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Naked shenanigans

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So breakfast erupted with shenanigans. Yesterday while learning lock-bending with Toph, Suki broke several locks, including the one on her and Sokka's ensuite bathroom (all the upstairs rooms have one). This has made Sokka a sad panda. Apparently he does all his best 'thinking' in the bathroom and doesn't want to be interrupted by anyone when he is 'thinking' in there, not even Suki. Sokka spent an hour last night with Toph's keys trying to fix the lock (unsuccessfully). He'd absconded with them previously yesterday, after Suki and Toph's lesson, to try and open some locked compartments he found in the library. I had to subtly warn him about locked compartments in this house. Last time I opened a locked cupboard, I'd had an unpleasant surprise.

Anyway he'd tried to fix the lock for a long time after dinner last night and was still slightly complaining about it this morning at breakfast. Suki told him she thought he was carrying on a little bit. It's only a bathroom. They were the only two people that used it and she'd seen everything there was to see, so to speak. He could 'think' anywhere. There were shenanigans. Eventually Sokka appealed to Zuko and said it was Zuko's house, he could get the locked fix. Zuko looked perplexed at being put on the spot. He turned to Toph, who was sitting next to him, and asked her politely if she'd like to fix the lock. She shrugged and said maybe non-committally and added that is was really time consuming, fixing locks, and she didn't really see the point, we'd probably have to move soon, what with Sozin's comet about a week away.

At this casual sentence, there was much ado!

All talk of locks was abandoned at this juncture and it was like Toph had slapped Aang in the face with her casual reminder. She certainly got a giant reaction out of him. Aang got a bit panicked and said What! Why didn't anyone tell me! Like the imminent arrival of Sozin's Comet came as a surprise to him. Zuko got a bit irate and said he was always telling Aang about Sozin's Comet and why did Aang think Zuko trained him so hard? Aang said that Zuko never mentioned it was only a week away. Zuko said that Aang could read a calendar as well as anyone else. Except me, Toph chimed in. You can read a calendar as well as anyone else, except Toph Zuko amended and took a sip of his juice. Aang's eyes popped out of his head, he pushed his chair back and paced a bit. We Have Like Got To Train, Like Right Now! Aang declared in a panic. Zuko spluttered on his juice in surprise. Toph gave him a smack between the shoulder blades. Aang said Zuko should stop eating breakfast and being lazy because they had to train! Zuko mouthed lazy and looked more incredulous that I have ever seen him. And I've seen him plenty incredulous.

Toph told Aang to chill out for a second. You chill out, Aang fired back, before he demanded her presence at training as well because his earthbending was still rusty and Sozin's Comet was in a week! Toph said just let me finish my pancakes and I'll be right with you with her usual sardonic tone. Aang swiped her plate from under her and said no pancakes for you! Just training! Toph said Hey! with some irritation and surprise and grabbed the plate of pancakes. Aang didn't let go and there was some inelegant struggling. I tried to break it up and said Aang, Toph,...guys ...Guys...GUYS! I had to end up shouting to be heard of there bickering.

I told Aang that we would be with him in a second, but he should really let Toph finish her breakfast (breakfast being the most important meal of the day etc) before training. I had a plan. Aang really needed to work on all of his bendings and we could do that four way spar thing we tried ages ago, right before I got bitten by the scorpidillo, that way Aang could train in three bendings at once. Aang agreed but said we should all eat quickly and walked into the courtyard and started doing firesquats with enthusiasm.

Zuko was stunned into silence over the whole scene and he watched Aang's retreating form with an exceptionally baffled expression. Did that just happen? He asked somewhat bemusedly. Yeah, Aang gets like this before big battles I said. At least he's not making you climb a cliff Sokka added. Zuko pointed out that he could climb things just fine. At that point, Suki stood up and said that she was going to pop into town and get a haircut while we all were training. Sokka was surprised and said Haircut? somewhat comically. Suki said it helped to relax her and would help to keep her hair out of her eyes when she fought and she was sure some big fights were heading our way. Sokka raised an eyebrow and she said what? You prepare your way, I'll prepare my way. She gave him a quick peck, gave the rest of us a wave and grabbed her bag and left. Sokka decided that his way to prepare would involve more planning or whatever, in the library and he got up as well. We could here Aang saying twenty five firesquats, twenty six firesquats in the courtyard, but Zuko and I waited while Toph finished her pancakes before we all went out to join him.

-?-

So training was actually really successful. The rules were that each of us would throw a move at Aang with our respective bendings and he would have to defend, deflect, or attack back with a different style of bending. He was not allowed to airbend (Zuko is right, he is over reliant on this). Slowly we increased the speed of our attacks until mud and water and fireballs where flying everywhere. Aang did really well and only lapsed into airbending 5 times (during a three hour, huge sparring session, this is a brilliant feat.) We all ended up ridiculously muddy and exhausted but pleased. Aang had done really well. I have such unshakeable faith in Aang, and I knew in that moment, that if we could keep training like this, he would be ready in a few days. The thought made the knot of anxious worry in my chest ease somewhat. Aang has got much congratulations from me, a friendly punch in the arm from Toph and a well done and a smile from Zuko for his efforts. I gave everybody a quick rinse before we went back into the house, but we were all still super muddy and the heat from some of the fire bending had sort of baked he mud onto us a little. Toph tried to earthbend the rest off us, but there were still little bits of mud left over. I even had mud in my ears. So I declared, in my bossy tone, that everyone should have a quick wash and then we'd reconvene in the kitchen, have lunch and decide what to train Aang in for the afternoon.

-?-

If I'd know what was going to happen next I would've...well... in all honesty, I would have possibly done something very pervy and stalky, so it is perhaps a good thing that I did not know. Instead I went to the bathroom en suite in my room, Aang went to his, and Toph bags-ed the enormous downstairs bathroom, leaving Zuko with the one in Sokka and Suki's room. They were both busy, (Suki with her haircut and Sokka with this book that he found absolutely engrossing in the library) and Zuko assumed that neither of them would mind him using their bathroom.

Just as I was drying my hair, I heard two surprised cries of dismay and a door slam. I hastily pulled on my clothes and went to investigate. Suki was leaning on the bannister just outside her room, face red from embarrassed and giggling quietly but unstoppably. What happened? I asked her. She burst forth anew with more uncontrollable giggles and finally sputtered out I just saw Zuko naked.

What?

Where?

