A/N: Thanks for the nice comments. They really do make my day. If you do read this please make sure to drop me a line. I'd love to know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcomed.
OOO
His sentence was cut short when the serpent absently flicked its tail and broke the boat in two.
OOO
The serpent's body had flicked upward with enough might to not only propel the massive slithering creature forward, but with enough to obliterate the middle part of the kayak amidst the sound of crunching, snapping wood. Both boys scrambled to their respective sides, clinging to the pitching timber beneath them, balancing as the boat attempted to slip slowly beneath the waves created by the departing creature.
Even knowing that it was not a deliberate attack but a freak happenstance, an unlucky act of nature, did nothing to calm Zuko's rising ire as he maneuvered to stay on his half of the broken kayak and keep it and himself above water. Locating a paddle, Zuko carefully reached for it, wedging his foot to stay balanced and stretching, fingertips brushing it. If only he could reach it then he could paddle the rest of his way over to the nearby land mass.
Sokka attempted the same but when a frothy wave broke over his side, he found himself falling with a splash.
The salt licked at his burn like fire and it stole his breath away. He almost felt as if Azula were burning him all over again, her blue flame pressed against his skin and he desperately grabbed the bobbing wood to try and at least hoist his chest out of the water. Grappling with the section of boat, he looked up only to choke on water and air as he saw the colossal tail still hovering nearby.
Zuko was managing surprisingly well, shifting his weight with the ever changing sea, staying afloat, and he smirked when he saw Sokka take a dive into the water. The smirk faded when Sokka, sputtering, a horrified look on his face, managed a strangled warning. Zuko turned in time to see the glistening scales descend upon him.
He tried to jump but his earlier balancing triumph cost him mobility for his foot was still stuck fast between two boards. It crashed into him, knocking the breath from him in a lung crushing second as he found himself submerged, stuck between wood and flesh. Instinctively he inhaled to try and refill his lungs with precious air only to find saltwater and brine. He tugged and twisted as he was pushed farther down into the blue depths, frantically trying to free himself, lungs burning.
So this is death, Zuko thought, idly, after his attempts were unsuccessful and his body fell deeper. Not at the hands of Azula or Ozai but drowning in the sea outside of Ba Sing Se because of a stupid sea creature that wasn't even attacking but escaping due to the antics of a crazy paddle wielding idiot. Uncle would never know, and would march to his death thinking his nephew had forgotten him.
Zuko's last thoughts pained him as his breath left, his body slackening. His foot popped free.
The ensuing wave knocked Sokka off his precarious position and he was back in the churning water again. The undertow created by the fleeing beast pulled him below but with kicking legs and effort he was able to pop above the surface. Blue eyes wide, scanning his surroundings, he found himself floating in wreckage, broken lumber and supplies.
"Zuko," he called, looking around and not spying the Fire Nation Prince. "Zuko!" he yelled again, this time more panicked, spinning in the water.
Inhaling, filling his lungs as full as possible, he dove.
OOO
Katara leaned against Appa, knees pulled to chest, idly munching on a peach, staring off into the distance. Her mind was far away, everywhere but at the Eastern Air Temple. She only half-heartedly reacted when Momo swooped in and stole her peach, twittering madly at his conquest.
Aang lay on his side also barely aware of his surroundings. His body hurt but his heart ached more. Picking up a piece of papaya, he put it in his mouth, barely tasting it. It could've been sand for all he cared.
The Earth King was sitting in the pitiful half-circle as well absently petting Bosco.
Toph approached, returning from her exploring of the Temple. She had found a bison saddle and brought it behind her using a combination of earthbending and dragging to bring it back to camp. Feeling their sorrowful vibrations, she frowned.
Stopping in front of them, glaring as well as a blind girl could, she stomped her foot.
"Well aren't you a sorry lot! What've you been doing while I was gone?" she asked, hands on her hips.
"Eating," Aang responded.
"You were eating when I left," she shot back annoyed. "Come on, Aang. Let's go practice some earthbending."
Katara heard Toph's gruffer than usual tone. "Toph, he doesn't feel good. Leave him alone."
"No! He won't feel better until he gets up and starts bending again." She kicked out her foot sending a rumble through the earth and launched Aang into the air.
He landed wobbly on his feet.
Katara stood, hands clenched. "Stop it, Toph!"
"Are you going to make me, Sugar Queen?" the earthbender snapped back, "Or are you too busy moping?"
"Moping?" Katara stepped forward lips twisted in a scowl. "I'm not moping!"
