Hey people, thanks for the reviews! Keep 'em coming! I don't care how hard you are on me. (That's what she said, Haha- *cough* sorry…). Carry on, there's some mindless fluff in here, but the real romance is going to take FOREVER. Hehehe…. (reviews could change my mind, though… (winkwinknudgenudge)

ZUKO

I woke up to an empty room. Panicking slightly, I stood quickly, running out. Kiminari wasn't in any of the room, or on the deck. I made towards the galley with hope, and sure enough, she was sitting by the fire in leggings and one of the turtle neck shirts we wore under our armor, her hair smoothed back into a ponytail and royal hairpiece nowhere to be see. Iroh was sitting beside her, and they were both sipping tea. They looked up in unison as I came in.

KIMINARI (means lightning btw, I pick these names carefully…foreshadowing? I think yes…! :P)

I glanced up as Zuko ran in through the door of the galley.

"Howdy." I said, waving once. He visibly relaxed.

"Hi." He said, sitting across from Iroh and I. "Feeling better?"

"I'm actually feeling better that I usually feel healthy." I chuckled. "It's probably from living in a ship for so long." I added carelessly. My eyes widened. Touchy subject…

"Yeah? Then why don't you just go home?" Zuko snapped. Damn it, damn it, damn it.

"Uh, Zuko, I didn't really-" I started.

"It's not as if I need you here anyways!" He interrupted. "You only get in the way. Uselessness is in your blood. That probably why my father has absolute power over yours. If you had fought harder when you were on the Avatar's bison, he wouldn't have gotten away." Everyone in the galley-Iroh, twelve soldiers, and myself-froze, staring at Zuko, and waiting for my reaction.

"I'm sorry." I said, setting down my tea. "I didn't know I was such a liability." I added quietly shuffling out, embarrassment coloring my cheeks. I went straight into my room, shutting the door and locking it. I sighed, grabbing my armor and pulling it on quickly. I let down my hair, pulling back the top and putting the royal hair piece in place. Then, I realized I had gotten dressed up for nothing, because I was most certainly not showing my face out on deck for a good long time. So I paced, smoothed out the sheets on my futon, cleaned up the rags and bucket of now cold water by it, re-folded my clothes, organized my drawers, and paced some more. Eventually, I gave up on pacing and sat down on the futon, looking gout the long, thin window.

"Just four more hours." I sighed, telling by the position of the sun.

As soon as the sun had disappeared, I peeked my head out into the hall, glancing both ways before sneaking out towards the deck. As soon as I was about to round the last hall, I head Zuko yelling, and it was getting louder. I cursed under my breath, kicking off the wall and climbing up until I had my back flat against the ceiling. I pulled one hand off the wall and pulled my too-long hair up. It would be a dead give away if there was a curtain of brown hair in the hall.

"-Avatar! Stupid, arrogant, self-" Zuko snarled as he walked under me, stomping into his room. I fell on one knee, slipping out the door and into the deck. I peeked into the galley, and found Iroh, alone by the fire. I slipped in, closing the door behind me.

"Who was he yelling about?" I asked quietly, sitting cross-legged beside him. He didn't seem surprised to see me there. I pulled out my hair piece and fumbled with it.

"Do not worry. It wasn't you. Admiral Zhao has captured the Avatar." Iroh sighed. I starred at him, shocked.

"Zhao got a promotion?" I asked. Iroh nodded. "Poor Zuko." I mumbled, pulling my knees up to my chest and resting my chin on them. Iroh's eyes tore away from the fire.

"Your ability to forgive Zuko is amazing," He said. "And very admirable."

"I wasn't ever angry with him." I shrugged. "He just has a lot on his mind." I added, grabbing a large chunk of bread and cheese and eating. I hadn't had any food all day.

"Your unnaturally understanding today. Are you still sick?" Iroh, chuckled, putting his hand against my forehead. I chuckled as he put it up to his own head. "Nope." He lowered his hand back on to his lap.

