Little Soldier Boy

Brother

"Your going to do what?" Lee hissed as Zuko pulled him to the side when he got back.

"How- how do you even know the admiral like that? You've been with us for the past three years," he groaned shaking his head in frustration.

"He knows my uncle," Zuko sighed a little. Lee narrowed his eyes not believing him, he knew Zuko wrote to his uncle but this didn't add up.

"You're either lying or not telling me something," Lee leaned against the wall.

"It's not your business," Zuko shrugged.

"It absolutely is if your asking me to go on this mission with you," Lee cried out.

"I didn't ask you, I told you about it," he told him flatly and the mans jaw dropped.

"I was thinking about chu and marco, they're good benders, good fighters," Zuko raised a brow but Lee scoffed.

"I'm going with," lee told him sternly.

"No your not," Zuko frowned.

"Yes I am, I'm not letting a kid like you go into the water tribe," Lee snapped harshly.

"I'm not a kid! How many fucking times do I have to tell you? Your not my dad!" Zuko barked back as Lee didn't looked phased by him.

"Yea cause I haven't been the one there for you or anything," he glared.

"Fine, but tell me how you know admiral zhao, he doesn't just pull anyone to the side twice and ask them for a mission like that," Lee didn't give up on the topic even though the boy was irritated.

"He knew my-my family," Zuko gulped a little.

"Your family?" Lee softened up a little.

"My uncle," he nodded.

"Who's your uncle?" The brunette asked calmly.

Zuko shook his head closing his eyes. Lee pursed his lips but nodded, he let out a long sigh.

"I'm part of the recruits that will be invading the water tribe anyways, I'm not use on a ship, I'll let you have your mission without me, but you tell me the truth after, got it?" Lee offered with a small shrug. Zukos heart skipped a beat. The truth?

Lee sighed seeing he wasn't going to get anything else from the boy but just as he turned he felt a hand grab him and weight on his back. Zuko gripped his shirt in one hand as he rested his forehead against Lee's back but kept space between them.

"I don't want you to hate me, I want the truth to die, I don't want it to be the truth, please," Zuko whispered as lees eyes widen.

"Your my brother, I worked hard to get your respect and I don't want to lose you Lee," he closed his eyes and his throat burned.

"I won't hate you, if I wanted to get rid of you I wouldn't have been helping you as long as I have, we're family," Lee gulped a little feeling zukos grip tighten.

"I made zhao have soldiers volunteer so you didn't have to come, I didn't want your sister lose you," Zuko whispered softly. "I don't want you here,"

"Hey," Lee turned to him seriously grasping his shoulders. "I joined the military, I know what I signed up for, so does she, and after this battle we're going home, I wouldn't have it any other way than with you and our friends at our sides for this victory,"

Zuko clenched his jaw tightly not looking at him but Lee kept his brown eyes on the boy. He nodded just the slightest making Lee smile down at him.

"Go get ready for the mission, stay safe kid," Lee pushed him away and Zuko took a shaky breath nodding.

"I'll see you on the battle field!" Lee waved. "Kick ass kid!"

—

"This will truly be one for the history books General iroh," zhao stood on the metal balcony on the front of the ship as he looked across the sea.

"Just think, centuries from now people will be studying the great admiral zhao who destroyed the last of the water tribe civilization, your lucky your here to see it," zhao glanced at the old man who stood calmly near the man.

"Be careful what you wish for admiral, history is not always kind to its subjects," iroh told him.

"I suppose you speak from experience, rest assure this will be nothing like your failure in ba sing se," zhao rolled his eyes at the general.

"I hope not, for your sake,"

"Tell the captains to prepare for first strike," zhao kept his back to the old man, his arrogance keeping his head held high.

"And tell Zuko to gather his extras, prepare to leave when the moon is high," he smirked a little.

-

Zuko stood on the deck wearing his nations colors with white and a hood to keep warm, he watched the first flaming Boulder he launched as cho and marco stood by him preparing their small canoe.

"Guess the battles started," cho inhaled deeply as he held a spear in one hand and marco wrapped their rope and packed it to the side.

"No going back now," Zuko said not bothering to look up and hid a knife in each.

Everyone's heads shot up when they heard a roar in the back as another ship was attacked and their catapult was destroyed. Zukos eyes widen as he ran to the edge of the deck seeing a figure light in their feet bouncing like gravity didn't matter.

"The avatar," Zuko whispered in disbelief.

"He's taking out ships single handed," marco gasped as the bison flew off the ship to attack another.

"Is the mission canceled then?" Cho looked at Zuko confused.

"No, he won't take out all of us, avatar or not he's still one person, that's why zhao gathered hundreds of us," Zuko glared seeing another ship destroyed by its own catapult.
Another ship was suddenly frozen above the water by benders and defenseless.

"Do not let your guard down," Zuko frowned seeing the ship was being left behind.