Title: Toward the Rising Sun
Rating: PG
Pairings/Characters: Zuko, Aang, some Zuko/Katara
Warnings: uh, some kissing; probably some violence eventually
Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to the nice folks at Nickelodeon.

Summary: Zuko and Aang need to learn to trust each other. Cue the road trip to find the Sun Warriors, with plenty of arguing, dirty jokes, and pirates besides. S3 AU. [Heals All Wounds #4]

A/N: Thank you to jin_fenghuang for the beta!

Aang sat on one of the boxes on the short deck of the steamer, well into the shade cast by the pilot's cabin, as he watched Zuko diligently take inventory. Aang would have helped, really, he would, but he considered this payback for Zuko shirking the work earlier. Also, between the scorching tropical sun, the bright reflections shimmering up from the water, and the metal deck plates, it was really hot out there. Aang was torn between giving up on clothing altogether, and trying to bend up a storm just to keep cool. As it was, he'd taken off his Water Tribe shirt and he was eyeing his leggings speculatively. Leather wasn't his best friend even in normal circumstances, let alone this kind of humidity. It would leave him relegated to the shade until sundown unless he wanted a severe hotfoot, but it might be worth it for a little comfort. Even Zuko had stripped off his shirt, revealing shockingly pale skin underneath.

"Aren't you going to burn?" Aang had asked worriedly – leaving aside his questions about just where that flock of doves came from for the moment.

"No. I don't burn. No one in my family does. Just one of those things that makes us 'special.'"

Aang was pretty sure Zuko was being ironic there. Just in case, he decided to keep Monk Gyatso's lesson about "special" traits in animals and how to breed for them to himself. He was trying to stay on his sifu's good side, such as it was.

From stem to stern, the boat was no longer than Appa was, but Aang had done a pretty good job loading it up with everything they'd need for the next couple of weeks nonetheless. He was proud of his stacking there, a prized skill among airbenders. Important for making sure things weren't blown over. Zuko moved between the boxes, squinting at labels and peeking inside, huffs of annoyance coming from him frequently.

Eventually, he turned irritably toward Aang, pulling at his own hair while gesturing at the boxes with the other hand.

"What do we need all this junk for? The island's only a day away!"

Huh. Really? Aang had thought the stuff was all self-evident necessities.

"Well, the fuel is for the ship," Aang started. Zuko's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Aang hurried on. "And the tent is for if we have to go camping. The lines and net are for fishing, and the sail is just in case the engine goes out. The salt is for salting the fish – I don't know, that was Sokka's idea.

"Oh, and the tofu is mine, so don't even look at it!" he added with a warning look.

No matter how many times Sokka claimed he was a meat-man, Aang always caught him sneakily digging into the tofu. Which, come on, wasn't even fair! Was he trying to starve Aang?

Zuko smirked at him.

"So, you like eating tofu? Aren't you a bit young for that?"

Aang blinked at him in confusion.

"No, I'm old enough. Usually the really little kids do eat meat for their growth, but I'm old enough to choose…" Aang trailed off. Zuko was snickering, and he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with Air Nomad dietary habits. He scowled back at the other boy. "Fine. Don't tell me."

And Katara wondered why they didn't get along.

Eventually Zuko's laughter subsided and he took pity on Aang.

"You really never heard that phrase in Ba Sing Se?" he asked. Aang shook his head, crossing his arms sullenly. Zuko went on with a mischievous light in his eyes, "It's a pretty yellow joke. You know how tofu feels? And how some girls… well, you met Ty Lee."

He made a very round gesture in front of his chest, and Aang's eyes went wide. He fell off his box, sputtering.

"That's not what I meant!" A mortified blush crept up his cheeks. He'd been asking for Katara to cook tofu every night since they got on Hakoda's ship. His voice was high pitched and squeaky as he asked, "Katara doesn't know what that means, does she?"

Zuko went pale at the thought.

"Uhh. I really hope not. And I'm not asking her, either."

It was not worth taking the risk, Aang decided suddenly. He met Zuko's eyes and gave him a short nod.

"Time to start learning to cook," he declared.

"Good plan."