"I'm not saying he doesn't annoy the fire out of me. He's the biggest jerk to ever take a breath, but he's my favorite jerk." I said. Iroh put a hand on my shoulder.

"Zuko is lucky to have a friend like you." He smiled.

"He is, isn't he?" I chuckled. "But he's also lucky to have an uncle like you." Iroh opened his mouth to speak, but I stood up quickly. "I have to go. Zuko may come back." I said, opening the door to the galley and slipping out. I shut it behind me, running not towards the safety of my room as I implied I would, but out towards the front of the ship. I looked out towards the island the loomed in the distance. One of our small river boats made it's way towards it. It was the largest one, unique to all others. This only meant one thing, Zuko. I had heard the sound of the engine wile talking to Iroh.

"Hmm…Maybe he wants a new place to sulk." I chuckled to myself, walking back to wards my room calmly, the rush disappearing without the presence of the Prince.

I turned in my bed. I hadn't slept a wink, and he wasn't back yet. I was about to explode in anxiety when I heard the familiar rumble of the smaller boat as it pulled up onto the back of the ship. I waited a couple minutes.

"I'm going to bed. No disturbances." Footsteps down the hall, a door slamming. The second the metal had collided with metal, I was out of bed, pulling on my uniform and doing my hair, slipping out of my room and practically skipping out to the deck. No Zuko, no problem.

I laughed, almost shooting my tea out of my nose.

"Tell it again!" I told the soldier, still giggling uncontrollably.

"Alright, so a Platypus-Bear was walking down-"

"Kiminari." A harsh voice demanded. My insides froze, my giggling stopping immediately. I glanced back slowly.

"Zuko." I said, nodding curtly.

"Come with me." He snapped, walking out towards the deck. I sighed, putting down my tea cup and standing. Several soldiers patted my back on my way out of the galley.

"If I don't survive, you can have my cookies." I told the soldier who had told me the joke. The deck was empty save for the Prince, who was halfway across already. I jogged to catch up, seeing as he had no intention of slowing down. He only stopped when his hips were pressed against the metal at the front, his hands gripping the railing.

"What do you need?" I asked.

"Are you still…mad?" My behavior went from nervous to sassy in the frame of .002 seconds.

"No, but mark my words, Prince Angry, one more of those little 'go home', and 'absolute power over your father' cracks, and not only will I leave, I'll KILL you, understood?" I said, poking him in the chest.

"Fine." He mumbled.

"You know how embarrassed I was?" I added, in a weak voice. His eyes widened slightly, but before he could comment on my sudden confession, I did what I did best. Teased him. "Now, who's my widdle Zuzu?" I babied, pulling his cheek. He growled and slashed his hand out. I ducked and slashed out my foot, knocking him down. He supported himself on his hands as he flipped back up, slashing his foot at me. I blocked it with my forearms and sent a fire blast at him.

"Oh, so that's how it is." He chuckled darkly.

"Bring it, pretty boy." I said, getting in a fighting stance.

"Oww! Okay, okay! You win!" I whined. Zuko managed to get me pinned down onto the metal floor of the deck.

"HA! That's what you get for messing with the Fire Nation prince!" He gloated. I grabbed him by the neck and flipped him, so that now, he was lying on the floor and I was sitting on his chest, holding him down securely. Yeah, he had me beat by a long-shot in strength, but not technique!

"That's what you get for messing with the Fire Nation princess." I chuckled. He scowled and flipped us again, so that I was once again face down.

"What was that?" He chuckled. I tried desperately to flip him again but the element of surprise was on my side last time.

"Nothing, you win." I grumbled.

"That's what I though." He said smugly.

"Unless you want me to make your face symmetrical, get off." I grunted, trying to pull free again.

"I've lost my White Lotus tile!" Irohs voice boomed from the galley. Zuko and I glanced at each other curiously before he helped me up and we walked into the galley.

"Uncle, what's wrong?" Zuko asked.

"I've lost it! It's gone!" He moaned, holding his head in his hands.

"Lost what?" I asked.

"One of my Pi Sho tiles." He wailed. Zuko slapped a hand to his forehead. "We need to make port! I need a replacement!"

