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Chapter Text

It was thought to be common knowledge that the soul was split into two halves. In reality, one's self is split into three parts; the mind, the spirit, and the body.

Ursa knew this, which is why she knew the Blue Dragon would be her only option for saving Zuko. She did not expect the fate that befell her and she certainly did not expect to never see her boy again.

Zuko felt his chi pulsing in his ears, rushing through his veins and into his soul itself. He was certain he has not breathed in the past thirty seconds. The lightning graced his fingers, so bright he could see it past his closed eyelids. His blood coursing through his veins was all he could hear, that and a deep spiritual screaming that he could not place.

Images flashed behind his eyelids. His mother brushing his long hair out of his eyes, Azula's overly curious stare, Uncle's reassuring hand on his back, his father's hand nearing his face and-

his eyes shot open.

Unbearable pain coursed through his entire body but it was nothing new. He was used to pain. With his first inhale Zuko's arms naturally pointed outwards in a basic kata (that he could only pray to Agni it would work), the lightning still clenched in his fist, dancing over his fingers. Zuko was no fool, no matter what others beloved of him. He knew he could not contain such an element for so long. With his first exhale, his fingers stretched pointing up, up, up into the sky where the fiery bolts returned to their rolling homes and were in no danger of hurting him or his hoard. 

He had a vague feeling that somebody was calling his name, but the words did not make sense even with his good ear turned to them. His vision cleared of the spots that littered it (courtesy of the lightning) and he could not help but feel that the fishing vessel had shrunk three sizes smaller than it was when he had gotten on it. Now that it was mentioned, the boy he was with had gotten a lot smaller too. 

Was that because of the lighting?

With a growl, Zuko twitched his whiskers in confusion. 

What was going on? Why do I feel his way? Why can't I remember that boy's name? 

He could not help but feel dumbed down in the way that speaking to his father or Azula made him feel. Like they knew something that he didn't. The shouting still hadn't ceased and Zuko closed his eyes against the onslaught of the headache he knew was coming. 

Where was uncle when I needed him? His tea may actually have some worth. 

His eyelids felt impossible to open so Zuko decided not to open them.

Some things in life were that easy. Not many, but some. 

Chapter Text

"Cause sometimes you just feel tired, feel weak
And when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up
But you got to search within you, and try to find that inner strength" 

"Till I Collapse"- Eminem 

Breathe in.

Flashes of light, screaming. Is he the one screaming? His eyes hurt.

Breathe out.

He was the Fire Lord. Agni's earthly prophet who walked amongst the humans. The perfect mix between dragon and human. A true firebender, none of this tainted attempt at bending.

Breathe in.

His chest hurt, his nose stung with the bite of saltwater, his hands were trembling with the attempt to hold the lightning at bay but it was too strong... he was not prepared for this, his bending is mediocre at best he-

Breathe out.

His kingdom cheers for him, his people grinning up at him. He grins back. Nobody shies away from his fangs, his elegant horns, his slit eyes. Sokka stands next to him, a comforting presence in his weaker side where he struggles to see and hear. He's protected he's-

Breathe in.

A girl's voice shouts, "Sokka grab hold!"

He's a different shape now. Truer, more ancient. His thoughts flicker through his head like a flame, he cannot keep up. Ancient wisdom floods him but he cannot seem to quite remember who he is. Another flying beast circles him on this boat in the middle of the ocean. He growls in a warning.

Breathe out.

Sokka turns to look at him with a wide grin on his face. Red is a good color on him.

Breathe in.

Hands grabbed his face. Soft, dark hands, hands he knew. They smelled familiar. He follows but realizes he cannot fit. That's okay. He makes himself smaller.

Breathe out.

Zuko opens his mouth at the same time Sokka's eyes start bleeding, the scent of burning flesh flooding his nose. He screams.

Breathe in.

He closes his eyes even though his hoard tells him not to, a warm hand caresses his head. He licks it with a forked tongue and lets out a low rumble.

Breathe out.

His nation is falling apart. They throw flames, rocks, and insults. He is not good enough. He could never be Fire Lord, he's a monster, a failure. He could never-

He opens his eyes.

Sokka's eyes burn from the effort of staying awake.

For Zuko, he tells himself. I have to stay up for Zuko.

He dabs Zuko's face with an old cloth to pat him dry. The teenage dragon sweat through his clothes that they had put on him in Appa, prompting Sokka to remove said clothes (no he did not blush thank you very much) and alternate between cooling him down with water and patting the beading sweat dry.

He figures a bad fever is a fair price they both had to pay for going out in the storm, though he had gotten over his fever days ago.

Sokka swallowed at the thought that sat at the back of his mind for the past week like a wolf-bat. Zuko had been unconscious for eight days.

After his lifesaving lightning bending, (was that a thing?) he proceeded to shift forms from slightly- dragonic to the terrifying full dragon. Sokka itched to draw every crevice of the beautiful form, every scale, every angle.

The image of Zuko as a dragon, lightning illuminating the veins through the thin membrane of his wings and mouth open in a challenge for the whole world, a violent beauty.

A groan brought Sokka back to reality.

"Zuko? Zuko? Hey, Jerk Bender, hey-"

A feverishly hot, clawed hand caught his own and began to squeeze, bones creaking dangerously.

"Zuko!" He squeaked.

Golden eyes slit open in a glare, "why are you touching me?" The older boy ground out.

Sokka swallowed thickly, hoping he could calm the boy down before Aang and Katara got back from their supply run. The cave they had made a temporary shelter had more than worked out for their needs, mostly the 'harboring a sick and delirious firebender's needs.

"I was cooling you off," he said in his softest voice, "so you don't overheat."

"I'm a firebender," was his curt response. "I don't overheat."

Sokka eyed the scar dubiously.

"Wh-" the firebender made a move to talk before coughing a deep, hacking cough.

"Shhh, shhh," he rushed to get the waterskin. "Tilt your head back for me, please."

Surprisingly, Zuko did as he was told with no sound other than a sleepy hum. Sokka couldn't help the warmth that flooded his stomach at the thought of caring for another person. It was so easy to get caught up in feeling useless with his sister being a waterbender and his only other friend being the freakin' Avatar.

It felt nice to be needed.

He slowly dribbled the water into Zuko's mouth, supporting the back of his head so he doesn't choke.

"This is a nice dream," Zuko murmured.

Sokka was startled, accidentally pouring some water onto Zuko's scar and causing the sick boy to whimper and turn away. The Water Tribe boy cursed, quickly and gently dabbing away the water that was about to run down his long, pale neck.

"Father," the firebender whispered.

He looked around, Aang and Katara should be back soon. He had a feeling the firebender would not want his nightmares to be overheard.

"Your dad is not here, dragon boy. Don't worry."

Glassy golden eyes met his, "he's always here."

"Young man! Young man!" An older woman came running in with a white cat fast on her heels. Sokka realized that this must've been the medicine woman that had helped him when he caught his cold. Unfortunately, her frozen frog cure did not work on Zuko and she refused to even see him.

Zuko whimpered, turning away from the foreign voice. Sokka shifted in front of him ever so slightly.

"Is there an issue?"

She panted loudly, "your friends! The Avatar and that Water Tribe girl were captured! The Yuyan Archers got them!"

Zuko let out another groan, smoke flowing out of his mouth slowly. His eyes slowly found the old woman, before narrowing slightly. He had to get this shit figured out fast.

The old woman eyed Zuko with fear in her eyes, a fear that Sokka was very familiar with. He wondered when he stopped looking at Zuko with those eyes.

"The what-now archers? What're you talking about?" He questioned suspiciously.

This could be a trap, his mind told him. His instincts were telling him otherwise.

"There's a Fire Nation settlement not far from here, it harbors the Yuyan Archers. They're the most deadly archers of your time."

Sokka glanced down at Zuko, thankful that the fevered boy was only glaring and not in his setting-things-on-fire mood.

"And how do you know that Aang and Katara were captured?"

The healer was obviously fed up with all the questions, but she seemed to understand his skepticism.

She clutches her meowing cat close to her chest, "I sent them out to gather some herbs for your journey, and when they did not return I sought after them. Only arrows remained...if I had known-"

"Stop." He puts his hand up, one still resting on Zuko's bare chest. "Tell me where there were captured," he demanded calmly.

No amount of composure could calm the harsh beating of his heart, it felt like there was an icy hand wrapped around his chest, squeezing violently.

He was just a teenager...how was he supposed to break into a Fire Nation encampment?

The body under him wriggled. He glanced down.

Bingo.

