Aang hugged his knees to his chest and looked out across the valley where he had been practicing earthbending with Toph. The whole morning had been one of failure after failure. Even now, he wasn't sure if he had what it took to be an earthbender.

"There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock. You've got to face it head on."

His heart clenched and he tightened his grip on his knees. It was strange. He knew Toph had just been giving him tips to earthbend, yet in that moment he had felt like she was talking about more than moving rocks. All of his current problems had started from a single weakness: he didn't like dealing with conflict. In fact, he didn't like confronting anything unpleasant, preferring to evade the issue altogether. He'd even run away from his Avatar responsibilities, upset at the thought of being forced to leave Monk Gyatso. That choice had resulted in him being frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years. In the end, he'd lost not only Gyatso but all of the Air Nomads.

Was the same thing about to happen with Zuko?

"There you are."

Aang glanced up and saw Katara approaching. His chest tightened. Their interactions had been a bit strained ever since he'd told her the truth about the Blue Spirit. Then he noticed the corners of her mouth were turned up a fraction and she was holding two peaches. Some of the tension eased from his body; that was not the expression of a person who was mad.

"Thought you might be hungry," she said, sitting down next to him and offering him one of the peaches.

Aang relaxed even more, reassured by the warmth in her voice. "Thanks."

He took the peach and bit into it. Sweet juices filled his mouth, but it still felt like he was chewing on fabric. He took another bite. Absent as the act of eating was, at least it gave him a distraction.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked after a moment.

"Sure."

"What made you forgive me?" He flushed and cast a panicked look at her face. "Uh, that is, if you have forgiven me."

A rueful smile curved her lips. "I don't know if I intended to do it. I guess it just happened."

His brow creased. "But why? I mean, I lied to you about the Blue Spirit's identity, and you were so angry before, but now you're just"—he made a vague gesture with his arms—"well, being nice to me again."

Katara frowned and rubbed her cheek. "I guess I just find it hard to stay mad at you."

Aang resisted the urge to pout. That wasn't going to help him. Zuko seemed to have a talent for staying grumpy with everyone. Katara must have sensed that he wasn't satisfied with her response, because she sighed and spread her hands in a helpless gesture.

"I don't know, Aang. You really did upset me when you kept the truth about Zuko from us for all that time. To be honest, I was furious. But you're still my friend. No matter how betrayed I felt, I guess I just couldn't keep holding it against you. That doesn't change the fact that what you did was wrong, but listening to you talk yesterday made me realise that you were also just scared and confused. I think in some twisted kind of way you thought you were doing the right thing by lying."

"I don't even know anymore," he admitted. "I was scared and I was confused. Zuko had lost his memories, and I had no idea if I would make things worse by telling him who he was, let alone how you and Sokka would react if you knew his identity." He sighed. "I really regret not being honest now."

"I know," she said softly. "Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to forgive you. I saw that you were hurting."

Aang's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, but that isn't going to help me with Zuko. He hates me more than ever. He won't even speak to me."

Katara made a thoughtful noise. "I spoke to him this morning. He seemed … different."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he said he had given up on capturing you."

Aang blinked. "He said that? But—but that was the only way he could go home. He told me so himself!"

She frowned. "He said that there was no point hunting you if there was no longer any reason for him to return home."

Aang chewed on his lip. Zuko had always been so adamant about returning to the Fire Nation. What could have happened to make him change his mind? Not that Aang could say he wasn't relieved—being hunted by the guy he wanted to be friends with wasn't exactly an ideal situation—but a part of him couldn't help feeling concerned all the same. Zuko didn't seem the type to just give up, even if he had realised that the Fire Nation was bad and that he shouldn't be listening to such a horrible Fire Lord.

"I don't get it," Aang said at last, "but if he's no longer trying to capture me, that can only be a good thing."

Katara nodded in agreement.

Aang suddenly grinned at her. "But that's great he talked to you. I mean, he normally never opens up about himself. Maybe he does still want to be our friend!" He paused, upturned lips drooping. "Well, you and Sokka's friend."

She scratched her cheek. "I don't know if I would have called that a friendly conversation. It was more awkward than anything."

"Yeah, but he still spoke to you. He just avoids me."

She sighed and straightened her shoulders, seeming to come to a decision. "If being Zuko's friend means that much to you then I think you know what you need to do."

As he stared into her eyes, he could hear Toph's voice echoing in his mind:

"You've got to stop thinking like an airbender. There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock. You've got to face it head on."

He let out a small breath. "I guess you're right."

