough to send the dishes splattering in the faces of the Beifongs.

 

“What’s your problem?” Toph shouted, rising from her seat.

 

“What’s your problem?” Aang parroted fiercely.

 

“Well, why don’t we move to the living room for dessert?” Poppy interrupted the stand-off with a strained smile. 

 

  • ^∆^•

 

Later that night, as they were preparing for bed, Toph Beifong paid them a visit. Aang spotted her last, and jumped into a bending stance, startled.

 

“Relax,” Toph snorted, leaning against the doorframe. “Look, I’m sorry about dinner. Let’s call a truce, okay?”

 

Zuko and Aang followed her out into the garden.




“Even though I was born blind, I’ve never had a problem seeing,” Toph explained, balancing on the edge of a small bridge. “I see with earthbending, it’s kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth, and I can ‘see’ where everything is. You, that tree, even those ants.”

 

“That’s amazing!” Aang exclaimed.

 

“I’ve been doing something similar,” Zuko admitted. “It’s not as accurate, but I can feel changes in heat around me. Considering I can’t see out of my left eye anymore, it’s pretty useful.”

 

“You’re blind in one eye?” Toph asked. “I’ve never met another blind person before… Well, I guess I still haven’t, but you’re the closest I’ve come.”

 

“Eyes and fire don’t mix well,” Zuko shrugged wryly.

 

“My parents don’t understand,” Toph said, seemingly out of nowhere. “They’ve always treated me like I was helpless.”

 

“Is that why you became the Blind Bandit?” Aang prodded gently.

 

“Yeah,” Toph confirmed, facing away from both of them.

 

“Then why stay here, where you’re not happy?” Aang asked innocently ─ he didn’t understand things were never that simple.

 

“They’re my parents, where else am I supposed to go?”

 

“You could come with us,” Aang suggested.

 

“Join our merry band of kids running away from the parents that underestimated them,” Zuko added with a chuckle.

 

“Yeah, you guys get to go wherever you want, no one telling you what to do. That’s the life,” Toph sighed wistfully. “It’s just not my life.”

 

“It could be,” Zuko said.

 

Suddenly, Toph turned her head, dropping into a crouch, one hand feeling the earth beneath her.

 

“We’re being ambushed!”

 

They started running, Toph taking one of each of their hands. They were cut off by an earthbender springing out of the ground. Before they had time to start fighting, metal boxes were dropped above their heads, effectively trapping them.

 

The earthbenders from the tournament jumped down from the wall, now facing them. Zuko could have fought back using his breath of fire, but he doubted he had enough range for it ─ Uncle could have done it, he thought bitterly. Once again, his inadequacies were getting in his way. 

 

“I think you kids owe me some money.”





“You think you’re so tough?” Toph yelled at their captors. “Why don’t you come up here, so I can wipe that grin off your face?”

 

“I’m not smiling,” Xin Fu scowled.

 

“Toph!” Lao Beifong yelled as he, Master Yu and the rest of the Gaang arrived.

 

“Here’s your money. Now, let them go,” Sokka brandished the bag of gold Aang had won during the tournament, handing it over to the Boulder. Xin Fu gestured at whoever was manning the chains keeping their cages aloft, and Toph was freed, quickly running back to her parents’ sides. Aang’s and Zuko’s stayed where they were.

 

“What about Aang and Zuko?” Katara demanded.

 

“I think the Firelord will pay a hefty price for the Avatar and his traitorous son,” Xin Fu said,  a smirk on his face as he brandished a wanted poster. “Now, get out of my ring.”

 

“Not without our friends,” Yue stated, an arrow ready to fly. All around them, the fighters of Earth Rumble VI jumped onto the arena, ready for a fight.

 

“Go, we’ll be okay,” Aang said.

 

“We’ll find our own way out,” Zuko clenched his fists to hide their trembling. Churning thoughts of I can’t go back I can’t go back Ican’tgobackcan’tgoback filled his ears with static.

 

His heart was beating too fast, his throat constricting around a painful lump.

 

The rest was a blur, Zuko losing all awareness of his surroundings, the world around him spinning, sending him rocking against the metal walls of his prison. He didn’t know where he was, or what was going on. All he knew was the distant sound of rock grinding against rock ─ or was that in his head too?

 

There was dark metal all around him, like the walls of a Fire Navy ship. Was he on his way home already? He doesn’t know how much time has passed, has it been hours, days, weeks ? His breaths come in painfully short gasps.

 

“You will fight for your honor.”

 

Nononononono, he can’t fight, don't want to, not father.

 

“Rise and fight, Prince Zuko.”

 

He can’t, he can’t, he can’t. He’s not good enough, not strong enough. He’ll lose and then there will be fire and pain and screams tearing out of his throat. Past and present blur together in the shimmering of orange and yellow flames. 

 

Images flash before his eyes, but he can’t make sense of them. Bodies in green crashing into stone, a girl in blue with a bow in her hands ─ she looks familiar, why does she look familiar─ fire, fire, fire , a hand coming toward his face, mouths smiling too wide laughing at him as he begs for mercy.

 

“I am your loyal son,” he sobs, but no, that’s not right─ why does it feel wrong, leaving the taste of ash in his mouth─

 

Charred bones too small to be adults, to be warriors, to be anything but the remains of something too horrific to fathom─

 

A pond, swimming koi fish, fire spreading across his chest─

 

A woman he knows─ doesn’t know─ a dragon in a field of fire lilies─

 

A young soldier, face dirtied by soot─ burning houses─ blood on his hands─

 

“You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.”

 

“Zuko,” wail the voices, accusing, blaming, condemning. He doesn’t know who they belong to, faces flashing too fast for him to make them out.

 

“Zuko!” The voices cry, their combined shouts filling his mind with shame, anguish twisting in his stomach. These are the faces of those he failed, those who walked away, those he hurt, those he left behind─

 

Lu Ten, Mother, Azula, Sokka, Uncle, a nameless boy on a burning island, Jet, Smellerbee, Longshot, the Duke─

 

There are too many, and Zuko is drowning in their too wide smiles, mouths stretched unnaturally, ripping themselves apart, disappearing like wisps of smoke until only one remains.

 

A dark figure looms above his head.

 

“Sokka?” Zuko choked out, as his blue eyes solidified in front of him. “Do you hate me too?”

 

“Of course not, Sunshine,” Sokka murmured, wrapping him in a tight hug. “It’s okay, I’m here, you’re okay.”

 

Zuko didn’t believe him, so he closed his eyes and focused on the other boy’s breathing.