FicWad

A Note: This is a sequel to The Happiest Years: The Iroh Cycle and Redefining Honor: The Zuko Cycle. You may wish to read those before you read this.





Aang knew that bringing Zuko along for their adventure was a risky prospect. The Firebender boy was irritable, standoffish, and when he did speak, he was bound to offend the rest of his companions, Sokka especially.

But Appa liked him.

Appa was an excellent judge of character, or so Aang thought, and the bison allowed the Firebender boy to use his broad, flat tail or heavy limbs to sleep among without complaint.

Now, if only someone who could talk could get to like Zuko, Aang wouldn't have to be the one trying to involve the boy more in their journey.

+++

It didn't help that when they broke camp, they weren't sure where to go. They were well hunted - a fugitive prince, the Avatar and his Water Tribe refugee companions.

Air travel was out - they were highly visible. Land travel was out - it was too slow. The Fire Nation held the sea.

Zuko offered no new insight. Sokka fretted, and Aang found no comfort from Katara. As they lumbered forward, there was silence. Zuko sat on Appa's back, Aang upon his broad head, and the siblings walked rather then get near the Firebender.

This was going to be a long journey.

+++

Pointing at the map as they considered options, Zuko offered, "There's a village here. Friendly even to 'Fire Nation deserters'. It'd be easy to restock there, and find out news."

"Friendly to you? Totally out."

Aang had expected, really, Zuko to rise to the regular barbs Sokka threw at him, but he didn't. Still, when he only shrugged, Aang felt frustration brew.

Katara set a hand on Aang's shoulder. "I think a supply stop is a good idea. If they're known to be friendly to deserter soldiers, they should be friendly to us."

Aang could have sworn that Zuko smirked.

+++

Katara had determined that she had somehow become Team Babysitter. She found this annoying; her brother was a jackass, Aang was struggling, and Zuko was Zuko-though there'd been fewer tantrums from the prince then she'd initially expected.

It didn't make him a joy to be around, though. He didn't speak much, and when he looked at her it was always down his nose, vaguely superior. It hardly inspired attempts at friendship.

As they neared the village, he seemed to grow somewhat more attentive. Were they walking into a trap of some sort? If so, how did he arrange it?

+++

So, Sokka had dealt with Zuko being there. He dealt with everyone following Zuko's suggestion. He'd even dealt with the fact that Appa liked Zuko better then him. That was particularly galling considered that Sokka had been the one to wash between the bison's toes.

But he couldn't deal with the fact that when they got the village, Zuko hopped off the saddle, headed straight for an Earth dwelling like he lived there. His companions waited as he knocked once, hopeful and afraid.

An old lady answered.

It really wasn't a trap. Sokka hated being wrong and Zuko even more.

+++

She cooked for them; real home cooked meals got a quartet of grumbling stomachs and all were thankful to be sat at her table and fed till they couldn't eat anymore. No one understood why Zuko was referred to as 'boy', but didn't think to question it.

"She's an Earthbender," Aang whispered in the dead of the night.

"How do you know?" Zuko asked.

"She's always barefoot, and the floor is bare earth. I bet she's an Earthbender."

"Huh."

"I would have thought you would have noticed."

Zuko looked away. "I had other things on my mind at the time."

+++

Zuko felt better being here. Aunt was nice, and the trio calmed with food in their bellies. But one morning, while the trio was gone, Aunt sat him down to speak.

"Your men were here," she said, and Zuko could not help but flinch.

"They're not 'mine' anymore."

"Tell that to your Captain Ji."

"Promoted?"

"Mutinied, it seems. They're looking for you. I would suggest you find them before they get themselves into trouble."

"I can't do that."

"Boy, they love you and worry about you. Don't make it harder on them. At least let them know what you're doing."

+++

Aang was a well-practiced eavesdropper. Sitting on the roof outside the window, he watched Katara and Sokka move about the village, and listened to Zuko and his 'aunt'.

He didn't understand; why wouldn't Zuko want to go back there? Wouldn't that be easier? A ship to sail away in, people he was familiar with. It had to be easier then traveling with Aang; Katara wouldn't talk to Zuko, and Sokka only opened his mouth to insult him.

