when fire meets air

Chapter 12: Aang

So much had happened in the past couple of weeks.
Sokka and Zuko brought Dakota of the water tribe back from prison, as well as the leader of the kiyoshi warriors, Suki.
He had seen a play about himself which was completely wrong in every way, except for the fact that he had a sinking suspicion that the portrayal of Zuko and Katara was accurate.
As much as it pained him.
He had met a lion turtle, and had mastered all four elements.
And, much to his surprise...

He had defeated the fire lord.

Their battle had brought his very moral compass to the edge of breaking, but he somehow managed to push himself back on track and keep the fire lord alive.

It was a miracle.

He had fought so hard to bring balance, but when the balance finally came...

It felt wrong.

Aang was in the midst of travelling back to the fire lords castle when he heard an explosion, instantly bringing all of the crew within the war balloon to their feet. As quickly as they could, they begun their decent, their tired and weary eyes watching as the recently arrived earth army detained someone in fire nation clothing.

Another blast came from them as the fire bender tried to escape, only to be encased in a prison cell made of rock.

The war balloon finally landed, and Aang was in the crowd in a matter of seconds, searching for Katara and Zuko with a panic set forth in his heart.

That's when he saw her.

Katara was on the ground, surrounded by a crowd of earth nation civilians. They seemed to be trying to aid her, and Aang could already sense that something was wrong.
He ran over to her, dropping to his knees by her side as he stared at what had unfolded around them.
She was burned, badly, a bubbling blistering wound spreading down her neck and onto her shoulder, the skin peeling back to reveal muscle and some bone.
"Katara... what happened." Aang's voice shook, tears threatening to spill with each word that left his mouth.
"I..." she croaked through the pain. "Azula, she was... egging me on. She started talking about my mother, and I... I blood bended." She swallowed hard, here eyes dark with pain and anger and regret. "I started to make her blood boil, I knew it was going to kill her, but i couldn't stop... Then Zuko..." Aang's heart dropped into his chest.
No...
He couldn't have...
"He burned me, to save his sister. I cant believe i trusted him. I cant believe i thought he was our friend..." he knew what she was going to say next, but she didnt out of courtesy.

I can't believe you fell in love with him.

Zuko was taken to an earth kingdom prison, a place where they held only the strongest fire bending prisoners.
He didn't get a trial.
He didn't get a chance.
Aang knew that this was wrong, he knew that he deserved so much better than what he had gotten, but he also knew that he had hurt his friend.
That he had chosen his psychotic sister over someone who he was meant to protect.
He had betrayed them.
Or maybe it was his plan all along.
Instead of capturing the avatar, he'd play with his feelings, manipulate him into falling in love with him...
And then watch as the life leaves his eyes as his father deals the killing blow.

It was safe to say that Aang never wanted to see him again...
Whether that had been out of heartbreak, or anger, or just that he knew he would try to save him the moment his eyes rested on him.
He never visited.
He never asked about him.
He kept quiet, with little attachments, as the avatar should.
He became soft spoken, monk-like, he roamed the earth hoping to spread his story, but more importantly, to get his mind off of the fire prince.
He thought that he would never see Zuko again, that the traitor was fully out of his life...

He thought that for a week...
And then a month...
And then two months...
And then six months...
And then a year...
And then five years...
And then six years...
And then...

Katara spoke up.
She remembered something that had been blocked from her mind from the trauma...
She remembered Azula, bound to the floor, giggling in a panic and psychotic craze as she drew Katara closer and closer, until she was able to take a deep breath and push blue fire from her nose and as much as he tried, Zuko couldn't redirect it.
He was too injured...
So instead of pushing the fire away...
He accidentally brought it closer, scalding her skin and flaying her muscles until they were a bubbling mess, like his face had been in the agnikai against his own father...

Six years after Zuko was imprisoned...
Aang was to see him again.
But instead of being excited...
Instead of hoping that he could regain at least a friend...
All he could think were the words that he had spoken so long ago:

It was a mistake.

AHHHH AND THERE SHE IS, YALL BETTER HOP ON THE ANGST TRAIN CAUSE THIS SHIT IS GONNA BURN LIKE KATARAS NECK!!!

I have finals this week, so this is gonna be the last update for a little while, but I'll be back by the 18th of December, dont you worry darlings!!

Dont forget to push those votes and to go check out my art instagram, maraagainstsociety!!!

Love yall, toodles!!

Dylan ♡