Katara smiled and went back to eating her peach. He took another bite of his own and relaxed next to her, content to enjoy the silence now that all the tension was gone between them. Still, he knew he'd just got lucky with Katara. She had forgiven him with little effort on his part, but Zuko would not be the same. Aang had to find his courage. Somehow, he had to learn to face Zuko head on.

oOo

Zuko had spent most of the day walking around the outskirts of the abandoned town, mindful that he needed to be in the sun but still careful to avoid running into another human. He had wanted to be alone and think. Wandering the rocky ridges and valleys that surrounded Tu Zin had seemed like a good plan. His mind felt jumbled, and no amount of soul-searching seemed to clarify matters. He just didn't know what to do.

"Now I've gotcha!"

Zuko paused at the sound of the raised voice. That sounded like Sokka.

A lop-eared rabbit came darting out from behind the massive boulder in front of him, its eyes big and round with panic and its ears flopping everywhere. His brow creased. A split-second later something crashed into Zuko's back, shoving him off balance. He let out a grunt just as there was a sharp and far too familiar yelp in his ear. That idiot Sokka had run straight into him. Gravity kicked in with disastrous speed and the world tilted as both boys fell straight into a narrow crevice.

"You have got to be kidding me," Zuko muttered.

He wriggled and tried to twist free of the rock now encasing him, but it was like pushing against the teeth of a beast that didn't want to let go. Only his head and one hand had managed to stay out of the earth's clutches; however, the hand in question was so cramped up near his face that he could barely move it. Sokka hadn't fared much better. The boy had both hands free, also with limited movement, but was otherwise trapped from the neck down. Worse, he and Sokka were way too close. A whole side of their bodies were squashed up against each other like octo-sardines trying to cram into the same, tiny space. It was a level of snugness Zuko could have done without.

"There goes dinner," Sokka said mournfully, watching the lop-eared rabbit hop off into the distance.

"Are you serious? You just got us stuck in this stupid hunk of rock and you're still worrying about your dinner?"

"But it's meat!"

Zuko said, in a very impolite way that his mother would have frowned upon, exactly what Sokka could do with his meat. Instead of responding in kind, Sokka just heaved a big sigh and began trying to squeeze himself free. And tried. And tried. He sighed again and let his head slump.

"This sucks," Sokka declared.

"You think?"

Sokka pursed his lips. "There's no need to get snippy. It's not like I meant for us to get stuck in here. Besides, you were the one who got in my way."

"What? You ran into me!"

"I was hunting!"

"Then maybe you should have looked where you were going! Isn't that how hunting works? Or do you go around trying to catch things with your eyes closed?"

Sokka raised his chin. "I'll have you know that—"

"I don't care!" Zuko would have snarled flames if his bending was at its usual strength. "The fact is we're stuck in this hole now!"

Sokka had no response for that. There was a long, awkward pause as both boys avoided speaking or even looking at each other. Zuko glowered at the rocks while Sokka let out little sighs and continued to wriggle futilely.

"My toe is itchy," Sokka complained after a while.

Zuko said nothing.

"Man, now my leg is itchy."

A vein twitched on Zuko's forehead.

"Ugh, now my neck is—"

"Itchy!" Zuko swivelled his head to glare at him. "I get it! I think the whole world gets it that you're itchy!"

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "Sheesh. Someone's touchy today. Guess getting your memories back really did turn you into an angry jerk again."

Zuko closed his eyes in a pained manner. Spirits grant him patience.

There was another long pause.

"So, hey," Sokka said. "I've been wondering, do you still remember what you did and stuff while you were going around as Lee?"

"Why?"

"Just curious. You lost all your memories, right? I just wondered if it would do a clean slate thing when you got them back."

Zuko shook his head. "I remember everything."

A grin curved Sokka's mouth. "Excellent."

"Why is that excellent?"

The grin widened. "Because we both know I got you good with my boomerang." He let out a laugh. "Oh, and there was the time when Katara thought you were a waterbender and got you to try making water move. It's pretty funny when I think about it now. You were all—"

Zuko stretched to grab the loose pebble that was just within his reach. He threw it as hard as his cramped hand would allow. It bounced off Sokka's forehead with a thwack.

"Ow!" Sokka's grin vanished in an instant. "What was that for?"

"Because you're an idiot."

A cocky gleam entered Sokka's eyes. "Oh, I get it. You're just bitter because I got the better of you with boomerang."

"I'm really not."

