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headaching · 3 years

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more titanic au?? 👀

Azula scrutinized Sokka with squinted eyes causing uneasiness flashed across his face. “For the record,” she jeered, “next time you want to stage an accidental falling, maybe keep your boots and jacket on.”

Sokka shot a panicked look at Zuko, who only shook his head. Sokka sputtered, “We…We were…”

“You don’t have to answer to her,” Zuko told Sokka apologetically.

“I don’t really care,” Azula snapped. “In fact, I think it’s sweet you made a friend.” Zuko crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t dare look at Sokka. “I’m just saying, you might want to get your story straight.” She winked at Zuko before turning on her heel. Zuko’s blush was furious and so quick it sickened him. For that, he was thankful Sokka stood behind him. “Are you coming?”

“Leave without me,” Zuko growled, and she cocked her head in his direction.

“What if you get lost on the way there, and there isn’t a third-class passenger to guide you back?” Azula’s voice was both sharp and cold, cutting and dull.

Zuko conjured his most menacing tone and said, “Azula, stop talking. Leave. Now.” Slowly, Azula’s head straightened, and she walked away without a word. Zuko watched her go, slightly impressed with himself.

When Zuko turned back to face Sokka, he was lacing up his boots. “I’m sorry about her,” Zuko apologized, and Sokka looked up from his shoes to grin at him.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sokka said as he finished tying his laces. On went his jacket, and he turned toward the water while he adjusted it. His gaze remained on the ocean as he leaned his elbows against the railing. “I’d like to see you tomorrow,” Sokka announced, not a demand, but a wish. Zuko approached Sokka, though he maintained a good distance from the ledge.

“You will, at dinner,” Zuko replied, and noticed his own rapid blinking. Sokka shot him a playful look over his shoulder, then turned around and occupied the remaining space between them.

He stood an inch or two taller than Zuko, and his head bowed forward. Though Zuko’s head tilted upward, he was only brave enough to stare at Sokka’s lips, which were full and soft-looking and slightly parted.

“I meant besides dinner.” This was the closest they’d been face to face without the impending threat of treacherous death, and the air seemed harder to take in because of it. “It’s okay if you don’t want to,” Sokka added, and Zuko noted a hint of nervousness in his voice.

“No,” Zuko croaked, “I do.”

Sokka smiled. “Okay. Meet me here tomorrow, say, two o’clock?”

“Sure.”

“It’s a date.” Sokka’s voice was quiet, but it rang through Zuko’s ears and spiked his blood, churning it hot through his veins.

As Sokka turned to leave, Zuko found himself saying, “Sokka, wait,” with an outstretched hand. It suspended in the air with his index finger pointed at Sokka’s chest. Sokka’s eyes darted from Zuko’s hand to his eyes inquisitively. Zuko straightened his fingers to offer Sokka a handshake.

“Thank you for saving my life,” Zuko said formally with a stiff nod. Sokka laughed, and a few strands of hair fell around his temples. For an isolating moment, Zuko felt like an idiot, until Sokka’s hand closed around his. They shook hands with a firm grip, and it seemed to last longer than a usual handshake.

“Thank you for not jumping,” Sokka murmured, and stilled their hands, but didn’t pull away. The fingers on Sokka’s opposite hand caressed Zuko’s wrist, and Zuko tried to remember if he’d ever been touched so gently.

Eventually, Sokka stepped back, and their hold was broken. He slipped his hands into his pockets and eyed Zuko, then exhaled through his nose in a quick laugh.

“Is something funny?” Zuko asked reflexively, then cleared his throat at the sound of his raspy voice.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Do you always have to know all the answers?” Sokka teased, and Zuko crossed his arms. Sokka had no idea how few answers Zuko actually received, or how long ago he gave up the pursuit of seeking them.

Zuko couldn’t manage a response. He realized he was shivering; he must have left his coat on his chair at dinner. Sokka noticed, too, and questioned, “Are you cold?” He didn’t wait for Zuko to answer before taking his jacket off.

“No, I don’t need—” Zuko began to protest through chattering teeth, but was interrupted by Sokka draping his jacket across his trembling shoulders.

“You’re shaking,” Sokka dismissed quietly, practically affectionate. He pulled the opening of the jacket closer together in an attempt to insulate Zuko, then placed both hands over his crossed arms when they were exposed to the cold air despite the effort.

As Zuko watched carefully, Sokka unfolded his arms and brought Zuko’s clenched fists to his mouth. Sokka exhaled a heated breath onto Zuko’s hands, while his own drifted down to cup Zuko’s elbows. Their eyes met, honey and pale blue, and neither averted their gaze.

Zuko imagined breaking one hand free to caress Sokka’s cheek, and when Sokka’s lower lip just barely brushed against his finger, the fantasy morphed into one where they were kissing.

Zuko’s heart raced at the possibility of gliding his fingers along Sokka’s toned bare arms, the nape of his neck, the sharp angle of his jaw. Maybe Sokka’s hands would hold Zuko’s waist, draw him in, entice him to step closer. Sokka’s jacket might plummet to the deck floor if their hands were frantic, or stay perfectly in place if the embrace was slow and peaceful.

Though Zuko had little romantic experience, the image of kissing Sokka was easy, dangerously so, and the possibilities were endless.

“Zuko?” brought him back to reality, where Sokka’s hands had shifted. Sokka seemed to be holding him in place with a firm grip and one foot braced forward. Zuko blinked and noticed his fingers had fallen from their clenched position to grip Sokka’s forearms. He considered pulling away, but stayed still.

“I’m sorry. W-What happened?” Zuko’s face was smoldering, and he desperately wished to conceal it.

“You checked out for a second, then seemed like you were gonna fall,” Sokka explained, and though he sounded concerned, Zuko detected a smirk on his face.

“Oh,” Zuko mumbled, and looked away pointedly.

“Seriously, are you okay?” Sokka asked, the happy traces in his face replaced with worry. Zuko sighed, inwardly cursing his inability to play anything cool. “I mean, you just had a near death experience. Of course you’re not okay.”

“That wasn't my first near death experience,” Zuko replied before thinking better of it. His throat constricted when Sokka’s eyes flickered to his scar, but he found solace in the gentle squeeze Sokka gave his arms. Sokka looked down and nodded slowly. “I’m just clumsy, like Azula said,” Zuko added, gratefully getting him to crack a smile.

“I’d hesitate to take anything she says to heart,” Sokka laughed, and Zuko breathed a silent sigh of relief. Sokka stared at him for a moment with a twinkle of amusement still in his eyes, then said, “Maybe I should walk you back, though. You seem out of it.”

“You have no frame of reference,” Zuko retorted, and though his voice was agitated, Sokka took a small step forward, somehow still possible with their close proximity.

“Not yet.” His reply was an easy, clear indication that he intended to find out. Zuko focused on the dreaded task of evening his breath, but his mind inevitably wandered to their hold on one another and how it still had not ended.

“Not yet, but not tonight,” Zuko said eventually, as gently as he could. “My father will be expecting me soon.” Sokka nodded, and glanced at their arms pointedly, then back into Zuko’s eyes with raised eyebrows. “I can walk myself,” Zuko scoffed with an eye roll. He took the opportunity to remove Sokka’s jacket, but a firm hand halted his own.

“Keep it,” he insisted, and Zuko shook his head.

“I don’t need your jacket,” Zuko responded stubbornly, but drew the garment closer together in an attempt to disguise his shivering.

Sokka’s eyes glanced down, and somehow, the grin that spread across his face left Zuko wishing he could disappear and never leave Sokka’s sight all at once. “You contradict yourself a lot,” Sokka noted. Zuko decided disappearing would be better.

“And you’re infuriating,” Zuko muttered, his eyes on the deck.

“Is that any way to thank a kind stranger for his hospitality?” Sokka teased, and Zuko brushed past him with a hard jab of his elbow.

“Thanks,” Zuko said sarcastically.

He grinned to himself when Sokka yelped, “Ow!” followed by an airy laugh. When Zuko reached the gate, he glanced over his shoulder past the fabric of Sokka’s jacket to give him a smug smile. Sokka’s laugh faded into a closed-mouth dreamy grin complete with squinted, glistening eyes, and for that Zuko’s nerve was almost wasted.

“You’re not a stranger anymore,” Zuko said quietly, unfamiliar with the flirtatiousness of his voice. Sokka’s face fell, but with a focus that made Zuko wish he could read his mind. “Goodnight, Sokka,” he mumbled and turned away before Sokka could notice any further blushing.

“Goodnight, Zuko,” Sokka called after him. “See you tomorrow.” It was much quieter, and so light Zuko wondered if the wind had tricked him. Before leaving the gate, Zuko stole one more look to find Sokka splayed across a bench with his hands padding the back of his head. He looked up at the stars with a peaceful grin.

After watching Sokka longer than Zuko would have cared to admit, he finally left the deck. As he entered the interior of the ship, the warmth of whirlwind excitement began to fade. The farther he got from Sokka, the more he wanted to turn around, occupy the space next to him on the bench, and outstretch luxuriously with his palms resting under his head. How simple it would have been, to watch the stars.

To be free.

send me the title of a wip for an excerpt!

#thank you anon mwah mwah #zukka #zukka titanic au #zuko #sokka #azula #zukka fic #becks #my work #asks #anon

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zukoszukhoes · 4 years

Text

Don’t Speak- Part 2

// Zuko x reader soulmate au

// part 1 here

// part 3 here

//warnings: none

You slipped your cuff off and your own words came to light. The words on yours and Zuko’s wrists began to turn golden from the inside, shining brighter and brighter until the words disappeared from your wrists in a blaze of light, confirming the worst.

You and Prince Zuko really were soulmates.

Except, after seeing what he was capable of, you knew you’d never love him.

“Lotty,” you started quietly, keeping your eyes trained on Zuko. “There’s a sack of gold coins hidden in the back of my dresser. Go get it and leave this place as quickly as you can.”

“But, (Y/N)-”

“Do it. Now.”

Without another word, Lotty scurried from the clearing, leaving you and the prince alone. For a minute, the two of you just stared at each other, Zuko’s gaze full of shock.

“You know,” you started. “It makes me wonder what kind of person I am if I have you as my soulmate.”

Zuko stumbled backwards, like the words were a literal blow to his chest. “I’m- I’m sorry! I didn’t know-”

You scoffed. “If you had known, would it have changed anything? Would you have let her go?”

Zuko stayed silent.

“That’s what I thought.” You sneered, turning away. “You’re just as cruel as the rest of your family.”

When you turned back around, Zuko was gone.

That night, dinner was... tense, to say the least.

“I apologize that dinner was so late, Prince Zuko. We haven’t been able to find our head maid.” Your mother said.

At the mention of Lotty, you glared at Zuko.

Zuko swallowed uncomfortably, shooting you a glance. “Yes, um, that is unfortunate.” It seemed Zuko would keep your secret- for now.

“If only it could have been avoided,” you said suddenly, glaring daggers at Zuko. Your parents raised their eyebrows in surprise, seeing that you were finally speaking to the prince, who looked flushed and extremely uncomfortable. Your father shot you a look and quickly changed the subject.

“I hope you’ve had a pleasant stay so far. I saw you were exploring the gardens earlier. I’m afraid I have no talent with gardening; I’m lucky to have such a gifted wife.” You father remarked, smiling at your mother.

“They are very beautiful.” Zuko said softly.

Your mother blushed with pride. “I’ve had lots of help. (Y/N) is a very proficient gardener as well. Perhaps they could continue gardening at the palace.”

You choked on your food in surprise. “Mother!” Your mother raised an eyebrow, as if, now that you and the prince were speaking, your engagement was practically guaranteed. She looked to Zuko, no doubt expecting some a look of agreement, but was met with his flushed face and uncomfortable silence.

Your father cleared his throat. “How about dessert?”

You stood up from the table suddenly. “I’m sorry, I think I’m still sick from yesterday. If you don’t mind, I’ll retire early to my room.” And before your parents could object, you scurried from the room as fast as you could.

“Please excuse (Y/N)... they can be very headstrong.” You heard your mother say weakly as you walked out. You stopped in the door, turning around briefly and catching Zuko’s molten gaze.

His eyes glittered with regret. “I know.” He said quietly.

~~~

Sitting in the quiet light of a flickering candle, a book laid flat before you, you tried to calm down. Thinking about Zuko and what he had done to Lotty still made you seethe with anger. Taking deep breaths, you thought of peaceful memories: taking walks on the beach with your friends, tending to the garden with your mother, going into town with Lotty-

You smacked your book shut with a bang. Fresh anger reignited in your chest at the thought of Lotty, knowing she was gone- at the hands of the prince, no less. Moving to the window, you took in a full breath of the clear night air, letting your feelings ebb away with each cycle of air that filled your lungs.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door.

A sigh escaped your lips. It was probably your mother there to ask you about Zuko- and that was the last thing you wanted to talk about. “Go away, mother. I’m not feeling well.” You called.

“It’s actually me. Can I come in?” Zuko’s hopeful voice answered.

You groaned and trudged over to the door, yanking it open with an unnecessary amount of force. Zuko stood on the other side. “What do you want?” You growled.

“I came to talk to you. I wanted to apologize for what happened earlier.”

You scoffed. “Sure you do. Now, if you’ll excuse me-“ you went to close the door, but Zuko pushed against it, staring down at you with yearning.

“Please,” he whispered, his face inches from yours. “At least let me explain.”

Your face burned at the feel of Zuko so near. He was so close you felt as if his warmth was hugging you, pulling you into him and hypnotizing you into never leaving. You looked away. Snap out of it! You yelled at yourself. Don’t forget what he’s done. Who he is.

But yet... his face seemed so genuine...

You stepped back from the door and crossed your arms. “You have five minutes.”

Zuko smiled briefly and nodded, stepping into the room. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “First off, I’m sorry that you saw me act the way I did earlier. What you saw wasn’t me. I mean, it was, but not the real me- anyways...” He took a deep breath, looking up to capture your gaze. For a moment, he stared into your eyes, like he could convey everything he was trying to say with a look. You glared and turned away, refusing to feel any sympathy for him.

“I think you know how the Fire Nation corrupts people,” Zuko started. “It takes good people and fills them with hatred towards the rest of the world. I’ve seen it firsthand, when I was banished. We’ve always been taught that it’s the Fire Nations’ job to share its success with the world, to help the nations less fortunate than itself. But the rest of the world doesn’t see us as saviors; they see us as killers.” Zuko glanced up briefly. “In the royal family, we were taught that to the extreme. After all, it would be my job one day to continue my ancestors’ legacy- to take over the world and finish the mission they started. When I was tasked with capturing the Avatar, I saw it as just one more accomplishment to add to my legacy as Fire Lord. I thought that it would make me honorable- in the eyes of my father, my family, my nation. I thought it would make me worthy to be Fire Lord.”

You felt your arms loosen slightly, a drop of pity filling your heart alongside anger.

“When I was accepted back to the Fire Nation, I thought I’d finally be happy. I had everything I wanted! My father was proud of me. I should have been happy. But I wasn’t. I was- and am- angrier than ever and I don’t know why!” His voice rose in pitch until he was yelling, fists clenched by his side. He looked up, catching your apprehensive expression, and shuddered with guilt. “I didn’t mean to do what I did today. I really didn’t. But being here- in the Fire Nation again- it’s turned me into a person I don’t recognize.”

“I’m sorry,” you whispered. Zuko looked up at you, lips parted in surprise. You wrapped your arms around your torso, averting your gaze so he wouldn’t see the pity in your eyes. “I understand how you feel. Sometimes things get so twisted here that you don’t know what’s real anymore.”

Zuko nodded silently. You took a deep breath, hating yourself for not hating Zuko, and continued. “You know, I had a brother.”

Zuko’s eyes widened. Your eyes fluttered close, the familiar wave of sorrow washing over you at your brother’s memory. “Jin-Yan. He was five years older than me. Before he-“ you stopped, taking another breath to quell the tremor in your voice. “Before he died, I believed everything the Fire Nation taught us. I thought that we were the greatest nation in the world. But when my brother turned 18, he was drafted to go to war. We were all so proud.” You shook your head. “Six months after he left, he came home for the Winter Solstice celebration and told me everything. About the thousands of people dying because of the Fire Nation. How whole cities are being burned to the ground. I’d heard stories growing up, but I’d never believed them until he told me. He said that the war wasn’t bringing prosperity to the world like we were taught; it was bringing destruction.”

“What happened to him?” Zuko asked softly, a hint of fear in his voice.

Hatred hardened the lines of your face. “They asked him to kill an innocent child, just because she was an earth bender. He refused. They were going to force him to do it anyways, so he deserted. The general caught him in less than an hour. That very same night, Jin-Yan was executed for treason.” A single angry, hot tear trickled down your cheek.

Suddenly, Zuko was beside you, a warm hand on your shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” He said softly.

You ripped your shoulder out of his grasp and turned away. “Don’t act like you’re sorry when we both know you don’t mean it. Just this morning you were ready to take another member of my family to her execution. You’re no better than the general.”

“I know,” he whispered.

You whipped around to him, heart stammering. You don’t what you’d expected from him, but you certainly hadn’t expected him to agree with you.

“I meant it when I said I was sorry, (Y/N). What I did today was wrong. I can only promise you that I’m trying to be better, and ask for your forgiveness.” Zuko vowed, golden eyes boring into yours.

You turned away so you wouldn’t have to face the sincerity in his gaze. Wrapping your arms around yourself, you squeezed your eyes shut to block out the voices telling you to forgive him, telling you that he was genuine. But then you remembered Jin-Yan, his voice whispering in your mind not to trust anything or anyone in the Fire Nation, and your willingness to forgive disappeared.

“I can’t.” You whispered, turning to meet his gaze again.

Zuko simply nodded. “I understand.”

You meant it. You didn’t forgive him. But he was so close, his scent a delicious drug as it filled your nostrils, that your body leaned into him of its own accord. Zuko glanced down to your lips, breath hitching quietly, and placed a tentative hand on your jaw as he leaned in-

“(Y/N), darling, are you awake? I want to speak with you.” Your mother’s voice sounded from the other side of the door. Instantly Zuko and you sprang apart, clearing your throats uncomfortably and doing your best to hide your twin blushes.

“I-I’m awake. Can you come back later, please?” You called back to your mother, your voice weak.

“(Y/N), you can’t ignore me fore-“ your mother pushed open the door and stopped in her tracks when she saw Zuko. Her mouth dropped open. “Prince Zuko!”

Zuko’s face blushed to match his robes as he bowed deeply. “Mrs. (L/N). If you and (Y/N) need to talk, I was just about to leave-“

“There’s no need for that, I’ll just come back some other time-“

“Mother!” You hissed, giving her a look.

Your mother smiled sheepishly. “I’ll leave you two alone. Goodnight, (Y/N). Prince Zuko.” She curtsied to Zuko and exited quietly.

You groaned and collapsed into the closest chair, hands shielding your face from having to meet Zuko’s gaze. To your surprise, however, Zuko started to chuckle.

“What?!” You cried, looking up from your hands. Zuko was smiling down at you like you were the most precious thing in the universe. Seeing his grin, you swore your heart skipped a beat.

“Your family. They’re nice.”

You buried your face in your hands again. “They’re embarrassing. I’m sorry you had to witness that.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s kind of... nice, I guess, to see a normal family.”

You looked up once more. “What do you mean?”

Zuko glanced at you then looked away, his gaiety disappearing. “Nothing. Just forget it.”

Crossing your arms, you rose and gave Zuko a pointed look. “It’s not nothing. Tell me the truth.”

Zuko glanced at you again, his cheeks reddening even deeper. “My mother is dead. Or at least, I think she is. And my father...” he trailed off. He didn’t need to explain for you to understand. The Firelord was a cruel and ruthless ruler; you couldn’t imagine having him as a father.

“I’m sorry.” You said, this time you putting your hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Except Zuko didn’t push you away.

“It’s getting late.” He finally said after a moment of silence.

You nodded and pulled away, your hand strangely cold after being in contact with his warm skin. “Yeah. I should probably go to sleep.”

“Probably. “He moved to the door to leave, but before he could go, you caught him by the arm.

“Zuko-“ you started. He raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t mean what I said. About you being cruel.”

Surprise pushed Zuko’s eyebrows upwards, but his shock quickly melted into warmth. “Thank you.”

Your hand trailed off of his arm. “Goodnight, Zuko.” You whispered. He smiled faintly, eyes glittering, and turned down the hall. You watched his figure recede into the blackness of night, shivering as the last glimpse of his amber eyes disappeared into the dark.

When he was finally gone, you crawled into your bed to sleep, but you knew you would be awake all night. Your heart was thumping wildly and you were jittery, like you’d been electrified. A sense of dread settled deep inside of you. Every moment you were with Zuko, your hatred sifted away like grains of sand on a desert dune. Your heart kept betraying you; beating too fast and making you do stupid things like almost kiss him. Despite your best efforts, you couldn't help but like him.

You glared at the wall, pushing your feelings deep down into your stomach. Even if he was your soulmate, he was still destined to be Firelord- which meant that one day, he would continue the era of killing and destruction his ancestors had brought down on the globe. His apology was sincere, but it was no guarantee that he was the person he claimed he was trying to be. You’d simply have to try harder not to like him; because, soulmates or not, you could never stand by someone who would only bring evil to the world.

~~~

“Get up.” A voice snapped you out of your dreams. “Get up!” The voice yanked your covers off of you.

“What- mother!” You cried incredulously, launching upwards with the sudden cold. “I’m in my night-wear!”

“Oh, hush. Now, get dressed, and quickly.”

“Why?” You frowned, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes.

“Because,” your mother said, throwing you a ceremonial robe. “The Fire Lord has requested your presence at the palace.”

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visit-ba-sing-se · 3 years

Text

Did somebody say Zuko discovers he has rainbow- fire? (actually a really nice ask that I deleted on accident did)

It had been long day, and Zuko enjoyed the few moments of silence while he made his way through the place garden. The sun had already set and all of the visitors from the day seemed to be gone. It had been Aang`s idea to open the areal to the public, and of course it had been a brilliant one. During the day, the garden now was filled with people from all nations, who came traveling from further away to see the famous royal garden, or just from around the corner to take a small walk. They came and brought chatter and laughter, life and curiosity. It was beautiful. And now, he made his way here in their footsteps. Alone. Or was he not?

Suddenly, Zuko stopped.

Directly in front of him, a small boy was standing on the trace, obviously lost. When he noticed Zuko, he quickly took a step back.

He went down on one knee. Hoping to not scare the boy any further, he asked as calmly as possible: “Hey, what are you still doing here? And where are you parents?“

“I don’t know.“ The boy responded so quietly that Zuko nearly did not understand him.

“You don’t know where your parents are?“

The boy nodded. Zuko waited, hoping that he would continue talking. But all that followed was in silence.

“So…how did you lose them?“

“I just wanted to look at the ducks for a bit more, and now they are gone.“ The boy covered his eyes “And it is so dark. And I just want to go home. And my mom and dad. And….and...“, the had finally lost the fight with his tears and was now crying so bad that his last words became inaudible.

“Hey, hey.“ Zuko carefully laid a hand on his shoulder. He felt the small body shiver with each sob. „We are going to find your parents, alright? What is your name?“

“Yun.“ The boy responded hesitantly. “But this place is so big. I don’t think we will ever find them.“

“Alright, Yun. I promise you we are going to find them. And I kind of live here, so I would say I know my way around.“ Zuko would just take him to the main gate, he decided. If he had lost his child here, where would he wait? Probably at the entrance. And maybe the guards there did see something or could help with the search.

Yun nodded, but he still did not seem too convinced. “But it still is so dark. And I hate the dark. It is so scary.“

Zuko took a moment to think. Judging by his accent and name, the boy likely was from the earth kingdom. Which again meant that if he had ever met a fire bender before, it had not been a good meeting, seeing all the crimes which the fire nation army had committed.On the other hand, the darkness of the night seemed to bother him beyond everything else.

