It's very late by the time they reenter the courtyard. Hakoda holds her tight, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She's relieved to see everyone is asleep, she doesn't want to face any of them yet. Especially Zuko. Appa raises his head as they pass him and she gives him a weak smile.
Exhausted from sobbing for so long, she settles into the sleeping bag and takes a deep breath. She glances at the sleeping prince's form, chest gently rising and falling and wonders if her Father was right after all. Is he still a threat? She doesn't want to trust him, couldn't forgive herself if she was wrong. But she did promise to be kinder to him. She turns over and looks out to the cliff side across the gorge. The sky is already getting lighter, though sunrise won't be for another few hours. Her eyes burn, desperate for rest. She sighs and allows herself to drift into sleep.
There are green crystals surrounding her in this odd room and a form, kneeling and shaking in the corner. His back is to her but she can tell how his shoulders tremble that he's crying. She reaches out to touch his shoulder…he turns and rounds on her, the Fire Lord himself, eyes red and wide with a grotesque smile twisting his face. He grabs her throat and she feels fire running through her, he squeezes tighter and tighter. She desperately gasps for air as everything goes black. She's standing in a city, the buildings around her are on fire…Ba Sing Se…and there leading the attack is Zuko with his shaved head and high ponytail. He scowls menacingly at her as he sets fire to another home, screams are all that escape. Aang suddenly appears and Zuko shoots lightning into the Avatar as she screams for him to stop. She opens her eyes, she's home in her hut. She spots her Mother in front of her, she wants to run to her but there's a man in between them. Slowly, his head turns she realizes it's Zuko and he's got hold of her mother. "That's something we have in common." He smirks at her as he sets her Mother a blaze. Screaming…all she can hear is screaming…screaming and a crash.
She opens her eyes and jumps to her feet, ready for the attack. She looks up, realizing too late; the ceiling is collapsing above her. Suddenly she's knocked to the side with a weight on top of her back as the boulders collide with the floor. "What do you think you're doing?!" She snaps at the firebender, as she wriggles free, desperate to be far from him. *****
"How long do you think they'll be gone?" Aang asks the group, voice heavy with concern. He's met with shrugs and apologetic looks. He sighs heavily. Would she actually do it? Would his beautiful and kindhearted Katara actually take a life? Would Zuko be able to stop her? Would he even try?
"They'll be ok Aang…they're both great benders. As long as they look out for each other." Suki offers, receiving a worried look from her boyfriend. Sokka did not like the thought of Zuko being alone with his sister. Would she leave his buddy in the Fire Nation? Pretend she'd done everything she could to help? No, his sweet little sister wouldn't do something so cruel. But then again, she's not acting like herself at all! She's set out on a mission for revenge…possibly to even take a man's life…how far would the revenge extend?
Momo chirps softly and nudges his cheek comfortingly. The sky was getting dark and there was a chill in the air. He wraps his arm around his girlfriend, pulling her in close to keep her warm. She sighs contently and melts into his side. Suddenly, all he can think about is if she was going to spend the night in his tent with him again. He smiles to himself at the thought and nuzzles his cheek into hers.
"We should go into that town tomorrow. We need supplies and I'm sure Suki would like to get a different outfit." Toph states, changing the subject.
"Yeah, prison outfits aren't very flattering…or comfortable." The older girl says. "I don't have money though."
"It's ok, we have plenty. Zuko stole some from the Treasury before he left. I'm sure he won't mind." Sokka smiles at the thought of his buddy then frowns with worry.
"Really? That's pretty funny actually!" She laughs at the thought of the prince sneaking money from his Father's purse. "You know Sokka, you were right. He's real awkward at first, but he's actually really fun. Not at all like I'd thought he'd be."
"Yeah, I just hope Katara doesn't strand him or throw him off Appa." He jokes darkly, staring into the fire.
"I'm getting real tired of the way Sweetness treats him." Toph shakes her head.
"Who knows, maybe this will be a trip of healing for her. I mean, they're going to confront the man that's hurt her the most…maybe if she can forgive him she can finally forgive Zuko." Aang says hopefully.
"So far, every field trip with Zuko's turned out real good. I mean, we were friends before but we really hit it off after Boiling Rock." Sokka smiles.
"Yeah, your bromance has gotten pretty serious." Suki teases, pushing her shoulder against his. He smiles and nods slowly in agreement.
