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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Kona braced herself against the trembling of the ship as the metal vessel tore through the ice shelf. She watched as a snow watchtower came into view before being crushed under the force of their arrival. The vessel slowed as it plowed through the snow and ice before it finally came to a stop. As the head of the ship turned into a gangplank, panicked voices could barely be heard over the hissing of the ship.

The steam cleared and Kona, Lieutenant Jee, and Prince Zuko made their way down the metallic walkway. Kona couldn’t help but notice that this would be the first time she’d touched solid ground in months. Maybe Master Iroh was right. A break at a nice, warm beach sounded absolutely lovely.

In front of the disembarking soldiers was a small group of Water Tribe citizens, and Kona noted they were almost entirely made up of the elderly and the young. They were bundled up in their traditional blue of the Water Tribes and huddled together in fear. Some of the children were even crying. Everything about it screamed guilt.

Kona looked around at the small collection of igloos. Was this the entirety of the Southern Water Tribe?

'The men must be part of the resistance,' Kona concluded. That would only leave the elderly, women, and children behind. Well, except the teenage boy kneeling in front of the crowd.

He held a club in hand and was covered in what Kona could only assume was traditional Water Tribe face paint. He wore lightly armored attire, embellished with fur, and the longer part of his undercut was pulled into a tight ponytail. He was clearly the lone warrior left to protect his tribe. He couldn’t have been any older than Kona and the prince.

Suddenly he dashed forward with a battle cry, eyes dead set on Prince Zuko.

He never made it.

Kona leapt between them before he could make it halfway up the gangplank. As easily as breathing, she crouched low, and twisted out her right leg into a reverse heel kick. Clearly not expecting her use of hand-to-hand combat, the boy's feet were kicked out from under him, and with just a small nudge, Kona pushed him off the side of the gangplank into a snowbank. Kona watched as his head got stuck and he struggled to free himself. She was very happy that she was wearing her helmet, otherwise she was sure the prince would be very angry with the amusement that was probably clear on her face.

Prince Zuko brushed aside Kona, giving her only a nod as he passed. He was privately grateful that she always seemed to be there when he needed her, though he could have easily dealt with the Water Tribe peasant himself. Kona fell back into step with Lieutenant Jee, finally making a sweet, sweet landfall. She was alerted to the rest of the crew coming down the gangplank by the clanking of their heavy boots against the metal, though she did not turn.

Prince Zuko approached the cowering village, and his eyes narrowed as he gave them a quick once over. Without any pretext of politeness, he asked, angrily. “Where are you hiding him?”

So he didn’t see the man from the spyglass, after all.

The entire tribe stayed quiet, continuing to cower away. Price Zuko’s already fragile patience snapped. He lunged forward and grabbed an elderly woman by her coat. He held her in front of himself in presentation and snarled. “He’d be about this age, master of all elements.”

Kona frowned at the rough treatment of the elder but held her tongue, as the entire tribe gasped in fear. He wasn’t actually hurting her; Kona could tell. His hand was only lightly grabbing her arm. She supposed it was his sudden movement that had scared the group so badly. She just didn’t understand why they were so afraid, if they had nothing to hide.

Enraged by the lack of response, he shoved the old woman back into the crowd and into the arms of a younger girl. Kona watched as the girl pulled the woman close and glared at the prince so hard that, had she been a firebender, Kona was sure that Prince Zuko would have burst into flames.

“I know you’re hiding him!” Zuko declared to the cowering crowd. After all, why would they be acting like this if they weren’t?

A cry over their shoulder made the soldiers turn, as the water tribe boy once again went for the prince, thinking him distracted. Kona intercepted again, but having learned his lesson, he avoided her attempt to trip him up this time. He swung his axe, and she nimbly ducked, elbowing him in the gut. He keeled over trying to catch his breath, and her foot found his chest, as she kicked him off balance and back into the snowbank.

“Stay down!” Kona whispered angrily to his fallen form, though she did not relax her form. She had the feeling he was a fighter. ‘You’re only going to make it worse!’ She finished in her head.

Her warning came too late. Prince Zuko sent a blast directly past Kona and at the boy. The boy narrowly escaped the flames with surprising nimbleness and retaliated with an attack of his own. He reached onto his back to grab another ax and threw it towards the prince. The prince easily dodged, but the aim would have struck true had he been less dexterous. Prince Zuko watched the ax fly away before turning his glare back to the weaponless Water Tribe boy.

“Show no fear!” Came a cry from a very young boy who had snuck away during the commotion to grab a spear. He tried to throw it into the warrior boy’s waiting hand, but Kona lunged forward to catch it.

The boy’s eyes widened before narrowing angrily as she leveled the spear in his direction threateningly. Her form screamed competency in the weapon type, and the boy realized instantly that this Fire Nation soldier wasn’t a firebender like the rest. She, he thought she was a girl based on her voice, was a nonbender just like him. And she had just beaten him. A girl had beaten him.

“Stand down,” she commanded, not removing her eyes from the boy who glared back at her openly, ego badly bruised.

Out of nowhere, an object came flying into the back of the prince’s head, knocking off his helmet with a loud “clang.” Kona’s eyes widened as it continued its path straight into the boy’s hand. Kona kicked herself for not realizing that his ax had been a boomerang. Unwittingly, she felt a bit of respect for the surprise attack and his weapon of choice. It was well thought out. Even if he “missed,” his opponent would assume him weaponless, thus making the boomerang more effective on its return.

Good thing Prince Zuko had been wearing a helmet. That had to have hurt.

Clearly enraged, Prince Zuko bended himself two daggers, and began stomping toward where Kona had the boy pinned down. He was ready to finish this fight once and for all.

He never got the chance.

Something flew at incredible speed and knocked him off his feet. He went spinning and landed face first on the ice. Kona winced and took an opening step back, switching her gaze between the boy and the new arrival.

It was a little boy? And a penguin?

The Water Tribe cheered at his appearance, and Kona was too baffled to react.

“Hey, Katara.” The bald boy grinned at the Water Tribe girl before turning to the warrior boy still standing at the end of Kona’s spear. “Hey, Sokka.”

The warrior boy, Sokka, sighed as he replaced his boomerang on his back. “Hi, Aang. Thanks for coming,” he replied moodily.

The bald boy, Aang, turned his gaze to Kona before moving to the rest of the crew. Prince Zuko rushed to his feet and signaled for the crew to surround Aang in response to his sudden arrival. Kona did so with caution, not entirely willing to take her eye off Sokka.

Aang easily pulled her attention when he fell into a fighting stance that she had never seen before, though the very idea seemed impossible. She had studied nearly every form of every fighting style extensively with Master Iroh, who claimed that anyone could learn from other nations' warfare, regardless of bending ability. That was why she was as proficient with the spear in her hand as she was with her martial combat and, if she had to choose a weapon, her daggers.

Cutting off her confusion entirely, Aang swung down the staff in his hands toward the snowy ground, covering Kona’s vision with snow. Kona’s brain whirled at the strange movement. That wasn’t a water bending move. Waterbending was fluid. Waterbenders had to move with their element, mimicking water’s fluidity. This was almost reminiscent of earthbending, but instead of a slow and strong movement, it was abrupt and impactful.

“Looking for me?” The boy said as he sent another blast of snow, this time only at Prince Zuko who wiped it away with a growl.

The way the snow moved; Kona had never seen before. It didn't seem like waterbending. It had to be…

“You’re the airbender?” Prince Zuko asked incredulously. Kona shared the sentiment. The boy looked to be no older than 12 years old. “You’re the Avatar?” His scarred face twisted hatefully as he began circling the young Avatar. “I’ve spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating. You’re just a child!”

Aang tilted his head, as he moved. “Well, you’re just a teenager.” A

ang barely had time to react as Prince Zuko firebended in his direction. The airbender twirled his staff, dissipating the flames easily. He did so with the next flame as well, and the villagers cowered and shrieked in fear as they dissipated mere feet from their forms.

Kona watched in awe as Aang dropped his defensive stance immediately. She blinked, certain that she was imaging that he was holding his staff forward in surrender. “If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?”

Kona couldn’t believe her ears. The prince and his crew had spent years chasing the Avatar just for him to not only be a child, but give up immediately? She eyed the villagers who stared in both shock and fear at the entire scenario playing out in their small village.

Based on their reactions to the Avatar’s airbending, they hadn’t even been aware that they had been harboring the Avatar, despite their suspicious behavior earlier. They weren’t in any danger from Prince Zuko, and yet Aang still held his staff outward in surrender.

Prince Zuko narrowed his eyes, trying to see any hint of a trick, but the boy’s eyes were big and honest. His posture straightened slowly from his fighting stance. He nodded to his crew to signal them forward. Lieutenant Jee and another crew mate grabbed Aang's arms while Kona gently pulled the staff from his hands. He wasn’t resistant, but it was clear how reluctant he was to part from it. On inspection, it was clear that the staff was very old and very worn. He’d probably had it all his life. Kona couldn’t imagine how it would feel to part with it and vowed to handle it as gently as possible. It was basically an antique after all.

Kona tossed the spear to Sokka haphazardly, seeing the conflict come to an end. He caught it clumsily and glared at her, but did not follow as she regrouped with the crew.

Katara, the Water Tribe girl, rushed forward as Aang was escorted towards the ship, begging and pleading for him to fight back. Aang just smiled sadly at her and told her to take care of his Appa. Whatever that was.

Kona was the last to board the gangplank save for Prince Zuko. She didn’t entirely trust Sokka to not try anything hasty, but it turned out to be a moot worry, as the gangplank hissed back into place behind them.

“Head course for the Fire Nation. I’m going home.” The unoccupied crew set off, faster than Kona had ever seen. Go figure that now the crew would listen. When the work was done, and they got to go home. Jerks.

“Kona, Lieutenant Jee, Lieutenant Taojuk, bring the Avatar and his staff with me. My uncle needs to see this.” The prince called over his shoulder, marching across the deck. “And bind his hands.”

'Uncle is going to be so shocked when he sees this. He’ll finally see I was right all along. I knew that I would be the one to find the Avatar.' Prince Zuko couldn’t help the smirk that slipped onto his face as he walked proudly across his ship.

They found General Iroh as he usually was: sipping tea and playing Pai Sho. He immediately stood upon seeing his company, and Kona could tell from years of companionship with the old man that he was genuinely shocked by the company that the crew kept.

It’s what he got for being so skeptical in the first place, Iroh supposed.

“Uncle, look!” Prince Zuko tugged the staff from Kona’s hands and inspected it thoroughly. “This staff will make an excellent gift for my father.” He turned a biting gaze to the boy who simply looked bored before he turned and looked towards Lieutenants Jee and Taojuk. “Take the Avatar to the prison hold. And Uncle, take this to my quarters. Kona, go warm up.”

Prince Zuko sauntered off and Kona was torn between annoyance at his low opinion of her constitution and elation at his clear happiness. Well, it was clear to her anyway. The hop in his step, the smirk tugging at his lips, and the look in his eye had been missing for nearly three years. She decided she would let him get away with the slight for today.

“Kona, dear, would you mind…”

Kona rolled her eyes, thankful for the helmet that kept her expressions from sight and pulled the staff from his hand. Once again handling it gently. She didn’t want to break it; especially, if it was to be a gift to the Fire Lord. “Yes, Master Iroh.”

“You know you should really ask Prince Zuko to let you wear something else.” Master Iroh rubbed his chin. “That’s no outfit for a young lady, and it does little to combat the cold.”

“Master Iroh, I am a crewmate on this vessel, and this is the uniform.”

“I’m just saying. Maybe Prince Zuko would be less angsty if there was a pretty girl wearing pretty clothes around.” The General laughed heartily at his joke and patted Kona’s armored shoulder.

Kona bristled. So, her uniform made her ugly. That was good to know. "With all due respect, Master Iroh, but I am a trained soldier just like the rest of the crew. Prince Zuko is my commander; that is all.”

“Hmm… I seem to remember you two being good friends when you were younger. Inseparable even.” The old man wished he could see the look on her face. The uniforms were too good at masking the person beneath.

Iroh just wished the two teens would stop being so stubborn and come together as friends again. Their friendship had been one of the most defining aspects of their childhood, and if they would allow themselves to fall back into it, he was certain their attitudes would improve. ‘Plus, Prince Zuko needs companionship if we are actually to return to the Fire Nation,’ a traitorous portion of Iroh’s mind whispered. ‘Someone who cared for him.’

“That was a long time ago.” Kona snapped and pulled Iroh from his thoughts, then cringed at her lack of emotional control. The weather must be getting to her more than she realized. “I apologize. I must bring the staff to Prince Zuko’s quarters. Goodbye, Master Iroh.” She quickly took off towards the upper deck. She was so stupid. Who did she think she was snapping at General Iroh? She was lucky he allowed her to be his protegee at all.

General Iroh stared after her and shook his head. 'Teenagers. Why didn’t she stay young and cute and easy to understand?'

Kona made her way to the prince’s quarters after a quick stop to drop off her helmet. Since she had been relieved from duty, she wouldn't be needing it for a while. Once she arrived, she gently knocked on Prince Zuko’s door. When there was no response, she pushed it open and entered, doing her best not to examine the room or pry into his personal space. Unsure where to leave the staff, she simply left it resting across the prince’s bed. She assumed he would put it up as decoration for the rest of the voyage. She turned on her heel and nearly smacked into someone on her way out.

“Apologies, Prince Zuko!” Kona bowed deeply. “Master Iroh asked me to bring the staff to your quarters for him.”

“Lazy old man.” Was that… amusement in his voice?

Kona stood from her bow and met her prince’s eyes. His eyes were still light and there was a faint twitch of smile on his lips. Agni, he looked so much younger when he smiled.

Zuko looked down at her much smaller frame. Her usually wild curls were pulled back into the top-knot and crown-like braid that she usually had when she was in uniform; her gold eyes stared at him intently. No doubt trying to read his mental state, as she was always so good at it. He couldn’t remember the last time they had talked, more than just him ordering around. If he was her, he would probably hate him, he realized. Suddenly nervous, he wandered over to the staff and pretended to examine it.

Kona didn’t know what to say. She was still standing in the doorway and the prince had yet to dismiss her. He seemed distracted, having walked across the room to examine the staff once more. Assuming he had just forgotten to dismiss her, Kona turned to begin walking away.

“Kona,” the prince called before she could leave. “Are you- uh- excited? To return home, I mean.” Stupid, he thought. Real smooth. I've been ordering her around for months on end and can’t even ask her a simple question.

Kona paused halfway out the door, confused, before deciding he must be overwhelmed by his excitement to go home. That certainly explained his sudden friendliness.

“Yes, my prince. You have been working hard for this for a long time.” Kona responded as she turned to him. Her thoughts on her returning were complicated, but his return was all that she had wanted for Prince Zuko since his banishment years ago.

Prince Zuko shook his head. “No, I asked how you-.” Prince Zuko sighed. Getting her to talk about herself had always been impossible. He put the staff down and returned to the doorway, trying to lean against the frame casually, and mostly failing. “Are you hoping to return to the palace with uncle?”

Kona’s stomach dropped against her will. She was not a member of the royal family, so the fact that she was able to live there as a child was already abnormal. Master Iroh’s place as heir as well as his son's existence was the only thing that allowed her to remain there as a child. And the only reason she was allowed to stay after was as a consolation for…

Suffice to say that circumstances have changed, and old reasons may be insufficient. Would Firelord Ozai allow her presence as he had for those short few months before? She thought it unlikely.

“If Fire Lord Ozai makes an exception for me, I will not be leaving Master Iroh’s side.” Kona finally responded, though the pause was noticeable and the words were riddled with obvious anxiety. The Firelord was not fond of her presence, and he never had been. He never understood why General Iroh had taken Kona in and now that he had a chance to keep her away, Kona felt it was unlikely that should step foot in the palace again.

“There’s no way Father will deny your presence in the palace after you defended me from the Southern Water tribe peasants and helped capture the Avatar.” Kona’s eyes widened as she watched his eyes glitter with something she couldn’t pinpoint. “You took the Avatar’s weapon straight from his hand. There’s no way you will be anything but a national hero.”

With the distance that had come between them in Prince Zuko’s exile, it was not hard for Kona to forget just how much Prince Zuko had taken care of her when they were young. With how they interacted on the ship, it was easy to forget they had ever been friends at all.

Then he had to remind her by doing something like this. He had planned ahead; he had put her at the forefront of his big moment in order to secure her placement in the palace. A stubborn part of her mind wanted to tell her that he was only doing it for Master Iroh or for himself, but even she couldn’t ignore the subtly softened features on his face. She did pride herself in being able to read him, after all. It was for her as much as him and his uncle.

The prince knew she had nowhere else to go.

He watched different emotions flicker through her face, none completely landing. He knew that she struggled with emotions as much as he did, but where he had a temper and was quick to anger, she was quick to shut down. It was comforting in a way to not be the only one at war with their emotions. Though, admittedly it wasn’t very healthy for either of them.

There were so many things Kona wanted to say. She wanted to thank him for twisting the story for her, to scold him for talking up her efforts, to laugh at the almost mischievous look in his eye that reminded her of when they were young. Instead, Kona allowed her normally subdued and polite façade to fade as she smiled, albeit a bit shyly. She said, “Good work today, my prince. You will be home soon, and your name will be remembered for generations.”

‘Coward,’ Kona thought hatefully. She couldn’t even thank him properly.

Zuko thought he might have died on the spot; he hadn’t seen her smile in so long. His throat suddenly felt tight and he had the urge to wipe his palms against his pants. The prince paused, not expecting that reaction, but what he was going to say was cut off by a commotion down the hall. The two teens whirled in unison, immediately clocking the flickering lights coming from down the hall. Firebending.

“Stay here, Prince Zuko. Protect the staff, and I’ll see what’s going on.”

Whatever he called after her was drowned out by the adrenaline filling her system. Her blood rushed through her ears as she rounded the corner towards the noise.

The air rushed out of her lungs as she was pushed to the floor by another figure rounding the corner. She wheezed, fighting for breath, but stood on shaky legs as fast as she could. In front of her stood the Avatar, no longer bound. What had happened? Where was the crew?

“Wait, how many teenagers are in the Fire Navy?” The boy asked, already recovered from the impact. “I didn’t know they let girls in either.”

This couldn’t be happening. Not now.

“What does it matter?” Kona snarled, lunging to try to grab Aang, but he just moved out of the way as if it was nothing. She had to capture him. She had to get Master Iroh and Prince Zuko back to the Fire Nation.

They were almost home.

“Stay still, please!” The boy easily escaped her efforts as he jumped lightly from side to side (airbending, she assumed). Kona grew more and more frustrated as the more she tried to predict his movements and the more she pushed, the faster he seemed to move. How could she possibly catch up with him?

“I’m really sorry, but I need my staff back. Thank you for asking nicely though.” Before she had time to react, Kona was blasted down the corridor. Her attempt to find something to slow her slide failed, as she flailed around for something to grab onto. She slammed into the cold, hard metal wall and her vision faded to black.

Chapter Text

Guilt. Embarrassment. Shame.

Those were the only emotions that Kona felt in the days following the capture and resulting escape of the young Avatar. She woke up a day after the escape in the medical cabin with a pounding headache and heavy brain fog. Master Iroh did his best to fill in the gaps by informing her that Aang had been taken by the two water tribe members–Sokka and Katara, she remembered– and that they had flown off on a flying bison. At first, she had thought he was joking, but the crew regaled her with the same wild details, and she had been forced to accept their claims.

It was difficult to meet Prince Zuko’s eyes; it just made the feeling bubble up faster. She wasn’t sure if it was devastating or a relief that he seemed to be just as avoidant of her. She cringed as she thought back to leaving his quarters as confident as she had. Only moments later, she had been thrown across the ship and knocked unconscious. It had taken less than ten seconds for her to be knocked out.

She was useless.

Staying busy was the only thing that kept Kona going while they traveled to the southern naval yard. She spent each day cleaning and repairing what she could while doing her best to avoid the prince’s presence. She was more than happy to avoid learning why he was avoiding her forever.

The only bright side to the situation was that the crew would be getting a small break while the ship was repaired. For the first time in months, Kona would be spending more than a few minutes on land, and she was thrilled by the prospect. Do

cking took longer than usual, due to the extensive damage to the ship, but soon she was making her way down the gangplank. Kona happily left her (ugly) crew uniform behind, but kept her long, curly hair up and out of the way in the way that she normally wore it. She had to admit that it almost felt strange to feel the soft cotton on her skin rather than the weight of the heavy armor she had grown accustomed to in the last couple of years.

Kona wore a fitted, three-quarter sleeve black turtleneck that was lined with a dark maroon on the cuffs and collar. Over her shirt was a thigh length, crimson vest that hung down loosely on her body except where her black belt cinched it to her waist. Her pants were similar to that of her Fire Navy uniform; they were brown, loose-fitting pants that tucked into her black and red boots. It was simple, comfortable, and provided movement that was valuable for her specialties in combat.

Admittedly, Master Iroh was correct in his earlier assessment of the uniform. The Fire Nation armor was designed for firebenders and served them well, but as a nonbender, it restricted her movements in hand-to-hand combat. If she ever worked up the nerve, she would try to ask the prince if she could wear her normal clothing on missions.

“Uncle,” Prince Zuko said, breaking Kona out of her musing. “I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. I don’t want to stay too long and risk losing his trail.”

“You mean the Avatar?”

Kona rolled her eyes behind the two men. Why the old man always felt the need to poke fun at his nephew would always confuse her. Everyone saw him as a jolly old cook, but he was such a bully if you knew him and actually paid attention to what he was saying.

As expected, the prince rose to his uncle’s teasing. “Don’t mention his name on these docks!” He exclaimed. “Once word gets out that he’s alive, every firebender will be out looking for him and I don’t want anyone getting in the way.”

“Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?”

Kona jumped as a new voice joined the conversation. The smirking man approached wearing his Fire Nation uniform and sporting a confident walk. Based on the delicate, gold decorative pieces adorning his chest piece, he was high ranking, and that alone made her nervous.

Kona quickly bowed low in greeting while Prince Zuko gave a name to the face. “Captain Zhao,” he greeted with obvious strain to his voice. Apparently, the prince was not a fan of this man. Kona straightened from her bow and stepped back to remove herself from the conversation as best as possible. There was no reason to cause problems by trying to insert herself into a conversation meant for three high ranking members of the Fire Nation.

“It’s Commander now,” the man corrected, nodding in Kona’s direction, seemingly pleased with her deference, before bowing to Master Iroh. “And General Iroh, great hero of our nation.”

“Retired General,” the old man corrected pleasantly.

“Well, the Fire Lord’s brother and son are welcome guests any time. What brings you to my harbor?” Captain Zhao looked between the three, and Kona didn’t like how calculating his eyes were. They seemed to be trying to read every twitch of every muscle. They made her uneasy.

“Our ship is being repaired.” Master Iroh gestured over to the small ship that they had just disembarked from. It was in very bad shape, and it was made even more obvious when compared to the pristine, towering ships surrounding it.

The commander raised his eyebrow in surprise. “That’s quite a bit of damage,” he commented, leadingly.

“Yes, you wouldn’t believe what happened.” Prince Zuko looked around awkwardly before nudging his uncle. “Uncle, tell Commander Zhao what happened.”

Kona was fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Why had they not planned a cover story if they wanted it to be a secret? She watched him struggle for a second before she stepped forward and bowed low. “Apologies for speaking up, sir, but Master Iroh was sleeping at the time. The ship had an unfortunate collision with a glacier in the southern waters. It’s a miracle we made it to your harbor at all, Commander Zhao.”

The commander hummed in thought, giving her a once over that made her skin crawl, and out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Zuko inch imperceptivity to stand between them. “You must be Kona; General Iroh’s protegee.” Commander Zhao drawled, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. It’s good to see that at least some people your age have proper respect for their superiors. You must regale me with all the thrilling details.” He turned his gaze away from Kona and back towards the prince. “Join me for a drink?”

A hand grabbed Kona’s arm and pulled her back to her position behind the prince and former general. “Sorry, but we have to go.” Prince Zuko said, trying to nudge Kona subtly to start walking.

Iroh stopped the young prince with a hand on his shoulder. “Prince Zuko,” he said, warningly, “show Commander Zhao your respect. We would be honored to join you,” he said to the commander. “Do you have any ginseng tea? It’s my favorite.”

The two men set off towards Commander Zhao’s abode, continuing their conversation as they went. Before Kona could fall into step behind them, two hands wrapped around her biceps, turning her towards the glowering Fire Nation prince.

“Kona, what were you thinking?” He nearly snarled. “You just lied to a commander of the FIre Navy.” “I didn’t technically lie. We hit a glacier…” she responded, though she trailed off as the weight of her actions sunk in. She had lied about the Avatar. To a high ranking member of the Fire Navy. That’s treason.

Treason.

“You don’t have to try to protect me all the time, Kona. Uncle and I had it under control. Zhao can’t hurt us.” His face was so close to her that she could feel his hot breath on her face, but the panic that filled her stomach was making it hard for her to think.

Zuko wanted to shake her in frustration. Kona always did this, even when they were little. He just didn't understand why she felt the need to constantly throw herself into danger for him. Involuntarily, his memory went back to the night the Avatar escaped. When she ran away to defend his ship for his mission, only to see her go careening down the ship's metal hallway moments later.

All he had been able to hear was a bang followed by a gut-wrenching silence. He had left his room without a second thought–only chasing the Avatar after he had seen she was still breathing, likely the reason why he had been able to escape without much of a fight.

“Apologies, my prince.” Kona did the lowest bow she could with his hands still holding her in place, unable to meet his eyes. She couldn’t believe that she had messed up again.

His good eye twitched. The bowing was starting to get on his last nerve.

“Just stay quiet or you’ll make this worse. Only speak if you are directed to.” Prince Zuko released her arms, but instead of turning to follow Master Iroh and Commander Zhao like she expected, he placed one hand on the small of her back to guide her forward. “Don’t leave our sides until you’re back on the ship.”

So much for a few relaxing days…

Soon, Kona found herself awkwardly standing near the entryway of Commander Zhao’s war tent. She was afraid to enter much further, as normally her presence here would be unheard of. She had honestly expected to have to wait outside with one of the guards, but the commander had insisted on her presence inside for a drink.

She noticed, of course, that had yet to actually offer any refreshments to her.

She eyed the room around her, taking in the giant map, and the exquisite furniture, and the gleaming rack of weapons in the corner, as she tried to distract herself from her panicking at her earlier misstep. She was doing her best to block out the war tactics that the commander was sharing with her companions, but it was hard to ignore.

The commander was certain that the Fire Nation would have the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se, under control by the end of the year, leading to the end of the war. Kona found it strange that she was not immediately elated by the news. It was certainly great for the Fire Nation, but she couldn't help but think back to the Water Tribe. There was barely anything left there; just the elderly, children, and two teenagers. Was that what the Ba Sing Se had in their future? Missing fathers and parentless children? A once great civilization reduced to less than a dozen…

“If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool.” Prince Zuko said disinterestedly.

Kona felt anxiety settling heavier in her chest at his bold words. There’s no doubt that he, too, was thinking of the Southern Water Tribe–of the warrior boy, Sokka and the waterbender, Katara. They had fought tooth and nail to retrieve the Avatar and prevent the Fire Nation from finishing the war via that route. If teenagers were willing to go that far, what would grown adults be willing to do?

“Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue.” Commander Zhao noted before finding a seat near the prince. “So, how is your search for the Avatar going?”

A crash made Kona nearly jump out of her skin. She whipped her head around and found her master sheepishly inching away from a mess of weapons scattered across the floor. Master Iroh apologized, but Kona knew that his clumsiness was as calculated as his Pai Sho moves. He was giving the prince time to think and respond.

“We haven’t found him yet.” Prince Zuko said after an awkward pause, watching his uncle cross the room and find a seat.

The commander laughed with false humor, clearly mocking him. “Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the airbenders.” Something flickered across Prince Zuko’s expression and the commander leaned forward slightly, invested in this new topic. “Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive.”

Prince Zuko continued to avoid the man’s gaze, and it made Kona want to scream. He is such a bad liar. She may have needed to work on holding her tongue, but he needed to silver his.

“Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you’ll tell me what you found.” The man insisted, rising to his feet and pushing himself into the teenager's space.

Kona bristled, but did her best to hide it. He may not be able to go home right now, but Zuko was still the commander’s prince. Commander Zhao may have preached respect but he clearly ignored it when it suited him. Kona hated hypocrites like him.

“I haven’t found anything,” Prince Zuko said, clearly annoyed. “It’s like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago.” He pushed himself out of his chair and away from Zhao insistantly. He made his way towards the doorway without a glance at his companions. “Come on, Uncle, Kona, we’re going.”

Before he could make his exit, the guards standing beside Kona blocked his exit with their spears. He looked around angrily while a third guard rushed over to the commander. “Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody but let him escape.”

Kona’s heart sank. How could she have forgotten about the crew? She should have known the crew would gossip. Their lack of loyalty to their prince was as clear as the commander’s.

“Now, remind me,” Commander Zhao said, turning towards Kona who immediately looked down, avoiding his gaze in fear. “How exactly was your ship damaged?”

Prince Zuko was right; she should keep her nose out of other people’s business. She had just made the situation worse. This man could have her killed for one little white lie if he wanted to.

Before she could find the wits to answer, Prince Zuko broke the commander’s gaze by standing in front of her. “We’ll answer your questions, Commander Zhao, but you have to hear the whole story.”

“Very well,” the man replied. “Sit down and don’t forget any of the thrilling details.”

Prince Zuko was directed to a seat in the center of the room while Kona was placed at a small table with Master Iroh. Clearly, Commander Zhao and his guards were no longer comfortable with her loitering in the doorway.

At the commander's request, the prince shared the events of the last week or so: from the light over the southern waters, to the flare near the Southern Water Tribe, to the capture of the Avatar. It was, for the most part, exactly as she had been told had happened, save for the fact that she was mysteriously missing from the events.

The commander paused at the end of the story before summarizing. “So, a twelve-year old boy bested you and your firebenders?” When he got no response, he continued, “You’re more pathetic than I thought.”

Kona didn’t realize that her anger showed on her face until Master Iroh quietly gave her hand a pat and pushed more tea her way with a wink.

“I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again.” Prince Zuko swore, looking Zhao straight in the eyes.

“No, it will not, because you won’t have a second chance.”

“Commander Zhao, I’ve been hunting the Avatar for two years and I—"

“And you failed!” Zhao cut him off, throwing fire in between them—an obvious intimidation tactic. He leaned over the sitting prince. “Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager’s hands. He’s mine now.”

Prince Zuko tried to rise but the two guards stationed behind him gripped him by his shoulders to hold him back. Commander Zhao smirked at his helpless form. “Keep them here,” he ordered.

After he left, the guards retreated to the entrance, and Prince Zuko turned in frustration and kicked a small table over. Kona couldn’t even imagine how he was feeling right now. To be so close to capturing the dream you had been chasing for years, and to have some arrogant man like Zhao try to take his glory away. For once, she found his anger completely justified.

“More tea please?” Master Iroh asked one of the many guards in the tent.

Kona knew that his nonchalant response would likely annoy the prince even more and hurriedly offered him her own untouched tea. “Here, my prince. I know it will do little to help the situation, but it may at least help you calm down.”

If it was anyone else Zuko would have ignored them or knocked it out of their hands, but the near pleading look in her eye was enough for him to take a deep breath and approach the two sitting at the table. He took the tea out of Kona’s hands roughly as he sat in a nearby chair. There’s no way the tea would be helpful, but he would at least try.

“This is ridiculous.” He grumbled and took a sip of tea. Against his will, the warm brew’s pleasant warmth made his heart rate begin to slow, and his muscles began to relax. The warm liquid filled his gut and started to settle his stomach from his previous rage, and he sighed in defeat. He hated when his tea loving companions were right.

“Don’t worry, Prince Zuko. I’m sure this will all work out,” Iroh said, “I’m sure that Commander Zhao will be just as outmatched by the Avatar as you were.” His mischievous eyes peered over his teacup while the prince’s eye twitched at the insult. Kona couldn’t help but laugh to herself. While the constant antagonizing could get tiresome, it was clear that it was their odd way of showing affection to one another. It seemed to run in the family.

“Besides,” he continued quietly. “The good news is that Commander Zhao has forgotten that Kona lied to him. We should be thankful for that.”

Kona froze before folding into a bow, cursing her own stupidity. “I apologize again for overstepping, my prince, Master Iroh.”

“Stop with the bowing. It’s annoying.” Prince Zuko said, looking away from her. How had he not noticed the formality that he received from her now? Had he been that stuck in his head?

Kona looked at him in confusion, and Iroh chortled, clapping Prince Zuko on the shoulder. Poor Zuko had just realized how far Kona had slipped from his reach, but that was good. It meant he was becoming more in tune with his emotions. He was growing, finally. “That was his way of accepting your apology, Kona. Your thinking was quick, but you need to be more careful. You are just a peasant girl to much of the army. You must not speak out of turn.”

Kona cringed and bowed lower, heart aching at the scolding and the reminder. “Yes, Master Iroh. I won’t disappoint you again.”

“Oh, for Agni’s sake.” Prince Zuko rolled his eyes.

Chapter Text

It felt like they had been waiting for hours by the time that Commander Zhao finally returned, and when he did it was with utmost confidence. His ego was clearly inflated by his earlier slight against the prince, and as he preened before them, Kona felt her hatred for him rise. If a man had to resort to picking on teenagers to feel good about himself, he was surely no man at all.

“My search party is ready,” he bragged. “Once I’m out at sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you’ll be free to go.”

Kona couldn’t help but wonder why he was letting them go at all. Surely, it would be better to keep them under his thumb until he could capture the Avatar. For all he knew, they could go out and spread the word of his return anonymously, ensuring roadblocks from both the Fire Nation army looking for reward or rebels looking to protect him.

Her instincts screamed in protest, but she did her best to ignore them. She had promised both Master Iroh and Prince Zuko that she would not speak out of turn anymore and she intended to keep that promise.

“Why make us wait? Are you worried I’m going to try and stop you?” Prince Zuko taunted. Kona wasn’t sure if he was just trying to push the man’s buttons or if he was as suspicious of the man’s intentions as Kona was.

The commander simply laughed, as if the idea was the most hilarious and outlandish thing he had ever heard. “You? Stop me? Impossible.”

The young prince, half the commander's age, stood and stared defiantly. Zuko knew that he needed this more than the commander did and that was why he was confident when he said, “Don’t underestimate me, Zhao.” The commander glared at the disrespect. “I will capture the Avatar before you.” My life–my throne depends on it.

General Iroh stood abruptly. It was one thing to use veiled words and threats in the Fire Nation (that was just politics) but it was another to insult an officer in as bold of a manner as ignoring their title. It was to strip them of their honor, and Prince Zuko knew that. “Prince Zuko,” the old man scolded. “That’s enough.”

“You can’t compete with me,” Commander Zhao said as boldly as if it were fact. “I have hundreds of warships under my command, and you,” he paused, disgust clear on his face as he looked down at Zuko. “You’re just a banished prince. No home. No allies.”

Kona felt a fury burning in her chest that nearly rivaled that of Zuko’s. To bully someone who had lost their home was inexcusable and if she had the power, Commander Zhao would struggle in poverty for the rest of his miserable existence. Her murderous thoughts were cut off by the worst insult that the man could have delivered.

“Your own father didn’t even want you.”

Kona saw red. Her fists clenched and she tensed for the fight that was sure to ensue, but she was shocked to see that Prince Zuko was mostly calm. Angry, yes, but no more than usual.

“You’re wrong,” he denied. “Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne.” He had to. After all, his Father had been the person to send him off on the mission in the first place. It was, arguably, the most important job in the Fire Nation. The Fire Lord wouldn’t assign Prince Zuko to that mission unless he trusted him to complete it and return home.

“If your father really wanted you home, he’d have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar, but in his eyes, you are a failure and a disgrace to the fire nation.”

Prince Zuko’s face hardened and Commander Zhao knew his words hit their mark.

“That’s. Not. True.”

“You have the scar to prove it.” The man basically cooed, staring at the feature that had haunted the prince every day since he had received it.

Prince Zuko reacted on instinct, shoving himself into the commander’s personal space, and Kona acted without thinking. She wrapped her hand around his closest arm, tugging him away from the man insistently, desperate to keep a fight from occurring. The Fire Lord would be furious to hear of his son attacking a commander in his own war tent.

“Prince Zuko, please,” she begged, placing herself between the prince and the commander, desperate for the situation to de-escalate.

And while he let her drag him from the commander’s space, he couldn’t help the words from forming. “Maybe you’d like one to match.” He bit out between clenched teeth and Kona’s breath hitched at the implication.

“Prince Zuko, no!”

The man looked between the girl’s frightened and the prince’s livid expression, a cruel smile pulling across his lips. “Is that a challenge?”

“An Agni Kai! At sunset.” Prince Zuko challenged, pushing Kona aside—far too angry to even notice the hurt expression that flashed across her face.

Why would he willingly do this again? She knew he hadn’t forgotten his last Agni Kai, so what was his plan? How could tonight possibly go any differently? Was he insane? Kona knew he was rash, but this was just a whole new level of stupid.

She quietly dropped her arms, still raised from her feeble attempt to stop him, and stepped back. There was clearly nothing she could do to change his mind, and it was clear that the commander would not let him back out without gravely insulting his honor once more. This was the track that fate was on now, and she was just an unwilling bystander. Again.

“Very well. It’s a shame your father won’t be here to watch me humiliate you,” Commander Zhao said smugly, already confident in his victory. His eyes turned away from the prince to his companions. “I guess your uncle and girlfriend will make do for now.”

Prince Zuko blinked after the man as he swaggered out of the tent, his fury briefly changing to confusion. Girlfriend? Thankfully, his cheeks were already flushed with anger, or he was sure that his uncle would tease him for blushing at the idea. He wasn’t embarrassed by the idea, per say, Kona was very pretty, even he could admit that. She would be a great girlfriend: she was smart, supportive, and kind, but would fight him when he went too far. No, no he was embarrassed for her: accused of dating the scarred, banished prince.

“Prince Zuko,” Master Iroh said, breaking him from his thoughts. “Have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?” After years of hanging on the old man’s every word, Kona could easily pick out the fear that dripped beneath the words. She knew Prince Zuko wouldn’t pick up on it, and a traitorous part of her mind thought it was nice to not be the only one terrified by the chain of events that were unfolding.

“I will never forget.” Prince Zuko said bitterly and turned towards his companions. “Today will be different. I’m prepared this time and I have had more training. This is for my honor. There is no way I will lose.”

The hours leading to the Agni Kai passed in a blur. The three had been kept in the tent, so beyond meditation and stretching, Prince Zuko had little time to prepare, but he didn’t let that get to him. He put more focus into his meditation than ever before; his actions fueled by his sense of pride and desperate need for honor. Iroh spent his time guiding his nephew through his exercises, a great way of distracting and downplaying his anxieties for the duel, but Kona had little to do but think.

It was agonizing.

All she could picture in her head was her best friend, on his knees before Fire Lord Ozai, weeping and crying and begging to be forgiven. The towering man, cold and ruthless, berating his young son once more before bending at him point blank—straight in the eye. She remembered his scream first, though it hadn’t lasted long. By Agni’s mercy, he had passed out from shock. What she remembered most was the horrible smell of charred flesh as she had rushed over to his side.

The scene replayed in her head over and over until the guards arrived to escort them to the arena. Against her will, she couldn’t help but admire the sunset and the colors that it brought with it as her master gave Prince Zuko some last-minute coaching.

“Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons.”

Agni, Kona was going to be sick.

The sun had almost touched the horizon, and soon Prince Zuko and Commander Zhao would be dueling for their honor.

“I refuse to let him win.” He said confidently, standing from his kneeling position. His eyes cut to his friend who had not spoken a single word to him in hours. He knew that cold look on her face. She had completely shut down. He didn’t know whether to feel angry at her lack of confidence in him or feel touched that she was so worried for his safety. Instead, he nodded his head to her and said, “This will be quick, and we will return to the ship before nightfall.”

Normally his confidence would make Kona feel better, but today all she wanted to do was hit him. She simply bowed to him, showing her respect and good wishes. If she opened her mouth, she wasn’t sure what would come out. It was best if she stayed quiet.

She couldn’t help but jump at the gong that signaled the sun was in position for the Agni Kai. As Prince Zuko turned away, she clenched her eyes shut for a few moments to center herself. A comforting hand on her back made her take a deep breath and open her eyes.

“What’s done is done. All we can do is be with him, no matter the outcome,” Master Iroh said, though he couldn’t deny his own worry resting in his chest. He looked at his charge’s face, emotionless, a mask in place, but the pale pallor of her skin gave away her fear for his nephew. So, similar to that day. Too similar. Too much for children to endure. “You do not have to watch, Kona.”

She let out a shaky breath and focused her eyes on her friend, who had taken his stance and was preparing for his duel. “Yes, I do, master.”

Without a word, Iroh returned his gaze to his nephew, heart in his throat, as the gong sounded once more. The Agni Kai had begun.

There was a brief pause before Prince Zuko fired a blast that Commander Zhao dodged easily. Prince Zuko fired again with the same effect. The prince released half a dozen more blasts, the commander evading expertly before he blocked the last completely. The confidence was clear on Zhao’s face, as he could see Prince Zuko’s breathing beginning to become ragged. Undeterred, the prince came into the commander’s space, punching and kicking fire strikes at the commander, knowing that the hand to hand combat that his uncle ensured he was trained in would improve his chances over a man that likely relied on his bending ability. Each one was dodged or blocked effortlessly, and Kona’s palms began to sweat at the obvious gap in skill before her.

Then, Zhao began his assault, bending for the first time in the duel. He sent a flame directly in Prince Zuko’s path, making him stop his approach and reel back.

“Basics, Zuko!” Iroh called, anxiety clear. “Break his root!” Coaching was not normally encouraged in Agni Kais, but Iroh had the feeling that this was off the books, and just as much for the commander’s pride as his nephew’s.

Zhao blasted flame after flame in the prince’s direction, alternating hands each time, forcing Prince Zuko to give up precision for speed as he struggled to dodge the quick strikes. Almost immediately, it became clear that dodging was impossible, and he began blocking each blast, but it made him lose ground fast. Each blast pushed him back a few steps at a time before Zhao sent out one last powerful blast from both hands. Prince Zuko fell back from the impact, skidding backwards across the dirt.

Taking the opportunity to seize his advantage, Zhao took a flying leap to get into his melee combat range, blasting Zuko as he started to rise. The prince narrowly dodged by rolling away and sweeping out a leg as he did. His sudden movement caught the commander by surprise, sending him tumbling back. Ultimately he landed on his feet, but the commander was clearly taken aback. That kick was not a firebending move. The grace and swiftness of the move was not a typical part of Fire Nation combat.

Zhao was unaware that it was Kona’s signature style. She was used to being smaller and weaker than her opponents, and she used it to her advantage. And so the prince used it for his.

Zuko pushed himself harder, keeping his momentum. Each of his steps sent out a wave of flames, further throwing the commander off balance due to his inability to place his feet down. Then the prince bended a single blast directly towards his head, forcing the commander to dodge by falling backwards onto the ground.

Victorious, Zuko stood over Zhao, a mirror to his father years before. He hesitated. He had to admit he felt pride for beating this firebending master, but to seriously injure him to prove his victory felt wrong. It was the Fire Nation way, but…

“Do it!” Commander Zhao snarled, furious and embarrassed for losing to a 16-year-old banished prince. Decision made, Zuko dealt the final blow…directly into the ground beside the commander’s head.

“That’s it?” The man asked incredulously. “Your father raised a coward.” He knew that bringing up the Fire Lord always seemed to rile the boy up, and he refused to go down like this: “spared” by the boy with no honor and the scar to prove it. It would be humiliating.

“Next time you get in my way, I promise I won’t hold back.” Zuko threatened, turning away from the defeated man, towards the exit to the temple.

He had promised Kona they’d be back on the ship by nightfall, and he intended to keep that promise.

The commander released a yell of anger as he stood and kicked out a flame towards the prince’s turned form. A coward’s shot. It didn’t have a chance to land as Master Iroh caught the man’s foot, and with little effort, sent the man skidding back in the dirt.

Kona quickly intercepted the prince before he could go after the commander.

“Don’t, Prince Zuko,” she nearly whispered to him while placing her hand against his chest to stop him in his tracks. The restraining was unnecessary, as the fact that she had started talking to him again was enough to make him pause. “You’ve already won.”

“She’s right, Prince Zuko. Don’t taint your victory,” his uncle said, pride swelling in his chest, as he turned to the fallen commander, condescension clear on his face. “So, this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat…disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you. Anyway, thanks again for the tea. It was delicious.”

A perfectly delivered Fire Nation insult: a mention in honor, the look of condescension, and the compliment that acted as a bandage that would allow Master Iroh to still work with Commander Zhao in the future. Kona really needed to learn how to do that.

As they left the temple with Kona bringing up the rear and keeping her eye on the fallen commander, the prince spoke quietly to his uncle, a softness to his voice that was not often found. “Did you really mean that, Uncle?”

With that question, any anger that Kona had felt towards the prince dwindled away. She was reminded of the fact that he, like her, was still just a teenager looking for validation and acceptance from those around him. Though he was still very reckless, and he was going to lead her to an early grave if he kept pulling stunts like today’s.

“Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite.” The old man smirked at his nephew, and rather than getting angry, Prince Zuko simply shook his head and breathed a laugh. They were cut from the same cloth: feelings weren’t their thing, but his uncle’s actions and earlier words said enough.

Unable to help himself, Prince Zuko turned back to look at the girl who had been by his side for so many years. She was looking around constantly, especially back towards the temple doors. As usual, taking it upon herself to keep him and his uncle safe. She finally caught his eye, and paused in her surveilling, just staring at him.

Prince Zuko suddenly remembered that she was very much not happy with him right now. He momentarily panicked wondering what he could do. While he was offended by her lack of confidence, he had understood why she would have been so scared. Maybe he could get her something at the next port…?

He didn’t have to worry for very long though as a corner of her lips pulled into a small smile.

His breath caught in his throat as he recognized the look in her eyes. Pride. She was proud of him, for what exactly he didn’t know, but he would do anything to keep her looking like that.

So, with a slight flush to his cheeks, he found himself smiling back.

Chapter Text

In the weeks that followed the Agni Kai, Prince Zuko’s crew fell back into the old routine of hunting the Avatar but with a newfound vigor. Since the crew now knew that the Avatar was alive, they wanted to be the ones that seized him. They all knew that they may never have to work again, if they were the ones to stake the claim. Unfortunately, since Master Iroh and Prince Zuko had never actually told the crew to keep the Avatar a secret from Commander Zhao, there was no reason to dismiss them. Kona made no efforts to hide her scorn towards those who did confess to the man. To her it was obvious that it was a secret, and she was 16 years old. These were grown men. 

Regardless of the troubles aboard, the ship moved on. They followed the Avatar and his friends from place to place: from Kiyoshi Island to earth kingdom colonies, but they were no closer to capturing the Avatar. The only thing that they had to show for their efforts was the necklace that the Water Tribe girl, Katara, had always worn around her neck. Prince Zuko had found it within a Fire Nation prison after following rumors of a prison break spurred on by a young girl and her teen allies. Kona had to admit she was impressed by the audacity of Katara infiltrating a well known Fire Nation prison camp and instigating a rebellion in only a matter of hours. It had to have taken courage.

For this reason, she planned on giving the necklace back as soon as they were able to catch up once more. Kona didn’t tell Prince Zuko, of course, but to Kona it was the right thing to do. From the beginning their only goal was the Avatar, and that had not changed. Kona didn't want to be responsible for keeping a piece of the girl’s home from her. She didn't know why she cared as much as she did, but something about it just felt cruel.

In addition to the fervorous searching for the Avatar, Prince Zuko had asked Master Iroh if he could resume training with Kona. He argued that his use of martial combat had turned the tides of his Agni Kai, and it could have gone worse if he had never been exposed to moves that didn’t revolve around firebending. Iroh agreed easily, pleased that his nephew was showing such wisdom. Kona and Prince Zuko immediately began to have near daily sparring matches, and as the days passed by, the prince improved drastically. In the beginning, Kona won by a landslide, mostly, she admitted to herself, because Prince Zuko wasn’t allowed to use his bending. As his training progressed, Zuko’s confidence grew, and he found himself having fun. In the private of his mind,  the prince acknowledged the fun had very little to do with his improvement.

He had never had fun in training until he started sparring with Kona. Even as a child, his lessons were brutal and relentless; especially when his sister, Azula, was around. He wouldn’t say that these lessons were easy. On the contrary, they left him exhausted most days, but sparring with Kona reminded him of when they were young and would chase each other around the courtyard. They had been forced to train separately as children due to Kona's status and lack of bending, so they often had mini sparring sessions to show each other their new forms. Of course, they were children, so the sparring would often devolve quickly into wrestling and tickle fights and chasing. They used to run around the koi pond for hours until Iroh or his mother would call them inside to eat. The would oblige with wrinkled clothing, dirtied skin, and skinned knees. His uncle would praise their stamina and pat their shoulders and Zuko remembered how the praise would cause them to well with pride.  Then his mother would smooth their hair and pinch their cheeks playfully and tell them to be nice to one another when they playing. They were always so quick to defend their activities; Kona would tell her that they sat and fed the turtle ducks too, and Zuko would tell her that he never hit her for real because it was mean. They didn't want his mother to make them stop rough housing; it was an excuse to be around one another when the his father clearly didn't enjoy Kona's presence. In hindsight, Prince Zuko realized his mother knew the sparring was an excuse all along.

Still, the reminder was nice.

In private, he continued to practice with his broadswords and applied every new move learned during the sparring sessions to them. He already had some experience them, but he had to admit he never saw much use in them while he had his bending ability. So he learned. He wasn’t sure if he would ever need them, but it was best to be prepared, given how much the last few weeks had changed his life. He was sure that the Avatar would keep throwing new things at him, and he wanted an arsenal that would allow him to succeed.

Against his best efforts, word of the Avatar’s return had begun to spread, and he soon had more competition than just Zhao. The only good news was that the Avatar was illusive to all who were searching for him, not just Zuko.

Prince Zuko was trying to embrace good things for once. He may not have the Avatar, but he had some portion of his honor. After his duel with Commander Zhao, he could finally say it for a fact. The gentle pride that followed him after that day seemed to soften his rough exterior, making him more courteous to his crew and companions. So, when his uncle requested a short trip to a hot spring, just off the Avatar’s trail, to relax after nearly two weeks of daily training, Prince Zuko found himself agreeing quicker than normal. His uncle didn't even have to use roundabout logic to convince him. To Iroh, it was a miracle.

That was how Prince Zuko had found himself in his current situation.  While his uncle relaxed in the springs, Kona and Prince Zuko had decided to camp nearby, just in case. But all good things had to come to an end, and soon Kona found herself packing up their small day camp. Prince Zuko had just left and was pushing through the thick foliage of the forest, trying to remember where his uncle’s makeshift hot spring was located. 

“Uncle, it’s time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!” After calling for what seemed like minutes, the familiar voice of his uncle finally called through the trees, voice relaxed:

“Over here!”

The prince pushed through he trees and eyed his relaxing uncle with what could only be called exasperation. “We need to move on. You know that Kona and I heard some rumors in town earlier. We’re closing in on the Avatar’s trail, and I don’t want to lose him.”

The old man sunk further into the spring with a sigh. “You look tired, Prince Zuko,” he said. “Why don’t you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles?”

Zuko’s eyebrow twitched, the only signal to his budding anger. “My troubles cannot be soaked away. It’s time to go!”

Just because he had mellowed out doesn't mean he didn’t still have a destiny to chase. He had let his uncle soak for a while now. He normally would have just denied him in the first place. What more did the man want from him?

“You should take your teacher’s advice and relax a little. Kona, too. There is enough for all of us. The temperature is just right. I heated it myself.” 

“Enough!” Zuko finally snapped. “We need to leave now. Get out of the water!”

The retired general complied, and the young prince immediately flinched and covered his eyes. Why wasn’t he wearing any clothing? He would never be able to get that image out of his mind. “On second thought, why don’t you take a few more minutes? Be back at the ship in a half hour or I’m leaving without you.” He threatened. He turned and pushed his way back through the trees and towards their camp.

Iroh chortled quietly to himself, sinking deep into the water and exhaling hot steam to heat the water further. ' It was just too easy.'

Prince Zuko found Kona leaning against a tree. Their bags were packed and lined up by her feet as she tilted her head back to expose her face to the warm sun. He was suddenly all too aware of how the sun made her skin look impossibly soft and how her hair shined in her signature up-do. He panicked to himself as he found himself a bit tongue tied and struggled to announce his presence. What was going on?

Prince Zuko heard a loud crack and realized he had accidentally stepped on a stick, doing the job of announcing his approach for him.

Kona’s eyes snapped open and turned in his direction. Her relaxed posture shifted into a tense, but controlled form honed by years of practice: back straight, shoulders back, chin high. She was the picture of Fire Nation elegance. So why did he prefer her as she was moments ago? Slumped against an old worn tree, legs stretched ahead of her, head lolled slightly to the side as she tilted her chin towards the sun, utterly content in the quiet.

“Where is Master Iroh, my prince?”

While he wasn’t a fan of her formality, the word “my” seemed to send a shiver up his spine, and he cursed his body's strange reaction. He must be getting sick.

“He will join us soon. He had to, uh, finish something up.” His cheeks flushed at the disgusting memory against his will. That really would scar his memory for the rest of his life. He was sure of it. “I told him he had 30 minutes to return to the ship or we would leave without him.”

Kona nodded. She knew how stubborn her master could get, especially when he was trying to relax. “You wouldn’t leave him behind.”

It wasn’t a question, but he still responded, “No.”

She smiled at him, her small smile, so fleeting that he cherished it every time he saw it and wanted desperately to capture it so it wouldn’t leave her face. Agni, what was wrong with him? He sounded like one of the protagonists of those awful plays his mother would take him to.

“Anyway, we’ll stay here for a while. I’m sure he’ll conveniently lose track of time, and we will have to come back for him anyway.” Prince Zuko crossed the small clearing and took a seat against a small boulder near the tree where she had been resting against before he came.

He watched her hesitate briefly before slowly sinking back against the tree, though still tenser than before he arrived.  He tried to think of anything to fill the long silence, but his brain was failing him. When had it gotten so hard to speak with her, his closest confidante?

“Have you enjoyed any of the places we’ve been recently?”

Kona couldn't but raise an eyebrow at his obvious discomfort. Whatever Kona expected him to say, it wasn’t that.  Did he think her unable to sit in silence?  Was that why he started these conversations he seemed clearly uncomfortable with?

“In all honesty, Prince Zuko, I just appreciate being somewhere warm,” she said, lifting her hand so her palm could feel the warmth of the sunlight before her. While she couldn’t say she enjoyed tracking the Avatar, she could admit that it was much more agreeable to her in temperate conditions. Though, it may have been her fault that the southern waters were so brutal. Her stubbornness had kept her from asking for warmer clothing.

“I’m sorry,” the prince said, looking away uncomfortably. “For not noticing how much you were struggling with the climate. I, of all people, should have thought to provide better accommodations. It was careless...as your commanding officer.” '...as your friend.' He wanted so badly to say, but if he could feel the distance, he was sure she could too. He didn't want to push her away with sudden reconciliation. He didn't want her to think that their friendship was a whim to him; something he could turn off and back on whenever it as convenient to do so. He knew he needed to show her how much she meant to him. They were both so much better with actions than words.

“You don’t need to apologize, my prince. It’s not your fault that I am not a firebender like the rest of your crew.” Though she prided herself in her control of her expressions, Kona was especially proud that she managed to keep the bitterness out of her tone. She didn't want him to know about her thoughts on her shortcomings. They were useless thoughts on a situation that could never change.

“It’s not yours either,” he said quietly. He may not have seen or heard the bitter, self-loathing in her tone, but even she couldn’t hide the memories they shared. Memories of the small 9-year-old girl crying to her best friend that she had been bullied for not being able to bend. Remembering how she stained his shirt with tears as she recounted people telling her that she was better off far away from the palace with the other nonbending peasants. Seeing her beg him to play with her somewhere else when Azula came sauntering by with her friends.

Kona didn’t answer. She didn’t need to. Their distance had made some memories fade over time, but she was starting to remember too. They had this argument too many times to count in their near decade of friendship. Instead, she sighed and forced herself to relax her posture, tilting her head back against the tree. Seeing her unwillingness to continue the conversation, Zuko swallowed his words and did his best to do the same, sitting quietly in her presence. I nstead, he bided his time, switching between meditation and studying his oldest friend. He knew it was redundant to wonder how things had become so different, but he couldn’t help it. He found it difficult to pinpoint when she had gone from crying on his shoulder to shouldering her burdens on her own. He made a silent vow to get her to confide in him again, no matter how long it took. He knew it was childish, but something about their distance was upsetting, and he wanted it fixed as soon as possible.

Soon, enough time had passed for the two teens to go looking for Iroh, who, as expected, had pushed the limit of the prince's time ultimatum. The two teens pushed through the thick trees and made their way to his makeshift hot spring, only to find it completely empty.

“Uncle! Uncle, where are you?” Prince Zuko called while Kona looked around the small clearing. He joined her and quickly noticed the strange rock formation in the spring that she was eying critically. “Something’s not right here. That pile of rocks.”

“Prince Zuko,” Kona said in a near whisper. The fear in her tone was enough for him to turn to her immediately. “Rocks don’t slide upwards like that. I think earthbenders captured Master Iroh.”

Zuko’s face hardened as he took in the scene again. She was right. She always was. 

“We need to get our rhinos.”

Fueled by fear of a missing loved one, the two teens raced back to the ship and unloaded their mounts with an impatient energy that pushed the crew to new speeds. In less than 20 minutes, they were on the hunt. 

They started at the scene of the crime where they quickly found a discarded sandal. With the foul odor attached to it, there was no way that it wasn’t the old man’s. Prince Zuko pocketed it, and began looking around for tracks. It was easy enough to spot the pairs of footpraints that lead away from the spring and towards a dirt path. It was covered with ostrich horse tracks, the mounts used by earth kingdom soldiers due to their speed and dexterity on sand. With a glance, the two communicated the obvious. They were on the right track, and their earlier hypothesis was likely correct. Earthbenders.

Kona and Zuko followed the path out of the dense forest and onto a larger dirt roads. They had not been traveling wrong when a familiar large figure made its way across the sky in front of them. With its white fur and large black horns it was unmistakable. 

“The Avatar!” Prince Zuko breathed, slowing his rhino to a stop as he watched the flying bison cross the sky, their mark upon its back. Then the reality sunk down around him. He only had two options here: chase his uncle or chase the Avatar. He looked to Kona who was already staring at him, awaiting his order. He knew that she would follow him either way.

It was a fairly easy decision in the end, as he pushed his rhino forward to continue following the ostrich horse tracks.

“Don’t tell uncle that we missed the Avatar while looking for him, Kona.” He would either be touched and start trying to praise his nephew, or he would scold him for trying to help instead of giving chase for the Avatar. He ran so hot and cold it was impossible to know which it would be. Crazy old man.

“Yes, my prince.” She replied. Her eyes were twinkling in a way that made it clear that she supported his decision and was proud of him once more. It was such an addicting look, and he couldn’t help but feel victorious at making it cross her face again. Agni what was going on?

As they pressed on, the teens knew that they had to be getting close to the captors. The tracks became fresher, and they began slowing their pace to increase their stealth. At last, they found a group of ostrich horses tied up beside the path. They quickly and quietly dismounted, following the footprints until they found Iroh surrounded by a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers. One was raising a large boulder over where the old man’s cuffed hands were placed.

Were they going to break his hands? Kona thought, terrified.

With a quick look and a nod, the teens launched into the fray. Kona leaped into a front handspring, using the momentum to bring both of her feet into the large boulder and send it crashing away. She landed gracefully in front of her master before falling into a defensive stance. Meanwhile, Prince Zuko dashed to his uncle, spinning for extra momentum as he brought the heel of his boot down on the metal cuffs. Immediately they broke open with a “clank,” and he, too, fell into a defensive position by the girl's side, glaring down the Earthbenders that watched in shock. The men soon shook themselves out of it an began to spread themselves out to surround them.

The old man smiled as he rubbed his now free wrists. “Excellent form, both of you,” he praised, raising to his feat and clutching the chain that used to bind him into his hands, testing the weight.

“You taught us well,” Zuko responded, shifting as the men moved, so his back was almost entirely towards Kona. 

Iroh smirked and joined the teens in a fighting stance. He shifted so they were all back-to-back, ready for anything that came at them. He couldn't but feel the rush in his old body. He may have trained these two teens, but he had never fought with them before. How fun!

“Surrender yourselves,” ordered the soldier who was clearly in charge. “It’s five against three. You’re clearly outnumbered.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Iroh said casually, and the soldiers seemed to imperceivably begin to relax. Then the old man grinned wickedly. “But you are clearly outmatched.”

Trying to get the upper hand, the soldiers fired their boulders first, but it was as the retired general said: they were clearly outmatched. With a near impossible reaction time, Iroh took out the approaching boulders with the chains that had previously been keeping him imprisoned. He wrapped the chains around the boulders and swung them towards two soldiers that stood nearby.

Prince Zuko fired upon two of the soldiers and sent them flying back towards the debris of his uncle's assault. Another bended a small boulder the prince’s way only for Kona to redirect it towards one of his allies with a flick of her wrist. She pushes the advantage that the surprise of her move had given her to sprint forward and deliver a clean roundhouse kick to his head, knocking him out instantly. 

They should really invest in helmets , she thought. Benders. They always think they're invincible. 

The captain had focused on Iroh due to his military reputation, but their battle was over just as quickly. Iroh used his chains to pull the man’s feet out from under him, and the boulders that the captain had been holding aloft fell atop the group of soldiers that had not noticed that they were all being easily corralled into small area.

Buried under rubble, all they could do was groan.

Kona turned to greet her master, but Prince Zuko stopped her, forcing her head away.

“Uncle, would you please put on some clothes?!”

“It is not my fault they ambushed me while bathing. Who bathes with clothes on?” Regardless of his statement, he indeed allowed Zuko to direct him to the ostrich horses where he found an extra pair of clothing from one the soldiers. 

“It did not take you long to find me. I am impressed.” Master Iroh praised later, from his rhino. 

“They did not try very hard to hide their tracks, Master Iroh,” Kona admitted from the back of the other rhino. 

They really should have thought of bringing a spare rhino, but they had both spaced out from their panic. Instead, Kona was forced to ride behind Prince Zuko awkwardly. She refused to wrap her arms around him and instead was gripping the saddle behind her while leaving as much space as possible between them. She knew the prince was very particular about his personal space, and she didn't want to bother him by interfering with it.

“Regardless, you must have been very worried about me, Prince Zuko,” the old man teased. “What happened to leaving me behind?”

Thankfully, it was impossible for Prince Zuko to blush, as he was already flushed from Kona’s close presence. He was thankful that she decided not to hold him. Not that he was against her holding him, but because he was afraid that she would be able to feel his rapidly beating heart. Why wouldn't it stop doing that? He had to be sick.

“The crew doesn’t listen to me as well as they listen to you,” the prince finally replied. 

Iroh raised a brow at his halfhearted response before eyeing the space between the two teenagers. 'It must just be the hormones,' he thought to himself, eyeing his nephew's red face and delicate blush on his ward’s cheeks. 

A traitorous part of his mind suddenly wished that their relationship was still as distant as it had been before they found the young Avatar. He wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of his nephew and his near-daughter becoming romantically involved. Then again, destiny really did just enjoy making his life difficult.

Chapter Text

Only a few miles to the east of where the captured Iroh was found was the small village of Senlin. It didn’t take long for Zuko to prod information out of the locals, and soon we were on the hunt once more. 

Apparently the Avatar was heading to Crescent Island to commune with Avatar Roku on the Winter Solstice. According to the villagers, the Winter Solstice was important because the bridge between worlds was much smaller than normal, but Kona wasn’t all that convinced. She knew very little of the spirit world let alone how it interacted with theirs, but it sounded a bit fantastical.

Regardless, the new direction was helpful enough, as the small crew aboard Prince Zuko’s ship rarely had more than rumors to follow. Well, it was helpful until they remembered where Crescent Island was.

“Sailing into Fire Nation waters,” Iroh ranted. “Of all the foolish things you’ve done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!” Master Iroh was furious, more furious than Kona had seen him in years. She had never seen him speak out against Prince Zuko so boldly in front of the crew, let alone practically insult him.

Prince Zuko sighed. His uncle’s complaints were all he had been hearing for the last couple of hours, and it was starting to really grate on his nerves. “I have no choice, Uncle.”

“Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?” Iroh nearly yelled before taking a deep breath and pausing. Yelling would do nothing. He knew that. “What if you’re caught?” He implored, not quite being able to keep the fear out of his tone.

Kona worried her lip from her position too far away. She looked through the telescope and searched the horizon for Appa, just as she had been doing for the last hour. She blinked the fatigue from her eyes and rolled her neck slightly, but never faltered from her position.

 The prince had stationed her near his side since run-ins with the Avatar were so frequent, and because of this, she had had a front row seat to this debate for as long as it had been occuring. She was conflicted between her want for Zuko’s redemption and her fear for his safety. Entering Fire Nation waters could so easily go wrong, and she doubted the Fire Lord would be lenient if the crew got captured with no Avatar in custody. Kona was also certain that if they managed to capture the Avatar first , the trespassing would be forgiven if not forgotten entirely. Her chest twinged with discomfort from just trying to formulate an opinion on it.

“I’m chasing the Avatar,” the prince argued. “My father will understand why I am returning home.”
“You give him too much credit,” his uncle said, eyes downcast. “My brother is not the understanding type.”

Thankfully, at that moment, Kona saw movement on the horizon.

“Prince Zuko!” She called, tossing him the spyglass and indicating the direction.

“There they are! Helmsman, full steam ahead!”

Kona’s heart leapt. This was their chance. If they could catch him before they entered Fire Nation waters, they would be in the clear. “My prince, perhaps we could load the catapult,” Kona suggested.

“Men, raise the catapult, prepare to fire!”

Behind them, the ship hissed as the platform with the catapult slowly rose through the deck of the ship. Within a minute of the platform locking into place, the catapult was prepared for launch and the projectile was lit aflame. 

On his command, the ship opened fire, causing the flying bison and its passengers to zigzag across the sky as they took evasive maneuvers. The smell of the burning projectiles filled the air causing Iroh to complain playfully but the teens were too focused on the battle in front of them. The victory was so close they could almost taste it.

But it was never that easy.

“A blockade.” Prince Zuko gasped in horror, eying the two lines of ships forming a barrier in front of them. Like most Fire Navy vessels, the ships of the blockade were large and domineering, and their opposing movement left little opportunity for anything to cross without collision. Any attempt that they made would surely be witnessed by all crew on all nearby ships, so running it would be out of the question. They had to hope the Avatar turned back.

“Technically you are still in Earth Kingdom waters. Turn back now and they cannot arrest you.” Master Iroh suggested warily, as he watched the gap between their small ship and the blockade grow steadily smaller.

Prince Zuko shifted from foot to foot. The Avatar was as good as his until the blockade appeared, but he grit his teeth as he watched the flying bison press forward. 

“The Avatar isn’t turning around!” Prince Zuko exclaimed half in awe and half in fear, but as the girl at his side faced the blockade in front of her she only felt the latter as reality crashed down on her.

This was a bad idea. 

“Please Prince Zuko! If the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do!” The man begged, and that alone made the prince pause. He couldn’t recall ever hearing the man beg. “Do not follow the Avatar!”

Prince Zuko’s heart was in his throat as he eyed his uncle. His eyes unwillingly drifted over to Kona. Her eyes were filled with unmasked terror as her eyes snapped back and forth between the Avatar, the blockade, and him. 

Worst case scenario, he was arrested, but that doesn’t mean his uncle or Kona would be. The crew would testify that his uncle tried to stop him and his uncle would surely defend Kona. They would all be fine. And so, Prince Zuko lowered his head and clenched his fists, unable to meet either of their eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. His eyes hardened as he faced forward and sent a commanding hand forward. “Run the blockade!” He ordered.