“Would you like a bit light?“ He finally asked.

The boy nodded.

Zuko opened his palm, and small flame started to flicker over it. Only that it did not look as Zuko had expected. No ordinary flame lit up the night, but a rainbow. It looked like the dragon fire.

“It is so so so pretty.“ The colorful flames reflected in his dark, wide opened eyes. “Can I touch it?“

“No.“ Zuko smiled, still nearly equally amazed by the rainbow flickering on his hand. “No, it is way too hot. It’s fire.“

“But it does not look like fire.“ Yun paused and tilted his head. “I mean, not like the fire I know. Not like normal fire.“

“That is because it is special fire.“ Zuko responded, lacking any actual explanation. “Just for you.“ Yun smiled wide, and Zuko wished there was a way to capture this moment. Or that they could just stay here for a little longer. But he knew that Yun had parents waiting for him, and that he soon would start missing them again.

“But now, let us go, okay?“ He therefore said.

Yun nodded, but he still seemed more interested in the fire than into anything else.

“I wish I could make fire, too.“ He said after they had taken a few steps. “Then I would not have to be scared of the dark anymore. My sister always makes fun of me for that. But that’s also just because she is mean. I also asked her to tell mom and dad to wait for me before I went back to the pond. But she didn’t. And that-“ Yun made a dramatic pause, “is mean.“

“Do you have a sister?,“ He asked before Zuko had time to respond.

An image appeared in Zuko`s mind before he could prevent it. Azula, how she had looked after the last Agni Kai. “Yes. Yes I do.“ It took him a lot of strength to keep his voice from breaking.

Still Yun seemed to have noticed something. “She is mean too, huh? Did you also have a fight?“

“You could say that. A big one. A very big one. But we will make up again somehow.“ Zuko said, more to himself then to the boy. There was no way to describe how badly he wanted to believe his own words. “And you and your sister should too.“

“Okay, maybe I will. But only if she apologizes.”

Apologize. Zuko could not remember any time where Azula had ever apologized for anything. Maybe he should apologize. But what for? For not being a better brother when she needed one, a voice inside his head whispered. It felt like a fist was clenching around his heart.

Luckily, Yun quickly interrupted his thoughts again.

“Is this the gate? I remember it from today before!“

They really already had arrived at the entrance to the park. In the light of the torches, Zuko could see two adults talking with the guards, gesturing widely. A girl was standing nearby, her head hanging low.

“Yes it is. And does this look like your family?“, he asked Yun. Before the he could respond, the girl, who had been the first to notice them, already come running towards him. “Yun, Yun! Mom, dad, Yun is back!“

“Not thanks to you.“ Zuko could see how Yun tried his best to look angry.

“I know.“ The girl, who now stood in front of them breathing heavily, responded. She sounded honestly sorry. „I just wanted to fool you a bit. Because you made fun of me for eating too spicy fire flakes earlier.“ As Yun did not respond, she added quickly: “And you can have my lost mochi to make up for it.“

“It’s okay. But never do that again.“ Yun said in a very serious voice. The girl nodded, an equally serious expression on her face.

Zuko could not help but smile. If only all fights could end like this. And if only all fire was only there to guide the way.

#zuko #avatar #Avatar The Last Airbender #atla #avatar zuko #azula #atla fanfic #my writing #celebrate with me that I survived my exam #I was really hesitant to post this hope you like it

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azucanela · 4 years

Note

Dating korra would include

BEING KORRA’S S/O[GENDER NEUTRAL]

BEING ZUKO’S S/O | BEING SOKKA’S S/O

SUMMARY: life with korra from confession to marriage

WORD COUNT: 2.1k

WARNINGS: no major spoilers

A/N: SOMEONE WITH T A S T E, i hope you don’t mind but i kinda just did the same thing i did for my zuko headcannons so feel free to scroll straight to the during the relationship bit if you just want dating korra h/c :D

also i have 300 followers now what, i literally had 200 like yesterday hi everyone <3 um i really need to start pulling out all the stops

GETTING INTO THE RELATIONSHIP

she’s a simp.

that’s it. thats the headcannon. she has literally liked you since she met you and has said nothing, but you probably know since she’s so damn OBVIOUS ABOUT IT

korra is very in tuned with her emotions so when she realizes she likes you she’s pretty okay with it, a little more flustered during your interactions, but after a while her goal is to make you feel how she feel which is flustered.

she has no shame though, she knows she is hot and she wants you to know she thinks you are hot

lots of flirting on her end, so naturally you kinda begin to think she is joking and think nothing of it

this was not her intent, and now that you are desensitized to her flirting and not reacting flustered like you did when she first started she is frustrated™

you were not understanding that she very much likes you

stupid

she hasn’t said anything outright to you about it though, which is the main reason you are like lol this is a joke, my crush fake flirts with me i am okay

spoiler alert: you are not okay with this it hurts ow

so now shes getting ridiculously affectionate with you, which, tbh, she always was, but not its RIDICULOUS, korra is out here throwing an arm around your shoulder, randomly grabbing your hand, kissing your cheek

shes trying really hard to get her point across like really really hard

like painfully hard

if she likes you its probably because your fun, like you really spice up her life and introduce her to new things and go on really dumb adventures and really important missions with her and you put up with her and wow now korra is simping oops

you’re also probably forcing her to stay healthy, since i honestly think that despite having such an appetite, korra will forget to eat and take care of herself sometimes.

she is so bad at drinking water i swear to goD

there are two situations here

situation one is where korra finally realizes that you CANNOT READ SIGNALS AT ALL and decides she going to be upfront with you about her feelings

she’s either going to just flat out kiss you next time she sees you or spill all her emotions, of both in no particular order

you’re like reading in your room in the air temple, just vibing, and you see her coming towards you with a determined look on her face and you’re like ??? lol okay

you go back to reading only to have her hand reach under you jaw and she brings you into a kiss and now you’re like LOL OKAY

you honestly think that this is just another one of her stunts to get you flustered and means nothing

stoopid

and then she pulls apart and just starts spilling her feelings and you’re like :O omg me too

and she’s like, “great, we’re dating now.” and suddenly she’s kissing you again, and between kisses you’re like, “im sorry what?”

“you heard me. do you have a problem with that?”

you just kiss her again

situation two is where you get sick of her and realize woah she may or may not be in love with you and so you confront her, and now there is a lot of yelling because you are frustrated™ and like screw you korra

you honestly think she is either madly in love with you and just doing this as a joke, and you genuinely think the latter is more like so you lowkey start crying and korra immediately begins to panic

she’s like, “why would i ever joke about that! i’ve literally been trying to get that through your thick skull this whole time!”

this time you kiss her first and korra is throwing a party in her head but she also feels really bad for making you cry oops

DURING THE RELATIONSHIP

okay so korra happens to be very much a simp

and you happen to be very much the mom friend™ it doesn’t matter if you are a boy girl or none of the above, that is your trademark my friend

she’s very affectionate and now that the two of you are dating she is at a whole new level.

important meeting? you are in her lap she does not care. war meeting? she is cuddling you as you explain the plans of attack and DAMN DO YOU LOOK GOOD DOING it

since being the avatar is MUCH more a political position now though, she does try to keep your relationship slightly on the down low, even before you were dating, you both had reporters constantly asking about your relationship and she doesn’t really like that

they are nosy and she does not approve. korra understands wanting to know about her avatar duties, but anything outside of that in regards to her personal life annoys her

loves kissing you, and when she does it tends to be intense and passionate. after a particularly tough day though, her kisses can either be slow and sensual because she just wants to have a nice soft and domestic day with you

they can be harsh and almost brutish, she will get rough with you because she is highkey pissed at everything that day and making out you with is her stress reliever

really likes cuddling and anything domestic in general. she’s really happy with you, and she kinda has all the love languages

she seeks validation when the press is particularly harsh since being the avatar is HARD and as much as she wants to, she cannot please anyone, so please tell her she is doing amazing

so many acts of service up in here, she will randomly do stuff for you, spontaneity is kinda her vibe ya know

very vocal and expressive about her feelings, communication is key with her

arguments aren’t a rarity tbh, but when they do happen they tend to be more of debates over little things like what’s better, pineapple pizza or no?

major fights tend to end poorly since she can be a little stubborn when it comes to such things, but she will admit she was wrong and apologize IF she was wrong

if she wasn’t wrong but the argument got out of hand, she’ll apologize for that but will affirm her correctness

kiss her scars, she has them, and she is proud of them but

support her at her pro bending matches and she will DIE, so happy, literally sososososososo happy, hugs you, loves you, yes

treats you as an equal no matter what, even if people think that as the avatar she should see herself as something more than

very protective of you.

like if someone flirts with you, she is clingy x10. if someone hits on you despite your protests, she HITS them. if someone threatens to hurt you, she promises to end them.

MARRIAGE N STUFF

WELP

she’s gonna realize she wants to propose when she almost loses you, or in the middle of a battle. when the reality of potentially losing you hits her she is gonna realize she wants to live out the rest of her life by your side, protecting you

situation one is where she literally, in the MIDDLE OF BATTLE, without a ring, just proposes. you are being a baddie, bending if you are a bender, fighting the opposing enemy, looking MIGHTY FINE while doing it

“marry me.”

you falter, nearly getting hit as your head whips over to her and you’re like, “ARE YOU SERIOUS?”

and she throws a giant rock at the opposition, temporarily indisposing them, “yes?? why wouldn’t i be.”

Someone comes up behind you and you elbow them in the face and ram your foot into their knee, knocking them down, “RIGHT NOW?”

she throws a whip of water in your direction and you dodge it, allowing her to take out the enemy behind you, and you throw a whole dagger at her to do the same. “that was close.” she narrows her eyes at you bc you lowkey look like you wanna kill her rn as you two hide behind a barricade for cover and an explosion washes over it, “you could’ve killed me.”

“you just about gave me a heart attack when you PROPOSED two minutes ago, need i remind you.”

korra raised a brow at you, “is that a no...?”

“do you even have a ring?”

korra gives you a look that gives you the answer and you groan, “i cannot believe you.”

“you really should’ve expected this.”

“i know.”

“i get to pick the ring then?”

“you’re probably going to plan the whole wedding.”

“alright.”

theres a boom from beyond the barricade you two have hidden behind as korra looks to you, “alright?”

“i’ll marry you.” you elaborate, giving her a bright smile.

situation two is more depressing lol

you have been SHOT oops, don’t die pls because korra CANNOT handle it after everything that has happened to her, so if you die she’s done

she’s kinda just sitting at your bed side and it hits her that you could die basically any day now, and she would have so many regrets

she wished she kissed you more, told you she loved you more, held you longer, spent more mornings with you and your bedhead, she wished she learnt to cook so that she could surprise you with a meal when you get home from a long day of work, she wishes she did a lot of things

she wishes you two were married.

korra is now having an existential crisis, and everyone is telling her that she has to go home, get some rest, you’ll wake up eventually, you’ll get better, but you don’t wanna wake up to korra being a mess

she knew they were right, you always scolded her for not taking care of herself, so she decided to follow some of their wishes

Korra cannot bring herself to go home, there are so many reminders of you that it hurts, and she kinda just decides she’ll stay in a hotel and wash up and such.

besides, you are her home.

after leaving the hotel, she ends up going the jeweler and buying the ring she believes screams you

when korra returns to the hospital, she contemplated proposing right then and there, before realizing that you’d probably yell at her for choosing such a ridiculous time and you already had a lot on your plate

once the two of you return home and you are in the midst of recovery, she did learn to cook, so you wouldn’t feel the need to do so, and given your situation she fears you’ll injure yourself further in the process.

you two are eating dinner and you’re babbling on about something you’d read, and she suddenly decides to get up and walk over to you, leaving you like ???

then she gets down on one knee and you are like :O

she’s like, “marry me.”

naturally, you start crying and nodding because wow this is such an intimate moment and just happiness

kissinggggg after that

the wedding is, under NO CIRCUMSTANCE public, the most private and intimate wedding ever. korra hates reporters after her life as the avatar, she doesnt want strangers at her wedding.

any and everyone she has ever fought beside is there though, its wholesome and nice

definitely cries when she sees you at the altar

her vows are MASTERFUL AND TEARJERKING

its a pretty basic wedding though, unless you prefer something over the top, the food is nice a mix of both your cultures and favorite things and there’s beautiful lighting

definitely done on air temple island, and tbh tenzin would probably walk you down the aisle because i said so

married life with her is even better, she lives for he domesticity of it all, especially lazy sunday mornings with the light filtering in and you just looking all pretty and having a lil fun

iykyk

honeymoon in the spirit word lads

bolin is your number one supporter

life with korra is a 10/10 i do recommend it

A/N: im kinda in love with korra lol this requests made me happy

#korra x reader #korra x you #korra x y/n #x reader #legend of korra #legend of korra x reader #legend of korra x you #lok #lok x reader #lok x you #korra #korra headcannons #korra x reader headcannon

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toosicktoocare · 4 years

Text

I’ve been kind of playing with this ATLA Benders College AU, so I’m just going to roll with it.

ATLA Benders College AU

Snippet 1: Warmth Beyond a Bonfire

Setting: Junior Year, Sokka and Zuko

“You what?” Katara spits out sharply, hand tightening around her fork that’s raised mid-bite.

Beside her, Aang’s jaw drop, almost comically, his mouth full of food now on proper display, and Sokka grimaces.

“I said,” Sokka starts, drawing out his words slowly as if to dumb down the language, “I invited—”

“—Zuko,” Katara finishes harshly, the name alone leaving a sour taste atop her tongue. “You invited Zuko. The same Zuko who terrorized Aang for an entire year.”

“Now, Katara,” Sokka starts, smiling sheepishly and pointedly ignoring Aang’s eyes burning a hole in his face, “terrorize is a bit of a stretch, don’t you think? He had his reasons—”

“—Family troubles don’t justify his behavior, Sokka! I still don’t understand why you even speak to him.”

“He’s my roommate, Katara,” Sokka sighs, abandoning his fork on his tray. He’ll admit, he was far from pleased when junior dorm assignments dropped online a few months ago, and Zuko’s name was typed up plain as the day itself beside his. He remembers a burning anger swelling in his stomach, and in the days leading up to move-in, he filed multiple complaints to the resident director, both written and verbally, with Katara and Aang always backing him up one hundred percent.

Though, each complaint was always answered with a sigh and a rehearsed explanation. “The dean wants to spread out the fire nation students. He thinks it will help with their location-born reputation.”

Sokka thought it was stupid, and his annoyance, and muted fear, carried over into move-in day, diminishing only when he kicked his dorm door open, multiple bags in hand, and was met with warm, golden eyes, and a soft, hesitant smile that flipped his heart sideways.

Since then, he and Zuko have discovered a balance around each other, and, much to Katara’s dismay, an unlikely bond, one that’s civilized, and one that carries a seemingly one-sided something else that Sokka refuses to bring up to anyone, himself included.

“Your point?” Katara snaps quickly. “Look, Sokka, I know Zuko came back from summer break with a new hairstyle, but that doesn’t change the fact that he—”

“—I think he should come.”

The table goes quiet, with only Aang’s nonchalant chewing filling the silence. He ignores the mirror-like looks Katara and Sokka are shooting him and offers a one shoulder shrug in response.

“Maybe Sokka’s right,” Aang starts around his food. “We don’t know what happened to Zuko, but he does seem different now that he’s spent the summer with his Uncle. He even apologized to me.”

“He did?”

“Well, he slipped me a note in AB History that said ‘sorry.’”

“That’s it?” Katara throws her hands up, a huff slipping past her lips. “Aang, you can’t be serious about this. He hit you and mocked you for an entire year, and I thought he was going to kill you during the Bender Tournament. Do you really think it’s a good idea to be within bending distance at a bonfire, where he will very easily have the upper hand?”

Shrugging, Aang carries his gaze across the cafeteria to a two-seater booth in the back corner where Zuko’s currently sitting, nose buried in some novel with a fire bender and a water bender on the front. Katara and Sokka follow Aang’s gaze, and Sokka unconsciously sighs, dropping his chin in his palm as his eyes drink in Zuko’s hunched over posture and his soft, intrigued eyes.

“I just think he’s different,” Aang says, adding, “for real this time. Maybe he’ll make some better friends if he comes tonight. I think it will be good for him.”

“That’s the spirit!” Sokka pries his gaze back toward Aang, pushing forth a wide, toothy smile as he leans across the table to clap Aang on the shoulder. “We’ll meet you there!” He makes to stand, to return his tray and sneak in some quick studying before his next class, but Katara reaches out, digging sharp fingers into his wrist, and he pauses, frowning.

“Katara?”

“If he so much as looks at Aang the wrong way tonight, I’ll wash him all the way back to the fire nation.”

“Noted,” Sokka says, swallowing thickly, and he tugs his wrist free and makes a beeline to the exit, completing forgetting the tray still in his hand.

***

“I just want to make sure I’m understanding everything clearly,” Zuko starts, one brow arching as he watches Sokka fling clothes out his dresser. “Your sister and Aang were… excited when you told them I was coming?”

They’ve gone through this four times now, and still, Zuko can’t seem to convince himself that Sokka’s story is valid, not even in the slightest. He crosses his arms and nudges a shirt off the edge of Sokka’s bed with his socked foot before drawing his knees to his chest, back resting against Sokka’s headboard.

“Okay, fine,” Sokka drags out, tone low and dramatic, one Zuko’s learned to know all too well. “Katara wasn’t happy about it.”

“And Aang?”

“Aang actually was the one who suggested it would be good that you come.”

Zuko can’t control the wince that pulls across his face, and for a brief moment, he’s lost in hot, burning memories shrouded in anger, frustration, and pain. He sucks in a slow, deliberate breath, one that swells coolly in his chest, and he exhales, breathing out the memory, leaving only the present right before his eyes.

“Why?” His voice cracks, and he clears his throat.

“It’s Aang,” Sokka says, tilting his head, studying Zuko’s posture and the way Zuko always makes himself look smaller than he is. “The kid’s got a heart of pure, unbreakable gold. The point is,” Sokka adds when Zuko remains passive on his bed, “you’re coming tonight. It’s going to be super fun, and I need you to stop pouting and help me pick out an outfit.”

“I wasn’t pouting,” Zuko grumbles as he slips off Sokka’s bed and starts nudging through a pile of clothes on the floor, fingers tightening around a long-sleeve navy sweater with an oversized collar that Sokka doesn’t wear nearly enough, in his opinion. He holds it up silently, and Sokka studies it, tilting his head from the left, to the right, index finger tapping at his chin.

“This could work,” he finally draws out. “Pair this with my black skinny jeans, and some converses, and I think I’ll look quite dashing.”

Zuko chokes back a laugh, trying, and failing miserably, to pass it off as a cough, and his cheeks burn a bright pink when Sokka claps a hand to his shoulder and offers a tight squeeze.

“Now, for you,” Sokka starts, slipping out of his room and down the small hall to Zuko’s room, “do you still have that red, long-sleeve Henley?”

***

Zuko grits his teeth through a small shudder as the chilly October breeze seems to slip right through his thin shirt. He should have grabbed his coat; he tried, but Sokka insisted that his outfit was perfect and that the coat would hide him too much. Still, he should have grabbed it anyway.

Regret feels cold now, and he digs his fingers into his arms and follows Sokka over to the large fire, politely declining a beer as he snags a lawn chair that’s pulled up pretty close to the roaring flames. He watches, amused, as Sokka strides from person to person naturally, but then he can feel a different kind of itching heat, and he pulls his gaze around until he locks eyes with Katara, who’s standing on the other side of the fire, glaring daggers at him. He holds her gaze, guilt coloring his eyes, and she suddenly jerks her gaze away with a low huff.

“Hey, Zuko!”

Jumping, Zuko whips a wild gaze to see Aang taking the seat beside him, an almost blinding smile painted across his lips.

“Aang…” He clears his throat. “Hey.”

“Glad you came!” Aang drops his hand on Zuko’s arm, his smile faltering, and Zuko wants to jerk his arm away, to shrink away from the sudden, blaring look of concern etching over Aang’s face.

“Um, are you okay?”

“Of course,” Zuko snaps, face falling almost immediately after the harsh words fly off his lips. “Sorry, yes. I’m fine.”

“You’re shaking.”

Frowning, Zuko spares a glance down to see that he is, in fact, trembling softly. Beside him, Aang hops to his feet.

“I think someone has some blankets in the bed of their truck. I can get you one—”

“It’s fine,” Zuko spits out a little too quickly, halting Aang mid-step. “I mean, I’m fine. There’s no need.”

“You sure?” Aang’s hesitant, worry twisting ever-so faintly in his gut.

“I’m sure,” Zuko meets Aang’s gaze, and they stay like that, silent, for just a moment, before he’s the first to break away when he hears someone drop into a chair on the other side of him. “Thank you, though.”

“Of course,” Aang says quietly, gesturing over his shoulder. “I’ll just be… around. I really am glad you came tonight.”

Zuko nods, and his tense, squared shoulders slowly ease-up and unclench as Aang smiles and darts off toward a group of freshmen who seem to be far too confused and underdressed for an upper level bonfire.

He nudges his chair a little closer to the fire, an almost dangerous distance if he weren’t a fire bender, and he turns and falls into idle chatter with the person to his left, a freshman, he quickly learns, inquiring about FB 101.

***

“Sokka,” Aang elbows through a group of students surrounding Sokka, who’s mid-story about some absurd trip he and Katara took when they were in junior high. “Sokka!” he tries again, louder, muttering apologies as he slips toward the center, stumbling into Sokka’s side.

“Aang!” Sokka shouts, draping a heavy arm over Aang’s shoulder. “You guys, Aang is the most talented little dude. He’s literally the Avatar! I can’t believe I’m best friends with the Avatar!”

Aang smiles sheepishly at the shouts and catcalls that follow, and he slips away from Sokka’s heavy arm, latching onto it, instead, with strong fingers. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Well,” Sokka draws out, voice sloppy, drunken, “of course you can! Ladies and gentlemen, we shall continue this later!” He stumbles as Aang all but drags him away from the crowd, swaying and staggering all the way to a tree a little way away from the bonfire.

“Yo, Aang, what’s up?”

“I think you should take Zuko back to the dorms.”

“Why?” Sokka whines, blinking slowly. “He was just here.” He looks around, head heavy on his neck. “He’s having the time of his life. ‘S totally good for him here. He’s making tons of friends.”

“It’s not that,” Aang presses, gnawing at his bottom lip. He physically turns Sokka until they are both facing the bonfire, and Aang points toward Zuko, who’s standing frightening close to the fire, bouncing on the balls of his feet and rubbing his hands up and down his arms.

“Zuko’s fire nation, Sokka. I know it’s not that cold for us, but he’s freezing. He was already shivering when you guys got here, and it’s been three hours already.”

All at once, Sokka sobers up, forcing the alcohol that dulls his senses down to the very bottom of his stomach, and he frowns, brows furrowing, as he stares hard at Zuko. “I didn’t realize—”

“Not you fault,” Aang mutters distracted by the warm, tight, constricting hand of concern tugging at his chest. “Just… he really needs to be taken back. I took FB Analysis II. Their bodies don’t process lower temperatures because of their hotter climate. It can be dangerous…”

Sokka doesn’t stand around to hear more, already making his way toward Zuko, footsteps fast, fearfully deliberate, and in seconds, he’s at Zuko’s side, a guilty smile tugging at the corners of his lips when he gets a good look at Zuko’s pale face, paler than normal standards, and the tight clench of his jaw as if he’s physically trying to keep his teeth from chattering.

“Hey, Zuko. I’m beat. You ready to head back?” He goes for a casual route, knowing that Zuko will argue if he mentions they are leaving for Zuko’s sake and not of his own accord.

“It’s still a l-little early,” Zuko says, and Sokka doesn’t miss the small stutter.

“Yeah, too much alcohol makes me go all weird in the head. Not something I’m ready to unbag today.” He nudges Zuko’s arm, and Zuko holds his gaze, the two sharing a silent conversation despite the noise around them, and, after an endless minute, Zuko breaks the gaze with a nod.

