Work Text:
It all started when Jeong Jeong decided to desert from the Fire Nation navy. He spent some time thinking and rethinking his past actions, but he came to the conclusion that even if he was caught and killed, he would have died a free man. Then he hid for a while in Oma Shu. There he had the honor of meeting King Bumi. Jeong Jeong will never admit it, but the crazy king totally scared him. That's why, when he offered him the chance to join the White Lotus, he accepted. What could he do?! that man had a fluffy beast as a pet!
When Bumi announced that one of his allies was coming to visit, the firebender was curious. His curiosity grew when he learned that the visitor was an extremely talented waterbender. When he arrived Jeong Jeong exploded with questions. But he was quickly angered when the visitor, Master Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe, told the earth king to control his servants. Then a certain firebender missed a shot right next to the new arrival's right ear. Let's say that Bumi was more than amused when Pakku immobilized the firebender thinking he was a spy and Jeong Jeong missed another shot right at the waterbender's feet. Which, of course, led to an even bigger fight. After Bumi got bored, he stopped the fight and forced the two to accompany him to dinner. There, Pakku complained about a not-so-beautiful bruise that he had received from the not-so-gentle encounter between Jeong Jeong's leg and his chest. Jeong Jeong rolled his eyes and retorted sharply:
Jeong Jeong: Did I hit you on the head too? Did you forget that you are a waterbending master?
Pakku: Don't flatter yourself, you couldn't have hit me that hard. What does my element have to do with you fighting like a kid who ate too much sugar?
Jeong Jeong: I did not know that you are also a master of the art of modesty.
Pakku: I didn't know either that the Fire Nation navy is so desperate that it can't afford to have standards.
Jeong Jeong: oh come on! If you squinted at the healing classes to look in the mirror, just admit it.
Pakku:healing is only for women. You would have known this if you had opened even one scroll during your life.
Jeong Jeong: how can you say that?! If I had been a waterbender, healing would have been the first thing I would have learned!
Pakku: why doesn't it surprise me?! Oh yes! I have seen women who fight better than you!
Jeong Jeong: I have seen fire nobles more bearable than you!
Bumi: done! you are starting to annoy me! You argue like 6-year-old children! You'd better start understanding each other because I won't hesitate to lock you both up in the labyrinth for the rest of your lives if you continue to be annoying.
The other two masters silently agreed that their lives were more important than arguing with an idiot. Over time, they began to understand each other better. Especially after the return of the avatar. Jeong Jeong even warned Pakku about the arrival of the three children at the North Pole. Also, he advised him to train Katara. Now Pakku didn't train Katara because she was Kanna's granddaughter, but because when he saw the girl's potential he realized that Jeong Jeong was right. And maybe the girl reminded him a little of that hopeful idiot.
Pakku will never admit but in the camp, before the comet's arrival, he asked Katara for some healing lessons. The old man had a lot of work but managed to learn the key points before the arrival of Sozin's comet. He thanked all the spirits, especially Yue, for thinking to do this sooner rather than later when Jeong Jeong was injured. Even though the idiot was on the verge of death, he still found the strength to mock Pakku because he finally accepted his feminine energy.
There, on the battlefield, Pakku finally realized that there are more important things than pride and the preservation of tradition.