I will admit my first impulse was to go wherever it was and have a little peak myself. Just a little peak. Look if Suki gets a peak, I should to. I mean, it's only fair. But by sheer force of willpower I did not. Zuko wouldn't like that. I wouldn't like that, if someone did it to me deliberately (Suki's nudity viewing had been genuinely accidental). It wasn't a nice thing to do.

I just opened the door and he was there. Naked naked naked Suki explained. Apparently she'd only just got back and had wanted to get her brush and play with her new haircut in front of the mirror (it is a very cute 'do for her) and she honestly wasn't expecting anyone else to be in her bathroom and now she was very embarrassed and suffering from what she called embarrassed giggles. At that moment Toph joined us because she could hear giggling going on and she wanted to be included in whatever the hilarity was. Aang was still in his bathroom humming while he washed. I realised with some horror that he was humming the willy song (Toph and Suki had sung it so much the other day and gotten it 'stuck in his head'.) Aang's humming of the willy song accompanied the following scene, which somehow made everything more embarrassing than it already was.

Zuko burst out of the room. His face red from embarrassment and his hair was wet and was plastered to his face and it looked like he pulled on his clothes and quickly as humanly possible (and also before drying himself properly, his clothes...clung to him...a little bit.) He saw us all and blushed scarlet and looked around, presumably for an exit from this extremely awkward situation. He looked all shades of embarrassed and so did Suki. She immediately burst forth with apologies.

Oh I'm so sorry, really sorry about this whole... here Suki paused and thought for a second and did a couple of useless hand gestures, before saying...nudity situation. Zuko nodded and Suki continued explaining (trying to make it better in these situations is normally not a good idea.) I was just looking for my brush and it wasn't in the room so I figures I'd try the bathroom and then bam (here she did a little clap) – nudity. Zuko said did you look everywhere...I could tell there was more to the sentence but Suki cut him off and Okay, okay fine, I lookedshe confessed...I'm a girl, you have a nice body... I looked. Zuko blushed again, his eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed in irritation. Beside me, Toph started shaking with silent laughter.

Did you look everywhere... for your brush...before you barged in? Zuko said slowly, finishing his sentence. Suki's mouth made an O of complete embarrassed surprise and then she collapsed into mortified giggles. Toph just fell about with laughter beside me. The sound of the now extremely loud, hysterical (Toph) and mortified (Suki) laughter managed to draw Sokka's attention away from his book for two seconds. We heard him shout from the library – hey what's going on up there.

Not much, don't worry! I called down to him. Okay he called back and presumably continued reading.

If it was possible to die of mortification, Zuko would have keeled over by this point. He was just sort of standing, frozen in horror, staring at us aghast. I decided I was just going to try make this awkward moment go away. I tried to 'fix' the situation and stepped between Zuko and the girls and said in my best reasonable voice Okay, lets all be mature about this and pretend this never happened. Pretending something hadn't happened had worked in the past after all. Toph paused in her giggling and said of course you'd think that's the mature response and laughed again. Zuko behind me agreed with me and said this never happened okay and just at that point Aang popped his head out of his room to see what was going on and Zuko seized his opportunity to escape. I'm going to go to train Aang now. He stomped off all embarrassed. I thought about going after him, but I think he probably wanted some time away from giggling girls and to pretend this never happened more than he'd want me to talk it out with him. He grabbed Aang's arm as he strode past his door and said Aang. Training Now. Aang was perplexed by this development and said what about reconvening in the kitchen and lunch? Zuko didn't break his stride and just called over his shoulder no lunch for you!

-?-

When Suki had composed herself, us three girls went and sat on her balcony for a second. She leaned over the railings with her head in her hands, saying oh bloody hell, I can't believe that just happened. I told her it wasn't the worst thing in the world. Really, if I had been in Suki's place I wouldn't be complaining so much. I probably would have …...anyway. I gave her back a little rub and said it would be okay. We've all had many embarrassing moments as a group and we've managed to get past them. In truth I was a little nettled that I hadn't been the one to burst in and see the naked. And now the naked opportunity was gone! Of course I did not express this particular feeling to Suki and Toph. That would be like confessing that I wanted to see Zuko naked and I don't think I could put up with their smugness regarding this.

Suki said I'll never be able to look Zuko in the face again. And I'll have to tell Sokka and then there'll be shenanigans. I told her there wouldn't necessarily be shenanigans. Sokka would most probably get a little huffy, but be okay with it. He might even find it a little funny. He would definitely use it an evidence for why they needed a lock on their bathroom door and we would all be treated to a another round of his complaining about this matter. Suki laughed a little at this. I continued in my supportive, smoothing over the naked incident speech. Sokka's quite level headed most of the time. And he and Suki are very together. So it's not like Sokka would feel jealous or anything. Toph agreed with me but said he might be a bit miffed that Suki had a good old perve, but he'll be okay. Then she repeated what Suki had said earlier, okay I looked, I'm a girl, you have a nice body, I looked. And chuckled to herself. Suki groaned, said oh bugger it! and put her head in her hands again.

Ssshhh Toph. Not helping.

I tried to reassure her again. Embarrassing stuff happens to Zuko all the friggin time. He'd get over it. Eventually. And it was just a stupid naked accident and as far as I could tell. Besides, Zuko's Sokka's best friend and there was no way anything would happen between Suki and Zuko, so naked incident aside, Sokka would have reason to feel threatened. And we could all move on!

Suki said that the fact that Zuko was his best friend made it worse not better. Your boyfriend's best friends and brothers were completely off limits. Girls could talk to them, be friends with them, but they should never, ever, see backstage – so to speak. I have seen into the heart of the forbidden lands, I can never speak of what I saw she concluded. Toph said she thought Suki was going to tell Sokka, not never speak of what she saw. Suki was. She and Sokka are honest with each other afterall.

But she could already tell what was going to happen in that conversation. Sokka was going to ask if she liked seeing Zuko's bottom, but what he'd really be asking is 'do you fancy my best friend?' I asked if she did like it – seeing Zuko's naked bottom, that is. Suki gave me a wry look and said it was quite a nice bottom, but she preferred Sokka's obviously. But she could understand why I fancied him so much. I made a face but let the comment slide. There was a time when I used to protest (most irately) when someone accused me of fancying Zuko. But now I just try to ignore all comments on that subject.

Suki decided to tell Sokka this evening at dinner because he was completely engaged in reading at the moment and the only thing that could distract him was food or se...she glanced at Toph and trailed off and didn't complete her sentence. Instead she said that she'd planned to just reassure Sokka of his own sexiness when she told him and all would be well.

