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Chapter Text

Sokka frowned, sniffing hard as he recognized the acrid scent of Lee's suppressants—no, not Lee, Zuko. He'd learned that the tea the Fire Nation prince drank so diligently each morning was water laced with powders that some omegas in the Earth Kingdom consumed illegally as suppressants, making themselves pass off as renegade betas. Yugoda, able to detect the almost imperceptible scent but unsure of the omega's treatment, had chosen to continue giving him the tea the mornings he was in the ward.

No one else had recognized him, as far as Sokka knew, and that wasn't surprising.

Aang couldn't recognize it because, for him, the Air Nomads had no need to hide their castes. They had the same value and ability in every aspect. They were taught to control their ruts and heats with meditation from a young age so that it was their decision. And even those who had problems with this consumed a strange fruit-based juice that helped them pass through their heats and ruts while sleeping without giving off smells that could affect others, without leaving any trace, neither during those days nor the following ones. But even if they had left traces, no one would criticize any of the castes because it was something natural that could make them different but not better or worse than the others.

The Northern Water Tribe, along with Katara and Sokka, didn't recognize it because castes weren't influential in their society, so they didn't tend to give them much importance. Therefore, if there were alphas or omegas, they weren't considered important enough to make them hide their castes, much less their scents. This meant that complete suppressants didn't even exist in the polar regions; there were only suppressants for heat lines, made from a disgusting fish for alphas and strange algae for omegas. Because of this, they tended to smell like something salty and putrid that no one wanted to have on themselves, so they didn't even like to use them. Most just hid in a room of their tent or igloo, almost always alone, to maintain their privacy during those confusing days.

Furthermore, the majority of the population in all four nations were betas, so Sokka could practically count on one hand the non-betas among the remaining habitants of the Southern Water Tribe after the warriors left, including himself. Since they were all alphas, the idea of ​​omega suppressants never even crossed his mind, much less complete suppressants, let alone someone taking them willingly, until he heard it from Yugoda when she sent him to find the suppressants to administer to the unconscious boy.

Sokka didn't think much of it until he realized that this was why Lee… Zuko, still had trouble remembering the right name, had no problem adapting to their strange relationship. Of course, Sokka struggled to accept the idea of ​​two men and thought Lee struggled similarly with being an alpha and a beta, but no, they were an alpha and an omega, so for Lee, or Zuko, it was the most normal thing in the world.

It didn't really matter, at least not to Sokka, but he was going to point it out to Lee when they were arguing, either to use it as a safeguard, or to ask him for something by alluding to the fact that he had tricked him on that point.

For that to happen, they would at least have to see each other, Sokka reasoned, returning to the present. A week and a couple of days had passed since Sokka had last seen the golden-eyed boy—a week and a couple of horrible days waiting for Zuko to finally appear in their room, a week and a couple of days waiting for him to show up at his training sessions in the early morning or in the training halls, a week and a couple of days waiting to hear his voice in the distance, even though perhaps Sokka wouldn't recognize the voice that hadn't uttered more than a few words before disappearing. A week and a couple of days since he had hoped to smell him again, to chase the scent he was already beginning to forget since Yue came that last night when he saw him and took Zuko's things, leaving a trace of his scent only on Sokka's sleeping bag, which he now didn't dare use for fear of removing that trace, even though he hugged it every night.

Until now.

Sokka had recognized that scent after leaving the training room and head straight for his room, Because, yes, Sokka now only went from the training room to his room because Zuko always went to the training room, or always went there first, so there was a good chance of finding him there. And to his room, because what if Lee arrived just when he was outside? Sokka couldn't allow that; he had to be there when he got there.

He turned around, following the scent for just a few steps until he came upon a group of children playing in the snow, digging it up into balls big enough to make snowmen. Sokka frowned, puzzled. The scent was still there, but there was no one in sight of anything besides the children.

Lee must have noticed him and run away. He'd been doing that all week, hadn't he? That's why Sokka hadn't seen a single shadow of him all this time. Lee was resentful towards them after the fight with Katara, and now there was no sign of his existence around. With that in mind, Sokka turned around again to walk away from the place.

- Eww! - a child squealed, drawing the attention of his little friends. - Blood! -

Sokka's body froze. If Lee's scent was coming from where the children were, but Lee wasn't in sight, it could be because he'd dropped something perfumed in the snow, something the children had found. Or it could be his blood.

Why was Lee bleeding? Sokka wondered, agitated, and quickly turned toward the children who were now crowding around him to see the blood, oblivious to the fact that Sokka's heart was about to burst from his ribcage with worry and fear—not fear, but terror. And could anyone blame him? The last and only time he'd seen Lee bleed was when a sword had pierced him and he'd almost died.

He reached the center of the group of children and fell to his knees, noticing the frozen blood that had been hidden by the snow but which a child was now looking at with a mixture of disgust and interest, extending a gloved finger to touch it. Sokka acted before the child, digging in the snow and lifting a small pile of it between his hands to bring it closer to him. He sniffed desperately and recognized the smell in the blood, Lee's blood.

The snow fell from his hands as he jumped up as fast as he could and ran toward Yugoda's healing chambers in search of Lee, even though he didn't want Sokka to see him. If the children were shouting in confusion and demanding explanations behind him, Sokka couldn't care less. Lee was hurt, and he was going to find him.

- Master Yugoda! - Sokka called as he burst in, banging on the ice door of the healing chamber. - Where's Lee? I mean, Zuko, where is he? -

- The Fire Nation prince? - Yugoda asked without bothering to look up from the patient she was currently taking care in one of the chamber's wells. - Didn't you take him to his room so he could recover with his pack? -

- That was a week ago - Sokka said, shaking his head quickly.

- so I assume he's still under your care - this time Yugoda raised her head, meeting Sokka's eyes - his healing was a miracle of the spirits, literally, but that doesn't mean he isn't dealing with the repercussions of it -

- No… there was an argument and he… - Sokka winced at the memory. - …we haven't seen him in a week and a few days -

- And you thought I was putting him up in a ward? - Yugoda shook his head - It's a ward, the closest thing to a hospital we have, not an inn -

- I hadn't really thought about it - Sokka muttered, feeling sickened by his own words. Of course, he'd been worried about Lee, wondering what he was doing or how he was feeling, but even when he wondered where Lee was, it was more a thought of where he was at that moment than where he was spending his nights. He'd assumed someone would give him a room, but after Lee's true identity was revealed, that possibility seemed very slim, and only now had Sokka considered it. Now the question terrified him, Where had Lee been living all these days?

- And why did you come to ask me about him? – Yugoda asked, turning her gaze back to her patient, who was treating a deep wound on an arm.

- I found traces of his blood - Sokka said, remembering the handful of snow he'd been carrying. He held it up to show it to Yugoda, even though she wasn't looking. - He's hurt, so I figured he'd be here -

Yugoda shook her head - He didn't come back for any treatment. I haven't even seen him since you took him over a week ago - Sokka's heart stopped with fear. Lee was hurt and crawling somewhere with no one by his side to help him. Maybe he was even lying in some street, bleeding out in the darkness of the night, with not a soul willing to come and help him... or maybe he'd only found the trail of blood because someone had attacked him and taken him, and now he was suffering somewhere unknown, while Sokka only had a handful of bloody snow as the only thing he had left of him.

How could he have been so stupid?! How could he have let him go?! How could he have left him alone in a city that had just discovered he was the prince of the enemy nation?! How many people wanted to retaliate against him, and all Sokka had done was hand him over wounded, completely alone, to face them all?

His secretly sweet Lee, who had sought him out with teary eyes, eyes that Sokka couldn't meet that last time, that last time when his words turned cold in his voice, cracked with disuse, as cold as he only was when Lee was truly angry, to the point of running away from him or ignoring him like a wall of ice.

- Although it's understandable, he'd probably be more comfortable being treated by someone from his pack, like your sister... - Sokka turned his attention back to Yugoda, shaking his head. There was no way he was going to talk to Katara after their fight. - ...or Princess Yue. They're good friends, as far as I understand... -

Sokka didn't even finish hearing her before he turned and ran off again. Yugoda was right. Lee could have talked to her somewhere else, and he had admitted that Yue was a friend when it had taken him much longer, both in effort and time, to admit his friendship to the pack, and even then it was reluctant.

How hadn't he thought of that?

Yue had defended Lee when he left the room and made it clear she was on his side. She'd even gathered his things that night, so she should know where Lee was and where he'd been spending all nights. She could even fill Sokka in on Lee and help him get closer to him again.

He pushed open the wooden door that led to the Spirit Oasis and ran across the grass. He crossed one of the wooden bridges and reached the small island, finding Yue meditating in front of the koi fish, the mortal bodies of Tui and La, who swam animatedly in their endless loops.

- What brings you to the Spirit Oasis? - Yue asked formally.

- Yue, I'm so glad to find you - Sokka finally said, stopping to catch his breath after his quick run. - Do you know where Lee is? -

- No -

Sokka's breath caught in his throat as he jerked his head up to stare at Yue, completely lost.

- No? - he repeated.

- No - Yue repeated too.

- What do you mean by 'no'? - Sokka asked, taken aback, fear rising again from within him. - You don't know where he is? -

- No, Sokka, I don't know where he is - Yue said slowly, as if Sokka were a child who didn't understand things after repeating them three times. Given how the conversation had started, this would make sense if Yue hadn't known him for weeks and knew perfectly well that he understood her.

- No - Sokka murmured, noticing Yue's exasperation but ignoring it, fear slowly but surely consuming him. - No, no, no, tell me you don't know where he is right now, but that you've known all week. Please, tell me you did know where he's been these past few days. Please tell me what he's been spending these days with you, and that… -

- He hasn't been spending these days with me. I haven't seen him in over a week - Yue said calmly, shaking her head and abandoning her meditative pose to turn to Sokka. - If that's all you came to ask, I'd appreciate it if… -

- How can you just say that?! You don't know where Lee is! Nobody knows where Lee is! Nobody has seen him in over a week! How can you be so calm?! Why aren't you worried about him?! I thought he was your friend! -

Yue jumped up, startled by Sokka's emotional outburst as he shouted in despair terrified of what might have happened to Lee, something no one seemed to care about.

Who knew what had happened to him?! Who knew where or how he was?! Was he even alive?!

By the spirits, he pray that he's alive, by the spirits, he pray he's alright. This was his fault for letting him leave the room. He should have followed him, he should have gone after him even when he was hurt from all the lies and Katara roared at him threateningly when he took a step in his direction. He should have gone with him. He knew his sister's words had hurt him, but he had ignored it because of his own pain. He thought it would be best if they all took some time apart, and when the pain subsided, they could talk like the family they were. But he was wrong. Clearly, he was wrong because he didn't think about the danger that now followed Lee with his identity exposed.

Lee could be dead and frozen at the bottom of the sea, and all because of him. Because he couldn't keep the people he loved alive. He was weak. He was a disgusting man and a disgusting alpha. He couldn't protect anyone. He couldn't save anyone.

Yue's hand slammed into Sokka's cheek, pulling him from the swirl of thoughts that had trapped him and bringing him back to reality with a wince of pain and a bewildered look at the Northern Water Tribe princess.

- Why did you do that? - he asked, clutching his cheek.

- You were freaking out with pure speculation - Yue replied. - I don't know where Lee is, and I'm worried about him as a friend, but as far as I know, he's relatively fine -

- Relatively fine? - Sokka repeated incredulously. - He disappeared a week ago! People don't disappear at the North or South Poles! When they disappear, they're dead! Frozen in icy wastelands! Swallowed by wild animals! Drowned at the bottom of the sea! -

- He didn't disappear - Yue said, crossing her arms.

- No one has seen him in a week! - Sokka threw his arms up in despair.

- because he left a week ago! - Yue yelled back.

- because… - Sokka trailed off, his mouth agape, slowly repeating Yue’s words in his head. - he left - he finally repeated, staring blankly at the white-haired girl. - What do you mean, he left? -

- He left. He took a boat and returned to the Earth Kingdom - Yue replied, turning his back on Sokka again to gaze sadly at the koi fish.

- Why would he leave? - Sokka asked, his voice failing him at the new information. The snow he still held in his hand melted, staining his glove with blood, a stark reminder of him. - He couldn't have left. I found snow with his blood, a trail. He must still be this way. He wouldn't leave... -

He wouldn't leave me, Sokka thought desperately, feeling his legs tremble, He promised me. He promised he wouldn't leave. 

- You're a hunter, Sokka - Yue murmured - and you've seen enough frozen blood. You know that blood isn't fresh -

Yes, a part of Sokka agreed with Yue. The blood that now stained his gloves wasn't fresh, and he knew it even though he didn't want to admit it. He knew it from the moment he smelled it up close and held it in his hands, and it was part of what terrified him most about finding it, knowing that Lee had been injured long ago and he hadn't been there to help. It terrified him so much that he buried it deep in his mind and locked it away, trying to ignore it as best he could.

- He promised he wouldn't leave - Sokka murmured, dropping to his knees as the first tear fall from his eye. - He... -

- He mentioned a promise - Yue nodded. - Something about him leaving as soon as you told him to? Or was it as soon as you didn't want him there? He used that excuse, and the excuse that everyone hated him, to say it was better to just disappear - she tentatively touched the water where the fish swam, breaking their dance so the white koi would approach and butt its head against her finger before rejoining its partner - less than an hour had passed since he woke up when he was already sailing away in a boat -

- I didn't tell him to leave - Sokka's voice broke with tears - I would never tell him that… -

- You told him to leave after he fought with Katara - Yue muttered, her tone angry at the mention of Katara's name - or rather, after Katara yelled at him when he had just woken up from nearly dying. -

- I didn't mean it like that - Sokka cried, - I meant he should give us some time to process it, not leave us and go away, just not for a while… -

- Can you blame him for believing the other thing? - Yue asked, shaking his head, a sob trying to escape his throat. - I believed it too, anyone would have - He turned to look at him, anger overcoming any pity she might have felt for Sokka, who was weeping on his knees, hunched over. - I've seen, read, and heard how members of a pack are expelled, and you did it. The only thing you lacked was the exact words. Do you know how important packs are in the Fire Nation? it's what family means to us, and you tore him away from his own, leaving him alone in a city that distrusted him, surrounded by people who would attack him without hesitation simply for being the prince of an enemy nation, for being a firebender, for being born into something over which he had no control, something to blame and attack him for - Yue turned his gaze forward, clenching his fists in suppressed fury and disappointment, she stood up and began walking out of the Spirit Oasis. - You didn't care about that, and you didn't care about the love you claimed to have for him. -

- I love him - Sokka said through tears.

- I would have believed you a while ago, just like he used to believe you - Yue murmured, eliciting a sob from Sokka as his heart shattered. - Now he just wants to forget you, and I pray he can. -

Sokka completely broke down; his sobs filled the place, and no one bothered to comfort him.

Chapter Text

A week before

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Zuko said goodbye to the two waterbenders who had helped him reach the port in the Earth Kingdom in just one night and a half day of travel. The waterbenders called him Prince Zuko as they left. He had to use the skills he'd learned from the Yuyan archers to avoid wincing at the name he has disassociated three years ago.

At least it would be the last time anyone called him by that name.

Or so he hoped.

He turned around and walked down the ramp while a waterbender took the opportunity to sell the baskets of fish and handicrafts he managed to fit into the small boat, later, he would buy medicines that couldn't be produced at the North Pole, as well as a couple of orders from the limited number of people who knew about the small boat, which was the first to head to the Earth Kingdom from the Northern Water Tribe in more than eight years. The other waterbender, the older one, whose hair was already gray, approached the adjacent stalls and sat down to play pai sho with another old man. After a few seconds of looking around, he nodded his head with interest.

The memory of his uncle Iroh playing pai sho flooded back to him. Uncle Iroh had taught him even despite the then-Prince Zuko's reluctance. It wasn't that he hated the game, but at seven years old, such a long game seemed tedious. Uncle Iroh had simply laughed and assured him that one day he would understand the game's purpose, and that when he did, Uncle Iroh would show him his favorite piece.

He didn't understand then, and he still didn't understand even after all these years. Everyone knew his favorite piece was the white lotus, and he always placed it on the table, though most of the time he didn't move it.

To be honest, despite all his proverbs, Zuko didn't always get it. Even so, it was fun to listen to him, even though Azula said he was stupid and Lu Ten just rolled his eyes at his father's eccentricities.

Zuko missed them every single day.

Shaking his head to shake off his melancholy, Zuko turned towards one of the port stalls, taking out his notebook and pencil.

Yes, now he could speak, and surely that would be simpler than writing every time he wanted to communicate with someone. But after his last experience, Zuko preferred to return to his perpetual silence. The fear that when he spoke again he would earn the hatred of everyone for miles around was foolish and senseless, but he couldn't shake it after what had happened with those he was beginning to consider his pack.

Besides, his throat still hurt when he spoke a lot or too loudly, or when he hadn't had some medicinal tea after speaking. And it didn't matter at the end of the day because it wasn't as if Zuko enjoyed talking to strangers, or even acquaintances. He could count the few he would speak to who were still alive on his fingers without having to put them all down. Using sign language or writing in a notebook made most people apologize and quickly move away, which bothered him because of the exclusion shown to those who didn't speak. But he took advantage of this without hesitation to avoid unwanted interactions.

The merchants weren't exactly thrilled about having to interact this way, though they tried to take advantage of it by making haggling more difficult. But they couldn't fool Zuko, not after accompanying Liang, June's mother, to the market and learning the secrets of good bargaining, as she called it, until she got a fair price. Zuko wasn't quite as skilled, but he was close enough to still walk away with a great deal.

In the end, he got a week's worth of rations, a map, and a mount, an ostrich horse, along with enough food to feed it. He still had more than three-quarters of the money General Ragni had given him over a month and a half ago, though it felt like half his life, even after spending money on the days he'd traveled with the Avatar's group to the North Pole.

The journey would take him two months and a little more even with a strict journey with breaks mainly intended for the ostrich horse, he was already thinking on calling her Ves or Vesta, having to buy only food for himself and his new companion even if it was three months he would have a quarter of the initial money left by the time he arrived at Liang's family cabin.

A fourth one he would keep in case of any possible accident or unforeseen event.

Nodding to his calculations, Zuko climbed onto Vesta and struck its flanks, beginning his journey.

He didn't think his journey would be so long, with nothing else to do but ride the ostrich horse, letting himself get lost in thought from the very first minutes. He couldn't do that the night before, with the hasty making of his new outfit, which Ivalu wouldn't let him pay for and which Zuko didn't dare wear because of the fineness of the fabrics, so he kept his old Earth Kingdom clothes. Nor could he do more than pack and exchange a few words with Yue, Chief Arnook, and Master Pakku in his haste to leave. Zuko didn't know why he had come, but he still spoke to him. Nor could he think or suffer over what had happened on the boat, being so busy all those times. But now, nothing prevented him.

And now he wept silently on the lonely path, unable to control his emotions as the Yuyan archers had taught him, unable to control the tears he tried to quickly wipe away with his sleeves, unable to control the sobs that escaped every now and then, leaving his throat burning that night, unable to control the pain in his chest that radiated throughout his body, engulfing him with the broken heart at the hands of those he had begun to consider his pack, at the hands of those he loved as friends or as partners, at the hands of those for whom he would have given his life but who quickly turned to hate him as soon as they learned who he was.

He continued crying through the night as he undid his water tribe hairstyle to retie his high ponytail with a dark green ribbon and untied the bandages on his hands. Sheltered under the tent, he cried until he fell asleep and cried again the next day when the journey began. He cried for another full day until finally his tears ran out and his emotions along with his thoughts went blank. His face was empty of any expression and his movements became mechanical.

Two days and two nights passed before he felt any emotion again, as he stayed in a village to shelter himself and Vesta from the rain in the most remote inn.

He didn't want to draw attention to himself, and outsiders in villages already did that. Outsiders with golden eyes from the Fire Nation and a large scar drew even more attention, though most believed he was a war child or a half-breed colonist who preferred his Earth Kingdom heritage to the colonies. But even if they considered that and believed him harmless—a difficult task given the dao swords strapped to his back—they still pointed at him and murmured, punctuated by the occasional laugh.

It was all because of that scar that would forever mark him.

He hated his father for giving it to her. Among the many reasons he hated him, he hated that horrible scar, and he hated everyone who pointed at it or couldn't stop staring.

But even hating them, he couldn't stand idly by in the face of the terrified cries for help from a child being chased by three Fire Nation soldiers from the darkness of the forest toward the alleyways, which were quickly abandoned by those who didn't want to get caught up in the trouble.

Trouble always found Zuko one way or another, or he ended up getting himself into it; if it was going to happen, at least it would be for a good and just reason.

Feeling the adrenaline surge through his veins, he quickly stripped off his clothes and donned his dark gray shinobi shozoku with black gloves. He tucked his ponytail under his fukumen and put on the Blue Spirit Mask in less than thirty seconds. With the lights in his room long since turned off, he had no trouble blending into the shadows at his window before jumping out and following the path of the young man and three soldiers, running across rooftops under the waning moon.

He soon found them and slowed his pace to approach without being noticed by any of the three soldiers who already had the child cornered in an alley.

He quickly realized why these men had pursued the poor young man, or rather, the poor child—a ragged, clearly malnourished boy who couldn't have been more than eight years old. The Fire Nation soldiers wouldn't have cared about him in the slightest had he not been an earthbender, albeit a rather inept one, with no control over the element. Even in his greatest fear, he could only manage to create slight cracks in the ground and levitate a couple of small stones, which he hurled desperately at the soldiers in a last-ditch attempt to defend himself, only succeeding in enraging them further.

Being a child didn't protect you from the Fire Nation, and crying, unless it fueled the fury of their next attack, was not well received. Zuko had learned both of these lessons the hard way, and he didn't want another poor child to suffer the same fate.

He threw a dark smoke bomb between the soldiers and the boy, silencing the child with surprise and, more importantly, forcing the soldiers to retreat as a precaution. Distance was crucial if he didn't want the boy to be caught in the crossfire.

- What is this? - one of the soldiers murmured worriedly.

- How can you not recognize smoke? - the second soldier asked irritably, turning to the first one, who gave him a sour look.

- Oh yeah? And where did it come from, Sir I know everything? -

- Maybe it's a spirit - the third soldier murmured, clearly frightened - like that sea spirit that wiped out the Fire Nation navy during the attack on the North Pole. Not a single man returned, only empty ships -

Yes, Chief Arnook told Zuko that the men had shouted something about the ghost of the Fire Nation prince coming to take revenge on General Zhao, who had tried to assassinate him. Fear quickly spread through their ranks, leading some of them to evacuate the few remaining ships when they assumed the ghost had chased Zhao through the ships, leaving them haunted when Aang, in the Avatar State, merged with the ocean spirit and destroyed the empty ships, incapacitating several soldiers with just a few moves, those who remained soon surrendered, terrified by the power of the spirits and ghostly presences. Now they were all imprisoned: the firebenders in a special prison at the North Pole, and the others in a regular prison.

The ships were lost at sea, some having already washed ashore, pushed by the waves, or perhaps boarded by other vessels not involved in the attack. Stories had already begun to circulate, ranging from the most realistic to the most far-fetched. Fear quickly followed, and with Fire Lords like Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai in the last century, fear of those with great power had taken root in the Fire Nation. And with powerful spirits beginning to manifest with the arrival of the Avatar, the Fire Nation soldiers soon became superstitious.

Fearful of any possible apparition.

And Zuko had been taught to exploit the fear of others, more so in a palace than a fortress. So he quickly leaped into the smoke, drawing his swords and raking them against the ground, creating that sharp, scraping sound as if something were forming within the smoke.

- What is that sound?! – yelled the third soldier.

- That kid must be up to something - the second soldier growled before Zuko stopped the sound and dispersed the black smoke with his swords in a swift motion that made it disappear from his knees to the sky.

- It's the Blue Spirit! - the first soldier shouted in terror. - It's the same one that saved the Avatar from Pohuai Fortress! Not even the Yuyan archers saw it coming or could stop it! -

- Saved the Avatar?! - the third soldier cried in terror, turning his head toward his companion before turning it back toward Zuko, who was fiddling with his swords while tilting his head from side to side like those crazy spirits in the scary stories Azula's friends told at sleepovers, or like Cousin Lu Ten when he wanted to scare them for not going to sleep. - The Avatar child! It must be a guardian spirit of children! We have to leave before we anger it even more! -

- Are you even listening to yourself?! - the second soldier growled at him.

- If it's a guardian spirit of children, it will attack us if we try to capture this child! - the first soldier nodded in terror, agreeing with the third.

- Have you forgotten how many children like this we've captured and imprisoned?! - the second man shouted again, trying to reason with the other two and further enraging Zuko with his words. - If a spirit cared, it would have intervened sooner! This one doesn't care! And it's not a spirit! -

Zuko swung his swords together, activating the black smoke flares hidden in his sleeves. According to the Yuyan archers, they were positioned there for easier deployment in an emergency, but Zuko was no longer with them and would use the flares as he pleased. The swords and smoke created a small whirlwind of sharp metal and darkness that further terrified two of the soldiers.

- It's made of smoke! It doesn't have hands! It's just smoke! - the first soldier yelled before running away from the scene.

- w-wait – said the third one, now with no blood on his face or air in his lungs and reeking of urine as he trembled backwards only to run away in terror the next instant.

- Idiots! - the second soldier shouted as he watched his comrades escape, before turning back to Zuko with a furious growl. - You don't scare me! I don't believe your story for a second! No...! Mercy! Mercy! No! -

One of the swords pierced the wall beside the soldier's head, slicing strands of his dark hair tied in a high bun, but not reaching his scalp. The other sword, still shrouded in black smoke, flew straight toward the man's face, aiming for the space between his eyebrows and stopping less than a centimeter from touching his skin.

- Ahhh! - the man continued screaming even as Zuko stopped moving and raised an eyebrow behind his mask, surprised by the man's lung capacity, even as the smoke relentlessly assaulted his face.

After a few minutes the man finally stopped screaming as his comically wide eyes rolled back and he fell unconscious, dragging himself down the wall without any strength until he ended up sitting in the pool of his urine with his legs bent pointing in opposite directions and his arms hanging limply at his sides.

Zuko hadn't planned to knock the man unconscious with fear, but it was better than having to strike him in the temple when he was too distracted by the weapon pointed at his face. With one last incredulous glance at the man, foam escaping his mouth, his face blackened by smoke, his body sprawled on the ground—still alive, if the rise and fall of his chest was any indication—Zuko gripped the sword embedded in the wall again and yanked it free before twirling it and its comma back into its scabbard.

- Did you kill him? - the boy asked. Zuko hadn't forgotten him… he'd just ignored the part of his brain that reminded him of his presence while he put on his act to intimidate the three soldiers.

Uh, would his mother have considered this acting?

He turned his head and found the boy covered in soot, dirt, scratches, and wounds, as well as some burns that, luckily for him, were only second-degree at worst. His old, worn, dirty clothes, full of holes caused by sharp objects, fire, and the passage of time, were paradoxically too small for his growing body and too large in the areas that should have been filled by muscle due to malnutrition. His hair was clearly unevenly grown from lack of control and tangled from neglect and the presence of dried clumps that must have once been mucus that had dried on it. And of course, there were old, charred areas that had left his hair straw-like, and other recently charred areas that were still smoking.

The boy was a mess.

But that was nothing new for a child without parents, because the child was clearly an orphan, be it cause they had been murdered or they had abandoned him, and he had no one to take care of him, protect him, or teach him how to evade and hide.

And there was absolutely no way Zuko was going to be that person. He wasn't good with children, and he didn't need a burden dragging him along on his journey. The last child he'd saved before this one had dragged him into his pack, where he'd ended up feeling quite comfortable, only to be kicked out like a baby kangaroo rabbit from its mother's protective pouch, thrown out as a sacrifice when she's being chased by a predator.

He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

- Are you going to kill me? - the boy asked, his voice hoarse from screaming, a trail of not-quite-dry tears still visible on his face.

Zuko's memories pushed him back to that night when the Earth Kingdom soldiers had intended to cut off his hands when he tried to retrieve Mrs. Liang's food, when after being saved by June and Nyla, who immobilized the soldiers with her saliva, he tried to escape only to fall pathetically in the mud and turn to the unimpressed gaze of the then sixteen-year-old girl.

- Are you going to kill me? - asked twelve-year-old Zuko, his voice hoarse from his screams and cries of the previous moments. He looked questioningly at the dark-haired, dark-clothed teenager perched atop the large, unknown animal. He raised his head proudly, feigning a bravery he didn't possess and ignoring the trembling of his body caused by fear and cold. - Try it, and you'll have the worst battle of your life. I'll fight even if you cut off my hands and break every bone in my body. You'll never be able to kill me, and even if you do, my spirit will haunt and torment you until you end your own life, after losing all sanity, after losing..."

- You're too dramatic for a kid - the teenager huffed, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

- I'm not the one wearing raccoon makeup and hair halfway down my face like some melancholic character in a play - Zuko growled, crossing his arms, offended at being called dramatic.

- A play? – The teenager asked, amused – What are you? A rich, boring kid? -

- No! - Zuko shouted immediately, and the teenager's eyes flashed in recognition. Zuko wanted to smack his forehead; he was terrible at lying. Why did he even try?

- You're a rich, boring kid - the teenager said, jumping out of the beast and looking at him with renewed interest. - and what's a rich kid doing stealing from Earth Kingdom soldiers? -

- I'm not stealing - Zuko denied, quickly standing up. - I'm getting back the food they stole from a woman. -

- Are you so bored in your nice, giant house that you're trying to play vigilante? - June asked sarcastically.

- Are you going to kill me or not?! - Zuko demanded, quickly losing his patience. He had a short fuse, according to Lu Ten; he exploded very easily, Azula had told him.

- I don't see what I'd gain from that - the teenager shrugged. - Besides, the reward for a rich kid is always big. -

- Nobody's going to pay you for me. Nobody cares about me - Zuko vehemently denied.

- Is that why you ran away from home? Because they weren't paying attention to the rich kid? - June asked, hugging the beast's neck like a baby duckling and using that annoying high-pitched voice people use with pups, all the while glaring at Zuko in clear mockery.

- I escaped because they wanted to kill me! - Zuko shouted, stomping his feet and kicking up mud from beneath him.

- How dramatic - June rolled her eyes.

- I'm not lying! - Zuko yelled as June huffed and spun around, grabbing a sack of food to load onto the beast's back.

- Sure you're not - June scoffed.

- You think this is a lie?! - Zuko yelled, wiping the burn on half his face. - My own father did it! My own father gave the order to kill me! –

The young woman in dark clothing let out a tired sigh and turned her head toward Zuko, intending to continue his mockery, until she noticed the scar. She didn't bother to act as if the large scar wasn't there or to show any kindness or empathy whatsoever. She raised both eyebrows with interest, brazenly eyeing the still-fresh scar before nodding appreciatively.

- That's a big scar - she commented before leaping onto her beast. - Now hurry up and get on. -

- Why would I go with someone who wants a bounty on me? - Zuko asked, crossing his arms. - How stupid do you think I am? -

- Very stupid - June mocked, approaching him. - Why would I collect a bounty on someone who's worthless? - she asked, reaching his side. - Your father may be a complete jerk, but my mother has a soft spot for lost pups in need of love. She asked me to rescue you.-

- Your mother? - Zuko asked, frowning.

- Liang, you know, she's about 5'3, dark hair, brown eyes, skin paler than a ghost, and she has a cabin in the woods - she said, extending a hand to Zuko, who looked at her, still unconvinced.

- Why would she want you to rescue me? - Zuko asked.

- Believe me, I've been asking myself that same question ever since she sent me after you - she mocked, rolling her eyes. - You're twelve years old, kid, and it's pretty obvious you don't have anyone. She's worried and wants to take care of you. -

Zuko didn't get a chance to say anything before June grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her. She struck the beast's flanks, and it quickly began its run back the way Zuko had originally come.

- My name is June, by the way - the girl said, the wind whipping her hair around Zuko’s face. - Now, before you tell me your name, think about it: if you escaped your previous life, you can’t keep your old name. So, what’s your new name? -

Zuko didn’t need to think long. Master Piandao had once laughed at Zuko when he confessed that he sometimes confused servants who shared a name like Lee, with twelve or more of them in different parts of the palace. After a few minutes of laughter, Master Piandao finally calmed down and explained that some names were more common than others, like Lee. There were hundreds of Lees in the world, but only one Zuko, and as long as it was the name of a prince, no one would dare call another person that name until they passed on to another life.

- I’m Lee. -

Oh, the horror, it was June and Zuko in another version of life, only now Zuko was June and the starving earthbending boy before him was Zuko…

Did that even make sense?

Zuko shook his head at the boy's questions, and at his own, earning a strange look from the boy.

- you are not going to kill me? - Zuko nodded to the boy and looked up at the roof from where he had jumped minutes before, trying to figure out how to climb back up quickly and easily. - Are you a spirit or a masked vigilante? -

Giving the boy a puzzled look, Zuko turned to the Fire Nation soldier and searched through his clothes until he found some dried food and a canteen, which he handed to the boy. Anyone else would have been suspicious of the food, but the boy swallowed it in less than a breath, then drank until the canteen was empty.

With a curious look at the boy's actions, Zuko squatted down in front of him and extended his hand showing a few coins that he had taken from the soldier and whose absence the soldier would not notice.

The boy couldn't grab the coins before Zuko had to jump, shielding the child's body and rolling to the side to escape the sharp-edged flying object slicing through the air.

The fan lodged in the wall, and Zuko looked up, finding a group of young women in green dresses, their faces painted in a peculiar way, adorned with gold ornaments, carrying swords and fans.

They were the Kyoshi warriors.

Chapter Text

- You're fast - said a girl with shoulder-length brown hair, kept from falling over her face only by a headpiece. Her hand twirled a refined metal fan with sharp metal points extending from its metal ribs. Four girls behind her extended their fans, maintaining their arrow formation and watching Zuko intently in the middle of the alley. - Give us the child, and we'll be more lenient with you -

- He's a spirit. I don't think that's how things work - commented the child Zuko had hidden behind him, looking at the Kyoshi warriors and not recognizing the painted women.

- A spirit? We saw him jump out of the window of the inn where he's staying - the blue eyed girl in front of the formation asked, clearly the leader, raising an eyebrow. - We were in the same inn. We have his mount and his things - she added, her gaze fixed on Zuko. - Insurance in case the acclaimed spirit intends to escape -

- I'll be furious if I find out you did anything to Vesta - Zuko said, his voice hoarse from disuse. He had to swallow hard to avoid coughing at the sting of those few words.

- Vesta? - the warrior leader asked, confused by the name. - Look, we just want the boy... -

- Did you do anything to upset them? - Zuko asked the boy.

- No... I don't think so - the frightened boy replied - I stole a loaf of bread a few days ago. Maybe it was theirs, I don't remember -

- At my signal, run - Zuko murmured, his eyes fixed on the Kyoshi warriors before him and the alley where they were searching for anything that might help him.

- Yes - the frightened boy nodded before Zuko grabbed him by the collar and lifted him away from the warriors.

- Now! – he screamed, his throat cracking, and the urge to cough gripped him, making his insides too hot to breathe properly. Ignoring the problem, Zuko grabbed his smoke and spark bombs, throwing them in front of him to explode at the feet of the warriors, who couldn't take a single step before the black curtain rose and Zuko turned to run, pulling the boy along, who, far from running, had just stood there staring at the bombs. – You said you'd run –

- I didn’t know what the signal was - the boy complained as he was dragged by the arm through the alleyways before being thrown onto a rooftop and forced to run alongside Zuko.

The Kyoshi warriors soon reappeared, leaping across the rooftops and following at a distance. It would have been surprising if they had even been able to find Zuko if it weren’t for the fact that, firstly, the Kyoshi warriors were elite warriors trained for stealth and sneaking between fortresses, and secondly, Zuko couldn’t possibly be stealthy and silent enough to vanish into the shadows when he was dragging a screaming child who was also slowing them down by tripping over or slipping every few seconds, even when they were running on the solid ground.

After several turns, getting closer and closer to being cornered and trapped, Zuko finally decided to make a sharp turn and head for the forest, disappearing quickly among the dense foliage.

- Stay... - Zuko's sore throat cut him off, drawing the attention of the women hunting the boy to his location. Clearing his throat and forcing himself to calm it, Zuko faced the frightened child again. - Stay here. -

- I don't want them to take me - the boy cried. Oh, Zuko was bad with children, and even worse with crying children. With Azula, he stayed by her side and hugged her. If he tried to say something to comfort her, he only ended up angering her, like almost everyone he tried to console in his life, except for children, because it only made them cry harder.

- If they don't find you, they can't take you - Zuko assured him, not knowing what else to say. - I'll distr... - The cough struck again. If he kept forcing his words carelessly, he would end up tearing his throat. But did that really matter? Talking had only brought Zuko misfortune anyway – I'll distract them and you can escape, okay? –

The boy nodded quickly, desperately wiping away tears and snot – Will you come back? –

- Don't wait for me - Zuko replied, leaping out of the branches.

He ran again on the forest floor, making sure to make noise with loud jumps and by stomping on dry branches that snapped beneath him with a distinctive sound. The Kyoshi warriors soon reappeared around him, fans outstretched and ready to attack.

Four of them.

Without their leader.

Oh no.

Before he could turn and run back to the boy, he was intercepted by one of the warriors. She extended her fan and lunged, intending to cut Zuko's arm. He managed to dodge the attack, escaping the sharp points by mere centimeters.

He directed his hands behind his back and took his two swords, drawing them to use against the warriors. He made it in the right moment to save himself from another attack by interposing one of his swords against a fan attack while forcing one of the warriors to retreat by cutting the air with the other sword.

He didn't give the warrior whose attack he had intercepted a chance to react and kicked her squarely in the stomach with enough force to knock the wind out of her. A twist of the sword caused the fan, now held less tightly, to be knocked out and flung away from the surrounding attackers, while Zuko kicked it sideways to remove it from his front and clear the way to jump to the next warrior.

Swords clashed against fans, sparks flying from the metal-on-metal collision with each new hit and the recoil from both sides, until the other warriors reacted and joined the fight.

The edge of the weapons cut through fabric and skin on each side, and even clumps of hair, much to Zuko's displeasure. A couple of weapons disappeared into the distance amidst the combined movements of so many people, one of Zuko's swords and four other fans, only half of which were caused by Zuko. Two arms were dislocated and quickly reset, and an ankle was sprained, all caused by Zuko taking advantage of the fact that one of his hands was not holding a sword. Several blows, kicks, and bruises followed, and finally, several tree trunks and plants were destroyed around them before the first person left the battle.

It wasn't surprising that it was the one with the sprained ankle, whose last fan had just been flung into the distance. She probably wouldn't have been able to get out of the fight if Zuko hadn't kicked one of her teammates at her, sending her tumbling about three meters out of the way and unable to get back up unless she fixed her sprain.

But three against one was still a huge disadvantage. His training with the Yuyan archers was comparable to that of the Kyoshi warriors, and if he hadn't trained to the point of exhaustion so many times, he would have already lost to them.

He lost his second sword at the same time as two of the warriors were disarmed. The last armed person in the circle made her move and took advantage of being behind Zuko to try to attack him, only for her arm to be caught and twisted behind her back, tearing off her fan and accidentally cutting the skin on the warrior's shoulders because of how sharp the points were. Once he got the weapon, he pushed her and quickly turned, kicking her in the temple before she could even turn around. She fell unconscious to the ground, and Zuko turned, looking to face the two remaining warriors with a new weapon.

One of the women snarled under her breath at the sight of her unconscious comrade on the ground before turning back to Zuko, fangs and claws bared, roaring.

Of course she was an alpha. The soldiers were almost always male alphas, and yes, the Kyoshi warriors were all women, but they didn't say anything about the second gender. Therefore, most of them were alphas with a couple of betas providing support in the background.

It was just a unlucky for that warrior that Zuko knew perfectly well how to fight crazed alphas, having grown up in a fortress where the vast majority were also alphas.

The warrior lunged at Zuko without thinking of a strategy, trusting that her brute alpha nature would be enough, only for him to drop the fan and pull out the shurikens hidden in his sleeves and pockets. Before she could react, he threw the shurikens, trapping the alpha's clothing against a tree trunk with her arms and legs outstretched so she couldn't use any force against the wood to free herself. But even so, the woman thrashed about, growling furiously and snapping at the air. Zuko knew better than to take risks with a deranged alpha. He took a purple powder from one of his pockets and blew it at the alpha, quickly putting her to sleep.

Three down and one to go.

Zuko turned toward his last opponent, catching her just as she slid toward him. He jumped out of her reach and raised a throwing knife as he spun in her direction, only to find the warrior catching the fan he had dropped.

Stupid of Zuko, clever of the Kyoshi warrior.

And yet she would need more than that to defeat him, let alone be smiling…

A body crashed into him, jumping from the trees and knocking him to the ground beneath its weight. His arms were swiftly twisted behind his back, forcing him to drop his knife as he thrashed about, searching for whoever had knocked him down.

It was the warrior with the sprained ankle, and she was the one who was now landing a punch on his face.

He hadn't lost yet, Zuko reminded himself. He wasn't a firebender, but he had the training of a firebending soldier, enough to break free, gain the upper hand, and finish off the two warriors who had tricked him into what was now clearly a trap.

- Stop! - the leader of the Kyoshi warriors finally said appearing on the scene.

Zuko turned his head toward the voice, finding himself face to face with the leader of the warriors. Beside her stood the Earth Kingdom boy, watching the entire scene of the fight in fear.

Had this also been a trap? Was the boy in real danger, or was it a scheme to capture him? Did they even know who he was?

- We made a mistake. It was my fault - she said. She might be Zuko's enemy now, but he had to admire the fact that someone of her rank admitted her group's error. - he wasn't trying to hurt the boy; he was helping him. -

- What? - the warrior with the last fan asked, exhausted.

- he saved him from some Fire Nation soldiers who wanted to imprison him for earthbending - the leader explained. - When he escaped with him, I assume it was to protect him from us. Even Gao thought we were going to hurt him -

- Who is Gao? – the warrior over Zuko asked.

- Oh, he's Gao - the leader replied, gesturing toward the boy without pointing directly at him, unlike some of the other disrespectful people Zuko had seen. She turned her gaze back to her warrior and then to Zuko. - Can you free him, Nyoko? -

- He knocked Kaori unconscious with a kick and threw something at Emiko, who's not waking up now - the girl with a single fan retorted. - And he broke Nyoko's foot. Now you want us to free him? -

- You can't blame him for defending himself and a child - the leader said, walking toward them and looking around in surprise. - Although you can appreciate his skill if he was able to hold his own against four of my best warriors -

- Suki! - the girl with the fan complained again.

- Chiasa, whoever is behind that mask might be the only one who can wake Emiko if they threw something at her that we don't know about - the leader, Suki, told the girl with the fan, Chiasa.

It was a very interesting conversation, Zuko thought to himself sarcastically, but it was also time to escape while the Kyoshi warriors weren't paying attention to him.

He grabbed the Kyoshi warrior's, Nyoko, robes and yanked them shut, simultaneously throwing his head back and striking her nose with a precise blow. She released him, clutching her face, allowing Zuko to brace his hands against the ground and propel himself upward, knocking the warrior off him in the process before running away from the Kyoshi warriors.

Their leader, Suki, managed to react quickly, intercepting him with her fans extended, only to find Zuko shoving both hands between hers and slapping them away. Her grip slipped, and the fans fell to their sides. Suki spun her arms around Zuko's, mirroring the movement, and caught both his arms with her empty hands.

Zuko's mind raced, flashing the image of the dance he'd shared with Sokka before the attack on the North Pole. His legs moved without his direct command, one crossing in front of him, transforming a dance step into a fighting movement as he used it to sweep with that leg under Suki, throwing her to the ground.

Suki landed on her back, dragging Zuko with her and propelling him into a somersault, like a chariot wheel, ending with her perched atop him.

Zuko twisted his arms again, which were still trapped by Suki, taking advantage of the softened grip to free himself and push her away with enough force to make her stumble and fall backward. Zuko rolled onto his back, ending up on his hands and toes, a position ready for escape if possible, but also easily adaptable to a fighting stance if necessary.

- You're good - Suki conceded, slowly getting to her feet. - But you don't intend to really hurt me, just as I don't intend to hurt you since I heard the truth about your actions. We'll keep going around in circles for hours before one of us wins by stamina and time, and I would really appreciate a night's rest. How about you? A truce? - Zuko frowned, knowing it would be noticeable even with his mask on. - The boy said you were sick. Do you need medicine? -

- Why would I accept anything you offered? – Zuko asked, his voice raspy and broken.

- Because you seem like someone intelligent who would accept what's offered when they need it - Suki replied, shrugging. - And because you really do sound terrible -

- I'm not sick - Zuko denied with a snort. - I was on a tr... - A cough attack hit Zuko, forcing him to bend over and cover his mouth with his forearms. At this rate, he wouldn't be surprised if he coughed up blood or a lung. Was one of those even possible just from coughing? - ...treatment so I could speak again. I stopped, and this is the first time I've spoken this much since… - The cough attacked again, and besides being painful, it was starting to get annoying.

- Don't strain yourself if it's not necessary - Suki said, giving him a sympathetic look. She'd gone from looking like a fierce warrior who could slice his throat in seconds with her fan for justice to looking like a sweet, friendly neighbor who would share a freshly baked cake with him if she saw he'd had a bad day. - you may not be sick, but there are a couple of medicines that can help with that pain or allow you to continue your treatment. Do you want to come with us? I wasn't lying when I said we were staying at the same inn as you -

He certainly didn't want to, but if the inn thing was true, then having his things and Vesta was probably true too, so he'd accept, just so he could escape with the ostrich horse as soon as he had the chance.

He nodded, earning a smile from Suki, who looked animatedly at her companions who only sighed, tired from the fight, and nodded, alluding to the fact that they were sleepy and hungry for a hot meal in those last days of winter.

- Okay, with that sorted... - Suki began, looking at Zuko with a hint of discomfort before pointing to her warrior pinned to the tree, unconscious. - ...Will you help us with Emiko? Will she just wake up on her own, or do we need to do something? -

The long answer was that in five hours the girl would wake up naturally, as if she had simply fallen asleep, but if they wished, they could wake her with the steam from a plant or with hot spices on her tongue, or on her feet. Zuko didn't understand how the latter worked, but he preferred to skip the whole discussion and simply point to the moon and its journey across the sky over time.

- Will she wake up later? - Zuko nodded, and Suki turned to her companions who were helping to rouse their kicked-out comrade. - Will you help me carry her? - She pointed at Emiko again. - I'm the least tired, and I'm in charge of the other warriors, and you're the one who left her like this. -

Zuko snorted and nodded. Suki had a point; he was the one who left her like this.

He watched as the other three warriors helped each other gather the fallen weapons, including Zuko's swords, and cared for the orphaned child as they made their way back to the city. Meanwhile, Suki and he released Emiko from the tree trunk, stuffing the shurikens into the secret pockets of Zuko's outfit before hoisting the alpha girl onto their shoulders and beginning their journey back.

Entering the inn wasn't too difficult, largely because the Kyoshi warriors had given up rooms to the group of refugees they were sheltering, ending up in the barns at the back, next to the stables and a good distance from the main inn building. Most of the Kyoshi warriors and Gao entered through the front door and ordered the food they took to the barn to share, while Zuko and Suki slipped in from the shadows, heading straight for the barn, leaving him behind, carrying Emiko's unconscious body.

They ate in silence, Zuko watching the warriors through the eye not covered by his mask when he partially lifted it to eat. The warriors exchanged knowing glances in a silent conversation, and Gao, so excited by the food that he devoured it with surprising speed, let out a satisfied burp, and collapsed onto the sleeping bag one of the warriors handed him.

Chiasa gave him a cup of plant extract too thick to be considered a drink. It had been unpleasant to look at, smell, and drink, but it had soothed his throat almost as quickly as he finished it.

Perhaps on another occasion Zuko would have refused to take an extract of unknown plants from someone he had just fought, with fear of possible mutilation. But now, the worst thing Zuko could imagine them doing to him was killing him with some poison mixed into the extract or rendering him unconscious so they could capture him as a hostage to hold captive, torture, hand him over, or some combination thereof. In the first case, death would feel more like a relief than a punishment, and in the latter ones, Zuko hoped they might trigger something within him, giving him the adrenaline needed to escape.

As it turned out, none of that happened. The Kyoshi warriors, except for one who went out to stand guard, went to sleep, surrounding their unconscious comrade and the child to protect them. Kaori snuggled up to Emiko, still dazed, and silence soon fell over the sleeping group.

Zuko waited until the Kyoshi warriors were in a deep sleep before getting out of his sleeping bag, because they hadn't lied when they said they had his things. He quickly packed the few things he'd taken and slung his bag over his shoulder before leaving the barn, making sure not to run into the warrior on guard even as he entered the stable.

- Were you going to disappear in the middle of the night? - Suki asked, stroking Vesta as she sat beside the sleeping creature's body when Zuko arrived at the stable where she was.

- How did you knew I was coming here? - Zuko asked, crossing his arms and hiding his surprise behind the mask he hadn't even taken off while pretending to sleep.

- You had that look - Suki shrugged, - the look of someone who's going to escape as soon as they get the chance -

Was there a look for that?

- And how did you knew when I was going to do it? – Zuko asked, taking advantage of his restored throat, or at least the one that hadn't been irritated for a few hours.

- I didn’t knew - Suki replied, shrugging again. - I’ve been waiting here since you said goodbye to go to sleep. I thought you’d try to escape right away, not that you’d actually sleep. -

- I didn’t sleep - Zuko replied, still careful with his words. He’d relieved his throat, but if he talked or shouted again, it wouldn’t be long before it was raw again. - I waited until the others were sound asleep. -

- You didn’t check right if you didn’t notice I was gone. -

- I thought you were on guard - It was Zuko’s turn to shrug. - Are you planning to stop me? -

— I don't have a reason to, and I'm not sure I can — Suki shook her head, placing one hand next to the other and then raising and lowering them alternately — our skills are pretty evenly matched, it's hard to say which way the scales would tip in a fight —

— I defeated two of your warrios in a four way fight —

— and the other two caught you — Suki replied, amused.

- After fighting four against one for who knows how long - Zuko shrugged, shifting his weight onto one leg and giving her a smug look.

- Ah, but fighting them - Suki reminded him - not me. -

- Do you think you're better than your warriors? -

. I have to work harder and train five times as much as they do, or I won't be a good enough leader - Suki replied.

- Do you have to be better than them to be their leader? - Zuko asked, clearly provoking her.

- It's because I'm their leader that I have to be better every day - she retorted, unfazed by his tone.

- That sounds harsh. -

- It's part of the responsibility. - Suki shrugged before giving Zuko a serious look. - I know I said I wasn't going to stop you, but that doesn't mean I wasn't going to ask you not to leave. -

- Why would I stay? - Zuko raised an eyebrow sharply. Yes, his social skills hadn't improved, but he had no intention of improving them when it meant having to talk to others who might abandon him for being born into a situation he didn't even want.

- For Gao, the boy you saved. -

- Saving children causes me too many problems. I should stop - Zuko muttered listlessly.

- We were thinking of taking him to an orphanage in Ba Sing Se - Suki began to explain. - It might be the only safe place for him, being an earthbender. -

- Good luck on the journey - Zuko replied, though he still sounded curt. He hoisted his things onto Vesta's back. Vesta woke up, looking surprised by the two people in the room.

- Are you going to abandon him? - Suki asked suddenly, looking shocked and angry on behalf of the child. - Are you just going to leave him like this? -

- I'm leaving him with you - Zuko retorted.

- That doesn't change the fact that you're leaving him - Suki retorted. - You'll break his heart. -

The memory of Katara saying the same words when she tried to leave that first day assaulted him, wounding him as much as angering him, especially when that same memory was crushed by the last one he had of the waterbender from the Southern Tribe.

- I’m from the Fire Nation - Zuko growled. - A firebender - He turned his head toward the young woman, pointing at his golden eyes. - Will you still let me near the child? Will you still let me go free? -

- Do you intend to hurt the child? - Suki asked, her shoulders tense, but at least she hadn’t yet lunged to slash Zuko’s throat with the fans resting at her hips. - Or any innocent person? -

- Does it matter? - Zuko asked, crossing his arms.

- I’ve met bad people from the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, and the Water Tribes - Suki replied, getting up from the ground. - And there have been hundreds of them throughout history. My island was formed to separate itself from the vast expanse of a warlord and dictatorial king of the Earth Kingdom. -

- Yes, there are horrible people scattered throughout the world - Zuko rolled his eyes.

- Yes, and there are good people everywhere - Suki continued. - Just because you’re from the Fire Nation, or a firebender, even if you were the Fire Lord’s distant cousin, doesn’t make you a bad person. - She had no idea how close to the truth she was, given Zuko’s familiarity with the Fire Lord. - Your actions speak for you, and your actions have shown me that you’re someone who fights for the innocent. Even though you’re from the Fire Nation, you fought against your own soldiers for a child from the Fire Nation’s enemy kingdom.”

- You’d trust me just because I saved a child? - Zuko asked, shaking his head. - That’s absurd. -

- You were willing to fight to the death for him. - Suki shrugged. - That’s admirable. Until you give me a reason not to trust you, I can only expect the best from you and believe I can trust you. -

- Doesn’t my nationality seem like reason enough to you? -

- No - Suki replied simply, before giving him an amused look. - Not even the mask. In fact, I think the mask is a good tool. We found you because some soldiers were running away, scared of the blue spirit. We could use it to our advantage. -

- You plan to take advantage of my mask? - Zuko asked, amused, much against his wishes.

- It's called strategy - she retorted, amused.

Zuko shook his head in amusement before looking intently at the ostrich horse, recalling all his planning and where he needed to go.

- I can't stay, I have to get to some friends - Zuko said, stroking Vesta's neck sadly. - I'm sorry. -

- Then it's lucky we're not staying either - Suki replied. - We'll leave tomorrow, or today - she murmured, looking out the stable window where the sky was beginning to brighten with the new day. - You can join us on our journey to Ba Sing Se. We're taking refugees. -

- I'm not good at interacting with people - Zuko said, shaking his head.

- You can stay by my side - Suki shrugged playfully. - I'll do all the interaction; you'll just accompany me. -

- You just want me to... accompany you? - Zuko asked suspiciously. - Just because I helped a child? -

- You’re good at fighting - the light-eyed girl sighed. - We could really use your help protecting the refugee group. I was hoping I could convince you with words, because we can’t convince you with money, but I understand if you can’t. -

Zuko hated being weak and soft. His father got angry at him about it. He rescued injured animals, only to have his father killing them if he caught him. He brought treats and fruit to the animals in the stables. He looked after the ducks and turtles in the pond that his mother had loved so much. He gave portions of his food to the animals in the forest surrounding Pohuai Fortress. He gave money or food to children and refugees when he accompanied the fortress soldiers or Liang on shopping trips. He even accompanied a group of teenagers, including the Avatar, to the North Pole simply because he had grown fond of them, even though he knew he shouldn’t. And now, he was giving in to the noble cause of the Kyoshi warriors to help refugees.

- Ba Sing Se is on the way to my final destination - Zuko lied. It would take him out of his way and delay him by at least two weeks, and that wasn't even considering that traveling in a group would slow them down considerably. It wasn't the opposite route, but it wasn't even close to the original path. Zuko would have to redo his entire plan and recalculate his finances.

It was a terrible idea.

It was completely irrational and pointless to accompany them. He would lose time, be in more danger, attract attention, have to follow the group's directions, have to interact with other people…

And yet, he found himself unloading his things from Vesta to accompany Suki back to the barn, having agreed to go with them.

Yes, Zuko hated himself for still being that weak, soft boy from the palace.

Chapter Text

- Where did you learn to wrap your bandages like that? - Suki asked, walking beside Zuko and carefully examining his hands and forearms.

- Uhh… - Zuko raised his hands wraped in bandages the way Sokka used to wrap them even when he wasn't injured. Sokka had told him the bandages would protect his knuckles when he punched, preventing his skin from splitting and reducing the risk of dislocating his wrists. The bandages were something warriors in the Southern Water Tribe were taught; in Sokka's case, his own father had taught him. Even Katara was starting to use them now that she planned to fight with her waterbending. Zuko couldn't write down that he'd learned from watching Sokka wrap his hands every morning until it became a habit, and that he'd started wrapping his own hands after returning to the Earth Kingdom out of nostalgia, imagining invisible hands resting on his own to help him. He couldn't say he learned it from Sokka, and he couldn't say why he kept doing it. - I don't remember very well, some warriors said it would hurt me less when I punched. It works, so I keep doing it. -

- Water Tribe warriors - Suki said, freezing Zuko's heart. - They're the ones with those bandages on their hands. Who did you meet? -

Fear crept through Zuko's body, but he made sure to hide it in his body language, maintaining a calm and emotionless expression.

It would have been much easier if he had kept his mask on, but he had to remove it to accompany the others on the journey. If he had kept it on, people would have quickly realized he was just a person wearing a mask. All the theatrics and fear the blue spirit instilled in Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation soldiers would have vanished. Zuko would have lost the influence over those who feared the power of spirits, and his nighttime missions would have been much more difficult, complicating his life.

The soldiers couldn't exactly hunt a spirit. If he attacked with the mask on, it would increase the fear surrounding his image, but it wouldn't necessarily increase the number of people trying to capture him.

Fear was not something Zuko would want to use to his advantage, but the mere presence of the blue spirit already provoked it in the soldiers, so the kyoshi warriors took advantage of it.

They had only spent a few days together, almost a week, but the Kyoshi warriors had already concocted a story around his image, drawing on the ideas of the soldiers and villagers they encountered along the way, solidifying it and making it more believable by aligning it with their own experiences.

According to the stories, it was a warrior spirit, a watchful guardian that protected children and young people destined to become great fighters, but punished warriors or soldiers who had strayed from the path. It marked them as a warning the first time, then stripped them of their bending ability and military skills the second time, and finally made them disappear, erasing them from the minds of others the third time. It could only find its victims in dreams, but would forget them again upon waking. This spirit, made of black smoke, could become corporeal to lend a hand to those in need or to harm those it punished who tried to fight it. It carried all kinds of weapons and hid beneath its mask the deepest fears of the ones seen it, thus ultimately banishing the wicked warriors in the midst of nightmares.

There must have been something special about the medicinal plants the Kyoshi warriors were taking, allowing them to grasp the story in a matter of seconds while listening to the Fire Nation soldiers who fought against Zuko the night they met. They managed to convince the soldiers that the story was true until they fervently believed it.

Especially the one who fainted from fear when he was attacked, as he had unintentionally marked his neck with smoke. This, combined with his cold sweat, had created a strange shape: a horizontal line from the center of which a curved line seemed to emerge to the left, with a small branch extending straight down, becoming exaggeratedly long until it almost disappeared into the soldier's uniform. A final curved line to the right also began separately from the others, mirroring its left counterpart.

The Kyoshi warriors assured that they had seen other warriors with that mark, and that although it could be physically cleaned, the spirits would still see it, so the blue spirit could watch him and the other spirits would not intervene when someone called them on his behalf.

Of course, they were lies, but some nearby villagers began to whisper of having seen other people with the same mark, and some of those people soon lost their bending abilities and military skills, ending up dead in battle. Then others quickly claimed to have seen people with those marks in their dreams but couldn't remember their faces, and from there the rumors spread as the stories were heard in the different villages they reached.

The blue spirit began to arrive in the villages, attacking warriors and evildoers, who, not surprisingly, included former soldiers expelled from their regiments, involved in the illegal sale and hunting of animals, human trafficking, drugs, forced labor, hostage-taking, prisoner abuse, slavery, torture, rape, prostitution, persecution based on racial, national, and cultural grounds, and other war crimes.

The stories and rumors grew; people swore they saw the blue spirit, and even if only out of fear, the soldiers stopped their mistreatment. Those involved in shady dealings escaped with whatever they could carry, only to be quickly caught by the same blue spirit and brought before the authorities with enough evidence in full view of everyone to imprison them for years.

What those who claimed to see the blue spirit didn't realize was that, in the shadows, a group of female warriors were responsible for knocking dozens of men unconscious, clearing the way for the so-called spirit. Of course, the spirit continued to face a good number of people, but without the warriors' help, most of its missions would have ended with it incapacitated and forced to flee, or dead. Furthermore, gathering evidence or catching those who escaped would have taken days instead of a night or two.

They were a team. Nyoko called him an honorary Kyoshi warrior, insisting that, by and large, they were still a team of Kyoshi warriors. The Blue Spirit was merely the symbolic mask that fought against the villains, while the Kyoshi warriors and Lee helped the villages they encountered by building, repairing, and providing food to those in need.

Although most people didn't connect the Blue Spirit with the Kyoshi warriors.

Not even the refugees, whose numbers increased along their journey, with the exception of Gao, who had interacted with both Lee and Blue and recognized him. It was a tacit agreement that neither the warriors nor Zuko were to reveal. Gao was convinced it was top secret, a promise he had to keep because of his pinky finger promise.

Zuko introduced himself as Lee, though the warriors called him Blue on their secret missions. He was an orphaned archer who lost everything in an explosion years ago, caused by his biological father, a Fire Nation soldier who was enraged upon learning of his existence as a child of war. Zuko had inherited Fire Nation traits like his slanted and golden eyes, but not his bending ability, which is why the Fire Nation hadn't taken him. and it was his fire-tainted blood that prevented the Earth Kingdom from recruiting him.

Only the Kyoshi warriors knew his true nationality and his bending ability. They also knew he had run away from home because of an abusive father who burned his face. He didn't tell them why, but the warriors couldn't believe there could be any reason to justify harming a child like that, much less one's own son.

He trusted them, a complete surprise to himself, and they trusted him enough to watch each other's backs on missions, even to the point of putting their lives in each other's hands. But he didn't trust anyone enough to tell secrets from his past life, much less after what happened with Sokka, his time with the team Avatar, or his secret relationship.

So he couldn't tell Suki the truth, at least not in response to her question.

- I knew Bato. He was a warrior from the Southern Water Tribe who was wounded in battle - Zuko wrote, lowering his hands. - They left him at an abbey to recover, and I met him during that time. I don't know where he is now or if he's still alive. -

Technically, he wasn't lying, so Zuko didn't have any trouble or stumble over his words. He was simply recounting another true story.

- Oh, I thought… - Suki looked at the ground sadly. - I thought maybe you might have met Sokka. He's also a warrior from the Southern Water Tribe, but he's traveling with the Avatar, and I haven't heard from him in a long time. I was hoping that if you knew him, you could tell me how he was when you saw him or what his plans were so I could find him. -

Of course she knew Sokka! How could Zuko forget that Sokka himself had told him he'd beaten the leader of the Kyoshi once?

Although, he was starting to doubt the truth of those words.

- How did you two meet? - Zuko didn't really want to know; it still hurt to think about… that person. But it was a way to distract Suki, and with any luck, it might make her forget about him meeting Water Tribe warriors.

- Oh, he, his sister, and the Avatar came to Kyoshi Island - Suki replied enthusiastically. - It was fun until a Fire Nation general came chasing the Avatar and almost burned the village down. They left so fast, and we didn't get a proper goodbye. -

- A proper goodbye? - Zuko asked, puzzled.

- I didn’t even say goodbye to Aang and Katara - she shook her head. - And I gave Sokka a goodbye kiss, but we couldn’t talk much in the rush. -

Oh, right. Sokka had mentioned that he’d kissed other girls before kissing Zuko and had participated in the hunt so he could marry someone. Katara could confirm that it was so nothing would stop him from getting married whenever he wanted in the future without having to return to fulfill the ritual in the middle of a war. But Zuko could add to that the fact that Sokka wouldn’t think about any of that if he didn’t have his sights set on a possible relationship, a relationship like the one he was supposed to have with Suki.

- Do you want to know where to find them so you can say a proper goodbye? - Zuko asked, confused by the warrior’s reasoning, while at the same time feeling his heart race with panic. Because if she was looking to find them, he should separate from this group before it happened.

- No - Suki replied playfully. - I want to travel with them. -

- Why? – Zuko asked, turning his head towards her in surprise.

- It seemed exciting and fun when I saw them - she shrugged. - Although I couldn't do it anyway; my place is with the Kyoshi. But I could listen to their adventures if I find them - she snorted playfully, a smile forming on her lips. - And I could kick Sokka's butt again in a duel. -

And that was his chance of changing the subject.

- Speaking of duels - Zuko began, glancing ahead to make sure the group of refugees they were leading, the two of them protecting the rear while the other warriors guided and watched from the front, didn't overhear them. - I think we're still wondering who would win in a duel between the two of us. -

- That's right - Suki agreed, smiling with interest and cradling her chin with one hand at the prospect of another confrontation. - We should settle that as soon as possible -

- I agree - Zuko nodded in kind. - The next stop for lunch is soon... -

- And it will take at least an hour while everyone has lunch and rests before we resume our journey to Ba Sing Se - Suki continued.

- I can beat you in an hour - Zuko confidently showed his notebook, earning a frown from Suki.

- I can beat you in less than an hour - Suki retorted, crossing her arms.

- You can try - Zuko mocked, earning a punch on the shoulder from Suki.

They battled for two and a half hours without a break, under the watchful eyes of the other Kyoshi warriors and some refugees. Zuko was almost certain that Suki had invited them to watch so he couldn't use his firebending, but he didn't care. Even if he could have, he wouldn't have, given his fear of harming someone he cared about with fire.

Cared about her only a little. He hadn't known her for more than three days, so if he cared about her at all, it was minimal, definitely minimal.

- You're just delaying your inevitable defeat - Suki said, forcing Zuko back several steps to dodge the slash of her fan. His feet carried him to a small lake, the water reaching just below his knees as Suki watched him, completely dry, from the shore. - I haven't lost a single fight in weeks. -

- Then it's a shame - Zuko retorted, his throat slightly sore from having to speak throughout the fight. He lowered his swords until they crossed the water's surface. - I'm going to break your record. -

Zuko moved his arms swiftly, creating a wave of water with his swords and hurling it at Suki's face, soaking her completely.

The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors quickly retreated, but the water had already hit her face, droplets sliding down as she glared at Zuko, who emerged from the lake, having gained ground.

- That was very childish - Suki replied, - and you didn't accomplish anything, water dosen't..." Suki grimaced, quickly closing her eyes as drops of water with smeared makeup fell onto them, not letting her open them again for more than half a second.

- Did you get something in your eye? - Zuko asked before darting to the side to dodge Suki's blind attack and then attacking her from the side, trapping her arm and bending it until she dropped the last fan she had left.

Suki tried to maneuver to free her arm and attack Zuko, still blind, only for Zuko to anticipate her move and release her, escaping several meters before Suki could even make a move to catch him, finding only air in her hands.

- Blinding your opponent isn't worthy of a warrior - Suki complained.

- No, but it's very clever for a duel - Zuko replied, recalling the words of his old sword master. - Our only rule was not to mutilate each other - Zuko continued. - Besides that, didn't you want a completely realistic duel? -

- Why do I get the feeling you're taking out your frustrations on me from a previous fight? – Suki muttered, frowning and unsure where to turn to dodge Zuko's next blow, unable to see him because of the makeup on his eyes or hear him because of how exaggeratedly quiet the golden-eyed one was even after hours of fighting.

Zuko slid across the ground behind Suki and kicked the back of her knees, knocking her to the ground. He then trapped her in a hold that twisted Suki's arm into an awkward position. One of Zuko's legs choked her, preventing her from turning her head toward her captor, while his other leg held her torso, preventing her from attempting any escape moves.

The other Kyoshi warriors and the few refugees who had stayed behind to watch the more than two-hour fight held their breath as Suki groaned and searched for a way to escape before finally surrendering to Zuko's strong grip.

- Fine, I give up - she groaned, almost breathless from the time she had spent being choked by Zuko's leg.

With an exhausted sigh, Zuko released Suki and let her body roll away, only to sit wearily, his eyes fixed on her as she sat down to make sure she was alright.

- That was a good fight - Zuko remarked, loosening a few joints to ease the heaviness from the exhausting exercise.

- You're a good opponent - Suki agreed. - We have to do this again - She sighed, finally wiping her eyes before collapsing back, exhausted. - But another day. -

- I agree. I want to analyze a couple of your moves - Zuko agreed.

- You want to analyze my moves? - Suki asked incredulously, turning her head to meet his gaze, her eyes wide. - I want to analyze yours! Where did you learn those backflips and leg spins? -

From Aang, Zuko immediately thought. They were airbending moves he'd used without realizing it, but he couldn't say anything about it. He didn't want to think about it.

- I guess I saw them from other people and incorporated them into my fighting style - Zuko shrugged. - I'd guess yours are the fighting style of the Kyoshi warriors. -

- They are - Suki agreed.

- That's amazing - I commented unconsciously, only realizing it because of Suki's amused smile.

- Oh no, I can't believe it - she murmured excitedly. - You're a fan! How could I not have noticed? -

- I’m not a fan! - Zuko retorted quickly. - I just think you have a good backstory, you follow good values, and you’re good at what they do. -

- Uh huh - Suki scoffed.

- Don’t think you’re so special - Zuko countered. - When I was a kid, I liked reading about elite warrior groups. They were among them, so that’s all. -

And Azula was sneering because he was a real fan of all those warrior groups. If she could see him now, she’d be laughing her head off.

- Sure - Suki agreed, earning an annoyed growl from Zuko, who slumped down on the grass, frowning.

- Why is Lee grumpy now? - Chiasa asked, approaching Suki and raising an eyebrow at Zuko.

- Isn't being grumpy just his deafult mode? - Nyoko asked, limping to sit next to Zuko because her ankle was still healing from a sprain. Zuko wished he'd sprained one of his hands instead of his ankles, given how little Nyoko cared about personal space, constantly touching his face to make him pull funny faces. This time was no exception when she placed her fingers on Zuko's cheeks, lifting them to try and force a fake smile onto his lips. - See, his muscles aren't used to smiling - she said.

- Leave me alone - Zuko growled, removing Nyoko's hands from his face.

- You'd think he'd be happy after winning the fight - Emiko commented, tilting her head to look at Zuko with a puzzled expression as she handed him her notebook so he could continue writing instead of talking so painfully.

- I'm still surprised she managed it - Kaori said, jumping up and hugging her girlfriend from behind before turning her head towards Suki. - You would have won if you had just cut a couple of his hairs, he squealed and backed away from when we accidentally cut his hair that time we fought. -

- Yes, we lowered his guard and managed to take his swords - Emiko agreed with her girlfriend.

- Well, if I had hair this beautiful and you cut it, I'd squeal too - Nyoko said, reaching out to Zuko again to comb his hair. - It's so soft. -

Zuko tugged at his hair to free himself from Nyoko's grasp once more.

- Why do you like your hair so much? - Kaori asked, letting go of Emiko and sitting down on the other side of Zuko - I mean, why do you take such good care of it? -

- It’s not because I like it, it’s something important in the Fire Nation - Zuko shrugged. - It’s just something that’s been ingrained in my mind, and it’s stupid. I shouldn’t give it any importance. Someday someone will take advantage of it and kill me. -

- It’s not stupid - Chiasa countered. - If it’s something important to you, it’s not stupid. We might not understand it, but you do. Don’t let other people’s words make you think it’s not important. -

- Yeah, besides, I can’t imagine you without hair - Kaori murmured.

- I shaved it all off three years ago - Zuko muttered, under the surprised stares of the warriors.

- Yeah, no - Suki shook her head. - I can't imagine it either. -

- I bet you were still as cute as you are now - Nyoko smiled, looking at Zuko with hearts in her eyes, Zuko was sure she was just teasing him.

- I bet you looked bad - Kaori retorted mockingly. - You don't look like a bald. -

Winter, spring,

Summer and fall.

The warriors Kyoshi and Zuko turned to look in surprise at the two women and three men approaching, singing and playing their instruments through the forest.

Four seasons,

Four loves,

Four seasons,

Four lo…

- Hello! How are you, people of the road? - asked one of the men, the one who carried a charango and was the lead singer.

- People of the road? - Emiko asked, confused by the man's words.

- Hello, how are you? We are the Kyoshi warriors and a small group of refugees heading to Ba Sing Se - Suki introduced herself, stepping forward with a kind smile. - And who are you? -

- I’m Chong - the man introduced himself before pointing to the woman on his right wearing a strange hat with a giant flower. - This is my wife, Lily. We’re nomad travelers; we go wherever the wind takes us. -

- Great! - Kaori smiled broadly. - You must have some good stories from your travels. -

- Oh yes, from all over the world - another man nodded, wearing a pink suit and carrying bass drums. - From everywhere we’ve been and everywhere we’ve heard about. -

- And do you have any good stories? - Lily, Chong’s wife, asked, her voice rasping, probably from singing with her husband so much.

