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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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Eyes on Fire | Chapter 10

a/n: hi guys! I’m so sorry to keep you in the wait for chapter 10! my car broke down (twice) and I was stranded on the side of a freeway frontage road for,,,longer than I care to remember in this heat. I couldn’t even imagine writing while my hair was falling out from stress. anyway, the toyota is back up and running and so am I with new chapters! I also have this story posted on wattpad for people to share more easily which I can link in another post. I appreciate all the support I have gotten. the love keeps me going!

possible warnings: drunkeness, passing out, illusions to death

Chapter 10 – Inferno

The next morning, I rolled over right into Zuko as I woke up. I had half-expected him not to be there, but being greeted by the warmth of his body was welcome.

“Good morning,” he greeted.

“No,” I replied hoarsely. I pulled the sheets over my head, hiding my face in his chest.

“Five more minutes?”

“Yes.” I said, my voice muffled.

A soft knock sounded at the door and an attendant came into the room.

“Good morning, Highness and Sayuri. Breakfast will be ready soon. The Avatar and his companions are waiting,” he said.

I groaned loudly in response.

“We will be ready in a few minutes,” Zuko said. I heard the door close softly. “Looks like you’re going to have to get up.”

“Can’t believe I don’t get morning cuddles,” I groaned, turning away from him.

“I was looking forward to them, too.” Zuko pulled the sheets from over my head and placed a soft kiss on my forehead and worked his way down to my lips. Another knock on the door.

“Good morning, Highness and Sayuri. I have clothes for both of you here,” Lin said by way of greeting, placing bundles on an ottoman. “Your Grace, the dressers will be in soon to help you get ready.”

“Morning, Lin,” I replied.

“Thank you, Lin,” Zuko said.

I covered my face with the sheets yet again. Zuko forced them off, giving me a look. With another knock at the door, the royal dressers came filing in. I got up and made my way to the bundle of clothes waiting for me.

“I guess this is my cue to exit. What a pity I can’t stay for the show,” I said, sassily as I walked toward the changing screen in Zuko’s chamber.

“Someone’s being a brat this morning,” Zuko remarked.

“Sure am,” I replied.

After we were dressed, we went out to join the rest of the gang for breakfast. The plan was for me to leave the palace by ostrich-horse, alone, and to go to the marketplace and open the Tavern as I usually would on any other afternoon. The rest of the gang would come by later in disguise for the diversion. I wouldn’t be able to see Zuko until later, so I prepared myself to say goodbye outside the palace, just before we reached the gates.

“I’ll see you later, then,” I said.

“I will,” Zuko replied, moving a piece of hair away from my face.

I took his hands and held them in mine. “I’m sorry for being a brat this morning. I’m really cranky when I first wake up. My grandpa says I’m an obake.”

“Ah, yes a shapeshifter. That makes sense,” Zuko replied, smirking.

I perched on my tiptoes to give him a kiss. “I’ll see you soon. Don’t worry.”

“That isn’t my strong suit, but I’ll try.”

“You have to trust me and your friends, Zuko. We’re gonna help you stop this, once and for all.” I started to move toward the ostrich-horse when Zuko grabbed my arm.

“Sayuri, I need to tell you something.”

“What would that be?”

“I—uh,” he scratched the back of his neck and looked down at the ground.

“What is it, Highness?”

“I think you have great breath control. That will suit you well today.”

I narrowed my eyes in confusion and turned around to hop up onto the ostrich-horse. “Thanks, I guess. See you later.” I nudged the animal to move with my foot and started toward the gate. I turned my head briefly to see Zuko smacking his head with his hand in frustration. I maneuvered the ostrich-horse down the switchbacks, and left him with the Chen family to watch until I could bring him back to the palace stable.

I made my way over to the Tavern on foot to get the shopping lists and to attempt to go about my day. I knew Zuko had guards watching me in disguise, but I still felt anxious about being alone. I went about my business at the marketplace as calmly as I could. I ordered plums, rice, and picked up some new yunomi for the Tavern. By the time I got back from the marketplace, it was nearly time to open. I quickly set up the tea kettle and made sure there was enough bottled sake and wine for service. I walked over to the door, took a deep breath, and unlatched it. I turned to my left and snapped my fingers to light the candle signifying we were open.

“Now, I wait,” I said to myself. I heard a tapping on the back door of the Tavern and quickly ran to investigate. Two men were standing outside waiting. One was tall, young, and similar in build to Tatsuo, and the other was short, old and stocky.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

“I guess my nephew did not tell you this part of the plan, Sayuri. I’m here as a decoy for your grandfather along with this young man who works in the palace kitchen. My name is Iroh,” the older man greeted.

“Oh, sorry. It’s an honor to meet you, General Iroh, the Dragon of the West,” I said, quickly bowing.

“Retired General, but you can call me Uncle,” he corrected. “This is Jiang, he’s a bit shy.” Jiang waved.

“I guess you will be Tatsuo tonight, Jiang,” I said.

He nodded.

“And I’ll be playing your grandfather! Drinking tea and playing Pai Sho, a role I was born to play!”

I laughed. “Let me get the board and tea set up for you.”

“Ah, my dear, it would be an honor to have tea served by the woman who had stolen my nephew’s heart,” Uncle Iroh said.

“Stolen his heart, huh?” I chuckled.

“He’ll never admit it, but it’s true.”

I led Uncle Iroh to the front of the Tavern and prepared tea for him. A few customers began to shuffle in and out. I served them while Uncle Iroh sat in the back and played Pai Sho with my grandfather’s usual opponents, who welcomed the fresh blood. I tapped viciously on the counter and sipped tea spiked with a bit of sake as I waited for the rest of the gang to arrive. Finally, I saw Aang and Katara wander inside wearing Fire Nation clothing. They gave me a nod, and turned to Uncle Iroh and gave him a nod as well. I walked over to take their order.

“Hi there. What can I bring you to start off with?” I said.

“Spice tea for the table, please,” Aang said.

“Coming right up,” I said. I prepared a batch of spice tea and brought it to their table. I returned to my usual spot behind the bar and continued tapping on the counter and glancing at the door every few minutes.

“Expecting someone?” Uncle Iroh asked, appearing at the bar. “No,” I said.

“Just ready to get this show on the road.” “That isn’t the only thing you’re waiting for, is it?”

“I guess I’m just waiting for Zuko to break through the door and call the whole thing off.”

“My nephew is very overprotective. Especially when it comes to people he cares about.”

“I know,” I said, looking into my yunomi and taking a sip.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in love before,” Uncle Iroh said, tapping his chin.

I choked on my tea. I put the yunomi down and reached for the tokkuri to top off my tea with shaking hands. Iroh laughed out loud.

“Oh, Sayuri. Love isn’t that scary.”

“It is when you don’t know how,” I mumbled.

“Love isn’t something you do. It’s something you chose to live out,” Uncle Iroh said.

“I guess that makes sense. How do you know when you actually love someone?” I asked.

“You have to ask yourself that question. What’s the first thing you think about in the morning? You don’t need to say it out loud.”

I turned and looked at Aang and Katara. They were wordlessly sipping tea. Aang's eyes were on the door and Katara kept scanning the room for threats, but her hand was absent-mindedly running over the top of his. Perhaps, love was less complicated than I understood it to be. I heard the door of the Tavern open as Suki entered, making her way straight to the bar. She looked different without makeup.

“I’ll have what you’re having,” she said with a smile, leaning up against the bar.“It’s a bit strong, but if you like spice tea, you’ll like this,” I replied.

I poured her a cup of tea and added a bit of sake.

“You like a little bit of tea with your sake, don’t you?” Suki said, giving me a look.

“Sun goes down, sake cups go up,” I jeered.

“The young lady is right, Sayuri. Perhaps this will be your last “extra” spice tea,” Uncle Iroh commented. I chewed on my lower lip. He was right, I needed to be as sharp as I could tonight. Time passes more slowly in the Tavern. The usual rowdy crowd comes in closer to the weekends, and nights like these are normally uneventful. I closed up a few tabs and made sure a customer who fell asleep at his table got home safely. It was time to start the diversion. I had made it a point to keep the tokkuri right next to my teacup to pour little bits of “sake” into my tea. Growing up in the Tavern made me aware of when people had had “too much”, and how their behavior visibly changed. Their laughter gets louder, words tend to get slurred, and inhibitions go by the wayside. The only time I’ve ever seen a man braver than a soldier on the frontlines of the war is when he was completely under the table. I picked up the last bit of my spiked tea and downed it. I glanced over to Suki, who met my eyes, and I gave her a slight nod. I moved my hand across the counter and pushed over the tokkuri and shattered it. I belted out a loud laugh.

“Oopsies!” I giggled. “Now, I hafta go back and clean that up!” I slid off the bar chair and walked with an extra bounce in my step. I swept up the mess and disappeared into the back with slow, deliberate movements. I slipped out of the back of the Tavern and wandered towards the front, swaying and humming to myself.

“Pop can’t get mad at me for breaking his sake set if I’m not there!” I sang to myself. I wandered away from the Tavern. After I was satisfied with the distance I had made, I took a deep breath, turned my face to the sky, and slurred out the words to my mother’s song.

“O, dragon’s lair deep down below.

Keep careful watch over our brother’s souls.

As the Fire Nation rises o’er the slough.

Keep watching over…Ursa’s son.”

Smoke began to pool at my feet and at my sides, and I felt a dark presence growing behind me. I let out my best drunken laugh. “Who’s there?” I sang.

“You don’t remember us?” a familiar voice.

“No,” I said, still looking straight ahead. “remind me.”

“Stupid girl. No one is coming for you,” the voice taunted. I turned around to greet the masked figures.

“Maybe no one has to.” I took a deep breath and shot fire from my fists toward the smoke-clad figures before moving back. The figures advanced, one with a mysterious vial in her hands. I backed away, fists up, ready to shoot fire again. As I started to turn to maneuver away, I collided with a masked man, who tried to grab me. It was obvious that I was outnumbered, where the hell were my friends - I slid underneath the masked man’s legs and pushed him over from behind. The Kemurikage veered forward to grab me again and I shot fire from my fists to move them away. I pushed myself past them and started to run back towards the Tavern, clearly something wasn’t right. The gang should have been with me by now. I could see the Kemurikage running on the roofs of the houses that lined the street I was running on. One of them threw knives at me. I bended a shield of water from the nearby stream, then shot ice daggers back. I returned to the Tavern to find it in chaos, the gang were all engaged in battle with another set of masked men and Kemurikage.