-?-

Afternoon training was not as successful as morning training. Zuko did relent on his no lunch for you stance and had lunch with Aang while we were having a girly chat, but Zuko's embarrassment must have been affecting his bending somehow because his fireballs were a little more erratic in the afternoon. Toph was still far too amused by the whole thing and would occasionally chuckle to herself when she was meant to be throwing rocks at Aang. And I, unfortunately, was exceptionally distracted. It's not my fault, but after the naked incident, I literally could not stop imaging Zuko naked. The mental image was most distracting and severely affected my concentration levels. He'd talk to me, and suddenly, in my head, he'd be naked. How am I meant to listen with that much nudity going on. I retired from training early so I could go and cook dinner and get away from the source of the distracting naked thoughts.

-?-

Dinner was also eventful.

Sokka was uncharacteristically late to dinner as he had gotten most engrossed in his book. It was the autobiography of Yangchen, the last airnomad Avatar. The locked compartment he found had been a treasure trove of the collected works of Avatars past and it was literally Sokka's most fascinating discovery yet. We were all surprised at this. The fact that the collected works of past avatars were hidden in a locked compartment of the firelord's summer house was pretty astonishing. Sokka lead us all into the library and he showed us where he found the compartment, half hidden and mostly behind the bookshelves. Sokka had noticed it only yesterday when the sun hit the lock at just the right angle and he could see a bit of metal glinting behind the shelves. Zuko offered the fact that the library and the music room had been added to the original house by his Uncle a long time ago. He'd always had secrets and maybe he just needed a good place to hide everything. The library was a perfect place for a secret compartment. His dad wasn't a big reader after all. Sokka's eyes narrowed at the mention of Ozai not being a big reader, as if a disdain for books was his biggest crime. Sokka has views on people who dislike reading.

Sokka said it was a sound theory, but it hadn't been his Uncle who had hidden stuff here. Previous owners had listed their names on the inside cover and the last person to own this stuff was called Ursa. Did the name ring a bell to Zuko? I gasped. Zuko's eyes widened and he said what? really quietly. And then he snatched the book from Sokka at lightning speed and flipped open the inside cover and his eyes scanned the names. I peeked over his shoulder. Ursa's name was written in small neat letters under a few others. She wrote her r's the exact same way Zuko did. He ran his finger over the name gently and then sighed and closed the book and handed it back to Sokka reluctantly.

She was my mother. He explained to the everybody else. Zuko's only ever talked about his mother with me, so they didn't know. They nodded in comprehension. Sokka asked how his mother had gotten all these books and scrolls. Wasn't it a bit weird that the firelord's wife secretly read up on all the past Avatars? Zuko looked a bit startled to be put on the spot like that and looked down and them mumbled something that not even I could make out. Sokka said, sorry, you're going to have to speak up buddy. Zuko cleared his throat and said that his Uncle had told him that Avatar Roku was his mother's grandfather. She must have inherited the books somehow and hidden them here.

Well!

I certainly didn't see that coming!

I shot Zuko a look that said we are going to talk about this later!

There was a small surprised silence which Aang broke first. Aang said so you're Avatar Roku's great grandson? Zuko nodded. Does that mean you're sort of...like... my great grandson? Zuko looked really startled at this development and shook his head rapidly and said he didn't think it worked like that. Aang disagreed and said he thought it did. He talked to Roku all the time and Roku always referred to their past lives as 'their shared past'. Zuko pointed out with some sarcasm that Aang was a bit to young to be his great grandfather. Aang thought they should hug. Zuko did not think a hug was necessary. Aang said that family members normally hugged and then said right guys? And looked at me and Sokka. Sokka seemed to be enjoying Zuko's discomfiture at having Aang express grandfatherly affection towards him and said yes, we often hugged Gran Gran. Zuko shot Sokka a disgruntled look as Aang gave him a hug around his middle. He patted Aang on the back awkwardly and looked in askance at the ceiling as if he was saying why me? with his eyes. Aang let go and said, there now! That wasn't so bad was it my great grandson? Zuko looked both irritated and dumbfounded. Aang made a confused face and said it sounds really weird to call you that. Zuko made an exceptionally comical face and said Don't call me that again Aang. Ever! Aang smiled blithely back at him and said okay.

Suki had pulled some more books out from the secret compartment and said with some excitement ooh this is Avatar Kyoshi's completed works! Even her earlier books on the four key virtues. These are really rare! There are only 12 surviving copies! She opened it excitedly. Sokka smiled at her enthusiasm and said Yeah, I only got to skim read her autobiography but Kyoshi was a total badass! Suki smiled back and said that's what I've been telling you all along. And it was all a bit sweet.

Suki decided to 'borrow' the Kyoshi works and went to put them on her bedside table while we all went back to dinner. Sokka explained over dinner that he knew Aang still hadn't mastered the elements completely. He shot Aang an apologetic look as he said this and added that it took most avatars about 12 years to completely master the elements and Aang had only had twelve months. But with Sozin's comet so close we needed to help Aang as much as possible. Aang gulped a little at the mention on the comet. Sokka said that as soon as he found the Avatar works he started scouring the lives of the previous Avatars to see if they could offer any useful advice for Aang. So far Avatar Yangchen's autobiography had been the most helpful. Because she was an airnomad too, she had met the same difficulties as Aang when it came to earthbending and she'd also struggled to muster up the aggression for firebending.

Apparently Yangchen found mediating on or nearby volcanoes helpful and it gave her a breakthrough in firebending and really helped her develop some really creative earthbending moves. She had already mastered earthbending, but always felt there was room for improvement and development with regards to bending practise. I agree. Even though I am at master level, I still like to test my limits and try experimental new things with my waterbending. I like the sound of Avatar Yangchen.

According to Avatar Yangchen, or Sokka, who was paraphrasing Avatar Yangchen, volcanoes are a force of nature that combined earth and fire. That was what lava was, liquid earth, or solid fire. They were destructive, but not aggressive, they were just doing what volcano did. It was their nature. While they destroyed towns, they also created mountains. Yangchen concluded that fire was not an inherently aggressive element. It could create as well as destroy. She could bend it without being aggressive, as aggression was not in her nature. And so she was able to master firebending.

