Rage Of The Black Dragon

by Nazaki-Sama

Ozai and Azula won, and what was left of the world was burned to ashes... But when Zuko woke up ten years in the past with the ability to change his fate; he promised to win this war and end Ozai's reign once and for all. But first, he was going to hunt down everyone who robbed him of his mate and child. Time travel, Dark, Omegaverse, Aged up Aang, Dark Zuko! Cover art by me enjoy!

9. Chapter 9

…Rage Of The Black Dragon…

Warnings: This chapter contains:- cursing, sadness, darkness, a little bit of violence, mental health issues, possessiveness, mention of an unspecified eating disorder, fluff, flirting, and a kiss! All reviews are appreciated.

P.P.S.: This is an Omegaverse story as in Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamic, with Alpha Aang and Omega Zuko, so you have been warned! And it is also a time travel one! The titles that would be used for the Omegaverse dynamic in this story, are from the Chinese fandom (As the story would have many customs and cultures from southern and eastern Asia; China specifically):-

Alpha - Qianyuan

Omega - Kunze

Beta – Zhongyong

P.P.P.S: This is a dark (and I mean really dark!) story that takes place in the ALTA's timeline (the original show, not the live adaptation, but who knows, maybe I will add a pointer or two from the NATLA after I watch it?) to some extent but with many major changes, such as Aang being aged up to sixteen and Zuko being OOC; this story is also the first part of the series that would follow the first chapter but diverge after a certain point.

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Chapter 9

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"General Iroh… could I have a moment of your time?"

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"Oh? Avatar Aang, what do I have the pleasure…?"

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"…Allow me…"

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…(…She made a stupid mistake…

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She was so stupid, that she could only regret it as she watched the travelers who came into her village leave (A village that was saved from destruction, only because of that poor child she labeled as misfortune). Feeling a trepidation and damnation approaching for allowing her shock to get the best of her and making that, stupid, stupid mistake… She made a mistake… a mistake so grave that she wondered if she would ever manage to erase and make amends, but deep down, she knew she would never be able to do so. The evidence?

That stiff smile on that child's face when she made her mistake and called him by that damned label that no doubt followed him since he was young. A smile was forced on the child's face even when she saw the horror and the heartbreak shining clearly in those grey-blue eyes, as the boy gazed at her long and hard and looked a step away from bolting if it wasn't for the Kunze beside him whose face shut down until only rage and murder waft in waves and the Kunze was one step away from attacking and driving the danger that threatening his companion away… She made a mistake…

A long time ago, before Wu was 'Aunt Wu', and before she managed to reach the position she was in now. she remembered her Master's parting words as he looked at her long and hard before pointing at the sky above. "Just as nature reshaped those clouds, people have the power to shape their own destiny. Do not be a fool who believed in the tales of old, and do not force someone's fate in stone, if you do, then the good could turn into bad, and the bad, worse." Parting words that Wu had held closer to her heart for decades after decades… only to forget about them and make a stupid mistake that would no doubt bring forth imbalance that would reign over the land.

Wu could only wonder what she would have done if she had been given the chance to go back in time and correct her mistake. Stop herself from allowing the fear of the tales of old, and children of misfortune to cloud her mind.

And that poor, poor boy, even if he doesn't know it… even if he tried to deny it… even if he would have chosen to turn a new path and ignore what destiny had planned for him. That poor boy would now follow the path the fates had chosen for him and would forsake everything and everyone, all because Wu was stupid enough to allow her terror to get the hold of her when she managed to glimpse what was beyond when looking at his eyes.

"A Calamity had descended on the village…" Wu could only say tactlessly when she stood up to read the clouds that day, watching how the poor child's face fell and agony crossed over his face before he left. Never before did Wu hate herself, as she did now when she spoke so rashly because she felt terror coursing through her when she saw that thing-!

Wu made a mistake… she made a huge mistake she knew that would never be mended or forgotten anytime soon. She made a mistake and she couldn't help but wonder when it would come and bite her in the nose… she made a mistake… In the end, she did the only thing she promised not to do and did the unspeakable to a child so pure…

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Wu could only lower his head in shame…)…

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"Hm. Another fail, what round was it this time? Ten?" Zuko's lips stretched into a smirk, his eyes full of amusement as he gazed at Sokka who was soaked to the bones, and was glaring at the fish that was splashing not that far away in the river. Aang on the other hand, couldn't help but stiffly sit in his seat, feeling his ears burning and trying to control the flush that all but spread over his face when he felt Zuko leaning against him until he felt the Kunze's chest accidentally brush his arm from how close they were… suddenly, Aang couldn't help but thank every Spirit and God out there that neither General Iroh, nor the Fire Nation crew decided to come with them on this road trip, or he would be so dead and buried under before he could even take his next breath.

"Why you…?!" Sokka growled, gripping part of his tonic before squeezing the access water, glaring at Zuko from the corner of his eyes while throwing side eyes to the river and the fish that were still splashing around, waving their victory over Sokka in his face. "You know, instead of being an ass about it, a little bit of help won't hurt!" Sokka huffed and buffed and stomped his feet before shaking his body like a drenched puppy and causing Katara to squeak at the sudden attack by water droplets before she bent the water away while sending Sokka a nasty look.

"Now, now, Sokka; why would I do that when I am quite comfortable where I am?" Zuko blinked innocently, gazing at Sokka while gripping Aang's right arm and hugging it tightly, causing the Qianyuan to flush red, especially when he felt Zuko leaning his head on his shoulder. "See, comfortable. Besides, weren't you the one who wanted to show us the prowess of the 'Best Hunter' in the Southern Water Tribes?" Sokka narrowed his eyes, pointing at Zuko and hissing.

"…So, you went down this path, huh?!" Before he picked up the fishing pole, he slammed into the ground previously and started marching toward the lake, grumbling something under his breath while ignoring Zuko's muffled laugh, and Katara's giggles.

Aang on the other hand, could only sit still, trying to calm his pounding heart down, and hoping against hope that Zuko wouldn't hear how Aang's heart was doing a parade inside of his ribcage at the close proximity of the Kunze… and not for the thousandth time that day, Aang could only thank the Merciful Lung-ta, that no one from the Fire Nation was presented to see this breach of conduct taking place; a breach that if anyone (Especially, General Iroh, who was Zuko's father/guardian) saw, it would be Aang's head for daring to act this chummy with a Kunze that was not his betrothed of husband.

Not that far away, Sokka's squeak was heard followed by a splash of water and cursing, and not that long after; this resulted in a silence that was broken by Katara's giggles and Zuko's amused laugh as they gazed at Sokka who was splashing in the water, and diving after the large Se Tu fish that managed to knock him over. Aang seeing this amused sight, and hearing Zuko's muffled laugh filled with joy, couldn't help the smile twitching over his face; feeling something inside of him curl in pleasure and happiness.

Four days… that was how long since Jet's incident where everyone seemed to have reached a new enlightenment, apologized for past actions, and decided to open a new page to start over once more.

Four days… that was how long they decided to prolong their trip and take a detour, part of that decision came because in the middle of their journey, a storm had rolled over the land, and going on while the storm was raging, meant endangering everyone around, something that Aang refused to do, and so, they took shelter in the closest village they could find before continuing their way on foot, enjoying the sights and having fun during their outing…

Four days… And honestly, Aang could say he was having a lot of fun during this trip, even when more than once they accidentally encountered Fire Nation soldiers who as soon as they saw Aang or Zuko, started running after them, which started another round of chase that was as fun as it was annoying…

Four days… and in these four days, Aang felt like he was getting close to Zuko in a way, that made him nervous, causing his heart to pound loudly and his hands to sweat every time that Zuko decided to sit beside him or give him one of his signatures smiles that made Aang flush red. To make things even worse (Or better, because really, it depended on who you ask… And when it came to someone that Aang fancied romantically; he became a jittery mess with a thin face who didn't know how to act around a Kunze he was interested in… Kuzon could attest to that as more than once Aang made a nuisance out of himself and tripped on thin air trying to impress Kuzon; only for Kuzon to laugh and laugh at his plight and causing Aang to become red with embarrassment) Zuko seemed to relish in sticking close to Aang and even flirt with him a bit, which really only turned Aang red with a mixture of embarrassment and delight, at the thought of Zuko (The firecracker that turned Aang's world upside down and made his heart pound in his chest like crazy) liking him like that.

"Stop taunting me!" Sokka uttered a war cry before running back into the water while holding his jawbone dagger. Aang blinked once, twice, and looked at Zuko who seemed to have the time of his life; as soon as Aang and Zuko's eyes met, the two of them couldn't hold it anymore and they broke into a snicker, that got louder when Sokka's shriek of despair followed by a splash of water was heard.

It didn't take long for Sokka to emerge from the water, holding the Se Tu in his hands and giving the group a smug look. "Why don't you look at that! Stay there in your place, Fancy Fingers and smoochie, smoochie, the pretty boy beside you while I feast on my lunch!" Here, if Aang's face wasn't red before, then it definitely became now, as he gazed at Sokka with embarrassment he never thought he would feel in his life… embarrassment that almost made him yeet himself in the lake and drown himself when Sokka started making kissing noises and throwing them a suggestive look.

At that exact moment, the Se Tu managed to break free from Sokka's grasp, before slapping Sokka in the face with its tail and disappearing under the water (A divine punishment!). "Don't worry about me smooching my pretty boy and worry about the shame you brought by bragging of your nonexistence prowess, Loud-Mouth!" Zuko mocked, leaning on Aang and laughing at the outraged shout coming from Sokka, ignoring the way that Aang flushed a crimson shade of red at Zuko's bold declaration and how his heart skipped so many beats Aang thought the Kunze would have heard it by now.

