The Phoenix

Ill

"You keep your eyes down and don't say a word," Xan had his hand on fifteen year old zukos shoulder as the two went to a market where other pirates gathered.

He walked behind xan not afraid but followed his mentors instructions.

It's been two years since he's stepped foot on fire nation land, though he hasnt been on land often. He's joined the pirates as Lee, the only fire bender of the crew, but he was equal to them, no one knew him as other than a poor boy who was tried to be killed. Claiming to not remember his past but it was a simple lie that helped him move on. He trusted xan only.

Zuko peaked around him as xan stopped at a stand where there was antiques and weapons.

"Don't look if you won't buy brat," the merchant noticed the young teen staring curiously.

"He's my boy, you ought to treat him with more kindness," xan looked up at the merchant warningly as Zuko looked back down biting his lip.

"Sorry," he bit his tongue a little.

"Lee, go ahead and pick out a blade," xan nodded at him and looked the merchant in the eyes coldly.

Zuko could feel the tension but followed his captains orders. He moved forward and looked at the small knives or the larger daggers. He looked behind the merchant seeing swords hanging against the wall.

"What about the Dao blades?" He motioned curiously.

"Not for children," the merchant glared.

"Nor is the black market," he hissed at xan. Zuko rolled his eyes and dropped a bag on coins on the table.

"I can afford it, I can buy it, I'm not a child," Zuko glared at him darkly, leaning his hand on the table as it began to smoke slightly under his hand.

"Fire benders don't scare me," the merchant smirked.

"And ignorant bastards annoy the hell out of me, I'm a customer and willing to pay for an item, there wasn't a problem before you opened your mouth," Zuko sneered and lit the cloth on fire.

Xan smirked a little as they walked away.

"So what did you get?" Xan asked as the two walked out of earshot.

"What do you mean?" Zuko smirked a little as he showed him a dagger that had black leather and a silver blade with a black gem at the top.

"That's my boy!" Xan laughed loudly pulling Zuko close with a shake on the shoulder. The young teen sensed at the touch but didn't pull away.

He smiled a little to himself.

Xan heaved into a bucket as Zuko held his shoulder tightly as his mentor heaved and coughed harshly.

"Ugh this is absolute shit," Xan wiped his mouth and grabbed the cloth on his table to coughed harshly as blood splattered against the cloth.

"Deep breathes xan," Zuko told him pursing his lips a little and handed him water. Xan was about to reply but grabbed the bucket to hack up in.

The younger man flinched at sounds that seemed to be painful coming from the old man, he's been ill for months now. Zuko rubbed his back gently.

"Tomorrow we'll be at land, I'm going to find some herbs to see what will help, at the least help with the pain," Zuko told him as xan looked down at his lap.

"Thank you m'boy," he rasped and put his hand on zukos.

"Anytime captain," Zuko sighed a little and rubbed his back more feeling xan shivering.