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Rebuilding	By : voyager Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Slash - Male/Male > Aang/Zuko Views: 2674 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Avatar The Last Airbender is the property of Nickelodeon. I don't own or profit from the characters or settings of this story. Warning: Deals with adult situations, and characters dying

Chapter List
- 6
- 7
- 8
Chapter 7

Cold Feet and

a Royal Wedding

After what seemed like an eternity, the week between the betrothal ceremony and the actual wedding was up. Aang and Zuko hadn't seen each other since midnight, two nights ago. By tradition, the bride and groom; or in this case, the two grooms were supposed to be isolated from each other for forty-eight hours before the wedding, which was to be held just after sunrise this morning.

Zuko was pacing in his room, he really wished he could see Aang, he really wanted to talk to someone about the churning in his stomach, and the light-headed feeling he'd been having. He certainly couldn't talk to the frustrated tailors who were desperately trying to get their Firelord to stand still while they made last minute adjustments to his robes.

Two doors away and one floor down, Aang was practically climbing the walls with anxiety. Like Zuko, he was very nervous about how the people would react to their Fire-lord marrying another man, from an 'enemy' nation. A few days before, Aang had told Zuko's father that the people were proud and happy for him and Zuko. That wasn't entirely true, but Aang had been pissed-off at Ozai, and just wanted to shut him up. Now the former Fire-lord's hateful words came back to haunt him.

A knock came at his door, and Aang, in his anxiety, jumped four feet in the air. If he hadn't, at the last second, recalled that he was indoors, he would have shot himself into the ceiling. That would be a fine picture for the guests to look at, the Fire-lord standing there beside his consort to-be with a giant welt and an ugly bruise forming on his clean-shaved dome as they said their vows! He went to the door, wondering who it could be, was it already time to go down to the pavilion? Aang felt a sense of relief when he saw Iroh standing there, with that pleasant, wise smile he seemed to perpetually wear.

The old general saw Aang sweating in the uncomfortable suit, and he could sympathize. "You look a little nervous, young Avatar, would you like some valerian tea, it can help calm you." Aang gave him a weak smile and said, "Thanks, but I don't think I could keep anything down, right now." "General Iroh, Aang asked him, "You were married, once, right?" Iroh chuckled and nodded, "Yes, her name was Ila, and she was the great love of my life." Aang asked, "Were you nervous, on the day of your wedding?" Iroh answered, "Yes, Aang, I was; I believe all men who are about to embark on the journey of marriage feel such anxiety." "It is a perfectly natural response." "I've been in battle, I've survived great storms, and I faced the dragons, as you and my nephew did; but never was I as terrified as I was on the day I took my vows." "In Ba-sing-se, I told you that life can sometimes seem like a dark tunnel; but there is always a light at the end, do you remember?" Aang nodded, and Iroh continued, "By the end of this day, you will have reached a very bright light at the end of the tunnel; and you and my nephew will be in a much better place." Aang smiled at the old general, and gave him a hug in gratitude. "Thank you, General Iroh; I'm not so nervous anymore." Iroh returned the gesture, and said, "It was my pleasure to help, Aang. And, please, call me 'uncle'." Aang smiled and said "It's a deal, Uncle Iroh."

In Zuko's room, one flight up, the young Firelord was in a very bad mood, he was sick of these silly tailors poking him with their needles, and sticking their measuring tapes into places where they had no business going! "Enough!" he bellowed, and they stepped back three paces, cringing. "The robe is fine," he said between clenched teeth, "It doesn't need any more alterations!" One of the tailors timidly offered, "B-but, your majesty, the sash just needs…," the man's sentence was cut off with a glare from Zuko that could've melted solid rock. A quiet, but firm knock came at Zuko's door. He thought to himself, 'Whoever that is, must be very brave, or very stupid.' Zuko went to his door and flung it open, barking, "What is…" When Zuko saw who was standing there, he immediately forced himself to calm down. His first assumption was correct; the person at the door was very brave. "Please, come in," he said quietly to Hakoda.

Zuko dismissed the tailors and gestured to a chair; Hakoda sat down and Zuko took a seat opposite from him. Noticing the stressed out look on Zuko's face, and his clenched fists, Hakoda asked, "Is everything alright, Firelord Zuko?" Zuko still winced when people called him that, he now understood why Aang was so reluctant to step into the role of the avatar when it was set upon his shoulders. He especially didn't want it from this man, who Zuko considered a true leader, much more so than he could ever be.

"I never really got a chance to properly thank you for helping my son rescue me from the Boiling Rock," Hakoda began, "So I wanted to do so, before things got too out of control." Zuko wondered, 'If this isn't already too out of control, what is?' "Think nothing of it, I was happy to help Sokka. At the time, I hadn't given any of them a good reason to trust me, but he gave me the benefit of the doubt; so I wanted to return the favor."