Muttering in annoyance, Sokka finally emerged from the lake empty-handed, soaking wet, and glaring at Katara and Zuko who were laughing at him. "You are all, idiots, and from now on only Momo is my true real friend!" Sokka huffed and buffed and started to dry his clothes with anger in his eyes. "Why did he have to stay on the ship? If only that annoying flying monkey decided to come then none of this…" Sokka's loud rant was cut off by a loud noise in the distance.

This caused everyone to jump and take a fighting stance, in fear of another group of Fire Nation soldiers finding them and chasing them around. Seeing that no soldiers appeared and attacked, Aang gave Zuko, Sokka, and Katara a look, getting shrugs in return before he nodded his head and leaped into a rock not that far away and observed from where the commotion was coming.

"Guys, someone's being attacked by a Platypus Bear…?" Aang's exclamation took on a questioning tone as he narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to inspect the person who the bear was attacking… or if you could classify what was happening as an attack because the man who was being attacked did nothing but smiled as though nothing was occurring, even as he dodged the animal in question.

"Well, hello there!" The man smiled and waved happily, even while dodging another swift swing from the bear's claws. "Nice day, isn't it?" The man asked, causing Aang to blink once, twice, before looking at Zuko who stood beside him and was gazing at the scene with a surprised look and a raised eyebrow

Sokka and Katara on the other hand were offering the man suggestions to escape, but the man's answer to all of them was just to smile and ignore everything even while dodging the bear that was advancing on him, and laughing when the bear almost struck him. "Whoa, close one!" The man said almost too happy about this, and this was Aang's turn to raise both of his eyebrows at such words.

"Uh… Sir, you do realize that a bear is attacking you, don't you? Do you need any help?" Aang offered, wondering if this was a case of a lunatic going into the wild to test their strength against wild animals rather than a traveler getting lost and needing help when being attacked.

"No need, it's going to be fine!" The man cheered up, which made Aang look at Zuko who looked at him, both were bewildered and dumbfounded by such an answer… Sokka and Katara, on the other hand, continued to give instructions for the man to escape (Surprisingly being ignored and the man almost getting killed but shrugging it off with a laugh), and Zuko let out a tired sigh before calling out for Appa, causing the Bison to pound toward Zuko happily (Something that stopped being surprising after the first week traveling with the Fire Nation crew and further convinced Aang of Zuko's good intentions because Appa doesn't trust anyone easily, or get as close to them as he did with Zuko).

It wasn't long before Appa appeared behind the bear and bellowed causing the animal to bristle in fear and escape using the river, leaving behind a large spotted egg it laid in a moment of fear. An egg that Sokka was too joyful while picking it up and gave a delighted cry of. "Mm, lunch!" Before turning to the man to say. "Lucky for you, we came along." All the while hugging the egg to his chest and refusing to let it go, bringing an amused smile to Aang's face.

"Thank you, but everything was already under control. Nothing to worry about. Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey." The man said calmly but no less happily as he folded his hands and bowed slightly, his words making Aang blink and mutter 'Aunt Who?' causing the man to turn to him and speak. "No, Aunt Wu. She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice to know about your future." Words that as soon as Zuko heard, Aang saw from the corner of his eye, how the Kunze's face darkened, and a note of something sharp and dangerous flared in his scent before he managed to control it faster than Aang was able to identify.

"Wow, it must be," Katara muttered, looking to the side and letting out a hum before facing the man again, a look of delight crossed over her face and the almost silent groan of pain from Zuko's side, already informed him that Zuko knew the direction their day was going to go in. "That explains why you were so calm!" Aang could only snicker silently, turning away and trying to stop his shoulders from shaking, especially when Zuko turned toward him and gave him a sharp look that promised retribution after this was over.

"But the fortuneteller was wrong! You didn't have a safe journey; you were almost killed!" Sokka, the sound of reason huffed, still hugging the egg with one arm while pointing at the man with his other hand, his eyes were narrowed and his nose scrunched in skepticism.

"But I wasn't!" The man said so cheerfully, that Aang could only blink, gazing at the egg in Sokka's hands, to the river where the bear escaped, back to the man who looked so happy despite almost turning into bear food if it wasn't for Zuko and Appa. "All right, have a good day!" The man waved goodbye before walking away, only to pause and return back. "Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travelers to give them this." The man handed Aang a wrapped parcel before walking away once more, this time leaving the group looking at one another in bafflement.

"Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun." Katara said, gazing at the group with excited and hopeful eyes, causing Aang's lips to twitch up into a smile when he saw Zuko scrunched his nose and looking a step away from protesting but holding back.

"Oh, come on. Fortune telling is nonsense!" Sokka the voice of reason and lover of science huffed, causing Katara to pout and puff his cheeks before she started bickering with her brother about fortune-telling vs. science and hard facts.

Aang shrugging his shoulders and leaving the siblings to squabble, quickly unwrapped the mysterious parcel given to him because curiosity got the best of him, an action that made Zuko give him a look that translated into 'Really?' which Aang answered with a grin.

"What do you know? An umbrella!" The package, in the end, turned out to be a red umbrella, Aang grinned and opened it; holding it over both of his and Zuko's heads like he saw many of the Fire Nation Qianyuans and Zhongyongs doing when going out on strolls with Kunzes. An action that summoned a muffled laugh from Zuko looked too delighted and was about to say something…

…Only for the sky to choose this exact moment to darken and begin raining. Aang could only let out a 'Huh?' in confusion because he didn't think it would start raining until nightfall or tomorrow morning at the latest. "Why don't you look at that…" Zuko whistled in amusement and something else twitched over his face when they heard the low rumble of thunder not that far away.

"That proves it!" Katara squeaked as she bent an arched shield of water over her head to shelter herself from the weather glaring at Sokka before she ducked under the umbrella on Aang's other side.

"No, it doesn't!" Sokka screeched, holding the egg over his head to protect himself from the rain, a comical sight that caused Zuko to snicker, making Sokka huff and stomp his feet. "You can't really tell the future!" He glared at Katara, causing the girl to smile smugly

"I guess you are not really getting wet then." Katara stuck her tongue out, making Sokka growl and look a step away from attacking… only to suddenly lose his grip on the Platypus Bear egg, causing it to fly through the air.

In Sokka's desperate attempts to catch the egg, the huge thing merely flew away a few feet in the air before it landed on his head, cracking and causing the egg to run down his face, which summoned another round of snickers that made Sokka stomp his feet and point at them with anger in his eyes, looking like he was going to jump them but, in the end, turned around and started stomping away.

"Of course, she predicted it was going to rain. The sky's been grey all day!" It was a while of walking toward the village mentioned by the old man before Sokka shouted, looking so angry and incensed as he stomped in front of the group, refusing to take shelter with them and walking soaked wet in the rain.

"Just admit you might be wrong, and you can come under the umbrella," Katara complained, and Aang couldn't help looking at the umbrella that was barely covering the three of them, and that the only reason that Zuko or Katara weren't soaking wet was that Aang was Air Bending some of the rain away (That… and the fact that Zuko was leaning so closely they were almost flushed together; Aang couldn't help the blush covering his whole face).

"Hah! As if! Look, I'm going to predict the future now." Sokka then stopped walking and started hopping from one foot to another mockingly before turning to them. "It's going to keep drizzling." Which made Aang's lips twitch against his will into an amused smile. "See?" The triumphant look on Sokka's face disappeared, because as soon as he said that, the rain stopped falling and the sky lightened up almost immediately.

Aang could only tilt the umbrella back to observe the dramatic change in weather, and he couldn't help it anymore and let out a bark of laughter that got louder when Zuko stated dryly. "Not everyone has the gift, Sokka." And patted the Zhongyong on the shoulder in consolation, ignoring Sokka's sputtering and pointing to the sky as if it wronged his ancestors.

With that, they continued their way to the village that got nearer and nearer. Zuko and Aang were strolling leisurely under the umbrella, with Zuko leaning to whisper witty remarks now and then that made Aang snicker in delight (Even when he felt his heart pound like crazy, and hoped that Zuko wouldn't be able to hear it from how close they were).

Katara was walking with a pounce in her steps, looking excited and delighted the closer the village became, something that made Sokka grumble under his breath, only to screech in anger and annoyance when Appa who was plodding behind paused briefly to shake his wet fur out, soaking Sokka in the process for what looked like the umpteenth time.

When they finally reached the village, the teens looked at one another before their eyes took the village that lay at the base of a large mountain before finally walking through the entrance into the village… that was how they found themselves inside the fortuneteller's establishment, all of them sitting on pillows situated on the floor with tea presented in front of them.

Katara was pouncing in her seat with excitement and anticipation, while Sokka had a gloomy look over his face, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied the room, they were in. Aang on the other hand, couldn't help but turn to Zuko, who had a bored look on his face, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"You don't believe in fortune telling, do you?" Aang couldn't help but question, wondering why Zuko decided to indulge Katara in seeing the fortuneteller when he was not one to believe in such things like Sokka (Though personally, Aang thought that most if not all people even if they acted in disinterest, would be eager and excited to know about their future and how it would play out even if they claimed otherwise).

"And why would I believe in something as childish as that when I already know my future?" Zuko questioned with a mysterious smile, and Aang couldn't help but ponder this answer, wondering what Zuko meant by it or if it was a Fire Nation thing and related to Zuko being a Kunze and Agni's beloved.

"Sorry for being late, I had an urgent matter to take care of. My name is Meng and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant…" Stopped from asking even more questions by the appearance of a young girl in a pink robe; Aang turned his attention to the girl, feeling a shiver of apprehension running down his spine when he saw the girl's wide eyes fixating on him like a predator seizing its prey. "Well, hello there." The girl Meng, smiled as she leaned toward Aang, causing Aang to glance at Zuko in confusion before returning his sight to the girl.

"…Hello…?" Aang not for the second time in such a short few seconds looked at Zuko, who was gazing at Meng and then at Aang; a raised eyebrow was the only indication that he was giving this interaction his full attention, even when he was acting disinterested and was sipping his tea calmly.