"I call next field trip!" Toph yells excitedly. *****
What was he doing?! He willingly came with her on a mission to the Fire Nation…the nation that he was to be killed on site if recognized. Even worse, he was alone…with her. Since they'd left the Temple, she'd been especially short with him even nasty at times. It wasn't until he realized that she had somehow connected him to her Mother's death that he knew he had to do something drastic to earn her trust. He'd offered to steer many times, but she kept refusing. He was fine without talking, he was never much of a conversationalist, but the hostile silence was making him uneasy.
He had really thought that they had the right man back on the ship. She was probably extremely disappointed. Then it struck him…what was that move she used on him?! He'd looked terrified and it didn't seem like he had control over his body. Maybe it isn't a good time to ask, but she would probably snap at him no matter what he said. So he decided to try.
"Katara? What did you do to the captain back there?" He keeps his voice emotionless, trying hard not to make her angry. He sees her body tense in front of him, but she stays silent for a few moments.
"Bloodbending." She answers shortly, her voice strained and dark.
"You…you mean you can bend the water in…blood?" He asks, fear creeping into his voice.
"Unfortunately." She sounds almost ashamed…regretful of this ominous ability. 'How am I still alive?' He asks himself darkly.
"So you…can control people's bodies?" He knows she wants to drop the subject but he's too morbidly curious.
"Why, you want a demonstration?" She threatens glancing briefly over her shoulder.
"You already gave me one." He shoots back. She might have a terrifying new ability, but he's getting sick of being bullied around by her. He is after all risking his life to help her get closure! Fortunately, she backs down, too tired to put up much of a fight. "Where did you learn how to do that?" His voice is normal again, he's trying to keep the relative peace.
"An old woman named Hama. She was the last waterbender taken from our tribe and imprisoned in the Fire Nation. She taught me some bending techniques and I…I trusted her. Then we found out she was using bloodbending to kidnap villagers and lock them in a makeshift prison. I had to learn it to stop her." She explains darkly. 'So, she's had a few people betray her trust…makes sense why she's so guarded.' He thinks to himself.
He nods quietly, not knowing what more to say. "I see." He decides to drop it. She sounds exhausted and he doesn't want to anger her. "Katara, let me steer for a while. We should be there soon. You need your rest to face him." He commands this time, not willing to take another 'no'. He's surprised when she nods slowly and makes her way to the saddle.
"Hey buddy." He whispers as he climbs onto Appa's head, receiving a soft growl. It's midday but the sky is darkening with clouds. It didn't look like it'd start raining for a few hours though. The island wasn't too much further, they should be able to make it before the sun went down. He just wanted to get this over with. If she was going to actually kill her Mother's murderer…well he just wanted it to be done with already. What would he do if she went through with it? He deserved it, just like his own Father did. But he wasn't sure he'd be able to do it…in fact, he knew he wouldn't. He'd had the chance to just weeks ago but didn't have it in him. He was thankful for that…it proved to him he wasn't really like his Father after all. *****
"Why did you do it?" Her voice is hushed, barely a whisper but echoes around the cell.
"You're my best friend…I couldn't let her hurt you." She lowers her large tear-filled eyes to her hands twisting in her lap. Her normally bubbly disposition replaced with a serious and solemn mood.
"…I…thought Azula was your best friend…" Her voice breaks uncharacteristically. She stares at her friend, her gold silver eyes searching the girls face for something.
"No. I loved her but she scares me. You've always cared about me Mai. You're my real friend." Tears fall freely down her round cheeks. She wipes at the streams fruitlessly. Mai grabs her shoulder and squeezes gently.
"Look at me Ty Li…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I didn't want to drag you down with me." Her normally emotionless face is twisted with sadness and she allows the tears to finally fall. Ty Li dives into her friend's arms, burying her face into Mai's neck and holding her tightly as they share each other's pain. Mai gently presses her cheek into her hair and brings one hand to hold her head, the other clutching her back.
"I'm just happy I'm with you." Ty Li sobs into her neck. "And Zuko's alive."
Taking a deep breath, Mai decides that is enough emotion for one day. She pulls back to look at her teary friend and smirks. "Yeah, that jerk is gonna own us for the rest of his life." Ty Li laughs halfheartedly and wipes a few tears away. "What's the first thing we should make him do when we get out of here?" Mai asks, grinning devilishly at her friend who giggles deeply.