Aang loves the idea. He has always struggled with being aggressive and this has cause him and Zuko much frustration during their lessons. He wanted to go to a volcano right away. Zuko said that Ember island was home to the second biggest volcano in the firenation (the biggest is on the capital island). There was a giant volcano with a huge temple at the top near Equinox Bay on the other side of the island. Meditating on volcanoes is a bit of a firebender thing. Everyone has to do it at one point with their teacher, but Zuko had felt it was a bit pointless as a kid because it hadn't felt like training. His firebending teacher had told him to be awe of it's raw power, not all that stuff about firebending without aggression etc. but if it would help Aang have another breakthrough.

So it has been agreed that tomorrow we will all trek to Mount Ember. Zuko has told us that it is a bit of an intense hike and it had become really really touristy. He said touristy with some disdain. Apparently, people who've never been to Ember island before see it as a challenge to do the climb . Toph pointed out that technically, by that definition, we are tourists. None of us had been to Ember Island previously after all. Zuko acknowledge this point and backtracked a little and said he wasn't saying it was a bad thing to be a tourist. It's just there were so many tourists.

The views are great, but now they've been ruined by the little gift shops that have popped up everywhere and the whole temple complex is teeming with people trying to sell tourists useless knick knacks and so it would be hard for him and Aang to find a quiet place to meditate. But they will try anyway. We will leave just after dawn tomorrow, ostensibly. I reckon we will actually leave much later because certain people like to sleep in and will be very reluctant to get up at the crack of dawn.

Aang was quite touched that Sokka has spent so much time researching on his behalf. You've been doing this all day? he asked somewhat awed. For Aang, sitting still and reading all day would be an almost insurmountable task. He just has so much energy. But for Sokka, it's a breeze. Sokka said mostly all day. He had taken a break for lunch (after the rest of us because he got really engrossed in how Avatar Yangchen banished the smugglers from around the mountains of her air temple. Apparently there was drama and Yangchen is also a badass) and had written a list of very reasonable reasons why Suki/Toph needed to fix the lock on the bathroom, but otherwise he'd been reading and planning all day.

There was a delicate sort of pause. Suki and Zuko glanced at eachother and then glanced away really quickly. Suki started off with, Look, Sokka about the lock... Sokka said I know you're going to say there's no point to fixing it with the comet so soon, but what would happen if one of this lot, he gestured to us, really needs a bathroom and the other three a busy. They could catch you with your kit off and that would be really embarrassing for everybody!

Zuko and Suki both went absolutely bright red and Toph started sniggering behind her hand. Sokka looked perplexed and said, what? I'm missing something here. Suki and Zuko blurted out simultaneously. Suki saw me naked! I saw Zuko naked. Sokka said what? with some surprise. Naked, Naked, Naked Suki confirmed, in case we were in any doubt over the nudity of the situation.

Zuko said If you had just knocked! quite irately and with a big hand gesture at Suki. Well it's my bathroom, I wasn't expecting any naked people in there who weren't me or Sokka. Suki responded defensively. Sokka said see this is exactly why we need the lock back!

Toph pointed out that it would take her hours (and hours) to fix it and it's not worth the effort when we are leaving so soon. She said that we all knew to knock now in the unlikely event that we needed the troublesome bathroom (that is actually what she called it) so Sokka didn't even need a lock. Sokka protested that he really did and Zuko agreed with him and said it was his house and he wanted it fixed ( a little pompously, I must say). He then added in his normal embarrassed Zuko tone (is it weird that I can tell how embarrassed he is just from the tone of his voice) that none of us would like it if he burst in on us naked in the bathroom. (I am in actually in two minds about this fanciful occurrence. I'm not entirely opposed to it. I may have, in fact, had a small daydream about this occurrence as soon as he said that. There was nudity for both of us in this particular daydream and the nudity did not result in shenanigans over dinner, but resulted in …..anyway.) Zuko concluded that boys need bathrooms that lock.

Toph asked why?

Zuko opened his mouth but Sokka cut across him and said I'll take this and at that launched into the most hilarious and well thought out speech I have ever heard him deliver. He was actually reciting from his list of reasons why Sokka needs a bathroom lock. Sokka might not be good at public speaking in front of a group of dad's warriors, but his speech in defence of bathroom locks was spoken with real passion and aplomb.

We Are MEN! And he banged the table a little too emphasise the manliness of his statement. In the water tribe, in times of great stress, we men have to retreat to our ice caves for alone time. I don't have an ice cave here! I have a bathroom instead. And alone time in the bathroom for me, is happiness. Katara never understood about the icecaves, (he gestured at me at the point) but we men need a little man space to call our own! Girls might not need girl space, but we are MEN! We are different from you girls. We men have only one word for soap, we men have never seen anything of any value in a craft shop, we men do not get haircuts... recreationally! girls may got to the loo in groups of two or more, we do not pass judgement, but we men will always walk the bathroom mile alone! He banged the table again. Aang clapped and Zuko gave him a high five in agreement.

Toph smiled with amusement and looked like she was struggling to hold in her laughter. She diplomatically offered to try and put the lock back on the bathroom door tonight. Sokka was pleased.

-?-

Zuko and I were washing dishes together after dinner. Zuko was pretty quiet at the start and was standing in his trying to maintain my dignity pose. He's had a pretty undignified day after all, what with Aang wanting to be his great grandfather and hug him and being caught naked etc. I didn't want to tease him about the naked mishap because he was already dying from embarrassment over that. I searched around my brain for another topic of conversation that did not include nudity.

I grinned at him and said so boys never get haircuts recreationally then? He said not really, no. I gave him a soapy hair ruffle so his hair stuck up at odd angles and said he really should think about it because his hair was getting really shaggy and messy. He gave me a slight smile and playful splash with the water and we had a small splashing battle. The splash fight helped us get back to our usual rhythm. He seemed a lot more at ease afterwards at least.

Zuko started talking about how weird Aang had been acting this morning. He had never seen Aang so into training. It confused Zuko not to have to nag Aang about training and really threw him for a loop. Zuko said that it almost reminded him of when he was at school and how he used to frantically study for tests the night before. And that might work for school tests but it didn't work very well for bending training. I told him not to worry, Aang would be ready in time. Aang just panics sometimes, that's all. Zuko made a face and said well forgive me for not being reassured that the fate of the world lies in the hands of a 12 year old kid who panics sometimes.I told him (somewhat cheekily) that he should have more faith in his great grandfather. I got the grumpy face again and a small splash. I splashed back.

