FF: Yours For Mine

[quaggy]

Title: Yours For Mine
Author: Quaggy 
Show: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: PG
Category: Speculation for The Guru & The Crossroads of Destiny (season finale)
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or this show. 
Notes:  Umm... Yeah.  This isn't a West Wing fic.  All I can say is that I had to wait TWO weeks for the season finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender.  (Yes, I know that I'm too old for this show.  Yes, I am well aware it's on Nickelodeon.  What can I say?  I'm hooked.)  After some serious cliffhangers and a really interesting promo, I couldn't help but speculate... and apparently my speculations now take form as fic.   If you'd like to find out more about the show, Wikipedia can fill you in.  And if you're REALLY interested, there are clips and full episodes (all out of order) over here... somewhere.  I'm pretty positive this will all be disproven tomorrow night, but I sure had fun writing it!  A very special thanks to edgeriffic for the speedy beta when I decided to post this at the last minute.

“I’ll watch yours, if you watch mine.”

Sokka looked up from the prone figure of one of the fiercest warriors he’d ever known, to the man who until very recently he regarded as his enemy.

“Well, I’d watch over Katara anyway.  I owe her so much more than that,” Zuko mused, his hand unconsciously straying to his now unscarred eye.  “I guess I’m asking you to keep an eye on my uncle for me.  I know that you have enough to worry about, but he’s the Dragon of the West and, while he may have received a full pardon for services rendered to the city, there are still those who have long memories.  They won’t hesitate to act when his back is turned.”

“And you want me to make sure his back is guarded.” 

“Because I can’t be there to do it.  There is not much that gets past my uncle.  He may look like a silly old man who’s only concerned with his tea, but he’s always a warrior underneath.  He just trusts too easily sometimes.  There are those who are ruthless enough to attack him when his guard is down.  That’s when I step in.”

Sokka stared at this stranger before him, as memories from their past encounters filled his mind.  Their history together provided a hundred reasons why he shouldn’t trust anything that Zuko did or said.  But Sokka still had his family thanks to the exiled prince and that counted for far more.

“Sure.  No problem,” he said with an airiness he didn’t feel.  “It’ll be easy.  I’m sure my sister is right now asking your uncle to keep an eye on me.  Especially if…” Sokka’s voice trailed off as he glanced back at Suki’s still form.

“And I’m sure that my Uncle is asking Katara to watch over me.  ‘He’s a good boy, my nephew, but he can be veeerry headstrong.  I would feel better if there was someone there he could trust’,” Zuko said, perfectly mimicking his uncle’s voice and movement.

“You know, I really don’t like all this separating business.  It was mistake before.  And it’s a mistake now.”

“It can’t be helped.  Neither one of us is willing to let Katara rescue Toph by herself, but I’m the only one that’s free to go with her.  When Aang returns, you and my uncle will tell him what has happened here.  Then, head for the Fire Nation.  Don't waste time looking for us.  Toph, Katara and I will catch up.  I do have some experience tracking flying bison, after all.”

 “Yeah,” Sokka smirked.  “I seemed to remember you having some trouble in that department.” 

“I may have had trouble capturing the Avatar, but I was very good at finding him,” Zuko scoffed with a faint echo of the haughty fire prince he once was.  But only a slight one.

“Until then… I’ll protect yours and you’ll protect mine,” Sokka vowed as Zuko… as his friend … smiled in agreement.

Comments

[quaggy]

So, I watched the season finale. WOW! That was disappointing!

Zuko BETRAYED Iroh??? Katara and Aang shoved down my throat? No mention if Suki is alive or not??

I'm not sure I even want to tune in for season 3. It'll be too painfull if this episode was any indication.

[farmerliz.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know anything about this show, but if there's anything we West Wingers know, it's the pain of a fanale that leaves us feeling totally wronged. (Beer, anyone?) All fandoms benefit from good fic, I guess. Hang in there.

[quaggy]

Thanks!! I actually didn't expect anyone to read this. Nobody I know online is that into the show and I certainly didn't post at any of the communities dedicated to the Avatar because I didn't seem much point. I just didn't have a good reason NOT to post it on my LJ.

And I feel better about the finale now. Like so many of us who have seen an upsetting episode, I wrote a fanfic to make me feel better! I suppose I'll post it eventually!