Author: Lily Kalanoa
Story: If we knew each other back then . . . If we weren't who we are . . .
Genre: Avatar - Drama
Rating: K/ PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my laptop, which put me into significant debt. All characters and series belong to their respective creators, I just like to torture them, heh heh.
Warnings: Mild shounen ai
Pairings: Very very mild Zuko/Aang
Spoilers: Minor spoilers, but if you haven't seen the episodes, you shouldn't notice.
Author Notes: Woot! I'm finally posting my first avatar fic! I hope you all like this as much as I do, probably two, maybe three chapters. Poor Zuko, I'm so mean to him, but it's so much fun! Zuko himself is a bit out of character, but you'll understand why fairly quickly. Oh, ah, timeline. What timeline? Er, somewhere between 'The Chase' and 'The Library'. Toph's missing at first, my fault and I'm sorry, but otherwise I think it's pretty good. Please review and enjoy!!
-o-o-o-o-o-
The sky was dark, a storm threatening. Prince Zuko glared up at the clouds, daring them to release the water they held. It was some time before they would reach the nearest town; if it began to rain, they would be drenched within minutes. Iroh was rambling on about something, Zuko wasn't paying much attention. He did, however, notice as his uncle's words trailed to a halt and the older man looked off into the trees that lined the path they were on. "What-" he began, but cut himself off as the sounds of battle reached his own ears.
Suddenly Zuko was moving, crashing through the trees as he recognized a couple of the voices. He was fairly certain the high-pitched, downright cheerful battle cries were that of the avatar. He barely took notice. The other voice was far more familiar, jumping out in sharp contrast to all others he could hear. Azula.
He didn't even wait to clear the tree line before sending his first burst of flame towards the firebender. Azula leapt into the air, instincts taking over before her eyes even registered the threat. Still airborne, she glanced at the new arrival and smirked. "Why, so kind of you to join us, dear brother."
Zuko ignored her, striking out twice more. One jet of flame lanced towards the woman while the other rocketed towards the avatar. Zuko growled as both subjects dispersed the flames. His next attack was forgotten as Azula sent an attack at him, but she could not follow it up as she dodged another blast of air from her first opponent. Behind the avatar, the waterbender sent her own attack and Azula rebuked it, simultaneously attacking her and Zuko.
Prince Zuko ducked the attack, spinning forward to bring the fire princess within closer reach. He attacked again, an arc of flame shooting towards the girl, but the attack went wide. Zuko pulled back, startled as Azula suddenly stood, only inches away from him. Her attack was too fast for him to block, and Zuko stumbled back further. She had hit him, hard, but hadn't used her bending. Zuko dropped to the ground, rolling away from her as her second attack did use bending, lightning scorching the air just above him.
Zuko wasn't ready to give up. He leapt to his feet, already bending the fierce fire to his will, again sending dual attacks at his two targets. He gasped as a third flame raced past his head, preventing Azula from attacking immediately. Iroh had caught up with him. Azula's smile grew, probably remembering the last fight she'd been in like this. She focused on the waterbender and her brother before ducking low. Zuko's eyes widened as he recognized the moves as the beginning of an advanced set. Which meant he could predict them . . .
The waterbender was not so lucky, third move catching her off guard. Zuko watched as a bolt of lightning caught hold of her own tendril of water. Suddenly, the lightning was beyond even Azula's control, speeding up the water to explode in the other girl's face. The next move in the form would send an attack towards Zuko and he dodged well ahead of time to avoid it. Then more moves were speeding at the avatar.
Zuko watched the boy even as his feet brought him closer to his sister. His eyes had taken on an unearthly quality, glowing dimly. Azula turned again, another attack cutting the air around Zuko. He returned the attack, hoping to catch her off guard as the set moves turned her away again. Zuko was the one surprised as Azula didn't turn away, her stance slipping effortlessly into another set, one that made Zuko the primary target.
He couldn't avoid the attacks. There was nothing he could do but fall back on instinct. The first few moves were countered, but Zuko knew he couldn't keep it up. Azula's arm flew up in a block not normally in the set and Zuko's attack connected solidly with her forearm. His eyes widened as the block turned into a hold and her next move was already speeding towards him. Zuko gasped, allowing instinct to take over completely. His fingers hovered next to his own shoulder, then down, through the stomach, and up away from his body. The move probably saved his life, but it left him open to another attack. The odd pain was something Iroh hadn't mentioned, and the fact that his body felt sluggish was new as well. Azula still had a hold of his arm and jerked him forward, her knee coming up hard into his unprotected stomach. Then her fist rammed into his temple and she had to turn her attention back to the other threat.