There was barely any time to panic during the approach, as the blockade fired upon the Avatar. It was clear that the projectiles were not meant for them due to how few landed, but it didn’t make the crossfire any less dangerous. 

The falling debris sent waves crashing over the side of the ship, and it was near impossible for the crew to remain on their feet. The crew ran for cover, the catapult abandoned. Kona clutched the metal frame in front of her, but she couldn’t will her body to do anything more. She tried to move, to take cover, but it was like she had frozen in place. 

A projectile slammed into the left side of the shift, sending those left on deck stumbling. Kona was sent slamming into the prince's side, hand unable to keep purchase on the bar. He caught her before she fell, but didn’t have time to help her, as an engineer rushed onto the deck in a panic. “Prince Zuko! The engines are damaged! We need to stop and make repairs. “

“Whatever you do, do not stop this ship!” He ordered and turned to face the blockade once more. A single bead of sweat dripped down his cheek. ‘ Agni, please. I need this.’

Kona’s stomach was turning, as she struggled to stay on her feet. None of her training had prepared her for naval battle, and she was struggling to come to grips with reality. If their ship went down, the rest of the ships would leave them for dead. Her hands shook at her side, and her lip quivered. Without thinking, she reached forward and clenched the prince’s hand in hers for comfort. Iroh’s warm hand touched her lower back, and she whipped around to meet his sympathetic gaze. 

‘You’re much too young for this much fear,’ his mind whispered and he hoped she could see what he was trying to convey. He pushed as much love and sympathy as he could into his expression, but a nearby splash drew her attention away.

Prince Zuko watched, face impassive as the Avatar passed over the blockade. They had made it. The waters calmed around them as the catapults of the blockade ceased firing, though the harsh smell still hung in the air. The blockade drew nearer and Kona’s free hand clutched at Master Iroh’s arm.

“We are on a collision course!” Iroh gasped, as two much larger ships were moving forward to block them off at the blockade. He clasped Kona’s clammy hand in his. ‘Agni, please. They’re too young. Don’t take them away too.’  

Kona squeezed ther companion’s hands harder, heart racing in her chest. Her nausea had long passed, but she was having trouble filling her lungs. She felt like she was choking on air with no relief.

“We can make it!” Prince Zuko said confidently, squeezing her hand in an attempt to give her comfort, but he did not look at her. He had to focus. He had to see this through. They had to succeed here after what they just endured.

And they did. 

But Zuko’s skin crawled as one of the ships clearly slowed down, allowing their small vessel to pass. As they passed, Prince Zuko’s narrowed eyes locked with Commander Zhao on the ship that had slowed. Of course , Zhao had something to do with it. He clenched his fists before remembering his friend's small fingers sat in his grasp. He elected to ignore its presence for now; the warmth was…comforting.

For the first few moments, they watched with bated breath as the blockade slowly disappeared on the horizon, but there was nothing to expect. There was no retaliation. Master Iroh’s eyes narrowed at the vanishing line of ships.

“What’s he up to, Uncle? Why didn’t Commander Zhao arrest me?” Prince Zuko finally asked aloud, as the adrenaline finally began to leave his system. 

“Because he wants to follow you.” Iroh hypothesized. He gave his protegee’s hand one last squeeze, and blood filled her cheeks as she immediately retracted both hands and stepped away from her companions. Iroh stroked his beard and continued to watch the horizon. His gaze turned up to the billowing smokestacks and the dark black smoke it left in its wake. “He knows you’ll lead him to the prize your both after: the Avatar.” 

Prince Zuko eyed the smoke himself, before his single eyebrow lifted. “Well, if Zhao wants to follow a trail of smoke, then that’s exactly what I’ll let him do.”

‘ I’ve had enough of his ideas for one day,’ Kona decided as she roughly entered the small raft, legs still a bit shaky. Her eyes clenched shut and she could have sworn she tasted blood as the raft slowly descended into the choppy ocean.

“He insists on this plan, and he needs someone to watch his back. You know he will never let himself depend on me. Keep him safe.”

Her trembling hands clenched the ropes so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She was so tired of sailing. A pitiful part of herself wanted to run away so she didn’t have to go back on the water ever again, but she knew she would never go through with it. She was too much of a coward to ever be alone.

The two teens drifted on the small raft, using the blind spot that the prince’s ship created to slip out of Commander Zhao’s sight and towards Crescent Island.

Kona had to admit that she wouldn’t have ever thought of this plan. She just hoped it was enough to keep them from being caught. It was one thing to have Iroh with them, to help them and protect them, and it was another for them to be completely on their own.

Prince Zuko couldn’t help but notice her closed off expression during their quiet travels. It wasn’t her normal almost-perfect subdued expression that he could at least read. He took in her clouded eyes and pale skin and his lips pursed. This was that expression. The one he hated. The one that he knew meant he had lost her. Her emotions had gotten the better of her.

He had pushed her too far today, and she was putting up her walls.

Without thinking, his hand reached out and clasped her nearest hand. Her eyes raised to his and he saw them glaze over with confusion. Good, confusion was better than nothing. He squeezed it harder and conveyed as best he could without speaking how sorry he was. While he stood by his actions as a way of capturing the Avatar, he did regret how much it seemed to affect her. He wished he could make her fears go away rather than adding onto them every day.

There was a pause that seemed to stretch forever before she squeezed his hand in return.

The situation dealt with, they turned back to their mission of approaching Crescent Island. Though if they held onto each other’s hands longer than necessary, neither of them commented on it.

Soon, they approached the rocky shores and quickly hid the small vessel on the beach behind the dark, volcanic rock. By some miracle, they had made it without being seen. Quickly and quietly, they made their way inside the temple, fully aware that the Avatar had beaten them by a good amount of time. They would have to be careful.

They tip toed their way up the stairs to a giant set of doors that Zuko knew held the statue of Avatar Roku. He stopped Kona with an arm as he took in the Avatar’s group gathered in front of him. Kona grabbed his raised arm and tugged him behind the nearest pillar. Surprise would always be their greatest weapon. 

They listened as the group discussed, completely unaware of their presence. The group wanted to trick the fire sages into opening the door for them, since it required four simultaneous elemental blasts. Zuko quietly told Kona that they would grab the Avatar when the sages came, it was the best distraction they would get. She agreed without a word, eyes hardening and body tensing in preparation.

The Avatar’s plan worked perfectly. Whatever they had done to make it look like they had entered the doors, sent the sages into action. The men fired upon the doors and the teens behind the pillar heard the door creak as it moved. The noise from the struggle that began only moments later was signal enough that it was time to act. 

Zuko stepped out from behind the column right as Aang sprinted past. He grabbed the Avatar by the back of his shirt before pinning his arms behind him. Aang struggled, but Zuko’s larger frame and strength made up for the kid’s squirming. “The Avatar’s coming with me!” He announced and watched as the previously captured sages used the distraction to turn on the Avatar’s companions. Katara’s eyes narrowed hatefully, and Sokka grit his teeth. “Close the doors! Quickly!”

Kona eyed both parties warily as the prince slowly started leading Aang down the steps. She stepped forward to assist the sages with locking down the two Water Tribe siblings. She didn’t trust the old men and their hateful gazes. She was all too aware how elder Fire Nation men seemed to treat children. She cursed mentally as she remembered the girl’s necklace that had made residence in the prince’s quarters. She should have thought to bring it with.

‘ Did the sages really need to chain them this barbarically?’ Kona thought to herself and eyed the chains in distaste. While Katara was a waterbender, she was untrained, and Sokka had clearly only received the basics of martial training. They were just kids. It was a bit overkill.

Suddenly a crash came from behind Kona and Katara perked up, eyes widening. “Go!” She encouraged the figure.

Kona whirled and moved to intercept. She kicked out her foot to trip him out, but he easily jumped over, his airbending helping him spring far out of her reach. The Avatar used two sages to catapult himself through the closing doors, and Kona’s hands clenched as they clicked shut and a blinding white light encased the room. Kona wanted to scream.

“Prince Zuko!” She called, suddenly remembering how Aang must have escaped in the first place. She sprinted towards the stairs, but the prince was already halfway up, fury radiating off his body. “I’m sorry, my prince. He made it through the doors.”

He brushed past her without a word, and she couldn’t help the hurt expression that flashed across her face. 

Across the room, the look didn’t go unnoticed. “Who’s that?” Katara asked her brother, using her chin to point at the small Fire Nation girl who had arrived with Zuko. She had never seen her despite the many run-ins with the scarred teenager.

“That’s Kona. Aang said she was on the ship that day in the South Pole, and she nearly took out Suki on Kiyoshi Island,” Sokka said, eyeing her distastefully. “She’s just as bad as Zuko. She’s been with him the whole time.”

Katara raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond. What did she expect? Fire Nation is Fire Nation, and the girl was clearly that with her harsh golden eyes and her intricate and immaculate hair style. 

Prince Zuko and four of the five sages bended at the door, trying to get it open, but there was no change. “Why isn’t it working? It’s sealed shut.” Zuko complained.

“My prince, when the door shut it emitted a bright light,” Kona reported, eyeing the doors, looking for any additional mechanism that might help.

“So?!” 

Kona flinched.

“Avatar Roku doesn’t want us inside.” One of the sages supplied, sight trained on the door with something like awe in his eyes. He seemed to come out of it within a few moments and turned to one of his brethren. “Shyu, why did you do this?”

“I only did what was right,” a haggard looking sage answered simply. “If I am to be imprisoned for that, I will comply with joy.”

“Why did you help the Avatar instead of turning him in?” Prince Zuko interrogated, frustration clear in his tone.

“Because it was once the sages’ duty. It is still our duty.” The man said sadly, bowing his head, and Kona couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the man. These sages were trained on all of the Avatar’s past lives including Avatar Roku. Despite his new appearance, Avatar Aang was just a reincarnation of their revered Avatar. She could see how his decision making could have been clouded. 

She knew she felt bad obeying her orders sometimes as well.

Slow clapping from behind her made Kona’s blood turn to ice. When she turned, she found Commander Zhao approaching with six guards in tow and she couldn’t help her half step back. “What a moving and heartfelt story,” he mocked. Kona slowly inched back towards Prince Zuko, desperate to be near her ally. The sages would surely take his side over her prince’s. Zuko was the only person she could trust in this room of strangers.

Her hands trembled as she continued moving. This was their worst fear come to life. Commander Zhao had managed to track them, and they were found on Fire Nation land. Unknown to her, only feet away Zuko was thinking the same way, pushing her way as well. His heart thumped in his chest as the commander glared at the sages before them. ‘ Almost there.’

“I’m sure the Fire Lord will understand,” Zhao continued. “When you explain why you betrayed them.”

The sages bowed to the commander in deference and Kona took a deep breath to try to center herself as she did the same. She had to do whatever she could to lighten any offenses that may be made.

His eyes landed on Prince Zuko then before dancing over to Kona, who stood only feets away, and returning to the prince. “And Prince Zuko and his little girlfriend. It was a noble effort, but the smokescreen didn’t work.”

Kona couldn’t help the gasp of fear as her arms were pinned to her sides from behind suddenly. Prince Zuko whirled around and watched as a fully armored and helmeted soldier grabbed her harshly and pulled her away from him. “Hey! Let her—.” He was interrupted as his arms were pinned as well. 

“Three traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased.” The commander grinned, utterly delighted by the turn of events. 

It was over, Kona realized. They had been found on Fire Nation land. They had been captured.  They would be tried for treason against the royal family. Prince Zuko would be jailed for life, maybe even sentenced to Boiling Rock. Kona though, she was basically a peasant. Treason for her meant…

Death.

“You’re too late, Zhao!” Prince Zuko snarled; all pretenses of manners abandoned. “The Avatar’s inside and the doors are sealed.”

“It’s no matter.” Zhao grinned wickedly and paced in front of the closed doors. “Sooner or later, he has to come out. Guards. Chain them with the others.”

Still struggling, Zuko kicked and cursed as he was chained to the pillar, desperate to escape. He had come too far for it to end like this. He wouldn’t lose to Zhao of all people. He refused too.

With a clang , Kona was chained next to Zuko whose chest was rising and falling desperately from the exertion of his struggle. After a few beats of quiet, Zuko noticed how distant his companion had gotten. ‘ Not again. Not now.’

“Kona,” he whispered, failing to keep the desperation from his tone. “Kona snap out of it.”

“Oh, how sweet of you to comfort your girlfriend,” Zhao crooned, as he approached. Zuko bit back a curse, as he watched the man lift her chin with a single finger. His hungry eyes made Zuko’s stomach turn. “I’m sure she’s just realized you’ve given her a death sentence.”

From two pillars away, Katara turned to her brother questioningly, who merely shrugged and gave a look that screamed “ how would I know?” They didn’t know anything about Zuko or his crew, just that they wanted the Avatar captured and returned to the Fire Nation. And now, apparently, that Zuko had a girlfriend, which was, quite frankly, disgusting.

Zuko eyes stared questioningly at the commander before they slowly filled with horror. It was one thing to be on his ship, he realized. Being a crew member offered plausible deniability, but she alone had aided him on this excursion. She was his partner, his sole accomplice in returning to Fire Nation land. In the eyes of the nation, her actions were just as treasonous as his, if not worse. He looked as the strongest person he knew stared blankly at her feet. 

She was certain she was going to die. She had given up hope.

Zuko clenched his fists at his side, watching more soldiers enter the room and begin lining the chamber in front of the door. He looked around as best as he could without moving his head. There had to be a way out. He wouldn’t let Kona be killed by his poor decision making.

Time passed but eventually, suddenly, the bright light that had encompassed the room during the Avatar’s escape shined once more.  The temple doors slowly creaked open allowing sweeping clouds of smoke to seep out ominously.

At Zhao’s order the dozens of soldiers opened fire through the doorway, but the form began drawing in the firebending as if it were as easy as breathing. The entire room was shocked to find the looming form of the long dead Avatar Roku looming in the doorway. His eyes glowed menacingly and he took a single step and sent out the harnessed power in a wave of controlled energy. While the heat was immense and uncomfortable, it burned nothing in its path except the chains binding the captives to their pillars.

As soon as the chains fell away, Zuko grabbed Kona’s wrist and dashed down the stairs. Avatar be damned; he would not be the reason that Kona died today. 

The island rumbled beneath them as they clambered to their hidden raft and cast themselves onto the sea once more. Only when they were safely away from the shore did they turn to watch the temple of Crescent Island slowly crumble to the ground. 

Kona slumped back and sighed heavily. Her heart still raced and her palms were still sweaty, but she felt her fear easing out of her, slowly becoming manageable. 

Following her lead, Zuko plopped onto his back and used an arm to cover his eyes. “I’m sorry I have to keep apologizing for my actions. I should have never brought you along. If we ever have to return to the Fire Nation again, I’m leaving you behind.”

“It is my duty to assist you, Prince Zuko,” she replied, though her mind screamed at her to agree and never return to the Fire Nation ever again.

“Says who?!” Zuko snapped. “Who told you that you had to look out for me? I can look after myself.” ‘ I should be the one looking after you, like I used to.’

“I apologize for speaking out of turn, my prince.” Kona said stiffly, refusing to let herself be hurt by his temper for the third time that day.

Zuko nearly growled with frustration before rolling to face away from her. He hadn’t meant to snap at her or make her upset, but he never signed up for his childhood friend turning into his mindless crony. He wasn’t Azula.

Chapter Text

“Prince Zuko is going to be very angry with you, Master Iroh,” Kona informed the man warily. The ship veered roughly to the side, and her stomach turned in protest. She gripped her leg beneath the table, fighting to keep her face neutral. Ship life had been much harder since the winter solstice. Her nerve for sailing had yet to return, and it had led to many panicked trips to empty her stomach without anyone noticing.

Iroh merely gave her a wide grin with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “He can be very understanding for situations such as these, Kona. You judge him too harshly.”

She shrugged and made her move on the Pai Sho board. She was sure that Prince Zuko would burst through the doors at any moment to demand they be put back on course. He had been pretty short tempered since the solstice. It was a stark contrast from his good mood in the short few weeks following the reappearance of the Avatar. Kona, like the rest of the crew, just had to chase the tides of his temper once more. Thankfully, Kona had spent half of her life doing just that.

Predictably, only a short time later, the angry teenager broke Kona out of her musings by bursting through the metal doors, yelling about the change in course. His tirade stopped comically as he took in his companions. His uncle and Kona sat with two crew members playing Pai Sho, blinking owlishly at him. His eyes narrowed as he switched his gaze between his ginning uncle and the girl who was clearly determined to not meet his eye. He felt his eye twitch. 

“Actually, someone did change the course.” Iroh stroked his beard and smiled innocently. “I assure you, it is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko.”

“Is it something to do with the Avatar?” He asked.

“Even more urgent.” He said, visibly distraught, and Kona couldn’t hide her snort. “It seems I have lost my lotus tile.”

There was a beat before the prince responded. He had to have misheard. “Lotus… tile?” 

“For my Pai Sho game.” Iroh explained. At his nephew’s blank stare, he continued. “Most people think the lotus tile insignificant, but it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ.”

“You changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?”

Kona moved slightly away from the prince at his harsh tone. She had the feeling he was about to burst.

“See, you like most people, underestimate its value.” Iroh laughed nervously. “ Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully, they will have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on with my life.”

Unable to control his temper any longer, Prince Zuko threw his head back and breathed fire angrily out of his mouth. He stomped out of the room, and slammed the door behind him, leaving the room in silence.

“I am lucky to have such an understanding nephew.”

“Prince Zuko did take that better than expected,” Kona admitted. “He could have denied you and turned the ship back on course.”

Iroh nodded happily. “Prince Zuko has gotten much calmer since the Avatar has returned, save for the last few days of course. Hope has started to replace some of his anger, and you supporting him has only helped lessen his burdens.” Iroh played a Pai Sho piece in order to avoid having to look at her. Indeed, he had noticed a few lingering glances from the prince, but even being her guardian, he found Kona frustratingly difficult to read. 

As expected, his protege deflected her involvement and praised the prince for his growth. Iroh turned his gaze to her, as she accessed the board in front of her.

Humility was one thing, but she deflected every compliment bestowed upon her, regardless of the context. She couldn’t seem to acknowledge how much she had changed on their journey; she was much too focused on his nephew. She was quieter, less expressive, and withdrawn. It had taken near daily Pai Sho games since she had been relieved of her crew duties to get her to start talking to him even this much.

“You’re my best friend, Mr. Iroh.”

“Mr. Iroh, look what Zuko gave me today!”

“Mr. Iroh why are you going away again?”

“…yes, Master Iroh. I won’t be so informal again.”

  Iroh’s heart clenched in his chest and his brow furrowed. He could see Kona waiting for him to make his move with a concerned look in her eyes. When had their relationship reversed? 

He placed his piece and his protege’s eyebrow furrowed, and he did his best to ignore that it wasn’t directed towards his play.

No, Iroh was well aware that he was just as much to blame for Kona’s shift in personality as his brother and Prince Zuko. 

It was his fault.

It was one mistake. 

One mistake so many years ago tore away her childhood spirit and left her a shell of her old self, and he didn’t know how to fix it.

He couldn’t fix her sad eyes nor the distance she kept between them now. It was his punishment to have to sit and watch the girl he had raised treat him like a stranger, no matter what he said or did.

He deserved it.

“This would look beautiful on you, dear. I’m sure we have enough to spare you a single necklace.” Iroh said, holding the shining chain up towards Kona’s throat. It was a simple golden chain decorated with six small, delicate red stones, separated by a knuckle width of chain. In the center lay a coin sized, sun shaped pendant with a red gem at its core. It was elegant and understated, just as she was.

He watched her face shudder with something he could name before her lips pulled into a hesitant smile.

“Master Iroh, we are here for your tile, not fineries.” Kona gently pulled the chain from his hand and returned it to the merchant, bowing respectfully, earning a smile from the man behind the counter. “Besides, I saw something in a shop nearby that I already plan on buying. Will that do?”

Iroh pouted a bit. “I’ve checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace.”

Prince Zuko, who had been quietly sulking for the last hour, crossed his arm moodily. “It’s good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone .”

“Quite the contrary, Prince Zuko! I always say, the only thing better than finding something you’re looking for is finding something you weren’t looking for at a great bargain!” Iroh laughed in delight as a crew member walked by playing a sparkling new instrument. 

“You bought a tsungi horn?”

“For music night at the ship! Now, if only we had some woodwinds.” The old man cut himself off, finally seeing a looming ship on the side of the market. “Oh, this place looks promising!”

Eyeing the docked ship, Kona decided now was a good time to leave. “I will make my purchase and meet you both in front of this ship.” Without giving them time to respond, she bowed, turned on her heel, and scurried off towards the herbalist she had seen earlier.

Iroh raised an eyebrow at her abrupt departure while Prince Zuko sighed angrily. The old man turned to his nephew, confused. 

“She is probably trying to get something for her stomach.” He explained, watching her run to the hut that, after a moment of thinking, he remembered sold herbs and teas.

“What’s wrong with her stomach?” 

“She’s gotten sick almost every day since the solstice and thinks I haven’t noticed.” Prince Zuko rolled his eyes as if the idea of him not noticing her was the most ludicrous event possible. “The ship battle freaked her out.”

Iroh couldn’t believe his ears. How had he not known that she was sick? He spent several hours with her every day, and she had never mentioned anything. He made her train every day, and she had never mentioned anything. He clenched his fists at his side before sighing. Finally, he said, “Maybe we will be able to take a break soon. Get her off the ship for a few days.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, uncle,” Prince Zuko snapped. “The sooner I capture the Avatar the sooner she can be off that hunk of metal for good.”

He stomped his way up the gangplank to the shop without waiting for a response. Iroh stared after him for a moment, mind reeling a bit, before following his nephew into the shop. As he entered, a skinny man was retailing a tale to the man behind the count, presumably the captain of this ship.

“We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with.”

Turning immediately at the words, Zuko moved across the ship in just a few steps. “This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?”

Both men immediately turned to face the stranger. “What’s it to you?” He glared, but the prince only smirked in response. 

“I know them both and they have something of mine. Would you like assistance in catching them?”

The two men eyed each other before returning their attention to Prince Zuko. He had their full attention. 

Iroh only shook his head in the background. He didn’t know if his nephew had great or terrible luck with the rumors he seemed to find.

Kona had soon returned with her purchase. She eyed the ship that her companions had disappeared onto, before cutting her eyes back to her purchase. She opened the lid to the small box to inhale the cool, fresh scent that the tea bags gave off. She had asked the nice herbalist for anything that could sooth seasickness, and the woman had recommended mint. It was an easy enough plant to grow, she had said. Unfortunately, the sea wasn’t a great place for gardening, so the woman had to make quick work. She took old, dried mint leaves, mixed it with other herbs, and filled several weeks’ worth of tea bags with the mixture. It had cost more than Kona would have liked, but she was desperate to alleviate her constant nausea.

She waited for Prince Zuko and Iroh longer than she expected. The ship didn’t look too large, after all, how much merchandise could be on it?

Just when her mind had started jumping to radical scenarios, Iroh and Zuko made their way down the ramp and back to the market, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“We apologize for the wait, dear. What did you pick out for yourself?” Iroh greeted.

Kona presented her little wooden box. “I picked up some new tea for myself. I know you prefer ginseng tea, Master Iroh, but I needed a change.”

Iroh leaned forward, lifting the lid of the box to take a large inhale. The scent was cool and refreshing with a slight kick. Mint. “Very refreshing, Kona. Great choice.” He said with a smile, but turned his gaze to Zuko, his soul screaming behind his eyes.

Prince Zuko rolled his eyes. Of course, he was right.

“Great, more tea,” he said, reaching forward to place something in the still open box. He walked past her without another glance. “We have a lead on the kid. We’ll fill you in when we’re back on the ship.”

Iroh shrugged at his protege’s questioning gaze, before looking inside the box just as she did. There lay a delicate chain, red stones, and a sun pendant. Iroh looked up from the box to comment on it but stopped short. He took in her shining eyes and the delicate red flush moving into her cheeks. It was the most emotional he’d seen from her in years, save for the naval incident on the solstice. The first positive emotion he’s seen come on her face in too long. 

He did his best to keep hace impassive. He placed the lid back on the box, covering the necklace. “That was very kind of him. We should return to the ship.”

Kona nodded, unable to answer, and skittered off like a terrified squirrel mouse.

Iroh paused and stared after the teens, utterly stumped by where he had gone wrong.

-

Hours later, Prince Zuko, Iroh, Kona, and a few crew members found themselves sailing down a narrow river on a smaller naval cruiser beside the merchant’s ship. Zuko had hypothesized that since Katara had stolen a Waterbending scroll, the group would seek camp on the water, so she and the Avatar could practice. Brilliant, really.

The hypothesis turned out to be true as they soon disembarked from their ships on foot and located the small group of children. They had been deciding on a plan of attack when Katara grabbed the scroll and snuck the water’s edge while her brother and Aang were sleeping.

Kona couldn’t help but feel sympathy as she watched her struggle on what the captain had said were basic Waterbending scrolls. She clearly had had no one to teach her. She was self taught, she had to learn everything on her own, and now even when she had study materials, she was still failing.

She bit the inside of her cheek, eyeing her surroundings. Why should Katara get caught in the crossfire here? They were only after the Avatar. Katara was just a young girl who wanted to learn bending. Why wouldn’t she follow the Avatar? Kona would have if she were in Katara’s position.

As quietly as she could, she picked up a small rock and chucked it through the brush. It landed only feet from where she knew the pirate crew would be coming to ambush. Katara reacted to the noise, but instead of running away, she investigated the area.

‘ Come on, Katara ,’ Kona groaned internally. 

Katara’s eyes widened as she spotted the pirates that she had taken the scroll from. She had to warn Aang and Sokka. She turned and tried to sprint away, but found herself in the worst place she could imagine: Prince Zuko’s awaiting arms. Kona stepped out of the brush behind him, cautiously. At least it didn’t seem like she had been caught.

“Don’t worry,” Prince Zuko said, smirking down at the frightened girl. “We’ll save you from the pirates.”

Kona cringed. “Prince Zuko, if I may, that was a bit creepy.”

“Oh, shut up and just help me with her.”

Wordlessly, Kona took the rope she had been given and helped tie her against a nearby tree. And if Katara’s hand was maybe a bit close to a rather sharp rock, that would be completely coincidental—an oversight on Kona’s part.

‘ Though ,’ Kona thought, eyeing Katara as she glared hatefully at her prince, ‘ she may be a bit too angry to be thinking clearly right now.’

“Tell me where he is, and I won’t harm you or your brother.” Zuko tried negotiating, but Katara’s glare didn’t falter.

“Go jump in a river,” she said furiously. “Both of you.”

Kona couldn’t help but think that Zuko’s offer was a fair deal. If any other Fire Nation crew were in this position, Katara and Sokka would be tried for aiding and abetting the Avatar. Kona returned to idly looking across the Waterbending scroll in her hands. It was certainly ornate, but the clear age was the real treasure. She could see why it was so expensive. She gingerly closed it before tucking it into the sash that secured her vest closed.

“Try to understand,” Prince Zuko said, leaning in near Katara’s face intimidatingly, causing her to flinch away from him. “I need to capture him to restore something I’ve lost: my honor. Perhaps, in exchange I can restore something you’ve lost.”

In his hand, the betrothal necklace seemed to wink mockingly at her in the firelight.

“My mother’s necklace! How did you get that?” She asked, and Kona couldn’t help but frown. It was no wonder she cared so much about the necklace if it had belonged to her mother. She wished she had something like that from her mother. 

“Well, I didn’t steal it if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said defensively, thoughts similar to Kona’s. “Tell me where he is.”

“No!”

“Oh, enough of this necklace garbage,” the pirate captain seethed, stalking into the firelight. “You promised a scroll!”

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the man. There was no way he would be getting the scroll until Zuko got the Avatar. “I wonder how much this scroll is worth,” he wondered aloud, flame appearing in his hand as crossed the camp. He reached for the scroll in Kona’s sash, eyes glinting dangerously as he watched the pirate’s reaction.

Katara couldn’t help but note that Kona didn’t so much as flinch or tear her eyes from the pirate, even as Katara was sure that she could feel the oppressive heat coming from Prince Zuko’s hand.

‘ She trusts him completely ,’ Katara realized in disbelief. She knew that Zhao had said that she was Zuko’s girlfriend, but she assumed that he had just been taunting Zuko. After all, their hatred for each other seemed even more powerful than their want for capturing Aang. That kind of trust didn’t come easily though.

“It looks like it’s worth a lot, my prince,” Kona noted, eyes dancing in the firelight, as the pirates all gasped in horror. Kona subtly changed into a defensive stance. She didn’t trust these pirates as far as she could throw them.

Katara noticed that too. Whereas Zuko’s form was aggressive and angry, Kona was calm and defensive. They were like opposites.

“Now, if you help me find what I want, you’ll get the scroll back and everyone goes home happy,” Prince Zuko decided, extinguishing his bending. He angled his body and blocked the scroll and part of Kona from the pirates' view. “Search the woods for the boy and meet back here!”

The pirate captain grunted but agreed, commanding his men to scour out and find the two boys.

There were a few quiet moments after they left before Zuko turned back to Kona. “I need to go get my uncle and the crew. I need you to watch Katara.”

“Of course, Prince Zuko.”

“If they come back empty handed and try to get the scroll, take it and run. We will find you.” Zuko commanded, and when she didn’t immediately meet his eye or respond he continued. “Promise me, you’ll run away instead of fighting.”

“They aren’t benders. I can take them.” Kona offered, though immediately she stopped. She shouldn’t have argued in the first place.

“Promise me.” Zuko repeated, getting in her face. She froze, and lowered her eyes with a nod.

“Yes, my prince.” 

He eyed her, trying to sense deception before scoffing and tapping a knuckle against her forehead. Without another word, he turned to go to their ship and collect his uncle. He didn’t trust these filthy pirates for a second and leaving Kona alone for longer than was necessary was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Are you really his girlfriend?” Katara couldn’t help but ask as the prince was out of sight.

Kona turned to look down at her, simply responding, “no,” before she went back to watching their surroundings for any sign of the pirates. The night was mostly quiet save for the breeze that shook the trees. At least it would be easy to hear anyone approaching.

“Oh, then why are you with him?” Katara asked. Maybe if she could get any information, she could figure out what Zuko wanted with Aang so badly. Zuko claiming to need him for “honor” was just so vague . And a bit dramatic. “You’re not a firebender, so you’re not a Fire Nation soldier.”

“I live to serve the royal family.” The girl answered, her golden eyes dancing Katara’s way before returning to her scouting. “Prince Zuko’s goals are my goals.”

Katara rolled her eyes. That’s so gross. “You know, just cause you’re a girl doesn’t mean you have to act like that.”

“Excuse me?” Kona asked, offended.

“That whole subservient thing. It’s so old school. You shouldn’t let people treat you badly because you’re a girl.”

“I’m not treated badly,” Kona denied. At Katara’s disbelieving look, she stalked forward, glaring down at the girl. “Not to be rude, but you don’t know me, and you don’t know Prince Zuko, so please don’t speak on things you wouldn’t understand. If you knew everything, I’m sure you would be much more sympathetic.” 

Kona was annoyed. She had admired this Water Tribe girl from afar and now that they actually got to talk, she was a bit of a know-it-all. She was making assumptions that she was weak, just because she had manners? What a joke. She had half a mind to kick the sharp rock away from her hands. Then she remembered the river. She looked down at the girl and she felt her eyes soften. 

Katara was younger than her. She was still growing up. Kona had seen her village; Katara was still learning how to interact with others.

“Anyway, before you started acting all high and mighty,” Kona said, lowering her voice. “Check your left hand.”

Katara’s eyes widened before her hand started patting the ground rapidly, wincing when her hand came down on the sharp rock roughly. Kona was right, it was small, but it was better than nothing.

“Why don’t you just let me out yourself?” Katara challenged. If she used the rock, it could take her hours, and it wasn’t exactly easy to get the right angle.

“If you want something in life you have to work for it. ”

Katara’s response was cut off by approaching footsteps. Kona tensed, turning that way, but was quickly relieved to see the familiar figures of Prince Zuko and Master Iroh filled by a handful of crew members. She bowed low and sent a harsh glare Katara’s way.

‘ Don’t say anything,’ the look seemed to scream.

Even if Katara wanted to, there was no time as the pirates appeared with the struggling forms of Aang and Sokka. 

“Nice work,” Zuko praised.

Katara felt the urge to cry seeing her bound friends. “Aang,” she said. “This is all my fault.”

“No Katara, it isn’t,” the Avatar denied.

“Yeah, it kind of is,” Iroh commented causing Katara to glare at him. She had heard just about enough out of Fire Nation today.

“Give me the boy,” Prince Zuko said to the pirate captain.

“You give us the scroll,” he replied.

It was Sokka that responded, “You’re really going to hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchement?”

Kona’s eyes widened, inching closer to her comrades. 

“Don’t listen to him,” Zuko said. “He’s trying to turn us against each other!”

“Wait, your friend is the Avatar?” The pirate captain asked, shocked.

“Sure is, and I’ll bet he’ll fetch a lot more from the black market than that fancy scroll,” Sokka said proudly.

“Shut your mouth your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!” Prince Zuko yelled.

“I’m just saying it’s bad business sense. Think of how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life.” 

‘ Agni, Sokka was good at this. Clearly he was the diplomat of the two Water Tribe siblings .’ Kona tensed up, preparing for another fight over the Avatar. ‘ You would think it would be easier to capture a 12-year-old.’

“Keep the scroll,” the captain decided. “We can buy a hundred with the reward we’ll get for the kid.” He smiled mockingly before turning to leave.

“You’ll regret breaking a deal with me,” Zuko promised. He and his men began an assault on the retreating pirates. A pirate threw a smoke bomb in retaliation, clouding the field, but the fight continued.

Katara finally managed to cut her ropes, dashing towards Sokka and Aang who had disappeared into the smoke.

Kona was already there, fending off pirates, as they decided that now that they were fighting anyway, they could take the scroll off her. 

Well, not if she could help it. She kicked and twirled and dashed. It was as if she was dancing. She never stayed in the same place for too long, and she could almost laugh at how easily the so called ‘pirates’ were being outmaneuvered.

That is until a flying rat thing came by and pulled it from her sash while she was fighting. ‘ That’s definitely cheating.’ She glared after the creature.

A knife flew across Kona’s vision towards a nearby Sokka and she threw her leg out to trip him without thinking. He slammed into the dirt with a groan of pain but, thankfully,  without a knife wound. Kona managed to find the knife, palming it in her hand. It had a rather nice balance to it. Sokka rose from the dirt and paled at the sight of the familiar girl holding a knife at him threateningly.

“Turn around,” she commanded whilst gesturing with the knife. 

Sokka shakily nodded. ‘ Comply now, think of a plan later. You need to get out of these…. ropes?’

Bizarrely, the ropes fell away around him and when he turned, the fire nation girl was gone. Momo chirped, circling the air above him. Sokka looked around confused before grabbing the rope at his feet,  just in case. He sprinted out of the cloud and followed the sound of Aang’s voice.

Meanwhile, Zuko’s crew was battling the pirates and they seemed to be on even footing, despite the pirates not being benders. Prince Zuko was engaged in a furious battle with the pirate captain, while Kona panted for breath next to an impassive Iroh.

“Oh, there goes the pirate’s ship,” Iroh said pleasantly while watching it drift down the river. “Kona, dear, can you hold this while I go talk with my nephew? Who knows how he will react? Maybe he will burn me and it to a crisp.”

Kona eyed the object he placed in her hand and fought a wave of exhaustion. Why was she not surprised?

“Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?” Iroh called to the man his nephew is fighting whilst trying to get between them.

“We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle!”

Iroh sighed in annoyance pointing at the sailing pirate ship. “It’s no proverb!”

“Bleeding hog monkeys!” The captain cursed, rushing off while Prince Zuko laughed at his misfortunes.

“Uh, my prince…” Kona interjected, watching the direction the pirates were running.

He followed her gaze, tears of mirth in his eyes, before the color drained from his face. “Hey,” he yelled after them angrily. “That’s my boat.”

Iroh watched his nephew chase after the pirates before turning to Kona. “Maybe it is a proverb.”

Kona shrugged, tossing him the tile and running after the prince.

Iroh thought a moment before shrugging as well and following. 

The three gave chase but in the end it was to no avail. Zuko watched in horror as pirates crashed his boat into theirs and sent them both careening over the waterfall. Of course, the Avatar and his group escaped at the last moment as his flying bison caught them midair. Typical.

“My boat!” Prince Zuko cried, rushing to the cliff edge and seeing its remains down below.

“Prince Zuko.” Iroh chuckled, knowing what he had to say would make his nephew feel better. “You’re really going to get a kick out of this. That lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!”

Zuko glared at his uncle’s elated grin, fury building. He reached forward to snatch the tile, but his hand was blocked.

“I know you’re upset, Prince Zuko, but if you lose this one, we will just have to keep looking.” Kona interjected, her own impatience clear in her tone.

He huffed, turning away. Just because she was right doesn’t mean he had to be happy about it.

Miles away, up in the sky, Sokka was inspecting their supplies when his brows suddenly furrowed. He pulled the rope that had once held him prisoner closer to his face, inspecting the frayed edges. There was no denying it. It had been cut by a blade.

Chapter Text

Days passed after their latest failed attempt for the Avatar, and the crew found themselves going through the motions once more. It was so similar to how life had been before the return of the airbender–the only difference being, of course, they now occasionally crossed paths with him. As frustrating as his frequent escapes were, it was better than the old hopeless monotony that came before him.

Unlike the rest of the crew, Kona, for the first time in a long time, took the time to enjoy some time relaxing. Her new tea had been working wonders. The nausea was still present at times, but she hadn’t been sick since she began consuming it. And while she sat meditating on the deck of the ship, basking in the warm sun, feeling the cool breeze over her cheeks, she was able to close her eyes and imagine she was off the blasted ship for good.

Zuko, as usual, was only feet away at the edge of the deck. He scoped out the horizon with his spyglass, ever hunting, while Iroh enjoyed the sun like his protege. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply in content, before he opened his eyes abruptly.

“There is a storm coming,” he called out to his nephew, effectively breaking the calm of the afternoon with a simple statement. “A big one.”

Zuko eyed the blue sky before turning to his uncle, shaking his head. “You’re out of your mind, Uncle. The weather’s perfect. There’s not a cloud in sight.”  

Kona cracked open an eye. The sky was blue as far as the eye could see, the breeze was gentle as could be expected in the middle of the ocean, and there wasn’t even the stuffy feeling of humidity to put a damper on the day. She could understand her prince’s confusion.

“The storm is approaching from the north,” Iroh insisted, eyes boring into his nephews—pleading. “I suggest we alter our course and head southwest.

“We know the Avatar is traveling northward, so we will do the same.”

“Master Iroh, can you tell us why you think it is going to storm?” Kona offered, slowly rising to her feet, the peaceful quiet of the morning broken. “Did anyone warn of it in the last port or something?” She offered. 

He scratched his cheek sheepishly. “I smelt it on the wind.”

The teens shared a look, smiles cracking at the corners of their lips.

“Northward,” Zuko decided, thoroughly amused by the situation.

“Prince Zuko, think of the safety of the crew.” Iroh insisted, uncharacteristically stern, giving Kona pause. His insistence was vaguely worrying, she had to admit.

“There’s no need to be concerned,” Zuko said and walked away. “The safety of the screw won’t matter.”

Unfortunately, for him, Lieutenant Jee was approaching as Prince Zuko spoke those words, not that the teen noticed. He was too busy wondering how his uncle, the famed general of the Fire Nation, had turned into such a lunatic. He scoffed, though not unkindly, humor still warming his chest. His uncle could smell a storm coming in the wind? Agni, give him a break.

“He doesn’t mean that.” Iroh told Jee, smiling kindly. The man said nothing, but the doubt was plain on his face

“You heard him out of context, sir.” Kona agreed.

“What context could make that better?” He practically spat at her, eyeing her in near disgust. She blinked at his reaction, and looked away without speaking. Well, that was a bit much for simply agreeing with her master. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment against her will. 

Jee had watched her trail after Prince Zuko and General Iroh for the last few years like a lost turtle duckling, and it made him want to be sick. Sure, she could throw a few punches. He could acknowledge that, but she wasn’t a soldier. She shouldn’t be here on a Fire Navy vessel, regardless of the mission they had. She was a waste of rations and resources. She didn’t even help with the watch anymore. She had spent all morning sunbathing, for Agni’s sake! At least she pretended to be useful before.

The ex-general’s stern voice broke the man from his thoughts. “Context is important to every situation, Lieutenant Jee.”

Jee started at his tone, at his narrowed eyes.

Iroh had always known how the crew felt about his nephew but the animosity the man showed Kona was disconcerting, to say the least. He thought back to her disappearances from the ship, the small box of mint tea that sat in her quarters, and eyed the girl beside him. She didn’t seem too surprised.

The lieutenant excused himself and left Kona and Iroh alone, the once comforting sun no longer soothing Kona or her warm face.

“Stay with me today, dear. We need to set up for the storm.” He placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort before heading off to prepare for the day ahead.

Kona didn’t even try to argue, following him without a word.

She spent the day at Master Iroh’s side. They double checked hatches, prepared food, and warned crewmen, who eyed them with varying expressions of disbelief. And against what Kona had thought before, the sky steadily darkened. Dark clouds filled the air and the breeze chilled ominously. 

The change in weather only caused strife between the prince and the crew. Despite shifting skies, Prince Zuko still refused to change course or find refuge. Enraged, Lieutenant Jee had verbalized his thoughts against Zuko publicly, causing a large scene. Iroh had tried to intervene, but Zuko had only bristled at the perceived undermining from his uncle and stormed off to his quarters.

As much as Kona wanted to comfort the prince, she knew she had to keep helping the crew prepare the ship. She tried her best to ignore the growing pit of anxiety in her stomach, but as the ominous rumbling grew louder, the flashing of lighting grew more consistent, and soon the pattering of rain began falling against the metal ship. The pit in her stomach grew and she knew not even her tea would help her tonight. 

So she kept herself busy, and soon she found herself in the break quarters of the ship, towels in hand to stick the doorways to prevent any excess rainfall from entering the crew. She hesitated at seeing the room occupied, but entered nonetheless. This was her last task before she could retire to her quarters, and try to sleep away the storm.

“I’m sick of his orders!” She heard Jee grumble to another crewmate, because of course , he would be the one that she found here. “I’m tired of chasing his Avatar! I mean, who does Zuko think he is?”

She bit the inside of the cheek to hold her tongue, but thankfully she didn’t have to hear any more of the slander as her master stepped through the doorway, face as hard as stone. 

“Do you really want to know?” Iroh asked.

Jee whirled towards him at the sound of his voice, clearly believing him to be alone with the other crew member. His eyes drifted to Kona, rolling a blanket to line the bottom of the doorway, clearly having been there long enough to hear as well. Busted. 

“General Iroh. We were just—”

“It’s okay. May we join you?” He asked, gesturing to Kona who had finished her job by the door. “Come here, Kona. I brought you some of your tea.”

She eyed the teacup in his hand, knowing it to be useless. She desperately wanted to be out of the presence of others for when her nerve disappeared completely, but she couldn’t think of a single response to excuse herself. So she found herself approaching the table. “Of course, Master Iroh.”

She took her tea with a quiet “thank you” and sat quietly beside her master, eyes staring into the swirling liquid in her hand.

“Now,” Iroh began, eyes hard. “Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much. All he wanted was for his father to be proud of him….”

“Let me in!” cried a 13-year-old Prince Zuko. The guards didn’t respond, simply blocking the doorway to the war room further. Zuko gritted his teeth infrustration. He had to get in. He was old enough now and he knew had value to offer. He had to show his father that he was ready for his role as the crowned prince of the Fire Nation. This much he knew he could do, if he was just given the chance to show him.

Two sets of footsteps pulled the boy from his frustration. He turned to the approaching figures, both very familiar. “Prince Zuko, what’s wrong?” His uncle asked him, clapping a hand on his shoulder, eyes kind if not a bit confused. It was not uncommon for his nephew to be a bit dramatic, but it was rare to see him so frustrated. He only seemed to act that way around his sister, and she was nowhere in sight. 

“Good morning, Prince Zuko,” greeted Kona from his side. She bowed low to her friend, her twin braids slipping from her shoulders and hanging low off her head. Her eyes twinkled knowingly at him from her bow. She knew exactly what was wrong with Zuko, after all, he had told her all about his plan only the day before.

“I want to go into the war chamber,” he reported to his uncle, ensuring he kept any whining from his voice. “The guards won’t let me pass.”

“You’re not missing anything, trust me.” Iroh assured, attempting to lead him away by the shoulder. He eyed Kona over his uncle’s shoulder in panic, but she only pointed towards the old man with her head.  

“Their meetings are dreadfully boring,” Iroh continued, seemingly oblivious. “I’m sure you would have much more fun sparring with Kona in the courtyard, Prince Zuko. I know you learned a new movement set yesterday.”

“I don’t want to do any more stupid sparring! Uh, no offense Kona.” He took a deep breath, turning towards his uncle and forcing him to stop. “If I’m going to rule the nation one day, don’t you think I need to start learning as much as I can?”

Kona shot Zuko a thumbs up from behind Iroh’s back. He had delivered his argument perfectly, and they both knew Master Iroh always listened to reason.

Iroh rubbed his beard in thought but could think of no counter argument. “Very well, but you must promise not to speak. These folks are a bit sensitive, you know?” He turned to the small girl that had stopped several feet away from the doors, knowing her place even at a young age. She dropped her hand, schooled her expression, and straightened up at his gaze. “Kona, return to your room for your studies. I will review it with you after the council.”

“Yes, Master Iroh,” she bowed, missing his wince. 

As she rose she gave her friend the ghost of a smile, who smiled widely in return. Without anymore words the two parted ways, turning in opposite directions to follow the man’s instructions. 

Kona shook herself out of the memory roughly as Iroh continued detailing the war meeting to the two crew members. That day was so terrible to remember, and in some ways, it hurt to remember that day even more than the day that followed. Zuko and her had planned out his argument all day the day before. She knew her prince had been so proud to finally make his way through those doors. And that wide grin… Her stomach lurched. 

That was the last time she had seen him grin like that.

She tried to refocus as Iroh told of Prince Zuko attempting to spare new Fire Nation recruits from acting as a distraction. She could see Jee’s eyebrows raise in surprise at the reveal. To him, it sounded completely out of character for the prince who had, in his mind, doomed the entire ship to a dangerous storm just for his glory.

“Zuko was right, that much was true, but it was not his place to speak out. And there were dire consequences.” Iroh lowered his head in sadness, guilt eating at his stomach for letting him in the room in the first place. “After Zuko’s outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became angry with him. He said the challenge against the general was an act of complete disrespect, and there was only one way to resolve this.”

Kona’s hands clenched around her teacup, the still untouched tea rippling from her shaking hands.

“Agni Kai,” Jee said with barely concealed horror. “A fire duel.”

“That’s right. Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid….but Zuko misunderstood….”

Zuko, hunched over, begging. Flame, burning bright,  coming down relentlessly. A terrible scream. 

Kona squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the memory and Iroh’s comforting hand found her arm, giving a squeeze. It did not go unnoticed.

“When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general.” Iroh glared down at his own tea, lost in the memory. “Zuko had spoken out against the general’s plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord’s war room, it was the Fire Lord he disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father.”

The ship lurched to the side as the storm grew stronger and Kona’s knuckles turned white from her grip on her cup. She was too anxious to drink, and the memories weren’t helping the unease in her stomach.

“When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy.”

“Please, Father. I only had the Fire Nation’s best interests at heart. I’m sorry I spoke out of turn!”

“You will fight for your honor.”

“I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son.”

“Rise and fight , Prince Zuko!”

“I won’ t fight you.”

“You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher.”

Zuko sobbing. The Fire Lord raising his hand. A flash of bending as it was sent directly into his son’s face. An anguished scream. Zuko’s back arching away desperately followed by silence as he passed out cold from pain.

“I looked away,” Iroh admitted.

This was too much. “I apologize, Master Iroh. I must go.” She bowed quickly, nearly sprinting out of the room, tea left untouched and cold on the table.

“She didn’t get the chance to.” Iroh stared after her sadly. “She watched her childhood friend marked by his own father’s hand. I didn’t even think to shield her eyes…”

“I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident.” For the first time, Jee felt sympathy for the young prince. No wonder he had such a cold and angry disposition. The one time he tried to protect those under him, he paid the ultimate price.

“It was no accident,” Iroh said grimly. “After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor.”

Jee lowered his gaze to the table sadly. “So that’s why he’s so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal.”

“Things will never return to normal, but the important thing is that the Avatar gives Zuko hope.”

Jee nodded in understanding before a thought slipped his lips unwillingly. “That doesn’t explain the girl’s place on the ship. You said she was his childhood friend, but that doesn’t excuse her presence. I mean no disrespect, but she’s a liability.”

Iroh's brow twitched almost imperceptibly but Jee could tell he struck a nerve despite the man’s attempt to hide it. “Liability, eh?” He breathed. “I suppose that’s my fault. I have been raising Kona since she was 8 years old. I’ve raised her as a daughter and trained her in combat since I found her all those years ago.”

“Daughter?” Jee nearly choked, paling at his misstep.. He had just insulted the general’s daughter. Oh, Agni, he was in big trouble. “She doesn’t act like…”

“No, she doesn’t see herself that way,” Iroh interrupted, not wanting to hear it when he had to see it every day already. “ She was close to my son before he passed, and she was never quite the same after…” Iroh’s eyes sparked with an unmistakable sadness. “After Lu Ten left, Prince Zuko was the only one who could comfort her. It so happened that the Fire Lady disappeared soon after my son’s passing. They found solace in each other’s grief.

“Now, if you’re wondering about her place on the ship,” Iroh continued on, making Jee wince and avoid the old man’s gaze. “The Fire Lord was never very comfortable with Kona living in the palace, so Prince Zuko is hoping to use the Avatar as a tool to secure her placement in nobility. If she is essential to the capture of the Avatar, then the Fire Lord will be forced to reward her, regardless of prior opinion. Prince Zuko wants that reward to be her return to the royal palace. So, he will not have to give her up to return to his home.”

“So, all those days where she stood by his side, doing seemingly nothing, was to make her appear to be his console?” Jee asked and the man’s nod he continued, “She always went on the missions, so she can be recognized as part of the team who captured him?” Jee didn’t know what to say. He would say it was out of character for the prince, but the crew saw how he treated her compared to them. There was a softness that they didn’t see anywhere else. Frankly, most of the crew had found it kind of disgusting, but now Jee was hesitant to call it so.

“I assure you that she has begged both me and the prince to let her resume normal chores, but he has forbidden it. The best I could do was make her his sparring partner, as she had been when they were children. Prince Zuko does not want her to miss her chance due to chores.”

Jee nodded. It didn’t change the fact that she was still taking supplies and space the crew needed, but it did add valuable context of how the 16-year-old girl had made it on the ship in the first place. He could live with that much at least. Unwittingly, guilt started to curl in his stomach at his prior treatment of the girl.

“Will she be alright? She ran out quite quickly.” Jee noted.

“She will be fine. She is not very well trained in dealing with memories or emotions. Mix that with anxiety from the storm and you can see why she would get upset.”

“And you just let her leave when she was that upset? To run off alone during this storm?”

“Oh, I very much doubt she’s alone…”

Kona didn’t know where she was going when she left the table, but she knew she needed to be away from that conversation. She really didn’t need to relive those memories. Living them once was enough, but the memories kept flashing behind her eyes as she wandered the halls of the ship against her will. She clutched at her aching chest, stumbling as the ship lurched.Without thinking, her feet found their way in front of a familiar door. Her hand raised to knock. She paused, hand raised in front of her.

Would she be disturbing him? He had been upset earlier. Maybe he didn’t want company.

A loud rumble echoed through the metal hallways as the monstrous thunder rippled outside. Kona felt the color drain from her face and her stomach turned. Storms didn’t usually bother her but in the middle of the ocean on a hunk of metal, they seemed far more daunting.

The door in front of her ripped itself open before she could build the courage to knock and a figure slammed into her frozen frame. They both fell to the floor with a “thud,” grunting in pain as several joints crashed into the metal flooring.

“Kona?” Prince Zuko asked, rubbing his aching elbow. “What are you doing here? I was just coming to…” 

Kona opened her mouth to reply when another loud crash echoed down the hallway. Unable to stop herself, one of her hands latched onto his nearest arm. From a fear response, for comfort, who knows? She was getting tired of her body acting on its own. She was about to apologize, when he removed her hand from his arm and gently pulled her to her feet. With a softness that she had nearly forgotten, he wrapped a loose arm around her shuddering form.

She awkwardly obeyed as he pulled her into his space and ushered her through his open doorway. He closed the door behind her gently before returning back to her space, eyes scanning her form. For what she didn’t know, but he seemed to find it.

He reached out to grab one of her hands, leading her to sit on his bed. On a normal night, she would have refused, but as the ship shifted under her feet she clutched his hand and nearly fell to a seated position.

He sat beside her, not complaining about the grip she was certain was too tight.

“You know you can tell me what you’re feeling, right?” Prince Zuko asked after a moment, though he regretted the question as soon as he asked it. 

Kona bit her lip, anxiety clear on her face, and he realized just how much a negative answer would have hurt him. He may have pulled away from her, but he could see that he had let her pull away further. If she couldn’t confide in him anymore, he didn’t know what he would do.

Kona averted her gaze to their clasped hands. His hold had always been comforting. In her heart she knew she could trust him with her feelings, but her mind wouldn’t let them out. She was afraid. She was afraid she was useless. She was afraid she was in the way. And she was afraid he would leave her one he knew that their last attempt on capturing the Avatar had changed something in her. She still wanted to help him return to his throne, but she didn’t want to be the bad guy anymore.

‘But that’s not what he’s asking ,’ she argued with herself. ‘ Tell him you’re scared and you came here because he makes you feel safe.’

She was too much of a coward to say it out loud. But she wanted him to understand–needed him to understand. Slowly, so very slowly, she inched closer, and Zuko’s heart thudded as her face neared his. For the briefest moment he swore she was going to kiss him, but instead she lowered her head, and her forehead found its place on his shoulder. 

He tried to swallow but it got caught in his throat. He only hoped she couldn’t hear his pounding heartbeat as his free hand slowly reached up to cradle the back of her head.  When his embrace was not rejected, he shifted, inching closer until their thighs touched between them. Kona released a breath she didn’t know she was holding, turning her head to nestle her face closer to his neck, free hand gripping his robe tightly.

This wasn’t the first time they’d helped each other like this. There were many times that they had gotten caught sneaking into each other's rooms after a nightmare when they were young. His mother or uncle always scolded them. They told them that they shouldn’t be sneaking into someone else’s bedroom in the middle of the night, but they never actually had the heart to stop them. How could they when they so often came into the most endearing and gentle sight of one sleeping on the other’s chest, arms wrapped around each other? They were always sleeping above the blankets, draped over one another. It was always clear that they never meant to sleep, but often found themselves drifting away in the presence of their confidant.

‘But this felt different ,’ Zuko thought, heart still racing. They were grown up now. Kona was heavier in his arms: her baby fat was replaced with lean, toned muscles. Her face, less rounded, cheeks sharper, and eyes more mysterious and intense. Her nose and lips inches from his throat… no. He was trying to ignore that. And how maybe, just maybe, he was a bit disappointed that she hadn’t kissed him.

‘But this felt different ,’ Kona thought, heart calming in her chest despite her cheeks reddening out of Prince Zuko’s sight. His hand was warm against her neck, and his well defined shoulder was firm against her cheek. The hand she hooked onto his shirt moved with every breath he took.  She breathed in the scent that was so comfortingly Zuko and wished that they could stay like this forever.

He was tense beside her, clearly feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and she thought about moving to give him space, to apologize, but it thundered once more. She hoped he would forgive her for being selfish just this once.

They stayed like that for a while, just basking in each other's presence. Eventually he felt her grip on his hand and clothing loosened and he released a breath of relief. He wasn’t great at words, but this he knew had helped her in the past. 

He went to break their comfortable silence when he looked down and noticed her closed eyes and even breathing. He breathed out a laugh, shifting slightly under her grip. He moved slowly, carefully, shifting her to lay against his pillow. 

He couldn’t help but notice how pretty she was with her face relaxed, anxiety and coldness gone. He couldn’t stop the hand that raised or the finger that gently brushed a loose curl from her cheek. He couldn’t keep back the small smile as her head lolled and a long sigh exhaled from her body. He couldn’t help the way his heart clenched at the sight of his gift for her sitting delicately on her neck, slipping out from under her shirt. 

He couldn't ignore that his mind finally acknowledged what his heart had always known to be true.

Chapter Text

Weeks passed after the storm, and the crew found a new peace with Prince Zuko. According to Iroh, after Kona had gone to sleep, the prince had assisted Lieutenant Jee in rescuing a fellow crew mate from going overboard. Afterwards, he directed the ship into the eye of the storm, in hopes of chasing refuge until the storm passed. Whispers from the crew even suggested that Zuko had seen and ignored the Avatar to protect the crew. 

Kona was delighted but not surprised. She had been able to see the prince’s growth since the Avatar’s return. His anger, while still present, has lessened, and he was quick to try to calm down. While he rarely smiled, his eyes had softened, no longer constantly narrowed and dark. Kona could also clearly see him start to revert into some of his habits from when he was younger. His communication with her was the most obvious to return. 

There were other indicators though. While he was still relentless in his pursuit of the Avatar, it was no longer at the expense of the crew. While refueling trips were just as frequent as before, the crew was now allowed about an hour of shore leave whilst the ship was restocked and while the prince searched for rumors in the harbor.

Today was one of those days, and Kona was itching to get off the ship. She was always assigned to help her prince with rumor collection, but she didn’t care. Anything to get off the giant floating hunk of metal. 

A sudden jerk of the ship threw Kona out of her musing as her shoulder crashed into the unforgiving wall of her quarters. Rolling her shoulder a few times, she rushed out of her quarters and towards the main deck of the ship, nearly colliding with Master Iroh as she reached the deck. 

Prince Zuko watched in horror as a giant beast leapt across the deck in front of the three of them. It was a mole-like animal with a lithe body, a long tail, and, most preveniently, a star like nose. It snarled, rearing back as its rider cracked a whip at the crew.

“Get back! We’re after a stowaway!” She cried.  The beast began digging and tugging at the metal paneling of the deck. The metal gave a terrible creak as it was pulled away.

“There are no stowaways on my ship!”

The prince was cut off as the beast tore the chunk from the ship and sent it careening in their direction. Zuko ducked as it sailed over his head, but unfortunately that meant it came straight for Kona. Her eyes widened, and she dove to the side, somersaulting to keep herself from flopping onto the hard, metal deck. Thankfully, Iroh was mostly out of range and simply stepped out of the way.

Zuko, Iroh, and the rest of the crew approached the beast, prepared to fire upon the intruder, when there was a loud crash. An unknown man leapt out of the hole and attempted to sprint across the deck. His escape was cut short as the beast opened its mouth revealing sharp, glistening canines. A long tongue snapped out like a whip towards the man and he immediately fell prone. He did not rise again.

“He’s paralyzed.” Zuko realized, completely thrown off by the entire encounter.

“Only temporarily,” the beast’s rider confirmed coolly, jumping off her beast and throwing the man over her shoulder with unexpected strength. “The toxins will wear off in about an hour. But by then, he’ll be in jail and I’ll have my money.” 

She threw the man over the beast’s back unceremoniously and began mounting her beast once more.

“But how did you find him on my ship?”

“My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away.” 

Then as quickly as she came, she snapped her whip and her beast—her shirshu dashed across the deck and off the ship.

“I’m impressed,” Iroh commented and stroked his beard whilst staring after her. “Very impressed.”

“Master Iroh, she’s less than half your age.” Kona nearly gagged, though she couldn’t disagree with his admiring eyes. She was very impressive. 

“I think we found our next lead,” Prince Zuko said, ignoring their comments and making his way off the ship. With a shared glance, his loyal companions followed suit.

After a bit of asking around, the group found its way to a small, somewhat seedy tavern on the outskirts of town. It was almost entirely enclosed by tree cover, the paint peeled away from its foundation, and jeering cries rose from its patrons within. It was certainly not a particularly welcoming establishment.

As if proving her point, a man suddenly flew through the air and landed before them with a thud. Kona’s eye’s trailed to where he must have come from and spotted a rowdy bunch high up on the roof. Classy.

“This is definitely it,” Zuko spoke the obvious. He stepped around the fallen man and marched towards the building. He pushed through the creaking doors roughly, entering the loud, crowded tavern. The entire room seemed to be filled shoulder to shoulder. There was screaming and laughing and pushing and shoving. The smell of alcohol and body odor stung Kona’s nose as she eyed the patron’s warily.  

“Out of my way! Step aside, filth!” Zuko yelled, shouldering past the many hulking figures that stood before him.

“He means no offense,” Iroh called after him, apologetically. “I’m certain you bathe regularly.”

With a small sigh, Kona followed them both.

Almost immediately, they found the shirshu rider sitting at a small table in the back of the tavern. She was arm wrestling a man more than double her size, and wasn’t even breaking a sweat. The woman’s muscles flexed, but her arm didn’t budge. The man before her was shaking and a thin layer of perspiration shined on his furrowed brow. 

“ So cool ,” Kona thought. 

“I need to talk to you!” Zuko called as he approached the table.

“Well, if it isn’t my new friends,” She drawled, looking over her shoulder at them with hooded eyes. “Angry Boy, Uncle Lazy, and Miss Flippy.” Then, without showing any fatigue, she slammed her opponent’s hand into the table leading to a loud cheer from the crowd. Kona couldn’t help but eye the woman appreciatively. 

“ Well, if the other descriptors are Angry and Lazy, I’ll take Flippy.” 

“Your beast trashed my ship! You have to pay me back!” Zuko snarled as she collected the coin being tossed at her from the crowd. Bets against her, Kona assumed.

“Well, I’d love to help you out, but I’m a little short on money,” she wheedled before calling to the crowd, “Drinks on me!”

She pulled the tankard to her lips to take a chug but Zuko clasped her wrist before she could. “Money isn’t what I had in mind.”

Her eyes darted angrily between his face and his hand and her teeth bared into an imitation of a smile. “Oh?”

“Prince Zuko, you probably shouldn’t touch her,” Kona offered from behind him. “She could have easily broken that man’s wrist.”

The woman’s eyes moved to meet Kona’s and her feral snarl turned into a teasing smirk as she tugged her wrist from the prince with little effort. “Hmm... smart and pretty. What’s your name, hon? Why are you running with these clowns?”

“Kona, ma’am,” she bowed. “Very nice to meet you. We were hoping you could help us find someone.”

“Hmm… Polite, aren’t you? How cute.” the woman thought for a moment. “The name’s June. Let’s take this outside where it’s a bit quieter. ”

She rose gracefully from her chair, throwing an arm around Kona’s shoulders as she led the trio out of the tavern, ignoring the prince’s angry protests.

Once outside, June released her grip on Kona, thankfully ignoring the blush that came to the young girl’s cheeks. She couldn’t help it: Kona was a sucker for beautiful and strong women. 

“I need you to find someone.” Zuko interjected, stepping in between them protectively. Kona rolled her eyes, but didn’t respond when he held out Katara’s blue necklace.

June raised an eyebrow. “You want me to help you find your ex-girlfriend with your current girlfriend? You could do so much better, cutie pie.” June tsked sadly at Kona who couldn’t help but snort despite how off June was. The woman was quick with her quips, she’d give her that.

Zuko’s eye twitched. “It’s not the girl I’m after. It’s the bald monk she travels with.”

“Whatever fills your sails, Angry Boy. Hope Miss Flippy over here knew of your preferences before all this.” She laughed mockingly.

Unamused, Zuko pressed on. “If you find them, I’ll consider the damage to my ship paid for.”

“Forget it.” June rolled her eyes. 

“We could pay you too,” Kona offered. The woman was clearly a bounty hunter. No worthwhile bounty hunter would work for free.

“We’ll pay your weight in gold,” Iroh agreed, causing June to turn a poisonous smile in his direction.

“Make it your weight, and we gotta deal.”

Iroh laughed good-naturally. “You got it!”

“Get on!” She commanded and snatched the necklace from Prince Zuko’s hand. She held it before her shirshu. The beast leaned down, nose twitching as it tried to place the scent on the jewelry.

“I do not think we will all fit on this majestic creature,” Iroh said to the teensand gestured to where their rhinos were waiting. “I will head back to the ship for now. I’ll have the gold prepared for your return.”

Kona was about to protest, but Prince Zuko nudged her towards the shirshu nodding towards his uncle. She huffed but allowed him to give her a boost up before pulling him up after her. She knew Zuko wanted her to get some credit for the Avatar’s capture but surely a firebender general is better than a combat trained teenage girl. They had to be able to capture the Avatar before they worried about their mission report.

“We will be back soon, uncle,” Zuko told him, wrapping a loose arm around Kona’s waist and doing everything he could to look wholly unaffected by that fact.

“Hold onto your butts, lovebirds,” June said as she climbed up in front of Kona who backed up to give the stranger as much space as possible. She seemed to ignore that this made the space between her and Zuko nonexistent, but Zuko could not. He was just thankful that June made the shirshu begin the hunt before anyone could see his reddening cheeks.

The animal sprung into action, leaping down an invisible path that only it could see. Trees whizzed by faster than Kona thought possible, and she couldn’t help but enjoy the change in travel medium. Anything was better than the ship, but this beat the prince’s rhinos any day.

They traveled in relative silence, stopping only when the shirshu needed a moment to sort out where the trail continued. June said it was because the girl must have spent more time there rather than just passing through

Finally, after conversing with two very strange old women and meeting an, apparently, rebellious cat, the shirshu quickened its pace. 

“We’re close. The scent is so fresh that Nyla doesn’t even need to think anymore,” June noted whilst readying her whip in her hand. 

Soon after, the group crested a hill and just as June said, there was Katara and Sokka walking down a dirt path in the middle of a forest. The Avatar was nowhere to be seen. They both turned at the sound of the approaching beast, eyes filling with fear as they also noticed its riders. 

“So, this is your ex,” June cooed, circling the duo teasingly, as Zuko and Kona slid off the animal. “No wonder she left; she’s too pretty for you. You should follow her example, Ms. Flippy.”

Ignoring her taunts, Prince Zuko approached the siblings with his normal bravado and dark tone. “Where is he? Where is the Avatar?”

“We split up,” Sokka responded, dully. “He’s long gone.”

“How stupid do you think I am?” Zuko growled, but Kona raised a brow. His attitude was off. Besides, it was one thing to hide the boy, but it’s pretty difficult to hide a giant flying bison…

“Pretty stupid,” Sokka admitted. He grabbed Katara’s arm and started pulling her away from the group. “Run!”

They turned and made it a few steps before a long pink tongue lashed out and hit them. They both thudded to the ground, completely helpless.

Kona frowned. There was no point in paralyzing or hurting them when they weren’t fighting to protect the Avatar. At least the paralyzation would eventually wear off.

She approached the siblings, and, with a quiet apology, she began digging through their bags. They had to have something that belonged to Aang. Finally, she came across a worn map, and presented it to Nyla. The shirshu snuffled at the new item, before her head locked onto a new direction, finding the scent quickly.

“Good thinking, Flippy. Nyla is ready to go. Are we taking them or leaving them?” 

The two teens looked at each other before they each took a sibling and slung them across the shirshu behind June. Once they were secure, they climbed back onto the animal behind them. Who knows what would happen if they left the Water Tribe siblings behind?

Nyla shot down the trail and soon they came across a small abbey in the middle of the same forest. They burst through the gates, sending wood flying all over the square. The nuns of the abbey scurried away, ducking for cover as Nyla prowled in before slowly circling a spot in the center of the square.

“What’s it doing? It’s just going in a circle.” Zuko complained.

As if he jinxed it, a figure flew down from above and spooked Nyla. She reared back, throwing off all five of her passengers before sending her tongue in the Avatar’s direction

June recovered quickly, leaping back onto the shirshu and charging at Aang. Aang dodged and kicked off the side of Nyla, sending the two careening in the direction of his bison who growled angrily. The lumbering animal approached the two collapsed forms, blocking the path to his master.