“Zuko!” I shouted.

“Sayuri, get out of here! Go back to the Palace!” he shouted back. I watched a masked man come up behind Zuko. I shot a stream of fire from my fists and bended water to freeze him in place. Zuko turned around.

“You were saying?” I asked.

I jumped next to Zuko and bended water from the stream around me into a circle of tentacles, shooting ice daggers at the masked men surrounding us, while Zuko shot fire from his fists. I managed to disable a few of the masked men until I noticed Katara falling down, hit by a Kemurikage’s dagger. I rushed to her side and water whipped the dagger out of the figure's hands, giving Katara time to get up and continue to fight. I turned around to check on Zuko. He had gone over to help Suki and Ty-Lee, who were gradually being cornered into an alleyway. Noticing a Kemurikage coming up on the roof behind them, I snaked a rope of water around the figure’s ankle, causing him to topple from the roof. I froze his hands and feet to the ground. Another Kemurikage appeared out of the shadows and ran over to their accomplice, who was bound to the ground by the ice I’d created. This one moved fluidly and noticeably different from the rest of the group. She broke her accomplice from her bindings and pulled off her mask revealing her identity. It was Azula.

I frantically scanned the area for Zuko, but he was across the street at the entrance of an alley. I was on my own.

“Aww, Zuzu! You brought your friends to the party. This was supposed to be a family get-together to meet your bar wench of a girlfriend!” Azula yelled, sarcastically.

“Give it up, Azula, your Kemurikage game is over!” Zuko shouted. “We took out all your accomplices, and I’m putting them away for a long time!”

“You think this is over?” Azula retorted, her voice echoing across the street.

“In case you didn’t notice, Princess, your buddies are all dregs for the street!” Katara shouted back.

“You think you peasants and the barslut can take me down? You haven’t seen anything yet.”

I spied a Kemurikage getting up from the ground, lunging for Zuko. I bent two water ropes and dragged him by the ankles into the stream.

“Hmm. She is quite powerful,” Azula mused. “Too bad she chose such a terrible boyfriend.” I watched in horror as blue-colored lightning manifested from her fingertips. It sparked from her hands toward me and I felt the whole world slow down. My body felt like I was stuck in a dream, trying to run away but slowed by some invisible force. I angled myself to jump away, but caught Azula’s lightning on my side. Pain tore through my body. Muffled screams filled the air. As I started to sink down, I saw Zuko running toward me, and felt him grab my arm. My whole body became heavier and heavier until my vision washed out and I hit the ground.

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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hiii i love your work could you possibly add me to your taglist??

of course! 🥺 I’m glad you are enjoying my work!

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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Eyes on Fire | Chapter 9

A/N: I cannot BELIEVE I’m at 51 followers?! This is amazing. thank you guys so much for your support. Here is chapter 9, as a treat as we roll into the weekend. Thank you again for all the reblogs! It really helps my story get out into the Tumblr world!

Chapter 9 – Liability

It took me seconds to realize this was an ambush. I caught a glimpse of one of the masked women breaking open a vial of mysterious liquid, and decided it was time to act. I flew to the ground, sweeping my leg in a ring of fire. I caught two of the women off guard, enough to create a hole in their blockade. I darted out of the alley and broke into a sprint. From the corner of my eye, I spied one of the masked attackers on top of the roof of a building, chasing after me. Before I could maneuver around their imminent attack, a stout man in a robe and mask blocked me from running, knocking me to the ground. He bent down to grip my arm and pulled me back to my feet only to slam me against a nearby wall, crushing my shoulder against the rough brick. I shot fire from my foot, sweeping out a kick to break free from his grasp. Another robed man jumped out low to the ground and attempted to shoot fire at my feet. Using a wall, I leapt over him, and used a bushel of water to freeze his feet and hands to the ground. I continued to run.

“Where do I go?” I thought. “I can’t go home, what if they hurt my grandpa?”

“Run to the Palace,” I heard a familiar voice in my head. I made my way to the switchbacks, thinking that at the very least the guards could help me. I could try screaming, but no one in the Industrial Section would pay any attention to a scream. I noticed an ostrich-horse tied up by a nearby building. I grabbed it and jumped on. The attackers were closing in and the fire blasts scared the ostrich-horse, enough to make it realize it was time to move. The creature broke into a full gallop up the switchbacks. I shot fire blasts at the earth to break it up enough to cause a distraction. A bell rang in the distance. The guards had been alerted. I finally reached the top of the mountain and we galloped the main gate.

“Let me in! They’re coming for me,” I screamed at the guards.

“Let her through! It’s the Fire Lord’s girl!” a voice commanded. “Shut the gate behind her!”

The gate opened enough to let me pass before shutting with a clang behind me. Danger was gone, but I was still riding the ostrich-horse at full gallop. A bell continued to ring in the distance. I made it to the palace gates and again screamed for help. Another bell rang from the watchtower. The palace gates slowly opened and I flew off my ostrich-horse and ran inside the palace at full tilt. I was greeted with the sounds of a swarming chaos of attendants running as the Palace was awakened by the ringing bells. I ran down several hallways; everywhere attendants were looking at me strangely, except for one. I recognized her as the girl who had let me into the meeting room earlier that week. I slowed down for a moment and she looked me straight in the eyes.

“You’re looking for him aren’t you?” she asked.

I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat in an attempt not to cry. Her eyes softened.

“Down this hallway and on the right are his chambers,” she said.

I was too breathless to even huff out a thankyou. I continued to run until I collided with Zuko, standing outside his chamber door in night clothes, accompanied by Ty Lee. I nearly knocked Zuko over as I held onto his body. I buried my face in his chest and gripped his thin robe with my hands. Relief and exhaustion came washing through me.

“What the hell is going on out there?” Zuko demanded.

I continued to cling to him like a child. He pulled me off him and sat me down on a nearby bench. I sat there, breathing heavily for a moment. My head was pounding. I concentrated on the floor beneath me, trying to focus

“Sayuri, tell me what happened,” he said. He sat down next to me, lifting my head so my eyes met his.

“I was leaving the Tavern,” I swallowed hard, “I sent Tatsuo home early. He’s been working late all week to cover for me while I’m training. I started walking home alone and I heard a scream.”

“And?” Zuko watched me, his brow furrowed.

“I followed it, thinking someone was hurt. Then I was ambushed by…” I trailed off.

“Who?” Ty Lee asked.

“They looked like Kemurikage,” I said quietly.

“Azula’s back,” Zuko said. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“What? The Princess?” I asked.

“Never mind. Find them. I don’t care if it takes all night,” he growled. He stood up and instructed an attendant to bring me tea.

“Wait, Zuko! What about my grandpa and my brother?” I asked, frantically reaching for his arm.

“Get the Head Watchman over here, now. I want guards at the Tavern and Sayuri’s house,” he demanded. The attendant bowed and ran off to fulfill the Fire Lord’s orders. I sat on the bench shivering. Zuko continued to bark out orders to everyone. The girl from earlier appeared in front of me with tea.

“Your tea, miss,” she said calmly.

“Thank you,” I said hoarsely. “What is your name?”

“Lin.”

“Thank you for leading me to him.”

She smiled and slowly walked away.

I leaned back against the nearby wall and continued to shiver, even with hot tea in my hands. I felt like an empty shell and all I wanted was Zuko next to me. I was too exhausted to reach over and grab him. Finally, he remembered I existed and sat down next to me.

“How are you feeling?” Zuko asked.

“Exhausted. I wanna go home,” I croaked.

“You’re staying here tonight. No question.”

I shot him a dirty look. “I want to go home, Zuko! I want my own bed!”

“It’s too dangerous for you to go anywhere outside of the Palace until the attackers are found,” he stated firmly. “Even if you had 100 guards around you, I still wouldn’t let you go.”

“Fine,” I relented. I pulled my knees up to my chest and inspected my feet. They were bruised and swollen, the skin pushing against the edges of my fire bending shoes.

“Sir?” an attendant came up to Zuko. “Shall I make up the guest room?”

“No, I want her with me,” Zuko responded.

I raised my eyebrows.

“Sir, that is highly inappropriate for an unmarried couple—” the attendant noticed Zuko’s glare and paused for a moment, “Very good, sir.” He bowed and shuffled off.

“Don’t feel the need to break the rules on my behalf, Zuko,” I said sarcastically.

“I’m not letting anything else happen to you tonight,” he said. Part of me melted, but the other part of me was annoyed that he was being so overprotective. Lin appeared again with a bundle in her hands.

“Miss? I have clothes for you to change into,” she said.

I nodded and followed her to a room. I was sore all over and could barely move. I sat down on the floor and pulled my shoes off my feet. Standing all day at the Tavern and fighting for my life had left them worse off than I had thought. Lin handed me a towel.

“We’ve prepared you a hot bath, miss,” she said.

“Thank you, Lin. Please call me Sayuri,” I said, struggling to stand back up.

She nodded.

I slowly pulled off my clothes, wincing in pain as the fabric fell to the carpet softly. Lin helped me wrap a towel around my body and led me around the corner to a tile room with an in-ground tub filled with steaming hot water. I dropped the towel and Lin held my hand as I carefully navigated the steps down into the tub. I nearly cried in relief as the hot water hit my toes.

Fire benders are notoriously warm, but I am one of the few who are constantly cold. I always chalked it up to nerves, but my grandfather seems to think it’s because my dual bending takes away the fiery energy that keeps other fire benders warm. My fire is replaced with ice water, according to him.

“Ring this bell if you need me. Here are some clothes for you to change into,” Lin said, patting a bundle she’d left on a nearby ottoman. “And there are some oils and perfumes on your right side.”

“Thank you, Lin. You are so gracious.”

She bowed and darted out of the room. I leaned my head back against the tub and debated whether or not I should wash my hair. I decided I didn’t want to move my arms at all and resolved to relax for a moment. I looked around at the large ornate room. The walls were off-white with a gold leaf moulding, a different palette from the usual red hues in other rooms of the Palace. I looked at the floor-to-ceiling mirror on the wall opposite me. My face was blotchy and red. I drifted in and out of sleep for what felt like only a few minutes, until I heard Lin’s voice checking on me.

“Sayuri?” she asked. “It’s been nearly an hour. Are you ready to get out?”

I shook sleep from me and realized that the water had grown cold and my hands looked like old plums.

“Yes, please,” I said, beginning to stand up. Lin guided me out of the tub, and I dried myself off. I grabbed a bit of perfumed oil and rubbed it on my wrists. “Ooh, jasmine.” I proceeded to dab it everywhere. It reminded me of the perfumed oils my mother used to bring home on her wanderings in the Earth Kingdom.

