It was the year 96 AG, not that the spirits cared, and the Painted Lady was happier than she had been in a long time. For nearly thirteen years, she'd been watching the ice princess that La tasked Teinhai with protecting. The Painted Lady truly loved that little girl but her life could get a bit boring at times. She was banned from speaking in meetings, her whereabouts were heavily restricted, she rarely got the chance to leave the palace on the night of the full moon… But that was going to change. Soon. The Painted Lady knew it.

It was nearly two months after Zuko's arrival that the boy had the chance to leave Pakku's shadow. The burn on his face was stubborn and it took Yagoda a long time to revive him and even longer for him to rediscover his strength, not to mention how badly he'd scared Pakkun that first night Zuko turned into a dragon. That was… Well, it was more interesting than anything Yue had done in years. The Painted Lady enjoyed watching despite how stressful the situation clearly was for the waterbending master and the Fire Nation boy.

But that was a story for another time. Today Zuko was venturing to the palace for the first time. Still a bit unsteady on his feet, he clung close to Pakku when they walked across icey pathways and over bridges but he seemed excited. A bit scared but everything around him was too new and intriguing for his curiosity to resist.

He was silent when Pakku brought him inside the palace and seemed intimidated by the guards. It only made him cling closer to Pakku which was sweet, really. Pakku didn't seem to be a fan of it but he was tolerating it and the Painted Lady knew that was big for him. He led Zuko through the winding halls of the palace without pulling his sleeve away from Zuko's iron grip and the pair was soon at the chief's doorstep.

"Come in," Arnook said and the two stepped into the chamber where everything important seemed to take place. Zuko lowered his gaze and seemed to shrink behind Paku but the older man put his hands on Zuko's shoulders and maneuvered the boy in front of him.

"This is Zuko," Pakku introduced, "the boy I found out on the water around two months ago."

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Zuko said quietly. Pakku nudged him and he lifted his gaze, fear visible in his lone golden eye.

Arnook made a noise of acknowledgement and reached a hand forward. "May I?"

Zuko looked to Pakku who nodded. Zuko nodded quickly and Arnook put a hand on Zuko's head. Zuko flinched at the contact and Arnook withdrew his hand but still looked fascinated.

"These white streaks in your hair, they are signs of the spirit's presence, are they not?"

Zuko nodded and pointed at his face. "My eye used to be blue before… before this. Master Pakku says he thinks I kind of look like the Blue Spirit."

"That's the spirit watching over him?"

Pakku nodded. "I think Agni and Tui both blessed him but yes, I believe it's the Blue Spirit who's taken up guardianship of Zuko."

"I'm afraid I don't know much about Fire Nation spirits," Arnook said. "Is the Blue Spirit safe?"

Zuko seemed to realize Chief Arnook was talking to him when Pakku didn't answer. "Oh, um, me neither. I don't know much. But if there really is a spirit in me, he's never done anything bad. I- I'm not a very strong bender. And I'm always messing up. I don't think he's dangerous if that's what you're wondering."

Arnook seemed satisfied with that. "And how are you settling into life in the Water Tribe?"

"Um, it's alright. It's different but people are nice, I guess. I've mostly just been resting and talking to Yagoda and Master Pakku just started training me a bit but I haven't gone to school or made any friends or anything…"

Arnook was silent for a moment before saying, "That is all. Pakku, I believe you have some students to attend to. Zuko, your welcome to remain at the palace or find your own way home. You're both dismissed."

Zuko looked like he wanted to protest but he merely dipped his head and hurried out after Pakku. "That was scary."

"It wasn't so bad," Pakku told him dismissively. "Now, I need to go. Try to get home before nightfall. It's a full moon tonight."

Again, Zuko looked like he wanted to protest but he said nothing. "I'm not sure if I know how to get back."

"Ask a guard. They saw you with me, they know you're my ward."

Zuko opened his mouth to argue but a flicker of movement caught his eye. Peering out from behind a corner was a girl roughly his age with stark white hair. She pressed a finger to her lips, telling him to keep quiet. Zuko stared for a moment before turning his attention back to Pakku. "Um, okay. That's fine."

