"Why don't we go now?"
"If we wait then we can capture the Avatar too."
. . .
Zuko pauses, searching the treeline again. He can't shake the feeling that something's there, something's watching him but he sees nothing. Katara strolls up, resting a hand on his arm. "Everything okay?"
"I don't know."
"Want to go check it out?"
He sighs, "It's probably nothing."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." He resumes his katas. Katara's hand lingers for a moment before settling a short distance away, pulling a scroll out of her waistband. Breakfast is already taken care of so she begins to read, glancing up at the fire bender in front of her from time to time her eyes tracing lines across his body.
"Can you take your shirt off?"
He chokes, almost stumbling out of his form. "What?"
"You usually don't have your shirt on when you practice but lately you have and it's messing up my reading."
"Me having a shirt on is messing up your reading?" She holds up the scroll. It's the one he sent her so long ago at the Northern Water Tribe, the one about chi flow in a person's body. "How is my shirt stopping you, chi is there regardless of how much clothing I'm wearing."
"I just meant, ugh nevermind." She throws her hands in the air, "Boys!" Her face is beet red and she storms off, mainly because she realized how ridiculous her question was the moment it left her lips and had no comeback. Zuko tugs his hem farther down uncomfortably, staring after her.
. . .
They spend the day on Appa. Zuko checks that he's not shedding and settles in for the uncomfortable ride, his stomach still isn't completely used to flying. Toph kisses the ground when they land as she has almost every afternoon before they start setting up camp.
They've fallen into a comfortable rhythm. Toph sents up benches and tents - Katara sleeps under the stars and Zuko doesn't sleep in his but of course Sokka threw a fit the moment Toph suggested she not bothering building a tent for the fire bender. Aang gathers greens and wood. Sokka hunts for small game and gathers wood too. Zuko builds and regulates the fire. Once she makes sure everyone else gets started Katara begins dinner.
While they wait Toph teaches Aang more earthbending. He's very slowly but surely getting better. Katara will sometimes sneak off to bathe then. After dinner Katara and Zuko wash dishes and in the halflight they spar, throwing elements at each other until well after the sun has set. Aang is the first to turn in, giving everyone a cheery goodnight. Toph follows suit, growling out a 'night. Sokka stretches, threatens Zuko, telling him to keep his hands to himself, then promptly heads into his tent. Katara and Zuko stay up talking some nights, others they just fall into bed together. Neither says anything about it, as if talking about it will break the spell leaving them each alone at the end of the night.
. . .
"Mai, look at that."
"I see," she replies, monotone, not hurting as much as she had expected.
"Isn't that disgusting? Look at how he wraps himself around that water bending peasant, it's practically obscene."
"I think it's romantic," the pink girl, Ty Lee, intones.
Azula sneers. "Of course you would."
"Love, found in the middle of war! It's right out of a story." She catches Mai's eyes. Mai looks away.
"Yes, the story of absolutely pathetic fools," the princess scoffs. "Let's go." They ease their scaly mounts forward, their war tank left a mile behind. Ty Lee advances quicker than the others, flipping off of her mount, landing easily beside the sleeping pair. Neither of them stir, only jumping awake when she begins to punch, small jabs landing on chi spots blocking bending, movement, and most importantly sound. Katara whips her head around, eyes wild, opening her mouth but nothing comes out. She tries to bend, will the water or even her arms to move but nothing happens. It gets harder to breathe. Zuko clenches and unclenches his jaw before locking eyes with Katara. He has to protect her. His shoulders wrench forward but he can't move his arms, he can't move his legs, he can't do anything other than wriggle. Toph! If he can move enough then surely she'll wake up?
Unfortunately, Toph is a heavy sleeper. The moment her head hits the ground she's out and tonight was no exception. She dreams of Appa, his feet making odd skit-skit-skit noises like lizards as he flies. Katara sits beside her, "Careful, we don't want to wake anyone else."
"Huh?" It's not Katara anymore but a giant beaver dog, thumping it's tail against the ground. It's so loud! Giants stomp around her, shaking her.
She grumbles, waking up enough to roll over and press a hand to the earth to raise her feet up. She doesn't want to know why Zuko is hitting the ground over and over and over and ah! There's someone here! Three people, idiots just traipsing around unaware of her, ignoring the sealed hut she's in.