Lin took my hair out from its bun and brushed it for me, adding a bit of hair oil to make it soft. She handed me a medium-length silk robe and a pair of short pants. Two other female attendants poked their heads in the room.

“Are you ready to go back to the Fire Lord’s chambers, miss?” she giggled.

I rolled my eyes in response.

They both giggled and ducked out of the room.

“I just want to sleep,” I said, my voice cracking.

“I know you do,” Lin said softly.

Lin walked me back to Zuko’s room and knocked softly on the door. She opened the door and motioned for me to go inside. I saw Zuko standing with his back toward me, staring out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. I walked over to the bed and crawled under the covers. The silk was cool against my skin and caused me to shiver.

“Are you cold?” Zuko asked, turning around to look at me.

I nodded.

“Hmm,” Zuko hummed.

“Are you going to be useful and be my heater, or are you going to be a statue all night?” I said. My eyes were falling heavy with sleep.

He clicked his teeth. He probably rolled his eyes, too, just before I felt the covers shift and a wave of heat next to me. I burrowed myself into his side, relieved at the warmth he was providing.

“Geez, you’re an ice block,” he commented.

I hummed in response. I threw my arm over his body and shifted my head onto his shoulder. He adjusted his arm under me and settled his hand at my back. I slid my hand over his chest to feel his rhythmic heartbeat and let it lull me to sleep.

The next morning, I awoke and instinctively felt around the bed for Zuko. I opened my eyes to see his spot was empty. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked around the room, but he was nowhere to be found. I slumped back down into bed when I heard a knock at the door.

“Miss?” an attendant asked. “Are you awake? We have breakfast for you waiting in the dining area.”

“Yes,” I groaned hoarsely. I sat up and swung my legs off the side of the bed. My body ached and my feet were still swollen from yesterday. Lin came in through the door with another bundle in her arms.

“G’morning, Lin,” I said.

“Good morning, Sayuri. These are freshly tailored and laundered for you,” she replied, motioning to the pile. I got up and walked myself over to inspect what she had brought me.

“Oh my, this is…beautiful. Are you sure I should be wearing this? It’s something a noblewoman would wear,” I said,concerned. It was a red robe, similar to what a member of the royal family would wear, with long heavy sleeves and a high, ornate collar.

“The royal tailor altered it from Lady Ursa’s closet, per her instructions,” Lin responded.

“Ah.”

Lin helped me wrap a thin cotton yukata around me to wear underneath my robe, and helped me adjust the collar. She also helped me put my hair in a half bun, I was still too sore to do anything on my own. I slipped on a pair of satin shoes and Lin guided me to where breakfast was being served. I was greeted by Lady Ursa, Kiyi, and a man I hadn’t seen before.

“Good morning, Sayuri. How are you feeling?” Ursa asked.

“Good morning, I am sore and tired, but I am fine. Thank you for asking.” I responded with a bow.

“This is my husband, Noren,” Ursa said, gesturing to the man sitting next to her.

“It’s nice to meet you, Sayuri,” Noren greeted.

Kiyi jumped from her seat and ran towards me with her arms out. She had something in her hand. I crouched down to meet her.

“I picked these for you,” she said, handing me a small fistful of dandelions.

“Thank you, Kiyi. These are lovely.” I ruffled her hair and gave her a hug.

“Please sit down and eat, Sayuri,” Noren instructed. I stood up and walked near the head of the table to an empty place and sat down. An attendant placed a bowl of rice and fried duck eggs in front of me with a piping hot cup of tea.

“Sorry I’m late,” Zuko appeared through a door. He walked around the table to place a kiss on his mother’s cheek and ruffle Kiyi’s hair.

“Good morning, my love,” Ursa said. Noren and Kiyi exchanged greetings, too.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” I said. I strained to get up to bow but he stopped me.

“Please sit, Sayuri.” I sank back into my chair. He walked by and rested his hand on my shoulder and leaned down to place a kiss on my cheek. “Good morning.” I smiled. He sat down and we enjoyed our breakfast. The family chatted while I stayed quiet. I kept glancing at the door, expecting to see the horrible masked figures come crashing through. A servant dropped a dish and I shuddered, instinctively.

“I’m so sorry, Your Grace. Please accept my sincerest apologies,” the servant said. I looked over to see her face down on the floor. Zuko stood up and offered his hand to her.

“Please, it’s all right. It’s just a dish,” he said softly. She slowly lifted her head to see his hand extended to her, she took it and stood up. I saw tears in her eyes as her and another servant wordlessly cleaned up the mess. They both bowed and left.

I had heard rumors at the Tavern about how attendants and servants were treated at the Palace. One woman claimed she ran away after she saw Ozai himself throw a servant off the watchtower when his tea was served to him cold. Maybe it hadn’t been such an outrageous claim after all.

Zuko reached out his hand and placed it over mine. “You barely touched your breakfast, Sayuri.”

I looked down at my unfinished eggs and half-eaten rice bowl. “I’m not hungry,” I replied. I took another sip of my tea.

“I think we’re done with our breakfast. Kiyi, let’s go feed the turtleducks,” Ursa said.

“Okay, momma,” Kiyi replied. Ursa and her family excused themselves from the table.

“What’s wrong?” Zuko asked.

“I just don’t feel like eating,” I replied.

“That’s not it.”

“I’m scared, Zuko,” I said, raising my voice. “I’m scared for my brother and grandpa. Something could have happened to them last night. My grandpa is old, and my brother barely knows how to break up a Tavern fight.”

Zuko’s face softened. “I’m going to protect them, and you. I promise.” He gripped my hand a little harder.

“How can you? I can’t stay here forever.”

Zuko took a deep breath. “Sayuri, I—”

“Your Highness, your meeting with your security council has started. They’re waiting for you, sir,” an attendant interrupted.

Zuko put his head against the table in frustration. “When, for once, will I be able to finish what I’m saying?” He paused before letting out a long sigh. “I’m coming.”

I stood up and placed my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t keep them waiting.” Zuko stood up from the table and grabbed my hand.

“You’re coming with me to the meeting. I need you by my side.”

“Me?” I asked, confused. “Why do you need me?”

“I need something to look at during my meeting.”

I opened my mouth to protest and raised my hand to smack him, but he grabbed it and bent down to plant a kiss on me.

“I’m kidding. I want you to help me figure out a plan to catch these Kemurikage imposters,” Zuko said with a smirk.

“You’re a punk.” I said.

We walked over to the Fire Lord’s throne room where the Kyoshi Warriors, Aang, Katara, and one person I hadn’t met before were all gathered.

“Sayuri!” Aang greeted. “We heard about what happened. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Sore. But fine.” I said with a smile.

“We also heard you spent the night…in the Fire Lord’s chambers…” said a young man with a ponytail.

I placed my hand on my forehead.

“Sokka!” Katara shouted, whipping him in the head. “Excuse my brother.”

“Ty Lee really can’t keep secrets, huh.” I muttered.

“Told you,” Zuko whispered.

“Sayuri,” Aang interjected. “Tell us what happened yesterday.”

“It was an ambush by those Kemurikage people. They led me out of the Tavern the one night my brother wasn’t there and they caught me off guard,” I said.

“I thought you had people watching her, Zuko?” Suki questioned.

“I do. Something must’ve happened to them,” he replied.

I felt a wave of guilt wash over me as I thought about how angry I was at Zuko for having people look out for me. Now I understood why.

“They must’ve been watching you for a while to learn when the Tavern was closed and open. And when your brother wasn’t there,” Suki said.

“We have to figure out a way to make them try for her again. It’s obvious the goal is Sayuri,” Sokka said.

“The goal is to cause me enough pain to turn into my father. A monster,” Zuko snapped.

“Is that really what this is about, Zuko?” Katara asked.

“Yes. It’s why Azula went with Kemurikage disguises in the first place, she works through fear. She tried to make me afraid for my country’s safety, and now she wants me to suffer by trying to get to the people closest to me,” Zuko explained.

I remembered my grandfather talking a bit about what was going on at the Royal Caldera, something about children being kidnapped from their beds. I’d thought it was all rumors, but my grandfather wasn’t convinced. He has a great fear of the spirits.

“So, she will make you suffer by making Sayuri suffer,” Aang said.

My face fell. “Liability,” I murmured.

Zuko gripped my hand. “Don’t even begin to think that way,” he whispered back.

“There has to be some way to get them to come out of their hiding spot,” Sokka mused.

“They can’t be far from Harbor City if they were watching me from the Tavern,” I said.

“We have to draw them out somehow with some sort of distraction,” Sokka said.

“I have an idea,” I interjected. “Of how we could draw them out.”

“I’m listening,” Sokka said.

“We used to have music nights at the Tavern when I was younger. My mom used to sing this little song about the war. It always captivated the soldiers who came in… as if her voice drew them into the Tavern. Maybe someone could draw them out that way.”

“Hmm,” Sokka hummed.

“One night she brought in a bunch of tips. She bought me brand new greaves that year for school. The really nice kind,” I said, thinking back.

“That sounds like a really good plan, except no one here can carry a tune to save their lives, Sayuri,” Zuko interrupted.

The gang looked at me.

“Uh. What are you all looking at me for?”

“You suggested it. C’mon, Sayuri, sing us a few lines,” Aang said.

“Okay, fine,” I said. I cleared my throat.

“O, dragon’s lair deep down below.

Keep careful watch over our brother’s souls.

As the Fire Nation rises o’er the slough.

Keep watching over Azulon’s sons.”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “I’ve never heard that before.”

“You have a beautiful voice, Sayuri!” Aang said.

“Thank you. It’s an old tune. She changed it to Ozai after a while, but she quit singing at the Tavern,” I said.

“I think this might work,” Sokka said. “It’ll be enough of a distraction to the point where they think you’re vulnerable enough to capture again.”

“Right, but they also saw me fire and water bend at them. They’ll have to think I’m…. weaker.” Just then an idea hit me. “What if I got completely drunk and wandered out of the Tavern?”

“Absolutely not!” Zuko exclaimed.

“Oh, Zuko. Will you please calm down?” I said. “I won’t actually be drunk. I’ll pretend to have one too many and wander out of the Tavern.”

Zuko glared back at me. “This is too dangerous.”

“I dunno. I think it could work,” Katara piped.

“Ugh,” Zuko snapped.

