Trust | Zukka

[ F O U R ]

Sokka's lungs were burning.

His shoulder throbbed where it had hit the rocks when they were both thrown from the ship. Zuko's legs were scraped and bloody, and his wrist was hurting again. Their war balloon was laying somewhere at the bottom of the volcano.

They'd had to crawl through the narrow vents in order to get inside, and their eyes stung from the hot steam. The storage room that the vents had led them to was equally hot and stuffy, and Sokka felt like he could barely breathe.

But they'd made it. That was all that mattered.

"I hope these disguises work," Sokka muttered from inside the storage room.

"We just need to lay low and find your dad as soon as..."

Zuko trailed off as the door opened and Sokka stepped out. He'd never seen Sokka in Fire Nation clothes before. The dark crimson color complimented his olive skin, making his arctic eyes stand out even more. He was lucky he'd be wearing a helmet, Zuko thought, because those eyes screamed Water Tribe. Sokka was carrying his helmet under his arm, and his dark brown hair hung down loosely around his face.

"...possible," Zuko finished lamely.

"Yeah, I know, I look ridiculous," Sokka grumbled. "This stupid helmet wouldn't fit on my stupid head so I had to take my stupid hair down."

Zuko opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. Suddenly, he heard loud footsteps coming towards them. Sokka jammed his helmet down onto his head just as a stampede of guards ran past the hallway.

"Hey, there's a scuffle in the yard!" one of the guards shouted to them. "Come on!"

Sokka and Zuko glanced at each other before taking off after the mob. When they reached the courtyard they saw a circle of prisoners gathered around something. Sokka immediately began shoving his way to the front, and Zuko followed hesitantly. The person at the center of the circle started yelling.

"I didn't do anything! Leave me alone!"

Zuko's jaw dropped.

The guard snapped his whip.

"Stop right there, Ty Lee!"

Zuko almost couldn't believe his eyes. What was Ty Lee doing here? He couldn't imagine that she would betray his sister, or the Fire Nation for that matter. He'd known Ty Lee since she was six years old, when she and Azula used to play tag in the castle hallways. She was like a little sister to him, and it angered him to see this guard treating her so unfairly.

He took a step forward, but Sokka quickly grabbed his arm.

"We can't blow our cover," he whispered.

Sokka was right. Zuko fell back in line next to him.

"What did I do?" Ty Lee asked the guard.

"You didn't bow down when I walked by," he sneered.

"That's not a prison rule," Ty Lee pouted and crossed her arms, as if she was arguing with her mother and not a powerful Fire Nation guard. "You can't make me!"

As Ty Lee began to walk away, the guard bent a stream of flames at her. She leapt out of the way at the last second and ran at the guard, throwing her body into a front handspring. Sokka and Zuko watched in awe as she stuck her hand out and jabbed the guard in his left shoulder. He tried to firebend again, but nothing happened. His body froze as if he were under a spell and he dropped to his knees.

The courtyard fell silent.

"Bending is prohibited," the guard growled, slowly getting to his feet. "You're going to the cooler! You! Help me take her in."

He was pointing at Zuko, who glanced back at Sokka anxiously.

"Go!" Sokka said under his breath. "Meet me back here in an hour!"

"Now!" the guard bellowed.

He had Ty Lee's arms pinned behind her back and was already walking away. As Zuko caught up with them, he heard Ty Lee continuing to mouth off to the guard.

"That wasn't bending, dummy!" she was saying.

Stop talking, Zuko pleaded with her in his head. You're already in trouble.

"Oh, yeah?" the guard sounded amused. "Then what do you call that little trick you did back there?"

Don't answer, Zuko willed.

"That was the ancient art of chi blocking," Ty Lee said proudly. "But I wouldn't expect an amateur like you to know anything about that."

Agni fucking damn it, Ty Lee.

"What did you just call me, you little brat?" the guard growled. "I think it's time I teach you some respect!"

Zuko watched in horror as he pulled back his whip and aimed it at her.

Before he could strike, Zuko sent a ball of fire hurtling at his back. It knocked him forward and he fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Woah," Ty Lee tilted her head in confusion. "I thought he was your friend."

Zuko lifted up the front of his helmet. "It's me, Ty Lee!"

Ty Lee gasped. "Zuzu!"

"He's an imposter!" the guard shouted from the floor, pointing his finger at Zuko. "Seize him!"

Zuko hadn't even noticed the swarm of guards that had gathered around them. They were on him in seconds. One pinned his arms behind his back while another yanked the helmet off of his head. He watched as two more guards forced Ty Lee into a cooler and slammed the door shut.

Zuko struggled against the guard's grip, but went limp as soon as he saw the man coming around the corner. He immediately knew he was the prison warden from his uniform.

"Well, if it isn't Prince Zuko," the warden drawled. "This should be interesting."

"How do you know who I am?" Zuko demanded.

"I have my ways," the warden smiled wryly. "I also know several criminals in here who would kill to take a shot at the traitor prince who betrayed his people."

Zuko scowled, but his stomach dropped. He knew the warden was right.

"You know," the warden said, walking towards Zuko. "If you tell us where the Avatar is, I might consider keeping this our little secret."

Zuko glared at him in silence.

The warden formed a small flame in his hand and held it just inches away from Zuko's eye. Zuko winced as the fire seared into his skin.

"Tell us where he is!" the warden commanded.

"Never," Zuko spat.

The warden held the flame directly against his scar. Zuko grunted in pain but continued to say nothing.

"He'll come around," the warden grunted eventually, stepping back. "Now get him out of my sight."

"Should we take him to a cell, sir?" asked the guard who was holding Zuko.

"No," the warden boomed. "Send him straight to the cooler."

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Hi, this is kinda a filler chapter sorryyy but plot twist! Ty Lee is a baddie and we love her.