Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tears had streamed down his face as he’d tried to stop his hyperventilating. Zuko stared with wide eyes at his approaching father, the man’s hand was aflame.

“Please father, I am your loyal son.” He begged, knelt at the Firelord’s feet.

“Silence,” Ozai ordered, “You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher.”

The last thing Zuko saw was the smiling face of his father before the man place his hand over Zuko’s crying eyes and lit his face on fire.

It was a miracle that Zuko woke up. He’d come to consciousness only aware of the uneasy feeling of being at sea, the smell of herbal tea, and the darkness that surrounded him.

Zuko tried to open his eyes, he couldn’t. Where was he?

But then he remembered, “Father! Please! No!” Hands met his and he cried out in fear.

“Prince Zuko, it’s me, Uncle Iroh. You’ve been unconscious for many months,” The owner of the hands reassured.

“Uncle? What’s happening?! Where are we?! Why can’t I open my eyes?!” Zuko yelled with increasing panic.

“We’re on a boat Nephew, we were sent on a mission after the Agni Kai. Your eyes..your eyes are damaged from the burn.” Uncle Iroh answered sadly.

“What?” Zuko gasped, “My eyes are...? I can’t see anymore?”

“I’m so sorry Zuko,” Uncle Iroh murmured. He said nothing as Zuko began to sob, no tears came, how could they when he had no eyes?

Later he asked his Uncle, “How does…what does…is it bad?“ Zuko knew it was bad, it hurt real bad, he just needed to hear it from someone who could see it.

Uncle was not one to lie, “It’s a brutal burn that covers the top of your face. It’s looks far better than the first weeks of you having it.”

Zuko cringed as he imagined the wound fresh, “What happened while I was unconscious?”

“Well… your burn got infected, its Agni’s blessing that it didn’t have any other permanent affects.” Uncle Iroh answered, sort of.

“You’re avoiding answering my main question, Uncle.” Zuko pressed agitatedly, his burn was beginning to throb as his painkillers began to wear off.

“I apologize Nephew but I’m unsure if you’re in a good state to—“

“Just tell me!” He yelled in frustration, “I can take it! I just need to know where to go from here!”

“Of course…Zuko, you were banished from the Fire Nation. Only when you find the Avatar and bring them back to the Firelord will your banishment be uplifted,” Uncle Iroh told Zuko.

Zuko wilted with the information, after a long moment he whispered, “Uncle, I’d like to be alone if that’s all right.”

“Of course Prince Zuko, rest well.” Uncle wished as he left.

Only when Uncle was out of earshot did Zuko start to sob again. He was blind, banished, and was sent on a mission he wasn’t meant to complete. The Avatar hadn’t been seen in a 100 years, there was no way Zuko could find them.

The feeling of his hands heating up with his emotion brought another thought to the forefront of his mind: how was he going to fight? What kind of fire bending could he do while blind? If he was weak before, what was he now?

It took another month before Zuko was allowed to get out of bed. When he took his first steps on the ship it had felt like his world tilted, he was in void of darkness where everything around him was unknown, Zuko was quite literally in the dark.

“Come Nephew, let’s get some fresh air.” Uncle Iroh gently offered.

“I can’t Uncle,” Zuko croaked, “I don’t even know where I am, how am I supposed to move around?” Uncle thought for a moment before he created a flame in his hand, Zuko flinched away and Iroh felt his heart shrivel.

“I would never harm you Nephew, I swear on Agni.” Uncle Iroh swore as he tried to calm him. “I merely have a hypothesis about how you could get used to your new state.” Uncle continued, “Could you sense the heat that my bending gave off?”

Zuko scoffed, “Of course I could, you’re a fire bender, you give off heat like crazy.”

“That’s a great place to start, here let’s try something,” Uncle Iroh said excitedly as he moved from Zuko’s side, “I’m going to move around and you tell me where in the room I am.”

Zuko nodded and focused all his attention on following the heat presence that he now thought of as Uncle. He felt it move from the side of his bed to the door.

“You’re in front of the door.” Zuko sensed.

“That’s right!” Uncle Iroh cheered, “And I know that’s a huge step up but let’s try walking, I’ll walk in front and you following my heat.”

It sounded hard, but it would make great progress so of course Zuko wanted to try. He felt Uncle’s heat leave the room and took a few unsure steps in the direction he felt it move.

Anxiety spiked when he reached the door but he determinedly followed the slowly moving heat signature he knew was Uncle’s.

Zuko was so focused on following that he didn’t even notice they were on the deck until a huge breeze of air hit him. “I did it Uncle!” He celebrated, embracing the man.

“I’m so proud of you Nephew, let’s keep practicing this, okay?” Uncle asked as he hugged him back.

It was years later when Zuko sailed his ship through the Southern waters that he found the Avatar.

Almost a year after his Agni Kai with the practice Uncle provided him with Zuko had been able to move and bend “better than any seeing person” as Uncle would say. Of course that wasn’t completely true but Zuko found ways to make up for his shortcomings.

He wore sole-less boots that allowed him to sense approaching heat through the floor and purchased multiple face covers so his blindness wouldn’t be known of.

On his own he also recalled his old sword master’s lessons and practiced using his Dao swords, in his practice alone he learned how to incorporate his bending into his fighting so that he could light the swords aflame. In his practice he learned that in doing so he could sense the exact position of his opponent and their swords after the remnants of his fire were left after they drew away.

Zuko had come such a long way that he was sometimes angry with himself when he found that he flinched from sudden heat near his face. Uncle told him that it was normal and that trauma wasn’t something that went away easily, but Zuko refused to believe that it was trauma he was experiencing, what kind of prince would he be if he was traumatized?

His years in exile were spent traveling to all the kingdoms and learning all he could about the Avatar. He was determined to find them. Zuko had become stronger than ever and he needed to prove that to the Firelord.

It had been a day like any other, almost three years after his banishment, when hope of returning home was reignited in him.

He had been meditating on the deck of the boat practicing his breath of fire when he’d sensed it, a beacon of heat in the middle of the icey ocean. That was no normal occurrence.

“Set sail towards that beacon!” He had ordered.

Zuko secured his helmet over his head and prepared for them to reach land, the helmet had been specially made so that his “eyes” would remain hidden no matter the angle, to anyone in his way he’d be a strong and worthy opponent.

Zuko stepped down the ramp of his ship and began what would be one of the many attempts to capture the Avatar he was forced to seek.

Chapter Text

His first attempt to capture the Avatar had been a failure, he’d caught him, had had the airbender in his hands! But he’d slipped through his fingers and had been taken by two water tribe kids and the Avatar’s Flying Bison, an animal Zuko had only ever dreamed of seeing.

The Avatar had escaped but Zuko couldn’t quit, he’d sobbed himself to sleep for weeks after waking up because he knew the Avatar wasn’t even alive, but now he was and Zuko wasn’t letting him go anytime soon.

They had been forced to dock to make repairs after weeks of tracking down the Bison when a new problem arose.

“Zhao.” Zuko growled at the man as he marched up the ramp of their boat.

“Ah, Zuko.” Zhao smiled demeaningly.

“That’s Prince Zuko to you!” He barked at the disrespectful man, what was he doing here? And where did he get the nerve?.

“Sure,” Zhao muttered dismissively, “I’ve heard you’ve had success in your search for the Avatar, care to share you findings with me?”

Zuko was about to spit in the man’s face when Uncle Iroh appeared, “Zhao! It’s been so long. Have you gotten that promotion yet?”

Zuko snickered internally at Uncle’s jab.

“General Iroh, no, I can’t say I have. I heard that you and your nephew found the Avatar, you’ve been searching for years haven’t you? I’m quite surprised you let him get away,” Zhao pressed with a smug smile.

“Well—“ Zuko began to protest.

“Prince Zuko, why don’t you go train?” Uncle Iroh requested.

He was giving Zuko a gateway out, Zuko shouldn’t take it, but he couldn’t help himself, “Sure.”

Zuko turned to walk away but to his back Zhao announced, “No amount of training could prepare you to face the Avatar, your Agni Kai was proof enough that you’ll never be nothing more than a mistake to the Firelord…”

Silence filled the ship’s deck.

Zhao continued, “And being blind definitely doesn’t help, does it?”

Zuko froze, a shiver of horror ran up his spine, of course Zhao knew. Everyone who’d watched the Agni Kai knew that Zuko’s eyes were as good as gone when they were set aflame.

“Zhao,” Zuko replied, turning to the man, “I challenge you to an Agni Kai for disrespecting me.” A strange feeling filled Zuko when he said the word disrespect.

An excited heat flared in Zhao’s inner flame, “I accept.”

The wind was strong and Zuko felt his inner flame rise with the anticipation of the coming fight.

He knelt with his back to Zhao, waiting for the gong that would start the fight.

A memory of Uncle’s first lesson in re-coordinating himself came to mind as Zuko decided that he refused to lose, ‘Create a steady root, feet steady on the ground not only will help you locate your opponent but keep you balanced.’

The gong was struck and Zuko stood, turning to the direction he knew Zhao was.

Zuko could faintly hear him say, “This will be over quickly.”

Zuko refused to let him win.

They approached each other with their hands held at the ready, the scene was tense and Zuko’s patience ran dry when Zhao didn’t make a move.

Zuko was the first to light a flame as he threw a punch of fire towards the heat source he knew was Zhao.

Zuko sensed him side step it and Zuko threw two more punches of fire at Zhao to no avail.

He tried a kick which was blocked again before Zhao shot back with a wave of fire that Zuko snuffed out. Zuko let out a yell and threw a kick of fire at him to no avail once again.

This was getting nowhere! How could he win if he couldn’t get a hit in?

But then Zhao did something that threw Zuko off completely, he shot punches of fire, not at him, but at the ground. Zhao was masking his heat signature, instead of sensing the man’s form and his fire Zuko just felt the heat along the floor, it was clever Zuko would give him that. But Zuko was trained enough to know fire from body heat.

Zuko knew that his root was steady, but was Zhao’s?

He was suddenly attacked through his “senseless” spot with a onslaught of kicks and punches of fire from Zhao, Zuko blocked each one but Zhao got one lucky hit in and Zuko found himself thrown onto his back.

Zuko focused on relocating Zhao and panicked when he sensed him in the air right above him.

Zhao landed at Zuko’s feet and he could feel the spark of flames near his face, no, not again, no.

But then panic dispersed when he noticed Zhao’s mistake, he may have landed near Zuko but he hadn’t landed stably.

In determination Zuko dropped to the floor and swiped Zhao’s feet from under him in his moment of instability, Zhao crumbled to the floor.

Zuko jumped up and shot fire at Zhao in his vulnerable position, the man repeatedly blocked them but Zuko could feel him tiring. Ha! Now Zuko was the one attacking! Zhao was the one burning—

Zuko recalled the misery he’d felt after the Agni Kai, the years after, the present. He couldn’t inflict that agony upon someone else.

To finish the Agni Kai Zuko shot a final blast of fire an inch from Zhao’s face. “Your father raised a coward.” Zhao hissed.

Zuko said nothing, he had won, Zhao didn’t deserve his attention. But then he decided that it would be funny to mention that, “Your sideburn is on fire.” Then he turned his back on the panicked man and began to walk towards Uncle, he’d used Uncle’s teaching and was excited to tell him.

A wave of heat approaching behind him made Zuko whip around in surprise only for the incoming fire to dissapate in the hands of a heat signature he knew as Uncle Iroh. Zuko sensed the impact as Zhao hit the ground a few yards away.

“So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in the face of defeat, how dishonorable."Uncle Iroh said coldly, "My nephew has more honor than you while in banishment.”

“Come Zuko, let’s celebrate your victory.” Uncle gently said to Zuko who was still shaking with adrenaline.

As they walked back Uncle suddenly let out a hearty laugh, “Zhao’s sideburn’s aren’t even anymore!” Zuko found himself snickering at the image he made in his mind.

“You definitely proved your honor, Prince Zuko.” Uncle stated proudly.

Zuko’s face fell, he didn’t believe his Uncle. “The only person who can give me my honor is Father,” Zuko protested. Silence filled their walk. “But thank you for thinking that,” He added with a soft smile.

They stopped by the town to gather what information they could about the Avatar (per Zuko’s request) and when they reached the ship Zuko prepared for them to set sail for Kyoshi Island.

Chapter Text

A lot had happened since Zuko’s second Agni Kai, much (embarrassing) defeat against the Avatar and his friends and a couple close calls, but now Zuko sat on his bed and tracing the surface of his Blue Spirit mask.

The mask had been one of the final gifts from his mother and though he couldn’t see it anymore but he could still picture it’s blue paint and white fangs.

Zhao had become a menace after the Agni Kai, chasing Zuko into the Fire Nation and attempting to capture the Avatar, and eventually suceeding in capturing the Avatar. Zhao had the boy in his clutches...Zuko couldn’t allow that.

Zuko plucked his Dao blades off the wall, perfectly disguised as decoration in his room, and tried to avoid sensing the still warm necklace on the table in front of him. He had to admit that he’d felt bad knowing that the necklace meant so much to the water tribe girl, but life wasn’t fair.

Zuko took a deep meditative breath and cleared his head of all distractions, then he put on the Blue Spirit mask and strapped his Dao blades to his back. After not sensing any heat signatures on deck, he snuck off the ship toward the direction where he knew Zhao’s prison was.

The prison had high security and surveillance, but Zuko was always up for a challenge. With his Dao strapped to his back and his Blue Spirit mask securely on he scaled all 3 of the prison’s walls. Timing each climb to when the guard’s heat signatures were drifting the opposite direction. He used his bare feet to sense any approaching or departing presences. Zuko was always one step ahead of the guards because of this, when he sensed the first sign of anyone he’d be out of sight (on the ceiling) in seconds.

The only real challenge was finding where the Avatar was located, the prison had hundreds of cells and Zuko wasn’t sure he’d be able to identify the Avatar from inside a cell if he wasn’t conscious.

But Zuko knew he could always rely on gossiping guards to get information and after listening in on two guards talk about how hot the man guarding the Avatar was, Zuko figured out the Avatar’s location based on one of the guard’s questions about the hot guard’s shift schedule. Alright, he knew where the Avatar was now, thank Agni for hot guards.

The Avatar was almost easy to find after that and after incapacitating a handful of guards (The one guard they were talking about wasn’t worth gossiping about to be honest) Zuko found himself standing in front of what he hoped was the Avatar’s cell door.

Zuko heated a single Dao blade and sliced the lock off. He pushed the door open and hoped he hadn’t freed a random prisoner.

A smaller heat signature stood in the center of the room, chained up. The sound of the figure’s boyish gasp gave the signature’s identity away as the Avatar. Zuko heated up both blades and approached the Avatar to cut his chains, the boy screamed so Zuko cut them as quickly as possible so he’d get his motive across.

Then the Avatar was free, which was kind of ironic considering that Zuko was supposed to be capturing him. His job was done, Zuko turned away but the Avatar starting calling questions to him, “Who are you? What’s going on? Are you here to rescue me?”

Agni, this kid didn’t know the first thing about breaking out of prison! Reluctantly Zuko waved for the Avatar to follow him.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The boy said, mainly to himself.

Now the hard part, getting the Avatar out of the prison. Zuko considered what to do, he had a rope dangling undetectedly from the top of the first wall, but there would be plenty of guards at the top of it and on the other side of it, and the two other walls...it was fine, Zuko would deal with it when he had to.

Zuko gestured towards the rope, waiting for the Avatar to climb up before following behind. They were almost halfway up when the alarm rang, it was almost embarrassing (-ly funny) how long it took for Zhao’s prison to notice a prisoner was gone.

But Zuko couldn’t focus on that now because suddenly the rope was being cut by someone at the top of the wall and they were falling. There was no heat around him, no floor or wall or anything to stabilize him, during that fall Zuko was truly blind and only felt himself.

Then he was on the floor and with a flare of heat into the ground able to sense the small boy crouched next to him and the guards approaching them, there was no time to focus on his previous panic.

“Follow me!” The Avatar suddenly yelled as he began running, Zuko didn’t know what was over there but he could sense lines of soldiers that direction so Zuko drew his swords and chased after the Avatar, his Uncle had trained him for this, he could do it.

He heated the air around him and fought off any soldier that got in his way, eventually he caught up to the Avatar and found that they were standing in front of another gate entrance. And then he was in the air again, Agni! Zuko internally cursed in his mother tongue and tried not to let that feeling of blindness take over again. He landed with a grunt on top of the wall and held out both of his swords as soldiers ran towards him from both sides of the wall, welp guess this was it!

But then once again Zuko was surprised by the Avatar as the boy grabbed him and flew them over the edge of the wall. This was better, his feet may be dangling but at least he had some idea of what was happening.

But then he sensed heat signatures flying at them and only barley managed to slice what he guessed was a spear in half before it skewered them, the flailing was too much for the boy to handle though because Zuko found himself falling again, though this time the Avatar cushioned his fall.

They were half way to the second wall when the Avatar grabbed something that slowed him down, what did he have?

“Grab on!” The boy yelled and Zuko listened only to find himself on the Avatar’s back 30 feet in the air, “Hold this please!”

Then Zuko was handed a stick of bamboo, a stilt? And then they were literally walking across the courtyard on makeshift stilts, they managed to reach the wall, what now? They couldn’t walk over the wall, the only way across would be to catapult— oh no.

Unfortunately for Zuko, he was right, and he found himself projected over the wall and across the 3rd courtyard.

Even though the Avatar managed to catch most of Zuko’s fall he still landed with an oof, they were in front of the final gate. The presence of fire approaching them made Zuko instinctively shoot up and push the Avatar behind him, Dao held in position.

“Hold your fire!” A familiar voice yelled, “The Avatar must be captured alive!” Zhao... With that said Zuko (thought he wished it hadn’t come to this) whipped around and held his swords against the Avatar’s throat.

He could feel the boy’s rabid heartbeat from his position, Zuko almost wished he could tell the boy that it was alright. The silence that followed was almost painful and Zuko tried to imagine the expression on Zhao’s face.

Finally Zhao growled, “Open the gate.” Relief flooded Zuko along with a new tension as he slowly but surely backed himself and the Avatar out of the prison and across the bridge.

Behind him, maybe a 100 feet Zuko could hear and faintly smell the forest, they’d be safe once they got there.

He was almost filled with hope for escape when Zuko sensed lt. A fast moving heat signature approaching his face. And then with it’s unavoidable collision with his head Zuko was struck into unconsciousness and his fate was left to Agni.

When Zuko came to consciousness he immediately sensed the heat presence on the ground around him and sitting next to him. A person? The Avatar! Had he taken the mask off?! Did he know?!

Zuko tried to contain his panic but the Avatar apparently noticed his consciousness and panic, “Don’t worry, I didn’t look.” Relief rushed over Zuko but confusion soon took over, why wouldn’t he take it off?

The Avatar answered the silent question, “In Air Nation culture we were taught to respect people’s hair or face coverings. Thanks for saving me, I was really scared.”

Zuko nodded in acknowledgment but stayed silent, what would he say anyways?

“My name’s Aang! What’s yours?” The boy kindly asked, once again Zuko uncomfortably didn’t respond. “Why did you help me?” Aang, no, the Avatar asked curiously and patiently, “I know it wasn’t easy getting me out, you must want something.”

Zuko shook his head, technically he should want the capture the boy and take him to the Firelord but at the moment all Zuko wanted to do was rest. He’d completed his mission of freeing the Avatar (for his later capture) he could rest for now, right?

“Can you talk?” The boy asked.

Zuko shook his head, he couldn’t talk, not without giving himself away. “Oh,” The Avatar murmured, “That’s ok! As long as you can write!”

Then the boy smoothed out the dirt on the ground in front of them and began writing in a dialect he guessed was from the Air Nation based on the heat signature the boy’s finger left.

Zuko recognized a few of the characters he’d learned from his time at the Air Temples, without thinking he brought his finger to the ground and traced the character for a greeting in response to the boy’s own greeting.

He didn’t realize his mistake until the body next to him almost heated up with excitement. “You know Air Nation characters!” The Avatar cheered in excitement and shock, “Are you from the Air Nation?! I haven’t met someone familiar with our culture since I left the iceberg!”

The boy’s excitement made Zuko shift uncomfortably, for such a small boy he seemed to radiate heat.

He tried to think of how to respond, he didn’t know enough Air Nation characters to give a worthy excuse and he couldn’t use Fire Nation characters for obvious reasons so he thought back to his years in Earth Nation ports and scribbled his response to the boy’s questions. ‘I’m not Air Nation, I was an explorer for sometime and I traveled to many of the Air Temples, sorry.’

The boy took a minute to translate and Zuko was beginning to wonder if the boy could even read Earth Nation when he responded, “Don’t apologize, I’m just glad that there’s someone besides me that carries Air Nation culture with them, when I woke up and everyone was gone I couldn’t take it.”

Zuko couldn’t relate completely per se but he could understand the feeling of something being gone forever. “It’s been 100 years since I’ve been awake and everything I’d known has changed, the Fire Nation is bad now.”

Zuko felt something flare up in his chest at the adjective 'bad', it wasn’t anger or patriotism, it was a instinct.

He couldn’t speak--he knew that, instead he instinctively scribbled an agitated response about how the Fire Nation wasn’t bad, it was great and once it conquered the Earth Kingdom it would be the greatest nation ever and—wait—why was that his instinct? Wait what was he thinking, he was a prince of the Fire Nation, of course he instinctively protected his Nation with his honor!... But the last time he protected some with his honor he... they...

“I’m sorry, I can’t read Fire Nation characters too well.” The boy next to him said apologetically. What?! Damn it! He’d been so invested in his protesting that he’d written in Fire Nation characters!

“Have you been to the Fire Nation before?” The boy asked. Agni help him.

