Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Forging Bonds

The following morning, the group rose early and struck camp. Aang and Katara finished their chores quickly and went a short distance away to practice some waterbending while Sokka packed their things on Appa's saddle. Sokka paused for a minute in his work to turn and watch them. Katara sent a small wave of water at Aang. He used whirling air to break it apart into a mist that came right back to her, effectively soaking her head and shoulders.

"Cheater!" her voice carried across the distance, though she didn't sound all that upset. "You're supposed to be using waterbending!"

"But as the Avatar, I'm supposed to learn to use whatever's appropriate to the situation," Aang countered, grinning impishly.

"Oh really?" Katara took another portion of water from the pot they were using as a source, made it into an ice ball, and threw it over Aang's head. He ducked reflexively.

"You totally missed –" he began, then realized that the ball was suspended above him. He looked up at it curiously. Without warning, it melted and fell directly into his face. Spitting out a mouthful of water, he laughed good-naturedly.

"So, how long has the Avatar been in love with your sister?"

Sokka stiffened and turned to see Zuko standing near him. Iroh had gone to feed and water the horse-ostrich, and Sokka had assumed that Zuko was with him. The tone was conversational, but Sokka sensed some other motive beneath it. He decided to stall until he could figure that out.

"They both have names, you know," he drawled, going back to his task. "Aang and Katara. You might want to practice using them."

"I'll try to remember that. But you didn't answer my question."

Sokka looked at him sharply. Zuko was far too acute for Sokka's taste.

"Frankly, I don't see that it's any of your business," Sokka said bluntly. "Why do you even care?"

At this, the exiled prince looked somewhat taken aback. He backpedaled slightly.

"I don't, really. It's just that…" he trailed off, then started again. "In all the time I spent chasing the Avatar, I never thought when I found him he'd be so…human."

"He is human, Zuko," Sokka pointed out, confused. "All the Avatars have been. Very powerful, certainly, but still human."

"Yes, of course," Zuko gave a dismissive wave and seemed to be searching for the right words. "But the Avatar is a figure out of legend, larger than life. He's not supposed to…to…"

"To what?" Sokka demanded when Zuko faltered. "Ever feel anything? Fall in love? What is he supposed to do? Set aside his humanity to be what others expect him to be?"

Like you did. The words hung in the air between them, unspoken.

"I don't know," Zuko answered, and the mask slipped a little. Sokka caught a glimpse of a frightened, confused boy beneath the bravado and felt a little pity in spite of himself. He sighed and mentally gave in.

"If I had to guess, I'd say from the first moment he saw her," he offered. Zuko looked at him blankly, and Sokka tilted his head and explained. "Your original question. I decided to answer it."

The prince grunted noncommittally and looked back over to where Aang and Katara now appeared to be conversing.

"I suppose she is rather pretty," he allowed. Sokka tossed him a pointed glance.

"Don't even think about it," he warned flatly. Zuko snorted.

"And compete with the Avatar? I don't think so," Zuko assured him. "Besides, fire and water don't mix."

Now, Sokka knew his sister well enough to understand that, if she decided she liked Aang, it wouldn't be because he was the Avatar. However, he saw no reason to enlighten the prince about this fact. Instead, he finished his work and jumped down from Appa's massive leg. Zuko eyed him speculatively.

"Is that what you think of me?" he asked. "That I left my humanity behind in my single-minded pursuit of the Avatar?"

Sokka regarded him for a long moment, and his scrutiny was intense enough that Zuko had to look away.

"No," the lean warrior said at last. "But I think you tried." The golden eyes flashed back to meet Sokka's gaze, sharp as a hawk, and the mask was back in place.

"You know nothing about me," Zuko asserted, turning away as if intending that to be the end of the conversation.

"Maybe not, but I do know something about wanting to please a father. Why do you think I joined this clambake?"

That stopped Zuko in his tracks. He turned reluctantly back to Sokka, eyebrows raised.

"Clambake?"

"It's a Water Tribe thing. See, when my father left to, well, fight your father, I wanted to go, too. He told me my job was to stay and take care of my sister. So, that's what I did, and what I'm still doing."

"So it's not about helping the Avatar, bringing balance to the world?"

"Nah, that's just a bonus."

Zuko appeared incredulous. Sokka laughed at his expression and leaned casually against Appa's flank, arms folded.

"Don't get me wrong. I like Aang, and he's like part of the family to me now. But seriously, Zuko, do you really expect me to believe you've been chasing us all over the world because you have some interest in how this war turns out?"

Zuko merely stared back at him, head cocked to the side as though waiting to see where he was going with this. Sokka took his silence for agreement and grinned in triumph.

"Exactly. You and I, Zuko – now there's a phrase I never thought I'd use. Anyway, we're pragmatists. Leave abstracts like 'saving the world' to others. When you get right down to it, you and I are standing here now because our fathers once gave us orders."

The prince blinked a few times, then the corner of his mouth twitched.

"I think my uncle will like you," he said.

