Into the Fire - Chapter 21 - Sreeder (2024)

Chapter Text

Chapter 21: Together

The tea steeped in silence as Iroh watched Zuko fiddle with something in his lap. His nephew often did this when he was nervous, not that Zuko was nervous often. His nephew had always been audacious when it came to expressing himself; repeatedly shouting orders at the crew, and criticizing their work ethic…

Zuko had never been reserved when it came to accomplishing his goals.

But if Iroh asked his nephew to sit down and speak about matters of the heart, Zuko would lock himself in his room and refuse to emerge until Iroh promised to drop the topic. He was as stubborn as he was confident, and Iroh had been too complacent in the past. He had failed to properly guide Zuko… and Iroh recognized the error in his leadership back then, and he would not make the same mistakes now that he had been given another chance.

However, the unexpected evening visit from Zuko had Iroh sitting on hot coals. He shifted his weight in an effort to make himself comfortable in Zuko’s endless silence. Iroh’s thoughts were loud, lit ablaze with questions surrounding what could have compelled Zuko to knock on his door…

The sweet aroma of jasmine filled the room when Iroh poured tea into Zuko’s cup. He hoped his movement would stir the stillness and prompt his nephew to speak.

It worked; Zuko thanked him, but his head remained tilted toward his lap, purposely avoiding eye contact. Zuko’s dark hair hung haphazardly in his eyes; inky locks glistening from the moisture still woven through his hair. The unrefined edges and uneven length were distressing to Iroh, but hopefully that was something he could have corrected. Zuko needed a proper hair trim, and Iroh was the only person qualified to give him one.

His nephew’s eyes lifted from his lap to his cup, their golden color mirrored that of his father’s. Even with the scar Ozai had burned into his son’s face, Zuko maintained the resemblance. There were moments when he scowled that sometimes reminded Iroh of his younger brother, which was why he always tried to make Zuko smile.

”Thank you for allowing me to interrupt your evening tea,” Zuko half-whispered, peeking up from his cup.

“I am happy to have the opportunity to serve you,” Iroh smiled, “Tea pairs wonderfully with company.”

His radiant smile sent his nephew’s head back into his lap, and after another lapse of silence, Zuko peered up again. Slowly, he lifted his head, tightened his shoulders, and his formal posture returned.

Zuko’s brow narrowed, “I know I have, uhh… been distant,” he started, “and I wanted to assure you that it’s not because of anything you did… and I am not angry with you… I have been…” His brow dropped further, fumbling nervously over his words, “trying… to find a way to uhh, speak to you…but I can never seem to find the right words to say.”

Zuko’s voice faded, proving the point that he was unable to determine his next words. He growled again, appearing frustrated at himself for being incapable of articulating his thoughts. Zuko sentiments were typically expressed in small gestures or gifts, not heartfelt conversation.

However, the responsibility of leading a conversation of this magnitude was not an easy feat. Zuko was carrying a heavy burden, and Iroh had been longing to help Zuko hold up some of that weight. He had waited patiently for Zuko to come to him, and now that he was here, Iroh wanted to assure him that he no longer had to do this alone.

Iroh felt a powerful longing to touch his nephew, but the table between them kept him at a distance. So Iroh decided to slide a hand across the table, extending comfort to his hurting nephew.

A jolt of sadness prodded Iroh’s heart when Zuko reactively recoiled, eyes flashing with aggression as he bared his teeth. He quickly noticed his overreaction, and hastily corrected himself, quietly apologizing to his uncle for being rude.

But Iroh did not want Zuko’s apologies.

He kept his hand firmly in place, turning it upward he gestured for Zuko to place his hand there if he wished to be reassured and comforted. The Fire Nation was not known for physical affection, Iroh could not recall his own father ever hugging him… but after being around the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe men, he noticed the way their small, yet powerful, physical gestures provided comfort to others.

He had even witnessed the stoic Jee smile after Bato gripped his shoulder and patted his back.

When Zuko realized what Iroh was attempting to do, his brow crinkled and he looked up at his uncle. Iroh continued to smile at him, and the corner of Zuko’s mouth tilted upwards as he nodded and gradually placed his hand in Iroh’s grasp. The man gripped it securely, his touch caressing over the boy’s hand, trailing over the raised edges of his scars and crooked fingers.

Iroh’s fingers gently grazed over a deep, straight scar cutting across Zuko’s smallest finger, and Iroh’s brow rumpled when he wondered how that particular scar got there -

“That scar is from the dagger you gifted me,” Zuko said.

Iroh glanced up, “The one from Ba Sing Se?”

Zuko nodded, “Yes. That is the one.”

”Do you still have it?” It was a hopeful question, but Iroh already knew the answer.

Zuko shook his head, “No… It was taken from me when I was captured…”

Iroh loosely held Zuko’s hand, not wanting to let it go, “Why did you go that night?”

You knew the risk…

You knew what kind of man Zhao was…

Zuko shrugged, “Zhao had captured the Avatar… Which was the worst case scenario for me, Uncle.” Iroh’s heart fell out of rhythm when Zuko spoke his name with the same whine he did all those months ago… It sounded familiar in his ears, and soothed an ache deep inside him.

Zuko did not find joy in his uncle’s smile, frowning at him as he continued, “He even sent me a f*cking messenger-hawk to brag about it. I was panicking… and I thought because I knew where Aang was being held prisoner, I could easily go get him…” He glanced away and muttered, “I am decent at that sort of thing…”

Iroh nodded in agreement, his nephew was exceptionally skilled at being sneaky.

“I thought it would be easy. Zhao had already done the difficult part, capturing an air bender… You remember how difficult that was...” Zuko scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Iroh winced, he had witnessed Zuko tossed around like a beanbag many, many times by Avatar Aang... Even spraining his wrist during one of their encounters after being thrown against a wall.

“Aang was already restrained… so I thought…” Zuko sighed and shrugged as he exhaled, “I guess it doesn’t really matter what I thought back then.” His nephew’s gold eyes darkened when he said, “we both know I did not succeed in recapturing the Avatar.”

A frigid heat made the inside of Iroh’s chest feel numb. It was the same sensation he felt the day he returned to their ship and read about Zuko’s execution. Listening to his nephew speak about what happened in his own words was something Iroh had longed for… However, he had underestimated how painful it would be to hear.

”How did you get caught?” Iroh asked.

Zuko sighed, “I was struck by an arrow, and in my disoriented state I left a trail behind and was pinned down by the Yuyan Archers before I could escape.”

“They are very near perfect with a bow and arrow, and have just as keen tracking skills... I am not surprised you had difficulty evading them.”

“I could have gotten away…” Zuko grumbled, “If I had not been fighting fatigue.”

Iroh wanted to find joy in the way Zuko defended his skill-set, but the tension from the topic made it difficult for him to laugh.

”Do you know why Zhao transferred you to a private prison instead of holding you at Pohuai Stronghold?” The question had never left his mind all this time, and he hoped his nephew had an answer.

Zuko’s head dropped, dark hair blocking his eyes as he tried to wiggle his hand out of Iroh’s grasp. He always retreated when his emotions became too much, but Iroh reached out further and stopped him from pulling completely away.

Zuko allowed Iroh to grip his hand tighter, and when he looked up at him again, his eyes were red and glossy as he rasped, “Zhao had no intention of executing me, Uncle…” Lip quivering he exhaled shakily, “H-he locked me away where he thought no one would find me…”

A crackle in the air sent little bumps rising across Iroh’s skin. He ventilated his anger through his breath. Deep, angry breaths of hot air as the heat festered around them. The cold sensation from earlier started tingling as the electricity vibrated inside his ribcage. Iroh could feel the anger in his spine, the crackling bitterness he had for what had been done to Zuko. Zhao was fortunate to have already exited this world or Iroh would have found a way to seek him out… but the vengeful uncle had plans to hunt him down in the spirit world to ensure he suffered for eternity.

Iroh gave Zuko’s hand a small squeeze so his nephew would look at him.

“I looked everywhere for you,” Iroh spoke softly.

That seemed to take Zuko aback, and his brow twitched as he looked away, squeezing his eyes shut he shook his head, “I was convinced you would come for me...”

All the heat left his body, and Iroh felt ice cold.

He knew this feeling.

He had felt it before, the horrible hollow feeling of losing something that could never be returned. Zuko would always think back and remember how his uncle never came for him.

The room spun, and the smell of his ginseng tea made his stomach turn. Iroh closed his eyes. Grounding himself, he opened them again to see his nephew, Zuko, sitting across from him with red eyes and a pink nose, and the tears began welling in Iroh’s eyes.

“I tried to come for you…” Iroh’s hand trembled alongside his voice, “I traveled all over… I looked everywhere. I spoke to everyone I knew, and sought out every connection I had… No one had seen you. It was as if you vanished into the night and never returned… It was not until I returned to the ship and I read about your execution - “

“It does not matter,” Zuko tried to pull away again, the pain of the past poking him in places that hadn’t scarred over. Iroh relaxed his complexion and his grip, allowing their hands to part and creating a gap between them. Iroh made sure to keep his hand out in case his nephew decided to return.

”It does matter, Zuko,” Iroh assured him, “I want you to know that I never gave up hope… Not until I thought you were dead.”

Zuko kept his gaze averted, “Well, I wasn’t dead.”

Iroh shook his head, “No, you were not, and I am so thankful that your life was spared. Nevertheless, I am still not sure where you were being detained. I have tried to locate your prison on many different maps, and the closest thing I can find in the territory around the Colonies is an old mining town. I have a suspicion you were being held there, and perhaps it was converted into a prison at some point?”

Zuko shrugged, “There were mines located outside the prison’s walls. I had my work assignment there… scooping coal… It was the worst.”

Iroh could not fathom Zuko in a dark mine scooping coal. He hated the notion of his nephew hunched over, inhaling soot and coughing painfully as he dug through the mine. But if there were mines at his prison, then Iroh had a good idea where he was being held.

“I am wondering if that was where your prison was located. After the war is concluded I will verify its location and ensure the senseless torture is eradicated.”

Zuko smirked, “I think that has already been done for you. A group of rogue earth benders attacked the place and destroyed most of it. That's how we escaped… They basically leveled the prison and we ran out.”

“You say we escaped. Who are you referring to?”

Frustration sparked in Zuko’s eyes, “There was an entire group of us…” He scoffed, “It was not my choice to bring any of them along.”

”Oh? Then why go along with it?” Iroh could recall only a handful of times Zuko went along with something he did not agree with.

”I had to keep Sokka safe, and he kept inviting people…”

Iroh might have been mistaken, but Zuko almost looked like he found it funny, which was unusual for him. It was the first time he had mentioned his Water Tribe friend… and Iroh wondered if he would elaborate on him at all.

”I heard the unfortunate news about your friend, or acquaintance, Shen. I will make sure his next of kin is notified, and his ashes returned to them after the war, rest assured we did not leave him in the cavern.”

Zuko nodded, “Thank you, Uncle. He did not deserve to die like that… In that dark place… alone.”

”Most of them don’t,” Iroh sighed. His son’s smile flickered through his thoughts, a sharp, guilty feeling was left behind when it vanished. He would always feel guilty, for his son, his nephew, and all the people he helped kill along the way. It was an obligation he made to himself to never forget the pain he had caused the people he loved… and Iroh had caused his loved ones a lot of pain.

As Zuko got quiet again, and Iroh speculated that his nephew was blaming himself for things that were beyond his control. He had been close to death when they found him underground. His bruised and bloodied body shackled to the wall... He’d been unable to save himself, much less anyone else. Zuko would have died before he reached Shen... The soldier was already dead the moment they dragged him underground.

“Did you always work in the mines?” Iroh attempted to change the subject but tried to stay on topic, “I believe you mentioned something about washing dishes once.”

That seemed to pull Zuko from his thoughts, blinking, he nodded, “uhh, yeah. I usually worked in the mines… but somehow Chang was able to get me transferred into the kitchen. He assigned me to wash the dishes…” Zuko’s scowl started to return, “and if I was… good… I was allowed to stay there…” His jaw tightened, “but as soon as I stepped out of line, I went back to the mines…”

Iroh suspected Zuko stepped out of line more often than he stayed in line… and all the scars tarnishing his body were a testament to that. The thick scars crisscrossing across his back that could only have come from a whip, and the burns that wrapped around his nephew’s arms and throat… Iroh could never unsee the finger-shaped scars seared into the pale flesh of his hips where that madman had gripped him to violate him. Those scars were burned into Iroh’s mind as much as they were burned into his nephew’s skin.

