Title: Pathways
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Pairing: Roku/Sozin
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,345
Summary/Description: Love is hard, when you're young.
Warning/Spoilers: None. Spoilers for 3xo6?
A/N: 31 days, May 4th: down an ocean road.
Dedication: Written for Foxy! A little late, but happy birthday, sweetheart! I hope this is okay.
Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA.

When they are toddlers, Sozin and Roku share an extensive playroom for a few hours each day, while their mothers entertain themselves, and their maids watch closely. Separately, they can be very mischievous – Roku in particular has a knack for scrawling into the tiniest places with little stolen treasures. But together, they seem quite content to bang flame-shaped rattles and share giddy laughter, or perhaps lead each other in circles until they are dizzy.

Both noblewomen are extremely proud of their sons; they are bright, happy children with sparks in their eyes and bright futures ahead of them. Sozin might be a little spoilt, but really, is there any such thing as a spoilt prince? Even as a baby, he has a stately sort of mien in the way the stumbles about, taking his first steps, and a royal sheen in the pudginess of his cheeks. Roku, with his mop of fine hair, follows him everywhere. Or maybe, it's the other way around.

Neither of their fathers are present during these daytime hours; they have more pressing matters to attend to. It provides more time for the boys to play together, and for their mothers to beam at them from the sidelines.

Roku and Sozin continue to run in circles, and it's unclear which of them is shadowing the other's footsteps.

When they are children, Sozin and Roku have a game they like to play. They love to play pretend firebending, of course; that's their favourite game of all time, because they know that one day, it will stop being simply a dream, and they'll truly be able to produce, control and wield the most powerful element of all. Just thinking about it makes both their heads hot, and as he punches a fist into the air, Roku likes to think that he can see a bare wisp of smoke escaping from it. Sozin claims that it's just the sun in his eye.

They do not tire of this game often, but when they do, they practice jumping over stones. It is simple, but fun, especially when they thought of it as training for grander things to come. The bigger the rock, the harder the jump. The harder the jump, the more points you are awarded. They can spend hours at it after they return from school, working up old sweat from earlier in the day.

The servants at the palace are all confused to see Sozin playing with pieces of the landscape when he has every toy imaginable available to him, but they have been taught to be discreet in everything they do, and so, do not mention the sight to his parents. After all, what harm could there be in it?

Roku and Sozin continue to jump hurdles, and pay no mind to those approaching them.

When they go to school, Sozin and Roku have two different faces each. One of them is for the teachers, obviously; the face of the young prince and the nobleman who are eager to learn and to grow and be the best that they can be at everything. Or something a lot like that. The other face serves them for every minute not spent under a watchful gaze: playing with their friends in the courtyard, planning what new piece of mild mischief that they could get away with, or comparing with awe and excitement their newfound and ever-growing talent for firebending.

They are by no means experts at being two-faced, however, each having at his disposal a wealthy share of honesty to be used whenever necessary. There are incidents of tomfoolery during lessons, and moments of profound wisdom – or what they would like to think of as wisdom – while climbing trees.

With the former comes scolding in various degrees, and teachers that will eventually be charmed out of their anger. They have no one but themselves to congratulate for the latter.

Roku and Sozin continue to grow, and their faces begin to assimilate.

When they are teenagers, Sozin and Roku make each other a stupid promise. It's around the same that time that Roku first lays eyes on Ta Min, and falls recklessly in love. He makes a dead stop in the middle of their conversation, stares after the elegant figure with long shiny hair, drops to the ground in an almost theatrical faint, and proceeds to roll around on the grass. Sozin kicks him softly with a leather-clad foot and a smile.

When Roku gets up, he makes Sozin promise; they will each help the other kiss a girl before the year is out.

(It is obvious who Roku wants to kiss.)

The plan doesn't go very well. The intensity of their training rises each day, and the free time they have is limited. When they are afforded time on their own, it is another task to locate the object of Roku's affections. And on the rare occasion that they do find her, Roku spends so much time steeling himself to say something to her that the opportunity passes altogether.

After yet another failed attempt, Sozin punches his best friend in the shoulder, and then, quite impulsively, leans over and kisses him. He meant to catch Roku on the cheek, but instead finds his mouth pressed against the soft contours of another. Sozin has never been able to ascertain whether Roku moved on purpose, or not.

They stare at each other for a frozen moment.

Then Roku laughs, scratching his head in an attempt to cover his red cheeks with his arm. Sozin laughs too, because he doesn't know what else to do.

"If we were checking," he says, elbowing Roku, "I think I win. I just kissed the biggest girl ever."

A sound punch catches Sozin on the arm. They laugh again; that same strange laugh.

Roku and Sozin continue to learn, and not understand some things at all.

When they are young adults, Sozin and Roku are separated for the first time.

Roku comes back, though, as Sozin always knew he would. But in that time, many a change has been set ablaze in the landscape of his vision. He is a man, now, and dreams of the past are over. He refuses to look at the headpiece in Avatar Roku's hair; it is a nice gesture, but sentimentalism is worth nothing to him.

The day after Roku's return, they take a walk near one of Sozin's favourite beaches to discuss the past twelve years. Rocky sand grates and crunches like gravel under their feet.

They are walking towards the sea; to Sozin's surprise and vague discomfort, instead of turning to walk parallel to the shore, Roku simply makes a pathway of ice over the water, not even stopping to adjust his gait or test the ice. It holds firm under his weight.

Sozin stops at the place where water meets the sand.

"What are you doing?"

Roku stops in surprise, as if just noticing that Sozin is no longer next to him.

"What do you mean? We're going for a walk." An easy smile. "The ocean air might do you some good."

Immediately, Sozin knows that his answer will be no. It is not the fact that Roku has been gone for twelve years, or the fact that he now has secrets to keep from his best friend. It is not fear, for he fears nothing. However... the very idea of walking on ice seems unnatural, strange and certainly not something the Firelord should participate in.

He hesitates only for a moment.

"No... You walk. I'll wait here."

Roku looks at him. Sozin doesn't remember his best friend's eyes being so piercing and dark. They slice through him, like a fin through water. He smiles, though. Because that's what friends do.

"Alright. See you in a bit."

He steps onto his ice passage, and starts his stroll.

Roku continues walking towards a place Sozin's not sure he can follow him to; a place founded on thin ice that cracks so dangerously and melts so easily.

Roku walks; Sozin watches.