“We could have decoys and disguise ourselves as patrons of the Tavern so we make sure Sayuri is safe. Don’t worry, Zuko,” Katara said, placing her hand on Zuko’s shoulder. A guard walked into the throne room.

“Your Majesty, your guests have arrived,” he said.

“Bring them in,” Zuko replied.

The guard turned his head and raised his hand to signal the visitors. I heard the familiar sound of shuffling footsteps coming towards our group.

“Pop?” I said recognizing his silhouette. My grandfather came into the light. He had a black eye and bruised face. I ran toward him. “Oh, Pop! What did they do to you?”

I squeezed his torso and cried into his shoulder.

“It’s alright, Sayuri. I’m fine. I was in the Navy, remember? I got hurt way worse on those ships,” Pop said with a hoarse laugh.

“He put up a good fight,” Tatsuo’s voice appeared behind Pop’s. He looked like he was in bad shape, too.

“Where were you when all this happened?” I snapped.

“Geez, I don’t get a hi?” Tatsuo replied.

I scowled back at him.

He sighed heavily. “Pop woke up suddenly and had a feeling something was wrong. He walked to the Tavern and was ambushed by those stocky-looking masked men and those weird Kemurikage people. They had other big dudes with them. We fought them off when the Palace guards showed up.”

“I should have just gone back to the Tavern and helped you guys instead of running here like a child,” I said quietly.

“No, Sayuri. You did the right thing. We wouldn’t have been able to fight them off without back up from the Palace,” Pop consoled. I leaned on his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, Pop.”

“Oh, Sayuri. Stop treating me like an old man,” he replied.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you, Tatsuo,” I said.

“It’s okay, little sister,” Tatsuo replied. I darted over to give him a hug. “Oof! I’m still sore.”

“Sayuri, introduce us to your friends,” my grandfather said.

“Oh, right. Well, you’ve met the Fire Lord. This is Avatar Aang, his girlfriend Katara and her brother, Sokka, right?” I said.

“You know it!” Sokka piped.

“And over there are a couple of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki and Ty Lee.”

They exchanged pleasantries and as my grandfather and brother came up from their bows, they both winced in pain.

Katara placed her hand on my shoulder. “Maybe I can help your brother and grandfather feel a bit better.”

“How?”

She bended water out of her pouch and over her hands. Her hands glowed with an unreal vibrancy. She placed her hands on my grandfather’s face and then my brother’s torso.

“Water benders are truly magical. Thank you, my dear,” my grandfather said.

“Yeah, weird magic water,” Tatsuo huffed.

“Right?” I heard Sokka pipe up.

“We should probably get to planning how this plan is going to work,” Aang said.

“Okay, let’s do it,” I said.

We spent quite a bit of time hammering out the details of how the diversion was going to happen. Sokka pointed out several times that they don’t usually go into this much detail with their plans. I thought about how this is the group that had overthrown the Fire Lord. I trained with both Zuko and Kata for a while after lunch. I had never seen my grandfather so happy as when he watched me train with two of the greatest benders in the Four Nations. After dinner, I exchanged goodbyes with my brother and grandfather. It was decided that in order for the plan to work, they needed to go back to their routines, but not without supervision. Zuko was surprisingly quiet during dinner and excused himself early to retire for the evening. After I said my goodbyes, I went to find Zuko. The head attendant said that I could find him in his study. He had a guard lead me there. I knocked softly on the door.

“Please leave me be,” Zuko said from behind the door. I opened the door anyway.

“You’re going to tell me no?” I said coyly.

“It’s not like you would listen,” he replied, not lifting his eyes from his book. I walked over to the desk and sat on top of it facing him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“You have very little respect for furniture,” he said, still not looking up from his reading. I grabbed the book from his hands, shut it, and put it next to me. He finally looked up at me, his golden eyes indignant.

“Your Highness the Grump, please tell me what’s wrong,” I asked, playfully, again.

He sighed and put his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “I’m just worried about the mission, that’s all.”

“What about it?” I replied.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

“I’ll be fine, Zuko.”

“You can’t know that for sure.”

“Ah, but I know I have the best of the best around me. And I have you.”

“Yes, I guess you do.”

I reached over to pull his face towards mine. Up to that moment, I had always been cautious about his scar, being sure to not touch it or focus on it for too long. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, even though it is hard to miss. Looking down at his scar from my seated position on the desk gave a different perspective, a more intimate view. I leaned in slightly and placed a soft kiss right on the scar, just below his eye. He pulled away and I jerked back, too. “Oh, boy. I really did it this time,” I thought.

“Hey, I didn’t mean to—” I started.

“You didn’t do anything. I’m just jumpy around…there,” he said softly. He clasped his hands together and placed them on the desk next to me. “He’s uncomfortable,” I thought. I slid off the desk and made my way toward the door.

“I’m going to get ready for bed,” I said, my back towards Zuko. I slipped out the door. I flagged down an attendant and asked them to show me how to draw a bath. They sent Lin again to help, despite my protests that I could do it myself if I was shown how. There really was no use in fighting their persistent hospitality.

After my bath, I changed back into the thin robe and pants and slipped into Zuko’s room. He wasn’t there. I crawled under the covers and tried to fall asleep. I tossed, turned, and groaned in discomfort for what felt like an hour before I heard the door open and soft footsteps walking over to the bureau by the window. I shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I heard the sound of the Fire Lord’s headpiece slipping out of Zuko’s hair and being placed on the dresser. I felt the weight of his body sink onto the bed next to me. He didn’t come close. I felt suddenly guilty. “I pushed him too far…I came too close…” I thought.

“I know you’re still awake,” he said. “I could hear you tossing and turning in the hallway.”

I rolled over to see him lying on his back.

“Sayuri,” he said, his voice low. “Come close.”

I moved myself over to rest my head on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry I was so skittish earlier. It’s sort of my default not to let people get too close to me.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t mean to get carried away like that.”

“You weren’t getting carried away, I was just being dumb…and scared.”

I propped myself up on my elbow. “What are you so afraid of?”

“Seeing you get hurt makes me realize that I’m not just scared of being a bad leader, or even being a bad boyfriend. I’m scared of those things, but I’m terrified of letting someone in that closely, even though I want to.”

“Push and pull,” I said softly. “Wanting something but also being afraid of it.”

“Yes.”

“Do you trust me?” I asked.

“Yes, I do.”

“Then let it be, Zuko.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t leave me alone tomorrow morning.”

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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Hi! I love Eyes On Fire so far!! Would you please add me to the tag list?

Hi! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! 🥺

I’ll add you to the list!

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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Eyes on Fire | Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry it took so long to have this one up! My editor was out of town. I hope you guys enjoy and reblog to your heart’s content! I would love to reach this story further! I’m still accepting tagslist requests, please message me if you are interested!

Warnings: anxiety attacks and death mentioned.

Chapter 8 – Push and Pull

My eyes fluttered open just before dawn. I groaned and rolled over before I heard my grandfather’s soft knock on my bedroom door.

“Sayuri? There’s a carriage waiting for you out front,” he said from the hallway

I hummed in response. He opened the door and I heard the shuffle of his feet against the floorboards as he moved toward my bed.

“Sayuri, do you really want to keep the Fire Lord waiting?” he asked.

I groaned and sat up in bed. My grandfather handed me a steaming cup of ginseng tea to coax me awake. I dragged myself out of bed and splashed a bit of cool water on my face to wake me up. Behind me, I heard my grandfather shuffle out of the room, as soon as he was sure I wasn’t going to crawl back into bed. I sleepily walked over to my closet and pulled out some old training clothes. I had to dig my greaves and fire bending shoes out from the bottom of my dresser. As I attempted to get out the door, my grandfather shoved a bowl of rice in my face and insisted I eat it on the way over. I sat in the carriage and groggily stuffed chopsticks full of rice in my face, trying not to vomit as the carriage bounced on the uneven streets. It took even more energy than usual to focus on not being nauseated by the switchbacks up the mountain to the Caldera.

The Palace was still waking up as the carriage pulled to the main entrance gate. I peeked out the window to see the Kyoshi Warriors directing the gate attendant to open up. I stuck my head out and waved to them. They all waved back with their white faces breaking into bright smiles. I stepped out of the carriage and was greeted by Ty Lee, who was a force of nature even at the early hour.

“Sayuri!” she exclaimed. “It’s good to see you again!” She bolted over to give me a hug.

“Good morning, Ty Lee,” I said, my voice hoarse from grogginess.

“You’re not a morning person, I see. I love the mornings here. The Sun makes everything look so...fiery.”

I hummed in response. She was right, I’m not much of a morning person. My dad was a morning person; he used to drag me out of bed early in the morning to ensure I got to my Fire Bending Academy lessons on time.

Ty Lee walked me to the training section,off to the side of the Royal Gardens. It was a long, rectangular arena paved in cobblestones and lined with stone walls, with streams of water flowing at the edges. I was greeted by Katara and Momo.

“Good morning, Sayuri. Are you ready to start your water bending training?” Katara asked.

“Yes,” I nodded eagerly. I scanned the arena for the Fire Lord. “Where’s Zuko?”

“He isn’t going to be able to train with you today. Something urgent came up,” Ty Lee replied. My face fell.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be out later to check on you,” Katara soothed.

I pursed my lips in annoyance. “Let’s begin.”

“Show me what you can do,” she said. I glanced over at Ty Lee, who had plopped herself down on a stone bench and propped her head up with her hands. I looked back at Katara in confusion.

“Oh, Zuko said I have to keep an eye on Sayuri at all times while she’s here,” she said with a smile.

I furrowed my brow in confusion.

“He just wants to make sure you’re safe, Sayuri,” Katara said.

“He thinks I can’t protect myself,” I mumbled.

“He doesn’t think that…he’s just…”

“Overprotective,” I finished.

Katara smiled in response. “Now, never mind your neurotic boyfriend. Let’s begin. Show me what kind of water bending you can do.”

I nodded. I took a deep breath and focused on the water in the stream next to the wall. I pulled a bit of it out in a straight line before bending it into a whip and striking a tree.

“Good,” Katara noted. “You have a good grasp on the water. Now, let’s work on using it against your opponent.”

She showed me how to freeze the water with my breath and shape it into daggers. This was easy, but as we got to the more complicated methods of using water as a counter, I got stuck. Fire bending strikes and overwhelms your opponent, but water bending moves and counters.

“You have to feel the push and pull, Sayuri. Counter the attack, don’t force.” Katara said.

“Ugh,” I groaned heavily. I huffed out flames from my nose and assumed a counter position.

