Zuko was on a ship to head back home, his wrists were bound behind his back, his head hung low, back against a cold iron wall. He could easily set fire to his restraints, but it wasn't worth it. He was already on his way towards the fire nation and too far from the earth kingdom to swim back without drowning halfway there from exhaustion.
"I'm sorry Nephew, if I had known-" Iroh spoke up after sitting in hours of silence, but Zuko cut him off while shaking his head, "it's not your fault uncle. We tried." The young prince flashed a quick, half meant smile towards his uncle before looking back to the ground.
"We'll see him soon Nephew, I promise." The old man did his best to scoot closer to his nephew, who had grown to be more like a son to him, but there was a wall of bars separating the two benders. "Do not worry uncle. It just wasn't meant, it was a lot of fun. The tea shop, Sokka, I'm glad you got to live your dream while it lasted," the teen with an emo fringe looked back up to his uncle, turning his body to the side so he could face his old man completely.
"Thank you Prince Zuko. I'm very glad that I had a son again." The two benders continued to talk as if they were going to die that very same day. Reminiscing about the time they had spent in Ba Sing Se, the smiles they saw from customers, the families they saw come in and out. They didn't get to experience their happiness, but they felt it second hand.
Day and night blurred together, the two benders were fed, albeit not very appetizing or appealing to either nose or tongue. But nonetheless, it was food, keeping their bodies from shutting down. Even if the two men previously had their arms bound behind their back, on account of their good behavior they were allowed to move around in their cells freely.
Their cells contained a small bed made of steel coming out from the wall, there were no pillows or blankets because despite the ship and quarters being built from cold steel, it was still pretty warm. Considering that the ships engine, which was just an open flame was kept in the dungeon. Chains built into the walls with shackles matching ones were built into the ground and around their ankles with a lot of length so they could go from one side of the cell to the other and have no trouble with the give of the chains. This helped Zuko and his restlessness, he paced around his cell, the chains dragging against the floor drove him and his uncle crazy, but he couldn't help it. It was either melt the suckers off and get in trouble, get acused of trying to escape and get punished, or deal with the horrible, painful noise of the chains dragging against steel like nails along a chalk board, but slightly muted.
"Nephew, please. Lay down and get some rest." Iroh grumbled from his bed, laying down on his side, one hand tucked under his cheek while the other tucked under his side. "I can't uncle. What if Sokka tries to come after me and father kills him? What if he becomes a prisoner too? What if he gets hurt by soldiers on his way out of Ba Sing Se?"
"He will be fine, he has the Avatar and a water bender on his side. They're bound to find him an earth bending teacher, then they'll be on their way to our domain. You'll be able to meet up with him." The old man took his hand from under his side and waved it nonchalantly in the air, his eyes still closed.
"But uncle." Zuko paced towards the bars separating them quickly, grabbing hold of two of the bars, "what if he doesn't come? What if that bitch of a sister won't let him! He's probably scared out of his mind.." the young 17 year old placed his forehead against the cold metal bars, his shoulder lightly trembling, he wanted to cry, to scream, to do something to express his anger and fear.
"You'll think of something young Zuko, I'm sure of it. Now, an old man needs his beauty sleep," the ex general chuckled a little to himself, tucking his hand under his hip. "Fine..good night uncle." The prince stepped away from the bars and retreated to his bed, sitting down on the cold steal. His mind started to wander, thinking of ways he could escape to try and find his lover, or how to hide out long enough that his lover could find him.
This was going to be hell. But he had plenty of time to plan.