Meanwhile, Kona grabbed both siblings by their collars and tugged them across the stones and out of the fray, propping them against the stone walls. She wanted to help Zuko, who was currently locked into combat with Aang, but as she watched their air and fire combine to make a large burst of explosive energy, she realized it was best that she protect the siblings from any debris.

“Why are you saving us again?” Sokka asked her from his propped position. “Aren’t you Fire Nation?”

Kona’s eyes never left the battles in front of her as she replied. “Our only goal is to bring the Avatar to the Fire Lord. We do not wish the two of you any harm.”

The two Water Tribe teens would have looked to each other in exasperation if they had the ability to move their head. Zuko had a bad way of showing it.

Katara repeated this fact out loud bitterly, and Kona couldn’t help but clench her fist in irritation.

“You know nothing about him. I’ve warned you about your judgmental attitude once already, Katara.” Kona snapped. Sokka couldn’t help but flinch at the cool tone. What had caused this girl to be so annoyed by Katara?  “If you used your brain, you’ll remember that the animal paralyzed you on its own. We gave no such command. Would you rather we had left you both alone, paralyzed in a dark forest, on a nearly abandoned pathway?” 

Her piercing gaze glared into Katara whose eyes looked away rebelliously, but Sokka couldn’t entirely disagree with her logic, as much as he disagreed with his current predicament.

“I didn’t get a chance to thank you,” Sokka said after a beat, causing the girl to turn her gaze to him. “For helping me with the pirates.”

He couldn’t help but notice that her face momentarily softened at his gratitude. “It was the right thing to do,” she offered as her only explanation before sighing. “I know you two will never understand, nor will you even want to understand why we need the Avatar as badly as we do. Please know, it is nothing personal. We just want to go home. And the Avatar, Aang, is the only way we can do that.”

“He’s just a kid.” Sokka couldn’t help but argue.

“So are we,” she muttered to herself, but offered no argument against Sokka.

But she wasn’t quiet enough. Sokka heard the quiet, sad tone, and with a jolt he realized he couldn’t deny that either. All this time, all along she and Zuko were just kids, just like them. And he knew that. Obviously, he was aware that the people chasing them constantly were led by the teen Fire Nation Prince, but it had never fully clicked with him that just because he didn’t like Zuko, didn’t mean Zuko wasn’t just as old as he was. And if she’s to be believed, the two teens were doing all that they were doing on a wish to go home. 

He couldn’t help but relate. After all, all he wanted was for his family to be together again. He could only assume their want to go home derived from the same thing.

Sokka stewed in his quiet epiphany, as Kona returned her attention to the fights in front of her, unaware of her misstep. Across the abbey, Zuko and Aang were dancing across the rooftops, evenly matched in every way until the giant shirshu leaped up onto the tiled roof. Sensing the change, Aang sprinted away from them both. From the ground Appa growled loudly and slammed his tail against the stone tile in the direction of the shirshu. The entire structure rattled, and Kona turned to move Sokka seconds before debris could fall onto his form.

“Thanks! Oh, wait! I think I’m starting to get some feeling back.”

“That’s great,” Kona said. Across the way, she spotted a roof cave in from the fighting. With a start she remembered the fleeing nuns. “Sokka, you should get most of your feeling back within the next few minutes. Katara is smaller so the paralysis will probably last a little longer. Be safe.”

Before he could protest, she kicked up against the wall, springing towards a small stall and kicking off the stall to make it on the roof. Sokka struggled, wiggling his fingers and toes, willing his body to allow him to move his arms and legs. He had to stop her from getting to Aang.

He watched her dash towards the fighting and leap…right into a hole in the roof. 

What? Did she fall? Was she hiding to ambush Aang?

His questions were answered moments later, when a door near the hole crashed open and sent splintered wood flying everywhere. Three dust covered old women emerged, shaken, but uninjured, followed by Kona, dust covered, and holding another old woman. She was limp in her arms, and blood was dripping down one of her legs. The ceiling must have come down on her leg.

Sokka flinched as an arm appeared in his vision, but then a strong pungent smell filled his nostrils, and, like magic, his leaden limbs finally responded to him.

He rose to his feet. “That thing sees with its nose.” He pointed at the shirshu across the square, still locked in combat with Aang. “Use the perfume to give him something to look at.”

Without a glance, Sokka ran off in the direction of the old women. He exited the gates of the abbey and found Kona gently placing the injured woman against a tree.

“Are any of you trained in medicine?” She asked the women who all shook their heads, eyes widened and terrified. Kona nodded. “Is it alright if I tend to her leg?” 

The women eyed each other warily before one of them finally nodded.

“Sokka, get me two thick branches for a splint. I think her leg is broken.” 

He jumped a bit, not having known that she had noticed his presence, but rushed to comply. 

She thanked him on his return, and continued to clean the woman’s wound with what appeared to be a frayed edge of her vest. Once it was cleaned and bandaged using the supplies from her bag, she undid her sash and pulled a knife from her boot. Without a second of hesitation, she sawed the sash in smaller pieces before placing the branches and securing them.

“She won’t be able to stand without help, and she needs a real doctor, but she could be fine for now. The splint will keep her leg from getting misaligned if it is broken.” She bowed to the nuns. “I apologize for the destruction that we have brought with us. Please accept this humble offering.”

She placed a small pouch in one of the nun’s hands. “It should cover the cost of a doctor and a new roof.”

The woman opened the pouch and her eyes widened, taking in the gold within. It would pay for much more than that.

Suddenly, the shirshu came crashing over the abbey wall, snarling and bucking. Without much thought, Kona pushed Sokka behind her, raising an arm protectively, but the shirshu ran off without so much as stepping in their direction.

Sokka stepped around her raised arm, watching as it disappeared into the forest.

“I’m sorry that you can’t go home,” he said after a moment. “But I can’t let you take Aang without a fight.”

Kona flinched away from him in shock, before cursing herself for her stupidity. She must have been louder than she thought. She sighed, turning to the boy who stared unflinchingly at her, eyes kind. Kona smiled, albeit sadly. “I understand. He’s your friend. Just like Prince Zuko is mine.” 

The sound from inside of the abbey halted and due to the fleeing shirshu, she had a feeling they would be leaving without the Avatar once more. She only hoped her prince wasn’t too upset today.

“You know, if you weren’t Fire Nation and you stopped hunting us down, I bet we could be friends too.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “It would be an honor, Sokka, but I can’t do that. Not yet.”

“I understand,” Sokka parroted her own words back, suddenly sad. If he was being honest, the Fire Nation part meant little. She could be Zhao’s daughter at this point and her lineage would mean nothing to him. Her actions spoke much louder than her words. Her constant protection and her non-lethal combat techniques were enough to tell him that she didn’t want to do what she was doing. Though he was sure she wanted to go home, whether or not she had realized it, her heart didn’t seem into hunting them, and he didn’t think she could hurt them even if she tried.

The unmistakable sound of Appa’s growl drew their attention as he landed beside them. Kona stepped back from Sokka automatically. The nuns were safe. She had to go find Zuko.

“Sokka there you are!” Katara yelled, racing off the bison towards him. Sokka, clearly expecting a hug, raised his arms before flinching as she hit him upside the head.

“Ow!” He cried and rubbed his head. 

“You okay, Sokka?” Aang asked, looking between him and the Fire Nation girl.

“Yeah, I was helping Kona take care of these fine ladies,” Sokka pointed at the nuns who still huddled around their injured peer.

Aang eyed the girl questioningly but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the first time they had seen Kona helping someone other than her temperamental companion.

Katara narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the girl and kept a hand ready in case she needed to bend.

Kona bowed to the group, causing all three to rear back in surprise. “I cannot fight you all on my own, so I will not try to. I must return to Prince Zuko. Safe travels, Avatar and friends.”

Without another word, she turned to return to the abbey and locate her friend.

“She’s so weird, ” Katara said, though not entirely unkindly. 

She just didn’t understand her at all. She was fighting them one moment and saving them the next. She didn’t seem to have any emotions at all either, except when she got frustrated. Katara couldn’t figure her out and it irked her.

Aang looked to Sokka who just quietly climbed onto Appa. Sokka watched her retreating back with what he could only call a longing expression. It wasn’t lovey-dovey or romantic or anything. It was just…sad. Idly, he wondered what they had talked about to make Sokka so quiet. He considered asking for a moment before he shook his head and made his way to Appa’s reigns.

It was none of his business anyway.

Chapter Text

Zuko grew frustrated by the constant near misses with the Avatar, and it severely affected the crew. After Lieutenant Jee had divulged the past of Prince Zuko, there was a newfound sense of sympathy and comradery toward the young prince. What used to be a begrudging acceptance of orders had shifted to a staggering loyalty to the teen who lost everything to protect men like them. 

The men wanted to see the Avatar captured and the prince returned to the throne as much as Zuko did. For all his faults, they knew he had empathy for people of lower status and bore the mark that proved it. This was further motivated by the fact that the men simply missed their families after years on the sea. Each near miss of the Avatar filled them with hope then tore it away just as quickly. It wasn’t sustainable for anyone.

Zuko and Iroh did their best to combat this. Zuko still allowed his men shore leave during stops, and he was getting better at controlling his temper around his men. Iroh helped in his own way by reinstating music night on the ship. 

It couldn’t return the crew to their families, but it did offer some time to reflect and fall into music. By the warlike image of the nation, most would assume that the Fire Nation scoffed at the arts, but the truth was that most high class citizens trained in some form. The discipline it took to learn an instrument or hone a craft was highly regarded within the nation. Down time on ships across the armada included the practice of music, as music provided a stable income and a peaceful life for soldiers after retirement. 

The crew adored music nights, and that included Kona. She knew a few instruments, but tended to stick to the pan flute on music nights to allow others to showcase their artistic talents. Jee was amazing on the lute, and when he played, his hard exterior fell away. Master Iroh often sang in a gentle, off-key voice that filled Kona with warmth. 

Tonight's song was a very familiar tune. Lu Ten and her would perform duets for Iroh with this melody. It was always her “final test” when learning a new instrument. As she fell into the song, she allowed herself to drift back to her happiest memories with Iroh and Lu Ten.

Music nights. Family meals. Training. Tickle Fights.

Lu Ten. 

Her hero.

“You’re the best sister I could ask for.”

“When did you grow so big and strong? You’ll be tougher than me someday.”

“I’ll bring you home a souvenir if you stop crying and give me a hug goodbye.”

“I love you, Nana.”

“Watch over dad. He needs you now more than ever.”

The music around Kona stopped and pulled her from her memories abruptly. When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see Commander Zhao boarding the ship with a small group of his men.

Iroh rose from his seat and approached the man as Kona and the crew eyed each other nervously. Things never seemed to go well when the prince and Commander Zhao interacted. Kona stared at the man, trying to pick up any clues from a distance, but all she could gather from his body language was that he seemed to be completely at ease here on the ship. 

“ The prince needs to know about this immediately.” 

Kona stood. She crept away as slow as possible, and with the crew helping to obscure her from the commander's sight, she slipped off the deck and ran to the prince’s quarters. 

She knocked but entered without waiting. He would forgive her this one time.

“For the last time, I’m not playing the tsungi horn,” Prince Zuko said without turning. His uncle had been pestering him all day to join music night, but he didn’t see the value. His time was better spent charting their next voyage.

“My prince,” Kona began, making Zuko spin around immediately. She never barged in unannounced. “Commander Zhao is here.”

His eyes widened slightly. “ What in Agni’s name did that wretched man want?” 

“What was his demeanor?” He asked instead.

“I didn’t stay long, but he seemed normal. He wasn’t angry, at least.”

Prince Zuko breathed out and shifted his feet in thought. Zhao was the last person he wanted to see right now. As far as Zhao knew, their last meeting had been on Crescent Island. Since he had yet to be arrested, Zuko was sure that he never reported it to the Fire Lord. Still the worry remained that he would come for him and Kona, and by the look in her eyes, he could tell that the possibility was at the forefront of her mind as well.

Zuko feared that as well, but there was another fear just as strong: he had been found out as the Blue Spirit. Everyday his mind jumped back and forth regarding his escapade behind the mask. Some days he was sure he made the right decision breaking the Avatar out of Zhao’s clutches, but other days, like today, he wondered if he had risked too much.

After all, the Avatar had seen his face.

He had been watching the message boards and listening to rumors, and what he had gathered was that authorities were still baffled when it came to possible identities. It didn't comfort Zuko as much as it should. He had been burned before. He knew it could be a ruse. Zhao could be waiting for Zuko to find the Avatar again so he could take them both in.

His paranoia was cut short by the door opening once more. In the doorway stood Iroh and he had a hesitant look on his face. It looked like he would rather be anywhere but there.

“There’s a bit of a problem, Prince Zuko.” He said plainly, apologetically.

Iroh stepped out of the way so Zhao could enter. As usual the man walked pompously with a permanent smirk on his face. His eyes glinted with unhidden malice and glee, as he looked around the prince’s private quarters, pausing on Kona’s form before fixating on teh prince. “I’m taking your crew,” he announced.

Kona’s mouth dropped open in surprise before quickly closing once more with an audible click .

“What?” Prince Zuko asked through clenched teeth. His hatred was no more hidden than Zhao’s, as he glared hatefully at the older man.

“I’ve recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole.” Everything in his cruel smile said the rest of what he wanted to say: “ I’ve won.”

“Uncle, is this true?” Zuko demanded, turning to the man. 

Iroh sighed sadly, face resigned.  “I’m afraid so. He’s taking everyone, even…” Iroh trailed off but his gaze finished his thought. Kona’s heart skipped a beat. He was looking at her. At her. She looked between her master and the commander and she couldn’t stop the horror that crossed her face. 

“That’s insane!” Zuko argued, outraged. “She’s not even an official member of the Fire Navy.”

Her heart leapt. Kona had never been so grateful that she wasn’t a firebender.

“No,” Zhao agreed, dashing the building hope that had started to grow in Kona’s chest. He pulled a scroll from his pocket and dropped it in the prince’s hand with flourish. “But this decree from the Fire Lord states that as Admiral , I can sequester any vessel’s crew for missions.”

Prince tore the scroll open, heart sinking into his stomach, as he read the words that parrated Zhao’s decree. He looked over the scroll to Kona, the content of the scroll clear on his face,  and his heart nearly gave out seeing the fear in her eyes. 

“I’m sorry you won’t be there to watch us capture the Avatar. But I can’t have you getting in my way again. Don’t worry though, I’m sure any past transgressions will be forgotten if the crew fully participates in the efforts.” Zhao turned to look over at the hovering teenage girl, threat clear in his voice. The look in his eyes scared her, too. She was used to the cruel glint in his eyes, but there was something worse there.  It almost looked hungry.

Zuko realized with a start that this was Zhao’s main goal all along. He had enough men at his disposal. He didn’t need Zuko’s minimal crew.

Zhao knew. 

Zhao knew that Zuko kept Kona so close that she would get to return to the palace with him. He sequestered the crew so Zuko had to choose: Kona or Zuko. Only one could return to the capitol city. Only one could capture the Avatar.

Zuko felt a growl building as he stepped forward angrily. He wasn’t going to let Zhao take her away from him. They were supposed to do this together . 

Iroh stopped him before he could get any further, as much as he would love for his nephew to destroy the admiral at that moment. Going after Kona, his daughter, Iroh fumed. But his hands were tied. The Fire Lord had spoken.

Admiral Zhao delighted in the prince’s anger. The boy had shown his hand in his anger. Zhao’s assumption proved to be true. The girl was just as important to the banished prince as the Avatar, and that was what made him weak. This is why Zhao would come out on top. He didn’t let emotion get in the way. 

Zhao turned to exit, basking in his victory over the prince, when his eye caught on the glint of metal hanging from the wall. 

He approached the blades and felt his anger rise. They were of the same make as the blades that had belonged to the Blue Spirit. The vigilante that had stolen the Avatar from the Pohuai Stronghold. 

He removed one sword from its place, examining it closely.

“I didn’t know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko.”

“I’m not,” he responded tightly, anxious. “They’re antiques. Just decorative.”

Zhao hummed at the response, twirling the blade experimentally. “Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?”

Iroh raised a brow, genuinely confused by the change in topic. “Just rumors. I don’t think he’s real.”

“And you, girl?” 

She flinched at the direct acknowledgement, wrapped in her thoughts, heart racing, palms sweating. She felt her mind drifting further from her in her panic. “I don’t pay much attention to rumors, Admiral Zhao. This is the first time I’m hearing the name.” 

He eyed her, knowing that she had trained with Iroh extensively. Iroh was known for his regard for all forms of combat. She was easily just as skilled in broadswords as the vigilante had been, despite her short, unassuming stature. Just as quickly as the accusation rose to his tongue, it faded. The Blue Spirit was clearly male. 

It had to be Prince Zuko.

“Well, he’s real.” Zhao handed the blade to General Iroh, who took it with hesitance. “He’s a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon.” Zhao let the Prince stew in the threat as he turned to exit the room. “General Iroh, the offer to join my mission stands… if you change your mind. Grab your belongings, girl. We leave in half an hour.”

Kona bowed, grateful that it hid her distraught face. “Yes, Admiral Zhao.”

“He offered you a position as well?” Zuko asked his uncle angrily after the man left.

Iroh nodded in confirmation. He returned the sword he was holding to the wall. He turned to take in his charges. His nephew was angry, that much was clear, but Iroh knew that it stemmed from worry, from fear for Kona. Kona stood motionless, quiet and Iroh could practically see her withdrawing from the situation. Her panic was clouding her mind. She was never good with her emotions.

“He means to take everything from you.”

Zuko clenched his fists and stared angrily down at his feet.

“Uncle, I’d like to talk to Kona alone.”

Iroh blinked in surprise and for a moment wanted to protest. It wasn’t proper to leave them alone in Zuko’s quarters. No, that was an excuse. He wished he could offer them comfort that they wouldn’t reject. He wished they didn’t feel the need to send him away. In the end, he sighed and exited the room, leaving the door intentionally open.

Maybe it wasn’t completely an excuse.

Kona didn’t notice. She stared at her clasped hands and her feet below them. She was standing. She was touching the ground, so why did she feel so weightless, so upended? She felt as if the ground had been ripped out from under her. She felt dizzy.

She watched as feet entered her vision and a hand slowly raised to tilt her head up.

“I’ll figure this out,” Prince Zuko promised, chest tightening at the look on her face. “Stay with me, Kona. Breathe. I’ll get you back.”

Never one to disobey a direct order, Kona took a large, shaky breath and she nodded in acknowledgement, trying to fight off the fog clouding her mind. She had the feeling her voice would fail her, if she tried to speak. Her throat felt tight.

“I’m going to try to convince my uncle to stay with you,” he continued. His hand which had gently tilted her face up to his drifted, absentmindedly brushing stray hair out of her face.

“No!” She protested, the fog parting in an instant. She grabbed his hand from its position near her cheek, clutching his fingers uncomfortably. “Master Iroh must stay with you.”

“I can’t leave you alone with Zhao!” Zuko argued, turning his hand to grab the hand that had previously clutched his fingers in a vice grip. He held the hand gently, apologetically, letting both their arms fall between them. He fed off the connection, even if it was selfish. It was grounding despite his worry. For now, she was still there.

“I can’t let you be alone !” Kona insisted. Her free hand raised without thought, cupping his face in her hand, insistently, forcing him to look at her. Her thumb, despite its trembling, rubbed his cheek right gently. “I will be fine. I was trained to be subservient to those higher than me. He won’t hurt me if you’re not around to see it.”

Zuko sighed in discontent and couldn’t help but push his face further into her trembling hand. It was the first time someone other than his doctors had ever touched his scar.  The first time he had let someone touch his scar. Despite her fear, her touches were featherlight and affectionate. She didn’t shy away from the bubbled skin or discoloration, though he knew them to be unpleasant. 

“She’s being strong for you,” his mind whispered to him.

His stomach twisted at the realization. She was terrified, but she was comforting him anyway. His eyes fell on the dainty chain that hung at her neck. He felt all his fight leave his body. She trusted him. She was being strong for him. He couldn’t break now.

His head fell forward until their foreheads met gently. He prayed to Agni to forgive him for his selfishness as he raised his free hand to cup the back of her neck, basking in the comfort of her presence. His eyes fell closed, fighting his instinct to just grab her and run. “You need to promise me that if things go wrong, you’ll run. If you can’t run, you fight until you can.”

His words were hot on her face and her brain short circuited. They hadn’t been this close since the storm, the event she tried desperately to forget. “I promise,” she whispered and shifted her hands further back on his head until his mangled ear fell between her thumb and index finger and her fingers cupped the back of his head. “Promise me that you’ll keep searching for the Avatar. You don’t let that man win.”

Zuko wanted to protest, to tell her that he didn’t want to return home without her, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He lifted his head to place a featherlight kiss on her forehead, the way his mother had done to him when he needed comfort as a child. His racing told another story. 

Everything was different with her. 

He inhaled her scent as his lips pressed to her skin and he felt her hand tighten its grip around his slightly.

“I’ll find you. No matter what happens,” he swore to her and pulled back, looking her in his eyes. He needed to be sure that she felt his sincerity. She had to see it.

The look in his eyes made Kona want to cry, but she held it back. She hadn’t cried in years, and she wouldn’t cry now.

“I will miss you, my prince,” she allowed herself to admit to him.

“Call me my name, Kona, please,” he nearly begged. “You’re my friend.”

She swallowed around the lump in her throat. “I will miss you, Zuko.”

If his heart was hurting before, it was shattering now. His best friend, his most trusted confidant was being ripped away from him, just like everything else had been years ago. “I’ll miss you too, Kona.”

Gently, she pulled back and she removed her hand from his face, dragging a gentle finger across his scarred side. Zuko’s eyes fluttered closed unconsciously at the sensation.

When his eyes opened again, she was gone.

Kona bowed to her Master who had been standing in the hallway nearby. She didn’t know how much he heard, but she didn’t even have the emotional energy left to be embarrassed. She slipped past him without a word to go pack her few personal belongings.

Iroh stared after her. “ Say something to her. Comfort her ,” his inner voice yelled at him, but his feet didn’t move from his position. As much as the relationship made him uneasy, it was clear that Kona did not need his comfort when she had his nephew’s. He could only hope that they both survived this separation intact.

Later that night, the crew disembarked with well wishes and Iroh waved cheerfully back, though his heart hung heavy. He had said his goodbyes to his daughter. She seemed uncomfortable by his presence but allowed the clasp on her shoulder and pat on her cheek as he wished her well. She had smiled at him, but he could tell that it wasn’t real.

“The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels,” Iroh told his nephew, who laid on his bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. He hadn’t seen him this upset in ages. His emotions were so up in turmoil that he could do nothing but sit. It was so unlike his usual anger that Iroh’s stomach turned in discontent. 

When Zuko didn’t acknowledge his presence, he tried again, “It’s a lovely night for a walk. Why don’t you join me? It would clear your head.” 

No response. 

Iroh sighed in slight frustration. “Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy.”

Zuko ignored him, though he knew he was being bratty. He knew that Iroh had just lost what was essentially his child for the second time. He knew that he should be the one comforting the man that stood by him, but Zuko was entitled to grieve and mope for a bit the way he wanted to. He could apologize later. 

He didn’t know how long he sat in silence, wallowing in his own self pity when he heard a noise echo across the ship. Zuko shot up in bed immediately. 

“Uncle,” he called out as he rose to his feet and exited his room. “Uncle, is that you?”

Suddenly a rumble reverberated through the floors of the ship to his feet, and his eyes widened as the air around him grew bright and scorching before all he saw was black.

Up on a nearby hill, Iroh’s eyes widened in horror. “Zuko,” he breathed in panic. He picked up his pace, sprinting down the hill. “Zuko!”

Across the harbor, the blinding light filled Kona’s vision followed quickly by the deafening boom. Her belongings clattered to the floor at her feet. The prince’s crew shared in shock as their home for the last two and half years went up in flames.

“No!” Kona cried, running off the ship, uncaring of the trouble it may place her in. All she cared about was the debris littering the harbor and the smoke filling the air as she raced around the bend of the water. 

“They had to be fine. Iroh and Zuko weren’t on the ship. They had to be fine. She couldn’t be alone. They had to be fine. They had to be fine. They had to be fine. They had to be fine. They had to be fine. ”

Her lungs burned, but it was nothing compared to the feeling in her heart.

On his own ship, Zhao looked at the explosion with a victorious grin. That dumb old General should have joined him when he had the chance. Schooling his expression, he turned to his dumbfounded crew and the horrified prince’s crew. He watched his new men as they swiveled their gazes between him, their blown ship, and the young girl who sprinted away without orders.

He played his part well. “Don’t just stand there. Follow the girl,” he told the prince’s crew, feigning concern. “Search the wreckage for Prince Zuko and General Iroh.”

The prince’s crew disappeared before he could finish command and his crew followed shortly after. He wondered idly how the prince had garnered such devotion before turning back to view the wreckage that crackled across the water, throwing smoke into air and obscuring the night sky. 

Loyalty didn’t matter anymore, Zhao decided. He had already won. He had stolen Prince Zuko’s girlfriend to destroy his heart, then finished the job by killing the boy’s body. There was no one to compete with to capture the Avatar. 

Zhao was victorious once more.

Chapter Text

“I am devastated to hear about Prince Zuko,” Admiral Zhao lamented, peering over his tea to look at General Iroh. “Just devastated.”

“The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was responsible,” Iroh said. He stared down at his tea but did not drink. For the first time in a long time, he was in no mood for the beverage. After the events of the day, his stomach was nearly sick. He was worried about Kona, who had not left her quarters since they had been assigned to her. 

Zhao’s heart nearly stopped in his chest. “You know who was behind the attack?”

“Yes,” Iroh replied. “Pirates. We had a run-in with them a while back. They wanted revenge.”

Zhao hid his smirk behind his tea as he pretended to sip. “So, have you reconsidered my offer?”

“Yes, I accept it. It will be an honor to serve as your general. To the Fire Nation!”

“To victory!”

Mere hours later, Iroh rendezvoused with a soldier below deck on Zhao’s ship. “ Our plan is working perfectly. Zhao doesn't suspect a thing.” Iroh told him,

The soldier removed his face plate, revealing the bruised and bloody face of Prince Zuko to his uncle. “You didn’t have to do this,” he said. If his uncle was found sneaking him onto the ship, royalty or not, they would both be in big trouble.

“No nephew of mine will stowaway on a ship without some backup,” Iroh argued. Guilt ate at his stomach. Iroh had left him alone on that ship in a moment of frustration. His last words to his nephew could have been words of anger.

No, Iroh wasn’t leaving him alone anytime soon.

“Thank you, uncle. How’s… how’s Kona? Are you sure we shouldn’t tell her I’m here?”

Iroh clasped his shoulder. “I will not lie to you, Prince Zuko. She is not well, and that’s why we can’t tell her that you’re still alive.”

Zuko opened his mouth to protest but his uncle cut him off.

“You know how she gets when she’s upset,” Iroh reminded him gently, though it felt a bit like he was trying to convince himself at that moment. “She shuts down. It is painful to watch her be in pain, but you know she cannot fake it. It would show in her eyes that you’re still alive.”

Zuko sighed and looked down at his feet. “I don’t like lying to her. She doesn’t deserve it.”

“She will forgive you. I will take the blame, if necessary.” Before they could continue, the sound of the door opening interrupted them. Zuko immediately replaced his face plate. “Someone’s coming. Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours. Good luck.”

Iroh left his nephew and immediately headed to Kona’s chambers. While the old man was unsure of the real reasons for Zhao giving her her own quarters, he couldn’t help but feel grateful. Iroh knew that she didn’t like people seeing her when she got like this.

He knocked softly on the door before pushing it open, knowing he wouldn’t get a response. Across the room, Kona lay on her back on the bed, a mirror image of how Zuko laid only the day prior. She was fully clothed and laying atop of the blankets, her hair was messy and frayed from sleep, and her eyes were closed. He hoped for a moment that she was finally at peace in her slumber, but then he saw her shaking form. 

Kona’s head twisted back and forth and a whimper escaped her lips. Iroh was by her side in a blink, taking her hand in his. His heart broke as a shiny tear pooled from one of her closed eyelids and escaped down her cheek. He could not stop the tears from pooling in his eyes as well.

“ I’m so sorry,” he thought miserably to himself. “ I’m hurting you again.”

He gingerly placed her hand back onto her stomach, so he could grab the blanket from across the room. He placed it over her gently, ensuring no part of her save her head was left exposed, lest the chilly air of the northern waters crept into her room. He knelt at her side once more, taking her hand through the thick material of her quilt. He would leave before she woke, but for now, he could comfort her, the only way she would accept it–while she slept.

Days passed and Zhao’s army made its way north. General Iroh and Admiral Zhao were busy with planning while Zhao generously gave Kona leave for her trauma.

“ I am not unreasonable. Prince Zuko was her childhood friend, and she is young. She can earn her place in other ways,” he had said.

Instead of war preparations, Kona was left in the kitchen. She assisted the cooks by preparing vegetables and monitoring foods to prevent burning. The kitchen staff that was formerly of the prince’s crew had tried at first to console her and talk with her, but her monotonous responses and dead eyes eventually scared them away.

How do you comfort a young girl in mourning?

When she wasn’t on kitchen duty, Iroh kept her at his side. When he and Zhao needed to have private conversations, she returned to her rooms, where she sat on her bed until she could no longer fight sleep and fell asleep atop her covers.

This was where she was as Zhao approached Iroh on the main deck of the warship. The air had grown steadily colder in the last few days of travel. The sky clouded, hiding the warm rays, but no storms emerged. Glaciers began to break the endless horizon on the gray seas, signaling their northward movement. Zhao delighted in the frigid breeze, knowing that it meant his time of conquest was coming.

“This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh,” Zhao said on his approach to the general. “Just think, centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last of he Water Tribe civilization. You’re lucky you’re here to see it.”

Iroh flinched at his hubris, at the familiarity of the words. “Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects.” His amber eyes surveyed the grayed landscape somberly, and anyone with any emotional intelligence would have been able to see the horrors that lay within them.

Zhao raised a brow at his sullen response before nodding. “I suppose you speak from experience, but rest assured: this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se.”

Iroh swallowed but found his throat was dry. Thinking of Lu Ten always made that happen. “I hope not, for your sake.”

He may not respect the man beside him, but he would not wish the loss of a child on anyone. It was an unhealable wound. No one should outlive their own child. 

Zhao surveyed the horizon for a moment, and for once his bravado failed him for a moment. He wondered how to start the next conversation. He had laid out his argument well. He knew it was fool-proof, but he also knew how the Dragon of the West cared for his family. 

“How is Kona enjoying her quarters?”

Iroh blinked at the change in topic before his face closed off, alert. Surely, the man wasn’t offended because she hadn’t thanked him . “I’m sure she finds them very agreeable. With this situation I’m sure you understand-” 

The admiral cut him off. “Of course, I understand. I meant no offense.” Be direct. “Have you wondered why I gave Kona her own quarters, despite some of the crew also being female?”

Iroh couldn’t help the suspicion that rose in his chest. “I had assumed that it was a gesture of good will towards me,” Iroh admitted, scrutinizing the man. “I’m sure it was also to make sure her…behavior would not negatively impact your crew.”

“That is part of it,” Zhao agreed, thankful that General Iroh, for all his quirks, still had a hint of sense. It made the conversation easier. “The main reason is that I find her to be an suitable  candidate for betrothal.”

“Betrothal?!”

Zhao couldn’t help the chuckle that came from his reaction. “I apologize if it comes as a surprise, but I realized after the prince’s passing that I may have treated her unfairly due to my rivalry with your nephew.”

Iroh narrowed his eyes at him but did not answer.

“I’m sure it will take some convincing, as you are her father figure, but I know that all your nephew wanted was for her to be able to return to the palace at your side, and with his passing, that has become unlikely.'' Zhao turned to face his general head on, and Iroh fought the urge to glare at the man’s confident facial expression. “If she is betrothed to me, I will fund for her to live in the capitol with me. I even promise you on my honor that we will not be married until she is of an age that you are comfortable with. Together, we can complete the late prince’s wish.”

At the silence, Zhao continued, just as he had rehearsed. 

“Seeing her reaction to the prince’s death has made me realize how valuable she is as a woman. You have raised her well, General Iroh. Despite her pain, she has not cried, and she hides away to keep others from noticing. She is polite and speaks only when spoken to, and I’m sure you’ve noticed the devotion the prince’s crew casts on her despite her commoner blood. She is the perfect wife for an officer of the Fire Navy.”

Iroh could feel his temper rising beneath his skin. How dare this man tear apart the two people he cared about most, trample on his supposedly dead nephew’s dream, then propose to take his own daughter away from him too? The audacity of this man was something not of this world.

And yet… Iroh could see the value.

If Iroh was allowed to set Kona’s age, it could give them a few years for Zuko to capture the Avatar and return. He was sure 18 would be an acceptable offer and, if Iroh pushed, 20. That was nearly three years for Zuko to hunt the Avatar in secret, and for Kona to live in peace in the capital city.

No, what was he thinking ? This was his daughter!

His head reeled, but his exterior showed the same calm as always. “I’m sure you would allow me some time to consider, as she is my only daughter…my only child.” Though he knew he should be ashamed to use his son in such a manner, he knew Lu Ten would forgive him in that moment. Lu Ten had loved Kona more than anyone else.

Zhao returned his gaze to the horizon, sheepish despite himself. “I apologize for my forwardness in such a…personal matter. Of course, you may take your time. Meanwhile, tell the captain to prepare for the first strike.”

Iroh bowed and made his way to do just that, and once he was out of sight, his fists clenched at his sides. He shut his eyes so hard he saw stars, and forced himself to breath evenly to calm himself. 

“Her reaction to the prince’s death has made me realize how valuable she is as a woman. You have raised her well, General Iroh.”

He wanted to vomit. 

Zhao had seen her grief, her hardships and saw her as desirable . 

Iroh had spent Kona’s early life training her to be strong, to be confident. He trained her in combat because she had wanted to protect herself and her family. He had been tough as her master because he wanted, no, needed her to be able to defend herself. 

Out of the ring, Iroh had taught her to be wise and to be kind. He taught her that her strength meant nothing if it harmed others, and she had taken the lessons so well. Even when others treated her poorly, he saw her respond with kindness. Even Princess Azula never received a harsh look or word from the young Kona; she only received smiles and invitations to play with her and Zuko.

He had meant for her to grow up kind and strong and confident, like his boy, whom she had latched onto like a koala-otter. But just like Lu Ten, she had been let down by him. His words and actions had destroyed her.

“Despite her pain, she has not cried, and she hides away to keep others from noticing. She is polite and speaks only when spoken to.”

Iroh’s heart twisted painfully. “ I didn’t raise her well at all. I broke her.”

And now… whether Zhao had realized it or not, he had pushed Iroh into a corner.  Iroh realized in horror, that he couldn’t deny the betrothal. Even though all he wanted was to tell the disgusting man that desired a mourning teenage girl to jump into a volcano, he had to agree. He had to force Kona into a bad situation. Again.

With newfound vigor, Iroh quickly relayed the message to the captain as ordered. Without any pause, he then hurried to the depths of the ship where he knew his nephew was hiding. Upon seeing him, Iroh immediately spoke, his tension clear. “We’ll be landing soon. Do you have a plan?”

“I’m working on it, Uncle.” The prince responded, surprised by his uncle’s intensity,

Iroh hesitated a moment, before deciding on the truth. He was tired of half truths and hiding from his kids. “Kona’s situation has gotten worse,” he began and Zuko immediately tensed. “Zhao has taken a liking to her. He asked me for her hand in marriage.”

“You’re joking right?! He’s like 50!”

In any other situation, Iroh might have laughed, but all he could do was shake his head impatiently. “I am aware of his age, but, Prince Zuko, the world thinks you’re dead, and she cannot return to the capital on my word alone. You know how your father sees her.” Iroh pinched the bridge of his nose to fight off the headache that was building behind his eyes. “I don’t think it was intentional, but I can’t deny him. He knows I must return to the capitol with you gone, and Zhao is her only way back to the city. For me to deny him her hand would be me throwing suspicion on my motivations.”

Zuko couldn’t help but let his anger out as he let out a grunt of frustration, flames pooling out of his mouth. “She’s 16, uncle! Almost 17. That’s way too young, besides…” He let himself trail off.

“Prince Zuko,” Iroh said with more seriousness than Zuko had ever seen. “As long as you wish to return to the capital, to her, I have to accept. You must capture the Avatar. You may just curry enough favor to allow her to stay in the capital, though the palace will be impossible. Find the Avatar. Work out a plan. I will only be able to hold Zhao for a few years at the most. You have to do this for her. ”

“Damn him,” cursed Zuko angrily. His mind reeled with a million possible solutions before finally landing on the simplest, though likely most dangerous. It was the quickest, and that was what mattered. It was the only way to beat Zhao before he took Kona to the capitol in the first place.

Within the hour, Zuko had procured the necessary resources, and was ready to set sail on his small raft. His heart twinged at the memory of the last time he had been on a raft like this, with Kona's hand in his.

“ If you're fishing for an octopus my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape.” Iroh said from behind him as Zuko continued to wind up the rope he would soon be using to bind the Avatar.

“I don’t need your wisdom right now, uncle,” he replied coldly. He had one duty right now and one only. 

“I’m sorry. I just nag you because, well.” Iroh couldn’t stop his voice from wavering. The two people he cared about most were suffering and he had no power to stop it. “Ever since I lost my son…”

“Uncle, you don’t have to say it,” Zuko said. He knew full well what his uncle would say. His actions these last few years had said everything already.

“I think of you as my own, too”

Zuko’s face softened. “I know, Uncle. We’ll meet again.” He leaned to his uncle’s hug for a moment before he turned and got on his raft. “After I have the Avatar and can free Kona.” He promised.

“Remember your breath of fire. It could save your life out there.” Iroh fretted as Zuko slowly lowered the raft into the water.

“I will,” he promised.

“And put your hood up. Keep your ears warm!”

“I’ll be fine!”

He had to be.

Chapter Text

“We accept your proposal, Admiral Zhao.” Iroh gestured a hand to Kona. Knowing her queue, she bowed low in deference, eyes downcast and face completely neutral. It is not how she pictured starting her first ‘relationship,’ but with how her life had turned out, she wasn’t too surprised. 

Zhao smirked down at the girl. He turned back to his general and nodded at him in acknowledgement, a smirk still firm on his face. “I knew you would see the sensibility of the situation.” ‘And soon my place in the Fire Nation hierarchy will be official,’ Zhao thought. Her adoption was irrelevant. She was the child of the famed Dragon of the West. She may not be royal by blood or status, but if something were to…happen to the current Fire Lord with Zuko already out of the way. 

The stupid old man had basically given away his thrown.

“We will need to talk about details such as her marrying age and where she will be living,” Iroh cut in, though even the words made a shiver go down his spine. He never was one to support arranged marriages, despite Lu Ten being a product of one. He had grown to love his late wife, but he would never wish it on others, especially his children. 

Zhao waved off his comment nonchalantly. “Of course, but that’s a conversation for another day. We have an invasion to begin, general.”

Iroh walked the few paces that had separated him from Kona, and threw an arm over her shoulder, pulling her tight against his side. She stiffened under the weight, but did not resist. “I would like to keep her by my side for the time being, Admiral Zhao. Neither of us will be a part of the assault, but it would grant me some ease of mind.”

Zhao agreed with only a nod. Iroh’s position in his armada was purely ceremonial anyway. The man was old, out of touch. Zhao only needed him for one thing and one thing only: securing favor in the capitol. He didn’t care what either of them did, so long as they stayed out of his way.

-

Miles away, Zuko narrowly made his way through winding ice tunnels and found his way to a hidden spirit oasis. The cave towered overhead. A large waterfall carried a heavy curtain of water down into the flooded cavern, and at the center of the pool laid a small island, covered in a lush green grass that seemed so out of place in the North Pole. Zuko couldn’t help but note the pleasant warmth of the temperate air as he slinked over a narrow bridge to the island that housed the familiar forms of the Avatar and the water tribe girl. With them sat an unfamiliar girl with long, snow white hair. 

He drew closer, and he could clearly see the shimmering koi pond in the center that sat beneath an intricate Spirit Gate. In the pond, under the reflection of the gate, two fish circled each other in an endless dance. 

Zuko froze as the white haired girl whispered worriedly. “Maybe we should get some help.”

“No,” the water tribe girl replied immediately, “He’s my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him.” 

Zuko couldn’t help the smirk that was pulling across his face. The Avatar was clearly indisposed, leaving only the two girls to protect him. Zuko had beaten worse odds.

“Well, aren’t you a big girl now,” Zuko announced his presence haughtily. Even he could feel the weight of his own glare on them, as he moved forward, his steps confident. He wouldn’t lose this. Not today. Not with what he had to lose. 

“No,” Katara breathed, getting to her feet and standing in front of the unconscious Avatar protectively.

“Hand him over and I won’t have to hurt you,” Zuko offered. He got no joy from defeating the Avatar’s companions. They simply got in the way. It was only fair to give the choice.

His eyes followed the white haired girl as she dashed across the bridge on the opposite side of the oasis. Katara fell into a defensive stand, and Zuko’s smirk turned into a feral grin. Even better. 

Zuko launched himself forward with a grunt, kicking a blast of flame in her direction. He landed and punched out more fire in rapid succession, relentless in his attack, aiming to break her center. Katara pulled water from the oasis, creating a barrier before her. The curling flames dissipated off the edges of the shield, and the girl's eyes narrowed. Using one hand to hold the barrier, her other hand raised to pull more water from the pond. The jet of water surged forward with an amazing speed, directly towards the prince.

Caught off guard, Zuko braced his arms to block the brunt of the water, but he was knocked back several feet and sent crashing to the ground. He grit his teeth and glared at the looming waterbender. “I see you’ve learned a new trick, but I didn’t come this far to lose to you.” He rose from the ground and immediately bended more blasts in her direction.

Katara blocked using her shield once more, but Zuko was thrown off once more when she abruptly dropped it. She used both hands to channel the pond water towards Zuko in a powerful wave. The wave collided with Zuko, knocking him back, before Katara willed it to begin to freeze him in place. He struggled angrily as she circled her arms and the water obeyed, circling his body and hardening, effectively freezing his form into a ball of ice.

“You little peasant,” Zuko snarled. “You found a master, haven’t you?”

He willed his body to heat rapidly. The ice surrounding him glowed orange and steamed as it melted. Zuko fought off the fatigue that came from such a large surge of bending.  Full body bending was tiresome, and he wasn’t sure he could do it again. He had to be careful. 

He dropped back to his feet, and Zuko began his assault once more, but Katara just kept deflecting. Clearly a direct assault wasn’t working so he switched tactics. He pushed her defensive nature by overwhelming her with rapid bending. He used the momentum to slip past her, and dash to the unconscious Avatar. His hand just barely grabbed the Avatar’s collar, when Zuko was thrown off his feet and against the cave wall. He shook his head, fighting off his disorientation, but it was too late. Ice encased his entire body once more. He couldn’t even struggle, he was so tired. 

His teeth grit painfully and he tasted blood. He couldn’t lose like this. This wasn’t about him anymore, if it ever even was . This was his best chance to keep Kona from a terrible fate. The idea of her forced to sit beside Zhao like a mindless crony made his stomach turn, but she would do it. She would do it because his uncle told her to.

He really needed to talk to her about that

Then, like a miracle, daylight broke over the horizon. Zuko watched as a single ray of light shined down on him. He welcomed the heat against his skin, and breathed in sharply, embracing the energy that it gave him, holding it within. He breathed out, and the heat quickly began to melt the ice encasing him. He landed gracefully on the edge of the oasis.

This wasn’t over yet.

He sent a blast at Katara, who had turned away, thinking him defeated. She whirled around at the sound of his landing. Her hand came up to bend herself a shield, but it was too late. The blast sent her flying through the air, and she slammed into the Spirit Gate that loomed next to the pond. She didn’t rise again.

“You rise with the moon… I rise with the sun.” Zuko looked down at her, as he grabbed Aang’s collar once more. He couldn’t help the small pang of guilt in his chest, but he fought it back. He was only doing what he had to do. He only wanted to give Kona and himself the life they deserved. That didn’t make him a bad person.

He hiked the boy up onto his back, and, with a deep breath, he began his journey. He exited the oasis the way he came, but instead of following the tunnels back to the icy sea, he soon found himself wading into fresh, powdery snow. 

-

Iroh watched the siege with worry plain on his face. Their assault had been swift and fierce. The catapults had easily broken the icy walls of the North Pole, allowing for their soldiers to make landfall. He turned to the sun that slowly descended across the sky.

“I’m sure I don’t need to remind you we have a time limit,” Iroh told Zhao. “If we don’t defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises they will be undefeatable.” 

Honestly, the fact that the man had decided to attack the water nation on the eve of such a celestial event spoke clearly of his hubris. It was why Iroh’s younger self had begun studying other cultures in the first place; if you know your opponent's warfare, you know how to defeat it. 

Zhao merely scoffed, rolling his eyes. “I assure you, I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor.”

Iroh’s eyes widened in horror, turning to face the man. “Remove the moon? How?”

Without warning, a battle cry rang from behind the two men. They both turned and witnessed a young man in very dated armor raise a spear. “Admiral Choi! Prepare to meet your fate!”
He attempted to charge Admiral Zhao, but Kona emerged from her place in the shadows of the room. With a simple lift of her leg, she tripped him up and sent him careening over the side of the ship. She bowed to the two men before returning to her place, eyes staring down at her feet once more. That was how she knew Zhao expected her to stand in their presence. 

“Impressive,” Zhao noted, though it was directed to Iroh not Kona, as if it was merely his training and not her hard work that gave her skill. In another situation, Kona would be annoyed, but through the heavy fog of her grief, she only took a breath and returned back to her thoughts. Her thoughts were so much nicer than reality.

“As I was saying,” the admiral turned back to Iroh,a confident sneer etched into his face. “Years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the Moon Spirit’s mortal form.”

“What?”

“ I w as a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom,” Admiral Zhao shared, eyes lost in thought. “I discovered a hidden library. Underground, in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration, and the words "moon" and "ocean". I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. And that it was my destiny to do so.”

Iroh’s eyes furrowed, and he could not hide his anger. “Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!

“Yes, yes,” Zhao sighed as if he was having the most taxing conversation of his life, and Iroh’s anger flared further. “I know you fear the spirits, Iroh. I’ve heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and the Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world. And now they will face the consequences.” He stared menacingly at the horizon, and Iroh couldn’t help his gulp of fear.

As soon as Zhao disappeared, Iroh turned to Kona frantically. “I know you do not wish to fight right now, my dear, but we cannot allow Zhao to hurt the Moon.”

Kona nodded and replied, “Yes, Master Iroh.” 

Her monotony made Iroh want to yell in frustration, anything to snap her out of it. He refrained despite his aching heart. This was his punishment for keeping secrets.  Instead, he patted her head gently before grabbing her wrist and pulling her behind him.

Luckily, the ship had an extra lifeboat, and Kona and Iroh were able to tail Zhao from a distance over the water and through the besieged city. Iroh’s gaze looked over the destruction of the beautiful civilization sadly, but he did not stop. There was nothing he could do now.

The duo finally tracked the man to a large cavern, the spirit oasis. Iroh’s eyes widened in horror and he rushed forward as he took sight of Admiral Zhao. He stood before a koi pond, holding a burlap bag triumphantly. Not even the distance between them could hide the cocky grin pulling across his face. The Avatar and his group stood around him, in varying forms of terror.

“Don’t bother,” he was telling the Avatar through clenched teeth, raising the dripping bag higher above the water.

“Zhao don’t!” Aang begged, throwing his hands up in a placating manner.

“It is my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe!” Zhao snarled.

“Destroying the moon won’t just hurt the Water Tribe,” Aang told him gently. “It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world.

Iroh cursed at Kona’s side, seeing the man refuse to falter.

“He is right, Zhao,” Iroh said, crossing the bridge into the oasis with Kona at his heels like a ghost. The Avatar and his group tensed at their presence, but at the duo's lack of attention on them, they turned back to the bigger threat. 

“General Iroh,” Zhao said conversationally. “Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery? Or that you’d drag your daughter into it?”

Iroh approached slowly, as if approaching a spooked animal. “We are not traitors, Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance.” The logical argument clearly fell short and Iroh clenched his teeth. “Whatever you do to that spirit, I’ll unleash on you ten-fold.” Iroh fell into a fighting stance before yelling. “Let it go, now!”

There was a pause, and it felt like everyone was holding their breath. Zhao lowered his head and his hand soon followed. He tipped the bag and released the koi back into the pond. The koi quickly returned to its place, resuming its immortal dance, Zhao’s face suddenly twisted in anger. Before anyone could react, he sliced down at the koi, fire burning through its form.

Iroh flinched as the world turned gray around them, all color fading from view. His teeth bared and he yelled as he jumped forward to fight Zhao. He was cut off by the Fire Nation soldiers that he had been too distracted to notice. They got the jump on him, or they would have, had Kona not interfered. She grabbed the soldier's wrist, twisting it behind his back and pushing him into the icy waters below. Iroh didn’t even have time to thank her, as he was engaged once more. 

Kona felt her heart race, as she started combat with people of her own nation. The adrenaline fueled her heart and for the first time in over a week, she felt the all encompassing fog begin to recede from her mind. She clocked the Avatar and his friends, easily dispatching the soldiers with Iroh at their sides, but where was Zhao? 

There!

The figure slipped out of the cave followed by a second figure. A figure with a ponytail. It was impossible. She knew it was, but as Kona’s breath caught in her throat, she followed without another thought. 

-

Zhao grinned as he raced through the city, victorious at last. He relished in the grayed landscape. It was a symbol of victory. His eyes were abruptly dragged towards the palace as blue light began streaming through grates of the city’s waterways and down towards the harbor. The blue light pooled there ominously when suddenly a giant water beast emerged from the blue light. Zhao gnashed his teeth and ran faster as it laid waste to his ships. He had to get to his ship before it was too late.

Suddenly, he was thrown from his feet as a fire blast knocked into his back. Zhao looked up and glared at the approaching figure. The boy was unmistakable even in the blue glow.

“You’re alive?” He asked the approaching prince.

“You tried to have me killed,” Prince Zuko yelled as he stalked forward, fists clenched and ready to attack. If he couldn’t have the Avatar, he could at least take out the real problem.

“Yes, I did,” Zhao agreed. “You’re the Blue Spirit, an enemy of the Fire Nation! You freed the Avatar.”

“I had no choice.” Zuko attacked Zhao with blast after blast, but they were all blocked by the older man. 

“You should have chosen to accept your failure. You’re a disgrace!” Zhao yelled through their attacks; his voice rough from effort. “At least that way, you could have lived.”

Zuko yelled in anger, pushing more and more power into his bending. Zhao lost ground, step after step, and before long they had moved directly onto a bridge. Their eyes were both drawn when the giant blue water spirit suddenly dispersed, falling into the ocean and making its way back up the rivers of the North Pole towards the spirit oasis.

The retreat of the spirit threw the world around them in a blue hue, as it rushed under their bridge. It was only then that Zhao noticed the reappearance of the moon up in the sky. “It can’t be!” He screamed as it seemed to shine mockingly down at him. 

Suddenly, the glowing blue river reached up to grab him and he was pulled over the side, only narrowly clutching onto the edge. 

Zuko paused, tempted minutely to let the spirit take out the cruel general on its own. With a sigh, he rushed forward. He wasn’t a killer. “Take my hand!” He called to the man who was holding onto the bridge railing with both hands. Zhao looked up at him and a hand raised to take Zuko’s before he hesitated. Zuko watched his eyes narrow hatefully and before he could try to stop him, Zhao let go of his other hand and he splashed into the glowing river below, disappearing from sight.

Zuko stared down as the blue light dissipated, taking the admiral with it. His head snapped up at approaching footsteps, and he prepared himself for an attack before he found himself frozen before two shocked golden eyes.

“Zuko?” Kona asked, voice wavering with emotion. Could it really be him? Was it an escaped spirit taking a form that would make her hesitant to stop them? Could she even believe her eyes anymore?

The questions fell short. In her heart, she knew. She took in his bruised and cut up face, his puffy lips, and his pale face. He looked terrible. She took a tentative step forward, and his posture relaxed. He stood from his crouched position.

“It’s me, Kona. I’m alright,” he told her, taking a step towards her. He raised a hesitant hand out, reaching for her. Agni, he wanted to touch her, to hold her so badly, but he didn’t want to scare her off. She had thought him dead for over a week. 

Kona’s entire body trembled as she took a step forward, then another, and another, each one coming faster than the last, and soon she was sprinting across the bridge. Kona threw herself into his arms, her heart racing, mind only chanting one thing: Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Zuko.

He caught her, the momentum causing him to spin slightly. He tensed at the pain, but didn’t comment on it. 

She was worth it. 

He clutched her trembling form to his, one hand wrapping around her waist tightly, the other threading through her hair. She clutched the back of his shirt with both of her hands, leaning her head into his neck. She inhaled his scent and felt her heart begin to settle from its pain.

“I promised that I would find you,” Zuko whispered, leaning his cheek against the top of her head.

Kona’s heart thundered in her chest as she slowly pulled back from him. Her eyes roved across his face, taking in every new detail and every new scar. His words, so tender, hit somewhere deep inside her.

He promised he would come back to her. And he did. He had traveled an ocean, almost half the world, and he had found her. 

Feelings welled in her chest, she tried to think of something she could say that would tell him exactly what he meant to her. To tell him exactly how much she had missed him.

“Don’t do that to me ever again, Prince Zuko.” Kona glared up at him instead. 

“ Coward,” her heart whispered.

Instead of withdrawing from her anger, Zuko laughed a weak, choked laugh, letting his forehead fall against hers. He shut his eyes and allowed himself the peace of the moment.  Despite the aches and pains radiating from his body and the knowledge that a man had just died feet from him, he found himself content. He breathed in the cool winter air, picking up the subtle minty scent that clung to his dearest friend. 

In that moment, Kona and Zuko both realized how desperately their bodies and their hearts had craved such an embrace and such a feeling.

Kona stared up at his softened face, at his closed eyes, and her heart raced faster in her chest, if it were even possible. Without much thought, she moved back from him and surged up on her tiptoes. His eyes opened then widened. Seeing her face move closer and closer, his heart leapt, and his eyes fluttered closed.

Chapter Text

“Ah. This is what I’ve been missing,” Iroh said, with a long, content exhale. His eyes fluttered shut. “Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water, with sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make you so tense?”

His masseuse paused in her confusion but did not comment.

At the lack of response from the room, Iroh cracked open an eye. Behind the masseuse, his nephew brooded in the doorway. He hunched in the door frame, glaring out over the cliff side. It was nothing new, per se, but the intensity in his eyes was stronger than his normal teenage angst.

Iroh counted the days in his head and cursed his own forgetfulness. Waving away his masseuse, he sat up with a grunt. He didn’t bother to put on his slippers. He crossed the room and joined the prince on the floor. The boy didn’t acknowledge his approach; he turned his heated gaze to his hands.

“It’s the anniversary, isn’t it?” The question was soft, but it didn’t reduce the hot sting that shot through the prince’s chest.

“Three years ago today, he banished me,” Zuko said in reply, his voice dark. He looked up from where he had been glaring at his own fists to meet his uncle’s gaze before returning his gaze to the clifftop. Through the glare of the sunrise, he could see Kona was practicing her combat forms near the cliff-side, her movements controlled and precise.

“I want it back, uncle. My honor, my throne, I want the Avatar. I want my father to not think I’m worthless. I just want—” Zuko cut himself off. ‘I want to go back. Before the council, before the Avatar, before the North Pole.’

“I’m sure he doesn’t,” Iroh said. His eyes were kind as he nodded with encouragement. “Why would he banish you if he didn’t care?”

Zuko shot him an exasperated look. He grit his teeth and rose to his feet, stomping out of the hut. What did he expect? His uncle to take him seriously?

Iroh winced. He had meant it as a joke. It was now clear that it was not the correct move. His wince fell off his face as his eyes trailed his nephew’s retreating form. The teen trudged across the grassy lawn towards the cliffs—towards his ward. 

“Hana, would you be so kind as to get me some tea? I think I am done with my massage.”

Across the resort, Kona focused as she moved through her forms. The rising sun was comforting, despite the harsh rays reflecting off the ocean and the sweat dripping down her brow. Between finally getting off the ship and being someplace warm, she had no complaints about the tacky feeling of sweat sticking her clothes to her skin. She could ditch her turtleneck undershirt for a simple robe and the prospect overjoyed her. 

During their stay here, she had ended up out there on the cliffs most mornings. Master Iroh opted for massages, and things with Zuko had been… off since the North Pole. It was better for everyone if she just did her forms alone. No need to make him or anyone else uncomfortable by her wild emotions and lack of forethought.

Kona grunted, wobbling her step slightly despite having done these exercises for most of her life. 

‘Your heart is out of balance. How can you expect your body or your mind to have any?’ A voice that sounded suspiciously like Master Iroh whispered in her head, and she grit her teeth.

‘Shut up. My heart is fine.’

Her body betrayed her though, as she wobbled once more.

With a sigh, Kona dropped her form and wiped the sweat from her brow. Opening her eyes to the rising sun, she took a deep breath of the salty air, hoping to center herself once more. She knew she wouldn’t be getting much further today. Just as it had been yesterday.

And the day before…

“I don’t know how you can stand this heat,” said Prince Zuko from where he approached, interrupting the dead quiet of the morning. 

Kona whipped her head around, feet tangling at the speed of her turn. She stumbled, but caught herself. ‘Damn it, Kona. It’s just Zuko. Snap out of it!’

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said, but he was cursing his lack of forethought. What was he even doing here? They haven’t been talking for a reason. He couldn’t help it, though; his feet wandered without thinking. They took him to the one place he knew someone would understand.

Kona forced her racing heart to slow. His expression screamed from behind his awkward mask. She felt her face soften; the tension easing from her body.

“I’m sorry that you have to relive the memories of days such as these,” she offered, approaching him and sinking to the grass, legs crossed, eyes not straying from him—an olive branch. Talking made her uncomfortable, but for him, she would try. She did everything she could for him.

Zuko released the sigh that had been building in his chest, and his chest loosened from its anxious state. He sat before her, trying to ignore how one of her hands seemed to pull absentmindedly at the grass. It was the only sign of her anxiety, so it was hard to ignore. 

“I thought we would be home by now,” Zuko admitted, unable to meet her eyes, instead focusing on the red hues that sunrise cast across the cliff. “We had the Avatar so many times. I was too weak to stop him from escaping. I failed every time.”

Usually, the admission would cause rage to burn through his body, but today it was harder to keep up that pretense. His mind was just so heavy from his anger, his hurt. His eyes burned.

“What do you want from me, my prince?” Kona asked him and his gaze snapped to hers, but before he could respond, she felt her cheeks fill with color at her poor choice of words. “I–I mean,” she stuttered, turning away, “do you need comfort? Do you need advice? Do you need a distraction?”

Zuko didn’t think he had ever seen her flustered before. She was normally so calm and collected. He was the one that ended up in this position, flustered and red. His stomach flipped at the knowledge before he slapped himself internally.

‘You can’t.’

“I've never been asked that before.” He stared for a second, but she knew he wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was far off and his fingers tapped against his knees. “I think I just need to know that someone knows and understands. I don’t need pity and I don’t need a path.”

“You need a confidant,” Kona said, and the lovely pride that made Zuko’s stomach turn sparkled behind her eyes. Pride for him. It was almost unbearable. “I can be that for you. I have been practicing that skill ever since you stole and broke Lady Ursa’s favorite teacup and cried for three days.”

“You promised we’d never speak of that again,” Prince Zuko accused, but his eyes narrowed playfully, his melancholy fading to the background, at least for a moment.

Kona snorted, delighted by his change in demeanor, and Zuko smiled in return, just as delighted by her freedom of emotion. He sobered and took a deep breath. He knew it could ruin their first normal conversation in weeks, but his heart was begging for normalcy, for closure, for her.

“I know things have been… strange since the North Pole. But whatever happens, I’m your friend, Kona, and you’re mine. I need you, especially on days like these.”

He half-expected her to shut down, but he watched as she seemed to deflate. The tension eased out of her body, and her gaze lowered.

“You’re right, my prince. I apologize for my behavior.” She worried her lip, and her eyes watched as her fingers picked at the grass in front of her. “Forgive me if this takes a bit to get out, but, uh—”

Zuko watched as she stuttered and bailed on a few sentences, fighting to put her emotions into words. Her chest lifted as she took a deep, measured breath. He found himself matching her movement, inhaling the tropical air, the smell of the grass, the ocean. He could see why she looked visibly more relaxed.

“I don't know how to describe those weeks. Not in a way that feels accurate.” She played with the blade of grass trapped between her fingertips. “Before the North Pole, it all blurs together. I felt pain, but then felt hollow. Worse than I have ever felt before. I think the only reason I’m still alive is because Master Iroh forced me to eat. He told me you’d never forgive me if I starved myself accidentally.”

Zuko couldn’t help but flinch. He knew she had withdrawn during his apparent death, but his uncle had never told him how bad it had gotten. He’d never said that Kona was withering away just a couple hundred feet from him. Guilt settled in his gut once more. He knew why they had to lie to her, but he also knew he would never forgive himself for the effect it had on her.

She continued, drawing him from his musings.

“When I saw you alive, I just stopped thinking. The good and bad came rushing back. I was so happy that you were alive. You had come back. I think I got overwhelmed by how suddenly it happened.” Zuko watched as a brilliant blush filled her cheeks and she coughed. His heart skipped a beat. “You know what I tried to do. I’m so sorry, Prince Zuko.”

After a pause, Zuko couldn’t help but ask, “You know that I’m not upset with you, right?”

She tilted her head in confusion. He could barely even look at her. Of course, he had to be upset with her.

‘Oh, Agni,’ he thought, looking at her wide, confused eyes. ‘She thinks I’m angry with her. How could she be so dense?’

“Kona, I only got embarrassed because someone interrupted us when we were so close together. Uncle interrupted us. Of all people.”

Zuko knew his face was just as red as hers from his confession. He pushed the words out, anyway; he needed her to understand. Since he was young, he had been holding on to these feelings. He had clutched onto them like a lifeline. They were living proof that he was still alive, still human. Proof that he could feel something other than anger. He was okay with that being the extent of them. He wasn't willing to ask for more. Now he could see it. A glimpse of what could be. Of what they could be. So close he could almost taste it.

“Oh,” she said in a whisper. Her eyes lifted to meet his once more, and she was relieved to see the tenseness finally gone from his frame, though her heart dropped as she took in his red cheeks.

He wasn’t angry. He felt embarrassed. Embarrassed to be seen with her like that. That somehow hurt more.

Kona cleared her throat. “Well, we don’t have to worry about it anymore. Everything is back to normal. You’re alive. I’m… normal. You and I can be like we used to be.” She tried to ignore how her heart argued with her head for her words, and how painfully obvious her lie was the second it left her mouth.

“Yeah, how we used to be,” Zuko parroted automatically, though he felt as though he had just gotten trampled by a herd of rhinos. The little hope that had grown throughout the conversation disappeared into nothingness. 

After a moment, Zuko sucked in a breath and rose to his feet. The cloud returned over his head and he ignored the weakness he felt in his knees. He would get over it. He had to.

Zuko couldn’t handle the awkwardness anymore. He couldn’t handle being at odds with her. If that meant he needed to bury his feelings deep, deep down, he would do it in a heartbeat. 

He would do it for her.

Peace never lasted long in their circle.

Kona had wanted to do something nice for her master and his nephew, so she had let them attend their daily trip to the beach on their own. They had both protested her departure; Prince Zuko begged her not to leave him to collect shells like an old man. Her master asked her to stay for less grumpy company (leading, of course, to extra ire from the prince), but she knew it was better to leave them time to talk.

Iroh had been… less than pleased to happen upon their reunion. He had been sympathetic to Kona’s shock, but Kona knew how protective he was of his nephew. She understood why it would be uncomfortable for him to witness his relative in the arms of his student, and she would never dream of coming between the two men. They bickered with each other constantly, but she knew it stemmed from affection. The royal family didn’t raise them to express emotions—not that she could judge. Iroh had raised her in the same environment.

Leaving the two together would cause some bickering, but she also knew that her prince would clear the air, especially now that he had shared how he saw the situation. He had been sharing the same affection in their reunion that he had held since he was a child: sincere but platonic. She, like her master, had gotten caught up in the moment and had seen it differently. Now she knew it was the same affection she already knew from him.

She wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

“I’m surprised to see you’re still around, Kona,” a voice drawled the moment Kona stepped over the threshold of her resort suite, halting all plans for lunch in an instant. “I would have expected you to move onto something better by now.”

Kona’s face didn’t betray the shock she felt as she locked eyes with the narrowed, amber gaze that sat above a cold, sharp smile. She had grown so much since their last meeting. Almost half a foot taller, and posture more refined than ever, Princess Azula had clearly grown into her station well.

Kona bowed deeply and did not rise. “Good afternoon, Princess Azula. Forgive me, if I had been expecting your visit, I would have prepared tea. Do you still prefer jasmine? I can prepare some immediately, my lady.”

“Well, that’s new,” the princess crooned and crossed the room, circling Kona’s form. “You may rise. Whilst you were always well mannered, this is unexpected. I should think that a childhood acquaintance would receive a less formal greeting.”

“Forgive me, Princess Azula. I mean only to give you the respect deserving of you and your station. Though if I may, it is a pleasure to see you again,” Kona said, her voice dripping with her sincerity. 

Azula had always been cold and cruel, but she and Kona had long since held a strange relationship. They had something of a rivalry—Azula was of a higher station, but she was no fool to Kona’s proficiency in combat. She was above average for a non bender. Every time Kona improved and received praise from General Iroh, Azula pushed herself harder.

Prodigal talent could only reach so far. Azula could only reach so far. The rest came from perseverance and motivation. Zuko quickly proved useless as motivation, Mai relied too much on her weaponry, and Ty Lee shut down opponents rather that fighting on even terms. 

Kona, though, was a fine rival. Strong and smart, but still subservient. Her only downfall was her lackluster heritage that bred a lack of fire in her veins. A pity, in Azula’s opinion.

“And you have grown little. I expected to see more from you.”

“I apologize for the disappointment, Princess Azula.” 

Azula tsked, slumping down in a chair at the table and kicking her feet up. Kona watched the princess inspect her carefully manicured fingernails as Kona began preparing the jasmine tea, as promised.

“Well, it can’t be helped with the company you’ve had to keep. Clearly, uncle has grown weak in his old age and Zuzu is… Zuzu.”

Kona bit her tongue as Princess Azula laughed.

“Where are they, anyway? I didn't come to see you.”

“They should return soon, my lady. I was going to prepare lunch for us. Would you like a serving?”

“Don’t bother. They won’t be eating here.”

Kona’s mind burned with curiosity, but she refrained from asking. She simply nodded and began preparing tea.

As promised, it was not much later that Prince Zuko froze in the doorframe, taking in the sight of his younger sister. Iroh nudged him further in, though the trepidation was as clear on his face as his nephew’s. Kona couldn’t exactly blame Zuko for his feelings towards her, with Azula’s mean streak and habit of beating him at most things in childhood. She expected him to handle it better, though.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, eyeing her perfectly put together form as she sipped the tea Kona had poured. 

“In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions,” Princess Azula said, her voice chiding. She placed her empty teacup down on the table and rose to her feet. “Oversteeped, Kona. Do better next time.”

“Of course, Princess Azula.”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “She is not a servant, Azula,” Zuko said through gritted teeth, finally pushing his way further into the suite and towards his sister.

“Oh? Kona told me she was to make you lunch? That sounds like a servant to me.” Azula’s eyes gleamed in triumph as Zuko hesitated. “Mother would be so disappointed in how you treat your oldest friend, Zuzu.”

Kona cringed, meeting her master’s eye across the room. Iroh’s displeasure sat clearly on his face.

“Don’t call me, Zuzu, and don’t bring mother into this!”

“To what do we owe this honor?” Master Iroh asked, interrupting their squabbled before it could start, though his smile was strained.

Azula raised a delicate eyebrow in his direction before turning to Kona, who had moved to lean against a wall to give the family as much privacy as she could. “With how grouchy they are, it’s no wonder you act like this now. I bet it’s the only way you get any peace from their poor attitudes.”