"Nobody's perfect," Sokka replied with a shrug.

Katara sat squeezing the remaining water from her braid. Aang had air-dried both of them, but it was hard for air to move between the plaits.

"I'm sorry, Katara," Aang said, standing nervously in front of her. "You were right; I should have been using waterbending."

"No, actually, you were right," Katara admitted, rising to her feet. "But you still need to reach a point where the other three elements are almost as natural for you to use as air. I can't help you with that."

"Yeah, I guess no one can," he sighed.

"Well, you are the only person alive who can bend more than one element." Katara regarded him, knowing that the knowledge she could impart to him was nearly at an end. He would still need to practice, of course, but it wouldn't be the same, and she would have to share him. She almost laughed at her own silliness. They hadn't even found an earthbending teacher yet, and already she was feeling jealous.

"Where do you think we should look next for an earthbender?" Aang asked, almost as though he read her thoughts. "I hadn't really thought beyond Bumi."

"You've probably seen more of the Earth Kingdom than I have. We'll have to find someplace that has several masters to choose from, I'd think." She paused to consider. "Aunt Wu told me I would marry a powerful bender," she said absently. As soon as she heard the words come out of her mouth, though, she could have bitten her tongue. What on earth made her say that?

"Really?" Aang asked, and his eyes took on a faraway look for a few seconds. Before Katara could ask him what he was thinking about, he blinked and returned his attention to her. For some reason, he seemed to be blushing faintly and wouldn't quite meet her eyes. "Well, I guess that makes sense," he concluded.

"It does?"

"Sure. You're very strong, Katara. I don't think you could be with someone who wasn't at least your equal. How would you ever respect him?"

Katara blinked. That certainly wasn't a response she'd expected from him, and she probably wouldn't have thought of the situation that way. Now that he'd said it, though, it made perfect sense.

"I guess you're right," she agreed. "I never thought of it like that before." She smiled at him, and their eyes locked. When this lasted so long it became uncomfortable, Katara broke eye contact and turned to see Prince Zuko apparently in deep conversation with her brother.

"What can they have to talk about?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't know. It's good that they're not fighting, though."

"Yet," Katara replied, only half joking. "I wonder if that scar hurts." Aang came up beside her and shook his head sadly.

"The really painful scars are the ones you can't see."

Katara looked over at him, feeling a strange emotion come over her. It never failed to amaze her the way this boy could be so childlike and playful one moment, then very wise the next. Impulsively, she gave him an awkward sideways hug.

"What was that for?" he asked with a surprised smile.

"Oh, just for being so understanding and forgiving and sympathetic," Katara cut herself off before she began to babble, something she felt dangerously close to doing. What was the matter with her?

Across the way, Zuko had turned away from Sokka for some reason, and Katara fully saw the scar.

"Maybe I could heal him," she said thoughtfully. "I don't know if it would work on a scar that old. I've never tried it."

"No." Aang spoke with such quiet authority that Katara turned sharply to look at him. There was something different in his stance, his very aura. For a moment, the waterbender caught a glimpse of the full-grown Avatar he would one day be. It sent a shiver down her spine, a not entirely unpleasant sensation. Aang felt her stare and brought his gray eyes up to meet hers. Then he gave her a small smile, breaking the spell.

"Not yet," he amended. "You hardly know each other, and he's not going to trust you. Give it some time before making the offer. Besides, that scar is part of who he is right now. He needs to let go of some of the inner scars before he's ready to give up that one."

Again, Katara was struck by the depth of his wisdom. When she thought about it, they had all experienced personal tragedy, including Zuko and Iroh. It seemed to be mainly their methods of dealing with it that varied. Maybe they could use that as common ground on which to build camaraderie, at least, if not friendship. Like Zuko and Sokka seemed to be doing. Maybe they had more in common than she'd thought. Absent fathers, for example, and…. Katara frowned. It just occurred to her that she'd never heard anything about Zuko's mother. Was she just a meek noblewoman, staying at home in the Fire Lord's palace? Or had she died, like Sokka and Katara's mother? Obviously, there was still a lot to learn about their new companions.

The two young men appeared to be reaching the end of their conversation, and Iroh was approaching them with the horse-ostrich.

"Looks like it's time to go," Katara informed her pupil, who nodded and walked with her to join the others.

"So, anyone know where we should go to find an earthbender to teach me?" Aang asked when they reached Appa.

"Actually, if you don't mind, we have a brief stop to make first," Iroh replied, looking significantly at the horse-ostrich. Aang looked to Katara with a blank expression, but Katara just shrugged, having no idea what the old man meant.

Author's Note: In case you were wondering, there is going to be a lot of male bonding in this story. I'm hoping to update about once a week, but I am also working on a multi-chapter story on another site, so I can't promise. I'll try to warn you when it might be longer. Also, I am somewhat open to ideas of things to include, so feel free to put things in your review. The next chapter or two are pretty well planned out, and I know how it's going to end, but there's some space in the middle that could be filled. Thanks!