Zuko's Tiny Dilemma - Boogum (2024)

Chapter 1: In Which Uncle Became Tea

Chapter Text

"No," Zuko said flatly.

"But—"

"We're not buying any more junk!"

Iroh heaved a sigh and went to place the hideous statue he had been coveting back on the shelf, but he paused when the shop owner cackled and came over to them. The old trader had an impressive moustache and was stooped so far over that it was like her body was trying to become a bench on which people could sit. She asked whether Iroh was sure he wanted to be touching the statue.

"Why do you ask?" Iroh said.

Unlike Zuko, Iroh was not put off by the trader's general air of creepiness. He smiled in delight as the trader explained that the statue was rumoured to be a powerful object, once blessed by the Frog of Wishes.

"It is said the statue can grant you anything you want," she explained, and flashed a smile full of rotten teeth. "But one should always be careful with wishes. Sometimes the result isn't what you'd expect."

Iroh oohed in intrigue and examined the statue. Now that Zuko looked closer, the face carved into the stone was indeed of a grinning frog. Not a frog-bat, not a frog-monkey. Just a frog. Combined with the creepy trader and the equally creepy curios dotted around, Zuko could almost believe that the statue did indeed have the power to grant a person's desire. He even found himself thinking about what he'd wish for if given the chance.

The Avatar captured and in his possession.

To go home.

Or, as he had often longed for in the most secret spaces of his heart, to return to the time when everything had been right in the world. Before he had been banished, before his mother had left, before Lu Ten had died, and—

"This is stupid!" Zuko growled.

Being reminded of how utterly awful his life was made him extra cranky. He went to snatch the statue off his uncle, but his fingers barely made contact before energy sizzled and sparked. He blinked. The statue's eyes glowed. Something jolted through him, tingling down his spine and sinking into his veins. It pulled at his bones, his skin, his very being. It really, really hurt.

But it was also over in a second.

The statue dropped to the ground, no longer glowing. Zuko found that he was staring at the trader's face—no bending over or stooping necessary. There was no sign of his uncle.

"What the …"

Zuko's voice came out much higher. His head felt weird, too, like he'd miraculously grown all his hair back. Black strands tickled his face and shoulders, even though he could still feel the weight of the part he'd pulled into a high ponytail. Also, his armour and clothes had got bigger. His sleeves dangled almost to the ground, his legs had vanished into his boots (along with wads of fabric from his pants), and the armour that had been strapped snugly to him now hung loose or just threatened to slip right off his body. Weirdly, it wasn't just his clothes that had got big. Literally everything seemed bigger in the shop, including the creepy trader.

"What did you do?" Zuko demanded. "And where's my uncle?"

The trader cackled. "Well, I'll admit that this development was a little surprising, but you'll fetch a nice price at the slave markets, especially since that ugly scar of yours has gone."

Zuko pressed a hand to his cheek in shock. Sure enough, the skin was smooth and unblemished. "W-wha—"

He took a step back, promptly tripping over his own feet thanks to his overgrown boots and all the cloth tangled around him. He yelped and fell flat on his bum. Next to his hand was another pile of red-dyed cloth and armour. It looked like what his uncle had been wearing. Nestled among the folds was a clay teapot.

The trader made a humming sound and picked up the teapot. She lifted the lid and took a sniff. "What a strange old man," she said, sounding quite amused. "It seems your uncle must have really wanted white dragon bush tea."

Zuko's heart fluttered in panic. A horrible suspicion was forming in his mind. "Where's my uncle?"

It was hard to keep his voice steady, and not just because every time he spoke he sounded all high-pitched and wrong.

The trader flashed another rotten-toothed smile. "Your uncle is right here." She raised the teapot. "I told you, didn't I? The Frog of Wishes grants a person anything they desire, at least in that specific moment. What I didn't tell you is that it's a cursed object." A wheezy chuckle. "So, what do you think would happen if all you want is a nice cup of tea?"

Zuko's eyes widened. The maniacal laugh that followed would have had him rolling his eyes for how clichéd it all was if he wasn't so alarmed. There was no time to waste. Even if he didn't fully understand what had happened, he did know for certain that the trader was insane and wanted to sell him as a slave and do who-knew-what with his uncle. No way was Zuko going to let that happen.

"Stay back!" Zuko growled.

He shot off what should have been a powerful fire blast. What he got was a puff of flames. He blinked. The trader cackled.

"Was that supposed to scare me? Hate to break it to you, kid, but that isn't going to frighten a meadow-vole."

Zuko growled in frustration and kicked off his far too big boots and pants. His armour and tunic came off just as easily, leaving him in only his undershirt. Then he charged at the trader. For a bent-over ancient, the lady was surprisingly agile and strong. There was a brief, inelegant struggle as the two collided. Zuko shot off another flame—at the creeper's face this time—and managed to distract her enough to snatch the teapot from her grasp.

"Come back here!" she shouted.

Zuko almost tripped over the hem of his shirt. Something latched onto one of his trailing sleeves, tugging him backwards. He didn't resist the momentum, moving with it to flip back, plant both feet on the trader's head, and push hard. The kick was nowhere near as powerful as what it could have been, but it still made the trader grunt and release his sleeve. Zuko skidded and stumbled as he landed, but he managed to recover his balance and keep running. Thankfully, he'd also managed to keep the teapot upright so nothing spilt.

"You brat! I'll get you for that!"

Zuko ignored the shouts and quickened his pace, teapot clutched protectively to his chest. His heart pounded and his mouth was dry. It was a relief when he managed to escape the shop. At least, it had been. The trader followed him outside and started yelling thief and pointing wildly in his direction. Now the whole street of traders and shoppers were getting on his case.

Damn, damn, damn, damn! This was not good. This was really not good.

"I'm not a thief!" Zuko protested.

No one listened to him. In fact, even some pirates started coming after him, waving their weapons threateningly and demanding to know if he was with the other brats. Zuko had no idea who the other brats were, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out. It was just a shame his stumpy little legs couldn't run very fast.

"Damn it, Uncle!" he growled under his breath. "You just had to touch the cursed object, didn't you?"

The teapot gave no response. That was somehow more distressing. Was there even a way to turn his uncle back to normal? And what about him? If his suspicions were correct, it was likely that he had reverted to how he had been as a child. Even his clumsiness had returned, or maybe that was just the shirt's fault. It had become like a robe and kept getting in the way of his feet. He'd lost count of the times he'd almost fallen flat on his face.

Zuko spotted two of the firebenders from his ship. "Tomoki!" he yelled. "Kan!"

They paused and glanced down at him. Both looked confused.

"What's with this brat?" Kan muttered.

Zuko pointed his finger at him. "Who are you calling a brat? I'm your prince!"

Kan raised his eyebrow. "And I'm the Fire Lord."

Tomoki chuckled and muttered something about crazy kids. The two men kept walking, dismissing Zuko. He gaped like a fish out of water.

"Hey!" he snarled, stomping after them. "Don't you walk away from me!"

He probably would have said a lot of other things as well had his pursuers not caught up to him. The shouts of thief were like a horrible chant spelling his doom. Someone was even waving a pitchfork. Zuko tsked in frustration and ducked down an alley. He rounded another corner and crashed into something solid. There was a soft grunt. Hands latched onto his arms, steadying him before he could lose his balance.

"You okay?" a familiar voice asked.

Zuko winced and raised his head to the girl in the blue tunic. Next to her was a boy who was also clad in blue and just as familiar. It was the damned Water Tribe siblings who were always around the Avatar, which meant—

"Thief!"

The cry had Zuko cursing under his breath. Pirates and traders swarmed on them from both ends of the street like vulture-wasps. The Avatar sprang down from somewhere above and knocked one group back with a blast of wind. The girl—Katara, he thought her name was—grabbed Zuko's wrist and tugged him forward. He would have protested, but it was like getting caught up in a wave. He was simply too little (and lost in fabric) to do more than try keep up with her pace. Plus, he had to keep his uncle safe. If he dropped the teapot, he didn't know what he'd do.

"Down here!" the Avatar called, overtaking them.

A lemur fluttered around their heads. Zuko tripped on the hem of his shirt again, but Katara was there to help him. They turned down several more alleyways before finding themselves at a dead end. The other Water Tribe sibling—Sotta? No, Sokka—moaned in dismay. Zuko twisted in Katara's hold to see some pirates boxing them off. The horrible, bent-over trader was there as well.

"You've got nowhere left to run, you little brat!" the trader taunted. "You and these kids you've latched onto might as well give up now. My boy here won't be letting anyone escape."

One of the pirates grinned and shifted his grip on his sword. "You tell 'em, Mama."

Zuko goggled. "Mama?"

Sokka seemed more dismayed that this woman could grow a better moustache than him. He muttered something about wanting to know her secret.

"You say somethin' 'bout my mama?" the pirate demanded, rounding on Sokka.

"No, no," Sokka said, raising his hands in an appeasing gesture. "It really is a great moustache."

The pirate roared anyway and raised his sword to attack. In a blur of orange, the Avatar moved in front of the three and swung his staff. A powerful gust of wind shot forth from the tip, knocking all of their pursuers over and stirring up a cloud of dust. He then rushed forward, opening his staff into a glider. "Grab hold!" he ordered.

Katara tugged Zuko with her, pulling him up against her chest with one arm while grabbing hold of the Avatar with her free hand. Now Zuko and the girl were both pressed snugly against the Avatar. Sokka had latched onto the Avatar's other leg.

"Aang!" Katara yelled in panic. "I thought we were running away from the pirates!"

"Just hang on!"

The glider struggled to gain altitude, but with some airbending assistance—and a few kicks at the pirates' heads—the group managed to become airborne. Zuko clutched the teapot to his chest and watched the port get smaller and smaller. It was ironic in a way. He was holding onto the Avatar, the same boy he had been trying to capture for the past three years, yet in that moment there was nothing he could do to carry out the task his father had given him. Instead, for his own safety, he had to let himself get dragged off to spirits knew where.

Because he had been reverted to a child.

Because his uncle was a damned teapot.

Zuko exhaled and closed his eyes. This sucked. If he ever got out of this mess, he was never going to go shopping with his uncle again. Not ever.

oOo

"So, who's the kid?"

It was Sokka who had spoken, but everyone was staring at Zuko. The group had landed near a riverbank not far from the port town. It had been the Avatar's intention to rest for a bit before reuniting with his bison, but that plan had been side-tracked by the discovery that Katara had stolen a waterbending scroll. (It now made sense why the pirates had been chasing them so determinedly.) After getting a lecture from her brother, attention had naturally turned to the small boy who had hitched a ride with them to safety.

The Avatar crouched in front of Zuko with a bright grin. "Hi, I'm Aang. What's your name?"

Zuko scowled and backed up a few steps. It was unnerving having the Avatar that close and trying to be all friendly with him. A hand touched his shoulder. He flinched and twisted around to see Katara.

"It's okay," she said gently. "We're not going to hurt you."

"It's not like I'm scared of you!" Zuko snapped. "You're just a bunch of stupid kids!"

Sokka bopped him on the head, though not at all hard. "Show some respect, Tiny. We did just rescue you."

Zuko's chest swelled. "I'm not tiny!"

The trio grinned down at him. Down, of course, because Zuko really was tiny. Even the Avatar was a good fifty centimetres or so taller than him. Still, Zuko was sixteen years old and he was normally a lot bigger than all of these idiots. Gah! This was so frustrating!

The lemur must not have found Zuko's new size very threatening either. It jumped on his shoulder, sniffing at his face, and then scrambled down his arm to pat Iroh. Or, rather, the teapot that was Iroh.

"Back off!" Zuko snarled, swatting at the lemur.

Said lemur screeched and fluttered off to land on the Avatar's head. Zuko glared at the creature and clutched the teapot even closer to his chest. He half-curled his body away from the group as if to shield his uncle from their view, looking sulky and protective. Unfortunately, his behaviour had quite the effect on Katara. She made a sound he'd never heard from her before—a cooing sort of nawww—and knelt next to him and mushed him against her chest.

"You're so cute!" she exclaimed.

Zuko blushed and spluttered, then growled and wriggled out of her hold. "Leave me alone!"

His cheeks were very warm and his far too big undershirt had slipped off his shoulder, baring a good part of his scrawny body. The hug had mussed the unbound parts of his hair, and now even more strands tickled his face and got in his eyes. Katara made more of those naww noises. Maybe he did look cute or something. He didn't know. He just knew that he didn't want her to hug attack him again.

"Stay away!" he told her, not quite hiding the panic from his voice.

He even fired off a ball of flames—just a warning shot at the ground. This made her pause, though she didn't look scared. He supposed that a blushing kid wearing a shirt that was far too big for him wasn't a very intimidating opponent for anyone, not even a useless bender like her. It didn't help that his fireball had been more of a firepuff.

Sokka folded his arms across his chest and frowned. "You're a firebender."

Zuko hugged the teapot tighter and backed away from them. His stomach fluttered in sickening swoops. Maybe he shouldn't have revealed his bending like that. He'd just panicked. Was still panicking, in fact. He didn't know what to do. His uncle was a teapot. He was stuck in a weakened child's body. Even his crew hadn't recognised him, which was why he hadn't marched off to his ship the first chance he had got. What if the crew turned him away again? What if something worse happened?

No one had really seen him as a child. No one except the palace servants, the very high nobility, and maybe a few of the most important officials. He'd always been sheltered away in the palace or at the summer home on Ember Island. It was unlikely that anyone on his ship would recognise him. He had no scar now and his hair had grown back. He was just a kid. Just a kid with a teapot. They'd think him crazy if he told them the truth. They'd think he was some runaway orphan. Maybe they'd even hand him over to that awful trader with the moustache if they decided to believe her claims that he was a thief.

Oh spirits, what was he supposed to do?

"I think he's hyperventilating," Sokka said.

Zuko's shirt got trapped under his heel. He lost his balance and would have fallen on his butt, but a cushion of air caught him and helped him back to his feet. He blinked. The Avatar grinned and lowered his hand.

"You don't need to look so nervous," the Avatar said in a friendly tone. "It's okay. We don't mind that you're a firebender."

Katara was back at his side. "Aang is right." She smoothed the hair away from his face. Zuko flinched at the contact. "We'd never do anything to hurt you. If you let us, maybe we can even help you." Her gaze sought his. "That woman in the town was after you, wasn't she? What—"

"They were calling him a thief."

All eyes turned to Sokka. Zuko, however, just glared at him.

"I'm not a thief!" he said heatedly. "That old hag was only chasing me because I ran away from her! She wanted to sell me for money!"

Katara made a shocked sound and tried to hug him again, but Zuko managed to side-step her.

"Quit it!" he yelped, backing right up until he was pressed against a tree trunk.

Sokka snorted in amusem*nt. "I don't think he likes you trying to coddle him, Katara. You'd best give him some space."

She actually pouted. "Maybe some hugs would be good for him. It doesn't seem like anyone has been taking care of him. If they had, they would have given him some proper clothes."

Zuko scowled. "I'm fine!"

"You are not fine!"

Suddenly, she was looming over him. Zuko regretted backing up against the tree trunk. It meant he had no escape.

"This is far too big for you," she said, tugging on the collar of his shirt. "It's why you keep tripping." Her eyes narrowed on the parts of his skin where the gaping cloth did not cover. "In fact, are you even wearing anything underneath?"

Zuko's cheeks burned. He wasn't. Everything else had been too big for his tiny body and had either fallen off him or had been too cumbersome to keep on while making his escape.

She pursed her lips. "Really, you just can't run around in this giant shirt. Here, place the teapot down for a moment and then we can—"

"Don't' touch him!" He held a flaming hand at her. His other arm was curled protectively around his uncle.

A crease formed on her brow. Damned girl still wasn't scared of him.

"Him?" she repeated.

"As in the teapot?" Sokka asked.

Panic flickered in Zuko's eyes. He snuffed his flames out and dropped to his knees, clutching the teapot—his uncle—to his chest. "Just stay away!"

He didn't need or want their help. Not from people who were his enemies. Who knew what they'd do if they found out the truth? Zuko could not take the risk.

"That kid is nuts," Sokka said bluntly.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed.

Sokka shrugged. "What? It's true. He thinks the teapot is alive."

The Avatar tilted his head to the side. "Actually, I'm sensing some kind of energy from the teapot."

Zuko raised his head from his huddle. "W-what? You can sense Uncle?"

"Uncle?" Sokka and Katara repeated.

Zuko clamped his mouth shut. The Avatar, however, rubbed the base of his neck and said that it was his duty to help take care of spiritual matters in order to keep balance between the worlds. He also said that, while he was still new to the whole business, he did feel a life-like energy coming from the teapot.

"Did something happen?" the Avatar asked. "Maybe I can help."

Something that might have been hope fluttered in Zuko's chest. Maybe the Avatar could help him. The boy was supposed to be powerful and have some great spirity connection with the otherworldly. It could work. It could.

"My uncle was cursed," Zuko admitted. "Back in that town. He got turned into this teapot, and I …"

It had just occurred to Zuko that confessing his own situation was probably not a good idea. He and his uncle were still the Avatar's enemies. Best not to give away too many clues that could lead back to their real identities. Not until he was certain that Uncle Iroh could be fixed.

"Uh, well, bad stuff happened," Zuko finished lamely. "Anyway, can you help him or not?"

The Avatar chewed on his lip and moved closer. "Can I see?"

Zuko had an odd urge to cling to his uncle. Very reluctantly, he handed the teapot over. In the background, Katara made more of those naww noises.

"Isn't he adorable?" she murmured to her brother.

Ugh. Stupid girl.

Meanwhile, the Avatar was examining the teapot and pushing his thumb into different places on the clay sides. He scratched his head, then opened the lid and peeked inside. "Oh, wow, there's really tea in here. Smells good."

"Don't you dare drink it!" Zuko snapped.

The Avatar scrunched his nose. "I wasn't going to."

But he did poke his thumb into the tea. Zuko watched intently, like a mother-turtle duck hovering over her baby. He was ready to snatch his uncle back at the first sign of danger. Not that anything happened. The Avatar sighed, pulled his thumb out, and placed the lid back on the pot. He soon started scratching his head again.

Zuko's expression went flat. "You have no clue what you're doing, do you?"

Pink splotches formed on the Avatar's cheeks. "Not really. I did say I was new to this whole business."

Zuko made an unintelligible sound of frustration. He snatched the teapot back. "What use are you then?"

"It worked on the giant panda spirit. I just thought—"

"Uncle isn't a giant panda spirit!"

"Technically, right now he's a teapot," Sokka felt the need to point out. "Though I suppose he could also be the tea inside the teapot, or maybe both the tea and the teap—"

Zuko rounded on Sokka. "Would you shut up?" he snarled. Flames even sprouted up around his mouth.

Sokka held his hands palm-up. "Alright there, Fire Breath. Calm down."

Zuko huffed and made more unintelligible sounds of rage. Though he would not admit it aloud, he was really, really worried about his uncle. That stupid man's obsession with tea—and Pai Sho, and Music Night, and a hoard of other things—had driven him insane on the best of days, but that didn't change the fact that it was Uncle. Uncle who had been with him for three years. Uncle who had willingly joined him on his banishment. Now, that same stupid old man was gone. Just a clay pot filled with some hot leaf juice.

Something hot prickled at the corners of Zuko's eyes. He dashed a hand across his eyes and averted his face from the others. No way was he going to let those tears fall. No way!

Too bad everyone had already noticed his little slip-up.

Katara crouched next to him and rubbed his arm. Even the lemur had got close to him again, making soft chirruping noises and tapping at his knee with a furry paw. Zuko made a half-hearted attempt to push them away. He felt too drained to do more. It was like all his anger had bubbled to boiling point and now there was nothing left. Too much had happened, both in the past and today. He was scared, helpless, lost. It was shameful and weak, but it was also true. He just didn't know what to do any more.

He wished he could get his uncle back to normal.

Get himself back to normal.

"Hey," Katara said gently. "It's going to be okay. We'll find a way to help your uncle."

"Katara is right," Sokka said, and knelt on Zuko's other side. "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you before. I mean, it's kind of hard to believe that your uncle became a pot of tea, but then Aang was trapped inside an iceberg for a hundred years with a flying, fluffy snot monster, and I learnt to swallow that one." He smiled and rested his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I guess what I'm saying is that we've got your back, kid."

Zuko glowered at them, though the expression seemed more sulky than hateful. "You're both stupid. If even the Avatar can't do anything, what hope do my uncle and I have?"

The Avatar crouched in front of him. "I'm still learning about my powers. Just because I can't help now doesn't mean it's impossible." He flashed his trademark grin. "We'll find a way, so don't worry! You'll have your uncle back in no time!"

Zuko blinked, finding himself surrounded by three enemies (and a lemur) who were all trying their hardest to cheer him up. It made his stomach do odd wriggly things—though not in a bad way—and his heart feel suspiciously warm. He scrambled to his feet and put some distance between him and the group.

"You're all weird," he said stubbornly. "Why are you even going to this effort? It's not like you know me or my uncle."

Which was a lie, but he was sure they'd be even less inclined to assist him had they known his real identity.

Katara planted her hands on her hips. "Listen up! I've never turned my back on someone in need, and I'm not about to start now! So you can stop acting like a wannabe tough guy and let us help you. We're going to get your uncle back to normal, and that's that!"

"What she said," Sokka said, jerking his thumb at his sister.

The Avatar grinned. "So, shall we try again?" He held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Aang. What's your name?"

Zuko stared at his hand for a long moment. Eventually, he sighed and turned his back on all of them. "Lee," he said in a quiet voice. "My name is Lee."

The Avatar—or Aang, as he insisted on being called—didn't seem to care that his handshake had been rejected. Instead, he looped his arm around Zuko's shoulders and pulled him close. "Welcome to the family, Lee!"

Zuko repressed a shudder. Just what the hell had he got himself into?

Chapter 2: In Which a Rival Appears

Chapter Text

Zuko woke to bulbous green eyes and fur. He yelped and scrambled backwards, teapot clutched protectively to his chest.

"What's wrong?" Katara mumbled.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Aang had also stirred and was now blinking around the clearing where they had made camp, looking half-asleep.

Zuko pointed at the lemur. "That thing was trying to steal Uncle!"

"Momo!" Aang and Katara cried in unison.

Momo flattened his ears. Zuko glowered at him and tightened his hold on his uncle. He didn't trust those furry paws one bit. Momo was fascinated by the teapot and kept trying to put his grabby little hands on it. Zuko didn't know what he'd do if Momo managed to break the pot.

"Get your lemur under control or I swear I'll make sure he can't come near Uncle again!" Zuko snapped.

Katara patted his arm. "Lee, calm down. Momo isn't going to hurt the tea—er, your uncle."

Zuko jutted his bottom lip. "You don't know that!"

Aang and Katara both tried to assure him that Momo was just curious. Sure, the lemur snatched things from time to time, but he'd never broken anything. This did not comfort Zuko. He angled his body away from Momo and glared daggers, even as he exhaled smoke like an agitated little dragon. It was so stressful being tiny and weak and having to defend his damned teapot of an uncle.

Katara sneak-hugged him from behind. "You are just too cute!"

He scowled and wriggled out of her hold. "Gah! I told you to stop doing that!"

She wasn't put off by his flare of temper. Instead, she smiled and ruffled his hair, telling him that it was nice how devoted he was to his uncle. Zuko blushed and spluttered and glowered. He didn't know who was worse: the thieving lemur or the girl who insisted on cooing and fussing over him. If she had any idea that he was actually a sixteen-year-old prince who was also her enemy, he doubted she'd be so quick to do … whatever it was she was trying to do.

Speaking of which, she had turned her attention to Aang and now asked if they could stop at a village to pick up some clothes for "Lee".

"He can't keep walking around in that giant shirt," she said, plucking at the offending article of clothing.

Zuko swatted her hand away. "I told you I'm fine!"

Katara narrowed her eyes, as if to ask him if he really wanted to go there again. He gulped and backed up a few paces. Okay, she was kind of intimidating. He blamed it on the fact he was so much smaller than her now. It wasn't like he was actually scared. Just … well, maybe it wouldn't hurt to go along with her. Just for now.

Aang shrugged. "Sure. I don't mind."

They all turned to face Sokka, who was still fast asleep in his bag like a caterslater.

"Honestly, he will sleep through anything," Katara muttered. She nudged his side with her foot. "Wake up!"

Sokka groaned and rolled over, wrapping his arms over his head as if to block out her voice. Katara's brow twitched. The next second a big glob of water splashed over him, making him leap out of the sleeping bag with a jolt. Droplets dripped from his hair and clothes. He danced around on the spot, yelling at her about her annoying magic water, and waving his arms dramatically.

"I guess all younger sisters are like that," Zuko said.

Aang blinked. "You have a younger sister?"

It was too late to take back the words (plus, Zuko had never been a good liar), so he nodded. Azula had often tormented him with her bending in a similar fashion, except on a much more, uh, vicious scale. Katara's method for waking up Sokka was a little over the top, but then she also used her bending to draw the water out of his clothes and sleeping bag. Azula would not have done that. Nor would Azula have made it up to him later by offering him the biggest portion of nuts and fruit for breakfast. Azula would have just laughed and told Zuko he was the weakling who had not reacted fast enough.

Zuko frowned as he chewed on his breakfast and wondered if this was how normal siblings were supposed to behave. Sokka and Katara still teased each other, but there was an obvious layer of affection between them. He wasn't sure what he felt for Azula. All he knew was that all of their interactions for the past ten years had been tense, often hurtful, and had made his chest feel tight with anxiety. It was the reason he'd started repeating the desperate mantra over and over to chase off the nightmares she created in his mind:

Azula always lies.

"So, you have a sister?"

Katara's voice snapped him from his brooding. He blinked and looked past her to scowl at Aang. "You have a big mouth," he said irritably.

Aang scratched his nose. "I didn't realise you wanted to keep it a secret."

Zuko folded his arms across his chest. "I told you I didn't want to talk about it. That generally means I don't want you to tell others either!"

"We're just curious," Katara said, trying to soothe his rising temper. "You haven't told us much about yourself."

"There's nothing to tell!"

"Sheesh, keep your hair on," Sokka said, picking at his teeth with his fingernail. "You're so touchy."

Zuko scowled. He picked up his uncle and rose to his feet. "I don't have to deal with this."

He tried to march away haughtily, except his foot got caught on the hem of his shirt. Gravity took hold, pushing him face-first towards the ground. His stomach lurched. He had to protect Uncle somehow and—

"Got you."

Katara's breath was warm on his neck. She shifted her arms around him and, much to his horror, picked him up and settled him on her hip.

"There now, Lee," she said, carrying him back to the others. "You don't need to get so mad. We're just concerned about you. I know you're trying to be strong, but you're still just a little kid."

"I'm not a kid!"

She raised her eyebrow. "Oh, and how old is the big, mighty warrior then?"

His brow furrowed. Truth be told, he wasn't sure how much he had been de-aged. It wasn't like his transformation had come with a Get Started information pack. All he knew was that he was tiny and his wish had been centred on returning to a time when his life hadn't sucked so much. Given how many things had happened to make his life hell even before he had been banished—not to mention the sheer scrawniness of his size—he thought he was probably around six years old.

Katara poked him lightly on the nose. "Just as I thought."

He blushed and spluttered unflattering things about her, including demands for her to release him. She was so horrible and pushy. To his irritation, she ignored all of his comments and sat down with him, pulling his squirming body onto her lap. He wriggled even more in an attempt to break free. This was so humiliating. In fact, he probably would have waved fire threateningly at her had he not also been clutching his uncle.

"Sit still!" she ordered.

Zuko froze. Something about her tone reminded him far too much of his mother and uncle when they had got exasperated with his obstinacy.

Katara's fingers tugged at the hairband holding up his ponytail. Before Zuko could react, all his hair was unbound and she was running her fingers through the thick strands. Or at least trying. There were too many tangles and her fingers got caught.

Zuko yelped and wrenched his head away from her reach. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm trying to fix your hair. It's all knotted."

"Maybe I like it knotted!"

She pursed her lips. "Lee, don't be difficult."

He huffed and resumed his squirming. "You're not my mother! I don't need you fussing over me!"

Katara's hold relaxed a fraction, perhaps in surprise at his words. Zuko seized his chance and shoved his whole weight against her arms. She was forced to let go. He wasted no time in jumping off her lap and retreating to where the bison sat curled up near the stream. Half-hiding behind the bison's front paw, Zuko glared at the group and clutched the teapot to his chest. He looked like a wild owl-cat, all hisses and snarls with his fur upraised.

"Easy there," Sokka said, holding his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "Just relax, Lee." He rolled his eyes at Katara. "I told you to lay off him."

She folded her arms across her chest. "What? I was just trying to make him look more presentable."

Zuko exhaled smoke. "I don't need your help!"

She opened her mouth to respond, but Sokka placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Lee," Sokka said, holding out his hand as if he really was speaking to a wild, hissing animal and not a small boy. "Come back over here and finish your breakfast. No one is going to do anything to you that you don't like. Okay?"

Zuko jutted his chin. "You say that, but that demon—"

"Who are you calling a demon?" Katara demanded, even as her cheeks burned with colour. "You—you little brat! All I've done is—"

But whatever she was going to say was cut short by a yowling noise. It sounded like it was coming from deeper in the forest.

Aang floated to his feet. "That sounded like Momo."

Zuko frowned and glanced around the clearing, only just noticing that the lemur was indeed missing. Aang dashed into the trees to go save his pet, while the other two followed at a slower pace. Zuko stood his ground and noticed that the bison was staring at him through big, soulful eyes.

"What?" Zuko snapped. "I'm not going to help that furry little thief."

The bison licked his side. Zuko winced, finding himself covered in drool.

"Gross," he muttered, throwing a scowl at the giant, fluffy creature beside him. "Keep your slobbery tongue to yourself."

The bison gave him another lick. Zuko huffed. It seemed that everyone around here ignored his commands. So much for being royalty. He marched over to the stream, placed the teapot carefully down, and waded into the water so that he could clean the drool off him. The nice thing about being a firebender was that he could get wet and just steam himself dry. He was in the process of doing this when Aang and the others returned. Momo was curled around Aang's neck.

"We're leaving," Sokka said.

Zuko frowned as the three busied themselves with packing up their belongings. He had nothing except his uncle, so he just held the teapot and wondered why he was still hanging around these people. All they did was get on his nerves. True, Aang had said he might be able to help change Uncle back into a human, and it was also true that Katara and Sokka had said they would do their best to help him, but that didn't change how annoying it was to travel with them.

Zuko sighed. Well, it wasn't like he would get far on his own, though he wasn't happy to find they'd be walking for now. It seemed these idiots had only just figured out that their giant fluff monster wasn't exactly a subtle mode of transportation. A few hours later, however, and Zuko was finding it especially draining to walk. His legs were too tiny to keep up with the others, so he had to walk double pace. His feet ached and even his arms were getting sore from holding the teapot for so long. He was also stuck listening to the siblings bicker. This time it was about Sokka's instincts.

Zuko sighed with exaggerated loudness. "Can't we just sit in the bison's saddle or something?"

Aang gave him a sympathetic smile. "You must be tired. The thing is that if we're not flying then it's not fair to make Appa carry us all the time. He gets tired as well." He gave the fluff monster a pat. "Don't you, buddy?"

Appa let out an agreeing rumble.

Zuko exhaled and shifted his grip on the teapot. Well, it wasn't like he could argue with that. Appa might be a slobbery fluff monster, but Zuko didn't have the heart to mistreat animals just for his own selfishness.

He blew his hair out of his eyes (he really needed to get his hairband back from that demon waterbender) and carried on walking. They had only taken a few more steps before Sokka came to an abrupt halt. Zuko saw why a second later. They had just walked smack into the middle of a camp of Fire Nation soldiers.

"Run!" Sokka yelled.

Zuko yelped as Aang grabbed his wrist and tugged him away. A ball of flames almost hit them, but they were able to dodge the attack. The bushes were not so lucky and caught fire, blocking off their escape. Zuko was about to extinguish the flames—Fire Nation soldiers or not, no way was he letting his chance of returning his uncle to normal get ruined because of their interference—but then he hesitated. Would it be such a good idea to reveal his bending here?

In the end, there was no need for him to use his bending. An arrow zipped out from the trees and struck the captain in the back. Zuko's gaze darted to the branches above them, catching human-shaped figures moving within the trees. A teenage boy jumped down with hooked blades and attacked the soldiers. More fighters followed, most of them children from what Zuko could see.

Katara and Sokka joined in the fight while Aang stuck close to Zuko and defended them both with blasts of wind. Zuko was torn between not wanting to attack his countrymen yet also not stand around like a useless sop. Still, some instinct whispered not to use his bending. It was like when he donned the mask of the Blue Spirit: there were too many unknown people around, too many complications that could arise. Plus, his child's body was much weaker and he had to protect Uncle. So he stood back and allowed Aang to defend him, even if it was utterly humiliating.

The soldiers were soon beaten and forced to flee. Zuko clutched the teapot to his chest and watched the boy with the messy brown hair—Jet, as he called himself—greet them and introduce his so-called "Freedom Fighters". Zuko didn't like the guy on sight. Maybe it was Jet's co*cky smile, maybe it was because he ruffled Zuko's hair in a patronising way and managed to wrap everyone around his finger as if it was nothing. Either way, Zuko was not impressed.

Unfortunately, Sokka was the only other person who seemed to be just as unimpressed by their new "friend". The two stood next to each other and glowered at Jet.

"Who does he think he is?" Sokka muttered.

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "Are you jealous?"

Sokka scoffed and claimed that he had no reason to be jealous of such a person. He just thought Jet was full of himself. He also thought they were wasting time by lingering around here. Zuko could agree with that. Needless to say, they protested when an offer was made for them to see the Freedom Fighters' hideout. They were also both ignored.

"Come on, guys, it will be fun!" Aang said as he led Appa out from the trees. "I love hideouts!"

Katara didn't acknowledge Zuko or Sokka at all. She was already following Jet like his new shadow. Zuko scrunched his nose. That girl was embarrassing herself.

Sokka sighed in resignation. "Come on, Lee."

The two joined the group heading deeper into the forest. A small boy wearing an overly large hat came to walk beside Zuko. Zuko remembered that he had been introduced as The Duke or something equally odd. All of these Freedom Fighters had strange names.

"What's with the teapot?" The Duke asked.

Zuko glared at him. "None of your business!"

He stomped ahead, muttering curses and trying not to trip on his overlarge shirt. The Duke felt the need to tease him about that as well, saying that Zuko looked girly and was wearing stupid clothes. Zuko retorted that The Duke's face was stupid. Both boys paused and had a teeny stand-off. Suddenly, The Duke's mouth split into a grin.

"I'm taller than you," he informed Zuko. "That means you gotta respect me as your elder!"

Zuko resisted the urge to breathe flames.

"I bet you can't even fight," The Duke continued. "I saw you earlier and you just stood there while your friends did all the work. I took down a whole guy myself!"

"As opposed to a quarter of one," Zuko muttered.

The Duke furrowed his brow. Apparently, the sarcastic comment went over his head. "So, how old are you?"

"I don't know."

The Duke nodded. "Same. But"—and here he grinned—"I'm pretty sure you're younger than me, Tiny Teapot Boy."

Zuko stopped dead in his tracks. "What did you call me?"

"Tiny Tea—"

But The Duke didn't get to finish his insult. Zuko shoved his uncle at Sokka with a gruff "Hold this", and then he pounced on The Duke. The two struggled briefly before Zuko managed to pin him down. The Duke squirmed and lashed out with flailing limbs—and it was indeed a struggle to keep him down, since Zuko was smaller and still getting used to his body—but Zuko still had sixteen years of experience to draw upon.

"I might be smaller than you," Zuko hissed, "but don't mistake me for some weakling you can bully, you helmet-wearing frog-monkey brat!"

"Woah, woah!"

Sokka's voice came from somewhere above them. A second later, hands plucked Zuko off The Duke and held him up by his armpits. Zuko thought it was Sokka who had picked him up until he got turned around and found himself face to face with Jet.

"Quite the wild one, isn't he?" Jet observed with a smile, as if he was amused by Zuko's show of temper.

"I'm sorry," Katara said, already reaching for Zuko. "Lee can be difficult sometimes."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Zuko snapped. He shifted his glare to Jet. "And, you, put me down this instant!"

Jet laughed. "I see what you mean."

Zuko fumed at them both. He glowered even more when he got passed to Katara.

"I'm not a sack of rice to be handed around," he told her haughtily. "I can walk myself."

She narrowed her eyes. "You can walk yourself when you learn to play nice with others."

Zuko opened and closed his mouth like a fish. How dare she try to … and the nerve of her to …

He vented his frustration in a yell. Katara told him that throwing a tantrum wasn't going to do anything. First, he would apologise to The Duke and then he would apologise to Jet for attacking one of the Freedom Fighters.

Zuko's lips pursed as if he had just swallowed something very sour. "I am not apologising to that brat."

"Lee!"

Zuko huffed and averted his face. He didn't care if he was being petty or if—technically, since he was a lot older—he should not even be letting the remarks of a helmet-wearing brat get to him. The fact remained that he was on edge, stressed, and now he had a stupid girl trying to force him to apologise to the two people he had no interest in appeasing. He was a prince. He was not some Southern Water Tribe urchin she could boss around.

Katara frowned at him. "You will apologise, Lee. The Freedom Fighters helped us a lot and—"

"Oh, come off it! The only reason you care so much is because you have a pathetic crush on Jet."

"What?" Her cheeks dusted with pink, and she cast a quick glance around to make sure Jet hadn't heard. "I—I do not!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Please. It's so obvious that it's making me feel second-hand embarrassment just from watching you."

Her face reddened even more and her grip tightened on him. Then she exhaled, as if trying to force herself to calm down. "I don't know how I ever thought you were cute," she muttered. "You are the biggest brat ever."

Zuko smiled a little smugly. "Good, then put me down so I can walk by myself."

She raised her eyebrow. "Oh no. Uh-uh. Don't think I'm letting you off the hook that easily. I don't know what your uncle was doing with you, but it's clear you have no social manners. Now, come on, it's apology time."

His smile faded. Gah, this girl was so annoying.

He soon got placed in front of The Duke and prodded in the back. Katara gave him a pointed look, as if to ask what he was waiting for. Zuko's gaze flickered to Pipsqueak, who stood behind The Duke with his arms crossed, and then over to Sokka, who watched from the side and was still holding the teapot. Zuko scowled and averted his face.

"Lee," Katara said, planting her hands on her hips. "Come on, we talked about this. You can't just attack people and not—"

"Actually," The Duke said, lowering his head. "This was kind of my fault."

Zuko glanced up in surprise. The Duke drew circles on the dirt with the toe of his boot and explained that he had been bullying Lee. It was only natural that Lee would retaliate.

"Sorry," The Duke said, casting him a quick glance.

Pipsqueak placed his hand on The Duke's shoulder. "And?"

The Duke looked as if he was trying hard not to sigh. "And I won't do it again."

Zuko's lips twitched. So, he wasn't the only one who had been scolded and forced into apologising.

"Alright," Zuko said with a shrug. "You know I'd just beat you if you tried anyway."

"Lee!" Katara exclaimed in shock.

The Duke, however, grinned and said that move Zuko had pulled had been pretty cool. "For a little guy, you're not half bad."

Zuko couldn't help the hint of smugness that tugged at his lips. Even if it was coming from a helmet-wearing frog-monkey brat, it was nice to be praised.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Boys."

Apparently, she still didn't trust Zuko to "play nice", because she forced him to keep walking with her. Zuko paused to grab his uncle back from Sokka, but otherwise didn't put up a fuss. He wouldn't admit it, but he was getting really tired. Too tired to argue with the demon waterbender, that was for sure. She was way too bossy and stubborn.

"We're here," Jet said.

Zuko blinked and glanced around at the surrounding trees, even as Sokka observed that there was nothing there. Jet handed him a rope that was dangling down the side of one of the trunks. Sokka accepted it and was dragged up by his wrist, flailing and yelping as he hit a clump of branches and then passed out of sight.

"Aang?" Jet offered a new rope.

Aang scratched his cheek. "I'll get up on my own." He turned to Zuko. "Want me to take your un—er, the teapot up with me?"

Zuko didn't like parting with his uncle, but after watching Sokka's ascent, he thought that giving Uncle Iroh to Aang was probably the safest option. He nodded and handed the teapot over. Aang grinned, ruffled his hair (Gah! Why did people keep doing that?) and used airbending to propel himself up into the trees. Momo followed alongside.

Jet smiled and turned to Katara, taking hold of the other loop of rope while offering his free hand to her. "Grab hold of me, Katara," he encouraged.

She blushed in such an obvious way that Zuko couldn't help but raise his eyebrow at her. She really was pathetic. Katara caught his gaze and her lips twisted. Perhaps his scorn was a little too imprinted on his expression. It made her lose the adoring tiger-dog look anyway.

She cleared her throat. "Actually, maybe you should take Lee with you. He's only little and he'll probably find it hard on his own."

Jet's smarmy smile faltered. He lowered his hand. "Uh, sure, I guess. I mean, I can probably take both of you."

Katara beamed. "Great!"

She dragged Zuko with her over to Jet. Zuko couldn't help but smirk. It was kind of entertaining to have got in the way of Smarmy's plan to do the whole "let me hold you close" thing. Though now he had to be close to Jet. Ugh.

"Hold on tight," Jet said.

Zuko found himself squished between Katara and Smarmy Idiot. His arms were wrapped around her waist, while she had her arms wrapped around him and Jet. Jet, of course, had pulled them both against him with his free arm. Zuko wasn't sure that he liked this arrangement, but thankfully it didn't last long. They soon passed through a gap in the trees and found the hideout. Planks of wood curved around the trees to create walkways, along with spiralling staircases, suspension bridges, and huts for houses. The workmanship was all pretty rough, but even Zuko had to admit it was kind of impressive. He would have loved playing in something like this as a kid.

Katara and Aang oohed and aahed. Even Sokka looked reluctantly impressed. Zuko blew the hair out of his eyes and followed them deeper into the hideout. Jet, Smellerbee and Pipsqueak regaled them with tales about the Freedom Fighter's efforts to drive the Fire Nation out of the area. Zuko had a lot of things he wanted to say in response, but he was too tired to do more than keep his aching feet moving. Being in a tiny body sucked. Everything was so much more draining.

"You alright, kid?"

Zuko blinked and realised that he had bumped into Smarmy Idiot's leg. It also occurred to him that everyone else had moved on ahead. It was just Jet, Zuko and Katara left on the walkway.

Katara leaned down so that they were at eye level. "You must be tired," she said, smoothing the hair from his face. "You've been walking all day."

Zuko swatted half-heartedly at her hand. It was hard to put up his usual fight when all he could do was supress yawns and dream of beds. She laughed and scooped him up into her arms. Zuko would have protested, except she was warm and soft and felt far too much like a pillow in that moment. His eyelids started to droop against his will.

"You really are a rude little brat," he heard her murmur from somewhere near his ear, "but I guess you can be cute sometimes."

"Don't call me cute," Zuko muttered sleepily. "Stupid, demon waterbender."

He felt the vibration of her laugh pass through him. "Right, right," she teased. "You're a big, strong warrior. Well, how about hanging up your tough guy act for the day and getting some sleep, hrm?"

Zuko had no response. He had already drifted off in her arms.

Chapter 3: In Which Zuko Is Cornered

Chapter Text

Zuko woke with a start. His heart was racing and his skin felt clammy. It took him a moment to remember how to breathe.

"Are you alright?"

He flinched. Katara knelt next to him. They were in a tree hut—still in Smarmy's hideout then—and he had been tucked up in someone's bed. All the blankets were tangled around his waist and legs. Katara must have taken him here after he had fallen asleep on her. He wondered if that meant she had been watching him sleep. Creepy.

She didn't seem to find anything strange about her behaviour. She stroked his hair and asked him if he wanted to talk about it.

Zuko swatted her hand away. "Talk about what?"

"Your dream." Her eyes were soft with concern. "It looked like you had a bad one."

He averted his face. "It was nothing."

His tone and body language demanded that she drop the matter. Katara stared at him for a long moment and sighed.

"Alright, tough guy. If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. Just know that the offer is there."

"Yeah, whatever."

She pursed her lips. Perhaps she had thought reverse psychology would work on him.

Zuko decided to change the subject. He pushed the blankets off him and got to his feet. "Where's everyone else?"

"Having dinner. That's why I came to wake you." She reached behind her and picked up a pile of folded cloth. "I brought you some clothes as well. They used to be The Duke's before he grew out of them, so they should fit you."

Zuko eyed the bundle. He'd never worn hand-me-downs in his life, let alone something so frayed and ugly. There were different coloured patches all over the pants and tunic. The whole bundle screamed PEASANT.

"I'm not wearing that," he said flatly.

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't be ungrateful. Besides, you can't keep wearing that over-sized shirt."

"Watch me."

The two had a brief stare-off. Zuko even raised his chin as he held her gaze. It wasn't that he was attached to the shirt he was wearing. It really was too big for him and made him trip up all the time. That had got annoying fast. Still, at least it wasn't hand-me-down rags. He refused to wear such shameful clothing. (Or maybe was just clinging to some semblance of his identity as a prince.) Unfortunately, Katara had other ideas.

"That's it," she muttered.

She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tugged upwards. He yelped, elbows catching on the sleeves. The loose cloth slipped over his head. He blinked and stood frozen in shock. He was still trying to comprehend the fact that the demon waterbender had just undressed him in a matter of seconds. Then he realised he was standing naked in front of her. Colour exploded on his cheeks, spreading in hot waves of pink so that he could feel the tips of his ears burning.

"Y-you …" He flailed for words and made a snatch for the blanket, holding it up against his body. "What is wrong with you? You can't just strip people!"

Katara planted her hands on her hips. "Then you shouldn't have been so stubborn."

"You wouldn't say that if I did it to you!"

She rolled her eyes. "That's different. You're a child."

"I'm not a child! You … I can't believe you …" He spluttered a bit more and his blush darkened. "This is practically sexual harassment!"

Katara snorted back a laugh. "Sexual harassment? Where on earth do you learn these things? Weird kid."

"You're the weird one!" He pointed at her with his free hand. "Just because I look like—"

She grabbed his wrist. Zuko blinked, distracted from his rant. She was staring at the necklace that had been wound around his wrist. He'd got so used to its weight that he had almost forgot it was still there. The necklace had got loosened when he'd shrunk, of course, but he'd thought it important enough to keep and so had made sure it wouldn't slip off.

"Where did you get this?" she demanded.

He tried to twist out of her grip. "I found it."

"Found it where?"

Zuko almost blurted out the truth. He closed his mouth, swallowing back the words.

"This is my necklace," she said, giving him a sharp look. "I lost it on a Fire Nation prison barge." Her eyes narrowed. "Why do you have it, Lee?"

He swallowed.

She leaned down so that they were at eye level. "Tell me."

"I … I picked it up while I was travelling. I don't remember where."

Her expression was not impressed. It was obvious she was suspicious of him. His pulse throbbed in his throat and he squirmed some more. Damn it, he had never been a good liar.

"Let me go," he told her.

She was too strong for him as he was now (shameful as it was to admit), and he was still clutching the blanket to his body. The most he could have done was breathe fire at her, but that risked burning her at such close proximity. Unfortunately, Katara seemed to have no plans to cooperate.

"Just who is your uncle?" she demanded, tightening her grip on his arm. "You never did tell us his name."

Panic flared. Zuko's twisting and wriggling became more frantic. "I said let me go!"

"Not until you give me some answers!"

Her grip was tight enough to make him wince. That gave him an idea. An awful, humiliating idea, but it should work nonetheless. He'd seen Azula use the trick enough times when they were children.

"You're hurting me!" he cried, and made a point to gaze up at her with big, wounded eyes that were sure to tug at heartstrings.

Katara released him in shock. She seemed to have not noticed that she had been bruising his tiny wrist. Zuko seized his chance and made a run for it. Or at least tried. Her arms came around his middle from behind and then he was lifted into the air. The blanket slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

Zuko made a frustrated sound. "You—you crazy … let me go!"

He was blushing furiously and squirmed even more to escape her clutches. Stupid, sexually harassing waterbender.

"Calm down," she told him in a voice softened by amusem*nt. "In case you haven't noticed, you're still naked. Put some clothes on first before you go running outside."

"Whose fault is that? You're the one who undressed me!"

"Everything okay in here?"

Both turned to see Smarmy standing at the door. Zuko scowled, somehow managing to look like a haughty prince even while trapped naked in Katara's arms. The girl blushed and said that they were fine. Lee was just being difficult.

Smarmy's mouth twitched into a smile. "Need some help?"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "No one asked for your assistance."

Smarmy jerk.

"Lee!" Katara chided. She must have heard the derision dripping from his voice.

Zuko ignored the reprimand. Instead, he raised his head at an awkward angle to look at her. "Put me down and give me the clothes. I'll get dressed myself."

Katara obliged. Zuko threw a last scowl at Smarmy before he turned his back on them both and covered his nakedness with the ugly, hand-me-down clothes. Smarmy stayed to flirt for a bit with the waterbender. (And why he'd want to was beyond Zuko. She was a demon and a sexual harasser.) But then Smarmy got called away by Pipsqueak. Zuko tugged on the patch-ridden undershirt and tunic. He untied the necklace from his wrist and held it out to Katara.

"It's yours, right?" he said, not meeting her gaze. "Here."

Katara took the necklace from him and cradled it to her chest with a soft smile. Something fluttered in Zuko's stomach. Huh. When she wasn't being all bossy, she was actually kind of pretty.

Wait, what?

He shook his head to shrug off the confusing thought.

Katara tied the necklace around her throat and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry about earlier," she murmured, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for returning this to me."

His face warmed.

"This was my mother's necklace," she explained, standing back to her full height and touching the moon-like pendant. "It's all I have of her now. She died when I was young. I was really sad when I lost it, so thank you."

"Your mother's?"

He had not known that. Something moved in his stomach that was less like butterfly wings and more like sickening knots. He had been planning to use the necklace against her somehow to get the upper hand so he could capture the Avatar—at least before he had got shrunk. Now, he just felt guilty.

"I … I'm sorry," he mumbled, staring down at his feet.

She ruffled his hair. "Silly. What have you got to be sorry about?"

For once, Zuko didn't swat her hand away or kick up a fuss. He was remembering his dream: the night his mother had vanished, the way no one would tell him anything, the awful years of silence and wondering …

"I lost my mother too," Zuko admitted. His voice got even more subdued. "You … you're lucky you have something of hers to remember her with. Make sure you don't lose it again. I might not be there to pick it up next time."

Katara wordlessly pulled him back into her arms. He made a show of resisting, but it was a half-hearted attempt at best. She held him tight, face burrowed into his hair. He wondered if she was trying to give him comfort or if she was trying to find it herself in the hug. Either way, he stood still with his arms at his sides. He had not returned anyone's embrace since his mother had disappeared. He wasn't about to start with this girl, even if they did share a tragic past.

"Can you let me go now?" he asked when she made no move to pull away.

She held him tighter. "You don't like this?"

"No."

Her laughter ruffled his hair. "Always the tough guy." She pulled back enough to meet his gaze. "Can you honestly say you haven't missed this? I bet your mother used to hug you too."

Zuko blushed and averted his face. "You're not my mother."

"No, but it's still nice to be held, isn't it?"

He had no response for that. It was kind of nice, albeit in an awkward way. He wasn't used to being close to people, let alone girls.

He wriggled out of her loosened hold and made a show of smoothing down his "new" clothes. "Whatever. You're still weird."

She placed her hands on her hips. "There's just no winning with you, is there?"

He did not dignify this with an answer. She gave up on pushing the issue and directed him to the boots that had been gifted for his use. They were just as full of patches and holes as the clothes, but at least he wouldn't have to walk around barefoot. He tugged on the shoes and blew his hair out of his face. The black strands were always getting in his eyes.

"Give my hairband back," he demanded.

Katara blinked. "Oh, right." She slipped the tie off her wrist but didn't hand it over to him. "You should brush your hair first. It's a mess."

Zuko gave her an unimpressed stare. "I suppose you're going to offer to do it for me."

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

He muttered that it was, among other less flattering things. Katara ignored his grumbling and pulled the hairbrush out of her pack. She grabbed his shoulder and tugged him to sit with her on the bed. Zuko had learnt his lesson from the clothes incident, so he just scowled and let her have her way. It wasn't like having someone perform such tasks was a new thing for him. Still, Katara wasn't a servant who had been trained to serve him. She was just an annoying, bossy girl who refused to leave him alone.

"Your hair is so thick," she complained, even as the brush snagged on another knot. "You haven't been taking care of it at all, have you?"

"You're the one who wanted to brush it."

She huffed. Her breath fanned the exposed skin on his neck. "What has your uncle been teaching you? You really don't have any manners."

"I have them when I choose." His lips quirked into a smirk, not that she could see it. "Maybe if you weren't so bossy, I'd—"

Something hard connected with his head. "Brat."

Zuko bit back a laugh. She finished brushing his hair. He would not admit that it felt nice when she trailed her fingers along his scalp, gathering all of his hair together so that she could pull it into a high ponytail.

"There," she said, placing the brush down. "All done."

Zuko twisted around to look at her. "Thank you."

His exaggerated tone suggested he had only said the words because she had been harping on about his manners. Katara realised it too. She rolled her eyes and muttered something about how he was the most precocious brat she had ever met.

"Come on," she said, getting to her feet. "Let's get some dinner."

Zuko had no fault to find with this plan and followed her out of the hut. They headed down to where everyone had gathered around a huge banquet table. Lanterns had been lit for light and the place hummed with chatter and laughter. Smarmy gave a speech about the blow he and his Freedom Fighters had dealt to the Fire Nation, which Zuko privately thought was a bit pathetic. The Fire Nation army was huge. One small group of kids weren't going to do much, even if they did cause trouble for the villagers and soldiers living in Gaipan. Their efforts were like a droplet in an ocean. Still, Katara seemed impressed. She sat close to Jet, gazing at him with that sappy, adoring look in her eyes. It only got worse when Jet praised her and Aang for their bending.

"Well, he's great," Katara said, blushing and gesturing at Aang. "He's the Avatar. I could use some more training."

Zuko rolled his eyes. She really was embarrassing herself with all her blatant admiration. Not that Smarmy cared. He seemed more intrigued by the admission that Aang was the Avatar. Smarmy said that he might have a way for the two of them to help in the Freedom Fighter's struggle.

"Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight," Sokka cut in. He stood and walked away from the table.

Smarmy must have read Sokka well, because he managed to hook him back in by saying he needed the boy for an important mission that would happen tomorrow. Zuko's eyes narrowed. He'd bet every piece of gold on his boat that there had been no such plan. Jet had not shown any interest in Sokka. That smarmy jerk had been fixated on Katara and Aang the whole time.

"I don't think we should stay," Zuko said.

The trio blinked at him.

"Lee," Katara began, "this isn't for you to decide. We—"

"This jerk can't be trusted."

Jet's mouth curved into an easy smile. "You really don't like me, do you?"

"No," Zuko admitted, glaring at him. "You're like my sister."

And the thing with Azula was that her intentions were never good. Someone always got hurt because of her plans.

Jet laughed and went to pat his head, but Zuko stopped his hand.

"Fast reflexes," Jet observed. "You're pretty good for a little kid."

Zuko pushed his hand away. "Stay away from Katara and Aang." His voice turned cold and like steel. "They're not your tools."

The smug glint flickered in Jet's eyes. He stared at Zuko in a measuring way, even as Katara tried to shush Zuko and get him to apologise for his rudeness.

"It's fine," Jet said, holding up his hand. The smile returned to his lips. "You're an interesting kid, Lee."

"I can't say the same for you."

Jet laughed. Katara, however, was horrified. She clamped her hand over Zuko's mouth and told Jet to ignore everything he had said.

"Of course Aang and I will help you," she continued. "Right, Aang?"

The airbender shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

Even Sokka was too intrigued by the promised "important mission" to argue against staying the night.

"Looks like you've been overruled," Jet said, smiling at Zuko. "But don't worry, I promise to take good care of your friends."

Zuko eyed Jet with intense dislike. He was not happy with the decision. He didn't bother to hide his disgust either, telling the trio that they were all idiots who trusted others too easily before he stormed off with his teapot uncle. It was Momo who found him later. The lemur landed on his head and chirruped.

"Go away," Zuko muttered.

Momo ignored him and scrabbled down his chest to sit on his lap. Zuko glowered at the creature; however, since Momo wasn't trying to steal the teapot this time, he also couldn't be bothered dredging up the energy to make the lemur leave. Without intending, he found himself scratching Momo behind the ears and stroking his back. The lemur's fur was soft and fluffy. It was hard to resist petting him a little.

"Don't get too comfortable," Zuko mumbled. "I still don't like you."

Momo gave a contented chirrup and nuzzled into his hand.

"Well, this was a sight I didn't expect to see."

Zuko flinched and twisted around to see Sokka leaning against a tree and watching him with an amused smile.

"You finally make up with Momo?" Sokka teased.

"Shut up. I'm just tired and this lemur wouldn't leave me alone."

"Uh-huh."

Sokka came to sit next to him on the log. They sat in silence for a moment.

"So, what was that about earlier?" Sokka asked when Zuko showed no sign of talking.

Zuko's mouth twisted. "Did Katara set you onto me?"

"No."

Sokka seemed surprised by the comment. Zuko muttered under his breath that the siblings were just as nosy as each other. If Sokka heard him, he did not get offended. Instead, Sokka sighed and stretched his arms above his head. There was a brief pause before he spoke again.

"You're not really a kid, are you?"

Zuko froze. "What?"

"It's the only explanation that makes sense. At first I thought you were just a particularly bad-tempered child, but after listening to the way you speak and how you react to people, the more it didn't fit. You use words and phrases no kid your age would know. Heck, not even Aang speaks like that. You also mentioned your sister earlier when confronting Jet, but you don't look much older than five or six years old. If she is younger than you, as you admitted, then it doesn't make sense you would compare her to Jet. She'd be too young."

"Oh."

Sokka's brow creased. "Oh?" he repeated. "Is that all you're going to say?"

Zuko shrugged. "What do you want me to say?"

"How about the truth?"

"You seem to have that figured out already."

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "Then it's true?"

Zuko met his gaze. "I've been telling you people this whole time I'm not a kid. It's not my fault you didn't believe me."

Sokka blinked. It was true that Zuko had never claimed to be a real child. It wasn't like he would have got away with it if he had. Zuko couldn't lie or act to save himself. Omitting truths or twisting things a little, however, was something he was good at. He'd simply let them believe what they wanted to believe.

"How old are you really?" Sokka asked.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Older than you." He pushed Momo off his lap and picked up his uncle. "Look, I'm not interested in having this conversation. Instead of trying to learn more about me, you should be focussing on protecting your sister and Aang."

Sokka frowned. "Don't you think you're going a bit far with your dislike? Jet might be a jerk, but it's not like he's a bad person. I doubt he'd do anything to hurt Aang and Katara."

"That's not the point. It's the fact he's so set on using them that's the problem. You must have seen the way he was looking at them both."

"Well, yeah, but—"

"I'm telling you that guy is bad news. I can't stop you idiots from wanting to stick around with these people for the night, but at least try to be on your guard. It's a wonder you've even made it this far with the way you all behave."

"Alright, alright," Sokka said, holding his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "Geez, you can be as bossy as Katara."

Zuko's expression remained unimpressed. "I need the Avatar to break the curse that was placed on my uncle and me. It's not in my best interest to let him get caught up in Jet's manipulations." He raised his eyebrow. "Besides, Katara is your sister. I thought you'd be more worried. Jet is obviously trying to get close to her."

Sokka frowned. "Would you interfere in your sister's love life?"

A snort. "Any guy who caught my sister's eye is to be pitied. I'd be more inclined to protect him." He shook his head, and some of the amusem*nt faded from his eyes. "Katara isn't like my sister, though. She's naïve and too trusting. Those are dangerous traits when combined with someone like Jet."

"I guess," Sokka allowed. "She'll just get grumpy if I stick my nose in though."

Zuko shrugged as if to say that wasn't his problem. Too bad Sokka got the brilliant idea to make Zuko her tiny guard.

"Since you're so worried about her, you can watch her yourself," Sokka said, clapping Zuko on the shoulder. "She still thinks you're just a kid, so it's perfect. She won't suspect a thing."

"No way."

"Come on, Lee. You're the one who said we couldn't trust Jet. Are you now going to leave my sister to the mercies of that jerk?"

"She's your sister!"

"Exactly! She'll kill me if I put so much as a toe in her business, but you're the cute little kid she likes to coddle and keep close to her."

Zuko's eye twitched. "I'm not a kid, though."

Sokka ignored this point. He seemed to have decided that Zuko was the only man for the job and would not take no for an answer. Zuko tried to protest, tried to come up with a hundred reasons for why this wasn't a suitable plan, but Sokka eventually managed to break down his defences. The fact was that Zuko, for all that he thought Katara was behaving like a pathetic sap, was indeed concerned for her. Jet was trying too hard to charm and weasel his way into her heart. Katara was annoying and bossy, but she was a nice enough girl. She didn't deserve to be ensnared by a smarmy jerk like Jet.

"Fine," Zuko huffed, "but it's your job to make sure we leave first thing tomorrow. I don't want to stay here longer than necessary."

"Got it."

They shook hands to seal the deal and then Zuko marched off with his teapot uncle to go find Katara. It was time to play guard tiger-dog. He cringed at the thought. Ugh, this was going to be a pain.

Chapter 4: In Which Jet Is Smarmy

Chapter Text

Zuko was not surprised to find Katara with Jet. Nor was he surprised to find the smarmy bastard trying to make a move on her. The two sat on a bench in one of the more secluded areas near the campfire, knees almost touching. Jet leaned a bit closer to her and said something. Judging by the splotches of colour that bloomed on her cheeks, it was probably flirtatious. Zuko repressed a sigh. He really didn't want to have to do this. Still, a deal was a deal.

He took a firmer grip on his uncle and marched over to where the two were sitting, plonking himself into the small space between the teens. Jet was given no choice but to move over or get sat on.

"Lee," Katara said, blinking at his sudden appearance. Her cheeks were still a bit flushed.

"Hey, kid," Jet began, "shouldn't you—"

Zuko flashed a glare at the taller boy. It was a silent demand for Jet to back off. Not that Jet got the message. The smarmy jerk smiled and observed that Katara had a little tiger-dog guard.

"It's cute how protective he is of you," Jet said, pinching Zuko's cheek.

Zuko swatted his hand away. "Touch me again and I'll break your fingers."

"Lee!" Katara glanced at Jet. "I'm so sorry. He doesn't mean it." She nudged Zuko in the back, then hissed for him to apologise.

Zuko raised his chin. "I won't apologise. I don't want this jerk touching me, and you shouldn't let him touch you either."

Katara's face reddened. "I wasn't … why would you even …"

Jet's laughter had them both glancing at him. "Quite the mouthy little tiger-dog guard as well."

Zuko had the urge to say "bite me", but he managed to resist the impulse. Instead, he purposely turned his back on Jet and looked up at Katara with big, golden eyes. "I don't want to be alone in this place. Will you stay with me?"

It was the most embarrassing speech he had ever made. In fact, just speaking the words made his face heat. The problem was that he knew Katara was too infatuated to leave Jet alone just because Zuko said the guy was a jerk. It was time to bring out the big weapons or, in this case, the Vulnerable Child act. He knew she was weak to children. He was banking on her annoying need to mother him now.

Katara blinked and stared at him. Perhaps she was surprised that the boy who always shunned her attention was now requesting her company. He wondered if he had maybe laid it on too thick—spirits knew he wasn't a good liar—but then she made that naaaw noise he oh-so-hated and pulled him into her arms.

"Of course I'll stay with you, Lee."

Zuko fought the heat that stained his cheeks. He was never going to get used to her hugs.

Katara pulled back and made her excuses to Jet, thoughtful enough not to inflict his presence on Zuko any further. Either that or she'd just sensed that "Lee" would only get more antagonistic if they lingered. Jet, for his part, seemed a bit surprised that he had lost to a kid, but he did not push the issue. Even smarmy jerks couldn't hope to get lucky if there was a child tagging along.

"You be nice for Katara," Jet said, flashing a smile at Zuko before he winked at her. "Don't forget that a lady should be treated well."

Zuko resisted the urge to make gagging motions. So much smarm. Katara, of course, sighed in a besotted way and watched Jet retreat with a sappy look in her eyes. It made Zuko want to throw his teapot uncle at her. Really, was she that susceptible to that bastard's charm?

"I don't know what you see in him," Zuko muttered before he could stop himself.

Katara snapped out of her daydream. "Jet is a good person," she informed him in a lofty tone, though her cheeks were pink. "He takes care of all these children and he's fighting to free the town from the Fire Nation."

"He's a smarmy jerk who wants to get up your skirt."

Her blush darkened and she spluttered a bit, but then her eyes narrowed. "What do you know anyway? You're far too young to be thinking about such things!"

Zuko winced. Damn, he had to be careful about what he said around her. The last thing he needed was to give himself away, as he had done with Sokka.

"Uncle likes women," he said with a shrug, hoping she would take the explanation.

It wasn't like it was a lie. His uncle—not to mention the entire crew on his ship—had well and truly sullied any innocence he'd had after he'd been banished from the cloistered palace. Seamen weren't known for their dainty mouths, and the fact the crew were all male hadn't helped. There had been a lot of talk about sex. A lot.

Katara furrowed her brow. "I'm really beginning to wonder about that uncle of yours. I don't think he's been a good example to you."

Zuko got to his feet. "He's not so bad. Honestly, the worst thing is his obsession with tea." He raised the teapot in his hands. "A part of me isn't even surprised this happened."

Which was also true. It was so like Uncle to get turned into a teapot. Or the tea inside. Whatever. The point was that his uncle was no longer human.

Her eyes softened. "You must be worried."

There was a small pause.

"Yeah … I don't even know what's going on with Uncle—whether he's aware of us, whether he's okay. All I can do is hope that the Avatar will find a way to fix him."

Katara squeezed his shoulder. "Don't worry. Aang will find a way."

Zuko nodded.

She smiled and stood up. "Come on. Let's move closer to the fire. I bet you'll feel better after being near your element. I know I always do when I'm near water."

"Actually, I'd rather not." He cast a wary glance at the Freedom Fighters, who were gathered around the main area, all eating and laughing. "These people seem to really hate firebenders. I'm not confident with my control either." His cheeks warmed. "I might end up influencing the flames by accident."

The confession was hard for him to make, but his firebending had felt out of whack ever since he'd shrunk. He wasn't sure if it was because he was still getting used to his smaller frame or if the curse had messed with something. Either way, he didn't want to risk exposing himself in a hideout full of Fire Nation haters.

Katara made a sympathetic sound. "No wonder you didn't want to be alone. I'm sorry, I should have realised sooner."

His instinct was to wave off her coddling, but he couldn't do that this time. Tonight, he had to use every arsenal at his tiny disposal to keep her away from Jet. Ugh, he really hated that smarmy jerk.

"How about we go back to the hut then?" she suggested. "It's getting late anyway."

Zuko agreed to this plan. It wasn't like he had any desire to spend more time with the Freedom Fighters. Unfortunately, The Duke seemed to take their leaving as a sign to bar their path.

"Where're you going, Lee?" The Duke asked. "Come hang with me."

"No," Zuko said shortly.

"But—"

"What part of 'no' don't you understand? Just leave me alone."

The Duke let out an exaggerated huff. "You're always so grumpy."

"He is, isn't he?" Katara said, smothering a laugh. "But you really shouldn't bother him right now. Lee is a lot younger than you. He gets tired easily and he's been walking all day. It's best if he gets an early night."

Zuko willed the warmth in his cheeks to vanish. On the one hand, she had just come up with a good excuse for why he could not "hang" with The Duke. On the other, she had also reduced him to feeling like a baby. The Duke seemed to agree, because he patted Zuko's head and said he supposed tiny boys did need bedtimes.

"I don't have a bedtime," The Duke declared as if it was a great achievement.

"Yay for you," Zuko muttered.

His sarcasm passed over the helmeted boy. It did not miss Katara.

"Be nice," she warned under her breath.

Zuko repressed a sigh.

"Well, I guess I had better let you go to bed then," The Duke said, biting back a pout. "You'll play with me tomorrow, right?"

Zuko's only response was a glare. The Duke seemed to take this as a yes because he grinned and said he'd see Zuko tomorrow. Both Zuko and Katara watched the boy run off to join the group where Jet and Pipsqueak were seated.

"The Duke seems to like you," Katara observed.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "He just likes having someone to lord over. That brat has probably never had someone younger than him around."

She didn't respond. That unnerved him enough to make him glance up at her. The expression on her face was hardly reassuring. There were creases on her brow and her lips were twisted into a frown.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." She shook her head. "You just come out with the oddest things sometimes. Are you sure you're really a kid?"

The tone of her question suggested she was making a joke, but it had Zuko break out in a cold sweat. It seemed he was worse than he'd thought at keeping up his kiddie act. No surprise, since he wasn't a good liar or actor. Not like Azula.

"Let's just go back to the hut," Zuko muttered.

Before that smarmy jerk decides to come back, he added silently.

Katara had no fault with this suggestion and so the two headed back up the ramps to their designated hut. She helped him get ready for bed, even though he told her he could do it himself, and then rummaged in her pack. Zuko settled down on his blankets, not really paying attention to much until he heard the soft thwack of fabric hitting the ground. He glanced up at Katara. His eyes widened when he realised she had removed her tunic and was now tugging off her undershirt and leggings.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Squeaked was probably a better word. His voice had never sounded so high. The white wrappings covering her body still exposed a lot of skin.

"My clothes need to be washed," she explained, as if it was obvious.

"That doesn't mean you should get undressed in front of me!"

"Why not? It's not like I'm naked." She frowned down at her wrappings. "Though I'd really like to wash these as well."

Zuko got an image in his mind of her without the wrappings. He made a frustrated sound and averted his face. His very pink face. "Stupid waterbender, just put something on!"

She laughed and said she was about to do that. Seconds passed. She still had not got dressed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I just remembered that Aang washed our supplies down the river yesterday," she explained with a sigh. "My other outfit was mixed up in that as well."

Apparently, all she had now was her sleeping bag, fur parka, and a few belongings. He told her to wear the parka then, but she complained that she'd die of heat in that. Zuko made another frustrated sound and snatched his shirt up from the bed.

"Here," he said, not looking at her while holding the bunched fabric in her direction. "Wear that for now."

The shirt wasn't probably any cleaner than her own clothes, but at least it would cover her body until she'd washed what she had been wearing.

Katara took the shirt from his hand. "Thanks."

Zuko grunted in acknowledgement. He heard the sound of rustling cloth but, to his horror, all he saw was the white wrappings she had been wearing fall to the ground out of the corner of his eye. The temptation to turn and look was almost too much to bear. Flustered, he shifted so that he was facing the wall more. This would have been a great plan had he not also just noticed her shadow. The candlelight gave shape to her body in a black outline: the soft swell of her breasts, curved hips, and—

He buried his face into his knees. The words "Do not look" were a chant in his mind. Eventually, there was a light tap on his shoulder. He raised his head and saw that Katara was wearing his undershirt. The sight of her in his clothes caused an odd reaction in him. He couldn't even explain the feeling. All he could do was stare. The hem of the shirt stopped at her knees, which was a relief. It was a bit gaping at the front, though, slipping down to bare one brown shoulder. His mouth went dry.

"I'm going to wash these, okay?" she said, holding up her dirty clothes.

"Wait."

He grabbed her wrist. There was no way he could let her wander around like that, not with Smarmy lurking. As if summoned, Jet knocked on the hut and popped his head inside the door, still with that stupid straw sticking out of his mouth.

"Jet!" Katara exclaimed. She blushed and clutched her clothes more tightly to her chest.

Jet's gaze roamed over her in appreciation before fixing on her face. "The Duke says you're planning to have an early night."

She confirmed that this was the case.

"That's too bad. There's some really nice hot springs near here." Smarmy flashed a smile. "I was hoping to show you them."

"Hot springs?" Katara repeated, perking up.

Zuko could guess what she was thinking. The chance to be clean and bathe in hot water was probably hard to come by if you weren't a firebender.

"That does sound nice," she said a bit wistfully.

Jet's smile widened. "I could show you them now."

Zuko opened his mouth to refuse, except Katara had already accepted before he could get a word in. He gave her a pointed look as if to remind her that this was the jerk who wanted to get up her skirt. She raised her chin in response as if to retort that was just his opinion and she believed Jet was a wonderful person.

Ugh. Girls.

"I'm coming too," Zuko said, getting to his feet and standing protectively in front of her.

Jet looked a bit disappointed that the kid wanted to tag along again, but he managed to plaster a smarmy smile on his face. "Suit yourself."