“If you’re ready.”

Smiling, Sokka briefly slips away to say his goodbyes, and just minutes later, he and Zuko are starting on the five minute walk back to the dorms, the loud sounds of the party becoming nothing more than faint chatter and music in the distance the farther they walk.

Sokka stays close to Zuko’s side, eyes entranced as Zuko passes a small ball of fire from one palm to the other, the glow illuminating the cloudy puffs of breath in the cold air.

“That doesn’t burn your hands?” He finally asks, mentally wishing he opted for an interdisciplinary track so he could have taken more fire bending courses.

“It could,” Zuko says quietly. “But we’re trained to listen to how our skin reacts to the heat.” He drops the small ball of flames into his right palm and holds it there. “I can instantly feel the heat coat my palm, but it’s not unpleasant. I can hold it like this,” he pauses, raising his hand up a little higher, “until an almost icy prickle begins to stab at my skin. That’s when I know it’s been enough.” He brings his hand into a fist, extinguishing the flame, before he crosses his arms once more, absently rubbing his hands up and down to utilize the lingering heat from the fire.

Sokka drapes an arm around Zuko’s shoulders, playing it off as an easy gesture when really, he wants to offer Zuko as much warmth as he can the remainder of their walk. Worryingly, Zuko doesn’t scoff and pull away. Rather, he leans into Sokka’s side with a small shudder, and Sokka only tightens his arm.

“I’m glad you came tonight. Though, I’m sorry I vetoed the coat.”

Zuko huffs out a laugh that molds into a hiss as a chilly breeze slips across the two. “Nothing a hot shower won’t fix.”

“I give you full permission to take all of the hot water tonight.”

“Good,” Zuko says, a small smile creeping at his lips. “Because I wasn’t going to ask.”

***

Though the shower helped bite the edge of the cold off, Zuko still feels chilled through, even after standing under borderline scolding hot water for the better half of thirty minutes. He’s quick to change into something warm, a long-sleeve, thermal night shirt and a pair of sweat pants, and he snags Sokka’s hoodie off the back of his desk chair when he spots it, slipping it over his head as he walks into the living room.

He spots two mugs of steaming tea on the coffee table, and he eases himself onto the couch, craning his neck to see Sokka popping a back of popcorn in the microwave.

“Movie night?” He calls out, and Sokka whips around, a wide smile pulling at his lips.

“Figured since it’s still early, we could watch something. Your pick.” Sokka stops in front of the couch, head tilting, as he takes in Zuko’s still too pale skin. “How was your shower?”

“Fine,” Zuko says, swallowing back the urge to flinch when Sokka brings a hand up to his face. He closes his eyes, his mind pulling toward a war with the heart that’s thumping rapidly in his chest, but then Sokka just rests a warm palm to his cheek, and he almost reaches up to hold it there.

But, far too quickly, Sokka jerks his hand away, and it isn’t until the rather colorful string of cuss words that follow that Zuko opens his eyes, frowning.

“What—”

“You literally feel like a block of ice.” Sokka storms across their dorm suite, snagging blankets from both bedrooms, stopping at the thermostat on the wall twice.

“Sokka—”

“This is literally all my fault. I thought you looked way hotter without the coat, and now you feel like a fucking corpse.”

Hotter… Zuko’s eyes grow wide, but Sokka doesn’t seem to realize the true extent of any word currently slipping from his rapid tongue. He only blinks when Sokka drops both blankets on top of him, and he struggles to free himself from the tangled mess.

“Sokka, I’ll be fine.”

“You’re damn right you will,” Sokka snaps, slipping onto the couch and tugging Zuko until Zuko’s back is flush against his chest. “Because I will make sure of it.” He fumbles with the blankets, struggling to pull both over and around the two, and all the while, Zuko can’t seem to remember how words work, that he’s supposed to use some combination of his tongue, mouth, and vocal chords to produce sounds that form words.

After a few minutes of breathless rustling, Sokka’s content, rubbing his hands up and down Zuko’s arms from behind him, and Zuko’s stiff as a board, too afraid to move.

“Sokka, this isn’t necessary.”

“Are you starting to feel warmer?”

Zuko open’s his mouth to argue further, but at the question, he closes it. He still feels cold, colder than he’s felt in a while, but underneath the ice, he can feel a faint brush of warmth that’s threatening to crack the ice. Without really meaning to, he relaxes against Sokka’s chest, and he nods.

“Yeah, actually, I am.”

“Then,” Sokka mutters, “it’s necessary.”

#atla #avatar the last airbender #zukka #college au #modern au #fanfic #sokka #prince zuko #sokka/zuko #my writing #my atla writing #zuko #zuko/sokka #katara #aang #k so idk how anything works #i just ship these two #and i wanted to write a modern college au but bending was still a thing #will be happy to answer any questions about this mess lol

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firelordzukohere · 3 years

Text

Say You’ll Remember Me

Hey guys! I know it’s been a hot minute since I’ve uploaded everything. I’m still so grateful to the reaction I’ve gotten from Interior Décor. I wanted to post another little something I was inspired to write. It’s based off of a Taylor Swift song.

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Zuko X Fem!Reader

Warnings: Aangst, Bit o’ Fluff, Fake Relationship

Word Count: Almost 3k

Summary: (Y/N) would do anything for Zuko. She followed him through his whole journey, so that goes without saying, right? What happens when the council starts hounding Zuko to find a Fire Lady to help him rule, and Zuko comes to her with a plot to pretend to be in love and get married. Nothing could go wrong, right?

When did he get so tall?

How could he have gotten that handsome?

And that smile on his face is so perfect it's bad.

She couldn't help but stare at him as he discussed politics with several council men. He had just laughed at something one of council men joked about, his eyes darting to her with his smirk, causing her lips to naturally smile back at him.

Fire Lord Zuko was the star of every woman's dreams and here he was before her, smiling his best smile, directing it at her. It felt so real.

"I expect to see you all tonight at the festival," Zuko smirked, returning his attention back to the other men. "If you'll excuse me, Lady (Y/N) and I have other matters to attend to." He held out his hand for her, pulling her from her seat and leading her out of the room with his hand on the small of her back.

As they made their way to the living quarters section of the Palace, Zuko couldn't help but let out a sigh and drop his hand from her back, mumbling an apology. "Only a couple more months before we can end this charade and you can go back to your normal life."

She looked up at him, attempting to swallow the lump in her throat by hiding it with a smile instead. The look didn't quite reach her eyes, but he didn't see that.

"It hasn't been so bad," (Y/N) tried to reason, but really she was miserable knowing this whole thing was just a sham.

A several months after Zuko's coronation, the Fire Sages began asking him when he was going to be serious and settle down, find a Fire Lady to bear his children. He would get into serious fights with them about how he didn't need a woman to serve as Fire Lord but they insisted it would be beneficial to the nation if he did.

(Y/N) was his best friend, she had followed him from his exile, hunting down the Avatar, to their escape into Ba Sing Se, then back to the Fire Nation, then in a surprising twist, back with the Avatar.

They were best friends.

Except that she was madly in love with him. It started when they were young and he would run to her when Azula would bully him. She had never gotten along with Azula and her crew like she was supposed to. Instead attaching herself to the Prince. They did everything together. She was the shoulder he cried on when Ursa left, the confidant when he told her, and crushed her, that he liked Mai, and the support when he went through his journey with the Avatar. Her feelings for him never ceased even through all of their trials and tribulations. She would go to the ends of the earth for her best friend.

So when Zuko came to her and begged her to marry him for the sages, she agreed without hesitation. He planned the whole thing when he brought it to her, they would court each other for a few months before marrying for another few months, to get the sages off of his back, before she was to decide that being married to the Fire Lord wasn't all it was cracked up to be and they both came to an agreement to separate.

What she didn't take into account was the torture she would endure knowing that it was all pretend. Every kiss on the cheek, held hand and whispered "I love you" was just for show. She sometimes forgot that he didn't truly love her like that and everything she had grown used to was to be for nothing.

"Oh, I'm sure it's been the worst, (Y/N)," Zuko teased before pecking her on the cheek and leaving her toward his bedroom to prepare for the festival for that night.

Staring at his door, she placed her hand to where he had just given her affection, and frowned. The one thing she hoped when this was all over was that he'd remember everything she did for him and how much she truly cared for him.

Getting ready for the festival she dressed in her nicest dress, put on her best make up including the Fire Nation red lip paint and red dusted along her cheeks to be rosy.

Playing the part of the Fire Lady was a lot of work, but she really enjoyed spending all her time with Zuko. They were best friends for a reason, always having something fun to laugh about or talk about, just being comfortable in each other's company. When they had to put on a show, it felt less authentic, except when he kissed her. It always felt so real, which hurt her even more. She couldn't imagine what a real kiss from Zuko felt like if what he was giving her was merely pretend.

When they met at the entrance to the palace she couldn't help but admire him again. He was so handsome, his tall stature and his signature smirk really made her a mess.

"You look beautiful," he said, cupping her face with his hand. She was about to reply when several servants walked past causing him to lean forward and capture her lips with his, curling his fingers into her hair, pulling her closer. It was all for show, but it felt so good. He burned her skin with his passionate fire, she couldn't stop herself from being enveloped in his flames and allowing her brain to forget for several minutes that it all was going to end.

When he released her, he stared at her for a few moments before turning to see if any servants remained. She looked down, attempting to hide her disappointment, her blushed cheeks darker at the interaction.

"We should get going," Zuko mumbled, his face as bright as hers. With a quiet nod, she followed him down the steps toward the festival that was already in full swing.

People fawned over them, acting as though they were in the presence of the Avatar or something, which made sense, they were the royalty, but to (Y/N) she felt bad each time a young girl would tell her she was the best Fire Lady, knowing deep down she was lying to everyone. For Zuko though, it was worth it. Knowing he was happy.

They made their way around, enjoying the shows going on, ate the foods that people had prepared especially for the event and played a few of the side games. They laughed and laughed as they enjoyed their time, even stopping at one point to enjoy the sunset. She hugged his arm as they watched, admiring the glowing light as it slowly drifted below the skyline.

Looking up at him subtly, she could only imagine how much better this moment would have been had they truly been together.

Her thoughts were cut short when a voice next to them cleared their throats, causing Zuko and herself to both turn and look at the figure who made the interruption. When (Y/N)'s eyes landed on Mai, her heart stopped.

"Mai!" Zuko exclaimed, removing his arm from (Y/N)'s grasp to embrace the other woman in a warm hug. "It's so great to see you, I feel like it's been ages!" Mai snorted and pat Zuko on the back.

"It's been like a month Zuko," she dryly teased. Her eyes darted to (Y/N) and she nodded slightly, "Hi (Y/N)." With a small wave in return, (Y/N) felt herself sink back as Zuko immediately began talking to Mai about how she was and life and what was going on. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the two before her. They were back to acting like they hadn't broken up, ending the relationship on bad terms. Instead, it was as if they were rekindling the chemistry, right before her.

A tap on her shoulder broke her sulking session and she turned to see a young girl with a bright grin on her face.

"You're Fire Lady (Y/N), right?" She asked. There was a scroll and a quill in her hand. (Y/N) nodded, and the little girl shoved both objects into her hands. "Would you please sign this? You're my hero! I want to be a powerful Fire Lady like you one day! My mom says you're the nicest member of the royal family they've ever had." (Y/N) blushed and wrote her name on the paper before handing it back to the girl.

"That's very kind of your mother to say, I'm glad I can inspire you, I'm sure you're going to be a very powerful woman one day," (Y/N) replied with a smile. The girl beamed and rushed forward, wrapping (Y/N) into a quick hug before pulling away and rushing into the crowd of the festival. (Y/N)'s heart swelled at the thought of being a role model for someone.

Turning back to Zuko and Mai, her good feeling dissipated immediately. The two had already begun walking away, leaving her behind in their trance of each other. (Y/N) frowned as her heart dropped into her stomach. She knew Mai always had a special place in Zuko's heart, but she didn't realize that even after their really rough breakup, which (Y/N) had comforted Zuko during, that the two would come back together like this. Mai had said some truly hurtful things to Zuko and he was devastated by the verbal knives she had used on him.

The tears stung at her eyes, a few escaping, burning droplets falling. Whipping around quickly, she began to push through the crowds back to the Palace. Her red robes flowing in the haste. As she rushed up the steps, she was stopped by one of the guards.

"Fire Lady (Y/N) are you alright?" He asked, noticing her now soaked cheeks. She nodded her head.

"Yes, I had some fire flakes that were just a bit too warm for my taste, if you'll excuse me, I think they made my stomach uneasy and I am going to go relax."

"Shall I tell the Fire Lord where you'll be?' He asked.

"No!" (Y/N) snapped back a bit too quickly. The guard leaned back slightly at the retort. "I'm sorry, I just don't want to interrupt his evening. It's a wonderful festival and the people worked hard for him. He should get to enjoy it." Stepping away before the conversation continued, (Y/N) rushed to her bedroom and sat at the desk that Zuko had put in there for him to work on.

Pulling out some parchment and her quill, she began writing her letter. She tried to wipe her tears away quickly before they fell to the paper, but several slipped and smudged the words.

After finishing her message, she gathered her belongings in her pack and slipped from the room toward the back of the Palace. Dodging every guard she could see, as she escaped the building, she rushed toward the docks nearby which held the Fire Lord's private fleet. Heading toward the closest ship, (Y/N) greeted one of the Captains who had just finished re-fueling the ship.

"Good evening Fire Lady (Y/N), what can I do for you?" He asked, doing the symbolic bow.

"My presence is required at the Southern Water Tribe, I need to depart immediately," (Y/N) lied. The Captain nodded his head and signaled his men to start the boat.

Looking back at the Palace, (Y/N) couldn't help but feel the ache in her heart grow. She knew this was for the best. Zuko needed to stop using her as a shield and find himself a wife he actually wanted. He needed to stop lying to the people and himself. If that meant leaving without him knowing, that's what she had to do.

"My Lady, we have your room inside the ship ready if you would like me to put your stuff down." (Y/N) shook her head.

"I'll take it myself," she smiled. Turning back to the Palace, she internally said one final goodbye, before following the Captain down into the ship.

Zuko turned to look for (Y/N) after telling Mai goodbye. It had been nice to see his old friend and hear about her new relationship with someone who gave her everything she needed. When he couldn't find his wife anywhere, he began asking the guards scattered around where the Fire Lady had gone off to. They motioned toward the Palace, saying she had fallen ill from some fire flakes. Zuko found that odd, as he didn't recall either of them getting fire flakes for the evening.

Rushing into the Palace, one of the guards said that she was inside their room resting. This was even weirder to Zuko, as they didn't normally sleep together in their room, he had a separate chamber attached. Opening the door, he lit the candle on the wall to reveal the emptiness.

"(Y/N)!" Zuko shouted as he walked further into the bedroom. He checked all over, his room, the closet, the wash room, anywhere she could have been and found her nowhere. Frowning, he sat down on the bed, only to feel something roll and hit his thigh. Looking down, he saw a scroll addressed to him in her scrawl.

Something in his chest tightened. He had a feeling this note was about to destroy him and he wasn't sure he wanted to read it. If he ignored it, he could find her and pretend that nothing wrong was happening.

He opened it anyway.

It was exactly what he expected and he couldn't help but feel his entire world crashing around him. He could see where her tears had smudged the paper and couldn't help but watch his own meet the same fate.

She was gone.

My dearest Fire Lord,

Writing this will possibly be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do, including being forced to watch you nearly die to your sister.

When I agreed to be your wife, I did it for selfish reasons. It wasn't because I wanted the Fire Nation to be better, you to get the council off of your back, or to gain fame and glory from all of this, it was because I had hoped that one day it wouldn't be fake.

As time passed though, I knew that wouldn't be the case. Our pretend relationship wasn't benefitting you, the Fire Nation, or even me. It was hurting everyone. I couldn't lie to people anymore but I couldn't lie to you especially. I had to stop pretending that I was pretending with you. Every touch, kiss, and "I love you" was real for me. I know it wasn't for you and that's okay but for my sake and yours, it's time we end this façade.

I need you to take care of yourself Zuko. I'm not going to be there to do it anymore. Find yourself a woman who you love as much as I love you. Worship her, do anything for her. Whether that be to follow her through a tireless journey across the four nations, watch her find herself even though you know the whole time that she's meant for good instead of what she was raised to believe, or even if it means pretending that you're pretending to love her for the sake of the Fire Nation, whatever it is, make sure that she's everything you've ever wanted. You deserve nothing but the best.

Promise me that you'll at least remember everything I did. Remember tonight, remember me, standing in my nice robes, red lips and cheeks. Remember the sunset and the quiet moment we shared together. Remember that kiss we shared not realizing for both of us that it would be our last. Maybe you'll see me again in your dreams, I know I'll be seeing you in mine.

I love you.

(Y/N)

I’ve toyed with a second part to this, just because sad endings always make me... well...sad? I haven’t written anything but if people want it, I can possibly cook something up.

Please let me know what you think! Also don’t hate me if you hated it!

#Zuko #fire lord zuko #zuko fanfic #zuko fanfiction #zuko x reader #zuko x fem!reader #zuko x y/n #zuko x you #firelordzukohere #fake relationship #avatar #avatar the last airbender #aangst #atla #atla x reader #Say You'll Remember Me

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ridiculousn3sswrites · 4 years

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Coffee’s for Royals

*Zuko (ATLA) x Reader

*Summary: Opening shift is usually terrible, but a certain prince coming in every morning makes things more tolerable.

*Warnings: Swearing. Let me know if I need to tag anything else.

*A/N: Coffee Shop AU starring a certain angsty prince. My childhood crushes on both Zuko and Mai are back in full force.

My Ko-Fi

**********

You hated taking the opening shift. You were the closing type, not the wake up at 3:30 in the morning so you could open up the store with your overly peppy coworker type. Normally your manager was amazing and let you work mostly closing shifts, but there were the rare occasions the opening shift was short staffed, and your manager would send you a text. Now, you were never one to turn down an extra shift (you definitely needed the money), but you didn’t enjoy taking the opening shift.

When you walked into the coffee shop at four in the morning, you were already fighting the urge to fight somebody. “Why the hell didn’t the closers clean up last night?” You asked as you pulled on your apron.

“I don’t know, aren’t you a closer?” Suki asked, unimpressed. She was a regular opener, having the kind of discipline to regularly wake up at hellish hours. You loved working opening shifts with her - she was a complete badass and one of your closest work friends - but she hated your habits as a closer.

“Yeah, but when I’m a closer, cleaning is a problem for the openers,” you groaned. She threw her hat at you. “Hey!”

“And that’s why I hate you. Give me back my hat,” she said, walking towards you with some cleaning supplies.

“No, you threw it at me, now it’s mine,” you joked, taking a rag from her.

“So what the hell are you going to do with two hats? Hurry up before shift lead comes in.” You tossed Suki her hat, already feeling better about taking the shift. Sure, you were tired as hell, but you enjoyed the banter you always had going with her. “Alright, what coffee do you want?”

While Suki made the two of you some drinks, you got to cleaning what closing shift didn’t. Most of the machines were cleaned on the surface level, but you had to run some deep cleaning cycles on them. Once that was done, the two of you started brewing the base coffees, needing at least something to serve the customers that would come in during the first few hours of the shop being open. Before you knew it, it was officially time to open. Suki sent you to unlock the door, and then the two of you were just hanging out, filling the occasional order.

Once it started nearing six, you were already wondering when you could take your break. Sure, you hadn’t seen that many customers yet, but you just wanted to sit behind the counter and drink the second coffee Suki had made for you. You stood behind the register, kind of just vibing to the music Suki was playing over the speakers. A guy wearing a hoodie came in, hood pulled up to mostly cover his face, so you went to pretend like you were fully present at work. “Hi, good morning,” you said, putting on your customer service smile. “What can I get for you today?”

“Yeah, hi, uh, can I get a grande white chocolate mocha?” He asked. You knew that voice from somewhere. You didn’t know how, but you recognized that voice. You looked up, scanning his face to see if you actually recognized him or just thought you did. When your gaze landed on the scar, it immediately hit you.

“A-are you Prince Zuko?” you asked, taking the grande cup from the stack.

The guy’s hand immediately went to rub the back of his neck, suddenly shy. “Yeah, I am.”

“Cool. So is that hot or iced?” You asked, not knowing what else to do. It wasn’t like your manager trained you on what to do when royalty randomly walked into your store.

“Hot, please,” he said with a small smile. You typed the order into the computer, waiting a second for the cup’s label to print.

“Alrighty, can I get you anything else?”

“No thanks.” You nodded, finishing up the order. He handed over his card, and went to wait by the order counter to wait for his drink once you handed it back. There was no one else in the shop, and Suki was already working on his drink. You just stood behind the register, not knowing if you should make small talk with him or just try to act like you had things to do. His drink didn’t take long, and when Suki went to put it on the counter, she just lit up when she saw who was there.

“Oh, hey, Zuko!” Suki called as she worked on his drink. “You know, you should try something else every once in a while. I’m starting to get bored just making this one drink.”

“Nah, I like my white chocolate mocha,” he joked back. The two of them kept talking as Suki went about making his drink, and you just stood there, drinking the coffee Suki made for you. You couldn’t believe the way Suki was just immediately joking like that. He must have been a regular, but even with your regulars, you didn’t joke like that. It seemed like they were actual friends, but then how the hell did Suki know the Prince outside of just being his regular barista? Once Suki handed him his drink, they stayed chatting for a few minutes before he finally left.

As soon as the door closed behind him, you turned to Suki. “How the hell do you know the Prince?”

“Oh, Zuko? Yeah, he’s one of Sokka’s friends,” Suki explained. “You know, you’d see him more often if you took more opening shifts. He gets here before the rushes so he doesn’t get recognized.”

“Who said I wanted to see him more often? I just think it’s wild you’re friends with the Prince,” you explained, taking another drink to hide your little embarrassed smile. You hated being put on the spot like that, especially if Suki was implying what it seemed like she was.

“Anyways, he’s single now, not that you’d be super interested in that,” Suki continued to push. You choked on your drink, making Suki laugh. In the nicest way possible, you were going to kill that girl.

**********

It was a complete coincidence you happened to take a couple opening shifts over the next couple weeks. It wasn’t too often, but it was still more than you were usually willing to take. “You know, it’s weird that you’re taking these shifts now,” Suki commented as you cleaned.

“Shut up, I just need the extra money,” you said, rolling your eyes. “It’s not my fault no one else wants to work opening.”

“Okay, sure. Then why’d you look so bummed out when Zuko didn’t show last shift?” Suki teased. You shot her a deadly glare, which she answered with a self-satisfied grin. “He was sick, just in case you were lying about not caring.”

“Anyways,” you tried to change the topic, saying the one word louder than necessary. “Can I choose music today?”

“Yeah, dude. All you had to do was connect your phone first.” You finished cleaning the machine you were working on, already heading over to the door to open for the day. “Hey, what coffee do you want?”

“(Coffee drink of choice),” you said, unlocking the door and flipping the sign.

“No, something easier,” Suki joked, going to make your drink anyways.

“Thank you!”

There was a little rush of customers for about twenty minutes after opening, the super early commuters trying to get their caffeine fix. After that, you and Suki were able to just hang out, adjusting your playlist to whatever vibe you wanted in the shop, and tend to the occasional customer. You were kind of starting to get used to the vibe of opening shift, and you had to admit it was kind of nice. Not enough for you to want to become a regular opener, but it was still nice.

Almost on cue, Zuko walked in as soon as six rolled around. You perked up when you saw him in his red hoodie, hood up but now with a black baseball cap on his head. “Hi! Good morning, Prince. Grande white chocolate mocha?” You asked as he walked up to the counter.

“Oh, uh, hey. Yeah, how’d you know?” He asked as you put in the order.

“Sorry, I just heard Suki say you always order the same thing, so I kinda figured it was your regular,” you explained with a small smile. You could see the flush on his face at your answer, so you immediately went to focus on getting the cup.