“Chang always got me back though…” Zuko stared down at his cup, “If Chang had not helped me… I don’t think I would be alive right now... I owe him my life.”

Iroh lifted his cup to sip his tea, Chang’s round face popping into his mind with his beady eyes and unkempt hair. It was not that Iroh disliked the man… but he had his… reservations about Chang.

“How much do you trust Chang?” Iroh asked, knowing the truth about him.

He had contemplated for a long time if he would reveal who Chang truly was to Zuko, and during that time he had interacted with the man enough to begin to understand him better... and Iroh made the decision to keep his secret, it was better for Zuko that way.

However, Iroh did not feel comfortable with Zuko around Chang. He declined to trust a man who shared a bloodline with Zhao.

Zuko snorted, ”When I met Chang, the very first thing he said to me was not to trust him.” He had admiration in his voice, his scowl turning into a smile. “He told me to watch my own back and keep up my guard at all times… Chang made sure I knew we were not friends, because there were no friends in prison.”

Iroh’s lip twitched. As sinister as that man’s bloodline was, Chang continued to demonstrate he was trying to be a good man, and he had given Zuko valuable advice. Brash and loud, he had a way with people that Iroh appreciated. People relaxed around Chang, and he was able to collect intel similar to how a crafty concubine might, making him a useful ally.

“That was good advice,” Iroh admitted, “You must have listened to it, at least a little?”

Zuko scoffed, his smile gone, “I tried to, Uncle… In the beginning… After I was… uhh executed, I made sure to keep to myself, but prisoners kept wanting to f*cking fight me.” A smirk tried to tug on his lips, but Zuko refused to unscrunch his brow. “Even without my bending I would beat them… but eventually Zhao got annoyed with my constant escape attempts and all the fighting, so he thought it would be better to chain my wrists together. That made it difficult to do anything… so when I got hurt, Chang patched me up.”

Iroh frowned, glancing down at the table his eyes found Zuko’s hand still resting there. He noticed the discolored skin peeking out from under his sleeve around the wrist. Iroh’s heart started to beat faster, and he looked away when the heat began to rise.

A question poked him in the gut and wouldn’t stop until he asked, “Why didn’t you have your bending?”

“Oh, uh, the bending suppressants - “

Iroh choked on the words, “The what?”

”They were pills I was forced to take in prison. They junked up my insides trying to snuff out my fire…” He shuddered, “ugh, they were the f*cking worst.”

”Worse than the injections?”

Zuko shrugged, “I don’t remember much after the first injection, and I do not remember anything after the second one… so I would have to say the bending suppressant pills were worse. The first day was the most difficult, I mostly slept or I felt really dizzy and weak. But after the first day I was expected to function and I would have to go back to work.”

”How often did they give these to you?”

”Bending suppressant day was once a week.”

The phrase bending suppressant day sent warning vibrations tingling down the man’s spine, and Zuko said it so casually. Iroh’s seasoned mind had been raised in warfare, but never in all his years had he heard of such a thing… It was a frightening notion.

”I knew about the injections,” Iroh reached for his tea again, “and I was aware you had been exposed to the poison before… but I did not know it dated back to the prison… and it was administered weekly.”

Curiosity had captivated Iroh and he needed to know more about this dangerous new weapon. “These pills, how did they work? And are you aware of how Zhao got his hands on them?

Zuko began trailing his finger across the table, sliding it closer and further away from Iroh’s outstretched hand as he spoke.

“It was not the pills that Zhao got his hands on, it was the man who made them that was the key to everything. He made the suppressants in the prison… They would get shipments of special herbs and other stuff from some supplier up the mountain, that’s all I know.”

Iroh nodded, thinking of the location of Zuko’s prison, he recalled the village on the other side of the mountain, and the women who had a farm at the top.

“Do you happen to know if they were getting the herbs from two women?”

Zuko’s eyes got wide, which surprised Iroh, “Two old ladies?”

Iroh lifted his cup, “I think calling them ‘old ladies’ is quite rude, Zuko, but yes, there were two older women living in a considerable residence up the mountain. I stumbled across them when I was searching for you. They did not share anything to me directly, but it was apparent they were no ordinary women, and their farm was built to produce more than enough resources for just the two of them. While I was there, we danced around topics that I felt interested us both… I left them a way to contact me, but I never heard from them.”

Zuko dipped his head, “That is because they died - “ He rasped softly, his hair blocking his eyes.

Iroh gasped, setting his cup down, but before he could speak Zuko growled, “The Rough Rhinos killed them.”

”How do you - “

Gold eyes glared up at Iroh, a fire in them burned with a fury that was not directed at him.

”They saved my life, and Sokka’s… after…” His voice broke, eyes fleeing from Iroh, “I would have died without their help…” He squeezed them shut, “and they were killed because of me… they helped me… and they died…”

Iroh wanted to reach out and grab his nephew, hold him tightly and promise him the dawn was coming. Assure him the darkness surrounding him would start to fade when the morning light of a new day appeared… Zuko could be free from the pain of his past, he just had to let it out so he could let it go… and none of this was his fault.

”It was not your fault…” Iroh spoke low, “You would have never hurt those women.”

”They were killed… because of me… because they kept me safe from Zhao…”

Zuko’s shoulders trembled as he stifled his first sob with the back of his hand, the others were not as easy to hide. His eyes were squeezed shut, slouching over he slid his shaky hand across the table to touch his uncle’s hand. Zuko allowed Iroh to hold it in a warm embrace, his thumb rubbing comforting circles across the top.

His silent cries did not last long. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes, “I’m… s-sorry…”

Iroh smiled, “Please do not apologize to me. I am very happy to be sitting here comforting you. All I have ever wanted to do was be here for you.”

Zuko lowered his arm and nodded, his red-rimmed eyes still raw with sadness. He inhaled a shallow breath, “Do you think they were helping Zhao?”

What a venomous question, Iroh had to take a sip of his tea before answering.

“That is difficult to know without having more information. But I spent the night in their home, and I did not get any malicious feelings from either woman when I was there. They were kind to me, and offered me a meal and place to stay when it started to storm.”

He smiled thinking of the grumpy woman with short hair, and her hospitable friend with kind eyes. Iroh could not imagine them willingly or knowingly doing something so immoral… but anything was possible in a world filled with so much concealed cruelty.

Zuko nodded, “Sokka really liked it there… He wanted to stay.”

Iroh picked up his cup again, “Well it is a good thing you did not stay. Or you might not be here right now.”

Zuko sighed, glancing out the window and into the night, “it is hard to imagine that you were so close.”

A tingle of annoyance sparked, “Yes. Imagine how frustrating it is for me…” Iroh’s smile fell into a frown, “knowing you were somewhere down the mountain, and I failed to find you. If I had just wandered into the wilderness, I might have stumbled into that prison… and I would have burned it down to get you out.”

Zuko snorted, finding some humor in Iroh’s threat, “Even if you had found me, Uncle…” He adjusted his hand so he was holding Iroh’s hand and he gave it a small squeeze, “There would have been nothing you could have done to get me out… Zhao would have never allowed me to leave with you alive. It would have been you against the entire prison’s guard and Zhao’s soldiers, not to even account for the prisoners who would have probably rioted and tried to kill you too…” Zuko shook his head, “I am grateful that you did not find me.”

The way Zuko placed his uncle’s safety over his escape made Iroh’s heart swell with pride. His nephew seemed to have matured in a few areas since their separation… and Iroh’s eyes welled with tears as he looked at the boy who had been burned but refused to be reduced to ash.

Zuko truly was a Phoenix Prince.

His nephew avoided Iroh’s gaze and he almost missed when he mumbled, “I think it was my destiny to be there…”

Iroh dabbed his eyes with the back of his sleeve before asking, “Why do you think that?”

Zuko looked up at Iroh, “I think I was supposed to be there to save Sokka.”

His heart thumped loudly, it was almost painful, and all Iroh could do was nod and say, “I see.” He had no additional sentiments on that or he feared he would find himself pulled into an argument with Zuko.

The lapse of conversation allowed the tension to lower, and gave Iroh an opportunity to enjoy his evening snack. He picked up one of the frosted-cakes he loved so much and offered one to Zuko.

“You should try one,” Iroh urged him, “they are very delicious. The Earth King recommended them to me.”

Zuko scoffed, “Are you buddies with the Earth King now?”

Iroh chuckled, “King Kuei is a wonderful man, and a gracious ruler. If we are to have a promising future with the Earth Kingdom, it would be wise to have powerful allies… and it does not hurt that he has wonderful taste in snacks!” Iroh smiled and took a bite of his frosted-cake, humming happily.

Zuko looked as if he wanted to comment on something Iroh said, but he never did. Instead, he sat there, staring awkwardly at the man’s hands as he shoved food in his face. After his third bite, Iroh could tell Zuko wasn’t looking at his uncle... Instead, his hazy eyes looked somewhere else, and Iroh wondered what he was thinking right now…

Zuko finally snapped out of his daze, and scowled at Iroh’s frosted-cake.

”Why would you want to eat such a messy food right before bed?”

Iroh chuckled, ignoring his nephew’s hostility over cake, “I enjoy them enough to take the risk.” He smiled warmly before taking another bite.

Zuko rolled his eyes, and straightened his back, “Why did you ask me about Chang earlier? Is everything alright with him?”

”Oh, yes, everything is satisfactory with Chang. He has proven crucial in the war room, and seems to enjoy his living accommodations with the Water Tribe men and his female friend.”

Zuko frowned, “The girl with the dark hair?”

Iroh shook his head, “No, this woman is older, and if I’m not mistaken, I believe her hair is a lighter gray color? Forgive me, I can not recall, I have only seen her once.”

“Oh, you mean, Lyn. That’s Chang’s… uhh, whatever she is.”

“I believe the title is girlfriend,” Iroh teased and Zuko’s cheeks flushed. “Did you meet her when you were in the kitchen as well?”

Zuko’s cheeks flushed, “No - I mean - yes. I was in the kitchen, but I was in Chang’s office when I met her.”

Iroh frowned, he couldn’t help but question why his sexually battered nephew was in that man’s office, and Zuko paused when he noticed the change in demeanor. He must have guessed Iroh’s assumption because he narrowed his eyes, “Chang never laid a hand on me.”

”I did not say that he did,” Iroh’s words sharpened, and Zuko must have felt them slice the air because he huffed angrily.

“He would never hurt me.”

Iroh didn’t want to press the issue, if he did, he might reveal how much Chang had actually hurt Zuko, even if it was unintentional. Iroh wanted to continue avoiding conflict if he could. He loved Zuko, and they had been communicating so well so far, he would rather it not be ruined.

So Iroh reached out further, and was disappointed when Zuko pulled back. There was something festering on his side of the table… and Iroh was not prepared when Zuko’s hostile eyes glared at him.

”Is that what you see when you look at me?” He said through gritted teeth.

Iroh shook his head, breathing calming energy into his body, “I can only see what you show me, I remain blind to everything else.”

Zuko’s glare intensified, “You saw… the scars…” His face was bright red, no longer maintaining eye contact he mumbled, “I know… you know.”

Iroh’s heart was bursting with anguish, the scars taunted him with questions, but he would never utter them.

“I only know what you chose to share with me…” Iroh’s eyes softened, allowing his emotions to lay bare for Zuko. All the pain Iroh felt in his chest for his nephew. The overwhelming sadness he felt for himself because of his inability to protect his son -

His nephew.

Zuko would only recover on his own terms, and the best thing to do for now was continue to smile and be supportive.

“But please know… I am here for you, Zuko. If you ever need to speak about what happened. No matter how bad it is, I will support you, and I will help you work through this.”

Zuko blinked, shifting his eyes up he snorted, “I do not need to work through this… I need everyone to just f*cking drop it.” His eyes darkened, looking past Iroh he spoke quietly, “When people find out… that is all they will see… a f*cking victim… and I am not a victim. It was just that situation… and the more I talk about it… the more it becomes a part of me… like a scar on the inside.”

A sharp pain stabbed into Iroh’s gut as he tried to digest Zuko’s words, “I know what happened is not something I can ever be free from… but people do not have to know.” He reached up and touched the scar on his neck, his trembling fingers snaking their way into his hair and gripping at his skull. He muttered, “I just want to forget it happened… and for people to never find out…”

He glared up at Iroh, “The last thing I want to do is talk about it.”