They left the hut together and followed Jet down the trees and through the forest until they came to a small opening in the rock that would have been hidden completely had one not known what to look for. Jet explained that they would have to crawl inside to find the hot spring. He went first, and Katara and Zuko followed. The first thing Zuko noted was the muggy air. It was so much like home that he was hit with a wave of nostalgia. Katara, on the other hand, was more caught up with the glowing crystal-like rocks that lit up the cave.

"Wow," she said. "It's beautiful."

Jet's mouth curved into a grin. "I thought you'd like it."

"I love it!" she assured him.

Zuko once again resisted the urge to make gagging motions.

"Thanks for showing us this place," she continued, smiling brightly. "It's been so long since I've had a proper bath." She glanced around the cave. "So, uh, where is the girls' section?"

Zuko folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, Jet. Where's the girls' section?"

"There isn't one," Jet said with a shrug.

"But—"

"We usually just all bathe together. Girls, boys. It's not like it's a big deal." He shrugged again. "It's just skin, right?"

Katara's cheeks dusted with pink. It was obvious she felt otherwise, but Jet's tone and words made it sound as if she'd be acting like a silly prude if she complained. Zuko narrowed his eyes. Oh, this guy was so smooth.

"Maybe that's fine for you," Zuko said flatly, "but Katara isn't used to that arrangement." He glanced up at her. "Jet and I will wait outside."

He walked forward and glared pointedly at Jet. The teen bowed out with grace and said that of course he'd allow her to bathe alone if that was what she preferred. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable.

"Thanks, Jet," she said, ducking her head to hide her blush.

Jet placed his hand on her shoulder—a little too long, Zuko thought—and then the two boys crawled back through the cave opening to begin their wait. Zuko let out a breath and sat on the ground, elbows propped on his knees and his chin resting on his palm. Jet leaned against the cave next to him, still chewing on that damned piece of straw. The silence was awkward.

"You're a suspicious little thing, huh?" Jet said. "I noticed you're not this protective of Katara when she's around the other boys."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "That's because it's obvious what you want from her."

Jet laughed and removed the straw from his mouth. "You really are an interesting kid."

Silence.

"Katara mentioned that your uncle was cursed and that's how you ended up travelling with the Avatar. It's the teapot, right? You're always carrying it around with you, though I notice you don't have it with you now."

Zuko's jaw clenched. Damn that bigmouth. What was she doing telling people, let alone Jet, about his circ*mstances?

"You're a tough kid," Jet continued. "Not many other boys your age would be able to handle the situation as well as you are."

Because I'm sixteen, you jerk.

"That so," Zuko said dryly.

More silence.

"You know," Jet said, slipping back into his usual charming tones, "I'm really not going to do anything bad to Katara. You don't have to be so suspicious of me."

Zuko exhaled. "Look, I don't care what you say or how smarmily you can smile. I'm not stupid. I know exactly what kind of guy you are, and I'm not letting you near Katara."

Impatience flickered in Jet's eyes. "Listen, Lee—"

"Hey, guys!"

Both boys turned to see Aang waving at them. Pipsqueak was in the lead with The Duke on his shoulders, while Sokka and another Freedom Fighter followed behind. Sneers?

"Why are you just standing outside?" Pipsqueak asked.

"Katara is bathing right now," Jet replied.

"Ooh." Pipsqueak went red. "You're right. We'd better wait then."

Zuko bit back a triumphant smile. So much for the "it's just skin" theory. He'd known that Jet had been trying to be sneaky.

The boys gathered around the cave opening and started chatting together, though Zuko chose to opt out of the conversation. Truthfully, he just wanted this night to be over. Sokka seized the chance to pull him aside.

"How's guard duty going?" Sokka asked. "Has that jerk tried anything?"

Zuko's mouth thinned into an unimpressed line. "You so owe me."

A wince. "That bad, huh?"

"Your sister is an idiot. It's like she wants to get taken advantage of."

"Lucky she has you to keep an eye on her then." Sokka clapped him on the shoulder. "Keep up the good work, Lee."

Irritation welled within Zuko. Too bad for him that Sokka had already walked back to join the group. No doubt Sokka wanted to avoid being tag-teamed and forced to take over guard duties. Zuko had been close to demanding as much.

Katara eventually emerged from the cave, dressed back in her usual—and, Zuko assumed, clean—Water Tribe outfit. His shirt was folded and draped over his arm. "I thought I heard voices," she said. "Sorry I made you all wait."

The boys assured her it was no problem, though Jet also offered to walk her back.

"I thought you wanted to bathe as well," she said innocently.

Zuko repressed a snort. Jet recovered from the trap and said that he'd come back to bathe later; however, she shook her head and said she was happy to wait. She had promised to stay with Lee.

"Is that so?" Sokka said, eyes glittering as if he'd just got some great teasing fodder. It didn't help that Zuko had gone bright pink.

"Let's just get this over with," Zuko said gruffly.

He shoved Sokka in the back of his legs, forcing the boy towards the cave entrance. All the others followed, leaving Katara to wait outside. Zuko rushed through washing. The Duke kept pestering him, and he didn't want to give Jet another opening. It wasn't long before he was dressed again, making his goodbyes to the others, and joining Katara at the cave entrance.

"That was quick," she observed.

"Hot springs aren't really relaxing when The Duke tries to wrestle with you," Zuko said frankly.

Katara smothered a giggle. "Come on then. Let's head back. I remember the way."

Zuko nodded and walked side-by-side with her through the forest.

"Hey, Lee," she said after a moment.

"Mm?"

"Thanks for earlier." Spots of colour formed on her cheeks. "You, uh, may have been onto something with Jet."

"I told you he was a jerk."

"Yeah, yeah." She fluffed his ponytail. "Don't get co*cky, brat."

Zuko glowered at her. He was getting really tired of people touching his hair, head and just person in general. Then he caught sight of her expression and the snappy words got stuck in his throat. She was smiling at him—brightly, warmly. His stomach fluttered. Damn, she looked kind of cute.

He cleared his throat and looked the other way. He was beginning to feel that being around the waterbender was dangerous for his sanity. Tomorrow really couldn't come too soon.

Chapter 5: In Which Suspicions Are Aroused

Chapter Text

Zuko woke up the next morning expecting to be greeted with the news that they were leaving. Instead, he was greeted to the sight of Sokka departing for a "special mission" with Jet and a few of the Freedom Fighters. Zuko was not impressed. In fact, he spent most of his breakfast plotting all the ways he would get Sokka back for this betrayal. Last night he, a proud prince of the Fire nation, had been forced to play the child version of a chastity belt for Katara. In return, Sokka was supposed to guarantee that they left first thing at dawn. That traitor was not supposed to sneak off with Jet to satisfy his own curiosity.

"You alright?" Aang asked.

Zuko glanced up from his plate. "What?"

"It's just, uh, you look like you're trying to kill your breakfast."

Zuko frowned at the food he had been stabbing with his chopsticks. He grumbled a little under his breath and began eating it properly. Katara joined them not long after, trailed by The Duke, who had Momo perched on his shoulder. It seemed the two had become friends. The Duke settled on the log next to Zuko and chattered about all the "fun" things they were going to do that day. Even Aang got excited at some of the games mentioned. Zuko thought they were both weird. Games weren't fun. Games were tools for humiliation and often ended in pain. At least, that had been the case when he'd been forced to play with his sister.

He turned his nose up at The Duke. "Thanks, but I'll—"

"Quick, Lee, hurry and finish your breakfast!" Aang said over top of him, shovelling the rest of his food into his mouth. "'En mmph 'o pff!"

Zuko gave him an unimpressed look. "What?"

Aang swallowed. "I said then we can go play."

The Duke grinned and bumped his fist against Aang's. Apparently, it was a Freedom Fighter thing to celebrate "bro-ness". Zuko's eyebrow rose even higher. This was the Avatar who had eluded him for so long? This boy who talked with his mouth full of food, bumped fists with helmet-wearing brats, and got excited about playing games with grubby urchins who lived in trees?

"You might as well enjoy yourself," Katara said, smiling. "Who knows when Sokka is going to get back?"

Zuko muttered that they clearly had different ideas about what constituted enjoyment.

The Duke scrunched his nose. "What's constituted?"

Zuko facepalmed. This was why he was not interested in playing with little kids. Even if he looked like a child, his mind was that of a sixteen-year-old prince. Sixteen-year-old Zuko did not do games. Ever. Not that Aang or The Duke cared. They kept pressuring him to join them, assuring him that it would be great, fun, and all those other synonyms for what they considered marvellous and what he considered hell. Eventually, he told them that he wasn't going to leave his uncle unattended just to play games. Katara solved the problem by saying she would look after his uncle. Zuko glared at her in betrayal.

"Then that's settled!" Aang declared.

The next moment Zuko found himself trapped between The Duke and Aang, each boy holding onto one of his arms. They flashed identical grins at him and frogmarched him off to go "enjoy" the games that The Duke had planned for them. Zuko repressed a sigh. Yes, he was definitely going to get Sokka back for breaking their deal.

oOo

"Alright, Lee," The Duke whispered. "The flag is inside the hut."

Zuko peered down at the hut from where he, The Duke and a girl with pigtails named Plum all huddled on a tree branch. The other four who'd made part of their "assault" team had been caught. Even with a no-bending handicap, Aang was proving to be a formidable opponent. Still, The Duke was confident that they could turn the game around for Team Rice Ball. (A name that Zuko still thought was ridiculous, and which had only been decided upon after much arguing between his team mates and Plum's food cravings.) In any case, the four on guard duty at Team Rice Ball's base had not made the coded noise to alert them that their flag had been stolen. All Zuko, The Duke and Plum had to do was get their hands on Team Arrows Are Cool's flag, return to base, and they would win the game.

"You're smaller than Plum and me," The Duke continued, "so you'll have a better chance of getting the flag back unnoticed."

Zuko pursed his lips. "I don't mind, but getting past those guards is going to be difficult."

Team Arrows Are Cool had taken the heavy defence approach. Zuko counted six kids guarding the perimeter of the hut. No wonder Aang had been doing most of the tagging. Still, that also meant there was only two left on offence. The Duke had already tagged one kid and one of Team Rice Ball's fallen comrades had got another. It seemed Team Arrows Are Cool had based their whole strategy around Aang being the Avatar. For some reason this annoyed Zuko.

"Don't worry about the guards," The Duke said. "You can leave them to us."

"Two against six isn't going to be easy," Zuko pointed out.

The Duke placed his hand against his chest in a solemn manner. "For the sake of Team Rice Ball, Plum and I will do whatever it takes to clear a path. You just need to focus on getting the flag back to base."

"That's right," Plum chimed in. "Even if we fall in battle, victory shall be ours!" She flashed a grin. "Besides, you're talkin' to the masters of tricks and evasion. Don'cha worry, Lee. We've got'cha covered."

Zuko frowned at his two team mates. He'd grumbled his way through every game they had played so far, but Team Rice Ball's dedication to beating the Avatar had moved him a little. At least enough to make him put more effort in this time. He wanted to wipe the stupid grin of Aang's face as well.

"Alright," he said with a nod. "Let's do this."

They huddled closer together and worked out a rough plan. Once all three were happy with it, Plum and The Duke punched their fists into the air and swung down from the tree to begin the attack. Chaos erupted in seconds. The two Freedom Fighters weaved and dashed amongst the guards, tossing flash pellets—courtesy of The Duke's stash—throwing taunts, and doing their best to get inside the hut. Zuko, meanwhile, snuck through the higher branches to come down on top of the hut, where he positioned himself above the window. There were a few yelps and cackles from inside (clearly, his team mates had managed to get past the guards) and then Plum declared in a loud voice that she had the flag.

"Get her!"

The Duke jumped out the window and tossed the flag—a bundled scrap of green fabric—up to Zuko's waiting hands.

"You tree-brained dummies!" The Duke yelled. "You fell for our trick. I'm the one with the flag!"

There were more angry shouts, but Zuko didn't stick around to see what happened. He used the commotion to escape the roof and disappeared into the trees. The Duke's taunts followed him as he raced away from Team Arrows Are Cool's base. So far so good. Plum was out, but he and The Duke were still in the game.

"You dung-breathed hog-monkey!" one of their pursuers shouted at The Duke. "Don't think I won't catch you!"

Zuko almost laughed. Those idiots hadn't even realised they were chasing the wrong boy. Not that he was going to correct them. He darted from branch to branch like a monkey-cat, relying on the skills he had honed as the Blue Spirit. As a child, he'd always felt awkward in his own body. His bending had been clumsy and he'd often tripped over his own feet. Now, he had sixteen years of experience to draw upon. It told him how to avoid putting too much acceleration into his movements, which would inevitably make him lose his balance. It also helped him figure out ways to compensate for his weaker body strength. True, his movement didn't feel as fluid as when he was in his teenage form, but that was more from having to adjust to a smaller frame than anything.

A "kaww kawwww" noise echoed through the treetops. Zuko paused. He was pretty sure that was the code to say their flag had been stolen. Damn. Still, Team Rice Ball would win if he managed to get the enemy flag back to base first.

Zuko jumped onto a lower branch and made his way through the trees until he came to a zip-line. He clenched the flag between his teeth and grabbed onto the zip-line, soaring down along the wire to land on the wooden platform below. He'd barely taken a few steps when there was a rustling sound from the branches above. Aang tumbled through the cover of the leaves and landed on his butt in front of him.

"Ow," Aang groaned, rubbing his bottom. "Moving around without airbending is hard."

Zuko blinked. Aang leapt to his feet, but by then Zuko had skirted around him and was running again. His heart pounded. He could hear Aang laughing and gaining speed. Damn his little kiddie legs. It struck Zuko as ironic that he was currently sprinting for dear life to avoid being captured by the Avatar. The spirits really did have a twisted sense of humour.

Aang's footsteps got closer. Zuko tried to put on a burst of speed, even though he knew he was already at his limit.

I'm not going to make it, he thought in dismay.

His chest heaved and his muscles protested with every step. Even if he was small and quick, his smaller leg stride still made him slower than Aang. It was like having his favourite treat snatched from him right before he could take a bite. The base was right there—literally a few metres in front of him—but any moment now the Avatar would tag him and he'd be out. It sucked. It sucked so much.

"For Team Rice Ball!"

The shout came from above. The Duke dropped down from the branches and would have landed on Aang's shoulders had Aang not managed to evade the attack.

"Go, Lee!"

It was the cry of one who had chosen to sacrifice himself for victory. Zuko gritted his teeth and kept running. Finally, he made it inside the storage hut and slapped the bit of green fabric on the floor. The referee assigned to watch their base hit the gong to signal the end of the game. Zuko had never felt more relieved to hear that clanging sound.

"Take that, Avatar," he muttered, collapsing onto his back and trying to catch his breath.

"Lee!"

The Duke rushed in and tackle-hugged him, chanting, "We did it, we did it!" over and over. By the time Zuko managed to extract himself, more of his team mates had converged on them. He got back-slapped, had his hair ruffled, and somehow ended up crushed in one giant group hug. Zuko found his face squashed next to The Duke and Plum, both of whom were grinning so widely it was like their heads might split. Zuko was surprised to feel his lips quirk up in response. Maybe it was the satisfaction of knowing he'd actually beaten the Avatar at something. Maybe he was just caught up in the other kids' excitement. Either way, in that moment Zuko was kind of proud that he had been part of Team Rice Ball. Maybe just a little.

Aang and the rest of Team Arrows Are Cool made their way over to congratulate them for their win. Not that the kids seemed very happy to have been defeated. Most stood with slumped shoulders or demanded a rematch.

"Nu-uh," Plum retorted. "You guys lost fair and square."

"Yeah," The Duke said, "and you know what that means? You'll be on cleaning duty for the rest of the week!"

A chorus of groans greeted his words. Plum and The Duke grinned and bumped fists. Zuko blinked when he found the two holding their fists expectantly at him. There was an awkward pause.

"C'mon, Lee," Plum encouraged. "You can't leave a chum hangin'."

His brow furrowed. "Chum?"

"She means friend," The Duke explained.

Zuko's eyes widened a fraction. Did they think he was their friend? The thought seemed ridiculous. All they'd done was play a few games together. It wasn't like they knew each other. Heck, he was actually the Fire Nation prince. The problem was that the two were still staring at him and it was obvious they weren't going to leave him alone. He sighed and bumped his fist against each of theirs. Plum and The Duke grinned even wider. Zuko was less enthused. He felt like a big imposter—more so than usual—and that wasn't a nice feeling. In fact, it made him kind of irritable.

He slipped away from the group while they weren't paying attention and collected his uncle from Katara. She was a bit smug at first, claiming that she had known he would end up having fun if he gave the games a chance.

"It looks like you even made some friends," she said with a smile.

Zuko scowled at the reminder. That was the last thing he wanted to hear.

The smug look vanished from her face. "Lee, what's wrong?"

There were many things Zuko wanted to say: how he thought she and the others were stupid and mucked around too much; how he wished they'd just listened to him yesterday when he'd said they should leave and not get further involved with the Freedom Fighters. But he bit back the words. No matter how frustrated Zuko was with those around him, he knew that he was mostly annoyed at himself. After all, he was the one who had got distracted. No one had forced him to get caught up in the brats' silly game of Capture the Flag or to smile with self-proclaimed firebender haters, even dare earn the title of "chum". Zuko only had himself to blame for those things. Well, himself and Sokka. He still hadn't forgiven that idiot for breaking their deal.

"Just forget it," Zuko muttered.

She opened her mouth to respond, but then her gaze fixed on something behind him. "Oh, Sokka is back."

Sokka was indeed making his way along the wooden platforms. Speak of a bad spirit and he appears, though Jet and the others were nowhere to be seen.

"Something is wrong," Zuko observed.

Sokka seemed oddly subdued. At least, that was the impression his posture gave off, all slumped shoulders and bowed head. Not that Zuko was going to let that stop him. He marched ahead to meet Sokka.

"You," he growled, planting himself in the other's path.

Sokka blinked. "Oh," he said in a distracted tone. "Hey, Lee."

Zuko promptly kicked him in the leg. Sokka yelped and rubbed the spot where he had been kicked.

"What the heck?" Sokka exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"You know exactly what that was for."

Sokka had the grace to look a bit sheepish. "Oh. The deal."

"Yes, our deal. The one you broke."

"Sorry. Jet kept talking up the mission so much that I got a bit curious."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I figured as much."

There was an awkward pause. Zuko sighed and relaxed his posture. Much as he was still irritated that their deal had been broken, he actually wasn't one for holding grudges. It helped that Sokka had been quick to accept his mistake and apologise. That and Zuko felt a bit hypocritical since he'd ended up playing games and—shock, horror—almost enjoying himself with the younger kids.

"So," Zuko said. "What happened? You look like someone stole the last seal jerky from you."

Sokka's expression turned grim. Katara caught up to them and demanded to know what was going on. She seemed to think the two had been arguing, which was true, but Sokka was quick to dismiss their tiff as nothing. Instead, he said they should find Aang and Momo so they could all leave.

"Why?" she asked, furrowing her brow. "What happened? And where is everyone else? I thought Jet was with you."

"He was. That's why we're leaving. That guy and his so-called Freedom Fighters are just a bunch of thugs."

Katara seemed surprised at this assessment. She confessed that Jet had made her a bit uncomfortable last night, but calling him and the Freedom Fighters thugs was going too far. It wasn't like they were bad people. Before either of the boys could respond, Aang jumped down from the zipline with Momo.

"Hey, guys!" Aang greeted with a wide grin. "Look what The Duke gave me."

He opened the satchel slung over his shoulder and removed what Zuko recognised as a flash pellet. Sokka, however, made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

"Never mind that now, Aang," Sokka interrupted. "We need to leave."

"Huh? Why the rush?"

So Sokka explained that, while out on his "mission" with the Freedom Fighters, he had witnessed Jet beat and rob a harmless old man. The whole thing was messed up and he didn't want them to get involved any further. Zuko resisted the urge to say "I told you so". After all, he'd warned them right from the beginning that Jet couldn't be trusted.

"But we had so much fun today," Aang said in a small voice. "We played games and everything."

Sokka placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sorry, Aang. Maybe the other kids aren't so bad, but Jet … he's not a good guy."

Aang lowered his head. Even Katara looked a bit torn, though she didn't protest. She only murmured that she didn't think Jet would be like that. Maybe a little too forward, but not bad. Zuko felt uncomfortable watching the two of them. It made him dwell on his own experiences with the Freedom Fighters: Pipsqueak who had made The Duke apologise to him for being rude, The Duke who had insisted they play games together, Plum with her odd way of speaking and how she'd called him a friend. It was a shame that he had been proven right. Just a little.

"Ahh, let's just go," Zuko muttered, striding ahead. "We're not going to achieve anything by sticking around here."

No one could argue with this, so they all headed back to their hut to pack up their belongings. Someone must have tipped Jet off about their departure because he turned up just as they were preparing to leave. No one was in the mood to see him—not even Katara. In fact, she was the one who brought up the fact that he had beaten and robbed an old man.

Jet blinked innocently. "Sokka didn't tell you the guy was Fire Nation?"

Zuko tensed. "What does that have to do with anything? An old guy like that was probably just a civilian!"

"He was," Sokka confirmed.

Jet shook his head. "He was an assassin, Sokka."

Jet proceeded to show them a knife that had a compartment for poison. He said that the old man had been sent to eliminate him and that Sokka had saved his life. Sokka, for his part, was not impressed. He claimed he hadn't seen a knife like that and that it didn't matter anyway because they didn't plan to stick around.

"Tell me you guys aren't leaving," Jet said, glancing at Aang and Katara. "I really need your help."

Aang was soft-hearted enough to ask why. Jet was quick to pounce on the opening and told them that the Fire Nation was planning to burn down the forest.

"If you both use waterbending to fill the reservoir," he explained, "we could fight the fires. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley."

Katara glanced at her brother with an imploring expression. "Sokka, we can't leave if the Fire Nation is going to burn down the forest. Think of all those kids who'll lose their home."

Sokka sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, Katara, but I really don't think we can trust this guy."

Zuko had to agree. His instincts whispered that something wasn't right about the situation. Still, to claim the forest would be burnt down was a bold move—at least if Jet was lying. If the Freedom Fighter was telling the truth, however, even Zuko could admit that would not be a good thing.

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?" Zuko asked. "This is a pretty big deal, yet you only decide to bring it up now just as we're leaving. Seems kind of weird."

Sokka nodded. "My point exactly."

Jet spread his hands in an appeasing gesture. "I needed to confirm some things first. Besides, I knew the burning wasn't going to happen today."

"Oh, so you have proof?" Zuko's eyes gleamed. "You do have proof, right? I mean, messing around with a reservoir isn't a thing you should do on a whim."

"I don't have written proof, if that's what you're hoping for." Jet turned to Katara and Aang. "Look, I wouldn't lie about something like this. You know that, right?"

Katara and Aang exchanged a torn glance. Zuko wasn't surprised when they agreed to help. Both were too soft-hearted to refuse such a request, not on the off-chance that Jet was actually telling the truth. As such, Zuko didn't bother to argue against the decision. Neither did Sokka. Instead, the two boys shared a glance of their own, one that agreed they would have to team up once more to put a stop to whatever scheme Jet was planning.

It was time do a bit of investigating.

Chapter 6: In Which There Are Confrontations

Chapter Text

Zuko woke to the sound of low voices and footsteps. He sat up swiftly. Sokka stood at the door to the hut and held the flap open just enough to peer outside. Katara and Aang were still fast asleep in their beds with Momo curled up between them. Quietly, Zuko got to his feet and came to stand behind Sokka. He stared through the gap and saw Jet and some of the others descending the rope lines.

"Looks like they're making their move," Zuko whispered.

Sokka nodded. "I'm going to follow."

Sokka slipped out of the hut and made his way stealthily after them. Zuko glanced back at Katara and Aang. Momo had stirred and blinked at him through big, round eyes.

"Don't you dare try to do anything to my uncle," Zuko warned the lemur.

Momo tilted his head to the side and chirruped. Zuko didn't linger and followed Sokka down the ropes. It did not take him long to catch up. The two kept to the shadows as they pursued Jet and the others. The Freedom Fighters were pushing a loaded wagon of what looked like barrels of blasting jelly. Zuko and Sokka shared a worried glance but didn't speak to each other. Nothing could be done until they knew for certain what the Freedom Fighters were planning.

Jet eventually led them out of the forest to stop above the man-made dam that blocked the reservoir. Water gurgled from behind the wall.

"Now listen," Jet said, turning to face the group. "You are not to blow the dam until I give the signal. If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation troops could survive."

Zuko tensed.

The Duke jumped off the wagon. "But what about the people in the town? Won't they get wiped out too?"

Jet placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, Duke, that's the price of ridding this area of the Fire Nation." He turned to Longshot. "Now don't blow the dam until I give the signal. Got it?"

Zuko gritted his teeth. It was as if his blood was burning through his veins, unable to contain the rage and disgust that flooded his emotions. To think that this was Jet's plan. Next to him, Sokka looked wide-eyed and a little slack jawed. It was obvious he had also been stunned by the true nature of Jet's intentions. Perhaps that was why Sokka and Zuko didn't notice that two of the Freedom Fighters were missing. There was a rustling of leaves behind them and then a meaty hand clamped onto the scruff of Zuko's tunic, lifting him right off the ground. Sokka let a yelp. Pipsqueak had managed to snag him by his hair.

"Let go!" Zuko growled.

He twisted and sent a flurry of flames at Pipsqueak's hands. Pipsqueak cried out and released the two boys. Zuko dropped to the ground, stumbling a little as he tried to regain his balance. Before either of them could escape, Smellerbee appeared in front of them with a knife.

"Where do you think you're going, firebender!" she hissed.

Zuko swallowed and summoned more fire to his hands. "Run, Sokka. I'll hold them off. You have to let Katara and Aang know what's going on."

"I can't let you do that."

The two boys flinched at the new and very unwelcome voice. Jet and the others had joined them in the bushes, no doubt alerted by the sound of fighting. Sokka got his club ready, but he hesitated when he noticed Longshot nocking an arrow at him. Attacking would not be a good idea. Zuko risked a glance behind to see if they could escape that way, but Pipsqueak—albeit, sucking his burnt fingers—barred the path. Smellerbee was not far from him, still clutching her knife.

"Give it up," Jet said coolly. "Neither of you will be leaving here." His gaze flickered to Zuko, focussing on the flames surrounding his hands. "Especially not this one."

Zuko glared. "You can't destroy the town! There are innocent people living there!"

"Innocent?" Jet's eyes gleamed with a splintered sort of hate. "Those people support the Fire Nation soldiers. They claimed our homes and our land without a second thought! You think they deserve to be spared? Their happiness was built on the blood of Earth Kingdom people!"

Sokka shook his head. "Jet, are you even listening to yourself? The people living in that town are just normal citizens—mothers, fathers and children. They've done nothing wrong!"

"Maybe so, but we can't win without making some sacrifices."

Zuko snarled and lunged at Jet with flames streaming from his hands. He stopped short when The Duke blocked his path. The boy was holding a dagger and looked pale under his helmet.

"Don't," The Duke said in a low voice. "Just don't, Lee."

Something twisted in Zuko's stomach. "Get out of my way, The Duke."

"No."

"Move!" Zuko ordered. "I don't want to hurt you."

The Duke made a frustrated sound. "You're one of them! You lied to us!"

"I never lied to any of you!" Zuko glanced at the rest of the Freedom Fighters. "And so what if I am a firebender? You're the ones trying to flood the valley!" He locked gazes with The Duke. "I'm Fire Nation just like those people in that town. Are you going to kill me too?"

The Duke flinched and glanced back at Jet.

"Don't be swayed by him, Duke," Jet said grimly. "Of course someone from the Fire Nation wouldn't understand."

"But we do understand," Sokka cut in. "We understand that there's nothing you won't do to get what you want."

Jet shook his head in disappointment. "I was hoping you at least would have an open mind, Sokka, but it seems you've made your choice."

Smellerbee and Pipsqueak closed in on Sokka. Zuko created a shield of flames around him to ward them off.

"Run!" Zuko urged, even as he ducked the arrow Longshot fired at him. "Just run!"

"But you—"

"Idiot, someone needs to protect the town!"

Sokka muttered something about how he'd come back for him and then sprinted into the trees. Smellerbee and Pipsqueak followed hot in pursuit. Zuko couldn't do anything about that. He had his own hands full with Longshot and Sneers. Longshot was trying to pin him down with arrows while Sneers attempted to corner him with his axes. Meanwhile, The Duke stood slumped-shouldered off to the side, just watching as Zuko weaved flames around him and shot off small blasts in an attempt to ward the two non-benders off. Damn this tiny body. This would be so much easier if he was at his full size.

"Not bad," Jet observed, unsheathing his hooked blades and swinging one casually in his hand. "You're pretty good for a kid. It's a shame you ended up being one of them. You've got good fighting instincts. We could have used someone like you."

Zuko backed up, sweat beading his forehead. "It doesn't have to be this way. Just stop this! Even you must see that what you're doing is completely inhumane!"

"What I'm doing is ridding this valley of the Fire Nation." Jet readied his swords and his eyes narrowed. "Guess I'll start with you."

Jet lunged and lashed out with his blades. The front of Zuko's tunic ripped apart in a perfect cross, though he managed to step back in time to avoid actually being cut. His heart thudded against his ribs. He hastily threw up a fire shield and retreated to a safer position. Or at least tried. Jet slid under the flames and snagged Zuko's ankle with the hook of his blade, tugging him off balance. Zuko slammed his hand against the ground before he could get pinned and twisted back to his feet, spinning his legs as he did to create an arc of flames that pushed outwards. Jet was knocked back and lost his grip on one of his swords.

"Jet!" Sneers yelled, taking a half-step forward.

"Stay out of this!" Jet growled, picking up his sword and getting to his feet. His lip curled as he fixed his gaze on Zuko. "I can handle one little brat on my own, even if he does have a few tricks up his sleeve."

Zuko's blood pounded in his ears. He had to escape. So far he'd managed to hold his own by evasive tactics and sticking to long-range fighting, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed. His child's body was too weak. Even his bending was pathetic in this form. That move he'd just performed should have knocked Jet back a lot farther.

"No! Power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles."

Zuko's mouth twisted. His uncle was always blabbering on about how size and physical strength didn't mean anything for firebending. The problem was that Zuko had never quite mastered the correct technique. He was as good as a sitting turtle-duck.

Jet advanced with his hooked blades. "No more playing," he said grimly. "I'll fight you seriously now."

Zuko swallowed and turned to run. There wasn't anything else he could do at this point. An arrow lodged itself in the ground mere inches from his boot. He skidded to a halt and swung around to see Longshot nock another arrow.

"You're not going anywhere," Jet said with a vicious smile. "I don't care if you are just a kid. You've been getting in my way far too much. I won't let you interfere again!"

Zuko narrowed his eyes. Fine, if that was how it was going to be. He created fire daggers in his hand and charged, throwing all caution to the wind. Better to try than to be taken down like a coward. Not that he managed to do much damage. Jet still ended the fight with embarrassing swiftness. All Zuko remembered was a blur of metal and then a jarring pain in the back of his head. His fire stuttered out and he wobbled on his feet. The Duke's downcast face flickered before his star-blotched vision, but by that point Zuko was already falling.

"Tie him up," Jet said from somewhere above him. "We'll take him with us to the dam."

"What are you going to do with him?" The Duke asked.

"He's a firebender, Duke. We have to do what's necessary."

The voices faded in and out. Zuko knew that he desperately needed to stay conscious—to escape—but it was so hard to focus. Jet had hit him too hard. His little body simply could not withstand such a blow. Before he could try to defend against the hands that reached for him, the world had gone black and taken his sense of reality with it. Zuko had lost.

oOo

It was the sound of flowing water that stirred Zuko into waking. Pain lanced through his head in awful throbs, reminding him of the blow he had been dealt. It didn't help that the sun was a shining glare on his face. He winced and tried to move. And couldn't. A spike of panic flared in his chest. He glanced around at his surroundings and realised he was stuck in front of the dam. Worse, a length of rope had been wrapped around his body several times, pinning his arms against his sides, and tying him to what he could only assume was a barrel of blasting jelly. There were more barrels of the stuff near him. A gag had also been tied around his mouth.

Zuko's breathing sharpened. Okay, this was really not good. The rope was something he could easily burn through, but he knew how volatile the jelly could be. One stray spark and he'd blow himself up along with the dam. Better to not risk it.

"Hurry it up with those barrels! The reservoir will be full soon."

Zuko twitched at the voice. That sounded like Sneers. He craned his neck as far as it would go, but he still couldn't get a good look at what was happening. The angle was all wrong. He could only assume that some of the Freedom Fighters were helping Sneers to arrange the barrels of blasting jelly in preparation to blow the dam. It seemed that Jet's plan was still in motion.

What the hell are you doing, Sokka?

Sokka should have got to Aang and Katara by now. Zuko didn't understand why the reservoir was still being filled just as Jet had desired. Had Sokka been captured? Had Zuko been wrong to trust in him?

Damn it! There isn't time for this!

Zuko tried to loosen the ropes by wriggling and shoving at his bonds as much as he could, but he had might as well have saved his energy for all the difference he made. He grunted in frustration and tried to see if he could stand. Maybe he could just carry the barrel on his back. Unfortunately, that plan also ended in failure. He barely budged the barrel.

His heart fluttered with increasing anxiety. Damn, damn, damn. This was not good. This was really, really not good. At this rate, he was going to go up in flames and the town along with all of its inhabitants would be destroyed with him. His only hope was that Sokka and the others would somehow manage to stop Jet from igniting the blasting jelly. The thought didn't comfort him. Zuko knew from experience that the worst tended to happen to him. He could almost believe that he was going to die in this place, cursed in this tiny form and all, even if every bone in his body still resisted the thought of giving up.

Come on! he thought in frantic desperation. There has to be something I can do!

Zuko tried to work the gag off from around his mouth. Maybe he could call for help. Anything was better than waiting to die.

"Duke, what are you doing?"

Zuko paused. That was Sneers again.

"Why did you bring Plum here?" Sneers continued. "You know no one else was supposed to know about this mission."

"It's The Duke. And it's not just Plum."

Zuko wasn't sure what happened next, but judging from the yelps, curses, and clash of wood and metal, it sounded like some kind of fight had broken out. Soon, The Duke and Plum came running into his line of sight. His eyes widened as Plum bent to untie his gag while The Duke used a dagger to slice through the rope tying him to the barrel.

"Wha—why?" Zuko stammered, even as the two hauled him to his feet by his arms. "Why are you helping me?"

"No time for chit chat," Plum muttered. "We gotta get outta here."

She tugged on his arm. Zuko stumbled but soon fell into step with her and The Duke. He saw what had caused the commotion: all of the members of Team Rice Ball had gathered and were even now fighting against Sneers and two older Freedom Fighters. One of the boys spotted him and gave a toothy grin before he had to duck to avoid getting hit by a spear. Zuko felt a lump form in his throat. These kids, all of them had viewed the Fire Nation as their enemy, yet they now fought against their own for him.

"Why?" he found himself asking again.

"C'mon!" The Duke urged. "We don't have much time before—"

Jet dropped down from the cliff face, hook swords already in hand. "You'd betray us for this firebender, Duke?" He shook his head. "I'm disappointed."

Everyone froze at the sight of their leader. Zuko noted that The Duke didn't correct the older boy about getting his name wrong. The Duke had never corrected Jet.

"Stop this!" Zuko said, stepping forward so that he was shielding The Duke and Plum. "Can't you see that they don't like your plan?" He clenched his hands into fists. "Do you really want to make all these kids murderers?"

Jet's expression hardened. "The only murderers here are the Fire Nation. They killed our parents, stole our homes. We can't let them hurt anyone else! That's why we need to do whatever it takes to protect this valley! We need to get rid of them once and for all!"

"No."

Jet blinked and glanced down at The Duke. "What?"

The Duke stepped forward to stand beside Zuko, though he kept his head bowed. "I … I don't want to hurt the townspeople. You told us that the Fire Nation is evil and needs to be stopped, but"—he sucked in a breath and raised his head—"but Lee is Fire Nation too, you know?"

"Duke," Jet began in a softer tone. "I know you—"

"He's been with us all this time," The Duke continued, even as his voice wobbled and got hoarser. "He never tried to hurt us! He even played games with us! So why …" Something wet spilled down The Duke's cheeks. "Why do you want to kill him? Why does it have to be like this, Jet?"

Jet shook his head. "This is the cost of war. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater victory."

"Bullcrappies," Plum said bluntly. "There ain't nuthin' wrong with Lee. He's our chum."

"Yeah!" some of the other kids chimed in.

"He helped us win Capture the Flag!"

"He's part of Team Rice Ball! We can't hurt him even if he is a firebender!"

The lump in Zuko's throat got thicker. He'd never expected to have these silly kids stand up for him.

"You see, Jet," The Duke said. "We don't want to do 'whatever it takes' to free this valley of Fire Nation troops, not if it means hurting people like Lee who don't deserve it."

Jet tried to put on his persuasive voice. "Look, Duke, you're just—"

"It's The Duke." He clenched his hands into fists, his cheeks glistening with fresh tears. "I looked up to you, Jet. We all looked up to you. You took us in and gave us a home. You trained us and taught us how to be strong. But, still, why can't you just listen to us for once? This isn't the freedom we want!"

Plum moved forward and placed her arm protectively in front of Zuko. "The Duke's right. You might be our leader, but we won't let'cha hurt our friend."

Zuko blinked as more of Team Rice Ball swarmed on him, creating a barrier around him so that Sneers, the two other Freedom Fighters and Jet could not get close. Not without fighting all of them anyway. Zuko's chest filled with warmth at the sight, a subtle feeling that enveloped his heart. Jet, however, was not moved. His mouth twisted and his eyes hardened with resolve. It was obvious he had not anticipated having to deal with a rebellion from his youngest Freedom Fighters, but he wasn't going to let it stop him either.

"I'm sorry," Jet said, shaking his head. "We've come too far to back down now."

The Duke's eyes widened. "But—"

Jet turned to the three older Freedom Fighters. "Forget the rest of the barrels. This should be enough. Just get moving to the safe point, and take these kids with you. I'll give Longshot the signal."

Zuko pushed his way to the front. "You can't do this, Jet!"

Jet paused. "Right, before I forget."

He linked his swords and lashed out before anyone could react. Zuko let out a startled yelp as the upper hook latched onto his tunic, tugging him off his feet and straight towards Jet. Fire flickered around Zuko's hands as he got ready to attack. He let the flames vanish a heartbeat later. The wagon was right behind Jet.

"Smart boy," Jet praised in a mocking tone.

Zuko swore as he found himself pinned against Jet. Team Rice Ball demanded for his release. Plum even got her slingshot out and aimed at Jet, but she was knocked aside by one of the older boys who had been helping to move the barrels. The problem was that the impact made the pouch dangling from her hip come loose. Zuko watched as if in slow motion as a few pellets slipped free and started descending for the ground—right near one of the barrels.

"No!" he cried.

All of the kids were too close. Zuko didn't think; he just projected fire all over his body, forcing Jet to release him, and then jumped to the ground just as the flash pellets struck. There was a series of cracks and a flare of white light. A split-second later Zuko felt the hot pressure building in the barrel. The wood exploded apart. He sucked in a breath and seized hold of the heat that tried to spew forth—of every trace of his element that he could sense—and he screamed as he tried to bend it up and away from the children and the other barrels. The force of the blast threw him backwards. Zuko's ears were ringing. His vision blurred, and his body felt raw and like he'd been standing too close to a fire, but the fact he was breathing and in one piece made an exhausted smile curve his lips.

"Thanks, Uncle," he muttered.

It seemed that power in firebending really did come from the breath.

Suddenly, he was dog-piled by a swarm of crying and laughing children. Their voices jumped all over the top of the other: some telling him he was amazing, some saying he was crazy, some shouting things like "Team Rice Ball forever!" and some just thanked him over and over.

"Can't breathe!" Zuko gasped out.

Slowly, the kids scrambled off him. Zuko managed to sit up enough to see Jet standing off to the side. Jet looked a bit pale and stiff. Perhaps he was shocked by how close they had all come to death. Perhaps he just couldn't comprehend that it was a firebender who had saved them.

"Jet," Sneers began in a hesitant voice. "Maybe we should—"

Jet pulled himself together. "Get the kids out of the valley."

Zuko wanted to protest, to force the idiot to stop his crazy plan once and for all, but his head was spinning and he just felt so drained. There was no way he would last for round two. Something orange and blue swooped down from the sky. Zuko blinked through his wooziness and realised it was Aang and Katara on the glider. Katara wasted no time in freezing Jet to a tree, while Aang dealt with the other three Freedom Fighters. Zuko let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness those two had turned up. He wasn't sure how long he could stay conscious at this rate. Taking on that explosion had sucked all the energy out of him.

Zuko closed his eyes and let the fatigue claim him. When he next woke up, he found that he was flying on Appa's saddle and his head was resting on Katara's lap. He sat up with a lurch and gripped the side of the saddle.

"Wha—" He stared up at her. "What happened? Was the town saved?" He glanced around in panic. "Where's Uncle?"

Katara smiled. "Relax. Your uncle is right here." She gestured at the teapot tucked next to her. "And you don't need to worry about the town either. We managed to stop Jet before he could blow the dam."

Zuko let out a breath. He noticed that Sokka was sitting opposite him and grinning.

"Nice to see you've joined us back in the world of the living," Sokka teased. "Your fan club left you this, by the way." He held out a piece of folded parchment.

"Fan club?" Zuko frowned and took the parchment.

"Team Rice Omelette or whatever they're called. The kids were all over you. Sounds like they wanted to adopt you as their honorary firebender."

"It's Team Rice Ball," Zuko said absently.

"Whatever. Point is it was a mission to get you away from them."

Katara's smile widened. "It's true. Most of them were crying when we said we had to leave. They really didn't want you to go."

Zuko's cheeks warmed. "Those idiots."

He unfolded the parchment and read the (very badly written) letter that had been addressed to him. He had to squint to try make out the characters, but he got the gist of it. Team Rice Ball wanted him to know that he would always be their friend and that they would never forget the time they'd spent together. Near the bottom, there was a postscript from The Duke stating that they would definitely meet again. A lump formed in Zuko's throat.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" he asked, gesturing at the letter. "They betrayed Jet. I can't imagine he'll be happy about that."

"I don't think you have to worry," Aang said from his perch at the reins. "Sounds like those kids weren't the only ones who questioned Jet's plan in the end. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Right," Katara said. "You should just be concerned about yourself right now. We heard all about your antics at the dam. You're lucky you only came away with a few scrapes."

Zuko directed a pointed scowl at Sokka. "I wouldn't have had to take such drastic measures if you had not taken your time letting Aang and Katara know what was going on."

Sokka held his hands up in appeasing gesture. "Hey, I tried to get back to them sooner, but Lackey One and Two wanted to chase me all through the forest. Plus, I decided to go to the town and get the people to evacuate just in case."

Zuko couldn't argue with that. Getting the townspeople to evacuate had been a good idea. So he let the matter drop and settled into a more comfortable position. It had been a stressful day and he was still exhausted. If his uncle wasn't a teapot, Iroh would have surely told him some annoying proverb or just fallen back onto his favourite, "A man needs his rest". The thought almost brought a smile to Zuko's lips. It seemed he would never escape those sayings, even when he couldn't hear his uncle's voice. Still, he decided that, for once, he wasn't going to fight the advice. Getting some rest sounded pretty damn good right then.

Chapter 7: In Which Katara is (Not) Always Right

Chapter Text

Flying wasn't a bad method of travel. Zuko had never been scared of heights and he appreciated the convenience of being able to fly over mountain ranges and plains. No wonder the Avatar was always one step ahead of him when he had been chasing them. In truth, Zuko could admit that the only reason he had ever caught up with the trio was because they insisted on getting tangled up in other people's problems or, as Aang and Katara were trying to do now, stopping for random sightseeing.

"But it's the largest canyon in the world," Katara said. "Aren't you even a little bit interested?"

"No," Sokka said bluntly.

Zuko didn't bother to respond. His flat expression said it all.

Katara got that pouty yet somehow holier-than-thou look that suggested she was about to go all Bossy Boots Boss on them. Which she did. As usual, she could never let anything go. Instead, she tried to cajole (translation: irritate) them into surrendering to her need to see a large expanse of rocks. Sokka was not impressed. Zuko was even less impressed. Aang was the only one who jumped aboard the sightseeing train and suggested they could stop at the Great Divide for a little while. Just to have a look.

"That can't hurt, right?" he asked the boys in a hopeful voice.

Zuko and Sokka gave him disapproving looks for betraying the unspoken man code. They knew Aang was only siding with Katara because he had a crush on her. Even Zuko had picked up on the blushes and ever-ready desire to please.

"See," Katara said smugly. "Aang agrees with me and he's the Avatar."

"Aang would also happily ride elephant-koi fish all day," Zuko pointed out.

"Thank you!" Sokka said in the voice of one who has found a kindred spirit of logic. "Finally someone else understands what I've been saying this whole time!"

Aang gave a sheepish grin and scratched his cheek. Even he couldn't deny the truth of their claim.

Katara folded her arms across her chest. "We're not trying to ride elephant-koi fish. We just want to visit a world famous attraction. I don't think that's such a bad thing."

"You didn't even know about it until Aang told you," Sokka said, rolling his eyes. "It's not like your life's ambition will be blighted if we don't."

"That's not the point!"

Zuko settled against the saddle and folded his arms behind his head. "Look, I've been there before and you're not missing much. We can see it just as easily if we fly over it. We don't need to stop."

Sokka looked like he wanted to give Zuko a hug. He even held out his arms. "Lee, where have you been all my life?"

"Uh." Zuko got a startled look in his eyes and backed up a bit. "You're kind of creeping me out."

Sokka lowered his arms. Thank the spirits. Still, he seemed pretty happy to find that another person in the saddle understood that mucking around with rocks and canyons was just, well, mucking around. Katara frowned at them, but it was Aang who spoke.

"You've been before?" Aang asked, tilting his head.

Zuko nodded. "Last year. It's a pretty big place. Seemed like it was worth checking out in case …"

He went quiet. He had almost said that he had checked it out in case the Avatar had been hiding there.

"In case?" Aang prompted.

"Nothing. Just thought I'd check it out, that's all."

Zuko averted his face so they didn't see his wince. Lying was not his forte. Still, that had been close. He was getting too relaxed around them. He wasn't sure he liked that.

"You seem to have travelled a lot," Katara observed. "You even found my necklace."

Zuko shrugged. "There isn't much else I can do given my current situation." His voice got a bit wistful. "But I'll return home someday."

He regretted his honesty as soon as he had said the words. Everyone was curious to know more. Even Katara forgot about her desire to see the Great Divide in favour of learning more about him. Zuko didn't understand why they found his life so interesting, nor did he have any desire to share. Still, it was hard to fend off their questions. They were a persistent lot. With no escape from the saddle, all he could do was sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose.

"You already know I'm Fire Nation," he said tiredly. "I was born there, my home and family are there, but I'm stuck here. That's it."

Sokka scrunched his nose. "Wait, so are you like a soldier or something? You can't go home because then you'd be a deserter?"

Katara stared at her brother as if he had grown an extra limb. "Did you hit your head? Lee can't be more than five or six years old. I know the Fire Nation is bad, but they can't be that bad to send children to fight for them."

There was a noticeable pause.

"I forgot you didn't know," Sokka muttered.

Zuko face-palmed. This was not going to end well.

"What?" Katara demanded when the two boys refused to look at her. "What don't I know?"

"Um, Katara," Sokka said in a tone that was already preparing for appeasem*nt. "Lee … he kind of isn't a kid."

She stared.

"I mean, he's older than me." Sokka glanced at him. "Right?"

Zuko nodded.

Katara blinked. Then she blinked some more. Then she laughed. "Nice try, Sokka, but it's pretty obvious Lee is a kid."

"I'm really not," Zuko said, deciding there was no point skirting around the issue anymore. "I was cursed just like my uncle, except I became this." He gestured at his tiny body.

Splotches of colour darkened her cheeks. Perhaps she was also remembering everything that had happened during their stay with the Freedom Fighters.

"But … but that's just …"

"I told you right from the beginning I'm not a child," Zuko reminded her. "You were the one who didn't listen."

Her eyes widened in horror. The truth was beginning to sink in, unwanted and humiliating as it was. Zuko's own face felt a little warm. There were things they had both seen, said, and done while she had thought him a child that he never wanted to discuss. Not ever.

"Aang?" she said, looking at the boy hopefully. Perhaps she hoped he would shout that it was all a trick.

Aang rubbed his chin. "Huh, so that's what it was."

Now it was Zuko's turn to blink. "What?"

"I thought your energy felt a bit weird," Aang explained, and then shrugged. "Guess it's because your spirit is older than you appear."

Some of the colour drained from Katara's cheeks. Her last hope had failed and that just left the awful truth. Lee, the "kid" she had called cute, had stripped naked when he'd been stubborn, had cuddled and fussed over—even got undressed in front of—had been older than her the entire time. Her blush hit back in full force and she advanced on him, her hands clenched.

"How old?" she demanded.

Zuko backed up a bit. "Uh—"

"I want to know your real age."

He averted his face and tried to act as if he wasn't intimidated by her tone. "Like Sokka said, I'm older than all of you, so—"

Katara planted her hands on either side of him, trapping him against the saddle. "How old are you, Lee?"

He swallowed. "Sixteen."

She let out a breath and stepped back from him. "Sixteen."

"Wait." Sokka turned on him. "You're sixteen? That means you're not much older than me."

Zuko gave him a blank look as if to ask what was his point.

"Just saying," Sokka said with a shrug. "You were acting all cool back at the hideout, like 'look at me I'm so much older than you and I don't have to explain myself', blah blah blah." He waved an airy hand. "Turns out you're just a teenager as well."

Zuko raised his eyebrow. He could have pointed out that he was still older, more experienced, and (if he really wanted to be petty) taller in his proper body, but he decided that his silence said enough. Meanwhile, Sokka's words had made Katara remember there was another person who deserved her ire. She whacked her brother on the arm.

"I can't believe you knew all this time and didn't tell us!" she complained, still looking very flushed.

"Hey, it's not my fault you didn't figure it out. Besides, I had other things on my mind. You know, like dealing with the crazy guy who wanted to flood a village of people." Sokka rubbed his arm. "Also, that hurt."

Katara folded her arms across her chest. "You still could have said something." Her glare shifted to Zuko. "You could have too."

"I did," he pointed out. "Multiple times."

She opened her mouth to retort, but then she paused. Her blush darkened and she simply twisted in her seat and faced the other way. He wasn't sure what had made her shut up, but he doubted he should be celebrating the reprieve. Aang and Sokka picked up from the earlier conversation and wanted to know if it was true he was a soldier.

"Wouldn't sixteen also be too young?" Sokka asked.

Zuko admitted that people in the Fire Nation didn't get recruited until they were eighteen. That, of course, opened the way for the next question: if he wasn't a soldier, why was he travelling around the Earth Kingdom if his home was in the Fire Nation?

"It sounds like you'd rather be there," Aang said.

Zuko shifted uncomfortably. That one hit a little too close to the heart. "Some stuff happened," he mumbled.

"And?" Sokka prompted.

Zuko brought his knees up to his chest. "And you should just drop it." He averted his face. "Believe it or not, I don't tend to spill my life story to people I've only been travelling with for a few days."

"Alright, alright," Sokka said, holding his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "Keep your loincloth on. Sheesh. You're so touchy."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. Sokka took the hint and let the issue drop. Needless to say, no one much cared about sightseeing after that. They flew over the Great Divide without stopping. If Katara found the giant valley interesting, she didn't say it aloud. It looked like she was still bothered by the "Lee" thing, or maybe she was just embarrassed. Zuko didn't know or care. He was far too busy trying not to think about how his dream to go home seemed even more distant now. Cursed into being a child, his uncle an inanimate teapot, and all the while he was travelling with the boy who he was supposed to capture.

Could you do it? a small voice asked. Could you really capture this boy against his will when he's done nothing but try to be your friend and help you?

The answer that immediately came to mind was yes—anything to return home and restore his honour—but just the thought of following through with that resolve made his stomach twist in awful ways. Zuko buried his face against his knees. He didn't want to think about this anymore.

The sun began to set, turning the sky bright with fiery colours and burnt pinks. The group decided to set up camp for the night in a small wood clearing not far from the Great Divide. Fortunately, there were no soldiers or Freedom Fighters to disturb the peace this time. Unfortunately, that also meant no distractions to keep certain conversations from creeping up again. Zuko was not surprised when Katara snagged him by his sleeve and told him to help her collect firewood. He had known the reprieve would not last long.

With a resigned sigh, he allowed her to steer him off into the trees. It wasn't until they were well out of earshot that she rounded on him.

"Alright, I want a proper explanation," she demanded.

He folded his arms across his chest. "About what?"

"Don't play dumb. You … you could have made it clearer you're really sixteen. Then I wouldn't have … all that time I …" Her cheeks coloured and she made a frustrated sound. "You know what I mean!"

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "How was I supposed to make it clearer? I told you over and over that I'm not a child."

"Then what was with that whole 'stay with me, I don't want to be alone in this place' speech, huh?"

His face warmed and he looked the other way. "That was different."

"Oh?" She stepped closer and glared down at him. "So, what, you pull out the kid act when it suits you, is that it? Because you wanted to take advantage of me? I got undressed in front of you!"

"I told you not to! You were the one who started taking off your clothes!"

"Yeah, well …" she floundered and pointed her finger at him. "Well, you didn't leave either!"

"I couldn't!" His face felt far too hot. "Trust me, I would have left if I could, but you didn't exactly give me any warning. All I could do was face the other way unless I wanted to get an eyeful of your body."

Her eyes widened. "So you did see!"

"No, I didn't! And no thanks to you, I might add! You're lucky I'm not like Jet."

"You still could have—"

"Still could have what?" Zuko clenched his hands into fists and raised his chin. "You're the one who's been all over me! You never listened when I told you to leave me alone. You always got in my space. You even stripped me naked!"

She made spluttering noises. "I—I thought you were a kid!"

"Well, I'm not!"

They both glared at each other.

"Fine," she said, pulling herself together. Her cheeks were still flushed. "Maybe I was a little pushy. If I had known you were really sixteen, I wouldn't have done those things."

"Then maybe you should try listening instead of thinking you're always right next time! You know, because when someone says they're not a kid, they might actually mean it!"

Katara's mouth twisted. "You are so … so …" She made another frustrated sound and raised her hands to the air, unable to express how much he was irritating her.

Zuko folded his arms across his chest. "The feeling is mutual."

There was another heated pause. Katara visibly forced herself to calm.

"Alright," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I can admit we could have avoided a lot of awkward situations if I had."

"You think?"

Her lips pursed. "But," she emphasised, "you still led me on to believe you were a kid for that one night. What was the point of that if it wasn't to be close to me for some weird purpose?"

Now it was Zuko's turn to make a frustrated sound. "Are you kidding me? I was trying to stop Jet from taking advantage of you!"

"Jet?"

"Yeah, the smarmy jerk who wanted to get up your skirt. You know, the one you were making soppy eyes at the whole time?"

Her blush spread to the tips of her ears. "I was not making soppy eyes at him!"

"Oh, come off it. Your brother asked me to stick with you because he knew you wouldn't tell a kid to go away and your stupid crush was so obvious that even he was getting worried."

Katara's chest swelled. "You—"

"You're welcome," Zuko said dryly.

He turned his back on her and prepared to leave so he could collect firewood by himself.

"Hey, wait just a moment!" She grabbed him by the shoulder.

Zuko sighed. "What now?"

She glowered but then lowered her gaze. Her fingers clutched at the fabric of her tunic. "Was it … was it really all just to keep Jet away?"

"Isn't that what I just said?" He flushed and averted his face. "Do you honestly think I'd say that stuff otherwise?"

That had been embarrassing. He wished he could blot the memory of asking her to stay with him from his mind forever.

Katara chewed on her lip. She seemed torn between wanting to rant at him some more for scheming with Sokka against her or, if those fidgeting hands of hers were anything to go by, humbling herself enough to admit that maybe he had helped her to see the truth about Jet. Granted, she had already acknowledged as much on the night in question, but that was before she had known "Lee" was sixteen, had been asked by Sokka to guard her, and had put on a child's act so he could keep Jet away from her.

"You … you weren't jealous, were you?"

Zuko blinked. Or his interpretation could have been completely wrong.

"Jealous," he repeated flatly.

She met his gaze. "It just seems weird you'd go through all that effort just because Sokka asked you to."

Zuko pressed his palm to his forehead. "Katara, I think you are a nice girl." At least when she wasn't behaving like a bossy, sexually harassing demon. "But, no, I was not jealous of Jet. I did what I did because Sokka and I had a deal: he was to make sure we left early the next morning, and I was to make sure Jet didn't try anything with you."

Her cheeks flooded with colour. "Look, no matter what you or my brother think, I did not need your help with Jet!"

His scepticism must have showed, because she felt the need to insist again that she wouldn't have let Jet come near her. She had been charmed by the Freedom Fighter, she could even admit that she had found him attractive, but she still had her standards.

"So you two can both shut it and stop acting like you're oh so wise and experienced!" she snapped. "I'm not an idiot and I'm not easy, so—so there!"

Zuko watched her stomp off in the other direction. Huh, maybe his interpretation hadn't been so wrong after all. It seemed like pride had won out for her. Still, he couldn't believe she'd thought he was jealous of Jet. As if. Sure, maybe he'd thought her cute a few times, but that didn't mean anything. The girl was crazy. Heck, all girls were crazy. He was just glad she wouldn't be able to coddle him now that she finally knew his real age.

He shrugged off the matter and picked up a few promising bits of wood before returning to the camp site. Sokka had finished putting up the tent and was now sitting on the ground and unravelling a fishing line.

"Just a heads up," Zuko warned by way of greeting. "Your sister is likely to be pretty angry when she next sees you."

"What? Why?"

Zuko explained that he had been forced to reveal the truth about their deal to her in order to get her off his back. Of course, she had got all defensive and grumpy. Sokka groaned and flopped back against the ground.

"I was afraid she would find out," he muttered. Then he sighed and pushed himself into a sitting position. "Well, she's probably vented most of her anger out on you, so maybe I'll be okay."

"Oh, really?"

Sokka gulped at the sound of his sister's voice. Zuko patted the boy on the shoulder in a silent good luck and then left to find Aang. He didn't need a round three of Katara's temper. Sokka would have to face this battle alone.

Chapter 8: In Which Zuko Sucks at Lying

Chapter Text

The fishing town was just like any other Zuko had visited in the past. People chatted to one another and went about their daily lives. A group of gap-toothed kids dashed past him, all laughing and playing some game with a ball as they enjoyed the sunshine. It was the same old routine, but it was also different. Zuko was conscious of the fact that no one directed fearful or alarmed glances his way. In fact, most of the townspeople didn't pay attention to him at all. He was just another kid in their eyes. No ugly scar to draw attention, no Fire Nation armour or soldiers backing him up to make him stick out. Zuko was just Zuko—or Lee, as he had taken to calling himself since he had been de-aged.

A frown creased his brow. He took a firmer grip on his teapot uncle and followed the others as they walked through the market to restock their supplies. It had been a week since he'd started travelling with the Avatar and the Water Tribe siblings. Now that everyone knew he was sixteen, being around them was a lot more tolerable. At the very least, Katara was no longer trying to mother him. All her hugs and fussing had nearly pushed him to his limit. Still, he couldn't say that he was relaxed in their presence. Not in the way it counted. If anything, each day that passed with the trio had only left him more unsettled.

His gaze shifted to Aang, who was bouncing ahead and pointing out things to Momo. Aang had been having a lot of nightmares of late. Zuko was a light sleeper and often woke to the sound of Aang moving restlessly in his sleep or waking up with a start. Last night had been particularly bad—enough to startle Momo and stir both Sokka and Katara awake. Zuko had pretended to be asleep, as he had every other night, but Katara had reached out to Aang. She had wanted to make sure he was okay. Aang, however, had dismissed the dream as nothing, and that had been the end of that. Except Zuko knew it wasn't. Something was bothering Aang. Something big, if those dreams where any indication. What unnerved Zuko was why he cared in the first place.

He's your target, Zuko reminded himself for what felt like the hundredth time. You can't afford to be soft.

It was just difficult to cling to that mantra when he was travelling with them. Aang was such a kid. Heck, Katara and Sokka were no less persistent in trying to worm their way under his guard. Surely there was a rule somewhere that stated enemies weren't supposed to be so friendly? Not that Zuko could blame them for his dilemma. It was his fault for being weak, for actually letting himself be amused by their idiotic antics or, dare he even think it, caring about their welfare. That was why he had been trying to distance himself. It was easier that way. No matter how the trio treated "Lee", in the end they were trying to befriend a boy who didn't exist. In the end, Zuko and his uncle were going to get their real bodies back, and then the curse would be broken and destiny would demand he complete the task that had been given to him.

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

He tensed and had to resist the urge to touch his cheek where the scar should have been. No, failure was not an option. He could not, would not, disappoint his father again. Too bad the trio weren't keen on his new method of dealing with them.

"Something wrong?" Sokka asked, falling into step with him.

Zuko was startled out of his brooding. "Huh?"

"You just seem kind of quiet." The corners of Sokka's mouth drooped. "Like all the time."

"It's nothing."

"Doesn't seem like nothing. If there's something bothering you—"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I told you it's nothing. Besides, you already talk enough for the both of us. Why should I waste my breath?"

"Hey!"

Katara snorted from up ahead. "He's got you there, Sokka."

Sokka raised his chin. "I'll have you both know that what I say is very important and enlightening."

"Uh-huh," Zuko said dryly. "Like that time you thought Appa's shadow was a spirit monster and you tried to sacrifice Momo to him."

"It really did look like a monster!"

Katara and Zuko both gave him flat looks. Even Momo chittered at him while swooping around their heads, as if remembering how he had been offered up as a sacrifice. Sokka pointed out that one mistake didn't mean anything; he was still the smartest of the group. Katara countered with several other instances of his less than stellar moments, including the time he'd tried to take on the Kyoshi Warriors and been soundly trounced. Zuko almost began to feel sorry for the guy. It had to be rough when your sister was there to remind you of all your most embarrassing memories. He hated to think what Azula would have shared had she been with them.

"We're straying from the point!" Sokka said, trying to regain his dignity. "The real issue is that Lee's been acting weird. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Zuko shook his head and quickened his pace. "Shouldn't you be more worried about Aang than whether I feel like talking to you or not?"

Both siblings glanced ahead to where Aang was investigating a trinket stall. They didn't need Zuko to elaborate further. All of them were aware of Aang's nightmares and his subsequent dismissal of said dreams.

"He said he just needed rest," Katara said, though she didn't sound convinced.

Zuko gave her a pointed look and carried on walking. If he could get the focus off him, maybe Sokka would stop pestering him as well. Maybe they'd even sort out whatever was bothering Aang. Not that Zuko was worried about the little airhead. Because he wasn't. Not really. It was just, uh, it wouldn't be honourable if he caught Aang when the boy was so clearly upset about something. Yeah.

He bit back a sigh. That sounded pathetic even to him.

He stood back from the group and watched them crowd around a fruit stall to buy food. There was a small commotion up ahead on the dock. He squinted to focus beyond the brightness of the sun. It looked like two Fire Nation soldiers were interrogating the people running the market stalls.

His body tensed and he quickly turned back to the others. "We should get out of here," he urged.

Sokka blinked as he clutched a basket of fruit. "What? Why?"

Zuko pointed down the dock to where the Fire Nation soldiers were getting closer. "If they see Aang or Appa, we're going to have a problem."

Aang rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish look. "Sorry, guys."

"It's not your fault," Katara said, placing down the melon she had been checking for its ripeness. "I just remembered we're out of money anyway."

The woman behind the fruit stall let out a disgusted sound. She snatched the basket back from Sokka and kicked him for good measure. Sokka was still rubbing his leg as they hurried to Appa. Unfortunately, more Fire Nation soldiers appeared from behind the curve on their other side and caught sight of the fleeing group. One of the men let out a cry of recognition.

"The Avatar!"

Zuko froze. That had sounded like Tomoki, one of his crew.

"Where are they?" Tomoki demanded, advancing on the group with two other soldiers flanking him. Zuko recognised them as Kan and Nozomi.

"Uh, who?" Aang questioned.

Sokka pushed at Aang's back to get him on the saddle. "This isn't the time for a friendly chat, Aang. Let's go, go, go!"

"Wait!" Tomoki cried.

Everyone froze. Maybe it was because the young firebender sounded a bit desperate rather than antagonistic.

"Have you really not seen them?" Tomoki practically pleaded. "We … we thought maybe you had done something to them or—"

Katara took pity on the soldier. "Who are you talking about?"

"Prince Zuko and General Iroh. They went missing. We heard rumours that the Avatar had also been in the town at the time, so—"

"Look," Sokka cut in. "It's your prince who is always trying to catch us. We don't want anything to do with him or the general."

Tomoki's shoulders slumped. "Then you haven't seen them."

Aang shook his head. "Not since Crescent Island." He scratched his cheek. "Sorry."

Kan and Nozomi gathered around Tomoki and spoke in hushed voices. Zuko's heart pounded. He wasn't sure he liked the direction of this conversation. If he was exposed now, he and his uncle might not receive the Avatar's help to break the curse. That wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

"We should go," Zuko muttered.

Sokka nodded in agreement and pointed out that, missing royal or not, these guys seemed to be part of Prince Zuko's crew. It wouldn't be a good idea to stick around. Aang's brow creased. He stepped closer to the soldiers, completely ignoring Sokka's alarmed protests and hand waving.

"You really don't know what happened to them?" Aang asked.

Kan sounded tired when he spoke. "It's like they just vanished into a puff of smoke. We've been searching for a week, but there's been no sight or sound of them."

Nozomi made a small moan. "You don't think Cheng was right, do you? What if a spirit really did eat them?"

"Don't be stupid," Tomoki retorted. "It must have been the pirates after all. Just wait till I get my hands on those lying bastards."

"I dunno," Kan said thoughtfully. "We should have heard something about a ransom if it was the pirates. Maybe it was Commander Zhao. You know he's had it in for Prince Zuko ever since the Agni Kai. He might have …"

The three firebenders walked off, muttering amongst themselves and no longer seeming to care that the Avatar was right there. Zuko didn't know whether to be annoyed or relieved. On the one hand, his crew had just missed a perfect chance to capture the Avatar; on the other, it wasn't like Zuko would have been able to do anything even if they had managed to restrain Aang. Zuko was the one who had to capture the boy. It sucked, but that was the reality of his predicament. First, the curse had to be broken.

"That was weird," Katara remarked once they were alone again.

Aang twisted his mouth in thought. "I wonder what did happen to Zuko and the general."

"Who cares?" Sokka said, picking at his teeth. "That angry jerk was always getting in our way. I say good riddance."

Zuko's stomach twisted. He could have done without the callous reference to his disappearance. It wasn't like they knew he and his uncle were actually right there with them. Worse was that he couldn't even defend himself.

"It's a little strange, though, don't you think?" Katara mused. "Do you remember at the Fire Temple on Crescent Island? That commander guy called Zuko a traitor and tied him up with us as well. It doesn't seem like they're all on the same side."

Zuko stilled when he found all three pairs of eyes looking at him. "What?"

Sokka folded his arms across his chest. "You're Fire Nation. You must know something about this."

"It's complicated. Just forget it."

"A-ha!" Sokka pointed his finger at him in triumph. "So you do know something."

Zuko shook his head. "We don't have time for a lesson on Fire Nation politics. Just because Kan, Tomoki and Nozomi let you go doesn't mean the rest of the crew will do the same. We should get out of here before more soldiers find us."

There was an awkward silence. Zuko paused again when he realised everyone was staring at him.

"What now?" he asked.

"You know their names," Sokka said, narrowing his eyes. "Why?"

Some of the colour drained from Zuko's cheeks. Damn, he couldn't believe he'd slipped up like that. This wasn't good. He backed away from the bison, still clutching his teapot uncle to his chest.

"Lee?" Katara looked like he'd punched a polardog pup in front of her. "You … you can explain, right?"

"I …" He moistened his suddenly dry lips.

Her tone sounded uncertain, yet there was a hint of hopefulness as well, as if she wanted him to turn around and say that he'd just been kidding and had only made up the firebenders' names. As if he could do that. Zuko couldn't even think of a good lie to smooth over his slip-up. His gaze darted away from the siblings and came to rest on Aang. The boy looked thoughtful. Oddly, that was what tipped Zuko over the edge.

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" he snapped.

Then he ran. He ran like a coward—angry, frustrated. All that effort gone down the drain because of his big mouth. Zuko kept running until his sides ached and he was heading into the outskirts of town. He was startled when a weight landed on his shoulder and he heard a familiar chittering.

"Go away, Momo," he said, trying to flick the lemur off with his free hand. "I can't travel with you guys anymore."

They had to have realised the truth about him by now. No way would they want him around. Plus, Zuko had to admit that he didn't want to see their reactions. He was well aware of how people felt about him. That was why he'd found his crews' behaviour confusing. They'd always talked behind his back and complained about his orders. It was strange to see them so worried for him now, even to the point of overlooking the Avatar's presence.

Don't kid yourself, an unpleasant voice that sounded far too much like Azula said in his mind. They're probably just worried about Uncle. You're only the extra baggage.

Zuko gritted his teeth and rounded a corner. He bumped into something solid. Momo let out an alarmed chitter as gravity kicked in. A big hand gripped Zuko's other shoulder and steadied his balance.

"Easy there, kid," a familiar voice said.

Zuko raised his gaze and was greeted by Lieutenant Jee's grizzled face. For a moment the two stared at each other. Something that might have been recognition dawned in the older man's eyes.

"Wait a minute," Jee said. "That creature is the Avatar's pet." His grip tightened painfully. "Where is he? Tell me!"

Zuko wasn't sure why he felt disappointed. Of course Jee wouldn't recognise him. No one would when he was wearing peasant clothes, had no scar, and looked no older than six years old. A heavy feeling settled in his chest. Still, it was with practised ease that he shot off a fireball to distract Jee and loosen the grip on his shoulder. Then he shoved free and started running again.

"Hey!" Jee yelled. "Come back here!"

Zuko cursed under his breath and quickened his pace. Too bad his stumpy legs couldn't get him very far—not enough to outrun Jee anyway. Holding a teapot didn't help.

"Momo, just get out of here!" Zuko ordered. "That idiot will try save you if you get caught!"

Momo tried to lift Zuko into the air so they could fly away, but his weight was too much and they barely made it off the ground. Zuko didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. A lemur was trying to help him escape from his own crew member. The whole situation was bizarre, but it also brought home to him how helpless he was in his tiny form. Still, it would be even worse if the Avatar got captured while he was cursed like this.

"Just go," Zuko said more softly. "This is my problem. Go back to Aang."

Momo patted his face with a furry paw and took off into the sky. Zuko had no idea how much Momo had understood, but at least Jee couldn't get his hands on him now. So long as those idiots took his advice and got away from the town, all should be fine.

"You little brat!" Jee muttered, catching up to him. "Just where do you think you're running to?"

Zuko placed his uncle on the ground and shifted into an offensive stance. "Back off," he said grimly. "I will fight you if I have to."

Jee raised his eyebrow. "You want to fight me?"

Zuko said nothing. He'd trained with Jee enough to know that he could beat the older man in a firebending match. So long as he kept his distance and didn't let himself be physically overpowered, he should be okay. He hoped.

"You've got guts, kid," Jee said, "but I don't have time to muck around with you. Where's the Avatar?"

Zuko caught sight of a small crevice in the rocks near him. "Like I'd tell you."

He stepped forward and brought his arms down, creating a sweeping V of flames that rose up like the wings of a bird to create a wall and block Jee's view. Not wasting time, Zuko picked up his uncle and scrambled into the crevice. The gap was tight and he had to be careful not to damage the teapot, but he managed to make it in with only a few cuts and grazes. Zuko lay huddled inside the darkness, wounds stinging, and his hand ready to unleash a fireball in case Jee found his hiding spot. Seconds passed and no face loomed into view.

A breath escaped Zuko's lips. He didn't move for a long time, too worried that Jee or some of his other crew might find him. That he was hiding from them at all made the heaviness in his chest worse. It felt like stones were plummeting to his stomach, weighing his body down. This whole situation was a mess. What was more frustrating was that he wasn't sure how to fix it. If only he could get his body back.

There was a chittering sound from outside and then a face popped through the gap in the rocks. A small, furry face with round green eyes. It was Momo.

"Why'd you come back?" Zuko groaned. "You dumb lemur. Do you want to be captured and used as bait?"

