Soldier's Boy

Twenty-Seven

 

 

Food didn't take long to find — the camp was just large enough that the food area was obvious, but not so large that it was hard to get to it.  Kouji moved with care, nervous among the Water Tribesman.  They didn't pay him or Lee any special attention, but that didn't reassure the boy any.  Lee was very quiet, keeping his hand curled protectively against his chest. When they found food he just picked at it.

Concerned, Kouji looked over at his big brother.  "Lee…?"

"Yeah?"

"You need to eat…"

"I am eating."

"Not much," the boy pointed out.

Lee stared at his plate for a minute. "Not that hungry."

"You fought more'n me," Kouji reminded him.  "You need the food more."

The teenager shrugged. "Just not hungry."

Chewing on his lip, the earthbender watched his brother worriedly.  Lee fell silent, staring at his plate.  Wordlessly, the younger boy got up and wrapped his arms around Lee.  He didn't hug back, but he rested his head quietly on his brother's shoulder.

Right around then, one of the younger of Bato's men joined them with a sparrowkeet perched on his hand.  He looked somewhat bemused and held a small scroll in one hand.  "Is either of you 'Kou-Kou'?"

Lee pulled back a little, to let the younger boy talk with the man, and Kouji flushed.  "Yeah, that's me."

"These came for you," the Water Tribesman told him, passing both bird and scroll to him. 

The boy blinked at the bird several times, then his face lit up.  "Wings!"

Lee returned to staring at his plate, not even making a show of eating.

Kouji read the scroll, and his eyes went wide.  Quickly he found some ink and scribbled a note on the back, then attached it to the sparrowkeet's leg.  "Go back, Wings," he told it.  The bird pecked his ear and took off.

The teenager didn't ask, and Kouji sat down beside him again with a sigh.  Lee resumed picking at his food.

"Ichi-ni and Yui are in Ba Sing Se."

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine."  Kouji sighed.  "Yui ran into Jet within an hour of getting there, though.  I warned Ichi-ni about his… thing.  I mean, we all know about it, but… Ichiro tends to… ah, show off sometimes."  Lee nodded, and Kouji let his head fall onto his brother's shoulder.  "I told them not to come looking for me."

"Oh."

"Can't take the risk — any of us."

He nodded again.

The boy fell silent and pressed his face into Lee's shirt.

 

*           *           *

 

Nervous, Kouji hovered just in front of the tent housing the chief of the Southern Water Tribe — or, at least, Katara and Sokka's part of the scattered Tribe.  He wasn't sure why Hakoda wanted to question him and Lee separately, but it made him very nervous indeed.  Finally, one of the Tribesmen, a giant of a man named Bato, grew impatient with his dithering and gently — but firmly — pushed Kouji through the flap.

The boy's eyes adjusted to the light quickly, and he stared at the blue-clad man looking calmly back at him.  This must be what Sokka will look like in twenty years.  The thought flitted across his brain, there in an instant and gone in a flash, followed immediately by a much more sobering thought: This man has seen and done things I may never understand.  Here before him was a true leader, who led by word and deed, rather than by relaying orders and threats.

If the Fire Nation had more men like him, like the Dragon of the West, the war would be over… and the world lost.

Hakoda regarded the wide-eyed boy with a piercing blue gaze.  "So," he said, "you're the young colonist who's been aiding my children and the Avatar.  Kouji, isn't it?"

"Y-yes, sir," the boy whispered, his mouth and throat suddenly dry.

A small smile crossed the Water Tribe Chieftain's face, making him look much less foreboding.  "Relax, son," he advised gently.  "I don't bite.  Sokka has told me a lot about you— is something wrong?" and now concern laced his voice, for Kouji had gone pale on realising that Sokka the Blabbermouth had already talked to him.

Swallowing hard, Kouji tried to control himself.  "S-sorry, sir.  I d-didn't expect that he'd…"

Hakoda raised a hand.  "I don't care about your origins," he told the boy kindly, then paused.  "Would you prefer it if I talked to you and your brother together?"