"Can I get you tea or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" The girl leaned toward him even more, and Aang could only glance at the tea that was put in front of him when first arriving, feeling so uncomfortable as he gazed at the girl who held up her index finger in a shushing manner when Sokka exclaimed his want for curd puff. "Just a second. So, what's your name?" Meng questioned enthusiastically, and Aang could only send Zuko a pleading look to help him.

Zuko on the other hand just narrowed his eyes and hummed while sipping his tea, but still didn't interfere or do something to help Aang, which did nothing but make the Qianyuan almost pout at being ignored. "Aang…" He ended up offering, which made the girl grin in delight.

"That rhymes with Meng! And you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?" This was the exact moment that Aang wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole; his face had turned crimson with mortification and horror, and when he heard Zuko spit his tea and then slap his hand over his mouth to hide his shrieking laughter… Aang almost perished then and there.

Aang could only open and close his mouth in mortification, feeling his face burning with humiliation, when he noticed how Zuko turned away and was shaking so much it must have been a tremendous offer on his part to not laugh at Aang's plight like how Sokka had abandoned all decorum and was laughing like a hyena having a fun time. "…I guess…" Aang could only choke awkwardly, his face getting even redder when Sokka threw himself at Aang and continued laughing.

"Don't be modest!" Sokka laughed while spreading his arms outward, giving Aang a huge grin and a wink. "They're huge!" And not for the thousandth time in such a short few seconds since this girl opened her mouth and allowed a Calamity to be thrown on Aang's head, the Qianyuan could only flush with embarrassment, almost raising his hands and covering his ears but reigned that impulse in.

"Well, Aang, it was very nice to meet you." Meng smiled slyly, causing a shiver of terror to race down Aang's spine. "Very nice." Before she turned around and left; Aang wished that he knew how to Earth Bend at this moment, so he could dig his grave just to escape this humiliating situation and be over with it.

"I wish I could say the same thing…" Aang muttered darkly before elbowing Sokka in the ribs to make him stop laughing, to which Sokka only laughed more and more as he returned to his seat, giggling at Aang's suffering. "I don't have big ears!" Aang could only hiss in mortification, hoping Sokka would understand Aang's plight and stop. Aang could not even face Zuko without wishing to perish on the spot after today's humiliating event.

"Don't be mad, pretty boy; personally, I think they are cute." Zuko cooed, leaning on Aang's side while pinching Aang's ear to emphasize, causing the Qianyuan to flush a new shade of red and stutter something unintelligent; not to Aang's surprise, this summoned another round of laughter, and this time Katara joined, even when she was giggling softly and hiding her red face.

"I can't believe we are here in the house of nonsense." Sokka huffed after a while; the group by then, had finally calmed down and stopped their giggling and laughing at Aang's suffering and were waiting for the fortuneteller or her assistant to appear (And by then, Aang managed to get a grip on his pounding heart, and blushing face; forcing himself to act normal, even when Zuko was still leaning on his side close enough for the Kunze's calming scent to surround Aang).

"Try to keep an open mind, Sokka. There are things in this world that just can't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into your future?" Katara said excitedly, gazing at her brother with shiny eyes and ignoring the way Sokka rolled his eyes and huffed.

"It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs, instead of suffering through this hungry and cold," Sokka muttered in annoyance, only to straighten in his seat when he saw the assistant finally approaching the room with a tray of bean curd puffs.

A door in the hallway opened and a woman clad in green appeared, looking so happy and excited as she approached Meng before giggling. "Oh, Meng! Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love. He's going to give me a rare panda lily!" Hearing these words, the girls, especially Katara, eyes widened when hearing that and delight started shining in their eyes…

"That's so romantic!" Meng squealed and looked so pleased while casting Aang a look that made the Qianyuan hide his grimace with his cup of tea as he finally understood the girl's creepy looks and actions… something that Zuko also seemed to understand if the way he snorted with amusement and hide his smile behind his own cup was an indication. "I wonder if my true love will give me a rare flower." Another look sent toward Aang, and another grimace Aang tried to hide and wished Zuko would stop looking so amused (And angry? Murderous? Aang didn't know, but he swore he managed to detect something dangerous shining in Zuko's eyes, every time Meng sent Aang suggesting looks…)

"Is that the big-eared guy who Aunt Wu predicted you'd marry?" And here Aang couldn't help choking on his tea, feeling mortification and shame coursing through him and now was just begging Agni to strike him down with lightning to end his suffering, and when Katara started looking at Aang and Meng and tilting her head as if she was considering what was said (And Sokka pouting while muttering 'Why is it always you! Ugh! What are you, Ladies-magnet?'), Aang almost said enough was enough and pulled everyone up so they could leave.

"Ah, sorry to interrupt Ladies." Zuko laughed leaning on Aang's side while hugging Aang's arm and sending the girls a charming smile. "But this big-eared guy is already taken." That made the girls 'Oh', before flushing with embarrassment and shame, and scurrying away. As for Aang, he didn't know if his face would forever be dyed red at Zuko's bold declaration (Mixed with an insult that made a groan of embarrassment leave him) that caused silence to descend on the room (Oh, Sweet Merciful Lung-ta! Help! Help! Zuko just! He just… be still his pounding heart, be still!).

"Wait, what? You and Aang?! Tui's fin! Now I understand what Suki meant!" Sokka moaned, hiding his face with his hands while sending Aang a flabbergasted look. "How did I not notice when he practically calls you pretty boy and is always attached to your side?" Sokka muttered, Katara looking at the two of them with wide eyes filled with surprise and wonder as if finally realizing something.

"Welcome, young travelers…." A sharp gasp made Aang look up to see the speaker, seeing a woman in grand robes and golden hair crown looking at them in horror… no, not them… but him… A look of horror so familiar that every muscle in Aang's body froze immediately, and his face stiffened when he saw the woman mouth the word 'Misfortune' before covering her mouth with her sleeve and looking away before masking her face in a stiff smile as she greeted them once more.

Aang remained seated in his place, a stiff smile on his face even when he felt like every sound in the world was sucked out and the only noise heard was white noise without meaning and explanation. Scenes, words, and memories flashed in his mind in rapid succession until Aang all but felt dizzy and suffocated to the point that there was not enough air in the room.

A hand took a tight hold of his, the scent of sandalwood and spice, and Zuko's soft but firm voice calling his name, temporarily snapping Aang out of his panic. "Aang… are you alright?" Zuko whispered, tightening his hold on Aang's hand, causing him to blink and force a smile on his face when he turned to face the Kunze.

"Yeah, sorry, I am fine… sorry, I just need some fresh air." Aang managed to say through his teeth before he stood up and rushed outside the room, ignoring the way Zuko called out to him, wanting to be as far away from here as he could; just so he could finally breathe through the suffocating feeling that took hold of him…

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He needed to breathe…

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…As Aang stood on the rocky edge of mountain Makapu, he could only gaze at the crater in the middle, which was nearly filled to the brim with lava. Feeling like any minute he was going to choke and lose himself; panic and something else had taken hold of his heart and twisted until Aang could only slide down to sit, and try to take deep breaths like how Monk Gyatso taught him to staff the panic attack that Aang felt waving in the horizon.

"Oh…" Aang could only choke, as he gazed at the crater from his seat on the rim, wondering any minute now, if he was going to lose it or something. "Aunt Wu was right…" Aang could only mumble before a choked laugh left his throat. A laugh that was tinged with hysteria and something that not even Aang managed to decipher. "…She was right…" Aang laughed and laughed and laughed…

Only later did Aang realize that he was crying and sobbing as he hid his head between his knees, trying to pull deep breaths and calm his hysteric mind… How stupid of him to forget? How dare he forget?! Did waking up a hundred years in the future make him stupid or something?! Why did he forget?!

It was so stupid… so, so stupid of him to forget what he was and what he would always be… so, so stupid to forget, when everyone around him since young had hammered into his head, what he was and what he would always be…

So, so stupid, that it took him watching the fortuneteller's face fall during cloud reading when she noticed he was still in her village before Aang understood the severity of his presence when the woman gazed at him long and hard before she forced herself to tell them they needed to evacuate the village because the volcano would erupt, causing panic to spread throughout the village.

It was stupid… Aang knew it was stupid, but as soon as the fortuneteller said that he rushed toward the volcano because he thought that if he went there and witnessed with his eyes how the volcano was sleeping and wouldn't erupt, then the fortuneteller's words would be wrong, and that maybe… just maybe… Aang wasn't the Calamity and misfortune that everyone since young believed him to be… it was stupid…

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Because in the end, Aunt Wu was right…

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Aang was truly a misfortune…

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…He wondered when he started forgetting that…

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---

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Aang was pulling away… he was slipping… that was the only thing Zuko could think of as he watched from the sidelines how Aang started to perform that old dance of avoidance and smiles, looking so out of it as he forced another smile on his lips and went on with his days. He was subtle in his absence to the point that not even Sokka or Katara noticed how Aang was pulling away from them and avoiding them in every way possible. A song and dance that Zuko once experienced so he knew the steps and knew how to navigate it.

Aang was slipping… everything was fine… everything was going fine! Everything was finally looking up! But then that fortuneteller dared to look at Aang and call him by the title that defined his beloved's childhood and later his life. A title that all but drove his beloved crazy in their first life, and took Zuko ages to even manage to make Aang believe he was more than that useless title and that the superstitions spoon-fed to him ever since he was a young child, were just that… superstitions without bases and proves.

Aang was slipping… Zuko could only seethe silently, every time he saw Aang staring into the distance with a lost look shining in his eyes before finally, determination colored them as if Aang had reached a satisfying conclusion to follow… a look that Zuko only saw once, but it was enough to know what his beloved was thinking and what decision he had come to.

