Take off

"You guys all packed up?" Katara asked as the boys were loading up appa before they went to see the earth king once more before everyone split.

"Just about, are You really sure You don't want to go?" Sokka slid off appa down to her.

"You've been wanting this for so long, I'll be fine," Katara smiled at her brother reassuring.

"Hey look who cared to join!" Toph felt familiar footsteps coming over to them outside and everyone looked over seeing Zuko.

"Look who's alive," Sokka grinned

"You made it," Katara smiled brightly.

"You two wouldn't stop harassing me," Zuko crossed his arms looking at her and Toph.

"Yet it worked," Toph elbowed him a little.

"Where have you been hiding?" Sokka slapped his shoulder.

"As far from all of you as possible," Zuko tilted his head to the side.

"I found him down in lower class when I was at the market, you seem like your feeling better," Katara stood by with a soft smile.

"Broke my fever last night, still lightheaded but I told hai I'd be back tomorrow," Zuko nodded calmly.

"Good," she sighed relieved.

"So where is everyone going?" He asked looking at the others.

"My dads leading out in chameleon bay so aangs dropping me off on the way to the air temple," Sokka tossed a bag up to Aang.

"Oh Zuko your here too!" Aang gasped surprised seeing the other teen.

"By force," he nodded but Katara smacked his arm.

"How are You doing being here? Adjusting?" Aang asked sitting on top of appa still.

"Nothing more than a refugee making a living, simple," Zuko nodded not looking at him.

"That's great!" Aang beamed brightly.

"Do you think there's other fire benders here that are doing the same? Just something I wonder," the avatar looked at the other curiously.

"Hey loud mouth, there's a reason some people like a simple life, so the past doesn't bite them in the ass," Toph hissed at him as Sokka looked over his shoulder hoping no one else was around.

"Oh shoot, sorry," Aang covered his mouth quickly with guilt.

"We'll start by when your outside just calling him lee," Katara shook her head at aangs innocence.

"Lee?" Sokka snorted. "There's like hundreds of lees, couldn't be more original?"

Everyone was silent.

"Oh yea,"

"I'm not that stupid, I know how to start over," Zuko shrugged not bothered by it.

"Come on we gotta get to the palace so if you ladies are done chit chatting let's go," Toph huffed impatiently.

"Have fun on your trips," Zuko told them keeping his arms crossed.

"Your not gonna come to the palace?" Katara asked climbing aboard appa.

"... no, I'll come with," he gave in with a soft sigh before joining them once again.

——

They landed within the palaces walls where guards were lined up and the earth king in his palanquin down the stairs while the teens waited and said their final goodbyes.

"So you gonna be here when we get back?" Sokka smiled over at Zuko who stayed by Toph.

"Not like I'm gonna leave the city for any reason," Zuko shrugged a little.

"You know man your not bad for how we started off, if Katara starts to annoy you while we're gone just send her on a little shopping trip," sokka wrapped an arm around him laughing.

"She's been fine so far," Zuko tried to push him off with a grunt.

"Katara I need to tell you something," Aang walked over to her as his three other friends were bickering again.

"I've been wanting to say it for a long time," he blushed nervously as Katara turned to him.

"What is it Aang?" Katara smiled kindly.

"Katara.. I-" "get the hell off of me!"

Aang and Katara were surprised hearing Zuko raise his voice and looked over seeing Toph and Sokka group hugging him and cooing at the fire bender.

"No no no you came to say good bye," Sokka ruffled his hair and the soldier growled with smoke coming out his nose.

"I know you have a soft spot for us now sparky, I can feel it," Toph squeezed him with an evil look on her face.

"Dont be whining if you get sick cause of him!" Katara yelled at them as Aangs jaw dropped.

"Alright alright, who's ready to go on a little men only man trip?" Sokka abandoned Zuko and put Aang in a headlock teasingly.

"Can you boys act civilized, the kings here," Toph released Zuko as he gasped for air finally.

"Aang and Sokka I wish you a good journey, ba sing se owes you it's thanks," the earth king smiled calmly as the two turned around still in a headlock.

"We look forward to your safe return," he chuckled as the two bowed back in respect.

"I don't believe I've met you before," the earth king noticed Zuko closer to Katara.

"This is our close friend Lee, he journeyed with us before we came to ba sing se, he wanted to say good bye before the trip," Katara spoke up as Zuko raised a brow at her.

"It's an honor to meet you, your majesty," Zuko bowed as well. The king smiled and nodded back.

"A friend of the avatars is a friend of mine," the king put his hands behind his back.

"Your majesty there are three female warriors here to see you," a guard ran over with news. "They're from the island of kyoshi,"

"That's Suki!" Sokka cried out.

"You know these warriors?" The king asked pleased.

"Oh yea, the kyoshi warriors are a skilled group of fighters, trust worthy too," Sokka nodded enthusiastically.

"More good friends of ours," he laughed blushing.

"Then we shall welcome them as honored guests," the king agreed before letting them finish their goodbyes and leaving.

"I'm really gonna miss you guys," Toph sighed a little.

"It's only for a little," Katara pulled her and Aang for a group hug. Katara reached over and pulled Sokka in the hug.

"Okayyy we love each other, seriously that's enough," Sokka patted their head as he now was being squeezed.

"Alright let's go it's time for a road trip!" He climbed on appa and Aang too.

"Bye guys!" Katara waved while they took off.

"You didn't wanna be apart of the group hug?" Toph teased and Katara giggled while Zuko kept his distance while the bison flew out of sight.

"Absolutely not," Zuko shook his head.

"I'm going to go meet up with my mom, I'll see you guys later," Toph gulped a little but parted off from them next.

"Back to two," Katara smiled over at Zuko.

"I guess so," he agreed.

"You okay with being around them all again?" She asked while they stuck around the palace.

"Yea... it was fine," he rubbed the back of his neck looking to the side.

"Aw don't tell me you missed all of us," Katara giggled poking his shoulder.

"I did not," Zuko scoffed.

"You totally did!" She gasped.

"No I didn't!" He defended but Katara laughed.

"Alright I have to meet with some generals but I'll meet you back at your tea shop?" Katara offered as she controlled herself again.

"Well that's far away, what if we stayed around the upper class and go to a tea shop around there?" Zuko gulped a little.

"Cause that means I have to start paying for tea again," she teased.

"I'll see you after the meeting princess," he rolled his eyes again.

"See you then Zuko," she snorted shaking her head at him.

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top