Zuko gave a confirming nod. The Avatar continued, “Are you from the Fire Nation?” He couldn’t answer that question, he shouldn’t answer that question, but then again he shouldn’t be sitting with the Avatar, much less after freeing him from a Fire Nation prison.

“It’s okay if you are, my best friend Kuzon was from the Fire Nation.” The boy chimed in to Zuko’s thoughts, “People from the Fire Nation were so good. It’s almost impossible for me to believe what their nation turned into. So are you Fire Nation?”

Zuko, slightly shocked by the boy’s words could only nod, the Avatar’s heat signature increased like a fueling breeze on a fire, he was…happy?

“That’s so cool! I haven’t had a official ally from the Fire Nation yet!” The boy beamed, then more seriously said, “Thank you for helping me even though it goes against your Nation, I can’t imagine how hard it would be.” When the boy’s words were taken in Zuko found himself registering all that had happened that night. He was fueled with a new found panic, going against his nation, oh Agni, he’d committed treason! Zuko hadn’t meant to commit treason! Or at least be caught committing treason! Oh Agni, what would he do?! There would definitely be wanted posters for him when Zhao notified the world of the Blue Spirit, the enemy of the Fire Nation!

He must have started hyperventilating because the boy was suddenly next to him speaking calmly, “Hey, it’s ok. You can come with me if you’d like, you’d be safe with us.”

The words were so comforting but so hurtful at the same time, the boy would never be so kind if he knew who Zuko was.

Zuko shook his head and stood up, the boy followed him. Zuko could feel his questioning gaze.

Zuko offered a bow in farewell and to began hurriedly walk, shooting burst of heat into the Earth with each step to make sure he didn't run into anything. “Where are you going?!” The Avatar called after him,

Zuko turned back slightly and, recalling his time reading a scroll on Air Nation customs, gave the boy a traditional Air Nation bow of farewell, it felt like he’d committed even more treason by using it. Though Zuko was far away he could sense the flare of happiness that the Avatar felt, “Thank you, be safe!”

He was another step away when the Avatar suddenly yelled to himself, “Frogs! I need to find frogs!” And then with a breeze of air the Avatar was gone, the remnant of his heat fading quickly. All right. Mission accomplished, if he ignored all the treason.

As Zuko crept back onto the boat and into his room he’d only just tucked his mask away when he sensed Uncle Iroh’s heat and his door was being opened, “Nephew! Where have you been? It’s been hours!”

Zuko put on one of his simple silk masks (which covered only above his nose) and turned to his Uncle, “I’m fine Uncle, just taking some time to myself, trying to relax.”

Though he couldn’t see him Zuko knew that Uncle was raising his eyebrows, but he let it go, “Alright Zuko, next time you need to relax perhaps let me know in advance.”

As Uncle stepped towards the door he added, “Make sure you aren’t caught with those swords Prince Zuko.”

Oh Agni, he still had his swords strapped across his back, “Got it Uncle.”

When Uncle left Zuko hung the swords innocently on the wall, what a nice decoration, if only Zuko could see if it matched the rest of the room.

Zuko snorted and collapsed onto his bed, Zhao wouldn’t be going into his room anytime soon so they were fine where they were.

As he waited for slumber to take over, Zuko recalled what the Avatar had said. He’d been friends with a boy from the Fire Nation and had seen the good in them, so why was the Avatar trying to stop the Fire Nation’s growth? That’s what the war was right? Growth? The Avatar had been friends with a boy from the Fire Nation 100 years ago and Zuko couldn’t help but wonder if in a different world they could’ve been friends as well.

Chapter Text

Zuko was meditating in his room when he sensed it, a large heat signature approaching quickly. “Uncle!” He called as he ran up the stairs to the deck, “Something’s coming!”

Just as the words left his mouth there was a hissing mass of heat on the deck and screams from the crew. Zuko backed up and tried to visualize the creature on his ship, it was perhaps the size of the Sky Bison with a whipping tongue and a snuffling nose, what was it?

Then he noticed it, a person was riding it! “Who are you?!” Zuko demanded the rider, sensing as the creature grabbed someone with its tongue, “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Zuko couldn’t see the rider's expression but he knew she was trouble as soon as she opened her mouth. “The name’s June and you must be blind if you didn’t notice the stowaway Nyla caught.” The woman joked with what Zuko could invision as an infuriating smile. Wow, what a ironic insult.

The sound of snuffling got closer and Zuko took a step back in surprise as the creature holding the stowaway with its tongue pressed near him with curious sniffing. “Keep your animal away from me!” Zuko ordered exasperatedly as he backed from the continuously approaching creature.

The woman immediately defended her companion, “Nyla is not a thing, he is a shirshu! And he really likes you for some reason.”

Zuko pursed his lips, he didn’t normally mind animals but based on what he sensed the creature do with its tongue he wasn’t sure if he wanted it near him.

“As long as he doesn’t lick you you won’t get paralyzed, Nyla can control himself, he won’t stop bothering you until you give him attention.” The woman reassured.

“Whatever.” Zuko muttered as he reluctantly held out a hand to the animal. He pat the shirshu’s head as Uncle Iroh approached his side.

“Are you a bounty hunter?” Uncle asked the woman.

“Yep, the best around,” She boasted, “Nyla here can track anything or anyone down with just a scent.”

That caught Zuko’s attention, “Could we hire you after you turn in your bounty?”

She said nothing but Zuko could feel her sizing him up, “Fine. Just because Nyla likes you. I’ll be back at dawn, I expect a large payment.” And then with a crack of a whip Nyla pulled away from Zuko's hand and leaped off the ship, leaving only a remnant of his great heat.

“This should be interesting.” Uncle Iroh murmured.

“Indeed Uncle.” He agreed.

Zuko almost felt bad as he held the Water Tribe girl’s necklace in his grip. It was surely important, perhaps even a family heirloom. He pushed down the feeling and held it out to Nyla. The shirshu sniffed it deeply and June quickly ordered, “Climb on.”

Zuko and Uncle Iroh climbed into the saddle and then Nyla was off, sniffing loudly and moving faster than Zuko’s senses could catch up to.

At one point Zuko gave up trying to sense the heat passing him and rested his mind, preparing for his first confrontation with the Avatar since he broke him out of prison as the Blue Spirit.

He was broken out of his trance when June yelled, “There! We found the scent!”

Zuko was immediately at attention as Nyla came to a stop and he jumped out of the saddle to sense the two familiar heat signatures of the Water Tribe kids, no Avatar.

“So this is your girlfriend.” June said as she held her whip at the ready, “No wonder she left, she’s way too pretty for you.”

So apparently the Water Tribe girl was pretty, and he hadn’t thought about his appearance for a long time but apparently he wasn’t.

If Zuko still had eyes still he’d roll them, instead he huffed and approached the two heat figures, “Where is the Avatar?”

“We split up,” The Water Tribe boy answered, “He’s long gone.”

“How stupid do you think I am?!” Zuko demanded.

“Pretty stupid.” The boy responded. Oh Agni, two personal attacks in one minute?

Zuko couldn’t help the laugh he huffed out before he raised his hands to attack the two.

“Run!” The boy yelled. The brother and sister made it a few feet before Nyla’s tongue lashed out and paralyzed them.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Zuko muttered to himself.

Apparently June heard him because she responded, “We need to find another scent, one with your bounty’s recent contact.”

Zuko tried to visualize what was happening as Nyla snuffled at the Water Tribe kids’ prone forms before June called out, “Got it, grab them and lets go!”

Zuko, suddenly filled with adrenaline, rushed over and scooped up the limp Water Tribe kids over each shoulder and laid them along the back of the saddle.

With a crack of June’s whip Nyla followed the Avatar’s scent at full speed and Zuko did all he could to keep the Water Tribe kids from jerking too much. They’d been running for a minute when June yelled out, “Brace yourselves!”

And Zuko only had a second to pin down the Water Tribe kids before Nyla burst through a gate and the sound of screams filled his ears.

Nyla suddenly slowed down and began circling, sniffing nonstop. “What’s he doing?” Zuko asked June.

But before she could answer a small heat signature from the air flew towards them and toppled Nyla over as he came up on his hind legs to defend his rider.

They fell off and Zuko did the best he could to keep Uncle and the paralyzed kids from hurting themselves. “Aang!” The girl called out hopefully.

So the heat signature in the sky was the Avatar, that made sense.

“Up!” June yelled with a crack of her whip, Nyla jumped to his feet and Zuko sensed them run off towards the Avatar.

Zuko tried to pull himself together to help but before he could get to his feet another large heat signature approached Nyla and knocked Nyla and June off their beeline towards the Avatar. It was the Skybison, who then let out a bellow of fury, attention only on Nyla and June.

Fine then, it was his turn with the Avatar. He rushed the Avatar with flaring hands, warming his palms to leave heat signatures everywhere he could. The boy stood at the ready, holding his staff defensively, he wasn’t going to attack first? Fine, Zuko would.

And with a battle yell Zuko shot a wave of fire at the Avatar, he sensed as the boy spun his staff to stifle the flames and responded with a gust of wind. Zuko stepped to the side as the notably hot gust of air missed him barely, he shot blast after blast of fire at the boy, trying to push away the memory of writing messages to him.

The Avatar was quick, always half step ahead of Zuko. He attacked with a series of swipes and kicks, they were fighting in close range and the tensions were high. Zuko flipped to avoid a gust of air and was surprised when not even a minute later the Avatar copied his flip to avoid Zuko’s fire. Ugh, this was getting nowhere!

With a yell he shot fire at the boy with all he had, and the Avatar responded with his own blast of air, the resulting explosion shot Zuko into the air and onto his back on a roof. He took a moment to focus on what was going on around him, Nyla and the Skybison were still fighting, Zuko could hear the many lashes of Nyla’s tongue the bison was hit with, but he barely seemed to respond.

Zuko decided to focus on the Avatar for now, relocating his heat on the roof across from him, Zuko sensed the boy come back to attention as he charged at him with his flames ready.

The boy was suddenly high in the air and Zuko for a horrible moment couldn’t sense where he was, similar to his Agni Kai with Zhao, but then the boy was on the other side of him and was firing a rush of air at Zuko.

Zuko got a few attack in before the boy shot wind at him and Zuko was thrown backwards and into the building again. The blow to the head hurt but he was still able to jump out of the Avatar’s follow up attack and jump off the roof. Zuko heard Nyla attack the Avatar then and did his best to track him down despite the heat surrounding them. There!

Zuko shot wave after wave of fire after him and he soon found himself attacking the Avatar while circling the a well, each of his blasts were dodged and in his one moment of defense the Avatar said, “You have something I want!” What was he talking about? Zuko didn’t have any—Oh, the necklace.

The boy then jumped across the well towards him and Zuko punched flames at him with all he had, up, down, to the right, to the left, he just kept dodging!

With a yell of frustration Zuko kicked the decorative top off the well and found himself fighting the Avatar atop of the open well, a battle of balance and coordination.

They kicked and punched and blasted their respective element at each other before the Avatar was still for a moment on the other side of the well and Zuko instinctively lunged for him, only for the boy to jump overhead…with the necklace in his hand. Zuko turned and sensed him fall... into the well? He rushed up to it to... shoot fire down it?... See if the boy was ok?

But the moment he glanced into the well a blast of water shot from the well and shot Zuko high into the open and empty air. It was a high fall and when Zuko hit the ground all the air was knocked out of him.

Despite the throb of his ribs, he pushed himself to his feet and began approaching the boy, only for a familiar bellow of the bison to leave Zuko backing up for his own good.

The familiar heat signature of Nyla’s tongue came to his defense though and the bison soon collapsed paralyzed. Zuko, June, and Nyla had the Avatar pinned against the wall, running back and forth to avoid their fire and Nyla’s tongue.

It seemed like the moment before a well-deserved victory, the Avatar was at his whim and the water tribe kids were no where to be found, but then Zuko sensed the sun being blocked, what was—? A wave of liquid, not water, fell on top of them.

Zuko’s nose was filled with hundreds of smells at once, it was awful, if it was awful for him then Nyla—

His thought were cut off by the shirshu’s tongue striking him and his body collapsing, completely out of his control.

Zuko did his best to picture what was happening around him, June was also struck and Uncle pretended to be before Nyla let out a howl and barreled through the gate and out of his radar.

He laid there and willed himself to move as the Avatar and the Water Tribe kids stood over him. Zuko couldn’t talk but he let out an angry sound in his throat as he sensed the Water Tribe boy reach his hand out towards his face.

“Stop!” The Avatar protested, making the other boy pull his hand back.

“But I wanna see what’s under here! He’s been tormenting us for months, aren’t you curious?” The Water Tribe boy tried to argue.

“No, Sokka.” The Avatar said firmly, “Face and head coverings should only be removed by the wearer, otherwise you're violating their right to self.” The words sounded rehearsed, like the boy had learned them in school... oh... the Air Temple.

Sokka sighed, “Fine... I just wanted to see—"

“Sokka,” Interrupted the Water Tribe girl, “Stop it, let’s get out of here.”

Then Zuko was left to stew over what had just happened as the Avatar escaped from him once again.

The Avatar and the Water Tribe kids were long gone when Zuko was finally able to move again, that didn’t mean he wasn't tempted to try. The jelly-like feeling in his legs told him not to.

He slowly rose to his feet and help Uncle (he was so lazy sometimes) and June to their feet, they left the town as quickly as possible as the towns people began to be further agitated by their presence.

June was uncharacteristically quiet as Zuko helped her walk through the gateway. He asked, “Are you alright?”

“No,” She responded, “I’ve lost Nyla.”

Zuko set her down when they were a good distance from the town, “Don’t worry, I’ll look for him while you recover.”

The woman nodded and Zuko turned and walked the direction he recalled Nyla running. Did he know where Nyla was? No. But was he plenty motivated to find him? Yes.

So Zuko trudged through the woods and eventually located Nyla shaped footprints still holding the Shirshu’s heat.

He stopped for a moment when he found a river to rinse the hundreds of different perfumes out of his hair and off his armor, even reluctantly his cloth mask, he didn’t want to make Nyla recall what had happened before.

Reminded of his mask, what had happened before the Avatar left still left Zuko befuddled. He could understand the boy’s respect of the Blue Spirit’s mask after he’d saved him from a high security prison, but why did he respect his mask after he’d defeated Zuko as the enemy? When he’d been quite literally defenseless under him? Zuko just couldn’t understand.

Nevermind that, he had to focus on finding Nyla

Once again finding the footprints, Zuko followed them until he heard a familiar sniffing, frantic and loud. “Nyla?” He called quietly, Nyla’s sense of smell was already harmed enough, he didn’t want to harm any other sense.

He approached the writhing shirshu and instead of touching him sat on the rock next to him.

“Hey boy,” Zuko said, trying to copy the endearing way the Avatar always spoke to his bison, “Are you alright? It’s pretty awful what happened to you back there.”

The shirshu obviously didn’t understand or respond to his question but his attention was on Zuko and his breathing was seeming to calm down.

Zuko continued his rambling, “June is really worried about you, don’t worry she doesn’t hold anything against you, they definitely played dirty by going for your sense of smell.”

The words seemed to resonate with Zuko as he said them though because he found himself picking at his scar, a nervous habit. He immediately stopped and relocated Nyla only to find him right in front of Zuko. “Hey Nyla,” He said gently, “Can I pet you?”

Zuko reached his hand out to the shirshu and let Nyla snuffled it. Suddenly he curling up in front of Zuko so he could bring his hand to his corse fur.

“There, there, you did such a good job,” Zuko gently praised, “You work so hard and I’m so grateful for your help.”

After probably half an hour of patting, scratching, and petting the calm beast Zuko stood up, “Let’s get up now, I want to wash the perfume off of you.”

Nyla seemed to excitedly follow him as he made his way towards the river and was more than happy to let Zuko pet him as he soaked in the water.

When Nyla was mostly scent-free Zuko made him get out of the water and did his best to warm the wet shirshu with his hands. “There, nice and clean. “Let’s go back to June, I’m sure she misses you,” Zuko said as they returned to Nyla’s original foot prints.

The walk back was pleasant and filled with Nyla gabbing his nose into Zuko constantly.

Only when they arrived at the camp and Nyla gabbed him in the neck did Zuko call out, “Why does he keep doing that?!”

“Nyla!” June yelled excitedly at the sight of them. She ran towards them and embraced her companion with a laugh.

After a long moment of hugging June answered Zuko’s question, “He really likes you, he’d trying to find your scent, usually it’d be in your hair but you’re kind of lacking in that department.”

Any other time Zuko would’ve been annoyed by the sarcasm, but at that moment he could hardly care, “Got it.”

Deciding to leave the two to their reunion Zuko approached the fire where he knew Uncle was sitting and sat down next to the man.

“The shirshu is very fond of you.” Uncle Iroh said pleasantly, “I recall that as a child you were very good with animals.”

Zuko didn’t want to think about the past, “Whatever, he just likes me because I pet him.”

“Perhaps, Nyla is quite intimidating, you’d have to be quite brave to pet him.” Uncle countered.

Zuko thought of Nyla nudging him with his nose and snuffling in excitement when Zuko got into the river with him, “No, Nyla’s not intimidating. He’s just big.”

“Well, he’s quite the creature, shirshu aren’t commonly domesticated.” Uncle continued.

Zuko nodded, “Well I recon we’re the same, not quite the lookers but loyal when it really comes down to it.”

“You’re a handsome young man Zuko, don’t listen to what anyone says,” Uncle protested then he lamented, “Nyla is loyal to June, who are you loyal to?”

“The Fire Nation.” Zuko said instinctively, but then he recalled his treason not even a week ago, “The Firelord?”

Uncle seemed to think about this, “The Fire Nation and the Firelord are not a singular thing, you can choose to be loyal to only one.” Zuko was about to respond when June and Nyla approached the fire.

“Done crying?” Zuko asked.

He could sense her face heat up as she barked, “Shut up ...Thank you for finding him.”

“Of course.” Zuko responded.

They sat around the fire and rested after the day’s fight until Zuko remembered, “We have your payment on the ship.”

June made a surprised sound, “I didn’t catch your bounty, so I don’t get paid.”

“Then take the payment to get Nyla a good bath to get rid off all the smells, I tried my best but he still smells strongly.” He immediately retorted.

June seemed to be speechless.

“We’ll get your payment in the morning, thank you for your help June.” Zuko said as he laid on his side.

He was exhausted and it didn’t take him long to slip into a meditative state, not sleeping but not awake, considering the events and surprises of the day.

Chapter Text

It had been the most calm Zuko had been in weeks when Zhao once again came along to ruin it. They’d been off the Avatar’s trail for weeks and after a painful farewell to Nyla (and June Zuko supposed) they’d found that the few hour the Avatar had gotten as a head start had been more disaster out than Zuko expected.

Zuko unfortunately had a lot of free time and spent most of it sword fighting or fire bending but Uncle had forced him to take a break and that’s how Zuko found himself in the position he was in now. He was sitting cross legged on the deck of his ship with a gift from Uncle in his hands, a fire lily candle.

The flame flickered healthily as Zuko focused all his energy on fueling it. He took a deep breath of fire lillies, home, mother, warmth, safety, and then exhaled it out. This was the best gift (And one of the only gifts) Zuko had ever received/accepted in the past few years with Uncle. The customized candle had been so heartfelt and endearing that Zuko couldn’t help but accept the small piece of home. Zuko was in peace for the first time in a while.

The sound of approaching armored footsteps snapped Zuko out if it. Zuko jumped to his feet as soldiers began to board his ship, the main signature leading the others unfortunately familiar. “Get off my ship Zhao!” Zuko demanded, approaching the proud figure.

“That’s General Zhao to you Zuko.” The man corrected with a sneer.

Zuko wouldn’t take this disrespect, “Prince!”

“No Zuko,” Zhao countered with a chuckle, “You aren’t a prince, you aren’t royalty even. You’re not a captain or a leader. You don’t deserve respect or a title. You’ve dishonored yourself and dishonored your Firelord. You are nothing! Not a prince! Not a Fire Nation Citizen! Not honored! Not a Fire-Bender! Not even worth anything to the Fire Lord!”

Zuko was shocked into silence as his brain tried and failed to comprehend what was true and false about what Zhao said. He was right about many things, Zuko dishonored himself and the Fire lord, he’d been disrespectful and was banished from the Fire Nation, he was a failure of a Fire-bender and son…he was worthless to the Fire Lord.

Zuko wasn’t a prince, princes were useful. They were powerful, honorable, brave, strong, and cruel. Zuko wasn’t a prince. Zhao was right, he was nothing. “What is happening here?” Uncle Iroh’s voice broke through Zuko’s revelation.

“Not much Iroh,” Zhao answered, “Just telling Zuko his standing with the Fire Lord.” Zuko stayed silent even as he felt Uncle turn to him questioningly.

“That’s General Iroh to you Zhao, we’re equals. Now please leave our ship, we’re busy with our mission.” Uncle Iroh responded.

Zhao’s counter suprised everyone on the ship, “Not anymore. The mission of capturing the Avatar and conquering the Northern Water Tribe has been transfered to me, the Fire Lord has finally realized your incompetence and has decided to do something about it.”

“I get your mission, information, and your crew.” Zhao continued as Zuko felt horror grow in his chest. Then Zhao turned to the soldiers behind him, “Take the crew and anything of value.”

All at once the 50 guards were boarding the ship and flooding Zuko’s senses with their heat, making him, for the first time in a very long time, blind. He felt Zhao’s hand grab his face, “I’ve waited for this moment for so long, I wish you could see it.”

“You unhand him this instant!” Uncle demanded as he slapped Zhao’s hand away from Zuko’s disgusting feeling face.