Aang was slipping… and that only happened once in the past… Once… But it was enough for Zuko to finally understand the weight that Aang had been carrying over his shoulders and was hiding behind those cheerful smiles and goofy actions that fooled them all to the point of no return…

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Once…

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But it was enough for Zuko to know when his beloved started slipping once more…

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Uncle, it appeared that our journey would take longer than expected. We have found some evidence of the Southern Water Tribes' people where we are, at the moment, and we decided to investigate. Meet us at Xiang Shui village in five days.

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In the end, Zuko decided to take the matter into his own hands, and in doing so, he decided to go to the village where the abbey was located, knowing that not only one of the Water Tribes' people was there. But also, if things didn't go as he hoped for, Sokka would have an out and could be with his father while Zuko managed to slap some sense into his beloved and stop him from being stupid.

So, Zuko told everyone about their next destination, and when Aang looked confused and asked about Shiapa Village, Zuko just smiled and told him there was a change in the plans. Sent a letter to his uncle, and led everyone to Xiang Shui Village, all the while trying to corner his beloved and to make him talk, only to fail because Aang when wanted to, he could be sneaky and nimble to the point Zuko would need all of his wits and speed to catch him.

Unfortunately, now was not the time to reveal himself, and Zuko knew better when to choose his fights. That was why he was journeying to the village with Aang and the Water Tribe siblings instead of locking his beloved in some room and forcing him to fess up so he could knock some sense into him.

So, they walked near the beach, getting closer and closer to their destination; Sokka talked about what he wanted to buy from the village, while Katara chatted and gazed at the scene with a happy smile. Waves crashed against the rocks, and the birds chirped from their branches, signaling how nice and calm the day was going to be.

Zuko on the other hand, could only gaze at his beloved, watching how Aang forced a fake smile on his face, and being so quiet and subdued, only nodding or shaking his head while looking forward, like a puppet moving on the will of its Master. Zuko could only grit his teeth and narrow his eyes when Aang for what felt like the hundredth time, managed to subtly maneuver himself to walk at the edge of the group, far away from them as if fearing they would accidentally brush against him and dirty themselves or something.

It was when Zuko was this close to exploding and pulling Aang to slap him silly, did the Qianyuan finally stopped; squinting his eyes, and looked down the slope to not that far away, causing Zuko to narrow his eyes and turn to glance at what Aang was looking at, which turned out to be a sword sticking in the ground.

"Sokka…" Zuko poked his friend's shoulder before pointing down to their find, causing the Zhongyong to tilt his head in confusion before he gasped and rushed to slide down the dirt slope and yanked the sword by the hilt from the ground.

"Eh? Sokka? What are you doing down there?" Katara called out, gazing at her brother with curiosity while narrowing her eyes trying to see what her brother was holding and studying with such intensity.

"Guys… I found a Water Tribe weapon!" That made Katara gasp and rush to reach her brother, her eyes widening even more when they fell on the sword. "Come, see if you can find anything else," Sokka called out, looking so excited and nervous that Zuko could only let out a hum and turn to Aang, watching how the Qianyuan opened his glider and took flight.

Zuko could only let out a harsh sigh through his nose, watching as smoke was expelled, an action that made Zuko twitch but he ignored it for now, trying to focus on his new task of helping Sokka and Katara find their people. "Sokka, Katara! There is a Water Tribe ship near the shore!" Aang called out not five minutes later after his departure; flying around them in circles before directing them toward the ship that was obscured behind lard rocks.

"It's one of our boats!" Sokka laughed almost breathlessly after they reached the boat and he inspected it, looking so happy and joyful as he turned to Katara whose eyes started sparkling with hope. Zuko offered a smile and a nod, and he couldn't help glancing to the side to see Aang's reaction, almost frowning when once more, that mask of the smiling fool greeted him, almost breaking whatever self-control Zuko managed to gather to stop himself from acting without thinking.

That night, Zuko with a thousand percent clarity was sure that other than Katara and Appa, no one had dared to sleep a wink. They settled down beside the Water Tribe ship, Katara in her sleeping bag near Sokka, who remained awake and poked a stick into the blazing campfire. Aang pretended to sleep on Appa's head, leaving Zuko lying in his sleeping bag on Appa's saddle, listening to Aang's breaths, and frowning when it hitched now and then, wanting to talk to Aang but at the same time being unable to do so because it was not time yet.

It was the strange noise that was heard not that far away that made everyone jump and look at one another before turning to the source of the noise. "Who's there?" Sokka shouted as he stood up with his boomerang in his hand.

It was not that long before a man with the Water Tribe's clothes appeared from the shadows, white bandages wrapped around the upper left portion of his torso, and looking confused and surprised as his eyes fell on them. "Sokka?" The man questioned, and it didn't take long before Sokka shouted 'Bato!' in happiness, waking up Katara and running toward the man.

Zuko through all of this remained seated in his place, gazing at the scene before gazing at Aang who remained frozen in his place on top of Appa's head; a strange look crossed over his beloved's face, and Zuko's face couldn't help but scrunch into a harsh frown, part of him knowing what his beloved was thinking, and he decided that enough was enough.

"Aang…" Zuko called out, watching how the Qianyuan seemed to snap out of his daze and turn to Zuko with that fake smile that had been gritting on his nerves ever since that day with that cursed fortuneteller and her village that Zuko really should have burned to the ground for the great offense they dared to commit against his beloved.

This was how they ended up in the abbey, sitting in Bato's temporary lodge. Katara and Sokka caught up with the Zhongyong, looking so delighted and over the moon, while the man laughed and teased them and every now and then, sent Zuko a harsh frown when Sokka and Katara weren't looking (Ah, truly, Water Tribe's prejudice at its finest, but at least Zuko could be reassured that Bato wouldn't dare to do a thing to hurt Zuko. Not because Zuko couldn't handle himself, no, but because the South dealt with male Kunzes by ignoring them and pretending they didn't exist, unlike the North who were hostile to the point of killing).

Bato's actions seemed to have sat Aang on edge somewhat, as the Qianyuan's hackles raised and he made sure to shift until he was hiding Zuko behind his back, an action, even if it was endearing, now wasn't the time, not when Zuko had a long and overdue conversation with Aang that they finally could have after leaving Sokka in safe hands.

"Aang, could you come with me for a bit?" Zuko tugged Aang's robes twice before he stood up and left the room after he saw Katara asking Bato to share another story of his adventures with Hakoda (Just hearing Hakoda's name brought nostalgia and hurt, as he couldn't help but wonder to himself what the Qianyuan would do now when Zuko would stand in front of him as a Kunze and not as the Zhongyong he pretended to be in the past… would Hakoda treated him like how Water Tribes treat Kunzes as outcasts? Or would he treat him like how he did in the Western Air Temple and later Ember Island, like a son? So many questions, so few answers; some that Zuko refused to find the answer to because being ignorant in the face of the harsh truth was better than any heartbreak).

It didn't take long before Aang showed up, and when he did, Zuko could only let out a tired sigh before taking hold of Aang's hand and dragging him outside of the abbey, ignoring his protests and how the Qianyuan tried to tug his hand free. It was only when they returned to where they started, near Bato's boat, did Zuko finally let go and turned toward the Qianyuan with a harsh frown.

"Ok, fess up. I'm tired of this game of cat and mouse so come on, say it!" Zuko hissed, glaring at Aang and trying to ignore the confused look as Aang claimed ignorance and tried to turn away, almost making Zuko stomp his feet like a child before he got a stupid idea, but one that would work well to slap some sense into this idiot and maybe just maybe… "You know, if you felt disgusted by my claim, you should have just told me to my face instead of avoiding me like this. Save me some face, Aang, I am a big boy who knew what the word 'No' meant and wouldn't get angry about it." Zuko hissed, a refined parody of a night that happened years and years ago in the Western Air Temple and brought with it many truths and revelations that flipped Zuko's life.

"What? No!" Aang squeaked, turning toward Zuko with a horrified look before he started stuttering some protests, an action that made Zuko huff and look away, before returning to gaze at his beloved.

"Oh, come on, cut the crap; you started acting strange after I told those girls you were taken, and you are trying to tell me it's not my fault? Do you think my intelligence is so far below that I couldn't-!" Zuko complained, letting his anger at the past few days show on his face, even when it was never directed at Aang in the first place.

"It's not that!" Aang snapped, cutting Zuko from his rant, making the Kunze frown harshly and glare at Aang, watching how Aang looked unbalanced, angry, and so, so sad… He was close to breaking… Was the only thing that flashed in Zuko's mind at that moment. "It's not you, it's just… it's just…" Aang opened and closed his mouth several times, looking so helpless and vulnerable that Zuko's heart broke as he remembered when was the last time, he saw that look on his beloved's face.

"What that hack of a fortuneteller had said?" Zuko offered, finally dropping the ignorant act, knowing that enough was enough, and he needed to talk some sense to Aang before the man did something that he would regret for the rest of his life (Not like Zuko would allow him to do so, not when Zuko spent years making everything perfect for them).

"…You know?" Aang spoke after a while of silence staring at him with shock and confusion. "If you know, then why didn't you sa…?" Aang's words trailed and Zuko could only raise his eyebrow, wanting Aang to continue, but after minutes passed and Aang didn't, Zuko knew he would never be the one to willingly open this subject.

"Because what that hack fortuneteller said was nothing but shit through and through, and I personally don't believe in the stupid tales of old and children of misfortune, that's why." Zuko huffed, pulling Aang to sit with him and lean on the boat before saying. "Now, tell me what's wrong, and why you have been ignoring us for the past few days and are planning on abandoning ships." In a threatening tone that made Aang frown and look away, looking so uncomfortable and nervous that Zuko thought the other teen would bring his marbles just to have something to distract him.

"I am a misfortune…" Aang said after Zuko almost gave up on making him talk; hearing these words once more after what felt like decades, Zuko could only bristle and whirl at Aang, planning on slapping him to the Spirit world if it meant knocking some sense in that empty head of his. "No, please, just listen!" Aang stuttered, backing away when he saw Zuko's dark face.

