𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆

𝑮𝒖𝒚𝒔 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕

Chapter twenty six
Aang

We were barely five steps out of the palace before I was ecstatic to agreeing to this guys night Zuko had been grumbling under his breath since we left, and Sokka—well, Sokka seemed way too excited. Suspiciously excited, like he had some grand scheme he hadn't let me in on. But, for some reason, that didn't dampen my mood.

"So, what's the plan?" Sokka threw his arm around my shoulder, his grin spreading like wildfire. "We hittin' up a tavern? Going on a wild boar-hog hunt? We gotta do something to loosen up our beloved Fire Lord here."

I chuckled despite myself, glancing at Zuko, who was already glaring daggers at Sokka. His golden eyes narrowed like he was deciding whether to burn Sokka's arm off now or later. "I don't need to 'loosen up,'" Zuko snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. "The only reason I agreed to this is because Lora and Katara basically threatened me."

Typical Zuko—always with the dark and brooding. "Come on, guys," I said, trying to sound reasonable. "Can't we just have a normal night without someone getting threatened?"

Sokka let out a dramatic groan, shaking his head like I'd suggested we spend the evening reading scrolls on the finer points of earthbending philosophy. "Aang, this is normal. Besides, who knows when we'll get another chance to have fun. We might all be dead by next week. Zuko might die on the way back to the Fire Nation."

Zuko shot him an annoyed look, and I could see him biting back a retort. "Thanks, Sokka. Your optimism is inspiring."

Sokka clapped Zuko on the back, either ignoring or completely missing the death glare aimed his way. "Hey, just saying, it could happen. You're a walking fire hazard on any given day."

Zuko's scowl deepened. "I'm not going to die, and I don't need to be 'loosened up.'"

"Uh-huh," Sokka said, with a mischievous grin that could only mean trouble. "But you could definitely stand to lighten up a bit. Do something... wild."

Zuko gave him a side-eye. "Define 'wild.'"

Before I could intervene, already sensing this was about to spiral into chaos, Sokka's eyes lit up like he'd just discovered the meaning of life. "Cactus juice."

I groaned. "No, not again. We're not doing cactus juice, Sokka."

Sokka waved me off like I was ruining the fun. "Come on, it's just a little juice. Zuko could use it. He's sitting here all tense and broody, hiding something deep in that royal shell of his."

Zuko's expression went from mildly annoyed to murderous in half a second as I bit back a laugh. "I am not hiding anything."

"Oh really?" Sokka leaned in, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because I'm getting serious 'secret crush on the princess' vibes from you."

Zuko's face turned crimson, and for a split second, I actually thought he might explode. "I do not have a crush!"

Sokka snorted. "Sure, sure. Fire Lords don't have feelings, right? Just fire."

Zuko clenched his fists, and I stepped between them, not because I was worried for Sokka—he could handle himself—but because Zuko's temper was like a leaky dam, and we didn't need a geyser of flames erupting in the middle of the palace courtyard. "Guys, come on. No cactus juice, no boar-hog hunts. Let's just grab some snacks, sit by the frozen lake, and take a breather, alright?"

It seemed like a foolproof plan—on paper.

But no sooner had we settled near the frozen lake, surrounded by the serene stillness of the icy landscape, than Sokka decided to do what he does best: stir the pot. He gnawed on a piece of jerky like it was a bitter rival, throwing jabs at Zuko's stoic exterior with the precision of someone who knew exactly how to get under his skin. The air was crisp, but the tension? That was heating up faster than a bonfire on Ember Island.