"I'm thinking fruit tarts and foot massages for hours." She chirps, trying hard to keep the sadness out of her voice.
She glances around the dingy cell. "Let's make it months." Mai smirks. *****
"Katara! Are you ok?" His voice is thick with concern and worry. The rain is falling hard now and soaks through their black clothes. She's practically running ahead of him and he struggles to keep up. She's an emotional wreck and he really doesn't want her to strand him on the island.
"I'm fine." She yells but he can see her body is shaking with emotion. "Katara, please. Let me help." He pleads with her, not knowing what he could even do to help calm her.
"I'm fine, just leave me alone!" She shouts as she turns to face him. He nearly runs into her. He's shocked by the rage in her eyes as she glares at him. "I don't need your help! Just leave me alone!" She yells as she shoves him back away from her.
"Katara…please…" He begs, his stomach twists nervously as he remembers her bloodbending. She's crying freely and shaking with anger and loss. "NO! Just go! Leave me alone!" She pushes him again and again, trying to force him away from her but he stands his ground. He watches her, allowing her to keep hitting his chest, pouring her anger out on him. Slowly, each strike grows weaker and weaker, her anger drains…all she has left is emptiness and sadness. Her hands stay where they'd last hit on his chest, she twists the fabric in her fists as she starts sobbing. His eyes fill with sympathetic tears as he slowly steps forward and gently pulls her into him, wrapping his arms around her back. She buries her face in his shoulder, her whole body shaking with pain.
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" He whispers and slowly rocks her like her Father had done to him. Holding her tighter, he can feel her knees growing weak under her. He can't recall the last time they had eaten since they'd left the temple. Her breathing is starting to come back to normal and she pulls away slowly. "Let's get back to Appa, you need to rest." He says firmly and she nods in agreement, looking down at the ground.
The rain is letting up and they had to get off the island. It would be too risky to stay after what had happened. He makes sure she is secure in the saddle then settles himself on Appa's head. He'd seen another island on their way there that was just a few hours away. The great bison took to the angry sky and he could feel the drop in temperature instantly with the wind blowing against his rain-soaked clothes. *******
"Shopping!" Sokka yells cheerily, rapidly clapping his hands with delight. Suki rolls her eyes at her ridiculously excited boyfriend. They enter the small Earth Kingdom store full of clothing, jewelry, and trinkets. She'd borrowed one of Katara's tunics that she'd left so she wouldn't be spotted as a convict.
"Let's just get what we need guys. We don't want to spend all our money." Aang suggests wisely then spots a bracelet that he knows Katara would love. He excitedly picks it up and examines it.
"That'll look great on you Twinkletoes." Toph jabs making the boy blush fiercely.
"Suki! Over here! This would look great on you!" Sokka yells across the store, waving the clothing he'd selected for her. She shakes her head and smiles as she makes her way to him. "And look, I thought Zuko might like this." He adds showing off the Earth Kingdom outfit. It was quite similar to the one he'd brought with him but was green and gold instead of red.
She chuckles at his affectionate thoughtfulness for his friend. "Yeah, it would be good for him to blend in while we're in the Earth Kingdom." She says quietly. "Although, he's still pretty recognizable." She adds solemnly, nodding to the wanted poster hung above the counter.
He sighs heavily, staring at the picture of his buddy. "I really hope they're ok."
"They'll be fine Sokka…and he'll appreciate the outfit. Now, let's find him a cloak with a hood." She smiles.
"Great idea! You're so smart and beautiful and amazing!" He kisses her cheek repeatedly as she giggles and leads him to another stand. ******
It had to have been a few hours now, the rain slowed to a drizzle and she was shaking slightly from the chill. Until now, she hadn't even noticed the cold. She'd been too deep in thought since they'd left the island, staring at the clouds. Her eyes drift to the figure in front of her. How long had he been steering? She hadn't seen him sleep much the last few days. And he'd looked so worried…so sad after they'd left that horrid man. She feels a pang of guilt…she'd been so harsh with him, had taken out all of her anger on him…and he'd looked so dejected, so hurt…but so understanding.
"Zuko?" She asks, coming up behind him in the saddle. "Hm?" He turns his good side to look at her. "Are you tired? I could steer." She offers, her voice quiet and kind. She notes the dark circles under his eyes and how his skin looks even more pale than usual.