And so Zuko did, he leaned on the ship and allowed Aang to talk and tell him about this damned 'Star Of Misfortune', about 'Vaatu', about the 'Misfortune Incarnations', bringing with it example after example, and once more Zuko's blood couldn't help but boil hearing these words after all these years…

In hindsight, Zuko should have been glad that this time, he wasn't blindsided like the first time Aang dared to breach this subject. Back then, Zuko wasn't as knowledgeable as he was now and didn't know where to search or read between the lines to be able to contradict Aang and reason with him.

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"The day Roku-!"

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"…Sozin! It was Sozin who…"

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"-Lady Tulan!"

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"Did what she had to do to honor an oath she took and protected a poor group of people who were falsely prosecuted and were about to be killed…"

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"…Notok…"

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"A crazy asshole who killed his brother, sister-in-law, and his own son, before killing male Kunzes who came as peace ambassadors from the Fire Nation…"

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"…A-Avatar N-Norran…"

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"-If you read history books, you would know that Avatar Norran was born three days after the star of misfortune appeared not on the same day-!"

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"But-!"

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"-No but! Aang! If you read history books, which I suspect those assholes never even allowed you to come near one. You would realize that they said nothing but shit and lies to keep you on a tight leash, and allow you to stay in the dark about the true past of those who they dubbed as 'Misfortune' so you would never dare to question them." By then, it had been hours, and maybe the Water Tribe siblings had noticed their absence or not; his words finally managed to shut Aang completely and stop him from saying something stupid.

Confusion, helplessness, and heartbreak shone in Aang's eyes, but it was that doubt that Zuko managed to glimpse that brought him contentment because he knew… "But they… they said… why would they… and then, the fortuneteller, she too…" Aang's voice cracked, and a hitched breath was heard.

"Because they lied; people always lie… and that fortuneteller was a hack, I don't even know how you managed to believe her or believe those stupid superstitions when you are the Avatar, the bridge between the Spirit and the Mortal world, and your job is to practically stop or prevent such things." And Aang lost it, he started crying and sobbing just like he did back then in the Western Air Temple when Zuko spent hours and hours trying to make his beloved see how wrong he was in believing the nonsense told to him when he was young. Zuko pulled him into a tight hug and held him tight, allowing Aang to cry and let all the pain and hurt loose. "Do you feel better now?" Zuko couldn't help but ask after an hour, maybe two? But all he knew by then was that Aang finally stopped crying and leaned on the boat beside Zuko seeming to be lost in thoughts.

"Yes… no… maybe?" Aang let out a groan before hitting the boat with the back of his head. "I don't know, I really don't…" Aang let out a tired sigh, raising his hands to dry-wash his face. "I feel like I am losing it… why would they… these books you talked about…" Aang whispered, his words were disjoined and thoughts all over the place.

"In my room, all of them; if you want, you could have them." Books that Zuko spent years collecting and referencing because he never for once thought that the 'Star of Misfortune' held even a sliver of truth to it (Because if misfortune, happens, it happens and there was no way to prevent it); books that reading and rereading and searching between the lines made him only angrier the longer searched because those records and books were so very different from the stories Aang believed and were told to him. Books that Zuko offered readily, hoping that Aang would take and read them; see for himself how wrong those Air Benders were and how their superstitions held no grain of truth and were just hearsays of frightened people who hated the unknown.

Aang let out a shaky breath before he nodded his head at the offer. "Hey, Zuko… did you ever hear about the Holy City of Lung-ta?" Aang asked after a while of just sitting in silence and hearing the waves lapping at the shore.

That question, brought nothing but a sad smile as Zuko stared into the distance, remembering a time long gone; when Aang asked him the same question and gave him a promise to take him here. "Yeah, I did; once… why?" Zuko turned toward Aang, watching how his beloved had this relieved smile on his face that made Zuko smile.

"…I really want to take you there…" Aang started before a mischievous smile (That lovely, lovely smile, Zuko missed) crossed over his face. "And the books too, I wanted to take them and throw them at that asshole's face who is living up there." Zuko couldn't help the chuckle that left him hearing this.

"You sound so sure they are still alive, why are they still prancing about after a hundred years? Zuko questioned, part in curiosity, part in teasing, raising his hand to pinch Aang's cheek and pull, wanting to punish the stupid Qianyuan for being so stupid to believe in such superstitions.

"Shukooooo!" Aang whined before finally managing to pull his face away and massaging his abused flesh, a pout dominated his face that turned into an amused smile. "And to answer your questions, come Diving Punishment or a Calamity Delight, that asshole would remain alive just to spite me if nothing else." Zuko narrowed his eyes at that, wondering who that person his beloved was talking about, and if he was a friend or a foe, but would never know unless he convinced Aang to talk.

"Now, I want to meet that asshole myself. Call it curiosity." Zuko couldn't help but say in an obvious way, causing Aang to let a bubble of laughter that was so amused and delighted Zuko couldn't help but be proud (How long was it since Aang managed to laugh like this? Hours? Days? Weeks? No, it truly didn't matter the time, what mattered was that Aang was finally listening and was willing to read and learn, even if he would refuse to believe for the time).

"I prefer if you don't." Aang hummed, a soft smile painted his face, and he looked so, so relieved and happy, Zuko relaxed, knowing that he finally managed to do what he couldn't in the past and reach Aang in a way he couldn't before. "Hey, Zuko?" Zuko hummed, turning to Aang who was gazing at him with such soft eyes. "Thank you." Aang looked so relieved and happy.

Zuko wouldn't be ashamed to say he was the one who started it; he wouldn't even hesitate to take the blame, because surely, just looking at Aang's face was enough to break Zuko's last resolves. Without shame, Zuko took hold of the front of Aang's robes and pulled; giving the Qianyuan a soft kiss on the lips like he had been itching to do for weeks.

A look full of amusement and delight crossed over Zuko's face when he pulled back and saw Aang's face was as red as a tomato; looking at Zuko with wide eyes and a flustered face before he started stuttering in a high-pitched voice that cracked in the middle.

Zuko couldn't even hold his laugh, even if he wanted to; an amused laugh shook Zuko's body before he managed to control himself and leaned to kiss Aang's cheek (That was still pink from being pulled on).

Aang became quiet as a gnat after this, hiding his flushed face behind his hands; whining about 'Agni's Beloveds' and 'Conducts' and other nonsense that Zuko never cared about when it came to Aang.

"Come on, Avatar, don't act like this when I already told the world you are taken." Aang if possible, became even redder hearing this and leaned to hide his face between his knees, summoning another laughter from Zuko. "If you care that much about conducting yourself like Fire Nation Qianyuans you know what to do next, pretty boy, other than that, come, I hear someone in the distance." Aang let out a groan while muttering something under his breath that not even Zuko managed to hear, but in the end, he stood up and followed Zuko without complaints, even when a huge pout dominated his face…

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A letter from Hakoda, with a map arrived…

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The next day, Iroh and the ship arrived…

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Surprisingly when they set sail three days later, Sokka and Katara were with them…

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---

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Katara shifted, gazing at the tray in her hand with apprehension and nervousness, wondering if she was doing the right thing or by doing this, she would insult the person she wanted to apologize to instead of asking for forgiveness. Nervously, Katara could only look down at the stew she made, wondering if it was as tasty as her Gran-Gran used to make it (It wasn't like Katara didn't test-taste it or anything, she did and she thought it was adequate; but she never had in her life made it from scratch, only help Gran-Gran make it… that and she doesn't even know if Prince Zuko would hate the fishy taste or he wasn't one who partake in meat like Aang or…!), and hoping that her act of friendship would be taken as such…

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It's alright… it's alright! Just go there, give it to him, and tell him how sorry you are and that you wanted to open a new page and hopefully become acquaintances if not friends an-!

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"Katara?" Sokka's surprised voice snapped Katara out of her pep talk, and caused her to flinch harshly to the point of almost dropping the tray in surprise; cursing when the stew almost slushed dangerously toward the edge of the bowl to dirty the tray and everything surrounding it. "What are you doing here? Oh! Is that Gran-Gran's fish stew?!" The delight in Sokka's voice made Katara twist her face into a pout and turn to the teenager, blinking in confusion when she saw Sokka carrying what looked like engines, sheets of metal, and Spirits above know-what.

"Yeah, but, it's not for you." Katara squeaked and pulled the tray and the bowl away from Sokka's grapy hands, wanting to give it to Prince Zuko and apologize. "It's for Prince Zuko, you know… to say I'm sorry for how I acted…" Katara mumbled her last words, shifting uncomfortably, especially when she saw Sokka pause, a strange look crossed over his face.

Three weeks… that was how long since Jet's incident, where Katara was too stupid and too blinded by her prejudice and hate that she didn't realize who was the bad guy and who was the good guy until it was almost too late and innocent people all but lost their lives because of her blindness.

Three weeks… that was how long since Katara finally opened her eyes and realized how shitty she was acting all these weeks. She was a shitty friend to Aang who spent all of his time trying to mediate between the Fire Nation crew and stop the hostility from increasing until Aang all but exploded from tiredness and anger. She was a shitty sister to Sokka, who again and again, was forced to apologize on Katara's behalf and bow to every person she offended; forever lowering his head and having nasty criticism thrown his way for not being able to reign his sister in. She was a shitty ally to Prince Zuko and General Iroh, the people from the Fire Nation who decided to stand beside Aang and the rest of the world to fight against the Fire Lord and the nasty people under his command; she was nothing but mean and nasty as she again and again broke their laws, disregarded their culture, and treated Prince Zuko who helped them when he didn't need to, like shit…

Three weeks… that was how long since Katara realized she was all wrong, that her actions were wrong, that her culture was wrong to treat Kunzes like they were unnatural, and that she needed to change or else in the future, she could turn out like Jet… or worse… something that made her lay awake at night, feeling horror and terror at the mere thought of turning to such a deranged person that wouldn't care about hurting the innocent to further their plans… someone even worse than Jet, and Fire Lord Ozai combined…

Three weeks… and Katara had been wracking her brain, trying to come up with a good enough apology, because she still felt like she had overstepped the line one too many times that saying sorry once, was not enough, and that she needed to do something to show Prince Zuko, she meant it when she apologized that time, and that she had truly seen the error of her ways and wanted to start a new page instead of trying to brush everything under the rug and be done with it.

