Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Author: Hikuni
Title: An Airbender's Fire
Pairing(s): Aang/Zuko
Genre: Romace/Fluff
Rating: PG-13 T
A/N: This was my first attempt at Aang/Zuko! It's nothing much, maybe setting something up for a story that takes place post-series, perhaps even after The Promise; mostly it was just me getting used to writing the characters. If Zukaang ain't your thing (and it doesn't seem to be many people's first choice), then feel free to move along! On another note, I wrote this before Imprisoned, and I feel like this story pales in comparison of both writing quality and craftsmanship, so if you want something substantial with an actual plot, I'd check out Imprisoned.
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Avatar: The Last Airbender or its characters. I gain no profit from writing or posting this work of fiction.
Maybe it was seeing the Avatar firebend that did it.
Zuko was Fire, after all. Born Fire. Raised Fire. Fire Nation through and through. Of course, by living and training with the Avatar and his group, Zuko was beginning to develop an appreciation for the other elements.
Earthbending had a certain aggressive, headstrong quality to it that Zuko admired. The way Toph and Haru commanded something as un-wielding and unrelenting as stone reminded Zuko of his nation of brash firebenders. On the other side of the spectrum was Katara's waterbending; to Zuko, it seemed more like a dance than a martial art. It was like she and the water flowed together, their movements smooth and graceful, until they became one seamless stream of energy. Zuko was less fond of it than earthbending, but Uncle's lightning redirection technique had instilled a sense of appreciation in him for the art, albeit grudgingly.
It was Aang's prissy airbending that Zuko couldn't get over. All of that dodging and deflecting - always avoiding the problem instead of standing up and confronting it head-on... it was so unlike firebending. And when all was said and done, nothing did it for Zuko like fire.
But now Aang was capable of producing fire. More than that - Aang was capable of controlling it, bending the flames to his will, making it dance around him. Aang made fire come alive in a way unlike any other firebender Zuko had ever seen.
"Hey Zuko, check this out!" Aang called, breaking Zuko out of his thoughts. The young Avatar had an ear-to-ear grin spread across his face. A look, Zuko was beginning to learn, that could only mean trouble was coming.
Zuko looked up from his firebending katas just in time to see Aang take a giant gulp of air in, assisted, no doubt, by airbending. Aang held the enormous breath in for a moment, his eyes bulging comically from the effort and then, with a giant gust of wind, he opened his mouth and roared out a giant jet of fire.
Aang.
The airbender.
Breathing fire.
And Zuko didn't quite know how he felt about it.
Aang's grin returned. "How's that for breath of fire, huh?"
Zuko only scowled. "I didn't teach you that yet. You're not ready for it, and you're doing it all wrong! You're supposed to be practicing your hot squats."
"Oh, come on," Aang whined, falling backwards towards the hard cement of the courtyard. Just when he was about to hit the ground, a swirling bed of air caught him at the last moment, softening his fall. Zuko rolled his eyes. "I've got this!" Aang continued from his leisurely position on the ground, "I haven't accidently lit anything on fire in like… two days already!"
The noise that escaped the Fire Nation Prince was something between a hiss and a growl. "You know what happens when you get too cocky with fire," he snarled, "something burns!
A jet of red flames shot out of the Prince's hand as he threw it across his chest. The flames swirled onto the ground, catching a lone plant growing up through the cracks of the courtyard. Together, the Avatar and the Prince watched the plant catch aflame and slowly burn to ash.
"Hey, you two jerkbenders done with your practice yet?" a voice called.
Zuko whipped around, snorting steam, to find Sokka leaning against one of the columns of the covered veranda."Toph wants to see Aang for earthbending practice. She said something about hurling rocks at you guys until he came."
"I'm not finished with him," Zuko seethed between gritted teeth, but before he could say anything more, something whistled in the air.
The three boys looked up to find the source of the sound, and it didn't take them long: a giant boulder was flying above them in the sky. No, not flying really - falling. Falling on them.
With a burst of air to propel him up, Aang was on his feet and air scootering out of the way as fast as he could. Zuko and Sokka were left to their feet, and they jumped out of the way just in time - the boulder missed Zuko by just seconds.
"I think your firebending's going to have to wait," Sokka said, crawling on all fours towards the far end of the summer palace courtyard. "Toph seems like she means it," he added, his voice getting squeaky as another whistle sounded, announcing the arrival of yet another giant flying rock.
This time, Aang was prepared. The young airbender took a wide stance and dug his feet into the ground, directly below where the boulder was about to land. Just as the hurling chunk of earth came close enough to squash him, Aang pumped two fists in the air and sent it flying back. Sokka let out a sigh of relief, and even Zuko let his shoulders relax.
