Fire You Are (Zuko Love Story)

The Fugitives

It's been a bitter few days getting to the Earth Kingdom, but at least here, no one knows who we are. There aren't any wanted posters of us here. People just look at us as refugees, nomads even. They don't speak to us and we don't speak to them.

We barely just brought a bit of money, Zuko's swords and my scimitar, and very few changes of clothes. I also packed the two masks, just in case. If everything had gone right, maybe Zuko and I would want to wear them sometime. Unfortunately, nothing went right.

On one night, once we're in the Earth Kingdom, tired, hungry and beaten down, the three of us sit around a bonfire to keep warm.

"I realize you won't lighten up if I tell you to do so," Iroh says.

Neither Zuko nor I can say anything. Iroh only sighs in response.

"Come now," he says. "The moment our spirits begin to fall is the moment everything begins to collapse around us."

"I'm sorry, Uncle," Zuko says. "But we really aren't in the position to just lighten up."

"And when exactly have we been?" Iroh says. "Prince Zuko, you have been banished for years and I've still been able to see you determined, even smile at times."

Zuko looks down at the ground, probably trying to ignore what his uncle is saying.

"And now," Iroh continues, "we are sitting here with nothing but each other. That is everything we need."

I smile softly at that. I really appreciate the fact that Iroh is trying to keep us united and trying to make us feel better. It really means a lot to me. I look over at Zuko to see if he feels the same, but he doesn't. He's still looking at the ground, but he looks at me when he feels my gaze on him.

"What do you want me to say?" He snaps. "We're fugitives now."

"Zuko, that doesn't mean it's the end," I tell him. "None of us know what's gonna happen now, but we may as well stay united and together."

He looks at me rather sadly, to which I sigh.

"Look," I say. "I made a promise to you back there, remember?"

"Yeah," he says.

"Well, that promise still stands," I say. "And it always will, even after we get out of this."

Zuko finally looks at my eyes. I smile gently at him and take his hand. He wraps his fingers around my hand in return and gives me a sad smile.

"Thanks," he says.

"Good, good," Iroh says. 

I look at the fire. I look at Zuko, who's looking at it as well. I take in the way Zuko's hair is starting to grow, but it's still rather short. He looks different, quite cute, though.

But soon, how lovely Zuko looks even when he's upset isn't the dominant thought in my mind.

"Iroh?" I say. "I've been wanting to ask you something."

"You want to ask me if I know where you come from," he says.

"I do."

Iroh sighs. "What did Azula tell you?"

"She said I was supposed to be her 'match', but then I got lost at the Southern Water Tribe. I believed her because there's an abandoned Fire Nation warship there, it's the tribes' biggest victory over the Fire Nation, and I didn't know about it until the day you arrived there. The time I saw my family on the island confirmed I had something to do with it."

"What else?"

"That I was training," I say. "And that I had great potential."

Iroh straightens his back and looks straight at me, more serious than usual, so serious that he calls Zuko's attention as well.