- Oh! Have you heard of the Blue Spirit? - Nyoko asked, jumping up and running toward the nomadic travelers.

- Yes, exciting stories - Chong agreed - Some were very funny, and others were very scary -

Were there any funny stories about the Blue Spirit?

- My husband is composing a song of it - Lily commented. Suki's eyebrows rose as she exchanged a glance with Zuko at the woman's recent words.

- Oh yes, but I'm just playing the tune for now - Chong agreed with his wife's words as he strummed a couple of strings on his charango.

- And where are you heading now? - Emiko asked after exchanging an amused glance with her girlfriend. Zuko could already guess they were going to tease him about it later.

- The secret tunnel of the Lovers' Cave - the other woman in the group replied. - We've heard wonderful things about the place. -

- And a song - Chong added before starting to play his charango again.

Two lovers

Forbidden from one another

A war divides their people

And a mountain divides them apart

Build a path to be together

…

- Wait a second - Chiasa interrupted the song. - Lovers' Cave and a secret tunnel under a mountain? Isn't that the legend of the founding of Omashu? -

- Yes, same story - Chong agreed. - Do you know it? -

She had just mentioned it, Zuko thought. How could she not know it?

- you're going north, Omashu is to the south - Suki said, frowning in confusion.

- The Hei Bai forest is closed, so there's no way through. We'll have to take a boat from Makapuu that will take us along the shore - the bongo man nodded, earning a grimace from Zuko as he remembered Aunt Wu's village.

- No way through? - Kaori asked before turning to Suki. - How will we get to Full Moon Bay to cross over to Ba Sing Se? -

- We could turn towards the northern mountains, but that would take too long - Suki murmured thoughtfully. - And it would be dangerous for the elderly and pregnant women, not to mention the children who would surely get sick from the climate. -

- We could continue along the path, but cross the Baruu forest and then the bridge that was built during the dam construction - Zuko mentioned, recalling the routes. If he remembered correctly, they shouldn't be more than two days away from Pohuai Fortress, so the maps he had studied just a couple of years ago should be useful. - In fact, we'll take a shortcut that way. -

- The Baruu Forest was taken over by the Fire Nation almost a decade ago. They have checkpoints and everything - Chiasa countered. - Besides, there are rumors of bandits in that area. -

- They only have checkpoints on the main road. The other roads are just small villages and settlements scattered in the distance, including the bridge and the dam - Zuko explained, racking his brain. - The closest we’ll get to the Fire Nation is a village at the foot of the dam, but even then, the bridge is only a few meters away. We shouldn’t have any problems. -

- Except for the bandits - Emiko added.

- It’s still our best option - Suki sighed. - We’ll take that road and stay alert. We’ll take turns keeping watch for the two nights we’ll be there and keep the group informed so they can maintain discretion. -

- Good - the other Kyoshi warriors agreed.

A bad feeling gripped Zuko as he watched the warriors say goodbye to the group of nomad travelers. He knew it was the route he himself had suggested, but as Suki had said, it was their best option for the time being.

Chapter Text

The Northern Water Tribe's ship, carrying all the waterbenders traveling to the South Pole to aid their sister Water Tribe, arrived at the small coastal town. According to the two waterbenders who had been there a week and a day prior, this was the same town where the Fire Nation prince had landed, quickly vanishing from sight.

Sokka leaped off the deck and onto the dock ramp where the ship was about to dock. He ran down it toward the first merchant's stall he came to. Before he could stop, Sokka crashed into the counter and spun around, facing the merchant, who stared at him, startled by his violent and desperate entrance.

- I'm looking for a boy! Fifteen years old, pale skin, black hair, golden eyes, and a scar over his left eye! Have you seen him?! - Sokka shouted, startling the merchant even more. The merchant shook his head, desperate and terrified by the frantic teenager before him - He was here a week ago! - Sokka shouted again, only managing to make the merchant quickly back away and slam the window of his stall shut in his face.

- We're closed! - the shopkeeper yelled from the other side.

- It's midday! - Sokka shouted indignantly before turning towards the stalls beside him, only to see the merchants hastily closing their shops to escape him.

Great! He'd terrified everyone who could have helped him find Lee!... Zuko! He was Zuko! How could he still have trouble with his name?!

With a resigned sigh, Sokka turned halfway around to return to the Northern Water Tribe's ship, from which Katara and Aang had already disembarked, along with Appa and Momo, of course. They were carrying their belongings to Appa's saddle as a couple of adults got off to say goodbye to the group.

Yes, this whole situation has to be dragged out much longer than necessary, as if Zuko weren't alone and lost in the vastness of the truly vast Earth Kingdom.

- Sokka, what did the locals tell you? - Aang asked, quickly jumping off Appa's saddle to join Sokka.

- They slammed the doors in my face, literally - Sokka grumbled, frowning and glaring angrily at the merchant stalls in the port.

- Oh - Aang said, looking down, both worried and devastated by the words.

Sokka knew Aang hadn't been sleeping well the past few days, waking up with nightmares in the middle of the night and sneaking out of his room without intending to wake anyone. It would have worked if Sokka hadn't been having trouble sleeping without Zuko's body in his arms, and all of that had been before last night when Sokka came back with the news that Zuko had leave the North Pole…

Sokka ran, tears frozen by the North Pole cold, ignoring the puzzled looks of the few people he encountered. He entered the building where they were staying, ran upstairs, and burst into their room, startling both Aang and Katara, who hadn't arrived long ago and were resting in their sleeping bags.

- Pack your things! We're leaving right now! - Sokka shouted, running straight to his backpack and throwing all his belongings inside without bothering to organize them, knowing he was creating a mess.

- What? - Katara asked, sitting up quickly. - We haven't finished rebuilding the city, and the new waterbenders' ceremony is still a week away -

- I said pack your things - Sokka grumbled, turning toward his sleeping bag.

- What about Zuko? - Aang asked, worried about the Fire Nation prince, as Sokka grabbed his sleeping bag, shivering at the acrid scent of Zuko's suppressants, the only thing he had left of him. - He still hasn't come back with us, and we're not leaving without him. -

Sokka squeezed his eyes shut, feeling fresh tears stream down his face as he hugged the sleeping bag.

He shook his head forcefully, trying to escape the painful memory as quickly as possible and returning to the present to notice the dark circles under Aang's eyes—dark circles he himself must have had from the little time he'd managed to close his eyes trying to sleep on the ship from the North Pole.

- Katara, I want you to have this - Master Pakku said, approaching the bison with a sack in his hands. He turned to the waterbender, drawing the attention of the entire group to the strange pendant: a large, heavy charm in the colors of the Water Tribes, adorned with various symbols of the moon and ocean spirits. - This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis - he said. Katara took the amulet, with a stunned expression on her face. - The water has unique properties; don't lose it. -

- Thank you, Master Pakku - Katara nodded respectfully before approaching him for a warm, familiar hug. She then stepped back and climbed onto Appa's saddle.

- Aang - Pakku called to the young monk who approached him, slightly surprised. - These scrolls will help you waterbending - he explained, handing Aang a wooden chest with a central carving on the lid bearing the symbol of the Northern Water Tribe. Inside, just as Master Pakku had said, were at least ten scrolls, perfectly preserved. - But remember, they're not substitute for a real master - Aang turned his head to see Katara still looking downcast, when on another occasion he wouldn't have hesitated to smile at his friend. After a sigh, he bowed respectfully to the waterbender in gratitude for the scrolls and turned to put the chest in his bag on the saddle before climbing onto the head of the flying bison. - Sokka - the waterbender master finally called to the dark haired young man who, still dejected by Zuko's absence, approached Pakku hopefully, waiting for a gift. - Take care, son -

- Hmph - Sokka pouted in disappointment as the old man turned and got away

- We had planned to leave you further south on the continent, a short distance from General Fong’s base, so he could give you directions to Omashu - Master Pakku began, watching the young people settle onto the flying bison for their journey. - But if you’re looking for your friend, you’ll have better luck starting from the last place we knew he was seen. However, General Fong still extends his invitation throughout the week, so I recommend you visit the base. - He turned to the other men of the Northern Water Tribe who were heading to the Southern Water Tribe to help rebuild it and gestured for them to return to the ship and prepare to continue their journey before taking one last look at the Avatar’s small group. - I wish you luck on your journey. -

- Say hi to Gran Gran for me - Katara shouted as the man with the ship departed and Appa began walking toward the coastal village.

They spent the rest of the day asking around the village, a village with no more than thirty houses and fifteen stalls along the harbor. But, as expected, not a single person in any house or stall matched Zuko's description, or the drawing Sokka had made of him. The drawing had only garnered worried glances, as people mistook what looked perfectly human for some kind of octopus spirit with a scarred face. Not a single person, not until literally the last one they asked, seemed to recognize him.

- A big scar on his left side? - the merchant repeated, looking puzzled at the group while scratching his chin. - A serious face and nice hair tied in a high ponytail? -

- Yes! - Sokka shouted, pushing Aang out of the merchant's doorway and standing in his place with renewed hope. - you saw him! -

- Oh yes, a week ago - the merchant nodded. - He bought me an ostrich horse, food for the animal and for himself, and a map on which he spent about fifteen minutes drawing and doing calculations before leaving. -

- You spoke with him? - Katara asked, relieved.

- Spoke? - the merchant asked before quickly shaking his head. - Oh no, the boy couldn't speak, he only wrote in a notebook, but even so, he was very good at haggling over my prices. - The merchant nodded appreciatively. - What a skill. -

- But... he can speak - Aang murmured, puzzled. - We heard him speak. -

- Well, he tried to speak when he arrived, but he could only manage a greeting before being interrupted by a cough worse than a dying man's. -

- Is he sick? - Sokka asked, worried.

- He looked perfectly healthy - the merchant said, shrugging. - I suppose it was because of his severed vocal cords. He shouldn't try to speak with those injuries. -

- Vocal cords what? - Sokka asked again, his terror growing with each passing second.

- Severed. Some soldiers do it to war childs to silence them about their real parents - the man visibly shuddered. - Some, as must be the case with the boy you're looking for, manage to get treatment early and can say a few words, but they tear their throats every time they do. -

- Oh - Katara gasped as if she'd just been stabbed, backing away with tears in her eyes, looking utterly horrified.

- You said he had a map. Did you see where he was heading? - Sokka asked, earning a negative shake of his head from the man.

- Not exactly - he replied -but he was going south, far south. He didn't reach Chin, but he passed the Great Swamp. With a quality mount like the ones I sell, it would take him at least a month and a half to get there. -

- And in that month and a half, he could be anywhere along the way - Sokka muttered, clutching his head in pure frustration. - How are we going to find him? -

- General Fong's base is also to the south - Aang said, placing a hand on Sokka's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. - Maybe we can run into him along the way. -

- Everything is south of here, except the North Pole - the merchant agreed.

- Sure - Sokka murmured listlessly, turning towards Appa to climb into his saddle where Katara sat with the same guilty look she had been carrying since the night before.

- Thank you for the information - Aang began, bidding farewell to the merchant with a broad smile, or as broad as it could be given his dejected demeanor. - It's very... -

- Thank you? I'm waiting for my payment - the merchant replied.

- Uhhhh - Aang glanced worriedly between his bison and the man. - I suppose I can ask my friends for some money... -

- Money? - the merchant snorted. - I don't want your money. - Aang looked back at the merchant, confused, only to see him placing hundreds of scrolls and pots in front of him. - I want your signatures. As the Avatar, they're worth more than your money, and they'll be worth much more when you're old and dead. -

- How kind of you - Aang smiled awkwardly at the last words, taking the quill and ink the man offered him and beginning to sign each of the objects before him.

- Did he tell you where to find Zuko? – Katara asked, hugging her knees from the saddle as she watched Sokka climb onto it.

- Yeah, in a month and a half - Sokka grumbled, sinking down on the opposite side of the bed from her and quickly looking away to try and ignore her. He was angry with her, blaming her for Zuko's departure and furious at the words she'd said to him.

Katara didn't try to pressure Sokka. She couldn't look at him for long, not knowing that Sokka blamed her for Zuko's runaway, something that had been made abundantly clear the night before.

- Zuko left - Sokka replied, trying to swallow his pain so it wouldn't show in his words. He failed miserably.

- What do you mean he left? - Katara asked, confused.

- He left, Katara. What don't you understand about that? - Sokka began furiously rolling up his sleeping bag. - He left the North Pole a week ago. -

- What? - Aang jumped up to quickly approach Sokka, incredulous. - No, that's impossible. He wouldn't leave without telling us. -

- I think he left because of us - he blurted out, getting up and walking past Aang without even looking at him as he headed for his backpack.

- Because of us? - Katara asked, starting to walk toward Sokka to confront him. - Why because of us? -

- Why because of us?! Are you seriously going to ask me that, Katara?! You?! - Sokka shouted, spinning furiously and taking heavy strides until he was right in front of her in the middle of the room. - After everything you said to him! After all the yelling you did at him! After how you treated him the moment he woke up! After you literally kicked him out of our room! After… -

- Sokka, stop it - Aang said, stepping between the two siblings. - Maybe we should calm down before… -

- Now we should calm down, Aang? - Sokka asked, looking down at the monk in annoyance - You think to say this now, but you didn't think to say anything when she - he pointed accusingly at his sister - was yelling all sorts of things at Zuko! Why didn't you intervene then?! Why didn't you did anything?! Why did you stay silent while she degraded him just for being a firebender and magically forgot everything he meant to us?! -

-You stayed silent too, Sokka! - Aang retorted. - You were silent long before I was, and you were the one who told him to leave, not Katara. -

- You're going to defend her after how she treated Zuko?! -

- I'm doing it because I don't want to repeat what happened with Zuko! - Aang yelled back, and only then did Sokka notice two things. First, Aang’s shouts weren’t sending him across the room with airbending, only because of the boy’s ragged breathing as he tried to hold back his tears ever since he’d delivered the news about Zuko. Second, Katara had retreated to a corner, sobbing, hugging her knees and hiding her face, looking both devastated and horrified at herself. - You’re yelling at her without thinking, just like she yelled at Zuko. You know how that ended, so stop now before you regret it later. -

- This is her fault - Sokka shook his head, turning to go back to his backpack and pick it up.

- I didn’t think this would happen - Katara cried. - It wasn’t my intention. -

- It wasn’t your intention to hurt him when you said all those things? - Sokka mocked, turning to face her with his backpack slung over his shoulder.

- I didn't think he'd leave - Katara replied, forgetting she could waterbend as she wiped her tears with her sleeves instead of her bending. - Why... -

- Why would he leave after you kicked him out of our pack? - Sokka interrupted, noticing how both Katara and Aang’s bodies froze at his words - I had to hear it from someone else’s perspective to realize you’d done it, and I helped make it happen when I told him to leave without explaining—

- We never said we were kicking him out of… -

—It was implied, Katara—Sokka growled, turning to head for the door. He didn’t have the strength to keep looking at her, even though he wanted to be angry at her for what she’d done, but he couldn’t, seeing her on the verge of collapse, guilt written all over her face as she sobbed uncontrollably - we kicked him out of the pack, we didn’t even listen to him, we just… -

—I…I’m sorry—Katara sobbed again.

- It's not me who you should apologize - Sokka said, opening the door and immediately hearing Katara's frightened gasp as she rushed toward him, blocking his path.

- Sokka, no! Don't do it! You can't do this to us too! - Katara cried desperately, shaking her head in utter terror. - Please don't leave us! You're my brother, Sokka! Please! If you go... -

- I just need some time to... - Sokka interrupted his sister, shaking his head and unable to finish his sentence. He gently pushed Katara aside to walk to the other side, still unable to see her. - I won't leave you. -

- Nor will we leave Zuko alone - Aang said from inside, drawing the siblings' attention. - We'll fly to the Earth Kingdom on Appa and find him. We'll explain everything when we find him. -

- I'll get Appa's mount ready - Sokka nodded, turning to walk down the corridor, only to stop immediately upon seeing Yue being escorted by Master Pakku.

- That won't be necessary - Yue said, looking intently at the three teenagers. - The ship is almost ready to set sail. It will take you to the last place where Prince Zuko was seen. -

- The merchant gave me a map just like the one he gave to Zuko - Aang said, leaping onto Appa's saddle and pulling Sokka out of his reverie as he unfurled the map in the center of the saddle. - Sokka, you spent more time with him. Which path do you think he took? If we follow the same route, there's a better chance to find him. -

- The fastest and most direct route south - Sokka replied, still without looking at the map. - But we won't be able to find him now, not at night. Appa's altitude and the darkness will make us lose any signal we might have had from Zuko. -

- With all the wounded from the Fire Nation navy arriving on the shores and the scavenger ships in these waters, the inns are full - Aang murmured. - I don't think there's a place to... -

- We'll camp in the forest. We need to put some distance between ourselves and the village, a couple of kilometers at least. - Sokka quickly moved to Appa's head to take the reins and take flight. - If any Fire Nation soldiers see us and report our presence, we'll attract attention to the village, to us, and to Zuko. -

- What if Zuko is somewhere in those miles? - Aang asked uncertainly.

- He left a week ago, Aang. He must be far away by now - Sokka said, his voice strained with anger at his own actions. - We won't find him in the next few days, and we can't afford to search such a vast area. You need an earthbender. Omashu is still far away, and we have to pass through General Fong's base first. -

- But Zuko... - Katara tried to speak, only to be cut off by her brother.

- We know where he'll be in a month. Aang will stay in Omashu practicing earthbending. You'll stay with Aang, and I'll search for Zuko in the area that was indicated to us. -

- Do you want me to stay in Omashu for Aang, or because you don't want me with you outside? - Katara asked, sounding like an abandoned polar bear puppy, wanting to cry but too scared of potential predators to make any noise beyond a quiet whimper.

- No, it's because I think if there are several of us, Zuko will escape. - If Zuko had fled from them at the North Pole, he would flee as soon as he saw them in the Earth Kingdom too, but Sokka couldn't say that, nor did he want to, because then those words would feel more real. - It'll be better if it's just one of us. -

- It's good that you're the closest person to Zuko then - Aang said trying to be cheerful. - He'll listen to you and come back to us. -

- Yes, he'll come back to us. - Sokka prayed to the spirits that Zuko would listen and return to them. It had happened at the Northern Air Temple; it would be the same now, right?

Chapter Text

The dam was broken, Zuko thought as they reached the river in the Baruu Forest, and the village below had been destroyed by the now-flooded river. The bridge connecting the village to the other side had also been destroyed.

It was good luck that the old bridge, built to help construct the dam, had been there before, and had survived the test of time… or perhaps it was better to say that it hadn't collapsed and was still passable.

It was truly good luck because they had already spent a good number of days walking in this direction. Without the bridge, they would have had to turn back and cross the northern mountains, which would lengthen their journey by several days and be dangerous.

- How long ago do you think that happened? - Suki asked, nodding her head at the destroyed dam as the next small group of five refugees crossed the bridge. Most of the group had already made it to the other side, and three of the five Kyoshi warriors were with them, helping those who arrived on that side and protecting them. Suki, Nyoko, and Zuko had stayed behind to help the remaining members of the group cross the bridge and to protect their rear. The three of them would cross last, once they were sure everyone had made it across.

- Less than three months ago - Zuko replied, thinking that if it had happened before that, the information would have reached the Pohuai fortress while Zuko was still there, and they would have sent a squad to watch over the place while rescue groups helped the people of the village. Zuko would have found out either by seeing that squad leave, because Commander Rangi would have mentioned it to the Yuyan, or because if they couldn't send that squad, Zuko would have written the reply since his handwriting was one of the best for answering a letter.

- And why haven't the refugees left yet? - Suki asked, pointing to the villagers' camp among the trees.

Zuko had noticed them, just as she had, even from meters away and long before reaching the bridge. They had prepared to fight, thinking it was a soldiers' campt, but upon realizing they were just Fire Nation citizens, they kept their distance and moved away. Now, with Suki's words, Zuko finally connected the dots, realizing that these Fire Nation citizens were nothing more than refugees from the destroyed village and seemed to have been stranded there for several weeks, without help or a rescue team for their precarious situation, abandoned by the Fire Nation, forgotten in the war.

- They're waiting for help - Zuko replied, looking at them with a frown - but I don't think anyone will come to help them. -

- Why? - Suki asked, signaling to the next group to cross.

- because they seem to have been there for weeks; if someone was going to help them, they would have come weeks ago –

- No, I mean, why are they waiting for help? - Suki turned back to Zuko. - Why didn't they went out of here on their own? Why didn't they did something theirselfs? -

- Oh, that - Zuko glanced around, checking that no one was nearby before answering the blue-eyed girl. - The Fire Nation has a protocol of steps to follow in case of emergencies, like natural disasters. One of them is to wait for help. One of the soldiers' duties is to assist in these situations, and it's a priority, so help usually arrives within a day. -

- And why didn't anyone come? - Suki asked, frowning.

- That's what I don't understand, though… - With the Avatar having returned, the messenger hawks were darting back and forth, mingling several times. Even so, the message would have reached someone, and they would have sent a squadron to help, except that Zhao had made hunting the Avatar his top priority, taking the entire fleet with him and likely several squadrons from the northern part of the Earth Kingdom continent, including those from the areas closest to this forest.

- That was the last group - Nyoko said, approaching after escorting the last group across. Now only the three of them remained, along with Gao, who refused to cross unless Zuko was with him. - Prepare to cross -

- Will you carry me? - Gao asked, running towards Zuko, who was tucking his notebook into his robes. The boy jumped onto him, clinging to him like a hog monkey clinging to a tree. Zuko looked surprised, even though this wasn't the first or tenth time this had happened.

- Uhhhhh - Zuko stammered, embarrased to the point of turning red with eyes wide open. He lifted the boy off his shoulders, carrying him a short distance with outstretched arms, before turning to look at Suki and Nyoko, who were doing a terrible job of stifling their laughter.

- Come on, Lee - Suki teased, nudging Zuko in the side with her elbow. - It's a terrifying bridge. You should carry him and protect him in your strong arms. -

- Carry me! - Nyoko said, jumping onto Zuko's back, wrapping her arms around his neck for support and dangling her feet in the air—or trying to, since the girl, being two years older than Zuko, was also taller than him.

- No - Zuko said, setting the boy down and letting go of Nyoko. - And no -

- It's your fault - the boy said to Nyoko before sticking his tongue out at her.

- Hey! - Nyoko complained as Suki laughed beside her.

- Don't be rude, or I won't even hold your hand - Zuko scolded the boy, who snorted before running to grab Zuko's hand more tightly than a hermit crab's claws grip its prey.

Zuko's refusal to carry the boy lasted only halfway across the bridge shen the wind made it sway, and Gao froze in fear, clinging to Zuko's leg and impeding his movement. Zuko had to lift him up and let him hold onto his neck so they could finish crossing the bridge.

- I wish I were a child so I could hold onto your strong arms - ​​Nyoko whined as they reached land. Zuko quickly glared at her for the teasing as he helped the child down, who then ran quickly toward Vesta.

- Stop teasing me, Nyoko - Zuko said, turning away from the girl and joining the other Kyoshi warriors who were reorganizing the group to set off.

- We still have two hours of daylight. We can walk for an hour to get out of sight of other camps and hurry to set up ours, or we can stop a few meters away to take our time. We're near a river, so… -

Suki couldn't finish speaking when Zuko had to run behind her, drawing his bow to intercept an arrow aimed at Suki's mid-back and drawing his own arrow to fire back at whoever had attacked her.

- Longshot! - a shout echoed through the trees.

- They're in the trees! - Zuko! shouted, alerting the warriors who quickly drew their fans and took up fighting stances.

- Emiko, Nyoko, Chiasa, protect the refugees! - Suki yelled. - Kaori, help us find a way out, Lee… -

- You'll pay for what you did to Longshot! - shouted a girl, or a boy?, with a mushroom cut and face paint. She fell from the trees in an odd fighting stance, daggers in hand, before lunging at Zuko, who quickly spun to the side to dodge her attack.

- It's a littel boy! - Zuko yelled at Suki, unsure how to proceed.

- I'm a girl! - the girl shouted angrily, earning an exasperated glare from Zuko as she dodged his attack again and turned toward Suki, who was fighting a giant man with a log, jumping from side to side to avoid the heavy object.

- I can't fight a child! - Zuko shouted again at the leader of the warriors.

- You're a child, Lee! - the warrior yelled back. - She's no more than three years younger than you! And she's trying to kill you with a dagger! –

- Revenge! - the girl shouted, jumping towards him and leaving Zuko no choice but to strike her hands with his bow, disarming her dagger before kicking her into a tree and throwing his shurikens to trap her against it.

- Revenge! - shouted a small figure falling from the trees, aiming to strike Zuko with a helmet. Zuko rolled to the side to dodge, only to spin again the next second, terrified by the much smaller child, trying to catch him before he broke something and hit the ground.

The child squirmed in Zuko's hands, trying to break free until Zuko gave in and lowered him to the ground, with one hand extended on the child's head to make enough space to prevent any hits.

- Pick on someone your own size! - Gao yelled, emerging from behind the Kyoshi warriors and hurling a rock at the child in front of Zuko with his earthbending. The child quickly took the bait and charged at him with a war cry. The two collided, and a fight broke out on the ground, with hurried, poorly thought-out blows exchanged in their desperation to hit each other.

This was absurd, Zuko thought before turning to Suki, who had the large man in a hold. The Kyoshi warriors protecting the refugees were outnumbered, but their training made it easy for them to keep up with the ten children, three of whom they had already taken out. Kaori, on the other hand, was dodging an attack from a man with a high bun and a furry orange cloak while trying to read the maps.

- The nearest Earth Kingdom outpost is at least three hours away running on ostrich horses - Kaori told Suki as Zuko ran toward the group fighting the three Kyoshi warriors, drawing his altered arrows. He wasn't going to use real arrows that could kill children. Instead, he fired at the attackers, hitting two quickly and paralyzing them with shirshu poison.

He drew a third arrow, preparing to fire, only for someone else to fall out of the trees in front of him, forcing him to do a backflip to dodge the hooked swords.

- Fire Nation - growled the teen boy who had fallen in front of him, a stalk of wheat caught with his teeth with a sharp bite. - They always attack from behind. -

The boy attacked again, throwing his hook swords at Zuko, who had to raise his bow in front of him to protect himself and use it as momentum to grab hold of both of them with both hands while throwing his legs forward, kicking the boy hard enough to knock the wind out of him, sending him stumbling backward and causing his arms to fall without him letting go of his weapon.

- You were the ones who attacked from behind for no reason - growled Zuko after falling to one knee, twirling his bow in his hands.

- Nyoko, take Chiasa to the refugees! - shouted Emiko, drawing Zuko's attention to them and noticing Nyoko carrying Chiasa's unconscious and bleeding body toward the refugees so they could care for her while Emiko fought four of the children alone.

Zuko twirled the bow in his hands and struck the boy in front of him with one end, forcefully knocking him aside. He then drew and fired another altered arrow at one of the boys as he ran towards them.

- The Fire Nation will never defeat us! - the boy shouted from behind Zuko as he was firing a second arrow, hitting another of his attackers before spun around to where the teenager should have been, finding an empty space before hearing footsteps overhead. He looked up to see the boy with the strangely raised eyebrows swinging through the tree branches with his sword hooks. He was incredibly skilled and quick in his element, and his absence had thrown Zuko off for a few seconds. The teenager used all that to his advantage, snatching one end of Zuko's bow with his hooks and yanking it from Zuko's grasp as he swung into the distance.

- Yuyan archers! - the boy growled, grabbing his bow as he stopped on a tree branch. He glared at Zuko with renewed fury, tossing the bow into the distance like trash, hoping to lose it in the forest. - You're one of those horrible murderers. -

Snarling furiously, Zuko reached behind his back and, in a swift motion, drew his dao blades. This time, he was determined to truly harm the idiot. No one was going to call his pack from Pohuai Fortress horrible murderers, even if they were.

The boy before him swung again, using his hook-tipped swords, this time aiming to strike Zuko with the tips. It wasn't difficult to dodge the attack, much to the other boy's annoyance. Zuko dropped to one knee a few feet away, both hooks extended at his sides, before launching himself directly at the golden-eyed boy, who charged in the same direction.

The swords clashed, and both boys used their strength to push the other one, the force of the collision sending them both reeling backward. They swung their weapons into the air again and attacked. Spinning both arms like a windmill, the other boy tried to launch another attack on Zuko, only for Zuko to cross his twin swords over him, blocking the hooks. Using the opening, he kicked the other boy in the chest, sending him stumbling back several steps. Zuko seized the moment, turning and unleashing horizontal slashes at the other boy's neck. The boy doubled over, saving his head, but not the spike he held between his teeth, which snapped in two.

Zuko knew better than to let the other boy catch up. He kicked one of his hands, forcing him to release one of his hooks in mid-air, which Zuko quickly caught with his swords, twirling and throwing it several meters away, just as the boy had done with Zuko's bow.

The boy spat out what remained of the wheat stalk, eliciting a grimace of disgust from Zuko, before returning his angry eyes on him just to roar and attack again, wielding a hook in one hand, extended claws in the other, and fangs bared in a furious threat. Zuko returned the roar with his own exposed fangs. The dark-eyed boy launched a superior attack, aiming for Zuko's temple, which Zuko managed to block with one sword while simultaneously throwing the other to stop the claws that were lunging from the other side. The clawed hand twisted at the last moment, just a few centimeters, dodging the sword but meeting Zuko's forearm and sinking its claws deep, eliciting a groan of pain from the golden-eyed boy.

With the new position putting him at a disadvantage, Zuko tried to break free and back away to attack again, only to find the sword hook surrounding and trapping his dao blade. Meanwhile, the other boy's claws dug deeper into his forearms, drawing enough blood to stain his clothes and drip quickly to the ground.

If he didn't let him back off, he had no choice but to attack with even more force, Zuko thought before repeatedly kicking the boy's right flank with his left knee, knocking the wind out of him and disrupting his concentration just enough to don't notice when Zuko lowered his leg, bent down and swept the boy's right leg aside as he pushed forward.

The boy's back hit the ground hard, eliciting a grunt from him, while his claws dug harder into Zuko's forearm, causing him to grunt as well. The fall took the wind out of the boy, who was already having trouble breathing due to Zuko's continuous kicks. The boy's grip weakened as he tried to breathe, and Zuko managed to free both his forearm from the claws and his right sword from the boy's hook.

A flick of his swords allowed Zuko to disarm the other boy's hooked blade before he could fully recover, and with another flick, the long-haired boy drove his swords into a cross above the dark-haired boy's neck, preventing him from moving his head or screaming like a lunatic without cutting his throat.

Zuko didn't expect the boy beneath him to inhale sharply and smile delightedly in his direction.

- You're not from the Fire Nation - the boy said, letting his body slump to the ground with his arms outstretched at his sides.

- No, we're not - Suki said, wearily approaching where Zuko had trapped the unknown attacker, leaving behind the still-unconscious body of the big man Zuko had seen her fight and two other boys who looked to be a year or two younger than her. - You're the bandits who attack everyone who crosses this forest. -

- We're the freedom fighters - the boy retorted pretentiously.

- but you attack everyone who crosses this forest - Suki crossed her arms, looking at the boy who frowned in her direction.

- We attacked the Fire Nation - Zuko and Suki exchanged a disbelieving glance. - We thought you were from the Fire Nation. -

- Most of our group are refugees in typical Earth Kingdom clothing - the blue-eyed girl retorted, - and five of us are wearing traditional Kyoshi warrior uniforms. -

- I’ve never heard of you - the boy shrugged before turning back to Zuko. - Now, take these swords off me before I make you take them by force, omega. -

Rage exploded within Zuko, both from being discovered and from the words and threats of the boy beneath him. He didn’t let the idiot with the strange eyebrows even get a word in before he punched him in the gut with all his might, knocking the wind out of him and causing the boy to jerk his head up, cutting the skin of his neck with the dao blades.

- Take care of him - Zuko growled at Suki, getting up and taking earplugs from his boot pockets to avoid being controlled by that unpleasant being who, only by Zuko's luck, also turned out to be an alpha who had somehow recognized his caste.

Looking around, the boy with the scar over his left eye noticed that the Kyoshi warriors had managed to defeat all their attackers, either knocking them unconscious or tying them up to stop their attacks. They should also cover their mouths if the way they were opening them, moving their heads from side to side as if possessed, indicated anything. It was lucky that Zuko could no longer hear them with the earplugs in his ears.

Turning around, Zuko noticed the boy who had started fighting with Gao. The boy was tied up with his companions, his brow furrowed in annoyance, and he had several scratches across his face, as well as dirt all over his body. Zuko raised his one remaining eyebrow and turned his head towards Gao, who was sitting in front of the boy, his brow furrowed and his lips pursed, with as many scratches on his face as the other boy, but certainly without as much dirt on his clothes or hair. Turning his head again, Zuko focused on the girl with the mushroom haircut and face paint who had attacked him first, noticing how she was still cursing at Zuko.

- Murderer! You'll pay for what you did to Longshot! - Zuko read, frowning in surprise at the words. This girl had attacked him with the same fury ever since he'd fallen from the tree, and before that, he hadn't even fought anyone enough to make her think he'd killed anyone. The most he'd done was intercept an arrow and fire a counterattack in the direction the attack had come from... laced with shirshu poison.

Whoever he'd immobilized must be lying motionless somewhere in the forest, and the child's friends, because Zuko guessed he was also a child, hadn't bothered to check if he was really dead once they saw his body go limp.

Well, Zuko might be angry with the group of children who had attacked them out of nowhere and tried to kill Suki for no reason, but he wasn't going to let someone suffer, believing his friend was dead when he was only lying motionless somewhere in the forest.

Following the direction from which the first arrow had come, Zuko ventured deeper into the forest, leaping from branch to branch until he finally came upon the body of a boy who must have been younger than Zuko, or at best, the same age. The boy was pale with a yellowish tone, with small eyes, thick eyebrows, and a face that was both sharp and thin, making his nose appear larger than it was. A worn and dirty conical straw hat, made of straw or rice, partially obscured his face. His bow still rested in his hand, and somehow his arrows had remained in their quiver even as they fell back onto the branch from which he had been staring at Zuko with a frown. Without much ceremony, Zuko picked up the boy and returned to the group, leaving him at the foot of the tree where his friend was screaming.

- He's not dead - Zuko wrote, pulling his notebook from his robes to show the girl. - Just immobilized. It'll pass in a few minutes. -

- What do you mean, immobilized? - the girl asked incredulously as she watched her friend roll his eyes in her direction. - Why would you shoot just to immobilize someone? -

- Because I couldn’t see who I was shooting at. I wasn’t going to kill someone without knowing who they were or their reasons for attacking - Zuko replied before looking at the other children he had shot. - And the others were children. I wasn’t going to kill children. -

- But you’re from the Fire Nation - the girl said, frowning. - You had a Yuyan bow -

- He’s a child of war - Suki said, arriving beside Zuko with her arms crossed in annoyance. - The bow was given to him by a deserter from the war, but even he doesn’t know how the deserter got it. - Yes, that’s what Zuko had told the Kyoshi warriors. It wasn’t a lie; he just wasn’t telling the whole story. Suki turned to Zuko and gestured for him to follow her. - Come on, we should keep going, and you should pick up your swords. -

Zuko nodded at Suki and followed her, giving the children in the forest one last look before turning to the boy with the strange eyebrows.

- We meet again, pretty boy - the boy smirked, mocking Zuko. He preferred the boy's cries of death and vengeance to this kind of teasing, Zuko thought as he drew his dao swords. - You were good with your weapons. What more can you do? -

- Behead you if you attack us again - Zuko replied, jerking his swords out and walking away toward the already moving group, twirling his weapons in his arms before sheathing them.

Gao's small hand grasped Zuko's mid-walk, handing him his Yuyan bow, which the boy had somehow found before gesturing for him to pick him up. Zuko couldn't resist this time, lifting him and letting him hold on.

- I don't like those kids - the little boy blurted out.

- That makes two of us - Suki said beside Zuko, still casting suspicious glances at the children as she watched the rear of the refugee group.

Zuko couldn't help but follow his gaze, finding the group of children regrouping as the strange-browed teenager pulled an ear of wheat from his clothes and put it in his mouth, still smiling at the Kyoshi warriors and the refugees.

A shiver ran through his body before Zuko turned his gaze forward again.

Chapter Text

Suki and Kaori were on the first shift of guard, watching the perimeter, making sure they were ready if danger appear, taking care of the refugees so they could sleep peacefully, as well as their comrades in arms who would later take the second, Emiko and Nyoko, and third, Chiasa and Zuko, guard shifts until they could begin their journey again towards Full Moon Bay, which shouldn't take them more than a week to reach from the forest where they were currently located.

- It's lucky you had those bandages on -  knowing that Suki was one of those on guard duty Zuko shouldn't have been surprised when she approached him while everyone else slept, as he continued tying the bandages on his hands after waiting for hours for them to dry after washing them to remove the blood.

- I don't think It did much to stop that boy's claws - Zuko replied after finishing tying the bandages.

- I'm not sure about that - Suki shrugged - but I know it helped prevent you from losing too much blood from your wounds. -

Yes, Chiasa had expressed her concern about Zuko's blood loss when she examined his wounds, and she had also expressed surprise when she realized that Zuko hadn't lost as much blood as she thought. That didn't stop her from treating his wounds with poultices and bandages, and then giving him a drink far too thick to be considered a beverage made from tree sap, beets, and carrots.

- I wouldn't have lost blood if I had read the boy better and avoided his claws - Zuko grumbled, regretting having let himself be dragged to that point in the fight.

- I think it was a good fight, and you still won in the end. -

- I'm not so sure anymore - Zuko hugged himself, frowning in annoyance. - The possibility makes me sick, but I think he might have let me win because I'm an omega. -

- I don’t think he cared - Suki denied, - though not because I think that guy believed in equal fighting ability based on gender or caste. - The blue eyed girl frowned, turning her head toward Zuko, doubt etched on her face. - By the way, how did he know you were an omega? Not even we knew. And by the way, how come we didn’t know? How did you manage to hide it? -

- full suppressants - someone called out, jumping up next to Zuko and startling both teenagers.

Zuko reacted quickly, grabbing one of the knives tucked into his robes and whirling around, still on his knees, intending to slash the perpetrator’s abdomen from side to side before he could finish speaking. Meanwhile, Suki leaped to her feet, extending her fan toward the man’s throat, but not cutting the skin yet.

- You - Suki growled. The boy with the strange eyebrows smiled, raising both hands as if he were an innocent soul who wouldn't hurt a fly.

- The name is Jet - the boy said, rolling his eyes at the warrior's growl.

- We won’t tell you our names - Suki growled back.

- If you don’t want to give your name, don’t - Jet replied, shrugging as he looked at the girl before glancing down at Zuko. - What’s your name, pretty boy? -

- Stop mocking us and tell us what you’re doing here - Zuko growled, annoyed by the guy’s presence, by his taunts about his scarred face, and by the fact that he himself had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed or heard the forest boy approaching until he literally fell beside him.

- Do you like giving orders? - Jet asked with a playful grin before deigning to answer Zuko. - I came to welcome you to our forest… -

- We’ve been in this forest for days - Suki interrupted, - and I think you already gave us a proper welcome by the standards of thugs like you, you know, when you attacked us a few hours ago. -

- you weren’t in our territory until today - Jet shrugged vaguely - and since they’re not from the Fire Nation, I extend my protection services. - The boy with the unusual eyebrows smiled, nibbling at the stalk of wheat between his teeth as he quickly assessed the two people before him. - Although, of course, first I need to know exactly who I’m extending these… services to. -

- We don’t require your services - Suki growled.

- Why don’t you let their leader answer? - Jet asked, giving Suki an annoyed look before fixing his gaze on Zuko. - Well, pretty boy? -

- I think our leader already answered you - Zuko mocked.

- I see - Jet looked up at Suki, not very happy about the change in the situation. - Are you sure about your decision? There are many Fire Nation soldiers and camps in this area; one wrong step and you'll be surrounded. -

- We know the way. -

- You've never been through this forest, yet you know the location of every Fire Nation camp? -

- We intercepted a message and a map once; that’s where we got the information - Suki replied without hesitation, making her lie believable even to Zuko, who had to remind himself that he had given them the information.

- How did you intercept one of the Fire Nation’s messenger hawks? - Jet asked, still not believing Suki’s words. - They’re too fast to be caught and too wild and vicious to approach. -

What a big lie, Zuko thought. Messenger hawks took their work very seriously, so they wouldn’t let anything stop them and would get angry at anyone who tried to steal their packages, pecking to protect what they carried. But once they finished their mission and were resting in their towers, they were quite tame and calm animals that would sing and flutter their wings when you visited them to play or feed them.

- And these are birds that can be found injured after a large, prolonged electrical storm like the one three months ago - Zuko replied, recalling that first winter storm after which he met Aang, Katara, and Sokka…

And he wasn't going to continue down that line of thought.

- Oh, how lucky - Jet said, still unconvinced but clearly relenting with a sigh. - But, as you said, that was three months ago. Now there are more troops, and the camps have changed positions. The Fire Nation is determined to finish conquering the Earth Kingdom this year. -

- Thanks for the heads up - Suki said, clearly intending to dismiss the boy.

- Listen, you're angry about our first encounter, I understand - Jet assured her, shrugging. - But are you going to endanger that whole group of poor refugees just because of that? Shouldn't you be thinking about their safety above your own discomfort? -

- The problem is, the only danger I see right now is you - the Kyoshi leader replied.

- Well, then let me fix this and show you I'm an ally, not a threat. - Jet smirked before nudging Suki's fan aside with a finger, as if it weren't a deadly weapon. - I'll give you a taste of my trust first, if you wish. I'll take you to my hideaout - Suki and Zuko exchanged glances again, distrustful of both Jet's words and actions. - And while we're at it, I can answer your question about how I knew the preatty boy's caste. -

- How do we know it's not a trap? - Zuko asked, holstering his weapon and standing up so the other boy would stop looking down at him.

- I've seen your skill with weapons, pretty boy. I wouldn't risk setting a trap for you - Jet replied, teasing Zuko once again with a wink. - It'll be a quick visit. We can chat then, and if you'd like, I can show you around or invite you on a special mission. You're not bad fighters. -

- We'll settle for the quick visit and the chat - Suki replied. - Then you'll leave us alone. -

- If you wish - Jet nodded before rolling the ear of wheat between his teeth. - May I know your names now, or should I continue calling you 'pretty boy,' 'painted woman,' and 'sword lady who watches me from the shadows'? -

- Kaori, you can come out of there. Wake Emiko and explain the situation. You'll stand guard, and I'll take your turn when I return - Suki told Kaori, who had been keeping watch in the shadows since Jet introduced himself. The Kyoshi warrior nodded and quickly moved away as Jet smiled calmly. - I'm Suki, and this is Lee. -

- Nice name - Jet agreed with Zuko before turning and gesturing for the two remaining people to follow him. - If you'd like to follow me, it's this way. -

- You were going to tell us how you knew about my caste - Zuko commented, following the boy after a quick exchange of glances with Suki.

- It was the blood - Jet replied. - Suppressants are more noticeable in blood; their scent is stronger, but it also masks the scent of your own blood and your true scent. Not just anyone would recognize it, but I grew up smelling many omegas who were hiding behind full suppressants, so I can recognize them. I guess you could say it was a combination of my recognition skills and luck that… -

He continued talking for the half-hour walk to his hideout.

To Zuko's surprise, Jet's hideout wasn't bad. He had expected moldy, half-collapsed tents, not stable, well-maintained wooden structures in the trees. Although it was clearly built by children who had strung ropes across it so they could slide down, not caring that if they didn't hold on properly or a rope broke, they would fall several meters to their deaths. This also made Zuko wonder, Who thought it was a good idea to build tree houses for a whole group of children who clearly didn't care about taking safety precautions for their survival?!, It was stupid and irresponsible, especially towards the younger ones, but it was also strategically intelligent if they were fighting against the Fire Nation. The forest itself already forced firebenders to be more careful when bending, but placing it at heights took away the possibility of good technique by not giving them a proper base and root to use firebending, and no Fire Nation soldier would think of watching an attack from above their heads now that there was no Air Nomad army.

Well, the truth was that apparently there had never been such a thing as an Air Nomad army. To think he'd had to have a quick argument with Aang to realize that his history books had deceived him and his entire nation for almost a hundred years.

No! Zuko wasn't going down that road of thought, he reassured himself, quickly shaking his head to clear the idea from his mind, earning a quick glance from Longshot, Smellerbee, and Sneers, who were accompanying him outside the hideout's meeting room where Suki and Jet were conversing.

- See, not even the swordsman believes you - Smellerbee said to Sneers, mocking the teenager with the fluffy cape.

- I'm telling the true - the teenager replied. - Her name is Kori, and she's... -

- Too pretty to be the girlfriend of someone she only sees once a year - Smellerbee interrupted, rolling her eyes. - Either she's not as pretty as you describe, or she's not real. And the fact that she happens to live in one of the first colonies, too many days' journey for us to verify her existence, makes me think it's the latter. -

- Kori is real - Sneers growled - and she's the prettiest beta girl you could ever meet. -

- bullshit - Smellerbee scoffed, waving her hands as if she were shooing the idea away like dust before turning to Zuko. For some reason, the girl who hours earlier had wanted to kill him was now desperately trying to drag him into the conversation with his friend. Zuko assumed it was because he hadn't killed Longshot, who seemed to be her best friend in the area, and this was her strange way of thanking him. - Do you think this guy could have a girlfriend as pretty as the one he described? -

- The description might not be accurate, but that doesn't mean Sneers is lying. -

- So you think he has a girlfriend, but she's ugly? - the girl said with a mocking smile at Sneers, who was about to explode at the insult to his girlfriend.

- Not exactly. I think she could be real, and I think to Sneers' eyes she might be as beautiful as he describes her, but if you saw her, you might not find her so beautiful. - Zuko shrugged at the confused looks of the fighters. - you don't have the same tastes, and people don't see things the same way. Sneers might see his girlfriend and see eyes like melted chocolate, just as he described, while you might see the same eyes and see an ordinary brown. -

The three fighters glared at him for several seconds before Longshot nodded in agreement. That was enough to end the discussion, with everyone nodding in conformity.

- I'm glad to see you two getting along - Jet said, leaving the room with a smirk as he took the spike from his mouth and approached the small group of the only ones still awake in the fighters' hideout. - It's essential for missions, like the one you'll be joining us on tomorrow, Lee. -

- What will I do? – Zuko asked, turning his head quickly towards Suki.

- Jet thinks you can help them with their secret mission - Suki nodded, - and in return, he’ll leave us a group of his fighters to make sure the refugees are safe while the Kyoshi warriors check the route to avoid any Fire Nation camps. -

- Do you want to stay and review the mission plan for tomorrow? - Jet asked Zuko. - I’ll give you the best bed when we’re done. -

- But the best bed is… -

- I know which one is the best, Sneers - Jet interrupted the other teenager, earning a confused look from him. Jet ignored him, turning back to Zuko. - What do you say, Lee? -

- I have to get back for my guard duty - Zuko replied, frowning, confused by the interaction and Suki’s annoyed expression. - And I have my own sleeping bag. - Zuko looked back at Jet, starting to feel like he was missing something in this conversation. - But if I have to review the plan, I’ll come back when my shift is over. -

- I'll accompany you. I want to make sure this mission doesn't make you uncomfortable - Suki said, gesturing to Zuko that they should both leave. - We'll see each other tomorrow - Suki said, quickly bidding farewell to the others.

- See you tomorrow - Zuko agreed, following the Kyoshi leader. He waited at least fifteen minutes to ensure no one was following them before finally turning to Suki. - Will you tell me the real reason? -

- I don't trust Jet, and he doesn't trust me. I'm sure we're both taking advantage of each other somehow, and I'm also sure Jet is so blinded by his anger toward the Fire Nation that he won't let us help that village we saw destroyed by the river. -

- He'll find out if one of us tries to help them. He'll definitely leave someone watching you- Zuko retorted.

- I can guess - Suki agreed. - That's why I told him we'll take advantage of our island's neutrality in the war to approach the villagers and encourage them to leave. He doesn't need to know that we'll have to help them get out of the forest and towards a military outpost that can help them. -

- There's an outpost five hours upriver - Zuko nodded before frowning. - It's the closest, but it'll still take almost all day. You won't be able to check the route. -

- Nyoko will go check the route. She's the fastest... -

- Alone? In a forest full of soldiers? - Zuko asked incredulously.

- Dark eyes and pale skin are common in the Fire Nation, and she's a beta - Suki shrugged. - Of the five of us, she's the one who'll raise the least suspicion. -

- I hope you're right - Zuko muttered, reaching his camp and collapsing into his sleeping bag, satisfied that he was too tired to think for a second before falling asleep.

It turned out that, being mostly children, the freedom fighters tended to sleep until several hours into the morning. Jet had made an effort to get up when Suki and Zuko arrived early to explain the mission to them both. Zuko's role was to shoot arrows to paralyze soldiers from a distance, just like Longshot, and he would only join a direct fight if things got out of control. Suki had nodded in agreement and left after a quick goodbye with Zuko. Jet had returned to his room to continue sleeping, but not before inviting Zuko to join him. Zuko had refused, since with the morning sun in the sky it would be difficult for him to sleep anyway. So Zuko had finally gone off with Pipsqueak, one of the few people already awake and who, coincidentally, was also an adult, to help him with the morning chores.

They set off on the mission at midday, taking one of the secondary routes, a fork in the main road a day's journey away, a couple of hours from the forest and the hideout. They waited for several minutes for the mission's objective to appear: a caravan full of food and medicine supplies traveling from a coastal colony city to a construction site miles from Ba Sing Se. The caravan consisted of no more than seven carriages, each with a driver and a pair of ostrich horse riders, twenty-one people in total. Zuko was to focus on the drivers to prevent them from escaping with the supplies, while Longshot would disarm the riders so his comrades could fight.

It wouldn't even be a challenge, Zuko thought, pulling his baklava up to cover half his face as he watched the first carriage approach. He readied his special arrows and searched for any exposed skin in the Fire Nation's military uniforms. It was fortunate that their hands were always open, whether they were firebenders or not.

The soldiers stopped in shock as the first arrow struck the hands of the first and second drivers. Just a split second later, Zuko fired two more arrows as Longshot began firing, and the freedom fighters rained down on the soldiers. Chaos erupted, and the last three drivers tried to retreat or turn around, only to be struck by the remaining arrows before they could complete their mission.

Zuko holstered his arrows and lowered his bow before watching from a distance as Longshot remained silent and focused, firing accurately into the soldiers' hands, causing them to drop their weapons. He was young and so skilled that under other circumstances, the Yuyan archers would have been delighted to recruit him, but in the midst of this war, Zuko doubted that would ever happen.

Jet's whistling, imitating a cat-owl, pulled Zuko from his thoughts, causing him to drop his bow and quiver on the branch where he was hiding and jump into action, throwing shurikens to catch the clothes of some soldiers before getting between two soldiers and taking their dice swords out of their cases on their backs.

The two men exchanged a glance before attacking simultaneously with their spears. Zuko spun around, both swords shielding him, pushing the pointed end of one aside and slicing off the tip of the other. He then used his other sword to split the spear in two as he moved close enough to leap over the soldier, wrapping his legs around his neck and twisting sharply to the side, bringing the soldier's body beneath him in a somersault that sent him crashing down onto the other soldier.

- Nice moves - Jet commented from behind Zuko as he used the hilts of his swords to strike the soldiers on the head, knocking them unconscious. - I think I've said this before, but you're a good warrior, Lee. You'd be a great help if you joined us. -

After glancing around to make sure there were no more soldiers to fight, Zuko finally twirled his swords back into their sheaths, shaking his head at Jet.

- I'm taking a break from the groups - he commented, watching fighters quickly approach the caravans to collect supplies amidst quick jokes. Longshot soon dismounted, handing his quiver and bow to Zuko before quickly joining the group to search the caravans for anything of interest.

- And why are you with those… - Jet gestured with his hand as if searching for the right word -…warriors? -

- Well… we have the same… path - Zuko lied, mentally berating himself for his words. Zuko was terrible at lying. Why did he even think of doing that?

- Lee, I don’t mean to offend, but I don’t think those warriors need you - Jet began, slowly approaching Zuko. - Their job is simple: they just transport refugees from one place to another. They can do it themselves. You won’t make any difference  - Jet’s hand rested on Zuko’s shoulder, drawing his attention until they were looking directly at each other. - But here, you will. We fight the Fire Nation every day, and we need people like you, with your skills, your movements, your determination, and your courage. You’d be perfect for us, and more than anything, you’d be invaluable. -

- Jet, you have to see this! - a boy called from the caravans, catching both of their attention and allowing Zuko to react by taking a step back and freeing himself from Jet’s grip.

- Just think about it - Jet told Zuko, giving him a quick but gentle pat on the other shoulder before walking away in the direction he’d been called. Zuko couldn’t help but watch him, Jet’s words echoing in his head.

Chapter Text

The return to the freedom fighters' hideout took more than twice as long as the outward journey, due to the large amount of supplies they had been carrying, and they could have easily avoided it if someone other than Pipsqueak and Sneers had bothered to bring wheelbarrows. The upside was that, having arrived under cover of darkness, food was ready for them as soon as they climbed into their hideout, along with the pretty paper lanterns already lit, warming and decorating the dining area. Zuko would normally have refused to join them; he would have headed to the refugee camp to practice his katas, both armed and unarmed, have dinner, and help the refugees with any problems they might have. But Suki had told him she would come to check on him after she finished her own mission, thus preventing Jet himself from discovering the Kyoshi warriors. While he waited, he couldn't help but be slowly but surely dragged by Smellerbee and Longshot toward the dining area until Jet himself pulled him along. to sit him down next to him, insisting that they share the meal after he had helped them on their special mission for the day.

Zuko had initially enjoyed himself while everyone at the table chatted animatedly and ate their food, but it became less fun when the table gradually split into pairs or small groups who talked amongst themselves, leaving Zuko alone with Jet, who relentlessly teased him, quickly but surely getting on his nerves.

- ...so soft - Zuko shot an annoyed look at Jet before tugging at his ponytail, freeing it from Jet's grasp, who had begun to twirl it around his fingers. Jet looked up amused at Zuko who only frowned more deeply in his direction, confused by the other teenager's actions. - Don't you like it when people touch your hair? Or do you like it a little too much when they pull it? -

- Why would anyone like it if... - Zuko shook his head and let out a sigh, tired of the other boy's interactions. - Can you just leave me alone? And leave my hair alone? -

- How could I? - Jet shook his head, touching Zuko's hair. - Your hair is so beautiful. - He traced the ponytail to the back of Zuko's head, pulling the hair down and bringing the pale boy's face closer. - You're so beautiful. -

Zuko shoved Jet's chest hard, forcing him to let go and back away, growling angrily in his direction. - Stop making fun of me! -

Without waiting for Jet's reply, Zuko stood up and walked away quickly. He didn't care if he was making a scene. He didn't know these people and wouldn't see them again once he left this forest. Right now, he just wanted to get away from this group, and more specifically, from that annoying boy who wouldn't stop mocking him as if he didn't already know how hideous he was with that horrible red scar covering a quarter of his face, disfiguring him like a monster no one wanted to see, someone they would only call "beautiful" in a cruel twist of irony.

He quickly moved away from both the heat and the light of the paper lanterns, heading towards the ropes the freedom fighters used to climb up and down from their hideout. It was already late at night; Suki and the other warriors should have returned to the refugee camp by now, so he should be able to return too to spend the night and leave the forest with the other refugees the next day.

- Lee! Wait! - Zuko didn't stop at Jet's shouts, and it seemed it wouldn't have been necessary because the teenager ended up jumping in front of him. - I don't know why you think I was making fun of you, but... -

- You don't know why? - Zuko huffed, shaking his head and walking past him, still shoving the other boy hard by the shoulder.

- Is it because I called you beautiful? – Jet asked – I understand if you didn't like that, there are some men who don't like being called like that, but it was an expression, I meant something like you are handsome, charming, attractive… –

- Can you stop?! - Zuko shouted, turning to face him furiously and stomping his foot in his direction until he stumbled back. - I've seen my face enough times to know I'm not beautiful, attractive, or anything like that! I've seen my scar! I've heard the conversations behind my back! I've heard the insults! I've heard the nasty comments! I've grown up with them! I've grown up hearing how weird I am! How disgusting my face looks! The freak! The monster! The horrible kid with the scar! The hideous being with the scar, from whom people flee to avoid seeing his repulsive mark, but whom they will mock as soon as he turns his back, without bothering to see if he heard them or not -

- If I ever encounter any of those people, I will make sure they suffer ten times what they made you suffer - Jet said, grabbing Zuko's face tightly enough to prevent him from escaping as he moved closer until their bodies were pressed together - You are beautiful even with that scar -

Jet's lips crashed against Zuko's, freezing the Fire Nation prince in shock. Zuko's lack of response didn't deter Jet from deepening the kiss, pushing his tongue against Zuko's lips to force them open and take his place. His hands continued their relentless exploration, tracing paths down Zuko's neck, shoulders, and back, reaching his waist and hips. He caressed and gripped the pale boy's body, pulling him closer, leaving marks of his fingers even through the fabric of their robes.

Zuko managed to react, his first impulse being to strike Jet and quickly back away. However, as he took a step back, Jet followed, shoving him so hard he slammed into a tree trunk, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of him.

Gasping for air, Zuko grabbed Jet's hair and pulled it back, separating their lips and faces a few centimeters, just enough to break free. Both boys gasped and breathed heavily, searching for air.

- You're beautiful - Jet growled before lowering his head to place his lips on the golden eyed boy's throat with desperation, kissing, sucking, and licking without bothering to control his now exposed fangs that raked against the other's skin, leaving visible marks. - So beautiful. -

Zuko's mind played tricks on him, superimposing an image onto reality until they merged, partially transporting him back to a room lined inside with furs, a campfire blazing in the center. A body pressed against his with the same desperation, lips trailing down his throat in almost the same way, except these lips were unrestrained and didn't care about leaving visible marks on him. Jet and Sokka's voices merged as he again tugged at the hair of whoever was in front of him, feeling the loose, messy hair beneath his hands, but seeing a wolf's tail under his grip. Zuko tried to observe the person in front of him, only to end up confused as he saw different shades of brown skin, facial features overlapping each other, and eyes glowing between a dark, almost black brown and deep, ocean-blue.

- You keep looking at me like that - Jet's voice said, beneath blue eyes that continued to draw Zuko in like a carnivorous plant luring a poor insect to its doom. - I suppose you really want this like I do, you really want me like I want you. -

Did Zuko wanted him? No, that was impossible in every way. Zuko didn't even know him beyond the fact that he was a thug who attacked anyone who passed through this forest. But then, what did Zuko want? At this point, not even he knew.

What would be the point? Even if he knew, he couldn't have what he wanted. He never got what he wanted: a close and happy family, he never had one, not even before more than half of it died; parents who loved him and were proud of him, his mother was dead, and his father would never do any of that; being allowed to be a weapons fighter as an omega, it was practically a crime in his nation; having his voice heard when he fought for the lives of his people, his face was burned the last time; belonging to a group that valued him, the Yuyan archers were torn from him; being accepted and appreciated, the Avatar's group declared their hatred for him as soon as they learned who he was; being loved, Sokka had sworn to do so just to show that it was all just lies.

Jet moved closer again, pressing his lips to Zuko's and quickly deepening the kiss until he was inside Zuko's mouth, urging him to act as he began to grind what was now a clear erection against the paler young man. Still lost in thought, Zuko returned the kiss and raised both hands, gripping the other boy's shoulders and letting him take his body as he pleased.

Zuko might not have known what he wanted, but he certainly knew what he didn't want at this point in his life. He didn't want to live without the freedom to act and speak as he pleased. He didn't want to be an ornament accompanying his father or an alpha at every gathering where he was objectified by others. He didn't want to be powerless to fight or defend himself. He didn't want to depend on anyone only to end up losing that person. He didn't want to keep suffering for those for whom he would have died or killed, only to have his face burned or his heart broken. He didn't want to remember all those who had hurt him.

His scar would never allow him to forget his father, but it would allow him to forget the love and respect he once had for him, replacing it with hatred for all the suffering he had inflicted on his entire family.

He could never forget his family, and he would never allow himself to forget his deceased mother, uncle, and cousin. He would never allow himself to dishonor their memory. As for his twin sister, he could never forget when he had failed her by not insisting on waking her up and escaping with her on his last night in the palace. He could never forget her because he had failed her and left her with that monster they had for a father, thinking she would be better off, only to realize his mistake as the days passed and he drifted further away from her.

He could forget the Yuyan archers because they had abandoned him, his chest cracking with the pain of their loss, but they hadn't meant to abandon him or hurt him. It was Zhao's fault, and he would take revenge on him if the ocean spirit hadn't dragged him to the dark depths of the seas, leaving his body and story to be forgotten.

He would forget Team Avatar, those who had given him so much hope, joy, and love, only to snatch it all away without a second thought, leaving him empty and suffering, utterly alone and abandoned. Aang, with his boundless happiness and optimism for the world; Katara, a warrior forging her own path while never ceasing to love and care for her family; Sokka, with his ingenuity for solving problems and devising plans, and his courage to face any enemy, even at a disadvantage, to defend his family.

Sokka, with whom he believed he had a connection, for whom he had feelings he thought were reciprocated during those weeks when he kissed him, whispering words of love until his heart pounded in his chest; the one he had come to love, and whom he had to forget to stop crying over him, to forget his kisses and his touch, to forget his smile and his voice, to forget his brown skin and dark hair, to forget the blue eyes he kept searching for everywhere but was so afraid to find.

Blue eyes like the ones his mind was making him see right now.

- almost there - the boy gasped, parting his lips from Zuko's just to make his declaration and begin nibbling at Zuko's neck, quickly descending his skin, pushing aside any robes that stood in his way, until he reached a safe spot on his shoulder where he wouldn't leave a mating mark with his now fully extended fangs. - Just a little more, come on, just…  -

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut, trying to erase the Water Tribe boy's face and voice, feeling only pain at the memory. He opened his eyes, still finding the boy's hair tied in a wolf's tail and his bandaged hands pinning him against the tree. He closed his eyes in despair and focused on the other boy's gasps, using them as an anchor to reality. He opened them again, still finding the brown skin of his neck adorned with a whale walrus ivory necklace so white and pristine it stood out against the skin.

He couldn't do it, Zuko couldn't get him out of his head, he couldn't stop seeing him even in…

Jet's bite on his shoulder made him let out a small yelp, both from surprise and pain. His nails dug into the teenager's shoulders, and Zuko was paralyzed by the sudden action. It took him a moment to realize that the skin tone had changed and the collar was gone. He only became aware of it when the other body relaxed, loosening its grip and leaning against him.

- That was good - the voice was no longer distorted by the memory of someone else. Zuko quickly looked around the other boy, noticing the different hairstyle, the different build body. Grabbing the other's face and lifting it to see him properly, he found the different features: the angular face, the thin eyebrows at an odd angle, the long, dark eyes, the crooked smile with bloody fangs. This wasn't Sokka. Jet had managed to erase Sokka from his mind. - How about we go… -

Zuko didn't let Jet finish speaking before pressing his lips to his again, ignoring the fangs and blood on the other's mouth, in a desperate kiss, only to pull away seconds later, making sure the boy in front of him was still Jet.

He was still the same boy.

- I guess it worked for you too then - Jet grinned arrogantly, pressing himself against Zuko's body once more.

- You have no idea - Zuko agreed, placing his hand behind the other boy's head to pull him closer and lock in another desperate kiss.

A gasp from somewhere else stopped them mid-kiss, reminding them that they weren't in a private place. Jet and Zuko followed the sound's source and found Nyoko staring at them with a mixture of surprise and horror before turning and running back toward the ropes used to ascend and descend the lair. She vanished quickly, disappearing before either of them could say a word.

- She'll go gossiping and complain to your leader - Jet growled, finally pulling away from Zuko and turning in the direction she had disappeared.

- What? - Zuko asked, turning his head toward Jet. - Why would she complain? -

- It's pretty obvious she didn't like seeing us together - Jet shrugged, and Zuko had to agree with him on that point. Nyoko certainly looked like she'd just witnessed them committing a crime. He wondered if Kyoshi Island, being in frequent contact with the Southern Water Tribes, had acquired some of their stigmas regarding same-sex relationships, although, judging by Emiko and Kaori's relationship, perhaps it was only a stigma against relationships between boys. - And it's pretty obvious your leader doesn't like me or any of my freedom fighters. Don't be surprised if, as soon as you get back, she tells you to pack your things because you all are leaving right then and there or first thing tomorrow morning. -

- Suki is not like that - Zuko quickly denied. - We wouldn't leave simply because... -

- Wanna see? - Jet interrupted. - She won't even let you sleep when she orders you to pack. -

- It won't happen like that - Zuko denied again.

- Whatever you say - Jet shrugged before approaching Zuko and taking his chin in his hand to pull him closer for another quick kiss. - Although I have to say that if you leave I'd be delighted for us to have a proper goodbye - he smirked smugly. - Or if you'd rather stay with us, we could repeat what happened tonight as many times as you like. You'll always be welcome here, I already told you that, didn't I? You're perfect and invaluable here. -

Jet walked away toward his room, and Zuko quickly made his way back to the ropes to return to the refugee camp.

- Is it true? - Suki intercepted him as soon as he set foot in the camp. - You kissed Jet? -

- Is that important? - Zuko asked, stopping to look at her, his brow furrowed in surprise.

- He's dangerous. -

- We've been at war for a hundred years. There are children who train from the age of five to participate in it - Zuko retorted. - Everyone is dangerous. -

- I mean... - Suki inhaled deeply, exchanging a quick glance with Emiko and Chiasa, who were guarding her side. - A relationship of any kind with someone like him is dangerous. -

- We only kissed, Suki - Zuko insisted, ignoring the part of his head that screamed that what they'd done leaning against that tree wasn't just kissing. - There's no relationship. -

- Good, start packing your things. Remember, we're leaving first thing tomorrow. - Suki nodded, turning to head back to the center of the camp and help the few refugees who hadn't yet settled into their tents for the night. How long has he been in the freedom fighters' hideout that everyone was already getting ready for bed?

- I thought we were leaving mid morning - Zuko commented, quickly following her with his arms crossed. - Why the change of plans? -

- We're a day late because we didn't move today. -

- And we gained three days by cutting through this forest - Zuko retorted. - It's not like anyone's waiting for us, and you never change your plans from one day to the next, especially not from one night to the next morning. -

- Lee... -

- Tell me the truth, Suki - Zuko interrupted. - Are you doing this just because I kissed someone you don't like? -

- I’m doing this for you, Lee - she stopped, turning back to the boy. - I’m worried about you. -

- It feels more like you’re controlling me. You don’t want me to do anything, so you prevent it at all costs. You don’t want me to get close to anyone, so we immediately move away - Zuko grumbled. - I remind you that it was a kiss, Suki. You’re exaggerating, way too much. -

- I don’t trust him. -

- And apparently, you don’t trust me either - Zuko walked away from her toward his tent and sleeping bag, digging his nails into his palms to release his frustration instead of yelling, which would have caused the fire to flare up and expose him as a firebender. - I’m fed up of people who don’t trust me. -

His mother didn't trust him enough to tell him how awful his father was until he had to experience it firsthand when she died, abandoning him and Azula. His father never trusted his firebending abilities, becoming disappointed in him before he could even begin. At the same time, he distrusted him as a person and as the heir to the throne, excluding him from every meeting and council until he was finally able to get rid of him. The Yuyan archers didn't trust him enough to give him their tattoos and take him with them when they left Pohuai Fortress. Team Avatar didn't trust him enough to even let him explain when they kicked him out of their pack.

Would Suki kick him out the same way? She didn't trust him, and he never should have trust her. He allowed himself to let his guard down and forget the pattern where everyone Zuko dared to get close to ended up abandoning him.

- Where are you going? - Suki asked, not trying to follow him when she saw the tension in his shoulders.

- My turn is the third one - Zuko reminded her, turning to walk backwards - so I’m clearly going to sleep, or do I need your permission for that? -

- Now you’re exaggerating - she retorted, crossing her arms.

Zuko turned away and ignored Suki's last words before stumbling into his tent, grumbling as he peeled off his bandages. He felt the lingering touch of the Water Tribe boy, sinking into a deep melancholy. As he finished removing the bandages, he touched the wounds on his forearm, still healing from Jet's claws with poultices hidden beneath a cloth patch. The phantom touch vanished, replaced by the painful grip of the forest boy, freeing Zuko from his melancholy with a shiver that ran through his body at the memory of the physical pain.

Curious, Zuko thought. Perhaps he could replace one memory with another, forget one sensation by replacing it with a stronger one, overcome someone by replacing them with someone physically present.

But that would only work if he had Jet physically present to replace the memory of Sokka's touch, and he would only have him physically present if he stayed with him in the forest, even after the Kyoshi Warriors and the refugees left the next day.

Uncomfortably turning in his sleeping bag, Zuko ended up lying on his back, his hands covering his face. It was for the best, he told himself. The Kyoshi warriors would abandon him eventually; it was better if he left them first. That way, it wouldn't hurt so much. That way, it would be his decision.

It wasn't as if he had truly known them or formed any bonds with them. It had been less than two weeks since their first encounter. No one could grow fond of complete strangers in less than two weeks. It was irrational to feel bad about leaving them.

It shouldn't hurt, he told himself, pressing his hands against his eyes to hold back the tears that threatened to form and escape. It shouldn't hurt.

He awoke to begin his guard shift, embracing the feeling of strength and energy that came with the sunrise. He prepared his travel bag as Suki had ordered, while still looking around, and prepared Vesta's mount, stroking the neck of the distressed animal as she snorted and allowed Zuko to treat her.

The people began to wake up and break camp in the last few minutes of Zuko's watch, with the help of the Kyoshi warriors. In less than half an hour, they would be on their way, seeking to leave the forest and continue their journey to Ba Sing Se.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Zuko headed toward Chiasa, taking Vesta with him and quickly handing the reins to the young woman before him.

- She'll help you carry your medicinal plants - Zuko said, as Chiasa looked puzzled and instinctively took the reins. - And any wounded, if any appear. -

- Thanks, I guess - she murmured, puzzled. - But wouldn't you prefer to guide her yourself, as usual? Or doesn't she prefer you to guide her? -

- I don't think she likes the forest - Zuko replied. - She'll be better off in places where she can run, like plateaus and plains, or on long trails accompanying you. Besides, she'll be more helpful to you. -

- What are you talking about? – Chiasa asked, worried.

- Although you'll have Gao chasing after you to pet her, which might be for the best - Zuko murmured, stroking Vesta's neck one last time. - he tends to fall and scrape his knees, so he'll end up being carried by Vesta sooner or later. -

- Lee... -

- You're a great person, Chiasa - Zuko said, bidding her farewell. - Thank you for helping me with my injuries and for teaching me about the uses of plants. I'm going to miss you. -

He didn't let the girl reply before turning and walking quickly away until he was out of her reach. He said goodbye to Emiko and Kaori just as quickly, scanning for Gao and the two remaining warriors so he could leave before the group did.

- Are you leaving us? The others told me you were talking to them like you were saying goodbye - Nyoko asked, finding him before he could find her.

- Didn’t you think this would happen after you complained to Suki yesterday about what you saw? - Zuko asked, turning to her. - Why did it bother you so much to see us kissing? -

- Because you don't love him, and he doesn't love you either - she replied, crossing her arms. - He just finds you attractive and wants to satisfy his desires with your body. -

- The fact that he finds me attractive is already quite something - Zuko retorted, touching the edge of his scar with self-loathing.

- What? - Nyoko asked, taking a step back as if Zuko had just slapped her. - Lee, you're the most attractive person I know, and probably the most attractive half the world will ever meet. -

- Can you stop making fun of me? Why do you always do this? - Zuko grumbled, frowning at the girl.

- I'm not making fun of you, Lee. I never have - the girl assured him, starting to walk toward him and take his hands. - Whenever I've complimented you or flirted with you, I meant it. -

- You flirted with me? - Zuko asked, confused, in a whisper.

