Summary: SLASH A drunken Aang reveals a dark secret that Zuko never imagined. Contains angst, comedy, and an alternate ending! W00t!

An: Haha, this was supposed to be a comedy but somehow my mood dropped like a rock. It goes from angst to comedy-lemon, plus there’s the absurd alternate ending which was ORIGINALLY the real story. I know they’re way OOC, so don’t mention it. Please R&R!!

Behind a Slur

The poor Avatar was obscenely drunk. Zuko sighed as he watched through the crowd as a number of fire nation soldiers laughed and cheered the boy on as he took another shot. Aang was not doing well. His clothes had become loose on him over the past months; his face was now an array of false expressions of his old happiness. At the moment he was looking cheerful to the untrained eye, plastered drunk and drenched with a drink one of the soldiers had accidentally spilt on him.

Elsewhere around the fire nation ball room were representatives from the four nations, cheerfully chattering and celebrating the year anniversary since the Avatar had brought peace to the world. People were dancing in the center of the room, Sokka playfully dancing with Toph who looked petrified as he led her around the floor. Iroh, being the good man he was, was dancing with Katara who had been noticeably abandoned by the Avatar. Zuko wondered what had made them separate so suddenly a few weeks before. Katara caught Zuko’s eye and smiled at him. Zuko smiled back and gave a small wave. A hand touched his shoulder and he turned.

“Lord Zuko,” chimed the Earth King.

“Hello, Lord- umph!” Zuko was embraced and released.

“No need for formalities, eh?” said the Earth King. “I just noticed dear Aang is being bombarded with fire nation soldiers and I fear he’ll make a spectacle of himself if you don’t intervene.” An earth nation representative who was being attacked by a bear called out for the Earth King and he grinned and departed.

Zuko looked at the Avatar who was trying to refuse another drink from a soldier. He had talked to Toph recently about Aang’s behaviour, and recalled it.

“You don’t have to see him to tell something’s wrong,” Toph had said, “He won’t talk seriously to Katara or anyone anymore. I can just tell by his voice, you know? It sounds like he’s tired.”
Zuko neared the group of soldiers who quickly sobered and stood in position.

“As you were,” said Zuko as he took Aang by the shoulders, “be gentle with the Avatar during the next celebration, please. He is under age after all.” Zuko reassured the soldiers with a smile which put them at ease and he walked off with the stumbling bender.

“That stuff’s real strong,” slurred the Avatar, “I think I drank too mush,” he finished as Zuko led him through a hall to his guest bedroom. The room was a large one with auburn decorations and a balcony. The cool night air flowed through the room, creating a more peaceful atmosphere next to the party down the hall.

“I think so too,” said Zuko as he moved his friend to sit on the four poster bed, Zuko pulling a chair up in front of him. Aang was beginning to fall forward and Zuko quickly balanced him up. The Avatar closed his eyes.

“Mmm, Zuko.”

Zuko was startled for a moment. He pushed back the old memories, better said, the feelings he had once dared to consider. It was silly to consider them at a time like this. Aang was the Avatar, powerful and just, but still he was young and filled with the innocence that would lead him to do what it took to make friends happy, even accepting too many drinks to give people a laugh. Zuko shrugged off the thoughts.

“Zuko.”

“Yes, Aang?”

Aang raised a hand awkwardly and slid his fingers through Zuko’s hair. “Why don’t you put your hair up? I thought you would, now that you’re Lord Zuko.”

Zuko tried to ignore the shivers down his spine as the boy’s hand fondled his hair. His hair was longer now, stray bits hanging over his eyes. He had purposely trimmed it the first time he could put it up, because having his hair up only brought memories of banishment and humiliation. Short hair signified freedom.

“It-it’s not long enough yet. Pieces fall out.”

“What bout barrettes?” suggested Aang thoughtfully. They both laughed, and Aang pulled his hand away and shrugged. “Looks good, anyways.”

Aang was looking more pitifully drunk and so Zuko stood. “Hold on for a second, Aang, let me get you some water.”

Zuko was held back by a hand on his sleeve. “Zuko, you’re my friend, right?”

Zuko turned and looked at the Avatar. “Of course I am. What’s wrong?”

“I- I’m really messed up, Zuko,” said Aang as his eyes began to glisten, “That’s why Katara left me. She said I don’t love her.”

“You’re not messed up, Aang.”