"Sure, sure. Don't worry, not everyone has the skills to avoid my trusty boomerang."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "Let's get one thing straight: you might have taken me off guard with that weapon of yours, but whether I fight with my bending or not, you're still no match for me."

"Boastful much?"

"It's not boasting when it's the truth." Zuko raised his one good eyebrow. "Or have you forgotten how easily I bested you with my swords?"

"Hey, I was just a bit rusty then."

Zuko's expression did not change.

"Honest," Sokka insisted. "I'm normally much better than that."

Zuko sighed and looked the other way. Sokka was not content to let the matter drop and informed him that, regardless of how skilled Zuko thought he was with swords, there was no way he would win in a battle of wits. In Sokka's own words, Zuko was currently in the presence of a master of strategies.

"Great," Zuko said dryly. "Then strategize us a way out of this rock."

Sokka blinked and scratched his cheek. "Uh, right. Maybe we should call for help."

Zuko exhaled loudly. "We're going to be stuck here for hours, aren't we?"

"Hey, it's worth a shot! What else do you suggest we do?"

Since Zuko didn't have any other suggestions, he simply sighed again and began shouting for someone to come to their assistance. Sokka joined him, but the most they managed to do was attract a baby saber-tooth moose lion. Some of the colour drained from Zuko's face. "This isn't good," he muttered.

"Meat!" Sokka licked his lips. "Alright, you just wait till I get free, little guy. I'm going to make you dinner!"

Zuko eyed the small creature warily. "Pretty sure you don't want this meat, Sokka."

"Well, it is awfully cute, but meat is meat."

"The baby might be cute, but the mother is sure to be close, and I can tell you that she is anything but."

"What do you mean?"

"Think big, angry and likes to charge at you with massive horns."

Sokka gulped. "Oh. Yeah, that doesn't sound so cute."

The two boys exchanged a glance and began making motions with their cramped hands to shoo the baby saber-tooth moose lion away. Unfortunately, the creature seemed to take this all as a game and just wagged its tail happily. Then it came closer and started tugging on Sokka's ponytail.

"Hey, that's my hair!" Sokka complained.

Suddenly, a blur of orange came rushing towards them. When the wind settled, Aang was kneeling in front of the boys with an anxious expression on his face. The baby saber-tooth moose lion gave up on Sokka's hair and went to sniff the airbender.

"Are you guys alright?" Aang asked.

"Oh, yeah," Sokka said. "Just peachy."

Zuko averted his gaze while Aang tried to pull Sokka out from the crevice. Dealing with Sokka had been a test of patience at times, but just looking at the Avatar's childish face with the stupid arrow tattoo made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't want to be there. He didn't want to deal with the conflicting feelings that rattled around inside him.

This boy lied to you. He betrayed you.

The words echoed in Zuko's head, but there were others as well. Offers of friendship and shy smiles and a desperate plea for Zuko not to hate him. So confusing. So frustrating.

"I, I don't know if I can."

Aang's voice snapped Zuko from his thoughts. He gathered that Sokka had been trying to get Aang to earthbend them out of the rock since pulling had failed. Apparently, the little blind girl had been teaching the Avatar how to bend her element.

"If you can't earthbend us out of here then go get Toph," Sokka grumbled. "It shouldn't be a problem for her."

Aang cast a panicked glance at Zuko and then stared down at his feet, chewing on his bottom lip. He didn't get a chance to respond, though. A thudding of hooves from behind alerted them to the presence of the baby saber-tooth moose lion's mother. The beast snorted and pawed at the ground, mouth curling to reveal large teeth that could easily snap a human in two.

"You're right, Zuko," Sokka said with a faint tremble. "Mama is not so cute." His gaze darted to Aang. "Now would be a good time to get us out of here."

In typical Aang fashion, he tried to talk with the mother and claimed they were friendly. Too bad the saber-tooth moose lion decided that was her cue to charge. All Zuko and Sokka could do was watch as the airbender was forced to protect them from being crushed to death. It was humiliating but also kind of terrifying. There was a point where Zuko was sure they were going to get trampled, but Aang, for once, stood his ground and blasted the giant creature back with a huge gust of wind. The saber-tooth moose lion skulked away with its baby.

Someone began a slow clap. Zuko turned his head to see Toph lounging on a boulder with what looked like Aang's staff. It turned out the little brat had been there the whole time. When Aang demanded to know why she hadn't helped, she shrugged and said it hadn't occurred to her before proceeding to try cracking a nut open with his staff. The fact she then taunted Aang into earthbending didn't mean much either.

Zuko held back a sigh. "Would you just get us out of here already, earthbender?"