Kona couldn’t help her small snort as she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. Clearly poor attitudes and antagonizing loved ones ran in the family. 

“I’ve come with a message from home,” Azula said, rising to her feet. “Father has changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He’s heard rumors of plans to overthrow him—treacherous plots. You can't really trust anything but family.”

Kona’s mind went blank from shock, and by the look on their faces, Prince Zuko and Master Iroh were having the same reaction.

“Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home, Zuzu.” Azula paused, waiting for any reactions, before she went on once more. “Did you hear me? You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news!”

At the continued silence, Princess Azula turned to Kona in exasperation. “Is it always like this? How do you have conversations with them?”

Unwilling to insert herself in the situation, Kona settled on what she hoped was a playful shrug. Once the princess turned away, Kona returned her gaze to Zuko, whose face displayed his confusion clearly.

“I’m sure your brother simply needs a moment,” Master Iroh offered, but Azula had had enough. 

“Don’t interrupt, uncle,” she said, voice dripping with venom. Her harsh glare turned to her elder brother. “I haven’t heard a thank you. You realize I’m not a messenger? I didn't have to come here!”

“Father regrets,” Zuko said to himself, though all could hear it. His voice grew stronger when he addressed his sister. “He wants me back?”

There it was. The hope that Kona so loved liked to see on her friend’s face. Stronger than she’d ever seen it before. Her chest tightened at the sight.

“You need time to absorb this. I’ll come to call on the two of you this evening.”

Azula saw herself out, but the three paid her no attention.

Chapter Text

Zuko’s mind raced. His conflicting emotions wreaked havoc across his mind.

He was excited. He couldn’t help himself, but the mistrust he held for his sister sat in his head, urging him to reflect and not to get his hopes up. His pride yelled, knowing that he would be returning with a failed mission. Nostalgia for the life he had loomed like a benevolent spirit, creating an addicting fog that momentarily silenced his old wounds.

The thoughts and emotions coursed through him. Too much. Too fast. He briefly wished he could fall away from them all like Kona could, but he waved that thought away quickly.

He knew Kona wouldn’t appreciate that sentiment.

He eyed her, where she stood, packing her few belongings into a small sack. He watched her tuck something into her chest wraps, but he couldn’t see what it was. Her hand lingered on a small box, a jewelry box. She must have bought it to hold the necklace that he had gifted her all those weeks ago.

Zuko knew she removed the jewelry from her person while she trained. She had likely forgotten to resume wearing it after the events of the day. It was only then that he realized her thoughts must have been as loud as his.

Without thinking, he moved forward to remove the box from her grasp gently. He removed the delicate chain from the box, signaling for her to turn around. She complied immediately, and he clasped the golden chain to her neck, doing his best not to linger. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

“It’s finally happening,” Prince Zuko said, his voice quiet and disbelieving, as she turned back to face him. Kona saw Master Iroh pause in his cleaning to approach as well. “We’re all going home.”

Kona’s heart cracked against her will. She looked at Master Iroh, who was already looking at her. His eyes were sad. She had to look away. Kona knew her face must have been unmistakable in its sadness as she turned back to Zuko.

“What?” the prince asked. He looked between the two. “Why are you both looking at me like that?”

“Prince Zuko,” Iroh began, but could not find the words to finish his thought. Neither his mind nor his heart was not in the best condition at the moment. He had known many conflicts in his long life, but the one before him… The choice he had to make seemed impossible.

Kona sighed. She did what she could to put on a passably neutral face. She wasn’t sure she succeeded. “My prince, Princess Azula said she would call on the two of you this evening. It is clear that I… I am still unwelcome to return to the palace.”

He blinked. Once. Twice. His heart stopped. Zuko thought back to his sister’s parting words, and he felt his heart sink further.

He had been so unprepared by her proclamation that he hadn’t taken the moment to understand what Azula had really said. He had been too focused on her invitation, her promise to return. It was the most important part that he missed.

Prince Zuko’s already spinning mind turned to a cacophony of thoughts. He could leave, but Kona could not. That’s impossible. She had to return with him. They had worked so hard to capture the Avatar. There was no point if she didn't come. If she couldn’t come with, he didn’t even—.

“Don’t you dare, Prince Zuko,” she said, her voice quiet with forced calm, cutting off his spiraling thoughts completely. She set her jaw, lifting her chin in defiance, as his disbelieving eyes stared into hers. “If you even think of passing up this opportunity, I will never forgive you.”

“I won’t go back without you!” He argued anyway. “The palace is your home too! We can’t just leave you behind; I won’t!”

Iroh’s eyes widened at the bold proclamation and opened his mouth to cut in. His presence had been long forgotten.

“If you think I will live my life in peace and happiness after such a sacrifice from you, you clearly don’t know me at all!” She said, anger clear in her voice as she pushed into his space. Her finger poked into his chest with emphasis as she asked: “In what world do you think I could be okay with you making this decision?”

“Uh, now, children,” Iroh tried, but it fell on deaf ears.

“And in what world do you think there’s a point of being there without you?” His temper was rising. Zuko couldn’t remember the last time he and Kona had fought, if ever. His heart raced, and his hand curled into fists at his side, glaring down at her slight form. 

She didn’t back down. He never expected her to.

Kona’s eyes pierced into his, and her mouth drew taut. Her hands clenched at her side. He could see it all. After a few long moments, he watched her sigh. Her posture forcibly relaxed, and, finally, she lifted a hand, as if to reach out to him and he wished she had, but it fell back to her side.

“My prince,” Kona paused. “Zuko, how can you not understand that I don’t need you to stay for me? I am asking you to go for me.”

“But you’ll be alone.” His words were soft. It hurt Kona more than any angry word ever could.

“And you will have your family. Master Iroh will be with you. You will have your throne and your people. You will have everything you ever wanted.”

“Not everything.”

Kona couldn’t help crack a smile at his petulant tone. “You know I will always be your friend. Distance doesn’t matter. I’m sure the palace is well stocked with messenger hawks still. Unless, of course, you have forgotten how to write.”

Zuko sighed and turned away, sensing an argument lost. “I’ll think about it. We have a few hours before Azula returns.” He crossed the room to the open doorway that Azula had just vacated. “I need to go to town for supplies, regardless of whether we go.”

Without another word, he disappeared from the suite.

Kona stared after him, only letting her face fall once he had disappeared from view. 

A warm hand clasped her shoulder, causing her to jump. Iroh laughed a bit, though less jovial than normal. He had assumed that they had forgotten about his presence. 

Kona worried her lip a bit. Then she asked a question. The same question that had grown stronger each year they were away from the capital. Each time they visited a new place, each time they discovered more kindness in the world, her doubt grew. “Master Iroh, you won’t… let him become like the others, right?”

The old man’s eyes widened. He knew her heart to be gentle despite her distant dispositions, but the two had never, not once, in their years of companionship ever shared any inclination of distrust over the Fire Nation’s efforts. Despite his sympathies, he had never once tried to steer her away from the Fire Nation directly.

“Kona,” he warned, but not harshly. It was a hard path to follow; he knew all too well. Defecting was never a simple decision, and it should not be taken lightly.

“I know, Master Iroh. It is your family too, but you have to admit that Prince Zuko is unlike Princess Azula and… their father.” Her confidence was not strong enough to say such treasonous words to his proper title. “Prince Zuko is good, as you are. I worry about what returning will do to him without Lady Ursa there to guide him. The Fire Nation won't be kind to him.”

“You have thought much about this,” Iroh noted, guiding them both to the small table that still housed the teapot that had served the princess. They sat across from one another and he poured her a cup. He motioned for her to drink when she hesitated, uncomfortable. “I must admit: I have never known my brother to regret anything.”

“Zuko doesn’t see it that way. He loves his father. He just wants his approval.”

“That is true,” Iroh said, sipping his own tea. “In our family, things are not always how they seem. My father raised us to be strong and calculated. If Ozai wants him back, I do not believe it to be for the reason that Azula portrays.”

Kona’s head bowed. “I thought so, as well.”

They sat in a pensive silence before Kona broke it once more. “I know that Fire Lord Ozai feels threatened by my presence in the capital, so I cannot return. And I know I probably do not need to ask this of you, but you must promise me you will not let Prince Zuko fall back to his old habits. He has grown much, and I don’t credit it to me, of course, but other than us, there will be no one to combat his negative behavior.”

“I disagree,” Iroh said, and Kona’s heart froze until she saw the kind gaze he was sending her direction. “I credit much of it to you. You have always stood by his side, never faltering, despite the pain that you have undergone. If this is all you ask of me, it is easy to agree. However, I wonder if he will listen to me at all with you gone.”

She snorted. “He doesn’t listen to me much, anyway.”

Iroh watched as the small smile that pulled at her lip dwindled away in the silence, falling instead to a frown as her downcast eyes stared into her empty teacup.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Her eyes raised to meet his. “Zuko offered to stay. He would not blame you.”

“He would not blame me, but he would always wonder.” A small smile pulled at her lips. “Someday, he will take the throne, and I will return. I want him to be ready.”

“I have many friends outside the Fire Nation,” Iroh said, eyes intense. “They know of you. They are good men who will gladly give you a place to stay. You need only pick a place. I can do the rest.”

“You know I’m not picky,” Kona said, ignoring the glaring information her master had given her. Friends in other nations, he had said. The words seared in her brain, echoing between her ears. She wasn’t alone.

“As long as it’s warm.” Iroh’s attempt at a joke melted a bit of the ache around her heart.

“As long as it’s warm.”

A soldier appeared only two hours later, well before sundown. Azula wanted to be out of the harbor before nightfall. The trio packed up what was left of their things and sent the soldier ahead to let Princess Azula know of Master Iroh and Prince Zuko’s imminent arrivals.

Sadness hung heavy above the three, although Zuko knew he should have felt overjoyed at the prospect of going home. He kept looking over at his uncle, who was staring at Kona when she wasn’t looking. He didn’t know what Kona had said to convince Iroh to return without her, but it was clear Iroh was still very unhappy about it. Zuko couldn’t blame him either; she was practically his daughter, and they hadn’t been apart since he had returned from his trip after Ba Sing Se.

Meanwhile, Kona was trying to hide her sadness, as she usually did, though she failed. Zuko didn’t comment on it.

In fact, Kona was quite regretting the fact that she agreed to walk them to the docks at all. She wanted to spend as much time with them as possible before they left; that was true, but the closer they came to the docks, the harder it was to keep her emotions in check. She knew this was her idea, but her stomach was in knots and her hands wouldn’t stop fidgeting. She didn’t want them to see her reactions and change their mind. Not after the many conversations she had with Zuko since his return from the market.

Too soon, the docks appeared, and there was no more avoiding the situation before them. 

Kona clenched her jaw to keep her lip from wobbling when Master Iroh rubbed his calloused hand over her head in comfort. He pushed her stray hairs behind her ears, his rough fingers gentle. He paused while he looked at her, and for the millionth time in her life, she yearned to know what he was thinking.

Whatever he saw had him suddenly pulling her into his chest. Her arms wrapped around his wide frame without thought, slow and mechanical, but the gesture returned nonetheless. He hadn’t hugged her since she was a child. Her clenched jaw was aching now.

“Find him, my dear,” he whispered, his tone gruff against her ear, too quiet for the prince to hear. “Find Jeong Jeong, give him the note I put in your bag, and live a good life. Promise me.”

“I promise, Master Iroh,” Kona agreed, as her hand came up to smooth down his long hair against his back in comfort. While she knew she wasn’t family to him, he had raised her since she was six. She was sure he was relating this goodbye to the one he couldn’t have with Lu Ten. Her heart squeezed at the reminder of her old friend, her brother. 

She hugged him tighter before stepping back. “Safe travels, Master Iroh.”

“You know what to do, dear.” He squeezed her hand as it withdrew, before turning and stepping towards the ship to hide his wet eyes. He failed.

The next goodbye was better and worse. She knew that this was the better option for him, so she couldn’t bring herself to regret this goodbye, but saying goodbye to Prince Zuko was always difficult. There was also the grim reminder that last time Agni had separated her from him, she had only moments later watched his ship explode, and she thought him dead. For weeks.

Like his uncle, he stepped into her space, but he stayed quiet for a moment.

“You can still change your mind,” he offered, not meeting her eyes.

“You know I can’t, my—Zuko.”

Kona never knew how much stock her prince had put in her use of his name until that moment. His good eye widened and his eyes snapped to hers. She stared back, unsure of what she could do without crossing any new boundaries. She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but she also couldn’t deny how badly she wanted to be in his arms, even just for a moment.

He decided for her.

He stepped forward and gently pulled her into his chest, and unlike her master’s hug, she was prepared for this one. She sunk into the embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and resting her head firmly against his chest. She inhaled his familiar scent, the faint, comforting musk that had chased away nightmares when she was young. For a moment, Kona let herself pretend the situation was different.

They said nothing for a few moments before an awkward cough drew color to Kona’s face and made her pull away. Zuko resisted for a moment. He held her even tighter before releasing her, but he didn’t move out of her space. His hand found its way onto her shoulder, as if unwilling to break contact completely. 

“This isn’t forever,” he swore, and Kona believed him. It was hard not to, with the warm sincerity shining in his eyes. “I’ll find you again. I will always find you.”

Kona felt her lip wobble, and she watched in muted horror as his eyes caught the movement. Zuko tensed and his eyes narrowed. She watched him take a long breath and flinched in surprise when he suddenly flicked her forehead. She drew back, not able to resist the pout that pulled at her lower lip as she rubbed the already fading pain.

His smile was sad. “It’s ok to be sad, to feel. When I get back to the Fire Nation, I’ll make everything better. Just promise me you won’t cry alone.”

“As if you could make me cry.” Kona tried to tease him, but the strain was clear in her voice.

She tried to understand why this goodbye was so much harder than the last—when Zhao had forced her to join his crew. Maybe it was the utter terror she had been feeling. She had been so scared of the man that there was no room for anything else. Maybe it was the blossoming warmth in her chest, the new type of affection that seemed to creep up whenever he was around.

Zuko shifted from foot to foot, seemingly at war with himself. Suddenly, he pulled her close once more by the shoulder that he had never released. His lips found her forehead, and he lingered there.

Kona closed herself and allowed herself this one last embrace, breathing in his scent again.

“I’ll find you,” he repeated against her skin, but Kona didn’t think he was talking to her anymore.

“I’ll be waiting… Zuko.”

A horn blew, and the teens separated, looking up at the ship. The silhouette of the princess stood stark against the sky behind her, as she watched the farewell from afar. The lighting and distance made her expression impossible to discern, but Kona knew Azula had carefully analyzed every interaction.

“Come along, Prince Zuko. We shouldn’t keep your sister waiting,” Iroh said and put a guiding hand on his upper back, leading him toward the ship, away from Kona.

Zuko allowed himself a lingering glance at Kona. He took in her short stature, her elegantly braided hair, her perfect posture. He took in her clenched hands, her wet eyes, and her tense jaw. I’ll find you again. I’ll make the palace your home once more. 

Iroh nudged him forward once more, insistent. “Prince Zuko,” he began. 

“Save your lecture, uncle,” he said through a fierce snarl, stomping towards the gangplank. “Once was enough.”

Iroh dropped his hand, staring off at his nephew sadly. He turned to his ward, who had already walked away, and clenched his fist with such force that he could feel his nails breaking skin. He may not have responded the best to the North Pole, nor did he agree with the current trajectory of their relationship, but to see the two people he cared about most in the world so miserable was making him see red. His brother was so insecure in his throne that he felt threatened by a 16-year-old girl setting foot in his palace.

“I will not have you breaking her heart, Prince Zuko. She is too precious and too fragile.”

“If you think her fragile, then you are as crazy as people accuse you of being. She is stronger than any of us.”

“The fact remains that this… relationship will only hurt her. The day will come when you will take the throne and—”

“And she will be by my side!”

“That’s impossible, Prince Zuko.”

“At eight years old, I told my mother that Kona would be my wife someday, and I do not intend to break that promise to her.”

Oh, brother, can’t you see your son is the real threat here?

Chapter Text

Every step was harder to take than the last, but Kona pushed on. She fought the urge to look back. Zuko’s apparent death had left a scar that she never thought would heal, but she was comforted in knowing that the princess’s ship was the only Fire Navy vessel in the harbor. There was no reason to sabotage her own way of returning home. Even if the Fire Lord had dubious intentions, it was unlikely that he would do anything to harm his son physically. He needed his heir, and two children ensured there was a spare.

That was what she had to tell herself, at least, in order to leave.

So, she walked, pausing only to pick up some rations for the road, a change of clothes, and a small sheathed dagger she could hang from her waist. It was better to be prepared, though she hoped she wouldn’t have to use it. 

As she made her way out of town, she opened her pack, eying the rolled up scroll and its waxy seal. It was the note that Master Iroh swore would convince Master Jeong Jeong to grant her lodging. It tempted her to open it, just to see its contents, but she wasn’t sure if a broken seal would render it useless.

She didn’t want to be alone, as much as she knew she would be fine.

Just because she could survive being alone didn’t mean it’s what she wanted.

It felt like she walked for hours. Her steps felt heavier than her heart, and her mind was screaming at her to turn around. But she pressed on, and soon, only the better part of an hour later, she was almost to the river deep in the forest outside of town. It was secluded, quiet. Far enough from the village that it was unlikely that anyone would wander there by accident. It was the rendezvous point that she and Master Iroh had set up just in case things went sour before he and Zuko sailed. 

Whilst Zuko was in the market, the two had scrounged up some old maps from the employees of the resort, feigning a want for a fishing trip, and this bend in the river seemed the most secure. Safe enough for Kona to camp overnight and not be happened upon by anyone, nor be surrounded by a high population of wild animals.

One night, she had promised Master Iroh. One night, and if she did not see them, she would leave for the Earth Kingdom in search of Master Jeong Jeong.

It was the rendezvous point that would only be used with an emergency so grand that Zuko and Iroh weren’t even able to disembark for the Fire Nation.

It was a rendezvous point that was already occupied by the time she got there.

“This is ridiculous, uncle! Why are we still just standing here? Azula could be after us, and Kona could be anywhere at this point!” A familiar voice snarled.

“Patience, nephew. I think you’ll find that this is exactly where we need to be.” The answering voice had Kona’s feet traveling faster as she pushed through the brush and finally landed her gaze on the two men.

“Master Iroh, surely you could have just told him of our plan.” Kona couldn’t help but scold the man, placing her hands on her hips as she came to a stop behind them.

Prince Zuko whirled around so fast that he lost his balance. “Oh, thank Agni.” 

Kona found herself in his arms before she could even blink. She returned the hug, but looked at Master Iroh quizzically. For them to have gotten here before her, they would have had to have left the ship almost immediately after getting on it.

“My brother was unhappy by our actions in the North Pole,” Iroh said, voice factual, detached though his kind eyes watched Zuko with a keen glint. “He believed them traitorous, and Princess Azula took it upon herself to capture us in his name.”

Kona’s eyes widened. Traitorous?

Her eyes flickered to Zuko, who had yet to release her and back to her master, who only nodded at her, eyes downcast. Kona squeezed the prince tighter, and she felt his hand clench the fabric of the back of her robe.

“I’m sorry, Prince Zuko,” Kona said in a whisper, before finally releasing him. She wanted nothing more than to keep comforting him, but they needed to move somewhere safe.

He stepped away from her, but did not respond nor meet her eyes, not much in the mood to speak. Kona understood, and did not push it. Instead, she turned to her master, squaring her shoulders and asking what she was sure her friend was asking himself.

“So, what now?”

Before Master Iroh could respond, Prince Zuko reached forward and pulled Kona’s new dagger from her sheath tied at her waist. Iroh closed his eyes in sadness, but Kona couldn’t look away as her prince took a deep breath before placing the dagger against his ponytail and slicing through it in one clean cut. He glared down at the hair in his hand before letting it drop in the water.

Master Iroh took the blade from his nephew’s offering hand and did the same, wordlessly. 

Kona worried her lip, before reaching towards her long braid, pulling it over her shoulder, and eyeing it. She had been growing it out since she was young. Her mother always wore her hair long, and even if she had to keep it carefully braided, carefully contained, just knowing that it fell to her lower back like her mother’s once had comforted her. 

She reached to take the dagger from Iroh’s offered hand.

“You know you don’t have to,” Iroh reminded her as the dagger sat in the palm of her hand. You were not royalty. It did not need to be said aloud for his meaning to be read loud and clear.

She considered the dagger in her hand before looking towards the teen, who was still watching his hair float down the river. She looked back at her master as she grasped her hair in her offhand.

“Change is not a bad thing,” Kona said, and her locks of hair fell into the river below.

Change wasn’t bad, but that didn’t mean that the following days were easy.

They wandered aimlessly, just trying to put distance between them and the port town that they had fled. Zuko’s temper was worse than ever, and Iroh’s endless advice drove him crazy. Kona had taken to hunting for food during their rests, just to get some time to herself. She never realized just how much alone time she had gotten on Zuko’s ship until the situation forced her to be in their presence constantly. Not that she didn’t enjoy being with them; she much preferred their company over being alone, but she needed space sometimes.

Unfortunately, only a handful of days into their journey, Kona had rolled her ankle. It wasn’t broken, or all that painful, but Zuko had insisted that he take over for a few days. Nothing she said could change his mind, and she resigned herself to only getting alone time while she relieved herself.

It was on the sixth day their endless monotony of walking and resting finally changed. The three set up camp, exhausted and hungry, and Zuko had immediately disappeared in search of food. Iroh shooed away Kona as she set up the fire. He instructed her to take the time to meditate since she could not train.

“A sound mind is just as important as a sound body,” he advised her, laying out a small roll of cloth for her to sit on.

Kona wasn’t stupid, though; she knew building fires was the one time Iroh could firebend without fear of being discovered. She complied anyway, enjoying the sounds of the crackling fire and chirping birds around her. The situation wasn’t ideal, but at least she wasn’t on a giant metal ship or floating on a wooden raft across the sea. Her stomach thanked her for the change as much as her mind did, even if food was still scarce.

She allowed herself the time to clear her head, letting her thoughts drift in and out, not holding on to any longer than a moment. She took stock in each part of her body; her throbbing ankle (nearly healed, she guessed), the feel of her choppy, curled hair resting against her neck and shoulders (she had to get used to that feeling again), her aching feet that were still getting used to constant walking and her new boots.

This new life wasn’t easy on her body, that was for sure, but thankfully, her years of training had at least built up her stamina to where none of her muscles were hurting any more than after a long training session.

Kona jumped out of her meditation when Zuko came crashing into the campsite. “I didn’t find anything to eat,” he complained, throwing down his bag and weapon. “I can’t live like this! I wasn’t meant to be a fugitive!”

Kona watched in amusement as he threw his hands up and yelled at the sky in frustration. Yes, they were definitely all taking this change of pace differently. 

“Oh, wipe that smirk off your face, Kona.” Zuko glared at her, but there was no venom in his voice. “You’ll have to help me with the fishing now.”

“Your wish is my command,” she said and raised herself to her feet, grabbing the discarded net and fishing pole. He rolled his eyes at her teasing, not that she saw it. He turned to his uncle that was crouched at the edge of their campsite cooing at something out of sight. 

“Uncle, what are you doing?”

The old man moved to the side and gestured with a flourish at the bush beside him. It was an unassuming green shrub with a long stemmed white and red flower. “You are looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious that it’s heartbreaking.” Iroh sighed with longing as approached the flower once more. After a pause, he said, “That, or it’s the white jade, which is poisonous.”

Kona shared a look with Zuko, who rubbed his forehead in exasperation. 

“We need food, uncle, not tea. Kona and I will be fishing.” He grabbed the net from her hand and pushed through the trees, presumably towards the river that she could hear trickling nearby.

Kona moved to follow before pausing and turning to her master, who was reaching intently towards the flower. “Master Iroh, we have some ginseng tea left in my pack. Please don’t risk your health for a cup of tea.” She didn’t wait to see his reaction. She turned and followed Zuko through the trees to the waterbed.

“Even uncle wouldn’t be stupid enough to make that flower into tea,” Zuko reassured her and handed her a small cup. “You use the pole; I’ll handle the net.”

She eyed the cup as she took it, surprised to see he had already filled with bait. She looked at Zuko, and it must have read on his face because he huffed and glared off to the side. “It’s just a few insects. I don’t see why you’re so surprised.”

“I seem to remember you bathing three times after you stepped in a little mud puddle.” Kona found a seat on a boulder that hung over the river’s edge and diligently cast her fishing line. The sound of the river masked its descent, but since Zuko had yet to enter the river, she was unafraid of him getting hooked accidentally.

“I was ten!” Zuko said, and Kona watched red fill his cheeks. He rolled up his pant legs and stepped into the water. “And you tripped me into it! I took that many because it got into my hair and everything!”

“Oh, of course. My apologies, my prince,” Kona said, her voice barely more than a murmur, but her tone was clear. She watched the prince pause and stare at the water he was standing in, waiting for any fish to come swimming past.

“I am not a prince anymore, Kona,” he said, and she had to strain herself to hear him over the rushing of the water.

Kona made a noise as she thought. It was true he was not only exiled, but now hunted by the Fire Nation, but he had grown into a good man under Iroh’s tutelage. She’d much rather follow him than the Fire Lord or Princess Azula.

“You’ll always be my prince,” she finally said, though she didn’t feel it portrayed quite what she meant, what she felt. It would have to do. The conversation they had at the resort was still so raw. His rejection was raw.

There was a pregnant pause. Clearly Zuko was not prepared for that response.

“Kona, you can’t say things like that.”

“With all due respect, we are currently on the run together. Princess Azula is chasing us, and your father has always hated me. I don’t think continuing to call you a prince would make things any worse for me.”

Zuko tilted his head towards her in concession, but a frown was still firm on his lips. “I would prefer it if you didn’t.”

It was Kona’s turn to hesitate, but she always had issues denying him much of anything.

“It may take me a while to get used to it. I have been calling you that for half of a decade.”

Admittedly, Kona was nervous about the decreasing formality. Ever since that conversation on the cliff, formality was her crutch. She didn’t want to make any assumptions that made him uncomfortable.

But, her mind argued, he is literally asking you. That is permission.

“Zuko, may I ask you a question?” 

He didn’t even try to hide his triumphant smirk. “Sure.”

“We know Azula approaching us was a punishment for what happened at the North Pole, yes?” At his nod, Kona continued. “Arguably, because of my status, they could make the greatest example out of me on our capture. They would jail you and Master Iroh, but no one would blink at my execution. Right?”

Kona continued her thought when he didn’t respond. “If they could have used me in that way, why did the princess insist I wasn’t to come?”

“Maybe she knew that there was no excuse she could give that would justify my father allowing your presence,” Zuko offered after a few moments of thought.

“Maybe,” Kona said, turning her attention back to her task.

She had never been fishing before and she had to admit that the process was very calming, if not meditative. There wasn’t much to do while waiting for the fish to tug, but listen to the flowing water and enjoy the pleasant warmth of the sun shining overhead.

Zuko seemed to think the opposite with his frequent cursing and splashing as he tried and failed to collect fish in his net. He had even slipped once, soaking his pants in the calf deep water, much to Kona’s amusement. Of course, Kona offered to trade after this mishap, but he denied her vehemently, citing that he had more practice than her and that she would be even less successful than he. 

She had a feeling he just was too proud to admit defeat without catching a single fish. 

She wasn’t having a tremendous amount of luck either. By the end of the next hour she had only caught one fish, and it was because Zuko had scooped it up with his net after Kona had hooked it. It was a decently sized fish for one person, but between the three of them, dinner would be scarce for the night.

Kona tried to assure Zuko that her ankle was feeling better and that she could hunt in the morning, and while he didn’t initially believe her, after poking around at it for a bit and testing its range of movement, he hesitantly agreed while insisting that he still help. 

Eventually, the sun made its way towards the horizon, and Zuko and Kona had to make the quick trip back to camp with their single fish. Unfortunately for them, they had forgotten all about their wise older counterpart during their evening of fishing and conversation.

When they arrived back at camp, the sight of their guardian immediately greeted the teens. He was bundled up in the few blankets they had. He was groaning and moving erratically on the ground. The teens immediately rushed to Iroh, who looked up at them blearily. His pale skin swelled with irritation, red patches patterned all visible skin, and his hands were moving over his body, itching and scratching. 

“Remember that plant I thought might be tea?” Iroh asked them.

“You didn’t,” Zuko said.

Kona gritted her teeth and looked around, finding the teapot perched over the smoldering remains of the campfire.

“I did,” Iroh admitted, and lowered the neck of his robes to reveal even more swollen skin. “And it wasn’t.”

Zuko didn’t even notice the fishing net fall out of his hands as he stared in shock. Kona’s fists clenched at her side before she turned and immediately started packing up their campsite.

“When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing,” the man said with surprising levels of calm. “But I have good news! I wanted to wait until the two of you returned, but I found these bacui berries which cure–”

“Enough, Master Iroh.” Kona pulled the blanket from his lap and sent the berries he had been holding aloft in his hands, flying. “My–Zuko, help me pack up camp. He needs a healer.”

Iroh blinked at her harsh tone. “But where are we going to go?” He asked her, but it seemed to only make her angrier. She sent an unmasked glare in his direction, and he continued, “We have always been enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and now we are fugitives from the Fire Nation.”

Kona rolled her eyes, throwing two packs over her shoulders, and another towards Zuko. She turned away from the two, kicking sand over the embers of their snuffed fire.

Zuko eyed her in concern. She had been in a good mood all day, so he knew this anger was directly linked to his uncle’s condition. He couldn’t think of a single time that she’d been angry with his uncle. She had been confused by him, frustrated by him, saddened by him, but she had never been angry with him. Not that he knew of.

“If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they’ll have us killed.” Zuko said, his voice reasonable, as if he was trying to talk down a spooked animal.

Iroh rose to his feet with a grunt. “And if the Fire Nation discovers us, we’ll be turned over to Azula.”

Kona crossed her arms and turned to look at the two. “And if we do nothing, Master Iroh dies, regardless.”

Iroh and Zuko turned to each other, seemingly just as confused by the strange change in Kona’s demeanor. Zuko turned back to his friend, who was tapping one of her feet with impatience, and threw the pack she had given him over his shoulder. “Earth Kingdom it is.”

Chapter Text

Kona was never very good with her emotions. 

Her mother would often ask her when she had grown up or why she wasn’t as prone to silliness as other kids her age.

When she moved in with Master Iroh, he asked her the same questions. Why didn’t she run around and play like Azula and her friends? Why did she get quiet instead of getting upset?

Lu Ten was the one that had gotten her to laugh again. It had been about four months since she moved to the capital. After that, feelings became easier. Lu Ten would praise her when he overheard her giggling and playing with his cousin, Zuko. She was finally enjoying sharing her feelings with others.

Then Lu Ten died.

Then Iroh shut her out.

Then the Fire Lord scarred her best friend just feet from her.

Emotions, Kona decided, only opened yourself up to be hurt. She had let herself get too comfortable with Zuko again. She had let new feelings fester, and she had gotten stung by rejection again because of it. Foolishly, she had let herself think she was slipping away from the role of protegee and becoming a trusted ally to Iroh, and she was ignored again.

She wasn’t too proud to admit that it was more her fault than theirs for having unreasonable expectations for their relationships, but it ended now. It had to for the sake of her heart.

“Oh, the hospital is just down the street, sweetie,” the old woman said in response to Kona’s question. “Last door on the right.”

With a bow and a thank you, Kona led her two companions down the street, and hurried them through the doorway, pointedly ignoring Master Iroh’s attempt to joke around at her expense.

The clinic itself was a single large room with about a dozen cots strewn about. A few were filled, but all the patients in them seemed to sleep peacefully. There was a simple desk near the doorway, and a nearby shelf housed rows and rows of herbs, politics, bandages, and other medical supplies.

At the sound of the door, the young girl behind the counter straightened up, having been relaxing because of the rare occurrence of having no conscious patients. 

Her big brown eyes widened after taking in Master Iroh’s red and swollen skin. She directed him to a nearby cot, as the other nurse, an elderly woman with a kind, wrinkled face, bustled over to meet him. She rattled off questions that Iroh sheepishly, though honestly, answered. The old woman’s eyes widened, but she told him to lie down, and patted his hand before sweeping over to the shelves, picking out herbs for what Kona assumed was an antidote. 

Letting out the tightness in her chest with a heavy sigh, Kona turned to the girl behind the counter. She appeared about her age, with long brown hair, wide brown eyes and a small, kind smile. She was looking worriedly over to Iroh and Zuko when Kona pulled her attention away.

Kona leaned in over the counter. “How much do we owe you?” She asked, voice quiet. She didn’t want the others to hear. Didn’t want them to know just how much this trip would cost.

The girl started before thinking for a moment. “The antidote is simple to create and apply,” she explained, as she thought. “It usually goes for three silver pieces, but the herbs are easy to come by this season, so let’s call it an even two silver pieces.”

Kona nodded and pulled her coin pouch from her belt. She winced internally at how light it was, and dumped the contents into her palm. Out tumbled a single silver piece and three copper pieces. Kona laid the coins down on the desk and pushed them forward.

“I know we’re short, but I can work it off. I’m adept at hunting, and if you have any herbs that are in dangerous areas, I would be more than happy to–” Song cut her off by grabbing her hand gently within her own.

She looked at the girl, who only smiled in return. The girl then turned over Kona’s palm and returned all but one copper piece and closed Kona’s fingers around the coins. 

Kona’s shoulders slumped in relief and she bowed low, clenching her fingers around the coins so hard she was sure that they left an indent. “Thank you, miss. We are in your debt.”

The quiet of the clinic was interrupted as the door burst open. Two men entered, carrying a third man by the ankles and armpits. The man was groaning and sweating, and a red stain was growing on his upper thigh.

“Song!” the old woman called in alarm and threw down the mortar and pestle onto the counter before her. “Apply the antidote; I’ve got this.”

The girl, Song, immediately grabbed the mortar and hurried to Iroh and Zuko’s side. Zuko tried to catch Kona’s eye as she joined them, but Kona kept her eyes on her master and the nurse. She did her best to ignore the hurt that flashed across his face.

The nurse began work, placing the created ointment on Iroh’s blemished skin. “You three must not be from around here,” she said conversationally, though her eyes were focused on the task at hand. “We know better than to touch the White Jade, much less make it into tea and drink it.”

Iroh let out a sheepish laugh. “Whoops!”

“So, where are you traveling from?” She asked the group, slapping Iroh’s hand away as he tried to itch his other arm.

“Uh.” Zuko paused. “Yeah, we’re definitely travelers,” he said, nerves clear in his tone.

“Well, do you have names?” She asked, sensing the hesitancy to answer.

“Names? Of course, we have names!” Zuko said. “I’m… Lee! Yeah, and this is my uncle… Mushi?” He winced at his uncle’s glare.

“And you have already met my adoptive daughter, Lien,” Iroh said with a giant, fake smile. “Since Lien and Lee sound so similar and his parents named him after his father, we just call my nephew ‘Junior’ to make things simple!”

Zuko glared at Iroh and moved his thumb across his neck threateningly, who just chortled in response. Kona ignored their antics and instead focused on filing their names for later reference. Mushi, Lee, Lien, Mushi, Lee, Lien,...

“Those are great names,” the nurse said, smiling wide, and slapped Iroh’s wandering hand once more. “My name is Song. I couldn’t help but notice the three of you look like you could use a good meal. Why don’t you come to my house for dinner?”

Kona started, guilt already eating at her stomach for being unable to pay for Iroh’s treatment. “Miss Song, that’s really not necessary.”

“Sorry,” Zuko said, voicing his agreement. “We need to be moving on.”

Song hummed. “Well, that’s too bad. My mom always makes too much roast duck.”

The girl knew how to get what she wanted from weary travelers. Kona would give her that.

Kona rolled her eyes when Iroh immediately perked up. “Where do you live exactly?”

As expected, the entire affair was rather uncomfortable for Kona. While there was nothing wrong with their home or with Song or Song’s mother, Ume, Kona was antsy to return to the road. Trust didn’t come naturally to Kona, and she while was grateful for Song’s obvious interest in their health. Every second they remained in the village, she felt walls closing in. With Azula’s intentions still unknown, it was unclear what being discovered could mean for her.

She didn’t want to find out.

But there they sat, clueless to the young girl’s anxiety. As usual.

“My daughter tells me that you’re refugees,” Ume said, opening up the conversation as she served a beautiful-looking platter of roasted duck and vegetables. Kona’s stomach growled against her will. “We were once refugees ourselves.”

Song nodded from her place across from Kona, helping her mother clear the cutlery and teacup out of the way of the platter. “When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village,” Song said, and Kona’s hand clenched around her pant leg habitually. “All the men were taken away. That was the last time I saw my father.”

Kona’s heart bled for the girl. Unable to stop herself, she looked away as she responded. “I have not seen my father in many years.”

“Song told me that this kind man adopted you,” Ume said. Her voice was leading, but not interrogative. Kona decided she liked her at that moment.

“Did he die in the war?” Song asked, sympathy clear in her voice.

“Yes,” Kona said. “He did.”

Without further comment, she began picking off her plate before her. Normally the topic would make her sick to her stomach, but the malnourishment won out, and she was soon shoveling the wonderful home cooked meal into her mouth with vigor.

Song turned to the prince, reading the subtext for what it was. “And you Lee? Is yours still fighting? Or…?”

Zuko hesitated.

He eyed Kona, who gorged herself beside him, carefully avoiding the eyes of the room. She met his eye, only briefly focusing on her plate once more. “Yes.”

Fighting. That was a word for it.

He, too, returned to his meal, leaving Iroh to smile awkwardly at their hosts. “The roast duck is truly delicious.”

“After dinner, I’ll draw up some water for you to bathe. You can at least clean up before you hit the road again,” Ume said, and it wasn’t a request. She said it as if it were a simple fact, and Iroh let out a deep belly laugh.

“Well, how can we say no to that, eh, Junior? Lien?”

Kona looked up from inhaling her meal and into the kind eyes of their host. Her stomach churned with anxiety, but she tilted forward in a respectful bow. “We thank you for your hospitality.”

The old woman’s cheeks reddened and hands waved as she downplayed her actions, but Song just grinned at the girl.

“Lien,” she said, and Kona looked up after a pause (forgetting her name for a moment). “Did you cut your hair yourself?”

Kona looked at her curled hair from the corner of her eyes, and blood pooled into her cheeks against her will. She knew it was sloppily done, but she didn’t have a mirror when she cut it, nor did she have the proper hair oils to ensure that her curls looked well cared for. 

“Yeah. You don’t come across many salons while you’re…” on the run, “traveling.” She lifted a hand to toy with a strand near her shoulder, eying it with thinly masked distaste. How embarrassing.

“We have shears here!” Song said with excited enthusiasm. “My mother cuts my hair! She’s very good! Not that yours looks bad, but after your bath you could get a haircut too! Just to freshen it up!”

Taken aback, Kona stuttered, trying to find words. She hadn’t expected the conversation to move to her appearance, and that subject always made her uncomfortable.

Her hair was curly and wild when left untamed by products and styling–a gift from her maternal grandfather who came from the Earth Kingdom. It had always stood out in the halls of the palace where the nobles of the Fire Nation boasted their pin-straight, thin hair that created dainty top knots with little effort.

She also knew that her skin had a habit of freckling if exposed to sunlight for too long, ruining its dainty pale hue. Another strike against the Fire Nation aesthetic.

It was an understatement to say that talking about her appearance made her want to be anywhere else.

She looked to her companions for help, but her guardian merely grinned at her with an encouraging nod while her prince’s cheeks were red, probably from the warmth of the meal they’d just had. She sighed and looked back at the patient women sitting across from her, before giving them both a nod.

Song clapped and excused herself from the table, rushing to put together the bath. Her mother called after her with a doting look in her eye, and Kona’s heart ached. She clutched at her shirt in panic, but the feeling left as quickly as it came.

They soon led Kona down the hall to a small washroom where she was given privacy and a fresh set of clothes, old clothes of Song’s, she was told. It was in that privacy that Kona felt her muscles relax for the first time in what felt like ages. She inhaled the fragrant floral soap as she scrubbed at her dirt stained skin, wishing that feelings were so easily washed away.

She slipped on the worn robes and, despite their age, relished in their softness, in their clean scent. When had she last worn clean clothes? She couldn’t remember.

A gentle knock sounded at the door, shocking her out of her gentle musings. Kona invited Ume into the dimly lit space, but couldn’t help but shift her weight under the heavy gaze of the old woman.

A displeased sound left Ume’s lips.

“Well, come here, dear,” Uma encouraged and gestured to the stool she had brought in with her.

Kona slowly lowered herself to the seat, facing away from the woman’s clinical eye. She couldn’t help but jump at the first delicate touch against her wet hair, and she felt the hands pause. Ume continued only a second later with no comment, and Kona thanked her in her mind.

Soon the gentle sounds of snipping filled the room and tufts of black hair drifted to the floor, tickling Kona’s bare arms as they went. Without realizing it, Kona’s eyes closed and her tense shoulders lowered. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had done her hair.

She was sure that through the haze that surrounded her younger years, her mother had done so, but like her mother, the memories had faded away faster than Kona could save them.

“You have beautiful hair,” Ume spoke, and Kona felt the smallest of smiles pulling at the corner of her lips.

“I got it from my mother.” 

“How long has she been dead?”

“Ten years.” The answer came easier than she expected. A decade. Her mother had been dead for almost a decade.

The woman was silent for a moment, before she moved around her to touch up the front of her hair. “No, child should lose their parents so young.”

“No, they shouldn’t,” Kona agreed, staring at Ume’s right shoulder, avoiding looking at her face at all costs.

A wrinkled and callused hand cupped her cheek, and Kona’s heart clenched in her chest again. It was so gentle and affectionate that if she were to close her eyes, she could almost imagine it was the long forgotten touch of her mother.

“I am sure they look down on you every day, and are proud of their beautiful, well mannered, and strong daughter. I have only known you for a small time, and I see it, so there is no doubt that they do as well.”

Ume’s eyes filled with tears as Kona leaned into her touch with a tentative caution. The welling of the tears made Kona focus on Ume’s shoulder once more, embarrassed by her reaction to the gentle touch. The woman brought up her other hand to cup the back of the girl’s head, pulling her into her own form.

Kona gave no resistance. 

Her embrace was warm and comforting. The woman was plump and soft and smelled of the meal that had been so meticulously prepared for her guests. Her grayed hair tickled Kona’s skin from where it sat between their forms. She felt her own hand come up to clutch at the skirt of the woman standing before her.

In the mother’s warm embrace, it was easy for her loud thoughts and anxieties to fade into nothingness, chasing an old sensation she had long forgotten.

For just a moment, Kona let her eyes fall closed and she let herself pretend.

Chapter Text

Like most good things, the night had to end, along with any comfort that their new acquaintances had unwittingly given to Kona’s weary mind. In fact, the comfort ended as soon as they had left the threshold of the humble home.

It appalled Kona when she found out Zuko commandeered the family’s lone ostrich horse. With not so much as a glint of guilt, he had asked her and Iroh how they had planned to travel on foot when their group had a man recovering from a poisoning and a girl with an ankle injury. No amount of arguing had changed the prince’s mind and, with a heavy heart, Kona had no choice but to follow her friend’s lead.

Kona knew it wasn’t nearly enough, but before they left, she quietly set their pouch of money on the fencepost where the Song and Ume once kept the ostrich horse tethered.

She vowed to herself that she would return one day to repay their kindness tenfold.

In her gut, the unfamiliar anger that had appeared after Iroh’s injury only boiled and grew.

She knew it was unfair, but her mind clouded with bitterness. She had dedicated her life to these men and pursuing their happiness, and yet they seemed to trample all over the happiness of others with little thought.

Like all of her other unnecessary feelings, she held the emotions inside. 

They wouldn’t change anything, anyway. They never did.

That was how the group soon found themselves begging for spare coins in a small Earth Kingdom town.

Kona had claimed that it had taken every coin they had to get Iroh’s treatment, and with a guilty look to his eye, the man had assured his younger companions that he would make up the money. She couldn’t find it within herself to feel bad for lying.

‘At least he’s trying,’ Kona thought, side eyeing her friend where he lounged against “their” ostrich horse only feet away from her. His wide brimmed bamboo hat covered most of his face and his left leg propped over his right, foot bouncing lazily in the air.

Kona didn’t know if he was sleeping or sulking, and she wasn’t sure which one would have annoyed her more.

Kona rolled her eyes underneath her own hat and pulled her cheap pipe back to her chapped lips. The whistled notes were slightly off key, but they were the best she could do with the worn, chipped instrument. Her lips and cheeks ached and her lungs were burning, but her growling stomach was enough for her to keep playing, ignoring her body’s cries for a break.

Before her, Master Iroh was on his feet, calling boisterously to the villagers walking past them. Very few paid them any mind, and Kona couldn’t even blame them. Shame filled her when she recalled how many times she had walked past a beggar with nary a glance, and her eyes lowered in shame as she continued to play.

She supposed that this was karma.

“Spare coins for the weary travelers?” Her master continued to implore, though Kona could hear the tired edge beneath his charming smile and gentle tone.

Kona’s eyes raised at the sound of clattering change, and a wandering couple smiled at the small group. Kona bowed and continued to play, and the couple walked away. She eyed the Iroh’s upturned hat; it was their makeshift collector. She spotted a handful of copper coins and a single silver piece. It was better than yesterday’s at least. That had only been enough for one meal and the rest went towards the fragile pipe in her hand. 

“A pretty girl playing a pretty instrument will make us more money than an old man asking politely,” Iroh had insisted whilst shoving the worn wood into her dirtied hands. Kona, too exhausted to argue, just took it without a word. She had honestly assumed that it was some sort of apology, but with the increase in coin today, she had to admit that he had been right.

From her right, Zuko finally sat up from his relaxed state, enraged.

So it was sulking, after all.

“This is humiliating,” he growled. “We’re royalty. These people should give us whatever we want.”

Kona paused in her playing. “These people,” Kona repeated, side-eyeing her friend.

He opened his mouth to respond when he was interrupted by his uncle’s voice.

“They will if you ask nicely, nephew.” As if to prove a point, the man leaned down to pick up his hat. He stepped forward to a passing girl, flashing his sweetest smile. “Spare change for a hungry old man?”

The girl paused. She eyed Iroh’s tired face before her eyes drifted to Kona behind him. She bowed in greeting and played her instrument once more. The girl then looked to Zuko, who still sulked beside Kona. She smiled a small, hesitant smile, and pulled a silver piece from her robe.

“Here you go.”

She placed it in his hat, and Iroh smiled at the girl.

“The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile.”

Kona couldn’t help the ghost of a smile that played at her lips at his genuine compliment, but Zuko only huffed in frustration at her side. He slapped his forehead and slumped back against the ostrich horse, making it jolt up from its slumber momentarily. Taking a hand off her pipe momentarily, she soothed the startled creature, petting its feathers reassuringly, and eventually its head returned to its sleeping position.

Her hand returned to her pipe, letting her return to her original song, as her eyes tracked a man approaching her master with a confidant stride and a wide, cocky grin. Her eyes narrowed at his approach, spotting the broadswords strapped proudly to his back.

She but didn’t stop playing. It would be foolish to halt playing whenever someone approached them, especially if that’s what was earning their coin.

The man leered down at Iroh before reaching into his pocket and fishing out a single gold piece with a flourish. His eyes danced between Iroh and Kona still playing behind him, an unnamable emotion playing in his narrowed eyes. “How about some entertainment in exchange for this?”

Not liking his tone or his look, Zuko sat forward and said, “We’re not performers.”

The man raised an eyebrow at the boy’s angry response. “No? Then what about the little darling right there?”

Kona’s eye twitched, but she only bowed in response. If she stopped, she wasn’t sure what she would end up saying to this man, and a gold piece would be more money than they’d had in weeks.

Iroh’s eyes squeezed with the size of his grin as he stepped forward, cutting off the man’s gaze. “Not professional, is what he meant,” Iroh clarified. He turned to Kona, who raised her eyes to look at him. “You know the one, my dear.”

She pulled the pipe from her lips, only to take a deep breath as she began playing a familiar melody. Iroh had liked to sing it to the crew on music nights that had ended up too somber. It was a silly song, but she allowed herself to close her eyes and sway to the music as Iroh began.

“It’s a long, long way to Ba Sing Se, but the girls in the city, they look so pretty,” Iroh sang. It was a bit off tune, but he had been speaking all day and his throat was parched from the lack of water.

The man sneered. “Come on, old man. We’re talking about a gold piece here! Let’s see some action.” 

Kona’s eyes snapped open at the sound of blades being unsheathed. She glared as the man commanded Iroh to dance, slicing at his feet and causing Iroh to step side to side to avoid being cut. Other villagers stopped and stared in horror, but no one stepped up to stop it. Seemingly unperturbed, Iroh continued to sing. 

“They kiss so sweet that you really got to meet the girls from Ba Sing Se!”

The man laughed boisterously and sheathed his blades. 

“Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner! Here ya go!” He flicked the gold over his shoulder without a backwards glance. The gold coin bounced and rolled in the dirt as he walked away.

Kona stopped playing, staring after the man before turning to her master, who picked up the gold piece with an enormous grin.

“Such a kind man,” he said, turning to his companions. 

Kona shook her head, too tired and hungry to hide her frustration at the old man’s fake cheer. “Please, just don’t, Ma–Mushi.” She hated how dry and weak her voice sounded. “I’m happy we got a gold piece, but that was not a kind man.”

He frowned at her, and she averted her gaze, ashamed by her outburst. 

Thankfully, a small group of concerned onlookers interrupted them. Kona did her best to smile politely at the group, despite her exhaustion. 

At least they would likely get to rest for the remainder of the day.

Even in the depths of her anger, it was easy to see that something had changed in Zuko, just as it had with Kona. While his anger had been slowly disappearing after the Avatar’s return, their run in with Azula was causing him to backslide. His temper was shortening by the day and Kona’s patience was wearing thin.

She wasn’t an idiot. She knew that while exhaustion, hunger, and a wounded pride likely had a large part to play in his behavior, there was another major factor.

She had been enabling him until this point.

Now, though? Kona was tired of defending Zuko’s outbursts or clarifying his frustrations when he lashed out at others.

She was tired of being the one that had to apologize for his misbehavior because he was too stubborn to do himself.

She was tired of backing down when he snapped at her.

She was tired of her chest aching when his eyes hardened or softened or when he avoided her or when he looked at her.

She was tired of second guessing if she was allowed to touch him like she used to.

Kona was just tired.

So, when odds and ends started being brought into camp when their group didn’t have the money to purchase them, Kona didn’t even try to confront him. She had been his conscious most of his life, and, clearly, her past work had little effect on his morals.

Why should she try? It was a waste of her energy and time. At least, that’s what she told herself.

It didn’t stop her anger from festering, though.

To think the person she had trusted and loved unconditionally would resort to thievery! They may have had nothing of real value, and maybe they weren’t able to eat fine dinners, but they were alive! They weren’t starving! Her blood boiled at the fact that he would willingly hurt others because he was hungry.

Could it be that she didn’t know him at all?

Her silent disdain didn’t stop Iroh from trying.

He questioned Zuko, at first giving him the benefit of the doubt, but not even he couldn’t deny what was happening before his eyes. Their possessions grew, their food improved, and Kona watched his old, wisdom-filled eyes sadden as he took in what his nephew had to have been doing.

It was also impossible to ignore how her master’s eye’s followed her, searching, waiting. They seemed to ask her why she hadn’t stepped in. Why hadn’t she done anything yet? She always did something.

A sharp breath left her mouth at the reminder, and she felt her lips tighten against her teeth. She was glad she moved after Zuko returned to the campsite. She didn’t want him to see her frustration. It wasn’t worth talking about.

She stoked the fire in front of her, trying to fight off her frustration. The gold tea-pot that Zuko had returned with glistened mockingly at her over the flames, begging for her attention, making her take notice even when she wanted to ignore it. For the first time in her life, Kona felt the silence between Zuko and her seem to sizzle from the boiling emotion within her. A quick peek at the former prince–at his relaxed state–she knew he didn’t feel it.

His ignorance only made her angrier.

Kona stabbed at the firepit, and the embers swirled into the air. She blew one away as it neared her face and tossed her stick into the flame. It needed no more nursing to provide her master with his tea from his new golden pot.

She forced herself to her feet, feeling the blood rush to her lower legs at her abrupt ascension. How long had she been crouched there, stewing in her bitter silence? It didn’t matter. She couldn’t bear to sit near him any longer without wanting to tear her hair out.

Thankfully, the crunch of nearby foliage announced the return of their older companion.

“Looks like you did some serious shopping,” Iroh noted, eyes drifting to the gilded teapot warming on the fire. “But where did you get the money?”

The answer was exactly as the others had been. Noncommittal. Dismissive. No answer at all.

“Do you like your new teapot?” Zuko asked.

Kona slumped against a nearby tree, not even hiding her eavesdropping.

“To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup.” Iroh crouched beside his nephew. Kona watched her master sigh. “I know we’ve had some difficult times lately. We’ve had to struggle just to get by.”

When Zuko didn’t answer, Iroh raised his hand and placed it gently on the teen’s shoulder. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Zuko. There is a simple honor in poverty.”

While she respected the direct approach, she knew Iroh had lost him as soon as that damned word left his lips.

“There’s no honor for me without the Avatar.”

Iroh winced at his misjudgement. “Zuko,” he said, speaking as if talking to a spooked animal. “Even if you captured the Avatar, I’m not so sure it would solve our problems.”

“Then there is no hope at all.”

Kona willed herself to feel sad for him, to be sympathetic as she knew she always had been, but her heart came up empty. Instead, fiery anger boiled in her stomach.

Was their presence beside him so insignificant that he had no hope at all? Did they mean so little that he would return to those that hurt him for a throne even after what Azula had done to him?

Her teeth gnashed, biting back words.

Iroh gasped and Kona could hear his heart break at Zuko’s word.

Zuko stood and turned to leave the campsite. Iroh rushed forward, grabbing his arm, forcing him to stop. “No, Zuko!”

Zuko tore himself out of Iroh’s grip, but Iroh continued anyway. “You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you will surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength!”

Kona could have sworn that her master’s eyes filled with tears as his nephew walked away without a glance.

She glared at Zuko’s retreating form, willing him to turn and apologize, but he never did. He disappeared into the shade of the trees without a single backward glance. She felt a muscle in her cheek twitch.

Kona turned back to her master. He was already looking back at her. 

“Kona, my dear,” he said. His voice was off. It was rough with emotion. Emotion that Zuko had caused. Her fists clenched at her side.

She watched as Iroh sniffed and stepped up to her. He reached down and took her tense hands into his own wrinkled grasp. His fingertips brushed across where she was sure her veins bulged from the tension in her hand. They moved in small, gentle circles. He was trying to comfort her; she realized.

He was upset, and he was trying to comfort her.

“I know you are frustrated with him,” Iroh said, voice soft. “And I know it is unfair of me, but I need you to speak with him. I am afraid he is losing his way.”

“Why should I?”

She could tell her words shocked him by his slow blink and the pause in his hands.

She couldn’t blame him. She had never gone against him. In her work under him, not once had she questioned him, or denied him. The perfect student, the perfect child, the perfect puppet.

“Because despite all he does, he is your friend.”

Kona’s teeth were aching from how hard she was clenching her jaw. “He doesn’t act like it.”

There was no mistaking it this time. The man’s eyes lined with silver as tears welled and caught on his lashed. His hand raised to cup her cheek, and she flinched accidentally.

He paused a moment before completing his gesture.

“My nephew and I are alike,” he said, and for the first time in days, she felt her anger be replaced by something different—a gentle confusion. “We care for you dearly, but we do not always treat you fairly.”

Kona couldn’t meet his tearful gaze any longer. Her lip wobbled, but she trapped it with her teeth.

“You have always stood beside us. You are a loyal and kind girl, and you never ask for anything in return.” His voice was thick with his emotion. She heard him sniffle, and she couldn’t help the cringe that tensed in her shoulders at the sound. “But, my dear, you must know. You are allowed to feel. This anger is justified. Your frustration is natural. And… and that day. What I said all those years ago. I’m so sorry.”

Kona’s heart stopped, and her breath with it. She felt her face freeze. It felt like time stopped as she slowly turned to look at the man who raised her. No tears had fallen, but his emotions sat transparently across his face. It made her heart ache.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She knew the wobble in her voice said enough regarding the honesty of the statement.

“You have always cared so much, and I made you question those feelings. I can never begin to apologize enough.” A second hand raised to cup her other cheek, and she found her face cradled, as it had been so often as a child.

Kona closed her eyes, unable to look at the warm honesty on his face. It was all too much. Her body begged her to disengage, but she couldn’t move.

“For now, my dear, Kona. I must ask you for your help, again. I need you to talk to my nephew. You’re the only one left who can get through to him.”

Kona felt her fight leave her. Her hands reached to the old man’s wrists and, with a gentle touch, pulled them from her face. Not looking towards him, Kona stepped away from Iroh. She didn’t want to see his expression. She couldn’t. It was too much.

She took a single step in the direction that Zuko left in, speaking over her shoulder towards Iroh. 

“He will not like what I have to say,” Kona admitted, focusing on the dirt beside his feet. “I will not lie to make him feel better.”

“He won’t like it, but some day, he will appreciate it.”

Without another word, Kona stomped through the brush, trailing her friend. Her forgotten anger simmered beneath the surface once more, as she pushed past branches and stepped over roots.

First, Zuko confused her with his feelings for her.

He made her heart stutter and her palms sweat, but also made her feel warm and safe. He held her when she was upset or scared. For months, he put her before himself to make sure she would have a permanent place by his side.

Then he rejected her.

Then he started keeping secrets.

He isolated himself.

He started stealing from those who had just as much money as them. His anger had masked that empathy that had always sat close to his heart. He acted like he had nothing left when Iroh and Kona had always stayed by his side and sacrificed their own happiness for him.

Finally, his worst offense of all.

He made Master Iroh bring up that day.

Chapter Text

Zuko left while Kona was in town. 

He took the ostrich horse and his bag and disappeared with little more than a word to Iroh. He said nothing, but devastation was the only way to describe Iroh’s response. The appearance of it rattled Kona to her core and fueled her fire into a raging inferno.

At least I know how to feel! I don’t lock everything away when I’m forced to feel anything!

The hypocrite.

She knew she wasn’t a pleasant companion in the next few days. It was like she wasn’t in control of her body. She went through the motions, following Iroh, who was chasing his nephew tirelessly. She would compare it to the fog that her chased her most of her teenage life, but it felt so different.

Whereas the fog numbed her, sunk around her like a blanket to protect her, a red haze followed her now. Its scarlet hue burned the edges of her vision every time she watched Iroh slip and let his emotion shine through to her once more. Every time she caught him frowning or eyeing the horizon with a wistful expression, she wanted to rage and scream and beg him to just let him go if he wanted to leave so badly.

But still they chased him.

Iroh’s loyalty was absolute. She knew that thievery and a simple argument weren’t enough for Iroh’s love for his family to waver.

And she knew deep below her ocean of red, she was no different.

So, she didn’t complain as they left behind the possessions that couldn’t fit into their packs.

Kona helped track the ostrich horse over the sandy dunes of the Earth Kingdom without of word of complaint.

She didn’t comment when Iroh felt the need to seek comfort, when he began patting her shoulders and her cheeks like he used to.

She simply avoided situations where she knew he would try to converse with her about her feelings rather than argue.

She followed without a word. Like he had taught her to.

She used the time to think.

She almost would have preferred talking over the thinking.

Unlike Iroh, her own personal musings were inescapable. They rattled around her head, circling like vultures, waiting for her to have a moment of peace so they could snatch it away. The only good thing about the self-reflection is it let her understand why she was really so upset with Iroh and Zuko.

Iroh’s actions of casting aside her request were a hit to her pride. She wasn’t oblivious. She knew she was closer than just his student, though it felt that way to her much of the time. He wouldn’t have dragged her into Zuko’s exile if he didn’t trust her or want her around. The revelation that his gentle affections, his pats and brilliant smiles were just as much an apology as they were a comfort.

Kona and Iroh were never very good at resolving issues without a mediator.

So, despite her want to latch onto her anger, to fuel it and push it so it kept raging, the major contributor slowly eased away, leaving only her feelings for Zuko.

Boy, were those complicated. She, of course, knew that her irritability towards Zuko was because of her wounded pride, to what had felt like a betrayal from Iroh. She didn’t have to be good with her emotions to understand that.

So why did he leave?

Her love burned far hotter than her anger ever could, so in his absence, it forced her to process the hurt she felt in every bone in her body. Hurt always felt so much worse than anger.

Well, if we’re so terrible to be around… why don’t you just leave?

And he did. And didn’t even say goodbye.

“This seems like a good place to set up camp, my dear,” Iroh was saying, eying the surrounding area, when she broke out of her musing.

They had spent most of their evening hiking up a rocky hillside, hoping for a better vantage point after their tracking had showed they were finally close to Zuko’s location. It would also be more preferable as a campsite than the flat sands of the desert. There was no foliage or plantlife; it was much too arid for that, but the towering boulders offered more protection from the winds and low sun than the harsh sands below them. 

Kona nodded at his statement, raising the collar of her shirt to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Their water supply was too low for her liking, and their rationing was taking its toll on her body. Her limbs felt like jelly and her head swirled with either fatigue or dehydration. They needed to get access to more sustenance soon or they wouldn’t be able to track Zuko much longer.

Iroh dropped his bag to the ground. She watched him throw his arms over his head and stretch with a groan before sighing in contentment. “We should have enough water for a nice cup of tea before be–.”

Iroh suddenly flew back onto the hard groan, cutting off the rest of the word.

Kona’s eyes snapped to his feet, trying to see what tripped him up, and she couldn’t stop her body from tensing when she spotted the raised rock. With the direction he fell, there was no way he tripped. He was pushed.

Her head swiveled, looking wildly for the earthbender that was sure to be stalking them. She dropped her bag, trying to free up her range of motion, and that’s when they attacked.

Kona heard the grinding of the earth coming for her feet before she saw it. Its speed only gave her a moment to dive out of its path, only for another to come for her as soon as she landed. Sidestepping the raised earth, she sprung forward towards the origin, tracing the trail with her eyes as she dashed forward. She was moving faster than she had in her entire life.

Kona cleared the boulder that was blocking her vision to their attacker and skidded to a stop at the sight.

The girl was short, shorter than Kona, and young. She couldn’t have been much older than Aang. Her hair was dark and cropped short. The skin Kona could see covered thick muscle, clearly honed from years of bending. That was all she could see before a blow struck her in the stomach and threw her back into the dirt.

“She’s a kid,” Kona wheezed from her spot on the ground, fighting for her breath to return. “Earthbender.”

“My tailbone,” Iroh whined, rolling pathetically on the ground just feet from her.

Kona groaned, her head slumping back onto the ground in defeat.

She wanted to be offended by how quickly the girl had gotten the best of her, but she found it hard when she knew how fast she had been dodging. She knew how lightly she had moved on her feet. She knew that in the low light of the dusk she shouldn’t have been downed so easily.

The girl had to be an extremely talented bender.

With how young she was, she had to be equivalent to Azula’s giftedness.

“You’re quick. I’ll give you that, but not quick enough.” The girl’s voice was rough, but despite the harsh words, they didn’t feel unkind. They were fact, after all.

Kona flinched, then blinked when a hand entered her vision, and after only a moment of hesitation, she grabbed it. It was better than lying in the dirt.

Kona would call dinner an awkward affair, but that would be an under-exaggeration.

Kona had already been avoiding her master’s conversations to the best of her ability for the last three days. Believe it or not, adding a blind, earthbending pre-teen upped the ante.

She couldn’t help but watch the girl warily from across the fire. Iroh was sitting so close to her, despite his swift defeat earlier. She almost admired his ability to trust.

If she were being honest, she was in awe of how easily this blinded prodigy could get a drop on them. Well, not her specifically. Her ego wasn’t that large, and she was malnourished.

It impressed Kona that the girl had surprised the Dragon of the West. One of the best firebenders the world over.

Though, she supposed the girl’s blindness would explain why the low light of the setting sun had no effect on her bending. 

Beside her, Iroh prepared three small cups of tea—mint, she noted. They had to be running low by now. He passed around the cups. Kona took hers with a bow of thanks and noticed the girl’s curled lip as she snatched the freshly poured tea from Iroh’s hand.

Her curiosity burned, and she knew Iroh must have been curious too, but he didn’t comment on her behavior. Instead, he took a deep inhale, taking in the fresh scent that the steam gave off, and relaxing back onto his log.

“You seem a little too young to be traveling alone.” It was an observation. Kona knew he dangled it out there for her to bite at in whatever way she liked. It would be more telling than any question he could ask of her.

“You two seem a little too weak,” she said in response, pursing her lips and turning away from him, despite already being unable to see him.

Kona couldn’t contain her small breath of amusement as she lifted her drink to her lips. She couldn’t even be offended. It was probably a fair judgement coming from her.

Iroh’s laugh showed his agreement. “Perhaps we are.”

The girl paused, seeming to fight back words desperate to spill forth. “I know what you’re thinking. I look like I can’t handle being by myself.”

Kona was sure that her confusion showed on her face. She wished suddenly that the girl could see, if only so she could have seen the truth on their faces. It must be hard to sense sincerity through tone. The girl had taken them down without breaking a sweat. It was no question that she could handle herself. 

“We don’t think that at all,” Kona said, breaking her silence for the first time since sitting by the fire.

“He wouldn’t even let me pour my own cup of tea,” she accused.

“He poured my cup too.”

“I poured your tea because I wanted to and for no other reason,” Iroh agreed.

Kona could see the girl’s jaw tense, clearly annoyed. “People see me and think I’m weak,” she said. “They want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself, by myself.”

Iroh hummed in thought. “You sound like some other teenagers I know.”

Kona avoided his knowing eye contact and felt the telling red fill her cheeks.

“They always think they need to do things on their own, without anyone’s support. There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you…”

After a pause, Iroh seemed to remember the girl. “Not that I love you! I just met you!”

The girl laughed, and Kona was surprised by how light it was. It was so different from her hardened exterior, and she couldn’t but wonder just how often the girl let herself do it around others. She knew she, herself, rarely did. 

“Teenagers, huh?” Toph said, and Kona flushed further at the knowing tone.

“My nephew, for one,” Iroh said, sparing her.

“Where is this nephew? You sound like you know him well.”

Iroh hesitated. “We’ve been tracking him, actually.”

“Is he lost?”

“Yes, a little bit. His life has recently changed, and he’s going through troublesome times. He’s trying to figure out who he is, so he went away.”

Kona scoffed lightly. More like he ran away.

“... and now you’re following him.”

“I know he doesn’t want me around him right now, but if he needs me, I’ll be there. We’ll be there.”

“Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn’t know it.” The girl stood with such an abrupt movement that Kona flinched in surprise. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life’s genuine delights.”

“No, thank you for what you said. It helped me.”

Iroh paused, momentarily thinking back to what he said. Unsure, he simply replied, “I’m glad.”

She began to leave. “Oh, and about those teenagers, maybe you should tell them you need them too.”

Kona couldn’t deny that Toph was absolutely right. That’s what she had been waiting for. Verbal confirmation of what she wanted to believe. She had followed Zuko and Iroh across the world for who they used to be, but she felt different now. She wasn’t the same person. She needed to know.

Or there was no point in staying.

Iroh hummed to acknowledge the thought and returned to his tea.

“People see me and think I’m weak. They want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself, by myself.”

Kona’s heart twisted. With little thought, she rose to follow the girl. She hadn’t gotten far. The girl suddenly turned and looked directly at her, though Kona knew her footfalls to be light. It was unsurprising now that she knew she was a blind bender. She must feel her movement through the earth, or maybe her hearing was just that good.

“You some kind of lost turtle duckling or something?” The girl asked.

Kona almost winced at the comparison. It wasn’t the first time she had heard it, but she the last time had been from the crew. Before the storm.

“No, I’m sorry,” Kona said, then hesitated. She had come without thinking. The girl seemed too much like her, and at so young. She had to say something, do something to help her.

Finally, Kona sighed. “I will not insult your intelligence. You obviously know that my companion was referring to me, along with his nephew.”

The girl snorted. “Obviously.”