"Wallowing then," Toph amended.
"I just lost my brother…"
"We all did!" Toph yelled, approaching Katara and pointing a finger in the general direction of her face. "We've all just lost a member of our family. I thought we've already been over this. He wouldn't want us standing around doing nothing while the Day of Black Sun is quickly approaching. And we don't even have a plan! He'd want us to have a plan!"
Katara opened her mouth to retort, her own finger wagging in Toph's face despite the other girl not being able to see it, but Aang stopped her.
"Toph's right. I've been thinking things over. There were some things I should've done that I didn't do to master the Avatar state. I've been avoiding them, but I can't anymore." He gave a heavy sigh. "I have the tools I just need to implement them. I need to start bending again. We need to come up with a plan."
"Finally," Toph said, throwing up her hands.
Katara studied Aang, solemn resolve in his posture.
"Chameleon Bay," Katara said softly, touching her necklace. "My dad's there and I need to tell him…" she trailed off before taking a breath. "And we can get supplies. Kuei will be safe there as well."
Aang nodded. "Chameleon Bay it is."
"Good," Toph added. "Come on earthbending student, we have some practice to catch up on."
She held out her hand for Aang to take, and when his fingers wrapped around hers, she pulled him off.
"Toph," Katara stopped their retreat, "thanks. I guess we all just needed to hear that. Again."
"No problem, Sweetness. And after I'm done with Twinkletoes here, you're next."
Katara grinned.
OOO
Fisting his hand in the mop of black hair, Sokka pulled the unresponsive boy to the surface. He looped his arms underneath those of the Fire Prince and lugged him through the water to the Serpent's pass. Muscles straining, his own body fatigued, Sokka silently cheered when his feet finally touched sand. Pulling Zuko onto the small spit of beach that butted against a sheer wall of the pass, Sokka dropped to his knees next to him.
Listening closely, he heard no intake or exhale of breath. Remembering what he had seen his father do when he had pulled a drowned man out of the water so long ago Sokka clasped his hands together, interlacing his fingers. He raised them above his head and brought them down forcefully in the middle of Zuko's chest.
Nothing.
Sokka did it again and as soon as his fists touched flesh, water spewed from the other boy's mouth and nose. He pushed him onto his side, as Zuko coughed and sputtered his body convulsing as he tried to rid it of the fluid. Minutes passed while Zuko's aching lungs attempted to pull in painful breaths and he tried not to wheeze or cough.
Sokka stayed beside him, one hand on the other's shoulder, staring out into the water until Zuko's gasping breathing evened.
The Prince turned over in the wet sand and studied Sokka through half-lidded eyes. Sokka felt the gaze and looked down, meeting the golden stare briefly. Before Zuko could say anything, and before Sokka could begin to analyze the reasons behind rescuing the prince, he stood and turned away.
"We're even," he said, his voice flat. Then he stumbled back into the water to retrieve what little he could from the debris.
OOO
"And then Lu Ten asks why Grandfather's face is so red," Iroh said chuckling.
The group burst out into raucous laughter.
Rin wiped the tears from his eyes. "I can't imagine mighty Fire Lord Azulon embarrassed."
Iroh smiled at the memory of his young Lu Ten. "It was quite the sight, Rin. Of course, Lu Ten was not allowed in the throne room for a long while after that."
Rin sighed and leaned against the metal wall and closed his eyes trying to picture the Fire Nation royal family. All that came to him were Azula's scowling face, and Zuko's scar. He didn't know how the stories that Iroh had been telling them for the last few hours of funny situations and tender moments could differ so greatly from the outside world's view of the family. It almost made them human.
"So, Rin," Iroh started, "I feel at a disadvantage. You know all about my family and about my exploits as a younger man but I know nothing of you."
"There is not much to tell," Rin answered evasively.
"Surely, there is something."
Rin looked down at his hands. "We are very similar, Iroh. I was once a soldier. I was once a father. I was even a wanderer. Now," he gestured to his surroundings though no one could see him, "I am a prisoner. Just like you."
Iroh immediately picked up on Rin using the past tense when talking about his parental status. It pained him to know yet another tragedy supported by his place of birth, by his own lineage.
"I never thanked you," Iroh said softly, "for helping my nephew. He is like a son to me. I was scared I had lost him."
Rin shrugged. "He was already beginning to see it for himself. I just nudged him in the right direction."
"I am sorry that I cannot do something in kind."
Rin sat in silence for a moment. The words were sincere but he could not believe that a Fire Nation royal was speaking them. After all, it was a firebender that had taken his son from him.
