To Lose or to Gain: Iroh's Child (AtlA Fanfic)

Companionship

"... they're not trying to replace you."

No matter how much Zuko attempted playing his grandfather's words over in his head, he couldn't help but feel as if he were being replaced. "After all, he wouldn't hesitate to replace you with Azula for being a failure when you were born. Why wouldn't he try and replace the male heir with another heir..."

A deep sigh escaped from Zuko's mouth. "Fine. I'll get to the point. You're a traitor."

Zuko pulled the two toys closer to his chest, but let his mouth firmly set. A few tears welled in his golden eyes as he looked at his knees attempting not to cry, even though no one else was in the room. There was no telling when someone else would happen upon him, but a knock on the door confirmed as much.

He quickly wiped away the tears and took a deep breath, yet his emotions still tried getting the better of him. "Yes."

Lady Akane opened the door. "You have a few guests today, Prince Zuko."

"Wait. No studies?"

"The life of a prince isn't always about duties and work. Care to come with me?"

Zuko slid from the bed but glanced towards the door. "Where's un... father?"

He watched Akane turn and smile at him. "It's alright if you still call General Iroh uncle in front of me, but the ceremony which will solidify you as his son in front of the entire kingdom hasn't occurred yet. That is actually what he and Fire Lord Azulon are seeing today. They requested you have a break from lessons."

"But I like my calligraphy lessons."

"Oh?"

"And I miss Firebending lessons. I'm behind Azula enough as it is."

"You are keeping up with your breathing exercises?"

"I do them every morning! Uncle says they're good for - for, something to do with waking up."

"Possibly waking up well and refreshed?"

"Yes. That."

A laugh escaped her mouth. "Well, I think some of our soldiers both Firebender and regulars alike could benefit from such advice. The general has always given wonderful advice."

"I know. Uncle is amazing." Without realizing it, Zuko let his hand slip into Lady Akane's; she in some ways reminded him of his mother, but more in a grandmotherly way. She didn't reject his small hand, nor did he see her smile softly down on him as he kept pace on their way to see his guests.

He wasn't expecting to see two youth waiting for him, but found himself ducking - almost shamefully - behind Lady Akane at the sight of the two boys.

"Akira..." The taller of the two boys turned at the said name, but addressed Lady Akane as...

"Grandmother." He looked at her with a bright smile

"... and Hideki." The other boy was already turning, yet not as quickly as Akira did. His eyes drifted down to Zuko, his mouth forming a circle. "This is Prince Zuko."

The smile left Akira's face, but fright appeared on Hideki. Zuko tried looking the two boys in the eyes, yet felt his entire body tremble. He couldn't open his mouth in greeting; words escaped him. He felt his fingers twist into Lady Akane's robes, but he attempted swallowing back his anxiety.

"The two of you have been selected to be Prince Zuko's companions. I'll be nearby if you need anything." She extracted herself and her clothing from Zuko's grip and left him standing there, staring at the two boys who in turn stared back.

"Is he..." Hideki finally spoke, allowing Zuko the first chance to hear the other boy's voice. "Is he crying?"

"Hey. Don't be so hard on him."

"Yes, but he's..."

"You know as well as anyone there's been a death in the royal family."

"What does that..." Hideki let out an irritated sound, yet Zuko now couldn't see either of their faces. "I don't want to be some kind of babysitter in charge of dressing..."

"I can dress!" Zuko lifted his head, trying to muster as much confidence as possible, yet he didn't feel confident at all. Any confidence he might have had shattered upon seeing the two boys looking at him dumbfounded; he felt himself collapsing to his knees, almost choking.

Akira hurried forward but turned to the other boy. "Hideki, go get my grandmother."

The tears which Zuko attempted holding in tumbled out; he felt them falling onto his hands, yet the shame he felt...

He heard the taller boy approach but saw him kneel down. The boy didn't make any move to comfort. He heard Lady Akane hurrying back. He heard Hideki say, "we didn't do anything, honest."

"Oh dear. I should have informed you two that Zuko's had a rather stressful time of late, but that he's never interacted with any young man his own age before this." She then said, "The hope was - is - that you and he could form a bond like your father did with Prince Lu Ten."

A hand - one larger than his own - reached out and grabbed onto the back of Zuko's clothing which in turn made Zuko stop crying. His mind quickly drifted towards what Azula might do, but Hideki's voice indicated he didn't like what Akira was doing either. "Akira! What are..."

Zuko felt pulled up and then into the other boy's lap. The arms of the other boy wrapped around him, but he found himself reminded quickly of how Lu Ten used to pull him into a hug. The tears started flowing again, but he found himself crying into the shirt of some stranger as they lightly touched the back of his head and shushed him.

Eventually, he calmed and extracted himself. He wiped the tears away. "S...sorry."

"Don't apologize Zuko." Akira's voice made Zuko glance up. The young man smiled. "I get what grandmother was saying, though I don't think our relationship can be quite like my father and Prince Lu Ten's was, given that I'm a couple of years older than you and they were the same age."

"What was..." Zuko frowned.

"They were like brothers. Actually, I remember overhearing Prince Lu Ten talking to my father about you."

Zuko saw Akira's face falter. "What's wrong?"

Akira let out a sigh but then smiled. He placed a hand behind his head. "It felt a little odd trying to act exactly like they did given that I'm older than you, so I did what I would have done for any of my younger siblings, though to be honest - you're older than any of them. Apologies."

"No. It's okay." Zuko wiped away some more tears before looking down. He noticed Hideki looking back and forth between the two as he spoke. "I miss Lu Ten."

"Is it really true you've not interacted with anyone your own age?"

That though wasn't true. Zuko bristled, his shoulders tensing. "Girls are dumb!"

"Wait? Prince Zuko and I are the same age? He's smaller than me."

"Wait. I'm small?"

Akira let out a laugh. "Goodness. I forgot Princess Azula is only a couple of years younger than you."

"Then there's her dumb friends."

"Wait. Why is it Princess Azula's allowed to interact with those her own age, but..."

"She's better at everything." Zuko watched Akira and Hideki glance at each other as if this revelation bothered him.

"Oh. Is she better at laughing when she gets tickled?" Akira dove in, but soon Zuko's laughter rang through the courtyard, for he couldn't control the laughter escaping from his lungs.