“I am not the best with feelings and I never have been,” Kona said, and she idly noted that Iroh was right. Talking to strangers was much more pleasant than talking to her companions. “I did my best to avoid them until they overwhelmed me. I made a promise that I would try not to push things away anymore, but now I’m angry all the time. I’ve found it’s the easiest one to feel.”

When the girl didn’t respond, Kona continued. “We aren’t just following his nephew because he wants to figure out who he is. His nephew and I have always been close, and I have always had his back, but this time we fought. It’s my fault he left.”

“What do you want, Kona?” He didn’t look at her, but he must have heard her feet crunch the leaves beneath them.

“Seriously?” Her frustration was palpable, and he whipped around to face her at her tone.

“Oh, spare me the scolding. Uncle has done enough.”

“What? You’re the only one allowed to feel angry in this group?” She asked, teeth gritted.

“Enough, Kona.” He sounded tired. Good. Then he knew how she felt.

“I go along with your every whim for nearly a decade and the one time I feel angry with you, you tell me to leave it?” The words spilled out of her like vomit. They were hateful and angry, and they wouldn’t stop.

“You know that’s not what I meant. Don’t put words in my mouth!”

“Then tell me what’s going on! Stop hiding! Stop keeping secrets!” She couldn’t remember the last time she had yelled. She stepped closer to him, pushing into his space. He wouldn’t hide from her. Not this time.

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you. At least I know how to feel! I don’t lock everything away when I’m forced to feel anything!”

She flinched. His good eye widened.

“...so that’s what you think?”

“Kona…”

She turned away from him then. She was already walking away as she left him with her parting words. “Well, if we’re so terrible to be around. If we are so insignificant to your grand destiny, why don’t you just leave?”

Kona cleared her throat, forcing herself back to the present. “Neither of us like relying on others, and that also includes each other, no matter how much we trust one another. We both said some nasty things because we never learned how to accept help from others. I know my companion already gave you enough wisdom, but I’d like to offer some of my own.”

The girl stayed quiet, but by the contemplative look on her face, Kona knew she was listening.

“No one can read your mind. No matter how much or little they know you. If you want to be understood, let people in, even when it’s scary. Even if you know you can get hurt in the end. I won’t be a hypocrite. I haven’t done it either; I need to learn it as well. But you seem like a very smart girl. I feel you’ll pick it up quicker than me.”

“Not bad, turtle ducking.” The girl grinned after a pause. “I can see why the old man keeps you around. The name’s Toph.”

“Like tough,” Kona said without thinking, but the girl’s, Toph’s, loud laugh was proof she wasn’t offended. “Very fitting, Toph. My name is Lien.”

“I won’t insult your intelligence, Lien,” Toph said with a practiced smirk, mimicking Kona’s earlier phrasing. “I’m sure you’ve noticed I used my earthbending to see, but it allows me a cool trick.”

Kona’s eyebrow raised in confusion, though she knew Toph couldn’t see it.

“I can tell when people are lying.”

Kona’s jaw dropped. That was incredible! “You caught me. My name is Kona. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

Toph merely gave her a salute before disappearing into the night. Kona didn’t stop her this time.

Kona worried her lip. It was time to take her own advice.

She returned to the campsite

“Would you talk with me a moment, dear?”

Kona plopped down across the fire from him and gave him her full attention.

He smiled at her. “You’ve been avoiding me.” It wasn’t a question. “It’s almost impressive considering we are traveling alone together, but you’ve managed it.”

Kona scratched her cheek in embarrassment, avoiding his amused face.

“Kona, I do not fault you for being frustrated by our actions. It was probably long past due.” She thought he was waiting for a response, but all she could do was stare at her hands. She fought desperately to find the words to tell Iroh what she was thinking, what she was feeling. Just because she had realized she needed to share didn’t change how hard it was.

“You are growing and maturing, my dear, and these emotional,” Iroh fumbled for a second before deciding, “growing pains you are experiencing are just evidence of that evolution.”

Growing pains, Kona decided, was a wonderful phrase. Every change brought an unfamiliar ache, but every ache was a sign they were growing better, stronger. It was better than feeling like everything was breaking apart.

“I know that despite this anger you feel, no one cares for my nephew like you do, and you’re an intelligent young woman. You know he cares the same for you, despite your argument.”

Kona’s eyes widened.

“I may have eavesdropped a bit,” Iroh said, and Kona couldn’t help but wonder which conversation he was referring to. She hoped he only heard Toph’s.

Kona sighed, straightening her legs towards the fire, distracting herself with the almost uncomfortable heat. “I didn’t think he would actually leave. I… I didn’t want him to. I wanted him to deny it. I expected him to deny it.”

“You were both tired and angry. I do not fault you for Zuko’s decisions. That would be unfair to you. Especially considering that was one of the first times I have seen you get so upset. When you were a little girl, you would take every unpleasant experience and every insult and put a smile on your face, even if you didn’t mean it. Now, I must be the one to apologize to you.”

“Master Iroh…” Kona tried to argue, but he pushed back.

“No, Kona. Your current situation is a direct reflection of my teaching. I was your teacher, your guardian, and it was my duty to raise you, to help you verbalize and understand your feelings. I don’t tell you nearly enough how valuable you are to me, and how I enjoy your company. You are very important to me, and that night… those months…”

Kona’s throat closed momentarily in her shock. She didn’t want to talk about that. “You want me to be more honest with my feelings, Master Iroh? To tell people what I want so they don’t have to guess?”

“Yes! That is all I want for you!”

“Then, I don’t want to talk about that night anymore,” Kona told him, voice firm and eyes unwavering. She basically heard the click of his teeth as his mouth snapped shut. “It’s long over and I’ve grown up. You don’t have to carry guilt over a twelve year old’s feelings.”

Iroh tried to speak, but Kona continued. “My mother and father are dead and they are never coming back. I have no family.” She could see he wanted to argue, but she ignored it. “I have a master who trains to be the best person I can be and a friend that wants the best for me, even if he is driving me to an early grave. I don’t need a family, if I have you two.”

She could see that he still wanted to argue, but instead, his eyes filled with something tender that twisted her stomach in knots.

“Of course, my dear. It’s wonderful that you know that.”

Chapter Text

Kona was no stranger to death. 

It came for her father when she was young. It was swift and unescapable. She was so young that she can’t even recall what he looked like anymore. 

It came for her mother years later, and it wasn’t swift that time. It creeped in, hovering over them like a heavy blanket of fog until the day it finally pulled her mother away from her. 

Lu Ten went next. 

That one hurt the most, though she felt guilty for admitting that. Her parents were little more than hazy memories by the time he died. Lu Ten had been her brother in all but blood, and he was her closest confidant until his death when she was twelve.

There was also, of course, Zhao, whom she had watched get pulled under the waters of the North Pole by the ocean spirit, and likely drowned in a horrifying fashion just feet from her. She wasn’t sure if that should make her feel as indifferent as it did.

But, yes, Kona had seen a lot of death, despite her age, and in many forms.

But she had never seen death as swift as lightning.

Iroh and Kona had started their day at dawn.

Iroh had a newfound spring in his step. Somehow, the conversation with Toph the night before seemed to be more enlightening for the old man than for her. Kona assumed the girl had given him a renewed hope for his relationship with Zuko.

She was happy for him.

It felt nice to think about something like that.

It was the first thing she had noticed when she awoke that morning.

There were birds singing, branches were rustling in the wind, the warm sun cascaded down on her freckled face, and the pool of anger that she’d been drowning had all but evaporated. There was no doubt she was still a bit frustrated by her relationships with her traveling companions, but talking with Iroh had lifted a load from her shoulders. She didn’t tell him about all her problems, but she had addressed the most important one.

And he had listened.

It felt like her body was finally giving her permission to move on.

After their week of tracking—of staying just far enough behind to be undetected — Iroh and Kona hadn’t expected to wander upon a showdown in an abandoned village. Kona didn’t know what destiny was up to by forcing the Avatar’s group, Zuko, and Azula to meet in a tiny Earth Kingdom ruin, but she wished it would start giving them a break. 

She couldn’t ignore the fear that bubbled when she realized Azula had gotten to Zuko before they had noticed. For all their tracking, they had been too slow. If the Avatar wasn’t there to distract her… well, Kona doesn’t even want to know what could have happened.

Iroh and Kona did their best to stay out of sight of the fray, silent observers as Zuko, for once, ignored the Avatar in lieu of fighting Azula. Iroh had to hold back Kona from helping. Then Zuko went down, and as the two people who loved Zuko most in the world, they couldn’t stand by any longer.

Kona stood on alert, crouched in defense over Iroh as he did his best to rouse the unconscious teen. Her eyes tracked the Avatar’s group as Azula fought them all with only the smallest of efforts. She wasn’t winning the fight, but she certainly wasn’t losing despite the drastic difference in numbers.

She was too good for her own good.

Kona’s heart stuttered at the dazed, “Uncle…” that finally sounded from behind her, but she didn’t turn. She couldn’t let her guard down with Azula around. She was as unpredictable as she was calculating. Even a second of hesitance could be anyone’s downfall.

“Get up,” Iroh commanded from behind her, and she heard the shuffling that showed Zuko’s compliance. 

“What are we doing here, Zuko?” Kona asked, eyes trailing the combat. Azula was playing them all like a fiddle. There was no way that the Avatar’s group of three could stop her; that much was clear at this point.

She itched to go in. To help the Avatar get away from her. He was just a boy, and Azula would not be kind to him during his transport. She expected to feel guilt from her traitorous thoughts, but they were blissfully silent. 

If she was being honest with herself, it was probably because she hadn’t been considering those empathetic thoughts as treason for a long time.

“What’s the plan?” Iroh asked again from behind her. His voice was encouraging and steady.

There was a pause, and she allowed herself a moment to look at him from the corner of her eye. His hair had grown in the last couple of days. It was no longer just stubble, but a short, cropped style. His face was gaunt, like he hadn’t eaten since he had left them, but what stopped her was his eyes. They screamed something at her, something she couldn’t name.

“We can’t let Azula have the Avatar.”

Kona sighed and nodded before rolling her neck. She knew she should have been practicing, but it was hard to find the energy on such little food. Now she may pay the price.

She undid her belt from where it held her vest closed and used it to hold back her bangs from her face, knotting it at the base of her neck.

Kona turned to her companions and with a warmth in her chest; she understood they were all thinking the same things.

Forgiveme.WhatcanIsaytoapologize?Imissedyou.Thankyou.

All the thoughts melded together, and with a look at Iroh and Zuko, she did what she did best. She tackled the hard part for them.

“Well, what’s a little more treason?” She asked, breaking their tentative silence.

Iroh frowned at her, but it was anything but scolding. Zuko breathed out an amused sound by his side, and she couldn’t help the hesitant grin that pulled at her lips in return.

“We can all talk later,” Kona said, to placate their guardian.

Iroh shook his head, but followed suit as the newly reunited group snuck out of their shelter and back onto the street.

It wasn’t difficult to decide that flanking was the best option in this scenario. Azula thought Zuko was downed, and she didn’t know Iroh and Kona were present. Surprise was the greatest weapon.

Aang, Sokka, Katara thoroughly distracted Azula as the Zuko, Iroh, and Kona skirted around the edges of the town. 

And was that Toph that just tripped Azula up?

That made sense, if Kona thought about it. No wonder such a strong young earthbender would wander around alone so late at night.

The trio watched from afar as Azula finally saw herself being outmatched with the addition of Toph. She turned to run down a narrow alley, but they had been waiting for that very moment.

Azula collided with Iroh’s steady form and was thrown back to the ground. She rose quickly, but as the Avatar’s group, Zuko, Iroh, and Kona slowly converged on her, she backed up, eying them all warily.

Kona watched her eyes widen briefly as the back of her heel collided with a crumbled wall behind her. Her eyes roved her surroundings, and Kona knew by the wild look in Azula’s eyes that she knew she was cornered.

“Well, well,” Azula crooned, eyes cold as ice. “Look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together. I’m done.”

Her perfectly manicured hands lifted in surrender. “I know when I’m beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor.”

Something unnamable bubbled in her stomach as Kona watched the unbeatable Azula stand outnumbered. She couldn’t think of a single time she had seen Azula lose at anything , let alone admit defeat . Azula was calm, calculated, and always one step ahead. It was why Kona admired her, despite the princess being younger than her.

The back of her neck prickled with her unease.

It happened faster than Kona could even track with her eyes.

One second she was there, rejoicing in their doing something good, for once. The next, her oldest companion was yelling in agony, collapsing in a flash of light. She heard another scream, and she thought it may have been hers as she nearly collapsed at his side.

She watched Iroh’s eyes flutter closed, his clothed chest scorched and smoking. 

“Master Iroh! Iroh! Iroh, wake up!” She cupped his bearded face as gently as she could, but it was difficult with her trembling hands. She heard a commotion, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the unconscious man before her.

She felt Zuko collapse to his knees beside her, his hand clutching at his uncle’s loose robes. Not even his tight grasp of the clothing held the shake of his hand. She heard his breath catch as footsteps approached.

“Get away from us!” He yelled, and Kona heard the footsteps cease.

Kona looked up with glassy eyes. She saw nothing but sympathy on their faces, as Katara, of all people, tentatively approached. Kona’s eyes widened at the girl’s luminescent hand. 

Waterbender.

Healer. Katara was a healer!

“Zuko,” Katara said, her voice pleading. She took another hesitant step forward. “I can help him.”

“Leave!” His free hand lashed out at the approaching figures before them. His flames were hotter than Kona had ever felt from him. Without thinking, she slapped down his arm, ignoring the blinding heat that seared through her hand.

“No! No, please! Ignore him,” Kona begged. She rose shakily until she was kneeling higher on her knees. She held out her arm to brace against Zuko’s chest, forcing him back with her as she crawled backwards. Anything to get Katara to approach their wounded ally. “Heal him. Please, heal him.”

“Kona,” Zuko tried to argue, resisting her movement.

Kona’s thin patience snapped. She huffed in frustration, grabbing both his shoulders forcefully and shaking him. “Katara’s a waterbender! She can heal him! Ignore your pride and let someone help us for once!”

She saw his jaw clench, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he turned to watch Katara approach. Zuko looked like a caged animal, ready to lash out, and Kona prayed to Agni that he could hold his temper just this once.

Kona didn’t comment, but she noted Sokka and Aang follow Katara closely, protectively. All things considered, she couldn't blame them.

She dropped her hands from Zuko’s shoulders and forced herself to move back. She tugged at his arm, forcing him further back with her.

Kona didn’t want their group’s weariness of them to jeopardize their helping of Iroh, even if it meant separating herself from him when all she wanted was to stay by his side.

Katara kneeled across from them, flashing what was supposed to be a comforting smile, but its shakiness gave away the seriousness of the situation. Her hands raised in a well-practiced motion, pulling more water from her canteen to coat both of her hands entirely with her element. She hovered them over his panting chest, and Zuko tensed beneath Kona’s hand as Katara’s hands glowed with a soft light once more.

Kona squeezed his still captured arm in comfort, but didn’t take her eyes off of Katara’s hands as her fingers moved underneath the layer of water, bending something within Iroh that they weren’t privy to. 

Kona suddenly tasted blood as the old man jerked and released a grunt of pain. She had to hold Zuko back, but she didn’t blame him for his reaction.

But as suddenly as the man convulsed, he settled, and he released a long sigh.

Kona’s eyes fell closed in relief. She felt boneless, as she let her hand fall from its place on Zuko’s arm.

The glow faded from Katara’s hands, and she directed her water back into the canteen at her side. She lifted her head to look at Kona and Zuko. Her eyes were softer than Kona had ever seen, and a thin sheen of sweat showed on her brow. “I fixed what I could for now. He’s in no immediate danger, but for a full recovery, I’ll need more time with him.”

Time? Did they have that? Would Zuko allow that?

Kona turned to look at Zuko and found him already looking at her. His face was hard to read, but finally he set his jaw and tilted his head in Katara’s direction.

Kona waited a moment longer, and when he nodded again, she finally turned back to Katara.

“We would be forever grateful, Katara,” Kona said, bracing her hands on her knees and bowing so low her head nearly touched the sandy ground. She did her best to ignore the pain radiating out of her right hand. 

Now that the adrenaline and panic had faded, she was sure that it was burned.

A rough hand grabbed at her collar and pulled her from her bow. She whipped her head around to glare at Zuko, who glared back at her.

“Katara,” Sokka said, interjecting from behind his sister. He looked at the odd group before him warily. “Are you sure about this? I’m all about helping the old man, but we can’t trust Zuko around Aang.”

Insulted, Zuko bared his teeth at Sokka. Kona shook her head, interrupting what Zuko was going to say by rushing to mediate. 

“We completely understand, Sokka. We’ve done nothing to earn your kindness.” She floundered for a bit, trying to find a solution that could leave everyone satisfied. “W-we… we could let Iroh go with you! Yes! You could fly somewhere safe until he’s better!”

Katara blinked, then said slowly, “I’m not sure that’s necessary.”

Sokka’s considering turn of his lips said otherwise. He didn’t disagree, which caused Kona to push further.

“Toph!” She turned to the stoic girl. She was closer than expected. Hovering only a few feet from her downed master. Her face was downcast, but at Kona’s voice, her head snapped to attention. “You remember where we met? Would you be able to get there again?”

“You know Toph?” Aang and Sokka asked in a unison that would have been funny any other day. While Sokka seemed confused, wary, the young Avatar seemed elated.

Toph ignored them. “Sure I could. Easy as cake, turtle duckling.”

Kona couldn’t help the relieved breath that escaped her lungs and the wobbly smile that pulled at her lips. “Prince Zuko and I will go there. Toph can find us. You don’t even have to tell us where you’re going!”

“This doesn’t really feel all that necessary,” Katara said again, and all at once Kona felt guilt fill her for her earlier transgressions against her. After all their meetings, all their bickering, all their harsh words towards each other, Katara was looking at her with empathy, with trust.

Kona didn’t deserve it.

“Katara, it’s about Aang’s safety,” Sokka said, insistent, but he wasn’t looking at Kona. He was too busy making what Kona thought was supposed to be a threatening face at Zuko.

Zuko, to his credit, simply stared back, unflinching and face flat.

Relenting, Katara turned to her. “It won’t take anymore than a day,” she said. Her eyes flickered to Zuko and back to her. “And he’ll still be pretty sore afterwards.”

“Thank you for your kindness. I’ll never forget this.” Kona bowed her head, knowing Zuko wouldn’t let her do much more than that.

Katara smiled at her and with a burst of warmth, she realized Aang did as well. Toph, still withdrawn, but at ease, just stood nearby, always listening. Finally, there was Sokka. His face stayed tense, closed off as he stared at her companion. It was so different from how he interacted with her. She tried not to feel offended on Zuko’s behalf (and maybe a bit smug).

Jumping to his defense wasn’t her job anymore. Not when it was a situation he could handle himself. 

“Make sure he doesn’t, either.” Sokka’s words were bitter, an attack.

Zuko looked away from Sokka, and Kona could see him gritting his teeth—biting back a retort. She reached out to squeeze one of his hands reassuringly, thankful for his restraint.

“We need to move him onto Appa.” Sokka said, crouching beside his sister next to Iroh. “Katara, take Aang to the other side of Appa and wait there.”

Katara protested, but Sokka pushed her away from Iroh’s side. She glared at him and stomped away with a huff. Kona admired his protective nature, even if it was because of her and Zuko’s presence at the moment.

She watched him hesitate after Katara and Aang left toward their bison. Sokka seemed to realize then just how large of a man Iroh was.

“I can help move him, if that’s ok,” Kona said, raising her hands unoffensively.

Sokka eyed her for a moment, not suspiciously. That wasn’t the right word, but he was definitely looking for something. Whatever he was looking for, he must have found because he gave a single nodded.

“Zuko stays here.”

Zuko opened his mouth to protest, and Kona couldn’t blame him. Iroh was his family, but she squeezed his hand harder, making him turn to her. 

She simply shook her head, and he sighed. He rose to his feet with no argument, pulling Kona up as he did, before walking a few paces away and turning his back to them pointedly.

Kona snorted at his attitude, and she could have sworn she saw what little she could see of his lip quirk up. She approached Sokka and Iroh, eyeing her guardian as she did so. Like Sokka, she was not weak, but to get him onto the bison could be an issue without bending.

Without bending.

Kona wanted to slap herself for her stupidity. She turned to the girl who stood nearby still, for whatever reason deciding to stay near them rather than return to Appa.

“Toph, would you be willing to…?”

“Way ahead of you. Hold on.”

Beneath her feet, the ground rumbled and shook before she, Sokka, and Iroh were moved together across the desert ground, stopping inches from the giant animal’s furry side.

He was even more massive up close than she had ever imagined. She’d never seen a creature so large. Appa let out a rumbling growl, and Kona had to fight the urge to pet him.

Before she could work up the nerve to lay a hand on him, the ground rumbled again, and the three rose from the ground on a pillar of rocky earth until they were almost parallel to the saddle. They were a little high, but considering Toph couldn’t see, Kona didn’t mention it. It was close enough.

Together, Sokka and Kona braced themselves under Iroh’s weight and shifted him onto the saddle. It amazed Kona just how roomy the saddle actually was. Including Iroh, she was sure they could fit every single one of them, plus Zuko with room to spare.

Once she was happy with Iroh’s placement on the saddle, Kona gently shifted a nearby bag to prop up his head. His face was usually so full of joy, so expressive. As he lay there, for the first time, Kona was forced to see his age in the lines of his face. He looked so fragile, so un-Iroh.

She gently brushed some of his loose hair from his face, and leaned down to press a light kiss on his forehead, just like he did when she used to get sick as a child. She felt her lips purse as she rose to her feet, fighting off the mist that was blurring her vision.

“I’m sorry about your old man,” Sokka said from behind her, tying their belongings down for their flight.

She thought about correcting him, but didn’t.

“Thank you.” Her eyes wandered over Iroh’s unconscious form before looking back at Sokka. “And thank you for helping him. I know you have no reason to help us.”

“We don’t mind helping you. ”

Kona’s chest tightened. She didn’t know what she had said or done to make these Water Tribe siblings show her such kindness, and she didn’t know what she could do to repay them. She settled on a watery smile for now, crossing to where the rock pillar still stood tall. Sokka offered a hand, which she took as she stepped over the small gap.

“You have my thanks, regardless, Sokka.” She looked down at where Zuko stood, arms crossed, eyes focused on Appa.

He must be so worried about Master Iroh.

“We’ll get moving so you can travel without worry.”

Sokka moved the hand that had supported her to offer a reassuring pat on her arm. “Katara is good at what she does. He’ll be back on his feet in no time.”

Kona watched as Aang leapt up onto Appa’s head, flashing her an enormous smile. Her eyes widened at such a simple and well practiced use of his air bending. It would never cease to amaze her. 

Katara clambered up the opposite side of Appa with no assistance. She moved with practiced grace and purpose, and found her place at Iroh’s side, giving Kona a single nod as she settled. 

“You ready, turtle duck?” Toph called from below, and Kona cast one more look at her fallen companion. 

Her hand rose to squeeze Sokka’s comforting hand. “Thank you again, Sokka. I’m in all of your debts.” He smiled at her, and Kona looked down towards Toph. “I’m ready.”

She dropped suddenly, and Toph cackled as she squeaked at the turning in her stomach. Thankfully, years of training allowed her to land fairly gracefully on her feet, though she felt a slight twinge from the ankle that she had hurt a few weeks back.

She turned to Toph, who smirked at her only feet away. Without thinking, she ruffled the girl’s hair, and snorted when she punched Kona’s arm in return.

“Have fun with your good friend, ” Toph said with a sneer before launching herself up on Appa.

Kona’s cheeks pooled with heat against her will and she shook her head frantically to ward it off. Her hands found the knot in her headband, and let her hair fall back onto her forehead, as she cinched her belt back around her waist. Anything to buy her face time to cool off. 

She leaned down to pick up Iroh’s fallen bag as she passed where he had been struck. Without a word or a look to Zuko, she tossed it over her shoulder and began walking the path she had taken only hours before.

She didn’t have to be Toph to hear her friend fall into step behind her. She knew she should greet him, but she needed to get away from the town before she did something stupid like refuse to let Iroh go without them.

“So,” Zuko said, and Kona eyed him as she walked. “How do you know that water tribe boy?”

Kona couldn’t help the furrow of her brow or the turn of her head. “We’ve been chasing Sokka ever since we found the Avatar…?”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he said, a low mutter in a tone that Kona couldn’t quite place in his voice.

“Do you remember that day that June helped us track them to the abbey?” At his nod, Kona said, “I kept him from getting hurt while he and his sister recovered from their paralysis. We had some time to talk. He’s nice.” 

He’s smart, he’s snarky, he’s protective, and he’s stubborn. He reminds me of you.

“Nice,” Zuko repeated, that strange tone still in his voice.

Unsure what to say, Kona filled the silence with the first thing that came to her mind. “Katara will heal Iroh. She’ll do better than we ever could.”

Zuko didn’t have to be a mind reader to hear the doubt in her voice.

“I know,” he said with a sigh. “Uncle told me about water healers. He’ll be fine.”

Kona pursed her lips. She had sent Iroh away with them so easily, without really consulting Zuko. Guilt gnawed on her chest, but it was cut off abruptly.

Zuko tugged Iroh’s bag  out of her hand roughly and threw it over Zuko’s shoulder before Kona could even try to protest.

“Thank you,” he said, voice quiet. At her questioning expression, he continued, “For making a better decision about uncle than I would have.”

The icy guilt within her warmed just slightly.

Chapter Text

It was quiet for most of the trek back to the campsite, and with each footfall, Kona felt the tension growing thicker for her. Not only was this the first time they’d seen each other since their argument, but she suddenly realized this was one of the first times they’d been alone since the North Pole.

Zuko had been avoiding her for so long, she realized. He always made sure Iroh was there, or at least nearby, within hearing distance.

Her cheeks flamed, ashamed. They had promised to go back to just being friends—that they would forget what adrenaline had almost done to Kona’s decision making, but here they were.

Zuko was still uncomfortable around her.

He must think of her as some sort of wild beast to always keep Iroh within arm’s reach.

And now here she was, concerned about being alone with a boy, no not any boy, her childhood friend while Iroh could be anywhere, getting treated by what was essentially a group of strangers.

She was the worst.

They returned to the old campsite by midday.

Kona eyed the upturned earth from Toph’s arrival the night before and couldn’t help the lick of a smile that pulled up the corner of her lips. Between Toph and Sokka, she figured she shouldn’t be worried about Iroh. They would help protect him while Katara healed him.

It was a scary thought, though, entrusting his safety to others.

She sighed, dropping her bag down beside the log that Iroh and Kona had used as a bench the night before.

The embers of the old fire pit were long cold, and covered in sand from their snuffing of it this morning. They would need new kindling and some logs for a full fire. She looked up at the sun that sat at the highest part of the sky. It would be best to rest while the heat was at its highest. They could work after.

“There are some rations in Master Iroh’s bag,” Kona said to Zuko, who was looking around the campsite, curiosity burning in his gaze at the signs of earthbending.

Zuko pulled from the bag a few sticks of jerky and a handful of nuts.

Until Kona could hunt that evening, it would do.

She eyed her surroundings and found two small leftover logs from the night. They wouldn’t fuel the fire for long, but it would be enough for heating a kettle of tea. She turned to collect some of the dried grasses and weeds hiding in the shades of the rocky outcropping they took refuge beside.

Preparing the space, she turned to get her spark rocks from her bag, then hesitated.

Instead, she piled her collected kindling and cupped it in her hands. She raised her arms in Zuko’s direction, catching his attention.

He paused in what he was doing, looking at her in confusion. She shook her out-raised hands at him and comprehension dawned on his face. He stepped forward to take the kindling, and Kona pulled her hands back.

“I just need you to light it, my–Zuko.”

They had spark rocks. Kona could also do it on her own without spark rocks, but it seemed a waste of time when there was a firebender around.

“Oh.”

He leaned forward and, with an odd expression on his face, he gently blew on the kindling. A single spark flew from his mouth, lighting some of the grass in a gentle glow.

Quickly, she pulled her cupped hands close to her face, blowing to help the burning spread before she delicately placed it in the center of what would be their fire. Hands still cupped around the small flame, she nursed it, blowing just enough to strengthen it until it caught on the logs.

Kona sat back on her heels, pleased.

“You know, it would have been easier to let me do it.”

“We can’t all be fire benders,” Kona said teasingly, and blinked when she realized that the bitter feeling that accompanied the thought seemed faded. It was still there, but the barb was dulled, barely catching.

That was a welcome change.

Zuko didn’t respond. He handed her a piece of jerky as he sat beside her, content to sit in silence. She took the food gratefully, chewing idly as she used their freshly filled water bags to make tea.

It was midday. The sun was scorching, but it only seemed right, despite Iroh not being present.

It almost felt like how it used to be until Zuko snatched Kona's right wrist and yanked it towards his face. His fury was impossible to miss.

She winced, eyeing the blistered and red skin. Kona had forgotten about the burn she had received that morning.

“Zuko,” she said in almost a murmur, knowing he was going to be upset at her for “hiding it” from him.

“Don’t,” he said, voice quiet, though his eyes screamed his anger. He didn’t release her wrist as he dug around his own pack for a moment, pulling out clean bandages.

Where he got them, Kona didn’t know, but she felt bad using them for such a minor reason. It really was just a slight burn. She was sure it would heal in a few days.

She watched him use some water to clean it as best he could, wincing at the sting. The water washed away all the dirt and grime on her palm, allowing him to see there were no major blistering or open wounds. It wouldn’t even scar.

Nevertheless, he took the time, wrapping her right palm with a gentleness that was just as common in him as it was uncommon. Kona felt her chest tighten at his care and attention. She was glad that he was so focused on her hand that he didn’t see her flushed cheeks.

“You have to know that he cares the same for you, despite your argument.” Iroh’s voice said in a whisper in her mind, and she clenched her eyes shut for a moment.

He doesn’t care the same way that Kona did, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care for her.

Kona’s resolve hardened.

She had promised Iroh, she had promised Toph, and, most importantly, she had promised herself that she would try to share her thoughts and feelings.

“I’m sorry,” she finally choked out, but it surprised her when the same words came out of Zuko’s mouth. She opened her eyes and saw Zuko’s eyes snap up from his attention on her hand, which was now fully wrapped, but still grasped in Zuko’s hands. 

After a moment of silence, Kona snorted and Zuko let out a huff of amusement, shaking his head.

They were too similar.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so angry lately,” Kona offered in his silence. Hesitating before verbalizing what she had been holding in for weeks. “It’s silly, but I was feeling rejected. By both you and Master Iroh. It didn’t feel like my opinions or presence were being valued and instead of talking about it, I held it in. Then I lashed out when neither of you noticed.”

Zuko frowned, but nodded. He seemed to fight saying something before he just sighted. Kona waited patiently, just as he did with her. It was easy when she felt so light, so heard. He had denied nothing and didn’t make light of her. He just heard her.

Finally, he seemed to find the words. “I’m sorry about your hand and I’m sorry about what I said what I said to you,” Zuko said. “I, of all people, know why you act the way you do. It was a low blow… I was hurting, and I knew it would hurt you, and that’s why I said it.”

Kona sighed, releasing the breath she didn’t know she was holding. She looked down at where his hand tenderly held hers, his thumb stroking the back of her bandaged hands absentmindedly. She hesitated again before forcing out the words before her cowardice held her back. 

“That’s not what hurt from that conversation,” she said, voice quiet, and his eyes snapped to hers. She looked away. “It made me angry that you would use it against me, but it didn’t hurt my feelings.”

She could feel his eyes on her, trying to read every inch of her face. He was always so good at that. “When… when I told you that you should leave, I expected–I wanted you to stay. I wanted you to realize how much I–we care for you. And I wanted that to be enough.”

A gentle hand lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, and her heart nearly broke with the sadness in his eyes. “You are enough. You are,” he said, and Kona wanted to believe him. “I just… I was raised to be perfect for my father. You know that. Then after…. after my mother left, he took the throne and suddenly I was the heir to an entire nation. I had all these new expectations, this new future, and… and it’s hard when I think about how much I had compared to how little I have now.”

“You have Iroh. And you’ve always had me.” Kona’s face reddened as soon as the words left her mouth. Agni, she was so stupid. This was why he never wanted to be alone with her.

But he didn’t back off like she expected. He didn’t pull away or push her away. He pulled her bandaged hand up and placed a featherlight kiss on the palm side, the burned side.

“I know.”

If it were possible for Kona’s face to get warmer, it certainly did. She couldn’t meet his eye, but she also didn’t want to pull her hand from his. Agni, she was such a mess. So she changed the subject. That was the safest route.

“Can we promise to talk? No more sneaking off, no more lying, just talking.” Kona offered, quietly.

“No more secrets,” Zuko agreed.

Kona’s stomach immediately turned. Was she already breaking that promise? She hid so many thoughts and impulses from him every single day.

No, she didn’t think she was; she decided with a deep breath. He already knew about her feelings. They had already talked about them, already agreed to stay friends.

“So,” Kona said, and with a gentle motion, removed her hand from Zuko’s grip. She was silently thankful that the water had boiled beside her, so she could start serving the tea.

Space was best, Kona repeated to herself.

“The Blue Spirit…”

Kona had been so distracted in the North Pole, at realizing that Zuko was alive, that she had almost missed Admiral Zhao’s accusations. She thought it was a wild accusation at first, but then everything started showing up at camp. In her anger, she had followed him one night, and saw that familiar blue mask.

Kona laughed behind her hand, actually laughed. She couldn’t remember the last time she had done that.

It was Zuko’s turn to flush, frowning in embarrassment. Though she could tell by the look in he wasn’t upset. His eyes were bright. “It just happened, Kona! It was the only option, and I had to stick with it.”

Kona sighed dramatically and poured his tea, handing it to him. “That’s a real shame, Zuko. Kai was always my favorite hero in Love Amongst the Dragons. He was so brave and mysterious behind his mask.”

Zuko huffed behind his teacup. “You’re so lame. You know that play is the worst!”

She giggled.

He may say that now, but she knew that he always watched with rapt attention as Kai fought the Red Spirit in his love, Lien’s honor. It was the epic climax of the play; Kai did everything he could to win back her love, not realizing he never lost it. Then Lien defeated the Red Spirit herself, becoming equal to her Blue Spirit.

“There’s nothing wrong with a cliche romance, Zuko. Besides, your mother loved it as much as I did, so you can’t argue with me!”

Zuko huffed again, but the amusement this time was clear. “Yeah, that’s true.”

They sat in their amusement for a few moments, enjoying the lack of tension, the easy banter. They were even laughing. Kona grinned to herself, sipping her tea. When had this become so rare? Something to be nostalgic about?

“Hey, Zuko?” He looked at her, face soft, question in his eyes. “If we get the chance to see it again, can we? I promise I won’t make fun of you anymore if we do.”

“Sure, Kona,” he agreed with no hesitation, a smile curling one corner of his lips.

Kona couldn’t help the little excited wiggle she did, humming happily to herself.

“... imagine if your mother knew you were imitating the Blue Spirit.”

He didn’t even try to hide his laugh.

The rest of the day passed quickly with the light air between them. Zuko accompanied her on her hunting trip. She was able to catch two squirrel-mice, which made for a large dinner by the current metrics, especially since Iroh wasn’t there to split with. Zuko even gave her a few spices to marinate her food with—gifts from the family he had stayed with the last couple of days.

He told her all about Lee, and Kona tried not to kick up a fuss about the coincidence in his name. Zuko told her how he had covered for the kid after he had thrown an egg at an Earth Kingdom soldier, and how Lee had offered to let him stay with him in return for Zuko’s kindness. She laughed when he told her how pushy the kid was, how he asked every question under the sun, then had the audacity to steal his broadswords while he was sleeping.

In typical Zuko fashion, though, he had helped the boy when he found him. Trying his best to coach him in better techniques, to protect himself. It didn’t end on a cheerful note, though.

Zuko told her that the family was told that Lee’s older brother, a soldier, had been captured in the war, so Lee’s father went to find him. Lee had begged him to stay, but Zuko knew he couldn’t, so he left behind his pearl dagger, so he had a means of protection.

Kona knew the dagger well. It was her first dagger as well. It was a gift from Iroh to Zuko during the siege of Ba Sing Se. Zuko had thought it was so cool. That pearl dagger inspired his love of broadswords.

Kona and he had practiced dagger forms for hours, and not even Azula had sullied his mood on those days.

“Never give up without a fight” was engraved proudly on the blade, and Zuko lived by it. He always had.

Lee had pulled the knife on the soldiers when they tried to return to his home for food. Lee’s mother begged Zuko to help, and Zuko compiled, feeling guilty for giving him the dagger in the first place. He fought the soldier to protect Lee, and he did his best to only use his broadswords to avoid detection. The soldiers forced his hands, and he had to firebend to protect himself and Lee.

He had given his title to the soldiers to scare them into submission, to keep them from harming the villagers ever again.

The villagers turned on him.

Lee denounced him, and Zuko left. 

Kona watched Zuko pull out that pearl dagger and eye it sadly, but willed herself to stay quiet. Zuko admitted that the main reason he left in the first place wasn’t so he would do whatever he wanted. He left so he wouldn’t disappoint Iroh or her anymore.

He wanted to be a better person. He wanted to be relied upon.

Kona wondered if Zuko understood that by admitting that he had already grown so much.

Kona was so proud of him, and she told him that. He said nothing to her for a moment, before he sent her a ghost of a smile and told her he lost the ostrich horse soon after, so she shouldn’t be too proud of him yet.

She could only shake her head.

The evening turned to night, and beneath the stars, the two teens lay back to back, voices quiet as they talked about everything and nothing. They eventually slipped into peaceful slumbers, knowing that no matter what may stalk the night, they had someone they trusted unconditionally watching their backs.

Chapter Text

Iroh returned at midday the following day.

Kona couldn’t tell if it was coincidental that Zuko had happened to just leave to scout a better location for camp, when the light-footed Avatar called out to her in greeting and bended the unconscious figure of Iroh onto her sleeping mat. Katara smiled from beside him, though Kona noticed her frequent looks over her shoulder. Intentional then.

Behind them, Appa grumbled where he rested. She wasn’t able to see Sokka or Toph from her position, but she was sure they were there. They would be fools not to in an “enemy” camp.

Kona allowed herself then to look at Iroh’s unconscious form. She dropped to her knees by his side, drinking in the sight of him. Katara had wrapped the entirety of his left shoulder and most of his torso. The bandages disappeared under the remains of his green robe.

He would need a new one if he wanted to be protected from the scorching sun they had been walking with in the days before his injury.

Katara crouched across from her, drawing Kona’s attention.

“He should be perfectly fine now, save for some sore muscles. I believe I prevented any possible scarring as well,” Katara said. “He should wake soon, in maybe a few hours at most.”

There were bags under her eyes, Kona noted, and the familiar stab of guilt that occurred around Katara surfaced once more. She buried it down. She would be different now, at least.

“Thank you, Katara,” Kona said, her voice barely a whisper, as she finally let herself breathe a sigh of relief. She smoothed Iroh’s grayed hair; she couldn’t help herself. His face had more color than when they had parted, but the deep wrinkles his injuries had forced her to notice remained.

She didn’t think she would ever unsee them.

She looked up at the chipper Avatar, in his yellow and orange robes, who stood by Katara’s side. It surprised her to see him completely relaxed in her presence in this camp. He really should be more careful.

“I thank you as well, Avatar Aang.” Kona bowed. 

She watched red spill into Aang’s cheeks, and Katara laughed openly at his blush. She dusted off her blue robes and returned to his side, knocking into him with her elbow playfully.

It was nice to see them so carefree.

“We couldn’t leave him hurt,” Aang said with a smile.

It occurred to her then that this was the first time she’d been able to hold an actual conversation with the Avatar. She had dealings with Sokka, Katara, and even Toph, but the only time she had really interacted with Aang was that very first meeting on their ship in the South Pole.

She looked into his wide gray eyes, and the kindness within them was clear for all to see. There was a small smile on his lips, and it looked like it belonged there. She blinked, and it was almost like a young Zuko was standing before her.

Protectiveness welled within Kona, causing her to shake her head with a sharp sigh. She rose to her feet and moved around Iroh. She approached them, closer than she ever had (save for fighting), and she narrowed her eyes when their postures stayed relaxed.

“You two understand we chased you for months, right?”

Aang tilted his head in confusion, but Katara merely cocked an eyebrow.

Kona rolled her eyes.

“We nearly captured you some of those times, Aang! Why would you trust us, let alone heal us, Katara? Sokka was the only one that was even remotely cautious!” The scolding words cascaded out of her mouth faster than she was able to stop them. “You two need to be more careful and look after yourselves. You don’t always have to help everyone! Keep yourselves safe first and foremost!”

Aang and Katara shared a glance for a tense moment before Aang released a giggle that made Katara smile and shake her head.

Kona narrowed her eyes. She was worried about them, complete strangers, and they laughed at her .

“Sokka was right,” Aang said through his laugh.

It was Kona’s turn to blink stupidly at them.

Katara snickered. “He said you were too good of a person to leave anyone behind, even if they aren’t good for you. He said that’s why you stay with Zuko,” Katara said, and Kona thought something like warm understanding crossed her face. “Aang’s laughing cause you’re giving us advice that you could use yourself.”

Kona blinked again, letting the words register.

Sokka said that about her. The boy she had at most a handful of conversations with. And now Aang and Katara agreed? Just like that? After everything? As if she didn’t just tell them to be less trusting. She wanted to scold them, but a warm feeling was burning in her chest.

“Well, I,” Kona said before pausing and collecting herself. “Thank you, but you’re not entirely correct. My advice doesn’t apply to me because Zuko wouldn’t hurt me.”

Katara raised an eyebrow at her—in disbelief, Kona assumed.

Kona sighed, rubbing her forehead. She wouldn’t be able to tell them the most compelling argument, his abuse by his father. That wasn’t her story to tell.

“Katara, we’ve known each other since we were little. We were friends before he became Prince Zuko.”

“He wasn’t always the prince?” Aang asked, and Kona remembered then just how well the Fire Nation guarded the secrets of the palace. Not even the nobles that were present during Zuko’s Agni Kai ever spoke a word against the rumors of his “training accident.” The royal family’s secrets don’t escape if they aren’t meant to.

“No,” Kona said, and jerked her head in Iroh’s direction. “He was supposed to be the next Fire Lord, and his son, the prince.”

“Your brother?” Katara asked.

“In all but blood.” The paper beneath her chest wrappings felt heavy. “Lu Ten was his name.”

She knew they noticed her use of past tense, and she was grateful when the most she received was a sympathetic smile from them.

“Anyway, Zuko was part of the royal family, but it was only his father’s ambitions that made him prince. Before then, his mother did her best to keep him grounded and kind. When I say he won’t hurt me, it’s because I know, not because I’m being manipulated.”

She could tell they didn’t believe her, but she didn’t push. It’s not like Zuko had shown that side to them. They had no reason to believe her.

“I appreciate Sokka thinking the best of me, but I’m not some mindless follower. I choose to be with Zuko because he is my friend, and,” Kona hesitated, biting her lip. “Despite all he’s done, I believe he has the ability to do good for the world. And maybe someday, he could even help you bring peace as Fire Lord.”

She could almost imagine it. She knew Zuko would be gruff with Aang, put off by his exuberance and innocence. The young Avatar would crush through his exterior just as easy as the young Kona had, though.

He would butt heads with Katara at first, just like Kona did. She had time to think over her initial reaction to Katara, and she was sure it was because of how similar she was to Azula. Katara was stubborn, talented, and always had to be right. But now Kona could see that’s where the similarities ended. There was an unflinching kindness in her eyes, just as apparent as her strength.

Zuko would gravitate towards that, eventually.

Sokka might be a problem, she decided. It was unclear to her how she had gained his trust in the first place. To her, he was kind, but guarded. She wasn’t sure how two guarded people would interact, but she knew that if the barriers came down, they would be inseparable.

Toph would be the easiest. Kona could already imagine her bullying Zuko because of how cute funny his reactions were. They would connect over their similarities—their need to be independent and strong. Toph and Zuko would be great friends.

Kona suddenly shook her head, forcing her daydream away.  

“Maybe someday,” Aang finally said, though she knew he didn’t quite mean it. It was good enough for her.

Iroh grunted from behind her, and she was by his side in a flash. With a small smile, she bid goodbye to Aang and Katara, who waved and made their way up onto their flying bison. Appa took off with a deep rumble, leaving Kona alone, sitting dutifully at Master Iroh’s side, waiting for Zuko to return.

~

Iroh shifted with a groan, and Kona and Zuko immediately shot up from their spots on the log bench. The man grunted, forcing himself up into a seated position. Kona hurried to his side while Zuko grabbed Kona’s emptied tin cup and poured a fresh cup of steaming tea.

“Careful, Master Iroh,” Kona cautioned, bracing him as best she could as she guided him up. He patted her knee in reassurance and slowed his movements.

“Uncle, you were unconscious,” Zuko said. “Azula did this to you. It was a surprise attack.” Zuko kneeled on Iroh’s other side, steaming tea held out in invitation.

“Somehow, that’s not so surprising.” His deep voice sent a wave of relief through Kona. He raised his arm to grab the tea Zuko was offering, wincing when he shifted his injured shoulder too much.

“I hope I made it the way you like it.”

“He insisted on making it this time,” Kona added, making him send her a glare, but his flushed cheeks gave himself away.

Iroh sipped the tea and Kona watched him go from surprise to disgust to a fake calm in under a second. He even bit back a sound. Kona was highly impressed, considering it took her a while to force down her whole cup, and Iroh had taken a large sip.

He must be fine if he could get that down.

“Good. It’s very, uh, bracing,” Iroh said, clearing his throat.

Zuko smiled, and turned to grab his own cup, giving Iroh enough time to toss the remaining liquid over his shoulder.

She wished she would have thought to do that.

They sat in silence for a moment, and Kona knew Zuko was watching as Iroh took every fake sip, making sure he had actually recovered.

“So, uncle, I’ve been thinking,” Zuko said, voice uncertain. “It’s only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I’m going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her.”

Iroh didn’t respond at first, making Zuko immediately tack on, “I know what you’re going to say: she’s my sister and I should be trying to get along with her.”

Iroh shook his head. “No, she’s crazy, and she needs to go down.”

Kona frowned, but neither of the two noticed.

Azula wasn’t crazy.

Azula was cool, collected, and calculating. She always needed to be on top, and she stepped on whoever she needed to get there. She was ambitious to a fault, but that didn’t make her crazy. To call her that discredited what she had gone through, what they had all gone through in that palace. 

Ignorant of her thoughts, Iroh tried to stand, and Kona rushed to assist him. He gave her another gentle pat on the hand on his shoulder before turning back to Zuko.

“It’s time to resume your training.” He turned back to Kona. “You as well.”

“If we are going to train, we need to move off the main path,” Kona said, turning to Zuko, knowing what he had spent his afternoon doing.

“I found somewhere that should work. There’s an old cabin nearby, just up that mountain.” Zuko pointed. “We shouldn’t be disturbed there.”

Indeed, the cabin was not too far.

It sat over a towering cliff-side. Its wooden base was tinged green with age and parts of the wooden frame crumbled away when touched, but it was more shelter than they’d had since their evening with Song and Ume. And, more importantly, it was well off the beaten path, high in the mountains. No one would stumble upon them accidentally.

They would be safe to firebend here.

“Warm up,” Iroh commanded, while he began setting up a small fire for tea. Kona idly wondered if his tea drinking habits were more like an addiction, but didn’t argue.

She knew she would appreciate the liquid soon.

Kona untied her sash and shrugged off her vest, folding it and placing it beside her master. She tied back her bangs with the sash and rolled her neck to loosen up a bit before beginning with her stretches.

Her flexibility had decreased drastically. She wasn’t sure if it was her lack of practicing or her smaller food portions, but clear that she had been slacking. She would be sore tomorrow.

When they were done with stretching, Iroh looked up from his ministrations, analyzing their forms. Neither was panting, a miracle given the heat, but Kona could feel her slightly elevated heart rate and the thin layer of perspiration on her forehead. She hoped it was just from the beating sun.

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Iroh asked her.

Agni, she was stupid. How could she forget that? Of course, he would notice the bandages.

“It’s nothing. I had a slight accident, but I have full movement.”

Kona wiggled her fingers at Iroh before flexing her hand open and closed a few times. It stung, but only slightly.

Zuko glared at her. She glared back.

Did he want Iroh to be mad at him? Iroh was unforgiving when it came to control, and he would see it as Zuko’s error rather than hers.

Iroh nodded, believing her.

“We’re beginning with a spar. I need to see where you are with your training. Take your positions,” Iroh said, and the two complied, stepping away from the man into the open space. They stood a dozen or so paces away from each other, hands raised in preparation.

Kona couldn’t contain the excited flutter in her chest. They hadn’t sparred since they were on Zuko’s ship. Her lip twitched accidentally, and it surprised her to see Zuko smirk in response. He narrowed his eyes, but Kona knew it was playful. He lowered his hips further, grounding himself better.

He was just as excited as she was.

Kona winked at him with the eye Iroh was blocked from seeing and mirrored him, slightly shifting the placement of her foot to lower her center of gravity.

“Zuko, you will use your bending, so Kona, you must not hold back. Use all the tools at your disposal,” Iroh’s voice said, but neither looked at him, eyes focused firmly on each other. “Begin.”

There was a pause, a moment where the two simply eyed each other unflinchingly. Then suddenly, Zuko punched forward, beginning the duel with an intense flame. Kona side stepped, keeping her eyes squarely on him, easily bobbing and weaving back and forth, twirling out of the way of his bending as he continued to punch relentlessly.

This was how most of their duels started. It was like clockwork after all these years.

Zuko was the aggressor, and Kona was the defender. He was quick, unpredictable, and cunning, and she was quicker, malleable, and adaptive. It was a matter of who tired first when he used his bending. It went back and forth, but if there was one thing they had in common, it was their competitiveness.

Zuko knew this as well; he knew her play was always to get him tired, and that was why he had to be unpredictable.

Abruptly, he replaced his punch attack with a sweeping kick of flame. The fire flew out from him like a wave, drifting quickly over the sandy ground. Kona, who was mid twirl, had no choice but to dive forward towards him to avoid his bending. She somersaulted, landing in a crouch only feet from him. Dangerously close when fighting a bander.

“Nice trick. Wonder who taught you that,” Kona said with a grunt, but her amusement was clear on her face. She shot forward, aiming a punch at his gut, which he deflected off his arm with ease. 

“Some girl who never leaves me alone,” he replied, slicing down at her head with a fan of flames. She caught his wrist, moving closer into his space to avoid the flames. She tried to grapple his arm, but he shook himself free, sending an elbow towards her side.

If he wanted to fight hand to hand, she would happily comply.

Kona found her groove. She excelled with hand to hand, one-on-one combat. She fought like she was dancing, twirling, deflecting in sweeping motions. The moves were so practiced that, to a bystander, they would seem choreographed.

But this sort of dance with a bender was dangerous, she knew that. His flames were radiant and hot, and she knew if she wasn’t careful, she could get hurt, even if they were sparring.

She twisted around him, trying to trip up his feet as she ducked and turned, jabbing quick, practiced punches across his body.

His eyes widened, and he threw out an arm to bend, to force her away with his heat, but it was too late. No flame came.

“You little—” he said with a growl, turning to glare at her smaller form. She raised her fists in defense, preparing for their hand to hand combat, cheeky grin pulling at her lips.

Chi-blocking wasn’t her favorite method. It had its uses, but she did her best to avoid it. It was like cheating to her—like she couldn’t win on equal footing but Iroh did say to use all tools at her disposal.

“Oops?” she said, her voice cocky. She knew her smirk was probably downright evil.

His eyes narrowed, and before she could even blink, he lunged. Instead of attacking, he simply wrapped his arms around her midsection, tackling her to the ground. The air left her instantly, leaving her wheezing.

“If you’re not fighting fair, neither am I,” he declared, using his weight to pin her down.

And normally, this is where the sparring would end, but Kona was enjoying it way too much.

The flexing of her muscles, the rapid beating of her heart. Everything about it reminded her of how she missed sparring with Zuko.

So she wiggled, using her slight frame and her harsh joints to offer as much help as she needed to get the upper hand, and soon they had devolved to wrestling in the dirt like children. They laughed breathlessly, never letting the other claim victory, until finally Iroh called for them to stop.

They paused, blinking at Iroh as they panted. He shook his head, but he couldn’t hide the amused glint in his eyes. “This was supposed to be a warmup,” he said. “An assessment.”

Kona and Zuko looked at each other, wrapped up in each other, neither of them having completely pinned the other, then back at Iroh. 

“Uh, apologies, Master—” The high-pitched squeak that left her mouth cut off her apology. She flinched away from the fingers that had prodded her rib cage.

She glared at Zuko, who was looking away innocently.

“You’re going to eat dirt.”

She reached for his face, pushing it towards the ground as he tried to resist. His amusement was clear even as he tried to wiggle away from her.

A wrinkled hand entered her vision, and she stopped. She followed the hand up, seeing her master’s stern face. Kona just barely held back the pout as she grasped it, allowing him to pull her up from their pile of limbs.

“Your hand to hand remains excellent, my dear.” All amusement fell off her face at his report, replaced by the role she had been in most of her life—his ever-studious protegee. “Your decision to use chi-blocking was excellent, and if it was an opponent who did not know of it, you would have won soundly. Watch your right ankle. You are heavily favoring your left after your injury. For today, you will focus on strength training.”

Kona bowed. “Yes, Master Iroh.”

“100 low-high kicks on each side. If your ankle gets too sore, stop, don’t re-injure it. Rebuild your trust in your body.”

Kona nodded. She looked down at the still sitting prince, offering him a hand, which he gratefully took. She pulled him to his feet easily, and he towered over her from his standing position. He looked at her with something she couldn’t name on his face.

She jabbed at his side, making him flinch away with a wheeze.

It’s what he deserved for tickling her, she thought with a smirk.

She walked away and began her exercises, leaving Iroh to assess Zuko.

“Have you noticed anything about your bending when you spar with Kona?” She heard Iroh ask Zuko, as she lifted her right leg high in the air, shifting her weight to keep her balance.

She took a deep breath before beginning her exercise, shifting her weight as she alternated between her high and low kicks, focusing on the feeling of her ankles rotation. The feeling was obvious now; the weakness there, from her week of recovery and subsequent favoring of her left leg in the weeks that followed.

She focused on Zuko to help her center herself and keep her balance as she continued.

“In these sparring sessions, you forget your anger, Zuko,” Iroh said. “You are focused on your competition, your breath. You center yourself to concentrate. Your bending is at its hottest, at its most controlled. Can you feel the difference?”

“I feel it.” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck. He was still flushed from their sparring, and she noticed his eyes dart to hers before returning to his uncle.

Kona took a moment to thank the blinding sun, the dry heat, and her endless kicking for masking the red twinge that would have bloomed on her face at his attention.

Iroh paused, seeming to weigh something in his mind. “Lightning is a pure form of firebending, without aggression,” Iroh said, and they both listened with sharp attention, though for Kona it was to help distract from the fatigue gathering in her legs and back. “It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way that firebending is. Some call lighting the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique, you require peace of mind.”

“There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang–positive and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This separation creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in a moment, the positive and negative energy come crashing back together. You provide release and guidance, creating lightning.”

Iroh stepped forward towards the edge of the cliff. He took a deep breath, and folded his hands, pointing outwards with only his index and middle fingers. He began waving his hands through the air in a slow, precise pattern, as if he was slicing through the air itself. Kona’s eyes widened as brilliant energy crackled around him before he launched forward, pointing out with his right hand and guiding his lightning into the sky.

It was brilliant and terrifying, but mostly brilliant.

“I’m ready to try it!” Zuko said, his voice eager.

“You will have to wait until your bending returns,” Iroh said with a look towards Kona, who cringed, and mouthed an apology towards Zuko. “Until then, join me for a cup of tea.”

“I see. The tea is to help calm me down.”

“… oh yeah.” 

Kona couldn’t help the giggle that escaped from her panting lips, focusing back on her movements.

By the time Kona was done with her exercises, Zuko’s bending had returned. From her spot by the fire, stretching her legs, she watched Iroh and Zuko approach the cliff-side once more.

“Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first.”

Zuko stepped forward, taking a deep breath. He folded his hands, imitating Iroh's precise movements, cutting through the air with a slow elegance, and for a moment, Kona thought she could sense the same energy sparking.

Then he threw a hand forward and there was an explosion of smoke and he was thrown backward off his feet. He groaned from his position on the ground, and Kona could only wince.

He tried a few more times, each time worse than the last, and Kona’s heart broke for him with each passing attempt. His frustration made the bending get further and further away. Eventually, the failures became too much for him, and he threw his hands up in anger. 

“Why can’t I do it?” He yelled. “Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face… like everything always does!”

Iroh sighed, approaching him slowly. “I was afraid this may be the case. I thought your sparring with Kona would be enough, but it appears that you will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you.”

“What turmoil?” Zuko asked through gritted teeth.

“Zuko,” Iroh said, his voice gentle. “You must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away.”

“But I don’t feel any shame at all! I’m as proud as ever.”

“Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.”

“Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately,” Zuko said in grumble and looked away from Iroh.

Iroh thought for a moment before he snapped his fingers. “I have another idea! I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn’t know.” Iroh leaned closer to Zuko and said conspiratorially, “Because I made it up myself.”

Even across the clearing, Kona could see Zuko smile.

“Kona, come here… and bring a stick.”

She complied, rushing over to Iroh’s side, handing over the small branch, doing her best to avoid her own fatigue.

He bent over and the teens watched as he drew the firebending symbol in the sand below. Kona immediately knew where this was going, having heard the spiel before.

“Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will and the energy to drive and achieve what they want.”

He drew the earthbending symbol next. “The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring.”

Next, he drew the airbending symbol. “Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom.”

Finally, he drew the waterbending symbol.. “The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything.”

“Why are you telling me these things?” Zuko asked.

“It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.” Kona watched as he drew two lines to separate the four symbols, then he circled them within. “Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations is what helps you become whole.”

“All this “four elements” talk sounds like Avatar stuff.” His furrowed brow showed the depth of his confusion, and Kona remembered the first time she had heard this. The first time she had asked Iroh why she was learning bending forms from every element, even when she was a non-bender.

His reply now is the same as it had been then.

“It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it can make you more powerful, too.” He looked between the two teens and smiled wickedly. “You see, the technique I’m about to teach Zuko is one I learned by studying the waterbenders.”

“Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy,” Iroh said in explanation. “A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents’ energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning.”

Lightning redirection?

Kona and Zuko looked at each other, eyes wide, before he turned back to his uncle. “You can teach me how to redirect lightning?”

Iroh nodded. “If you let the energy in your body flow, the lightning will follow it.”

He pointed with his index and middle finger once more while raising his other arm up and outward and demonstrating as he continued.

“You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like a vast ocean.” He laughed a bit, but Kona knew he was giving Zuko the chance to absorb the new information before he continued.

“From the stomach, you direct it up again, and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion, to get a feel for the pathways’ flow. Copy me.”

Kona watched Zuko and Iroh mirror each other, dragging their pointed fingers from their far wrists, down their arm, down to their stomachs, before throwing away their pointing hand, as if casting the invisible lightning from their body. 

“Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?”

“I think so.”

“Come on, you have to feel the flow,” Iroh said, encouraging Zuko with a silly wiggle before modeling the form once more. They repeated it with both hands a few times. “Excellent! You got it!”

“Great,” Zuko said, grinning openly, making Kona’s stomach flip. “I’m ready to try with real lightning!”

Kona’s jaw dropped.

“Zuko!” she scolded.

“Are you crazy?” Iroh asked, showing his agreement. “Lighting is very dangerous.”

“I thought that was the entire point!” Zuko argued, throwing up his hands. “You teaching me to protect myself from it?”

“Yes, but I’m not going to shoot lightning at you! If you’re lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all!” 

Zuko huffed, turning his back to them both and stomping away. “Well, if you won’t help me, I’ll find my own lightning.”

Kona followed his direction with her eyes, seeing the approaching storm clouds in the distance. She considered following, but in the end, she only shook her head, and turned her back to him, looking back down at the drawings at their feet.

“Kona, dear–”

“I’m not following him,” Kona interrupted, looking back up at him. Seeing the worry in his eyes, she looked back at Zuko’s retreating back and explained to Iroh. “I’m not angry, Master Iroh. This is just something he needs to do on his own. He’s being stupid, but we’ll be here to help him when he returns.”

“When did you get to be so mature?” The old man teared up, and Kona breathed out a laugh at his dramatics.

“I grew up around you two. Someone had to be,” Kona teased, albeit a bit more hesitant than him, but when a wide grin crossed the old man’s face, she knew she did the right thing.

Slowly, Iroh’s grin vanished, and he sighed.

“There is not much more for me to teach you, my dear, but I want you to learn one thing.”

She watched him expectantly. 

“Lightning is even more dangerous to you as a non-bender. You will not have the natural resistances that a firebender would have, but I want you to be prepared. Lightning flows in the path of least resistance. That is how lightning benders can guide it. As a non-bender, you can still use this knowledge to your advantage.”

He leaned forward and tapped her chest above where her heart sat beating in her chest.

“Your best bet is to protect this. I am uncertain if it will work, but if you are able fighting a lightning bender and Zuko or I are not there to help, you need to force it away from your heart.”

“How?”

“Plant your right foot and extend your left leg towards it. Let it in through your feet, so it may take its natural course to the ground through your legs, avoiding your torso completely. You need to go against your instincts and embrace the lightning in a way that offers you time to get help.” Iroh reached down and grabbed her right hand.

“If you do not have time, to move your feet, reach out towards the lightning with this hand, the hand furthest from your heart, and lift your other as high as you can without touching your head with it. It will force the lightning down your body and hopefully avoid your heart.”

Kona couldn’t resist the shiver that came over her body. Just thinking of being shot by lightning terrified her. Iroh was not only a practiced firebending master, the Dragon of the West , but he was also just larger than her. He stood a few inches taller than her, and he had much more meat on his bones, even in their poverty. If lightning had required his immediate healing from a waterbender, she was probably just doomed.

The dark clouds pushed closer from the direction that Zuko had disappeared in. Despite her worry, she was glad that he had a way to defend himself from Azula—a way in which he could finally stand as her equal.

Kona stayed up late into the night.

Iroh tried, but she had finally convinced him to sleep to help recover from his injury. She sat in that musky cabin, eyeing the dripping roof warily and praying to Agni that it wouldn’t cave in from the storm. Thunder rattled outside, shaking the foundations of the cabin, and Kona couldn’t help but cringe.

As the hours ticked on, she began to worry about her decision to let Zuko work out his feelings on his own. Her hands were raw from ringing them in her hands, and her lower lip ached from where she had absentmindedly picked at the chapped skin with her teeth. 

Then, finally, the door creaked and, in a flash of lightning, she took in the waterlogged form of Zuko. His clothes clung to his skin, his boots sloshed with each step, and his bowed head dripped puddles of water onto the worn wooden floors. 

Without a word, Kona approached him, announcing her presence with each creak of the floorboards below her feet. She stopped before him, and not allowing herself time to overthink it, she gently draped the fabric she was holding over his wet head.

She massaged the water from his cropped hair meticulously, taking care to avoid his ears. When she was finally satisfied, she removed the towel and inspected it. She folded the towel, keeping the dried fabric towards her, and when Zuko finally, finally, lifted his head to meet her gaze, she delicately placed the cloth over his scarred cheek.

She patted his dripping face dry. Her ministrations were as meticulous and gentle as her drying of his hair, and if she had to wipe repeatedly beneath his eyes, she didn’t comment.

She just quietly wiped his tears away. 

Chapter Text

With Zuko back in their group, there was very little purpose to their wanderings. At first, they just tried to stay near water while they avoided seeing their own wanted posters on the message boards of any town they visited. That was when it was easy. Then, of course, danger found them; it always did.

They had only been reunited a few days when the Rough Rhinos, a mercenary group Iroh knew from his glory days—made of old friends, he claimed—attacked them and tried to capture them. They failed, of course.

As legendary as Iroh claimed the troop was, they were no match for the Dragon of the West and his two protegees. Unfortunately, they spoke of a much greater threat.

It was clear they were no longer just being exiled by the nation they once called their home. They were all being hunted.

Together, they decided that wandering from place to place did nothing to protect them. They had no defenses and no allies. It wasn’t sustainable.

It was Iroh that offered the solution.

Even more cryptically than usual, Iroh had led them to a small oasis in the desert. This wasn’t the odd part. It was off when he had played a single game of Pai Sho with a stranger, followed this stranger into a flower shop, and then somehow emerged with fake passports for the three of them within the hour.

It took too long for Kona to put together that this was one of Iroh’s ‘friends from other nations’ that he had told her about.

Of course, this did not mean their life was easier. Before they could leave town, two bounty hunters had spotted them, so they had to be clever. For no money or exchange of goods, Iroh’s ‘friend’ had shoved them into flower pots and smuggled them out of the oasis.

The hours that dragged on were excruciatingly cramped and warm, but eventually their flower pots were unloaded at a small port. It was there that Iroh had finally shared his grand plan while whisking them away onto the ferry that was threatening to leave any moment.

Kona grabbed her stomach as it lurched, threatening to expel her breakfast. Squeezing her eyes shut, she gripped the rail in front of her for balance. It was always boats. Why was it always boats? She inhaled deeply, fighting back the nausea.

She felt a hand rest on her booted foot in comfort, but she couldn’t open her eyes. Looking wasn’t worth the risk of seeing the waves below.

“It won’t be too long, my dear,” Iroh’s voice sounded from her right. “It is the safest way into the city—our best bet.”

The city. The great Ba Sing Se.

It was her heart that lurched this time. She never thought she would step foot in the impenetrable city, not after Lu Ten’s passing. Lu Ten had loved the city, despite his efforts against it in the war. Beautiful, he had called it, before it killed him.

Kona groaned, resting her clammy forehead against the rail.

“And who would have thought?” Iroh asked with what sounded like a grin. “After all these years, I’m returning to the scene of my greatest military disgrace as a tourist!”

She swallowed past the lump in her throat and forced her eyes open to look at her feet.

Ah, so it was Zuko’s hand, after all.

She followed the hand up to the boy sitting close beside her, back braced against the railing. Constantly vigilant, staring at the surrounding people.

“Look around, uncle,” Zuko said with a grumble, sniffing at the bowl of broth in his hand, “We’re not tourists, we’re refugees!” He hesitantly brought the rim of the bowl to his lips and gave it a sip. His face turned green as he began sputtering and spitting it out. “I’m sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I’m tired of living like this.”

Kona shuffled towards him, pressing the weight of her leg against his side in what she hoped felt like a comforting gesture. The hand on her boot squeezed in response. It would do for now.

“Aren’t we all?”

Kona forced herself to stand, to turn, eyeing the approaching company. The person who spoke was tall, his hair dark and untamed. He wore light armor with hook swords buckled to his waist, a stark contrast to the sea of people, including her own group, who wore nothing but tattered robes. A blade of wheat grass stuck out from his lips.

Behind him stood two more armored individuals, the shorter one had frizzy hair and face paint, the other wore a bamboo hat and a quiver of arrows on their back. Kona couldn’t help but think they looked somewhat out of place among the cramped refugees. 

“My name’s Jet,” the boy in front said. “These are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot.”

“Hey,” Smellerbee said.

Longshot just nodded in greeting.

Zuko rose to his feet, but did not move any closer, staying close to Kona. Kona didn’t blame him for his hesitance. She didn’t like the fact that they were armored, or that they clearly didn’t give them their real names. 

“Hello,” he offered, while Kona gave a slight bow to her head in acknowledgement. When she felt the heat fill her face in response, she regretted the action. She inhaled shakily and exhaled out her mouth. She didn’t think her sea-sickness could get worse, but she couldn’t even try to hide it anymore.

This was torture. 

“Here’s the deal.” Jet came closer, resting his hand on his hip, seemingly at ease and confident despite conversing with strangers. Briefly, Kona wished she could do the same. “I hear the captain’s eating like a king while the refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?”

“What sort of king is he eating like?” Iroh asked from Kona’s other side.

“The fat, and happy kind,” he said to him and turned back to Zuko. “You want to help us liberate some food?”