Pakku nodded once and turned away. Once he was halfway out of the hall, the girl darted out and approached the young firebender. Recognition flashed in his eyes but it was clear Zuko didn't understand it. The two could feel their spiritual connection, the Painted Lady was sure of it, but they were too young and inexperienced to truly understand it's significance or what it meant.

"You're the kid Master Pakku's waterbenders found out on the ocean, right?" the girl asked, leaning forward to peer at Zuko curiously.

"Uh-huh. That's me. Zuko." Zuko nodded. "And you are…?"

The girl looked thrilled rather than offended that Zuko didn't know who she was. "I'm Yue, Chief Arnook's daughter. It's nice to meet you, Zuko."

"You too," Zuko said, awkward as ever. Yue didn't seem to mind though and that brought a smile and some of that old innocence back to Zuko's face. If the Painted Lady recalled correctly, the Fire Prince didn't have many friends to speak of back in the Caldera. Not that Yue did either but she at least seemed to have a bit more confidence than the boy.

"Wanna make snowballs?

"Snowballs?"

"You've never made snowballs?" Zuko shook his head, prompting Yue to take his hand and pull him down the hallway. "Come on, we're doing it."

Zuko protested a bit but he didn't put much force into it, letting Yue drag him through the palace and out to a walled off garden of snow and ice. Breaking into an excited grin, Yue began showing Zuko how to make snowballs, balling up snow in her gloved hands with childish glee unbefitting kids their age but neither seemed to care. Both just seemed happy to finally have a friend.

The Painted Lady watched them for a few moments longer before slipping away. She felt this was a special moment that would define their relationship forever. She trusted they would make it a good one.

That first full moon after Zuko and Yue met was simultaneously humbling and painful to watch.

Agni, La, Tui, and all the other spirits were somewhere watching. The Painted Lady sensed their gazes coming down from the spirit world but she paid them no mind. She wanted to see if the two beautiful beasts would meet tonight.

Pakku quickly learned he couldn't hope to contain a dragon in his small home and he had no interest in taking Zuko up to the barren tundra or spirit forest each full moon himself so he let Zuko fly free. For the most part. He tried to keep a watchful eye over him but Zuko always sought the more secluded places around the tribe's land and Pakku couldn't hope to keep up with an airborne dragon. Not that he minded much. He'd much rather have Zuko hidden than nearby.

Chief Arnook was still protective of his daughter but Yue was thirteen and her serpent form was nearly at full size. It was far too large to keep in the palace and so she too was set free to do as she pleased.

It was over the open sea where serpent and dragon met. Yue was enjoying dancing and twisting deep under the ocean's surface while Zuko was soaking in the moonlight and enjoying the feeling of the wind under his wings above. It was a wonder they noticed each other, so caught up in their ecstasy and freedom, but they did and they couldn't tear their eyes away from each other.

They were wary at first, of course. They were both massive, wild beasts who had been told their whole lives to hide these forms. Zuko prepared his flames and Yue prepared to send up a spell of water with her tail but neither made the first move. Their eyes locked, blue and gold clashing, both unsure what to do.

It was impossible to tell who moved first. They seemed to sense something within each other and, due to the lack of hostility, seemed to realize they weren't meant to be enemies. Immediately, they both gave friendly growls and threw themselves into innocent, childish play. Zuko flew in loops and dipped beneath the ocean surface, Yue circled below him and arced out into the air.

Dancing together, they looked complete.

The Painted Lady could sense the Blue Spirit and Tienhai's joy at the reunion and the feeling of loneliness fade from their auras. It was like this moment was what they'd been waiting for their whole lives. The friendliness, the solitude, the uncertainty, the fear, the isolation, the loneliness- They'd held onto it alone for so long and now they didn't have to.

They didn't recognize each other as Zuko and Yue. There was no way they could know they shared so much. They just saw each other as two misunderstood beasts who could never know the warmth of human society. But that was okay. They would figure it out one day. The Painted Lady was certain of it.

They told each other in the most indirect, awkward way that made the Painted Lady want to bury her face in her hands and scream.

It was months before either of them got the slightest bit suspicious. Both of them tried searching for the other during the day but, of course, neither of them came across a single scale. They would only appear during the full moon. The Painted Lady thought that should be enough indication to point them in the right direction but no, they continued to bumble around cluelessly for months.

They didn't even really do it because they found out or had faith their instincts would draw them to the right person. No, it was actually some words from Pakku that drove Zuko to talk to Yue.

