Chapter 1

In the Cave

Near the Northern Water Tribe, in a cave, Aang is lying on the icy ground, tied up. Zuko is sitting only inches from the young Avatar, leaning against the wall. His body is burnt. He has his eyes set on the sleeping air bender with the glowing tattoos. Zuko can feel his face heat up. He's blushing at the contact he has with the young bender. Aang's head is rested in Zuko's lap. He knows that he's dangerously attracted to Aang, he just doesn't know why.

Why do I feel like this? Zuko thought with a look of confusion on his face. I don't know why I feel like this. I don't want…

His thoughts are interrupted by a bright blue light. The glow of Aang's tattoos ceases to exist at that moment. Aang groans from drowsiness but opens his eyes. As the smaller teen wakes up, Zuko holds his breath out of fear that he will startle the boy he's watching.

Aang sits up, looks around, and sees Zuko sitting right beside him, face smeared with a blush. He starts to scream but is stopped by something highly unexpected. Zuko is kissing him.

Zuko's arms are wrapped around Aang's body, untying the ropes that held his hands behind his back. His lips are pressed to Aang's lips. Their tongues fighting for dominance. Both of them have their eyes closed tightly.

Within seconds, Zuko has the ropes off of Aang's wrists. With his hands free, Aang wraps one arm around Zuko's shoulders, running his other hand through the older boy's hair.

After a few minutes, Aang's friend, Katara, pulls Zuko away from Aang. He winces at the loss of contact with the fire bender. His eyes snap open when he hears Zuko land against the wall of the cave with a loud crack. Aang immediately rushes over to Zuko's side and cradles him in his arms. The fire bender in his arms is completely limp, barely breathing, unconscious, and has a weak heartbeat. Blood is pouring from a gash in the back of his head. As he looks at his blood stained hand, tears fill his eyes.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?" Aang screamed at Katara, tears rolling freely down his young face.

"I thought he was going to hurt you Aang," she said in response.

"DID IT LOOK LIKE HE WAS GOING TO HURT ME!"

"What's going on?" Sokka, Katara's older brother, asked from the mouth of the cave, standing with Princess Yue.

"Katara hurt Zuko," Aang says, turning to face Sokka. Aang picks Zuko up, one arm supporting his upper body the other arm under his knees. As he stands, he shoots a look of hatred at Katara, and runs to his bison, Appa. "Are you guys coming or not?"

With that everyone except Aang jumps into the saddle on Appa. Aang sits in his usual spot, on Appa's head, with Zuko in his lap. Aang has the reins wrapped around his arm. He has one arm wrapped around Zuko's shoulders, and his free hand pressed to the open wound on the back of Zuko's head, trying to stop or slow the bleeding. His clothes are already soaked with Zuko's blood. Aang is no longer crying. The sadness on his face has been replaced by a look of seriousness and determination. He knows in his heart that he's going to fix Zuko one way or the other. He has to know that the kiss that Zuko and he shared was real. He had to know that his feelings for Zuko are confirmed and accepted. He had to know if Zuko loves him as much as he loves Zuko. No matter what he does, he can't stop thinking about the kiss in the cave.