“I am,” said Aang as he stood, now looking more ill than drunk. “I… can’t eat anymore. It makes me sick. I can’t drink anything but booze and water and I…”

Aang’s eyes fluttered and his knees buckled, sending him to the floor.

“Aang! Oh God, you’re really sick.” Zuko lifted him up and held him.

“I can’t.. bend,” said Aang before losing conscious.

Zuko paced back and forth outside the door, not knowing what to do as a physician examined Aang in the guest quarters. It felt like forever, dawn light slipping through the windows at the end of the hall. The door finally opened and Zuko was jerked from his thoughts.

“What is it? What’s wrong with Aang?”

The physician put his hands up, “Lord Zuko, please be calm and come in. There’s something I think you should see.”

Zuko followed the physician into the room. Aang’s clothes and shoes were set on the chair. Zuko and stood beside Aang whose bare chest could be seen above the blankets. His ribs were visible, his collar bones protruding sharply, his whole body was emaciated.

“He’s so thin…” Zuko whispered.

“My Lord, that’s not what you need to see,” said the physician. He pulled down the blanket further, exposing the Avatar’s arms. Zuko’s stomach twisted painfully at the lines dancing over his skin. Some of the scars were barely visible, others could have been made only hours ago.

“He said that he couldn’t bend anymore.”

“He did? I’ve seen benders who lost their abilities before. It’s a common symptom of severe depression.”

“Depression.” Zuko repeated to himself. The Aang he knew would never be associated with such a word. “He separated from Katara recently. Is he love sick?”

“It could be,” said the physician, “Love drives people to extremes.”

Aang stirred and opened his eyes. He gasped and pulled the blankets over himself.

“Aang,” Zuko said as the Avatar climbed out of the bed and stumbled over the blanket.

“Aang!”

“No,” Aang cried, “You weren’t supposed to see that!”

“Leave us,” ordered Zuko and the physician bowed and quickly left. “Aang you have to tell me what’s going on. It’s ok to talk to me. You have to talk to somebody about this. Do… do you want me to get Katara?”

“No!”

“This isabout her, isn’t it?”

Aang stopped struggling and looked away shamefully. Zuko watched Aang’s expression, one he hadn’t seen since time before the alliance. He remembered the last time he had seen Aang purely happy, a time about six months ago when he and Aang had been lying on the beach. The sun was blazing hot the sand was warm beneath them; Katara and Toph were laughing and splashing each other in the water. The bison was munching on the grass in a nearby dune, the lemur watching Sokka as he sat on a rock, determined to catch a fish that may or may not have been there.

“I told you this would happen,” said Aang with a grin.

Zuko smirked and turned to the side to look at the Avatar. “Told me what?”

“I told you that we would be friends. Isn’t it great?”

“It’s fantastic.”

“It even nears perfection.”

“Nears perfection? What would make it perfect, then?”

Aang didn’t answer. He smiled at Zuko and looked away, staring past the girls out to the endless ocean.

“Is it about her?” Zuko asked again to the silent, shaking Avatar. Aang’s expression remained stern and somber.

“Please tell me something. Anything.”

“My bending. It stopped while I was still feeling alright. Do you remember when I broke my arm?”

“You crashed into a building when you were flying.”

“I lied. I jumped off a cliff with my glider and I dropped like a rock. I tried to bend again and again after my arm healed but since then I haven’t been able to do anything at all. My body knew there was something missing before I did. I tried all sorts of things to compensate for the sadness but it kept eating me. I started this,” he said, indicating to his damaged wrists, “…because it distracted me. I kept doing it but it must not have helped because Katara left me. I didn’t stop her because I didn’t want to bring her down. Katara… I..”

“You miss her?” Zuko was holding his emotions back like a flood gate. He wanted to hold the boy and do anything to comfort him.

“No.”

The daylight was illuminating the room, pouring into Aang’s grey eyes. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise not to get angry. I think maybe if can I say it then I’ll move on. Promise you’ll just let me leave. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I promise.”

Aang tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He finally leaned forward and kissed Zuko quickly and lightly on the lips. “That’s how I feel, ok? Let me alone and I’ll get dressed.”

“T-that’s what you’ve been upset over? All this time?” Zuko felt the heat grow in him with a mixture of anger as if the old Zuko was kicking him to come out. Zuko slapped Aang on the cheek. “You’re so stupid!”

Aang looked as if he would cry. “Just get out, please,” he begged.