"Actually, I think we should land for the night. It looks like the storm's coming back." He says sadly, thinking she will be upset by the news. "There should be an island coming up ahead. I saw it on our way here." He adds, studying her face. She seems distant, lost in thought.
"Alright, I trust your judgement." She says absently. He looks at her for a few moments, confused by her behavior. Did she just say she trusts him? She stares out at the darkening clouds ahead. They remind her of the ominous clouds they'd seen before the storm that Sokka got caught at sea in. *****
She stabs her fork into the greyish goop on her plate, moving the mess around with a repulsed expression. "Ugh, disgusting!" She wrinkles her nose and looks away from the excuse of a meal. "I'd rather starve than eat this prison slop." She states, throwing her fork into the mush.
"It's pretty bad…but it's not terrible terrible." Ty Li tries optimistically. "Just think of fruit tarts instead." She smiles encouragingly to her friend who stares blankly in response, blinking slowly.
"Ugh, he's Never going to live this down." Mai glares at her plate and crosses her arms. The thought of her ex-boyfriend makes her chest tighten. She would never admit it, but she was terribly worried about him. He's pretty clever but he can be extremely reckless. He did brake into the highest security prison while being the second most wanted person in the Fire Nation after all! She sighs heavily, pushing down her concern.
"Well well well…look who it is ladies. Aren't these the two that landed us in here? What happened girls? Your boss not happy with your work anymore?" The Kyoshi warrior taunts, staring down at the girls sitting miserably in front of her. The rest of the warriors' glare and chuckle darkly at the pair's misfortune.
"She's not our boss." Mai snaps, her voice a deadly whisper.
"…we kind of betrayed her…" Ty Li offers sadly, shame clear on her face.
"Really? ...What…what happened?" The temporary leader asks, vague concern ghosting her face. The girls must not be lying, they are in prison after all.
"We helped the Avatar's friends escape Boiling Rock…well Mai did…then I chi blocked Azula when she tried to attack Mai…" She keeps her eyes down, sadness taking over her normally cheerful face. Mai stares into the grey mush, forcing her face to remain expressionless even though her heart aches for her friend.
"Why?"
Ty Li looks to her friend, unsure of how to respond. "Why what?" Mai snaps, angry that they were being so annoyingly nosey.
"Why did you help the Avatar's friends?" She says more firmly, irritated with the gloomy girl's attitude.
"To save the jerk who dumped me." She deadpans, not willing to go into more detail. The warrior considers the girl for a moment, deciding it was useless to pry further.
"They were breaking some people out of prison. Your leader was one of them. She's really pretty by the way." Ty Li offers in a friendly tone, smiling at the shocked girls.
"Suki?! She got out?!" She asks hopefully, thankful for her friend's good fortune.
"Yeah, Zuko and that cute watertribe guy rescued her and two other men." Ty Li smiles brightly at them.
"Sokka! He really did come for her! Well…you helped our leader…so we should help you. Would you like to sit with us? It's best to stick to a group in here, it's safer." The warrior offers, smiling at the girls. Mai opens her mouth to refuse but is cut off by Ty Li's excited "do we ever!" She jumps up and embraces the Kyoshi warrior with a bone crushing hug as Mai rolls her eyes and sighs. *****
They made it to the island just in time. The storm is becoming a typhoon and the wind whips around viciously outside of the cave. Appa shakes his massive frame soaking their shelter completely. "Thanks buddy." Zuko says, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Here." Katara says quietly, as she bends the water from the cave, their supplies, and then from the giant beast. He grabs the extra wood they'd brought and quickly makes a fire, lighting up the cave. It was rather small and warmed quickly.
The prince begins setting up the pot of water over the flames to cook their dinner. Katara shivers as a breeze passes through the cave. She needs to change. She could bend the water out of her clothes, but she'd been wearing the same tunic for nearly two days now. She glances at her companion and can tell he's thinking the same thing.
"We should change." She states shortly. He nods in agreement then frowns as he studies the cave. It wasn't terribly small, but with the addition of a ten-ton bison, it didn't offer privacy. He follows Katara's lead and shuffles through his own bag to find dry clothes.