The weight on his chest was comfortable, but he wished it would go back to cooling him down and patting him dry. Agni he was hot.

There was an old woman illuminated by the daylight behind her. He tried to catch her scent but could not decipher it under the assortment of other scents that flooded his nose.

He felt as if he'd run a marathon nonstop for a week and then had been run over by a badger mole. It was safe to say he didn't feel great.

The weight on his chest was talking to the old woman, hopefully making her go away. Something about the scent was...scarily familiar.
He huffed out a stream of smoke, frustration making his mouth curl in anger.

Suddenly, there were hands on him. Shaking him. He snarled weakly, he wanted them to keep stroking him like they were before!

His snarling did nothing to deter them and the hand started to lightly smack his face. This time flames escaped past his lips and the hands retreated.

Or so he thought.

Cold fingers grabbed his shoulders, roughly shaking him. He groaned weakly as nausea settled in his stomach like a cold stone.

Agni, he just wanted to sleep.

Suddenly, there's a hand thrust at his lolling head and his sensitive nose picks up on the wrong, wrong, wrong scent.

Dragonsbane!

His eyes shot open and at once he realized the person touching him was Sokka (he did not know how to process that) and the strange old woman was holding a pouch near his face. A pouch of dragonsbane. 

Scrambling back, he tried to call fire and discovered that he couldn't. Fearfully, he caught Sokka's eyes and shook his head wildly in panic.

"Stop!" The Water Tribe boy cried, shoving the old woman's hand away with a grunt. "He's awake, you don't need to keep it there."

The old woman eyed Zuko warily as he tried to recover from the shock. He still felt like he had been run over by a fire nation tank, but he was more lucid than he could remember being in a while.

"Sokka," he rasped, angry at himself for how weak his voice was, "what's going on?"

The shorter boy took a deep breath and Zuko took the time to notice the bags under his eyes and the bloodshot appearance of his usually bright blue eyes. Worry curled in his stomach like an old friend.

What had happened to my hoard while I was unconscious?

"Aang and Katara were taken," he began slowly, "by the Yuyan Archers."

Zuko's eyebrow shot up and he could imagine that even his scar managed to convey his surprise.

The Yuyan Archers...

"What are we going to do?" He blurted out before composing himself. "I mean...what're you going to do."

The Water Tribe boy grinned at him before learning close to his wide golden eyes.

"How would you like to be part of a prison break?"

Chapter Text

"Some nights you're breathing fire
Some nights you're carved in ice
Some nights you're like nothing I've ever
Seen before or will again"

- "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meatloaf 

click to see art!

The Pohuai Stronghold, one of the most defended bases outside of the Fire Nation and guarded by some of the most feared specialized fighters in the nation- the Yuan Archers.

Zuko scowled at the foreboding walls, dread coiling in his stomach. He had recently been ...conflicted over the "glory" of his nation, but breaking into a Fire Nation stronghold to capture the very being he's been sent to capture... was a lot. Sokka knew the look on his face.

"Hey, are you up to this?" The Water Tribe boy asked gently.

They were crouched in a blind spot between the guard posts, sheltering under the blanket of night. He was still recovering from his illness and the lightning-bending fiasco that he still has not allowed himself to process.

He was probably not up to this. But Zuko's not a quitter.

He nodded.

Sokka had drawn up a surprisingly good plan while Zuko had gotten dressed in a dingy somehow too small and somehow too big earth kingdom tunic and wolfed down what was left of their meager rations (though he was careful to ensure Sokka had enough for a meal).

Zuko was supposed to scale the guard post, sneak in, create a large enough distraction for Sokka to make it through the small post door unnoticed, let Sokka break his sister and the Avatar out while Zuko kept watching, and then break out together. The "breaking out" part was still under review.

Well, it wasn't a good plan, but it was simple. Zuko wasn't accustomed to thinking too far ahead anyway. He could almost hear the voice of his Uncle in the distance.

The prince was glad that the lightning blast had shocked his system (ha) enough to revert to "completely" human. He still has the dark claws, annoying teeth, and slightly pointer than normal ears...but it was a lot easier to hide than the wings, tail, and horns...even if his hair was growing back from the days of not shaving his head.

He hoped one day he would be able to control his physical changes more...for now though...

With a sigh, Zuko melted like a shadow into the night, Sokka trailing noisily behind. He fought the urge to growl at the lack of stealth in the Water Tribe boy and padded barefoot through the damp and dewy grass.

"- a real Air Bender? Can you believe it?"

Quickly crouching down low, Zuko's keen ears perked at the conservation right above them. He flatted against the wall, thankful once again for the dark cloak of night.

"-don't believe it. Thought it was just Fire Nation propaganda..."

Two separate voices...he can take them.

With a quick glance towards Sokka, he motions towards the guards' supply door and curls his toes.

Go time.

With a quick grunt, he pushes odd the ground, claws gouging into the stone wall. The sensation of his claws digging into stone did not appeal, but he grit his teeth and forced his fever-aching muscles to continue upwards. Slowly but swiftly, he scaled the wall, wishing he had his Blue Spirit Mask on him.

The guards' voices got louder as he got closer and Zuko tried to force his beating heart to calm.

(It didn't work)

"Frogs of all things? Who would've thought!"

With a quick roll of his hips, he flipped over the wall and into the guard post. If he was in a better mood, he would've smirked at their horrified expressions, but he managed an amused curl of smoke out of his mouth instead.

"Agni's rays! It's a -"

The first guard was shorter, skinnier, and never finished his sentence as Zuko's clawed hand grasped the back of his neck and slammed him into the metal post near his face, knocking him out cold. The other guard was more physically intimidating and while he winced at the sound of his friend's face colliding with the post, he didn't back down.

His stance was a little too wide and Zuko dodged his short punch and hooked a leg behind his ankle, pulling him down with a grunt of effort. The guard went down like a sack of potatoes, yelping like an injured platypus bear.

A shout alerted him of the other guards and the arrow hurtling toward his face. With his scarred side's impaired vision, it was hard to tell how close the arrow really was, but he wasn't taking any chances. He hit the floor with the second guard.

Shit, Zuko thought. He got himself too into the single-mindedness of the fight that he completely forgot how short amount of time it would take for the archers to ready their bows and realize something was up. 

He had to get to the door and let Sokka in, quick.

He closed his eyes, briefly tending his inner flame before jumping off the end of the guard post. He quickly squashed the "falling to my death" sensation in his stomach and dug his claws into the wall to slow his descent.

He had no warning as an arrow nicked the left side of his torso and embedded into the wall next to him.

Not too deep, but spirits it stung.

 With a snarl, he whipped his head over his shoulder and dropped down the rest of the way to take cover behind the supply carts that lay between him and the entrance to the holding chambers. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Sokka crack the door open.

He cracks his knuckles. It's time.

He lets the flames flow through his hands as he fights to make them as bright and distracting as possible. And it works! The contrast of the pitch darkness and his blinding flames shocks even him as he waves them around where he believes the archers to be. Sokka wisely uses the cover of his flames to dark across the courtyard and slip past the two guards that were holding their hands up to their eyes.

He's in.

His heart felt like it was beating out of his chest as he slipped through to where he hoped Aang and Katara were. It was the most imposing part of the stronghold so they should be there...right?

Sokka couldn't keep the worry for the prince out of his heart and the thought of leaving Zuko alone after being glued to his side for over a week was stressful.

What if he got hurt? What if I am too slow in getting Aang and Katara and Zuko ends up captured...or worse?

He shakes off those thoughts with a bitten off sigh, instead focusing on his worry for his sister and Aang.

They had to be okay.

Sokka flinched at the shouting and the sound of a horn being blown outside. Their plan was working. He hid unnoticed behind a weapons rack as Fire Nation soldiers streamed by, hearing the horn and assuming their battle stations outside.

All clear.

He gripped his club close to his chest and tried to make it down the main hallway as silently as possible. The dark metal and eerily lit passages set his teeth on edge, but not as much as the shouting and commotion that he could hear even as he descended into what he hoped were the prison barracks. He encountered no Fire Nation soldiers along the way and vowed to give Zuko the biggest ration of seal jerky that he could manage when they were all safe.

A familiar voice filtered from the end of the hallway and had him grinning. "-worry Katara, Sokka will come for us! I have a good feeling. The monks always taught us that when there's no hope there's-"

"Sokka!" He burst through the door, finishing Aang's sentence.

The faces of his best friend and sister were ones that he etched into his memory forever, even if they were both covered in chains.

"Sokka!" They both cried out in relief.

He was so thankful to see their faces that he didn't even notice the door closing until it was too late.