Iroh didn’t have anything to say to Zuko that would ease his suffering, so he didn’t even try. His nephew was opening the wound and trying to clean it out, and Iroh could not fault him for not wanting people to see it. This was a private pain, one that did not need to be displayed… and in time, Zuko would heal from it.

As Iroh examined his nephew, he could still see the strength and determination in his eyes. Sitting across from him was the boy who would save their nation from the ashes of despair. Zuko would bring a new light to the world as he breathed vitality into the Fire Nation’s smoldering embers. He suffered so much, and absorbed the retribution of their family’s misdeeds, and now he would rise from their ashes and save the world alongside the Avatar.

Proud tears spotted in his eyes, and the urge to grab his nephew’s hand made him reach further out. Zuko ignored him, so Iroh released a small cough - also ignored. So he coughed a little louder in hopes of grabbing his nephew’s attention.

Zuko glared down at the manner Iroh wiggled his fingers, jostling his hand as a hint that he wanted to embrace again. Zuko huffed and rolled his eyes as he compiled, sliding his trembling hand into his uncle’s protective embrace.

Iroh squeezed his hand lovingly, “I will help make certain no one finds out, you have my word.”

Zuko nodded, “Thank you, Uncle.”

He allowed his uncle to hold his hand again, a few seconds longer this time, before he snaked away. The silence in the room was comforting, and that comfort was contagious when Zuko lifted his cup to take a sip of tea. Iroh grinned, feeling like he was connecting with his nephew again, and there was a growing hope that things would improve between them.

It gave Iroh the confidence to bring up a topic that had been brewing in the back of his mind since moving into the palace… Zuko’s relationship to the Southern Water Tribe boy, Sokka. Iroh had his suspicions after witnessing certain actions and accidentally overhearing a private conversation, but he would never discover the truth until he spoke to Zuko about it directly.

Iroh took a deep breath, “So how did you and Sokka meet?

Zuko’s eyes popped open and he shifted around, “Uhhh, remember when we arrived at the Southern Water Tribe, and that one warrior came out to fight me?”

Iroh sighed, “I meant in prison, Zuko.”

“You did not specify!” Zuko snapped. Adjusting his tone he sighed, “I met Sokka in the kitchen - uhh, well, he approached me before that, but we did not speak until we washed dishes together - or, uhh, I washed the dishes, and he dried them.

Zuko’s frown was replaced with a small smile, “Sokka talked... A lot. He talked so much, Uncle, I don’t think I have ever been around someone who spoke that much.”

Iroh could see the light sparking to life in Zuko’s eyes when he talked about Sokka. It caused hesitation to stir in Iroh’s chest, and he reached for his tea.

”I am surprised you conversed with him. You are not one to jump into a conversation.” Iroh took a long sip.

Zuko smirked, “I told you that I did my best to keep away from people… but I could not get away from Sokka. He was always there.” His smirk became a smile and he shook his head, “He was always watching me. In the beginning, I thought it was because when I last saw him, I was still trying to capture the Avatar, and now I was in prison with chains on my wrists. But he never really brought it up, he just talked to me, until one day he said something so ridiculous that I had to correct him, and after that we started to talk… everyday… I guess… that is how it happened.”

”Do you remember what he said that needed to be corrected?”

“Not really… like I said, he talked a lot.”

Iroh smiled, “Is that how you two became… close?”

Zuko shrugged and looked away, sliding his fingers across the table and he spoke slowly, “No… I did like Sokka… I enjoyed his company… but I needed to get out,” There was a desperate rasp in his voice, “and I knew Sokka would have the best chance of accomplishing that… I thought the Avatar would come for him, and I might be able to get out with them… somehow… I was still working on the details. So I put up with him, to hopefully get out of there… I would remind myself we were not friends… just two people using each other to escape…”

His eyes lowered and he looked lost in the memory, “but when the earth benders attacked… I… uhh… I had the perfect opportunity to escape…”

Iroh raised his brow, his heartbeat skipping into a faster pace as he listened to Zuko. His throat was dry, but he dared not reach for the tea, feeling this was an important moment in the story. His nephew’s gold eyes stared down at the table, and his hand stilled as he became further immersed in his thoughts.

”I was thrown from my cabin, but I was unhurt. I played dead and waited for the earth benders to move on. After they left, I saw that their attack had demolished the prison wall… and the outside world was right there…” Zuko exhaled a quiet, humorous hum, “The guards were all either dead or fighting back… I could have left. I almost left…”

He looked up at Iroh, and everything in the man’s chest stilled when Zuko rasped, “But I determined right then that I would never leave Sokka behind… Even with the wall broken, I knew I would gladly go back into the fire for him… and that Sokka meant more to me than I thought… so I went to rescue him… and…” Zuko reached up and touched the scar on his neck, “We escaped together… and have been together ever since.”

Zuko quickly added, “except when I went with the Earth Kingdom men, and I had to leave him with his dad.”

Iroh’s lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen, and his heart had not moved since Zuko announced he willingly stayed in prison for a boy instead of escaping. The more concerning thing was how very Prince Zuko it was… He was a loyal, self-sacrificing boy who just wanted to be loved… and Iroh worried about him because of it.

“I have had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with Chief Hakoda and his men, they seem very fond of you - “ Zuko flushed, and Iroh reached for his tea, “I have not, however, had the pleasure of speaking to Sokka yet. He seems to put in quite a bit of effort avoiding me.”

“He is just like that…” Zuko shrugged, “His mind is all over the place, and he is not always paying attention… He does not mean to disrespect you though.”

“Oh, no, I do not feel disrespected, I am just curious why when I see him I am only able to catch glimpses before he vanishes.”

Zuko looked up at Iroh again, “You have met Sokka… right?”

“Briefly, he jumped through the window during your surgery - “ Zuko’s eyes got wide and he tucked his blushing face, “We also had that dinner together.”

“Oh yeah…” Zuko looked up and groaned, “That dinner.”

Iroh smiled, “Yes, I am sure you remember. It was the dinner where Sokka ruffled your hair and scolded you in front of everyone.”

Zuko’s face was as red as his scar, and Iroh wondered what he would say to this. They were both aware of the implications… and Zuko was not denying that he cared about Sokka on a deeper level, but was he committed to the boy?

This was the question that still needed to be answered.

“Sokka does not realize he did anything out of the ordinary… The Water Tribe people are touchy and affectionate… Sokka is always touching me, even before we, uhh - he is just like that. He does not know, I have not pointed out what it means in the Fire Nation…”

“Explaining it to Sokka would only benefit him if the gesture meant something more to you…” Iroh paused, his chest aching from the beating his heart was giving it. “How important is Sokka to you, Prince Zuko?”

The weight of his title rattled Zuko, and he flinched, but after a breath or two he looked up and locked eyes with Iroh. If Zuko was going to be true to himself, he would need to be true to his entire self.

Iroh had humored him for this long, referring to him as Zuko and allowing him to avoid the truth while he recovered… But Zuko was a prince, and the royal blood of their ancestors flowed through his veins. He was Prince Zuko, the boy who rose from the dead to reclaim his birthright. Iroh would not let him forget who he was, but he would also try to understand and support who Zuko wanted to be…

Iroh did not want to hurt his nephew anymore than he had already been hurt… but this was not child’s play. What Zuko was trying to do by being with Sokka was more serious than a teenage tantrum, this would be a life changing decision. Was he really willing to risk it all for this Water Tribe boy?

Zuko breathed in a shaky breath and maintained eye contact, “Sokka means everything to me.” He said with confidence.

Iroh swallowed his gasp, licking his lips he stared at Zuko, and his nephew stared back with unwavering eyes. There was an awkward silence between them and when Iroh didn’t speak, Zuko tried to fill the uncomfortable silence.

“What I am trying to say… is…” Zuko lightly tapped the table, “even if Sokka had never touched my hair, my commitment to him would be the same. I did not let him cut it because of our traditions, I let him do it because he wanted to, and I care about him.”

Zuko’s eyes were bright, staring intensely at his speechless uncle, “I am sorry Uncle…” He said unapologetically, “but I have abandoned our nation’s traditions… and I have no desire to ever go back. I want to stay with Sokka, and I want to go where he goes…” His eyebrow narrowed, “I… uhh… I love him, Uncle.”

The inside of Iroh’s throat was barren, making it impossible to speak, and difficult to breathe. He was expecting Zuko to possibly admit that he was infatuated with Sokka, or had a school-boy-crush... A normal occurrence for young men. There was even the possibility of a meek confession… but Iroh had never expected Zuko would say he was committed to Sokka and renouncing his ties with the Fire Nation.

This was very unexpected news to Iroh… and after hearing Sokka’s whispered confessions in the empty room, he knew the boy reciprocated Zuko’s feelings. Which could only mean -

“You do not plan on ever returning to the Fire Nation?”

Zuko shook his head no, “I do not.”

There was a long pause, and Zuko dropped his eyes, allowing Iroh to breathe. Every inhale was painful as Iroh tried to process the severity of what Zuko was saying…

”I hope you understand,” Iroh finally spoke, “how concerning it is for me to hear you say you want to give up on what has been your dream since you were a young boy…” A memory of a child Zuko skipped through Iroh’s mind, grabbing his uncle’s arm and laughing as they walked together in the palace. “You always desired to serve your nation… You were so eager… Why have you abandoned your dreams?”

”I do not have dreams anymore, Uncle.” Zuko narrowed his eyes, “only nightmares…” His brow relaxed a bit, “But they are not as bad when I am with Sokka, and I like the way I feel when I am with him. I know he would do anything to protect me, and want to stay with him as long as he will have me.”

Iroh nodded, “Is Sokka not able to go to the Fire Nation?”

Zuko shook his head, “I do not want him there… It’s not safe, and I will not risk his safety.”

Fear had driven Zuko into a corner, and the Water Tribe boy shielded him there, creating a safe space for Zuko where he felt comforted… and now he refused to leave that small, safe place, even if it robbed him of the rest of the world. Iroh was full of conflicting feelings. Lifting his arm off the table, he raised his hands to rub his eyes until black spots vibrated in the darkness.

He heard Zuko whisper, “Are you mad at me?”

Iroh opened his eyes and looked at his nephew again. Setting his hand back on the table, he slid it towards Zuko, “of course not.” He reassured him with a big smile, “I am a little surprised by everything you shared, but I am so delighted you decided to finally tell me.”

Zuko’s jaw tightened and he nodded, “Now what?”

Iroh continued smiling, “I am not sure, this is a first for me. What do you think we should do?”

”Uhh… I don’t know.”

Chuckling, Iroh tapped his chin, “Maybe we start by having me meet Sokka as your… betrothed? Boyfriend? I am not sure what you two are calling yourselves.”

Zuko shook his head no, “I have not discussed anything with Sokka… I uhh… I wanted to speak to you first.”

Iroh wanted to feel comforted by that, but he was stuck feeling apprehensive about some of what Zuko had shared.

“Well…” He licked his lips, “How about you speak to Sokka, and decide what you want to introduce yourselves as, and can decide what to do after the battle.”

Zuko’s brow pulled up, “I have already decided what to do.”

Iroh nodded, “Yes, of course, I know what you shared… but can you really blame an old man for holding hope that his beloved nephew will want to return home one day?” He pouted to emphasize his point, but Zuko was unmoved.

”That place is not my home anymore,” He insisted.

“You are correct, for the past three years the Fire Nation has not been your home, but before that, it was the place you laid your head for many, many years. There have to be some things you miss? You can not tell me you don’t miss fire-flakes.”

Zuko sighed, “I do miss a few things… like the food, and the shadow puppet theater.”

Iroh gasped excitedly, “I have not seen any shadow puppet theaters here in the Earth Kingdom yet, but nephew! Have you seen any of the Earth Kingdom plays?” Zuko shook his head no as he continued, “They have some wonderful renditions of some of the Fire Nation classics. I was surprised how well they pulled off their version of A Serpent's Heart. I think even you might enjoy the production. Although, I know how critical you can be when it comes to theater…” Iroh winked at his nephew, happy to transition them into a more favorable topic.

Zuko scoffed, “Did you seriously stop to watch a play during your travels?”

“The joy of traveling is found in the stops we take along the way, and I will always stop for a good teahouse!”

Zuko rolled his eyes and smirked, “You have not changed…”

”I would argue that I have, but it is likely more subtle compared to the more drastic ways you have changed.”