“No matter, I’ll be rid of you both momentarily.” Zhao said nonchalantly. Then he walked past the two and made for the stairs that would take him below deck.

Uncle grabbed Zuko’s arm, making him jump, “Are you alright nephew?”

Zuko nodded before a terrible thought came to him, “He may see the swords Uncle.” He felt his Uncle’s inhale of breath and knew that they were both in danger at this point, Zuko needed to protect Uncle. Zuko determinedly rushed below deck and towards his quarters only to grow queasy at the heat signature he sensed in the room.

“You have some very interesting decor in your room Zuko, very well made Dao swords I’ll say, where’d you get them from?” Zhao questioned almost teasingly.

“They’re a gift, I’m unable to use them though, due to my-my state.” Zuko explained cooly as his heart throbbed.

“Well, I supposed you won’t mind me taking them then.” Zhao said gleefully as Zuko heard them being taken off the wall.

He wanted to hiss and scream but Zuko stayed silent as one of his few treasured possessions were taken by the man he loathed most, “Fine, you’re taking everything anyways.”

“That’s right Zuko.” Zhao said demeaningly, “You have nothing.”

When Zhao left for once the ship Zuko had lived on for so long felt truly like the prison it was, empty, silent, and cold except for Uncle’s heat signature at his side. His candle was gone. Zuko recalled the countless remarks Zhao had poisoned him with, they were all painfully true, all but the one about his loyalty.

“Uncle, I’m going to prove him and the Fire Lord wrong.” Zuko swore with trembling and clenched fists.

Uncle tried to reason, “Nephew, they are not worth your effort, it may be better if we—“

“So you think I’m nothing too?!” Zuko croaked as he felt the terrible emotions of the day bubble over, “Do you finally see me as the burden I am?!”

Uncle embraced him tightly and emphasized, “You are no burden Zuko, you are one of the most important people in my life and I love you as if you were my own son. The Fire Lord and Zhao are not worthy of your effort Zuko, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko took a moment to digest Uncle’s words before hugging him back and murmuring, “I miss my candle.”

Chapter Text

The night was silent and Zuko was tense. Uncle had gone to the night market to purchase something and Zuko was alone on the cold and silent ship. He sensed no heat signatures on the boat but he couldn’t calm himself even in his room, his bladeless room.

Zuko was beginning to consider going to the market to search for Uncle when a hiss broke the silence, it was the hiss of lit blasting jelly, but who would…? Zhao.

With blasts of heat into the ground Zuko bolted with all his might up to the deck and just as he dove off the deck, the boat blew up. His home for the past four years was blown into smithereens.

Zuko broke the surface with a gasp and tried to control his breathing, he was fine, he was just a few yards from shore, he didn’t need to freak out. He took a deep breath and heated the surface of the water, he felt for which direction lead to land and then swam as quickly and calmly as he could while on the verge of panic. He pulled himself onto the dock.

He then huddled in a hiding spot along the dock, someone had tried to kill him and him specifically, they were most likely still around.

Zuko had been hunkering down for perhaps an hour when he sensed Uncle returning from the market, the sound of his distress at most likely seeing the blown up ship and Zuko’s absence was so painful that he had to force himself to not immediately comfort the man, he didn’t know who was watching.

Zuko tried to hold off from leaving his hiding spot for as long as he could before the sound of Uncle’s sobs grew too painful. He called out as quietly as he could, “Uncle!”

The man immediately turned to the direction of Zuko’s voice and then practically ran to Zuko to embrace him. “Someone blew the ship up to try to kill me Uncle,” Zuko told the man from within his hold, “You need to make sure that they think they succeeded.”

Uncle ran a hand gently down Zuko’s back, “Whatever you wish, are you alright?.”

“I’m ok,” Zuko answered after taking a moment to check, “My ears are just ringing a bit.”

That was a understatement, he felt as if the explosion was still fresh in his ears. “I’m sorry nephew, I should've been here.” Uncle Iroh said.

Zuko imagined it, trying to push Uncle up the deck and over the edge of the boat when he sensed the heat, failing to get overboard in time, Uncle being burdened one last time by Zuko with his own death. “I’m glad you weren’t.” Zuko responded.

It wasn’t long before Zhao came along to recruit Uncle and as they planned Uncle agreed to join in honor of Zuko’s untimely death.

Also as planned, Zuko stowed away on Zhao’s ship when it left the port. From his hiding spot among the supplies (stolen from his ship) Zuko was relieved to see that his stolen crew was in good shape, no one was limping, seemed fevered, or had diminished heat. They were alright. From his spot he was also able to hear everything happening on deck.

The sound of marching armor brought Zhao into his field of senses, Uncle at his side. Zhao seemed to give off a radar of heat, far more than usual, was he ok? Something didn’t feel right.

The deck was silent as everyone presumably looked at their Captain, waiting for orders. “Today,” Zhao started, “Will be a day of victory. A day of victory, not only will I be the man to conquer the North Water Tribe, but I will rid this world of the Nation’s spirit and hence be known as Zhao, the Moon Slayer!” The deck was silent, but they were all thinking the same thing, Zhao was insane.

“Remember this day, for it will be history for years to come! Now ready the ship for attack, I must prepare myself.” Zuko tracked Zhao’s heat until it retreated below deck before locating Uncle and calling him over through a surge of heat in the deck.

He sensed as Uncle discreetly made his way towards Zuko’s hiding spot, Uncle murmured, “That man is crazy and he needs to go down.”

“How could he want to kill the Moon Spirit Uncle?” Zuko asked, “The Fire Nation needs them as much as the Water Tribes do!”

“I know Zuko, I believe Zhao is deranged, he told me that he’s been planning this for years,” Uncle paused to take a quick check that no one was near before saying, “You need to get out of here Nephew, I believe Zhao is planning to search the ship at one point, and we must protect the Moon Spirit.” Zuko caught on to what he was implying, “You want me to go to shore.”

“Yes Zuko, I think of you as my own and that’s why I want you to make the right choices, get inside and find the Spirit.” Uncle said gently. “The Avatar is most likely with the spirit, right Uncle?” Zuko asked expectantly, this would work perfectly!

He could check on the Moon Spirit and then escape with the Avatar, treason forgiven! Uncle sighed, “Most likely, but Zuko, don’t let your search for the Avatar overrule the good of the Nations, the Moon Spirit is vital to each Nation’s way of life.” Zuko felt himself tucking the words into the back of his mind. He couldn’t focus on them now, he needed to get the Avatar and then get out. The Avatar wasn’t the boy who heated up with excitement when seeing his written language, who respected Zuko’s face coverings, or who cared for his companions so much that he’d risk himself for them. The Avatar wasn’t a 12 year old monk boy living as the sole survivor of his people’s genocide, he was—

“The Avatar is a child Zuko,” Uncle butted into his thoughts, “Please don’t forget that.” Zuko nodded, “Got it Uncle, now how am I sneaking out of here?”

The boat was dinky and small and managed to grate on every bruise and scratch he had. Despite this Zuko nodded in thanks to the crewmen (his crewmen) that helped them and wished Uncle well before pushing off the boat. He rowed as quickly but discreetly as possible sending surges of heat into the paddle and water with every row, there was the shore! When Zuko made it to the icey shore of the Northern Water Tribe he was facing another problem. How was he going to infiltrate it?! Zuko huffed in frustration as he found that there was no way to stay hidden and firebend his way into it.

“Agni, of course it wasn’t as easy as ‘get the Avatar and get out of there,” Zuko scoffed at himself. How could he possibly— “ARF!” “What in the—“ It was a animal. A large heated animal with what he sensed as flippers and a powerful frame.

“ARF,” and a strong set of lungs. This was the Northern Water Tribe and that meant, “A Turtle Seal?” “ARF!” Zuko was getting slightly annoyed with the noise but he found himself filled with hope, turtle seals meant water tunnels. He couldn’t navigate them alone though. “ARF!”

“Hey buddy,” Zuko said as he cautiously approached the large animal and the hole in the ice, “Do you think you could help me out?”

“ARF!” The creature flopped closer to him, nearly giving him a heart attack. “O-oh!” Zuko said as the turtle seal came up to his side, “I guess I’m a pretty good heating pack, why don’t we help each other out?”

This was such a dumb idea.

This was such a dumb idea.

This was such a dumb idea.

This was such a dumb idea.

This was such a dumb idea.

This was such a dumb idea.

This was such a dumb idea.

“Ok!” Zuko attempted to hype himself up as he pat the turtle seal on the head, “Let’s do this!”

Zuko recalled the many miserable training sessions where he’d have his head held under icey water for minutes and then practice Firebending moments after.

He wouldn’t be alone in the water this time though.

“ARF!”

Zuko felt his mouth curve into a smile, “Yeah buddy, arf.”

Then he took a few deep breathes in through his nose and out through his mouth before he filled his lungs as much as he could and dove into the paralyzingly cold water, the turtle seal following excitedly.

Chapter Text

Agni, he wished he’d doubted himself a bit more. Diving underwater with a turtle seal as a guide was not one of his better ideas, in fact it would probably be one of his final bad ideas. He focused his attention on heating the water around him as he followed after the turtle seal’s large heat signature, the animal gave off so much heat that Zuko almost felt like he could actually do this.

Zuko followed after the excitedly swimming animal through a collection of tunnels, if the turtle seal was just playing with him than he was as good as dead now.

Just as he was begining to consider a desperate attempt to backtrack he sensed it along with a underwater “ARF”.

Frantically he clawed to the top of the ice cave to take a strangled gasp of air. The turtle seal broke into the air pocket with him, pressing against Zuko’s side and happily said, “ARF.”

“Thank Agni,” He sighed to himself when his lungs felt less strained, “Are we almost there buddy?”

“ARF.” The turtle seal said excitedly before diving back down.

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” Zuko decided as he once again took a few deep breathes in and out before gasping all the air he could a following after his travel companion.

The turtle seal moved quickly, pressed against Zuko’s side, most likely seeking his warmth, which was completely fine with him. While he was a firebender that didn't mean he liked swimming in below freezing water. They were perhaps a minute down the tunnel when they entered another cave, Zuko was filled with relief when he sensed the 2nd air pocket, but before he could begin to swim for it a fast approaching seat signature, that wasn’t Buddy, suddenly rushed into his senses.

He let out a yell of panic, big mistake. Zuko desperately swam towards the top of the cave, Agni he was coughing, choking underwater, drowning, dying... but then his turtle seal companion was there, pushing him up towards the air pocket.

He broke through the surface and coughed violently, whatever suprised him was still down there! Oh Agni he—

Another heat signature floated next to his turtle seal companion. Zuko pushed himself away from it in panic but a small sound made him stop, “arf?” Oh Agni, it was a baby.

The baby turtle seal rested happily next to the much larger one, letting out snuffles and the occasional grunt. He’d been scared half to death by a baby, thank Agni the only witness could only say the word arf.

Zuko took a moment to catch his breath once again and collect himself, he was about to face who knows what, he can’t afford to be scared of babies. When the tiny turtle seal approached him he sighed and held out a warm hand towards it, immediately being engulfed by blubbery, smooth baby turtle seal.

It let out a happy arf and licked his face, Agni that was disgusting. His original turtle seal companion also approached and arfed joyfully, Zuko felt like they were laughing at him. “Hardy har har, very funny,” Zuko grumbled, “Let’s get going Buddy, and... Little Buddy?”

They both arfed in agreement and dove back down, Zuko followed after completing his breathing ritual. After that it was mostly smooth sailing (swimming?), they stopped at every air pocket there was and Zuko was reluctantly engulfed by turtle seal attention each time.

They’d been traveling for what Zuko guess to be 1, 2 hours? When he sensed the cold. Not cold per se, but lack of heat from above him, it was the city.

Zuko excitedly swam for the surface, bursting into the open air with a gasp and pulling himself from the turtle seal hole. He panted and tried to calm his uncontrollable shivering as Buddy and Little Buddy followed him and flopped on the ice next to him.

Zuko smiled at the excited noises they made when he pat their heads. He must’ve been underwater hours now, he needed to go.

Zuko refused to acknowledge the rising lump in his throat as he stood and attempted to give the turtle seals his final farewell. When he made to walk away they flopped after him, curious where he was leading them. “No you guys!” He painfully protested, “You need to go back, I need to find the Avatar and protect the Moon Spirit or whatever.”

The turtle seals, obviously not understanding the reason in his argument let out complaining groans. “Please, the Moon Spirit protects everyone, everyone is in danger, you’re in danger!” He argued with the turtle seals.

“Now go, please!” Zuko plead as he tried pushing the massive mammals back to the hole, “I’m doing this for everyone, for you!” And while they didn’t understand human dialect, the turtle seals seemed to understand that they were no longer welcome.

“ARF!” Buddy bid in farewell with a final lick to Zuko’s face.

“arf!” Little Buddy added, gifting Zuko with a lick and snuffle to the hand. They dove back into the water and Zuko sensed them swim down. Zuko couldn’t deny the lump throbbing in his throat as he sensed them hesitate near the surface for a few moment, as if waiting to see if Zuko would change his mind, before diving down and out of Zuko’s field of sense.

If Zuko had functioning eyes still he’s sure that he would be embarrassingly crying right then. Instead he slapped his numb face and reset his now dried mask on his face.

He remembered what he’d said when trying argue with his now absent companions, ‘The Moon Spirit protects everyone, everyone is in danger, you’re in danger.’ Agni, Uncle was once again right, he had to protect the Moon Spirit…even if it meant letting the Avatar get away.

Zuko let out a gentle burst of heat, not trying to melt the city, and kept his hand on the wall. He was moving, aimlessly sure, but he was moving.

Zuko was begining to consider question his instincts when he sensed it, hot heat, in the middle of the Northern Water Tribe? He followed the heat now, there was no way that a hot core in the middle of a ice city meant absolutely nothing, whatever the heated place held was important. His senses brought him to a door, he pressed his hands against it, the door was warm. With a grunt he twisted the door open, a hot breeze left him toasty and involuntarily relieved, he’d made it.

Chapter Text

He quietly shut the door behind him, he didn’t sense any near heat signatures but he could smell the vegetation that filled the heated habitat, oasis? Then with another step forward he sensed it, waves and waves of heat, energy, waves he’d only sensed around the Avatar. He was here!

‘Focus on the Moon Spirit’, Zuko reminded himself, thinking of Buddy and Little Buddy.

“Ok,” He murmured to himself, “Gotta find the Moon Spirit.” Zuko lowered himself to the grassy floor and pressed heat into the earth below him. Ok, he could do this.

Still in his crouched position he snuck his way towards the center of the oasis, where the Avatar—no—the Moon Spirit was. He needed to protect the spirit.

Now that he was closer Zuko could also sense three other heat signatures moving around the oasis. Two were familiar, but the third one gave off almost a counter to his heat, weird.

He’d have to watch out for them, they may have the same goal at the moment but they were still enemies. Zuko was edging further into the oasis now, still a good distance from the center but it was a start. He located the three heat signatures, who were surrounding what he presumed to be the Avatar and positioned himself so that he was approaching the center from the opposite direction as them. As of now he had no real plan other than, ‘get to the center’ and ‘don’t get killed.’

Then he was there, standing at the edge of the center of the oasis, Zuko sensed the Avatar’s group on the other side of the body of water in front of them, their attention remained on the still boy. Ok. Now if Zuko was a spirit where would he hide?

Zuko knew from Uncle’s many musings about spirits that the most powerful ones often took a physcial form when they were dormant, often appearing as an ethereal life form. The Sun Spirit was often written to take the form of a Phoenix, an animal of the Sun’s element. What was the Moon Spirit’s element?

Zuko turned down towards the pond in front of him, scanning it for heat, life inside of it. Instead he found the water to be an area he could barely sense, all he picked up on was the lack of heat in the water, but then there! Right in the center circling was a signature that sent a shiver down his spine, the true center of the oasis. The Moon Spirit?

Zuko couldn’t be sure...what if he was wrong? What if he was wrong and Zhao was finding the real spirit right now!? Agni, he needed to be sure if he was going to protect them. But Zuko couldn’t sense them, he was truly blind for the first time in a while...not if Zuko had anything to say about it!

And then, without any thought of the repercussions, Zuko plunged his heated fist into the unbelievably frigid water. Immediately the Oasis seemed to explode into chaos. One of the three heat signatures next to the Avatar grew cold until he barely sensed it, there was yelling, his hand felt encased in ice, the oasis creatures were shrieking. But beneath it all he sensed it, the two fish circling each other, Tui and La, the Moon Spirit... oh Agni what had he done! Zuko ripped his hand out of the pond and tried to draw back all the heat that he could, but it was too late, he’d disturbed the spirit! Zuko had done something to the third now wavering heat signature! He’d given away his position!

And right on cue he felt a blunt pain at the back of his head. Zuko let out a yell as the object that struck him spun and landed back into one of the familiar heat signature’s hands. “What are you doing here?!” Sokka boomed angrily, “What did you do?!”

So he’d been hit by a boomerang, Zuko look a few deep breathes and waited until the terrible ringing in his head quieted before responding, “The Spirit, I’m here to protect the Spirit.” He heard voices talking back and forth, maybe at him, but his head was swimming from the hit and he could feel his cold hand trembling. Zuko grabbed it with his other and began warming it up, the feeling was about to come back to iit when he received a smack to his side from a whip of water.

“Stop Firebending!” Katara demanded, “Put your hands where I can see them! What did you do to her?!” This is why Zuko had wanted to stay undetected.

He reluctantly unclasped his shaking hands and held them out on his knees and responded, “I have no idea what happened to her, all I did was touch the pond.” There, as little information as possible while still being honest, they couldn’t punish him for that!

“Why?!” She asked with another water whip to his other side, or maybe they would.

He sighed at the sogginess of his clothes and answered, “I needed to be sure that I found the Moon Spirit.”

“Moon Spirit?!” Sokka scoffed, “Aang is in the Spirit World finding them right now, that was a good lie though.”

“I’m not lying!” Zuko defended himself, “I’m here to find and protect the Moon Spirit for my Uncle.”

“A likely story,” Katara butted in, “You’re just here to kidnap Aang! That’s all you ever do!” Zuko was beginning to worry about Zhao’s progress, was he close? Would he be able to find the oasis like Zuko had?

“I do have a life outside of capturing the Avatar, you do know that right?” Zuko asked, “You really don’t know anything about me or my motives.”

“Well that’s— true...” Katara admitted.

“That doesn’t matter right now!” Sokka exclaimed, “What did you do to Yue?!” Huh, so the third (now warming) heat signature was named Yue, Princess Yue?

“All I did was touch the Moon Spirit’s pond, I’m ashamed of it but perhaps that affect her,” Zuko did his best to answer, “Is she perhaps connected to the Moon?”

“Uh well, she said that she was Moon Blessed.” Sokka answered, sounding a bit unsure now.

“But the Moon Spirit is in the Spirit World, why would touching a spirit touched pond affect Yue?” Katara asked.

“It’s not spirit touched, the two fish in the pond are the Moon and Ocean Spirits in physical manifestation, I’m ashamed that I had to disturb them to be sure but I will do all I can to protect them from Zhao.” Zuko swore.

“But, but the Moon Spirit is in the Spirit World!” Sokka protested, Zuko could almost sense his frustration growing.

“Spirits take physical manifestations when they wish to remain unrevealed to the world, those two fish are the Tui and La you read stories about.” Zuko said.

“We don’t read stories in the Southern Water Tribe,” Katara butted in, “They’re all told verbally, and that sound like a easy lie so you can—.”

“He’s right.” Yue interrupted as Zuko felt her temperature reach a conscious person’s, “Those koi are Tui and La.”

“Yue!” Sokka cheered, “Are you alright? What happened?”

“I’m alright,” Yue answered, “The Moon Spirit was disturbed so I was affected.”

Zuko felt her gaze on him, he shifted uncomfortably before bowing as well as he could while huddled on the ground, “I sincerely apologize for disturbing the spirit Princess, I had no idea that it would have such a detrimental effect, I just wanted to be sure that it was—“

“You wish to protect them?” Yue spoke as she stood, Zuko could feel her eyes on his face, where his eyes would be.

“Yes.” He answered surely, ignoring the urge to relocate the Avatar.

Yue approached him and rested a hand on Zuko’s shoulder, his wet trembling shoulder, “Katara, did you waterbend at him?”

Katara huffed at Yue’s question, “He was Firebending!”

Yue rose and turned to her, “Let him dry himself, he’s been cold for way too long. He can’t aid us if he’s frozen, now can he?” Zuko was intrigued by this Moon Blessed Princess, he’d never heard of such a thing happening in centuries.

“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Sokka promised Yue, “Please rest.” The girl nodded and went back to the Avatar.

“How do we get Aang out of there?” Zuko heard Sokka ask Katara.

“Don’t you think that I’d have done something if I knew it would help!?” Katara asked frustratedly, Zuko could sense her stress building up.

“Tui and La!” Sokka huffed exasperatedly, “Can you calm down?!”

“Excuse me,” Zuko cut in softly, “I don’t know how to get the Avatar out but I know that yelling is only going to attract more attention.” The two were silent then, finally Zuko had gotten through to them, they understood the detrimentality of the situation.

“Zhao wants to kill the Moon Spirit and he’ll want the Avatar as soon as he sees him.” Zuko continued as the now quiet siblings sat down a few feet from him.

“Kinda sounds like you.” Sokka huffed in a attempt at lightening the situation.

Zuko just sighed, “Zhao is insane, he wants to kill the Moon Spirit and when he sees the Avatar he’s going to want to kill him to.” Katara gasped and Sokka rubbed his forehead as he digested the new issue.

“Well,” Sokka finally said, “I guess we could use your help.”

Zuko nodded, “Zhao will not lay a hand on the Moon Spirit, this I swear.”