"Perfect," a vile voice crept into the cell, "this should get the prince for sure."

Zuko's vision was hazy as were his thoughts.

Was this a dream?

He clawed clumsily at a soldier, catching them on the side of the head and sending them to the ground. At one point, this strength would've horrified him, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He had orders to fulfill and he was doing them.

He was too in his head to notice the retreating of the soldiers, just punching out fire blast after fire blast and panting heavily.

"Prince Zuko!"

The voice had him whirling around in fear, he felt like somebody had dumped him into the ice caps of the Southern Water Tribe.

It couldn't be...

but only one voice is that irritating to him.

Zhao.

"Lovely to see you here," the commander descended the stairs with a tightness to his body that he doesn't usually carry. Zuko hoped he was still recovering from their last encounter.

He drew upon all of his royals manners and straightened his back, tilting his chin up with an aura of grace.

"Commander Zhao," he rasped. "What're you doing here?"

The older man laughed, wiping away a fake tear before he began to circle Zuko. "How hilarious! Your father's sense of humor seems to be the only thing you inherited."

The young prince flinched.

"But I could ask you the same!" He continued. "And by the way, it's Admiral Zhao...your uncle was here for my promotion but I suppose you were too busy infiltrating my fortress. I could only guess why..."

At the mention of his uncle, Zuko started to glance frantically around, but all that greeted him were faceless Fire Nation soldiers and the drawn-back bows of the Yuyan.

"Your little distraction with the Water Tribe peasant was futile, of course. He sits in chains as we speak."

Zuko summoned fire, wishing that now more than ever he had his wings.

C'mon wings...go! Fly!

How did this spirit blessing work again?

The commander, no admiral, continued on and Zuko's inner turmoil went unnoticed.

"I do wonder what has happened that has swayed you traitor, young prince."

He laughed as Zuko bristled.

"Calling fire...for a mere peasant! You see, I did some reading in a fascinating library long ago. All to better the Fire Nation of course, so I read up on some history. That history included dragons."

Zuko's fire spluttered out as Zhao's circles got tighter and tighter, circling him as a leopard- shark did.

He found himself listening against his wishes.

"Your history is very complicated Zuko. One I was...unaware of until recently. With your Agni-blessed gift, I believe you have the power to win this war."

The prince scoffed, curling into a more defensive stance.

"Your father does too."

Sokka grunted with effort as he tried to escape the cold chains that held him, but it was futile.

He failed.

He voiced his thoughts aloud and was met with rebuttals.

"You haven't failed Sokka! You're here aren't you?"

"Doing what?" He angrily pulled on his chains. "I didn't think ahead and I fell into this stupid trap. I've done nothing and now Zuko is going to pay."

Katara's eyes sharpened at the firebender's name, "what do you mean?" She asked skeptically. "Last time I saw him he was being coddled to death by you and you wouldn't leave his side."

Sokka blushed, sisters.

He opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by the sound of metal screeching...the door was open.

"If you want to help my nephew, then I suggest we hurry."

"Father...wants me back?"

The words felt like ash on his tongue but they were pouring out of his mouth before he could stop them. His royal mannerisms slipped and Zhao knew it.

"'Wants' is a strong term...but seeing your deeply hidden usefulness is definitely true. He knew his son was blessed by Agni, but when I reported back to him he was astonished. Granted, you grew up amongst your banished crew and primal outsiders, so your Royal training and official fire bending training had to be put on hold...however..."

"No, Prince Zuko! It's a trap!"

The achingly familiar voice had him whirling in place, flames completely extinguishing from his palms.

"Uncle!"

Zhao interrupted them before they could get any further, "General Iroh, I urge you to keep your silence as I talk to your nephew. You know what you agreed to."

Zuko dubiously looked between the two of them, the lack of distance between them and...was that shame on his Uncle's face? It was the look he held when he admitted to killing the last dragon and earning his title.

Yeah, that hurt.

With guards circling him and his Uncle and Zhao in front of him, there was no way out unless he managed to scale the wall quick enough, and with those archers, he wouldn't stand a chance.

"Hey, looking for me?" A young voice had him tilting his head to the sky, confusing marring his features. It couldn't be...Zhao said...

"The Avatar!" A sentry called.

Zhao's voice sounded a moment later and chaos ensued, "ready your bows!"

The uproar gave Zuko the perfect cover to-

"Prince Zuko," his Uncle's voice rang clear through the bustle and he couldn't even form a sentence even if his life depended on it.

Was Uncle mad at me? He sided with Zhao what if...

"Blending into the shadows and taking advantage of the chaos around you. You've learned well, Nephew," Uncle grabbed hold of his clawed hand, not even flinching at the very claws that used to tear metal in The Wani like it was paper. "Now, run!"

They dodged soldiers' fire blasts like it was second nature to them as they both took advantage of the Avatar's distraction and the older firebender led him back into what looked to be a janitor's closet. A familiar face greeted him.

"Sokka!" The first words out of his mouth in a while and he was greeted with the fog lifting from his thoughts.

Sokka was here, everything is normal now.

"Zuko!" Sokka threw his arms over him with a grin, "thank La you're okay!"

His Uncle seemed to realize the clarity that washed over him and looked into his eyes with a heartwarming tenderness.

"You kids need to get out, now." He spoke to the three of them.

The Water Tribe girl (Katara, her name was Katara) bristled, "not without Aang!"

His uncle chuckled, "no, no of course not! He's out there right now doing as we planned. I fear there are too many guards stationed at the side door, so your best option is the front. Sometimes the only way you can get out in life, is through."

"But won't you come with us?" Zuko blurted before he could stop himself.

His uncle chuckled sadly, "I fear I may have gotten myself into the spider-fly web, my son, and I cannot get out as easily as you. I made a deal with Zhao and I intend to keep it."

Zuko growled at the mention of Zhao and his frustration grew with his uncle.

"What deal?"

An explosion rocked them on their feet and Sokka and Katara both gasped, "Aang!"

"Go now!" Iroh ushered them three out the door, "but wait," he caught Zuko's wrist, "there's one more thing you need to do. I'm sorry to ask but, Zhao will have questions and I need to keep his trust for the time being. You need to scratch me." He brings his hand up to his cheek, "here. So he thinks we fought and you overpowered me."

Zuko wretches his hand out of his uncle's grasp. "No! You're leaving me again and- and no! I will not harm you!"

He felt betrayed- betrayed and confused. Nothing made sense. He was still recovering from the spirit-damned ship ride with Sokka, his supposed eight-day sickness afterward, and now he was just tired and wanted to go home. 

His mother, gently filing his nails down with a pinched smile. 

His uncle gave him a harsh look and he shivered under the intensity of an authority figure's disappointment. 

"You have to do this, Prince Zuko," Uncle was the only person that said the title with meaning, "or else you may endanger those you care about." He shot Sokka a pointed glance and Zuko's throat tightened. He had to trust Uncle. He may not know what his plan was, but if anything about their time apart stayed with him...it was that he trusted him wholly. 

"Okay," he glanced at Sokka and Katara, "help the Ava- find Aang and go. I'll make it out on my own." 

"But Zuko-" 

"Go!" 

His snarling and fangs had his desired effect and Sokka and his sister were flinching back before disappearing. His self-loathing grew. 

"Uncle, before I go, what do you want me to do? I need your advice. My destiny is to-" 

"Zuko." 

The younger bender halted his frantic rambling, his uncle rarely dropped his title unless he was serious. 

"You have much growing to do," Zuko opened his mouth to protest, "and I don't mean physically. Agni knows you're already going to be the tallest Fire Lord in history, my not-so-little drake. Make sure you eat when your bones ache and your teeth itch, enjoy your tea, and search for the true purpose behind your bending. Now, quick, before Zhao finds us!" 

Zuko's gasped, he believes I could be Fire Lord one day...

His uncle seemed shorter than the last time he saw him, somehow dimmer. It made Zuko uncomfortable. If there was one thing he understood, it was orders. He flexed his talons and looked down at his uncle with tears in his eyes. 

 This seemed too much like a goodbye

I...can't...I cannot harm Uncle, his breath began to wheeze. 

"Fat old traitor who cannot even grasp the power he's losing for us! Find me the Dragon of the West!" 

Zuko's slit eyes narrowed even further and he had no time to open his mouth before Zhao himself was opening the door to the closet they were in. They all looked comical with their eyes open in shock and Zuko's claw suspended mid-air. 

Do it, Prince! An eerily familiar voice hissed in his head. 

He brought his claw down onto his uncle's cheek with a stifled gasp, eyes closed and fangs buried in his bottom lip. 