Even stunned, Zuko knew that this was out of control – out of Azula's control. The avatar was floating, eyes glowing brightly now. Without any warning, a circle of wind spun out from his body, slamming into both fire siblings. Caught off guard, Zuko flew back into one of the trees, his head slamming back hard into the trunk. Azula had time to brace for the attack, but it didn't change much. She skidded to a stop several feet from where she began, still on her feet but only just. Eyes narrowed, she took in the angry monk before her and the others behind him. The water peasants were on their feet, both looking a little worse for wear, but ready for a fight. Iroh was standing in front of the now unconscious Zuko, putting himself between the boy and the avatar, but his eyes were on Azula and he was ready to fight her as well. The princess smirked, and was suddenly gone.
It took only a moment for the water girl to calm the avatar. The three children stood close together, checking injuries and casting wary glances at the former fire general. Iroh had already turned his own attention away from them. He was kneeling, looking at his nephew carefully. It was the avatar's voice that first broke the silence. "Is he all right?"
Iroh glanced over his shoulder, but gave no response. Suddenly Sokka started shaking his head. "Wait a minute, I recognize that look. That's the look you got at the North Pole! You want to take him with us!"
Iroh smiled sadly and turned back to his nephew. "We have no medical supplies." He made a show of rolling his wounded shoulder, rubbing it idly with his other hand. "I'm not sure I could carry him and we have no mounts at the moment . . ." He stood with a glance at the others and bent, pulling one of his nephew's limp arms over his shoulders. "Still, I couldn't ask for your help. I'm sure this old body of mine can manage somehow."
The young monk was suddenly there, taking most of the fallen prince's weight onto his own shoulders. "No, no. Here, let me help."
"Aang! This is Zuko! You know, prince of the fire nation? Been trying to kill us for months?! He wants to turn you over to the Fire Lord!"
Katara moved forward, helping Aang with some of the weight. "Aang is right, Sokka. We can't just leave them out here; Azula might come back once we're gone. Even if she weren't a threat, it's still wrong to leave him in this condition."
"Yeah, and it's not like he's awake. We have to help anyone in trouble, right?"
The boy groused loudly, but stopped arguing with his companions. He climbed up onto the nearby flying bison and crossed his arms angrily. Katara smiled at Iroh gently. "Don't mind my brother, he's just being stubborn, as usual. We'll take you to the next town, is that all right?"
Iroh returned the smile. "I'm sure we can manage from there." He stepped back into the trees, returning with his apparently discarded traveling pack. "Perhaps I can repay your kindness with a nice cup of ginseng tea."
-o-o-o-o-o-
Sokka glared at the – as far as he was concerned – unwelcome passengers. Iroh was sitting quietly against the edge rail of Appa's saddle. His legs were folded beneath him, hands folded in meditation. Except, of course, he wasn't meditating. His eyes were open, focused on Zuko's face as the prince tossed his head slightly in unconscious pain. Katara was sitting near them, focusing on the water in front of her as she streamed it and shaped it into various shapes. She'd been hit in the fight, causing Sokka and Aang to both freak out and eventually end the battle, but she was mostly just shaken up.
Suddenly the old man was speaking. "Ah, um, Avatar, we may have a problem." Aang looked back from his position guiding Appa. "He's waking up," came the explanation.
A burst of air later and Aang was beside the two. Sokka and Katara scrambled over to them as well. "If he tries anything," Sokka warned, pulling his club from its sheath, "I'm doing what I need to."
The young man in question groaned slightly, his eyes opening a fraction. He blinked, breathing in and out once very deeply, and opened his eyes wider. He looked at the clouds for a moment, not focusing on any of the people around him.
Aang bit his lip slightly, honestly not looking forward to this confrontation. "The town isn't far ahead. Maybe we should land . . ." Zuko's eyes slipped to the young avatar, but he still didn't move.
Iroh cleared his throat, leaning forward slightly. "Zuko?" The prince's eyes didn't move. "Zuko?" he tried again, one hand resting on his shoulder.
Zuko's eyes drifted to the older man lazily. "Zu – ko –"
Iroh frowned, a noise of pure concern coming from his throat. "Zuko . . . do you know who I am?" The boy still didn't move. Iroh made another concerned noise and his frown deepened. "We may have a problem."
Katara leaned over the prince. "Zuko? Are you all right?"
The boy's eyes focused briefly on the young water-bender, but slipped again to the bald monk beside her. "You," he whispered almost to himself. "I know you . . ."
Aang bit his lip and stepped back slightly. "You, uh, you do?"
Zuko's eyes drifted back up to look at the clouds and he whispered again, "I know you."
Iroh stroked his chin in thought as Sokka sat back, replacing his club. "We certainly have a problem."
-o-o-o-o-o-
