jskfkdkkdkf omg :0
♡
Toph leaned against Aang, sighing. He put his arm around her as she sighed. "He'll show up."
"I wouldn't," Toph said.
"...Wouldn't what?"
"Show up," She said as if it were obvious. "If I were him."
Aang felt disappointed at that. Zuko wouldn't show up. He shouldn't, with all that's on his plate. But Aang still wanted him there.
"Two more hours and we have a whole three day weekend," He said.
Toph rolled her eyes. "I live with Katara. Do you really think we're going to be relaxing?"
"Are they forcing you to go out with them again?" Aang grinned. "Last time they took you to a waterpark."
"I think they forget I can't see sometimes," Toph said. "And that I can't swim..."
Aang laughed, and rested his head on his hands. He could feel the slow rise of dread in his chest, so he closed his eyes and tried not to think.
He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there before Toph tapped his shoulder. "The bus is here."
♡
Aang decided it was high time he and Zuko talked. While he had no idea where he was, where to start looking, or where Zuko hung out most of the time, he was determined.
Since he was having a hard time thinking of places Zuko might go, he just went everywhere. The chinese restaurant, the alcohol store, the Jasmine Dragon, and even Zuko and Iroh's trailer.
Apparently, he had passed through the liquor store, and bought a large bottle of tequila with what Aang assumed was his fake I.D. He thanked the man, who had also mentioned he looked like he went towards the train station.
It was a cold night, Aang pulled on his green sweatshirt and tucked his hands into his pockets. He shivered, pulling his hood over his head. It was almost completely silent, except the gravel and rocks crunching under his feet, and an occasional cricket.
When he reached the abandoned train station, it was almost night, the dark sky pushing yhe sun below the horizon. Aang turned to leave, when he heard the familiar sound of shoes on rocks.
"Zuko?" He called out nervously.
After a moment of deafening silence, a dark figure stepped out of a turned over rail car. It was him, and Aang suddenly felt anger boil inside. Zuko had been bumming around the train station while he was worried sick at school.
"Aang?" Zuko asked quietly, and suddenly all of his anger melted away.
Aang stumbled forward and pulled Zuko into an hug. They stood there for a few awkward seconds. Aang shoved him, then. "What the hell? You had me worried sick!"
"I know," Zuko said. "I'm not going to apologize, though. I needed alone time."
"I'm not asking you to say sorry," Aang crossed his arms. He sighed, his frosted breath appearing in front of him. "How'd you get out here? Did you walk?"
"Car," Zuko nodded to a sliver of turquoise hidden behind a bundle of railcars. "How did you get here?"
"I walked," Aang said. "The guy at the store tipped me off where you went."
Zuko scoffed. "You walked all the way here. Of course you did."
Aang shifted his weight around uncomfortably. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm just saying, you always do shit like this," He said. "You always go to such great lengths to make sure your friends are alright."
"I'm a good friend," Aang said. It was painfully awkward, long pauses before every answer and question. "Toph is worried..."
Zuko breathed heavily out of his nose and looked off at the horizon. "I'm not such a good friend."
"No, you aren't," Aang sighed. "...Sometimes."
Zuko smiled at his words, but it quickly vanished. "I spoke to Maia, after what you said."
"You did?" Aang's heart rate picked up.
"Instead of my uncle, yeah," Zuko said nonchalantly, as if it were a normal conversation. He was really good at pretending like he had no emotion. "Iroh doesn't know that I remember... And I'd prefer to keep it that way."
Aang nodded. "What did Maia say?"
Zuko scoffed again, this time smiling. "She's just some stupid bitch I used to like. What do you think she said? Same bullshit she said to you."
"Oh," Aang looked at the ground. "Zuko, I want-"
His phone rang. Aang almost didn't answer it, but something told him it could be important. He held is up to his ear and kept staring at the ground. "Hello?"
"Are you.... Zuko-"
"No, but he's here with me," Aang interrupted. "Did you want to talk to him?"
"Yes, thank you."
Aang handed the phone to Zuko, sighing internally. He felt like he'd never get to tell him how he felt. Aang hoped the phone call wasn't important, so they could resume their conversation.
"Yes," Zuko nodded. "Yeah, I will. Okay. Thank you."
He handed the phone back to Aang. "My uncle has been discharged from the hospital. I have to pick him up within the hour."
"Oh..." Aang said, disappointed.
Zuko took a tentative step forward. "Uh, what were you going to say, though?"