As Zuko came outside, he hopped down, on the other side of the building; he didn't want to be caught.

Aunt caught him anyway.

+++

She thrust a scroll case at Aang. "For the boy, when he decides to do the right thing."

"Aunt," for Aang had adopted that name quickly enough, "...what is the right thing?"

Aunt stopped, and looked at Aang for a long moment. "How would your friends feel, if you left them behind?"

"...not good." He remembered trying once, for their own safety. Was that Zuko's reason?

"How do you think they feel, feeling like they've abandoned the boy when he needs support the most?"

"Low."

"And how would you feel?"

"Lost."

She nodded once, and left him with his thoughts.

+++

They did not leave that night; this place felt safe, far off the beaten path. Zuko relaxed significantly, and Sokka refrained from baiting him as often.

Katara liked Aunt, too. She was a no-nonsense woman, reminding her of Gran-Gran immediately. She didn't understand why the woman was affectionate with Zuko, when he seemed so distant, but recognized the boy was somewhat nicer in general while he was here.

Aang, however, was troubled, and this did not bode well - he did not come to bed, even after the others were sleeping.

Quietly, she slipped out to find him sitting with Appa.

+++

"Aang?"

He sprawled across Appa's head, pensive as he gazed across the water. "Yeah, Katara?"

"What's wrong?"

She climbed up Appa's shoulder and they sat together as the moon went past over head. Slowly, he began to explain - Zuko's ship and the prince's refusal to find it.

"Maybe he thinks they'll hurt you."

"I think it's something else."

Katara chewed her lip, and asked. "Aang? Why-why does he matter to you? What is so important that you're willing to risk so much to trust him? And don't just say firebending, because it isn't."

Aang was silent a long time.

+++

Just when Katara seemed ready to leave, Aang found his answer.

"I don't think he's a bad person. I know it's hard, Katara - but I remember when the Fire Nation wasn't like this - I had friends from that place. Airbenders, Earthbenders, Waterbenders, Firebenders. It didn't matter! We were all friends. I want to see things like that again."

Katara was silent for a moment. "Do you think Zuko's really a good person?"

"I do, Katara. I think, in his heart, he really is."

She chewed her lip again. "I don't know him, Aang."

"I don't either. But I have faith."

+++

It must've been nice, to have hope like that, Katara thought as she returned to the house. To be able to put faith in someone else even though you didn't truly know them or what they might be capable of. Aang really did believe the best of everyone.

Sometimes, he even seemed to bring it out.

She stopped in the doorway, looking down at the two boys. It was almost picturesque: Sokka lay flat on his back snoring, while Zuko was on his side, hand tucked under his pillow like a child.

At least asleep, they couldn't fight. Small blessings.

+++

Aang concocted a Daring Plan that very night. Appa snored and Momo purred against his chest, so he knew this was a sign that it was a Good Plan.

When morning came, he was ready.

"I think we should stick to the coast for now! Lots of villages up this stretch, and maybe along the way we can find out the Fire Nation's patterns on the water - so we can hop down across the bay and toward Omashu!"

Zuko blanched a little at the name, but Aang ignored him. "So, is that good?"

"Sounds fine," they allowed, and Aang beamed.

+++

So sticking with the coast had nothing to do with villages or plans. Aang had all the faith in the world that they could outrun any Fire Nation ship. But the map the woman had given him had the path Zuko's ship was following.

Besides, Sokka and Zuko were fighting like razorboars.

Katara herself grew more irritable, and the moment they set down on the coast for the night, she hopped off Appa's back stalked toward the sea. Sokka and Zuko continued to growl at each other as they dismounted, but neither could see the Waterbender's temper reach boiling point.

+++

"And another thing."

"Are you still talking?"

"YES I AM-And another thing; I don't care how many old Earthbender ladies you dupe, there's no way I'm buying that you deserted. Why the hell would a prince desert, anyway?"

"It's not your concern, /fishbelly/."

"Oh, we're getting to name calling now, scarface?"

"...what did you say?"

"Scarface. You heard me."

"... you want to keep your face? You'll mind your tongue!"

"You and what army? Oh yeah, none!"

In the heat of the moment, neither of them saw the waterbent wave rolling toward them till it was far too late.