- The only reason I haven't done anything more is because I know you don't love me and you're still trying to get over the person who gave you those bandages you hug at night. - She lightly squeezed Zuko's hands before letting them fall as she walked away. - This feelings you're trying to get over, Lee, a physical relationship won't help you get over them. Maybe it'll work in the moment, but as soon as it's over, you'll fall back into it, and it'll be worse. -

- Maybe just a moment is enough - Zuko shrugged.

- You said it was just a kiss - Suki said, appearing suddenly beside Zuko with a frown. - But now you're going to leave just because of that? -

- I'll go back and help the refugees - Nyoko muttered with a grimace before walking away quickly.

- I was going to leave eventually... -

- That idiot seduced you! - Suki interrupted angrily. - That's what he wanted from the start! he's taking you away from us so he can have you at his mercy! How dare he use you like that? Drag you along with them just to… -

- No, Suki - Zuko cut off the Kyoshi leader with a growl. - I told you I'd leave eventually. My intention was never to go to Ba Sing Se. You knew that, and you accepted it... -

- Your intention wasn't to stay in this forest either - Suki interrupted. - Weren't you going to a friend's house? Weren't you looking for someone? -

- They're not waiting for me - Zuko denied. - And they'd understand if... -

- They'd understand if you joined a group of radical kids who attack any Fire Nation citizen without a second thought, even if they're innocent? -

- You're making it sound worse than… -

- That's exactly what happened to that entire village on the riverbank. – Suki took a step forward, approaching Zuko, who looked at her uncertainly. – they told us everything Lee. Jet and his group terrorized and attacked them from the moment they appeared. They didn't care if they attacked children or the elderly; they just kept attacking until they finally destroyed their village. And if a boy hadn't come to warn them, he would have destroyed them along with the village. –

- They have every reason to hate the Fire Nation. –

- There are no sufficient reasons to attack innocent people - Suki denied.

- They aren’t evil - Zuko immediately retorted.

- No, they are children who have suffered because of the war and want justice, but they are so wounded by pain and anger that their actions speak of blind vengeance instead of justice. - Suki took another step, standing less than an arm’s length from Zuko. Using the distance, she extended her hands and took his, seeking his gaze. she found him questioning the actions of the freedom fighters and the Fire Nation boy himself. - And you identify with them, Lee. You have suffered so much because of the war since before you were born. You desire justice for everything you have lived, seen, heard, and known in your fifteen years. I know the pain and anger are overwhelming, but you can’t let them drag you down like this. Vengeance is not the way, Lee. It will only destroy you from within. -

- I was destroyed long ago, Suki - the golden-eyed man shook his head.

- No, Lee, you have goodness inside you. In your eyes, I see the hope for a better world where… -

- I have no hope for a better world - Zuko cut the girl off coldly, looking away and wrenching his hands from her grasp. - I've seen enough of this world to know how horrible it is, and I certainly don't have any goodness inside me. Goodness makes you weak and vulnerable. -

- That's pain and anger speaking, Lee, not you. -

- You've only known me for a little over a week. How could you possibly know? - Zuko took a couple of steps back, glaring angrily at the Kyoshi leader. - You don't know who I am, you don't know what I think, you don't know my story! You don't know me! You can't say anything about me! You can't… -

- I know you touch your scar every time you do something wrong! And I know it's because you think someone will hurt you every time you think you've done something wrong! – the blue eyed girl shouted, approaching the pale boy as he backed away with each step she took – I know your mask has sentimental value because you caress it every time you put it on! I know when you think about your past because you fall silent and stare into the void with pain! I know you push yourself too hard on every mission and training session because you want to be exhausted by bedtime! And I know you want to do that because you just want to fall asleep without thinking about anything! And I know you do it because when you think before you sleep, you cry while caressing the bandages on your hands! I know you wake up every night from nightmares! I know you take more risks than necessary on missions, hoping that at some point things will go wrong and end your life! I know you're furious with those who hurt you, but you blame yourself for everything that happened to you! I know you've suffered too much to prefer feeling nothing at all to the pain! And I know you're afraid of feeling nothing, and that's why you only want to feel the anger! And… and I know you know that if you stay alone you'll suffer and die without ever seeing the friends you were looking for, and you want to do it because you think you'll hurt them or they'll hurt you if it happens, so you'd rather have strangers do it and finish you off once and for all -

- If you know all that, you know what my decision is - Zuko's voice came out flat and emotionless, just like the look he gave the Kyoshi leader before turning away from her to return to the freedom fighters' hideout.

- Did you ever think that the people you leave behind suffer because of it? - the painted warrior asked, not moving from her spot but still watching the pale boy walk away - it doesn’t hurt that you’re leaving me, Lee. It was going to happen eventually, but it hurts because of the reason you’re doing it. And maybe you’ll stop feeling anything if they kill you, but I’ll suffer because of it, because I love you and because you’re my friend. -

- We were never friends - Zuko denied before leaping into a tree and disappearing into the distance. He refused to accept to himself that it was so he wouldn’t have to see if he was truly causing the warrior Kyoshi pain.

He couldn’t live knowing.

Chapter Text

- There it is! - Sokka exclaimed, pointing towards General Fong's base, a large circular structure surrounded by a massive wall. Three other walls and a road converged on its four cardinal points, nestled between mountains and facing the ocean that was several kilometers away.

Aang pulled on Appa's reins, guiding him towards where Sokka pointed. The flying bison stopped once they reached a terrace on the second to last floor of the main building. It was fortunate that it was such a large terrace. Appa let out a tired grunt as the three teenagers jumped out of the saddle. Katara began rearranging her things on the floor, Sokka stretched his back, cracking his back bones, much to Momo's dismay who squealed at the sound, and Aang scratched his sleepy rear end after so many hours of continuous flying over the past four days.

- Welcome, Avatar Aang - a man greeted from behind them, finding them in what were surely less than ideal positions. The three teenagers turned to face the man, who had brown hair and a beard long enough to be tied in a high bun and combed down to his mid chest. He was dressed like a high ranking officer of the Earth Kingdom military, including shoulder pads that seemed to mimic the head of an animal with gaping jaws, though Sokka couldn't quite place it. Perhaps a lion turtle? Did people still believe in such creatures? And the absence of shoes to keep in contact with earth suggested he was also a earthbending master. - I am General Fong - the man bowed respectfully. - and welcome, to all of you, great heroes: Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, and mighty Katara. -

- Mighty Katara? - Katara asked hesitantly before noticing General Fong and his soldiers behind him watching the group intently. - I like that -

Something exploded in the sky several meters away, catching the attention of the small group. They whirled around, their bodies tense, anticipating a possible fight, only to be captivated by the fireworks display. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was in honor of their arrival.

- Not bad, not bad - Sokka agreed, nodding his head at the display. It was just what they needed: a welcome to lift their spirits and help them overcome the terrible disappointment of their last few days, having failed to find Zuko on their way to this base.

Was Zuko further along the path? Or had he taken another route? Perhaps he had seen them and hidden? Maybe he had been captured by Earth Kingdom soldiers? What if he had been attacked by bandits? What if he was a prisoner somewhere? Or being tortured? Or lost somewhere…

No! Zuko had to be alright! Zuko knew how to take care of himself; if anyone had a chance of surviving on his own, it was Zuko. He was surely fine somewhere they hadn't thought to look for, and they would find him later.

Yes, they would find him eventually, and until then, Sokka had to focus on the present because somehow, while he was lost in thought, they had arrived in front of Fong's strategy table with their maps spread out as he spoke of how amazed they were by Aang's feats in the battle at the North Pole almost two weeks ago.

- You're ready to face the Fire Lord now - General Fong said, startling Sokka, who, in the silence of the great hall, could do nothing more than raise his eyebrows and try to hide his surprise.

- What?! - Aang didn't bother to hide his surprise, shouting, his eyes widening, and throwing himself back without losing his balance or his seated position. - No, I'm not! -

- Aang still needs to master all four elements - Katara commented, trying to smooth things over after Aang had sounded so bad when he shouted in front of the general.

- Why? – the general asked, rising from his seat – with the kind of power he possesses, power enough to destroy hundreds of battelships in a matter of minutes, he could defeat the Fire Lord now -

- but, Sir - Sokka called, trying to figure out how to explain the situation - the thing is Aang can only do those things when he's in the Avatar State. -

- see, it's this special state where... -

- I'm well aware! - General Fong cut Aang off, turning in place before turning to one of the maps spread out on either side of his table. - Your eyes and tattoos glow, and you able to summon unbelivable power. - Fong studied the map intently. - Without you, we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores, but with you leading the way as our ultimate weapon - he pointed to his own base in the Earth Kingdom before drawing a line directly toward what was presumably the Fire Nation capital - we could cut a swath right throught the heart of the Fire Nation. -

- right - Aang said, lowering his head - but I don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar State, much less what to do once I'm there -

- so it's decided - General Fong said, turning to face them. - I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State, and then you will face your destiny. -

- No, nothing is decided - Katara quickly denied. - We already have a plan. Aang is persuing his destiny in his way. -

- well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on - the man grumbled before turning to his window and approaching it with a determined look. - may I show you something? That’s the infirmary - the general said, standing beside the window next to Aang and looking out at the other side where several men, covered in bandages and with amputated limbs and visible war wounds, walked slowly and painfully. - And those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Every day the Fire Nation takes lives. People are dying, Aang. You could end it, now. Think about it. -

It wasn’t fair that General Fong was playing with Aang’s guilt, not when he already blamed himself for the extermination of his culture and all the Air Nomads, not when he already blamed himself for this entire war.

On the other hand, if General Fong was right and they ended the war, everything could finally be over. The Fire Nation would fall, and peace could return. Katara and Sokka's father would go home, they could go home, and they could find Zuko so he could come back with them…

They were taken to their rooms and ate once night fell on the base, with Aang disappearing sporadically and leaving the two Southern Water Tribe siblings in an awkward and tense silence, the same awkward silence that had been haunting them for the past few days after their argument at the North Pole, a silence neither of them dared to resolve.

Things weren't usually like this between them. They were siblings, and they certainly argued or fought more often than not. Sokka could count on one hand the few times they hadn't argued all day, but it had never been like this, it had never hurt like this.

Aang entered the room, drawing the attention of both siblings who watched him enter silently, closing the door behind him without making a sound and heading to his bed with his head down and shoulders slumped.

- I told the general I would help him - he lowered his head even further as he sat down, and after uttering his first words - by going into the Avatar State. -

- Aang, no, that’s not the right way - Katara protested as Momo flew out of her lap.

- Why not? Remember when he took out the Fire Navy? - Sokka remarked, turning his head toward the younger ones. - It was incredible - Sokka had seen firsthand what people bonded with spirits could do and was still both amazed and grateful. Aang had destroyed the entire Fire Nation navy while Yue had saved Zuko from a fatal wound. It had truly been incredible, and Sokka was beginning to believe that it was possible to end the war once and for all in that same way.

- There is a right way to do this - Katara assured him, sitting down. - Practice, study, and discipline. When I started practicing with Master Pakku, Zuko told me… -

- Don't you dare say his name - Sokka growled, turning his back on the other two, especially Katara. - Wouldn't it be better to end the war once and for all? Just glow it up and stop that Fire Lord. -

- If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine, go ahead and glow it up - Katara spat, a hint of pain in her voice, as she sped off toward the door and disappeared beyond it.

- Katara, I'm just being realistic. - The door closed, leaving Aang talking to himself. - I don't have time to do this the right way. -

The next day, they began their attempts to induce the Avatar State in Aang. Every single attempt failed, starting with their first try in the early hours of the morning when they gave Aang a supposedly special tea that would enhance his chi. All it gave them was a hyperactive, squealing Aang who started bouncing around on his air sphere until he slammed his face into a pillar of earth. Sokka was inwardly grateful for the sudden silence after the impact.

He did not appreciate his spectacular fall on his butt when, in one of the attempts to induce the avatar state,  had scared Aang by putting Momo on his head and covering himself until it seemed as if they had switched heads; Momo's shriek gave the special effect to his attempt, but he had still failed.

He wasn't grateful to be covered in mud either. It was supposedly a mixture of the four elements, one of the last attempts of the day to induce the Avatar State. How could he, Katara, and General Fong even end up covered in mud when the mud they threw at Aang didn't even reach him? And whose absurd idea was that? They didn't even have ceremonial garments from the four nations. No matter what that crazy old man said, yes, the Water Tribe cloak was certainly ceremonial; Sokka himself had made sure to distinguish it for that purpose. And although it seemed strange, the hat must also be ceremonial for the Earth Kingdom since they themselves had given it to him. But the strange folded skirt of the Fire Nation didn't look ceremonial at all; it looked more like something they had taken from a random prisoner. And Aang's clothes certainly didn't count as ceremonial for the Air Nomads because they were everyday clothes that Aang himself wore in sets because of his tendency to ruin them on his adventures.

And General Fong hadn't stopped stroking his beard all day!

Were beards really that fascinating? Well, Sokka couldn't know. Beyond a bit of fuzz above his upper lip every couple of weeks, he didn't have any facial hair to boast about. Ugh, he was a disgrace as a man, as an alpha, and as a warrior.

After the disappointing day they'd had, no one could blame Sokka if he'd collapsed onto his bed as soon as he could, flailing away his shoes, robes, and pants until he was lying in his underwear, covered by blankets and clutching his sleeping bag.

- I thought I was the grumpy one of the group - Zuko murmured, his voice rasping and cracking, burying his face in the space between Sokka's neck and shoulder as he wrapped him in a hug, just as the older boy was hugging him, pulling him closer. - What happened? -

- It's this whole situation with General Fon and the Avatar State - Sokka replied, his eyes still closed, burying his nose in Zuko's hair to inhale what he now recognized as the Fire Nation's omega suppressants, not the scent of a beta, not Zuko's scent, but still the only one by which he could recognize him. - Every test is a failure after another. -

- Are you really surprised, though? - Zuko mocked, a smile smirking at Sokka's shoulder. - Did you think that ceremonial robes and mud thing would work? They didn't even have the right outfits. -

- Right?! - Sokka nodded fervently. - There's no way Aang's everyday clothes are Air Nomad ceremonial robes. -

Zuko snorted, amused, and began leaving a trail of kisses from Sokka's throat to his collarbones, making him purr contentedly with the attention.

- Why do they want Aang to enter the Avatar State so badly? Wasn't he worried about not being able to control it? - Zuko asked, still murmuring as he holded his hands together.

- Because we could end the war once and for all - Sokka replied, combing Zuko's long hair. - Don't you want the war to end? Don't you want us to defeat the Fire Nation once and for all? We could do it as easily as we did at the North Pole. -

- You mean when they destroyed the entire Fire Nation navy? Zuko asked, sounding less charming than he had a moment before.

- They attacked us first - Sokka reminded him, frowning.

- You'll kill hundreds of people without even giving them a chance to fight or escape your attack. - Zuko's hands released Sokka's, gripping his arms tightly until his nails dug into Sokka's skin.

- There are hundreds of lives being lost every day, it's war... -

- All their lives will weigh on your shoulders - Zuko growled, shoving Sokka back with the force of his own arm. Sokka, too, was forced backward on the bed, unable to reach the end no matter how many meters he retreated. - On your shoulders and Aang's. You'll trick him into becoming a mass murderer, and he won't know it until there's a river of blood running at his feet. -

- No... -

- So you'll tell him then that you used him, a twelve year old boy, as a murder weapon? Or will you let him take all the blame? -

- Stop! - Sokka shouted, shoving the boy away. - Shut up! You're not real! The real Zuko wouldn't attack me like this! -

- How can you know? - Zuko's voice mocked cruelly before he grabbed Sokka's face, digging his claws into the sides of his face and pulling him closer. - He's not here, and it's your fault! He left because of you! -

- No, that's not... -

- Open your eyes, Sokka - the voice growled in front of him, digging its claws in until the dark haired boy bled and screamed in pain. - Look at me! Look what you did to me! -

Sokka's eyes betrayed him, opening at the other's command, who had fallen into a sudden, total silence, leaving only Sokka's rapid breathing audible as he recognized the image before him.

Zuko was dead, his lips purple and ravaged by the frost, his skin pale blue and burned by the cold, his throat slashed from end to end, revealing the inside as if it had been ripped out and clawed furiously long ago. Blood still oozed, staining his Earth Kingdom clothes and making a wet mess of his already tangled hair, as if it had been viciously pulled in every direction.

His golden eyes no longer shone; the pools of gold were nothing more than shattered glass that didn't even look at Sokka before him, dead and lost in nothingness as the lifeless body they belonged to fell limply backward.

- No! – Sokka shouted, pulling his own hands away from the sides of his face, still stained with blood, to try to grab Zuko. He could only grasp flesh and bones destroyed by the crushing rocks that used to be Zuko's fine hands. The blood on them slipped from Sokka's desperate hands as he still tried to reach him.

The body pierced the ice pit the room had become and sank until it disappeared into the depths of the sea, while Sokka remained clawing at the ice layer that separated them, ignoring the pain in his claws as they were torn off by the force and desperation with which he scratched the ice without making a single scratch.

- Zuko! -

He opened his eyes wide and sat up, turning frantically, searching for the ice he needed to dig through to reach the golden eyed boy, only to find walls and beds surrounding him.

A nightmare, Sokka told himself. It was a nightmare. Zuko wasn't sinking to the bottom of some frozen sea. Zuko wasn't even at the North or South Pole. He was in the Earth Kingdom, and he was alive.

He had to be alive.

Sokka let himself fall back onto his bed, trying to catch his breath before the fear and pain of what he had seen flooded his now awake consciousness. He recalled every word and image of the nightmare, feeling both tears and nausea trying to escape. With a silent sob, he rolled onto his side, reaching for his sleeping bag, which he quickly huddled around in the fetal position, letting silent tears fall onto it.

- Sokka? - Aang called after a few minutes, seemingly waking from his own nightmare. - Sokka, wake up. -

- Yeah - he murmured, hoping his voice sounded like sleepy rather than the high pitched, broken voice of sobs.

- I don't think we should be trying to bring on the Avatar State - Aang said.

- Are you sure? - Sokka asked, turning to look at Aang, feeling a strange relief as those words slowly but were said betwen them.

- Yes - Aang nodded.

- Okay - Sokka agreed, shrugging and trying not to show his relief. It might have been a nightmare, but that didn't mean Zuko's words in his dream weren't true. Hundreds of people would be killed without a chance to fight or escape, and all those deaths would be at the hands of a twelve year old boy who couldn't even hurt a hermit crab. Aang wouldn't be able to live with himself when he realized what he'd done.

- Do you think the general will be mad? - Aang asked, worried.

- What can he say? - Sokka shook his head, turning back to his previous position. - You're the Avatar. Who know better than you?. -

Apparently, the general had something to say, because after Aang refused to keep trying to enter the Avatar State, General Fong attacked him, and continued to do so if Aang's screams meant anything.

- What's going on? - Katara asked when she met Sokka as they ran down the stairs.

- The general's gone crazy! - Sokka shouted before joining his sister at the bottom of the stairs. He watched the scene where Aang was escaping General Fong and his soldiers' attacks. - He's trying to force Aang into the Avatar State! -

Sokka drew his boomerang and struck one of the soldiers in the back, knocking him unconscious before he could continue attacking Aang. Katara prepared herself by pouring water from her canteen while Sokka threw his boomerang again to cut the spears and prevent them from harming his sister as she took her position.

Katara used her water whip to attack the soldiers while Sokka turned toward an ostrich horse. He needed an advantage in this fight, and since he was apparently the only non-bender here, no one could blame him for trying to use the animal to his advantage.

And since he'd never ridden one before, no one could blame him if, as soon as he climbed onto the mount, the animal bolted out of control, carrying him off to who knows where.

Sokka hadn't squealed like a squirrel, no matter what the other witnesses said.

- Maybe you can avoid me - General Fong's voice said as Sokka continued riding on the animal's back - but she can't! -

Sokka's heart froze as he understood the general's words. He was going to take Katara from him. He pulled on the reins of the animal with more force than necessary to make it turn around and return to his sister.

- I can't move! - Katara exclaimed.

No, it couldn't be true.

- Don't hurt her! - Aang shouted.

Another scream from his little sister terrified Sokka, who had finally returned to the scene of the fight only to find Katara trapped up to her hips in the earth beneath her and under the control of the lunatic general.

- Katara! - he shouted furiously at seeing her in danger and unable to free herself, looking as terrified and powerless as she had been in the storm that had almost drowned Sokka and the fisherman so many weeks ago. - No! –

He hit the flanks of the ostrich horse, lunging to grab Katara and pull her out of there.

General Fong reacted before Sokka could reach Katara, trapping the animal's leg, likely breaking it with the sudden movement, and abruptly stopping him, sending Sokka flying through the air into the hollow interior of the giant wheels the general had raised.

- Stop this! - Aang shouted, running down the path. - You have to let her go! -

- You could save her if you were in the Avatar State - Sokka crawled, trying to escape the giant wheel, terrified by every word General Fong said.

- I'm trying - Aang's voice was desperate and on the verge of tears. - I'm trying. -

- Aang, I'm sinking! - Katara cried out in fear. Sokka fell from the wheel, spinning desperately toward his sister, buried up to her chest.

- I don't see glowing - was General Fong's only response, letting Katara sink up to her neck as Sokka started running toward her.

- you don't need do this - Aang cried, kneeling before the general.

- Apparently I do - the general replied.

The twelve year old boy lunged to grab Katara, but couldn't catch her before she vanished into the earth without a trace. Aang didn't seem to understand, as he began desperately clawing at the ground, his claws getting broke, heedless of the damage he was inflicting on himself.

Sokka fell to his knees, trembling after watching his little sister disappear. It was a nightmare, it had to be a nightmare. Sokka would wake up soon, and Katara would be there, alive and safe from the earthbending of a lunatic general.

- It worked! - General Fong shouted, but Sokka could only hear him as background noise, drowned out by the force of his blood and heartbeat pounding in his ears, deafening everything around him. - It worked! –

Aang turned toward General Fong in his Avatar State. that must be what the general meant when he said it had worked, his eyes and tattoos glowing, his face contorted in fury directed at the general and his soldiers, creating a whirlwind of air and earth beneath him that propelled him into a menacing stance.

- Avatar Aang! Can you hear me?! - the general shouted, trying to get Aang's attention, but instead attracting Sokka's, who, in a blind rage, drew his machete, ready to finish off the lunatic who had taken his sister. - Your friend is safe! - The general pulled a tearful Katara from the ground beside him, stopping Sokka in his tracks for just a second as he dropped his weapon and ran straight to Katara. - It was just a trick to trigger the Avatar State! And it worked! -

Sokka reached Katara's side and hugged her desperately, feeling her return the embrace before she looked behind him in terror. Sokka turned his head, noticing how Aang expanded the force of his whirlwind and launched his attack at the entire base with a single movement. The two siblings had no time to do anything but hug each other tightly and shield each other with their arms before the attack swept through.

Aang's body, still glowing with the Avatar's light, descended slowly, dissipating its whirlwind after destroying the base, but allowing the air to surround him in a protective dome.

Katara and Sokka exchanged a quick glance before she ran towards Aang and Sokka grabbed his weapons in case the madman who had led them to this reappeared.

- I'm sorry, Katara - Aang's broken voice said, having already snapped out of the Avatar State. - I hope you never see me like this again. -

- Are you joking?! - General Fong laughed, appearing from somewhere and catching Sokka's attention as he headed back towards the rest of Team Avatar. - That was almost perfect. We just have to find a way to control you when you are like that -

- You're out of your mind - Aang declared.

- I guess we'll figure it out on the way to the Fire Nation. -

Ha! No.

Sokka didn't let the man to stop stroking his beard as he threw his boomerang, this time completely silently to avoid being intercepted, striking the man on the back of the head and knocking him unconscious.

- Anybody got a problem with that? – Sokka grunted as he walked past the unconscious man's body, maybe kicking him a little on his way, until he reached Aang and Katara.

The soldiers, the few who remained in sight and dared to approach, quickly shook their heads before scolding each other like scolded puppies to ask their question, bowing respectfully - Do you still want someone to escort you to Omashu? -

- I think we're all set - Katara declared, arms crossed, after exchanging a glance with Aang and Sokka. They didn't wait to exchange another word with the soldiers, much less for the mad general to wake up. They gathered their things and left before the soldiers tried to find an excuse to make them stay.

Or try to make them pay for the damage to the base.

- You tried to save me - Katara remarked as they soared through the skies on Appa's saddle, with Aang holding the reins and perched atop the flying bison's head.

- Did you think I wouldn't? – Sokka asked, frowning, worried about how bad his relationship with Katara was if she thought he would let her sink and disappear into the earth without fighting for her.

- I thought you were mad at me - she replied, lowering her head.

- I was - Sokka agreed - but you’re my sister, Katara. I’ll always be there for you. -

- Thank you - Katara smiled, tears welling in her eyes, before throwing her arms around him. - Please don’t push me away. -

Sokka held her in his arms, just like when they were children and she’d had a particularly bad nightmare. He exchanged a quick glance with Aang before they smiled at each other and looked back at the front of their heads.

- I’ve got you - Sokka reassured her.

Chapter Text

It took Zuko two days after Suki left to realize he'd made a mistake. Oh no, he'd regretted it the very day she left, feeling terrible for abandoning her, but ignoring that feeling as he fought the Fire Nation soldiers around the forest. Jet claimed it was to drive out the invaders, but Zuko wasn't so naive as to not know that Jet was really doing it for revenge, only deceiving himself into believing it was for a cause. He helped repair the freedom fighters' hideout, practiced with all his weapons, except, of course firebending, until his muscles burned beneath his skin, and spent his nights with Jet.

Nights Zuko had hoped would be different from what he'd gotten.

Zuko was a teenager and aware of what most of his peers did. He'd seen Lu Ten disappear at parties holding hands with some omega, and although he hadn't understood it then, June had no problem explaining it to him. June hadn't exactly been discreet either when she vanished into bars with her occasional partners, and the Yuyan archers tended to forget his age while recounting their teenage adventures until Izumi hit them to shut them up. And although Jet didn't attract him in that way, Zuko had understood that he was attractive to him, sexually attractive at least, so he assumed Jet would try to establish himself as a partner for carnal pleasures with him.

That hadn't happened. Part of him was annoyed by it because it was what everyone his age did, and although Zuko knew his life wasn't exactly normal, he hoped that by doing it he could better understand other people his age. Another part of him was grateful because he couldn't imagine doing something so intimate with Jet, or more intimate than the little he had done.

They had only spent two nights together, three if you count the first one when Nyoko had discovered them, and on both occasions Jet hadn't tried to establish any kind of understanding about his actions. He had simply dragged him to his room after dinner and thrown him onto his bed, rubbing himself against Zuko like an animal in heat until he ended up biting Zuko somewhere random and collapsing to sleep beside him. He didn't care if Zuko had managed to finish; he hadn't. In fact, he hadn't even managed a full erection, being too uncomfortable those nights. And he didn't care that Zuko hadn't the slightest idea what to do afterward while Jet drifted off into a deep sleep.

Both times they had been in Jet's room, he had ended up escaping to his own room in the middle of the night. He had only waited until the middle of the night because Jet was the only one with his own room, so he didn't want to go in until he was sure Longshot, Pipsqueak, and the Duke were sound asleep.

Longshot had discovered him the first night, much to Zuko's misfortune and shame, but the quiet boy hadn't said a single word to any of the freedom fighters. Zuko would have been grateful for that if he weren't so ashamed to even exchange glances.

But none of that was the reason Zuko knew unequivocally that he had made a mistake and that he had to leave that forest that very day.

No, the reason he knew his mistake lay dead at his feet, the blood from his destroyed chest still dripping onto Jet's sword hooks, which he spat onto the corpse of a Fire Nation soldier.

- He was paralyzed - Zuko said, looking up at Jet, who showed no sign of guilt. - He wasn't going to hurt you. He couldn't even fight. -

- He's from the Fire Nation - Jet said, kicking the corpse.

- The fight was already over - Zuko retorted, feeling fury rise through his body. - You had already won! You already had all your supplies! He was paralyzed several meters away! -

- We can't let any of these damned ash makers live - Jet growled, frowning at Zuko. - Are you arguing with me about this monster? -

- Wait, you… - Bile rose rapidly in Zuko's throat, forcing him to close his mouth and swallow hard before he could continue. - All the ones I paralyzed, you… -

- finished them off? - Jet raised an eyebrow, finishing the question Zuko couldn't complete, and nodded calmly. - Yes, you don't have to thank me. -

- Thank you?! - Zuko shouted incredulously. - You killed people who couldn't fight back! -

- They've done the same thing! - Jet snorted, huffing in annoyance.

- So you do exactly the same thing? You're no better than them - Zuko retorted. - In fact, you're worse, because you know how terribly wrong things are, and you're... -

Zuko had to quickly back away and move to the right, raising his forearm to intercept and dodge Jet's attempt to hit him.

- Don't you dare compare me to them - Jet growled at Zuko, their eyes locked in anger as the freedom fighters who had participated in the mission watched in stunned silence.

- Don't bother calling me for these missions again - Zuko snarled back before turning and heading back to the hideout, not giving the others a chance to react before he vanished.

He packed his travel bag almost immediately upon arriving at his shared room, and although it wouldn't take him long, given his habit of packing it every morning in case of emergency, it was still enough time for the others from the mission to return, including Smellerbe, who intercepted him just as he was about to leave the room.

- Jet wants to talk to you. He says you should go to... - Smellerbe fell silent, staring at Zuko's travel bag with a frown as if it were personally offending her, though the girl frowned at almost everything, so she might as well have just been looking at his travel bag. - Were you planning to leave? -

- I was going to say goodbye first, if that's what's bothering you - Zuko murmured, nodding.

- It bothers me that you’re leaving like we tried to kill you when it was just a fight with Jet - the girl retorted, arms crossed. - A stupid fight. -

- Well, you tried to kill me when we first met - Zuko reminded her. - And it’s not just the fight. Listen, I understand your vision as a group when you formed, and liberating invaded villages is a very admirable task on your part, but I don’t know if what you’re doing now is still part of that task or if you’ve lost sight of it. You’re not fighting soldiers, and you’re not fighting for villages. You’re scaring people just as much as soldiers would, and you’re stealing their belongings without even checking who they are. -

- Maybe it’s a bit of revenge against Fire Nation soldiers. -

- But you’re not just attacking soldiers, and you’re not just attacking Fire Nation people - Zuko countered, walking past her. - I think it’s revenge against the world more than against anyone in particular, and you only seem to be seeking more the more you fight. I don’t want to be dragged into a pit that only digs itself deeper and deeper –

- Jet wants to talk to you, in the planning room - the girl repeated, crossing her arms and frowning.

- Well, I don’t want to talk to him - Zuko retorted.

- You have to - she growled, running to block his path again - even if it’s just to announce that you’re leaving. -

- No matter where I go, you’re going to get in the way, aren’t you? - Zuko asked after letting out a tired sigh. Smellerbee nodded quickly, earning an exasperated growl from Zuko as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. - Do you know how childish that is? -

- Are you going? -

- Yes, but… -

- Then it works - she shrugged before frowning at Zuko again - Don't ever call me childish again -

Rolling his eyes, Zuko turned and headed toward the blasted room. He really didn't want to talk to Jet, but Smellerbee had a point. He'd have to talk to him sooner or later, either to say goodbye or announce his departure, and if he thought about it, Jet would probably be the most troublesome part, so it was best to get it over with.

- Jet - Zuko called, entering the room without bothering to knock. He'd done it several times before, and Jet had mocked his manners. Zuko didn't think knocking was exactly manners, but rather common protocol. Jet didn't seem to care about that, so he didn't need to point it out. Besides, Jet kept his door half open almost all the time, demonstrating that everyone was welcome to come in and talk, and only when he closed the door no one should bother him. This time, Jet had it hal open, so there shouldn't be any problem with him simply coming in. - Why did you send for me? -

Four pairs of eyes rose to look at Zuko from inside the planning room, four pairs belonging to Jet, Longshot, Sneers, and Pipsqueak, who stood around a planning table piled high with papers and maps. The wooden walls were covered like wallpaper, leaving not a single piece of the original wood visible. Even the hollow spaces that used to be windows had been boarded up to hold more plans, leaving only a couple of oil lamps hanging from the ceiling and one more in the center of the planning table as possible sources of light.

- I wanted to talk to you - Jet replied with a lopsided smile as he returned his gaze to the plans.

- You could have come find me instead of sending someone to get me - Zuko retorted, crossing his arms.

- It's a private matter - Zuko raised an eyebrow, incredulous at Jet's words. Jet irritably gnawed on the ear of wheat he was chewing. How many did he have? How did they never run out? A lopsided smile began to form on Jet's lips, giving Zuko a bad feeling even before he opened his mouth to speak. - If that's what you want, why are you carrying the Blue Spirit mask in your travel bag? -

- You went through my things - Zuko growled, frowning.

- The Duke did - Jet shrugged. - He's a curious child, isn't he, Pipsqueak? -

- He’s a kid, like most people here, so I left my bag securely fastened two meters high in a room where he couldn’t climb the walls - Zuko retorted, crossing his arms in annoyance. - The duke would have to be at least five foot three to reach it, and he wasn’t more than a meter tall the last time I checked. -

- You’re changing the subject, Blue Spirit - Jet growled.

- It's a mask from a play - Zuko shook his head, ignoring the part where he'd been using the mask lately for other purposes. - My mother was a playwright, and that mask belongs to the antagonist in her favorite play. -

- And of an supposed vigilante spirit that appeared in the Earth Kingdom the last few weeks.. -

- Why do you think it's at the bottom of the bag? - Zuko said with a rather uncouth snort, one that would have gotten him punished if he'd been in the Fire Lord's palace. - The Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation soldiers would destroy it the moment they saw it. Excuse me if I want to keep it intact, but it's all I have left of her. - He frowned at Jet. - Now, why were you rummaging through my things? -

- Everyone except Lee, get out and close the door - Jet ordered, looking less amused than he had been minutes before when Zuko had just arrived. Pipsqueak was the last to leave, giving Jet an uncertain look before closing the door behind him.

- Well? - Zuko demanded. - What's your excuse? -

- Why are you contradicting everything I say or do today? - Jet asked in return. - You've been nodding and following my lead these past few days, but today, you argue with me, throw a tantrum and walk off a mission, you threaten to abandon the freedom fighters, and now you're contradicting all my words and orders in front of the other fighters. -

- I didn't know you were killing the soldiers... -

- Oh, please, Lee. Did you think we just grabbed the supplies and left? - Jet scoffed, shaking his head. - Did you think we let them go so they could report who we are, how many of us are here, or what we're like? Did you think we let them go just so they could come back with ten times as many men and wipe us all out? - Jet approached Zuko, raising his hands and placing them on the paler boy's face, tenderly caressing his cheekbones. - You're smarter than that, Lee. You knew what was happening from the first day, but you didn't want to accept it because you have such a soft heart. That's why I finished the job for you. I've been doing it all these days just for you, so you can rest peacefully in my arms. -

- For me? Why… -

- Why would I do all this for you? - Jet interrupted so quickly that even Zuko wasn't sure if the question Jet had asked was the same one he was going to ask. - Because you're important to the freedom fighters. You're special, Lee, and we need you. We need you to stay with us and help us in our fight. - The dark haired boy moved closer until they shared the same air, their lips gently brushing against each other's as he spoke. - You're valuable to the freedom fighters, Lee. - Jet's lips moved closer to place a soft, quick kiss on the other boy's. - You're valuable to me. -

Their lips met again, Jet's kiss slowly intensifying as he gently pushed Zuko, tossing his travel bag aside, until he was leaning against the planning table, completely ignoring the plans and papers scattered across its surface.

Zuko's hands rose to grip Jet's shoulders as his body lowered itself, bringing him closer until their bodies were pressed together. Jet's hands were similar, encircling Zuko's torso until they touched the wooden surface, then moving to the paler boy's waist. His fingers caressed and raked, searching for an opening in the fabric to reach the soft, hidden skin.

- Would you like to move on to the next step? - Jet asked, pushing aside Zuko's robes to slip his hand inside and make contact with the pale skin. Zuko gasped, surprised by the direct touch on his stomach, which moved slowly, caressing him from top to bottom, sending shivers through his body from the new kind of contact.

- Move on to what? - Zuko asked, confused by Jet's words and still too lost in the new sensations to notice the predatory smile upon him.

- It'll feel good, really good - Jet assured him, sliding his hand under the pants and underwear of the golden eyed man who was sighing as lips bit and licked the skin above his collarbone. - Believe me, you'll like it. -

A gasp escaped Zuko's lips as Jet's hand finished closing around his length, beginning to rapidly stimulate him. Zuko's heart began to race, his mouth went dry in seconds, his breath caught in his throat, and his body froze at the sudden action.

Zuko knew this was what Jet had wanted from the start. He knew he was attracted to him in this way and wanted him for carnal pleasure. Zuko knew it was what most people his age wanted. Zuko knew he should want it too. Zuko knew he should have expected it to happen since he decided to stay. Zuko knew it was going to happen. Zuko believed he wanted it to happen.

But... not now, not like this, not with someone he didn't know, no... the reason didn't matter. He simply didn't want to do this, and that was reason enough not to.

- Jet - Zuko called, trying to get his attention and make him stop, pushing the dark haired man by the shoulders.

- Do you like that? - Jet growled, nibbling at Zuko's jaw without letting go of the other's length and continuing to rub against the open legs of the man beneath him.

- Wait… - Zuko tried to speak, only to be cut off by the other, who kissed him eagerly while unfastening his own pants with his free hand.

- You'll like this better - the wild haired man assured him, grasping both lengths with one hand and using the other to take Zuko's chin, forcing him to look directly into his dilated eyes .

- Stop - Zuko gasped, unheard by the other, who began to move his hand, gaining strength and speed with each passing second. - Jet, stop -

Jet's lips descended to the golden eyed man's throat, sucking and licking the skin until they left marks, while he writhed beneath him, trying to free himself, fear clouding his thoughts and reactions.

- Stop - the black haired man begged.

The older man's hips undulated desperately, slamming against Zuko's, who was hyperventilating and trying to push the boy away, but unable to overcome the weight of his entire body against his trembling arms.

- Stop - repeated the golden eyed man, desperate about the situation and feeling tears begin to accumulate in his eyes.

Closing his eyes, Zuko shrank back, trying to vanish from the fear and the bleeding pain in his heart over what was happening. He tried to disappear just as he had when the alphas saw him after he presented himself as an omega, even as a small child. He tried to disappear just as he had when those alphas who visited his parents for meetings used any excuse to touch him in any way they could. He tried to disappear just as he had when the alphas of the palace waited for the first moment he was alone and cornered him, caressing and grabbing everything they could.

And to think that for so long he had believed it was normal, that as an omega he was nothing more than an object, an object to satisfy his alpha, that he provoked them and if anyone did anything to him it was his fault, because of how he spoke, dressed, or acted, because he smiled at the wrong person, because he walked alone without an escort, because he didn't think before he acted. And he had believed all of it.

What a lie!

It wasn't normal, it wasn't right, it shouldn't happen to anyone, and no one should suffer like that.

No one should have done any of that to him, not back then when he was a child, nor now. He wasn't anyone's object, he wasn't for anyone's pleasure, and he belonged to no one but himself. No one could do anything to him against his will.

Not again.

He wouldn't let it happen again.

His eyes opened, fixing on the panting boy above him as his feet planted on the tabletop. He breathed fire, literally, before concentrating it in his palms and slamming open hands across the other boy's chest, sending him flying with the force of the flames to the other side of the room.

Jet's body hit the wooden walls and he fell to the floor with a startled cry before raising his head, his breath ragged, staring in utter disbelief and fury at the pale-skinned boy.

Zuko wasn't going to wait for his reaction. Whether he got angry, yelled at him, threw punches, tried to jump on him again, was shocked and lying on the ground, or apologized for what he had done, he didn't care. He didn't want that guy to even come near him again.

Quickly straightening his robes and grabbing his travel bag, Zuko left the room, still hyperventilating and terrified of any sound or movement. Anything could be Jet trying to trap him to finish what he'd started. He opened the door, escaping the room he never wanted to enter again, accidentally bumping into whoever was standing guard outside.

- Pipsqueak, I'm sorry, I was... - Zuko frowned at the large figure who was looking at him with a mixture of apprehension and surprise at seeing him... even though he knew that only Jet and Zuko were inside. No, he wasn't surprised that Zuko was there; he was surprised that he was the one who came out first, and he was apologetic because he knew what was happening inside the room. He had known when he came out, just like the others who had come out with him, and even if he hadn't, he had heard everything. The walls of the lair weren't even thick, and the slightest murmur could be heard from the other side. Pipsqueak had heard him begging Jet to stop and hadn't done anything...

No one in that place had done anything.

- Are you alri... - Zuko quickly stepped back to avoid the large man's grasp, feeling tears well up in his eyes and food rise in his throat as the realization hit him.

- You're a horrible person - Zuko spat, backing away, his eyes still hurt as he stared at the giant man. - All of you -

He didn't allow the giant man to react and grab him to return to his leader. He surround and quickly walked away, avoiding any contact with anyone he encountered and ignoring the few times he heard someone call his name.

He was a fool, a complete idiot, to even think that any of these people would care enough to stop Jet from using him, or that they possessed any conscience beyond what their leader told them.

He desperately wiped the tears from his eyes, or tried to if the blurred edges in his vision meant anything, and looked up, finding the ropes by which he could escape once and for all. He didnt't take another step before the cold metal slammed hard against his temple, knocking him to the floor with the force and pain.

- Did you think you could fool us, you damned ash maker?! - Jet yelled, Zuko's blood dripping from his hooked blades. - You're dead! -

Zuko gasped in pain, trying to focus his vision, blurred by the blow to his head, the persistent tears, and the drops of blood that began to trickle down his right side, the eye undamaged by the burn, the one on which he had relied for almost all his sight.

Was this karma for his trickery in the fight with Suki? Or was it the inevitable outcome of what Master Piandao had prepared him for so many years ago?

Closing his eyes tightly to prevent his body from succumbing to the temptation of trying to focus with his failing vision, Zuko stood up, drawing his twin swords from the crossed scabbards on his back and turning his attention to his other senses to assess his surroundings.

- Jet, what's happening? – asked Smellerbe, jumping but still several away.

- Lee tricked us - Jet growled, slicing through the air with his weapon. The sound reached Zuko, enough for him to pinpoint his attacker's position and distance. Zuko had to do a quick mental calculation to determine the number of steps and how long it would take Jet to reach him if he attacked again. - A firebender walking among us. -

- Just because Lee has golden eyes doesn't mean he's a firebender - said the Duke, dangling from a branch in the distance. - He's a freedom fighter, just like us. -

- He's a firebender! - Jet shouted at the Duke, who quickly backed away, startled by the older man's outburst. - He made the lamp in the planning room explode, and the fire reached the ceiling! I saw it with my own eyes! I'm telling you! -

- Jet, put your weapon down - said Sneers, drawing Jet's attention. Jet only growled in annoyance before turning furiously toward Zuko.

- I'll show you - Zuko growled back at the words of Jet, shifting his stance to fight, the floorboards beneath him creaking in warning. - You'll to defend yourselfs, then everyone will know - Jet growled, advancing toward him with the creaking floorboards beneath him, not bothering to lower his voice. - Go ahead! Show them what you can do! -

- You want a show? - Zuko retorted, twirling his swords and trying to anticipate future attacks he couldn't see, while simultaneously searching for a blind spot where he could strike. - I'll give you a show. -

The floorboards beneath Jet creaked loudly from the force of his leap, alerting Zuko to a possible aerial attack. He rolled in response, trying to create a small, vulnerable target, circling to find the spot where Jet's feet had hit the ground upon landing.

Whether he had fallen looking at him or not, Zuko couldn't tell, so he had to quickly back away to create some distance in an attempt to get out of immediate danger.

- Jet, the poor kid can't even see you - Pipsqueak retorted from a distance. - This could all be a misunderstanding. You hit your head when you fought in the planning room. Maybe you just thought you saw... -

- I know what I saw! - Jet yelled at the giant figure before turning and charging at Zuko, slicing through the air with his swords as he aimed at both sides of Zuko's chest. Zuko stopped his attacks by raising his own weapons. - The fire moved with his breath! - he shouted, before turning his attention back to Zuko with a growl as they both strained against their weapons. - Why don't you tell them what you did?! -

- Why don't you tell them what you did to me? - Zuko growled before thrusting his swords upward, forcing the other boy to do the same. Jet lost his balance and was forced back before a front kick landed squarely in his chest, sending him sprawling backward.

- you must be getting tired of using those swords? - Jet growled, trying to provoke Zuko, and almost succeeding, as he rose with a somersault and launched himself at Zuko again, slashing from the sides with enough force and speed to cut through the air, unwittingly warning Zuko -Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me? -

- You struggle to fight me even when I can't see - Zuko mocked, just as Jet had mocked him. - You should be grateful I'm not a firebending master instead of yelling at me to fight like one. -

- I'm going to kill you! - Jet yelled before Zuko swept his swords across Jet's legs with the blunt side, because using the sharp edge would have severed them, traumatizing the children and most likely killing Jet, although that last thought didn't sound so bad considering everything Jet had done.

Jet's feet slammed into Zuko's chest, sending him reeling backward before he could regain his footing and recognize Jet's approaching footsteps. Zuko prepared his weapons, considering the distance between himself and Jet, even with his weapons extended. There was still too little space, or so Zuko thought, before something metallic struck his hand with a sharp thud, forcing him to drop one of his swords. He cried out in surprise and pain, taking a swift step back.

If the freedom fighters' hideout hadn't been concealed several meters above the ground, that single step would have caused him to stumble due to the difference in level before he could regain his balance and continue fighting. But that wasn't his reality, and unable to see his surroundings, Zuko had taken a misstep and fallen into the void.

Chapter Text

They had camped on the banks of a river so Katara and Aang could practice their waterbending, and to take advantage of what was both a vital resource and a weapon now that Katara was a waterbender. These were very valid arguments, and they were close enough to Omashu that Sokka had agreed to let them stop hours before nightfall so the other two could practice their water magic while he curled up in his sleeping bag for a well-deserved rest.

He must have seen it coming that the two benders would also start practicing making strange water octopus shapes in the morning, delaying their journey. But again, they were close to Omashu, so with a couple of hours traveling on Appa, they would arrive before lunchtime, and boy, did Sokka want one of those banquets that the Mad King threw.

What he had no way of seeing coming were the nomad travelers, some highly exasperating ones on top of everything else, who arrived with colorful flowers, little braids and instruments, and who were not slow to make fun of his bathing clothes which may or may not also be his underwear but which certainly did not deserve to be pointed out, thank you very much.

One would expect that after the abrupt interruption to their training, Aang and Katara would finally get dressed and ready to continue their journey, and they did, only to get distracted by the nomad travelers and end up braiding their hair and making flower crowns.

Even Appa had fallen for it, now sporting dozens of braids with pink flowers in his hair.

- Hey, Sokka, you should hear some of their stories - Aang said, charmed by the strangers as soon as he saw Sokka approaching the group with long, heavy steps. - These guys have been everywhere. -

- Well, not everywhere, littel arrowhead - corrected Chong, the nomad with the charango - but where we haven't been we've heard about stories and songs. -

One of Sokka's eyebrows rose in silent exasperation as he frowned at the group lying around, singing as if they had nothing better to do.

They had an agenda to keep!

The sooner they reached Omashu, the sooner Aang could train his earthbending, allowing him to defeat the Fire Lord faster and end this war once and for all. On the other hand, the sooner they settled in Omashu, the sooner Sokka could set off to search for Zuko in the surrounding area, reuniting with the golden eyed boy much sooner.

And besides, Sokka wanted to arrive before lunch.

Was he stressed about how carefree everyone else was? Yes! Because he was worried about getting to Omashu.

- They say they'll take us to a giant nightcrawler - Aang continued excitedly.

- on the way - began another of the nomadic travelers, who, unlike the other, wore pink and white robes and carried a kind of drum instead of a charango, but was just as blissfully unaware and carefree as a yak that had eaten the wrong plants and was too relaxed and drowsy to do anything beyond making strange, blissfully sleepy noises - there's a waterfall that creates a never ending rainbow. -

- Look, I hate to be the wet blanket here - Sokka said, placing a hand on his chest before pointing at his sister, whose hair was being braided by Chong's wife. - But since Katara is busy, I guees it's up to me - Sokka was about to happily ignore Katara's annoyed glare. - We need to get to Omashu, no sidetracks - he began counting on his fingers - no worms,  and definitely no rainbows. - 

- Whoa, sounds like someone's got a case of destination fever - Chong commented, far too carefree and happy, without moving from his spot beyond a vague stretch of his head that he let fall when he finished speaking. - You're worry too much about where you're going. -

- you got to focus less on the 'where' and more on the 'going' - Chong's wife replied, her tone not far removed from her husband's relaxed one as she continued to adorn Katara's braid with yellow flowers and ribbons.

- O-MA-SHU - Sokka emphasized each part.

- Sokka's right - Katara finally agreed. - We need to find King Bumi so Aang can learn earthbendending somewhere safe -

- Sounds like you're headed to Omashu - Sokka's palm smack his forehead in response to Chong's words, who apparently wasn't bothering to listen beyond what he wanted to hear. - There's an old story about a secret pass, right through the mountains. -

And of course, Aang had lifted his head, as interested as a polar bear puppy smelling its mother returning with a juicy dinner, as soon as he heard about the secret pass.

- Is this real or a legend? - Katara asked for the first time, looking skeptically at the carefree nomadic travelers.

- oh, it's a real legend - Oh, Tui and La, someone had to give Sokka some patience, or he'd end up with a mark on his forehead from hitting himself. - And it's as old as earthbending itself. -

Two lovers

Forbiddem from one another

Oh bravo, another song, again.

A war divides their people

and a mountain divides them apart

Build a path to be together

- ...yeah, I forgot the next couple lines- the man paused to speak, though his nomadic companions continued dancing - but then it goes... -

Secret Tunnel

Secret Tunnel

Through the mountains

Secret

Secret

Secret

Secret tunnel!

- Yeahhh - the man finished his song, ecstatic, with a final strum of the strings before throwing one hand into the air and falling back as the others applauded him.

- Think we’ll stick sit flying - said Sokka, unimpressed by the song and with his arms crossed, exasperated by the whole absurd situation. - We’ve dealt with the Fire Nation before, we’ll be fine. -

- Yeah - Aang agreed, getting up along with Katara as Sokka approached them so they could climb onto the flying bison’s saddle. - Thanks for the help, but Appa hates going underground - the young monk told the nomadic traveler, still wearing a crown of pink flowers and smiling broadly at the stranger. - And we nedd to do whatever makes Appa more comfortable. -

Appa, growling with a mixture of terror and anger at the dozens of fireballs hurled at them as soon as they approached the mountain pass toward Omashu, was certainly the opposite of a comfortable Appa. The three teenagers, and Momo, screaming on his backs as soot and dust rained down on them, didn't improve things for the flying bison.

They had to retreat quickly, both to escape and to find the nomadic travelers who could lead them to that secret pass. The walk of shame they had to endure was the most embarrassing situation Sokka had ever faced. And his first crush had kicked his butt in front of a group of girls in less than a second, making them all laugh at him! And the first time his latest and greatest crush had seen him was when he had a frog in his mouth!

Oh no, that was the first time Sokka had seen Zuko outside of his fever. The first time Zuko had seen Sokka was when Zuko himself was putting the frog in his mouth. Sokka didn't know if that was more embarrassing or not, but he did know that it meant Zuko had seen him delirious with fever before they had even met. And now Sokka was praying to the spirits that he hadn't said anything inappropriate to the Fire Nation prince while he was sick.

- How far are we from the tunnel? - Sokka asked, trying to escape his own thoughts as they walked alongside the nomad travelers along a barren path between two mountains.

- Actually it's not just one tunnel - Chong replied. - The lovers didn't want anyone to find out about their love, so they built a whole labyrinth. -

- Labyrinth?! - Sokka exclaimed incredulously, turning his head toward the group, who didn't seem bothered by the new information.

- I'm sure we will figure it out - Chong reassured Sokka calmly, giving him some confidence. They were nomad travelers after all; they must have gone through similar things and come out unscathed if he was so confident about their chances.

Nodding, Sokka turned back to continue walking, his arms hanging limply and his back hunched. There was nothing to worry about. Sure, it was a secret passage and all, but there were several others like it around the world. Sokka and Katara used to play in secret caves at the South Pole, whose entrances and exits were known only to the people of the Southern Water Tribe. Surely this secret tunnel wasn't much different, and surely the nomad travelers had already crossed other secret tunnels like this one, so they would know how to guide them. Yes, there was nothing to worry about.

- All you need to do is trust in love - oh, yes, Lovers' Cave, Sokka remembered rolling his eyes, bet they'd have phrases carved into the walls about how love is the most powerful force in the world and that kind of cheesy nonsense. - According to the curse -

According to what? Sokka repeated to himself, freezing in place as the group walked past him again, seemingly unconcerned by the new information. Well, Sokka was worried, too worried, so much so that once the initial shock wore off, he thrashed his arms and legs in every direction, desperate both at Lily's words and at the whole situation that everyone seemed to be ignoring.

- curse?! - he finally yelled, remembering he had a mouth with whar he could complain.

- Oh, we must be close - Lily continued calmly.

- Then it's a good time to head back - Sokka retorted, turning away and being ignored by the others.

- How do you know we're close? - Katara asked the older woman instead.

- because of the giant entrance - the woman replied with a smile. Sokka turned around and walked to catch up with the others, only to see as he approached that what he had seen and thought was the shadow of a mountain in the distance was in fact a giant entrance to a cave too dark to allow him to see anything inside beyond the shadows.

- hey, we're here - Chong said happily.

- What exactly is that curse? - Sokka asked, five seconds to just grabb his sister and Aang by the arms and pull them back onto Appa's saddle. They could find another way, maybe if they circled the entire region, or even the world if necessary. Although, for that to happen, the world would have to be round. Maybe it was. Who could say for sure what the world was like?

- The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves - Chong replied calmly. - Otherwise, you'll be trapped in them forever. -

What did he say?

- And die - Lily added.

What did she say?!

- Oh yeah, and die - Chong agreed, looking overly enthusiastic at his wife's words, even though they spoke of a curse that would kill them. - hey! I just remembered the rest of that song -  the man said, happily entering the cave and strumming the strings of his charango once more.

And die.

- That's it! - Sokka declared, unable to accept this absurd idea. - there's no way we're going through some cursed hole! -

- hey, someone's making a big campfire - the bongo nomad remarked, raising his hand to point at a trail of smoke that grew larger as it approached.

- That's not a campfire, Moku - Katara denied.

- It's the Fire Nation - Sokka growled. - They're tracking us. - How could he not have thought of that? He was the planning guy, the brains, the strategist.

- So all you need is to trust in love to get through this caves? - Aang asked, turning to Chong. Sokka glanced at them both, unable to believe Aang was even considering venturing into that dark cave with a curse on it!

- That's correct, Master Arrowhead - Chong agreed, pointing to the arrow tattoo on the Avatar's bald head before turning his attention back to the charango he was carrying.

Trust in love? How could that possibly guide them through a secret labyrinth inside a mountain? Would it magically show them the way? Tunnels were solved with logic and strategy, rational thought, not by following an emotion.

Sokka hoped it would be this way because he wasn't sure that even if he blindly trusted in love, he was worthy of it, and therefore of surviving the cave. He had failed love, he had failed Zuko, and he paying for it by suffering every night thinking of him. But he didn't want to pay for it by disappearing into a cursed cave where the ghosts of a broken heart would haunt him until they drove him mad and finally killed him.

- We can make it - Aang assured them with renewed confidence, which was certainly fading from Sokka every second. But they had no other choice; the Fire Nation had them cornered.

- Everyone into the hole! - Sokka shouted, gesturing with his hand for the others to follow.

Appa grunted, annoyed at having to enter a cave, but followed the group as they ran into the darkness, letting out displeasure sounds with each step, which, with six legs, was a lot of steps.

The Fire Nation did not follow them into the cave, which was good news. The bad news was that the Fire Nation soldiers still wanted to get rid of them, so they knocked down the entrance and locked them inside in a matter of seconds.

As expected, Appa took the whole situation as the worst, turning around as quickly as possible and, even in the darkness, stampeding toward the sealed entrance before Chong even remembered he had torches. The fire did nothing to calm Appa, who desperately began scraping at the fallen rocks, trying to create a hole through which he could escape.

- It's okay, Appa - Katara approached the flying bison, trying to calm him and lead him away from the collapsed entrance. - We'll be fine I hope. -

- We'll be fine - Sokka assured her, even though he wasn't entirely sure himself. But he had to come up with a plan and get everyone out of that cave safe and sound. - all we need is a plan. - And Sokka was the guy with the plans; he had this under control. No curse was going to condemn them to disappear and die in that dark cave. - Chong, how long do those torches last? -

- Uhhh – Chong looked up at the torch, thinking for a long time before turning his gaze back to Sokka – about two hours each –

- And we have five torches - Lily added, somehow pulling four more torches from her small travel bag where they surely shouldn't have fit. Sokka was starting to think Lily was much more sensible and rational than her husband for bringing those torches, until she lit them all at once. - So that's ten hours. -

- It dosen't work if they're all lit at same time - Sokka retorted, grabbing the torches and throwing them to the ground to extinguish them before they burn out.

- Oh, right - Lily agreed, grabbing her head and shaking it from side to side as if she'd just had the greatest epiphany of her life.

- I'm gona make a map so we can keep track of where we've been - Sokka said, climbing onto Appa's saddle and pulling a piece of parchment, along with one of the charcoal pencils Zuko had forgotten when he left the North Pole, one of the few belongings the firebender had left. from his bag before rejoining the others to begin guiding them. - Then we should be able to solve it like a maze and get through. -

Yes, Sokka was going to solve this problem as he always did: rationally and with a clear plan to follow.

Seven hours later, or what Sokka assumed was seven hours if he counted the torches burning out, they were still trapped in the cave.

- Sokka, this is the tenth dead end you've led us to - Katara said worriedly from behind him.

- This dosen't make any sense - Sokka complained, turning the map over in his hands and trying to hide his own worries. - We've already came through this way. -

- We don't need a map - Chong commented casually. - We just need love. - Oh, great! They needed the one thing Sokka was lacking at that very moment! - The little guy knows it. -

- Yeah - Aang agreed, and Sokka wasn't going to give him any points for that. He was a kid who didn't seem to fully grasp the gravity of the situation. - But I wouldn't mind a map also. -

Okay, he was going to give Aang a point for that last part.

- there's something strange here - Sokka said, looking confusedly at the map in his hands, noticing all the twists and turns and paths that should have crossed but didn't; even paths they'd already crossed appeared closed. - And there's only one explanation - the answer hit Sokka suddenly. - The tunnels are changing. -

And as if the world had been waiting for Sokka to realize, or to say it aloud, the cave trembled, making them stumble as small stones rained down around the group.

- The tunnels... they're changing - Chong said, putting his hands on his head, for the first time looking worried about the situation. This startled Momo, who quickly jumped onto Sokka's shoulder seeking protection and stability, and moved closer to the torchlight. - it must be the curse, I knew we shouldn't have come here. -

- right - Sokka scoffed. After all the stress they'd put him through, he was going to happily mock them on the way back, even if it meant being childish for a few seconds. - If only we'd listened to you... -

- Everyone be quiet - Katara interrupted, looking worried. - Listen. -

The group fell silent, fear growing rapidly within them as the sound of flapping and growling became clearer, and as it became obvious that whatever was causing those sounds was getting closer.

Momo escaped from Sokka's shoulder, and at this point, Sokka couldn't blame him because he didn't know why he wasn't running away from the tunnel where the noise was coming from, or why he was extending his torch bearing arm toward the dark tunnel.

A terrifying, dark animal with fangs, a giant mouth, wings, orange eyes without pupils, dark fur on its body but no fur on its pale face, a disproportionately large nose, and a terrified shriek appeared almost out of nowhere, making Sokka scream. He quickly jumped back and fell on his rear end to dodge the animal, which seemed to be going for his face. To Sokka's relief, the animal didn't seem the least bit interested in him. Unfortunately, his relief only lasted a second, as he immediately realized that the animal was chasing Momo like prey.

The adorable and playful Momo was shrieking in terror in Katara's arms. She was clinging to the flying lemur, trying to protect him with her own body, forgetting she could use waterbending to drive the predator away.

- It's a giant flying thing with teeth! . Chong screamed in terror.

- No! - Moku shouted as the animal landed a couple of meters away and turned to face them, standing on all fours, its tail thrashing at its sides, its fangs bared furiously at the group. - It's a wolf bat! -

Oh well, they could both be right, right? Probably. Was it important at this moment? No!

Sokka ran to stand in front of his sister and Momo as the animal took flight again, looking to attack them. He frantically waved the torch in front of him to scare the animal away, but he ended up dropping it and throwing it at Appa's paws, burning him. The combination of being underground, the noise of the screams, and the pain of the burn further agitated the animal, to the point that he started jumping and running wildly around the cave.

He scared the wolf bat away and collapsed the cave.

The cave ceiling shook and finally broke, falling rapidly toward Sokka and the nomadic travelers. They wouldn't have time to run and save themselves, Sokka thought. The ceiling would collapse on them and bury them alive; it was the cave's curse. They were going to die.

A gust of wind struck a still lost in the head Sokka, throwing him several meters back and saving him from certain death.

Chong quickly lit another torch, and Sokka immediately ran toward the pile of rubble to dig, trying to clear a path to the other side where Katara, Aang, and Appa were trapped.

- yeah, it's no use - Chong said, trying to get his attention. Sokka had to accept it; he'd seen the amount of debris that had fallen, and they must be at least a couple of meters away from the others. - But at least you have us. -

No!

No, no, no, no, no!

Sokka started digging and shouting even more desperately than before.

He was the one trapped with this group of infuriating nomad travelers! and Momo, he wasn't going to be able to take it! He'd go crazy! Or he'd tear his hair out in despair, whichever came first. Sokka didn't want to find out.

The earth collapsed on top of him, partially burying him and preventing him from digging any further. Oh, the universe was just mocking him, again.

Why was this his life?!

Sokka lost count of how many times he hit his forehead just an hour later, ignoring the dull ache that had formed there as he continued through the cave, listening to the songs the nomad travelers were creating as they walked. To Sokka's bewilderment, they hadn't come up with anything better to sing about than dark tunnels with clowns and lost souls guided by love, since, according to Chong, the key to escaping the cave was singing love songs.

Yes, Sokka had hit his forehead again after that.

When the nomadic travelers suddenly fell silent, Sokka thanked the spirits in his head for the well deserved silence, until he realized why they had stopped singing when the snarls grew loud enough to terrify him. He recognized what must have been dozens of wolf bats flying at full speed in his direction.

Momo escaped by hiding among rocks, hoping to go unnoticed by predators, leaving Sokka alone to deal with the ambush of wolf bats that appeared from the darkness of the tunnel. Panicked, he began flailing his arms in the air, trying to protect himself from the animals instead of throwing himself to the ground to avoid being harmed by creatures that, in any case, didn't seem interested in him. They ignored him and flew rapidly around him as if fleeing from something far more terrifying than their entire pack.

Oh.

- Hey, you saved us, Sokka - Chong said happily as Momo jumped back onto Sokka's shoulder now that the threat now gone.

- No - Sokka said, frightened. - They were trying to get away from something. -

- From what? - Chong asked, looking at him puzzled, just a second before the cave shook again, a wall of earth opened, and a giant animal emerged, letting out menacing growls.

This was too much. Did the world hate Sokka?

The world responded to Sokka with another of those giant animals emerging from a wall, cutting off the tunnel's rear exit and trapping the group between the two giant beasts that growled menacingly as they stomped around, earthbending to divide and corner them in even smaller spaces.

The chocolate brown furred animal, which could easily rival Appa in size, growled in front, causing Sokka to fall on his rear end for the second or third time that day. This finally caught the attention of the creature, which for the first time seemed to notice his presence, lowering its pointed head with patterns of black and white lines that trailed down its back and its pupil less amber eyes. Sokka might have appreciated how cute and furry the animals he now recognized as badgermoles were, if his own eyes hadn't been jammed into claws the size of his leg. If they didn't slice him like a steak, they were sure to crush him like an ant.

The other badger mole growled again and used earthbending to divide the space between Sokka and the other travelers, or the space between the two badgers.

The two badgers were fighting each other.

They weren't trying to harm or eat the nomads and Sokka, as the dark haired boy initially thought, nor even Momo, as the first wolfbat they encountered had tried to do. Oh no, these badgermoles had their own agenda and their own fight. Sokka and the other travelers just had the terrible luck to be caught in the middle.

Why did the universe hate him?!

The badgermole advanced again, forcing Sokka to retreat until his hand collided with Chong's forgotten charango, snatching the strings and stopping both badgermoles. They looked down at Sokka with renewed interest, tilting their heads to one side.

What…

A snort behind Sokka alerted him to the other badgermole, which approached and began sniffing blindly before sneezing and letting out a curious sound.

Holding the charango under his hands, Sokka hoped he wasn't misreading the situation before he started strumming the strings without having the slightest idea of ​​how to play the instrument, or being sure that this was really what the badgermoles wanted.

- hey, those things are music lovers - Chong said happily from a few meters away, and Sokka had to agree with him, just this once, when the badgermoles let out soft, interested grunts, tilting their heads to the sides, raising and lowering their ears curiously.

- Badgermoles, coming towards me! - Sokka would deny at every turn that he was singing; he was just talking to the rhythm of the sounds he managed to make with the charango he didn't even know how to play... this wasn't going to work. He turned his head desperately towards the nomad travelers who had been singing for hours and were now silent for the first time. - Come on, guys, help me out! -

Chong pulled another charango from under his robes because, well, why not? He stood up along with the other travelers, who took out their instruments and composed a song out of thin air.

The big baf badgermoles

Who earth bend the tunnels

Hate the wolfbats

but love the sounds

The badger moles let out a strange, satisfied, guttural noise before one of them lowered its head and licked Sokka, covering him in drool. Why did the giant animals always do this to him? Sokka would have complained if those same giant animals hadn't carried him on their backs, along with Momo and the other nomadic travelers, taking them through the labyrinth beneath the mountain to the exit where Katara and Aang were waiting.

- How did you get out? - Sokka asked after jumping off the badgermole's back and running towards Katara and Aang, relieved to see they were alright and also that he was no longer alone with the nomadic travelers.

- Just like the legend says -  Aang replied, delighted, too delighted, as he looked at his sister before turning back to Sokka. - We let love lead the way -

- Really? – Sokka said, deciding to ignore Aang's wolf cub polar bear glare before turning his gaze back to the badgers – we left huge ferocious beasts lead our way –

- Why is your forehead all red? - Katara asked after giving Sokka a quick hug, while Aang ran to catch up with the nomad travelers who were now playing something about a bluish spirit made of smoke. Didn't they ever run out of material?

Chong approached, as if he'd heard Katara and wanted to give a demonstration to answer her question with another of his nonsensical ramblings. - nobody react to what I'm about to tell you - Chong murmured before "discreetly" pointing at Aang, - I think that kid might be the Avatar. -

Sokka slapped his forehead at what he felt for the thousandth time that day.

Chapter Text

- So… - Sokka began, looking at his sister with the clear intention of teasing her. After all, what else were siblings good for if not to annoy each other? As they started walking towards Omashu, Aang was far too happy after his conversation with the nomad travelers, as if he hadn't been happy enough leaving the Lovers' Cave, or as if he weren't already cheerful twenty-four hours a day on his own. He was jumping around with Momo in this strange aerial nomadic game where they chased each other through the skies. - you let love guide you -

- Oh, yeah, well, no, I mean… - Katara tried to speak quickly, stumbling over her words, unsure of what to say as her face flushed red.

- no way - Sokka muttered, staring incredulously at his sister and barely holding back his laughter. - I only said that to tease you about Aang's crush, but you like him too. -

- What?! - Katara shouted, looking worriedly at Aang to see if he had heard them, though the boy was so far away that it was impossible for him to hear anything beyond Katara's scream. - that's not true - she snarled quickly under her breath before pointing an accusing finger at Sokka. - I don't like him like that, and don't you dare say it again. -

- Say it again when you believe it - Sokka mocked, earning himself a surprise showe when Katara smacked him in the face with a jet of water, destroying his wolf tail. - Katara! -

- You asked for it - the waterbender retorted, sticking her tongue out at Sokka in a childish manner.

- Of course not - Sokka replied, sticking his tongue out at her in the same way. - You don't even have a reason to be angry. -

- You're making fun of Aang and me - Katara said, crossing her arms and letting out a huff.

- Of course I'm making fun of you! - Sokka shouted, throwing up both arms and earning an annoyed glare from his sister because of the volume of his voice. Both Water Tribe children quickly turned their heads to make sure Aang was still playing with Momo and wasn't listening. Sokka could be making fun of his sister in any way possible, but he wasn't going to reveal her secrets. With a sigh of relief after seeing the lemur and the monk still playing, jumping between trees, the two siblings returned to their conversation. - Of course I'm making fun of you. You're both absurd. You like him, and if you didn't know he liked you from the first day we met him, you're as blind as Grand Grand. -

- Gran Grand isn't blind - Katara retorted. - It's just... age. -

- Changing the subject won't work - the dark haired boy replied, quickly combing his hair back into his wolf tail.

- Ugh - Katara blurted out, giving up on the argument. - We're not absurd, it's... Aang is a child. -

- And you're a teenager - Sokka rolled his eyes. - There's a two year age difference, Katara, or a hundred, or... ninety-six? But in that case, Aang would be the old man here. -

- It doesn't change the fact that he's a kid, Sokka - Katara grumbled.

- So what? Are you going to wait until next fall so he's thirteen and a teenager you would have no problem dating? -

- Well... - Sokka nearly ripped his head off as he turned back to Katara with a disbelieving look.

- I was being sarcastic. -

- And what do you expect me to do? - Katara asked, exasperated. - You and Zuko didn't have this problem when you became a couple... - Sokka froze, staring at Katara, still talking and oblivious to the state she'd left him in. He was backing away, his fear growing with each word. Katara knew. She knew about them both, knew about their secret relationship, knew they were two boys attracted to each other, an attraction forbidden and condemned in the Water Tribes, in their own tribe. - ...Although maybe there is a diference age. I mean, he never told us his age or when his birthday was. Maybe it's soon. Do you think we should... - Katara turned to look at Sokka, puzzled, both by how far away he was and why he wasn't moving. - Sokka? Are you... -

- You said... - Sokka tried to speak - ...You said...that Zuko... -

- Oh, right - Katara made an awkward face, fidgeting with her fingers. - I forgot you told me not to mention his name. - She looked at him guiltily. - It was a slip of the tongue. I won't do it again... -

- No - Sokka interrupted. - For starters, I shouldn't have told you not to say his name, but that's not what I meant. - Sokka swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. - It's... what you said earlier. -

- About his birthday? - Katara asked, confused.

- No - Sokka quickly denied. - About... what you said about... being a couple? -

- about what? you two being a couple? - Katara asked again, tentatively approaching her brother, who looked sickeningly pale, as if he were about to vomit or faint, or both.

- You knew - he murmured, almost breathless.

- Yes - Katara murmured, looking at Sokka in puzzlement. - Shouldn't I know? -

- No - said Sokka desperately, his breath ragged, as he raised both hands to cradle his head as the world began to shake around him - you shouldn't…you shouldn't know. Why…? How…? Who…? -

- Sokka, calm down, you're hyperventilating - Katara said, rushing over worriedly to support her brother, whose knees were starting to tremble. - Sokka! -

Katara ran to close the last few meters separating her from her brother as his legs finally gave way. The Water Tribe girl managed to reach him before his head hit the ground, quickly turning him onto his back so his head rested on her lap. She began moving her hands rapidly to fan him as Sokka continued to breathe heavily.

- Put this over his mouth - Aang said, arriving beside the two siblings and extending a paper bag to Katara, who was holding Sokka, her face growing increasingly worried.

- He can't breathe - Katara said, glancing quickly at the bag.

