Zuko awoke the next morning covered in sweat. His nightmares were coming back. He shivered when he thought about it. His sister had shot lightning at Uncle and he had jumped between them, sacrificing himself. He shook his head and took a deep breath. Your sister is back in the Fire Nation and your uncle is long gone he reassured himself. He proceeded to Aang's room and didn't bother to knock and let himself in.
"Aang" He said rolling him onto his front. "Let's go." He made sure Aang was awake before he headed to the fountain. After their meditation, without Aang falling asleep, Zuko suggested for Aang to produce a single flame. He demonstrated first, noting his flame wasn't as strong as it usually was and explained how it felt before he nodded to Aang to try.
"I'm not sure if I want to."
"What do you mean? You have to fire bend." Zuko demanded.
"Can we do it somewhere no one is around." He pleaded.
"There's no one here." He claimed. "What's the matter? Why won't you do it?"
"Because I burnt Katara last time okay!" He shouted.
"Well this won't be like last time." He reassured him. "I'll be right here if something goes wrong. I won't let anything happen, okay?" He knew what it was like to burn someone you love. He had accidently burned his mum when he first started to bend. She assured him that it was an accident and she'd be okay. But after that he took extra care when fire bending, even when he was up against Aang.
"Alright." He gave in. Aang took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He let the Chi move through his body, he guided it down his arm and out into his open palm. He felt heat expel from him and opened his eyes to see a tiny flame emitting from his hand.
"I did it!" He excitedly whispered.
"Alright, now when you breathe in make it smaller and when you breathe out make it bigger." Zuko instructed.
Aang nodded, breathing in he drew his Chi back through his body. When he released his breath he pushed the Chi out giving the flame in his palm life.
"Excellent." Zuko commented. "Now throw it at me."
"What?!" Aang exclaimed. "I'm not just going to chuck fire at you."
"Just do it." Zuko instructed, rolling his eyes.
Aang looked at his fire to Zuko who was waiting for him. He took a deep breath and flung his arm out aiming at Zuko, but his flame extinguished before it left his palm.
"You knew that was going to happen didn't you?" Aang questioned him.
Zuko nodded. "If you don't have faith in yourself, you'll never be able to fire bend." He bluntly explained. "Well that's enough for today, just practice making flames and we'll build your confidence. Let's go wake up Sokka."
"Operation Snoozles." Aang laughed.
They reached the warriors door and Aang flung the door open and jumped onto Sokka just in time when a fire ball whistled past his head.
"Sokka wake up." He shouted. "Zuko's gone crazy."
Sokka jolted awake snorting and came face to face with a flustered Aang.
"Get up, quick!" Aang dragging him up. Zuko appeared in the doorway, grinning wickedly.
"There you are Avatar." He then threw a few more fireballs in Sokka's room. Aang gently air bended Zuko away and both boys ran out into the courtyard.
"What's happening?" Sokka panted.
"Hes gone crazy!" He shouted. Zuko came sprinting out with the scariest glare for both boys. He jumped in the air and kicked. Fire sprouted out and flew towards them. They threw themselves out of the way and Zuko advanced. He hurled five blasts of fire at Sokka's face in quick succession. Zuko couldn't help but feel weaker every time his released a flame. Sokka ducked just in time before the rest flew over his head. Zuko started to laugh. Sokka could smell smoke. He felt his head getting hot.
"My Warrior's Wolf Tail." He ran towards the fountain, forgetting about everything and shoved his head in the water. When he resurfaced he was meant with howls of laughter from Aang and Zuko.
"Oh, you should have since the look on your face." Zuko snorted. Aang was crying with laughter. All Sokka could do was gap at them. Were they serious, they went to all that trouble to wake him up.
"There you are Avatar." Aang mocked before both boys doubled up with laughter again.
"My Warrior's Wolf Tail." Zuko exclaimed throwing his hands up. They laughed even louder.
"Oh haha." Sokka scoffed. "Alright you've had your fun." He wiped his hands over his face, removing the water. "Shouldn't you go wait up The Duke as well?"
Zuko left, still laughing. Aang wiped a tear away and knelt down in front of Sokka.
"Sorry, but it was funny." Aang cracked a smile before controlling himself. "You'd be on the floor if it had been anyone else."
"Fair point." Sokka agreed. "Well I better fetch my sword. I'll be back."
