CHAPTER 40: And boys will be boys
"We must let go of the life we have planned to accept the one that is waiting for us."
Meanwhile, Toph and the boys still lounged about in the palace garden.
Aang and Zuko had spent some time engaged in a friendly sparring match under the watchful eye of Toph, causing the crackle of flames and a rush of air to sound out once in a while in the garden.
They had also practiced the Dancing Dragon together to which Toph had made snarky comments, while Sokka took a nap.
As the afternoon wore on, the mood grew lighter and more jovial.
Even though they were diplomats now, they were teenagers too.
Zuko took off his shirt as he and Aang finished their practice, and he soon sat down with the others to have a glass of watermelon juice in the blazing sun.
The heat felt good on his skin.
He looked at Toph on the bench and in a fleeting moment he wondered why she did not want to go with the girls before. Then, he remembered that of course, Toph was someone who enjoyed roughhousing and being blunt more than polite niceties and girl talk.
He could not blame her.
Suki and Katara together were always so… girly.
"So, Fire Lord," Sokka soon sounded from the shadow over by the bamboo grove. "Everything still good between you and my sister?"
"Yeah," Zuko prompted as he sat down on the grass and took a sip of his juice. "You know how it is, fire and water, that sort of thing. We're not half bad together."
Sokka chuckled.
"Well," he said, an expression of amusement on his face. "First things first, you gotta learn to navigate the treacherous waters of Katara's mood swings. Trust me, I've had plenty of practice."
Zuko could not help but to chuckle at Sokka's sage advice.
"At least, I always know where she's at," Zuko shrugged. "She's like an open book."
He thought back to the times he had spent with his ex girlfriend Mai and the countless hours trying to decipher the enigma of her emotions. No matter how hard he had tried, he could never quite grasp what lay beneath her stoic exterior.
Sokka burst into laughter.
"Yup, that's my sister for ya!" he grinned, nodding emphatically. "She's about as subtle as a flying bison!"
They all laughed at his witty remark.
A moment of silence went by, as they all relaxed in the garden.
Zuko had missed this.
He leaned back against the grass, his gaze lazily drifting over the clouds that had started to form in the sky above them.
He breathed out.
Just hanging out with the group, simply enjoying the company of his friends, free from the weight of his responsibilities.
No politics, no royal duties, no expectations, just… relaxation.
He knew that in a couple of days, everything would be different, when they were to have their important meeting with the Earth King and the Chiefs of the Water Tribes, but right now, he simply just let himself enjoy the moment of being with his friends.
He propped himself up on his elbow as a thought crossed his mind.
"Oh, and how about you and Suki?"
Sokka looked up with a twinkle in his eye.
"Let me tell you," he grinned. "Being with her is like finally finding the perfect battle strategy. She's fierce, she's determined, and she always knows how to keep me on my toes."
Zuko raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a chuckle.
"So you're saying it's like a never-ending fight?"
Sokka nodded emphatically. "Exactly! But with more kisses, less bruises."
Zuko could not help but laugh at Sokka's analogy.
He really liked that dude. He would not mind having him as a brother-in-law when the time came.
Zuko widened his eyes in surprise of his own thoughts.
Wait, what?
"Yeah, yeah, we know, we know," Toph suddenly sounded dismissively from her spot on the bench. "Sparky and Sugar Queen, Boomerang and Honey… You're practically ancient history at this point."
She prompted herself up on one elbow, a grin plastered on her face as the others looked at her.
"What I wanna know is what's up with Aang and jungle girl," she said with a mischievous light in her eyes. "Come on, Twinkle Toes! Spill the beans."
Aang blinked a couple of times, caught off guard by Toph's sudden inquiry.
He glanced around at the others, his expression shifting from surprise to bewilderment as he tried to formulate a response.
"Uh…" he started, his words trailing off as he searched for the right words.
Sokka and Zuko exchanged amused glances, barely able to contain their laughter at Aang's flustered reaction.
His cheeks flushed with pink.
"Toph, you're just looking for something new to tease Aang about, aren't ya?" Sokka said.
"Maybe," she shrugged nonchalantly. "But come on dude, give us the juicy details! You've ventured into her secret tunnel yet?"
This caused Zuko and Sokka to burst with laughter.
"Secret tunneeeel!" Sokka exclaimed in something between singing and laughing, while he waved his hands dramatically. "Secret tunneeel, through the mountaaaaains…"
Aang's eyes widened in shock and disbelief at Toph's blunt inquiry, a flush of embarrassment spreading across his face as he once more seemed to find the words.
But then, Aang looked down into his lap with a sheepish smile on his face.
It looked like memories flooded his mind, and he smiled dumbfoundedly for a moment, causing Zuko to sit up straight in a swift movement.
"You did?!" Zuko breathed in surprise before a wide grin spread over his lips. "Ay, way to go, buddy!"
Aang's cheeks flushed even brighter from Zuko's words, and it was obvious that he tried to hide the smile on his lips, but he could not suppress it.
"Um, yeah…" Aang mumbled in a voice tinged with bashfulness. "Something like that."
Toph's smirk widened into a knowing grin as she nudged Sokka playfully.
"Well, well, well," she chuckled mischievously. "Looks like Twinkle Toes isn't as innocent as he pretends to be."
Aang's grin only widened, his embarrassment seemingly melting away as he basked in the warmth of his memories with Nii.
Despite the initial awkwardness, there was something undeniably gratifying about witnessing Aang stumble through this conversation. To Zuko it was like watching his little brother navigate his way through uncharted waters, and he could not help but to feel a twinge of pride at how far Aang had come.
Zuko's lips curled into a small sympathetic smile as he watched Aang, a silent acknowledgment and admiration of the progress he had made.
He knew that it was not just about Aang finally getting together with Nii.
Zuko knew all too well the weight of expectations that came with the pressure to live up to the legacy of one's predecessors.
And Aang's journey was a journey from his deep-rooted sense of identity forged from being a monk raised with the teachings of the Air Nomads and their traditions to the responsibilities and burdens of being the last Airbender - of being the Avatar in a world that had been torn apart by war.
Beneath the pride and admiration he felt for Aang in this very moment lay a quiet sense of understanding - a recognition of the burdens that Aang carried with him. Both as the Avatar but also just as a young man trying to find his place in the world - a fellow traveler on the path to redemption and self-discovery.
Aang was not like a little brother to him.
He was his equal.
And Zuko felt love for him.
Of course, he did not share that with the others as they sat there in the garden together.
But the thought did cross his mind.
Maybe he should share it with him at some point.