+++

The boys were abruptly sprawled in the sand, soaked. Both spat seawater, and looked up in the looming shadow of the Waterbender.

"I've had it with you!" Katara snapped. "Sokka, grow up! He's here, and we just have to deal with it! Aang needs him and Aang trusts him, so that's good enough for me!"

Zuko seemed pleased at Sokka's lashing, until Katara turned her attention to him.

"And your sulking isn't any better! You want us to trust you? Act like it! We're a team, and if you're going to a part of it, start treating us like it!"

+++

Genuinely surprised that it took Katara this long to give the boys a good soaking and ear-chewing, Aang sat back to watch the waterworks from the safety of Appa's back.

Sokka and Zuko both seemed defiant under their respective reprimands, but at least they didn't resume their fighting. Both rose; Sokka stripped out of his shirt to wring the sea water out, but Zuko didn't seem to mind the wet.

Katara flounced to drop down by Aang. "If they fight one more time I'm going to drown them. You're not allowed to grow up stupid like they have."

"Okay, Katara."

+++

"... she's crazy."

"You think she's bad, you should meet my sister." Zuko muttered, as he carded hands through his hair, droplets flying from his fingertips.

"You have a sister?" Sokka looked at Zuko for a long moment, already worrying the Fire Prince.

"Yeah. So?"

"... Well, you act more like an only child."

Though it sounded suspiciously like an insult, Zuko was aware of the angry Waterbender watching. "It's - hard to explain. Uncle raised me. She was - daddy's little princess."

Sokka noted his bitterness, but didn't pry. "She pull fits like that?"

"Worse. She's a Firebender prodigy."

"...ow. Harsh."


+++

As Zuko and Sokka found solidarity, Katara seethed. She had expected Sokka to feel threatened; he'd been the Man of the Family for years, and in came - well, a bender and a warrior.

It was no wonder he was threatened. Even if Zuko had been a gentle young man from the Earth Kingdom, Sokka would have still felt threatened. He might not have been so hostile, but he'd be unhappy.

It didn't mean Katara wanted to put up with the macho crap, though.

Calm restored, the boys set up camp as Aang went to find food and she purified water.

+++

"Can't you keep up?"

Zuko grunted. He bit back a reply; Sokka was all but immune anyway - not to mention, Zuko still recalled his soaking earlier today.

They worked the trees, picking up dry branches - Sokka did double duty in watching for edible plants and roots, nuts and berries. Soon his pockets were full and Zuko's arms were wrapped about kindling, and it was time to head back.

He tried to ignore the dampness at the base of his back that could not have been sweat; something had torn open while he worked.

He pressed on, ignoring Sokka's vague concern.

+++

Zuko returned with firewood from the treeline, to warm his often ungrateful companions. Afterwards, he flopped onto his belly across Appa's tail. He still hurt -he was well enough to travel, but he was no where near 'healed'.

But he had comfort; just not from a human source. Sometime the bison turned and collected him among his legs, other times there was merely the grunt of a beast and then the musky warmth of his fur.

Appa was safe. Appa didn't talk. It made things like gratitude and affection that much easier. Aang understood, at least, so Zuko was satisfied.

+++

"We have to do something about stupid."

With words like that, Aang knew he wasn't going to like what Sokka had to say.

"He's in pain. I think he's not healed enough to travel. But we've gotta get to Omashu. So, do we slow down and throw our time frame, or do we try and find somewhere safe to dump him and still throw our time frame?"

Out of Sokka, the concern was odd. But he could be practical, when he wanted to be.

Aang looked at Katara as she packed up, and then said, "We need a second opinion."

+++

"I didn't see how badly he was injured," Katara admitted when the concern was brought to her. "Sokka took care of - uhm, stripping him down and cleaning him up."

"No way is my baby sister going to be scarred by naked princes."

Aang tried not to roll his eyes. "Well, I wasn't exactly doing anything to help either." The monk didn't handle gore well.

They all looked to Sokka now. "How bad was it?"

For once, the Water Tribe boy's face was grave. "I wouldn't have, in my worst hour, wished that sort of hurt on anybody. Not even Zuko."

