Just a little one-shot, because there aren't nearly enough stories about Lu Ten and Zuko around.
Disclaimer. Nothing's mine. ATLA doesn't belong to me.
Watching Them Bend
The sparks flew and Zuko was watching them from a safe distance.
Kyro and his cousin Lu Ten were circling each other, two dragons ready to strike when time was right. Kyro was swift and lean, Lu Ten was strong and powerful.
Zuko loved watching them spar. He couldn't get enough of it. They were best friends since childhood, each trusting the other never to hurt them. The young prince loved his older cousin, but he envied him for having a friend like Kyro.
There!
Lu Ten had hesitated, just for a second, but it was enough for his sparring partner to see. An arc of flame and the son of the Fire Nation's crown prince was on the ground. Kyro grinned, casually approaching Lu Ten who smiled back. Hands connected and Lu Ten was roughly pulled up.
"No!" Zuko flinched at the angry tone of Master Zhian, "Prince Lu Ten! Why have you not fought back when Kyro advanced you? His defence was down!"
That was one stupid question, Zuko thought indignantly. Kyro had lowered his guard because the fight was over. To his great delight, Lu Ten's answer was the same.
His cousin was one of the best people he knew and it filled him with pride to share the same opinion.
"What if he had been an enemy?" Master Zhian hissed and Zuko shrunk a bit. He sounded like Father when Zuko had done something wrong.
Lately, he seemed to be doing everything wrong actually, since, no matter how hard he tried, the fire wouldn't come.
He was a failure; Father had said so to Mother a few days ago after he'd exited the room. His voice had sounded just like Master Zhian's.
Lu Ten was so much braver than he was. He bowed to his instructor in respect before saying, "I will not charge my friend pretending he is my enemy, Master Zhian. I could hurt him if I did."
"If that is the case," now he sounded like Father after he'd apologized for failing yet again to throw the sparks, "It's time to separate the two of you. You will be sent to war, Prince Lu Ten! I will not have you killed simply because you are unwilling to attack your sparring partner. Lieutenant Kyro!"
Kyro, who'd recoiled (not surprisingly for who was foolish enough to step in between a prince and a Firebending Master?), stood there rigidly, "Yes, Master Zhian?"
"Go get Captain Zhao. He will be Prince Lu Ten's sparring partner for today."
Zuko didn't like the way his cousin regarded Master Zhian. He'd seen Fire Lord Azulon look like this when he'd received unpleasant news.
'Forgive me, Father. My son has not yet been able to firebend. He's practising the forms all day long, but…'
'Enough, Ozai! Your son is weak. There is no need to show weakness yourself.'
Zuko's breath hitched at the memory. He'd disappointed Father so terribly. Mother kept telling him that it didn't matter, that he was already perfect, but he couldn't get his father's expression out of his head.
Seeing Lu Ten like this scared him.
Kyro laid a hand on his friend's shoulder and walked away.
"What's going on, Kyro?" Zuko asked gingerly. The soldier startled and turned around.
"Koko!" Kyro exclaimed. At some point, he'd started calling Zuko like this, but the latter hadn't minded, "I didn't know you were watching us."
Embarrassed, Ursa's son lowered his head murmuring, "Sorry. I just wanted to see…"
The proud firebender's features softened. He kneeled down, so he could look into his 'adoptive' cousin's face, "It's okay, little Prince. What is it?"
Had the 'little' come from anyone but Lu Ten or Kyro, he would have lashed out, but they never sounded condescending, just affectionate.
"I just wanted to watch the sparks," Zuko murmured, intently watching the ground, "The two of you are dancing when you're sparring, the flames never scare me. It's just warmth, not…" He didn't like the searing power when firebenders attacked. They always nurtured within him the urge to curl up and hide.
Not when Lu Ten and Kyro practised, though. That wasn't safe, but it lacked the rage. It looked like fun.
Father was right. He was just weak.
Before Kyro could reply, Master Zhian snapped at him to get going before he recognized the young prince.
"What are you doing here?" the firebender asked irritably at the sight of the weakest, least important member of Sozin's line. Zuko froze. He hated it when people saw him, unless Mother was with him, of course. He couldn't stand the disappointment in their eyes.
"Koko?" Lu Ten called in surprise, "How did you get in here?"
Lu Ten didn't look angry, just curious.
"I just wanted to watch your practise," Zuko explained, unsure where to look as his cousin approached him.
"That was not what he asked," Master Zhian interrupted, "How did you get in here?" he gestured around the training area. Slightly confused, Zuko looked about the area. They were inside of the academy that was training young noblemen for war.
Nothing lower ranked than a lieutenant got to practise in here. Once Zuko turned sixteen he would be a student here as well.
If only he could throw the sparks.
"I…" He didn't say anything. He'd been coming here quite a couple of times, usually with Lu Ten whom he'd been able to tag along with.