Aang suddenly wished the phone call had been more urgent, wanting anything but to be here, in this situation. "It's not that important."
"Aang," Zuko said, making his heart race. "You walked for an hour down a railroad track at night time, and what you were going to say wasn't important?"
"Right, yeah, I guess that's true," Aang laughed nervously. "Uh."
Zuko patted his shoulder. "You can tell me on the way to the hospital."
Zuko's car was exactly as Aang had remembered it, leather seate that squeaked when you sat down, the keychain dangling from the mirror, the smell of car airfreshner and candles.
Aang had always found car rides to be relaxing, and despite the overwhelming sense of dread he felt, he found himself struggling to stay awake. There was no music playing, just the ambient sound of the car on an empty road.
Flashes of yellow shone through the car when they passed a streetlight or another car. Zuko drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, and for a moment, Aang forgot why he had come along.
"What were you saying?" Zuko said, keeping his eyes on the road.
"I don't want this to.... y'know," Aang glanced at his friend. "Have any affect on our friendship.."
Zuko swallowed nervously, blinking a few times before nodding. "Okay."
"Zuko," Aang sighed. "When I first talked to you, do you know what the first thing I thought was?"
"What?"
"I thought, 'Oh no, he's hot'," Aang smiled, looking at his lap with half lidded eyes. "That doesn't really mean anything, now. I mean, it's true, but I have so much more to say now."
Zuko stayed silent. Aang continued. "I think I first realized I had a crush on you a week after we became friends. You were so.... different. In a good way. I liked how you lived, I liked how you acted, how you didn't care about anyone's approval except me and Toph and your uncle. I like how you care so much for him. I probably sound so stupid right now. Expressing my feelings to a straight boy, and you're probably sitting there, wondering when we'll get to the hospital so you can drop me off and never speak to me again."
Zuko tried to speak, but Aang interrupted. "For the longest time, I had this... ridiculous hope that you might like me back. And, I realize that... right now, I'm being selfish. All you wanted was friends, and instead I sit here and ruin what we had. I'm sorry for that. But I can't... just, keep this in."
Aang finally looked at Zuko, who had pulled into the hospital parking lot. They stared at eachother until it was uncomfortable.
"Are you going to say something?" Aang asked, fiddling his fingers together.
Zuko unbuckled his belt and turned the car off, facing Aang. His voice was hoarse when he spoke. "I-I'm going to kiss you, now."
Aang didn't dare move as Zuko leaned in and pressed their lips together. He let his lungs deflate, climbing over the center console. Zuko took Aang's hands and placed them around his neck. This lasted a few minutes before they remembered oxygen was infact a necessity, and broke apart.
Aang was blushing profusely, now realizing he was straddling Zuko in a hospital parking lot. He quickly pushed himself back to the passenger seat and pulled his hood up over his face.
Zuko brushed his fingers against Aang's arm, and then they made eye contact. Zuko smiled. "I like you too, if you hadn't noticed."
Aang blushed harder, and then pulled his hood off. Zuko got out of the car and made his way around. He opened the door for Aang, and then, hand in hand, they walked to the hospital doors.
♡
The ride to Aang's house wasn't as quiet as previous times, Iroh entertaining them with his stories from the hospital. Zuko didn't dare even look at Aang in front of Iroh, worrying he might pick up on something.
When they finally did arrive at Aang's house, the porch light was on, and so was the kitchen light, meaning his parents were home. Zuko got out of the car with Aang, saying he wanted to walk him to the door.
They didn't speak as they walked up the cobblestone path. Aang raised his hand to knock, but then lowered it. He turned to Zuko.
"What... are we?" He asked.
Zuko smiled awkwardly. "Well, I wouldn't mind... together. Us, I mean. Together."
Aang smiled too, he wanted to hug him or something, but Iroh was watching them. He looked up to say bye, when Zuko lifted his chin up and kissed him, apparently not caring if his uncle saw anymore. Aang put his hands on Zuko's face and pulled him downward, smiling into the kiss.
They pulled away, said their goodbyes, and then Aang watched as Zuko walked towards his car. He'd have a lot of explaining to do on the ride home.
Aang was going to knock, when the door swung open, leaving him face to face with his parents.
"Is that your boyfriend?" Hannah grinned, clasping her hands together.
"You better start talking," Emily said, a faint smile on her lips.
Aang blushed as he was pulled inside, casting one last glance at Zuko's car. Junior year wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.
♡
THE END
just kidding lmaoo
there's one more chapter after this <3