- No, he's hyperventilating - Aang replied, crouching down next to Sokka and covering Sokka's nose and mouth with the bag so he would breathe into it. Sokka's hands quickly rose to grasp Aang's hands, which were holding the bag, not understanding what was happening as the bag inflated and deflated rapidly under the watchful eyes of the three teenagers. - What happened? -

- I don't know - Katara replied, shaking her head, her skin still prickling with the fear that had gripped her at seeing Sokka in such a bad state. - We were talking, he stopped at some point, I didn't realize, then he started to stagger and... and... - Katara blinked rapidly and wiped away the tears that she hadn't noticed were beginning to well up in her eyes. - And then this happened. I think it's because I mentioned Zuko - she sobbed, shaking her head sharply. - I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry, Sokka. -

- Katara, calm down - Aang called, placing a hand on the blue eyed girl's shoulder, trying to soothe her. - he's okay, alright? Nothing bad happened. - Aang's attempt at serenity was interrupted when he glanced down at Sokka, whose paper bag was now being closely watched by Momo, who was trying to hit it. - Well, maybe something bad did happen - he murmured before quickly turning his gaze back to Katara. - But it's not your fault. We've talked about Zuko a hundred times since he left, I don't think that was the reason –

- I think... he mentioned something about their relationship - Katara murmured, much to Sokka's horror. Was she going to out him? - I don't think he knew that we knew. -

- We?! - Sokka shouted, startling Momo and removing the air bag from his face now that his breathing had returned to normal. He sat up quickly, staring at Aang. - You knew? -

- Yeah? - Aang said, looking at Katara in surprise. - Shouldn't I know? -

- No! - Sokka shouted desperately before sitting down, hugging his knees and hiding his face.

- Why not? - Aang asked, confused, hugging Momo, who had jumped into his lap.

- Because… - Because it was forbidden in the Water Tribes, because his people would hate him, because his family would be disgusted with him, because he would be punished for loving a boy, because he would be banished and never see his family again, a family that wouldn't want to see him anyway when they found out. - Because… - But Sokka didn't have the courage to say it out loud, even though it wouldn't make it less real. - Katara, you tell him. -

- Uh, Sokka - Katara called, confused. - I don't know why either. -

- What do you mean… - Sokka raised his head, staring incredulously at his sister before turning his hand to point at Aang with his thumb, because Zuko had once told him that pointing was disrespectful, so he wouldn't use his index finger. - I understand if he doesn't get it, being an Air Nomad over a hundred years old - Sokka retorted before extending both hands toward Katara to point at her. - But you're from the Water Tribe! -

- What does that have to do with anything? - Katara asked, crossing her arms in offense.

- Oh, wait - Aang murmured, looking apologetically at Sokka, - Is it because relationships like yours with Zuko are considered something bad in the Water Tribes? -

- What are you talking about? - Katara asked, looking at Aang in confusion. - Some people consider it strange, but not necessarily a bad thing. -

- Aang’s right - Sokka murmured, hugging his knees again and hiding half his face behind them, his gaze lowered, hoping not to see Katara’s displeasure. - To say it’s frowned upon is an understatement. I think it’s even forbidden. -

- Forbidden? - Katara repeated, her question unspoken. - But... how...? Why? -

Sokka's face deflated noticeably. He didn't want to talk about it because he himself didn't quite understand it.

It wasn't something he'd even considered growing up in the Southern Water Tribe. Yes, everyone expected him to marry a woman and have a brood of children, perhaps one of whom would become a waterbender like his sister. But no one had ever told him that marrying or even having a relationship with a man was forbidden. Perhaps that was because it hadn't occurred to anyone that he could be attracted to both men and women, so Sokka had never asked.

It wasn't until they reunited with Bato at the abbey that he learned the Water Tribes didn't approve same sex relationships. He knew he had to be careful when they reached the North Pole because Bato could read him like an unrolled scroll. He knew about Sokka's crush on Zuko, and it didn't occur to Sokka to ask him why. As soon as he learned that his culture wouldn't approve, he refused to acknowledge his feelings for the handsome, golden eyed boy. He told himself he was just confused, denying his feelings and burying them deep inside, hoping that he would eventually forget them.

It wasn't until they arrived at the Northern Water Tribe that he heard, for the first time in the locker rooms of the training halls, the attraction between men being attracted to one another used as a degrading insult. The insulted man was labeled as sick and less of a man. He believed that was the reason it was frowned upon until the conversation continued and he realized what were the real reasons.

- They consider it unnatural - Sokka murmured. - Females mate with males in the animal kingdom, so it’s normal for pairs to mate this way, and we should be the same, not go against nature. -

- But… - Aang tried to begin, only to be cut off by Katara’s fury.

- But they can’t forbid it -  Katara vehemently denied. - What if there are already people in love? Are they going to separate them without caring about their feelings? -

- I overheard some soldiers talking once - Sokka murmured again in response to Katara's questions, thinking about the story he'd heard while out hunting. - Eight years ago, when they were retreating from the war, a couple of soldiers in their fleet were discovered kissing in secret. It was their shift on guard duty, so no one else should have been awake, but one man woke up to go to the bathroom and found them. Insults started flying, and the whole fleet woke up. A verbal fight broke out with shouting and arguing. - Sokka swallowed hard, remembering the horror that had coursed through his body as the story continued. - But it didn't last long. One of the men reacted quickly and knew how to save himself. He washed his hands and claimed it was all the other man's doing, that the other man had approached him, taking advantage of the absence of others, and pulled his head, forcing the kiss. He said he wasn't a pervert, just the other man's victim, and he was just as horrified by what had happened as the others. -

- He was lying. - Aang murmured in a watery voice.

- Probably, if that's the case, the fleet never discovered it and never will - Sokka continued. - They believed the first man, and the second just looked away, ignoring their demands for explanations. The fleet leader told him to step back and give them a couple of hours to decide how to proceed. As soon as he was gone, they all packed their things and left, leaving him with nothing but his travel bag, his whale-tooth scimitar, and a note threatening to throw him into the middle of the ocean if he tried to go near the North Pole again. - They were his own tribe, his fleet, brothers in arms, friends, and partner, but none of them had hesitated to abandon and threaten him because of his sexual orientation. If they discovered Sokka, they would throw him out without hesitation, and if they discovered Zuko, they would carry out their threat to throw him into the middle of the ocean. And with Zuko's past, the last thing Sokka wanted was to put him in danger again, so he made sure to hide their relationship in any way possible, or so he thought until now. - It's not like the. another man might have been able to do something; the northern Water Tribe fleets never reappeared, and the Fire Nation fleets had the place surrounded. -

- That's why you didn't want anyone to know - Katara murmured, trying to get Sokka's attention, only for him to hide his head behind his legs and crossed arms when he found nothing but a disbelieving expression from the waterbender. - You thought we'd degrade you for loving another boy, that we'd abandon you or threaten your life? - Katara's hand rested on her brother's shoulder, drawing his attention to her determined gaze. - We would never do something like that, Sokka. You're our family! You're my brother! I'll always love you and support you, no matter what happens. I'll be there for you. -

- Always? - Sokka asked, his eyes welling with tears and a growing smile on his lips.

- Always - Katara agreed without hesitating for a second.

- Even if I'm in love with another boy? - Sokka looked away uncertainly. - Aren't you...aren't you upset? -

- I'm so grateful to the spirits that you found love, Sokka - Katara smiled at her brother. - Whether it's a boy or a girl, omega, beta, or alpha, prince, warrior, merchant, hunter, or farmer, it doesn't matter, none of that matters. - The blue-eyed girl launched herself into a hug with the dark-haired boy, knocking him off his balance and forcing him to let go of his legs and steady himself with his hands at his sides. - I'm happy as long as you're happy. -

- You're the best sister ever - Sokka smiled, swinging his arms back to hug the waterbender.

- I know - Katara teased before returning to her serious tone. - And... you're the best brother I could ever wish for. -

- And you two are the best friends I could ever wish for! - Aang shouted excitedly as he jumped toward the siblings with outstretched arms to join the hug, knocking them to the ground with a huge grin.

- Aang! - the two siblings groaned before joining in the younger boy's laughter.

- Come on, we have to keep going - Sokka urged, wiping away any dried tears from his face and pushing the two younger boys to their feet.

- But we’re in a bonding moment - Katara teased, smiling playfully at her brother as Aang nodded vigorously, ignoring the fact that Momo was clinging to his bald head until he started squealing, tugging at Aang’s ears and flying onto the shoulder of the boy who was already standing.

- Oh no - Sokka quickly denied. - We’ve already wasted too much time in that secret tunnel. -

- Bumi must be waiting for us - Aang nodded, standing up with the help of an air sphere before turning to Appa. - But first - Aang propelled himself with a blast of airbending, soaring through the air until he landed on Appa’s head, arms and legs outstretched, clinging to and hugging the giant animal. - You’re the best flying bison I could have ever wished for! -

Appa let out an affectionate grunt and returned to the path, carrying the boy still on his head, while the two Water Tribe childrens walked ahead of them.

- Yes, the journey was long and annoying - Sokka remarked, stretching his arms until his joints cracked - but now you get to see what it’s really about: the destination! -

- We should have left him with Chong and the other nomads a little longer - Katara told Aang with an amused smile, ignoring the betrayed glare Sokka shot her.

- I'll ignore that, only because we're here now and there's no way you're going to ruin my mood - Sokka retorted, running the last few meters to reach the mountaintop that concealed King Bumi's city. - I present to you the Earth Kingdom city of O... - only to find it surrounded by dark metal and red flame insignias; the Fire Nation had already taken it. - Oh no. -

Chapter Text

- I can't believe it - Aang gasped, looking at the city once walled off by earthen ramparts but now surrounded by metal structures and dark smoke that drifted above it. - I know the war has spread far, but Omashu seemed... -  Aang's face fell in sorrow. - ...untouchable. -

- up until now it was - Sokka replied before crossing his arms. - Now Ba Sing Se is the only Earth Kingdom stronghold left. -

- This is horrible - Katara agreed, walking toward Aang until she reached his side, her gaze lost in the captured city. - But we have to move on. -

- No - Aang protested firmly. - I'm going in to find Bumi. -

- Aang, stop! - Sokka quickly dismissed Aang's dangerous plans. - We don't even know if Bumi is still... -

 - Waht? If he is still what? - Aang asked, turning to look at him. How was Sokka supposed to finish that sentence without crushing the hopes of such an innocent child who now looked at him as if he truly didn't understand what Sokka was about to say?

- Uhhhhh - the Water Tribe boy awkwardly avoided his gaze. - around -

- I know you had your heart set on Bumi - Katara said in her motherly tone - but there are other people who can teach you earthbending. -

- This isn’t about finding a teacher - Aang retorted, turning his gaze back to the city. - this is about finding a friend. -

Oh, by Tui and La, or should he say Yue and La?, the boy knew how to choose his words. With his history of lost friends and family, no one could refuse him in his desperation to search for the few he had left, even in the face of danger. And even if he didn’t have that history, could Katara or Sokka refuse the search when they themselves would do it if they knew Zuko was there? The danger or the city didn’t matter; if they knew someone they loved was in danger and needed their help, Sokka wouldn’t hesitate to go after that person. Tui and La, he would even infiltrate Caldera City for the right person, even if he was armed only with his boomerang.

- Oh, fine - Sokka grumbled, running his hands exasperatedly over his face until he stretched his skin down. - Let's go. -

- I know how to sneak in - Aang said, leaping onto Appa's saddle and soaring above the Water Tribe brothers who climbed on behind him.

- If you pull that Bonzu Pipen thing again, I'm going to rip your fake beard off with one shot - Sokka declared, climbing onto the bison. Exhausted from the day, Appa pushed him with his tail, knocking him onto the saddle once and for all, and took flight, guided by Aang. Aang ignored the moment Sokka landed, gasping for air. - Huff -

- You're just jealous that you're not the one with the beard - Katara teased, trying to annoy her brother.

- You can wear the beard next time - Aang laughed, leading Appa to fly at river level. He'd carved the canyon surrounding Omashu, allowing him to escape the Fire Nation's radar. -  And don't worry, we'll do something more fun today. - The two blue eyed children exchanged a worried glance, having already experienced what Aang considered fun. and how dangerous it normaly turn out to be. - We'll go through a secret passage. -

- Did he just say…? . Sokka began to ask before Appa took off, reaching the base of the mountain where Omashu was built and stopping next to a giant metal pipe. Aang quickly jumped, prying open the hatch as both siblings climbed off the flying bison to approach him. - A secret passage? - Sokka complained. - Why didn't we use it last time?! –

The hatch suddenly opened, dropping the circular metal piece onto the small dirt path where they stood, only to be swept away and thrown toward the precipice by the exorbitant amount of debris that shot out of what Sokka now recognized as one of the city's drainage pipes.

A drain wasn't a secret passage!

The sewage kept pouring out, flooding the path until it cascaded down the precipice, spilling over Sokka's legs and soaking him from the knees down. It also dirtied him, made him stink, and most likely gave him a disease caused by the parasites, bacteria, and viruses that thrived among the disturbingly sickly green waste.

- Does that answer your question? - Aang jumped into the drain, calmly disappearing into the darkness, much to the horror of the two siblings, who had to follow him, making faces of disgust at the filth.

Sokka had to stop to vomit, grateful, for the first and only time, that he hadn't had lunch that day because they were lost in the secret tunnel. Katara patted him reassuringly on the back and passed him, leaving him at the back of the group as they began to ascend.

The Earth Kingdom would make Sokka end up hating tunnels and secret passages at this rate.

And the path improved, oh no, because as they went deeper into the drainage system, it became steeper and the waste increased. Aang had created a sphere of air in front of him, protecting himself from the debris until not a single drop touched his shoes or bald head. Katara had created a bubble, taking advantage of the fact that the waste was mostly liquid, or had become liquid in the drainage system, keeping herself and Momo clean and safe from filth, much to the flying lemur's good fortune.

But Sokka couldn't bend anything! Nor was he a cute little animal being protected by others!

Not only was the waste reaching his legs, no, it was also being thrown at him from above by the two benders in front, who were pushing the waste around to save themselves, not caring that Sokka was behind them getting covered in it, as if the smell of the sewer wasn't enough, forcing Sokka to breathe through his mouth to avoid hurting his nose. But even that wasn't enough because they were throwing waste on him again! And the tunnel was so dark that Sokka didn't know when the waste was falling, so he didn't know when to close his mouth until he felt it drenching him and rinsing his mouth before he had a chance to spit it out.

The clang of metal against the ground snapped Sokka out of his thoughts as he blindly followed the sound of Katara's footsteps up a vertical ladder. By then, Sokka had no idea where they were or what they were doing, unable to smell, feel, or see anything beyond the filth that covered him.

- That wasn't as bad as I thought - his sister commented as Sokka crawled across a horizontal surface and stood up to start walking toward Katara and Aang's voices, who were screaming in horror.

Were they already fighting?

A jet of water hit Sokka with too much force to clean him in the most aggressive way possible. Before he could recover, a gust of wind nearly knocked him backward, sending him flying back into the drain he had just realized they had emerged from.

Sokka would have complained about them using their bending on him if he weren't so relieved to be out of the drain and clean of the filth. Yes, it was a relief not to have to feel any of that filth on his…

What was on his face?!

The oldest of the group let out a horrified scream, grabbing whatever was sucking on his skin and… and now it was moving without letting go! It was alive! Whatever was stuck to his skin was alive! And it was still on him! - Ahhhh! They won't come off! - Sokka yelled, pulling at the things clinging to his skin, which only clung tighter the harder he pulled.

Aang lunged against him and, using airbending, pushed him against the wall behind him, knocking the wind out of Sokka and cutting off his screams.

- stop making so much noise - Aang said, amused. And that was why Sokka didn't trust what Aang called amused! - It's just some purple pentapus. -

Oh, what a relief, it was just purple pentapus, because Sokka knew it was purple pentapus!

The things in his cheeks shifted back into place, eliciting a startled yell from Sokka, just as Aang approached and scratched the head of the purple pentapus. The animal let out a high-pitched, happy sound before releasing him by raising its tentacles.

Oh.

Sokka rubbed the freed area on his face, feeling the hickeys left on his skin, before imitating Aang's action to free himself from the other animal that was holding him on the other side of his face.

- Hey! - called a Fire Nation soldier, drawing the attention of the three young people who had quickly hidden Aang so he could disguise himself. The Water Tribe siblings smiled innocently at the three approaching guards. - What are you kids doing past curfew? -

- Sorry, we were just on our way home - Katara said quickly, starting to walk with the two boys, trying to get as far away from the soldiers as possible.

- Wait! - ordered the soldier, freezing the three teenagers and the flying lemur. - What's the matter whit him? -

What matter? the matter whit what? Sokka wondered, giving a quick glance to the back of Aang's head where a strip of his tattoo was visible. Why hadn't Aang hidden that? What was he thinking? They were lost. The Fire Nation had discovered them, and now they were at their mercy in a newly captured city with hundreds of soldiers who wouldn't hesitate for a second to cut off their heads or burn them alive…

- He has pentapox, sir - Katara replied, earning a puzzled look from Sokka as she turned him to face the soldier who approached, raising his hands to touch the marks left by the purple pentapus. - Humm, it's highly contagious. -

The soldier curled his outstretched fingers into fists, looking worried at Katara with this new information before frowning doubtfully at Sokka.

- Ugh, It's so awful - Sokka cried before putting on his best sick face, wincing in mock pain and trembling with his arms clenched. - I'm dying -

The soldier quickly took a step back, trying to distance himself from Sokka, who then stepped in his direction, extending an arm and coughing up droplets of saliva.

- And deadly - Katara said as a later fact, placing both hands on her cheeks as if genuinely worried about the disease, while Aang, beside her, blinked slowly, confused as to why the soldier was now backing away more desperately toward his two other companions, all of whom shared the same terror on their faces.

- Ahhh - Sokka groaned dramatically, - I'm dying. -

- Hey, I think I've heard of pentapox - the first soldier blurted out, alarmed, turning to look at his companions before heading toward the one wearing the firebender soldier's clothes. - Didn't your cousin Chang die of it? - A collective gasp of horror came from the soldiers as Sokka coughed again in their faces. - We better go wash our hands and burn our clothes! -

The soldiers shouted, running away as fast as they could in a matter of seconds, leaving the three teenagers, who had dropped their act as soon as they were alone, with their arms hanging limp. Sokka stared incredulously at the path the adults had disappeared down. The Fire Nation soldiers really weren't intelligent, or they'd been indoctrinated to not think and just follow orders, because there was no way a person with more than two brain cells would have believed that.

- Thank you, sewer friend - Aang said to a purple pentapus, affectionately scratching the animal's head, which squeaked happily.

Sokka sighed wearily. This was undoubtedly the most unpleasant day of his life. Not nearly the worst, but certainly the most unpleasant. First, the nomadic travelers, then the escape of the Fire Nation soldiers, the secret tunnel with its horrible songs, terrifying animals and giant beasts, the painfully sentimental conversation with the group filled with horrific memories, the drainage that still made him nauseous just thinking about it, and this embarrassing act of illness. What else could possibly go wrong?

Apparently, more things could happen, things like an attempted assassination of some ladies and a baby escorted by soldiers, an attempted attack by those same soldiers on the orders of the woman with the baby, a chase with flying knives by the other woman in that group who turned out to be a teenager like them and which made Sokka wonder if teaching children to throw weapons was a Fire Nation thing, more secret tunnels, a resistance led by soldiers after King Bumi apparently surrendered, and a final crazy plan made by Sokka where everyone would pretend to have contracted a new and rare disease.

No one could accuse him of anything if Sokka slept for a whole week afterward.

The next day, everything went according to Sokka's plan. Sokka was the master of plans after all, his plans almost always worked out, and this one did too, so everything went perfectly fine on their escape from Omashu.

Oh well, almost everything.

Aang hadn't found King Bumi, which was bad, very bad, but it wasn't part of Sokka's plan, so theoretically, his plan hadn't failed, except for the little Fire Nation stowaway in their camp.

And how did a baby get in there and no one noticed until now?!

Well, maybe in the same way that the same baby had slowly but surely crept up to grab Sokka's battle club, trying to nibble at the heavy ball at one end and drooling all over it before Sokka even noticed.

- No - Sokka scolded quickly, roughly taking the weapon from the baby. - Bad fire nation baby. -

The Fire Nation baby grimaced, twisting a trembling lower lip and giving the Water Tribe boy a look with his large, watery eyes, only to burst into tears a second later.

Katara punched Sokka in the jaw, snapping his head back with the force of the blow and eliciting a sharp yelp from him. Katara ignored the yelp, placing her fists on her hips and giving Sokka a reprimanding look, nodding toward the crying baby.

- Oh, alright - Sokka conceded, frowning as he placed the weapon back on the baby's lap to quiet him and keep him occupied.

Sokka had no idea why Katara thought giving a baby a weapon was better than making him cry by taking it away, but whatever.

The baby let out a happy squeal, clapping his hands before playfully taking the gun and pushing it along his short legs, letting out happy little squeals and grinning from ear to ear at his new toy.

Okay, it was cute, Sokka thought, looking at the baby with a small smile, not noticing that his sister was still looking at him. Katara followed the direction of Sokka's gaze, quickly getting lost in the cuteness of the baby.

- Awwww - she exclaimed tenderly before approaching and hugging the baby without moving him. - you're so cute - she said in a childlike voice before giving him a rather loud kiss on the cheek. The baby laughed openly at her actions, clapping enthusiastically.

Sokka huffed, refusing to act like his sister just because of a baby. He leaned back and propped himself up on one hand, looking away with a frown. Aang, for his part, smiled, touched by the sight, for only a few seconds before returning his attention to the fire with a worried look.

- Sure, he's cute now - said one of the soldiers leading the resistance, the one who had tried to crush a family with a rock, coldly. - But when he's older , he'll join the Fire Nation army, you won't he's so cute then. - Ha, yeah, Zuko was part of the Fire Nation, he was already grown up, and Sokka still thought he was beautiful. - He'll be a killer. -

The blue eyed boy frowned at the soldier, opening his mouth as if to start an argument, only for Katara to rush over.

- Does that look like the face of a killer to you? - Katara asked, lifting the child by the armpits. The baby laughed happily, clapping his hands in the front. The soldier looked coldly at the baby before ignoring him, his gaze shifting to the fire and completely disregarding the waterbender's question. She then hugged the baby tightly to her body, as if she didn't trust the child's safety surrounded by soldiers.

She was right, Sokka thought. From what Zuko had told him, the soldiers wouldn't think twice about breaking a child's hands just for being from the Fire Nation. So what would stop them from committing infanticide against a baby simply for being from the Fire Nation?

Although, on the other hand, was Katara protecting someone knowing they were from the Fire Nation?

- I thought you didn't like people from the Fire Nation - Sokka said to Katara without thinking much about his words. He knew he had said something wrong, even though he didn't know that as soon as Katara lowered her gaze sadly.

- I learned my lesson, okay? - she retorted bitterly. - Not everyone in the Fire Nation is bad. Zuko wasn’t. - Oh, Sokka was such an idiot. Of course Katara was going to take it as if he was teasing her about what happened with Zuko, and of course Katara still felt bad about it. - And certainly, a baby isn’t either. -

A squawk echoed through their camp before a cream breasted bird with red wings, elongated red feathers on its head and tail, and strange fur above its beak that made it look like it had a long mustache, uh, even the animals of the Fire Nation were strange.

- A messenger hawk - said another of the soldiers who was with them at the campfire. And yes, only then did Sokka notice that the bird was carrying a kind of small backpack with the Fire Nation insignia and enough space inside to carry scrolls.

Oh, Sokka wanted one.

- It's from the Fire Nation governor - Aang said after approaching the bird, giving it a treat while ignoring Momo's angry squawks, taking the scroll from the case the bird was carrying, and quickly reading what it said. - He thinks we kidnapped his son. - Why? Why of all the babies in the world did it have to be the governor's baby from Omashu that came? - So he wants to make a trade, his son for King Bumi. -

Maybe it was a good thing after all…

- It's a trap - said the earth kingdom soldier who hated babies, turning to look at Aang. - We can't trust the Fire Nation. They must know the Avatar was with us and was friends with King Bumi. The baby is bait. They must have left him here to trap you and the entire resistance as soon as you bring him back. -

Sokka hated agreeing with the baby hater, and the man sounded like a conspiracy theorist at this point, but Sokka had to accept that this really could be a trap.

- I won't ask you to come - Aang told the soldier as he wrote on the other side of the scroll, quickly rolling it up and returning it to the hawk, which flew away immediately. He had already received his answer. - You've been through too much. - Aang then affectionately stroked Flopsie, because yes, the child had found the king's beast, but not the king. - I'll make the exchange myself. -

Aang left no room for further discussion. He went to sleep, and Katara and Sokka followed him, carrying the baby. It was no surprise that the next morning, at the crack of dawn, the resistance from the kingdom of Omashu left, with Flopsie guarding and playing with the children. By the time Team Avatar woke up, only their tent remained.

Chapter Text

- You realize we are probably walking right into a trap? - Sokka brought the topic up again.

- I don't think so - Aang said, as optimistic as ever, carrying the governor's baby with a smile. - I'm sure the governor wants his son back as much as we want Bumi. - Sokka remembered Zuko talking about how horrible his father had been while he lived under his rule, and with that in mind, he wasn't so sure about Aang's words. - It's a new day, I have a good feeling. about this -

Sokka didn't share that feeling; quite the opposite. He had a bad feeling, and it didn't improve when they handed him the baby to carry to the meeting point. The baby was now trying to pat Sokka's face as three teenagers dressed in red approached the meeting point to carry out the exchange. And surprise, surprise, the governor wasn't with them. But that didn't matter to Aang as King Bumi was placed in his metal trap just a few meters away.

- you brrought my brother? - asked the teenager in the middle, the one with the darkest, shiniest hair, a serious face, almond shaped black eyes, and skin as pale as if she never went out in the sun without a hundred umbrellas covering her.

- He's here - Aang said too quickly, something anyone would notice and recognize as desperation. - We're ready to trade. -

- I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me - said the girl on the right, with a haughty posture, dark hair pulled back in a high ponytail except for perfectly styled bangs, well cared pale skin, a sharp and calculating gaze, and golden eyes all too familiar to Sokka, though much colder. - do you mind? -

- Of course not, Princess Azula. -

Sokka's breath caught in his throat at the emo girl's words. His eyes widened as much as possible, refocusing on the princess and recognizing why those golden eyes, sharp cheekbones, and delicate nose seemed so familiar. But it was impossible. Zuko had said his sister was twelve, and the teenager before him was surely older than Katara, who was fourteen. It made no sense, but the resemblance was undeniable.

They were standing before Zuko's sister.

- We're trading a two year old for a king - the princess said calmly, each word carefully chosen with the certainty only those who had shaped their lives from birth could possess. - A powerful earthbending king. - King Bumi nodded at the Fire Nation princess's words. - it just doesn't seem like a fair traid, does it? -

- you're right  - the emo girl agreed, taking a step toward the Avatar's group. Sokka couldn't believe it; she was talking about his brother. - The deal is off -

The emo girl made a quick slashing motion with her arm, and it must have been a signal because the next thing they knew, Bumi was being hoisted up, trap and all, by a chain while the Mad King laughed openly - Woah, see you all later! -

- Bumi! - Aang shouted desperately, running straight toward the three Fire Nation teenagers in an attempt to reach his friend. The princess quickly took up position and unleashed a blast of blue fire, blue fire! Was that even a thing?!, at Aang, forcing him to jump, althought Sokka was sure Aang would jump eventually, several meters into the air, losing his makeshift hat, only to glide down and reach Bumi.

- The Avatar - the princess gasped before smiling deadly - my lucky day. -

And surely a bad day for them.

The princess launched a fiery blast at a pulley, leaving a fiery mark on it and making it run before jumping onto the rope she was holding and cutting it beneath her, letting it lift her up at a dizzying speed.

Was agility and speed in combat a family trait? Zuko said his father hadn't wanted him to learn to fight, so it couldn't be something they were taught together. Perhaps it was genetic? Could fighting ability be inherited genetically? Was it something you were born with or something you developed? Maybe it was both. And if it was something you were born with, did Sokka have it?

Zuko said Sokka was good, but he'd never beaten him except for that one time they fought in his room. He surprised Zuko with a kiss, leaving him frozen in shock long enough for Sokka to pounce, push him to the ground, and pin him down with his weight. Although the pale boy hadn't bothered to fight back after the kiss, watching the blue eyed boy with a raised eyebrow as he maneuvered, Sokka didn't notice until he turned back to Zuko, asking what was going on. The prince had told him that a kiss was unexpected in a fight, so it would serve as a good distraction. Sokka was about to smile proudly until Zuko continued, saying that he himself would never dare kiss strangers in the middle of a fight to distract them, so Sokka's willingness to do it in any situation was admirable. The Water Tribe boy had to assure Zuko, to his embarrassment, that he would never use it on anyone but Zuko, confusing the Fire Nation boy. But he quickly forgot about it when they took advantage of their new position for another impromptu but fantastic kissing session. 

- we've gotta get the baby out of here! - Katara shouted, snapping him back to the present moment of his fight with the other two girls. He quickly grabbed Appa's whistle and blew it as if he hadn't been distracted by Zuko in the middle of a fight.

- way ahead of you - he assured her before the baby snatched the whistle from him and his gaze fell on the two girls running, one with an expressionless face and the other with a wide grin. A chill of terror ran through his body before he spun around and ran away from her, Katara hot on his heels.

Something struck the sole of his foot, throwing him off balance and sending him tumbling down the wooden surface, sliding towards a precipice hundreds of meters high. And yes, Sokka had screamed while clutching a baby who was wailing as if it were the best day of his life, but in his defense, he was only fifteen centimeters from falling to his certain death!

The smiling girl with brown hair tied in a long braid and gray eyes appeared, leaping over three meters effortlessly with her acrobatic skills, before running back towards Sokka and the baby with an outstretched hand. The strongest warrior of the Water Tribe of his generation could only watch in terror until a whip of water grabbed her leg and dragged her away.

Letting out a sigh of relief after being saved by his sister, Sokka ran towards the scaffolding stairs in search of Appa. It wasn't difficult to find him; he was a giant beast. He managed to tie the baby as securely as possible to the saddle of the flying bison. Katara wouldn't have agreed, but firstly, Sokka didn't know how to handle babies; secondly, Katara wasn't there; and thirdly, everyone was in the middle of a fight with Zuko's potentially dangerous sister and her friends. Sokka did his best in the situation and took flight with Appa to return to his sister.

- How are you gonna fight without your bending? - the emo girl asked Katara as she pulled out a throwing knife and prepared to hurl it at the waterbender, who apparently couldn't waterbend anymore. Sokka wasn't going to laugh at her, not until they escaped at least.

Sokka immediately threw his boomerang, thanking Tui and La that the emo girl had kept her hand raised, trying to terrify her sister even more with her act. It was just long enough for the boomerang to hit her hand, forcing her to drop her weapon and distracting both her and her smiling friend.

- I seem to manage - Sokka replied to the girl before flying off with Appa next to his sister, letting the animal strike the scaffolding with its tail, unleashing a gust of wind strong enough to send both girls flying off the construction structure. - Air beats fire -

- They’re not benders, Sokka - Katara retorted, quickly climbing onto Appa.

- And Appa is a giant beast more than a hundred years old - Sokka replied. - Give him credit for his actions. -

- Fine - Katara conceded, appeased by her brother's childishness. - I just hope Zuko isn't upset that we launched his sister's friends hundreds of meters. - Katara slumped into the saddle, glancing at the spot where Aang, Bumi, and the princess had vanished seconds before. - She really is his sister, isn't she? -

- Yes - Sokka agreed, pulling on Appa's reins to lift him into the air and set off in search of the air nomad and mad king.

- They have the same eyes - Katara remarked before noticing the baby tied to a post like a fish basket to keep it out of reach of predators, only this time it was tied to the saddle of a flying animal, and it was a baby!

- No, they're not the same eyes - Sokka replied, drawing Katara's attention. - They just look alike. Zuko's eyes are... different. - His sister raised an eyebrow at him as Sokka struggled to explain. - They're not like everyone else's... they're... unique. -

- All eyes are supposed to be unique - Katara said, crawling onto Appa's head to sit next to her brother.

- I mean... -

- I know what you mean - Katara interrupted with a smile, giving him a quick hug. - You'll see him again, okay? We won't give up on finding him. -

- I know you want to see him too - Sokka said when Katara let go of him, turning back to the front with a small smile.

- Obviously - Katara agreed. - I need another mature person in the group, or I'll go crazy with you and Aang. -

- Ha ha - Sokka rolled his eyes. - I am very mature, you know. A grown man who... -

- Look! There's Aang! - Katara shouted, interrupting him and pointing to where Aang was sliding, using Bumi's metal trap like a surfboard, through the Omashu delivery canals.

- Hang on, Bumi! – Aang shouted as soon as Sokka and Katara brought Appa close enough for the king and him to climb aboard, and the siblings heard him shout, as did the princess, who didn't hesitate to throw fire fists at them to drive them away – our ride is here! -

Aang used his airbending to create a sphere of air beneath Bumi, propelling them both into the air as they tried to reach Appa's saddle. The Water Tribe brothers stretched out their arms, trying to catch them, but the momentum was too strong, and the metal trap with King Bumi and Aang flying close but not close enough to be caught before they fell to the other side and into another canal, speeding away again with a firebending princess in pursuit.

- Oh no - Sokka exclaimed, pulling on Appa's reins again to try and close the gap from another angle.

- What do they feed the children in that nation to make them so violent? - Katara asked, watching the princess unleash a ring of blue fire at Aang. - And why is her fire blue?! -

- Excellent questions, Katara. Why don't you invite the princess over for tea and discuss it over cookies? - Sokka asked sarcastically before turning to his sister. - Because I don't know either, why are you asking me? -

- It was an open question for… - A cloud of dust rose, covering the spot where Aang, Bumi, and the princess should have been, still sliding at full speed. But instead, there was only a fire princess, her feet catching her breath as she tumbled down the canals, her gaze coldly fixed on the spot where both Aang and Bumi had vanished.

- This is bad - Sokka muttered.

- There's a building across the canal - Katara said, taking Appa's reins and redirecting him. - If we go around it, we might find Aang and Bumi escaping that horrible trap. -

- I mean her - Sokka murmured. - If we run into her again, it's going to end badly for us. -

- Then let's try not to run into her again - Katara replied, glancing at the princess, who turned her head toward the flying bison. The two siblings shivered as they hid behind a building on the canal, searching for both the airbender and trying to escape the Fire Nation princess.

They soon found Aang after locating Momo and followed him, but Aang was alone and dejected once more as he climbed onto Appa's saddle.

- I guess things didn't go well - Sokka commented, looking sadly at the boy before pulling Appa's reins to lead them out of the city.

- Bumi said to find another earthbender, he… - Aang looked sadly toward the canals as they drove away. - …he can't do it now. -

- I'm sorry, Aang - Katara murmured, reaching his side.

- Why can't I stop losing my friends? - the last airbender asked, as dejected as only a lonely child could sound.

- You won't lose Sokka or me - Katara assured him. - And we'll find Zuko. - She patted his back, trying to comfort him. - And maybe this new earthbender will be a new friend. -

- Yeah, it would be nice to make more friends… - Aang's sentence trailed off as he took a deep breath. - Who tied the baby to Appa's saddle? -

- I did the best I could in the middle of an emergency! - Sokka retorted. - What are we going to do with the kid anyway? -

- I’ll return him to his parents - Aang replied simply.

- We just tried that - the oldest of the group reminded him - and it didn't go very well, in case you don't remember what we just came from. -

- That's because we tried to make a trade - the baby squealed happily, probably upon being freed and in Aang's or Katara's arms. - I'll return him without anyone noticing. -

- That's a nice gesture of you, Aang - Katara complimented him. - I'm sure this will go better. -

- Yeah, sure, no one will see the monk child in yellow robes wandering around town - Sokka rolled his eyes as they left the Fire Nation's radar and the territory of the fallen city of Omashu.

Chapter Text

Sokka finished sharpening his machete before looking around and noticing how quickly they were descending on Appa into what seemed like a dark swamp with no end in sight.

Why was Aang taking them there of all places?

- Hey - Sokka called - you taking us down for a reason? - he asked, only to be ignored by Aang. He had to lift his head and turn to the boy monk to see his mind lost in the distance. - Aang - he called more forcefully, startling him.

- What? - Aang asked, surprised.

- Why are we going down? - Sokka asked, gesturing around.

- Oh - Aang rubbed his eyes - I didn't even notice. -

- Are you noticing now? - Sokka gestured toward the swamp, which was getting closer and closer.

- Is something wrong? - Katara asked, putting away her waterbending scrolls and joining Sokka.

- I know this is gonna sound weird - Aang commented, his gaze returning to the swamp below them and ignoring the rest of the group's nervous energy - but I think the swamp is... calling to me -

- Is it telling you where we can get something to eat? - Sokka asked, feeling hunger gnaw in his empty stomach. They'd been flying over this swamp since morning, and lunchtime had passed not long ago.

- No, I think it wants us to land there - Yes, that wasn't going to happen if Sokka could do something about it.

- No offense to the swamp - the Water Tribe boy began, trying to make the most logical sense of it as he looked carefully around - but I don't see any land there to land on. -

- I don't know - Aang shook his head. - Bumi said to learn earthbendending, I would have to wait and listen. - Yes, he'd also let them take his city, ending up trapped and ruining the lives of his citizens. Although that had prevented their deaths, it had also turned them into nomads with nothing but what they carried to survive their escape. - And now I'm actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it? -

- Yes - Sokka replied sharply.

- I don't know - Katara said, approaching the edge with Momo, who immediately began to squeal in concern. - There's something ominus about that place. -

Appa bellowed in agreement, shifting his six paws uncomfortably at the proximity to the swamp before shaking his head as Momo hid among the bags tied to the saddle.

- See? - Sokka said, looking at both animals and knowing they would be Aang's turning point. - even Appa and Momo don't like it here. -

- Okay - Aang agreed. - since everyone feels so strongly about this, bye swamp. - He lifted Appa's reins, signaling him to take flight. - Yip, yip. -

Well, unnecessary trouble avoided, Sokka thought, relaxing in the saddle before hearing a loud crash behind him. He turned in that direction only to find a tornado had appeared out of nowhere.

- You better throw in an extra yip - Sokka said, worried about the tornado that was rapidly approaching them. - we gotta move! - Aang pulled on Appa's reins to turn him around and get him out of the tornado's path, only for it to spin behind them and approach even faster. It began to toss their belongings tied to the saddle, and the force of the wind began to tear trees out from under them, scraping the tip of Appa's tail as the tornado came so close. Katara managed to cling to the saddle in her fear, but Sokka could only watch in terror until the wind began to pull him slowly but surely, to the point that when he realized it, he was already being dragged away with no possibility of escape even when his sister threw an arm to grab hold of him without letting go of the saddle with the other. - Ahhhhhh! -

Aang turned his head, worried by the screams, and quickly jumped into the center of the saddle, creating a sphere of air around the flying bison before the tornado swallowed them. Sokka landed on the saddle and hugged his sister tightly, looking around in terror. Their terror only intensified when they noticed Aang starting to groan from the effort of maintaining the sphere as it began to crack more and more.

It didn't last long. The sphere finally shattered, and the tornado flung them in different directions.

- Ahhhh! - the three screamed as they were thrown through the air toward the swamp, hitting branches and roots until they slammed into the water with enough force to hurt as if they had struck the ground, ground they hit anyway given how shallow the water was.

- Where's Appa and Momo? - Aang asked, having landed calmly thanks to his airbending, while Katara and Sokka struggled to their feet from the swamp's greenish waters. Aang didn't wait for an answer, and it wasn't as if Katara or Sokka could reply anyway. Before leaping into the trees, trying to use the height to get a better view of the area and find his flying friends, and called out - Appa! Momo! -

- Sokka, you got an elbow leech - Katara commented once Sokka got to his feet.

- Ahh! - Sokka screamed in terror, frantically searching everywhere for the leech. - Where?! Where?! -

- Where do you think? - Katara crossed her arms, giving her brother an exasperated look as the realization dawned on Sokka.

- Ugh - Sokka grunted, raising his arm to grab the leech and yanking furiously until he detached it and threw it behind him. He ignored Katara's small scream and subsequent grunt when the leech landed beside her. In Sokka's defense, he hadn't realized the animal would land near her when he threw it. - Why do things keep attaching to me? - he said, rubbing his shoulder with a grimace.

Katara snorted before turning to Aang as he jump and swing on vines to her side, looking worried. - you couldn't find them? -

- No - Aang replied sadly, looking back at her in the direction they'd fallen. - And the tornado... it just disappeared. -

Sokka knew they shouldn't have even approached this dark swamp teeming with giant insects. The threat of imminent danger to their lives increased with every second they spent there. They had to find Appa and Momo so they could get out of there as soon as possible.

- we better speed things up - Sokka said, taking the lead and pulling out his machete to start cutting the roots that blocked their path back the way they came.

- Maybe we should be a littel nicer to the swamp - Aang remarked after Sokka threw another punch and cut through a curtain of vines they had to pass through. They could have just pushed through, but Sokka didn't want to know what was hanging there and what he'd end up stuck to if they did.

- Aang, these are just plants - the Water Tribe warrior retorted, swinging his machete around the ground again. - Do you want me to say 'please' and 'thank you' as I swing my machete back and forth? -

- Maybe you should listen to Aang - Katara commented, looking around uncomfortably. - Something about this place feels... alive. -

- I'm sure there are a lot of things that are alive here - Sokka replied, slashing around the ground again before turning to his sister. - And if we don't want to end up getting eaten by them, we need to find Appa as fast as we can -

They didn't find them all day, or night. No matter how much they cut or how far they walked, they got nowhere. If it weren't for the fact that they kept finding more and more plants wherever they went, Sokka would have thought they were walking in circles.

- Appa! - Katara shouted, her voice hoarse from so much yelling as they walked through the fog in the middle of the night, in a swamp so dense that even the light of the crescent moon couldn't reach them. - Momo! -

- There's no way they can hear us and no way we can see them - Sokka said, tired from the day, turning to the two youngest members of the group. They didn't look any better than he did before having to shoo away the insects that had swarmed near his face. Why only near him? Why weren't they following anyone else? - We'll have to make camp for the night -

Smoke rose a few feet away, startling them as they watched the smoke bomb explode and spread around them.

- What was that? - Katara asked, worried.

- Nothing, just swamp gas - Sokka replied before looking anxiously at the approaching smoke and inhaling the foul odor. - look, there's nothing supernatural is going on here. -

- Ahhh! - The scream startled the three young ones, who quickly huddled together, only to see a strange bird let out those cries and fly away.

- I think we should should  build a fire - Sokka said in a high-pitched voice, quickly approaching some nearby branches.

- Sokka, the longer we're here, the more I think you shouldn't be doinf that - Aang said in a worried tone.

- No, I asked the swamp - Sokka replied mockingly. - It said it was fine, right, swamp? - He took one of the branches and moved it as if speaking. - No problem, Sokka - he mimicked a childish voice before cutting the branch.

He cut several more branches under the disapproving gaze of Aang and Katara. Yes, they disapproved of him cutting the branches, but they weren't complaining when he built the fire and lit it, giving both light and warmth to the group that quickly gathered around the small fire.

- Does anyone else get the feeling that we're being watched? - Katara murmured, looking around worriedly.

- Please, we are all alone out here - Sokka complained, trying to swat an insect that wouldn't stop buzzing near his face until it transformed into a glowing ball of light, surprising the teenagers only to terrify them the next second when the insect's light attracted the attention of hundreds of animals with glowing eyes perched on the small group.

- Except for them - Aang blurted out in surprise as the group hugged each other tightly once more.

- right , except for them - Sokka agreed in a high-pitched voice as the glowing insect flew away and the eyes disappeared back into the darkness, though they were sure they wouldn't stop watching them.

There was no way they could sleep that night, terrified by all those eyes lurking in the middle of the night. They couldn't even close their eyes for fear.

A couple of hours later, the three of them were asleep, leaning back against each other, snoring softly from the awkward position, drooling on their shoulders as vines crept around each of them, trapping them.

- Ahhh! - Sokka screamed, instinctively pulling out his machete to plunge it into the ground and stop the vines from dragging him down. He whirled around and sliced ​​the vines with a single blow, freeing himself. The vines vanished almost instantly, as if fleeing from him, and Sokka sat up, looking around desperately, unable to find his friends.

- Katara! - he called his sister, worried – Aang! – he called his monk friend, but no one answer – Anyone?! -

Zuko opened his eyes before a shiver ran through his body. Agni was about to emerge, so he wouldn't have to wait long to wake up, but for some reason, he felt that something else had pulled him from his sleep this time.

He emerged from his hiding place at the back of the rhino komodos', who were still sleeping, barn suplie closet. Sleeping hidden among dozens of giant sacks of animal feed had been one of the worst nights Zuko had endured when he escaped on a boat from Caldera City as a child. Now, having slept in far worse places, he had no trouble settling in, though he remained vigilant in case someone not only entered the closet but also decided to move the sacks from the back instead of those closest to the door. No one did, but Zuko wouldn't let his guard down.

Zuko stared in puzzlement at the fog shrouded room. It wasn't just strange to find fog inside a Fire Nation ship, in fact, Zuko couldn't understand how it had happened considering the vents should have been working, but also that, surrounding the southern part of the Earth Kingdom continent, there shouldn't have been any fog at all. They were too far from the South Pole for it to be caused by ice or melting glaciers, too far from the equator and Fire Nation territories for it to be caused by evaporation or underwater volcanoes, and too far from the coast for it to be typical of the coast. Besides, in the south, storms of all kinds were common, not fog.

Perhaps that had woken him up, Zuko thought, starting to walk toward the doors to begin his routine: sneaking into the kitchen to steal some food and escaping to the infirmary to treat his wounds before hiding again.

Zuko groaned as the ointment stung his self-stitched wounds. At least that was the worst of it, and he wouldn't have to bother with it for a couple of weeks. The wounds would heal; physical ones always did. The wounds in his mind wouldn't, especially not when night after night he kept replaying that last day with the freedom fighters.

The morning's fight with the paralyzed soldiers being killed in front of his eyes, the argument with Jet, the sexual assault, the subsequent fight with Jet, and the fall he thought would kill him. Yet Zuko had survived the fall, and that hadn't necessarily been a good thing, he remembered as the pain shot through his entire body.

Zuko's body slammed into the ground, knocking the wind out of him and bruising his entire back. It was only thanks to the numerous branches he crashed into during his fall that his speed and impact had been slowed, preventing him from shattering every bone and being crushed against the ground. Paying for his life with hundreds of bruises, scratches, open wounds, and pieces of branches embedded in his skin was a reasonable price, though at that moment Zuko could only think about the waves of pain coursing through his body, preventing him from even getting up or breathing properly.

He tentatively raised an arm, letting out a sharp groan of pain. He gripped the earth beneath him, ignoring his blood-covered fingers from trying to grab onto one of the branches he had hit, and pulled himself up to turn his body onto his stomach.

He gasped and groaned all the way to his feet, his knees trembling, blindly searching for a tree to lean against while he tried to wipe the blood, sweat, and tears from his eyes, tears he refused to shed.

A body landed a couple of meters away from him, and although unlike him it hadn't been a hard thud, it had been with enough force, the kind you'd expect from a practiced jump, for Zuko to hear it even over the ringing in his ears and the throbbing in his head.

- That was a nasty fall - Jet said mockingly, approaching Zuko and dragging his sword hooks along the way. - Are you ready to tell the truth? - Zuko growled, baring his fangs at Jet's voice, frantically searching for his swords, only to remember one had been lost in Jet's lair and the other lost during his fall, not before slashing his own forearm. - You have no more weapons. You'll have to use your firebending if you want to fight, if you want to live, if you don't want me to rip your head off in one blow. -

-Yeah, right, why wouldn't you rip my head off if I could firebend? - Zuko sneered before throwing a smoke bomb at Jet and running, his vision blurry, toward his duffel bag. Ignoring the pain coursing through his body from the exertion, he grabbed the bag and kept running, trying to escape Jet, only to have to change direction abruptly every few meters as a Freedom Fighter leaped in front of him.

Zuko quickly lost his sense of direction with so many sudden turns each time a new Freedom Fighter jumped in front of him. His head throbbed, his vision blurred, and his energy drained from his body as the light of Agni faded from the forest. In another situation, he might have wondered if the little energy that still propelled him forward was the adrenaline from his escape attempt or the meager amount of Agni he could absorb, but in his current state, Zuko couldn't think of anything but getting away from the forest children.

Jet reappeared at some point. Zuko didn't know how long he'd been escaping. Frowning, his weapons weren't visible but were still very noticeable, protruding from his hips. - It's over, Lee - he said, approaching Zuko, who growled in his direction again and threw one of the knives hidden in his clothes, aiming for Jet's head. This time, he intended to kill, but lacked the strength to throw it with the necessary speed. Jet managed to dodge the knife, surprised enough to let the tang fall from his mouth as he followed the weapon's trajectory before turning back to Zuko. But the golden eyed boy wasn't foolish enough to wait for him to react. The moment he looked away, Zuko had run and was now several meters away, moving further from Jet, who started running after him again. - Lee! –

Zuko's feet slipped on a branch he couldn't see with his blurred vision, and in his desperation, he fell to the ground and rolled for long stretches until he hit a tree, letting out a groan of pain.

- Who's there?! - someone shouted from just a few feet away, instantly silencing Zuko, who had no idea who this stranger was and didn't want to be found.

But Zuko wasn't lucky. Heavy footsteps approached quickly, and torches illuminated him before he could even get up. Zuko tried to flee once more, only to be caught by his hair, which now lay loose after his fight with the freedom fighters and was dripping with blood and sweat. He was pulled back to be watched by those he now recognized, thanks to their uniforms, as Fire Nation soldiers.

- Who are you, and what are you doing so close to our camp? - the soldier growled, ignoring Zuko's groans of pain. - And what the hell happened to you? Did you fight a pack of skunk bears? -

- Skunk bears don't travel in packs - said another soldier, appearing beside the first and scrutinizing him. - He must be one of those wild children who ambush camps - He snarled, drawing his sword and pressing it against Zuko's neck, the sudden movement opening a wound. - Tell us, children, where are the others? -

Zuko looked directly into the soldier's eyes before spitting blood in his face. His governesses at the palace would be horrified by his actions, the Yuyan archers would have laughed at the soldier's furious expression, and thinking of them, Zuko couldn't help but smile. It would be one last good memory before they sliced ​​off his head.

- Stupid boy - growled the soldier holding Zuko by the hair, shaking him violently as punishment for his actions before dragging him swiftly toward a light in the distance that Zuko could guess was the soldiers' camp. - We'll send you to prison to rot for the rest of your life, do you hear? You insulted a soldier of the great Fire Nation. You'll be lucky if you ever live without shackles on your... -

- You won't handcuff him yet - the second soldier growled, stomping his feet to catch up with the first. He snatched Zuko from his grasp, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him back so fast that Zuko couldn't keep up and fell to the ground, dragged along by the dirt. - The omega is mine. -

Zuko's eyes widened in horror at his words. He had been discovered, and this soldier was going to rape him without a second thought. Zuko growled aggressively, trying to plant his feet to stop the soldier's advance, clawing desperately at his arm in a desperate attempt to break free.

The soldier screamed in pain and fury at the attack before throwing Zuko forward, sending him tumbling across the ground. Zuko stopped, determined to run as fast as he could, only to look up and find himself surrounded by half a dozen soldiers who were now growling in his direction, sniffing the air desperately.

- Suppressants - one of them growled. - Kenjiro is right, he's an omega. -

- I haven't been with one in years - another snarled, his gaze fixed on Zuko, who quickly backed away, trying to escape and circle the campfire in the center, only to find more soldiers approaching predatorily. - I'm going to... -

- First, he'll be mine - the second soldier growled, Zuko's blood still on his hand and a trace of it on his face from being spat on. Zuko cursed himself for having committed such a stupid act.

- By what authority... - The second soldier roared at the one who tried to speak, making him back away in fear before turning his attention back to Zuko and lunging at him.

With a growl in response, Zuko launched himself forward, dodging the soldier's claws as he passed under his legs and kicked him behind the knees, making him fall. He then jumped onto his back, pulling out his knife and intending to stab him in the shoulders to immobilize him. The blood loss destabilized him due to the sudden movement and changes in position, halting his actions for no more than two seconds. But in two seconds, the soldier had reacted, grabbing his outstretched arm and using it as leverage to throw the younger man to the ground.

The teenager swallowed his scream from the blow and tried to get up when a spear pierced his shoulder, pinning his robes to the ground. Zuko couldn't contain his scream then; he raised both hands, trying to free himself, only to have them caught by the soldier who had positioned himself over him. The soldier began rubbing his erection against him while one of his hands desperately pulled at his own trousers to free himself.

- You're mine - he growled at Zuko once his erection was exposed, violently turning the younger boy over and lifting his still-clothed buttocks, slamming them against his groin.

Zuko growled furiously, seeing red all around him. He hadn't just managed to free himself from Jet and fight that idiot, only for another one to appear out of nowhere and try to take him against his will while half a dozen watched intently, waiting their turn with their pants down. Zuko wasn't going to let any of those idiots near him, even if it was the last thing he did, even if it meant dying a thousand times over.

The fire beside Zuko roared alongside him, rising high into the trees before crashing down again, striking the soldier outside Zuko with the impact. The flames began to dance out of the campfire, enveloping the firebender in an incandescent sphere, just like the ones he had seen Aang create with the air dozens of times.

The soldiers quickly retreated, terrified at the sight of the boy surrounded by fire. Only a couple dared to throw fire punches, which only served to merge with Zuko's sphere, making it larger and faster than before. A firebender would have found a way to deflect the fire or a blind spot to attack from, but the soldiers only knew how to throw punches, kicks, and a few other maneuvers. They weren't masters, and Zuko had trained his attacks for three years, letting him know what they would do. By using the movements of a master, he wouldn't let the soldiers know how to dodge an attack in the style of an eradicated culture.

- Wait, wait - one of the soldiers pleaded, his trousers askew after he'd desperately pulled them up when the attack began. - We didn't wanr to... -

-  you didn't want to rape me just a few seconds ago?! - Zuko interrupted, completely furious. - An omega is nothing more than a toy to you! Isn't that right?! -

- We're sorry! - another soldier shouted. - We didn't knew you were firebenders! We didn't even knew you were from the Fire Nation! -

- And if I wasn't a firebender, would it have been okay to rape me? - Zuko asked, growing increasingly furious. - If I wasn't from the Fire Nation, would it be okay? - Fire grew around him. - You're scum who abuse others just because you can! You're soldiers, you should be fighting for those who can't! You should be protecting, not destroying the innocent! - He growled, making the soldiers scream in terror. - You're nothing but thugs! - His fire concentrated, making the sphere smaller and closer to Zuko. - And I won't let you do this to anyone else. -

The fire shot out in bursts, just as Aang did with the air, but while the air blasted and threw people hundreds of meters away, the fire burned them alive, striking them with such intensity that they were consumed in a matter of seconds.

The yellow and red light went out along with the screams around him. Zuko fell to his knees, his strength gone, tears finally streaming uncontrollably down his face. The smell of burnt flesh reached him, allowing him to recognize and process what he had just done. His breathing immediately became rapid as a lump formed in his throat. His hands, still with extended claws, dug into his arms, trying to stop the world spinning, but to no avail. The movement was caused by his own body, rocking back and forth desperately. Charred bodies crumbled, and Zuko stopped moving, horrified by his own actions. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't… the… burn… flesh… the… no…

His tortured scream pierced the forest, scaring away anyone who might hear it, tearing at his throat until he felt the blood at the back of it as his body finally broke.

The air ran out in his lungs, ending his scream, letting him fall to the ground amid sobs and violent tremors.

The approaching footsteps abruptly stopped his sobs. His body tensed, and he quickly turned to face the newcomers, brandishing a knife he'd pulled from his clothing, ready to defend himself against whatever might happen.

- It was true - said Smellerbee, stopping beside several other freedom fighters who accompanied their leader and had been terrorizing Zuko just moments before. - You're a firebender. -

- We'll take you to… -

- No! - Smellerbee quickly interrupted Jet. - We won't do anything to him except remove him from our forest! -

- We can't… - Jet began again.

- Leave him alone - Pipsqueak interjected. - He was just attacked… -

- He just burned half a dozen people alive - a kid next to the older boy corrected, casting horrified glances at the firebender.

- They were Fire Nation soldiers - another children said, as if that justified any action.

- He's from the Fire Nation - another one said.

- He's also a freedom fighter - the Duke retorted.

- And an ash maker - a little girl reminded them furiously.

- It's not his fault he was born one - Sneers muttered.

- But it is if he uses it - retorted a boy with burn marks on his arm.

- Silence! everyone! - Jet shouted, silencing the entire group, who turned in his direction, meeting the dark haired man's furious gaze. - We'll discuss this among the adults when we return to the lair and decide what to do. Until then, we'll take Lee as our prisoner and keep an eye on him. -

- He's escaping - Longshot said, drawing Jet's attention. Jet looked back to where Lee had been, and now there was nothing but a trail of blood. Zuko, several meters away, heard Jet's shout and quickened his pace.

On another day, Zuko would have beaten Jet in a race, even in a forest, thanks to his training with the Yuyan archers. This time, with his body unable to endure it for much longer, Jet had caught up in a matter of minutes. If he hadn't caught him yet, it was only because of the sudden turns Zuko made to escape his grasp.

The tree line ended, giving way to a gorge that Zuko could recognize from the couple of days he'd spent in this forest as one eroded by the river. Jet didn't cover that side, probably thinking Zuko wouldn't dare run to his death to escape him, which only showed how little Jet knew him, because Zuko was going to do exactly that.

- Lee! - Jet shouted once he realized Zuko's direction and tried to run towards him to catch him, though with the different distances, he wouldn't reach him unless Zuko hesitated or even bothered to turn around for a second.

Zuko didn't hesitate, much less turn around. He jumped into the gorge, hearing Jet's shout behind him, as he tried to create fire with his feet to propel himself upwards slightly and lessen his fall before turning in the air, clasping his hands together in front of him to enter the water.

Chapter Text

A shout from outside the room jolted Zuko from his thoughts and reminded him that he needed to hurry. No one could know he was on this ship; he was a stowaway, nothing more than a shadow that a raging river had dragged along while he was in and out of unconsciousness until he reached the sea of the nearest coastal city. From there, he had slipped onto the first ship heading south of the Earth Kingdom, hidden among crates of ship parts. If anyone caught him, he would be at the mercy of the crew of one of the last remaining Fire Nation warships, where the captain's word was law, and his word would surely be to kill the stowaway.

He left the sickbay again, finding himself in the fog shrouded corridors. He started running, hiding in corners and small blind spots on the ship, making sure no one approached before launching into another short dash to his next hiding place.

He crossed half the ship and descended two floors before encountering the first shadow of the Fire Nation soldiers. He turned around, running quickly towards a corridor and then down some stairs to hide among the pipes at the end of them. He hid while the soldiers passed beneath him, chatting calmly and ignoring his presence. He just had to hold out until they left.

- Aang! - Sokka shouted, already tired of yelling his friend and sister's names, but knowing he wouldn't stop until he found them, even if it meant ending up as hoarse as his sister had been the day before. - Stupid swamp, dumb, ugly vines - he growled, furiously slashing at the branches around him. - Katara! - he yelled his sister's name again before fighting some algae underwater, which ended up defeating him and throwing him into the muddy water. - you think you're so tough, huh? - Sokka growled at the swamp, getting up angrily and turning quickly with his machete in hand to cut more plants when his eyes fell on a human figure with its back to him, wearing familiar dark clothes and with long, ink black hair. - Hello? -

Zuko jumped to the ground once the soldiers left, but he kept watch over the spot where they had disappeared, slowly backing away until he reached the edge of the stairs. He turned around, meeting Sokka's eyes directly.

- Zuko? - Sokka asked, surprised by the presence of the golden eyed boy, who looked just as surprised as he was before turning and starting to run. - Zuko! Stop! - Sokka shouted, immediately running after him.

Sokka had sought him out to finish him off. He was a loose end for him and for Team Avatar. They had to want him dead; they all wanted him dead, and they had sought him out to make sure it ended that way. They hadn't even expected him to realize it, if Sokka's silent appearance with a raised machete, ready to cut down anything in his path, meant anything. Besides, why else would Sokka be looking for him?

- Don't run! - Sokka shouted desperately, trying to catch him but quickly losing sight of him as he stumbled among the roots and seaweed hidden underwater. The falls weren't going to deter him from trying, not when he was so close to being again with the boy he love.

- Stop right there! - a soldier yelled, startling Zuko mid-run. Oh, yes, they were still on a ship. Zuko started running again, this time trying to escape both Sokka and the soldiers who were beginning to sound the ship's alarms. - Intruder! We have an intruder! -

The pale boy began to climb through the tree branches, making it even harder for the dark-haired boy to follow him, but still unable to stop him. - Zuko! Zuko, stop! –

The blue eyed boy relentlessly pursued him until, after banging on a door to force it open, he found himself face to face with several soldiers, their weapons drawn or in crouched positions, all pointing directly at him. He took a step back and turned his head, only to notice Sokka getting closer. His gaze returned to the front, knowing he had only one way out, and that was the same way he had escaped from Jet four days ago.

Sokka reached the same branch where Zuko was standing, looking around uncertainly. Less than two steps away from reaching him, Zuko began to run along the branch as fast as he could. Sokka started running after him, but watched in horror as the boy took a running start and jumped to a fall of several meters- No! No! Zuko! - he cried.

The branch beneath Sokka broke before he could reach the spot where the other boy had jumped. The Southern Water Tribe warrior fell, still holding out one hand, trying to reach the Fire Nation prince, but he couldn't.

The vines caught Sokka before he hit the ground, only to snap under his weight seconds later, sending him plummeting into the swamp water. Sokka immediately got up and ran in the direction Zuko must have landed, only to find the spot completely empty.

- This is just a trick of the light - Sokka reassured himself. - Swamp gas. I hit my head running away last night. I'm going crazy. -

Sokka turned around, coming face to face with Zuko with water tribe clothes and a bloody hole in the middle of his chest. - You said you loved me. -

- I do, Zuko, I love you, please don't… - Sokka responded immediately, trying to reach out to the golden eyed boy, only for him to vanish as he approached, leaving Sokka alone once more. - You're not real - Sokka said, his jaw clenched before turning and starting to chop through branches to clear a path away from the swamp. - None of this is real. -

Sokka furiously sliced ​​through everything in his path until he reached a tree large enough for him to climb and begin drying his wet clothes. He hadn't even taken off a shoe when a couple of shouts forced him into a fighting stance, only for Katara and Aang to appear out of nowhere and pull him down with them through the tree branches.

- What do you guys think you're doing?! - Sokka asked, lifting his head. He immediately realized he had just suddenly found his sister and friend after almost half a day of fruitless searching. - I've been looking all over for you! -

- Well, I've been wandering around looking for you - Katara replied, one hand on her hip, still sitting on the branch.

- I was chaising some girl - Aang said, standing up with his airbending, much to Katara’s surprise. Her expression quickly turned into a slight frown, which Sokka recognized as a sign of jealousy.

- What girl? - the waterbender asked.

- I don’t know - Aang shrugged before extending a hand to help Katara up. - I heard laughing and saw a girl in a fancy dress. -

- Well, there must be a tea party here - Sokka said mockingly, rolling his eyes before making a face of mock indignation. - And we just didn’t get our invitations. -

Aang gave him a sour and unimpressed look while Katara lowered her gaze sadly.

- I thought I saw Mom - Aang’s face fell with concern as Sokka took a step back, feeling bad about his teasing.

- Look - Sokka said, trying to smooth things over. - We' ere all just scared and hungry, and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here -

- You saw somethin too? - Katara asked, excited that her brother had also seen their mother. Sokka felt like the worst son because he hadn't.

Sokka turned away, unable to respond without showing his distress, but knowing he had to. - I thought I saw Zuko - his voice trembled, - but it was an illusion, and that doesn't prove anything. - He shook his head vehemently before turning back to the other two young children. - Listen, I think about him all the time - he pointed at Katara,  -and you saw Mom someone you miss a lot -

- What about me? I didn't knew that girl I saw - Aang asked, frowning in surprise before looking around. - And all our visions lead us right here. -

- Okay, so where is here? - Katara asked as Aang continued to look around as if searching for something. - the middle of the swamp? -

- Yeah - Aang nodded as if he'd just had a profound revelation. - the center. It's the heart of the swamp. It's been calling us here. I knew it. -

It can't be that he's on about the swamp's call again, Sokka thought to himself.

- It's just a tree - Sokka declared. - It can't call anyone - he reminded them. - For the last time, there's nothing after us, and there's nothing magical happening here. -

And as the universe loved to contradict Sokka, it was at that very moment that a green monster appeared out of nowhere, making the three teenagers scream. They broke their group and ran as the monster raised its strange arms, ready to attack them. And, as expected, the monster decided to go after Sokka!

The monster grabbed Sokka's legs and pulled him toward it before slamming him into the water, which again filled his mouth. At this rate, he would never forget the taste of swamp.

The monster's arm rose again, holding Sokka, only for it to be severed by a blast of airbending from Aang. Sokka was very grateful to the boy for freeing him, but he wasn't happy about falling back down and swallowing the swamp water as he punched at the vines still tangled around his body, trying to break free and escape.

Wait a second, Sokka thought amidst his punches, vines? Was the monster made of vines?

He didn't have time to dwell on it any longer before the monster regenerated, rejoining the vines. Vine monster, why not? Just add it to the list of crazy things that were now Sokka's life, and it trapped the Water Tribe warrior once again.

- Ahhhhh! - Sokka screamed as the monster moved across the swamp water at great speed. - Why does this always happen to me? -

Katara appeared, gliding across the water as if surfing the swampy surface before launching a spear attack with her waterbending, slicing off half of the monster's arm. She then engaged the swamp monster in direct combat, oblivious to Sokka still standing between them, taking all the waves and explosions of water. The monster didn't seem to appreciate the attacks either, because not long after, it landed a blow on Katara that sent her flying several meters.

There went his chance at freedom, Sokka cried before noticing how the monster was literally trying to melt him into it, eliciting a scream even more horrified than before.

- Ahhhh! - Sokka screamed, more desperate than before, trying again to cut his way through the vines that held him captive while Aang and Katara leaped around, using more of their elemental magic. Sokka had no idea what they were trying to do until Katara froze the water around him and dropped him, encased in a block of ice, back into the swamp.

He'd complain later, Sokka decided, as his sister thawed him out, allowing him to escape with her.

Aang screamed as he was thrown into the distance, falling with a groan of pain. Sokka saw the exact moment Katara flew into a rage upon hearing the boy's cry. She spun toward the monster, unleashing a flurry of increasingly intense slashing attacks that the monster couldn't withstand. It recoiled, trying to shield itself with outstretched arms, which were only severed, revealing its interior…

Inside, there was a person, a person attacking them! Ha! It wasn't a real monster. Sokka was right after all.

- There's someone in there! - Sokka told his sister. - he's bending the vines! -

Katara obeyed, raising the water to unleash a powerful slashing blow at the wooden face of the fake monster, cutting it and sending it tumbling down like nothing more than clothes without anyone to wear them.

Nice ending, Sokka thought, relaxing his arms and believing the fight was over, only for the branches to move again, this time attacking and trapping Katara completely, immobilizing her so she couldn't use her waterbending to free herself.

- Katara! - Sokka would correct himself to the world. He wouldn't complain about being trapped again if it meant they didn't capture his sister.

Aang reappeared with a somersault, unleashing a whirlwind of airbending at the monster, which was completely shattered by the impact. Aang growled menacingly at the human figure beneath the vines. - Why did you call me here if you just wanted to kill us? -

- Wait - said an older man with strange hair and a straw like beard, wearing nothing but a loincloth made of plants, emerging from the vines - I didn't call you here -

The three young children exchanged confused glances before Aang nodded, deciding to trust the stranger who was only covering his nakedness with leaves. - We were flying over, and I heard something calling to me, telling me to land -

- he's the Avatar - Sokka explained, acknowledging that Aang's words sounded like a hallucination or a child's imagination. - Stuff like that happens to us a lot -

- The Avatar? - the man asked appreciatively before turning toward the giant tree. - Come with me. -

Sokka was about to refuse when Aang nodded and started following the crazy nudist, soon followed by Katara, leaving Sokka no choice but to follow them. And then they wondered why they were getting into so much trouble.

- So - Katara began, because it didn't matter that he was a half-naked man who had attacked them just minutes before disguised as a swamp monster, Katara had to introduce herself and be the friendly girl in the group who gave hugs and wishes of happiness to everyone. - Who are you then? -

- I protect the swamp from folks that want to hurt it - the man replied, moving a branch, or root, Sokka wasn’t sure which it was anymore in this place, it explained how that monster formed - like this fellow with his big knife -

- See? completly reasonable - Sokka said, walking past the half-naked man, who still hadn’t given them a name, and ignoring his disapproving look. There wasn’t much he could do to change that anyway; he had already angered him by cutting branches. What was he going to do? Apologize for cutting them? - not a monster, just an regular guy defending his home, nothing mystical about it. -

- Oh, the swamp is a mystical place, all right - said the half-naked man, contradicting Sokka. - It's sacred. I found enlightenment right here under the banyan grove tree. - The man raised a hand, indicating the tree they were standing under before sitting cross legged. - I heard it calling me, just like you did. -

- Sure you did - Sokka nodded sarcastically, still rolling his eyes. - It seems real chatty -

- see, this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles - they were going to have another one of those spiritual talks, weren't they? Sokka wondered to himself as the swamp man spoke, extending his arms. - branches spread and sink and take root and then spread some more, one big, living organism, just like the entire world -

- I get how the tree is one big thing - Aang said, looking at the man in surprise. - But the whole world? -

- Sure - the man nodded calmly. - you think you're any different from me? Or your friends? Or this tree? - Sokka sat down, guessing this was going to be a long conversation that he wouldn't even pay attention to if he could do anything to ignore them. - If you listen hard enough you can hear every living thing breathing together, you can feel everything growing. We are all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we're all branches of the same tree. -

- But what did our visions mean? – Katara asked, and perhaps only for this answer did Sokka bother to pay even a little attention.

- In the swamp, we see visions of the people we've lost, people we loved, folks we think are gone, but the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to them. Time is an illusion, and so is death. -

- But what about my vision? - Aang asked, beating Sokka by a second. Sokka wanted to ask about the chase with Zuko, which felt so real. Sokka immediately shut his mouth. No, these were nothing more than hallucinations caused by swamp gas. Sokka wasn't going to get involved in this mystical mess. He knew better than that. - It was someone I had never met -

- You're the Avatar - the man replied with a smile. - you tell me -

- Time is an illusion - Aang murmured thoughtfully before lifting his head as if the realization had hit him. - So, it's someone I'll meet? -

- Mhm - the smiling man nodded. Sokka rolled his eyes. This was going to drag on too long if he didn't do something himself.

- Sorry to interrupt the lesson - Sokka said, although he didn't at all -but we still need to find Appa and Momo. -

- I think I know how to find them - Aang replied, kneeling against the tree before lowering his hand with his eyes closed. - everything is connected - Sokka exchanged a quick glance with Katara before turning back to Aang, whose tattoos and eyes glowed until he suddenly jumped up, startled, his eyes narrowed in worry. - Come on, we've gotta hurry. -

Set my lines by the riverbed

Caught ten fish

And I killed 'em dead

Cut 'em and gut 'em

And I toss the heads in the water

To keep them catgators fed

Why did they always run into singing lunatics? Sokka wondered as they hurried toward the voices, with Aang not hesitating to launch an airbending attack, destroying one of the singing men's boats and capsizing the others.

- Appa! - Aang exclaimed, jumping onto a branch in front of the swamp men, half-naked men again. Why? Didn't insects bite them?

Aang launched an airbending blast, throwing a man several meters away and freeing Momo from a white cloth bag. Momo quickly screamed and flew desperately towards Aang to find someone to protect him from the men who wanted to have him for dinner.

- we are under attack! - one of the men shouted before waterbending with another half-naked man in a canoe to scoop up muddy swamp water and try to throw it at Katara and Aang. They just managed to raise the water in the same way and the four of them started moving it together.

- Hey - Katara said, noticing the same thing - you guys are waterbenders. -

- you too? - one of the swamp men said cheerfully, letting ripples of water fall and pointing at Katara and Aang before pointing at himself, still smiling. - That means we're kin - Katara made a face of disgust, immediately shrinking into herself, almost making Sokka laugh at her expression. - Hey Huu - the man in the canoe greeted the man who had been making the swamp monster when he climbed onto the branch with Sokka. - How you been? -

- You know - said Huu, shrugging - scared some folks, swung some vines, the usual -

— Huu — Sokka complained.