"My son died a brave young man," he choked out. "There is no shame in that. As for your nephew, I wanted to have a part in ending this terrible war. If somehow I have done that, pushed him toward a greater destiny, then I have done what I can for this world and for my son's spirit."
"It seems we are very similar," Iroh spoke at last.
Rin exhaled loudly, the pain of his son's death as raw as it was years ago. "Brothers in misery."
OOO
By the time Sokka had retrieved what he could from the water, the sun had left the sky and the moon was making her slow ascent. Zuko had gotten a small fire going using the drift wood that had formally been their transportation. They sat on either side of the fire, looking through the bags and sorting between things that were salvageable and destroyed. Neither spoke, knowing that the tense silence was better than arguing and it seemed that if they were not in mortal peril then they couldn't speak a civil word.
Since both had been absolutely soaked and it was a warm night, their clothes were laid by the fire to dry though Sokka's were nothing more than rags.
Zuko sat on a blanket that he had used his firebending to warm, his toes dug into the sand as he watched the flames flicker. He didn't know what to think of Sokka any more. At first he thought he was annoying and useless but Zuko was finding that a brush with death could make even the most levelheaded men think unusual things. His first errant thought was that Sokka was actually capable. The second was far more disturbing. Zuko thought that maybe he owed the boy some thanks.
It didn't quite come out the way he meant it to.
"You look terrible," he said staring at Sokka over the fire.
Though Sokka's face was no longer swollen, it was still mottled with bruises, some purple, others yellowing, as was his chest. The burn stood out blistered and angry against the tanned skin.
Sokka looked up from where he was sorting. "You don't look great yourself," he shot back, nodding toward Zuko's torso where a large black and blue contusion resided.
Self consciously, Zuko crossed his arms and rested them on his bent knees to hide it from view.
"I can't believe you hit it with a paddle," he started again, not quite getting that 'thank you' out.
Sokka looked back over, a smirk on his lips. "Well, firebending wasn't working. So it was either that or, you know, drown."
Zuko clenched his teeth. Don't take the bait, he told himself knowing Sokka was trying to draw him into an argument.
Sokka noting that Zuko had not retorted to his comment plopped wearily into the sand after looking through the mess for some bandages. Unfortunately he found none.
Staring over the fire at his companion, he was startled to see Zuko looking flustered. Wait…was the Prince of Evil trying to make polite conversation? Huh, maybe, he isn't all bad.
The Water Tribe boy knew he owed Zuko thanks of some sort for getting him out of the cell and making every effort he could so far to ensure their safety. As much as he hated it, he did owe him some verbal gratitude. He just wasn't sure how to express it.
Zuko noticed that Sokka was sitting in the sand, shifting every now and then. All the blankets were on his side of the fire and with Sokka's hurt leg and with his pride, Zuko knew he'd never ask for one.
Picking one up, he held the waterlogged fabric to his body and used a firebending technique to steam and warm the blanket.
"Here," he said quietly and tossed it to Sokka.
Sokka easily caught it and looked over to Zuko. Making sure to meet his eyes, he tried to be sincere and tried to express the real gratitude he felt over being rescued from Ba Sing Se.
"Thanks," he responded.
He spread the blanket out and stretched out his sore legs, thankful to be off the sand. In turn, he picked up a water skin and a bag of jerky.
"Here," he said tossing them over to Zuko.
Zuko caught both and realized just how hungry and thirsty he was. As did Sokka, he looked over the fire, made sure gold met blue and tried to convey his heartfelt gratefulness at being saved from drowning.
"Thanks."
Zuko eagerly took a drink and bit into the cured meat. Afterwards, he placed the water skin and the bag of food down equidistance between the two of them and went back to his blanket. Lying down, he crossed his arms behind his head and looked up at the stars.
Sokka was doing the same then suddenly, he didn't know why, but he began speaking.
"If you think that serpent thing was good, let me tell you about the time that I got stuck in a rock with an angry saber tooth moose-lion bearing down on me."
OOO
A/N: My explanation for Katara's behavior: We always hear about how she lost her mother and whenever she speaks about it, she gets all teary eyed. I think the loss of Sokka would be just as traumatic (if not more) especially since they were so close growing up. It'd take her a while to truly get over it. Thus the moping despite having already discussed it with Toph and Aang.
We also know a little bit more about Rin.
So Sokka and Zuko have gone from open hostility to grudging acceptance. They still have a long way to go.
