The Seconded Waterbender(Avatar FF)

Book Two: Earth [On The Run]

Third person's point of view. 

The trio having settled after a while of running, Marius while healed enough to move on his own isn't strong enough to fight or protect either firebenders. But he refuses to be a burden and helps where he can. On this particular day, Zuko wasn't having it, the life of a fugitive wasn't something he was used to, pacing in front of Marius and ranting, but no one is really listening, except Nala, who's tail wags every time Zuko walks past her, 

Marius noticing Iroh's fascination with a White Jade Bush, which is extremely poisonous, "I can't live like this! I wasn't meant to be a fugitive." He shouts, raising his fists in the air and yelling at the sky. "This is impossible!" Realizing Marius isn't paying attention to him, is about to let loose on him but his smirking boyfriend watching his idiot uncle made him curious. "Uncle, what are you doing?" Zuko asked,

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious, it's heartbreaking. That, or it's the white jade, which is poisonous." he said unable to figure out if it's one or the other, "We need food, not tea. I'm going fishing." He said walking away after kissing the top of Marius' head. "Hmm ... delectable tea?" he muses, "Or deadly poison?" he questions suspiciously,

"Iroh just know that curiosity killed the cat, whatever your thinking don't do it," Marius warned which seemed to make things worse, rolling his eyes he got up, "I'll gather some wood, I think it's safe enough for a fire tonight," he said and walked off, 

***

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes later when he returned an armful of wood and a small net of fish, he'd anticipated that Zuko wouldn't be able to catch anything and went ahead and fished for them. Nothing new to him, but when he returned Iroh was scratching himself and was covered in red, irritated spots, "Why is it that no matter who I'm with, someone is always in need of healing?" he said getting their attention,

"I could say the same about you," Zuko countered, opening his mouth to counter back, Marius realized that he was accident-prone around Zuko as well. "Touche," he said and set down the wood and fish to look over Iroh's rash, "By the gods, Iroh I told you not to touch the plant," he just chuckled nervously and Marius rolled his eyes, "We need help," Zuko groaned, "But where are we going to go?" Iroh asked while bending and scratching,

"We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom and fugitives of the Fire Nation." Iroh said still scratching his leg, "If the Earth Kingdom discovers us they'll have us killed," Zuko said, "But if the Fire Nation discovers us we'll be turned over to Azula." Iroh added, Marius was having fun watching this conversation it was entertaining. Looking at each other they silently agreed, "The Earth Kingdom it is," Zuko voiced.

Packing up whatever they had onto Nala, Marius couldn't hold it in anymore, bursting into fits of laughter Zuko had to fight the blush that threatened to cover his face, it was rare for him to hear Marius laugh so genuinely and without a smirk or any kind of taunt or tease that it got his heart racing, "Why are you laughing?" Zuko asked while looking over his shoulder at his boyfriend, "I'm laughing because you'd rather face angry Earthbenders then your sister," 

He said then fell over to laugh even harder. Iroh smiled and Zuko rolled his eyes as he helped Marius up, after calming down Marius lead the way to a small village that had a low Fire Nation presence and they found a nice mother and daughter that would be willing to help, having helped a lot of refugees escaping the fire nation already, the daughter assumed they were earth kingdom non-benders,

But Marius was clearly indicated to be a waterbender by his clothes and his help with making the healing paste that would be put on Iroh, plus he said he was a waterbender from the North Pole. Which made them more open to helping Iroh. The daughter though had a hard time not flirting with Marius as he worked, which Zuko could see was bothering Marius, but being as nice as he is, didn't say anything.

"Marius, I'm going to go check on Nala," Zuko announced and stood up, stepping around the girl and her mother, Zuko dropped an almost too long kiss on the long-haired male's lips, before pulling back and stepping outside, when Zuko was out of hearing range she looked at Marius and she could see the amount of affection and love pooled in his ocean blue eyes, she'd also caught sight of a light blue stone on a necklace around the scared boy's neck,

"Are you two engaged?" she asked which made Iroh gasp and sputter, "Not in the way your thinking, it's more of a promise really," Marius said enjoying the fact that even though he was kissed by Zuko only moments ago she wasn't making any kind of stink about it, "though my daughter and I are very open to all kinds of love, the one thing that is agreed upon in every nation is same-sex love, so be very careful here," she warned and Marius nodded. 

After patching up Iroh, the mother insisted that they stay for dinner, as a means of company and to offer a kind gesture, because while Iroh healed a little and the women did the smaller chores, Marius and Zuko did a lot of the heavy lifting, patching up and strengthening a lot of the structural things. Also patching up holes and getting them enough water and wood to last several weeks. 

Sitting out in the moonlight, Marius soaked up the moon's light and he could feel it strengthening him, "You're still awake?" Zuko said coming out of their shared room with Iroh, "Yes, I couldn't sleep," motioning for Zuko to lay down next to him, he was surprised by Zuko laying between his legs and using Marius' lower stomach as a pillow while his arms wrapped around his waist, 

Petting Zuko's hair, Marius had a plethora of things he could have said but it was a nice night and he didn't want to ruin it, "We'll leave before the lady and her daughter wake up okay," Marius said having sensed Zuko's need to leave, nodding against Marius, he fell back to sleep, smiling Marius opened the blanket he'd brought with him and settled it around Zuko letting the sheet come up to his shoulder and keep him warm. 

Gentle stroking Zuko's cheek, Marius looked down at Nala in the yard and she looked back, "Wake me when you see the sun okay girl?" she snorted at him and lay her head back down, while Marius ended up falling asleep as well.