He was bursting through the door like the Spirit of Chaos himself was on his tail. 

Can't look back...can't see Uncle. Failure, you hurt everyone you love. 

The voice sounded scarily like his father. 

His vision became blurry with tears and his feet barely touched the floor of the halls in their haste to take him away from that awful moment. He could smell the blood of his uncle in the air. He didn't think he could ever eat meat again. 

As the voices became louder, he became more clear of the situation. Firebenders surrounded the trio with flames cautiously cradled in their open palms, they didn't attack outright and the smoldering ruins around them seemed to reflect their past failures...air only fans the flames.

Thankfully, the trio or the guards haven't caught on to his position but Zhao was bound to be on his tail. 

Somehow the archers had yet to fire and Zuko's brow furrowed as he wondered why before realizing. 

The Avatar was in front of Sokka and Katara, protecting them from the arrows. They're not shooting to kill, Father wants him alive. 

He had an idea. 

With fire pouring from his mouth, he pushed his tired body further into action, flipping over the guards circling the trio and breathing fire and smoke into the air. 

He wanted all eyes on him for this. 

He snarled, trying to force his frame to be as imposing as possible and making a show of showing his teeth. 

This was a show and they were going to buy into it. He could only pray to the spirits that the others would catch on or his father would be receiving more than the Avatar. 

"The Avatar is mine!" He clicked his teeth, dramatically waving his claws around and relishing in the shocked looks of the guards. He stood in front of Sokka and his sister, heavy claws landing on the Avatar's bare shoulders and holding him close to his chest. 

"Cease fire!" 

Zhao erupted into the chaos, sweat beading on his brow. 

Old man can't keep up, Zuko smirked internally. Or so he thought. The gasps and murmurs of the crowd had him thinking that he might've shown off his fangs. 

"The Avatar is needed alive," Zhao spat. More guards slowly backed away.
 
Zuko blew out a stream of warning flame, his plan was working! 

"What do you think you're doing?" Sokka's sister (Katara, Zuko, her name is Katara) angrily raised her hands up in a bending stance before remembering that her waterskin was emptied when they were captured. 

The Avatar shook against him and Zuko dragged his claws slowly across his thin neck, tongue flickering out dangerously. 

The soldiers watched with disgust and Zuko tried not to hurl.  

"Let us leave!" He boomed across the courtyard. 

Zuko could swear that he saw a vein in Zhao's head pulse as he started to drag the Avatar out, attempting to ignore as his struggles became more and more frantic. He hadn't started bending, so either he knows Zuko's plan or he was too scared to. Zuko didn't know which one he would prefer. 

The archers' eyes shined through the darkness as the glints from the tips of their arrows followed them back to the door. 

They finally reached the door in what felt like hours but had to have been mere seconds. His frame was shaking his nervous energy. 

Please work, please work, please work... 

"Open the door." Zhao's voice was hard to hear even with Zuko's acute hearing, but his guards were jumping to follow his order. 

There was still no sign of Uncle. 

Thin, warm skin splits under his claws as he bites his tongue to keep from hurling. 

The groan of the door opening had Zuko jumping slightly, but he tried his best to remain threatening as he hovered his fangs over the young airbender's artery. He felt the air nomad wince as drool ran down his neck and Zuko tried hard not to blush.

"Royalty" 

"Let the bastard prince go," the commander ordered, "or he'll sink his fangs into the Fire Lord's prey." 

At the mention of prey, Zuko snarled, but he eyed Sokka and Katara and with a shared nod they began to back up to the forest. 

The grass was cold under his feet and he flinched but did not take his eyes of Zhao. Big mistake. He didn't see the arrow until it buried itself into his right shoulder. 

The Yuyan Archers never miss.

The last thing he saw was the Avatar's concerned doe eyes and the trees that rushed to fill his vision as he fell back.

The Blue Dragon curled around the wounded soul of the young bender, growling.

  So ignorant. 

 Fang let out an amused chuff. 

Chapter Text

"Well the way I fell is the way I write
It isn't like the thoughts of the man who lies
There is a truth and it's on our side
Dawn is coming
Open your eyes
Look into the sun as the new days rise"

- Stay Alive by José González

Zuko's eyes slowly peeled open, his throat burning.

"Wha-" his voice gave out.

As he opened his eyes, his vision was assaulted with brilliant colors that he didn't even know existed. His injured eye struggled to cope with the sheer vibrancy of it all.

"My little Tatsu," a warm voice called.

He struggled to turn his head while still crouching on the ground, but he eventually made eye contact with eyes that were exactly like his.

"Fang!" He called, struggling to push himself up on shaking arms. He was filled with a certain lightheadedness and weakness that was unlike anything he had ever felt before. 

"What happened to me?" He rasped. 

The large dragon hummed at his question, his large neck dipping down to greet him. "You were nearly killed by an arrow. Not your best moment."

Zuko snarled a little, baring much smaller fangs at the dragon.

The beast chuckled in response, "it's okay, it happens to us all." He lifted a wing to show a waxy scar on his ribs, where scales refused to grow back. "This happened to me when I was a mere one hundred summers old. I got cocky and it made me slow. I notice that happens to you as well."

Zuko had an internal battle of emotions. The scar was hard to look at and had his fingers itching to brush his own but the insult to him had him fuming. 

Neither issues were at the forefront of his mind though. 

"Is he-"

"Your hoard is fine, little sun. Though you do not make things easy on yourself...a Water Tribe boy in your hoard," Fang chortled, "scandalous!" 

Zuko blushed and Fang's whiskers twitched.

Another voice joined the conversation from behind Zuko, startling him. "Fang, we have a time limit."

The Blue Dragon had smoke curling from her open maw, hungry eyes on Zuko. "You're just full of pain and conflict. It's delicious," she hissed.

Fang's voice rumbled from behind him, "Spirit, this is not what we brought him here for today."

"Where is here!?" Zuko stressed, it felt like they were ignoring him.

 (They were.) 

The Blue Dragon sat on her haunches, somehow making the motion threatening. "Where else do you think we reside, idiot? The Spirit World of course."

"And then he blew fire at everybody with his mouth! I didn't even know firebenders could do that! Hey Katara, do you think I can learn to do what when I learn firebending someday? Do you think Zuko can teach me? I guess I haven't mastered waterbending yet but-"

"Aang!" Katara yelled. At his wide eyes, she softened, "let's just...get back to Appa. We got back the supplies we collected and we're ready to continue with...with Zuko I guess."

The warm weight on Sokka's back twitched are the same time the vein in his forehead did. "I guess?! Were you not there when he rescued everybody and left his uncle? Because I was and obviously Aang was, so I guess it's good that we're "allowing" him to come-"

"Guys," Aang cut off what could've been his sister's biggest shout if the night, "this tension is not good for the spirit. Let's just all go back to Appa, pack up camp, and get moving before Zhao decides to follow us."

Sokka was still bristling with anger, but he nodded. Katara did the same.

"If we make it that far," she muttered under her breath.

Sokka's hold on the warm firebender over his shoulder tightened and he snarled, "what gives? You're one of the most compassionate people I know, except when it comes to Zuko! He's a person too, you know. A person with a whole arrow sticking out of his shoulder right now! His blood is dripping down my back, but just because he's a dragon or-"

"I don't care that he's a dragon or whatever! I care about that sunless skin and gold eyes! Their people killed our mother! It's like you completely forgot!"

Her face was red with exertion and tears shined in her eyes but he was too upset about the mention of their mother to care. Aang's face was pinched tight. He hated when they fought.

"Forgot?!" He screeched. "You think I could forget a day like that? The fact that we both grew up without our mom. Katara, I can't even remember her face." He clutched Zuko tighter, hoping that his dead weight could offer some form of consolation. "Maybe I have forgotten," he said quietly. "I'm going to patch Zuko up. Don't wait up."

Appa groaned quietly as he approached and Sokka could barely stop the tears from falling. He gently set the heavy boy on the ground next to his sleeping bag and pressed his hands to his eyes to relieve the stress. 

Zuko's paler-than-usual face had his heart clenching with worry. It seemed like the boy was a magnet for the worst possible attention. From Zhao to his hands being crushed by Jet and his gang of Freedom Fighters, they could use a break.

"Okay, big guy," Sokka muttered as he pulled out bandages from his bag, "let's get you patched up." 

"Time you learn your story, Zuko."

Zuko watched as Fang and The Blue Dragon spat fire, both flames meeting in the middle in a crescendo of rainbow flames. And through the flames, he saw.

He saw everything.