+++

"You know those horror stories about what the Fire Nation does to bad kids? 'If you don't eat your seal liver, the Fire Nation will get you!' Well, Zuko was very naughty, see, and they really took it outta his hide."

They tried not to look at the prince. Zuko was flopped on Appa's tail in the early morning, though he did not sleep soundly. His face was hidden in the crook of one arm.

"You see he doesn't sleep on his back? I don't think he /can/."

Katara looked down at her hands. "I could try to help him."

+++

Aang looked between the siblings, and then said, "There's another option."

He drew forth the map, then, and spread it out. "His crew is looking for him. We could take him to them. They'll take care of him, won't they?"

"If they want him back. If I were them, I would be so glad to be rid of him." Sokka interjected.

"Well, Aunt said they were looking really hard for him! So they must care about him, right?" In Aang's world, that could be on the only truth. Sokka and Katara looked far more dubious; who'd want a brat prince?

+++

Zuko knew he should be more grateful - but it was hard to show anything to these angry children. With Appa, he merely had to drag seaweed to shore and let the beast sate his hunger.

But he knew very well that something had changed since last night. His traveling companions had been clumped over their map early in the morning. They refused to speak to him; Aang smiled and bounded up onto Appa's back, Sokka and Katara gave him unreadable looks. Soon they were off.

He waited for the proverbial sword to drop. It was just a matter of time.

+++

"So," Aang started. "About your ship, Zuko."

The prince was immediately at attention. Katara almost felt sorry for him.

"What about it?" Zuko's tone was guarded.

"Well, Aunt - uh - she gave me this map..."

A furrow appeared at Zuko's brow, but he said nothing.

"And we were thinking - you just had a really tough time, back there. And this is really not the best way to try and get better. I mean, I - I think -"

"You think you don't trust me, even injured. I get it. Do what you have to do, Avatar."

Aang's expression dropped like a stone.

+++

"That isn't it at /all/." Katara said, cutting in. The boys blinked at her, as she quicly considered what to say. "We're not proposing to leave you. We're-proposing to stay there with you."

"We're /what/?"

Katara ignored Sokka's squealed protest. "It's a solid idea. His ship is easily large enough to hide Appa in a hold, he can get the care he needs, and we're hiding in plain sight - on a Fire Nation ship. We could easily get over the waters toward Omashu quickly and safely without any trouble."

It wasn't true, but Aang's smile was worth the lie.

+++

"You want to hide on my ship and travel to Omashu /that way/?"

"Yes."

Zuko stared at Katara. She'd lied; it was plain to see. Sokka's reaction and Aang's sudden delight told him everything. She was covering, but he didn't know why. It couldn't be for his benefit. Still, he had to consider what she said.

"There's no guarantee that would work," he said after a moment. "I am a wanted man in the Fire Nation now. They may bind us all up, and take us back in chains. The avatar a prisoner, and we three for the execution block"

+++

Sokka seem perturbed. "So, you really - are on the run. To the point where you are seriously telling me that you may not be able to go back to your ship?"

Zuko nodded. "I saw an officer of my ship, some weeks before you liberated me from Zhao's fortress. They were using a wanted poster to attempt to track me down. They may be under orders to do just that."

"Aunt didn't think that," Aang finally said. "Aunt thinks they love and miss you. So-I think we should try it."

Zuko sighed. Optimists were going to be his death.

+++

As they flew, Zuko withdrew. Lines were drawn - he sat at the back, the siblings sat at the front, and Aang hunched over Appa's reins.

This was not what he wanted.

Zuko didn't seem to realize they really were trying to look out for him. Monk Gyatso had once said something about a road paved with good intentions, but Aang couldn't recall the saying as they flew though the air.

Finally, two days later, they found the ship.

"Are you ready?" Aang asked.

"Does it matter?"

Disheartened by Zuko's reply, Aang steered the air bison toward the Fire Nation boat.

+++

It was chaos. The crew was on the ship was in battle position the moment they sighted the bison, but a cooler head prevailed.

All on the bison's back tensed as Lt. Ji came out upon the deck.

All looked at Zuko.

A tense moment occurred before they finally backed away.

"Land," Zuko said.