The comment seemed to strike a nerve, and Zuko got quiet again. Iroh did not want to upset his nephew, so he cleared his throat and shifted his eyes to look at his lonely hand, wiggling his fingers to emphasize its emptiness. His nephew sighed dramatically, but placed his hand in Iroh’s grasp and allowed himself to be held.

Iroh’s eyes slowly began to tingle with tears as he looked at the boy sitting in front of him. Zuko was hurting, and confused, but he was fighting to be alive and live, and Iroh respected that.

”Uncle… uh…” Zuko eventually wiggled his hand free, “I would like to excuse myself if we are done?”

”You want to leave me already?” Iroh protested

”I do not want to leave you, Uncle. I would like to leave the room.”

Iroh sighed, understanding he had used up all of his Zuko-time for the day, and he had to share.

“If you insist on leaving… At least put on another layer of clothing, it can get cooler in the evenings and I know regulating heat right now can be difficult.”

Zuko nodded, “Yes, Uncle.” He paused, “Umm…thank you, Uncle… for, uhhh, not getting angry.”

”I would never be angry at you for having love in your heart for someone… I only worry that he will cherish that love, and treat you the way I know you will treat him.”

Zuko’s bright smile stunned Iroh, “Sokka is very good to me… You will see.”

Painful pressure pushed on Iroh’s chest, but he held on to his positive outlook. He did not want Zuko to leave here feeling unloved or unsupported… He wanted to make sure his nephew felt good about their discussion so he would come back for more.

”I look forward to meeting with him,” Iroh reached for his tea as Zuko stood up.

His nephew turned to give him a respectful deep bow, and muttered his thanks before scurrying out of the room.

Iroh’s eyes stayed on the door even after his nephew was gone; his stare fixed on the spot Zuko was last seen. Iroh’s hand trembled when he reached for his cup again, seeking the warm relief. The pressure on his chest tightened when he swallowed the lukewarm tea.

His grip was loose, and he allowed the heat to flow through his fingers and warm the tea to a bearable temperature. Sometimes, a cup of tea left unattended cooled, and all it needed to make it right was to warm it again…

Iroh sighed, setting down his cup he brought both his hands up and covered his face, and a quiet sob wretched out of him. The tears that had once been mistaken for being happy rolled sadly down his face as he thought of all the tragedy that had befallen his nephew, and how he was too scared to go home.

Zhao’s face made an appearance in Iroh’s mind and he felt the heat flare when he thought of the malicious man branding Zuko and warping his perception of the world. Iroh would never say that loving Sokka was a result of what Zhao did to Zuko, but it was a possibility… and Iroh felt sick at the thought of Zuko not feeling worthy of something more.

He did not know Sokka well enough to say if he was a good fit for Zuko or not, and his nephew was too blinded by his feelings for the boy to judge the relationship rationally… so Iroh needed time to contemplate how he would approach this. Sokka could be a wonderful match for Zuko, but Iroh would be skeptical of any person who held this much influence over his nephew.

His nephew was easily manipulated, and he was loyal… Which could be a dangerous combination.

But the Southern Water Tribe men were good people, and Sokka was the son of the Chief, so Iroh had high hopes for him… He was apparently a very bright young man. Rasu and Jee both liked him, he was a friend of the Avatar, and he survived the horrible prison incident as well… So Iroh was confident he could reason with Sokka, and hopefully convince him to help bring Prince Zuko home…

Iroh would have Jee send the boy an invite, and hopefully he would finally have the opportunity to get to know Sokka better.

“The stars are indeed lovely out here,” Jee tilted his head to look at the sky as Bato watched him. “Without all the light from the castle, they can truly shine.”

Bato shifted his eyes up, “Yeah… The stars are pretty decent out here… but I gotta say,” He exhaled a smile, “nothing beats the view of the night sky when you’re out on the open ocean. When the ocean’s calm and the waves are still…” His smile spread into his cheeks, “It almost feels like you’re sailing straight through the stars…”

Bato had always dreamed of sailing out into the open ocean and finding a spot where the stars touched the water and he could climb off the earth and up into the sky… At least, he’d have a lot of company up there.

Bato had been really lonely for a while… and that loneliness made him a dreamer, and a storyteller… A man who wanted to live among the stars -

Jee’s voice interrupted his thoughts, ”The vastness of the sky can feel intimidating. On a clear night, I often wonder how far I am seeing, and what else is out there, beyond my ability to see... I am confident that I can sail from one end of the ocean to the other, but I could never fathom where the sky ends.”

Bato nodded, “Our tribe believes the sky above our village is filled with our ancestors, and we have stories about how they got there, and what they’re doing now…” He chuckled, “It feels less vast up there when I look at it… and more comforting, like an extension of my home… except…” Bato leaned in and lowered his voice, “I don’t know these people…” He tilted his head up at the sky and Jee cracked a smile.

“Are you saying we are surrounded by strangers?”

Bato leaned out and shrugged, “Aren’t we always surrounded by strangers?”

That seemed to resonate with Jee and he nodded, “At times, yes… It does feel like that…” He smiled down at the ground, “but lately I feel more at ease with my company…”

Bato chuckled, “You feel more at ease as an ex-Fire Nation Lieutenant surrounded by a bunch of Earth Kingdom soldiers and Water Tribe warriors?”

Jee frowned, “Well when you word it so cynically, no, that part is not ideal… but in my residence, Rasu and Zuko are enjoyable lately, and Iroh is much happier now that Zuko is speaking and coming out of his room. All I am saying is the tension is fading and I am happy with the result.”

Bato’s smile spread wide at the mention of his fire bending buddy, Zuko. “Oh good! I’m glad my little buddy is doing better! I’ve got to go see him soon, I miss his scowl.”

Jee rubbed his brow, “Do not refer to Prince Zuko as my little buddy please.”

Bato laughed, “But that’s what he is to me! He’s not my prince, so I’m not going to call him that.”

Jee huffed but didn’t argue, and Bato thought about how happy Sokka had been lately… so it was no surprise Zuko was in a good mood as well. They both seemed to mirror the other’s emotions, and Bato wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not… but when they were both happy it was great!

Jee didn’t say anything else, so Bato decided to change the subject back to the stars, “Do your people have any stories about the stars?”

Jee flushed, “Oh, umm…” He looked up again, and his pace slowed until they paused their stroll. “Depending where you live you will get a different answer. My island has plenty of stories for the different constellations, but they are mostly taught to the children during school. I learned them in class, however I can not recite most of them, but I can hum the tune of a few of them.”

Bato grinned as Jee hummed a quiet melody, his head bobbing subtly as he did it. The reserved man didn’t typically mention his past, neither of them did, honestly… But the way Jee’s eyes twinkled when he mentioned his island made Bato want to know more.

“I don’t know much about the different islands,” He apologized, “but feel free to tell me about where you grew up. I’d love to know more.”

Bato’s heart skipped when Jee smiled wider, “It’s such a small island on the outskirts, we’re mostly referred to by a name that essentially means, cuddle-fish-crab island… because, as I am sure you can guess, our island fishes for cuddle-fish-crabs.”

Bato grinned, “what is a cuddle-fish-crab?”

Jee continued smiling, and Bato felt the urge to pound on his chest so his heart would start beating normally again, damn it.

“It is absurd that you don’t know what a cuddle-fish-crab is,” Jee said somewhat smugly, and Bato scoffed.

Gesturing to himself, he argued, “Born on the other side of the sea, remember? I’d like to hear you name some of our wildlife… I bet you don’t even know what a penguin-otter is!”

“I do, in fact, know what a penguin-otter is… and I could absolutely name quite a few of your local beasts. I made sure to read up on your climate before we set sail there, so I am quite familiar with your homeland.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot you sieged my village… “ There was a hint of animosity in Bato’s voice that he couldn’t help. It was a sore spot for him.

”Prince Zuko sieged your village.” Jee made sure to correct him, “I was merely following orders.”

Bato nodded, “Oh yes, I see, blame the traumatized teenager. Very honorable of you.”

Jee narrowed his eyes, “I think you are teasing me, so I am going to make it a point to ignore you… Instead, I will continue educating you on what a cuddle-fish-crab is.”

That was probably a good idea, and Bato didn’t interrupt him when he cleared his throat, “A cuddle-fish-crab is a local fish to my island. Yes, they are edible, but one only yields a small amount of meat, and they are a pain to catch. So they were considered more of a nuisance than a food source.”

Bato scoffed, “Anything edible is a good food source.”

Jee narrowed his brow just a hair, “I do agree… Wasting resources is not something my nation condones. However, cuddle-fish-crabs swim in large schools, and when startled, they anchor themselves on the rocks below and you have to chip them off with a sharp tool. Once you detached one you had to quickly put it in a dark sack or it would trash around and its jagged legs could cut you without the proper protection.”

Jee tried to sound annoyed, but there was a genuine fondness in his voice as he spoke about the fish, and Bato liked the way his face lifted again when he talked about his island.

Jee paused long enough for Bato to slide in and add, “Your cuddle-fish-crabs sound similar to our local sea prunes. They don’t move around much, but they attach themselves on the rocks in the shallows and we harvest them from there. We can only dive for them in the summer when the ice clears, and you need a sharp tool to pry them off the rocks.”

”Oh, I see, do you eat them?”

Bato laughed, “Oh yeah! I make the best stewed sea-prunes in the village! I will make you a batch sometime.”

Jee nodded, “They sound… interesting, but I will try anything once.” He glanced away when he said that and Bato raised his brow.

“For generations,” Jee spoke again, “our village tried to ignore the cuddle-fish-crabs. Our people would travel further out to sea to fish to avoid them because they would get caught in the nets, thrash, and shred them. This changed when the capital decided that cuddle-fish-crab meat was a delicacy and started a demand. Everyone wanted to taste the sweetness of the cuddle-fish-crab, and our island had one of the biggest populations.”

Jee’s smile brightened, “Our small village was suddenly a big deal, and our people ended up teaching themselves more effective ways to fish for them. It did not take long for the island to establish a very lucrative fishing industry, so our village began to thrive. Even during times of war, we served our small purpose. This kept any large factories or farms from being built on our island… So we were able to preserve the island’s natural beauty…” He sighed, “It is a beautiful island, dare I say the most beautiful in all the nations…”

Jee’s voice faded into a hum and Bato chuckled, nudging him with his elbow, “So you’re a cuddle-fish-crab fisherman, huh?”

Jee shook his head in protest, “I am not. Not even close… I refuse to get in the water - ”

“You refuse to, what?!” Bato was confused, “Wait, you’re from a small fishing island and you don’t swim? What kind of sh*t is that, Jee?”

Jee scrunched up his forehead, “If you insist on knowing… I am scared of the sea.”

“But you were a Lieutenant in the Fire Nation’s navy… How does that even work?”

“I can be on the ocean, and I can get in the water if I have to… but I prefer not to.”

”Is there a reason for that?”

Jee sighed a defeated sound, “Yes…”

When he didn’t elaborate, Bato gave him a look and Jee frowned, “Fine…” He said, clearly annoyed, “Growing up, the local kids would always go out and try to fish for cuddle-fish-crabs. If we managed to get a sack full we could sell them to the local vendors for a silver piece.”

Jee’s smile returned, “It was fun, and aside from hiking, swimming, and palm-tree-racing, there was not much to do on our island… so my - “ His breath hitched, and he swallowed, “My closest friend and I would take his small boat out to our secret spot we liked to fish… Do you recall when I told you the cuddle-fish-crabs would thrash?”

Bato nodded and Jee continued, “Well, without protective gloves, even the smallest cuts would bleed… and as kids we didn’t bother with things like gloves, or proper tools… We tried our best not to get sliced and used broken clam shells to try and pry them off the rocks…” Jee rubbed his brow, still smiling, “looking back, I see how wildly irresponsible we were, but at the time it seemed like harmless fun.”

Jee sighed, his grouchiness returning, “But tiger-sharks hunt for cuddle-fish-crabs in the shallows. Their razor-sharp claws are perfect for ripping them off the rocks and slicing them open. As I am sure you can guess, it was pretty dangerous fishing in the shallow water for their favorite snack, and even worse if you got blood in the water…”

Bato’s heart started to pitter-patter faster when he began to guess where this story was headed…

”It’s the person on the boat’s job to watch for fins… and my friend was a much better swimmer than I was…so I uhh…” Jee reached up and ran his hand through his short hair, “I was supposed to keep watch, but I was distracted, and I didn’t see the fin… My negligence allowed a tiger-shark to attack my best friend.”

Bato gasped, “Did it eat him?”

