Zukaang

Broken

Zuko stood in his strong and stubborn pose was he watched his pupil go through the exercises he just demonstrated for him. He had taught Aang for a couple of months now, and the Avatar had shown much improvement with his fire bending since the beginning. It was almost like his pupil would do anything to please the elder boy. Whipping his forehead, Zuko pulled the heating cloth of his shirt up and over his head. The muscles on his abs rippled, and his biceps stretched out in a relaxing way to him. A cooler breeze of air hit his upper body, cooling down his overheated skin almost instantly. The fire bending master was sweating as much as his student under the blazing sun. Hell, he might have been a child of fire but even he knew when it was too damn hot outside. And even under the sun for six hours had him drenched with his bodies attempt to cool itself. Turning, he spotted Aang had stopped his repetitious exercises to stare at his master. His mouth was partly opened, and there seemed to be some glaze of wonderment over his eyes as he leered over his master. Quickly, Zuko looked around before it was confirmed to him that Aang was staring at him. "Aang, what are you starring at?" he asked, almost nervous to know the answer. The Avatar shook his head and blushed like a crazed fan girl. With his trance broken, the air bender started to bumble.

"What? Me stare? I wasn't staring!" he babbled quickly, rubbing the back of his neck. He seemed startled as he offered his mentor a grin. Zuko wasn't sure what was wrong, but he shrugged it off and tossed his sweat soaked shirt to the side. Aang was now to attention, waiting for his next order with over eagerness. "What now?" he asked. Zuko frowned lightly, his brow pushing together as he looked up at the sun. It was his element and all, but this stickling heat was more than he wanted to deal with at the moment.

"Um…well… we are done for the day. Go splash around with Katara for a while." He said. Aang's face fell, as he seemed to be so let down and hurt all the sudden. It looked like a mixture of the two. Zuko gulped, looking down at the sad face of his pupil as he bowed.

"Okay Zuko." He said, looking back up at the fire bender. It confused him. Zuko watched Aang wander off seeking Katara. He was confused why Aang seemed to be moping. He cut today's lesson short by two hours, and didn't work him as hard as normal. He didn't even raise his voice once at all that day. He would have thought he would be relieved and happy to escape the heat of the day in the back pond. Groaning, Zuko rubbed his temples before going and sitting in the shade of the Western Air Temple. Damn, the boy was the most difficult to understand out of the bunch he was now travelling with. He knew the others very well. Katara was the maternal one of the group, Sokka, as lame as his jokes are, was the brains, Suki kept Sokka in line, and Toph was basically the bad ass. But Aang was someone he hasn't exactly pinpointed yet. He was happy one minute, and seemed conflicted and confused the next. Zuko could relate with part of that, but it wasn't for the same reason probably. Zuko grabbed his discarded shirt, whipping the sweat again from his forehead before seeking the cool inside of the Air Temple. As his footsteps echoed the corridor, another set joined them as Katara rounded the corner. He smiled at her in welcoming, and she returned it very lightly. It took her some time to accept him, but he was glad that her pretty face no longer hated him. "Hello Katara." She mumbled her reply and turned the corner down to where they were keeping most the food. It must have been close to dinner time. Sighing, the fire nation prince decided to go to his room and get some rest.

Soon the sun was gone, the stars had come out to play and the smell of stew drifted through the temple. Emerging form his afternoon meditation, Zuko stretched his arms over his head and joined the others out in their basic common area. Everyone was gathered around the small fire, except Aang. He was sitting on the edge of the cliff, looking over the great chasm in which the temple was carved into the side of. He was just sitting there with his back to them, rolling a little fire ball in his hands. It was the only thing that illuminated the dark ledge. "How long has he been like that?" he asked, stilling standing across from Sokka. The water tribe warrior shrugged, going back to eating his bowel of stew as fast as he could so he could have another. Katara shot a look of almost disgust over at her brother before turning to Zuko.

"He has been that way for a while." She said, worries glistening in her eyes and mixed in with her voice. "All he has done is sat there overlooking the cliff with that fire ball bouncing between his hands." They both quieted, watching the fireball go back and forth a couple times. "He won't talk to me. Can you try?" Zuko groaned inwardly, but nodded and walked over to the Avatar. He was never good at these kinds of talks, always having kept his emotions inside. But Aang was probably different; he probably needed to talk or it would eat him up inside. He took a deep breath, before moving to sit down beside him.

"Hey." Zuko said, pulling his legs beneath him in a meditation like style. Aang did not respond at first, but paused in the tossing of the fireball from hand to hand. His head turned slowly, looking at Zuko with such a torn look on his eyes. "You look like something is bothering you." Slowly the Avatar nodded, but didn't say anything to implicate what was on his mind. Zuko nodded and seemed to lean in and silently encourage the youth. Aang seemed so nervous to speak, but found his voice.

"Have you ever liked someone? I mean really like them?" The young man's voice seemed quaver as he asked. Zuko smiled, thinking back to the woman he was sre loved him after saving his ass at the Boiling Rock. Mae was such a wonderful person no matter how dark her out loon on the world was.

"Yes, I can say I love. Why?"

"Well," Aang paused, continuing to stare at the fireball in his hands. "I really like someone. And I am terrified to tell them. I'm scared…well…that they will reject me. And I can't take that right now." He turned to Zuko, his big gray wyes shimmering on the brink of tears. "What do I do?" Zuko froze, color draining out of his face at the look Aang was giving him. It was damn near heartbreakingly cute. Taking a breath, he bit his lower lip and formed the words in his mind.

"Well, holding it all inside doesn't help. You need to tell her how you feel. Even if she doesn't feel the same, at least you don't have it all bottled up." Aang nodded, soaking in the words of wisdom. He had a more confident look as he grinned.

"You're right!" he exclaimed. The flame diminished, leaving the master and pupil covered with darkness. The fire of the camp was too far away to expose them as Zuko leaned back on his arms for support. There was silence between them for a moment before Aang said, "Zuko." The fire nation prince turned his attention to the Avatar only to feel lips press eagerly against his own. The older boy went rigid, in pure shock and almost horror as the boy pulled back from the unexpected kiss. "I like you Zuko. A lot." Zuko's eyes were wide in shock as his body froze. This couldn't be! Aang….Aang's crush was him. Aang liked him. The Avatar stood smiling before moving to the fire and the others. There was no way the air bender was going to tell. He was savoring the look on his secret crushes face.

Zuko remained where he was. Shocked, horrified, confused and almost no believing the fact that a little boy had a lover's crush on him. Frozen in pure shock, the fire bender couldn't believe it. There was slight contemplation to yell out he wasn't interested, then there was the hidden and deep thought of jumping off the cliff and seeing if that would work. But, in the end, Zuko fainted.