Katara nodded and lined soldiers up to shoot fireballs at me. I was expected to counter them only, not attack back. She nodded again and the soldiers took their cue to begin. Boom. Fireballs began pummeling towards me. I quickly shot up walls of water to block them, maneuvering myself in between the walls of water to shoot small streams and freeze the opponents. One soldier came up behind me and tapped me, meaning I was toast. Katara came over from her watch position and rested her hand on my shoulder.

“You did a good job today, Sayuri. I think we should take a break and pick it back up tomorrow,” she said.

“Yes, that’s probably best,” I said, trying to catch my breath. “I’m going to go see Zuko.”

“Uh, he’s still in meetings, Sayuri,” Ty Lee interjected.

I waved my hand dismissively at her and walked over to the palace. I wanted to see my boyfriend. I wandered around in search of the kitchen until I found an attendant who led me there. I introduced myself to a kitchen worker named Jiang, and asked for tea for Zuko and myself. He happily obliged. I walked over to the meeting room and quietly poked my head in, only to hear a heated discussion taking place between advisors and the Fire Lord.

“Your Highness, we do not know where the rest of the so-called Kemurikage imposters have gone. It is imperative that we continue your round-the-clock security,” an advisor pleaded.

“That isn’t what I’m worried about right now. I need the people to trust me again,” Zuko said, vexed. His brow was furrowed, and his face was angry.

“My Lord, you should be worried about coups from offshoots of the New Ozai Society. There’s rumors of a new regrouping,” another advisor piped up.

“Aren’t you worried about more assassination attempts, Your Grace? And what about this girlfriend of yours? Aren’t you worried about her safety? She’s a liability, Your Highness,” an advisor chided.

I felt all the color leave my face, and my hands became like bricks and I dropped the cups of tea. They smashed against the floor and all eyes in the room turned to look at me.

“Assassination attempts?” I stammered.

“Oh, Sayuri, no, ” Zuko pleaded, his face softening. He got up and started making his way to the door, but panic washed through me and I ran from the meeting room with hot tears streaming down my face.

I passed by a flurry of attendants who tried to stop me. I felt a hand clasp my shoulder and I pushed it off quickly, maneuvering out of this crowd of servants. My breathing became rapid and uneven as I continued to run, a sure sign of a “palpitation” episode coming. My vision blurred with tears and narrowed in terror. I finally found the door to the palace gardens. I immediately ran to the tree and hid by its roots. I curled into a ball and cried.

“I can’t lose anyone else,” I cried and shook until I felt a warm hand move across my back and shoulder. I looked up to see it belonged to a woman with golden eyes and a soft, gentle face. She took my face in her hands and rubbed my tears away with her thumbs. She reached into her robes and pulled out a glass bottle and placed it under my nose. The smell brought me back into a calmer state.

“Breathe,” she said calmly. “Focus on the smell.”

I relaxed and began to breathe normally. When I came to my senses, I noticed she had a child with her, a young girl no older than five with short brown hair and a round face.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.

“My name is Ursa. I’m Zuko’s mother. This is my daughter Kiyi.” She motioned toward the young girl.

“Oh, Lady Ursa. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m sorry I’m a mess right now,” I said.

“It’s all right, my dear. You must be Sayuri. Zuko has told me so much about you,” she said with a smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

“This is the pretty lady Zuzu likes?” the young girl piped.

I smiled. I rubbed my eyes to get rid of the remaining tears, and I heard a voice call out that they had found me. I opened my eyes to see an attendant - the one who had grabbed me inside - motioning for the others to come to the tree. I pulled my knees up to my chest and put my head down. I was so embarrassed, and I didn’t need the whole palace to see me looking like a complete mess.

“Oh, come now, Chen. We don’t need an audience. She’s fine. Tell Zuko she’s with me and he can join us in feeding the turtleducks if he wants,” Ursa said. I heard the attendant’s footsteps walking away from the tree.

“You can come out now,” Ursa said.

I popped my head up to see there weren’t any attendants around. Just a few guards milling about in the gardens. “Thank you,” I said.

“It’s difficult to be watched always, isn’t it?”

I nodded.

“Kiyi, my dear, do you have the bread?” Ursa asked.

“Right here!” she exclaimed eagerly.

I sat wordlessly next to Ursa and Kiyi as they fed the turtleducks. I watched the little creatures glide across the water, squawking for their mother. Between tossing pieces of bread into the water, Kiyi kept glancing in my direction, trying not to stare.

“Boy, Zuzu was right. You are very pretty, Sayuri,” she said boldly.

I smiled weakly. “Thank you, Kiyi. That’s very sweet.”

“She speaks her mind, this one,” Ursa said, pulling the young girl close to her.

“It’s definitely a family trait,” a familiar voice said. I turned to my right to see Zuko standing next to where we were seated by the lake.

“Ah, Zuko, my love,” Ursa said. “I’m glad you could join us.”

“Hello, mother,” he replied, bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek. Kiyi bounced up from her seated position and grabbed at her brother’s legs. He reached his arms down as far as he could to hug her.

“I was going to ask Sayuri if she would join me for a short walk,” he asked. I turned and stared at the pond. Ursa put her hand over mine.

“Go with him,” she encouraged. I nodded my head and Zuko helped me to my feet.

“We will be back in a bit,” he said.

“Take your time, darling,” Ursa responded with a smile.

I clasped my hands behind my back and stared at the ground as I began to walk away from the lake. Zuko gently grabbed my arm and I pulled away quickly.

“Please tell me what’s wrong,” he asked once we were out of earshot of his mom and sister.

“When were you going to tell me your life was in danger?” I asked angrily.

“That isn’t exactly a conversation to have over dinner, Sayuri,” he responded.

I rolled my eyes. “What about all that “liability” talk, Zuko? How do you think that makes me feel?”

His face fell. “He didn’t mean it like that.”

“Oh, how else would you interpret that one, Fire Lord?”

“I only meant that he was speaking his mind because he has my interests at heart and-“

“So, I am a liability then?” I spat.

“No. You’re not.”

I crossed my arms in anger and stared at the ground.

“What’s really bothering you?” he asked.

I couldn’t look at him. I felt tears welling up in my eyes again.

“Please, Sayuri,” he begged. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I can’t afford to lose anyone else to this senseless violence,” I said quietly.

“What do you mean?”

“I already lost my dad to that stupid war. I don’t want to lose my boyfriend because he’s trying to keep the world together by himself.” I dropped my arms and pulled my hands up to my face and began to cry. Zuko gently pulled my body into his and I sobbed into his robes. He wordlessly ran his hand up and down my back before guiding us to sit down on the ground. I buried my face in his chest and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“I’m so sorry, Sayuri. I didn’t know your dad died in the war,” he said softly. I pulled my head up to look at him. He placed his hand on my cheek and wiped away my tears.

“Please don’t keep things from me,” I said. “I don’t want to feel like I’m only in half of your life.”

“I didn’t want to tell you about the attempts because I didn’t want to scare you. I didn’t want you to worry because I had everything under control.”

“I’m not stupid, Zuko. I know your job is stressful. Don’t push me aside when I can help you.”

“You can’t help me be the Fire Lord, Sayuri.”

“No, but I can listen to you and comfort you in stressful times. I can’t do that if you won’t tell me what’s happening. Let me into your life”

“All right. I’m sorry,” he said.

“I’m sorry for making a scene,” I said. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be.” He tilted my face up and gave me a kiss. I rested my head on his shoulder.

“Why is dating the Fire Lord so damn hard,” I said. He laughed.

“Not as hard as dating someone as stubborn as you,” he chided.

I pulled my head up to shoot Zuko a look. He smiled in response and grabbed me to pull me in for another kiss.

“You’re in hot water, buddy. Don’t try to be cute.” He leaned back on his hands and pulled himself up. He held out his hands to help me stand up. I huffed and crossed my arms in response.

“Pft,” he puffed. “You are so stubborn.” He reached down, grabbed me by the waist, and threw me over his shoulder like a child.

“Ugh!” I squawked. “Put me down, Zuko!” I tried to squirm my way out but his grip was unrelenting, I reluctantly hung upside down. He carried me back to where his mother and sister were sitting.

“What do we have here?” Ursa asked playfully.

“A stubborn girlfriend,” Zuko responded. He bent down low enough so I could put my feet on the ground.

I shook my hand in his face. “Don’t pick me up like that! I’m not a child!”

“Your height says otherwise,” he smirked and bent down to give me a peck on the forehead. I tried to hide a smile breaking across my face.

I sat down next to Ursa again in a huff. Zuko sat next to me and put his arm around my waist.

“I thought they liked each other. Why are they being mean to each other?” Kiyi asked.

“Oh, darling. That’s how people who are in love act. They push and pull at each other like that,” Ursa answered.

I leaned against Zuko and watched the turtleducks float across the water of the lake. I wanted nothing more than this moment, to simply be next to Zuko. Truthfully, I wanted him to chase after me when I ran from the meeting room. I wanted to fight with him. I wanted him to care and to show it. I wanted us to be a normal couple, although I know deep down we couldn’t ever be truly normal. There’s so much we won’t have as a pair - peace, anonymity, simplicity. But the more I thought about it, those ideas didn’t mean that much to me, because I only had what was right in front of me in the moment. Right now, I had Zuko sitting next to me with his mother and his little sister. I had the warmth that radiated from him all to myself. I knew I wouldn’t have much simplicity dating royalty, but I did have Zuko.

The next night the Tavern was slow, so I prepared the lists for Pop and Tatsuo to go to the marketplace the day after for supplies. I was taking more and more time away from the Tavern to train with Zuko. My grandfather was pleased that I was becoming more myself and was more than happy to come back to the Tavern to help. I let Tatsuo go home early since he had been working late for me. After we closed, I washed the dishes and locked the Tavern and started on my walk home.

“Help! Help!” a voice cried out.

I ran toward the voice and the cries led me to the seedier part of town: The Industrial District. I knew better than to go there alone at night, but the cries were getting louder and more desperate. Whoever they were, they sounded scared. I followed the sound until I heard the cries getting closer.

“Please!” another cry.

I turned a corner to where I thought the voice was coming from. There was no one there, I was standing alone in an empty alley. “Something’s not right here,” I thought. I turned to leave and was instantly surrounded by a gang of masked women with hoods hovering on clouds of smoke.

“No,” I blinked my eyes. “The Kemurikage aren’t real.” I thought back to the conversation I’d overheard in Zuko’s meeting. Those advisors were onto something.

