Coco (ATLA) (Book 1)- Major Editing Coming SOON

Reality

One of my fav chapters.

Word count: 1,175

It's been a few weeks since Zuko left me in the temple. You know, the one that Avatar Roku burned to the ground with us inside? Yeah, I'm not really talking to him right now. Can you blame me? I was plucking glass out of my skin for weeks! - And I could've died, hello! Or worse, Zhao could've taken me. It doesn't even matter, I doubt Zuko cares anyway. He's probably having a wonderful time without me bothering him... Can you believe I thought we were making progress? He was opening up to me, and I him. Maybe I misread the situation. I mean, he did leave me in a burning temple to die. I've been trying to see the good in him like I was told, but every time I do, he does something that makes me think otherwise.

"Kimi, Zuko!"

I hear uncle call Zuko and I, so I walk into the captain's quarters. As I am walking down the hallway, I see Zuko doing the same.

"Kimi," Zuko greets me quite awkwardly.

'What a weirdo,' I think to myself as I cross my arms.

No way am I going to say anything to him. He didn't say anything to me when the temple was burning down to the ground with me in it! My knees are just now starting to look normal again, and it took ages to get that sut out of my hair!

"Hello, uncle," I greet him as I enter the room.

"Kimi, Zuko, sit down. We need to talk."

"I am not sitting with her-"

How dare he! I should be the one not wanting to sit by him! Is he mad that I don't want to speak to him? Because that would make him a huuuge hypocrite.

"Sit down!" Uncle raises his voice a bit.

Yikes, uncle is kinda scary when he's upset. Now I see why he was general.

"Now, I've noticed it's been... negative between the two of you, more than usual. It's affecting the crew. Kimi, I know what Zuko did was wrong, but don't you think ignoring him is only making the problem worse?"

"No."

"And Prince Zuko, you need to learn to be sensitive towards others feelings. We're a team now, that means when you're in a burning temple with someone, at least make sure they're alive so they can escape with you. "

It's annoying how this is actually something you need to warn him about.

"Yeah, yeah," Zuko replies and crosses his arms.

"You two are so stubborn, I thought you two were starting to get along," uncle says disappointingly.

"So, what do you want us to do?" I ask.

"Nothing a hug can't fix."

Nope.

"Uncle, please! I don't want to hug him."

"Hug, now."

Zuko looks horrified with the thought of actually having to touch me, it's insulting.

Let's get this over with..

...

"I don't like when uncle is upset, so I guess I'm sorry for leaving you in the temple... for uncle's sake," Zuko mutters as he awkwardly scratches the back of his neck

"Did the famous Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation, just apologize? Gasp."

"Ha ha, you're so funny," he says sarcastically as he balls his fist in frustration.

"But I guess I forgive you."

"Thank you, but don't get use to it..." he says.

He goes to walk away, but he stops in his tracks. He doesn't face me.

"I was banished," he says quietly.

"What?"

"You called me the 'famous' prince of the Fire Nation. I disgraced my country and I was banished. I'm not famous."

It's really depressing seeing him lose hope like this. The Zuko I met that day I was stranded on an iceberg would never admit to that. It's like he's changing right in front of my eyes, now that Zhao is on his trail and trying to capture the Avatar, too. When I first met him, he would mention being Prince of the Fire Nation every 2 seconds, now he doesn't want to claim the title? It's just sad... But I should be happy. I don't want him to capture Aang, but seeing him so depressed is something I didn't want either.

"I don't care," I admit. "Besides, I like you a lot better than, ya know, your dad, so...

"Oh, uh, thanks."

"... Plus, all of the free stuff we get. If we were to tell people you weren't a prince, all of that would go away, and I need to keep up with my wardrobe," I say as I jokingly pop my collar.

"What part of the Fire nation did you live in anyways?" Zuko asks me.

"Saphire Village. We didn't really have a lot of money, so there wasn't many places we could pick from. My dad was a soldier until he got hurt, my mother worked as a maid, and my brother was- I guess killed in the war. I don't know..."

"Oh," he says awkwardly.

"Before my brother- ya know, my family was close. School was expensive, so we really didn't have money to go anywhere, so we just stayed in and did stuff around the house. Sometimes we'd go outside and kick the ball around. That was fun..."

"So, you just stayed home all the time? Didn't you do things like go to the theater, or go to brunch, take vacations to Ember Island?"

"Ember Island? I'd love to go there, but we could never afford that place. We had to make do with what we had."

"Maybe one day?" He asks.

"That would be so fun, I wonder if my mom's made it there yet."

"I don't know, but I think you'll love it," he replies.

"You think so?" I ask.

"Yeah, my mother loved it. Even my uptight sister."

"Oh yeah... sister."

"Yeah, growing up, it was always her, her friends Tylee.. and Mai."

Did he just blush? I mean, who cares if he did? I definitely don't.

"Is Mai your girlfriend or something?" I ask.

"She use to be." Oh? "But what's it to you?"

"Uh, nothing."

I don't think Zuko ever realized how different his life is from everyone else. He's used to a life of luxury and living in a palace. I'm not saying he's never had his struggles, because money can't buy happiness, but he's never had to struggle financially. He's never had to wonder where his next meal is going to come from, or if he'll be able to pay rent on time, he's never even had rent! Or having to repair his own shoes because they're so worn out and the soles are in shambles, but you can't just go out and buy new ones because you have no money. Especially with this war going on, if you're not a royal or in some kind of position where money is not an issue, life in the Fire Nation can be extremely tough, and I think I just opened Zuko's eyes to the reality of what his father is doing... and that wasn't even the worst of it.

...

A/n this chapter is basically showing where Zuko and Kimi's relationship is so far, and Zuko getting a taste of reality of a regular fire nation citizens during the war.