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01. Waking Up Together

Somewhere out of reach, Aang can feel the warmth of bright sunlight.

Energy.

Life.

Most of the Fire Lord's chambers still swathes in darkness. Thick velvet curtains over the windows. All of the rugs and bed sheets and the long, majestic tapestries over the Fire Nation Royal Palace's walls made of crimson and gold, gleaming threads.

"Zzzhhhhhhh…"

Aang mumbles, keeping his eyes shut. His bare arm flings out.

"Zzzzuko…"

His fingers creep towards the lump beside him. The lumpy lump begins to snore again.

Aang's eyes force open.

He goes upright slowly without his orange-and-yellow asymmetrical robes. His boots and Airbending staff left carelessly on the ground.

They were all celebrating a victory when Aang gleefully drank too much of the delicious, spiced wine offered by Zuko's uncle. He remembers leaving. Everything else is kind of blurry. Katara would later inform him (with a sigh) that Aang turned the dining hall into a cyclone, showing off his powerful Airbending, and then argued with Sokka about who could eat more bowls of grapes in one sitting.

He was escorted out by a quietly worried Zuko after Aang grew nauseous, bringing him inside his chambers.

Before anything else disastrous happened.

"Zuko… gotta get up…" Aang mumbles again, rubbing a fist over his eyelid. His head throbs a little less. "Sss'rr coronation…"

"Five more minutes…"

Aang yawns. "You said that… mmhhh… ten minutes ago…"

"Good…"

He repeats Zuko's name louder, frowning and grabbing a shoulder through the dark crimson blanket.

Zuko moans in protest, rolling away. Tangles of dark, cropped hair peek out onto the brilliant red pillow. "No, not good," Aang declares, tugging away the blanket until he can see the other boy's face. The half of his face with burn-scars. Zuko scrunches his nose. "The new Fire Lord isn't supposed to be late."

"Aang…?"

"Yeah, Zuko?" Aang whispers. He folds his arms over Zuko's pale, naked chest and rests his head there.

Zuko's mouth twitches up.

"Go back to sleep."

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