He walked the streets of the Lower Ring slowly. He had nowhere to go. No place to be. The streets were crowded with masses of people. Yet carts and animals weaved their way through the ever moving sea of people. You see a space between two people, you go there. You see an opening between a cart and an ostrich-horse, you move here. It was a routine he used to know very well, at least before his sister ruined it all.
Zuko sighed. It all seemed too mechanical to him. They act as they always did. They had no choice. Talk of the war was forbidden in the city. Yet it was impossible. Now they could talk. They could share stories. The war was over and he was Fire Lord. Yet he still walked the streets in Earth Kingdom garb. He didn't mind, it was much more comfortable than that seemingly useless plate that went with his robes.
The sun started to set. Zuko pitied all who lived within the walls. They wouldn't be able to see the sun set on the horizon. They probably don't care. Not like he and his friends do.
Zuko makes his way into a residential area. He sees that the tiny apartments are stacked atop of each other. He looks around him to see a sadder sight. He sees families that are forced to live in the street. They were too poor to even live in an apartment, unable to work for some unknown reason. He saw children huddled up close to their mothers and fathers for warmth in the cold autumn night. He knew that when the snows come that some people don't survive.
He walked down the road slower now. He didn't know why. He wanted to walk at his usual brisk pace, but couldn't. He heard coughing behind him. Zuko turned around to see the source of the noise. He saw a spiky haired, runny nosed little boy huddling close to what Zuko assumed was his mother. Huddled around the woman were the coughing boy and two other children. The group looked cold. They also were isolated from the other people around them. He didn't know why, and he didn't want to ask. It wasn't his business. It wasn't like him to stop and stare at some unfortunate family. No he would never do such a thing. It was rude of course.
Zuko still stood there. He still watched the family. He was captivated with that one specific family. He didn't know why. He wanted to walk away, he had no business here.
The city was now bathed in the cool blues that came after a sunset. Lights in the apartments came on almost simultaneously. The homeless families were still in darkness. They sat against the buildings for warmth, where no light reached.
The spiky haired boy let out another violent cough. His entire small frame shook. The family moved closer to the building for warmth, warmth that would never escape. Zuko admired how these people would try for something that they would possibly never get.
Never give up without a fight.
The family huddled closer together, obviously being denied the warmth that the others around could give. Zuko's legs grew tired. He had been walking around aimlessly all day. Zuko let out a yawn. The family or any others paid him no mind. Zuko subconsciously sat next to the coughing boy, acting as a bridge to that family and the others. The people moved away from him, as if shunning him for sitting next to that family.
The mother looked at him as if asking why he was there. The boy coughed again, more violently than before.
"Here, take this." Zuko held out his canteen. The woman looked at him again. "He sounds like he's thirsty…" Zuko motioned at the boy next to him.
The woman gratefully took the water and gave it to the boy. The other two children looked at Zuko hungrily, hoping that they too would get something. The nameless woman told the other children that the boy needed this water more than all of them.
Zuko felt remorse. He had broken a basic rule of life; if you give one thing to a child, than all the others get something as well. He dug out some moon peaches he forgot about earlier. Enough for the five of them, unless someone wanted the fifth one, than he would give it to them. The woman looked at Zuko again as he offered the food to them.
"Thank you…" The woman nodded her head and than gave the food to the children. The woman looked at Zuko again with tears in her eyes.
"It's nothing really. You need it more than me." Zuko smiled in reply. "I have an extra if anyone wants it."
The two children behind the woman started asking Zuko and their mother for the extra peach.
"Silence children. It is rude to ask and beg for food when you know you cannot spit it between everyone." The woman than turned to Zuko while pulling her children inside the group. "You should have it; it is yours in the first place. You should eat."
Zuko knew that it would be impossible to decline the offer. He watched the family eat their shares. They ate it slowly, savoring every bit as if it was their last.
A cold autumn wind blew, making it colder than it was. The coughing boy somehow made it into Zuko's lap. As if going by instinct, the other two children cuddled around Zuko. He knew that because he was a firebender that he was warmer than people that were not. He saw the woman wrap her arms around he child on his right, the closest one to her.
Zuko saw the woman shiver as another gust of wind blew. Miraculously, without disturbing the children, Zuko took off the cloak that concealed his Upper Ring clothing and handed it to the woman.
"Here, you look cold." Zuko smiled at the woman who put it around her shoulders. Zuko was grateful for not having showy clothing. He wouldn't have to deal with their questions. He looked like a refugee from a large village.
It got colder as the night progressed. He guessed that it was going to snow soon. He made himself warmer for the people cuddled up against him. The sickly child began to cough again. The woman came around to him to comfort him.
Zuko never found out what happened after that. He fell asleep to the sound of others breathing around him.
He woke up as the sun started to rise. He looked around him. The family that was huddled around him started to stir. He noticed that a fresh coat of snow has fallen. He hated the cold. Zuko shook his head to get all the snow off of him. The children around him laughed at the comical sight. The woman smiled. It was the first time he had seen these people smile out of amusement.
The mother took the spiky haired boy in her arms. The boy was groggy and coughed again. It wasn't as bad as the night before. Zuko was happy for that.
"Hey mister, can you stay with us today?" One of the kids crawled into Zuko's lap and got close to his face. "Please?" The kid was a little girl with pigtails and a gap between her front teeth. Her other brother also asked him to stay. He was the exact replica of the girl, accept his hair was shorter and in a loose ponytail.