Clothes in hand, she glances nervously at the prince. She can tell by the fire light that he's blushing slightly but he meets her gaze. Gulping, she suggests. "Let's face opposite walls. And don't peak!" She adds sternly. He rolls his eyes and turns to face the cave wall. She can feel her face burning as she faces the opposite wall. Thunder rolls outside, lightning illuminating the cave just moments later.
She can hear her companion sliding cloth over skin, shedding what sounded like a shirt, then pants, then…she blushes furiously and hurriedly disrobes, desperate to finish changing first. After a few moments, she realizes that she can't hear movement behind her anymore and she looks over her shoulder to catch him peeking. To her surprise, he's still facing the cave wall but fumbling with his clothes wearing only his under shorts. She blushes furiously as she stares at his muscular and nearly naked frame. His shorts were just tight enough to show off his curvature, but long enough to fall mid-thigh. She forces her head back to the wall, feeling her face burn. She'd never seen a guy so exposed before, other than her brother and Aang who somehow didn't really count as he was so young. She reprimands herself for wanting to sneak another peak.
She hastily finishes dressing herself and glances over her shoulder again to see him now fully clothed and waiting patiently, still facing the cave wall. A wave of guilt hits her. She thought he would be the one sneaking a peak yet there she was, the image of the prince in his undershorts fresh in her mind. She turns back to face the wall and clears her throat. "Are…are you done?" Her voice is strained with the effort of trying to sound innocent. "Yeah…um…you?" He says awkwardly. "Yes." They turn to hang their drenched clothes, both blushing, neither one daring to look at the other.
Katara fumbles with preparing their meal. "Can I help? …please?" Zuko asks softly, hoping for something to keep himself busy with. She smiles weakly and hands him vegetables to cut. They fall into a comfortable silence as they work, the only sounds are the crackle of the fire and the beating of the rain outside. Soon the cave is filled with the comforting aroma of their dinner.
Appa grunts loudly in anticipation as Katara bends some stew out for him "Careful Appa, it's still hot." Katara warns, carefully bending the stew around a few extra moments to cool it down. He growls happily and licks his mouth clean after his meal. She's surprised to hear a soft laugh from the young prince at the display and she smiles at him. "Hungry?" she asks her companion. "Yes!" He breaths, hunger finally catching up to him.
She ladles some into a bowl and hands it to him. "Thank you." He smiles weakly. They fall into another comfortable silence, listening to the rain. The storm was getting louder now but their little cave was warm and dry. "Katara? Is…there anymore?" Zuko asks quietly. She'd never seen him ask for seconds before; he must be famished!
She smiles gently and ladles more into his bowl. He says another quiet 'thank you' and their eyes meet. His eyes are shockingly gold; she stares at them transfixed. How had she not noticed them before? He's not sure what to make of her sudden prolonged eye contact. 'Is this a water tribe thing? Do I keep staring? What if I blink?' He asks himself suddenly nervous again. He looks down, unsure, and says another 'thank you' as he starts on his second helping. She blinks a few times and blushes furiously again. *****
"Wow Suki, you look gorgeous!" Sokka gushes, staring at his girlfriend in her new clothes. He smiles at her and a dreamy, glazed over expression takes over his features. She giggles in response to his doting. "You're not too bad yourself handsome." She winks at him and he pounces at her, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her in close.
"Ugh get a room." Toph snaps crankily, rolling her eyes and storming off toward Aang. He's sitting on the edge of the cliff, legs dangling off the side, staring out at the ocean. Desperately hoping to spot his giant bison on the horizon. He fidgets with the bracelet in his hand, turning it over and over. He wishes she would just get back already.
"What's with you Twinkletoes?" She presses bluntly as she lowers herself down next to him.
"Oh, uh…hey Toph…uh nothing…just worried about them is all." He tries to make it sound casual but she knows better. She can feel his heart race every time Katara comes near him, or looks at him, or talks to him, or exists. She'd picked up on it a long time ago…the boy had it bad!
"They'll be ok Aang. An you know she's not going to do it. She's too nice. I don't think Sparky would let her anyway. He's also too nice." Her tone is kind and firm, reassuring him. He loves that his friend can so easily ground him. Momo chirps in agreement on his shoulder and nudges his face into the boy's cheek. Laughter rings out behind them as the two lovers start to play wrestle.
Aang feels a pang of jealousy as he looks over his shoulder at the couple. Would he ever get to be like that with Katara? Then a horrifying thought crosses his mind. What if Katara did forgive Zuko? What if she started…liking him? Even with the scar, he is quite handsome and a lot taller than Aang. What if she…?
