Little Soldier Boy

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.