Hello! this part has been rewritten. To view the original text, scroll until you see ✨
CHAPTER 2
HELLO
The Jasmine Dragon is a small, unassuming tea shop just a mile from school. Aang spends Thursday evenings there every other week, and on the other weeks he spends Wednesday evenings there.
It's small, warmly lit and welcoming. There's a plethora of candles and incense and sage burning, leaving ashes on all of the counter spaces.
The owner, who Aang had seen several times, is a short and plump old man with a gorgeous smile and kind words. Aang is sure he has a name, but everyone calls him Uncle. He suspects you need to perform some monumental show of trust and honesty to be able to call him by name, but he'd never bothered to find out. He wears Earth kingdom robes and sandals, and wouldn't be caught dead without a cup of Jasmine tea in his hands. He knows Aang's order, has it ready before he comes in most days, and always saves him the back corner booth— it's his favorite.
Aang knows the tea shop opened several years ago. It's a little mysterious, especially after Uncle had been accused of being a fire bender, which... turned out true... Despite his choice of garments and firm denial. To say he lost considerable business would be an understatement.
Aang didn't mind, though. You have to warm tea pots somehow.
Katara and Sokka are already sitting in his booth when he arrives. He can hear her complaining about the upcoming annual bender's exam. Sokka looks uninspired and bored.
"Aang! Thank god you're here," Kat pats the seat next to her. "Sokka doesn't understand how stressful this stupid exam is."
"I don't really think I'll be much of a help," Aang apologizes as he sits. "No one really has anything to base my forms on."
Katara lets out a frustrated groan. "I just can't believe it's in two days. Gosh, it felt like we started senior year yesterday."
"Unbelievable? Yeah, I'll tell you what I can't believe— there's no showcase for people who don't mess around with stupid magic!" Sokka sits up. "What about a warrior showcase!? Suki can have a— a, a fan show case?"
"Okay, Sokka," His sister mumbles. "The point is to see if the school's curriculum is working... Not to see you swing a sword around like an idiot."
Aang stifles a laugh as Suki finds her way to the table, linking arms with Toph.
The conversation devolves until the stars reach the highest peak in the sky, and Aang excuses himself in favor of the solitude that awaits him at home.
His parents... It was a long story. He obviously needed a guardian of some sort after emerging from a block of ice... So, into the foster care system he went, marked off as an old relic of time, certainly not the avatar. Preposterous, surely...
His adopting parents soon found out otherwise.
Despite his feather-light foot steps inside, a bombardment of fur and slobber meet him anyways as his dog jumps him the moment the door closes.
"Appa! Down!" Aang giggles as he struggles against his large dog and ruffles his shaggy coat.
Appa leads the way, through the imposing empty corridors and unsettlingly clean surfaces— all the way to his room— a messy safe haven for a teenager trapped in a house alone.
✿✿✿
School the next day was the same as every day. Aang remained nonplussed by the sheer amount of crumpled paper, food wrappers and strange stench protruding from Sokka's locker as he rummages through his.
Katara was complaining next to him— perhaps about her mom— but it was really going in one ear and out the other, piling up on the floor next to him.
The distinct, overpowering aroma of a cigarette mixing with cheap cologne distracted them both enough to turn around. Aang's skin flushes as Zuko casts him an unfriendly glance walking past— a cigarette between his scowling lips.
The same worn down clothes hung loose on his slim frame and it looked like he'd gotten a haircut. His hair, which had been a bit past his shoulders, now rested closer to his neck.
And, in that moment that felt like a lifetime, he was gone, stalking down the hallway invisibly.
"That's definitely not allowed—"
"Yeah, that's great, Kat," Aang doesn't spare her another look. "I'll be right— I'll see you at lunch."
She sighs, throwing her arms up.
Aang's following Zuko. Well, that sounds... strange— he's just happening to walk in the same direction, at a slightly faster pace until they're next to each-other and Aang realizes if he doesn't slow down he'll be way too early to class. Which would be embarrassing.
"What?" Zuko says. "I can feel you thinking about talking to me."
"Greeting, hotman!" Aang salutes.
Zuko cringes and looks away quickly, returning with a faint blush. "Don't ever say that again."
Aang likes how light his words are and smiles. "Where are you headed?"
