Alright! 5 chapters up so far, more on the way. Oh, I don't think there'll be another update until Friday or Saturday, 'cuz I'm busy tomorrow, so I'm going to try to get this one and another one up today. Keep the reviews coming; you people are my self-confidence boosters! Thanks! Here it goes.

Uncle Iroh laughed. Well, that figured; Sokka had expected it. Still, he had been laughing for ten minutes now, and enough was enough. He inhaled deeply and spoke.

"Uncle Iroh, could you please stop? I'm embarrassed enough as it is just from wearing these stupid things, and now you just have to go and laugh at me! Go find something I can wear! Like guys clothes! Now!" Iroh paused in mid-laugh as Sokka began speaking. Sokka had spoken at one-minute intervals for the ten minutes he'd been laughing, and Iroh had been too curious to hear what Sokka'd say next to stop laughing. Still, the boy sounded serious this time, and if he didn't go, he got the feeling Sokka would go raid Zuko's closet. Actually, hearing about how her brother raided Zuko's closet might make interesting small talk for Katara and Zuko…Nah, better not. Iroh liked his hair and didn't appreciate the thought of having it burnt off. So Iroh left.

Sokka was about an inch shorter than Zuko, but was just as buff, so Iroh figured that Zuko's clothes were probably the best choice; water tribe people did tend to have a fetish for cleanliness, which the crewmen (sadly) did not seem to share.

Zuko, on the way back from a meeting with the steersman, found his uncle in his room, going through his closet.

"Uncle! What are you doing? This is my room – you aren't some sort of closet pervert, are you? (a/n: Pun not intended)" Iroh shuddered at the very idea (in sync with Zuko, who was just as horrified).

"A – no! No, I am not! Your guest –"

"Prisoner." Katara being a guest, fine. Her brother? Not a chance.

"- Is in need of a new set of clothes, as he is currently wearing his sister's dress. He has consented to give you the dress as a possible bargaining piece in the future, if you will allow him to wear something of yours."

Zuko considered. He didn't know how useful a dress was as a bargaining chit…but hey; it was still hers, right? She was cute, as non-fire-benders went, and it was a cute dress, even if it smelled like her brother at the moment. Still…to give up one of his precious few outfits to a smelly water peasant? Yuck! Zuko pondered a moment longer.

"…I agree, on the condition that he wash the clothes before returning them." Zuko sighed; even a hard washing probably wouldn't get the smell of Sokka out of his clothes, but it was worth it for the dress.

Iroh chuckled as he left with the clothes in hand. Sokka, of course, had said nothing about the dress, but as he had guessed, it made all the difference in his nephew's decision. Besides, it was worth a lie to see how a water boy would look in a fire nation outfit.

As it turned out, it looked fine. Better than fine, really; where the harsh colors made fire nation skin look sickly pale, it make Sokka look a nice honeyed-wheat color. Not that Iroh noticed such things.

"Thanks, Uncle Iroh, this is much better! Honestly, how do girls survive those skirts?" Iroh smiled. Time to get the dress away from Sokka.

"So you truly did not wish to wear it? I do not know about you, but if I were ever forced into such a garment, I would never wish to see it again." Sokka shuddered, and nodded in agreement.

"I don't! Ever! I hope Katara bought a lot for herself while she was shopping, 'cuz I'm definitely burning all of her clothes that so much as resemble that, that thing!" Iroh smiled again. Too easy!

"In that case, I can take this off your hands for just that; you are on a ship of fire-benders, as you recall." Sokka brightened, looking truly grateful.

"Really? Thanks so much, Uncle Iroh! I was wondering what to do with it. Here, it's all yours, I never want to see it again!" Iroh's smile broadened, and he accepted the dress. Sokka immediately dropped his hands to wipe them on his shirt, but paused, looking guilty. Iroh's smile took on a wry edge.

"Zuko's condition for you wearing his clothes was that they had to be washed before you returned them; as long as they aren't damaged, you may treat them as you like." Sokka relaxed, and lay back on the bed for some well-deserved rest as Iroh exited his chambers.

Katara and Aang had finally caught sight of Prince Zuko's ship.

It's about time, Katara thought huffily, he'd better not have damaged that dress I lent him; that was my favorite outfit!

Aang sighed. He was doing that a lot lately. It seemed that Katara turned into a supreme imperatrix when her brother wasn't present to bring her down to size. Aang knew he owed Katara his life, and probably more, but man! She could be annoying. Life without Sokka was a real drag! He couldn't wait to get Sokka back – maybe he could negotiate an exchange with Zuko…?

Heehee! Maybe, maybe not. Oh, and at this point, Zuko still has Katara's mother's necklace. Just for future note. This was more of a humor that a plot chapter, I think. Next one might be the same, might not. We'll see.R&R! I love you all!