“We are real. But not in the way you think,” one of the women growled in a low voice.

taglist: @imagine-yourself-happy @panini-the-bird-killer @imcravingyou @eury-dice3 @nats-the-geek @mixedfeeelings @abuskinswarrior @cciinnaa @bucky-blogs

#avatar: the last airbender #avatar the last Airbender fanfiction #atla #atla fanfic #zuko #prince zuko #Zuko x OC #fire lord zuko #fire lord Zuko x oc #zuko x reader #prince Zuko fanfic #fire lord Zuko fanfic #eyes on fire | after the war

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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Eyes on Fire | Chapter 7

A/N: Happy Friday! Have this new chapter, as a treat. This is a lil bit of a filler because I wanted to build OC’s bending abilities and past together. Enjoy and reblog. :)

Warnings: anxiety, panic attacks, and death mentioned.

Chapter 7 - Dreams

Heat. Cold. Flashing lights. Running and running to find him. Where’s my Dad? Dad? Another flash.

I woke up in a sweat. I sensed something moving out of the corner of my eye, and ran out the door of my bedroom, breathing heavily. I leaned against the wall to steady myself, but the wall is moving, I can’t calm down, I can’t stop breathing rapidly, I feel like I’m going to faint. I fell down onto the ground.

“Sayuri,”I heard a familiar voice behind me. “It’s okay. It’s me, your grandfather. You are safe. You are at home.” He turns my head to face him. He took his hand and warmed it with his bending and placed it right over my chest. The warm sensation of his hand revived my memory, and I looked around, recognizing the familiar walls and ceiling of the hallway in our home.

“Look at me, Sayuri. Take a deep breath. Catch your breath,” Pop said. I started to focus my attention on my breathing, until slowly, my lungs calmed and I began breathing normally.

“You had another palpitation episode,” Pop said.

“Oh,” I responded, still catching my breath.

“Did you have another bad dream?”

“Yes.”

His face fell. “Would you like some tea?”

I nodded.

Pop helped me to my feet, and I walked over to the couch to sit. I sat on the couch for a few minutes and tried to remember and make sense of my dream. Pop came over and handed me a yunomi filled with tea. I held it in my hands, even though it was burning hot. The sensation of being enveloped in heat was soothing to my cold skin. Tears began to flow from my eyes and my grandfather pulled me in for a hug. We sipped tea together wordlessly until I laid down on the couch and eventually drifted back to sleep.

I woke up to birds chirping outside the window. Judging by the sun, it seemed to be midmorning. I decided it was time to talk to the Fire Sages. I had been having nightmares increasing in frequency, since just before the Fire Lord had asked me to be his girlfriend. I’d felt immense joy at his invitation, but I’d also become increasingly anxious. I quickly got dressed and splashed a bit of rice water on my face. As I looked in the mirror, I saw how puffy and baggy my eyes were.

“Maybe I should wear a bag over my head, in case I see the Fire Lord,” I mused to myself. I walked down the street to the Chen family to borrow an ostrich-horse for the day. The Fire Sages Temple is in the Royal Caldera, which would take me ages to walk up by myself. I made a stop by the Tavern to tell Tatsuo he’d be by himself today, and then I started to make my way up the twisty mountain. There are guard posts at every turn of the switchbacks, but no one asked me what I was doing until I was stopped at the very top of the mountain by a guard who demanded to know why I was there.

“What’s your business here, girl?” the guard asked.

“I’m here to see the Fire Sages, sir,” I replied.

“Do they know you’re coming?”

“No, sir.”

“I’m not allowed to let just anyone into the Royal Caldera.”

I sighed and began to turn around when I heard a voice.

“Wait! I know her! That’s the Fire Lord’s girl!” the voice belonged to a Kyoshi Warrior. She cartwheeled over to where the guard and I were standing.

“My name is Ty Lee! Zuko and I go way back,” she said with a bright smile.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sayuri,” I said.

“Of course, you are! I will say you are prettier than he described. And your aura is way less dark than his last girlfriend, Mai.”

“Thank you?” I said, cautiously. Zuko had never mentioned a previous girlfriend. I filed it away as something to ask him about later.

“In that case, I can let you through, miss,” the guard said.

“Thank you,” I said. I glanced back over at Ty Lee. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d rather not have Zuko know I’m here, if that’s alright with you.”

“Sure! I’m great at keeping secrets,” she piped. She flipped back over on her hands and carried on.

I walked through the gate on my ostrich-horse before leaving him at a watering spot near the palace and continuing on foot. The Fire Sages Temple is right behind the palace, so I had to walk around as inconspicuously as possible to avoid being noticed by the guards. The Temple is built into the side of the Caldera, making it appear dark and heavy. I arrived at the door and was greeted by a Fire Sage.

“Hello, young lady,” he said. “What brings you to the temple?”

“Hello,” I said as I greeted him with a bow. “I was wondering if Fire Sage Ren Yamamoto was around.”

“Yes, of course. Let me go find him. Come in!” he said, motioning me to follow him. He led me into a wide hallway to wait for Fire Sage Ren. Fire Sage Ren is Kira’s uncle and has known me since I was very young. He’s been a friend of our family for a long time.

“Sayuri?” a voice called out.

I turned around to see Kira’s uncle standing behind me.

“Hello, Fire Sage Ren. It’s good to see you again,” I said, greeting him with a bow.

“Oh, Sayuri. You can just call me Uncle. You know that,” he said.

“Hi, Uncle,” I said with a half-smile.

“Ah, I see now. You look troubled. Come, let’s sit. I’ll make you some spice tea.” I followed him to a side corridor that revealed a kitchen. He heated up water for tea. I sat down at a small table and chair set up in the corner. I fidgeted for a bit until he handed me a yunomi to keep my hands occupied.

“Come, this is no place to chat,” Uncle Ren said. I followed him once again to a side door that revealed a garden area with a full view of the palace gardens. I could see the tall tree Zuko and I had napped under. We sat on a rock carved bench that appeared to be a part of the mountain, molded into a seating area.

“What’s on your mind, Sayuri?” he asked.

“I haven’t been sleeping well recently, and I’ve been having nightmares and what my grandfather calls “palpitations”. I just haven’t been able to have good sleep,” I said.

“What do you usually have the nightmares about?”

“My dad. It’s always the same thing. I need to find him. But I can’t. It causes me to panic when I can’t find him in the dream and then again in real life. And then I get the terror palpitations.”

“Do you think this has anything to do with your recent change in life in regard to the Fire Lord?” he said with a smile.

“Ugh,” I said, burying my forehead in my hands. “Does the whole Fire Nation know?”

“Good news travels fast, I’m afraid,” he chuckled.

“I guess it’s just a dream. But I can’t help but feel like my dad is trying to tell me something.”

“It’s not uncommon for the spirits to try to communicate with their loved ones. It usually happens near a solstice, when the bridge between the spirit world blurs. I don’t think it is coincidental that you started having these dreams when you became closer to the Fire Lord.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you are a strong bender. Your duality of two elements means you have a strong destiny. I think it’s time you resume your training.”

“I quit for a reason, Uncle. I don’t want to bend unless I have to.”

“Sayuri, your abilities are rare and valuable. Which is why you hid them away for so long. The only way to find balance in yourself is to train yourself in the disciplines of both elements and satisfy the duality.”

“Hmm, maybe you are right.”

“I am right,” he said, taking a sip of tea. “But I know this isn’t the only thing on your mind.”

“Ah, yeah,” I said slightly embarrassed. “So, I’m dating Fire Lord Zuko, officially. Which is weird but also amazing. I don’t know where to put myself here. I’m not a member of the nobility or any one special.”

“Don’t let labels of class keep you from loving him, Sayuri. It is obvious he likes you. Your duality wants to fight with everything, so it has to reject the love you cannot control. But love cannot be controlled, and that is not a weakness. The Fire Lord needs you just as much as you need him.”

“He needs me?” I questioned.

“Yes, he does. He needs someone with a good strong head on her shoulders and the biggest heart in the Four Nations. I’ve never met anyone with more fire in their eyes than you. I might be biased, but I was filled with joy when Kira told me you had a date with him.”

“Ah, so it was Kira.” I rolled my eyes.

“My niece is a chatterbox.”

“I think it’s time to have a talk with Zuko,” I said. “Thank you for the tea and the insight.”

“You are welcome here anytime, Sayuri.”

I stood up to give him a hug. He squeezed me tightly.

“Keep asking your dad for guidance, Sayuri,” he whispered.

He walked me out of the Temple and I went to the watering spot where I’d left the ostrich-horse, and rode it back to the palace. I hopped off the horse in front of the massive gates where I was greeted by a familiar face.

“Sayuri!” Suki said with a smile. “It’s good to see you again. What brings you by?”

“Oh, I was in the neighborhood and I decided I wanted to stop by and see my, um, boyfriend,” I said.

“I think he’s in meetings all day, but I’m sure he’ll make time for you,” she said. She turned her face toward the guardpost and yelled “Let her in!” The gates creaked open and I handed my ostrich-horse off to Suki, who took it to the Palace stable. I walked up to the main doors of the palace and pushed the doors open with shaking hands. An attendant greeted me.

“Ah, Sayuri Fujiwara. We did not expect to see you today. How can I assist you?” she asked.

“I would like to see my boyfriend, please,” I asked.

“I’m sorry, he is busy in a meeting with his advisors. Perhaps you can wait until he is free?”

I swallowed and took a deep breath. “Please, I don’t mean to be a pain, but I really need to see him.” Her eyes grew soft with pity.

“Follow me,” she said.

I followed her through the maze of palace corridors until she led me to the outside of a cloth-covered doorway.

“I dare not go inside and interrupt, but he is right through the curtain,” she said.

When I passed through the curtain, I saw a group of advisors crowding around a map of the Four Nations. The Fire Lord sat on a raised platform. He was sitting slumped over with his hand propping up his head. The clump of advisors turned their heads in surprise at my appearance.

I walked closer to where the Fire Lord was sitting, and he quickly sat up straight. I went down on my knees to bow.

“I’m so sorry to bother you, Your Grace,” I said pulling myself up from my bow.

“Sayuri, you are never a bother,” he said, smiling. “I think we are done for today.” He motioned for his advisors and guards to go. He then waved for me to join him on the platform. As I was climbing the step he stood up and immediately pulled me in for a kiss.

“I really am sorry to barge in like this,” I said burrowing my face in his robes. “I just had to see you.”

“I’m glad you did. That meeting was putting me to sleep anyway.”

