Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its affiliates. It is the sole property of its creators Mike and Brian and of Nickedeon. I wish I did own it, because it would be enjoyable to see through the eyes of the true creators of the imaginative universe known as Avatar.
Prologue
Ty Lee's words stuck in his head like a thorn. He tried wiping the thoughts out, pull the uncomfortable thorn from his mind, but it stay lodged there. I know you.
He knew, of course, that was true. They always seemed to be closest through growing up. Laughing and playing with no titles, no qualms, unlike with Mai and Azula who dwelled on those two things. Zuko never had any close guy friends to play with. From the start, he was told that other boys would only hold him back and the only reasoning behind girls being allowed was for possible marriage options in the future. Everything was being entailed and planned for the next Fire Lord.
Another old memory seeped to the surface as he walked through the familiar dark corridor.
"Hey no fair!" A child's voice rang through the unusually bright corridor. A boy was running after an agile young girl, and having problems keeping up. Her pigtail swung behind her as the young girl laughed out, wishing to see the look on the young boys face, but not daring to turn around. "You started running before me again! You always do that."
The young boy breathed heavy and ran after the girl with a slight scowl on. He hated being weaker. Especially against a girl. His training wasn't progressing as quickly as Azula's was, and his father was becoming disheartened every day by it.
It wasn't long before they broke free of the dingy corridor and out into the bright sunlit courtyard. The young girl giggled some more as she collapsed onto the soft grass. She stared up at the clear blue sky as the young boy fell next to her. They lay there silently, staring up at he sky, only there heaving chests and strained breath disturbing the silence.
Finally, the girl spoke. "Zuko, you're getting better. You had almost beaten me there at the end." She smirked as she raised a hand to block the sun from her eyes.
"I'm pathetic. If I can't even beat a girl, how am I supposed to become the Fire Lord like Father wants?" He covered his hands over his eyes completely, unwilling to show any emotion to the girl that lay next to him.
"Zuko, you don't have to worry." She sat up, staring down at the crushed boy. She smiled kindly like his mother would. "You're a strong person, with a good heart. You can beat anybody with those qualities. You're smart, you think things through. Don't change. I don't care who you may become, Fire Lord or not, don't change."
Zuko uncovered his unblemished face, looking up to the girl that seemed so strong and wise beyond her years. Behind those eyes, though, lay hurt. He knew her too well. "What happened? Did the other kids call you names again?"
"No," she answered too quickly, and after a stare-down by Zuko her shoulders collapsed into her chest and she replied, "Yes. Well, I a sick and tired of being classified as a piece of a set. Of conforming to what everyone expects. Growing up as a sextuplet is hard. I just want to be the person I am."
A tear slowly dropped down her cheek, resting on her chin, daring to fall but not falling. Zuko watched the tear. "Ty Lee, you are you. You're your own person. Just like I am me. Ty Lee is just Ty Lee. You're one of a kind."
The young Ty Lee looked into Zuko's smiling clear face and smiled back. She nodded and said, "You're right. I need to think positive. Thanks Zuko. Hey, you know what? Let's make a promise!"
Zuko stared at her, a little confused. "What kind of promise?"
"Let's make a promise to become the people we want to be, no matter what. Follow our dreams and not care about what others think. Okay?"
"Yeah," Zuko answered. Ty Lee stuck out a dirty and scraped hand and held her pinky out for Zuko to take. Zuko stared at her pinky before joining his own. Their pinky's wrapped around each other in a child's promise and laughed at how silly they were acting for 10 year olds.
"We'll be close friends forever, right? Always together, right Zuko?"
Zuko nodded, with a bright smile before a beautiful woman entered the courtyard and stole Zuko's attention. "Mom!"
"Hello, my son. Still trying to beat Ty Lee in running are we?" She smiled down proudly at her energetic son. Zuko nodded his head.
"He's gotten a lot better, Ma'am. He almost beat me this time." Ty Lee smiled a toothy grin.
"Yeah, and next time, I'm gonna beat her Mom."
"Well, don't you to make a great pair. You are going to grow up into fine adults. I know I won't have to worry when you two are together."
Together.
"Earth to Zuko. Hello?!"
Zuko shook his head and his eyes were still wide before realizing someone was trying to talk to him. Azula. She was staring at him with a small amount of care. His eyes narrowed in an instant. "What do you want?"
"Only to let you know that you were daydreaming in the middle of the hallway and are going to be late for the war meeting. Honestly, why did I help you back in Ba Sing Se again? You're hopeless." She waved a hand at him before passing by and heading down a new hallway that would lead to the war chambers.
He pulled himself together as much as he could muster and headed after his sister. Don't change. I don't care who you might become... Fire Lord or not...
Her words stung him, even after all these years.
A/N: Okay, so I know you must be thinking: Kelly, what are you doing?! Weren't you the once proud Zutarian that we all know and love?!
Well, I still am! It's just, after seeing the Beach episode, I kind of fell prey to this new idea. I really liked it, and wanted to see what other people would think about this pairing. Please R&R to let me know to continue with this. Thanks guys! O.O