“Ok Dude,” Sokka huffed, “No need for all the formality, let’s just kick some Fire Nation butt.”

Chapter Text

Zuko may be surrounded by (temporary) allies at the moment but he never let his guard down for a second. He held his chilled hand to his chest and resisted the urge to Firebend and warm it up. The atmosphere got oddly relaxed once they created their pact despite Zuko internal struggle. The group was split up, Katara with Aang and Sokka and Yue next to the pool with him. Sokka and Yue spoke back and forth, sometimes trying to bring Zuko into the conversation.

“So jerkbender, you have any hobbies outside of stalking us?” Sokka asked, trying to get a reaction out of him most likely.

Zuko just sighed, “Of course I do, I’m not hunting the Avatar because I want to.” That seemed to surprise them.

“You... don’t want to capture the Avatar?” Sokka questioned, “That goes against everything we know about you.”

“Why did you track them then?” Yue asked gently, “It surely wasn’t for nothing.”

Zuko sighed, “My father... I was sent to find him by my father.”

“The Firelord!” Sokka exclaimed, “You were going to give Aang to the Firelord! What does he want with him?!”

“The Firelord wants to bring the Avatar to the side of the Fire Nation so that the supreme nation can take over to maintain peace.” Zuko recited, recalling his lessons and the letter father left him.

They stayed silent for a second.

“I didn’t accept the assignment willingly,” Zuko added, “When I was recovering from my Agni Kai, Agni came to me and told me I was destined to complete a great quest, I woke up with a quest and have been trying to complete it ever since.”

“Recovering from a Agni Kai?” Sokka asked, “What’s that?”

Yue butted in, “Is that the Agni Kai where the Firelord—“

“The Firelord did nothing wrong,” Zuko recited once again, “I dishonored the Fire Nation and paid the price.”

“Woah woah woah!” Sokka exclaimed, “I don’t know what kind of price you’re talking about, but you’re what? 17? 18? You can’t have done anything that bad.”

Zuko turned to the sound of Sokka’s voice, “I’m 16, and I dishonored the Fire Nation by refusing to fight my Agni Kai, I deserve the punishment he gave me.”

“Dude,” Sokka said, “You mentioned that you’ve been hunting the Avatar for years, how old were you when you started searching for Aang?”

“13.” Zuko grunted. He sensed the hand Yue brought to her mouth, “So you were 13 during your Agni Kai with the Fire Lord?”

“What’s a Agni Kai?” Sokka pressed again.

“A Firebending Duel,” Zuko answered, “First person to get burnt looses, I refused to fight during mine.”

“So the Fire Lord burnt—“ Sokka cut himself off, Zuko felt Sokka’s gaze where his eyes would be behind the mask.

“The Fire Lord is a merciful man,” Zuko continued, “After he banished me he promised that if I found the Avatar I’d be able to return to the Fire Nation.”

Silence filled the Oasis.

“Dude...” Even Sokka didn’t seem to know what to say.

Finally Yue attempted to change the subject, “You said you had other hobbies? What else do you like Zuko?”

Grateful for the change in topic Zuko responded, “Yeah, I like swordfighting, theatre, and uh animals I guess.” That definitely changed the mood of the oasis.

“Bahahaha!” Sokka laughed, “I should’ve known you were a theatre nerd! Were you reciting plays whenever you said something intimidating?!”

Zuko felt his face flush red, “No.”

“Bahaha!” Sokka howled, “You’re blushing! You totally did!” Yue giggled. And Zuko thought they were supposed to be his frien—Wait, what? Did he really like talking with these kids that much?

“So you swordfight too?” Yue broke into his thoughts, “Why would a firebender need to use swords?”

Grateful for the interruption Zuko answered, “Well, it helps a lot during missions where I want to stay hidden as a fire bender but still fight and my firebending was really weak when I was a kid, so I needed to learn how to fight a different way.”

“You’re a Fire Nation prince, what does it matter if you’re weak at Firebending?” Sokka asked.

“I was born expected to be a good firebender,” Zuko answered, “My mother was married to the Fire Lord for that purpose.”

“They were arranged?” Yue asked softly.

Zuko nodded then tried to change the subject, “Anyway, sword fighting gave me something to master until I stopped being disappointing Fire bending wise.”

“I think you’re a pretty great Fire Bender despite what you probably think,” Sokka said, “At least when you’re not Fire bending at us.”

“Uh, thanks I guess.” Zuko responded awkwardly.

“And uh... you like animals?” Sokka continued as if going through ‘get to know you’ cards.

“Yeah.” Zuko answered.

“You like animals like....” Sokka prompted.

“Uh, turtle ducks, Shirshus, and turtle seals.” Zuko answered. “Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you about that. What were you thinking breaking into the city through Turtle Seal tunnels?! You could’ve died!” Sokka scolded.

“Turtle Seals around here can hold their breath for hours, how did you make it?” Yue asked sounding concerned.

“I made some Turtle Seal friends and they lead me through a route with air pockets.” Zuko answered as if that was the most normal thing in the world. Yue seemed to be stunned to silence.

“Is this some kind of prince thing?” Sokka asked abruptly, “Talking to animals or something? I know it’s not a princess thing.”

Zuko huffed a laugh, “No!”

“Bahaha!” Sokka chortled, “You do talk to them! Did you name them to?!”

Zuko felt frustration rise, “Of course I named them! How else would I recall stories of them?!” His face heated as the two kept laughing.

“Guys!” Katara yelled, suddenly stopping the joyful moment, “Someone’s here.” At that Zuko focused his senses to locate the person and a feeling of horror flooded him when he identified who it was.

He frantically pushed himself to his feet, “It’s Zhao, he’s here.”

“What?!” Sokka asked frantically, “How do you kno—“ They were interrupted by a flare of fire being shot out of the oasis towards the sky, Zhao was really there.

“I’ll protect the Moon Spirit! You guys prepare yourselves!” Zuko called to his companions. He stood with his back to the pool, the chilling feeling of the Spirit’s presence was grounding. Zuko heard when Zhao stepped out of the shadows of the oasis, the gasps from his companions.

He felt it when Zhao’s eyes fell on him, “Well if it isn’t the traitor prince, can’t wait to bring you to the same fate as Iroh.”

Zuko felt horror like a rush of cold water down his back, “W-what did you say?”

Zhao’s face stretched into a smile Zuko could sense despite not seeing, “I’m going to make you hurt and burnt like your Uncle Iroh, and then just like him, I’m going to kill—“

“You’re lying!” He yelled at the man, ignoring the concerned sounds from the Water Tribe teens.

“No. Your Uncle suffered terribly and then died at my hands.” Zhao responded.

Zuko could feel himself hyperventilating but he held out his hands in a Fire bending position, thoughts of protecting the Moon Spirit overcome by the need to avenge his Uncle, “What ever you did to him I’ll release upon you, tenfold!”

Chapter Text

Then he, quite stupidly as he’d note later, charged at Zhao with the fury of a dragon. He sensed the Water Tribe teens rush away from them, focusing on surrounding Aang. Zuko didn’t care, all that mattered was that Zhao had hurt Uncle. “Sloppy, and arrogant,” Zhao noted as he dodged each of Zuko’s jabs, “Just like a traitor.”

“You’re the one betraying the world!” Zuko barked, “Killing the Moon Spirit dooms us all!”

Zhao barked a laugh, “That’s what a fool thinks! Killing the Moon Spirit will bring the rise of Agni, I! Zhao the Moon Slayer will raise Agni!” Zukowas horrified. How dare Zhao use the name of the God Agni to justify the killing of another spirit?!

Then Zuko remembered his task, Uncle wanted him to protect the Moon Spirit, and that’s what he would do. “You’re mad Zhao!” Zuko growled with a swipe at Zhao’s legs.

The man fell with a oomph and Zuko stood with his foot on his chest, “You were lying, there’s no way Uncle was beat by someone who topples so easily.”

“You dishonorable—“ Zuko pressed on Zhao’s diaphragm, making him let out a wheeze.

Then, with no warning, Zhao set his hands aflame and grabbed Zuko’s calf. Zuko let out a strangled scream and immediately toppled over, heaving breathes as he tried to bring the sense back to his mind. He needed to stop Zhao, he needed to stop him, stop him from walking, stop him from walking over, walking over to his frien—his companions, and the Spirit, and... Zuko was floating, drifting in his mind, why was he so worried before? Nothing was happening. There’s just darkness.

“ZUKO!” Sokka’s voice broke through Zuko’s trance. He sensed it, Zhao standing over the pool, Katara grasping at her burnt hands (they radiated heat), Sokka’s weaponless hands trembling.

With a grunt Zuko pushed himself to his elbow. He kept his burn off the ground and pulled himself to his feet with trembling legs and gasping breathes. Zuko recalled Uncle’s words as he began to struggle towards the pool, ‘Protect the Moon Spirit.’ He felt the moment the Moon Spirit was taken from its counterpart. Zhao was standing above the pool, bag containing the Moon Spirit in hand. Cold, horrifying shock filling Zuko’s senses as he sensed the Moon Spirit wriggled desperately, struggling to return to its counterpart who instead of circling sat frozen in the water.

Yue was on the ground behind him, not unconscious this time, but screaming. Long, tortured, and pained screams. Screaming the agony that Tui felt from being away from La. They were in pain, they were separated, they were in Zhao’s hand.

With a furious yell Zuko barreled forward, leg numb with fury and adrenaline, and tackled Zhao into the pool with an elbow to his chest. The water felt tingly on his skin but didn’t hurt like it did last time. It wasn’t the same for Zhao who hissed as soon as he hit the water. “Stop this Zhao!” Zuko demanded desperately.

He furiously pinned Zhao to the bottom of the pool, his elbow cracking the man’s ribs as he refused to release the spirit. Zuko forced one elbow into Zhao’s chest and stretched out his other to desperately reach for Zhao’s fist that clutched the bag containing the Spirit.

As soon as he grabbed Zhao’s fist the man lunged out of the water and breathed fire in Zuko’s face. Zuko let out a yell of panic as he felt fire on his face, his mask on fire, HIS FACE HIS FACE HIS FACE.

In panic Zuko slapped the flames out, grunting at the pain of hitting the messed up nerves, but not loosening his grip on Zhao’s fist. Zhao took that moment to get a good punch in his stomach and Zuko cried out as the air was knocked out of him. Zhao took the opportunity to stand and scrambled away from Zuko.

Zuko stood and desperately looked for the Moon Spirit in Zhao’s other fist, it wasn’t there. He turned down to sense that Moon Spirit was returned to the pool, having managed to slip out during Zhao’s struggle. Tui and La circled him gratefully. Zuko didn’t deserve their gratitude.

In that moment Zuko realized that he was standing in the pool, he’d jumped in the pool, he’d— “I’M SORRY!” He exclaimed horrifiedly as he jumped out of the water as fast as he could. Once out he pressed himself into a full bow and prayed to Tui and La, which he’d never done before.

Then he rose, the feeling of the spirits contently circling each other again calmed him. Yue wasn’t screaming anymore, Sokka was comforting her. The Avatar was protected by Katara. He’d done it, they were safe. But then, breaking through the air of calm he heard Katara’s scream of panic as he sensed a flare of heat

Chapter Text

Zuko numbly scrambled in the direction of Katara’s scream. The direction of the incapacitated Avatar. “Are you okay?!” He demanded as he reached Katara’s side, Zhao’s heat signature rushing out further of the oasis every moment.

“He took Aang!” Katara answered in horror. Without another thought, of reason or hesitance, Zuko turned and bolted, following the trace of Zhao’s remnant heat. He ignored the Water Tribe kids’ yells of protests, maybe telling him to think his actions through for once, or maybe thinking he was betraying them. Zuko couldn’t bring himself to care as he swung the Oasis’ door open and sprinted after Zhao’s cooling foot steps.

It was a few panicked minutes later when Zuko finally caught up with the footprints, Zhao stood panting on a bridge of ice. Zuko could sense the sporadic heat waves running off the man, Zhao was unstable. He edged closer to the man who still had the Avatar slung over his shoulder. “Zhao,” Zuko tried to reason, “Agni wouldn’t want the Avatar harmed.”

“Of course they would!” Zhao immediately retaliated, “Fire has always been superior, Agni will thank me for the ending of the Avatar cycle!” Horror rushed over Zuko, ending the Avatar cycle?! Then the man turned and bolted, Zhao’s replenished insanity fueling him. Zuko ignored the throb in his leg as he raced after the man, yelling after him. “You’re mad Zhao!”

They ran through hallways, over countless bridges, down winding paths. Where was Zhao going? Zuko was so concentrated on the heat signature of Zhao’s foot prints that he could hardly keep track of where they were going. Did Zhao have a location in mind? Was he just trying to avoid capture? …or was he trying to find the chance to harm the Avatar before Zuko could prevent it? With that thought Zuko widened his stride despite the burn in his muscles and soon found himself closer to Zhao than he’d been through out the chase, Zuko could hear his haggard breathing.

He was following the man through a simple doorway when he sensed it, Zhao scaling a wall. When he reached the top, which felt 20 feet up, he jumped onto the other side. That wouldn’t do. Zuko got a running start and melted the ice wall into a climable shape as he scaled it, when at the top he sensed the chill of icey winds, this wall was the border of the Northern Water Tribe’s kingdom. Zhao was leading him into the artic, into what felt like a blizzard. Zuko couldn’t let himself falter. He grunted at the impact of hitting the ground and forced himself to rush after Zhao, leaving the walls of the Northern Water Tribe, and following Zhao’s heat signature which felt like a beacon in the biting cold.

Zuko didn’t know how long he’d been walking when his burnt leg reached its limit, he fell to the snow with a grunt. Zhao stopped, as if he’d been waiting for the moment Zuko couldn’t move anymore, standing right out of Zuko’s (and his fire’s) reach, Zuko could sense the man’s satisfaction, the Avatar was in danger. “Please...” Zuko forced himself to beg, “Don’t...”

Zhao threw the Avatar to the groud with a cackle, his voice turned to Zuko, “Begging are you? Pitiful as expected. Would you like to witness the end of the Avatar?”

Zuko couldn’t breath. He was going to loose everything. His chance to return to the Fire Nation, a future of stability, a possible frien— “Don’t do it Zhao!”

Zhao began to heat his hands up, a hard task in the freezing and gusting wind. Zuko let out a panicked yell and began to crawl towards the prone Avatar, prone child Zhao wanted to burn, kill. He threw himself on top of the boy, spreading himself out to cover as much of him as he could, “I said no Zhao!”

“Want to die first? I guess it’s only fitting that I take out the Avatar and the dishonorable who failed to deliver him!” And without a moment of hesitation Zhao shot fire at Zuko’s back. The flames licked him and Zuko screamed, but as much as it hurt, nothing would compare to the pain he’d feel allowing a child, younger than he was when he was burned, to burn instead. So Zuko held fast onto the Avatar despite his charred back, the boy’s shield. As the moments passed, Zhao was having come difficulty keeping his flames strong against the wind, his fire was weak, the pain of it hardly compared to the pain he’d felt on his face.

As Zuko trembled with pain, continuing to shielded the boy, Zuko sensed mass of water approaching them at rapid speed. It felt just like the water from the Spirit pool that he’d fallen in not long ago. As it approached its furious thrumming got louder and louder.

Zuko hadn’t known it at the time, but Zhao had angered the Moon and Water spirits to the point that they chose to retaliate. He laid frozen over the Avatar when he finally sensed the form of Tui and La reach them. Zuko felt the form of the spirit water, the familiar coldness that he knew as Tui and La, and encased in the figure of water he sensed another presence, a human one. One he knew as Yue. She was encased in a figure of water hovering above them, above Zhao. Zuko tried to warn the unraveling man, “Z-zhao...”

“Shut up kindle child!” Zhao hissed and as he began to burn Zuko again, flames fueled with hate. Zuko didn’t even register the horrifying name he’d been called before he sensed the spirit seize Zhao.

Zuko kept himself over the Avatar as he sensed La hold Zhao up to Tui. Zhao’s fate was sealed with the collection of hateful curses the man spit. And then Zuko could do nothing but listen to Zhao’s screams as Tui and La began to drag him into the ocean.

“Stop!” Zuko couldn’t help but beg, “Zhao, beg for forgiveness!” The atmosphere was still for a moment as if Tui was giving Zhao a chance. “Ashmaker!” Zhao curse at Zuko before the spirit dove below the ice, dragging Zhao down with them.

Zuko stiffly sat up, cradling the Avatar. He still sensed the heat from where Zhao had stood not even a moment before. Was he dead? He couldn’t send Zhao’s heat signature below all the icy water.

Zuko didn’t know how he felt about the possibility. As much as he’d hated the man, Zuko had never thought of truly killing him.

Zuko knew that his back was burnt terribly but a combination of shock and the biting cold kept Zuko from feeling it.

He turned his attention to the boy in his arms, the boy he’d almost died for. Why had Zuko been willing to die for him? His mission had been to take the Avatar to the Fire Nation, a hopeful boy like the Avatar wouldn’t fare better than Zuko himself there...

A rush of cold came over him as he sensed the spirit water and Yue surge from the ocean, Zhao was gone. Zuko ignored the shiver of horror that ran down his spine at the realization. The the synchronized voice of Tui and La spoke, “Child of Fire, thank you for uniting us.”

“Uh, of course,” Zuko stammered, “Sorry for you know, disturbing you, touching—falling in the water.”

“It was necessary, we offer our blessing in thanks. You, Zuko, Child of Fire, will have only good fortune when traveling by water or under the full moon,” The spirits spoke.

Zuko was awestruck, he couldn’t come up with a single response. He finally stammered, “Your blessing means everything to me, I will use it to complete my quest.” It was what he’d always been taught to say when receiving something from a higher up. He’d treasure Tui and La’s blessing on his quest, his quest…the boy in his lap was his quest technically.

“Capturing the Avatar was never your quest nor your destiny Child of Fire,” Tui and La broke into Zuko’s conflict, sensing his thoughts, “You are destined to find the Avatar and train him in the art of Firebending, aiding him to free the world from the Firelord’s domineering rule.”

You don’t argue with spirits, that’s like Spirit 101, but Zuko couldn’t help but protest, “But—but Agni said that—“

“We echo Agni’s message, you must live to complete a quest that will affect the fate of the world, but you’ve been wrongly told that you are to capture the Avatar. Your destiny is to join the Avatar, not rival him,” Tui and La explained.

Zuko couldn’t help the waves of shock and disbelief that ran over him. He couldn’t process it. Zuko’s quest, the reason he’d been hanging onto life for years wasn’t the one Agni spoke of? He was meant to join the Avatar? Betray Fath—the Firelord? The Fire Nation? But why? The Fire Nation, the Firelord wasn’t harming the world, he was going to fix it! The Firelord was going to…he said he would… “I’m meant to be a traitor?” Zuko murmured, “Help the Avatar? My destiny, my destiny was supposed to be to rule to Fire Nation, to remain loyal to my father to—“

“ZUKO,” Tui and La broke though Zuko’s panic, “Your destiny is one of hope and light, no one else can do this task, only you can aid the Avatar in this way and save humanity.”

Zuko began to protest, “But the world doesn’t need saving, the Firelord just wants to—“ ‘Unite the four nations under one power,’ is what Zuko was told the Firelord planned to do when he was growing up, ‘Help the other nations understand the ways things should be, save them.’

Zuko turned towards the Northern Water Tribe, recalling its beautiful frozen architecture and the countless warriors and defenses fighting against Zhao’s army, thought of the Earth Nation’s stability and thriving economy, and what the Air Nation had once been… what the Fire Nation had done to it. His fists tightened. The Fire Nation never helped anybody, they killed the Air Benders, terrorized and committed genocide in the Southern Water Tribe, and ravaged the Earth Nation. The Fire Nation… the Firelord never wanted to help the other nations, he wanted to control the nations for his own benefit. The Firelord never loved or even cared about Zuko, or even Azula, he’d just wanted to use his failure of a child and his star of a child as steps on a staircase to reach his goal of world domination.

Everything Zuko knew about the Fire Nation had been a lie. Everything Zuko had convinced himself to believe about his father had been a lie, his father never loved him, missed him, or wanted him back…it hurt that after so many years of suppressing those thoughts they were right.

The Fire Nation under his father’s rule was a danger, a truth that everyone else in the world had been born knowing, the Fire Nation was the enemy. They ordered genocides, conquerings, prison camps, things that Zuko had been taught were necessary. Lies. His father was a liar, his grandfather was a liar, the blood of liars ran through Zuko’s veins.

His fists tightened as he rose to his feet. Zuko had the blood of liars in his veins, the blood of traitors, but he would be a traitor for the good of the world. “I’m going to follow my destiny,” Zuko affirmed to Tui and La, “I’m going to become worthy of your blessing.”’

Tui and La thrummed approvingly before ordering, “Turn around.” Zuko was confused but stiffly turned his charred back to the spirits. Immediately his back and burnt leg were engulfed by a freezing and throbbing feeling, they tingled and then he felt nothing, no pain. He touched his back only to feel healed over skin, a thin scar remaining. Zuko hardly cared, scars hardly meant anything to him anymore.

“You’ve always been honorable Child of Fire, follow your destiny and complete your quest,” Tui and La said in farewell before they drifted below the surfaces, leaving Yue on the edge of the ice, left in his care. Zuko scrambled to her side as soon as he couldn’t sense the spirit water anymore, she was freezing but her pulse was strong, she would be ok. He let out a sigh of relief before considering what to do next, the Water Tribe was barely in his senses at this point as what felt like a blizzard blew around them, but the other direction Zuko sensed a barricade from the cold, perhaps a cave. Caves were safe, right?

