Thanks O.C.I.H.K. for the follow and Favouriting.
~Avatar Day~
Zuko POV
"Where did you get these?"
As I dropped the food at Uncle's feet, Ryuu stared at me across camp with a judgemental lift of her hand. Uncle scanned the assortment of foodstuffs, bewildered. I pushed them further towards him with my foot. Food is food, doesn't matter if it was stolen. At this point, we were strapped for cash and - as humiliating as it is - I had to steal for us. Not like anyone would care.
"What does it matter where they came from?"
Uncle pressed his lips together but picked out a flattened cake. He took a bite out of it - it oozed jam like blood. I left him to it as I wanted to see what Ryuu's problem was. Her hands fell to her sides, I stopped infront of her and pinched the bridge of my nose.
"What is the problem? We needed food, so I got it."
Ryuu walked further out of Uncle's earshot. I followed her, exasperated at her unneeded feelings. She turned around and drew in a breath:
"Those people work for food. Theft is wrong! You're misusing the Blue Spirit. And-" she massaged her elbow and avoided my gaze "- If you get caught... you could be hurt."
A lot had happened in the few days since moving camp. Ryuu, when going back to town for supplies, had been robbed. The attacker had been an Earthbender and had nearly crushed her to death. If it hadn't have been for a passing Earth Kingdom soldier, I would've lost her. I kicked myself and hated the feeling that my heart still gave me when I thought about it.
How could I let her be lost that easily? She had nearly been killed... her clothes her dirtied and hands scrapped from trying to escape. Her wound she had sustained from our joint effort to take down the Broadswords man had opened up again.
"Ryuu..."
When afloat on the raft, she had kept us alive. She - with her intelligence - had kept both Uncle and me alive for three months. Fishing, distilling water, telling us stories to keep sane. I was still in debt to her. So I owed her my life...
"... I'll make it right. "
She gasped as I pulled her into an unorthodox hug. She had become thinner and the sun had darkened her hair. She had become more grown up since the first time, six months ago, when I had lain eyes on her- almost a different girl. Her hair reached her shoulders but despite all this - her eyes were the same. I could tell it was still Ryuu.
"Zuko. You're crushing me."
I let go and rubbed the small of my neck. Had I just hugged her? Yes. Did I regret it? Ha. You decide. I set my face into a mask of stone. I rarely let myself get happy... or joyus... or be anything more than mild annoyance. It never normally ended well. Ryuu relaxed her shoulders.
"Just- don't get hurt. And don't hurt anyone. And don't steal anything else. "
I pursed my lips, "I cannot promise that."
"Zuko," she snapped, "If you even think of theft, I will kill you, resurrect your corpse, then kill you again. "
I raised my brow. Ryuu stared at me although it was had to take her seriously, as she had the remnants of a smile across her face. I turned on my heel and back to camp. Uncle had finished scoffing the flattened cake and was licking his fingers.
'Ryuu needs new clothes. And - because I'm feeling generous - a new tea set for Uncle. I will not have another lot of tea from a leaf. A leaf. Me, Prince Zuko, drinking from a leaf.'
Part of me wanted to obey Ryuu. The rest of me scoffed at that thought and completely overruled it. If we wanted anything nice, it would be stolen. There. Final. As I tied the mask around my head, I felt like I was betraying the two people who were the reason I was alive. But then I remembered, there was no other way...
...
Ryuu POV
He had done the exact thing that was the problem. He was descending to a new low and it worried me. I loved him. Yes. There. I said it. But, it meant that I cared to much. I cared to much for that idiot.
Zuko returned from the woods carrying a bundle of green clothes and a surprisingly shiny tea set. He handed the tea set to his Uncle. I sat opposite Iroh, sipping tea from a leaf. Zuko held out his hands with the green bundle.
"Here. I thought you could use some new things. Those are-" he pointed at the ones I wore "- a bit ripped."
True. They were. But at least they weren't falling off. Iroh shook his head at his Nephew's behaviour. The fire flickered, changing to Iroh's mood. The new tunic was of layered green silk with gold tripping. It definitely not fit for me, and it was stolen.
"You broke our promise. Zuko, why?"
He turned to his Uncle, ignoring me, gesturing to the tea set:
"Well, do you like it?"
"Looks like you did some serious shopping. But where did you get the money?" Iroh stroked his beard.
"Do you like it or not?" Zuko repeated, sitting down against a tree trunk.
Iroh closed his eyes and took some flickering breaths. He got up and crossed to his Nephew, "To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup - or even a leaf. I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by. But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honor in poverty."
Zuko retraced his top lip into a snarl and screwed his eyes shut, "There's no honor for me without the Avatar."
I bit my lip. My threat to Zuko earlier was something I didn't want to happen, but I may need to do it, just to get through to Zuko. Iroh exhaled.
"Zuko ... Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now."
Zuko flinched. His eyes shot open and he hauled himself to his feet.
"Then there is no hope at all."
He went to leave. Iroh stopped him by grabbed his shoulder, "No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength."
Zuko bowed his head in thought, but it was only passing. He pulled from his Uncle's grip and marched off into the woods. It was Iroh's turn to bow his head. I got up and put my hand on the man's shoulder. He pursued his lips.
"I'm sure he's just... he will come around. It'll be better in the end. He loves you. Just has a funny way of showing it...?"
"Yes," Iroh looked up, at the trail of Zuko, "I'm sure it will be. I'm sure it is."
...
Zuko POV
I had to get away.
It was all messing with my head. So, I had to get away.
Behind me, I heard Ryuu consoling my Uncle - it hurt me. It hurt me so much as I marched from them. I wanted desperately to look back at Ryuu. But it hurt. I couldn't. The way my heart wrenched, it hurt on a different level to leaving just Uncle. Ryuu's voice echoed through my head.
'He loves you. Just has a funny way of showing it... He loves you. Loves you. You. I love you. I love-'
I had to get away.
The Ostrich horse was pecking around in the woods. Ryuu had named him Ostrich McHorseface. Osti for short. I took his reins and leapt onto his back. I had to get away. Away from them. I rode into the night. Not ever looking back. It hurt too much.