"Yes, sir," Kouji whispered, and the chief nodded.

"Very well.  Go ahead and get him."

Bowing politely, Kouji slipped out of the tent and ran for Lee. 

Lee was still curled up where Kouji had left him, next to the cooking area, inching away from any strangers who got too close.  The boy came to a halt in front of him and crouched.  "Oniisan," he said softly, using the old word for 'elder brother' to grab Lee's attention.

Lee looked up. It was a few seconds before he spoke. "How'd it go?"

"He changed his mind," Kouji said.  "He wants to talk to both of us."

Another few seconds. "Okay." He dragged himself to his feet.

Worried, the younger boy slipped his hand into Lee's good one and led his brother to the tent.  "I brought him," he announced as he entered again.  Lee remained silent, but followed him into the tent, cradling his bandaged hand against his chest.

Those piercing blue eyes swept up and down the firebender, then held his eyes for a moment.  "Have a seat," Hakoda invited them now, nodding to a few cushions.  Lee didn't let go of Kouji's hand, and settled onto one of the cushions, awkwardly moving his injured hand behind his back.

Mercifully, the Water Tribesman didn't comment, on either the insistence on hand-holding nor on hiding his wounded hand.  "My son has already told me how you came to join him," he said, "but I'd like to hear it from you."

Finally, the teenager spoke. "Which one of us?"

"You first, I think," said Hakoda.  "If I remember what Sokka told me correctly, you were the first to run into them."

He nodded. "Saw them fighting pirates. Told Kouji to hide, and helped beat the pirates back. They brought us with them."

"After the pirates attacked us," Kouji put in.  "That's how they saw I was an earthbender — I used it to help keep them away."

Hakoda nodded, considering this information.  "And you've stuck with them since.  Why?"

Lee shrugged. "No reason to go." He was avoiding mentioning that, given how often he'd gotten injured over the course of their adventures during the winter, it would have been very, very stupid to leave.  Kouji nodded, backing him up, and Hakoda sighed.

"We'll let that stand as the reason, then."

Lee stiffened slightly, trying to supress the sudden urge to take Kouji and get as far away from here as possible. Even if he hadn't been hurt, they probably wouldn't've gotten very far anyway, and trying to run would just make things worse when they got caught.

Hakoda noticed, and sighed.  "Relax.  I have no intention of harming or detaining either of you."  Lee didn't reply, or relax, just squeezed Kouji's hand slightly.  Kouji squeezed back as the Water Tribesman added, "My men believe the pair of you are colonists.  They've decided Kouji's earthbending is the reason you left."

The teenager nodded silently, but Kouji flinched and rubbed his chest.

"I see no reason to dissuade them," Hakoda went on.  "My children trust you, as do I."

Lee nodded again, squeezing Kouji's hand reassuringly.

"What does that mean?" the boy asked softly.

Hakoda smiled at him.  "It means that you're free to move around the camp as you like.  I only ask that you remain within site of the camp; with the Earth King's escape, I have no doubts searches will be conducted of the area."

Again, the teenager nodded, content to let Kouji do the talking until he was asked another direct question.  Hakoda gave them a few other rules — they were expected to help out with the chores around camp, which made sense — before turning his gaze onto Lee again.  "About your hand…"

He pulled back. "Mine. You can't have it," he hissed, just like he had at the medic, the tension that was just starting to dissipate returning in an instant.

Hakoda sighed.  "I don't want it," he told the teenager patiently.  "I was going to say that I've talked to the medic.  He'll leave you alone about amputating it."

"…oh."

The chief shook his head.  "You can, if you like, look through our stores for gloves," he offered.  "It will help hide the injury and nobody will ask questions."

Lee nodded, shifting uncomfortably.

"And Kouji," Hakoda added, making the boy jump slightly.  "I would like you to talk to Bato."  He smiled wryly.  "With an appetite like yours, you're best put to work fishing."

