Author's Note: The idea of Zuko and Iroh settling down in Gaoling originally came to me when I was reading Lady Azar De Tameran's story, In Transit. It's a really good story. I recommend it. On a separate note, I do apologize that most of this chapter is pretty impersonal. It's mostly setting the stage for the next scene.
They sailed on that small Water Tribe boat for close to a week, looking for their crew. It didn't travel nearly as quickly as a Fire Nation ship and they weren't waterbenders so they couldn't speed it along. During that time they don't catch sight of any Fire Nation ships. They are both aware that it's very likely that their crew assumed them dead and moved on. They hadn't exactly met their planned meetup date. They could only hope that their crew made it safely away and were able to figure out where to go from that point. They hadn't planned a place to meet in case they were separated, there hadn't been a need with the original plan. La had changed that when he pushed the ships away, but Zuko and Iroh could only be grateful that, to the best of their knowledge, the crew was still alive at least. So, with no way to find their crew, they set a course for land.
Zuko had to admit that it would be easier for them to find somewhere to stay with just the two of them. His uncle agreed though he did make a comment that he would miss having the cook around. He was rather amused at the shock his uncle showed when he agreed with him. The cook was a loss. Especially if they set up a shop as Iroh dreamt of. They would figure out how to manage without him though, just like they'd figure everything else out. They talked a lot on their trip, there hadn't been much else to do. Mostly they planned what they would do when they reached land. Neither broached the subjects of the Order of the White Lotus again or the past. They kept their minds and words firmly fixed on what was to come. They discussed things enough that, once they reached land, they had a decent plan on where they were heading.
In the end, their trip took a total of two weeks for them to reach land. They caught and used any water that came from rain, but probably wouldn't have survived without the water and supplies the Water Tribe had given them. Zuko wasn't sure how they'd repay them, but he was sure they'd have to do so somehow. Once they reached land they located a free port town and sold the boat there. They were obviously of Fire Nation blood, but their clothes, attitude, and the boat made people willing to let it go. There were plenty of people who were of mixed nationality around after all.
They got a decent chunk of money for the boat and stowed it away before setting off. They took the time to buy two ostrich horses to help them travel as well as local-looking clothes and traveling supplies, but they didn't stay in that town any longer than that. On their way out they took the time to consult the map they had bought and settled on a city to aim for. Small enough and positioned in a way that it had no military value, but large enough that newcomers wouldn't be looked at too closely. There were a couple of options, but they ended up settling on one that wasn't horribly far away and seemed like a decent place to settle down. Gaoling would suit their needs perfectly.
They stopped in villages and towns on the ways as sparingly as they could, not wanting to leave a trail for them to be tracked if anyone cared to do so. They were technically deserting and that didn't generally go over well with the Fire Nation. To help lessen the chances of being tracked, they spent most of their nights camping well off the beaten roads. During their third night spent on the road, Zuko managed to work up the courage to mention an idea he'd been mulling over during their time on the boat as well as on the road.
The two firebenders had just finished setting up camp and were sitting near the small campfire they'd set up for the night. There was a large pot hanging over the fire, heating up their meal for the night. A stew made from rations they'd bought in the port town before leaving. Neither Iroh nor Zuko knew how to hunt, or really how to cook, so they had to make due as best they could on their trip. It wasn't the best, but their attempts were usually edible. Zuko had insisted that Iroh focus on the meal while he set up the tents and checked the area one last time before returning to the fire. He never explained his reasoning, but Iroh got the impression that Zuko was attempting to make the trip as easy on him as possible. Once Zuko had finished his check of the perimeter he had made his way over to sit next to Iroh by the fire.
This was a new habit that Iroh had noticed. Before Zuko had kept his distance, both physically and emotionally, from everyone whenever he could, but recently Iroh had noticed that Zuko was no longer following that behavior pattern. Before he would have taken a seat across the fire, not a foot or so to his left. Zuko had done the same thing the last several nights, never sitting close enough that they were touching, but close enough to touch if one of them reached out. It was a distinctive behavior shift. One that Iroh greatly appreciated, but he couldn't quite place the cause of it. He couldn't even completely decide on when it had started. Definitely, after the ship had blown up, but they hadn't been able to interact much on Zhao's ship, and after that Zuko had been injured. Though now that Iroh thought about it, Zuko had been more willing to accept help with his injuries than normal. So perhaps it started before then?
Well, whenever it had started, Iroh was grateful for it. Especially since his nephew's new behavior involved more than just being willing to be physically close or even initiating the closeness. No, there was more to it. Iroh was finding that Zuko was more willing to be emotionally close as well. He'd been obviously working to control his temper and even apologized for lashing out. He'd even initiated a hug, more than once! They hadn't been overly long hugs, but they'd still be hugs. And Iroh knew better than anyone how long it had been since Zuko had initiated something like that. It was something else he had feared Ozai had burned out of the boy. But it was starting to show through again and Iroh could only mentally thank any spirit he could name and hope it lasted.
Iroh's thoughts were interrupted by his nephew awkwardly clearing his throat, a sure sign that the boy had something he wanted to talk about, but was uncomfortable and/or embarrassed about whatever it was. Because of that Iroh immediately turned his attention to the young man beside him. Whatever Zuko wanted to talk about had to be important to the boy if he was willing to deal with the discomfort enough to attempt to talk about it. Paying attention or not, Iroh knew better than to turn to fully look at Zuko or visibly watch him. Such actions tended to make his nephew clam up, which was the opposite of what he wanted to happen. Instead, he turned his body slightly so his front was angled a little more towards Zuko and glanced over at him, silently informing the boy that he was listening without being too obvious about it. He knew Zuko was good about picking up on these cues, they'd used them for years.
