I'm thankful there's no shrubs blocking the way to the stream today. Sneaking away from the camp is that much quieter. Maybe he won't wake up. I tread gently over the damp leaf litter on the forest floor, lifting myself on small pillows of air to avoid any rustling. The sun slips in through the trees to lay on the shallow running water. While the depth means the water will be warmer, it also gives a person less space to hide. I pray Zuko forgot his idea from yesterday, or maybe he'll just sleep through — at least just for this morning.

The trees are all too tall here to hang my things. Instead, I set my towel on a large rock beside the creek and place my stone shaving bowl and blade on top of it. I take off my shirt and lay it beside everything. Even standing in the forest without a shirt leaves me feeling exposed. I'd rather no one see me shaving. Despite shaving in front of everyone often when I was younger, it feels more personal now. I grab the bowl filled with a banana leaf and lavender salve. The tips of my fingers dip in the cool gel and lift it to spread around my head. Chills run all over me as I rub it in circles against the bristles on my scalp.

Then I trade the bowl for the blade, pull up the bottoms of my pants, and walk ankle-deep into the pitter-patter of the stream running over pebbles and stones. I can feel it push gently on my feet, and I stand in the morning for a moment enjoying the feeling. I'm pulled from this when I remember Zuko might come along at any moment. I put the sharp edge to my crown then pull back, hearing the little hairs break. I go again and again like this with extra precision around my ears. There are little cuts around the back of my head I can feel, but they'll heal quickly. Once I'm finished, I turn and reach to put the blade back down on the towel, but I overextend and fall, catching myself with my free hand in the stream.

"Smooth, Avatar," Zuko snickers, taking his towel from his shoulder. He's standing down the stream a few feet, and I wonder how long he's been there.

I laugh too hard to play it off. "Gravity's an airbender's best friend and worst enemy," I say self-evidently as I stand up dripping to put the blade back on the towel. I give a wink to let him know I recognize how stupid I look and sound right now. He laughs more, which I'm not sure is the reaction I wanted. It makes me feel relieved, though.

But as soon as he starts to pull off his tunic that relief disappears and I turn my eyes toward the ground. "So—" I start just as Zuko begins to speak. We both abruptly go quiet and try again only to repeat the awkwardness.

After an unbearable pause and just as I'm about to start in again, Zuko beats me to it. "See, I kept my promise," he says as he hear the whish of another garment come off.

I feel warm with embarrassment and turn in the complete other direction to pick up my bowl. As I start to rub the gel across my jaw, I lie, "Yeah, I thought you might want to just sleep instead. I can never wake anyone up."

"Aang, this is going to be our time," he replies as I grit my teeth. "You need to wake me or we won't get to hang out." He says this with a surprising intensity, but then I hear a deep breath and the gurgling of the water running into his legs as he steps into the stream.

I take my blade back with me into the water and wet it, bringing it up to my jaw now.

"I forgot you shaved," Zuko says.

"Well, it's kind of a tradition for the airbending monks. We weren't supposed to worry about our appearances, and hair was just another—"

"No, that's not what I meant" Zuko interrupted. I glanced over where Zuko was crouched down in the stream naked with water cupped in his hands. I looked away again. I knew what he meant. "I forgot you shaved your face."

"Yeah," I shrugged. Why did it matter if I shaved my face?

"I've never really grown much hair there," Zuko admitted. I heard him splash the water on his face. "I only shave once every few weeks."

"There's nothing really special about it," I tried to say with a smile as I pulled the edge up my cheek. "It's not like I asked to grow a beard."

"Yeah, but I think it looks nice to have some stubble. I'm a little jealous." I could hear the smirk in Zuko's voice. Was he teasing me? I turned to squint meanly at him, but he was standing up. He was standing up looking straight at me with a ridiculous grin on his face. The blade cut across my cheek, and I called out briefly in pain.

Zuko took a few steps and reached toward me. "Aang, are you okay?"

I backed away. "No, no. Yeah. I'm fine. Look." I turned my face and looked in the opposite direction so he could see the small abrasion. I expected that to allay him.

Instead he pressed his thumb right beside the cut. "You're sure?" he asked.

I shifted my gaze back to him and looked him in the eyes. The hazel was glowing in the drifting sun. His scar seemed pink and soft. "Yeah, I'm sure," I said as I pulled away. I didn't want to be a child he had to worry about. "Let me just finish." I put my back to him and started shaving again.

"Hey Zuko," I said as I finished my task trying to break the quiet tension that I felt I had created, "You sure you're not out here with me trying to capture the Avatar again." Zuko sniffed a half-laugh. "Because," I went on, "I've mastered all the elements so I'm pretty sure I can take you." Bending down slowly, I pretended to dip the sharp stone in the water. "You know I mastered airbending a hundred years ago, but it's been a while since you've seen me bend…" I paused. "Water!" With that I twisted and splashed water right into Zuko's surprised face.

He made at playful anger, "You have insulted my honor. You must pay the ultimate price. I challenge you to an agni kai!" He called out as he kicked water all over my legs.

For minutes that felt like days gone too quickly, we dashed around throwing water across the stream as our calls and laughs mixed with bird songs. "Okay, okay," Zuko huffed. He mocked a bow, "You are the true waterbending master. But you should give a fire nation kid some credit."

"Yeah, you fought well for a kid!" I teased. In that moment, I saw Zuko as someone less mature, someone more nervous and unsure, more like me. Then, I realized I was staring at him as he walked away to dry off and dress. I realized too that my pants were soaked and nearly see through, and I rushed off to cover up with my towel. I pretended to be busy drying off and organizing my things, but I was waiting for Zuko to leave so I could take my wet clothes off and actually dry myself. I kept catching him smile and peek over at me like he knew my secret and was about to reveal it.

"Monkey feathers! I missed a spot," I said stroking a spot on my jaw. "You can head back to camp, and I'll catch up."

"Okay, see you in a bit," Zuko responded as he pulled his tunic over his head. Then he meandered around the trees toward camp. I let out a huge sigh of relief and tucked my thumb in my waistband. But Zuko's head suddenly appeared from behind one of the trees and I ripped them out. "And I'll see you to clean up tomorrow!" I nodded trying to convey none of my actual thoughts.

I waited for a few minutes to see if I'd get another encore. With no signs of any firebenders in the area, I took off the wet linen, wrapped my towel around me, collected my things, and walked through the forest toward my tent.