Summary: Zuko is training Aang very hard and everyone thinks he needs a break. Zuko disagrees and shares why. A brief moment in which Zuko reveals just how evil his father truly is.

Takes place after Boiling Rock before they leave the Western Air Temple.

""Again!" Zuko shouted.

Aang was tired and sweaty. They had been at this for hours. It was just one form, but he couldn't get it right.

"Can I just take one break?" Aang asked pleadingly.

"No." Zuko said firmly, "Again!"

Aang stopped himself from whimpering and sucked in a breath. Ok again.

But right as he was about to start, he paused.

"I said again!" Zuko repeated.

"Can you grab me some water Sifu Hotman?" Aang asked innocently.

Zuko looked as though fire was about to fly out of his ears. He simmered for a moment than let out a long smoke-filled breath, "Fine," he said finally, "I'll go get you some water. Run it one more time while I'm gone."

Aang watched as Zuko picked up the empty waterskin and disappeared behind a pillar.

He grinned.

Two hours later Zuko finally found Aang by the fire pit with the others. Angrily he shot a fireball at him which Aang blocked easily.

"What do you think you're doing!" Katara yelled.

"If he's going to duck training then he has to learn the hard way!" Zuko snapped.

"Wait! I'm sorry!" Aang said quickly, "It was only supposed to be a five minute break but… I kinda got distracted."

"Distracted!" Zuko exclaimed in a frustrated voice.

"Well you see," Aang started, "Momo got into this hidden chamber and I was trying to…"

"You don't have time to get distracted." Zuko said in a simmering voice.

"Come on, he's only a kid."

Zuko's head snapped to the speaker. It was Hakoda. Since they had saved the man from the Boiling Rock Zuko had grown increasingly uncomfortable under his piercing stare. However he wasn't sure if it was the man himself who make him feel that way, or what he represented.

"He's the Avatar," Zuko returned evenly.

"But he's still a kid." Sokka interjected, agreeing with his father. Of course he did.

"And a kid who doesn't need you shooting fire in his face," Katara scoffed.

"Yeah Zuko," Aang agreed, "Kids need to have some fun."

Zuko heard it again and again. A kid. A kid. A kid. A kid. He felt something burst in his chest and the fire pit burst into flames on its own accord.

"I WAS A KID!" Zuko yelled.

Everyone froze. What?

Zuko turned and locked Aang's stormy grey eyes with his gold ones, "I was a kid Aang, the same age as you, the first time I faced my father. That was when he gave me this." As he spoke he motioned broadly towards his face, but no one needed specifics to understand what he was referencing.

Everyone went dead silent as they stared.

His father?

Zuko let out a long steady breath as he held Aang's gaze, "I'm not telling you this because I want your pity. I'm telling you because I want you to be prepared. My father didn't go easy on a kid." He almost spat the word in disgust, "When that kid knelt before him and begged his forgiveness and pledged his loyalty and he didn't go easy on him when that kid was his son."

Hakoda's eyes were wide as Zuko spoke. Knelt before him? Pledged his loyalty? And he still struck him down. What kind of monster…?

"Aang," Zuko continued, "He will not go easy on you because you're a kid. He will come at your with the intent to kill. If you don't return that intent, he will kill you."

Aang started at Zuko, his eyes blurry with fear.

Zuko stared back. His eyes has lost the hardness and fury from moments ago and now held only compassion and loyalty. Were these the eyes that Ozai saw before he…?

Aang swallowed and glanced at the others. They were all frozen in place, their eyes downcast, refusing to acknowledge the Prince's dark tale.

Aang let out a shuddering breath, "So…" he said finally, "Again?"

Zuko nodded, "again," he agreed.

And together the went off to continue training.