MfWAT: Third Step Freefall
Memories from Western Air Temple
Chapter Title: Third Step Freefall
Characters: Aang, Zuko and Iroh
Arc: Comet Arc
Setting: after Second Step Losing Balance, before How I Feel
Rating: T
Warnings: slash, platonic kissing between boys (YES, YOU READ RIGHT, KISSING! FINALLY!)
Summary: Half a year previously Aang would never have expected to find the blood red glow of fire being bended beautiful.
Aang really should have been practising. If someone caught him being idle, he would get the scolding of a lifetime. But the youth could not help it, not when he had managed to come across such a breathtaking sight.
Half a year previously Aang would never have expected to find the blood red glow of fire being bended beautiful, but half a year ago he also had never seen Zuko so focused on said bending.
“Awe-inspiring, isn’t he?” a voice murmured from beside Aang and the airbender nodded his head in agreement.
“He’s beautiful.” Only after the words had been spoken did Aang truly realize what had been said. Eyes widening in shock he shot a horrified look at General Iroh. “A-ah, I mean-“
Laughter cut the airbender off and Aang directed his gaze to the ground in embarrassment. Why did he have to go and say that of all things? He knew Zuko valued Iroh’s opinion over anyone else’s, so if Iroh told Zuko that Aang was some sort of creep that should be stayed away from, then Zuko would do just that.
“He’s always been a beautiful child, inside and out.” Iroh’s tone was gentle and Aang found himself relaxing. “But lately he’s seemed strong as well. Would it be correct to assume that you had something to do with that change, young Avatar?”
“I certainly hope so.” Aang chanced to look back at Iroh, only to see that the man’s attention was on Zuko. “I’ve been trying to be as supportive as I possibly can.”
“Something both he and I appreciate, I’m sure.” Iroh turned to give Aang an unreadable smile. He patted the young boy’s shoulder. “You have my blessing.” And with that the man walked off, leaving Aang frowning in confusion at the words. What had he meant by that?
The airbender watched Zuko complete his form, after which the firebender’s attention directed automatically to Aang, like the prince somehow knew Aang was standing there.
“Hi Aang, did you want to practise too?” Zuko was smiling again as he walked to Aang, and the younger boy felt his breath catch. He really had to learn to control that.
And apparently his lapse had stretched too long, when Zuko’s gaze narrowed with worry. “Is everything alright, Aang?”
“Yes!” Aang jumped, feeling his cheeks burn like they were aflame. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Zuko did not look convinced. “You were staring at me.”
“U-um…” Aang quickly looked away from Zuko’s face. “You…uh…”
“Is there something on my face?” Zuko rubbed his cheek with a hand, as if to see if there was anything there.
Aang grabbed the lifted hand and pulled it away from Zuko’s face. “There’s nothing there. Your face is perfect.” Aang felt the warmth of the hand in his and quickly released his grip. “I-I mean, you’re really pretty.” His eyes widened in shock, his startled expression matching Zuko’s own. “No!” He lifted his hands. “That came out wrong too!”
Zuko laughed, not unkindly, and Aang’s stomach flipped strangely. The firebender took Aang's hand and held it securely, comfortingly. “Calm down, Aang. The more you panic, the less sense you make.”
There was truth in the words, so Aang took a deep breath. “I…I just felt like watching you. It calms me.”
Zuko’s cheeks turned a soft red at the admission, the older boy clearly surprised. But he did not seem upset, and Aang noted that the other was still holding his hand. And then Zuko smiled, that specific way that was Aang’s weakness. His lips curled into a wide, quirky curve while his eyes shone like gold in the sun. The awkward ponytail Zuko had tied his hair into to keep the wind from throwing it into his face was slowly coming apart, some of the shortest strands hanging out against his cheeks and forehead. Aang loved seeing Zuko like this.
Wait a moment. Loved? Aang loved seeing Zuko like this? Aang loved…Zuko?
“What am I supposed to say here?” Zuko laughed with awkward humor and Aang was brought back to reality. “I…I’ve never had anyone say something like that to me.”
“I-it depends on whether you like hearing it or not.” Aang tried not to think about how his hand was still being held by Zuko. “Do you?”
Another laugh, a surprised one, and Zuko’s blush deepened. “Funny. Were it anyone else, probably not. But, since it is you, I don’t mind.” Slowly, Zuko’s lips cracked open to reveal a grin, the first one Aang had ever seen from the other. “Since it’s you, I don’t mind how many times I hear it.” Zuko’s hand finally let go of Aang’s own, only to come up to cup the other’s cheek. “Because, it’s the same for me.” And with that Zuko closed the distance between them, tilting Aang’s head back.
“Zuko…” Aang started quietly but forgot what it was that he was about to say when he felt lips against his forehead, brushing against his skin with the lightest of touches. He stared in awe as Zuko pulled back and looked at him. There was something so foreign, so powerful in that gaze that Aang felt the ground beneath his feet vanish. And he succumbed to darkness.