"What's wrong?" Toph asks as she feels his heart racing.
"Uh…nothing…" He says too quickly.
"You're lying Twinkletoes. What's wrong? The love birds bothering you? Cause you're not alone there!"
"Oh…uh…yeah, kind of." He rubs the back of his neck nervously and forces a laugh.
"They're making you jealous?" She takes a stab at it. She's been waiting for him to come clean on his crush.
"What?! Jealous?! Me?! Ha! What would I be jealous of?!" He laughs awkwardly under her blank and unseeing stare. He sighs loudly and his resolve breaks. "yeah…kind of…I…I kind of have a secret…but you can't tell anyone Toph, please!?"
"Tell anyone that you have a crush on Katara? Of course I won't, I'm not a gossiping old lady."
"What? How…how did you know?! Zuko told you!?" He snaps angrily at the firebender's betrayal.
"Uhhh no…I can feel your heart race every time she's near to you…wait, you told Zuko but not me?!" She says, suddenly furious.
"He kind of just…figured it out…I didn't want to tell anyone! But…yeah…" Aang looks down at the bracelet again, his heart heavy. "What if…what if when they're alone together…what if…" He starts.
"OHHHH! You think Sweetness is going to fall for Prince Awkward."
"I don't know…maybe!" His frustration is evident in his voice and he can feel his cheeks heat up.
"Listen Aang. I know I probably shouldn't say this and I'm Not going into detail…but I think Katara might feel the same about you. I don't think she knows it yet, or at least doesn't have it all figured out…but it's clear to me that something's there. And anyway, Zuko is head over heels for that gloomy chick! He's also your friend…he'd never steal your girl."
"Really?! Toph you really think she…Ouch!" He rubs his arm where she'd punched it.
"Don't Ever tell her I said that! Now let's go, I'm getting hungry and these two are asking for a throw down!" She punches her hand and nods toward the giggling couple behind them rolling around on the ground. *****
Zuko hands her a cup of tea and she smiles gratefully for the warming comfort. Despite the fire, the cave was still growing colder with the fierce storm outside. He settles himself down a bit further from her giving her space and rests his back on Appa. She feels the bison's deep breathing against her own back and is thankful for how warm the fur is.
"Katara…I know you don't think much of me…and you have every reason not to…but for what it's worth…I think you did the right thing today." His voice is steady and kind, yet mournful. He takes his eyes from the fire for a moment to glance at her. His gold eyes are filled with empathy and somehow makes her feel warmer as she stares into them. She peels her eyes from his and gazes deep into the fire.
"I wanted to. I really did. But I just…couldn't. I don't think my Mother would've wanted me to." She confesses, feeling weak with shame and bitterness.
"I think she'd be proud of you. My Uncle once told me that it's a difficult thing to injure your enemy, but it's even more difficult to spare them." His voice is firm and affectionate as he relays his beloved Uncle's wisdom.
"I think he'd be proud of you." Turning to him, she smiles softly, tears in her blue eyes. He returns the smile weakly and quickly looks back to the fire, uncomfortable with watching women cry. She wipes a few tears away and takes a deep breath. He sips his tea nervously. Appa releases a loud snore that shakes the teens backs, eliciting soft laughter.
"You know, a while ago, we went to this Fire Nation festival. One of the showmen made a giant dragon with the fire. It was pretty amazing." She starts, trying to make polite conversation. He nods his head slowly.
"Fire Manipulation. It's one of the creative branches of firebending." He says distractedly, then seeing her confused expression adds. "It's not all about destruction you know. Fire is life too, energy, and warmth. Fire Manipulation takes a lot of concentration but it's kinda…fun. My Father hates it though…he says it's a waste of bending…" He trails off quietly with a haunted look. She stares at him for a moment and feels a sudden urge to hug him tightly.
"Can you do it? Fire Manipulation?" She asks gently, trying to coax him out of his dark thoughts. He looks at her with a bit of shock in his eyes. "I…I haven't tried in many years." Dropping his gaze as he admits. But he catches the sadness in her face as she turns back to the fire. She was trying. For the first time since Ba Sing Se, she was trying to connect with him and he shut her down. He mentally kicks himself.
