Chapter 18- Damage
damage (noun): destruction or a loss in value, usefulness, or ability resulting from an action or event.
"I recognize the son's voice. He's the one who stole Appa and Tao."
"Where are they! What did you do to them!"
"You said to put a muzzle on him!"
"You muzzled Appa?"
"Tell me where Appa and Tao are!"
oOo
"Tao?"
A quiet, somewhat raspy voice makes Tao's eyes open with a sharp gasp and a start. He half sits up before letting out a short cry of pain and collapsing backwards, clutching at his left shoulder and upper arm, gritting his teeth hard, entire left arm throbbing and on fire with agony. Raking in a shaking breath, he looks around, having to blink a couple times to make his eyes focus. Above him, the noon sky and soft, fluffy clouds slowly rolled by, now and then partially obscured by scrubby trees, and the surface he was laying on was hard and rumbled and bumped slightly. Swallowing hard, his eyes slide left, and he blinks when he sees Zuko kneeling beside him, partially framed by what appeared to be the back of an open cart, and behind him, Iroh was holding the reigns of a single, brown ostrich-horse. "Zuko? What... what happened? Why are you here?" he rasps, throat dry as the desert he had spent a week stumbling around in. His memory was fuzzy, he could barely remember the last day of travel and reaching the oasis.
"You mean you don't remember?" Zuko asks, single brow scrunching as his mouth pulls into a tight line. "You've been unconscious for days. So I guess that makes sense. You stumbled into the flower shop Uncle and I were in and collapsed. You've been in and out of it since with fever and infection."
Blinking a couple times, even his eyes feeling dry, Tao puts his right elbow down and pushes himself up, surprised when Zuko's strong, warm hands rest on his shoulder and back and help him, putting a rolled up blanket between his back and the small cart they were in. "Where are we now?" he asks.
"On our way to Ba Sing Se, my boy." Iroh answers, looking over his shoulder at the teen, eyes soft with relief and affection. When Tao just looked confused, Iroh elaborates. "We had to leave the shop in quite the hurry because of some bounty hunters. Luckily, some old friends of mine were able to provide us with supplies, passports, and a cart to reach Full Moon Bay with. We've been on the road for about a day and a half now."
"You're... taking me with you? Why?"
"Its the right thing to do. Especially when your friends never showed up at the oasis searching for you. Zuko says you told him you were in the desert for a week."
"I... don't remember talking to him. But yes, I was." Tao rasps, gratefully taking the skin of water Zuko holds out to him. It took effort, his arm feeling weak from being immobile for so long, and he drinks greedily, a little breathless when he finally lowers the skin. "We... were heading north. But after I ran afoul of some sandbenders, the only landmark I knew about was the oasis. So that was the direction I walked in." frowning, he shudders a little at the memory of killing the three beetle merchants. He knew it had been necessary for his own survival, but he hadn't expected to have killed people at the age of sixteen. Though, thinking about it, he supposed that in the heat of battle, others may have also died at his hands. It makes his stomach flip, and luckily the only thing in it was water, otherwise he might have vomited on himself. Squeezing his eyes shut, he takes in a deep breath, and then looks down at his left arm, wincing at the thick wrapping of bandages on it. It still hurt more than anything else in his life had ever hurt. But not as much as it had.
"We've been treating your arm several times a day. It was... nasty when you collapsed in the shop. We were worried we might have to amputate it but the infection has been clearing in the last day or two." Zuko provides, seeing the twist in his expression.
Letting out a shaking breath, Tao pushes himself up a little more, using his good hand to carefully, slowly, move his injured arm, a deep grimace pulling at his mouth, an involuntary whine of pain coming from his throat. Gingerly feeling along it, he can feel the divot of the spiral wound even beneath the bandages and sighs heavily. "It follows my chi path. I bet if I put my arm next to Aang's it would mimic his tattoos. Spirits... I might not be able to bend out of this arm anymore." he breathes, shivering a little at the implication. He'd be lucky to regain full mobility in this arm, let alone bend with it. But considering the war and his constant need to be able to fight, bending was his first concern.
