A/N: This is Theme #80- Words. ALSO: This is set before the infamous little battle in which Bato obtains his burn-scar. I will actually be writing that scene out for a later theme. X3 I'm awful, I know.

Hakoda sighed as he hunched over, his elbows digging into his lap uncomfortably. He pretended to be looking over the map of the western Eath Kingdom. His mind was elsewhere. He and his men had just finished setting up camp about a mile of the Mo Ce Sea. when the scouts returned with reports of a Fire Nation platoon stationed outside of the Mo Ce Abbey. (While it was rather small conquest for the Fire Nation, upper-class Fire Nation citizens wanted to get ahold of the famous perfume that came from the abbey, which the nuns refused to sell or trade with the tyrannical nation.) The scouts suggested that the Southen Watertribe could easily take the solidiers on so long as they kept the element of surprise. Hakoda agreed and he formulated the pre-dawn attack with them before announcing the plan to his men over dinner.

Despite his men's enthusism towards the attack, Hakoda couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was going to happen. He dismissed himself from dinner and promptly went to his tent while the other tribesmen stayed out and talked excitedly. He was far too absorbed in his own doubts and worries to want to listen to the idle chatter.

The distracted cheif's head snapped up as he heard the tent flap rustle as Bato let himself in without spoken invitation. Bato always knew when something was wrong with his best friend and always looked for a way to make things right again. Hakoda loved Bato for that.

"...Hakoda."

Hakoda sighed again and rolled up the map as his friend kneeled beside him. It seemed Bato wanted to talk things out. That was fine and all, but Hakoda felt dissappointed by it. For as well as his friend knew him, couldn't he tell that he didn't want to hear any sugar-coated lies? Everything was not going to be alright. "It's just pre-battle jitters."

"...I'm sure." Bato muttered, thoroughly unconvinced. The taller man bit his lip as he carefully thought about his next action, sensing that the cheif didn't want to talk about whatever was on his mind. After an awkward mment of silence that rarely passed between the two, Bato slid his arm around Hakoda's broad shoulders and pulled his friend into a tight embrace. Hakoda smiled faintly as he allowed his eyes to close, content to just be held. Bato's heartbeat drummed steadily in his ear in a soothing manner and his troubled thoughts began to drift away.

It was in moments like these that Hakoda mused over the idea of furthering his relationship with the other man, for it was in moments like these, when Bato showed such a deep understanding of his wants and needs, that Hakoda could swear that Bato wanted the same. Perhaps, after the war they ould become more than just best friends like he often dreamed about on cold, lonely nights. If they survived the war, that is. Hakoda cringed as the lingering doubts snaked their way back into his brain. The thought of losing Bato was enough tomake him sick.

Bato frowned as he felt his friend shudder in his arms and he ran a hand soothingly through Hakoda's hair as he leaned his head down to whisper in s companion's ear: "You have nothing to worry about, Hakoda. Nothing will seperate us; not this battle or this war. I promise."

Hakoda felt the hot tears streaming down his cheeks before he stop them. Even if they were just sweet lies, Bato always knews he right words to say to comfort him.