The silence stretched for a moment. So long that she turned to Zuko. It surprised her to find him already looking at her. The question was in his eyes, directed at her. Her choice.

Taken aback, Kona could only give a slight nod. She didn’t know how she felt about him seeking permission from her. She wanted him to be his own person—to make his own choices and believe in them—but something about him seeking her opinion also made her chest fill with warmth.

Zuko stared for a moment longer before turning back to Jet. He tossed his bowl of rotten food over his shoulder and down into the water below. “I’m in.”

A smile curled at Jet’s lips.

“Excellent,” he said. “Longshot got his hands on the security schedule. It should be easy if we hurry and keep quiet. We shouldn’t have to fight, but if it happens, I need to know you’ll have my back.”

Catching the unanswered question, Zuko slightly turned, allowing Jet to see the sheathed broadswords that were strapped to his back. Jet’s eyebrow raised, but he continued, “We have a change of clothes for you, if you need it. We’ll meet up at sundown. Get some rest.”

With a quick nod, Jet and his companions disappeared into the sea of refugees.

“Freedom Fighters,” Iroh mused. “When I was young, all I cared about was pretty women and traveling. Your generation is so proactive.”

Kona bit back a snarky comment about just why their generation had to fight at all, and instead said to Zuko, “What you’re doing is noble. Just watch your back. If you get caught, we won’t be able to make it into the city.”

Zuko nodded, but she watched the coy smirk twist his lips. “It almost sounds like you’re worried about me.”

“Worried isn’t the right word,” Kona said, and she meant it. “I know you can take care of yourself. I just wish I could help.”

Blasted boats. Who decided the sea was one of the best ways to travel, anyway?

Zuko knocked on her forehead, making her nearly go cross-eyed for a moment as she tried to register his movement. She wasn’t sure if it was to get her attention or tease her, but it made his smirk slip into a smile, so she didn’t mind too much.

“Jet said it himself: ‘an easy in-and-out.’ Just focus on not getting sick all over the deck,” he said finally.

His words weren’t teasing, but still Kona rolled her eyes. “Charming.”

Zuko laughed but didn’t otherwise respond. He slid down the wall behind him, returning to his seat next to Kona.

Kona turned back to the water, watching the horizon. The horizon that would reveal the great wall of Ba Sing Se in less than a day’s time. She was sure that they would be able to see it hours before they docked, slowly growing in size until they made landfall. She imagined its grand height, so tall it was like it touched the sky.

Her stomach twisted again.

It wasn’t nausea.

She couldn’t think about this right now.

“I know I look rough right now, but I am a little offended that Jet didn’t ask for my help.” The pout in her voice, her obvious emotion, should have embarrassed her, but despite her churning stomach, she found herself calm in that moment, content.

It was strange to talk freely. She wondered if she would ever grow used to it.

“You look perfectly fine.” She could practically hear Zuko’s eyes rolling, followed by the sound of him knocking his head back against the wall that propped him up. “Besides, if they try to set me up, they won’t expect you to take them all out in a blink of an eye.”

Her cheeks filled with warmth, but she gave no response other than shifting her weight, so her left leg leaned against his shoulder once more. She bit back a smile when she felt him lean into the gesture and stay there.

“Being underestimated is a warrior’s greatest weapon,” Iroh agreed from her other side.

Kona blinked.

She had forgotten he was even there.

Zuko disappeared at sundown with a promise to be careful.

For once, he kept his word.

He returned barely an hour later with the Freedom Fighters and multiple sacks of food in tow.

Kona offered to help pass out the food, but Jet turned her down; instead, he told her to sit and eat with Smellerbee and Longshot. She didn’t even try to complain as the wafting smell of fresh food invaded her nostrils. Not even her nausea kept her from scarfing down the food before her.

It was no longer warm, but it was the tastiest food she’d had since that night with Song and Ume. Had it been over a month already?

“So, Smellerbee,” Iroh said, as they all sat around a warming tea kettle. “That’s an unusual name for a young man.”

Smellerbee’s eyes narrowed, and their lips pulled into a snarl. “Maybe that’s because I’m not a man! I’m a girl!” The girl rose from her seat with a huff and stomped off, Longshot trailing after her.

“Oh, now I see,” Iroh called after her. “It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl!”

Zuko side-eyed Kona, making her giggle. She tried to hide it behind her teacup, but by the smirk pulling at his lips, she knew she failed. 

“Have you tried the tea yet?” He asked her.

“Not yet. It’s still too hot.”

“They didn’t have mint tea, but they had chamomile. It’s supposed to help with nausea, too.”

Kona hoped that the dim light of the night disguised the flush in her cheeks. She mumbled a thank you, then took a small sip to hide her embarrassment. The warmth of the still too-hot tea filled her stomach, and she only hoped the other benefits would follow soon thereafter.

“From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can’t wait to set my eyes on that great wall.” Jet said from across the circle, drawing back Kona and Zuko’s attention.

“It is a magnificent sight.” Iroh’s tone was wistful, tugging at her heartstrings. It was so rare he talked about Ba Sing Se. It was why their sudden relocation confused her so.

“So you’ve been there before?” Jet asked Iroh, who paused in his feast, seemingly not even realizing that he had spoken his words aloud.

Iroh sighed. “Once. When I was a,” He paused, and his eyes wandered to something far off that she could not see. “When I was a different man.”

It hit Kona then. The guilt that rolled off her mentor in waves.

How she had never seen it, she didn’t know because it seemed to radiate as strongly as his power. She knew he was a sympathizer, like her. She knew he had friends in other nations, but she never stopped to ask herself when the change had occurred.

Iroh had never been cruel—he had taken in Kona, a sick, malnourished orphan, after all. But through the haze of time, she could see the difference now. She remembered his subdued temperament. He was restrained, calculated. He weighed every option, every outcome, always trying to come out on top. It reminded her of Azula.

His love for his family was strong, but emotion wasn’t something to be celebrated in the palace, so it was only behind closed doors that Kona remembered echoes of his deep belly laugh.

It was only after his trip that his laugh came easier, that his comforting hands ruffled her hair, that he let his love for his family show as brightly in public as it did in private.

Ba Sing Se had changed him.

Lu Ten’s death had changed him.

His trip to mourn—to become a dragon slayer had changed him. 

It was no wonder she hadn’t noticed the difference. Those events had changed her, too. She had been so focused on her own grief, her own hurt, that she missed the change that was right in front of her.

She missed the rest of Jet’s conversation.

She stewed in her own epiphany, torn between mortification and guilt. Behind the layers of grief, Kona remembered her anger most from those months that Iroh was away.

Iroh had left her there, alone, in an empty palace wing. Her only company in that wing were the ghosts that hung from every mantle. She remembered hating Iroh, cursing him and the childhood promise that he would never hurt her.

She had tried running away once, but Zuko had found her. He made her stay in his room until she was better, until she no longer wanted to run.

She didn’t stay in her room again until Iroh returned. She hadn’t even wanted to stay then.

She had stayed for Zuko.

Iroh had returned with a new wardrobe of pretty dresses and robes, but her anger had long faded by then. She had greeted him with a bow and a report on her progress in chi-blocking. He had ruffled her hair and told her he missed her.

She didn’t believe him.

She had used those lonely months to accept the fact that she had been avoiding for years.

She wasn’t his daughter, only a student—a protegee to pass on his legacy, a weapon to be sharpened and honed.

No matter what Lu Ten may have said.

Chapter Text

The sight of the wall was indescribable. She knew it was just rock; hardened sand and packed stone—undecorated, bland, lifeless. Still, she had to stop and she stare. She tilted back her head and she gazed into the sky until her eyes watered.

Before her was the wall Lu Ten had died for. It was maybe the last thing he ever saw.

It was the wall that Lu Ten had loved.

The bittersweet words swam in her mind, echoing louder with each moment.

‘Ba Sing Se is beautiful. I wish you could see the wall. It sounds boring, but it’s so tall it seems like it goes all the way up into the sky. If the wall is this beautiful, I’m sure the city is even grander.’

She struggled to swallow around the lump in her throat and couldn’t stop her hand from finding the place on her chest that she knew her most prized possession lay safe.

She had made it. Just like she had promised.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the hot sunlight lingering on her cheeks, the sand beneath her feet, the wind making her hair brush against her cheeks. She took it all in; the sound of the refugees brushing past her stilled form, the smell of the nearby tea cart, even the dry feeling of dehydration in her mouth.

A wrinkled hand grasped hers without warning, and her head snapped in that direction.

Iroh stared back at her, and her lips pulled into a shaky smile when she saw the same conflict within him. She squeezed his hand, anchoring herself to his comforting grip. Lu Ten wasn’t there, but her master was—Iroh was. 

He understood all too well.

She staggered as a gentle weight bumped her other side and forced to walk once more.

Kona was unsurprised to see Zuko close by, though he wasn’t looking at her. His arm brushed hers every couple of steps. Unthinking, she let her pinky reach out and link with his for only a moment before she pulled her hand away again.

She couldn’t look at him. Her ears warmed beneath her unkempt hair, but she couldn’t find it in herself to be ashamed. 

He had been just as free in his touches recently. It was clearly a boundary she could cross. A trust regrown.

“Ooh!” she heard Iroh exclaim from her right, and he dragged her to the small tea cart she had smelled on their entrance to the train platform. The woman behind the cart laughed at his quick approach.

“Jasmine, please!”

His hand left hers to reach out for the small cup. With a smile to the woman who served him, he brought the cup to his lips. Kona fought the grin that pulled at her lips when his face twisted. She followed him a few paces away, where he sputtered and spat the tea onto the sandy floor.

“‘Greatest Tea in Ba Sing Se’? Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it! What a disgrace!”

Kona couldn’t stop the snort that escaped her at his complaining.

Iroh turned to her, scandalized.

“The child I raised is laughing at cold tea!”

She laughed openly then, raising her hand to give him a comforting pat on his shoulder. With a gentle hand, she used the shoulder to lead him to an empty bench nearby.

“It’s a tragedy—truly. You’ll need time to recover before the train arrives.”

“Your sarcasm is more painful than the lukewarm tea could ever be.” Despite his dramatic words, mirth was clear in his eye as he settled onto the rickety bench.

Kona laughed again, but the familiar figure of Jet calling for Zuko pulled her attention.

She tracked their movement with her eyes. They were much too far to listen in on, but from the distance it didn’t seem to be anything too serious. It was nice that Zuko seemed to be making friends with people other than her.

A waft of sweet, herbal air brought her focus back to her companion, who was humming happily to himself as he sipped his now steaming tea. She hadn’t even noticed him firebend.

“Much better.” 

She rolled her eyes, but she knew her fondness was plain on her face.

She couldn’t stop her flinch when someone suddenly pushed into their space, slapping Iroh’s tea out of his hand. The liquid splashed across the sand, absorbing almost immediately.

Zuko’s face was a mask of anger as he glared at his uncle. “What are you doing firebending your tea? For a wise old man, that was pretty stupid!”

Kona’s good mood vanished in an instant. Her wide eyes roved the platform before catching on Jet standing where Zuko had left him. Even from his place across the way, she could feel his dark gaze, the weight of his glare. It surprised her she didn’t feel the same fear in Zuko that had warranted such a reaction.

Fire Nation defectors or not, firebenders or not, they are just as much refugees as anyone else. They wouldn’t showcase it or flaunt it, to keep from drawing attention to themselves, their bounty, but it wouldn’t be prejudice that kept them silent.

She glared back at Jet through the sea of refugees as Iroh whined over his spilt tea. She dared him to approach them, to start something. They locked eyes, but she didn’t yield. He wasn’t Ozai and he sure as hell wasn’t Azula. He was nothing to fear.

Her eyebrow cocked in challenge, and she watched his face twist in fury.

“Ouch!”

She rubbed at her stinging forehead. Zuko pulled his hand away from where he’d flicked her, but only to point at her face.

“Don’t antagonize him.” She pouted at Zuko’s scolding tone, but didn’t argue. “We’re supposed to be lying low.”

“No wonder you don’t have any other friends,” she said under her breath, nursing her head.

He pursed his lips, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by the telltale grinding sound of earthbending. She looked to the rails and found the stone train barreling their way.

Kona hadn’t been around so much earthbending in her life, and innovations it created never ceased to amaze her.

After the brief transition that was showing their tickets to the operators and trying to find an empty seat, the three finally had time to settle. They were on their last leg of their long journey to safety, so close to safety that Kona could almost taste it.

Kona expected the train ride to feel rough, just because the earthbenders stationed in the rear propelled the train car. She was wrong.

With a single lurch, the platform flew by her, and the train made its way down the rail. The nearby people and shrubbery became blurs as the cars approached the wall.

The wall was already massive from afar, but the closer they drew, the more her eyes widened. Its enormous frame seemed to grow infinitely as the train moved towards it. 

For a split second, Kona was afraid that they were going to collide, but the wall suddenly shifted, making a tunnel straight into the heart of Ba Sing Se. It was dark for a few moments, further proving the thickness, the impenetrability of the wall. Then light filled the space before them, and in a blink of the eye, they were there.

Blinking through the sudden brightness, Kona’s mouth dropped.

Before her was a sprawling countryside. Lush green farms sat in the shade of the walls. Their rail took them over roads and farms and ponds. It was like its own little world—a safe haven.

Kona felt her eyes burn, and she realized she had stopped blinking, enraptured by the scenery before her.

Her hand reached out, clutching at the sleeve of Iroh beside her. She felt his warm hand fall on top of hers and squeeze. She wanted to check in on him; make sure he was okay being in the city that he once fought to enter so many years ago, but she was in awe.

She felt the train slow as they approached a second, lower wall. And like before, they entered it and found darkness, but when they emerged, Kona knew they finally reached the lower ring, their new home.

Buildings littered every inch of the lower ring, people bustled in the streets, and children pushed through crowds, screaming and laughing—completely safe and at ease. Even from her position up on the rail, she smelled the eclectic aromas of a nearby open market.

She had never seen a place that looked so alive.

Lu Ten was right.

Ba Sing Se was even grander than wall.

Her eyes burned, but she knew the reason was different this time. She looked at Iroh. She watched his lip wobble with emotion, but he didn’t look unhappy. 

He smiled at her then, squeezing her hand once more. “He must be so happy to have you see this city.”

She bit the inside of her cheek to hide her own wobbling lips, and for the first time since she was a child, she let her forehead fall against his shoulder, seeking his comfort. And together, for the very first time, they basked in their love for their lost family member in the city that he so loved.

The day was long, and excitement soon gave way to fatigue. They had procured a small two-bedroom apartment near the wall of the lower ring. Iroh’s friends had set it up, but now they were in the city, it was their duty to continue paying rent for the rest of their stay. It was dingy and unfurnished, save for a few bed rolls and some kitchen appliances. It would take a while to make it a home.

That was how they found themselves perusing through a street market in the dwindling hours of the day.

Kona did her best not to drag her feet, but after weeks and weeks of wandering and looking over her shoulder, all she wanted was to lie on her bedroll—in her new home. Iroh, though, was excited about decorating.

They were both so bad at telling Iroh “no.”

Iroh moved from stall to stall, picking up knickknacks and clothing, chatting excitedly with vendors, as he had been for what felt like hours. Finally, it got to be too much for the brooding Zuko, who asked if they could go back to the apartment.

“I just want our place to look nice,” Iroh told him, surveying the potted plant in his hands. “In case someone brings home a new friend .”

The implication was clear in his teasing tone. Kona couldn’t stop the sting in her chest.

“I don’t want to make a life here,” Zuko said, his tone flat and uninterested. 

“Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.”

Kona paused in her perusing to ponder his words. Life did have a habit of throwing obstacles at people and forcing them to adapt.

That’s how her mother had made it to the capital all those years ago.

That’s how Iroh had found them wandering the streets.

That’s how she had met Zuko.

If she had stayed in her hometown with her mother and father, she probably would have lived a simple life. Kona imagined would have helped her mother with her craft—she couldn’t remember exactly what it was, but she remembered her mother lovingly guiding her, coaching her to be gentle and precise. She would have helped her dad cut wood and build their fires. She would have had younger siblings that she could coddle and help guide.

Kona wasn’t living the life her parents imagined for her, nor was she living the life she expected to have been living only a few years ago.

Life continued, unyielding without hesitation or hardship.

It was almost comforting to know that it was just as unyielding to everyone as it was to her.

“I know you want to return home,” Kona said to Zuko after Iroh had shuffled away, intrigued by another oddity across the market. “There’s no fault in that. But, since we know that is going to happen someday—that you’re going to make it happen—maybe we can try to enjoy the present for now.”

“...it’s difficult to enjoy poverty, even now.” His words were soft, not argumentative. They were a confession, a warm truth that filled something in Kona’s heart.

Kona nodded.

“It’s difficult to be here without him, even now.” A truth for a truth. A feeling for a feeling.

His amber eyes looked down at her, soft and sympathetic. He offered no verbal sympathy, only a gentle tap on her forehead with his knuckle before his hand retreated again. Her face burned from the contact. She cursed whomever was responsible for her sudden preference for physical touch.

She had never been touchy, but his gentle actions made her wish she was. Her motivation wouldn’t be obvious then.

“Maybe we can try to make the most of this city? Together?” Kona asked after a moment.

“I thought that was a given.” 

Kona snorted at his petulant tone, drawing a smirk from him. Together, they turned to follow Iroh, who had moved to another stall just further down the street. He smiled at them, showing off another peculiar statue, but thankfully returned it to the vendor.

“How can you stand it?” The question was so quiet, she almost missed it.

The direct question made her stomach drop, and it was only after a thick swallow that Kona could finally respond.

“It isn’t painful in the way you probably think it is. I don’t hate the city or the wall, not as I thought I would.” Kona’s eyes drifted to the wall of the lower ring, not nearly as magnificent as the outer wall, but beautiful all the same.

“I never told you, or Iroh, but in Lu Ten’s last letter to me, he told me we would see the city together. He promised.”

“The last letter?”

Kona reached up a hand, hovering over the wrap around her chest, where she knew beneath the cloth, a folded paper, creased and yellowed with age, sat near her heart. Read and reread to the point of memorization, always with her. She had once left it beside her bed, reading it before bed nearly every night, but after life got more turbulent, she didn’t trust it off her person.

“Yeah, that one,” said Kona. “Lu Ten told me he would get through the wall, so we could all see it together. Him, me, Iroh, even you.”

If his inclusion surprised him, he didn’t show it. Instead, as natural as breathing, the arm that had been brushing hers reached out as he entwined his pinky with hers.

Kona’s eyes swiveled around. No one was watching them, and Iroh was distracted.

She looked down at their linked hands. She was thankful to see that her flowing vest likely disguised their hands. Finally, she looked towards him; her face blazing. He was already looking at her, a pink tinge in his cheeks.

When he spoke, his tone was light. “In a way, you brought him with you.”

Kona felt a smile pull at the corner of her lips. Emboldened, she squeezed his pinky, wishing she could reach out and grab his entire hand without it meaning something else to him. She hated how her one mistake, her one slip of emotion, made him wary of her touch, no matter how innocent her motivations were now.

“He would be happy to know he fulfilled his last promise to you.”

“Yeah,” she said, the letter suddenly an obvious presence against the skin of her chest. She smiled up at the wall to the lower ring. “He would be.” 

Unfortunately, there was no time to ease into life in the city.

During his afternoon in the market, Iroh found jobs for the three of them and they started the very next morning.

Neither Kona nor Zuko were surprised when he led them to a small tea shop near the market bearing the name ‘Pao’s Family Tea Shop.’ Despite its small size and weathered down appearance, the glowing green lanterns that hung on either side of the door and the lovingly written sign gave it a nice, welcoming feeling.

Kona and Zuko shared a knowing glance and followed their guardian through the door and into their new workplace.

The inside matched the outside well. It wasn’t anything luxurious; there were only four tables on either side of the room, separated by the path that led from the front door to the counters in the back of the shop. Still, the soft lighting and small decorations on the walls gave a family atmosphere that Kona thought was quite attractive.

The only person in the room, a man behind one of the counters, looked up and grinned widely. “Good morning! Come in, come in!”

His rope of braided hair flew out behind him as he rushed out from behind his counter. He grasped Iroh’s hand, shaking it enthusiastically. “You’re early, Mushi! Oh, and look at your children! Just as handsome as you said!”

Children? Uncomfortable, Kona looked at Zuko. Were they supposed to be playing siblings?

His face showed the same discomfort.

“Aren’t they?” Iroh swept behind the two teens, wrapping his arms loosely around their backs—presenting them proudly. “This, here, is my nephew Lee. He can be cranky in the mornings, but don’t worry, he’s great with customers!”

Kona fought to keep her face straight. Well, at least she didn’t have to pretend to be Zuko’s sibling. That would be awkward… and frankly disgusting.

“And this is my Lien. She’s a bit shy, but she’s very polite and when she warms up to you, she has the most beautiful smile!”

“Pleasure to meet you. Mr. Pao, I presume?”

The man grinned, bearing bright white teeth. “Indeed! Very nice to meet you as well! Now, I will say, your names are very similar and I don’t want to confuse the customers…”

Kona couldn’t help it.

A smile pulled at her lips, albeit probably not a very nice one. “Lee goes by Junior. He was named after his father.”

“Junior? Excellent!”

She could feel Iroh’s body shake beside her with his laugh, and it made it harder to contain her own. 

Pao left to go get their aprons, and immediately Zuko rounded on her. He jammed a finger into her ribcage, and she flinched away from him with an unattractive squeak. He glared down at her, an unapologetic and cruel smile wide on his face.

“You’re going to pay for that,” he said, and Kona couldn’t help her laugh.

“Now, now, children,” Iroh said like he was speaking with toddlers, but Kona could see the smile on his face. “We need to make sure we’re getting along.”

“Of course, Iroh,” Kona said, knowing Pao was still out of earshot, but her smile was cheeky as she continued to stare at Zuko, daring him to make good on his threat. His threatening smile was almost scary, almost.

“Found them!” Pao’s voice cried from the back. He returned to view with several aprons draped over his arm. “I haven’t had to use them since my son went away. ”

“Where did he go?” Iroh asked, taking the offered clothing.

The man’s smile dropped for just a moment before it returned full force. “He had to leave Ba Sing Se. Travel, I suppose.”

“We wish him a safe return.” Iroh’s voice oozed with his sincerity, and the shop owner grinned.

“That’s very kind of you. Now, put these on. I’ll put some tea on, and we can discuss your jobs.”

Working in a tea shop was hard work.

Business wasn’t exactly booming, but the customers that came in were clearly loyal visitors. It surprised her to find that she was actually enjoying having conversations with these strangers. She talked to more people in a single day than she probably had in her entire life. 

Most of the people that came in were citizens on their breaks. They came in for a quick tea while they ate their prepared lunches. Occasionally, someone younger would come in. They weren’t as easy to talk to.

Jin was the exception. She was a very sweet girl. She had long, braided hair, big brown eyes, and a small gap in her teeth, but honestly, Kona thought that the last fact only added to her charm. Her kindness, her candor, reminded Kona of Song.

Jin was a breath of fresh air, and the closest Kona had ever gotten to a girl friend before her was Azula, who was… complicated to say the least.

With Jin’s help, the day passed, and before long, the windows of the shop betrayed the changing of the hour when orange light began casting across the open space. Only an hour after the last customer left, the group parted ways from their work.

With an enormous grin and a hearty compliment, Pao sent them on their way, confirming that they had a job, so long as they wanted it.

Thankfully, the walk home was a short one. In only a few moments, they were walking up the steps to their second-floor apartment. The warped, rotted boards creaked under each step, and Kona didn’t dare actually use the railings for balance, but still something warm sat in her chest. 

Spices, herbs, and teas lined the counters of their small kitchen space, their aromas masking the smell of rot and dust. Iroh’s teapot, one of the few possessions that had remained with them during their journey, sat proudly on the island. Its dulled shine and scratches made it fit seamlessly into the aged apartment. 

Across the room, Kona’s new hair oils sat on the small table near the window. Her small wooden box, the one that had once housed the necklace that she couldn’t even recall last taking off, sat between the bottles. Her belt sheath, she knew, sat just below in the drawer, though her dagger sat safely in her boot.

Zuko’s presence was harder to spot, but Kona knew where to look. She knew his pearl dagger sat in that same drawer within her sheath, opting to keep a far less valuable weapon on his person. His fire flakes sat in the back of the cabinet, waiting to be added to the less flavorful food of the earth kingdom. 

The pleasant warmth in her chest grew. Though it had only been about a day, and the apartment they lived in was not a nice one, it almost felt like a home. They had not had a home in a long time.

Kona let herself sigh as she stretched out her arms before flopping on her bedroll, tucked safely away in one of the two small bedrooms. Well, more like a closet. Even so, it had a sliding door, so it was room enough for her.

She heard more than saw Zuko shuffle into the other bedroom and do the same as her. She had tried to fight Iroh and Zuko about getting her own room, but when they agreed with each other, there was very little she could do to stop it. Privately, she enjoyed the space to herself, even if it wasn’t much space at all.

“Would you like a pot of tea?” She heard Iroh call from where he prattled in the kitchen.

“We’ve been working in a tea shop all day,” Zuko said in a grumbled response. “I’m sick of tea!”

“‘Sick of tea’? That’s like being sick of breathing!”

Amused by his dramatics, Kona turned on her side, watching Iroh’s well practiced movements in the kitchen. “What kinds do we have?”

“Only chamomile, I’m afraid. We can pick up some more after we get our first pay. I know you must be sick of chamomile and mint.” 

She watched him open their cabinets again and again, searching for something, as she pondered his statement. “I think I’ve become fond of mint. I would have found other options if it were unpalatable.”

“Then we shall find you some mint, my dear,” he said, but he was clearly distracted.

After a moment, Kona sat from her lying position, eyeing what he had laid out on the countertops. “Did we forget to get new spark rocks in the market?”

“We must have,” he said, but his voice was unsure. He held up a finger and opened their front door with a creak and a dull thud as it hit the wall. His heavy footsteps drifted away.

He must have gone to ask the neighbors.

“Tea loving crackpot,” she heard Zuko mumble through the thin wall and she stifled her giggle. His voice still fond, he said, “you enable him. You know that.”

“If it makes him happy, who are we to stop him?”

Iroh cut his response off by returning, boasting of his success.

Kona laid back down, letting the domesticity of the moment settle around her like a warm blanket.

It didn’t surprise her that she had dozed off before the water could even boil.

Chapter Text

It didn’t take long for Kona to decide that she loved Ba Sing Se.

It wasn’t just that she had a sleeping mat to come home to. It wasn’t just the nostalgia that her love of Lu Ten brought. It certainly wasn’t the hours she spent at the teashop.

There was just something about Ba Sing Se. She saw it in Iroh and Zuko just as much as she saw it in herself. There was something calming and serene within the walls. It was like the outside world didn’t exist; she so rarely heard anything about the war.

Here, away from the fighting and the running, she had the room to breathe. To live. 

She could be the teenager that she had always imagined herself being.

Kona of Ba Sing Se rose with the sun and worked at a nearby teashop with her guardian and her best friend. She drank a cup of peppermint tea with her breakfast every morning, just because she liked the taste. Her hair, now grown past her collar bones, was tied back by a cloth bandana during work hours. But it curled wild and free in a mane around her head during the evenings. Her muscles, once honed for a fight, flexed only when she had to help stock Mr. Pao’s new inventory, though she practiced self defense in the evenings.

Kona of Ba Sing Se had regular customers whom she loved to laugh with. She had even bumped into Jin at the market one day last week and had spent the rest of the day people-watching and braiding flower crowns in the pastures of the outer walls.

Kona of Ba Sing Se stopped by Li Hua’s on the way home once a week to purchase her freshest bouquet of flowers to put on their mantle at home. She returned to her apartment to a pat on the cheek from Iroh and a soft smile from Zuko on the days she spent a little too long helping the triplets next door learn to make their own flower crowns.

Ba Sing Se Kona often found herself sitting alone with Zuko when Iroh started attending Pai Sho games at work. Sometimes they would sit out on the wooden floorboards outside their apartment just looking at the city. Most nights, neither uttered a single complaint among their whispered events of the day. They would talk until Iroh walked up those creaky old steps and ruffled their hair, scolding them for staying up late. But he would disappear into the apartment and be asleep by the time they finally shuffled in. 

Ba Sing Se Kona disappeared faster than Kona would have liked.

The door to the tea shop slammed open, nearly causing Kona to drop her serving platter. Her customer before her jumped and hissed when his hot tea spilled down the front of his shirt. She handed him her towel from her apron, while she watched the door from the corner of her eye.

She shouldn’t have been surprised, but Ba Sing Se Kona had gotten too comfortable. 

In the doorway stood Jet, exactly how Kona remembered him. He wore the same armor, he bit the same grass between his teeth, and he held his hook swords aloft in his hands. His shaggy hair shadowed his eyes, but she could see how they glowered around the shop, searching. She watched them land on her companions. His face twisted hatefully, and he lifted a single hand to point at them.

“I’m tired of waiting!” He said, voice carrying over the quiet of the teashop. “These two men are firebenders!”

Her heart stopped. She watched Iroh and Zuko freeze, then move closer together, just in case they needed to have each other’s backs.

Neither responded. They stared at the heaving boy, just like the rest of the customers. Startled and suspicious, the entire room stared at Jet, but Kona’s head swam.

What could they possibly say in defense? Is it time to fight? To flee? Did he have proof? The Fire Nation had put a bounty on their head, but that didn’t mean the Earth Kingdom wouldn’t be more than happy to capture them instead.

Kona’s movements were slow as she set down her tray on the table beside her. She didn’t want to draw his attention. He didn’t seem to notice her at all, just like their first meeting.

That would be his mistake if the situation escalated. 

“I know they’re firebenders!” Jet insisted when no one moved or said anything. “I saw the old man heating his tea!”

Kona suddenly remembered the platform outside the city: Jet’s glare as Zuko swiped the tea from Iroh’s hands, her own goading smirk that begged Jet to act on his impulse. She had forgotten—the memory overshadowed by the haze of living a normal, simple life.

She was a fool.

“He works in a tea shop,” the man beside her said, causing more customers to voice their agreement. Relief swelled in her chest. Of course, the customers wouldn’t see three poverty-stricken servers as the brutal warlords that they expected firebenders to be.

“He’s a firebender! I’m telling you!” 

Across the table from her, a regular customer, Zi Han, stood from his seated position, hand drifting to his blade strapped to his back. “Drop your swords, boy. Nice and easy.”

He had always told her they once belonged to his father, that they were pure decoration. He had not trained with them for a day in his life. She felt her chest fill with warmth, but with that, she decided.

Jet stepped forward towards Iroh and Zuko again, blades firmly grasped in his hand. “I’ll make you defend yourself,” he declared. “Then everyone will know. Go ahead. Show them what you can do.”

The muscles on Zuko’s face jumped from keeping from reacting. He had seen Kona’s movement, gaze flickering over her momentarily. She knew he was trying to keep Jet’s attention on them.

Jet took another step forward. Zi Han grasped the hilt of his blade, pulling it up from its sheath.

Kona moved.

Her hand brushed across Zi Han’s hand as she passed, pushing the blade back into its carrier as she passed.

She planted her feet directly in Jet’s path. He stopped, his head tilted, eyes finally breaking from their glare at her companions to look down at her. 

And what a sight must it have been. She knew how she looked—how Ba Sing Se Kona looked. She was at least a good foot shorter than Jet. Her hair, frizzy from the humidity of a tea shop, hid under her worn, brown, cloth bandana. Her loose, green robes swamped her toned muscles, disguising her danger to those who may try to hurt her.

To everyone in the room she was the sweet, flower crown making serving girl staring down a sword-wielding teenage troublemaker.

“Thank you for your help, Mr. Zi Han. I can take it from here,” she said, not breaking eye contact with the teen in front of her, as she raised a hand to halt his sudden movement. It would seem she had accidentally made him even more jumpy.

“Is there anything we can help you with, sir?” She asked Jet with outward pleasantry, but she knew he caught the dangerous curl of her lip.

After all, she wasn’t trying to hide it.

“I should have known you were one of them too,” he said, voice filled with venom. His attention left her to glare back at where Zuko and Iroh stood. “D’you typically let girls do your dirty work, Lee?”

In the quiet of the tea shop, Zuko’s dark chuckle was easy to hear. “You’re going to wish you didn’t say that.”

“Kindly leave this establishment if you do not plan on making a purchase. We don’t want any trouble,” Kona said, taking a single step into his space. She watched his eyes flicker towards the closing gap, then back to her face.

Her confident step shook something in him, and he raised his hook-swords in kind. “I’m not going to hold back. You’re all snakes, and I’m going to weed you out.”

She caught his shift in weight. Jet was done talking.

“You’re the one threatening simple refugees,” Kona said, and seeing as de-escalation was impossible, she shifted her off-foot back to lower her core, bracing for a fight. “Please try not to harm Mr. Pao’s furniture. We’d like to keep working here.”

She smirked at the jump in the muscle of his cheek. These boys were just too easy to rile up.

He was faster than she expected. She’d give him that. One of his hook swords came slashing through the air at her. It was easy enough to duck under after her brief surprise, and the off-hand slash that followed too.

He swung again and again, and she danced back, letting him fall into her space. She watched his face redden as he took swing after swing. 

Finally, he swung at her ankle, trying to force her off her balance. With little effort, she jumped over it, sliding into a crouch as she landed. Deftly, she kicked up her leg, and with a simple rotation around his wrist, the hook sword popped free from his dominant hand.

She kicked at the hilt as it fell, guiding it towards her and catching it without tearing her eyes from his face. He huffed around his effort, face red in anger.

She grinned up at him wickedly. 

“This is your final warning, Jet. Leave. I will not hold back .” The last words lashed out, teasing his wounded pride. He thought it would be easy? Not in this life.

He spat out his blade of grass onto the wooden floorboards and tossed his remaining hook sword to his dominant hand. His lips twisted into a snarl, and he slashed down at her head again with a grunt.

Their sword met with a clang, as Kona met his swing with a swift block. His brown hair was sticking against his forehead from his effort, Kona noticed. He wasn’t expecting a prolonged fight; he’d underestimated her.

It was a shame for him that Kona no longer wanted to play pacifist.

“Please, son. You don’t know what you’re doing!” Iroh’s voice was the only sound in the shop, aside from Jet’s harsh pants.

His only response was a new onslaught of attacks. He slashed and hacked towards Kona, who parried and twisted away from his strikes. She had not trained with hook swords in years, and she could tell he was well practiced despite his inability to land a hit on her.

On a good day, if he hadn’t underestimated her and blew through all his energy, he was sure to beat her.

How unfortunate for him.

She twisted under his raised arm and kicked at the back of his closest knee. He nearly collapsed, but whirled around at her, fuming. She could practically see steam rising from his head.

She let him approach, conceding step after step. She could feel her heart racing against her chest, the adrenaline pumping in her veins, but unlike Jet, her mind was clear.

He took that fatal step towards her.

Her body dropped, her leg found purchase against the back of his knees once more. Her captive hook sword caught around his own, yanking it from his grasp as he fell into the dirt before her. With only a pitying glance, she cast aside the swords behind her and slammed the door closed.

Jet had been too caught up in his frustration to see her leading him out of the shop.

She braced her back against the door, panting wildly. It lurched as Jet’s weight pushed against it on the other side. In seconds, a body joined hers, bracing the door. Shoulder to shoulder, Zuko and Kona planted their feet, hoping the old, rotting door would hold.

“Get out here and face me!” Jet hollered over the sound of his pounding fists.

Zuko peered down over his shoulder at her. “You said you wouldn’t take it easy on him.” His tone was light, accusatory.

So, maybe Jet had annoyed her by ignoring her presence and thinking her weak. Maybe she could have fought him full out and not exhausted him, pulling his weapons from him in a way she knew would have embarrassed him.

Kona grinned, unapologetic at her actions, and was glad that the prior exertion hid the flush that would have come to her cheeks. He read her too well.

“You know I’m a bleeding heart.”

Her heart fluttered at the smile that pulled at the corner of his lips, and she had to look away.

“Lien, my dear,” Iroh said, making her jump as his wrinkled hands cupped her cheeks, ignoring the loud thumping of the door behind her. “Are you alright?”

“Not a scratch, Iroh. Just like you taught me,” she said, voice a near whisper.

He looked her over for a moment, eventually deeming her trustworthy. With a grave look at the teens and a deep breath, he turned to the rest of the shop. “We’re so sorry for the disturbance. We met the boy on the ferry into the city, but we don’t…”

Iroh trailed off his statement, wisely letting the shop come to their own conclusions, so he didn’t have to lie.

“He seems deeply disturbed,” Mr. Pao fretted, wringing his hands with obvious anxiety. The poor man’s braid was nearly undone, frayed from him worrying it. “The Dai Li should be here soon enough if you keep the door handled.”

Kona let her head fall back against the door, ignoring the jarring movements coming through the door as Jet continued his assault. Thankfully, with his swords laying on the ground just feet from her, there was little he could do against Zuko and Kona’s combined weight on the door. 

Abruptly, the banging stopped. Kona’s head snapped up. She heard Jet yell, but through the door it was impossible to make out what.

After a brief commotion, there was a knock on the door. She looked at Mr. Pao, who nodded, so with hesitance, she stepped away from the door. Zuko watched her, and when she had stepped far enough away, he cracked the door open.

“Good evening,” she heard a deep voice rumble through the door. “We heard there was a commotion in the neighborhood.”

Zuko opened the door completely and stepped back, letting the man enter. He and the two men flanking him wore the same uniform, deep black robes and hats that heavily obscured their faces. They had to be the Dai Li. The police of Ba Sing Se.

“Arrest them!” Jet yelled from outside, and Kona could see that he was being held by two more officers. “They’re all firebenders!”

Iroh stepped forward, drawing the officers’ attention. “The poor boy is confused. We’re just simple refugees.”

Mr. Pao rushed forward, standing beside him. Angrier than Kona had ever seen him, he said, “that young man assaulted my employees and tried to wreck my tea shop!”

“It’s true, sir,” Zi Han said, and emotion wrecked her as she saw the bobbing heads of the other customers around the shop. “We saw the whole thing! The kid accused the finest tea maker in the city, then attacked his sweet daughter for defending him.”

She tried to bite her lip to hide its wobble, but she knew her red face betrayed her embarrassment. Her heart ached at their defense of her family, at the life they had made in Ba Sing Se… at their lie.

“Come with us, son.” 

They dragged Jet away as he thrashed, leaving bystanders in the streets staring after him. The men bowed to Mr. Pao and turned to leave as quickly as they came. A flash of light out of the corner of her eye pulled her attention, and she rushed forward.

“Wait!” Kona scooped up the hook swords at her feet, holding them out by the blades to the only officer that remained. “These were his.”

“Thank you, miss. Have a safe evening.”

The door closed behind him, blocking out their only threat of exposure in the city.

Kona breathed a sigh of relief, that was abruptly cut off by being pulled into an embrace. She melted instantly against his familiar scent. She felt lips brush across her head as he whispered a light praise, but she was pulled into someone else’s arms before she could ponder it.

She rubbed Iroh’s back, trying to ease the tension she could feel in his frame, and after a moment, he slowly released her.

“You did wonderfully, my dear. Take a seat. You deserve a break.”

Kona moved to retrieve her serving tray from the table she had left it on. “I couldn’t, possibly. We only have an hour left of our shift, and I’ve already caught my breath.”

Zuko snatched it before she could take it, and she couldn’t hold back her withering stare. He shook his head at her and left with the tray locked in his grasp.

“Lien, sit and have a cup of tea on the house,” Mr. Pao said, and Kona’s eyes widened. Free tea? He ignored her surprise and ushered her to sit down at the table she had been serving only minutes prior. “You just protected your family. Now let them reward you.”

Outnumbered, she lowered herself down on the worn cushion. She pulled at the skin of her lip, watching as Zuko and Iroh bustled back behind the counter. Her foot shook absentmindedly as she found the urge to join them in their work. She didn’t enjoy sitting still so soon after a fight.

Chatter slowly filled the room once more, drowning out the sound of her tapping toes. 

“Miss Lien, that was very impressive.” Zi Han plopped down across the table from her. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Against her will, her gaze fluttered back to Iroh, who held his stomach, laughing heartily at the joke the man next to him was telling him. Only feet away, Zuko stared down at the teapot before him, brow furrowed in concentration. He had improved so much in his tea-making, but, like everything else he did, he put his all into his training.

Mr. Pao had summarized it in the most perfect way already.

“I needed to be able to protect my family.”

Kona knew the man’s eye lingered on Iroh’s round stomach and on Zuko’s scar and conjured a story of his own. She wanted to deny that idea: the idea they were weak, but she could not. With a small shake of her head, she couldn’t help but wonder how he would respond to their true story—how the friends they had met in Ba Sing Se would respond to their story.

She wondered if Kona of the Fire Nation would be nearly as cherished as Kona of Ba Sing Se seemed to be.

Chapter Text

The morning air was cool, and Kona welcomed it against her upturned face. With a content sigh, she tucked her loose curl behind her ear for the millionth time that day. Maybe she could do something with her bangs. Her hair was in an odd state of regrowth; it was too short to pull back without her bandana but long enough that it irritated her as the gentle morning breeze made her locks tickle her cheeks.

Well, maybe calling it morning was pushing it.

She had accidentally slept in.

She couldn’t recall the last time she had done that.

All around her, the city bustled by, not sparing a single glance at the lone girl and her bouquet of lilies. It wasn’t like it was an odd way to find Kona. After all, she often bought flowers from the market on her days off.

Today was different, though. These flowers wouldn’t sit on the island of their kitchen until the petals wilted and the stems bent. They were special flowers. 

She pulled the bouquet to her nose, inhaling the familiar smell of the white blooms she purchased only once a year. 

“Lien! Lien!”

Kona’s head snapped up, and she smiled when she took in the triplets running her way, hair flying behind them as their little feet stomped towards her. She shook her head as she watched them weave around the crowd, finally reaching her and colliding with a force that stole her breath. 

Believe it or not, it was only her years of combat training that kept her on her feet. 

She listened to their excited chatter for a moment, grinning down as they seemed to dance around her like she was a campfire and they were firefly moths.

Min twirled around her, regaling a thrilling tale of how she had convinced her mother to buy the new dress that swirled around her ankles (of course, Kona noticed, her sisters were wearing dresses just as new).

Na bounced on her heels, hands proudly on her hips, as she boasted about swindling a neighbor out of rock candy with little more than a pretty smile.

Jing simply clutched at Kona’s skirt, smiling up at her and batting her eyelashes, content to let her sisters do all the talking.

It was impossible to hold back the smile at their infectious enthusiasm and cheer. Kona didn’t know how the girls had latched onto her, but they had, and she wasn’t going to stop them. It was nice to see them, so free to laugh and feel and smile at her, because of her.

“Li-ee-en,” Na sang, dragging Kona’s attention to her. “Are you listening to us?”

“Of course I am,” Kona said, though she hadn’t been.

Min and Na narrowed their eyes at her, calling her bluff. Kona struggled for a moment. They had asked her to do something. What was it?

A tug on her skirt pulled her focus to Jing, who smiled, showing off her missing tooth, and held out the array of wildflowers clutched in her tiny fist.

Kona smiled, bending slightly to run an affectionate hand over the girl’s head. Then she plucked the flowers from the girl’s hand.

“Who wants to go first?”

After some light bickering between the sisters, Kona trailed the girls to their normal nook in the square.

It was in the shade of the girls’ mother’s jewelry stand. Their father worked the fields, so they had to stay in the market during the day, entertaining themselves under their mother’s watchful eyes. They had acquired a few old wooden crates to make a small fort. Well, a fort was an overstatement, but the imagination of children did wonders.

Kona plopped onto one of the crates, doing her best to ignore the ominous creaking below her weight. Min crawled into her lap, wiggling in excitement, as Kona traded her bouquet of lilies for a delicate comb.

Fondness filled her as she watched Jing and Na coo over the white flowers, their hands much more delicate with her bouquet than they had been with their wildflowers. 

Expertly, she began twisting Min’s hair into a delicate braid, leaving out a few wispy strands in the front. Just how she liked it. Min didn’t like to look too put together. Afterall, she was the middle child, and she took that job seriously. She hopped off her lap after leaving a wet smack of a kiss on Kona’s cheek, and Jing crawled up next.

Jing sat, not moving a muscle as Kona weaved her own braids into her hair. Unlike her sister, she favored twin braids, tight, severe, not a hair out of place, but tied off with two pink ribbons. Kona watched her pull a braid over her shoulder to see it, then smile widely. She gave Kona a brief, crushing hug around her neck before she hopped off as well.

Finally, Na found her way in Kona’s lap, swinging her legs happily as Kona twisted her hair in a more complex fashion than her sisters. Na was much more prim than her sisters, ever the oldest, so bossy but so protective. The princess of the group deserved a crown to match. Her braid twisted around her head, creating a halo of dark brown glossy locks. Stray hairs escaped, but they fell around her face beautifully, framing her chubby cheeks. She hopped down and flashed a wide grin and thank you.

As if Kona would have been able to say no to any of them.

After receiving her payment, Kona waved goodbye to the girls and their mother as she finally made her way back to her errands. The day was already getting away from her, and she still needed to track down a messenger hawk before she met up with Iroh.

Distracted, she bumped shoulders with a passing gentleman. She threw an apology over her shoulder and received a smile and a wave off. She was once again reminded how different Ba Sing Se was from everywhere else she had lived. Everyone was so kind, so open, and in the time she spent in the city, she found herself acting the same.

“Drop something?” A voice called after her, familiar in its warmth and humor. She turned, and of course, Zuko was there. Why wouldn’t he be? As special as the day was to her, it was also the day he went to the market for produce. 

Suddenly understanding his question, Kona made a mad grab at her head and found it empty. She whirled around, searching the ground. She must have dropped it when she bumped into the man.

Kona froze as a weight was added to her head. Zuko placed the flower crown on top of her curls, gently and so carefully. There was a glint in his eye that Kona couldn’t place when he finally dropped his hands and stepped back. He took in the sight of what she was well aware was kind of messy: besides her common robes she wore her clumsily braided flower crown (lovingly crafted by a trio of 8 years olds) on a head of freshly oiled curls. 

“Careful, princess,” he finally said, that same look in his eye. “Crowns are hard to come by.”

Kona felt her face explode in heat, but rather than respond, she spun on her heel and marched back towards her errands.

He had been doing that so much lately—teasing her. It was like he enjoyed how red she got.

Whereas before she was sure her feelings for him made him uncomfortable, it seemed like he had accepted them to the point of using them to tease her. She wasn’t sure what she preferred now.

Zuko was a bully.

He laughed as he followed her, and after a few paces of her stomping, she slowed to let him catch up. She glared up at him, earning a curl at his lip.

“Well, if you’re going to bother me, you may as well be useful,” Kona said, pushing the bouquet into his hands. Many years ago, she was sure he would sputter about flowers and girliness, but now he simply held them close to his chest as if to ward off the busy square around them. 

“I live to serve, princess.”

She elbowed his side. He laughed.

Without argument, he followed her through her chores, even when she had to cross what felt like the entirety of the lower walls to track down a messenger hawk. She had waited long enough to pay back Song and Ume’s kindness.

He didn’t complain once.

Finally, as the sun began its descent across the sky, Zuko took it upon himself to walk Kona toward the fields. She knew Iroh had probably been waiting for a while, but she wanted to give him time with his own thoughts on a day like this.

As they made their way towards the entrance of the fields, people grew fewer and the city grew quieter. Somewhere along the way, they had started holding hands. Kona didn’t know who had reached out first; it was almost like it had happened without either of them thinking about it. His hand was a comforting warmth in hers. It grounded her, even as her good mood dipped with each step she took.

“Are you alright?”

“I don’t know,” Kona said. She hadn’t even noticed that she slowed to a stop, gripping Zuko’s hand like a lifeline. “This year is so much harder.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” His gold eyes bored into hers, and the depth she saw there made her move without thinking. She dropped his hand and turned away from him, reaching into the collar of her robe to pull the creased and weathered sheet of paper from her chest wrappings. She stared at the yellowed page, so heavy in her hands despite its small size, and, with trembling hands and a bravery she didn’t know she possessed, she turned and held out the letter to Zuko.

His good eye widened in shock. “Kona, are you sure?”

“I know why this year hurts.”

He reached for her, but ignored her outstretched hand to brush a fingertip across her cheek. She smiled at him, at his worry, but continued to hold out her hand. “Read it.”

He didn’t fight her command. He took the paper and, with the gentlest of movements, slowly peeled the note open.

She didn’t have to look to know what it said.

Koko,

I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written. I won’t bore you with the details, but the front lines are hectic and it leaves little time for writing. For you though, I don’t mind taking the time (did you know this is supposed to be my bathing time? I’m going to stink because of you!).

Ba Sing Se is so beautiful. I wish you were here to see the wall. I know it sounds boring. It’s a giant rock wall, but it’s so tall it seems like it goes all the way up into the sky. Anyone would feel small looking up at it, but not in a bad way. It makes everything fall away.

If the wall is this beautiful, I’m sure the city is even grander. Some day, I’ll take you here. It’s a promise. We can take a vacation, the three of us. I bet if you flash your beautiful eyes at dad, he may even let Zuko come too. He would burn the world if you asked him to.

I know you must get lonely in that big, empty house. You deserve a place full of laughter and warmth; you just need to be strong. You’re stronger than all of us, and you have Zuko to keep you company when you need it. Just know I love you, and I’ll be home soon. I can feel it. 

Can you do me a favor while I’m gone? Dad is being sent back to the capitol to receive orders from grandfather, and I know he’s going to worry about me. So please, watch over dad. The world sees him as some grand general, but we both know what rests in his heart. He worries too much, and it’s not good for him. He will need you now more than ever. Pass along my love to him.

I’ll be home soon. I promise.

Your Lu Lu

P.S. I think now would be a great time to give dad your present.

Kona tried not to let her anxiety show as he took in the words that were seared into her heart and brain. She watched his lip mouth the words as he read, face soft as he took in the words of his beloved cousin. The words she had never shared with anyone. 

“I’m glad that Ba Sing Se is everything he promised it would be,” he said, when he finally passed it back to her. Her fingers traced the edges of the softened edges of the aged paper. Her most prized possession.

A weight she didn’t know was present lifted off her shoulders as her most trusted companion finally heard the words that got Kona through the worst of their adventures. So, when she looked at him and saw the restrained curiosity on his face, she said, “Go on. You can ask.”

He didn’t second guess her this time, he just complied. “What was your present to him?”

Kona paused, but not from hesitation. It was hard to find the words to explain the barrier she had felt around her since Lu Ten had died. It was one of the few secrets she had ever held from Zuko, one that she never thought she’d get the nerve to share. 

Kona forced out a breath, trying to work around her anxiety. “You have to understand that I got this letter before I knew about Lu Ten, before I had even gotten to see Iroh.”

“I know,” Zuko said, his voice was soft and when Kona didn’t immediately respond, he added, “if you don’t want to talk about it—”

“No. I want to.” Kona grit her teeth. She hated how hard it was to talk. For all her growth, she was just as weak in this as she always had been. 

“You know Iroh found me, took me in after my mom died.”

It wasn’t a question, but she watched Zuko nod anyway. “I was what? Six? Seven at the oldest. Even then, I barely remembered my dad. It had just been me and my mother for so long.”

Kona paused to collect herself. Her mother would always be a touchy subject to her.

“You were quiet,” Zuko said, eyes far off. Kona could practically see the memories playing behind his eyes. “I remember Lu Ten would always drop you off to sit with me and my mother in the courtyard, and even if you didn’t say anything, we could see you didn’t want him to leave. I thought you didn’t like me, but my mother always said you were dealing with things that she never wanted me to experience.”

Kona couldn’t stop her smile. It really shouldn’t surprise her that Lady Ursa had been aware of her past or sympathetic to it, but it still made her feel warm.

“Lu Ten was the brother I never had. We were family. He got me to open up, to be a kid. I think he’s the only reason I could start being friends with you at all. When I was with him, I didn’t miss my mother as much, and when I did, he would sit and hold me or distract me.”

Now that the words had started, it was hard to stop to even breathe. They flowed uninhibited, as if they had been waiting for years to escape.

“Over the years, I seemed to get under Iroh’s skin as well. I may not have been blood related to him, but I wouldn’t have lived in that palace if he didn’t care for me. Lu Ten, always so smart, knew how to get me to do anything. He stopped referring to Iroh by his name. He called him our dad, and in private I did too.”

Kona paused and found Zuko staring at her, quiet, at full attention. His eyes were like liquid honey, soft and sweet, and Kona’s heart clenched. She really was lucky that he still put up with her. 

“We were saving it for his birthday,” Kona admitted with a whisper. “Lu Ten said it was the best present I could give Iroh—to call him my Papa. I… I didn’t know what had happened. So when Iroh came home a few hours after I had gotten the letter… I said to him: ‘Welcome home, papa.’”

“Kona…”

Kona cringed at his voice, so full of sympathy, so full of pain for her.

“I’ve never seen him so furious,” she admitted, voice quiet.

He reached out to her, forcing her chin up with a firm finger.

“Kona, he was grieving. The timing was wrong. You know he loves you.”

“I know, Zuko,” she said, meeting his gaze fully. “I know he cares for me, and I know the timing was bad. He wouldn’t have kept me around if he didn’t want me there. But after that night, after–after Iroh’s campaign failed, and he disappeared on his trip, he never said anything. And I was too afraid to bring it up, so I never did either.”

Kona thought back to that night in the woods, just before she had fought with Zuko. That was the first time they had spoken of the situation. Kona had freed the man from the guilt she knew he must have felt for hurting her younger self. And she did so again after they had met Toph. They finally patched that long burned bridge.

She hoped she had given him some closure.

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” Zuko said. “Especially on the day you found out about Lu Ten, of all days.”

“I’m sure you remember how I was those first few days. At the time, it was awful.” She thought back to those nights of tears, of walking through those empty halls, even her thoughts seeming to echo off the walls. They seemed so far away now. “Pain fades, though. And I had help.”

She smiled at Zuko and she was surprised by how easily it slid across her lips, how warm it felt. Despite the day, despite the weight of the conversation, she didn’t feel sad. She felt lighter than she had in years. 

He looked down at her, his own smile pulling at his lips. She watched him raise his hand to ruffle her hair with a gentle hand, careful to not dislodge the flower crown she knew had to be wilted from the sun. She let him, just this once, though her heart caught when his ruffling ceased and his hand instead smoothed her freshly tousled hair.

It was only after his hand finally receded, and Kona’s face was thoroughly red, that he spoke.

“You were always a blanket thief, but in those months you were a monster.”

Kona snorted with a roll of her eye. “I think you’re talking about yourself. I’m just lucky you benders run warm, or I would have frozen to death.”

She let her mind wander back to that night, after Iroh had stormed out and Kona had run to her room. How she had cried so hard that she’d vomited, how she had felt so sick that she didn’t eat, how she was so exhausted and hurt she couldn’t sleep. She thought about the creak she had heard from the far side of her room, and the thin body that pushed through her window and stepped onto her strategically placed writing desk.

Zuko’s own eyes were red from tears, and he was still dressed in his day clothes despite the late hours. He took one look at her, and before she could take her next breath, he had crawled under her blankets and taken her into his thin arms. She had cried again, unable to fight off the comfort he gave. He didn’t say anything. He held her until she fell asleep, and he was still there in the morning when Lady Ursa woke them up with gentle caresses and kind words.

It was the first time that they hadn’t been scolded for sneaking into each other’s rooms.

“I never thanked you for dealing with me in those months.” Her voice was weaker than she would have liked, but she knew he could hear her sincerity, and that was what mattered.

“It was never dealing with you, Kona.” 

She watched him roll his eyes at her, but his amusement was clear. He looked down at her then, something unnamable in his eyes, but it was intense and it made Kona want to squirm. “You know I would do anything to make you happy.”

“Yeah,” she said in a whisper, unable to look away. “I know you would.”

“Good.”

Her heart pounded in her chest. He still stared down at her, unblinking. She had never wished to know what was going on in his head as much as she did in this moment. He had never looked at her like this before. His brow was furrowed, and despite the gentle look in his eyes, she could see that his jaw was clenched, too.

She felt a hand grip her upper arm and her gaze flickered to the point of contact, only for something to touch her cheek on her other side. She jumped automatically before she realized it was just Zuko’s other hand brushing his fingers across her cheek.

She knew her eyes must have been comically wide because he abruptly pulled back (when had he gotten so close?) and removed his hand from her face. 

He cleared his throat, looking away. “You had some dirt on your face.”

“... oh, thanks.”

With nothing else to say, they resumed their journey. Dutifully, Zuko finished his escort of her to the fields of the outer ring. Finally, with a soft goodbye and a tap on her forehead, he turned to leave. 

“You could visit him with us, you know,” Kona said, and he paused, looking at her over his shoulder. “He’s yours to celebrate too, too.”

“I know, but this is something you two need to do alone. At least this first time.”

She didn’t deserve him.

“We’ll be home soon.”

With another quirk of the lip, he was gone, drifting back in the wall's direction. She knew he would have tea ready for them upon their return. He wouldn’t know what else to say to Iroh on a day like today.

She turned then, eying the figure up on the hill. He stood alone beside a single leafy tree. Behind him, the setting sun turned the sky a gentle gold. She didn’t realize she had begun her trek up the hill when she suddenly found herself standing by his side.

Iroh smiled up at her, and now beside him, she could see what lay before him. Her brother stared at her from his portrait, his eyes as kind as she remembered. To the left, she could see in his familiar script a promise much like the promise he had given her:

General Iroh, I’ll see you once we’ve won this war. Your loyal son, Lu Ten.

The shaky inhale she took in gifted her with the aroma of the sweet incense that was burning before them. She fell to her knees beside Iroh, legs touching his, and lay her bouquet of lilies beside Iroh’s offerings of apples, Lu Ten’s favorite, and the small bag of coins.

She brushed her fingers over the ink of his portrait, unable to stop herself.

“Happy birthday, Lu Ten,” she said in a reverent murmur, throat closing slightly around the words. It was not the first of his birthdays that they held vigil over together, but the looming walls and warm breeze of the desert tore something inside her. This was his city, and yet he was not there. Not physically.

“I meant to bring you here. When I found this apple tree during an evening walk, it felt like a gift from him,” Iroh said after minutes of their silence. “I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner.”

Kona reached out to clutch his nearest hand. His grip was sure and warm as he held her own hand in return.

“It’s okay, Iroh. There’s nothing to forgive.”

“He was yours as much as he was mine.” 

His choked voice ripped at her chest, and she leaned against his sturdy form. He freed his hand, but only to wrap his arm around her shoulders instead, pulling her close against him.

She and Iroh were never on the same wavelength as they had been with Lu Ten. He was their mediator when they clashed, and losing him had fractured something in their relationship that she thought for a long time was unrepairable. The years chasing the Avatar just furthered the evidence of the gap between teacher and father, a canyon far wider than she could ever hope to bridge. 

Yet, as she sat below that apple tree, basking in the golden light of the setting sun and the warm embrace of the man she’d known her entire adolescence, the gap felt smaller. The canyon was suddenly smaller.

Like it was only a leap.

And so, with hesitant fingers, she reached for his far hand, the one that wasn’t wrapped around her. She pulled it into her lap and left in his grasp her most precious possession. His fingers curled around the weathered paper, and at her encouraging nod, his fingers gingerly unfolded the creased letter.

She watched his eyes instantly grow wet and spill over with tears. His head bowed, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, hoping to comfort him in some way. His shoulders shook as emotions came crashing down on him.

“I’m sorry I never shared it with you,” Kona said, watching his finger trail across his son’s words, his touch featherlight. “I didn’t know how to, but it’s yours now.”

“Is this from…?”

He didn’t need to finish the question.

“Yes, it was that day.”

“And my present was…”

“You received it, yes.”

She didn’t have time to react before Iroh pulled her into a crushing embrace. She heard him sob in her ear, and her own eyes filled as she caressed his long, grayed hair.

“I’m—”

“There is nothing to forgive, Mr. Iroh .” She hadn’t noticed the slow decrease in her formality in the last few weeks until that moment. She had been calling him “Iroh” for weeks, and it made her recall the lightness in his steps around the apartment, his wide grin when she addressed him, and the freedom he felt to embrace her.

His name from her lips had healed him in a way she never could have predicted.

She’d barely even noticed. She felt like a fool.

Iroh pulled back from her, pushing back her hair to caress her cheek. His tears flowed freely and yet he was smiling.

“It has been many years since you called me that name. You were so tiny, so frail. The world had been so cruel, and yet you were still so kind.”

“I get it from my family,” Kona said around wobbling lips, clutching his hand against her cheek like an anchor. “From my mother, from my brother, and from my Iroh.”

He smiled at her again, and this time, with her shaking lips, she grinned back.

Chapter Text

“Lien, you never told me.”

Kona blinked, frozen in her movement as her stomach dropped. She blinked again, and continued placing the tea in front of Jin, the girl who had quickly become her friend in these short weeks in Ba Sing Se. 

What did she know? What did she see? Should she even risk continuing the conversation?

Jin’s hand reached out, placing a featherlight touch on the hand that placed her tea down before her. “What happened to your parents, I mean.”

Kona froze once more. Jin stared up at her. Kona could feel her and her curious eyes. This… she was not prepared for.

Kona pursed her lips, considering how best to summarize her… unique situation. She knew she had to twist the truth. Lying left a bitter taste on a tongue with these people she had come to call her friends, but it was a matter of survival.

“They died from the war,” Kona said after a pause that she knew was clear to Jin. “I’ve been under Mushi’s care ever since.”

That wasn’t even a half-truth. Iroh would be proud of her diplomacy.

Still, she watched Jin flinch almost imperceptibly, eyes glancing around the room, searching for something. The back of Kona’s neck prickled with unease. What was she afraid of?

“Mushi told me you’ve been traveling together for a while,” Jin said, eyes falling closed as she took a deep inhale of the floral scent of her jasmine tea. It seemed to calm her, though Kona still didn’t understand why her statement had spooked her so much. It wasn’t news to Jin that her parents were dead.

Kona felt her brow furrow. Casting Jin’s odd demeanor aside, the conversation was still throwing Kona for a loop.

Jin and her had talked a lot, about tea, about customers, about books and flowers and dresses, but this was new. She wanted something from Kona, but what?

“Lee and I have been traveling the world with him since we were 13,” Kona answered after another pause, hesitant. “It’s nice to settle down here, though. And relax.”

“I can imagine, but I bet seeing the world like that must have been amazing.”

Kona supposed that it made sense for a girl born and raised in Ba Sing Se. Nor could Kona deny she had seen some beautiful sights on that beast of a ship. Still, she said, with a smile she barely registered sliding across her lips: “It was the company that made the journey.”

Jin pursed her lips, something impatient flaring behind her eyes, and Kona wondered what she did wrong to make that expression rest on the girl’s face. Then, finally, Jin shook her head and exhaled sharply. 

“What kind of stuff does Lee like?” She asked in a rush.

…oh. 

It clicked.

Kona hesitated. 

A wicked part of her considered lying, considered yelling, considered letting the girl embarrass herself, but she shoved those thoughts away as quickly as they appeared.

Ashamed by her uncharacteristic thoughts, Kona sighed.

“He likes spicy food,” Kona said, unsure where to even start. What information would be valuable for a suitor? “He is not a huge fan of tea, but if it’s served with dinner, he likes stronger ones, like jasmine. He loves animals; he is a lot gentler than he seems. He’s sensitive, and if he cares for you, you will never have a more loyal friend. He likes flowers, but he’d never admit it. Sunset is his favorite time of day.” 

Realizing that she had been rambling, Kona forced herself to stop there. She probably could have gone on for hours. She felt her cheeks redden.

“I can tell how much you care for him,” Jin said. Her voice was soft, and there was something there Kona couldn’t place.

“We’ve spent a long time together,” Kona said, and it felt like a confession.

Jin didn’t notice. She laughed.

Not for the first time in this conversation, Kona felt like she was missing something.

With a small bow of the head, Kona excused herself, all but fleeing to the counter. But even that wasn’t safe.

“We have a problem. One of the customers is onto us.”

Zuko’s voice was low, dark, and Kona’s heart caught in her throat. She immediately swiveled. There weren’t too many people in the shop. It was just past the lunch hour, so many of their patrons had returned to work. Aside from Jin, there were only two other men, chatting happily at a table. She looked at Zuko, confused. 

“That girl! Sitting there at the corner table.” Zuko was insistent. “She knows we’re Fire Nation.”

Kona rolled her eyes and shook her head. She shouldn’t be that surprised. He had an affinity for ignoring her own feelings as well. Well, for his own benefit, that is.

Zuko’s teasing had only been getting worse; her name rarely came out of his mouth now, always princess or my lady . He knew it made her face flush, though that was more due to anger, the more she got used to it.

The nerve of him! Not only was he making light of her feelings for him, but he had kicked up a fuss when she tried to refer to him as a prince all those weeks ago!

Still, Kona had to admit it was better than the awkward air they used to have.

“You’re right, Zuko,” Iroh said, thoroughly breaking Kona’s train of thought. His tone was light, teasing. “I’ve seen that girl in here quite a lot. I wonder why…”

Zuko glowered at Iroh. “Uncle, you need to take this seriously.”

Kona cleared her throat, fighting through the discomfort that basically rattled her bones. But Jin had feelings for him… who was she to stand in her way?

“That’s Jin,” Kona said, placing her empty tray beside Iroh, watching as he placed the two men’s refills on her tray. “She’s the girl I talk with in the fields. She keeps asking me about you.” 

Kona suddenly felt like a fool. Could Jin have only been talking to her to get closer to Zuko? The thought made her want to sink behind the counter in embarrassment. Who was she even kidding? If she had trouble making friends as a child, why would she be able to make them now?

“What?” 

Zuko’s surprised expression dropped as he was interrupted.

“Thank you for the tea,” Jin said from the other side of the counter, drawing the attention of all three of the companions. With a grin, she handed her coins to Zuko. Kona watched her hand linger in his palm and swallowed down the ugly feeling in her stomach. “My name is Jin. Lien and I were just talking and I think I know a place with food you’ll really like. Would you like to go with me sometime?”

“Excuse me,” Kona said, snatching the filled tray in front of her and heading to their only remaining customers. She was in no way the type of person to impede someone else’s happiness, but that didn’t mean she had to listen to something that made an inferno blaze in her chest. 

She tried to block it out, but it was impossible to miss how the conversation went. Not when Iroh continued to make fun of Zuko after Jin left. Not when he continued to give Zuko dating advice, ruffling his hair and straightening his collar.

It was only an hour later when Pao sent Kona home.

She had broken three tea cups in that short amount of time. She had even spilled tea on one of their customers. They were lucky that it was old, cool tea and that the customer was a regular—a kind old man that accidentally called her ‘Lily,’ thinking her to be an old friend of his granddaughter. 

She brushed off the concerned looks of her companions, leaving with little more than a wave. She couldn’t look at either of them. The only feeling stronger than her jealousy was her embarrassment.

How pathetic was she? Moping over her friend going on a date? She should be overjoyed by him making a life here, in a city he seemed dead set on hating. The one she loved so desperately and wanted him to appreciate just as deeply.

I’m a terrible friend.  

The fact rang in her head as she sat in her room, the sliding door shut behind her, casting a dark shadow over the room.

He deserves better.

She pulled her knees to her chest, letting her head fall against them, fighting the deep ache in her chest.

Stop being dramatic.

She heard every creak in the floorboard as they came home from their shift. Zuko questioned her shut door, calling out to her. Kona didn’t answer.

He’s not yours to covet.

The hours slipped by traitorously slow, as she glared at the ceiling, fighting to rein in her traitorous feelings, her traitorous body. She heard Iroh send Zuko away with a hearty good luck.

She will be better for him.

Iroh tried to reach out to Kona after Zuko left. She didn’t even move. Eventually, with a whispered farewell, he left for his scheduled Pai Sho game. She was alone.

It’s better this way.

It was only in the quiet of the evening that she let herself out of her closet-sized room. The floorboard creaked below her, every shift of weight breaking the surrounding silence. She grabbed an apple off the kitchen counter as she pushed her way out of the apartment, a gnawing hunger suddenly rampaging in her gut. When had she last eaten?

She leaned against the railing outside their apartment. She had once been weary of its worn, molding wood, but she and Zuko had spent many nights out here since and it had never faltered in its hold.