"I am sorry, Tao. Unfortunately all we've had access to is herbs and medicine. And the infection was already very bad when you finally reached help. Whatever damage will remain after you heal, may have already been done when you were in the desert." Iroh says solemnly, and Tao can only hang his head in response, feeling cold, and feeling a strange lump in his throat.
He was just so... frustrated. His entire life, it had been one bad thing after another after another. His father, his mother leaving, the iceberg, the war. Barely inter-spaced with positive things, like meeting Aang, meeting his new friends, no, family. People he had come to love, rely on, and always seemed to be getting taken away from. He didn't know when he would see them again, if he even would before the end of the war. Ba Sing Se was such a huge city. If his friends were there, it would take months for Tao to search all of it and find them. Months that, with the comet coming at the end of summer, he didn't have. And now this. His left arm, so damaged he'd be lucky to be able to lift a knife with it, let alone bend.
Slumping forward a little, he lets out a shuddering breath, right hand pressing over his eyes, which felt wet. His shoulders hitch with his breath, throat tight and itchy as his eyes burned, fighting tears and a full breakdown. His face felt hot, but his body was cold as he shivered, chest aching and tight, like Appa was standing on it. He couldn't lose it now, not in front of Zuko and Iroh. He couldn't look that weak in front of them. He had already looked weak enough just by being injured.
Its a long time before he can sit up again, sucking in a deep, bracing breath as he does, eyelashes cold as the breeze blowing around them dries the tears in them. Thankfully, no one says anything, and when Zuko holds a cloth out to him, he doesn't look at him or speak. Tao takes it, wiping his eyes and face with it and letting out a heavy sigh. "So how long until we reach Full Moon Bay?" he asks, voice raspy and thick.
"Probably another day or so, I'm afraid. That should give you time to regain some of your strength, however. Nephew, could you give Tao some food? Just to hold him over until we stop for the night. I'm sure he's famished." Iroh says. Tao was surprised when Zuko doesn't protest at all, opening one of the sacks sitting in the back of the cart and pulling out a wrapped package. Opening it, Tao sees that it looked like pemmican, and takes the chunk that Zuko passes him, stomach roaring as it remembers that he hadn't eaten in days. It takes effort to not look like an animal and scarf all of the food down in a couple bites, instead taking deliberately small bites to avoid making himself sick.
"Do you want more?" Zuko asks when he's finished what he was given, though he was already holding more out towards Tao. A little confused by the concern from the prince, Tao takes the piece anyway, eating with a little more confidence, already feeling a little restored just with what he had had. Days of starvation would do that, he supposed. Zuko also makes sure to leave the water skin on his right side so he could reach it easily. "Um... I think I need to tell you something. Something you might... not like me knowing about." Zuko says after nearly half an hour of silence had passed between the three of them. He takes Tao's furrowed brow as a prompt to continue, taking what appeared to be a bracing breath. "The first night, you had a very high fever. It might have killed you but... Uncle talked me through a way to pull some of the heat out of your body through your chi. I... saw some of your memories through it."
"You what?" Tao grits out, back going stiff, not sure if he was angry or horrified. What had Zuko seen? Was he going to use it against him?
"It wasn't intentional!" Zuko fires back, temper flaring a little in response to Tao's snapped question. He sets his jaw and takes a few calming breaths, settling himself down before he speaks again. "I saw a memory of you training with who I'm guessing is your mother. I didn't know you're half Water Tribe."
"I never told you." Tao grinds in response. "What's it to you?"
"Nothing. I just... she seemed nice. From the brief moment I saw. It made me think of my own mother." Zuko replies, seeming awkward and unsure. Which was something Tao really hadn't expected to see on the prince. Even when it was false, the other teen always projected an image of confidence and pride. Verging on arrogance. "There was... something else. A shadow."
"Stop." Tao snaps, looking away quickly and shutting his eyes, throat bobbing as he swallows hard. "I try to not think about... that. Any memories involving him I try to go to great lengths to forget and push away. I'm tired of being weak because of them."