So... Roku was your great grandfather? I said in my questioning tone. He said yeah, quietly and looked away for a second before he explained more. Apparently he had found out because his uncle had told him not long before he left the palace. Zuko didn't know quite how to feel about it and he hadn't really had time to think about it properly because so much...just stuff...had happened. He made a weird face, a little like his shameface but not. I said it wasn't anything to be ashamed of and he could have told me about it. I dunno, I was a bit miffed that he hadn't told me, just quietly. Just when I think I've got him figured out, he has another surprise for me.

He said that he hadn't been deliberately keeping it a secret or anything, it had just never come up and he didn't like to think to hard on it anyway because it got him thinking about other stuff. What other stuff? I asked. He paused and looked up at the ceiling and then back and me and said It's just...my family has so many secrets... he paused again and I just watched him and waited. He continued eventually and said sometimes it's hard for me... finding out stuff like this. Stuff about father and Azula, Stuff about Uncle. You know, I never even knew they fought an agni kai. And all this stuff about my Mum...there was a big long pause here and I thought he wasn't going to say any more. I was quiet too and didn't press the issue. Eventually he said I keep finding out things about her and I feel like there was this whole other person who I didn't even know. Sometimes I think that I didn't even know her at all. He whispered this last part really quietly, as if he was confessing something really quite terrible.

I took the plate he was drying from his hands and put my wet soapy hands over his dry ones and said that he did know her. She was his mum after all. But it turns out she was a lot of other things too. Like Roku's granddaughter. Just because she was those other things, it didn't make her any less his mum. (I don't know, it made sense in my head). Zuko smiled, ever so slight, but then his smile dropped and he said, really quietly, can I tell you something really pathetic and lame? I didn't let go of his hands but schooched closer and said of course he could. He could tell me anything.

He said that he'd kept everything she'd ever written to him. Birthday cards and little reminder notes etc. After she disappeared he collected them all and kept them in this little box. He'd taken it with him on the ship when he'd gotten banished. When his ship blew up, the one thing he was the most upset about wasn't that someone had tried to kill him again (though he was pretty cross about that too), but that all those notes and cards were gone forever and it was the only reminder he had of his mother and he couldn't ever get them back.

I think my heart cracked a little along with his voice, right then, when he said that. I dropped his hands and wrapped him up in a big hug around his middle and he hugged me back. I didn't know what else to do. It's just so sad. Not having anything to remind him of her at all. Having all those notes and cards burned up. Those sort of things are irreplaceable. I had my mother's necklace and it felt like I'd lost her all over again when I lost it. I told him I didn't think feeling sad about that was pathetic and lame at all. He said he was okay. It was okay now. Just seeing her handwriting again, in that book this afternoon, had really meant something to him. I held him closer and breathed in his Zuko smell. If they hadn't been all burned up, I think I probably would've promised to swim to the bottom of the ocean and get them for him. But it wouldn't do any good now. Some things do get lost forever.

Eventually we parted and went back to doing the dishes. Dishes won't do themselves after all. We started talking about Sokka's readings and Avatar Yangchen and going to a volcano tomorrow. Zuko really hopes it helps Aang have a breakthrough with firebending and hopes it won't end up being a complete waste of time for everybody. I said Sokka normally had good ideas and his great grandfather Aang (Zuko gave me the grumpy face here) really wasn't aggressive, so maybe learning how to firebend without aggression could do him some good. From the sounds of things, only Avatar Yangchen firebent that way and she was an airnomand avatar, just like his great grandfather Aang. Zuko made an irritated noise and told me to stop calling Aang his great grandfather. I said that his great grandfather would be hurt but Zuko's refusal to acknowledge him with a big smile. Zuko splashed me a little. I splashed back and we had our second small splashing battle of the evening. I had annoyed him a little with the great grandfather stuff (sometimes he's so easy and so fun to tease that I just can't help myself) but he was looking happier than he had a few minutes ago after our splashing fight, so I consider it all worth it.

I said that I thought Aang would make a wonderful great grandfather very teasingly. Zuko said he thought Aang would make the most embarrassing grandfather ever. I said it wasn't even that embarrassing, having Aang as a great grandfather. After having a naked mishap with Suki, Aang as a great grandfather would be much lower on the list of embarrassing things. Zuko groaned with humiliation and muttered I was wondering if you were going to bring that up, under his breath. I had just meant it as a throwaway line really. I didn't want have a big naked conversation or anything. But I had had thoughts of naked Zuko in my head like all day after the naked mishap and it just came out accidentally. I tried to smooth it over, mostly because I could foresee that this was going to be an immensely awkward conversation.

I said so Suki saw you naked...it's not that bad! Zuko said no, it's worse! I said that at least Sokka wasn't making a big deal about it (though he was making a big deal about bathroom locks) and there were worse people to catch you naked than Suki who was really quite sensible and did feel very embarrassed over it (eg me! I confess that had I been in Suki's shoes, I would not have left immediately – I did not say this thought out loud -thankfully). Zuko said Suki's embarrassed? with some incredulity. I said yeah, apparently she had seen the forbidden lands (I gestured in Zuko's general direction on forbidden lands) and will never speak of what she saw.

Zuko looked up a ceiling as if beseeching some sort of embarrassment spirit for patience. He ran his hands through his hair, sighed in a very long suffering manner and said, you know, long ago, I had this thing called dignity, but I've given up on ever having it again! He was standing next to me and so I gave him a gentle nudge with my hip and said it wasn't that bad (again). He replied not that bad? You know how embarrassing that stupid play was, this is like that, but a million times worse. I said really he was being a bit melodramatic. He had such a gorgeous body that being caught in the buff would definitely be on the less embarrassing end of the humiliation spectrum than that stupid play. I said this in such an offhand manner that it took a while for my brain to catch up with what I was actually saying. There was a delicate, awkward little pause and I realised I had actually said he had a gorgeous body.

Out loud.

To his face.

Bollocks!

I just have naked thoughts on the brain and it was only a matter of time until one of them slipped out. Zuko was looking baffled, embarrassed and pleased all at the same time. He said you really think so. Being unable to speak for fear than more naked thoughts would slip out, I just nodded. He said oh quietly and then turned back to drying plates with a slight smile on his face. We finished up doing the dishes but spent the rest of the time casting shy looks and shy smiles at each other. And it was a bit awkward, but in a nice way.

-?-

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Incredibly long and rambling author's note ahead: seriously long. You may want to take a loo break now. Just a suggestion.