Jee shook his head, “No, thankfully, my friend is an amazing fire bender, and he was able to fight off the tiger-shark. I somehow managed to drag him onto the boat and he closed his own wound as I rowed us back to shore. He didn’t die, but he did get a really bad infection from the bacteria in the shark’s teeth combined with the cauterization…” Jee huffed, “It was not good… but he did recover, and it never slowed him down… My friend got right back in the water,” Jee chuckled, “but I was traumatized. I never wanted to get back in the water again… and it took a lot of convincing to get me back in that boat. I have a deep respect for the sea, but she frightens me.”

Bato laughed, “La is a powerful spirit, and as flexible and forgiving as she is, she is also ruthless and vengeful.”

Jee snorted, “I heard what happened in the Northern Water Tribe… I added it as yet another reason I will not be getting into the ocean.”

Bato laughed, “Well, thanks for telling me your traumatizing cuddle-crab-fish story.” He smiled at Jee, “I will make sure I never ask you to watch my back when I go swimming - “

Bato laughed louder when Jee sighed dramatically, “I still feel guilty! He forgave me so easily… I should have been punished for putting his life in danger like that… He was left with a big scar, I felt terrible.”

”Oh, please,” Bato reached over and gripped Jee’s shoulder, “Not everything has to end in corporal punishment.” He gave the tense man’s shoulder a small squeeze, “You can make a mistake and be forgiven, it really can be that easy.”

“You make everything sound so easy,” Jee mumbled.

”I try not to let the complications of life get me too mixed up on the inside… I know I can’t control much, but I can at least try to control how I feel inside…” Which was a stupid thing for Bato to hear himself say. His complicated sentiments towards Hakoda made his insides a mess.

”I could have controlled what happened. I was too busy playing my pipa to notice the damn shark.”

“You play the pipa?!” Bato removed his hand in excitement.

Jee shook his head, “Enough about me. Tell me about you and your home. How did you grow up to be like this?”

Bato smiled, “Not letting my friends get eaten by sharks, that’s for sure!”

Jee frowned and kicked the ground, “I should have never told you that…”

”But you did,” Bato chuckled as they started walking again, “and now I have to tease you about it, I’m sorry.”

Jee muttered something else but Bato ignored him and looked up at the stars with a grin, “I grew up in a small village in the Southern Water Tribe… You know that already…. It’s cold, but there’s a beauty there that no other place’s got. Plus, I enjoy all the ice and snow, and during the summer for a brief time, the tundra transforms into a lush, colorful place that’s perfect for hunting.”

“Do you enjoy hunting?”

Bato nodded, “Yeah, of course. It’s part of who I am… I am as much a hunter as I am a warrior. Having the ability to provide for my village is a gift, and I use that gift to give food to my people…” He sighed, “My mother died when I was young enough to forget her face. So I was raised by my father until I proved to be too much for him to handle, and then I went and lived with Hakoda and his mother… and they became my family.”

The warmth from inside that igloo stayed with Bato always. It comforted him when he felt lonely, and kept him from losing hope when the nights were long and cold. He lived for the love that was shown to him in that home, and he wouldn’t be the man he was today if Kana hadn’t taken him in.

Damn it, he missed that woman.

“So… His mother became your mother…” Jee interjected when Bato paused to reminisce, “so Hakoda is like a brother to you?”

Brother… Ha, that was one way to look at it, and Jee wasn’t wrong. Bato’s love for Hakoda was as strong as the love for a brother, and they were closer than most of the brothers Bato knew… but it was different with Hakoda.

“Hakoda is like a brother… a best friend, sometimes even a wife,” He chuckled when Jee looked confused. “I told you how after Hakoda’s wife died, and that I helped raise his kids. They were still so young, and Katara was an emotional water bender, and Sokka… Well, Sokka was struggling to deal with his mom’s death… He was really close to his mom, and he didn’t handle her death well...”

Bato hated remembering Sokka’s denial… His tiny fists pounding into his dad’s coat as he screamed that she couldn’t be dead… He wanted to see her… He demanded to see her… It was gut-wrenching to think about, and Bato wished he could forget that day forever.

”I remember you telling me,” Jee said softly.

Bato exhaled loudly, pushing the thoughts of a younger Sokka and Katara sobbing for their dead mother out of his mind.

“It was difficult for everyone after Kya’s death… So I helped Hakoda, and even though I could never replace Kya… I think having me around helped keep some normalcy for the kids… So that’s why I playfully call him my wife sometimes.”

”Hakoda is a very lucky man to have you around. Most friends would not take on such a burden.”

Bato’s face was suddenly very flushed, and he laughed off Jee’s compliment.

“Yeah, yeah, I know…” He abruptly had the urge to change the subject, “You mentioned a best friend growing up. Would you say you two were like brothers?”

The whites in Jee’s eyes became more visible when he stuttered, “I… uhh, I suppose…”

Jee didn’t elaborate so Bato spun his hand in a little circle, urging him on. “Are you going to tell me about him?”

He seemed to mull over the idea for a second before nodding, “He lived on my island, on the other side of the mountain. If you had a map, it would read that it’s the same village… but the locals would argue that they are two distinctly different places. My friend and I met by chance. He was playing with some of the kids from his side of the mountain, and I was trying to take a nap in the shade on the beach.”

”One of his friends kicked sand on my pipa, and I got upset and challenged him to a duel that he accepted. At that age the damage we could inflict was minimal, and I was never much of a fighter so I easily lost. My friend felt bad for me, but he liked my spirit, and we started meeting at the shore every day to train…” Jee’s eyes came to life again, and Bato could tell there were likely some deeper emotions there.

”We grew up together, attended school together, trained together, even during the holidays we would take turns at each other’s homes… He made my childhood something I cherish… So yeah, like brothers…”

An ache started forming in his chest when Bato pictured himself and Koda as kids. They played all day until the sun began to set… They learned about everything together, so many memories... Jee was right, a friend could truly make life worth living.

“What happened to him?” Bato asked… He felt like something had happened between them to make Jee look so conflicted when he talked about him.

“The Fire Nation military came for him…” He sighed heavily, “I believe I told you my friend was an exceptionally skilled fire bender? So he was recruited by the military before he was of age. Scouts visited the outer islands annually to look for promising benders… and my friend was as promising as they came. He was only fourteen when they took him, and I did not see him again until much, much later…”

Bato was past the point of curious… He was fully invested in Jee’s story. ”What happened when you saw him again?”

Jee looked up at him and chuckled, “It was like we were never apart… Older, yes, but our friendship picked up like we were still a couple of kids. We hung out and caught up between duties… He was higher ranked than I was, but with his influence I was quickly promoted...”

Jee’s eyes dropped and he shook his head, “I began making a name for myself… Which would excite most people… but…” His voice softened, “I had never entertained the notion of serving a long military career… I always deplored the war… But I must admit how easy it was to get caught up in the routine of a military life, and the constant company of your comrades...”

Jee scoffed, picking up his annoyed tone again, “Not that it matters, even if I had contemplated staying, I made a mistake, and I was demoted and removed from my friend’s ship…”

”What did you do?” Bato couldn’t believe he just asked that, but how could he not? Jee was revealing such an interesting story!

“That is another story for another day - “

”NO!” Bato shouted, earning a head turn from a couple passing by.

Jee looked embarrassed by Bato’s outburst, setting his hand on Bato’s arm to hush him. The heat from Jee’s hand reached under Bato’s skin and sent a tingle down his thighs. The other man must have also felt something because he quickly removed his touch.

”Shhh, you do not need to shout,” He hushed Bato.

”Yes I did. It’s torture that you won’t tell me what happened, and people usually shout when they’re being tortured. Listen… I’ll tell you something embarrassing I did if you tell me what happened.”

”It is not embarrassing…” Jee began to defend himself, “It is… shameful… and I have never told anyone before, so I would not know how to even speak of it…”

…Oh. Bato realized this was a lot less of a joke than he originally thought… Whatever happened was something that had seriously affected Jee, and Bato determined he should probably stop teasing the sensitive man. It wasn’t difficult to tell that Jee acted tough, but he wasn’t as strong as he pretended to be… something Bato could relate to.

Bato’s smile loosened, and his laughter faded as he studied the tense man next to him. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he tried reassuring Jee.

“I am aware…” Jee looked concentrated, “but I will give it some thought, and I will let you know if I decide I want to share that painful moment with you…”

Bato placed a heavy hand on Jee’s shoulder again, “If you share your pain with me, I’ll share my pain with you. It’s only fair.”

“I will need time to decide if I want to open that wound again…”

Bato shrugged, “No pressure. As curious as I am… I can respect a man’s need to keep his secrets.”

Jee nodded, and Bato swiftly changed the subject, “Are you hungry yet?”

”I could eat something.”

The soft glow from the lanterns against the dark sky gave the marketplace a different ambiance at night. Even though a lot of the shops had closed for the evening, the market was still bustling with nightlife. Music played as people enjoyed themselves eating, drinking, and f*cking the night away.

Bato knew where he wanted to take Jee to eat… but he wasn’t exactly sure where it was… Bato could track a winter mouse-hare in a snowstorm, but he got turned around in a damn Earth Kingdom market.

Luckily for him, they only wandered in a circle once before Bato recalled where the noodle shop was. His fellow warriors raved about this place, and he had been itching to try it. Apparently, they liked to eat their fill of noodles before visiting the local brothels… Not that Bato would be doing the same.

The noodle shop was nothing fancy, but it smelled amazing. They each ordered a meal, and Jee insisted on paying, which Bato allowed because he had paid the last time they went out. As soon as the woman handed Jee his noodle dish, Bato’s eyes started watering when he got a whiff of the ultra-spicy-noodles he had ordered. He watched in horror as Jee took a bite without as much as flinching.

“It is very good, thank you for escorting me,” He said after chewing.

“Is it spicy enough for you?” Bato had to ask.

”It could be hotter,” Jee responded before taking another bite.

Bato laughed, “I don’t know how you can eat your noodles so spicy. My eyes need a drink of water just watching you eat that.” Jee couldn’t respond with his mouth full of noodles so Bato kept talking. “My men go crazy for this place. And I’ve been meaning to get down here to try it. So I’m happy you agreed to join me!”

”Thank you for the invite.”

They continued exchanging small-talk, finding a spot to sit together as they finished their meals. The night wasn’t too late, so they decided to continue strolling before heading back to the compound. The marketplace was still full of life, and Bato was happy to stay awake to enjoy it.

Both men turned when a woman called out to them, her soft voice hidden behind a fan. She made a gesture for them to come her way, but Jee politely declined before looking up at Bato and becoming adorably awkward -

“Unless… uhh… you wanted to?” He quickly added, “I would not pass judgment if you did want to - ”

Bato burst into laughter, spitting into the air he was laughing so hard. Jee snapped his mouth closed with a frown and the woman became visibly angry. She probably assumed Bato was laughing at her, which was fair - but before he even had a chance to think of explaining himself, she huffed, fanned her face angrily, and turned to stomp back into the brothel.

Jee’s cheeks flushed all the way down his neck, obviously embarrassed, and Bato sighed.

”Oh, come on, Jee!” Bato pushed his long hair behind his shoulders, still chuckling, “You honestly think I would invite you out to eat with me and take a walk just so I could ditch you for the first woman who offers me her services?” He slung his arm around Jee’s shoulders and leaned down, “I’m enjoying your company very much… I’m not interested in anyone else's services, alright?” He leaned back, deciding to add, “Not that I would be interested in anything she was offering anyway…”

The heat that suddenly radiated off of Jee was impressive, and Bato wondered if he could slap some meat on his skin and grill it.

Jee nodded slowly, “I see… So you are not… interested in prostitutes.”

Bato rolled his eyes, deciding to change the subject so he didn’t have to spell out his sexuality for Jee. It wasn’t like he was being that subtle… He was confident the other man could figure it out.

“Are you excited for your special fire bending training assignment?” He said with a sly smirk.

Jee groaned, and Bato knew this topic was an easy distraction.

“What day is that again?” He asked begrudgingly.

”I have no idea… I’d have to consult Hakoda and his damn schedule. He practically sleeps with that thing, and I usually just follow his lead on things… I’ll check tonight and let you know tomorrow.”

“Do not worry yourself, I have a copy of the schedule at home. I know it’s this week with you and Colonel Quon - “

Bato groaned LOUDLY, “Please don’t say his name… We’re having such a nice evening, we don’t need to mention him.” The colonel’s smug face flashed through Bato’s mind and he grumbled, “I have never wanted to hit someone more than I want to hit him.”

