Little Soldier Boy

Peace

"Here," smeller bee handed Zuko a pair of scissors as he was looking over the land zoned out. He blinked out of his disassociation and looked at them confused.

"For your hair, it looks like shit from whatever you did," she knelt down to him.

"Oh thanks I guess, I kinda just chopped it from my sword," Zuko took the scissors but didn't use them.

"It just kept getting in the way, plus it's just hair, it'll grow back," he pursed his lips.

"Yea that's what I said before I chopped my hair, it was always snarly and to thick, my dad hated it," she smirked a little but noticed him not doing anything.

"I can fix it if you want, I have enough experience to keep up on this mane," she offered and Zuko hesitated but nodded. They took the scissors back and knelt behind Zuko, pushing some hair out of the way to section and start cutting his hair.

"How long was it before?" Smeller bee asked as he kept his head down.

"Past my shoulders, I always kept it up though," Zuko told her with his eyes closed.

"You have nice hair, seemed easy to maintain," they smirked a little as the shears snipped past his ears. His hair was shorter now, half an inch long as smellerbee made it all the same length all around, his hair stuck out a little on the top but her fingers combed it forward to make it look less silly.

"It was," he nodded touching his head and felt how short it was. He kept his eyes down feeling no emotions for how much of his hair was lost, he thought it might put a panic in him but there was nothing.

"Jet says your leaving in the morning?" Smeller bee asked curiously.

"Soon as the sun comes up," he confirmed.

"Ugh that sucks," she groaned.

"Hey Lee, before you go, what are you even fighting for?" She asked softly not looking at the other child.

"We all are fighting for something, freedom, our family, our future, there's a reason we call ourselves the freedom fighters," smeller bee explained a little to him as Zuko had no answer.

"I don't know," he sighed a little.

"I fought to fight, I don't think I have much in the future for me, or freedom, definitely not a family," Zuko tilted his head to the side as the wind brushed against his skin.

"Why fight then?" She frowned.

"It's all I'm good for, just another body to be buried eventually," he shrugged like it was nothing.

"Lee that's..." she looked at him sadly. "That's now how you should be living by,"

"Does it really matter?" He looked at them calmly.

"It keeps us human,"

Zuko looked down but he couldn't think of anything that he should be fighting for, he didn't even want to fight for himself, he fought for his country, Azula and his father took everything from him, his freedom wasn't even in sight anymore.

"Peace," he whispered.

"Peace?" Smeller beee asked.

"I just want peace, I guess I'll just keep fighting till I see peace," Zuko nodded pursing his lips.

"When I felt peace it was the best I've ever felt, I want to be like that again, I'm not giving up, I wasn't going too," he gulped a little.

"That's a start, you're like us, and I'm sure Jet could use a swordsman like you, your welcomed here,"

Smeller bee left him again to go to bed as Zuko leaned against the tree and his arms crossed, he didn't realize how tired he was... Zuko rested his head back and let himself fall asleep for the few hours he could rest for, know the next day was going to be long.

—

Zuko rubbed his head as he attached his swords to his back and went to grab his knife but paused, he forgot he lost it at the North Pole... damn.

He yawned a little getting up from the ground, glancing to the side he saw a plate with bread and a few apples just sitting there, he looked around confused why it was just the one plate with the food. Pursing his lips a little he grabbed it hoping it wasn't one of the children's breakfast. Zuko hesitated for a moment on putting the food back, there were young kids here...

"Shh no heko, Hes taking it," Zuko heard from the side and raised a brow confused.

He saw the two kids from the night before hiding above in the tree. They both gasped covering their mouths but the little boy nodded excitedly hoping for Zuko to take all the food.

"Thanks," Zuko nodded at them as he stored the food in the bag and jumped down from the fortress.

He landed on his feet easily and started to head in the opposite direction from the sea, from his camp, maybe he'd be lucky and run into someone but he didn't know if those soldiers he once called family would be loyal to the fire nation and turn him in. He wouldn't risk it, he would never let Azula take him as a prisoner to the palace. He couldnt bare that shame.

But the earth kingdom, their own small rebellion against the fire nation showed him kindness, there was a chance he killed their brothers, their fathers, and he would never know. But he knew that they probably never Ed one of his soldiers in the past... it was fucked up.

Spirits... he never thought he'd feel sympathy for the enemy when they were all just kids anyways... war hit everyone in their own way. He couldn't get emotional something he couldn't change.