Zuko forced himself up and heaved Yue and then the Avatar over each of his shoulders with a grunt. They were hardly the heaviest lifting he’d done, they were quite light in fact, when he joined the Avatar he’d need to make sure they both ate more. Zuko was almost to the cave when he heard a familiar yell over the whistle of the wind. Thank Agni, help finally arrived. He sensed the two sibling approaching him rapidly, here to aid him. They held their water and boomerang at the ready and they ran in his direction, unaware that Zhao was gone, he was relieved to see them. The feeling of relief turned to shock when suddenly a blade of Katara’s ice was against his throat. “Put them down ashmaker!” Katara demanded furiously over the billowing wind.

Chapter Text

Zuko stumbled back in shock, “Woah! What’s wrong with you?!” He gently set Yue and Aang down one at a time, trying to collect his thoughts, to understand. He couldn’t think of a reason they would be threatening him, and what was with the slur?! What on Earth was Katara’s deal? Didn’t she know what ashmaker meant?! Zhao had known full well what it had meant when he’d said it. “Don’t say that word!” Zuko barked defensively once the two were set down. He felt numb with emotion, what gave her the right to say that word?!

“Back away from them!” Katara demanded furiously, turning her knives into a rippling form that Zuko just sensed as ‘cold.’

“What did I do?!” Zuko begged with a oomph as he was thrown back by a water whip from her. He immediately began shivering as he fell soaking wet into the snow, he wouldn’t be able to move in this cold if he didn’t warm up Zuko realized in horror. He desperately tried to light his hands up, to bring some warmth to him, all that came out were a few sparks.

“Stop firebending!” Katara barked, “There’s no way out of here!” Zuko felt a shiver run up his spine, from the cold of course, but also of the horror running through his senses at the statement. Were they going to kill him? For what? He’d helped them, he’d done nothing wrong! Zuko tried to tell them that, to defend himself, explain his quest. But then Katara stepped towards him, he didn’t know why, he just knew she wanted to hurt him, just like everyone hurts him. So in fear for his life Zuko covered his face and threw a panic fueled wave of fire at her. He cowered and pressed his face into his brittle feeling legs when he heard her cry out. This was it, he burned her, she’d kill him now. He’d be killed by the people he wanted to join, he betrayed his country, his family for. He’d never complete his quest, his real quest. Then his head was being shoved into the snow harshly. Zuko cried out as the cold stung his face, stung his burn, just like it stung when—

“YOU BURNED HER!” Sokka yelled, “YOU ASHMAKER, YOU BURNED KATARA!” Zuko had never heard Sokka raise his voice before, much less use that slur, not even when Zuko had been hunting them down. It paralyzed him. Sokka’s voice echoed back and forth in his head until it sounded like the voice of the firelord. He was furious, he was finally going to kill him. But at the back of his mind Zuko knew he couldn’t just lay there and die, sure he was outnumbered, out of his element, and freaking out, but that never stopped him before. And this time, he had his quest in mind, his real quest, not just a ploy set up by the Firelord. With that in mind and fueled with determination to complete said quest, Zuko rolled out from under Sokka’s foot. He scrambled a good distance away from the water tribe siblings, avoiding Yue and the Avatar to incase that would trigger another attack on him.

He took a moment to resense everything around him, it was difficult to locate anything but regardless Zuko tried to sense anything that would put them on edge, a reason they would attack him. There was nothing, no reason he could think of or sense. Zuko pushed himself to his feet and knew he needed to explain himself, he wasn’t good with words but he’d try. “I’m destined to teach the Avatar firebending!” Zuko yelled over the wind, desperate to make them understand. He couldn’t hear a response but he sensed Katara checking over Yue and Aang. They wouldn’t ignore him would they? Maybe they didn’t hear him?

Zuko got closer to explain himself but got yelled at in response, “Stay away from us!” He backed away a few feet but knew he couldn’t leave, he needed them to understand. He was on their side! He’d joined them! Zuko had protected the Moon Spirit just as Uncle told him to he’d— “Uncle…” He remembered in horror. Dear Agni! What had happened to his Uncle?! Did Zhao—? Zuko impulsively turned and bolted back towards the Northern Water Tribe’s Kingdom, he could explain himself to the Avatar when he woke up. The boy would see reason, Zuko just needed to make sure that Uncle was safe he needed to—

Something sharp struck the side of his head, knocking him to the side and leaving Zuko collapsed in the snow. He sluggishly felt where the throb was and sighed when his hand came away warm, blood. As his consciousness wavered he could make out the sound of voices over the whirl of the wind. Zuko couldn’t die out here, he knew that. But the thought of sinking into the snow that left him numb with warmth seemed more inviting than… Zuko thought of all the people he’d miss; Uncle, June, Buddy, Little Buddy, Nyla, his Mother, even Azula. He sighed as he finally succumbed to the pain in his head, letting his consciousness slip away and letting the sweet embrace of nothingness envelop him.

Aang woke with a start, “No!” He whipped around to take in his surroundings, was he too late?! Was the Moon Spirit—

“Woah woah buddy!” Sokka said, trying to calm the panicking boy, “It’s alright, you’re in the medical wing.” Aang blinked the glaze from his eyes as he tried to catch himself up, why was he in the medical wing?

Sokka seemed to deem himself the ‘catcher upper,’ because he explained, “While you where in the spirit world Zhao tried to kill the Moon Spirit, which is a fish by the way! But then Zuko stopped him! Then Zhao kidnapped you and Zuko ran after him, we followed him and found Zuko kidnapping both you and Yue, we only barely got you back!”

Aang’s eyes widened with the huge amount of information, unfortunately being kidnapped wasn’t too unusual to him, “Is the Moon Spirit ok?!”

“Zuko saved them.” Katara said bitterly. Aang sunk into the cot in relief, not dwelling at the moment on the Zuko part. Aang didn’t know what he’d do if anyone had died because he’d been stuck in the Spirit world. “He saved them to earn our trust and kidnap you,” Katara continued, glaring at her arm, then more quietly said, “Zuko burned me…”

Aang’s eyes widened in horror, “Are you ok?! Did you get it treated, did you—“

“I healed it,” Katara butted in, “Turns out I can heal myself.”

Aang sighed in relief and smiled, “That’s a great skill! That’ll be useful!”

Katara gave him a stiff smile back before saying, “I really thought he’d turned around, realized what a terrible person his father is, how terrible his nation is. But he betrayed us, what a ashmaker.”

Aang choked, staring at Katara, the girl he adored, in horror, “You can’t say that word! Its a slur, like a bad bad one! I asked Kuzon what it meant once and he cried!” Both siblings looked uncomfortable with his scolding. Aang took in their expression with rising disbelief, “You didn’t call Zuko that did you?” They didn’t respond. “Did you?! What could bring you to say such a hateful word?!”

The water tribe siblings wouldn’t make eye contact with him, but then Katara responded, “He was trying to get away with you and Yue, we were scared, and angry.”

Aang still couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “Please…never say that word again. I don’t know what it means, but it brought tears to Gyatso’s eyes when I asked. Its a word of pain, of…threat. Don’t say it anymore.” Katara nodded, unused to the disappointed look on Aang’s face. He continued saying, “We want people from the Fire Nation to be our allies guys, if we call people slurs not only are we harming their souls but they’ll see us as enemies, they won’t want to join us!” The two siblings stayed silent. Aang finally said, sort of bashfully, “I was actually hoping that Zuko would join us, he’s a great firebender, he’d be a great teacher I’m sure.” Katara and Sokka’s eyes widened in horror.

“You’d actually want that guy as a teacher?!” Sokka asked in disbelief, “He’s hunted us all over the world!”

“That’s true,” Aang agreed, “But you said that he joined you and saved the Moon Spirit, he can’t be completely on the Fire Lord’s side if he did that!” Katara and Sokka looked at each other, as if realizing that for the first time. Aang was about to ask another question when the sound of a sigh brought their attention to the cot next to his, where Yue lay.

She was murmuring to herself in that soft voice of hers, “Child of Fire, blessing, safe.”

Sokka gingerly approached her, “Yue, you’re safe now, you’re in the medical wing.” The group watched as Yue’s eyes opened and she pushed herself into a sitting position.

Then she broke the silence and asked, “Where’s Zuko?” Aang had been wondering the same thing and began to worry when Katara and Sokka just looked at each other instead of answering.

“Yue,” Katara asked as she moved to her bedside, “Do you remember how you got kidnapped by Zuko?”

Yue’s eyebrows drew together as if trying to remember, “Kidnapped? This is how I remember it; after Zuko ran after Zhao and you two followed I was left alone in the Oasis. I heard Tui and La calling to me so I reached into the pool and they possessed my body. We destroyed the Fire Nation fleet together and went after Zhao. We found Zhao burning Zuko who shielded Aang with his own body. We gave Zhao the chance to redeem himself and when he didn’t we killed him. Zuko had earned our blessing so we gave it to him and told him of his quest to join the Avatar and teach him Firebending. Then I was released from possession…that’s all I can remember.” She looked into each of their eyes before saying, “Zuko saved us, I must thank him, why won’t you tell us where he is?”

Katara tried to reason with her, “Yue, you didn’t see what he looked like. He had both of you slung over his shoulders and he was walking away from the Kingdom, he was kidnapping you both.”

Aang butted in, “He would’ve walked towards the Kingdom to make a get away if he was really trying to escape.”

Katara’s eyes narrowed, “He yelled at us after we told him to put you both down, he firebended at me, he made a run for the Kingdom he—“

“Was completely innocent,” the last person Katara expected to protest butted in. “He was trying to explain himself to us Katara, there was a cave a little ways up he was taking Yue and Aang to, to keep them safe,” Sokka pieced together in horror, “He freaked out when we called him a slur, firebended to warm himself after you got him wet, and was yelling at us because he was trying to explain that he was supposed to join us, to teach Aang firebending. We ignored him, and when he tried to run I hit him with my boomerang…”

Aang’s eyes widened in horror, “Did he get treated?! Is he in a different wing?!”

Yue’s face grew cold, “There’s only one medical wing, where is he Sokka? Is he in the prison?”

The shock from Sokka’s face was overcome with horror, “We left him outside.”

Aang immediately airbended himself forward, grabbing Sokka’s parka, “WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU?! HE’S A FIREBENDER! IN THE NORTHERN WATER TRIBE! WITH HEAD WOUND! HE COULD DIE!”

Yue immediately stood and spoke to one of the healers who then ran off. Then she turned with a cold expression to them, “I’m sending a search party.”

Then she turned and sat on her cot, suddenly looking very weary. The room was silent besides sobs from Aang. Yue broke the silence, “Aang, come sit next to me.” He airbended himself beside her, his face still tucked into his legs. “Zuko has survived very much, he protected you as his back was set on fire, and survived the difficulty of his raising. He earned Tui and La’s blessing, luck under the full moon and at sea,” She pointed out the window, “The full moon will bless him. Wherever he is, he’s protected.”

Aang stared at the moon, as if he blinked it would disappear and the person he was worried for most would disappear as well. Then he stood, “Is there a room I can go to in private? I need to mediate.”

Yue nodded and told him where to go. Then the boy rushed off, leaving Yue staring at the water tribe siblings icily, before she sighed, “I understand the misunderstanding, but there is no hope for your cause if you fight violence with violence, hate with hate. Accompanying the Avatar is a great blessing, if you falter his movement with thoughts of hate and malice you’ll see him fail.” Then Yue set herself into her bed and laid down on her back, clasping her hands together and resting her eyes. Reminding Sokka of the possibility of her being laid out in the same position at her funeral if Zuko hadn’t helped them. The thought of Zuko made his eyes water in frustration. Why did Sokka have to misunderstand?! How would they explain that they misunderstood when the search party found Zuko? How would they even apologize?

Katara let out a sniffle, bringing Sokka’s attention to her, “I don’t understand.” She leaned onto him, he rested a hand on her shoulder, “I thought that he was taking them I thought I was keeping everyone safe I thought—I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Sokka rubbed her back as she cried, he knew she was soft hearted deep down. Katara really had thought she’d done the right thing in intimidating Zuko, in telling Sokka not to go back for him when the reached the Kingdom. While her logic was flawed he knew that she’d thought she was protecting Aang and the Northern Water Tribe when she left Zuko there. But that didn’t make it forgivable, on either of their parts. He sighed, “When Zuko comes back we’re going to explain the misunderstanding, apologize, and then request his help in training the Avatar. I talked with him Katara, he’s really a good guy. He’s a theatre nerd, believe that?” Katara huffed a laugh at that.

A long while of silence passed before Aang burst into the room with a breeze of hot wind and an anguished expression, “He’s gone!”

He ran to them sobbing and embraced both siblings, crying into their parkas. “What!?” Sokka asked in horror, “How could he?! Did they really search everywhere?!”

Aang managed to choke out, “They followed your footsteps but once they got there any other foot steps were all covered up by the snow! He’s all alone out there!”

Katara tried to comfort him, “This is Zuko we’re talking about! Nothing can stop him!”

Yue was awake now, gazing at the moon and praying under her breath. She stood gracefully and joined their hug, “Wherever Zuko is he’s protected, not safe, but protected.” Aang burrowed deeper into Yue’s arms, still horrified by the actions of his companions. He prayed to the spirits, especially Agni and Tui and La, for Zuko’s safety. He didn’t know what he’d do if his firebending teacher died. Aang thought of Yue’s description of what had happened, Zuko getting his back burned to protect him. Zuko was a good person, he was really the only person he’d ever want for a Firebending teacher.

Tui and La’s blessing was no joke. Zuko found himself drifting back into consciousness warmer than he’s ever been, which was weird because he almost died from fever after his Agni Kai. He shifted himself and felt something startlingly cool fall on him…snow. Oh right, he’d fallen in the snow. Sluggishly Zuko pushed himself up, legs like stilts and let out a sigh. He should be dead, he was sure of that. But he had a feeling that there was a full moon above him, preventing that from happening.

Zuko tried to recall everything that had happened, he’d met Tui and La, carried Yue and the Avatar, then— Uncle. Oh Agni he’d been unconscious while unsure if his Uncle was ok. He’s such a terrible nephew. With renewed energy he trudged where he sensed the Northern Water Tribe structure. But, it was so far… He found himself shuffling forward, sensing a cold current next to him, he was near the water. Zuko sighed and sparked the hands the best he could, ignoring the throb in his temple, his whole body actually. He felt like he wasn’t getting any closer and he was so, so cold.

But then he heard a voice, one that echoed around his head as he tried to place it, a familiar one, a energizing one, it was calling to him, “ARF!” It was him! In excitement he shuffled (faster than before) towards the repeated arfs. He sensed the Turtle Seal’s heat soon and found himself embracing said heat, surrounded by blubbery warmth, “Buddy!”

Buddy arfed in response, as expected, but Zuko had never been so happy. Not so long ago he thought he’d die and leave the Turle seals behind, now she was purposely pressing him into her sides, warming him. His heart warmed the most as they nudged him endearingly forward, Zuko didn’t know where the Turle Seal was taking him but he trusted his companion. Soon he found himself along the outskirts of the Kingdom, close to it but not enough to be detected. “O-ok.” He said, shivering again as the adrenaline wore off, “I n-need to find Uncle.” But then he was being pushed forward, not towards the kingdom, where was Buddy taking him? But then he sensed it, a comforting and approaching heat signature, a smaller arf acompanying it. He and Buddy ran forward (the best Zuko could) and met their loved ones, the four of them were together, Buddy, Little Buddy, Uncle, and him. “Uncle!” He said in the warm man’s arms, he knew his eyes would be leaking if he still had them.

“Dear Nephew, you’re freezing, we must go now.” Uncle Iroh lovingly said, tucking himself under Zuko’s arm and leading him, Zuko didn’t know where, he didn’t care. He was surrounded by the warmth he’d missed for so long. Zuko phased out and the next thing he knew he was on a small raft, it was dinky, but better than wreckage. Uncle pushed the boat off, wrapped him in a parka, and held his hands to warm them. Zuko slumped against his Uncle and sighed in relief. He sensed the water seals under the boat, guiding them, keeping them safe, Zuko loved them so much.

“Uncle,” Zuko croaked, “I need to tell you what happened.” Uncle Iroh rubbed his back, warming it with his bending.

“Of course Nephew,” the man lulled.

“I protected the Moon Spirit, I did it for you…but I didn’t do it alone,” Zuko explained, “The Avatar and his friends helped, I even met Princess Yue, the moon touched princess. When Zhao came I fought him, protected the Moon Spirit. But, he grabbed the Avatar instead. I chased after him. I didn’t know this at the time but the water tribe kids took his as some sort of betrayal, I don’t understand it Uncle. I chased Zhao down into a blizzard where he— he wanted to burn the Avatar to death.” He gave Uncle a moment to process the information before continuing, “I shielded him with my own body, my back was burned badly.” Zuko sensed Uncle snap his hand away from his back for a moment before Zuko reassured, “It got healed. As I was being burned Tui and La, who had possessed Yue, killed Zhao and healed my back, they also gave me their blessing and told me… told me that I was on the wrong quest.” Uncle seemed to have no reaction to this. “Did you know, that my quest wasn’t the one Agni spoke of?” Zuko asked with a sniff.

“I knew you had a quest, but couldn’t understand why Agni would want you to complete a quest that would lead to such agony,” Uncle tried to explain, “What else did they tell you?”

“My quest is to teach the Avatar firebending,” Zuko murmured, “I tried to join them, to explain. But Katara held a knife to my throat until I gave Yue and the Avatar back. Did… did I do something wrong? I was trying to keep them safe from the cold until help came, but they threatened me.”

Uncle sighed at his story, “My poor nephew, it seems there was a great misunderstanding, they must’ve thought you were kidnapping the Avatar and Princess Yue after defeating Zhao.”

Zuko’s temper flared in frustration, “What, did they think I’d walk back to the Fire Nation?! I wasn’t even walking the right way!” As he ranted the movement of his face suddenly brought great pain. His scar was being pulled on it was—

“Nephew, your mask was frozen to your face,” Uncle explained calmingly, “Don’t panic, I’m going to melt the ice on it and it will come right off.” Zuko shifted uncomfortably at the thought of taking off his mask, his security, his shield, but he nodded.

“Do you have an extra?” Zuko softly asked, hands trembling at the thought of anyone but Uncle seeing his bare face.

“Yes Nephew, I gathered your masks and a few of our other things from Zhao’s ship.” While keeping his warming hand a few inches from Zuko’s face, trying his hardest not to trigger him. Uncle handed him four things he thought he’d never hold again. In his lap lay his twin Dao swords, the pearl dagger Uncle had gifted him as a child, and his Blue Spirit mask.

He shuddered in relief, grasping the only things left of his Mother and childhood, “You don’t know what this means to me Uncle.”

“My dear nephew, I’m sorry that things turned out the way they did, perhaps we can aid the Avatar a different way,” Uncle said, assuming Zuko was still grieving over his rejection. And sure he was, but Zuko wasn’t one to back down from a quest, especially now that he knew it was truly his destiny.

“Uncle, I’m going to help the Avatar learn firebending even if it kills me, I don’t know how yet. I don’t know how I’m going to get them to trust me. But its my destiny to teach the Avatar firebending, so I’m going to do it. But…I want to become better first,” Zuko explained before asking, “Would you be my teacher again?”

Uncle embraced him again as the mask finally slid off his face, his scar exposed to the world, “Of course nephew.”

So then Zuko, having gotten the story off his chest clutched his belongings to his chest and thanked the Gods, thinking of all he almost lost. Who he almost never got to sense again, “I love you Uncle.” The warm presence of his Uncle and his two favorite turtle seals surrounded him reassuringly and lulled Zuko into a rest-full sleep, giving himself the relief of relaxing with, for once, his face exposed.

Chapter Text

Zuko was happy to be safe and out of the Northern Water Tribe, but being stranded on a boat was so boring. The beginning of the trip had been fine. He’d awoken after their escape and found himself in what felt like an endless freezer, all except for the three heat signatures around him. Uncle, Buddy, and Little Buddy were there, they were still with him.

The next few days were entertaining. Ok, not entertaining per se, but the most entertaining they could be while stranded at sea. The Turtle Seals were bubbly and excited to spend time with him, jumping from the water and showing them their tricks. Uncle had packed water rations, so food was really the biggest worry. But Buddy and Little Buddy soon sent that worry away when they began scaring the fish from below up to the surface, where Zuko could grab them (He’d considered stabbing them with his knife but he feared the blood would attract Turtle Seal predators) and then cooking them. Back in the Fire Nation, Zuko often preferred and raw fish, but he found himself wanting something warm in his stomach as they drifted through the arctic.

He’d talk to Uncle for hours as they drifted. Asking him about his childhood growing up with the Firelord (turns out Zuko’s and Azula’s relationship wasn’t much different that theirs), Lu Ten, what he’d learned and done before Zuko’s exile, and all the Firebending he knew.

The funny thing was, while he learned all this amazing information about Firebending, he couldn’t bend. Not that he couldn’t couldn’t bend, the familiar and comfortable flame had returned to his hand once he had a good few hours in direct sun. It more like he shouldn’t, they were on a wooden boat after all.

He even got Uncle to explain what he’d train him in firebending when they reached land. But then there was a point when Zuko and Uncle had to take off their coats and shield their faces from the once welcoming sun, they’d gotten out of the arctic.

It was painful to watch as the Turtle Seals tried to follow, but found the water too warm for comfort. Zuko placed his hands on each of their shells in farewell, ignoring the lump in his throat as they arfed until he was out of ear shot. He prayed to Tui and La, the Spirits of Buddy and Little Buddy’s element, for their safety and health as they faded from his heat sense.