His mother crying out in pain as she holds her bedsheets, the healers shaking their heads, and then himself as a baby.

"Stillborn," the head healer announces. His mother cries while his father watches disappointedly, no doubt unable to mourn the death of a son who never lived.

Confusion seeped its way through Zuko (obviously he wasn't dead) as a new person appeared in the medical room, golden in brilliant beauty. It was difficult to comprehend the person's form but. No, not hard. Impossible. But somehow he knew...

"Agni!" One of the healers gasped, taking the most formal of bows, and knelt with their forehead on the ground. Ironically, it was the same pose that Zuko graced his father with before he was punished.

His father bowed too, a rare sight. His mother just trembled on the bed.

"Ursa," his father hissed, "show your respect!"

Zuko bristled but from his place frozen, he could not move, only observe.

Agni chuckled, a sound of sun flares and summer days.

"Nonsense, she has just given birth to one of mine."

Everybody in the small medical room glanced around each other with wide eyes, unsure about what punishment they may receive if they inform the great spirit Agni that the child was dead.

His mother was the one who broke the silence, still clutching his tiny, purple lifeless body to her chest. "He didn't make it," she said mournfully. "My baby, Zuko, didn't make it. I prayed to you!"

Agni's form shifted closer and Zuko was stunned to see that their attributes were very similar to Zuko's with slit eyes, splattered golden scales, sweeping horns, and golden wings and tail with jewelry adoring their figure. They were enchanting. He peered at baby Zuko's purple toes, limp and without life. His small mouth lay slack in a silent scream.

"Zuko," Angi murmured, hand reaching to brush Zuko's forehead. Even as a baby his hair was wild. "Meaning 'honor.' A strong name. Perfect."

Ursa's eyes reflected Agni's great light as he fit his whole palm around her dead child. The room filled with a great light and as soon as it started, it ended. The light faded, leaving only Zuko's shrill crying in its wake and an empty space where Agni stood.

"Zuko!" His mother cried, "oh my Zuko!"

His father slowly rose from the ground, followed by the healers and palace guards.

"My Lord, wha-"

"Not a word of this outside of this room or you'll all be killed, along with your families." His father calmly brushed the nonexistent dirt from his robes.

The vision faded, voices going in and out as if he were listening underwater. He has suspicions that Fang and Spirit were wary of him knowing the whole truth about himself.

The scene sharpens and Zuko's eyes adjust to an ancient tree with a twisting force of energy inside.

His heart nearly stops. He somehow knows. 

"Vaatu," he breathes.

Sokka's eyes were drooping as he tightened the bandages water-tight around Zuko's chest. He glared halfheartedly at Katara and Aang as they snoozed at the front of Appa's saddle. The clouds reflected the light of the half-moon, causing Sokka to look up with interest. He wanted to be up when Zuko woke up, but he was struggling to fight off the grasp of sleep.

That was before Zuko suddenly caught fire. Like, all of him.

"What the fuck!?" He screeched, scooting backward as fast as he could in the saddle.

Aang and Katara groggily woke up, rubbing their eyes as Mono flew around their heads in panic. The flames surrounding Zuko's form were blinding, streams of red, blue, green, and purple- all colors dancing around him.

He gasped as he realized they were uncomfortably close to his sprawled-out foot, but when he wrenched his foot back he realized that the flames weren't burning him, just warm.

"Sokka get back!" His sister grabbed him by the shoulders, readying her waterskin.

"Wait, Katara," he held up his hand, "they're not hot, I think-"

"Aang!" Zuko's voice interrupted them as the flames died out, causing everybody to look at him with wide eyes. "Good to see you again!"

The airbender put his staff down warily with something like recognition in his eyes.

"Fang, that really is you?" He asked in a voice that was layered with another, which didn't make sense because he wasn't in the Avatar state...

"Yes," the thing inside of Zuko which most definitely wasn't Zuko, wasn't Spirit, but was apparently a creature named 'Fang' answered Aang with a smile on his face. The firebender tried to get up but was hindered by his injury, which caused him to look down at his shoulder with a detached frown. 

Sokka was still trying to recover from the sight of the Tui blessed smile on Zuko's face.

"Stupid, Tatsu," Fang muttered affectionately. Bright golden eyes suddenly bore into Sokka's. "You must be his hoard!"

Katara's voice was comical as she shrieked, "his what?!"

"Uhh, long story, Kat..." he sheepishly smiled at her, their fight from earlier nearly completely erased from both of their heads. "I'll tell you later, I promise." 

"Aang who is this? How do you know...Fang?" Katara asked. 

"This is Avatar Roku's spirit guide! Like Appa is mine! He was a dragon!" Aang's bright eyes suddenly dimmed, "remember when he almost hurt you Sokka and I went into the Avatar state? That was Roku, reprimanding Fang. But Fang...how are you here?" 

Zuko, no Fang, was blushing with embarrassment, and oh wasn't that an interesting expression on Zuko. "That question has a long answer, Avatar Aang. Though I do recall Avatar Roku scolding me." He frowned, "though it is not my fault. My charge was the one in control. I hope that Avatar Roku is not upset with me?" 

Aang shook his head, "No! He was...scared I think? But maybe I can meditate and you guys can talk it out?" 

Fang smiled once again, "thank you, Avatar Aang, but my time here is limited. As to answer you question from earlier, I cannot tell you everything but you should know I am a part of Prince Zuko's spirit." 

"A part? So like...half?" Katara asked dubiously.

Fang shook his head, loose hair falling out of his ponytail as he did it. "Not quite half," he admits.

"Where's Zuko now?" Sokka tried to ask nicely, but he was so tired and his worry was eating him from the inside. He had kept quiet enough, it was a new record! 

Fang smiled with a flash of his scarily sharp canines, "can't you sense him?"

"Sense him?" Sokka snorted, "you must have me confused with the other Avatar over there. He's all spiritual-y, not me," he waves his hands around. "I'm not a bender or anything either just...just a plan guy."

Fang's warm clawed hand covered his from where he had laid them over his tucked legs.

"I know that my charge would not just pick 'some guy','" Fang smiles softly. "Try. Close your eyes. Think of Zuko."

He frowns, he's sure this isn't gonna work but...hey, when an ancient dragon of a previous version of your best friend suggests you try something...you do it.

"Okay," he closes his eyes, "angry ponytail jerk...go!"

He heard snickers from all three present and smiled before taking his task more seriously. 

Think of Zuko.

Unnaturally warm skin, indescribable eyes, a firm weight holding him down, a hot tongue lapping blood from his wrists, a bashful smile as he gave him the journal he was eyeing at the market, and his dangerous silhouette outlined by the lightning he held in between his long, thin fingers. 

"Ah!" He hissed between his teeth as a throb of pain erupted in his temples. "Angry ponytail jerk is...hurting?" He cracked an eye open before shaking his head and closing them again. "No," he rolled the word in his mouth and massaged his temples. "No...he's...he's- oh my spirits!"

A dark, writhing creature in front of him, trapped inside an ancient tree. Unfathomable emotion washes over him in waves as he trembles, unmoving, suffocating-

"Sokka!" Katara's concerned blue eyes greeted him as he came back to reality.

"Are you okay?" Aang's head poked into his vision.

He nodded vaguely, looking at Fang for assistance. He had to give him some information on what in La's name just happened.

"Congratulations, Sokka," Fang pulled his legs under him to sit in a lotus pose, "you've just made your first journey to the spirit world."

Whispers, dangerous whispers filled his mind with untold powers, riches, everything.

Everything could happen.

Chaos.

The Blue Dragon grins.

"How can he even get to the spirit world?" Katara demanded, obviously uncomfortable with the danger he had just put himself in," he's not..."

Sokka rolled his eyes even though he knew she had good intentions and was questioning the fact himself, "not what Katara? A bender, the Avatar?"

Fang cut off the would-be argument with a patient smile. "All humans, benders and non-benders alike, can reach the spirit world with the right connections and willpower. I made a deal with Spirit, as you know her, to gain control of Zuko's body and test your connection to Zuko. Usually, she gets access to his mind, and me his body, but we had to measure your bond. You two must be very close for you to reach him all the way in the spirit world."

"Wait...you know Spirit? Crazy, possessive, blue," he flapped his hands, "dragon-y. She flew me around while we looked for Aang and Katara when Jet went crazy and made that deal with Zhao."

Fang's nose twitched.

"Yes?"

"And you are both in Zuko's head? La, no wonder the jerkbender's crazy. He's got two elemental creatures sittin' in his noggin!"

Katara's lips twitched at that and Sokka knew, for sure, that they'd be okay.