Zuko side eyes him. Aang barely notices him stop in the middle of the hallway, tossing his cigarette on the ground and pressing the toe of his boot to crush it.
"I'm going to pre-calc," Aang offers. Then, "You shouldn't smoke."
Zuko scoffs. "I'm going to AP Elemental." He starts walking again. "That good enough for you? Did you get your good deed in for today?"
The halls are emptying as the bell gets closer to ringing.
Aang hums in thought, decidedly ignoring that jab. "No! Actually, our classes are right across from each other, so if you want we could probably walk together every—"
Zuko shoves Aang against the lockers, his forearm pressing gently to his neck. Aang swallows thick and loud, but he can't say he's scared. Maybe a little threatened. Which, in Aang's mind, are two completely different things. You can definitely be threatening without having the capability of hurting someone.
Zuko blows hot steam from his nostrils and mutters, "I get it, walk to class with the freak, gotta keep up quota as the avatar— listen, nomad, I'm not here for charity points." He releases Aang and steps back. "Piss off."
Aang brushes his shirt collar straight and sighs. "Well, I guess I could walk slightly behind you if that would make you feel better. But we're going to the same place, from the same place."
Zuko seems perplexed, a flash of guilt quickly masked by bitterness. Why isn't this kid giving up?
The bell rings and only then does fear strike through his eyes. "Aw, man— I've never been late to this class— I gotta go, but it was nice walking this far, at least!" He waved and took off running down the hall like a freshman would.
Zuko stands, paralyzed.
After their separate class, Aang held out a small ounce of hope that Zuko would be willing to walk to a shared class, but he was nowhere. No black mop of hair poking above the rest of the students, or billow of smoke (whether from a cigarette or his short temper) gathering at the ceiling.
They're sculpting in art class. Zuko is late, and, out of breath again. Did he take the long way and run here, too? Aang grins at the idea.
"Hey, here you go," Song places a chunk of clay on Zuko's desk.
He stares at it intensely with those equally intense golden eyes, like he expects it to—
"It's not gonna sculpt on it's own," Aang says.
"I know!" Zuko blurts. A few people, including the teacher, glance to see what the issue is, so he clears his throat and adjusts his volume, furrowing his brow. "I-I know."
"Do you not know how? Didn't you take the course prerequisite?" Aang leans down to see through the bangs that had fallen over Zuko's eyes.
"I did, obviously, I did. I just— don't like getting my hands dirty, I guess."
Aang smiles. "I get that. My parents are the same way. If you can't see your reflection staring back at you in any given surface, it's filthy. Even the table cloth."
Zuko smiles, so very slightly. But Aang's heart and brain pump way too much dopamine into his system for it. In that moment, Aang desperately decides he would do anything to get him to smile again.
Aang was so focused on recreating his dog in clay form that when a sudden burst of flame erupted next to him he jumped, the chair underneath him wobbling.
"What was that?" Song asks.
"Nothing," Zuko spits.
Aang gives him a confused look, and he shakes his head. Okay, then.
Zuko's foot nudges his own just a second later. Aang looks over again, ever so patient, giving him the same expression. His palm opens up and there sits a cooked clay sculpture of a dragon, lopsided with oversized wings.
Aang raises his brows. Zuko pushes his hand towards Aang with a severe look, so Aang folds and takes the sculpture. There's some sort of conversation happening, perhaps a little one sided, Zuko is exceptionally hard to read, despite it, Aang can hear just the slight hint of gratitude in his silence.
"I like that one," Zuko flicks his eyes towards the figure sitting in front of Song.
Aang smiles at her, and turns to tell Zuko how kind that was (even if he wouldn't like it— especially if he wouldn't like it), but with a soft breeze, and silent steps reminiscent of an air bender, he's across the room and out the door just as the teacher turns her back.
"He's kinda hot," Song says.
Aang smiles at her again, albeit a little less genuine. The dragon is warm in his palms.
✿✿✿
It's no longer warm by the time he sets it on his nightstand. He knows Zuko isn't an expert at 3-d art (the small sketches he's glimpsed on his otherwise empty notes hint at some other art skill), he wonders when the joints will crumble and turn to dust, leaving him with a few scattered limbs and broken wings.