And what did he mean by "the usual?" How many people had he terrified like this? How many groups? Was that why the swamp remained untouched in the midst of the war? Had these men, wearing nothing but loincloths, managed to repel the Fire Nation troops?

The swamp men were very skilled fighters, whether they were benders or not, Sokka would have to admit. They were also a little crazy, but the dark-haired boy didn't know if that was something about them or something about the swamp itself. Sokka had only spent a day and a half in the swamp and he already felt like he was starting to lose his mind. He'd eaten an insect for dinner for Tui and La. On the other hand, Sokka also had to accept, much to his reluctance, that they possessed a strange wisdom and knowledge about the swamp, which they were able to use to their advantage to defend their home.

And it was that same knowledge about the swamp that prevented Sokka from resting properly throughout the night. The blue eyed boy truly hoped it was the last night. When tempted to ask Huu about his vision, he didn't. Sokka was the rational and logical one of the group; he couldn't believe in these things. The swamp gases had caused his hallucinations, nothing more. Nothing mystical happened in that swamp, he repeated to himself like a sleep mantra.

Chapter Text

A fishing boat had picked up Zuko after he had been swimming for hours toward the shore since jumping from the warship. The fog had disappeared within minutes of him starting to swim, as had the boat. In contrast, the coast or any sign of land didn't appear until eight hours later, two of which he had spent recovering on the boat. It took another two hours from then until they reached the shore, where Zuko paid a good number of gold coins to the fishermen for saving him. As far as Zuko knew, they could have ignored him and left or thrown him back into the sea once they saw his distinctive eyes, but instead, they had saved him, given him shelter, food, and a good place to rest. So Zuko was grateful to them, and even more so when they let him ride in their cart to take him to the different cities where they would collect orders to deliver the catch the next day from the net they had left when they rescued Zuko.

It was the early hours of sunset when they arrived at the last city, and Zuko got out, saying goodbye to the fishermen, to lose himself among the streets of the unknown city looking for some reference to where on the map the city was located so that he could go to Liang's house or to the bar that June usually frequented; it was more common to find her at the bar than at her family home anyway, and being in the south of the continent Zuko expected not to be too far from either of the two places.

Night had already fallen by the time he learned that he was in a village called Gaoling, at least two days' ostrich-hair journey from the nearest village to Liang's house. And between that nearest village and Liang's house was half a day's travel, so yes, Zuko wasn't going to arrive that night. And after how horrible his last few days had been, Zuko wasn't going to start a journey on foot. Why would he buy a mount for two days' travel, only to end up sleeping in the open air after a couple of hours? He was injured, tired, and needed to wash the blood and salt off his clothes and the few remaining usable items in his travel bag. So, he didn't need much internal debate to decide to stay at an inn in the village with hot springs.

Of course, he didn't consider that his scars might attract attention, attention that Zuko disliked and certainly didn't need if he wanted to go unnoticed. For that very reason, he went straight to a corner of the hot springs and hid underwater, hoping that the other people would forget his presence and leave one by one so he could emerge.

He ended up leaving late at night and had to walk halfway across town to reach the only restaurant still open. Zuko would blame the exhaustion that made him walk like a zombie for all the terrible decisions he was making that day.

He would also blame that same exhaustion for bumping into a little girl who was running across the street as Zuko approached. The girl quickly got up using her earthbending and ran again, turning the corner and digging a hole in the ground next to a house, only to jump in and close it while Zuko, still getting up, stared at her in bewilderment.

- Hey! You! - shouted an angry looking man with skin tanned from constant and careless sun exposure, straight black hair that fell below his shoulders, and clothing far too scantily clad for the last days of winter. Weren't his arms cold in those sleeveless tunics? Or his legs, since his pants only reached his knees and he was barefoot? Or his partially exposed chest? Perhaps it wasn't the cold; perhaps he was showing off his muscles, which the man certainly had. Although Zuko couldn't quite grasp it, having seen several people do the same throughout his life, he'd lived with soldiers for three years, he was more surprised if there was a single day when someone wasn't flaunting their muscles in the open air. - Where did the girl go? - Zuko raised his eyebrows, puzzled by the man's demands. Certainly, the little he'd seen of the girl before she hid was enough for him to know she wasn't related to the man who seemed to be chasing her. After a moment of silence, the man violently grabbed Zuko's robes in an attempt to intimidate him. - Answer me, or I'll crush you alive! -

What a rude man, Zuko thought, unimpressed, before pointing toward the path the girl had taken before disappearing underground. He didn't bother to clarify that the girl was still hidden in the middle of the path, and even if he had wanted to, the man had already released him with the same force and run off again, vanishing into the village in a matter of seconds.

Brushing the dust off his clothes after those two encounters, Zuko headed toward the space where the little earthbender had hidden, tapping lightly to let her know her pursuer was gone and she could come out.

The earth opened in front of Zuko's eyes, and the girl jumped out with a mischievous grin before sealing the hole she had left behind. A swift fist soon met Zuko's side, which the golden-eyed man nearly dodged before recognizing it as a gesture of camaraderie and allowing it to land.

- Well done, hot steps - the girl said, amused. - I was getting bored of running. -

Steps what did she call him?

Zuko nodded and turned to head towards the restaurant the inn had told him about; it was the only one open at that hour. Even the kitchen at the inn where he was staying had already closed by the time he left the hot springs.

- Hey, you're not from around here, are you? - the girl said, using her earthbending to land beside him and walk alongside him. Zuko shook his head in response. - Aren't you going to answer? - Zuko stopped in his tracks as he turned to look at the girl, wondering if she had simply ignored the movement of his head. Her black hair, styled in a voluminous bun atop her head and secured by a green and yellow headband with small white tassels at the sides, had strands escaping across her face. Her meticulously cared-for skin was as white as pure milk, though speckled with dirt, partially obscuring her eyes. Perhaps she truly hadn't seen him. On the other hand, the girl would have to be blind not to have seen the sharp head movement he had made, first to nod and then to shake his head when she had spoken to him.

- What? Are you mute or something? Or did Xin Fu make you deaf with all her yelling? - the girl mocked, turning her head toward him and revealing to Zuko her green eyes with faded pupils. Oh, she was indeed blind, and he had forced himself to be mute. So yes, what they both thought was the other ignoring the other one was just a terrible combination of both physical disabilities.

Zuko couldn't help but let out an incredulous sigh, realizing how implausible the situation was. This caught the girl's attention, and she raised both eyebrows before tilting her head to the side, an amused smile slowly but surely spreading across her lips.

- I can't believe it - the girl said, still smiling. - You're really mute? - She placed her hands under her eyes and pulled back the skin, revealing her wide-open, discolored eyes. - And I'm blind. We're the beginning of a bad joke. - The girl laughed, eliciting an amused snort from Zuko. She smiled even wider before giving him a friendly punch on the shoulder. - Aha, I made you laugh. Now you have to be my friend. - Zuko made a quick sound of denial. - Hey, nobody else laughs at my dark jokes about blindness - the girl said, waving a hand in front of her face. - I'll stick with the few who can appreciate it. -

The golden eyed boy couldn't help but shake his head in amusement as he snorted at the girl's remarks. He quickly resumed walking with her, keeping pace without hesitating for a moment, just as she hadn't hesitated to jump beside him without missing a beat. Zuko wondered how the girl could do all this without seeing. He would have to find out, since he couldn't ask her. And if he wrote it down for her, she wouldn't be able to read it.

- So, where are we going, Hot steps? - That nickname again? Zuko thought, rolling his eyes and continuing to walk. - It's not like you could tell him anyway - the girl muttered to herself. - Oh, well, I guess it'll be one of those relationships where one person talks and the other just listens and agree to everything - The girl smiled again. - I'll take your silence as agreement. -

It was impossible to stifle Zuko's amused snort before he lightly nudged the girl's shoulder. She giggled as she kicked up dirt beneath Zuko, intending to trip him, only for him to jump at the movement of the earth, dodging the little trap.

- That was agile - the girl nodded appreciatively. - We need to have a spar. I want to see how well you can dodge my moves so I can improve them. -

Zuko immediately made a sound of denial. The girl might be small, and from her scent he could tell she was an omega. She might be blind and look like a porcelain doll with perfectly cared milky skin without a single imperfection, but none of that meant she couldn't kick the ass of anyone who underestimated her. The way she used her bending with such confidence, Zuko guessed she was a prodigy at earthbending, and he wouldn't be surprised if she was already a master. And the way she spoke about combat let him know that she not only had experience in them but was also adept at easily defeating her opponents.

- What? You think I can't fight you? - the girl said, clearly annoyed. Zuko made another sound of denial, earning a nod from the now confused girl. - No? No what? You don't think I can fight you, or you don't think I can't fight you? - A grimace quickly appeared on the earthbender's face as if she had tasted something disgusting. - Ugh, communicating with you is going to be quite a problem, isn't it? - The girl huffed, lifting the strands of hair above her face before shaking her head again. - You'd better come up with something because I can't see the solution to the problem. -

Another amused snort escaped Zuko before he realized it. The girl certainly had several ways of making fun of her own condition, Zuko thought as they arrived in front of the restaurant he had been directed to at the inn.

- Is it a restaurant? – asked the earthbender, sniffing excitedly at the steamed buns and spiced soups – isn't it a little late for dinner? –

- Welcome, would you like… - The man who greeted them at the entrance suddenly fell silent, half-bowing as he stared in astonishment at the young bender beside Zuko. - You're the Blind Bandit. -

The what did he say?

- Ha, of course I am - the girl boasted, crossing her arms and raising her head haughtily. - The best earthbender and undefeated winner of Earth Rumble. -

Was the girl some kind of celebrity in this town?

- Would you like a table for yourself and your companion? - the man asked, his gaze shifting from the firebender to the earthbender and back again.

The pale boy nodded as the man led him to a free table, although almost all of them were free because of how late it was. He didn't let the man speak again when they sat down before gesturing to the only remaining table with customers in the restaurant who were eating a plate of various and different types of dim sum. He raised the same hand to make a number two gesture, hoping the man would understand because he couldn't exactly write to him when his notebook had been ruined by water when he jumped off the cliff in the Baruu forest, forcing him to throw it away.

- Two plates of dim sum - the man nodded before walking away, shouting orders to the kitchen.

- Two plates? - the blind bandit asked, turning her head in surprise toward the former prince. - Wow, you have more of an appetite than I thought - the girl laughed before sniffing at the man who brought the order and placed it in front of the two dimbinders. - I won't lie, they smell good. Maybe I should order a plate - she began to mutter the last part before Zuko placed one in front of her. The young girl's brow furrowed in annoyance. - You ordered the second plate for me? - A growl escaped her lips, clearly directed at Zuko and drawing the attention of the other diners. - I don't need your pity or to be fed like a stray pygmy puma. If I wanted, I could buy every dish in this place! I could buy the whole place! -

- Is there a problem? – asked the man who was serving at the restaurant, approaching quickly because of the disturbance caused by the earthbender.

Zuko simply dipped one of his chopsticks in the sauce and used it to write on the table, much to the horror of the man serving them, before signaling for him to read aloud.

- I didn't offer you a plate because I felt sorry for you, I did it because I wanted to - the man read. - You told me to be your friend, friends share, so I'm sharing my food with you. -

And also because it would have been idiotic of him to eat right in front of the girl, even if she couldn't see him, without offering. Zuko was hungry, so he preferred to buy her another plate rather than just eat half of his own. Although, he could have asked beforehand, except for the part where it would be difficult for both of them to communicate.

- Hmm - the girl frowned, crossing her arms as if carefully considering her words before shrugging. - Fine, I believe you. Anyway, you saved me from having to ask. -

The former prince of the Fire Nation turned his gaze back to the man who was serving them and who was now wearily looking at the mess on the table caused by the sauce when Zuko decided to use it to write. The golden eyed man gestured towards the rag the man was carrying so he could clean it up; Commander Rangi would be furious if he didn't clean up the mess he himself had made. The man gave a quick, grateful bow while the girl next to him huffed, her cheeks full of food.

- You know the waiter could do it, right? - she asked, and by this point Zuko was truly wondering how she managed to know what Zuko was doing or where he was without ever missing a beat. - You're just a sweet cinnamon roll that looks like a saber-toothed moose, aren't you? - Zuko snorted, amused, as he rolled his eyes and finally started eating with the extra chopsticks the waiter had left. - that's the exact opposite of me - the girl smiled at him. - People underestimate me because of that, until I prove them wrong. - She slammed a fist against the palm of her other hand as if demonstrating, before returning her hands to the chopsticks to continue eating, looking slightly embarrassed as she playfully pushed her food from side to side. - When people see me, they think I'm weak, and they want to take care of me. I thought you wanted to do the same, and that's why I reacted the way I did. I can take care of myself by myself, you know? I don't need anybody. -

The golden-eyed man made a sound of understanding as he nodded his head, more out of habit than believing that the girl would recognize the movement. He tapped his chest, trying to make enough noise for her to hear, and earned a raised eyebrow from her.

- Did the same thing happen to you? - Zuko nodded. Although he wasn't exactly treated as someone weak who couldn't take care of himself, he was certainly underestimated, sidelined for both physical and mental activities. An omega prince who was nothing more than a pretty ornament following his father around, who didn't excel as a bender, and whose heart was too soft for the Fire Court. For the Fire Nation, omegas could fight and be very intelligent, but their primary function would always be reproduction, so any other aspect would be undervalued, even if one was the crown prince. - But that doesn't happen to you anymore. When we came in, the waiter and the couple over there were afraid of you. - Frowning, Zuko snapped back to the present and followed the direction the earthbender was pointing, which led directly to the only remaining couple at the table. The golden-eyed boy already had a headache. How could this blind girl possibly know where they were? Besides, Zuko was certain that both the waiter and the couple were afraid of the earthbender, not him, judging by how they followed her with wide eyes, terrified. - What did you do? -

Escaped, basically, Zuko thought, his fingers tapping on the table as he tried to come up with an idea of ​​how to tell her, and a better story. He could always say the same thing he'd said to Sokka so many weeks ago beside the abandoned Southern Water Tribe ship.

- Did you run away from home? - Zuko froze, turning in surprise to the young girl beside him. Could she read minds? No, that didn't make sense. No one could, as far as Zuko knew. But how could she have known exactly what Zuko was thinking? Maybe she was just guessing. That made the most sense… - You seem surprised - she commented, smiling. -Didn't you realize you were doing Morse code? -

Zuko's eyes fell to his hand as if they had just betrayed him by revealing his thoughts without his consent. In defense of Zuko, and his hands, he admitted he hadn't been aware that he seemed to be mindlessly tapping his fingers on the table, and he also hadn't realized that the girl beside him knew morse code. How old was she? Eleven? Twelve? Zuko didn't even know what morse code was at eleven years old, and he hadn't learned to use it until he was fourteen, after a year and a half of learning it from the Yuyan archers…where he had practiced every night by tapping on the tables at dinnertime.

Yes, it must have been etched into his subconscious.

On the other hand, Zuko also had to wonder, how had the so called blind bandit heard him? He hadn't made much noise, if any at all. He'd tapped his fingers, sure, but just like when he walked, he hadn't made a sound.

Well, if he could communicate with her now, he wouldn't have to keep that question nagging at him.

"How did you hear me?" Zuko asked, tapping his fingers on the table, still silent, just to make sure it hadn't been for the same reason he though.

- I didn't hear you - Toph denied, frowning. - Well, when you hit the ground to make it come out, I did, but... - Oh, yes, that was probably subconscious too; his rhytem when knocking on doors could apparently be translated into Morse code as a greeting. - ...Now it's the vibrations, not the sound. - The girl crossed her arms. - Honestly, hot steps. Just because you don't make noise with your mouth doesn't mean you don't have to, not even when walking or banging on tables. It's like walking next to a ghost; I feel you walking, but I haven't heard a single one of your steps. -

“Vibrations?” Zuko asked, frowning in confusion. The blind girl just smiled mockingly before stuffing a steamed bun into her mouth and standing up, leaving Zuko bewildered.

- Come on, you’ll see what I mean - the girl said, still with her mouth full, heading for the door. Zuko had to quickly stuff the three remaining buns into his mouth, put the money down for his order, probably paying more than he should have because he didn’t have time to wait for change, and ignore the strange looks from the two remaining diners, both because of his sudden departure and because his cheeks were stuffed with food like some kind of squirrel or skunk.

“Where are we going?” Zuko asked, running after the earthbender while snapping his fingers in morse code to make himself heard.

- I'll take you to my masters - the girl replied, continuing to run until Zuko stopped, looking at her uncomfortably. This caused the girl to stop, staring at him in surprise. - Is something wrong, Hot steps? -

"People don't..." the earthbender scoffed mockingly.

- My masters aren’t people - the girl retorted before turning around and running off, ignoring Zuko’s completely blank stare, as if his brain had been fried by one of his father’s lightning bolts. - I’m sure you’ll like them, but I’m not going to wait for you, so hurry up. -

Zuko started running again, still not understanding the earthbender’s words. He definitely wanted to meet the teachers of the self-proclaimed greatest earthbender, who, according to her, weren’t even human.

There was no way Zuko was going to miss this.

Chapter Text

Badger moles, the earthbenders masters of the blind girl, were indeed blind animals, and according to the girl who had led him to the cave where the giant animals were, they were also the first earthbenders.

Zuko was beginning to notice a pattern: koi fish as the first waterbenders, badger moles as the first earthbenders, dragons as the first firebenders, and Zuko guessed the flying bisons were the first airbenders if his time with Appa had taught him anything.

And the Fire Nation had hunted two of those first masters to extinction. Appa might still be alive, but as the last flying bison, the species was doomed anyway. And they had tried to kill the first waterbenders, who were also spirits. Zuko would pray to Agni and the other spirits to protect the badger moles from the murderous claws that were the Fire Nation's thirst for power.

- I told you you’d like them - the girl teased as Zuko stroked the head of the badger mole, who was licking his face, delighted by the human’s affection.

“You were right” Zuko agreed.

- I can hardly disagree, Hot steps - the girl boasted, earning a roll of her eyes from the older teenager.

“My name is Lee” replied the former archer Yuyan.

- I’ll keep calling you Hot steps - the girl said with a cheeky grin. - My name is Toph, but I’m known as the Blind Bandit. -

“I can guess why” Zuko quipped, earning a short laugh from Toph. “Why Hot steps?”

- Your footsteps are much hotter than everyone else’s - the girl replied, shrugging. - I think it’s just you in general, and your footsteps are just a trail of heat left in the ground. - Zuko frowned at the earthbender. Could she feel his footsteps? - Are you a firebender? - Zuko's heart stopped at Toph's question, feeling trapped. - I don't know many firebenders -

“In this war, that means you’re lucky” Zuko tapped his foot on the ground with an awkward grimace.

- Yes, I’ve been told the village is lucky not to have been touched by the war or seen Fire Nation soldiers in a hundred years - Toph agreed, sitting down next to Zuko, much to his surprise.

“Will you hand me over?”

- No - the girl replied without hesitation. - If I did, you’d run away before I could even open my mouth to the first soldier I found, and I like you, so I don’t want you to run away. - Zuko tilted his head slightly, increasingly surprised, before receiving a punch on the shoulder. - I told you I’d stick with the few who understood my humor. -

"Yeah, a woman of word. Too bad I can’t say the same” the earthbender chuckled, nodding in approval. “You said you could feel my footsteps and their vibrations.” The girl nodded, punctuating Zuko’s taps on the ground. “How?”

- That's my secret - the girl replied, bringing a finger to her lips. - I can't tell you. I'll let you rack your brains thinking about it. -

"You know my bending secret" Zuko retorted.

- You didn’t tell me - Toph shook her head, amused by the boy’s frustration. - I figured it out from your footsteps. -

Zuko’s eyes narrowed at the earthbender before he traveled from one end of the cave to the other, shifting from the young master to the badger moles in his hands. The darkness surrounding them made it difficult for Zuko to distinguish some shapes, but it didn’t affect the earthbenders, human or animal, in any way. If the girl beside him wanted to play like this, Zuko could indulge her. He was good at deducing, especially when it came to other people’s secrets after living so long in a palace. It was all in the details and connecting the dots correctly.

“Is it because of your earthbending?” he finally asked, earning a broad smile from the blind girl sitting next to him.

- Not bad, Sparky, not bad at all - the girl agreed. Zuko rolled his eyes at the new nickname. - Yes, it's earthbending. I feel the vibrations of the earth. It's like I can see with my feet. I can see where things are. - She snorted, brushing a strand of hair from her face for a couple of seconds, her smile widening. - From badger moles to tiny ants, I can perceive everything within a wide range. -

"Amazing" was all Zuko could manage to both write in morse code and think after the earthbender's explanation. All the elements were so amazing when used for purposes other than war. Waterbending could help heal, and earthbending could foster new forms of adaptation. Zuko was sure that airbending also held magnificent secrets that had been erased when its culture was wiped out. And far from all of them, firebending could only be used for war and destruction. Perhaps Jeong Jeong was right, and her element was nothing more than a curse for those who possessed it.

- Yes, I can see better than most people - the girl nodded, pleased by Zuko’s words, making him wonder if she received so little praise and compliments that a single word from a virtual stranger made her chest swell with pride. - I bet I can see better than you. -

“Most people do” Zuko nodded.

- What? Are you blind too? - Toph asked mockingly.

"Partially on the left side" Zuko agreed.

- Oh, do you use your firebending to see like me? - Zuko chuckled, shaking his head before remembering that the girl couldn’t see his gesture.

“No, it wouldn’t work with firebending.”

- Why not? - Zuko pursed his lips, unsure how to explain that their elements were completely different. - Have you tried it? -

“No…”

- Then how do you know it won’t work? -

“You use earthbending” Zuko explained. “If I hit them with fire, I’ll burn them alive.”

- I’d kill them too if I hit them with giant rocks - Toph said, rolling her eyes at Zuko’s words. - I feel the earth. Try doing something similar. -

“People aren’t normally engulfed in flames like they’re connected to the earth” the golden-eyed boy shook his head.

- No, but they have energy…except when they’re dead - she added thoughtfully. - Isn’t energy the basis of firebending? -

“According to some elders” Zuko agreed. “But if that were the case, I couldn’t do it. I never managed to control energy, I never managed to create lightning.”

- Oh, wow - Toph sighed. - That’s a mess -

“It doesn’t matter, I’ve managed so far.” Although it certainly would have helped him to be able to see with firebending when Jet blinded him, because even though he could hear Jet moving, he couldn’t knew exactly what movement he was making to escape his attacks. “I’ll be fine.”

- If you say so, Sparky - the girl shrugged before jumping up with a kick that blew away the dirt she was sitting on. - I don't know how late it is now, but I'm starting to get sleepy and I should head home. -

Yes, Zuko guessed that the girl must have a family and a home from which she escaped every night to be the blind bandit, and he also guessed that she did it in secret because no parent would let their eleven-year-old daughter, who didn't even reach Zuko's shoulder when she stood on her tiptoes, run around getting into trouble with people like Xin Fu. At least, no good parent would. Uncle Iroh wouldn't have let Lu Ten do that, nor would June's father have let his daughter, even though he had given Nyla to her at sixteen to start his career as a bounty hunter. They were the best examples of good parents Zuko had, so he would use them as a starting point.

“I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in days” Zuko nodded, getting up to give the badger moles one last farewell pat and follow the blind girl toward the cave exit, dimly lit by a poorly made torch.

- Where are you staying? - Toph asked.

“I don’t need an escort” the firebender replied, snapping his fingers with one hand to do the morse code while the other extinguished the torch in a small stream on their way to the village.

- I’m not doing this because I think you’ll get lost in the village - the girl laughed - although I do think you will. You don’t know which way we came. - That was a fair point, but Zuko was good at finding his way around, so he doubted it would be a problem. - I want to know where you’re staying so I know where to go to bother you tomorrow. -

“I’m leaving tomorrow” the firebender remarked, only then remembering that the earthbender beside him hadn’t the slightest clue.

- Where will you go? -

“I’m looking for a friend” he replied, earning a roll of his eyes from the younger girl.

- Cut ​​the mysterious guy act - Zuko pursed his lips at the girl’s words. - What’s her name? Do you know where to find her, or are you just going in blind? Unintentional pun. -

“June, probably at a bar.” The pale boy shrugged. “Even if she’s on a mission, she’ll go to a bar afterward.”

- A mission? - the girl asked, raising her eyebrows, much more interested in that last word. - A mission for what? What exactly does this girl, June, do? Is she an undercover soldier or something? -

“A bounty hunter.”

- Sweet - the earthbender nodded, delighted by the idea. - But if she’s a bounty hunter, wouldn’t it be easier to ask someone in those circles where she is now, instead of just waiting for her to show up? -

Zuko raised a hand, intending to snap his fingers in response before letting it fall. He knew it was indeed a good point, but in the firebender's defense, it was difficult to infiltrate low-level circles upon arriving in a town, so he hadn't even considered the idea before deciding to go to the bar June frequented or to her family home.

- That answers it - Toph said, amused. - Try asking Xin Fu, the guy who was chasing me. - She gestured with her hand as if indicating the past. - I'd go with you, but even a dimwit like him would realize that would mean you helped me escape when he asked about me, and I don't think he'd want to answer then -

"Why was he chasing you?" Zuko asked, remembering that he himself had wondered the same thing when he encountered them near midnight.

- He wants me to join his circus for the Earthrumble fight in a few days - Toph scoffed in annoyance. - He wants fake fights to sell more tickets. I want to kick ass legitimately. I don't care if it makes me more money or not. - The blind girl crossed her arms. - I'm the best at it. I won't let him tarnish my name. The blind bandit is acclaimed by many. -

Just as the Fire Nation's prodigy princess was acclaimed by hundreds for her power, but none of them had bothered to congratulate Azula for being herself, not even her mother, who was more concerned about her actions than anything else, the blind bandit was acclaimed by the various Earthrumble spectators for her power as a master, as she understood it, but none of them congratulated Toph at the end of the day, not even her parents when she did it behind their backs.

Ugh, Zuko knew he shouldn't, but his soft, turtle-duck heart ached at the thought of Toph returning home in the middle of the night with trophies, rewards, or whatever it was she got for winning that competition or whatever it was all by herself, and having to hide her accomplishments.

"I can stay until your fight, if you don't mind" he snapped his fingers, shrugging as if it were no big deal. "It sounds like a great show, especially if you'll be kicking giant butts."

- You bet I will - the girl agreed with an excited smile. - The Rumble won't disappoint; it's one of the best shows.- She gave him a quick punch on the shoulder, almost making Zuko stumble in surprise. - I'll buy you a plate of dim sum with what I win, so I won't owe you for today, got it? –

Zuko smiled, nodding his head. “Yes” he wrote, looking up at the inn as he arrived, knocking quickly on the door so the woman who ran the place would open it.

- Nice place, a courtyard with fruit trees and hot springs - the earthbender nodded in approval, probably sensing the entire place with her earthbending. - Why did you think that rock-brain was chasing me? -

The door opened, revealing an elderly woman with glasses and a tired look who glanced vaguely at Zuko before nodding in acknowledgment and letting him in. Toph slipped inside before the woman noticed and followed Zuko through the inn's interior to his room on the second floor, entering uninvited before Zuko even made a gesture to enter.

"I had a line of theories ranging from you stealing from him to it being because you are an omega"

- How do you know my designation? - Toph asked, frowning as Zuko closed the door so no one would hear them. He could guess that the girl, like him, didn't want her caste to be discovered.

"I used the same ointment to mask my scent" Zuko replied, referring to the cream that masked the scent of alpha and omega castes and added earthy beta scents from the Earth Kingdom to help them pass as one. It would go unnoticed by anyone except those who had used it for a long time. "It only works until your first heat, by the way. You'll need something else if you want to pass as a beta in a few years."

- Good to know - Toph agreed, considering his words before gesturing toward the bedroom closet. - You don't have much stuff. - Oh wow, so she could sense objects even when they weren't moving. - And what's that wooden thing you're carrying? -

Zuko turned to the closet where he'd left his travel bag, taking out the Blue Spirit mask and guessing that this was what Toph meant by the wooden thing. It wasn't like he was carrying anything else made of wood after losing his bow and arrows in the Baruu Forest. He quickly handed it to the girl because she wouldn't be able to see the Blue Spirit wanted posters anyway, and even if they described it to her, it would hardly be accurate enough for her to recognize it. He doubted that even then, the girl would reveal his secret.

“Mask” he explained, meeting the girl’s puzzled gaze as she ran her hands over the wooden reliefs. “It’s from love amongst dragons.”

- You’re a theater nerd, aren’t you, Sparky? - the girl said playfully. - Underneath that mysterious, dark face, there’s just a nerd who loves fantasy stories. -

“I’m not ashamed” Zuko retorted, though his cheeks were bright red. And it was true; he wasn’t ashamed of his love for theater, but perhaps he was ashamed of having it mentioned so openly.

- Whatever you say, cinnamon roll - Toph grinned as Zuko huffed and rolled his eyes. - And why are you wearing this mask? Aside from the fact that you're a drama nerd, most people don't wear them... - The earthbender frowned, lowering her head to the ground before moving it slightly as if following something. - Xian Fu is here, with soldiers. They're wearing shackles to restrain firebenders. -

Zuko's head snapped violently toward the inn's entrance before snapping back toward the girl. He began to hear footsteps and noticed the girl's head turning even closer to the door. Zuko didn't have to be a genius to figure out why those soldiers were coming. He quickly grabbed the girl under her arms and carried her to the closet, hiding her fast.

- Hey - the earthbender complained. - I can fight -

“Family” Zuko interrupted, knowing that this would make the younger one hesitate about how to act instead of simply breaking down the closet doors when the soldiers entered the room without warning, Zuko only had time to jump away from the closet to avoid giving anything away before the soldiers fixed their gaze on him.

- An ash maker. Our sources were right. - Sources? Zuko bet it had only been Xian Fu, who was watching from the doorway, although he didn’t understand why the man would want to…

- Yes, now for my reward - the man said, unknowingly replying to Zuko.

- We don't know if he's a firebender, he could be a child soldier - murmured another soldier as Zuko took the opportunity to start tapping his foot silently on the ground. He knew Toph could recognize Morse code through the vibrations, but if any soldiers here also knew Morse code, they wouldn't recognize him because he was silent. And because Earth Kingdom soldiers always forgot the threat that a firebender's feet could pose, focusing only on the fists.

“If they find you with someone from the Fire Nation, they’ll hunt you down too” he explained to the blind girl still hiding in the closet.

- We won’t take any chances - another soldier countered. - Our people have survived intact only because we intercepted these audacious scouts before they could get comfortable. -

“You’d have to escape. You wouldn’t be able to return to your family.”

- I haven’t received my reward yet - Xian Fu grumbled, earning grunts from the soldiers who turned to look at him.

“Don’t worry.”

- We’ll pay you when we catch him… -

“I’ll be fine.”

- You’ve got him - the man growled, crossing his arms and addressing the soldiers as if they were nothing more than a bunch of fools. - Now give me… -

The former archer Yuyan didn't wait for him to finish speaking before launching his flying knives, trapping the distracted soldiers against the different surfaces of the room. He ran towards them and threw himself to the ground, letting his body slide between the surprised men who moved aside with terrified screams that the teenager might do something at their feet. He reached Xian Fu and kicked him squarely in the chest with enough force to send him reeling back until he hit the wooden railing, which broke under his weight, sending the man tumbling to the first floor. Zuko quickly turned, throwing five smoke bombs into the room and slamming the door shut with the broken handle so they couldn't escape.

The men would panic, seeing no way to escape, or they'd gather desperately by the door, while Toph could move around using her earthbending to create her own way out, either by jumping out of a window or knocking down a wall, disappearing into the night and returning home.

Zuko, meanwhile, leaped onto one of the building's wooden columns and slid down to the first floor, standing in front of Xian Fu, who looked around, somewhat disoriented. Zuko had dealt with subjects like this in his two young lives and knew exactly what to do to get the answers he wanted. He didn't bother to lessen his force before stepping on the man's private parts. Xian Fu quickly sat down in pain, only to have himself spat on.

The furious growl soon erupted from the man's throat as he released his scent, a threat that clearly resonated. Of course, he was an alpha, Zuko thought, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes and instead turning to run as if fleeing.

Xian Fu quickly rose with a roar, chasing after the pale boy who darted through the alleyways, disappearing from the man's sight. The man began hurling rocks and raising walls of earth, he was apparently an earthbender too, trying to trap him, only for Zuko to dodge with jumps and sudden turns. This only made the earthbender roar more furious with each passing second.

- Stupid kid! - the man shouted, stamping his feet to launch his attacks. - You don't know who you're messing with! -

The golden-eyed one ripped the rope from a garden without being noticed by the alpha and tied it while running, turning at the next corner and leaving the tied end on the ground. He then jumped over a thick wooden arch, which he immediately clung to, trying to hide him.

Without slowing his pace or even bothering to look around, the earthbender spun around the corner and stepped into Zuko's trap. Zuko immediately jumped, still holding the rope, letting it close around the man's legs and lift him into the air. Zuko then pulled the rope in with his own weight and tied it to one of the arch's posts.

The dark-skinned man with the perpetually angry expression began shouting at Zuko, words that would have horrified the governesses of the former Fire Nation prince, but would have made his squad in the Yuyan Archers laugh, except for Izumi, who would have reprimanded him for insulting Lee, the apprentice she had mentored since he was twelve.

- Don't bother trying your earthbending - Zuko said. Yes, he completely refused to speak, but he had nothing to write on and needed to intimidate this man into answering. - Earthbenders can't bend without contact with a surface. - It wasn't necessarily true; there were masters who could, very skilled masters, few and far between in history. But most masters needed a surface to exert their earthbending, so for this guy who threw rocks without embracing the true art of bending, as Uncle Iroh liked to call it, it was the truth. - You're at my mercy. -

- You're going to regret this... -

- Yeah, yeah - Zuko interrupted, rolling his eyes brazenly. - I’ve heard so many threats throughout my life that whatever you’re about to say, I’ve probably already heard. - The golden-eyed man dismissed it, pulling out a knife and toying with it between his fingers as he approached the bender.

- I’ll leave you with a scar to even out both sides of your deformed face - the alpha growled, ignoring the younger man’s words.

- Fourteen times this year - Zuko muttered, referring to the threat, before leaning toward the man and pressing the tip of the knife against his neck, immobilizing him. His hand stopped a few centimeters from his left eye, in the same way his father had placed his hand over his own so many years ago. - Did you notice it’s shaped like a hand? My father gave me this scar for speaking out of turn before sending someone to kill me. -

The man's breath caught in shock at the information – he burned his own twelve year old son's face with his bare hands – the dark haired man's eyes widened in horror – it's one of those things that scars you physically and mentally, the melted skin and the smell of burnt flesh never leave you – his hands ignited with a gentle fire, eliciting a terrified gasp from the earthbender, who tried to pull his face back only to feel the pressure of the knife digging into his throat, forcing him to stay still to avoid killing himself – unless you want a matching scar, as you so kindly offered me a second ago, you'll answer my questions –

- I'll answer - the man agreed quickly, though clearly annoyed at having to do so – but put out your hand. -

The firebender extinguished the flames in his hand, because they were starting to heat his skin anyway, and Zuko was terrified of setting himself on fire, or having fire too close to his face. But it still worked wonders to terrify people by making them talk. He would never be able to carry out that threat, but no one but him had to know. His hand fell upon the man's face, eliciting a small, terrified cry before he realized the fire was gone.

- If you make me repeat the question, if you hesitate or take too long to answer... - he murmured, maintaining his intimidating tone and striking the man's skin with his index finger. - I will ignite my hand and not extinguish it again until I finish each of my questions. Understood? -

- Yes - he agreed immediately.

- I'm looking for a bounty hunter. Her name is June. She has a shirshu and red tattoos on her arms. Where is she? –

- she frequents a bar west of… -

- I know about the bar, tell me something new –

- she's on a mission, she passed through a nearby town a day ago, she was heading east –

- Where to? –

- I don't know - Zuko squinted, not believing the man, who swallowed hard when he noticed the firebender's glare. - I swear, I don't know, but she had a ticket to cross the gates of the Valu River, so it must be a village past the... -

- If the information you've given me is false - Zuko interrupted, grabing the man face in his hand - I'll come after you when I'm done with the bounty hunter. -

Zuko was grateful that the man was already terrified enough to recognize his lie, but he wasn't going to risk being caught. He sheathed his knife and quickly backed away from the man, running again to disappear into the darkness of the night.

Chapter Text

As soon as he woke up, he knew it would be another bad day, being pulled from his dreams by Momo's paw shoved deep into his mouth. And yes, he said another bad day because the day before, he had woken up in a swamp with old Slim still eyeing him like a delicious snack, which only made the Water Tribe warrior hurry up so the group could leave in the early hours of the morning, forgetting breakfast, much to Sokka's later regret. They had searched for an earthbender for Aang or Zuko all day, but again, they hadn't found anything until they called it a night and set up camp rather late for the blue-eyed boy's liking, although he himself had insisted on continuing the search after nightfall.

Sokka raised his head, throwing Momo onto his stomach as he spat his paw out, only to stick his tongue out in horror and spit again to the sides, trying to remove both the hairs that had stuck to his tongue and the taste of the intrusion of a paw that whas run through the forest.

- What are you doing in my mouth?! - he yelled at the flying lemur, who had just eaten something from the same hand he'd put in Sokka's mouth. Did Momo want to use him like a burrow to store his food? How dare he? - Momo - he called to the animal, which spun around, landing back on Sokka's stomach, its ears and head twitching wildly. - You need to to be a little more sensitive to my boundaries... - Sokka didn't finish speaking before the flying animal jumped onto his head, thrashing desperately before letting out a shriek as the ground trembled and the growls of approaching animals could be heard.

Aang and Katara woke with a start as Sokka frantically spun around, scrambling down from the piece of wood where he'd placed his sleeping bag so it wouldn't be on the ground.

Five Komodo rhinos soon emerged from the forest, each carrying a Fire Nation soldier on its back. Four of these terrifying soldiers began circling their small camp, while the man who was supposed to be their leader watched from atop a giant rock.

- Give up! - shouted the leader, his hair shaved on the sides and tied back in a tight ponytail ending in a raised ornament of long orange feathers. His arms were so muscular they made Sokka feel bad for going sleeveless, though it wasn't the leader's fault, the blue eyed boy realized. All these riders had arms that would put someone like General Fong to shame... though they didn't even come close to King Bumi's deformedly muscular arms, and he was over a hundred years old. - You're completely surrounded! -

As if the warning wasn't enough, a man with flaming arrows and tattoos on his face fired at Sokka, who was trying to crawl away from them without leaving his sleeping bag. The arrows caught the bag, forcing Sokka out and running towards Appa, where his sister and the monk boy were also hurrying.

- Come on! - Sokka shouted, reaching the flying bison Aang had already jumped onto. - We have to go! -

- My scrolls! - Katara gasped, turning to run toward the ancient box.

- My staff! - Aang yelled, jumping several meters into the air to grab his belongings while Sokka was halfway up.

The waterbender froze the man's weapon, intending to steal the scrolls so she could grab them and escape the man growling at her. The airbender, meanwhile, jumped, dodging a log thrown by one of the riders, to grab his staff and throw the bomb that had been tossed at him several meters behind him. The water tribe warrior only managed to help his sister onto the saddle before Aang jumped onto the flying bison's head and pulled on its reins.

- Yip yip! – Appa took flight with Momo still squealing in the saddle. Katara and Sokka couldn't even peek out of the saddle before the leader of their attackers launched a fireball, forcing them to dive down to avoid being hit, along with Momo who mimicked their movements by clinging to his giant ears.

Sokka stood up to get a better look at the riders and understand how they had found them, only to notice that among his forgotten belongings were his boomerang and sleeping bag.

- Wait, my boomerang! -

- There's no time - said Katara, grabbing his arm as if the blue-eyed boy were about to jump, something Sokka wasn't going to do because he wasn't an airbender and that fall would kill him.

Sokka turned his head toward his sister, completely exasperated. - Oh, I see! So there's time to get your scrolls! - he gestured to her before turning to Aang. - And time to get your staff! - he pointed to himself. - But no time for my boomerang?! -

- That's correct - Katara agreed.

- Ughhhhh - Sokka groaned, slumping back against the saddle in frustration.

- That's so unfair. - They stopped to buy food at a roadside stand not far from where they had camped, or perhaps not far away on Appa, who flew faster than any other animal. Because, yes, it seemed Katara's scrolls and Aang's staff were worth saving even more than food.

Food they couldn't live without!

Aang tried to cheer him up, and then his sister did too, but to no avail. Sokka would have been grateful if he weren't writhing in his own misery at that moment, having lost his boomerang, his food, and his sleeping bag. They could buy another boomerang, but it wouldn't be the one his father had given him when he said he wanted to fight like him. They could buy food, but... well, in the case of food, it wouldn't make a difference. And they could buy another sleeping bag, but it wouldn't be the one he'd shared with the sweet yet deadly boy with the scar, and it certainly wouldn't have the scent he clung to at night, hoping to dream of him, at least to see him in his dreams.

He swallowed his sinking feeling as they headed to Qinchao Village, where Avatar Day was apparently being celebrated. Sokka was too distraught over the loss of his belongings to complain on the way there, and too busy eating his sorrows with the delicious fried food at the festival to complain when they arrived.

And anyway, there was no point in complaining because what was the problem? The group had agreed to visit the village for just a couple of hours to see what the celebration was all about, eat something, and finish gathering supplies before setting off again in their search for Zuko and an earthbender.

Well, there was indeed a problem. Avatar Day wasn't a day to celebrate the Avatar, but rather a day of hatred toward the Avatar and a tribute to a fellow named Chin who had apparently fought Avatar Kyoshi hundreds of years ago and died. And Aang, sweet, innocent, and foolish Aang, had let him be imprisoned and tried in the name of his past lives.

It was noble of Aang, except for the fact that they didn't have time for this!

They had to find Zuko, an earthbender master for Aang, and come up with a plan to stop the Fire Nation.

But anyway, it had already happened, now Aang was in jail with a bunch of other inmates while Sokka, who was now wearing a golden monocle, blue detective cap and bubble pipe, because no mystery could be solved without the right attire, and Katara were going around the town looking for clues to prove that the avatar was innocent.

And that is how they had arrived at the scene of the alleged crime, a semicircular building of seats overlooking the extreme cliff of the continent, in the middle a statue of a giant subject with armor and a pose of power looking towards the same cliff, or towards Kyoshi Island which was across the sea, and between the statue and the cliff stood a small temple made of stone but fortified and adorned with wood painted in different shades, it was in fact a temple of typical earth kingdom structure, although without amulets, ornaments or offerings inside.

- This is the footprint of the killer, Kyoshi - Mayor Tong said, pointing to a small print that could easily have been made by a teenager, or a very small woman if Kyoshi had made it. - It was at sunset, three hundred and seventy years ago today - the man continued, explaining as they moved. - that she emerged from the temple and struck down Chin the Great. - He gestured toward the temple before making a shoving motion, then pointed toward the stone statue. - After the tragic day, we build this statue to immortalize our great leader. Feel free to apreciate it - the man said before turning and heading back toward the village, leaving Sokka and Katara free to continue their investigation.

Sokka didn't hesitate to run toward the statue, bringing his monocle closer to get a better look before running back to the temple, repeating the action.

Aha!

The great detective Sokka had already found the first mistake in the supposed story of the crime.

- The temple and the statue were cut from the same stone - he informed Katara, the only witness to his exemplary detective work and therefore the only one who would hear his brilliant conclusions. - And we know that the statue was built after Chin died - he added, pointing to the dates carved beneath the statue, where Chin's death date was inscribed.

- And if they were built at the same time, that means... -

- Shhh - Sokka shushed his sister, running in front of her to quiet her. - I wanna solve it! - Katara's eyes widened in surprise at her brother's exasperated outburst of frustration, and at his immaturity, but she was used to it by now and ignored it, letting it go as the boy continued playing detective. At least that way he wasn't complaining about his lost boomerang and sleeping bag. - That means Kyoshi never set foot in this temple -

- That's a big hole in the mayor's story - Katara agreed - but is not enough to prove Aang's innocence. -

- You're right - Sokka conceded, pulling out his dragon shaped bubble pipe to blow a few bubbles while he considered what to do next. - We need to go to Kyoshi Island. -

- Where did you get that? - Katara asked, looking at the pipe in surprise. The truth was, Sokka had taken it from the lost and found at the prison where Aang was being held, but his sister would scold him if he say that.

- That's not important - Sokka declared quickly after blowing Appa's whistle, who was already landing in front of them. - Come on, hop on the flying bison. -

They flew swiftly toward Kyoshi Island, where their arrival caused a commotion. One man even started shouting and moving around so excitedly that foam came out of his mouth before he collapsed on the ground. How common must this kind of reaction have been for the man, since the only ones who looked at him with concern were the foreign siblings and three of the villagers directly behind him?

- where's Aangy? - a little girl demanded.

- He couldn't be here, Koko - Katara explained, much to the disappointment of the girl and the entire village. Upon hearing of his absence, they all turned and left, including the man with the foam, who was now disappearing under his robes. Everyone except the village chief, which was fortunate because they needed to speak with him. - Oyaji, Aang is in jail. The town of Chin says he murdered their leader in a past life -

- They say it was Kyoshi - Sokka added.

- Kyoshi?! - the man repeated incredulously. - That's crazy talk, I'll take you to her shrine, maybe something there would help you clear her name. -

Both siblings nodded, quickly following the man into the island's interior. They climbed to the top of the mountains and passed by the Kyoshi Warriors' training dojo, which Sokka stared at for several seconds, surprised to find no one inside.

- so, uh... what's Suki up to? – Sokka asked, running to catch up with his sister and the village chief – Is she around? –

- Actually, she and the other warriors left to fight in the war - the man replied, surprising Sokka with his words. Where exactly had they gone to fight? Were they now in the middle of the war? - You kids had a big impact on Suki. She said you inspired her, and she wanted to help change the world. -

- oh, well... that's great - the dark haired boy murmured, his head bowed, now feeling guilty about the danger the warriors must be in. Yes, they could certainly fight and kick ass, but they weren't immortal. They could die if they were in the middle of a war, and Sokka didn't want to lose any more people close to him. Their mere absence on the island was already depressing when he was searching for a friendly face, even though Suki had come close to crossing a line beyond just friendship in the short time they'd spent together.

- This temple was converted into a shrine for Kyoshi - Oyaji declared, gesturing toward the building at the end of the path. Katara glanced worriedly at her brother, who didn't notice as he began to explore the shrine. - The clerics tell us that these relics are still connected to her spirit. - The man nodded toward the Kyoshi warrior uniform hanging to one side. - That's her kimono. -

- She had exquisite taste - Katara remarked with delight, reaching for the fabric.

- Please don't touch - the chief scolded quickly, startling Katara into taking a few steps back.

- These fans, they were her weapons, no? - Sokka asked, lifting the golden fans and moving them around to see if they were still functional as the weapons of the Kyoshi warriors or just replicas to complete the place. Nearly four hundred years had passed; he wouldn't be surprised if a few objects had already been replaced.

- also refrain from touching the fans - the man said disapprovingly to Sokka, who left the fan where they were; well, they seemed to be the originals.

- these were her boots? - Katara asked, surprised. - her feet must have been enormous - Momo squealed in affirmation, popping out of one of the boots and startling Katara. They really must have been giant boots if Momo had managed to fit into one of them.

- the biggest of any avatar - the man agreed, as if it were a great achievement.

- wait a minute, big feet? - repeated Katara. Sokka quickly turned to face her, knowing they were both trying to recall the footprint at the crime scene. - littel footprints? there's no way… -

Sokka cleared his throat, drawing his sister’s attention. She fell silent, looking at him, confused by the interruption. - Special outfit, hat and pipe - he gestured to himself - these things mean anything to you? -

- Ugh, you're right - Katara agreed, growing tired of her brother’s games - I'm sorry, please -

- Ah ha - Sokka raised a finger, resuming his role - there's no way Kyoshi could have made that footprint - he gestured to his foot and then to his boot before moving in front of Katara - and therefore there’s nothing linking her to the crime scene -

- Brilliant, Sokka - Katara snorted. The blue eyed boy crossed his arms at his sister's tone, beginning to feel that she didn't appreciate his detective work, especially since she and Aang had initially wanted to involve him.

- What about the painting? - Sokka asked, walking toward a large painting depicting Avatar Kyoshi in front of several villagers, with the same temple they were now in, perched on the same cliff overlooking Chin Village, in the background. Strange coincidences.

- This piece is called "The Birth of Kyoshi" - Oyaji informed him. - It was painted at sunrise on the day this island was founded. It was today in fact, three hundred and seventy years ago -

- Three hundred and seventy years! - Sokka's sudden turn at the words almost made him fall before he abruptly grabbed onto a terrified Oyaji, who jerked his head back at the sudden closeness. - Wait, are you sure it was today? -

- well, seeing how today is Kyoshi's day - the old man began, taking the young man's wrists to force him to let go and step back - yes, I'm sure -

- Hmm, the ceremony didn't take place at sunrise - he reasoned after carefully examining the details of the painting. - It took place at sunset. Look at the shadows. -

- They point east - Katara pointed out, which was now obvious to Sokka, who nodded at her words as if she were some kind of teacher. - So the sun must have been in the west. -

- so what? - Kyoshi's chief asked, confused.

Sokka pushed his sister as soon as he noticed her opening her mouth to answer, perhaps too loudly if her shout meant anything, but hey, he was the detective. He was the one who had to draw the final conclusion.

- if Kyoshi was in the ceremony at sunset- Sokka explained, holding his dragon pipe in both hands. - she couldn’t have been in Chin committing the crime. - He turned, extending his hand in demonstration. - she has an alibi. -

The pipe was snatched from Sokka’s hands by his sister, who immediately hited him in revenge for the push. The bruised Water Tribe warrior had no idea what happened next, other than waking up flying on Appa in the middle of the night, heading towards Chin.

- Do you still like Suki? - Katara asked without even turning to look at him from the head of the flying bison. He would have thought the waterbender's peripheral vision and reflexes had evolved to those of a stealth master if it weren't for the fact that anyone would have recognized Sokka's awakening from the shrill groans he let out.

- Uh, yeah - Sokka replied, confused by the reason for the question. - Why…? -

- And do you still like Zuko? -

- Obviously - Sokka frowned. - What does that have to do with...? Oh - realization hit Sokka at the same time Momo squealed, having accidentally blown the bubbles from the dragon pipe, which quickly disappeared due to the speed and wind on their journey. - I don't like them in the same way. Maybe in another reality, and if I hadn't met Zuko the way I did, my liking for Suki would have turned into a crush and even love - he began to explain, sitting as close as possible to the waterbender without getting off Appa's saddle. - But I met Zuko, and I fell in love with him in a way I don't think I could with anyone else now, even if I tried my hardest. And I don't want to try. These feelings for him make me happy. -

- But you said you liked them both - Katara retorted, confused.

- Well, yes, but I like Suki as a friend - the dark haired boy shrugged, unsure how to explain. - Don't get me wrong, she's very pretty. I admire her as a warrior and as a person, and there was a time when I liked her romantically. . He sighed wearily, his gaze fixed on the lights of Chin in the distance. - But not anymore. Now I like Zuko romantically, and I can't imagine myself with anyone else. - Sokka's head snapped upward, his face snapping at his sister in alarm. - Don't you dare tell anyone about this! That includes Aang, Zuko, Dad, Bato, Grand Grand... and everyone else! -

- Sure, I'll keep your romantic side a secret - Katara teased, rolling her eyes.

- I mean it, Katara! -

- Yeah, yeah - she dismissed him with a wave of her hand, hurrying down towards the village. - Now get ready, we have to present Aang's case. -

There was no need to prepare. Mayor Tong informed them of his blatantly fraudulent justice system, where only the victim's and the accused's representatives, Tong and Aang, would recount the events, so that Tong could ultimately decide who was right simply because he was the mayor of the town. How could that make any sense?!

And Aang was a terrible presenter, even when it came to saving his own skin. In an attempt to give Aang another chance to explain his case, they dressed him in Kyoshi's clothes, hoping some of the past Avatar's wisdom would reach the young airbender. It went much better than they expected, as they apparently summoned the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi, who explained in great detail what had happened regarding her fight, if you could call it tha, with a king who didn't even bother to get off a cliff that was crumbling beneath his feet after the Avatar separated the land and created an island, literally. This, while very surprising, made her the one who indirectly killed Chin. But before Kyoshi could kick the asses of the idiots in this village, she vanished, leaving Aang to accept her punishment by being boiled in oil.

Aang had had two enchanting past lives. One left him with a hundred year war, and the other with punishment for a murder that, according to Sokka, should somehow be considered a defense of her people if that Chin fellow was as evil as the Avatar himself claimed.

That Aang was the Avatar who would restore balance to the world by ending the hundred year war didn't matter to the people who cheered his death. That he was the last airbender and a nomad of their culture, possessing invaluable knowledge about it, didn't matter to them either. That he was a twelve year old boy, well, they ignored that too. And if it hadn't been for the men riding Komodo rhinos who wanted to take over the village in the name of the Fire Nation, dethroning, and surely killing, the village chief, they would have let it happen.

The fight between Team Avatar and the riders was surprisingly in favor of them. Sokka wasn't sure what Aang and Katara had done initially, but he had blinded the tattooed archer who shot at the man with the explosives. After throwing his explosives in an attempt to save himself, the man dropped his belongings, allowing Sokka to retrieve his boomerang. However, he immediately lost his bubble pipe when he threw it at the tattooed archer to block his arrow. This wouldn't save him from the other arrows, but it gave Katara enough time to take advantage of the man's distraction and cut his saddle. She also threw a whip at the animal, causing it to run, dragging its rider and leaving behind another bag containing the group's sleeping bags, which Sokka hugged with relief.

Aang ran after the archer who was escaping with the other riders after defeating the group's leader, much to the Water Tribe siblings' bewilderment. He called out to him, intending to ask about his friend Yuyan, though he also called the man Yuyan, before the archer turned around in exasperation and fired an arrow, pinning him by his robes against a building.

Well, it wasn't the strangest thing the kid had ever done.

That night, chief Tong declared that Avatar Day would now be a day of celebration in honor of them having been saved from the Fire Nation invasion, and they traded their delicious fried foods for utterly disgusting raw dough.

- This is by far the worst town we've ever been too - Sokka declared, and no one argued with him.

Chapter Text

- We could go down to that village - Aang pointed to the nearest village, under the weary gaze of the Water Tribe siblings. - It looks nice - the young monk asured, smiling broadly.

- You just want to buy time to find those rude rhinos - Sokka crossed his arms, not believing the bald little boy for a second. - I don't know why you're chasing them, but we've strayed too far east doing it. -

- No... - Aang began, drawing out the vowel sound while guiltily fiddling with his fingers. - Why do you say that? -

- Because we've been chasing them for the last two days, Aang - Katara supported her brother, letting out a tired sigh. - We should be looking for an earthbender and Zuko, not chasing some thugs. -

- Maybe they can help us find Zuko - the Avatar replied cheerfully, receiving only annoyed looks from the siblings - Or an earthbender? –

- Very funny, Aang - Sokka muttered irritably, turning around to go to the opposite side of the saddle and grumble into its end.

Of course, they didn't know about the Yuyan archers, so they didn't see the same connection as the airbender. They didn't know that Zuko was a Yuyan archer, just like the guy with the face tattoos among the Rhino Tough guys, a guy who, because of his connection, might have an idea of ​​where Zuko was hiding. Or at least that's what Aang thought as he wondered if he should tell the siblings.

- Fine, if you want to visit the village, we will - Katara finally conceded - but after that, we'll turn back. -

- Okay - Aang agreed, quickly descending into the woods near the village.

- Alright - They soon walked from the forest to the village and got lost in the streets of what Sokka had to admit was a lovely, picturesque village. They reached the market where, after a long internal debate, Sokka decided to buy a green bag, and Aang accepted a coupon to go to an earthbending academy. Katara and Sokka weren't allowed inside, so they had to wait outside until a dusty Aang emerged, brushing dirt from his ears.

How did he even get dirt in his ears?

- He's not the one - Aang said sadly as he approached them.

- I think the boulder is gonna win back the belt at Earth Rumble six - said one of the boys, leaving the academy with his friend without bothering to consider the volume of his voice or who might hear him. Sokka rolled his eyes, comparing the boy's tone to that of Aang's fans on Kyoshi Island. They were fanatics, and the blue eyed boy was starting to get tired of how loud they were.

- He's gonna have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to even get a shot at the champ - replied the other boy, catching Aang's attention. Aang smiled at both siblings before running after the two earthbenders.

- Excuse me, but where is this Earthbending Tournament exactly? - asked the monk boy with a big grin.

- it's on the island of noneayo - replied the first boy mockingly. - none of ya business. -

- Hahaha - both boys laughed, walking away from Aang, their shoulders and eyes now drooping.

- Hahahaha - Sokka laughed, clutching his stomach and wiping away a tear of laughter as he reached the boy's side with his sister. - Oh, got to remember that. -

- I'll take care of this - Katara assured Aang with a reassuring smile before running off in the same direction the earthbenders had just vanished. - Hey, strong guys, wait up! -

Yeah, right, as if they were going to tell her anything, Sokka scoffed inwardly before glancing down at the bag that was slipping off his shoulder for what felt like the fifth time since he'd bought it a little over an hour ago. He caught it with both hands, staring at the object in annoyance. - What was I thinking? - he asked bluntly, drawing the attention of the bald boy beside him. - I don't need a new bag - he said, looking up at Aang and dropping the bag to the ground. - Why did you let me buy this? -

- you ready to find an earthbender teacher? - Katara interrupted, running back to them before stopping in front of the airbender with a wide grin, while Momo used Sokka's bag as a pet bed. - Because we're going to Earth rumble Six. -

- How did you get them to tell you? – Aang asked in amazement; the dark haired boy would be too if he weren't taking the flying lemur out of his bag in an attempt to prevent it from leaving all its white fur scattered inside.

- oh, a girl has her ways - Katara replied before pulling Aang, who in turn pulled Sokka, in the direction where the tournament was apparently going to take place that very night.

Sokka wasn't thrilled to arrive. First, he was tired of the earth kingdom's secret underground hideouts, which had only brought him misfortune. Second, anyone with half a brain could tell this tournament was an illegal activity, and the group didn't have good experiences with illegal activities if pirates meant anything. Of course, five minutes later, he was completely delighted to have entered when he realized what the tournament was about, completely ignoring the giant rock that had almost crushed them.

- Welcome to the Earth Rumble six - declared the man responsible for the giant boulder in the middle of the fighting arena. - I'm your host, Xin Fu. -

- Uh - Katara sighed, looking at her nails, completely bored. - this is just gonna be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it? -

- That's what I paid for - Sokka nodded to the boy at his side with a wide grin, even ignoring Momo again in his bag because he was about to witness the fights.

- round one! - the commentator declared, shouting so loudly that if he didn't have throat insurance, he was being ripped off in this place. - The Bolder versus the Big Bad Hippo! -

The Bolder was a massive guy, Sokka thought, looking at the man who easily stood over two meters tall, with muscles on top of his already impressive physique, striking poses that showed off the equally massive tattoo on his back, sporting a goatee and his hair tied back in a high bun.

He was the definition of a big, muscular man that Sokka wanted to be; this was his new hero.

Hippo appeared shortly after, breaking a large rock with his teeth like a… well, a hippopotamus cow. Yes, his name made sense, especially when you considered how few teeth he had, probably from chewing rocks, in a pattern similar to the tusks of the animal he was named after. And maybe that guy was much bigger than The Bolder, but he didn't have its muscles or physique, so in Sokka's opinion, The Bolder was still better.

- Listen up, Hippo - the bolder pointed at Hippo - you may be big, but ain't bad. The bolder's gonna win this in a landslide -

Ha! Yeah, right! This was Sokka's hero! he'd bet his money on him!

- Hippo, mad! - Hippo yelled, raising both arms and flashing his hairy armpits before stomping his feet, making Momo squeal in fright.

The rock hurled a giant boulder at Hippo, almost the same size as the man, but it only served to enrage him. Hippo began jumping from side to side, shaking the entire arena and causing the rock to wobble. - unvelievable, ladies and gentlemen! - The bolder slid until he almost fell off the side, finally bending and resurfacing with a large slab of solid earth. - the Hippo is rocking the boulder! - The commentator fell silent as the slab hit Hippo's back, cutting short his premature victory scream. He barely had time to turn around before the boulder lifted a piece of earth beneath Hippo, lifting the man with it before hurling him out of the ring.

Silence fell over the Avatar's group for a couple of seconds, each with their own thoughts, and Sokka's was, That's what it means to be a man!

- Ahhhhhh! - he shouted excitedly, ignoring his sister's conversation and the Avatar beside him. - Wooooooo! -

And the boulder proved to be the very definition of masculinity in all its glory for Sokka, making anyone who faced him bite the dust in fight after fight. Sokka's throat was already raw from shouting so much in excitement, but that wasn't going to stop him from continuing to yell like the total fanatic he was of this guy. He even had a pec dance! How was it possible to make pecs dance?! Sokka wanted him to teach him so he could learn when he had pecs!

- now, the moment you've all been waiting for - the commentator said as Sokka slumped into his seat next to Aang, exhausted from all the shouting but still excitedly anticipating the next match. - The boulder... versus your champion... the blind bandit! -

A girl, that didn't even reach Sokka's shoulder high, with a slender build, thin arms, milky eyes, and a still-childlike face, appeared in a yellow and green robe that seemed to swallow her whole. Her hair, though pulled back, still obscured her face. She held up a belt, unmistakably the Earthrumble Champion's belt, far too large for her to even attempt to wear, and trailed a green robe, much like Katara used to drag her mother's dresses when she was a child, trying to pull them on.

- She can't really be blind - Katara murmured, looking at the girl with concern. - It's just part of her character, right? -

- I think she is - Aang murmured in response. And maybe she was, but she'd come here of her own accord, so she'd better face the consequences, Sokka thought, quickly dismissing his worries.

- I think... - he said, continuing the conversation before gesturing toward the arena - she is going down! -

- The boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl! - the boulder shouted, making sure the whole place heard, all the while striking poses to show off its muscles.

- sounds to me like you're scared, boulder - the girl mocked, her voice as loud as the giant man before her, covering her ears like a terrified child.

The boulder frowned at her, clearly displeased by her words. - The boulder is over his conflicted feeling - he announced before raising its arms in another pose. - And now it's ready to bury you in a rock-alanche! -

- Whenever you're ready - the girl declared casually, pointing her index finger directly at him. - the Pebble. -

The girl started laughing, eliciting a gasp of surprise from Aang, much to Katara's bewilderment and Sokka's obliviousness as he continued to egg the boulder on with shouts and frantic arm movements.

- Let the fight begin - declared the commentator. The girl's face immediately turned completely serious as she stared directly at the boulder, which was beginning to sweat as she watched the girl before launching his first attack.

The attack never came. The ground shifted beneath him, and as soon as his foot touched the earth, he was pulled to one side, forcing him to spin and do a painful, completely unintentional split. If the boulder's screams and expressions meant anything, three columns of earth rose up, slamming the boulder in the back and sending him flying out of the ring and crashing into the wall on the other side, where he landed like a dead fly.

Sokka didn't even know when it happened. He wasn't even watching the girl or what she was doing until the fight was over and the boulder tumbled to the side as the girl smirked, her fist raised. While others around him gasped in surprise, most of the crowd cheered loudly for the blind bandit.

- Ahhhh - Sokka cried for his hero, tugging at his hair before melting into a small puddle of misery under Momo's bewildered gaze. - No, no, no! -

- How did she do that? - Katara asked, surprised.

- She waited - Aang replied, earning a grumpy look from Sokka for admiring the girl’s methods - and listened -

- To make things a littel more interesting! - shouted the event's host, Xian Ru, jumping a few feet away from the blind bandit. She immediately frowned, curling her lips into a growl at the man, who chose to ignore her gesture and address the audience. - I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the blind bandit! - If she'd defeated the boulder, no one in their right mind would dare to challenge her, Sokka thought, arms crossed, before Aang jumped from the seat beside him and sprinted toward the ring. Sokka was going to stick with this thought because Aang had proven he was not always in his right mind in the past, like when he jumped at the unagi on Kyoshi Island. - What? No one dares to face her? -

- I will! - Aang shouted, leaping into the ring.

Xin Fu turned to Aang, giving him an appraising look before making a face of annoyance and shrugging, probably thinking that no one else would want to fight anyway, and he needed to stall because the Blind Bandit's fight had ended too quickly. Sokka's entrance sign said until midnight, and he would stay until midnight. He wasn't going to waste these last ten precious minutes of fighting, even if it meant a fight with the airbender he'd seen fight dozens of times. Xian Fu jumped, propelled by his earthbending, back to the top of his podium. The Blind Bandit stopped curling her lips and turned her head toward Aang, one eyebrow raised.

- go, Aang! - Sokka shouted, his hands forming a shape to amplify his voice. - avenge the boulder! -

- Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here? - the blind bandit asked, her mocking tone unwavering. A chorus of "oohs" directed at Aang echoed through the cave.

- I don't really want to fight you - Aang said, pacifist as ever, in his typical friendly tone. - I want to talk to you. -

- Boo! No talking! - Sokka yelled, only to be disapprovingly punched by his sister.

- Don't boo at him - she scolded.

The bongo signaling the start of the fight sounded, and the blind bandit's expression returned to its serious state. Aang shifted his feet, getting into fighting position, and immediately the earthbender moved, raising the ground beneath Aang's feet and forcing him to jump. The airbender landed behind her, but she still hadn't reacted, as if she were having trouble recognizing where he was.

- Somebody is a littel light on his feet - the girl declared in a tone that sounded almost like a complaint as she turned to face Aang, who was taking a couple of light steps to the side. - What's your fighting name? the fancy dancer? -

Oh, that was a good one. Sokka should remember it.

Aang laughed in response, shrugging his shoulders, only to be launched into the air by the Blind Bandit's earthbending. If it weren't for his airbending, Aang would have fallen heavily and been knocked out, but being an airbender, he managed doing a couple of somersaults before gently descending as the girl muttered to herself.

- Please, wait - Aang called.

- There you are - the earthbender declared with a smile before lifting a rock the size of Sokka and throwing it with precision at Aang, who used his airbending to send it flying past the girl, though he couldn't avoid hitting the Blind Bandit with the same air, sending her flying out of the ring.

Silence fell over all the spectators, including Sokka and Katara, who, after a few seconds of disbelief, exchanged a smile and ran toward the ring to join Aang.

The boulder had been avenged!

- Please! Listen! I need an earthbender teacher! - Aang shouted, running after the now former Earth Rumble six champion. - And I think it's supposed to be you! -

- Whoever you are - the blind bandit growled, not bothering to turn around and face the airbender who was now running after her, even though he was far behind and couldn't use his airbending again without being discovered jumping kilometers through the air toward her. - Just leave me alone. -

A wall of earth opened up in front of her and closed as soon as Aang tried to joined, just two steps away from reaching her, leaving him no option but to get himself hit against the wall.

- Wait - Aang pleaded, but it was too late, and all he could do was return to the ring where his friends were.

- Thanks - Sokka said, hugging Xian Fu only to take the bag of gold coins and the Earth rumble six champion's belt. He didn't care that the man grumbled in displeasure; Aang had won, and Sokka could take the championship belt. He turned, raising both items high before putting an arm around Aang's shoulders and congratulating him. - way to go, champ! -

- That was fun - Sokka agreed, polishing his belt as they prepared to sleep in their small camp in the forest outside the village. - But we have to go back to keep searching, so we'll leave... -

- No, I found my earthbending master - Aang declared, earning raised eyebrows from the Water Tribe siblings.

- Is it the boulder? - Sokka asked hopefully, because he was sure the boulder could kick the Fire Lord's butt with just its chest bending moves.

- Seriously, Sokka? - Katara complained, turning her head toward him.

- What? - he asked, not understanding what his sister meant.

- It's the blind bandit - Aang said, cutting short what would have been a sibling fight.

- Why would you want someone you've already beaten as your master? - Sokka asked, frowning in confusion. There were days when he just didn't understand these two.

- I defeated her with air, not earth - Aang replied. - I think she's the girl I saw in the swamp. -

- Are we really going to stay and look for this girl? - Sokka asked, crossing his arms.

- Maybe you’ll find the boulder and you can ask for an autograph - Katara suggested, offering a way to end her brother’s complaints.

Sokka frowned at her before letting half his face disappear into his sleeping bag with a groan.

- Fine - Sokka reluctantly agreed - but as soon as we’re done with this, we’ll be back on our searching -

Chapter Text

Zuko realized the next day, after his escape from Gaoling, that he hadn't brought his travel bag. He had no weapons other than those he had hidden in his pockets, no water, his canteen had been left hanging from his travel bag, and no money beyond what he had left after buying the dim sum. Without money, he also had no food or transportation. And if he could get food, which was difficult given the long distances between the small villages, he had to make sure it wasn't too much, as it would be a burden to carry in the semi-desert environment where carrying his own weight was already tiring.

It was the fourth day after his escape, the sun burning his back even through the fabric. At least he wasn't sweating enough to make the fabric stick to his skin, making everything uncomfortable inside. Well, it wasn't like he could sweat much with the lack of water in his body, and although the improvised turban made from one of the layers of his robes was suffocating him, it had done its job, protecting his head, face, and neck, except for his eyes, to avoid a direct hit from the sun that could make him faint, leaving him unprotected in the open air.

Though he might as well have been merely prolonging an inevitable death.

If it weren't for the fact that he was already halfway between Gaoling and the Valu River gates, or at least Zuko hoped he was halfway there, he would have turned around and headed for Liang's house instead of going directly for June.

Zuko's stomach growled, complaining of the lack of food, pulling him out of his thoughts, or perhaps from how exhausted he was. Perhaps he should have taken more than a couple of hours the previous nights instead of trying to gain more ground. Now, closing his eyes and resting sounded so tempting with how exhausted his body was. Maybe he could doze off a little while he walked; he'd seen soldiers do it several times, and Sokka did it almost every day they trained.

- I didn't knew he was a firebender! - Sokka shouted to his sister, while giving his back to Zuko as he winced in pain, trying to get out of his sleeping bag.

- But you did knew he was from the Fire Nation! - Katara shouted back.

Zuko's eyes snapped open, and he shook his head, trying to shake off the sleepy memories so he could keep walking.

- Tell us who you are and how you got into our fortress - General Shai growled, grabbing him by the collar of his robes. Commander Rangi stared in awe at the boy, just as she had since the soldiers dragged him into the office, claiming he was the same intruder who had breached their walls the previous nights.

He stumbled and fell to the ground, jolted out of his reverie as his knees dug painfully into the earth and his hands scraped against the hot ground, breaking his skin. Zuko groaned, forcing himself to his feet and waiting for the next crossroads that would tell him which way to go to reach the nearest village before he collapsed completely in the middle of the wasteland.

- I know you can't tell us your real name - June's father murmured, watching his daughter and their pet train the tracking abilities of the beast, which was then barely half the size it would reach in a couple of years - or your story, but how can you assure us that we can trust you if we don't know who you are? - The boy, with bandages still covering his left eye, frowned, lowering his gaze, unsure how to respond. - Do you at least know who you are? -

Zuko's body collapsed, exhausted and lifeless, beside a river after desperately drinking from it. It was unhygienic, and he would most likely end up sick, but at least he wouldn't be dying of slow and painful dehydration until he was completely drained. The water hadn't quelled his hunger, nor had it quelled the rumbling in his stomach, which resumed at the smell of cooked meat, waking him only to find a man and his pregnant wife walking away in the distance. A small wrapped package lay beside him, containing a piece of still-warm meat, which the teenager quickly devoured. Part of him told him not to eat something offered by strangers, while another part warned him that he was letting his ability to react slip away if he hadn't heard them approach or leave him something. Zuko ignored both voices and continued on his way.

The shadow of a woman all too familiar to Zuko moved away from him with an apologetic and worried look as she lifted her dark maroon hood, turning around to disappear into the shadows of the night.

Zuko opened his eyes, gasping, from his nightmares. He kept walking, lifting his head to see a small village in the distance, standing alone in the middle of nowhere. The houses were destroyed or abandoned, completely neglected, but still inhabited, and still had food for Zuko to buy.

As soon as he entered, he noticed the village was also home to soldiers. They looked at him disapprovingly when they noticed the color of his eyes, whispering amongst themselves as they quickly checked him over to see if he posed a threat. Zuko had no intention of fighting anyone, and he doubted he could do anything in his condition, but he knew better than to show any sign of weakness to men who would clearly take advantage of it. He didn't look away until he had to approach the nearest man with sacks of food.