Her head whipped towards him. "Who're you calling 'earthbender', Moody Pants?"

"Moody—what?"

Toph ignored his interjection and thumped her hand against her chest. "The name's Toph, and don't you forget it."

Zuko rolled his eyes. Fortunately, Toph didn't expect a reply. She stomped her foot against the ground and forced them both with her bending to come up from the crevice. Zuko, while covered in scrapes and aching in a way that suggested he would have a lot of bruises, was otherwise unscathed. Sokka was not so lucky. He put his weight on his left foot and crumpled.

"I think I sprained my ankle," Sokka groaned.

Aang smiled and helped him to stand. "Katara can probably help with that. Let's head back."

The four made their way towards the village and all the dusty streets and broken-down houses. Eventually, they found Katara talking with Iroh as the two of them prepared what Zuko assumed would be tonight's dinner. There was a pot of rice bubbling away and Iroh was slicing a stack of fruit into fine quarters with a knife. Katara noticed them first and took one look at Sokka, who was limping and struggling to stay on his feet even with Aang's support, and then she was on her feet and running to pull her brother into a tight hug.

"You're hurt!" she exclaimed, holding him even closer. "What happened?"

Zuko's heart gave an odd twist, like a phantom echo of a wound he had never known existed. He averted his gaze from the siblings, finding it difficult to watch them show such open affection for each other. It was a painful reminder of how his own sister had done nothing but seek to hurt him, even kill him. Azula would never try to be close to him like that.

"It's okay to be scared, Azula."

"I'm not scared. I just can't sleep with all of this stupid thunder making so much noise, and if I have to stay awake then so do you."

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into a loose embrace. She hesitated only a moment before leaning into him, trying not to flinch when another rumble of thunder shook the palace walls.

"I'm not scared," she repeated fiercely.

"I know," he murmured, resting his head against hers. "I just figured you might be cold."

She hid her face against his shoulder. "Dum-Dum."

He didn't need to see her expression to know she was smiling.

Zuko winced as pain lanced through his mind. No! He didn't want this memory! He didn't want to remember those feelings of brotherly fondness. Azula had hurt him. She had hurt him and hurt him and hurt him, and he couldn't—

A hand gripped his shoulder, anchoring him back to reality. "Nephew?"

Zuko's vision cleared into dizzying focus. Iroh was staring at him in concern, puzzled as to why he had started showing signs of distress.

Zuko exhaled a bit shakily and stepped away. "I—it's nothing," he stammered. "I just—"

"Hey, Katara, look what I can do!"

Zuko and Iroh both turned as Aang shoved his arms forward in a fierce gesture, causing a large rock formation to break in half.

"You did it!" Katara said proudly. "I knew you would!"

Aang blushed and rubbed the base of his neck. Zuko didn't understand why the Avatar kept glancing his way with a shy smile as if there was some special significance to the fact that he had finally managed to earthbend. Did he expect a round of applause or something? Whatever.

Zuko walked away from the group. "I'm going back to the house."

"Wait."

Iroh's hand once more gripped his shoulder, turning him back around so that he had no choice but to look at his uncle.

"Zuko, please tell me what's wrong," Iroh said, soft enough so that only he could hear. "I can see that you're hurting, and though I swore to myself that I would let you figure out what you wanted to do on your own, I can't just stand by idly and watch you suffer either." His grip tightened. "Please, let me help you. You don't have to carry all of these burdens on your own."

Zuko slipped free of the warm grip that promised so much comfort yet only seemed to hurt him even more. "It's nothing," he said in a hollow voice. "Forget about it."

"Was it the memories again?"

Zuko stilled.

"You said you get sharp pains when a memory resurfaces, and I noticed you were clutching your head before." Iroh moved closer. "Zuko, there is a waterbending master right there. We could ask her to—"

"No!"

The word was wrenched out of Zuko before he could stop it. Iroh blinked, shocked by the vehemence of the response.

"I ... I mean ..." Zuko swallowed against the building pressure in his chest. "I already have the important memories now. I know who I am, and I know about my past, so it's not like it really matters anymore if there are a few still missing."

Iroh gave him a shrewd look. "Is that really what you think?"

Yes. No. Zuko didn't know. All he knew was that he could taste the panic on his tongue, reminding him of what he had glimpsed only a few minutes ago: Azula as a young girl crawling up onto his bed and letting him comfort her with a hug because she was scared of the thunder. The one thing that could hurt him more than her lies or the wounds she had inflicted upon him ever could, because it was undeniable proof that she had cared.