Kouji blushed, and Lee squeezed his hand again.

"Both of you may go," Hakoda said then.  "And thank you for speaking with me."

Relieved, Lee stood and bowed; Kouji followed suit, and they both left the tent.  "…that went well," the younger boy offered.

Lee nodded, frowning a little. He didn't ask for any details, and he didn't call me on any of the stuff I left out. Why?

"Are you gonna fish with me?" Kouji asked now.  "Or find something else to do?"

"I'll find some gloves first, then come join you."

Kouji nodded and hugged him.  "We'll be okay," he said.

Lee nodded, a little uncertainly. Someone's going to ask, and I can't keep dodging and I'm not sure I can lie if he asks me directly.

The boy grinned at him, then sped off in the direction of Bato; at least being told to report to the tallest man in camp had its benefits.  Lee watched him go, then wandered around for a while, looking for gloves.  Once he had them, it was easy to find his brother again: all he had to do was look for the giant.

Bato and Kouji had both removed their shirts and were standing in the water — waist deep on Kouji, mid-thigh on Bato.  The Water Tribesman looked to be patiently explaining net-fishing to his fascinated pupil; as Lee looked on, he reached down and fondly ruffled Kouji's hair.  He squashed down the momentary flare of jealousy, then pulled off his own shirt and joined them.

"Careful of your bandages," Bato called to him when the water had just come to his upper thighs.

Lee paused, then flinched a little and stayed where he was.

"Okay," he heard the big man say to Kouji.  "Now walk backwards carefully.  Don't loose your grip on the net…"  Slowly, the two of them backed up until they were next to Lee.

He watched them, somewhat dully, closing off a little so the pain and lingering paranoia wouldn't own him and make him do something incredibly stupid.  Bato looked over his shoulder at the raven-haired boy, and nodded.  "Lee, could you do me a favour?" he asked.  The teenager shrugged, then winced again, and nodded.  In a single deft movement, he swept Kouji's end of the net from the boy's grasp and brought it to meet his own; he twisted it so the net made a bundle, and passed it to Lee.  "Could you carry this down to the cooks for me?  If you help us out, we'll be able to get in more fish."

Lee hesitated a minute, then took it. It felt like make-work, since they wouldn't let him come in deep enough to help with the actual fishing.

Halfway to the cooking area, he figured out that, even if it kind of was make-work, it wasn't as if Kouji could haul the full net alone, and Bato had to stick around to watch him.  As he returned with the empty net, he saw that Kouji and Bato were working another full net; the Water Tribesman hadn't been bluffing about getting more in.  Silently, Lee traded nets with the taller man and headed back into camp.

After half an hour of this, Bato took a look at them both, sighed, and sent them both back to the camp to get sun-blocking lotion from the quartermaster; they could hear him muttering about lily-white skin and powered by the sun and other similar things.  Lee, the way he had since the task had begun, silently did as he was told.

"Are you okay?" Kouji asked him as they stepped onto the shore.

"Hmm?"

"You've been quiet all day."

"Mmm." Lee led him up the path he'd been following endlessly since joining the two of them at the fishing hole.

"That's not an answer," his brother groused.

"What was the question?" Lee asked, a little dully, finally deciding to be articulate.

" 'Are you okay?' " Kouji repeated.

"Oh. Yeah, sure." Lee held open the tentflap for him.

The boy sighed and slid in; he relayed the need for sun-blocking lotion to the quartermaster, who took one look at them and ordered them to get a drink while he dug up what they needed.  There was a flask on one of the tables; Kouji offered it to Lee.  The teenager shook his head. "You first."

Kouji nodded and took a long sip, then offered again; now he took the flask and took a drink of his own.  Another sip between them, and the quartermaster was back with two bowls.  "The cream goes on any exposed skin," he told them.  "Legs, feet, back, shoulders, stomachs, face.  Help each other if you can't get it on.  You, boy, make sure you get some on that scar of yours."  Kouji flinched.  "The paint," and now the quartermaster indicated the smaller of the two bowls, "goes under your eyes.  It will help keep the sun from dazzling you."