The boat was in warm water now and Zuko could sense all around him again, but he still missed the two familiar presences that would trail behind their boat. Without his animals companions he focused his attention on talking to/interrogating Uncle…not one can only talk to someone for so many weeks straight. It became painfully boring, and hot. The new cloth mask he wore stuck to his face with his sweat, he imagined that his skin was now tinted from the sun. At one point their water ran out and that’s when the fear really kicked in. Were they even heading the right direction? Uncle had said that Tui and La’s blessing would send them somewhere safe, the only safe place being the nearby Earth Nation but how would he be sure? What if they didn’t reach land before they got dehydrated? But Zuko was too exhausted, hot, parched, to panic the way he wanted to, so he laid silently across from Uncle and prayed to the Spirits that they’d make it.

A day later he sensed it, a heat signature flying overhead, a bird, birds meant. “LAND! UNCLE WE’RE NEAR LAND!” Zuko cheered, a mistake of course. It took him a few seconds to get the ringing out of his head from the exertion of energy. Uncle didn’t respond, more wisely conserving his energy, but pat him on the arm in agreed excitement. Now with the knowledge that land was near, Zuko felt insane amounts of relief, he thanked Tui and La who for sure protected him and Uncle.

When they reached land, the only hint of it to Zuko was the heat of land mass, life and nature, in the middle of the heat of the ocean. When the boat hit sand he jumped up and onto the ground, unable to make a sound of excitement with how dehydrated he felt. But instead of running towards what was surely shade under the trees, Zuko turned and helped Uncle out of the boat, grabbing their stuff as well. Together they walked towards the shade. Sighing in relief when they reached it. They didn’t speak but they both knew that their next goal was to find fresh water. Zuko silently looped his arm through Uncle’s and they walked into the brush together. He recalled how they’d find water before the whole Northern Water Tribe escapade. Once they were far enough from the ocean not to hear it anymore Zuko began searching. Listening for the sound of water and sensing for the cool of it. They wandered for a long while before he heard it. Zuko patted Uncle’s arm excitedly and they changed direction. When they reached it Zuko felt like he would cry, he would’ve if he’d had eyes, or water in his body. Immediately he set down their stuff and then he and Uncle dunked themselves into it, crying out in relief on their heated skin. He drank desperately, hydrating his parched mouth and bring his voice back to him. “Are we in the Earth Kingdom, Uncle?” He asked as laid back in the stream.

Uncle confirmed what Zuko had hoped, “Yes Nephew, this vegetation is Earth Nation.” Zuko sent a prayer of thanks to Tui and La before considering what they should do next. They needed to find civilization, then train, then find out where the Avatar was. Not the most unusual circumstance for Zuko.

Once he and Uncle were satisfied they stood and Zuko picked up their stuff, taking off his (burned through the back) shirt to make a makeshift sort of bag for all of it. Then shirtless, he went back to his two senses and lead Uncle forward.

Finding a town was surprisingly easy once his senses were back to their peak. They reached what he sensed as a quaint town. That didn’t matter, they found a town. A towns lead to other towns. Zuko could feel the town’s people’s eyes on him. That wasn’t unusual, it was unusual to see a boy with a mask, plus they must look rough from their time stranded. He heard giggles as he walked by, his fists clenched in—anger? Confusion? Embarrassment? He leaned towards Uncle, “Who do they think they are? Laughing at us?” His cheeks felt hot with, yes that’s it, embarrassment.

Uncle laughed though, “You have many admirers!” Zuko was confused. Admirers? Who would admire him? Why?

And that’s what he asked, “Why?!” Zuko heard murmurs from the heat signatures all around him.

But Uncle ignored them, with a pat on the back, “You’re a very handsome boy nephew, the girls of this town seem to know that.” His face heated up, he was sure his blush rushed down his neck. But now that he resensed their gazes, they were mostly on his chest and mouth, huh. That was interesting and all, but he didn’t really believe that’s why they were staring. Surely he looked malnourished or the burns all over his body alarmed people. He was ugly, he knew that. But Zuko was snapped from his thoughts before he could continue his internal protest. The air had cooled a few degrees. That meant that it was nearing nightfall and Zuko knew deep down they should find shelter. They’d have a few hours before the sun went down. Uncle had been keeping up with him this entire time but Zuko could tell that his heat signature was wavering, the man was exhausted and recovering, he deserved to do it in comfort. As they walked through the streets, through the market place Zuko realized they had a problem. “We don’t have money,” Zuko said to Uncle, “What should we do?”

Uncle seemed to ponder this for a moment before saying, “What any other person would do, work.” Zuko knew that he was right, but he wished there was another option. They’d just been stranded for months, they deserved a break before going to work. Zuko pushed this thought down and focused on his goal for now; Uncle’s comfort. He needed money, he needed to work. They stopped in front of a shop that smelt like tea, Zuko knew Uncle’s eyes were most likely on it.

He took a deep breath before pulling his make shift bag off his shoulder and handing it to Uncle, “Go inside and entertain yourself, Uncle. I’m sure there’s another old man play Pai Sho with in there or maybe you can charm yourself into some free tea, I’ll go find work.”

“But Nephew—“ Uncle started to protest, but Zuko would have none of it. Uncle was tired and Zuko would take care of it.

“Have fun Uncle,” Zuko said before turning and walking away, into the unknown town.

The stares continued and Zuko was unsure what to think about it, he needed to find works, not admirers he didn’t even know why— His thoughts were cut off with the rushed approach of a heat signature and a shove to his chest, it was a weak shove, not even moving him. He was about to yell at the signature but a girl’s giggle and the scent of perfume stopped him. A girl, and she wasn’t attacking him, she’d shoved a piece of paper into his chest. “You should do it!” She said with a tinkling voice, “You’re the perfect guy for the job.” Ok. So she wanted him to do a job, he couldn’t read what it said…but he needed money for Uncle’s sake.

He decided to play along, “Can you take me there?” Another giggle, it almost sounded flirty… ha! As if someone would flirt with him.

“Of course,” She said looping her arm through his much larger one, “Let’s go!”

The walk had been just that, a walk. But it had also felt like a interrogation. She asked him about his name, he’d unsurely stuttered ‘Lee,’ it was the first Earth Kingdom name he could think of. And asking him about where he came from, his family. But then apparently they’d reached his work place because she un-looped her arm from his and pulled away, they were standing in front of a simple house. The girl then turned to leave, as she retreated calling, “Goodbye Mr. Model!”

He blushed, he must have misunderstood. The last time he’d ‘modeled’ had been in the embarrassing family portrait from when his mother was still around. The girl was gone and he was going to do some unknown job. He sensed only one presence in the house. Zuko knocked unsurely at the door. It opened and he blurted, “I’m here for the job.” He must’ve surely looked crazy, standing at the heat signature’s door step shirtless and in a mask.

But the delighted voice of a woman instead seemed in awe, “You’re perfect!” Then he was grabbed by the arm again, being lead inside. “Come in, come in! I’m so happy you’re here, would you like some tea?” She said in excitement. This is not how Zuko thought this was going.

“Um…” Uncle was the tea person out of the two of them but he accepted it for his sake, “Sure, thank you.” The woman bustled in the kitchen for a minute before bringing him a heated cup of tea before sitting across from him.

“I can’t believe I got so lucky! The job apparently seemed to be too much for some people.” That wasn’t very promising.

“I’ll work my hardest,” Zuko promised determinedly, hoping he wouldn’t regret it.

“What’s your name dear?” She asked, “My name is Yan.” The woman—Yan— took his hand as she said this. Her hand was worn, motherly, it hurt his heart of think about that to think.

“I’m Lee,” He answered, “How long would this job take? I need the money to house me and my Uncle.”

Her hand gently squeezed his reassuringly, “It will take time, but it will be worth it. You and your Uncle can stay here if what you’re searching for is housing.”

Zuko was unsure, “Are you sure that that’s alright?”

“Of course!” Yan reassured in what Zuko was sure was a sunny smile, “My wife is out of town at the moment so it’s been so quiet around here, I’d love some company!” Zuko still wasn’t sure what the job was but he was more than happy to be sure of immediate housing, the job was a long one. He didn’t know how long it would really take but they needed the money.

“Ok, if that’s alright with you,” He agreed, “Where should I go?” He wanted to ask where (and what) the work was without outright asking, he didn’t need strangers knowing his greatest handicap.

“So eager! Alright, let’s start!” Yan cheered as she once again lead him towards another room. He couldn’t sense any of the objects around him but he knew that he was surrounded by stuff, he heard the crinkle of paper. There was paper covering the walls? “Ok! Please stand over there,” She asked. Zuko was confused but went where he sensed her finger point, walking cautiously. Then he stood here stiffly.

Yan stood up, “Let me help you there.” Then she moved the stance of his legs and the positioning of his arms. He was standing with one foot behind the other and his arms held up as if in victory. It felt ironic considering all his failure recently. Once he was posed to her liking she said, “Now let me just—“ And she was reaching for his face, his mask, his scar, was she really going to—?! He didn’t think, he reacted. And Yan cried out.

Chapter Text

Zuko could recall that he was 5 during his first lesson on “Hand to Hand Firebending Theory,” his opponent had of course been, just his luck, Azula. They were taught that in hand to hand combat, with another bender or a nonbender a moment of weakness is all it takes for the tides to turn. Therefore, the moment you hear a sound of weakness, a cry, a grunt, a whimper, from your enemy, that means that you must double your efforts to end them in that moment of weakness.

That concept was pounded into their brains, Azula of course catching onto it very easily. She was more than happy to beat him while he was down. But Zuko found it harder to do this.

When he (rarely) got a hit on his sister and she cried out, he would ask if she was alright. That moment of “weakness” on his part would get him an hour of freezer time. He soon learned that “are you ok” was a loaded question.

His fire, his fire had burned Yan. The woman who’d offered him and Uncle shelter, a job, and who was now gasping and holding her burnt hand. “I’m so sorry!” He panicked, not even realizing the full extent of his mistake, revealing himself as a Firebender in a Earth Nation village. Then it struck him it was like a bolt of lightning. He was doomed. She was going to get a mob of people to kick him and Uncle out!

Instead of continuing that thought he rushed towards where he sensed a container of cool of water and held it our to her. She sniffled and dipped her hand into it but didn’t say anything. Zuko was on edge maybe he should leave while he still could—

“You’re a firebender,” Yan stated. Zuko unsurely nodded, there was no point in denying it now. She was surprisingly calm, maybe she was in shock?

I’m sorry I burned you,” Zuko apologized, “You, you scared me, your hand…my face.”

She took a moment to take this in, “I forgive you, but I’m sorry as well. I was the one to scare you, I suspect it has something to do with what’s under that mask,” That statement alarmed Zuko and she seemed to tell because she continued, “I wasn’t going to take it off, I was reaching for your hair.” He was such a jerk.

Then she huffed a laugh most likely at the concerned frown on his face, “Its alright Dear, its not the first time I’ve been burnt, raising my firebender daughter was no easy task, but at least I had Bao with me.”

“Is Bao your wife?” Zuko asked, finding that Yan was more comfortable when talking about her family.

Her voice seemed to smile, “Yes, the love of my life. And our daughter is named Laing, she moved out a while ago.” And in that moment it occurred to Zuko that he was safe. Like actually safe for the first time in a while. Yan wouldn’t report him (as long as she didn’t know he was the ex Fire Nation Prince). He could relax. Then she stood and said, “I have some burn salves.”

Zuko followed her to the kitchen and stood concernedly by her side as she treated the burn. Then they sat on her couch as the adrenaline and worry ran down. “My art is all I have left of my family,” She admitted, “That’s why I was so happy that you took the job.” Zuko finally came to the realization. The job was…modeling…for art? But the way she was talking about her family…

“I thought they were out of town?” Zuko asked, confused by her grieving tone.

“My—both my wife and daughter are Firebenders and…the Fire Nation base here considered them Fire Nation citizens. So when they were seen Firebending in private, they were taken and forced into the Fire Nation army.” Horror ran up Zuko’s spine. What? The Fire Nation wouldn’t do that! Couldn’t do that! Who did they think they were?! Bao and Laing weren’t Fire Nation citizens!

Yan seemed to sense his fuming because she placed a hand on his, “My family is strong, I know they will find their way back to me someday.” The woman seemed so disheartened, hoping for something that may never come. It hurt Zuko. He tried to think of how he could help…he couldn’t. Zuko was wanted, disowned, and the Fire Nation army was far to expansive to find 2 soldiers. But there was one thing he could do.

“What exactly do you make with your art?” He questioned, as vague as possible, covering all types of art, so it wouldn’t be obvious he didn’t know why he was there.

She seemed to turn her head a certain direction before saying, “I make sculptures, its getting dark, why don’t you bring your Uncle here to get comfortable?”

He was shocked, “You’re still letting us stay here?”

If Zuko could see he was sure that Yan would’ve been beaming at him, “Our families are both survivors Lee, of course you’re both welcome.”

When he found Uncle Iroh the man was standing outside of the tea shop with a small bag in his hands. “Uncle!” Zuko called, “I found a place for us to stay!”

Uncle seemed genuinely surprised as he said, “That’s wonderful nephew!” Zuko chose to ignore the man’s surprise, they’d both had a rough couple of weeks.

Uncle and Yan unsurprisingly got along swimmingly. Only a few minutes after meeting they were setting up a game of Pai Sho and discussing their favorite teas. Zuko was zoning out, hearing the murmur of their voices but not what they were saying when Uncle asked something that Zuko had been wondering, “So why have you chosen Lee as the model for your project?”

Zuko sat still and waited for her response as he wondered the same thing, why would she give him the job? There was nothing remotely pleasing about his appearance, why would she want him to model? “He’s the only one to show up.”

That suprised Zuko. Enough so that he asked, “What? How? Everyone must know what a amazing artist you are!” Ok, Zuko didn’t technically know that her art was good, but he’d felt all the papers in that room, there was no way someone would dedicate their life to art if they weren’t good at it! Right?

Yan’s laugh was like a wind chime, “No, many people in the village prefer to avoid me.”

“Why?” Zuko asked. He may have been pestering but he genuinely couldn’t understand why anyone would avoid such a pleasant woman.

“Well…” She said aloud, “Many people around here think its unnatural for a woman to marry another woman, so they prefer to stay away from us.” Zuko really hated the world sometimes. He couldn’t but how he felt into words so he just gave a curt nod and stewed on the information.

“That’s terrible,” Uncle responded, as if reading Zuko’s mind, “I’m so happy that we were in town, Zuko may have a bold tongue but he has a air of elegance to him that I’m sure your art will compliment.”

Zuko’s face grew hot at the praise, “Uncle! Stop lying!”

But Yan, apparently more similar to Uncle than Zuko originally thought countered, “Let you Uncle praise you! I agree that you are a handsome young man, I also can tell that the ladies of the village will agree.”

“Ladies?!” Zuko asked confusedly, “What ladies would look twice at me?”

Yan giggled, “We’ll give you a break for now, get some rest and we’ll get to work in the morning?” The way Yan said that concerned Zuko, she sounded like she genuinely needed him well rested for tomorrow. How hard could standing in one place be?

Zuko really wished he’d never asked that question. Bright and early the next morning he found himself positioned in the post that they’d practiced yesterday; mid step with his arms held out as if in victory. The pose still felt wrong.

“Would you like to take a break?” Yan asked, Agni yes he needed a break. When he told her so she laughed, “Alright, come see what I’ve done so far.” Zuko stiffly pulled himself from his position and came to her side to “look” at her sketch of himself.

Yan was silent as if waiting for his feedback, Zuko said, “You’re very talented.” And then wanting to learn more about her asked, “How did you get into sculpting?”

“Hmmm…I was 16,” Yan began, “And I had a crush on the most sought after girl in the village, that was my Bao. She was an artist, the most talented one I’d ever known. We weren’t friends but i wanted to get closer to her, so one day I lied about being able to sculpt… she saw through the lie of course and she decided to teach me. Whenever I sculpt I think of her, that’s why I love it so much.” The heartfelt memory touched Zuko in a way he didn’t expect. He’d never heard a (true) story of love so genuine, his parent’s relationship definitely held no love.

Yan seemed to take his silence as disinterest, “I know of course a teenage boy such as yourself has no interest in such stories but thank you for listening Lee.”

“Of course,” Zuko responded before saying, “I love stories of love.” His face flushed after the accidental confession.

A laugh broke through his embarrassment, “How wonderful! More young men need to have the love of the arts like you!” Zuko remembered the countless volumes of plays that the Firelord had burned to ashes when he found Zuko with them. Was loving the arts really something to tell other people about? To be proud of? His mother had loved the arts… “Why don’t you go on a walk?” Yan offered sweetly, “Get some air and come back whenever you’re ready to get back to work.”

Zuko nodded in thanks and entered his and Uncle’s room. He quickly got changed into his civilian clothes and said goodbye to Uncle before heading into the town. Zuko kept his tension high and kept his senses up as far as they could go, he was prepared for any ambush. But his surprise didn’t come from a surprise attack it came from a conversation he overheard. Zuko was enjoying the shade of a tree when he overheard two men walking by, one asked, “What do you reckon she wants?”

The other one responded, “No clue, what could the Fire Nation Princess want from here?” Zuko froze. Azula was near. Without thinking he stiffly turned and retreated mechanically back to Yan’s house, checking four times that he hadn’t been followed before entering.

“How was your walk?” Uncle asked in greeting as Zuko’s stepped inside, “Have some lunch and tell me about it.” Uncle seemed so peaceful right now, Zuko couldn’t bring himself to tell Uncle about Azula and ruin the moment. He kept his focus on the heat in front of the front door, if Azula discovered he was there she would hurt all of them. Zuko, Uncle, Yan. He wouldn’t let that happen.

Chapter Text

Zuko had grown fond of the relatively peaceful village. Sure he felt on guard all the time, the stares of people everywhere he went setting his red flags off, but he reassured himself that he was being stared at for relatively normal reasons. For his mask and being a outsider, he really hoped it wasn’t because he was Yan’s newest model.

Zuko had grown fond of the hours of posing and listening to stories about her life. She told him about the years after she was outed as a lesbian and was sent to live with her aunt in the mountains, to her heartbreak when she returned home to find Bao married, to how she rekindled their romance and later proposed despite the village’s protest. Their romance was like one from his play scrolls.

He was more than happy to hear about Yan’s love, but each story made the pit in his stomach weigh more with each detail Yan gave him about Bao, he was slowly creating a picture of her in his mind. Zuko imagined her as tall, Yan always mentioned how Bao had stood high above her and how she’d pick Yan up with ease when they embraced. Her hands were be strong with years of sculpting (and most likely practice of firebending). Yan’s daughter on the other hand Zuko hadn’t heard too much about, it seemed that their daughter, Laing, was a sensitive subject.

When he laid on his bed roll at night he thought about how Bao and Yiang must be feeling at the moment (if they were still alive). Zuko found himself unable to sleep as he was forced to contemplate the three biggest dilemas in his life at the moment. Of course there was always his goal of completing Agni’s quest, but he also had the thoughts of Bao’s family and the possibility of Azula being nearby.

Every time he was given a break to go on a walk he’d turn his senses up to the highest degree and would pace the streets of the village, listening for word of Azula every moment. And, selfishly, couldn’t bring himself to tell Uncle Iroh about her possible presence. Uncle was just so happy, he’d talk with Yan for hours and then go to the tea shop they stopped at when they first arrived and play Pai Sho with the other old people there. Uncle was content, Zuko couldn’t remember the last time his Uncle was so relaxed, Zuko was usually the reason he wasn’t.

It was fine, the chances of Azula finding him were close to none, why was he so worried?

It was almost the second week of posing when Yan sent him out on the daily anxious walk that changed everything. Before Zuko left she asked if he would, “Get your Uncle out of the tea shop and get his legs moving.” Zuko laughed at that, Uncle sat a lot.

As he walked the familiar path to the tea shop he allowed his senses to slip a bit, there had been no other word of Azula and they were in the middle of no-where, what would Azula be doing here? As he passed a group of people he picked up on a complaint that made him freeze in his step. A old woman was grumbling something about a fire nation ships’ “damn smog.” For a minute Zuko stood still as a statue and tried to convinced himself that it could be any fire nation ship. It might not be Azula… but what if it was? The thought made him run the rest of the way to Uncle and Zuko burst into the tea shop out of breath. Uncle seemed immediately concerned, exactly what he didn’t want, “What is it nephew? Is Yan alright?”

Zuko felt choked up, the eyes on him felt like hot coals, the skin of his burn was painfully tight with his distress, he could do nothing but nod. Uncle immediately thanked his opponent for the game and looped his arm through Zuko’s to help him out of the shop. Zuko felt terrible to be the cause of worry for Uncle again. Uncle asked, “Do we need a doctor? What happened to her?”

“We’re all in danger,” Zuko managed to say, “There’s a fire nation ship, it might be Azula.” If Uncle was surprised he didn’t say anything but he did pick up the pace as the hurried to Yan’s home.

When they reached the door Zuko slammed it open and shoved Uncle inside, and without turning his back on the door shut themselves in with a loud sound. “Gentle with the door please!” Yan called from her art room.

“We need to leave!” Zuko yelled back, running to his room to grab his things. Uncle joined him and began collecting

“What? Where are you going?!” Yan asked in surprise, she stood in the doorway and watched them frantically pack.

“The Fire Nation is hunting us down,” Zuko admitted, “We just got word that one of their ships is here.”

Zuko could sense Yan’s hands shaking, “W-why? Why is everyone being taken?” He didn’t know what to say. She stepped forward and knelt beside them, beginning to help them pack. “You must get away, the Fire Nation cannot catch you.”

He could feel the grief rolling off her in waves, Zuko gently grabbed one of her hands, “Please stay safe, keep doing your art… for, for your family.” Zuko felt awful making such a request when he didn’t even know if her family was still alive

Zuko couldn’t be sure but he had a feeling she began crying as she said, “I will, please stay safe, alive, out of the Fire Nation’s capture.” She gripped his hands as she emphasized this, her hands strong and rough with years of sculpting.

