At first, Zuko had been insulted by your presence. Zhao had insisted on you joining his crew after news of the Avatar's return became public. He was the crown prince, he didn't need some girl supervising his crew. The task of finding the Avatar was given to Zuko to regain his honor and return home, he didn't need help.

That was a month ago. Feelings have changed since then.

Iroh noticed the change in his nephew before anyone else. Zuko went from training alone at the crack of dawn to training with you. No longer did Zuko watch from the helm alone, or make decisions without accepting any input. You were always right there.

The first time Iroh caught you in Zuko's room, he could've cried tears of relief. Zuko wasn't pouring over maps and barking angrily at whoever breathed at him wrong. Instead, he quietly mapped out Avatar sightings while you sat behind him and fixed his ponytail.

Finally, after three years, his nephew seemed somewhat at peace. The gaping distance between him and the boy he'd practically raised had been eating Iroh alive. But it seemed like you were bringing him back from the murky depths of despair Zuko had been drowning in.