Until then, however, the dragon sits proud with questionable posture (much like it's creator) looking upon the vast mess of Aang's room.
He forgets about dinner. That's easy to do when your parents aren't there to remind you. He forgets about his homework. That's easy to do when you're too busy thinking about the strange boy that sits next to you in art class. He forgets to call Toph. That's not easy to do, so he might have a little explaining to do, and perhaps an apology.
✨
The Jasmine Dragon, or 'Sherri's' as the students called it, was a small cafe down the street from the school, and around 3 pm, Aang, Sokka, Katara, Suki, and Toph all met up to do homework and talk. They only met there once or twice a week, to drink tea.
Aang was sitting in their usual spot, far in the back of the place, the booth in the corner by the window. Aang always sat next to the window facing the door.
Katara was next, taking her seat next to Aang. Sokka came with her, of course, and sat in front of Aang. Toph sat next to Katara, and Suki took a seat next to Sokka. There was always an empty seat next to Suki.
"I can't believe our bending tests are tomorrow!" Katara buried her face in her hands.
"Oh, please," Sokka snorted. "You always do amazing. I'll tell you what's unbelievable. The fact there isn't a non-bender showcase. We have abilities too! I have a sword, Suki has fans!"
"The point is to see how far along we've come with our bending," Katara sighed. "The junior showcase is in the gym, right after the sophomores."
"We know, we've been there two times already," Toph smiled. "You're getting anxious for no reason."
"I get anxious every year," She said. "Just ignore me."
"We have other classes, also," Suki frowned. "And those have homework. Which is due tomorrow as well."
"Right," Aang pulled out a stack of notebooks for each class. "Let's hurry, I have to get home soon."
♡
"Welcome home, Aang," He said to himself, sliding his bag by the front door.
His house had felt empty for a long time, except him and his foster parents. The only relatives he had didn't visit often, and it was his elder air monk friend that owned the house. He had let Aang stay there while he was in school.
Of course, he always had his Cat and Dog. Momo and Appa. His best friends. Besides... the actual humans... But Appa had been a gift, he was only a puppy when Aang got him. They grew up together.
Appa had the same markings as he did, a faint arrow shape on his forehead. His coat was grey and fluffy, and he was very large. Momo was a siamese cat, he got him probably two years ago. He found him as a stray. With his unusual tail stripes, Aang was sure he was special.
Appa and Momo both slept with him every night. His cat would sleep right next to him, and his dog would sleep beside the bed, on a blanket. They kept him company at night.
His foster parents were barely home. The house was so clean and orginized it was almost unnatural, it was like no one lived there. Except Aang's room. He had decorated it to his liking, and with the whole second story to himself, he could be as loud as he wanted. He could be himself.
♡
Aang was back at his locker, rummaging around for his math text book. He'd just come from AP-Lang, and was already tired of being at school.
Katata was with him, talking about her mom and how she was dead. Katara's mom had been killed around 12 years ago, when she was only 4. She was always talking about it.
But then everything he was thinking about suddenly disappeared, because Zuko was walking down the hall, smoking a cigarette. It wasnt allowed, of course, but Aang didn't think he really cared. He was wearing the same get up, too, white shirt tucked into black jeans, and a short sleeved button up. But it didn't have palm trees this time. It was just a pink floral pattern.
"I'll be right back, Katara," Aang said, shutting his locker. "I'll see you at lunch, actually."
Katara gave a confused stare but shrugged and waved bye. Aang was already speed walking after Zuko. He had promised the teacher he would say hello, but, he already had plans to do that.
"Hey! Zuko! Wait up!" Aang called, pushing past students in the hall way.
Zuko stopped at the sound of his name, and then his face fell when he realized who it was. "What?"
"Uh, I wanted to talk with you," Aang smiled. "Where are you headed?"
"The black abyss of death, eventually," He grinned. "But right now? AP Elemental history."
"Oh, I'm going to Pre-Calc. They're right across the hall from eachother," Aang said. He watched as Zuko shrugged and took another drag of his cigarette. "You shouldn't smoke."
"Yeah? And why is it your business?" He asked.
"Because," Aang grabbed the cigarette from his fingers. "You'll get lung cancer before we can become friends."
"Friends?" Zuko scoffed. "I don't need friends. What I need is to be left alone."