Appa set down; Zuko leapt from the beast's back. His landing was clumsy; a tell-tale sign of his injury.

He straightened, and looked to Ji.

"Welcome back, Prince Zuko," answered his unasked question.

"Thank you, Lt. Ji. Stand down, allow the Avatar and company to dismount."

+++

Tension owned every breath they took. Zuko and his crew, the Avatar and his friends; even the bison felt it, bellowing once and shaking his great, shaggy head. The lemur alone seemed oblivious.

"Prince Zuko," Lt. Ji began, "The-company you're with."

"Have the officer's deck prepared. They'll be lodging there."

"Ah," Lt. Ji said. He looked at the Prince. "Can I speak to you a moment, sir? Privately?"

Zuko smiled thinly; he'd been expecting that question. "Yes, Lt. Ji. Have one of the men show the Avatar and his friend to comfortable surroundings, and we'll speak."

"Aye, my prince."

+++

The command center had not changed; not even the pai-sho board had been removed.

"Speak quickly, Lt. Ji."

"Prince Zuko, are you aware of your bounty?" Ji cut right to the chase.

"I am."

"And now, you travel with the Avatar?"

"He needs a mentor in Firebending until he can find a master."

Ji's expression was grave. "You do understand this makes your treason real. This is not the error of a son to a father, but - this is treason, a man against his Nation."

"I would like to think," Prince Zuko said bluntly, "It is treason for my nation."

+++

It went back and forth; they could capture the Avatar easily. He would suspect, but in time, it could be done. Cunning could be employed.

"No. The Avatar means - to revolutionize the world. He wants to defeat my father, and return the world to a proper balance." Zuko explained.

"But, Prince Zuko, that..."

"Means that the Fire Nation as we know it will fall? I am aware of the consequences. War, collapse, reconstruction of a nation - all of these things would follow my father's fall."

"And your ascension to the throne?"

"Not guaranteed. There is always my sister."

Ji grimaced.


+++

"You haven't told me why you came after me, despite my direct orders to the contrary."

"Not only yours, but Admiral Zhao's as well."

Zuko smirked. "Decided to be rebellious, Lt. Ji? That was not a trait I could admire before now."

Ji returned the expression. "It's different when you're watching someone else get stuck with the attitude, isn't it?"

"It seems to be. So, you've mutinied, disobeyed orders, and you're now housing a fugitive. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me before I assume command and we set sail for the Earth Kingdom?"

"A few things, sir."

+++

They really hadn't expected him to come down the hall bellowing, "Of all the stupid, idiotic, moronic things!" It was a signal Zuko was more himself, certainly, but seeming him gush smoke at the mouth was hardly comforting.

"If I hadn't recently developed a severe distaste for the practice, I would have you /flogged/. I may yet anyway!"

"Prince-"

It brought everyone - even his 'guests' - into the hall; then he found what he was looking for.

"That," he said, pointing angrily at Lt. Ji's wife and children, "Is not supposed to be /on this ship/! What were you /thinking/?"

+++

Aang watched as Zuko acted more like the Prince. He was angry, pointing at an older woman with two children - a boy about Aang's age and a little girl, maybe six years old.

"Tell me, what possessed you to bring your family when you mutinied?" Zuko demanded.

"Thoughts of their safety! Not all of us had places we could send them to, or kin that would hide them! I could not leave them in the capital! When word of our mutiny reaches the shores of the Fire Nation, do you think that they would not be held hostage, or worse?"

+++

"Don't yell at them!"

Everyone went silent. The Avatar had spoken; not only that, he'd yelled at the Prince.

Fire Prince and Avatar stared off. The boy's jaw set. The Prince's eyes narrowed.

"Do not think to reprimand me while on my ship," Zuko said icily.

"If you're acting like a jerk, I'm gonna call you a jerk!" Aang said bluntly. "They came out here because they love you! But they love their families too! Don't you think you ought to honor their sacrifice, in leaving their homes, for your sake?"

Lt. Ji decided that he liked the young Avatar.

+++

Zuko rounded on the men. "Lt. Ji!"

"Yes?"

"Make sure there are quarters properly set up for the families on the ship. I don't want them down in bays like they were enlisted. We should make this comfortable for them."