“Yeah, it is. She’s always trying to get me to try something else.” Zuko laughed. “I just can’t handle the pure coffee flavor, so, mocha.”

“I get it, I didn’t start drinking actual coffee until I started working here. Alright, so that’ll be $4.45.” Zuko handed his card over, but instead of going over to the pick up counter to talk to Suki like he did last time, he just stayed near the order counter once you handed him his card.

“So, uh, you don’t normally work opening, do you?” Zuko asked, not meeting your gaze directly. You were a little taken aback, not expecting him to actually try to hold a conversation with you. You handed Suki his cup, and she just grinned as she looked between the two of you. “I come in like every morning and I haven’t really seen you here before, you know?”

“No, I work closing but I’ve been picking up a few shifts every now and then,” you explained. You didn’t know why you were giving him so much information, but it wasn’t like you could stop it. Zuko nodded, still looking around the shop like there was something that could take his attention away. You waited a second to see if he was going to go talk to Suki, but when he didn’t, you figured you’d keep the conversation going. “So, you’re friends with Suki’s boyfriend?”

Zuko looked at you, once again a little surprised at your question. “Yeah, we met a few years ago when we were both travelling around. How’d you…?”

“Sorry, I asked Suki how she knew you cuz you guys seemed like kinda close. I hope I wasn’t overstepping my bounds, Prince,” you apologized, looking down at your register. You could feel your face heating up, realizing admitting to the Prince that you were asking his friend for information about him might come off as very weird.

“Don’t worry about it! Oh, uh, by the way, you can just call me Zuko,” he told you. You looked up, catching a glimpse of the shy smile he had. “Sorry, I didn’t get your name.”

“Oh! I’m (y/n)! Nice to, like, officially meet you.” The two of you just stood there, awkward little smiles on your faces until Suki decided to ruin it.

“Hey, Prince Moody! Stop flirting with my coworker and come get your coffee!” Zuko looked to you, mortified at what Suki just said. He sputtered out an apology before going to the pick up counter. You tried to ignore the rapid-fire whispering from the other side of the counter, instead focusing on what drink you were going to ask Suki to make for you next. The whispering lasted for the longest minutes of your life, but finally Zuko made his way to the front door, turning for a second to wave goodbye to you before leaving. Your heart raced at the small gesture, but the second you looked at Suki, your mood was ruined. She was leaning against the counter, resting her chin on her fist. “So, when’s the wedding? You could do spring, but I’m thinking you’re more of a fall person.”

“We were literally just talking! What, I can’t speak to my customers now?”

“Oh, so he’s your customer now?” Suki teased.

“I hate you.”

“You know you don’t.”

“You’re right, I don’t. Can you make me an iced coffee next?” Suki gave an exaggerated gasp, holding her hand up to her chest.

“Do you only like me because I can make coffee?” Suki questioned, pouting.

“Well, I can make coffee too, I’m just too lazy to make it myself right now,” you said with a sweet smile.

“You gremlin.” Suki rolled her eyes, grabbing a cup for your drink anyways. “You’re lucky you’re my friend.”

“I’m honored.”

**********

When one of the openers gave their two weeks, your manager asked if you wanted to switch over and become an official opener. Before then, you’d already been working a few opening shifts a week, only taking closing about two nights a week. You agreed to the switch, knowing you were already heading that way anyways. Suki quickly jumped in with the teasing when you told her, but you just rolled your eyes and laughed. So what if you enjoyed seeing Zuko in the mornings, just talking about whatever while Suki made his drinks?

When Zuko walked in during your first shift as an official opener, he could tell something was different. As he walked up to the counter, you already put in his order. He immediately pulled out his card and handed it to you. “You seem happy. What’s going on?”

“What, I can’t just be happy?” Zuko gave you a look that let you know he wasn’t awake enough to deal with this. “Alright. So, you’re looking at the newest opener!”

“You switched over from closing?” Zuko asked, eyes widening as you handed his card back to him.

“It wasn’t like she was actually working closing shifts anyways,” Suki chimed in, grabbing the cup you set aside for Zuko’s drink. “She’s been mainly opening because of her favorite customer.”

“Would you please just go make coffee?” you whined. You were avoiding looking at Zuko, but you could picture the blush no doubt on his face.

“Yes, ma’am!” Suki said, giving you a salute before heading to the coffee bar.

“I would say sorry about her, but you’ve been her friend for longer,” you said, finally looking at Zuko. There was the faintest blush tinting his cheeks, a lot less than what you expected. “But, yeah, I’ve been opening a lot more lately so the manager asked if I just wanted to switch over officially.”

“Well, I mean, that’s good if you’re enjoying opening shift anyways,” Zuko said. He paused, looking around the shop before turning back to you. “I’m kinda glad. I like seeing you in the mornings.”

And now it was your turn to blush. You didn’t know what to say, so you just looked down at your register as you tried to will away your burning cheeks. It took a few seconds for you to look up to him with a shy smile. “Thanks, I like seeing you in the mornings too. You know, Suki wasn’t exactly lying when she was talking about my favorite customer.”

“Your Royal Asshole, your boring coffee is ready!” Suki called out, voice clear across the empty coffee shop. Zuko groaned in annoyance while you tried to stifle your laughter. She always came up with a new nickname for Zuko when she felt he was too distracted talking to you, each one more creative than the last, always having something to do with his royal blood.

Zuko went to grab his coffee, having another whispered conversation with Suki before going to leave the shop. Just before he got to the door, he turned to look at you. “See you tomorrow, (y/n)! Have a good day!”

“Thanks, Zuko! See you!” You called back. Zuko smiled brightly as he left, while Suki huffed from beside you.

“Rude ass. He didn’t even say bye to me,” Suki pouted. “I’m supposed to be his favorite worker here. You should go back to closing.”

“And he’s the rude one?” You asked with a gasp, holding your hand up to your chest. “Plus, aren’t you all supposed to hang out later?”

“Oh yeah, I told you about Sokka’s thing, didn’t I?” Suki crossed her arms over her chest. “But still, he should’ve said bye.”

“And I’m sure he’s going to hear about it tonight,” you told her, rolling your eyes.

“He absolutely will. Alright, what coffee do you want?” You could tell that was her way of trying to make peace. It worked.

**********

You were used to your routine of being an opener now. You managed to switch up your sleep schedule, you didn’t have to deal with any overly-peppy coworkers - though there were the rare times Suki had her moments - overall, opening shifts were going pretty well. You weren’t going to attribute it completely to a certain royal that came in at exactly the same time every morning, despite how often Suki would tease you about it.

When you were working, you noticed Zuko was sticking around longer. Before, he would stay just long enough to get his coffee, any conversations had while Suki was making his drink. Now he was hanging around, chatting (which was closer to flirting, in your opinion) while he drank his coffee, leaving just before the morning rush officially started. He’d been recognized a few times, the other customers coming to the counter and whispering ‘Was that Prince Zuko?’ You and Suki found it amusing, but never let it slip that he was a regular.

Just as you were in the groove of things, you got a text from your old shift leader. One of the closers had called in sick for the next day, and she’d already spoken to the store manager about switching your shift that day from opening to closing. All she needed was your approval. It only took a few seconds before you gave her the go ahead to switch your shift around. You texted Suki, letting her know what was going on before you jumped in bed, looking forward to a few extra hours of sleep.

When you walked into the shop, ready to start your shift, your old coworker immediately lit up. Well, about as much as she could. “Hey, I thought you abandoned us,” Mai said. “I don’t know why you’d switch over to opening.”

“I have my reasons,” you joked. While Suki was your favorite coworker for opening, Mai was definitely your favorite for closing. There was just something about her stoic nature that you loved. “Why the hell do you guys leave such a mess?”

“Ugh, you definitely sound like an opener now,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Go put on your apron and help us.”

You smiled and followed her orders, going to the back to put on your apron and hat. You quickly fell back in step with everyone else, used to the more laid back nature of closing. The time just seemed to fly by, and you had a brief moment where you questioned why you switched shifts in the first place. It was only a moment before your favorite customer came into your mind, reminding you what you’d miss if you went back to closing shift.

The half hour before closing was one of the quietest times of the day, probably tied with right after opening. You and Mai were chatting about some different concerts she went to since the last time you saw each other when the door opened. You had your back turned to the front, but you saw Mai’s eyes narrow at whoever just walked in.

“What are you doing here?” she snipped. Your eyes widened at her attitude - which wasn’t anything new, it was just never directed at the customers if she could help it.

“You know, she still scares me.” You recognized that voice from the few times he came in to get Suki after work. You finally turned to face the customers. Zuko stood there, trying to look anywhere other than at Mai, and Sokka was standing next to him. Sokka waved at you.

“Well?” Mai demanded.

“I, uh, I wanted-”

“(Y/n) wasn’t working this morning and Zuko got bummed out. Suki told me she was working closing today,” Sokka cut him off. Zuko nodded, looking at the floor.

You looked at Mai, wondering what the hell was going on. “So am I just dumb or is there something happening right now?”

“I used to date Zuko, and I told him never come in here when I’m working,” Mai said, getting louder as she directed the last part to Zuko.

“It’s not like I knew you’d be working tonight!” Zuko tried defending himself. Sokka ignored their back and forth, walking up to the counter.

“Alright, so can I get an iced coffee?” Sokka asked you. You just nodded, going through the motions of taking his order. Zuko and Mai were still going at it, so he lowered his voice as he talked to you. “Look, I know this entire thing here is awkward, but Zuko likes you. Like, he won’t shut up about you. Ever. He was supposed to ask you out today, but, you know, this is happening now.”

“So what, you decided to just pop in so you could flirt with my coworker? You really couldn’t find anyone else in this entire city?” Mai argued. You were a little surprised she overheard.

“It’s not like that!”

“Then what? You just decided to follow one of the workers from opening to closing shift?”

“You know what, I’ll wait for you outside, Sokka,” Zuko gave in, just leaving the shop.

“I hate that guy,” Mai huffed, going to the back, leaving you to finish up Sokka’s order.

**********

The next morning Zuko came in during your shift, things were definitely awkward. You put in his normal order, not sure how you were going to address things. “So, uh, you and Mai?”

“Yeah. We dated for a couple years. I didn’t know you guys knew each other,” Zuko mumbled. “I’m really sorry for that. I shouldn’t have let Sokka talk me into coming during closing shift.”

“I mean, it did get a little tense-”

“A little?”

“Okay, very tense, but like, I guess it was kind of sweet of you,” you said with a tentative smile, Sokka’s comments at the back of your mind.

“Wait, what?”

Zuko’s confusion immediately made you question what Sokka told you the last time you saw them. You turned to Suki. “Why does your boyfriend like messing with me?”

“He’s just like that,” Suki said, obviously confused at her sudden involvement in your conversation. You just finished ringing up Zuko’s order, giving the cup to Suki so she could make the drink.

“What did Sokka tell you?” Zuko asked as he took his card back from you.

“Nothing important,” you tried brushing it off with a wave of your hand. He’d already caused you enough embarrassment, and he wasn’t even there.

“(Y/n)...” Zuko dragged out. You hated how easily he could tell you were lying. Suki was busy making the coffee, not paying you any mind (as far as you knew), but the drink would only take so long to make. “C’mon, what’d Sokka tell you?”

“I mean, he might’ve said you liked me-”

“Well, yeah, I think you’re a pretty cool person-”

“No, like, you like me as in you were gonna ask me out, but you and Mai got into it,” you interrupted him interrupting you. “That’s what Sokka told me, but he likes messing with me, and since you’re his friend he probably likes messing with you more, so I probably shouldn’t have taken it so seriously.”

You could feel Zuko watching you as you rambled, even as your own eyes stayed glued to the register. “Sokka likes messing with people,” Zuko started. He paused, probably looking around the shop as he tried to figure out what to say. Your mind raced, thinking about how you probably just made things really awkward. He was probably just figuring out a nice way to reject you, and you really shouldn’t have switched shifts just because you might’ve had a crush on this dude. What were you even thinking? This guy was a royal, there was no way he-

“But yeah, it would’ve been nice if I could be the one to tell you I like you. And I guess he kinda asked you out for me?” Zuko said, more of a question than anything else. “Well, would you like to go out? We could get coffee or something.”

You froze, not sure if you heard him right. Zuko immediately flushed, taking your shock as a bad sign. “If not that’s really fine too! I’m sorry, it’s probably weird for a customer to-”

“I’m not doing anything right now, if you want to get some breakfast or something,” you interrupted him, regaining control.

“Yes the hell you are doing something right now!” Suki called from the pick up counter. “You’re working! Go on your little date after your shift is done.”

“She’s technically right,” Zuko laughed. “I can come get you after your shift?”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” You could feel the excitement bubbling up within you, the little wisps of nervousness somewhere in there too.

“That’s cute. Your coffee’s getting cold, by the way,” Suki said, holding up Zuko’s cup. He went to get it, leaving soon after with a small smile and a promise to get you once your shift was over. Once he was out of the shop, you looked over to Suki. “Question still stands. Spring or Fall wedding?”

“You’re so annoying,” you laughed.

“I called it and you know it!” Before you could say anything else, another customer walked in, calling your attention to the fact that, yes, you were still very much at work. Only a few more hours, then you would be free to go on your date. You just needed to survive Suki’s teasing until then.

**********

Permanent Tag List: @treatallwithkindness

#zuko imagine #zuko x reader #avatar imagine #atla imagine #avatar the last airbender imagine #reader insert

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a-monsters-love · 4 years

Text

The Air Between Us: Part 1

[Prologue] [Part 1] [Blurb 1] [Part 2] [Blurb 2] [Epilogue]

Zuko x A!Reader:

Genre: fluff

Warnings: mild swearing

Word count: 7742

Time line: Takes place when the Gaang goes to the Fire Lords beach house with Zuko on Ember Island. I changed it from them going to see the play about themselves and go to a circus instead; I extended the time they were on the island to fit everything.

A/N: If your reading this I hope it lives up to any expectations, the prologue got so much more love than I thought it would. This is my first fan fic, the reader was originally written as my DnD OC so I apologize if she’s written wonky. I hope I wrote Zuko’s character well, I was worried I wrote him too OOC but I’ve read so much Zuko x Reader fanfics that I felt like it wasn’t that bad lmao. I am my own proof reader so please message me if I messed something up. Also I don’t know how to write Sokka or Suki’s character, I’ve never met anyone like Sokka and Suki has so little dialogue in the show that I feel like she’s just happy to be there.

(Y/N) = Your name (S/C) = Skin color (H/C) = Hair color (E/C) = Eye color

————

“SSHHUUUUUUU.” A loud, terrifying, growl hissed through the Fire Lords vacation home. Echoing into an almost animalistic growl.

“Ah.” Shu looks over to Katara, ”Sounds like (Y/N) is awake.” Probably also waking up everything else in the greater vicinity. Based on the ferocity in your voice they decide it’s probably best to rush over to the room you’re now resting in.

You’re alone, in a hastily cleaned dust covered room. You don’t know where you are. You aren’t aware of how you got here or what day it is. You’re sticky, you reek of herbs, and everything HURTS. These are facts you listed as you woke up. You hear the softest knocking on the door, “If you are not my brother or with him I will rip you to shreds.” You snarl at the door, it’s been a long time since you’ve been this mad, you can hear the hand that was on the door knob let go and take a step back, not going much further than that. Exhaustion starts taking over but you were determined to stay awake until you received your answers. You hear large familiar foot steps run over to the room you’ve been placed in. When the door finally opens you see your twin brother, Shu with Katara, and a very nervous looking Zuko up against the wall behind them. You determined he was the one you threatened. Your (E/C) eyes flick from the nervous fire bender to your brother, “You’re late and I have questions, little brother.” You hissed menacingly.

——

It’s been less than 24 hours since you passed out. In that time, you’ve managed to win over the Gaang and somehow sort out the choices your brother made for the both of you. Neither of which you disagreed with however you barely remember anything that happened after the end of the fight at the circus. You blacked out, this wasn’t a first, but it was a first from blood loss. Katara has been working on healing your wounds every 4-6 hours, letting the salve do its job before cleaning you as best she could through the fear that you might not have made it otherwise. She looks exhausted.

The night prior, when Zuko escorted you to the evacuation area, the Gaang had received the full disclosure on your wounds, your history, and your goals. During your first healing session you were face-in-lap of the Fire Prince, as he received endless teasing. Katara, all though giving him the ‘all knowing’ look the entire time, was the only person to have his back. You lost so much blood you needed to stay as warm as possible until your body regulated, and what’s a better hot water bottle than a fire bender?

——

“Hey Sifu Hot Water Bottle!” Toph hollered down the hall, Zuko groaned. Knowing he will never be able to live this down, but was it worth having you nuzzle into his lap like a sick turtle duck? Absolutely.

“What, Toph.” He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms at the tiny earth bender.

“Shu and Katara are getting herbs so you should keep your princess company~” Toph grinned from ear to ear, knowing his reaction, even if she couldn’t feel it through the hardwood flooring.

Zuko’s cheeks flushed brightly at the comment, letting out a forced ‘groan’ in an attempt to get the better of the girl. He, however, quite liked the idea and rolled around options in his head to see if he could do anything for you without needing healer expertise. He decides to prepare tea. He remembered a recipe for a pain killer tea that his uncle had made for him, it tastes like crap but he knew it could help.

Walking up to your door, no problem, walking in? That’s another story. You were passed out, why is he suddenly so nervous? Then he heard it, well he heard you. He’s never heard such a terrifying savage sound escape someone, let alone a person of your stature. He lightly knocked on the door as not to surprise you but received a threat regardless, this was new. “WHAT DID YOU DO??” Toph whisper yells from down the hall, Zuko not wanting to give up his spot, while not disturbing you he throws his hands in front of his chest indicating ‘I don’t fucking know’ quickly remembering she’s blind.

As if saved by the bell, Shu and Katara rushed up the hall to your room, “I didn’t wake her, I got here after the roar.” Zuko whispers before they open the door. He sees your bandaged body and has the desire to help but decides it’s best to stay out of the way. His gold eyes meet your own (E/C) eyes, causing him to remember the night prior, a blush dusts his face and he looks down.

Shu and Katara enter the room, leaving Zuko in the hall. “In or out, princeling.” You state dryly. He decides to walk in and sit against the wall, opposite to your brother and the water tribe girl. Setting down the tea pot he prepared. You can feel warmth radiating from him, Fire bending perks, you noted. “Someone help me into an upright position…please.” Your tone changes, almost begging for help. You’re tired and in pain and in need of answers. Zuko and Shu both gently help you lift yourself from laying on your chest to sitting upright. Zuko grateful for the bandages looks into his hands after letting go of you. Katara hands you a cup of tea. You look between the healer and Shu, “So… I barely remember anything after the battle at the circus, please fill me in..” You take a sip of tea without even flinching at the taste, to Zuko’s surprise.

“What?? What’s the last thing you remember?” Katara seems mind blown by the idea and Zuko looks as if he’s the one who lost too much blood.

You sip your tea slowly and tilting your head back and fourth trying to stitch together the memories. “Well, we trapped all the Fire Nation soldiers, Shu and I high-fived and that’s when things started getting hazy,” You stopped and tried to pull pieces to your mind, “I had said.. something to you guys and then my legs went weak and Zuko caught me.” You pointed at him, your ears turned red at the thought. “After that, nothing. Last time I blacked out that bad was in Omashu, like 2 years ago, and that was a party.” You ramble on, still a bit delirious from blood loss and medication.

Katara watches you, thinking over your condition. “Well, you did lose a lot of blood, if we knew sooner then maybe we could’ve done something.” She shakes her head and looks between the two boys before explaining the context of the night prior. She then comments that neither you or Shu gave goodbyes to anyone before you left, which she found weird.

You and Shu exchange looks, and erupt in laughter. To the shock of both Katara and Zuko, who found himself confused but smiling seeing you laugh. You groaned and held you sides, laughing hurt. “We’re circus kids, don’t worry about ‘goodbyes’ we have our means. Since we left them that means Auntie and Uncle are probably retiring.” You move your attention to your brother, “Did Uncle give you anything?” You finished your tea putting the cup down for a refill. You let a small shiver consume you.

“He gave me a box and told me to open it when your up and-or well,” He rolls his eyes. “Whatever that means.” He leans over and refills your glass.

“We’ll need that in the up coming war, so don’t lose it,” You seem back to you matter-a-fact like self. Looking back to Katara, “What’s the status on my wounds?” You ask, picking up your cup for another sip.

She sighs, “It should only take a couple more sessions for it to not hurt so bad and to get you up again” She looks at the ground almost in an ashamed way, she glances at Zuko briefly while choosing her words. “I wasn’t able to prevent the scarring, you will forever have a large scar that stretches from the middle of your back up your neck and down your shoulders to both your hands.”

The room is quiet from Katara statement, you can feel the tension from her words. Noting the look she sent the scarred prince but keeping a calm face you nod, “Well, that’ll look badass.” Taking another sip of tea, “I wonder if it’ll be a problem with Aangs training, Air Bending masters get tattoos, right?” You start thinking aloud. You shrug at the thought, “Well, either way, when can we get to the next healing session? Because I’m cold and everything hurts and I’m hungry, this tea is helping but I can’t eat in this condition.”

Katara smiles brightly at your quick resolve and ushers the boys out to start the healing session. Zuko was replaying how quickly you came to a resolve about your scar in his head not noticing Katara trying to get his attention. “Hey.” You snap your fingers close to his face, causing a small breeze. “Are you gonna watch or are you gonna leave? I have to strip for this.” Zuko’s face was immediately red at the thought of what you just said and stumble-ran out of your room. And so, your first session while awake starts. Followed by every curse word and obscenity you can imagine escaping your mouth. This isn’t healing, this is assault!

Due to the depth of the wounds and the concern of Katara, you had multiple ‘healing sessions’ throughout that day. The day following you were up and running again, for the most part. You found yourself mostly watching Zuko and Aang train, much to Zuko’s dismay but he took note of the a light blush that dusted your face and he redness of your ears when he took his shirt off. He started taking it off earlier in his matches with Aang to see if he can get a reading out of you. Your angelic poker face is not something he could win against. That small smile is constantly plastered on your face.(*1)

However much you enjoyed seeing him with his shirt off, you enjoyed studying their sparring session more than anything. Both Zuko and Aang had multiple different influences in their bending, there are time Zuko’s moves look like that of a water bender. You have never seen anything like it, however you’ve only ever practiced with Shu, an earth bender, so you weren’t one to talk. You asked Aang the occasional question about air bending basics. Things to practice so you can find the middle ground you needed to have control of your bending better. You sit on the patio while they trained practicing your control, letting Aang correct you when needed.

——

“What about bending? When can I start fully practicing that?” You ask Katara while making a fresh pot of jasmine tea, it’s one of your many favorites.

Katara hums at the question, “You should be okay for now. BUT!” She looks you in they eyes. “No heavy lifting, and no going past your limits. If you start feeling sore or exhausted you must take a break.” You almost spat at the statement but stifled your laughter, you’re an air bender. Is air heavy? You jokingly thought, knowing how hilarious that sounds.

“Awesome,” You cough to hide your ongoing laughter. “Can you help me then? I want to change to practice.”

Katara agreed and followed you to your room. She had tied your (H/C) hair back, neater than you’ve ever tied it. You’re still in full bandage but you have a halter top exposing your bandaged midriff, and your most comfortable short harem pants, you liked the way they hugged your hips and sat comfortably at your knees. You walk out barefoot to the training grounds to Toph, who almost hit you with a boulder. “Hey, lightfoot! At least make sure you have a presence for me, you could’ve been back in bed!” She scowled in your general direction, “Katara would’ve blamed me!” She huffed.

