Disclaimer; I don't own Avatar. I don't know EVERYTHING about Avatar. In fact, sometimes I'm downright clueless. GOMEN. Back to the story, now. I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I've been somewhat busy, but I'll try and get a third up soon. Please read and review!
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CHAPTER TWO: Maximum Awkwardness
"You're just a child, you don't know anything," Zuko muttered under his breath, watching Aang like a predator might watch its prey. It had been a long time since there had been this kind of rivalry between them, but when it came to Katara they were both ready to fight like they were mortal enemies again. Well, really, most of it spawned from Aang, as Zuko had grown tired of the fighting.
Aang couldn't really explain his own behavior. Not too long ago he had been the pacifist so much he found that he couldn't even extinguish the life of one, Fire Lord Ozai, who deserved it more than anyone else he could think of. He was still the same old Aang, somewhere in there… it was just that… seeing all this occur had made him feel and act so strangely. The worst part about it was the fact that he wasn't entirely convinced that Katara was happy. Zuko was still so awkward, and dispassionate, even if there was a difference to be seen in the way he treated Katara.
"Come on, guysss," Sokka had interjected uselessly, looking rather nervous; Aang's temper was flaring as he was just waiting for a full-blown fight to break out between them. "You're supposed to be friends now. You know, friends? The kind that don't want to burn, maim or otherwise… kill, the other?" He was making a separating gesture between them with his hands, but was too scared to really touch either of them, and had actually been leaning than standing directly in the spot from which his arms extended. This promptly caused him to topple over with a serious lack of grace, landing face first on the hard floor with a groan.
The gaze passing from Zuko to Aang seemed almost electric, and the mess between them that was Sokka went practically unnoticed.
"Hmph," Zuko would be the first to budge, turning his back to Aang, refusing to play his childish game. At that moment, as if the seriousness of the situation was broken as well, Aang glanced down at Sokka, both perplexed and trying to keep laughter from exploding out of him.
"Sokka, you're really clumsy." The airbender peered at him his lips contorting into a smile as only a portion of the laughter behind his lips escaped from his mouth. Sokka appeared indignant and disgruntled, standing up and straightening himself. For a brief moment he seemed almost offended, but as is the nature of Sokka, it would be forgotten soon enough.
"You were clumsy once, too you know…" his voice trailed off, an irritated mutter before he returned his attention to the present. "No more trying to blow each other's heads off, okay? You're much more useful with them."
"I don't know that the same could be said about you, Sokka," Katara chimed in, giggling a little, hoping to lighten the mood. Aang laughed cooperatively, genuinely…but Zuko was still coolly silent. Suddenly becoming serious again, Katara spoke. "Sokka's right. We can't be at each other's throats if we're going to find Azula."
The room was instantly a lot colder. It was like realization had hit them all at once. Katara was right. Azula was out there somewhere, and if they didn't find her it was hard telling what would happen.
"I think it's best that I deal with Azula," Zuko spoke quietly, somewhat angrily, his back still turned to Aang. He was furious that he could have let this happen. What did he think he was doing, leaving her chained to that grate like that? But, at the same time, who would have let Azula go…?
Zuko's mind wandered back to the scene as it was when they found it. The chains used to bind Azula were hanging limply there, useless and empty. There were no signs of his sister, but she had seemed perfectly contained when she had first been bound there. There seemed to be no apparent struggle… but that could only mean one thing.
And that one thing was not something Zuko wanted to think about.