When he returned Aang was sitting on a make shift rock, Momo perched on his shoulder and Zuko was handing The Duke wooden swords.
"Where did you get those?" Sokka asked.
"I made them last night." He shrugged. "Alright first things first, defence."
When Sokka raised his sword in a defensive manner, Zuko was already striking. Sokka gripped his sword tightly just in time.
"Good." He then went to The Duke. "You ready?" He asked. The Duke nodded and he stroke. Zuko stopped short when The Duke flinched and dropped his swords, covering his head. Zuko smiled. He sheathed his sword and picked up the wooden ones.
"Come here." He said. The Duke relaxed and let Zuko show him the stance for defending with Doa Swords.
"Okay now don't back down." Zuko swang without warning him and The Duke stood his ground. He grunted when the sword hit but managed to block it without falling over.
"Very good." Zuko praised. "Now attacking. You will both strike me while I defend. Sokka first." Zuko got into a defensive stance and nodded to Sokka to begin. He ran and with all his might, swords clashed. He noticed Zuko didn't even flinch.
"Good, but you need to be more precise in your movement. The Duke."
Sokka stepped away to let him through. He raised both swords over his head and flung them down onto Zuko. Zuko's swords sliced The Duke's in half.
"Oops." Zuko stated. "I'll make some more. If you like you can help." He offered. "You mean make my own?"
"Yeah, since the sword is the extension of oneself."
The Duke nodded and picked up his broken swords.
"Maybe we should call it a day. We'll continue this tomorrow." He turned to Sokka. "I'll wake you up normally." He assured. Sokka sighed in relief and bowed to his teacher. Zuko returned the gesture.
"Come on The Duke we can make your swords before breakfast." He lead him away, leaving Aang and Sokka together.
"Should we really leave The Duke with him?" Sokka raised.
"Yeah, Zuko won't do anything."
"You really trust him don't you?" He turned to Aang.
Aang nodded. "Yes, he hasn't done anything for me to question it." he stated.
"You know, you trust too easily."
"If you didn't trust him, then why did you offer him to duel and accept his request to help you?" Aang questioned. Sokka pondered for a few moments, he has a point he thought. Realisation hit him and when he spoke his words were of truth but filled with worry.
"Because I trust him." He looked to where Zuko had gone. "I'd trust him with my life." Sokka confessed.
"Exactly. Zuko may be Fire Nation but he has good inside him. He knew what was at risk when he joined us. But he did it anyway. He wants the war to end as much as anyone else in this group, maybe more." Aang walked over to Sokka and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to trust him. He may not show emotion but he has a lot to give."
Both boys smiled at each other.
"You're right. Zuko's a good guy. We just hadn't seen it." He scratched the back of his neck. "Well most of us hadn't." He corrected. "I'm going back to bed, I'm still sleep deprived."
Aang waved him off and he opened his palm. He drew in a breath and released it creating a small flame. He smiled again, he went over what Zuko had said about fire bending. Fire is the element of power, fuelled by pure energy and life. He stared down at the flame in his hand. It was breathing, alive, full of life. It was growing bigger and bigger, he began to panic. He closed his fists hoping it would deplete the flame, however his fists were covered in flames and it was still growing. Momo shrieked and flew away. He ran towards the fountain and shoved his hand into the cool water. Aang unclenched his hand and sighed.
"You alright Twinkle Toes? Your heart beat is through the roof."
"I'm fine." He turned to see Toph a few feet away with a look of concern on her face.
"Maybe next time you start playing with fire, make sure Sparky is around." She suggested.
"Wait, how did you know I was fire bending?" He was shocked.
"I could feel it. Your body movements were like Sparky's. Which meant fire bending." Toph simply stated, shrugging her shoulders.
Katara emerged with Haru a few moment later giggling at something he had said. Aang felt heat rise up inside him when she touched his arm.
"I sense jealously." Toph whispered.
"I am not jealous!" He exclaimed.
"Don't lie to me." she warned. "Don't worry she doesn't have feelings for him."
"How do you know? "
"Her heart beat is normal and she told me because I accused her of having a thing with him."
"Oh of course, girl talk." He was relieved. They had kissed before the invasion but somehow deep down Aang knew she hadn't felt the same. But he refused to believe so, locking the feeling away.
"Well she has to talk to someone. I mean she's not going to talk her brother. She hates Zuko and you're a boy so that left me."
"But you basically act like a boy."