That was why she finally gathered her resolve and went to the kitchens to try her hands at cooking her Gran-Gran's famous fish stew, knowing that food made with sincerity and love would manage to bridge the gaps between people and create comrades and friendship (…Or at least that's what Gran-Gran had taught her… sadly Katara doesn't know anything about the Fire Nation culture and their thoughts about such action; part of her was even terrified this was an insult or something, the reason why she had procrastinated in preparing the food and giving it to Prince Zuko).

"Ah…" Sokka looked around, shifting nervously before putting his loot in one of the corners before coming to put his hand on Katara's shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. "That's a nice gesture and all… but if you wanted to apologize to Zuko, then discard every thought related to food because he won't eat or come near it… yeah, probably would take it as an insult…." Sokka's voice was gentle and kind as he pulled the tray from Katara's hand.

"H-huh? Why?" Katara couldn't help questioning. Her eyes narrowed, and she felt a spike of annoyance when she saw Sokka start to dig in, a look of delight on his face after the first bite. Well, at least Katara knew now that the stew was delicious if her gluttonous brother started eating it without complaining or something.

"Hm?" Sokka mumbled through a mouthful of food before he blinked and swallowed. "Oh, because he is like Aang, vegetarian… well, not completely… I mean, I saw him eat fish from time to time, but even then, that's like super rare and only happened when there were no suitable vegetarian dishes; other than that, he refused to come near meat, in any way, shape, or form, I even saw him glaring at the meat we brought, when we stopped to resupply in one of the villages." Sokka took another bite of the stew. "He is even more hardcore about it than Aang, and Aang is an Air Monk! Remember that emergency stop we did a month ago to resupply? That was because Zuko went on a hunger strike for like three days, and refused to eat anything when one of the crew accidentally put a meat stew in front of him, so yeah… food is not a great way to try to connect and apologize." Katara could only shift nervously, gazing at the bowl in her brother's hand, while trying to dissect and study every new piece of information, Sokka imparted to her.

"What… what about… vegetable dishes?" Katara said in a tiny voice, wondering to herself if she would be able to make a suitable vegetable dish to apologize because really, she wanted to do something nice to Prince Zuko and Aang, and other than cooking or making them trinkets (Which now was not the time or place, plus she doesn't have the material needed to do so) she doesn't know what to do to convey her sincerity.

Sokka's face scrunched before he took another bite. "Well, that is not going to sell either." He said, making Katara even more nervous. "Second and most important, Zuko only eats what he makes, you probably noticed…" Here Sokka paused a bit and Katara couldn't help but flush with embarrassment because she knew that she was never there with the Fire Nation crew and always locked herself in her room if it wasn't for training in Water Bending, so, really, she wasn't there to notice anything. "…Yeah, anyway. I told you that Zuko was vegetarian right? The next thing you must know is that unless Zuko was the one cooking, he would never touch anything put in front of him, no matter what it was, and who made it. Unless it was tea, I saw him drink tea when someone offered, but that was only after he dipped that silver needle in it, unless the one who gave it to him was General Iroh. I asked about it once, but no one told me a thing; but I suspected it was a poisoning attempt or something, especially after that fight with Zhao." Sokka shrugged, raising the bowl and sipping the broth that was left at the bottom.

"But… but… what about the sweets and treats during the tea parties and music nights General Iroh always hosts?" Katara couldn't help but ask, because she was one thousand percent sure that she saw Prince Zuko eating what was put in front of him during those nights when she decided to leave her room and join Sokka who was having the time of his life playing the Tsungi Horn to his heart content.

"Yeah, about that, he is the one who makes them." And here, Katara could only flush red with mortification. Not only was Katara rude and mean to Zuko; but she also ate the sweets found in the kitchen that were made by him without knowing he made them! To make things worse, Sokka always brought her some of the sweets from the tea parties, even when she refused to go to them. "As I told you, Zuko doesn't eat anything unless he was the one who made it by his hands… which reminded me, I noticed that Aang has been acting like Zuko in the last few weeks when it comes to food, and the only time he ate something was if Zuko was the one who made it or Aang was there during the preparation from start to finish… huh, how strange…" Sokka hummed, giving the tray back to Katara before going to his scrap of metal, no doubt planning on going to his room to tinker with them.

"Wait Sokka! Just… just… how do you know all of that?" Katara said, only to flush later when she realized how stupid that question was; Sokka from the look of it was one of Prince Zuko's close friends, if the way he teased and called him by his name (Also, their road trip which brought many revelations to light), Katara could say with assurance that Sokka probably knew a lot more about Prince Zuko than she would ever know. "I… just… I mean… how can I be… like you… making friends and… all… so… I can…" Katara flushed, mumbling faintly, and a part of her hoped that Sokka hadn't managed to hear her or something because really, this was just embarrassing.

Sokka, on the other hand, just grinned happily and pounced on Katara, pulling her into a tight hug and ruffling her hair while ignoring her squeaks as she squirmed and tried to push the man away. "Sis!" Sokka grinned even more while hugging Katara tightly before letting go, ignoring how disheveled the girl was. "Just be the 'You' I know and everything will be alright!" Sokka patted her head, looking so proud and over the moon, causing Katara to scrunch her nose as she felt her ears burning. "Apologize to the Fire Nation crew, start showing up at music nights and tea parties, talk to people around… You know, making friends and all! Everything would work out, the Katara, who I know is kind and sweet and could charm anyone!" Katara could only look at the ground, a mix of shame and embarrassment coursed through her whole body because the 'Sweet Katara' her brother knew had not been present for a while now. "Hey, look at me, everything is going to be alright." Sokka raised Katara's head, looking her in the eyes with a serious expression.

"How… how do you know? For all we know, I could mess things up again, and make Prince Zuko angry… again…" Katara mumbled, feeling nervous and embarrassed and like she was going to make a mistake that she would never be able to recover from because she was an idiot who was blind enough to hate on someone because her culture demanded that of her.

"Because you are my sister, and I trust you; you got this." Sokka once again ruffled Katara's hair, making her pout and pat his hands away, not wanting him to mess her hair more than he already did. "Plus! This is Zuko we are talking about, and he is like… Crocokitten in disguise! He may look scary and all, but he is soft and cuddly, so don't worry!" Katara couldn't help when her lips twitched into a smile at the silly comparison Sokka did. "Now, come and help me carry these to my room, and after that, the two of us are going up, I heard General Iroh planning on hosting a musical night or something!" Sokka laughed, zooming to his loot and picking all the scraps before forcing Katara to help, telling her little bits of information and the do's and don'ts that would help her make friends with the Fire Nation crew. Katara could only follow her brother nervously, and soak in every piece of wisdom her brother imparted…

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Katara hoped that in the end…

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She would make things right…

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"Did you…?"

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"Oh, Spirits above!"

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"…Prince Zuko!"

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"The Avatar…"

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"…Wait, does that mean…?!"

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"…Oh!"

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"They were seen…!"

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"My Lord… Prince Zuko's ship had arrived at the Northern Pole." A brave (Or foolish, it depended on who you asked) person finally spoke after a heavy silence had taken over the throne room after the Generals, Commanders, and Captains were forced to once more tell the Fire Lord that all of their soldiers and armies had failed to capture Prince Zuko or the Avatar who returned from death, this past month.

Ozai, who was meditating, forced himself to take a deep breath, one after the other; not wanting to lose it and burn the throne room once again, not when it was painful to have this damned place repaired once more when it was only yesterday that the repairs were done. "I see…" Ozai hummed, taking another deep breath followed by another… another… another… "And, is there another matter I should be aware of?" Ozai couldn't help but inquire when he saw how his Generals and Commanders were shifting and looking uncomfortable by the second. "Well?!" He snapped, slamming his hand on the throne's handle, almost burning the place before he managed to control himself in the last possible second.

A woman snorted and leaned on her chair while crossing her arms over her chest, gazing at Ozai from the corner of her eye that held disdain and disgust so obvious, that she didn't even bother to mask it; Ozai bristled at such disrespect but didn't dare to do a thing to the said woman, not only was it because of her noble background and high stand in Caldera, but also because she was the most talented General after his foolish brother.

Lady Huazo, a member of the prominent Sei'naka Clan (The only member from the Sei'naka Clan) that remained in Caldera, and didn't pull herself back and stood beside her Clan in their cold war against the Fire Lord and his household after what happened during the Agni Kai with Zuko and later when he was declared as a Kunze (And damn it all Ozai knew she was a fucking spy, he knew! But he couldn't do anything because his hands were tied and every assassination attempt to get rid of this pest failed!).

Lady Huazo, the hardcore traditionalist that the only reason she remained within his court, was so that she could ensure Zuko's safe return to the Fire Nation and Caldera, and his later ascension to the throne as the new Fire Lord after getting rid of Ozai and Azula… a despicable woman to this day, Ozai couldn't find any evidence that linked her to the numerous assassination attempts he suffered, even when that crazy Qianyuan always gave him these knowing smiles after every almost successful attempt.

"Oh, nothing, Fire Lord Ozai…" The woman spat his title like it was something nasty, and even then, Ozai could only grit his teeth and suffer through such disrespect if he didn't want a blown-out war in Caldera (A war that Ozai knew if it happened then many would side with this woman and Ozai would end up losing before he even started!). "I am just informing you that I will be taking my fleet and laying a siege on the Northern Water Tribe is all." Lady Huazo smirked, and Ozai couldn't help but bristle and almost reject the woman's offer completely off the bat; knowing if this wretch Qianyuan managed to meet Zuko and see him in the flesh, then she would switch her side like she switched her shoes, and in doing so Ozai would lose before he even started.