- could I get some water, food, or something hot to eat - he wrote on the dusty counter as he took out half of what little money he had left. He couldn't spend it all when he still had days of travel ahead of him.

- not enough here for a hot meal - the man shook his head, looking apologetically at the pale teenager. Zuko didn't want to cause anyone any pity, but in his condition, there was no point in fighting over it. - I can give you two bags of food. -

- I won't be able to carry them. -

- I'll give you one bag then. It won't weigh much, and you'll have food for a day or two. - The golden eyed man nodded in agreement, handing him a couple of coins. The man disappeared inside his shop, presumably in search of the bag of food, while two children took the opportunity to slip past the counter, laughing to each other before throwing an egg at one of the soldiers' heads.

Well, that was a waste of food.

The soldiers stood up growling furiously as the children disappeared, worried about the possible punishments for their pranks. Zuko wouldn't lie, if he were the children's age, with five soldiers growling menacingly over a small prank, he would also be terrified. Yes, nobody would like to have eggs thrown at them, but that didn't justify growling like a beast that would be ready to break the bones of small children with blows for the affront.

- Hey - called one of the soldiers, a receding hairline on the top of his head but with long hair on the remaining strands, and a goatee-like beard with no hair above his upper lip except at the sides. His muddy green eyes didn't inspire any confidence in Zuko or anyone else in the village, if the way they avoided looking at him meant anything. He had a wide nose, broken in two places. He wore a thick metal belt, carried two warhammers, and had an extra piece of cloth draped over his shoulders in a darker green than the village uniform. Perhaps it was meant to signify a position of greater strength, Zuko surmised, seeing how the other soldiers seemed to follow the one with the hammers as their leader. - you throwing eggs at us, stranger? -

Zuko shook his head, still not bothering to look at him, but quickly took stock of the weapons he had. Given his poor condition, the golden-eyed man would hardly be able to hold his own in a fight.

- What, you can't answer because you're scared, pretty boy? - another soldier asked mockingly. Zuko turned his head slightly in their direction, revealing his scar, while still giving them a murderous glare. The glint of one of the knives hidden in his clothing made the soldier and his companions back in fear, except for the one with the warhammers, who visibly tensed but remained in his place.

- you see who did threw it? - the higher ranking soldier asked again. Zuko shook his head once more as the man looked around, searching for the culprit. - it had to come from somewhere -

"Maybe a chicken flew over" Zuko signed, not caring that the soldiers most likely wouldn't understand him. This was confirmed when he noticed the confused looks exchanged between the soldiers before they stopped bothering him. The man from the shop came out with his bag of food, and the higher ranking soldier stepped in, grabbing the bag before Zuko could reach it and throwing it at one of the soldiers.

- Thanks for your contribution, the army appreciates your support - the man growled boastfully, quickly moving out of Zuko’s reach. The trained eye of the former archer Yuyan recognized this as a show of power to mask the man’s true cowardice. It was no surprise; Zuko had learned long ago that cowards stole from those powerless to stop them. - You better leave town - the man continued, turning to face the pale teenager, his posture and words a threat. -penalty for staying is a lot steeper - He slapped his warhammers together. - trust me -

- those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation - the vendor remarked behind him as the soldiers walked away laughing and shoving each other as if they had just pulled off a great feat by stealing someone’s food. - But they’re just a bunch of thugs -

Zuko's blood boiled as he recognized the group's attitude as the same as the soldiers who had tried to rob Liang shortly after she'd rescued him, badly wounded and near death, from the forest as he escaped the Fire Nation. He knew it was a bad idea without the Blue Spirit Mask, but the golden eyed man couldn't help but consider attacking the group of thugs to give them a taste of their own medicine and reclaim the village supplies they were hoarding for themselves.

A growl in his stomach reminded him that he wasn't in any condition for a fight, much less a theatrical attack where he'd end up carrying several heavy bags back to the village.

- Thanks for not ratting me out - one of the children who had thrown the egg blurted out, running alongside Zuko as he started walking toward the village fountain to get a drink before leaving. The golden eyed man only glanced at him quickly without breaking stride, only for the child to run up in front of him, grinning from his recently fallen baby teeth, and grab the elbow of his robes, pulling him in another direction. - The well at my house is better, and it's also right outside the village, so you won't have to go out of your way. - Zuko opened his mouth to refuse, forgetting his promise to himself not to speak, only for the child to rush ahead, preventing him from making a sound. - Come on, I owe you -

According to Zuko himself, he had done nothing more than maintain his silence and divert the soldiers' attention, but if it meant getting clean, cold water, if it came from a well, even in the wastelands, it had to be cold, he wasn't going to complain.

They didn't take long to reach a farm on the outskirts of town, along a road parallel to the exit but which rejoined it shortly after. The farm was teeming with various crossbreeds of pigs and other animals, mainly cow pigs and sheep pigs, with a couple of deer-pigs mixed in. They were all excessively noisy, which quickly caught the teenager's attention. He stared at them long enough to be caught by the Earth Kingdom boy.

- nno one ever sneak up on us - the boy remarked, turning back to Zuko, who nodded in agreement. - You don't talk much, do you? -

The golden eyed boy raised his hand, intending to point to his throat and shake his head at what he'd learned most people recognized as a speech impediment, only to be interrupted by a clucking sound behind him. He turned to find a rooster-pig perched on a wooden post, staring directly at him.

- you a friend of Lee's? - asked a man with skin tanned from hard work under the blazing sun, his dark hair streaked with gray tied in a high, untidy bun, his face weary with wrinkles and signs of age, and patches of dirt and dust clinging to his body and worn clothes. He approached the boy, who was standing a few steps from the house's entrance, his expression a mixture of concern for the teenager's well-being and the distrust of someone who had encountered all sorts of dangerous people and situations throughout his life.

- this guy just stood up to the soldiers - the boy, Lee, nodded animatedly beside him, as a woman peeked out from behind the house before deciding to approach the man Zuko assumed was Lee's father and the woman's husband. - by the end, he practically had them running away. -

- does this guy have a name? - the woman asked gently, drying her hands on a rag as she reached the man.

Zuko lowered his head, unsure how to respond without speaking, or even if he should respond at all. While these people seemed friendly, he wasn't sure he should give them a name that could help them track June and her family. Besides, Lee was already the boy's name, and no matter how common it was, he couldn't repeat it without it sounding fake, or at least without it sounding fake to him.

- he doesn't have to say who he is if he doesn't want to, Sela - the man said, taking the burden of the answer off his shoulders a little too obviously, but that didn't diminish Zuko's gratitude. - Anyone who can hold his own against those bully soldiers is welcome here - the man declared, placing his arms familiarly around his wife and son's shoulders. - Those men should be ashamed to wear Earth Kingdom uniforms. -

- The real soldiers are off fighting in the war - the woman declared, giving her son a loving smile, which he returned with a look. - Like Lee’s big brother, Sen su - Zuko’s chest tightened painfully, remembering that he had had someone he considered a brother fighting in the war. Lu Ten never returned, but he prayed to the spirits that the young man missing from this family would, or else he would break the hearts of such kind people. - Supper’s going to be ready soon - Sela tried to quickly change the subject, aware of the pain her words caused the family. - Would you like to stay? - Zuko shook his head before gesturing toward the path, earning puzzled looks from the two men of the family and a sympathetic one from the woman. - Gansu could use some help ont the barn. Why don’t you two work for a while and then we’ll eat? -

The pale teenager nodded in agreement. He didn't want to be given food out of pity, as if he were no longer a beggar at their door asking for something that was clearly scarce in the village. But if it was payment for his work, Zuko would accept without hesitation, even though that work turned out to be fixing the stable roof. Zuko wasn't exactly good with construction tools, having never had to repair anything beyond weapons at Pohuai Fortress or clothing at Katara's instruction, since no one else in the group seemed willing to help her. With that in mind, no one had the right to tell the former prince that he was doing a terrible job on the roof. But Gansu, Lee's father, didn't hold it against him; instead, he gave him pointers on how to improve.

- You don’t seem like you’re from around here - And while Gansu only spoke to give those specific directions, his son spoke for all three of them from the wooden stairs leaning against the building. Zuko made a sound of denial, having given up several minutes ago on having to answer the boy, though even if he didn't, the boy would move on to the next question, still enthusiastic. - where are you from then? . Zuko gestured into the distance, an ambiguous answer that didn't discourage the boy. - where are you going? -

- Lee - Gansu scolded - give it a rest, stop asking the man personal questions, got it? -

- Uhhh, yes - the boy agreed before raising his head again with interest. - so how’d you get that scar? - The question took Zuko by surprise, hardly anyone had the courage to ask it, much less directly, causing him to accidentally catch his thumb in the path of the hammer.

- It's not nice to bother people about things they might not want to talk about. This man's past is his business. - With that statement, the conversation ended, and the boy pouted as he headed back home, only to return minutes later announcing that lunch was ready. His intention to ask all sorts of questions was obvious even from that distance, but a look from his father made him change the subject at the last minute. He started chatting about his mischief with the pig hybrids throughout lunch, after his father and Zuko returned to work. During a quick evening snack before Gansu took the boy to bed, he told the teenager that, given how late it was, it would be best if he rested that night in his newly fixed stable and set off tomorrow with some bread and leftover snack.

The former Fire Nation prince accepted the humble offer from the Earth Kingdom farmers and settled down for the night, overcome by exhaustion the moment he struck the hay, drifting into a world of dreams and memories of someone he had ceased to be many years ago.

The duck turtle pond was one of Zuko's mother's favorite places, and for the same reason, besides, of course, the adorable animals, it had also become one of Zuko's favorite places in his short ten years. Sitting in the shade of the large tree with his mother, watching the long stretches of the well-kept garden and the peaceful animals frolicking in the calm waters, had become one of his favorite activities, along with secretly practicing with Master Piandao, playing with Azula and her friends when they were free from their horrible governesses, listening to Uncle Iroh's stories while sipping on his strange concoctions of fallen leaves, or excitedly following Lu Ten around the palace on his duties as the future crown prince.

- hey, mom! - Zuko called excitedly to get his mother's attention, who was currently focused on feeding the small turtle ducks with pieces of a large loaf of bread. - want to see how Azula feeds the turtle ducks? -

Without much thought, Zuko grabbed the entire loaf of bread in both hands and threw it with all his might at the nearest turtle duck, just as Azula had done a few days earlier when she was playing with the same animals. Back then, the loaf hadn't even reached the turtle ducks, who had swung away. His sister arrived, demanding he play with him, to which her twin had replied that he would as soon as he finished feeding them. The loaf had sunk into the water before resurfacing, with the mother turtle duck approaching to quickly snatch it away. It had been a quick way to feed the turtle ducks, and Zuko and Azula had spent the rest of the afternoon playing and stealing cakes from the kitchen. But this time, the little turtle duck didn't run away; instead, it approached the boy, unaware of the danger, until the entire loaf fell on top of it, violently submerging it, much to Zuko's dismay.

- Zuko! Why would you do that? - exclaimed his mother, utterly shocked by his actions, before turning to look at him disapprovingly.

The boy blinked, staring at the now empty space where the little turtle duck had been, not understanding what had happened and worried about the animal's absence, until it came back out of the water, shaking its head and blinking in Zuko's direction as if they shared the same dismay, neither of them understanding what had happened. The mother turtle duck, on the other hand, seemed to understand when she approached her baby, checking that it was alright before giving it a little nudge with her head so that it would swim in another direction, while she swam directly towards Zuko, who thought the animal was approaching for affection until it lunged at his leg, biting it.

- Ahhh! Ouh! Ouh! - the boy cried out, quickly lifting his leg to free himself from the animal, which held on resolutely even though it meant dangling several centimeters above the water, its legs flailing desperately. The boy's mother rushed to grab the mother turtle duck and pull her away from her son, returning her to the water with her babies, who were watching the scene intently. The mother turtle duck swam away, quacking angrily and calling to her babies to follow her to the other side of the pond, which the little animals readily did, quacking happily behind their mother. - Stupid turtle duck - Zuko grumbled, hugging his legs with a grimace of annoyance at the attack and departure of the turtle ducks. - Why’d she do that? -

- Zuko - his mother called, approaching and sitting beside him with the elegance of a royal lady. - That's what mothers are like - she began, putting her arm around the boy's shoulders. - If you mess with their babies, argh! - She lunged at him, making a biting gesture that made her son giggle. - They're gonna bite you back - she declared, shielding him with an arm around his shoulders. They stayed embraced until they decided to go for a small afternoon snack of tea and pastries.

- Azula! - The younger prince of the Fire Nation heard one of his sister's friends shout her name. His eyes darted up, searching for the source of the sound, hoping to find his sister too, even though he knew that in the company of her alpha friends, they wouldn't let him play. It wasn't as if Zuko could ever play; with how bad he was at firebending, he had to train in every little space he had, and that was just another reason why he had no friends beyond Lu Ten and Azula, and both of them were family.

Azula's eyes met Zuko's in the distance. She glanced quickly at her two friends before whispering to Ty Lee and running toward her brother.

- Mom! - Azula called, running toward Zuko and their mother. - Can you make Zuko play with us? - she asked innocently. - We need equal teams to play a game. -

- Can I come, Mom? - Zuko asked immediately, turning to his mother with a hopeful smile.

- As long as it's not dangerous - Ursa agreed, stroking her son's head but watching her daughter closely, fearful of what she might want to play. Azula had told Zuko that his mother believed he was a monster several months ago, and although Zuko had never seen his mother treat Azula as one and didn't understand why anyone would think she was a monster, he completely believed his sister. Azula might be a master of lies, but she had promised Zuko she would never lie to him, so Zuko could trust her word, always. - Just for a little while - his mother said as a last thought before turning and continuing on her way.

- here’s the way it goes - Azula said, taking an apple and leading Mai a few steps toward the fountain. She placed an apple on her head and ran back to the other children. - now what you do is try to knock the apple off the other pearson's head. - She shot a burst of fire, igniting the apple but not quite bringing it down. - Like this - Zuko's eyes widened in concern as he watched the flames descend toward Mai's head. Surprised and frightened, she watched the fire getting closer and closer. Her hair would soon catch fire, and then she herself would be burned, Zuko thought terrified. He ran toward her to throw the apple into the fountain, extinguishing the flames, but misjudging the throw, he ended up knocking Mai over and falling into the water with her. - see, I told you it would work - Azula said.

- they’re so cute together - Zuko turned his head from the water toward Azula and Ty Lee, who was talking, annoyed at the thought that it had all been a prank to get them wet. Ty Lee was teasing them about Mai's father's proposal of a future marriage between Zuko and Mai. Mai blushed and looked away, which the boy noticed. He quickly assumed she was angry with him now, and grumbling, he stood up and stomped out of the fountain.

- You two are such... - the omega began to hear behind him, only prompted to walk faster to avoid hearing the girl complaining about him. He fixed his gaze ahead, quickly noticing his mother approaching with a gentle smile.

- I was just coming to get you. Uncle Iroh sent us a letter from the war front... - Lady Ursa stopped abruptly to look at her son in surprise. - You're soaking wet. -

- Zuzu! - Azula called, running toward her brother and stopping when she saw her mother.

-  I said nothing dangerous, Azula - Ursa scolded before gesturing to the servants to bring a towel, which she quickly wrapped around the boy's shoulders. - Come here, both of you. Uncle Iroh sent you gifts. -

Azula approached her mother and brother, intending to walk beside them, quickly checking Zuko for injuries. However, Ursa pulled her to her other side, placing herself between them. The girl pouted in annoyance, quickly hiding it with a huff.

The children's mother read the letter containing Uncle Iroh's stories from the walls of Ba Sing Se before gesturing to the servants carrying the wrapped packages of Uncle Iroh's gifts. - For Azula, a paper koi elephant kite to grow as big as your heart desires. - Azula took out the kite, making a face at Zuko, who knew his sister's aversion to fish and to having to handle fragile things like paper. - And for Zuko, a new friend. - Zuko took a doll with outlandish clothes and a finely carved wooden face covered in paint that resembled makeup. The boy hid his grimace with an awkward smile, which his sister read all too well, giving the toy a disapproving look for not being to her brother's taste. - he wears the latest fashion among the omegas of the Earth Kingdom. -

- How lovely - Zuko said, earning a huff from his sister as the servants moved away, giving them some privacy.

- It's awful - she grumbled before turning to her mother, clutching her own gift by one end as if it were something unpleasant unworthy of her touch. - If Uncle doesn't make it back from war, then dad would be the next in line to be Fire Lord, wouldn't he? -

- Azula, we don’t speak that way - Ursa quickly denied. - It would be awful if Uncle Iroh didn't return, and besides, Azulon... - The woman cleared her throat to correct her mistake, - the Fire Lord  Azulon is a picture of health. -

- How would you like it if Cousin Lu Ten wanted dad to die? - Zuko asked, agreeing with his mother. Besides, Uncle Iroh was fun. Zuko hoped he would live for many years and return soon with Cousin Lu Ten. He missed them both. Why did they have to go to war?

- I still think our dad would make a much better Fire Lord than his royal, tea loving kookyness - Azula declared before twirling the kite in her hands, setting it ablaze, and throwing it to the ground in disgust.

Zuko sometimes wondered if, in his father's eyes, Zuko was as disgusting as that kite was to Azula, because just like the paper toy, he had burned him and carelessly discarded him to a death he himself had orchestrated.

Chapter Text

- I got to admit - Sokka declared, stroking the Earth Rumble six belt. - Now I’m really glad I bought this bag. It matches the belt perfectly. -

- That’s a big relief - Katara muttered, rolling her eyes sarcastically, while Aang nodded behind her, clearly agreeing with her words, without the sarcasm.

- if we want to find the blind bandit, the Earthbender Academy is a good place to start - Aang said, his gaze fixed on the academy they had just arrived at. Oh well, that explained why Aang had known where they were going since they left that morning, though it would have been better if he had bothered to warn the Water Tribe siblings beforehand.

- Oh great, you again - Sokka's head swiveled to find the same noisy boys from the day before, talking about the Earth rumble six, doing some kind of strange practice by hitting earth or sand inside some jars. Sokka didn't understand what these odd earth magic training exercises were all about. He guessed they were as strange as the few water and air magic training sessions he'd seen Katara and Aang do, but that didn't make them any more sense to him. Why hit earth with bare hands? Were they going to end up digging a tunnel in the jars?

- yeah, I didn't think so - Katara asked, startling the two smug earthbenders.

- nicely done - Sokka grinned, delighted by his little sister's intimidating skills. They grow up so fast.

- Hey - said one of the boys, suddenly interested in Aang, approaching the young monk with his friend. - You're the kid who beat the blind bandit? -

- We need to talk to her. - Aang nodded, smiling amicably and forgetting that just the day before, these same boys had mocked him. - Do you guys know where she lives? -

- The blind bandit is a mystery - the boy with grayish hair in a messy mohawk denied. - She show up to fight, then disappears. -

- Let me handle this - Katara said in her motherly tone to Aang before turning to the earthbenders, stomping her way up to them, and pointing directly at one of them with a look that would send a polar bear running away with its tail between its legs, yelping in terror. - You’re not telling us everything. -

- No, no, I swear it's true - the boy with bushy brown hair declared quickly, both hands raised in surrender, looking fearfully at the waterbender. - no one knows where she goes or who she really is. -

- that's because we’re asking about the wrong person - Aang sighed. - In my vision, I saw a girl in a white dress with a pet flying boar. The boy smiled again, his hopes renewed, at the two earthbenders. - know anyvody like that? -

- Well – the mohawked boy began, puzzled by the question, while his friend hid behind him – a flying boar is the symbol of the Beifong family; they're the richest in town, probably the whole world –

- Yeah, but they don't have a daughter - his friend added, still hiding behind his shoulder.

- A flying boar is good enough for me - Aang grinned, turning quickly toward the exit and signaling the siblings to follow him. - Let's check it out -

- Yeah, you'd better leave - the mohawked boy growled, seconded by his friend, though neither of them tried to say it loud enough to be heard by Aang, who was already outside the academy, or Katara, who, unfortunately for them, did hear them even at the gates. She turned to face them with a threatening look that made them let out a couple of squeals, frightened at being discovered.

- Hey - Katara gestured to her own eyes with two fingers before pointing them at the boys, who quickly backed away. - I got my eye on you. - Oh yes, he was proud of his little sister.

- Water Tribe - Sokka sang, totally presumptuous, while making waves with his arms towards both boys in a totally relaxed pose, walking backwards before turning around to follow the group.

They arrived at a house, or a mansion?, a farm? a ranch? a villa?, a wealthy home on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by high, perfectly maintained and painted walls. They came upon large gates bearing the seal of a flying boar surrounded by clouds, finely carved to showcase the splendor and wealth of the owners of the artwork and the house where it was displayed.

- that's the flying boar from my vision! - Aang exclaimed excitedly as they peered at the house, hidden behind the trees at the edge of the forest. - come on -

- I don't think they'll let us in - Sokka murmured, pointing toward the gates guarded by two statues.

- Maybe - Aang agreed, smiling broadly. - We'll have to jump over the walls. -

Oh, by Tui and La, that's why Aang wasn't in charge of making the plans, though Sokka's brain wasn't exactly overflowing with ideas in the moment either, so they followed Aang anyway as he effortlessly leaped who knows how many meters through the air to the other side. Sokka and Katara, without their airbending, had to climb the walls like mere mortals, praying they wouldn't be caught mid-act before jumping to the other side and running swiftly after Aang, who hid behind a bush, scanning his surroundings for guards or the blind bandit, if he magically found her that quickly.

The ground trembled beneath them. Was it an earthquake? Sokka wondered for just a second before the earth itself threw them into the air and dropped them hard and painfully onto the ground, or well, only Sokka fell onto the ground, both Aang and Katara fell into soft and leafy bushes adorned with pretty red flowers, but not Sokka, because the world hated Sokka and wanted to see him suffer physically whenever it could.

Stupid world, Sokka muttered to himself.

- What are you doing here, twinkle toes? - Sokka looked up, recognizing the voice of the blind bandit, but instead finding a fragile looking girl with flawless white skin wearing a long, elegant, expensive white dress that looked as fragile as the girl wearing it. The dress had soft green trim, yellow sleeves that faded almost to white, and a light green chiffon shawl. Her jet-black hair was styled in an intricate updo held by a headband, which Sokka bet cost more than all his group's supplies combined, of gold with white floral embellishments. A couple of strands escaped in the front, too neatly arranged to be accidental.

Was this same delicate, fragile looking girl the same shrill, brusque girl who had defeated The boulder?

- How did you know it was me? - Aang asked, pulling Sokka out of his disbelief to focus on the twelve-year-old monk.

- Don't answer him, twinkle toes - Sokka retorted. - It's not manly. -

- You're the one whose bag matches his belt - Katara complained, putting her hands on her hips while loking at her brother. Sokka huffed, getting up from the ground just to cross his arms at his sister.

- Knowing about fashion doesn't make me any less of a man - the dark-haired boy retorted before tilting his head to the side, chin up. - You're just jealous that I can dress better than you. -

- I bet you do - Katara pretended to concede, though her tone betrayed her impending mockery. - That's why you wore that cute Kyoshi Warrior dress... -

- How did you find me? - the blind bandit growled, cutting short the siblings' absurd argument and charging at Aang.

- well a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth - Aang began, babbling as fast as he could, like the hyperactive child he was, already eliciting a grimace of exasperation from the girl who openly demonstrated that she didn't want the three strangers in or near her house. - and then I had a vision in a magic swamp and... -

- What Aang is trying to say is that he's the Avatar - Katara interrupted to prevent the other girl from exploding - and if he doesn't master earthbending soon, he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord... -

- Not my problem - the blind bandit snapped, raising a hand to abruptly silence the waterbender. - Now get out of here, or I'll call the guards. -

- Look, we all have to do our part to win this war - Sokka commented, trying to reason with the girl - and yours is to teach Aang earthbending. -

- Guards! - the girl screamed in response, terrifying the three outsiders with the prospect of a whole entourage of guards who would either throw them out or imprison them if they were discovered. They quickly ran toward the fence, squealing, before jumping over. Aang jumped, using his airbending to lift the two Water Tribe siblings, who landed heavily on the other side. - Guards! Help! -

- Toph, what happened? – Sokka heard from the other side of the wall, recognizing the voices of those who must be the guards of the house, even in the midst of his pain.

- I thought I heard someone, I got scared - Toph lied calmly.

- You know your father doesn’t want you wandering through the grounds without supervision, Toph - the soldier continued as their voices faded away, just before Aang, grinning from ear to ear, jumped off the wall he’d been clinging to, continuing to spy on the interior.

- We have to go back inside - the bald boy said cheerfully.

- No way - Sokka grumbled, crossing his arms. - I'm not jumping over a wall again just to get tossed around by a bunch of kids' elemental magic. -

- I've told you a hundred times, Sokka, it's not magic - Katara scolded her brother before turning to the airbender. - But I have to agree with him on this, Aang. If we go back in, that blind bandit will call the guards again, either to make us escape or to kick us out. -

- Not if we're honored guests - the Avatar replied boastfully, pointing to his tattooed arrow.

- No - Sokka repeated, still with his arms crossed. - Half the time you announce who you are, we get into more trouble than usual. -

- And the other half they give us banquets - Aang smirked. - Don't you want to know what the banquets of one of the richest families in the world are like? I'm sure they have plenty of meat and… -

- Fine, fine - Sokka grumbled, getting up listlessly before pointing at the young monk who was grinning broadly while his sister shook her head, a hand resting on her forehead behind them. - But I'll remind you about the meat and where it comes from when we're inside. -

Aang's smile turned to horror.

It turned out that Aang was right. The Beifong family welcomed them at sunset that same day, after the Avatar's group had gone to the nearest river to make themselves look as presentable as possible, at Katara's insistence. After a few quick introductions with several bows to the wealthy family and to the Avatar, they finally moved on to a real banquet with hundreds of elegant-looking dishes. Sokka didn't know the names of them, but he knew they smelled, looked, and tasted delicious. True to his word, every time he recognized a type of meat, he told Aang what animal he was eating and what it looked like, much to the boy's horror. Then Katara stomped her foot hard under the table and gave him a warning look that made him return to his place, focusing only on eating. Sokka didn't complain.

- Blow on it, it's too hot for her - said Mr. Beifong, a man in gold and white robes, with black hair neatly arranged in a hat that looked a bit too much like a royal crown, and long mustaches that sprouted only from the sides of his skin above his lips. His skin, like his wife's, was very well cared for, in a way Sokka was recognizing in people who grew up with money, though the lines of expression and age had managed to show on it. He was referring to the dish served to his blind daughter, Toph, who turned out to be the blind bandit herself.

- Allow me - said Aang, creating a small whirlwind of air to direct it toward Toph's plate and cool it down. Elegant, thought Sokka, nodding in approval of the trick.

- Avatar Aang, it's an honor to have you visit us - said Lady Beifong after applauding. She was a beautiful woman with delicate, elegant features on a round face, a small nose, soft, almond-shaped green eyes with natural eyeliner, thin, gently arched eyebrows, and delicate lips with a soft pink cupid's bow. Her long, pure black hair was styled in an intricate updo, not a single strand out of place, secured with golden jewels, headdresses, and flowers as white and perfect as her milky skin. She wore a long, layered silk Hanfu dress in white, green, and cream, embroidered with floral motifs, and a jade bead necklace adorned her neck.

- In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last? – asked Mr. Beifong, turning to Aang, who immediately smiled at the window of opportunity that had opened. After seeing how overprotective Mr. Beifong was with his daughter, Sokka doubted that whatever Aang's plan was, it would work, so he just focused on his food, ignoring the words and flying food around him until he was satisfied when he finished dinner.

Did he want to ask why there was food on the walls and floors? No, absolutely not, but it was enough to let him know that dinner had gone badly and Aang hadn't managed to get his earthbender master. Although, being honored guests, as the servants who attended them called them, they had been given luxurious guest rooms. It wasn't the group's style, but none of them were going to complain about the fluffy, cloud-like bed with silk sheets.

It was a surprise when, a couple of hours later, as the group was getting ready for bed and the lights and sounds of the house had faded with most of the residents asleep, Toph appeared in her nightgown, barefoot, startling everyone in the room who hadn't seen her coming. It was an even bigger surprise when she went straight to Aang and declared that they needed to talk, both of them leaving the room to the confused but sleepy looks of the Water Tribe siblings, who a short time later were snoring against their feather pillows.

They hadn't been able to enjoy their beautiful beds for more than an hour before shouts from the house alerted them, and Aang's absence from the room only made them feel uneasy as they jumped out of bed and ran toward the center of the commotion. There, in the gardens shrouded in the darkness of night, illuminated only by the soft light of the crescent moon, they found the Beifong family, a couple of guards, the fastidious earthbender master of Toph, two recently dug-up clods of earth, and a note pierced by a strange, curved sword.

- Whoever took Aang and Toph left this - Sokka said, picking up the sword, his brow still furrowed at the scene. He held the blade to Katara, who quickly pulled out the note.

- If you want to see your daughter again - the waterbender began to read - bring five hundred gold pieces to the arena. It's signed Xin Fu and The boulder. -

- I can't believe it - Sokka murmured before snatching the note from Katara, his excitement palpable. - I have The Stone's autograph! -

Katara's face fell into a grimace of exasperation at her brother's reaction. Yes, it wasn't the first time Aang or anyone from his group had been captured, and on every occasion, they had managed to escape unscathed one way or another. So, unlike the Beifong family, they weren't as terrified by the disappearance of the two masters. But that didn't mean they should completely ignore the situation and get excited over the signature of one of their friend's captors. Besides, it was incredibly insensitive of him to act so excited when behind him was a family terribly worried about their daughter's abduction.

- Master Yu - Mr. Beifong called to the earthbender master in a determined tone - I need you to help me get my daughter back. -

- We're going with you - Katara assured him, turning to look at him before turning to Mrs. Beifong, who was sobbing over the two pieces of excavated earth.

- Poor Toph, she must be so scared - she murmured between sobs before her husband came over to hug her, trying to calm her down.

The couple returned to the house a few minutes later, with Mr. Beifong picking up a bag where the siblings guessed the five hundred gold pieces were hidden, and Mrs. Beifong heading to an altar to begin praying to the spirits. Master Yu quickly followed Mr. Beifong, and the Water Tribe siblings led the way to the underground fighting arena, finding it completely empty, unlike their last visit. They climbed into the ring where Xin Fu and The boulder stood with their arms outstretched, staring at two hanging metal traps where Aang and Toph were ensnared, and Toph was growling at the host of the fights.

- Here's your money - Mr. Beifong said, drawing the attention of his daughter's kidnappers before signaling Sokka to place the bag of gold pieces on the ground. Master Yu then used Earthbending to push it toward the thugs. - Now let them go. -

Xin Fu picked up the bag and peered inside with a sly smile before turning to his fighter henchmen. The trap holding Toph was lowered and opened, freeing her. The little girl immediately ran to her father, who quickly wrapped his arms around her, letting out a relieved sigh. He checked her over carefully, purring to calm his pup, before turning away from the ring, holding his daughter's hand tightly but careful not to hurt her with his grip as he led her toward the exit.

- And what about Aang? - Katara asked, drawing Sokka's attention back to the ring and noticing that the earthbender hadn't let his friend go.

- I think the Fire Nation will pay a heafty price for the Avatar - the man replied smugly, showing them the wanted posters for Aang that were plastered all over the Earth Kingdom thanks to Admiral Zhao - now, get out of my ring -

Both siblings growled menacingly, drawing their weapons, Sokka's boomerang and Katara's water from her canteen, only for all the arena fighters, except for the blind bandit, to jump into the ring, blocking their path and returning the threatening growls.

- Go - Aang said from his metal trap in midair after seeing his friends' predicament. - I'll be ok. -

- We can't do it alone - Sokka conceded, placing a hand on Katara's shoulder to pull her back a few steps.

- they won't get him - Katara growled, shaking her head and planting her feet firmly on the ground to avoid being dragged back by her brother, her eyes fixed on Aang's trap. - I can freeze them... -

- It won't work - Sokka countered, pulling his sister away once more. - There are too many of them. If we had one or two more people on our side who could defeat them... -

- We have someone who can beat them - Katara interrupted her brother, turning and running toward the exit where Mr. Beifong, his daughter, and Master Yu were walking away, seemingly unconcerned that the Avatar was being captured and handed over to the Fire Nation, selling their last hope for a few gold coins. - Toph, there's too many of them! - Katara shouted to the other girl. - We need an earthbender, we need you! -

- My daughter is blind -  Mr. Beifong growled, turning to the Water Tribe girl, clearly annoyed that anyone would even consider putting his daughter in a dangerous situation. - She's blind, and tiny, and helpless, and fragile. She can not help you. -

- Yes, I can - the earthbender retorted, pulling her hand away and walking toward the ring without a trace of doubt or fear.

- Toph! - her father called out, worried, only to be ignored as his daughter stepped into the ring in front of the two Water Tribe boys.

The earthbender stood in the ring, tilting her head slightly from side to side. The brothers didn't understand what she was doing, and while they wondered how the girl could fight, they couldn't quite grasp it. But they had seen her do it and were certain she could handle it even blindfolded… well, even blind. Toph stomped her foot, raising a wall of earth in front of the fighters, blocking their path and forcing them to turn and face her. - let him go, I beat you all before and I'll do it again -

- The boulder takes issue with that comment - the boulder declared, signaling to Hippo to throw the trap with Aang still inside, eliciting a groan from the boy. By this point, Sokka was beginning to lose his admiration for the muscular man.

- Wait! - Toph raised an arm, stopping the two siblings who were drawing their weapons to fight as all the fighters started running towards them. The blind bandit, however, didn't seem worried about it, even smiling slightly before raising her head to the group of fighters. -They're mine. -

The siblings exchanged worried glances, but before they could say anything, the earthbender stretched her hands out into the ground, raising them with effort before bending over and stomping forward. The impact shook the ring, sending up particles of earth that flung the group of fighters backward as if they were nothing more than toys. The same particles quickly obliterated them in a cloud of dust. Without hesitation, Toph entered the cloud, disappearing from everyone's sight as well.

Only a few seconds passed before the first growls and shouts erupted, ending with the first fighter, the one wearing Fire Nation pants and a cape, being violently erupted from the ring and crashed to the ground.

- I don't think she needs us - Sokka murmured before being dragged by his sister toward the metal trap where Aang was still imprisoned. They tried to free him by hitting the gears and pulling the locks.

- hit it harder! - Aang urged, hearing the fight in the background and earning only an exasperated glare from the Water Tribe warrior who was closest to the barred opening for his face.

- I'm trying - he replied.

The second fighter flew through the air, gasping in pain, before landing outside the ring. Almost immediately, the third fighter was thrown from under the ring, unable to even scream or make a sound like the others, as he fell completely unconscious onto his companions.

The metal trap finally gave way and opened at the bottom, letting Aang out as fast as a gust of wind. He landed in a fighting stance, ready to face his captors, only to be stopped by Sokka's raised hand. Sokka shook his head before pointing towards the cloud of dust from which Hippo and The boulder were violently ejected. Though not yet unconscious, they quickly turned to face their opponent, who emerged with swift, zigzagging movements. Both fighters charged towards her, shouting as loud as their footsteps, while a third tried to ambush her, swinging on a vine from behind and shouting as well. The girl then rotated the base of the ring, causing the one swinging through the air to collide with the other two, leaving the three giant figures crushed together with groans of pain. With a couple of movements, she raised columns beneath them, knocking them out of the ring and hurling them at the poor fallen fighters who were trying to get up.

The screams of pain filled the air, but they didn't break the earthbender's concentration. She turned toward the cloud of dust, lowering her hands and making it disappear, to find herself face to face with Xin Fu. He was looking around, lost in thought, until the dust settled and he could focus his gaze on Toph. He growled before his neck cracked as he shook his head from side to side.

- Xin Fu - the girl growled, twisting her lips in annoyance as both earthbenders spun in their fighting stances around the center of the ring. - This is for selling out my friend. -

- The only thing I regret is not killing that ash maker when I had the chance - the man retorted with a snarl.

- As if someone like you had that chance - the blind bandit mocked, eliciting a furious roar from the man, who began leaping and kicking rock after rock at breakneck speed, in a cross-section that would be impossible for anyone to deflect.

Toph planted her feet firmly on the ground and spun her arms, raising a fort in front of her as a shield against the attacks. She thrust half of it toward the man as soon as he paused to catch his breath after her display of power. The man somersaulted sideways, narrowly dodging the attack, and plunged his hand into the earth to launch another attack at the earthbender. She began to spin, dodging the attack even before he could finish throwing it, and launched her own attack before he could plant his feet again. With a swift movement of her hand, the earth rose up, violently hurling the man toward the stands, knocking him unconscious before he crashed into them. Mr. Beifong and Master Yu, standing a step away from the now unconscious villains, watched in disbelief. Sokka, whose jaw dropped to the ground, fainted, astonished by the display of power from the small, blind, seemingly fragile girl.

Sokka wasn't sure what happened after that, beyond waking up in the Beifong family's living room as the little girl explained the situation to her parents: her life as a blind bandit and her incredible fighting skills as an earthbender, both kept secret for fear they would be taken away from her or that her parents would stop loving her, something she already doubted after being kept hidden from the outside world her entire life.

- Of course, it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph - her father declared lovingly before turning his head away from his daughter. The Avatar group exchanged worried glances, uneasy about the patriarch's latest action. - It's made me realize something -

- it has? - the little girl asked hopefully.

- Yes - the man agreed. - I've let you have far too much freedom - His wife nodded beside him as their daughter's shoulders slumped. - From now on, you'll be cared and guarded for twenty-four hours a day. -

- But Dad... -

- We're doing this for your own good, Toph - her mother interrupted, letting the girl's shoulders slump and her head fall. No one in the Avatar's small group had to be a genius to guess that the girl was hiding tears of helplessness over her parents' decisions.

- Please, escort the Avatar and his friends out - Lord Beifong signaled to his servants to escort the group out. - They are no longer welcome here. -

- I'm sorry, Toph - Aang apologized as he left.

- I'm sorry too - the girl said, her voice thin as she tried to hold back her tears. - Goodbye, Aang. -

The group headed into the woods not far from the Beifong home and silently prepared Appa's saddle. The airbender tied the last of the saddlebags with a rueful sigh before approaching the bison's head to take the reins. Turning toward the mountainside, he could see the Beifong residence in the distance. Katara approached and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

- Don't worry, Aang, we'll find you a teacher - the waterbender assured him. - There are pleany of amaizing earthbenders out there. -

- Not like her - Aang murmured, turning to the flying bison to leap onto its head and take the reins.

Yes, very sentimental. Sokka rolled his eyes, polishing the Earth rumble six belt he was still wearing and ignoring Katara's gestures for him to go comfort the boy. It wasn't that he didn't want Aang to stop feeling bad, but what was he supposed to say? The Water Tribe girl, tired of being ignored, kicked her brother in the shin and pointed imperiously at the monk boy. The dark-haired boy sighed in defeat.

- Aang… - he tried to begin, catching the boy's eye, only for his attention to wander as he smiled broadly.

- Toph! - Aang exclaimed excitedly. The two Water Tribe siblings turned in the same direction, finding the blind bandit running toward them in her fighting gear, carrying a travel bag. - What are you doing here? -

- My dad changed his mind - she replied, stopping beside Appa with a smile amidst the panting from the run she must have made from her house to the mountain - he said I was free to travel the world -

The siblings exchanged glances, unable to believe that the overprotective man they knew had agreed to let his daughter travel the world with complete strangers. - Well - Sokka finally said, maybe the still overprotective man wanted to make his daughter happy, even under his constant worry. It wouldn't surprise Sokka if the girl had to write a letter every day, or even every meal, to tell her father how she was doing. Nor would it surprise him if, after only a couple of minutes out of sight, her father changed his mind and sent for her to lock her up again. - We'd better get out of here before your dad changes his mind again -

- Good idea - the girl agreed.

- You're going to be a great teacher, Toph - Aang assured her with a cheerful smile.

- Speaking of which - Toph murmured, placing a hand under her chin as if deep in thought, - I want to show you something. -

- Okay - Aang agreed, jumping to the ground excitedly, only for pillars of earth to rise up, striking him and hurling him against a tree where he became stuck.

- Now we're even - the girl smiled playfully before raising a hand toward where the two siblings were staring at Aang, wincing in pain. - I'll take that belt back. -

Sokka wasn't going to fight the earthbender, not when he knew what she was capable of, defeating half a dozen giant earthbending fighters as if they were nothing more than insects. He unbuckled the belt and threw it toward the girl, expecting her to catch it, forgetting that the girl was blind. The heavy metal belt landed on the pale girl's head, knocking her down and eliciting a groan of pain.

- Sorry - he murmured apologetically as the girl rubbed her aching head and Aang tumbled from the tree with a small yelp.

What a group they were.

- Alright! - Aang jumped excitedly before using his airbending to leap onto Appa's head with a grin that the dark-haired boy knew wouldn't leave him for days. - All aboard! Time to continue the journey! -

- We have to go east - the girl said, gripping Appa's fur tightly to climb on, eliciting growls from the animal at the force she used. Toph slumped into the saddle with a grimace. - I won't be able to see or feel anything up here. -

- Why east? - Katara asked before Sokka could complain about heading back west to find the missing member of their group.

- There are stone forests, canyons, cliffs, and various rocky areas - Toph replied after a few seconds of silence. - It’s the best direction to learn earthbending, especially if you want to be a master before the end of summer. -

- Nice - Sokka commented before shaking his head. - But we have to go west. Zuko will be there any day now. -

- I suppose we could leave Aang and Toph somewhere to practice and then go find him - Katara suggested, trying to mediate the group. - That way we can meet up again when Aang knows something about earthbending and Sokka can cuddle with his boyfriend. -

- He's not my boyfriend - Sokka said, crossing his arms and frowning. - I haven't asked him yet. -

- Fine - Aang agreed, his smile even wider than before. - So, where are we headed, Toph? -

- To the gates of the Valu River. -

Chapter Text

The stable doors creaked open, waking Zuko, his eyelids still heavy with sleep. He tensed almost imperceptibly, his body alert to any possible situation, his left hand darting beneath his robes to grab one of his knives in case he had to fight.

- Ow! - Lee groaned, falling heavily as he tried to grab the pearl dagger Zuko had left in a half-broken barrel, precisely to trap anyone who tried to take it.

With a sigh of relief that it was Lee rather than a threat, and exasperation, because he couldn't believe the boy had actually tried to take the dagger, Zuko sat up, turning to face the boy, who froze in fear at being caught.

- I was going to feed the pigs - Lee said quickly, earning a blank stare from the former prince.

- It's the middle of the night and they're asleep - the golden-eyed man gestured toward the snoring animals in the pens on the other side of the stable before pointing to the destroyed barrel containing the pearl dagger. Realizing too late that he had spoken, it was easier to remember before when the pain warned him, but if he had already spoken, he could drop his act and communicate with the boy. - And your arm is still outstretched toward the dagger. Were you planning to steal it? -

- No! - the boy shouted quickly before looking terrified toward the door. When he looked back at the teenager, he whispered - No. -

- Your parents think you're still asleep - the older one stated, turning around with his legs crossed as the younger boy lowered his gaze and shook his head. - What were you planning to do? -

- When you faced the soldiers, you held something shiny - Lee murmured. - I thought it was a weapon and I wanted to see it, and when I went inside, that dagger was there, so I wanted to see it and practice. -

- Practice? Do you even know how it works? - Zuko repeated, frowning.

- you stick it with the pointed end? - the boy tried. The former archer, Yuyan, opened his mouth to refute, only to remain speechless for a few seconds because, theoretically, the boy wasn't wrong. Finally, he closed his mouth and stood up, reaching for the dagger and hiding it under his robes, much to the boy's dismay.

- That's correct, actually - he said, turning toward the gates and pulling a dagger from the sleeves of his robes while Lee followed the metallic glint in the moonlight with his eyes - but it's more complicated than just sticking with it - He glanced over his shoulder at the boy still lying on the ground. - Are you coming? -

- Are you going to teach me? - Lee asked excitedly, jumping up and running toward Zuko. In less than a second, he was walking beside him toward the sunflower fields.

- Don't get too excited, I'm terrible at teaching - the pale boy replied. He hadn't told Sokka this when he asked him to train him, but Sokka already had a solid foundation in fighting and weapons handling, so it was just a matter of polishing it with what he remembered from his own training. Teaching Lee from scratch would be more difficult, but in the middle of a war, the boy might need to defend himself at any moment, so he wouldn't leave him knowing only to stick the weapons with the pointed end. - Do you know how to hold it? - he asked, handing the weapon to the boy, who accepted it with a toothless grin before his smile faded, along with his head falling in embarrassment.

- Only for cooking - he muttered sheepishly.

- It's more than many people know - the golden-eyed boy tried to reassure him - but, first of all, this isn't a knife, much less a kitchen knife. -

- It looks like one... -

- It's a dagger - Zuko interrupted, trying not to lose the patience he knew he had very little of. - The blade is triangular. It can have variations that make it not all triangular, but the pointy part is always triangular. That's what allows it to be used for stabbing, or sticking, as you say. - The boy smiled, nodding vigorously as the older boy pulled out another identical weapon. - Now, this type of dagger is called a pugio. It has two sharp edges, or a double blade, so it can also be used for cutting on both sides or even carving, but it's mainly recognized by its symmetrical curve on both sides, like two 'S's facing each other, and by the shape of the handle with a central knot that allows it to be held like a fist. - He demonstrated with the other dagger how the weapon should be held, and Lee quickly imitated him. - That's where the name pugio comes from. -

- I think you’d really liked my brother, Sensu - the boy commented, moving around the sunflower field, maintaining the pose Zuko struck – he used to show me stuff like thiss all the time –

- I don’t tend to get along with others - the teenager denied - but maybe he would have gotten along with my cousin Lu Ten. He’s the one who taught me how to use weapons. -

- Why don’t you travel with your cousin? - Lee asked, abandoning his stance to turn and look at the golden-eyed boy. - Where is he? -

- He went to war - the former Fire Nation prince replied. - I haven’t seen him since. - And he wouldn’t. Lu Ten had died at only twenty years old in a war started by his own ancestors. - I miss him. -

- Yeah, I miss Sensu too - the younger boy murmured. Zuko swallowed hard, reminding himself that he shouldn’t get attached to or empathize with the boy. He had to follow his own path. He would teach him a few moves so he could defend himself, but nothing more.

- There are two main movements for the pugio - Zuko said, returning to his stance, followed by Lee. - It's still a weapon, so how you use it is up to you, but these are the basic movements. The first is a hook shaped thrust from below - he explained, demonstrating the movement. He started with the weapon in a fist from below, his arm slightly bent, then raised the weapon and brought it forward. First, he moved slowly so the boy could observe, and then quickly and accurately to show the proper technique. - In a fight between people of similar height, this would allow you to reach the heart by passing below the sternum. But even if you're shorter or aiming lower, it would damage the internal organs. To repair this, the wound would have to be reopened, making it difficult to treat. Combined with the fatal nature of the damage, it ensures the opponent's end. -

Lee nodded, mimicking the movement as best he could and managing a fairly passable attempt for his first time.

- The second movement takes advantage of the sharp edges - Zuko explained, now raising the knife to chest level and slightly extending his arm to the side. - The arm pulls back first to gather momentum for the next part, which is to arc upwards and forwards until it impacts your enemy. - He demonstrated again, first slowly and then with real force and speed, letting the sound of air being cut through the vast silence of the night in the distant countryside. - It's a more violent and abrupt movement, but that doesn't mean it's more deadly. It's primarily intended to damage or maim, as it aims to strike the shoulder. Depending on the intensity, it can create a wound or strike sufficient to force the enemy to drop the weapon or even sever the shoulder bone so severely that it has to be removed for the subject's survival. -

The young man nodded again before attempting to mimic the gesture, stumbling forward from the excessive force he'd used in his arm. His legs were jerking forward, taking hurried steps to avoid falling face-first into the ground. If he had a training dummy, he'd be falling against it, though it wouldn't be as clumsy as when, lacking anything to hit, he slipped several steps.

- Practice technique before strength, or before trying to increase speed - the golden-eyed man commented, taking a couple of steps back to give the boy more space. - And try combining movements. Don't attack the air just for the sake of it. Use your imagination to visualize an opponent's shape; that way you can get an idea of ​​where to direct your attacks. -

The boy from the Earth Kingdom nodded, taking a breath before beginning to combine attacks, focusing on a form invisible to everyone but him. He was soon lost in his fight with the imaginary rival, letting the weapon's gleam in the moonlight mesmerize the former prince of the Fire Nation.

Once the doors to his room closed, Zuko dropped Uncle Iroh's doll gift onto one of the tables with other dolls that his grandfather or father had given him over time when they remembered his birthday at the last minute and sent a servant to buy a doll, but unlike all those times when Uncle Iroh's doll fell a metallic sound resonated, drawing Zuko's attention back to the gift.

In the future, Zuko would be more cautious about strange gifts and the place where he found them before opening them, but at ten years old and unaware of the dangers of the world, the overly curious boy ran towards the doll, beginning to examine it from end to end until he finally found the recent stitching, well hidden beneath the doll's hairline. It clashed with the meticulous work of the artisan; outside of those who were taught sewing and embroidery, or those with an eye for detail, the stitching would have been perceived as just like the others on the doll. But being an omega from the royal court of the Fire Nation palace, forced to do sewing even though he was terrible at it, according to his governess, Zuko recognized that this work, even worse than his own, must have been done not only by someone unfamiliar with sewing techniques, but also by someone who had used excessive force in the stitches. He suspected a soldier, and since it was Uncle Iroh's gift, he guessed that Iroh himself had tried to sew it with black thread, the same color as the doll's hair, after having hidden something inside that he wouldn't have been allowed to give to Zuko otherwise.

Taking a pair of fine scissors from his sewing kit, the young prince cut the threads and began removing the stuffing from the doll until he finally reached the metal surface that had made the sound. He quickly pulled it out to find himself holding a dagger with a scroll attached, bearing Uncle Iroh's unmistakable handwriting.

Excited by the hidden gift, Zuko unrolled the scroll, eager to read his uncle's words, while his other hand still held the dagger aloft as if he were about to wield it immediately for a fight with an imaginary enemy.

- My dear nephew - Zuko read in his head - I have heard of your recent appreciation for the craftsmanship of weapons. Seeking to further your studies, I present you with this gift: a pearl dagger that belonged to the general who surrendered when we broke through the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. Note the inscription and the superior craftmanship. -

Leaving the letter aside Zuko, he focused on the dagger, drawing it from its case to examine the steel, sharpened on one side and engraved in silver. He quickly read the words, murmuring them to himself: - Never give up without a fight. -

Zuko had no idea how Uncle Iroh had found out. Rumors certainly couldn't have been when the only ones that knew about his training were Master Piandao and Cousin Lu Ten. Cousin Lu Ten was in another regiment, so he couldn't have told uncle Iroh since the last time either of them had seen him, and Master Piandao didn't know Uncle Iroh. But Zuko didn't care how it had happened. He just had a secret gift: a pearl dagger from a general in Ba Sing Se. He was ecstatic, and he soon began practicing, slashing at the air in his room, lit only by moonlight that made the weapon gleam in his hands.

- We should go back - Zuko murmured, returning to the present and looking at the exhausted boy who was still trying to strike his invisible enemy. - It's late. -

- I'm not tired - the boy lied.

- You'll be in the morning if you don't sleep well - Zuko retorted before turning to get back to the stable. Lee quickly ran after him and handed the weapon to the teenager. - Thanks for teaching me. -

- As long as you want to learn, I'll be happy to teach you - the golden-eyed man shrugged before waving goodbye to the younger boy.

The next morning, Zuko prepared to continue his journey. Sela handed him a package of pre-prepared food that only needed to be heated. He said goodbye to the family and started to walk away, only to stop when he heard a group of riders rapidly approaching the farmhouse, under the suspicious gaze of the resident family.

- What do you want, Gow? - Gansu asked, confronting the soldiers.

- just thought someone ought to tell you that your son's battalion got captured. - no, the soldier wanted to get under the man's skin; he couldn't care less about informing him of the situation. The mocking tone only made his motives obvious, which only made things worse when the news was truly important. - you boys hear what the fire nation did with their last group of Earth Kingdom prisoners? -

- dressed ’em up in the fire nation uniforms and put them on the front line unarmed, way I heard it – another soldier replied before spitting to the side – then they just watch –

In a war like that, Zuko wouldn't be surprised if it were true, though that wouldn't stop him from being disappointed once again by the inhuman actions of some generals, or how ruthless humans themselves could be.

- you watch your mouth - Gansu growled at the soldier. The commander moved swiftly, ready to fight, probably having planned the reaction of a father worried about his son so he could fight without being able to argue back.

Zuko drew his dagger, letting the sun strike the metal and the gleam fall into the eyes of the corrupt commander, catching his attention. A trace of insecurity flashed across his face, and he stepped back with a grunt before turning around in his ostrich horse. - why bother rooting around with these pigs? -

- What's gonna happen to my brother? – Lee asked as Zuko sadly recalled the day his mother informed them of the deaths of Uncle Iroh and Cousin Lu Ten, leaving nothing but charred bodies and leaving his family to grieve as Sela did now for her son.

- I’m going to the front, I’m going to find Sensu and bring him back - Gansu replied, returning home to prepare while his wife clung to him, sobbing.

- When my dad goes, will you stay? - Lee asked, running toward Zuko with pleading eyes that the paler boy couldn't face.

- No, I have to go - Staying would end in disaster; it always did, ending with Zuko having to escape, or people hating him with a passion, or both. Zuko was so tired of receiving the hatred of everyone he cared about. No, Zuko couldn't stay, but he also couldn't leave the boy unprotected. - Here, I want you to have this. - The golden eyed boy drew the pearl dagger from his belt and handed it to the Earth Kingdom boy. - Read the inscription. -

- Made in the Earth Kingdom - the boy murmured, confused.

- The other one - the teenager retorted, exasperated.

- Never give up without a fight - the Earth Kingdom boy read as Zuko walked away, leaving the Earth Kingdom family with the last of his own family.

- Zuzu? - Azula called, entering the dark room. Hidden beneath his blankets, Zuko had no idea if she was alone or not, but he couldn't risk being caught by some servant who would spread the story about the crying prince throughout the palace, becoming a rumor that reached everyone; by some soldier who would tell the entire military, causing him to lose what little respect he had from them; or, with Zuko's terrible luck, by his own father, who would end up punishing him for being weak and childish, a disappointing failure as a prince of the Fire Nation. Taking a deep breath, Zuko forced his sobs to stop and wiped away his tears before poking his head out to meet his sister's eyes. - Were you crying? -

Oh well, his attempts to erase his disappointing actions had been immediately crushed, although at least it was only Azula who had discovered him.

- Will you tell our father? - Zuko asked worriedly as he sat down, hugging his legs still under his blankets.

- That'll only end in punishment for you - Azula said, sitting down next to Zuko. - Father wants us to go see Fire Lord Azulon - she said, mocking at using her grandfather's title. - He requested an audience as soon as he found out about Uncle Iroh and Cousin Lu Ten. -

- Why? - the boy murmured, confused.

- Because instead of crying like a fool for no reason, he decided to act. - Zuko looked down at his hands, embarrassed, earning a frown from his sister before she understood and raised her eyebrows. - I wasn't being an idiot for you. Mother went to the temple to cry and pray to the spirits for Uncle Iroh and Cousin Lu Ten, as if that would do any good. They're already dead. -

- What about you? - Zuko asked, looking worriedly at his twin and taking her hands in support. - How are you feeling about the news? -

- Fine. I don't care what happened - Azula replied, blinking before raising her eyes without moving her head to avoid her brother's gaze.

- You promised you wouldn't lie to me - Zuko muttered, frowning.

- I didn’t lie - Azula replied, controlling her tone of voice so it sounded both relaxed and confident, not betraying her lies.

-You blinked to hold back tears - the older twin murmured, resting his head on the other’s shoulder - and you avoided my gaze when you said you didn’t care. -

- I’ll fix that - Azula grumbled. - And I don’t cry or shed tears. -

- Not even for your uncle or cousin? -

- I’ll admit I’m surprised they failed and died - Azula murmured - but I don’t understand the great sorrow. It’s a war. What did you expect? – She rolled her eyes before looking down at her twin – as long as it's not you, I don't care who dies – the pale girl's hand reached out, combing the strands of her brother's black hair and tucking them behind his ear, away from his tear stained face – not that I should worry, omegas don't go to war –

- But you're an alpha - Zuko said, the realization dawning on him, and he began to cry with fear and pain. - I don't want you to go to war. I don't want you to die. - The boy's arms flew around his younger twin, hugging her desperately. - Please, Azula, don't go to war. I don't want to lose you, ever, please. -

- They won't send me to war, Zuzu - Azula protested, pulling away from the boy's arms to go to his bedside table and grab a handkerchief, which she held out to her brother. - Here. - Zuko took the handkerchief, wiping away any trace of tears from his face while Azula avoided looking at him. The gesture, though cold to some, was Azula's way of trying to comfort him when he couldn't control his crying. - We are the crown prince and princess now, Zuko - she murmured, sitting down beside him. - After our father, we will be the Fire Lords. They can't send us to war and risk losing the bloodline. -

- Uncle Iroh was the crown prince, and Lu Ten was his only son - Zuko remembered her– but they went to war –

- To take Ba Sing Se - the girl replied. - It was an important mission. They’d only risk sending us for missions like that. -

The golden-eyed boy reached out and took the girl’s hand, giving it a light squeeze as they looked directly into each other’s eyes. - If you’re ever sent on a mission, no matter what it is, take me with you. -

- Omegas don’t go to war. -

- I don’t care - Zuko retorted. - We’ve been together since we were in our mother’s womb. We’ll be together even after death. -

- I won’t put you in danger - Azula grumbled.

- I won't let you face it alone - Zuko retorted, shrugging. - Besides, nothing will be dangerous once I'm a firebending master. -

- With how bad you are, that'll be a decade away - the raven-haired girl huffed before a pillow slammed into her face. Azula's head snapped toward her brother in utter disbelief before she smiled amusedly. - You'll pay for that. -

The two siblings quickly became embroiled in a playful scuffle that escalated into a pillow and cushion fight, using the many pillows and cushions the omega had in his room. This eventually turned into a game of tag, where their mother found them and stopped them to tidy them up before leading them to the audience their father had requested with Fire Lord Azulon. There, he gave his two children a surprise exam and then asked the child prodigy to demonstrate her firebending skills. Zuko's father's lips curled slightly in a gesture of approval, and, eager to earn the same approval, the boy took a breath, wanting to declare his intention to demonstrate his power.

- No - Azula murmured, grabbing his wrist and drawing his attention before any words could escape his lips. - You'll interfere with his plans. You'll anger him. -

Zuko closed his eyes and let the words die in his throat, under the bewildered gaze of his mother, who was puzzled by the children's interaction.

- Prince Ozai - called Fire Lord Azulon, drawing the attention of both children and their mother, making them return to their perfect positions and royal roles, just like in one of the gigantic paintings in the palace. - Why are you wasting my time with this pomp? - growled the ninety five year old. - just tell me what you want, everyone else, go. -

Ursa rose, leading the way for her two children toward the exit of the great hall. Zuko followed, being the older twin, and Azula, the younger twin, trailed behind him. Lady Ursa disappeared behind the curtains of the door with an elegant gesture, but before Zuko could do the same, his wrist was caught by his younger sister and dragged behind the curtains that lined the walls, hiding among them, much to the girl's amusement and her brother's concern.

- Father… -

- You should be mourning the loss of your brother and nephew - Azulon growled, interrupting him. - Unless your intention is to take your brother's place in the war and conquer Ba Sing Se, I don't know what your reason would be for interrupting my mourning. -

- I am nothing but your humble servant, Fire Lord - Ozai assured him. - That is why I offer to assume the role of the new Fire Lord so that you may grieve properly… -

- Assume the role of Fire Lord? What makes you think I would give you that role? -

- With the deaths of Iroh and his son Lu Ten, I am the sole heir… -

- No, you, your children, and any future children are heirs to the throne - the Fire Lord interrupted with an annoyed growl. - If you were the Fire Lord, the title of Crown Prince would pass to your eldest son, an omega who would marry some nobleman who would usurp the throne. -

- You are right, Father - Ozai conceded, lowering his head. - It is a disgrace, but our law still dictates that the eldest son is the one who must inherit the throne. -

- Don’t remind me of the laws when I myself wrote several of them - Azulon rebuked before a smile spread across his lips. - That is precisely why I know how to resolve this situation. -

- I will do your bidding, Fire Lord. - Ozai bowed to Azulon, hiding his face with a wry smile before his expression returned to a serious one, directed at the older man.

- No king can hold two thrones through marriage, and the Prince of Ba Sing Se isn’t far from Prince Zuko’s age - the old man began, startling Zuko, who clutched his sister’s hand. - A political marriage: the Fire Nation prince, a young omega, virgin and beautiful like his mother, the perfect groom for any king. Plus, a peace treaty. Ba Sing Se will readily accept and beg for its swift implementation. - The flames around the throne rose to lick the ceiling, leaving only a small space for Azulon and Ozai to maintain their shared gaze. - We will hold the wedding in the alpha’s palace, as is customary. We will let them eat and drink their fill, and then watch them die from poisoning while our soldiers slaughter the few men who can fight. -

Zuko recoiled in horror and tried to run to escape the horrors his grandfather was describing. His grandfather would never… wouldn't they? No, it wouldn't be honorable or dignified. They wouldn't do any of the things they were saying. They couldn't do them. It was… cruel.

- We will destroy our enemies from within - Ozai grinned as Azula held Zuko back, preventing his escape. She peered through the curtains, a furious grimace etched on her face, her fangs bared. - We will take the Earth Kingdom. -

- And we will avenge my son - Azulon agreed, letting the flames return to their normal size. - We will let the royal family survive so we can make them pay slowly for what they took from us. -

- We won't let that happen - Azula assured him before grabbing his arm and running for the exit, pulling him with her through the corridors. - We will flee. That decrepit old man won't use you to win the war. -

- There they are - the children's mother called out, worried, finding them around a corner. - What were you doing? -

- Mom - Zuko cried. - Are they going to marry me off to the prince of Ba Sing Se? -

- What are you talking about? - Ursa asked, worried, kneeling down to be at her children's level.

- It's none of your business - Azula growled. Lady Ursa frowned before taking both children's hands and pulling them to safety.

- We need to talk. -

- You have to help us! - A shout reached Zuko in the distance, accompanied by the sound of rickety cart wheels and the clatter of an ostrich horse's hooves. He startled, whirling around in a fighting stance before relaxing as he recognized Sela as the woman who had just jumped out of the cart and was running towards him. - It's Lee. The thugs from town came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled a knife on them - The pale boy turned his head, feeling a surge of fury directed at himself for having given the weapon to the child. - I don't even know where he got a knife... then they took him away - she said, covering his face to try and stifle his sobs. - They told me if Lee's old enough to fight, he's old enough to join the army - The woman fell to her knees, her body trembling between sobs. - I know we barely know you... but... -

- I'll get your son back -  Zuko said, stopping the woman's sobs, which had already cut her off seconds before.

Zuko had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something that would only make things worse, to keep from telling her that all of this was his fault, for speaking and acting without thinking, just as he had done five years ago. It was his fault that his mother disappeared, and now it was his fault that Lee had been taken to war. But now he could do something. Now he could save someone.

Chapter Text

Zuko rode into the village on Sela's ostrich horse, her arms clinging to his back before he handed her the reins. He jumped forward to face the soldiers who had emerged to block his path to the village's water tower, beneath which Lee was tied up like a criminal instead of a young boy whose only fault had been trying to protect his home.

- Let the kid go - Lee ordered, looking directly at the corrupt village commander, who did nothing but laugh in his face as the entire village gathered around the main street, sensing the approaching fight.

- Who do you think you are? - Gow asked once his laughter subsided, realizing that no one else was doing it - telling us what to do? -

- It doesn’t matter who I am - the teenager shrugged dismissively - but I know who you are - he declared, looking them directly in the eyes to reveal the truth. - You’re not soldiers, you’re bullies, freeloaders abusing your power, mostly over women and kids. You don’t want Lee in your army; you’re sick cowards messing with a family who’s already lost one son to the war. -

- Are you going to let this stranger stand there and insult you like this? - Gow growled at his soldiers, and Zuko would be lying if he said he was surprised by the cowardice of the man who sent his henchmen to fight for him instead of fighting himself or leading the soldiers under his command.

A soldier with a messy bun and a goatee was the first to attempt an attack after receiving an angry glare from the commander. He raised his spear, baring his fangs at the teenager, before charging at him, the golden eyed boy draw a knife with sharp steel at both ends and a handle in the middle. In an inexperienced hand, it would have easily injured its wielder. It was fortunate, then, that Zuko had worked so hard to master it; the only one it would harm was whoever got in the way of the former archer, Yuyan.

With a fluid movement, Zuko dodged the spear by moving to the side and turning over it to let the man continue advancing until he was only centimeters away. He caught the spear, stopping its advance and thus the soldier's movement, while at the same time placing the knife against the man's throat, freezing him in terror.

- Don't kill me - the man gasped, before Zuko swung his hand, raising the knife to the man's jaw. The man closed his eyes, terrified of death, only for the golden-eyed man to run the blade across the skin of his chin, shaving it with a swift motion, before kicking him in the chest, sending him flying backward.

The man fell with a scream, desperately clutching his neck and face, searching for wounds. Finding none, he looked up terrified, but relieved to be alive, before turning and running, screaming for his life.

Zuko dropped his knife, letting one end stick into the ground, before picking up the spear the soldier had left behind. He snapped off the end of the shaft opposite the point and jammed it into the knife, creating a double-edged spear. He twirled it in his hand, pointing it at the commander, who did nothing but growl, baring his fangs and pushing his two remaining henchmen toward him to fight.

The first man let out a battle cry, charging at Zuko with his spear raised, only to have it pierced by the pale boy's spear and embedded in the ground, forcing the man to bend over, almost at a ninety-degree angle, if one disregard the arc formed by the man's back, his hands still clinging to the shaft, the soldier's face exposed and vulnerable as Zuko used his spear to propel himself forward, kicking the soldier in the face with both feet before using the same force to return to his previous position. He withdrew his spear and watched the man fall to the other side, his nose broken and the imprint of the former prince's soles on his face.

The golden-eyed man made sure to hide his shock and sorrow as the man spat out a broken tooth in horror before running away, sobbing, in the opposite direction from the teenager.

The third soldier approached trembling and running too slowly for an attack that was supposed to be a surprise; a simple upward kick broke the spear at the horrified gaze of the man who dropped the remains of the spear amid screams and turned around to escape.

The teenager's eyes fell on the corrupt commander, who drew a pair of warhammers from his belt, biting the air in a threatening gesture before assuming his fighting stance. The former archer Yuyan, ignored him, instead breaking off the end of his spear where his double-ended knife was attached, sheathing it, and tucking it into his robes. He drew two daggers instead. He would have preferred his dao swords or a pair of sais for a two-handed fight, but he wasn't a walking armory and had neither at the moment, so he had to make do with the two daggers, which he twirled in his hands before taking his own fighting stance, awaiting the man's next move.

The earthbender struck the ground beneath him, raising massive chunks of earth the same size as his hammers before hurling them at the firebender, who had to cross his weapons in front of him to protect himself, taken by surprise by the unexpected movement. The commander smiled broadly, striking the ground again to raise more chunks of hardened earth and launching them at greater speed at the young stranger, who began to jump and spin, dodging the man's increasingly rapid and furious attacks.

He couldn't dodge indefinitely, zuko thought, and althought the earthbender would eventually get tired, given the poor diet and sleep of Zuko the previous days, coupled with the more strenuous movements of jumping, spinning, and acrobatics, he risked exhaustion before then, or perhaps none of them would tire until after nightfall, by which time the escaped soldiers could return with more of their own and capture the Fire Nation boy.

The former archer Yuyan, jumped and spun in midair to avoid two rocks flying toward him, simultaneously throwing one of his daggers. It lodged in the soldier's shoulder, who howled in a mixture of surprise and pain as he stumbled back to examine his shoulder. The teenager dropped to one knee and used the position to search for another dagger hidden in his boots, realizing too late that he only had the ones tucked into his tunic at forearm level, the very ones he was fighting with. And he had threw one of them.

Now he only had one; he couldn't block or break the giant chunks of compacted earth with a single dagger. He had to retrieve the dagger stuck in the corrupt commander's shoulder.

Pulling three shurikens from the lining of his robes and securing them between his knuckles, he charged toward the earthbender, who gruntly ripped the dagger from his shoulder, only to drop it and resume grabbing his hammers, hurling rock after rock at the firebender. The firebender began to zigzag, leaping and acrobatically dodging the attacks on the ground and in the air, all while closing the distance. Every so often, he threw the shurikens; the first sliced ​​deeply into the corrupt soldier's arm, the second lodged in his thigh, and the third made a thin but painful cut across the man's cheekbone.

- Yes! Throw another one! At his hands! Or his feet! At his knee! - shouted an old man, his fist raised high, from the crowd surrounding the street as if the fight were the best entertainment he'd had in years.

- He's not an old man like you, his knees don't hurt - scolded the old woman beside him, whom Zuko, with a quick glance, guessed was his wife.

- It'll still hurt with a knife stuck in them - Zuko thought, pulling another shuriken from his robes and fulfilling the old man's wish by throwing it at the soldier's knee. The soldier growled furiously and bent over to remove out the weapon. - Yes! -

Zuko lunged one last time, grabbing the dagger, intending to roll away and assume a fighting stance before launching a final weapon on weapon attack. His plans were thwarted when, upon reaching for the dagger, it didn't got out of the ground; instead, it plunged down with his hand, trapping him and leaving him vulnerable.

- What's wrong, kid? Surprised? - the man asked boastfully, a smug smile spreading across his face. Zuko knew he should keep quiet and not anger the person who had him trapped and with weapons pointed at his head… but he couldn't stop the small smirk from rising in mockery as he stared at the earthbender.

- I am. I didn't think you had the intelligence to make a plan. - The corrupt man's smile faded, and the golden-eyed boy took advantage of the opening, sweeping his legs beneath him and sending him sprawling. With the dagger in his other hand, he struck the ground, freeing himself, though he had to abandon the other dagger. He turned to face the Earth Kingdom soldier, only to find he had taken too long. The other man had made his move, and before he could stand or finish turning, a hammer slammed into his ankle, sending him crashing to the ground with a scream.

- He knocked him down - the old man gasped in surprise.

Another hammer descended toward Zuko, aiming to shatter his ribcage. The teenager dodged it only because he rolled to the side using the strength of his arms. He couldn't roll the same way when the earth beneath him surged up, hurling him against a house and letting the rubbles partially bury him as he gasped for air.

Their mother had sent them to their rooms after Azula and Zuko told her everything they had heard. She assured them that everything would be alright and that the best thing for them at that moment was to go to bed. Azula did so reluctantly, saying goodbye to her brother only when the corridors they had to take pointed in completely different directions. In his room, Zuko clutched the pearl dagger that Uncle Iroh had given him before deciding to hide it under his pillow and try to sleep for what felt like hours until finally falling into the world of dreams.

- Zuko, I need to talk to you - his mother's voice startled him abruptly as she took him by the shoulders, sitting him up to face her, even though the boy couldn't focus on her, sleep still heavy on his eyelids. - Please, my love, listen to me - Ursa pleaded, drawing the boy's attention. He struggled to fight off sleep, managing only to blink half-asleep. - Everything I've done, I’ve donne to protect you - the golden-eyed boy's mother assured him, hugging him tightly before pulling back to look him directly in the eyes. - Remember this, Zuko, no matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are. -

No, he hadn't forgotten who he was, Zuko thought to himself. He hadn't forgotten the name and role of the person he had been at birth and in his early years, but he had hidden it from everyone he had met since escaping the palace. He had become someone else, no longer the person his mother had known when she said goodbye before disappearing into the shadows of the palace.

The corrupt commander walked toward the fallen body of the former prince, twirling his hammers before raising them, intent on striking and crushing the teenager's chest into nothing but a pulp of flesh, bone, and blood.

