fire in your eyes • zuko

viii

(oct. 28, 2020: a/n: hi! i'm in the midst of editing this fic and i've added some extra scenes (let's just say nava is down bad). because of the extra scene, this chapter is now almost 5000 words! enjoy this extra Thique boi and let me know what you think! <3)

Nava, Zuko, and Iroh didn't stick around anywhere for longer than a few days. Ironically, despite their lack of home, Nava felt very at home. She educated Zuko in the ways of pickpocketing and she had to admit, they made quite a team. She worked mostly during the day, and then Zuko would go back in his Blue Spirit uniform at night and get some more difficult-to-attain items.

Nava lounged in their cave with Iroh while Zuko went on a rare afternoon mission. He arrived later with a couple of baskets filled with food and ostrich feed.

"And where did you get these?" Iroh asked, eyeing the things skeptically.

"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko responded. "They're here now, and that's all that matters to us."

"You look like you did some serious shopping," Iroh went on and Zuko set an expensive looking tea set in front of him. "Where did you get the money?"

"Do you like your new teapot?"

"If I'm being honest, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a pot of gold or a tin cup,"

Zuko didn't answer, and instead chose to lay down a few feet away from Nava with his back to them.

"I know we've had some difficult times lately... we've had to struggle just to get by. We are fortunate to have Nava to teach us humility and honour in poverty," Iroh said.

"There is no honour for me without the Avatar," Zuko muttered.

"Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems..."

"Then there is no hope at all."

Zuko sat up abruptly and got to his feet. He was about to leave the cave when Iroh stopped him.

"Zuko, you must never give in to despair. If you allow yourself to go down that road you will surrender to your lowest instincts. It is in the darkest times that you must allow yourself to hope, that is where your inner strength lies."

Prince Zuko looked back at his uncle briefly, before he turned and exited the cave. Once he was gone for over an hour, Nava opted to go out and look for him. She found his behaviour childish and frankly, unnecessary. She found him sitting beside a stream, tossing pieces of a stick into the water.

"He means well, you know," she said and sat beside him. "You do learn quite a bit about yourself when you're fighting every day to survive."

"You were a thief; how much were you really fighting?"

"If I was caught I would be arrested. Some days I wasn't able to lift anything and as a result I went without. Before I taught myself how to steal, I didn't eat for days at a time. I probably almost died once or twice, and I was angry at the world for letting it happen. But eventually I stopped blaming others and remade myself into someone who was willing to do whatever it took to survive."

"How did you end up in Yuyan training anyway?"

"My parents died fourteen years ago when I was three. I was in an orphanage outside of Ba Sing Se, when these Fire Nation soldiers came, looking for prospects for the military. I was the only one they took, but the Colonel, he took a liking to me. He let me live with him and treated me like his daughter. I called him my papa. He sent me to the Yuyan when I was twelve... he was so disappointed the first time I tried to escape," Nava chuckled humorlessly. "I remember him being so mad when he found out what Zhao had done to me, but when I told him I wanted out he wouldn't have it. He wanted me to at least get my tattoos before I left but I couldn't do it - I couldn't stand one more second in that place. I tried not to think about how worried he would be about me once he found out that I was gone for good, but I survived for him. I wanted to go back home one day and show him that I could take care of myself," she pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. "A part of me wants to return to the camp and complete my training; get my tattoos and everything, but another part wants to move on and denounce anything having to do with my past," she looked over at him. "I know you're letting your past determine who you are and what you think you're destined to do, but I think you're more than what your father says you are... if that means anything.