The silence extended between them for a long moment, and Aang took the time to worry about the fact that neither them actually did know how to cook yet. Even if the island was close by, this was probably going to feel like a pretty long journey.

"So," he started, a crafty expression spreading across his face, "does this mean I can tease Sokka when he eats tofu and then says he's a meat guy?"

Zuko snorted – which Aang was coming to realize was nearly hysterical laughter for him.

"Oh Spirits, yes."

Aang grinned back at him, but his smile faded as Zuko went back to his work on the deck, systematically deconstructing Aang's stacks and sorting the provisions into whatever he deemed vital and what he considered to be perfectly useless. Aang could tell the last bit because it was almost always accompanied by derisive mutter and a very serious, considering look over the bow. Like Zuko was thinking of throwing stuff overboard.

And when the considering look turned to a malicious, exultant look, that was when Aang had to intervene.

"Not my puppet!" he shouted, rushing out onto the deck to grab it back from Zuko.

"What did I say?" Zuko snapped, trying to grab it back. Aang floated back a step, holding it away protectively. He'd spent time on it – sewing, even! Sleeves didn't come with adorable button eyes, you know. "No music night, no interpretive dance night, and no puppet night."

Aang gave him a startled look. He hadn't spent a lot of time imagining what Zuko's ship was like, but suddenly all kinds of weird visions danced in his head. Very literally. He'd never thought of General Iroh in that light before.

Zuko took advantage of his bafflement to try again to snatch the puppet away. Aang dodged out of the way just in time. He scurried back to his hiding place, leaving Zuko to steam on the deck. He looked, for a moment, like he was ready to pursue Aang, before he turned away abruptly. Aang smoothed the puppet on his lap, grinning down at it, before looking around for a place to hide it. He ducked down into the galley for just a moment, and when he came back up, Zuko was staring out across the ocean.

"Just how long do you think we'll be gone for?"

"I don't know. It sounded like the Sun Warriors' ruins are sort of far away and…" Aang bit his lip, wondering if he should go on. Zuko looked up, wiping sweat off his brow as he fixed him with an inquisitive look. "And, well, you said they were all dead. So it made me think that maybe we should plan to go somewhere else too. The only other firebender I know who doesn't hate me is Avatar Roku, so I was kinda thinking we might go for a visit."

"But his temple was destroyed."

"Yeah... but, it's something. And maybe if we're there on the solstice again, the connection to the spirit world will be stronger."

Aang held his breath, hoping Zuko wouldn't ask why Aang needed to go all the way out to the island to see Roku. The truth was that he was hoping for something more than just a pat on the head or spirit world sit-down with Roku. He was hoping for a revelation – one he could share with Zuko, to guide them both on their path.

But Zuko didn't call him on it. He seemed to think for a moment before giving a short, stiff nod. He didn't seem altogether happy at the prospect of spending so much time on their little steamer – or maybe it was the reminder of the last time they were in Roku's temple that gave him such a distant, guilty look. Aang shifted on his box, further back into the shade, feeling a touch unsettled himself.

It was really weird to think about when Zuko had been his enemy. In so many ways, he seemed like a different person now. Aang could admit he hadn't actually known Zuko back then, but he definitely wouldn't have thought he was the kind of guy who would crack dirty jokes with him, let alone travel half way around the world to train Aang in firebending. Had he really been that guy all along? Or had something changed?

The monks had always taught Aang that beauty – like life – was a fragile illusion, but he really had to wonder if Katara healing Zuko's scar had somehow healed something deeper as well. And if it had, what was Aang even hesitating about?

Aang drew his legs up to his chest, leaning his chin on a knee as he watched Zuko work. The sun was high but on the downward curve of its journey, and the shadows were beginning to lengthen on the deck.

Bumi had told Aang he would know his earthbending teacher when he met her. He needed someone who listened and waited. And while he wouldn't presume firebending was even close to the same – waiting was probably a really bad idea! – he had always thought he would choose his firebending teacher. He would feel the same connection he felt with Katara and Toph, the realization that this person was meant to teach him. Zuko was the perfect teacher in a lot of ways. He was the Fire Lord's own son, trained in the same style they'd used for generations, and he'd obviously suffered from fire in a way that not a lot of firebenders could be expected to understand.

