Little Soldier Boy

Hot day

"Come oooon Zuko you never spare with us," Aang whined as he swung on a brach upside down as Sokka was sharpening his sword and Katara was helping Toph put her headband on straight.

"So?" The fire bender sat under the tree out of the hot sun.

"You should!" Sokka grinned wanting to see Zuko get beat by the avatar.

"No," Zuko fanned himself off.

"We won't use weapons?" Sokka tried.

"I'm not sparing," Zuko glared.

"How about no bending," Katara grinned now interested.

Zuko sent her a look not amused as he already was annoyed with the heat, he scoffed pushing his hair out of his face but it fell back anyways. Getting more frustrated with them all pleading him to play fight, spare, whatever he was fed up with, using whatever he could to pull his hair up to get off his neck, even if some hairs still fell it was good enough.

"Pleaaaaaaa-" "fine! Dammit fine!" Zuko barked at Aang who was whining.

Zuko stood finally and Toph rolled smiling to take his spot in the shade, Katara joined her grinning while Aang and Sokka looked excited to fight against the soldier.

"You're first, no bending no weapons, hand to hand only," Zuko growled pointing at Aang while Sokka giggled poking at zukos little ponytail on the back.

Aang bounced excited as he got in some sort of fighting stance before charging at Zuko knowing he would be faster than the fire bender. But he didn't expect to Zuko to actually catch him and slam him back into the grass. Leaving Aang wheezing for air.

"Down," Zuko smirked a little seeing the shock on the boys face.

"Is this a bad time to mention he was a soldier?" Toph snorted as Katara smiled watching.

"They'll figure it out," Katara giggled as Zuko faced Sokka now.

Toph smiled more as she laid in the grass and closed her eyes.

"You think you'll ever tell him about your crush?" Toph hummed as the boys were to busy.

"What?!" Katara gasped sitting up quickly.

"I don't have a crush on Zuko," she whisper screamed at the other girl.

"I didn't say names," the youngest sang.

Kataras jaw dropped as her face burned red.

"I don't have a crush on anyone," she scoffed but Toph knew she was lying, she already gave it away.

"So what's there to like about sparky? Is it the hot temper? The short replies? The insomnia?" Toph placed her hands behind her head while she laid flat.

"I'm not answering that," katara glared with a small pout.

"So it's Aang that you have a crush on?" The blind girl hummed.

"He's a kid!" She gasped.

Katara played with the ends of her hair as she pursed her lips. She didn't know what a crush really was, how it was suppose to feel, but maybe it was how she felt when she was with Zuko, when they're alone. She always felt safe and could be a little less aware of her surroundings to enjoy what she could, knowing Zuko was watching her back, or how he would listen to her, comfort her, made her feel valid with her insecurities, how she has never had to mother him like the others.

How he gave her a flower.

She looked over at Zuko seeing he pinned Sokka down with his hands behind his back while Aang was trying to pry the fire bender off.

"I think the hot temper and sarcasm is funny," Katara mumbled covering her face.

"You're admitting it?!" Toph shot up immediately but her mouth was covered.

"I-it's not a crush, shut up," she begged with wide eyes.

"You have feelings for Zuko?" Toph gasped dramatically for a breath.

"I-I don't know? No? Yes? Stop it!" Katara gritted through her teeth stressfully.

"Oh this just made me day so much more interesting," she cackled as Katara buried her face in her hands regretting everything.

She heard Aang and Sokka whining and yelling as Zuko was sitting with them stacked under him with a satisfied grin on his face, the two others looked winded and ready to give up.

"I think you two already act like the parents, you'd be a funny couple," toph smiled picking at her toes.

"I-uh no, no I don't think we'd ever be a couple..." Katara played with the ends of her hair anxiously.

"Have you ever thought about dating anyone?" Toph raised a brow.

"W-well there was that time I uh.. felt like maybe Jet and I, when I first met him? Before I knew he was crazy," Katara sighed blushing intensely.

"Ew, yea he was your first kiss," the younger girl gagged.

"He was the first boy I met that was attractive, my age and not from my village," katara laid back down and looked up at the trees leafs.

"Zuko is the second then?" Toph smirked laying next to her.

"Mmm yea, I guess, didn't think of him like that though when we first met, fire nation soldier and all at the time," katara giggled a little and took a deep breath.

"I don't even know how to or what dating is, and besides we're still fighting the war, I don't have time to worry about something like that," she confessed as Toph listened.

"Buuuut," Toph hummed knowingly.

"I like being around him," Katara whispered.

"Ow! Owowowow! Mercy!" Aang yelled from the side as Zuko had his foot on his back and pulled both arms up but not enough to truly hurt him.

"No no you said this was going to be a good idea," Zuko huffed.

"No I was wrong let me go!" Aang whined.

"Is this not what you wanted?" Zuko smirked a little.

"Pfft yea you totally are crushing," toph snorted as Katara looked over to see how the boys were rough housing.

Sokka was sitting on the side holding his head in pain as Aang sprung up once he was released, massaging his shoulders.

"You gotta be one hell of a fire bender if your that good without your bending," sokka groaned rubbing his head.

"Mmm not really, i only know basics from when my uncle trained me," zuko wiped his forehead from the heat.

"Didnt you fight in the military for three years, trained with the infamous swords master, yada yada yada," Katara tilted her head to the side smirking.

"That too," he agreed.

"Hey I am a warrior for our tribe too, that counts," Sokka whined as Zuko joined the girls under the tree.

"Really?" Zuko seemed unsure if it was the truth.

"Technically," he shrugged.

"Were there a lot? With spending time in the North Pole too and everything," Zuko raised his brow.

"Ah- no, not a lot, how many where in your group then?" Sokka sassed crossing his arms.

"Ranged from 30 to 50 sometimes, changed all the time," zuko stretched his arms above his head.

"But I was also with grown men a lot, we didn't get that many newbies at 16, they usually got to stay closer to the homeland," he explained.

"Then why you?" Aang tilted his head to the side.

"Personal problems," zuko glared. Katara and Toph gave the avatar thumbs down for the question. 

"One more question," Aang squeaked.

"Fine,"

"Did you get your scar before or after you joined?" He asked quickly and jumped away to hide in a tree before he could be attacked.

"Pass," Zuko flipped him off.