Lovely wonderful readers! I have returned! I had a great time! Thanks for all you well wishes! Huge giant thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! What a lovely surprise to get back and read all your wonderful comments! To everyone who PMed me, I'll get back to ya. To all my lovely first time reviewers – big thanks, it's always nice to read that people are enjoying the shenanigans and I loved that some of you de-lurked and reviewed! To other lurkers – much love to you guys as well. To lovely Sabbie who asked me if I watched coupling (the uk version right?), I do and I love it! It was in fact one of the TV shows on my inflight entertainment on the way back and as a result this chap borrows shamelessly from the episode her best friend's bottom and the girl with one heart (I watched both episodes on the plane and laughed my arse off!).

Also I notice there's been some dismay in my lovely fandom with re: to the new 'official' comic that has appeared in my absence. I don't know if this is really the place to comment on it but I wanted to offer a group snuggle! I haven't read it and only read comments about it, but it seems like everyone is OOC to me, so I'm just going to ignore it. I have a selective ignoring policy with re: to bryke. They delightfully ignore their own canon, so I, in turn, selectively ignore them.

Anyway.

I hope you enjoyed naked shenanigans. It was high time somebody caught Zuko naked in this fic! I know of you might be a bit sad panda that it wasn't Katara! It's for the best at this point lovely readers! And this chapter was to delve a bit more into the past avatars and bring up Zuko's family and it's secrets again anyway. I also wanted to look at where Aang is really at in terms of master the elements and to establish that Sozin's comet is quite soon. Don't quote me on the week thing because maths is not my strong point, but yeah, it's just around the corner. Really, I'd love to have them chilling out in the house forever, but I am trying to follow (and elaborate on and fix) canon, so Sozin's Comet had to come some time and so soon the beach house shenanigans will draw to a close. I hope you guys will enjoy what I've got planned for you. This fic will continue on a bit past the comet so don't be sad lovely readers!

So, at the beginning Aang has a freak out that Sozin's Comet is in a week (ish). He did this in nightmares and daydreams before the eclipse and it makes sense to me that he would do it again here. Suki is drugging him so he can sleep, but that doesn't mean he's not going to freak out during the day. Zuko compares Aang's panicked training before big battles to frantic cramming before a test. This is exactly what I thought when I watched nightmares and daydreams. Aang is like me in exam season! Ooh Aang- I feel ya! A semester of slack off and having beverages and writing fic and then suddenly GAH! Exams. Although in Aang's case it is Gaah! Sozin's comet. Regarding Zuko's comment about school. The firenation obviously has a rigid but very functional and organised school system and I think Azula and Zuko went to a good school for some time (probably the very elite one for royalty and the children on nobility in that crater capital thing). She teases him a couple of times in the series about not paying attention in school, so I assume they went together.

The firenation also have developed plumbing and indoor bathrooms. Because I say so. And also because we see a couple in the series and the firenation in general seems quite technologically advanced. Later, if I can fit it in and think of even the flimsiest justification for it, I would love to have a monty python-esque scene with characters bitching about the firenation and saying what has the firenation ever done for us, aside from the schools and the plumbing etc. * waves at Vaneria Potter, my monty python quoting buddy *

Everyone is starting to prepare for the comet in their own way. Sokka's way is to read and plan frantically. Suki's way is to get a haircut. In honesty, she's been in prison for months and she must have gotten it trimmed at some point. It makes sense that she'd want it out of her face during fight scenes. Suki, like me post-haircut, wants to stare at her new 'do in the mirror and brush it and pose and look at it from this way and that. It's called new haircut vanity and I think it must happen to other people too. So she walks into her own bathroom completely unaware and not expecting a naked Zuko (who would have just gotten out of the bath/shower/whatever.) And there are shenanigans.

Both Suki and Zuko are just dead from embarrassment. It is a super embarrassing thing. Katara is miffed that someone in the Gaang has seen Zuko naked and it wasn't her, but she manages to repress this feeling and instead tries to smooth things over. Toph, though I love her, has a tendency to find other people's discomfit/embarrassment quite amusing, so naturally she finds the whole thing hilarious. Aang is a bit oblivious (as Aang is wont to be) and Sokka is so engrossed in Avatar Yangchen's badassery that he misses it. That's happened to me too, I've gotten so into a book that the house could have fallen down around me and I wouldn't have noticed.

Anyway Zuko huffs off embarrassed and takes Aang for training and Suki has an embarrassment attack. How can she look him in the face again etc. I think Suki and Zuko both respect each other and though this is super duper embarrassing, because they both respect and genuinely like each other, they wouldn't want to make a huge deal about in. Instead they try to kind of ignore it and move on. That's why neither of them bring it up again until Sokka does at dinner. Also I didn't want either of them to lie to Sokka about this (it's not in either of their characters to lie to Sokka as far as I imagine them) so they fess up pretty quickly.

Sokka for his part is pretty level headed about it and uses it to prove his point re: locks on bathroom doors. Seriously I do think Sokka wouldn't make a huge deal over it either. He is much more secure in his relationship with Suki and knows it was just a naked mishap. Later, after dinner when it is just him and Suki in their room, Suki will tell him the whole story and he will say so did you like seeing Zuko's bottom and she will reassure him that she likes his bottom better etc and all will be well in their world.

I hope Sokka's bathroom lock rant doesn't come off as terribly sexist. That's not my intention. He is making giant generalisation about being a man, but he does still have a very deep respect for all the girls present. However, he does feel a bit defensive over his bathroom and he does feel like the girls are ganging up on him. (they aren't really, they are just being practical about the time constraints with regards to lock fixing and they have different priorities at the moment.) Also his buddy has just fallen victim to the lack of lock and so Sokka has a manly rant in solidarity. He did write out a long list of reasons when he took a break from Avatar Yangchen for lunch and this helps him rant.

His rant is inspired in part by a hilarious rant from coupling and in part by the various menfolk in my life being exceptionally defensive over what they classify as 'manspace'. Is this a global thing? or just an aussie thing? Or just a thing with my menfolk? Some toilets, occasional whole bathrooms, all sheds/garages seem to acquire the 'manspace' label and any attempt to improve manspace with candles, air fresheners/fresh air, open windows etc is promptly and proudly rebuffed – because it is MAN SPACE and so who cares about the smell! The lovely BF explained to me that while the women in my circle of friends all tend to congregate around the kitchen/lounge room etc and generally like to talk a lot, most dudes prefer to have 'a cave' that they can retreat to, so to speak. All dudes apparently need 'a cave' like equivalent. A place they can retreat too in times of stress, trouble or to escape for a few hours. Don't know if this is true for all men, (any lovely reader out there care to enlighten me re: manspace in their area?) but it is of the ones I know at least.

