Work Text:
Zuko was just doing what he normally did on the Tea Boat. He was serving customers. That's when he hears it. A male voice coming from table number 7. "Don't worry so much Katara. Aang's the Avatar! He's got it under control." Zuko's head swiveled around at that. There was 3 girls and 2 boys at one table. The younger boy was blushing about what the older boy had said.
"Just because I'm the Avatar, doesn't mean things always go right Sokka." Zuko felt his eye twitch and he strides over to one of the crew members. "Code A." He leans in and whispers. The crew member look shocked. Zuko didn't blame him. Code A meant the Avatar was in the boat. "Where?" He whispers back to Zuko. "Table Seven. Yong kid with air bender marks." The crew member nodded. He went over to the others and filled them in while Zuko went to go find Iroh.
After he had found his uncle and made their way back up to the shop, most people where filing out. Zuko took a deep breath and walked up to the Avatar's table. He stood in front of the avatar. Zuko put on the most polite voice he could muster. "Excuse me sir, one of the other customers just told me you swiped something off of one of the shelves over there." The Avatar went red. "I didn't steak anything!" Zuko frowned and nodded.
"I'm sure that's the case sir, but we still need to check you. So if you would please come with me to the back to get this sorted." The avatar was about to stand up when the other boy came to his defense. "Aang doesn't have to go anywhere with you! You could be a fire nation spy!" Zuko pinched his nose. "Sir I just need to check him. It's what we have to do any time we get a report on stealing." Zuko was telling the truth on that one. No one steals from his ship.
The Avatar calmed the other boy down and stood up to follow Zuko. "Right this way sir." Zuko led the Avatar back to his office. As soon as the door was closed Zuko grabbed the Avatar by the wrist and chained him using the dissolving hand cuffs he had for this exact reason. "Hey! Let go of me! I didn't steal anything." Zuko forced him down into the chair and made it so he couldn't get back up without help.
"I'm aware, Avatar." Zuko walks to his side of the desk and lets fire float off from the inside of his palm. "Y-You're a fire bender!" Zuko gives him an evil smirk. "Yep. And I just so happen to be the one in charge of finding you." Zuko suddenly frowned at him. "You know this doesn't seem very fair. I wasn't even trying to look for you. Yet you fall right into my lap. You see, I'm very fair." The avatar looks at him. "Who are you?"
"Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Heir to the throne." The Avatar gasps but Zuko continues. "Now, back on topic. I'm a very fair man. So I've decide to give you a chance." Zuko pulls out a coin. "If it's a heads, you stay here as a prisoner of the fire nation. If it's a tails, you leave. Got it?" The Avatar nods. "Deal." Then he adds on. "It's not rigged, is it?" Zuko smiles at him. "It totally is." Zuko confirms. 'just not in the way you're thinking.' He thinks to himself.
He flips the coin and it lands on tails. The Avatar looks confused. "You just said it was rigged." Zuko shrugged. "It is. I don't want to go back to the fire nation now. I'm happy here. Also, every day my father has the throne more people die. Think as you will about fire benders, but I don't like this." The handcuffs dissolve and the avatar stands up. Zuko gives him a small glass container with a flame in it. "What's this?" The Avatar asks
"Think of it as a compass to me. The flame always points to me. Come find me when you're ready to learn how to fire bend. Also, if anyone besides your traveling group asks, this never happened." The Avatar nodded. "Great. Now if you'll follow me please." Zuko lead him back to the shop area. "Sorry for the confusion sir! It won't happen again." Zuko says. The Avatar looks confused the understands. "It was no problem. I might take you up on your offer sometime." Zuko nodded and soon the shop was empty. He needed a nap.