One stands over Zuko and Katara, smug and exaultant. "It's time to go home Zuzu," she mutters. Anger washes over Zuko. Katara's heartrate is through the roof.
"Azula, I think the water bender is in trouble. She isn't breathing right. I need to get her chi flowing right again" another girl, light on her feet comments, chewing worriedly on her lip.
"No. Get the Avatar and my brother, we're leaving." She nudges Zuko. "We'll take the girl too, she might make my darling brother cooperate more easily." Zuko bangs the back of his head harder against the ground, ah, he was trying to wake her up. Toph moves a few pebbles near his arm, a quick squeeze and it's gone. Zuko gets the message and stills.
Chi Girl tip toes over to Aang's tent, about to reach in and grab him. That's what Toph's been waiting for, a perfect entrance. She seals the entrance, opens the back and forcibly ejects Aang from it, effectively startling him awake. She shakes the ground under Sokka, continuing until he too moves. The girls near Katara and Zuko and greeted with a pillars to their abdomens. The one who had spoken braces against it before leaping over. The silent one takes the hit and rolls to soften the blow. Toph's tent erupts, the Blind Bandit ready for a fight.
"Toph what's going on!" Sokka groans from his tent but Azula's sharp voice cuts him off.
"Get her, Ty Lee take out the earth bender. Mai, get my brother."
Ty Lee charges at Toph, hurtling over the obstacles between them. Sokka emerges, boomerang already thrown at Mai. She retaliates with shurikens. Air sweeps them away, knocking Mai back in the process. Azula grins, zeroing in on Aang. Lighting crackles between her fingers. Appa roars, Momo scampers around screeching.
Alternating lightning and blue fire flash towards Aang, lighting up the campsite in spurts. Mai is throwing knives that Sokka barely dodges, the flashing lights helping him until one slices his arm. He yelps. Ty Lee keeps flipping over the stones and jumping out of the way. Suddenly she's in Toph's face, fingers reaching out but a rock catches her square in the chest sending her flying. Metal flies towards her, barely a blip on her awareness until she's pinned by it to the rock. She rips her sleeve to free herself and deal with Ty Lee again as Sokka throws his boomerang again. Aang can't get the upper hand. Her fire parts around his hands but he still looses ground.
A vivid wall of orange flames cuts Azula off from Aang. Zuko rises from his spot of the ground, the chi blocking wearing off. "Leave him alone, your fight is with me, Azula!" He roars.
Azula smirks, "If you would just come home we wouldn't have to do this." She pushes forward, attacking.
Zuko deflects the fire, sending punch after punch towards her. "It's not my home so long as Father stays on the throne."
She ignores his words, "He might even let you keep your little waterbender, wouldn't you like that."
He growls, blocking another blow. Azula rotates her arms, lightning beginning again. She stops, touching her cheek. Blood is on her fingertips. Her eyes widen. Katara stands off to the side, still shaking but her eyes focused fully on Azula. Another water whip races at her but it evaporates. Zuko lunges forward, raising a ball of fire and sending it at his sister. Katara lashes out, Azula has to roll to avoid it. They finally have her somewhat on the defensive! Aang joins in, gusts of wind blowing her back. Sokka knocks a winded Mai over the head. Toph manages to trap Ty Lee's ankle and a wrist in stone before turning her attention to Azula. There's a crack, she's almost sure the girl's ribs took the force of her attack.
Massive screeching, the groan of metal on metal, gives them pause. A huge machine - a war tank - rumbles up. Toph raises a wall but it climbs right over it. Soldiers jump out, immediately adding power to the fire fight.
"We have to get out of here!" Sokka shouts over the din.
"Onto Appa!" The gaang falls back, climbing Appa as Zuko deflects blows and Toph raises walls that quickly get knocked down.
"Go!" Toph shouts. "We'll cover you!"
"What about you?"
"Trust me!" Aang looks down at her, suddenly reminded of Katara, he's not going to leave! Appa is shot into the air by a pillar. Toph - holding tightly to Zuko's waist - follows a moment later. "Go next time, Twinkle Toes!"
"Yip yip." Aang flicks the reigns and Appa flies fast away from the camp. "How is everyone?"
"Good."