Momo chittered again and ducked out of the crevice. Zuko sighed and wriggled his way free, ignoring the numb stiffness cramping his limbs and the fresh grazes he gave himself. To his relief, no Fire Nation soldiers were in sight. Momo resumed his perch on Zuko's shoulder and curled his tail around his neck, apparently content to stay with him.

"You really are dumb," Zuko mumbled. "I'm the Avatar's enemy, you know."

Momo didn't seem to care about this reminder. Zuko sighed and walked up the path that wound like a serpent around the cliff. Dark clouds had spread over the sky and a few splatters of rain fell, hitting his cheek and making a plink, plink, plink sound when they came in contact with the clay teapot. The wind had also picked up. A bad storm was coming.

Zuko spotted a cave near the top and headed inside. Momo left his shoulder to investigate the shadowy corners for bugs while Zuko got a fire going. Zuko made sure his uncle was not too close to the blaze before he sat down and brought his knees up to his chest. He watched Momo for a moment before glancing at the cave entrance. No doubt Aang and the others were out there somewhere. They wouldn't leave Momo behind. At least, he didn't think they would.

"S'pose you think you're clever," Zuko muttered at the lemur. "Well, you're wrong if you think sticking with me will change anything."

He'd wait for the storm to pass and then he'd leave town. After that, he guessed he'd have to find another way to break the curse. There was no doubt in Zuko's mind that sticking with the Avatar was no longer an option. The airbender had been useless anyway—always caring about playing games and helping random people instead of getting on with his task.

"Just because I can't help now doesn't mean it's impossible. We'll find a way, so don't worry! You'll have your uncle back in no time!"

Zuko's chest tightened. He burrowed his face into his knees and closed his eyes. He must have dozed off at some point because the sound of footsteps stirred him awake. He and Aang both froze as they caught sight of each other. Aang was dripping water everywhere, which was no surprise. All Zuko could hear from outside was the howling wind and rain.

"You," Zuko said, unsticking his throat so he could get sound out. "Why are you here?"

To his surprise, Aang sat down next to him and mimicked his huddled posture. There was a long pause.

"Thanks for taking care of Momo," Aang mumbled.

Zuko said nothing. He wasn't sure how to react. The fact that Aang was sitting next to him like it was no issue made him wonder if he'd overreacted earlier. Maybe the trio hadn't pieced together his identity. Though he did find that hard to believe. Even they couldn't be that obtuse. So many clues had been thrown at them. There had to be something else going on that he was missing.

"Where's Sokka and Katara?" Zuko asked when the awkward silence got too much.

"Sokka went fishing with some old guy. I think he wanted a distraction after … well, after you left. Katara and I decided to keep looking for you while he earned money for our supplies, but …" He lowered his gaze.

Zuko pressed his palm to his forehead. "What were you all thinking? There are Fire Nation soldiers in the town! You should have just left!"

More silence.

"Don't ignore me!"

Aang tensed. "Sorry."

"Don't just say you're sorry either!"

Aang said nothing.

Zuko let out an exasperated breath and looked the other way. "I don't understand you people. Why did you even bother to come looking for me? You know who I am, right?"

"I have an idea, yeah."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

Aang shrugged and rested his chin on his knees. Zuko's brow creased. The kid was like a withering flower, all limp and lifeless.

"What's with you?" Zuko demanded. "You don't seem yourself."

Aang let go of one of his knees and drew pictures on the dirt with his finger: swirls and patterns that looked like Air Nomad designs. His expression was pensive, maybe even a little sad.

"Why'd you run earlier?" Aang asked.

Zuko tensed. He hadn't anticipated having such a question thrown back at him. "I had to protect my uncle," he said stiffly. "It was only a matter of time before you'd realise I'd been lying, and I didn't know how you'd react."

Or so went the edited version. What he didn't say was that he also hadn't wanted to see their looks of trust and friendliness turn to disgust. He was only human. It would have been … too difficult. Fake identity or not, the time they'd spent together had been real. Still, even admitting to himself that he'd come to care for the trio—even just a little—made him cringe in self-loathing. He was so pathetic.

"I guess we all have our reasons," Aang murmured.

That was all he said. No elaboration. Nothing. Instead, Aang sighed and hid his face against his knees. Zuko's frown deepened. This whole not knowing what was going on thing was getting on his nerves.

"This is stupid," Zuko said with all his usual bluntness. "Why are you here, Avatar? Did you forget the part where I chased you down and tried to capture you?"

Aang shrugged again.

Zuko made a frustrated noise. "What's with that shrug? What's with you? You're just so … so blah!"

There was another long pause and then finally—finally—Aang spoke.

"I left Katara," Aang confessed in a small voice. "That old guy said some things about me and I … I couldn't face them." He hugged his knees tighter. "I ran away."

Zuko hit his palm against his forehead. Geez, now it was coming together. "So go back and apologise," he suggested. "You know what Katara is like. She'll forgive you."

"I know."

More silence. Zuko glowered. It looked like Aang was going to settle in for a nice period of glooming. Zuko did not want to deal with that. This whole situation was awkward enough. He was not about to play comforter for his enemy.

"Alright, enough of this," Zuko said, getting to his feet. "This is my cave, Avatar. I got here first, so get lost and take your dumb lemur with you."

Aang didn't move. Zuko folded his arms across his chest and tapped his foot against the ground. He could have just driven Aang out with his bending, but something made him hesitate. A scraping sound from the entrance distracted him. Katara came inside the cave, leading a very drenched Appa.

"So you are here," she said in relief when she spotted Aang.

Zuko tensed when her gaze shifted to him.

Her cheeks coloured a little and she didn't quite meet his eyes. "I see you're here as well."

He turned the other way. "Just take him and go," he said flatly. "I won't follow."

Aang stirred from his huddle. "No, we can't! We can't just leave you like this!"

Zuko curled his hands into fists. "Don't be an idiot, Avatar. You know who I am. You know I was just using you so I could break the curse." His voice laced with bitterness and he turned back to face them. "I'm your enemy. I'm always going to be your enemy."

"I don't believe that." Aang scrambled to his feet. "Maybe you lied to us about your identity, but that doesn't change the fact you've also helped us many times since you joined us as Lee." He took a step closer. "You're a good person, Zuko. I really believe that. That's why I want to help you."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "You don't understand. I can't fail, Avatar. I can't. One day I'm going to have to capture you."

"Why?"

That was Katara. Soft. Curious. Zuko closed his eyes.

"Why are you so set on capturing Aang?" she asked. "I think he's right. You're not a bad person. We've been with you all this time and I know you weren't putting on an act. You were just being yourself, right?"

He could have claimed otherwise, but it wasn't like they would have believed him. He wasn't a good liar or actor. They'd all realised the truth. He just didn't have Azula's knack for deception or manipulation.

"It doesn't matter how I feel," Zuko said in a low voice. He sounded exhausted even to his own ears. "Capturing the Avatar is something I have to do."

Katara marched forward and gripped his shoulders, startling him into meeting her gaze. "You're an idiot," she said bluntly.

Zuko blinked.

"Do you have any idea how miserable you look? You sit there saying you have to, you have to, but it's obvious you don't want to go through with it!"

He tried to free himself of her grip. "Let me go."

"No!" She stared him down. "You've lied to us, Zuko. You've lied to us a lot, but Aang is right. You've also helped us." Colour bloomed on her cheeks. "You even helped me see the truth about Jet."

His own face warmed. "I told you that was just because Sokka and I had a deal."

"But that's my point! You didn't have to do all those things, but you did. You didn't have to warn us when you spotted your crew earlier, but you did. You've been actively trying to protect us." She shook her head. "What was the point of all that if you're just going to capture Aang? Just why are you so determined to do something that so obviously goes against your nature?"

He finally managed to wrench himself free of her grip. "Because it's the only way."

"The only way for what?" Aang asked.

"The only way I can go home!"

The words were wrenched out of him. Even the fire blazed in a flare of heat from his frustration. Zuko's chest heaved as all the emotions he'd kept suppressed stormed inside him like the rain and wind howling outside.

"Can't you understand?" he continued in a hoarse voice. "I have to capture Aang! I have to! This is all I can do now! My banishment will never be lifted otherwise!" He pressed his hands to his face. "It's been almost three years. I can't even … I can't …"

His throat constricted. He abruptly turned his back on them, trying to pull himself together before his emotions could get the better of him. A hand touched his shoulder, but he flinched from the contact.

"Just go," he all but pleaded. "I won't stop trying to capture Aang. I can't, so do yourselves a favour and get out of here. Just go!"

The fire flared even higher as he yelled the last words, and new flames sprouted around his fists. Zuko waited for the sounds of their footsteps to show they were leaving, but the only footsteps he heard got closer. Then arms wrapped around him from behind and pulled him in close. Zuko was so stunned that he couldn't move.

"I won't go," Aang murmured. "I said I would help you, Zuko. That hasn't changed."

A bubble of hysteria rose inside Zuko. "You're such an idiot." He slipped free of the embrace. "Didn't you hear me? I'm just going to betray you if you manage to break the curse."

"I'm not worried about that," Aang said a bit teasingly. "I mean, you'd actually have to catch me first."

Katara repressed a snort. "He's got you there, Zuko."

Zuko shook his head. They were both crazy in his opinion. There was no logical explanation for why they wanted to risk being with him any longer. He certainly wouldn't have done the same for them.

Aang turned to Katara and seemed to steel himself. "I'm sorry I ran away earlier."

"It's fine," she said, offering him a smile. "That old guy was way out of line."

His shoulders slumped. "Actually, he wasn't."

"What do you mean?"

Aang's gaze flickered to Zuko. "It's kind of a long story."

Zuko gave him a look as if to say "hey, don't expect any support from me. You're the weird one who wants to stick with me when I admitted I'm still going to capture you once the curse is broken." Aang's shoulders slumped further. Katara encouraged him to continue by pointing out that none of them would be going anywhere thanks to the storm. They had more than enough time.

Aang nodded and settled back near the fire with Katara. He started to talk about the day he learnt he was the Avatar. Zuko stood away from the pair and gazed out at the rain, though he was unable to block their words. All he could do was listen as Aang talked about being excluded from the other airbenders and how the monks had wanted to separate him from his mentor so he could focus on developing his abilities. Before the monks could send him to the Eastern Air Temple, however, he'd run away. Then he'd got caught in a storm and had woken up a hundred years later to find all the airbenders were dead and the world was at war.

"My people needed me and I wasn't there to help," Aang said in obvious regret.

Katara reached for him. "You don't know what would've—"

"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!"

Her hand dropped back to her side. "Aang," she said helplessly.

She glanced to Zuko, perhaps expecting him to find the right words to comfort the boy. Zuko looked away. It wasn't like he could make the situation better. It was his great-grandfather who'd had the airbenders killed in the first place. Just listening to Aang's story made him uncomfortable and like his skin was crawling with emotions he didn't want to name. Even as a child—even when all the teachings said the attack had been justified—he'd never liked learning about the genocide of the Air Nomads.

"The fisherman was right," Aang said more softly, lowering his head. "I did turn my back on the world."

Katara's voice was gentle when she spoke. "You're being too hard on yourself. Even if you did run away, I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed, you would have been killed along with all the other airbenders.

Aang shook his head. "You don't know that."

"I know it's meant to be this way. The world needs you now." Her lips curved into a smile. "You give people hope."

Aang met her gaze and an answering smile slowly tugged at the corners of his mouth. Momo jumped over to be near him and chittered. It was a nice moment—at least for them. For Zuko it was just a bitter reminder that they were on opposing sides. He picked up his uncle and headed for the entrance.

"Where are you going?" Katara asked. "It's still storming outside."

"I'll find someone else to break the curse."

"But—"

"Just let me go," he said tiredly. "I want to retain at least some of my honour."

Aang got to his feet. "Wait! I really do want to help you and your uncle. There's no reason for you to leave."

Zuko bit back a bitter smile. "If I was my proper size right now, I wouldn't hesitate to attack and capture you."

"That's just—"

"Is there something wrong with your head? Why can't you see that I'm not the nice person you think I am? I don't care about the hope you supposedly give to people. I don't care if you're just a kid who wants to have fun." Zuko's voice hardened. "I want to go home. I want my life back. So let me go."

Please, he silently added. Let me do this for my own sanity.

Because he had, in fact, developed some affection for this stupid kid—for all of them—and it hurt to think he would have to betray their kindness. Because Zuko was trapped in an impossible situation and he didn't want to rely on them any longer.

Because the more he was around them, the more horrible he felt.

"I'm going," Zuko declared.

Or, at least, that had been the idea. An old lady emerged from the path and called for their assistance. Her husband and Sokka were still out on the boat, and the storm was quickly turning into a typhoon.

"I'm going to find them," Aang said, taking hold of Appa's reins.

Katara said she would come with him. Both glanced at Zuko expectantly. His chest twisted at the thought of Sokka being in danger, but even if he'd wanted to go, there was nothing he could do. Not when he was his current size.

"Go," Zuko said softly. "Sokka and that old man need you, right?"

Aang looked a bit torn but then clambered on top of Appa. Katara hesitated before marching over and pulling Zuko into a fierce hug.

"You better be here when we come back," she said in his ear.

Then she was gone, joining Aang on the bison and disappearing into the clouds and heavy rain. Zuko let out a breath. He already knew he wouldn't.

Chapter 9: In Which a Frog Has More Sass than a Sasquatch

Chapter Text

Zuko glowered at the fish that eluded his makeshift spare. He'd been trying to catch the damn thing for what felt like hours, but it seemed he just didn't have Sokka's knack. In fact, life had got rather difficult since he'd left Aang and the others at the fishing town. Making fires was easy, but surviving on his own was proving more frustrating than anticipated. Even as a banished prince, his uncle and crew had been there to support him. Now his uncle was a teapot and Zuko had no one to provide assistance. Well, no human companion.

A chittering sound and a rustling of leaves alerted him that Momo was back. The lemur had been impossible to get rid of, though Zuko had to admit he'd given up on trying. He wasn't used to being alone. He'd always thought he'd like it after being stuck on a ship for almost three years with little to no privacy, but the truth was, well, it was just lonely. And quiet. And made him think far, far too much.

He sighed and sat on the ground next to the stream. Momo came to sit on his lap, munching on a bug in obvious contentment. Easy for some. Zuko needed human food. He wasn't sure he wanted to risk the berries again. The last ones he'd found had given him an upset stomach. No wonder Momo hadn't wanted to eat them. Still, it wasn't like Zuko had known any better. All he knew was that he didn't want a repeat of that ordeal, though give him another two hours or so and he might be tempted. His stomach was grumbling so loudly it was like it was trying to compete with Appa's roars.

Another sigh escaped his lips. He was so hungry. And restless. If he'd still been with the others, Sokka would have been making dumb jokes by now and trying to get him to laugh. Katara would no doubt boss everyone and make them sit down together so they could have dinner. The food would have tasted good as well, because she could actually cook. And Aang … well, Aang would goof off as usual, all smiles and silly airbending tricks.

Zuko's chest did that unpleasant wriggle-ache thing again. Ugh, fine. Maybe he kind of missed them. Just a little. He could even admit that he missed Appa the slobbery fluff monster, even if the bison's fur did get everywhere. He kept finding bits of it on his tunic. Somehow, that made it worse.

Zuko flopped onto his back and stared up at the sunset peeping through the treetops. "Where do you think they are now?"

Momo tilted his head to the side and offered the decapitated bug he clutched in his paw. Zuko scrunched his nose.

"Thanks, but no thanks," he said dryly. "You can have your bug."

Momo took this advice to heart and ate the rest with gusto. Zuko went back to staring at the sky. Maybe he should have stayed with that trader he'd hitched a ride with through the valley, but the man had been kind of crazy. Kept going on about his stupid cabbages and how the storm might have spoiled the precious leaves on his precious vegetables, blah blah blah. Then there had been the woman Zuko had run into afterwards who had let him ride on the wagon with her and her creepily silent husband. Zuko had gapped it from them pretty fast once he'd realised she'd wanted to adopt him as her son and rename him Pugglesworth the III (after her favourite owlcat). That was just his luck, because he couldn't run into normal people. That would be asking too much from the spirits.

Needless to say, Zuko had stopped hitching rides with travellers after that.

His stomach gave another far too vocal rumble. He told it to shut up and absently stroked Momo's fur, trying to distract himself from his hunger. He didn't know why Momo had chosen to come with him instead of sticking with Aang and the others, but he got the sense the trio were aware the lemur was with him. They were too attached to Momo to just abandon the animal. Zuko wasn't sure how that made him feel. Pleased? Sad? Maybe a bit of both. It was like they were saying that they trusted him with Momo. Maybe they wanted him to have the company since he had been so determined to leave.

Or maybe that was just what he wanted to believe.

Pathetic, the voice that sounded so much like Azula mocked in his mind. How long are you going to keep shaming yourself like this because of your childish need to feel wanted? They aren't your friends, remember? They're your enemies.

Zuko grimaced and placed his arm over his eyes. He lay like that for a while until Momo sat up with a jerk. Long ears twitching, Momo looked towards something only he could see and darted off into the trees.

"Hey, wait!" Zuko exclaimed, scrambling to his feet.

He snatched up his uncle and ran after the lemur. Leaves and little branches smacked him in the face and snagged his clothes. Momo was flying fast, obviously agitated. That was when Zuko heard the horn. He froze, heart pounding. That had sounded like a Fire Nation horn. A quick reference to the layout of the land and the maps he was able to picture in his mind thanks to years of brooding over them told him he was close to Pohuai Stronghold. Damn.

"Momo!" Zuko hissed. "Come back here!"

The lemur was as recognisable as Aang's stupid arrow. Zuko did not need a repeat of the fishing town, especially if he had to deal with the Yuyan archers this time. Those guys were dangerous.

Zuko broke through the trees and stumbled as his foot sunk into something cold, wet and squishy. Ugh, a swamp. He glanced around and realised he'd lost sight of Momo. His heart pounded and felt like it was trying to jump into his throat. If something happened to the lemur …

A flicker of white had him turning sharply to the left. There! He waded through the swamp after Momo, holding his uncle high above his head so the teapot wouldn't get wet. Momo stopped at a log rising above the water and began sniffing. Zuko's breath caught when he saw the arrow embedded into the wood, pinning a piece of orange fabric in place. He'd recognise the colour anywhere.

Quick as a flash, Momo was off again. Zuko did his best to keep up. The image of the arrow and fabric wouldn't leave his mind. He told himself that of course Aang had got free. There was no way that little airhead had been caught by the Fire Nation, but that didn't stop Zuko's stomach from wriggling into knots. The Yuyan archers were skilled. Very skilled. If Aang hadn't been prepared for them, he might have got taken off guard.

Zuko gritted his teeth. He followed Momo through the trees until they reached a small precipice. Below was Pohuai Stronghold. His heart sunk when he saw the group of archers carrying a brightly clothed boy in a net through the gates. That had to be Aang.

"You idiot," Zuko muttered. "What were you doing near here?"

That was another worry. Where were Sokka, Katara and Appa? Why was Aang on his own? Had the others been captured as well?

The gates shut, sealing the airbender inside. Momo flew towards the fortress.

"Wait!" Zuko hissed, not daring to raise his voice any louder.

That dumb lemur. All that awaited beyond the gates was danger. Zuko was terrified that the archers might shoot Momo down if they saw him, but there was nothing Zuko could do to make the animal come back. It wasn't like he could fly. Plus, if he exposed himself to the scouts by following on the ground, he'd also be caught.

Or maybe he wouldn't …

Not giving himself a chance to reconsider his plan, Zuko shoved his uncle into a little nook by the trees and half-slid, half-ran down the slope. It wasn't long before he was dashing across a wagon path lined by barren stretches of ground—all that remained from the forest that had been burnt down to make room for the fortress. His skin prickled, warning him to take cover, but he kept running. He had no doubt that multiple eyes and arrows were trained on him; however, just as he had suspected, no shots were fired. He looked like a harmless child after all.

"Get lost, kid!" one of the soldiers guarding the gate called out to him. "This is no place for you!"

Zuko stopped in front of the soldiers. "M-my pet went inside," he told them, putting on his most kiddiesh voice and trying to make it seem like he was crying in distress.

Ugh, he wished he was a better actor. All he could do was surreptitiously pinch the fleshy part on the back of his hand as hard as he could to try bring out tears.

The soldier raised his chin. "Too bad! Now scram!"

His fellow guard clipped him on the head. "Don't be mean."

"Oh, come on. He's just some Earth Kingdom brat."

Zuko showed them a fistful of flames. "I'm Fire Nation like you, so can I go in and get my pet, please?"

The two men blinked at each other.

"Please?" Zuko persisted, looking up at them with big, golden eyes.

Hey, it had worked on Katara. Maybe it would work on these guys.

The nicer soldier knelt next to Zuko. "Listen, son, I'm afraid we can't let you inside. Not even to find your pet."

"Why not?" Zuko demanded in that same kiddy voice that made him want to hide under a rock for the next twenty years.

"Because only people who are given clearance by the army can enter."

"Yeah," the first soldier cut in. "So be off with you. Go on." He gave Zuko a nudge.

"B-but my pet is inside," Zuko stammered, hiding his face in his hands and sniffing loudly.

Ugh, the tears still didn't want to fall. Damn it. All he'd managed to get was a bit of moisture thanks to his pinching method.

There was a sigh from above him. "Where are your parents, son?"

"I don't know what happened to them, and now I've lost my pet as well!"

He kept his face hidden in his hands. Maybe if he didn't look at them he would be able to keep up the act of a distressed, sobbing child. Well, it was worth a shot.

"Now you've made him cry again," the first soldier grumbled.

"Me? You were the one telling him to get lost!"

The two bickered some more until someone from on top of the gate demanded to know what the commotion was all about. Immediately, the guards straightened to attention and explained the situation with much sir-ing and bowing.

"Just a child," a cold voice said dismissively. "How ridiculous."

Zuko froze. He knew that voice. It had taunted him and hit far too many tender spots over the years for him not to remember it in detail. That bastard Zhao was here. This was not good.

Zuko lowered his hands from his face and stared up at the wall, but he couldn't make Zhao out from this angle. All he could see was a stout man dressed in the armour of a colonel. What was his name again? Shinu? In any case, the guy ordered the guards to deal with Zuko and get back to their proper duties.

"We're not a babysitting club," Colonel Shinu told them. "Sort this out now. I don't want this child hanging around here."

Before anything else could be said, a flutter of white came down from the main tower and took shape in the form of Momo. There was a muffled sound from above.

"The Avatar's lemur!" Zhao growled.

Zuko fought the panic that clawed at his chest. He'd do Momo no favours if he lost his head now. He had to stick to the role he had chosen to play.

"My pet!" Zuko exclaimed with all the ecstatic joy of a little kid. "He came back!"

As if to confirm this claim, Momo swooped down and landed on Zuko's shoulder. The lemur chittered in agitation, no doubt trying to explain that Aang had been captured. Zuko petted him in a soothing gesture. He wasn't surprised when an order came from above to keep the "brat and the lemur there".

"Sorry, son," the nicer guard mumbled. "Things are pretty tense right now with Admiral Zhao here. Just stay put for a moment, okay?"

"Admiral?" Zuko mouthed.

How did that incompetent jerk get a promotion? Well, whatever. Zhao's presence was a pain, but that only made Zuko even more determined to get Aang out of the stronghold. First, though, he had to get away with Momo.

The gates opened and Zhao and Shinu emerged. Zuko tried his best to appear like a harmless kid who was just happy to be reunited with his furry friend. It helped that his relief to have Momo back was genuine.

"You," Zhao said, closing the distance between them. "That lemur on your shoulder belongs to the Avatar. What are you doing with it?"

Zuko widened his eyes in the way Azula used to when she wanted to look her most innocent. "This is my pet, uh …" He fished around for a name and caught sight of Momo's curling tail. "Curly."

"Curly?" Zhao said sceptically.

"Yeah. 'Cause of his tail, see?" Zuko pointed to the long, curling tail.

Zhao glared at him in suspicion. Zuko tried his best to maintain the innocent expression.

The nicer guard cleared his throat. "Uh, Admiral, it's possible the boy is telling the truth."

Zhao snapped at the guard as Zhao only could. He pointed out that he knew the Avatar's lemur when he saw it, and this was definitely the Avatar's lemur. Momo flattened his ears and hunched closer to Zuko, not liking the raised voice being aimed at him.

"Curly is my lemur," Zuko insisted, and then he clutched Momo protectively. "I won't let you take him from me!"

And, spirits, if he didn't wish the ground would swallow him whole. Putting on a child's act in front of Zhao—Zhao of all people—was even more humiliating than when he'd requested Katara to stay with him at Jet's hideout. Stupid lemur. Stupid Aang. Of course Zhao wouldn't be budged either. The jerk just had to start theorising that Zuko was working with the Avatar and he and the lemur were both spies.

…

Well, it wasn't far from the mark. But still, Zhao's tenacity was not something Zuko needed right now.

The nice guard once again tried to come to Zuko's defence. He pointed out that Zuko was a Fire Nation child and had no reason to support the Avatar. He also pointed out that, while lemurs were indeed very rare these days, it wasn't so farfetched to believe that this, uh, Curly was not the Avatar's pet. Lemurs did pop up now and then. The grumpy soldier also acknowledged that even if the lemur was the Avatar's, there was a chance Zuko had just adopted him as kids were prone to do.

"My own boy tries to adopt stray catdogs almost every month," Grumpy Soldier confessed. "Gives the wife a never-ending headache."

Zhao still didn't look convinced. In fact, he stared even more suspiciously at Zuko. Maybe a little too suspiciously, like there was a hint of recognition in there as well.

Moisture gathered on Zuko's palms. He was conscious of the fact that Zhao actually had seen him when he was younger and had an annoying habit of coming to the most farfetched (but truthful) conclusions. Also, Zuko's luck just plain sucked. The worst always happened.

"Oh, for Agni's sake," Shinu said, putting an end to the standoff. "Just let the child have the lemur. I hardly think one little boy and a fuzzy creature are going to break the Avatar out of Pohuai Stronghold." He raised his eyebrow at Zhao. "Unless you're that unconfident in your abilities?"

Zhao's cheeks coloured. "Of course not."

Phew. Zuko offered a silent thanks to Shinu. If Zhao pushed the issue now, he would just look pathetic and like he really was scared of a child and a lemur. The bastard was far too vain to stomach that kind of shame.

Zhao cast one last suspicious glance at Zuko before turning his back on them, muttering that he didn't care what they did with the lemur or boy—just get them away from the fortress. He wanted everything perfect for his victory speech. Shinu actually rolled his eyes.

"You heard him," Shinu said dryly, once Zhao was out of earshot. "We can't have spies for the Avatar lurking around while the great Admiral Zhao prepares to give his victory speech."

Both men struggled to bite back smiles. Even Zuko found his mouth twitching. Shinu nodded to them and headed back inside the fortress with much less dramatic flair than Zhao. The gates groaned shut a moment later, leaving Zuko standing with the two older men, Momo still on his shoulder.

"Well then," the nice soldier said, frowning down at Zuko. "What to do with you?"

Zuko said nothing. He was too busy thinking of, and also discarding, plans for how he could get Aang out of the fortress. If he'd been his proper size and still had access to his ship, he would have just dressed up as the Blue Spirit and snuck in once night fell. He got the feeling that wasn't going to work so well in his current condition, even if he could find a suitable disguise and weapons. First of all, any sword that would fit his size would be more of a dagger. Secondly, he just didn't have the physical strength to take on grown men without his bending. And using his bending would just open a whole different pot of worms.

The grumpy soldier mistook his silence for being upset. "Look," he said with gruff awkwardness, "there'll be a wagon coming soon with more supplies. I'm sure we can get the driver to take you to the nearest town. Maybe there will be news about your parents there."

"Oh, don't worry," Zuko said, flashing a smile at the soldiers. "I left my uncle in the forest. He's probably still looking for me, so I better go find him."

He waved at them in goodbye and sprinted for the trees before they could stop him. The last thing he needed was to be shoved off to a town on a supply wagon. He'd have a hard time getting away from whoever was charged with helping him find his mythical parents if he did. Plus, the nearest town was too far away and he didn't want to leave his uncle unprotected in the forest.

Zuko had to backtrack for a while until he found the precipice and trees where he had stowed his uncle. He grumbled at Momo along the way, telling the lemur (and the absent Aang) that they should be grateful he had bothered to risk his neck for them. True, a part of him had hoped the soldiers might have been soft enough to let him inside the stronghold, but he supposed he should be happy—at least for the sake of the Fire Nation—that they hadn't. It just meant Zuko had to come up with a good plan now.

He collected his uncle from the nook and headed deeper into the forest. Zuko decided he would have to risk sneaking into the fortress without any special aids. (Difficult as it would be in his weakened form, so long as he and Aang weren't spotted, all should be fine.) Then the scenery changed and he realised he was in a swamp. An actual swamp, with massive vines and twisted trees, and it seemed to go on forever. Worse, the teapot wasn't in his hands and Momo was no longer on his shoulder. What the heck?

"You gonna stand there all day, short stuff?"

Zuko almost yelped as he noticed the giant frog sprawled on a log near him and smoking a pipe. Not a frog-bat, not a frog-monkey. Just a frog. It had bulbous dark eyes the size of melons and yellowish skin with brown swirls. The fact it could talk was also alarming.

"W-wha-wha—"

"W-wha-wha," the frog mimicked his stammering. "What? You ain't seen such a gorgeous specimen as the Great Me before?"

Zuko scrunched his face. A frog with an ego. Perfect.

The frog took a puff of his pipe and blew out a cloud of smoke. He seemed content to ignore Zuko now that he'd made the impression he'd wanted. What a jerk.

"Who are you?" Zuko growled, finally managing to find his voice. "Where's Momo and my uncle? And … and where even is this place?"

The frog rolled his eyes. "Listen, bub, you can drop the demanding tone. Don't you understand who you're talking to?"

"No! Didn't I just ask who you are?"

Two bulbous eyes narrowed on him. Zuko swallowed. He'd never admit it aloud, but the frog was kind of intimidating.

"My name is Xiwang," the frog said coolly. "He Who Grants Ten Thousand Wishes." His dignified air flickered with a curl of his froggy lips, becoming more sly. "I go by other names as well. Mortals don't always appreciate my assistance, it seems."

Zuko's heart pounded. He was talking to a frog spirit. A frog spirit who had just admitted he was known for granting wishes with dubious results. Suddenly, Zuko was pointing his finger at Xiwang and trembling with rage.

"It was you!" he exploded. "You're the reason my uncle and I got stuck like this!"

Xiwang snorted. "Wrong. You did that to yourselves, foolish little mortals. I never told you to pick up the statue."

"It was still your statue!"

The frog shrugged. "So my collection of curs—ah, blessed objects sometimes find their way into the mortal world. It's really not my problem what you humans choose to do with them."

Zuko clenched his teeth. He would have loved to have burnt the frog to a crisp with his bending, but the fact no flames had flickered around him when he'd yelled told him that nothing would come out even if he tried. From the research he'd done while trying to learn everything about the Avatar, he guessed he was somehow stuck in the Spirit World. Wonderful.

"Just tell me why I'm here," Zuko gritted out.

There was no point in trying to argue with the frog. Uncle had always warned him not to mess with spirits, and this one didn't seem very trustworthy.

Xiwang took another puff of his pipe. When he exhaled, the smoke took the shape of a prison cell and revealed a boy chained up by his wrists and ankles. Zuko blinked. He was staring at a smoke version of Aang.

"That is why you're here," Xiwang said. "You wanted to rescue him, didn't you?" He spread his webbed hands in what was meant to be a benevolent gesture, but really just looked smug and grating. "Well, here I am to assist."

Zuko stared at the frog in faint suspicion. "You want to help me?"

"Of course."

"You, the spirit whose cursed—"

"Blessed."

"Cursed," Zuko emphasised, glaring at the frog. "Whose cursed statue turned me into a kid and my uncle to a teapot."

Xiwang shook his head in mock disappointment. "Can't we just get along and let bygones be bygones?"

"My uncle is a teapot! I'm back to being six years old!" Zuko waved his arms in a frustrated way that would have made Sokka proud. "What makes you think I'll trust you?"

Xiwang sighed and crossed his long legs. "You know," he said in his bored, you-are-such-a-stupid-human kind of way. "I was being pretty charitable in bringing you here. I don't involve myself with my victi—er, my blessed ones much, but I decided to take an interest in you."

"Why?" Zuko demanded suspiciously. "Why take an interest in me?"

If giant frog spirits could blush, Xiwang might have done so. He actually looked embarrassed for the first time since Zuko had found himself in this mangy swamp.

"I, uh, may have …" The spirit trailed off into a mumble.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "What was that? I didn't catch that last part."

Xiwang huffed and went back to acting like the whole situation bored him to tears. "Never mind. The point is I'm willing to help you now." He jabbed his pipe at Zuko. "So show some respect, puny human, because this is a one-time offer."

Something that might have been hope fluttered in Zuko's chest. "Then you'll change me and my uncle back to normal?"

"Uh, no. No can do, I'm afraid. I create curs—uh, blessi—"

"Just be honest and say you curse people," Zuko muttered, rolling his eyes. "It's not like I don't know the truth."

Xiwang shrugged. "Alright. Once my curse has taken hold of a mortal, I can't remove it. My powers don't work that way."

Zuko's hope deflated in a rush. "Then there's no way to reverse this?"

"I never said that."

He blinked and stared at the frog with renewed interest. Xiwang explained that a special kind of water existed in the mortal realm which had the power to cure any injury and remove any curse. The spirits called it the Waters of Healing. If Zuko found the pool and submerged himself and his uncle in it, they would return to their proper forms.

"Really?" Zuko asked, taking a step closer in excitement.

"Sure." A pause. "Probably."

Again, Zuko's hope deflated. "Somehow, I don't have much confidence in your claim."

Xiwang waved his hand in an airy gesture. "Look, this is your best shot, bub. It's either that or get used to Uncle Teapot while you age up the old fashioned way, because nothing else will break my curse for good."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "Wait, what do you mean for good? Is there another way?"

The spirit's smile was definitely sly this time. "That's the other reason I brought you here. I can't break the curse on you, but I can give you something to temporarily negate the effect." His grin widened. "Might help with getting into that fortress and freeing the Avatar, eh?"

Zuko took back every ungrateful thought he'd had about the frog. "You can really do that?"

"Uh-huh. You just gotta eat this." A bean appeared on the frog's webbed hand. "After that—poof!—you'll be your bigger but still stupid self again."

Zuko moistened his dry lips. "And there won't be any bad side effects this time?"

"Well, you'll only stay that size for as long as the spirit energy remains in your body." Xiwang shrugged. "Like I said, I can't break your curse for good. But, hey, I'm a magnanimous spirit so I'll even throw in two extra beans for you."

As promised, two more beans appeared alongside the first. He offered them to Zuko, who accepted the beans with his heart pounding. This could change everything.

"Choose wisely what you do with them," Xiwang said with a knowing glint in his eyes. "You'll only get the three."

Zuko stepped back and slipped the beans into his pocket. "Thank you."

"Oh, don't thank me. At least not yet." Xiwang relaxed on his log and took a lazy puff of his pipe. "You may find those gifts a curse after all."

Before Zuko could respond, the swamp faded around him to the sound of Xiwang's laughter and a big cloud of smoke. He found himself back in the forest with the teapot in his hands. Momo was perched on his shoulder and chittering. All seemed normal. It was like waking from a daydream that he hadn't even known he'd been dreaming, a mere blink in time. Still, something made Zuko reach into his pocket. He stilled when his fingertips brushed against three small objects.

Three beans. Three chances.

His heart pounded. He had really just travelled to the Spirit World and met a frog spirit. He had not been dreaming. That meant the beans were real. Now he had two choices: take the risk and eat one or try to free Aang while still in his child's body. Either way, he couldn't let Zhao claim the glory of capturing the Avatar. There was no doubt that was Zhao's plan.

Zuko pulled out one of the beans from his pocket. It seemed so ordinary, just a roasted soybean from the looks of it. It was hard to believe it had any special properties.

"Choose wisely what you do with them. You'll only get three."

He closed his fingers around the bean. Time to prepare. He was aware he didn't have his swords, mask or black body suit, but that was okay. Zuko was good at improvising. Besides, he was nothing if not determined. He would make this work.

oOo

The sun had set. A small fire burned for light near the stream where Zuko had set up camp. He sat naked and holding one of the innocuous beans in his hand. By him was an array of objects: his uncle the teapot, The Duke's borrowed clothes and patch-ridden boots, lots of ground up berries, and bark and clay to make different coloured pastes. All was ready. All had been prepared. It was only Zuko who hesitated.

Momo moved closer to him and chirruped. Zuko smiled a bit self-deprecatingly in return.

"I'm being stupid, right?" he said with a sigh. "I've come this far. I don't know why I'm hesitating."

It wasn't like he had anything to lose. He was already cursed and if he didn't get Aang out of the fortress tonight, he knew he could say bye-bye to any hope of returning home. Really, there was not even a choice for him. Trying to liberate Aang as a child would be too complicated. If he got surrounded, it would be over. If something was too high or long for him to jump, it would be over. If there were guards blocking the door, it would be over. But his teenage body was strong and much, much taller. His teenage body would give him the edge he needed.

Zuko exhaled. "Please don't curse me into something worse," he muttered under his breath.

He quickly stuffed the bean into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed it all before he could change his mind. A tingling passed through his body. Then the pain started—vicious, unforgiving. He hunched over with a strangled cry, feeling his bones lengthen and expand, pushing at his skin, his very being. It was like invisible hands were tugging at every inch of him, trying to stretch him to his proper size. It hurt. It hurt so damn much.

Zuko almost wept with relief when it stopped.

Momo darted around him, sniffing and touching while making agitated sounds. No doubt he had given the lemur a fright. Well, Zuko supposed it would be shocking to see the small child you'd been travelling with suddenly transform into a teenager. Fortunately, his scent was still the same. He was sure that was why the lemur had not run off yet.

"S'okay, Momo," Zuko said a bit breathlessly. "This is what I wanted to happen."

His body was still tingling faintly, but he was back to his proper size. Xiwang had not lied about the beans. Zuko forced himself to sit up and tugged on the loincloth he had fashioned out of The Duke's tunic and undershirt. Not his greatest fashion choice, but whatever. He had to work with what he had, and right now he had no clothes that would fit his teenage body.

He moved closer to the stream, pausing in shock when he saw his reflection on the water's surface. There was no scar. His face was as smooth and unblemished as it had been before the Agni Kai, just like how it was when he was in his child form. It was a punch to his stomach. Unexpected, almost dizzying.

Zuko shook his head and quickly pulled himself together. There was no time to dwell on the whys or even the mess of feelings stirring within him. Instead, he set about smearing his body, including the loincloth, with mud. He had to be fast since he wasn't sure how long the bean's power would last. Once his skin was darkened enough, he started working on adding the other colours: swirls of red, black and greyish white.

"Now for the face," he murmured.

He leaned closer to the water and painted a mask. Greyish-white base. Exaggerated black brows that sloped down. More lines and swirls of red and black. A fierce, eerie grin. It was by no means the Blue Spirit, but it was an echo of the demons and vengeful spirits he had seen depicted in theatre shows: a blend of myth and nightmare that brimmed with unearthly rage. Zuko removed the tie from his hair and smeared red paste into the strands. He smiled a little at the effect. At the very least, he looked nothing like himself.

Satisfied with his disguise, Zuko turned to the lemur. "Stay here and watch over Uncle. I'll be back soon with Aang."

Momo chittered. Zuko didn't know if that meant Momo understood or not, but he liked to think it was a yes. In any case, he couldn't afford to muck around any longer. He put out the fire and started running. It felt good to be in his proper body. He was so much faster, had so much more stamina. Better yet, it seemed like it took no time at all to get to Pohuai Stronghold. He had really missed the effortlessness of moving in his teenage body.

Zuko blended into the shadows with practiced ease and made his way to the bushes near the path that led to the front gates. He'd infiltrated the stronghold enough times in order to gather information to know exactly what he needed to do. Breaking in had never been a problem. It was getting Aang free and them both out safely that would be tricky. Still, there was no room for mistakes.

He kept his gaze trained on the path. The wagon would be along soon. All he had to do was wait.

oOo

Zuko searched the bound firebenders he'd just subdued. He collected two daggers and also found the keys to Aang's cell. Perfect.

He unlocked the door and went inside. It was just like the scene he'd seen in Xiwang's smoke: Aang restrained by four chains and unable to move. Of course the airhead screamed his head off as soon as he caught sight of Zuko.

"Idiot, calm down!" Zuko snapped. "It's just me."

Aang shut up, though his mouth remained open and his eyes went even wider. "Zuko? W-what's going on? You're all big now, and what's with that get-up? You look really creepy, you know. Almost gave me a heart attack."

Zuko rolled his eyes and used the daggers to slice through the chains holding Aang captive. "Let's go."

"But—"

"I'll explain later. First we have to get out of here."

Aang didn't argue, though he did try to stop to collect some frogs on the way down the corridor.

Zuko lifted him by the scruff of his tunic and yanked him away. "What are you doing chasing frogs? I just told you we have to get out!"

Aang went into a panicky and very convoluted explanation about Sokka thinking he was an earthbender, crazy herbalists, and sucking on frozen frogs. Zuko stared at him for a full three seconds before making a frustrated sound.

"You know what, I don't want to know." Zuko kept his grip on Aang's tunic and dragged him. "Just shut up and move."

"But—"

"Aang, if you mention frogs again I swear I'll toss you out this window and test the theory for myself whether airbenders always land on their feet."

Aang gulped. Zuko glared.

"Alright," Aang said, heaving a sigh. "They're thawing now anyway." A pause. "Also, I know you wouldn't actually toss me out the window. I mean, you did come here to rescue me."

"Don't push your luck, Avatar. I'm getting more and more tempted the more you keep opening that stupid mouth of yours."

Aang took the hint. Zuko was relieved for the quiet and guided Aang along the path he had taken to get to the prisons. They were still in the danger zone and the last thing they needed was to get caught because Aang didn't know how to shut up. Fortunately, the airbender was light on his feet and had no problem keeping up once he stopped being sidetracked by frogs. Unfortunately, none of that meant anything when a soldier spotted them climbing.

A desperate bid to make it over the last wall ended up in flames—literally—and then the two fugitives were surrounded. Zuko saw the four streams of fire coming for them and realised that he would have to use bending to defend against the attack. A hand grabbed his arm and spun him around just as a shield of wind came up to surround them both. Zuko let out a breath. Or Aang could do that.

"Hold your fire!"

It was Admiral Zhao. Zuko turned his head sharply, fingers digging into the hilts of his daggers as the admiral stopped in front of the line of firebenders.

"The Avatar must be captured alive!"

Without pausing to think, Zuko sprung forward and thrust his daggers under Aang's neck, positioning the blades so that he could slit his throat in one quick swipe. For a moment no one dared move, shocked at this sudden turn of events. Aang's small body trembled, but Zuko paid no heed to that and stared at Zhao, daring the older man to call his bluff. Zhao held his gaze for a long moment.

"Open the gates," Zhao ordered.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" Colonel Shinu exclaimed.

"Let them out! Now!"

The creaking jaws of the gate opened from behind Zuko. Very cautiously, he began to walk backwards with Aang through the gap, not once taking his eyes off Zhao. He knew the man was up to something; however, none of the firebenders made a move as Zuko and Aang stepped out onto the path and continued to walk farther and farther out of reach. Somehow, that unnerved even more. Something wasn't right. There was no way Zhao would let them go that easily.

"Look," Aang breathed. "The gate is closing."

Zuko shifted his grip on the daggers. "Don't talk. I don't want to cut you by accident."

Aang went silent.

Zuko kept the daggers close to Aang's throat. Zhao would still be watching. One wrong move and they'd be surrounded all over again. He glanced over his shoulder and was relieved to see they were almost at the crossroads. Just a little farther and they could make a break for the forest. After that, he would—

His stomach twisted. He would do what? Help Aang get back to Sokka and Katara? Leave them again and carry on his way?

"Look out!"

Startled, Zuko turned his head just in time to see an arrow spiralling towards him. There was no time to duck, no time to defend, but then his daggers got pushed aside and a barrier of wind redirected the arrow away.

"We need to get to the forest," Aang said, lowering his shield.

Zuko sheathed his daggers and ran. Shouts could be heard from within Pohuai Stronghold. The gates opened and figures in red burst through the gap like an angry swarm of fire wasp-ants. Zuko's stomach twisted. He really didn't want to get surrounded again.

"Hold on!" Aang yelled over the din. "I'll give us some cover!"

Dust and dirt gathered to form a cloud-like veil, blocking the two boys from the view of firebender and archer alike. Zuko had no time to be impressed. A hand latched around his wrist and pulled him forward, dragging him at an unnatural speed towards the woods. Only the slight breeze lifting his feet stopped him from falling flat on his face. He realised that Aang must be using airbending to help him keep pace. It was an alarming and uncomfortably humbling discovery. He'd always prided himself on his independence and speed.

Branches snagged at the two as they crashed their way through the trees, though Aang's barrier of wind protected them from taking too much damage. In the distance, Zuko could hear the yells of the men hunting them, but either Zhao's warriors took a wrong turn and got lost in the forest or Aang really was that fast, because soon the noises faded and all Zuko could hear was the rustling of leaves and the whooshing of their barrier.

"Go left," Zuko directed.

He needed to get back to his campsite before they went anywhere else. Aang obliged and soon they emerged from the trees into the clearing with the stream. Momo greeted them with a happy chirrup and settled on Aang's head. Zuko's gaze went to the spot where he'd left his uncle. He sighed in relief when he saw the teapot, along with The Duke's pants and patched up boots. Zuko felt in the pocket of the pants and stilled when he touched the two beans. Oddly, Xiwang's face popped into his mind, bulbous eyes shining with a knowing glint.

"Choose wisely what you do with them. You'll only get the three."

Aang tilted his head when he caught Zuko staring at him. "What?" He glanced around behind him just to make sure it was indeed him that Zuko was staring at with such intensity. "Is there something on my face?"

Zuko tightened his grip on the beans. He knew in that moment he could try to capture Aang. His ship and crew were not far. He had two extra beans that would help him maintain his teenage form until he got to them and could hopefully explain the situation. It could work. It could, but …

"What is it?" Aang asked, losing his smile. His brow creased and he took a small step backwards. "You're kind of creeping me out."

Zuko let out a breath. "Nothing," he said, releasing his grip on the beans and placing the pants down. "I'm just glad we made it out, that's all."

"Yeah. I was real worried for a bit, but thanks to you we got out! I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come."

Zuko gave a noncommittal grunt and waded into the stream so he could wash off the clay paste and mud. Aang was already back to his usual chirpy self and demanding they go find frozen frogs for Sokka and Katara. He insisted that there was no time to waste and that Zuko could wash later. The little idiot. So quick to trust and believe in the good in others. Didn't he understand how close Zuko had come to betraying him? Then again, Aang had taken that small step backwards. He must have sensed Zuko wavering.

"Come on," Aang urged, jumping into the water and tugging at Zuko's arm. "I'm telling you that their fevers are really bad! Sokka really thought he was an earthbender and—"

"Alright, alright," Zuko muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's go look for your stupid frogs."

Aang grinned. "Great!"

Zuko sighed and followed him out of the stream. He picked up his uncle and other belongings and trailed after Aang to the swamp where he'd seen the arrow buried into the log earlier. Aang immediately busied himself with darting into the swampy water and collecting frozen amphibians. Zuko had to admit it was a little amusing now that they were no longer trying to escape a fortress full of Fire Nation soldiers.

"You really think sucking on those things will help Sokka and Katara?" Zuko asked, leaning against a tree.

Aang paused mid-crouch, two frozen frogs in each hand. "No idea, but the old lady seemed to think it'll work, so it's worth a shot."

Zuko repressed a smile. "Right."

"Hey, if you have a better idea to help them then I'm all ears, but you didn't see Sokka. Whatever sickness he caught in that storm was really bad. Then Katara started coughing as well and—"

"And you're worried. I get it."

That was why he hadn't gone ahead with his plan to capture they boy. Aang had been caught by the Yuyan archers because he'd been so determined to help Sokka and Katara. The blind panic in Aang's voice and eyes when he'd talked about needing the frogs had also confirmed to Zuko the seriousness of the situation. Put simply, anyone who resorted to frozen frogs as a cure had to be desperate.

Aang stuffed the frogs into his tunic and came back to Zuko. "We should hurry before they thaw out again."

Zuko nodded and the two started running once more, Momo fluttering along beside them. He didn't know how much longer the bean's power would last, but that was fine. Just this once Zuko decided he would put his quest to capture the Avatar on hold. He'd make sure Sokka and Katara were okay first, and then …

Well, the two extra beans were still nestled in the pocket of his pants. He was sure he could figure out a plan.

Chapter 10: In Which Zuko Is Bad at Being Bad

Chapter Text

It did not take long to reach the ruins where Sokka and Katara had been left to rest with Appa. Zuko took one glance at the siblings and realised Aang had not been joking. Both had terrible fevers. Sokka seemed to think that Zuko was a demon spirit and kept blabbering nonsense until Aang stuffed a frozen frog in his mouth. Katara wasn't as out of it with hallucinations like her brother, but she did look very sick. Zuko felt a stab of worry. This kind of illness could easily become life threatening. He hoped the crazy herbalist had been right. It wasn't like he or Aang had any other medicine that would help.

He retreated to the far corner of the ruins and waited to see if their fevers would break. Eventually, the frogs thawed and began wriggling around in the siblings' mouths. Neither Katara nor Sokka were pleased. They shrieked and coughed and pulled faces of disgust as they spat out the frogs. A demand started for water. Lots of water.

"Sorry, guys," Aang said, rubbing the base of his neck. "Looks like we don't have any water left. There's a stream nearby, so—"

Zuko wordlessly shoved his own full water flask into Aang's hand.

Aang blinked up at him and then his face split into a huge grin. "Thanks! Should've known we could count on you!"

Zuko's stomach twisted. He did not deserve those words. Not at all.

Aang bounded off to help Sokka and Katara drink from the flask. Zuko retreated back to his corner and hugged his knees to his chest. The siblings fell asleep not long after, too sick to do much else. It was a long time before Zuko could consider closing his eyes. The beans were tucked away in his hand-me-down pants, out of sight but most definitely not forgotten. Plans kept popping into his mind, pushed aside with guilt-ridden ruthlessness.

Later, he told himself. I'll capture the kid later.

Katara and Sokka were still sick. They needed someone to look after them. Zuko couldn't snatch Aang away. Not yet. So he waited, and he fretted, and then morning came.

oOo

"You look terrible," Aang observed.

"Didn't get much sleep," Zuko mumbled.

Or, rather, none at all. He'd been too unsettled. The bean's power hadn't worn off either. He still looked sixteen. Some of the clay paste and mud had cracked and started to flake off from his skin. He itched for a bath or at least a chance to wash all the grime off his body, but he was distracted from carrying out this task as Katara and Sokka stirred. Aang was at their sides in an instant and asking if they were okay. Both siblings were still coughing, but they were brighter-eyed and their cheeks had lost the dangerous flush of fever. Zuko was more relieved than he cared to admit.

"Who's that?" Katara demanded.

She'd clambered out of her sleeping bag and had caught sight of Zuko. He froze, confronted by two pairs of blue eyes: one set curious, one set suspicious.

"That's just Zuko." Aang waved his hand in an airy manner. "He came back with me last night. I told you guys all about it."

The siblings exchanged a glance. Both didn't seem to remember much of anything from last night. Not that Zuko blamed them, considering how sick they'd been. He also wasn't surprised when Sokka's suspicious expression intensified.

"Zuko?" Sokka repeated. "This is Zuko?" He squinted as if trying to see beyond the mud and coloured clay paste. "The tiny jerk became a demon spirit!"

Zuko facepalmed. "Idiot. I told you last night I'm not a spirit."

"Then why do you look like that? You should be a little kid, yet here you are all big and your face looks weird and demon-y …"

Zuko muttered under his breath about how he hated reasoning with idiots. It fell to Aang to explain the situation once again—about the capture and imprisonment, about how Aang had no hope of getting out until Zuko had come to rescue him. Hence, the creepy disguise.

"I really owe Zuko one," Aang said. "And you guys do too. It's thanks to him I was even able to get the frogs to you."

Sokka pulled a face. "Ugh, don't remind me."

"Yeah," Katara said, scrunching her nose. "I'd have rather skipped on the frozen frog."

"It worked, didn't it?" Zuko pointed out. "You both look much better today."

Her gaze darted to him and skittered away again. It occurred to him that she was having trouble looking in his direction, as if the sight of him in his sixteen-year-old body offended her or something. Weird. She was normally so in his face or, at the very least, a lot more vocal. It seemed unlike her to get all skittish and quiet just because he was back to normal, creepy disguise or not. Whatever sickness she and Sokka had caught must have done a real number on her.

"Alright," Sokka said, "so maybe Demon Face here did save Aang and help us out a little." He raised his chin and his eyes fixed on Zuko. "But how do we know we can trust you? How do we even know you are who you say you are?"

Zuko's expression went flat. "You're kidding, right?"

Sokka folded his arms, which really didn't look all that intimidating considering he was still snuggled against Appa in a sleeping bag and fell into a coughing fit. Once the coughs subsided, he managed to speak again. "Last I checked, Prince Zuko was cursed to the size of a catshrimp." He held his fingers up to a make C-like shape, as if to emphasise Zuko's smallness. "Plus, you're all demon-y looking now, so it's not like we can make out your features."

"Oh, for the love of—" Zuko pointed at the teapot, which was placed next to the pile of his child form's belongings. "There's my uncle. I came here with Aang and Momo. Are you really going to be so thick as to pretend you can't put the pieces together? I know you're not that stupid."

Sokka got a mulish look about his mouth. "Then how do you explain your size? Never mind that Aang would want to believe anything you said. No offence," he added, throwing a glance at Aang, "but you're way too gullible and soft."

Aang looked like he wanted to protest, but Sokka ploughed on.

"Anyway, my point is that Demon Face here hasn't really told us anything. The tiny jerk shouldn't be this big, yet you claim to be him. So, what happened? How'd you break a curse you had no way of breaking before?" His eyes narrowed. "For all we know, you could just be some Fire Nation spy trying to get close to Aang."

"I'm not a—"

"And here's the real clincher. Why would the tiny jerk even come back when he was so quick to run off once his identity got outed?"

Zuko's breath got caught in his throat.

"Well?" Sokka stared at him grimly, daring him to explain.

Aang stepped forward. "Hey, maybe this isn't the best time to—"

"No, he's right," Zuko muttered, running a hand over his face. "I shouldn't have come here." He turned the other way. "I'll just—"

Something hit him in the back. He glanced down to see his own water flask. Sokka had thrown it at him.

"I never said you should leave, idiot!" Sokka's cheeks flushed and he again folded his arms across his chest. "I just want an explanation. Why'd you run off? Why come back now? And how the heck did you get bigger?"

Zuko exhaled slowly. It wasn't in his nature to be open with others, but he supposed they did deserve something. Easy question first.

"A spirit changed me back," he said. "It knew I was planning to get Aang away from Pohuai Stronghold, so it decided to help me."

Some of the tension relaxed from Sokka's shoulders. "So, the curse has been broken for you?"

Zuko shook his head. "I don't know how long this will last. He said it was only temporary."

Aang looked at him curiously. "What spirit was it?"

"Xiwang. Said he was some kind of spirit of wishes, but he's really just an annoying frog who puts curses on people. It was one of his relics that made my uncle and I get cursed in the first place."

Aang rubbed his chin. "Xiwang, huh? Can't say I've heard of him."

Zuko said nothing. Much as he was aware he'd only told them the truth, he was also conscious of the fact he'd omitted all information about the beans.

Katara gave her brother a wry look. "Satisfied now, Sokka? Or do you want to keep interrogating the guy who helped Aang escape from being imprisoned by the Fire Nation?"

"Hey, I'm just being cautious. Something you two could be more often! Remember what happened with Jet?"

Aang rubbed the base of his neck. "C'mon, Sokka. We all know Zuko isn't like Jet. You said yourself that you missed hi—"

"That's beside the point!" Sokka cut in, but his cheeks coloured again. "The fact remains that we still don't know Zuko's intentions." His gaze darted back to Zuko. "You made it pretty obvious you don't care about travelling with us when you upped and left, so why come back? Why now?"

Why didn't you just stay with us?

Zuko heard the unspoken question and realised that this was the crux of the matter. Sokka had been well aware from the start that he was not a spy or a spirit. It hadn't even been about his change in appearance. Sokka was just upset because Zuko had ditched them back at that fishing town. Perhaps Aang and Katara hadn't explained all that had happened in the cave, though Zuko doubted that was the case. The three were close; they would have told Sokka everything.

"I think you know why I didn't stay," Zuko mumbled, not looking at any of them.

"Because you're still planning to capture me," Aang said in an equally subdued voice. "Right?"

Zuko nodded, his jaw tight.

Katara's brow creased. "But you rescued Aang from that Zhao guy. I don't understand you. If you're so set on doing what the Fire Nation wants, then why—"

"Because it has to be me," Zuko said tiredly. Spirits, he felt so tired it was like his bones were going to crumble. "I have to be the one who captures Aang. Not Zhao, not anyone else. That's the only way my banishment can be revoked."

More of the light dimmed in Aang's expression. "Oh. Then that's why you came to help last night."

There was a pause while Zuko avoided looking at them. Let them think him selfish. Let them think him a horrible person. It would only be the truth.

"Well, that's a load of penguin dung."

Everyone turned to Sokka.

Zuko blinked and opened and closed his mouth like a fish, not sure how to formulate words. "What?" he finally managed to say.

Sokka's eyes lit up with a hint of smugness, or maybe it was certainty. "I just put it together then. None of your behaviour was making any sense, but then I realised: you're not that determined to capture Aang at all, are you? If you were, you wouldn't have left us the first time. You would have realised that it's easier to capture him if he trusts you, if he's close to you."

"That's just—"

"But you left even when Katara and Aang told you to stay. You've been hinting this whole time that he can't trust you. It's like you're purposely trying to make him keep his guard up."

Zuko's chest felt oddly tight. It was hard to breathe. "You don't know what—"

"What I'm talking about? I think I do. We all travelled with you, Zuko. We all got to know you, and I know that you didn't rescue Aang last night just because you were worried you'd lose your ticket home."

Zuko closed his eyes. "You're wrong."

"Is he?"

That was Katara. Soft. Probing. He tensed and hunched into himself, almost as if he was trying to escape her words. Escape all their words.

"Maybe it's you who hasn't realised the truth," Sokka said bluntly. "Actions speak louder than words, Zuko, and you wanna know what yours are saying?"

Zuko balled his hands into fists. No, he didn't. He really didn't because then it would be that much harder to do what was needed. What he knew he must. Capture the Avatar. Restore his honour. Please his father.

Betray.

"Shut up," he half-whispered.

Sokka gave him no reprieve. "They're saying that you're not a bad guy. A total jerk for running off on us without letting us have our say first or even saying goodbye, but not a bad guy. Isn't that why you came back? You were worried, weren't you? Why else would you muck around with Aang and help him collect frozen frogs?" His lips quirked into a familiar smile. "Face it, Zuko. You're just bad at being bad."

Something hard and choking clawed at Zuko's throat. It got lodged in there and made him feel like he was swallowing stones. Even if it was true that he had been worried, had been lulled by his weakness into returning with Aang just to make sure the siblings were okay, that didn't change his resolve. Not where it counted. These idiots had no idea. No idea at all.

Aang moved closer to him. "I think Sokka is right. You're not a bad person and, well"—he offered a shy smile—"I hope you'll stay with us this time. I hope we can be friends again, like we were when you travelled with us as Lee."

Zuko bowed his head so that he would not have to look at them. "You can't trust me," he said in a small voice, so small it barely seemed to belong to him. "I can't even trust me."

"I know," Aang said simply. "Or at least I know that's what you think."

Zuko blinked and stared at him with wide eyes. Aang smiled, though his expression seemed edged with a hint of solemnity now. It was an ageless smile, so much wiser than what should have appeared on a twelve-year-old goofball's face, and filled with forgiveness and understanding. It told Zuko that Aang knew exactly how tempted he had been back near the swamp.

"I know you want to go home," Aang said, holding his gaze. "I know that means you also have to capture me and take me back to the Fire Nation. Right?"

Zuko nodded. His throat felt too choked to make sound.

"But don't you see?" Aang's expression softened into the more childish grin Zuko was used to seeing. "That's why I think you're wrong. That's why I think I can trust you, because I know you must really, really want to go home, yet you still haven't done anything to me even with all the opportunities you've had." His eyes crinkled. "You're an honourable guy, Zuko. I know that now, so I'll take my chances if it means I can help you and your uncle."

Zuko's hands trembled. "What's wrong with you? What's wrong with all of you? You should be telling me to get lost. You should be telling me that I'm your enemy and that you'll never trust me."

Katara raised her eyebrow. "Says the guy who rescued the person he wants to capture and who came out of his way to check on his sick enemies." She made a big show of rolling her eyes. "Yeah. Real evil stuff. I'm so intimidated."

His cheeks heated. "I told you that was only because—"

"Because you've got to capture Aang yourself," Sokka cut in. "Yeah, yeah. We heard it all before." He waved his hand as if to swat away Zuko's words. "Fact is, you've been sabotaging your chances this whole time."

Again, Zuko could only blink. Had he been sabotaging himself?

Sokka let out a sigh. "Look, I don't like that you think you have to capture Aang. Let me make it very clear that I will fight you if you try anything. But so far all you've done is help us. So far all you've done is warn us against trusting you too much. Doesn't sound much like the behaviour of an enemy, does it?" He spread his hands. "You could have just lied. You could have just pretended you'd turned over a new leaf. It would have been the easier thing."

Zuko almost laughed. The bitter sound filled him, just as choking as the stones stuck in his throat. "I'm not much of a liar."

"Yeah." Sokka's tone turned wry. "Figured as much. But that's why I think maybe this, maybe giving you a chance, is the right thing to do." He glanced at Aang. "Sounds like Aang is all for it anyway."

"I am!" Aang said with a nod. "I swore I'd help remove the curse. I'm not gonna go back on my promise."

"I'm for it, too," Katara said quickly. She didn't quite meet Zuko's gaze. "You and your uncle can't break this curse on your own. Let us help you. It's the least we can do after all you've done."

Something warm stirred in Zuko's chest. He didn't understand the trio—their insistence on wanting to assist and befriend him was so foreign—but he couldn't deny that it was tempting to go along with them. It would be nice to have support. It would be nice to know that he didn't have to face this challenge on his own. (His uncle, after all, was an inanimate teapot.) The only problem was the guilty knots that refused to be loosened in his stomach. Aang, Katara and Sokka wanted to give him a chance, but Zuko knew exactly how this would end.

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

He fought back the urge to touch his face. He knew there was no scar now, but the memory of fire and pain wasn't so easily erased. It was a never-ending reminder—a curse in itself since it burdened him with a task that he knew, deep in his bones, would bring him no pleasure upon completion. But capturing Aang was still his only path to returning home. One day, he would have to hurt these people. It was just a fact. Zuko didn't much like how that made him feel, not when the three of them were all smiling at him and telling him he wasn't a bad person. Not when they genuinely seemed to want to be his friend.

Not when he'd already laid the foundation for his betrayal by not mentioning the beans.

"So," Sokka prompted. "What'll it be? Will you stay this time and let us help you?"

Zuko ignored the sickening twist in his stomach, the one that whispered he was only going to hurt these people. "I came back, didn't I?" He averted his face. "I still think you're idiots for even wanting to help me, but …"

He bit his lip, not wanting to let his more honest feelings escape. Because even though he'd been the one who'd kept pushing them into driving him off—to have them consign him as their enemy, as he knew he should be—he was also pathetically relieved that they hadn't. He'd missed them. That was also just a fact. No doubt Azula would have laughed if she could see him. She would have told him he was weak.

She would have been right.

That's why you never succeed, Zuzu. You always let your silly emotions get in the way.

Aang stepped closer and placed his hand on Zuko's arm. An easy grin curved his lips. "Welcome back, Zuko. It's good to have you with us again."

Zuko stared at the hand that rested so trustingly on his arm. "Yeah," he mumbled, even as a new knot of guilt formed in his stomach. "Good to be back."

Sokka hauled himself out of his sleeping bag. "Well, now that that's all settled, you should probably go wash up." He pulled a face at the mud and clay disguise. "You look like a freak, you know."

An unbidden laugh escaped Zuko. Just like that the tension was gone. "Right. I'll do that."

The others ended up coming with him to the nearby stream, including Appa and Momo. Katara and Sokka complained they were all sweaty and gross thanks to their fevers, and Aang stunk like a swamp. Plus, it was safer for them to all stick together. Or at least that was what they claimed. Zuko got the impression they didn't want to let him out of their sight in case he decided to vanish on them again. Aang was being especially clingy.

"You're not going to stick to me like this all the time, are you?" Zuko asked as they headed for the water.

Aang blinked. "Huh?"

"I mean that I don't want to wash with you breathing down my neck."

"Oh, right." Aang blushed and took a few awkward steps away from him. "Sorry."

"Idiot," was all Zuko muttered.

He waded into the water and began scrubbing off the mud and clay-paste. No one had bothered to strip right down since Katara was there as well, though Zuko definitely did a double-take when she undressed to the white wrappings she wore under her clothes. Right. Katara wasn't just a bossy girl who'd tried to coddle him when she'd thought him a kid. She was also a rather pretty girl, and right now she wasn't wearing much.

He swallowed and forced himself to focus on getting clean. Best not to stare. Aang did an even worse job of not looking like a slack-jawed idiot.

Sokka flicked water in Aang's face. "That's my sister, you know."

Aang went bright red and stammered something about how he wasn't looking. Not really. Sokka chortled and told him he was only teasing. They were all aware of Aang's crush.

"Just don't let Katara catch you," Sokka advised. "She's kind of crazy."

"You haven't seen crazy until you've met my sister," Zuko muttered.

Both boys perked up at this slip of information and wanted to know more. Zuko cursed himself for his big mouth, especially since Sokka and Aang crowded in on him in their eagerness to get a real explanation. They'd only heard him mention Azula twice before. Even Momo landed on his shoulder. Geez, hadn't these idiots heard of a thing called personal space?

"Just drop it!" he snapped, brushing Momo off and pushing past the boys.

"But—"

"Let him be, Aang," Sokka said, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from following. Perhaps he'd noticed the way Zuko's entire body had tensed.

Zuko gave Sokka a grateful look, but he still didn't linger. There was only so much he could handle of being pestered and having his space invaded. The only downside was that his quest to find a new spot had brought him near Katara. She hesitated before coming closer. His stomach fluttered a little, much to his irritation. Just because she looked kind of nice with her hair down like that was not an excuse for his body to turn traitor. He needed to get a grip. Right now.

Katara stopped in front of him. It was strange to find himself tilting his head down to meet her gaze. He'd got so used to looking up at her.

"Everything okay?" she asked. "Sounded like you guys were having some issues back there."

He sighed and pushed the wet strands of hair away from his eyes. "It's nothing. Aang and Sokka were just being annoying."

She bit her lip and stared up at him as if there was something she wanted to say but wasn't sure if she should say it. That surprised him. Like her brother, Katara didn't often hold back.

"What?" he asked. "What's with that weird look?"

"It's just, um … your scar."

Zuko blinked. "My scar?"

"Yeah." She brushed the left side of his face with her fingertips—wet and a little cold from the stream, but still so soft. "I noticed you didn't have it when you were small either." Her eyes met his and he was struck by how blue her irises looked in the morning sun. "I guess I just thought it would come back if you got bigger again, but it didn't. It's completely gone."

"I know."

She seemed to not realise that she was still touching him, or maybe she didn't care. "It must have really hurt," she murmured. "When you got the injury, I mean."

Zuko went still. She was very close, and he was conscious of how little clothes each of them were wearing, never mind the subject matter. The whole situation felt too intimate.

He pulled away from her and turned so that she was staring at his back. "Of course it hurt. Half my face practically got burnt off. I couldn't see out of my eye for months."

And that was what his father had intended. To make him hurt. To make him remember.

"How did—"

But Zuko didn't let her finish the question. It was the one he had been dreading. The one he always dreaded. So he told her that he didn't want to talk about it and asked if she could give him some space. Katara flushed to the roots of her hair and, for the first time, listened to him. That would have surprised him normally, but in that moment he was relieved. After putting up with Aang and Sokka's nosiness, he hadn't been in the mood for a round two, especially not when the subject was his scar. Plus, he knew how pushy she could get.

Later, when they all gathered back on the shore and prepared to leave, Katara still kept her distance. He wondered if he'd upset her when he'd told her to back off, but her pink-stained cheeks and the awkward glances she threw at him didn't seem to fit with that theory. He didn't understand. Neither did Aang, it seemed.

"Are you okay?" Aang asked her.

Katara's blush darkened. "I'm fine! Why would you think I'm not?"

"Because you're being weird," Sokka said bluntly. "What's up?"

She threw another skittish glance at Zuko.

Sokka noticed where she was looking and snorted. "Oh, I get it," he said with obvious glee. "You're all embarrassed because—"

Katara swatted him with a ribbon of water. "Shut it."

"Ow." Sokka rubbed the injured spot. "That hurts, you know!" He turned to Zuko and Aang and added under his breath: "Told you she was crazy."

Aang pouted. "Well, I don't get it. If there's something troubling you, Katara, then—"

"I told you I'm fine!"

Then she stomped off to go fuss around with her pack, ignoring everyone.

Zuko rubbed the base of his neck. "Is she going to be okay? I get the feeling it might be me who she's upset with."

Sokka let out another snort. "Don't worry about it. Katara will be fine once you put on some clothes."

Zuko's face burned. Oh. Right. He was only wearing a make-shift loincloth. The reality of what that meant hadn't occurred to him until that moment. He'd been so absorbed with rescuing Aang last night, and then there had been so many other things to think about. Now, he just felt naked, especially since all the mud and clay-paste was gone. How mortifying.

"Clothes would be nice," Zuko muttered.

Sokka gave him some of his own pants and a sleeveless tunic to wear since there was nothing else that would fit Zuko. Granted, Sokka was a bit shorter and not as broad in the chest and arms, but they were close enough in size that it wasn't a big deal. At the very least, it would mean Zuko didn't have to walk around in only a loincloth.

Aang chuckled as he watched Zuko finish doing up the tie on the blue tunic. "You look like you're Water Tribe now."

Sokka eyed Zuko up and down. "Nah, he's too pasty."

"Thanks," Zuko said flatly.

The boys laughed and walked with him to where Katara was still kneeling by her pack. She caught Zuko's gaze and blushed a little, though she seemed more relaxed now. It seemed Sokka had been right.

"So," Aang said, linking his hands behind his head, "everyone set? I'll just fit the saddle on Appa and then we can leave."

Zuko rubbed his chin in thought. "Don't suppose any of you have heard of the Waters of Healing?"

The three of them shook their heads.

"Why?" Katara asked.

"Xiwang told me I might be able to break the curse for good using that. I have no idea where it might be though."

"Then we'll look for that while we continue to head north," Sokka said.

Now it was Zuko's turn to frown. "North?"

"Aang and I are hoping to learn waterbending from the Northern Water Tribe," Katara confided. Her lips curved into a smile. "You never know, someone there might know something about this special water that the spirit mentioned as well."

Zuko shrugged. It was worth a shot. He knew he wouldn't get far on his own, especially since they had a flying bison and could cover ground much faster. Better to stick with them. Better to be patient.

Aren't those just excuses? the voice that sounded like Azula whispered in his mind. You're only delaying the inevitable.

He gritted his teeth. Not yet. He couldn't capture Aang—the Avatar—just yet. They'd all only just been reunited. Plus, Zhao and Pohuai Stronghold were too close for Zuko's liking, and Sokka and Katara were still not a hundred percent. It was better to wait. Better to get away from this place and seize his chance once he was sure he could get to his ship without any problems. That would be the logical thing.

The voice that sounded like Azula laughed in his mind. Sure, it said. You keep telling yourself that.

Zuko brushed the nasty voice aside. He didn't want to think about this anymore. It wasn't difficult either since Sokka, Aang and Katara were quick to distract him with their chatter. They made it so easy to be around them. Zuko didn't want to spoil that. Not today.

Chapter 11: In Which Love (And Ash) Is in the Air

Chapter Text

So many people were watching.

The stone was hard against his knees.

He begged.

He cried.

Father's touch was hot with flames.

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

oOo

Zuko woke up with a choked sound. His heart raced and his body—his child's body—felt clammy with sweat. The bean's power had long worn off. His nightmares were getting worse. His father visited him every time he slept, reminding him with fire and merciless eyes that he was a worthless disappointment. Every day that Zuko didn't capture the Avatar was another betrayal to the Fire Nation. It was a confirmation that Zuko had deserved his banishment, that he still needed to learn the necessary qualities to become a prince worthy of his father's respect.

