A/N: A lot of vagueness in this one, but I love this universe anyway. If you want to know anything more about it, you can just pm me and I'll give you all the juicy deets. ;)

Warning/s: AU, OOC-ness, vague implications

Day Two: Memories

The early morning was foggy and chilly, but it didn't stop Aang, who huddled in his over-sized gray sweatshirt and beanie, from making his way down the street and toward the special gym that was nestled between two abandoned buildings. Aang ignored the closed sign on that hung on the double glass doors, opening them with the key, and slipping inside.

The entrance hall was dark, the only light seeping through the gaps on the blinds that hung on the doors and single window. Aang switched on the florescent lights and made his way through the hall and past the reception area, pushing through another set of glass double doors after unlocking them as well.

On the other side of the double doors was the gym proper, but it wasn't any ordinary gym. There were no fancy work out equipment or a basketball court with bleachers at the side and a stage at the far end. No, this gym looked more like a warehouse that had been revamped into an obstacle course. There were several tall platforms of multiple levels with bars surrounding them. A handful of separate walls and cement pillars were scattered about. There were walls of varying heights running through the expanse of the gym like a maze, several large windows inter-spaced through them and some even painted as if they had come right from Mario land. Poles stuck up from the ground and sharply curved into bars that were embedded into the walls and to top it all off was a foam pit was off to the side with inlaid trampolines surrounding it.

Everything in the gym was what made the Lu Ten School of Free Running and Parkour, which had been something like a home for Aang ever since he was twelve. And right now, in the early hours of the morning, Aang had his pseudo home all to himself.

Discarding his sweatshirt on a bench, Aang approached the stereo system and turned on his favorite music to run to. Soon the sounds of a fast electronic beat, accompanied by guitar chords and heavy drums, echoed through the gym. Aang bobbed his head to the beat as he stretched, loosening up his muscles, and then he hopped in place for a couple of beats before taking off at a light run. His first obstacle was a low wall that only came up to his hips. He easily vaulted over it, swinging himself up and over with an artful twist and landing on his toes. Without missing a beat, Aang pushed himself forward toward his next couple of obstacles, running at a steady but fast pace.

That was how Aang made use of his morning; flipping over walls, diving through open windows, swinging himself up on bars and jumping five feet across to the next one. He ran and jumped and flipped and rolled and spun, all so that his head would clear and the memories that plagued his dreams that previous night would fade from his mind.

He didn't know how long he had been running, but Aang finally came to a stop when his music faded into silence almost the same exact moment he had leaped off a wall and rolled back onto his feet. He was breathing heavily and sweat soaked the gray wife beater and beanie he was wearing, but Aang barely noticed it. He was feeling better, much better, and his head was as clear as the sky outside. He felt calm and rational and that was really all he was aiming for.

Ever since that incident, Aang had found solace in running. He ran to escape his problems, to escape judging and pitying and even cruel looks that stabbed his very being. He ran to clear his mind and his soul and erase he voices he keeps on hearing which no one else can. Running was as close as he could get to flying and it was a freedom that he relished in.

When he was twelve, he met an old man by the name of Iroh who helped him when he had sprained his ankle after a bad fall. Iroh had seen him run and recognized a troubled youth when he saw one. Aang hadn't been very welcoming at first, not liking it when people questioned him, but Iroh had been patient and funny and so, so familiar that Aang couldn't help but feel increasingly comfortable around the old man. They had talked over tea in Iroh's teashop, the Jasmine Dragon, and though Aang didn't tell the story of his life right then, he felt that he could trust Iroh indefinitely.

After that fateful meeting, Aang made it a point to go the Jasmine Dragon and have some tea with Iroh after a run, which helped calm him even more. When Aang finally confessed to Iroh about his past, the old man was understanding and didn't offer any unwanted advice, only a listening ear which really was all Aang wanted. That was when Iroh offered to enroll Aang into his school of Free Running and Parkour, which was right down the street from the tea shop. Aang had never heard of free running or parkour before, but when Iroh explained the sport to him, he was definitely interested. New ways to run added with awesome tricks? Yes please!

With Iroh's help, Aang enrolled into the school and, after four years of pretty much focusing on it, was now one of the most well-known traceurs in town, mostly due to the fact that he would be out running around the streets everyday, just letting his body go and do it's thing. People practically recognized him on sight when he started running around and kids loved to get a few lessons from him on the fly.

Catching his breath and stretching his muscles out again, Aang turned towards the direction of the stereo system, intent on putting on more music, but he stopped short when he spied a figure sitting at the bench where he left his sweatshirt. For a second he thought that someone had broken in (though to be fair he did leave the front doors unlocked) but he recognized the head of shaggy black hair a second later and that caused a grin to appear on his lips.

"Zuko!" Aang cried out, running towards his friend though having to vault over a couple walls to get there.

Zuko smiled softly as Aang approached him and the younger teen saw that, despite not having seen each other in months, Zuko still looked moderately the same. He cut his hair shorter though and gold hoops now adorned the older teen's ears, but Zuko still looked like the same person that Aang had grown to depend on and even love.

"Hey Aang," the older teen said, standing up to accept Aang's sweaty hug. "Long time no see."

"You got that right!" Aang laughed as he stepped back, looking Zuko up and down. "Is college really that busy for you not being available for a phone call or a Skype chat?"

