Day #2: Storms

This works from the premise of "First Sight", in which Zuko found Aang in the iceberg. A quickie explanation for this fic's supposed 'verse, Aang goes with Zuko and they end up helping Sokka and Katara along the way.

*

"...and that is how Prince Zuko got his scar," Iroh finished, and a collective murmur rose from the crew. Aang was barely listening at this point, his mind was filled with the image of a bright-eyed youth broken and shamed before the crowd and he felt sick just thinking about it.

So that's why he was trying to capture me. He swallowed hard as the sound of thunder and pouring rain filled the tiny room.

"Aang, are you feeling well?" Iroh asked. "I apologize if that story traumatized you so."

"I..." Aang shook his head. "I need to find Zuko. Which way is his room?"

"Upstairs, second door on the left," Lieutenant Jee said. Aang stood up slowly and walked out of the room, his head reeling from both the rocking of the ship and what he'd just learned about his friend.

He and Zuko had much more in common than he ever thought possible, both robbed of their happiness by making mistakes they would live with for the rest of their lives. But I did the wrong thing because I was scared, and I'm paying for it the rest of my life, he thought. Zuko tried to do the right thing and was banished for it. He sighed as he approached Zuko's door, knocking slowly.

"Zuko?"

"It's open," a muffled voice said, and Aang stepped inside. Zuko lay on his bed, staring blankly at the wall and clutching the sheets so tightly his whole hand was white. Aang sat down, gingerly laying a hand on the prince's shoulder.

"I..." He froze. What did you say at a moment like this? Your uncle just told us all your tragic story, I'm so sorry your father's a monster didn't seem to cut it. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "See, your uncle, he-"

"I know," Zuko said. "The walls are thick, but I heard bits and pieces. Besides, it was only a matter of time."

"Zuko, you did the right thing and your father was wrong," Aang said, the words coming out more vehemently than he'd intended. "You didn't deserve to be humiliated and beaten down, you didn't deserve that scar!" His words were punctuated by another crack of the thunder, but he barely noticed the storm anymore.

"Aang..."

"You didn't." Aang threw his arms around Zuko, causing the prince to stiffen in shock momentarily. "You're a good person, you are, if you weren't you wouldn't have saved me, or helped Sokka and Katara, or saved your uncle from those Earthbenders."

"You don't know about the things I did before I found you," Zuko muttered. "I've hurt people, I've threatened entire villages for your whereabouts...back home, I helped my father in any way I could to keep the war going until we won..."

"That doesn't matter! As long as I've known you you've been a good person, and that's all that matters to me!" Aang insisted, tightening his hold.

"Your rosy view of me doesn't erase the things I did," Zuko said, reluctantly returning the embrace. "And the only reason I'm not doing those things anymore is because I know you wouldn't like it."

The only sound for the next few minutes was the rain beating against the ship's hull. Zuko's arms tightened around Aang, and finally he smiled a little.

"I...I'm glad we met, Aang," he said. "Because of you, I haven't lost all faith in myself yet."

Aang smiled, fingers toying with Zuko's ponytail.

"It's the least I could do after you saved me."