He and Iroh sat in silence. Shouto knew Iroh was worried about his nephew, and to be honest, he wished he could be worried too, but he felt more pissed off than anything. He knew Zuko could take care of himself, and he knew that the only one he had to worry about hurting Zuko, was Zuko himself, but he felt irrationally angry at Zuko for leaving him. He knew they weren't best friends or anything, but it really hurt. And what if he never saw Zuko again? What if Zuko lost his way and did things he could never be brought back from? What if he lost himself and Shouto wasn't there to help?

As time passed the anger faded and was replaced more with sadness and worry. There was no way to know if Zuko was okay or not, there was no way to communicate with him.

He knew Zuko was capable but there was always that chance of 'what if' that set him on edge. And of course, he wondered why he was even worried in the first place. The only one he'd worried this much about was Midoriya, after the sports festival.

He'd never made that sort of connection with anyone else and he wondered if he'd connected because he cared about Zuko or simply because Zuko reminded him of himself.

He supposed he'd never truly know.

Everything was too quiet since Zuko and his naturally antagonistic personality had left. Iroh and Shouto drank their tea, Shouto, too deep in thought to start a conversation, and Iroh enjoying quiet, felt no need to speak either.

The silence persisted until Shouto heard something to his right. Turning, he saw a little girl, who was somehow even shorter than everyone else he had met thus far.

She came over and sat down too, without having been invited. "Um, hello." Shouto said after the silence had stretched on so long it started becoming uncomfortable for him.

"Sup, mind if I crash here for a while? Everybody was getting on my nerves, especially Sweetness and Prince Charming, bleh."

"Who?"

"My friends." She said shortly, as if it had been obvious. "They're just so stupid!"

"Maybe you should try to see things from their perspective." Iroh suggested.

She remained silent and flopped down on the ground unceremoniously. "But I don't want to. All they do is say, 'Toph, you shouldn't do that' 'Toph, help with this' 'Toph we need help' 'Toph do this,' 'Toph do that' like what do you want from me! I already help unpack everyone else's stuff even though it's not mine."

"That doesn't make sense." Shouto frowned. Why was she helping unpack stuff that wasn't hers? Wouldn't it be quicker just to have everyone unpack their own stuff?

"I know! I know it doesn't make sense but I don't really get a say here." Her fist smashed into the ground and sent a rock at Shouto's head that he dodged. "Sorry. I'm just so angry!"

Shouto nodded, he could understand that. "What about you guys, what's your story?"

"My friend just abandoned me."

"His friend was my nephew."

"Ouch, that's gotta sting."

"It does." Shouto replied.

"I only hope that he is safe and does not lose his way."

"I hope he comes back begging for help." Shouto said, darkly, crossing his arms. Iroh didn't say anything to that and the girl, Toph, patted his shoulder in what he thought to be a sympathetic manner.

It felt like a brick slamming into his shoulder repeatedly.

"I'm sorry, that's gotta suck."

"It does." Shouto told her. "Are you going to make up with your friends."

"I'll make up with them eventually. After all, they got explosion boy, he's pretty cool."

"Explosion?" Shouto murmured. "His name wouldn't happen to be Katsuki, would it?" No, Shouto was being ridiculous, how could Katsuki possibly be here, and traveling with other people like an ordinary human being? That was impossible.

"Yeah, how'd you know."

"Really, do you know where your friends are now?" Shouto wanted to squash the feeling as soon as it welled inside his chest. The hope, the hope that his friends were here. He didn't know why, but if he knew he wasn't alone, it would be so much easier to go through with all the things he planned to do.

"No, I stormed off, they probably went off to do their own thing by now."

They then heard something in the distance. To Shouto, it sounded like yelling, and fighting. He knew the sound of battle well, and it already had him on his feet, ready to run in that direction.

Toph followed suit and the two kids ran in that direction. Shouto was faster than Toph, his legs much longer, but she'd occasionally use the earth to boost herself forward.

"I win!" Toph said when they arrived at the village. Shouto let her have it, because he honestly hadn't realized they were racing.

In front of them, was a scene Shouto never thought he'd see. He saw Izuku, standing to the side, watching in horror as Zuko and Aang fought Azula, while two others supported them and Katsuki randomly blew things up sometimes.

"Stop doing that!" Izuku shouted.

"It makes it more interesting!" Katsuki argued.

"Hey guys, I made it." Toph said, "Where am I needed, where is the chaos!"

"This entire scene is chaos, jump in anywhere." Katsuki said. "But I'm fighting whoever is left standing."

"That'll be me." Toph said.

"I hope so."

Izuku sighed and glanced over in Shouto's direction and froze, staring at him. He said nothing for several minutes until he slowly came forward, "Shouto?" he asked.

"Izuku. Is it really you?" Izuku nodded slowly, ran, and tackled him in a hug, "We've been looking for you for so long, we were so worried."

"We?" Katsuki asked, scowling. "And you finally made it half 'n' half."