“I need to ask you something,” I said looking up at him. He wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Anything.”

“I want you to help me finish my fire-bending training.”

He cocked his head to the side in confusion. “You want me to train you? I thought you completed most of your training.”

“I quit.”

He narrowed his eyes to further illustrate his confusion.

“I need a fire-bending teacher, and I don’t trust anyone more than you. I know it’s a lot to ask, seeing as you’re the Fire Lord and all, but-”

“I’d love to do it,” he said.

“Great!” I exclaimed. “Also, I need a water-bending teacher. Do you know anyone that would be willing to teach me?”

“I know just the person,” he said.

I grinned widely in response.

“So you finally admit you’re both a water bender and a fire bender, huh?” he said with an eyebrow raised. “The sages must’ve really gotten through to you.”

“How did you know I went to see the sages?” I asked.

“Ty Lee can’t keep any secrets, just so you know.”

I rolled my eyes.

tag list: @imagine-yourself-happy @panini-the-bird-killer @imcravingyou @eury-dice3 @nats-the-geek @mixedfeeelings @abuskinswarrior @cciinnaa

#avatar: the last airbender #atla #avatar the last airbender #avatar the last Airbender fanfiction #zuko #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #Zuko x OC #prince Zuko fanfic #fire lord Zuko fanfic #fire lord Zuko x oc #eyes on fire | after the war

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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going to make bread because I can’t write for shit rn. lmao 😪

#updates #just in: im trash

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suntory-toki-senpai · 4 years

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Chapter 6 | Eyes on Fire

A/N: Thank you guys for letting me take a bit of a break. I’ve been very tired lately. I hope you enjoy this installment. I just love flowers a lot. I wish fire lilies were real.

Chapter 6 – The Fire Lily Festival

“Tatsuo, stop moving. You’re going to fall off and hurt yourself!” I shouted. Tatsuo was standing at the very top of a rickety ladder, attempting to place a large cloth banner over the Tavern’s outside entrance. The banner read: “Welcome, Fire Lily Viewers!”. Pop had had us make special boxes for tea, plum wine, and sake to-go for Fire Lily viewers to take with them on their picnics. He’d also made sure that we closed the Tavern early so Tatsuo and I could also enjoy the festivities, much to Tatsuo’s displeasure. Tatsuo came down from the ladder to see if the banner was crooked. It wasn’t, but he was convinced it was.

“It’s still not right,” Tatsuo said.

“It’s fine,” I responded. He got back up on the ladder again and fidgeted with the banner.

“There,” he said coming down from the ladder. “It’s perfect.” It was now slightly off-center, butI just rolled my eyes and went back inside the Tavern to close up. I charged Tatsuo with nailing the sign on the front door explaining we would be closing early all week for the Fire Lily festivities. I went around the Tavern telling our guests that they had a few minutes to finish up their drinks and pay their tabs. The patrons in the Tavern were buzzing with excitement about the festival. It was a welcome shift in the usual drab of everyday life. As the summer draws closer, everyone in the Fire Nation eagerly awaits The Fire Lily festivals. They are one of our most celebrated events.

After making my rounds I returned to the bar, and as I counted the money in the money chest, I heard from outside Tatsuo groaning in exasperation. I looked up, thinking he’d hit his finger with the hammer again. But to my surprise, it was a Royal Messenger who entered the Tavern, not Tatsuo.

“Sayuri Fujiwara, a message for you from Fire Lord Zuko,” the attendant said.

“Thank you, sir,” I said, taking the scroll from his hand. I opened the scroll to read an invitation to join Zuko in the Royal Fire Lily viewing, as his honored guest.

“Wow, an honored guest of the Fire Lord for the Fire Lily viewings!” I said.

“Is that what they call a girlfriend nowadays? An honored guest?” Tatsuo asked as he walked in the door.

“I’m surprised you even know what a girlfriend is,” I retorted.

“Should I tell him you’ll be there, miss?” the attendant asked.

“Tell him I am honored to join him,” I replied. The attendant bowed and hurried out the door.

“Can you finish closing so I can go home and change?” I asked Tatsuo.

“Oh, sure,” he responded sarcastically. “Just leave me behind and do the dirty work while you go mess around with your Royal Boyfriend.”

“He hasn’t asked me to be his girlfriend yet.”

“Pft. Of course, he hasn’t. You’re not royal material, Sayuri. He’ll just keep using you until he’s done with you.”

“Shut up, Tatsuo. You don’t know anything about him or our relationship!” I shouted.

“I’ve seen enough,” he said sharply.

“You haven’t seen anything! All you’ve done is go on and on about how you don’t like him or his leadership. You haven’t even tried to get to know him or ask me about him! You’re too busy being a judgmental idiot! Just close the store and get out of my face.”

“I’m just worried about you getting too involved with him, Sayuri,” he said, reaching his hand to touch me.

“Just leave me alone,” I said, moving his hand away from me and walking out the door.

I left the Tavern and walked home. As I walked inside the house, I was greeted by Pop, who immediately understood the sour look on my face.

“What did you and Tatsuo fight about this time?” Pop asked.

“He got upset because I’m going to the Fire Lily Festival with Zuko. I asked him to close and he started going on about how he’s upset that I’m “involved” with him,” I replied.

“Tatsuo has many strong feelings about the Harmony Restoration Movement. He is not convinced it will bring any good because it leaves us looking weak.”

“What a pity,” I said sarcastically. “He’s worried I’m being used, Pop.” I hesitated. “Do you think he’s right? I mean, Zuko hasn’t even asked me to be his girlfriend yet…”

“I don’t think the Fire Lord would go out of his way to pursue you the way he has if he didn’t want to date you. That would not be honorable. And the Royal Family knows honor more than anything else. This is uncharted territory for both of you. I don’t think a member of the Royal Family has married a commoner in a very long time.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Don’t doubt Fire Lord Zuko’s feelings, Sayuri. Let him love you. Tatsuo is just being overprotective.”

“Thanks, Pop,” I said, leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Oh, Sayuri, my sweet dove,” Pop said, pulling me in for a hug. “You are my greatest treasure. I think the Fire Lord knows that.”

He released me from the hug and I walked into my room to change. I picked my favorite red crop top and loose, flowing red and gold skirt. For accessories, I opted for a pretty red hair piece, a jeweled necklace, and a gold armlet my mom had found on one of her wanderings. Shortly after I finished putting my outfit together, I heard an attendant come to the door. I came outside, expecting to see Zuko there to greet me.

“Where’s the Fire Lord?” I asked.

“The Fire Lord asked us to collect you, miss. We are taking you to him,” the attendant replied.

“Oh,” I said, disappointed. I looked back at my grandfather.

“Remember what I said, Sayuri,” Pop said.

I nodded and got into the carriage.

“Another trip up the twisty mountain,” I mumbled to myself.

After another long and nauseating ride up to the Royal Caldera, I poked my head out of the window and saw we were a short distance away from the Caldera’s main plaza, sitting behind a row of carriages. Each carriage was being checked by guards before being directed to drop off their passengers.

A guard opened the door to my carriage. “State your business,” he ordered briskly.

“I’m here as a guest of the Fire Lord for the Fire Lily festival,” I said.

“Are you sure? Only members of the nobility are considered honored guests of the Fire Lord for the festival.”

“Yes, I am,” I said through gritted teeth. I grabbed the invitation scroll and handed it to him.

He read it quickly. “Oh, Miss Fujiwara. Please accept my most humble apologies,” he said.

“It’s not a big deal,” I sighed. I crossed my arms over my chest in annoyance. “Maybe Tatsuo is right. I’m just a placeholder until he finds a high class girl,” I thought.

The guard closed the door and directed the driver to go to a different area , away from the rest of the carriages. When the carriage stopped and the attendant opened the door, I realized I was in front of the Palace gates, rather than in the plaza where the festivities were being held.

“Where’s the Fire Lord?” I asked nervously.

“His Majesty will be out shortly. He wanted to ensure he could properly accompany you to the festival,” the attendant replied.

I stood in front of the gates and nervously twisted my hands until I heard the creak of the gate beginning to open. Behind the massive gates stood Fire Lord Zuko in full Royal dress and regalia, with a host of officials and attendants behind him. I dropped to my knees and touched my head to the floor. When I stood up, the Fire Lord was in front of me with a smile on his face.

“When will you stop bowing when you see me?” he asked.

“When you don’t come and greet me with a legion,” I replied.

I stood up on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.

“Hi,” I said, inches from his face.

“Hi,” he said back.

“Shall we continue to the festival?” a familiar voice asked. I peeked around Zuko’s shoulders to see Kira’s dad standing behind him.

“Mr. Yamamoto!” I said greeting him with a bow, then moving in for a hug.

“Sayuri, I’m surprised to see you here, as an honored guest of His Majesty,” Kira’s dad whispered as he embraced me.

“It’s a long story,” I said.

“I look forward to hearing it. Kira and Mrs. Yamamoto are coming, too. It’ll be nice to have both of you around for the festival,” he said.

“We should get walking,” Zuko said. He took a step forward and offered me his arm. I linked my arm through his and we made our way to the plaza. Traditionally, the Fire Lord would travel throughout the Royal Caldera by servants carrying the palanquin, but Fire Lord Zuko had abolished use of the palanquin and opted for carriages pulled by ostrich-horse instead. Walking to the Fire Lily Festival was just another way Zuko wanted to change the way royalty was perceived by the people of the Fire Nation.

As we walked to the plaza, I could see that the entire Caldera was decorated with lanterns and paper Fire Lilies. Paper lanterns hung in criss-crossed patterns above our heads, casting hues of red and orange on the streets. The long plaza was lined with food vendors, with an elevated space for the Royal Musicians to perform, while a seating section of ornate chairs lined each side of the alleyway, presumably for the Fire Lord and his retinue.

“All bow for the Fire Lord!” a voice cried. The crowd of nobility and upper-class members of the Fire Nation turned and fell to their knees. I stood back to join their bow, but Zuko grabbed my arm to stop me.

“That is enough, please stand,” he said. The crowd stood to their feet and waited for the next move. Zuko turned to the crier and said, “A simple introduction of my guest and I will suffice.”

The crier hesitated. “ What’s her name?” he whispered and pointed to me.

“Sayuri Fujiwara, daughter of Commander Tadashi and Seiki Fujiwara,” Mr. Yamamoto replied quietly.

