"Aang..." Zuko was breathless.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Who he was seeing.

"Zuko.. Zuko!" Aang shot up wide eyes realizing what he said now.

"You-your actually here?" Zuko was shocked as Aang started to back up but hit the wall and was trapped.

"I-I-" Aang looked terrified that he was caught now. Zuko moved and the avatar closed his eyes not wanting to see how his old friend will react to his appearance.

Arms wrapped around him and was pulled in the tightest embrace he's ever felt.

"You're alive... thank Agni," Aang heard a whisper as he was held.

Tears filled his eyes and finally hugged his friend back and bowed his head down into zukos shoulder. He missed being hugged, he missed his friend so much.

"Are you okay? That was a big hit, how's your head," zuko held the side of aangs head and checking the younger man.

Aangs mouth opened but he was speechless, he didn't know what to say, he wanted to scream apologies. He tried to move but flinched when he tried to move his wrist.

"My wrist, I uh I don't know but it hurts," Aang whispered timidly.

Zuko stood and offered a hand to him. Helping him up without hesitation.

"Yuna hold down the fort and don't tell anyone, I don't want a word getting out," Zuko told her seriously as he put aangs headband back on before they went inside.

"Is that..." Yuna saw the arrows. Zuko shook his head to shut it down immediately and she understood.

"My lips are sealed," Yuna followed them in.

Zuko went straight for his stairs to go home and opened the door enough for Aang to come through. The younger man was careful about it but followed him up the stairs.

"Aito? Ren?" Zuko called and the twins peaked out of their room.

"Ren come out here buddy, lemme see your arm," Zuko knelt on the ground and Ren walked over and showed him the bruises that formed.

"Are you okay?" Zuko whispered to his son brushing the hair out of his young face.

"I'm ok, I was scared," ren admitted. Zuko kissed his forehead and hugged him.

"I'm sorry I should've been faster, I'm glad you're ok, you're so brave," Zuko was relieved and ren smiled hugging his father happily now.

"Thanks to Kuzon," ren giggled.

"Wait.. you're Kuzon?" Zuko raised his brow looking back at Aang.

"Umm I might've been," Aang laughed awkwardly.

"So then you know I've had kids," Zuko set ren on his hip as he stood. Aito standing close in curiosity.

"Yea I've known..." he smiled softly.

"Agni Aang," zuko shook his head and grabbed his kit to wrap aangs wrist seeing it was swollen.

"Sit," he pointed to the chair as he set ren down. Aang listened and sat down holding his wrist anxiously, the twins sat on the couch next to him while Zuko knelt in front of Aang to open the kit and started wrapping the avatars wrist.

"How long you been around?" Zuko mumbled.

"About seven years?" Aang pursed his lips and winced when Zuko pulled to tight.

"Where have you been?" Zuko didn't look at him now.

"Oh you know here and there, round the world and stuff," the younger boy kept his eyes down feeling the disappointment radiating off of his friend.

Neither of them dared to look at each other as Zuko finished helping Aang with his wound. He sighed standing up.

"Boys go back downstairs, stay inside, if those earth benders come back then you get me," Zuko told the twins.

"Papa why are you mad at Kuzon?" Aito asked worried.

"I'm not mad, I just want to talk to him alone," he smiled softly.

The twins listened to go back downstairs as Ren looked back at Aang when they went to the door. Aang smiled reassuringly that he was okay, ren smiled back and followed aito downstairs.

"How long have you known about the boys?" Zuko tsked closing the door.

"Long answer or short answer?" Aang leaned back rubbing his face with one hand.

"The truth," zuko turned back to him seriously.

"Since you and Katara lived in that town a days trip away," Aang closed his eyes smiling a little.

He noticed Zuko didn't see that as humorous as his face dropped like he was the one caught in trouble. Aangs smile faded and sat up straighter, clearing his throat.

"Yea I've... I found you guys a long time ago and when I saw Katara was pregnant... I couldn't show myself to you again, I couldn't bring you guys back to the war with a baby on the way, or babies?" Aang explained softly and Zuko took a seat next to him on the couch.

"I checked on you guys from afar for years, I almost knocked on your door so many times to just make sure you knew I was there but I couldn't, and especially when she left you..." he spilt everything he's been keeping in for the past to many years.

"I'm sorry Zuko," Aang whispered.

"Thank you," Zuko nodded.

"For what?" The airbender didn't get it.

"For letting us have a few years for me to raise these kids without being apart of the war, but fuck Aang..." he placed his hand on aangs shoulder.

"We missed you so much kid," zuko smiled.

"I missed you guys too," aang inhaled a shaky breath. He couldn't believe he finally got to talk to Zuko again and hopefully the others.

"Are you going to leave again? Stay out of sight?" Zuko asked curiously now that the air had less tension.

"I don't know, I wasn't expecting to be found, what should I do?" The avatar shrugged a little.

"Well stay as long as you'd like here till you figure it out, keep in touch this time," the older male stood back up again.

"You've really calmed down over the years, I thought you'd be the one to scream and cuss me out," Aang chuckled tilting his head to the side.

"Maybe a few years ago I would've but I'm just glad your alive avatar," Zuko grinned back.

"Also you gotta tell the kids your avatar Aang instead of hobo kuzon," he told him.

"Can they keep that secret?" Aang asked unsure.

"They can keep a lot of secrets, they know who's on my side of the family," zuko confirmed.

"I'll stick around," the avatar sighed relieved to be back.