Zuko rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry. I guess bring a college freshman is harder than I thought it would be."

Aang laughed as he pulled Zuko back down on the bench, intent on getting more in-depth details about his friend's new college life.

When Aang first met Zuko, who was also Iroh's nephew, the older teen had been surly and scowly and had a mass of anger issues the size of the moon. Like Aang, Zuko had a rough past and used parkour and free running to deal with it, but it didn't help with his attitude all that much. Aang and Zuko disliked each other at first, always at each other's throats and even being competitive about parkour, which was against the philosophy of the sport. It was when Zuko witnessed one of Aang's "episodes" that they started to get a handle on each other and they even had to save the other's life at least once.

It was only a year after they met and after a life-changing incident in Zuko's life, that they started to become true friends.

"So, how's your love life going?" Aang asked after a few minutes of catching up, ignoring the small pang in his heart at the question. "Anyone catching your eye?"

Zuko rolled said golden eyes. "I only just started college, I don't really have any plans to date right now."

Aang raised an eyebrow, which practically disappeared under his the hem of his beanie. "I somehow don't believe you."

"Believe what you want man, but I'm telling the truth."

The two laughed a little and then fell into a comfortable silence. Taking the opportunity, Aang leaned against Zuko, his head almost on the older teen's shoulder. To Aang's delight, Zuko only smiled down at him before looking off into the distance again, looking like he was sorting through some thoughts. Leaving the other teen alone for the moment, Aang's eyes roamed the gym, falling on to the portrait of Lu Ten – Iroh's late son and Zuko's cousin – that hung on the wall.

"Aang," Zuko suddenly spoke up, causing the younger teen to turn back at him. "Did you have another one of those dreams again?"

At the question, Aang tensed up. Though Zuko had known for years about Aang's condition, the younger teen still wasn't all the comfortable talking about it, even to Zuko.

"You can tell me Aang. You know you can."

And Aang does. Despite their rocky start, Aang and Zuko's friendship was virtually unbreakable now. And even with Zuko in college now, he hasn't left Aang behind. He was there wasn't he, still looking out for Aang and being concerned for him. At times Aang loved it, but at other times he resented the fact that Zuko seemed to only see him as a best friend and pseudo little brother.

Sighing, Aang turned back to Zuko, a rueful smile on his lips and eyes downcast. "Yeah, yeah I did," he said, hands fidgeting on the hem of his top.

Zuko said nothing for a moment, just giving a little nod and then wrapping an arm around Aang's shoulders, pulling the younger teen close to him. Aang's cheeks glowed red at the gesture and his heart pounded harder against his chest as if he was running again. It was so rare for Zuko to be the one to instigate affection. He accepted affection readily, if a little awkwardly, but he never made the first move. It said a lot about Zuko if he was the one to move first.

"Tell me about it."

It wasn't a question. It was hardly even a demand. Aang could refuse if he wanted and he really wanted to. But at the same time he didn't. Zuko wanted to know and Aang couldn't bring himself to refuse. This was Zuko, after all, probably the only person that Aang knew who can understand better than anyone.

Letting out a shaky breath, Aang let his head fall on Zuko's shoulder and started talking. He told Zuko about dreaming of the night his family was killed, about hearing the voices again when he woke up, how those voices had just been getting louder and louder and louder until Aang couldn't take it anymore and he just had to get to the gym and run around. Throughout all of that, Zuko stayed silent except for the small grunts at the appropriate pauses in Aang's spiel. Aang gladly soaked up the comfort the other teen was giving him, most especially when he started shaking as he confessed about the voices whispering horrible suggestions into his metaphorical ear.

When Aang had finished, he felt even more cleansed than he did after a run. It was like the weight on his shoulder became lighter; it wasn't completely gone, but it wasn't as heavy either. Sighing, Aang snuggled closer to Zuko, not caring at the moment if his action would be considered too intimate. Zuko took it in stride however and the older teen even pressed his cheek against Aang's covered head. The gesture made Aang's heart race and hope flare in his chest.

"Wanna go grab some breakfast?" Zuko asked after a moment or two of silence and it was so out of the blue that Aang choked out a laugh.

"Jasmine Dragon?" the younger teen chuckled, sitting up again but not pulling away from Zuko's embrace.

"Nah, Uncle will get too nosy," Zuko said with a small smirk. "Let's go to The Freedom Fighters. I've been dying to have one of Bee's bacon and cheese omelets again."

"She does make a mean omelet."

Zuko laughed at that and stood up from the bench, waiting for Aang to get ready. The younger teen mourned the loss of his friend's warmth but he hid his disappointment as he pulled on his sweatshirt. Once the garment was slipped on, Aang looked up and nearly jumped when he saw Zuko's hand outstretched towards him. A tinge of pink appeared on Aang's cheek, but he hesitantly grabbed Zuko's hand anyway and the older teen pulled him up to his feet, but didn't pull away immediately. In fact, Zuko held tightly onto Aang's hand as they walked out of the gym, only parting briefly to lock the doors before grabbing hands again and walking down the street. All the while, Aang's face got steadily redder, but he was smiling happily and hope was throbbing in his chest while butterflies did an aerial routine in his stomach.

Somehow, being with Zuko was much better than running.

A/N: Traceur Aang and Zuko are mine. You need permission to use them =w=