Zuko's pov
Now I don't know anything about parents seeing as my father was never there for me when I was younger, and my mom left when I was 8, but I can't really say I feel completely comfortable around Hakoda. I know I shouldn't fear him, or he might use it against me, but I don't want him to fear me either, because that might affect what little I have going my way right now. Aang and Toph trust me, and Sokka is starting to. I don't want to lose the friendship, the starts of a family that I'm finally getting, but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't want them anywhere near me, so I decided to let it go as it is going to go. Uncle would be proud of me, I hope, seeing I'm trying to follow his teachings and the way he wanted me to live my life.
I slowly move away from the family union happening in front of me, trying to ignore the longing rising in my chest, knowing and never forgetting that it is something I will never know, the warmth of a father. Uncle tried his hardest, but he's just much too old to be a father and it's been much too long since his son, my beloved cousin Lu Ten, had died. I love Uncle and I always will, be he just isn't the figure I'm looking for. He's just... Uncle. No better way to describe it. I wish he were my father, maybe things would've turned out differently than they did. I shake my head and silently slip into the shadows, heading towards my room
I probably won't be out till morning, simply so I don't have to fight my emotions every step of the way, but I might head to the roof later to stargaze or train with my swords,more than likely stargaze, since it's been forever since I last had the oppurtuniy to notice and appreciate them. I sigh, Uncle really has gotten to me, before I enter my room and settle on the bed, leaving the covers under me,seeing as I generate too much heat to actually sleep under a blanket unless I'm in the poles. I reach into my bag and grab a small doll, not too accurate, but it's something my father gave to me when I was a baby and it's the only thing I have to tell me he wasn't always this bad. But, I can't say I believe that.
I bring the small doll, fitting in the palm of my hand, up to my neck and rest it there. I think about it's features as I drift off the sleep, having memorized them long ago. Brown hair, with lighter brown eyes and fair skin. A gentle and soft smile, with a nice little traditional piece residing in his hair, signifying him as crown prince, or more accurately, the crown prince's best friend, whom he trusted and gave this piece too, hoping their friendship would last. I hope I have a friendship that may last into another lifetime, but I highly doubt it, with the way my life's going. I sigh and snuggle it closer, before slipping into sleep.
I wake slowly as the sun rises,before sitting up. I grope around, before realizing the doll is gone. I jerk up and look all over the place, trying to find it and panicing when I can't. I dress hurriedly and walk towards the main room, hearing voices and hoping I can find the doll. It's important to me, and I can't have lost it, because it's the only connnection to my father that I have. Or at least the only nice one, with gentle fingers resting against the scar for a moment before I drop the arm. I sigh and relax when I see the doll in Sokka's grip the second I turn the corner, nearly sagging in relief. Surprisingly, Aang, Hakoda and all of the others are up, and look really interested in whatever Sokka's saying.
"- he seemed really attached to this. Do you think it has an importance significance? Maybe it's an heirloom, or something his mom made for him."
"Then do you really think you should have it, if it's so important?"
"Not like it matters, I'm already up anyways."
I snatch the doll as I pass, not wanting to pass everyone again in order to put it back. I sit down and set it on my knee, before glancing at the others.
"Why do you have that doll, Zuko?"
"Probably because he's too much of baby to sleep by himself. The horror of the world haunts his dreams and he can't sleep without something nearby, to keep them at bay. What a brat."
"Excuse me, but if you're father ignored most of your existence, you'd want to keep the only thing you have that's got a good memory of him associated with it. Sorry that it bothers you. And I don't tend to sleep with it, I was feeling nostalgic, however, and wanted to relive one good memory."
"Yeah, one in a life time of horrendous ones. I still can't believe you think we'll trust you. No smart person's going to trust the person that has been known to betray and lie and sneak , since the moment you've met."
I wince, but don't fight back. I figure she won't get too much farther before she gets bored with my lack of any kind of response. I'd gotten use to this and the others try to stay out of it, understanding it's something personal. Except I forgot that we have some new people, and one of them happens to be an adult.
"Katara! I understand if you don't trust him, but to belittle him? Why are you so bitter? You're the only one still treating him like this. I trust him. Why can't you?"
"Because that bastard broke and lost any chance he had of gaining and managing my trust. He will never get the chance again,not while I live."
I wince and decide I'm not hungry enough to get a tongue lashing too, so I stand up and head for the training area, catching eyes with Aang so he'll know where to meet me. He nods and I head for my room instead, going to put the Roku doll away. I smile gently as I let him settle on some rags, before I head swiftly for the training room. Aang meets me a good 15 minutes later, and we settle in for our warm ups. Surprisingly, Hakoda and Sokka have joined Toph and Teo, who like to watch in on our lessons. I shrug and start us off, though I notice Katara heading off towards the rooms. I admit I get a bad feeling,but she's not that cruel, right? ...Right?