"I think I'd better go, Zuko," Aang said, shrugging a shoulder apologetically. "I should probably brush up on my earthbending too, if I'm going to defeat the Firelord."
"Fine," Zuko spat the word. "Go play with your stupid rocks, but when my father burns you to a crisp, don't come crying to me."
A hurt look crossed Aang's face, but Zuko didn't give himself time to see it. He turned away and gathered his shirt and from the pile he discarded it in, and shrugged into it. Well, if the pansy airbender didn't want to learn how to control fire, that was fine with Zuko. Aang and his friends could all just sit around and wait for Ozai to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground for all he cared.
Snorting fire, Zuko stormed away from Aang and Sokka. They could all burn for all he cared.
Except that they couldn't. Because Zuko did care. He cared a lot, actually.
Suddenly, the ground seemed to spin around him, lurching comically around him. Zuko shut his eyes and waited for the dizziness to pass, but even behind the darkness of his eyelids, he could still feel the world spinning around him. Ugh. Zuko had never been more conflicted about how he felt, and Zuko had had plenty to feel conflicted about throughout his life. But being here with the Avatar - he was more confused now than when he'd been fighting that fever in his Uncle's apartment in Ba Sing Se.
He had to get out of the summer palace grounds. Away from Sokka and Katara and Toph. Away from Aang.
Slowly, the world seemed to settle beneath his feet, so Zuko continued walking. He didn't stop until he reached the tall, grassy cliff that overlooked the western shore of Ember Island. He hadn't really meant to come there - his feet just sort of carried him on their own. Still, he wasn't really surprised to find himself near the old elm tree that stood on the apex of the cliff. With a deep breath in and out, Zuko allowed himself a look around. Everything looked exactly the same.
The grass that covered the cliff was as green and as soft as it had been when he used to play there as a child. The wind still blew in from the sea, carrying the salty air with it. Even the old elm tree didn't look like it had grown much over the years. It was like time hadn't touched this place at all.
Zuko tried to focus on nothing but the smell of the salt air. That was the smell of summer to him. But it wasn't a good scent, not any more. Instead of bringing up happy memories, it brought nothing but a bitter taste to his mouth. So, with a sigh, he let his brain return to the only other thing it wanted to think about: Aang.
Zuko could go back and apologize for losing his temper, or he could sit here until they forgot about it. Going back to apologize meant dealing with an angry Katara, and that was something he wasn't looking forward to. Even though she'd forgiven Zuko for the months of anguish he put her group through by chasing them across the world, he could tell that the waterbender still felt flashes of resentment whenever Zuko acted… well, like Zuko. Like Old Zuko, anyway. Not New Zuko. New Zuko didn't lose his temper, and New Zuko didn't push people away. At least, he hadn't until Aang started firebending.
With a groan, the Prince slumped to the ground. When had things gotten so confusing and messed up?
It wasn't at the Sun Warrior's ruins. Not really. There'd been that one weird moment when Aang had clung to his arm, asking him to dance, but even then, Zuko had chalked it up to the Avatar's childish nature. The Avatar was still a child, after all.
"That only makes it more confusing," Zuko moaned, squeezing his eyes shut and flopping onto his back. He stayed like that for a moment, eyes shut tight as the grass rustled around him in the breeze.
If only, somehow, Aang didn't have to learn how to firebend. Then Zuko wouldn't have to watch him, or all of the airbender's long, lithe limbs covered in blue tattoos, going through the motions of advanced firebending techniques. Then Zuko wouldn't have to feel so conflicted at the sight of it.
But then… but then Zuko wouldn't be here, either. If Aang didn't need to master firebending, then he'd have no reason for a firebending teacher. If that were the case, then Zuko would probably still be in the Fire Nation palace with Azula, feeling sick to his stomach while he wrestled between doing the easy thing and doing the right thing. The Resistance would still hate him. Katara and Sokka would still hate him. Aang would still hate him. And Aang hating Zuko - that was the exact opposite of what Zuko wanted.
Still… why did Aang have to look so good firebending?
Zuko grimaced and stifled another groan. He couldn't pretend not to notice anymore. Fire looked so good on the Avatar. It didn't suit Aang, not like water did, and it didn't fight him, like earth did. It consumed him. The more firebending Zuko taught Aang, the more the fire seemed to take over the airbender, burning through him like it belonged there, like it had always belonged there, and had just been waiting for someone to strike the match. Fire needed air to breathe, and Aang had plenty of air to feed it. And if that wasn't damned sexy then, well, Zuko didn't know what was.