That reminded him, “I’m sorry I won’t be able to help you finish your statue.” He hadn’t even completed the job she let them live in her house for.

“That’s quite alright,” She said pulling away from him and continuing to watch them pack, “I really needed the company.”

“We must go Nephew,” Uncle broke into the moment, he sounded ashamed to. Zuko shook his head and stood, bag of his few belongings over his shoulder.

She walked them to the back door, “Go down the hill and keep without of sight of the river, if you follow it it’ll lead you to another town, I’m sorry, I can’t help you from there.” Zuko gently took her hands and pressed a strong kiss on the top of one.

These hands had worked so hard to create something he was ruining, it was only right that he thanked them, “I will search for your family.” Well, that wasn’t what he meant to say. But as she gasped and started sniffling anew, Zuko knew that he had just added another mission to his shoulders.

He sensed her reach into her pocket and Yan held out a piece of paper for him, “Please find them.” Zuko gently took what he assumed was a picture of her family before tucking it in his bag, thanking her one more time, and bolting into the woods, trying to do the impossible and outrun Azula.

Possibly an hour later Uncle tugged on Zuko’s arm, asking for a break. Zuko complied and they huddled out of sight from passerby’s on the river. It was only after a moment of resting that Uncle asked, “Why didn’t you tell me Zuko?”

He felt what was left of his face heat up with the nerves of confrontation as he tried to defend himself, “I didn’t want to worry you.”

Uncle laid a careful hand on his shoulder, “Zuko, I’d rather worry about you forever than grieve you.” Zuko felt that there was more meaning behind those words than he thought. Uncle proved him right by going on to say, “I didn’t worry enough about Lu Ten... I meant what I said to you on Zhao’s ship Zuko, I can’t bear to loose another son.”

Zuko opened his mouth to respond, to comfort, to say anything he could to apologize but the sudden presence of the heat signature of a ship made him snap his mouth shut. ‘There’s a ship,’ Zuko mouthed. He focused his attention and was horrified to find that it was a firenation ship, identifiable from the waves of heat coming off of it and the heat signatures of strong Firebenders wandering the deck. Ok it was a Fire Nation ship, that was fine that didn’t mean it was Azula!

Zuko tried to narrow down the list; it wasn’t Zhao (obviously), or the Firelord (also obvious), but it was someone of the highest standing based on the size of the ship. Dear Agni, he hoped it wasn’t her. While Zuko did think of his sister when he thought he was going to die in the North Water Tribe, that didn’t mean that he wanted to see her. Especially not now, as a enemy of the Fire Nation.

But luck was obviously (as usual) not on his side, as the blazing heat signature that was definitely his sister stepped off the boat. Zuko had never sensed her heat before, he hadn’t seen her since the Agni Kai, her signature was alarmingly hot. He tried to picture what she’d look like now, its been 3 years after all. Zuko imagined she’d have their mothers face, father’s eyes, and a poise that was entirely her own. But it didn’t matter what he thought because suddenly she was barking to her soldiers, “Find them! They weren’t in the village so they’ll be somewhere along the river!”

A shiver ran down Zuko’s spine, without a doubt she was hunting them down. What did she want from them? They couldn’t risk finding out. Zuko silently slipped Uncle’s gifted dagger into the band of his pants, it would be far quieter to use than his swords.

Zuko sensed a soldier headed in their direction, they needed to hide! They were out in the open! He summoned his inner-Blue Spirit and scaled the tree they were staked out by without any trouble, he doubted that any Fire Nation soldiers would think to look up. But a new problem came when he realized that he couldn’t pull Uncle into the tree no matter how hard he tried. All of his training, muscle building, had been for nothing as he begged his muscles to gather the strength to hide them. “Leave me Zuko,” Uncle Iroh murmured, “It’s you she wants.”

“Pfft, as if Uncle. We’re staying together!” Zuko whispered back with a grunt as he finally pulled Uncle up onto the branch he was on. He almost dislocated his shoulders doing it but it was worth it. He and Uncle sat silently on the branch for a moment before a horrifying creak filled their ears, before Zuko could do anything the tree branch they were sitting on had broken off and they were flat on the ground. They were immediately surrounded by soldiers.

“I knew you drank too much tea,” Zuko grumbled to Uncle as they were easily were apprehended. They were dragged to their feel and led to Azula’s ship with their heads forcefully lowered.

When they were at the end of the ramp to Azula’s ship they were stopped and Zuko could feel her hot gaze on him. He wondered how tall she had gotten. She suddenly called to him, “That’s you Brother, correct? I wouldn’t want to assume that every blind person traveling with Uncle was you automatically.”

He let out a breath at the familiar tone, condescending and demeaning, same old Azula. But despite that, deep down as her big brother he was happy that the Firelord hadn’t broken her. “Hey Azula, long time no see,” Zuko said casually, unable to think of what she wanted him to say. That was evidently the wrong thing to say because she immediately surged forward and grabbed him by the phoenix tail.

“You should know better than to speak to me as a equal Zuzu,” She hissed, ignoring him when he whispered a apology, “You’re no longer a crown prince or Fire Nation citizen, you’re an outlaw.” Then, still gripping him by his hair, leaving him stunned by the horrible feeling, she turned and began pulling him up the ship’s ramp. Zuko could faintly hear Uncle’s yells of protest and sense the heat signatures holding Uncle back.

He was being taken onto a ship which was surely returning him to the Fire Nation. Azula had called him a outlaw. He wasn’t sure if she meant for his escapades as the Blue Spirit or for what he did in the Northern Water Tribe, but it didn’t matter, there was only one thing that happened to traitors in the Fire Nation. They became ashmakers.

With that final thought Zuko reached down and pulled the concealed dagger from his waist band, but instead of attempting to stab Azula, like many would’ve in his situation, he slashed off his phoenix tail. Leaving him free from Azula’s grip and officially stripping himself from his last link to Fire Nation honor. He flipped himself back, down the ramp, and away from Azula. He knew he looked ridiculous, but he didn’t care. Zuko didn’t want to fight Azula, he just wanted to complete his quest. “You truly are a fool Zuzu,” Azula said with a cackle.

He’d had enough of the nickname, “Don’t call me that!” Zuko had made a mistake in loosing his composure though because in a moment she was up close, ripping his mask off his face.

He froze in horror, unsure what to do, what to say, how to react. Apparently everyone else felt the same way as every solider stilled to stare at Zuko’s face. What was unburned of Zuko’s face heated before he yelled, “Take a good look! Take a good look at what the Fire Lord does to people who oppose him, even if they’re kids!”

The atmosphere was stiff and while he felt many eyes on him, Azula’s were the only ones Zuko could bring himself to care about. What did she think? He couldn’t remember if she ever saw the damage that the Firelord had done to his face.

She simply said, “Its worse than I imagined.” And that was it, they stood at standoff. Azula thinking and Zuko waiting. He was confused, Azula never spent this much time analyzing anything for as long as Zuko could remember.

He still loved his sister despite the trauma and time they spent apart, he’d worried for her during his exile, worried for her safety. So with that in mind he told her, “This is what happens when you get on the wrong side of the Firelord Azula, of father. And just because you’re his favorite doesn’t mean that you’re safe, come with me Azula. Please.” A moment of silence followed that, he sensed her heat signature waver for a moment. Her soldiers waited for her command and Azula processed his request.

Then Azula reeled her head back and laughed. A heat flaring, belly deep, booming, cackle, “As if I—Azula! Have to worry about becoming a dishonor to father! You really have lost it Zuzu, but thanks for the laugh!”

Then Zuko sensed her lift her hand, her other wiping a tear from her eye, in order to attack. But the form on her hand was familiar, it reminded Zuko of the gesture Uncle Iroh had shown when they were stranded at sea to bend lightning. Azula could bend lightning?!

He could sense the crackle of energy around her hand, a heat too sporadic to be anything but it. In the moment before the lightning left her hand, aimed towards him, and therefore Uncle, in an impulsive act of bravery or insanity (take your pick).

Rushed forward, towards his crazy lightning bending sister and right before the lightning left her hand snatched her wrist and pointed the lightning towards the sky. Tingles ran up and down his body and Azula’s skin was blazing hot but Zuko knew he’d succeeded when the sky was suddenly full of a alarming amount of sparking heat. Azula seemed slightly stunned, perhaps by his stupidity or nerve. Regardless of that Zuko shifted his weight and threw her off the boat, she was fine of course, Azula was always fine.

“Uncle!” He called as he rushed down the ramp towards the mass heat of bodies that Zuko assumed were trying to contain Uncle Iroh. But then the troops seemed to stiffen in discomfort as he approached, were they, scared of him?

Immediately Zuko turned, rushing away from the approaching troops and attacking the ones holding Uncle Iroh, they fell easy, most likely the shock from his face stiffening their movements. Then he grabbed Uncle by the arm and ran into the woods, ignoring Azula’s order for her troops to follow them.

Zuko ran at a speed that left him truly blind to the things around him. All he sensed was Uncle’s warm hand in his and the obstacles in front of them only moment before he would’ve run into them. But the most prevalent thing he felt was shame. Shame that had been rooted, no not rooted, unearthed, the moment he’d cut his Phoenix tail. His last connection to the Fire Nation, to his honor. Zuko recalled his torturous time after his mother left and after he was exiled, he was happy to be cut off from those times now.

But Zuko was no one now. Just a blind freak with a horrendous haircut. He thought about his quest and his promise to Yan. Zuko may be a blind freak with a horrendous haircut, but he was a blind freak freak with a horrendous haircut and goals.

Zuko felt some tension leave his body, even as he ran with all his strength. He prayed to Agni, Tui, and La for luck.

Chapter Text

The moon was a crescent in the sky (according to Uncle) and Zuko’s heart was heavy. It was a few weeks after his reunion with Azula, his modeling career, and the chaotic resolution of both, and needless to say; things were not going well. Zuko had jinxed them the moment he felt comfortable at Yan’s house, he was sure of it.

Zuko hadn’t been aware of how fortunate they’d been so far, that luck had faltered. The two of them weren’t lost, stranded, or separated, yet they were still trapped. Trapped by themselves that is. After traveling through the woods for a week, surviving on the animals they managed to catch with their hands (too tired to use their weapons or firebending and plants being a unsafe option in the Earth Kingdom (which was known for its difficult-to-identify plant life)) and the streams they followed.

When they finally arrived at civilization they were starved and exhausted, desperate for sustenance. They had no money but Zuko figured he could find work like he did before, but he soon found that something out of his hands prevented that. Wanted posters. Uncle said they were everywhere, every shop, bar, and store that they could’ve worked at; they were everywhere, there was no chance of them finding work without being discovered.

So that’s how Zuko found himself starving on the side of the road. He had felt hunger before. Those months after his exile when infection wracked his body and he laid awake at night starving, unable to keep anything down. That feeling was nothing compared to the hunger burned his body in the present, he felt like he was dying. Despite this, Zuko kept all of this misery to himself, not wanting to worry Uncle (though he wasn’t doing the best job). The truth was that the most painful part of it all of this for Zuko had been sensing Uncle deteriorate.

For days now they had sat on the side of the road, hats low on their faces, taking turns sleeping, withering together. Sure before all of this he joked about Uncle’s gut and how he heavy he was but…Zuko would do anything to see Uncle that healthy again. His Uncle was slim now, his heat signature wavered with lack of nutrition, his inner fire fighting to stay alight. Zuko knew that he was the one that made this happen to them, to Uncle. If he had just told Uncle as soon as he heard word of Azula none of this would’ve never happened! Uncle would be better off without him!

“Would you like some water nephew?” Uncle asked, breaking into his brooding. Zuko turned to sense Uncle, something he’d been avoiding. His Uncle’s signature was wavering with fatigue and he could hear the constant rumble of his stomach, Uncle was hurting.

“No,” Zuko croaked, his throat dry, “Save it for yourself.” Water was all they had, he wouldn’t let Uncle waste it on him.

Uncle tried to raise his spirits, “Try some nephew! I added some herb to it!” Zuko shook his head, he didn’t deserve any. Uncle began to protest again but the sound of something approaching stilled them both. Three fast moving heat signatures were heading their way.

When they were close enough to hear Zuko settled down, they were just a bunch of kids. Zuko focused in on their conversation; “I’m bored!”

They all made sounds of agreement, a minute later Zuko heard the moment the kids saw him and his Uncle, “Hey, there’s some hobos! Wanna see something funny?” The group approached Zuko and Uncle’s side of the road when they reached them and stood over them, Zuko presumed they were trying to be intimidating.

“Coin for the needy?” Uncle asked, holding out his hands. Zuko had to physcially hold himself back from protesting, Uncle wasn’t meant to be kneeling at the feet of children.

The biggest one, the one with the big mouth, laughed, “I’ll give a coin to the needy, if you dance for me!” Zuko felt like he was punched in the gut, how cruel could these kids be? But before he could tell them off Uncle was getting to his feet and doing some sporactic foot work. Zuko had seen Uncle dance before, he wasn’t bad, but starvation didn’t make a good dancer and soon the kids started booing him.

“You suck!” One complained, “Let’s get out of here!” Then the entire group of kids left, not one of them giving Uncle a coin.

Uncle silently sat down next to Zuko, “What a rude audience.” It was an attempt at humor. Uncle had just been begging and dancing for money and he was trying to make Zuko feel better.

Zuko needed to make up for all the pain he was causing Uncle. With that thought Zuko announced, “I’ll keep watch tonight, do you mind if I lie down?”

“Of course Nephew, rest well!” Uncle said with a smile Zuko could hear through his voice. He turned and flopped onto his side, allowing his heat radar to shrink and unfocus, he was safe with Uncle, he didn’t need to be so alert. Zuko reached forward and pulled his bag of personal belongings to himself. His broadswords and Blue Spirit mask familiar against his chest. Zuko rested, he would need the energy.

The moment Zuko heard Uncle’s breath steady with sleep he strapped his broad swords to his back (just in case) and fastened his Blue Spirit mask to his face. He left his sandals off for extra heat sensing and expanded his radar to the fullest, he would need it.

Zuko crept through the trees, weaving through their slight heats towards what he sensed as the North, the source of all the noise he’d sensed for the last few weeks. He knew when he made it, the sensation of each hut’s firepit reached him, he was in the village now. There wasn’t a singe heat signature in the street, for once he was completely safe. With that in mind Zuko began searching for his target. He snuck through the meager town and one by one identified each of the market’s stores. The clang of metal helped him locate the village’s blacksmith, the whisper of women and the sound of thread being woven helped him find the tapestry shop, but then there! The smell of bread!

A innocent bakery sat on the outside of the village, fresh bread wafted from it. Zuko felt unsure for the first time since he thought of his idea, should he really do this? Steal from innocent villagers? But then he thought of Uncle, he was so hungry, taking just a little bit of bread wouldn’t hurt would it?

Zuko pressed himself again the side of the hut, he sensed one heat signature inside, a big one. That would be a problem. He waited patiently as the person moved back and forth inside the hut, most likely moving baked goods around. Zuko took note that an open window was above him (steam billowing from it), he could use that to his advantage. His main problem was that he wouldn’t be able to tell when the person was looking his way, he’d have to use his wild card.

Zuko really hated using his wildcard, it sapped his strength to rein back. Resignedly, Zuko silently scaled the hut wall and settled himself half way into the window, almost completely outside. Then he took a deep breath and focused all his energy on his inner fire, or what remained of it. Zuko clenched his teeth and concentrated all his will onto the fire of the oven the baker was working with. Just like he’d practiced with his candle Zuko transferred his strength to it, feeding it, growing it… Nothing happened for a moment, he worried that he was too weak for it to work before suddenly the oven was set ablaze with flame, certainly smoldering whatever was being baked.

As the baker panicked and yelled Zuko silently scaled down the wall and crouched under a table inside the bakery, he’d done it! He didn’t need to be able to sense if he was being looked at if he created a diversion! Zuko ecstatically realized that he could smell the bread all around him and immediately began stuffing it in his bag. He considered eating some for a moment but thought of Uncle and decided against it.

Ok, now he just needed to get out. The baker seemed to have subdued the fire with a pail of water at that point and Zuko was running out of options. His hands were trembling from his body’s exertion and Zuko knew he needed to get out of there quick. He felt guilty but he knew what he needed to do. Zuko firebent through his bare feet, he watched as the layout of the room was set for his senses and the moment the baker yelled in pain from the heat of the ground and was distracted again, Zuko surged from under the table and barreled himself at the wall and threw himself out of the window. He landed roughly and ran with all the strength he had left out of the village and into the woods.

His heart was pounding and his head was throbbing as he knelt and tried to catch his breath, reassess his surroundings; there was no one around, he’d done it. Zuko tried to get to his feet but immediately fell back. Now that his adrenaline was dwindling he felt the wear of the last few weeks and his firebending, it sucked. Zuko felt himself slump over and was left with only the sensation of his blood pumping, he rested his eyes for a moment.

It ended up being longer than a moment and when Zuko woke up the ground beneath him was warm and his body was trembly, it was fine. He just needed to get back to Uncle. Zuko stiffly tracked his way back to their camp and settled himself as if he’d been there the entire time. He turned his attention up to the northern sky, where Zuko sensed the moon’s soft presence.

Zuko recalled Uncle’s lesson in re-teaching him how to sail with his heat sense. If he focused his mind Zuko could sense the exact position of the sun, which moves east to west. He could sense the rays shining down and its because of this he could sense the presence of the moon, which is only visible to people with sight because of the reflection of the sun’s light on it. The moon had a faint heat signature that gave off the remnants of the sun’s rays at night, the moon is a companion to the sun just as it is a companion to the ocean.

With this ability Zuko could successfully captain his ship while blind, the moon helped him navigate the sea. Zuko missed the ocean now that he thought about it, not being stranded of course, but the strength and safety of it. The reassuring presence of Tui and La above and below him. Reminded of the gods, Zuko took a moment to pray to them in gratitude, and then to Agni separately, they had given him the strength to firebend on an empty tank in that bakery when it should’ve been impossible. Agni had saved him again.

Zuko had perfected his story. The moment he felt the sun crest he laid a hand on Uncle’s thin shoulder and shook him awake, “Uncle, look what I’ve got.” He woke and turned to Zuko, letting out a gasp when he saw the inside of Zuko’s bag.

“Where did you get this?” Uncle questioned, his voice wavering.

Zuko shuffled his bare feet, “I sold my shoes for some money.” That was a lie, he honestly didn’t know where his shoes were, he was better off without them anyways.

“You didn’t need to do that Zuko!” Uncle protests, “What if you hurt yourself?”

Zuko shook his head, “Forget about it Uncle, please eat.”

“Only if you join me,” Uncle said firmly, hand on Zuko’s shoulder. Zuko remembered his fainting spell in the woods, he could create more problems for Uncle later if something similar happened in a more drastic situation. Energy, food was the solution.

“Fine,” Zuko grumbled, ignoring the excited tremble of his hands as he joined Uncle in tearing open the bread. The sound of it was like the spirit world on Earth. As they ate they built their strength, Zuko could sense their inner flames igniting with the added kindle and the easing of his trembles of fatigue. Uncle leaned back after only a few pieces, “We should save it nephew, we don’t know how long it will last.” Zuko’s heart hurt at his Uncle’s detachment.

“Uncle, I’m going to make it last,” Zuko promised, the thought of Uncle having to dance for coins returning, “I won’t let you go hungry again.”

Uncle considered this for a moment before saying, “We suffered equally nephew, it’s important that both of us gather our strength again so we can continue our journey.” Zuko nodded, realizing that Uncle knew that he was rationing on his behalf. Zuko wondered what else Uncle knew.

“Where will we go next Uncle?” Zuko asked, trying to fill the silence surrounding them.

“I’m not sure nephew, perhaps somewhere we can find good company,” Uncle lamented. Zuko didn’t respond, he just leaned back and prayed; for their safety, health, his mission, and for Uncle to encounter the good company he wished for.

Chapter Text

Now that Zuko had the energy to keep them fed through scavenging (stealing), their journey was much easier. Zuko and Uncle had been traveling for a couple weeks now, careful to keep a low profile. But luckily, with the food Zuko provided they were able to keep a steady pace as they traveled to…. To where? The same conflict that Zuko had been having for the last few days returned to him— where were they going?!

This internal conflict had afflicted Zuko from the moment he’d had enough food in his system to think of other things. And now, weeks later, he was no closer to an answer! Zuko had asked Uncle of course, but the man gave the expected response, “You will find the Avatar when the time comes, do not rush fate Nephew.”

Zuko tried to appease himself with that answer, he’d meet the Avatar whenever he was meant to meet the Avatar. But Zuko couldn’t ignore the rising tensions in him, he felt endangered, flighty. Maybe he was just on edge about being tracked by Azula.

He sighed and tried to send these conflicted worries away, he and Uncle were trekking up a mountain pass at the moment and Zuko couldn’t ignore the slight wheeze in Uncle’s breath any longer. Zuko turned to him, “Give me your bag.”

Uncle laughed it off, “Nephew, you should know that I was quite the strong man back in my day!”

Zuko recognized the distraction, “Hand it over.” He sensed Uncle’s reluctant exhale and then took the bag from his shoulder, throwing it over his own. It was lighter than it was a few days ago, they were getting low on supplies. As they walked in comfortable silence, Uncle’s breath beginning to even out Zuko did his best to ignore the rising ache in his side.

A few days ago when “acquiring” food, Zuko got in a scuffle with a man as he made his escape. A firm kick in the ribs was all the man got in before Zuko bolted but he still felt the ache from the encounter, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could go on doing this. Or keep hiding it from Uncle.

