You Always Hurt The One You Love

An Avatar: The Last Airbender Story

A Zukaang Story

Talking thinking Narration

Author's Notes: Unfortunately, I don't own Avatar, though, even if I did, it's kinda over and they already picked Kataang, which truthfully, I support as well. I have written two fics about it. Anyway, here's this story and it's Yaoi story, like my 5th? I'm not sure, so yeah don't read if ya don't like! Oh, and this story takes place after the Firebending Masters.

The sun shown brightly on the beautiful day, perfectly accentuating the glowing flames that flew off of the young Firebenders' fists.

"Aang! Your stance needs to be wider! And breathe! Breath is the focal point of Firebending!" The Fire prince barked, walking in a circle around his new student.

It had only been two days since Zuko induction to the Avatar's group and it had been more than uncomfortable. Toph and Aang were the only ones to trust the new member, and Toph only did because she could feel that he wasn't lying. But Zuko had expected this and tried his hardest to train Aang and not think of the other members of the group. It helped that Aang seemed to really believe in the Fire prince, especially after their trip to the Sun Warrior civilization.

"Yes Sifu Hotman!" Aang yelled back, grinning widely as he did as his instructor said.

Zuko glared at the young Airbender, facepalming as he sighed to himself. Would he ever get rid of that nickname? Aang looked away, trying to hide his grin as he continued with the basics of Firebending. His eyes flitted back to his new teacher, though just long enough for him to watch as the teen walked back around him, the sweat glistening on his finely toned chest. The monk let out a slightly uncontrolled burst of flames, successfully covering his blush.

"Aang! Watch your blows! Control the fire!" Zuko shouted.

Aang cursed inwardly, of course, cursing for the innocent boy was saying things others said everyday, but it was something. However, Aang did as instructed, his grey eyes finding there way back to his teacher. It was his fault that the last fireball needed to be so uncontrolled. If the teen wasn't so… so darn, h-hot! Oh Spirits! W-what was he thinking? Z-zuko was… was… the Fire p-prince! H-he was… he was… a guy!

"Aang! Concentrate!" The Fire prince yelled.

The young Airbender shook his head of the thoughts and tried to focus on his bending.

"It would be a whole lot easier if you'd put on a shirt…" Aang muttered as quietly as he could.

"What? Did you say something?" Zuko asked, turning to his student.

"N-no! I just… umm, when are we gonna move on to something more… fun?" Aang asked, hoping his lie was convincing enough to fool his master.

Thankfully for him, it did. Unfortunately… it may have worked a little too well.

"Fun! Did you forget why I'm training you in Firebending! Did you forget that you've gotta defeat the Fire Lord, my father, by then end of the summer? This isn't supposed to be fun!" The brunette shouted, pacing back and forth as the small fires around him spurted to life. "Aang the basics are the most important part of Firebending."

Aang frowned; sometimes his teacher could be a real killjoy.

"But we can't just learn one new trick?" Aang asked, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout.

Zuko's stony expression faltered, his golden eyes watching the boy with understanding and pity.

"I guess… I could teach you one new move," He conceded, rubbing the back of his neck as he pondered the technique he could teach the younger bender. "How about something I call, the fire ring?"

Aang's eyes widened with excitement, the grey orbs sparkling. Zuko smiled, motioning him to move back as he built up his inner fire. The elder teen spun around, the flames exploding from his fists and circling him in a large ring of fire.

"That was amazing!" Aang shouted, his eyes as wide as saucers as he watched his teacher finish the move.

Zuko's cheeks colored slightly, but Aang pushed it off as being the heat of his friend's flames.

"Yeah, thanks… uh, so the actual moves, aren't that complicated," The golden eyed teen explained, going through the simple steps as Aang followed along. "That's it. Now, try it with actual fire."

The younger bender's constant grin vanished, replaced quickly by a face furrowed with worry.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, his voice full of true concern.

Aang's smile returned – though slightly more forced than it had been – as he looked up at his teacher, trying to appear more confident than he was. "N-nothing… just. A little nervous, that's all."

Zuko smiled softly. "Hey, you're the Avatar, and you're a smart kid, you can do it."

Aang blushed lightly, but took a deep breath to start the technique. His hands burst into flames and he spun, the fire coming out controlled and focused just as Zuko's had. Zuko… what was it about the Fire prince that made him… so sweaty? So nervous and fidgety? The young Airbender wasn't sure, but he knew that if he didn't figure it out soon, he was gonna go crazy.

"AANG! WATCH YOUR FLAME- AGH!" The Fire Nation teen cried, pulling his hands up in a last second effort to protect his face from the unexpected flames.

Aang stopped bending, his entire body going rigid as he turned slowly to look at his master. The Fire prince stood crouched over, his hands huddled close to his chest as the rest of his body circled and protected them. Aang shuddered as he snuck a look at the elder bender's now charred arms. He'd done that. It was his fault that the teen would have a new scar to match the one on his face. He was no better then Ozai! If anything he was worse! Aang backed away slowly, his mouth moving in a futile attempt to apologize, though no sound came out. Zuko stopped hissing, just long enough to look up at the traumatized boy in front of him.

"Aang, it's alright. I'll… b-be okay. K-katara will… heal me. Aang… it's not your… f-fault. I s-should've… known that you… weren't ready from s-something… so advanced," The wounded bender stammered, struggling to keep his cool under the immense pain.