"I thought I might find you here."
Quicker than you could say 'platypus-bear,' Zuko was upright and in position to defend himself. Steam sizzled from his fingertips, heat ready to be unleashed upon whatever attacker had snuck up on him while he was distracted.
But it wasn't an attacker. Just the Avatar.
Aang smiled.
"How'd you find me?" Zuko sighed; his voice came out more defeated than he'd meant to, and he pressed a palm to the scar on his face, as if that could hide his shame somehow.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Aang sat down next to him. "Whenever we're inside the house and you're near a window, you look out this way. I figured it must be someplace special."
Zuko turned away. Aang's eyes were too wide, too curious. Too trusting. And if Zuko looked long enough, he'd see flames burning there. "My family used to come here. A long time ago."
To Zuko's ever-lasting appreciation, Aang didn't press the subject.
The two of them fell quiet, with nothing to hear but the sound of the gentle breeze blowing through the grass and the waves lapping the shore in the distance. The silence was almost palpable between them, but Zuko got the impression that he was the only one who minded.
"Sooo," the firebender started, just so he wouldn't have to listen to all the unspoken words between them. "How was practice with Toph?" He turned to face the Avatar, but that was a mistake - Aang's skin was glistening with sweat from what must have been a trying earthbending session, and in the slowly fading sunlight, it looked like the airbender was glowing. Like embers.
In response to the question, Aang's rolled his eyes back in his head and stuck out his tongue, his best imitation of a dying man. "Toph's tougher than any Fire Nation drill sergeant," Aang whined. "She stuck a rock in my butt so hard, I think my tailbone is bruised."
Zuko made a choking noise and Aang's face went aghast. "No, not like that!" he recovered quickly, "I mean, she - I stumbled back, and she she kicked a rock-spike up and and, it, I mean, it didn't actually go in or anything, it-"
"Stop talking," Zuko winced, really covering his face this time. He was sure that if his cracking voice didn't give his embarrassment away, his rapidly spreading blush would.
"Stopping," Aang chirped, grateful for an exit out of the hole he dug himself into.
The two former enemies returned to silence, but this time it didn't seem to press down on Zuko quite so hard. This time, it almost felt… right. He wondered, vaguely, if this was the kind of silence Aang had sat in when he'd saved Zuko from Zhao the night the Blue Spirit rescued the airbender from prison. This silence that made it seem like they were old friends.
"Zuko, can I ask you something?"
The Fire Nation prince uncovered his eyes just enough so he could make out Aang's face. All playfulness had disappeared from Aang's expression; now his grey eyes were downcast, avoiding the firebender's gaze.
"Anything," Zuko replied softly.
Aang swallowed, struggling to find the right words.
He knows, Zuko thought, panic suddenly overtaking him. He knows how I feel about him.
Aang began chewing on his lower lip, still mulling over the words that weighed so heavily in his mind. Sweat began to draw on Zuko's brow. The firebender was already thinking of excuses, ways to get out of this mess. He could say Aang reminded him of someone, that's all it was, the way Aang moved reminded him of an old sparring buddy he used to like, or, or… something. Or he could deny it all and say Aang was crazy and imagining things, the stress of training was getting to him, maybe they should take a break for a couple of days, and yeah, yeah, that sounded good, they should take a break. It would give Zuko some time away from the new firebender. Put some space between them before that space ignited into flames.
Aang closed his eyes and inhaled deeply regularly this time, with no extra breath from airbending. When he exhaled, he opened his eyes slowly.
Zuko braced himself, grimacing. Here it comes. Get ready to deny it. Deny ever having looked at the Avatar that way.
With a deep sigh, Aang spoke at last, "Am I that bad at firebending?"
Zuko nearly choked. "What?"
Aang's frown deepened. "Am I that bad at firebending," he repeated, more like a statement than a question this time around. "Every time we train together, you look at me funny, like, like, like that!"
The Prince had been looking at Aang with affection and masked want, and he barely managed to replace it with what he hoped was a neutral expression. "I do not," he immediately denied.
"You do too," Aang countered, pointing a finger at Zuko accusingly. "You look like you can't believe what you're seeing. Like I'm so bad at firebending, you don't even remember how to talk anymore." Aang dropped his finger as his shoulders slumped. "Like you want nothing more for me than to just… do better. Because if I don't, then there's no way I'll be able to defeat Firelord Ozai."
Zuko was at a loss for words. How his looks of want had been so deeply misinterpreted, he didn't know. But then again, Zuko really only had three default expressions: angry, more angry, and mortified. Currently, he was currently struggling between 'more angry' and 'mortified.'