Once, he'd wanted to see them bending again, but the guards wouldn't let him in. So, he'd found a small hole in the wall and squeezed through. Today, he'd used it again.
Who'd ever notice a failure?
Fire flickered behind him and he turned around. Kyro and a stranger were approaching them. Lu Ten tensed up, once again resembling Fire Lord Azulon when he was angry. They were all distracted giving Zuko time to slip away. However, he didn't leave, simply slipped into the coolness of the shadows close to the field where his cousin would be training.
It was fitting, really.
Those with the sparks were standing in the sun, while the one without it was sneaking through the shadows.
Zuko didn't particularly like that stranger, Captain Zhao, who looked quite a bit older than Lu. There was a sneer around his face Zuko didn't like.
Only seconds after Master Zhian said "Go ahead!" the sparks flew. However, it was unlike anything he'd been witnessing between his cousin and Kyro so far.
These weren't friendly sparks. This was burning fire.
Fire was always burning, of course, but it didn't fly as usual when the men were sparring. This fire lashed out, all-consuming.
It frightened Zuko.
Lu Ten could get hurt!
His cousin was moving quickly and his attacks were fuelled with anger. A spin kick, faster than Zuko had ever seen Lu Ten move, sent an arc of flame towards his opponent.
Captain Zhao avoided the attack only by inches, but his counterattack followed while stepping away forcing Lu Ten into defence.
It was then that a cheetah fox cub was running on training ground after having squeezed through the same hole Zuko had come through. Problem was, between the hole and Zuko were two firebenders sparring viciously.
The six-year-old's eyes widened at the sight of the little cub approaching the fighting men who were oblivious to it.
"No!" he heard himself scream as he rushed forward, avoiding another arc of flame only thanks to the fact he stumbled over the uneven ground. He heard Master Zhian scream something, but he couldn't hear what for he was too occupied snatching the small animal, not bigger than a grown turtleduck, bringing it out of the line of fire.
He heard a horrified scream and saw his cousin flying through the air landing uncomfortably on the ground.
"What was that, Captain Zhao?" Master Zhian sounded furious and Zuko made himself smaller, "I called the fight off."
The stranger only shrugged smiling smugly, "Thank you, little boy. I just beat the prince because of your foolishness."
Zuko stood there petrified as he saw his cousin getting up.
No, Lu Ten couldn't have lost! He'd never lost a vicious sparring, ever.
Because of him?
When he saw his cousin's face he wished, not for the first time, that he was able to disappear.
Lu Ten looked at him the same way Father did, furious and disappointed. Tears started wallowing up inside, Zuko's eyes stung, his lips quivered.
Everything but that! Everything but that!
'Not you too.'
"What in Agni's name have you been thinking, Zuko?" Lu Ten lashed out angrily, "Stepping inside of combat training! You could have been hurt, you could have been killed! You can't even firebend, you have no means to defend yourself."
'You can't even firebend!'
The six-year-old prince was quitesure that his cousin continued talking, but these words echoed in his mind tuning out everything else.
The tears started to flow and he was unable to keep them back. A sob escaped him before he did the only thing he could think of doing.
Run.
He heard Kyro call his name loudly causing him to flinch, but he kept running, the cub pressed against his chest, he ran to the small hole, and squeezed through. Once outside, he saw the capital on one side, the woods on the other.
He wanted to see Mother, but what if she was disappointed in him, too?
'I made him angry.'
'I made him angry.'
'Lu Ten is angry with me.'
Not bearing the thought of disappointing yet another person he loved, he charged for the woods and was out of sight before his cousin had a chance of seeing where he was going.
He'd made him cry. He'd made his little cousin cry.
For a moment, Lu Ten stood there, completely frozen. He hardly noticed Kyro call after Zuko.
That sensitive little boy, who was looking at him as some sort of hero was crying because of him.
"Snap out of it," Kyro hissed sharply to his right, "We've got to find him."
It was like cold water splashed into his face and they left the academy ignoring Master Zhian's call.
"Come," Lu Ten said running towards the capital without hesitation.
"No, wait! What if he was running towards the woods?" Kyro objected.
"Why would he be doing that? He'll have gone to Lady Ursa. He's upset!" 'Because of me.'
"Yes, maybe that's why he doesn't want to see anyone. This is not the same as the day he found out that his favourite messenger hawk died! He thinks you're angry with him…"
"I am angry with him," Lu Ten shot back, "He was being… What was he thinking?"
"That the little cheetah fox would die if he didn't interfere. Frankly, he was right. When the fire lashes out between you and Zhao, people get hurt."
"He could've been killed!"
"Yes," Kyro replied angrily. Lu Ten was the prince, but they were friends for so long, it didn't matter. He always stated his opinion around him, "But he wasn't. No need to slam into his face he can't bend."
"I didn't…" Lu Ten started, but was sharply interrupted.