"Children it is rude of you to ask that of someone who has done so much for us." The mother scolded her children. "Please, forgive my children's rudeness." The woman looked at Zuko with pleading eyes.
"It's ok. I have nothing else to do today." Zuko smiled.
There was a noise to the right of them. They saw a group of people huddled around something. He looked closer to see that it was someone that was the center of their attention. The person was a young man who was curled up in a ball. The people were trying to get him warm.
Zuko got up. Maybe he could help. He started to walk towards the group when a skinny man jumped in his way.
"Don't go any further, you! You're sick, infected, and diseased! You're gonna end up getting us all sick! Sick like that kid! That's why we separated ourselves from that family! If we didn't, we'd all be sick and dead in a week! Take a close look at that boy. Can't you tell that he aint all here? He's already half dead as it is! Don't waste your time. I'm telling you this for your own good." The man acted as a living barrier between him and the group.
Zuko scowled at the man. Zuko could do nothing more. He looked around the man to see that the person who was shivering had stopped and was sitting up.
"See! We can handle ourselves! Go back to where you came from. You're not welcome here!" The skinny man jabbed Zuko in the chest with his finger.
"Apparently, I am." Zuko pointed at the family behind him. He kept his voice steady. He didn't want to show this man any weakness or anger.
"Well than. You and your new friends can leave! Now! Go on, get!" The skinny man took a step closer to Zuko. He narrowed his eyes more than they already were. The man took a step back.
Zuko turned away and walked back towards the family. All eyes were on him. Apparently no one has stood up to the skinny man before. Stopped and looked at the family, than he turned back to the man.
"You better leave these people alone." Zuko commanded. The man shrank back and nodded. Zuko turned to the family. "You don't have to leave. I'm sorry." Zuko turned away from the family and walked down the street like he intended to the night before. He didn't want to leave these people.
Zuko walked to the nearest transit station and waited for it to come. He needed some time to think. He wished he could have punched that man in the face. That would have made him feel better. The train came and he got on. He waited for his stop to come. He noticed how beautiful and peaceful the city was with a fresh layer of snow. But Zuko knew that it was a clever façade to hide the truth.
He came to the house where the group stayed. He opened the door and immediately Katara came and nagged him for not coming home at curfew and not having someone with him. Zuko hated the buddy-system that Katara had thought up. He gently shoved Katara aside and made his way inside.
He saw some of the food and grabbed his portion. Zuko than locked himself in his room. He ate while listening to everyone in the living room.
They all said the usual; why is Zuko acting like that, what's his deal, and the let him be alone to think stuff. He felt bad for eating this good food while that family starved in the cold. He ate some of his food than went to bed. He decided that he was going to get some food and give it to the family.
Zuko woke up early the next morning. Early being before the sun came up. Zuko went into the kitchen and grabbed the leftovers, he than put them in an old picnic basket. He was sure to leave the house before anyone got up. Zuko than made his way to the Jasmine Dragon where he would get some leftover tea that didn't sell. Iroh wouldn't mind. He gave it away as free samples anyways. He put some Jasmine tea into an old canister and grabbed some disposable cups, plates, utensils and napkins.
Zuko than made his way to the transit and waited for it to come. Eventually it did and he waited for his stop. He got off at the same place yesterday. He walked down the same roads. He came across the side street where the family resided. He was sure that the food and tea were warm before he gave it to the family.
Zuko walked down the street to where the family was. The people looked and acted the same even in the cold. He saw the skinny man jump up and block his way.
"Hey you, I thought I told ya to leave!" The skinny man tried to appear taller so he could be intimidating.
Zuko just stared back at the skinny man and roughly pushed him aside. Zuko walked to the family. He saw that everyone was the same as he had left them. The sickly boy appeared sicker. Zuko felt sorry for him.
"Hello again, I brought some food for you." Zuko smiled. He took out the plates, cups, utensils, and napkins and put them neatly on the ground for the family. He than took the tea and poured it into the cups. The skinny man was standing behind him awestruck. Zuko finally took the food out of the basket and dished up the plates for them. Zuko smiled at the family as they gratefully ate the food. Hopefully he would make a difference and maybe a good meal would help the sick child get well.
"Where did you get all that food?" The skinny man looked at Zuko hoping that he would also get something.
"My house." Zuko bluntly replied. Zuko was again talking to the family. "You can keep the basket and stuff. I don't need it." He smiled.
The sun was almost above the walls at this point. Zuko knew that he had to go home. Zuko looked at the family who was enjoying their meal. He than turned to the skinny man who was ranting at him. Zuko knew that he didn't want to become attached even more to this family than he already was. Zuko knew he would miss the family. He also knew that he wouldn't want to see them in any worse state than they are in.
So Zuko did the only thing he knew how to. He just walked away from the family and the skinny man. He heard them ask where he was going, why he wouldn't stay longer and other questions like that. He started to walk faster. He wanted to get as far away as possible. He also wanted to be away from the sad condition of the unfortunate people.
Zuko wandered around the Lower Ring once again. He didn't weave gracefully through the crowds, or find a perfect spot in between an ostrich-horse and a building. He had nowhere to go and no place to be.
He entered a teashop and sat in the corner, waiting for something to happen. A smile made its way across his face. He made some people happy. People who's names he didn't even know.
Just because of his simple acts of kindness.