Chapter 4 – Winter Winds
The thick layer of snow that covered the town's streets creaked under Aang's footsteps. He was clothed warmly but felt cold winds against his face. He looked with melancholy in the direction of the small park Zuko and he used to hang out. Then he walked faster towards his destination, firmly turning his head away. There was no way he still had feelings for Zuko. Not after what he'd done. In fact, he surely never even had feelings for him in the first place. He just kissed him because he didn't know what to do – Zuko was a boy anyway. There were plenty of girls in the gang for Aang… maybe not. Aang stopped in the middle of the street and sighed deeply. What was he doing? How had it all come to this? He sat on a bench and cried, softly. He missed Zuko. He missed his smiles, and his eyes, and his lips, and oh, God, he'd only kissed him once. And now he'd never get to again. But how could he? – Aang wiped his tears rapidly, got up and quickened his pace, trying not to freeze to death. Now was no time for worry.
Zuko was still sitting on his part of his and Aang's bench, although he'd stopped hoping Aang would show up quite a long time ago. The moonless night sky was filled with stars. Zuko's tears had fallen softly on the ground and onto the fabric of his jeans. Why? How? A sigh escaped Zuko's lips. He'd thought about the events enough times for the memories to become in his mind like a childhood story, so inescapable, so… revolting. A few months ago, not long after the two boys' first kiss, and before they could meet again, Zuko had injured one of Aang's friends during a gang fight, who had died a few days later partly from the wounds of this fight. Zuko got up and walked towards the street with sadness and pain.
Aang kept on walking while trying to keep his mind from facing his heart.
Both boys sighed.
Aang and Zuko were from opposite gangs.