"…You know what's the worst part about being born a hundred years ago? I miss all of the friends I used to hang out with. I always used to visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends, too?" Zuko heard Aang say as he lay barely conscious.

"Maybe not. I am a prince, of the line of Fire Lord Sozin. I would have unlikely 'hung out' with commoners and peasantry, like you, besides the fact I would have supported the war, as would have been expected of a prince." Zuko quickly reasoned.

"I didn't expect you'd answer me.'

"Why wouldn't I? Right now, we are at neutral ground. I rescued you from Zhao's fortress and you… saved my life, so we can declare a temporary truce, Avatar."

"Fine. My name's Aang, by the way."

"Pardon me, Avatar Aang."

"Just 'Aang' is fine, no need to get too formal."

"I have a feeling that things are gonna be different from now on, Aang."

"Different?"

"Yeah. Now that, I know your name, Aang, I feel different about you. You are no longer just 'the Avatar', a prize I have to bring to my father to restore my honor."

Awkward silence ensued afterwards for a few minutes till Aang broke it by randomly telling Zuko "Hey, Zuko, can I ask you a question?"

"Uhm, sure…"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"I used to be very close to my sister, but that's about it. There was also a girl, Mai, a friend of my sister's, who was kind of my girlfriend. Our relationship never really developed."

"Oh.,

"Why, in Agni's name, did you ask?"

"Well, you see, there's this girl I think I like, but I'm not sure…"

"It's Katara, isn't it? You were thinking you needed my help."

"Exactly."

"Why me, why not that wannabe-warrior brother of hers?"

"Because it's his sister. I don't think Sokka would be too happy to know that I kinda have a crush on his sister. By the way, he's not that bad of a warrior. He just doesn't have a cool weapon, like swords, or spears."

"And why should I help you?"

"Because, believe it or not, I think you're actually a nice guy on the inside, regardless of what everyone else says. Besides, what other person should I ask besides you? You're Zuko. A lot of girls like you, you're a cool guy, everybody likes you."

"Fine, I'll give you advice."

Aang slightly lept forward and gave Z uko a brief, yet meaningful hug.

"So how do I know if I really like her, or if I just sorta 'like' her?"

"Maybe you can compare your feelings toward her against anyone who has incited the same feelings on you. Like, think about how would it feel like to kiss Katara versus kissing anyone else."

"I just had a crazy idea."

"What?"

"What if we kissed?"

A thought sprang up in Zuko's mind. What if I tricked the Avatar into thinking that we love each other and then make him betray his little "Gaang" and join me?

"Fine, let's try it." he both thought and said.

Channeling massive amounts of heat and energy towards his lips, mouth, and throat, remembering those kisses that he had shared so long ago with Azula, he kissed the boy with great intensity.

Feeling this sudden rush of heat coming towards his body, Aang felt sexually aroused, a feeling which he could not recall having ever felt. All of Zuko's body was hot, not just feverish hot, but flaming hot, so unlike Katara, who was usually much colder. Zuko felt like an ardent furnace, unusual, pleasant, arousing. The moment was actually rather brief, lasting merely a few mintues, although to Aang it felt like an hour, and Aang was still desperate for more, yet Zuko ended, because he felt disgusted for kissing a small, bony, fragile boy. He trully asserted his heterosexuality, being so disgusted by Aang's body.

"What happens now, Zuko?"

"Nothing, everything just goes back to normal. You and I must never tell anyone else. In fact, you and I must pretend this never happened. I will henceforth continue chasing you to restore my honor."

…

"Is there any way we can help?" Princess Yue asked, seeing Aang meditating.

"How 'bout some quiet?!" Aang requested, wishing to peacefully meditate.

"Is he okay?"

"He's trying to cross over to the Spirit World. He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body, his way back to the physical world."

"Should we go get some help?""

"No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him."

"Well, aren't you a big girl now?"

"Zuko!" Aang said as he left his meditation and gave him a kiss.

Sokka, who randomly appeared for no reason, looked at Aang and Zuko with a shocked face. "Did Aang just…kiss…Zuko?" he whispered on Katara's ear.

"He just randomly stopped meditating and kissed Zuko."

"Come with me, Aang, bring whatever you need." Zuko told Aang.

"I can't. As the Avatar, I have a duty to the world." Aang said, crying somewhat over Zuko's chest, hugging him tight. "But I will always love you, Zuko."

"Maybe you could come with me when you're already done with your duty to the world."

"Yeah, maybe. I'll be sure to protect you, anyway."

"Thanks, Aang."

…

"Ugh, I'm such a fucking idiot. I should have caught the Avatar back at the North Pole when I had him well within my clutches."

"Nephew, you do not need to insult yourself. It was just a small mistake."

"Small? Do you realize what could have happened if I had taken him?"

"Well, maybe you could present him to your father, but why would you want that?"

"I want my honor back. I want my destiny."

"What that means is up to you."

Later in the afternoon

Iroh, standing next to a bowl full of dried shells, caparaces, and conches, held up a single shell, saying "Look at these magnificent shells. I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come.", to which Zuko angrily retorted "We don't need anymore useless things! You forget, we have to carry everything ourselves now."

Appearing from the dark background, Azula roughly, somewhat threateningly, greeted, breaking a shell with her sharp-looking nails "Hello Brother,… Uncle."

Zuko, surprised by her appearance, said, with an unusually happy tone, "Azula! I'm glad to see you", and gave her a hug. "I thought I'd never see you again", he said, just slightly crying.

"Is this the result of all my efforts to sway my nephew towards good? This is the first time he's seen Azula, who is probably evil incarnate, in three years, and the first thing he does is hug her?" Iroh quietly, yet furiously thought.

"Zuko, you idiot, what are you doing? If you dare to do so much as to continue to hold me, you will uhm.." Azula attempted to threaten, falling short of words as she felt an unusually pleasant sensation wrapped by his arms, a strange feeling of safety, which she had not felt in years, ever since their mother had… left, to mildly understate it. Do not cry, Azula, for crying is a sign of weakness. Her father's words echoed throughout her mind, and yet she decided to ignore them, and gave in to tears, which gradually softened from heavy crying to mild sobbing. "I missed you too, Zuzu." she softly whispered.