"Being the Avatar isn't about who deserves help," Aang managed. "It's about making things right. The world needs to be balanced again. That means we have to stop the Fire Nation." He swallowed. "And it means I forgive you."
Tao glanced away. "I don't deserve it."
"Gyatso said once, nobody deserves to be forgiven." Aang remembered that day, trying not to hurt inside. Guru Pathik had said the Air Nomad's love had been reborn as new love... but it was Gyatso. "I told him that sounded awful. There had to be something somebody could do. But he said no. Forgiveness isn't about them. It's about you." He took a deep breath. "What you said - it hurts. A lot. But you've been hurting too, all this time. And when Boots came and found you... you could have left, and we wouldn't know anything. But you didn't. You came to help us. Even... even when you thought I'd hate you." He bit his lip. "And you knew what Roku did when he stopped Sozin the first time. You know what an Avatar can do when... when we get mad." He swallowed dryly. "You're really brave."
Tao raised a brow. "Because I dared to face you?"
"No," Aang said, thinking it over. "Because you didn't stop hoping." He looked at Katara, and her wonder made his heart beat faster. "It takes a lot of courage not to give up."
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