Lee took Kouji's hand and squeezed it lightly, then let go to reach for the bowls and start applying the lotions to his brother.  Kouji stood still until Lee got to his ribs, then he began to giggle and squirm.  The teenager patiently worked around his squirming, making absolutely sure not to leave any skin uncovered.  As he got closer to the scar, Kouji tensed, but he didn't stop the older boy.

Lee, however, paused. "Would you rather do it yourself?"

Kouji hesitated.  "…no.  You can do it," he said softly.

"Okay, if you're sure." He started again.

The tension remained in place, but even that was much less than how apprehensive Kouji had been when Lee had first found him face-down on the riverbank and nursed him back to health.  It wasn't much longer before Lee was finished.

When he was, Kouji took the bowl and forced his brother to crouch so he could return the favour; he was very careful as he navigated around the bandages.  Lee didn't flinch when Kouji rubbed it into the bruising that extended beyond the bandages on his torso. Well, not much.

"Sorry," whispered the younger boy.

"It's fine," Lee insisted, almost managing a smile.

Kouji finished soon after, and then it was time for the black paint; the quartermaster showed the boys how to apply it then let them do it themselves.  The teenager slopped his on as quickly as he could without getting any of it actually in his eyes, then turned to see if Kouji needed any help.

The earthbender had been more careful with his, but he seemed to have got it on all right.  He grinned up at Lee.  "I guess we can go back now." 

The older boy nodded, then started slinking back into the quiet fog he'd disappeared behind earlier.  Kouji took his hand and led him back to the water, where Bato put them back to work until noon; he then released them for food and told them he'd see them tomorrow.  Lee picked at his lunch, having a little more trouble returning from his fog than he had when they’d gone for sunblock.

"I wonder why he didn't want us after lunch," Kouji said after swallowing the last of his portion.

The teenager shrugged, and winced a little. "Dunno."

Kouji sighed and shook his head.  "I guess that means we get some free time."

"C'mon, Sunshine," Toph said from behind them, grabbing Kouji's collar. "You're with me now.”

"…or not," the boy corrected his previous statement.  "See you later, Lee."

"Mmm."

 

By the time evening rolled around, Kouji was exhausted from an afternoon with the Greatest Earthbender in the World.  He remained conscious long enough to eat and bid Lee good night, then dragged himself to the tent the two boys shared.  Lee went in with him, to station himself at the entrance and guard the younger boy, as always. Despite Hakoda's assurances, he trusted the men in this camp roughly as far as he could throw Bosco. He just wished his swords were still useful. Morosely, he fiddled with a loose end of the bandage on his ruined hand.

Not long after Kouji had fallen deeply asleep, one of the men came to their tent — the same one who had brought Kouji the sparrowkeet.  "Lee?" he said softly, sounding a little awkward.

The teenager tensed up immediately. "What?"

"Chief Hakoda would like to talk to you."

Lee hesitated, then shook his head. "I'm not leaving Kouji alone."

"He doesn't want the boy there," the Tribesman said quietly.

"I'm not leaving him alone," the teenager repeated, glaring up at him.

"I could," the other man started, then he took a look at Lee's face and changed what he was going to say, "get Sokka or Toph to sit with him."

"…Fine."

The young warrior looked relieved, and vanished; he returned shortly after with Toph.

"You're just being paranoid, Sparky," she said, clearly irritated that she'd been dragged away from whatever she'd been in the middle of doing to babysit.

"Come with me, please?" the warrior said now, his eyes not leaving Lee's.

Lee didn't look happy, but he pushed himself up and followed.  He was led to Hakoda's tent and again invited to take a seat.  He did, still wary, fiddling with the loose end of his bandage again. 

"I think you can guess why I called you here again," said the chief quietly.

The teenager didn't answer, and wouldn't look up to meet his eyes, trying to retreat back into the fog that had been so useful that morning.