"I was worried." Izuku corrected himself, wiping tears off his cheeks. "I'm so happy you're here, you won't believe all the crazy things I've been through these past few days."

"Oh, I think I can."

"What were you thinking, running off with… with a villain, of all things."

Shouto was confused until Izuku explained, "We all know about Zuko, they told us, and from what I've heard, he doesn't seem like someone you should be travelling with."

"Oh."

"What do you see, tell me that he's good and I'll believe you."

"I won't." Katsuki said. "I judge people myself."

Izuku stared at him with hopeful eyes, pulling back from his bone-crushing hug for a moment. "I think he's good." Shouto said. "Only misguided. I just… I think I could've been like him, in different circumstances."

"Okay then, if he has your approval I believe you."

"I don—"

"We know you don't, Kacchan." Izuku said, pulling away, and laughing, relieved and happy they'd finally found him. Now they could find a way to get home.

"Well right now, it seems we have a common enemy."

"Azula." Izuku said, nodding. "She is really powerful. She scares me." Shouto knew what he meant.

"She doesn't scare me." Katsuki growled, crossing his arms. "She's not all that tough."

"If you say so, Kacchan."

"She already beat him once back in Omashu." Izuku whispered conspiratorially.

"I HEARD THAT!"

Izuku smiled apologetically and hid behind Shouto for protection.

"Come back here, you lil shit!" Shouto ignored the two running around him and stared at the fight ahead of him. blue and red fire clashing together, and he saw water and air.

Shouto didn't know when it had happened but soon it was just Katsuki, Izuku, and himself.

Everyone else had disappeared into the village. Shouto frowned and broke off from Izuku and Katsuki hurrying over more towards the fight, wanting to help Zuko.

"Where are you going?" Izuku asked. Shouto didn't answer and kept going. When he got to where everyone was they were all surrounding Azula and before Shouto could blink she'd attacked.

It was so bright he turned away the world darkening for a moment before he turned back and opened his eyes. Iroh was laying on the ground and Azula disappeared. Everyone stood around, watching Zuko drop to his knees and cry over his uncles motionless body.

Shouto slowly approached, watching his initial reaction to Katara's offer to help. Rage and agony. He screamed at her to leave and when Shouto found himself placing a hand on his shoulder he half expected the same reaction.

But Zuko looked up and saw it was him, and let him keep his hand there. Shouto looked around and saw Izuku and Katsuki lingering, waiting for him. The others had left.

Shouto slowly pulled away and walked over, "Where are you going after this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure." Izuku said. "How are we going to see each other again. We all know he can't come with us. Neither group would accept it."

"I hate when people are stubborn." Katsuki grumbled.

"Hypocrite." Izuku retorted dryly. Katsuki glared at him, looking ready to bash his head in. "We'll meet again though, I swear, I have a feeling we're not done here yet."

Shouto nodded. "It's good seeing you though." Izuku hugged him tightly and Shouto hugged him back. Shouto didn't like hugging on his best day, but he would make an exception for Izuku.

Izuku pulled back and he and Katsuki slowly went in the direction the others had gone and Shouto turned around and went back over to Zuko, kneeling down.

"Come on, let's get him in one of these houses." Shouto said and helped Zuko lift Iroh and move him into one of the buildings, and helped Zuko bandage him too.

"I know I always seem annoyed, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost him now." Zuko murmured. "And don't you dare ever tell him I said so."

"I won't. I don't know what I'd do if I lost my older sister. She always tried to be there for me, after mom left."

"Wish I could say the same after my mom left. My sister's always been a psychopath though." Shouto nodded and felt Zuko's head on his shoulder. "Why does my family have to be such a mess." He cried quietly.

Shouto wasn't sure.

"Believe me, I wish I had an answer too."

But he didn't. And he wouldn't.

A/N Just wondering, but does this story read as chaotic as it feels? It feels very chaotic to me, and I have yet to decide if that is a bad thing. This is my first time doing a crossover this long... I'm hoping to calm it down, but this entire scene was just so chaotic with so many characters. I'm hoping to get in some more Zuko-Shouto bonding next chapter. Unfortunately, I dunno when that is going to be. I also have another fanfic 'Loving Villains' that I'm working on, which is also an MHA, but with different character focus, though I'm hoping to add Shouto in there soon! But I'm also working on a novel now so it might take a couple weeks to get another chapter out between these three current projects, school, personal life, and free time of course. Here is a sneak peak of my current WIP,

Happily-ever-after, right? That was how life was supposed to be, right? At the end of the day, with parents to hold you, or a prince to rescue you? Like in the Fairy Tales they had always read.

I don't exactly remember at what point I had stopped believing that, but it must've been a few years ago. And now that this was happening, my thoughts were confirmed. I wasn't satisfied with that though, for once I wish I had been wrong, I wish things were really always okay in the last few moments of every day, even if they were only the seconds before you fell asleep.

Really excited for this idea, so I'm definitely finishing it, hopefully I'll see you guys in a couple weeks, bye!