Little Soldier Boy

Below

Zuko didn't talk when he clung onto the side of the saddle in the sky, he kept quiet and minded his business looking over the side to watch the cloud below.

He was memorized by the scenery around him. He hated the quiet but he appreciated it this time. Maybe it was because of where they were, it felt peaceful, he actually enjoyed the flying bison. Zuko rested his chin on his arms watching around them. He sighed softly for once feeling all the tension leave his body.

He couldn't help but drift into sleep for a moment, the quiet almost felt like when he would go underwater for the peace.

"You okay?" Sokka called over seeing him doze off and Aang and Katara looked over curiously. Zuko was immediately awake again and brought his head back up.

"Yea," he mumbled embarrassed.

"If You want to sleep go ahead, we'll be in the air for a bit," Katara raised a brow at him.

"I'm fine, just got lost in the moment," Zuko sat up and rested his back against the saddle instead.

"It is nice up here, sunsets are amazing," Katara rolled her eyes a little as Aang and Sokka went back to talking.

"It's weird behind above the clouds," Zuko looked over again.

"It kind of reminds me of the ice chunks in the water," Katara looked at the clouds below them.

"I see it," he agreed.

"Can I ask You something?" Katara scooted a little closer so it was just them talking and wanted to be a little quieter.

"What?" Zuko was unsure.

"Are You still going to take Aang?" She whispered looking down.

"I need to know if I should trust you, and if you lie to me you won't be going home any time soon," Katara narrowed her eyes a little as Zuko raised a brow.

"Not sure yet," Zuko shrugged.

"What?" She was confused.

"Don't know," he continued.

"I don't know where I stand in this war now, so I don't know if the avatar is worth much to me," he didn't bother looking at her but for a moment Katara sympathized with him, she might even have felt the same at one point.

"It must've been really hard for you to be on your own after being with the army for so long," she sighed nodding keeping her eyes ahead.

"Listen You don't have to pretend to be nice now," he groaned rolling his eyes.

"Maybe I'm just a nice person?" Katara teased a little.

"Are You?" Zuko asked flatly.

"Probably not all the time," she smiled at him.

"Good," he felt a small tug at the edge of his lips. "I'd just jump now if you were one of those all the time nice preppy people,"

"No she can be a mean bitch, right sugar queen? Wasn't for you being rude I probably never run into sparky," Toph commented making the both jump surprised thinking she was asleep.

"You made a twelve year old run away?" Zuko asked unamused.

"The twelve year old isn't innocent, she's mean too," Kataras jaw dropped.

"Never denied it," Toph smiled proudly.

Zuko watched them all form a single conversation for them to contribute too but he remained quiet. He felt so out of place and awkward with the circumstances. The feeling he had when he was forced to jump ship from Azula returned. He felt like he was drowning again.

he barely could breathe but he was above the clouds.

Zuko tilted his head back to look above instead. He had his arms crossed as he focused on inhaling and exhaling.

If everything went smoothly, if these outsiders, if they could succeed and he wasn't imprisoned, he wanted to find lees family, his mother and sister, he just wanted to maybe see them and feel some sort of closure. Probably not but what are the chances?

Zuko felt sleep sneaking up on him again as everyone's voices were fading off more and more till he couldn't fight it anymore.

—

Aang laughed at sokkas joke as the girls groaned annoyed by it hit the avatar looked over seeing Zuko sleeping in the back, his arms crossed to his chest as his head was leaning to the side. He poked at Sokka to look over and Katara noticed them.

"Wow he was tired," Sokka was surprised seeing him asleep.

"He's a soldier, I don't think he's had a bed, and being on the run, I feel bad," Aang gulped a little worried.

"Yea exactly, but imagine sleeping on the ground but keeping your guard up in case someone attacks, maybe being on appa since there's no way to sneak up on him here, let his guard down to sleep," Toph waved them off annoyed.

"Was he like this with you Toph?" Katara asked softly.

"No, he was more relaxed, maybe exhausted, but he insisted on giving me a meal basically," Toph explained a little more quiet in case he was listening.

"I know it's hard to see it now but I think he is lonely, he didn't pity me being by myself but he was use to being around the same people before, and now a lot of them are gone so I think he's been feeling lonely," she sighed a little. "He's not a bad person,"

"He's still fire nation, he can't be a good person," Sokka pursed his lips knowing better.

Toph held her tongue not wanting to expose what wasn't her business but she knew better. She knew he was a child soldier. A soldier since thirteen.

Of course he was confused now. He's like them. Like her in a way.

"If he wanted to hurt us he would've by now," she shrugged.

"Let's just leave him alone till we land, do we know where we're going?" Katara asked taking the attention off the other teen.

"Maybe we should land in an hour or so actually, I hardly can read this many maps up here but if we keep moving west for a bit we'll be further from the desert," Sokka looked at his sister and Toph groaned wanting to land sooner.