Zuko is quiet for a long time, as is Iroh. The only sound being the occasional grunt from the ostrich-horse and the rumble of the small cart on the dirt road. "I'm sorry." Zuko eventually murmurs, and Tao is surprised by the sincerity of it. Who was this man, and what had he done with the Zuko that Tao was familiar with? Why was he acting so... soft? It was throwing him off, and he wasn't sure he fully had the mental fortitude right now to properly handle this.
Thankfully, Zuko blesses him with silence for the remainder of the afternoon, which allows Tao to get his mind in order. He could assume it would be at least two weeks since he had been taken by the sandbenders once they reach Full Moon Bay. Two weeks since he had last seen his friends. Hopefully if they hadn't made it to Ba Sing Se yet, they were getting close. Hopefully they had made it out of the library before it had sunk, and hopefully Appa had made it back to them. He didn't know what he was going to do once he was inside Ba Sing Se, especially with his arm still in the condition it was in. He'd feel like a burden if he stayed with Iroh and Zuko, especially if his arm prevented him from working while he searched for his friends. Given Aang was the Avatar, he could take a guess that they'd be given preference and be provided with housing in an area of the city that Tao likely wouldn't have easy access to. With the city taking in refugees, Tao could hazard a guess that the lower ring was overcrowded, and certainly not the place for an Avatar. They were more than likely going to end up staying in the upper ring, which wasn't likely to allow a dirty, injured teenager in easily. Which left Tao finding them up to the pure luck of running into one of them in the lower ring, and his luck hadn't been the greatest, really ever in his life.
As the sun sets, Iroh directs the cart off the main path and down a small hill, finding a sheltered spot to set up camp for the night. Tao hates that he needs Zuko's help to get off the cart, the other teen all but carrying him after they get their bedrolls set out and a small campfire flickering away. Grimacing deeply as he's lowered to sit on a bedroll that was apparently his, Tao looks down at his wrapped arm, which was throbbing currently. Iroh kneels beside him, gingerly taking his hand and starting to unwrap it, a small satchel of bandages, medicine, and herbs beside him. When the bandages were off, Tao was absolutely horrified. "Oh... Agni. This is worse than I thought." he breathes, eyes wide. The wound was more than an inch wide at its widest, and even with the scabbing that crackled along its spiral was deep enough that his skin cast a shadow into it. There were still pockets of blisters and puss here and there, and the skin on the edges was raw and irritated. He grimaces deeply as Iroh cleans the wound as gently as he could with a cool, damp cloth, body shaking a little from the pain. The treatment seems to take an eternity, cleaning, applying medicine, and rewrapping the wound, and when Iroh sets his hand back in his lap, Tao was out of breath.
"Here. Take this. It will help your body fight the infection quicker." Iroh says gently, passing Tao what looked like a compressed pill of herbs, which also smelled of medicine. When he puts it in his mouth, he's given a water skin to take a drink of. It was a bitter pill, even with the water, and he can't help but screw his face up. Moving away, the older man pulls out a teapot and some leaves, pouring some water into the pot and setting it on a stone beside the fire, while Zuko watched some skewered meat on the other side, though Tao notices that his eyes, glowing with the fire-light, kept flicking up to him. He ignores it, or tries to, taking another drink of the water.
Once the food is done, he's given what looks like an extra portion. He supposed it was only fair, considering how thin he was from not eating and being so sick, but he still felt like he was taking up too much of their supplies. He doesn't protest, or rather his stomach doesn't allow him to. As soon as he takes a bite of the first piece of meat, his guilt is forgotten. He doesn't come up for air until he finishes the first skewer, at which point Iroh passes him a steaming cup of tea. It was soothing to drink, perfectly brewed and not bitter at all. Sitting at this fire, eating food and drinking tea, he could almost pretend that things were normal. But they weren't. He shouldn't be here, he should be with his friends. But he wasn't. Again.
