"There, all packed." Asahi wiped some sweat off her forehead and looked at her luggage. It was plenty, but she was confident that she was able to hurl it all back safely. Looking around her room she started feeling a little melancholy; the Sun Temple was pretty much her home, after all.
"Have you finished yet?"
Asahi's heartbeat quickened and she silently scolded herself for being shaken so easily just by Zuko's arrival. The Firelord was standing in the doorframe, Pyro's head popping up beside his.
"Zuko." She simply said, searching for some other words.
"I thought I'd swing by, check up on you." He entered nonchalantly and sat down on a stool.
Zu-papa was quite worried, you know. Pyro said and Asahi thought that she could see Zuko's face twitch slightly.
"You were worried for me?" She asked, careful not to exclude him from the conversation.
"Worried? Don't joke around." He said, crossed his arms and pouted. "… I met Aang; he told me." He added shortly after.
Asahi fell silent; so Aang had told Zuko about what had happened. She should have expected as much, considering their bond, but still… she was a little embarrassed by her behaviour earlier on.
"It's no big deal, really." She finally said. "And Aang was a great help; he's such a good guy." She sighed.
"He is." Zuko agreed and Asahi stared at him. "What?" He asked grumpily.
"Nothing… it's just that you surprised me; complimenting Aang like that."
"What? Why?" He looked confused.
"I don't know." She sat down on her bed. "Somehow I didn't take you as someone who easily compliments others."
"I don't." He answered shortly, which made Asahi smile.
"I see." She stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath in. "Well, then, I'll go say goodbye to Ran and Shaw. You wanna come along?" She faced him again and looked into a troubled face.
"Uhm… err… somehow… not really." He admitted and shrugged. Asahi chuckled. How honest he was tonight.
"That's fine." She had wished for some time alone with her foster parents after all.
"I'll go join Aang and the others." He said.
"Well, good luck with that." She smirked and he creased his eyebrows.
"Why?"
"The girls planned to drag Toph – who has done nothing but play with dirt ever since we've arrived, really – to one of the natural hot springs around here. So it'll be a boys' night in tonight."
"Boys' night in, hah?" He didn't look too pleased, but Asahi knew that Zuko didn't really mind Sokka's and Aang's company.
…
When Asahi and Zuko parted, her taking Pyro along for once, he was unsure of what to do. He had a weird suspicion that he was in for some "Old Mate Talk" as Sokka called it and he wasn't sure whether he was up for it after the day he'd had. But, considering his other options, he reluctantly went to look for Aang and Sokka.
"Ah, there he his!" Sokka exclaimed as he joined them at the dining hall.
"Zuko." Aang smiled pleasantly. Looking at him, Zuko couldn't quite believe that they were once sworn enemies. Asahi had been right; fate was a funny thing.
"The girls are away tonight, so it's a night off for us." Sokka explained the obvious.
"Yeah, I know." Zuko answered. "Asahi told me earlier." He added as Sokka cast him a confused expression.
"Ah, you met with your girl earlier?" Sokka asked with a cheeky grin and wiggled his eyebrows. Zuko sighed; just what he had suspected.
"She's not my girl, Sokka." He retorted.
"Oh, but I'm sure you'd much rather she would be!" His friend exclaimed, still grinning.
"Sokka!" Aang reprimanded him, though he looked just as curious.
"Seriously guys, I just want to have a quiet dinner here, is that possible?" Zuko asked them with a serious expression. He knew he probably wouldn't get away with it tonight, but he'd much rather talk about Asahi in a quieter place than the Temple's dining hall.
"Wha-" Sokka started, but Aang interjected.
"Sure, have a nice dinner, Zuko." He said and smiled, this time a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We can talk later." His smile was a tad scary.
"Ohhhh." Sokka made, getting the hint. "Yeah, later."
…
Asahi entered the Dragons' cave without hesitation, this time knowing that her foster parents were genuinely proud of her. Obviously, she liked Zuko's company, but somehow she was grateful to just spend some time with Ran, Shaw and Pyro on her own.
…
"Are you going to stick to me all night?" Zuko asked, as he had tried to rid himself of Sokka's wiggly-eyed presence in vain.
"Of course!" The boy exclaimed. "After all, the girls aren't here and you are becoming rather interesting."
Interesting; was that a word used to describe a person? Zuko sighed, sitting down on one of the chairs in his chamber, where the other two had followed him to.
"We don't intend to let you get away." Aang agreed and took a seat himself.
"Get away? With what?" He tried, at least, to feign ignorance.
"Oh, please, man." Sokka said. "You're in for some Old Mate Talk."
Zuko rolled his eyes; he'd known!
"Go ahead." He then said. "Talk to your old mates." He took a relaxed pose, trying not to seem too tense.
"You know, you might be Firelord, and Aang might be the Avatar." Sokka gestured towards the Aribender. "But with just the three of us it's just like old times. Of course, Aang was already the Avatar back then. Just not as Avatar-ish." He shrugged and Aang furrowed his eyebrows.
"Not as Avatar-ish?" He asked, slightly offended.
"Yeah, you kinda messed up sometimes."
"Did not!" The Avatar defended himself.
"So did! Remember when we got that horrible cold and you actually went and got captured by Xiao? Zuko had to break you out!" Now Sokka pointed at Zuko.
"He's right." He said, finding some amusement in teasing Aang.
"Oh, please, if I hadn't saved you, Xiao would have probably killed you!" Aang exclaimed, remembering the story.
"I guess we all messed up sometimes back then." Zuko agreed.
"When did I ever mess up?!" Sokka protested but fell silent when both Aang and Zuko shot him a meaningful look.
"Speaking about messing up…" Aang started. "I think that you messed up pretty badly yesterday, huh? Asahi seemed kinda angry, pushing you against the wall and all."
"You saw?!" Surprised and ashamed, Zuko sat up straight in his chair.
"Zuko, you and Asahi are our entertainment program." Sokka confessed.
"I don't believe you!" Exasperated, Zuko threw his hands in the air. "There's this thing called privacy!"
"Yeah… that doesn't exist; sorry." Sokka smirked.
"You're unbelievable…" He repeated.
"Don't be mad, Zuko." Aang said. "We just want you to be happy. And if assisting in your trial for love helps achieve that goal, we're willing to go far enough." He added nonchalantly.
"What trial for love? I'd be happy enough if you could just leave me alone!" Zuko grunted.
"You might be able to fool yourself, Zuko, but you can't fool us." Sokka said calmly. "We can tell that you're in love with Asahi."
"I appreciate her, respect her and am thankful for her presence. But love her? I don't think so. Now either we talk about something else, or you can spend your night lamenting your loneliness without your girlfriends alone!"