"Sokka can sometimes seem like a pessimist," Hakoda explained to Zuko, "But he actually has a very positive outlook on life; he just acts negative, so other people can see the positives in a situation. And, he also understands that building communities is the best way to get past our differences." Zuko admired how well Hakoda knew his son, and was envious that he couldn't have that relationship with his own father.

Hakoda was studying the young Firelord, and saw the worry lines creasing his face, he remembered seeing them on his own face, the day he married Kya. "You're feeling a little bit of the pre-wedding jitters, aren't you?" Hakoda asked him. 'Gods, was I that transparent,' Zuko wondered. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Zuko admitted to the Southern Chief. Zuko admired and respected this man; unlike himself, or King Kuei of the Earth Kingdom, or even his own counterpart, Chief Arnook, in the Northern Water Tribe, Hakoda wasn't the hereditary leader of his people, he had earned it. Because of the war, the southern tribe had been fractured and splintered into multiple small villages, each one with their own chief. Hakoda had been elected by the others to speak for the Southern Water Tribe as a whole, because they respected him.

"Please allow me to give you some fatherly advice, Zuko," Hakoda continued, "A man's wedding day is probably the most terrifying thing he'll ever face, but it can be the doorway to the most wonderful things he'll ever experience." "It may be a little more difficult for you, because of your position, and who you've chosen to marry; but from what I gather from my children, and your uncle, you aren't one to shy away from something just because it's difficult."

Zuko looked at Hakoda, and his sullen expression transformed into one of tentative happiness. He marveled at how a few well-chosen words by Hakoda had turned his whole attitude around. If he ever attained half the wisdom of this man, or Uncle Iroh, Zuko thought he would be extremely lucky. "Thank you, Chief Hakoda, you've given me a lot to think about, but for now, I've got a wedding to get to." Hakoda smiled and put his hand on Zuko's shoulder and walked him out to the pavilion where the ceremony would take place.

Upon seeing the Firelord stepping out into the early morning sunlight, the assembled congregation stood and bowed, to pay their respects. Zuko walked to the dais where Sokka and Haru were already waiting. Aang had asked them to be their groomsmen, and Zuko couldn't think of two better guys for the job. As Zuko passed the front row of seats, he saw uncle Iroh, and his mother sitting there, both with tears in their eyes. The same fire-sage and air-monk that had officiated at the private ceremony last week were here now. Zuko took a deep breath and glanced at Sokka, who winked and gave him an encouraging nod.

An orchestra began to play, it started low and slow, gradually rising to a crescendo, and then slowing and softening again. Five flag bearers came in, four of them representing one of the elements; water, earth, fire and air; and the fifth representing the unity of elements personified by the avatar. Following them in a formal suit was the 'Duke' carrying a cushion on which two rings rested, one was silver, inlaid with opals, and the other was gold, studded with rubies. Behind him came the Avatar, and the assembled guests bowed again in respect, and they kept their heads lowered until Aang had reached the dais, and the altar at the far end of the royal pavilion where Zuko waited. Aang stood beside Zuko, and looked out at the congregation. He saw Katara, with her eyes shining, Toph and Teo were beside her, along with all of the rest of their friends and family.

As Aang got to the altar, Zuko turned and stood beside him as they faced the sage and monk who were to perform the ceremony. As they listened to the clerics speak, they both reminisced about the events that transpired to bring them to this point. Aang smiled as he recalled riding to the Water-tribe's rescue on the back of an otter-penguin; that had been the first time he actually met Zuko, and slid into him and knocked him on his backside. The little children of the village thought that was hilarious, Zuko wasn't so amused at the time. For his part, he was remembering a moonless night, sneaking into Zhao's fortress and breaking out with the Avatar. They had worked so well together, it was almost seamless. It was too bad they still looked at each other as enemies back then. But that was then, and this was now; and he was about to be wed to the young man he once hunted, one of life's little ironies.

The two of them repeated the vows that they had taken a week before, though this time it was in front of a great many more people. Neither young man was thinking about that, they just focused on each other, and the life they would have and the world they would build, together.

After they had exchanged their vows Aang placed the silver ring, symbolizing air, on Zuko's hand; and Zuko placed the gold ring, which symbolized fire, on Aang's. The air nomad monk proclaimed that they were wed, and the fire sage said I give you Firelord Zuko and his royal consort, Aang, the Avatar! A thunderous cheer went up and confetti filled the plaza. Sokka clapped his arms around both of them in a bear hug, and Haru shook their hands. Tears filled the eyes of Ursa and Katara, and old Iroh, even Toph could be see sniffling, a little. Aang felt light headed, he couldn't believe all of this was for them; he looked at Zuko and smiled nervously, Zuko leaned over and whispered, "I know, I hate this kind of stuff too, just go with it; it's only a few hours, and then we can head for the honeymoon. Aang blushed and Zuko grinned.
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Rebuilding