Honor, Love, and Dragons (Zuko x OC)

The Western Air Temple

His mind eventually turned to what he would say to the Avatar and his friends. "Hello ..." he muttered awkwardly with a big smile as he raised his hand in greeting, "Zuko here, but I guess you probably already know me, sort of. And Ivana..." He scratched the back of his neck.

Ivana returned from gathering firewood, but Zuko had yet to notice her. She tried to keep her laughter quiet as he finished. "Uhhh ... so, the thing is we have a lot of firebending experience, and I'm considered to be pretty good at it. I mean so is Ivana and well, you've seen me, you know, when I was attacking you. Uhhh ... yeah, I guess. I should apologize for that. But anyway, I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but I realize I was bad, but anyway, I think it's time we joined your group and taught the Avatar firebending," he said while doing various awkward poses. A badger frog stared up at him.

"Well, what's your answer?" The badger frog leaped away. "Yeah ... that's what I'd say, too. How am I supposed to convince these people that I'm on their side? What would Uncle do? He tried imitating his uncle. "Zuko, you have to look within yourself to save yourself from your other self. Only then will your true self, reveal itself." He sighed. "Even when I'm talking for him I can't figure out what he means. What would Azula do?" He tried imitating her too, "Listen, Avatar, I can join your group, or I can do something unspeakably horrible to you and your friends. Your choice." He sighed and sat down, "I guess I'm just not that good at impersonations."

"No! You-," Ivana snorted, letting her laughter go. "Those were-" she snorted in laughter
again, dropping the firewood she collected as she laughed harder, "good!"

Zuko couldn't help but give her a small smile, seeing how hard she was laughing. It was at him, but she still hadn't seen her that happy since they were kids.

"S-sorry!" she gasped, trying to cover her laughter as she tried to pick up the fallen firewood.

"Hey! It wasn't that funny!" he huffed, walking over to help her.

"You're just so awkward!" she exclaimed, still laughing.

"I needed to practice!"

"With a badger frog?" she laughed some more.

"Well you weren't here!"

"I'm glad I wasn't. You would have stopped if I started laughing," she grinned, starting to calm down.

"This isn't going to go well," Zuko sighed, dropping the fire wood in the middle of their camp.

"I suppose we should try to join them before we go through the trouble of setting up camp further..." Ivana suggested.

"It's going to go bad. I just know it," he grumbled.

"I'll be there. I'm not nearly as awkward as you," she stated, standing. "C'mon. We can do this." She held out her hands and pulled him up. She held his hand as they walked through the woods. She looked up at the cliff they'd have to climb. "If you let me fall, I kill you," she whispered.

~~~

It was almost nightfall before they made it up the cliff. The could hear the echo of a conversation happening in the canyon and decided to wait. When the avatar landed they approached Appa carefully. They heard Toph, "I think that'll have to wait." Appa moved out the way revealing them standing behind him.

"Hello ... Zuko here," Zuko said. Ivana slapped her forehead and sighed. The group of teenagers drew their weapons on the pair. "Hey, we heard you guys flying around down there, so, we just thought we'd wait for you here." Appa walked over behind them and licked both of them.

Ivana giggled. "Nice to see you again," she said, fixing her tunic. Aang looked surprised at Appa's reaction of them, and lowered his staff a few inches. "We know you didn't expect us of all people..."