But, well, it was Katara who had chosen Zuko, not Aang. Sometimes he wondered if Zuko would even be with them, if not for her.

Beyond that, there was the way she'd chosen him – that blood seal on Zuko's loyalty that brought him into the fold. He had burned Katara. Okay, yeah, to save her life. Aang couldn't say that. He'd burned Katara accidentally, out of foolish pride and recklessness. He could see his own guilt about that reflected in Zuko's eyes when he looked at Katara. That guilt was the source of this very trip. Zuko used it to fuel his firebending, and although Aang knew that had to be wrong – it went so against everything Monk Gyatso had taught him – he had to wonder.

Maybe that was all firebending was. Even with the best of intentions, it was pain and guilt and destruction.

"Aang, get out here," Zuko commanded suddenly, drawing Aang out of his thoughts.

He blinked, refocusing on Zuko. The other boy had finished with his arcane sorting and had instead turned to poring over the charts he had sketched their course on with Sokka. Obediently, Aang extended the toe of his boot into the harsh sunlight, only to retract it immediately. Yep, still in the tropics.

"Uh, how about I stay right here? Where it's cool?"

"No. You need to learn the course for your shift. Before nightfall."

Aang gave a skeptical look up at the sky before hopping off of his box and trudging over to where Zuko had spread the charts on the deck. The sun beat down on them both and Aang raised a hand to ward off the blinding reflection from the sea. At the same time, he could swear he felt his scalp boiling under the intense light, hair or no.

"Can't we do this inside?" he begged. "It's too hot out here for me."

"It is not too hot. You're a firebender. Learn to enjoy it," Zuko snapped.

"Oh, right. Because you look like you're enjoying it so much – Mister Wearing Shoes on the Searing Hot Deck!"

Zuko growled roughly at him, thrusting a finger forward.

"It's Prince Wearing Shoes. And you're right, I don't need them. That warm deck is going to feel really good."

Aang bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to smile as Zuko dropped down into a crouch and began fumbling with the side laces of his boots. Zuko's temper was pretty predictable – and hilarious. From this side of the fireblast, anyway.

And, huh, wow, that was taking a really long time. Aang tilted his head, his awareness of the heat falling to the back of his mind as he tried to get a closer look at what Zuko was doing. He had some really complicated knots going on there.

"What… is that?" he asked eventually, bending over to poke a finger at the laces.

"It's a knot," Zuko replied irritably. He'd stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. "For tying shoes."

"No, it's not. That's a sailing knot." Aang smothered a laugh as Zuko glowered over at him. There was a slight tinge of pink to Zuko's cheeks – and not one caused by the heat. He looked almost embarrassed. Aang startled in realization, and then grinned. "Wait – seriously? You don't know how to tie your shoes?"

"Of course I do!" Zuko pointed to the knot. "See! Tied!"

Aang shook his head dismissively.

"That doesn't count."

And it didn't. Even in the Fire Nation, kids didn't learn sailor's hitches to tie their shoes. They learned rabbaroo ears just like everyone else. Except for the royalty, apparently.

"So when was the first time you tied your shoes?" Aang asked gleefully. "Last year?"

Zuko scowled, back stiffening in a way that indicated Aang was basically on the mark. What would that even be like? he wondered. Growing up in a palace, having servants clothe you, groom you, and – yack – probably bathe you. Sounded horrible, actually.

Softening, a bit, Aang reached out a conciliatory hand. Zuko jerked away.

"Hey, uh, I didn't mean to go so far with that. Sorry."

"You should be. You really hurt my feelings. Since I'm such a delicate flower," Zuko replied. He'd managed to work off both boots and discard his socks. He stood, stretching his back as he wiggled his toes pointedly. "Feels great. Care to join me?"

"Not really?" Aang asked, hopeful tone matched by the endearing expression he plastered on. Zuko was unmoved – except for the parts of him moving toward Aang's boots. He bowled Aang over easily, tugging the boot frontpieces off and unwrapping the leather strips much more quickly than he had any right to do, given his abilities with his own shoes. Aang looked mournfully down as his bare feet, covering one with the other to try to save it from the broiling hot deck. "Gee, this is really relaxing, Sifu Hotman."