It was when they were reaching the down pass that Uncle finally needed a break, saying that he wanted to “see if there’s any tea leaves growing around here!”

Zuko suspects its Uncle’s way of making Zuko take a break, but at this point he knew deep down he really needed one. His side and feet ached from the last few days. “Stay safe Uncle, don’t bring anything if it might be poisonous, please.” Uncle had been in a real awful state the one time he wasn’t sure.

“Of course Nephew!” Uncle promised, “I’ll be right down this slope.”

When Uncle left Zuko took a moment to focus his breath and tune into his sensation. He exhaled gentle steam as he focused on the terrain around him. Then, like he’d been practicing, sensed even further than that, following the heat he found to its source. Almost a mile down the path there’s a small fire, most likely coming from a town. Zuko figured he’d stop there at one point to collect supplies before they ran out. With that taken care of Zuko took a moment to rest, closing off his senses and letting himself be truly vulnerable for a moment. It was right then that down the slope Zuko heard Uncle fall to the floor and groan, “That really hurt my tailbone!”

As fast as he could, Zuko sprung up and hurried to his Uncle, hands warmed but not aflame as he prepared for any sort of threat. He thought of all of the possibilities; Azula, a Earth Nation solider, a wild animal. Then he sensed it, a small figure in a Earthbending pose standing near Uncle who was on the ground. Uncle had face enough Earthbenders in his time, Zuko wouldn’t let this one hurt him. “Get away from him!” Zuko barked as he put himself between the small figure and his Uncle.

After a tense moment of Zuko and the other person standing off Uncle stood and put a hand on Zuko’s shoulder, “It’s ok Nephew, I just surprised her.”

Zuko turned towards where the little…girl was standing and lowered his hands, if Uncle didn’t feel threatened than he wouldn’t be either. But she still could be a problem, “What are you doing out here? Are you from a Earth Nation base? Who sent you?” It occurred to him that Azula could’ve sent this girl, and that in itself was terrifying.

“No, just trying to get away from the ungrateful people I was traveling with.” Her pulse remained steady in truth and her chest burned with anger towards the people she'd left. Any doubt that this wasn’t an angsty little girl left immediately.

Instead Zuko turned to Uncle and asked, “You’re ok right? Did she hurt you?”

“It’s ok Nephew, you and I both have felt many pains recently.” Uncle reassured. Ah, so he had noticed the ache Zuko had had recently.

“Young girl, would you like to join us for tea?” Uncle offered the girl who was no longer standing defensively but seemed to be positioned in a very casual manner.

“Sure, why not? You weirdos couldn’t beat me if you wanted to.” The girl answered, boasting. Zuko from a few months ago might’ve snapped at the girl because of that, he was more than happy now to just snort under his breath.

“Did you find anything non-poisonous Uncle?” Zuko asked the man, who seemed to have something clutched in his hand.

“Well, I am almost sure this time Nephew that I have the herbs to make the Jasmine you love!” Zuko remembered Jasmine tea. It had only been his favorite because he’d share it with his mother.

The thought of drinking it again sparked something, he quickly smother it and repeated, “Almost?”

“Well, there’s a slight possibility that...” Uncle admitted.

Zuko sighed and said, “You two should just have some that we bought from before alright?” He took a moment to re-scan the girl for any sort of threat. She seemed completely passive. Before saying, “There’s a town a while away, I’m going to go and get some supplies.”

“Ok Nephew, stay safe!” Uncle wished as Zuko turned back to the slope he’d frantically ran down a few minutes before.

As Zuko climbed up he heard the beginning of Uncle’s conversation with the girl, “My name is Mushi, what might your name be?”

“It’s Toph,” The girl answered as she earthbended a chair for herself.

Uncle said something in response to that but Zuko decided to let them have some privacy and ventured ahead, he grabbed his bag from their camp and contemplatively began walking. Uncle had been traveling with just Zuko for so many years that he was probably bored of Zuko’s company, it was good for Uncle to meet other people.

Zuko sighed and swiped his hand through the thick hair that now covered his head, feeling the strange longing for the reassuring pressure of his Phoneix’s tail; the only hairstyle close enough to a top knot that he was allowed to have during his exile. Zuko had neither now.

The wind blew, ruffling his hair against his covered face and his neck. Things were different now, not bad, but different.

He was almost to the town when he heard a soft stream of water nearby. Figuring it might be nice to soak his aching feet Zuko approached it only to feel something along the ground. It was familiar, silky soft, yet strong and durable. He’d only touched it a single time. “Bison fur?” He whispered disbelievingly.

Chapter Text

Uncle Iroh waited until Zuko was out of sight and earshot before turning to Toph with a smile and pouring her some tea. He’d never truly understand how but his nephew always knew what expression Iroh was making, it was only safe to assume that Toph would be the same.

“Your Nephew is really…” Toph seemed to hold her words back, “Troubled.”

Uncle Iroh laughed, “My nephew’s perseverance is my pride and joy! He’s quite a firecracker!” He almost kicked himself, he shouldn’t be comparing Zuko or himself to anything Fire Nation related.

“Yeah, he seems like he cares about you a lot, that must be nice,” Toph says, almost longingly.

Uncle recalled that this girl mentioned leaving the group she was traveling with, he was slightly concerned that her group members would let her leave, no matter how capable she was Toph was still a child. “Have they done something to wrong you? Can we help?” Iroh asked.

“Nah,” Toph responded, “We’ve been on the run for the past few days and none of us have gotten any sleep, they keep snapping at me, telling me to pull my weight,”

Uncle mulled over this, “Have you been pulling your weight?”

Toph snorted at this, “Of course not, I don’t owe them that, they owe me if anything! Plus Sugar Queen treats me differently than the others, I think she hates me…”

“I’m not completely aware of your circumstances but I do know that no good comes out of treating others differently, I’m sorry that you’ve experienced that, have you tried talking to her about this?” Uncle asked.

“Well,” Toph considered, “No…but she’s just so difficult! I don’t even want to talk to her!”

“If you don’t talk how is anything going to change? Sometimes it’s better to be the bigger Earthbender and fortify a bridge instead of destroying it.” Uncle very philosophically laments.

Toph frowned, “But I like destroying bridges.”

Uncle let out a hearty laugh, “You remind me of Lee! Capable and stubborn!”

“Pfft, I don’t think I’m anything like that guy. He doesn’t seem to appreciate you, why do you stay?” Toph asked.

Uncle sighed, “My nephew is a very hurt young man, I wasn’t able to protect him when he was little to I aim to protect him now… sometimes from himself. To answer your question, I stay with my nephew because I want to guide him and watch him grow.” Then he goes on to say, “Just wait until you see his passionate side! My nephew is the hardest worker I’ve ever known!”

Toph digested Uncle’s praise before saying, “You really love your Nephew… that’s good. He sounds like he needs it,” then she asks, “Do you think that my group worries about me the same way you do about your nephew?”

“I’m sure when they realized you were really gone they were worried, thought that something had happened to you, do you want to go back?” Uncle answered.

Toph sighed and leaned back into her rock chair, “Not yet, I really want them to miss me. Plus I wanna talk to your nephew, Lee right? He seemed fun to tease.”

“Haha! He gets flustered easily yes,” Uncle said amusedly.

Then, almost sounding concerned, Toph asked, “He’s been gone for a long time now, is he going to be able to find his way back?”

“My nephew is not one to stray from his mission, not unless… well that would never happen out here!” Uncle laughed, there’s no possible way Zuko could find the Avatar out here!

Chapter Text

Zuko had strayed from his mission. He was miles out from where he first found the bison fur and it was painfully easy. Was the Avatar trying to be tracked?

The fur was still warm with the bison’s heat meaning two things: the fur was shed recently and that Zuko was hot on their trail. He wore his Blue Spirit mask and Dao swords across his back, better safe than sorry.

He felt as the terrain changed under his feet, from thick grass and brush to hot sand. From the heat in his feet he sensed a structure up ahead, uninhabited except for two presences. Was it the Avatar? Where were his friends?

Zuko met the abandoned village and kept hidden, staying on the outskirts of the building, trying to listen in. It was down a small alley that he heard a familiar voice, “Do you really want to fight me?”

Azula. So that must mean the other signature was the Avat— Aang. “No,” the boy replied, “But I will if I have to.”

It was in that moment Zuko knew he needed to step in, keep Azula away from the boy. It with that thought that Zuko slid down the alley and stood defensively in front of Aang, swords at the ready. He had the element of suprise on his side but Azula was unpredictable. “It’s you!” Aang said excitedly from behind him. Zuko didn’t dare turn his back on Azula.

“So this is the famed ‘Blue Spirit’ I’ve heard so much complaint about,” Azula lulled, “I wonder if you’re worth the hype.” She leaned back into first position, two fingers extended to strike when given the chance. It with that realization that Zuko realized his mistake. He’d have to fight against Azula without his bending to keep the Blue Spirit charade up, she would kill him.

And it's at that moment that Azula thrust her arm forward and shot a smoldering wave of fire at him. With a grunt he jumped back and swiped the wave to submission the best he could, ignoring the singes on his hands. Immediately Aang jumped into action, blasting a rush of air and pushing Azula off balance for a moment. And that’s all Zuko needed to form a new plan. He whipped around, resheathing a single sword as he did and then charged directly at Aang who squawked in suprise as Zuko threw him over his shoulder and kept running. New plan: run away. Zuko may be hotheaded and motivated but he also needed to keep himself and the Avatar alive.

Azula of course had to make it difficult as she followed them from the roof top and jumped down with a kick of fire on top of them. Zuko threw Aang out of the way as gently as he could and leaped over a swipe at his feet, in the process hitting Azula with the butt of his sword. She laughed as he flipped back and stood at the ready a few feet away, “You remind me of someone that used to annoy me! Do you want to know what happened to him?”

‘Pfft,’ Zuko thought, ‘I probably am him.’

It's in that moment that Aang jumped into action, going on the offensive unlike himself. Aiming to strike Azula with his staff and then spinning and striking her with gusts of wind when he could. Azula remained undeterred and began blasting at both of them from both sides of her. Zuko dodged every wave and sensed Aang do the same, she was playing with them. It was getting on Zuko’s nerves.

Forgetting about his initial goal of escape Zuko surged forward and struck against each of Azula’s shots as he kicked at her. She ignored his attempts and instead shot a vertical wave of fire at Aang, aiming to burn him to a crisp. Zuko surged forward to help but Aang airbended above the flames and bolted into a abandoned building, Azula following close behind. Zuko prayed to Agni as he followed blindly. And suddenly he wasn’t standing on anything, falling a good ten feet before a strong breeze swept him back up. The building had no floor. The trick may have worked on him but it hadn’t worked on Azula who stood only a few meters away from him. She blasted him through the wall and he fell hard on his back, his breath and confidence knocked out of him.

Zuko sensed Azula aim wave after wave of fire up at the Avatar as he scaled a crumbling building until she knocked him out of it, he fell through the roof. Azula surrounded him by fire and approached the boy. Zuko tried to force himself to his feet, but his limbs felt so heavy. Then he sensed two familiar presences join the battle, putting out Azula’s fire and grabbing her attention with a single circling wave. Katara had stolen Azula’s attention and bolted with it, leading Azula towards a doorway Sokka joined her at, swiping at her with his boomerang. The three backed Azula into a corner. But to be honest Zuko couldn’t really pay attention anymore, the heat of the desert and the ringing in his head was really getting to him.

A familiar voice and a violent shake brought him out of it. “It looks like you could use a little help,” Toph teased, pulling him to his feet despite his body’s protest. But she’d brought him back to his senses and he snatched up his Dao and joined her and the rest in cornering Azula.

The five of them stood at the ready, weapons and elements trained at Azula. “Well, look at this,” Azula said fire diminishing from her palms, “Enemies and traitors all working together.” Then she did the unbelievable and raised her hands in surrender, “I’m done. I know when I’m beaten. You got me, a princess surrenders with honor.”

There was a tense moment and then she struck, a small but concentrated strike of lightning moved from her two fingers and struck Zuko’s crossed swords.

While his swords may have been fire-proof, they were definitely not lightning proof. All Zuko could do was let out a yell of pain as he was shot once again onto his back, his muscles jerked sporadically and his mind was painfully numb.

Voices yelled and rang all around him and his hands still twitched sporadically. He allowed himself to sink into the hot sand below him and left himself at the mercy of the Avatar and his friends, hoping he didn’t make the wrong choice.

Chapter Text

Zuko woke to the rhythmic sound of Earthbending. In a panic he reached for his face, relieved to find his mask still in place. His swords were re-strapped to his back. Zuko took a moment to reassess his surroundings and startled at the mass of heat underneath him, he was on an animal? The sound of a huff and the feeling of familiar fur under his hands gave him his answer, 'Sky Bison.'

He turned himself over carefully, surprised at the lack of pain. Even where he had been struck was unmarked, huh. Zuko slid off of the creature. It shifted towards him and he gave it a moment to assess him. The Bison sniffed his hair a couple times before letting out a grunt and laying back down. Zuko would take that as approval.

Now on his own two feet Zuko had to consider his options, he could return to Uncle and pretend that this never happened...or he could approach the Avatar and try to join his group? Should he reveal himself or stay in disguise? Would they let him join either way? The Avatar had seemed genuine when he'd offered when he first met Zuko as the Blue Spirit. He needed to decide before they noticed him.

Hiding behind the Sky Bison he sent some heat into the earth to sense where the group members were. They had set up camp for the night. He felt a campfire a few paces away, he heard the two water tribe teens bickering by what sounded like a river. Finally he felt the rhythmic vibrations of the Avatar and Earthbender a good distance away. The boy was earthbending, he was trained in three of the four elements. Fire would be next, but the Blue Spirit couldn't firebend to their knowledge. Zuko had dug himself into a pit.

Zuko sighed, it would be risky but he had to take the chance. He made a plan; gain their trust, join them, tell Uncle while they were asleep, train the Avatar as the Blue Spirit the best he could, and travel with them wherever they went. Easier said than done.

He took a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth before stepping out from behind the Sky Bison. Before Zuko could decide who he should approach first, a voice called out to him, "You shouldn't be moving around!" He couldn't help but flinch back as Katara rushed to him and forced him to sit. Zuko silently let her check over him as he tried to calm his racing heart. She pressed a hand to the pulse of his wrist and her other to the pulse of his neck. He felt Sokka approach as Katara pulled away, "Ok, your fever's broken and heart rate is steady. You're good to move around."

Zuko nodded, pushed himself to his feet, and gave Katara an Earth Kingdom bow of thanks. It was silent for a moment too long before a heat signature swooped down from the sky onto Sokka's shoulder, chittering and effectively giving Zuko a heart attack. He almost drew a sword before he backed up from the animal unsurely instead.

"Sorry, that's just Momo," Katara reassured, "He's harmless."

"Unless you have something in your pocket that he wants!" Sokka chimed in, "No need to draw your swords!". Zuko just nodded, anxious now that he finally had their attention.

"Well," Sokka said clapping his hands together, "Let's go get Aang to explain everything."

Zuko followed the siblings, he couldn't help but fidget as they approached the aggressive Earthbending. A familiar voice was yelling at the boy. "You call that a boulder?! Do it again!"

Katara's huffed in disapproval of the Earthbender's training methods. Zuko waited by her side until the bending subsided enough for Sokka to yell for their attention, "Hey guys! He woke up!"

The bending stopped and with a gust of wind there was a small airbender wrapped around him, "Thank the Gods you're alright!" The hug was startlingly warm and the boy was light as a feather, Zuko had to make sure he ate more. The boy continued to cling to him until Zuko stiffly pat him on the back.

"Alright Aang, now you have to explain everything." Katara said sternly.

Zuko found himself seated around the campfire with a bowl of broth in his hand, stiffly nodding along as Aang recounted how Zuko had rescued from Zhao's prison. "And then he got hit in the mask with an arrow and passed out!" Zuko pointedly ignored Sokka's snicker at that. "So long story short, The Blue Spirit is our first Fire Nation Ally!" The campfire was silent and Zuko prayed to any God that was listening that the moment would pass as he focused all his attention on breathing.

"So..." Sokka began, Zuko prepared himself for his questioning, "You're from the Fire Nation." Zuko stiffly nodded.

Aang chimed in, "He was a traveler, he lived in the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, and even visited the Air Temples!"

More questions were asked and either Aang chimed in or Zuko nodded or shook his head yes or no.

The entire time the Earthbender stayed silent, but Zuko could feel their attention on him. Finally they spoke, "You haven't lied yet." Something about that sent a shiver down his spine. "But I'll ask you one question, do you have any bad intentions towards us?" The question seemed to still everyone. Zuko just wanted to complete his mission, and that mission was to help the Avatar.

He shook his head. There was a moment of tension before the Earthbender let out a familiar laugh, "You're telling the truth! I'm glad, I'd hate to have to crush you!" There was nothing to nod to about that so Zuko offered a thumbs up instead as he then knew who he was talking to, Uncle Iroh's friend, Toph.

"Alright," Katara chimed in breaking into his thoughts, "So now we have to ask, what brought you here? And what do you want from us?"

Zuko nodded and smoothed out the dirt in front of him and began answering in Earth Kingdom script, 'I am considered a traitor to the Fire Nation. I have come to realize that the Avatar is needed to bring peace. I'm here to help the Avatar any way that I can.' Aang translated his writing and Zuko took deep breaths to calm himself as he waited for their response.

"Huh," Sokka commented, "Sounds like you'd be some help, especially when it comes to Fire Nation war strategy." Zuko felt his heart clench but he nodded. They didn't know he was a firebender yet. "And of course you have swords," Sokka continued, "Mind teaching me?"

"Ok!" Toph butted in, "So you just want to help? You're in! Just don't betray us or I'll have to crush you"

"Is everyone ok with that?" Aang asked, Zuko felt on edge by the silence.

Everyone nodded, Zuko gave a Fire Nation bow of thanks. It felt foreign after so many years.

Night fell and Zuko was getting integrated into the group's dynamic. He'd become Toph's 'new favorite' by default and now sat by her side as Katara passed dinner around. When a bowl was passed to him he bowed his head in thanks and ignored how Toph had begun to use him as furniture.

Aang, Sokka, and Katara sat on one side of the fire and Toph and Zuko sat on the other.

"So, you have a name?" Toph asked, using Zuko as a foot rest.

Zuko hadn't thought about the Blue Spirit's name, he wasn't the most creative person. He tapped his mask where he knew it was painted blue.

"I can't tell if you're just messing with me or not," Toph huffed, pulling herself off of him. She waved her hand in front of her face, "Don't know what you're pointing at."

Confused, Zuko began to write the word Blue in the dirt, Toph stopped him with a laugh. "Sparky, I'm blind, can't read anything."

Zuko froze, he'd never met another blind person, and definitely had never had to communicate with one while mute. Before he could do anything else, Toph called Sokka over, "Snoozles! Come translate for us!"

Sokka came over (he responds to Snoozles?) and sat with a huff. Zuko tapped his mask again, then his chest. "Blue," Sokka spoke aloud, "His name is Blue."

Toph smacked Zuko on the back, "Of course you're named after something I can't imagine, couldn't you have been named Rock or something like that?"

Zuko gave a questioning head tilt. "Toph has Earthbending sight, don't let her trick you into thinking she's helpless," Sokka said, getting a kick from Toph in retaliation.

"Whatever," Toph grumbled towards Sokka, throwing her feet back into Zuko's lap, "I can't trick Blue with blind jokes, so you should watch yourself."

She then turned her attention to Zuko, "You're real warm, you're now my personal heater."

Zuko accepted his fate and sat back. Sokka returned to Aang and Katara's conversation and Zuko found himself relaxed for the first time in months. With a pat for Toph to move her feet, he stood and got himself a second serving to save for Uncle. He'd find him once everyone fell asleep.

Not even an hour later everyone was curled up in their bedding and out cold, Zuko would have to keep them from leaving themselves so vulnerable in the future. Silently he left the camp and sent a wave of heat through the forest floor, he sensed a familiar campsite not too far ahead. Moving quickly he soon sensed a firebender's campsite, no one else could start such a healthy fire. He burst through the trees and couldn't help but grin, he'd found his Uncle.

"Zuko!" Uncle Iroh startled, "Where have you been? You had your old Uncle worrying!"

Zuko took off his Blue Spirit mask and handed over the stolen meal, "I'm sorry for leavin Uncle, but you won't believe what happened." They sat by the fire together while Uncle Iroh ate and Zuko recounted the Bison fur, their fight with Azula, the lightning strike (he had to show that he was healed before he could continue), and finally how he'd become a part of the Avatar's group.

Uncle Iroh hugged him, "I'm so glad you were healed, and you must travel with the Avatar, don't worry about your Uncle."

"When am I never not worrying about you?" Zuko asked with a sad laugh, "Will you be ok?"

"Give this old man more credit!" The man smiled, "I'll be fine Zuko, I just need to know that you'll take care of yourself."

"Of course I will Uncle, I'll complete my mission and we'll return home together!" Zuko said, though 'home' was bittersweet in his memory

Uncle Iroh brushed a hand through Zuko's hair, "We will meet again soon, Nephew. I think I'll spend time in Ba Sing Se, I heard the tea shops are amazing there!"

With one last embrace Zuko left his Uncle and returned to the group's camp. They had hardly moved.

Zuko laid down in extra set of bedding that the Avatar, no, that Aang had gifted him. He kept his swords clutched to his chest and wore his mask as he slept.

Who knew what the future would bring? Or if Zuko could find a way to train Aang in firebending while pretending to be a non-bender? Zuko was unsure of it all, but he knew that he'd taken a step in the right direction.

He took a concentrated breath and on his exhale brought the weakened campfire back to life. Everything would work out, Zuko would make sure of it.