"Ok, Aang, the best way to say this is: imagine a leaf falling over a pond. You want to keep the leaf floating, but never let your fire touch and burn it. How are you going to do this?"
I settle to the side as he thinks it over, vetoing every idea he tries, because he isn't getting it. As we near the end of our lesson, he seems to finally catch on and makes a nice fire rope, the end being a circle that would keep the leaf afloat and not burn it. I nod and smile proudly as he jumps in excitement,a whoop leaving him. I shake my head, he's so excitable, but when I look off to the side, I spot Katara and she's got something in her hand, a hand that's over the cliff side. I'm up and moving before I realize it.
"Katara, don't! Please!"
"Why should I? You think I care about your feelings or emotions? Cause I don't. I don't particularly care about you're wounds or your pulse either, but I can't do anything about those, so I figure I'd break you another way. Let's see how precious this doll really is to you."
I reach her right as she opens her hand and the doll falls. I think fast and use to problem I gave Aang, focusing enough to keep the doll afloat, but not burn it. I concentrate so much, I almost fail to dodge the punch to my jaw, but the second one lands on my solar plexus and I hunch over, gasping for air. I faintly realize I lost the doll, but I see it floating over and right to me. I uncurl one arm to reach for it and sigh in relief, before tossing Aang an appreciative look. He smiles and nods, before turning to glare at Katara.
"What's wrong with you people? Can't you see he's using the lot of you to get you exactly where he needs you, before he sets his plan into motion? He's not your friend, he's the face of the enemy and he lives in our home, he lives right next to us, he lives with us. Why?"
"Because he was raised better than you. I don't know how, but this young man, who seems to have had a... crazy family, was raised to be kinder than you, who had a loving family. Why are you so bitter? He can't have done anything to make you this bad!"
"He killed Aang!"
The following pause unnerves me and when I glance up, I wince at all the frowns and looks directed at me.
"You think I killed Aang? That was Azula! I still can't bend lightning and even if I had helped you, Aang still would've gotten killed, because I wouldn't have been able to reach him and neither would you. So why are you blaming me?"
"Because Azula is mentally wrong, but since you seem to think you're right now, that means you have a conscious and ignored it. That gives me the right to blame you instead of the mental person."
"No it doesn't!"
"Oh yes it does, you lying, worthless, piece of-"
"Katara! You need to leave this instant. Go to your room. Now!!"
She growls and does just that, slamming the door behind her. I wince, damnit, that means I'll get it later and now I'm going to get it from Hakoda. I lean against a nearby pillar, still reeling from the solar blow, but manage to look him in the eye when he approaches. The hand on my shoulder startles me, but I try not to jump too badly.
"Has she been doing this since from the very beginning? This bitter and horribly disappointing thing of acting like you're not a human?"
I barely manage a nod, before collapsing, tired from regaining my breath. I sigh and moan, but I can feel hands on my shoulders, trying to keep me sitting. I whine and try to pull the doll closer when someone grabs it, but then the force is gone, and I sigh, relaxing, before I'm picked up. I lean into the warmth right by me, sighing as it seeps into me. I barely open my eyes, but spot Aang and remember his training was cut off slightly.
"Sorry, Aang, we'll have to keep practicing later. Kay...?"
He nods and I can see the worry in his eyes, but I smile gently. I groan as the arms under me tighten slightly.
"Shush, Zuko. You are going to let me care for you, seeing as how you're probably bruised and maybe still healing from other things, and no one else knows or seems to want to help. So, you're stuck with me, Princey."
I groan, not another nickname. Oh, well. It seems to be something father's do. I snuggle closer to the heat Hakoda is radiating as he carries me to my room. I rest the doll on my chest and wrap an arm around his neck, helping him balance and lower me to my bed. I roll and curl up, but a hand settles on my shoulder and I glance back at him. He's got an angry face on. I wince as the last face I saw with that look flashes through my mind, but look at him anyways.
"You need to take better care of yourself. You're skinny, underweight and you have several wounds that aren't treated. What kind of energy are you even running on?"
"Yes, I will stay away from- wait, what?"
"You. Need. To. Take. Better. Care. Of. Yourself."
"But-"
"No "buts". You are teaching and doing other normal human things, so you need to be like a human and use some survival skills. Now, sleep."
I nod, stunned that's what he went with that, before snuggling into my bed and then under the blanket, even as he tucks me in. I don't tend to sleep under the blanket, but he's tucking me in and then he leans forward.
"Goodnight, kid."
I blink as he presses a kiss to my forehead,before settling on the edge of the bed. I yawn and move the doll, resting it in the crook of my neck. I sigh as his gaze settles on me, before moving on. Is this what it's like to sleep under a father's gaze? Its not too bad...