Ba Sing Se sprawled out before her, the yellow of lit lanterns illuminating the dark corners with a soft glow. Very few people walked down the streets in front of the building they called their home as the evening turned to night. It was getting late. The brilliant moon shining high overhead only further proved this point.

Kona finished her apple, tossing the core into the garden below. Their downstairs neighbor was always asking for food scraps for compost, so they surely wouldn’t mind. Honestly, even if they did, Kona wasn’t sure she cared. Not tonight.

She breathed in the night air, holding it in her lungs as long as she could, all too aware of how it felt as it combatted the tightness in her chest. Zuko hadn’t been gone long. He wouldn’t return for a while, and Iroh stayed out well past midnight on Pai Sho nights.

She was alone.

Kona slid down onto the floorboards, letting her legs swing off the edge of the balcony.

“I’m so pathetic, Lu Ten,” Kona said into the night, propping her head against her arms, which sat uncomfortably atop the wooden support of the railing. “He rejected me months ago, and I still can’t move on.”

The night breeze shuffled her hair, tickling her cheeks and arms. She could almost pretend he was there, ruffling her hair and telling her to buck up.

Almost.

“It’s not fair,” she confessed into the night air. “I love it here. I love this city like you did, but I’m the only one who keeps failing, who keeps falling behind. Iroh plays Pai Sho twice a week with his friends. Zuko, against his every effort, has a habit of drawing people in. I mean, who wouldn’t gravitate towards them? They’re amazing.”

Kona’s eyes danced from rooftop to rooftop, searching for anything to draw her focus and distract her. The sickening reality churned beneath her skin, filling her with nausea. She knew she was being ridiculous, talking to her long-dead brother, but who else did she have to talk to? She was alone.

“Did she even like me, Lu Ten? Was it all a lie? Am I… am I likable, Lu?”

The world blurred, but Kona blinked it away. She wouldn’t cry. It had been too long. She wasn’t weak. She clenched her jaw so hard that it hurt.

“Life was much easier when I could just turn everything off.”

“What did you say?”

Kona whirled, choking on a gasp as she turned.

And of course it was Zuko standing there in his nicest clothes. That had to be her luck after a day like this one. Agni, he was so handsome. She could tell that his hair had been jelled, then ruffled. Did Jin do that? Jealousy rippled through her.

“It’s nothing, Zuko. Don’t worry about it.”

She silently cursed her brother’s spirit for not warning her of Zuko’s approaching footsteps. How did she even miss them? The smallest shift of weight in their apartment was louder than stomping on a normal floor board. She really was caught up in her own head.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said, and she cringed as she heard him stomp towards her. She made herself look up at his towering form.

“It’s nothing new,” Kona amended, looking before her once more, tracing the wood grain of the railing. “We don’t need to talk about anything.” And because she was trying to convince herself as much as him that she was okay, she asked, “How was your date?”

The wood beneath her creaked as he lowered himself to her side. She fought every instinct within herself to keep from looking at him. Her chest ached. She dreaded his answer, but for him, she would ask for it. For him, she would try to be okay.

“I barely made it through dinner,” he said, voice soft and she saw him rest his arms against the railing from the corner of her eye. He was looking at her. Why was he looking at her?

Kona swallowed around the lump in her throat. “I told her what you liked, so it’s probably my fault you didn’t like the food.”

“It wasn’t the food.”

If it wasn’t the food, what was it? Jin was great. Anyone would love her.

“The whole time, I could only think about how much more fun I would have with you.”

Kona’s hand froze in its quiet ministrations. His date didn’t go well… because he was thinking of her? What did that mean? The smallest of hopes flared within her, but she beat it down, pushing it deep. This wasn’t about her. She needed to comfort Zuko.

“I wish it would have gone better for you,” Kona said, but it was hard to hear around the racing in her chest.

“Kona, can I ask you something?” He asked after a pregnant pause.

“Always.”

“You like me, don’t you?”

Kona’s face burned. Pursing her lips, she stared determinedly away from him.

“You don’t need to tease me, Zuko. I was trying to be supportive.”

“I’m not teasing you. I need to know.”

Why did he need to know? What did her unrequited feelings have to do with the situation? Unless…

Oh.

Her heart stopped. If not for the sound of blood rushing through her ears, she may have even thought she had died. And that damned hope, so tireless in its pursuit, flared bright in her chest once more. 

She thought she may have stuttered out a reply, but she was focused on staring at anything that wasn’t him. Forcing her heart to calm, to let her breathe, though it wasn’t actually working, she sucked in a breath. 

She tried to focus on the distant sounds of other people walking around their own apartments, to the distant chatter on the streets below.

She knew her silence was damning to her still present feelings, but she couldn’t force a lie. To bring it to safer territory.

Not with him.

Never with him.

“Can I kiss you?”

Kona blinked. Those weren’t the right words.

Wait, that wasn’t her at all. 

Zuko had gotten closer, much closer, in her bashful retreat. His arm propped against the worn floorboard only inches from her side, holding his weight as he pushed closer into her space. His face was impossibly soft, but his eyes burned with something that made Kona’s stomach twist into knots.

“Kona,” he said again, voice low. “ May I?”

Watching his mouth form those words, seeing his eyes bore into hers, tore at her last fiber of self-control. With a courage she didn’t know she had, her hand moved from the railing to latch onto his propped hand. His eyes snapped down, and in that moment, she closed the gap.

It was everything and nothing like she expected. There were no sparks, but his lips were warm and solid against her own. She heard his breath catch, and she felt his free hand caress her face, holding her there. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she realized she may have stopped breathing.

He pulled away, but only for a moment. His lips returned, moving against hers with so much care, so much tenderness, she thought her heart might burst. 

No, there weren’t any fireworks, but it was better. It felt like his warm embrace after a hard day. It felt like his triumphant smile when she accidentally snorted from trying not to laugh. It felt like his gentle fingers tapping against her forehead playfully when she got too snarky. It felt like feeding turtle ducks together by the koi pond. It felt like building sand castles on Ember Island.

It felt like home.

He pulled away again, and it was Kona this time who reconnected their lips. Once. Twice. Thrice. Before finally bowing her head slightly, feeling him press his forehead against her own. The only sound she heard was the combination of their shaky breathing. It was like music. She never wanted the moment to end.

Kona felt her heart settle. The anxiety, the self doubt, the tension eased away.

To say that she and Zuko had been at odds was an over exaggeration (save for their fight, of course), but there had been a cloud looming over her. Every action, every word, seemed to balance on a tightrope. Staying close to him, being his friend, while keeping the distance she thought he wanted, over-analyzing every thought that left her mouth.

Had they simply been wasting time?

Kona shook her head, an amused breath escaping her still tingling lips, breaking their silence. “What were we even doing, Zuko?”

“You told me you wanted us to be friends. ‘Go back to the way we were,’” Zuko said, his voice playful. His breath was hot on her face, and she felt his hand brushed through the loose curls that framed her face. 

“You know, I only said that because you told me you were embarrassed to be seen with me,” she said, her voice petulant. She pulled her forehead from his playfully, only to jut her chin defensively away from him. She remembered the painful stinging at his confession, the rejection she felt, but the echo was impossible to find, replaced with the tingling of her lips and the euphoria clouding her head.

“Konaaa.” She wanted to laugh at his long-suffering sigh, at her drawn out name, but she held it in. Finally, he grabbed her jaw, making her look at him, taking in her exaggerated pout and groaning. “Kona, Uncle is like your father . In what world is it not embarrassing for him to catch us like he did in the North Pole?”

“Well, you didn’t say it that way!”

“I didn’t think I–” he cut himself off. The look in his eyes made her heart flutter, and when he moved his hand, which had been holding her chin in place, to caress her cheek, she felt her fake pout melt into something soft. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t clear. I thought I was being obvious.”

Kona reached up and grabbed his hand from her cheek, intertwining their fingers between them. “I’m sorry, too.” She couldn’t contain the smile that was begging to spread across her face. “I tried to be okay—with your date, I mean, but I couldn’t. Not with how I feel about you.”

“‘With how I feel about you’?” His voice was leading, teasing, but Kona was never one to break down without a fight.

“And here I thought you were the emotionally intelligent one of us two.”

He stared at her like she had grown a second head. “Did you lose your memory of the last three years? I barely talked to you—I was too wrapped up in my anger to see reason.”

“Maybe, but at least you let yourself feel…”

He shook his head before letting it fall against hers once more.

“I’ll never forgive myself for wasting so much time—for dragging you along and leaving you all alone at the same time, especially after Lu Ten.”

Kona squeezed his fingers and tapped their joined hands against his closest leg playfully. “It’s a good thing that I have already forgiven you.”

Zuko seemed to want to argue, but thought better of it. Instead, he dropped her hold on him, but only to wrap his arm around her and pull her against his side. She sunk into his embrace, letting her head fall against his chest, listening to his heart beat in his chest. 

At peace. For the first time in a very long time.

“....Jin thought we were twins, you know.”

“Agni’s grace, my prince, you really know how to ruin a moment.”

Chapter Text

Kona couldn’t rein in her blush, as Zuko passed closely behind her to serve tea to a nearby table.

His knowing smirk said everything she needed to know. Not only did he see her reaction, but it was what he had been aiming for.

Kona rolled her eyes, but she was unable to fight the grin that was straining to pull across her lips.

It had only been a handful of days since Zuko’s date, since their talk, since their first kiss. There had been quite a few more kisses in the days that followed, always in secret, in stolen moments, and always followed by breathless giggles.

Behind the giggles and the giddy feeling that came with their secret, they knew they couldn’t keep it from Iroh forever. Nor did they want to.

It was hard to find the right way to come clean with him. Kona remembered all too well the burning rage in his eyes all those months ago in the North Pole, and Zuko shared, after a bit of wheedling and some well-timed kisses, how Iroh had confronted him. Zuko told her how against their pairing Iroh had been, how he had done everything he could to keep Zuko from spending any time alone with her, away from Iroh’s watchful eye.

Something about Iroh’s protectiveness warmed her heart as much as it annoyed her. She chose, at the moment Zuko told her, to focus on the positives, even if Iroh’s belittling of her constitution stung. Not long ago, she would have pushed against Zuko’s recollections, insistent that Zuko was the one he was trying to protect with his interference, but since Lu Ten’s birthday, she had come to terms with her and Iroh’s relationship. She had come to terms with how he showed his care.

Kona was more than just a student to Iroh, of that she was positive now. She was his family, even if she wasn’t his daughter, like she had wished when she was little. She could live with that. No, she could thrive like that.

And she did.

She smiled to herself, picking up old cups from a nearby table. Nearby, Iroh served tea to a table of men she’d never seen before. She tried to ignore the icy fear that instinctively shot up her spine when, after a single sip, the men shot to their feet and followed Iroh as he made his way to the counter.

The man in the front of their group, dressed in lavish robes and with fingers decorated in glittering golden rings that screamed “Upper Ring,” stepped forward and said in a booming voice, “So, you’re the genius behind this incredible brew! The whole city is buzzing about you.” He raised an eyebrow and leaned into Iroh’s space. “I hope Pao pays you well.”

Iroh smiled the gentle smile that Kona adored. “Good tea is its own reward.”

“But it doesn’t have to be the only reward. How would you like to have your own tea shop?”

Kona froze, and the teacups on her tray threatened to dive off the side from the abrupt change in momentum. They clinked and clattered before resting back on the tray. Kona barely noticed.

“My own tea shop?” Iroh asked, his surprise dripping off his tone. Then a wide smile crossed his lips. “This is a dream come true!” 

Kona wasn’t the only eavesdropper, she realized as Mr. Pao brushed past Kona, his braid flying out behind him in his haste. Her teacups clattered precariously again, and she breathed a sigh of relief when they settled.

Unnoticing, Mr. Pao pushed into Iroh and the rich man’s conversation, his voice shrill in his panic.

“What’s going on here? Are you trying to poach my tea-maker?”

Mr. Pao stepped in front of Iroh defensively, but it did little. Iroh leaned around him, eyes glittering with unadulterated joy.

The man smirked at the shopkeeper. “Sorry, Pao. That’s business for you, am I right?”

Mr. Pao whirled to face Iroh. “Mushi, if you stay,” he said with haste. “I’ll make you assistant manager. Wait, senior assistant manager!”

Unperturbed, the man took a sip of the tea still in his hand. Then he smiled at Iroh over Mr. Pao’s shoulder. “I’ll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring. The tea shop is yours to do whatever you want, complete creative freedom.”

Kona almost dropped her tray in shock, then flinched when she suddenly noticed Zuko beside her. The man’s offer seemed to have caught his attention.

She could practically see the stars in Iroh’s eyes as he asked in obvious excitement, “I even get to name the shop?”

“Of course!”

Seeing the losing battle, Mr. Pao fretted, wringing his hands as made another offer. “... senior executive assistant manager?”

Without a word, Iroh handed the teapot in his hand to Mr. Pao before turning back to the man and giving a deep bow.

Kona watched Mr. Pao walk away sadly, torn between her sympathy and her excitement for Iroh.

Noticing their attention nearby, Iroh turned to Kona and Zuko, smiling widely. “Did you hear nephew? Lien? The man wants to give us our own tea shop in the Upper Ring of the city!”

The man turned his attention to the teens, his smile so white it was nearly blinding. She hadn’t seen a man like this since she lived in the capital. “That’s right, you two. Your lives are about to change for the better!”

Kona smiled at Iroh, the expression so large she felt her cheeks ache. She turned to Zuko and her glee dimmed when she realized she didn’t believe his strained smile. Zuko excused himself abruptly, before she could reach out to him, and he made his way out of the shop.

She wondered about following him, of picking his brain and helping him sort through his obvious conflict. Ultimately, she turned back to Iroh, whose smile had started to falter.

Without looking, she haphazardly threw her serving tray onto the counter as she rushed towards him. He pulled her into his arms, and she knew she had made the right choice in staying. His grip was firm and unyielding as she smoothed his long grayed hair.

Kona pulled back, but kept her grip on both of his arms. “Congratulations, Mushi. Your hard work is being rewarded.”

“Soon, we won’t be living as we have, my dear,” he said, and her heart constricted at the warmth in his words. “We’ll get you earrings to match that necklace of yours, all the hair pins your heart desires, silk robes and dresses for every day of the week, anything you wish you will have.”

Kona shook her head with a smile, though her heart sang. “You know I don’t need those things.”

“They will be yours, nonetheless.” He gave her hand a squeeze before nudging her to the door. “Go home and start packing. I’ll follow you when this gentleman and I have finished our conversation.”

Kona turned and bowed to the man. He grinned down and nodded his head back in acknowledgment. 

When she righted herself, she said, “Thank you, sir, for offering this opportunity. Mushi is the hardest working man you’ll ever know. Please put your faith in him, for you will never be disappointed.”

Kona could have sworn she saw Iroh’s eyes line with silver and grow glassy, but she blinked and it was gone.

“A glowing review!” The man crowed and stepped forward, grabbing her hand faster than she could even flinch. He gave it a firm shake, as if Kona herself was the one closing their deal. “Your father is in expert hands, Lien. This shouldn’t take long. You’ll have your new apartment ready by sundown.”

“Farewell, and thank you again, sir.”

“Call me, Mr. Fu, dear.”

Kona bowed, and with one more lingering glance and a smile at Iroh, she dropped her apron and left Mr. Pao’s shop for what was potentially the last time.

Zuko wasn’t home when she got there, but she did what she could to ignore it. Today was about Iroh. It had to be. Zuko would return; he always found his way back. Besides, they had promised each other they wouldn’t have any more secrets or hide away. Not anymore.

She packed what little she had into a small crate and had just started tackling packing the kitchen when Iroh returned home. Without words, he had pulled her into him and held her for a long moment. She smiled at him and congratulated him again as he patted her cheek. His smile was so infectious, any lingering worry for Zuko faded away.

Iroh and Kona chatted away as they packed. How had their clutter grown so much? Kona knew in her heart that they had been making a home in Ba Sing Se, but their possessions proved it. Gone were the days where all her possessions fit into a tiny bag, ready to be grabbed and run with at a moment’s notice.

It was in this revelation that the door creaked open, letting in the sounds of the city below. Zuko stepped into the room, every footstep reverberating the floorboards.

Iroh stopped mid-sentence and spun to face Zuko, and after placing Zuko’s fire flakes into the basket before her, she turned to do the same. Iroh’s smile lit up the room as he spoke to Zuko.

“So, we were discussing names for my new tea shop. How about the Jasmine Dragon? It’s dramatic, poetic, and has a nice ring to it.”

“A good fit for the Dragon of the West.” Kona couldn’t help but interject, heart leaping when Iroh turned his brilliant enthusiasm to her in response.

“The Avatar is here in Ba Sing Se,” Zuko said, and raised a flier before him. “And he’s lost his bison.”

Kona’s good mood faded as she took in the familiar visages of Aang and Appa on the pages. Poor Aang. She knew he must be inconsolable.

Iroh stepped forward and pulled the paper from Zuko’s grip. He examined it for a moment, his mood, too, lost in Zuko’s proclamation. Voice soft, Iroh returned his attention to Zuko. “We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble, we could lose all the good things that are happening for us.”

Kona watched Zuko’s face shutter with emotion. “I know good things are happening. Better than they have been in a long time. But have you ever thought that I want more from life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea?”

Her heart pinched at his statement, though she couldn’t pin down why.

Iroh shook his head, and his voice was much firmer this time. “There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is you want from your life and why.”

“I want my destiny.”

“What that means is entirely up to you.”

Kona watched as a quiet frustration rippled across Zuko’s face, but rather than argue, like it was so clear he wanted to, he took a deep breath, turned, and left without a word.

So, it wasn’t just Iroh’s day after all.

Quietly, Kona moved the basket she was packing, so it was more centered on the counter. She swept across the room to Iroh. Kona brushed a kiss onto his cheek, and she was happy to see his pensive expression briefly form a smile. She wanted to offer him more comfort, but, as this was the second time Zuko had walked out on them that day, she thought his retreat the more pressing matter.

“We’ll be home soon,” she said, stopping by the door to shove her dragger into her boot, though she knew she wouldn’t need it within the safety of the wall. However, Zuko and Iroh insisted, and it had become a habit.

With a loud squeak of the hinges, Kona followed Zuko into the dimming light of the evening. When she didn’t immediately find him on the wooden walkway outside their apartment, she turned and made her way down the steps and onto the streets below. Zuko’s silhouette made its way down the city streets, and Kona followed at a leisurely pace.

He clearly wanted some kind of space to sort out his thoughts.

Not wanting to ambush him, she continued to meander behind him, not at all trying to hide her presence. He could come to her when he wanted to, until then, she was content to bask in the light of the setting sun, before it fully sank behind the height of the wall.

Kona knew that he noticed her when the distance between them began to shrink at a steady pace.

Without looking at her, he found his way to her side, and he pulled her hand into his grasp, joining her leisurely pace. She pulled his hand to her lips, brushing a kiss against his knuckles, but said nothing, waiting for him to start the conversation.

“I’m happy for uncle.”

“I know,” Kona said, and she meant it.

For all his faults, Zuko was not apathetic. He cared deeply about the happiness of those he loved. His problems today had nothing to do with Iroh. They had everything to do with Zuko.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting a peaceful life,” he continued, though it contradicted what he said only minutes prior in front of Iroh.

Still, Kona hummed in agreement and nodded. His hand squeezed hers tighter, pulling her attention to him and forcing them to stop.

“I don’t,” he said, his voice insistent and eyes intense.

Confused, Kona simply nodded again. “Okay.”

His face tensed, and she watched him look around. He huffed and pulled her down a nearby side alley. It was dark, heavily shaded from the setting sun, but it was empty.

“For a long time, I thought my destiny was to regain my father’s trust—to rule at his side—but I don’t know if that’s enough for me anymore.”

His soft voice cracked, and Kona’s heart twinged. Destiny and honor had always been his driving force. If that was his uncertainty, it was no wonder he was struggling.

“What do you want, Zuko?” Kona couldn’t help but ask.

He was quiet for a long moment. He stared at her, face both soft and tense in a way that was so Zuko that she almost started to grow uncomfortable with his attention. Wanting to provide any comfort to pull the tense muscles from his face, but unwilling to break their eye contact, Kona squeezed his hand.

He smiled. Agni, he was beautiful when he smiled.

“Kona,” he said, and as if it wasn’t already his, her attention focused on him. “If you had the choice, would you want to return to the Fire Nation?”

Kona opened her mouth to assure him that of course she wanted to return to the Fire Nation—that it was all they had been working towards for years. She wanted to tell him that she wanted to feed turtle ducks with him in the koi pond, and spar with him in the courtyard, and sleep in a bedroom that was hers for longer than a few weeks. 

But she couldn’t. 

Kona did want to do those things, but her mind whirled with a sudden realization.

She couldn’t go back to following the whim of every royal in the palace—him included. Since she was little, Kona had pretended that she could just bow and agree with every decision he or Iroh or Azula or the Firelord made. With a start, she knew she couldn’t go back to the walls of her childhood bedroom. She couldn’t sleep under the walls that loomed over her like a prison in those long months after Lu Ten died and Iroh disappeared.

She wasn’t Kona, Iroh’s dutiful and silent protegee any longer.

The world had changed her.

“I… I’m not sure,” Kona choked out, terrified, but his eyes didn’t waver in their warmth. If anything, she watched them soften further. “Maybe I could someday, if things were different. I think I might be different now, and the way things were before can’t be that way now.”

Kona pursed her lips, physically having to bite back her biggest, albeit her silliest, reason. Zuko saw through her though, and saw there was something in her that was holding her brain hostage.

So he caressed her cheek with his hand.

“Tell me.” It wasn’t a request.

“We wouldn’t be able to be us anymore,” Kona said in a whisper. “Iroh may be my guardian, but I am not nobility. I’m just a lowborn child of the colonies.”

Kona couldn’t help but let her eyes drift away from him, embarrassed by her train of thought. His sudden firm grip on her chin stopped her, his stare unwavering.

He used his other hand to knock on her forehead in reprimand, though an apologetic caress down her other cheek followed it. Her cheeks burned at his open affection.

“I don’t care,” he said like an oath. “I never have.”

“Your advisors would not allow it, nor would the law.”

“I would make them see reason,” he insisted. 

“Zuko…”

“I would. We would make it happen. Kona, I promise, I won’t abandon you again.”

And with the stubborn glint in his eyes, she had to relent, for now. Instead, she asked, “And you? Do you still want to return?”

His answer was immediate, so immediate that it sent a thrill up her spine. “Not for my father, not anymore. After what I’ve seen of poverty, of war, I can make the Fire Nation a better place. I can make it a land of honor instead of fear, as it should be.”

“We would be lucky to have you as our Firelord… my prince.”

Zuko’s hands reached for her hips, dragging her against him. His lips met hers softly, sweetly, before he pulled away. He was so close she could still taste his breath on her lips.

“When the time comes, we’ll decide if it’s time to return. Together.”

His promise sat heavily in her stomach, and it twisted uncomfortably.

“I would never hold you back if I wasn’t ready, and you were.”

He squeezed her hip. It wasn’t painful, just firm enough to be reprimanding. “I want you to, Kona. We promised each other that we would have no more secrets, no more hiding—that includes how you feel. That’s why we’re even having this conversation. We’re partners.”

Kona pondered his words for a second, her heart feeling full. Still, she had to ask the tiny question wriggling in her brain. “If you’re so willing to wait for me to be ready, why were you so happy to see that Aang was in Ba Sing Se?”

He furrowed his brow; the question seemed to throw him out of the moment they had been spiraling towards. The corner of his lip curled as he found his answer.

“Force of habit?”

Kona scoffed and swatted at his chest. He pulled her closer still, though she didn’t know how it was possible at this point. She was suddenly very glad that he had the sense to pull them into a side street, away from the public eye. She would just die if anyone caught her acting like this with Zuko.

“If we found the Avatar,” he said, ignoring her gentle protest and swatting hands. “If we were integral to his capture, we would be able to return whenever we wanted. We wouldn’t have to go right away.”

“You can’t really believe that.”

The words slipped out faster than she could stop them.

Kona winced. Sure, he was being naïve, but she couldn’t blame him, not when he was this confused. 

“It’s a nice thought,” Kona interjected, not giving him a chance to respond. He stared down at her wordlessly, so she continued. “That is the mission your father gave you, and it would certainly end your exile, but… I worry it wouldn’t be on your terms.”

“What other choice do we have?”

We help the Avatar defeat your father. We take back our nation with the very person he dangled in front of you as bait.

The words sat heavy on her tongue and it forced her to swallow around the lump in her throat. Guilt ate at her as she forced herself to smile.

“I suppose that’s something else we can decide together,” she settled on, then added to appease her lie. “I know he’s the Avatar, but Aang is so young, and he helped Iroh when we couldn’t. He gives the world so much hope. It feels… wrong to capture him.”

Kona watched with bated breath as surprise filtered across his face the more she spoke. His lips twisted and Kona could only hope that it wasn’t in disgust—at a perceived betrayal. Bravery forgotten, she looked away and tried to shuffle back to give him space after her confession.

“Kona, look at me.”

The little space she had put between them shrank as quickly as it appeared, and she forced herself to look at him.

She didn’t deserve the love she saw there.

“I’m not upset with you for being honest with me,” he said, and her chest twisted uncomfortably.

“You’re not?”

He smiled down at her, his lengthening hair coiling over his forward as he bent forward to brush a kiss against her forehead.

“My anger blinded me for a long time, but I always saw you. I always have, since that first day in the palace. That day, I met a small, underfed girl with sad eyes. I have watched you grow into a perfect student, a prodigal fighter, and then start all over again after Lu Ten died.”

“What’s your point?”

“Kona, the only thing that you didn’t have to grow into was your empathy—your love. You may be good at it, but you don’t have the heart of a fighter.”

Kona opened her mouth to protest, offended.

“I’m not calling you weak, princess,” he said, brushing back her hair in a way that she knew he meant to be soothing. “All I want you to know is that you don’t have to pretend around me. I love you because you are as kind as you are strong, and you always have been and I have always seen. I can’t be angry at you for the same reason you drew me in.”

“... stop calling me princess.”

He snorted, shaking his head at her.

Unable to put into words the conflict his words wrought in her soul, Kona fell forward, pressing her face against his rumbling chest. She knew his words were a comfort. She knew she should feel seen and loved, but his observation hit something so deep within her she felt staggered. 

“I love you, too,” Kona said after a long moment, words half muffled by his shirt.

He squeezed her tighter against him before pulling away.

Though it pained her to return, they headed back to their apartment to help Iroh with his packing. Zuko insisted it was so Iroh wouldn’t whine about it for the next week, but they both knew he wanted to ensure that Iroh knew he supported him in this new branch in their life in Ba Sing Se.

He held her hand the whole way back, and, though her stomach churned with nerves, she never once let go. They only separated once they finally stood before the door of what would soon be their old apartment.

Zuko took a deep breath, eyeing the door as if it was going to lash out at him. His face was pale, and Kona could swear she saw a hint of sweat shining off his brow. Why he was so nervous, she didn’t know. He and Iroh had worse fights in the past.

Regardless, she squeezed his hand and offered what she hoped was an encouraging look before she finally released him.

Not wasting any more time, Zuko pushed open the creaky old door, and immediately they saw Iroh before them, sitting at their small table. His teapot sat before him with three empty cups.

Kona smiled from behind Zuko as Iroh’s head snapped towards the doorway. The traces of worry slipped off of Iroh’s face immediately, and she watched his all-seeing eyes dance between the pair. She knew he saw her small smile and his nervous pallor. All was well, he had to know.

And she knew he did, as all the tension in Iroh’s face vanished in the blink of an eye.

“Uncle, I—” 

Zuko took a staggering step forward, cutting off the apology that Kona knew was at his lips. “I don’t feel right.”

Kona watched in horror as Zuko went limp. She rushed forward, barely catching his unconscious body as they crashed to the floor, rattling the floorboards and window panes. She stared down at his sweating, ghastly white face as a whimper escaped his form.

“Zuko, wake up,” she said, a desperate edge slipping into her tone. She cradled him against her chest, shaking them both gently to rouse him, but his head just fell limply against her shoulder.

She turned to Iroh for help. He had dropped to his knees beside them, his hand feeling Zuko’s forehead. He shook his head after a moment, looking at her with a grave expression that made her stomach writhe.

Chapter Text

The first few days in their new home dragged on and blurred together.

Zuko’s fever never faded, and his tossing and turning increased in severity by each hour. Iroh and Kona took shifts, alternating who looked over the sickened teen and who supervised the decoration of their new tea shop (whose grand opening was quickly approaching). 

There was little time for sleep, and she could see by the sunken purple blemishes under Iroh’s eyes that the fatigue was affecting him too. The added stress of the tea shop faded as they added the finishing touches one at a time. They added a vase here and a frame there to pull the shop together, but the missing member of the family was prominent in Kona’s mind, as she was sure it was in Iroh’s.

Even with the new time to sleep and knowing Iroh’s watchful eye was nearby, Kona found no release from her anxiety. The situation was too stifling, too familiar to be able to escape through sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she had the suffocating feeling of being six years old again. Her mother was laying before her, sweat making her once beautiful hair stick to her cheeks. Kona would touch her hand, and her mother would be so cold. Why was she so cold? Iroh kept bringing her and her mother three cups of tea for them to share when she woke.

She never did.

Those were the more pleasant memories.

Most of her thoughts were stuck on the harsher days of her mother’s illness.

In the late hours of the night, she swore she felt the deep chill in her bones that accompanied the frigid nights in the alleys of the capital. Behind her eyelids, she saw the side-eyed looks and she could hear the jeers from men as they strolled by, well fed and warm.

Even through the haze of childhood, she could remember the night her mother stopped responding to her. She could remember the tremor in her fingertips. Was it fear or the bitter cold that made them shake?

In these nightmares, Iroh never comes.

It was only after five miserable days that Zuko showed any change. 

Kona sat against the wall of the main room, eyes staring into nothing. The porcelain cup, untouched, nearly slipped from Kona’s fingers as he gave a loud groan. She placed it down beside her carelessly, the cold tea covering her fingers and the pristine floor. It hardly registered in her mind.

She crawled to his side in a blink and she watched with bated breath as his eyelids fluttered open, scanning the room. The little hope she felt faded back to dread when she realized he didn’t seem to see anything at all. He may have woken up, but he was no more lucid. 

Uncaring of Iroh’s scrutinizing gaze, Kona clutched Zuko’s closest hand as Iroh rushed over with a freshly filled pail of water. They had tried everything to break Zuko’s fever, but no amount of blankets, no amount of water, nothing seemed to help.

Her only solace, one of her only anchors to remind her that this time would be different, was the temperature of his skin. It wasn’t a foreboding cold, but a sweltering heat. Still dangerous, but not too late. He could still be ok.

Right?

“You’re burning up,” Iroh informed him, breaking Kona from her spiraling thoughts.

Zuko’s cloudy gaze finally latched onto him. Iroh wrung the cloth out over the bucket and laid it over his forehead, pressing it down with a gentle hand. “You have an intense fever. This will help cool you down.”

Zuko opened his mouth, but only the smallest of squeaks left his throat. Kona’s heart ached at the pained look on his face. He cleared his throat, then managed to choke out, “So thirsty.”

He moved to sit up, but Kona immediately pushed him back down with as gentle a hand as she could manage.

“Easy, Zuko. Save your energy.”

Guilt gnawed at her as his barely coherent gaze latched onto her. 

It was her other anchor, keeping her from the familiar feeling of fog dripping over her senses.

This was not an incurable sickness or disease.

This was something she had done.

She had pushed him too far, too soon. 

Unable to hold his gaze, she snatched the ladle from the bucket, barely fighting the tremors that sought to take control of her hands. She filled it to the brim before carefully guiding it to Zuko’s lips.

Iroh helped brace his head, cradling the weight in his lap to guide Zuko to the spoon. Zuko’s hands latched onto hers and she almost dropped the ladle, thinking her speed too quick. She tried to release it, to allow him agency to drink at the speed he needed, but his hands held firm over hers.

He held her as he drank greedily, and as soon as he had started, he finished. Only then did he push the spoon aside and reach for the bucket, but Kona wouldn’t have it. She held him down once more, more insistent this time, pulling the blanket up to his chin as she grabbed more water for him.

“You’ve been asleep for days, so you need the water, but you need to stay under the blankets. We need to break your fever. I’m sorry.”

His brow furrowed at her, but he didn’t argue as she guided more water to his lips. His hands folded around hers once more, so hot even for him. Spoonful after spoonful, he drank it down, until finally, cradled in his uncle’s lap, his eyes drifted closed once more.

Then the waiting began anew.

She wished she could say this wait was easier.

Thankfully, it was only another day before he came around again. This time, Kona stood nearby, moving through her forms, hoping to tame her anxious mind and failing. Iroh stood vigil by Zuko’s side. He had been making more noise since morning, and Iroh was convinced that he would wake soon. Freshly brewed tea sat by Iroh’s side as a testament to his belief.

She only hoped that this time, it wouldn’t be left untouched.

By Agni’s watchful eye, fate proved Iroh correct.

Zuko slowly came to consciousness once more, and Iroh wasted no time pushing the tea at him, hoping to fill his stomach for the first time in nearly a week. “You should know,” Iroh said, as if it were a normal conversation. “This is not a natural sickness, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying tea.”

“What’s happening?” Zuko’s words were slurred, and Kona couldn’t fight the pull they had on her, forcing her to a kneeled position at his sides.

“It’s my fault,” Kona said in a whisper, drawing his drowsy gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“Your conversation. You made a critical decision,” Iroh clarified, shooting her a look she couldn’t completely decipher. She hadn’t told him the full breadth of the conversation, so she was sure it was linked, at least partially, to the frustration of her omitted truth. “It was in such a conflict with your image of yourself that your mind and body are at war.”

“What do you mean?” Zuko barely croaked out the words before a cacophony of coughing wracked his body, each one driving Kona further into her misery.

“You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew. It will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it, you will be the beautiful prince you are always meant to be.”

“Not that you weren’t before,” Kona said, unable to stop herself as she busied herself by wringing out a new cloth for his forehead. “Your body will just stop fighting you so harshly. So rest well, and wake up a happier you.”

“Stay with me,” he said, eyes already drifting closed.

Blush filling her cheeks but unwilling to deny him anything, she brought the freshly wetted cloth to his forehead. “Always.”

In the silence of his slumber, Iroh reached across to pull Kona to her feet.

She wanted to fight him, to stay by Zuko’s side. She wanted to avoid the conversation that she knew was bound to happen, but his hands were firm and unrelenting as he pulled her to the table only feet away. 

She could still see Zuko.

That helped.

“Catalyst you may have been, but you are not at fault for his sickness. You mustn’t feel this guilt, my dear.”

Kona couldn’t fight her scoff. So, that was what his look was about.

She slumped onto the pillow near the tea she knew he had set out for her. Fighting her ever present nausea, she forced the tea back. It was still warm.

“Kona!”

She jumped at his sharp tone and forced her eyes up from where they were drilling into the remains of her tea. A fierce glare darkened his normally honey sweet gaze, and she reeled. He never looked at her like that.

“You need sleep,” he said, his voice enunciating each syllable, as if he was teaching her a lesson as a child. “Even I rest my eyes during his quiet hours.”

Kona dropped her gaze. Now that Zuko had awoken, Iroh’s attention was fully on her. For better or for worse.

“I can’t, Iroh. Last time I did…”

His voice interrupted hers, his voice stern, unyielding. “This is different, dear one. Your mother had an infection, a disease of the body. Zuko is fighting an illness in his soul.”

She pursed her lips, fighting her agitation. He was telling her everything she already knew. She wasn’t a child.

She didn’t respond. They wouldn’t agree on this matter, anyway.

He sighed from across the table. And maybe she should have felt bad, but she didn’t. Not this time.

“Promise me you’ll try.”

She had been trying. She wanted to scream.

“Yes, Iroh,” she said instead.

Sleep didn’t come.

Kona was dead on her feet and she knew it. Every step felt like she had been marching for days. Her head ached, her eyes burned, and she could barely string two sentences together. Only getting a handful of hours of restless sleep for two weeks straight would do that to a person.

She squinted beneath the brim of her hat, fighting against the glare of the sun to read the freshly painted sign in front of her.

“ The Jasmine Dragon, ” the sign proclaimed in elegant script, high above the double doors of their tea shop—no, tea house. The building was massive, easily four times the size of Mr. Pao’s shop in the lower ring. It had two banquet spaces in addition to the main seating area, and there were at least a dozen cooking stations in the kitchen.

Elegant tables covered the main dining area, each with its own bouquet of lilies. Their benefactor had questioned the choice. He had said it was confusing to the image of the shop to replace jasmine centerpieces with lilies. He quickly learned just how argumentative Kona could be.

With a smirk, he gave her his to-do list and a pat on the shoulder. It was what put Iroh and her in the forefront of the store preparations in the first place. Kona knew it was a sign of confidence, of approval. She wished it made her feel anything at all.

She tapped her foot impatiently as the painters finally made their way off their ladders. She had already given the shop a once over, dusting every corner, straightening every decoration. They would need to hire more staff if they wanted to keep everything clean, but that was an issue for another day.

With a bow, she tipped a few gold pieces to the painters, sending them off with what she hoped was a friendly smile.

Agni, she was irritated.

Iroh had all but forced her out of their apartment that morning. He said something about her brooding and getting fresh air before sending her off to supervise the painters and come home with a list of groceries. And here she thought their relationship was on the road to repair.

What a joke.

But she didn’t complain. Of course , she didn’t.

At least, not out loud.

Internally, that’s all she did, as she wandered from shop to shop, running errands she knew were worthless. When was the last time they needed a mortar and pestle?

At least it mostly served its intended purpose; she was too busy stewing in her sleep-addled irritation to think about her best friend—boyfriend?—for the moment.

Errands complete, she trudged up the staircase leading to their new house. To call it an apartment would do it a disservice. Much like their shop, it was so much bigger than she ever could have imagined. Of course, it didn’t match the overbearing glamor that the palace boasted, but its value was clear in the pristine paint, the elegant floral reliefs, and the sprawling rooms.

It was taking time to readjust to, considering their last few years, but that wasn’t a bad thing. She would not deny herself the luxuries that had been withheld from her for so long.

Her musing abruptly ended the second she stepped into their residence. She felt the bag of fresh produce slip through her fingertips. She was dimly aware of the colorful fruit, rolling along the floorboards and out of sight, but it didn’t hold even a fraction of her attention.

In front of her, Zuko stood awake, more color in his cheeks than she could ever remember seeing. The bags under his good eye were long gone, though his hair was messy from his long slumber. She rushed forward before she could even think about it.

She fell into his chest, clutching at his waist. She closed her eyes, feeling his warmth, no longer a sickly inferno, but a comforting heat. Her hands fisted into the fabric of his shirt, trying to fight the shake that hid in her fingertips. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, her relief spilling over into shaky breaths and trembling hands.

He was awake. He recovered. She hadn’t, but he did.

His sickness did not take him from Kona.

Zuko pulled away, though Kona put up a small fight, clinging to him for just a moment longer. Unrelenting, he pried her away from him, but before she could feel offended, his hands gripped her head on either side, his thumbs framing her cheeks.

“I’m sorry that I scared you, but I’m alright now.”

Agni, his eyes were so soft that she thought she could melt under his attention. She reached up to grip his hands, squeezing them as she struggled to find her words. She caught Iroh’s eye in her humbling and her heart shuttered.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, suddenly very aware of Iroh’s watchful eye, but didn’t release Zuko. She couldn’t.

“Have you had anything to eat? Are you thirsty?” She asked, looking for any crack in his exterior that would betray underlying fatigue. “Do you need to sit down? Do y–”

“Kona,” he said with a laugh, and, Agni, that laugh made her heart flutter. “I’m fine. I promise. Don’t worry about it, princess.”

Kona squeezed his hand in warning, but he only laughed again before releasing her to bend down to pick up her forgotten groceries.

“Uncle made jook. Get changed and meet us at the table!”

Kona blinked at his cheery tone, finally turning to meet Iroh’s gaze. He shrugged at her, but the wide grin sitting on his lips betrayed his mood.

“All is well, Kona. It’s time to settle into our new life.”

And so they did.

The grand opening was a smashing hit. People flooded through the double doors of the Jasmine Dragon, every seat permanently filled. Every face she saw was a new one, and though Kona missed the people she had come to know at Pao’s Family Tea Shop, she couldn’t ignore the glee on her mentor’s face. 

Kona danced from table to table, hour after hour, conversation after conversation, and though her feet ached and her throat eventually grew sore, she felt her own ease settle around her. She could happily do this every day for the rest of her life, she realized.

What Zuko had said, in the minutes before his sickness, was true. So true that it scared her. Who would she be if she wasn’t Iroh’s diligent student, Zuko’s loyal subject, Azula’s only rival? 

If she was being honest, she may not have been those things in a long time. 

Azula had grown in her power. Between Azula’s attempted capture of Iroh and Zuko months ago and her attack on Iroh before Ba Sing Se, Kona could see that as clear as day. Azula hadn’t reached the limit of her power, whereas Kona knew she had plateaued. Between her change in environment and demeanor, Kona didn’t find the same thrill in battle she used to. Kona suspected Azula would be quite disappointed if they ever met in battle, sparring or otherwise.

Now, Iroh would probably always be a touchy subject, always further out of reach that she knew in her heart she wanted. Still, she could see now that she wasn’t just his student. She was more than that. How far his regard reached, she didn’t know, but she knew his fond words and affection would not be given if he didn’t mean it. After all, he had never treated Azula the way he treated her and blood tied them together. 

Then, of course, she had also started treating him differently. When that barrier was there, that hesitancy, Kona relied on her formality, her loyalty, but she couldn’t do that anymore. Of course, she apologized for her behavior after Zuko had recovered, but she never would have acted that way before their cold war had ended. Student no more. Diligent no more. She didn’t know how Iroh felt about that. She didn’t want to ask.

And, finally, came the biggest certainty.

Zuko.

Was she ever Zuko’s loyal subject? Loyal, sure. To this very day, she knew she would follow Zuko to the ends of the world, and she had. But she couldn’t be his silent companion any longer, and she knew he didn’t want her to. She was his confidante, his partner, and he was hers. Despite the ways of their nation, they were equals in heart and in mind.

No, she decided. She couldn’t be the person she was in the Fire Nation any longer, nor was she just a simple girl from Ba Sing Se. She was both and neither. Her years in Zuko’s exile created someone new, someone who wanted to do better, be better, for her family and herself. She wasn’t a fighter, not physically, though she had trained to be one most of her life. She was more inclined to sit back, to take each day as it came and enjoy each moment as it passed. She had taken the days of painful waiting to come to terms with that.

Her nation considered that weak, but her family, she knew, saw the strength it took to get there in the first place. That was enough for her.

Chapter Text

New Zuko was trying to kill her—of that, she was certain.

In private, Zuko had always been warm to her. He was affectionate and understanding, or at least he tried to be. Even in the deepest depths of his anger, at his core, he was a soft person forced into a situation that required a hard exterior. She knew, in hindsight, that the distance that had grown between them on that wretched ship stemmed just as much from her as him.

It was easy at the time—to hide away in the fog of her mind, using formality and manners as a crutch to hide from her own pain, her own insecurities. She remembered being shocked when the Avatar’s return placed Zuko at the forefront of her attention once more. How stupid of her.

She knew now that he had never really left her.

How often had she found herself on cleaning duty instead of a watch during the spring rainstorms on that ship? How often had they returned to port just in time to stock up on her supplies for her monthly bleeding? It was funny how often her favorite foods made it into the dinner rotation, despite many being scarce outside the Fire Nation.

Even then, she realized, he had shown his regard for her, in his own way, even if Iroh’s abandonment had scarred her too much to see it.

It was why this “new Zuko” would not be all that new to her, nor to Iroh. This was the return of who he always was, buried deep beneath his shell. The only change was how he showed his regard to others—around others.

This was where the problem lay.

This was why he was out to get her.

Kona stifled her giggle as he pulled her around the corner leading to the storage room of the Jasmine Dragon. Heart already beating rapidly, she let him drag her through the cafe doors that hid them from sight, but only barely. That bubbly, girlish giggle that only Zuko could earn from her spilled out as she pushed him further into the darkened storage room, well out of sight of the still swinging double doors.

She cut his answering laugh off when she connected his lips with hers, twining her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. She felt his hands rest on the slight swell of her hip—always the gentleman, though even that innocent touch made her skin ignite.

Agni, they seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces.

She thrived off these stolen moments. They filled her with a new type of thrill that only Zuko could give her. Their stolen minutes were electric and addicting, but they were also dangerous.

They didn’t have much time before they both needed to be back on the floor, servicing the tea shop.

With that in mind, she let herself pull back from him. She snorted at the slightly dazed look in his eyes. He was used to being the pursuer, with fleeting touch and side eyed glances. It was nice to see she affected him just as much as he affected her.

“Don’t tease what you cannot take, my prince.”

The lopsided smirk he gave her could only be called roguish. “But this was so much more enjoyable than what I had planned, princess.”

Kona rolled her eyes and swatted at his chest, but her grin gave her way. He got her and they both knew it. This Zuko had a way of winding her up in a way she had never experienced. If she didn’t like him so much, she would consider kicking his butt.

She stepped away from him, adjusting her apron as she went. His eyes burned through the dark room and she forced herself to avoid it, lest she reconnected their lips. Though she could not stop herself from teasing him, as she leaned forward to reach onto the shelf behind him, pushing aside a box to grasp what Iroh had tasked her in retrieving.

She stepped back, throwing him a small smirk as she tucked the spark rocks into her apron pocket. He didn’t return it.

“We need to tell Uncle soon,” Zuko reminded her, his voice gentle.

Kona sighed. She should have expected that was what his change in mood was about. Nevertheless, she nodded. “We’ll tell him,” she said.

Not only did they have to, but she wanted to. She really did.

As exhilarating as the sneaking around was, Iroh not only deserved to know, but she wanted him to be privy to their relationship. As odd as the situation may seem from the outside, he was a father figure to both Zuko and Kona alike. The wall between Kona and Iroh had been present for too long, and she didn’t want to give it time to build back up after she had spent so long tearing it down brick by brick.

That didn’t stop her from being afraid, though. Not when she was aware of the conversations Iroh had with Zuko. Not when Iroh had explicitly told Zuko that they should not be together. Would it be different now? Now that she and Iroh were closer? Or now that they were in full exile? Now that Zuko had made it clear to her that he would not return to the Fire Nation without her?

The uncertainty filled her with dread.

In Zuko’s silence, she forced herself to keep talking.

“But until we find the right time, you need to.” Kona paused to find the right words. “ We need to be more discrete.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but at her single raised brow, he stopped his defense.

Zuko was surely remembering the many times “princess” had slipped out of his mouth near Iroh. Not to mention the times Kona had to all but flee from his affectionate touches.

She, of course, knew from when they were children that Zuko was affectionate. He gave her a pat on the shoulder when she needed it. Zuko hugged her; he rubbed her head. Whatever she was comfortable with, he did.

It was in his nature to show affection through touch, just as his mother did. She knew that, but Kona never considered how that would show in a romantic capacity.

A lot, she had come to find out.

“We’ll tell him,” Kona said again, her tone carrying the sincerity of her words. “Soon. I just don’t want to throw it at him so soon after the opening. He’s so happy.” At least, that was her excuse for herself.

“Waiting won’t change his reaction.”

Kona pursed her lips. They had argued over this matter many times over, neither shifting from their position despite understanding the other’s. They were at an impasse until one of them relented.

Kona was almost certain it was going to be her that cracked.

Partnerships were hard.

Approaching footsteps broke the little world they had created and Kona immediately reared back from him. Kona made for the doors, only stopping to whisper across the darkened space, “You may want to fix your hair.”

She was only gifted with the brief sight of his hands snapping up to fix his lengthening hair before she pushed her way out of the room.

She smiled at the approaching form of Iroh. “I got the extra spark rocks! They were hiding behind our spare tablecloths!” She pulled out one set from her apron pocket, showing it off, all the while hoping the flush in her cheeks wouldn’t give her away.

Lying to Iroh was never easy. Though the words coming out of her mouth were truthful, the secret that hid in the passing moments behind his back tore at her. If only she could be as brave as Zuko.

“Excellent, my dear! I was worried we had overlooked stocking them,” Iroh said and pushed past her towards the storage room, clapping her on the shoulder as he did. “Use those to take over a tea station. We’re going to need both of us brewing during the next rush.”

Kona thought she may have made a noise of agreement, but she was too busy fleeing. She only hoped Zuko had actually fixed his ruffled appearance, or it would all be over.

Physically shaking the thought from her head, she focused back on the task at hand. After checking in on a few customers, having amicable conversations here and there, she found her way to the tea station beside Iroh’s favored teapot. It was easier to divvy up orders without having to call across the room, she reasoned.

Station lit and water warming, Kona looked up at the rest of the room. There were more customers in the restaurant than who would have fit in Mr. Pao’s store.

Iroh and Zuko were back on the floor now. She watched Iroh move from table to table, serving pastries as their water warmed. Zuko trudged around the floor near him, clearing the dirty table and taking orders. Normally, she would help him, but she could see what Iroh had predicted. The room was even fuller than she thought possible.

“I need two jasmine, one green, and one lychee!” Zuko called over his shoulder in between conversations with his current table.

Kona opened her mouth to make a snide comment—she couldn’t help it—but the sound caught in her throat. Standing in the doorway was a familiar sight. A tan skinned girl dressed in blue. Her hair was long and dark, her eyes a telling blue. That couldn’t be…?

Kona blinked, and she was gone.

Was it just a trick of her mind?

She forced the thought away. They already suspected that the Avatar was in the city from when Appa went missing. What did it matter if those suspicions were confirmed, anyway? Her duty wasn’t to chase Aang’s group anymore. She would tell Zuko later, but for the moment, Kona had work to do.

So she did.

The stream of customers never trickled. It was only when they closed that they could send the last of their patrons away. It was only then that Kona and her companions finally get to relax.

While it was an understatement that the day’s service exhausted her, a feeling of content came with it. It was different, working in their own tea shop, the one she helped build.

Basking in the glow of a job well done, she barely noticed the courier approach. At his appearance, she had merely assumed it was a message from their benefactor—a congratulatory letter.

Until she heard Iroh’s elated gasp.

“I can’t believe it!”

“What is it, Uncle?”

“What’s wrong, Iroh?”

Kona and Zuko spoke at the same time, pausing in their closing duties, and Iroh looked up with a giant grin.

“It’s great news! We’ve been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!”

Kona’s mouth dropped, and unable to say much through her shock, she approached him to throw her arms around him. He returned it immediately, and Kona could feel him nearly vibrating with excitement.

She pulled back, offering a peck on his cheek. “Go get your stuff together, Iroh. We’ll close up the shop for you.”

Pausing only to pat her cheek, he ran out of the room, likely searching for their best tea to brew. It would take him a while. She drifted to Zuko’s side, still watching where Iroh had disappeared.

“News travels fast in Ba Sing Se,” Zuko noted, as he continued sweeping the floor.

He wasn’t trying to hide his soft smile. He was so proud of Iroh. That much was for certain.

“Yes,” she said, whilst smiling at the empty doorway. “It does.”

With a newfound vigor, Kona returned to her cleaning. She soaked her rag, rushing to clean the low tables scattered around the shop. She didn’t know when the tea serving would be; Iroh didn’t say, but she did know that she wanted to make Iroh’s experience as enjoyable as possible. If that meant taking the load of cleaning and prepping for the next day, she would do it in a heartbeat.

The tea shop was the first thing that Iroh had done for himself in what was surely years. Iroh had devoted his life to accompanying Zuko and Kona in their travels and their personal growth alike. He lived so selflessly that the shop must have been a gift from the spirits, whether it was from Lu Ten’s own spirit or Agni himself.

Kona moved on autopilot, switching to dusting when she finished wiping the tables. Trapped in her thoughts, Zuko and she worked together to put the shop back together after a day of use.

Kona once thought to herself that Mr. Pao’s tea shop was inviting, but it had nothing on the Jasmine Dragon. To her, the air of the shop imitated that of Iroh; it was warm, passionate, somewhere to feel safe. It was lively and fun whilst also being regal and serene. The Jasmine Dragon was everything Iroh deserved after his life of hardship.

Kona was honored to be included in its creation.

Kona was honored to be trusted in its operation.

And that’s why she decided…

“We’ll tell him after he meets the king,” Kona said, wiping the sweat from her brow, as she finally raised herself to her feet, the dining room sparking before her. It was perfect, pristine, ready for another day tomorrow.

Zuko looked at her then, from his place behind the counter. He was drying the last of the dishes for the night. There was a glint in his eye as he looked at her. In that moment, it was clear that she was making the right choice, even as the anxiety hovered in the air surrounding her.

“Only if you’re ready.”

Unconscious of the movement, she walked around the counter to his side.

Zuko shifted his attention without hesitation, placing his dirty rag aside. Instead of pushing into his space like she wanted to, still cautious to Iroh’s presence in the evening hours of the shop, she leaned back against the counter beside him. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him do the same, but his eyes were focused on her, watching.

“I’m always going to want to make excuses, and you don’t deserve it,” Kona said, plainly. It took little to admit. Her conflict was almost assuredly obvious to him. “Iroh doesn’t deserve it either—us sneaking around under his nose after everything he’s done for us.”

He didn’t answer verbally. Instead, he reached between them and connected their hands, offering a comfort she knew he still sometimes struggled to put into words. They were still working on it—the emotional honesty. It was harder for him when she was upset. He almost always froze when lost her composure.

“So,” Kona said, giving his hand a firm squeeze. “We’ll deal with it together. Whatever he decides. He deserves the truth.”

“We’re partners, Kona. Every situation is one for us to figure out together. Always.”

Kona didn’t try to stop the soft smile that she turned in Zuko’s direction.

“I could almost call you a romantic for that cheesy response, my prince.”

Zuko rolled his eyes, and with no warning, he turned and splashed her with the water still sitting in the sink behind her.

Kona gasped, cringing away from the discolored water. She blinked at him. He smirked back at her. She wanted to be annoyed by the sudsy splatter dripping down her apron, but Zuko had a calculated look to him, behind his cheeky smirk.

The conversation was too heavy. He wanted to distract her. So she played along.

“That is disgusting! You washed the dishes in that!”

“We both know you’re in need of a bath.”

Kona raised a challenging eyebrow, and she saw Zuko’s cheeky grin waver.

Good.

As quick as lightning, Kona whipped him with the dirty rag she had previously been using to clean the shop.

Zuko jumped back with a whine, rubbing his struck arm. His retreat was short-lived, and his next move, obvious. He leapt to the side, snatching his own used wet rag from the countertop.

Kona followed his movement, relentless in her attacks even as he returned fire, the wet cloth snapping at her fingertips and arms. The sting of the cloth was barely even noticeable over her gasping laughter and his grumbled curses.

By the time Iroh returned, their arms were covered in red welts and their hair was sticking to their foreheads with sweat. Kona had taken to high ground, dancing carefully on the recently cleaned countertops while Zuko whipped at her feet.

They both froze when Iroh stepped into the room. His eyes searched over the spotless room before resting on his ward’s forms. Kona could practically see the question mark raise above his head, and she looked down at Zuko. He looked between her and Iroh before finally offering her a hand down from her perch.

A laugh bubbled out of her chest unfiltered as she took it, jumping down from the countertop.

Iroh shook his head in amusement, still standing in the doorway, and when he spoke, his voice was filled with unrestrained mirth.

“What did I miss?”

Chapter Text

Kona fought the shake in her fingertips. 

Before her, the Earth King’s palace sprawled further than her eye could see. It paled in comparison to the magnificence of the walls, but it was still a sight to behold. Above the palace doors, a slight breeze sent a ripple through the banner boasting the emblem of the Earth Kingdom.

She focused on that fluttering green cloth, if only to calm her anxious mind. 

This was the Earth King’s palace. 

They were in Ba Sing Se.

This was an honor.

There was no need to fear. 

They were building a life of peace.

“Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace,” Iroh said as he stopped his approach, breaking Kona from her musing. 

Kona and Zuko fell to rest beside his opposing shoulders, listening intently as he, too, stared up at the captivating green banner. 

“I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King’s personal guests, here to serve him tea.”

Iroh laughed, but it wasn’t his normal boisterous sound. It was a soft noise, almost melancholic. Kona squeezed his hand, and though he didn’t look at her, he returned the gesture. 

“Destiny is a funny thing,” he continued after a long breath.

“It sure is, uncle,” Zuko said, his voice warm and reassuring. It was nice to hear the tone in his voice while in public. It was becoming less rare, but Kona treasured his soft words all the same.

Iroh grinned over his shoulder at Zuko before he took a purposeful step forward. Whatever thoughts he had, seeming to fade away with each step. She watched him square his shoulders and raise his chin as he marched. Selfishly, Kona was glad to see she wasn’t the only one with anxiety regarding their summons to the palace.

With a deep breath of her own, Kona moved to follow Iroh when something blocked her path. She looked down at the arm slung in front of her, then at Zuko, her eyebrow raised. He was looking at her, of course. Why else would he have gotten her attention? His eyes were unreadable. 

She felt her brow furrow as he just stared at her.

Then she saw what he was pulling from his belt. 

Kona looked around frantically then rolled her eyes. With a glare, she snatched her dagger from his hand. She thought briefly of trying to hide it in her belle sleeves, but decided against it. She didn’t have a holster on her wrist and the fabric of her sleeve was much too delicate. It would show every curve of the blade.

Instead, she slid the sheathed blade into the pocket of her new robe, thanking Agni that Iroh had insisted that she got the fabric tailored to her needs.  

Still, she sent another unimpressed look at Zuko who only nodded back at her in satisfaction.

Kona had left her dagger behind on purpose. He had to have known that.

She wasn’t able to wear her boots today, her normal hiding place. She had opted for a pair of nice slippers to pair with her beautiful jade colored silk robe. They were meeting with the Earth King, after all. If there was ever a time to dress herself well, it was now.

Kona pushed his raised arm away from her, annoyed by his mother-henning. “I left it behind on purpose. Besides, do you really think they will let us see the Earth King with weapons on our person?”

“You’ll figure it out.”

He brushed a gentle hand against the small of her back, and leaned in, mouth close to her ear. “You look beautiful, by the way.”

He swept away without a backwards glance, leaving her to scowl at his back. She followed with reluctance, eyeing her surroundings with a critical eye. If the kingdom guards took her dagger, she would be very cross with Zuko. 

But they didn’t.

The Dai Li agents that escorted them to the throne room barely even looked at them, let alone searched them. Kona would think it odd, but with how little crime she saw in the city, she guessed she could understand. 

Either the Dai Li were so unaccustomed to struggle in the safety of the walls that they had grown complacent in their duties, or they were so efficient that not even a whisper of the crimes they stopped had escaped their hands.

The second thought intimidated Kona more than she cared to admit, so she forced herself to drop it, inching closer to the members of her party.

After many twists and turns, very likely designed to confuse the unfamiliar, the agents led them into the throne room.

It… was not what she had expected. It was grand, but it was so very different from that of the Fire Nation palace, which she had only seen once. Where the Fire Lord’s throne screamed intimidation and power, with a wall of fire that separated the royal family from their subjects, the Earth King’s throne was simple and unassuming. It stood on top of a few steps, in an open room with a beautiful mural behind it.

Their tea table was placed front and center before the throne. Beside the Dai Li, there were no barriers separating the king from his subjects. In Kona’s mind, it sang high praises on the Earth King that he didn’t rely on scare tactics and intimidation. 

She was suddenly quite excited to meet him.

Iroh got their station ready, as agents that escorted them moved to guard the door. Kona and Zuko watched as Iroh moved with meticulous, practiced movements before coming to rest between them.

Kona reached out to squeeze his hand once more, which earned her a soft pat on the hand, before she clasped her own hands in her lap.

Then, they waited. 

And waited. 

Time dragged on, and what could have been a small delay fell away to something more prolonged. With each passing minute, Kona’s hard won excitement slipped back to anxiety. Could something be wrong with the Earth King? With the city? Is that why the king had seemingly forgotten about them?

“What’s taking so long?” Zuko asked, voicing Kona’s own thoughts aloud.

“Maybe the Earth King overslept,” Iroh offered, but it fell flat. 

“In the middle of the day?” Kona countered anyway, to which Iroh only offered a halfhearted shrug.

Movement from the corner of her eye pulled Kona’s attention as the Dai Li agents stationed at the door rotated around the room to the table before them. Behind her, she could hear the telltale steps of more people entering the room, followed by the harsh noise of the door slamming behind them.

More and more Dai Li circled around them causing Kona’s heart to thump in her chest. Could it have been a trap all along? Did the Dai Li realize they were Fire Nation?

“Something’s not right,” Zuko muttered, eyeing the change from the corner of his eye. 

Iroh hummed in agreement from between them and Kona shifted her hand, bringing it closer towards her hip. The reassuring weight of her dagger pushed against her side. If any of them made a move, she would do what she had to do.

“It’s tea time!” A chillingly familiar voice crooned from outside the circle, and Kona tensed.

Zuko shot to his feet, defensive. “Azula…”

She emerged from between two of the agents, her usual smirk on her face.

Kona drew herself up, taking in the girl before her. Gone was her fire nation regalia; in its place was the clothing of the Earth Kingdom. The symbol of the Kingdom sat on her chest mockingly and for perhaps the first time Kona felt anger for the girl burning within her. 

During their time in Ba Sing Se, Kona had felt like an imposter donning the comfortable neutral colors of the Earth Kingdom. She felt like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, lying to everyone she met. Then, faster than she expected, the city started to feel like home.

She let herself enjoy the new colors; her neutral palette slowly grew to jades and emeralds. Her boots became slippers, her comfortable, convenient clothing became more refined, more delicate. She wore the wardrobe her mother’s family would have raised her in.

Kona glared at the pretty green bow that held Azula’s hair in place. All she wanted to do was snatch it away.

All at once, Kona knew she wasn’t an imposter at all. They weren’t imposters. They never were.

The difference was apparent now.

“Have you met the Dai Li?” Azula asked them, stopping before them with a smirk, unaware of Kona’s growing frustration. “They’re earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that’s so firebender. I just love it.”

Kona’s stomach twisted. The Dai Li were traitors. The group that was supposed to protect the king—protect the city had turned.

So, what had happened to the king? No, that’s not important now. Focus on yourself.

Kona looked around, unable to contain her nerves. They were completely surrounded.

Kona felt Iroh move to his feet beside her, his arm brushing hers as he picked up a cup of his prepared tea to hold before him.

“Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname ‘Dragon of the West?’” Iroh asked Azula, sniffing his tea with a serene expression. 

Kona tensed immediately, fingers itching to jump to her sides and free her blade.

“I’m not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle.” Azula rolled her eyes, smug energy rolling off of her as she checked her nails. She thought they were trapped. Helpless.

She underestimated Iroh.

“It’s more of a demonstration, really.” Iroh pulled the tea cup to his lips and took a long drink.

Kona leapt behind him, ducking her head, and she felt Zuko’s body covering her own, his natural resistance leaving him less likely to be burned from the burst of flame that spewed from Iroh’s mouth. Kona and Zuko shuffled awkwardly, staying behind Iroh as he set fire to the entire room with a single turn.

Rumbling earth created barriers all around them and Kona watched Azula leap behind it—her Dai Li keeping her safe. How had she inspired this loyalty? What had she promised them?

In the pandemonium that followed, Iroh dropped his assault, instead turning to blast crackling blue energy at the wall, the door too blocked to even consider escaping through. 

The earthen wall crumbled away, leaving a blackened hole. Kona leapt through it without a second thought, and she heard Zuko and Iroh fall into step behind her. They knew that the Dai Li and Azula were surely giving chase.

Kona pushed herself, keeping herself moving, but the silk slippers beneath her feet couldn’t get a grip on the smooth stone of the floor. She suddenly wished she would have worn her boots, though they clashed with her apparel. She could barely keep up with Iroh and Zuko, let alone outrun the Dai Li in her current garb.

She rounded the corner before them, wheezing as her momentum sent her careening into the wall, her slippers useless against the change in direction. 

Kona forced herself to push off the wall and keep moving, though the hit made her ribs rattle. Iroh and Zuko shot past her, not having that same issue, though they each sent a glance back.

She waved them off, moving once more to follow them.

Rock clattered behind her, too close.

No.

Her face hit the ground.

Her ankle screaming in agony. 

Kona kicked in panic, but her leg was pinned, a stone hand clutching her ankle to the ground. Another followed, pinning her other ankle to the floor, and Kona clawed wildly at the stone, trying to move out of its grasp. A matching glove of earth suddenly forced her extended wrist to the floor, fusing her wrist to the stone.

The world shook as Iroh lightningbended the wall open in front of him and jumped to freedom. Only then did Zuko turn again. His eyes widened, horror flashing across his face.

“Kona.” He only barely choked her name out of his lips.

“Go!” Kona yelled, as an agent came behind her. The glove on her wrist pulled her arm back with no warning and she couldn’t contain the hiss of pain as her shoulder was forced to rotate backwards. A knee stabbed into her spine, pinning her to the floor, as a robed arm reached for her other wrist.

She didn’t fight it. It was futile, and she knew it.

Her wrist met her other behind her back, and she felt the stone shackle them together. Kona craned her neck, unwilling to look away from the horrified visage of Zuko, though her chin was digging painfully into the floor.

He was still hesitating by the hole Iroh created. She pleaded with her eyes for him to go. For him to leave her behind.

She heard Iroh yelling, but she couldn’t make it out. Azula passed by Kona, sparing her only a small disappointed click of her tongue, before she prowled towards her brother.

“Go, Zuko! Run!” Kona finally begged aloud, her check flush against the floor as a rough hand pushed her down, as if she could resist at all.

“I’m tired of running,” she heard him say, turning away from his escape completely.

“No,” Kona all but wailed. Her shoulders screamed as the agent forced her to her feet. Her legs flailed, struggling to find purchase on the stone floor, but her shoes made it impossible. She kicked off the slippers that had betrayed her, though her ankle screamed in protest as her feet finally found resistance against the floor. It seemed her weak ankle had returned tenfold.

“You’re so dramatic, Zuzu,” Azula said, coming to a stop between Zuko and Kona. Kona fought harder, struggling to keep a good look at him even as the Dai Li tried to force her away. She wanted him to read her face, to see she wanted him to run. He didn’t seem to care.

“What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?” Azula taunted. 

Kona whined deep in her throat. He couldn’t do it. He was out of practice—unable to bend for weeks to keep from being discovered.

“Yes!” He said, anyway, and Kona saw his eyes flicker back to her, panic entering his face. “I challenge you!”

“No, thanks.”

The world turned orange as Zuko attacked Azula, but he was too distracted and too overwhelmed. He didn’t see the Dai Li move forward and just as easily as Kona; he went down. First his feet, then his arms.

“Knock them out,” Azula said, a smile pulling at her lips as she turned away from her brother.

His wild eyes met hers, but there was nothing they could do.

The world went dark.

Chapter Text

Kona came to consciousness slowly, easing in and out of her slumber like the waves crashing on a beach. The first thing she noticed as her eyes finally fluttered open was how little light was in the room.  Second, she realized how alone she was. All around her were metal walls, cold even through the fabric of clothing. There was nothing around her but the sound of her breath and the dim light streaming through the cracks in the cell door.

The pain came third.

She clutched at her head, pulling her knees to her chest, but she recoiled and abandoned the notion as her ankle protested. It was worse than last time. She thought it may even be broken.

Kona took a fluttering breath, forcing herself to gingerly prod at the swollen joint, ignoring the stabbing pain. Regardless of its current state, walking would be a challenge. Kona looked down at her once beautiful silken robe. It was stained with sand and dirt and the threads of the more delicate embroidery were pulled, marring the artistry.

She fought the pain in her heart as she reached for her shoulder and yanked, pulling off the elegant belle sleeve from her garment with one tug. She could be sad later, feel later. For now, she needed to wrap her ankle.

So she did.

It didn’t help with the pain, but it would help support it. That would do for now.

She forced herself to her feet, though it took her much longer than anticipated given her injury. Kona gulped, forcing herself to take a deep breath before she took a step for the entry of the room. She hissed through her teeth, but kept moving until her hands could cling to the iron protrusions on her cell door.