"Adak, you may go," Hakoda said to the warrior who had fetched Lee; there was the steel of an order behind the innocuous sentence.  Adak left quickly, and Hakoda simply watched the teen, who remained where he was, waiting for Hakoda to start questioning him. Finally, the chief sighed.  "How did you come by your brother?"

"Found him," Lee answered. That was easier to answer than what he knew had to be coming.

"Where?  How?" Hakoda wanted to know.

"On the edge of a stream. I saw him."

"Why did you take him in?"  Hakoda had to know why, but apparently he wanted to hear it from the firebender himself.

This was a stupid question, with a very simple answer. "He was hurt. I could take care of him."

Hakoda winced before the next words came from his mouth; clearly he didn't like saying what he was about to.  "Hurt by a firebender."  Lee didn't even dignify that with a response, but his head shot up and if looks could kill, Hakoda would have been skewered several times.

The chief merely raised an eyebrow at him.  "You already said you found him.  That would imply you were not the cause of his injuries.  Add to that Kouji's attachment to you, and only an idiot would think you're the one who burned him."

Lee was only slightly mollified, then a strange look passed over his face and he quickly looked down again.

Hakoda sighed and lowered his voice.  "How does a prince of the Fire Nation come to be in a position where he can aid a wounded colony boy?"

Lee tensed up again, searching for an effective half-answer. "I was in the area."

"Why?"

"I ran away."

"Quite a distance to run."

"Not really."

"Why not?" Hakoda asked.

"I'd been living in a town about fifty miles east of where I found him for more than six years."

"And why was that?"

Lee flinched and curled even tighter in on himself. "That's where my mother brought me."

Hakoda's voice was gentle, even kind.  "Do you know why she did that?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"My — someone was going to kill me. She took care of the problem, but decided it wasn't safe to leave me there." No need to say who that someone was. He'd just get odd looks and pity, and he understood why the decision had been made, and pity was the last thing he needed or wanted.

Hakoda sighed.  "I see," he said quietly.  There was no pity to his voice, only a kind of sorrow.

Lee fell silent again, staring down at the bandage end he was fiddling with. Not wanting to give too much away, he'd wait for the next question before speaking.

Hakoda scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully, then he spoke carefully.  "You'll want to take care in the Fire Nation.  You've the look of your father."  Lee flinched a little, and nodded.  "And especially look out for your brother," Hakoda asked.  "Many will look at him and see only his age; they'll think he's a weakness for you."

"I've thought of that already," Lee said, very quietly.

Hakoda looked at him.  "Yes, you would have, wouldn't you?  You're like Sokka in that respect."

"Also, that's already been tried," Lee said, bitterly.

"Ah, yes," said Hakoda with a sigh.  "Zhao."  The bitterness on Lee's face only increased when Hakoda said the name.  "To be fair," the chief went on, "I'm told that Kouji's phobia is lessening its hold on him.  I doubt he'll allow himself to be caught like that again."

The teenager said nothing, not in any mood to be optimistic enough to trust that. Not after seven years in hiding and these people wanting to take a piece of him away.

Hakoda sighed again.  "But the boy is eleven and in your care.  It's up to you if he accompanies you or not."

"I've tried to leave him behind before," Lee said quietly. "It didn't work."

Hakoda didn't seem to be surprised.  "Some children are like that."

Lee continued staring determinedly at his bandage. All his fiddling was unravelling it further.

"Stop playing with that," the Water Tribesman ordered suddenly.  "You'll just have to get it rebandaged if it comes off."

"Sorry," Lee mumbled, switching to fiddling with the end of his sleeve instead.

Hakoda sighed and clasped Lee's right shoulder briefly.  "Go  get some sleep," he advised.  "We're done here."

The teenager stiffened a little at the contact, then nodded, rose, bowed, and headed back to the tent he shared with Kouji. He sent Toph back to her own bed and settled on the entrance. It was a long time before he fell asleep.