Previously on Avatar... (http://beckyh2112.livejournal.com/421019.html?thread=5091227#t5091227)
"Hey, Sokka!" Hands shook him, and Sokka opened his eyes blearily. Aang stared down at him, looking concerned.
Sokka blinked, then shoved himself upright. The sudden motion aggravated his throat, and he found him some coughing fit to die. Aang winced and lightly blew air into his mouth, which almost eased the coughing.
On the other side of the cell, Katara had her eyes open for the first time in days, tracking every move Aang made.
"What're you doing here?" Sokka hissed as soon as he could talk again.
Aang glanced over his shoulder, and there on the other side of the cell-bars was the Fire prince. He was redoing his ponytail, rearranging his hair to hide a growing bruise at his hairline.
"Zuko came and got me," Aang said, a slight edge of worry to his voice.
Sokka could definitely agree with that worry. Anyone who could get Aang out of Zhao's clutches and into Azula's all by himself... Though it looked like the kid had gotten hurt doing it, so there was at least that.
"What are you sick with?" The prince asked all of a sudden, bright eyes on Sokka. "It sounds like thornfever, but Azula should have been able to fix that by now."
"Yeah?" Sokka asked casually, trying to look bored.
"Maybe she's out of frogs," Aang said nonsensically. Even Katara gave him a dubious look for that one.
"You don't treat thornfever with frogs," Zuko said contemptuously. "You take tea with honey and lemon, then you mix thyme and coltsfoot with ginger and cinnamon and eat that."
"... The frogs sound easier," Aang said.
"What is with you and the frogs?" Sokka demanded.
"Zuko!" Azula's familiar bellow came. "I thought I told you to stay away from the prisoners!"
Zuko rolled his eyes, then turned towards his sister with a smile. "I just wanted to see how they were settling in," his voice suddenly childish again. "I didn't think it would upset you."
Azula gave him a contemptuous look and slapped her hand through his ponytail. "Don't think about my orders, Zuzu. Just does as I say..."
She stared, and Aang gave a little wave.
"I sent Uncle Iroh a hawknote earlier this evening," Zuko said, "and he said he'd collect me at this abbey in the Earth Kingdom he's familiar with. Father's unhappy with me wandering off."
"Of course," Azula said vaguely, eyes intent on Aang. "You're still not much of a firebender."
Zuko smiled, wide and guileless. "Not like you, Azula," he chirped. Then he leaned over and hugged his sister. "Father will be so happy to hear...?" He glanced at Aang, looking slightly puzzled. "Well, to hear about whatever happened."
Azula drew herself upright, pushing Zuko away. "Admiral Zhao lied in his report," she purred. "How foolish of him to think he could get away with it."
Sokka studied Zuko carefully. That kid... That kid worried him. Azula still scared him, but he was pretty sure he had her measure. Zuko, though, was totally both new and dangerous.
Azula caught him looking at her brother, and her eyes narrowed. One hand settled on Zuko's shoulder, and she smiled. "Why don't you ask Father if you can stay with me for a while, Zuzu?"
Bonus: moar younger!Zuko
"Hey, Sokka!" Hands shook him, and Sokka opened his eyes blearily. Aang stared down at him, looking concerned.
Sokka blinked, then shoved himself upright. The sudden motion aggravated his throat, and he found him some coughing fit to die. Aang winced and lightly blew air into his mouth, which almost eased the coughing.
On the other side of the cell, Katara had her eyes open for the first time in days, tracking every move Aang made.
"What're you doing here?" Sokka hissed as soon as he could talk again.
Aang glanced over his shoulder, and there on the other side of the cell-bars was the Fire prince. He was redoing his ponytail, rearranging his hair to hide a growing bruise at his hairline.
"Zuko came and got me," Aang said, a slight edge of worry to his voice.
Sokka could definitely agree with that worry. Anyone who could get Aang out of Zhao's clutches and into Azula's all by himself... Though it looked like the kid had gotten hurt doing it, so there was at least that.
"What are you sick with?" The prince asked all of a sudden, bright eyes on Sokka. "It sounds like thornfever, but Azula should have been able to fix that by now."
"Yeah?" Sokka asked casually, trying to look bored.
"Maybe she's out of frogs," Aang said nonsensically. Even Katara gave him a dubious look for that one.
"You don't treat thornfever with frogs," Zuko said contemptuously. "You take tea with honey and lemon, then you mix thyme and coltsfoot with ginger and cinnamon and eat that."
"... The frogs sound easier," Aang said.
"What is with you and the frogs?" Sokka demanded.
"Zuko!" Azula's familiar bellow came. "I thought I told you to stay away from the prisoners!"
Zuko rolled his eyes, then turned towards his sister with a smile. "I just wanted to see how they were settling in," his voice suddenly childish again. "I didn't think it would upset you."
Azula gave him a contemptuous look and slapped her hand through his ponytail. "Don't think about my orders, Zuzu. Just does as I say..."
She stared, and Aang gave a little wave.
"I sent Uncle Iroh a hawknote earlier this evening," Zuko said, "and he said he'd collect me at this abbey in the Earth Kingdom he's familiar with. Father's unhappy with me wandering off."
"Of course," Azula said vaguely, eyes intent on Aang. "You're still not much of a firebender."
Zuko smiled, wide and guileless. "Not like you, Azula," he chirped. Then he leaned over and hugged his sister. "Father will be so happy to hear...?" He glanced at Aang, looking slightly puzzled. "Well, to hear about whatever happened."
Azula drew herself upright, pushing Zuko away. "Admiral Zhao lied in his report," she purred. "How foolish of him to think he could get away with it."
Sokka studied Zuko carefully. That kid... That kid worried him. Azula still scared him, but he was pretty sure he had her measure. Zuko, though, was totally both new and dangerous.
Azula caught him looking at her brother, and her eyes narrowed. One hand settled on Zuko's shoulder, and she smiled. "Why don't you ask Father if you can stay with me for a while, Zuzu?"