You make sure both feet are flat to the ground and walk to the girl, “Could you help me with something?” At Aangs references and Sokka’s bad memories you try to describe the Airball court and the type of game that was played in it. “If we make one out of stone you can ‘watch’ me and Aang play and it’ll give me good practice to handle my air bending without creating an actual tornado or by using my fans.” Toph rolled the idea around in her head, “If we get a fire proof ball we can get Zuko in on the game?” You further suggest.

Almost like a light bulb goes off in Toph’s head she lights up, “(Y/N)! You’re a genius!” She runs off to look for the ideal location.

You go find Aang, catching him before he starts his sparing session, “Hey, Aang!”

Aang sees you calling and perks up, “Hey (Y/N), what up?” The young nomad asks, meeting you halfway.

“Okay, so,” You clap your hands together holding them in front of your chin. “Can Airball be played with 3 goals or does it have to be 2?” Your (E/C) eyes are almost glowing at the question throwing the boy for a loop, you’re finally acting more like yourself again.

“Well, since Air Nomads are traditionally pacifists I’d say only 2 goals to avoid having 2 teams ganging up on 1 team.” He smiles remember the times he played back in the Southern Air Temple, then his brow knit. “Why do you ask?” (*2)

You smile putting your hand on his small shoulders, “I’m having Toph use her bending to build an Airball court so I can practice my bending and I thought it could give you and Zuko a different type of field to spar on.” That last part you made up on the spot but it is a valid option. Aangs face lights up, “Do you want to grab Zuko and show me the ropes?”

You both grab Zuko, and a random empty metal box from the vacation house. He begrudgingly follows, being pulled hand in hand by two Air Benders, what has my life come to? He thought to himself while not shaking off either hand so he can keep holding yours. Aang explains the game rules and how it’s played on the way.

You follow the noises of the court being built by Toph and you hear her call, “(Y/N)! What were you thinking to use for the ball??” You can see she had stone and river rock options behind her however you didn’t want to risk the damage to you or Zuko. (*3)

“How ‘bout this?” You hand her the metal box, “If you metal bent it to the shape of a ball we can leave it hollow so it’ll be easier to move for me as an ‘inexperienced’ air bender and for Zuko who will have to use his flames to actually propel it.”

You can see Toph physically frown, “Hey, I’m not an earth bender, and as much as I wouldn’t mind taking responsibility if he got hurt, throwing boulders at him is not in my job description.” You both laugh and Toph agrees. You suggest Aang and Zuko use the court first for training then you can get to the game.

Toph has lifted a platform to the height of the court, “You’re pretty good at staying balanced on moving boulders.” She comments.

“Yeah, well, having a giant but strong Earth Bender for a twin your whole life does wonders for your balance.” You joke, pushing your elbow into Toph who is trying to stifle a smile at the mention of Shu.

While watching the boys jump around so gracefully reminds you a lot of the circus. You feel a bit sad at the thought and Toph picks up on it. “What’s wrong, lightfoot?”

You don’t hate the new nickname as much as the others seem to hate theirs, you lean back a bit on the platform holding your knees to keep your balance. “I was trained in all sorts of circus and show performances, piano, guitar, gymnastics, acrobatics, juggling, tight rope walking, and contortionism-“

Toph would have spat out her drink if she had one, “YOU’RE A CONTORTIONIST?” She gaps at you causing Zuko to blush, losing his balance and Aang to give him a big stupid grin.

“Ah-well-“ You stammer, blushing hard because no one outside of the circus ever seemed to be interested in the things you trained in. “Ye-yeah I was trained in all sorts of things-“ You look down at your knees to avoid making eye contact with the boys and not wanting to look at Toph, regardless of her being blind. “Watching them dance around reminds me of home.” You chuckle sadly.

Toph talks your head off with all sorts of questions about the circus and what you can do, once your embarrassment subsides you find yourself passionately talking about it. Before you realize it, the boys are done sparring and Aang asks if you’re ready.

You nod and hop to the court, trading places with Zuko. You accidentally bump your shoulder with his arm causing him to grab your hand in case you slipped, sending a hot sensation up your arm from where he held you. You smile softly and embarrassed “Sorry.” You rub the the back of your neck and squeeze his hand.

He lets go quickly. “Ah, yeah.” He stammers, “It’s fine, (Y/N).” Shooting a subtly smile back. You blush loudly, realizing this is the first time he’s said your name to you. You scurry to get to the center of the court.

“S-sorry if this isn’t as great as the courts you had at home. My instructions were vague.” You tell Aang, he shakes his head with a smile, he doesn’t care he’s just excited to play. You practice spinning the make shift ball in a web of air. Before throwing the ball at Aangs hoop.

——

The game starts between (Y/N) and Aang, and Zuko can’t take his eyes off of you. You don’t look like someone who can’t control their bending. Just watching you spin, flip and dance around from post to post is like a choreographed show. Even when you throw or kick the ‘ball’ consumed by air. “So, when are you gonna ask her out, Sifu hot water bottle?” Toph snickers, getting a general idea of the game, enjoying it none the less.

“What? What are you talking about?” Zuko scowls at the girl who just sarcastically snaps her neck in his direction.

“Really? Dude, your attention is on her every move and reaction.” Toph cheers loudly for you, making you a bit embarrassed missing your footing. You slip off the beam you aimed for but you push off the side of it just to hop on the top of another, Aang claps saying you’re a natural. “See, your heart rate just spiked at a little slip. Just ask her out, the worst she can say is no right?” Toph shrugs suggestively, “Maybe she likes you back.”

Zuko scoff at these comments before actually thinking about them. “Shut up.” Toph laughed and punched him in the arm. “What was that for!”

Toph smiles, “Thats how I show affection.” Her face beamed as she moved to the ledge of where they sat and waved at the on coming footsteps.

——

Aang has 3 points on you and you haven’t even scored yet, to anyone else you’d say it’s fine, it’s the first time you’ve played. You on the other hand are fairly competitive, and according to Aang you seem to have the rules down. You have the ball in your hand now and decide to throw all cation to the wind, literally in this case. You air bend something close to a funnel weaving around the posts and throwing the ball into it. Your hand twirling lightly to keep it moving. This does not work as planned, as the funnel created so much momentum that the metal make shift ball flattens to the stone hoop. You gasp putting your hands on your temples, “Oh spirits!”

Aang laughs a little too hard, Toph laughs while grumbling about ‘all her hard work.’ Zuko lets out a chuckle, this embarrassed you but your glad he seems to be having fun watching the mess you call a match end. “That was great (Y/N)! I’ve never seen you have that much control with your bending!” You hear Shu say, you didn’t even realize the rest of the Gaang had made their way to watch.

“I was trying so hard to be delicate, agh why don’t I know how to be delicate!” You groan, “I couldn’t even make one shot!” Ruffling you’re hands in your hair.

“There’s the competitive little sister I know,” Shu snorts, you made a tiny ball of air at the tip or your finger and shot it at him, hitting him in the center of his forehead. You laugh anyway.

“I can control little things and big things with my bending, the in between is where it gets hard.” You stretch letting out a barely audible whimper from your burn wounds.

“Hey, that was a lot better than I remember from first time Aang made me and Katara play,” Sokka snorts.

The only one who heard your whimper was Zuko, but that’s because you never lost his attention. Which annoyed him to no end when you were unconscious, but now? He just felt lighter having you around. He couldn’t pin down why, maybe it was the way your laugh was contagious, or that you always knew how to say the right thing? Even when it wasn’t directed at him. Somehow your flaws made you more wonderful to him. Competitive? Generally sarcastic while sounding like an Angel? Even when you’re cranky he wants to be around you. He just liked it, a lot more than he anticipated. He thought at first he wanted to be more like you, now maybe it’s not that.

He let the thoughts run around his head as the Shu and Toph earth bend the platforms everyone was sitting on back into the ground. You head back with Aang, Zuko and Toph, who was dragging Shu by his hand, talking about the game and how to improve the court. Aang laughed explaining that it’s great for training but Airball posts were general made of soft woods, you face palm at that lack of knowledge. Letting out another small whimper from your wound. Zuko hesitates but decides to put one of his hand gently over top the biggest part of the wound. With his generally high internal temperature he figured the heat might help. Your back stiffens in surprise and he starts to pull away, you grab his forearm gently indicating that it’s okay and look over towards him. You mouth the words ‘Thank you,’ your general angelic poker face now replaced by something more relaxed and dusted with blush, you look away hoping he doesn’t notice that your ears turning red. He does.

——

Later that evening everyone was heading to bed, you were more sore than you let on but you weren’t tired. You’re finally starting to feel some energy come back to you after ‘working out’ today. You couldn’t do your normal stuff but you weren’t upset, understanding the situation. Katara was the last person you said good night to after she helped you bathe, you had your healing session in the water. Now with a fresh pot of jasmine tea you sat on the porch staring at the scenery, less than a week ago you lived such a hodgepodge lifestyle with the circus. Albeit this is temporary, you couldn’t imagine your life any other way at this point. You hear soft foot steps come from behind you, you pay no mind until you hear them speak. “You know, you should probably have a blanket or something with you, it’s cold in the evenings here.” It’s Zuko, you smile up at him and offer him tea. Seemingly ignoring his comment about the weather you pat your hand at the space near you, suggesting he sits.

He sits down and pours himself a glass, jasmine. His favorite, he wonders if you knew. “Jasmine tea is one of my favorites,” You say.

“Really?” He sips the tea, and watches you. Your seemingly angelic demeanor is gone, you look like you’re in your own world now.

“Well, actually I haven’t met a tea I didn’t enjoy.” You chuckle and hold the glass in your hands to keep yourself warm, you were relishing in the cold but for some reason now you craved warmth. Maybe since he pointed it out? You don’t think too long on it, you focus on your breathing. Aang taught you a special breathing technique that all Air Benders use to regulate their body temperature. “There is an older gentleman who would visit my aunt and uncle when our travel schedules aligned, he made the best tea.” You smile into your cup, “He’s the one who actually taught me how to make tea.” You chuckle, knowing you’re not nearly as good as him. A shiver overcame you.

You made him think of his Uncle Iroh, he has a lot of regrets to work through regarding that matter. Zuko looks down and adjusts the teapot, scooting closer to you after noticing your small shivers.

“You remind me of myself in a lot of ways.” You said, still taking in your surroundings. Zuko didn’t understand the statement, that was clear on his face when you glanced over to him, not realizing you’re start to lean towards his warm arm. “For an assortment of reasons.” You start to explain. “You always come off as super grumpy and quiet, but you’ve never seemed grumpy to me. Earlier you were the only one to notice I was sore. It felt amazing and honestly I was just grateful you didn’t make a scene about it.” Zuko thinks on this for a bit, realizing that the angelic demeanor you have is a facade, this was (Y/N), and outside of maybe your brother it seems like he’s the only one you’ve shown your true self to. Regardless of the reason, Zuko smiles softly.

Now realizing your arm is leaning up against his. “Great Spirits you’re warm!” You cover your mouth realizing how loud that might’ve been. You chuckle.

Zuko laughed quietly and leaned back into your arm, “Fire Bending perks.” He said, he felt embarrassed touching you earlier but for you to say it felt amazing? He blushed hard thinking about it, grateful for the night sky.

“I knew it.” You murmur playfully as you sip your tea.

You pull back from Zuko’s warmth to stretch, groaning.

He hesitates to ask, “Does it hurt?” He wants to touch you, maybe this fire in him is good for something.

You sit back next to him, maybe a little closer than before. Trying to consume his extra heat, “Of course it hurts, but the pain isn’t something to be bitter over.” You bump his leg with your knee at the comment.

Hesitantly he moves the arm pressing against you and leans on it now close behind you. Your arm now touching the side of his abdomen and his arm touching your back, with his hand on the floor. He doesn’t respond. You lean into his side thinking, “Yes, it was a terrible thing that happened to me, but there’s no changing it and the pain is temporary. Why should I be bitter about it? That only makes the aggressor look powerful.” You know you both have terrible scars, yes yours is bigger but yours isn’t on your face. You thought to yourself. “Those who attack people smaller or weaker than themselves are nothing but cowards.” You mumble. Zuko leans his side into you, as a sort of silent response. You stayed like this for sometime before deciding his warmth is making you sleepy. “Has anyone ever told you, you make people sleepy?” You yawn at him.

A smirk raises to one side of his mouth, “Just once,” Remembering your face nuzzling into his lap the night you collapsed.

You raise an eyebrow but don’t question him, you smile though. “Well here’s a second, your natural warmth is cozy and I’m getting sleepy.” You got up to head to your room, when Zuko gently grabs your bandage covered fingers.

“I-uh, usually have a hard time sleeping,” He admits. “If you ever have a hard time sleeping you can come sit with me.” He was looking at your hands sadly, as if they received the worse kind of treatment.

You giggle, knowing you’re always out here before him. You squat down to his level from standing and give him a soft smile, “I naturally don’t sleep much so you can always come get me if you’re lonely.” You squeeze the hand that’s still holding your fingers before making your way to your room. Your skin is buzzing from where his heat once was. “You know where to find me.” You flick your hand up in a lazy peace sign.

——

At lunch the next day Toph and Sokka were trying to figure out who was the oldest twin. “Seriously, who’s the oldest.” You and Shu move in unison looking from each other to Sokka.

“Yeah! You keep calling each other older or younger! What’s the deal.” Toph pouted next to Shu, as she continued eating.

You twins laughed, “Ancient family secret.” You both said.

“Come on, Toph!” Sokka continues, “One of them has to be lying!” The two started to bicker. Suki and Aang can’t stop laughing from you and Shu doing and saying everything in unison, from blinking to eating. This was something the two of you had perfected at a very young age.

You and Shu glance at Aang, “You okay, Sifu Twinkle Toes?” You both go, the room erupted in laughter.

——

The days continued like this. Aang would give you something to practice, you started training with Toph or Katara. Shu and Toph started to trade training tips on metal and magma bending or would practice sand bending together on the beach. You had your healing sessions and a bath afterwards and once the sun was down and everyone was off to bed you started spending your evenings with Zuko.

You always seem to be waiting for him, you decided rather than staying awake in your room to just sit on the patio. Part of you didn’t want to wait to see if Zuko would actually come find you. You heard him walk up on cue, “Tonight’s tea is chamomile.” You say tilting your head towards him. He wore just a shirt and loose shorts, you imagine these are his pajamas.

He smiled and sat in the same position he had the night prior, arm around your back hand on the floor and the side of his abdomen pressing firmly against you. You poured him a cup this time. The two of you would talk for sometime before retiring to bed.

——

One night Zuko found his way to the patio and you weren’t there, he waited where he usually sat with you for some time before he realized the tea pot was gone. He walked to your room, lightly knocking before opening the door. You weren’t there. A sort of panic washed over him, he decided to look around for you before alerting anyone you were gone. Zuko walked down to the beach when he found foot prints, a sigh of relief left him when he found you sitting in the sand. Knees pulled to your chest, face down, cold tea pot and cup sitting next to you. He watched you for sometime before deciding to walk up. “So this is where you’ve been.”

A small sniffle comes out as you wipe your face, “Ah- Yeah.. Sorry..” You force an awkward chuckle. “I didn’t mean to worry you.” You didn’t look at him, he wasn’t sure you were looking at anything when you finished wiping your eyes.

Zuko sat down beside you, he wasn’t good at comforting people. He tried to think of something his uncle would say if he knew you. “My uncle told me once, that sometimes the best way to solve your own problems is to help someone else.” He spoke quietly, not really sure how to help. “I don’t really know how to comfort people but if there’s anything you need, you can ask..”

A small smile made its way to your face, you were pretty sure he had no idea what that statement meant. “I just uh-“ You looked up at the sky, “I feel guilty. And shameful.” You mutter. You could tell he was confused by this statement but you didn’t say anything for sometime. “You heard my families history, Jesa had an excuse. Sure it wasn’t a good excuse but..” You trailed on. Your voice was getting louder and more shaken with every word. “I was always so ashamed of my bending because it put my family in danger. I was ashamed that my family didn’t fight to defend the air nomads!” The air started stirring aggressively around the two of you. Tears started bubbling up in your eyes again and you pushed yourself from the ground. Zuko grabbed at your hand. You roared at the ocean in front of you, tears streaming freely down your cheeks, bending so much force in frustration waves flew up high before crashing down as you fell on your knees in front of Zuko.

His eyes wide, jaw slacked at the raw power you possessed. He’s never seen Aang use his air bending in such an aggressive manner. You were squeezing his hand, this pulled his attention from what you had just done. He squeezed your hand back before gently pulling on it, coercing you to come closer. You did, you ended up in his lap. You were between his legs that wrapped around you, your knees pulled up, leaning your side and head against his chest. He wrapped both arms around your waist and rested his chin your head. Zuko hushed you until you calmed, and the air around you two had settled into the stale ocean breeze.

His warmth calmed you, he didn’t have to say anything. You’re frustrated with yourself, you didn’t realize you’d bottled up so much. You buried your face into Zuko’s chest, “I feel guilty for being..-“ You hesitated, “For being so happy. Knowing my people have been eradicated.” This stings Zuko’s heart and he just holds you tighter.

Zuko’s history plays through his head, finally understanding what you had meant the other night. ‘You remind me a lot of myself’ you told him. He tilted his head down, pressing his nose and mouth against the top of your head. “Maybe that’s why your family made it. Because of what-“ He thinks of how to put it, “the Fire Nation did to your people. So that you could be happy, so that you could be here and build your people up again when this horrible war ends.” He didn’t know, but you were quiet.

You moved and held onto his bicep that rested between your thighs and bust, you’re both tired and wide awake now. (Y/N) never thought about it that way. That maybe being here, after everything, was your destiny and not just a selfish desire. You squeeze his arm softly, “Thank you, Zuko.” You mumble.

Neither of you said anything for the rest of the night. Not when Zuko heated up the tea pot and your glass, not about you staying in his lap. You both had the nights events and words playing in your head. Zuko realized what his uncle told him was right. Zuko told you what he needed to hear.

——

Zuko was always the last to sleep and the first awake, these were old habits he couldn’t break. However he didn’t mind it so much since (Y/N) has been around, you’re like him. Last to sleep first to rise, at first it was a constant surprise as you’d daze around the kitchen making tea at dawn. Your pajamas leaving very little to the imagination. A short but loose fitting top and loose shorts. Your bandages helped him not look like a bigger fool than he felt he already was. You never teased him about it though, you always just offered a smile. This house was starting to feel like a home again. The early mornings and the evenings were becoming his favorite time, these were times when you were yourself and when you leaned on him. You did this more than he mentally prepared himself for, the first time you did it was when Zuko was preparing tea for the morning, you lazily made your way into the kitchen and poked around him realizing he was doing what you had planned to start. You ended up leaning against his back while holding on to the edge of his shirt and commenting about the warmth before moving to pour yourself a glass of tea. The mornings that followed that one he started to notice you’d seek him out in a tired stupor. Clinging onto him regardless of what he’s doing, warming yourself up for the day, before making yourself a glass of tea and walking off.

He’d watch your beautiful figure laze around with your tea until you found the patio and sat down. You always manage to look back at him with your bedroom eyes expectantly. This always causes him to blush but he makes his way over and sits with you. He’ll watch you from the corner of his eye as you start to wake up.

He missed your presence during his training sessions but was always able to catch a glimpse as you train with one of the girls. Your control over your bending was exceedingly better than it had been when you first met.

“So. Sifu ‘hot water bottle’” A voice says mockingly. Zuko scowls and tears his attention from you and turns around to see Shu. His expression quickly dropped, not wanting to get on your brothers bad side.

“Uh, hey Shu.” Zuko says nervously, “What’s up?” He starts rubbing the back of his neck trying to temporarily purge what happened at the beach from his mind, you letting him wrap you up in his arms and lap was engraved in him. Shu waves him over to follow him.

He follows him until they’re out of your line of sight, “If you like my sister you’re going to have to fight me first.” Shu states pointedly and crosses his arms.

“Wait-wait. What??” Zuko throws up his hands, “I don’t want to fight you, we’re uh,” He stops at the word but shakes his head. “We’re friends, sparring is one thing but I can’t just fight you.”

Your brother flares at him and slides his foot, bending just enough earth under Zuko to knock him down. “I’m not just going to hand my sister, whose like,” He throws his hands up. “An international secret! To someone who can’t protect her!” Shu hisses. This is fair.

His glare drops and he offers a hand to help Zuko up, confused at the quick demeanor change until he hears you talking to Katara and walk past the scene. “Think about it.” Shu quietly hisses before walking away. Zuko stood there dumbfounded for quite some time.

“Your healing session today will be the last for your arms,” Katara tell you. “Your back will take some time but unless the wound gets struck again you shouldn’t have to worry about it opening on its own.” This was the best news you’ve had in some time. You can start actually exercising again.

That night, Zuko was the first to the patio. You stared at him for a bit, something about the moonlight hitting him makes your stomach flop about. You finally walk towards him, realizing he looks uncomfortable. “You okay?” You ask as you sit down beside him.

He looks over at you, he doesn’t say anything but just stares. Examining the lack of bandages on your arms and the concern in your face before speaking. “I’m trying to take all the right steps to make right all the wrongs I’ve done.” He looks away.

You keep looking at him, the gaang has already told you about their history with Zuko when you and Shu asked them how Team Avatar came to be. Zuko hands you a cup of tea before continuing, “I did some- a lot.. of awful things that I can’t take back. I can’t even apologize to my uncle for betraying him.” This statement causes Zuko to put his face in his hands. “He probably hates me now.”

That statement stings you, you’ve only ever seen the Team Avatar version of Zuko. You hesitate but decide to put your hand on his back, running your hand up and down his spine, making shapes with your fingers. “That might be true,” He flinched at this comment. “However. If you can get a group of people you literally tried to kill, to actually like and appreciate you and to care about you. I doubt it’ll be too difficult to get someone who’s always loved you to forgive your actions.” You smile and lean your head on his shoulder still rubbing his back. “From what you’ve told me and what I’ve heard from the others I can imagine he’ll be so proud of you for doing the right thing.”

Zuko doesn’t reply for sometime, replaying the words in his head. Replaying what he told you at the beach. He did do the right thing, he has changed. But what if it’s too late, he wants to ask but he already feels foolish for his actions. He lifts his head and looks over at you before resting his cheek on your head. “You don’t think it’ll be too late to apologize?”

You straighten up and smile at him, and cup his face with your hands. “If you truly mean it when you apologize then it’ll never be too late.” You leave a small kiss on his cheek and then smile at him. Zuko pulls you into him, holding one hand firmly around your shoulders and one around your waist. This caused you to gasp but he doesn’t let go. He needs this, you think. Hugging him back with your arms around his neck and a hand brushing his hair with your fingers till he’s ready to let go.

As much as he needed a hug the second he hugged you he was extremely embarrassed. Embarrassed that he wanted to pull you into his lap again and not let go. Especially after you kissed his cheek. He feared letting go as you would see his blushing face. Not realizing you can feel his blush as his body temperature rose. It wasn’t until you held him back and pet his hair that he started to savor the moment, engraving it in his mind before letting go and looking at the sky. You watched him carefully, you wanted to kiss him more and find all the reasons as to why everything would be fine. “Your brother told me I have to fight him.” Your face snapped away from his, you knew what this meant, but why would Shu say that to Zuko? Why wouldn’t he talk to you first? Did he tell Zuko how you feel? You were panicking.

(Y/N)’s ear are red, Zuko noticed. She seems embarrassed. Was she embarrassed of Zuko? Was it her brother? Or something else? He couldn’t get a read from you, “D-Did he say anything, ah,” You started. “About me, uh, when he did..?” You couldn’t make eye contact with him.

His face turned bright red, yes the whole thing was about you! He’s thinks your embarrassed about your brothers actions. “Well, ah,” he stammers, “I kind of, uhm, brought it upon myself.” You both look away from each other. “He told me to think about it.”

You sigh putting your red face in your hands, “I am so sorry.” You groan. Embarrassed that you thought this was about you.

“No no it’s not your fault!” He stammers, “We should uh, we should head to bed.” You nod at him and take the hand he offers to get up.

