The Flames of the past (Avatar: Zuko love story)

Chapter 43: The Boiling Rock.

ia and Zuko were studying Iroh's book intensely. Mia explained Zuko why and what they could teach Aang first. Jeong Jeong had Aang told and prepared a bit... differently. Mia sighed and laid the book on her lap and she shook her head. "You should had gone with him." 

Zuko looked up. "Why? So we could be playing around with fire instead of using it properly like you? Mia, you are talking nonsense." 

"Aang must learn it, but we don't know how, I can't find anything in here!" Mia threw the book off her lap and frowned. Zuko laid a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off. "Don't. I need to think." Mia said harsh and she stood up, but Zuko grabbed her hand. "Your eyes are blue/greenish again... have you noticed?" Mia nodded slowly and walked to her room to lay down on her bed. After Aang helped her, Mia's eyes had turn back to their normal color, like the 'evilness' had simply left her. 

Zuko sighed and walked to Aang. "So?! What did you do, who were the Masters? Did you guys figure out how to teach me Fire Bending?" 

Zuko scratched his head. "Well... Mia and I have to sleep a night longer to think about how we are gonna do this." Zuko said and disappointed Aang looked down. "But!" Zuko said quickly, "the masers were real dragons and we danced with them! It was Mia's idea, completely brilliant."

"That's cool indeed!" Sokka said with his mouth full. Zuko nodded slowly and sat down. 

~

Later in the evening, Mia walked back and everyone was sitting around the campfire. Apparently, Zuko had made some tea. Oh my... 

"No one can make tea like uncle," Zuko said when he was pouring the tea into some cups," but I learned a thing or two." 

"More like a half..." Mia whispered to herself when she remembered the awful tea Zuko once made a few years ago. 

"Would you like to hear uncle's favorite tea joke?" Zuko asked the group.

"Sure."

"Bring it!"

"I like jokes." 

"Well, I can't remember how it starts, but the punch-line is: LEAF me alone, I bushed!"

Everyone looked at Zuko with one raised eyebrow. 

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

"Right... maybe because he remembers the whole thing." Katara said and everyone laughed.

"You should write it down next time." Mia said with a teasing smile and sipped her tea. And it was great, thank goodness. 

"Zuko can I talk to you for a second?" Sokka asked and they walked up, standing a few yards away from the group. Mia tried to listen, but they were too far away. When they walked back, Zuko sat down to Mia. "What did he ask you?" 

"Nothing special." Zuko replied stiffly and drank up his tea. 

~

"Not up to anything, huh?" Zuko asked Sokka when he tried to climb in the saddle. Sokka fell back on the ground and Zuko looked over the edge down to him. "Fine, you got me,  I am going to rescue my dad." Sokka said when he stood up, "happy now?"

"I am never happy." Zuko replied.

"Look, I have to do this. The Invasion plan was my idea, my decision to stay, and my fault that it was going wrong. I have to save him. I have to regain my honor, you can stop me Zuko-"