Aang watched as he walked away, and then followed him. They were basically going to the same place, but he didn't want to scare him away.
But then came art class, and Aang had to make sure Zuko wouldn't see him following him. If Aang would hurry up and be friends with this kid they could walk to class together, and he really wanted that.
He just wasn't sure Zuko wanted it...
"Hey, Ty-Lee," Aang gave a small wave to the girl across from him. "Where's Haru?"
"I dunno. Sick, maybe?" She shrugged.
Zuko came in right before the bell, something that Aang felt like was usual for him. He slumped into his seat and breathed heavily out of his nose.
"Where's the earthbender?" He asked.
"We don't know," Aang shrugged. "Maybe he's sick."
"Hm," Zuko huffed.
Aang was frustrated that this kid had the audacity to not be friends with him. It was infuriating. "We're scultping today."
"Shit," Zuko sat up. "Seriously?"
"What's wrong?" Aang smiled. "Can't sculpt?"
"No, of course I can!" He said. "I can. I can, okay? I just don't want my hands... dirty.."
"Mhmm. Okay," Aang laughed. "Whatever you say."
Zuko sighed, a smile creeping onto his face. Aang noticed it, but then it qquickly faded. He was trying to shield his emotions. But why? Aang wanted to know.
The teacher was walking around the room, placing blocks of clay in front of every student. "I want you all to create a small sculpture of your favorite animal. Complete it in the next 10 minutes, that should be plenty of time."
Zuko had a piece of clay sittiing in front of him, untouched. "I don't know what to do with this."
"Just make an animal, like the teacher said," Aang said. "I'm making a crocodile."
Zuko looked down, and then grabbed his clay. He started molding it around and looked very concentrated on it. Ten minutes passed, and he moved his hands away.
"I finished," He said quietly. "It's a dragon."
"Oh," Aang stared at it. It looked awful. But also kind of cute. It's mishappen horns and large wings barely attached to its back gave it charm. "I really like it."
"Yeah, well, take it," Zuko said, leaning back in his chair. "I don't want it."
"It's not baked yet," Aang said. "And the teacher needs to check it."
"I can fix that," Zuko sat forward and opened his palm in front of the dragon.
Orange and red fire shot out of his palm and engulfed the clay sculpture. Aang jumped back as Ty-Lee yelped in surprise. Zuko stopped the flame just in time, as other students turned to look for where the commotion was coming from.
The little dragon statue sat lopsided on the table, baked and hard as a rock.
"Now you can take it," He said.
"Uh, thanks," Aang picked up the dragon and sat it next to his crocodile. "You know bending isn't allowed in class unless the teacher asks you to, right?"
"I know," He deadpanned. "I'm gonna leave early. If she asks where I went... Tell her I went to the bathroom."
Then he threw his bag over his shoulder and walked rather quickly out the door without a second glance.
"He's kinda hot," Ty-Lee blushed.
"Uh... Yeah..." Aang gave an incredulous look. Then he stared down at the dragon in his palm. It was still warm to the touch.
♡
Aang was walking home, still holding the small clay dragon. He didnt want to break it before he could put it on his dresser. He planned to keep it for as long as it would hold together.
When he arrived at home, his parents were already sitting down for dinner.
"Oh, you guys are home?" He set his bag by the door.
"Yes, we finished the meeting early yesterday and thought we'd come down for a visit," The woman with brown hair said. "Come sit."
"What's for dinner?" Aang sat next to his other mom. "It smells good."
"It's only soup," Hannah said, the woman with the brown hair.
"Your mother is very good at cooking," Emily said. She had blonde hair.
"Oh, be quiet," Hannah smiled. "Aang, dear, me and your mother have to leave tomorrow afternoon. We're going to the earth kingdom."
"That's fine," Aang tilted the soup bowl to his mouth and gulped the remaining liquid in a few seconds. "I actually have a lot of homework."
"Oh, uhm, alright then," Emily said. "We'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah, goodnight," Aang rushed up to his room, grabbing his backpack on the way.
Once there, he dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out the dragon. He smiled at it, placing it on his small wooden desk. Then, ignoring his pile of homework, he flopped onto his bed and fell asleep in his jeans.
♡
hi hope u all enjoyed uwu