Your fingers touch his as he walks you to your room, “Uhm. Good night Zuko.” You smile and whisper to him as you separate, he watches you as you disappear behind your door. He wants to follow you in, realizing what you mean to him.

When he got to his room he closed and slid down the door. “Good night, (Y/N).” He sighed, “What am I going to do.”

——

A/N: Holy smokes, guys! We made it through Part 1! If you’d like to be tagged in this series please feel free to message me or comment on this post! Here are my starred notes: (*1) Imagine that customer service face we all have, you know the one (*2) When I wrote this line for Aang it ended up destroying my whole plan for the rest of this scene because I was like “Shit Aang would actually say something like that” (*3) Did you know river rocks explode when they get too hot?

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#a:tla #a:tla x reader #a:tla fanfiction #atla #atla x reader #atla fanfic #zuko #prince zuko #zuko x reader #prince zuko x reader #zuko imagine #avatar #avatar the last airbender #avatar the last air bender fanfic #fanfic #fan fiction #fan fic #zuko fanfic #first fanfic

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radishaur · 4 years

Note

hi! may i request Zuko x gender neutral reader with a prompt of: “you’re pretty cute when you’re nice” “what am I when I’m not nice” “hot”

I love this idea! I’m gonna set this as a Firelord Zuko thing because I just love me some Firelord Zuko. Who doesn’t?

•••

Reparations (Zuko x Gender Neutral Reader)

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff, Slight Angst (like TINY angst)

Part: 1/1

Summary: See request

•••

The town looked drastically different than how it looked the last time he had been here. The streets were bustling with life, the town itself looked more structurally sound, and the atmosphere was no longer suffocatingly tense. His presence, however, seemed to bring at least a tiny bit of that tension back.

As he walked through the streets, he did his best to smile at everybody and be as careful as possible. Some of them recognized him but none of them said anything. That didn’t really matter to him, though. He was only there for one person and he knew exactly where they would be at this time.

Walking up to a tiny bakery, he couldn’t help but smile as the familiar smell of freshly baked bread wafted out of the door. He smoothed down his clothing nervously before mustering up the courage to go inside. He told the guards to wait outside to he could have some privacy.

“I’ll be out in a moment!” you called from the back room.

The sound of your voice made him more nervous than beforehand, cementing the fact that he was actually here and that he had to repair all the damages he had done. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes finally landed on you.

You had flour dusting your face and a bright cheery smile that sent a symphony of butterflies off in his chest. Unfortunately for him, your smile immediately dropped into an expression of shock. He smiled nervously and waved.

“Hi.”

He wanted to kick himself. He came halfway across the world to try and make amends and hi was all he could come up with? This was not off to a good start.

You blinked back in response, letting his presence register before your open mouth shut into a firm line and you met his nervous greeting with a cold hard glare. If he wasn’t sweating already, he was now.

“What the hell are you doing here?” you asked through gritted teeth.

“W-Well uh...now that I’m the Firelord, I thought it would be a good idea to revisit some of the places I traveled and make amends with the people I hurt. So...,” he trailed off, not sure where to go from there.

“You’ve gotten even more dense if you think I’m going to forgive you,” you seethed angrily.

He could almost see smoke billowing out of your nose. If you were a firebender, he didn’t doubt you would be spitting fire from your mouth as you spoke.

“If you’re not going to buy anything then get out.”

He winced slightly but didn’t fight back. He simply looked over the menu quickly and picked the first thing he saw. You disappeared into the kitchen to warm up his order and returned a few minutes later with his order in a paper bag.

You thrust it unceremoniously into his hands and told him his total, voice void of emotion. He handed over the money like asked and watched nervously as you put it into the register. He swallowed.

“I-“ he began before getting cut off.

“I’m not interested in anything you have to say!” you interrupted angrily.

“Please. I know I’ll never be able to fix everything and take it back, but at least give me the chance to apologize. Five minutes and then you’ll never have to see me again,” he begged, desperate for you to agree.

He watched you stop to think it over, holding his breath and trying to get a read on you. Having Toph here would have been a great idea. Finally, you sigh and look up to meet his eyes.

“My shift ends in an hour. You know where to meet me.”

Elated, he spews a million thank you’s out before rushing out of the shop. He gave whatever he had ordered to one of his bodyguards, not interested in eating it in the slightest. Right now, he was focused on preparing.

He walked around the market place of the village and couldn’t help thinking of the last time he had been here. You had found him sleeping behind the bakery and offered him a place to sleep. He had begrudgingly taken you up on the offer and was less than pleased to have been dragged to the market place the next day. Something about a favor for a favor.

He also remembered you stopping by a cart that sold various flowers and remarking that you always loved the way lillies smelled. At first, he had thought it weird, but after he had left you, he couldn’t stop smelling them. A small part of him said it was because it reminded him of you but he muffled that voice quickly.

He was here to make amends not court you.

With a small amount of blush dusting his cheeks, he managed to buy a small bouquet of lillies. Not because he liked you. Just to apologize. Yea, that was all. He found himself beginning to doubt that.

One hour later, Zuko was standing at the outskirts of town, right by the forest. Eventually, out you came, eyeing him suspiciously as he waved. He couldn’t stop the flutter in his chest as he noticed how good you looked. It was like the sun was illuminating you. He cleared his throat when he was caught staring and held out the flowers.

“They’re for you. As a thank you for meeting me,” he mumbled, an innocent smile on his face.

You couldn’t help but stifle a grin and take the flowers. As if on cue, you raised them up to your nose and sniffed, sighing in satisfaction. Your smile up at him made his heart stop.

“You remembered,” you said softly.

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and nodded. You rolled your eyes and set off down the path that lead into the forest. He followed after, eventually pacing himself to stay by your side.

“So, you wanted to talk?” you said, snapping him back to reality.

“R-Right. Well, I wanted to apologize for...for being such an asshole. You were nothing but kind to me and I ruined that. I’m really truly sorry,” he said honestly, looking down with what he hoped was an open, honest expression.

Judging by the way you gave a small smile and looked ahead, he would say he did.

“Yea, you were kind of a jerk,” you said with the air of a laugh before you became more serious and asked, “Why did you do that, anyway?”

He didn’t need to ask to know what you were referring to. He sighed and looked to his side to see you, patiently waiting for an answer as the two of you continued walking to your destination.

“I was scared. It’s a shitty excuse, I know. But it didn’f seem as shitty in the moment,” he admitted sheepishly.

You stayed silent as the pair of you finally reached the small clearing. There was a small wooden bench that sat by a small pond. He smiled, remembering all the evenings the two spent sitting by the pond. The two of you sat down together before you spoke.

“You really hurt my feelings, you know.”

He winced. That was to be expected. Thinking back to their last conversation, he was surprised that was all you had said. He had spewed some terrible bullshit about how you lived in a perfect bubble where nothing was wrong. That you should join him in the real world for once.

He still couldn’t erase the pained look his words had caused from his mind. He also couldn’t even begin to forgive himself, so he highly doubted that you would either.

“I really am sorry. I was just so scared of opening up and getting hurt that I shut you out and ran away. I was too afraid of my feelings,” he said softly, eyes staring into the clear pond water.

“...Feelings?” you asked hesitantly.

“Yea. If I’m being honest, I’m still scared. I’ve spent the entire past few months trying to convince myself I didn’t like you, but that’s been failing miserably,” he sighed, chuckling slightly at his own dispair, “I just hope I can make it up to you.”

He braved a glance over at you to see you smiling. You were still clutching the flowers to your chest as well. His heart skipped a beat as you laughed. It was a happy laugh that filled his heart with warmth.

“Well. Would you look at that? You’re pretty cute when you’re nice.”

It took him a minute to process your words. He has a million thoughts running through his head as he felt himself malfunctioning. He sputtered around for a few moments before managing to speak.

“What am I when I’m not nice?” he asked hesitantly, voice holding a hint of confusion.

You actually flat out laughed at that point, which caused a burning red flush of embarrassment to wash over him and color his cheeks and neck. Even the tips of his ears burned.

“Hot,” you said decidedly.

This caused him to gape, his blush growing more furiously. Reality finally caught up to him and he grasped the gravity of the situation.

“Wait. Does that mean-“ he began to ask before being cut off by a short kiss on the cheek.

You returned to your sitting position, smiling lightly with a blush of your own. He couldn’t stop the smile he was holding back from breaking out onto his face.

“You’re a real character, you know that?” you asked with a giggle.

“But you like me anyways?”

You smiled. He could swear his heart melted on the spot at your response.

“Undoubtedly so.”

#zuko #prince zuko #prince zuko fanfic #prince zuko fanfiction #prince zuko fic #zuko imagine #zuko x reader #firelord zuko x reader #firelord zuko #fire lord zuko x reader #fire lord zuko

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gloves94 · 4 years

Text

Kingdom of the Sun [Fire Lord Zuko] 9

Chapter Warnings: Death, SMUT Story Rating: M

Pairings: Zuko/OC Kingdom of the Sun MASTERLIST

Last Airbender MASTERLIST My MASTERLIST

“You’re an Earth bender?”

Tsai paced around the guest bedroom where her mother was calmly sitting on one of the sofa chairs. Her usual cool and collected demeanor in play. She had always known that her mother was from an Earth Kingdom nationality but this?

She was furiously pacing, breathing harsh as she walked a tight rope bordering on a panic attack. They had just survived the collapse of a temple, they had almost died – hell, they had witnessed the death of dozens of loyal Ozai supporters. Amongst them Mai’s father. Arrangements were being presently made for the quick burial and service of anybody that had perished.

“And what? You were just going to keep this to yourself? Take it to the grave?”

Her mother remained stoic, cold.

Tsai really wished her brother could be here. Instead he was presently preoccupied consoling a certain mourning girl.

Sanju remained silent at her daughter’s questioning. “Does dad know?” “No,” She finally spoke single word. “Why didn’t you ever say anything? How can dad not know?”

The older woman sighed and relaxed in her seat for what seemed to be the first time since she arrived to the Fire Nation. She uncrossed her legs and lowered her tightly knit hands down to her lap.

“Your father and I… Like most unions of higher tier, it was arranged. Your grandfather always looked out for me and my family. Sencha felt that a union between his Fire Nation son and a woman from the Earth Kingdom would bring unity to Yu Dao and of course, he was right.”

Her daughter starred at her intensely both her eyes wide at the admission. How could her mother speak so calmly about this? “You’re very lucky to have found someone that reciprocates your feelings. I always knew you’d marry well, not the Fire Lord per say. You’d marry someone who wouldn’t be affected by… your background.”

She chose to ignore her mother’s ramblings, still much too preoccupied and lost in her own thoughts. However, Sanju did have a point. It was one of the red-head’s fears that was further intensified by this. What would the Fire Nation be with an earth bending heir? “So, you didn’t love him… dad?” Her daughter asked weakly shifting on to a more present and unavoidable topic.

“I learned to,” she responded. “He respected me and having come from nothing, owing everything to your grandfather, I had no choice but to agree to the arrangement.”

Tsai was in shock. She had never questioned her parent’s relationship. It seemed dull to her and just like every other older couple. For some reason she had just assumed they met at a dinner or something cliché amongst those lines.

It was then that her mother broke the silence letting out a weak laugh. The red head remained mute, still processing what her mother had just said to her. She had long stopped anxiously pacing the room and now stood frozen in shock.

“You don’t know how scared I was when I was pregnant with you. How relieved I was that your brother was born with the ability to ignite fire.”

The room suddenly felt small, asphyxiating, she had to get out of here. She needed space. “I-I need to go clear my head,” Tsai managed as she exited the room. Her mother didn’t reach for her this time.

Tsai didn’t know where to go. Chaos and havoc had been unleashed in the Fire Nation. Protesting citizens were mourning in the streets, chaos unleashed, widowed women crying for their husbands, orphans sobbing for their parents that had perished in the collapse of the temple. The nation was on the verge of an uprising.

It was all too much, too overwhelming. She didn’t want to think about anything. Didn’t want to process what had just happened. She just wanted to be alone and marinate in solace for a moment. And so, she went to the one place where she knew nobody would come looking for her.

She now sat alone a top of a slab carved out of white marble. It was dark in the room, certainly nobody would come down here, not a single noise could be heard echoing the small chamber. The Dragonbone Catacombs were strangely welcoming on this day. Still dark as night, still hosting the skeletal remains of the hunted dragons of the past, and the bodies of the Fire Lords of the past. The chambers dimly lit by rows of warm torches.

Her mind remained blank, numbed to everything as she hugged her knees closer to her body, head buried in between them, eyes shut exhaustedly. The place had been renovated since the bombing incident all those years ago. The scent of myrrh and incense still lingered in the air. Except that this time the room felt cold, empty and austere without the dozens of candles that had adorned it the last time she had been here. She found herself so deep into her own thought she didn’t even hear the approaching footsteps echoing the stone corridor.

“There you are,” a hand landed on her shoulder. She flinched, eyes snapping up. “I was worried,” Zuko said looking concerned. “We’ve all been looking for you everywhere.”

Of course he’d find her. “I… I just need to be alone for a moment,” she stammered lowering her gaze to the floor. “Are you okay?” He asked kneeling down to meet her eye level.

She debated whether she should tell him the truth or not. Simply utter a dismissive stammered saying she wasn’t and just get it over with. “No,” She admitted truthfully. “Are you?” She met his golden eyes the feeling of concern being mutual. He licked his lips and shook his head slightly. “Don’t change the subject. I’m asking about you.”

She swallowed the barbwire knot that had formed in her throat. “I saw my life flash before my eyes,” she admitted, still avoiding his perturbing gaze. “Last time we were here,” she began lifting her gaze so that she could gaze around the dark catacombs. “I fucked up,” she divulged vulgarly.

She waited for his brass judgement. “It’s not just you,” she looked up to meet his expression with surprise, but instead found that he was looking away with the same shame she was. “We should’ve at least discussed these things. I don’t know what I was thinking.” That’s the thing. He wasn’t. He was the type to do stupidly impulsive things when it came to these things; specially to love. “I am so, so, so, sorry,” She apologized from the bottom of her heart. “To you to me. I should’ve done things differently,” her throat swelled with regret. She should’ve done things differently. They both should have.

“We still can.”

“Still can what?” She looked at him confused. “Do things differently.” She looked breathless as if she had been punched in the gut, which further fueled his confusion. “Let’s do things differently then.” She exhaled out slowly.

He didn’t get a chance to react to her words being silenced by a greedy kiss. She had made up her mind that she would marry this man before death did them part. She had never kissed him like that, with such urgency, with her mouth opening against his and body pressing up against his. Her hands fumbled with his clothes, his warm ones with hers. “This is not a proposal,” he managed to speak against her mouth, eyes closed. She didn’t seem to care if it was or wasn’t. He kissed her back just as hard, as if they were going to die. Her knees were growing weak from the intensity, he stepped forward and she leaned her body against the edge of the marble slab were his marble casket would one day lie.

She let out a breath when he bit her lower lip, parting her mouth open for him. His right hand cradled her jaw in it, the other supported his leaned weight as it rested on the slab where his body would one day lie. She sat on the edge of the marble and his hand traveled down the side of her body reaching her leg and hooking it around his waist. “Right now?” She spoke in between kisses. His mouth journeyed from the corner of hers down her jaw and to her neck. “What if somebody walks in?” She asked meekly still jaded at the memory of her mother and brother boldly interrupting the last time they had attempted to be together.

“I don’t care,” he spoke in a hoarse voice. His voice raspy scratching at her skin before dipping to the crook of her neck in a bite that made her want to melt. All the sudden, feeling hot and bothered, she didn’t care either. Her hands unfastened the sash that tied his regal robe together exposing his toned chest. She almost felt as if his eyes were burning against her skin. His hands lowered caressing the tender skin on her inner tight.

She felt there was no need for foreplay she was ready to go. Urging. Almost starved for his touch. His fingertips brushed her pulsing core. Just like last time she was hot, damp, ready for him.

The edge of Zuko’s lip curved, eager for what was waiting for him. Eager to do unmentionable things to her. He torturously toyed with the opening cleavage of her dress; slipping it down to her shoulders. His thumb reached for the bandeau she wore around her chest but before he removed it, he noted the gnarly scar that was inches below them in between. It was the knife wound from the day of Sozin’s Comet. He felt her hands on his skin and noted that the two had matching scars in their fronts.

Battle wounds from the war. She couldn’t help but smile softly, it was just another thing that connected them. The moment was short lived, his hands trailed up and he removed the fabric revealing her bare breasts. He squeezed both of them in his large hands and she winced a little at his roughness when he leaned down to kiss them. He leaned forward his nose carving the way, his hot mouth kissing her flesh inching down below her breasts. She arched her neck back and sighed at the pleasant sensation. His hands lowered to her sides and down to her bottom which he pulled her body forward closer to him. His lips and heated tongue returned to her chest taking turns between gently nibbling and teasing her plump nipples. She ran her hands through his long hair tangling a fistful of it. She lowered them to remove the robe off his shoulders. His hands continued to explore the temple of her body was which he had sworn to worship.

While Tsai did not want to spare another minute, he wanted to take his sweet time. As if unwrapping a precious gift. He wanted to explore every inch of her with his every sense.

His slender fingers followed a trail which he was becoming acquainted with. They sent an exciting chill down her spine when they wondered to the inside of her thigh closer to her heated core. He removed every obstacle in the way without much care.

“Please,” She pleaded him to ease the terrible hot itch that had formed in between her legs.

He slid in his index finger into her warmth. The sensation made him pause, he bit his lower lip at the sensation. The thought of being inside of her was enough to drive him over the edge. He couldn’t wait to sink himself into her and finally be one. He slid another finger in past her folds and began to wave his fingers in the fashion he was familiar with. “Please,” she whimpered with need for more.

His uncle’s best earnest advice had been to practice his virtues. “Patience,” He towered over her body leaning down and planting a wet kiss under her ear in that spot he knew made her hot. He bit it gently, making her shudder before returning his attention to her sex.

He lowered his head, lower and lower until she could feel his breath hot against her. “What are you doing?” She asked taken aback by the close proximity.

“I want to taste you,” He said through hooded eyes. She flushed at his words and let out a faint yelp when she felt his warm tongue lapping at her steaming entrance. His fingers remained on her opening stroking a clockwise circular motion on her swollen rose bud.

Her back arched involuntary and she opened her legs for him. Tsai bit a low moan at the sensation. Her hips grinded forward wanting more, needing more, needing him. She tossed her head back slightly and sharply inhaled at the pleasurable sensation. Eyes closed in a blinding mist. He kept a careful eye on the language of her body, eager for the next pleasurable sound that escaped her lips, he’d cherish them all. Every mumble, every whisper, every shuddered curse that escaped the prison of her mouth. She leaned back laying on the slab when he raised her legs over his shoulders.

He hummed making his mouth gently vibrate against her sensitive entrance. He continued delving his tongue in and out of her, his fingers moving at a steady rhythm. His eyes frozen on the feverish expression on her rosy face. She struggled against an escaping whimper and moaned out his name, relaxing into the cold marble.

“I’m almost there,” she warned of her approaching orgasm.

However, he didn’t stop. She felt the coil of aching nerves which had bundled up in her lower regions snap, releasing a pleasurable shock that rocked her body. She came in his mouth. He lowered her legs and met her eyes, her love juices crudely dripping down his chin.

“I’m not done yet,” he said licking his swollen lips.

Fuck. The erotic sight was almost too much to bear.

He hovered over her horizontal body and knotted a hand thought her long locks. He kissed her sloppily, his tongue impatiently exploring the cavity of her mouth. Still sensitive from her orgasm, she moaned into his open mouth, at the strange sensation of tasting herself on his lips. He pressed up against her with wanting. Their lower regions rubbing against each other in want. The confinement of his pants becoming tightly unbearable. Fuck being patient. He tugged at the cord that tied her dress together and tugged it off exposing her flesh to the cold, damp air of the Dragonbone Catacombs.

He stood up desperately undoing his pants with urgency. She sat up, legs leaning down the side of the marble, hands attempting to unfasten the rest of his regal robes and clothes. He exhaled at the freeing sensation when his erect member became exposed, twitching in desperate need to be touched, proudly bouncing against his navel.

For the first time he looked at her with what seemed to be hesitation. She paused, still breathing heavily and nodded in consent. She latched onto him like a tick and kissed the outline of his jaw, arms clinging around his neck.

He stroked himself for a moment, a lustful look on his eyes as he positioned himself at her entrance which was grieving for him, throbbing in heat.

“I love you,” she whispered against his skin. He grabbed her jaw in his hands and kissed her in response.

Slowly, with ease he pushed forward losing his virtue to her. She let out a huff when he filled her fingers digging against the skin of his broad shoulders.

She hadn’t been expecting him to be so goddamn thick.

It took him a moment to adjust to the welcoming sensation. Her sex was hot. It was warm, inviting, it made his heart ram against his rib cage. She fit him like a glove. This felt better than whatever he had been expected it to feel like. “Fuck” he cursed under his breath, something she had rarely heard him do. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he moved again, and again, slowly painfully thrusting into her gaining a steady pace, getting used to the foreign sensation. She placed his hands on her breasts and he greedily explored them, kissing them, lightly biting her skin which made her feel lightheaded. She pulled at the roots of his dark hair in the back of his head.

“There,” she let out a low moan when he hit that sweet spot. He hit again and bent his head forward resting it on her shoulder. “Right there” she moaned louder wrapping an arm around his shoulder deliciously burying her nails into his back, lightly scratching it.

His pace increased and towering over her he pushed her back so that she was once again laying on the slab, he reached for her hips and dug his fingers in them tightly before pounding deeper into her. Each bold trust seemed to come harder and faster than the last. A grunt was trapped in his throat as he leant over and laced his fingers with hers. She cried out in bliss; her eyes closed enjoying the idyllic moment. He rammed harder and harder to the point she was almost at the point of begging for his mercy. She felt her nerves tighten and tightened as a dam of pleasure was about to break lose again. He was close, he could feel himself close to finish and suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

“Why’d you stop?” She asked leaning on her elbows looking up panting heavily.

“I need a moment.” He said taking in a deep breath, pacing himself, his ragged breathing matching hers, heart hammering in his chest as he tried not to get too excited.

“I should’ve married you” she confessed looking at him through her lashes.

“I should’ve done this a long time ago.” He exhaled and again picking up her leg hooking it around his body and leaning over her.

"What did you call this again? Disrespectful? Dishonorable?" She mocked. "Fuck honor," He laughed a little at her shocked expression. He leaned over and kissed the edge of the mouth before he once again pushed himself into her. He trusted hard, perspiring bodies slapping against each other, teeth sinking against her shoulder. She saw red with each stroke. Arms wrapped around his shoulders, legs around his hips. She wanted him deeper if possible, still greedily lusting for more.

Zuko wanted to hear her praise. Her moans, her encouragement, the way she moaned out her name was music to him. It threatened to push him over the edge. He wanted nothing more than to please her.

“I’m about to finish“ she let out a squeak when she felt herself come undone around him. The dam of pleasure breaking releasing a wave of satisfaction which stretched from the lower part of her stomach reaching the tips of her toes which curled at the sensation. Her walls spasming around his erection, making him swallow his breath. He stood witness to the lovely sight, his jaw going slack at the compressing sensation of her velvet insides.

She cried out in ecstasy and he continued his rough movements. He groaned out her name like a curse as he was about to reach his own end. Eyes closing in bliss, grip becoming loser around her body, vision blurring into a white haze around the edges.

“Tsai, move I’m about too.” He struggled to speak with a strained tone.

“It’s okay,” She breathed holding his face in her hands. He held her close and gave three strong trusts before slightly twitching inside her and coming undone as he too reached his orgasm.

He sighed drained before his body collapsed. He lowered himself to her. Resting his head on her chest. She kept her arms wrapped around him and caught her breath. He could hear her heart hammering against her rib cage. She kissed his forehead hugged him.

"Yes. Yes. Let's get married." She said with glassy eyes, stroking his hair.