"Good."
"It's entirely too early to be dealing with shit like that but yeah, I'm good."
Heads turn to Katara, the only one who wasn't said anything. She's ashen and shaking. She turns quickly, retching over the side of Appa's saddle. Sokka's at her side in an instant, the same as Zuko. Aang looks on, realizing there's nothing he can do. Toph tilts her head, thinking. Sokka had taken her to the side awhile ago and explained roughly what had happened after Katara woke everyone up screaming one night but the young earth bender still can't quite fathom what he told her and honestly hopes she never will.
They sleep on Appa that night, trying to stick closer to the ground.
. . .
"Do you think it will be safe?"
Sokka huffs running his fingers over where Katara had just finished healing, "I don't see how we have much of a choice."
"I may have cracked Crazy's ribs so she may not follow us."
"You don't know my sister," Zuko states.
"Guys, we have to go to Ba Sing Se. I don't see why this is even a question. We cross the desert."
"Katara-"
"No," She crosses her arms, "There's a village on the edge of it we'll stop there to get supplies. In the mean time, we take turns watching the camp at night."
"Okay," Aang grumbles until he looks at the town she points out. "Oh, I know there, it's the Misty Palms Oasis! It's a pristine natural ice spring and I don't use the word pristine lightly. It's one of nature's wonders!"
"That sounds great!"
Toph groans, "No, no natural springs or any kind of spa things please!"
"Don't worry, even if there are any spas there I don't think we'll have time." Katara grins, rounding on Toph, "But if we did I'm sure could find somewhere that would brush your hair out." Toph grimaces. "Maybe put on makeup." Toph sticks out her tongue. "And scrub the dirt off your feet!" Katara pounces, Toph squeels as the water bender's nimble fingers quickly find tickle spots.
"Aah! No, stop! Stop! Oh fuck!" Toph howls. Sokka joins in, alternating between tickling Katara and Toph. Aang jumps headlong into the fray. Zuko narrowly misses a foot to his face before scooting back farther out of harm's way.
By the end of it Toph's threatened to pee her pants at least six times and almost has twice; Aang's gotten elbowed in the face but got Toph back by tickling her armpits; Katara has tears streaming down her face and a big grin; and Sokka's hair is almost entirely out of it's warriors wolf tale and he's still trying to pretend that no, he's not ticklish while Zuko snorts 'yes, yes he is' from the other side of the saddle.
. . .
"It must have changed hands since I was here?" Aang comments.
"Yeah, we'll go with that," Zuko raises an eyebrow at the dilapidated adobe and the tiny ice hill in the center of the 'town'. Sandbenders, raiders, and generally unpleasant looking people lean against the buildings, glaring at the newcomers.
"Come on, let's get supplies and get out of here," Katara mutters, trudging forward into the largest building there. One of the sand benders hacks a lugie up, spitting it at Sokka's feet. Sokka's lip curls, about to say something when Zuko grabs the back of his shirt, hauling him inside, glaring at the sand bender the whole time.
The interior is dark, a harsh contrast to the light outside and it takes a moment for their eyes to adjust. Tables are scattered sporadically around with very few occupants. A man at the bar picks up his drink, casts an eye around, hovering a moment on Aang's tattoos before heading back to his table.
"Hello," Katara begins politely, "We're looking to buy provisions for crossing the desert."
The bartender laughs, "You're gonna die out there."
Her nostrils flare and Zuko steps forward to retort, "Whether we die or not, you'll still get paid."
"Hmpf, fine, looking for anything specific?"
"Water, food, wood, the usual."
"How much?"
"How long does it usually take to cross the desert?"
"If you survive, a month."
"Okay." Money and goods change hands and they're out of Misty Palms Oasis within the hour.
. . .
Wind whips through everyone's hair, even Zuko's now that it's getting longer. Sand gets into everything and they have to fly low to make sure Azula can't see them. She must have asked – demanded – in towns or seen them. It's the only way so they pray she won't find them here.
It takes considerable effort but Toph manages to create a small stone wall out of the sand to protect them from the winds that night. "Toph?"
"What?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she snaps before taking a step forward. Her feet slide and she wobbles but stays upright.
"Here, why don't you come sit by me." Toph turns her face in Katara's direction and walks forward, acting for all the world like she can see. She stumbles, Aang darting forward to catch her.