Something was still bothering him though...

"Not to mention what I saw in there! It was this...this tree, with...a thing inside of it, like a giant evil kite."

Fang's amused face twisted to that of shock, "what? A tree?"

He closed his eyes and a familiar frown marred Zuko's features. "Spirit is up to something. She should've never taken Zuko to see him, to see Vaatu."

Aang gasped, clutching Momo with shaking hands, "Vaatu? It can't be!"

"Zuko!" A voice in the distance calls, "not like this!"

The being in front glows brightly with anger and pulses with energy. It's beautiful.

He reaches out a hand.

"No!" A snarl from behind ripped him away from his deadly trance.

He's thrust back into his body with a gasp, 3 pairs of eyes (4 including Momo) watching him attentively, and a stomach-clenching sensation of being hundreds of feet in the air.

"Fang?" Aang asks dubiously.

"No, this is Zuko," Sokka affirms before shuffling closer. The presence of three people nearly on top of him has him sweating a little under the pressure, but with a glance around, he's happy (he's never happy) to see that they were on Appa.

Uncle...

"What...happened?" Agni, he was sick of asking that.

Surprisingly, Katara answered, "we escaped, uh thanks, packed up camp, and took off on Appa. We need to put as much space between us and Zhao as we can. "

Zuko nodded, that made sense. Something else didn't make sense though..."Thanks?" Zuko frowned, "for what?"

"Hey, look I'm trying here I don't need you being all cocky-"

"Katara!" Sokka looked like he was trying hard not to laugh, "he's got the social skills of a penguin seal...he meant that."

Zuko bristled, smoke curling out of his nose, "I do not-!"

"Zuko! Have you ever been penguin sledding?"

Zuko's outburst fizzled out.

"Uh. No?"

Aang jumped in the air, airbending his way on Appa's head, "we have to take you! It's so much fun! See, when I tried it, I wasn't that good, but Katara helped me and then we sled down to a Fire Nation ship and-"

"You tracked Aang and grabbed him through the ice. Scaring the shit out of Katara and me." Sokka finished with a straight grin.

Aang sniffed, "hey, language!" 

Zuko blinked.

"Uhm, sorry for scaring you?" He rasped.

He tried to sit up to give a formal bow of apology but the small gash in his side and the hole in his shoulder had him gasping. 

Right. Arrow. In my shoulder. 

He groaned, leaning back with a huff.

"It's...okay," Katara admitted, sharing a look with Sokka. "As long as you don't tie me to a tree or do whatever you did with Sokka again or try to capture Aang-"

"Capturing the Avatar is my destiny!" Zuko snapped. "I need him to regain my honor."

Sokka sighed and somehow the disappointment in it stung Zuko more heavily.

"What you need right now is a real healer, you had a pointy stick sticking out of your chest. Get it? Sticking!" 

The moroseness of moments before left Zuko and was quickly replaced with annoyance. "I can't believe you," he muttered.

"Zuko," Aang  was practically vibrating, "how was the spirit world?"

Zuko was startled, how did they know?

"Yeah," Sokka ventured, "while you were gone...we talked to Fang?"

Aang whooped. "Did you know that Fang was Avatar Roku's spirit companion, so if you think of it-"

Zuko's eyes twitched, "I'm not a pet!" He screeched.

Katara huffed, "so like what's with this 'hoard' thing with my brother because he's not a pet either."

Zuko and Sokka both flushed at that before shrieking over each other.

"I'm not-"

"He's not-"

She and Aang cackled under the moon and were both met with twin glares from the two older boys.

"This is betrayal," Sokka sniffed.

"Agreed," Zuko nodded with the straightest face he could manage.

Sokka gasped, eyes going impossibly wide. "Did you-did Zuko just make a joke? He did, didn't he, oh we're gonna be unstoppable!" He pumped his fists into the night air while Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Just because we're bound doesn't mean anything," Zuko insisted.

Aang and Katara backed off once they realized Sokka wasn't in any real danger and talked quietly at the front of the saddle.

"So," Sokka rubbed the back of his head, "did you learn anything about the bond? In the spirit world, I mean?" 

Zuko nodded, opening his mouth to talk but was interrupted by his own large yawn. 

"Oh right!" Sokka fretted over Zuko, "you're injured. Get some rest, we can talk tomorrow morning." 

The firebender was seconds away from a protest when a hand pressing him down had him gasping in pain. 

"Sorry," Sokka didn't look too sorry, "but I figured you were seconds away from screaming your head off about being 'weak'." 

The concern had him feeling warm inside and he squashed the feeling before he could delve into it any further. 

"Fine." Zuko related. "We will talk tomorrow." 

He turned over on his scarred side, exposing his good eye and ear to the air so he could hear and see any danger that might present itself. He did not expect Sokka's firm body to slide up behind him. Zuko's eyes shot open.

"What're you-" 

"Shh!" The Water Tribe boy shushed him and kicked him in the back, "it's like two degrees up here and you're warm. Suck it up. You'll wake the two lovebirds up." 

Zuko rolled his eyes, but the presence behind him wasn't as invasive as he had feared. It was actually..nice. 

"Fine," he relented for the second time that night. 

A new record. 

Tui watched the two boys with a fond glint in her eye. They curled around each other, facing each other in a position that would surely be the subject of embarrassment come Agni's rise. For now, she let her light shine a little brighter to help guide the bison on his journey of getting the most important children in the world to safety. The sky bison groaned his thanks as she glowed. 

Chapter Text

"You understand, they got a plan for us
I bet you didn't know that I was dangerous
It must be fate, I found a place for us

I bet you didn't know someone could love you this much"

- Dangerous by Big Data 

At the first show of Agni's light, Zuko was awake.

He felt the slow rocking of the sky beast as it kicked its legs up in the sky. Usually, when he woke he joined Uncle for early morning meditation and prayers to Agni, they ate a light breakfast with tea, practiced basic katas (not advanced ones to Zuko's displeasure), and resumed Zuko's hunt for the Avatar.

Here he was, Avatar in grabbing distance and sleeping soundly at the front of the saddle while a tribesman drooled on the back of his neck. But no, he was on his way to the Northern Water Tribe to find out what he is.

His past couple of weeks had been an absolute terror.

Capturing and losing the Avatar, biting his crewman on The Wani, beating Zhao in the Agni Kai, being infected with dragonsbane, Sokka stumbling into his hut at Kyoshi Island, Uncle using dragonsbane on him, meeting Aaida, being imprisoned by Zhao, escaping and rescuing Aaida, the pirates, being imprisoned (again) by the Freedom Fighters, being rescued by Sokka, seeing Zhao again, meeting Fang and Spirit, seeing Uncle with Zhao, getting on the boat with Sokka, bending lightning, rescuing the Avatar from Zhao's clutches...

"Hey, Fangy, are you thinking over there because I think I see steam coming out of your ears," Sokkam mumbled against the back of his neck.

Smoke curled out of his mouth as Zuko snarled, elbowing Sokka in the stomach and sitting up with a groan. His shoulder had bled through the bandages but it seemed to have stopped bleeding for now.

Of all the people he could have bit and bonded with it had to be a Water Tribesman with the manners of a six-year-old.

"Ow!" The boy behind him whined before sitting up as well, "aren't you supposed to protect me? I am your hoard after all."

Zuko wanted to wipe the smug look off of the boy's face with his claws, "don't sound too happy about it," he snarled, "it just means you have to put in more work to feed and care for me!"

The shorter boy shrugged, "hey, all I'm saying is that I managed to tame a dragon when nobody else has."

"That's because all of the dragons are dead, you fucking-"

Sokka diffused into giggles as he wiped a stray tear from his eye, "I'm just riling you up, Fangy, La you're wound tighter than Katara."

"Hey!" Katara's bedhead rose to greet them, "I'm not wound tight!" She shoved Aang's shoulder, "Aang! Am I wound tightly? Am I?!"

Sokka quietly snickered at Aang's wide-eyed expression and Zuko let out an amused curl of smoke.

"Well..."

As they landed she was still shouting.

Sokka had to admit, he hadn't expected Zuko's assimilation into what he referred to as "Team Avatar" to go as smoothly as it was going.

Though to be fair, his expectations ranged from a dragon the size of Appa carrying Aang away in it's talons to Katara getting well-deserved revenge on Zuko for taking their mother's necklace.

Currently, the mission "Get Everybody to Like Zuko" was somewhat of a success.

Zuko and Katara were currently dueling with Aang attempting to moderate, but Sokka didn't really see the big deal.

"It's my necklace!" Katara screamed, water dangerously whipping around her.