He sighs and focuses all his attention on the fire. With a few small hand movements, he separates a portion of the flames. It hovers shapelessly over the fire for a few moments then slowly takes on the form of what looks like a small creature with large ears and bat like wings. It hangs above the fire for a few moments while he smooths out its features. "Momo!" Her face lights up with recognition and delight.
He smiles at her joy then makes the lemur flap it's wings and sore in a circle above her causing her to giggle with enjoyment. After a few more circles, the creature dives back into the fire and another form makes its way up. It lingers for a moment while it takes shape; slowly a Koalaotter lazily swims up and around the fire. Twisting and diving around as if the air was its ocean home.
She laughs as she watches it play. "I haven't seen a koalaotter in so long!" Her voice is filled with longing and warmth, clearly remembering her home in the south pole. After a few minutes, he lets it dive back into the fire and decides to draw inspiration from his own recent experience.
A majestic dragon soars from the fire, this time not needing to hesitate while taking form. It's small so as not to hurt them in the restricted cave but the details are sharp and she can make out the jagged teeth and what looks like lines of hair around the jaws and down the back. It soars higher, flapping its wings and twisting it's long body through the air as she gasps in awe. She can't believe how much better this dragon was than the massive form the showman had conjured.
The dragon opens it's mouth and releases a small blast of flame, eliciting another gasp from his companion. She peels her eyes from the creature to look at the young prince, taking in the child-like smile and uncensored, carefree pleasure on his face. She'd never seen him smile like that. His golden eyes practically glowing with amusement as they follow the dragon's form. Feeling her gaze, he turns and their eyes meet again.
"Um…what do you want to see next?" He asks timidly, like he was doing something he knew he shouldn't be. Her heart wretched, he really enjoyed this form of bending but his Father had shamed him from practicing it. Even years after and far from his Father's gaze, he still was uneasy to practice it. She realizes she'd been staring at him again and that he was nervously waiting for her to say something.
"Um…how about Appa?" She suggests, smiling at the bison as he growls his approval. The young prince nods and turns back to the fire, concentrating deeply. Once again, the fire creature is sent diving back into the flames only to reemerge as a new form. This time taking on the bulk of the six-legged bison with smooth horns adorning its head. He takes a moment to get the fur right and then makes the form open its mouth as if growling. Appa growls for the miniature bison and the teens laugh at the assistance.
The fire bison takes off soaring through the air above them, the giant bison behind them growling with delight at the tiny him. But Zuko's eyelids are growing quite heavy from the intense focus it took to create the forms and a yawn escapes him before he can stop himself. The fire bison dissipates midflight with his momentary lapse of concentration.
"You must be exhausted Zuko. You haven't slept much the last few days." She says in her motherly tone. "I'm ok…just a little sleepy." He yawns, his voice betraying his fatigue.
"Why don't you try to get some sleep?" She suggests gently.
"What about you?" He blinks slowly at her with sleepy concern.
"I'll rest soon. I've got a lot on my mind that I need to sort before I can sleep." She says as she pulls their sleeping bags out, handing him his.
"Do you want to talk about it? I'm not great with advice but I can listen." He offers with a sincere and exhausted smile. She laughs softly and shakes her head.
"Yeah, Sokka told me about the 'silver sandwich' advice. No, it's ok, thank you though…and thank you for coming and helping me…and being here for me…you're a good friend." She adds nervously and his eyes snap up to meet hers, hopeful disbelief in his gold eyes. 'Did she just call me a friend' he asks himself, not trusting his compromised hearing.
"oh…uh…it's ok." He shrugs and smiles timidly as if testing her sincerity. She smiles warmly, reassuringly. "Get some sleep Zuko." He nods in agreement as he unrolls his sleeping bag and settles himself down. Thunder rolls, echoing through the cave. A few moments later, she can hear the young prince breathing deeply, sound asleep. She considers him for a moment, taking in the peaceful expression on his face and slightly parted lips.
This journey had been strenuous and testing and he willingly came to help her. Days of traveling with almost no sleep and no meals. He had snuck into a Fire Nation control tower, a Fire Nation ship, and a Fire Nation village when there was a death warrant on his head. He risked his very life to help her find closure. Even after how cruel she'd been to him, even after she even threatened to 'end him'. She smiles to herself, deciding once and for all that it was safe to trust him…Zuko was her friend. *****