Zuko realized his mistake and grabbed Aang’s shoulders. “No, no don’t cry, Aang I’m sorry. You’re not stupid, I didn’t mean that.”

Zuko leaned forward, kissing Aang.

“I know you’re doing that to be nice.”

“I’m not nice,” said Zuko as he kissed Aang again, “and to prove it, I’ll just do exactly what I’ve been dreaming about since the day I met you.”

Aang’s eyes widened in shock as the Fire Lord kissed him, slowly and more passionately as he pushed him onto his back. Zuko pulled at the blanket separating them but Aang blushed and held it tightly. Zuko smiled and sat back, pulling off his Fire Lord robes. Aang looked away as his blush deepened. Zuko climbed over him and pulled away the blanket, his eyes taking in the completely exposed Avatar. He leaned down and kissed Aang’s collar bone, positioning himself between the younger boy’s legs.

“aaouch,” Aang squeaked.

Zuko blushed from that, “I’m sorry, I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

“Me neither,” Aang admitted, “I never.. you know.. with her.”

Zuko nodded and they both laughed. He tried slowing down, which Aang responded to far differently. He knew he was doing something right from the sweet whimper escaping his Avatar’s lips. Aang’s fingers dug into Zuko’s sides as his back arched. Zuko was so close it hurt when the door suddenly burst open.

“Aang, I heard you were sick! I’m so sorry for-“ Katara’s eyes widened. “Oh!”

Sokka and Toph stumbled in after her, Sokka’s jaw dropping to the floor.

“What’s going on?” said Toph with a confused expression.

“Aah,” cried Sokka as blood spurted from his nose.

“Do you all mind?” said Zuko through clenched teeth. The group exited quickly, the door shutting behind them.

Aang giggled, “Did you see Sokka’s nose?”

Zuko grinned, “Sometimes your Gaang really gets to me.”

Aang leaned forward and kissed Zuko, and to Zuko’s surprise, slipped his tongue into the hot depths of the Fire Lord’s mouth. Their kiss broke and they lay there, keeping the position they were in before the disturbance. Zuko propped himself on his elbow and locked eyes with the Avatar.

“You’re gorgeous, you know.”

“Don’t forget I’m a guy,” said Aang defensively as his cheeks turned pink.

“Even so,” said Zuko as he lifted one of Aang’s arms and slowly kissed his damaged wrist. “Promise me you’ll never do this again. Swear.”

“I don’t need to swear. I have you.”

Zuko kissed him again. “That you do.”

Alternate Ending (before Aang’s passing out or the physician):

‘For Katara’

“It-it’s not long enough yet. Pieces fall out.”

“What bout barrettes?” suggested Aang thoughtfully. They both laughed, and Aang pulled his hand away and shrugged. “Looks good, anyways.”

Aang was looking more pitifully drunk and Zuko began to stand to get water. Aang leaned forward, his arms stretched to each arm of the chair.

“Don’t get up,” he said to Zuko. Zuko obeyed, sitting back down into the chair. His eyes widened as Aang leaned closer. With a swift motion, Aang kissed Zuko and pulled away, grinning fiercely.

“What was that?” Zuko said, stunned.

“It’s from Katara. She asked me to because you returned her necklace.”

Zuko registered the information slowly, his brain still captured by the moist, sexy lips before him. Zuko leaned forward and caught another kiss, this time sliding his tongue between lips and teeth until his battled with the other’s for dominance. Without breaking the kiss for a second, Zuko pushed Aang back onto the bed and straddled him. A moan finally escaped the air bender’s mouth as they broke the kiss.

“And...” Aang paused to catch his breath “And… what was that?”

“It was for Katara, of course,” said Zuko, smiling. “I had to return the message. It’s the only polite thing to do.”

Aang’s grey eyes slid over Zuko stronger than a pair of curious hands, taking him in like a flower to the sun. “You know, besides kissing you, I think Katara wanted to get into your pants as well.”

Zuko knew the game by now and wasted no time in disrobing. “As the Fire Lord, I can only oblige to a lady’s request…” Zuko leaned down and kissed Aang’s jaw, sliding his hands beneath the Avatar’s clothes. Aang gasped as any virgin would at the feel of foreign hands on familiar flesh.

“Because,” Zuko continued, “Katara is just so damn sexy.”

“Yes,” Aang panted, “For Katara.”

R&R, loves.