Jee smirked, “Aw, why? He seems so eager to play nice with you… He is always trying to talk to you, and he is always standing near you… The man even endorsed you to assist him with training; quite an honor.”

Bato couldn’t tell if Jee was trying to insinuate something but he was definitely way off. Colonel Quon was the worst person ever, and if Bato was lucky, this would be a one time thing and he’d never have to step in the arena with him again.

“Oh, yay for me,” Bato spat out sarcastically, “He spends years treating me and my men like polar-dog-sh*t, but as soon as the Council of Five is watching, Quon magically starts trying to act like a decent human. I know what’s behind that mask he wears, and I don’t like it. I wish he didn’t know my name so he couldn’t have endorsed me.”

”I know you dislike him,” Jee sighed, and Bato scowled at him, “but it is logical for you to establish good communication with Colonel Quon. As far as I am aware, your squad will be stationed within close proximity of his quartdrent, so it would be useful for you to have a decent relationship with him - “

“Jee! Don’t you ever say that Quon and I will have a relationship! Just hearing that makes me want to throw myself onto the closest speartip.”

“With a city this large, if good communication isn’t there we could easily miss opportunities and lose control. If you are avoiding Quon on the battlefield for petty reasons it could be the difference between life and death.”

Bato noticed the way Jee’s eyes focused on the burn scar covering his arm, and the Water Tribe man responded by grunting and looking away, allowing the silence to settle between them.

“You’ll get to know him soon enough,” Bato eventually breathed out. A sharpness poked at his emotional spot when he thought about Quon taking Zuko from them, and how much that had hurt Sokka… and how it nearly killed Zuko. Bato wouldn’t forgive Quon for what he did to those boys; to his f*cking family.

He laughed off his frustration, refusing to let Quon ruin his evening.

“You’ll be out there in that arena with us soon enough, and then you can see for yourself. It’s probably a good thing I’ll be there too, that way I can make sure no one smashes you with a rock. I’d hate to see you splattered across the arena.”

Jee frowned, “Why are you always so morbid? And I was under the impression that we were only going to focus on basic defenses? The goal is for you and Colonel Quon to coordinate a solid defense against fire bending attacks for both benders and nonbenders… No rock hurtling needed.”

Bato shrugged, “For your sake, I hope not…”

Jee expressed further concern until Bato reminded him that he was an asset to their cause, and it would be stupid to kill him. Not to mention pissing off the Dragon of the West and his feral nephew. Not to even mention pissing off the Water Tribe warriors, and the Avatar, so really, Jee didn’t have anything to worry about… but he still looked concerned.

They continued talking; wandering around until they were forced to make the reluctant decision to head back towards the compound. Neither of them wanted the night to end, but it was getting late, and they both expected a long day tomorrow.

On the way back, Jee’s usual tenseness gradually grew, causing Bato to feel a bit concerned. Jee kept pausing every so often, looking like he wanted to say something, but then proceeded walking again… He got oddly quiet as they got closer to leaving the market, and suddenly he stopped short and said rather loudly, “I have something to give to you.”

“Why do you say it like you’re about to murder me?”

Jee blinked, “If I was going to murder you, I surely wouldn’t do it with all these witnesses around…”

“You know…” Bato grinned and Jee crossed his arms, looking annoyed. “If you were secretly planning to murder me, the smart thing to do would be to wait until we were in battle… You could kill me when I would least expect it! No one would know it was you, it would be perfect.”

Jee stared at him, one of his eyebrows slowly lifting, “Why are you advising me on how to kill you?”

Bato shrugged, “You seem like you’d be bad at it.”

Jee shook his head, “No wonder Zuko likes you so much, you have such a theatrical personality.”

Bato smiled, “Aww, did Zuko say he likes me so much?”

“No… but he tried to defend your honor. He wanted to make sure I didn’t defile you.”

“Well, he knows I’m a classy lady, afterall - “

”Enough!” Jee hushed him. “I do not want to get distracted by any more of your nonsense.”

“Fair enough…” Bato smiled at him. There was an awkward pause before he cleared his throat and asked, “So… you wanted to give me something?”

His heart started to act up again as Jee flushed a bright red color. His chest had reacted to Jee a few times tonight, but it wasn’t something he paid much attention to… Nothing made it beat as erratically as -

A sudden overwhelming fear washed over him, was Jee going to try and make a move on him right now?

That would be so uncomfortable if that were to happen… Not that Bato was opposed to the idea of kissing Jee… It was just… complicated. There were a lot of emotions to unpack there, and Bato hadn’t given it as much thought as he probably should have. His idiotic self had gotten Jee emotionally involved in something that Bato wasn’t sure he even wanted…

f*ck, no wonder Sokka was such an idiot sometimes… He was partially raised by one.

Jee looked up at him with determination in his dark eyes, ”You gifted me the bottle of fire-whisky and I felt it was appropriate to give you a gift in return - “

Bato laughed nervously, “You didn’t have to do that!”

“I did have to do it, but that is beside the point…” Jee reached into some hidden compartment inside his tunic and pulled out a neatly folded leather pouch and handed it to Bato.

“Here. This is for you… It is a thank you gift. For the gift you gave to me.”

Bato frowned, and his annoying heart decided to pump a little stronger and a lot faster as he looked down at the stubborn Fire Nation man’s extended hand.

“Jee… I really don’t think you needed to get me a gift… It was just a stupid bottle of booze.”

Jee shrugged and glanced away, “It meant something to me. So I wanted to reciprocate the gesture.” He jabbed the pouch forward and Bato’s unsteady hand took it from him.

His heartbeat had crawled into his ears at this point, and as he unwrapped the leather, he saw the gleam of metal. A sudden lump lodged itself in his throat, making it impossible to swallow. As Bato unwrapped the large knife, his hands started to shake as he inspected the beautifully crafted blade… It was one of the nicest knives Bato had ever held, much nicer than the sh*t he had strapped to his leg right now.

It was… such a thoughtful gift… and as Bato inspected the blade, he noticed the engraving.

He licked his lips, “You had it engraved?”

”It was complementary.”

Bato smiled, “This…uhh…” He tried to force the lump down his throat but it was stuck, “I… ha…”

Tears started to poke at the back of his eyes and Bato felt stupid for getting so worked up over a knife… but it was just such a nice thing for Jee to do… Bato didn’t understand why he would do something like this for him, or how he even knew what Bato liked -

“I asked Sokka for help,” Jee admitted, “He and Zuko assisted me in picking it out… I hope you like it. If you don’t, I can always go back and find you something different.”

Bato laughed, his vision blurring as he stared down at the weapon… Not only did Jee go out and look for something for him, but he asked two of his favorite people to help him do it… Bato could just imagine them all huddled around the different selections of knives, arguing over which one he’d like the best…

Ha, he could almost hear Sokka bickering with Zuko about it… Damn it, Bato kind of wished he had been there… The idea of spending the day with the three of them made his heart smile. He never thought he would want to spend the day with two Fire Nation guys, but here he was wishing he had been there with them when they selected the knife.

This perfect knife. A gesture that was so kind… One of the kindest things anyone had ever done for him…

When Bato finally had the courage to look back at Jee he smiled, “I love it, Jee… I - uh, thank you.”

Jee nodded stiffly, “Yes, good. I am glad you like it.” He was trying so hard to hide his smile, but Bato could see the happiness peeking through.

There were so many mixed emotions racing through him right now he couldn’t keep anything straight. His mind was twisted around his chest, focusing only on his pounding heart and the desperate need to show Jee his gratitude… but he didn’t know how?

Damn it, Bato kind of wished Jee had just done something stupid like try to kiss him. At least he could have just laughed it off… This was so much worse… and now Bato had no idea where this was going… but he knew he liked Jee, and that made everything feel really complicated.

“WOAH!” Sokka coughed, fanning the smoke out of his face, “That was almost too much!”

He winced at the crater in the stone left behind from the small explosive. Realizing just how close it was to having been his foot instead, Sokka took a tentative step back…

Oh sh*t, he had to be more careful… ugh… the Rough Rhinos had made using explosives look so easy! Sokka, unfortunately, was finding out that wielding bombs was a lot more complicated than he originally thought… Not to mention the ringing in his ears was starting to give him a headache.

”You’re the one who insists on blowing things up!” Toph lowered her stone barrier and crossed her arms, “Does Katara know what you’re up to? This seems like something she would strongly disapprove of.”

Sokka gave her a stupid look, “no… and she’s not going to find out, right?”

The little earth bender scoffed, “I ain’t no snitch.”

”Good! Now metal bend me another one, I’m going to use less blasting jelly this time.”

”Please.”

Sokka rolled his eyes, “please.”

”Please, Toph the greatest earth bender in the world.”

”Ugh! Just do it, Toph!”

“You’re so bossy! I can’t believe Zuko puts up with you… Isn’t the prince supposed to be the bossy one?”

One of Sokka’s eyes twitched. He was about this close to repeatedly smash his face into the stone until he blacked out. Although Toph was being really f*cking helpful, it came with a lot of attitude… Sokka had forgotten how bratty teenage girls could be…

Ugh… Speaking of bratty teenage girls; Katara’s disapproving face popped into his mind… Toph was right, if his sister knew that he was creating various explosives and planning to use them in battle, she would definitely try to put a stop to it.

That wasn’t the only reason he needed to hurry up and get this over with before Katara came home…. After the trip to the market, she had been giving him the cold shoulder, and Sokka knew it was only a matter of time before she confronted him…

He knew Katara had figured out about him and Zuko, and there was no f*cking way Sokka would be able to lie his way out of it this time… There would be no deflecting his sister’s questions, not that he’d want to do that, it was just… ugh… f*cking complicated -

“You ok?” Toph waved a hand in front of his face and Sokka blinked, startled.

”Oh sh*t, yeah, sorry. I was thinking about something…”

Toph scoffed, “Like how you almost blew off your foot?”

Sokka glared at her, “No! But that was pretty close, wasn’t it?”

“Really f*cking close.”

”I told you not to say that! Once you start making that a habit, it’s hard to break…” He mumbled, “Trust me, I’m working on saying it less.”

”Saying what less?”

”f*ck - “

Toph giggled and Sokka rolled his eyes, “More metal bending, less joking.”

Toph made another small canister for him and he scooped the blasting-jelly inside; putting the wick in place, he handed it back to Toph to close up for him. They had a pretty good system going, but the more Sokka played around with the measurements, the more unsure he became about the whole idea…

He really didn’t want to blow himself up…

Toph handed back the bomb and he placed it in their designated blow up area. This time he used the lighty-liquid like he was supposed to, drizzling a small trail back to where Toph had built him a safe zone. Setting down his canister, he grabbed his spark rocks.

This would be much easier to light with his adorable fire bender and his magic fire fingers, but these stupid rocks would do for now.

He clicked them together, and the spark set the liquid ablaze, following the path back to the bomb, Sokka stuck his fingers in his ears just before it exploded.

Emerging, he cheered, “Now that’s how it's done!”

“Wohoo!” Toph shouted, “I still think it’s a bad idea!”

Sokka ignored her and wrote down a few more notes in his notebook. The longer wick gave him more time, and less powder made the explosion much smaller. Sokka smiled down at his notes, he was collecting a lot of data, and even if he didn’t utilize it all during this battle, it was still good info to have. Sokka loved sh*t like this, and the distraction of his experiments made the day go by faster. If he was left alone with his thoughts for too long they got really depressing really fast… So distractions were needed!

Sokka wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced up for the first time in hours. “Oh sh*t, where’d the f*cking sun go?”

Toph shrugged, “It looks about the same to me as it did the last time I checked.”

Sokka slapped his forehead, “You’re not funny, Toph! I can’t believe it’s almost f*cking dusk already! We spent way too long playing around with these explosives! I didn’t even get to show you the plans I have for Appa’s armor!”

Toph shrugged, “There’s always tomorrow.”

”Yeah… but how many tomorrows do we have left until the Fire Nation arrives?”

“I don’t know… I’m also not invited to the war meetings. I assume they’re just going to tell me where to stand and what to aim at.”

Sokka sighed as he collected his things. “I wasn’t really asking you to give me an answer…”

“Does it still bother you that you aren’t invited?” She asked.

”Not really - “

”Liar.”

”Ugh! Don’t do that to me! You promised.”

Toph shrugged, “oops, sorry.”

