A/N I'm very sorry to say that as of now, my computer has messed up so that all your lovely review don't appear on my reviews page, even if I do get email notification of them. So I'll take this opportunity to thank you all profusely, and tell you that I'll respond as soon as possible. My extreme thanks go to hart of flames, who came up with Zuko's song for this chapter. I preformed some minor editing on it, but it completely belongs to her. Thank you.

I only have two or three chapters left, although after I'm done, I'm thinking of trying a more serious story about a bunch of OC Benders. But until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and have a happy today.

"I've got it," he cried…

We'll write a song," Aang explained.

"Write one?" Iroh asked blankly. Curious, Zuko turned around and watched the pair intently.

"So, we'll start out like this…" began Aang, reciting a line or two of his invented song.

"Absolutely not," insisted Zuko. "I'm not singing that. Actually, I'm not going to sing anything, so you two are wasting my time."

Aang considered his options for a moment. "Zuko," he said finally, "if you sing something for us, then for the remainder of our time here together, I won't sing at all."

"Not at all?" asked Zuko suspiciously.

"Not in the least."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart."

"Hope to die?"

"I'm not suicidal, Zuko. I personally hope to live, but I do promise," Aang told him.

The prince decided to accept the Avatar at his word. After all, he doubted the young Air Bender even knew the meaning of deception.

"Alright, but on one condition."

"What?" asked Aang, sounding tired with Zuko's attempts to get out of singing.

"I get to write the song."

"Okay."

"And it doesn't have to rhyme."

"Doesn't have to rhyme."

Zuko stared at him suspiciously for a moment, then said, "Deal."

"Deal," agreed Aang. It suddenly occurred to him that, even without singing, he could certainly annoy Zuko out of his wits if he became too stuck-up. After all, all he had to do was repeat everything the Fire Bender said. Not that he was planning to suddenly try to annoy Zuko, but still, it was good to have a plan in reserve.

AN UNDEFINED AMOUNT OF TIME LATER, WHICH IS UNDEFINED BECAUSE THEY HAD NO WAY OF TELING TIME, SO THAT ALL THEY KNEW WAS THAT IT WAS LONGER THAN A MINUTE, BUT LESS (MUCH, MUCH LESS) THAN A DAY…

"Alright," Zuko said. "I've got it."

"I know the most annoying kid

In the world.

His name is Aang the Avatar.

When around him I'm afraid I'll lose my sanity.

'Cause his stupid songs are so annoying.

They'll drive anyone

Insane.

I cannot believe I'm

Singing.

This is so pointless.

And so stupid.

And so childish.

And so meaningless.

So I think

I will stop now so I can kill

The Avatar for making me sing"

"Gee, thanks," Aang said sarcastically.

Iroh took a more literal interpretation of the song. "Now, Prince Zuko, you know the Fire Nation wants the Avatar alive. As much as young Aang may sing, you cannot kill him."

Zuko stared at him, flabbergasted that anyone could assume that he had really meant that. Seeing from his expression that he wouldn't be doing any explaining, Aang took it upon himself to explain the situation to Iroh.

"No, Iroh, I don't think Zuko meant he really wants to kill me. Well, I'm sure he did, but as much as he wants do, I doubt he will."

Iroh didn't seem to take that as much comfort, but decided to take a nap.

"He only sleeps that much when deprived of tea," explained Zuko in a whisper.

Aang nodded, but seemed slightly subdued, so he added, "Avatar? I didn't really mean I wanted to kill you. Well, I do but… you were right, I won't."

Aang grinned. "I know. I'm just trying to think of other ways to annoy you out of your wits now that I can't sing anymore."

"If you couldn't handle not singing, you shouldn't have made the deal," retorted Zuko rudely.

"I didn't say I couldn't handle it!" protested Aang. "And besides, I didn't think you would actually do it!"

"Well I did," replied Zuko.

"I noticed," Aang responded sarcastically. He sighed in boredom for a moment, as he didn't want to use his mimicking tactic until Zuko got really annoying. Then he had an idea.

Zuko glanced curiously over at the Avatar. Now what was he doing? Oh, no. He was whistling.

Iroh sat bolt upright. "What's that?" he asked. "Is someone making tea?"

Aang stopped whistling as the old general looked over at him, and Zuko said sweetly, "No, Uncle, you must have imagined it."

"Hmm, I suppose you're right," Iroh muttered, laying back down again. "It…. sounded… just like… boiling water…" And he fell asleep.

Aang and Zuko looked at each other for a moment. Then, suddenly, Zuko pursed his lips and began whistling.

Iroh sat up again, certain he had heard a tea kettle boiling this time. But when he looked suspiciously over at the two boys, half-suspecting them of pranking him, his nephew and the Avatar were talking calmly, something about a Fire Nation game that Aang had played when he was younger.

Ah, well decided Iroh. At least the two of them are getting along now. Even if their previous fights seem to have cost me my sanity. I must be imagining that tea kettle.

As soon as he was asleep, both boys started whistling simultaneously.

Sitting up for the third time, Iroh demanded, "Didn't you two hear that? It sounded just like two tea kettles!"

"Two tea kettles?" asked Aang innocently.

"Boiling," explained Iroh.

"No, Uncle, I didn't hear anything," Zuko said with even more innocence than his friend. "Did you, Aang?"

"No," Aang said, shaking his head. "Not a thing."

"Perhaps we should have you checked out by a doctor when we get back to the ship, Uncle," Zuko suggested. "If you're hearing things, maybe there's something we can do about it."

Iroh glared at him. "I'm fine," he snapped, and lay back down.

Before he managed to go back to sleep, though, he heard the pair giggling.

Oh, so that's what it is, he decided. Just the boys goofing off.

Kill them all!

Nonsense. They're good boys, and it's good for Zuko to finally have a normal friend.

Oh, yeah, the Avatar's completely normal. Just about as normal as Zuko himself!

Well, it's good for him to have a friend that he can act normal around, Iroh amended to himself. Perhaps he'll start acting a little less obsessive now that he's got a friend.

You seem to have forgotten that that friend is the Avatar, the one who caused all of this.

Inadvertently.

Zuko doesn't see it that way.

He does now.

For how long his nastier side demanded. You know Zuko, sooner or later, he's going to remember who he is and who Aang is.

Well, until then, we're stuck together, and it's certainly must easier on me if the two of them are getting along.

As there wasn't much room for argument on that statement, his other side shut up.

If any of them had known that Katara and Sokka were almost there, perhaps they would have seen the situation differently.