Ozai could only glare at the woman, feeling so angry and vindictive before he paused and a nasty smile crossed over his face when he finally realized he could hold something over this woman's head. "Ah, I see, then Lady Huazo; I must inform you that if you decide to go down this path, any failure on your part, will result in heavy punishment and execution, no matter what Clan you came from," Ozai stated, feeling so elated and vindictive as he finally managed to find a way to get rid of this woman because want it or not, the Northern Water Tribe's fortress was impenetrable, and for a hundred years, the Fire Nation had failed to take over the North as they did the South.

Instead of being concerned or afraid, Lady Huazo sent Ozai a grin that was full of teeth and malice before standing over and giving a mocking bow while saying. "Of course," Turning away to leave before pausing in her place and sending Ozai a smile that made any elation, he felt about getting rid of this woman vanish on the spot. "Oh, and before I forget; I heard that a congratulation was in order, my Lord." As soon as Lady Huazo said this, Ozai could only smell the terror and fear wafting from every person within the room.

Ozai knew that Lady Huazo did this on purpose, he knew that she did it on purpose and that asking would bring nothing but regrets and fury that would burn the world down. "On?" Ozai spat, feeling so incensed when he saw the pleasure shining in the woman's one eye (Having lost her other eye in a fight against a surviving Air Bender a decade or two back because she refused to kill them based on the fact, they were Kunze, and Kunzes were Agni's beloveds no matter who they were… a Kunze to this day was never found no matter where they searched, but Ozai suspected that this wretch bitch hide him within her Clan's lands and offered him protection from Ozai and the Fire Nation) when he caught the bait.

"Prince Zuko's betrothal to Avatar Aang, of course! The news of this century! Such joyful news, my Lord, to see a new age of prosperity coming to the lands of fire!" And with that Lady Huazo left; her manic laughter echoing through the palace, overshadowing the scream full of rage that Ozai let out and the crackling fire that was let loose and burned the throne room… again.

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Truly… the apple doesn't fall far from the tree…

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…("Why have you been avoiding me?!" Zuko could only hiss after he managed to corner Aang one night; shame and embarrassment curled inside his heart, and burned his body from the inside out to the point Zuko couldn't help but wonder how nothing was set on fire by his mere presence alone.

"Z-Zuko?" Aang questioned, looking so surprised and part confused (And, so, so tired, if those dark circles under Aang's eyes were anything to go by, but Zuko was too angry, too hurt, and too humiliated to offer some sympathy or concern; not when Aang had been avoiding him since they returned from their trip to the Sun Warriors Temple) before apprehension crossed over Aang's face, causing something inside Zuko's chest to twist and hurt so much, that it was a wonder how he was even able to breath and stand up, and not double over in agony.

"Is that all you have for me after ignoring me for days?" Zuko glared at Aang, slamming the Qianyuan into the wall behind him and stopping him from trying to escape from this conversation. "'Zuko'." The Kunze could only mock the Qianyuan, feeling so angry and humiliated to the point of feeling his eyes stinging with unshed tears, which brought further anger and pain and humiliation to the point of feeling like his breath was stolen from him.

Days… that was how long since they went to the Sun Warriors Temple and met the Fire Bending Masters, only to be judged by the last surviving dragons and be found worthy. Something that Zuko never in his life believed he would ever be, but with Aang by his side, he couldn't help but…

Days… that was how long since Aang and Zuko were judged and found worthy, surrounded by fires of all colors that stole their breath away… that stole Zuko's breath away as realization and enlightenment finally descended on Zuko and he turned toward the person who stood beside him, his heart pounding in his chest, and his hand unconsciously went to hold Aang's.

Days… that was how long since the two of them shared a kiss… a kiss that made Zuko's heart skip several beats, and for something warm to curl around his heart as a flush spread across his face. Never before had Zuko experienced such a thing that made him so shy and elated at the same time… the thought of Aang feeling the same… thinking about him in the same way… the possibility of them being 'Beloveds'…

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…But then, everything shattered…

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Zuko didn't even know what happened; they returned to the Western Air Temple, and he thought that everything was fine, that the two of them were a… but then Aang started ignoring him! Suddenly, Aang started going the other way if he saw him waving and walking toward him… suddenly, Aang started avoiding him to the point he stopped attending his Fire Bending lessons… suddenly…

…And Zuko doesn't even know why? To make things worse, he didn't even know why Aang was doing this because this was so out of the norm for Aang to act like this, Zuko was wondering if he was trapped in a nightmare or was hallucinating things because this was not Aang's…

And then Toph pulled him aside to ask if something had happened during their trip together, because of course, Toph would be the one to notice if something was going on, even when Aang was trying to act all normal, and Zuko was left standing on the sideline like a fool because he doesn't know what the hell to do. Toph asked, and Zuko didn't know how to answer her (Or if he would ever dare to tell her) other than saying he didn't know what was going on (A lie? A truth? Zuko didn't even know what to think anymore as his heart shattered to pieces the longer Aang continued to avoid him), which seemed like an enough satisfying answer to Toph because she let out an annoyed sigh, before pulling Zuko to the flower field above the temple for an afternoon nap (Meditation, in Zuko's case).

"…Then, what do you want me to say?" That careless question more than ever what made part of Zuko's heart, break, and the stinging in his eyes increased to the point of his vision being blurred by the tears; the humiliation and the embarrassment were too great for even Zuko to be able to shrug it off or ignore it until he managed to find somewhere away where he could let loose and scream his throat hoarse or cry in humiliation until he gathered his broken poker mask to act as if nothing had ever happened in the first place even when…

"Oh, I don't know. But maybe saving me some face and stopping me from embarrassing myself when confessing would have been a lot more appreciated than this passive-aggressive avoidance!" Zuko snapped. "If you didn't want me, you should have told me to my face and give me some respect by rejecting me directly instead of-!" And then, Zuko lost it and was unable to hold his voice back anymore, and started ranting and feeling so angry and humiliated the longer Aang started to stutter some excuses in the hope of calming him down and making him listen, and that more than ever was what made Zuko shout at him some more…

In the back of his mind, that day, Zuko was grateful that he was of enough sound mind to pull Aang to a dark corner in a faraway place inside of the temple where they wouldn't be heard by anyone because the way they fought back then, was a step away from turning into a full-blown fight with fists and all.

Zuko couldn't even stop his temper from getting the best of him, and when Aang dared to tell him to 'Calm Down' (As if he was just overreacting over something so insignificant and small when this meant something so big to Zuko it was a wonder how he managed to hold back from slapping Aang and just leaving this place, the Gaang, and search for his uncle to stay with him) he couldn't help but lose it in earnest, and to his humiliation, the tears he tried to stop slid down his face, which brought anger, and embarrassment because really, how stupid was he, that he started crying when normally such things don't affect him or brought this kind of reaction.

Spirits above! Even Mai's rejection when he gathered the courage to ask her out after returning home (Or the knowledge of being forced to live the rest of his life as Zhongyong if he wanted to survive the madness that was his asshole family and the palace) didn't hurt this much or bring such a severe reaction like this. "You are an asshole, Aang! I can't believe I was so stupid as to-!"

"It's because I am a fucking misfortune! There, I said it! Are you happy now?" Zuko could only stare, his eyes wide with shock (Not knowing if it was because Aang cursed, or the words he said) as he gazed at Aang who looked as much deranged as Zuko felt at that moment.

Silence dominated the place they stood in, and a hysterical part of Zuko couldn't help but wonder if every sound was sucked out of this world, then and there. "…W-what?" Zuko managed to whisper, maybe after an hour or maybe after a few minutes, but all Zuko knew was that he was left staring at Aang with confusion and a dumbfounded look.

"Don't make me say it again… please…" Zuko remembered the shame and embarrassment that colored Aang's face as he looked away; and part of Zuko couldn't help the hysterical thought of wondering what the hell Aang meant, because what nonsense was the other teen saying?!

"No, you will explain, because I sure as hell don't understand what the fuck you meant and I am this close to beating your ass for making an excuse that's even more stupid and damning than your actions!" Zuko hissed, looking at Aang with narrow eyes and daring him not to comply and avoid his question.

Aang paused before he did, and Zuko was left standing even more dumbfounded the longer he stayed and listened to Aang talk about one of the Air Nomads' superstitions ("It's not superstition! It's real!" Aang had shouted that day, and Zuko didn't even know who was the most hysterical between the two of them; Aang for being forced to admit the reason for his avoidance, or Zuko for looking at Aang and knowing just by looking at him, that Aang truly believed everything he told Zuko. "It's a fucking superstition! How do you not understand that?!" Zuko shouted hysterically, followed by hours of trying to explain to Aang that whatever he believed in was not right and it was so, so wrong, it wasn't even funny!).

The Star of Misfortune, a star that appeared every hundred or so years to bring with it misfortune and tragedies that would break the world into pieces; a star that some believe was Vaatu's signal, and that its appearance meant the Spirit of Darkness and Chaos was close to destroying his seal and breaking loose to spread misfortune to those around. Death, tragedies, accidents, mishaps, and anything else that is negative and bad; being born under this star apparently turned someone into a misfortune incarnation who would bring bad luck of all kinds to people around them.

"You broke up with me over a fucking star that shows up once every a hundred or so years? Did you lose your mind?!" Zuko had more than once stopped Aang and ripped him a new one for believing in such stupidity. Out of every damn book Zuko managed to get his hands on and read about the Air Nomads, this was the first time he heard about such a damning piece of news, and superstition so strong that the gentle and kind people known as Air Nomads would go into such length to eliminate every and any person in their midst born under such a star, to the point of turning into monsters. "Agni above! Aang, please tell me you don't believe in such superstitions?" Zuko remembered pleading with Aang, feeling his horror mounting when Aang looked away.