"Yes, you did! Agni! It kills him not to be able to bend. You don't understand this, Lu. He's six and he hasn't been able to create any sparks just yet. You bended at four! Azula, his little sister, has been bending for half a year. Prince Iroh bended at three, Prince Ozai at four, the Fire Lord at three like your father! Lady Ursa bended at five. Zuko's six and he can't bend. Everybody expects him to, but he can't. You don't understand."
Lu Ten's best friend was hoarse in the end.
Kyro had started bending at seven, very late. Lu Ten remembered how much this had stressed him. Kyro came from an influential noble family, but bending wasn't as important as for the royal family. Yet it had freaked him out when the sparks wouldn't come for so long.
Zuko was of Sozin's line and he couldn't bend.
Sympathetically, Lu Ten looked at him, "Kyro…"
However, his friend shook off the comforting hand on his shoulder, "You slammed it into his face, Lu Ten. Live with it! Apologize, for Agni's sake. I'll go to the palace and tell Lady Ursa she has to come. There's no way he went back to the palace believing his hero is disappointed in him. You go find him."
Without another word, Kyro turned and quickly ran towards the capital.
Lu Ten stood there, shocked and ashamed.
Zuko didn't hear his cousin's voice, too far was he already in the woods.
He felt good here. It was summer, firebenders avoided entering the forest when it was so dry. One spark and the trees would be on fire.
Sometimes, it was good not to have the spark.
Still sobbing, his breath ragged due to crying and running. He slid down the solid form of a tree gingerly holding the cub.
That was when he felt it was all cold. It couldn't be more than a couple of weeks old.
Carefully, he held it closer to his chest hoping to warm it up. His cheeks felt all wet and he chastised himself for being such a cry-baby, but he couldn't help it.
All of a sudden, he heard something drawing closer. Quickly, he disappeared in the shadows and controlled his breathing.
He was all quiet. People couldn't be angry at you if they didn't know you were there.
Instead of a human being, he saw a grown cheetah fox coming into the light of the sun, its nose twitching.
The cub, who'd somehow gained some energy in the meanwhile, got restless in his arms. It tried to bite him causing Zuko to draw back. Quickly though a bit clumsily, the little being staggered towards the grown cheetah fox. It approached quickly and started to lick the cub's fur.
It's the mother!
With a smile on his face, the six-year-old watched the animals retreating back into the woods.
At least, he'd done something right. How sad that mother would have been without its baby!
"Zuko!" a voice not too far away caused the little boy to freeze. It was Lu Ten.
He drew further into the shadows.
"Koko?"
Not that name, please! It gave him the illusion that everything was okay.
"Are you here? Please, little brother, come out!" Lu Ten called, only five feet away from him. Zuko didn't move. He knew that he wouldn't be seen him if he just waited.
Lu Ten looked around, but he didn't notice him, once again calling his name.
"I'm sorry," Lu Ten whispered, his eyes screwed shut and Zuko was startled.
Lu Ten was always so cheerful, it didn't make sense.
"Agni, please, little brother. I was just so afraid that something could happen to you."
Did Lu Ten know he was right there? Why else would he be whispering like this? Zuko couldn't bear the thought of making his cousin sad.
"'s okay," he said quietly, his voice sounded strangely hoarse, "I'm sorry for disappointing you."
Lu Ten jumped in surprise as he turned around. When he saw his cousin sit on the ground, knees to his chest, he felt as if his heart was battling between doing two things at once: swelling in happiness for having found Zuko and breaking because the child looked so lost.
Quickly, he approached and hugged the boy.
"You could never disappoint me, Zuko. Never. You did a very brave thing saving that little cub. I was just afraid and that's why I lashed out. I'm sorry."
Zuko murmured something, but it was muffled because his face was hidden in Lu Ten's shoulder.
"Let's get you back, little Prince. Come on," he whispered as he lifted the little boy.
"Zuko," he began uncertainly, "I'm sorry what I said about firebending," the boy's grip tightened and he hid his face as if he could hide from the world, "You'll be able to throw sparks one day. I know it, don't give up."
Again, the cousin, who was more than ten years his junior, muffled something, but he couldn't understand him.
"Koko?"
"I just want to be like you," the boy whispered, only to hide his face again.
Lu Ten's throat constricted. He'd done some damage today, but he would make it all better. And as soon as Zuko threw the first sparks, he would help him train his firebending.
What Lu Ten didn't know back then, was that Zuko wouldn't bend for another two years. Two weeks before he departed to Ba Sing Se, never to return, his little cousin created his first flame.
Usually, the first flame was thrown when the young benders were upset or angry. Zuko created it when he was laughing in happiness.
Maybe, he should have told his father about it… Or Lady Ursa, but he was so happy that his cousin was finally able to bend, he just forgot about it.
Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading. I very much like reading reviews :)