"That's not that's not what it is," Zuko managed to say at last, his voice heavy with exasperation. "You've got it all wrong."
"Do I?" The smirk on Aang's face looked out of place. It was a look too old and hardened for someone as young as Aang. Although Aang had done a lot of growing up in the past year.
"You do," Zuko hissed between clenched teeth. "You're doing great. You've caught onto firebending faster than anyone I've seen faster than I did as a child. Faster even than Azula. It's not that I don't want you to do better, I just… I just…"
Aang's dark look was replaced with raised eyebrows, curious. Patient. Waiting.
"I just want you," Zuko finished, his voice just barely audible.
The Avatar didn't say anything. The words sunk like stones in the silence between them. Immediately, Zuko regretted having ever said anything - his perverse desires for the airbender should have been his burden, and his burden alone. He never should have dragged Aang into his mess of emotions. It was unfair to place such a heavy weight on Aang's shoulders, but… but at the same time, even through all the guilt, Zuko felt an overwhelming sense of relief that he'd finally said it aloud.
It was a good minute or two before Aang spoke again, and the words came out quiet, unsure. "You want me… to do…?" Aang's voice rose in a question, hopeful. Hopeful that Zuko had meant something else. Anything else.
But Zuko had no words left. He had never had too many words to begin with. Instead, since words failed him (as they often did), he let his body talk for him. Zuko leaned in towards the airbender. Quickly, before he lost the nerve, he shut his eyes and pressed his lips against Aang's. He could feel the Avatar's body tense next to his. Even though his eyes were closed, he was sure Aang's were wide open. He didn't care. Zuko had fought this for so long, and it had been hard.
The kiss lasted all of two glorious seconds before Aang pulled away like someone struck by lightning. The airbender scooted backwards, putting a couple of inches between him and Zuko. With nothing to kiss but air, Zuko reluctantly opened his eyes.
"Zuko, what are you doing?" the younger boy asked, his hands held up in front of him as if they were enough to stop the firestorm that was brewing inside the Prince.
Zuko's eyes hardened. "What I want. What I need."
Aang tried to smile, tried to force that carefree grin of his, but it came out uncertain and nervous instead. "Maybe what you need is a healer. You're obviously not feeling well. I can go get Katara if you want and-"
"No!" Zuko snapped, sparks crackling at his fingertips. Aang recoiled more, fear quickly replacing that nervous smile. Immediately, Zuko was sorry. He hadn't meant to frighten Aang. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "No," the firebender said again, gentler this time. "I don't want Katara. I don't need Katara. I need you, Aang."
The look that crossed Aang's face was one Zuko couldn't place. Terror and hurt and shame in one tortured expression.
Zuko reached out, the flames gone from his fingertips. Instead, his touch was comfortably warm and soft against Aang's now clammy skin. "I'm sorry," the Prince murmured, tracing the line of the blue arrow down Aang's forearm. "I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."
For once, the chirpy little Avatar had nothing to say.
Zuko took it as a chance to move in again. He kissed Aang again, hungrier this time. Aang's mouth was just barely parted, and Zuko pushed his tongue against the airbender's lips until they opened wider. He let his tongue explore the Avatar's mouth, and he could taste Aang, sweet from his diet, but below that, below that was just the vaguest hint of smoke. A jolt of excitement shot through Zuko's body, making his fingers clench into fists and making his teeth bite down, just barely, on Aang's lower lip. And Zuko would be damned if Aang didn't let out the tiniest little gasp at that.
It was all the invitation Zuko needed.
In one sweeping motion, he pinned the younger boy down against the grass, straddling Aang between his legs. He slid the hand on Aang's arm up to the other's neck, caressing it gently. Zuko's other hand came to the side of the airbender's face. He pressed his knuckles gently against Aang's cheek, savoring the way the airbender's skin flushed beneath his touch.
Aang didn't protest this time as Zuko ran his hands along the younger boy's body, so Zuko kissed him again. Harder. This time, Zuko didn't have to force his way in; the airbender opened his mouth invitingly. Aang wasn't really kissing Zuko back, but he wasn't stopping him, either. As Zuko worked his way closer to the source of the smoke, Aang made a sound like, "Mmf," then went quiet as his eyelids fluttered shut.
The hand Zuko had on Aang's neck tightened fractionally. The firebender just barely dug his fingertips into the younger boy's throat. What happened if you took an airbender's air away from him, Zuko wondered. What would it be like to be free from the curse that bending was?