Zuko shifted uncomfortably when his uncle glanced at him. He knew that meant the man was listening, waiting, for him to talk. Over the years, the man had gotten very good at letting Zuko know he was listening without focusing on him. A skill Zuko was very grateful for. It was hard enough trying to build up the nerve to talk about this without having his uncle's eyes fixed on him while he did. It took him several minutes to actually start talking and the whole time his uncle kept quiet, silently keeping track of the stew and waiting. He had more patience than anyone else Zuko knew. Zuko focused his gaze on the fire as he made himself start talking.
"So...I've been thinking..." Great start, as if that wasn't obvious from the fact he was bringing something up in the first place. "Well. If anyone comes looking for us they'd be looking for an uncle and his nephew right?" He glanced at his uncle then, just a quick glance, to try and gauge his response. Iroh had turned to look at him more fully now that he was actually talking, visibly giving his attention to the conversation. He looked slightly confused as to where this was going, but he nodded all the same.
"They would be, yes," Iroh agreed simply, prompting Zuko to continue his train of thought. Zuko gave a quick, sharp nod without looking away from the fire. He wasn't sure why he was having this much trouble explaining his idea. It was a logical thought, practical. Except that wasn't the only reason he had thought about it, and he knew that. And he knew that if his uncle didn't like the idea that it would feel like a rejection, even if it was for practical reasons. Maybe he should cut his losses and stop while he was ahead. Another quick glance at his uncle's open and supportive expression gave him the ability to continue.
"Since they'd be looking for a nephew and uncle traveling together it would probably throw them off if we," he paused and licked dry lips before forcing himself to continue "If we weren't traveling as nephew and uncle. If we explained our relationship a different way." He faltered there and found himself unable to suggest what he really wanted to, so he quickly tried to come up with some sort of alternatives "There's a lot of options you know. Master and apprentice, traveling companions..." He glanced at his uncle's expression again and suddenly couldn't continue as the words caught in his throat. Out of everything he thought he might see there he hadn't expected to see the pain and hurt he found there, even as his uncle visibly tried to cover it up. It hit Zuko all at once what his attempt to protect himself from rejection probably sounded like to the man next to him. Like he was trying to deny their family ties. Like he was rejecting Iroh. In the short period of time it took him to realize this, he could see his uncle collect himself and put on a smile. He was going to agree, Zuko was suddenly sure of it. His uncle would go along with it if Zuko asked him to play some role outside of family. And it would slowly kill the man on the inside. Zuko felt like the world's worst nephew. As if he hadn't already done enough to hurt the older man. He couldn't add to it. He didn't want to. His fear seemed irrelevant then as he rushed to speak before his uncle could.
"Or," his uncle paused, clearly waiting for Zuko to finish. Zuko took a slightly shaky breath and pushed on "Or father and son." It was only because he was already watching for a response that Zuko was able to catch the emotions that flashed across his uncle's face. Shock, confusion, understanding, affection, and...something else Zuko couldn't quite name. His uncle looked at him like that off and on, but never with that level of intensity. It was only when the older man began to speak that the Zuko was able to put a name to it. Love. He knew his uncle loved him, he'd said as much not too long ago, but it gave Zuko a strange, tight feeling in his chest to see it so visibly on his uncle's expression.
It was strange how emotions could shift so drastically in such a short period of time. Iroh mentally kicked himself for assuming the worst at his nephew's fumbled suggestion. He knew Zuko had a great deal of trouble speaking openly about emotions. It was obvious now why he'd made the suggestion the way he had. He also knew that Zuko had noticed his immediate response. Zuko really was an open book, at least to Iroh. The poor boy looked honestly panicked when he realized that Iroh had been upset. Iroh needed to smooth this over before any further misunderstandings could be had.
"I would be honored to call you my son," he told his nephew warmly "If that is what you want. I already think of you as my own. It would be very easy for me to address our relationship in such a manner. But only if you are comfortable with it." He'd been wary of speaking to Zuko about his feelings for the boy for a long time simply because he knew that his nephew felt very deeply for his father and would not want any sort of replacement. That was why Iroh had kept his thoughts to himself over the years, but they had slipped out after thinking his boy dead. And he couldn't be more grateful for that fact. Instead of turning him away, Zuko seemed to have taken his words to heart, something that made Iroh happier than he could properly express. He couldn't help but smile as Zuko visibly relaxed at his words, ducking his head to hide the smile that Iroh could catch the edges of. It warmed his heart to see how Zuko responded to the sentiment.
"I," Zuko swallowed hard and seemed to have to make himself look at Iroh for reasons the older man could only guess on "I would like that." There was a pause where Zuko visibly hesitated, clearly wanting to say something else. So Iroh waited. He didn't have to wait long. Resolve settled onto Zuko's face and the boy took a slow breath before speaking again "I would like that a lot, Father." Even though they had just agreed to begin calling each other by such terms, hearing Zuko call him father caused all the air to leave Iroh in a rush. Tears swam in his eyes as he reached over and pulled Zuko a tight hug, one that was returned. He ignored the wet patch that started to form where Zuko's face was pressed against his shoulder (Zuko was more willing to cry recently as well, Iroh noted) and pressed a kiss to the side of his boy's head.
"I'd like that as well," Iroh's voice was tight with emotion as he held Zuko close "Thank you, Son." He felt Zuko stiffen momentarily at the word before he relaxed completely into Iroh's hold, arms tightening around him wordlessly.
They stayed like that for a long while and when they pulled back Zuko was clearly embarrassed, but he was smiling and didn't try to brush off what had happened. They didn't talk much more that night, settling to simply enjoy each other's company and what they'd gained that night. They ate and went to bed, both happier than they'd been in a long while.