A/N: There is Zhao bashing in this chapter because I don't like him either.

Aang stared at the beautiful flowers that had been delivered to his home. They were an apology gift from Zuko, according to the cards. Iroh had written in teeny tiny writing, but he still required two cards to get the whole message across. "My nephew asked me to send you these flowers to apologize for his 'childish behavior' as he put it. He wants you to know that he's ashamed of himself for not believing you when you told him you didn't have a boyfriend, and for the way he behaved when it was time for you to leave that day. He also wants you to know that he feels horrible that he wasn't able to be there for you after the incident with 'Dracula.'" Aang smiled at Iroh's use of Toph's nickname for Ruon-Jian. "I don't have the foggiest idea who that is, or what happened, but my nephew assures me that you'll know exactly what he's talking about. My nephew truly cares about you Aang. He's not ready to tell you that himself yet, so please don't mention that I told you. He specified what flowers I was to send you, so I hope that I got the right ones, and that you like them as much as he thought you would." Of course he liked them. They were all his favorites, and in his favorite colors, too. Zuko didn't have to go to so much trouble. He could have just apologized in person. Aang would have forgiven him in an instant. In fact, he'd patiently waited for four days for Zuko to do just that. These flowers showed up just as he was getting ready to head to the hospital.

He had made over seven hundred paper cranes by that point. Another month or two, and he'd be able to make his wish for Zuko to get better. He'd been folding cranes like a madman the last couple days, venting his anger at Zuko. It had resulted in more than a few wings getting ripped off, but it had also gotten him over two hundred cranes closer to his goal. His room was staring to look like a massive flock of cranes had decided to settle in for the season.

"Thank you for the flowers, Zuko. They're absolutely beautiful. You could have just apologized yourself, you know that right?" He blushed slightly at Aang's words.

"I know. I'm glad you liked them, Aang. I wanted to make it up to you, for the way I've been acting the last few days. Sokka told me about Ruon-Jian. I understand why you didn't want to talk about him."

"I figured that when your Uncle's note mentioned 'Dracula.' So, you were mad at me because you thought I had a boyfriend?" The thought made Aang feel warm and fuzzy inside. He knew Zuko had a jealous streak, so if he was jealous because he thought Aang was seeing someone, did that mean Zuko was interested in him? Maybe there was hope after all, and if there was, then Aang should never have given up so easily. That was the only reason he'd let Ruon-Jian talk him out onto that date, after all. He'd been trying to get over Zuko since he'd been certain it would never go anywhere. Zuko blushed again and looked away.

"Yeah. I mean, no, I was angry because I thought you were lying to me. That's all." Oh. He had hoped that had been the reason. Of course, Zuko had changed his answer. So which answer was the true one? Aang's insecure side said the second one, but his still-in-love-with-Zuko side said the first one. He decided it would be best if he listened to his insecure side. Of course, Iroh had mentioned that Zuko 'truly cared about him'. Aang shoved the whole issue out of his head. He had more important things to do at the moment than ponder Zuko's feelings for him.

"…do you have finals in first, Aang?" Wonderful. He'd been lost in his thoughts and had missed the first half of Zuko's sentence. He could figure it out, though.

"History, with Mrs. Paddywhacker. Her tests are always easy, so it shouldn't be a problem as long as I review everything. It could be a lot worse. I could have Mr. Cho for History. His exams are always absolute bears." Zuko nodded in agreement. It was one of the reasons there was only a handful of students in the entire school who didn't hate the man's guts. That, and the fact the man was a homophobic, racist pervert. It was a miracle he had never been fired. "Trig's going to be the problem. That's my hardest subject. Have they finished grading your schoolwork yet?"

"Yeah. I passed all my classes. Uncle says I'll be able to get my diploma as soon as I'm out of this stupid room." He pulled a face. Aang could sympathize. Being stuck in a room as small as Zuko's hospital room for nine months would have driven Aang completely insane.

"That's great news. I was kinda hoping you failed so we could graduate together, but oh, well." Zuko glared at him. "I was just kidding! I knew you'd pass. Let me guess, straight As, or darn close?"

"Darn close. I got a B in History."

"Ah, poor Zuzu." The nickname earned him a fresh glare. He'd better lay off the teasing soon, or they might have another fight, and they had just made up from the last one. Although, that one wasn't so much a fight as it was Zuko sulking over a misunderstanding. "I'm teasing, Zuko! You shouldn't be so sensitive."