Abruptly, Aang turned his head away, gasping for breath. "Zuko," he choked, "Zuko…"
"Am I hurting you?" Zuko asked, a little rougher than he'd meant to. He didn't mean to hurt Aang, but the taste of fire on the airbender's breath it was it was intoxicating. He couldn't get enough of it. It was taking his self-control away from him.
Aang swallowed and turned his head back, just enough so that his eyes could lock onto the Prince's."No…"
Zuko leaned down to brush his lips against the Avatar's ear. "Do you want me to stop?" He let himself breathe the tiniest bit of smoke, just enough to make Aang's skin flush with goosebumps.
"N-no..."
"Good," Zuko murmured, moving his lips from Aang's ear to his eyelids. "I don't know if I could…"
There were so many things Zuko wanted to do to the other boy. Depraved things. Wicked things. He felt like someone lit a fire in him, and it was burning throughout his body, and the only way to satisfy the fire was with Aang. But Aang was so young. Not that Zuko was so old, but in comparison, Aang was just a baby. Or he would have been, if he hadn't been the Avatar. A year of fighting people who wanted to kill or capture you made you grow up pretty quickly.
Still… Zuko made a wrecked noise, torn between letting the flames consume him and fighting to keep them in control. He could feel heat radiating from Aang; it pulsed through the airbender's body, a heat only a true firebender could make. Fire was taking over Aang and Zuko could almost see it happen before his eyes: he could almost see the way Aang's veins turned red hot as his blood boiled throughout his body.
"Zuko," Aang panted suddenly, pulling away from the Prince's relentless kisses.
His name murmured on the Avatar's lips was enough to bring the Fire Prince back from the edge of madness, and he backed away, wiping his mouth against the back of his wrist. Zuko did his best to keep his eyes downcast; he focused on the grass, on something of earth - Zuko knew that if he let himself have one look at the newfound fire in Aang's eyes, then he wouldn't be able to stop.
"Zuko…"
"I'm sorry," Zuko blurted, his voice raspy and strained. "I'm sorry. This was a bad idea - I shouldn't have-"
But Zuko didn't get the chance to finish his sentence, because now Aang's lips were locked against his own.
"Nn." The airbender's breath was hot - so hot - and now the smoke taste was stronger. Whistles were blowing in Zuko's mind and he couldn't think over the sound of it.
But then, just as abruptly as he started it, Aang broke apart the kiss. Zuko gasped in fresh evening air, cool in contrast to Aang's hot breath.
Aang reached up and wrapped his fingers into Zuko's mess of black hair and used it to pull himself to sitting. Then the airbender kissed him again. And now it wasn't only smoke Zuko could taste on the Avatar's breath - he could actually taste the flames themselves, tiny little sparks of pure energy jolting through the Avatar's teeth. It made Zuko's entire body burn with desire. Zuko had kissed an earthbender before, and he had kissed a few non-benders, but nothing - nothing - did it for him like fire.
By the time Aang finally pulled away, Zuko was seeing stars. Kissing Aang had been great, but being kissed by Aang that had been so much better.
"Fire looks good on you," Zuko gasped breathlessly, bringing his hand to the back of Aang's head to hold the other boy there, their noses just barely touching. Impulsively, he licked the airbender's lips. "Fire tastes good on you," he added.
Aang's eyes were half-open as he smiled, exhausted. "Fire tastes good on you too, I guess," he murmured. "I didn't know firebender's mouths… sparked like that."
Zuko laughed breathlessly, and released Aang's neck from his grip. Free to move, the airbender flopped backwards and adopted a more comfortable position, leaning back on his hands with his face tossed up to the sky.
"Firebender's mouths can do a lot more than spark," Zuko grinned, and even in the darkening sky, he could see the Avatar's face flush bright red. "I'll show you sometime. When you're older."
Aang's eyebrows furrowed together."What does that mean? How much older? When will-"
"There you two are!"
For a second time that day, Zuko whipped around to see Sokka standing and watching them with an irritated expression.
"I've been looking all over for you guys," Sokka complained, throwing his hands into the air. "Dinner's ready! Katara made dried sea prunes. The others are already eating."
Aang and Zuko exchanged a glance, and if Zuko didn't know any better, he'd think that the look on the Avatar's face was… disappointment. Apparently, Aang didn't like being interrupted anymore than Zuko did, which was, well, encouraging to say the least.
With a groan of effort, Zuko got up first, slowly rising to one knee and then to standing. "When you're my age, I'll show you all the things firebenders can do," he said quietly, just loud enough so Aang could hear.
Zuko smiled to himself and turned away from the airbender. The last thing he saw was Aang's mouth, open and gasping with just the tiniest curl of smoke rising out of it.
And when all was said and done, nothing did it for Zuko like fire.