Azula wouldn't have hesitated. She would have succeeded by now.

Zuko thrust the blankets off him. He carefully stepped over the bodies of his sleeping companions and stepped out of the tent. The night air greeted him with welcome coolness, ruffling his hair and easing some of the clamminess from his skin. His unmarred skin. Funny how losing the scar had not given him any comfort. His face was whole, but his heart had never felt more divided. Sometimes, it almost felt like Xiwang was purposely taunting him, like being given a punishment disguised as a gift.

Don't fool yourself, a voice that sounded like his father's whispered every time he saw his reflection. You're just a coward, a fake, just like this unscarred skin.

"You alright?"

Zuko flinched and spun around, instinctively dropping into a bending stance. Flames sparked around his fists.

Sokka held his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "Easy. It's just me."

Zuko relaxed his posture and averted his face, though he still kept the flames going on one hand for light. "I'm fine," he mumbled.

"Didn't sound like it back there."

Zuko tensed. There was a long, uncomfortable pause.

Sokka moved closer and cleared his throat. "Wanna talk about it?"

Zuko shook his head. Sokka seemed a bit glad that he wouldn't have to do the whole heart-to-heart thing. Neither of them were touchy-feely people. It was awkward just to think about discussing emotional subjects with each other. Still, the concern in Sokka's eyes was obvious. For some reason, that made Zuko feel worse.

"I'm fine, Sokka," Zuko said a bit more firmly. "Just go to sleep."

Sokka gave him a shrewd look. "You're not going to run off again, are you?"

A bitter laugh. "Where would I go? I'm back to being a kid. No one would recognise me."

"I dunno. Even when you got bigger again, you didn't have the scar. Most people wouldn't expect that." Sokka coughed. "It was, uh, kind of noticeable."

"No kidding."

Zuko's flat tone suggested that Sokka was being tactless and should shut up. Sokka didn't take the hint.

"What was with that anyway? It's been bugging me for a while. I mean, I just assumed the curse returned your body to how it was when you were a kid and maybe that was before you got injured, so it made sense you wouldn't have the scar when you're small like this. But then why—"

"I don't know. I don't know why my scar didn't come back, okay? It just didn't."

Sokka must have realised he'd hit a nerve. He closed his mouth and held his hands up in that same appeasing gesture. "Okay, okay. I won't mention the scar."

Zuko sighed loudly and shook his head. "I'm going back to sleep."

"Hey."

Zuko paused. "What?"

Sokka made awkward noises and seemed to have difficulty formulating words.

Zuko repressed another sigh and faced the other boy. "What? Just spit it out."

"Aw, hell." Sokka rubbed the base of his neck. His cheeks looked a bit pink. "I just … it just seems like you're really struggling with something." He made a back-pedalling motion with his hands. "I get you don't want to talk about it, and that's fine. It's just, well, I just wanted to say that we're all here for you." He inhaled a breath and his tone got more confident. "So don't do anything stupid."

Zuko scrunched his nose. "Was that supposed to be a pep talk?"

"Shut up." Sokka pushed him lightly.

Zuko's mouth twitched, but he couldn't deny that there was a part of him that felt pathetically warm after listening to Sokka's speech. Unfortunately, it was because of these same kinds of moments that he felt so conflicted and unhappy. Everything would have been so much easier if Sokka, Katara and Aang weren't so frustratingly likeable.

"I mean it, you know," Sokka said in a softer voice. He placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder and their eyes met. "Don't do anything stupid."

Don't make us fight you. Don't make us regret letting you stay.

Zuko let out a breath. He almost wished he hadn't heard those unspoken words. "Let's just get some sleep," he suggested.

Sokka nodded, content to leave the matter there, and followed him back inside the tent. Aang and Katara looked like they were still fast asleep with Momo curled up between them. Zuko closed his eyes in a silent sigh and made his way to his own spot on Katara's other side. He tugged the blanket up over him and lay staring into the darkness.

And lay there.

And kept on staring.

Stay awake, he ordered himself when his eyelids started to droop.

It was the only way to stop from dreaming, to stop from reliving a nightmare of fire and pain over and over. But his body was so tired. He couldn't keep his eyes open. Eventually, he drifted off out of sheer exhaustion. Then he was back in the stone arena and crumbling to his knees at the sight of his father.

"Coward. Rise and fight!"

Zuko never did. He couldn't. So he pleaded and he cried. He felt his face get torn apart by flames that had been shaped to his father's hand, got choked by the smell of his own burning flesh. Except the flames kept on spreading. They caught his clothes, the rest of his body, turning everything black and raw and making him scream and scream and scream.

"Father, please!" Zuko begged. "Please! I'm your loyal son!"

His voice broke on the last word. Ozai loomed over him, tall and powerful and with the five-pronged headpiece he wore in his hair glinting in the firelight.

"Then prove it," his father hissed. "Prove you have learnt your lesson. Prove you will do what is necessary to serve your Fire Lord."

But Zuko couldn't. He had nothing to show his father except an endless string of failure, weakness and hesitation. The flames swallowed him whole.

oOo

"You're not eating."

Zuko blinked at the sound of Katara's voice. He realised he'd just been staring at the bowl of congee resting on his lap. Spirits, it was so hard to focus on anything. He would have happily passed out right then and there had he not known he'd only have to suffer through more nightmares. That was the last thing he wanted. So he rubbed his eyes to try wake himself up more and muttered that he wasn't hungry.

Katara pursed her lips. "You can't just not eat."

"I told you I'm not—"

She leaned forward and grabbed him by his face, holding him still so he had to meet her gaze. "If you don't eat something now, I'm going to start force-feeding you myself. Is that what you want?"

He tried to push her hands away and, when that didn't work, twist out of her hold. She stubbornly held on and raised her eyebrow.

"Well?" she prompted. "What's it going to be, Zuko?"

He scowled dreadfully at her. Being back to kid size seemed to have given her a sense of entitlement, like she could be all bossy with him again. It was frustrating, and not just because he was so much smaller and weaker than her. She should know better than to treat him this way. He was sixteen for spirits' sake.

"What's with you?" he snapped. "Just lay off!"

"You barely ate anything yesterday or even the day before that. Don't think I didn't notice."

"That's not—"

Katara was suddenly very close. Their noses were almost touching. "Eat," she said in a tone that did not allow room for any argument. "Now."

Zuko sucked in a breath and his cheeks heated at her unexpected proximity. This girl really was a demon. From out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Sokka coming back from the trees. "Sokka," he called, "get your sister away from me. She's gone crazy."

Katara snorted and released him. "I'm just trying to keep you healthy so you don't pass out from malnourishment. Do you even realise how much weight you've lost since we first ran into you?"

He frowned and glanced at his arms. They were thin and bony, but then he had always been on the scrawny side as a child. Azula had used to mock him about it.

"What's this about my sister?"

Sokka had joined them, yawning and stretching his arms above his head.

"Don't listen to this idiot," Katara said, rolling her eyes. "Zuko is just being difficult."

Sokka shrugged, sat down, and started picking at his teeth with his fingernail. After a moment, he noticed that Zuko still hadn't made a move to touch his food. "You gonna eat that? 'Cause I'll—"

"Don't you dare take his share!" Katara snapped. "Zuko is not allowed to leave that spot until he eats something."

A wave of heat spread across Zuko's cheeks, reaching all the way to the tips of his ears. "Are you kidding me? Who do you think you are, you—"

A spoon of congee got shoved into his mouth. Zuko's eyes widened in outrage. Katara had just fed him. By hand. The spoon was removed and he was forced to swallow unless he wanted to spit the rice porridge everywhere. Her lips curved into a far too smug smile.

"Act like a child and I'll treat you like one," she told him.

Zuko's scowl became even more pronounced. "I hate you," he said darkly.

Katara was unmoved and handed him the spoon. "Just eat." Her voice softened and even her eyes took on a hint of concern. "You should really try to take better care of yourself, you know. What will you do if you get sick?"

Some of the fight died out of Zuko. That was the kind of thing his uncle would have said if the old man wasn't still stuck as an inanimate teapot, except Uncle's phrasing would have been infinitely more convoluted and featured some kind of metaphor or animal analogy. Ugh. It was giving Zuko a headache just thinking about it. He much preferred Katara's directness.

"Yeah, alright," he muttered. Then he glowered at her again. "But don't push your luck, waterbender." He pointed the spoon at her as if it were a knife. "Try to feed me like that again and I'll make you regret it."

Her lips twitched. "Alright, tough guy."

Zuko gave her one last scowl and then slowly, very grudgingly, forced himself to eat. It was like chewing on paper and did not give him any pleasure. Katara watched him with a tiny smile. Thankfully, all the smugness had gone from her expression, so it wasn't half as annoying to see her look at him like that. He might have even thought her pretty if he wasn't still grumpy with her.

Sokka raised his eyebrow at the both of them. "Please tell me that was not some weird flirting ritual I just witnessed."

Katara and Zuko both flushed and spluttered about how Sokka had it all wrong. All wrong.

"I was just worried and he was being stubborn," Katara insisted. "Besides, look at him. Why would I even want to flirt with that? He's a little kid!"

Zuko stood up. "For the last time, I'm not a kid! Even if I'm cursed to look like this, I'm sixteen. Sixteen! That's older than you!"

Katara was on her feet in an instant. And towering over him. "Alright, Mr I'm Sixteen, so what—"

Sokka laughed. "Oookay." He held his hands up as if to say he was pulling out of the conversation. "Seems like there's some tension here, so I'm just gonna—"

"Shut up!" Zuko and Katara snapped, rounding on him with identical scowls.

There was a rustling from the trees and then Aang came bounding towards them with Momo on his shoulder. "What's up?" he asked, blinking innocently. "Why do Zuko and Katara look so mad?"

Zuko groaned and pressed his palm to his forehead. "Why is this my life?"

Sokka snickered. "Must be tough when you're tiny, huh?"

Zuko responded by punching the other boy in the arm. Sokka's small "ow" was the most satisfying thing he'd heard all morning.

oOo

"Okay, why haven't we left yet?" Zuko demanded. "The rain hasn't started. There's no reason for us to stay in this forest."

It was like the trio wanted to move at the speed of snailsloths. They'd been wasting time all morning, content to splash around in the lake near the campsite or laze outside the tent and chat. The explanation they gave for why this was a perfectly reasonable thing to do wasn't doing much to win him over either. Aang kept needing to pee because he'd been drinking too much water, Katara wanted to spend more time by the lake so she could practice her waterbending, and all Sokka cared about was the fish he might find in the lake. In short, they were all useless and incapable of travelling with any sense of urgency. None of them would have survived on his ship.

"Oh, come on, Zuko," Aang said in an annoying, wheedling tone. "There's no harm if we relax for a bit today. Besides, Appa is tired."

The bison missed his cue and needed an extra prod from Aang before he managed a half-hearted rumble. Appa was not tired. They were all being lazy, and Zuko told them as much as well.

"Says the guy who looks like he's going to keel over any moment," Sokka retorted. "Just chill. You look like you need it."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. Of course he was well aware that he was exhausted, but the last thing he wanted to do was sleep. Not that he was going to say as much to these idiots. They'd get all nosy and in his face again.

Katara leaned back on her palms and her lips curved into a teasing smile. "It's three against one, Zuko. Suck it up. You're just going to have to learn to relax."

He narrowed his eyes at her suspiciously, wondering if she had somehow set this up because she thought he was the one who needed a break. It would be just like her to do something so interfering and irritating.

A loud noise came from the trees. Everyone froze.

"That didn't sound good," Sokka observed.

Momo fluttered off to investigate with Aang close on his heels. Zuko and the siblings exchanged a glance before they also followed. What they found was a man being attacked by a platypus bear. The man was also clearly insane since he smiled and greeted them like there was nothing out of the ordinary happening. He didn't even try to escape. It was left to Aang and Appa to drive the bear off before he could lose a limb.

"Who's this nut job?" Zuko muttered in an aside to Sokka.

Then he realised Sokka was hugging the stinky egg that the platypus bear laid when it had got a fright after hearing Appa roar. Zuko scrunched his nose in distaste.

"Never mind," he said, shaking his head and taking a step away from the boy.

The others questioned the man about why he hadn't tried to protect himself from the bear. The man revealed that he'd had nothing to fear because the local fortune teller had predicted he would have a safe journey.

"Oh," he added, "and Aunt Wu said if I met any travellers to give them this."

He handed Aang a long, thin object wrapped in cloth and then walked away. Katara was all very excited and suggested they should go see this Aunt Wu person. She thought learning their fortunes would be fun. Sokka was not so impressed, not even when Aang discovered the object was an umbrella and opened it just in time to shield himself as the sky darkened and rain began to pour.

"That proves it," Katara said, using her bending to ward off the raindrops as she dashed to join Aang under the umbrella.

"No it doesn't," Sokka retorted, trying and failing to use the egg as a form of protection against the increasingly heavy rain. "You can't really tell the future."

Katara smirked at him. "I guess you're not really getting wet then."

He scowled and ended up with egg all over his head after losing his grip on it. Zuko took one look at the boy before moving to seek shelter with the others under the umbrella. Sokka's reaction to this simple act was one of utter shock and betrayal.

"Not you too, Zuko!" Sokka cried, clutching at the air in a far too dramatic manner. "Don't tell me you believe in this fortune telling mumbo jumbo! You're supposed to be my buddy in reason, my—"

"You have egg in your hair and you look like an idiot," Zuko said bluntly. "I'll take the umbrella."

Katara and Aang burst into laughter. Sokka called him a serpent-fox he'd nursed in his bosom, among a whole lot of other nonsense. Zuko ignored him and set about steaming his clothes dry. He hated being stuck in wet clothes when there was no need. That was also how he ended up with Momo snuggled inside the front of his shirt. The lemur had been intrigued by the heat radiating from him and didn't seem much to care for getting wet either. Only Sokka and Appa were left with no cover: Appa, because the bison was just too big, and Sokka because he was a stubborn idiot.

"Just admit you might be wrong and you can come under the umbrella," Katara said while they walked to the village and Sokka got wetter.

Sokka refused. He also ended up looking even more like a fool when he tried to make a prediction that it would keep raining—just to prove his point that fortune telling was nothing special—only to have the rain stop instantly and the sun come out. Appa clinched the matter by shaking off all the droplets that had gathered on his fur and soaked the boy even more.

"And that's why I picked the umbrella," Zuko muttered.

Sokka glowered at him. "I heard that, traitor."

Zuko's mouth twitched a little, but he kept walking. Momo left the burrow he'd made for himself in Zuko's shirt to go annoy Appa, content to enjoy the sunshine again and explore. Eventually, they reached the main gate to Makapu Village. A snow-capped mountain overlooked the settlement, though the peak was obscured by clouds. Zuko almost found the sight comforting. It reminded him a little of home. When they arrived in the main square, a man in black greeted them from outside a house with a circular door.

"Aunt Wu is expecting you," he said.

Zuko was instantly on his guard. "Really?"

Katara blinked at Zuko; she'd said the same thing, only much more excitedly than his suspicious tone. Zuko frowned and followed the others inside the house. There was no point in trying to warn them to be cautious. Katara was too enthralled by the thought of meeting a fortune teller, Aang was too easy going, and Sokka had a vendetta to prove the whole art of reading fortunes was nonsense.

They were greeted by Aunt Wu's assistant, a girl named Meng, who seemed quite taken with Aang and was especially fascinated by his big ears. Zuko thought this a bit odd, but the girl seemed harmless enough. So was the young woman who appeared soon after and babbled about true loves and panda lilies. Zuko started to relax. Nothing in the fortune teller's house suggested they were in danger—unless the bean curd puffs were poisoned, in which case Sokka was screwed. Still, Zuko doubted they had any reason to worry. It just seemed like a normal fortune teller's set up.

He leaned his elbow on his knee and propped his chin on his palm. Aunt Wu appeared soon after in yellow-coloured robes and looking suitably mysterious.

"Welcome, young travellers," she greeted. "Now, who's next? Don't be shy."

Katara was almost bouncing off the cushion in her eagerness. Aang and Sokka both looked uninterested. Aunt Wu's eyes lingered on Zuko for a moment. He straightened, conscious of the intensity of her gaze. Had she sensed something about him?

"How about you?" Aunt Wu suggested.

Katara actually pouted and her shoulders sagged. "Oh. Um, sure. See him first."

Zuko shook his head. "I didn't plan to have my fortune read, so—"

"Ah, but I insist." Aunt Wu beckoned him with her finger. "Come. You may find it enlightening."

He swallowed and got to his feet. It was true that he'd never put much stock in fortune telling before, but then he'd also experienced some pretty crazy things of late. After getting cursed and seeing his uncle turned into a teapot, not to mention meeting Xiwang and discovering magic spirit beans, anything seemed possible.

Aunt Wu guided him into the chamber where she made her predictions. It was a surprisingly simple room. Four red pillars rose to the ceiling to create a square that bordered the slight depression in the floor. Cushions had been laid around the inner part. A fire burned in the centre, and next to it was an urn that looked like it contained bones. He could see the ivory-coloured points sticking out from the top. Aunt Wu ignored the urn and sat on one of the cushions. She gestured for him to sit on the cushion next to hers. Zuko frowned but did as instructed.

"Let me see your palm," she said, holding out her hand.

He let her take his hand and run her fingers over the lines that traced his skin. Zuko couldn't say that it was a comfortable experience. She made lots of humming noises in her throat and seemed to deliberate for a long, long time.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Her eyes flickered up to meet his. "As I thought," she said softly. "You are no ordinary child."

Zuko tensed.

"You've been spirit-touched. I can sense it all over you." She shook her head. "But there is a great darkness as well. It clings to you like a sickness and burdens you with much suffering."

Zuko wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. He wished he could have been like Sokka and just thought the lady was speaking nonsense mumbo jumbo to him, but the shiver down his spine prickled with a recognition of truth. Aunt Wu tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him closer.

"You must let go of that darkness," she warned. "You will be tying the noose around your own neck if you don't."

Zuko's heart pounded in his chest. "What do you mean?"

"Darkness comes in all shapes and forms: that which we cannot control, that which we fear, and that which we create ourselves." She held his gaze. "You cannot escape it, but that doesn't mean you have to embrace it."

She was speaking in riddles. It was like being with his uncle again. He didn't understand, but a part of him also didn't want to understand.

"Okay," he said in an attempt at levity. "So, darkness is bad. Got it."

Aunt Wu stared at him with solemn eyes. "I'm afraid this is no joking matter." She traced his life line: broken, barely visible, and with many shorter lines split through it. "Fortune has not been kind to you. Even now, your life is hanging by the barest thread. Be careful in whom you place your trust. Be careful you do not lose your way. Not all decisions can be undone."

His mouth felt too dry. She really favoured the doom and gloom angle.

"Um, thanks. I'll keep that in mind." He tried to pull his hand away. "So, if I could just—"

Aunt Wu retained her grip. "I have one more piece of advice for you."

"Is it going to be as depressing as everything else you've said? Because I think I'll pass."

Her eyes warmed into a smile. "Believe in yourself."

"Huh?"

She clasped his hand between both of hers. "No matter what, you should never forget who you are. That will be your light."

Zuko's breath caught in his throat. The words she had spoken were almost identical to what his mother had told him before vanishing from his life.

"No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are."

"Okay," he said slowly. "I'll remember. So, are we finished?"

Aunt Wu released his hand. "Unless there is something else you wish to ask me?"

The knowing glint in her eyes suggested she knew his mind was buzzing with questions: about where he could find the Waters of Healing, about how he was supposed to complete his mission and regain his honour without hurting Aang, Sokka and Katara in the process. There were so many things he wanted to know, but the words remained locked in his throat.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Nothing."

"Then may good fortune be with you." She dipped her head in a bow. "Perhaps the next time we meet, you'll be feeling more like yourself, hrm?"

His gaze darted to her in alarm. Aunt Wu smiled enigmatically and then stood, gesturing for him to follow her out of the room. The reading was over.

Zuko resumed his spot on the cushions next to Aang and Sokka. His stomach was still twisting into knots when Katara practically skipped away with Aunt Wu to have her fortune read. The boys were left alone to wait.

"Well?" Sokka said. "How'd it go? I bet she was all"—he wriggled his fingers and put on an exaggeratedly mysterious voice—"you should be careful of black cat-bats. Your lucky number is eight."

Zuko didn't respond.

"Hey." Sokka poked him with his foot. "What's up?"

"I think she might be the real thing."

Sokka choked on the bean curd puff he'd just put into his mouth. "What? Puh-lease. That woman is a big fake."

"She recognised I'm not a normal kid. She called it being 'spirit-touched'. How do you explain that unless she realised I have a spirit's curse on me?"

"She probably says that to everyone." Sokka rolled his eyes. "You know, it's the whole 'a special destiny awaits you' thing; the spirits are watching over you. Blah, blah, blah." He waved the words off with his hand. "It doesn't mean anything."

"You weren't there." Zuko's fingers dug into his palms. "The things she said … it sounded like she knew what she was talking about."

Aang tilted his head in curiosity. "How so?"

Zuko shook his head. "It's hard to explain, but I don't think you should take her lightly. That woman knows things."

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Sokka stuffed another bean curd puff into his mouth. "Thash woman'sha phony." He swallowed. "It's all lucky guess work and playing on her audience. I can't believe you were gullible enough to fall for it."

Zuko hugged his knees to his chest. He hoped Sokka was right, because the things Aunt Wu had told him had not been pleasant.

"Even now, your life is hanging by the barest thread. Be careful in whom you place your trust. Be careful you do not lose your way. Not all decisions can be undone."

"What do you reckon she's telling Katara?" Aang asked.

"Boring stuff, I'm sure," Sokka said in a disinterested voice. "Love. Who she's going to marry. How many babies she's gonna have."

Aang was biting his fingernails by the time Sokka had finished speaking. "Yeah. Dumb stuff like that." He shot to his feet. "Well, I've gotta find a bathroom!"

Zuko watched the boy go running down the hallway. "That was weird."

"Aang is a weird kid." Sokka made a happy sound as he chewed on yet another bean curd puff; the tray was almost picked clean. "Mm, these are good."

Zuko sighed and rested his chin on his knees. Eventually, everyone got their fortune read—Sokka's not even requiring a palm reading of any kind—and they were able to leave the house. Both Aang and Katara had stupid smiles on their faces, clearly pleased with whatever they had been told. Sokka was only more driven to prove that Aunt Wu was a fake. It was obvious that none of them planned to leave Makapu any time soon.

"Just great," Zuko muttered.

He resigned himself to staying in the village and followed the others to where a crowd had gathered near a stage in the main square. Apparently, Aunt Wu was about to do a cloud reading. They watched as the woman interpreted the clouds and talked about harvests and other such matters. The big finale was when she said the village would not be destroyed by Mount Makapu that year. Everyone cheered and called for celebrations. Zuko, however, was distracted by a voice to his right.

"Since I got you here," Aang said, looking down and rubbing the base of his neck. "Uh, there's something I want to tell you. I like you, but more than normal."

Zuko blinked. "Excuse me?"

Aang started and looked around him. Katara was running off towards the stage where Aunt Wu stood talking to the villagers. Aang's shoulders sagged. Realisation kicked in for Zuko. Aang had not just confessed to him. (Thank goodness, because that would have got awkward.) Of course it was to Katara. Seemed like the girl hadn't heard the kid either.

"That's rough," was all Zuko could think to say.

Aang sighed heavily. "I don't know what to do. I like her, but I don't think she's realised it. Don't s'pose you have any advice?"

"About girls?" Zuko scrunched his nose. "I've been living on a ship with only men for almost three years. I can tell you a lot of things about girls and how to please them, but I don't think any of that will help you with Katara. She's not like those women."

"Like what women?"

Zuko's brow creased. "If you can't figure it out on your own, you're too young to know."

"Oh." Aang's cheeks suddenly coloured. "Oh."

"Yeah."

There was an awkward pause.

"Um, yeah," Aang said, tugging at his collar. "I don't think that kind of thing will help me with Katara. We're way too young for that stuff." His ears went pink. "Not that I haven't thought about it. I mean, I've sometimes wondered what it would be like, but, um … say, have you ever—"

"Let's not have this conversation," Zuko suggested.

Aang's blush darkened. "Right."

Zuko resisted the urge to facepalm. Seriously, why was this his life? He was supposed to be capturing this kid, not having awkward conversations with him about prostitutes and sex.

"So, you really don't have any tips?" Aang asked, once he managed to get his embarrassment under control. "About how I can get Katara to see my feelings, I mean."

Zuko didn't. He'd never spared much thought for the opposite sex. Back at the palace, he'd been more interested in learning sword fighting or how to improve his bending. Then he'd got banished and his entire being had been focussed on finding the Avatar. Sure, sometimes he'd recognised a girl as being attractive, but that was about it. He'd never bothered to talk to any of the girls. He'd certainly never cared to pursue anything with them. Everything he knew about females was thanks to his uncle and crew, and he could have done without overhearing those conversations.

"Look," Zuko said frankly. "You really want my opinion? I don't think this is the time to be worrying about romance. You're the Avatar. You're supposed to be mastering the elements—and I can't believe I'm saying this to you right now," he added with a groan, struck yet again by the irony of the situation. He shouldn't be encouraging the boy to get more powerful.

Aang looked disheartened. "I guess. But, still, Aunt Wu told me that if I trust in my heart, I'll be with the one I love. Right now, my heart's telling me I need to let Katara know how I feel."

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "You sure that's not just your hormones?"

"Huh?"

Zuko sighed and shook his head. "Never mind."

He guessed Aang still had yet to hit that phase of puberty.

Aang's shoulders sagged even more. "Well, I guess I'll just have to try something else. Maybe Sokka will have some ideas."

"Don't know why you're getting so worked up about it. It's just Katara."

Aang got a dreamy look on his face. "You don't understand. She's my forever girl."

"Forever girl?" Zuko repressed a snort. "You sure you want to spend forever with that? You know how bossy and annoying she gets, right?"

"Katara isn't bossy or annoying! She's sweet and lovely and caring and—"

Zuko actually did snort that time. "Are we even talking about the same girl?"

Aang's expression remained serene. "I don't care what you say. I think she's perfect."

Both of Zuko's eyebrows disappeared into his hair. The boy was clearly besotted. Katara was nice enough—even he could admit that—but she was far from perfect. He pitied Aang for not being able to see past whatever strange vision the boy had conjured of her. He pitied Katara as well. Eventually, that ideal bubble was going to pop, and it probably wasn't going to be very pleasant for either of them.

Zuko left Aang to his besotted brooding and went in search of Appa. He knew he'd be able to find some peace and quiet if he stuck with the bison. He was just passing some market stalls when he heard a "psst" and a hand latched onto his arm and yanked hard. Zuko yelped and got tugged behind one of the stalls. The hand released him and he looked up to see Meng inches from his face, pigtails sticking up out of her head like horns.

"You," Zuko said flatly. "What do you want?"

She was lucky that he hadn't been shocked into bending at her. His instinct was normally to do that when he got taken off guard.

Meng fidgeted with one of her pigtails. "You were just with Aang, right?"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Did he … did he say anything about me?"

A groan escaped Zuko's lips. Oh, hell no. He was so not getting caught in the middle of this.

"Look, talk to him yourself if you have a crush on him. I'm not an interpreter for his feelings."

Meng's cheeks bloomed with colour and she smacked her hand over his mouth. "Not so loud! What if he hears?"

Zuko pulled her hand away. "Do you mind?"

Just who did this girl think she was? They didn't know each other and here she was busy manhandling him like it was nothing. Ugh, this was why he hated being the size of a child. He missed being able to intimidate people with just a glare.

Meng lowered her gaze and drew circles in the dirt with the toe of her shoe. "Sorry. I know you probably think I'm weird. I just want to know if he's at least shown a little interest before I say anything. You're his friend. You must know something of what he feels, right?"

Pity stirred in Zuko's chest. "You might be wasting your time," he said, though not at all unkindly. "Aang likes Katara."

"The girl in blue?"

He nodded.

Meng sighed. "I guess he would. She's really pretty."

Zuko scrunched his nose. "She's alright, I guess."

For all the times Katara had taken him off guard with her cute moments, he still didn't understand why people like Jet or Aang were so crazy about her. Sure, her eyes were big and blue, and he guessed her lips did look soft and kissable and—

Zuko frowned. "This conversation is over."

"Wait."

Meng grabbed his wrist. "Can you tell me if Katara likes him back?"

His brow creased. He hadn't intended to satisfy the little brat, but his mind, quite unbidden, still ended up trying to picture Katara returning Aang's feelings. The image wouldn't click into place. As Zuko considered all of the interactions he had witnessed between the two, all he could say was that Aang's crush seemed rather one-sided. Katara either had no romantic feelings for him or she was just very oblivious.

"I don't know," he said truthfully.

Meng brightened and flashed a toothy grin. "Then there's still hope! I just need to work hard to get him interested."

Zuko wished her luck with that and made his escape. He passed Sokka, who was still trying to convince the villagers they were crazy for believing in Aunt Wu's predictions, and continued on his way to the village outskirts where he found Appa sprawled in the sun. Zuko was content to tuck himself against the bison's side and hide there for a while, but Appa had other ideas and rolled over to bare his furry stomach. The plea for belly scratches was obvious.

"You're a demanding one, aren't you?" Zuko observed in amusem*nt.

Still, he climbed on top of Appa and indulged the bison in all the attention he wanted. Appa rumbled in contentment. It was oddly relaxing. The sun felt nice as well—a soothing caress against Zuko's skin to fill him with energy. The downside was that it also started to make him feel a bit too warm and sleepy after a while. He slapped his cheeks to fight off the tiredness. He didn't want to dream. Appa made a huffing sound, as if to ask why Zuko had stopped petting him.

"Sorry," Zuko mumbled, and absently continued running his fingers through the bison's soft, fluffy fur.

Appa went back to making those contented, rumbly noises. Zuko smiled, though the expression didn't last for long.

"If only pleasing Father were as easy as making you happy."

The words slipped out before he'd even realised what he was saying. Once they'd been uttered aloud, however, there was no taking them back. They were a piece of the small, wounded part of him that he tried to keep silent and buried deep inside. The part that was weak. The part that surfaced now, dragged up after days of nightmares and being hounded with guilt and unease and so many other conflicted feelings.

Zuko bit his lip, fighting back the lump that formed in his throat. "I know I shouldn't question him," he whispered, as if fearing someone other than the bison might overhear his most treacherous feelings being put into words. "He's my father and he's the Fire Lord. He knows best. I know that. It's just … I just …"

Sometimes, he wondered why his father had chosen such a harsh punishment. He'd only been thirteen. He'd only tried to spare a regiment of new recruits from being slaughtered for a victory that would have brought the Fire nation no honour.

Was that really so wrong?

Or maybe it was because he hadn't fought when commanded. Maybe it was because he'd begged for forgiveness instead of attacking during the Agni Kai. Father had wanted him to fight, to rise up and prove that he wasn't a coward, but love had kept Zuko prostrate. There was no way he could have raised his fist or even the smallest puff of flame. Not to the man whose approval he wanted above all others.

Was that why Father had looked at him with such contempt before burning his face? Because all he had seen was weakness instead of loyalty?

It was unfair, the tiny voice whispered. Father knew you would have stood no chance even if you had fought. He was always planning to punish you.

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face into the bison's fur. It didn't matter now either way. There was no point in getting upset or even thinking such treacherous thoughts. Father was difficult to please, yes, but that was only because Zuko was such a failure. He'd still be in the palace if he'd just kept his mouth shut. It was his heart that had got him into trouble. Still did. If he could just be more like Azula, if he could just stop being so emotional and needy, so stupid and soft as to get attached to people who were supposed to be his enemies, then maybe this wouldn't be so hard. Maybe he wouldn't feel so awful and like he was stabbing himself in the chest every time he touched the two beans in his pocket.

Maybe he would be able to become the son his father wanted.

"No matter what, you should never forget who you are. That will be your light."

Zuko gritted his teeth. The fortune teller's words—fused as they were now with his mother's—were just a taunt in his mind that made him feel hollow and crushed. He knew exactly who he was: he was the son of Ursa and Ozai, and that meant he should be the rightful heir to the throne. Except he wasn't. He was just a banished failure. He couldn't even step foot on Fire Nation soil unless he wanted to be imprisoned, and that wasn't going to change unless he captured the Avatar. There was no other way. He had to stop hesitating.

"I just wanted to say that we're all here for you … so don't do anything stupid."

Zuko's eyes burned and stung, but he didn't let the tears fall. He knew they only prickled free from exhaustion anyway. What he really needed was sleep. His bones ached with weariness, and even his mind was starting to feel slow and heavy—just a mushy weight stuffed in his head. He'd been fighting the urge to pass out all day. Now, it was too hard to resist the siren's call of rest. His body longed for it like a starved plant reaching for the sun. All too soon his eyelids drooped and he was drifting off to the land of dreams, except this time it was not fire or a stone arena that greeted him. This time, he saw only darkness. It was endless and choking, going on and on and on, no matter how far he ran.

No one ever answered his calls. Zuko was alone.

He woke up with a start and realised Appa was standing on alert next to him. The reason for this was soon explained by a loud explosion. Mount Makapu was erupting. Ash and smoke spewed into the air like a poisonous snake. A deep boom rocked through the earth and reverberated through Zuko's body. He scrambled to his feet.

"No way," he muttered in horror. "Aunt Wu was wrong?"

Then Katara and Aang were running towards him, words tripping from their tongues. Zuko barely understood what they were saying. Something about clouds and bending. Either way, they had come to get Appa. Zuko left them to it and joined Sokka in the main square where the boy was trying to persuade the villagers to do something—anything—to protect themselves from the eruption. No one cared to listen, not until a shape started to form in the clouds.

"Clever," Zuko said under his breath, realising what Katara and Aang had done.

Sokka got the fortune teller to interpret the new skull-shaped cloud as the sign for volcanic doom. After that, the villagers were finally spurred into action. Most followed Sokka and Aang to dig a trench either with shovels or the help of earthbending to redirect the flow of lava away from the village; others got an evacuation plan into place.

"Everyone needs to leave now!" Aang cried as lava spilled down the mountain and fresh ash was spewed into the air. "We'll come for you when it's safe!"

Zuko stayed with the trio, his eyes narrowed as he watched the lava's progress. They realised too late that the trench was not deep enough. The lava was overflowing and the village would be destroyed unless something could be done.

Growling in frustration, Zuko darted forward and seized hold of any heat he could sense in the burning, molten mass. He was a firebender. It was his gift to control the flames that warmed the world. So he glared at the lava as if to tell it that it was part of his element, that he was not going to let it go wild. Then he exerted all of his willpower upon it and willed it to cool. Instinctively, his body sucked the heat up into himself. It was hot. Hotter than he could handle. He was going to be cooked alive faster than he could count to five unless he could get rid of it. Instinct kicked in again and made him channel the heat through his chi paths, letting it all flow and escape into the air through his fingertips in a harmless hiss of steam. He exhaled and saw that a part of the lava in the trench had hardened to rock.

"Woah!" Aang exclaimed. "How'd you do that?"

Zuko didn't waste time explaining and continued to do what he could to stop the lava. Another explosion rocked the earth. Burning boulders and projectiles were thrown out of the volcano as if a toddler was throwing a tantrum inside. The ash got thicker and fell like black snow. Soon, it would be too dangerous for any of them to linger.

"We have to get out of here!" Sokka shouted.

Out of the corner of Zuko's eye, he saw Sokka and Katara run for cover. They urged Zuko and Aang to hurry, but neither boy moved. Zuko wasn't sure what drove Aang to stay, but he knew what made him stand his ground: he hated to give up. It was one of the things that had never changed about him, not even after all these years of banishment. He would not give up. Not when he could still fight. This village was home to so many people. It would be burned to the ground unless the lava could be stopped. Zuko was a firebender and still capable of making a difference, so he did. It was as simple as that.

"Watch out!" Zuko yelled.

Aang nodded grimly, also having seen the massive boulder heading straight for the trench. It hit in an explosion of rock and heat. Zuko worked fast to control what he could, and then Aang was there to blow the spraying swell of lava up with a blast of air, helping to keep it away from the village. Together, the two boys cooled the molten mass right down into a solid wall of rock. Now no lava could get through. The mountain continued to erupt from afar, but the danger to the village was gone.

Zuko collapsed to his knees and clutched at his chest. His body felt far too overheated. It was hard to breathe.

"H-hey, you're steaming!"

Aang was at his side in a moment, hovering anxiously and asking if there was anything he could do. Suddenly, a big pile of icy water splashed over top of Zuko. The coolness of it was a relief. He glanced up to see Katara holding her empty water flask and smiling at him.

"Idiot," she said in a voice that could only be described as affectionate. "Try not to overdo it."

Zuko pushed the sopping wet strands of hair from his face. "I'll keep that in mind."

Her smile widened and for a moment—just a tiny moment—he felt his own mouth twitch in response. Then Sokka was there and fussing over him, saying that he should have just let Aang do his Avatar thing. Anyone other than the master of all elements had to be crazy to actually try taking on a volcano.

"But, man," Sokka said, grinning at them both, "that was some powerful bending. I've never seen anything like it! The way Aang was all whooosh, and then you were all—"

"What did you say?" Katara asked in a dazed voice.

Sokka froze in mid-gesture. He blinked. "Uh, Aang went whoosh?"

She shook her head. "No, before that."

"I dunno. I don't remember now." He lowered his arms. "What does it matter? The point is Zuko and Aang kicked that lava's butt!"

Zuko struggled to his feet. "Right now I feel like the lava kicked my butt."

"That's because you did that weird cooling thing." Sokka frowned. "What was that anyway? I didn't know firebenders could do that."

Zuko shrugged. "I didn't know either."

"Wait," Aang said, "that was your first time doing something like that?" He blinked in open amazement. "That's really impressive, Zuko. I mean, you might have just created a new firebending move."

Heat spread across Zuko's cheeks, though this time he knew it was because he was blushing. "I doubt that," he muttered. "My bending isn't that good. I just sensed the heat in the lava and willed it to go away."

"Aww." Sokka looped his arm around Zuko's shoulders. "Is someone getting embarrassed?" He poked him in the cheek. "Look at you being all tiny and cute and fighting off volcanoes. I almost feel like a proud papa."

Zuko shrugged off the boy's arm. "I will hurt you," he promised with a glare.

Sokka laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I'll quit with the kid jokes."

"We should probably go let the villagers know what happened," Katara said. "They'll be worried."

Zuko and the others nodded and soon stood in the main square while the villagers gathered around them. Aang returned the cloud book to Aunt Wu with a sheepish confession that they had borrowed it. Sokka, in turn, told the villagers that he hoped they had learnt their lesson about relying on fortune telling. He might as well have been talking to a wall.

There was a light tug on Zuko's sleeve. He turned to see Meng.

"You were right," she said with a sigh. "I was wasting my time. Aang doesn't like me."

Zuko wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he just mumbled an awkward sorry. Meng eyed him with interest and then leaned forward. It took him a moment to realise she was examining his ears.

"Uh, what are you doing?" he asked.

Meng pulled back with a sigh. "Well, I guess you're too young anyway."

His brow creased. "What?"

But Meng was done with him and trundled off to go say goodbye to Aang and the others. Zuko was still trying to puzzle out what that had been about when Aunt Wu approached him.

"You did well," she praised.

His eyes narrowed. "You knew we'd be able to stop that lava, didn't you? That's why you called us to this village."

Aunt Wu smiled enigmatically. "Perhaps."

She took his hand and pressed something into it, closing his fingers around the object. He frowned and opened his palm to see a small bottle. Curious, he uncorked the top and was conscious of a pleasant but also rather potent scent. Was that perfume?

"A gift for you," she explained, seeing the question in his eyes. "You'll know when to use it."

Zuko put the stopper back in the top and slipped the bottle into his pocket. "Why do all this? What are you hoping to gain?"

"Not every deed or act is made with personal gain in mind, young man. You would do well to remember that."

"Hey, Tiny Boy!" Sokka yelled from where he now stood on top of Appa's saddle. "Come on, we're leaving!"

Aunt Wu smiled and once more dipped her head in a slight bow. "Farewell."

Zuko started to walk to the others, only to freeze when he heard the rest of Aunt Wu's goodbye—softer, almost missed.

"Young prince."

He spun around in surprise, but the woman had already disappeared into the crowd. Sokka called to him again. Zuko's breathing quickened. Had he just imagined that?

"Oi, Tiny Jerk!"

Zuko let out a breath and hurried to join the others on the bison. He punched Sokka in the arm for the stupid nicknames, earning another satisfying "ouch" from the boy, and then found a spot for himself on the far side of the saddle. Soon, they were flying and leaving Makapu Village far behind.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked as she came to sit near him. "You look a bit pale."

Zuko shook his head. "It's nothing."

At least he hoped it was nothing. After all, there was no reason an Earth Kingdom fortune teller would want to help the banished prince of the Fire Nation. No doubt he had just imagined those last words.

Chapter 12: In Which Home and Family Are Important

Chapter Text

The discovery of the Water Tribe boat had come as a surprise. Sokka and Katara had been happy at first, recognising it as being part of their father's fleet. Zuko had learnt that neither of the siblings had seen their father in over two years. He understood their pain. He understood their hope. For the first time, he'd also not complained when the group had wanted to set up camp early. Still, as they settled in for the night, banking that someone in blue would come to reclaim the boat and being disappointed when no one did, Katara's smile wilted and even Sokka got more subdued. Eventually, Katara said she was going to sleep. Aang followed suit, curling up with Momo near Appa. Sokka and Zuko continued to keep watch.

"You should get some sleep," Sokka said after a while. "You don't need to stay up with me."

Zuko didn't bother to explain that he wasn't staying up for Sokka. Not really. He just never slept these days if he could help it. The nightmares weren't worth it. So he made a noncommittal noise and went back to staring at the fire. Silence settled between them. Neither made any effort to break it. Then Sokka heaved a sigh and tossed a twig into the flames.

"I wanted to go with him, you know."

Zuko glanced at him.

"Dad, I mean," Sokka explained, keeping his voice low so as not to wake the others. "I wanted to go with him and the warriors to fight, but Dad said I was too young. He told me I needed to protect the village and my sister."

Unbidden memories flickered in Zuko's mind: the room full of generals and the wall of flames that hid the figure behind. Sokka would have been about twelve or thirteen—roughly the same age as Zuko when he'd insisted on going into the war council meeting.

Zuko hugged his knees to his chest. "Do you wish you had?"

"I did once. I wanted the men to recognise me. My Dad to recognise me. I wanted to be one of them."

Zuko's hands tightened around his legs. Didn't he know that feeling.

"But if Dad had let me go, I probably wouldn't have met you or Aang or done any of the things I've done since leaving the village. I don't even know if Katara would've broken Aang out of that iceberg had I not been fishing with her and got her mad." He shrugged. "When I think like that, it's not so bad that Dad made me stay behind."

Zuko said nothing. He was thinking about his own What Ifs, but the conclusion wasn't so neat. His life always seemed to be an unhappy tangle of complications.

Sokka leaned back on his palms. "I guess now I just miss him. It's been so long."

More silence.

"What about y—"

Sokka broke off, perhaps realising the awkwardness of asking such a question. Zuko's father was the Fire Lord.

A sound caught their attention from the bushes. They both turned to see a man wearing bandages and what looked like Water Tribe attire step onto the shore. Zuko and Sokka were on their feet in an instant.

"Sokka?" the man said.

"Bato!" Sokka exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

His elated shout woke Katara and Aang. There was much chatter and questions. Bato, as it turned out, was a friend of the siblings' father. He took them all back to the abbey where the nuns had been taking care of him while he recovered from his injuries. A room had been set up with furs and ornaments made of bone—all the things Katara and Sokka said reminded them of home. Aang didn't look too impressed, but Zuko could appreciate why the siblings were happy. They had been away from their tribe for a while now. It was nice to be surrounded by the familiar.

"No way!" Katara exclaimed. "Stewed sea prunes?"

Bato smiled and told them to help themselves. Sokka and Katara happily dug in, passing a bowl to Aang and then another to Zuko before getting bowls for themselves. Zuko opened his mouth to say he wasn't hungry, but a warning look from Katara had him closing it again. He still remembered the time she had hand-fed him. That was an argument not worth repeating.

Sighing, he shoved a spoonful of the prunes into his mouth. Next to him, Aang was pulling comical expressions of disgust at just the smell. Fortunately, the three Water Tribe folk were too busy chatting to notice. Aang wasn't exactly being subtle with his distaste.

"You don't like it?" Zuko asked.

Aang's eyes bugged wide open. "You mean you do?"

Zuko shrugged. "Just tastes like ocean kumquat. We eat it all the time on the ship. It's a good source of iron and protein." He gestured at the bowl. "You should eat it. I'd imagine these aren't much different. It'll be good for you, especially since you're vegetarian."

Aang pulled another face. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass."

Zuko shrugged again. He wasn't going to do a Katara and force Aang to eat the prunes. That would feel too much like he cared whether the Avatar was getting the proper nutrients. Which he didn't. Obviously.

He frowned at his bowl of food and continued eating. True, he didn't have much of an appetite these days, but the prunes turned out to be weirdly comforting because of their familiar taste. Not quite enough to remind him of the palace, but it did make him think of being on his ship. It was strange. For almost three years, he'd made it clear how much he loathed being stuck on that hunk of junk. Now, well, he felt a bit nostalgic. Living as a banished prince on a small ship had been difficult and frustrating, but he guessed there had been nice moments as well. It made him wonder what all of his crew were doing and if they were still searching for him and his uncle.

Guilt knotted his stomach. Maybe he should try contacting them, but then that could get complicated really fast.

Zuko sighed and pushed the matter from his mind. Thinking about this wasn't going to achieve anything except a headache on his part. He spooned more of the stewed prunes into his mouth and listened to Katara and Sokka reminisce with Bato. The image they created of their father was very different from his own. It was interesting to listen to their stories, even if it did make him feel a small pang in his chest. Their delight in talking about their father was so obvious—not a single trace of uncertainty or fear. He wondered how that must feel.

Those are treacherous thoughts, his mind warned.

He tensed and hunched over his bowl. It wasn't like he didn't love his father or want to see the man again. Quite the contrary. It was just … sometimes that longing got a bit mixed up with dread. Just a little. Father had burned and banished him. Father was so difficult to please. What if … what if Zuko did capture the Avatar and return home, but then he just ended up disappointing his father again? What then? What would be his punishment next time?

He swallowed thickly, almost gagging on his sea prunes. Never mind. Trying to eat was a mistake. Thinking about such things was also a mistake. This was why it was dangerous to travel with these people. They got him thinking too much. About home. About his father. He couldn't afford to be distracted with pointless what ifs and childish wishes. He had to stay focussed. He had to remember that it was just his weakness that had got him in trouble the last time. He wouldn't repeat the same mistake. He would earn his father's approval and then everything would be okay. Everything would be how he'd always wanted. It had to be.

"Then prove it," the unrelenting words from his nightmares hissed. "Prove you have learnt your lesson. Prove you will do what is necessary to serve your Fire Lord."

The spoon slipped from his fingers and clattered against the bowl. No one noticed or at least didn't bother to look his way. Zuko's gaze drifted to Aang, who was looking sulky near the door. The two beans seemed to weigh down Zuko's pocket like tonnes of solid gold, making him feel crushed and like he was sinking. He could almost feel his father's hand pressing down on his shoulder. The weight was unbearable.

"Prove it!"

Zuko lowered his gaze. Not yet, he thought a bit desperately, as he did every day. I can't rush this, and there has to be a way to do this without hurting them.

But no answer ever came. Aang would not choose to go with him to the Fire Nation. There was no getting around that. In the end, Zuko knew he had to decide what was more important: the friendship he had gained or the home and family he had lost. Put that way, there really shouldn't have been any competition. Except he kept hesitating. That troubled him deeply.

Katara and Sokka let out excited cries. It seemed that Bato was expecting a message from their father any day now. He told them that if they waited at the abbey until the message arrived, they could come with him to see their father again. Needless to say, the siblings were more than pleased with this news. Aang was not so thrilled. The boy just looked distressed, all slumped shoulders and frown lines. Without a word, Aang stood up and left the room with Momo. Zuko followed before he could stop to consider what he was doing.

The night was clear and the moon bright. Aang moved swiftly away from the abbey, though he didn't seem to be paying much attention to where he was going. Zuko was careful to keep some distance between them. He had followed because it was unlike Aang to walk out on his friends without saying anything. Still, that didn't mean Zuko was in any rush to have a heart to heart either. Instead, with all the stealth of his Blue Spirit persona, he shadowed the airbender until they arrived back at the beach where they'd found Bato's boat. Aang settled himself on the prow and hugged his knees to his chest. Momo sat next to him. The lemur seemed to understand this wasn't the time for bug foraging and chittering.

"I can't believe they would leave me," Aang muttered.

A small breath escaped Zuko's lips. So, that was the issue. He supposed he should have known with how odd and subdued Aang had got once they'd run into Bato. The kid was so clingy once he decided someone was his friend.

There was a rapid thudding sound from up ahead. A man dressed in Earth Kingdom clothes was coming towards Aang on a hybrid lizard. This was probably the messenger Bato had been talking about earlier.

"I'm looking for Bato of the Water Tribe," the man said, confirming Zuko's suspicions.

Aang stood up. "Uh, I know Bato."

A rolled up scroll was handed over. "Make sure he gets this."

Zuko watched the messenger ride off. Momo moved to perch on Aang's shoulder while he opened the scroll.

"It's the map to Sokka and Katara's dad!" Aang exclaimed.

To Zuko's surprise, the boy's face twisted in anger and he crumpled the map before stuffing it into his sleeve. He crouched back down and seemed content to keep brooding, but Zuko had seen enough.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zuko demanded, stepping out from his hiding place.

Aang jumped almost an inch into the air, making Momo flutter off. "Z-Zuko, what—"

"Don't try to act innocent."

Aang visibly swallowed. He clutched at his sleeve, eyes wide with panic. "I-It's not what it looks like. I just—"

"You just screwed up the map to Sokka and Katara's father and tried to hide it!"

Aang flinched and took a step back. "I—"

"What's wrong with you? Why would you even do that?"

Another step backwards. "I … I didn't mean …"

Zuko closed the distance between them and grabbed him roughly by his shirt. Zuko was so much shorter than Aang, but even with his tiny stature, it was Aang who cowed and seemed to shrink into himself at the contact, becoming even smaller. Zuko tightened his grip.

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" he growled. "Sokka and Katara are supposed to be your friends! Did you even think about how they'd feel if they knew you tried to keep this information from them? Did you?"

Aang bowed his head. His chin quivered. "I … I just don't want them to leave me."

Pity stirred in Zuko's chest. It was difficult not to feel something when the boy was looking like an abandoned turtleduck, but even so his expression remained unforgiving. "You don't get to decide that, Aang."

"I know, but—"

"There is no but!" Zuko gave him a small shake. "Can't you see? Sokka and Katara haven't seen their father in over two years. Maybe a monk like you can't understand how that feels, but trying to hide his whereabouts from them is just plain selfishness on your part!"

Aang wrenched himself free of Zuko's hold. "Well, how come I don't get a say?" he snapped, though he seemed more defensive than anything. "They said I was their family too! They said they'd always be there for me, so how come they're so eager to leave now?" His face screwed up in distress. "As soon as Bato showed up, it was like I just became invisible and, and …"

"That still doesn't mean you have the right to hide the map from them. Friends wouldn't do that to each other."

All the anger seemed to deflate out of Aang. His shoulders slumped and something wet glistened on his cheeks in the moonlight. Neither of them said anything.

Zuko held out his hand. "Just give it to me."

Aang tensed but then his whole body seemed to slump. He removed the map from his sleeve and passed it over. Without a word, Zuko tucked the scroll into the front of his own tunic.

"You won't tell them, will you?" Aang asked in a small voice.

Zuko was tempted to do just that in order for Aang to truly learn his lesson. There was no doubt that Sokka and Katara would be upset. Maybe a part of Zuko even wanted to punish him for trying to deny them a chance to reunite with their father. Aang was also the reason Zuko couldn't reunite with his own. The whole situation was an unwanted reminder, a scorpion-wasp's sting that throbbed and ached and whispered of poisonous things.

Why stop at telling Sokka and Katara about the map? the voice that sounded like his sister whispered slyly in his mind. Just capture him and be done with it. You have the beans, and look at what he proved to be like.

Aang would have betrayed his own friends for selfish, childish reasons. The boy had no concept of what it truly meant to be a family or the yearning for a parent. He would never understand why Zuko refused to give up on his mission. These were just facts. Yet even then Zuko hesitated. Selfish and dishonest as Aang had been, Aang was also just a kid. A kid who was lonely and scared and right now was quite obviously crying. Besides, it wasn't like Zuko had told anyone about the beans.

"I won't tell."

Aang dared to raise his gaze.

"You'd deserve it, but I won't tell. It's up to you to decide whether you'll be honest with them. Just don't do anything like this again."

Aang nodded vigorously.

"Alright, then let's head back. No point hanging around here." Zuko eyed Aang's slumped shoulders and dampened cheeks. "Dry your face and stand up straight."

Aang rubbed his sleeve over his face. "Right."

Zuko nodded and headed for the abbey. Aang fell into step with him, though his shoulders were still slumped. They walked in silence for a while until Aang paused.

Zuko glanced over his shoulder. "What now?" he asked with an edge of impatience.

"Do you … do you think they'll leave?"

A sigh escaped Zuko's lips. He didn't need an explanation to understand that Aang was asking whether Sokka and Katara would go to meet their father. "I don't know. I'm not them. I can only speak for myself."

"Then what would you do?"

Zuko shrugged. "I'd probably go."

Hurt flickered in Aang's eyes. "Oh."

"You shouldn't take it personally. If Katara and Sokka do choose to leave with Bato, it won't be because of you. They just miss their father. I suspect they'd ask you to go with them anyway."

"But what if they decide they don't want to travel with me anymore? What if they stay with their dad?"

"Then you'll have to accept that."

Aang scuffed his feet against the dirt, clearly unhappy. Zuko knew he could have said more to soften the bluntness of his words, but this was sensitive ground for him as well. Sokka and Katara were lucky. They didn't have to jump through hoops and complete impossible tasks just to see their father, yet Aang was still trying to begrudge them even that. It left a sour taste in his mouth. He felt pity for Aang, but he couldn't say that he wanted to be around him right now.

Perhaps Aang got the hint, as he didn't say anything else for the rest of the walk back to the abbey. Bato wasn't in the room when they returned. Sokka and Katara greeted the boys with smiles and a few questions, wanting to know if everything was okay. No surprise, since Aang still looked like a kicked turtleduck and his eyes were a bit red. Zuko removed the map from his tunic and wordlessly handed it over.

"No way!" Sokka said in excitement. "It turned up already? Maybe we can—" He broke off as he examined the map. "No, the rendezvous point is still too far out of the way."

Aang's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Katara explained that she and Sokka had agreed there wasn't time for long detours, not even to see their dad, as they knew they needed to help Aang get to the North Pole first.

Aang's shoulders straightened and the gloomy lines smoothed from his face. "You mean you weren't planning to leave me?"

"Of course not," Sokka said, waving a dismissive hand. "We said we'd get you to the Northern Water Tribe, and that's what we're gonna do. Besides, we've got to help Zuko and his uncle as well."

Katara pulled Aang into a hug. "You know we'd never leave you, Aang. You're part of our family now. Dad will understand."

Aang returned the hug.

The sour taste in Zuko's mouth got stronger. It was like he'd swallowed something rancid and the taste was seeping all through him, choking his throat and making him want to gag all over again. It was sickening that Aang could act so happy when only moments ago he had been intending to keep the map from the siblings. Or maybe it was Sokka and Katara with whom Zuko was actually upset. They had a chance to see their father and they were just going to walk away from it because it didn't fit with their schedule? What a nice luxury that must be.

Aren't you just jealous? the sly voice taunted.

Zuko swallowed against the lump in his throat. Maybe. He was frustrated and unhappy, and it felt like he was risking everything just so he wouldn't have to hurt these people, yet they seemed to take so much for granted. That grated on him.

He quickly left the room, unable to stand looking at any of them anymore. The fact he was just repeating Aang's behaviour from earlier struck him with a bitter sense of irony. It wasn't his nature to run, but in that moment he needed to get away. If he didn't, he might end up screaming. He might end up spilling out all that was festering inside him: the resentment, the doubt, the anger that pushed the seams of his control to the limit. He'd been trying to be good for so long.

Zuko ended up in the barn where Appa rested. It hadn't been his intention to come here, but maybe a subconscious part of him recognised that he did feel calmer when he was around the bison. Appa greeted him with a gentle rumble and nudged him affectionately. Zuko pressed his face into the soft fur.

"I don't know what to do anymore," he whispered.

He was tired of this charade. Of being a child. Of being with these people who made him feel so conflicted. Of being denied a home, a family. He wanted to use the beans. He wanted to so bad. It had been almost three years.

They'll hate you, his conscience warned. You'll have to fight them, hurt them. Are you really okay with that?

The lump in his throat got bigger, making it hard to swallow. A small chirrup caught his attention. He pulled away to see Momo enter the barn. The lemur chittered and flew on top of Appa, getting comfortable to sleep. Zuko hesitated before climbing to join the lemur. He knew it would be expected of him to return to the others, but he still couldn't bring himself to face them. Not tonight. Not when he was so tempted to use the beans and just be done with it. So it was a bit frustrating when Katara later found him. Moonlight seeped through the open door and window, illuminating her outline.

"Hey," she said softly.

Zuko rolled over the other way so that his back was facing her. It was a clear sign for her to leave, but Katara was not to be deterred. She climbed up to join him on Appa. Momo was a sleeping, furry ball near them. Zuko stubbornly stayed silent and refused to face her. If he didn't give her an opening, maybe she would go away.

Katara poked him in the shoulder. "Don't ignore me."

He tensed.

"Zuko—"

"Can't you take a hint?" he snapped, still keeping his back to her.

She sighed and he heard the rustle of fabric. It was a moment before he realised she had stretched out on her side next to him. Zuko scowled. He rolled over to meet her gaze in the semi-darkness.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Sleeping here with you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't think you should be alone right now."

"I'm not alone. I have Momo and Appa."

"You know what I mean."

His mouth twisted. "Is this some pity thing? I know you'd rather be with Bato."

"It's not pity. I'm just worried. You barely eat, you barely sleep, and I don't like that you're trying to distance yourself from us again." She brushed the tips of her fingers against his hand. "What's going on, Zuko? Talk to me."

He recoiled from her touch. Katara was not perturbed.

"Is it the curse?" she prompted.

Silence.

"Are you upset because you're worried about your uncle?"

Well, yes, but that wasn't the problem right now. Katara seemed to realise she was missing the mark. Her brow creased and she was quiet for a long moment.

"Is it … because you want to go home? Because you miss your family?"

His shoulders hunched.

She let out a small breath. "That's it, isn't it?"

She didn't sound very triumphant—probably because she knew, like her brother, how awkward it was to talk about these things with him. She couldn't even reassure him that it would all work out, because the only way it would was if he captured Aang. That would be the end of their tentative friendship. Still, she wasn't the type to shy from personal conversations, uncomfortable or not.

"Zuko, why did you get banished?"

If he had been tense before, he was taut enough to snap now.

"You're a prince. The only person who could banish you from the Fire Nation would have to be the Fire Lord, right? But he's your dad, so—"

"Don't."

His voice was quiet and held hint of warning. Or maybe it was just pleading. She was treading on fragile ground.

"But it's—"

"Katara," he cut in roughly, but the note of pleading was even stronger. "Just drop it."

"But it doesn't make sense!" She made frustrated gestures with her hands that reminded him of her brother. "You must have only been thirteen when you were banished. What could you have possibly done to deserve this? Why would your dad kick you out and give you such a crazy task as your only way back? I mean, Aang wasn't even around then, so—"

"You don't understand!"

"Then help me!" She held his gaze and her voice softened. "Help me to understand, Zuko, because all I know is that this—trying to convince yourself that you have to capture Aang—is making you miserable and I hate seeing you this way."

His breath caught in his throat. Even though it was difficult to make out her expression in the darkness, he could hear how much she cared. She was being sincere. She just wanted to understand. Maybe that was why he didn't tell her to get lost.

Zuko dug his fingers into his palms. "I …" He swallowed, tried again. "There was …"

Talking about this was like trying to work rusty hinges. Katara waited patiently for him to continue. That helped to loosen his tongue. He would have closed off had she kept pushing him.

"There was a war council meeting," he mumbled, lowering his gaze. "I … I was young, naïve. I didn't agree with one of the generals and …"

"And?" she prompted.

"I spoke out against his strategy," Zuko said in a rush, just wanting to get it over with now. "I should have stayed silent. It was disrespectful."

Katara was quiet for a moment. "That's it?" Her tone sounded incredulous. "You got banished because you spoke out of turn? Did you call him really bad names or something?"

"Uh, no."

"Did you get angry and bend at him?"

"No."

As if he would have dreamt of doing such a thing. He was impetuous at times, but he wasn't stupid. Or at least he'd thought he wasn't. Even what he had said back then had been too much.

"So, let me get this straight," she said slowly. "You didn't call him names, you didn't firebend at him. Was disagreeing with his plan basically like saying you're a horrible person and you might as well have committed treason?"

Zuko blinked. "The plan was to use new recruits as bait against one of the Earth Kingdom's strongest battalions. They were supposed to distract the enemy so an attack could be made from the rear and finish the battalion off."

Katara sat up with a jerk. "What?"

Momo made a startled noise, woken by the loudness of her voice. Appa also rumbled in protest. Even Zuko flinched and shifted into a sitting position. She didn't seem to notice or care. She was fuming.

"Are you telling me that your big crime was just trying to stop new recruits from being slaughtered? How is that a bad thing?"

He struggled to respond. She was voicing his own doubts, the treacherous little thoughts that had haunted him for almost three years. He'd always wondered if the punishment he had been given was too harsh. Seeing her reaction made those doubts sprout a bit more.

See? the wounded part of him whispered. Father was cruel. What you did wasn't bad. You only had the nation's best interests at heart.

His mouth twisted. As fast as the thought came, so did he crush it. Even thinking such a thing felt like indulging in weakness. The fact remained that he had failed to please his father. It didn't matter if he had been trying to protect a division of new recruits. It was how, when, where and to whom he had said those words. That made all the difference in the Fire Nation, especially when it meant he had disrespected the Fire Lord as well. He should have known better.

"It wasn't my place to say anything," he tried to explain. "You don't understand. I was being really disrespectful."

"So your dad just banished you? You were thirteen! You were only trying to do the right thing!"

He shook his head. There was a lump in his throat. "I … the banishment didn't actually …"

It was difficult to get the words out. The catalyst for his banishment came in two parts: the disrespect he had shown in the war room and his failure at the Agni Kai. However, just the thought of telling her about the Agni Kai made his tongue turn to lead. He relived those memories enough in his nightmares.

Katara grabbed his hands. "Zuko, I'm trying to understand why you still want to go back. I really am, but your dad sounds horrible. The whole Fire Nation sounds horrible if they think it's okay to banish a thirteen year old just for speaking out of turn." She tightened her grip. "You're so much better than that."

The lump in his throat got bigger. "I'm not."

"Of course you are. You're a good person, and they're clearly—"

"I'm not," he repeated, slipping free of her hands. "I got banished because I was weak. My father gave me a chance to redeem myself after the war meeting and I failed. I didn't even try."

"So? You were just a kid."

"My sister is younger than me and she's never disappointed him. Age is no excuse."

Katara pursed her lips. "Well, from the sounds of things, your sister isn't exactly a nice person."

"Being nice doesn't exactly get results." He averted his face. "I don't blame my father for banishing me. I might not like it, but I know he only did what was necessary."

"How can you say that?"

"Because he must have realised this is the only way I'll learn my lesson." Zuko pressed a hand to the left side of his face, touching the spot where his scar used to be. "I can't keep being weak. I have to prove I've changed and regain the honour I lost. I just … I just wish …"

He broke off, unable to voice what tormented his heart. He wished it didn't have to be Aang. He wished it could have been the decrepit Avatar he'd envisioned in his head: old, a coward who had hidden away for a hundred years. But Aang was a goofball kid who chased frozen frogs and cried when he got upset. Aang believed that Zuko was worth helping, worth befriending. Aang was annoying and a brat and did stupid things like try to hide maps from his friends, but he wasn't an evil person. He wasn't the great enemy the Fire Nation had made him out to be. It hurt. It hurt so much to think of betraying that dumb kid.

Katara placed her hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, I've heard a lot about what you think you have to do, but what is it you actually want? Because, to be honest, you don't seem very happy when you talk about your dad or going home. You just seem kind of resigned."

He shrugged off her touch. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?"

He was silent. Even the light of the moon had got dimmer so that he could barely make out her outline. Oddly, the darkness helped him to say what he would have otherwise kept to himself.

"There's a garden," he said in a hushed voice.

"Hrm?"

"In the palace. It was my mum's favourite place. We used to feed the turtleducks there together. Sometimes, she'd sit with me under the big cherry tree for hours and read me stories." The lump was back in his throat. He swallowed. "I'll never be able to see that garden again if I don't get my banishment revoked."

Katara's hand found his and gave a gentle squeeze. She must have remembered their conversation in the treehouse, back when he'd told her that he'd lost his mother as well. Zuko exhaled and continued.

"Father … Father used to take us on vacations to Ember Island. You've never seen beaches like that: perfect white sand, the water clear and warm."

"It sounds nice," she said softly.

"It is. You'd like it. Even my sister loved going there."

His heart clenched as memories resurfaced: running with Azula along the beach, playing in the waves, smiling and laughing while eating ice cream. The memories were as clear as if they had happened yesterday. It was true that much had changed since those days, but he had never forgotten. Ember Island was a reminder of what his family had been. Of what it could be again.

"I'll admit my family is complicated," he said into the darkness, his voice quiet and tinged with sad wistfulness, "but we were happy then. We enjoyed our time together."

Katara said nothing, but she didn't let go of his hand. He found that he didn't mind the contact.

"There are so many things I miss. I miss the festivals. I miss the food, the spices, the flavours. You can't get that kind of food anywhere else. Sometimes, the cook on my ship would try to recreate the best dishes, but we're not allowed to enter the Fire Nation or the colonies because of my banishment, and it's hard to get all the ingredients." He shook his head. "It's just not the same."

Her side brushed his as she moved closer. "I've never tried spicy food."

"I like it." His mouth curved at the corners, though she couldn't see. "You might find it too hot for you though."

She made a humming sound in the back of her throat. "Maybe."

They both fell silent. Zuko kept thinking of all the things he missed, of all the things she would appreciate so she could understand why he couldn't accept his banishment. But in the end it didn't really matter if he convinced her or not. It just came down to how he felt.

He closed his eyes. "I don't want to give it up, Katara. The Fire Nation is my home. It's where I belong."

"But your dad won't let you go back unless you capture Aang, right?"

"Right."

She gripped his hand tighter. "Isn't there another way? Couldn't your dad be reasoned with or …"

"I doubt it," he said heavily. "My father, he … he's not like yours. He won't change his mind."

"But if he really loved you—"

The lump in his throat seemed to burn. "Father just wants me to get stronger. He banished me like this so I wouldn't forget the lesson I needed to learn. It's not … it's not that he doesn't love me."

Katara was surprisingly quiet. Perhaps she had heard the uncertainty in his tone—the way it was like he was trying to convince himself as much as her. Doubt had always gnawed at the deepest parts of him, especially after the Agni Kai. But he knew it didn't have to be this way. Once he had proven himself, once he had overcome his weakness, his father would approve of him. His father would no longer look upon him with contempt.

"I don't expect you to understand," Zuko said, shaking his head. "Our fathers are completely different."

"You're right."

He stared at the vague, shadowy outline that was all he could see of her. There seemed to be a "but" attached to that sentence.

"I'm glad my dad isn't like yours," she admitted. "I still think he sounds cruel."

"He just—"

"Wants to make you stronger. So you keep saying, but I don't buy it."

Zuko bit his lip. Normally, he blew up at anyone who dared to criticise his father, but something kept him silent.

"You're not weak," she said firmly. "You're stubborn and way too moody for your own good sometimes, but you're not weak. It's probably the last thing I'd call you."

"That's because you don't understand."

"Understand what? That you spoke out against a general when you were thirteen because you knew it was the right thing to do? That you fought against Jet even though you knew the risk of exposing yourself as a firebender? That you rescued Aang from your own nation's soldiers when he got captured? That you went up against a volcano to protect Makapu Village?" She squeezed his hand. "You're not weak, Zuko. You're brave. One of the bravest people I know."

He shook his head and pulled his hand away.

"It's true," she insisted, correctly interpreting his silence. "Your father is stupid if he can't see that."

"Don't call him that."

"Why not? He banished you because he thought you needed to learn some dumb lesson. I think he just couldn't see your strength."

Something hot prickled in the corners of his eyes. He was glad for the darkness. "My father knows exactly who I am."

He was a failure. A worthless, over-emotional fool who focussed too much on doing what he thought was right instead of doing what was necessary. The fact he was even having this conversation with her was a reminder of how bad he had let things get. Father would have been disgusted if he could see them. He would have said that Zuko hadn't learnt his lesson at all.

"I'm supposed to be capturing the Avatar," Zuko said in frustration. "Instead, I'm travelling with him and treating you all like my friends instead of my enemies."

"That's because we are your friends, Zuko."

His chest filled with warmth, but he quickly quenched the feeling. "This isn't how it's meant to be. I'm not supposed to be your friend. I shouldn't even be having this conversation with you."

She found his hand again. "Well, I'm glad we are. I like having you as a friend."

He swallowed and his heart quickened. It had just occurred to him that he was sitting in the dark and holding hands with a girl even he couldn't deny finding attractive.

And he was the size of a six year old. Right.

He sighed and once again pulled away from her. "You don't understand," he said a bit lamely.

"That's because you're trying to justify something that can't be justified."

His brow creased.

Katara leaned closer. "Look, I get the Fire Lord is your dad, but that doesn't mean he's always right. I think you know it as well. Isn't that why you feel so conflicted? You know capturing Aang is wrong."

He shook his head, unable to formulate the words to offer a response. Loyalty dictated he stick up for his father's decision, but the truth was that he did feel conflicted. He always had. It was his longing for home that had kept him going all these years. Zuko didn't want to hurt anyone, let alone a goofball kid like Aang.

She placed her hand on his knee. "You care about people. You have a conscience. There's no shame or weakness in that. It's your dad and the Fire Nation that's messed up."

"That's not—"

"Just listen. I know you want to go home, but what your dad is asking from you isn't fair or right. The fact he even banished you is horrible." She shook her head. "He's not trying to make you stronger. He's just trying to make you into something you're not. But you don't have to change. You can—"

Zuko bristled like a hedgehog-bear who had been poked the wrong way. "Enough."

"But—"

"You think you know so much about me and my father, but you don't. You don't know anything, so just drop it."

"I know that you're unhappy."

He tensed.

"Zuko." She reached for him, fingers brushing his cheek. "I don't want to fight you. I don't want you to capture Aang, and I don't think that's what you want either."

His heart pounded in his chest, getting faster and faster. As fast as he had got defensive before, now he was just conscious of her proximity.

"Can't … can't we try to find another way?" she asked. "We'll break the curse on you and your uncle and then we can figure out a way for you to return home. A way without capturing Aang."

He swallowed thickly. "I … even if I wanted to, my father …"

"At least let's just try."

Zuko closed his eyes. He knew there was very little chance his father would change his mind—it was a fool's hope to even try—but he couldn't deny that she was right about him. He only wanted to use the beans because he wanted to go home. Actually capturing Aang would give him no satisfaction. The thing he could not determine was whether he was just being weak, as his father would have claimed, or if Katara was right about everything else she'd said tonight as well.

"Be careful in whom you place your trust. Be careful you do not lose your way. Not all decisions can be undone."

Zuko let out a breath. "I can't make any promises," he said honestly. "You're asking me to risk my chance to go home."

"I know."

He frowned. It was too dark to make out her expression, but it didn't sound like she was particularly happy either. Maybe that was why he couldn't dismiss everything she said. She knew how much he wanted to go home, but she also wanted to protect their friendship. He didn't know how to feel about that.

"It's late," he said, shifting away from her. "Let's just get some sleep."

For once, Katara didn't push the matter. She curled up beside him on Appa. Zuko lay with his eyes open. He didn't expect to get much sleep, but there was one thing he did know: she had given him a lot to think about tonight.