"No, no, no, this was not a proposal." He said alarmed quickly sitting up.

"I know. That's why I'm asking you." "What" He looked at her confused and with disbelief.

"We are doing things, differently aren't we?"

Silence. His expression unreadable. There was a pregnant pause on his behald.

"Say something." She begged him as insecurity began to prick at her. Had he changed his mind?

A broad smile cracked across his features. "You've lost your mind."

"Is that a yes?" She couldn’t help but smile so wide it made her face ache.

Smiling, both kissed.

Xxx

The couple returned to the Palace hand in hand. Happy to have one good news amongst the unfolding chaos. Tsai made a note to prepare a stone seed root and thistles antidote as her form of birth control.

Their families all seemed to be in the Royal dining room not very hungry. All wore somber expressions on their faces at the events that had transpired earlier. Thankfully none of them had been hurt.

Both walked in hand in hand, side by side, which immediately caught everyone’s attention. “Tsai and I have something to tell you all,” Zuko began. The couple exchanged an excited look. Sanju raised an eyebrow, Iroh lowered his tea, Ursa and Kiyi turned their attention towards them. “We know there’s been a lot of somber news, but we wanted to share that in the midst of the darkness we have decided to get married,” was what the Fire Lord had wanted to say. Instead he was brashly interrupted when he said the word ‘but’ with a loud: “We’re getting married!” Tsai said excitedly hugging onto his arm.

“Ho! My boy!” Iroh cheered beaming jumping to his feet, his face flushing with excitement.

Ursa brought both hands to hide her wide smile as she also rose to her feet letting out a small squeal. Kiyi looked as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her and Sanju smiled a little standing up also approaching the happy couple to congratulate them.

Their parents said their congratulations as they embraced both into their uniting family. “So, did you take my advice?” Iroh asked Zuko wiggling his eyebrows at his nephew. His tone was loud enough that his fiancée heard. “What advice?” She asked arching an eyebrow with a hand on her waist. “Not now Uncle!” The man hissed embarrassed his face turning a deep shade of scarlet.

Kiyi stood before the two of them with a pout on her face and her arms crossed over her chest upset. Both of her eyes narrowed as she glared at both her brother and his lady.

“Kiyi,” Tsai began stepping forward leaning down slightly, so she was at eye level with the younger girl. “I also owe you an apology,” she began in a gentle tone. “I shouldn’t have left so abruptly last time I was here,” she let out a small laugh, “I don’t think I should’ve left at all, but what’s done is done and what matters is that we’re all together and your brother and I are starting our lives together,” she looked back at Zuko lovingly, who was currently distraught by his mother who was touching his face and on the verge of tears.

“I know you wanted to be a bridesmaid and I hate to disappoint you,” she clicked her tongue. The younger girl’s eyes widened slightly. Was she kicking her off the wedding party? “Instead I wanted to ask you- will you be my maid of honor?”

Kiyi’s reaction was immediate as her icy composure melted off her shoulders. “Yes!” She said tackling the older girl in a hug. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” She beamed. “We’re going to have so much fun! And oh! We have to pick your robes! And the flowers- what about the cake?” She began to ramble on excitedly. Just like that it seemed as if all had been forgiven. Everybody was chattering excitedly about the future. It was then that Tsai’s brother walked in. Mecha was just as excited over the news hugging his sister and slapping his future brother in law in the shoulder a little too hard.

“I can’t believe my sister is engaged!” He said excitedly. “Well,” Sanju drawled in an unfriendly tone. Arms crossed over her chest, “I don’t see a ring,” she commented snidely.

“Mom,” Her daughter protested. “Fire Nationers don’t traditionally use rings. You know this,” she rolled her eyes slightly.

Her mother seemed happy but not ecstatic over the idea of their engagement. “So is dad invited to the wedding or what?” Mecha commented. “I hate to burst your bubble, but the New Ozai Society might’ve just been literally squashed, but the Anti-Revolution Movement is now stronger than ever.”

Tsai had completely forgotten about her father. Having been completely caught up with her emotions, her engagement and what had happened in the Dragonbone Catacombs. She hadn’t fully processed the bombing of the temple. The one responsible for so much chaos in the Fire Nation. The bombing… She thought about the one in the Dragonbone Catacombs and the one that occurred in the temple earlier today during Fire Lord Ozai’s funerary services. It was impossible for her father to be roaming Fire Nation lands freely. She doubted he was even aware of the secret underground tunnel system. Whoever had orchestrated both of these attacks had the ability to transparently sneak around the Fire Nation. This person was preparing everything, always one step ahead. Without another word she stepped out of the room leaving behind a room filled with very confused people.

“Where are you going?” Without turning around she felt Zuko join in her side as he trotted to catch up to her fast pace.

“I know who did it. I know who set up the bombs this morning and last time we were in the catacombs.”

Both rushed into a room in the third floor of the palace. Tsai slammed the room’s door open just in time to catch the red-handed culprit packing away his belongings in a rush.

“Going somewhere?” She drawled out, glaring at the man who was sweating bullets.

Zuko’s mediocre assistant, Nezu, looked started at having been caught. Without missing a beat he rushed towards the window, throwing it open ready to leap out. However, his path was instead blocked by the Fire Lord himself who say on the edge of the window cooly, with his arms crossed over his chest. An angry scowl on his face.

His head snapped back to the door where he saw Tsai leaning against the doorframe wearing a similar expression on her features. Instead her eyes were focused into deathly slits. Her hidden blades were pulled out and brightly reflected some of the light they caught.

“I know a rat when I smell one.”

“I won’t tell you anything!” The man spat, raising his hands up.

Zuko stepped down from the window, he held fistfuls of fire on both of his hands an absolutely livid expression on his face.

The terrorist was cornered. Tsai stepped forward holding her blade to the eyelevel of the man. Her menacing eyes never left his as she inched forward until the blade poked at its neck drawing a single string of blood out. The man saw her pause, expression faltering for a split second before she retreated.

A satisfied smirk carved his face when she pulled away and lowered her blade. “Your father was right, you’re a coward you don’t have it in you to kill me.”

“Maybe not… Who am I to play jury, judge and executioner?” She wiped the back of her blade on her sleeve. “I hope the side effects kick in soon, she said looking around the satchel she kept tied around her waist.

“Side effects?” The man uttered out a perplex expression morphing on his features. “You’ve done your research Nezu,” Zuko began as he towered over the man. “You know my fiancées favorite animal is the platypus bear.” “You want to know why they’re my favorite?” The other probed as she continued pulling out several vials and small flasks and powders from her satchel and from underneath her sleeves. “Besides being really cute and the all-terrain predator-“ She finally found a small vial filled with a pale-yellow liquid. “Males have a venomous thumb. The venom a platypus bear is extremely dangerous, it can cause pain that can live out for months, painful hallucinations, convulsions and eventually loss of consciousness and body motors. It’s so rare very few people actually know the antidote for it. Fortunately, I happen to have it, now you’re going to croak or well, you know what will happen.” she threatened.

The man looked around the room nervously. He was trapped, there was no escape. He suddenly felt his heart accelerate in rapid palpitations. The sweat and perspiration began to build on his forehead. He could feel himself growing woozy. He was paranoid as the side effects began to kick in.

“Fine…” He grumbled. “Fine!” The man snapped. “It’s true. I work for the Governor; I work for your father. I’ve been working for him since before the war ended.”

“How many more of are there in the Fire Nation?” Zuko pressed.

“Just me.”

Then came the million-dollar question.

“Where is my father?” Tsai glared at the man holding the vial in between her thumb and index fingers. A more relaxed expression on her features.

“He’s in the colonies, he’s planning on blowing up the palace with the Avatar in it.”

Both of their eyes went wide as the couple locked eyes. It was another trap. Just like the funeral. Did Nezu kill the Fire Lord to set up the entire thing? No, it didn’t fit his style, it was too elaborate, too spontaneous. But this- the blowing up of the palace… It had to be a trap. And why hadn’t he done it already? What was holding him back? The threat of them surviving the bombing of the temple?

Tsai was so distraught, so deep in thought that she missed the man’s quick reflexes in snatching the flask from her hand and in that same moment downing the liquid.

Zuko stood idly watching. He lowered his hands-on offense allowing the man to drink the vial without opposition. “Wait!” She realized looking horrified. The man drank the bitter liquid and cringed before slamming it to the floor shattering it. “I turn in myself in as a prisoner of the nation,” Nezu said smugly ready to embrace the consequences. He raised his hands innocently. His reasoning was that if Fire Lord Ozai had managed to get away with the sentence of life in prison what would they do to him? Surely something not half as bad as that.

“You don’t understand,” she said looking at him aghast. “I didn’t actually poison you!”

Nezu felt his body suddenly grow cold at the realization. “You told us all that yourself,” Zuko backed.

“What you just drank was the actual poison!”

It was then that he began to feel the symptoms again. Not the feeble version his hypochondriac self-had tricked his mind into believing but the actually painful side effects from the venom. Zuko stepped around the room when the man knelt over with a sharp pain in his gut. Thick saliva foamed around his mouth like rabies and the man reached for his throat. The couple looked horrified as the man struggled to gasp for breath or reason and stumbled backwards backing away from them. Neither stopped the man from falling out from behind the window.

And that’s how Nezu met his end.

The couple looked at the open window mildly disturbed. So much death had already happened today. So much innocent blood had been spilled. It was so unnecessary. Things could’ve been done so much differently.

Zuko touched her arm in what she interpreted to be a comforting matter. “What do we do now?”

“We have to go back to Yu Dao. Warn Aang and the others.”

“We’d be walking right into his trap,” he said his brows shaping into a concerned frown. “Not if we’re a step ahead,” she said determinedly slapping a fist on her opposite open palm. Her brain rapidly turning as it crafted an elaborate plan of attack. “I’m flying back to the colonies tomorrow, confronting him and his goons.” “Alone?” He looked at her incredulously. “No way, I’m going back with you. I won’t let you go alone.”

It didn’t take much to convince her. She was going to get all the help she could get.

“Fine,” she agreed. “We leave tomorrow first thing in the morning. Let’s try and get some rest first.”

They exited the room but not before casting one long single glance at the open window behind them. The curtains lightly fluttering reminding them of the traitor’s demise.

Xxx

There was much to do. Close advisors had been instructed to comb the room for anything that might be useful for the strike against the Anti-Revolutionary movement.

And speaking of advisors.

Tsai and Zuko were presently walking back from sharing their condolences with Mai.

When the two ran into Iroh and Ursa in the parlor room. It seemed like both were on their way to pay a visit to Mai during her times of hardship. They were explaining to the two what had transpired with Nezu and how the man had fallen to his death and been poisoned by his own hand.

“I didn’t think he would…” Tsai lowered her head. Still running over the events that had transpired. All she wanted was for less people to die. To keep everybody as safe as possible.

She felt a hand being placed on her shoulder and looked to see Ursa’s hand on her body, but that wasn’t what caught her off guard. What caught her attention were the violet bruises that decorated her wrist. Those looked oddly like wounds of restraint from somebody that was defending themselves. She could hear Iroh speaking but wasn’t listening to a word he was saying. Eyes still engrossed in the wounds.

Ursa noted this and quickly removed her arm, self-consciously pulling her sleeves over her wrist hiding the marks. Tsai looked at her oddly, mouth ajar at the realization.

Whomever had killed Fire Lord Ozai, this person had to be somebody he trusted enough to get close to him. His killing it had to be personal, upsetting. She looked at Ursa’s face. Eyes widening in realization at who had killed Ozai. Neither Iroh nor Zuko seemed to notice the interaction between the two women.

“In happier news, I’m very excited to begin planning for the wedding,” Ursa said switching the subject with a small smile. “Yeah…” Tsai drawled out, unblinking, her mind still in haze at the realization of who Fire Lord Ozai’s murder really was. But why? After all this time.

“Ozai’s service was really a tragedy, but at least it is one less thing to worry about. Right?”

She wasn’t sure if she meant the collapse of the temple or the man’s funerary services, but guessed she meant the latter.

Despite her kind smile there was something painful. Something hollow about it. Ursa had once killed a Fire Lord before. It fit that she would do it again Zuko looked at his mother confused, unsure of what her cryptic words meant. Iroh kept quiet, yet there was a strange glint in his eyes that made Tsai think he knew more than the man was letting on.

“All I want is for you two to be happy,” she said closing her eyes with a small smile.

There it was, her admission.

Her motive.

She had done it for them. For her son. She knew that Ozai was not a forgiving man and that he would never surrender his ambition for his claim to power. That he would never stop torturing his family. So, she took up the roles of judge, jury and finally executioner.

There was a silent understanding between the two women as they shifted topics with ease. Both with hollow smiles on their faces. Zuko wouldn’t throw his mother in a pit of jail to rot. However, somethings really were best left unsaid.

xxx

AN: Next chapter should be the last UwU

#Zuko #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #Zuko smut #zutsai #Zuko x oc #avatar #avatar oc #avatar fanfiction #atla fanart #atla fanfic #atla zuko

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thinkingisadangerouspastime · 4 years

Text

avatar state

day three of zutaraang week 2020 by @zutaraangtastic! today i tried my hand at some angst (aangst, if you will). i hope you enjoy :)

avatar state: who dares to love forever (oh, when love must die?)

Waiting was the hardest part.

“He was supposed to be back five days ago!” Katara snapped, shoving past the Fire Nation guards to enter Zuko’s personal study. “Five days! And we haven’t heard anything from him!”

Aang had been called to the Earth Kingdom last week to help put down an uprising of hot-blooded Ozai supporters in one of the former Fire Nation colonies - of all places - and had been expected back before the weekend passed. It was a higher risk mission than usual, as some of the firebenders had supposedly convinced earthbenders to join their cause - as to how they’d done that, Katara didn’t have a damn clue - but Aang had promised he could handle it without her and Zuko’s help. Now it was five days beyond his promised return, and neither he nor anyone else had sent word about what had caused his delay. Lagging two or three days behind schedule wasn’t necessarily unusual for Aang, what with him being the Avatar, but not having heard from him? And not having heard anything about him? And then taking into consideration how dangerous the mission had been labelled to be? Katara felt her anxiety was completely justified. And therefore so were her lack of appetite and the sleepless nights she’d been having.

Zuko sighed, scrawling his signature at the bottom of one of the many papers on his desk before placing his pen down and looking up at her. “I know. I dispatched people to the Earth Kingdom two days after his intended return date, and I’m expecting them to send news by messenger hawk that will arrive either tonight or tomorrow morning.”

Katara had to resist the urge to tear her hair out, as that particular display of frustration would get her nowhere. Still, the pent-up stress and fear and guilt for not accompanying Aang when she could have - it demanded release. She slammed her palms down on Zuko’s desk. “There has to be more you can do. You’re the Fire Lord. Something! Anything more than just sitting here, for spirits’ sake!”

Zuko dismissed the aide who Katara assumed had been helping him sort through and review his paperwork, waiting for the door to shut behind them before he addressed her again. “I know it’s frustrating,” he began, his tone even, “but all we can do right now is wait for news to arrive.”

If Katara hadn’t been a waterbender, she would have described her blood as being on fire. She supposed ‘boiling’ would have to do. “‘Wait’?” she repeated, her voice far icier than the hot rage burning inside of her. “How can you possibly expect me to wait any longer?!” She’d waited five days already, and she couldn’t stand the endless delays for even one more second. Her hand dropped to the flask ever-present on her hip. “No. You can’t make me stay here. I’m going after him.” Maybe it was futile, but she didn’t care, at least looking for him was an action, at least she’d be doing something instead of sitting helpless -

“Katara, you are not leaving this palace,” Zuko ordered, staring her down.

She met his gaze with a cold, steely one of her own. “You have no power over me, Fire Lord Zuko,” she sneered, an ugly, irrational hatred curling through her veins. “In fact, as your esteemed guest, you should be helping me in any way possible rather than refusing to provide me assistance.”

“And what, exactly, do you plan to do to help him, Katara?” Zuko said, standing and crossing his arms over his chest. She could tell he was trying not to lose his temper - Aang had once pointed out to her how Zuko tended to clench his jaw when he was frustrated, and she’d noticed it ever since. “We don’t know where he is inside the colony, or if he’s even in that area of the Earth Kingdom anymore!”

“And? I’ll figure it out,” she snapped, grip tightening on her flask of water. “You’re the Fire Lord, aren’t you? Use that power and status of yours to - to get me an ostrich horse or something! Anything that covers ground fast.”

“No. I won’t,” Zuko said, his shoulders stiffening. “We are not taking any action until the messenger hawk arrives. Only once we have a clear read on the situation will anyone, us included, be allowed to -”

The anger simmering in the pit of Katara’s stomach finally boiled over. “Oh, shut up about ‘we’! Just shut up!” she shouted, her hands clenching into fists at her sides before she relaxed one enough to point at him accusingly, her eyes narrowing in a deadly glare. “There is no ‘we’, Fire Lord Zuko, because apparently I am the only one here who actually cares about Aang since all you want to do is sit here and pretend everything is fine! There is no ‘we’, because you’re incapable of making a decisive choice to try and help him before it’s too late!” She blinked back tears, furiously wiping at her eyes before her fists clenched again. “Dammit, Zuko, Tui and La know that there isn’t a ‘we’, because it’s clear from your - your apathy that you don’t love Aang as much as I do!”

Katara regretted the harsh words as soon as they left her lips, inhaling sharply and biting her tongue less than a second later. But before her mind could piece together a coherent apology -

“How dare you,” Zuko growled, tendrils of smoke and a flicker of fire escaping the corners of his mouth as sparks flew out of his fingertips. If looks could kill, Katara knew his venomous glare would have sent her six feet under. “How dare you suggest that I don’t care about Aang because I have the sense not to take hasty action like you so impatiently want to? How dare you suggest that I’m content with sitting behind my desk and waiting for news to arrive? How dare you suggest that I don’t - that I don’t love him -”

His voice broke, and just as quickly as rage had poured out of him, it dissipated, the fire in his eyes vanishing as a look of deep, aching pain fell across his features.

“You have no idea how worried I am,” he whispered. “I have more power than anyone else in my country, and I’m still helpless. Left behind. Stuck… waiting.”

It took every ounce of willpower in Katara’s body to keep herself from breaking into sobs. “You’re wrong,” she managed to say. “I know exactly how worried you are.” She could feel a tear sliding down her cheek, and she had to bite her tongue to keep the rest from pouring out for fear they would never stop. “I’m sorry.” She took a step away from his desk, holding her arms open.

And when Zuko walked around to accept her embrace, burying his face into her hair as she pressed her own into his shoulder, she couldn’t say when she began to cry, nor did she know which of them allowed their tears to fall first. Not that it mattered. When it came to Aang, it never did.

“I’m so afraid,” Katara said, her words coming out as fractured gasps between heaving sobs. “He’s never - disappeared like this, without saying something or - or letting someone know! If something happened to him, I don’t know what I’ll do -”

It had been hard enough watching him die once. She wasn’t ready - no, she couldn’t watch it happen again.

Zuko’s arms tightened around her. “I know,” he murmured. Katara didn’t miss the unsteadiness, the fear, the pain in his voice. “I can’t imagine life without him, either.”

His words only made her cry harder, and she probably would have cried all night had a messenger not barged into Zuko’s study, panting hard and face red as a tomato, presumably from sprinting all the way down the hall.

“Lord - Lord Zuko!” he gasped. “A - A message! From” - he heaved in a deep breath - “from the Earth Kingdom!”

To his credit, Zuko remained far more composed than she did. No doubt thanks to his royal upbringing. Katara barely managed to quiet her sobs to muffled, hiccuping sniffles as the firebender pulled away from her, though he did keep a hand on her shoulder, for which she was silently grateful.

“Read the message,” Zuko ordered, though without the usual intensity of his regal demeanor. “Please.”

Aang had to be the one driving those manners into him. Aang and Iroh.

The messenger nodded, taking in a few more deep breaths before coughing and then clearing his throat as he opened the parchment scroll. “In a battle against a group of former Fire Lord Ozai’s supporters,” he began, “Avatar Aang attempted to hold them all off on his own to allow civilians to escape the area, as the firebenders made extreme efforts to burn down the numerous houses and shops in the vicinity. However, when forced to enter the Avatar state or else be overwhelmed, he was injured by a rogue earthbender -”

The last thing Katara remembered were her knees buckling beneath her and Zuko crying out her name before everything went dark.

~*~

Katara woke up with a warm, damp cloth pressed to her forehead and a steaming cup of tea on the table next to her… bed?

This was not the guest room Zuko had given her.

“You’re in the palace’s infirmary. Of sorts,” a voice explained. “Right now it’s not much more than a big room of small beds and tables, but we’re expecting to stock it with medicine and bandages before the end of the week. It was still faster to carry you here than to your bedroom.”

Katara groaned, pulling the cloth off of her forehead. “What happened?”

“You fainted,” Zuko said flatly. He was sitting on a chair next to her ‘bed’. “Before you ask, you were only out for a few minutes.” He then sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Or maybe it was exasperation. Possibly both. “Dammit, Katara! How can a waterbender get dehydrated? Aang is going to kill me when he finds out I let his girlfriend forget to take care of herself!”

Katara rolled her eyes as she pushed herself up into a sitting position and -

Oh. The world was spinning. That was… concerning.

Okay, maybe she was a little lightheaded from not having eaten or slept for the past 72 hours. But she was fine. Or she would be in a minute or two.

“Don’t even try to argue,” Zuko grumbled. He proceeded to hand her the cup of tea that had been resting on the table next to her. “Here. Drink this. I tried to make it like Uncle does.”

The emphasis usually went on ‘tried’ in these scenarios, or so Aang had once warned her, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful, so she didn’t protest. She was thankful for his help regardless.

A few minutes and a few sips of tea later, Katara felt considerably more alert, and not to mention the world was no longer spinning. She considered herself 100% less likely to faint. Probably. Hopefully.

“Okay,” she said, taking a final sip of tea before placing her cup back down on the small table beside her bed. “I’m good now. What did the rest of the message say? The one about Aang?”

Zuko appeared hesitant to answer. Not a great sign. “I don’t think it’s the best idea for me to -”

“Zuko.” Katara tried to find a middle ground between stern and pleading. “I have to know. You know I do.”

Zuko flinched beneath her steady gaze, then sighed. “It… didn’t really say much else,” he admitted. “Just that Aang was injured in the Avatar state, and when the dust cloud dissipated afterwards, he was nowhere to be seen. No one knows for certain what happened to him.”

Katara’s heart dropped into her stomach, and she suspected it was a good thing she wasn’t standing as she had to bite back bile rising in her throat. “No one?” she repeated after a pause, clutching at the blue fabric on her lap. “How can there be no word about him?! He might be an airbender, but he can’t just disappear -”

“I’ve already got my people there digging for more information,” he promised her, though he didn’t sound confident. Which didn’t exactly reassure her, but it was… better than nothing. Barely. “It’s possibly that he’s already on his way back with Appa already, and that’s why no one has seen him.”

Katara couldn’t help but scoff at his suggestion, which at least distracted her from the nausea rolling in the pit of her stomach. “As if the spirits would ever let us be so lucky -”

“KATARA!”

Her voice caught in her throat at the familiar, frantic tone. She didn’t dare to get her hopes up, and yet -

In a blur of orange, the person Katara had been weeping for less than ten minutes earlier was by her side, leaning over her bed and pushing her hair out of her face. She hadn’t realized it had fallen down.

“Katara, they told me you fainted!” Aang exclaimed worriedly, his eyebrows furrowed in concern as he touched her cheek. “Sweetie, what hap-”

Katara didn’t let him finish, cupping his face with both of her hands and leaning forward to capture his lips in a searing kiss. “I was so worried about you, Aang,” she breathed when she finally had to break away for air. “When I heard you were hurt in the Avatar state, I thought -”

“Shh,” Aang whispered, kissing away the tears that had started to trickle down her cheeks. “I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m here now. You don’t need to worry any more.”

Katara took a deep breath before she managed a small nod. “Okay.”