"I'm fine TwinkleToes," she huffs but allows him to guide her to a seat.
"I read that it gets really cold at night in the desert. Are you sure we shouldn't start a fire?" Aang wraps his arms around himself, looking up at the moon that's starting to peek out.
Zuko shakes his head. "Not until we know Azula can't find us. Everyone just stay close to me and Appa tonight."
Sokka scowls. "I think Appa and I will get along just fine thank you very much."
Zuko shrugs, "Suit yourself."
The next morning Zuko wakes up to Sokka's head buried deep into his neck and the Water Tribe boy's arm holding him close. He moves slightly and Sokka starts loudly snoring right next to his ear. There are so many better ways to wake up. He tries to move but Sokka only holds on tighter until finally he bellows, "Sokka!"
"Wha-" Everyone jerks awake. "What's up? Is Azula back?"
"No, you were snoring in my ear."
"Psh, no I wasn't." Sokka pauses realizes that his arm is still wrapped around Zuko and snatches it back. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Ugh," Zuko wipes the side of his neck, "And you drool. That's disgusting."
"I fell asleep over there!" Sokka points past Aang who had at some point in the night fallen between two of Appa's feet. "I don't know how I ended up next to you but I'm blaming you!" He stomps over to the food bags.
Toph laughs, "What, don't want to snuggle with your new boyfriend?" Sokka splutters before cramming his hand deeper into the bag.
. . .
The first day isn't so bad. They talk and slip into comfortable silence. Sokka eventually pulls his shirt off and even Zuko is tugging at his collar. It was a wet heat back home, nothing like this, he keeps telling them.
. . .
That night they dig into the food, rationing the water just to be on the safe side. Sokka glares at Zuko before settling in far away from him for the night. He wakes up next to the firebender anyway. Aang's again between Appa's legs.
. . .
They build a canopy on top of Appa's saddle to keep the sun out and the hours slow to a crawl.
. . .
Toph's lips are cracking and Sokka's stomach rumbles even though he just ate.
. . .
Aang's scalp is redder than it should be.
. . .
Everyone strips down to only the bare necessities under the canopy. Zuko notices the expanse of brown skin across from him but can't find the energy to really appreciate it.
. . .
It's hot.
. . .
There are blisters forming on Aang's head and Toph's arms. Katara heals them and applies more sun cream.
. . .
Appa keeps flying. Katara didn't expect him to drink that much. At least they bought extra water.
. . .
They've lost track of the day.
. . .
There are more blisters. It hurts to move and it's so damn hot. Katara heals them and applies more sun cream.
. . .
It's hot.
. . .
They're out of sun cream.
. . .
The water is running low. Appa drinks so much.
. . .
They're all covered in blisters and Katara can't heal them. She pukes instead.
. . .
Hopefully Appa is flying in the right direction.
. . .
Sokka wants to drink cactus juice. It's a bad idea. He tells Zuko he loves him and won't stop kissing Aang's forehead. He talks about Yue.
. . .
It hurts to talk.
. . .
It's hot.
. . .
It's hot.
. . .
Aang squeezes the last drop out of the water skin.
. . .
"Green?" Sokka stares off into the distance at a blurry shape. "Green?"
"Huh?"
"Green," He whispers. He rubs his eyes and looks at the now clear trees on the horizons. "Trees! Trees! There are trees!"
"Wha?"
"Appa, go faster! There are trees!" Appa roars tiredly but seems to catch sight of the trees too. The foliage grows larger quickly, all eyes trained on it. "Come on Appa! Go Appa!" Everyone cheers the sky bison on. The roar of a waterfall reaches their ears, tears of joy fall on each face.
A small lush cove unfolds before them. A waterfall crashes down, feeding a crystal clear lake. Ferns grow on the banks and spiky palm trees rise up from dirt - actual dirt. Jackalopes hop away as Appa lands. He collapses in the water, the gang tumbling off of him into the shallow bank. Toph screeches, Zuko and Sokka hiss, Katara gasps, and Aang moans as the water hits their blisters. It hurts to move and they're bleeding out into the water around them but no one cares as they drink greedily and dunk themselves. They're out of the desert. They made it out alive.