The Fire Prince snarled, stomping his clawed toes, "it's my hoard!"

Aang separated them with a gentle gust of wind in each of their directions. "Zuko, Katara, what if you shared the necklace? Let's say, Katara wears it one day and Zuko, you wear it the next?"

"I don't want to wear the dumb necklace!" Zuko seethed, "it's my hoard!"

"I don't even know what that means!" Katara was nearly pulling her hair out and Sokka had to admit, Zuko was almost as good at pushing her buttons as Sokka was.

Almost.

Sokka's fishing wasn't going that well, considering Aang had stolen the rest of his fishing line to make Katara a new necklace. Poor kid had it bad. His spearfishing was going about as badly as Aang's attempts to diffuse the situation that is Katara and Zuko's fury.

Aang smiled, "how about we talk about that? Dragons are possessive creatures, whether it's over territory, food, or even people!"

Sokka flushed with embarrassment as he felt his sister's eyes burning a hole into the back of his head.

Nothing to see here, Katara. Just fishing. Somebody had to get food before they starved, especially with Zuko's dragon appetite taken into consideration.

"But how can my necklace be a part of his hoard? It doesn't have any meaning to him!"

Zuko snarled and kicked a rock in anger and it flew a little too close to Sokka's ear.

He yelped, "hey!"

Aang began talking before Sokka could rip the Prince a new one. "A dragon's hoard doesn't always need to have a connection to them. It's a call in their chi that draws them to it, they can feel other peoples' emotional connections to the object. It's your mother's necklace, which means he can feel the love you have for it and wants to protect it! It might even be the same thing that attracted him to Sokka."

All three teens stared at Aang in bewilderment. Obviously, Zuko hadn't known the ins and outs of having a hoard and was just as surprised to hear the explanation as the siblings were.

Katara was the first to talk, her necklace clutched in her palm. The ribbon had been ripped from when Zuko had sliced through it at the event that Sokka referred to as 'Roku's Island Disaster'. "Aang...how do you know this? The dragons have been extinct for years now and even 100 years ago they were reclusive creatures."

Aang looked just as puzzled as everybody else, "I don't really know? I guess when I went to sleep last night, Roku must've given me information that he thought would be helpful." He twirled his staff before plopping gracefully down on the ground.

Zuko turned away from the two of them before marching over to Sokka. "Whatever," he muttered, "I'm hungry and somebody can't catch us breakfast. Isn't that all you have to do in the Southern Water Tribe? Fish?"

Once again, the screaming match started before being interrupted by an actual cry of terror followed by the deep growl of a large creature.

"Help! Help!"

The four of them were immediately on their feet, running toward the sound of the commotion. Sokka could feel Zuko's growl from beside him and he put a comforting hand on the other boy's shoulder. He could pass for completely human as of now with no wings, tail, scales, or even horns in sight. Sure his fangs and claws were still visible, but they were a lot easier to hide than the enormous wings and tail. No use in having him get riled up and out himself as a dragon child.

When they discovered the source of the noise, everybody was taken aback. A monstrous platypus bear and a small man were dancing around each other in what seemed to be.

"Watch out!" Aang and Katara cried.

An older man, probably a merchant, jumped out of the way with an ease that suggested some training in his past.

"Don't worry!" He called, "I'm safe!"

"Do you want to die?" Zuko growled.

The infuriating man just laughed, "wonderful day, isn't it?"

Sokka growled, though unfortunately not as impressive as Zuko's, and shouted what he hoped would save this man's life. "Climb a tree!"

Aang called, "no, make yourself big and make a lot of noise!"

Katara shrieked, "get to the river!"

Sokka felt Zuko twitch from beside him and before he could reach out and stop him, the firebender was launching himself at the platypus bear with a roar of his own.

"Shit!" Sokka yelped, "shit, shit, fuck!"

The beast snapped it's bill with a snarl, a large claw swiping out to swat Zuko away like a fly. Of course, Zuko ignored his injury and stared down the beast while baring his teeth in challenge.

Of course, that fucking idiot would do this while injured.

Aang and Katara dragged the uncaring man backward while Zuko widened his stance and threw his head back and let out a roar that countered even that of a platypus bear's.

The animal startled, it's tail drooping down as it paused and skittered away with a high whine.

"Hey, an egg!" He points as he notices the large object, "breakfast!"

Zuko picks the egg up with a grimace, obviously unsettled at the turn of events before turning to Sokka with a questioning gaze. "I'll take that," Sokka relieved him of the egg. "Annnndd we got breakfast. Thanks, Zuko!"

The previously uncaring man didn't look so uncaring anymore as he stared at Zuko with concerned eyes. "She said you would come...I just didn't think..."

Alarm bells rang in Sokka's head, "who said he'd come?!"

The guy smiled, "Aunt Wu of course!"

The group all exchanged looks with each other before Aang broke the silence, "say, this Aunt Wu lady..."

Zuko was starting to hate this town.

Aunt Wu this, Aunt Wu that...

How stupid can these people be?

Fortunately, Sokka shared his sentiment.

"I mean, who does she think she is?" Sokka shoved a bean curd puff into his mouth with an agitated grunt, "she can't really tell the future, can she Zuko?"

Zuko startled from where he was shoving his face, "of course not! That's ridiculous!"

It had to be ridiculous because he doesn't know how he would feel if her wary looks and ominous comments about his future were actually true.

They watched with morbid curiosity as the Avatar stuttered through his awkward talk with the servant girl...Meng was it? He was never good with names.

Meng was obviously starstruck with the young Avatar, but the boy wasn't paying her any mind. Instead, he was trying to see over her head to where Katara was taken back for her fortune reading.

He almost felt bad for the servant girl as she walked him back into the small courtyard to show off her hard work on the landscaping, unaware that the Avatar's heart lay somewhere else.

Stolen glances and cheeks that hurt from smiling at Ren taught him his lesson.

As if on cue, as Aang and Meng left, the door to Aunt Wu's house slammed open.

"Where is that little fire brat?!" A familiar voice snapped out.

Zuko immediately shot up quicker than he thought possible in his injured state. 

"Aaida?!" His jaw was practically on the floor.

The woman looked just like she did on Kyoshi island with her traditional Earth Kingdom robes that signified her as a healer and her gray hair done up perfectly in an updo.

Before he could open his mouth again she was marching herself over to him with a glare that could rival Azula's. "I cannot believe you!" She spat, "worrying your Uncle like that! He thought you were dead," she poked him in the chest. "He still writes me, you know, about your condition. Offering all of his time and money to help you, even offering his life!"

All people in the cozy home were staring at the short woman as she slowly backed Zuko into the wall, but nobody made any move to help.

"Aaida I-"

"No!" She snapped, "I got captured by that prick commander and was nearly executed on his ship for you, just to find out that after your uncle saved us you left!"

Zuko narrowed his eyes, "what're you talking about?! He left me! He teamed up with Zhao after I was captured, and he's still with him even now at Pahui Stronghold! He made me leave! Don't you ever think that I would leave him like that! How dare you-"

"Hey, hey," a gentle hand on his elbow had him relaxing against his will. Stupid bond. "Why don't you introduce us to your friend? So...we've met right?"

Aaida wrinkled her nose as she looked Sokka up and down with a critical eye.

"Weren't you...wearing a dress last time?" She frowned.

Sokka was startled, obviously taken off guard. "I'll have you know that what you call a 'dress' is actually sacred warrior gear of the Kyoshi Warriors, and I-"

"Sokka," Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, "that was a dress."

The Water Tribe boy shrieked in rage, slapping Zuko on the back of the head in retaliation only to be met with a sharp bark and snap of teeth.

Aaida hummed. "I see your behaviors have not gone away," she observed.

Zuko flushed, glancing away to avoid the healer's scrutiny.

Sokka frowned and asked, "are these new? I thought you were just born this way?"

Zuko winced, "it's...complicated."

The older woman snorted unattractively, "to say the least!" She began ushering him to the door, "why don't we get you to the healer's hut? Your uncle sent word when he believed you would be here so I tried to get here as fast as I could. Thankfully, nobody is turning down healers at these times so I have temporary lodgings and I should be able to sneak you in without anybody noticing you're Fire Nation."

He was taken aback at the amount of effort that had been put into reaching him and allowed himself a moment of gratitude.

I don't deserve this, he thought.

He sighed and relented, "okay," his shoulder was starting to hurt a lot even with Sokka's surprisingly good medical knowledge.

He cast one last glance at Sokka before exiting the house with Aaida. It took him two seconds to realize that they weren't the only ones who exited the house.