Chapter 13: In Which Decisions Must Be Made

Chapter Text

Zuko woke heavy-eyed and with his head pounding. It felt like he'd barely fallen asleep before the energising touch of the sun had stirred him awake again. Katara was still curled up next to him with Momo. There was a bit of drool trailing from her mouth. His lips twitched, but he didn't disturb her and got off Appa as quietly as possible. There was no point trying to go back to sleep. For all his tiredness, he knew he'd just lie there awake.

He walked around the abbey for a bit to stretch his legs. A few birds called to each other from the surrounding trees, and he spotted a nun gathering water from the well. Zuko shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to walk. The sky was still partly painted in pinks, oranges and reds, but the sun's energy was getting stronger. He closed his eyes and let his element fill him. Maybe he'd do some meditation if he could find a quiet space. It always helped to clear his head.

"You're up early."

Zuko flinched and opened his eyes to see Bato smiling down at him. He hadn't even heard the man approach. That was a bit alarming.

"Lee, isn't it?" Bato said, still smiling in a friendly manner.

Zuko nodded.

"Everyone seemed quite worried about you last night. Is everything okay now?"

He nodded again.

Bato's brow creased a little, but he seemed to realise pushing the issue would get him nowhere and that his attempts to start a conversation were unwelcome. It wasn't that Zuko disliked Bato. The guy seemed nice enough. Zuko just wasn't in the mood to talk or keep up his child act. Everyone had silently agreed not to disclose that the little boy named Lee was actually the sixteen-year-old prince of the Fire Nation. Still, Zuko was surprised when Bato rested a hand on his shoulder and told him not to push himself so much.

"I can tell you've had to do a lot of growing up in a short time," Bato said, "and I can't say I'm not grateful. It sounds like you've been a big help to Sokka and Katara, and to the Avatar as well. But, you know, Lee, it's okay to just be a kid sometimes." His voice softened. "You should trust your friends more. Depend on them when you need it. I can see they care about you a lot."

Zuko had to swallow the constricting mass stuck in his throat before he could speak. "I'll keep that in mind."

Bato squeezed his shoulder. The matter was allowed to drop and Zuko was quick to make his escape. It seemed like everyone wanted to talk about his feelings lately. He wasn't used to the concern or the nosing in on his business. Barring his uncle, no one had much cared about his wellbeing since his banishment. It confused him a lot, but then he supposed people probably found it easier to be worried about him since he looked like a small child. He wasn't sure what to think about that.

Eventually, the others woke up and they all gathered to eat breakfast. The mood was a little strained. With the map now in hand, there was no reason for Bato to linger at the abbey. This also meant a parting of ways. Sokka and Katara had stood by their decision to continue travelling with Aang and Zuko instead of leaving to meet their father. Though Zuko still couldn't understand their choice, Bato had appreciated their reasons and had assured them that their father would be proud of them. It was only Zuko who continued to be troubled.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" he asked the siblings after they had finished saying their goodbyes.

"I wanna see my dad," Sokka confessed, "but right now you and Aang are the ones who need us most."

Katara met his gaze and nodded as if to say she agreed with her brother. The constricting mass in Zuko's throat got thicker. He averted his face, unable to look at either of them when all he could see was unselfishness and loyalty in their eyes. He honestly didn't know if he would have had the strength to do the same in their position. It made his stomach turn to knots.

They piled on top of Appa and flew at a steady pace; however, the bison actually did seem tired today. It was not long before Aang told them they would have to walk for a while. Sokka groaned and grumbled, but Zuko was not in the mood to be crammed in the saddle with everyone, so there were no complaints from him. He carried his uncle and walked at his own pace. When the others decided to stop for another break, he placed his uncle down and headed into the trees on his own. It was a relief that no one tried to stop him. Perhaps they understood he needed some space.

Zuko stood near the edge of a forested precipice and looked at the valley below. Old ruins stuck up from the plains in misshapen rocks, almost swallowed by the grass. He couldn't remember what civilisation had used to occupy the area. The Earth Kingdom was huge and there were many kingdoms that had been wiped out or just abandoned over time—well before the Hundred Year War. He had always found world history boring anyway. He'd much preferred to be practicing with his swords or trying to improve his bending. Plus, there were a lot of things he'd been taught in his history classes that had niggled.

What if it really was all a lie? the small, treacherous part of him wondered.

The justifications for the war, the slaughtering of the Air Nomads, the need to stop the Avatar. He'd only dared to voice his doubts once as a child—innocent questions that had stemmed from confusion rather than a desire to criticise—but the disapproval he'd got in return had made him quickly learn that such opinions were wrong and unbecoming of a prince. Now, all those doubts were coming back. They dug into his mind like a thousand pinpricks, asking him what he truly believed.

"I get the Fire Lord is your dad, but that doesn't mean he's always right. I think you know it as well. Isn't that why you feel so conflicted?"

A breath escaped his lips. He hated Katara for putting those thoughts into his mind. All she had done was make it harder for him. It was like he was being torn in two different directions, all his hopes and desires warring with each other until it was like his very heart was trying to split itself. But he knew he couldn't go both ways. Eventually, he had to make a decision.

His hand brushed against the pocket where the two beans lay hidden. He tensed and turned away from the precipice. No point thinking about this right now.

He walked back to where the others had gathered in the nearby clearing. Appa was sprawled on his stomach and getting attention from Aang. Sokka was unpacking food from his pack while Katara got four cups of water ready. Zuko wasn't sure where Momo had gone, but the lemur was sure to be around somewhere.

"Good timing," Sokka said, catching sight of him. "We're gonna have lunch now."

Zuko took a seat next to Katara and helped her pass the cups of water to everyone. Soon, they were all snacking on the rations that the nuns at the abbey had been kind enough to give them for the road. If Katara and Sokka were still sad about not going to meet their father, they didn't show it. It was like the three had fallen into their usual routine. No strain, no awkwardness. They joked and talked as they always did. Zuko was the only jarring chord in this moment of comradery. He couldn't smile or laugh; he just watched them as he ate, not tasting anything that he put into his mouth, and feeling like he was being torn apart more and more with each passing second.

"Isn't that why you feel so conflicted?"

His fingers dug into his palms. The laughter and chatter faltered. Katara shot him a concerned look under her lashes, and though Sokka and Aang tried to keep the mood light, their gaze also often drifted to him. Zuko had an odd urge to lash out. He wanted them to stop looking, to stop worrying, to stop making him feel so damn torn and guilty.

"We're not friends!" he wanted to scream. "We were never meant to be friends!"

But even if he uttered the words, he knew they would be a lie. Katara had already called him out on it anyway. He cared too much now. They all cared too much. It was why this whole situation was so frustrating and difficult. All the lines had been blurred. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what was right. His heart was so riddled with doubt and confusion.

Momo appeared in a streak of white and landed on Aang's shoulder. The lemur was chittering in an agitated manner and his eyes looked bigger and rounder than ever.

Zuko's brow creased. "What's wrong with him?"

Aang didn't get a chance to respond. The leaves rustled and then a huge beast leaped out from the trees. Zuko's eyes widened and he scrambled to his feet. The others were quick to follow. A woman with black hair stared down at them from the beast's saddle, whip clutched in hand. Seated behind her were two men whom Zuko had no trouble recognising. It was Lieutenant Jee and Tomoki.

"The Avatar?" Tomoki said in confusion.

The beast ignored Aang and closed in on Zuko, snuffling in a very unnerving manner. Zuko backed up a step.

"A kid, huh?" the woman observed. "And here I thought Prince Zuko was older."

"He is," Jee said bluntly, jumping down from the saddle with Tomoki. "Either your beast got it wrong or these kids are hiding something."

Zuko swallowed and tried to force his racing heart to slow. "What are you talking about?"

The woman offered a lazy smile. His uncle would have been smitten had he got a glimpse of her. "My shirshu tracks people by scent. It seems you must have been around the lost princeling a lot. Nyla thinks you're her target."

There was a tense pause as everyone took in the ramifications of this disclosure. For Zuko, it felt like the forest was closing in on him. What was he supposed to do now?

Aang grabbed Zuko's wrist and tugged him forward. "Run!" he urged. "We can escape on Appa and—"

The shirshu's tongue lashed out in a whip-like dart, faster than anyone could react. Momo screeched and took off in fright. Zuko felt the fingers on his wrist loosen and then Aang crumpled to the ground as useless as a ragdoll. There wasn't even a twitch from the boy.

"Aang!" the siblings cried.

Sokka reached for his boomerang while Katara summoned water from her flask. Zuko had a choice then: he could have stepped in to help them, to use his flames to help tip the balance in their favour. He remained frozen. His limbs simply wouldn't respond. It was as if he and not Aang had been the one to get paralysed. Then the chance was gone. Jee and Tomoki provided a distraction and the shirshu's venom struck true—just two flashes of motion that would have been missed if Zuko had blinked. Sokka and Katara fell. Zuko's breath got caught in his throat as he realised they were not going to get up again. All three were as helpless as newborns.

Appa growled low in his throat and charged at the shirshu. There was a brief skirmish between the animals, but the shirshu was faster and its tongue deadly for its accuracy. Appa groaned and swayed, trying to fight against the paralysis taking hold. One hit wasn't enough to take down a creature of Appa's size, but a few more doses of venom would do the trick. Jee and Tomoki wouldn't stand by idly either. Zuko knew they'd step in the moment they felt it was necessary. There was only one way this battle could end.

"Stop!"

The word burst from his mouth.

He dashed to block the bison's path. "Just stay back," he murmured, stroking his hand against Appa's face in a soothing gesture. "You're only going to get hurt."

Appa's fur still bristled, but he also hesitated. He wouldn't attack if it meant putting Zuko at risk.

"A wise choice," Jee observed.

Zuko closed his eyes as if pained. He forced his expression to become blank before he turned to face the older man. "Don't get me wrong," he said in a flat voice. "I never had any intention of fighting. I should probably be thanking you for coming. Now I don't have to keep up this act."

"Act?"

"The shirshu didn't make a mistake." Zuko met each of their gazes. "You followed my scent, and here I am."

Aang croaked something that might have been an attempt at the Zuko's name. He sounded so weak, as if he was barely able to move his mouth thanks to the venom still working through his system. Zuko refused to respond or even look at Aang. He didn't look at Sokka or Katara either. There was no point now. He knew what he had to do.

Tomoki's eyes bulged wider than a goat-toad's. "You … you're telling us you're Prince Zuko? But that's just—"

"Hard to accept, isn't it?" Zuko acknowledged wryly. "Though Uncle got it worse. He's just an inanimate teapot now."

Jee raised his eyebrow. "A teapot?" He shook his head. "You really expect us to believe this fanciful rubbish?"

"Why don't you check with the shirshu again?" Zuko folded his arms across his chest. "The scent won't lead you anywhere else."

Jee nodded to Tomoki, who removed what looked like one of Zuko's undershirts from his pack. Tomoki approached the shirshu and offered the shirt as a scent sample. It was barely a second before Nyla rounded back on Zuko, nostrils flaring and pawing at the ground in an agitated manner. The woman gave a sharp tug on the reins.

"Easy there," she soothed.

Jee glanced up at her. "Well, June?"

She shrugged. "As far as Nyla can tell, the kid is speaking the truth. He is Prince Zuko."

There was a moment where the three newcomers stared at him. It was obvious from the creases on Jee and Tomoki's brows that they were not convinced.

"I remember you, boy," Jee said finally. "You were at that fishing town with the lemur. You ran from me and refused to tell me the Avatar's whereabouts. If you really are Prince Zuko, why would you do that? The prince I know would never assist the Avatar. All he cared about was capturing him."

Zuko spread his hands. "Look at me. I've been cursed by a spirit to look like a child. My uncle is a teapot. The one time I did try to approach the crew to get help, I got called crazy and was ignored."

Tomoki coughed and muttered something under his breath. Perhaps he'd remembered that it was he and Kan who had first dismissed Zuko's claims.

"The Avatar and his friends didn't recognise me when I ran into them either," Zuko continued. "They thought I was an ordinary kid. That's when I remembered Aa—the Avatar has the ability to communicate with spirits." Zuko's expression hardened. "Of course I wasn't going to let you find him in that town. The Avatar's my best chance of breaking the curse. Why else would I travel with him?"

Jee frowned, still looking a bit sceptical.

Tomoki rubbed the wisps of hair on his chin that he tried to call a beard. "I guess it makes sense." He squinted at Zuko in concentration. "You know, now that I look at him properly, I can kind of see the resemblance. Age him up a bit and give him a scar. Yeah, I can see it."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Enough of this. Believe me or don't, but the shirshu led you to me, and I don't want to waste this opportunity." He looked up at June. "How long will the paralysis last?"

She glanced at her fallen victims. "These three will be out for a while."

"And the ship?" Zuko shifted his gaze to Jee. "Is it close?"

Jee stared at him for a moment. Suspicion still lurked in his eyes, but perhaps there was something in Zuko's tone that reminded him of the prince who had used to give him orders. "It's close enough," he relented. "It shouldn't be a problem to transport the Avatar there, if that's what you're thinking."

"Make sure you bind him as well then. I don't want the Avatar to escape."

There was a series of indignant noises from the three paralysed at his feet. None of them had regained enough mobility to make coherent words, but Zuko could imagine what they wanted to say now that he'd made his intentions clear. They'd demand to know what he thought he was doing. They'd call him a traitor.

He swallowed back the taste of bile in his mouth. "Let's hurry. We've wasted enough time here."

"Fine by me," June said with a grin. Her eyes flickered to Jee. "Don't forget you still owe me my money, Mutton Chops. I'll expect payment once we return to the ship."

Jee's temple twitched a little. Perhaps he took umbrage to the nickname. "I haven't forgotten."

Zuko left them to it and moved to collect his uncle. He had only taken a few steps before he was distracted by the sound of Tomoki clearing his throat.

"Uh, what about the other two?" Tomoki asked.

Zuko made the mistake of glancing the Water Tribe siblings' way. Sokka had fallen flat on his face and couldn't have looked at him even if he'd wanted to, but Zuko's chest tightened when he caught Katara's gaze. He'd expected to see betrayal and disappointment in her eyes; what he hadn't anticipated was the earnest, unflinching way she stared at him. Begging him to reconsider.

"I don't want to fight you. I don't want you to capture Aang, and I don't think that's what you want either."

He swallowed and lowered his gaze. "If we leave them here, they'll just try to save the Avatar using the bison again like they did the last time. It's better if we bring them with us."

There were more incoherent noises from the trio. Deeper and deeper was he digging in the knife of betrayal. Just the thought made his stomach turn to knots. Still, Zuko was smart this time. He didn't look at any of them. June, however, did eye the group, and her lips turned downwards at what she saw.

"Looks like we're going to have to get a bit cosy." Her tone turned business-like. "Alright, Tiny, you and the teapot will be with me in the front. Mutton Chops and Pathetic Beard can decide who gets to take the rear and play minder for our paralysed load." Her lips twitched. "It'll be that person's job to make sure none of them fall off the saddle."

No one made any protest to this arrangement, even if all three firebenders looked less than pleased with her choice of appellations. The "paralysed load" also didn't seem much thrilled, though for obvious reasons. Zuko ignored them and went back to collecting his uncle and other belongings. Again, he was interrupted—this time by Appa, who roared and kicked up a fuss when Tomoki tried to bind Aang with rope. A blast of wind from Appa's tail nearly knocked them all over. June got her whip ready, but Zuko told her to wait and rushed to calm the bison down.

"Don't," he pleaded in a voice soft enough so only the bison could hear. "I know it looks bad, but I won't let any of them be hurt. I swear I won't."

Appa rumbled and stared at him through unhappy brown eyes.

"Trust me." Zuko held the bison's gaze. "This is the only way. Just stick here with Momo for now, okay? He's bound to show up again soon and—"

Footsteps alerted Zuko that someone was coming closer. He fell silent and stepped back from the bison.

"You're pretty friendly with that creature," Jee observed.

Zuko's stomach twisted. "He's just a dumb beast. Can't even tell the difference between a friend or an enemy."

Jee made a thoughtful sound but let the matter drop. No doubt it was enough for him that Appa had stopped interfering. Zuko made to follow the lieutenant, but he couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder at Appa. The bison had sat down and now simply stared at him. Skin and bone could not have stopped that piercing gaze. In that moment, Zuko knew Appa had seen right through him. It was unnerving.

Zuko looked away and hurried to finish getting everything ready so they could leave. Soon, he was seated in front of June on the shirshu and holding his uncle on his lap. She looped her arms around him to grasp the reins. Jee was behind her, and behind him was Tomoki, who had got the short-end of the stick and had to watch over Sokka, Katara and Aang.

"Don't fall off," June said in a tone that suggested she wouldn't care if they did.

She cracked her whip and then they were moving. There was a rumbling sound from behind. Zuko glanced around June to see that Appa had lurched to his feet and was trying to follow. Try being the keyword. Appa was much slower and couldn't get into the air. Perhaps he was still under the effects of the toxins.

"That air bison is following," Tomoki said.

"Just leave him," Zuko said softly. "He won't attack us."

It was instinct, not anger, which pushed Appa to pursue them. They would have already been hit with a blast of wind if Appa felt differently. Not that it mattered either way. Appa couldn't keep up with the shirshu's pace and soon got left behind. Zuko swallowed against the lump in his throat. He took a firmer hold on his uncle and kept his gaze fixed ahead.

The time for hesitation was over. He had made his decision.

Chapter 14: In Which Lines Are Drawn

Chapter Text

Travelling on a shirshu with so many people was not a comfortable experience. Even less pleasant were the glares and hurt expressions being directed Zuko's way. It upset him more than he cared to admit, though he could understand Sokka, Katara and Aang's growing resentment. To them, he was just the guy who had betrayed them for his own selfishness. They had no reason to care about him. Zuko tried his best to put the matter out of his mind and focus on the task at hand. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

He kept his eyes peeled for any glimpse of Appa. The bison was probably the only way Aang, Sokka and Katara would be able to escape if given the chance. Appa, however, did not make an appearance. That was a little surprising. Were the toxins still in effect? Just to be on the safe side, Zuko requested that they stop and seized his chance to take the bison whistle. Aang looked as if he'd been slapped.

"Are you really going to go through with this?" Aang asked in a hurt voice. "I thought we were friends."

"Shut up!" Zuko hissed, pocketing the whistle. "I was just using you, idiot."

"You're a bad liar."

Zuko flinched at Sokka's comment. Sokka stared back at him grimly from where he lay paralysed. Damn him for being so perceptive.

"I'm just doing what's necessary," Zuko responded in what he hoped was a controlled voice. "I don't care if you don't understand."

Katara probably would have reached out to him if she could move her arms. "Zuko, please, just stop this. You know you're only going to regret it."

He made the mistake of meeting her gaze. It made him remember hushed conversations in the darkness and the warmth of her touch as she'd held his hand. He bit his lip and walked away before he did something stupid. Those three were dangerous for how easily they got under his skin.

June was getting impatient, so the group clambered—or, in the trio's case, were loaded—back on the shirshu and they continued travelling. Tomoki was a chatterer and tried to keep a flow of conversation going, but he mostly just got grunts of response from Jee and Zuko. June only opened her mouth to tease and was more focussed on getting back to the ship to claim her money, so she didn't care to humour the firebender either. In short, silence would have reigned had Sokka not decided that he felt like chatting as well.

"So, how long have you guys been part of Zuko's crew?" Sokka asked.

Jee told him to be quiet. At the same time, Tomoki answered that it had been almost three years.

"That's quite a long time," Sokka said, deciding to ignore Jee's comment.

"Most of us have been with Prince Zuko from the beginning," Tomoki said in his easy way. "I guess now with the Avatar captured, the crew will be disbanded and we'll be assigned somewhere else."

It was odd that Tomoki sounded a bit melancholy near the end of his speech. Zuko had thought his crew had been so sick of him and his mission that they'd be eager to escape from the ship. They'd all grumbled about him enough times. Still, he didn't flatter himself in thinking it had anything to do with him. Tomoki was probably sad to think of being separated from the other crewmembers. Or maybe Tomoki disliked the thought of being stuck with a captain who wouldn't allow music night or shopping expeditions or all those other pointless activities Iroh and the crew had loved but which Zuko had only resignedly tolerated.

"What will happen to me?"

The small voice came from Aang. Zuko tensed and tightened his grip on his teapot uncle. There was an awkward silence. Perhaps even Tomoki and Jee were not immune to the fact that the Avatar, the so-called great enemy of the Fire Nation, was just a child.

"I suspect you'll be imprisoned," Jee said finally. "Killing you would only give birth to another Avatar."

Katara let out an angry hiss and called them "horrible" and a whole lot of other names for trying to imprison a kid who had done nothing wrong. Sokka also demanded to know if Zuko was okay with this.

"Is getting your banishment revoked really worth having your friend imprisoned for life?" Sokka yelled.

"He's not my friend."

Sokka made a frustrated sound. "You—"

"Shut up!" Zuko snapped. "If you can't keep your mouth shut, I'll have the three of you gagged!"

That made them all fall silent, though the resentment festering was stronger than ever.

"My, my," June said in her lazy drawl. "Aren't we an emotional bunch today."

No one said anything. Zuko knew what small graces he still had with the trio were fast dwindling. Still, this was the only way to make everything right. It didn't matter if they hated him now.

"How much farther to go?" he asked.

"Maybe two hours," June answered. "Nyla can't go as fast when she's carrying this many people."

His brow creased. "What of the paralysis? How long will that last?"

June chuckled. He felt the vibration of her amusem*nt against his back. "Relax, Tiny. I never let a bounty get away."

Zuko had to be content with that. Still, with the rate Sokka, Katara and Aang had been talking, it seemed the paralysis was wearing off a little. He'd have to make sure he got his timing right. The problem was that he was sitting at the front of the shirshu and couldn't really see what was going on behind.

He was still trying to figure out what to do when they passed near a stream. Something white was glimpsed in the treetops.

"We should stop here," June said. "Nyla needs to drink."

"Fine by me," Zuko said, jumping down from the shirshu.

The others followed suit. Tomoki and Jee dumped their captives unceremoniously on the ground before replenishing their water flasks alongside June at the stream. Zuko wasted no time in approaching the trio. He'd been waiting for this chance. Aang was the closest, so Zuko leaned in as if to examine the ropes binding the boy, just in case someone glanced his way.

"Can you move yet?" he asked in a voice too soft for anyone else to hear.

Aang's eyes widened. "You—"

"Not so loud," Zuko whispered furiously. The last thing he needed was for the little idiot to open his big mouth and ruin everything. "Can you move or not?"

There was a spark of excitement in Aang's eyes that even Zuko's reprimand could not dampen. He wriggled awkwardly against his bonds. "A little, but I'm all tied up so it's hard to tell."

"What's going on?" Katara asked. "What do you want with Aang now?"

Zuko ignored her and glared at the airbender. "This conversation didn't happen."

Aang got the hint. His only response was to call Zuko a friend betrayer and to say that he didn't want to see Zuko's face again. It was terrible acting, but then Aang was such a weirdo sometimes that Zuko doubted Jee or any of the others would notice. Satisfied, Zuko left the trio and went to carry out the next part of his plan.

For this part, he needed Tomoki. Zuko was aware that Jee and Tomoki had been keeping him under watch, maybe out of suspicion or maybe just because he was their prince. That worked in his favour. He placed his uncle down away from everyone and headed deeper into the forest. He was not surprised when Tomoki followed and asked him where he was going.

"Toilet," Zuko said unabashedly.

"Oh." Tomoki scratched his cheek. "Well, er, I'll accompany you. As a guard, I mean."

Zuko shrugged to show his acquiescence. Once he had found a private spot out of earshot from the others, he turned to Tomoki and ordered the man to wait for him.

"But—"

"I don't think you need to watch me," Zuko said at his driest.

Tomoki didn't. There was nothing else he could do but stand in place and wait for Zuko to return.

Zuko quickened his pace once he was out of sight and hurriedly tugged the bison whistle free from his pocket. He blew on it for several seconds, ignoring the fact it sounded silent to him. That glimpse of white earlier had looked more like Momo, but where Momo was, the bison was sure to be close. Appa would come.

That part taken care of, Zuko reached into his other pocket and pulled out a small bottle. It was the perfume Aunt Wu had given him before he'd left Makapu Village. Back then, she'd said he would know when to use it. Of course, by the time he had realised he could use the scent to "blind" the shirshu, who had no eyes and relied on smell to see, Aang, Katara and Sokka had already been paralysed. His choices had become very limited then. In his child's form, there was no way he could have got the three of them away on Appa, even if he did manage to distract Nyla. He'd hesitated too long.

Zuko was not hesitating now. It wasn't that he was at peace with his choice. Far from it. He'd just realised the moment the Avatar was helpless at his feet that he couldn't follow his father's orders. Not if it meant handing the boy over like an object to be locked away. Not if it meant betraying Katara and Sokka's trust. They were his friends. He cared about them. Honour gained through betrayal wasn't honour at all.

So Zuko had salvaged what he could. He'd come up with a plan: reckless, impulsive, but with a higher chance of success than if he'd tried to make a stand back in that forest clearing. It was true that the thought of going against his father made him sick to his stomach, but he also couldn't pretend anymore that the end would justify the means. Helping his friends was something he had to do. Besides, he and his uncle were still cursed. Trying to convince Jee and Tomoki of his identity had been difficult enough. It would be pointless to even attempt returning to the ship or the Fire Nation without first breaking the curse.

"This is the only way," Zuko said, almost like a mantra.

He didn't give himself a chance to reconsider and stripped off his clothes. Then he pulled out the beans and stuffed one into his mouth. The pain was instant, crippling him to his knees. It felt like hands were pulling him this way and that so he could be reshaped. He clenched his teeth hard so he wouldn't make a sound. Even then, it wasn't easy.

Suddenly, the pain stopped and he was left slumped on the forest floor. He took a moment to catch his breath before struggling to his feet. His whole body felt like jelly. He flexed his fingers and stretched his limbs, getting used to the feeling of being back in his teenage form. Once satisfied that he had everything under control, he moved swiftly to where Tomoki was waiting.

"He's taking a while," Tomoki muttered. "Should I just go to him?"

As silent as a panther-shark, Zuko dashed forward and clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle any cry of alarm. The struggle was brief and ended with a thud. Carefully, Zuko lowered his unconscious crewmember to the ground.

"Sorry," he said with a stab of guilt, "but I need your clothes."

He stripped the man and tugged the uniform onto his own body. They were the same size, so even the boots fit comfortably. Tomoki had been wearing the helmet without a faceplate, but Zuko fixed the mask to his face. Now it would be easy for anyone to mistake him for the older firebender.

Zuko's stomach twisted, reminding him of what he had to do next. Keeping in motion was the key to not losing his resolve.

He blew once more on the bison whistle, just to be safe, and then hurried back to the stream where everyone else was waiting. Katara, Sokka and Aang were still slumped on the ground. June was tending to her shirshu, and Jee was watching over the clearing and no doubt waiting for Tomoki and Zuko to return. As such, Jee was also the first to catch sight of him.

"Where's Prince Zuko?" Jee asked. "I thought he was with you."

There was a chittering sound and Momo swooped down from the treetops. A split-second later, Appa forced his way through the branches and headed straight for his master.

"Momo!" Sokka, Katara and Aang all cried joyfully. "Appa!"

Jee shifted into a bending stance. "Keep them away from the Avatar!"

June leaped onto her shirshu and brandished her whip. Zuko sprinted to her, uncorking the bottle of perfume. He tossed the contents straight onto Nyla's nose. The shirshu let out an awful screech and reared up on its back legs, knocking June off and going wild with sensory overload. The venomous tongue lashed out. Zuko threw himself to the side, but June was not so lucky. She hit the ground and stayed there. Nyla disappeared into the trees.

"Have you gone mad?" Jee exclaimed. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Zuko flipped back to his feet and shot a ball of flames at the lieutenant. Jee blocked it easily, but that was to be expected.

"You … you're not Tomoki." Jee's eyes widened. "It can't be—"

Zuko responded with a barrage of fire attacks, trying to fend the older man off as he backed closer and closer to the trio. "Appa!" he yelled.

The bison obliged him by spinning and thumping his tail against the ground to create a powerful air blast. Jee was caught up in the blast and sent flying against a tree. Zuko seized his chance and turned to get the ropes off everyone. Momo had already started gnawing at Aang's with his sharp teeth. That was going to take too long, so Zuko created three precise flames to weaken the ropes and pulled them apart with his own hands.

"Look out!" Sokka warned.

He turned just in time to shield himself from a stream of flames. Jee had recovered and was advancing upon them with furious intent.

"Can you move enough to get on Appa?" Zuko asked them in between countering and deflecting attacks.

Aang made a valiant effort to get to his feet, only to wobble and pitch forward onto his face. Katara and Sokka looked at him helplessly.

"I'll take that as a no," Zuko muttered.

This was going to be a pain. Still, he had known there was a chance that full mobility might not have returned. It was fortunate that Appa was still saddled.

He edged closer to Sokka and reached for the back of the boy's collar. "Looks like this is the only way."

"What are—"

Sokka yelped as he was tossed high into the air. Appa, thankfully, was smart enough to catch on to Zuko's plan. The bison caught Sokka with the saddle and then waited for the next two. The problem was Jee, who had been advancing fireball by fireball and was now dangerously close. Zuko cursed under his breath. He knew he was capable of taking Jee out in a fight, but this wasn't a training exercise. Lieutenant Jee was no pushover and it would take time to beat him. Zuko didn't want to drag this out or have to hurt another member of his crew.

Momo came to his rescue by creating a distraction and flying straight at Jee's face. Zuko quickly tossed Katara onto the saddle and then reached for Aang.

"Damned lemur!" Jee swatted at Momo, who was sent spiralling away.

Aang made an alarmed sound. "Don't hurt him!"

Jee didn't bother to pursue Momo, but he did look pissed off. Zuko knew because he'd seen that expression countless times when tempers had been tested too much on the ship.

"Why?" Jee suddenly demanded. "Why are you doing this? Do you want to become a traitor as well?"

Zuko's stomach seemed to drop several inches, but he stood protectively in front of Aang. "I'm not a traitor."

"You're assisting the Avatar and his friends to escape!"

A blast of fire followed these words. Zuko diffused the flames with a downward slope of his arms, then kicked out a stream of blazing orange in retaliation.

"Give it up!" Zuko snapped.

Jee was too stubborn to do such a thing. What Zuko hadn't anticipated was for Jee to aim his flame-surrounded fist at the teapot. Zuko's body stilled as if he'd been jabbed with shirshu venom. His mouth was too dry and his pulse throbbed painfully in his throat.

"Lieutenant," he managed to get out in a thick voice. "You don't want to do that."

There was an awful moment where they just stared at each other. Then Jee lowered his fist and his voice sounded oddly resigned when he spoke.

"I can't," he agreed.

Zuko didn't hesitate. He tossed Aang up to Appa and grabbed the teapot. Momo flew overhead to join the others in the saddle. Zuko was about to follow when his feet took on a mind of their own and rooted him to the ground. He glanced back at the lieutenant. Jee had not moved.

"I …" Zuko swallowed and found he didn't know what he wanted to say.

"What are you waiting for?" Sokka yelled.

Zuko snapped back to attention. Teapot tucked under his arm, he half-jumped, half-swung up on to Appa. Then he grabbed the reins. "Yip, yip!"

Appa took off with an eager rumble. The forest clearing was left far behind, and so was the lieutenant.

oOo

"You sneaky bastard!" Sokka grinned at Zuko so widely that it was like his face might split. "You really had me fooled for a while there."

Zuko couldn't even dredge up a smile. Now that the adrenaline rush was over, the full reality of what he had done hit home. He sat down in the saddle and removed the helmet and faceplate so he could breathe better. It didn't help. The urge to vomit was overwhelming.

"Do you want to become a traitor as well?"

Dimly, he was aware of the others talking. Of them expressing their relief that he hadn't betrayed them. Of their demands to know why he hadn't given them any warning of his plan, or how he'd got rid of the shirshu, or how he'd even got big again. Their chatter was a buzz in his ears, but he couldn't focus enough to answer. All the food he had eaten at lunch heaved in his stomach.

A traitor. Was he one now?

He'd told Jee that he wasn't. In his heart, Zuko knew he was loyal to the Fire Nation, but then how else did one describe his actions? He had gone against the Fire Lord's orders. He had chosen not to capture the Avatar, the one thing he had to do in order to have his banishment revoked. No one was going to understand. This was … he had just lost any guarantee of being pardoned. His father would never forgive him. Getting his face burnt for speaking out of turn and refusing to fight in the Agni Kai would be nothing to the punishment he would receive this time.

"Are you … are you crying?"

Sokka sounded a bit embarrassed for him. Zuko realised with a start that something wet was indeed spilling down his cheeks. He swallowed and buried his face against his knees.

"They're going to brand me a traitor," he rasped. The words got stuck in his throat. "I can't … I can't go home now."

No one said anything. Just like that, the happy bubble of relief had popped.

"Zuko," Aang said, but then he trailed off. Even the master of incessant talking had been silenced.

Zuko kept his face hidden. He did not regret helping his friends. There was no doubt in his mind that he had made the right decision. But he couldn't help crying over what he had been forced to give up in the process. He cried because he and his father were just too different: that where one saw strength, the other saw shame, and today he had realised there was no way to please his father unless he wanted to lose himself completely. He cried because he still yearned for the palace and the land that had been denied to him, for the life that was supposed to be his but which now seemed far beyond his reach. Too far for him to ever grasp.

He cried because he was only sixteen years old, and it felt like he had just lost everything.

Arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a hug. The softness of the person's chest told him it was Katara. Then skinnier arms latched onto his other side, and a bigger hand came to rest on his shoulder. Even Momo got in close. Zuko hiccupped a little as he realised all of them had come to comfort him.

"We'll figure something out," Katara said gently, "so don't give up hope. It'll all work out somehow. I know it will."

Sokka and Aang chipped in with similar assurances. Zuko made a noncommittal sound and kept his face pressed to his knees, not wanting them to see his tears. Even if Katara was right, even if they did find a way for him to return home without capturing Aang, he knew that everything had changed. With one choice, he had annulled almost three years of desperate struggling and dreams.

Did that make him a traitor? That was a question he no longer knew how to answer.

Chapter 15: In Which Aang Hates Breathing

Chapter Text

"You should eat something."

Zuko turned at the sound of Katara's voice. She drew closer to where he sat shadowed by the trees not far from their campsite. Cradled in her hands was a bowl of food. His stomach knotted at the sight and he glanced away.

"I'm not—"

"I know." She stepped closer. "I know you probably don't feel like eating anything right now, but couldn't you at least try it? Just a little? I know it's not much, but …"

Their eyes met. Normally, she just nagged and nagged his ear off or threatened to feed him herself when she thought he wasn't eating properly. The softness in her bearing now made it hard for him to turn her down. He sighed and extended his hand. It was a small reward to see the way her lips curved upwards. She gave him the food and sat next to him, drawing her legs up to her chest. Their arms brushed.

"It's a bit weird being with you like this," she said after a while.

Zuko paused in the act of picking at his food. He raised his eyebrows at her in question.

Colour dusted her cheeks. "Well, um, I mean you're bigger than me now."

"Oh."

Right. He'd been so caught up with everything that had happened that he'd not really focussed on the fact he was back to his teenage body. Now that she had brought it up, he couldn't help but notice that their faces were much closer. Much, much closer. He had to tilt his head down to meet her gaze, but the fact they were sitting helped to balance the height difference. It also made it easier to see that her eyes were more than one shade of blue. There were hints of the sky, of the ocean. Somehow, it seemed fitting. She was just as changeable as both: one moment gentle, the next storming. Oddly, he'd come to like that about her. She wouldn't be Katara if she wasn't so expressive with her emotions.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

His whole face warmed. There was absolutely no way he was going to admit what he had been thinking.

"Wait, are you blushing?"

"No!"

He stuffed rice and vegetables into his mouth so he wouldn't have to look at her anymore and so she would take the hint to drop the subject. Too bad his face kept getting hotter. Even his ears felt warm. Damn her for calling him out.

"Wow, you're really red." Katara laughed and straightened a bit more, making their shoulders bump. "C'mon, you can't leave me hanging now. What were you thinking?"

He pointedly kept eating.

"Zuuuko." She dragged out his name in that wheedling way Aang often did, except on her it sounded less like a whiny kid and more like a teasing caress. "I promise I won't laugh."

He hunched his shoulders, conscious of the wings stirring in his stomach and the way her body lightly pressed against his side. The last time they'd been this close was when she'd spent the night talking with him on Appa. He'd been the size of a six year old then. He wasn't now. Every brush of contact was a reminder that he was all teenager.

"You're already laughing," he grumbled, hunching even more so he was like a vulture-wasp clutching his bowl of food.

"Is it really that bad?"

He made the mistake of looking at her. Suddenly there was no air in his lungs. She was closer than he'd anticipated and her smile was a thief that had snatched all the breath from him. "I …" He swallowed and cleared his throat. "I, uh …"

"Yes?"

Had she moved closer? His heart thumped against his ribs.

"I wish there was meat in this," he blurted.

Katara blinked at the bowl of rice and vegetables he had thrust between them. "Oh."

He looked the other way. "It's just bland."

"Sorry." There was no teasing caress in her tone now. "We're running low on supplies and Sokka didn't get a chance to go hunting because of, well, everything that happened."

He remembered. He also wondered what the heck he was doing making such comments when she had done nothing to deserve it. What was wrong with him?

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I just … I don't really know what I'm saying or thinking right now."

"It's okay. I know this must be hard for you."

"That doesn't give me an excuse to be a jerk."

"At least you admit it."

He raised his head to look at her.

"I'm not mad," she assured him. "I mean, even I agree the food is bland."

His mouth twitched.

"You smiled." Something softened in her expression and she brushed the corner of his lips with her finger. "I'm glad."

Zuko's heart sped up so fast it was like lightning in his chest: an instant rush that boomed right through him. "W-what—"

"Sorry." She pulled her hand away. "I didn't mean … I just, um … I mean, you haven't smiled much of late."

His breath was still lost somewhere in his throat. Katara hurriedly averted her face, though not before he'd seen the waves of colour spread over her cheeks. His own face was very warm.

"There you two are!" Sokka called.

Zuko and Katara both flinched and sprang away from each other. Zuko blinked as the bowl of food slipped from his fingers and spilled on the ground.

"We've got to—" Sokka broke off when he noticed Katara blushing and Zuko just staring at the spilled rice and vegetables. "Uh, am I interrupting something?"

"No," they said in unison.

They glanced at each other and their cheeks darkened.

Sokka's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Okaaay. Well, if you've done, uh, not doing anything, we're moving out."

Katara's brow creased. "Why? What's wrong with here?"

"Found some Fire Nation traps in the forest. Better not risk it."

Zuko's stomach curdled. Right, because he had basically declared himself a traitor and Aang was the Avatar.

"Let's hurry then," he said, picking up the bowl and chopsticks.

There was no point lingering. They were all considered enemies of the Fire Nation now.

oOo

It was late the next day when they came across the poster for the Fire Days Festival. They also found wanted posters for Aang and what looked like the disguise Zuko had used to infiltrate Pohuai Stronghold. His red-painted persona had no name, only a bounty reward and a description of his crime. There was nothing for the prince himself.

"Guess it's too soon," Zuko murmured.

The posters were bound to appear eventually, though he wondered how Jee and Tomoki would fare with explaining to the artists that he could appear as a teenager or a child. Right now, Zuko was the size of a six year old again. He also only had one bean left, though it meant little to him now that he had abandoned his mission to capture Aang.

Zuko glanced away from the noticeboard and tuned in to what the others were saying. Aang was still trying to persuade the siblings to let him go to the festival.

"C'mon, guys," Aang wheedled. "It'll be fun, and I have to learn firebending at some point. This'll be a good chance to watch a master up close!"

"Just get Zuko to teach you," Sokka responded. "He's a firebender."

Zuko blinked as everyone turned to look at him. "Oh. Uh …" Warmth crawled across his cheeks. "About that. I'm, uh, not sure I can."

"Why not?" Katara asked.

"I'm not a master."

"But you're still a firebender," Sokka pointed out. "And you're still the only firebender we know who doesn't want to make toasted, flaming Avatar, so let's skip the festival where all the fire people are getting their fire on, and Aang here can learn from you."

Zuko lowered his gaze. "Right. See, I'm not that good."

Katara let out a small laugh. "Zuko, you don't have to be so modest."

Oh, geez, this was awkward. He couldn't believe they were making him spell this out to them. Perhaps that was why he ended up averting his face and hunching his shoulders like a grumpy turtleduck trying retreat into its shell.

"Look, I haven't even mastered the basics yet!" he snapped. "I can't teach Aang anything, alright? I'm just not good!"

There was a moment of silence.

"You really haven't mastered the basics?" Sokka asked.

Zuko felt his face heat again. "Idiot, do you think I'd say it if it wasn't true?"

Sokka held his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "Hey, man, it's not like I'm gonna hold it against you. I mean, you should see Katara. She freezes me more than she does her enemies."

"Excuse me! I can't help it the Fire Nation took all our tribe's waterbenders away so I had no master! I'm trying my best!"

"But I did have masters," Zuko muttered, now turning away so they were left staring at his back. "I've had the finest all my life. I have no excuse." He balled his hands into fists. "My sister is a firebending prodigy, and I'm just …" He gave a shrug.

There was another moment of silence. Mostly. Zuko could hear some scuffling and muttering sounds that might have been Katara elbowing her brother and telling him to fix the mess he'd created with his tactlessness. That was also kind of humiliating.

"Look, man," Sokka said. "I really didn't mean anything bad by it. I'm just confused. I know I'm no bender, but you seem like a pretty good firebender to me. I mean, you helped stop a volcano! That's crazy!"

"Sokka's right," Aang chimed in. "We've all seen you fight and, well, I hate to sound big headed and all, but you've even held your own against me and I'm a master airbender and the Avatar."

Zuko turned to face the boys. "You guys don't get it. What I've done is nothing. You've never seen a real master firebender fight."

"But what you've done has been enough to get you this far," Katara said. She stepped closer to him. "Please, Zuko, couldn't you teach Aang at least some of what you know? It's better than nothing, right?"

Aang nodded vigorously from behind her.

Zuko sighed and pressed his hand to his forehead. "I … I guess I could try."

"Great!" Aang bounced ahead. "But I still think we should check out this festival. Maybe Zuko and I will both get ideas if we watch some masters bend!"

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "I think that was your weakest attempt yet."

Aang had the grace to give a sheepish grin. Not that he was ready to give up. He continued to cajole and offer up tempting images of why they should go to the festival. Eventually, Katara turned to Zuko and asked what he thought.

"You're the only one who hasn't said anything," she said.

Zuko glanced to the side. "It'll be dangerous if someone recognises Aang."

"There, you see," Sokka said in satisfaction. "Told you it was too dangerous."

"But I …" Zuko pressed his mouth together to hold back the words; they spilled out anyway, hushed like a confession. "I want to go."

Sokka's jaw dropped. "You what?"

Zuko lowered his gaze and rubbed his arm as if trying to ease an old wound. Sokka took the silence as a sign to go off on one of his usual rants about how everyone was crazy, though he was the one waving his arms around as if trying to conjure a rainstorm. Zuko offered no defence. Going to the festival would be risky, but he couldn't deny his desire either.

"Let's just go for a little while," Katara suggested. "We can wear disguises so no one recognises us."

Zuko glanced up quickly and met her gaze. There was a hint of warmth and understanding in her eyes. Perhaps she remembered their quiet conversation on Appa, back when he'd admitted he was homesick and missed the festivals and the food of his nation.

"Fine," Sokka said with a dramatic sigh, "but don't blame me if something goes wrong."

Aang assured him that they would leave if it looked like trouble. Sokka wasn't impressed by this statement, but the decision had been made and he no longer put up a fight. Tonight, they were all going to attend the Fire Days Festival.

oOo

Zuko frowned at the Fire Nation deserter named Chey. After Aang blew their covers with an unnecessary attempt to protect Katara, they'd ended up escaping from the town with Chey on Appa. Zuko had his own thoughts about following strangers, but he also knew his breath would be wasted on the likes of Katara and Aang. That said, even he could admit Chey seemed harmless enough. Maybe had too many knocks to the head, but harmless.

Currently, they were seated around a camp fire and Chey was telling them all about the man he served, Jeong Jeong the Deserter. Zuko had heard of the guy, but he'd been much younger when Jeong Jeong had defected from the Fire Nation. Even if they had met, Zuko didn't remember him. In any case, Chey seemed to think that Jeong Jeong was the perfect person to train the Avatar in firebending.

"That's why I followed you into the festival," he told them.

"Look," Sokka said, standing up. "Thanks for the help, but we're leaving for the North Pole in the morning."

Aang was about to respond when the bushes rustled and several men wearing straw hats appeared. They were all holding spears and aimed the points at Zuko and the others in a clear threat.

"Don't move!" the leader ordered.

Zuko's eyes narrowed a fraction. He was not going to let himself be captured by these people; however, before he could make his move, Chey dispelled the tension by calling the leader his buddy and wanting to know if Jeong Jeong had sent the warriors to come find him. The leader, whose name was Lin Yi, glared and told them to shut up and start moving.

Aang shrugged. "Guess we should go with them."

Zuko said nothing and followed the warriors through the forest. They eventually came to a small village with a scattering of huts. Lin Yi led them to the largest one that was positioned on a small island on the river and told Chey to go inside. The others were forced to wait outside.

"Why do we have to sit here like this?" Sokka grumbled. "We don't need this crazy guy. Zuko already said he'd teach you what he knows and—"

"What I can teach is nothing to what a real master can do," Zuko cut in. "Aang shouldn't waste this opportunity if Jeong Jeong is willing to teach him."

But it turned out that Jeong Jeong wasn't willing to teach Aang. He didn't even come to see them. Just had Chey tell them that they all had to leave.

Aang stood up. "I'm going in anyway."

Zuko and the others were forced to wait again. He took the opportunity to check on his uncle, who had been tucked securely in Appa's saddle. The teapot was still in good condition, no cracks or chips, but the tea inside had all evaporated. His stomach twisted. He had never figured out if the tea was necessary for his uncle's survival. Aang had assured him when the tea had first started disappearing that he could still sense life from the teapot, but was it enough?

Zuko sighed and resumed his position next to Sokka. It wasn't long before Aang came back, scuffing his shoes slightly. The lack of a smile suggested the meeting with Jeong Jeong hadn't gone well.

"He wants to see you," Aang said to Zuko.

Zuko's brow creased. "Why?"

Aang glanced at his hands. "I told him you'd teach me if he didn't. Now he wants to talk to you."

Zuko exhaled and got to his feet. He entered the hut and saw Jeong Jeong sitting by some lit candles. The man looked much as he had done in the wanted posters, except his white hair was loose and he was wearing simple clothes that were designed to help him blend in with the Earth Kingdom. His expression was grim.

"You would train the Avatar in firebending?" Jeong Jeong questioned.

There was no greeting, no invitation for Zuko to sit. Just a sharp demand to answer. Zuko stiffened and the royal part of him that had always disliked being talked down to prickled like upraised fur on an owlcat's back.

"I don't pretend to be a master," Zuko said with forced calm, "but if you won't help Aang, then yes. I'll teach him what I know."

"And what do you hope him to learn? You are a child yourself, full of impatience and imbalance. I can see it imprinted all over you." Jeong Jeong shook his head. "You are not fit to teach the Avatar, and the Avatar is not ready to learn firebending. The two of you would be the worst combination."

Zuko's hands trembled slightly as he tried to keep his temper in check. "I'm aware I'm not the best teacher for Aang. He deserves a real master, but what can he do when you refuse to teach him and my uncle is incapable of doing anything right now?"

"Your uncle?"

Zuko cursed his own big mouth. "Forget it," he muttered, turning away. "It's clear you don't intend to train Aang. We'll leave as requested."

"Wait."

Zuko paused.

"Who is your uncle, boy?" Jeong Jeong stared at him intently. "Your face is familiar. It has been bothering me."

"I doubt it is him you see in me. I look nothing like my uncle."

It was his father he resembled. He had his mother's smile, but he had his father's features. Once, Zuko had taken pride in the fact. Now it just made him bitter and even less inclined to satisfy the old bender's curiosity. The wounds created when he'd realised his father would never accept him were still too fresh.

Jeong Jeong's frown deepened. "No, perhaps the better question is to ask who you are. Now that I look more closely, there is a strange aura around you." His eyes widened in realisation. "You've been spirit-touched."

There was that phrase again: spirit-touched. Aunt Wu had said the same when she had met him. Zuko's mouth went a bit dry.

"I see now you are no ordinary child," Jeong Jeong continued, "but you should not teach the Avatar firebending. That boy is not ready to use fire. He has no discipline. He is too weak."

The flames lighting the candles flickered. Zuko noted how Jeong Jeong's eyes glazed over for a moment, and then he blinked as if shaking off a trance.

"Are … are you okay?" Zuko asked.

Jeong Jeong pinched the bridge of his nose. "It seems the spirits have overruled me. Let the Avatar know that I will teach him. His lessons begin tomorrow morning."

Zuko wasn't sure what the spirits had done to change the old man's mind, but he was relieved that Jeong Jeong had relented. He nodded to show he understood and made to exit the hut.

"One more thing."

Zuko glanced over his shoulder.

"Avatar Roku gave me a message for you."

Zuko's eyes widened. "Avatar Roku did?"

"He said you do not need to worry. Your uncle's curse can still be broken. He also said that he's glad you're with Aang." Jeong Jeong gave him another of those swift, appraising looks. "You must be special indeed to have earned the personal interest of Avatar Roku."

Zuko said nothing. A part of him wanted to dismiss the attention as just a previous Avatar supporting the fact he was no longer trying to capture Aang, yet Zuko remembered what had happened at Crescent Island. When all the other firebenders had been attacked, Roku's flames had merely broken the chains that had kept Zuko bound. They'd freed him and allowed him to escape the island. Still, of more interest to Zuko in that moment was the first part of the message. If Roku was to be believed, his uncle was safe, despite the evaporated tea. It was huge relief. The curse could still be broken.

"Thank you for telling me," Zuko said. "I'll let Aang know about his training."

Jeong Jeong did not stop him from leaving this time. Zuko made his way to where the others were sitting guarded by Lin Yi and some of the other warriors. Katara looked like she was dozing with Momo on her lap, while Aang fidgeted around anxiously. Sokka just looked bored.

"He's going to teach you," Zuko said to Aang. "Your lessons begin tomorrow."

"Alright!" Aang punched the air and used bending to do a little air flip.

Katara blinked blearily at everyone. "Huh?" She smothered a yawn. "What's going on?"

Aang grinned and filled her in while they were led to a hut where they could sleep. Zuko felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Jeong Jeong standing in the doorway of the big hut. The guy was staring straight at him.

"Something wrong?" Sokka asked, coming to stand beside Zuko.

"No." Zuko turned away. "It's nothing."

oOo

As promised, Aang's firebending lessons began the next morning. Jeong Jeong started him with breathing techniques to help him with control. Still, Aang wasn't so thrilled. Zuko, Katara and Sokka watched him get led away by Jeong Jeong towards the nearby mountain.

"I wonder if Aang will be okay," Katara mused.

"Impatience is probably the only thing he'll suffer from," Zuko said with a faint twitch of his lips. "I wouldn't worry about it."

She conceded this point and went back to practicing her waterbending. Sokka also went back to fishing. With nothing better to do, Zuko decided to head a little away from the others so he could practice his own bending. It had been a while since he'd trained. He was still thus engaged when Jeong Jeong found him.

"Not bad," the older man said by way of greeting.

Zuko lowered his hands and gave a brief bow. "Master Jeong Jeong."

"You have good grounding, though you let your emotions fuel your fire too much. Your flames are as troubled as your heart."

Zuko's eyebrow quirked a fraction. This guy was as bad as his uncle with the way he talked.

"Who is your teacher?" Jeong Jeong asked.

"My uncle."

"The one who was cursed?"

Zuko nodded. There was no real need to hide the truth. Avatar Roku's message had said enough, and it wasn't like it mattered now if Jeong Jeong or anyone else realised he wasn't a six year old named Lee. The Fire Nation would never welcome Zuko back. In fact, the only reason Zuko had bothered to maintain his act as Lee was because most people would just assume he was crazy if he claimed otherwise. Somehow, though, he knew Jeong Jeong wouldn't be like that.

"You never did tell me your uncle's name," Jeong Jeong pointed out.

"His name is Iroh." Zuko met his gaze steadily. "Also known as the Dragon of the West."

Jeong Jeong's eyes widened. "Then you must be Prince Zuko, the Fire Lord's eldest child."

"Yes." Zuko's mouth twisted into a grimace. "Though my title doesn't mean much these days."

Jeong Jeong muttered something about Roku and doting great-grandfathers under his breath. Zuko wasn't sure what that meant, but he didn't bother to question it. No doubt he'd just heard incorrectly.

"Come with me," Jeong Jeong said, changing tack to a more serious tone. "There is much we need to talk about."

Zuko hesitated only a moment before following.

oOo

"So, you're looking for the Waters of Healing," Jeong Jeong murmured.

Zuko nodded and glanced at the teapot resting on the ground between them. They sat inside the old bender's hut, once more surrounded by a crescent of flickering candles. Zuko had explained all about the curse as well as how he had chosen not to obey his father's command to capture the Avatar. Jeong Jeong, in turn, had admitted that he was friends with Iroh and would do what he could to help them.

"I'm afraid I have not heard of such a place," Jeong Jeong said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

Zuko hadn't expected much anyway. He'd travelled most of the world and had never heard of the Waters of Healing.

"Be that as it may," Jeong Jeong continued, "I sense it is not breaking the curse which troubles you now."

Zuko glanced up in surprise. There was a softness in the other man's eyes that he'd never seen before.

"It will get easier," Jeong Jeong told him. "The pain you feel, the pain of knowing you have cut your ties to your father and nation. In time, it will be soothed."

"How did you—"

"Because I have been in your shoes." Jeong Jeong closed his eyes, making the thin scar on his face stand out even more. "Though it took me much longer to see the path that the Fire Nation had placed me on was only one of destruction."

Zuko lowered his gaze. It didn't feel like he'd quickly realised the error of his ways. He'd made so many mistakes, done so many things he regretted all for the sake of reclaiming an honour he'd only thought he'd lost. Or maybe it had never been about honour. Maybe all he'd ever wanted was his father's love. That realisation hurt as well, a stinging lance to his heart that left bitterness and sadness in its wake.

"Your uncle would be proud of you."

This time, Zuko raised his head so quickly that his neck gave a twinge of protest. "My uncle?"

Jeong Jeong nodded. "I always wondered why he chose to join you on your banishment, but now I understand. Prince Zuko, you have proven yourself to be a young man of integrity and compassion. Even the spirits have taken notice. There is no doubt that a great destiny awaits you if you choose to accept it."

"I …"

No other words came out. Zuko had believed so firmly that his life was over—not in the mortal sense, of course, but certainly in achieving anything. He'd lost his home, his family, his title as a prince. What had he left?

"How can you say that?" he couldn't help but ask. "I have nothing now."

"A book does not end after the first chapter. Why should it be any different for you?"

Zuko swallowed.

"Your uncle believed in you," Jeong Jeong continued in that brusque yet surprisingly gentle way of his. "Perhaps it is time for you to believe in yourself. See what you can do when you are not fettered by blind loyalty to the Fire Lord."

There was nothing else to be said. Zuko knew, however, that he would think about their conversation for a long time afterwards.

oOo

Aang's lessons continued throughout the day and he was eventually upgraded to stopping a leaf from burning. Zuko idly watched from where he sat next to Sokka near the river.

"C'mon," Sokka muttered, giving his fishing rod a twitch. "Gimme a big one."

Zuko's mouth curved into a smile. "How long have you been saying that now?"

"Shut up." The boy gave him a push.

Zuko laughed, but he was soon distracted by Aang's triumphant cry.

"I did it!" Aang exclaimed. "I made fire!"

Katara, who had been packing up her waterbending scroll, now moved closer to the airbender. "That's great, Aang, but you should take it slow."

Aang's flames instantly got bigger.

"Careful!" Katara warned.

Zuko sat up straighter. "What is that idiot doing?" he muttered.

Aang continued to play with the ball of flame, shooting out whips and juggling it with a grin on his face.

Zuko's brow creased and he stood up. "That's enough, Aang. You shouldn't mess around with fire like that. Someone might get hurt."

"Aw, c'mon, it's just a bit of fun, and I've got it under control." He paused. "Wonder how that juggler did it?"

Before Zuko could react, Aang looped the ball of fire around him and then pushed outwards with his hand.

"No, don't!" Zuko yelled.

It all happened so fast. The flames flared out as they only could—too fast for Zuko to assert his own control over them. The hot wave of orange engulfed Katara, who had been standing close. A cry of pain escaped her. Zuko's stomach felt like it was filled with lead as she crumpled to her knees.

"Katara!" Aang cried. He hopped off the rock and ran to her. "I'm so sorry!"

Sokka rushed past Zuko. "Katara, what's wrong!?" He swung around to face Aang. "What did you do?"

"I-it was an accident!" Aang bit his lip and reached for her. "Katara, I'm so—"

Sokka tackled Aang. "Zuko told you not to mess around! Look what you did! You burned my sister!"

Katara scrambled to her feet and ran into the trees. Zuko took one glance back at Sokka and Aang before he chose to follow her. It wasn't as easy to keep up since his legs were so much shorter, but he soon found her crying by the riverbank. She was completely huddled over so he couldn't see anything of her face.

"Let me see," Zuko said gently.

She made choked little sounds, no doubt trying to hold back sobs.

"Katara." He stepped closer and clasped her face with his hands, raising her head so he could look at her. A weight seemed to fall from his heart when he saw her smooth, unblemished skin. "Thank Agni," he murmured. "He didn't get your face."

Tears brushed his fingers and clung to her eyelashes. "It hurts," she choked out. "It hurts so much."

"Where?"

She held up her trembling hands for him to see. Angry marks gouged into her palms and wrapped around her wrists and forearms in snaking, blistering wounds. His stomach clenched. The burns would leave scars.

"Here," he said, careful not to brush the burns as he helped her lower her hands into the water. "This will help."

Katara hiccupped on a sob. He knew the pain she felt. It was what had made him follow, even though he didn't have any of the salves or medicine that could ease her pain. A strange glow came from the water, silvery like moonlight. Her eyes widened and she pulled her hands out of the river. Her skin was as unmarred as it had been before.

Zuko blinked. "You … your burns …"

"I don't understand," she murmured.

He ran his fingers over her skin as if mesmerised, tracing the path of the burns that had been there only seconds ago. Their eyes met in mutual wonder.

"You have healing abilities," Jeong Jeong said, approaching them from the trees. "The great benders of the Water Tribe sometimes have this ability." He sat next to them. "I've always wished I were blessed like you, free from this burning curse."

"But you're a great master," she said, shaking her head. "You have powers I'll never know."

"Water brings healing and life." Jeong Jeong stared at his hands. "But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart."

Zuko said nothing. He loved the comforting warmth of his element, but he understood what Jeong Jeong was saying as well. War had done much to bring out the ugliest parts of fire, including those who wielded it.

A massive ball of flames crashed into the water in front of them. Jeong Jeong rose into a bending stance and parted the flames so the fire could not harm either of the teens. Several riverboats were bearing down on them on the river. Zuko couldn't be sure from this distance, but it looked like Zhao was standing near the bow of closest boat.

"Go get your friends and flee!" Jeong Jeong ordered. "Do not come back here or you will all be destroyed. Hurry!"

Katara grabbed Zuko's hand and ran with him into the trees. "I hope Jeong Jeong will be okay," she muttered.

Zuko remained silent and kept running. They made it back to the village to find Sokka getting Appa's saddle ready.

"Katara!" Sokka exclaimed when he noticed them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but we've got to get out of here. Where's Aang?"

Sokka jerked his thumb in the direction of Jeong Jeong's hut. Katara ran to find him while Zuko explained what had happened at the river for Sokka's benefit. They had just finished packing up Appa's saddle when Aang came out and declared he was going to help Jeong Jeong.

"I'm coming with you," Zuko said, stepping forward.

Aang blinked. "Uh, no offense, Zuko, but when you're small like that, I'm not sure how—"

Zuko pulled out the last bean from his pocket. "I'm coming."

Katara's eyes widened. "Isn't that—"

"Yes." Zuko tightened his grip on the bean. "I'm pretty sure it's Zhao who's attacking. I won't run from him." He turned to Sokka. "I'm borrowing your clothes."

"Hey, wait a—"

Zuko grabbed Sokka's pack and marched off into Jeong Jeong's hut. One painful transformation later, he was his teenage size again and dressed in Sokka's clothes for lighter weather: a sleeveless blue tunic over darker blue pants. His feet were bigger than Sokka's, so he had to forego shoes. It almost made him wish he had kept the clothes he had stolen from Tomoki, but there had been no room in anyone's packs to carry all the bulky armour and it wasn't like it would be wise for him to dress in Fire Nation clothes.

He left the hut and nodded briefly to Sokka and Katara before he dashed back into the trees with Aang. By the time they reached the riverbank, Zhao was on the shore with five other of his soldiers and surrounding Jeong Jeong. The old man spotted the two boys approaching and a smile flickered across his face. Then a massive wall of flames surrounded Jeong Jeong, so hot and bright that the other firebenders could do nothing but flinch and try to shield their faces. When all the fire dissipated, the old man was gone.

"It's a trick!" Zhao shouted. "He's run off into the woods. Find him!"

The other soldiers scattered into the trees, leaving Zuko and Aang to face Zhao alone on the shore. Zhao's eyes widened when he recognised Zuko.

"Prince Zuko?" he questioned, and then his eyes narrowed. "Everyone said you were dead."

"Sorry to disappoint," Zuko said dryly.

Zhao's gaze shifted to Aang and then back to the prince, taking in his blue attire. An ugly smile curved his lips. "I see you're going full traitor these days. What would your father say?"

"It doesn't matter." Zuko shifted into an offensive stance. "I know where I stand now."

"Indeed. I notice the scar he gave you has gone as well." Zhao allowed flames to surround his fists. "As a loyal subject to the Fire Lord, it will be my honour to give you a new one!"

The man struck fast and powerfully. Zuko sliced through the flames and met Zhao blow for blow. Heat sizzled and sparked between them.

"Get rid of the boats!" he yelled to Aang. "I'll handle him!"

"But—"

"Just do it!"

Aang darted away. Zuko ducked a flame-streaming punch and countered with a rapid string of fireballs. Zhao was bigger and stronger than him, but Zuko was much more agile. He'd use his speed to his advantage.

Zhao grunted as he got clipped on the arm by one of the fireballs, knocking him back a step. He roared and swung out wildly. Massive blasts of fire shot out everywhere from his fists—at Zuko, at the trees behind, turning the whole area into a rising sea of flames. The heat was so intense that beads of sweat rolled down Zuko's forehead. This man was insane. At this rate, Zhao was going to burn down everything.

Zuko charged closer to get in a finishing blow.

"Fool!" Zhao shoved him back with a shield of flames. "You think because you won an Agni Kai that you're really a match for me?" He laughed. "That was just a lucky fluke. You're still nothing but a weakling."

Zuko kicked out in a stream of flames. Zhao blocked him again and his smile became even uglier.

"You know, I'm glad you became a traitor. Now I can have the satisfaction of killing you myself!" He laughed and lashed out in punishing punches of fire. "Just think how the Fire Lord will honour me when I bring him back your treacherous head!"

Zuko growled and shoved at Zhao's stomach in an intense build of heat. The man staggered back, but Zuko didn't let up and kept firing rapid blows that pushed and pushed and pushed until Zhao was on his knees and gasping in pain. Zuko stood with his burning fist inches from Zhao's face.

"You can't do it," Zhao hissed. "You're too weak."

Zuko didn't even twitch. Anger was a roar inside him, screaming for justice and satisfaction.

"Zuko, c'mon!"

That was Aang.

Zuko's fist pulsed with flames before he lowered his hand and stepped back. "It's not about strength or weakness. You're just not worth it."

He didn't wait for a response and ran to join Aang, who was already heading to where Appa was descending. Zuko took one last glance at the river. The boats were all too damaged to be used now and that meant Zhao and his soldiers wouldn't be going anywhere soon. This battle was over.

oOo

"Where's Jeong Jeong?" Aang asked, settling on his usual perch on Appa's head and picking up the reins.

"He disappeared," Sokka said. "They all did."

Zuko leaned over the edge of the saddle to look down at the village he could see through the gaps in trees. There wasn't a trace of human life. "I'm sure they're safe. Jeong Jeong knew what he was doing."

Katara made an alarmed sound and was suddenly at his side. "You're burned!"

He blinked and glanced down at his arm. Sure enough, there was a shiny, discoloured patch where flames had made contact with his bare skin. One of Zhao's fireballs must have got too close. He hadn't noticed because of all the adrenaline. Unfortunately, now his brain had been awakened to the injury and he felt the familiar sting.

"Let me help you," she said, reaching to open her water bottle.

Zuko watched with interest as she let the water surround her hand. It began to glow the same silvery white he had seen at the river. She placed her hand over the burn, inhaled deeply, and closed her eyes. His pain melted away like ice on a blisteringly hot day. He wasn't surprised to see all trace of the burn gone when she removed her hand.

"You really do have healing abilities," he murmured.

She met his eyes with a smile. It would have been a nice moment had Sokka not decided to shove his head between them.

"Wow!" Sokka leaned closer to look at Zuko's arm, then glanced at Katara. "When did you learn how to do that?"

She shrugged. "I guess I always knew."

Sokka's expression of wonder quickly turned into a scowl. He went on to list all the times she could have helped him with her power. Zuko could only shake his head at the story of the two fish hooks.

"Idiot," Zuko muttered, though his tone was more affectionate than anything.

Sokka didn't hear the comment, which was maybe fortunate. He was still complaining about how he had been left to deal with his injures for years without any help from his sister. He probably would have gone on in this way for a while as well, but Aang spoke up.

"Hey, Zuko." Aang glanced over his shoulder at him. "There's something that's been bothering me."

"What?"

"Back at the river, Zhao said something. He said … he said your father was the one who gave you your scar."

Zuko froze as if he'd been hit with shirshu poison.

"Is it true?" Aang asked.

Zuko was quiet for a long moment and then a breath escaped his lips. It sounded too shaky even to his ears. "Yes."

Katara's hand clamped down on his arm. "What? It was—your dad was the one who burned your face?"

"Yes. He wanted to teach me a lesson I wouldn't forget."

Some of the colour drained from Sokka's face. "That's just sick. I mean, your own dad?"

Zuko said nothing.

"How could he do that to you?" Katara demanded. "I know he banished you when you were thirteen, but how could he—how dare he—"

"It's fine," Zuko heard himself say, yet his mouth felt numb and he wondered how he was even making sound. "I'm over it now."

But that was a lie. He didn't think he'd ever be over it, even if it had been almost three years since the Agni Kai. Even if he'd since come to realise that his father was a cruel man and there was no point trying to rationalise what couldn't be rationalised. It still hurt that his father had burned him. It still hurt that the man he had only ever tried to please had responded to his pleas for forgiveness with flames that had permanently scarred.

"Really, it's fine," Zuko repeated. "Just forget it."

Katara wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I can't just forget it, and don't say it's fine because it's not! How can any of this be fine?"

His hands brushed her back, almost tentative. "Katara."

She clutched him even tighter, burrowing her face into his shoulder. "I hate your father." Her voice was low and throbbed with passion. "I hate him so much. And you"—she gave his chest a half-hearted hit—"how could you have stayed loyal to him all these years? He hurt you, Zuko. He scarred you, and you just sat there trying to defend him to me and were even going to capture Aang because he ordered you to."

Her voice got choked up in anger or maybe tears. It was hard to tell. Zuko sighed and smoothed his hand along her hair, even as he closed his eyes and relaxed into the embrace.

"Thank you," he murmured.

She twitched against him. "For what?"

"For being my friend. For caring enough to get mad." He glanced up to direct his words to Sokka and Aang as well. "I … I never really had friends before. Not like you guys. I just … I always thought that …"

He bit his lip, not sure how to express his feelings.

Not even sure if he wanted to.

The abuse he'd experienced while he'd lived at the palace had been normal to him. He'd had nothing else to use as a comparison to see otherwise. All he'd known was a father who was so difficult to please and so quick to hand out punishments. Azula hadn't exactly been the paragon of a good sister either. Sure, his mother had tried to act as a buffer, but then she'd disappeared. In the end, Zuko had spent too many years being labelled a weak failure to the point where it had been ingrained in him that it was always his fault if things got bad. Even his uncle had not been able to persuade him otherwise.

Sokka placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Hey, you can say it. We're all here for you."

Zuko shook his head. "No, it's nothing. I'm just glad we became friends, I guess."

Aang jumped down from where he'd been sitting on his perch. "I'm glad, too." He rubbed the base of his neck. "And not just 'cause, you know, you're no longer chasing me."

The two boys shared a smile. They really had come a long way since their first meeting.

Katara pulled back from Zuko. Her eyes were a bit red-rimmed. "You won't go back to him, right? Even if he changes his mind about you having to capture Aang to have your banishment revoked?"

Zuko's brow creased. "I doubt my father would change his mind."

"But if he did." She clasped his hands and looked earnestly into his eyes. "You won't go back?"

He returned the pressure of her grip. "I miss my home, but I can't excuse what my father has done anymore." He let out a deep breath. "I won't go back to him. Promise."

Her face split into a smile so wide it seemed to envelope him. Zuko's heart stumbled on its rhythm. He suddenly became very conscious of the way they were holding hands. So did someone else, if the odd expression on Aang's face was any indicator.

Aang cleared his throat. "Well, we should probably get as far away from this area as we can while the sun is still up."

Zuko disengaged himself from Katara. "Yeah. Good idea."

"Oh, man!" Sokka exclaimed, standing up and grabbing at his head like a man who's just realised he's lost everything.

"What?" the other three cried in unison.

"I left behind all the fish I caught."

Katara groaned and pressed her palm to her forehead. "My brother is an idiot."

Chapter 16: In Which Jealousy Is Awkward

Chapter Text

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

Zuko's eyes snapped open with a jolt. Vestiges of fire lingered, haunting in a burning caress to his face. The nightmare was always so vivid. He swallowed against the pounding of his heart and shoved the blankets off him. The tent was too hot. He felt like he was suffocating.

Careful not to step on anyone, he made it outside of the tent and inhaled deeply to breathe in the cool, night air. It didn't help. Not really. Instead, he found himself balling his hands into fists.

"Are you okay?"

He glanced over his shoulder to see Katara's shadowy form. "I'm fine," he said. "Just needed some fresh air."

She came closer and placed her hand on his arm. "I can tell something is wrong. Talk to me."

"There's nothing to say. I had a bad dream, that's all. Just forget about it."

"Like you told us to forget about your dad burning you?"

He flinched despite his best efforts not to react.

Katara let her hand glide down his arm so she could thread their fingers. "Zuko, you can't keep bottling everything up. You said yourself we're your friends, so talk to us." She squeezed his hand. "Talk to me."

He was quiet. It was his instinct to deflect and shut down conversations like this; however, she had a knack for making him hesitate. Her touch and the sincerity in her voice told him that she wouldn't think him weak. He could say how he felt and she wouldn't judge. It was the reason he had opened up to her on Appa that night, it was the reason he had relaxed into her embrace earlier that day, and it was the reason he found himself lowering his guard now.

"I just … I thought the nightmares would stop, but nothing's changed."

"You have them a lot?"

"Yeah." He bowed his head. "Pretty much every night."

"What are they about?"

He had to resist the urge to clam up again. Being honest felt like peeling off armour to expose vulnerable flesh while in the middle of a battlefield. It felt illogical and like it would only get him hurt, but the gentleness of her tone reassured him. Katara wasn't like Azula. She wouldn't use his words against him. She only asked because she cared.

"Mostly about my father. About the Agni Kai."

"Agni Kai?"

"A formal fire duel." He closed his eyes. "I was such an idiot back then. I thought … I thought I would be fighting the general I had spoken out against. If I had known he would be my opponent, I would have never …"

Her grip tightened on his hand. "Your father?"

"Yeah. I told you he gave me a chance to redeem myself after the war meeting, right? That was it: a fire duel against him." A lump formed Zuko's his throat. "But I couldn't do it. I couldn't fight him. I even got on my knees and begged him to forgive me, saying I was his loyal son, but he just …"

"He burned you."

Her voice sounded hushed.

Zuko swallowed. "After that, he banished me. Said I was weak and had no honour. I was told I couldn't return to the Fire Nation unless I captured the Avatar."

Katara wordlessly wrapped her arms around him. The last time she'd done this, she'd gone off on a rant about how she hated his father and how she couldn't believe he'd stayed loyal to Ozai for so long. Now she was silent, just holding him close. Seconds passed. Zuko began to feel awkward: too conscious of the fact they were alone in the dark, of where they touched and the way their heartbeats seemed to intermingle.