Zuko was no longer the same person he had been in the palace, just as he was no longer the same person he had been at Liang's house, or at Pohuai Fortress. He wasn't Lee, the friend of the Avatar's small group, or the Blue Spirit who made corrupt military officials of every nation pay. He wasn't even the boy who helped the freedom fighters without knowing what he was getting himself into. He was none of them anymore. He had evolved with every lesson and mistake. He would never forget who he had been throughout his life, even if his mother's last memory didn't remind him every time he thought of her, but he would never be any of them again.

- Get up - he heard Lee's defeated plea whispered in the distance.

Before the earthbender could deliver his final blow, Zuko raised his legs in a spiraling motion, surrounded by flames, accompanied by a war cry. The fire struck and knocked Gow down, sending him flying several meters through the air before he landed on his back with a groan of surprise and pain, his clothes smoking and his skin reddened. As the flames fell, forming a circle around the firebender, he used the momentum of his leg movement to jump into a fighting stance.

He wasn't going to let the man even recover; he wouldn't allow him to attack him again.

Growling menacingly, Zuko jumped out of the circle of flames, forming whips of fire in both hands as he charged toward the commander. The man tried to raise earth walls in front of himself for protection, but the whips wound around the structure and caught him from behind, lifting him by his ankle and wrist. The fire seared the man's skin where it touched him, eliciting screams of pain mixed with pure horror before he was hurled against the houses with enough force to disappear into the rubble inside. He was dragged once more to the street where the firebender awaited him, still surrounded by flames as if it wanted to  engulge him, but even the flames knew better than to attempt that.

- who... who are you? - Gow gasped painfully, looking up at the teenager who, with a single movement, reset the dislocated ankle the soldier had left him with by striking him with his hammers.

- Do I have to be someone special for you to value me? - Zuko asked, kneeling beside him to take the pearl dagger the soldier had strapped to his belt. - I'm a human being like anyone else in this village. That should be enough for you, or anyone else. You're no more or less than anyone else here; you're their equal. Your profession doesn't mean you can take advantage of them; it means you must protect them from external threats, not be the threat to them. -

- A firebender! You're from the Fire Nation! - the old man shouted, pointing at the golden-eyed boy.

Zuko stood up and turned to Lee, who was being untied by his mother. Upon seeing him, she immediately stepped between her cub and the threat that the teenager now represented.

- not a step closer - the mother growled, baring her fangs at the firebender. Though fear was clear in her eyes, the boy with the scar ignored the pain of her gesture and words as he dropped to one knee to be at the same level as the Earth Kingdom child.

- It's yours - Zuko offered, extending the pearl dagger like an offering to the frightened boy. - you should have it -

- No - Lee growled, his fear replaced by hatred in a scowl directed at the golden-eyed boy. - I hate you. -

The Earth Kingdom boy turned and walked away with his mother. The former Fire Nation prince forced himself to maintain an emotionless expression as he felt another stake pierce his heart, joining the others already deep within.

- Mom! - Zuko cried, waking in shock as memories of his mother's visit flooded his mind. He jumped out of bed and ran to the doors, only to find them opening and his sister entering. With a gesture to the guards outside, she made them close the door behind her. - Azula? What's wrong? Where's Mom? I had a dream… -

- No one knows - the girl answered to his last question. - I came to tell you. There are rumors that she disappeared. - The girl started pacing around the room. - And last night, Grandpa passed away. -

- not funny Azula - Zuko shook his head, earning a frown from her.

- I'm not joking, the new Fire Lord is organizing the funeral for the…- His words trailed off as the prodigy's gaze fell upon the bed of the now crowned prince. Zuko followed her gaze, finding in horror that beneath his pillow, a tiny part of the end of the pearl dagger Uncle Iroh had given him was visible.

- Azula… . the boy tried to call, but his sister reacted immediately, leaping onto the bed and pulling out the dagger before Zuko could do anything. She unsheathed the weapon, examined it, and glared disapprovingly at her twin.

- Why do you have a knife? - she asked in an angry whisper.

- It's not a knife - was all he could think to reply, also in a whisper so as not to attract the attention of the guards.

- Omegas can't carry weapons - Azula scolded. - You'll cut yourself for playing with this, and then you'll be punished for having it. -

- I'm not playing with it, and I'm not going to cut myself. I know how to use it. -

- How do you know how to use it? - Zuko couldn't answer that, not without getting Master Piandao into trouble or tarnishing his deceased cousin's name.

- Watching the soldiers train - he lied, and Zuko was a terrible liar, but that didn't matter because his sister ignored the signs of the lie, enraged by the words that came out of the omega's mouth.

- You did what?! - The boy took a step back, worried that he had made things worse, when Azula shouted, not caring that the guards could hear her - You went to watch the soldiers train! Alone! Who knows how many times! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is for you?! -

- I can go wherever I want, and I can take care of myself! - the prince shouted back at his sister.

- Oh yeah? Is that why you stick to my side every time advisors, nobles, or generals appear at the palace? - The boy avoided his sister's gaze, growling irritably at the reminder. - If you can take care of yourself, then stop following me when... -

- Fine - Zuko replied, cutting the girl off. - I don't need you or anyone else. I can take care of myself. -

- Fine - Azula agreed with a sneer before throwing the dagger at her brother's desk, knocking over everything on it and shattering half of it without a shred of remorse. - Keep that stupid dagger. I don't care. It's hideous anyway. - The prodigy princess walked past him, heading for the doors, leaving trails of fiery footprints and the burning scent of fury after her. She slammed the door open, and Zuko turned in her direction as Azula did the same, only to deepen her frown as she addressed the guards stationed at the door. - From now on, you will follow and watch the Crown Prince from the moment he leaves his chambers until he returns. The same goes for those on duty. I'm sure you heard the argument. I want you to inform his governess and have her take action. -

- Yes, Princess - the guards nodded with a reverence that Azula didn't even bother to acknowledge, turning on her heel and disappearing down the corridor as the doors to Zuko's room closed again.

Three days later, the funeral was held for Fire Lord Azulon, his eldest son Prince Iroh, Prince Lu Ten , who was Prince Iroh's eldest son, and Lady Ursa, wife of the current Fire Lord Ozai. Prince Zuko didn't hear the funeral rites and prayers, standing stoically beside his father, fighting back tears. His father, beside him, didn't even bother to acknowledge his presence, staring intently as the remains of his father, wife, brother, and nephew were cremated. On the other side, Azula completely ignored him, maintaining the same stoic expression.

Her father was crowned immediately afterward, though he had been using the title since the death of the previous Fire Lord to issue the first orders of his reign. When he rose wearing the Fire Lord's golden crown shaped like flames, instead of the Fire Nation prince's crown, every person in the Fire Sages' Temple knelt and bowed until their foreheads were an inch from the ground in reverence to the new Fire Lord. From the common folk watching from beyond the gates and the servants hiding in the corridors to the nobility and military in the temple courtyard, even the Fire Sages, from the newest acolyte to the eldest sage, the only two remaining princes, Ozai's children, were no exception, though they were only required to bow with one knee on the ground and their heads bowed. Azula ignored this last requirement, gazing at her father with a smile, still learning from his every action, something no one noticed, not even Prince Zuko beside her, who was suppressing all his emotions to mechanically continue with what was required of him.

He didn't feel much different than before, a stoic, emotionless face, continuing on his path with nothing better to do with his life. Back then, he had followed his father in the funeral procession, and now he followed the desolate road ahead as the sun disappeared over the horizon, as if even Agni wanted to vanish from his life. Not that Zuko could blame him if he did.

When the sun rose again the next day, Zuko was still walking, having not stopped even to eat the food Sela had given him, one that now he didn't even dare to look, nor to sleep, nor to tend to his wounds or his ankle, which every now and then sent a jolt of pain back.

Heavy, rapid footsteps jolted Zuko out of his daze, making him spin around, a shuriken between his knuckles, ready to throw if whoever approached posed a threat.

He didn't need to use them, though he had to dive to the ground to avoid the shirshu's tongue, which was overly excited to find him, before the golden-eyed boy could start scratching behind the creature ears and hugging him around the neck.

- You look awful - June said from the animal's saddle.

- Thanks - Zuko rolled his eyes at June's words. - It's a pleasure to see you too. -

- What are you doing here? - she asked, extending a hand to help him up, which the teenager readily accepted, positioning himself behind her. - What happened with your friends from the Water Tribe and the Avatar? -

- We split up - he replied as June nudged the shirshu's flanks to get him running again.

- Sounds like you need a drink - the tattooed girl said, nodding as she understood the boy didn't want to talk about it.

- That sounds like you just want an excuse to have one - the younger boy retorted.

- I don't need an excuse - the bounty hunter smiled brazenly before pulling a dagger from the pouch tucked into the saddle. Zuko recognized it as the one Gow had buried in the ground during their fight. - By the way, you forgot this. -

- What were you doing in that village? – Zuko asked, frowning in confusion, and accepting the dagger to put it in his clothes.

- Nyla caught your scent a day ago. It seemed strange, so I let her lead the way - June shrugged. - I'm guessing you got into a fight, judging by that annoying commander's attitude. I broke his nose. -

- Why? -

- Because I couldn't break anything else with all the injuries you left him with. - The dark-eyed girl shrugged calmly.

- I didn't mean... - The teenager rolled his eyes in exasperation. - Never mind. I was looking for you. By the way, do you still want me as your bounty hunter's assistant? -

- Oh yeah, I love seeing the faces of idiots when they're tricked by sweet creatures like you. - She smiled like a predator after catching its prey before making a face as if she'd just sucked on a sour fruit. - Liang's going to be furious. -

- She doesn't have to know. - The teenager shrugged.

- Great answer - the older girl laughed.

Hours later, they stopped to eat when Zuko's stomach betrayed his lack of food for the past day. They ate and approached a river to drink, only to be interrupted when Nyla began growling around, gesturing to her rider and the human she had grown fond of to climb onto her back.

- What's wrong? - the golden-eyed boy asked as June grunted and quickly packed her things.

- She caught the scent of someone I've tracked before - June explained before jumping onto the saddle and extending a hand toward the teenager.

- So? - the younger boy asked, accepting the hand and being pulled onto the saddle.

- That means I've hunted them before - June growled before cracking her whip to send the shirshu galloping.

Chapter Text

Zuko's sister and her friends found them and chased them all night. To make matters worse, Katara and Toph started fighting at every stop, so everyone was angry, sleepy, and just five minutes away from tearing each other apart. Yeah, Sokka understood why they were fighting in the group.

And again, Sokka couldn't sleep all night! That was a major crime!

What he didn't understand was how Katara and Aang had escalated their fight with Toph to the point where Toph literally left the group.

- What did I just do?! - Aang shouted, throwing his hands up in the air with big puppy eyes, before collapsing beside Appa’s sleeping body. - I can't believe I yelled at the my earthbending teacher, and now she’s gone! -

- I’m know - Katara said as Sokka took a sip of the energy drink General Fong had given Aang, a smile spreading across his face at the taste. - we're all just trying to get used to each other, and I was so mean to her -

- Yeah, you two were preatty much jerks - Sokka agreed, taking another sip of his drink and ignoring his sister’s angry glare.

- Thanks, Sokka - she retorted sarcastically, to which Sokka smiled and raised his cup as if in a toast.

- no problem - he nodded to her.

- We need to find Toph and apologize - Katara said to Aang, taking his hands and pulling him up to his feet.

- That makes two on the list - Sokka muttered, finishing what was left in his cup in one gulp. - Good job, guys. -

- Sokka - the waterbender scolded, calling her brother’s name.

- I’m just stating the facts - the older boy shrugged before putting his cup away and standing up, under the pained stares of the other two. - Sorry, okay? - he grumbled, rolling his eyes. - Fine, we’ll do what you say. But what are we gonna do about that tank full of dangerous ladies chasing us? -

- I have a plan - Aang said, grabbing a stray tuft of the flying bison’s fur.

Oh no, Sokka thought. Aang’s plans always ended badly for the dark-haired boy.

Being covered in soggy tufts of flying bison while being bathed, then drenched by his sister and friend's waterbending, only to have to be licked by Appa again afterward, was certainly annoying for Sokka, but it was far from one of his worst experiences, even washing giant animals. And at least he wasn't the only one involved in his bath this time… and he didn't have to clean between his toes.

- Toph was right, Appa's fur was leaving a trail right to us - Aang said once his beloved hundred year old friend was clean and dry. Unlike Sokka, who was wringing out his clothes beside the now happy benders, Katara could have helped remove the water, or Aang could have dried him, but no, they were better off chatting. - But now that he's clean, no more trail. -

- Are you sure he's okey to fly? - Katara asked, looking uncertainly at the still sleepy flying bison.

- He'll be fine as long as we leave his saddle and all our stuff here - Sokka said, quickly turning his head toward them. Where were they going to leave their things then? Hide them in the bushes? The monk boy didn't seem to care as he continued his rant, gathering strands of white hair from Katara's bag, which by this point Aang had used more than his sister had on the entire journey. - I'm gona use Appa's fur to make a false trail and lead the tank off course. -

- What about our things? - Sokka asked, approaching the group with Momo perched on his shoulder. - Where will we leave them? -

- We could hide them behind some bushes - That was exactly what Sokka didn't want, the warrior growled inwardly as the monk shrugged, dismissing the existence of their belongings. That's why the blue eyed boy hated asking Aang these kinds of questions.

After a terrible job hiding their things in the bushes, Katara and Sokka climbed onto the back of the flying bison. The waterbender took the reins, while the warrior looked around to find the earthbender and make sure no one was following them. He watched in the distance as Aang used his glider to fly away through the air, leaving a trail of white fur.

- Toph couldn't have made it too far - the dark haired boy commented, shifting on the bison's back before hearing Momo hiss, it fur standing on end in hysteria. - What is it, Momo? - he asked, approaching the animal to find out what was bothering it so much. On the dirt path below them, he found the acrobatic and the daggerwielding girls riding giant lizards, trying to catch up. If Sokka could have hissed like Momo, he would have been doing it right now. - Oh no! - he shouted, catching his sister's attention. - Katara! - he pointed at the girls below him. His sister immediately made a face of horror.

- How did they found us! - she gasped in surprise before hiting the reins to make Appa increase his speed, earning nothing more than a tired grunt from the animal, who didn't increase his speed.

- Appa, come on! - the blue eyed boy urged the flying bison, patting its back quickly, hoping the animal would somehow hurry. - We need to go faster. -

- He's too tired - Katara told her brother.

- not good, not good - Sokka muttered, looking around for something that would help them get rid of the girls below them. He noticed the wide river that the girls wouldn't be able to cross without a flying bison, an airbender, or a boat. - We just need to make it across that river. -

- Come on, Appa - the waterbender pleaded at the flying bison. - Just a little further. -

The treetops shattered beneath them, forcing both siblings to grab onto Appa's fur as they stumbled. It was difficult to do this while one of them held the reins of the bison and the other dodged small flying daggers launched by one of the girls below.

However, despite all that, they not only reached the river, where they created waves as they glided so heavily across the water, but they also reached the other side with an exhausted Appa who literally collapsed to the ground in a deep sleep immediately.

- We made it! We're safe! - Sokka shouted in relief, jumping to the ground to see the several, several meters of water separating them from the other side of the river.

- You did it, Appa! - Katara congratulated the flying bison, intending to hug him, only to find him snoring. Instead, she turned to her brother and hugged him. If Sokka hadn't been so relieved, he would have been offended at being second choice after the bison, but given the circumstances, he simply accepted and returned the hug.

It didn't last long.

Katara gasped and let out a small scream, pointing in a direction behind Sokka. When he turned around, he couldn't help but let out a small scream himself, noticing how the two girls were whipping the reins of their giant lizards to keep them from stopping when they reached the water. It made sense when the stupid lizards started running across the water, that shouldn't be possible!

The waterbender reacted by creating a rapid wave of water that she launched toward both girls. The girl with the knives steered her reptilian animal to the side to avoid it, while the acrobat in pink jumped off her mount and propelled herself against trees, landing in front of Katara. Katara quickly backed away so the girl couldn't steal her powers, while she opened her canteens to bend the water inside and fight the girl.

Why did she draw water from her canteen when they were literally next to a river?! Sokka didn't knew it, but he did knew that was the reason why Katara wasn't the one of the plans.

The shadowy girl reached the shore firing small arrows from her sleeves towards the bender, arrows that were destroyed after Sokka jumped in the middle and broke them with his club and boomerang, that did not deter the girl from continuing to attack as she jumped out of her mount, Sokka's club broke the arrows again causing the dark-eyed girl this time to hurry running directly towards Katara who had to turn around and run while the dark-haired boy looked in confusion.

That was his fight. Who was Sokka supposed to fight now?

The answer arrived in a flurry of somersaults, literally, in the form of the acrobatic girl who delivered swift blows to the warrior's arm, somehow rendering it useless. He even dropped his boomerang! The blue eyed boy growled, trying to strike her with the club in his other hand, only for the girl to duck, dodging the blow and disabling his arm, leaving both of them hanging limply at his sides. In a desperate act, Sokka tried to kick her, only for his poor leg to suffer the same fate, sending him reeling forward with his head about to hit the girl. He watched in slow motion as the girl regained her position and threw her hands toward him to immobilize him. The dark haired boy didn't want to know what would happen when she immobilized his head, so he just closed his eyes, bracing for the worst, before feeling something crack against his forehead. The gray-eyed girl let out a groan of pain as Sokka staggered backwards, trying to regain his balance on one leg.

Sokka's eyes flicked from himself to the acrobatic girl, puzzled to see her fussing over a hand with slightly crooked fingers that she was fixing herself at that moment, while she glared at the warrior and pouted as if it were his fault…oh…ha! Point for Sokka.

- good try - the dark-haired boy began mockingly, realizing that the girl's attempted attack had backfired on her, hitting Sokka's hard head, literally. - But no -

- Run!  the pink girl growled, still pouting. Sokka wasn't going to go against that when it was the best thing for him. He spun around and started hopping on one foot as far and as fast as he could until he literally landed a few feet away from where his sister had been trapped by the wristbands on her shurikens against a tree, preventing her from waterbending.

- How you doing? - Sokka asked, his brain fried from a sleepless night to even try to come up with an escape plan.

- Well... - Katara glanced at her hands before turning back to her brother. - you know -

- I thought when Ty Lee and I finally cought you guys it would be more exciting - the glomy girl with shiny hair said tediously before letting out a listless sigh. - Oh well, victory is boring. -

- Right now, it would be really useful to have Zuko - Sokka murmured to Katara, looking at the shurikens with melancholy before realizing what he had just done.

- Sokka! - his sister shouted as the other two girls' breaths caught in their throats.

- Zuko? - the girl with the sighs asked, pulling out another knife and taking a threatening step toward the siblings.

- That's strange - the girl with the braid murmured, looking at her friend. - That's a Fire Nation name, but no one has been called that since Zuzu. -

Zuzu?

Before Sokka could ask what Zuzu was or the shadowy girl could threaten him into seeking answers, Appa growled and struck his tail against the ground, sending a gust of air towards the two Fire Nation girls, making them fly meters in the air until they fell into the river in the distance while screaming.

- Thanks, Appa - the Water Tribe boy said to the flying bison. - I don't know what we'd do without you. - They'd probably be dead, which is why Sokka truly appreciated the giant animal, except when it covered him with his saliva, like right then.

- Hold on! - June yelled to Zuko, making Nyla jump as the ground cracked and rose up beneath her. - There's an earthbender over here! -

- I'll take care of it - Zuko growled, jumping off the animal's back and running along the trail of broken earth toward whoever had attacked them, drawing his shurikens as he went.

- Are you sure you want to go against me, Sparky? - Toph asked as Zuko jumped into the path. He watched her for a second, surprised to find her there, before looking around for any Gaoling soldiers, or any Earth Kingdom soldiers for that matter, who might be hunting him and using the earthbender as bait.  - No one's following me, it's not an ambush. In fact, no one knows I'm here, not even my parents -

- You escaped - Zuko declared, surprised.

- You can talk - the girl replied, though she didn't seem surprised at all. The golden eyed boy, on the contrary, felt embarrassed at having his lie exposed.

- Yeah, about that... -

- If it's any consolation, the last time I saw him, he wasn't supposed to be able to talk either - June said, approaching them from Nyla's saddle. Nyla sniffed the girl intently, and Toph imitated her, taking Nyla's head in her hands to sniff her without flinching at the animal's star-shaped nose, which earned her a smile from the bounty hunter. - Lee was supposed to have some kind of vow of silence, and it seems he broke it. .

- A mistake - Zuko replied, shrugging. - I didn't mean to, but I'm trying to keep the vow. -

- This thing is blind - the earthbender declared when Nyla let out a happy grunt and flopped down, wagging her tail excitedly and sniffing the girl's feet. The girl was now grinning from ear to ear. - I like it! -

- Good for you, don't let her touch you with her tongue or she'll paralyze you - June commented, jumping off the saddle to approach Zuko, who had already holstered his weapons. The older girl took advantage of this to hug him tightly, pretending to be some kind of doting, overprotective mother who would smother her children. She even mimicked his voice while pouting. - Are you friends with this baby fire ferret? -

- June! - the former Fire Nation prince shouted, trying to escape her grasp, only to be squeezed even tighter to annoy him. - Let me go! -

- Ha, I'll use that one - Toph nodded. - I suppose you're the bounty hunter. -

- Oh, he talked about me? -June asked viciously, dropping Zuko to fall on his own rear end and completely ignoring him as she approached the earthbender. The former Yuyan archer was terrified. Those two girls together could destroy the world with just their audacity and direct words, not to mention their abilities. At least the pair hadn't met Azula. A chill ran down the former prince's spine; he would have nightmares the day if it ever happend. —So? What did the fire ferret baby said? Or better yet, what trouble did he get himself into? I need some blackmail material. -

- He had to escape from my village after all the soldiers started looking for him, oh, but before so, he took down this underground fight organizer and stomped on his... -

- Okay, that's enough - Zuko interrupted, jumping between the two girls and covering the younger girl's mouth with his hand before turning to face her. - Why did you run away from home? -

- You ran away from home too - the blind bandit crossed her arms. - A few days after you left, some people showed up who were going to travel. I saw my shoot and I took it. -

- Good enough for me - June shrugged.

- You're not helping - Zuko scolded, turning to face her.

- That was never my intention - the older girl slumped against the shirshu, stretching her arms out completely unconcerned.

- You know, I don't know her - Toph said, gesturing toward the bounty hunter before smiling broadly. - But I like her! –

- Yes, I could guess - the golden-eyed boy sighed. - Do you want to talk about what happened? -

- I already told you - Toph said, pushing the teenager away and taking a couple of steps back, her back to him.

- The blind bandit, the world’s best earthbender…  quit the Earth Rumble fights just like that? -

- I'm over those fights. I beat them all at once, including Xian Fu. A little revenge on your name - Toph smiled playfully. - You're welcome. -

- Did you get into trouble with Xian Fu because of me? - Zuko asked, concerned.

- No, he's been much grumpier since he fought you, but it wasn't because of that. -

- Sounds like quite an adventure - Zuko murmured, sitting cross-legged in front of the girl, who mirrored his action with a dejected expression.

- It was. I thought my life of adventure would begin there - The golden-eyed boy nodded, taking out the packaged food Sela had given him, which was still left over from his lunch with June. Uncle Iroh always said that talking about troubles was better over tea and a appetizers. Zuko didn't have any tea to give his young friend, but he did have something to eat, so he was going to offer her what he could. Toph sighed, taking a small piece of bread and nibbling on it before speaking again. - These kids arrived, got into trouble with Xian Fu, dragged me along, and I had to reveal myself as the blind bandit in front of my father. I defeated the fighters, my father was displeased, and I escaped. -

- Um, okay, that's... wow - the pale boy stammered, unsure what to say about the story he didn't quite understand, though he grasped the basics. - It must have been difficult. -

- Escape? - Toph asked, frowning. - It wasn't. My parents didn't love me for who I was. They wanted me to be just their weak, porcelain omega little girl, but they wouldn't accept me as an earthbender capable of taking down seven giant men at once. I'm not weak. I don't need anyone to take care of me. I can take care of myself anywhere. -

- I know - Zuko assured her, nodding. - Now or when you become a ninety year old woman, you'd be one of the strongest people I know. -

- You think so? -

- Absolutely - the teenager agreed. - And I’m sure you can take care of yourself, but I think you’re confusing weakness with someone wanting to take care of you or help you. - Zuko sighed, crossing his fingers and trying to come up with his best advice, just like Uncle Iroh used to do. And yes, that’s what he was trying to imitate, but he’d deny it to anyone who ever asked. - There’s nothing wrong with letting those who love you help you. They don’t do it because they think you’re weak; they do it because they love you, and sometimes it’s their way of showing it. It’s the same when people want to take care of you, or any being for that matter. It’s like June and Nyla - he said, making them both raise their heads in interest. - When June is fighting, Nyla helps her, not because she needs it or thinks she’s weak, but because she loves her and wants to protect her. Neither of them is weak; they’re both strong and can fend for themselves on their own, but together they’re stronger, almost unstoppable. -

- Oh, you sweetie - June teased. - You’ll melt my heart. –

- Screw you, June - the former prince grumbled as the blind girl laughed at the interaction.

- You're pretty lucky to have each other - Toph commented, drawing the attention of the two older ones. - Are you siblings? -

- Adopted - June agreed, knowing it would make the boy with the scar growl even more.

- No one adopted me - he growled back before turning to Toph. - I grew up with their family for a while. -

- I taught him how to fight dirty - the bounty hunter boasted.

- That's nice - the younger girl agreed before placing her hands on the ground and standing up, frowning slightly. - Thanks. -

- It's nice to see you again and share a meal - Zuko shrugged, closing the food container.

- No, thank you for what you said - the blind bandit clarified. - It helped me a lot. In fact, I think I should go back to my friends. I want to help them. -

- I'm sure they'll appreciate it - the golden eyed man agreed, standing up and turning to June, who, after rolling her eyes, jumped onto Nyla, preparing to continue their journey.

- Yes, especially since they're being chased by these three terrifying girls. They have blue flames, flying daggers, and someone who supposedly can take away powers. - Zuko's body froze as his eyes widened before he looked back at the earthbender.

- You know them? - June asked, drawing Zuko's attention.

- Maybe - the golden eyed boy murmured before shaking his head. - It's impossible that they're who I think they are. - He turned to Toph uncertainly. - Although blue flames... I only know one person who can do that. -

- Do you think you can fight them? - the blind bandit asked, tilting her head to one side. - My friends seemed terrified to face them. -

- If she's who I think she is, no one can beat her in a fight. - The former prince shook his head, remembering the times he practiced combat against his sister without ever winning, except for that one time when Azula fell on her first rut and launched attacks without thinking. - But maybe I can stop them or redirect their attention. -

- I guess you won't be my little henchman again - June muttered listlessly before tossing a package to the pale boy, who caught it in mid-air, confused, before recognizing the suppressants. - You can't have many left. Make sure you find me when you run out of them. -

- I will, thanks - Zuko nodded before tossing the food package to the tattooed girl. - Make sure you eat something before you drink. -

- I want to know how this encounter ends. It seems interesting - the bounty hunter said, turning the shirshu around to go on her way. - Don't disappoint me, fire ferret. -

- Get home safe - the teenager called after her, watching the older girl speed away on the shirshu's back.

- Fire ferret? - the blind bandit asked mockingly.

- Let's go get your friends - the golden-eyed boy said, hoping the girl would forget the nickname, as she piled them onto a mound of dirt, which she propelled with her bent leg to move them faster.

Chapter Text

The fight had begun when they arrived at the buildings, which already appeared to have been destroyed and abandoned years ago. Now, blue flames licked the walls and engulfed the roofs. In the dry desert, with strong gusts of wind and such intense heat, the wood in the houses hadn't taken long to burn, so almost the entire town was now a vision of fire, a vision filled with the very recognizable, animated shouts of a certain airbender whom Zuko hoped never to encounter again.

- Looks like twinkle toes got himself into trouble - Toph murmured, stoping the movement of the mound of earth that they were using as a platform to move faster, arriving on the side of the town walls.

- he's lucky he's not dead yet, considering who he's fighting - Zuko said, jumping from the mound and running towards the walls. He scaled them in less than a second and jumped to the other side. - I'll try to stop her before she kills him. .

The dark haired boy landed in a squad and immediately rolled to cushion the impact without making a sound. He ran toward the voices, finding the two culprits of the destruction right in the middle of the main street. Azula, his precious little sister, now a deadly master firebender at only fifteen, was chasing after Aang with a grin like a snow fox after catching a koala otter in one of her traps.

Yeah, that was his manic but beloved twin sister.

- Lee! - Aang shouted joyfully after seeing him jumping between buildings to escape the firebending prodigy's attacks. - What are you... -

His question was cut short when he had to jump three meters in the air to dodge a fireball from Azula. Immediately afterward, she spun around with a kick, unleashing a wave of fire that the former prince could only intercept, recognizing the movement from their training sessions together in the palace.

- A new friend? - asked the Fire Nation princess, quickly scanning Zuko to assess whether he posed a threat. Her brow furrowed in annoyance at the sight of his golden eyes. - You're from the Fire Nation. You should bow before me. Don't you know who I am? -

- Azula, the crowned princess of the Fire Nation - Zuko replied, a smug smile spreading across his sister's lips until he opened his mouth again. - Do you know who I am? -

- A dead body if you don't get out of my way this instant - she snorted, resuming her fighting stance.

She... she really didn't know who he was? No, that was impossible. She was his twin. She wouldn't forget. She... she wouldn't. Or would she?

- Azula… - The boy with the scar's attempt to call only to be cut short by a fiery blast aimed at his chest, which he managed to intercept and return to, feeling the adrenaline of an imminent fight coursing through his veins.

- A bender - Azula smiled after striking the fireball, causing it to evaporate around her - a traitor to the Fire Nation. -

- I don't want to fight you - Zuko denied, watching as the prodigy girl in front of him assumed an advanced fighting stance.

- Correction - she retorted. - You're afraid to fight me, and rightly so. You should be afraid of me. -

- I'm not afraid of you, Azula - the older boy denied again, earning a growl from his twin. - I've never been afraid of you. - He extended a hand toward her, hoping she would take it so they could escape side by side, like twins. - Please, sc... -

A barrage of rapid blue fire cut Zuko off, forcing him to jump and twist to avoid the attacks before he could unleash his own shuriken. It caught the shoulder of the prodigy girl's robes, eliciting a growl and a double kick that forced Zuko to run for cover. The building behind them collapsed from the force of the impact, its infrastructure weakened, as the twins rose and freed themselves to fight again.

The two children of the fire lord ran towards each other until they met, their forearms colliding, smoke beginning to rise as the twins pushed each other between growls until a sideways smile appeared on the lips of the younger one seconds before she launched a fire blast with her other hand towards the chest of the older one, who had to turn to the side to dodge, leaving himself vulnerable to the arm against which he was straining, which soon lashed out, scratching the face of the boy with the scar, leaving three bleeding marks just above his good eye.

The golden eyed boy took a step back, panting in pain under Azula's increasingly confident gaze. He didn't let her attack again, forming fiery daggers in his fists with which he launched himself at the prodigy girl with quick and precise blows that began to force the Fire Nation princess back. She didn't stop smiling or moving confidently, blocking and dodging blows until she caught the former prince's forearm with her own, pushing him down. Zuko recognized the same movement from seconds before, the one she had used so many times in their childhood fights, reacting before her and jumping with a backflip, avoiding the prodigy girl's blow and raising a circle of fire from the tips of his toes until he landed on the ground in a fighting stance.

The fire princess hid her surprise perfectly, or almost perfectly. The trained eye of a former Yuyan archer, and being the girl's twin brother, managed to detect a slight dilation of her golden eyes, which lasted no more than half a second, while her face remained smug, demonstrating her confidence in every calculated move.

With a jump and a burst of her blue flames, the firebending prodigy soared into the air, creating an increasingly scorching wheel of blue fire around herself before landing. She directed her fiery kick at the former prince, who could only dodge, avoiding the direct hit but still being struck by the flames energy at the impact with the ground, sending him flying a couple of meters before he tumbled to the ground with a groan of pain. He landed on the shuriken he had thrown at Azula seconds before, which she herself had left stuck in the ground, probably hoping to push someone in that direction and lure them into her trap. And, as expected, it was Zuko who fell into the trap.

- Oh no! Lee! I mean Zu… - Aang didn't finish his worried shout before Azula whirled around, firing blue fire at him and forcing him to jump back to dodge it. Before he could start chasing after him again, Zuko raised a wall of fire between them, drawing his twin sister's attention and eliciting an annoyed huff from her.

- You keep getting in my way - the princess declared, assuming a new fighting stance as the former archer Yuyan removed the shuriken from his left arm, letting the blood flow from the wound before tying a piece of cloth over it to temporarily stop the bleeding. The blood quickly stained the cloth, but the boy with the scar ignored it, preferring to assume a fighting stance. - You'll pay for this -

A whip of water closed around the fire prodigy's wrist before she could launch an attack, pulling her back and both stopping and destabilizing her. She could do nothing but turn furiously toward Katara, who was now bending water again, preparing to fight. Before Azula could strike, a boomerang flew past her right side, forcing her to duck and turn toward the new opponent. Frowning, Azula quickly scanned the three combatants before firing, while imperceptibly retreating, and dodging the attacks of the two Water Tribe siblings. The prodigy's calculating eyes began to consider another combined attack, but she couldn't do anything before the ground beneath her shifted, causing her to fall and let out a small scream of surprise.

- I thought you'd need my help - said Toph from behind the firebender.

- Thank you - Katara smiled at the Earth Kingdom girl as Azula grunted under her breath and got up to run, trying to escape while flashing a smug smile at those she left behind.

- Azula! - Zuko took off running after his twin sister, who, not even looking where she was going, collided with a whirlwind that sent her flying backward as Aang descended in front of her, blocking her escape.

The Fire Nation princess rose with a fluid, elegant movement, like the blue flames she herself generated, and began to retreat. When she turned around, she found herself surrounded by enemies and ruins. She looked at her five opponents, reassessing her enemies and the different possibilities in the fight before smiling calmly.

- Well, look at this - Azula remarked, nearly trapped against the ruins of a house. - Enemies and traitors, all working together - she sneered, observing the fighting stances of each of her opponents, their weapons and elements poised to attack at the slightest movement. - how entertaining - she murmured before raising her hands as if surrendering, a gesture that only turn on the alarm bells in the mind of the boy with the scar on his face. His sister would never surrender to those she considered her inferiors, which if Azula truly believed he was dead would mean was everyone, except Ozai. - I'm done, I know when I'm beaten, you got me, a princess surrenders with honor. -

It was a trap, Zuko thought, now watching every small gesture and movement of the crowned princess. In less than a second, Azula noticed the earthbender's dull eyes and launched an attack, only for it to be deflected by a swift movement from her twin, sending it soaring into the sky and creating an explosion of blue fire meters above their heads. The other four were quick to react launching their attacks towards the prodigy princess who shielded herself behind her fire and disappeared in a curtain of black smoke at the surprised gasps of the water tribe siblings and the monk boy, but she could not deceive Toph's seismic sense and even less the brother she herself had taught the trick of the fire shield exploding to distract her enemies.

Zuko wasn't going to let this end like this. After three years, he had finally found his sister again. He wasn't going to lose her again. Even if she didn't recognize him, he could run after her until he proved who he was. He wouldn't abandon her again like he'd been forced to, leaving nothing but a letter hidden in the palace while racing against time and soldiers rushing to ensure the last living princess's safety after the explosion of the crown Prince's quarters. He wouldn't give up.

Without a second of hesitation, Zuko ran toward the ruins and jummped across, racing down a small street before climbing and jumping over the walls of the abandoned village. He landed on the other side, where a surprised Azula turned to look at him. A growl quickly formed in the prodigy's throat, and her hands began to circle around her, creating lightning from her fingertips before her brother could even open his eyes or call out to her.

Zuko was finished.

The lightning shot out from Azula's fingertips, aiming directly at the chest of the boy with the scar, who threw himself to the side trying to avoid the lightning but knowing that they were too fast to have any hope.

The crash echoed throughout the village, startling the group of teenagers still there. They stared, still confused, at the ruins where the Fire Nation princess had vanished. The youngest girl, however, looked at the ground, bewildered by the strange vibrations that had sensed, as if a web of energy had struck the ground but failed to expand before she felt a body fall and hundreds of pieces of debris crush it.

- No! - gasped the blind girl before running out of the destroyed place and toward where, seconds before, a wall had surrounded the village. Now the wall had been torn down, and from where smoke was rising, revealing the Fire Nation princess walking away into the distance, a smile still on her face.

- How did she do it? - Aang asked, surprised, as he and the Water Tribe siblings followed the same path Toph had taken, passing through the now fallen wall and watching the silhouette of the firebending prodigy disappear.

- She tricked us, somehow. - Katara shrugged, not wanting to dwell on the matter. She recognized that the girl was viciously cunning and didn't want to fully understand how her mind worked, mainly out of fear. So yes, she preferred to put the matter to rest once and for all. - At least she's gone. -

- Yes, Zuko too - Sokka murmured dejectedly. - Did he escape from us? Do you think he… -

- There's surely an explanation, Sokka - his sister tried to comfort him, approaching him and patting him reassuringly on the back.

- I know! - Aang jumped up excitedly. - Toph must be able to sense where he went with her earthbending! - The young monk whirled around, searching for the blind bandit. - To…Zuko! -

- Yes! - the earthbender grunted, not bothering to turn around to try and drag Zuko out of the ruins of the wall, which she had already take out of the boy with the scar using her earthbending. - Can you stop squawking amongst yourselves and help me get him out of here?! -

- What happened?! – Sokka asked in horror as he lunged towards the dark haired boy with three scratch marks on his forehead, fresh bruises still forming around his body, several small cuts caused by debris, a bleeding arm that was beginning to bathe the boy in his own blood, and a mixture of soot and dirt covering him.

- I don't know, that crazy girl from earlier did something and the wall exploded, it fell on him - Toph replied, confused herself by the events, as the Water Tribe warrior left the former archer Yuyan next to the healer, who was already kneeling and drawing water from her canteen with her waterbending to pour it over the dark-haired man, trying to heal his wounds.

The scratches and cuts began to close, the bruises receded, going from the dark colors that were beginning to form to yellowish and slightly greenish tones at half their original size. The wound on the arm took longer, staining the water in Katara's hands red before it began to close. To her brother's dismay, the waterbender asked him to turn the firebender around, letting her waterbending guide her to the pale boy's back, where she began to treat a large bruise, a purple so dark it was beginning to blend into black. It took her several minutes in that area before the color receded to a pale blue, the diameter reduced to only the size of half a hand instead of half the teenager's back. She healed a swollen ankle as if it had been injured and patched up, but without giving it time to recover before using it, and moved on to heal a old wound that had already closed on the boy's head, which almost made the waterbender cry.

- I need to rest before treating the rest - Katara said, letting her hands fall after helping to tend to the wound hidden among strands of black hair. The red stained water fell onto the dry earth, splashing the blue clothes of the Water Tribe girl and the dark clothes of the still unconscious former prince.

- the rest? - Aang asked, worried.

- He has more wounds - the waterbender agreed. - They're not from today, but they're bad, and they only healed superficially. -

- But will he be alright? - Toph asked, concerned, which surprised the other three. Did she know Zuko? How?

- Yes, Lee... Zuko, he's... resilient. -

- I'll call Appa - Aang agreed, taking out his whistle and blowing it before turning back to his friends. - Let's gather our things and then go to a safe place to camp. -

- Won't those three girls from before follow us? - Toph asked, raising an eyebrow.

- No, we bathed Appa - the airbender said, turning to her and stroking his bald head with a hint of sadness. - You were right, they were following his trail. -

- It's good that he got a bath then - the earthbender murmured, uncomfortable at the mention of her words, which caused her to leave the group.

- We wanted to apologize - Katara said, getting up unsteadily, but with determination in her eyes and a sorrowful expression. It was a shame the blind girl couldn't see her clearly enough to recognize this. - I took it out on you for all the stress last night. I mean, I was angry that you didn't help us, but I shut down instead of trying to understand a new person. Plus, the chase and how irritated I was from not sleeping made me say the wrong things -

- Me too - Aang agreed, stroking the nose of the flying bison that had just landed beside him. - I was worried about Appa. I've never seen him so tired, and also about the girls who were following us. The sleepless night only made it worse. -

- I understand. I was… - Toph grimaced, unsure how to express her emotions in front of so many people, even though she cared for them, there were still several of them, and the words struggled to escape her throat. - I shouldn't have blamed Appa so directly. I could have just mentioned the trail. -

- it's okay - the boy monk assured her - it helped us realize…  -

- Yes, yes, now that things are fixed, shall we go? - Sokka asked, having already climbed onto the flying bison with the Fire Nation prince in his arms.

- Yes, let's go! - Aang nodded, running towards Appa and jumping onto his head, hugging him tightly. He murmured affectionate words against the animal's fur, who growled affectionately at the boy.

- Do you want to rejoin our group? - the waterbender asked tentatively to the girl who was still moving in her place unsure on what to do.

- You want me to rejoin? - the girl asked, looking downcast.

- You'll always be welcome with us - the older girl agreed with a smile.

- If you put it that way - the earthbender smiled, walking towards the flying bison. - just make it hard for me to say no. - Toph stopped, turning slightly to the other girl. - Do you want me to help you? - she ask tentatively before frowning and raising my head, reluctant to appear gentle. - I say this because you're walking like a newborn gazelle antelope and… -

- I would be delighted - Katara interrupted with a smile. The blind bandit quickly approached to help the waterbender walk, ignoring the grunts and words exchanged between the monk-child and his bison, as well as the water tribe boy urging them to climb aboard.

Chapter Text

Zuko's eyes fluttered open as he groaned in pain, curling into a fetal position to hug himself and bury his face in the softness of his sleeping bag. He'd been crushed by rubble and ruins twice in two separate fights, with no time to recover or rest. He felt crushed, literally, though being buried under a pile of debris didn't sound as bad as being struck by lightning, so Zuko wasn't going to complain about it.

The raven haired boy's body froze as his eyes snapped open, focusing on the sleeping bag where he was, the sleeping bag he'd lost when he escaped Gaoling, a sleeping bag he shouldn't have unless…

- You're awake - said a cheerful voice behind him, a voice Zuko never wanted to hear again. Partly because it hurt just to hear it, but mainly because he knew that if this person found him again, it would only be to finish him off. - We were worr… -

A thick belt with the Earth Kingdom symbol in the middle slammed into Sokka's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and knocking him backward. Zuko jumped up to his feet and ran out of the tent made of earth. He lifted the cloth door and stepped outside, determined to escape, only to find a campfire with Aang and Katara sitting around, looking surprised and tired, if the bags under their eyes meant anything. Toph stood there too, raising an eyebrow questioning him as she devoured a piece of meat.

The waterbender stood up and turned to face him. - Zu… -

The golden eyed boy didn't wait to hear her finish or made a waterbending attack. He immediately spun around and ran out of the camp and through the unfamiliar canyon they were in. He hadn't gone far when he suddenly felt a strange gust of wind at his side, making him turn his head in that direction.

- Where are we going? – Aang asked with a smile, riding on his air sphere.

Zuko stopped abruptly, turning to run in the opposite direction, hoping to find a fork in the path that wouldn't lead him back to the camp. He found the Water Tribe siblings rapidly approaching. He turned again to see if the path he was on forked further ahead. Once more, he found it blocked by the airbender, who had stopped not too far away and was now staring at him in confusion. Zuko hoped the airbender would remain confused long enough for him to escape, and he also hoped that one of the firebending tricks he'd seen Azula practice as a child would work for him now.

Gathering strength, the former Fire Nation prince ran to one side of the canyon before jumping, creating fire throwing jets from his feet that propelled him a few meters higher in the air, just high enough for his hands to grip the edge of the cliff. With a grunt of effort, Zuko began to climb, digging with his feet for support and clawing at the earth with his talons instead of nails to pull his arms and torso up.

- Do you need help? - Aang asked from above him. The golden eyed boy looked up from the earth and rocks he was still clinging to, meeting the puzzled gaze of the young monk who was standing perfectly well a few feet away from where he himself was clinging to the canyon's edge.

Of course, airbender.

The boy took a step toward him, extending his hand in an attempt to help, only to be met with a horrified stare from the boy with the scar. His mind played tricks on him, conjuring up images of the avatar's glowing eyes and tattoos attacking him.

In a fit of fear, the boy with the scar slid back, forgetting he was clinging to the edge of a canyon several meters deep. Slow to react to his own actions, his grip gave way, and he tumbled down the natural earthen wall, rolling for meters and meters until he reached the bottom, gasping in pain. Noticing the Water Tribe siblings just a few steps away, he quickly retreated, his back hitting the earth wall from where he had rolled down. He took out three shurikens between his knuckles, ignoring the ones that had pierced his flesh during the fall, and growled at the two blue eyed siblings in front of him, as well as the gray eyed boy who landed softly beside them.

- Zuko… - Sokka tried to call, fear in his eyes, as he took a step toward the golden eyed boy, his hand outstretched.

The former archer Yuyan threw one of his shurikens, forcing the Water Tribe warrior to back away and move his hand out of the way to avoid being cut by the blade.

- stay back! - the dark haired boy shouted threateningly. - The next one won't be a warning! -

- What's going on with all of you? - Toph asked, arriving alongside the others, her brows furrowed at the words exchanged from both sides, before turning to the firebender. - Want to explain, Sparky? -

- Why don't you ask them? - Zuko growled, maintaining his fighting stance toward those he had considered his pack just weeks ago, but who were now nothing more than a threat. - They're the ones hunting me, after all. -

- We are not hunting you - Aang said quickly, looking hurt by the words. - We were looking for you to... -

- To what? To kill me? - the dark haired boy interrupted, clenching the shurikens between his knuckles so the pain of their sharp edges cutting his skin would help him ignore the pain of the thought that a child he hadn't long believed to be innocent and good was now actively searching for him to end his life. - Surely that's much better than being hunted. -

- We don't want to kill you - Katara said, horrified. - How can you even think that? Why would we want to kill you? -

- I’m from the Fire Nation - the golden eyed boy grunted. - That’s enough to make everyone who finds out want me dead, even better if it’s by their own hands, right? -

- Hey - Toph complained, crossing her arms.

- Only exception - Zuko remarked, gesturing to the Earth Kingdom girl, who smiled just like she did when they called her the world’s greatest earthbender.

- We don’t care that you’re from the Fire Nation - Aang retorted.

- Of course, that's why you didn't kick me out as soon as you found out - the boy with the scar replied, pain and sarcasm dripping from every word.

- We didn't kick you out. -

- You told me never to come near you again. You said you never wanted to see or hear from me again - the golden eyed boy reminded the waterbender before pointing at his brother. - he told me to leave you, so that's what I did. Exactly what you wanted. I left. If I already did what you wanted, why else would you look for me if not to make sure I never crossed your path again? Why else would you be here if not to kill me? -

- We didn’t wanted for you to leave - Katara denied through tears. - We would never hurt you, we would never even think of killing you. -

- No, that’s right, you’re the good guys in this story. You’d never get your hands stain with blood. - He dropped the shurikens from his hands, revealing palms covered in his own blood. - That’s something villains do, isn’t it?  like someone from the Fire Nation, rotten to the core, not from the pure and innocent people of the Water Tribe or the peaceful and good Air Nomads. No, you wouldn’t kill anyone. You’d just let others die without doing anything. -

- What are you talking about? - Aang asked, horrified by the words of the one he considered his friend. - We wouldn’t let anyone die if we could do something. -

- you were going to let me die - Zuko reminded them, tears escaping his eyes. - If Yue hadn't fused her soul with the spirit of the moon, you would have let me die... -

- We couldn't do anything! - Katara shouted, shaking her head.

- You didn't try to do anything! - Zuko shouted back. - I was dying for you! And you did nothing but watch me with fear! You didn't care about what I went through with you or what I did for you! You were afraid of me just because I was from the Fire Nation! You hated me just because I was from the Fire Nation! It didn't matter that I was dying just a few feet away from you! -

- I tried to help you - Aang sobbed - we couldn’t… you even said… -

- I know what you did, Aang - Zuko interrupted weakly - and I know what I said. I don’t mind dying, I even wanted it. I wouldn’t hold anything against you if you had let me die. What hurts is that you just left me to it without care - he said, looking in the last part directly into the tear filled eyes of the Water Tribe siblings before turning to the Airbender too - and then you abandoned me afterward. -

- We didn't abandon you - the waterbending master denied, crying. - I'm sorry if we made you believe that, but we would never abandon you. That night in the Spirit Oasis, we were... we were afraid for you. You were bleeding so much, so pale, and spitting blood. The last time we saw someone like that... she died as soon as we touched her, and our father nearly went mad with grief. We were afraid it would happen again, that if we got close... if we even touched you, it would all be over and we'd lose you. We didn't want to lose you. -

- And if you didn't want to lose me, why did you throw me out as soon as I woke up? - the golden eyed boy asked, fighting back the bitter feeling in his throat. He knew that if he let himself go, he would end up crying uncontrollably.

- It was my fault - the blue eyed girl tried to say, wiping tears from her face and struggling not to be interrupted by her own sobs. - I didn't knew how to feel, or rather, I felt too much. I was worried because you hadn't woken up in days, but I felt betrayed because you didn't tell us so many things. I was angry at you for going to fight Zhao and almost dying, but also angry at myself for not reacting in time to help you fight. I was disappointed in myself because I had trained so much to fight and heal, but in the end, I did nothing when you needed me. And I was terrified because other people had found out who you were, so you were in danger. When they brought you to our room, everything became more real. It was crushing me, and... and I ended up taking it out on you. - Katara broke down, falling to her knees and clutching herself as tears streamed down her face and her voice cracked. - And I'm so sorry, Zuko. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything of what I said to you, I didn't want you to leave, I didn't want to hurt you or make you feel abandoned. I was selfish and only thought about how bad I felt when you must have been feeling much worse with everything that was happening. I didn't support you when you've supported me from the beginning. It's... I understand if you hate me and will never forgive me, but I swear I'm sorry and I'll regret it for the rest of my life... -

- I don't believe your words - Zuko interrupted, shaking his head and earning a heartbroken look from the waterbender. - I can't believe anything you say. I can't believe you, Katara, not anymore. -

- But you can believe me - Toph said, drawing the attention of the four elders. - I can tell when someone is lying thanks to my earthbending, and she isn't lying. None of them have lied to you since this all started. - Zuko stepped back, shaking his head, unsure how to feel beyond being utterly devastated. - Listen, I'm not telling you to forgive them. I don't know what happened between all of you to be able to say, but you're both very emotional right now, and I think it's become quite clear that things go wrong when you let your emotions get the better of you and end up hurting others with your words. -

- What do you propose we do? - Sokka murmured, speaking for the first time since the argument began, his head bowed and his expression dejected.

- A friend once told me that sometimes when you’re in a storm, it’s better to calm down for a few seconds to think things through instead of running and crashing into a tree - the earthbender said, giving Zuko a quick tap on the side with a small smile. - I’m sure you’d love to meet him. -

- right - Zuko agreed, hesitant. - But I’m not sure what you mean. Did your friend have an accident in a storm? -

- I think it mean for us to continue this discussion after we’ve calmed down - Aang said, still wiping his red eyes from crying.

- Yes, I think we all need a good night's rest - Toph agreed before gesturing to the Avatar. - twinkle toes and I have some hard work to do tomorrow. -

- Are we training tomorrow? - the airbender asked, his excitement struggling to surface while his face was still raw from tears.

- Absolutely - Toph agreed before turning to Zuko. - What do you say, Sparky? Are you coming? –

The dark haired boy glanced quickly at the people around him before turning back to the blind girl. – I don't think… –

– Before you answer, remember you didn't come to my fight. You owe me one. –

– Just this once – the golden eyed boy reluctantly agreed – and you'll give me back my things. –

– We'll see about that tomorrow, Sparky. – the dark haired girl smiled, grabbing Zuko's wrist and pulling him toward the camp. She made sure he was by her side and couldn't see what she was doing before turning to the other three with a furious expression, telling them not to bother the firebender. The three of them cowered, taking several seconds before finally starting their walk back to the camp.

Toph led the dark haired boy to the earth tent where he had woken up and where his belongings still lay. Apparently, Toph had helped build earth tents for herself and Zuko while the others slept in the tent they had traveled in from the South Pole, huddled together in a pile of pups. Toph hadn't known them long enough to even feel like part of their group of friends, much less their pack, so she preferred to sleep separately. Zuko was injured, so he would have needed his own tent, although it seemed Sokka had entered under the excuse of taking care of him. Zuko's alarm bells rang, warning him that Sokka could have killed him while he was unconscious, suffocating him with a pillow, only to say minutes later that the firebender's condition had suddenly dropped and he had died before he could do anything. Part of Zuko told him he was being paranoid, and even if Sokka hated him, he wouldn't have killed him while he was unconscious. Another part reminded him that he had told Aang to return the projectiles to the fire nation ships, knowing it would kill everyone who were inside without a shred of remorse.

As soon as the cloth that served as a door closed behind him, leaving him alone inside the tent, the dark haired man took out his robes to retrieve the various shurikens, knives, needles, and daggers embedded in his skin. He had to take the leather straps from his travel bag to bite down on them and avoid making noise as he lit a fire on one of his fingers to use as a cauterizing agent on his wounds. He was surprised to find some of the injuries from his time as a Blue Spirit with the Kyoshi warriors and from his fight against the freedom fighters healed to nothing more than soft, silvery scars. The wounds and bruises from the fight against the corrupt commander and his sister also looked much softer than he had initially expected. He felt almost like he had in the first few days after waking up in the healing chambers at the North Pole when Yue and the Moon Spirit had saved him, so it wasn't hard to guess that Katara had healed his wounds. He would be grateful if his alarms didn't keep blaring in the back of his head, althought it was possible they blare everytime he saw her or anyone from the Avatar group, if he was going to stay long enough to see her again.

The pale skinned boy dressed himself again in his pants and, draping his tunic over his shoulders without quite getting his arms through or closing the front, climbed into his sleeping bag, sighing contentedly at finally having something soft to sleep on. He forced himself to keep his eyes open, mentally counting the passing seconds and imagining the countless scenarios he would have to overcome in his escape, until finally the conversation outside his tent shifted from normal campfire chatter to whispers about the person who clearly didn't want to be there.

Surprisingly, Toph was the first to speak. - Would any of you bother to tell me what happened there?! - she asked in angry whispers that were not shouts only to not wake up Zuko, supposedly, either because they were talking about him behind his back or because he really did look like he was about to pass out, but to the spirit wolrd - When I asked you how you knew him, you told me you were friends before you even got to the North Pole. As far as I understand, he was even your unofficial boyfriend. -

- Why did you think he was my unofficial boyfriend? - Sokka asked, lifting his head from his arms, hope rising again. - Did he say something about… -

- Don't get too excited Snoozles - Toph interrupted. - I was referring to what you said the night we left Gaoling. -

- Oh, yeah - Sokka muttered, burying his head back in his arms. - Don't you think Zuko will be upset if he hears us talking about him? He has good hearing, so the earth tent won't stop him. -

- He's asleep - the earthbender replied. - He lay down and hasn't moved in a long time. His breathing has regulated, and his heartbeat is as calm as it only is when people are asleep. -

- He's a good actor - the older boy shrugged.

- I know he's a theater nerd - the blind girl retorted - but he'd have had to have been acting since birth to fool me. -

- He's a theater nerd? - Aang asked, surprised.

- Don't change the subject twinkle toes - the younger girl said, throwing a rock with her earthbending at the other boy's bald head, eliciting a groan from him. - Why does he think you're going to kill him? And don't tell me it's because he's from the Fire Nation. When I told him I knew, he thought I'd turn him in to the authorities. When he faced some soldiers in Gaoling, he thought they'd kill him, but even to them he give the benefit of the doubt. With you all, he was sure you'd kill him -

- We parted ways under the worst circunstances - the monk boy replied - worse even than we imagined. -

- Do you know about the battle in the north pole? - Katara asked.

- I heard some stories - the blind girl nodded. - They say the moon went dark for a few seconds. -

- It did. A mad admiral wanted to kill the moon - Katara began, recounting the story in detail, the soot-stained snow, the long range battle atop the walls, the fight in the Spirit Oasis, Zuko's near death experience, the long days waiting for him to awaken, the fight with Zuko, and finally, how days later they learned their friend had left, prompting them to immediately set out in search of him.

- Do you want to know what I understood? - Toph asked, though it was quite clear she wasn't expecting an answer. - Drama, drama, fights, and more drama. -

- I thought you were going to help us - the waterbender grumbled.

- I never said I would - the earthbender stated with a tone of obviousness - I only asked what happened between you two because Sparky seems to see you more as a threat than a friend, while you all swear you’re close. It’s a too complicated problem for me to get involved in. - The girl frowned, sitting down with a seat back made with her earthbenfing against her back. - But I don’t think it can be solved with words. You hurt him with words, yes, but from what I heard from him, the actions that accompanied them hurt him even more. -

- Do you think we should apologize with actions? - Aang asked, confused.

- I don’t know. I haven’t had many real personal relationships to give advice on the subject - Toph grumbled, blowing her hair in front of her face to stop it tickling her chin. - He’s supposedly your friend. You should know what to do. -

With that said, the earthbender got up and headed to her tent, snarling at Aang that his training would begin tomorrow morning. The Avatar sighed wearily, said his goodbyes, and went to the tent to sleep, followed by the waterbender. The Water Tribe warrior, for his part, extinguished the campfire and lay down in his sleeping bag, his gaze lost in the ashes. A few minutes later, the golden eyed boy left his tent and slipped out of the camp without making a sound.

- You're leaving without saying goodbye? - Sokka asked, startling the golden eyed boy, who turned around in alarm. Just seconds before, the dark haired boy could have sworn the other was sleeping peacefully in his sleeping bag.

- The idea was to be unnoticed. -

- Toph won't be happy. -

- I told her I was going to come here, not staying. She'll understand - the pale boy countered, turning to continue on his way.

- Do you really think so? - asked the blue eyed boy, following the other teenager. - You wouldn’t sneak out while everyone’s asleep if… -

- The idea was to avoid running into anyone - the golden eyed boy interrupted with a growl. - You shouldn’t be awake. -

- I couldn’t sleep - Sokka replied. - I know you. I knew you’d leave. -

- You don’t know me. It was just luck. -

- That’s what you tried to do after I confronted you at Jeong Jeong Camp - the dark haired boy retorted.

- And I should have - the boy with the scar grumbled. - It would have saved me so much trouble. -

- And you would have missed out on so many experiences with us. - The younger boy rolled his eyes, continuing on his way and ignoring the other teenager's incredulous snorts. - Seriously? You're telling me you don't care about anything you went through with Aang or Katara? Not even with me? -

- You didn't care about me when you kicked me out. -

- We didn't kick you out! - the older boy shouted desperately, trying to grab Zuko's shoulders, only to be pushed back quickly out of reach.

- Do not touch me - the Fire Nation boy warned, looking at the fallen Water Tribe boy.

- Don't go - the warrior pleaded.

- You told me to leave you - the golden eyed boy reminded him.

- I didn't mean it in that way - the dark haired man denied. - I meant a couple of minutes, or a few hours at most, for you to leave the room for a moment while Katara calmed down. I didn't really want you to leave, I never would have wanted that... -

- You say that now, but at the North Pole... -

- At the North Pole you didn't let me finish, you interrupted me and then you left - the blue eyed man cut him off. - When you didn't come back that night I got worried, but then Yue packed your things so I thought you were staying with her. I thought you wanted space, just like Katara, and that's why you didn't come back as the days went by. I looked for you in the training rooms and waited for you to come back every day until I asked Yue and she told me you left, without saying goodbye, without telling us, you just left and broke my heart. -

- Did I break your heart? - Zuko asked furiously. - And what did you do when you turned your back on me?! When I called you after your sister kicked me out of the pack, and you just turned your back on me and told me to leave?! You told me you loved me just to... - Zuko shook his head, slumping against the earthen walls of the canyon. - I don't even know why you did it. -

- I was just expressing my feelings - Sokka murmured in response, his head bowed. - I loved you... and I still love you. - The golden eyed boy snorted, shaking his head, which made the other boy look up at him. - It's the truth, Zuko. I love you even though you hate me now. -

- I don't hate you - the black haired boy murmured reluctantly. - any of you, even if I really wish I do. -

- You don't hate us? - the blue eyed boy repeated incredulously. - You threw one of your flying weapons at me hours ago -

- It didn’t hit you - the younger boy shrugged. - It didn’t even scratch you. -

- Only because I moved my hand out of the way. -

- Only because I threw it slowly - the golden eyed boy countered, silencing the other boy for several seconds.

- Fine, let’s say that’s what it was - the dark-haired boy grumbled childishly. - So, you don’t hate us, but you thought we hated you to the point of wanting you dead. -

- I still think so. -

- I just told you I still love you. Why would I want you dead? - the blue eyed boy asked the paler one, exasperated.

- You know how this war started, right? - Zuko asked, frowning.

- the Fire Nation attack the Air Nomads? - the older one ventured.

- Yes, but the Fire Lord started planning the attack after the Avatar’s death - replied the former Fire Nation prince. - The Avatar, who was a Fire Nation omega, a childhood friend of Fire Lord Sozin, an alpha, and to who he was betrothed and to be engaged after their sixteenth birthday. -

- That’s not possible - Sokka quickly denied. - The Avatar can’t marry political figures from any of the nations. -

- That was the problem. -

- Okay, listen, this sounds like a great story I want to hear - Sokka replied, jerking his arms around his head before pointing at himself. - But I swear I would never want to kill you, and I can assure you that neither Aang nor Katara would. I understand why you might think we could hate you when you thought we kicked you out of the pack. I remind you that’s not true. We didn’t kick you out, and we don’t hate you. But it’s too much to think we want to kill you. -

- That’s what people do when they hate others - Zuko replied. He shrugged, earning a horrified look from Sokka.

- No! They don't! - He frowned, only to then remember his hatred for Zhao after he hurt Zuko, and had to rephrase his words. - There are different levels of hatred. They can range from ignoring you when you greet them to wanting to kill you, but that last one is excessive. -

- Not in my experience - the dark haired boy denied, puzzled. Did the Kyoshi warrior that Zuko ignored because she mocked him by calling him cute, thought Zuko hated her? Had Zuko hated her without knowing it?

- Has no one ever ignored you? - Sokka asked, confused by the paler boy's expression.

- My father did sometimes - the golden eyed boy muttered before shrugging - but he also tried to kill me. -

- Your father is the worst example of this kind of things - Sokka growled, digging his claws into the ground beneath him before calming down and turning his attention back to the dark haired boy. - Zuko - he called - I know we're not your favorite people right now. - The golden eyed boy huffed, rolling his eyes. - But please, let us make it up to you for the harm we've done. Give us a chance to show you we're sorry and that we love you. -

- If you were in my position, would you do it? - the firebender asked - If your family had banished you, and a month later, after you’d suffered so much, when you were finally getting over it, they came back and told you it was all a misunderstanding, would you return? -

- I would - the Water Tribe boy nodded. - My family is the most important thing to me. I’d go back to them as soon as I could if I knew they’d welcome me with open arms. -

- I suppose that's another difference between you and me - murmured the former Fire Nation prince. - You still trust people after they've caused you pain? I stopped trusting them after they blew up my room and I had to crawl to my father's chambers, wounded and terrified, only to heard him congratulate the one who tried to kill me for ending my life. I learned not to trust even my own father that day. I learned never to trust people again once they've made me suffer, never to give them the chance to hurt me again, like you have. So tell me, Sokka, why would I ever go back to you? -

- because… - the blue eyed boy tried to begin, only to shake his head. - It’s… you… I don’t know. - His shoulders slumped. - If we hurt you so much, maybe you shouldn’t… - He stopped, surprised, to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks. He quickly rubbed his face and stood, turning his back on the dark haired boy. - I’m sorry. We never meant to hurt you. I’ll explain to the others why you left. I… I’m truly sorry, Zuko. -

The Water Tribe warrior returned to his camp, leaving the firebender alone in the darkness of the night. Once the other teenager’s figure disappeared, he stood up, looking between the path leading back to the camp, illuminated by the light of the full moon, and the path that led away through the darkness of the canyon before taking his first steps.

Chapter Text

- Today's the day! - Aang shouted, leaping several meters into the air and landing next to a drowsy Sokka, who was exhausted from the few hours of sleep he'd managed after his farewell to Zuko the night before, or rather, that early morning. - Can you believe it? after all that time searching for a teacher, I'm finally starting earthbending! And this place is perfect, don't you think? - The boy's eyes finally fell on the older teenager, noticing the bags under his eyes, red from crying himself to sleep. - Sokka? - he asked, receiving a sullen glare from the blue eyed boy that made him take a step back. - Oh, you're still sleeping? – Aangreceived no response other than a grunt – Sorry –

– Good morning, earthbending student – the blind bandit's loud greeting, along with the walls of her sleeping tent collapsing, made Momo squeal in terror, breaking free from the hug a certain golden eyed boy had given him when he crawled into his sleeping bag for warmth. The flying lemur quickly left the earth tent, chirping in complaint before hiding under the flying bison, hoping that all that fur would drown out the noise.

– Good morning, Sifu Toph – the avatar greeted in response, bowing in greeting, while the firebender, still in the earth tent, accepted that his attempt to ignore the arrival of a new day when Agni woke him some time ago was now thwarted by the lively voices of the two youngest members of the group.

Had he been so lively when he was that age? the dark haired boy wondered before grimacing at his own thoughts, that made him sound so old.

- Hey, you never called me Sifu Katara - the waterbender complained, still sleepy and weighing on her words.

- Well, if you think I should - before Aang could bow to her and call her Sifu Katara, Sokka sat down with an exasperated and annoyed growl, shooting sharp glares at the two younger ones who wouldn't stop talking so loudly right next to where he was trying to get a couple of hours of sleep.

- Sorry, snoozles - smiled the earthbender, fully aware that she'd been bothering the older boy this whole time, and making even more noise than necessary. It was her mission to annoy the three teenagers around her for what they'd done to her friend. If she didn't openly declare her intentions, it was only because her firebending friend might not agree with her methods, with that heart of a fire ferret baby he had. - We'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can -

The column of earth hurled Sokka into the air as Zuko emerged from the earth tent, staring in bewilderment at the flying and screeching sleep bag. The moment he landed Sokka pushed himself to his feet without leaving the bag and began jumping to the two younger members of the group, making himself look like a strange blue caterpillar, with the color so faded it was almost brown. He made incomprehensible sounds, a mix of grumbling, whining, and childish grunts, before finally turning back to the still standing earth tent only to froze when he noticed the dark haired boy watching it with a raised eyebrow.

- You're here - he said in surprise.

- Don't remind me - the boy with the scar growled, turning to look for something to eat in the canyon.

- so what move are you gonna teach me first? - Aang asked, ignoring the other two's interaction and jumping to his new teacher's side. - rockalanche? The trembler? Oh, I can learn how to make a whirlpool out of land! -

- let's start with - the blind girl put an arm in front of the bald boy to stop his attempt to imitate a whirlpool - move a rock -

- sounds good - the boy nodded enthusiastically - Sounds good -

By the time Zuko returned, eating berries alongside Momo, who had jumped onto his shoulder to reach the fruit, Toph was already demonstrating a move to Aang. She was hitting a rock bigger than Uncle Iroh and sending it flying several meters until it crashed into the canyon's flash floods, which reverberated, scattering all the animals for miles around. When Aang tried to do the same, he was the one who ended up being thrown several meters backward, colliding with Appa's gigantic body and landing face first on the ground.

- Rock beats airbender - Sokka mocked, still huddled in his sleeping bag like a furry caterpillar, laughing.

Zuko sighed, turning back toward his tent, thinking he should have taken longer to return.

He ignored Toph's shouts outside as she taught Aang earthbending. Zuko wouldn't have expected anything different from her, strong and direct, like a rock. And although the golden eyed boy could have acted as a mediator between the airbender and the earthbender, since they were quite opposites, he refrained from doing so on every occasion. First, Toph was the teacher here, and he should let her use her style because she was a master for a reason. Besides, Aang wasn't in real danger during the lesson when she could control any earth or rock object around him. Second, Toph was right when she told Aang he had to stop thinking like an airbender. He'd had the same problem studying with Jeong Jeong and even with Pakku. If Katara hadn't reinforced it by showing him the element as she herself knew it, Aang still wouldn't be a waterbender master, if he even was one, because Zuko didn't know if he'd finished his training. And third, Zuko still didn't want to talk to his old group, so he was going to calmly stay inside his earth tent, checking the things in his recently recovered travel bag with the sole accompaniment of a candle whose flame grew and diminished in time with the firebender's breathing.

Zuko had stayed, Sokka thought with a smile as he ate his breakfast. And for the first time, he wasn't smiling because of the breakfast itself. No, it was because Zuko had stayed with them even though Sokka hadn't given him any good reason to stay, while the one with the scar had explained why he wanted to leave so desperately.

Was he giving them a second chance? Was that it? Because if so, Sokka was going to prove that they deserved that second chance to have him with them.

Yes, Sokka knew that the black haired boy would most likely never love him now as he loved him once, but even when that would be a stake driven into his heart forever, Sokka was glad to at least be able to have him near, to see and hear him, because his voice sounded like the song of the spirits to the warrior. He could at least be his friend, and that was more than Sokka felt he deserved for making him feel so despised when he thought he'd been expelled from his pack. He couldn't ask for more, even if he wanted to, and he would thank the spirits every day for what they gave him.

Now, what would Sokka do to prove they were worth this second chance? The answer came to the teenager as he bit into the steaming piece of meat with eggs that Katara had served him, he was going to hunt the biggest and most delicious beast he could find to serve to the golden eyed boy for lunch.

Yes, it was a courtship ritual among the Water Tribes, a way for men to woo women, as well as alphas to woo omegas, as far as Sokka knew. And yes, Sokka knew that Zuko would never love him back. The blue eyed boy still hadn't gotten over it, and neither he could forget it. But it was a gift, after all. He'd seen the black haired boy eating berries for breakfast, even though he hadn't eaten dinner the day before, so he'd be hungry, and Sokka would give him that much anticipated meal that Zuko wouldn't want to leave again. He'd go far enough away so Zuko wouldn't have to witness the hunt, because he hadn't forgotten that the other teenager wasn't exactly thrilled about it. So yes, he would hunt at a distance so as not to disturb him, bring back the food, and satisfing Zuko's needs as best he could.

It was a foolproof plan. The Water Tribe warrior felt completely confident as he set off, machete in hand, assuring his sister that he would return with the food.

The first thing he found, apart from small rodents and birds that took flight as soon as they saw him, was a small animal that couldn't have been bigger than his forearms, with soft, fluffy brown fur with white tones on the tips of its paws and snout, the hint of some kind of horns on its head, black eyes, ears perked up at the sides, and a small tail. It was probably the baby of some animal, and normally it would have been Sokka's next target when he was tired of searching, but he wanted something big and surprising for Zuko, so this time he would have to let it go.

- You're awfully cute - Sokka muttered, rolling his eyes before a smile spread across his lips - and a perfect gift for my dear animal lover. -

He decided to catch the animal to give to Zuko, who would be delighted by the little creature. Sokka lunged at it, only for it to escape at the last second, leaving the human to fall into a hole. The Water Tribe warrior looked around, confused as to what had gone wrong, until he noticed the small animal approaching to sniff him.

- Gotcha! - the blue eyed boy shouted, trying to seize the opportunity to grab the animal, but he ended up submerged, unable to move anything but his hands against his face. He immediately glared at the animal, which was watching him intently as he tried to free himself, before pointing a finger at him. - You're one lucky little meat creature - The creature simply assumed a playful stance, wagging its small tail.

- ...I'm going to roll that boulder down at you. - No, that was excessive, Zuko thought, quickly leaving the earth tent and running toward Toph, Aang, and Katara. - If you have the attitude of an earthbender, you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock - The earthbender assumed a side riding stance with her arms extended in the same direction as one of her legs. - Like this. -

- sorry, Toph - Katara approached, worried, with Momo clinging to her braids, staring blankly at the large rock on the canyon's edge, a path leading directly toward Aang. Yes, Zuko was worried too. - But are you sure this is really the best way to teach Aang earthbending? -

- I’m glad you said somenthing - Toph nodded, raising a finger and flashing a smile that the golden eyed boy knew spelled trouble. - Actually, there’s a better way. - Before the waterbender or the firebender could do anything, the blind girl removed the sash from the Avatar’s waist and tied it around the bald boy’s eyes, much to the older girl’s horror. - This way, you’ll really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. - The smile spread across the earthbender’s lips again as she gave the blue eyed girl a thumbs up. - Thank you, Katara. -

- Yeah, thanks, Katara - the tattooed boy repeated sarcastically, earning an apologetic smile from the girl with the braids, who stepped back, hugging the flying lemur.