“Oh, uh,” the crier cleared his throat, “Introducing His Majesty Fire Lord Zuko and his most honored guest, Sayuri Fujiwara, daughter of Commander Tadashi and Seiki Fujiwara!” Zuko motioned for me to take his arm again as he began to walk down the alleyway. The crowd clapped and cheered as we walked by the line of people, each bowing their heads as we passed. As we got to the end, Zuko took a seat on the main chair, and motioned for me to join in at the chair next to him. It felt awkward to take a seat of honor at a festival when I didn’t have a drop of noble blood in me. After I sat down, Zuko reached for my hand. He must have noticed I looked uncomfortable.

“It’s okay,” he said, soothingly.

“I really don’t belong here,” I whispered back.

“But I want you here.”

I looked away, slightly embarrassed, as the musicians took the stage to perform. I noticed Kira mounting the stage steps, her erhu in hand.

“Kira!” Iwhispered, waving my hand frantically. “Kira!” I said, more loudly. She turned and her face lit up as she saw me and the Fire Lord.

“Kira!” the conductor on stage barked. She hurried to her seat, her bow in one hand and erhu in the other.

“Do you know her?” Zuko asked.

“That’s my best friend,” I replied with a smile. “She’s studying to be a music teacher at the academy.”

“Ah. She must be quite talented then.”

“She is.”

The conductor lifted his hands to signify the performance was about to begin, and the crowd quieted. He dropped his hands and motioned for a woman to come join him on the stage. She was dressed in beautiful orange and red robes with long flowing sleeves.

“Fire Lord Zuko, honored guest and court, it is an honor to be here today,” she started. “My name is Mai Lee and it is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you my dance troupe in their first ever performance. Introducing the Fire Lilies!”

The crowd clapped as rows of women in beautiful yellow and orange robes and long flowing sleeves came filing out from behind the stage. They organized themselves in straight rows in front of the musicians.

“The war stripped us of our ability to express ourselves through dance,” Mai Lee continued. “It was a rarity that we were given the ability to dance and perform with music. But thanks to our new Fire Lord, we have renewed expression and life. My troupe has resurrected old Fire Nation dance traditions and combined them with dance from the Earth Nation. We call this first performance ‘The Dancing Lily’. I hope you enjoy it.” Mai Lee bowed gracefully and exited the stage.

The conductor raised his hands once again and moved them rhythmically, signaling the beginning of the song. The dancers took their cue and began to move with the music. The flow of their bodies combined with their robes gave the appearance of fire spreading in an open field. It was a truly magical performance. They danced to several other songs before retiring behind the stage, and Mai Lee returned to speak once more.“Thank you for watching our inaugural performance. We hope you enjoyed it. And thank you to Mr. Chi for his brilliant conduction of the Royal Musicians,” she paused to allow for applause. “I now only ask that you all take one dance lesson from me: the Ba Sing Se Waltz. I need a volunteer.”

The crowd paused before a lone hand shot up from the back, and a young man came forward.

“Excellent,” Mai Lee said. With the young man as her partner, she instructed us in the ways of the Ba Sing Se Waltz with rhythmic steps and counting. It looked beautiful.

“Now, it’s your turn,” she instructed the crowd. The Royal Musicians played a slow tune that fell in cadence to the waltz and slowly but surely a few couples took to the floor to dance. It was awkward at first, as many of the couples tripped over their own shoes and robes, but slowly, the festival patrons began to ebb and flow with the music.

“I didn’t know there was going to be a dance lesson,” one of the nobles murmured behind me.

Fire Lord Zuko straightened in his chair and stood up. He turned to face me and offered his hand.

“Will you dance with me?” he asked.

“I… don’t know how,” I replied, hesitantly.

“It’s just like fire bending, you just move with music.”

I offered him my trembling hand and he guided me to the floor. He secured his hand on my waist and interlocked his other hand with mine. We began to move as the song progressed. I immediately looked down at my feet, to make sure I wasn’t stepping on his robes, or anyone else. Zuko lifted my chin with his fingers, bringing my gaze to meet his.

“Stop looking at your feet and let me lead you,” he said. I took a deep breath and relaxed a little, counting the steps in my head but letting Zuko’s movements guide mine. I glanced over to see Mr. and Mrs. Yamamoto watching me from their seats, Mr. Yamamoto beaming with pride. I watched Kira play her erhu, carefully watching the conductor but making eye contact with me for a brief moment. I looked back up at Zuko, who suddenly seemed nervous.

“Sayuri, I need to ask you something,” Zuko said.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I wanted to ask if—”

A large pop and a crash drowned out Zuko’s question. We both looked up to see the sparkle of fireworks glittering in the darkened sky.

“They weren’t supposed to start those for another 20 minutes!” the conductor groaned. The music faded to a stop.

We stopped dancing. I grabbed Zuko’s hand and led him through the crowd to a less-populated area so we could watch the fireworks together. There was a bench near a dimly lit, secluded part of the plaza. Zuko and I sat down and were immediately swarmed by attendants and guards.

“Please, just give me a few moments with my guest,” Zuko asked. The attendants dissipated but two guards stayed on each side of us.

“I guess this is as alone as alone gets,” I joked. “What were you going to ask me earlier?”

“Ah,” he said as he began to scratch the back of his head.

“Ah, what?” I teased.

The fireworks stopped and the entire plaza grew quiet. An attendant came up and knelt by the bench.

“Your Majesty, a brief meeting with the Royal Musicians and Fire Lily Dancers has been requested,” the attendant asked.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. “Okay, I’m coming.”

He got up from the bench and motioned me to follow him. We went back behind the stage. Kira saw me and ran up, nearly knocking me over with a hug.

“Sayuri!” she shouted. “You looked beautiful dancing out there with the Fire Lord! I can’t believe it.”

“Thanks, Kira. Your performance was beautiful. I couldn’t be any prouder.” I turned to face the Fire Lord. “Your Grace, this is my best friend Kira Yamamoto, her father is a member of one of your councils.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Fire Lord Zuko,” Kira said bowing.

“It’s an honor to meet one of Sayuri’s friends. She tells me you’re studying to teach music,” Zuko said.

“Yes, I will be finished with classes soon. I play with the Royal Musicians in my free time,” Kira said.

“Your Grace,” an attendant said. “The Fire Lily Dancers are waiting.” Zuko was swept away to meet the dancers. They all bowed at once in one swift motion. Once they got back up, they all giggled loudly. Kira and I both looked at each other. One of the girls stepped forward and boldly offered her hand to Zuko, as if she wanted him to take it.

“My name is Jun, Your Highness,” she said, batting her eyes. I felt rage begin to bubble up inside me. I balled my hands into tight fists and began to take a step forward when Kira grabbed my arm.

“Not here,” Kira said. “There’s too many people around.”

“What do you mean?” I said through gritted teeth. “I just want to talk.”

“Ha!” Kira laughed. “You and I both know you’re going to drag that girl by her hair if you go over.”

Zuko kept his hands behind his back and politely introduced himself to each girl. I felt my anger begin to fade, until one girl gently touched his arm and leaned in to whisper in his ear. An attendant quickly stepped forward and firmly moved her away from him. My anger boiled over into rage and I felt my face burning, I turned and walked quickly away, leaving the backstage to find a food vendor. I knew a bag of sizzle-crisps was something I could actually have to myself right now. I glanced at each of the vendors' offerings before finally finding a bag of sizzle-crisps. I offered the vendor a coin but he waved his hand at me.

“It’s on the house, anything for the Fire Lord’s girl,” he said. A wave of guilt came over me. I left my coin on the counter and walked away. I found a bench and sat down, eating my sizzle-crisps in peace for a while before Kira found me.

“There you are!” she cried out. “The Fire Lord is looking for you.”

“And here I am,” I said, sarcastically, shoving a sizzle-crisp in my mouth. Kira sat down next to me and reached over to grab one of my crisps.

“You know, he didn’t look at any of those girls twice. They tried to crawl all over him, and he plucked them all off,” she said.

“I should count myself lucky.”

“You actually should, because that man likes you. A lot. After you left, he looked all around and instantly sent his attendants after you. I went too because I know you have a strong affinity for sizzle-crisps. The vendor told me you went this way.”

“I guess I just feel really insecure around all those dancers. They’re so beautiful. And being here makes me feel out of place, even if I’m with the Fire Lord.”

“You really shouldn’t feel insecure, their beauty does not take away from yours, Sayuri. You of all people know that. Plus, the Fire Lord wants you around, it’s obvious.”

“Ugh,” I sighed. “You’re right. I’m being stupid.”

“No, you’re in love,” Kira said, taking another sizzle-crisp.

“Same thing.” I saw an attendant weave his way through the crowd to find me sitting at the bench with Kira.

“Miss, Fire Lord Zuko has asked me to find you and bring you back,” he said, slightly out of breath. I stood up with Kira and the attendant and followed him back through the crowd to a secluded area where the Fire Lilies were blooming. The dim light from the lanterns made it the perfect spot to sit. The Fire Lord was sitting on a cushion in a patch of grass, with an empty cushion next to him. He waved at both of us.

“I think it’s time for me to find my parents,” Kira said.

“Okay, I’ll see you later then,” I said, giving her a hug. I walked over and sat on the cushion next to Zuko.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi,” I replied. He turned to the attendant that found me.

“Please,” he said softly, “no more interruptions. The palace had better be on fire the next time I’m interrupted.” The attendant bowed respectfully and left.

Zuko took my hands in his. “I’m sorry about tonight, I had planned this going very differently in my head.”

“You mean, you didn’t want to be pulled in 100 different directions and viciously hit on by dancers?” I said, with a smirk.

“Ah,” he grimaced. “Sorry about that. Kira mentioned that you were upset. I hope you aren’t too mad at me.”

“I was upset, but I calmed down. I guess I was being a bit dramatic.”

“I thought I was going to get mauled to death by those dancers.”

“Don’t push it.”

Zuko reached behind him and pulled out a bouquet of Fire Lilies. “I’m sorry today got away from us.”

“Oh, Zuko. These are beautiful! You didn’t have to.” I looked up at him from the flowers to see him looking at me nervously.

“I wanted today to be special. I wanted to ask you to officially be my girlfriend.”

I smiled and leaned over to give him a hug and plant a big kiss on his cheek. “Yes, I would love to.”

The fireworks started up again. I sat next to Zuko and leaned into him.

“I can’t believe you actually want me to be your girlfriend.”

“I can’t believe you said yes.”

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#atla #avatar: the last airbender #atla fanfic #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #fire lord Zuko x oc #eyes on fire | after the war #prince Zuko fanfic #fire lord Zuko fanfic

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