So in canon Avatar Roku is Zuko's great grandfather. The maths in this really confuses me. Is this even possible? How old does Ursa have to be for this to work? How is does everyone have to be for this to work? Is this just an example of creative-writing-types having maths fail (it's okay, I do it too). Anyway, I have decided just to go with it. I am trying to closely follow (and elaborate on and fix) canon and it's there, so I'll have to deal with it at some point.

My thoughts on it are this: this definitely would have come up at some point! It should have come up again between Aang and Zuko at least. I don't know where I stand on how the whole past lives things works. my thoughts on the whole re-incarnation this are a bit sketchy, but I think Aang would be much more into it that Zuko.

Zuko is a bit aghast at Aang declaring himself his great grandfather etc. Some of it is his general skittishness when it comes to familial relationships (who would want to be part of this family sort of thing), some of it is his scepticism regarding spirity-mumbo-jumbo etc. He and Sokka share this scepticism but for slightly different reasons. I think for Zuko, if the spirits are real, they have been complete jerks to him and so he does not trust them. And then part of is that severe and serious Zuko thinks that fun and flighty Aang would be the most plain-old-embarrassing relative ever. When Aang's older he's going to get rip roaring drunk, tell inappropriate stories and dance/sing with great enthusiasm at parties and call Zuko my great grandson in front of people and Zuko doesn't want that!

I think Aang on the other hand, might be a bit happy at finding a direct relative (sort of). Aang is very attune with his past lives and does over identify them (see his indignation over people besmirching the name of kyoshi in that episode in early season two. He acted like they were directly insulting him and indeed he felt that they were). His past lives themselves foster this view of oneness with them. Roku refers to him and Aang like they are the same person or at least similar parts of the same entity. He refers to the events in the Avatar and the firelord as 'our past' when he is talking to Aang. So Aang because he's got more that the usual amount of identity confusion on account of having past lives that talk to him etc, gets a bit excited when he finds out Zuko is Roku's grandson and feels like in some way Zuko is his great grandson too. I think while Aang was brought up without traditional family dynamics with the air nomads (the whole temple was one big family) he has become part of a small insular family with the Gaang and he has come to enjoy and rely on that family bond. But he doesn't really know how families work, so he looks to Sokka and Katara. He knows are are meant to be close, so he immediately thinks he should hug Zuko. Zuko disagrees.

This hug is more than a bit awkward.

I think the Zuko and Aang hug at the finale was a little awkward too, just quietly. I think in comparison with the Zuko/Katara hug in the southern raiders, it was much more stiff as opposed to snuggly. Reasons for this I think are just that Zuko and Aang are very different people and I don't know if they were quite at the huggy-stage yet. And some people aren't just very huggy together, despite being huggy with other people. Zuko might be a bit of a snuggly bug, but I think that is only with specific people (like Katara.) Aang hugs confuse him.

So there is a hidden compartment in the house that is full of old Avatar written works. Ursa and Iroh hid them there. I think Ursa and Iroh were rather close. They obviously knew eachother very well for Iroh to know that she was Roku's grand-daughter. I think this is the sort of information you would keep close to the chest in Azulon's firenation. But Ursa told Iroh at some point and gave him that crowny-thing, so she must have trusted him.

* Side note: What is the deal with that crowny-thing. I kept waiting for it to re-appear and have more significance. Silly me.

Anyway, in my imagination, Ursa and Iroh were close and trusted each other. (I'm still undecided whether their relationship went any further or not). I think Ursa would have known her family history and like Iroh, believed in spirits and that the avatar would one day return, and so she was guarding her family's secret legacy until that time came. At some point, Ursa would have needed to move the books from their old hiding place, wherever that was, and she would have confiding in Iroh and he would have told her that when he added the additional rooms to the summer house, he installed secret compartments in the music room and library (hey Iroh's got secrets aplenty of his own, he could find uses for secret compartments). The library compartment would have seemed like the perfect solution. I think Ursa and Iroh enjoyed a good scroll, and probably would have had a small chuckle regarding hiding something from Ozai in a library, Ozai never reads etc. Iroh would have read the works and they would have hidden them away, where they lay undiscovered until Sokka found them.

Another side note regarding Ozai: Ozai seriously doesn't strike me as much of a reader really. He just doesn't seem especially bright to me. Especially in 'normal' subjects like economics and politics eg, you should only play that whole scorched earth thing if you intend never to use that land again and totally mess with an invading enemy. Scorching the earth of territory that you wish to take over and burning everything you wish to be yours to a crisp is just..all kinds of counter-productive and stupid. I think he was exceptionally gifted at mind games and probably sacred the bejeezus out of his court and those that surrounded him, he's no great shakes at governing a country with a fair hand or well thought out strategy. He's exceptional in the areas of psychopathy etc, but normal human interactions and sound governance elude him.

The Gaang find the avatar books because I wanted us to get to know more about Avatar Yangchen, because I think she was just a bit awesome and otherwise she just turns up randomly in Sozin's comet for a five minutes and then is never heard from again. I think we should have gotten to know a little more about Yangchen, especially because she is the previous Air Avatar and could have really helped Aang. But that is just me.

Okay, confession: I don't think Aang had properly mastered the elements by the end of Sozin's comet. Especially earth and fire, they definitely needed work. I would be surprised if he had completely mastered water too. Look Aang is an exceptionally gifted bender and he does pick a lot of things up very quickly, but just getting the hang of something quickly is not the same as mastering them. Toph, Zuko and Katara have all worked extremely hard to master their elements. It didn't happen easily for any of them and I think if Aang could just easily do in a few lessons what they'd spent years learning, there would be a bit of hurt feelings/grumpiness towards Aang.

Even though Aang is the Avatar and had previously master the four elements in other lives, it took him 12 years in those lives. Even if we take the theory that each subsequent Avatar learns the elements quicker as a result of previous learning on face value, it still took Roku 12 years and he didn't like he was slacking off for those 12 years. Rokus 12 years does not equal Aang's less than 12 months.

I think it is variety of bending rather than complete mastery of all the forms that helps Aang in the final battle. He can use four bendings (five bendings if you classify the energy bending), while Ozai can use only one, granted the most powerful one at that point, but Aang still has four (5) different ways of striking back. And he still loses! He ends up hiding in that little ball thing and it is only when he goes into the all powerful Avatar state that the tables turn on Ozai and Aang starts winning.