”As I was saying,” Sokka shoved his water canteen into his bag aggressively, “It bothered me at first… but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I don’t want to be stuck in a room with a bunch of old general guys making stupid f*cking decisions and pissing me off. It’s better if I focus on what I can control…” He looked down at his hands. “Nothing they say in there is going to change anything anyway…. The only thing that matters is what happens on the battlefield…”

His face scrunched up when his mind taunted him with recollections of burning buildings and people screaming for help… His own helplessness, all the emotions he experienced as he was forced to sit there, pressed up against that metal man, listening to what happened when the Rough Rhinos raided that village and everyone was massacred…

Even if the villagers had a plan, they died so fast they never had a chance to implement it.

Sokka had been thinking about the Rough Rhinos a lot lately… Maybe it was all the research and experiments he was doing with different weaponry… or maybe it was the approaching Fire Nation army -

“You ok?” Toph sounded concerned, with no sarcasm detected.

Sokka nodded, “Yeah… just… sorry…”

Toph tilted her head down so her bangs covered her eyes, “I noticed that you drift off sometimes… Is that because of what happened to you?”

Sokka sighed, ”Yeah… I mean, I’ve always had a wild imagination, but after going to prison… My mind has the ability to take hold of me now, and sometimes it doesn’t let go until I feel like I can’t breathe…” His chest stirred thinking about how it felt to be trapped in his own mind when the darkness grabbed him and wouldn’t let go…

”I noticed your heart starts beating really fast… like right now.”

Sokka inhaled a deep breath, “Unfortunately, I’m usually thinking about not-so-great stuff… sorry if it worries you.”

“It did when I first met you, but I’m used to it now.”

“Good, I’m glad…” Sokka didn't really know what else to say, so he made his exit.

“Welp, I’m going to go hide my explosives, and then I'll wash up for dinner,” He slung his bag over his shoulder and picked up his satchel of supplies.

“Catch ya later,” Toph waved him off before she started bending the courtyard back to normal.

Sokka went back to his room and unpacked his stuff, flipping through one of the books, he marked a page he wanted to come back to later before going to wash up. He splashed some cool water on his face and neck, breathing deeply, he tried to smother the jittery feelings left behind from earlier. Any time he thought about the Rough Rhinos he got that sinking feeling that made him feel like he swallowed a rock.

No matter how much time passed, it was still so easy to get pulled into a panic whenever he lowered his guard. Sokka hated having to constantly battle the risk that came with being happy… As soon as he felt relaxed and content, he was swiftly reminded that he would never be free from what happened to him… Ugh, he f*cking hated it.

Dinner didn’t improve his mood at all, Katara and Aang showed up late, so Toph and Sokka were almost finished eating before they arrived. They hadn’t wanted to start eating without them, but there was an established thirty-minute rule for this reason. If one of them was over thirty minutes late they could start eating without them… and Katara and Aang were way later than that.

Aang apologized and heated up his and Katara’s food before going into a long rant about one of his history teachers, and how he had to correct a bunch of misinformation they had about the Air Nomads. Sokka helped rile him because how dare they upset Aang! If he was pissed, Sokka was pissed too!

Katara had to eventually tell them to drop it when Toph started making plans to break into the palace library.

Throughout dinner, his sister ignored him profusely; even though Sokka asked her to hand him multiple things he didn’t need from her side of the table, she still refused to make eye contact. Damn it, this was like the Suki situation all over again…

Katara only looked his way when he excused himself from the table and snuck off to his room. He promised himself he would talk to her tomorrow… Tonight, he needed to write down a few more things before -

“f*ck!”

“Everything alright, Sokka?” Katara called out mockingly.

”Y-yeah! Sorry, stubbed my toe on something stupid!” He shoved Zuko back and shut the door. ”Why are you standing in the damn doorway?!” He whisper-shouted at his friend.

”Why aren’t you watching where you’re walking?” Zuko growled back.

”Why are you here so early?”

He shrugged, “No earlier than usual.”

“Huh…” Sokka rubbed his eyes, damn today was going by fast…

“I must have lost track of time while I was training with Toph, and then Aang and Katara got home so f*cking late and we got caught up in conversation… I guess I didn’t realize how late it got.”

Zuko didn’t act like he was paying any attention to what Sokka was saying at all, which typically would have annoyed him, but there was a look in his golden gaze, accompanied by the slightest smile. Zuko looked mischievous, and Sokka’s heart leapt into his throat when his fire bender stepped closer. His body squirmed happily when Zuko gently took a hold of him and pulled him close.

“I told him,” Zuko’s slight grin lifted into a big smile, “I told him everything…”

All brain activity momentarily paused, and Sokka’s expression shifted into more of a confused gape as he started to slowly digest Zuko’s words. When he realized what his fire bender had just said, a feeling similar to hatching spider-eggs started festering in his gut. It tickled his tummy and caused him to laugh.

Did Zuko really just say what Sokka thought he said?

“W-what?” Sokka asked for clarity.

Zuko nodded, “My Uncle… I told him everything - “

”EVERYTHING!?” Sokka shouted before covering his mouth when more laughter crawled out.

Zuko nodded harder, his smile spreading to show his teeth, “I did. I told him that I loved you, and that I no longer wanted to live in the Fire Nation, and that I was renouncing my title - “

”Y-you… what!?”

Zuko’s voice rose slightly with excitement, something Sokka only heard from him a few times. “And he did not react angry at all! He did not do anything!” Zuko’s grip tightened, his bright eyes so full of so much excitement it took Sokka’s breath away.

”He did not forbid it - “

”Forbid it?” Sokka frowned, “Why would he forbid it?”

Zuko scowled, releasing his grip, “We are two men? Why would he not forbid it?”

Sokka scoffed, “Your uncle can’t tell us that we can’t be together… Who does he think he is?”

Zuko’s one eyebrow rose with an attitude, “He is my Uncle, he could very well have forbidden it. He could threatened to disown me, or there is the possibility of me being arrested - “

”ARRESTED!?” Sokka shook his head, “No way! Your uncle isn’t the typical Fire Nation evil… He wouldn’t do that to you, he loves you too much.”

Zuko glanced away, “I thought that because I was with you, he would not love me anymore… When he looked at me…” Zuko’s hand instinctively touched the bottom of the scar on his neck, “I thought he would only feel disappointment and shame…”

Sokka sighed and closed the tiny gap between them; grabbing Zuko’s loose fitting top, he slid intimately close and tilted his head up to look at his fire bender.

“…I never knew how badly I wanted my Uncle’s approval until I was about to lose it…” Zuko whispered right next to his ear.

“Hey…” Sokka lifted one of his hands and placed it on Zuko’s unscarred cheek. His friend peeked at him with a slight scowl, “Don’t look at me like that…” Sokka smiled, “When someone truly loves a person they don’t stop feeling that love just because that person does something they don’t approve of… Even if your uncle doesn’t like the idea of you being with me, if he truly cares about you then he will support you… or at least tolerate it.”

Zuko lifted one of his hands and placed it over Sokka’s, “I was afraid I would lose him too… but…” His stare found its heat again as it seared into Sokka, causing his chest to tingle with passion, “I was willing to risk it all so that I could be with you because you are the most important person to me…”

Sokka’s lip quivered and his hands started to shake when Zuko murmured, “more than the throne… more than going home… I want to be with you.”

The burning in Sokka’s chest made his eyes start to water. He smiled, laughing from happiness, and nodded, “I just want to be with you too, Zuko… I love you.”

When their lips unexpectedly connected, Sokka inhaled a sharp breath as his tears started rolling down his face. Returning Zuko’s kiss, the warmth of his fire bender’s mouth made Sokka’s entire body feel hot. The tingling in his chest had erupted into a full-blown wildfire, burning him from the inside out.

As they deepened their clumsy kiss, they stumbled backward - or Sokka went backwards - Zuko stepped forward, his eyes closed. It was confusing, and all Sokka could hear was his heart beating insanely fast, and his lips struggling to keep up with the demand of Zuko’s mouth. His fire bender’s teeth grazed across Sokka’s bottom lip and pulled slightly, sending that cold electric feeling tingling into his gut.

f*ck, Zuko was so amazing… but when he was feeling assertive, it was hard for Sokka to keep up.

His brain was unable to comprehend when Zuko crawled onto the bed and positioned himself on top of Sokka. He stared down at him with bright eyes and a satisfied smirk. Sokka just laid there, eyes wide, and his face flushed with a stupid grin as he watched his hungry fire bender hover over him.

Both their chests were heaving, and Sokka decided to do something bold… Reaching up, he tangled his hand into the back of Zuko’s hair and yanked his head down again; smushing their lips together, Sokka opened his mouth and invited Zuko’s tongue inside.

His fire bender made a noise that vibrated the inside of his mouth as his tongue danced happily around Sokka’s. They continued kissing until Zuko decided to roll his hips and Sokka lost all sense of reality. His mind was lost in Zuko’s smoky-smelling-haze; the scent of his fire bender was intoxicating, and he felt like he was floating.

His brain might have been mush, but his bottom half was fully aware that Zuko was almost seated in his lap, and Sokka’s dick was trying so hard to get his attention.

He grabbed Zuko and yanked him into a tight hug. Rolling them over to their sides, Sokka scooted his hips back and quickly slipped his boner into the security of his waistband so he wasn’t jabbing his fire bender with it. Zuko was facing him, with one leg still straddled across Sokka’s body. Zuko slid closer until he was pressed up against him in a very sensual way… and the Water Tribe boy swallowed nervously when he felt Zuko’s semi-erect penis rub against him.

Sokka was experiencing an unfortunate mixture of both excitement and apprehension… Which was making his heart beat way too f*cking fast. Sokka was convinced Zuko could feel his heart trying to tear its way out of his chest.

He loved Zuko with all his heart, but his fire bender was recklessly dangerous… and when it came to their so-far nonexistent sex life, Sokka felt the need to protect his lover from himself. He didn’t want Zuko to rush into anything he wasn’t ready for… they both weren't ready for…

But Sokka was weak, and when Zuko looked up at him with those irresistible eyes, he couldn't help but tilt his head down and kiss him again. They continued kissing and softly rubbing against each other until guilt finally forced Sokka to make an excuse to get out of bed. Saying he needed to pee in order to untangle himself from Zuko was such a bitter-sweet thing to do… but what else could he do right now? He learned already that Zuko would throw himself into sex, and he would probably be f*cking amazing at it… but Sokka knew it wasn’t the right time.

He fled to the bathroom and closed the door, resting his head against the back of it; Sokka focused on his breathing and remembered his meditation. He was constantly struggling to fight off his darker thoughts… sometimes he won, sometimes he didn’t.

Sokka was happy Zuko had told his uncle the truth about them, but that wasn’t what was holding them back from having sex… It was all the other stuff that Sokka still needed time to process. Zuko too, couldn’t just powerhouse through this like he did with everything else… and deep down, Sokka knew he knew that.

When Sokka got back to the room, Zuko was sitting lotus style on his bed, waiting patiently with puffy lips and a slight smile. However, when Sokka didn’t jump back in bed, Zuko frowned, “What are you doing?” He demanded.

Sokka continued to stand awkwardly in the middle of the room, ”I know you’re all happy right now because you told your uncle…” He watched disappointment engulf Zuko’s expression, “But before we get too… umm… cuddly, I wanted to talk about what happened tonight. You can’t just say I told my uncle and not give me details!” He moved to sit next to Zuko on the bed, “You know me well enough to know I need details. So please, give them to me.”

Zuko scowled at him, “There are no details! I had a conversation with my uncle, and now he knows we are together.”

Sokka groaned, “Did he look happy? Did he clap? Were there questions? Did you tell him how it happened? What exactly does he know?”

Sokka’s rapid list of questions caused Zuko to slump a little, “oh… uhh… he definitely did not clap, but it was not a performance, so I don’t understand why he would have clapped. When I first started to explain the situation to him he did not look happy, exactly, but once I defined our relationship… He looked uhh, sort of happy… and he knows we are together, I made sure that was explicit.”

Sokka nodded, “sort of happy…. Ok… Not bad, not bad… You said you had to explain our situation. What did you have to explain, exactly?”

Zuko shrugged, “I needed to clarify why I wanted to be with you.”

”My dashing good looks aren't enough for him!?” Sokka scoffed, “The nerve of that guy.”