Ji's gaze flickered between Avatar and Zuko. Situation defused, he nodded once.

Zuko looked at the woman and her children; an internal battle raged, but then he ducked his head, biting off each word of his apology. "Forgive my insensitivity. This must be difficult for you, to be without home."

"Where there is family," the woman said, "There is home."

+++

Katara watched as things calmed; she slid her arm through Sokka's, and then released it just as quickly. The Fire woman was right; family was home.

"I think that I really want a nap."

"I think I'm afraid to sleep."

"I don't think it's going to be that bad."

She wanted to mean it. But she kept seeing the armor - the blackened steel they all wore. Zuko would wear it too, once out of Sokka's spare leathers they'd grudgingly lent him.

He'd be one of them again. He'd never been anything else: nothing but a wild leopard with unchangeable spots.
+++

The Water Tribe children retreated from the scene, and for that, Zuko was glad. Ji introduced his wife and /children/; the boy was Kim and the girl was Ahnmeng; they were thirteen and five. Both looked at him with awe. He wasn't sure why, but this made him uncomfortable.

Ji's wife bowed; her name was Ming, and she was lovely in an older woman way; the sly smile on her lips meant that Iroh would have adored her.

During all this that Zuko realized he had /come home/. Abruptly exhausted, he excused himself with as much decorum as he could.

+++

"An interesting young man," Ming said as she slipped her hand into Ji's; he carried Ahnmeng in one arm, and Kim followed both of them back to their quarters.

"I think he just realized that nothing was going to be the same again."

"Growing up is about realizing that regularly. Isn't it, Kim?"

"Yes, mother."

She smiled at their son. "See? Your Prince just needs to be eased back into things. It's still as he remembers. It just has some additions."

"It's more of what it's missing that worries me. Without his uncle here, I don't know what will happen."


+++

With some trepidation, Aang realized he had been left alone. Zuko had retreated, his friends were hiding in their rooms, and that left Aang unwatched.

So he did the most logical thing: acted like he lived there and set to exploring the ship from top to bottom.

Sure, people looked at him funny but he didn't let that get to him. The best thing to do in an awkward situation was to pretend everything was totally normal. He trusted Zuko, Zuko trusted his men and so, Aang trusted them to.

It was naïve, but Aang preferred it to the alternative.

+++

The ship was huge. While not a warship, it still had plenty of places where a small, enterprising boy could get to - especially with airbending.

And then again, he was pretty sure a slightly larger enterprising boy had been in some parts of the ship beforehand. Zuko had stashes of things in nooks and crannies. Personal things, Aang discovered as he poked about in the hold and found small boxes trinkets and toys, of letters unsent, dusty and forgotten after bitterness had taken hold.

Zuko had hidden his lost childhood in every dark corner of the ship, hoping to forget.

+++

It had been too quiet too long. Neither Sokka nor Katara had slept, though they had spoken of small things, nonsense drivel, until they were bored to tears but too nervous to peek outside.

But it was Aang that drew Katara out - she loved the boy like a brother, and his absence (and the silence that was left unfilled) disconcerted her.

But no one knew his location. At least, no one could say where he'd gone. He'd been seen on every deck, but no one could say where he'd gone to next.

Frustrated, she asked to be pointed to Zuko.

+++

The Prince's chambers were on the upper deck; Katara looked at the great wheel you had to turn to open it, and instead, lifted a hand to knock. The clanging hollow noise was odd, but she stood waiting, anyway.

Zuko answered; now, he was as she remembered - all in black and edged in red, like a crusted wound. An unflattering comparison, but the Prince didn't seem to desire kind words from anyone.

"What do you want?" he asked, though the words were not harsh. He stood straight; his eyes were tired, though, and his posture forced.

"Have you seen Aang?"


+++

They made an odd looking pair; going deck to deck. Katara wore her blue Water Tribe leathers and Zuko was garbed in his black silks; a prince and a peasant down to the last stitch.

The silence between them was almost companionable; it didn't need to be filled as he opened doors, escorted her to places she didn't have the courage to go alone.

"If I were a curious Airbender with too much time on my hands, where would I go?"

"Someplace big, with lots of things to get into. Aang likes to explore."