A cell. That’s where she was. She was in a dungeon cell.

She looked around once more. Metal surrounded her; someone clearly designed it to hold earthbenders. How do you escape from a metal prison?

With another forced breath, she pushed onto the tips of her toes on her left foot, letting her other leg dangle uselessly. She pressed her cheeks between the bars, trying to see anything, any one . There was nothing in the darkness. The little light there was came from the glow of the large crystals protruding from the walls. If she wasn’t trapped, she may have even considered them beautiful.

Eyes failing to find anything, she listened for a moment.

Hearing nothing, she finally let herself whisper. “Zuko! Are you there?”

She waited with bated breath for a few heartbeats, but no one responded.

Kona fought the wobble in her lip. If they didn’t lock him up, where could he be? Surely, it was better for him to be out of a cell. Right? That was good. Maybe he escaped.

He wouldn’t leave without you.

Kona shook her head. He had to. If he had the chance, he needed to go. He was the rightful heir to the Fire Nation. He needed to protect himself to make the world a better place. Like he wanted .

A sudden crash nearby made Kona freeze. The clanking of metal, dense metal, made her hair stand on end. But she couldn’t make herself move. She remained where she was, eyes roving across what little she could see.

Suddenly, a face appeared before hers and Kona almost screamed, but the sound died in her throat at the familiar grin.

“I knew that I heard you, turtle duckling!”

“Toph.”

The breath of relief that escaped her was so genuine that her entire body almost fell away from the door. Toph clouded eyes crinkled under the weight of her fierce grin and Kona couldn’t help but smile back.

“Kona?”

“Sokka!” Kona fought the tears in her eyes, her rising hope overwhelming her as she took in his form behind Toph. “How did you get down here?”

“Later,” Toph said, and cracked her knuckles. “Stand in the corner of your cell.”

Kona blinked, but complied, huddling as far as she could into the corner.

The sound she heard earlier suddenly made sense as she watched the dense metal door crumple suddenly and fly into the far wall. Kona coughed at the dust, but she barely processed it as she stared wide-eyed at the destroyed door.

“Did you just… metal bend?” The words sounded impossible,as they left her mouth, but there was no other explanation as the wrinkled metal glinted from the opposite side of the room.

Her question went unanswered as Sokka pushed his way into the cell crowding her vision.

“You look awful,” he said in greeting, but ducked to put her arm over his shoulder. Kona fought the hysterical laughter that bubbled in her throat.

“I’m fine.”

Her ankle disagreed, and by the look on his face, so did Sokka.

He helped her out the door and into the cavernous hallway. There she saw a bespectacled man in luxurious robes and decidedly pale skin. Fine jewelry hung from his neck and sat on every finger, and his shoes were ostentatious in their buckles. She knew who he was in an instant.

“Pleasure to meet you, Earth King.” Kona tried to bow, but given how Sokka was propping her up, it was barely more than a nod of the head.

“The pleasure is mine,” he said in response, but the weakness in his voice betrayed his disposition. Azula had outwitted the poor man. Kona knew all too well how that felt.

“We need to find Bosco and get out of here,” Sokka said, pulling Kona forward.

“I need to find Zuko. The Dai Li—Azula got him too.” Kona tried to pull herself from Sokka’s grip, but he resisted. Her feet scrabbled against the dirt, fighting his hold.

“Your old man is going to get him, Kona. He found us for help. Let us help you.”

Though it warmed her heart to hear of Iroh’s plan to rescue them, she couldn’t stay put. She knew if Zuko wasn’t here, he was with Azula. That was never a good place for Zuko. And that was enough to keep her going.

“Stop fighting!” Sokka clutched at her waist to keep her in place. His grip was almost painful, but Kona knew that was from her movements rather than his hold.

“I can’t just leave him! You don’t understand, Sokka,” Kona said, more desperation than she cared to admit leaked into her voice. “Azula could confuse him or threaten him unless I’m there to help him.”

“If he listens to Azula of all people, that’s on him. He needs to think for himself, Kona,” Sokka argued, and his argument pinged in her head as true. Zuko needed to think for himself. But he was, wasn't he? He was choosing to make a choice with her.

“He does! Sokka, he prioritizes others over himself! If he thinks I’m hurt, he’ll go along with whatever Azula says to keep me safe. He won’t care about anything else, including your friends.”

Sokka sighed, but she could see him relenting as his grip on her loosened. “That isn’t thinking for himself. That’s making bad choices in your name.”

Kona’s lips twisted, but she couldn’t argue with his logic. “You don’t need to come. Toph already got me out. Just get the Earth King out of here,” Kona said and to prove her point, she pulled from his arms. She took a step forward, fighting her flinch, and turned back to look at the three people standing behind her.

“We can’t let you go on your own, Kona. Not when you’re limping like that,” Toph said, pointing at her bad ankle. 

It was so easy to forget she was blind with how much she could see through her bending. 

After a pause, Toph turned her attention to Sokka. “I’ve got the duckling. Take the king, find Bosco, and get out.”

Sokka shifted his feet, uncomfortable with the plan, but after a long, calculating stare in Kona’s direction, he gave a curt nod. “The Dai Li will be wherever the others are. Be careful.”

Sokka and the Earth King disappeared around the corner, leaving Kona alone with Toph in the dimness of the dungeon.

“Let’s go,” Toph said, grabbing Kona’s arm. At first, Kona wondered how that would possibly help her walk when the earth beneath her bare feet rumbled and in a blink, they were riding forward on a small earthen platform.

“Thank you, Toph,” Kona called over the crumbling rock below them. While she had been willing to make the trek on her own, and she stood by that, the journey would have been agony.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get mushy. Let’s just find your boyfriend,” Toph said, rotating her free arm to keep their small platform moving.

Reflexively, Kona almost corrected her, but she realized with a jolt she didn’t need to.

Instead, she focused on trying to see before her as they moved through tunnel after tunnel, making turns that Kona knew she wouldn’t have thought to make on her own. She could have easily gotten lost in this labyrinth.

Suddenly, as quickly as they started their journey, Toph stopped and, a few dozen paces away, a doorway lit up their view. The glow of the crystals gave an eerie green tinge to the air, and Kona tried not to shudder. The only relief from the glow were the brilliant flashes of blue and orange. A shiver went down her spine when a final bright flash lit up their tunnel, along with a loud crash. Azula was bending lightning.

“You should stay back for now. I can get through to Zuko, but if Azula sees you with me, it’s over for both of us. Find your friends,” Kona whispered and started marching forward to the glow, filled with a newfound resolve.

“Stay safe,” she heard Toph whisper, followed by the rumble of stone. A glance over Kona's shoulder showed that the girl was gone.

Squaring her shoulders, Kona started running forward, her bare feet slapping against the dirt as she fought to hide her limp. She burst through the doorway, blinking away the sudden light as her eyes adjusted.

She immediately found Zuko and Azula, standing with menacing intent over the prone Katara and Aang.

Kona’s heart stuttered, but kept moving, leaping over the small river caused by the burbling waterfall that cut into the wall of the enormous cavern surrounding them. Her step faltered, and she nearly went down as she landed on the other side. It was pure willpower that kept her standing, though she knew her ankle was starting to give.

However, her pained wince drew attention. The siblings turned to Kona’s entrance, and she stood panting, trying not to convey any weakness under their analytical stares. Behind them, the Dai Li stood at attention. Waiting for Azula’s command.

“Kona,” Zuko said, his voice odd. He was panting, fists still raised, eyes determined as they danced between her sudden arrival and the people around them. No one else knew what he was thinking. What he was doing.

Kona knew.

He wanted them to choose.

She fought the pang in her heart, Sokka’s words ringing in her head. He had helped Azula in Kona’s name. By their stances, they had worked together to take Aang down. She forced herself to look the Avatar’s way. Katara. She was sobbing, clutching Aang’s limp form to her chest. How had that happened? Had… had Zuko done that?

She moved her attention back to the siblings. There stood Azula, not a hair out of place. The wicked gleam from within her burned brighter than Kona had ever seen it. So Azula had done it. She had… no, Aang had to be alive.

But Zuko had helped. In Kona’s name.

Kona pursed her lips, fighting back her panic.

She knew the time would come; she knew they she would have to choose, eventually. Somehow, it had felt so far away when the promises left their lips under the setting sun of Ba Sing Se. It would be a more mature Zuko and Kona that had to make the decision that altered their lives. Surely.

There was a lump in her throat as she tried to force herself to breathe. They had agreed to choose together and yet Zuko hadn’t hesitated to help Azula.

She knew he would do that. She had told Toph and Sokka he would do that, so why was this ugly feeling bubbling in her chest?

She knew that there wasn’t much of a choice to make now.

To choose to return the Fire Nation now would be to turn her back on the people that had, through some miracle, helped her, trusted her. It would be to take back the growing bonds she felt with Sokka and Toph. It would condemn the Avatar to death and the world to the Fire Lord’s cruel rule. 

Alternatively, to choose the Avatar would be to condemn Zuko to be without his home, away from his memories of his mother forever—just like her. It would mean turning her back on Azula once and for all. She had already grown so wicked in these last few years. To leave her behind on purpose… that would be willful negligence to her. It was giving up on someone who may, deep down inside, still be redeemable.

But… Kona supposed those weren’t her problems, were they? 

They were theirs.

The easy option was the one she latched onto; she realized. She had let someone else help her decide her hardest choices in life, so she wouldn’t have to live with the guilt her decisions would cause.

The decisions she had already made long ago.

She could fight Katara, her unlikely friend, or fight Azula, her rival and the person who pushed her to be better. 

Fight the Avatar or fight her childhood. 

Fight on the winning side or fight the suicide mission—the Dai Li were starting to move in from a subtle signal that Kona wasn’t privy to.

It was a simple choice.

She could chew out Zuko for her epiphany later. She knew he would follow her lead. He had agreed to it.

With shaking hands, Kona raised her fists. The Avatar it is.

A blast of heat cut her off when she opened her mouth to give Zuko her answer.

She raised her arms to brace herself from the heat, but that control, that power, could only be from one person. She knew it wouldn’t hurt her.

Before her, Iroh stood, panting and glaring at his niece and nephew. At that moment, staring at his opposing form, she knew that she was making the right choice. The choice that her Iroh would be proud of. 

“You’ve got to get out of here!” He called, stronger than she had heard in many moons. The voice of the Dragon of the West, General of the Fire Nation, was out full-force. “I’ll hold them off as long as I can!”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Katara trying to maneuver Aang into a new position, so she could move him. They just needed to get to the waterfall and Katara could get away.

With Iroh helping, it didn’t feel quite as suicidal to take on Azula and her Dai Li. Kona wouldn’t be much help, but she could be a distraction while Zuko and Iroh fought. Suddenly, Kona remembered the blade hidden within her pocket. Her hand lunged for her pocket, feeling its weight there. They never confiscated it. Why?

Kona flinched before she could reach it, recoiling as Iroh released a rampaging blast. If she hadn’t put up her hair, surely it would have been singed from the proximity of the heat. Why had he fired this way? She was far apart from where Azula and Zuko stood, nearly adjacent to Iroh himself.

Was it just to wall off Katara and Aang’s escape?

Fire burned behind his gaze, and Kona’s heart jumped. Why was he looking at her like that?

Iroh bared his teeth. And that anger… Why did he look so angry? “After everything I’ve done to prepare you, you leave me no choice,” he spat across the echoing cavern and Kona physically reeled, stumbling back as her weak ankle came against the earth below her.

“I–Iroh?” 

It slipped out before she could stop it, and she watched that angry look twist into something she could only call torment.

“You’ve forced my hand, my dear. Prepare yourself.”

But she couldn’t. How could she? Her mind whirled, trying to understand Iroh’s change in demeanor. This was what they had talked about. Defecting from the Fire Nation—they had talked about it. He had friends outside their nation; she knew that. 

So why?

Why did he look so angry at her?

Kona’s heart skipped a beat as his firebending form shifted. With wide eyes, she watched his hands fold into a familiar gesture and his chest heave with controlled breath.

“After today, you are no longer my student, no longer my child,” he said, his voice harsh, but his eyes wet with tears as the blue energy crackled around him.

She could feel a thudding in her ears—it must have been her heartbeat. She tried to blink him away. Surely she was just dreaming.

But there he stood.

Against her? It didn’t make sense.

She felt her heartbeat once more, hard in her chest, as the crackling energy he had built up shot out of his arm—so bright, so powerful, so Iroh. 

Fighting every instinct, she reached out to him, as if she could embrace him one last time.

His agony was clear on his face. She wished he would smile. 

Someone yelled her name.

Her heart beat again.

And for the second time that day, she only knew darkness.

Chapter Text

The night air was icy–colder than anything she had experienced before. The businesses lining the main street had closed hours ago, leaving her and her companion alone in the dark winter night, huddled together in a small alley to conserve their dwindling body heat.

Another shiver rocked her frame and her small hand slipped outside the confines of the thin woolen blanket to tuck the hood securely over her mother’s head. The woman had fallen asleep ages ago, and her body had stilled soon after. Kona would think she was simply deep in her slumber if it weren’t for the rattling breaths that often escaped her lungs.

Kona was young, only six years old, but even she knew that her mother’s too-still body was a horrible omen.

Swallowing her panic, she peeled the blanket off her shoulders, ignoring how the flesh on her arms rose against the breeze. On clumsy legs, she reached over and wrapped the cloth around her mother's unconscious form. 

She would get better if she could stay warm. 

Mama had promised that her sickness was only a cold–derived from their game of hiding behind crates on that big ship that brought them here. 

Kona had won that game. She could still remember the pride in her mother’s eyes when they set foot on land once more. Of course, she knew mama had helped her. She had covered Kona in linens to protect her from sight.

“Mama,” Kona whispered, watching her mother’s eyes flutter beneath her lids. “I’ll tuck you in this time. Sweet dreams.”

She would go to the apothecary in the morning, she decided. Her mother always said they couldn’t, but she didn’t know everything. Kona could help her. Mama just had to let her.

She knew that if she were bigger, she could help more. 

No, if she were a bender, she could help more. 

The apothecary would have happily accepted help with their brews, even if Kona only had a spark within her. It wouldn’t have mattered what she looked like then… 

But she would figure out another payment. She was smart, her mama said so.

The mouth of the alley yawned open before her, nearby lanterns flickering and casting the golden light that leaked in. The streets were nearly dead, and those who were out this late didn’t linger. They weren’t often disturbed in the night, but mama warned her that they weren’t supposed to be camping in the city. So, as the person awake and in charge, Kona steeled her shoulders, looking around for something she could use. 

There, caging her mother against the corner of the alley, was a rotting, rain-soaked crate. She gripped one of the wooden planks in its frame, rattling it until the long, rusted nails spilled free. The ting- ing of metal against cobblestone was harsh against the still night, and she paused. As the nails (each easily the length of two of her hands), rolled into the cracks of the stones, she could still hear her mother’s breathing. It wasn’t a comforting sound, but it told her that she was still only sleeping.

The crunch of footsteps on cobblestone pulled her attention back to the mouth of the alley. Her eyes widened as a large, imposing figure blocked out the light behind them, casting a dark shadow onto their already shaded homestead. 

She fumbled, snatching the nail from the ground. She raised the nail before her in defense–the way she had seen strangers do on the nights she and her mother decided to camp in new places.

“What are you doing out in the cold, little one?” 

His voice was deep and gravelly, fitting for his large stature, but, oddly, his were hands raised in the air as he stepped closer.

“Back away,” she said, lifting her chin. It was a good thing to say, she decided. It sounded grown up.

While he didn’t turn around, the man did stop a few paces from her, hands still in the air. It gave her time to take in his salt and pepper hair and his well-kept beard. His clothes fit him well and were not yet dulled by the soaps used to clean laundry. She couldn’t see his face very well in the shadows, but she knew the moment he saw the figure behind her, by the way his head tilted.

“You need to leave.” Her voice was akin to a shout in the quiet of the night.

“I can’t do that, my dear.” He was sterner now, his tone firm. Kona bristled against it. “You have done well keeping her warm, but she needs shelter.”

“No one will take us.”

She didn’t mean to say that, to whine like a baby, but it only made him inch closer. She eyed him warily, but didn’t move away as he crouched to her level. He was clear before her then. Kona saw the lines of age on his face and the warm amber of his eyes. His mouth twisted in a weird way, but he didn’t look mad at her. If anything, it seemed like he was trying to smile at her. Only her mother looked at her like that, and her papa when he was home. He hadn’t been home in a while, but then again, neither had they.

“I can take you,” said the man. “I’ll give your mother the best care this nation has to offer.”

“Mama said it was only a cold, that she just needed rest.” Kona ached to look over at her mother, but instead held firm, gazing at the stranger.

“How long ago was that?”

It was hard to keep track of time living like this. Thankfully, her silence seemed to be enough of an answer.

“Has time made her better or worse?”

Kona’s hand fell to her side–when had it begun to tremble? “Worse.”

“You have done well, but she will only get worse without help,” the man said. “May I bring your mother somewhere safe?”

The man didn’t seem to want to harm them, and his voice, despite its deep timber and grit, was gentle. He was kind, so Kona could only nod, and the man rose to his feet before her. He paused, only to give her a small pat on the head before walking to her mother’s side. Kona watched with bated breath as his hulking figure bent to cradle her in his arms.

“Stay close, my dear. I do not want you to get lost.”

As if she would let her mother out of her sight.

She stuck to his side like bugs on sweets. She was surprised as he led her towards the place where mother told her never to go. 

Nobility would treat her worse than any common beggar ever would, according to her mother. 

She stumbled as he surpassed even the noble quarter and found the base of the grand staircase leading up the side of the long-extinct volcano. Up there, a sight she never even dreamed of seeing.

He paused, peering down at Kona over her mother’s head. “I cannot carry you both. Will you be able to make the climb?”

Offended, Kona stalked forward and began her ascent. “I can carry her myself, if you’re too weak.”

It was a lie, of course, but he didn’t need to know that. She heard him make a noise but kept walking, making her way up those endless stairs, even as her thighs screamed in protest. The chill in the air wasn’t enough to stop her sweat.

Finally, blissfully, she spotted the peak, and she nearly broke out in a run at the sight, just to get the endeavor over with. That’s when she noticed the guards, faceless men, dressed in thick armor. Their lack of weapons only proved their prowess.

“At ease, gentlemen.” His gravelly timber spooked her, especially when it drew the guard’s attention, but they only bowed in response.

Who was this man who commanded palace officials so easily?

She didn’t yet voice the question, though it burned on her tongue. She allowed the man to surpass her so she could move with him instead. If he was important here, she didn’t want to stray too far. Who knows how the guards would react to her skulking around alone?

“Good instincts, little one. It is always smart to blend into your surroundings.”

Ignoring his compliment, she stared at what she could see of his face in the dark. “Who are you, mister?”

“My name is Iroh,” he said, and she felt her heart stutter. There was not a member of this nation that did not know that name. “Get the door.”

Blinking away her stupor, she rushed to open the gilded doors, grunting from the effort. He brushed by her, calling to servants as he passed for blankets, warm water, and food. Why there were so many up at this time of night, Kona didn’t know. She wasn’t royalty.

At long last, Iroh ushered her into a large room, and at the center sat the largest bed Kona had ever seen. Eyes wide, she moved, faster than the servants could, to peel back the bedding, so Prince Iroh could place the bundle that was her mother down on the mattress.

Uncaring of the people around, she fretted, smoothing down her mother's matted, once beautifully curled hair. She tucked the surrounding blankets around her still form, only pausing when she heard the door to the room shut. A glance told her that only the prince remained in the room. She suddenly felt awkward. She didn’t know how to act in this warm room that was more lavish than anything she had ever seen. 

"I can have my servants draw up a room for you."

She stared at him and inched closer to her mother without thinking. 

He smiled slightly, but it looked like it hurt him. "I thought as much. "

He approached the bed then, taking a moment to reach over Kona to rest his hand against Mama's forehead. "I have called for the physician. He has instructions to come immediately. It should not be much longer. "

"Thank you... Prince Iroh." She took a moment to fold her hands how her mother taught her, left fist tight, connected to her upward facing right hand. His hand on her shoulder kept her from bowing. When she looked up, his eyes were kind, she thought, but there was something else she didn’t understand. She was only six, after all.

"Just Iroh is fine, little one." He sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed, his towering form a comforting heat against Kona’s side, though she wouldn’t admit it. " I've called for food. I'm sure you're hungry."

Kona shrugged, but her rumbling stomach betrayed her.

The weird look in his eye returned, but he stood. He lifted his hand, patting the top of her head once more before moving towards the door. "Rest for now, little one. You are safe in my care."

In the quiet and comfort of their temporary lodging, it was hard for Kona to stay awake and alert–try as she might. It was well before the prince returned that she found her eyelids drooping. She could hardly be blamed. It was the first time in nearly a season she was able to sleep in a warm bed .

Many years later, on an iron ship in the middle of an ocean, Kona's eyes fluttered open. It wasn't the first time she had dreamed of that night, nor her last. Her sleepy eyes drifted to the moonlight seeping through her porthole, and a contented smile drifted across her lips and her lids closed once more.

She had hours more until Iroh would expect her to train. For now, she would rest–soothed by the foggy face of the last happy memory of her mother and the first memory of her Iroh. 

If Kona wouldn't have taken apart that rotted, water-soaked crate, Iron knew in his very being that her mother would have died in that alley and Kona, alone and starving, wouldn't have lasted much longer. 

Not in that city.

Not that young. 

It must have been fate itself leading him there that night. What other explanation was there? Why else would that night in particular be so stifling, his fears so inescapable that he felt the need to leave the palace for a night stroll in the middle of winter?

How else would he have stumbled across that poor, trembling girl all those years ago?

She was so small, even for her age. Her hand shook before her even as she tried to stand her ground. He couldn't help but admire her bravery, especially when she choked on a threat, her fear all too obvious to anyone she may have tried to fool. 

His brother had always called him weak, and in that moment, he was. How was he supposed to walk away after seeing the corpse-like woman behind the girl? Her mother, if he had to guess, withering away in front of a starving child’s eyes.

Yes, he would admit it. Iroh was weak, especially to Kona, from the very beginning.

At six years of age, she had more resilience than many of the men he had once commanded. In the way she held herself and in the way she watched the world, her eyes following his every move, he knew she was more intelligent than anyone would ever give her credit for.

Then she slept. In that long-vacant bed, a starving little girl fell asleep curled around her mother's failing body. When he returned, steaming food in hand, and saw her once tense face peaceful and childlike in her slumber–as it always should have been–he nearly wept with relief that she was actually the child she appeared to be.

Clearing his throat to chase away the emotion, he had set the warm broth on the bedside table. It was then that a figure on the bed shifted, drawing his attention. He prepared his defense for coming too close, as he was sure that amber eyes would bore into his soul, laying him bare before her tiny form. Instead, he was met with tired, green eyes.

The little one’s mother blinked, her bleary eyes searching the room, lingering on her daughter’s slow breaths and the food to his side, before staring back at him. While the colors were so starkly different, he could see their resemblance then as her gaze tore into him.

“What’s your price?” She nearly whispered, pulling the girl closer with weak arms, and he shook his head.

“Nothing.”

“There’s always a price.”

His heart broke for the umpteenth time that night. “I stumbled across your daughter, and I couldn’t leave her in the cold. Then I saw you…”

“In all my glory.” He thought it was supposed to be a joke, but the cadence of her voice was too removed. He watched tears pull into the corners of her eyes, and he had to look away. 

“I don’t have much time left.”

His head snapped in her direction, but he may as well have not been in the room. A shaking hand brushed aside the wisps of the girl’s hair from her forehead and she leaned down to place a kiss there.

“I’ve called for a physician,” he said, but she only smiled.

“Incurable,” she said.

“If you just tell us, maybe we can help.”

“I have met with a physician of my own. Illness has always come quick and held fast. A recent stress put much strain on me. I was warned…” She cleared her throat, partly due to the sickness within her and partly due to the emotion he heard seeping into her voice. “Warned that even a chill could be my end.”

“Perhaps, we still have time…”

“My time has been used up, Prince Iroh.”

His eyes closed in defeat. He had seen how the child had responded to his name, his status. With the bite used in his title, her mother was no doubt the reason for her mistrust.

“Even if you could do something, why would you? Nothing is without cost.”

“I want only for you and your daughter to be healthy and warm.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. Words were festering behind her lips, fire behind her eyes, and he couldn’t help but admire the young woman. Even with her sunken cheeks and near translucent skin, she appeared as a warrior before him.

“Please, tell me how you found your way into that alley. Perhaps I can help.”

“You would not believe me.”

“Why would I–”

Her hoarse voice rose, cutting him off. “I can believe you saw my little girl in the cold and, as a father yourself, sought to help her, but I don’t believe for a second that you would believe my story. Not when the villain of it is a man of the mainland.”

Iroh had suspected that she was from the colonies, with her green eyes and her and the little one’s curled hair. He no longer had to ponder the little girl's statement from earlier: ‘No one will take us.’ 

He sunk into the mattress beside her, hands slightly raised in surrender. He tried to keep his voice low, wary of the slumbering child between them.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, especially considering who I am, but I wish only to listen and to help.”

Her fiery eyes stared into his, searching, before she looked back at the girl, sweeping a fingertip across her red cheek. 

***************

“We lived in the colonies–Xada. It was peaceful and quiet until it was turned into an outpost for expansion. My husband was a firebender, a member of your army. He died in combat months ago, leaving us alone in our house with no income.” She laughed humorlessly. “The captain of his squad offered us a gift as a condolence and I believed it was sincere. But, there are always strings… Only days after my husband's death, he made his intentions quite clear.”

Iroh’s stomach plummeted. “Did he harm you?”

“His advances were obvious and the more I declined, the angrier became. I had to stop letting Kona play outdoors, so he would not harm her. In the end,” she stopped talking abruptly, blinking furiously to fight her glassy eyes. 

“He lost his patience before I gained my courage to run…”

Iroh bowed his head in grief, not knowing what to say to her. The man was under his own command, no matter how distant.

“The man was obsessed,” the woman continued, oblivious to his own melancholy. “I was sure he would follow, so I ran to the stupidest place I could think of–somewhere I was sure he would never look for me. I met with a physician in a port town when I noticed I was weary. That man–the stress of the situation was weakening me. Unless I rested, I could be gone in days.”

She drew her daughter against her side harder, yet still so gently, the girl nestling further in her mother’s hold. 

“Fate is cruel. We managed to smuggle our way here, but I fell sick. It was just a cold, but the physician warned me that would be enough. I’m… I’m dying… and my Kona….”

Iroh slowly reached over the girl’s–Kona’s–sleeping form and grasped the woman’s hand. It seemed to pull her from her emotions, and he watched with disbelieving eyes as she squared her shoulders and dried her eyes. It occurred to him then where the girl had learned her strength.

“I had hoped I could find an orphanage or a family once it set in, but no one would even speak to me. I was getting sicker every day, and I could do nothing but watch Kona starve before my eyes.”

“I’m so sorry, my dear, for what you have had to endure. That captain… that should have not happened. He dishonored you, your husband, and himself. I am ashamed that he is a part of my forces.”

***************

 Her disbelief was clear. “...you believe me?”

“How could I not? You are sick, yet turning down physicians, and by how you hold your daughter now, I know you would not wish her to live on the streets. I only wish I could have prevented this from occurring at all.”

He watched her deflate before him, slinking back into her pillows, but despite her increasing weariness, her next question was direct.

“Could you do it, Prince Iroh?”

He cocked his head at her.

“When I die, would your regret drive you to find a family to love her? I only need to know she will be loved as dearly as I love her. Nothing else matters.”

Tears sprung unbidden in his eyes. The woman was so young, and still in the face of her own mortality, she only thought of her child. Thinking of Lu Ten, Iroh instantly understood her convictions.

“It is not through regret that I promise you: Kona will be loved by her family, dearly and wholly, as if joined by blood. So long as she is with them, I will not let her be harmed or neglected. I swear on my honor and on my crown.”

His words were not simply platitudes for a dying woman. For Iroh, it was as easy to promise as breathing because when he looked at the little girl, he saw his own Lu Ten in her startling intelligence and fierce resolve.

She finally smiled then, brilliant and earth shattering. Her green eyes, dark with fatigue, glittered at him, and he knew that she believed him–that she saw his resolve.

“Your crown means nothing, my prince, but your honor…that’ll do…” He watched her fatigue take hold then, her eyes falling shut and her body going limp, as she slipped back to her unconsciousness. Iroh brought the blanket around the two forms, tucking them snuggly into the bed. He soon found himself dozing on the armchair in the corner, so that neither had the possibility of waking in the room alone. The broth he had procured lay forgotten on the bedside table, cooling as the night wore on.

It was unfortunate that even with the assistance of the royal physician, Kona’s mother never woke again. But by Agni’s grace, by the time that day came, Iroh had already decided the only family that could fulfill his promise was his own.

Alone, in a cell of his own making, on that same island, Iroh stared at the cobbled stone of his ceiling. The cold of the stone under him did not offer discomfort, for he could not imagine feeling anything worse than what sat heavy in his heart.

A single tear pooled in his eye, sliding down his cheek as he blinked it away.

It was not a promise he had ever intended to break.

Chapter Text

The pain faded with time.

Distrust melted away like morning frost.

Lu Ten had a way of hastening such processes. 

At first, it seemed clear Iroh had forced Lu Ten to entertain her. The teen showed up with food and games and trinkets often, filling her time so thoroughly that she could hardly think of anything but his presence. It was much later that he confided the truth: he had actually snuck in without his father’s knowledge in those early weeks. 

Iroh had feared overwhelming her, but having endured the same tragedy of his own mother, Lu Ten sought to comfort her as best a fourteen-year-old boy could.

Day by day, her smiles grew brighter, her laugher louder, and her trepidation quieter. After nearly a month shut away in a world of their own, the day arrived.

He had successfully convinced Kona to walk the gardens with him.

The halls were eerily silent for what should have been a bustling palace. Lu Ten had planned it well–his mind was already sharp and calculating from his royal studies. Each day, as spring drew closer to summer, the halls filled with more noise.

And soon walking turned to playing, which turned to sparring, until such a day came that Kona dreaded.

Lu Ten was required to attend to his royal duties.

Kona didn’t do well alone. Alone was quiet. It made her thoughts ring in her ears until she could do nothing but wallow. So on that very first day that responsibility forced the duo to part, Lu Ten took her to the gardens with a new purpose, a new introduction.

“Good morning, Aunt, cousin,” he greeted the strangers with his most charming grin. “I have come to formally introduce you to the newest member of the house. This is Kona. She will be living here for the foreseeable future.”

Teeth aching behind the force of her jaw, Kona bowed, folding her hands neatly, just as her mother had shown her time and time again. Upon rising, she tried to keep a placid face, to appear gentle and sweet like a little girl was supposed to, but panic sent her hand clutching for Lu Ten’s robes. 

The woman was so beautiful, so elegant. Iroh was intimidating in his stature and gruff nature, but he read more like a soldier than royalty. The lady was clad in well fitted, expensive fabrics and beautiful golden pins held back her sleek black tresses. She was exactly how Kona pictured a member of the royal house. Lady Ursa, wife of Prince Ozai, second son of Fire Lord Azulon, was serene and lovely and…

Ursa’s eyes flickered to Kona’s clutched hand, but she did not appear offended. Instead, she smiled, and Kona thought she had once seen that same look on her mother’s own face. She almost wept. 

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Kona. I am Ursa, and this is my son, Zuko.” She gestured to the timid figure at her side, partially obscured by her own robes, and whom Kona had only just noticed. He looked much like his mother, his face the same shape, his eyes the same amber hue. He looked at her warily, though he did not appear anxious as she felt. Perhaps he was simply suspicious by nature, but Kona was relieved to see that he seemed nearly as unsure of the situation as her. 

“We have heard so much about you,” Ursa continued, oblivious to Kona’s careful observations.

Kona wanted to ask what she heard (after all, there was nothing special about her), but her tongue fought her. Instead, she bowed her head shallowly in acknowledgment and forced herself to release Lu Ten. She swallowed around the lump in her throat and attempted to regulate her stilted breathing. 

She wouldn’t embarrass Lu Ten or Iroh. Not when they had done so much for her.

Unaffected by the silence of his companion, Lu Ten folded his hand behind his back, still smiling at his aunt.

“If I may ask, I know you and Zuko often feed turtle ducks during council meetings. I promised my dear Kona my company, but it appears I must attend today. Would you mind keeping her company until I return?”

Despite knowing Lu Ten’s plan beforehand, Kona’s hands began to sweat. Ursa looked down at her once more and smiled at Lu Ten. Before her answer left her parted lips, the silent boy at her side stepped away from her.

“Why does he get to go?” He said with a cry up to his mother. “I want to go, too!”

“Lu Ten is much older than you, Zuko,” Lady Ursa said in a scolding but affectionate manner. She pet his head, and though he batted it away, Ursa only seemed amused. Zuko crossed his arms and looked away from her, pouting.

Kona’s heart ached anew.

“We would love to have her company. Wouldn’t we, Zuko?”

The boy turned back to the conversation and gave Kona an appraising glance over. Her heartbeat thudded against her ribs at his assessment. 

He shrugged.

Her cheeks flushed at his disregard, even more so when he turned and strode off to sit by the pond, evidently finished with the conversation.

Kona turned to glare at Lu Ten, who laughed in response to what was equal parts frustration and incredulity. 

He crouched before her to lock eyes properly. “Play nice. My cousin is very kind, but he doesn’t leave the palace any more than you do.”

She wanted to pout and refuse, but her desire to please Lu Ten outweighed the impulse. Squaring her shoulders, she nodded. The sweet smile he bestowed upon her made it worth it, and as he raised a hand to ruffle her hair, she felt something eternal click into place.

As he rose to his feet, Kona turned and bowed again to Ursa, whose face radiated warmth as she gestured Kona towards the pond. Complying, she marched to Zuko’s side. 

She plopped on the grass only a few paces from him, pulling her knees to her chest. The koi pond glistened under the high sun, the soft ripples on its surface blinding when they caught the light just right. Near the far edge, a full grown turtle duck tucked its head under the lip of its shell, sleeping as its four ducklings toiled around the pond. 

Their quiet cheeping filled the air, and their movements with their tiny bodies caused only the smallest of splashes. She eyed one duckling in particular as it chased one of their siblings around, chirping and snapping its beak at it, the loudest creature in the pond. 

“That one is you,” she muttered to the boy beside her, pointing at the angry little duckling.

Zuko scoffed, and she eyed him. 

He didn’t answer, and Kona lamented her horrible conversation skills as she kept her vigil over the pond.

She smiled softly as she saw one curious duckling come closer, alerted by her voice. It lurked in the weeds on the closest edge of the koi pond. It quacked as it stared up at them, but as it neared the shore, the mother turtle duck lifted its head to honk a warning. The duckling scurried off.

“That one is you.”

Kona found Zuko pointing at the scolded duckling, and a giggle escaped from her unbidden. His matching grin eased her nerves, and her grip on her knees loosened. 

It was easier after that, and rather than running off with Lu Ten when the meeting was over, Kona found herself patting the grass on her other side so he would join them.

The crying of gulls pulled Kona from her slumber. It was through bleary eyes that she took in the midday light. It shined through the porthole of her room, casting beams across the far wall. Her Fire Nation tapestry drifted in the wind of the opened window, and she winced. She had such a bad habit of leaving windows open. She blamed it on those nights of sneaking Zuko into her room as a child. 

Her room was warm despite the breeze, and in the comfort of her bed, her eyelids were heavy. She blinked the sleep from her eyes before taking a deep breath. If the light in the room was correct, she must have slept in terribly. Prince Zuko would be furious with her for missing her morning shift.

A sickening pain interrupted her attempt at getting out of bed. The jolt that shook her was so intense that she fell back, head spinning and nausea building in her throat. It took quite a few large deep breaths to calm herself from the pain. When it had faded to a pounding ache, only then did she peer down at her form. 

Bandages wrapped around her torso and right arm, and even so far as her fingers, pinning them together beneath the cloth. 

Kona’s head swam, and a new nausea filled her gut as the memories came crashing back. 

Her left hand tore off her blankets, revealing bandages that concealed the entirety of her right leg. Breath quick, her left hand trailed over the delicate bindings, hoping to find that it was some elaborate hallucination, but it wasn’t. 

Her head pounded.

Lip wobbling and fingers trembling, she slowly unwrapped the bindings at her fingers. She couldn’t get much further than her palm before her stomach twisted at the gruesome sight.

Her hand sat there, angry and red. Fresh burns spread from her fingertips, arcing like the lightning that struck her down behind her eyes. She knew the same arcing pattern must continue down her hand and under the bandages, across her torso and leg to her foot. Her form had been perfect, after all, just as Iroh had taught her that day in the Earth Kingdom. 

A way to protect herself from Azula…

Her vision blurred, but she fought the pain as she pulled the limb to her chest, the onslaught of its gruesome appearance tearing at her control.

Her body was caving in, her heart torn from its place behind her ribs. Her body curled into a ball, and Agni, every movement sent agony racing through her nerves.

Kona sobbed.

Clutching the marred hand against her torso, she cried like she had never cried before. Her memories assaulted every crevice of her mind. It was too much. The physical pain attacked her senses, but it was nothing compared to the emotional pain that razed her soul. 

What had Iroh done? 

Why had he done it?

A gentle brush on her shoulder forced her attention away from her own misery. She stiffened, suddenly remembering where she woke up. She couldn’t afford to show weakness here.

 It was a fight to slide open her eyelids, but she did. She peered through the matted and tear-wetted hair that stuck to her cheeks. Her throat closed at the figure in front of her.

Tan skin framed by a wolf cut and sympathetic blue eyes stood above her, and her tears nearly came anew with relief.

With a shuddering breath, Kona forced herself into composure. She cleared her throat, and she blinked away her traitorous tears. She rushed to force her hair from her cheeks, drying the tears as she went. Sokka’s jaw clenched at the sight, but reached to assist her when Kona began trying to sit up. 

Finally, after more strain than she cared to admit, Kona sat propped against the cool metal walls. 

She sniffled, then blushed, embarrassed by the pathetic noise.

Kona tried to thank him, but when she opened her mouth, the only sound that came out was a hoarse squeak. Clearing her throat, she tried again; the sound making her wince.

“You’ve been out for a few days,” Sokka said. “Your throat will probably be dry until we can get water into your system.”

Days? Kona felt like she had been resting for years. 

Then again, she didn’t think she would even be alive. 

Kona clenched her teeth and gave Sokka a nod, acknowledging his words, for she could do nothing else.

Sokka crouched beside her, and, uncomfortable by his intense scrutiny, she looked away.

“It was close, but Katara said your muscles are healing well. She thinks you’ll retain all movement despite your injuries. Toph went to get her, so she’ll be here soon. She’s with Aang right now.”

“H-how…?” Kona managed to croak out. She could see it so vividly: the vibrant blue light that took over her entire system, the towering stalactites overhead as she flew through the air. Katara and the Avatar had been nowhere near her.

Kona did her best to ignore Sokka’s wince.

“Toph never met back up with me and the Earth King. After bringing you to the cavern, she stuck around. After… after you were hurt, she kept you from falling into the river and got you to Katara and Aang, but,” Sokka cut himself off with a sharp breath. “I won’t lie to you, Kona; it was scary. We thought you were gone.”

A sick part of her was amused. To be killed by Iroh… It would have been poetic.

The heavy, metal door creaked open and the cloak-covered form of Katara slipped into the room, cutting the conversation short. She rushed to Kona’s side, pushing Sokka away in her haste. Kona was pleased to see a glass of water placed on her bedside table, and Kona’s throat burned anew at the sight–aching for lubricant.

“Welcome back, Kona.”

Kona tried to smile in greeting, and reached for the glass, wincing as her body ached in protest. Idly, Katara placed the water in Kona’s hand before making a displeased sound at the sight of her partially unwrapped bandages.

Kona was too busy emptying the glass to react.

She experimentally cleared her throat. A persistent twinge remained, but she barely paid it any mind. Her relief must have been apparent, because Katara smiled down at her. 

“Thank you.” Kona’s words were still hoarse. “Both of you.”

“You don’t need to thank us.” The angry furrow of Sokka’s brow took Kona aback, so at odds from his earlier candor. Kona opened her mouth to ask him for an explanation, but Katara turned to her brother and commanded him to leave the room.

He huffed, but didn’t otherwise argue. “I’ll be around.”

Sokka must have been talking to Kona, but he didn’t meet her gaze again before he left. He seemed fine when he came into the room. Did Kona upset him? Has she ever seen Sokka get angry? Despite literally chasing him across the world to capture his dear friend, she didn’t think she ever had. How odd.

“Try to ignore him,” Katara said, her blue eyes shining gently. “He has a lot going on right now.”

Kona nodded slowly, unsure of how to converse with Katara. Of the Avatar’s group, they had gotten along the least, marked by their disastrous conversation during Katara’s capture by the pirates. Looking back, Kona had probably been unnecessarily defensive. After all, Katara was literally being held hostage.

“You have good timing. I was coming to heal you again this evening. This will be easier now that you’re not a dead weight.” She hesitated over the word ‘dead,’ but Kona appreciated her attempt at humor. She had learned long ago that ignoring the pain only made it worse.

Still, any amusement died as Katara began unraveling the rest of the bandages on Kona’s arm. She had to look away.

It didn’t help. 

She knew what kinds of scars lighting left on nonbenders, and it sat behind her eyelids just as vividly as it would be directly in front of her.

“Lean forward. I need to get your chest.” 

Bracing her weight against her left arm, she complied, wincing against the sharp pain. 

Methodically, Katara removed the dressings, leaving her torso bare. Maybe Kona should have been embarrassed, but what good would it do her? Kona risked a glance down and fought the urge to vomit once more. The harsh, blistering skin and arcing scars continued down her right side, as expected, dancing along her right breast and across her ribs. It was dangerously close to her sternum and the delicate organ that lay beneath her ribcage.

A hand width away from death. 

Kona’s stomach turned, but Katara moved with the reflexes of a waterbending master and a bowl found itself under her as she retched up the water she just consumed. Kona wanted to apologize, but Katara’s face said enough. She took the bowl away and continued as if nothing had happened. Kona was grateful for it.

“I’ve unwrapped enough for now,” she said, and Kona appreciated her for verbalizing her methods. It helped ground her. “I’ll get your leg when this is through.”

Kona nodded, though sweat built on her brow. Her left arm wobbled, the pain, fatigue, and nausea making her dizzy, but she held strong. She wasn’t weak. Even now. Especially now.

Water flowed from the satchel at Katara’s side and coated her hands in a single practiced movement. As it neared Kona, the water began to glow a soft white, just as it had all those months ago when Iroh had been struck by Azula. It was what he had once feared would happen to her…

The memories flickered by.

Prepare yourself. Iroh had told her–warned her of his attack. He knew she had a chance of surviving even without fire in her veins. He had taught her for that purpose. Iroh wanted her to live, but why attack her in the first place?

“What happened once Toph got me to you?” The question came out before she could stop herself.

Kona flinched away from the sudden twinge in her shoulder. Katara apologized, gently working the water over her skin to coax it away.

“We fled Ba Sing Se. Aang… he almost died. I had to get to him first, and by the time I got to you, your convulsions had stopped. You were still and pale.” Katara stopped her ministrations, and in Kona’s periphery, tears gathered in Katara’s eyes. “I thought I killed you.”

“You made the right choice,” Kona said, though some part of her felt dead. Second choice, her mind screamed. But Aang was the Avatar. Of course, Katara prioritized Aang. The world needed him.

“Kona, the scarring… I can’t get rid of it. I’m sorry.”

“You saved my life. There is no need for apologies from you.” Forcing a smile to her lips, she tried for a joke. “Scars have never bothered me much.”

Katara’s hand dropped from its last motions against Kona’s abdomen and hip. She was silent for a moment. Something warred behind her eyes before she asked.

“Do you want to hear about him?”

Kona thought back to his warm amber eyes, twinkling in the way they only did for her. She imagined his solid, consuming embrace beneath the starlit sky of Ba Sing Se. Then she remembered him standing beside his sister, his body tense, Aang prone in Katara’s arms.

After everything, he played along with Azula. 

The thoughts warred in her head. She was so proud of his growth, but what good was it if he used her as a crutch for his morality? 

No, that’s not right.

She was still proud of him‌. 

How could she fault him for trying to buy time to return to her? It was clear that Azula had held her elsewhere, so of course he would go along with her to get her back. Hadn’t Kona done the same thing? She had avoided joining Toph and Sokka in protecting the Earth King, the Earth King, just to make sure she found Zuko. He was her crutch just as much as she was his.

Master Iroh’s attack far out-shadowed his stalling.

“No,” she said at last. Zuko was alive. Katara wouldn’t consider keeping that from her. 

That was enough. 

He was alive, presumably back in the Fire Nation for helping bring down Aang or with Master Iroh in hiding. Either way, he was alive. She was alive. She needed to focus on that for now.

Content to leave Kona in her thoughts, Katara began re-wrapping her torso. The pain wasn’t gone. Nowhere near it, actually. Her muscles ached deep within her, but for now, her burns were soothed. It was a welcome relief, though her leg still screamed at her.

At Katara’s command, she let herself slump back into her pillow, sweat dripping down her temple. Agni, she just wanted to sleep. Her dream still sat hazily in her mind, a sweet balm over her troubles.

“There is something I think you should know… if you are up for it,” the waterbender said, collecting the soiled bandages.

Kona nodded, then added an affirming hum when she realized Katara may have been too busy to look at her. It was hard to do much of anything–her eyes started slipping closed in her exhaustion.

“The Fire Nation thinks you’re dead.” 

That would make sense, Kona thought. I was struck by lightning.

“You’re a national hero.” Kona’s eyes snapped open, fatigue gone. Katara continued, voice soft, “You’re a martyr… a young girl slain in the Earth Kingdom to protect your nation.” 

Kona’s brow furrowed. Why would the Fire Lord allow that? He hated her–hated that she had been added to Iroh’s bloodline, a direct threat to his family’s power. He would never spin a story that gave her name power.

After today, you are no longer my student, Iroh’s voice whispered in her mind. 

A traitor in the minds of Azula and her men. By attacking her…

“We got news from a port nearby. The royal family hosted a grand funeral for the ward raised in the palace.” Katara seemed to hesitate over these words, and Kona realized Katara knew nothing about her. She was only aware of what Kona had let slip: her regard for Iroh and trust in Zuko. “Though not noble by birth, the Fire Lord deemed you noble by honor. They…they moved your family’s ashes to the royal family’s burial chambers, as they did not have a body for you.”

Each word slammed harder into her gut. Her family… the only part of her family she had left was her mother—who was now noble. Like Kona. They were both noble and both dead. 

Kona had gotten the respect of the Fire Nation at last, but for propaganda. Her mother’s ashes lay among a family of bloodshed and arrogance, unreachable for Kona forevermore.

“You got all of that from rumors and message boards?” Kona asks, trying for humor, but her voice betrayed her—thick from emotion. She didn’t even have to look at Katara to see how much her facade failed.

“They wanted everyone to know.”

 Kona didn’t even know where to focus first.

Would Zuko have done that? Believing her dead, had he followed his family’s will and used her name in such a way? Turned what they had–all they endured together into propaganda? Didn’t he know what a martyr could do to a nation like theirs?

No. Her Zuko never would have done that. She needed to believe that. But…the Fire Lord would never have done it on his own…

She couldn’t fight it. Curling over the side of the bed, burning bile sprang from her uninhibited and puddled on the floor, the water already spent. The tears again came with it. 

No. No, I can’t cry again. It wouldn’t solve anything. 

But Katara’s hand radiated warmth against her back, and the soothing circles she rubbed against her shivering form… Something within her, repaired time and time again, cracked open once more.

So she let the tears flow unhindered, and she did not recall falling asleep.

Chapter Text

They didn’t want her here.

She saw it in the way the maids stopped coming by her rooms, and the way the kettle was always cold in the kitchens of Master Iroh's wing. She heard it in the harsh whispers of servants that walked by as she did her morning forms. She felt it in the way Prince Ozai glared at her perch beside the Fire Lord during war briefings.

With Lu Ten and Master Iroh gone, her allies could be counted on less than one hand, but she couldn’t be greedy. She was already living on borrowed legacy. The Fire Lord had allowed her to remain by his side while his dear son mourned his own child a world apart, but she knew it had nothing to do with her. 

At best, she was a father’s gift to a mourning child. A responsibility her Master no longer needed to worry about. At worst, she was a message to his second son that his position was unchanged by the death of Lu Ten and subsequent disappearance of her Master. She was the orphan ward of his brother whose status was above him in the eyes of the Fire Lord because she was still Iroh’s .

Lady Ursa seemed to understand this balancing act. The once all-encompassing presence of a near-mother was reduced to anonymously gifted hair pins before meetings (as she had not the wardrobe for such company) and pitying glances amidst them. Maybe there was a time that the attention would warm her, that it would be enough to reach her, but the actions only left her cold.

She was cold a lot, with one exception.

Zuko hadn’t let her freeze.

She had stopped visiting his rooms, she was not family nor anyone of high esteem, so her presence was inappropriate. It always had been the case–she had just been too young to see it. That was her mistake. She may be the future Fire Lord’s ward, but Zuko was now third in-line for the throne, second if one realized the Fire Lord would never allow Prince Ozai to ascend, first if her Master decided to never return.

Kona wouldn’t blame him for never coming back. He had no reason to return.

Zuko had argued and hissed and scowled at Kona’s sudden propriety, but finally he relented, only to show up later in her too-big, too-quiet, too-cold room.

He entered without knocking. He knew she only bathed when the night was completely still, and she followed the same routine daily.

He had lit her long-cold fireplace, snarling under his breath, then sat her before her mirror. He said nothing, as he pulled pin after gifted pin from her hair. His hands were gentle, despite his anger. They always were. She didn’t know why he was so upset. There was no reason for servants to care for an abandoned ward.

His hands were as warm as they were gentle, cupping her cheeks and telling her to enjoy her freedom until her Master returned because he would , he was just lost in his grief.

She didn’t think he ever would. 

But, she almost believed Zuko when he huddled next to her in her too-big bed, after combing her damp hair, and braiding and unbraiding it time and again, telling her another story about Azula ruining his life. 

She almost believed him when he appeared at dawn to pin Kona’s hair for her every morning, but only after heating her kettle. Her hair had never been so neat; she almost looked like a nobl–

She almost believed him when he confessed that the Fire Lord had never given him private attention, much less taught him the things he was teaching to Kona. That he was grateful that his cranky grandfather seemed to enjoy her company in remembrance of the others that did as well.

She almost believed him when he said Master Iroh had never been good at writing letters. Lu Ten had written to her as much as possible and she had only received them once every few months, and her Master, while brilliant, was a forgetful man.

She almost let herself believe him about so many things… but then Zuko, too, went cold.

They didn’t want her here.

Narrowed eyes and shifting feet screamed it when she walked by. She felt it in the way that Katara and Sokka and Toph rarely left her alone. Even now, her eyes on the horizon, muscle memory schooling her limbs to perfect attention, she knew she was being watched.

Hakoda didn’t hide his distrust, but she respected him for it–it was easier when she knew exactly what someone thought of her. His crew followed his lead–at least one was always nearby, ready to take out the rogue Fire Nation spy if she stepped out of line. She didn’t mind their prejudice. It was understandable.

It was better than Bato and the Duke and Pipsqueak who tried to talk to her, but also went quiet when she entered the area. It was better than the Avatar–who smiled at her when he saw her last, but also lost consciousness when he had seen her the first time, or Katara who spoke to her as if she had never hated her, but also seemed to enjoy lashing out at Hakoda more than speaking to Kona.

Sokka and Toph were seemingly unaffected by the invisible barrier around her. They broke her silence and invaded her space as if they belonged there. She didn’t mind this either; they were familiar. There had been sparks of a kinship even before she had been pulled into their ragtag crew. She wondered if they realized the anchors they represented for her–Sokka, a calculating ear who thought before acting, and Toph, the brash spirit who protected her own. 

She ignored why the two archetypes were so comforting to her.

She ignored a lot, just as she did long ago, aboard a ship nearly identical to the one beneath her feet.

This one was larger, of course. Theirs had been akin to a scouting vessel rather than a warship. This ship bore no colors on the flagpole–despite Kona’s protests that they should try to blend in. Hakoda had insisted, and so it stood bare. She didn’t argue after her initial statement. There was no point. Why would they trust her?

Reaching over her stolen Fire Navy armor, her fingertips rested over where Lu Ten’s note had once lived beneath her bindings, near her heart. Though the paper was gone, something else had taken its place with its absence.

It was as if she had been in this exact moment before.

A sharp whistle split the silence, and her neck snapped to the small cluster of people. Atop a wooden crate, Sokka beckoned, clearly the leader of this grouping.

The Avatar and Katara were likely attending a mid-day healing session, and Toph had told her only a few moments before that she would be helping in the engine room for the afternoon. There was no mistaking who he was calling out to, so she left her watch. Hakoda’s narrowed eyes followed her movement as she approached, Bato, at his side, as was the norm, sent a weak smile.

Ignoring the haunting lack of sensation in her right hand, she pulled the familiar helmet from her head. Sokka grinned around his meal, gesturing to an untouched bowl by his side. At Kona’s glance and quick dismissal thereafter, the grin dimmed, but did not disappear. Instead, he procured something from a side pouch, and she snatched it from the air before she could even register that he tossed it to her. 

“Rations,” he said, when she simply stared at the bundle in her hand. 

She swallowed around the lump in her throat and gave a nod, stuffing the dried food into her own side pocket. 

She had wondered whether he noticed her skipping out of the mess hall without breakfast earlier. The porridge all over his table led her to believe he was too engrossed to notice her sneaking out to her “posting.” 

Kona wanted to thank him for caring, for noticing her enough to know that eating had become difficult for her, but his father’s presence and piercing gaze held her tongue. 

Thankfully, the Avatar came to her rescue, approaching the group with Katara at his side. He was sweating, and there was a look in his eye that was frighteningly familiar to her. She bowed to him, which he returned immediately. Katara laughed, coming to Kona’s side to bump hips, her eyes sparkling and playful. She was still getting used to it.

“We’ll break you out of that, eventually,” Katara said.

“Manners?” Kona clarified, and Sokka laughed into his meal. Kona furrowed her brows, a bit confused by his amusement, but Katara only smiled.

“Manners.”

At her and the Avatar’s smiles, Kona quirked her lips in a smile of her own, though it foreign upon her face.

“Well, now that we’re all here,” Sokka said, squaring his shoulders, sobering the group. “Aang, it’s time to get you caught up.”

Sokka offered the boy the bowl he had offered Kona only moments before. The Avatar devoured the meal, listening with rapt attention as Sokka recounted their discovery of Hakoda and the rest of the men from their tribe, followed by explaining the Earth King’s disappearance into obscurity. She didn’t miss the Avatar’s glance toward her when Sokka got to the defeat of the crew that once ran their current vessel. She couldn’t blame him for his hesitance around her.

“So…what now?” An astute question from the boy who would bring balance to the world.

After a pregnant pause in which Kona ignored a targeted glance, Hakoda said, “We’ve been working on a modified version of the invasion plan.” 

“ Sokka’s invasion plan,” Katara cut in, her words scathing. It was hard to imagine what Hakoda had done to win Katara’s ire. Kona and her companions had been the only people on the receiving end before encountering Hakoda–people Katara had seen as tyrants or silent soldiers thereof. 

“Yes,” Hakoda said with some hesitance, a familiar-looking expression on his face. “Sokka’s plan.” Kona watched his emotion slip from his face, his attention switching back to the Avatar. “We won’t be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King’s armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the fire nation vulnerable.”

“We’re planning a small invasion!” Sokka cut in with excitement, unable to contain himself. “Just a ragtag team of our friends and allies around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and the Duke, and we recruited Kona for her top secret intel.”

“I used to live in the Fire Lord’s palace,” Kona explained to the Avatar, catching his confused glance. “Fire Lord Azulon instructed me on evacuation routes and the island’s defense forces personally, but most of it is likely quite common knowledge.”

“Oh!” the boy said. “I thought since Ozai didn’t like you, Azulon didn’t either.”

Kona didn’t miss Katara kicking at Aang’s leg in reprimand or Sokka’s obvious clearing of his throat, but elected to ignore both in favor of doing her self appointed duty–assisting the Avatar in restoring balance, in whatever ways she still could.

“General Iroh was once the heir to the Fire Nation. When his only child was killed, Fire Lord Azulon allowed me to study by his side until General Iroh was able to teach me once more. He harbored no special affection towards me, only toward his favored son and grandson.”

“Are you saying Ozai wasn’t even supposed to be the Fire Lord?” Katara asked.

It was only in that moment Kona realized that perhaps her upbringing had given her more insight than she he thought. Just how much had the Fire Nation kept out of their citizen’s hands, let alone the hands of other nations?

“No…” Kona said after a pause, wondering how she might summarize the events without having to reopen too many old wounds. “On Fire Lord Azulon’s deathbed, he declared Ozai as his successor. It is common belief that it was due to his…continuing bloodline.”

“But…” Aang led her, excited, seemingly forgetting the power struggle he was hearing was part of her lived experiences.

Kona clenched her jaw, looking away. “There was no proof of foul play in Fire Lord Azulon’s death for he was cremated that very morning, but Ozai is a cruel and power-hungry man who was willing to do anything to take the throne. It just so happens that Ozai’s wife mysteriously disappeared that night as well.” 

“But what does that–”

“Few know Lady Ursa’s mother was an herbalist, and, as such, was well practiced herself.” Clenching her fists at her side, Kona said, “There was once a time where she made potions and poultices for my own aches and scrapes and bruises. I have no doubt that Ozai forced her to make something more deadly… She wouldn’t have just left. Not without…”

It was quiet, too quiet. She had over shared. The Avatar had only wanted to know why Ozai became Fire Lord, not that Kona had long since wondered if Ursa had died or if she, too, had abandoned Kona.

“Regardless,” she said, breaking the awkward air, and addressing the Avatar once more. “I have some knowledge that only the ruling family has access to. I only hope it is helpful.”

“And,” Sokka said with too much brightness to be genuine. “The best part is, the eclipse and Kona switching sides aren’t even our biggest advantages! We have a secret… you!”

“Me?”

Kona wanted to roll her eyes. Why had they not already told the boy? Had her reaction not said enough?

“The whole world thinks you’re dead! Isn’t that great!”

Unable to take the horrified expression on the boy’s face, she offered: “What he means Avatar Aang, is that the invasion is offered a moment of surprise. Word of your death is a terrible matter.”

Aang was too busy panicking to hear her. “The world thinks I’m dead. That’s terrible!”

“It means the Fire Nation isn’t hunting us anymore! And even better, they won’t expect you on the day of the Black Sun!” Sokka offered a placating hand to him, but it did little to combat the Avatar's dismay.

“No, no, no, no. You have no idea. This is so messed up!” Aang clutched at his head, and Kona desperately wanted to comfort him. And maybe she could. Of anyone there, she alone had insight on how it felt to be presumed dead.

Before she could speak, a chilling horn blasted across their expanse of open ocean. A sound that echoed through her memories of her life at sea, and a sound that could only mean one thing: a Fire Nation ship was approaching them.

She only vaguely noticed the others ducking under cover, Appa being hidden, Aang being hurried off the deck, as she pulled her backup plan from her bindings, stashed it on her belt, and shoved on her helmet, ensuring the mask was securely in place. With practiced grace, she marched forward to where Hakoda and Bato had rushed to secure the gangplank. Across the way, the other ship’s parley crew prepared for boarding.

“Kona, stay back,” Hakoda ordered, his voice low and face hard. “Bato and I can handle this.”

“Chief Hakoda, sir, respectfully, I spent years sailing on a Fire Navy vessel. I know all boarding procedures like the back of my hand. I know what to say and what to do in every scenario.” Kona clenched her teeth beneath her helmet, hoping they would buy into her confidence. The two men seemed to have an entire conversation in a few silent moments, then finally Hakoda nodded.

“If this turns out badly…” Hakoda warned, his voice trailing off.

“It won’t,” she said, brushing past them. She felt them settle at her flank and took a steadying breath. This was just policy and politics. She hadn’t lied. There was once a time that Kona had studied and memorized everything she could get her hands on for her crewmates respect. She knew this.

But still she felt her heart race as the uniformed man crossed the gangplank, he, too, was flanked by two officers. Standard procedure. 

“Commander, why are you off course?” The lead man demanded, his gravelly tone severe. She didn’t recognize him, but he couldn’t have been much older than 40. Respected enough for his own ship, but at the mercy of all above him. Standard. “All Western Fleet ships are supposed to be moving towards Ba Sing Se to support the occupation.”

“Greetings, Commander. You see, the wind pulls us off course, and so we must oblige,” Kona said, lowering her voice slightly and letting it drawl lazily, a lilting croon that oozed as much power as it did boredom. Honestly, she was channeling what she thought it must feel like to be Azula to get in character.

It helped.

The man’s face went pale, the soldiers behind him sharing a look at his response. They didn’t know the code. Standard.

“B-be wary, sir. For the seas pull just as well.” 

He raised a trembling hand out, and Kona almost felt bad as she pulled the painstakingly created scroll from her belt, and let it fall into his palm firmly. He flinched, but opened it without a word. His eyes swept over it, once, twice, before a spark lit in his palm. 

Kona said nothing as he held his flame beneath the scroll as if waiting for it to catch, though she felt Hakota and Bato bristling behind her. She supposed they thought she had betrayed them and he was initiating combat or that he had rejected her orders. But this was all policy.

Because, finally, after a tense moment, the man’s face slackened in relief. Wasting no time, he hastened to rebind the scroll, offering it to Kona with a deep, deep bow.

She took her time casting out her hand, letting her fingers dangle lazily in the air before plucking it from his hands with flamboyance.

“Well done, Commander. It is good to see that not all vessels have fallen into bad habits in such trying times.”

“Yes, thank you, sir. We will make our leave. Safe travels to you and your crew.” The man bowed again, so low and so sharply Kona thought his back may break. She got some amusement from watching him hurry his crew off and start the undocking procedures. She knew the men at her side were itching to talk, but she coughed lightly over their attempts to speak. It was only when the gangplank was removed and the ship far off in the distance that she turned to Hakoda and Bato. She had never seen grown men look so confused.

She pulled the helmet from her head, resting it on her hip. She knew she must have looked smug, but she couldn’t stop herself. She had actually helped .

“What was that code you used?” Bato asked, eyes wide. “We’ve cracked plenty of your codes over the years but I’ve never heard that one.

Kona hesitated. “It is a code for when a member of the royal household is present. It is often used in matters of great secrecy.”

Hakoda opened his mouth, likely about to scold her, so she pressed on.

“On utterance of the claim, Fire Navy policy dictates that the commanding officer of the boarding vessel must demand their orders, and should they not be offered, stamped by the royal family emblem and contain heat cloaked writing, the crew shall be tried and arrested for treason for false utterance of the code.”

After a long moment of debate, Kona held out the scroll, and as they inspected it, she summarized the contents. “The plain text states we are escorting a merchant vessel outside our borders. On its own, it is suspicious, intentionally . His firebending then revealed the heat cloaked ink that states our orders as a training exercise sanctioned by the Fire Lord himself after the capture of a vessel outside of Ba Sing Se. The ship in question would be flying no  colors and their commander, a young woman meant to arouse suspicion of the arresting officer. By responding promptly to the code and seizing the orders, the Commander has passed the spot check for following proper protocol. The encounter should be logged in their commander’s private logs but not otherwise broadcast, as to allow for the training exercise to have full effect.”

“I…I’ve never seen this seal before, nor heard of this invisible ink,” Hakoda finally said, scrutinizing the paper, and Kona snatched it back instantly, a strange defensiveness building in her chest. She had been more than happy to divulge secrets that helped the Avatar, but Hakoda was a stranger to her, and for all their faults… they belonged to her family first.

“It is a practice only the royal family and the Fire Sages know how to do properly and only by the teachings of the previous Fire Lord or Fire Sages,” she said, shoving it in her pocket. “Every ship has the materials, but they are useless without the knowledge to use them.”

She shifted uncomfortably under their stares. Then finally Hakoda shook his head. “You easily could have used this method to turn us all in… to go home.”

“I’m not your enemy, nor is the royal family as a whole. Ozai is the only living person to blame.”

While Hakoda looked ready to protest, Bato elbowed his side and reached a hand onto her shoulder, squeezing gently. “You did well, kid. Your preparation saved us from a troublesome situation, and we are grateful.”

Kona fought a blush, unused to such an overt compliment, but couldn’t respond before another Water Tribe member bowled her over. His arm thrown over her shoulder, she let Sokka shake her around in excitement.

“I knew having you on board would be good luck!”

“I just followed protocol, Sokka.”

“And you knew it!” He said with a cheer, shaking her again.

A gruff hand gripped her shoulder, pushing Sokka away and freezing any of the rising joy out of her. Hakoda’s stern gaze held her in place, and she felt her body wither beneath it.

“Should we be left in peace… I owe you my thanks. Kona.”

She could only blink, as he and Bato left her behind with Sokka.

“I’m glad he’s finally easing up,” Sokka commented. “He’s just protective. You know how fathers are.”

She thought he may have winced out of the corner of her eye, but Kona only watched Hakoda’s retreat, nodding. “General Iroh was just as cautious… he just has a different way of showing it.”

Sokka seemed relieved by her response. “Yeah, he seems like a nice guy, from what Toph and Aang have told me.”

The scoff that bubbled out of her surprised her. “That’s because they don’t know him. He’s caring, but under his jubilant facade he’s as calculating as the rest of us…”

His silence rang in her ears and she whipped her head to look at Sokka, who was only looking down at her, expressionless. “His family. I mean, he’s not cruel like Ozai or anything, he’s just not as carefree as he looks. That’s… that’s all I meant…”

“I never thought he was cruel,” Sokka said, laying an arm over her shoulder again. “He raised you, right? Can’t be all bad.”

Kona swallowed around the lump in her throat.

“Anyway,” Sokka cut in before she could think any further. “We’ll be coming into a port tonight for resupply. Dad already gave us permission to go have dinner in the city.”

Kona hummed, turning her gaze to the endless sea. It would be nice to be anchored. Unless a storm rolled in, the waves would do little to their vessel, offering her a reprieve from her sickness for the night. “I’ll keep an extra eye out for any stowaways.”

“You’re so dense, Kona. After today, dad will let you come with us. We just have to find something for you to wear! A cloak with a hood will do the trick, but there’s always a chance the wind blows it away.”

Warmth bloomed in her chest as Sokka rambled. “Maybe, just a scarf to cover my face.”

“But how would you eat ?” He sounded horrified.

“Just make sure we eat indoors, and my hood won’t be an issue then.”

Sokka seemed to accept this answer, instead changing the subject to “more important matters.” Kona learned only then, just seriously Sokka took his food. He didn’t seem to like that she didn’t have a favorite meal. Even when she protested she had been living off rations and cheap produce for several years now, he declared it as his goal to introduce her to as many foods as he could.

Kona couldn’t say that the idea entirely displeased her.

And dinner itself was…nice.

It ended up only being Sokka, Katara, Toph and herself. The Duke and Pipsqueak elected to stay on the ship with Aang while the adults gathered supplies. While it was clear that they were unskillfully dodging certain topics (Katara wasn’t subtle with her elbowing or kicking), Kona couldn’t say that she regretted going.

Other than him , the last person her age that she had eaten dinner with was…Jin? No, not even Jin. Song, but that was so soon after the Siege of the North that she hadn’t enjoyed it. Had it really been years since she had friends outside of her family? 

No, she suddenly realized.

Kona had never had them. 

Because, before Song was Lu Ten. Every friend she’d had was under the thumb of the Fire Nation or so fleeting that they weren’t even truly friends. Was this what it felt like to be near people who just enjoyed your company without the blanket of family?

It should have rattled her. 

The revelation should have shaken her so hard she fell apart and wept and yelled at Agni for making her life so lonely, but sitting at that table with that group she could only smile beneath her hood.

Her only regret was that she wasn’t there when Aang took off into the night, leaving an empty bed and cacophony of worry in his wake.

Chapter Text

“Don’t forget–”

“We know , uncle!” Zuko shut the door with a slam.