"It's real…" And then on and on, Aang tried to prove it was real, bringing names from the past that half of them were unknowing and some were famous enough to the point of being known in every nation out there…

Kyoshi's mother, who followed the crook path and became a crime Lord after breaking her vows. The false Avatar Yun, who brought destruction and imbalance to the world until Avatar Kyoshi managed to stop him (And Agni, how Aang stressed how imbalance had reigned during this period because the Star of Misfortune had shown itself twice during the span of fifty years and not a hundred). Avatar Norran, the Air Bender before Yancheng, who was known as the Avatar of Chaos for choosing his thirst for power over balance and peace. Notok from the Northern Water Tribes, who attacked and killed Fire Nation's male Kunzes because of prejudice causing the first war between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes. Lady Tulan from the Fire Nation, who was known as the harbinger of death, and more and more names followed.

Zuko could only stand motionless, feeling like he was suffocating and that something in his heart was twisting when he saw the convection in Aang's eyes when in the end, Aang looked him in the eye and said. "…And me, the Calamity that wiped out the Air Monks…" And then Zuko lost it.

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"Don't you dare bring them into this! Don't you fucking dare bring them into this when everyone and their mothers knew that Sozin killed Avatar Roku to start his plan of dominating the world-!"

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"The day Roku died was the day the Misfortune Star-!"

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"Don't you fucking dare, I say! Sozin left him there to die! He left him there to die, and he could have saved him but he didn't, this is not about your superstitions, but about someone betraying a lifelong friendship because they went blind with power-"

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"-The day Roku died, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruption, all around the world to the point thousands died and you are telling me-!"

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"Coincides! Fucking one chance in a million, but it doesn't mean anything! Doesn't mean that you-!"

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"My mother, Monk Gyatso, Kuzon, the Air Monks! All of them died because of me and you are telling me-?!"

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"For Agni's sake Aang-!"

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And they fought… fought hard, and fought big, to the point that Zuko wondered how no one managed to hear them and come rushing to split them apart because really, they were so loud that it would have been a surprise and a little suspicious that not even Toph managed to sense them and she about sensed everything. By then, Zuko didn't even know what to think anymore and was feeling a step away from slapping Aang silly and hoping to knock some sense into that empty head of his, just so he would stop calling himself a 'Misfortune'.

Zuko had read every book about the Air Nomads' culture and costumes (The ones hidden in Caldera's Sacred Library under the palace; in Ba Sing Se's famous schools and Grand Libraries, the Water Tribes forgotten tomes and books that the Fire Nation managed to loot) and he could tell Aang with clarity that all of the superstitions he was talking about was a shit talk fed to him since young to keep him in line, because not once… not once! Was the Star of Misfortune ever mentioned…

…So, they fought… Zuko trying to make Aang see reason and being this close to throwing him from the temple's ground to the valley below, without his glider the longer Aang insisted that the twisted views fed to him as young were true and that if they stayed together then it meant only misfortune and pain and Zuko could get hurt… and really… really, how stupid was he to…

"-I have to protect the one thing I care about, and that's you! So, excuse me for not wanting to involve you in my mess and ruin everything between us more than I already did because of my stupidity and desire!" Aang shouted, looking so helpless and tired and on the verge of crying if the way he was trembling was anything to go by.

By then, hours had passed (Maybe days? Zuko didn't even know what to think after everything he heard, and he felt like any stupid word that would be said would start another fight between them), and Zuko knew… he knew… that no matter what said or done, Aang would continue to believe in such nonsense and allow it to drive them apart… allow it to drive him apart from anyone out there, a friend or a dear one because he believed he was a…

"I don't care, you could be my misfortune and I don't care," Zuko remembered walking toward Aang who froze like a deer in front of a predator when hearing Zuko's declaration; he remembered how he stood before Aang and gazed at his eyes before he leaned up and shared a kiss that was followed by many words of reassuring and promises that Zuko hoped would make Aang understand, before…

"…Then I will stay with you, and you could be my very own misfortune whom I will cherish…" Zuko whispered softly, cupping Aang's face in his hands; looking directly into his beloved's eyes as he willed him to understand and stop trying to break them apart because of some misguided fear those around his beloved, tried to feed him to isolate him and made him doubt himself until he could only see himself as… a monster.

"D-don't… don't s-say… that…" Aang's voice cracked, and Aang seemed to have finally broken under the pressure; the tears that were held back, slid down his face before sobs wrecked his body. "D-d-don't say that… if you say that then… then…" It hurt… Agni above it hurt when seeing Aang (Aang, that goofy teen who always had a smile on his face or a word of wisdom; the boy whom Zuko fell in love with, even when he knew they should have stayed as enemies. The man who was larger than life and was the rock everyone leaned on and the glue that kept them together) looked this vulnerable and in pain, like any misplaced word would be enough to break him into a thousand pieces.

"Then, nothing," Zuko reassured for what felt like the thousandth time, his hands wiping his beloved's tears away before he pulled him into a tight hug, holding him tightly, and cursing his inability to manage to calm his beloved using his scent (For the first time in years, Zuko regret suppressing his true nature and hiding who he was behind the false scent of Zhongyong and the bitter medicinal tea… if only…). "There is nothing you are going to say will make me change my mind; I told you, I love you and I will stay with you, and believing in some stupid superstitions and allowing it to drive us apart is so stupid I don't even know what…" Tears soaked his shoulder and choked sobs made Zuko swallow and start patting Aang's head, humming anything that came into mind to try and calm his beloved down.

"B-but… b-but the others… l-like me… they…" Aang tried to stutter through his sobs, his words making Zuko so incensed and angry. Not at Aang, never at Aang; but at those assholes who made Aang believe that he was the worse version of himself to the point of always living on the edge and questioning his actions and nitpicking them, that just the thought of being happy and staying with a loved one, brought with it such complexity and agony (And oh, how Zuko almost laughed, and laughed, until he was breathless, because wasn't this what he used to think before he met Aang and realize that he deserved happiness too? That Ozai and Azula were wrong and that Zuko still had the chance to redeem himself and do good without succumbing to and losing himself in his wretched family's legacy that was built on death and blood and lost honor?).

"Some of them did nothing wrong other than being victims, and those assholes who spoon-fed you these tales could have fabricated them just to keep people in line and solidify their superstitions," Zuko stressed these words, tightening his hold on his beloved and kissing his temple. "Those who were the victims, the world hated them and tried to punish them for something they had no control over, so they screwed the world in return; that's that, the end." Another kiss, this time to Aang's forehead as Zuko pulled back a bit. "As a person who knows what it's like to be a dishonored disappointment since my birth; the person dishing the abuse should be prepared to face the consequences of their actions or words when I decide to rebel, or am I not allowed to defend myself because I deserved their abuse for being what they labeled me as?" And here Aang started to protest, trying to tell Zuko that it was never his fault, but Ozai and those who followed him, because they were mad, nasty, and had long since lost their way, making Zuko's lips twitch up into a sad smile. "Then you understand." Hearing this, Aang could only shut his mouth, looking away.

A complicated look made its way to Aang's face, and silence reigned over their small corner of the Air Temple as Aang seemed to be so lost in thoughts, that Zuko wondered if he would ever be able to reach him and make him change his mind. "I… but what if… what if, in the end, they were right… and something bad happened because I was a misfortune… then what?" Helplessness, sadness, agony, and doubts, all warred inside Aang and were palpable on his face, twisting Zuko's heart, and he could only cup his beloved face once more.

"Nothing would happen; Aang, nothing would happen." Zuko glared at Aang, daring him to contradict him, and feeling himself bristling when Aang for what felt like the thousandth time in the past Spirits know how long called himself a misfortune. "You know why?" Apprehension and doubt shone in Aang's eyes, even when the other teen tried to gather his resolve. "Because we are in this, together." After that, it took some time; time for Aang to come around to the idea of not being the misfortune that he always believed in, and that nothing bad was going to happen if the two of them decided to pursue the relationship they both wanted, but Aang's fear of being a misfortune made him too terrified to take the next step…

It took time… a lot more than Zuko would have liked to get through to the person he loved and convinced him that no matter what superstitions the Air Nomads believed in, Aang was not whatever they labeled him as… which was so messed up and scary because Zuko never believed in his life that peaceful and kind people like the Air Nomads could be so cruel to the point of turning someone's life into hell and label them as misfortune because they were born under what they labeled as a 'Misfortune Star'…

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…It was months (Years?) later, that Zuko would end up saying the words he regretted the most in his life… words that as soon as they left his mouth, he felt what was left of his heart, breaking, and that Zuko had committed a sin even worse than Katara's betrayal.

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"You know Aang… in the end, you were right…"

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"You were nothing but a misfortune…"

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Words that burned… words that were said after Zuko learned his daughter's fate; words that were said during a moment of agony and pain as he sobbed and sobbed and thought he was going to finally lose it as he clutched those tiny bones in his hands and close to his broken heart... words that as soon as they left him, he regretted them and wanted to take them back…

That… was the only time in his life that Zuko was glad his beloved was dead and wouldn't be able to hear what was said… that night, Zuko thought he was finally going to lose it because as soon as he said those cursed words, Zuko managed to hear the faint sound that resembled the sound of breaking glass…

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And part of him couldn't help but wonder even after all these years…

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…If that sound was the sound of his breaking heart…)…

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So, what do you think?

Finally, an update!

Man! This chapter was a pain and a half to finish, but it's finally over!

Poor Aang, I really wanted to hug him, but don't worry, Zuko gave him as many hugs as he wanted, and kisses too!

Finally!

The Next chapter will start the Northern Water Tribe's arc! And from the look of it, I would probably cut the chapter into two because man it would be a journey and a half to finish.

Read and Review

And tell me what you think…

Nazaki-Sama