Title: In Which Zuko Realizes How Young Aang Is

(Wow, original title, I know.)

Summary: Basically exactly what it says in the title. Takes place post-Southern Raiders and pre-Ember Island Players

A/N: Wow, I have had this fic in my notebook for a really long time and am just now finishing typing it. Well…only forty-two stories in progress now!

Zuko had been travelling with the Avatar and his friends for a while now, but he was still not quite used to some of their stranger habits. Among these strange things he had yet to get used to were Toph's 'affectionate' shoulder-punches, Sokka's…well, Sokka, and Aang's near-constant cheerfulness.

Really, Aang was so cheerful that it was irritating. He had insisted on 'rest and relaxation' today after a morning of intense training, and the rest of the "Gaang" had agreed. They had gone to a deep pond in the middle of a forest with a convenient rock for jumping off of into the water. Zuko was familiar with the concepts of rest and relaxation, but in his experience, they were usually more…relaxing.

"Water-bending bomb!" shouted Katara from the top of the rock. She shrieked with delight as she jumped, wrapping her arms around her knees. Zuko was so busy wondering what in Agni's name that meant, that he failed to notice until too late that Toph had hastily constructed an earth tent and Sokka was running as fast as he could away from the pool. Aang and Zuko were the only ones who hadn't moved. Katara hit the water with a splash that left Zuko and Sokka sopping wet. Aang was also dripping, but whereas Sokka was grumbling and Zuko was spluttering, Aang was grinning like a child on his birthday. That was when the full realization hit Zuko. The Avatar was a child. He couldn't be more than thirteen years old, and there he was, dancing around in his shorts, the massive scar on his back plainly visible when he turned away from Zuko. Of course, Zuko had known for a while that the Avatar was young, and at some point along the way he had learned that he was twelve (though that had been a while ago, so he could be thirteen now). It hit him with full force now what that really meant.

This child, this goofy kid, had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Something of his thoughts seemed to show on his face as Sokka looked at him. The watertribe boy's face suddenly became serious, solemn even. It was very odd.

"Yeah," he said quietly, "Hits you sometimes."

"Yeah," Zuko responded, unsure exactly how he was supposed to act in this situation.

"Zuko! Sokka! Come on! We're gonna race!" Aang called excitedly.

"Prepare to go down!" Sokka responded, sprinting to the water, all trace of solemnity suddenly gone from his face. Zuko followed. He lost the race, though he did beat Sokka at least. He endured Toph's teasing and Katara's gloating with his usual stoicism, which is to say by glaring and practically breathing fire at them. When they returned to the Western Air Temple, he was silent for the most part until everyone but Aang had gone to bed. The young monk was meditating on the edge of the cliff. Zuko sat down next to him and closed his eyes. They meditated together for a while. Zuko lost track of the time. Then Aang stood up and Zuko did too.

"Aang, I, uh, I know I apologized when I switched sides, but I never really said so properly, so…I'm sorry. I was horrible and cruel, and I should never have-"

"Zuko," Aang interrupted, "You don't have to apologize. Like you said, you already have. And I've forgiven you. I never really hated you. I was never even that angry. I was angry at the fire nation, but not at you." Aang smiled a little. "So, apology accepted if that's what you need to hear, but it was accepted when we first let you join." With that, Aang walked away to his sleeping bag and fell asleep almost at once.

Zuko stood in the dark, marveling at the wisdom and power of a barely pubescent boy who enjoyed making flower crowns and dancing.

A/N: Ta-da! Please review! Reviews are love and puppies! Or kittens if you're a cat person. I like both. Reviews are chocolate. They are ice cream. They are like some really healthy addictive substance that I can't think of right now. Basically please review was the gist of this.