That he had cared. Maybe still did.

Zuko clenched his hands into fists. "I just want to be alone," he muttered.

Iroh looked like he was going to protest, but Zuko didn't wait around to listen. He hurried away as fast as his legs could carry him, only slowing his pace once he got back to the abandoned house where he had first awoken. He walked inside and sat on the blankets, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. No relief. No comfort. Still just that desperate question echoing over and over in his mind: what was he supposed to do?

Never give up without a fight.

Zuko bowed his head almost in resignation. Maybe that was the problem. It wasn't in his nature to run, but he knew, deep down, that he had been running. Running from his memories, running from his uncle, running from the Avatar.

Running from anything that could hurt him.

"It's okay to be scared, Azula."

He closed his eyes. The memory replayed in his mind, so wounding in its innocence. There was a part of him that still wished he could erase it entirely. He wouldn't have to hurt so much then. He'd be able to move on with his life. However, he had also realised that the more he tried to block those tender images, the more that horrible emptiness seemed to grow inside him, gnawing away at his heart like some all-consuming black hole. What if the emptiness never stopped? Would he lose himself entirely? Would he stay like the Fire Lord's vase: just a broken shell of what he used to be?

A soft knock shattered him from his brooding.

"Go away, Uncle!" Zuko growled, clutching his knees to his chest and looking the other way.

"Um, it's me."

The shy, hesitant voice made Zuko repress a sigh. Didn't that kid ever just drop it?

"What do you want, Avatar?"

Zuko had meant the question to come out as a brusque demand. Instead, his tone just sounded tired. Tired and lost. Aang stepped into the house. The creaking of the floorboards told him that Aang had come to sit next to him. A glance to the side confirmed his suspicions. The Avatar sat cross-legged, not facing him directly; instead, the two of them sat side-by-side, each staring down at their hands.

"Katara told me that you don't want to capture me anymore," Aang said after a moment.

Zuko remained silent. He did not want to be having this conversation.

"I don't know why you changed your mind, but I guess ... well, I guess I just wanted to say thanks. I know how much you wanted to go home."

A lump formed in Zuko's throat. He swallowed and closed his eyes. There was a long silence that followed, which neither of them tried to fill. Zuko wished the boy would just go away.

"Listen, Zuko, I—"

"Enough," he said softly, though his voice sounded a bit hoarse.

"But—"

"I've told you countless times that I don't want to speak to you, yet you just keep coming back." Zuko raised his head and glared at him. "Can't you see that I want nothing to do with you?"

Aang gave a sad smile. "I know you don't. I know you hate me and probably wish I was far away from you." He sighed and glanced back at his hands. "Who could blame you? I lied and tried to keep your identity from you because I was scared. I used the spirits and the power of the Avatar State to kill your people in the North Pole even though there was no way they could have defended themselves." His mouth trembled. "You were right. I acted like a monster that night, and I hate it. I hate thinking about it and all the other selfish, stupid things I've done, but don't you see? I can't change any of that now. Even if I wanted to, I can't take it back."

"So what? You think I should just forgive you? You think because of this stupid connection you seem to believe we have that you can just apologise and it's all okay?"

He had not forgotten what his uncle had said. The Avatar thought they had a spiritual connection. Somehow, that was even more frustrating. Didn't anyone understand that he wanted nothing to do with the kid?

"I just want you to give me a chance," Aang said earnestly. "That's all I'm asking for. Just a chance to prove that I can be a better Avatar, but also a better friend."

"I don't want to be your friend."

The words sounded petty even to Zuko's ears, but Aang just smiled that sad, little smile.

"I know," he acknowledged, "but I really do want to be your friend. At least if you'll let me."

Zuko said nothing.

Aang must have sensed that he wasn't going to get anything more out of him because he got back to his feet. "I'm not going to push you. It's your choice to forgive me or not, but I hope you know that I do regret what I did." He shifted on his feet and rubbed the base of his neck. "And, um, well, if you and your uncle need a ride anywhere, you know that there's always room for you on Appa."

Having said his piece, Aang bowed deeply and then flashed one last smile before leaving the house. Zuko stared at the doorway with a conflicted expression on his face. It was a long time before he moved.

I realise that Sokka met Foo Foo Cuddly-Poops in a different area than what I have written here, but I figured it was still close enough to Tu Zin village, and I just really wanted to feature Zuko and Sokka stuck together in this chapter ('cause omg this story has been lacking the funnies of late and I'm going into humour withdrawals).