Iroh is the first to lay down once the tea and food is gone, laying just outside the halo of light around the campfire, back to it as he started snoring within only a few minutes. Tao was exhausted, and also in pain, but he didn't want to sleep yet. Partly he was afraid of the nightmares that were sure to plague him, feeling raw from all the pain he was in, the jarring situation he had woken up to, the memories of what he had done to get this far. He didn't want to see the faces of those men in his dreams again. Those men, the Air Nomads, his father. All ghosts that were haunting his mind, dogging his steps, pressing down on him until taking another breath felt like he was pushing against a boulder. The true horror of his injury was a white hot terror in his mind as well. He remembered firebending with that arm at the beetle merchant camp, but spirits it had hurt. He had felt like fire was going to burst out through the wound rather than from his palm. Still being in the middle of a war, he couldn't afford something so debilitating. His only hope was to find his friends, find Katara, as quickly as possible. But even if he found her tomorrow, he was terrified that the damage was done, that it was permanent.
"Hey." Zuko's voice, even for as quietly as he spoke, makes him jump, head snapping up to look at the other teen across the fire from him. "Are you ok?" the question confuses Tao for a moment, though the most confusing part was that it was Zuko who was asking him.
Letting out a somewhat bitter, ironic laugh, Tao rubs a hand through his messy, dark hair, wincing at how greasy and sand filled it was. He was probably disgusting to look at, and likely smelled even worse. "No. No I'm not ok. Everything is just... awful. Everything is always awful for me." he says, voice shaking in an almost manic laugh, staring wide eyed into the fire. "I don't know what spirit I angered, but my whole life... every memory I have is tinged with fear or anger or pain or anxiety. Even now, a hundred years away from the main source of those feelings, it just doesn't stop. Its been one terrible thing after another for months." jaw tightening, his amber eyes sharpen and he glares at Zuko over the top of the fire, which was flaring a little in response to his chi as it rolls inside him. "And you have been a large fixture in those terrible things. Threatening me, threatening my friends. And then..." cutting off with a bark of laughter that had more anger than true amusement in it. "And then how dare you... how dare you and your Uncle make me care about you. How dare you be so much like me, that I feel this... pity for you. This longing to see things be better for you. This... this spirits damned affection." a shiver goes through Tao, and he felt so brittle right now. Teetering on the edge of a full breakdown, throat feeling tight again. Pulling his knees up, left arm limp at his side as he buries his face between them, he shudders. "How dare you..." he repeats into his clothes. His emotions were all over the place, and he was sure Zuko was appalled by him. He had to be. It would easier for him to be.
Silence blankets them for a while, Tao's breath hitching as he tries to keep himself under control, trying to hold his threads together so he didn't unravel in front of Zuko. But when the teen speaks again, it was from beside him, and Tao had no idea how he moved so quietly. "Life hasn't been easy for me either, you know." he says, and Tao glares at him out of the corner of his eye, face still buried in his knees. "Especially since I had you as my prisoner. Its hard to focus on restoring my honor, when I had to deal with someone who was so determined to humanize the object that would allow that. And then... to spend those couple days with the Avatar- with... with Aang, with your friends. Watching Uncle be healed by people who have been my enemy... who are the enemy of my nation. The... the compassion. Its so confusing." Tao had lifted his head at some point, looking fully at Zuko, who was sitting on his left, keeping his scarred side opposite him. The confession, the use of Aang's name, was shocking to him, and certainly unexpected. "I don't know what I should do anymore. If continuing to chase the Avatar is still worth it. Azula would have reported back to Father by now that Uncle and I fought against her. There's wanted posters of us up everywhere, branding us as traitors. But I'm not. I just... I don't know anymore."
"Well, I can't decide those things for you. That's up to you, and you alone what you decide to do going forward." Tao mutters, rubbing at his eyes with his good arm.
"I know. That's the hard part. I want my destiny, but I don't know what that's supposed to be."
"I don't have answers to things that big. That's a conversation you should have with Iroh." looking away from Zuko, Tao sighs, shutting his eyes, head aching. His whole body hurt actually, and he felt so, so weak. He could tell even without looking at his reflection that he had lost a lot of weight. A lot of muscle. And until he could start training again, he wouldn't get any back. The heavy emotions that pressed in around him didn't help that weak feeling either.
