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Some time after talking with Steph, Zuko still has no idea how to go about approaching the many people who he should proably talk to.

Instead, he's focusing on something that puts it all off very nicely, and practicing firebending forms out in the training field. They really do make much more sense after visiting the Masters - without having to spend to much effort on brute force and anger to produce the flame, everything flows more, and that in turn is levelling out his thoughts.

So. Another version of him had children. And they're here. They also seem to think he's their father- at least, the version that they knew. He should talk to Mel first, then. He's not sure what she thinks, but he should ask, in any case. And Iroh should know.

Later. He finishes off a form, and moves onto the next.

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"Helpful, even," Sokka agrees, beaming.

And ruins it with an honest laugh a moment later. This Zuko isn't the one he knows, but there's still something familiar, something good to remember.

Even if the boy across from him is more likely to punch him out of anger than affection.

"Look, I don't have a problem with you. So far as I'm concerned, there are three Zukos - the one that chased us around the whole damn world trying to catch Aang, the one that was my friend, and you. So you can be whatever one you want."

...Whoa, that's weird.

Sokka's laughed around him before, but usually, you know, at him.

"Oh, I'm the one that chased Aang, all right," he says, face and tone of voice grim. "I just finally figured out why it was wrong."

Sokka smirks, just a little. "And you think Mel's husband didn't do the same thing?"

"What did it take him?" he asks, honestly curious.

It wasn't exactly a casual decision.

"Mel punched him in the face when she found out about Aang."

Sokka smirks. He loves this story.

"Not just that, but it helped. He was... not a prince. But he led everyone in the first world, a couple hundred of us."

Zuko thinks back, then looks vaguely awkward.

"...That'd explain that," he says, then frowns to himself.

"Well. Good for him."

It is good, he thinks, still conflicted. That he found something worthwhile if he couldn't get back.

Sokka's watching him closely, looking for some evidence in those thoughts Zuko isn't voicing. A not-so-quiet piece of him just wants to know how similar this boy is to his brother.

~~He wants to know a piece of the Zuko he knows is here.~~

"He said he'd join us, if we ever got back. So I guess you kinda one-upped him there, huh?"

Zuko smiles humorlessly.

"I guess," he says. And he doesn't know why. Why him, when the Zuko they knew would have been better? For Mel, for the girls, for the people who were apparently his friends?

Why take him away from the Four Nations, just when he had found a task that was worthwhile?

He doesn't say any of that.

Neither does Sokka. But it's there, in that humorless smile, if Zuko's looking hard enough.

Why him?

"I should get back," he says a moment later, ducking down to pick up his things. "Nice-- well, to meet you, I guess. Don't take any of the younger one's flailing seriously. He's a good guy."

Zuko nods distantly.

"Same to you," he says, still cautious. "I'll watch out for him."

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