The Avatar Abandoned
Summary: Aang wasn't frozen for 100 years, he wasn't even born in the Eastern Air Temple. He was born into a family of travelling Air Nomads who were living in the Earth Kingdom of Ba Sing Se. However, when he was five, his parents discovered him playing with little figures made of fire; even though he was an Air Bender. Knowing their son could only be the Avatar - the first in over 100 years, they panicked and abandoned him in the Fire Nation, hoping they would never have to see him again.
Chapter Summary: In which Aang and Zuko have another 'almost' moment, plans are spoiled and secrets are discovered.
Warnings: AU/AR, slash, Zukaang. Possible rating increase again.
A/N: Woo, chapter seven! I can now concentrate properly on this story, A) because it's the holidays, and B) because ZukAang week is over and I'm not writing anything else at the moment. So yes, here is the much anticipated chapter, hope you enjoy it! :D
Thanks to the following people for reviewing!
VixenReborn - Haha, plot twists are fun. :) And I love doing things unexpectedly. And Azula is being nice ... FOR NOW! :O
(: - Awww, thank you! I try to update as quick as I can, and I'm glad you don't mind the short chapters. And you'll find out about Azula in this chapter!
PonyboySlashLover - Yeah, I think Azula's great. AND DRAMA IS COMING! TAKE COVER!
I LUV SETH - Haha, glad you liked it!
Anitoon3 - Oh snap indeed. I really like this chapter, I think it's exciting. :D
xx-just a reader-xx - Happy now, ming?
Aang and Zuko were lying in the Princes room. They had left the garden a few minutes ago. And they were still holding hands. A slight blush tinged both boys cheeks in embarassment, but neither could bring themselves to let go and break the contact.
The bed sheets lay crumpled beneath them as they lay on the bed in comfortable silence. But Aangs heart was hammering in his chest. There was no question now, he knew he liked Zuko - but did the Prince feel the same.
Living on the streets, Aang knew that sometimes keeping quiet was better than telling the truth ... but he had to say something. Or he was going to implode.
'Prince Zuko?'
'Aang, I think you can call me just Zuko by now. There isn't much formality left between us, really, is there?'
Aang blushed at the thought of just calling the Prince by his first name - there was something slightly exciting about it.
'Well, er, Z-Zuko?'
'Yes, Aang?'
'How do you know if you like someone?(1)'
The Prince rolled over to face the younger boy. 'I don't know, really. I guess you want to be close to the all the time, and you want to make them happy and you'd stop anyone from hurting them, no matter how hard it is to do. I think,' he added as an after-thought, blushing faintly. He hoped Aang hadn't found an interest in one of the girls around the Palace - eww, definatly not his sister, that would be disgusting - the Prince wanted to keep Aang for himself, even if he wasn't brave enough to tell the boy about his feelings. Even though he kind of just had.
'But how would you tell them that you liked them? The person I like probably doesn't like me in that way,' Aang muttered, staring at the ceiling, a slightly sad look on his face.
Zuko sat up, glaring down at Aang. 'You listen to me, Aang. You are a wonderful person, and I have no idea of who wouldn't like you in that way! I mean, even I - ' the Prince stopped short, eyes widening, realising what he just almost said. Had said. He had just wanted Aang to stop looking so sad. Zuko looked away blushing hotly, pulling his hand out of Aangs.
Aang sat up, pulling Zukos hand back into his. 'You like me? Is that what you were going to say?' he asked, his silver eyes shining.
'I ... '
'Because you never asked who I liked. Who I thought wouldn't like me back.' Zuko looked at him curiously. 'It was you,' Aang finished simply.
The Fire Prince let a smile stretch across his face as he looked at the younger boy. 'Really?'
Aang nodded. The two leaned towards each other, their eyes closing, their lips almost touching.
Azula bust into the room, shicking the boys away from each other, actually scaring Aang so much that he fell off the bed(again). Azula stared at the two for a second, figuring out what was going on in less than a second. There would be time for 'I told you so's later, she had to get the two now.
'Zuko! Father's going to kill Aang!' she said, running over to him, her eyes letting Zuko know his sister was telling the truth without her having to say anything else.
'Why?' Aang asked, confused, pulling himself back onto the bed, rubbing a hand over his sore scalp.
'He thinks there's something going on between you and Zuko. Uncle's at the War Ships waiting for us. We're going to escape before father does anything to Aang,' Azula said.
'Right,' Zuko said, jumping off the bed, grabbing a bag, stuffing some clothes into it. 'Lets get some stuff and go, quickly.'
Aang and Azula nodded, helping pull some of the clothes out of the draws, pushing them into bags. Within a few minutes Aang and Zuko had a full bag each slung over their shoulders. The hurried out of the room, Azula grabbing her own bag that she had left outside, running towards the dock where the War Ships were held.
'Come on quicker!' Azula urged, the three breaking into a sprint.
Ozai came around the corner, his face a mask of fury. 'Don't you dare!' he shouted.
'Keep running!' Azula called to Aang and Zuko, turning to face the Fire Lord, dropping her pack. 'I'll hold him off, get to the ship!'
Ozai threw a white-hot fire ball at Azula, fueled by his fury. Acting quickly, the Fire Princess ducked and hit it into the wall, causing stone fragments to rain down on the pair. She wasn't quick enough to dodge the wave of fire that Ozai kicked towards her, only just managing to stop it before she was too badly burnt.
Ozai hissed. 'You would defy me, daughter?'
'I would, Father,' she replied, sending a stream of her own blue fire at the grown man.
Aang and Zuko reached the ship that Iroh had already started and were climbing the rope ladder. Aang glanced back to see what was happening, just in time to see Azula knocked into the wall, slumping into unconsiousness.
'Azula!' Aang cried, desparate to go and see if the girl he had known for less than a day was alright, but kept climbing anyway. He reached the top of the ladder and stretched down a hand to help Zuko up, but had to drop to the deck as a ball of fire whizzed past his head, nearly decapitating him. 'Quickly Zuko!' Aang urged, helping the Prince on to the ship. As the ship began to move out of the dock, they stood together, looking down at Ozai, ducking again as he threw another fireball at them. The enraged Fire Lord blasted stream after stream of fire, which the two boys could only redirect.
Ozai smacked his hands together, creating a huge fireball at the ship that was now leaving. Zukos eyes widened, it was too big to bend away. This was it. The end, before they'd begun - he hadn't even got to kiss the boy he was in love with.
Aang realised the fireball was too big to get rid of, he glanced over at Zuko, seeing the fearful look on his face, and he jumped onto the railing of the ship, summoning his bending, and blew the fireball right back at Ozai!
The force of the blast knocked Aang back into the metal wall behind him, and the fireball coupled with the blast of air knocked the disbelieving Fire Lord across the dock, all the way to the opposite end, smacking him into the bricks with enough force to crack them.
Zuko stared at the unconsious Aang in disbelief - Aang had been bending fire and air. That could only logically mean one thing;
Aang was the Avatar!
(1) I'm sorry at how cliched this is, but I love this line, and I may have stolen it from many other ZukAang fics, heh.
A/N: Eww, I seem to be making only short chapters now. :( Meh. At least this one was longer than the last one, eh?
OMG, AANG'S BEEN DISCOVERED! WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? Well, I know, but you'll have to wait til I update next - and nothing encourgages an author to update faster than a review or four! ;D So leave those review, and I pinky promise to update as fast as I can type!