"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow. Before he could reply Katara had noticed them.
"Morning you two." She looked around. "Where is everyone?"
"Well Sokka went back to bed and Zuko and The Duke when into the forest."
They all looked at him.
"What?" He asked.
"Why would you let The Duke go off with Zuko?" She scoffed. "What were you thinking?"
"What on earth are you talking about?" He countered.
"Zuko can't go off by himself. What if he contacts the Fire Nation?" Katara shouted.
"He's not going to do that Sugar Queen." Toph defended him.
"I don't see why he wouldn't now that he's alone."
"Because he's right behind you." Aang pointed.
She turned herself around to see Zuko with his arms across his muscular chest, his eye brows were creased with a frown on his face. The Duke was beside him, with two large wooden sticks in his hands. He was looking at Katara in confusion.
"When would he have able to contact the Fire Nation?" He asked innocently. He looked up at the boy beside him in awe. "He was with me the whole time."
"Are you okay?" Haru asked the young boy.
"I'm great." He replied. "I'm making my own swords." He lifted up the sticks to show his friend.
"Out of wood?" Haru asked.
"Yes out of wood." Zuko growled. "He's only just started, I personally don't want him to hurt himself. Plus if he did." He glared at Katara. "I'd have her at my throat."
Aang could feel the tension between the two. He decided to step in before Katara made it worse.
"Well now that everyone is back, we should start on breakfast." He clapped his hands in front of him, hoping they'd pay attention. To his dismay, they didn't.
"How exactly would I be able to contact the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked.
"I don't know." Katara shouted back.
"Exactly. Now maybe you should think about what you're going to say before you accuse someone of something which is virtually impossible." He barked.
"You're not denying that you tried." She pointed out.
"Of course I haven't tried. I turned my back on the Fire Nation to help Aang. Why can't you see that?"
"I'll see it when I believe it." Katara scoffed.
"Wow. you are blind." Toph butt in.
"Excuse me?" She turned onto Toph.
"He's been helping us since he was against us." She stated. "He freed Appa, he freed Aang." She starting counting them on her fingers. "When he joined, he's been teaching Aang fire bending. Your own brother and The Duke sword skills and has even helped you with the chores."
She looked over to Katara. "Now tell me that isn't turning your back on the Fire Nation."
Katara looked over at Aang for some back up. But he was agreeing with Toph. She didn't know what to say. Toph had caught her out. She turned to Zuko again.
"I'm sorry, I forgot you..."
"No, don't apologise if you don't mean it." Zuko interrupted. "I've had enough with peoples lies." Katara watched at Zuko walked into the Air Temple.
"Today is going to be a good day." Toph yawned. "I can feel it."
"Oh shut it." Katara snapped.
Zuko was walking down a hall in the Air Temple when Teo turned the corner.
"Oh hi Zuko." He waved. "You haven't seen Haru have you?"
"He's outside." He snapped. He pinched the bridge of his nose when he saw Teo's hurt face.
"I'm sorry, it's..."
"Katara" Teo finished for him.
"How did you know?"
"I have a way." He waved a hand around. "Or its the fact that I could hear you guys." He laughed.
"Sorry about that."
"Hey it's no problem. The mum and dad of the gang have to left off some steam at each other sometimes."
With that he rolled off in search of Haru. The sentence finally clicked in Zuko's mind.
"Wait, mum and dad?" He shouted.
Sokka woke to Zuko's outcry. He reached his door and wrenched it open.
"Shut up. Uncle Sokka trying to sleep here." He noticed Zuko was walking in his direction face full of confusion.
"What's the matter Zuko?"
"Oh, nothing, just something Teo said." He waved him off. Sokka shrugged and returned to his room, when Zuko followed.
"Errr. What are you doing?" Sokka asked.
"You came up with the family of the group didn't you?" He raised an eye brow.
"What are you talking about?"
"Teo said I was dad of the group. Now where would he get an idea like that?"
Sokka gulped and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "I have no idea."
"You just called yourself Uncle Sokka."
"We may have had a discussion about that." He whispered.
"And who is we?"
"Teo, Aang and myself." He smiled anxiously at Zuko. "It was actually quite fun."
"If it was that fun maybe you should tell the rest of us the family dynamics."
"That's a excellent idea." He shoved a shirt over his head and they both headed out. "Can you smell that?"
"Smell what?"
"Breakfast." He said excitedly. Zuko smirked.