"Hey," Zuko said one day when he and Yue had escaped the palace guards to climb up onto a balcony near the roof of the palace. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Yue seemed to have some idea of what was going on because her eyes lit up a bit when she nodded. "Only if I can tell you one too."

"Okay. So, um, you know how the poles get really long nights? Like, it's dark for weeks at a time?"

Clearly this was not what Yue expected him to say but she nodded anyway.

"Well Pakku says firebenders usually don't survive the polar night because their bending comes from the sun," Zuko told her, shuffling his feet nervously. He took a deep breath, trying his hardest not to break her gaze. "I'm a firebender."

Yue's hand went to her mouth in shock. It wasn't what she was expecting. No, it was so much worse. She was silent for a few moments, processing what Zuko had told her, before emotion welled up in her eyes and she threw her arms around the firebender. "Oh Zuko!"

Zuko seemed shocked by the sudden display of affection. He probably hadn't thought announcing his nationality and bending ability would ever result in a positive reaction outside of his homeland. He smiled though, despite the fear and rawness in his heart. "Pakku says sometimes firebenders survive. He's kind of been mentoring me. He says my bending is coming along well so there might be a chance…"

Yue pulled away and wiped her face with the back of her wrist. Whether or not she was crying, the Painted Lady couldn't tell. Yue was strong though. "I don't want to hear any false hopes. Just… please. Don't."

Zuko's face fell a bit. He opened his mouth to argue but closed it, decidedness flashing across his face. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh." So caught up in Zuko's news, Yue hadn't had the chance to note that Zuko hadn't revealed he was the dragon. Uncertainty lingered on Yue's features as she debated if she still wanted to reveal her secret or not but the look didn't last long. "Do you want to know why my hair is white?"

"Um, sure."

Yue took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, almost perfectly mirroring Zuko's earlier nervousness. "When I was born, I was born weak so the spirits touched me. I was given life but my hair turned white and I was cursed to… I undergo… Each full moon, I transform-"

"-into a sea serpent," Zuko finished slowly, dozens of emotions dawning on his face.

Yue looked up, eyes hopeful. "It's you? The dragon?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah. I'm the dragon. I was- I was born weak too. And the spirits cursed me."

Oh, it wasn't a curse, the Painted Lady thought sadly. It was a gift and she wished the children could see it. She knew she shouldn't expect so much from mortals but it did hurt a bit that the humans she watched over didn't know how much the spirits loved them. It didn't matter in the end. Love didn't have to go two ways. She was just happy they had each other.

"Maybe it's not a curse," Yue said and the Painted Lady brightened a bit. "For you at least. Dragons are pretty strong, right? Maybe that means you can make it through the polar night."

Slowly, Zuko nodded. "Dragons were the first firebenders. My flame feels a lot stronger when I'm a dragon… Maybe my transformations will be enough to save me."

"I hope so," Yue said softly. "You're the first friend I've had and I just found out you're the only one like me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Zuko took her hands and looked into her ocean blue eyes with an intensity of the dragon within him. "I'm not going anywhere. I- You're my first friend too. I survived thirteen years in the Fire Nation and now I'm here and I finally feel like… I don't know but I want to see the future, especially now that you're here."

Yue was silent for a moment, eyes wide, before bursting into giggles. "You're so cheesy."

Zuko flushed a bit. "I mean it!"

"It sounds like you're reading out of a theatre scroll."

"So what? I like theatre!"

"You're such a nerd. It's so unbecoming of a warrior."

"Well, you laughing at me is unbecoming of a princess," Zuko responded, mimicking her tone.

Yue just kept laughing and punched him in the arm softly. "Want to trade?"

"Gladly."

The two kept bickering and teasing each other. The Painted Lady loved these moments and she tried to relish this one but she couldn't stop the feeling of dread welling up inside her. They might not have many more of these moments together. The Painted Lady stared at Zuko and sent a quick prayer to Blue that Zuko would make it through the winter. She couldn't bear to see anything happen to him, especially just after finding Yue. He had to make it.

Zuko went down a couple weeks into the polar night. It was the most terrified the Painted Lady had been in a long time and by far the most terrified Yue had been in her short life. Both of them did everything they could but there was little they could do except wait.