Zuko snorted, “It’s not just your looks…” He lowered his voice, “but everything that goes along with them. Your nation, and your traditions…” He groaned, “The Fire Nation and their traditions…” Sokka’s eyes lifted to Zuko’s hair when he said traditions, “It was not easy for him to understand why I would no longer want to return to the Fire Nation.”

“You did remind him what they did to you… right?”

”Yes, I did…” Zuko tucked his head, dark hair hiding his eyes. “I reminded him, and I told him you had nothing to do with the decision.”

There was a moment of silence before Sokka asked, ”Do you think he hates me?”

Zuko glared over at him, “Why would he hate you?”

Sokka leaned back, propped up by his arms, “You told him you were with me, and that you didn’t want to return to the Fire Nation anymore. I’d imagine that wouldn’t sit well with someone like your Uncle… and he’s not going to blame you, so why not blame me?”

Zuko’s jaws tightened, “It has nothing to do with you. I had already come to that conclusion before you arrived at the prison.”

”I know that! I’m just saying it'd be easy for him to blame me, the random Water Tribe guy - what’d they call me in prison? Oh yeah, water-rat.” His stomach turned at the mention of the stupid nickname, “It’d be easy for someone like him to blame someone like me for luring his precious nephew away.”

“Uncle is not like that. He is a very understanding and patient man… Even if he was upset with me, he would never take it out on you. My uncle…” His hands balled into fists, “is not like my father.”

Sokka swallowed his breath causing his tummy to make a weird gurgling sound, earning a judgemental glance from Zuko. He almost never mentioned his father, or his sister, his home - f*ck - he never mentioned anything about any of that stuff… so for Zuko to bring up his dad, he was feeling something.

A smile pulled at Sokka’s lips. He was so happy Zuko was feeling again. For the longest time, Sokka was convinced Zuko had successfully closed himself off from all emotion; except whatever he felt when they were together… but tonight, he was mentioning his uncle, and his dad. All without any prying…

Sokka’s eyes threatened to get teary, he was so happy for Zuko.

“Your dad’s one of the reasons you don’t want to go home, right?”

Zuko nodded, “One of them…” he muttered, “but my future there is more intimidating…” He looked over at Sokka again, his bright eyes moistening as he spoke, “If I return to the Fire Nation, my future will likely go down that path.”

Sokka didn’t understand, “that path?”

Zuko frowned down at his lap, “I grew up in the palace. My father is the Fire Lord. I understand how it works… and the people I would have to associate with…” His lip twitched, “l always thought it was my destiny to rule… but I know better now…” He squeezed his eyes shut, “That’s not what I want anymore…”

“What do you want?”

Zuko looked over at Sokka, eyes burning, “I want to be with you.”

That cold spark tingled Sokka’s insides, and his toes curled and feet wiggled happily. He scooted closer and placed his hand on Zuko’s back when he mumbled, “I don’t want to be Prince Zuko anymore…”

Sokka started rubbing comforting circles across Zuko’s back, focusing on pouring the love he had for him out through his touch. Touch was important to them, and he scooted closer again. Using his other hand, he pulled Zuko into a hug, allowing the other boy’s head to rest on his shoulder. He held onto his fire bender tightly, and Sokka smiled when Zuko grabbed onto him.

He rubbed his eyes against Sokka’s shoulder before lifting his head and making eye contact. They stared at each other before Sokka brushed the hair out of Zuko’s eyes and leaned his forehead against his fire bender’s forehead.

”You don’t have to be anyone you don’t want to be,” Sokka whispered, “I don’t care what name you go by. As long as you’re with me, we can go anywhere you want.”

Sokka’s heart was swollen with love and he added, “I will protect you.”

Zuko f*cking snorted and Sokka’s swollen heart deflated as he gasped. He pulled back and frowned,, “You dare insult my fighting skills!? I have been improving so much!”

“You have… but I am still a better fighter than you,” He smirked smugly, “Always will be too.”

Sokka rolled his shoulders back and prepared for battle, “Oh yeah?! Fight me right now!”

Zuko’s one eyebrow lifted, “Right now? On your bed - “

He didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence before Sokka lunged at him. The element of surprise was on his side as he tackled Zuko; but the stupid f*cking clothing he was wearing was impossibly silky and smooth, which made it hard to get a grip. Not that Sokka had much time to grab before Zuko had him on his back. Sokka lifted his arms to block, but Zuko easily overpowered him, f*cking asshole was still stupid strong.

Zuko managed to break his block and pinned Sokka’s arms to the bed with a satisfied smirk. In the same breath, Zuko immediately released his grip and retreated off the bed. Sokka sat up, puzzled, when he saw Zuko standing across the room looking really upset.

“Are you ok?” He asked.

Zuko’s gold eyes lifted and he frowned, “I didn't mean to pin you to the bed. I’m really sorry - “

Sokka was up and had Zuko’s tense body wrapped in a hug before he could say another word.

”Zuko…” Sokka’s heart ached at the thought of Zuko punishing himself for being playful.

“I would never hurt you,” His fire bender rasped.

”I absolutely know that, Zuko…” Sokka sighed, “that’s why you shouldn’t feel bad for being rough with me.” He nudged his fire bender, smirking when Zuko released a muffled groan, “Seriously, Zuko. Don’t feel bad, and not to make it weird, but I like it when you’re a little rough with me… I enjoy our umm, play-fights.”

Zuko looked up with his brow raised; obviously confused by the admission, and Sokka experienced a hot rush of embarrassment.

“N-not in a creepy way…” He laughed, his face f*cking burning from the idiotic thing he just said. Taking an embarrassed step back, rubbing his neck nervously, he kept his eyes off Zuko.

“I just…“ Sokka laughed for some f*cking reason, “I just want you to feel comfortable… and I want you to know that you don’t have to worry about being gentle with me.” He peeked up at his friend, “I’m fine, I promise.” He puffed out his chest with a stupid grin, “I’m a warrior swordsman now.”

Zuko snorted, “You are nowhere near qualified enough to call yourself a swordsman.”

Sokka’s goofy grin faded, “You’re mean.”

“I am honest.”

Sokka rolled his eyes, not even attempting to argue sword logistics with Zuko. But he made sure to ask, “Do I ever make you uncomfortable when we play-fight?”

Zuko went back to looking confused again before he crossed his arms, and scoffed.

“No.”

Sokka ignored the arrogant way he said it and smiled, “So we don’t need to be nervous around each other?”

Zuko shook his head, “No we do not.”

Sokka nodded and took a confident step forward to untangle Zuko’s tightly crossed arms. His hands glided over the countless scars, a shiver crawling down his back from the warmth of Zuko’s skin.

“Come back to bed with me and let’s cuddle…” Sokka whispered and Zuko nodded.

They both began to undress. Since reuniting in Ba Sing Se, they enjoyed undressing down to their loincloths at night. Zuko’s warmth made it too hot for clothing anyway, and they both craved the closeness they shared when their skin touched. Sokka waited all day to be wrapped around his fire bender, inhaling his campfire smell all day.

Sokka found himself lost in his thoughts once again. His distracted gaze still fixated on Zuko, causing his fire bender to snarl.

“What are you staring at?”

Sokka snapped back into the moment, ”So much hostility!” He teased as he crawled into bed.

”Why do you look at me like that?” His friend mumbled as he nestled himself under the blankets; scooting closer and closer until their bodies touched.

It was cute how as soon as Zuko was in a dark room and under a pile of blankets, he suddenly became this cuddly vulnerable person. It was something Sokka always cherished about him. He wasn’t usually very open to affection in public, and even with him telling his uncle, Sokka didn’t expect that to change… but when they were together under the blankets the world became all theirs.

“I look at you like I love you,” Sokka plastered himself to Zuko’s back and wrapped his arms around him securely.

“I love you too…” Zuko said in a muffled voice.

”Awww, you do?!”

”Don’t be dumb.”

”I can’t help it… I’m just a dumb guy.”

Zuko snorted and Sokka added, “I’m going to tell my sister tomorrow.”

”Wonderful,” Zulo grumbled, “Do I need to worry about her coming after me?”

Sokka smiled and closed his eyes, breathing in the smell of his Zuko lying next to him.

“She’s probably going to want to at least talk to you…. So expect her to pop up, yeah. You know how Katara is, kind of…”

”Is your sister going to talk to me with her water bending or her words?”

Sokka chuckled, “If you piss her off, probably the water bending.”

”I look at her and she’s mad at me.”

”I find it hard to believe you are just innocently looking at her and she’s lashing out at you… Are you sure you aren’t glaring at her?” Sokka nestled his face in the crook of Zuko’s neck, “You do glare a lot. You’re also a really difficult patient - “

“I am never difficult.”

Sokka laughed and pushed himself up so he could lean over to get a good look at Zuko’s face, and his fire bender was smirking playfully.

“You are the most difficult person I know… “ Sokka poked his cheek, and Zuko glared up at him. Sokka kept his finger there until his friend opened his mouth and attempted to bite him.

“Stop biting me!” Sokka whined.

Zuko snorted, “I thought you liked it rough?”

Sokka huffed as he flopped back down, “Just f*cking forget I ever said that to you.”

“Not a chance.”

Sokka wiggled his limbs in protest but his fire bender didn’t react at all. Zuko usually slept on his stomach, and Sokka knew he was getting tired when he rolled over and stretched out. But the taunt of his muscular back proved too much for Sokka and he reached out to touch his boyfriend again.

“Did you tell your uncle I was your boyfriend?” Sokka spoke softly.

”Mhhmm…” Zuko responded.

Sokka grinned, “So… we’re boyfriends?”

”Whatever you want to call us. Now shut up.”

Sokka wiggled happily again, snuggling closer, he started trailed his fingers across Zuko’s back. He loved to touch his fire bender, and as his hands wandered, his eyes lingered on the mop of dark hair sitting on top of Zuko’s head.

The hair Rasu explained to him was super sacred in the Fire Nation, and that cutting it meant…

Ugh… What did it mean?

The rhythmic rise and fall of Zuko’s back told Sokka he was resting, and after such a long day, his boyfriend probably needed his rest.

But now that Zuko had told his uncle everything, Sokka wanted to know more about the hair-cutting-thing, and what Zuko meant by it… He denounced all things Fire Nation, so did that mean all their traditions too? Did allowing Sokka to cut his hair mean nothing to him…?

He spent a good while overthinking things in-between kissing Zuko’s back as he slept soundly. Sokka fell asleep at some point, submerging himself into a nightmare with a tub of water trying to drown him. Sokka struggled to pull himself out but dark hair kept getting caught in his throat until he couldn’t breathe. He woke up in a panic, but Zuko’s gentle touches and hushed soothing words lulled him back to sleep.

It was another benefit of sleeping in a bed with someone who shared his pain; they were always there for each other, even in the middle of the night.

The next morning came too soon, and when Sokka peeled open his eyes the daylight seemed extra bright. Sitting up, he noticed Zuko was still in bed next to him… Which was odd.

”Psst… Zuko.”

Zuko moaned, “hmmm?”

“I think we missed meditation…”

His fire bender rolled over and lifted his head enough to see the daylight… Which was more than enough to cause him to leap out of bed in a panic -

“f*ck!” He scrambled to find his outfit, and Sokka giggled as Zuko complained about leaving their clothing to wrinkle on the floor all night. Zuko threw Sokka’s tunic at him when he tried to lure him back into bed, and both boys paused when there was a knock at the door.

”Are you alive in there?” Katara asked through the door, “Aang said you and Zuko missed meditation this morning.”

“I’m fine! I’ll be out for breakfast soon!” Sokka tried not to laugh when Zuko almost fell as he rushed to put on his pants. Sliding out of bed lazily, Sokka started putting on his own clothing, still laughing as Zuko struggled to get himself together.

“Alright…” Katara said, “Zuko, you’re also welcome to join us for breakfast.”

Zuko did fall that time, sitting up, he glared at Sokka who just shrugged. It wasn’t his fault Katara figured out Zuko was here, his little sister was known for butting into people’s business.

”You coming to breakfast or not?” Sokka asked.

”But my Uncle -”

“ - knows you’re in a relationship with me… I’m so sure he already knows you’re here… So why not stay for breakfast?”

Zuko looked conflicted, and Sokka didn’t want to force him, but it would be nice to spend more time with his boyfriend before he rushed out the door.

”I don’t know…” Zuko stood up, his pants securely on this time.

”Come on, Zuko. Come have breakfast with me and my sister…” Sokka reached out his hand and Zuko looked down at it and sighed.

”Ok…” He nodded before taking Sokka’s hand, and they opened the door together.