"Uncle, there is NO WAY we're making port just for a Pi Sho piece." Zuko said, crossing his arms. "NO WAY."

Not ten minutes latter, I was pulling Zuko down the drawbridge of the ship while he cursed under his breath.

"Aw, come on. Don't be so grumpy." I chuckled, lacing my arm though his as we walked down the street after Iroh.

"This is ridiculous." He mumbled, frowning. I used my free hand to force his forehead to smooth out.

"No frowning. Got it?" I said, pulling on one of his cheeks. "Big smile." He grimaced widely. "Uh, how about you just frown?" I chuckled meekly. He rolled his eyes, but the ghost of a smile danced on his lips. I sighed happily.

"What are you so content about?" He asked, as we followed Iroh into a store.

"There's no Avatar to chase, no battle to fight…I'm just enjoying the peace." I smiled, closing my eyes and leaning my head against his shoulder. I yawned.

"What are you tired for? You've been in your room for three days." He said, pulling me out of the store and down the street to were Iroh had wandered.

"Doesn't mean I was sleeping…" I trailed off. He just grunted.

"Look, Zuko, Kiminari! This looks promising!" Iroh said, pointing to a boat. Zuko glared at his uncle.

"Oh, what the heck." I said, pulling my arm out of Zuko's and throwing them up on the air. "Let's do it."

ZUKO

"Look at this one!" Kiminari laughed, pulling out a frowning mask. "Look's just like you!"

"Oh, shut up!" I snapped, crossing my arms and leaning against a shelf wile I watched her run around excitedly. I frowned slightly when I noticed she was usually happier off the ship.

"-water bender stole my priceless scroll." I head someone say behind me.

"Three kids, right?"

"Aye, and they had a flyin' lemur too." I stiffened. Slipping away unnoticed by Kiminari-who was busy looking at a monkey statue-I walked towards the men.

"Was one of these kid's a bald monk?" I asked. The two men turned at the sound of my voice. Pirates.

"What's it to you?" One of the snarled.

"I think we can help each other." I said. "I'm hunting the bald kid, help me find him, and you'll get your precious scroll back."

"Deal." He said, almost immediately. "The girl left this behind." He added, pulling a carved necklace out of his pocket. I snatched it from his hand, inspecting it.

"It's them." I smirked.

"Zuko?" I heard a girl say. "Darn, did he leave?" Kiminari mumbled more quietly.

"Another thing." I added to the men. "Don't tell her about this." I said, jerking my thumb towards the bookshelf she was behind. They nodded curtly as I rounded the corner, stashing the necklace in my armor.

"I'm still here." I said lazily, strolling over to her. "Just looking at a scroll." I added, in case she suspected something.

"Sure, sure. What do you want to do now?" She asked, not suspicious at all.

"You want to take a walk?" I asked, offering my arm.

"Alright." She beamed, latching her arm through mine. "Iroh, we're going on a walk." She called towards the back of the ship.

"Mhmm." Uncle said, picking up a monkey statue. I lead the unsuspecting girl off the boat, and we walked out towards the tree's. She glanced around, taking in the things around her in blissful innocence. We stumbled upon a field, a lone cherry blossom tree to the right. Kiminari set off running, doing a couple cartwheels and a finishing back hand spring before flopping down under the tree. I walked at a slow pace, catching up to her a couple of minutes latter. Her eyes were closed, her lips turned up gently into a soft smile. Her hands and legs were sprawled out in an snow angel shape. I smiled and sat down beside her head, leaning against the tree. Cherry blossoms drifted off the tree and a couple landed on her long brown hair. One landed on her nose, and she scrunched up her face. I pulled it off gently and her face smoother out again.

"Thank you…" She sighed. I felt horrible. She had just told me how much she treasured these moments of peace, and the next thing I do is run off and find a clue to the Avatar. The Avatar was top priority, but while I could, I would let Kiminari feel normal, if only for a little bit.

I know, I know, this one is short, but it seemed like a good place to end… R&R! (ß DO IT.)