But Aang had already seen enough. Turning with a quick burst of air the young Avatar ran towards the edge of the temple, grabbing at his glider as he leapt off into the misty abyss. He heard Zuko yell his name as he flew off, the pearly tears that rolled down his cheeks lost in the wind.

The young Airbender flew past the group's campsite, blowing off the shouts he heard from his friends as he made his way along the cliff side. He flew to the far end of the temple, stopping only when there was no place left to go. Landing in a burst of wind, the young boy hurried into a temple room, throwing his staff to the side and sprinting into the shadows. The room he sat in was one full of large columns; pillars that the Avatar hoped would hide his presence. How could he do that? After all the training he's been through, after burning Katara the first time he tried bending this… this stupid element! Aang shook his head, burying it into his arms as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. Fire may be life, but it was a life that he could not control, that he was not capable of being responsible for. He would just have to fight the Fire Lord without any Firebending. He couldn't hurt… his… he couldn't any one that he l- he just… c-couldn't. Z-zuko… zuko, why did it have to… again? B-burned… H-he'd have… another… another scar.

"Aang?"

The young Airbender jumped, his head jerking towards the entrance to the room.

"Aang, are you in here?" The banished prince asked, taking a few tentative steps into the room.

But the Avatar said nothing, cowering away from the voice as he gripped his knees tighter.

"It's alright Aang; Katara healed me," Zuko said, hoping to reassure the boy. "Aang?"

The younger bender's eyes softened as he listened to his wounded friend's words. He peeked his head out from behind the pillar, the grey orbs meeting the prince's golden ones.

"Aang…" Zuko sighed, walking towards the younger boy and kneeling beside him. "I'm fine Aang, really. It wasn't you fault; I shouldn't have taught you something so difficult and I should've been more prepared for something like that."

"B-but it was my fault! It's my fault you were burned! Zuko, I insisted that you teach me something more challenging! And I couldn't handle it! It's all my fault… and… and I can't… I can't l-live with that. I just can't Firebend, ever," Aang replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Zuko winced, sighing shakily as he watched the young bender talk. The voice that was once so full of passion, so happy and excited was now dulled, completely monotone. The voice was so lifeless… it… it scared him just to think about it.

"Aang, what about our trip? Remember, the Masters judged you and believed that you could do this. We learned that Fire isn't just destruction!" The prince argued, his voice rising with desperation.

The brunette wanted the younger boy to be happy, but there was no way he could defeat his father without Firebending, it just wasn't possible. The prince reached out, placing a hand on the younger boy's shoulder, but the Airbender simply shrugged it off.

"I-I… I just can't… I… I c-can't… I…" The Avatar stammered, his eyes widened with fear and desperation as he turned to look at his Firebending Master.

"Aang…" Zuko muttered sympathetically. "Aang, it… is there… is seems like there's something more. Something that you're not telling me."

Aang paled, his cheeks slowly turning red as the rest of the color left his face. The young monk turned in an attempt to hide it, but the elder teen easily saw through his move. He placed his hand on the young bender's cheek, turning the face back towards his.

"What are you really afraid of?" Zuko pried further.

Aang's eyes watered and his perfect self-composure finally cracked.

The Airbender stood abruptly, shouting at the teen in front of him. "I'M AFRAID I'LL HURT THE ONE I LOVE! I… I already have… and next time, it could be… it could be worse…"

The young boy crumpled back to the ground almost as quickly as he'd stood. Zuko sat unmoving; watching with concern and pity as the Avatar he'd once chased for so long, cry his eyes out over his… love? The Fire Prince knew of Aang's first attempt at Firebending and how he had burnt Katara, but that attempt was so long ago. Could that be what Aang was talking about? It had to be, the only other that he'd heard Aang burned was himself. And… the Fire prince blushed at the thought. There was no way the Avatar thought of him like that.

"That was so long ago, and it was your first time ever Firebending. You were unpracticed and you hadn't even started really training yet! You've been through so much since then, you can do it now," Zuko assured him, placing a hand on the young bender's back.

"NO IT WASN'T!" Aang shouted, pulling away from the prince. "AFTER ALMOST MASTERING WATER AND EARTH… after hurting Katara? I… I still couldn't keep from hurting the one I love."

Zuko froze, his golden eyes widening with surprise. If… if Katara wasn't the one he loved… and the only other person he'd burned… was him… then… that… means…

"A-aang? D-do… are you saying… that y-you love me?" The Fire prince asked, his eyes still wide with shock.

The younger bender, paled once again, his cheeks reddening to the point that they matched Zuko's clothes.

"W-wha? N-n… well, I just… I mean… you're ho… haha but that's not… it's just… I-I…" Aang stammered. "Maybe?"

The Firebender's jaw dropped, his cheeks blushing furiously, but the Avatar took no notice. He stood, bowing to his teacher quickly as he muttered an apology under his breath before bolting for the door. But Zuko's arm shot out, grabbing the younger boy's wrist and pulling him back. Aang stumbled, falling into the Fire prince's arms as his cheeks reddened once again, this time from both embarrassment and surprise.

"Hey, don't go… and, you don't need to apologize… I-I… well I had more than one reason to join you," Zuko explained, his golden eyes glinting mischievously.

The Avatar blushed again, staring down at his hands that sat, clinging to the Firebender's chest.

"You're even cuter when you blush," The brunette breathed, his words tickling the Airbender's ear.

Aang's blush stayed on his cheeks, as he looked up, his stormy eyes meeting the royal gold ones. "I love you Zuko."

"I know… and I love you too Aang," Zuko whispered back, cocking his head slightly as the two met in a kiss.