"Why are you hugging me?" he asked.

"Because you need it." She held him even tighter. "You don't like it?"

It was an echo of the words she had said to him in the treehouse. He'd been a child in her arms then. Now he could rest his chin on the top of her head if he wanted.

"Just not used to it, I guess." He stood with his hands at his sides.

"Then get used to it." She nestled her face into his chest. "This is how people show they care."

He hesitated but then exhaled and, ever so tentatively, allowed his arms to encircle her waist. Maybe it was the fact they were alone, but it felt different from when they'd hugged on Appa's saddle. Her hair tickled his chin. She smelt like the wild: a mixture of campfire smoke and earthy tones. He probably smelt the same. Being on the run did that to a person.

"I wish there was more I could do for you," she murmured. "I wish I could make your nightmares stop."

"That's not possible."

"I know." She pulled back from his chest to look up at him, though her face was still shadowed. "I just hate seeing you like this. I hate that you have to keep suffering because of that horrible man." Her fingers brushed his cheek, right where his scar should have been. "He's already hurt you so much."

Zuko's mouth felt too dry. "You helped me see that I didn't have to keep trying to please him. That's enough."

"But I still—"

"It's fine," he said, and this time he meant it. "It's not your fault my father is the way he is."

"It's not yours either."

His arms instinctively tightened around her. She had no idea how much those words meant to him.

"I don't even know why I keep dreaming about him," he admitted in a hushed voice. "I've already accepted that I can't be the son he wants. I'm not even trying to return to him anymore. It seems stupid, doesn't it?"

Weak. Pathetic. That's what his father and Azula would have called him.

"I don't think it's stupid. I think it's just inevitable because"—her voice sounded pained as if she didn't want to say the next words—"because he's still your dad, Zuko. That's why I hate him. You gave him everything. You tore yourself up over trying to obey his orders, and he just … he betrayed what it means to be a father." She pulled him in close again. "Don't ever go back to him. Please."

It felt like there was something stuck in his throat. "I said I wouldn't."

"Then say it again." Her fingers curled into the fabric of his borrowed tunic. "Promise me again."

"I promise." His heart seemed to throb all through him. "I promise I won't go back to him, no matter what happens."

She held him tighter as if she was afraid he would slip away if she let go. Their hearts thudded in time to each other. Eventually, she pulled back from him a fraction.

"Zuko, I …"

"Yes?"

The rest of her words never came. Instead, her hands moved to clasp his face. She was tentative, almost trembling as she brushed the soft tips of her fingers closer to his mouth. His pulse quickened. The darkness shadowed both of them, but he felt the way she leaned up on her tiptoes, felt the butterfly caress of her breath. So, so close.

A huge sneeze broke the stillness. Katara leapt back from him as if burned. Zuko blinked and scratched the back of his head, glancing anywhere but at her shadowy outline. His cheeks were warm.

"Appa," he said awkwardly. "He sneezes pretty loud, huh?"

She placed her hands over her face and dissolved into giggles, embarrassed and maybe a little resigned. They were always getting interrupted. Zuko wasn't sure whether to be grateful or not.

"What's going on?"

That was Aang. He must have been woken by Appa's sneeze and Katara's laughter. Momo also emerged from the tent and swooped once around their heads before landing on Zuko's shoulder.

"It's nothing," Zuko said, pulling himself together. "Let's just get some sleep."

He headed into the tent first with Momo and settled back under his blankets. The sound of muffled voices told him that Katara and Aang were still talking outside. His stomach twisted slightly. Aang had a crush on Katara. The kid was probably going to be upset if he got any sense that—

Nothing happened, Zuko reminded himself.

That's right. Nothing had happened. Still, a part of him couldn't forget how close they had come. He couldn't forget that Katara had almost kissed him. He couldn't forget that he would have let her.

oOo

The next day passed awkwardly. Really awkwardly. Zuko was conscious of Katara the entire time. Every brush of contact sent colour spreading across both their cheeks. Even their conversation was stilted, weighted with a nervous tension that whispered of almost kisses and hushed words in the dark. Neither dared to actually speak about what had happened. For Zuko, he tried to write it off as just being caught in the moment. He'd been upset, she'd been nice, and—

And then you'd almost kissed, his mind helpfully reminded him.

Zuko slapped his cheeks as if that could chase away the thought. He needed to focus. His uncle was still a teapot and his own body would revert back to a child once the bean's energy wore off him. This wasn't the time to be distracted by … by whatever was going on between him and Katara. Plus, Aang's mood had taken a turn for the worse. What had started as a few puzzled looks being thrown Zuko's way had since become scowls. Best not to complicate matters further.

"Man, what's up with everyone today?" Sokka muttered as they headed out from the village where they'd stocked up on supplies. "You're all being weird."

No one said anything. Something white fluttered past Zuko's face and he glanced up to see more of the gossamer flakes falling.

"Snow," Katara said, raising her hands with a smile. "We must be getting closer."

Zuko shivered. Well, it was certainly cold enough. The temperature had been getting worse all day. Lucky for the siblings, they could tug on their parkas and be toasty warm in an instant. Zuko had to make do with the black cloak Sokka had worn as his disguise to the Fire Days Festival. Aang didn't even notice the cold. Probably an airbender thing.

They clambered back on Appa and kept travelling until it got dark. A bonfire glowing from the outskirts of a snowy village beckoned them down to rest. There, they found a group of children and adults huddled on benches or close to the fire while listening to a man tell stories about "air walkers". Aang's mood brightened in an instant—even more so when he learned the storyteller's relative had seen the "air walkers" just the previous week near the Northern Air Temple.

"We have to go there!" Aang insisted.

Something heavy settled in Zuko's stomach. "Aang, it's not—"

"Not what?" Aang snapped with a bit more heat than necessary.

"Not what you think." Zuko gave the boy a pitying look. "I've been there before, back when I was searching for you. There weren't any airbenders. I'm sorry."

"But that guy said—"

"They're not like you." Zuko averted his gaze, not liking how the light seemed to crumple and break in Aang's eyes. "Yes, the people who live in the Northern Air Temple can fly, but not by using bending. They've built machines. Gliders. They're just ordinary Earth Kingdom people."

Aang stepped back. "You're lying."

"I wish I was, but—"

"No!" Aang shook his head. "Maybe they just hid the airbenders from you because you're Fire Nation and—"

"Aang, I was in disguise the whole time. They had no reason to hide from me. They didn't even know who I was."

Aang balled his hands into fists. "I don't care! I still have to go! I have to see for myself!"

Katara placed her hand on his shoulder. "Aang, maybe it's better if—"

"Not you too!" Aang wrenched himself away from her touch. "Of course you would side with him."

Zuko and Katara exchanged a helpless glance. Somehow, this didn't feel like it was just about airbenders now.

Sokka cleared his throat. "Uh, we're kind of getting a lot of attention. Maybe you should keep it down, Aang."

This was the wrong thing to say. Aang's eyes welled up with anger and hurt. "None of you care how I feel!"

Before any of them could react, he ran off and disappeared into the night on his glider. Zuko sighed and pressed his hand to his face. This was not good.

"Sheesh," Sokka muttered. "All I did was tell him to keep it down. He was yelling loud enough for the whole mountain to hear."

Katara's brow creased with worry. "Come on. He's probably going to go straight to the Northern Air Temple. We should follow."

Zuko and Sokka joined her on Appa without a word. All three of them knew there was only disappointment that awaited Aang. They had to hurry.

oOo

The Northern Air Temple was just as Zuko remembered it from when he'd visited as a thirteen year old: ancient stone melded with pipes and smoking chimneys, though there seemed to be even more steam-powered additions. None of the usual kids on gliders were flying around since it was late at night. He saw no sign of Aang either.

Katara landed Appa in the main courtyard and the three of them jumped off the bison and glanced around at the grime-covered walls and connecting corridors. Sokka suggested they split up to look for Aang. The temple was big and there was no saying how long it would take to find him. Zuko and Katara found no fault with this plan, so they agreed to meet back in the courtyard before each taking a corridor.

Zuko soon came to the end of his section and rode the pulley to the next level. He found it ironic in a way that he was once more searching for Aang in an airbender temple. Ironic and a little sad. His musings were cut short when a familiar boy on a wheelchair rolled up near him. It had been many years, but Zuko remembered that this was the mechanist's son. What was his name again? Lao? Tao?

"Who are you?" the boy asked. "You're not one of—hey, wait." His eyes widened. "Lee? Oh, man, I can't believe it's really you! Don't you remember? It's me, Teo."

Zuko blinked. "Uh …"

"Wow, it's been almost three years. I see your injury all healed up. Good for you!"

Zuko touched his face in an involuntary gesture. Right. When he'd come here, he'd still been wearing bandages.

Teo beamed at him. "How are your brothers? Are they with you as well?"

Zuko had to think for a moment before he remembered that Tomoki and Kan had pretended to be his older brothers while he had investigated the temple. Most of the other crew, including Iroh, had been ill with a virus at the time. Zuko had decided that going in disguise was best, though his crew had been less than happy that he had been determined to go at all while so many of them were sick. It was Iroh who had insisted Kan and Tomoki accompany him for protection.

"They're fine," Zuko said dismissively. "Listen, Teo, I'm looking for someone. Have you seen a boy wearing an orange cape? He's about your age."

Teo furrowed his brow. "Sorry, I haven't seen anyone like that."

Zuko frowned and glanced around at the murals painted on the walls. Pipes had been fixed into place through some of them, defacing the Air Nomad art. "We were so sure he'd be here."

A loud, clanging sound came from above.

"What was that?" Zuko said in alarm.

"I'm not sure. Dad wasn't supposed to get started on the bathhouse until tomorrow. Maybe—"

"Aang," Zuko muttered. "It's got to be him."

He ran. Teo followed on his wheelchair. They soon found Aang in one of the upper courtyards, shooting massive blasts of air from his staff at the mechanist's additions to the temple, knocking things over and in general creating a mess. He turned on a machine that was belching thick clouds of black smoke everywhere.

"Aang, stop!" Zuko knocked the staff from his hands and grabbed his arms. "Just stop."

"Let me go! They've ruined everything!"

Zuko tightened his grip, keeping Aang restrained against him. "I know this isn't what you wanted to see, but you can't go around attacking everything. Someone will get hurt."

Aang slumped against Zuko's chest. "This was supposed to be a sacred temple," he said, his voice wobbling a bit. "It's not meant to be like this."

"I know. I'm sorry. I tried to warn—" Zuko broke off, knowing that an I Told You So wasn't what Aang needed to hear right now.

Teo cleared his throat. "Um, what's going on?"

"I'd like to know that as well."

The new voice had both Zuko and Aang glancing to the left to see an older man with wild bunches of hair approaching. The red monocle he wore glinted in the candlelight. Zuko recognised him as Teo's father. Behind him were a few of the other residents. No doubt they'd been drawn to the noise.

"Why are you trying to destroy our home?" the mechanist asked.

"Your home?" Aang's face went red with anger. "This is an Air Nomad temple! You shouldn't even be here!"

Sokka and Katara appeared from one of the corridors. "Aang!" they exclaimed.

Zuko released Aang and watched as Katara pulled him into a hug.

"Why did you run away like that?" she scolded. "We were so worried."

Aang relaxed into her arms. "I'm sorry. I was just so mad."

Sokka, meanwhile, had been sidetracked by all the machines. "Wow. This place really is amazing."

The mechanist perked up. "You like it?"

"Of course!"

Sokka went off in a glowing spiel of admiration. He earned many scowls from Aang and some warning looks from Katara and Zuko, but the teen was not to be abashed. Eventually, the mechanist and Sokka trundled off to go explore the man's inventions; they seemed to have forgotten everyone else. The other residents also dispersed their own ways.

"Sorry about that," Teo said. "Dad's like that sometimes." He bit his lip and glanced worriedly at Aang. "Do my dad's inventions really bother you so much?"

Aang pulled away from Katara. "I remember what this place used to look like. It's just wrong seeing it like this."

Katara placed her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. "Aang's the Avatar, you see. He used to come here back when the monks still lived here."

Teo's eyes widened. "Wait, you're the Avatar?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Oh, man, this is amazing! I can't believe I met a real airbender! You've gotta show me some of your flying moves. I bet you really know your stuff."

Aang looked embarrassed but also a little happy. "Oh, uh, sure. I guess I can do that."

Teo punched his fist to the air. "Awesome!"

A tiny smile was teased out of Aang. Katara looked like she wanted to hug Teo for improving Aang's mood so much.

"So, will you guys be staying the night?" Teo asked.

Zuko glanced to Aang. "Well?"

Aang sighed. "It's late and Appa is probably tired. I guess it's best if we do."

"I'll get some beds prepared for you guys then," Teo said. He glanced at Zuko. "Is it just the four of you or are your brothers here as well?"

"Brothers?" Katara questioned, scrunching her nose.

"It's just the four of us," Zuko said hastily. "My, uh, brothers couldn't come this time."

"That's too bad. Well, I'll call out for you guys when everything is ready. Why don't you relax here for a bit?"

Teo wheeled off on the words, leaving Zuko, Katara and Aang alone.

"Brothers?" Katara repeated, raising her eyebrow. "I thought you only had a younger sister."

"I do." Zuko sighed and sat on one of the benches. "Two of my crew pretended to be my older brothers while I was here. We didn't want to draw too much attention to ourselves. It was easier if we pretended to be a family of refugees."

"You must have been here for a while. That boy remembered you."

"Kan and Tomoki both got sick. I couldn't move them on my own, so we got stuck here longer than I wanted. Teo and his dad looked after us."

Katara joined him on the bench. "I see. Uh, by the way, how much longer before you shrink again?"

He shrugged. "There's no set time from what I've been able to tell. The first bean's power lasted almost two days. The second one was less."

"Things will get awkward if you revert back while you're here."

"Probably. I can't do anything about it, though."

Aang exhaled loudly and walked away from them. Zuko blinked and realised with a start that the boy was likely annoyed that Katara had turned all her attention on him again.

"You should probably go to him," he murmured, soft enough so only she would hear. "He's already upset. Sitting with me here like this will just make it worse."

"Why would it upset him if I'm with you?"

Zuko blinked. Was she really that oblivious?

"Just go," he told her, averting his face. "Aang needs you right now."

Katara frowned but didn't argue. She stood up from the bench and moved to where Aang was standing. Zuko held back a sigh and glanced up at the ceiling. Logic told him he had done the right thing for the sake of not putting a strain on the group, but he couldn't deny that there was a part of him that was annoyed. Katara was important to him as well. It didn't seem fair that he had to pull back from her just so Aang would stop acting like a stroppy brat.

Why? a sly voice whispered in his mind. Were you hoping she'd get you alone again? Finish what she started last night?

His mouth twisted. That voice could shut up as well. The only thing that mattered to him right now was finding the Waters of Healing. Mostly. Okay, maybe whenever Katara wasn't anywhere near him or when he caught her smiling or—

A supressed groan escaped his lips. He flopped back against the bench and placed his arm over his eyes. Somehow, it had seemed so much easier to ignore all of this when he was tiny.

oOo

The next morning Zuko woke up to find he was still the size of a teenager. He took that as a mixed blessing, especially when Katara tripped on the stairs while they were all walking together. One moment she was in front of him and the next she was in his arms. Her hair tickled his chin, and he was conscious of the way his hand rested on her stomach.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He let her go once he was sure she wouldn't lose her balance again.

Sokka chortled. "You guys should see yourselves. You look like twin beetroots."

"Shut up," Zuko and Katara said in unison.

Sokka did not. The idiot insisted on teasing them. Aang, however, was not amused. He grumbled that they should hurry up so they could eat breakfast and meet with Teo.

"Actually, I was planning to meet Teo's dad and help him with his inventions," Sokka said. "But you guys have fun flying."

Zuko bit back a sigh as he noticed the scowl lingering near Aang's mouth. He was pretty sure that fun would be the last word he would use to describe their time with Teo.

oOo

As it turned out, Aang perked up once he and Teo started flying. Or maybe it was just because the kid got to show off in front of Katara and pull out all his fanciest moves. Aang loved being the centre of attention; it was something Zuko had come to realise. Too bad Katara didn't look all that impressed by his flying. Perhaps she'd seen it all before. Eventually, she gave up on watching Aang altogether and talked to Zuko instead. A moment later, Aang landed on the platform near them, his whole body drooping like a wilting flower.

"Are you bored?" Aang asked her.

Katara frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you weren't watching."

"Sure I was," she said with a laugh. "You were great. Teo is really something as well. It's amazing he could keep up with you."

Aang drooped even more. "Yeah. Real amazing."

Teo rolled to a stop next to them. "What's up? Why'd you stop, Aang?"

"Sorry," Aang said heavily. "I guess I'm just not in the mood to fly right now."

He walked off before any of them could stop him. Katara hesitated only a moment before following, calling out for him to wait.

"Did I do something wrong?" Teo asked, glancing up at Zuko.

"No. You didn't do anything."

Unfortunately, Zuko had a good idea of what was causing Aang's mood swings. That was why he also wasn't surprised when Aang later came to find him.

Zuko had been sitting in the main courtyard with Appa when Aang approached.

"Hey," Aang mumbled, scuffing his shoes against the ground and looking off to the side. "Can I talk to you?"

Every instinct whispered that this was going to be an uncomfortable conversation. Zuko repressed a sigh and stood up from the bench. "Sure. What's up?"

"Over here."

Aang gestured for him to come farther away to a more secluded part of the courtyard. Perhaps he was worried one of the residents milling about would overhear. Zuko humoured the kid, knowing it was best to get this over with.

"I like Katara," Aang stated.

Zuko raised his eyebrows. Well, that was straight to the point. "I know. You already told me."

"Then why are you—" Aang broke off, unclenching his hands, which had quickly balled into fists.

Zuko folded his arms across his chest. "What? Just say it."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what? I haven't done anything."

"That's not true! I'm not blind, you know. I've seen how you two are with each other."

Zuko sighed and glanced the other way. Maybe he should have come up with an excuse to avoid this conversation. There was no way to explain without further hurting Aang that it was Katara who had initiated everything with him: the conversations, the hugs, the almost kiss. She had chipped his shell bit by bit until he'd stopped wanting to resist.

"I saw her first," Aang said.

A flicker of irritation passed through Zuko. "What?"

"I saw her first, so—"

Zuko stepped closer so that he was towering over the boy. "It doesn't matter who saw her first. She's not an object you can claim."

Aang made a frustrated sound. "I know that, but—"

"But what? There is no but." Zuko shook his head and turned away. "Let's just find the others and get out of here. We're only wasting time by staying."

"You didn't even like her!"

Zuko stilled.

Aang clenched his fists again and his face looked a bit red. "You called her bossy, and you always complained about her. But I've liked her right from the beginning."

"So what? You think that means you're entitled or something?"

Aang bit his lip and lowered his gaze.

Zuko ran a hand over his face, biting back a hundred sighs. This was not how he had wanted to spend his day. He'd already put up with more than enough of Aang's stroppiness. He'd even tried to distance himself from Katara so Aang wouldn't get so upset. Now, he was just over the whole situation. It was time to put the kid straight.

"Listen," Zuko said bluntly, "you need to accept that Katara is going to do what she wants to do. Just because you have feelings for her doesn't mean she has to return them."

"But I—"

"Could you have forced yourself to like Meng?"

Aang blinked. "Meng?"

"Yeah, girl with the crazy pigtails from Makapu Village. You knew she liked you a lot, right?"

Aang glanced at his hands. "I guess."

"But you didn't like her back, did you?"

He shook his head.

"That's what I'm saying. People can't help their feelings. They can't force them just to please someone else either." Zuko gave him a pitying look. "That's just how it is, Aang. Best accept it now."

Aang's shoulders slumped.

"I'm going to find the others," Zuko said, once more turning away. "Wait here if you like. I won't be long."

"Do you even like her?"

The subdued question made Zuko pause. "I don't know," he admitted.

If anything, he was just confused and felt a bit lost in all the flutters and quickened heartbeats. It was hard to tell what drew him to her: his hormones or his heart.

He shook his head. "Forget this. We need to focus on getting to the Northern Water Tribe, right? Maybe they'll know something about the Waters of Healing as well."

Aang scuffed his shoe against the ground. "I guess."

"Then let's hurry. There's no point staying here any longer."

Zuko left quickly before he could get dragged into another conversation. This time, Aang didn't stop him.

oOo

"I'm sad we had to leave so soon," Sokka said, glancing down at the temple that was steadily fading into the distance. "That mechanist was one cool guy."

Zuko leaned back against the saddle. "You can always come back later. I'm sure he'll welcome you."

Sokka brightened at this suggestion. It was Aang who huffed and said he didn't want to see the place again.

"Though I guess Teo wasn't so bad," Aang grudgingly admitted.

Katara gave him a hug. "I'm sorry they changed everything, Aang. I know it must have been upsetting for you."

Aang leaned into the embrace for a moment before he pulled back, his eyes sad. Perhaps he was also beginning to realise that Katara's hugs would never mean anything more than the kind given to a friend or a younger brother.

"In any case," Aang continued, pulling himself together, "at least I know the airbender's sanctuary is still untouched. They can't get in without airbending, and there's no way I'm going to open it for them."

Zuko said nothing. He recalled something he had seen when he was thirteen: a room blocked by giant tubes but which could be entered using a hidden mechanism that Teo's dad had created. He had thought he would find the Avatar hiding inside; instead, he'd found tanks and many other instruments of war. All were used by the Fire Nation army.

He avoided Aang's gaze and watched the scenery change from snowy mountains to an endless expanse of blue. He could have told the truth, he supposed, but he just didn't have the heart right then. Zuko wasn't a good liar, but he was good at omitting certain details. This time, he thought it was better not to open his mouth. Aang was already hurting. There was no need to pour salt on the wounds.

Chapter 17: In Which There Is Much Ado About Hormones

Chapter Text

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Zuko glanced away from Katara to look at the glowing gems that lit up the hot spring. It looked like the place where Jet had taken them back at the hideout. Katara was even wearing his shirt again. A part of Zuko was aware this should have been strange but, oddly, it didn't seem so in that moment. Of more importance was the fact that they were alone. Very alone.

"It's okay, I guess," he said.

The humidity made his clothes stick to him. It made her hair stick to her neck and collarbone as well. She was wearing her hair down, just how he liked it best. Zuko had an urge to brush the strands away from her skin, maybe let his fingers linger in a caress. He cleared his throat and looked the other way.

"You can come closer," she murmured.

Except she was the one who stepped forward to him. His stomach fluttered. It was like something had shifted in the muggy air. Something weighted and heady. He couldn't ignore the feeling or the way it beckoned him to take her up on the invitation.

"I should probably go," he croaked. "You'll want to bathe on your own."

Katara's fingers closed around his wrist before he could turn away. "I don't mind bathing together if it's with you."

His entire body went still. Then she smiled and tugged the borrowed shirt up over her head.

oOo

"Up early as usual, I see."

Zuko swallowed a yelp. Katara had just emerged from behind Appa. His heart pounded, but that was nothing to the colour spreading on his cheeks. All he wanted was to sit down, bury his face in his knees, and never emerge from that position again. How the heck was he supposed to look at her now after the dream he'd had? Yet look at her he must. The last thing he wanted was for her to realise his less than innocent thoughts.

"I'm a firebender," he said with a shrug, as if that explained everything. "Uh, why are you up? Isn't a bit early for you?"

"Momo was hungry. He's kind of difficult to ignore."

"Oh."

There was an awkward pause. Or maybe it was just him who felt discomforted. It felt like there was a sign on his forehead that said GUILTY in big, bold paint.

"Have good dreams this time?" she asked.

"W-what?" His face warmed. "Why would you—I didn't even—"

"You said you've been having nightmares."

"Oh. Right. Those."

Her brow furrowed and she stepped closer. "Zuko, are you okay? You look a bit flushed."

She reached out to place her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He dodged her touch—too obviously. Hurt flickered in her eyes.

"Are you … are you mad at me?" she asked.

Zuko bit back a groan. "No."

"Then why does it feel like you're trying to avoid me?"

"I'm not. I just …" Had a really, really vivid dream about you. Can't stop thinking about it. "I, uh … you know, you're right. I'm not feeling so great this morning. You'd better not get too close." He forced out a few coughs.

Katara raised her eyebrow. "Because those coughs sound so genuine."

He had the grace to blush.

Her lips twisted. "Something is weird about you this morning." Her gaze drifted down, taking note of the way he had his hands behind his back. She stepped closer. "Wait, is that it? You're trying to hide something from me?"

"N-no." He backed up a step.

"You are, too!"

She followed him, even as he continued to move backwards.

"I'm not!" he insisted. "It's just—"

His upper back hit rock. Katara grinned in a way that made his stomach flutter and heat stir deep within him.

"Well, well," she said, placing her hands on either side of him so he would have to push against her arms to get free. "Looks like you have nowhere else to go."

He swallowed. Hard. "Uh, Katara—"

"Now let's see what you were trying to hide."

Her tone was playful and laughter glinted in her eyes as she looked up to meet his gaze. Zuko felt like he might come undone then and there. It didn't help when she leaned in to reach behind him, her chest and hips brushing against his. This was good. No! This was not good! Not good!

"Wait," he croaked.

"Too late." She grabbed his wrists and tugged his arms out into the open with a triumphant "ha!", rather reminiscent of her brother, to reveal what was in his hand. Her brow furrowed. "Soap. That's what you were hiding?"

"I wasn't hiding it!" He wrenched his wrists from her grasp. "I was just holding it because I was bathing earlier. You just startled me when you got all close."

She blinked. His whole face warmed. That had sounded too much like a confession for his liking.

"I mean …" He fumbled for a better excuse, blush darkening. "I, uh, just didn't expect you to, uh …"

Katara got a mischievous look in her eyes that he did not like at all. "Zuko." She leaned towards him and placed her hand on his chest. "Am I making you nervous?"

His throat bobbed. "Don't be stupid."

"So, this is fine, right?" Her fingers trailed up to his shoulder.

His eyes widened. Then pain kicked in swiftly. It seized his body like cruel fingers trying to crush his bones. He gasped and stumbled into her. The soap escaped his grip. She made an alarmed sound and tried to steady him, but it was like he was slipping away, sinking into the ground. The next moment he was drowning in fabric and staring at her legs. Slowly, he tilted his head up to meet her gaze.

"Oh." Her hands dropped back to her side. "You're small again."

She sounded disappointed. That might have flattered him, but he mostly just felt like bashing his head against a rock. Of all the times for the bean's power to run out.

He gathered his cloak and tunic around his scrawny body. The pants had already fallen off him. Not that it mattered. The tunic and cloak were so big on him now that he might as well have been wearing a dress. "I'm just, uh, going to get changed," he muttered.

She bit her lip. "Right. You should probably do that."

They both avoided meeting each other's gaze. Somehow, it seemed so much harder to face her now that he was the size of a child. Perhaps she felt the same.

"Do you want me to carry this for you?" she asked, picking up the bar of soap.

Zuko's cheeks dusted with pink and he snatched it from her. "I can manage."

He hurried away before she could respond. He'd experienced enough embarrassment for one morning.

oOo

They flew on Appa for another day and a half just staring at ocean. Ocean, ocean everywhere. Zuko noticed that Katara had distanced herself from him a little. She didn't nag at him like she used to whenever he was kid size, and she tried to sit as far from him as possible on the saddle. He told himself it was a good thing. Things had got complicated between them ever since they'd almost kissed. He didn't need complicated right now. He just needed to break the curse. Besides, maybe … maybe it was just changing back and forth from a teenager to a kid that had thrown off his hormones and got him noticing her physically. Maybe that was what had started this whole mess. It wasn't like a girl had ever had so much sway over him before. Girls had always been distractions he didn't want.

Zuko was still lost in these thoughts when they finally reached the Northern Water Tribe. A giant wall of ice barricaded the whole city. They had to be let in by a group of waterbenders, who led them down canals that weaved through shimmering streets of ice and under bridges. In fact, everything was made of ice and ornamented with waterfalls and stylised fountains. Even without all the people wandering around in fur-lined blue, it was clear this was a city for waterbenders.

"This place is beautiful," Katara said, looking around her in wonder.

Sokka seemed more struck by the white-haired girl he had spotted on a boat. Zuko held his teapot uncle close to him and tried not to feel like he was slowly being caged in ice. For all that the others had said they would vouch for him as being a friend, Zuko couldn't help feeling like the thumb that was sticking out. He almost wished he could have pretended to be "Lee" the harmless non-bender child, but there was no saying what kind of news had been spreading around since his run-in with his crew and Zhao. The Northern Water Tribe was sure to have spies keeping an ear out. He didn't want to take the risk of lying to the chief.

Eventually, they were taken to a grand building that Zuko assumed was the palace. The thick, ice doors were carved with intricate patterns. Two men in fur-lined coats pushed open the doors and ushered them inside. Zuko took in the chief's hall: the fountains, columns and blue hangings. It wasn't as imposing as the Fire Lord's throne room, though having no wall of fire probably helped. At the end of the hall sat the chief on a raised dais. He introduced himself as Arnook and welcomed Sokka and Katara fondly as fellow Water Tribesmen. Of course, Aang received much fanfare and honour since he was the Avatar. Things did not go so smoothly when it came to Zuko's introduction.

"This boy is who?" Arnook said, blinking a few times and leaning forward to peer at Zuko for a better look.

Zuko stepped forward and bowed with the grace trained into a prince. "My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne." He coughed and lost his air of formality. "But, uh, I was also banished when I was thirteen and probably have been branded a traitor by now for helping the Avatar, so, uh, you can probably forget the heir part."

Arnook blinked some more. Sokka and Katara quickly assured him that Zuko was not an enemy and could be trusted. Even Aang offered his support, which was nice. There had been a lingering hint of strain between the two boys ever since the Northern Air Temple. Unfortunately, not even the Avatar's seal of approval was enough to get rid of the creases gathering on Chief Arnook's brow.

"You say you were banished when you were thirteen?" Arnook questioned.

"Yes."

The chief's brow furrowed even more and he glanced to Sokka. "Is this a joke? This boy doesn't look older than six."

Sokka smacked his palm against his forehead. "Right. You don't know."

So they went on to explain about the curse that had transformed Zuko and his uncle, including how Zuko was actually sixteen years old.

"I know it seems too fanciful to be true," Zuko said, "but—"

Chief Arnook held up his hand. "Say no more. The spirits work in mysterious ways. That is something we understand in the North."

Zuko exhaled in relief. That was one hurdle down.

"Um." Katara looked a bit nervous as the chief's eyes shifted to her. "We were actually hoping you might know about a place called the Waters of Healing. It's supposed to be able to break the curse."

Arnook cast a swift glance over Zuko. "The name is not familiar."

Something plummeted in Zuko's stomach.

"But I will speak with our spiritual advisor on your behalf." Arnook met his gaze. "In the meantime, prove yourself worthy of our hospitality. I am allowing you to stay because your friends have assured me you present no danger, but understand that we have not had anyone from the Fire Nation step foot in this city for eighty-five years. Your presence is not something that will be taken lightly."

Zuko swallowed. "I understand."

Arnook nodded to him and then called for a servant to escort them to the house that had been prepared for them. "A feast will be held tonight to welcome you all to our tribe. Please relax until then."

There was nothing to do but take their leave. They had finally made it to the Northern Water Tribe, but that also meant following the tribe's rules. Zuko tightened his grip on his teapot uncle as he walked with the others to their designated ice hut. He knew Arnook didn't trust him. No surprise, but it did leave his stomach a wriggling mess.

Was it really okay to have been honest about his identity? It seemed only time would tell.

oOo

The feast came and went without incident. Some of the people in attendance didn't look too happy upon learning they were entertaining the Fire Lord's son, but that was to be expected. What had been of more note were Sokka's attempts to impress Princess Yue. It turned out she had been the white-haired girl he'd spotter earlier. Zuko had been amused when he'd overheard them talking at the banquet table. He was not so amused when Sokka later demanded to be taught about "prince stuff".

"You want me to what now?" Zuko said, blinking.

Sokka sat next to him on the fur blanket Zuko had been gifted to use for sleeping. "You're a prince."

"So?"

"So, then you must know something about how to talk to princesses and all that."

Zuko scrunched his nose. "The only princesses I've met are my mother and sister." He thought for a moment. "And Yue, I guess."

"But they still had to have taught you something about courting and princely things while you lived at the palace, right?"

"Look, I was thirteen when I got banished. Honestly, the only thing I cared about back then was bending and swords."

Sokka groaned and flopped back against the furs. "You're useless."

A feminine snort had both boys sitting up straight and turning to the door. Katara stood in the entrance with a smile curving her lips. Aang was behind her and looked as if he was trying not to laugh. Sokka's cheeks turned pink.

"How long have you both been there?" Sokka demanded.

"Long enough, Brother. Long enough."

Sokka's blush darkened, though he did a brave job of trying to act like he wasn't embarrassed. He informed them that they could mock him all he liked, but he had already asked Yue to go on a date with him. She hadn't given him an answer yet since they'd been interrupted, but he had high hopes.

"There you go," Zuko said, leaning back on his palms. "You don't need me."

"But you're a prince!"

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "You keep saying that like it's supposed to mean something."

"It's just …" Sokka picked at the fur blanket. "I realised coming here that it doesn't matter if I'm the son of a chief. Me and Katara, we should be like royalty, but, well, you've seen our home. There's not a lot there and—"

Both Zuko's eyebrows ascended towards his hairline. "Wait, you weren't kidding about that?"

Katara settled on her sleeping bag. "It's true enough. Our dad is Chief of the Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko glanced at Aang as if to ask if the younger boy knew about this, but Aang was too busy playing with Momo. To an Air Nomad, things like titles and status probably didn't matter all that much.

"Anyway," Sokka continued, "there was no reason for us to learn about etiquette or whatever. For us, the main thing was just surviving and keeping the tribe going."

Guilty knots twisted Zuko's stomach. It wasn't lost on him that the reason the Southern Water Tribe struggled so much now was because of his nation. All those raids. He'd only ever learnt about it in his lessons, but now it seemed much more real. His gaze shifted to Katara. She was the last waterbender of her tribe. He'd never really considered the full implication of that before.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Everyone stared at him as if he'd grown an extra head. Zuko felt compelled to explain.

"Prince of the Fire Nation, you know." His shoulders slumped even more. "My grandfather gave the orders to carry out the raids on the Southern Water Tribe. I just … if it weren't for my family, for my nation …" His gaze flickered back to Aang. The airbenders had suffered even worse than the Southern Water Tribe.

Sokka jabbed his elbow into Zuko's ribs. "Hey, we're not blaming you. You didn't do anything. Well, except attack our village and chase us halfway around the world trying to capture Aang, and there was that time you burned Kyoshi Island, and—"

"Yeah," Zuko said with a wince. "I think I got it that I've done bad things."

"My point is that you're our buddy now, so that's all behind us." Sokka looped his arm around Zuko as if to seal this declaration of friendship. "Isn't that right, guys?"

Aang nodded. Katara also said that she didn't blame him for what had happened to her tribe. Zuko's chest warmed a little, though he still shrugged off Sokka's arm and couldn't help feeling bad. The nation he loved and called home was founded on lies. Even now, it was a difficult medicine to swallow.

"In any case," Sokka said, "like I was saying before, the Southern Water Tribe isn't like the North." His voice got a bit more hesitant. "I guess I just realised I don't really know how to do this whole, I dunno, royalty thing. Yue is amazing, but she's a princess. I don't want her to think I'm just some idiot from the South."

Katara looked like she wanted to say he was an idiot from the South, but her more compassionate instincts won out. She moved to join them on Zuko's blanket and pulled her brother into a hug. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Yue seemed to like you."

"Really?" he said hopefully.

She nodded and ruffled his ponytail. "So don't worry so much."

Sokka dodged her hands. "Hey, not the hair! My warrior's wolftail is not for touching."

Katara snorted. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were a big warrior now."

"Hey!"

A smile tugged at Zuko's mouth as he watched them continue to bicker and tease each other. It had used to upset him sometimes, reminding him too much of how different his own relationship was with Azula, but now he could look at the siblings and their silly fights and just feel affection.

"You guys are both idiots," he said.

This was a mistake since it made the siblings turn on him. Zuko's eyes widened as he realised he was about to get puma-dogpiled or worse. He tried to scramble away, but Sokka latched onto his middle to drag him back. The problem? Sokka's fingers dug right into the spot that had always been Zuko's downfall. A giggle escaped Zuko's lips.

An unbidden, undeniable giggle.

"No way!" Sokka and Katara said in unison. "You're ticklish!"

Zuko saw evil gleam in their eyes. His stomach lurched and he renewed his attempts to escape. It was no use. He was too tiny. Soon, he found himself being held down by Sokka while Katara pulled off her gloves and got her fingers ready.

"W-wait," he said, still trying to squirm away. "Why don't we just—"

His voice was lost in a fit of giggles. It was awful. Katara had a knack for finding his worst spots. Her fingers were devices of torture that stole all the air from his lungs and made tears stream down his face. He felt like he was going to die from laughing.

"S-stop," he pleaded. "Can't … can't breathe."

"What was that?" Katara sing-songed. "I didn't quite catch what you said. Did you, Sokka?"

"Not a thing," Sokka promptly replied. "Better tickle him some more."

Zuko gasped and laughed and tried to flail away from them. Oh, they were so going to get it once he was big again.

"Aang!" Zuko threw his pride to the winds. "Get"—more giggles—"get them"—even more giggles—"off me!"

Aang chuckled and told him to hang in there. That little traitor. Even Momo chirruped excitedly around their heads.

"Okay, that's enough," Katara decided.

The torture stopped and Sokka released him. Zuko sucked in deep breaths of sweet, beautiful air. His stomach and cheeks ached. It was a moment before he was able to find the energy to sit up.

"I hope you realise I will make you suffer for that," he promised the siblings darkly.

Sokka grinned and told him it was cute how flustered he was getting. "You're like a grumpy little koala-sheep."

Zuko punched him in the arm.

"Ow." Sokka rubbed at the injured spot. "Geez, how do you even hit that hard in that tiny body of yours?"

Zuko just gave him a look.

"Alright, alright." Sokka held his hands up in an appeasing gesture. "Sheesh, don't take it so hard. You should see Katara when I tickle her. She sounds like a dying walrus-penguin."

The girl in question went bright red. "Sokka!"

"What? It's true. And there was that time you snorted so loudly, you scared the—"

Katara's eyes met Zuko's. He nodded to show he was in perfect agreement with her. The next moment they both pounced on Sokka. It was much more difficult to hold him down—they even had to get Aang to help—but it wasn't long before Sokka was writhing under their fingers while laughing and trying to escape.

"I surrender," Sokka gasped with tears in his eyes. "Stop. Stop!"

Mercy was extended.

"Okay, guys," Sokka panted. He lay back against the blanket, still with his arms protectively wrapped around his stomach. "Let's just … let's just all breathe for a bit. Okay? No more tickling."

No one argued. Perhaps Katara and Aang worried they might be next if they did say something. It then occurred to Zuko that everyone was now crammed onto his blanket. Sokka was sprawled on his back and taking up most of the room, leaving Zuko, Katara and Aang to fit where they could. Once, Zuko would have told them all to shove off. Now he found that he didn't mind the space invasion. At least the mood was better. Aang was smiling again, and the weird tension that had been keeping Katara at a distance had vanished as well.

"I've missed this," Aang said.

"Hrm?" That was Katara. "What do you mean?"

"This." Aang shrugged. "Just laughing and having a good time together. It feels like it's been a while."

Zuko made a noncommittal sound. He was content to relax and enjoy the moment.

Sokka suddenly sat up straight and turned to face him. "Okay, but do you really have nothing you can tell me to help with Yue? Nothing at all?"

Zuko groaned. "You're still going on about that?"

"This is important. Love is on the line!"

"Love? You only just met her."

Sokka gripped his shoulders. "C'mon, man, you grew up in a fancy palace. You've gotta have something you can pass on to me."

Zuko shook him off. "Look, it's not like what you think. I got taught bending, battle strategies, politics—things like that. Sure, I was expected to know basic court manners, like when to bow and to whom, but half of that wouldn't even apply here." He shook his head. "As for courting princesses, your guess is as good as mine."

"It's true," Aang chimed in. "I asked him for some advice about girls once, but he said the only stuff he knows is what would please prostitutes."

Dead silence.

"Excuse me?" Katara finally managed to get out.

Zuko's face burned to the roots of his hair. "It's not how it sounds. Aang just—"

"Oh, Really? Then how is it exactly?"

He swallowed. Maybe it was just his imagination, but she seemed pretty mad. Sokka's inclination to be impressed rather than shocked didn't help. He kept patting Zuko on the shoulder and saying he'd had no idea Zuko had had it in him. Katara's eyes flashed even more.

Zuko made a frustrated sound. "Look, it's really not what you think. I just lived on a ship with men for almost three years and sometimes we had to stop at ports for supplies and"—his blush was darkening; he could feel it in hot waves spreading over his face—"and they talked a lot, okay? I couldn't help but overhear things."

"Is this true, Aang?" Katara demanded.

Aang shrugged. "I don't know. I did ask him if he'd ever been with a girl, you know, in that way—"

Zuko groaned again and was suddenly glad he was wearing the new outfit he'd been gifted as a replacement for The Duke's tattered clothes. It meant he could pull the hood down over his face to hide.

"—but he didn't want to talk about it."

There was another awkward silence. Zuko knew it would soon be broken. Their curiosity and need to know always overruled social niceties even when he did make it obvious their questions wouldn't be welcome.

"I know what you're all thinking," Zuko muttered, still hiding beneath his hood, "and though I don't know why it matters to any of you anyway, I know I'm not going to get any peace unless I make this clear, especially since Aang is incapable of keeping his big mouth shut." He took in a deep breath. "The answer is no. I haven't. Not once. Not even come close. Satisfied?" His voice roughened into a growl. "Now drop it."

Mercifully, they did. Too bad the mood was also awkward again after that. Like being accused of sleeping around with prostitutes and then having to tell your friends you're still a virgin awkward. Zuko decided he was never going to emerge from the hood. Not ever.

Katara moved off the blanket. "Well, we should probably get some sleep," she said, changing the subject with all the subtlety of a hippo-bear trying to tiptoe. "Aang and I have to be up at dawn for training tomorrow."

"That early?" Sokka pulled a face.

"Master Pakku seems like he'll be pretty strict," Aang confided. "But, hey, at least we'll finally get to learn waterbending now. Right, Katara?"

She nodded and flopped against her sleeping bag with a smile. "To be honest, I don't know how I'll even be able to sleep. I can't wait to start training!"

Zuko had wanted to stay grumpy, but he couldn't help the way his mouth twitched as he listened to Katara talk about her excitement to learn waterbending. She was like a little kid. He didn't say anything, though—still too embarrassed to speak up—and simply left them to it as he got ready for bed. Being in a child's body always tired him out faster. He could still hear the others talking in low voices when he fell asleep.

oOo

Zuko spent most of the next day exploring the city with Momo. He'd bumped into Sokka at one point, but the boy had been too busy mooning around like an idiot because Yue had actually agreed to go on a date with him. Zuko had wisely chosen to make himself scarce. He didn't want a repeat of last night.

He sat down on one of the ice benches near the main canal and rested his chin on his palms. It was a nice day, no clouds or anything. The only problem was the temperature. Even wearing a fur-lined parka and gloves didn't help that much. Zuko was cold. He felt like he'd be cold and numb forever, and if he were in any other place, he would have just exhaled a plume of flames to warm up. Except there were a bunch of people milling around and they'd probably get upset if they saw him firebending.

Zuko sighed and stamped his feet, trying to get some feeling back into them. Momo jumped down from his shoulder to sit by him. "What am I doing here, Momo?" he mused aloud. "Aang and Katara are training in waterbending, and I'm happy for them, don't get me wrong. It's just, how long do you think this is going to take? It doesn't seem like I'll find out anything about the Waters of Healing here." He balled his hands into fists. "I've got no spirit beans left. I'm going to be stuck like this now. And what about uncle? I don't even know what's going on with him."

Momo's ears twitched. He made a few chittering noises.

"Maybe you're right," Zuko said, nodding as if he'd been offered sage wisdom. "Avatar Roku did say the curse could still be broken. I guess I just need to trust in that and be patient."

A feminine laugh made him glance up. He saw that a boat had drawn close to the side of the canal and sitting in it was Princess Yue. She was covering her mouth, but he could tell by the way her eyes crinkled that she was smiling.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to laugh. I just didn't expect to find the Fire Nation prince talking to an animal."

Zuko felt like an owlcat that had been petted the wrong way. He wasn't sure what irritated him more: the fact she had eavesdropped on him or that she had inferred Momo was just a dumb animal. Sure, it was true that his conversations with the lemur were one-sided and completely up to his interpretation, but Momo had stuck with him even when Zuko had abandoned the others. He didn't like hearing her say such a thing.

He stood up and bowed in a way that would have made his old tutors proud. It was the kind of bow that was so frosted with politeness that it might as well have put one of the tribe's ice walls between them. "I won't keep you, Princess Yue," he said, straightening to his full height.

He turned to leave, but not before he saw the dismay flicker in her eyes.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked in alarm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

His mouth twisted. He looked back at her and folded his arms across his chest. Gone was the cool dignity from before. "It's Momo."

"Um, sorry?"

He sighed and pointed at the lemur. "His name is Momo. I don't care if he is just an animal to you, but the least you can do is call him by his name."

She blinked. Then she blinked some more.

Having said his piece, Zuko dismissed her without a second glance and carried on walking. Momo scuttled up his back to resume his perch on Zuko's shoulder. Sokka would have thought them both heathens if he could have seen them.

"Wait," Yue called.

Zuko glanced to the side to see that the boat was following along in the canal. "What now?" he grumbled.

She blinked again. "You're … you're really not like your friend, are you?"

"Who, Sokka?" He scrunched his nose. "Of course not."

Sokka actually liked this girl.

A few creases formed on Yue's brow. It seemed she was having trouble figuring out how to handle Zuko's less than encouraging attitude. He couldn't deny that he got a bit of satisfaction from that. She was just some bland princess who had laughed at him. Frankly, he didn't understand what Sokka saw in her.

"Oh," Yue said with a bit of a sigh. "I've gone about this all the wrong way."

Now it was Zuko's turn to frown. "What?"

She bit her lip. "I was curious about you because of who you are and, well, I've never met another person who's been spirit-touched. I … I just thought maybe we might have some things in common."

His eyes widened a fraction. "Spirit-touched? You mean you are as well?"

"Yes." She touched her hair. "When I was a baby. The Moon Spirit gave me a blessing and saved my life."

That explained the white hair. Somehow, he thought it typical that her experience with spirits would be the total opposite of his.

His mouth twisted again. "How nice for you," he said flatly, "but for me being spirit-touched is a curse. There's nothing good about it."

"Maybe you just haven't—"

His eyes narrowed.

She faltered a little and lowered her head. "I mean, the spirits usually have their reasons for doing things. Maybe you just haven't realised yet why this happened to you."

Zuko rolled his eyes and looked the other way. "There's nothing mysterious about it. Xiwang is just a spirit who likes to put curses on people. My uncle and I happened to get caught up in one of them."

"Oh."

Silence. Zuko made no effort to break it and took undue satisfaction in seeing her squirm for ways to fill it. Served her right for thinking she knew everything. There was only one girl he tolerated acting like a know-it-all and nosing in on his business, and Princess Yue was not her.

The boatman coughed to get Yue's attention. "Princess, perhaps we should continue. Your father is expecting you."

She sighed and tucked her hands in her sleeves. "Very well." Her gaze caught Zuko's and a strained smile curved her lips. "I'm sorry I troubled you. I guess it was impertinent of me to assume we could be friends. Please, enjoy your stay here." She nodded to him and then smiled more naturally at the lemur perched on his shoulder. "And Momo as well, of course."

Zuko's brow creased. He watched the boat continue down the canal, taking the white-haired princess with it. A part of him wanted to consign her off as bland, patronising and not worth his time. Still, even he had not missed the sincerity in her tone. She had wanted to be his friend. She had also taken his words about Momo to heart.

He reached up to scratch the lemur behind the ears. "Maybe she's not so bad."

oOo

It was a surprise when he met up with the others later and learned that neither of the siblings had managed to get the perfect day they'd envisioned. Katara had been denied learning waterbending under Master Pakku with Aang because she was a female. Instead, she had been relegated to the healing huts. Sokka's date with Yue had also been as brief as it was disappointing.

Zuko lay on his blankets and watched Katara and Aang leave through the flap keeping out the cold. Sokka had suggested that Aang teach her what he was learning each day, which had at least solved her issue of not being able to learn how to fight. The two had decided now was as good a time as any to start their secret lessons. Sokka's own dilemma was not so neatly fixed.

"What did I do wrong?" Sokka wondered aloud. "Why did she even agree to meet with me if she was just going to tell me to get lost?"

Zuko idly played with the fire burning in the grate near him. "I don't know. Girls are complicated."

Sokka sighed and flopped onto his back. They both fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. In truth, Zuko had to admit that he was a little disappointed in Yue. She hadn't seemed the type to play games like that. He guessed his first impression of her had been correct. She was just a dumb princess who was not worth their time.

He rested his chin on his arms and continued to stare at the flames. Eventually, Katara and Aang came back, though neither looked happy.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked.

"Master Pakku," Katara said bitterly. "He caught Aang teaching me and now"—the anger in her eyes broke and her shoulders slumped—"now he's refusing to teach Aang."

Aang rubbed her arm. "Hey, it's okay. I didn't want to learn from that old sour face anyway."

She shook her head and collapsed on her sleeping bag. Zuko was struck with an odd urge to go over and put his arms around her, but he quenched the feeling. None of them got much sleep that night.

oOo

The next morning, Zuko watched the siblings trudge off to their respective lessons with a dispirited air around them. Sokka had to go to warrior training but was still hurting over Yue; Katara probably felt that returning to the healing huts was just another bit of salt in the wound. Aang was the only one who seemed cheerful, despite the fact he'd lost his master and teacher.

"At least I can have fun in the city now," he said with a shrug.

Zuko pursed his lips. "Sometimes, I really wonder about your priorities."

Aang grinned.

The two boys spent most of the day together, along with Momo. Zuko realised his mistake in agreeing to accompany Aang when the boy decided they absolutely had to have a race sliding down the main stair banisters. The stairs started near the palace and sloped all the way down until they levelled out and dropped alongside waterfalls to converge with the lower canal. Even better—or so Aang claimed—they were smooth with no obstructions to throw them off.

"You're kidding, right?" Zuko said dryly. Maybe even a bit hopefully.

Aang's eyes sparkled with excitement. "It's like the ultimate ice slide!"

Zuko slapped his palm to his forehead. "Aang, you just can't—"

But Aang only grabbed his wrist and dragged him off to find something they could sit on to race. Ice, Aang informed him seriously, was not always so kind on the buttocks. Zuko pointed out that he hadn't even agreed to race.

"C'mon, Zuko," Aang wheedled. "It'll be fun!"

"No, it'll be embarrassing and stupid."

Aang's teeth gleamed. "Oh, I get it. You're scared."

"What?"

"It's okay." Aang patted him on the shoulder. "I understand you're probably aware you'll just lose to me anyway, and I suppose for someone who isn't an airbender or a waterbender, it must seem scary to—"

"Shut up and find us something to sit on."

Aang looked like he wanted to punch his fist into the air. Zuko folded his arms across chest, irritated that he had let himself be taunted into accepting, but still refusing to let Aang call him a coward. Besides, a part of him could admit that it did look kind of fun. Just a little. And it wasn't like he was his teenage size right now …

They eventually "borrowed" two shields and made their way to the top of the stairs. Some kids had gathered to see what they were doing, which worked well since Aang was able to ask a small girl to start them off.

"It'll be fairer that way," Aang said with a grin.

Zuko sat on the shield, careful not to let it tilt forward too much or let go of his grip on the thick ice. "No bending, Aang."

"I know, I know. I won't cheat."

The little girl stepped forward. "Ready?"

Aang and Zuko focussed their attention on the slope ahead.

"Go!"

Zuko released his grip on the stairs and pushed himself into motion. The shield took off with a whoosh, sending him rocketing down the slope. Wind ruffled his hair and fur parka. He could hear Aang laughing and whooping in joy. Even Zuko couldn't stop his grin. Truth be told, he'd always loved the rush of adrenaline that came with doing something a bit reckless.

"Too slow, Zuko!" Aang taunted.

And, indeed, the airbender was inching ahead. Damn it. Zuko leaned forward even more, trying to cut down as much wind resistance as possible. Faster. He had to be faster. Dimly, he was aware of the alarm and disapproval that followed them as they raced past older northerners climbing up the stairs. One woman even screamed when Aang went whizzing right by her. However, the kids were not so judgemental and cheered and tried to follow their descent.

"Here it comes!" Aang said excitedly as they neared the end.

Zuko gripped the shield. His heart pounded with anticipation and then he and Aang were flying in mid-air. The younger boy let out a huge whoop. Zuko saw the boat below.

"Aang, watch out!"

"Uh-oh!"

Aang quickly used airbending to propel himself to the side. Too bad he collided straight with Zuko. They fell in the canal in an undignified splash, spraying water everywhere. Zuko was the first to break through the surface. He coughed and spat out water while holding his shield so it wouldn't float away. Aang popped up next. Momo landed on his bald head and chirruped.

"You hooligans!" an old man standing up in the boat shouted, shaking his fist at them. He was drenched from head to foot. So was the lady with him, who looked as if she was still trying to recover from having an Avatar almost fall on her.

"S-sorry," Aang said, dipping his head so Momo nearly fell off. "We were having a race and I didn't know your boat would be there. I'm really sorry. I can dry you off if you like."

"We do not need your help."

The old man turned his nose to the air in disgust and moved his boat away from them. That was when Aang started to laugh. The sound was so infectious that Zuko couldn't help joining in, despite how the cold water made him shiver.

"You are crazy," Zuko told him. "I can't believe we just did that."

"But it was fun, right?"

A reluctant smile tugged at Zuko's mouth. "I guess."

"Oi, you kids!"

A group of warriors came towards them.

Aang pulled a face. "Uh-oh. We better scram."

The two boys scrambled out of the water, offered hasty apologies to the warriors, and then ran off with Momo before they could get dragged off for a scolding. Zuko couldn't help but feel like he was a kid again, enjoying those carefree moments with Azula before she had become too twisted and cruel. They'd done silly things like this as well. The thought struck him with a sense of loss. How different their lives could have been.

"Is something wrong?" Aang asked. Perhaps he had noticed the moment of sombreness.

Zuko shook his head. "No, but we should probably play it low for a while. I think they were pretty mad at us."

Aang agreed this was a good idea. They decided to visit Appa, who greeted them with much slobber. They were still hanging out in the stable when Katara found them.

"There you are, Aang," she said, sighing in relief. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

Aang jumped down from Appa. "What's up?"

"I feel bad that you've lost your teacher," she admitted. "You were only trying to help me, and I'm really grateful for that, but you're the Avatar. You need to master waterbending before the end of summer. I hate to say it, but Master Pakku is the best waterbender of this tribe." She took in a deep breath. "I think if we go to Chief Arnook and explain the situation, perhaps he can get Master Pakku to teach you again."

"I don't know, Master Pakku seemed pretty serious about not teaching me, but I guess it's worth a shot." Aang shrugged and grinned. "Okay, let's try!"

Katara's gaze shifted to Zuko. "By the way, did you guys really have a race sliding down the main stairs? Everyone is talking about it."

Zuko half-groaned, half-laughed as he buried his face in his knees. "I knew this was going to happen. Aang, you are a terrible influence."

"You mean a great influence!"

Zuko shook his head with a smile and told them they should hurry and talk to the chief. "Katara is right, you know. You need to learn waterbending in order to be a proper Avatar. Priorities, remember?"

Aang lowered his gaze. "Yeah, I know."

Zuko decided to head back with them to the palace, though at first they were told it was not possible to see the chief. Apparently, there was a council going on. Katara and Aang both kicked up a fuss and said it was really important they see the chief. The guard was not to be moved. That was when Yue came across them.

"What's going on?" Yue asked.

Aang and Katara rushed to explain.

"I'll see what I can do," she said with a smile. "Wait here."

Zuko scowled as he watched her retreat with her attendant.

"What's with that face?" Katara asked.

"I don't like her."

Katara's eyebrows flew up. "What did she ever do to you?"

Zuko shrugged and looked the other way. "She acts too nice."

"Oh, Zuko," Katara said, shaking her head and looking as if she was trying not to laugh. "Only you would dislike someone because they're too nice."

He said nothing, which was perhaps a good thing since Yue came back and told them her father would see them now.

Katara inhaled deeply. There was a nervous energy in her posture. "Wish us luck."

Zuko nodded to them both. Whatever happened next would be up to the chief and Master Pakku.

oOo

oOo

OMAKE II

(The "Arnook Is a Troll" Edition)

"Um." Katara looked a bit nervous as the chief's eyes shifted to her. "We were actually hoping you might know about a place called the Waters of Healing. A spirit told Zuko he needed to go there."

Arnook cast a swift glance over Zuko. "Is it a very spiritual place?"

"Uh, probably," Zuko muttered.

"With special water that has the power to heal anything?"

"Yeah!" the others said in unison.

Arnook nodded emphatically. "I see. Then ..."

Zuko held his breath in anticipation.

"Never heard of it." Arnook shrugged. "Guess you'll be stuck as a kid forever."

"But you just said—"

"Well then, I'll see you at the feast tonight." The chief smiled and waved them off.

Zuko and the others were given no choice but to leave. Once the doors had closed behind them, one of the warriors turned to Arnook.

"Uh, Chief," the warrior said, clearing his throat. "Why didn't you tell them about the Spirit Oasis?"

"Because I want to watch him suffer."

"Huh?"

Arnook plastered an innocent smile on his face. "Oh, nothing. Just voicing what every fanfiction reader is secretly thinking."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, Redshirt. Your time will come as well."

"Uh, Chief, I'm not wearing a red shirt."

"Like that's going to help you."

"Huh?"

Chapter 18: In Which Everything Gets Complicated

Chapter Text

Zuko felt sick. He dashed over to Katara, who was stomping down the steps after issuing her challenge to Master Pakku. Sokka had joined them just before they'd gone in to talk to Chief Arnook and was now trying to get his sister to see reason. Aang was also telling her that she didn't have to fight, that he would just find another teacher.

"I'm not doing it for you!" Katara gritted out, fury interlaced in every word. "Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!"

Zuko pushed past the two boys and grabbed her hands. His own were clammy in his gloves. "Don't do this."

Her eyes widened. "Zuko, what—"

"That man is a master. You can't win."

"I know that, but—"

"No!" He tightened his grip. "No, you don't know." Spirits, he felt like he was going to throw up. "You don't have a chance at all, Katara."

"I don't care!" She wrenched herself free of his hands. "I don't care if—"

"I don't want to see you get hurt!"

The words were a roar. Loud, angry, but still a child's roar. He hated that he was small. Hated that he couldn't take her away so she could calm down and see how utterly insane and reckless she was being.

Katara's jaw had dropped at his shout, but now her expression softened. This time she reached for his hands, which were balled tightly into fists. "I'll be okay."

Zuko shook his head. "You don't know that. In Master Pakku's eyes, you've completely disrespected him. Now you're challenging him to a fight?" His voice rose again, getting louder and louder. "What's wrong with you? You're so stupid! So stupid and stubborn and—"

"Don't call me stupid!"

"Well, that's what you're being right now!"

They were getting an audience: some of the council members who had heard Katara's challenge, people who had just been passing by, and even the chief and Princess Yue were watching. Zuko didn't care. His hands trembled and his throat constricted, and he realised he was terrified. He was so, so terrified for this stupid girl who could never keep her stupid, crazy mouth shut and now planned to fight a man who could obliterate her if he wanted.

His hands tightened convulsively on hers. "Don't do this."

"You don't understand! I have to do this!"

"Please." Spirits, his voice broke and he was sure he looked pathetic, just some little kid begging and clutching at this girl who was so much bigger than him. "Don't do this to yourself. Don't—"

"I'm not backing down! I refuse to when that old man is just a sour—"

"Damn it, Katara, don't make the same mistake I did!"

Her eyes widened and she looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. Looked at the left side of his face that had once been burned into a mutilated mess before the curse smoothed it all away. "Zuko." Her tone was hushed, a far cry from the defensive shouting from before.

Zuko held her gaze. "I know you're angry. I know the last thing you want to do is apologise. But please, just let it go this time. Don't fight Master Pakku. I can't … I can't watch you get—"

"You should listen to him, little girl."

Master Pakku's voice made them both twitch and swing around to see him descending the last of the steps. Katara's grip tightened painfully. Her eyes were storms of ocean and sky about to lash out at the first trigger. Zuko's heart clenched at the sight. It was an ache he couldn't even comprehend. Never had she looked so fierce, so determined. It would be wrong to stop this fight. He knew how strongly she felt about the situation. Yet another part of him wanted to bundle her in his arms and never let her go. In his mind, all he could see was her flesh being torn and pierced by ice. He saw blood, pain and loss.

Not her! his heart cried in a sickening flutter. Don't let this happen to her!

Katara released his hands and stepped away from him. The motion was oddly slowed to his view. It was like every split-second was a chance to reach for her again, to pull her back. He swallowed against the lump in his throat and did nothing.

"I won't apologise," Katara said, raising her chin. "I will fight."

Master Pakku walked past her without sparing her a glance. "Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong."

She made a frustrated sound and drew water from the ground, whipping it at the back of his neck. Zuko closed his eyes in resignation. He wasn't surprised when Master Pakku turned to face her.

"Fine," Master Pakku said, shifting into a bending stance. "You want to learn to fight so bad? Study closely!"

They clashed with the fluidity of their element: one moment walled in a whirlpool, the next Katara was moving on the ramp of ice that the old man had created, flipping off to land behind him. He turned the ramp to liquid and would have submerged her with it, but she changed its flow so it was sent away from her.

"You can't knock me down!" she declared.

Some of the onlookers cheered and Aang shouted encouragement to her. Zuko could do nothing. He stood as if paralysed, teeth gritted and his hands clenched into fists. She was doing well—much better than he had anticipated from someone who had never had a master and could only teach herself from one stolen scroll—but Master Pakku had barely moved from his spot. The old man had been toying with her for most of the fight. It was only when one of her ice discs came too close to his face that he got serious. Far too soon she was on the ground, breathing heavily and her hair coming out of its style. Zuko's heartbeat stumbled as he watched her struggle to her feet. She countered quickly and tried to bring the pillars behind Master Pakku down upon him, but he turned them to liquid with a graceful sweep of his arms.

"Well, I'm impressed," Master Pakku said. "You are an excellent waterbender."

"But you still won't teach me, will you?" Katara said bitterly.

"No."

With a cry of effort, she sent a rolling wave of ice at Master Pakku. They clashed again, but this time her defeat was swift. Zuko saw her necklace fall free as she was knocked down, saw all of her hair come loose from the force of the blow. It felt like a sad mockery. He loved it when she wore her hair down, but now the sight chilled his heart. His entire body trembled. Then she was trapped in a prison of ice, unable to move her hands or arms. Unable to defend herself. Everything in his mind went blank. There was only a roaring sound and it was getting louder and louder.

His feet moved on their own. His mouth opened to yell something—maybe her name. He couldn't hear anything over the roar and the drumming pulse of his blood. Fire shot forth from his hands, controlled but fierce to create a wall between Katara and Master Pakku.

"Stay back!" he snarled.

If Master Pakku gave a response, Zuko didn't hear it. He melted the ice from Katara with trembling hands and threw his arms around her. Child's arms from a child's height that could only clutch at her legs, but still he held her close.

"You're so stupid," he gritted out, burying his face into her leg. "Stupid, stupid."

"Zu-Zuko?"

She seemed a bit at a loss. He'd never initiated any contact between them, but now he held her tightly enough to hurt his own ribs.

"I was so worried." The words spilled out of him, vulnerable and exposing. He couldn't stop the flow. "I was so worried, you stupid waterbender. Why didn't you just stay down? Why did you have to keep—"

His voice broke, yet even as the angry words were choked out of him, he knew he didn't mean any of it. The fact was he had been so proud of her. She had fought and fought until she'd had nothing left to give. She had been beautiful.

"So stupid," was all he managed.

Her hand brushed his hair, then his back. It hurt that he was a child. It hurt that he could not hold her as he wanted.

"Prince Zuko." Master Pakku's voice was cold and biting. Both teens tensed. "You've got some nerve interfering in a bending duel."

Zuko let go of Katara. "The fight was already over by that point," he said a bit unsteadily. "There was nothing more she could have done."

Katara stiffened. "I still could have—"

"No, you couldn't!" Zuko exploded. He swung back to face her, furious all over again. "He was just going to hurt you, and if you think I was going to stand by and let that old—"

Master Pakku cleared his throat. Probably a good thing since Zuko had been about to call him some very unflattering names. "You seem to be under some kind of misconception, Prince Zuko. I was not going to harm Katara. In fact, I had planned to declare the match over before you decided to so brashly get involved."

Heat spread all over Zuko's cheeks. A hole to crawl in and hide would have been nice right then. He had just hugged Katara and made a spectacle of himself in front of a crowd of people, and all because of an overreaction. Katara had never been in any danger. "Oh."

"Yes," the old master said dryly. "Oh."

Zuko swallowed and lowered into a bow. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect. I just panicked and—"

"What?" Katara exclaimed, going a bit red in the face as she rounded on him. "How can you apologise to this sour old—"

"Shut up!" Zuko hissed.

"You shut up! I didn't ask for your help anyway, you—"

Master Pakku covered his mouth. It was a moment before the teens realised the old man was trying to smother a laugh. Shock held both of them frozen.

"I wonder I did not see the similarity before," Master Pakku said more to himself. He held up something in his hand: a blue choker with a pale stone like a full moon hanging from the front.

"My necklace!" Katara cried. "Give it back!"

Master Pakku met her gaze steadily. "I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life. For Kanna."

Katara's eyes widened. "My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?"

He nodded and explained how he had carved the necklace for Katara's grandmother when they'd got engaged. He'd thought they'd have a long, happy life together.

"But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara said, though her voice lacked venom. "It was an arranged marriage."

Zuko wasn't sure why these words triggered Princess Yue to go running off, but he didn't bother to dwell on the princess and instead shifted his attention back to Master Pakku. The old man looked weighed down with memories, or maybe it was just the stone of what-might-have-been that hung from his neck. It was obvious that he had never forgotten Kanna.

Katara moved closer to him. "Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs rule her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage."

"Perhaps you're right," he mused. "Though I wonder why she …" he broke off, changing his mind with a wry smile. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now." He placed the necklace in Katara's hand. "I will expect to see you with the Avatar at dawn tomorrow."

She blinked, not quite comprehending. Then her fingers tightened around the necklace and her eyes brightened. "Wait, do you mean—"

"Don't make me regret taking you on as a student."

Katara looked like she wanted to hug him, but instead she grinned, bowed and promised she wouldn't let him down. Master Pakku nodded to her before his gaze shifted to Zuko.

"I had my reservations about you," Master Pakku admitted, "but it seems you're just a brash idiot rather than a dangerous idiot."

Zuko furrowed his brow. Those were both insults.

Master Pakku's mouth quirked a fraction, but he said no more and walked away from them to go join the chief. The two men, along with the council members, headed back up the stairs to finish their meeting. Soon, it was just Zuko, Katara, Aang, and a few stragglers left. Sokka, it seemed, had gone to look for Yue.

Zuko let out a breath and glanced at Katara. She was talking animatedly with Aang about how they could both learn waterbending together from Master Pakku. The two hugged and laughed as they celebrated, but Zuko found he couldn't say a word. Didn't even want to. All the fear and adrenaline that had seized him moments ago had drained away and now only an odd mix of feelings were left: the embarrassment of putting his emotions on display, the relief that Katara was safe and everything had worked out, yet a part of him was still trying to comprehend how that had even been possible. She had disrespected an important member of the tribe—had done it right in the presence of Chief Arnook—and though she had been soundly beaten by Master Pakku, the man had also offered to teach her in the end. There had been no real punishment.

Was this how the world worked outside the Fire Nation? Was it just his father who was cruel enough to brand his own son for an act of disrespect and only offer banishment and an impossible task as conciliation? Or was it because Zuko had not fought back? Zuko had begged where Katara had challenged. He had submitted on his knees where she had stood. She had got respect, but he had got only punishment.

Did that … did that mean his father had been right about him all along? Had he just been too weak?

If Katara had listened to you, the cruel voice that sounded like his sister whispered, she would have achieved nothing. She would be a failure like you.

Zuko turned away from the happy duo, careful not to draw their attention. Then he made his quiet escape into the city.

oOo

"Why'd you run off?" Katara complained. "It took me ages to find you."

Zuko barely glanced up as she sat next to him on the bench. The moon was out and cast a silvery glow over the street and canal. It shone on her as well, outlining the parka she was bundled up in and catching on the beads in her hair. Even so, it was dark enough where he couldn't make out all her expression. Maybe that was a good thing. It meant she couldn't see how pathetic he looked.

"Congratulations," he said, not quite able to hide the hollowness from his tone. "I didn't say that earlier, did I?"

Her back stiffened. "If you're going to say it, you could at least try to sound happy."

There was a long pause.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean it like that."

They were both quiet for a moment. Katara sighed and traced circles on the ice with the toe of her boot. In contrast, Zuko's feet couldn't even touch the ground.

"You're upset about something," she said. "Is it because I still fought even though you asked me not to?"

"No."

"Is it because Master Pakku called you an idiot?"

"Wha—no!"

He'd forgotten all about that. Katara must have guessed that would be the case, because she laughed and nudged him with her elbow.

"Come on, Zuko. Don't you know by now that I'll listen to anything that's bothering you? Talk to me." Her gloved hand found his and gave a light squeeze. "That's what friends are for."

His chest warmed in that inexplicable way he was slowly getting used to, yet he still found himself pulling back from her touch. Shame was a heavy weight in his stomach. It made him want to close off. Made him raise his legs onto the bench and hug his knees to his chest. He had never looked so much like a child.

"Maybe you should go," was all he said. "I'm really not in the … I just don't think I'm going to be good company tonight. You should stick with Sokka and Aang."

"I think I'll be the judge of who will be the best company for me tonight, thank you very much. Besides"—she poked him in the leg—"I did not spend almost an hour looking for you just so you can push me off onto Aang and my brother. I'm here now so deal with it."

A reluctant smile curved his lips. "Bossy."

"You're just stubborn."

"Says the girl who refused to admit defeat earlier."

Her arm brushed against his side. "Like you would have been any different. I know you."

The amusem*nt fell from his face. He was glad for the semi-darkness that at least gave him some cover.

"What?" she said, her voice losing its teasing tone. "What's wrong?"

"Noth—"

"Don't say it's nothing." She turned more to him. "How long have we known each other now? Don't you think I know when you're lying?"

Zuko hunched more into himself. The silence dragged on.

"Hey." Her voice was soft. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

"I'm too ashamed."

Katara went still for a moment. Then she wrapped her arms around him. The fact he was so small and fit so easily against her, just like a child curled up against a mother or big sister, made him even more frustrated. There were threads snapping in his mind. Threads of patience, of control. This was all too much.

"Don't," he said, pushing at her arms a bit too jerkily. "Just don't—don't come close to me right now."

She bit her lip and backed off. "Okay. Then tell me what I can do to make you feel better."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter because it can't be changed."

"What can't?"

Zuko said nothing.

Katara looked as if she wanted to reach for him again, but she managed to resist. Instead, she sighed and tucked her legs against her chest to mimic his position. "You know," she said after a while, "I was so mad when you ran out to help me during the duel."

His brow creased. Where was this coming from all of a sudden?

"I felt like you were confirming what Master Pakku thought of me: that I was too weak to fight, that in the end I'd have to rely on a male so it would be better if I just stayed in the healing huts with the other women."

"I never thought that."

"I know." She rested her chin on her knees. "I realised it when you hugged me."

His cheeks warmed. Damn it, why did she have to bring up that hug? He still felt mortified when he thought about it. All the things he had said. All that he had exposed.

"You thought he was going to hurt me like your dad did to you, right? That's why you really ran out to stop the duel."

Zuko swallowed. "I overreacted. It was stupid. Just forget about it."

"I don't want to." She raised her face towards the moon. "I mean, you called me stupid a lot and that is something I normally wouldn't let slide, but I could see you only did it 'cause you were upset." She tilted her head to the side to meet his gaze. In the dimming light, he could just make out that she was smiling. "You made me happy, Zuko. Really happy. For the first time, I got to see how much you care."