More Memories from Western Air Temple
Chapter Title: Third Step Freefall
Characters: Aang, Zuko and Iroh
Arc: Comet Arc
Setting: after Second Step Losing Balance, before How I Feel
Rating: T
Warnings: slash, platonic kissing between boys (YES, YOU READ RIGHT, KISSING! FINALLY!)
Summary: Half a year previously Aang would never have expected to find the blood red glow of fire being bended beautiful.
Aang really should have been practising. If someone caught him being idle, he would get the scolding of a lifetime. But the youth could not help it, not when he had managed to come across such a breathtaking sight.
Half a year previously Aang would never have expected to find the blood red glow of fire being bended beautiful, but half a year ago he also had never seen Zuko so focused on said bending.
“Awe-inspiring, isn’t he?” a voice murmured from beside Aang and the airbender nodded his head in agreement.
“He’s beautiful.” Only after the words had been spoken did Aang truly realize what had been said. Eyes widening in shock he shot a horrified look at General Iroh. “A-ah, I mean-“
Laughter cut the airbender off and Aang directed his gaze to the ground in embarrassment. Why did he have to go and say that of all things? He knew Zuko valued Iroh’s opinion over anyone else’s, so if Iroh told Zuko that Aang was some sort of creep that should be stayed away from, then Zuko would do just that.
“He’s always been a beautiful child, inside and out.” Iroh’s tone was gentle and Aang found himself relaxing. “But lately he’s seemed strong as well. Would it be correct to assume that you had something to do with that change, young Avatar?”
“I certainly hope so.” Aang chanced to look back at Iroh, only to see that the man’s attention was on Zuko. “I’ve been trying to be as supportive as I possibly can.”
“Something both he and I appreciate, I’m sure.” Iroh turned to give Aang an unreadable smile. He patted the young boy’s shoulder. “You have my blessing.” And with that the man walked off, leaving Aang frowning in confusion at the words. What had he meant by that?
The airbender watched Zuko complete his form, after which the firebender’s attention directed automatically to Aang, like the prince somehow knew Aang was standing there.
“Hi Aang, did you want to practise too?” Zuko was smiling again as he walked to Aang, and the younger boy felt his breath catch. He really had to learn to control that.
And apparently his lapse had stretched too long, when Zuko’s gaze narrowed with worry. “Is everything alright, Aang?”
“Yes!” Aang jumped, feeling his cheeks burn like they were aflame. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
Zuko did not look convinced. “You were staring at me.”
“U-um…” Aang quickly looked away from Zuko’s face. “You…uh…”
“Is there something on my face?” Zuko rubbed his cheek with a hand, as if to see if there was anything there.
Aang grabbed the lifted hand and pulled it away from Zuko’s face. “There’s nothing there. Your face is perfect.” Aang felt the warmth of the hand in his and quickly released his grip. “I-I mean, you’re really pretty.” His eyes widened in shock, his startled expression matching Zuko’s own. “No!” He lifted his hands. “That came out wrong too!”
Zuko laughed, not unkindly, and Aang’s stomach flipped strangely. The firebender took Aang's hand and held it securely, comfortingly. “Calm down, Aang. The more you panic, the less sense you make.”
There was truth in the words, so Aang took a deep breath. “I…I just felt like watching you. It calms me.”
Zuko’s cheeks turned a soft red at the admission, the older boy clearly surprised. But he did not seem upset, and Aang noted that the other was still holding his hand. And then Zuko smiled, that specific way that was Aang’s weakness. His lips curled into a wide, quirky curve while his eyes shone like gold in the sun. The awkward ponytail Zuko had tied his hair into to keep the wind from throwing it into his face was slowly coming apart, some of the shortest strands hanging out against his cheeks and forehead. Aang loved seeing Zuko like this.
Wait a moment. Loved? Aang loved seeing Zuko like this? Aang loved…Zuko?
“What am I supposed to say here?” Zuko laughed with awkward humor and Aang was brought back to reality. “I…I’ve never had anyone say something like that to me.”
“I-it depends on whether you like hearing it or not.” Aang tried not to think about how his hand was still being held by Zuko. “Do you?”
Another laugh, a surprised one, and Zuko’s blush deepened. “Funny. Were it anyone else, probably not. But, since it is you, I don’t mind.” Slowly, Zuko’s lips cracked open to reveal a grin, the first one Aang had ever seen from the other. “Since it’s you, I don’t mind how many times I hear it.” Zuko’s hand finally let go of Aang’s own, only to come up to cup the other’s cheek. “Because, it’s the same for me.” And with that Zuko closed the distance between them, tilting Aang’s head back.
“Zuko…” Aang started quietly but forgot what it was that he was about to say when he felt lips against his forehead, brushing against his skin with the lightest of touches. He stared in awe as Zuko pulled back and looked at him. There was something so foreign, so powerful in that gaze that Aang felt the ground beneath his feet vanish. And he succumbed to darkness.
More Memories from Western Air Temple