The best part is Aang wouldnβt even teach him airbending in the beginning. First itβd be brewing the perfect cup of teach and blowing on it in juuuust the right way that it cools down βBut not too cold, or youβll ruin it!β
Brushing Appa of course. Zuko would be pretty decent at that, but would come back to Aang absolutely covered in slobber and bison hair. βAwww! He likes you! <3β³
Then itβd be calming meditation and slowing Zukoβs breathing (βBut I am calm!β), tracking an elusive and nigh legendary animal so they can ride it, teaching patience by baking the perfect cake βYou just slapped the frosting on! It looks awful! *airbends it into the horizon* βAgain!β
When Zuko finally gets it right, he almost smiles at Aang saying: βExcellent work, my student.β Then to Zukoβs consternation and horror Aang flings it at the head of the Fire Nation Governor during a political function. βAnd now we run!β
Pranks would be absolutely the thing that would bluescreen Zuko. Hereβs an airbending master, over a century old, witnessed the genocide of his people, and heβs juggling, doing dances and tricks with Momo for the village kids, and plaguing the local aristocrats and military officers with flying cakes and whoopie cushions.
βHow am I supposed to beat the Firelord with whoopie cushions?!β
And then, perfectly serious for the first time since Zuko had met him: βYou donβt. The Avatar is about restoring balance. This training isnβt so you can fight the Firelord - itβs so you can stop a war.β
It takes a long time for Zuko to understand this. But the weird thing is: the townsfolk actually like Aang. Sure the aristocrats and crooked merchants and the officers donβt, but even the common Fire Nation infantry hide their chuckles with a cough when they see their commanderβs fancy armor get covered in honey and feathers by βCrazy Aang,β again.
And Zuko realizes, at that moment, that heβs been having fun.
So, waking early, with no prompting from Aang, Zuko feeds Momo, brushes Appa, washes off the slobber, brews Aang his morning tea -perfectly cooled- and then proceeds to make a new, beautiful cake with no explanation.
βThat looks wonderful, my student. Your best yet! Who were you planning to-β
Then Zuko smashes it in Aangβs face.
Itβs the first time since coming out of the ice that Avatar Zuko laughs.