"What're you doing?" Zuko snapped.

Sokka huffed, "there's no way you're leaving me here with this crazy lady who thinks she can tell the future. Now way," he swung his arms around to emphasize his point, but it mainly served to throw him off balance.

Zuko hissed before muttering, "fine."

Aaida, who had watched the spectacle with much interest, whistled lowly. "Wow, that bond is no joke." She made a whipping noise with her mouth before cackling.

Smoke curled out of his nostrils, "I am sick of this bond being brought up all the time and used against me. I should kill him now and put myself out of this misery."

The healer smacked him on the arm with surprising strength for such a small, old woman, "shut up and escort your hoard to my tent.

Sokka cleared his throat and tried to brush off the hurt of Zuko's earlier remark.

"So...you two know each other?"

The young dragon still looked irritated but reigned his anger in. "Yes," he nodded, "I met her on Kyoshi Island. She's a friend of my Uncle's."

They really needed to work on his conversation skills.

Sokka deadpanned, "wow." He clapped sarcastically, "really helpful, mind if I write that down?"

Zuko snarled loud enough to attract the attention of every person they were walking past, causing Sokka to rethink his attempts at riling the man up. It's fun until some Earth Kingdom military posts hear about the snarling firebender and lock him up in a cage or even worse, send him back to his father.

"I'm just joking!" Sokka hissed.

Zuko snapped his teeth, scaring a young tradesman out of his path. "She helped me find out that my...urges...began to worsen after my sixteen birthday. Apparently, my mother made a deal to keep me somewhat normal until then. Now that I reached what is supposed to be a dragon's start of maturity, I started noticing my...traits."

Sokka nodded before pulling out his journal from his travel bag, "mind if I write this down? I think if we document your abilities and what causes them, then maybe when we get to the Northern Water Tribe, the information we collect will help them cure you!"

Zuko flinched before shooting a look at Aaida who was walking a few paces in front of him. "About that...I'm not sure if I want to be cured, really."

He jolted, "you don't want to be cured? But...isn't that why you agreed to come with us in the first place? Isn't that why you're not hunting Aang? Is this some elaborate plan to capture the Avatar?! Well listen here, buddy, you-"

"No!" Zuko blurted, "I just mean that I like being a dragon! And I don't know what effect it will have on the bond."

"Alright, boys quit your moonin' over each other!"

Both boys blushed furiously while Zuko shot a betrayed look at the woman.

Healer Aaida's tent was quaint and homey, almost reminding Sokka of the igloos back home. Zuko seemed to not know what to do with himself in such a small space, curling his shoulders in on himself while simultaneously placing himself in front of Sokka.

"Have a seat, Prince Zuko," she ordered as she pulled out medical supplies from her bag. She glanced at Sokka, "you sit next to him. I don't want him going all snarly on me."

Zuko, ironically, snarled at the comment before realizing what he had just done and flushing a bright pink.

Sokka, amused with the entire spectacle, took a seat on the cushioned chair next to Zuko's seat, "ha! You know, before we knew his name I called him Fangy."

Aaida looked thrilled with this information, "no kidding! I mean, you see those teeth and I guess tha-"

"Stop talking!" Zuko screeched while his claws flexed ominously in the low light. "Stop talking now!"

Both Sokka and Aaida cackled as Zuko had literal steam rising from his shoulders.

"Zuko," he gasped and patted Zuko's shirt, "you-you're gonna catch on fire!"

The prince slapped his hand away, "no I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm-"

"Spirits!" Aaida grabbed them both by the ear, ignoring their hisses of pain and tilting their heads towards her menacing face. "If you two don't stop squabbling like an old married couple I'll set you on fire!"

They both let out two identical sighs of relief as she released them and glanced at each other before murmuring, "I'm sorry."

"Now, Zuko," she sat down across from them, "take off your shirt, let's see the damage."

Zuko did as he was told with a pained grimace and Sokka felt bad for not seeking out medical attention earlier.

He had seen him survive being hit with lightning, for La's sake, it didn't seem like an arrow would yield any serious damage. And then the platypus bear and crazy guy and Aunt Wu...

"Had the Water Tribe girl already been attending to it?" The Earth Kingdom woman asked with surprise. "How old is this wound?"

Zuko shook his head, "no. Sokka did. And a...couple days I think?"

Aaida did not mask her surprise at the fact that Sokka could heal.

Yes, he could do things that women did and vice versa. If there's anything Suki taught him it was that boxing yourself into one area was harmful and would no doubt lead to failure.

"This is in excellent condition for a couple of days," she admitted while redressing his wound. "A couple more days and you won't even remember you had it. I assume this was from your run-in with Admiral Zhao and the Yu Yan archers?"

Zuko huffed out a plume of smoke. "You assume correctly."

"How do you know?" Sokka asked.

"General Iroh," she answers with a twinkle in her eye, "is very concerned about his esteemed nephew."

Zuko grumbled, his face as red as a Fire Nation flag. "Actually," he attempted to divert attention from his flaming face, "Fang did mention something like that."

Aaida's eyes grew wide, "Fang? Avatar Roku's spirit companion Fang?! That Fang?"

Sokka nodded proudly because having a sorta-friend-bandmate-thing be an Avatar companion incarnate is pretty great.

Aaida nodded, "I suppose that makes sense. I had suspicions but...wow."

Katara suddenly popped her head into the tent, "hey, boys. One of you needs to help me with getting Aang to get off of his high horse and realize his priorities. He's acting like an idiot!"

Zuko cocked his head at her retreating form and quirked an eyebrow at Katara.

"She's your sister," he pointed out with a sly grin.

From a whirling of crazy Aang fangirls (none of whom are interested in Sokka!?), people brainwashed by Aunt Wu, and Zuko being stolen away by Aaida for her "consultations" which always ended up with Zuko ranting as he was now.

Well, it was better than watching Aang try to impress his fanbase by riding various aquatic animals.

A deep yowl interrupted his musings.

"Yeah, I get it buddy you're mad. What did she have you do today? Was it the reflexes again? Anything I need to write in my journal?"

They had taken to writing down important things in Sokka's journal (a gift from Zuko) that would help them with figuring out Zuko's "condition."  

 So far they had noted things such as his physical attributes,  attributes of their bond, (such as Zuko being more full when fed by Sokka compared to when he feeds himself), Zuko being able to feed on Sokka's blood, Zuko's lightning bending, etc. 

 Zuko suddenly punched a hole into the wall across from Sokka, sending alarm bells ringing in his head. He had been pretty on edge for this entire trip, especially with Aaida poking at all of the nonhuman parts of him, but nothing at this level. 

"Ko! Knock this off, what has gotten into you?" 

Glowing eyes bore into him as he took in Zuko's tense muscles, clammy skin, and spiky hair (it was starting to grow out with lack of shaving and Sokka had smartly decided not to bring it up).

Zuko answered with a deep roar and Sokka thanked the spirits that they had their own room and Aang and Katara were most likely out doing whatever it was they got up to. Unfortunately,  it also meant that there was nothing between feral Zuko and Sokka's very biteable and flammable flesh. 

"Zuko," Sokka stressed the word. "Please...you're scaring me. What happened?" 

The firebender turned around, smoke curling out of his open maw. 

"Mad!" He hissed, "I'm...mad." 

Sokka's eyes widened. Words! He was speaking words...success! 

"What are you mad about?" Sokka pried. 

Zuko's claws flexed, "woman. That woman." 

Ah, Sokka's detective skills were being put to the test. 

"What woman? Aaida?" 

"No!" 

Okay, then who...

"Aunt Wu?" Sokka guessed. 

"Yes!" Zuko spat. "She, she-" he started pulling on his short hair, raking nails on his pale skin and causing thin rivets of blood to drip down his face, "talking about you!" 

Shit that wasn't good. 

"Me? What about me?" 

Sokka had started to creep closer to Zuko with hopes of comforting him. 

"Said I..."

Another step. 

"...I..."

One more...

"Kill you," he finished. 

Wait. 

"What?" Sokka squeaked. 

"She said I kill you," Zuko shouted, crying.  "I kill you, I kill you, I kill you," he repeated like a mantra. His voice started breaking more and more before eventually giving out to a hoarse whisper. 

"Hey," Sokka shushed, "come here." He opened his arms to the taller boy, a warmth blooming in his chest when Zuko stepped into his arms with no hesitation.

Zuko gasped into Sokka's shirt, his claws digging into his back painfully but Sokka did not dare say a word. 

After a while, Sokka spoke.

"I think I need to talk to Aunt Wu."