Again, silence lapses between them, Tao watching the flickering fire with unfocused, half lidded eyes, and Zuko sitting beside him in equal silence. The wood in the fire was almost completely burned down by the time the teen speaks again. "You should sleep. You need as much sleep as possible if you want to heal quickly. I'll keep watch." he murmurs, getting up and going back over to his bedroll, and for one traitorous moment, Tao misses the warmth of his presence beside him. He simply sighs, carefully laying himself down on his back, staring up at the stars, wondering where his friends were and when he'd see them again.
oOo
The silence between Tao and Zuko is right on the edge of awkward the next morning, the implications of their words having really settled in. Tao's raw confession of emotion directed at the banished prince, and said prince openly admitting to doubting his path going forward. Tao was glad that Zuko wasn't naturally very chatty as they slowly roll down the road in the back of the cart, Iroh sitting up front again, the day dragging on. It was mid afternoon as their destination comes into view. They stop to treat Tao's arm again before heading into the sheltered and hidden port. Their passports get them onto a ferry fairly quickly, Tao making a quick note to himself to refer to Zuko and Iroh as 'Lee' and 'Mushi' respectively around others. It didn't seem like they had come up with a cover name for him, his passport had simply said 'Tao' on it under the name.
He takes a seat against the side of the ferry next to Zuko, who had taken a bowl of the stew that was being offered to the passengers. Tao hadn't. He had taken one look in the pot and absolutely refused. He was miserable enough, still unsteady on his feet, though he could walk on his own now, and his arm was still a source of constant pain. He didn't need food poisoning too. Pulling the hood of his stolen clothes up to keep the sun out of his face, he listens as Iroh half laments his return to Ba Sing Se, not as a conqueror, but instead as a 'tourist.' Zuko scoffs to this, taking a drink of his stew and immediately spitting it out into the water with a retch and groan of disgust. "Ugh... I'm sick of eating rotten food." he groans. "of sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this."
"Aren't we all." a voice nearby responds, and Tao feels a cold chill go up his spine. He pulls his scarf up quickly to cover his face, or rather his scar, wide amber eyes scanning the boat as Jet steps out of the shadow of the canopy. Grimacing, Tao reaches up on reflex, grasping at his left shoulder where he still had a scar from Jet's attempt to gut him. He had hoped to never see the teen again after their last encounter, but here he was. Because that was the kind of luck that Tao had. "I'm Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters. Smellerbee, and Longshot." he says, just as smooth and convincing as ever as he moves closer, and Tao ducks his head, trying to discreetly nudge Zuko's leg to get his attention as the prince mutters a halfhearted greeting in return. Jet spins some tale about the captain and crew eating like 'kings' while the refugees got the rotten scrap, and Tao was horrified when Zuko seemed almost immediately in on the plan to steal the food and distribute it.
His breath was coming in short pants, his chest tight, by the time Jet walks away, reaching over with a shaking hand and pulling on the tail of Zuko's robe, pulling his scarf down when the teen finally squats down beside him. "You can't trust him." he rasps, sure he looked like he was losing it.
"Why not?"
"Jet's the one who had sliced me open when you fished me out of the ocean. He hates the Fire Nation and anyone associated with them. He was willing to beat an innocent old man, and destroy a town full of civilians and children just to kill a few soldiers. And the moment that he found out that I'm a firebender, any friendship we might have struck up went away. Immediately. He nearly killed me." Tao says breathlessly. Zuko frowns, turning and staring off in the direction Jet and his two friends had gone to scope out the cabin for their operation come that night.
"Will he recognize you?" Iroh asks, moving a little closer as well, hands folded in his sleeves to appear casual.
"Absolutely. My face is just as distinct as Z- Lee's is to those who have met him. If he sees me, he's probably going to attack me. And the two of you. He'll probably assume I did something to Aang, Katara and Sokka and use that as an excuse to exercise 'justice' or something." Tao replies, feeling panic rising like bile inside of him. He was in no condition to fight right now, especially since he wouldn't be able to bend in front of all these people. Neither would Zuko or Iroh. If Jet recognized him, it was all over.
Zuko's frown remains in place, golden eyes scanning the deck quietly. "Stay out of sight. I'll do his little mission with him, just so he doesn't get suspicious about me backing out. I'll bring you some of the food we get in private."
