Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Around the campfire, Kali looks at Sokka as he approaches her, a soft smile on his face. In fact, there is a sort of sense of hope and relaxation over the camp since they allowed Zuko to stay. That relief of finding a willing firebending instructor has likely lifted a bit of weight.

"You seem to be in a better mood" She comments and Sokka nods a little and plops himself down on the log. "I know accepting Zuko won't be easy for any of you"

"You're my friend" Sokka stops her. "And you love him..." He glances at her. "It is easy for me" She looks down a little and then turns to him.

"But Katara...."

"I am not my sister" Sokka argues softly. "And she will come around" He assures her. "With the invasion, Zuko has a chance to prove himself to her, to show that he is here to help us, that he is on our side" Sokka glances over at Zuko who is holding out a bowl of food towards Katara. Katara is kind of just glaring at it though. "Watching him with you though" Sokka glances at her and smirks. "You really do tame wild animals, don't you?" He teases her, Kali nudges him. "And we need him," Sokka adds softly. Kali curls her hand around Sokka's arm and smiles softly. Entirely grateful. For all of them, with a minor exception. Katara is the only one that has a real issue here. Despite the fact that Zuko helped her escape with Aang back in Ba Sing Se. Despite the fact that he needs a firebending teacher. Despite the fact that it is very clear that Zuko has changed. "We should also get some rest" He adds, louder for the rest of the group. "After we've eaten" He corrects seeing them all with their bowls of food.

......

The camp fire has died down and the group have all made their way to their bedrolls tucked into leaf-made tents. Including Kali who is already comfortable in her bedroll when Zuko joins her. He curls into her back, wrapping his arms around her as he gets comfortable behind her. Bing and Ran-Ya are curled up in front of Kali, both of them seemingly vying for her body heat leaving them both sleeping around one another. Kali leans back into Zuko.

"Once this is over" He starts. "If we win....we can stay in the palace" He offers. "In a real bed...in a private room" She hums in agreement. "And take real baths" She chuckles softly as he lets out a longing sigh. It feels so long since he's had a real bath with soap and clean clothes to wear. And he can show that to her as well. To give her a lifestyle that she deserves after everything that she'd been through. A life of comfort and warmth that was denied her. Kali is careful as she shifts the two sleeping animals so she can turn to face Zuko. He leans forward to rest his forehead to hers. She draws her arms around his back and lets out a soft breath. Glad that he is at least considering them winning this. It means he thinks there is hope or at least is resorting to wishful thinking. She shifts her head to his shoulder, curling into his chest and Zuko draws his hand up to play with her hair.

........

"Sokka, get up! I needa know what day it is!" Aang's voice rings out through the camp as the sun barely rises in the sky.

"What? Who's talking?" Sokka grabs his sword and jumps up, but hits his head on a branch of his tent and falls back down again. From their own tents, Katara, Toph, Zuko and Kali all wake up with the noise. Kali rubs at her eyes with a yawn ad Zuko produces a flame in his hand looking around widely just in case this is another attack.

"Relax!" Toph states loudly. "It's still two days before the invasion!" She reminds Aang which seems to do nothing for his mood. Aang begins pulling on Sokka's legs, trying to get him up.

"Sokka, you've gotta get up, drill your rock-climbing exercises" Aang pushes.

"What?"

"In one of my dreams, you were running from Fire Nation soldiers, trying to climb this cliff, but you were too slow and they got you!" Aang rushes out, looking more and more unsettled and unstable. Sokka stands up quickly and steps in front of Aang.

"But that was just a dream. I'm a great climber!" Sokka defends. Aang turns and points at a cliff nearby.

"Then climb that cliff! Climb it fast!" Sokka stares at Aang, his eyes twitching in annoyance. Aang nods fast. Sokka lets out a breath and stomps over to the cliff, then Sokka reluctantly begins to climb it.

"Stupid Avatar! Stupid cliff! Stupid dream! I can climb fast!" Sokka complains. Aang watches Sokka with an anxious smile, before frowning at seeing how slowly he was going. Toph tries to get a drink of water but Aang spots her and snaps around so fast his entire body almost breaks.

"Don't drink that" Aang yells causing Sokka to fall from the cliff. Toph spits out the water onto Katara, who waterbends it off of her.

"Why? Is it poisoned?" Toph asks him.

"In my dream, we were right in the middle of the invasion, and you had to stop to use the bathroom!" Aang puts his hands between his legs and squeezes them together. "We died because of your tiny bladder" He turns to Katara. "And you need to start wearing your hair up. In my dream, your hair got caught in a train, and...." Katara stops Aang by placing her hands softly on the side of his face.

"Aang! I know you're just trying to help, but you really need to get a grip. You're unraveling" She points out and Aang nods a little before he takes a deep breath.

"You're right. I'm losing my mind" Sokka is still climbing the cliff, and almost reaches the top, but then slips and slides down to the ground.

"This is going to go well" Zuko mumbles at Kali's side and she hums a little. Aang is too tired and spiraling, rapidly. They have two days. Two days to be ready for the invasion. Zuko sighs and turns to Kali. "We should work on your attack skills too" He offers.

"I handled your sister" She reminds him. "And her friends" He lets out a breath and nods but he is still worried about her going into a real battle. Not even a year ago she was a slave, held back and sheltered. And now she is going to war. Against his own people. Sure, they'll be cut off from their bending but they are soldiers, trained for battle. She is a girl. They are all still basically children. They all have to be ready for this invasion.

"Please" He whispers to her. "Indulge me" She searches his eyes and then nods, seeing his pure worry and panic. He wants to be sure that she can truly take care of herself. And she can give him that. She touches his arm and he lets out a breath. "Thank you"