- Let's begin - Toph clapped, turning around and quickly pointing to the black haired boy who had just arrived. - I'm glad you're here to see the show, Sparky. Maybe you can help me set the scene by launching attacks against twinkle toes here and there to make sure he can stop the boulder while it's being attacked from other sides. That would be best. -

- I'd rather have a small talk - said the golden eyed boy, shifting his gaze from the giant boulder to the blindfolded child.

- Sure, come with me up here. - The earthbender shrugged before forming a platform beneath the two black haired kids to lift them to the top of the canyon.

- He won't stop it - the older one said, turning to look at her desperately. - He's terrified. His legs are shaking. He can't stand properly, let alone stop a boulder twice his size moving and about to crush him. -

- I know - Toph shrugged, walking over to the side of the boulder. - It's part of the plan. -

- to crush him? - the golden eyed boy asked, beside himself.

- No, make him escape the boulder - the earthbender rolled her eyes.

- And what if he doesn't? -

- He will - Toph assured him with a dismissive wave of her hand. - But since you're so worried, I'll let you know that I can stop the boulder even from this distance if twinkle toes doesn't jump and the boulder gets too close. -

- Why do you want him to escape? - the boy with the scar asked more calmly, looking at Toph in confusion. - Isn't that the opposite of the earthbender way? You know, staying put and resisting until the end, tough as nails? -

- If I just tell him, he won’t learn - the black haired girl denied. - Besides, I believe more in practice than theory. Katara told me to try a positive experience. -

- I still don’t see how all this has anything to do with wanting Aang to escape the rock. -

- It’s part of the plan - Toph replied with a smile. - First step - the earthbender jumped behind the rock - teach Aang the stances to face whatever comes his way. Second step, throw a giant rock at him to show that even if he knows the stances, he’s not an earthbender if he doesn’t dare to be one. Third step, show him that if he doesn’t confront certain people, they’ll never stop. Fourth step, force him to face a threat to save his life, and even better, the life of someone he cares about. -

The teenager waited until it was quite obvious that the explanation had ended - How is that a positive experience? - the golden eyed boy asked exasperatedly, seconds away from tugging at his ponytail in frustration.

- When he dares to face his problems instead of running away from them, he'll realize what he's capable of - she replied, giving him a thumbs up. - Positive experience. -

- I'm not going to argue - the black haired boy conceded, stepping back so the earthbender could do whatever she thought best.

- Don't worry, Sparky, your friends are safe - the blind girl assured him. - Everything is under control, from the rock I'm going to throw at Aang to the hole where Sokka is trapped. -

- Okay, do that... - The firebender's words froze, as did his body, before he turned to look incredulously at the blind girl. - What?! - The girl pushed the giant boulder with a small thud, sending it hurtling toward the Avatar, who began breathing heavily a few feet away, reeking of pure terror.

The airbender jumped several feet into the air as the giant boulder came close enough to make the ground tremble beneath him. The boulder continued its trajectory, crashing into one of the canyon walls, the sound echoing throughout the area as Aang descended, his face dejected.

- I told you so - the earthbender murmured, taking a step to descend and confront the Avatar, only to be stopped by the former prince's hand, which gripped her wrist.

- Wait, what did you say about Sokka? - the pale boy asked desperately.

- He’s trapped in a hole - she replied calmly. - Your boyfriend is safe if that’s what you’re worried about. -

- First of all, he’s not my boyfriend, he’s not even my friend at this point - the teenager clarified, only provoking the younger girl to roll her eyes. - Second, did you put him in a hole? -

- He went in by himself - Toph declared defensively. - Out of sheer stupidity, if I may add, he jumped right into one because he wasn’t looking where he was while hunting a sabertooth moose lion cub. I just felt the vibrations and didn’t warn anyone. -

- The cub’s mother is going to kill him. -

- And Aang will have to face her to save him - the blind girl replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the whole situation. - If you're worried, you can go and make sure he's alright. - She raised her hand, pointing toward one of the farthest paths leading out of the canyon. - You won't be able to get him out, so don't even try, and don't appear before him. His fear has to be real for Aang to react. -

Zuko didn't respond or even turn around to see Toph running straight toward the airbender to confront him. Instead, he ran directly toward where the earthbender had pointed, hoping to still find the Water Tribe warrior alive when he arrived.

- You probably think I deserve this, don't you? - Zuko heard Sokka's voice from a distance, slowing his pace both to pinpoint the exact direction and to avoid revealing himself to the boy. He didn't want to interfere with the blind bandit's plan; if he did, he'd likely end up trapped in a hole himself. Besides, he wanted to know who the Water Tribe warrior might be talking to while he was trapped. - I'm sorry I tried to hunt you, but that's just the natural order of things - Oh, that answers it, Zuko thought as he hid among bushes to watch Sokka talking to the cute and beautiful little sabertooth moose lion cub resting on his head. - Big things eat smaller things. nothing personal, but this time it didn't work out that way. - The cub yawned, shifting on the boy's head to find a more comfortable position to groom itself. - I admit it, you're cute - the blue eyed boy conceded, shrugging with his hands since he couldn't use any other part of his arms, gaining the attention of the cute little animal, as well as a tender smile from the golden eyed one who was still watching him hidden – listen, it's not just for me, okay? I mean, if it were up to me, I would have tried to hunt you to eat, but I was only trying to catch you. You were going to be a gift for someone so he would forgive me for being an insensitive idiot. He like cute little animals like you –

That was quite sweet of him, the black haired boy thought, even though he wouldn't have accepted the animal knowing it would miss its mother, and his mother would be terribly worried about it, not to mention furious with his group for taking her baby. But he could understand the other boy's intention. He didnt't forgive him or anything because he wasn't sure how, but he appreciated the gesture, or rather, the attempt. He wasn't going to tell him, though, because to do that he'd have to give away his location.

When he realized he was smiling, he had to fight to hide it, and that was something he wasn't going to tell anyone, ever.

The little animal jumped off the teenager's head and ran toward the bushes where Zuko was hiding. Sokka watched the little creature intently, but couldn't find the black haired boy because he was hidden deep inside them. The cub, however, followed the scent to the other teenager, sniffing him before running in circles and finally nodding its head in the other boy's direction.

- You're quite clever, aren't you? - the former prince asked the small animal, which raised its head in his direction, wagging its tail excitedly. - I can't go help him, I'm sorry little one - he said, scratching between its horns and eliciting an excited squeal before turning toward a nearby apple tree, trying to reach some of the fruit. Zuko smiled, stretching to grab one of the apples without being noticed by the Water Tribe warrior, and handed it to the small animal, which accepted the fruit just to turn and return to Sokka, placing the apple before him.

Oh, sweet and beautiful creature of the spirits.

- Hey, It looks like my karma's already paying off! - the dark haired boy exclaimed excitedly as the little creature placed an apple before him. - that's okay, I got it - the blue eyed boy assured him, stretching his arms as far as he could to reach his trusty boomerang on his back. He threw it toward the apple, but it only bounced off the ground before coming to rest less than a step away, not returning. - Now come back, boomerang - he commanded his weapon, only eliciting a playful wag of its tail from the small animal watching him.

The sabertooth moose lion cub grazed around for a long time before approaching Sokka again in a playful stance, swishing its tail from side to side and letting out little squeaks to get the human to play with it. After a couple of playful nudges that only managed to slightly push Sokka's head from side to side before he lifted it again, believing the teenager was ignoring its attempts to play, the little animal decided to pull his wolf tail, just as it did with others of its kind, eliciting only tired grunts from the blue eyed boy.

- Okay - Sokka grunted, struggling with the animal tugging at his hair - karma person or thing whoever's in charge of this stuff, I promise that if I can just get out of this alive, I'll give up meat, sarcasm, and get over the cute golden eyed boy. - The golden eyed boy blushed involuntarily at the words, turning his head away, though the other boy couldn't see it anyway. - That's all I got - The hair tie broke to the animal playing, letting a messy, slobbery strand of hair fly wildly over his head as the furry creature behind him squealed happily with its new toy. - it's preatty much my whole identity, Sokka, the meat and sarcastic guy with a terrible case of unrequited love. But I'm willing to be Sokka, the veggies and straight talk guy who let his crush be happy with whomever they want without interfering. - The blue eyed boy looked up at the sky in despair. - Deal? – The Avatar immediately ran inside, much to the teenager's relief. – Aang! thank goodness! - the older boy cried, quickly focusing his gaze on the airbender. – have you got any meat? -

- Sokka! - exclaimed the monk boy, almost equally relieved. - Are you okey?! -

Do you think I'm okey? the blue eyed boy wanted to ask mockingly, only to remind himself at the last minute that if he bothered the bald boy, he might not be pulled out, not immediately at least, or not without bringing the others who would laugh at him. Toph would be the one to make fun of him the most, but his sister would never let him forget it. It was better to keep quiet, he thought, as Aang bent down, taking his hands to pull him out.

He decided on the exact opposite when Aang started pulling, causing him more pain than helping him out. - Stop! Stop! - he yelled, making the boy back away in surprise. - You’re gonna pull my fingers off, and I don't think the rest of me is coming! -

- I bet I can airbend you out of here - the monk boy tried before unleashing a powerful air force that struck the blue eyed boy from below, only managing to dry his eyes and raise his hair like a parody of a mohawk, which was destroyed as soon as Sokka’s own boomerang hit him on the head. At least it was back.

- seriously, Aang - the dark haired boy said, tired of the situation. - I know you’re new at it, but I could use a little earthbending here, how about it? -

- I can’t - Aang denied, turning his back on Sokka in embarrassment. - I can’t do it. -

- Well, If you can’t earthbend me out of here, go get Toph - the dark haired boy said with a sigh, tired of being trapped all day.

- I can’t do that either - the bald boy denied again.

- You can’t? Why not? - the blue eyed boy asked after looking at the boy with a puzzled and slightly exasperated expression.

- Well - the younger boy rubbed his arm, unsure how to express himself - it would just be really uncomfortable -

- uncomfortable - the boy trapped in the hole almost shouted, nodding his head at himself, only to realize the tattooed boy wasn't looking. He resigned himself to peppering his words with sarcasm, waiting for the moment the boy realized that no matter how uncomfortable he felt, Sokka was still trapped up to his neck in a hole! - Well, I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable -

- Thanks, Sokka - the airbender replied, receiving only a blank stare from the teenager.

- I told you your boyfriend would be fine - Toph said, arriving beside Zuko.

- He's not my… -

- Sure he isn't, Sparky - she interrupted with a smile before grabbing his wrist and pulling him along. - Come on, we don't want to be in the way. -

- In the way? - Zuko asked, confused, as the girl dragged him along.

- This whole earthbending thing really has me confused - the young Avatar began, sitting down next to where his friend was trapped and hugging his legs in a hopeless expression. - There's so much pressure. Everyone expects me to get it right away, it puts me in a really awkward position -

- Awkward position. I think I know the feeling - Sokka commented ironically.

- If I try, I fail - the boy continued, still too lost in his own thoughts to notice the tone and teasing from the boy beside him. - But if I don't try, I'm never gonna get it. I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. -

- How about that? - the dark haired boy gestured to the way he was literally trapped between rocks before being distracted by his small, furry friend approaching to sniff the stranger. The boy looked at the small animal with wide eyes and interest. - Aang, this is my friend, fufu cuddly poops, fufu cuddly poops, Aang. -

- Oh, what a cute name for a littel baby sabertooth moose lion cub - the airbender murmured before taking the tiny creature in his hands and lifting it to face level as he stood up.

- Really? - the waterbender boy asked, staring in bewilderment at the supposed sabertooth moose lion, which looked nothing like the terrifying animal he'd heard about in stories. - It looks nothing like a sabertooth moose lion. -

- Its hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns will grown in - the boy nodded, smiling at the baby in his arms. - What are you doing out here, little buddy? did you lose your mama? -

The answer came in the form of a roar that terrified the two boys, forcing them to turn and face a gigantic beast more than three or four times the Avatar's size. It had long, sharp fangs the size of a Water Tribe warrior's forearm and fist, massive horns on its head that could shred trees like mere twigs, claws the size of Sokka's head, and long, powerful legs that could crush anything in its path. To top it all off, the beast looked utterly furious, its murderous glare fixed on the two humans, accompanied by a threatening growl that would have frozen the bravest man alive.

And by bravest man, Sokka meant himself, because he was frozen with fear!

- Hey there - the boy greeted with a smile - we found your cub. -

Standing next to where Toph had just comfortably sat cross legged, Zuko had to resist the urge to facepalm himsself.

The cub in the boy's hands grew desperate at being held so high up, flailing its paws uncomfortably before letting out a sad whimper to be let down and return to its mother. The airbender quickly lowered it and released it, letting it run towards its mother with an apologetic smile. The sabertooth moose lion mother made sure her cub ran until it disappeared behind her before raising her head angrily towards the humans who had restrained her cub, beginning to thump her paw against the ground to prepare her attack.

- see - the bald young man tried to continue - we have no problem with you, we’re friendly. -

The sabertooth moose lion mother didn’t buy the human’s words for a second, or as far as Zuko knew, she couldn’t even understand or care about them. They had held her cub all this time, frightening it, they had held it until it whimpered, and now they stood there baring their teeth at her just as they had at her cub seconds before. Knowing what the former prince knew about mothers in the wild, he could be sure that she had only one thing on her mind, and that was to tear apart the humans who had harmed her cub.

- Aang! this is bad! - Sokka asked, terrified, unable to turn around completely to see the beast behind them, but hearing it growl and roar menacingly. - You got to get me out of here! –

Before Aang could respond, the beast charged toward them, eliciting a sharp scream of pure terror from the warrior. All he could hear was a giant animal roaring at them, its powerful paws shaking the earth. He was unable to move to fight or even protect himself, his only option being to cower his head as if trying to disappear into the hole he was trapped in. Sokka didn't know what was happening, only managing to scream until enormous, razor sharp claws from the massive legs of a colossal animal flew above him, missing his skull by mere centimeters.

He was going to faint from fear at this point, thought the blue eyed boy, watching in horror as the animal fell to the other side and turned back toward them, snorting and preparing for another attack.

This is too dangerous, thought the black haired boy, taking a step toward the other two boys, who hadn't yet noticed the two paler ones. Before he could run toward them to help, the earth beneath him caught him up to his mid thigh, immobilizing him completely.

- Toph - the golden eyed boy hissed, turning to face the earthbender.

- I can't let you interfere, Sparky - she shook her head as the beast roared toward the two humans.

- I don't like this at all - Sokka blurted out in despair. - Please, Aang, you have to erathbend me out. There's no other way. -

The boy tried, making outlandish earthbending movements, but he only managed to earn a reproachful look from his friend, which he met with an apologetic smile.

- Toph - Zuko called again desperately, clawing at the earth that immobilized his legs in an attempt to escape. The blind girl sighed, torn between remaining still and letting Aang do what he had to do, or letting go of her friend, who seemed ready to break his legs to run and save the two boys, who were still oblivious to the presence of them.

- Oh no - Aang gasped as the beast prepared to charge at the human who smelled most like its young and must have been the one who restrained it. In a desperate attempt, Aang jumped onto a pillar, clapping his hands to distract the animal, but it ignored him and charged toward the Water Tribe warrior. The airbender ran, pushing the beast away with his airbending to divert it before it could reach his friend.

- He's ready - the earthbender said with a wry smile as the animal, which had fallen on the other side, turned, ready to attack again. - Don't let Aang see you - she told the black haired boy before releasing him.

- Please don't leave me again - the blue eyed boy begged the young Avatar, who stood firmly between his friend and the roaring threat.

- I won't - Aang assured her.

The beast lunged at them, roaring furiously. Aang assumed his earthbending stance to stop the imminent threat, even at the risk of being crushed in the middle of it. Zuko run towards Sokka, quickly shielding him with his body as he closed his eyes, trusting that Aang could stop the raging animal.

The sound of an impact was followed by a roar before a giant body crashed to the ground. The black haired boy opened his eyes again and turned his head toward the young monk and the sabertooth moose lion, noticing the last one rising and shaking its head with a yelp of complaint. Its cub approached, squealing in worry, before being picked up by its mother, who moved away from the group of humans, preferring to keep her cub away from the danger they posed.

The sound of applause interrupted the ensuing tense moment, drawing the attention of a stunned bald monk as he noticed his earthbending master calmly sitting on a rock a few meters away. The golden eyed boy let out a relieved sigh, sitting down beside the head that was looking around him in bewilderment.

- What's going on?! - the dark haired man finally shouted, using what little movement he could muster, to turn to the black haired man beside him. - What are you doing?! - He pointed to the now empty spot where the furious beast that had tried to kill him used to stand. - When did that animal leave?! - And finally, he pointed to the blind girl. - What are you doing sitting there?! -

- Just enjoying the show - she replied calmly.

- What?! - the airbender asked, turning to the bender of his opposite element in utter disbelief. - you were there watchig us the whole time? -

- Of course not, I can't watch - the blind bandit replied with a mocking smile.

- You know that's not what he meant - Zuko admonished, without any real intention.

- Why didn't you do something?! - Aang demanded furiously, pointing directly at her. - Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble! You could have gotten him out and help us get away! -

- I guess it just didn’t occur to me - she said, as if she couldn’t care less about all the words the boy had just shouted at her. The small, lopsided smile on her lips only emphasized how quickly she dismissed those shouts before tossing a nut in front of her and lifting the airbender’s glider, intending to use it to crack the nut’s shell.

- enough! - growled the tattooed boy, catching the glider mid flight and facing the blind bandit. - I want my staff back! -

Toph smiled, jumping off the rock to stand before the airbender with a proud grin on her face. - Do it now. -

- What? - Aang asked, bewildered but still not backing down from the earthbender.

- earthbend, twinkle toes - the blind girl replied, tapping the airbender's chest with her index finger. - You just stood your ground against a crazy beast, and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff - she asserted before startling the other two teenagers with a shout. - do it!  -

- Was this necessary? - Sokka asked, watching the monk boy face a giant boulder, striking it in the same position as that morning when he'd been knocked back. Now, however, the boulder moved as if it had no weight at all, hurling itself to smash through a canyon wall in the distance.

- You did it! - Toph exclaimed excitedly. - You're an earthbender! -

- Toph's methods are harsh, but they work - the dark haired boy shrugged in response to the teenager's nod beside him.

- I can't believe it! - the boy nodded excitedly, seeing his work and practically jumping for joy like a kangaroo rabbit.

- Oh, this is really a wonderful touching moment - the older boy said teasingly, drawing the attention of the two children. - could you get me out of here so I can give you both a big snuggly hug? -

- No problem, Sokka - Aang grinned, running, still overjoyed, toward his trapped friend, only to be stopped by his sifu's words.

- Actually, you should let me do that - she remarked, approaching and passing the bald boy toward the blue eyed one. - You're still a little new to this; you might accidentally crush him. -

The trapped teenager smiled, clinging to the hope of being pulled out without accidentally being crushed, before turning to the blind girl. - Yeah, no crushing, please. -

The earthbender stomped her foot, pulling the dark haired boy out like one of those spring loaded snakes in a box, and grabbed him by the hair to prevent him from falling back into the hole before dropping him face first onto the ground. She left him lying there as she turned to head back to the camp.

- Now let's go - the girl declared. - It's getting late and I'm hungry. -

- You were eating my food all afternoon - Aang retorted, running to her side.

- Because I was hungry - the blind girl replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, their conversation fading into the background.

- Thanks for staying and watching up to me until Aang got here - Sokka commented, getting up and trying to brush the dirt off himself before accepting that he would need a bath.

- You knew? - Zuko asked, surprised.

- I wasn't sure until now - Sokka replied with a smile. - I thought I smelled you, but it could have been my imagination playing tricks on me. -

- I don’t smell - the golden eyed boy quickly denied.

- Of course you do - the dark haired boy asserted. - I have it memorized, you can’t deny it. -

- Those are the suppressants, not me - the black haired boy retorted, standing up abruptly. - Anyone who takes suppressants smells exactly the same. -

- Oh - the blue eyed boy exclaimed, dejected, realizing that he had never actually smelled the true scent of the boy he liked.

- If you suspected I was around here, why did you tell Fufu cuddly poops all that about me? - the paler boy asked, walking alongside the older boy back to camp. - Or why didn’t you ask me for help? -

- I thought you still didn’t want to talk to me, and I wanted to apologize - the older boy shrugged, wincing at the tension between them. - and also, if I had said something, maybe you would have left me -

- you think I’d leave you trapped in a hole? - the golden eyed boy asked, frowning.

- You didn't help me get out, so I guess... -

- Toph told me not to. It was part of a training plan or something - the black haired boy replied. - I had to argue with her to even let me come and make sure you were okay. -

- You care about me - Sokka smiled at the paler boy.

- You're insufferable - Zuko grunted, rolling his eyes.

- No, you get irritated very easily - the dark haired boy countered, still smiling broadly even as he made a thoughtful face seconds later, cradling his chin. - What do you call people like that? -

- Irascible - the former prince answered.

- Bless you - the blue eyed boy nodded as if he had sneezed, earning a disapproving glare from the black haired boy.

- You know what? - the pale boy began, passing the warrior and quickening his pace, leaving him behind. - Go back on your own. -

- Were you keeping me company? - the dark haired boy teased, before noticing that the other boy was indeed leaving him behind without a second thought. He immediately started running, trying to catch up. - Wait! Zuko! -

Chapter Text

Night fell on the group of five teenagers gathered around a campfire, eating portions of rice with meat and seasoning, or, in Aang's case, tofu and seasoning. The meat and tofu had only been kept fresh by what seemed to be a new trick of the waterbender's: freezing them in cubes, while coating fruits and vegetables in frost to also preserve them longer, thawing portions herself when she was going to cook. This allowed them to travel freely without having to stop for supplies for a week before inevitably returning to the villages. However, thawing it in sections also meant they ate in portions, much to Sokka's dismay.

It wasn't as if anyone was complaining, aside from Sokka, given how engrossed they were in the stories of Aang growing up in the Southern Air Temple with Monk Gyatso, who had been the Avatar's primary mentor and airbending teacher.

- It took me a little longer than I thought, but I finally did it! A simple shift of my fingers and I went from a sphere of air to the best airbending trick ever! - the boy shouted, making three beads dance, propelled solely by airbending, in the empty space between his hands. Apparently, one of the most important lessons Monk Gyatso had taught the Avatar was a game with beads.

It was strangely exasperatingly cute, especially when you saw Aang’s wide grin as he showed off his little trick. So, in the end, Zuko should thank the old monk for making the boy in front of him so happy during the time he was his mentor.

- He sounds like a really fun guy - Toph commented, smiling with her cheeks full of food. It was totally on purpose.

- The funniest guy in the temple! - the gray eyed boy agreed fervently. - That’s one of the reasons he was my best friend. -

- It's so sweet that your airbending master was your best friend - Katara smiled, earning a smile back from Aang.

- Well, if we count you as my waterbending master, Toph as my earthbending master, and Zuko as my firebending master - the boy said, counting on his fingers and earning a confused look from the boy with the scar - all my masters are my friends. -

- That sounds... - the waterbender began, only to be interrupted by the firebender.

- I'm not your firebending master - the black haired boy blurted out, frowning.

- Oh, right - the young monk nodded, still smiling. - I forgot to ask you if you wanted to be my... -

- Even if you had asked, Aang - Zuko interrupted, raising a hand to stop the blue eyed boy - and even if I had wanted to, I can't be your firebending master -

- Why not? - Sokka asked, looking puzzled at the exchange.

- Is it something like your vow of silence? - Toph asked, raising an eyebrow.

- A vow of silence? - Aang asked before the realization hit him.  - That's why you weren't talking! I knew there had to be an explanation for… - the monk boy gasped, looking horrified at the palest of the group - we made you break your vow! -

- Wait - the blue eyed boy called, raising his hands to signal them to stop before turning to the golden eyed boy. - I thought you couldn't speak, and all this time it was your own choice -

- It couldn't have been a vow - the waterbender denied, also turning to the boy of her opposite element. - Your vocal cords were cut, weren't they? That's why Yugoda had to heal you at the North Pole -

- What do you mean, Yugoda healed him at the North Pole? - Sokka asked, turning to his sister.

- Didn't you know? - Katara asked, surprised, before turning to the firebender.  - Didn't you tell him? -

- I wasn’t sure if it was going to work - the boy with the scar shrugged. - Even if it did, it was going to take several weeks. I didn’t want to say anything until it was a sure thing. -

- Literally - the blind bandit mocked with a smile.

- Wait a second - the eldest of the group raised his hands again, his gaze still fixed on his younger sister. - You knew he was being treated, but that day in the room you said he tricked us when he could speak and pretended to be mute. -

- I didn’t remember at the time - Katara shrank back. - I didn’t remember until the vendor in the first town of the Earth Kingdom said that about the severed vocal cords. -

- And you didn’t tell us anything! -

- I thought you knew! -

- I asked her not to - the former prince said, drawing the attention of the Water Tribe siblings. - I wanted it to be a surprise. I was going to do it when we went out with Yue - he said, giving the brunnet man a quick glance - but then came the snow mix with soot, and then the oasis, and… the rest. -

- So it’s true? - Aang asked, worried. - Did someone cut your vocal cords? -

- No, I kept my vow for almost three years, but disuse atrophied my vocal cords. After a year, it was painful to speak, and after two years, I couldn’t… -

- If it’s so bad, why did you try to take your vow again? - Toph asked, confused.

- Try to what? - Katara asked with a tone full of concern and her arms on her hips like jars.

- It’s not bad - the golden eyed boy replied.

- You said it hurt. -

- It hurts to speak, not to be silent - the former Yuyan archer corrected. - And I prefer to be quiet. Thank you very much. Every time I speak, something bad happens. -

- Are you saying that because we had the fight when you spoke? - Aang asked.

- No… maybe partly - the golden eyed boy murmured, lowering his head. - But it's not just because of you. You weren't the only, or even the last misadventure I had, and none of this has anything to do with what we were talking about. - He spoke quickly before focusing on the young Avatar. - I can't be your firebending master because I'm not a firebending master, so… -

- But you do firebending - Sokka retorted. - You fought Zhao, and your sister. -

- I’m a bender, not a master - Zuko explained curtly. - The techniques I used against Zhao weren’t firebending, and what I did to my sister was the same thing we did when we were training as kids. -

- It was waterbending! - Katara exclaimed excitedly, reviewing the movements from that night and easily recognizing them.

- That was your training as kids? - Sokka asked, horrified, at the same time as his sister. They both fell silent, turning to look at each other in surprise.

- What did you say? - they asked simultaneously to each other.

- Yes, they were waterbending movements, and yes, our training was very similar to what we did that day - the golden eyed boy replied.

- Did she also try to kill you when you were kids? - Toph asked, raising an eyebrow.

- No - the paler boy denied, offended. - Azula would never try to kill me -

- Didn’t she threaten to kill you in the village? - Aang asked, tilting his head like a confused puppy.

- And then made an exploded, almost crushing you with a wall - the blind girl nodded.

- It wasn't an explosion, it was a lightning and… -

- She shot a lightning at you? - Katara asked, worried. - Wouldn't that have killed you? -

- Yes, doesn't that mean she was trying to kill you? - the blue eyed boy chimed in.

- Stop it - the firebender cut them off with a shout, making the flames of the camp grow. - Azula wouldn't hurt me, not on purpose - he added reluctantly. - If she did anything that day, it was only because she didn't recognize me. The last time we saw each other, we were children, and I didn't have a scar across half my face, so she clearly wasn't going to recognize me. It was my fault for not thinking of that, but if I find her again and explain everything, she'll welcome me with open arms. -

The Water Tribe siblings and the Air Nomad exchanged uncertain glances. Toph, for her part, lowered her head, not entirely believing that her friend's sister would act the way he claimed. It was difficult for the four of them to do when all they had seen of the Fire Nation princess was how she threatened their lives and actively hunted them for no apparent reason.

- So - Aang began, drawing the group's attention back into the conversation in an attempt to lighten the mood - you said you're not a firebending master to teach me, but what about tricks? -

- Tricks? - the black haired boy repeated, confused.

- Yeah, you know, like ... - Aang pulled the beads from his robes again, twirling them with his airbending - ...fun tricks, like fire juggling. My friend Kuzon knew how to juggle fire. -

- Oh, no, I don't know how to juggle - Zuko denied, scratching his head uncomfortably.

- But... you throw knives and smoke bombs - the Water Tribe warrior said incredulously.

- You wanted me to learn how to juggle knives and smoke bombs? - the former prince asked, earning a sigh from the older boy.

- No, I just… - He let his head fall back. - Forget it. -

An awkward silence reigned in the camp until the golden eyed boy finally relented, clearing his throat.  - I don't know any tricks, but my cousin taught me… - He shook his head uncomfortably, extending his hands toward the campfire, his fingers spread like a puppeteer's. - …It's something to tell stories at night. -

The fire began to take on different shapes as the bender's fingers moved. Though still flickering, figures of Komodo rhinos began to emerge, some running across the savanna, a couple with human cubs clinging to their backs and laughing, before fading into the image of sea lions somersaulting in synchronized swimming, jumping in and out of the water, breaking the surface and showering sparks from the campfire.

- That's incredible! - Aang gasped, his eyes wide with excitement.

- I'm gonna guess it's something visual if I can't feel its vibrations - Toph muttered bitterly.

- Yeah, little fire creatures - Sokka muttered, rolling his eyes at what he obviously considered childish for the supposedly grown man of the group. - You're not missing much, it's baby stuff... -

The fire in front of him melted and took the shape of a dragon's head, larger than a human, which jumped toward the blue eyed boy with a roar, eliciting a sharp cry from the warrior. He raised both arms to protect himself, leaning so far back that he fell from the log where he had been sitting. Just a few feet away, the dragon twisted in the air and returned to the fire, disappearing inside. In its place, a group of cute baby turtles swam behind their mother, preening their feathers and tails.

- Baby stuff, huh? - Katara teased her brother, who just glared at her angrily.

- Shut up, Katara - was the older boy's only response before turning back to the pale boy, intending to complain, only to swallow his words and ignore the flutter in his chest when he saw him smile, happly, for a single second. The bender then hid again in a scowl. Stupid and beautiful Zuko, the Water Tribe warrior thought, searching for other words so he wouldn't be left speechless mid argument. - Anyway, don't you have anything more practical? Like Katara's trick of freezing food, even if it means rationed food - he muttered the last part to himself.

- I can light campfires - Zuko muttered, letting the fire figures fall back into the shape of a campfire as he scratched the back of his neck uncertainly. - Although I suppose you could do the same with a couple of rocks - he sighed before lifting his head, an idea flashing in his mind. - Oh, in Pohuai they taught me to cauterize myself with my fingers and firebending. That's practical, isn't it? -

- Yes, at the South Pole we had trouble creating fire to cauterize wounds after animal attacks - Katara nodded. - I suppose having fire fingers would help, even if it sounds painful to do it to yourself. -

- A little - the golden eyed boy agreed - but I had to control my pain, or I might make the fire bigger or more intense than it should be, and end up doing more damage by burning myself. -

- Then it’s good that you don’t have to worry about it anymore - Aang smiled before gesturing to the waterbender. - If you get hurt now, Katara can heal you, and it’s usually not painful. -

- You should have told him last night before he cauterized himself - Toph remarked, lying back with her arms crossed under her head.

- Last night you did what? - Sokka asked, concerned. The black haired boy chose to avoid the question, turning to the blind girl.

- How… -

- I walked past your tent and smelled burnt meat - she replied before the boy could even finish his question - and it smelled like fresh blood, so it's not hard to guess the situation. -

- You should be a police someday - the golden eyed boy grumbled.

- Chief of Police, Sparky - the earthbender corrected. - If I'm going to get involved in something, I'd be the best at it, so I'd be the chief. -

- First, you'd have to clean up your criminal record - the former prince reminded her presumptuously. - You know, earth rumble wasn't exactly legal. -

- Neither it's a vigilante's life. -

- How… -

- You gave me the mask - the blind bandit replied calmly. - Did you think I wouldn't know what it was? -

- Actually, that's exactly what I thought - the blue spirit agreed.

- Oh! - Aang jumped excitedly - you’re talking about the spiri... - A small rock struck him right in the middle of his forehead, knocking him back and silencing him before he could say anything else.

- I guess that’s where Toph learned it - Sokka muttered, glancing between the former Yuyan archer and the Avatar, following the path the small rock had taken after being thrown.

- Or he learned it from me - the younger girl smiled before turning her head toward the bald boy. - I’ll do the same if you use my other name, or Sparky’s here. -

- Ouch, Zuko - the tattooed boy complained, rubbing his forehead and drawing the attention of the waterbender, who went to check on him. - Did you have to throw it so hard? It hurts. -

- You’ll be fine, it’s just the impact pain - Katara reassured him before turning to the black haired boy, who, judging by the girl’s motherly polar bear glare, knew she was about to scold him. - Be more careful next time. -

- Next time? – the boy in her arms complained while the oldest in the group and the blind girl laughed.

- And that reminds me, it's time we went to the pond. - The Fire Nation boy looked worriedly at the Water Tribe girl. Was she going to get revenge for attacking the youngest member of her pack? Would she attack him with her waterbending? - Enough time has passed for your body to stabilize from yesterday's healing - she continued, getting up and walking toward the pond, gesturing to the paler boy. - We can continue with the next healing session. -

Yes, that wasn't going to happen, Zuko told himself mentally. He still didn't trust those who had once been his three friends. The idea of ​​drowning didn't appeal to him, so he was going to completely refuse the idea of…

The earth rose up from beneath him, placing him on his feet and pushing him toward the waterbender against his will. The pale boy didn't need to be a genius to know who was responsible, so he immediately turned angrily toward the earthbender.

- Don't be such a crybaby and go already - she retorted, tapping her finger against the wooden log beneath her in Morse code. "If he tries anything, I'll know and I'll come for you, Sparky. Just keep your feet on the ground."

Still reluctant, the boy with the scar followed the blue eyed girl in a direction unknown to him. He could hear those who had stayed behind at the camp resuming their lively conversation in the distance, but he could only make out murmurs until the sound of their voices faded completely.

- Take off your robes - Katara ordered, reaching the edge of the pond and stirring up some water with her bending before turning to Zuko, waiting for him to finish undressing until he was only in his pants. - Do you really prefer to cauterize yourself and suffer rather than seek my help? -

- I didn’t think you’d want to help me - the water touched his wounds, eliciting a hiss from the golden eyed man - and I prefer to treat my own wounds. -

- You don’t trust me - the waterbender murmured, moving to the next wound.

- Can you blame me? -

- No - she denied sadly, moving to the cauterized wounds - I’m sorr… -

- You already apologized yesterday. -

- But you haven’t forgiven me. -

- I can't forgive you based on words that might not mean anything at all - the firebender growled as the healer reached the poorly healed wound on the back of his head. His shoulders slumped wearily as the pain gave way to a soothing, calming sensation. - I can't even trust your words. -

- What can I do to make you forgive me if my words don't work? - The water in the blue eyed woman's hands had to be changed so she could continue treating the other wounds along the man's torso.

- sincerely, I have no idea - the golden eyed man murmured, his gaze lost in the night sky above them.

- Do you think we'll ever be friends again? Like we were before... what happened at the North Pole? -

- No - the black haired man denied without hesitation, having to rephrase his words when he saw Katara's sad eyes. Why couldn't he just let them suffer? It seemed Toph and June were right when they said he had the heart of a baby fire ferret - I don't think any relationship can ever be the same after something like what happened to us, but just because it's different doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It can be worse or better, it can even be both. -

- How can it be both? - the blue eyed girl asked, confused.

- I don't think any relationship can ever be the same after something like this happens to us, but it's different. - Among other things, now you know I used to be the prince of the enemy nation, and I know how cruel your words can be. Both things hurt each other, but they also allow us to get to know each another. - The black haired man shrugged. - They would be horrible secrets we'd regret keeping if we didn't already know. -

- For better or worse, or both - the girl with braids added as a final reminder, turning to face the firebender's back to continue the healing process. - I'm going to miss the way our friendship was. -

- Me too - the golden eyed man agreed, letting the silence settle after her words, leaving them both lost in their thoughts in the moonlight as the liquid in the Water Tribe master's hands glistened, still healing the wounds of the former Fire Nation prince.

- You didn't complain to Zuko when he did his fire trick and scared you - Toph remarked once Katara and Zuko were far enough away that they couldn't be heard talking, or so most people would think. Sokka knew the golden eyed boy had excellent hearing, so even though he could guess what the girl was referring to, he could only pray that she'd change the subject and not give him away. - You still like him, don't you? -

Of course, with Sokka's luck, the exact opposite of what he hoped for was going to happen.

- he hasn't stopped sighing over him since we left the North Pole - Aang agreed quickly, only worsening the situation for the blue eyed boy who was actually praying that Zuko and Katara had walked faster than he thought and hadn't overheard the embarrassing words. - Even before, when he was injured, he spent almost the entire night by his bedside. We had to force him to leave... -

- Aang - the brunnet boy called, looking exasperatedly at the bald boy. - That's enough. -

- Too much sweetness for a conversation - the blind girl agreed with a grimace of disgust.

- And I haven't even told you the worst part - the gray eyed boy grinned mischievously.

- Oh, I know it'll be too cheesy, but I have to hear it - the blind bandit smiled. - Spit it out. -

- Sokka purred every time he slept with Zuko, and ever since they separated, he purrs while hugging his sleeping bag because it's the only thing that still smells like him! He hasn't washed it in a month because of that! He won't let anyone near it, even if it's fallen in the swamp mud! Momo even filled it with bugs once, and Sokka picked them out himself, one by one, so the rest of us wouldn't touch it or wash it! And Sokka hates bugs! -

- Ugh, Sokka - the girl complained, making faces. - You're disgusting. -

- You literally play in the mud! - the oldest of the group complained.

- Not to keep someone's scent - she mocked before faking a shiver with a sly smile. - You're a pervert. -

- It's not... I'm not... -

- he is - Aang quickly agreed. - he dreams about Zuko every night. - The young monk placed a raised hand to the side of his mouth and leaned toward the blind girl as if he were about to tell her the biggest secret of all. - And sometimes they're adult dreams. -

- Stop it, you two! - the oldest of the group shouted in horror, watching the other two burst into laughter, mocking him. Why did he have to stay with these two kids? Kids who were making fun of him! Couldn't they have been five year old kids who screamed in horror and covered their ears at the mere mention of a kiss? Oh no, of course not. It had to be a pair on the start of adolescence who would mock him for his awful case of crush and everything surrounding it, even when he couldn't control some of it, like his dreams! It was already awful enough dealing with them without others making fun of him. - I hate you -

- Oh, and here I was thinking of helping you with Sparky - the earthbender remarked, dismissing his statement.

- Seriously? - the blue eyed boy asked, his eyes shining with excitement.

- No - the blind bandit laughed, crushing the Water Tribe warrior's hopes. The Air Nomad laughed uproariously beside her, earning an annoyed glare from the older boy, which was quickly replaced by a sly smile that rivaled the girl's on the other side of the campfire.

- You can laugh all you want, oh great Avatar, but at least I wasn't the one who gave an engagement necklace to someone I liked only to end up in the friend zone with Momo. - Aang stopped laughing at the black haired boy's words, freezing in place before a look of horror spread across his face. His cheeks couldn't decide whether to turn pale with horror or red with embarrassment, and his mouth couldn't decide whether to open or close, leaving the poor boy gasping like a fish out of water as incoherent sounds escaped him.

- Did you try to propose to Sugar Queen, twinkle toes? -

- No, I didn't! - the last airbender squealed, jumping up and frantically waving his hands in denial. - I didn't know that giving necklaces with chokers and a centerpiece was a Water Tribe engagement gesture. -

- Don't air nomads travel the world learning about different cultures? - the earthbender asked, prodding the tattooed man to admit his actions.

- Yes, if you had friends in the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, you must have had them in the Water Tribe - the blue eyed man agreed quickly - especially since the Southern Air Temple is so close to the South Pole Water Tribe. -

- I didn't know - Aang tried to reassure himself, looking desperately at the other two. - It wasn't an engagement necklace, it was just a regular necklace. I swear I never would have done it if I'd known... -

- So you'll never propose to sugar queen? - Toph asked, leaving Aang speechless, unsure how to respond.

- It's...no...I...yes...when...because...yes... -

- Oh, that's a shame - said the Water Tribe boy, leaning back casually as if his next words weren't important. - Because if Katara accepted the necklace, it means she accepted the engagement, but if she didn't... -

- Did Katara accept my engagement necklace? - the airbender asked hopefully.

- So you accept that it's an engagement necklace? - the blind bandit snapped, biting quickly as the oldest member of the group laughed, mocking the tattooed boy for believing her.

- No, I didn't give her an engagement necklace - the gray eyed boy quickly denied.

- you’re right, you didn't give her an necklace - Sokka agreed, resting his chin thoughtfully. - You gave her two, the flower one you made and the one Mom gave you after the encounter with Bato. -

- wow, twinkle toes - the earthbender whistled. - Maybe the third time's the charm. -

- You know - Aang turned quickly to face the younger girl directly - you keep making fun of us, but you must have someone you care about too... -

- over who would I crawl around for like a mud slug with heart shaped eyes? - Toph finished, much more mockingly than the monk boy probably would have. - No, I don't - the earthbender smiled, crossing her arms and raising her head and chin haughtily. - For one thing, I'm not interested in romance. For another, a pretty face is worthless when you can't see anything anyway, and nobody's interesting enough for me to like. But even if I did like someone, I wouldn't be runing around without a sense. A direct declaration after a charming gesture, and that's it. -

- It's not that simple, Toph - the water tribe warrior retorted as the bald boy gazed thoughtfully at the girl.

- What would you do in our case? - the air nomad asked.

- I haven’t known your lovers for more than a couple of days, I don’t know what they’d like - the blind bandit shrugged before raising her eyebrows in interest. - Oh, that’s a lie. I know something about Zuko. He’s a theater nerd and a former prince. Take him to a play and recite the best lines to him, or write him a play yourself. He should love that. -

- I don’t know anything about plays - Sokka denied before snorting. - And I’m not going to take advice from a twelve year old girl on a subject she’s not even interested in. -

- What about songs? - Aang asked, joining the discussion. - The Water Tribes have good songs. You could write one, although most are instrumental, so you’d have to play an instrument. Do you know how to play an instrument? - the boy asked before shaking his head. - Although we don’t have any instruments either. What about poems? A hundred years ago they were quite popular, especially in the Fire Nation. -

- Now they're forbidden - Zuko's voice said, eliciting a startled squeal from the Water Tribe warrior and the Avatar, while the blind girl smiled, having learned through her earthbending that the other two members of the group had returned throughout the monk boy's last rambling. - By order of my grandfather, Azulon, most were burned. Some have been hidden or buried. My cousin Lu Ten said that those from the royal library were taken to the royal crypt to be forgotten while they rotted away. I didn't believe it until he gave me a scroll of them once. They were fascinating. It's a shame that without my cousin and uncle, who knew the entrance to the crypts that passes from the Fire Lord to the Crown Prince, the poems, plays, songs, sheet music, books, and even history that doesn't support the war and the Fire Lord will be lost forever. -

- If it passes from the Fire Lord to the Crown Prince, shouldn't you know about it too? - Toph asked, puzzled. - you were the Crown Prince before, weren't you? -

- My grandfather died under strange circumstances shortly after the death of my uncle, who was the crown prince at the time - Zuko shook his head, painfully recalling everything that had happened in those days - he never told my father about the many secrets of the palace, much less me. If I knew any, it was thanks to my cousin Lu Ten, or by accident, but I can't possibly know even a tenth of them -

- Wait - said Sokka, intrigued - by secrets of the palace, you mean hidden chambers and passageways that not even the Fire Lord knows about? -

- How do you think I escaped from the palace? - asked the former prince, nodding his head.

- You have to tell me everything about... -  Katara grabbed her brother's ear, pulling him back toward their tent and ignoring his whimpers.

- We'll talk about that another day - she scolded, letting him go at the door of their tent and gesturing for both the warrior and the airbender to come inside. - That's enough for today. It's time to sleep. -

- But… -

- Time to sleep - the waterbender repeated with a grunt before turning to the earthbender. - You too, Toph. -

- Yes, Mom - she mocked, though she still got up and set up her earth tent, preparing for the night.

- Zuko… -

- I'll put out the campfire and go to sleep - the boy agreed, earning a smile from the brunette.

- I missed having someone responsible and sensible in the group. -

- Hey! I am responsible! - Sokka shouted from inside the tent, earning a growl from his sister.

- I said bedtime! - Zuko had to fight the smile forming on his lips as he put out the fire in the campfire, listening to the two siblings arguing in their tent, with Aang barging in every few seconds and Toph laughing from her own tent.

Chapter Text

Three weeks passed before Sokka finally got the courage to confront Zuko. He had taken advantage of Aang and Toph training in earthbending and Katara being so engrossed in cooking to sneak through the area where Zuko had disappeared investigating the surroundings of his camp.

It was a canyon, so according to Sokka, there wasn't much to explore, but at least it would allow them to have a conversation away from the others, or pass the time in an awkward silence after the firebender confronted him for following him only to then ignore his presence when the brunet man didn't respond.

- So… - Sokka tried to start a conversation for the third time. - Why are you…? -

- Can you cut it out and tell me once and for all why you were following me? - interrupted a rather grumpy Zuko, giving the older boy a narrowed look. Sokka swallowed audibly and looked down.

- I think I know why you stayed with the group - Sokka replied dejectedly.

- and? -

- You didn't do it for us, did you? - the blue eyed man asked. - You did it for your sister. You're waiting for her to come after us again so you can find her. We're just bait for you. -

- I'm taking advantage of the fact that she's most likely hunting the Avatar to find her, yes - the black haired boy nodded, earning a pained look from the other. - But if she's hunting you and reappears, I'm your best chance to distract or stop her. Under my father's influence, I don't know what my sister is capable of to achieve her goals. What I do know is that you're going to need all the help you can get. -

- you would help us fight your sister? - the warrior asked, surprised, earning a negative gesture from the paler man.

- I would help you stop her, and then I would go with her to some place beyond my father's reach. - The golden eyed man hugged himself guiltily. - I let abandoned her once. It won't happen again. -

- You once told me you left her because she was twelve when you ran away - the blue eyed boy recalled, walking side by side with the other boy. - I assumed you did it because she was very young, but you were the same age. Why didn't you run away with her? -

- I tried - he murmured sadly - but I was terrified and racing against time. My rooms had exploded, and the entire palace was in chaos. I had just learned it was all my father’s doing. She wasn’t in her rooms, but soldiers were scouring the palace from end to end for the supposed attackers. In my desperation, I only left a letter hidden in our secret treasure chest. I told her there that I was alive, but that Zhao and my father had tried to kill me, so I had fled to the Earth Kingdom. I told her I would wait for her in one of the colonies on the first day of every month from then on, asking her to meet me at least once, either to say goodbye if she didn’t want to escape, or to escape together if she wanted to. I kept my word every month until I met you, and I was plaining to continue to do so once I retourned to the continent, but she never appeared. -

- Perhaps she never found the letter - Sokka murmured.

- That treasure chest held our best memories. She checked it at least once a month - the golden eyed boy said, his voice heavy with sorrow. - I don't want to think about the reasons why whe never came, each possibilitie is worse than the last, but now that I've found her again, I want to fix things, or at least try, no matter the cost. -

- Even if the cost is… - Sokka's question was cut short by a giant boulder hurled in their direction. They only managed to dodge it thanks to the former yuyan archer who jumped toward the blue eyed boy, tackling him down and sending them both tumbling a few meters to the side. The boulder crashed into a grove of trees behind where the two boys had been, crushing and uprooting several in its path until it left nothing but a trail of destroyed trees behind it. - What was… -

Zuko raised a hand, covering the blue eyed boy's mouth and shushing him as he looked around, worried.

- Someone is attacking us. Don't give away our location - he whispered.

. Do you think it could be your sister? - the brunet boy asked as both shifted to crouch down beneath the bushes around them.

- I don't think she uses earthbenders, or that they'd take her orders - the golden eyed boy replied - especially with the way the war is going. -

- Well, if it's not her, it's still someone hunting Aang - Sokka said, tugging on Zuko's sleeve so they could start moving away from the path of destruction. - We need to warn the group and get out of here before... -

- Jump! - the paler boy yelled, pulling the other boy aside after hearing the ground crack beneath them. A split second later, columns of earth erupted from beneath them, clearly intent on launching them several meters into the air for a painful fall.

- We found you ash maker - growled an Earth Kingdom soldier, emerging from the bushes with a spear.

- You'll pay for your crimes - growled another soldier, appearing behind him as more soldiers emerged, quickly surrounding them.

- Wait, wait, he's not a criminal - Sokka tried to say as Zuko got into a fighting stance, knowing full well that these men wouldn't let him go, unless he was either completely chained or dead.

- He's Fire Nation scum - growled another man with a strange beard that looked uneven between his left and right sides, and the beginnings of a bald patch on the front of his head, though his hair was long in the back. His face and green eyes seemed familiar, but for some reason, he couldn't quite place them.

- His nationality isn't a crime - Sokka tried to say again.

- we are in a war - the man growled again. The golden eyed boy noticed that the man's clothes were different from the other soldiers'; he must be of a higher rank than them. Alarm bells were ringing in the dark-haired boy's head, but he still couldn't recognize him, though he was sure he must have fought the man if the hatred in his eyes meant anything, in addition to the burn on one of his wrists.

- He's a friend of... -

- If he's your friend, that means you're also an enemy of the Earth Kingdom - the man growled, cutting Sokka off and gesturing toward the other soldiers. Sokka only then noticed they had giant rocks floating a few meters above their heads. - Crush them! -

The former yuyan archer jumped again at the Water Tribe warrior, tackling him to the side and sending him tumbling a few meters before he sprang to his feet in a single motion, pulling the still confused blue eyed boy from the ground and making them disappear into the foliage. The shouts of the soldiers, who had just lost their prey, erupted in pursuit. Sokka had no idea how long they had been running and dodging obstacles in the middle of the forest, other than that his lungs were beginning to burn when Zuko finally stopped, pulling him behind some bushes that were themselves surrounded by hundreds of trees, foliage, and plants with short spaces between them. Strategically, Sokka understood why they had stopped there. It would be very difficult for an earthbender to execute his bending moves, especially with large rocks, while the knife wielding man could launch his silent attacks and move stealthily around. But since they neither helped nor hindered Sokka, he simply tried to catch his breath before facing the black haired man who was watching around.

- Why didn’t you tell us the Earth Kingdom soldiers were hunting you? - Sokka asked, looking up from the bushes where they were hiding, only to see the soldiers beginning to search the forest, digging their spears into the bushes and arounds.

- Oh, well, because I wanted them to catch me and crush me alive - Zuko said sarcastically, untangling the branches in his hair and using a gold ribbon to tie it into a ponytail with loose strands in the front. Sokka looked back at him, his lips pursed, looking anything but amused. - Obviously, I didn't know! - he retorted, making a gesture as if to shout, but making sure to keep his voice down.

- Why are they hunting you? - Sokka growled, pinching the bridge of his nose.

- I don’t know - Zuko shrugged. - It could be anything from the soldiers I humiliated for looking down on me as an omega or a lonely orphan when I was with June, to those I fought in a village where I ended up showing I was a firebender. -

- You are aware of the big space between those possibilities? - Sokka asked, incredulous at the younger boy’s words.

- Well, if you have any idea how to find out why they’re after me - the golden eyed boy gestured toward the soldiers on the other side of the bush - I’m all ears. -

- I have an idea - the brunet boy replied, pointing a thumb at the bush. - Why don’t you recognize their faces and remember what you did to them? -

- I have another idea. Why don't you go ask them? - Zuko asked sarcastically, frowning in annoyance at Sokka. Yes, this was Zuko's fault, but he truly didn't remember these guys, and he'd encountered hundreds of Earth Kingdom soldiers since setting foot on the continent at twelve years old. He couldn't possibly place them so easily.

- Ugh, you're so irascibing - Sokka rolled his eyes.

- That word doesn't exist - Zuko declared after staring at Sokka for two seconds, trying to reorganize the word to understand it.

- Of course it does - the blue eyed boy retorted, blushing slightly at being caught out, before poking the paler boy in the chest. - You said it first a few weeks ago. -

- I said irascible - Zuko rolled his eyes. - It's an adjective for someone prone to irritation, but the word irascibing doesn't exist. -

- Do you want to argue about grammar right now? - Sokka complained - There’s a bunch of idiots hunting you down on the other side of this bush! This isn’t the time to be fighting over stupid grammar rules that nobody… -

Sokka didn’t finish yelling when mounds of earth rose up beneath both boys, launching them into the air and into a field in middle of the forest where the soldiers were already waiting in fighting stances.

The pale boy, with years of weapons and stealth training, spun in mid air and landed in a fighting position, drawing his shurikens hidden in his clothes while keeping a watchful eye on the Earth Kingdom soldiers. The Water Tribe boy, with only basic fighting training, lacked the same agility, falling heavily on his chest and only saving his face from being smashed thanks to the reflexes he’d acquired to put his hands up in front of him after all the times Toph had done the same to him.

The earthbending soldiers quickly lifted the rocks at their sides, their faces etched with determination. Ignoring the blue eyed boy's pain complaints, they moved, ready to hurl the rocks, only to have them flung back as the golden eyed boy's shurikens snagged their clothes.

- Run! - Zuko shouted, grabbing Sokka's arm and pulling him up, dragging him behind him as he sprinted, making the most of the precious seconds he'd gained by pinning the soldiers against the trees and the ground.

After stumbling a couple of steps, Sokka managed to stand up straight and run alongside Zuko without faltering. The soldiers pinned to the ground used their comrades' earthbending to push their weapons free, while those trapped against the trees had no choice but to pull themselves off, tearing their clothes to escape with angry roars. Sokka couldn't help but glance back at them before turning to the firebender beside him. - Don't you have those smoke bombs to lose them? -

- It won't do much here. They're following our trail of footprints and scent - Zuko said, pulling Sokka back to save him from a wall of earthbending that seemed intent on sending him flying once again. Before he could react, Sokka grabbed Zuko by the back of the head and forced him to duck beside him to avoid a giant boulder that flew over them both.

- We can't escape forever - Sokka growled as they both jumped to avoid the hole that opened in front of them. - And we can't go back to the others with these lunatics chasing us. We'll put them in danger. -

- We'll jump off the cliff - Zuko replied, turning to throw a flying knife at the ankles of two earthbending soldiers, at least to stop them from continuing their attack.

- What?! - Sokka shouted, staring in horror at Zuko as he recalled the vision he'd had of him in the swamp before turning back to the front and realizing they were indeed heading for a cliff. Was this Zuko's plan all along? - No! Stop! - Sokka yelled, pulling Zuko back to stop him a few feet from the edge. - Are you crazy?! If we jump from there, we'll die! It has hundreds of meters! -

- We don’t have time to… - Zuko didn’t finish speaking before he had to push Sokka out of the way and jump back himself to dodge another flying rock.

- Let’s fight! - Sokka shouted from the other side as he stood up, drew his boomerang, and prepared to fight under the exasperated gaze of the golden eyed boy.

- There are ten soldiers - Zuko growled. - We have a better chance if… - The last remaining earthbender, the one wearing the most advanced military clothing, used his powers to slide between the two young men and the cliff, ending Zuko’s hopes of escaping without a direct fight.

- This time we know all your tricks, you filthy ash maker - the man growled, rubbing his burned wrists and finally letting Zuko recognize him.

- You're the corrupt commander from Lee's village - Zuko said, drawing two small blades and turning to face the earthbender.

- Who? - the commander asked, looking at him strangely for a second before letting out a guttural laugh. - Oh, you mean the Gansu's kid - the man mocked. - I sent him to the training grounds after you left, you know. He's still a crybaby. -

- He's nine years old - Zuko retorted, staring incredulously at the man before him.

- If he can carry a weapon, he can fight - the man spat - just like you. -

Zuko had to duck back to dodge the earthbending attack launched with the help of the commander's twin hammers before leaping to the side and rolling on the ground while throwing a couple of shurikens at the commander.

The shurikens' sharp edges sliced ​​the commander's arms and legs, being too rigid to bother defending himself or considering the possibility of a counterattack. He slammed his hammer into the ground, sending it flying against a wall, intending to strike the firebender who performed a pirouette in mid air, preparing for the attack, while simultaneously throwing a knife that sliced ​​the skin above the commander's left cheekbone in a clean cut that quickly bled, eliciting a growl of fury and pain from the man.

- You'll pay for... - The man didn't finish his sentence before a boomerang struck him on the back of the head, sending him stumbling forward.

- Oh, sorry - Sokka said mockingly, meeting the man's furious glare. - Did I interrupt your evil threads? - A flying weapon whizzed past Sokka's face, eliciting a small, startled scream that was cut short by a soldier's scream of pain as the weapon pierced his shoulder, another weapon followed, pinning the soldier's hair against a tree, narrowly missing his head. The sword the soldier was meant to wield against Sokka was suddenly left lying to the side as the man frantically push himself out and fled the scene, his hair torn out in desperation.

- Don't let your guard down - Zuko growled, throwing another few knives, darts, and shurikens at the surrounding soldiers, only to turn his attention back to the fight against the corrupt commander.

With ranged attacks, Zuko could take the soldiers out of the fight in a few minutes, but he he wasn't concentrating to fight them, preferring to focus on a throw and dodge battle with the earthbender, an earthbender against whom Sokka could hold his own if his previous fights with other earthbenders were any indication.

- I have a plan - Sokka said, running alongside Zuko and ducking to dodge an attack. - I'll distract the big guy. You take the other soldiers out of the fight, and... -

Zuko's hands caught Sokka's robes, spinning him around to his other side before pushing him to hide them both behind a tree as a barrage of small rocks rained down like shrapnel into the space the two teenagers had occupied just moments before.

- We're not going to do that - Zuko muttered under his breath before turning his back on the Water Tribe boy and throwing a dagger at a man's thigh. The man started screaming, staring at his leg and ignoring the second dagger, whose back struck the man squarely in the forehead, sending him stumbling a couple of steps back before he fell heavily on his back. The golden eyed boy turned back to the blue eyed boy only to find himself staring into the tree bark.

Oh, this is bad, thought the former Fire Nation prince, quickly circling the tree to search for the Southern Water Tribe warrior.

- Hey! crazy rock man - he shouted, running toward the earthbender with his machete raised, forcing the man to take several steps back to avoid the blow. The commander growled in his direction, raising his hammers again and forcing Sokka to retreat rapidly before an earth structure rose up behind the blue eyed boy with the swing of the hammers, trapping his arm with enough force to leave purple bruises.

- Sokka! - the brunet boy turned his head toward Zuko, who was running toward him, ignoring the armed men who were chasing him now that they weren't throwing weapons. He didn't get a chance to shout a warning when something slammed into his head, extinguishing everything around him.

Sokka's body fell limp after a rock struck his head, an act of the earthbender. One of the twin hammers was quickly raised above the brunet boy's head, a direct threat from the corrupt commander, who smirked smugly at the golden eyed man.

- One movement... - the man began, freezing Zuko in place, anticipating how the threat would end. - ...and I'll drop the hammer on his head. You won't even recognize his face after that. - Zuko growled furiously, his gaze fixed on the corrupt commander's eyes, but yielding to his words, he remained perfectly still. - Hands out! - With another growl, the golden eyed boy obeyed, his hands swiftly encased in earth shackles that completely covered his wrists and hands. - That wasn't so difficult, was it, ash maker? - the earthbender scoffed before turning to the soldiers who now surrounded Zuko - Secure him and tie him to an ostrich hair, we’ll get a big reward for his head. -

- Didn’t you say he was a firebender? - one of the soldiers asked, eyeing Zuko suspiciously. - Shouldn’t we… -

- His hands are covered. He can’t create fire - the corrupt commander dismissed with a wave of his hand, despite the pale teenager’s frown.

- And what about the other boy? - another soldier asked, eyeing the blue eyed teenager’s body that the commander had spat on before walking away, leaving him behind.

- He’s not important. Get rid of him - the man snarled, shrugging before letting out a laugh, his head thrown back. - Throw him off the cliff. Who cares? –

No.

One of the earthbending soldiers, who had finally arrived limping, nodded in the direction of the corrupt commander before turning to the unconscious boy. With a swift motion, he lifted the earth and sent the brunet down the cliff.

Zuko's leg lifted before he could even think, and he unleashed a fire kick at the soldiers in his path. They screamed and threw themselves to the ground, trying to hide from the flames. With the path clear, Zuko quickly ran and jumped down the cliff, landing behind the blue eyed boy.

The water burst and swallowed Sokka's body before the eyes of the pale boy who fell a few meters away. Zuko's eyes tracked the brunet boy's body underwater, and he began to swim as fast as he could. His hands, now free after the shackles broke upon impact with the water, quickly grabbed the robes of the still unconscious body and pulled them until he could wrap his arms around Sokka's torso, securing him as he rose to the surface.

Sokka wasn't breathing. That was the first thing Zuko noticed when he lifted the boy's head and shoulders out of the water. He swam as fast as he could, carrying someone on his back, even as a wave formed beneath them, carrying both boys to shore. Upon reaching the shore, Zuko immediately checked Sokka's consciousness, breathing, and pulse, finding none, before beginning chest compressions.

- Zuko! Sokka! What happened?! We saw you fall from… -

- Aang, go get Katara! - Zuko interrupted with a shout. - Tell her it’s Sokka! It’s an emergency! -

- But… -

- Now, Aang! - Zuko shouted again before lifting Sokka’s chin and pinching his nose closed to give two rescue breaths. He then resumed chest compressions, counting in his head.

- You’re the fastest, twinkle toes - Toph reminded him, having apparently arrived with the airbender. - Run! -

The gust of wind hit Zuko, but it didn’t distract him from the compressions. He counted thirty, then gave two more rescue breaths and another round of compressions, feeling desperation creeping through his body with every second Sokka’s body didn’t respond.

Zuko again took Sokka's chin in his hand, performing mouth to mouth resuscitation, when Appa's growl as he descended was heard, followed almost immediately by the sound of Katara's feet hitting the ground as she ran to where Zuko was resuming chest compressions on the Water Tribe boy.

- What happened?! - Katara cried out in concern, dropping to her knees beside her brother.

- He was unconscious and fell into the water - Zuko replied, continuing the compressions. - He must have swallowed... - The waterbender's hands moved before the pale boy could finish, clearing the water from Sokka's mouth.

Not a second passed before Sokka coughed desperately and tried to stand, only to wobble and fall back onto his back, gasping for breath.

- What happened? - Sokka asked as Zuko slowly turned him onto his side, bending the lower arm to support Sokka's head with his hand, extending the upper arm for support, and bending the knee of the upper leg to fit snugly.

- That's what we want to know, sleepyhead - Toph said.

- Yeah, Toph and I saw you fall off a cliff, and when I pulled you back with a wave, Zuko yelled at me to go get Katara because you swallowed water - Aang nodded, looking worried.

- You mean you saw them - Toph reminded him, gently tapping the side of his eyes.

- What were you doing jumping off a cliff? - Katara asked, hands on hips, giving the two older teenagers a disapproving look.

- Did we jump off a cliff? - Sokka asked, turning his head toward Zuko.

- No, Gow threw you off the cliff after knocking you unconscious. -

- Did someone attack you? - Toph asked, raising both eyebrows before smiling mockingly. - And you lose? -

- They were Earth Kingdom soldiers, at least ten of them, three of them earthbenders, including their leader who's completely insane - Sokka replied, sitting down and ignoring the disapproving looks from his sister and the boy he liked. He pointed to his own forearm where a bruise was starting to form from Commander Gow's earthbending grip. - they fight dirty! - He threw both arms up dramatically. - And he threw Zuko and me off the cliff while we were unconscious! -

- Zuko wasn't unconscious - Aang said, shaking his head.

- No, I did jump off the cliff - Zuko agreed, earning an incredulous look from the Water Tribe boy while his sister glared at him disapprovingly; well, she had never stopped doing so since she heard the first explanation.

- Why would you do something like that?! - Katara asked, her voice a mixture of fury and worry. It took Zuko a moment to recognize it as a mother's concern rather than hatred for a wartime enemy.

- Because they threw Sokka - the golden eyed boy replied, lowering his head. - And it was my fault. I had a run in with Commander Gow weeks ago. Apparently, he tracked me down, and when he found me with Sokka, he attacked us both - He glanced slightly, meeting Sokka's blue eyes. - I'm sorry for dragging you into this. -

- You don't have to apologize for being attacked by some... - Sokka's words were cut short when he sneezed so hard his body doubled over. - Am I going to get sick again? -

- No - Katara said, helping her brother and Zuko to their feet before heading toward the flying bison. - We’ll go back to camp so you can change, and then we’ll pack up to move the camp to a more remote location. You two can rest in the meantime. -

The move had actually been quite quick. Their things were never completly unpacked knowing that with a Fire Nation princess actively hunting them they were always in need of a fast escape, with that they had managed to take down the tents, set up Appa’s riding chair, and load their bags. In just a few minutes, the group was once again on the back of the flying bison, soaring through the skies as they ate Katara’s prepared meal. Afterward, the waterbender took the opportunity to wash the dishes. Aang and Toph began discussing a future campsite that could aid their training. Sokka hid under a blanket, his hair still dripping wet, and Zuko stared at the ground far in the distance, replaying every minute of the fight, wondering what he should have done differently. He was getting angry at himself with everything he could have done better.

The weight of a new blanket on his shoulders brought Zuko back to the present, turning his head toward Sokka, a question written all over his face.

- You're shivering - Sokka said in response.

- I'm a firebender, Sokka - Zuko replied. - My chi can warm me better than a blanket. -

- Then why are you hugging yourself and shivering? - Sokka asked, frowning in confusion.

- It's... - The former Fire Nation prince shook his head as he pulled the blanket off him. - It's not the cold. -

Zuko's hands rose, holding the blanket with intention to return it to Sokka's shoulders, only to be caught by Sokka's grasp and pulled by him into a tight embrace.

- I understand you don't want to tell me why you were shivering and hugging yourself - the brunet said before the golden eyed one could utter a word - but if it were me, whether from the cold or any other reason, I'd rather be hugged than have to hug myself. -

- You don't have to do this for me - the pale skinned boy murmured, lowering his head.

- I'm doing it for myself too - Sokka quickly retorted, only to fall silent under Zuko's questioning gaze. - I'm cold - he said after a few seconds - and the warmth of a hug is better than blankets. -

- you are cold? - Zuko asked, frowning slightly before wrapping his arms around Sokka’s torso under the blanket and warming his own body so he could warm the blue eyed boy as well. Sokka chuckled softly, shifting slightly to hug better the boy with the scar - is it better? -

- Much better - Sokka murmured, resting his head on the golden eyed boy’s, who in turn rested his head on the blue eyed’s shoulders, closing his eyes at the newfound sense of tranquility. The older boy soon followed and they were both sleeping peacefully, still embracing each other and smiling in their sleep.

They were woken by Toph, who told them they were about to land and that unless they wanted to tumble all over the flying bison’s mount, they’d better wake up and hold on, or at least brace themselves for the landing.

The two boys sleepily stared at the earthbender, still snuggled together, before freezing as they recognized each other's positions. Slowly turning their faces until their eyes met, color rising up their necks and faces, they soon jumped away from each other, trying to avoid each other's gaze as they headed to different ends of the saddle.

The mischievous smile on the blind bandit's face foreshadowed to the black haired boy being teased with fake romances with Sokka. Zuko was tired of these taunts, and Sokka almost always ran away when they surfaced, but neither of them had done anything to stop her. Zuko, for his part, considered them nothing more than teasing, and they also reminded him melancholically of how his sister sometimes teased him about Mai. Sokka, on the other hand, was too embarrassed to do anything other than run away, hoping the other boy wouldn't notice, or that his sister and old friend wouldn't, because they would only join in and tease him too to the point where he literally had to start singing a children's song while covering his ears to avoid hearing them.

They landed and immediately set up their tents again for the night, having arrived after sunset. Aang pampered Appa for bringing them, while Toph teased Sokka about the position she found him in with the golden eyed boy. She didn't bother Zuko only because he escaped with Katara, helping her prepare a quick dinner so they could eat and go to sleep. That didn't save him from the mocking looks Katara gave him, her smiles barely concealed as her eyes flicked from her brother to the pale boy beside him.

Dinner passed mostly peacefully as Aang and Toph excitedly recounted their training from the day, highlighting the new moves the earthbender had taught the Avatar. Apparently, the last one involved creating an earth wall, which Aang gleefully demonstrated, nearly knocking them over as he raised it. The airbender apologized repeatedly afterward, with Toph lowering the wall, still smiling amusedly, and Zuko extinguishing the remaining embers of the campfire. Sokka laughed, holding a still fluffy Momo in his arms, and Katara sighed, calling the night to an end, and approached Aang to reassure him that they were alright.

The group prepared for the night. Before Toph and Zuko disappeared inside their earth tents, Katara called them, asking them to at least share the larger tent for the night after the day's attack. The blind bandit accepted with a shrug, but assured them that she wasn't going to get involved with the pile of pups. The golden eyed boy, for his part, played with his feet, looking into the distance and back at the tent multiple times before finally walking uncertainly into the warm interior where cheerful voices were conversing.

The firebender glanced uncomfortably at the various people inside before retreating to a corner and curling up, closing his eyes to acting as if he was sleep until everyone else was asleep and he could finally relax without the constant fear of being attacked in his dreams. He knew they hadn't attacked him in the previous weeks, and each day he grew more certain that, as they assured him, they wouldn't harm him and were sorry for having kick him out of their pack. But every time he began to let his guard down, the fear returned, leaving him unable to trust them even if he wanted to.

The voices around them began to fade until they were finally replaced by their own sighs and sleepy murmurs. The black haired boy opened his eyes, looking around the tent only to find the pile of pups already asleep, with Aang lying on his side, clinging to Katara's arm as if it were the only thing keeping him in the present. Katara, for her part, was lying on her back, her face turned towards Aang, her cheek resting against his forehead, but her hand was resting on Toph's hair as if she had been combing it with her fingers before falling asleep. Toph, meanwhile, was sleeping on her side, but leaning so far forward that she almost seemed to be face down, with one hand outstretched on the ground, the soles of her feet partially touching the floor, and one arm bent under her head and across Katara's stomach, serving as a pillow. Sokka was turned around, his feet pointing towards where most of the others had their heads, crawling further towards the exit with his legs touching Aang's body and curled up towards them with his back against the tent exit, acting as a protective barrier against the outside world for everyone else.

Zuko stood up, his sleeping bag slung over his shoulder, intending to leave the tent of a pack he no longer belonged to.

- Zuko? - Sokka's voice startled him at the entrance to the tent. - It's a bit cold. Want to close up the tent and join us? -

- Sorry - the golden eyed boy murmured, closing the tent and preparing to return to his corner only to be stopped by a hand holding to his leg when he passed by Sokka's side, forcing him to turn until their eyes met.

- You don't have to go to a corner. You can sleep with us - the Southern Water Tribe boy assured him before shifting, creating space between himself and the others. - There's room if you want... -

The former prince smiled, leaving his sleeping bag in the open space, cutting off the Water Tribe warrior's words before crawling back to them. He finally looked at the other teenager, unsure of what to do now that he was back in this position with him in the pile of pups.

- Can I...can I hug you? - Sokka asked shyly. - It's still cold. We're just coming out of winter and into spring, and you're hot, not like hot in an attractive way. Well, you are hot in that way, very hot, but I meant you're hot like... -

- Yeah, I understand - the black haired boy interrupted, blushing with embarrassment at the blue eyed boy's rapid babbling of words.

- It's...it's not just the cold - Sokka admitted, completely embarrased. - I...I missed being able to hug you. -

- do you want to? - Zuko asked, puzzled, standing next to the brunet, who quickly smiled, still feeling sleepy.

- A thousand and one times - he replied before wrapping an arm around the golden eyed boy's body and pulling him closer, while Zuko wrapped his arms around him from below, both of them in a warm embrace with Sokka purring peacefully while Zuko sighed against his chest, protecting with his arms the body that protected his little pack.