Hey, I know I haven't any avatar in a while, but I just didn't have any good ideas.

I got one from my sis, The Happy Gopher, though if you read any of her stories, you might wonder exactly where I got it...

Okay well, I own nothing, please enjoy!

Sokka had sparred with Zuko almost every morning, but everytime it was only with swords. Sokka was itching to learn something new; Sokka was itching to learn how to fight a firebender effectively.

And that was what he was trying to cajole Zuko into, at the moment.

" C'mon, it's important for me to learn! We're going to be taking on the Fire Lord himself on soon!"

Zuko shook his head.

" Aang is going to take on the Fire Lord soon. Besides, I don't want to hurt you."

Sokka crossed his arms. He'd been told many times that he was stubborn, but he stubbornly refused to believe it.

" There will be other firebenders, and besides, I can handle myself! Just for a couple of minutes?"

Zuko groaned. This had been going on for the last ten minutes, and he was not known for his patience. He sheathed his swords.

" Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Sokka grinned and settled into an attack stance with his sword. Zuko took a deep breath, then settled into an attack stance as well. He struck first.

He soon found Sokka was better than he thought, using the flat of his blade to knock his hands aside, dodging all the flames artfully, much like the Kyoshi warriors. Apparently, he could take care of himself.

Or so Zuko thought.

Then they heard a shatter and Katara's scream. Sokka looked away, and Zuko realized too late that the flame was still headed toward Sokka, and that Sokka wasn't going to dodge.

" Sokka! Look out!"

Sokka turned just in time to get hit full on in the face. He fell to his knees clutching his face. Zuko immediately pulled him up, grabbing his arm and wrapping around him to guide him.

" I am so sorry! I'm sorry! I wasn't looking, and I should have been paying more attention, I'm sorry!"

If Sokka hadn't been in so much pain, he might have laughed. That was the first time he'd heard him so panicked.

Zuko quickly guided Sokka back to the camp, where Katara and Aang were cleaning up the pieces of a broken jar. He kept apologizing the whole way.

Katara looked up, and screamed again.

" WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!"

She yanked Sokka away and pried his fingers away from his face. Zuko stepped forward.

" I'm sorry, it was an accident and--"

Katara glared back at him.

" Shut up and get away."

Zuko flinched at her cold voice and backed away. He watched as Katara cradled Sokka's head in her lap and then set to healing him. The whole time, she looked murderous.

Sokka sat up abruptly when Katara finished healing him. He smiled.

" Thanks Katara, I owe you one."

Katara started to bandage his face up with a sticky ointment.

" Hey, what are you doing?"

Katara patted his head.

" Making sure you don't scar." She looked up viciously at Zuko. " Wouldn't want you to be hideous the rest of your life."

Zuko frowned. That stung. Sokka, however, was oblivious to the low blow his sister had just dealt Zuko.

" Um...yeah...I guess not..."

Katara was still looking viciously at Zuko. She was very angry, angrier than Zuko had ever seen her.

" I always keep my promises, Zuko."

Zuko barely had time to react as Katara whipped out her water and started to attack him, giving him a long slash along his side. Zuko yelped and clutched his side.

" It was an accident! I didn't mean it!"

He swiftly used his firebending to evaporate the water coming towards him. Sokka, whose head had been dropped when Katara jumped to her feet and attacked Zuko, sat up and grabbed his sister's arm. She looked down in surprise at him.

" Katara, it was my fault. I asked himm to spar with me using his firebending, and I looked away."

Katara stopped, and then looked embarassed. Aang, who had been standing there a little dumbstruck ( not what he had been expecting when he woke up this morning, in fact, he'd been planning today as the day he'd tell Katara he loved her) stepped in. He reached for the bandages and grabbed Zuko's arm.

Zuko, however, had different plans. He jerked his arm away and took the bandages.

" I'll take of it myself."

With that, he left. And, like he had for the past few years, he took care of himself.

I know, very different than the other two. I wasn't trying to be as dramatic this time, you know? Okay, well please review, because that always gets me moving. Big thanks to ell25, you made me remember that fic!