"I know, Aang. I'm sorry." Aang blinked, surprised. Zuko rarely apologized, even when he knew full well he was in the wrong. To receive two apologies from him in the same day was kinda like going outside and seeing a blood-red moon. It rarely happened.

He and Zuko feel into a companionable silence. Minutes ticked past without either one of them saying anything, just enjoying being in each other's company.

"Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Aang looked at him, confused.

"For what?"

"For coming every day, no matter what the weather, even when I was acting like a spoiled child." Aang looked at his feet, embarrassed.

"It's no more than any friend would have done," he mumbled.

"That's not true, Aang, and you know it. Katara, Sokka, and Toph don't come every day like you do, and they're my friends, too." Crap. Had Zuko somehow guessed how Aang felt about him? Had he guessed that was why Aang came every single day? He squirmed a little, uncomfortable. If Zuko had guessed Aang's feelings, would that have a negative impact on their friendship? He hoped not. Even if they never became lovers, Aang would be happy just being Zuko's friend. "Hell, most of my family doesn't visit me at all, much less every day."

"Would you really want most of your family here?" Zuko snorted softly.

"No, of course not." Both boys were silent for a moment.

"Zuko? Hypothetically speaking, do you think two people could remain friends if one of them loved the other and they didn't love that person back, but knew of their feelings?" Aang hoped with every fiber of his being that Zuko said 'yes.' He also hoped that Zuko either already knew of his feelings or wasn't able to guess from his question.

"Could you repeat the question? Maybe give them names like 'Jane' and 'Kyle' or something?"

"OK. Say there are two friends named Lisa and Stan. Lisa is in love with Stan, but Stan doesn't love her back. Stan knows about her feelings, but he's gay so can't return them. Do you think they could still be friends, or would her unrequited feelings drive a wedge between them?" Aang studied Zuko's face as he answered.

"I think they could, yes." Aang couldn't tell from Zuko's face whether he guessed Aang's feelings or not, or how he felt about them if he had. His words made Aang feel like a weight had been lifted from his chest. Even if Zuko had guessed how Aang felt, they could still be friends. "It would depend on just how strong their friendship is. A friendship like ours could easily survive that. A friendship like, say, Katara's and mine probably couldn't." Zuko and Katara tried, they really did, but they just weren't as close as the rest of the group. They were just too different.

Now that he had asked, Aang wasn't sure how to respond to Zuko's answer without blowing his secret. Zuko saved him from having to answer though.

"Are you bringing the sock puppets tomorrow? I want to find out what happens now that puppet Zuko's betrayed his Uncle, and you've kept me waiting almost a week now!" Aang gave him a sour look. Zuko, obviously, had forgotten why Aang had kept him waiting.

"If you had apologized sooner, I would have brought them sooner. You have no one to blame but yourself, really."

"I didn't know about Ruon-Jian until Sokka told me!"

"When did Sokka visit you? Two days ago? They usually come on Thursdays don't they?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then you could have apologized yesterday, and found out what's going on in Sock-Puppet-World today."

"I wanted to give you the flowers. I wanted to make up for the way I treated you." Aang softened. That had been seriously sweet of him, even more so since Zuko took the time to make sure that they would be Aang's favorites.

"Fine, you win. It's still your fault you're in suspense over the story, though." Zuko seemed to realize that he wouldn't win this one, so he just let it go. It was time for Aang to go home, so he pressed his hand against the glass. He had missed this little ritual of theirs, had missed it more than he ever thought he would. Zuko pressed his hand against the glass on the other side.

"See you tomorrow, Aang?" Aang smiled at him.

"Only the end of the world could keep me away." Aang left, trying to figure out how many cranes he could get done that day, and still have time to fix supper for him and Gyatso, and study for his History final. Depending on what he cooked for supper, he could probably get two or three done while cooking, and study for his finals after supper. Three cranes would bring him up to…seven hundred and twenty one. It had taken Aang a moment to remember. That meant he would only have to make two hundred and seventy nine more. Once school was out, he would have more time for folding cranes, and for visiting Zuko. Which meant, if the wish thing worked, then Zuko might be able to finally come home in July, maybe even late June.