"Lee-"
"I'll be fine. He doesn't seem to recognize me, which means he doesn't pay attention to Fire Nation wanted posters. Besides, you need better than rotten scraps and camp rations to stay strong and heal."
Tao blinks a few times, at a loss for words, and when he looks up at Iroh for help, the man was just smiling softly. Swallowing hard, Tao gives Zuko an almost begging look. "Be careful. Jet is dangerous." he says, getting a simple nod in return from Zuko. Tao finds a spot under the canopy that was relatively hidden, leaning up against a wall he was pretty sure was part of the cabin for the crew, their bags of things resting beside him while Iroh lingered nearby as night fell and Zuko took his dual dao blades and left with Jet to steal the food. Tao made sure to keep his hood low and his scarf high, barely able to see between the two pieces of fabric. But he had to ensure that he wasn't recognized. Zuko brings him a plate of food, but unfortunately, Jet and his friends sit down too close for him to pull his scarf down to eat it while it was hot, even with Zuko's attempt to sit in a spot that would block Jet's view. He doesn't dare risk it. And he goes cold when he hears Jet ask Zuko a question after weaving some tale about doing 'bad things' in the past and looking for a new life in Ba Sing Se, a tale that he could only hope was true.
"So who's your friend sitting over there?" he asks, those dark eyes focused right on Tao, who felt like he may as well be sitting there naked for as exposed as he felt. Luckily, Zuko is quick with a response.
"Not a friend. We found him injured on the side of the road on our way here and brought him along. He doesn't talk and we don't know his name."
"Injured?"
"Yeah. He's got a bad burn on his arm. Looked to me like he had a bad run in with a Fire Nation soldier. We had some medicine and food to spare, so we were able to bring him along. He'll probably go his own way once we get to the city." Zuko replies, lying rather smoothly, and Tao feels the tight knot of panic that had wound itself up in his chest loosen a little. Especially when this seems to satisfy Jet. At least enough to not ask further questions.
His food was fully cold by the time Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot walk off to go find somewhere to lay down and sleep, so Tao carefully moves his hand under the plate and starts to slowly heat it until it warm but not enough to start steaming in the cool night air. Once its warmed, he finally pulls his scarf down and starts eating, having to carefully balance the plate on his leg and eat with one hand since his left arm was all but useless. He didn't even have enough fine motor control in his fingers yet to grasp the plate to steady it. Iroh and Zuko make their way over to him, starting to go through their things to get their blankets and bedrolls out. "Thanks for that." Tao says to Zuko, who simply shrugs. It was late, and Zuko was the first one asleep. They had moved back closer to the side of the boat under the stars, Tao leaning up against it, Iroh quietly watching the stars and water after treating Tao's arm again. It was looking better, but it still had a long way to go.
They had been sitting there quietly for close to an hour, it was nearly midnight, when a large shape moving through the sky grabs both of their attention. When Tao realizes what he was seeing, he gets to his feet quickly, eyes wide as Iroh lets out a gasp. Appa, soaring overhead, heading towards the opposite shore. Iroh's gasp wakes Zuko out of his sleep, but luckily the man is able to soothe him back to sleep with a quiet reassurance. Tao, however, was frozen, watching the white dot disappear into the dark. Part of him wished he had called out to the bison, who he was sure would have heard him. But that might have gotten Jet's attention, wherever he was on the ferry. And there was one other thing that worried Tao.
"He... he didn't have his saddle on. Aang's not with him." he whispers, shivering a little with dread. "So he didn't get away... like I hoped." feeling a little lightheaded, he leans back against the rail of the ferry, rubbing a hand through his dirty hair under his hood.
"The bison was captured with you?" Iroh asks quietly, expression troubled as he thinks about the implications of that. That meant that the Avatar and his friends had been wandering the desert without their main source of safety and transportation, much like Tao had.
Sighing, Tao nods. "Yes. We were helping a professor from Ba Sing Se university search for some... spirit library out in the desert. Toph and I waited outside with Appa. The library started sinking, and while Toph was trying to hold it up so the others could escape, sandbenders came and attacked Appa and I. I... saw him getting dragged away before I passed out from my own injury but... I had hoped until now that he had been able to escape and find them."