Zuko's glare was unforgiving.

Still pouting, Aang dropped onto the deck and withstood Zuko's entire lecture on how to read the map – as if maps of water currents were all that different from the air current maps Air Nomads used – and how to course correct using the stars as a guide. He pointed out their position relative to Hakoda's ship, and to their eventual rendezvous point near the western coast of the Earth Kingdom. It was only when Zuko started getting into how to use his hand as a sextant that Aang perked up, tossing off his sullen attitude and listening with genuine interest. After Aang duly demonstrated that he could fairly approximate degrees of a turn, Zuko let him get up, leading him over to the pilot's cabin to give a rundown of the controls.

Removing a stick bracing the wheel, Zuko turned it fractionally in his hands.

"You don't need to move it much – and you probably can't, anyway. The wheel connects directly down to the rudder, so when you move the wheel you're trying to move the entire boat."

Aang nodded blankly. He pointed to the stick.

"So… this whole time the stick has been steering?"

Zuko crossed his arms, letting go of the wheel to glare at him.

"Either the stick steers, or we both live in here."

Pulling a face, Aang looked around the cramped space. There was barely even space for them to stand next to each other inside, let alone eat or sleep. The very small space below decks – what wasn't taken up by the tiny galley, anyway – had been reserved for their bunks, but frankly, he'd been assuming they'd just sleep under the stars. Aang and enclosed spaces weren't the closest of friends.

Setting Aang's hands on the wheel, Zuko gave him a brief, commanding pat on the head settling back to watch him "practice." Aang shifted uncertainly under the attention. If this was Zuko teaching, it really wasn't so bad. It wasn't great – particularly since he had the strong sense that Zuko was close to throttling him at any given moment – but it was okay. Add some fire and call it bending. Maybe they'd make this work after all.

"Okay," he said after a long while. His hands had grown more confident on the wheel, and Zuko even gave him an approving nod. "Anything else I need to know?"

Zuko spread the charts out on the dashboard. He tapped an island on the map – one not far from their destination. Aang vaguely recognized both as being near the Western Air Temple.

"It shouldn't be a problem tonight, but you should be prepared. Tomorrow, we should pull into sight of the Western Blockade. We'll tack north to get around them," Zuko said, his finger tracing out the path. "If the currents are right we won't have to do anything, but there's a chance we'll be blown toward that island. Might be your watch when that happens. You'll need to correct back west if we're off course."

"What's wrong with that island?"

"It's a prison," Zuko said grimly. "The Boiling Rock. Trust me, we do not want to end up there."

"A Fire Nation prison? Isn't that…" Aang trailed off uncomfortably. He looked up at Zuko, taking in how tense he'd gotten, and even though it made him feel bad, he had to ask, "Isn't that where your Uncle is?"

"I don't know. Maybe. We've got a lot of prisons." He shook his head suddenly. "It doesn't matter. There's no way in or out – it's in the middle of a boiling lake on top of a volcano. We wouldn't be able to risk it, even if I did know Uncle Iroh was there."

Aang furrowed his brow unhappily. Zuko didn't seem convinced of his own words, clenching his jaw as he forced himself to look away from the map, as if that could put any half-formed plan out of his head.

It wasn't hard to sympathize. Aang had been upset when he realized what General Iroh had done, sacrificing himself so they could get away back in Ba Sing Se, and he hated that they couldn't pay back his selflessness. But Zuko was right. It was too big a risk. He didn't even know firebending yet – how could he survive a boiling lake if he couldn't even walk on a hot ship?

Sighing, he reached out for the map. Together they started marking when and where they'd have to adjust to avoid the Boiling Rock altogether.

A/N: Regarding "eating tofu" and the word "yellow" – these are both euphemisms. Yellows means pretty much the same things "dirty" does in English. "Eating tofu" (chi doufu/吃豆腐) has two dirty meanings. Zuko gave the tamer one. The second one has all the connotations you'd expect from throwing "eating" into a sexual context.