𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒; ₛₒₖₖₐ

Chapter 35 ~ Guilt

After a day, Zuko and Aang came back from their little excursion. 

"How was it?" I asked. "Did everything go as planned?"

"Yeah, take a look at this Y/N!" Aang said happily, casting a flame in his hand.

"Great! I guess now we have three firebenders around now!" I said, casting a glace at Zuko.

He understood the meaning of my look and nodded as he conjured a crimson flame in his hand. "I got it back."

I smiled at him. "So what did you two learn?"

"Well-"

"Let's show her!" Aang interrupted, leaving Zuko with an expression of slight annoyance.

"We really don't have to."

"I want to see." I giggled, enjoying Zuko's embarrassment. "It can't be that bad."

Zuko sighed and they both went into a stance, making moves in sync, fire coming out from their fists.

Sokka, Toph and Katara joined us. "Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there" Said the Water Tribe boy.

"It's not a dance. It's a firebending form." Spat Zuko.

Sokka wasn't done with his teasing. "We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord."

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!"

"Oh yeah? What's it called?" Asked Katara.

Zuko groaned. "The Dancing Dragon."

The Gaang started to laugh, and even Zuko had to let out a chuckle at the irony.

"I prepared some food." Said Katara. "Would you like to come eat?"

"Sure!" Said Aang. "I'm starving!"

We all sat around the campfire that I had lit earlier.

Katara went to prepare some tea, but Zuko stopped her. "Here, allow me."

She nodded halfheartedly, letting him deal with the tea leaves and the boiling water.

Once the green tea was ready, he served it to us in small ceramic cups.

"No one can make tea like Uncle, but hopefully I learned a thing or two. Would you like to hear Uncle's favorite tea joke?"

"Sure!" Said Aang.

"I do enjoy a good joke." Said Sokka.

Toph looked just as excited as the two boys. "Bring it!"

"Okay. Well, I can't remember how it starts, but the punch line is "Leaf me alone, I'm bushed!""

A moment of silence ensued.

"Well, it's funnier when Uncle tells it. "

"Right... maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing." I said, trying not to laugh too hard at Zuko's awkwardness.

Everyone joined in my fun, and by the end of it we were all red and smiling.

"It's nice to get a chance to relax a little. It hardly ever happens." Toph said once the joke was over.

"Yeah. It is." Agreed Katara.

Out of the blue, Sokka stood up, looking at Zuko. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

He nodded, and the two left off to talk in private.

"So..." Started Toph with a sly smile. "You and Zuko, huh?"