His heart quickened, yet the flutters died a second later. He looked the other way. "Well, it was all pointless, wasn't it? Master Pakku never intended anything like that for you." His throat constricted, making his voice thick. "All I did was get in the way."

"That's not—"

"It's a good thing you didn't listen to me otherwise you probably wouldn't even be able to learn bending from him now."

She sat up straighter. "Is that what this is about? You feel guilty because you told me not to fight?" A laugh escaped her. "Geez, Zuko, so did Aang and Sokka. So would anyone. I challenged a master waterbender to a duel."

"You did. You also got what you wanted, the respect you deserve."

"To be honest, I think it was more because of Gran-Gran." She let out a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still happy and all, but I just wish … I wish he could have accepted me as a student for me."

"You think he didn't?" Now it was Zuko's turn to laugh, though the sound was a bit hollow. "Do you know what shocked me the most when I was watching you fight? That you actually made him get serious. You're like some prodigy. To do all that with only one scroll as a reference and not even a master to teach you … it's amazing. It's … I could never hope to compete with that."

"W-what?"

He shook his head and slid off the bench. "Never mind. Just know that Master Pakku didn't accept you as a student because of your grandmother. It was because you had the courage to stand up to him. You proved that you were worth his time."

A gloved hand caught his wrist before he could walk away. "Hey." She gently tugged him back to face her. "Why do you keep trying to run off on me?"

"I'm not—"

"Zuko."

It was that tone. The one that asked if they were really going to do this again. He exhaled heavily and slipped his wrist free of her grasp.

"You're so annoying sometimes," he mumbled.

She didn't make a retort at first, which made him almost certain that she was grinning that smug, stupid grin of hers. The moon had half-dipped behind a cloud so it was hard to tell. Of course, the worst part was that he had come to kind of like that grin.

"Look," she said, "all I'm saying is that today you made me really happy. Now I come here and find you moping—"

"I wasn't—"

"You are so moping." Her voice softened. "But that's okay. I'm not expecting you to snap your fingers and be cheerful for me. I just want to know what's wrong, because I care about you and I know that talking about it always helps you."

Zuko wasn't sure where his breath had disappeared. All he knew was that as she sat back down on the bench and patted the spot next to her, he found his desire to resist had vanished along with it. He sat numbly. She allowed him a moment of silence before giving a light nudge to his arm.

"So," she said. "What's eating you?"

"I …" He swallowed. This was not easy. Every word was painstakingly dragged out of him. "It's just … seeing you fight today and how Master Pakku reacted, it got me thinking."

She was quiet, though he knew she was listening intently.

"All my life my father told me I was weak and a failure. It's only recently I started to doubt that, but now …" He brought his knees back up to his chest. "I … after today, I think he might have been right."

"Zuko, why would you—"

"Master Pakku respects you now. There's no denying that. I should have just fought when my father told me to."

She shook her head. "Now you're being too harsh on yourself. Our situations are totally different. For one thing—"

"Are they?" His throat burned. "Are they really different? You challenged a master bender to a duel and got him to respect you. I didn't even try. I fell to my knees the moment I saw my father's face and begged him to have mercy on me, and what did I get? Banishment and a scar."

"Zuko, that doesn't make you weak or a failure."

"But it does! I could have tried. I could have fought him. I could have—"

She gripped his face. "Hey. Listen to me."

He swallowed and met her gaze through the growing darkness.

"You told me yourself that if you had known your dad was going to be your opponent, you wouldn't have accepted the challenge. What does that tell you?"

His tone was bitter. "That I was too much of a coward to fight him, just like he said."

"No." She gave his head a little shake. "It means you would have fought anyone else regardless of whether they were a master or not. Isn't that right?"

He blinked. That was true. The old general had years of bending experience on him, but Zuko had not hesitated in accepting the Agni Kai. He hadn't hesitated to fight Zhao both times they'd duelled either.

Katara smoothed her gloved hand along his cheek. "Our situations are different because you were up against your dad. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. You were only thirteen. You didn't even know you were going to be fighting him." She held his gaze. "I know I think your dad is horrible, but you loved him, right?"

Something hot prickled his eyes. Horrified, he pulled his face away from her and blinked a few times, trying to hold back the building sting. "I still should have tried," he managed to grit out. "That was what he wanted me to do. He told me to stand up and fight and I just … I couldn't do it. Maybe if I had, maybe if I'd just done as he asked, he wouldn't have …"

"What, sent you away? Burned you?"

He stilled.

"Zuko, do you really think a man who hurt you in such a way just because you begged him for forgiveness would have held back had you fought instead?"

His hands balled into fists. "I don't know." The lump was back in his throat and made it hard to get words out. "I don't know what he would have done. Maybe it would have made things worse, but the fact is I didn't fight him." He closed his eyes. "I was so pathetic. That whole time we were in the arena together, I just felt like I was going to throw up. No wonder he thought me a coward. He could probably see it on my face."

"Listen, you need to stop beating yourself up over this. No child can be expected to fight their own parent. Not even you. What your father did to you was plain cruel. He should have never put you in that situation."

The stinging in his eyes got worse, turning to wetness. He scrubbed at the tears with a frustrated swipe. He didn't want to cry in front of her. It was shameful. Everything about this situation was shameful. Here was a girl who hadn't even been able to make a water whip when he'd first met her, yet she had fought and won the respect of a master who had looked upon her with contempt. What had Zuko achieved? Nothing but failure and more failure. Worse, even after everything, he was still hung up over the disappointment he'd caused to a father who had practically burned half his face off. If that wasn't pathetic, Zuko didn't know what was.

Katara let out a small sigh. "I wish you could see yourself as I see you."

He was startled into glancing back at her.

"You're so quick to believe the worst about yourself. You can't even see how brave you are. How strong you are."

"You don't need to lie just to make me feel better." He gripped his knees hard. "I know that—"

She grasped his shoulders and gave him another little shake. "I'm telling you that you are! Why don't you believe me for a change instead of always thinking your dad is right? I'm the one who actually cares about you!"

His eyes widened.

"Idiot," she muttered as she released him, though the softness of her tone and the way she averted her face made him think she was blushing.

He didn't know how to respond. They both ended up falling silent. Something wet fell on his cheek that wasn't from tears. He looked up and realised it was snowing. The little flakes were everywhere, slipping in and out of sight on the path of moonbeams. He could see a few clinging to Katara's hair.

"You don't need to feel ashamed, okay?" she said quietly. "You might not have been able to fight your dad in that Agni Kai, but you did have the strength to go against his orders when we needed you. You had the strength to give up your chance to go home, the place you've wanted to return to for almost three years, just so you could do what your conscience said to be right." Her eyes glinted in the silvery light. "I really admire that about you, Zuko. Ignoring your own wants and doing the right thing—that's not something everyone can do. That takes true courage."

His breath caught in his throat.

Katara's hand found his and squeezed tight. "Just forget about your dad. He doesn't deserve anything from you anyway." Their eyes met, even as snow continued to fall around them. "Can't it be enough that you've earned my respect? Can't it be enough that I think you're strong?"

Zuko swallowed, conscious of the way his heart drummed and drummed in his chest. Their faces were close and he found himself wanting to lean up, to close the rest of the distance between them and express all that was fluttering and pounding inside him. But he was trapped in a child's body. The tiny frame was a gag on his mouth and bonds pulling him back. It was a cage that he could not break.

A frustrated sound escaped him and he stood abruptly from the bench.

"Zuko, what—"

"I have to go," he muttered.

"Hey, don't—"

He ran, not even caring if she thought him horrible or a coward for leaving her in such a way. Staying near her like this would just be torture. He had to get away. He had to find a place where he could calm down and pull himself together, yet every step just pained him more.

"Xiwang!" he growled, flames gathering around his fists. "You bastard!"

He was frustrated. So, so frustrated. Never had the curse chafed him so much. It was all he could do not to start throwing fireballs at the icy objects all around him. That was also why he didn't notice at first when the sound of hurried footsteps got closer. Then something rounded the corner and smacked right into him. Zuko fell back from the impact and landed on his bottom. He suppressed a groan.

"I'm sorry, I—" Yue broke off as fire danced over his palm, giving them better light to see each other.

"Watch where you're going," he snapped.

Her gaze lowered and skirted to the side. It did not miss his attention that there were tears glistening on her cheeks.

"Sorry," she repeated. "I just—"

She shook her head and ran without another word. Zuko got back to his feet. He stood there for a moment as he watched her retreating figure. Snow continued to fall. This time, he did hear the footsteps that approached. Nor was he surprised when Sokka spoke.

"She's engaged," Sokka said in a flat voice. "That's what she told me."

Zuko allowed his flames to go out. "Oh."

Maybe he should have said something more comforting, but such words had never come easily to him. He also felt a bit bad for snapping at her. After seeing her tears, he realised that perhaps he and Yue did have more in common than he'd realised. Sure, her curse might not be the same as his, but the result was still the same. Both of them were trapped.

Chapter 19: In Which a Warning Is Given

Chapter Text

The days melted into each other, becoming one long, drawn-out blur to Zuko. He lost track of how much time had passed since their arrival at the Northern Water Tribe. All he knew was that the curse was becoming more chafing, more frustrating. He was careful to never let himself be alone with Katara. It helped that she was always training with Master Pakku and Aang. Sokka had also thrown himself into training with the warriors, though sometimes Zuko caught him going for walks with Yue. Neither the princess nor Sokka seemed particularly happy after these excursions. Zuko thought them idiots for punishing themselves in such a way.

"You know nothing can come from it," he said one day, bidden into speaking after watching Sokka say goodbye to the princess. Everything in Sokka had drooped like a wilting flower once she was out of sight. "She's engaged to be married to someone else. I doubt she's the type who'd go against her duty either."

"We're just friends."

Zuko snorted. "Sure. Friends."

Sokka opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he shook his head and mumbled he had to get to warrior training.

"Yeah, whatever." Zuko turned the other way. "Go play with your little clubs and spears."

"Hey!" Sokka gripped his shoulder. "What's your problem?"

"My problem?" Suddenly, Zuko was angry. Very angry. Smoke curled from his nostrils and he swatted Sokka's hand off his shoulder. "My problem is that we've been here all this time and I'm still stuck in this stupid body! My problem is that my uncle is a teapot and I can't help him! My problem is that while you're all off doing your so important training and mucking around with a girl, I'm just left here trapped with this curse!"

Sokka looked as if he'd been punched. "Zuko, we never meant to … you know that if we knew where—"

"Yeah," Zuko said in his flattest voice, "I'm sure you'd all be quick to leave if you knew where the Waters of Healing are, but none of us do know, do we?" He made an exasperated sound and averted his face. "Just forget it. It's not like I don't understand why we're still here."

"Zuko—"

"Just go to your training. It's important, right?"

"C'mon, man. Don't be like—"

Zuko stomped out of the hut. He walked blindly through the streets, kicking at the snow and with his mouth twisted into a scowl. It was a while before he realised he'd lost control and was actually melting footsteps into the ice and turning some of the surrounding area into mushy goop. A growl escaped him and he kept walking. This stupid ice prison could all melt for all he cared.

Calm down, the voice that sounded like his uncle told him, the voice of his conscience. You're just embarrassing yourself now. Besides, it's not the city that is to blame for your frustration, is it?

Zuko sighed and slowed to a halt. He glanced back at the mess he had created. His mouth twisted, this time with regret rather than a scowl. Just because he was in the body of a child didn't mean he had to act like one. The problem was that he didn't know how to fix it. He could only melt and burn; he couldn't put things back together.

"Zuko!"

He winced and glanced over his shoulder to see Aang and Katara coming towards him. They were both beaming until they noticed the melted trail he'd created. Identical frowns and hints of concern took over their expressions.

"Is everything okay?" Aang asked.

Zuko's cheeks warmed. "It's fine. I just … I was frustrated about something and wasn't focussing properly."

Katara gave him a long, searching look. He avoided her gaze and, in fact, tried to avoid her altogether. It was easier to keep his attention fixed on Aang.

"Aren't you supposed to be training with Master Pakku?" Zuko asked.

"We're on a break right now," Katara said.

Something about the forcefulness of her tone made it sound as if she was trying to remind him that she was there as well. It was a demand for him to look at her. He shifted on his feet, but he didn't glance her way. Let her think him rude.

Aang scratched his cheek. "Well, since we're on a break, maybe we can fix this before anyone else notices. I don't think Chief Arnook will be happy if he knows you've been melting the streets."

"Can you fix it?"

"Sure!" Aang gave a cheerful grin. "Master Pakku has been teaching us lots of things. Don't worry. We'll have everything back to normal in no time. C'mon, Katara!"

The boy dashed past Zuko and began reshaping and solidifying the ice that had been damaged. Zuko expected Katara to follow, but she just stood there.

"How long are you going to keep doing this?" she demanded in a low voice.

"Do what?" He kept his face averted. "I don't know what you're—"

"I'm not stupid and I'm not blind. You're avoiding me. You barely even look at me these days."

Zuko swallowed and stared at a random point of ice.

Katara made a frustrated sound. "I didn't think you'd be the type to run from things."

"I'm not."

"Oh, so am I just imagining the fact you spend most of your time talking to Sokka and Aang? That you try to act like I'm invisible?"

His stomach twisted. "Katara, I …"

"Go ahead." She spread her hands with exaggerated flare. "Please tell me all about how you're so justified in acting like a jerk to me. I mean, it's not like I haven't always been there to listen to you when you're upset or to—"

"Do you think I don't know that?" The words came out louder than he intended. He cast a quick glance at Aang, but the boy was still bending ice and hadn't noticed their argument. Zuko swallowed again and forced his voice to soften. "Katara, I know you've been a good friend to me. More than a good friend."

"Then why—"

"Because I can't do this." It was a struggle to keep his voice low. "I can't keep being with you like this when I'm like this." He gestured at his small body. "It's driving me crazy. All I want is to … I can't even …"

Her eyes widened. "What?"

Something that might have been a laugh escaped him, though the sound was too bitter and drained to be even remotely amused. "I thought you said you weren't stupid. Don't tell me you haven't noticed the way I feel about you."

Colour slowly dusted her cheeks. "Oh. Then you—oh."

"Yeah." He folded his arms and looked the other way.

There was an awkward silence. It was the kind of awkwardness that could only come when admitting you like a girl and want to kiss her, except you can't because you're the size of a six year old. Damn it, this was why he had wanted to avoid her.

"Katara, aren't you gonna help?" Aang called.

She still didn't move.

Zuko glanced up at her. His face felt too hot, but a scowl twisted his lips and his voice was edged with frustration when he spoke. "Just go to him. It's not like there's any point in sticking with me. I'm stuck in a kid's body. I don't even know when I'll be able to break the curse." He stepped back and shook his head. "This—whatever this is between us—it isn't going to work. So do us both a favour and give me some space."

He made to leave, but her hand shot out and grabbed his arm. Zuko froze, pulse quickening at her touch. There was a determined glint in her eyes.

"You're right we can't do anything now, but you're not always going to be like this, Zuko." She leaned down and kissed his cheek, lingering a moment so she could murmur her next words in his ear. "We will find the Waters of Healing. When we do, I'll kiss you again. Properly."

His eyes widened like saucers. She pulled back from him, her face a sunset of colour. Then she released his arm and strode off to help Aang fix the melted areas on the street. Zuko just stood there with his jaw slack. He brushed his fingers against his cheek, still able to feel the light imprint of her lips. A groan escaped him.

"You just made things so much worse," he muttered.

oOo

It was hard to tell if it was night or day. Zuko blinked as he found himself standing before an enclosed pool of water. The water was so clear it seemed unnatural. He could see the smooth stones that scattered the bottom. Not a single ripple disturbed the surface. Rocks and coral-like foliage surrounded the area, though it seemed to blur off into nothing as if this place existed in a space that wasn't really part of anywhere. No, wait, the edges were getting clearer. He could see now that he was inside a cave. Light streamed down from the opening in the rocky ceiling, making the water and the strangely fluorescent plants shimmer all the more.

"Looks like we finally made it."

He glanced to the side. Katara had come to stand beside him and held his uncle, still a teapot, in her hands.

A half-smile curved his lips. "Looks like it."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" She gave him a light nudge. "Go get big again." Her eyes danced mischievously. "I have a promise to keep, after all."

His stomach flip-flopped and fluttered with anticipation. Right. She said she'd give him a proper kiss once he was his teenage size again. He really, really wanted that kiss.

Zuko took a deep breath and stepped towards the water.

"Hold it!"

He froze. To his horror, Azula was sitting on a rock on the other side of the pool. Or at least he was pretty sure it was his sister. Her appearance kept shifting: sometimes she looked eleven years old, exactly as she had been the last time he had seen her, but then sometimes she looked a bit older—maybe the age she should be now. It was like his mind was struggling to bridge the gap. In her hands was a doll wearing an Earth Kingdom dress. It looked like the one their uncle had given her. That was strange as well. He was pretty sure she had burned the doll to nothing a long time ago.

Azula stood up. "Zuzu, what do you think you're doing?"

He balled his hands into fists. "Get lost, Azula! This doesn't concern you!"

His sister laughed and stepped off the rock. The moment she touched the water with her boot, the entire pool vanished and instead became smooth alabaster. Even the cave had disappeared. In fact, it looked like they were standing in the Agni Kai arena back at the palace. "You're such a dum-dum," she taunted, now advancing upon him in slow steps. "Did you really think it was going to be that easy?"

"You—"

"Face it, Zuzu." She flicked her hair away from her eyes. "You were dumb enough to get yourself cursed. Now you're going to be stuck this way forever."

His fingers dug into his palms.

"Oh dear," Azula said with feigned dismay. "It looks like the Water Tribe girl got tired of waiting for you as well. Too bad."

He turned his head to see that Katara was no longer holding his uncle. Instead, she was snuggled against the chest of a boy with messy brown hair and a piece of grass sticking out of his mouth. What the heck?

"Sorry, Zuko," Katara said. "You said it yourself that we wouldn't work out. I mean, you're just a kid."

He pointed at the scruffy-haired teen. "What … why that smarmy bastard?"

Katara's cheeks coloured. "Jet's really charming. He knows how to treat a girl properly."

"He tried to flood a village! He tried to make you flood a village!"

She shrugged. "I can overlook that. Besides, he said he's changed now, and at least we can kiss without it being weird."

"You can't be serious. You'd actually take that jerk over me?"

"Zuko, I want a man. Not a child."

He swallowed. "I … just give me a bit more time. I'll find the Waters of Healing and—"

"I've waited long enough."

As if to prove her point, she pulled Jet's face down to hers and kissed him full on the mouth. Zuko's jaw dropped. That was his kiss. That was supposed to be his.

Azula came to stand beside him. "Poor Zuzu. You really do fail at everything. Though I can't believe you even thought you'd succeed with Katara. You're far too pathetic to ever make it with a girl. The only reason she'd date you is out of pity."

"Shut up!"

Azula snickered and leaned down, putting her face close to his. "If you want my advice, you should just give up now. A little boy like you has no chance—not with a girl, not with anything."

"I'm not a little boy!"

Her eyes gleamed and she waved the doll in front of him. "Dum-Dum, I'm just trying to look out for you. I know, why don't we go find that nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you? You can be their little boy named Lee."

He swatted at her angrily. "Go away! I know this is just a dream."

And he did. The realisation had sunk in amongst all the bizarre happenings. None of this was real.

Azula's eyes turned dark and the pupils became vertical slits. "Then wake up. You don't have much time left. They'll be here soon."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I think you know." Blue flames flickered to life and consumed the doll until it was just ashes slipping through her fingers. "Don't get burned, Zuzu. It would be a shame to see that cute little face of yours ruined again." Her teeth bared in a smile, though there was something too wide about her mouth. She suddenly looked less than human. "Then again, maybe it's not your safety you should be worried about."

"What—"

She laughed and faded into mist. Even Katara and Jet were gone. Then Zuko looked down and saw what she had meant. There were bits of broken clay intermingled with the doll's ashes. His uncle. His uncle's teapot had been broken.

oOo

Zuko's eyes snapped open. His heart was racing, almost trying to hammer itself through his ribs. Frantically, he pushed the fur blanket off him and scrambled over Sokka to get to his uncle. A groan and a groggy complaint told him that he'd woken the boy. Zuko didn't care. The fires that had been burning in the far corners of the hut were little more than smouldering flickers, so he created a ball of flames to float over his palm. Now he could get a better look at the teapot. No cracks, no damage. His uncle was safe.

He let out a deep breath. Of course. Of course it had just been a stupid dream. Katara had been making out with Jet. His sister had fluctuated between the age of eleven and fourteen. The whole thing had been ridiculous.

"What's going on?" Sokka grumbled.

Zuko carefully placed the teapot back down. "Nothing. Go back to sleep."

Sokka grumbled something about annoying firebenders before rolling over to face the other way in his sleeping bag. He was snoring again in seconds. Zuko crawled back to his own blanket, careful not to kick Sokka this time, and then settled under the covers. His heart was still struggling to slow to its natural rhythm.

It had just been a stupid dream. He knew that. Yet the image of the broken teapot intermingled with ashes continued to haunt him long afterwards.

oOo

Zuko was more restless than ever the next day. It felt like there was an itch all through him that couldn't be eased no matter how much he scratched. He wandered the streets, tense like a coiled band straining to be released and hating every bit of ice that he saw. This place was becoming a prison. It seemed like he would be stuck here forever. Still, he was careful not to lose control of his temper or his bending this time. Yesterday had been embarrassing enough.

Without intending, he drew closer to the plaza where Katara and Aang were training with a bunch of teenage boys. Zuko stood on the higher level that overlooked the plaza. His feet refused to budge another inch. It was impossible not to watch Katara, to admire the way she gathered the water around her so gracefully, only to unleash it all in wicked fast water whips and counters that left her opponents trapped in ice or slumped in undignified poses on the ground. She really was amazing. He'd never seen someone master an element so quickly.

"It must be hard."

Zuko stiffened at the familiar voice. Princess Yue stood next to him. She wasn't looking at him but instead had her gaze fixed on Katara. None of her attendants were with her this time.

"What's hard?" he muttered.

His instinct had been to nip all attempt at conversation in the bud and leave, but something held him back. Maybe it was because he still remembered the night he'd caught her crying after she'd told Sokka she was engaged.

"You like her," Yue said, gesturing at Katara. "I noticed it the day you interrupted her duel with Master Pakku. Plus, you're always watching her when you don't think she's looking." Her blue eyes met his. "It must be hard to be so close yet not be able to act on your feelings."

Zuko's mouth twisted. He'd known she was going to say something like that. Now he really wanted to tell her to shove off. Except, well, that look was still in her eyes, the one that suggested she might cry at any moment. Sokka would go off on one of those annoying, arm-waving rants if Zuko made her cry.

He sighed and raised his gaze to the sky. He was so going to regret doing this, yet the words still slipped out. "Isn't it the same for you?"

Yue tensed.

"Sokka told me," he explained, still not looking at her. "He said you're engaged. It's arranged, right?"

She lowered her head to stare at her hands. "Yes."

"Then you must understand how I feel."

Her chin quivered a little, much to his dismay. Of course this girl would cry even when he was trying to be nice.

"Sometimes I wish I'd never met Sokka. I … I always knew there was a chance I would not marry for love. As a princess, I have to do what's best for my tribe." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "But now it's so much harder. Now I know what love feels like."

Zuko remained silent. It wasn't like he knew what to say to make her feel better. Katara would have been a better person to confide in. It was ridiculous that Yue had chosen him.

Yue wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned to him with a strained smile. "Well, at least you still have a chance. You just have to break the curse, right?"

"I guess."

"Do you know how to break it?"

He leaned his back against the rampart. "Xiwang said I should find the Waters of Healing. Apparently, they can remove any curse and heal any injury." He folded his arms across his chest. "I hoped someone here might know the location. Your father said he'd talk to the spiritual advisor for me, but I haven't heard anything back from either of them."

Yue's brow creased. "I've never heard of the Waters of Healing, but there is a place right here in the North Pole that is known to have water blessed by the spirits. Perhaps it's—"

"What?" He stepped towards her, his heart hammering against his ribs. "There's a place here with water like that?"

She nodded. "It's the centre of all spirituality in our land. We usually don't tell people about it because …" Her eyes widened and she grabbed his hands. "That's it!"

He was too stunned to pull away from her. "That's what?"

"That's what the councilmen were discussing with my father!"

"Yeah, you lost me."

She laughed and released his hands. "I overheard some of a meeting between my father and the council. They were discussing the Spirit Oasis."

His heart thumped a bit faster in his chest. Spirit Oasis. The name tugged at him.

"I didn't understand at first. I thought when they kept talking about a boy that they were referring to the Avatar, but I think it was you. I think they were meeting to decide whether to let you see the Spirit Oasis. It would be a big deal to let an outsider in, especially someone who is Fire Nation like you, so that must be why—"

"Why Chief Arnook didn't tell me straight from the beginning. He was testing me."

She nodded. "I think so."

Zuko let out a breath. A part of him was angry—furious even—that the chief had hidden the Spirit Oasis from him for so long. All this time he'd been stuck as a child and his uncle living every day as a teapot. All this time the curse could have potentially been broken. Still, his more logical side could appreciate the man's reasoning. Chief Arnook had warned him that it had been eighty-five years since someone from the Fire Nation had stepped foot in the city. Of course they would be wary of Zuko and his uncle, even if Iroh was just an inanimate teapot. Of course they wouldn't roll out the welcoming carpet for two Fire Nation royals to enter their precious centre of spirituality.

"Do you really think the Spirit Oasis can break Xiwang's curse?" Zuko asked her.

"I don't know, but that is the place where my father prayed to the spirits to save my life." Her eyes crinkled into a smile. "Perhaps they will listen to your prayers as well."

Zuko didn't dare to hope, but his chest still lightened all the same. Now he actually had a chance. The real problem was why nothing had been said to him yet.

"When was that meeting you overheard?" he asked.

"Some time ago, but don't worry," she was quick to add, perhaps noting the way his mood sank, "I'll talk to my father. I'm sure I can get him to allow you and your uncle to at least try using the Spirit Oasis to break the curse."

Zuko met her determined gaze and suddenly felt humbled. He'd thought her a dumb princess. He'd consigned her off as a bland girl with nothing much to her except pretty white hair and so much niceness that it put him on edge. Now he was grateful that she had tried to befriend him. Now he could see that there had never been any hidden agenda. Yue didn't play games, not like his sister. She didn't have claws to hide or wore a smile before baring sharp teeth. She was just a genuinely nice person. He was the one who had behaved like a petty idiot.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

She tilted her head to the side. "For what?"

"I've been a jerk to you." He glanced away. "You didn't deserve that."

Yue covered her mouth to stifle her laugh. "It's fine. Sokka warned me you can be a little, uh, prickly."

Zuko's cheeks heated. He folded his arms and huffed as he looked off to the side. So Yue and Sokka had been talking about him behind his back?

"He also said you're a really good friend. That you were someone he'd trust with his life."

Surprise made Zuko uncross his arms and turn back to her.

Yue smiled as their eyes met. "I know we've barely talked and I don't know you all that well, not like how Sokka and the others do. But I do trust you, Prince Zuko. I've trusted you from the moment we met." She held his gaze steadily. "Don't worry. My father will listen to me. I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you." He bowed to her, not in frigidly polite way as he had done the first time, but with the warmth and respect he might show to a friend. When he straightened, his mouth curved up the tiniest fraction. "Princess Yue."

Her smile widened. Before either of them could say anything else, something black fell between them. Zuko glanced up to see that it was snowing. That was nothing new in the North Pole, except this time the snowflakes were black. He caught one on his hand, brushing his finger against the soot, and then crushed it in his fist.

"What's happening?" Yue asked, wrinkling her brow.

"Trouble, that's what. We need to get to your father now!"

"But—"

"Black snow this far north can only mean one thing." He looked grimly towards the ocean. "The Fire Nation navy is coming, and they're closing in fast."

All the colour drained from Yue's cheeks. "This can't be happening."

Zuko urged her to hurry. His own heart fluttered in panic as they ran up the steps to the chief's hall. The stupid dream he had dismissed had returned to the forefront of his mind. Images and words he had almost forgotten were trickling back with ominous clarity: his sister's face looking less than human, the strange words she had said after telling him to wake up.

"You don't have much time left. They'll be here soon."

"Don't get burned … Then again, maybe it's not your safety you should be worried about."

He gritted his teeth. Somehow, Xiwang had entered his dream and given him a warning. He was sure of it. Now his only hope was that the Spirit Oasis was, in fact, just another name for the Waters of Healing. The curse had to be broken now. If he couldn't stop this, if he couldn't get his uncle back to normal before the Fire Nation attacked … well, he didn't even want to think about what would happen.

Chapter 20: In Which Zuko Loses His Body (No, Really)

Chapter Text

Zuko stood on the balcony and watched the rows upon rows of metal ships approach. There were so many. It looked like the entire navy had come, painting the horizon a smoking black. His hands balled into fists. He glanced over his shoulder to glare at the two warriors lingering near the door. Nothing was closed off or locked, not like a real prison, but this room had might as well be one for all he could do.

"Damn it," he muttered.

The meeting with the chief had gone poorly. All it had taken was for one old man to accuse Zuko of being a spy for the Fire Nation before others were jumping on the hate wagon. They said he had brought the Fire Nation to their doorstep, said they couldn't trust the son of the Fire Lord. They definitely weren't going to let him or his uncle go anywhere near the Spirit Oasis. It didn't matter how much Zuko had assured them he had nothing to do with the advancing navy, didn't matter how much Aang, Katara, Sokka and Yue had pleaded on his behalf. Zuko was the son of the enemy. To let him move freely had seemed too much of a risk.

So now Zuko was being kept under guard at the palace. Not as a prisoner, no. Arnook hadn't wanted to use that label. Instead, the chief had tried to soften the blow by explaining that he believed Zuko was sincere; however, the tribe was on edge enough. It would be better, safer even, if Zuko stayed put for now until the battle was over. War was no place for a small boy, regardless of Zuko's actual age. Keeping him here was as much for his own protection as it was to appease the council. Unfortunately, that also signalled the end of the discussion. Even Aang and Sokka had mumbled apologies, accepting that there wasn't anything they could do for now. It was Katara who hadn't been so easily quietened. She'd mouthed off at the chief and the entire council about the unfairness of it all before Sokka had dragged her off. That had left Zuko with no one to back him up, for even Princess Yue had simply bowed her head and kept quiet.

Zuko narrowed his eyes as he went back to staring at the approaching ships. The sight made him tense, jaw locking into place. It was bad that he was stuck in this room. Bad that he couldn't get to his uncle.

"You don't have much time left."

"Maybe it's not your safety you should be worried about."

He slammed his fists against the balcony. "Damn it!" he growled again.

The guards shot him sharp glances but seemed to come to the conclusion he was just venting his frustration. Neither bothered to approach or ask him what was wrong. Zuko gritted his teeth, practically trembling as rage and panic twisted everything inside him. This sucked. This sucked so much. The urge to go against Chief Arnook's orders was getting stronger and stronger. He wanted to take the guards down and run, wanted to grab his uncle and search for the Spirit Oasis himself. Anything to stop the dream from coming true. To hell with being diplomatic. These people weren't the ones who'd had a spirit warn them in their dreams that something bad was going to happen. Zuko could not—would not—let his uncle get hurt if he had a chance to stop it.

His fingers dug into his palms. He glanced back at the warriors. Both men were huge waterbenders. It looked as if they could crush his skull with a single hand. Taking them down would not be easy, but that was fine. Nothing had ever come easy to Zuko. He would just have to be smart, resourceful. Failure was not an option. He had to do this, even if it meant the tribe distrusted him more.

He stepped away from the balcony. Plans were already formulating and being discarded in his mind. Surprise was the element he needed here.

A bone-thrumming boom reverberated through the palace. His chest tightened as the walls continued to rattle for a moment before stilling.

"It's begun," one of the warriors murmured.

Zuko glanced at the ocean to see giant balls of fire soaring through the air. His expression turned grim. Naval warfare was always the same. The catapults would be put to use long before the ships reached the shore and foot soldiers were sent out to fight. One of the flaming projectiles struck the outer wall. Another boom rocked through the ice, shaking everything like an earthquake. Zuko knew the people defending the front lines would be receiving the brunt of the impact. The tremors felt in the palace were nothing more than ripples.

His gaze shifted to the guards, both of whom were too focussed on the battle happening in the distance to pay him attention. Now was the time to strike. He wasn't going to get a better distraction than this.

He inhaled deeply to charge his energy. It filled him with power, with determination. He moved swiftly, heat humming in his fingertips. Fire flickered to life, only to stutter. Both warriors had just been knocked back by a massive onslaught of water. His jaw dropped. Katara darted into view and curled her fingers like claws to entrap the men in ice. Only then did she lower her arms and turn to look at him.

"Ka-Katara?" Zuko could still feel himself gaping.

She flashed her teeth in a grin. "Thought you might need a hand getting out of here."

Zuko would have kissed her then and there if he wasn't the size of a six year old.

There was an odd scuffling sound. Zuko realised too late that one of the warriors had managed to unfreeze himself. So did Katara. She cried out as twin water whips snagged her wrists, tugging her to her knees and immobilising her bending.

"Katara!" Zuko yelled.

His fists bloomed with flame. He was about to attack when the older waterbender grunted. Zuko froze. The man's eyes rolled up into his head and he fell, slumping forward onto his face to reveal princess Yue standing behind him. She was holding a club, much like the one Sokka wielded. She also looked rather wide-eyed to find a fully grown man at her feet.

"Oh no," Yue said, giving a nervous glance at the club and then back at the man. "Do you think I killed him?"

Zuko bit his lip to stop his smile. "Let me check." He approached and felt for the man's pulse. "He's alive."

She sighed in relief.

"Nice going, Yue," Katara said, rubbing her wrists. The water binding her had splashed harmlessly to the ground the moment the man had been knocked out. "You're pretty handy with a club."

Yue blushed. "I've never used a weapon before. I just panicked and swung."

"Well, it worked," Zuko said. "This guy won't be attacking anyone soon. How's the other one?"

Katara examined her frozen victim. "Barely conscious. We should probably tie them both up and gag them. I'll check to make sure they didn't get concussed too badly as well. Especially this one." She gestured at the man Yue had struck. "Looks like you gave him quite the blow to the head."

"I didn't mean to hit him that hard," Yue said in a flustered voice. "Do you think I really did hurt him? Oh no, it's going to be all my fault if he has lasting problems or—"

A snort escaped Katara. "I'm only teasing. You did well. Really. I'm glad you had my back."

Yue smiled tentatively, but then she shook her head. "Much as I'm glad you're both okay, I'd rather not have to use a weapon again."

"With any luck, you won't have to." Katara unwound the rope she'd attached to her waist. "Anyway, let's get these guys tied up for now."

Zuko and Yue helped her to do this with the rope and cloth the girls had brought. Katara then knelt beside the men and pressed her glowing hands to their heads to check their injuries. Zuko seized the chance to move closer to Yue.

"Why'd you come?" he asked quietly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful you did, but I didn't think you'd want to go against your father or your tribe."

Yue lowered her gaze. "My father thinks he is doing the right thing by keeping you here." She shook her head. "I can't explain it, but I know that if I don't help you now, it would be a mistake. I … I think this is what the spirits want."

His eyes widened. "The spirits spoke to you?"

"Not really." She looked off to the side, suddenly shy. "The truth is that I've always felt connected to you. That's the real reason I was so curious about you when you first came here. I don't know how or why. I just know that our paths were meant to cross. Like my life is tied to you somehow." She risked a glance at him. "It sounds strange, doesn't it?"

Zuko was too stunned to respond. He'd had no idea she had felt such a connection to him.

Katara stood up from the bound men and dusted her hands. "Ready to go?"

Neither of the young royals moved. Zuko wasn't sure that he could. Yue couldn't throw a heavy statement like that on him and expect him not to be shocked out of composure. What did she even want from him? He was just a banished prince who'd been cursed into becoming a child again and had the worst luck in the world; she was a princess who was so blessed by the spirits that the Moon Spirit had spared her life. None of it made sense. It wasn't as if they liked each other either. Not in that way. Before today, he'd barely acknowledged her.

Yue offered him an understanding smile. "Don't worry, Prince Zuko. I'm not expecting anything from you. I think maybe the spirits have been trying to tell me all along that I'm the one who's supposed to help you." Her eyes met his. "That's why I came. That's why I'll lead you to the Spirit Oasis."

Zuko cleared his throat. "Oh. Well, uh, thanks."

Katara's brow creased as she glanced between them. "Did I miss something?"

"No," Yue said. "We just reached an understanding, that's all. Anyway, we should hurry to the Spirit Oasis before someone else finds us. It's actually not far from here."

Zuko didn't move. "We need to get my uncle first."

"I knew you would say that," Katara said, looking rather smug. "Come with me."

He followed her and Yue out of the room and down the hall. Katara pulled back a tapestry to show a small alcove carved into the ice. Tucked inside was his uncle, a blanket, and what looked like Sokka's other set of clothes. She removed the teapot and handed it to him.

"I didn't want to bring him any closer in case something went wrong while I was fighting the guards," she explained. "So I made this hole and hid him in here."

Something in Zuko's chest warmed at her thoughtfulness. "Thanks," he said, mouth quirking upwards. "I appreciate it."

She returned his smile. "No problem."

He glanced at the blanket and clothes. "And those?"

"Those are for you." Her tone sounded amused, though her cheeks coloured a little. "I figured you would want something to change into if the Spirit Oasis does break your curse. I mean, you wouldn't be a child anymore."

His cheeks warmed. "Right."

Katara grabbed the blanket and clothes and then used her bending to seal up the hole. "Well, I think that should be everything we need." Her gaze shifted to Yue. "Ready?"

Yue nodded and walked ahead of them. "This way."

oOo

The Spirit Oasis was not what Zuko had expected. They entered through a round door tucked in the back of the palace to find a long chamber filled with water. The source of the constant flow was a waterfall that spilled down from the glacier high above, and he knew if he touched the water that it would be ice cold. Still, what drew his gaze was the smaller area in the centre of the chamber. For one, there was grass and lush plant life sprouting up all over the bit of land. There was also a smaller pool of water. His breath caught in his throat.

"Is that it?" he asked.

Yue nodded and guided them along the icy path until they reached a curving wooden bridge. An ornate gate had been constructed to overlook the oasis, much like the ones seen at the front of shrines back in his own nation. The gates back home were supposed to symbolise the transition from the ordinary world to the sacred. He didn't know if the meaning was the same here, but it felt right. Everything about this place seemed otherworldly.

Zuko swallowed and stepped onto the grass. He was struck with a wave of warmth. It was as if he had stumbled onto the shores of Ember Island where tropical heat clung like another layer of clothing. Beads of sweat formed on his skin. It shouldn't have been possible considering the whole area was exposed to the sky and ice surrounded the chamber on every side, but then grass shouldn't have been able to grow either. This place really was something else.

"It's beautiful," Katara murmured. "And so warm."

She tugged off her parka and threw her arms out as if to embrace the warmth, a smile on her lips. Zuko thought she had the right idea and placed his uncle down so he could do the same. Yue had also stripped off her thicker layers. Once they were all comfortable again, Katara turned to Zuko.

"So, what now?" she asked. "Did Xiwang tell you what you have to do once you find the Waters of Healing?"

"He said I should submerge myself and my uncle in the water." Zuko glanced at the pool. "Guess I'll just have to try that and hope it works."

Both girls continued to stare at him. Zuko frowned and rubbed the base of his neck. Wow, they really didn't get it.

"Uh, can you turn the other way?" His cheeks warmed. "I kind of need to get undressed just in case the curse is broken. The transformation happens pretty quickly."

"Oh." Yue faced the other direction.

Katara handed him the blanket and spare clothes. "I guess this is where I'm supposed to wish you good luck."

"We don't even know if this will work yet."

"How can it not?" She glanced around at the oasis. "If there was ever a place that has been blessed by the spirits, this has to be it, right?"

That was true. Even he, someone who had never considered himself a spiritual person, could feel the tranquillity and spiritual energy that seeped into every blade of grass, every whisper of air. The water had to be the same.

Katara lowered her gaze. "You know, it's so weird. I've been hoping and hoping for you to hurry and get big again, but now that we're here, I almost feel like I'm about to lose a friend." She shook her head with a smile. "Guess a part of me is going to kind of miss tiny Zuko."

"You're right. That's weird."

"Hey!" She shoved him.

Zuko bit back a laugh. "It'll be fine, Katara. Whether I look like a teenager or a child, I've always been me." His voice softened. "You know I'm not going anywhere."

Their eyes met. Colour dusted her cheeks and her lips curved upwards again. His stomach fluttered. Damn, she looked cute when she smiled like that.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt," Yue said, sounding incredibly awkward, "but shouldn't you hurry, Prince Zuko? The battle is still going on."

Right.

He stepped away from Katara. She looked like she wanted to close the distance between them again and hug him, but instead she offered one last smile before turning to face the other way with Yue. He stripped off all his clothes and dumped the pile on the grass, promising himself he would burn them if the curse did get broken. Never would he have to wear kid's clothes again.

"I'm going to try the water now," Zuko said. "Just, uh, don't look."

Even now it felt too exposing to be standing naked near a bunch of teenage girls. He didn't want to dither, so he picked up his uncle and waded into the water. It was warm, just like the ocean back home. That was reassuring. He paused when he noticed two koi fish circling around each other in the pool. One was black and the other white. That was unexpected, but he guessed fish could live wherever they liked.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered.

He took a firm grip on his uncle and submerged them both in the oasis. It only took him a few seconds of holding his breath to realise that nothing was happening. No tingles, no pain. He broke through the surface.

"Well?" Katara called. She must have heard the splashing. "Did it work?"

"No." His voice sounded weighted with a hundred years of disappointment. "It didn't."

He was still a child and his uncle was still a teapot.

"What?" Katara exclaimed. "But that's just—"

Zuko yelped as he noticed her coming towards him. He crouched more in the water and shifted his uncle into a strategic position. "Katara!" His cheeks burned. "Naked!"

"Oh, c'mon, I've already seen it before, and it's not like you're a teenager right now."

He just groaned and muttered under his breath about how she was so annoying sometimes. Katara ignored his complaints. She was more concerned with trying to figure out what they should do now. She was certain that this place had to be the Waters of Healing.

"Maybe it's not," Zuko said, shaking his head. "Maybe this is just a spiritual place and nothing else."

"Um." Yue chanced a glance over her shoulder. "May I ask something?"

Zuko and Katara both looked at her.

"Did you pray to the spirits before you went under the water?" Yue gestured at the pool. "That water is special, but it's still only water. The spirits won't know what you want until you ask."

"Xiwang didn't say anything about praying," Zuko said, though his brow furrowed.

"Just try it," Katara urged. "Yue could be onto something. Perhaps submerging yourself is only part of breaking the curse, like how the water I use when I bend is only part of how I heal." She shrugged. "What have you really got to lose?"

Nothing, of course. He was running out of options.

"Okay." He let out a breath. "I'll try."

Katara and Yue both stared at him. Zuko's temple twitched. Aside from the fact that he was still naked, praying aloud in front of them felt so awkward. It wasn't like he was about to offer one of the scripted prayers that he'd had to say during ceremonies as a child. He wasn't even sure which spirit to invoke in his prayer. Xiwang had never been the most helpful of spirits.

"Do you need help?" Yue asked.

"No." Zuko winced as he realised that had come out snappier than he'd intended. "Just … just give me a second."

The girls, mercifully, went silent. He closed his eyes and tried to centre himself as he did before meditation. "Uh." He coughed to clear his throat. "So, Xiwang, or whichever spirit wants to help, I'm at this pool of sacred water now with my uncle."

Someone snorted. Zuko was pretty damn sure it was Katara. He opened one eye to glare at her. She clasped her hands together and mouthed she was sorry before going quiet again. Zuko went back to closing his eyes.

"Right, so I'm here and I would like the curse to be broken. Um, like now. Okay? Please help."

Katara made the snorty sound again.

Zuko opened both eyes. "Katara, for the love of Agni, if you don't shut up, I'm going to—"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She held her hands up in an appeasing gesture. "I've just never heard such an awkward prayer before."

His face warmed and he looked the other way. "Well, I don't know! It's not like I'm a Fire Sage! You do it if you think you're so knowledgeable!"

"I wasn't trying to be mean. I actually thought it was kind of cute."

A frustrated growl was all she got in response.

Yue covered her mouth to hide her smile. "It was certainly, uh, a unique prayer, but the feeling behind the words was sincere. Why don't you try submerging yourself again?"

Zuko glowered at Katara. "Don't you dare laugh."

"Promise I won't." She even mimed sealing her mouth shut. The dork. It was times like this when he could see how she was related to her brother.

He once more took a better grip on his uncle, making sure the lid wouldn't come off. Please let this work, he inwardly prayed. Then he fell back into the water. Bright light flared beyond his closed eyelids. His body tingled from head to foot. Heart pounding, he opened his eyes to see that the water was glowing all around him. It was like he was sinking into moonlight.

"Took your time, short stuff."

Zuko's mouth dropped open. Xiwang was floating in the water beside him. It also occurred to Zuko that the fact he'd just opened his mouth while under water should have left him choking and spluttering, but no such urge overcame him. The water hadn't even got in his mouth. In fact, he could breathe perfectly fine.

"What's going on?" he asked. "How come I can breathe and talk like normal?"

Xiwang chuckled. "Because you're no longer attached to your body."

"What?"

Zuko glanced down frantically and saw that, sure enough, he was floating above his real body. That Zuko had his eyes closed and just kept on sinking while the teapot slipped from his slackened fingers. Things only got weirder when Katara called his name and reached right through him to grab onto his body. It was as if he had become nothing more than air. Or a spirit. It was also more unnerving than he cared to admit.

He shuddered and moved so that she was no longer skewering him with her arm. Then he turned a pair of furious eyes on Xiwang. "Was this a trick? Did you bring me all the way here just to kill me?"

Xiwang chortled. "I forgot how much of an idiot you can be. You're not dead, fool. This is just the beginning of your journey."

"Journey?"

Froggy lips curled. "A curse such as yours is not so easily lifted. You became this way because you were not satisfied with your life. Now you will have to decide who it is you really are and what it is you actually want."

Zuko's heart stuttered in his chest. "How am I supposed to do that?"

Xiwang got out of the pool, giving Zuko no choice but to follow. The spirit pointed to the ornate gate that overlooked the pond. "Just walk through there. Once inside, you will understand."

"And my uncle? What about him?"

"His curse is different from yours. You will have to overcome your own curse first if you wish to find him. I wonder if you will make it in time."

"You bastard! This is all your fault we're even—"

Xiwang chuckled. "Do you really have time to waste getting mad at me? I would hurry if I were you. You only have until the full moon."

"What? But that's tomorrow." Zuko balled his hands into fists. "What aren't you telling me? Why do I have to—"

"I've already told you all I can. Now you're on your own." The frog began to fade into mist. "Try not to lose your way, little princeling. More than one life is resting on you."

"What are you talking about?" Anger and fear made Zuko step forward to demand better answers, but he could have saved his energy. The spirit was gone. "Xiwang?"

No answer. He really was on his own now. Well, aside from the fact that Katara and Yue were not far from him. Katara had pulled his child's body and the teapot onto the grass. Probably a good thing since Zuko guessed he would have drowned had she left him in the pool. The only downside was that now he was just lying there naked.

"Oh, come on," he groaned. "You could at least put the blanket over me."

Yue stilled and stared right at him. Not the body on the ground, but at him.

"Wait, you heard me?" he asked.

Her brow creased and she turned the other way. "That was strange."

"What was?" Katara sat up from where she'd been leaning over Zuko's body. There were tears clinging to her eyelashes.

"I could have sworn I just saw Prince Zuko standing over there." Yue gestured to where he was indeed standing. "Guess I was just imagining things."

"How can he be standing there when he's right here?"

Yue shrugged. "That's why I said it was strange."

The two girls stared at each other before Katara's chin quivered. Fresh tears welled in her eyes. The sight was like a punch to the gut for Zuko. He didn't like seeing her upset.

"Oh, Yue, what are we going to do?" Katara cried. "He just suddenly went unconscious and now nothing is waking him and—"

"It'll be okay," Yue said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Look, he's still breathing. Perhaps this is part of the process for breaking the curse. You saw how the water glowed when he went under, right?"

Katara sniffed and nodded.

"Then that means the spirits must have heard his prayer. I'm sure they won't let anything bad happen to him."

Katara wiped the tears from her face. "You're right. There's no reason to panic. Of course he's going to wake up. He has to, and then the curse will be broken and everything will be okay again." More tears slipped down her cheeks. "Everything will be okay."

Zuko sighed and moved to where she was kneeling. "I'll be fine," he murmured, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. "Just look after my body and my uncle for me, alright? And it would be nice if you put the blanket on me as well. You know, try to give me a little decency."

Katara hiccupped and scrubbed at her tears, muttering about how she hated not knowing what was going on. It was obvious she had no idea that he was right next to her. Zuko reached out to rub her back, only to let his hand drop to his side at the last moment. His fingers would just pass through her anyway.

"Be safe," he told her. "I'll come back soon."

He left her with Yue and walked over to the gate. To the physical eye, it led to nothing but a few plants and trees. Beyond that was just the ice cold water that filled the rest of the chamber. At any other time he would have thought Xiwang was crazy. Logic said he wasn't going anywhere if he walked through that gate. Still, he'd been forced to give up logical reasoning the moment he'd been transformed into a child and his uncle a teapot. The fact he was currently a spirit detached from his body only cemented his resolve.

Zuko took a deep breath and stepped through the gate. The trees embraced him in a shimmering wall of light. He brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the glare. When he thought he would be able to see again, he lowered his arm. His jaw dropped at the sight that took shape.

He was standing on the shore near his family's beach house on Ember Island. He was home.

Chapter 21: In Which the Past and Future Collide

Chapter Text

It was all the same. Zuko dug his toes into the warm sand and smelt the familiar, salty scent of the sea. It was a collision of memory, of laughter and sticky hands and shared, gap-toothed smiles. It made him think of hot days and chasing the waves and family. This was Ember Island. This was home.

"Zuko."

Someone was calling for him. His heart jumped and soared and fluttered, because he knew that voice. Stunned, almost trembling, he turned towards the beach house and saw his mother standing there as if she had never left. She was dressed in a casual robe more suitable for holidaying and her long dark hair fluttered in the wind. Her lips curved when she caught sight of him. It was that same, special smile she had always worn for him.

"Come inside, Zuko," she said. "We're all waiting for you."

His vision blurred. It was a moment before he realised he was crying. The tears spilled and spilled and spilled. He should probably scrub them away, at least try to pull himself together, but he couldn't. All he could do was stand there and cry like the six-year-old child he physically looked.

"Zuko?"

His mother approached and knelt in front of him. She wiped his tears, and he couldn't help the way his breathing hitched when her thumbs made contact with his cheeks. She was real. The warmth of her skin, the silky touch of her sleeve brushing against him. She was real.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Fresh tears prickled his eyes. He swallowed against the tightening lump in his throat and wrapped his arms around her. She was soft and smelt of safety and home, all his happier childhood wrapped up into one. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, her familiarity. She returned his embrace without question. Her hand rubbed soothing circles on his back as she asked him again what was wrong.

"Nothing," he managed to say, not even caring that his voice wobbled. "Nothing is wrong. I've just really missed you."

She stroked his hair and pulled back, but only to place a kiss on his forehead. "Come on," she said, slipping her hand in his. "Let's go inside."

He held her hand as if he was afraid that letting go would make her vanish again. There was a part of him that knew he was forgetting something—something important—but he couldn't bring himself to care. His mother's smile and touch assured him that he was where he was meant to be. It told him to focus only on this moment: on her solid presence, on the reunion that he had always craved. So they walked hand-in-hand back to the beach house and joined the rest of their family.

oOo

"Your ice cream is melting, Dum-Dum."

Zuko took in the liquidy white dripping all over his sister's hand. There was some smeared on her cheek as well. He laughed. "So is yours."

Her eyes widened as she realised the truth of this. She quickly started licking at all the dripping bits of ice cream, a losing battle if there ever was one since the day was hot and more trails started faster than she could keep up. A bit even dripped onto her nose. This set Zuko off laughing again. Azula's cheeks coloured and her eyes flashed. Suddenly, Zuko found he was sprawled on his butt and what was left of his sister's ice cream had been smooshed into his hair. Then she was the one laughing.

"You're gonna pay for that!" he growled.

"Gotta catch me first!"

She dashed down the beach on stumpy four-year-old's legs, flicking up sand everywhere. Zuko easily caught up to her with his taller frame and grabbed her around the middle. A half-giggle, half-squeal escaped her. He mushed his own ice cream into her hair, making sure to get it all in there, broken bits of cone and all. Only then did he release her.

The siblings took one look at each other—at the ice cream decorating their heads like big goops of bird poop that even now were leaving sticky trails down their faces. Both burst into laughter. Azula was giggling so hard she had to clutch her stomach.

"You look so stupid," she told him.

"You look stupider."

"Nuh-uh, 'cause your face is always stupid, stupid."

"Big brothers are automatically the best, so you'll always be the stu—oomph."

He was back on his butt. Azula stood before him with her hands on her hips, her mouth curving into a wicked grin.

"See," she said with all the smug superiority a four-year-old princess could muster. "I win. That makes me the best."

Zuko jumped to his feet. "We'll see about that. Race you to the water!"

Then he was off, running and laughing and knowing there was no way his sister could keep up. She called him a cheater and a big dum-dum, but they were both smiling by the time they crashed into the waves. They played all their favourite games: chasing the waves, then counting how many waves they could jump. (Technically none since the water just rolled into them anyway, but both agreed it was only a fail if a wave hit them in the face.) Azula always got stroppy when he kept winning, though, so that game usually turned into Splash and Attack Big Brother Lots. Zuko retaliated as he always did, careful never to take things too far since he was stronger. He just wished that—

He froze. Strange. Why had he just wished that Azula had been the one to learn not to take things too far?

She splashed him with a big spray of salty water. "Hey, Empty Head! You still there?"

He blinked and glanced down to see her grinning at him. It was an affectionate, albeit sharp, little grin adorned with a few gaps in her teeth. There was nothing about the expression that should have made him uneasy. For some reason, however, his stomach became a wriggle of knots.

"What?" she said, smile faltering. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He forced the corners of his mouth to rise. "Nothing. Hey, race you to the shore!" He was off before she could blink.

"No fair! You always do this!"

He laughed and kept running as fast as his legs would carry him, but the creeping unease refused to be shaken. It followed them as they made sand castles. (Azula loved to make towering, intricate ones while Zuko was just glad his didn't look like lopsided blobs.) The unease was even there when they later lay on their stomachs under a big umbrella on the beach, munching on fruit that a servant had brought them, and just enjoying the chance to rest.

"Zuzu," Azula after a moment. No hint of mockery in the appellation.

"Mm?"

"You'll always be with me, right?"

He dug his toes into the sand. "What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer it, Dum-Dum."

Zuko heaved a big sigh. "Of c—"

The word got stuck in his throat. His heart lurched a little sickeningly. Why couldn't he say that he would still be with her in the future with any certainty?

Azula got up and clambered onto his back. She locked her legs tight around him and pressed her palms into his shoulder blades. "You have to promise you'll stay with me. I won't let you up until you do."

"Lala."

The nickname slipped from him like a sigh. It filled him with an ache he couldn't even comprehend. Why did it hurt to say that name? Wasn't that what he always called her?

You haven't said that name in years. You didn't even want to remember it.

He stilled at the strange thought. Years? But … but they were just kids. Wasn't this—

Think. Think hard. Why can't you always be with her? Why did you wish she wouldn't take things so far? Why did you stop calling her Lala?

His heart fluttered like a bird frantically trying to stay aloft in a storm.

"Zuzu," Azula said, drawing his attention back to her. It was almost a relief. Anything to distract him from those awful thoughts that kept sneaking into his mind and gnawing at his sense of contentment. "You have to promise, 'kay? I'm the princess and you're the prince, and together we'll rule the world!"

He snorted and flicked sand up at her. "We can't rule the world, dummy. We can't even rule the Fire Nation. You know Uncle is going to be crowned next Fire Lord, and then after that it'll be Lu Ten."

Lu Ten is dead.

Cold stabbed his heart. What? Why had he thought such a horrible thing?

Azula gave up on holding him down with her hands and sprawled against his back like a puma-sloth hugging a branch. Her unbound hair tickled his skin and left little wet droplets. "Even so, you gotta promise. You gotta stay with me."

"I thought you said I'm just a stupid face and a big dum-dum," he teased. "You sure you really want me to always be with you?"

"But you're my stupid face, big dum-dum brother." She snuggled against his back. "That's why you're not allowed to leave. Okay?"

He didn't understand why a lump formed in his throat. Nor did he understand why his eyes prickled in hot stings. All he knew was that he couldn't promise her anything—not to stay, not to be by her side. The words simply wouldn't come out. Instead, something else escaped his mouth.

"But you're the one who drove me away."

She went very still. Zuko also didn't move. It felt like the world might shatter if he did.

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

Because you're sick, Azula.

Because you kept hurting me.

Because I don't know if I can trust you anymore.

Because you always lie.

Zuko's breathing juddered. He rolled her off him, though not roughly. They both sat up on their knees and faced each other. She looked small and wounded, just a little girl who didn't understand why her big brother was saying odd things that only hurt them both. The ache filled his chest again. He found himself pulling her into his arms.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I wish we could have stayed like this. I really do."

Her body trembled. "Stop it. Stop saying such things!" She pounded her fists against his chest. "I don't like this!"

Zuko closed his eyes and held her even tighter. Clarity was beginning to slip through the fog of childish contentment, whispering things that he didn't want to know. Showing him a sister he didn't want to see. Yet something in him that was much older and sadder had no choice but to accept every word and image. He knew they were all part of his memories.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I tried, Azula. I really tried."

And he really had. It was just that somewhere along the way he had lost the sister who had chased waves with him and laughed when ice cream got mushed into her hair. Somewhere, somehow, little Lala had been eaten by a monster who wielded blue flames. He had never found her again.

"I hate you," Azula whispered.

"I know." Zuko buried his face into her hair, thinking of the princess she would become. "I know you do."

The worst part was that he thought he might have come to hate her too.

oOo

"Where are you going?" Ursa asked, catching his hand to hold him back from leaving the beach house.

Zuko's heart clenched. He wasn't sure if he should risk looking back at her. "I can't stay here. None of this is real."

She laughed and gently tugged him to face her. "Silly. Of course this is real. Look, you can feel my hand, can't you?"

His chest tightened. It was hard to breathe. "It doesn't matter how real you or anything else in this place feels. The fact is it isn't real and neither are you!"

"Zuko." Hurt flickered in her eyes. "How can you say such a thing? I'm your mother."

The lump was back in his throat. "I know. You look like her, sound like her—you even have the same scent as her. But you're not her. My real mum is missing." His breathing hitched and his eyes stung. "She's been missing for years. I don't even know if she's alive."

Her fingers tightened on his hand. "Zuko, I'm right here." She cupped his cheek with her other hand. "If you want this to be real, it will be real. You can stay with me here forever. You can stay with all of us."

"Wh-what?"

His heart stuttered as he saw Azula and his father come to stand behind his mother, but his stomach churned as well. An inkling of the truth was beginning to creep into his mind. This place was just a dream. His dream. It was a reflection of that small, secret wish he had carried in his heart from the moment everything had started to go wrong.

"We're all together again," Ursa said, voicing his most vulnerable and impossible desire. "We're happy, Zuko. We can keep being happy together." Her lips curved into that special smile she reserved just for him. "And guess what? Tomorrow your uncle and Lu Ten will be coming. Isn't that nice?"

The stinging in his eyes got worse. "Lu Ten is dead," he practically whispered.

"He's not," Ursa assured him. "If you stay here, you'll see him again. It'll be just like old times."

Zuko shook his head. This was wrong. All of it was wrong. The problem was that it was also incredibly tempting. He wanted his family back. He wanted them back more than anything, and now he knew that he could. If he stayed here, his sister would never grow into that twisted thing who only laughed when he suffered. His cousin, Lu Ten, would not have to die fighting Earth Kingdom soldiers. His mother would not have to vanish. He would still have Uncle and there would be no banishment, no scar burned onto his face.

His gaze shifted to his father. Even in this dreamland, Ozai had been a distant figure. Zuko had found it too intimidating to approach his father unless summoned—much as he had been as a child, he supposed. It had always been Zuko doing the waiting, the hoping. He still remembered blowing clouds of dandelion seeds and wishing and wishing for the day when he could feel secure enough to approach his father without hesitation. To dare to call him "Dad" to his face as Azula did. That day had never come in reality.

"Zuko." His father stepped forward and rested his hand on Zuko's head. A warm touch that held no hint of a threat. "My son, why are you hesitating? Do you not wish to stay here with us as a family?"

Zuko's body trembled. He had to blink a few times to hold back his tears. That simple gesture, those simple words. It was all he had ever wanted. Just being here with his family was everything he had yearned. But it wasn't real. None of this was real.

"I can't," he said, almost choking on the constricting lump in his throat. "I just can't."

"But aren't you happy here?" Azula asked, looking young and confused. Not a monster yet.

"Of course." His jaw felt too tight. "Of course I am."

"Then why do you want to leave?"

Zuko shook his head again and tried to pull away from them. His mother grasped his hands to hold him still.

"At least stay another day," she pleaded. "There's no need for you to rush your decision, and then you can see Lu—"

"Lu Ten is dead, Mum!" The words burst from him in a raw shout of grief. "He's dead! And you're gone! And Azula is crazy! And Father"—a hiccupping sob—"Father wouldn't even look at me now."

Ursa clasped his face so he was forced to meet her eyes. His tears soon blurred her out of focus. "Zuko, it doesn't have to be that way." She brushed aside his tears with her thumbs, just as she had done when he had first appeared on the shore. "You can stay here. You can be happy with us."

He knew that she was right—at least in a sense. If he chose to stay, he would soon forget that anything had ever been wrong. He would forget all about his old life. This place would keep him as a child, untainted and happy. It would be his timeless little paradise.

"Stay," she urged. "You know it's what you want."

His gaze shifted from hers to look at his father, then across to Azula. The lump got bigger in his throat. "No." He pulled her hands away. "This isn't what I want."

"But—"

"This is just a dream of a time where I thought I was content." Zuko took a determined step back from them. "But everything has changed since then. I've changed."

"Zuko." His mother reached for him again. "Please just—"

"I'm telling you I can't!" His throat burned and his chest heaved. "Even if this is all I ever wished for, it's not what I want!"

His father's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Zuko closed his eyes. "I just wanted things to go back to how they were. I wanted us to be a family again. But we can't. The past can't be changed." He took another step backwards, meeting each of their eyes. "I'm not a child anymore. I can't be. And I won't live this lie with you."

He turned his back on them and headed for the door.

"Zuko." His mother's voice made him pause. "If you leave now, you won't be able to come back. You will lose this chance forever."

"I know." He blinked past his tears.

Perhaps there were other words he could have said, but nothing came out. He kept walking. This time, no one attempted to stop him. He could feel his family's presence behind him: disappointed, sad, just willing him to come back. The urge to do so was so strong. It was a chain on his heart that tugged and tugged and tugged. Still, he knew if he did go back, if he so much as glanced over his shoulder to look at their faces, the spell would come over him again. He would lose his resolve and forget why he had ever needed to leave.

He swallowed and kept his gaze fixed ahead as he walked out of the beach house. The shore and endless waves were gone. Two gates loomed before him. Beyond them were separate paths shrouded in mist. He could not see where either led. That was when he noticed the odd creature standing between the gates. Or was it a man? A blueish glow emanated from the figure, making it difficult to focus on its appearance. The only thing Zuko could tell for certain was that the creature's head was much larger than usual.

"Who are you?" Zuko asked.

Some of the glow faded. Zuko's eyes widened and his pulse quickened. The creature's body was almost humanoid in shape, but it had a serpent-like tail instead of legs and its face—no, faces. There were two blended into one skull. Both faces were devoid of any features except for a mouth and a pair of pure black eyes that had no pupils, just specks of light shimmering within like a constellation of stars. The face on the left was unlined and young, a child that didn't look much older than Zuko's own cursed form, while the face on the right was wrinkled and spotted like old rice paper.

The creature shifted its head so the younger face was grinning at him. "I wondered if you would make it. Few have the strength to choose the path of loss and suffering."

Zuko's heart thumped against his ribs. When the creature had spoken, it was with the voice of a child, but everything about its tone was ancient. This thing was surely thousands of years old. "You're a spirit."

"We're all spirits here, human." The head rotated again so now he was looking at the old face. Its voice also changed to that of a creaking old man. "The question is what you will do now that you're here."

"I … I don't remember why …"

He broke off as he realised that was a lie. The memories were beginning to come back and fill in the gaps the dreamland had carved in his mind. He had come to save his uncle. He had come to break both their curses and restore their bodies to normal. Xiwang had also warned he only had until the full moon.

Panic seized hold of his chest, tightening on his lungs. How much time had even passed since he'd left Katara and Yue in the Spirit Oasis? It felt like he had spent days on Ember Island with his family. Was it possible he was already too late? There was no sun or moon in this place. There was only mist, the spirit, and the twin gates.

"You still have a chance," the spirit told him.

Zuko's heart pounded even faster. "You can hear my thoughts?"

"Not exactly. You're just very easy to read."

"Oh." Zuko's cheeks warmed. The spirit had definitely been mocking him.

The fathomless black eyes fixed on his. "More importantly, I would not be here if there was no choice to be made."

"A choice?" Zuko swallowed and glanced at the gates. "Is that why there are two? I have to choose one of these gates?"

"Indeed." Sharp teeth gleamed from the child's face. "You chose to surrender your childhood and let go of the past." The old face flickered to the forefront and its black eyes seemed to sear into Zuko's soul. "Now you must choose again. Who are you really, Prince Zuko? Who do you wish to become?"

"I already know who I am. I'm—"

Laughter came from both mouths. The sound made every hair on the back of Zuko's arms and neck prickle. "Do you? Do you really?"

Zuko swallowed again and said nothing.

"There would only be one gate if that were the truth." The flecks of light in the spirit's eyes seemed to glow even brighter. "You are still hesitating at the crossroads of destiny. That is why I am here. I am drawn to those with the ability to influence the world. You, Prince Zuko, will decide the fate of all four nations."

Cold slid down Zuko's spine like an ice-tipped finger. "What?" His voice came out hushed, barely a whisper. "What are you talking about? I just want to break the curse. I just want to save my uncle."

"In the immediate moment, yes. But what about tomorrow? Next year? What do you really want?" The spirit gestured at the gates. "That is what you must decide if you wish to progress. To break this curse of unfulfilled wishes, to move forward and find your uncle, you must be certain of what it is that you truly desire."

Blood pounded in Zuko's ears. He stared at the gates. They were identical: each had two pillars holding up a thinner, curving beam to create the gateway arches. There were no special characters or patterns inscribed into the stone. How was he even supposed to know which one to choose?

"Where do the gates lead?" he asked. "How can I choose if I don't know?"

The smile that curved the spirit's aged lips almost made Zuko wish he hadn't asked. Somehow, he knew that this was no common spirit with whom he was dealing. The double-faced creature was powerful. Much, much more powerful than Xiwang.

"Would you like to see a glimpse?" the spirit asked. "I can show you."

Again, Zuko's pulse quickened. "A glimpse of what?"

"Of what can be. Of what will be should you choose it." Constellations flickered in pools of black. "My eyes see the beginning and the end. Past, future—all is bared before my gaze, including yours."

"You can see my future?"

The spirit's smile widened. It seemed that was all the answer Zuko would get.

"This isn't another trap, is it?" Zuko demanded, narrowing his eyes. "I bet if I do let you show me anything, I'll forget why I came here again and—"

"I am not a spirit who plays such tricks. You alone must decide where you will go and what you will do. I am simply letting you know that there is a choice. Approach the gates yourself and you will understand."

Zuko's brow creased. He shot a sidelong glance at the spirit before he stepped towards the gate on the right. Characters began to form on the curving beam: betrayal, home, acknowledgement. A gasp tore from his lips. It was as if understanding had poured into his mind. If he chose this gate, there would be suffering and betrayal, but he would go home. He would reforge his ties with his sister. His father would accept him as a son.

"H-how?" he breathed. "I already chose not to—"

The spirit's unnerving eyes fixed on him. "The chance to reclaim your place at your family's side was never lost to you. So long as the Avatar is free and your heart is still seeded with hesitation, you will always have that choice."

"What hesitation? Aang is my friend! I don't want to betray him!"

"But you do long for your home. You have never stopped longing for it. You were raised to be a prince. That is something you cannot easily forget, just as a part of you still believes it is the Fire Nation where you belong."

All defence got caught in Zuko's throat. He lowered his gaze.

"Will you be able to fight them, Prince Zuko? Your people, your soldiers, your family? Will you make yourself their enemy? Watch them die? The Fire Nation navy is invading the Northern Water Tribe as we speak. Do you think you can simply stand back and not choose a side to support?"

"I …" He swallowed, tried to find his voice.

"You are friends with the Avatar. You are the rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne. The world and your own nature will not let you escape this war."

His chest tightened. It was hard to breathe. A part of him wondered, albeit in numbed distraction, how he was even experiencing such physical reactions when his body was still in the Spirit Oasis. Still, the churning in his gut felt real enough. It told him what he had always known: he did not want to fight against the people of his nation. He did not want to be a traitor. He frankly felt sick at the thought of fighting his father or his sister.

But he didn't want to betray his friends either. He didn't want to betray his conscience. That feeling was just as strong. He'd even promised Katara that he wouldn't go back to his father. So why? Why did a part of him still feel drawn to this gate?

Because it wouldn't be a dream this time. It wouldn't be a lie. You can be with your family again.

Because no matter how good you try to be, people still look upon you as the enemy. Just think of how the Northern Water Tribe treated you.

Because you are a prince of the Fire Nation.

Zuko let out a breath. He glanced at the beam high above him that promised him home, acknowledgement, but also betrayal. It was a path he had thought he had severed from his list of choices. It scared him how tempted he was to walk it again.

"Do you wish to see more?" the spirit asked, drawing Zuko's gaze back to those pools of fathomless black. "Do you wish to know all that could be yours?"

Zuko forced himself to breathe. "No."

"Ah, you are right." Both faces smiled. "There is no need. You have already made your decision."

A blink was all it took. The gates and the double-faced spirit disappeared. Zuko was alone again, but now he was no longer enclosed by mist. All around him were vines and twisted trees bathed in eerie light. He glanced down at his feet and saw that both had sunk into the boggy ground. He also realised that he was much bigger.

His eyes widened. He felt his chest and arms—all their proper, teenage size. Fortunately, the loose pants and tunic he had been wearing on Ember Island had also grown to accommodate his new size. He tentatively reached for the left side of his face. Smooth skin met his fingertips. His breath caught and his fingers trembled.

"No scar," he murmured.

Did that mean it was gone for good? Was he still under the influence of the curse? Or was it just something to do with being in the Spirit World? Now that he thought about it, his hair had not changed back to the shaved style he'd used to keep it in either. It remained long and full like how he had worn it as a boy.

Zuko shook his head. He forced his feet to move one squelchy step after the other into the swamp. There was no point wondering about what was going on or why his scar had not reappeared. The Spirit World defied logic. All he could do was keep moving. It was time to find his uncle.

Chapter 22: In Which Bonds Are Tested

Chapter Text

The swamp was a maze. Zuko felt like he had been walking past the same vines and trees for hours. There was no sign of his uncle. Even the few spirits he had come across had been unhelpful. Most had ignored him. One had told him outright that it didn't like humans and didn't care what happened to him or his uncle. The only thing that stopped Zuko from breathing fire everywhere in frustration was the fact that he couldn't bend.

He took another step, pausing a moment when he didn't sink past his ankles. The boggy ground was getting solid. There were still patches of water dotted around, but the trees were not so crowded together and the vines less choking. His heart thumped in his ribs. Did that mean he was actually getting somewhere?

He kept walking until he finally emerged from the swamp. A path leading up to a collection of mushroom-like cliffs greeted his gaze. On the highest one was an ancient, gnarled tree that seemed to glow with the buttery light filling the sky. Something tugged at his chest. It was like the tree was calling him.

Deciding not to question it too much, he made his way up the cliffs, quickening his pace in his anticipation. The swamp still stretched endlessly behind him, but up ahead he saw canyons and islands peeping out from a sea of mist. It was fortunate he had got his teenage body back; he had to do quite a bit of jumping from one towering island to the other. When he finally reached the tree, he saw that a tunnel was carved into the wood. A monkey sat crouched on a rock not far from the tree with its back facing him.