Zuko sighed. "To the cargo hold."

+++


Aang was stuck. He was not only stuck, but he was stuck with arms full of boxes that were not his, and were definitely Zuko's. But his pants were caught on something and he couldn't get a hand back there to get them free!

One of the boxes got fumbled, its contents scattered over the floor. Even as he cursed his fingers, he heard the door to the cargo bay open. Then, he cursed his bad luck instead.

So, Aang, half-dangled from a narrow crawl-space greeted Zuko and Katara with a nervous laugh and, "Hey guys! Uh, how's it hanging?"

+++

"Snooping about?"

Aang laughed nervously; Zuko didn't seem angry, but that didn't mean anything. The boy could go from calm to firebreathing in seconds. "I didn't really mean to. I just wanted to see the place we'd be staying in!"

"Don't do it again, Avatar. You shouldn't wander. This ship is large and complex."

Aang let the excuse pass. "Okay, Zuko."

"Try and keep to the upper decks, at least?"

"Okay, Zuko."

The Prince approached, and climbed up to help get him unstuck - below them, Katara's misstep came with a crunch; one of Zuko's hidden treasures broke under her heel.

+++

Fingers found a dusty tiger, carved from jade. An expensive toy for a prince, but a toy all the same. Zuko inspected it before he extended his hands.

"The boxes, Avatar."

Aang handed them over, and the three of them cleaned up the scattered items in silence. Katara took up the broken one - a crushed Komodo - and then offered, "I could try and fix it..."

"No, it's alright. I haven't even looked at these in years. Forgot that I'd even had them."

"Still, you saved them."

"Don't worry about it."

The uncharacteristic lack of anger perturbed Waterbender and Airbender both.


+++

If Zuko was aware that he worried either of them, he didn't show it. He merely thumbed through the letters with an oddly detached look as they both watched, unconcerned that Aang had just rifled through his things.

The whole lack of upset made Aang apologize faster. "I didn't know what they were, really. I just found them..."

"It really doesn't matter. I had forgotten they existed."

"Still, I'm sorry."

Zuko looked at Aang a moment. "I said, it doesn't matter. Now, can you refrain from crawling into small places? If you get into a steam duct and get hurt..."

+++

Once Zuko left Aang and Katara to their own devices on the upper deck, Aang grabbed at Katara's arm.

"Did we do the right thing?" he asked. Every word was tense, "I mean, I thought - I thought coming back might help him, Katara. Now he just..."

"Seems like someone's snuffed the flame?" Katara offered, her voice low.

"Yeah." Katara's metaphor was too apt. "He just seems - tired all of a sudden. I wish he'd bark orders or yell again or fight with Sokka!"

Katara gave Aang a look, but could give no answers as they went back to their rooms.


+++

They were undisturbed the rest of the evening, till a soldier came to their doors to direct them to the mess for the evening meal. With apprehension, they prepared to dine.

The mess itself was lively. The captain's table was empty, however, but the officer's was not. That's where all the families grouped; men with wives, children, fiancées they had spirited away. There weren't many, but enough that Aang could understand why Zuko worried. Innocent lives on a ship that would be hunted... He didn't think that could sit well with anyone.

The trio claimed a table and ate quietly.

+++

It was hard to eat when all eyes bored into your back. At least once, every person in the room looked at them, and they ate without enjoyment. Aang picked meat from his food (which Sokka finished for him) and Katara tried not to squirm under the eyes of soldiers.

But a little while into their meal, a man approached their table, a drink in hand. This was Lt. Ji, all rough sideburns and a rare smile offered.

"May I sit with you a while?"

Sokka seemed ready to refuse, but Aang quickly interjected: "Sure!"

Two pairs of eyes glared.

+++

Ji was an affable man, for a Fire Nation soldier. He was country born and did not put on airs. His fingers were calloused, his smile came easy, and while he was a Firebender, he didn't look at Katara like she was a worm on a hook.

This didn't make him better then anyone else in the room, though.

Aang and Ji launched into easy conversation. They discussed the past, as Ji seemed eager to know more about the young Airbender. He was either a great actor or genuinely concerned.

She wondered if this could be used to their advantage.