I think he is getting a great deal of help from his past lives here. When Aang speaks when he is in the Avatar State at this point, it sounds like it is many voices, which I think is meant to symbolise that his past lives are there with him and trying their best to help him win the battle.

Anyway all this is a long winded way of saying that I think that before Aang decided to wait until after the comet, there would be much panicking and frantic training and attempts to help Aang better learn the elements he still struggles with (Earth and Fire). I don't think Toph or Zuko would harp on about him being a bit crap at their elements because they wouldn't want to discourage/frighten him (eg Toph's reluctance in saying that his earthbending needed some work etc), but they would be very worried about his progress. I think Earth would still be difficult for Aang as it is his complete opposite. Fire would be difficult because he has exceptionally mixed feelings about firebending and I think a little bit of dragon sparkle would only go so far.

Some people think the dragons made Zuko and Aang super awesome special benders, but I think that while they gave them both a deeper appreciation for firebending and some new and fancy moves, the dragons did not magically turn either of them into a master. Most because Zuko has really struggled to master fire and I think it would be a bit unfair to him if Aang just got a magic wand waved over him and voila mastery and because they still train in firebending after this episode.

Avatar Wiki says that firebending is the most aggressive form of bending and relies on continuous, and powerful attacks. It does not dodge or weave, but blasts forward. This is not Aang's fighting style or personality. Aang is just not very aggressive, except for when he is in exceptionally heightened emotional states. I think that while his trip to the dragons was helpful in the initial stages of his training, that episode was really just to get him started in terms of firebending. He thought firebending was completely evil a few days earlier and never wanted to do it again. The dragons helped Aang see the positive side of firebending and probably gave him some fancy firebending tricks, but I think one trip to the dragons does not a master make (otherwise why did Aang need to keep training). The dragons could not just breathe on him and make him a master. That has to come from Aang.

And so I thought some sound posthumous advice from Avatar Yangchen would help at this juncture. Yangchen would have faced similar difficulties as Aang did (though she would not have had the same mixed feelings about firebending, it is still a very different fighting style and she would have striggled with it initially.) Volcanoes help Yangchen understand both fire's destructive and creative powers better. And Aang would do well from her lesson that fire, in and of itself, is not evil. No bending is. It is the intentions of the bender that make the bending good or evil.

So the whole Gaang will go on an outing to a volcano next chapter! Yay! I hope you guys will enjoy the Mount Ember Trip. Advocaat has left me a delightful little challenge – insert some vietnam touristy shenanigans into my next chapter! I couldn't fit them into this one, but I have set up the perfect touristy location to put them in next chapter. See if you can spot them.

Zuko is unwillingly caught actually naked in this chapter, but he is also emotionally naked of his own volition with Katara when he tells her about losing his mother's notes and his mixed feelings regarding all the family secrets. Yay emotional and physical nudity!

Zuko just strikes me as the sentimental sort, he would have wanted to take a little reminder of his mother with him when he was banished. He never knew if/when he was coming home after all, and so he wouldn't want to leave it. When Zuko's ship blows up, it all goes. All his stuff. He escapes without anything and so he would have lost those letters too. Katara understands about mothers and having a little something to remind you. She would understand what a big blow it would be to lose something like that.

And they hug.

Because it's my fic and I want them to hug/bond every chapter.

Seriously though, in the whole third season there are a bunch of reveals about the firenation royal family. From Zuko's perspective, it must have been a bit of an intense experience. Zuko keeps finding out surprise facts or sneaky secrets about his family members and it must be getting to him a little bit after a while. Nobody he's related to is really what they say they are. All these people he thought he knew have been deliberately lying, or gently hiding the truth from him. Azula always lies, his dad's a pyschopath and his only just realised, his gentle loving mother is alive and killed his grandfather, even his beloved uncle kept a whole bunch of information from him regarding his heritage and white lotusy shenanigans etc. I think Zuko would be a little sick of all the secrets and would have mixed feelings about even the ones that reveal good stuff, because it's still a secret and Zuko has major trust issues after all.

I think stuff about his mother would be especially hard for him to deal with because he cherishes her memory so much. I think he has an extremely idealised view of his mother and so finding out she was capable of murder and had all these secrets too would be a little jarring. I think all young children idolise their parents to some extent and Zuko was quite young when she left. Normally kids get to grow with their parents and come to see them as people in their own right, with failings and flaws just like everybody else. They are not the all powerful mum and dad, they are often just people who are trying their best. Zuko never got that. Katara and Sokka didn't either. (I imagine that if you even vaguely alluded to Katara that her mother might not have been the perfect person she imagines her to be, you would meet the business end of an icicle pretty quickly). Anyway for Zuko, his mother left when he's young and so she's stayed as this image of this perfect person in his mind and now he's finding out all this stuff about her and it's problematic for him because it doesn't fit with that image. He still loves her very much, but he's wondering how well he really knew her.

There is also a bit a friendly teasing regarding Zuko's new great grandfather and nudity situations. I think Zuko needs some more friendly teasing in his life. I think a spot of gentle friendly teasing would do wonders for him. And Katara delivers on this front. The way she says 'oh lighten up, I was only teasing' in Sozin's Comet makes me think that she has teased him on previous occasions and he's been okay with it and maybe even teased her back a little.

Anyway, they had a very antagonistic relationship at the start, and were constantly fighting for dominance. Now they are on much more equal footing but having such a past between them would still leave a reminder. I think that by this stage, all that remains of that old antagonism would be a tendency to tease each other in a friendly manner and have small splashing/tickling battles. Their battles aren't for dominance any more, but for funsies.

And it also gave me a opportunity for Katara to let it accidentally slip out that she finds him a bit gorgeous while she's teasing him. She literally cannot help herself, but she's been thinking it all day and it just slips out unbidden! And there some shy awkwardness – but the totally good kind. And seriously, Zuko needed a boost after his terrible, bad, no-good day.

YMMV on everything!

So next chapter we will all go to Mount Ember for a touristy day. We will get to know a lot more about the workings of firenation and firenation colony society and we will meet some original characters. I know people can be a bit meh on original characters, but give them a chance and I hope they'll grow on you! There will be shenanigans, knick-knack purchasing and haggling and friendly international teasing and good natured cultural stereotypes. Katara will get jealous, Sokka will get curious, Zuko will get grumpy (more grumpy than usual) and Suki may get a tiny bit drunk.

Til then lovely readers...