"Do you think your friends got out of the desert safe?" Iroh asks with open concern.
"I hope so. They had each other, after all. If I could make it alone and injured, I'm sure they're fine. They have to be."
oOo
They reach the opposite shore not long after dawn, docking at a hidden port within a mountain side. It was just as crowded as the other side had been, and Tao sticks close to Iroh as Jet pulls Zuko aside to talk about... something. While they're talking, Iroh buys the two of them a cup of tea from a passing cart, and was quite upset at how cold it was. Tao didn't mind as much, just glad to have something to drink. He was feeling stronger, much stronger. A couple days of food, medicine, and drink, had done wonders for him, though he'd feel better once he could properly bathe and get some clean clothes. And find his friends, of course. He still had to be very careful about his arm, which he could barely move without assistance of his other one, and mostly let it hang limply at his side, or rested in a fold of his shirt like a sling.
Looking over towards Zuko, his blood runs cold when he sees Jet was glaring in their direction, realizing in his want to drink the tea Iroh bought, he had pulled his scarf down, revealing the very distinct scar crossing his face. One Jet would be very familiar with. And as Zuko stalks over, also noticing the glare and moving to block Jet's view of him, he also slaps the now steaming cup of tea out of Iroh's hand, leaning close and speaking through his teeth at him. "What are you doing firebending your tea? For a wise old man that was a pretty stupid move."
While Iroh laments the spilled tea, Tao feels a shiver of dread go through him, pulling his scarf up even though the damage was done now as Jet stalks away to go find his friends again. Not good. Not good at all. He was shocked that there hadn't been an immediate attack, but considering the number of guards in the area, he could guess that Jet didn't want to stir up trouble here. He'd probably wait until Tao was more alone and vulnerable. "I uh... I should probably go my own way now." he says, swallowing thickly. When even Zuko seems ready to protest, he shakes his head. "I think Jet recognized me. And besides that, I need to start looking for my friends." setting his tea cup down, he bows to the two of them, hating the formality but also needing to show how grateful he was. "Thank you, both of you, for everything. I would have probably died if you hadn't helped me. I don't think I'll ever be able to properly repay you."
A warm hand rests on his shoulder, and he looks up to see Iroh smiling at him. "Think nothing of it, Tao. Come find us in the lower ring if you're unable to locate your friends quickly. You'll always have a place to rest with us. I would prefer it actually, especially with your arm still hurt. It'll be safer for you that way."
"Of course. I hope I don't need to but I appreciate the offer anyway. I'll keep it in mind." Tao replies, eyes sliding over to Zuko, who had crossed his arms and was looking away, mouth set in a frown that was a little different from his usual expression. When he doesn't say anything for a few seconds, Tao simply picks up the bag of supplies that had been designated as his, with medical supplies for his arm and some spare food and water to get him by while he searched. Bowing to Iroh again, he turns to walk away. He makes it about five steps before a hand grabs his shoulder and pulls him to a stop, and he turns to see that Zuko was the one holding onto him.
"I uh... I... I hope the next time we see each other... its under um... better circumstances." he manages to stammer out, and Tao swears he sees a bit of color come to the other teen's face.
Blinking a few times, shocked and confused, but also strangely touched, Tao smiles, reaching up and putting his hand over Zuko's. "You mean where one of us isn't actively dying? That would be nice. If I don't find the others... I'll come find you and Iroh this evening. Hopefully they don't put the two of you anywhere too far out of the way."
"I'll... I've still got some red cloth in my things. I'll hang a piece of it out a window so you can find us easier." Zuko says after a brief moment of thought, and Tao couldn't help but feel a little unsteady at the realization that... Zuko looked and sounded almost... eager to see him again. Like letting him leave now was something he didn't want to let happen.
His smile warms and he chuckles a little, nodding. "I'll look for it. Good luck. I'll see the two of you around, probably." he hums, and Zuko nods, seeming satisfied by this and letting go of his shoulder, allowing Tao to turn back around and walk away to start his search.