#local fire nation prince just incapable of calling him 'aang' actually

[discordiansamba]

The Avatar is hovering behind them.

Zuko tries to tune him out, focusing on his meditation. He doesn't know the details of what happened in General Fong's base, but he heard enough from Sokka to get the picture. He wanted to trigger the Avatar State on purpose and use it's power to take down the Fire Lord.

(Even if Sokka hadn't told him, he could see the whirlwind from where he'd made camp. Spirit cursed or not, he was still the prince of the Fire Nation- he wasn't going to set foot inside an earth kingdom fort if he had a choice in the matter.)

It's not hard to guess why the Avatar might want to talk to him.

Eventually, it becomes clear that the Avatar plans to neither leave nor speak up. Zuko cracks an eye open, glancing back at him.

"What?"

(His tone is rough. The Avatar flinches.)

"I just... wanted to talk to you about something," the Avatar shuffles his feet, "-but uh, you seem busy so-"

Zuko sighs. "This is about the ocean spirit, isn't it?"

The Avatar says nothing, but he doesn't need to. Watching the ocean spirit rage was like watching himself on a much grander scale, all the fury of a raging sea given life, with the Avatar merely it's vehicle. For all of his fire and fury, Zuko has never taken a life.

He cannot say the same about the Avatar.

"How do you deal with it," the Avatar asks, "-all that anger and rage inside of you, all the time?"

"You've seen me," Zuko says, "-you know I don't."

"See, that's what I thought before," the Avatar shakes his head, "-but after experiencing it for myself, I know that's not true."

Zuko just sighs again. He knows what the Avatar wants, but he doesn't have any advice to give him. He's not his uncle, ready with an appropriate proverb that neither Zuko nor the dragon ever understands. The only thing he can think to do his scoot over a bit, patting the ground next to them.

The Avatar seems to understand. He sits next to them, mimicking their posture. Zuko breathes in, then out, and the Avatar does the same. When Katara calls them to come eat, the monk's steps seem lighter. It must have done him some good.

(They have a new companion during their morning meditation from then on.)