"But you... are the avatar!"

Goshiki was still, his gaze lost in the void, his eyes shaking with fear, but his thoughts seemed a tornado... what had happened? Had it really been him? How was it possible?

His thoughts were interrupted by a touch on his hand. Koganegawa, taking advantage of the general shock, had run towards Goshiki, had held his hand tightly and had started to run as fast as he could, dragging the boy with him

"Goshiki we have to run faster"Only at the sound of Kogane's voice Goshiki return to reality. His gaze met the one of the Earthbender who was looking at him worried. Goshiki nodded and began to run as fast as he could to not slow them both down. Their hands still tightly intertwined

Futakuchi and Aone were chasing them trying to hit them with small rocks but thrown at a high speed

Kogane had a lamp of genius, slowed down and when Aone and Futakuchi were very close, he opened a pit under their feet.

Goshiki looked back to see, called by the noise of the collapsing earth. "Goshiki hold on to me." Goshiki was hesitant but as Kogane let go of his hand to hold his waist, he clung to his neck.Kogane smiled, before creating a mountain of stone. The sudden rising and falling of the earth gave them enough speed to be thrown in the air

Kogane landed on a branch, and before letting go of Goshiki, he pulled the boy against the tree trunk, pressing his body against the firebender's so that Goshiki was stable on the branch and couldn't lose his balance and fall

"Shhh" Kogane whispered as he looked down to see where Futakuchi and Aone were.

Goshiki could feel his heart beating against his ribcage... he had never run so much in his life... and the heat coming from Kogane's body certainly wasn't helping... their chests were pressed together and Kogane's arms were on both sides of Goshiki's head.

As soon as Goshiki realized how close they were, he felt his cheeks grow hot... but there was no time for that... his thoughts immediately went back to what had happened... Futakuchi's words continued to swirl in his head "you're the avatar!"

As soon as Kogane realized that Futakuchi and Aone had moved far enough, he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Goshiki, their noses touching due to their closeness. Kogane chuckled softly at the contact but as soon as he noticed Goshiki's scared look and labored breathing, the smile left his face in favor of a worried look

"Goshiki hey, what's going on?" He gently shook Goshiki's shoulders, who seemed to be having a panic attack, his breathing becoming more labored.

"Hey, hey shhh, calm down, it's okay, you're safe...". Kogane gently placed his hand on Goshiki's cheek to guide the boy's gaze towards him "Tsutomu..."

As soon as he heard his name with that sweet tone, Goshiki recovered, as if he had woken up from a nightmare. His breathing was still very labored, but at least now it seemed like he was back in control of his body

Kogane breathed another sigh of relief "Good, I was worrying" he whispered, caressing Goshiki's cheek for a moment with his thumb, before moving it away and placing it back on the side of the firebender's head.

"Are you okay now?"

Goshiki was lost in Kogane's gaze for a moment, before coming to his senses "...no...no no no, it's not okay" he said putting his hands in his hair.

Kogane held him by the hips, afraid that he might fall at any moment "hey hey, calm down, everything is... hey..." he said softly taking Goshiki's cheeks in his hands, they were so soft that it felt like holding a pillow.

"... we still don't know what happened right?, maybe the stone was already broken, who knows"

But Goshiki shook his head "Kogane... this changes everything... my life... so it was all a lie..."

"What?! Of course not!" Kogane exclaimed enthusiastically. "If you really are the avatar you have so much power! You can practically do whatever you want!... you can end this war"

Goshiki looked at him with horror in his eyes "are you crazy? And what should I do huh? Unite the people by singing songs of peace holding hands?... all I wanted was to become a skilled general like Ushijima and lead the fire nation to victory..."

Koganegawa's gaze darkened for a moment "but you have the power to end this stupid war. It doesn't help anyone... and honestly we're all tired"

Goshiki lowered his gaze "... but I don't want to be the avatar... I don't care about having this power..."

"But why?! What scares you?"

Goshiki took a deep breath "the avatar is at the service of the 4 nations... it should maintain peace in the world... but I've always hoped to contribute to the victory of the fire nation... in the end we deserve it, right? We have suffered an injustice and now we have every right to take revenge..."

Kogane looked at goshiki for a few minutes before his dark gaze softened "but like this... this cycle of endless wars will continue forever..."

Goshiki sighed "peace is not eternal"

Kogane then gently turned goshiki's face so that he could look at him "... but you have the opportunity to start it... to maintain it... when everyone will know that the avatar is from the fire nation and that he helped to end the war... there is a chance that the other nations will more easily accept various agreements and that there will not be a climate of hatred like the one that reigns now towards the fire nation" as Kogane explained his idea, his voice became increasingly louder and more excited. It seemed like an incredible idea and he even doubted that it had come to him

Goshiki however shook his head "I don't want to bring peace... I just want my people to finally get back what we lost... this is not my role"

Kogane tried to argue but Goshiki silenced him "I have to go back to my team... they are surely worried about me"

Kogane was about to answer but in the end he sighed "alright... I will let you down... but don't think that I won't try to convince you the next time we see each other-" "this is a goodbye Kogane"

Kogane stopped suddenly... he could feel that his heart had stopped with him "what? But... why?"

Goshiki sighed "we should never have become friends... we made a mistake... I made a mistake... we are from 2 different nations, 2 nations at war... we have to end this before it's too late"

Kogane began to get nervous, even though they had known each other for so little time, Goshiki seemed to have become so important and Kogane didn't want to lose him "please no... I know that together we can stop the war... and even if you don't want it, we can continue to be friends-"

"I've made my decision Kogane... let me down" Goshiki interrupted with a commanding tone

Koganegawa wanted to insist but when his eyes met Goshiki's, there was seriousness in the latter's gaze.

Koganegawa sighed, he formed a mountain of rock on which the 2 climbed. Once on top Kogane tried to take Goshiki by the hips once more to hold him, but the latter moved away looking elsewhere. "I don't need it, I can hold myself up just fine". At that point Kogane lowered his gaze, something inside him hurt, something in his chest burned.

The mountain returned to its original place carrying the 2 boys to the ground

Goshiki took a deep breath, his gaze proud but serious forward, his shoulders straight and broad "goodbye..."

Kogane quickly grabbed Goshiki's hand, making him turn his head suddenly. Koganegawa was worried but a small smile appeared on his face anyway "... if you ever change your mind... I'll always wait for you under the tree..."

Goshiki got lost again in those eyes that were now like a magnet for his. Koganegawa did the same, hoping, praying that Goshiki would change his mind and that he would come back to him. Unconsciously his thumb began to caress the back of the firebender's hand with circular movements.

Goshiki then recovered, pulled his hand back leaving Kogane's in mid-air, searching for the contact that was now missing

The firebender nodded before walking away and returning to the outpost.

As soon as he was out of Kogane's sight, Goshiki began to accelerate, until he was running into the woods, the leaves disintegrating under his quick pace.

The tears were falling quickly... surely that day would have left an indelible mark on his memory.

This time he didn't even bother to go back inside by climbing the tree, he entered from the main door and the guards ran to him in disbelief as soon as they saw him

"Goshiki, what happened? How did you get out? Did they kidnap you?" But Goshiki made space between them, the tears continued to flow without restraint

"I'm fine I just have to talk to Tendou, Semi and Shirabu" he said walking briskly towards the room where they were having dinner since it was now dinner time

But when Goshiki entered the room his blood froze in his veins, his body petrified and his gaze stopped on his 3teammates, but especially on the other 2 boys with whom they were arguing animatedly... Aone and Futakuchi

-----------------------------------------

sorry for not posting but I had an exam, I'll try to be more organized next time