Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

At Least We Die Fighting

** Very long chapter & character death **

The gang lounged at the cliff's edge surrounded by maps that Sokka had drawn up for the invasion. It was a foggy morning, they couldn't see more than a quarter of a mile over the water. And that was perfect.

"Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?" Katara asked from the sidelines.

Sokka stood at attention. He'd put more work into this plan than the others could imagine. "That is the invasion!"

A break formed in the low hanging clouds and five Water Tribe ships floated through. At the center of the fleet stood a man at the helm, he lowered his telescope when he spotted his children and smiled.

"Don't take this the wrong way —" Kai said while leaning in close to Sokka, "but if you look anything like your dad when we get older, I might not let Suki have you back after all."

Sokka glared down at her and she winked at him, causing his stoic gaze to fade as he elbowed her in the side playfully.

The ships unloaded with more than just Water Tribe warriors, though. Foggy Swamp water benders, Earth Kingdom villagers and wrestlers from Omashu had been picked up along the way, too. It was one big family reunion that Kai didn't particularly feel she was even invited to.

She was chatting with Huu, one of the swamp people, about the illusion of death and pants when a nostalgic voice spoke from behind her.

"Kai?" the boy asked.

And she turned around in shock. "Haru??"

The two of them were almost three years older than when they'd last seen each other. Haru looked different now, with his mustache and goatee, but that didn't stop Kai's eyes from lighting up as they raced toward each other.

"Holy shit, I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too, Kai." He said into her hair, hugging her tight. "How've you been?"

Kai didn't give away much about her travels since they'd parted ways, and Haru told her about how Katara helped him free his father from prison. They'd formed a revolution in their small Earth Kingdom village and taken it back from the soldiers that were making their lives hell.

"That's awesome, Haru! Maybe when all of this is over, your mom will actually allow me back in her house. Think she holds a grudge?"

Sokka caught snippets of the conversation, mostly just their warm embrace and them discussing how his mother had kicked her out, though he didn't overhear why.

He tried not to listen, really, but they just seemed too.. close.. for his liking.

The day got away from them all quickly. Teo and his father demonstrated a few of the new inventions they'd created while Toph showed off to The Boulder and Big Bad Hippo who she'd been trained by. Kai let them in on a couple of tricks, like rock bullets, just in case they found themselves in hot water later on.

It made her happy, meeting the roughlings that Toph had spent her time with while she was banished. It made her feel less like she'd abandoned her friend knowing now that she'd been in good hands all along.

After a while, Hakoda gathered his children, along with the rest of their gang, onto a makeshift podium he and Balto had set up. He pushed Sokka to center stage. After all, this was his plan. He'd taken on the roll of their leader without any of them realizing it — and gracefully, at that.

But Sokka wasn't immune to anxiety. He felt nervous, standing in front of a crowd of benders and heroes.

"Umm... so, as you know, today, we're invading the Fire Nation! I mean I know you know that because otherwise why else would you be here?" He fumbled with his scroll and dropped it. "Anyway, the Fire Lord's palace is here. Uh, nope, wait, wait, wait."