"Hey," Zuko said, moving closer. "Do you—"

The monkey turned to look at him, except it had no eyes. It didn't have a nose or a mouth either. In fact, it had no face at all.

A scream clawed its way up Zuko's chest, though no sound escaped his lips. He forced himself to exhale. Maybe the creature was supposed to look this way. The spirit that had spoken to him at the gates had two faces, so why not one with no face?

Zuko let out another breath, reassured by this logic. He stepped towards the tunnel.

"You won't find what you're looking for in there."

This time a choked gasp did escape him. He spun around and almost fell backwards when he saw the old man. Fire Nation robes, thick beard. Zuko would recognise him anywhere. It was a face Zuko had seen depicted in scrolls about traitors and Avatars. It was also one he had seen while lava and fire had consumed the temple on Crescent Island. This man had broken Zuko's chains and let him go free, had even spoken to Jeong Jeong about him in a vision.

"Avatar Roku," Zuko breathed. "What … why …"

The old Avatar moved to block his path. "You should leave this place now. It is not safe."

Zuko glanced at the tunnel with the faceless monkey sitting outside. A chill shivered down his spine. He decided not to argue and turned and ran. A part of him had expected Roku to disappear, but the older man continued to follow.

"What's in that tree?" Zuko asked.

"Koh the Face Stealer. An ancient spirit who you do not need to meet."

Zuko gulped. Nope, he really didn't need to meet a spirit who could steal his face. Still, that put in mind another question. "Why did you help me? You've done it before as well. Why?"

Something that might have been sadness glinted in Roku's eyes. "It is my weakness, I suppose. I cannot help but wish to protect those I love."

Zuko's jaw dropped and he stopped running. Heat crawled up his cheeks. This old, dead Avatar had just inferred that he loved him. "Um. Okay."

Roku chuckled. "You should see your expression."

Yes, Zuko was quite sure it was a picture of confusion.

"No one ever told you, did they? I guess that is to be expected."

"Told me what?"

"Your mother, Ursa, is my granddaughter." Roku offered a faint smile. "You are my great-grandson. That is why I cannot help watching over you. That is why I was relieved when I saw you befriending Aang."

Zuko's heart thumped faster and faster. "What? But that's just … how can that even …"

"Why would I lie about such a thing? We are family, Zuko. That is the truth."

Zuko felt like he was sinking into boggy ground again. He reeled and flailed for something that made sense. Anything that didn't leave his head spinning and spinning with more questions. This was insane. An old, dead Avatar had just told them they were related. This was so … so …

"Uncle." Zuko seized on the word, using it like an anchor to ground his scattering thoughts. "I have to find him. Do you know where he is?"

Roku's expression turned grim. "He waits in the Fields of Between."

"Fields of Between. Right. So how do I get there?"

"That place is far from here. It would take days to reach him even if you ran the whole way."

"What?" It felt like Zuko's heart had turned to stone and plummeted several inches. "But I have to! That double-faced spirit said I still had a chance! Xiwang said I had until the full moon, so—"

"Zuko, the full moon is rising as we speak."

All the colour drained from his face. "No."

"You spent a long time in the Dreamland of Wishes. It's understandable you were distracted, but—"

"No!" Zuko shook his head and tried to breathe through the panic suffocating his lungs. "This can't be happening. Uncle can't—I won't let him be …" His expression steeled and he balled his hands into fists. "I won't give up! There has to be a way to reach Uncle in time!"

"There is, but you cannot go on foot. My companion has agreed to take you."

Zuko's heart fluttered with renewed hope. "Who …"

A streak of red came down from the sky. Zuko's eyes widened as he found himself face to face with a dragon. Its fangs gleamed and its whiskers twitched as it shifted on its feet, wings folded up neatly and long tail swishing. Still, it was the dragon's eyes that held Zuko spellbound. Luminous and keen, the intelligence in those eyes was as sharp as a freshly made blade. Zuko felt like he was being pierced all the way to his soul, yet there was gentleness in the dragon's gaze as well. Zuko was not afraid. If anything, it was taking all his restraint not to reach out and touch the dragon. He'd grown up dreaming of these creatures.

"Fang has been my companion through life and death," Roku explained. "He can take you to your uncle, though I'm afraid you will be on your own from there. There are certain rules that even I dare not break."

Zuko ducked his head in an awkward bow. "Any help is appreciated. And thank you, uh …"

Should he say great-grandfather? Avatar Roku? This was too confusing now. Fortunately, Roku was distracted and looked off into the distance.

"Aang has come."

Zuko blinked. "Wait, Aang's here?"

"I must leave you. The Avatar Spirit calls me." Roku placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Trust in the ties that connect you to your uncle. If your bond is strong, you will find him." He released Zuko and stepped back. "Now go."

Zuko nodded and moved towards the dragon. Fang acknowledged him by lowering his serpentine-like body. The invitation was clear.

"Thank you," Zuko murmured, feeling humbled and awed.

Fang was one of the original firebenders. Even amidst all Zuko's panic for his uncle, he was struck by the majesty of this creature. In his world, dragons were extinct and only existed in stories and legends. Yet here he was about to ride one.

Zuko climbed on the dragon's back. It was trickier than riding a komodo-rhino, but he soon figured out where to put his hands and legs. Large wings stretched. Fang tensed and then, with a mighty whoosh, they were shooting off into the sky. When Zuko glanced back, Roku's spirit was gone.

oOo

Flying on a dragon was much faster than flying on Appa. Or maybe it was because Fang was a spirit. The land changed in blurs of colours and shapes below: canyons, rivers, mountains. From what Zuko could see, the only constant in this world was the hazy, buttery light that filled the sky, the endless vines, and the odd creatures that he sometimes glimpsed.

A long stretch of misty fields came into view.

"Is that the place?" Zuko asked.

Fang made no sound, though the dragon did descend. Zuko took that as a yes. Soon, he was standing on the outskirts of the field. Only then did he realise it was all wheat. The golden-brown shoots were like a wall reaching almost to his shoulders. The fields seemed to go on forever. To enter comfortably, he would have to take the thin path cut into the wheat on his right, though there was nothing welcoming about it. Mist escaped from the gap like puffs of breath, curling into snakey feelers. Zuko felt the hairs on the back of his neck and arms prickle.

The dragon touched its whiskers to his hand. Instantly, an image passed through Zuko's mind: himself walking into the mist. He got the hint. There was no point wasting time.

Zuko thanked the dragon and took a deep breath, trying to steel himself for whatever was about to happen. His experience with the Spirit World suggested it would not be a simple matter of walking into a field and collecting his uncle.

He stepped into the mist and paused. The entire landscape and sky had turned grey as if someone had spilt dye over everything. Nothing moved. Not a single piece of wheat, not a single breeze of air. He could have been standing in a place frozen in time. All of the mist had vanished.

"What the?" he murmured.

The wheat had grown taller as well. It loomed like cliffs on either side of him. Zuko swallowed and fixed his gaze on the path ahead. Unnerving or not, he couldn't afford to stand around gaping.

"You expected something like this," he reminded himself. "Just keep moving."

So he ran. His footsteps and breathing sounded too loud in the still world. Unease clawed at his chest. The path just kept going on and on, never changing, never hinting that there was another living creature within. Zuko had never felt so alone.

"Uncle!" he yelled. "Where are you?"

No answer.

He stopped and glanced behind him, his chest rising and falling with exertion. To his horror, the entrance was only a few metres away. His eyes widened. His legs wobbled and his chest constricted as if crushed by a giant's hand. He didn't even notice when he slumped to his knees.

"No," he breathed.

He had been running for so long. How could he have moved so little? How was this even possible?

"Uncle!" Panic trembled in his voice. "Uncle! Damn it, what am I supposed to do?" He dug his fingers into his palms. "Xiwang! If you can hear me, tell me what I'm supposed to do here! What do you even want from me?"

The silence was a weight pushing down on him. Zuko's shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes, anger and fear churning in his gut. Roku had warned that the full moon had already started to rise in the mortal world. Time was running out, yet here Zuko was stuck in some stupid field that wouldn't let him go anywhere.

"Damn it!" he hissed, pounding his fist against the ground.

The urge to wallow in self-pity was shamefully strong. It was always like this for him. No luck, no chance of getting the easy path. Just obstacle after obstacle after obstacle. His whole life he'd felt like the spirits were toying with him for their pleasure. Now he was tired of it. Did the spirits really have to mess with him so much that even his uncle's life was put in danger?

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Get up," he growled.

He pushed himself back to his feet and held his head high. That's right. This was how it always was for him, but that also meant he was used to fighting for every scrap of success. He refused to be beaten down. He refused to give up.

"Fine!" he yelled to the grey sky—to Xiwang and any other spirit who was listening. "You want to block my path? Do your worst! I'll show you what I can do! There's no way I'm letting you have my uncle!"

His hands remained clenched as he glared at his surroundings. Just running forward wasn't going to work. There had to be something else. He touched the wheat on his left and met resistance. The long stalks pushed at his fingers like bands wanting to snap back into place. It didn't seem like he could cut through the wheat. Zuko lowered his hand and stared at the never-ending path.

"Think," he murmured. "There has to be some kind of trick."

Avatar Roku had called this place the Fields of Between. It was an odd name, one that suggested the fields might be some kind of liminal space. It certainly felt that way with how everything was frozen in time. Nothing moved, nothing changed, and the only path was a trap that led nowhere.

"Trust in the ties that connect you to your uncle. If your bond is strong, you will find him."

Zuko's brow creased. Roku had said those words to him in parting. He'd just thought of them as some kind of platitude, a way to offer reassurance. Was it possible the words were actually a clue?

"The ties that bind us," Zuko repeated.

Perhaps that was the problem. He'd been focussing on the physical path he could see, but this was the Fields of Between. Things worked differently here.

He closed his eyes and pictured his uncle in his mind: short, rather on the portly side, but almost always wearing a smile. As a young child, Zuko had been fond of the older man but had also not known him very well. Iroh had been off fighting in the Earth Kingdom for the most part. It wasn't until Zuko's banishment that things had changed between them.

For almost three years they had travelled together. Zuko had always wondered why his uncle had chosen to accompany him. Iroh had given up all the comforts of the palace just to travel around the world with a banished prince. A banished, bad-tempered prince. Zuko cringed as he remembered all the times he had snapped at the old man, all the times he had complained and raged and said unkind things.

Lazy. Shallow. Fool. The words had come out so easily.

"Did I ever say sorry?" Zuko pondered.

His stomach twisted with guilt. He couldn't remember. Maybe when he was still young and trying to find his feet, but of more recent years? No. Probably not. Zuko had only got angrier, more obsessive. His uncle's attempts to distract him had felt like personal affronts. It had felt like the old man was saying Zuko would fail, so what was the point in always searching for the Avatar?

Zuko groaned and rubbed his palms over his face. "Such an idiot."

He could see now that Iroh had just been worried. Iroh must have known that Zuko was hurting himself by trying to fit the mould of the son his father wanted. It was shameful how Zuko had only repaid that concern with disrespect and spite.

He frowned at his hands. Was that why he couldn't progress now? Was the bond he shared with his uncle just not strong enough?

"No," Zuko murmured.

For all his poor behaviour, there was no doubt in his heart that he deeply cared for his uncle. The games of Pai Sho, the music nights, the stupid shopping sprees and unplanned stops at ports—all had annoyed Zuko to the point of breathing flames. But Iroh was the only one who had chosen to join him in his banishment. Iroh was the only one who had chosen to stay by Zuko's side, put up with his temper, and had given him guidance when needed.

"I'm sorry, Uncle," Zuko said, his voice soft with shame. "I know I took you for granted and I said a lot of dumb things. I'm sorry if it seemed like I didn't care." He swallowed. It was hard to get his next words out; they tripped and stuck on his tongue with clumsy awkwardness. "I … I do love you. So you have to help me find you, okay?"

There was no response. Disappointment curdled his stomach, but then something brushed against his face. A breeze?

Zuko raised his head. The never-ending path was still there straight ahead, but now there was a new path splitting from it to the left. His heart hammered against his ribs. It had worked. It had actually worked.

He lurched for the path and began running again. This time, he made sure to focus all of his thoughts on his uncle. There was no saying if the same thing would happen again. All around him the wheat remained as frozen as ever, but it wasn't long before he came to a large clearing. His eyes widened and he came to an abrupt stop. Bile burned his throat.

"What … what is this?" he choked out.

There were people everywhere: men, women, children. They floated like puppets dangling from invisible strings, the only bits of colour in this grey world aside from Zuko himself. He approached the closest, an old woman wearing Earth Kingdom robes that looked as if they belonged in the last century. Her eyes were closed. All of the others were the same. None of them moved, not even to breathe. It was hard to tell if that was a bad thing or not. Their bodies were all faintly translucent.

Zuko swallowed and forced himself to keep walking, careful not to knock into the people floating all around him. His pulse throbbed uncomfortably in his throat. Was his uncle here? He hoped not, yet he still paused at every person who looked even remotely close to the older man. Relief and disappointment seized his chest every time he had to move on.

"Uncle!" he yelled. "Uncle, where are you?"

No response. This world was as still and silent as ever. Zuko closed his eyes and focussed on the bond. On the love he felt for the man who had been so patient with him, so caring.

"Uncle," he whispered. "Show me the way."

He opened his eyes and saw a thin beam of light appear. It darted ahead, leaving Zuko no choice but to run after it. His heart raced and his breathing quickened. When the light vanished, Zuko was left looking upon his uncle's floating form.

"So you were here," he said softly.

His chest ached in a way he couldn't comprehend. After all these weeks, all this time of separation and silence, they had finally been reunited. Zuko reached out to touch the older man.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The voice was sly and far too familiar.

Zuko's hands quickly balled into fists. "Xiwang!" he growled. "You ba—"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you have plenty of angry words to huff at me." A dark glint entered the frog's eyes. "Word from the wise: you'd best watch your mouth around here. We spirits don't take kindly to disrespect. You're lucky I'm in a benevolent mood. I've cursed humans for less."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "Why are you even here?"

"To help, of course. Why else?"

Zuko remained tense before he exhaled in resignation. Even if he did want to punch the spirit in its stupid frog face, he was not blind to the fact that Xiwang had given him some assistance. Zuko would not have made it this far without Xiwang's clues.

"Fine," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "What am I supposed to do? You said I shouldn't touch Uncle, so—"

"Oh, you can touch him," Xiwang said with a shrug, "but only if you want to lose him for good."

The colour drained from Zuko's face. He took another step away from his uncle and was infinitely glad he had not dared to touch any of the other floating people.

Xiwang chuckled. "Alarming, isn't it?" He observed the field of bodies and his tone turned grim. "But that is the nature of this place. These people are neither dead nor alive. They are stuck in stasis, in a state of between. Touch one and you will disturb the balance and ensure their permanent death."

One of the people—a small, Water Tribe girl who wore the same hairstyle as Katara—winked out of existence. Zuko's breath caught in his throat.

"What just happened?" he demanded. "Why did she disappear like that? Neither of us even touched her."

Xiwang eyed the empty spot. "Whatever tie connecting her to the mortal world just got severed. She has passed on to join the rest of the dead."

Horror choked any words Zuko could have made. That girl had just died in front of them. No sound, no movement. Just gone. An image he had been trying to forget forced itself to his mind: the broken teapot intermingled with ash.

"Is this what you warned me about in the dream?" Zuko asked in a voice that shook too much for his liking. "Will the same thing happen to my uncle if I can't break the curse? He'll … he'll just vanish?"

Xiwang scratched his cheek. "Perhaps. I can't tell the future."

"But you gave me the warning! You're the one who said I only had so much time to save him!"

"Listen, bub, I was just doing as I was told. My gra—" The frog broke off with a flush. "Ah, never mind. The fact is there's only one way to free your uncle." He pointed to a misty shape in the distance where dark clouds gathered. "You'll have to speak to her. If she permits, you can leave with your uncle."

"Speak to who? And what do you mean 'if she permits'? What am I—"

"Remember to watch that mouth of yours." Xiwang began to fade. "She's not as lenient as I am."

Zuko reached for the frog. "Hey, don't you vanish on me again! Xiwang!" His fingers closed around air.

He cursed under his breath and glanced at the misty thing in the distance. Or was it smoke that obscured it? He frowned and turned to his uncle's sleeping form.

"Wait for me a little longer," he murmured. "I'll get you out of here."

He ran for the shape in the distance, conscious of how the grey-painted world seemed to get darker with every step. The clouds above were thick and smothering. It was a moment before he realised ash was falling and gathering on the ground like snow, just like what he had seen in the North Pole. He gritted his teeth. Slowly, the obscured shape began to take form: a single-storeyed temple surrounded by a vast, sheer drop on all sides. Some of the temple's pillars were broken and there were holes gouged into its walls like jagged maws. The whole thing was rundown. Ugly. Smoke slipped out from the gaps and curled around the building in choking, dark wisps. He would have thought the place was on fire if it weren't for the lack of a telltale glow.

He stopped at the edge of the chasm and peered down. Smoky black greeted his eyes. If there was a bottom, he couldn't make it out. A glance to the left and right revealed no way to cross to the temple either. Only a few dead trees scattered his side of the cliff. The branches were twisted and thin, starved of all nourishment. Everything about this place felt barren and forgotten. He couldn't imagine how anything would want to live here.

A harsh cawing broke the stillness. Zuko flinched and a bird swooped down and landed on the crooked branches of the tree closest to him. The bird was big, black and sleek. The only thing he'd seen like it was the crow-rats back home, but he knew that this was a crow. Just a crow.

The crow eyed him with its sharp eyes and took off into the air again. It disappeared inside one of the crumbling holes in the temple. Zuko's heart thumped and thumped in his chest. He got the impression that something else, something more than a bird, had been watching him through those beady eyes. His suspicions were confirmed when curls of smoke pooled out from the temple entrance and formed a curving bridge. It was a silent welcome.

"Sure," Zuko muttered. "Just walk across the bridge of smoke. No problem."

He stepped closer to the edge. Everything in him recoiled at the thought of walking on something he knew should send him plummeting into the gorge. He could even see little flakes of ash falling right through the smoky construction. Still, it wasn't like he had a choice at this point. He had to trust that the bridge would hold him.

Zuko sucked in a breath and stepped onto the bridge. His foot did not sink. He exhaled and a weight lifted from his shoulders. No death by falling today. He kept walking, though his heartbeat remained erratic in its rhythm. Even just being this close to the temple made his skin prickle and shiver. This place crackled with primordial power.

"Come," a voice called from within. It was ancient and withered. A crone's voice. "Your faith has proven your worthiness."

He swallowed against the thudding of his heart and took a step forward. An odd scent hit him: incense mixed with decay. The rotting sweetness made him want to gag. He resisted the urge to cover his nose and entered the temple. Smoke half-blinded him. He coughed and waved his hand, trying to clear the air. It was difficult to make out anything at first, but then his eyes began to adjust. There was a faint, glowing light at the very back of the hall, a circle of orange-red that made him think of embers about to turn to ash. The light was upraised as if on a dais. A figure, too wreathed in smoke for him to distinguish anything but its hunched over form, sat on top. Whatever it was didn't burn.

"Come," the withered voice repeated.

Heart lost somewhere in his throat, Zuko approached the smoke-veiled figure. Crumbled bits of stone and toppled pillars scattered the hall. Ash coated everything like a thick layer of dust. It was so rundown, yet the power that hummed in the air left him chilled and almost wanting to tremble. It felt like he was walking to his death. The crow he had spotted outside cawed from its perch next to the dais.

"You have come far, Prince Zuko," the ancient, smoky thing said. "Few have earned the right to cross my threshold."

"Who—" Zuko swallowed, trying to dislodge the words sticking to his throat. "Who are you?"

"The names I have been known by are as plentiful as the stars that shine in your world. Nevertheless, you may call me Dhumavati."

Zuko had never heard of such a spirit, but then he had also not studied much about the Spirit World beyond what would assist him in capturing the Avatar. He peered at her hunched over form. Now that he was closer, he could see through the smoke the hints of ashy, wrinkled skin intermingled with black feathers. Her face jutted in a grotesque way. Long, scraggly hair fell around her like a cloak, and the pointed things he had thought to be her shoulders were actually folded wings sticking up from her back.

"Xiwang said you can free my uncle," he said, though it took all his courage just to speak. Something about this spirit unnerved him.

"Such an act would go against the natural order of things." Her tone was calm, emotionless. "The one named Iroh can no longer return to the mortal world as he is. His soul has become too attached to this realm."

"But you can do it, right?" His throat felt too dry and his hands too moist. "You can make it so he can come back with me."

The smoke veiling her dissipated a little and the orange-red embers upon which she sat glowed brighter. His heart stuttered as he got a proper glimpse of her appearance. Now he understood why her face protruded. She had a crow's beak instead of a nose and mouth. Inky feathers also swept out from her hollowed eye sockets and up to her temples, blending in with her scraggly grey hair. Was it possible to see with no eyes? He didn't dare ask. It was hard to make any sound when the rest of her was like a desiccated corpse, bone showing through where rot had taken hold. Even his worst nightmares could not have imagined something so terrifying and ugly.

"Do you understand what you are asking of me?" Dhumavati questioned, boring into him with those empty eyes. "Your uncle's soul belongs to this realm now. To send him back would be cheating death."

"My uncle doesn't belong here. It's Xiwang's curse that did this to him."

A hacking laugh escaped her, almost like the harsh caw of a crow. "What makes you think your uncle is more special than any other human who has ended up in this place? A curse, a wound from battle, a terrible accident. It is all the same."

Zuko's fingers twitched. Frustration licked at his insides, yet even then he was conscious of the power that crackled all around him. That crackled around her. Even without Xiwang's warning, he knew it would be a bad idea to lose his temper.

"If you weren't planning to help me," he gritted out, trying hard to keep his voice even, "then why did you invite me here? What was the point of all this?"

"I never said I would not help you."

His heart quickened. "Then you—"

"I can, but whether I do will depend on you."

Zuko swallowed. "What do you mean?"

She stepped down from the dais. Instantly, the smoke that had been swirling around her gathered to cling to her skeletal wings. He was surprised to discover that she was at least two feet taller than him. Her upper half looked almost human, shrivelled and rotting as it was, and she was naked except for where black feathers covered. Her lower half morphed into the legs and feet of a crow. The wicked, curved claws looked like they could shred him in two.

"As I said," she explained, "you have come far for a human. Most would have given up. They would not have made it here."

He resisted the urge to step back. It was unnerving the way she fixed those empty eye sockets on him as if she really could see his face.

"You even had the faith to put your life in my hands. You crossed my bridge and entered my abode." Her hand cupped his cheek. One of her fingers had rotted all the way to the bone. "I am impressed, Prince Zuko. Very impressed. Those with faith and who persevere during times of fear and suffering are indeed worthy of my attention." She released his face. "But returning your uncle's soul is not a task lightly taken. Convince me why."

His heart hammered against his ribs. The feel of bone and rotting flesh still lingered on his cheek. "W-why?"

"Why should I spare him when others remain trapped? Why should I grant you this desire?"

"Because …"

He lowered his gaze. Why should she make an exception? He thought of the clearing and all the people he had seen floating like puppets. Some of them looked as if they had been there for centuries. Why should his uncle be the only one to escape? Because of Xiwang's curse? That wasn't enough, as Dhumavati had rightly pointed out. People often had their lives cut short. It didn't matter how or why.

Was it love then? Because Zuko loved his uncle and couldn't bear the thought of abandoning him to this place? Yet wouldn't others in his position be the same? Others surely loved just as much. Why should his feelings be prioritised? Why should others be denied?

Zuko let out a breath as he realised the answer.

"Because I did make it here," he said softly. "Because even if there are others who deserve it more, or if my uncle and I don't deserve anything from you at all, I still made it here. I never gave up." He stared into the hollow sockets that were her eyes. "I won't ever give up."

Her beak twitched into what might have passed for a smile. "Well said. You have indeed earned the right to have your wish granted, but understand this: I did not lie when I said your uncle cannot return as he is now. No power in this realm will simply make him wake up, nor will his soul simply join with his body again. Too much time has passed."

"Then how can he be saved?"

Smoke gathered around her hand. When it dispersed, she was holding a small lantern that glowed with eerie light. "Guide his soul back with this. Once you are in the mortal world, he will merge with his cursed body."

"Wait, he'll still be cursed?" Panic fluttered in Zuko's chest. "But—"

"Your uncle's curse has always been different. While you had to learn to be satisfied with the present in order to undo your transformation, your uncle merely wished for tea and a chance to rest. Xiwang's curse granted that wish literally. His body became a teapot filled with the rare tea he had been craving, while his soul was granted eternal rest in my realm." She handed him the lantern. "If his soul had not been separated, he would have already transformed back by now."

Zuko's eyes widened. "What?"

She did the odd smile thing again. "What I am saying is that you need only place the teapot in the Waters of Healing again and offer a prayer to the spirits. Then the curse will be undone."

"That will really be the end of it?"

"It will be the end of the curse."

His brow furrowed. It sounded like there was a "but" attached that sentence.

Dhumavati created a sacred gate out of smoke. "This path is known as Death's Blindfold. If you guide your uncle through it, you will both be able to return to the mortal world. But be warned, death's embrace is not escaped so easily. You must not look back. Not for anything. Trust that your uncle follows and stay true to your path. One mistake and your uncle's soul will be lost forever."

Zuko swallowed and tightened his grip on the lantern's wooden handle. "I understand."

"Then go. There is no time to waste."

He nodded and stepped through the gate, though not before her final words reached his ears.

"More than one life rests on you tonight."

Zuko froze as if struck with shirshu venom. He almost swung back to look at her and demand what she had meant—especially since it was identical to what Xiwang had told him—but Zuko realised it was too late. He had already entered Death's Blindfold. Darkness surrounded him like solid walls. It was only the light emanating from his lantern that let him see the narrow path ahead. His heart stuttered and hammered against his ribs. That had been close.

"Don't look back," he said under his breath.

He held the lantern up higher and began to walk. He could only trust that his uncle followed.

Chapter 23: In Which There Are Many Reunions

Chapter Text

Death's Blindfold felt endless. The path upon which Zuko walked was just a narrow strip surrounded by darkness. Nothing changed. There was no sound except his own footsteps and breathing. He was taunted with panic-rising thoughts: what if Dhumavati had lied? What if Uncle's soul did not follow? What if this path was just another trap like the wheat field and would never let him progress?

Look back.

Zuko gritted his teeth and marched ahead. His shoulders were hunched, his body tense. He wanted to look behind him. He wanted to make sure his uncle was there. He wanted to make sure he was actually getting somewhere. But the warning kept him facing forward.

"You must not look back. Not for anything. Trust that your uncle follows and stay true to your path. One mistake and your uncle's soul will be lost forever."

Zuko swallowed and quickened his pace. The lantern swayed with the movement, making its eerie light flicker and jump. He wished he could see more than a few feet ahead of him, but the blue glow was not bright enough.

"I'm sure we'll make it out soon," Zuko said, more to give himself a distraction than anything. It wasn't like his uncle could respond. If his uncle was even there.

Look back.

He kept his gaze fixed on the path. "A lot has been going on since you got cursed. I don't know what you were able to see in that place, but I … well, a lot has changed. Guess I've just been assuming you'd approve. Jeong Jeong said you'd be proud of me, but I wonder if that's true. I wonder if you'll even stand by me when you realise what I'm planning."

His uncle had always supported him. Sure, Uncle had offered advice when he deemed it necessary, but he had never stood in the way of Zuko's decisions. Zuko's stomach knotted. Was the fact he'd dared to assume that Uncle would stand by him again just another case of taking him for granted?

"Guess I never cared to know what you really thought of everything," Zuko mused, trying to ignore the heavy weights settling in his stomach. "Sorry. If you choose to fight against me when we get back, I'll understand." He swallowed and tightened his grip on the lantern. "But I really hope you don't. I … the truth is, I don't know how I'll bring myself to fight you if you do."

It would be like facing his father in the Agni Kai all over again. The thought of even raising his flames to strike his uncle made him feel sick to his stomach.

Zuko laughed a bit hollowly. "Maybe I am weak. Katara would get mad if she heard me talking like this, but you and I both know that hesitance doesn't bring victory." He stopped and closed his eyes. "The thing is, Uncle, even if I hate the thought of fighting you, I can't back down this time. Not even for you."

He'd come too far. Experienced too much. Surrender simply wasn't an option.

He let out a breath and kept walking. "So that's just how it is. I've made my decision. Still, whatever you choose to do when we get back, I want you to know I really am grateful for everything."

The silence that followed made the weights in his stomach get heavier. A lump formed in his throat. He wished he could hear his uncle's voice, wished he could know if he was even talking to anyone.

"Right," he said a bit shakily. "This wouldn't be much of a test if you could talk to me. I'll just have to do the talking for the both of us."

It was either that or go back to listening to the sound of his footsteps and breathing. That was too unnerving, too much of a reminder that there could be nothing behind him at all.

Look back.

Zuko moistened his dry lips. "Right. So, I guess I'll just start from when we both got cursed. See, the trader accused me of being a thief when I tried to run with you, and then pirates got involved …"

He kept talking until his mouth felt so parched that just moving his tongue to form words was an effort. He told his uncle everything: how he'd ended up travelling with the Avatar and all the friendships he had made, of choosing to go against his father's orders when Lieutenant Jee and Tomoki came for him, of the dreamland and learning that there was still a chance for him to go home despite all he had done.

"I almost lost sight of what I truly wanted," Zuko admitted, "but I'm not confused now. I know who I am and what I have to do. That's why I can't back down."

Silence.

He sighed and pressed onward as he only could.

"Well, that's about all I've been doing since you got stuck in that place anyway. Now you're all caught up."

If you can even hear me.

Zuko didn't say the words, but they filled his mouth with a bitter taste. It was difficult to stay optimistic when it felt like he was speaking to a void. He was just wondering for what seemed like the thousandth time if the path would ever end when light gleamed up ahead. He paused, heart quickening into a pounding rhythm.

"Did we finally make it?" he murmured.

He resisted the urge to run, not sure if his uncle's soul would be able to follow if he moved too quickly. Better to be safe than sorry. All he could do was keep moving towards the light. Soon, a sacred gate took shape. Eerie blue emanated from it in mist-like streaks. Zuko swallowed and approached the opening. A hum of life came to him from the other side. This was definitely the gate to the mortal world.

"I really hope you're here with me, Uncle."

He got the feeling he wouldn't be able to come back a second time. Oddly, just realising that he was at the end overwhelmed him with the urge to glance over his shoulder. All the little doubts that had niggled now turned into giants clawing at his mind and heart. They screamed that he had been tricked, that he would pass through the gate and lose his chance to save his uncle forever.

Look back.

Zuko exhaled a deep breath. He raised the lantern and stepped through the gate.

oOo

The full moon was bright in the sky. Zuko blinked, too disoriented to do much more than breathe. It took him a moment to remember where he was and how to move his limbs. Fabric brushed his skin. Someone had dressed him in Sokka's sleeveless tunic and pants. Then water flashed past him in a curving arc and he heard grunts of pain and anger. Fire burst into brightness out of the corner of his eye. There was a bending fight going on.

He sat up with a jerk. Wait, that wasn't good. That really, really wasn't good. His heart thumped against his ribs as he frantically took in the scene. His uncle was still a teapot at his side. Aang sat beside them in front of the Spirit Oasis pond, eyes and tattoos glowing. Yue crouched nearby, while Sokka fended off a firebender who had got too close. At the front of them all, fighting against Zhao and three other firebenders like a one-person army, was Katara. She summoned water to her hands in desperate motions, creating shields only to quickly shift into counterattacks or to redirect the flow of flames that came their way. Zuko's eyes widened. She was amazing. More than amazing. But it was still four against one. Her heels gouged trails into the dirt as a fire blast struck her shield, shoving her back several paces.

"It's over, little girl," Zhao taunted.

Zuko staggered to his feet. Too numb, too sluggish. He was too late to do anything. Flames came for her on all sides. His lips formed her name just as she encased herself with water—a quick shield that vanished in a hiss of steam. Suddenly, her back was colliding with his chest and they were both falling to the ground. His skull hit the grass with a jarring thwack. Zuko blinked away stars, gasping for breath. Katara's elbow had got him in the gut. She didn't seem to be faring much better judging from her groans and the dazed way she lay on top of him.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled, glancing over his shoulder at them. "Zuko!"

Zhao sent a wild surge of flames, which Sokka barely managed to dodge. Two firebenders were soon subduing him.

"Fools!" Zhao spat. "None of you can stop me! This is my destiny!"

Zuko continued to blink away stars. He needed to get up. He really, really needed to get up. Aang was vulnerable and exposed, just sitting there like an Avatar prize waiting to be claimed. Except Zhao didn't go for the boy with the glowing tattoos. He walked straight to the pond and scooped something up into a cloth bag. Instantly, the moon turned the colour of blood. Yue made a pained sound and clutched at her head. Zuko was also conscious of a sickly feeling in his gut—no, in his spirit. It was a sense of wrongness that he couldn't explain.

Katara managed to roll off him. She lurched to her feet and brought her arms out in a bending stance. No water followed the movement. Her eyes widened and her hands trembled. "W-why? Why can't I—"

Zhao's loud laughter drowned out her words. "It worked!" He raised the bag to the blood-lit sky. "I am a legend now! 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!"

Bile burned Zuko's throat as he got back to his feet. The sense of wrongness was getting worse. "What have you done?"

"I have given the Fire Nation victory. The Moon Spirit chose to take on a physical form in this world. That also means it can be killed." A cruel smile curved Zhao's lips. "And if I take out the moon, I take out every waterbender."

"No!" Katara cried.

She tried to bend again, but nothing happened. This only made Zhao laugh more.

"Go ahead, little girl. Try to stop me. The water will not come to your call. You and your people will be destroyed tonight, and I will be forever renowned as the one who made it happen." He laughed again. "Even better, the Avatar has fallen right into my grasp. At last, my destiny has come!"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. His gaze flittered from Zhao's smug face to the bag clutched in his hand. Inside had to be the Moon Spirit. No doubt it was one of the koi fish that had circled around each other in the pond. Zuko didn't know if that meant the spirit would suffocate if kept out of the water for too long, but he did know there was still a chance to fix this mess. The moon wasn't gone yet.

"Let the spirit go!" Zuko ordered.

Zhao raised his eyebrows. "You dare to command me, traitor?"

"I'm not a traitor." Zuko readied his stance for attack. "I will always fight for the good of my nation."

"You have an odd way of showing it."

Zuko's lips thinned. "No. I can just see that you're insane and you need to be stopped." He glanced at the other firebenders. "Listen to me! You don't need to follow his orders anymore! Stand down or help me stop him if you wish, but—"

"You little traitor!" Zhao snarled.

"But I won't spare you if you get in my way," Zuko continued as if he hadn't been interrupted. He pointed at Zhao. "This man will only bring ruin to the Fire Nation! If you love your land, if you truly believe in the oaths you made when you joined the navy, you will let me do this! Remember that we all need the moon, every single one of us!"

The four firebenders exchanged glances. Zuko didn't have the time to waste in seeing whether they would listen to him or not.

"Let the spirit go, Zhao," Zuko repeated grimly. "I won't ask again."

Zhao laughed. "As if I'd be frightened of a child like you."

"I've already beaten you twice. What's a third time?"

That wiped the smugness from Zhao's face. His mouth twisted into an ugly expression. "You are sorely testing my patience, traitor."

"At least I don't have to hide behind a fish in order to win a battle."

Sokka snorted. "He's got a point."

"Silence, you worthless peasant!" Spit flew from Zhao's mouth. "I will not have my moment of triumph mocked!"

"Moment of triumph?" Zuko repeated. "All I see is a man willing to throw the world into chaos for his own stupid pride. Do you really think my father will approve of that?"

"The Fire Lord will be grateful when I inform him of how I destroyed the Water Tribes! He will grant me the highest honours and—"

"Blah, blah, blah. Such worthless drivel."

Zuko froze at the cool, condescending voice. So did everyone else. His heart thumped against his ribs as he looked beyond Zhao to see a girl in Fire Nation red walking towards the bridge that joined up with the oasis. Her features were so familiar that they could have been his own, though the angles on her face had become more prominent since he had last looked upon her. A three-pronged headpiece was fitted into her topknot. Behind her were two firebenders wearing faceplates.

Zuko's stomach twisted. Why? Why was she here? Sokka and Katara must have recognised the family resemblance as well. Both glanced between him and the newcomer with wide eyes.

"Princess Azula," Zhao said, straightening his spine. "I did not expect you to—"

"Follow you?" Her red-painted lips curled into a smile that dripped with disdain. "I was curious. You tried so hard to sneak away with your little taskforce. Now I see. You thought to keep this a secret from me so you could take all the credit for yourself." She shook her head. "As if I'd want any part. I can't believe I'm saying this, but my brother is right. Getting rid of the moon is plain stupid."

"But—"

Her smile vanished in an instant. "Did you not hear me, Admiral? Your so called destiny is a foolish endeavour I will not allow. To destroy the moon will have dire effects on the Fire Nation. Do you think conquering some pathetic walls of ice and its inhabitants is worth that?"

"But I only—"

"Enough!" She cradled a ball of blue flames in her hand. Her expression was as cold as the ice that surrounded the oasis. "Release the spirit or I will end you myself."

Zhao dared to hold her gaze for a moment before he opened the bag and allowed the white koi fish to drop into the pond with a splash. The bloody colour painting the moon turned back to silvery white. Bitterness lined every inch of Zhao's face. Azula's lips curved a fraction.

"Don't look so disappointed," she mocked. "I just spared your life. My father would not have been so lenient. Don't forget why he asked me to join you in the first place."

Zuko stepped forward. "Why are you here, Azula?"

"Nice to see you again too, brother," she responded, letting her flames vanish and shifting her gaze to him. "I see the rumours were true. Your face did get healed somehow." Her eyes swept over him in a critical manner. "I can't say I approve of your choice of clothes, though. Blue doesn't suit a prince of the Fire Nation."

"He is a traitor!" Zhao said. "He—"

"Did I ask you to speak?" Azula snapped. "Either stay silent or get out of my sight. Can't you see you're interrupting an important reunion with my brother?" She looked back at Zuko. "It's been almost three years. That's a long time to be kept apart."

Zuko eyed her warily. "You still haven't answered my question."

She made a tsking noise and closed the distance between them. "Oh, Zuzu, so quick to get to the point, though I suppose you always did lack subtlety."

His stomach twisted again at the old nickname. He glanced down at her, meeting the amber eyes that were so much like their mother's. "Why did Father send you?"

"To make sure Admiral Zhao doesn't screw up, of course." Her smile returned and she stepped back. "Father also asked me to find you and Uncle. There were strange rumours going around, you see. Some said you were both dead. Some said you had been attacked by pirates, others that you had been snatched away by malicious spirits. Then this one"—she flicked her hand towards Zhao—"declared that you were alive and had chosen to side with the Avatar against the Fire Nation." Her eyes locked with his. "Father sent me to investigate. He knows just as I do that while you're many things, Zuko, you're not a traitor." She raised her eyebrow. "Isn't that right?"

Zuko didn't blink as the double-headed spirit and its twin gates glimmered behind his sister. He had always known this moment would come, the convergence of all that was and could be. The moment when he had to decide his destiny and, through that, the fate of the four nations.

"More than one life rests on you tonight."

Now he understood the warnings. Everything was tied to the Avatar, and right now that boy was as helpless as a newborn. Zuko glanced at Aang's glowing form and then back at Azula. It would be incredibly easy to go along with her. All he had to say was that he had joined the Avatar to break the curse, that he had fought against Zhao because, as everyone knew, his banishment could only be revoked if he caught the boy himself. Katara, Sokka, Aang and Yue would hate him for betraying them, but logic dictated this was the best option. The safe option. They were outnumbered, his uncle was still at risk of being shattered, and this way he would be able to go home. He would have his family back.

He would have everything that the gate had promised him.

Zuko met his sister's gaze. "Of course I'm not a traitor. It's like I told Zhao. I will always fight for the good of our nation."

Katara made an odd sound. Sokka, who was still being held back by two firebenders, also widened his eyes in disbelief. Zuko almost smiled at their confusion and alarm. Almost. Instead, he stepped back to fall in line with Katara.

"But this war is wrong, Azula," he said. "It's always been wrong and it's hurting everyone. That's why it has to be stopped."

Azula's lip curled. "It will stop when we win."

"At what cost? The Avatar is the only airbender left! Zhao almost destroyed the moon tonight just because he wanted to get rid of waterbenders and conquer the Northern Water Tribe!" Zuko shook his head. "What will be next? What is even the point of all this? Our people are dying! Everyone is dying! Can't you see that?"

"My poor, foolish, soft-hearted brother." She shook her head in mock dismay. "You really haven't learnt anything, have you?"

"I've learnt everything! It's you who insists on blinding yourself to the truth!"

She laughed and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "Are you actually telling me that you have sided with the Avatar and these Water Tribe peasants?"

"This is the only way to bring peace to the world and restore our nation's honour." Zuko got his hands ready to defend. "Father doesn't care if he makes everyone suffer. He's never cared. I can't keep looking away and pretending I don't see the wrongness of it all!"

Azula let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well then, I guess this won't be a happy reunion after all."

She attacked without warning. He stumbled back a step, heart in his throat and his hands held palm up in front of his face as his fire shield dissipated. It was only instinct and the fact he'd expected her to make the first move that had stopped him from being burnt. A vicious smile curved her lips. As if on cue, Katara freed her brother from the two firebenders and then the Water Tribe siblings were fighting against Zhao and the others. Zuko had no chance to worry about them or his uncle's safety; Azula was already moving again, kicking a spinning wheel of flames at him. He sliced through it with a blast of his own, but she anticipated the counter. A ball of blue fire struck him in the stomach. His knees met grass and he was left struggling for breath. Damn it, he couldn't bend if he was winded.

"Zuko!"

That was Katara. She tried to get close to him but was blocked by Zhao. Zuko forced himself to inhale and exhale, desperate to ease the constricting tightness and pain that lingered all through his stomach and airways. Dizzy splotches danced before his eyes. Then Azula grabbed him in a choke hold while she pulled his left arm up roughly against his back. Of course she would pick his dominant arm.

"You've never been able to keep up with me," she taunted in his ear. "What makes you think this time will be any different?"

He swallowed. It was true he had never beaten his sister in a bending fight. The moment she had surpassed him in skill had tipped the scales permanently in her favour. Still, he knew what was at stake if he failed. He couldn't give up.

Gritting his teeth, he rammed his head against the unprotected part of her stomach to loosen her grip. No pause, no hesitation. He aimed his free hand behind him and exhaled, letting fire surge. A yelp told him he'd struck true. Zuko shoved free of her slackened hold and threw himself onto the grass, rolling a few times from the momentum. Heat brushed his back. Too close, too close. Then a second lot of blue flames ruptured right next to his cheek. His breath caught in his throat. That really had been too close. One of the sparks had caught his skin. The burn tingled and throbbed. The flames had come dangerously near his uncle's teapot as well.

He looked up and saw Yue crouched near him, a club clutched in her trembling hand. Raw fear screamed from her expression as their eyes met.

"Get my uncle to the pond," he said, snatching up the teapot and shoving it at her. "You remember what to do, right?"

She didn't get a chance to respond. There was a rushing noise from behind, and Zuko swung around and just managed to block his sister's fireball. His heart hammered against his ribs. Azula's eyes gleamed as she charged. He jumped back to his feet and punched a rapid string of flames. It was true that he had always been fast, but she was like lightning streaking in a crackling mass. She met him blow for blow, sapphire and orange colliding in blasts of heat. No, sapphire overwhelming orange. More and more he found himself stumbling back, his arms jarred and aching as he blocked and countered and tried desperately just to stay on his feet.

"What's the matter, brother?" she said, laughing a little as she deflected one of his fireballs. "Getting tired?"

He growled and brought both fists down onto the grass so that fire rolled forth in rippling waves. Azula countered with an axe kick that split the wave in half and diffused it to nothing. Her lips curved as if to ask if that was the best he could do.

Zuko's breathing was harsh and uneven. Sweat trickled down his forehead. He yelled and retaliated with a kick that launched fire at her. This time, she ducked right under the flames and then her elbow struck his chest and he was flailing, barely able to regain his footing. That was when water smashed against his sister. Azula fell back in a dripping mess. Suddenly, Katara was at his side.

"Thought you could do with some help," she said, summoning more water to her hands.

He managed a strained smile. "You've got good timing. Remind me to thank you properly if we make it out of this."

"Don't worry, your crew and Sokka are handling the others. Seems like they had a change of heart."

Zuko blinked. "My crew?"

He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Jee and Tomoki were near the bridge and fighting alongside Sokka against Zhao and the other firebenders. The two must have been the ones who had come with Azula to the oasis. Zuko wasn't sure what to think, though his chest warmed a little at the sight. Perhaps Jee and Tomoki had not hated him after all.

"Watch out!" Katara warned.

Zuko turned to face his sister. Or, rather, the fireball she had just shot at them. Lucky Katara was there to create a shield. That gave him a chance to counter. Azula slashed through his flames and began fighting them both. She was still lightning quick and skilled in a way that was frankly terrifying—a monster of perfect technique and strategy—but it was also becoming apparent that she was no match for him when he had a waterbender powered up by the full moon at his side. His flames blended seamlessly with Katara's movements, sneaking in under Azula's guard and forcing her more and more on the defence.

"Give it up!" Zuko yelled. "You can't beat us!"

Rage and something darker, something almost fractured, flickered in his sister's eyes. She managed to knock Katara back, but Zuko's own fire slammed into her a second later. Azula let out a grunt and landed in a graceless heap on the ground. Some of her hair had fallen out of its style. Her arms trembled as she pushed herself to her knees, her breath coming in short pants. The sight made Zuko's stomach twist. This was his younger sister. This was the girl who had chased waves with him and mushed ice cream into his hair.

Why did it have to be this way? Did it even have to be this way?

"Stop," Zuko said, half lowering his arms. "Just stop. I don't want to hurt you."

Azula threw her head back and laughed. "You don't want to hurt me? Oh, Zuzu, you wouldn't even be able to touch me if you didn't have that waterbender peasant to back you up."

He didn't refute her claim; his sister was the better bender. It was just a fact. Still, where jealousy would have once burned, now only pity took its place. Azula was skilled, but she fought alone. It didn't matter if she outclassed him in every way. He would still end up stronger because he had friends to support him. Katara, Aang, Sokka—even Momo, Appa and Yue. They were all his strength. They were a team now. There was no way he was going to lose.

Zuko held his sister's gaze. "Lala, please."

Her eyes widened. She looked younger all of a sudden. Not so cruel and full of sharp edges. The old nickname had taken her off guard.

"It doesn't have to be this way," he said. "You remember, don't you? You remember Ember Island? You remember all those years we spent together?" He lowered his arms completely. "We used to be better than this. We can still be better than this."

"Fine words from a traitor." All the cracks in her control were plastered over in an instant. Now she was perfect and cold again. "Don't think such worthless sentimentality will sway me. I'm not weak like you."

"If I'm so weak, then why are you the one on your knees?"

Her eyes flashed. Zuko met her glare unflinchingly. This might be the only way to get through to her now.

"I know we've been taught otherwise," he said, "but we can be stronger if we work with the other nations. Father has it all wrong. Just look around you!" He gestured at Katara and then to where Tomoki, Jee and Sokka were forcing Zhao and the four firebenders away from the oasis. "Does this look like weakness to you? Does it?"

Azula's lip curled in distaste. "All I see is a bunch of peasants and traitors." She stood to her feet. "And it looks like I'll just have to deal with you all myself."

Something plummeted and settled like a heavy weight in his stomach. She really didn't get it. What did she even hope to achieve on her own?

"Azula, don't do this." He knew he was grasping at straws, but he couldn't help it, not when the memories of their childhood were so fresh in his mind. "Don't make us hurt you. Let's just end this now."

She began to move her arms in a circular motion before pointing two of her fingers like a blade at him. There was no expression in her eyes. "I agree, brother. Let's end this now." Her hand shifted to the right. "Though I think I'll start with the water peasant."

White-blue sparks flickered and crackled from her fingertips. Zuko's heart sped up. Too late did he realise what was about to happen. Too late did he realise that he had grossly underestimated the extent of his sister's abilities.

"No!" he yelled. "Katara, move!"

Azula flashed a grin and let the lightning surge forth in a streak of hair-raising force. Zuko didn't know if his heart had stopped or if it had just started beating so fast that it was like a single beat. He moved with numb limbs to plant himself in the lightning's path—anything to spare Katara from being hit—but then a hand gripped his shoulder and pushed him aside. Staggering, Zuko regained his balance and froze.

"Uncle?" he breathed.

Uncle was there. Uncle who was human again and had just caught and redirected Azula's lightning into the sky. Zuko watched in awe as it flashed beside the full moon in forks of light. Then the blanket that had been wrapped around Uncle's waist came loose. Zuko, Katara and Yue winced. They'd all just got an eyeful of naked old man. Azula, however, was too incensed by the fact her lightning had been redirected to be put off so easily.

"You!" Azula screamed.

Zuko and Katara retaliated before she could unleash another lightning bolt. Sapphire flared in a massive wall. When the smoke and steam cleared, Azula was forcing her way past Sokka, Jee and Tomoki and calling for the others to retreat. Zuko made to follow, but Uncle once again held him back.

"Leave it," Uncle advised. "You will be the one outnumbered if you go after her."

Zuko watched the group of firebenders disappear from view before he turned back to his uncle. A tentative smile curved his lips. "I'm glad you're—"

His words turned into a yelp as he was pulled into a hug. Uncle clutched him so tightly that it hurt his ribs.

"Can't breathe," Zuko complained.

Though it was a half-hearted protest at best. His arms had already mirrored his uncle to return the embrace. So much had happened since the day they'd been cursed. It seemed almost unreal to be holding Uncle now. Unreal and a relief. Zuko felt as if weights were toppling off his shoulders.

"I am so proud of you," Uncle murmured, holding him even tighter.

Zuko hid his face against his uncle's shoulder. It wasn't his nature to express his emotions easily, and he was bit horrified to find that his eyes were prickling. Eventually, Uncle pulled back and beamed. His eyes were also a bit misty.

"General Iroh! Prince Zuko!"

Tomoki was running towards them and proclaiming loudly how happy he was to see them both okay. Jee followed with more restraint, though even he wasn't able to hide the grin that curved his mouth. Zuko scrubbed the tears from his cheeks and avoided their gaze. He felt shy and embarrassed now that he'd been caught crying. Too bad that just led him to meeting Katara's eyes. She smiled and mouthed something. He didn't quite catch her words—probably not helped by the fact he'd just got squashed up against his uncle again in a one-armed hug.

"It's all thanks to my nephew," Uncle said. "And, of course, the young princess whose plea to the spirits broke my curse."

Yue ducked her head a bit a shyly. "I'm just glad the spirits heard my prayer."

Zuko slipped free of his uncle and came over to her. "Thank you. You saved us."

She shook her head. "I didn't do anything. You were the ones who fought off those firebenders."

"Fighting isn't the only way to show bravery. I'm glad you were here."

Her expression brightened. "I could say the same. I knew I was right to trust you."

"Yeah," Sokka said, moving to stand by them. "Though this idiot had me worried for a moment back there." He punched Zuko in the arm. "You've really got to stop doing that."

Katara folded her arms across her chest. "Agreed."

Zuko raised his eyebrow at her. "Oh, really? I thought you of all people would have known better than to think I'd betray you."

Colour dusted her cheeks. "What? Why—"

"I made a promise, didn't I?" His eyes locked with hers. "I don't break my promises, Katara."

Her blush spread all the way to the tips of her ears.

Tomoki nudged Jee in the ribs. "There is definitely something going on between those two," he stage whispered.

Zuko's face heated. He couldn't even say anything to protest against the statement since it was true. Better to change the subject. There were still questions that needed to be answered, like how Tomoki and Jee had even ended up here with Azula, never mind what they were all supposed to do now. The battle was still going on outside. Just because they'd stopped Zhao from destroying the moon and driven Azula off didn't mean that everything had been resolved.

Aang suddenly bolted to his feet. "Guys! The spirits are in trouble and—"

"It's fine," Sokka said, patting him on the shoulder. "We already put a stop to that."

"Oh." Aang rubbed the base of his neck. "I guess Koh was telling the truth then. He said I was too late to do anything. Now I see what he meant."

Zuko shifted his gaze to his uncle. "What do you think we should do? The Northern Water Tribe is still under attack. Zhao and Azula have amassed what looks like the entire navy."

Uncle rubbed his beard. "With the full moon up, the waterbenders will be almost unstoppable."

"But once the sun rises—"

"Yes, the Fire Nation will have the edge."

Aang stepped between them and looked up at their faces. "Then it's obvious. We just need to end this battle tonight."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Uncle asked in genuine curiosity.

"I'm going to do what I planned from the beginning." Aang flashed a grin. "I'll ask the Moon and Ocean Spirits for help."

Zuko glanced at the pond where the koi fish circled around each other. "Will they help for something like this?"

"We won't know until we try."

"Indeed," Uncle said, only to lose his blanket again.

Zuko covered Katara's eyes for her while Sokka did the same for Yue.

"Right," Zuko said. "Well, while Aang does his spirit thing, I think we should find you some clothes."

They'd all seen enough terrible things tonight.

Chapter 24: In Which a New Journey Begins

Chapter Text

Zuko wasn't sure what help he had expected the spirits to give to Aang. Seeing the boy fuse with the Ocean Spirit and become a giant, glowing thing certainly hadn't been on the list. He watched in awe as the huge creature, which Sokka had dubbed Koizilla, swept the Fire Nation soldiers who'd made it inside the city up into its watery grasp and pushed them all right back to the shore. Only then, only once the soldiers were scrambling back to their ships, did Aang warn that the Fire Nation navy would be destroyed if they didn't retreat.

"Leave now and don't come back!" Aang ordered in a voice layered with a thousand other Avatars. "This battle is over!"

One of the ships dared to shoot a fiery projectile at Koizilla with one of its catapults. The lump of burning rock passed right through the creature and was stopped by a group of waterbenders who had been perched on what was left of the wall. Koizilla, in turn, used one massive, watery arm to ram the ship and almost flipped it right over. The other ships surrounding the damaged vessel lurched and swayed dangerously as waves rippled out from the impact. Zuko swallowed and balled his hands into fists.

"Surrender," he murmured. "You can't win against this. You'll all be crushed."

There was an eerie silence. A hush of held breaths. He knew that those who did not have the power to decide were awaiting their orders. His own sister would be the one to make the final call. Zuko exhaled in relief as a streak of blue flames shot straight up into the air from one of the ships. Soon, there were hundreds of the harmless blasts brightening the night sky. It was the call for retreat.

"They're leaving," Katara said, coming to stand next to him on the long bridge. "It's finally over."

"It's not."

Her brow furrowed.

"It's not over," he explained. "My sister isn't foolish enough to lead the entire navy to their death, but it's not over. This war won't end until my father and all the hatred he's spread is stopped."

Sokka gripped his shoulder. "And that's what we're gonna make happen. We're all in this together."

"He's right," Uncle said, now mercifully clothed in Water Tribe furs. "This will not be a struggle you will have to fight alone."

"Does that mean you'll be joining us, Teapot Man?" Sokka asked with a quirk of his lips.

Zuko elbowed him in the ribs. "Show some respect. That's my uncle you're talking to."

Uncle let out a good-natured chuckle. "It's alright, Nephew. I'm aware I've probably made quite the, uh, impression on your friends throughout our journey together."

"Pretty much," Sokka said. "I mean, you were a teapot the whole time until you became the naked, lightning direction man."

Katara whacked him on the head.

"Ow." Sokka rubbed the spot where she had hit.

"Don't mind my brother," she said, smiling up at Uncle. "We'll be honoured to have you join us."

Uncle bowed to her. "Miss Katara, the honour is mine. I am grateful to all of you for looking after my nephew so well."

Zuko's cheeks heated. "Uncle, please."

Now he was getting embarrassed. It didn't help that Sokka kept ribbing him or that he could see Tomoki and Jee watching in amusem*nt from out of the corner of his eye.

"I guess this will soon be goodbye then."

Everyone turned at the sound of Yue's voice. She was trying to smile, but it was obvious that the expression was strained and her voice was tinged with sadness.

Sokka moved closer to her. "Hey, it's not really goodbye. I mean, we do have to leave so Aang can keep learning the elements and defeat the Fire Lord and all, but I—we'll be back to visit."

"Right," she said, lowering her head. "You'll visit."

Zuko nudged his uncle and Katara. "We should give them some space," he said in a voice low enough so only they could hear.

Uncle glanced from Yue to the equally subdued Sokka. "Ah," he said, eyes lighting up in understanding. "Indeed."

The three moved farther down the bridge with Jee and Tomoki. Both firebenders had gone back to watching the retreating ships and wondering aloud about what had happened to the rest of the crew. Zuko had since learned that Azula had interrogated all of them during her investigation. The crew had offered her plenty of speculation about Zuko and Iroh's whereabouts, but none of them—not even Jee or Tomoki who had actually witnessed the shirshu incident—had said anything that would have led her to believe there had been any betrayal.

"We followed you for almost three years while you chased the Avatar," Jee had said when asked why they had kept silent. "To see you fight to protect him didn't make any sense." Then Jee had shrugged. "We were curious. We wanted to know what had changed."

That was why Tomoki and Jee had agreed to accompany Azula after Zhao had forced them to join the invasion force. Perhaps she had sensed they were holding something back from her, perhaps she just got a twisted sort of delight in using Zuko's own crew to search for him. Either way, the fact remained that the two men had chosen to follow their prince in the end.

"What are you thinking?" Katara asked, brushing his side as she moved closer.

He leaned his elbows on the rampart. "Don't really know."

A lot had happened in such a small space of time. It was difficult to get his thoughts or feelings straight. A part of him was filled with immense relief. The curse was broken, his uncle was back, and the battle for the Northern Water Tribe had ended with much less casualties than there could have been. But he was also burdened with the knowledge that there was no going back from tonight. To fix the mess his great-grandfather Sozin had created—and which his grandfather and father had done nothing to mitigate—Zuko would have to keep fighting his own nation. It hurt. Knowing that his own family had become his enemy hurt.

His fingers dug into his palms as he stared at the wreckage caused to the city and then out to the ocean beyond. Koizilla was still standing guard in front of the city walls like a glowing beacon in the night, but it was the ships that drew Zuko's attention. Somewhere on one of those metal vessels, his sister was probably stewing and thinking up new plans of attack. Eventually, they would have to face each other again. Eventually, Zuko would have to face his father as well.

"Hey." Katara placed her hand over his.

He glanced down at her. The moon was full and bright enough tonight that he could see her features clearly, including the smile that curved her lips.

"Come with me," she said.

He didn't protest as she tugged him away from the rampart. Tomoki began to ask where they were going. (Yue, as they all knew, had warned they shouldn't stray too far from each other until she could smooth over with her father the sudden appearance of three new firebenders.) An elbow to the gut from Jee had Tomoki fall silent. Uncle just smiled knowingly at them before drawing both men into conversation. The whole thing was about as subtle as a rock to the face. Zuko felt his cheeks warm. Ugh. Now he felt all self-conscious.

"Come on." Katara tugged on his hand again.

He did his best to ignore his uncle and crew as he let her lead him away from the bridge and into the adjoining courtyard. The area was open to the sky and rimmed with icy pillars. A fountain trickled softly in the centre. Still, the only thing he noticed was that he and Katara were now out of sight from the others and there was no one else around. Also, his cheeks felt frustratingly warm. Worse, his palms were beginning to turn a bit sweaty. Oh no. What if she could feel it? Was that gross? Should he pull his hand away?

"Finally," she murmured. "I wasn't sure when we'd get a chance to be alone."

His heart sped up. He made a sound that was supposed to be intelligent words of agreement, but it came out more like a grunt. That was embarrassing. His tongue felt like knots. Why was he even getting so nervous? It was just Katara. Katara who looked really pretty in the moonlight. There was also the fact that he wasn't in a child's body anymore and she had actually brought him here so they could have some privacy.

Zuko swallowed and dared to meet her eyes. She was smiling in that way that made him feel like all the breath had vanished from his lungs. He wished he could have been confident and said something smooth, something that wouldn't make him look like an inexperienced idiot, but all he managed was to stammer out a few "uhs" and "ums" before he gave up and picked an easier topic.

"Your bending got really good," he said. "I mean, you were kind of amazing back there."

"Thanks." She swung his hand a little, apparently not minding the clammy imprint of his nerves. "Master Pakku said I've advanced more quickly than any pupil he's ever trained."

"No surprise. I still can't get over what you managed to teach yourself with just that scroll."

She laughed and tugged him closer. "Zuko, much as I appreciate the flattery, I didn't bring you here so we could talk about my bending."

His heart was definitely pounding now. It was a wonder she couldn't hear it. "Oh?"

He repressed a wince. Yeah, real intelligent. Just say oh.

Katara's smile widened. "Don't tell me you've forgotten?"

He didn't trust himself to speak. Not that it mattered. She was already leaning up on her tiptoes, her free hand curling around the back of his neck. Their breath intermingled. He could feel the warmth of her like an invisible caress, so, so close.

"I like to keep my promises as well," she whispered.

Their lips touched. Zuko's eyelashes fluttered shut. Kissing her was nice. Her lips were soft and it felt even better when he tried pressing his mouth to hers from a different angle. Ah, so that was how this kissing business worked. It was less a mashing of lips and more like, well, just letting go and seeing where instinct took him.

Katara pulled back from the kiss and smiled up at him. Somehow, his arm had found its way around her waist. His pulse was also a fluttery mess and he'd completely given up on his heart beating normally, but that was fine. He thought he could handle these side-effects.

"I've been wanting to do that for the longest time," Katara admitted.

His mouth twitched. "You're telling me."

She smoothed her thumb along his cheek, the side that used to be scarred. "I want you to promise me something else, okay?"

His brow creased. "What?"

"Don't get turned into a kid again. Seriously."

He laughed and drew her closer by the arm he still had wrapped around her waist. "Believe me, I don't plan to."

Then he kissed her again. And it was really, really nice.

oOo

The mood in the Northern Water Tribe was an odd mixture of sombreness and cheer. It was inevitable that there had been deaths and many injuries after two days of fighting with the Fire Nation. Still, people were much friendlier towards Zuko. Only a few die hard grumblers seemed to mind Uncle, Jee and Tomoki's presence as well. The four had Yue to thank for that. True to her word, she had told her father, who had in turn told the council and the rest of the tribe, about how all of the firebenders had helped to defend the city. Chief Arnook had been especially grateful.

"I thought I was going to lose my daughter," Arnook confessed. "The spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born, but perhaps that destiny no longer has to be hers."

"Destiny?" Zuko said.

Arnook smiled in a sad way. "I saw her as the young woman she is now. She sacrificed her life to become the Moon Spirit."

Zuko's breath caught. He glanced across the plaza to where Yue was talking with Katara. Suddenly, the words she had told him no longer seemed so strange.

"I don't know how or why. I just know that our paths were meant to cross. Like my life is tied to you somehow."

He exhaled and turned back to the chief. "I can't take credit for that. You should really be thanking Katara and Sokka. They're the ones who defended the spirits from Zhao."

Even Azula had played a part, strange as it was. But perhaps it wasn't about who had fought or who had been the most persuasive. Perhaps things just would have gone differently had he not been involved. Perhaps that was why the spirits had allowed Yue to feel a connection to him. He guessed he would never know.

Arnook met his gaze. "Regardless, I am grateful. I'm sorry I did not tell you earlier about the Spirit Oasis. Master Pakku was right. I should have trusted you more."

Zuko didn't know how to respond to that, so he bowed and murmured the expected words he might have said back in the Fire Nation palace. The chief left him after that to go speak with Yue. Zuko found his gaze drifting around the plaza: first to where Master Pakku and Uncle sat huddled together like old friends, then over to where Sokka, Tomoki and a few other Water Tribesmen were talking and laughing about something. Jee lingered near the group looking a bit standoffish and wary, but he was soon dragged into the conversation as well.

"It's great, isn't it?"

Zuko glanced to his left to find Aang standing next to him. "What's great?"

"Everyone getting along. People from different nations being friends." Aang beamed and clasped his hands behind his head. "This is how it's meant to be."

"I guess."

Aang bumped him with his elbow. "C'mon then."

"Uh, what?"

"Let's go join them."

Before he could respond, he was getting dragged off to where Sokka and the others were. It was kind of awkward—being social, just trying to make nice. He'd got used to being around Aang, Sokka and Katara, but dealing with other people still made him feel like he was standing on the wrong foot. Still, he found that he didn't mind. Aang was right: this was how things were meant to be. Then he noticed that Sokka was looking especially pleased about something.

"What's got you looking so happy?" Zuko asked.

Sokka picked up his cup of drink. "Don't know what you're talking about."

Katara came up behind her brother. "I think I can guess. Yue just told me the news."

"What?" Zuko said.

"Hahn," the siblings said in unison.

Zuko's brow creased.

"He's the guy who's engaged to Yue," Sokka explained. "Total jerk. Thought himself the best thing since seal jerky. He, uh, also went missing during the battle. I was just thinking it'd be such a shame if he didn't come back …"

"That's cold," Zuko said, raising his eyebrow.

"Hey, I'm not saying I wish the guy was dead." Sokka paused. "Okay, I kind of am, but you don't know him like I do."

Zuko shook his head, but decided not to press the issue. Everyone knew how much Sokka liked Yue. It wasn't as if Zuko could judge anyway. He'd probably have felt the same if their positions were reversed.

Katara shifted to take the seat next to Zuko and leaned against him. His cheeks warmed a little at the closeness. Not that he was complaining. In fact, he was quite happy to have her snuggled against him. It was Uncle's unsubtle wink that was more embarrassing. Still, at least he knew his uncle approved of his relationship with Katara. He could live with being teased a little.

Eventually, the impromptu feast began to die down. People were exhausted and had already fallen asleep on benches in the plaza. Aang was sprawled on Appa in the far end with Momo asleep on his stomach. Zuko was just beginning to doze off when he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He blinked and scrubbed a hand over his face before looking up to see his uncle.

"Walk with me for a bit," Uncle said.

Zuko carefully eased himself away from Katara and stood up. They weaved their way through the crowd and ended up on one of the balconies that overlooked the city.

"Destiny is a funny thing."

"Hrm?" Zuko looked at his uncle with a faint crease on his brow. Those weren't exactly normal words for starting a conversation. "What do you mean?"

"I had always hoped that one day you would see that following your father was not the right path for you." A wry smile curved his mouth. "To be honest, I thought I would be the one to guide you. I joined you on your banishment so I could show you there was another way, but it seems like you never needed my help. You found your way all on your own."

"That's not true. You taught me a lot." Zuko lowered his gaze. "I'm just sorry I didn't realise sooner what you were trying to tell me."

"There is no point in clinging to past regrets. Besides, you have apologised enough. I heard everything when you guided my soul here."

"You did?"

Uncle nodded. "It pained me that I couldn't respond."

Zuko bit his lip and looked the other way. His cheeks felt a bit too warm. Much as he had meant every word that he had said to his uncle while walking through Death's Blindfold, it did leave him feeling kind of exposed. He'd bared a lot more of his heart than was comfortable.

"Nephew." Uncle was smiling. "You don't need to look so embarrassed. This old man was greatly touched by your words." He placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I've never told you this, but, well, ever since I lost my son, I have thought of you as my own."

Zuko let out a breath. So, that's how it was. A part of him had always wondered, but now it made sense why Uncle had been willing to put up with his bad temper and all his obsessing over capturing the Avatar.

"Truly," Uncle murmured, "I am so proud of you."

Zuko knew the hug was coming and didn't resist. He was still too shy to say the words aloud, but he hoped his uncle was able to understand his feelings through the embrace. Zuko loved his uncle. Over the years, there had been many times when he had wished that Uncle could have been his father instead, but that had always felt like a betrayal. A weakness. Now Zuko didn't have to feel guilty.

"I've missed you," Zuko said quietly.

Uncle hugged him tighter. "As have I missed you. Thank you for bringing me back." A low chuckle. "I must say, much as I enjoy a good cup of tea, I would rather not spend my days as a teapot while my soul is trapped in the Spirit World."

Zuko's mouth twitched and he pulled back from the embrace. "Well, I hope this experience has taught you something then."

"Hrm?"

"Uncle, you've really got to curb your shopping habits. You know none of this would have happened if you'd just listened to me and not gone looking for junk."

"My purchases were not junk. Besides, it's like I said, my nephew: destiny is a funny thing. Perhaps I was always meant to, uh, become a teapot and—"

"I can't believe you're trying to justify this!"

"But just think about what—"

"You're unbelievable!"

Iroh let out another chuckle. Even Zuko found himself smiling after a moment. Many things had changed since the day they had got cursed and had been separated, but it seemed like some things would always be the same. Somehow, the thought wasn't such a bad thing. They'd probably still bicker and nag at each other, but at least they were together again.

Zuko was about to speak when the scenery changed. He found himself in a far too familiar swamp and listening to a far too familiar voice.

"Well, princeling, what have you got to say?"

Zuko spun around to see the frog spirit sprawled on a log. "Xiwang!"

"The one and only." The frog was smoking his usual pipe and blew a cloud of smoke towards the treetops. "So?"

"So what?"

"Aren't you going to thank me?"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. Then he sighed and forced the tension from his shoulders. "Thank you, I guess."

"Always so grudging. Need I remind you that I don't go out of my way to help humans? You should be bowing on your knees and showering me with gratitude."

"Yeah, that isn't going to happen. I'm pretty sure the only reason you helped me and Uncle was because you got ordered to, right?"

Xiwang shrugged. "True enough. Some of the higher ups weren't so happy when they found out you and the old man had got trapped in one of my curses. Kept moaning about destiny and the Avatar and how I'd ruined everything." He waved his pipe in a manner that was almost reminiscent of Sokka at his most defensive. "But let me ask you this, kid. How am I supposed to keep track of all my cursed objects and all the foolish humans who get their hands on them, eh? How?"

"Uh, maybe just stop creating cursed objects."

The frog snorted. "Please, there's no fun in that."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Then I guess you'll have to figure it out on your own."

He glanced around the swamp and found no gateway that offered an escape. It looked as if this was more of a dreamscape, much like the time when Xiwang had brought him to the swamp to give him the beans. Great, so he couldn't leave on his own.

"Anyway," Zuko said, "I'm kind of tired, so if you could just let me go back to—"

"You'll be returned when I'm ready. Don't be so hasty."

Zuko gritted his teeth. Annoying frog. "Fine. Then what do you want? The curse has been broken. Everything is sorted now. So what is there left to say? Isn't it the Avatar's job to deal with the spirits?"

"Hey, bub, you've been spirit-touched now. That means a part of you will always be connected to this world."

"Great." Zuko's voice was drier than a desert. "I can't contain my enthusiasm."

Xiwang actually smiled. "Look, I don't plan on meddling in your life anymore if that's what you're worried about. The higher ups would just get grumpy again."

Zuko almost sighed with relief.

"Truth is, I'm here on behalf of my gran," Xiwang admitted.

"Your gran?"

"She's the one you really need to thank. It's she who grants the real wishes out of the two of us. She fixed everything all up for you—gave me the advice to pass on, looked into ways to get your destiny back on track." The frog looked him up and down. "Personally, I still think you're just a human brat, but Gran seemed to think you earned it. She's into the whole learn by suffering thing."

Zuko's brow furrowed. A suspicion was beginning to take root. "Your, uh, gran wouldn't happen to be the spirit I met inside the Fields of Between, would she?"

The frog spirit smiled. "Got it in one. Anyway, be sure to show your respect. Give her a proper offering. She hands out favours even less than I do, so you better count yourself lucky."

"I … I'll be sure to do that."

"You'd better give me an offering, too. I like pickled cucumbers, marbles, and very small teacups."

Zuko scrunched his nose. "Uh, okay." He didn't like the idea of giving anything to Xiwang, but better to just appease the spirit to shut him up. "So, can I go now?"

"Yeah, sure." Xiwang waved a hand. "I'm sick of looking at your face anyway."

Before Zuko could respond, he was back to standing on the balcony near the plaza. His uncle was also frowning at him.

"Is everything okay, Nephew?"

Zuko blinked and reoriented himself. "Sure. Uh, do you happen to know where I could get pickled cucumbers, marbles and some tiny teacups?"

Uncle's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "I didn't realise you were interested in such things."

"It's for an offering. Xiwang's request. He just spoke to me."

"I see." Iroh stroked his beard. "Well, if we went back to that market where—"

"Ugh, never mind."

Zuko headed towards the plaza. He didn't plan on going shopping with his uncle any time soon. In fact, he was really going to have to keep an eye on his uncle whenever they ventured near markets. He'd rather not get cursed a second time. Once was more than enough.