He looked her over one more time before pushing her hair out of her face again and then pulling away, standing upright to face Zuko, who Katara realized had jumped to his feet when Aang first came rushing in.

“Are you okay?” Aang asked him quietly.

Zuko didn’t respond at first, blinking furiously in an evident attempt to stop his own tears from falling. He let out a shuddering breath, the tension gradually disappearing from his shoulders. “Spirits, Aang, seeing you alive…” He shook his head. “Not yet. But… I will be. Because you’re here now.”

Aang gave him a soft smile, and even though it hadn’t been directed at her, Katara couldn’t help but feel more at ease. “Can I hug you?”

Zuko nodded, wiping beneath his right eye with the base of his palm. “Yes. Thank you.”

No further words were spoken. But with Aang, there often didn’t need to be. And when Katara was pulled off her makeshift bed and into their hug a minute or so later, she couldn’t say she was surprised.

Waiting was the hardest part.

But as their boyfriend gently kissed the top of her head before pressing a soft kiss to Zuko’s cheek, Katara knew that Aang… He’d always be worth waiting for.

#zutaraangweek #zutaraangweek2020 #zutaraang #kataang #zukaang #aang #aanglove #katara #zuko #atla #avatar the last airbender #amy writes #atla fanfic #zutaraang fanfic

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the-irish-mayhem · 4 years

Text

Toph and Aang need Fire Lady Katara to advise on a bloodbending case in Republic City. Or: The Yakone vs. Katara bloodbending battle that we were owed.

This was originally going to go up for @zutaramonth Day 11: Secret, but it also works a bit for today’s prompt, which is Sacrifice.

Read on AO3.

The Scarlet Tree

128 AG Year of the Rat Republic City

“It’s a beautiful theory, Aang, but we’re not going to be able to convince people of any of it,” Toph says, voice soft, cognizant of the two children sleeping down the hall. “Yakone’s been weaseling out of charges for years. We can’t do this again unless it’s airtight.”

Their kitchen is dimly lit by a lamp in the center of the table, and a Republic City Police file is spread out across the surface. Aang is seated on one end, fingers idly toying with a witness statement taken a few months prior, while his wife paces like a caged animal at the opposite end.

“We already have ten willing witnesses,” Aang replies, matching her quiet tone, “and I’m willing to bet we can find more. A lot more.”

“Look, I hear you, I do, but I can also hear what his defense attorney is going to say--bloodbending is extremely rare, and Yakone has airtight alibis during full moons,” Toph says.

“Just because it’s never been done before doesn’t mean it isn’t possible,” Aang says. “You of all people should know that.”

Toph’s expression twists, and she stops pacing. For all her tense mannerisms, she looks surprisingly calm, if in a sour mood. The soft slope of her nose and the defiance in her jaw are highlighted by the dim firelight, and he wishes he could tell her that she’s beautiful, but he suspects that wouldn’t get him very far this evening. (Not that that particular compliment gets him very far often, but what kind of husband would he be if he never said it at all?)

“It seems unfair that something so awful might have no limits,” she finally says.

Aang sighs. He certainly doesn’t disagree. “It takes a prodigal waterbender to be able to do it in the first place. It’s not like we’ve met an abundance of benders with the ability.”

“Speaking of prodigal waterbenders, maybe we ask Katara about it,” she asks. She rests her fists on the table, knuckles pressed to the papers. “She probably has a better idea on how to handle this than we do.”

“Do I hear… a trip to visit the Fire Nation?” Aang asks with a growing look of delight on his face.

Toph smiles at the suggestion. “It’s been a while since we paid Sugar Queen and Sparky a visit. I’m sure Tenzin and Lin would love to see their cousins.”

Aang replies, “I can arrange for an airship. Next week sound okay to you?”

“Why not take Appa for old times’ sake?”

“If you’d like to be stuck on an air bison with an eight and a nine year old all the way to the Fire Nation…”

Toph pales. “Yeah, an airship is probably a better option; although, you might be able to convince Tenzin to meditate all the way there.”

A beat of silence passes, and though she can’t see him, Aang is grinning like an idiot at her.

“What?” she asks.

“The domineering Toph Beifong, so easily convinced to take time off? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?”

She smirks right back. “We’re doing this so we can finally arrest Yakone, not take leisurely strolls on beaches.”

“Oh, I think I can convince you to take at least one stroll.”

“Keep me out of the sand, and I might consider it, Twinkletoes.”

Aang groans. “Is there going to be a certain anniversary we hit when I can finally get rid of that nickname?”

“You always ask, and my answer is always the same.”

He shakes his head, fondness tightening his chest. “Here, I’ll clean this up,” he says, scraping the files into a pile. She’d brought them home for his benefit, after all. “You’ve had a long day. Head up to bed, and I’ll see you there.”

Toph chuckles. “ I’m the master here.” She doesn’t give any other protest, kisses his cheek, and plods down the hallway to their bedroom.

Aang finishes up in the kitchen, and quickly checks on Tenzin and Lin, both sleeping soundly, and heads to bed himself.

***

It’s just past midday, and the sun is high in the sky on a cloudless, hot day in the Fire Nation. The capital city is abuzz with life--benders and non-benders alike seek out merchants and street vendors, construction crews break in shaded areas and guzzle water brought in by ostrich horse-drawn carts, tea shop owners hawk their custom blends across busy streets, school children are released for the day, and the city itself seems alive, pulsing and breathing like any one of its citizens.

In the Caldera, Fire Lady Katara looks out over the city from a balcony of the palace. Even after nearly 25 years of living here, she still doesn’t care for how the mouth of the ancient volcano holds them separate from the outlying city districts. Despite the expansion of the city and various programs she and Zuko had created targeting class stratification, it still feels far too guarded. Considering that the Caldera is mostly just residences of those able to afford the outrageous prices (a group that, historically, has not been Katara’s biggest fan), it doesn’t really hold the same place in Katara’s heart that the city at large does.

“What are you thinking about?”

Katara looks over her shoulder to find her husband approaching. He looks every inch an intimidating Fire Lord, what with the spiked epaulettes on the elaborate robes and the traditional headpiece tucked into his topknot, but the dorky grin he’s got on is purely Zuko and purely for her.

It makes her grin back, and she looks back out over the city as he comes to stand next to her.

“I’m trying to judge how much the Council would hate me if I suggested demolishing the volcano.”

He hums thoughtfully. “Well, significantly more than when you wanted to build the first publicly funded school, but probably less than when you suggested decriminalizing prostitution.”

“What I’m hearing are a bunch of fights that I did win, so…”

“How about this: we wait until the day before we abdicate, then do it, and let Izumi deal with the fallout.”

Katara laughs. “She’s a peacekeeper at heart, so there might be some merit there.” She leans into his side and he puts an arm around her in response. “Are the kids done with their lessons?” she asks.

“Yes, they just finished. They’re excited to see Tenzin and Lin. Or,” he amends, “Kya is excited to see them. I can’t really tell if Kyokani remembers them, or if he’s just feeding off of Kya’s excitement. And Iroh is exactly how I was at sixteen.”

Katara rolls her eyes. “Evil and angsty?”

“I did not think anyone could out-angst me, but our son has done it.”

Katara scoffs. “I’m not so sure about that.”

Zuko smiles wistfully. “I wish Suki and Sokka could be here too. It feels like it’s been so long since we’ve properly gotten everyone together.”

“Spirits, it must have been at least a Council or two ago.” She sighs deeply. “Remember when we were hiding out on Ember Island when we were kids? It was only a few days before Sozin’s Comet, but we were…” She sighs again. “I don’t ever want to go to war again, but sometimes I really, really miss those days. Us, all together.”

“Me too,” he agrees. “It was so much simpler in a lot of ways, too. Teach Aang bending. Beat the Fire Lord. Win the war.”

Katara hums in agreement. “Before we had to worry about things like securing funding for social welfare programs and economic development variables and social statistics surveys.”

“Hey, I didn’t have much of a choice, but you voluntarily signed up for all of that when you married me.”

She grins. “I suppose so. It was a good deal, if you ask me,” she says before leaning over to kiss his cheek. He turns his head so he catches her lips with his. 21 years of marriage and four children later, their kisses don’t always render her weak in the knees like they used to. Rather, it’s bracing, reassuring, a small reminder in a day of distractions that they are not alone.

She pulls back with a sigh and stares out across the Caldera once more.

Their conversation trails into light political discussion, as many of their conversations are wont to do during their working hours. The funding for the hospital on Hing Wa Island that would complete a ten year project to bring publicly-funded medical care to every island had finally ground its way through the political process. The completion of the Hing Wa Hospital would kick off the next phase of Katara’s plan to expand the existing hospital system in the Earth Kingdom, and hopefully her careful planning in coordination with the Northern and Southern Water Tribes would mean that there would be at least one healer in most of the major regions. (“Oh!” she exclaims, “It will coincide perfectly with the end of her semester, so Izumi might be able to join me.”)

There is also, of course, the United Republic of Nations, which is an ever-growing and changing responsibility for them. Zuko and Katara are the only ones currently not living there of the original Team Avatar, so their involvement hasn’t been as hands-on in the last few years. It’s not strange for Aang and Toph to want them to advise on something, but it is slightly out-of-the-ordinary for them to not share what that something is in a letter.

They don’t have to wonder about it for very long.

“Your Majesties,” one of their messengers says, and they turn to face him. “Apologies for disturbing you.”

“It’s no worry, Xi,” Zuko says. “What is it?”

“Avatar Aang and Chief Beifong have arrived from Republic City.”

***

On a balcony overlooking one of the courtyards where their children play together (and the young Iroh sits grumpily off to the side), the old friends catch up over steaming cups of tea.

(Tenzin’s airbending is progressing quickly, and Lin still can’t metal bend.)

(Izumi likes studying in Ba Sing Se, Iroh strives for new levels of teen angst every day, Kya healed her first papercut last week, and Kyokani hasn’t bent anything just yet.)

Katara had asked eagerly after her brother and his wife and kids.

(Sokka is tackling the challenges of being on Republic City’s Council like he does everything in life--cleverly and without reservation. Suki’s expansion of the Kyoshi Warriors past their ancestral borders has been hitting a few snags. Luna and Ukira have recently begun their training to become Kyoshi Warriors, like their mother before them.)

But alas, the subject at hand raises its nasty head much sooner than they would’ve liked.

“Yakone,” Zuko growls when Toph and Aang share their reason for visiting. “That perpetual thorn in our sides is still alive?”

“Unfortunately,” Toph replies.

“So what’s he done this time?” Katara asks. “Please tell me it’s something you guys can actually convict him on.”

Aang winces. “That’s… where things get complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Zuko asks.

Aang scratches the back of his neck. “Well…”

Toph swings into it with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, “We think Yakone is a bloodbender.”

They can hear the shouts of their children below in the courtyard, the sounds of joy discordant with the tone their conversation has veered into.

“Well, shit,” Katara says.

Zuko looks over at her with widened eyes. “Usually you’re the diplomatic one.”

“Well, I can’t really think of a diplomatic way to react to that revelation.”

Toph says, “How’s this for shit: based on what witnesses have said, it looks like he can bloodbend without a full moon.”

Zuko and Katara share a loaded look.

Aang blinks. “You… don’t seem surprised.” He glances between the two. “We came to ask you if you thought it could be possible. We have witnesses, but--”

“It’s possible,” Katara interrupts, calm and sure.

A heavy beat passes before Aang asks, “Have you-- Katara, have you done it?”

She lets out a long breath before she explains, “Until now, Hama was the only other bloodbender we’d ever met, and she told us that a full moon was necessary for the technique. And…” Katara sighs softly. “And for Hama, the full moon was necessary, but my bending is stronger than hers was. The full moon certainly makes it easier, but it’s not required.”

“Katara--”

“Don’t start with me, Aang.” Under the table, Zuko takes her hand. “When I first did it, I swore I would never do it again. It felt… wrong and barbaric, and that was never something I had ever associated with my bending.

“But I realized years ago that by cutting myself off from the possibilities--”

“What possibilities?” Aang asks, heated. “We outlawed it for a reason. You fought for it as much as anyone else!”

Katara lets out an exasperated breath. “Have you forgotten already, my pupil?” she says with a wry edge. “Waterbending isn’t all about fighting.”

“Healing,” Toph surmises. “You used it for healing.”

“Yes,” Katara answers. “One of the biggest drawbacks of healing with water is that deeper, more serious injuries are often harder and take longer to fix. But if we can heal someone using their blood, then healing those injuries will be faster and much less taxing. And perhaps someday it won’t be just injuries we can fix. Illness, maiming, wounds that could’ve been crippling or fatal…”

Aang sighs. “You can save more people,” he concludes.

“Yes,” she replies.

He does have the good sense to look sheepish. “Sorry for assuming the worst. Sifu Katara,” he adds with a little mock bow, just to make her smile.

It works, but it’s tempered. “Look, I get your reluctance,” Katara says. “Really, I do. When we made it illegal, it was meant to be a bottle stopper on a technique that can easily be abused, but if what you’re saying about Yakone is true, then the bottle is leaking.”

“So how do we stop it?” Aang asks.

“Well, a good start would be putting Yakone in prison once and for all,” Katara says.

Zuko says, “He’s managed to weasel his way out of all the charges that have been brought against him. Trying to convince people that he can bloodbend without a full moon won’t be easy. What evidence do you have so far?”

“Witnesses,” Toph answers. “Lots of them.”

Katara says, “You’ll have a tough time getting enough credible witnesses who tell a consistent story to convince people that something thought to be impossible is possible.”

Aang says, “We’ve already got a dozen ready and willing to share what they saw.”

“That won’t be enough,” Zuko says.

“We’re working on that,” Toph says, “and we have leads for at least ten--”

“What if I testified?” Katara asks suddenly.

“No,” Zuko says. “Katara, you can’t be serious.”

“I am serious,” she says. “I’m a bloodbender who can do the technique you’re trying to convince people is possible. That would mean the burden of proof is moved away from proving it’s possible to proving that Yakone can do and has done it.”

Toph nods along with her words, and says in response, “That’s actually a really good idea. If we can get the Council to focus on the testimony rather than the bending…”

“And get the Fire Lady,” Aang says, “one of the most powerful politicians in the world, to admit on record that she also can do and has done something that illegal?”

Zuko looks over at Katara as if to say See?

She sighs. “I can’t just turn my back on Republic City because we’ve been keeping my bloodbending a secret. It sounds like we have a chance, a real chance, to finally put Yakone away, and if I don’t do everything I can to ensure that that happens, then how can I look myself in the mirror and say I’m trying to make the world a better place?”

“Think about the political implications,” Zuko says, and gets a strange look on his face. “I can’t believe I’m the one saying that to you right now but seriously. Agni knows how many enemies we have, and this would be the exact sort of thing to give them more wind in their sails. Plus, with all the fearmongering that went on about bloodbending after the war, testifying that you can do it whenever you want? People are going to fear you,” he shakes his head, expression sad.

“Give the people some credit,” Toph says. “Katara is probably the most popular public figure in the world behind Aang. People freaking love her. What kind of evil bloodbending witch builds hospitals for poor people?”

A silence draws over the table. An impasse.

In true Avatar fashion, Aang breaks the silence by saying, “I propose a compromise.” He smiles ruefully. “I think with the case we’re building, the evidence and the witnesses Toph has found, I think it will be enough.” He turns to Toph, “You trust the people enough to not turn on Katara, but not enough to rely on the witnesses to help convict Yakone? Look,” he continues, looking between all of them, “I think this time we will have enough to convict him. My worry is that when the time comes and he is convicted, he will not take that lying down.”

Katara nods slowly. “If he is as talented a bender as you say, and based on what we know about him, I doubt he goes quietly.”

“Exactly,” Aang says. “We need someone who could go up against him.” He looks meaningfully at Katara. “Instead of testifying, you provide backup in case we lose control. If that happens, I will take his bending away.”

Zuko says, “I still don’t like the idea of Katara exposing herself like that. But,” he tacks on at his wife’s look, “it’s not the worst plan.”

“It leaves a lot up to chance,” Katara says, but it is not a disagreement.

Aang replies, “So does any plan. This is the one with the least risk and highest reward.”

Katara contemplates silently for a few moments, a finger stroking her chin. “I think this could work, and taking his bending seems like the safest way to handle him. Toph,” she says, “what do you think?”

Toph groans and slouches back in her seat, tipping her head back and saying her next words to the sky, “I think we’re going to have to find the best prosecutor in Republic City, because this is going to be a fight.”

***

“We have dozens of witnesses, Yakone. We know what you are.”

Yakone growls as metal cuffs are bent onto his wrists, “I’ve beaten every trumped up charge you yahoos have brought against me, and I’ll beat this one too.”

“Get him out of here,” Toph says, and he allows himself to be escorted out of the restaurant by two officers, and the doors slam shut behind him. This leaves her and Aang standing next to each other, the silence that has descended just shy of eerie.

Aang’s face is grim. “Now comes the hard part.”

***

Several weeks later, the case of Republic City versus Yakone of the Southern Water Tribe is heard by the sitting United Republic Council.

Katara dresses down for the occasion, leaving behind her Fire Lady regalia and headpiece in favor of a short-sleeved, fur-trimmed amauti belted across her waist, sealskin boots, and a long, indigo blue skirt slit up the sides to just above her knee to allow full range of movement. She looks no different than any other Water Tribe woman and blends in with the onlookers who have come to witness the open door spectacle that is Yakone’s (hopefully last) trial.

In trying to remain anonymous, Aang and Toph agreed to not interact with her; Sokka doesn’t even know she’s here. It hurts to keep a secret from him, but with his duty to remain impartial, it’s better to keep him in the dark.

(Initially, Zuko had wanted to send security with her, but she rolled her eyes. “Zuko, I am the security.” She had eventually relented in the face of her husband’s genuine concern and agreed to take two Kyoshi-trained bodyguards with her, both of whom are also anonymously dressed and seated far enough from her to maintain their cover.)

(It is much harder for her husband to remain anonymous in this city, so he agrees to watch the children and wait for them at Aang and Toph’s home on Air Temple Island.)

(She can’t wait to tell Sokka that the Fire Lord is babysitting.)

Katara prays the two flasks of water she has attached to her belt prove unnecessary. Hopefully, any bending will be unnecessary. She hasn’t used bloodbending as a weapon in many years, and she isn’t keen to break her streak.

As she settles into a seat in the middle of the rows of tables and chairs in the main room of City Hall, Katara lets her eyes make a sweep of the room. The architecture is decidedly modern, but takes many cues from all four nations. The sweeping, high ceilings remind her of many grand rooms in the Fire Palace. The solid marble pillars and stone pilasters are uniquely Earth Kingdom. The open room looking up to the many different floors of the building invoke the Air Temples. The graceful arches, including the embellished one behind the Council’s dais, are very clearly inspired by the Northern Water Tribe.

(Katara wishes she could see something distinctively inspired by the South Pole, but their architectural heritage had been all but lost. Despite years having passed since the end of the war, its scars linger in the most unexpected ways.)

The Council files into the hall, and the constant murmur of the gathered crowd dies out and the councilmembers take their seats. Sokka, keeping with his duties as chairman, begins the proceedings. He lists the date and location for the benefit of the stenographer, going through the various things that need to be recorded for posterity. Katara can feel the tension ratcheting up in the room as Sokka details the rules of the courtroom and warns that disruptive individuals will be escorted out.

“With that settled, please bring out the accused.”

Yakone has aged since Katara had last seen him. Unsurprising, since that must’ve been ten or so years past that she was face to face with him. He looks entirely too confident for a man on trial. It rankles something in her that he thinks he can just spit in the face of the laws they put in place to secure peace, that people can let the wounds of war fester and sow the very same discord that caused their wounds in the first place.

Once Yakone is seated, Sokka asks counsel to present their opening arguments.

The prosecutor representing Republic City stands and begins, “Yakone has ruled Republic City’s criminal empire for years, yet he has always managed to stay out of the law’s reach… Until now. You will hear testimony from dozens of his victims, and they will tell you Yakone has maintained his grip on the underworld by using an ability that has been illegal for decades. Bloodbending.” She continues to lay out the case for the Council, and Katara must admit, she spins a compelling narrative. As she summarizes the case Toph and Aang have built against him, Katara glances around the room. Most of the faces she sees are nodding, and a few murmured words of agreement reach her ears. At the very least it would seem the public is on their side, but that doesn’t mean conviction is a given.

Sokka had told her that the representatives from the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Water Tribe have been the holdouts on convicting Yakone, citing the heavily circumstantial evidence. (“It’s not like they’re exactly wrong,” Sokka had said, “but come on . When even circumstantial evidence piles up like that, something is fishy.”) A conviction was anything but guaranteed. And if they manage to secure a guilty verdict, then there’s the matter of if Yakone will go quietly.

After the prosecutor wraps up her speech, she is seated, and Yakone’s defense attorney stands and delivers his own argument.

“The prosecution’s entire case is built upon the make believe notion that my client is able to bloodbend at will, at any time on any day. I remind the council that bloodbending is an incredibly rare skill and it can only be performed during a full moon,” he says, and Katara shifts in her seat. Perhaps it had been a mistake for her to conceal her abilities. At least then the public would be able to hear the witness testimony with the full truth already known.

He continues, “Yet, the witnesses will claim that my client used bloodbending at every other time except during a full moon. It would be a mockery of justice to convict a man of a crime that is impossible to commit.” For several more minutes, the attorney continues in this vein, impugning the witnesses’ character and motives and maintaining that Yakone is a victim of partisan politics and a smear campaign. It’s difficult for Katara to listen to without wanting to break something.

When Yakone’s attorney concludes, Sokka asks for witnesses, and the trial itself truly begins.

***

It’s a grueling trial. In total, it ends up lasting something like twenty-two hours with dozens of witnesses testifying to what they saw. Person after person, from a variety of backgrounds and nations. Shopkeepers and artisans, stay-at-home mothers and military veterans, jailhouse informants and former gang members, and all say the same thing: Yakone is a bloodbender, and he doesn’t need the full moon to do it.

Katara has to hand it to Aang and Toph--they did not take any shortcuts on their investigation. The testimony had been thorough, brutal, and consistent. Somewhere around the seventh witness, the defense attorney’s arguments became progressively more repetitive and less believable. In short, it had been utterly damning.

“Councilman Sokka will now deliver the verdict.”

Her brother stands, looking out across the gathered crowd. “In my years, I have encountered people born with rare and unique bending abilities. I once bested a man with my trusty boomerang who was able to firebend with his mind.” That makes Katara crack a grin. Of course he’d find a way to bring up his boomerang. At least he skipped over the name he’d given to said firebender.

Sooka continues, “Why, even metalbending was considered impossible for all of history until our esteemed chief of police Toph Beifong single-handedly developed the skill. The overwhelming amount of testimony and evidence has convinced this council that Yakone is one of these unique benders, and he exploited his ability to commit these heinous crimes. We find Yakone guilty of all charges and sentence him to life in prison.”

A gavel bang officially adjourns the court, and they have done it. Yakone is going away for good.

This is what they were hoping for, and also the situation they were dreading. Katara tenses in her seat, shifting forward with her eyes locked on Yakone.

Initially, he is still. His attorney wads a sheet of paper and throws it across the room with a huff. Two metalbenders come to take him away.

Then Yakone stands. She cannot see his hands, but Katara can feel the exact moment he starts to bend.

She was only fourteen last time someone bent her blood, nearly thirty years ago now but the sensation slides over her like a familiar, unwelcome caress. Her muscles seize, her veins throb, and for a handful of fearful seconds, Katara is afraid that she isn’t strong enough to beat him.

He’s bloodbending an entire room full of people, the Council, the crowd, Toph, and even Aang.

Aang appears to be fighting against the control, his hand shaking with exertion as he reaches out towards Yakone.

As a groaning Toph is forced to undo his shackles, Aang grits out, “Yakone, you won’t get away with this.”

Yakone forcefully drops his arms, and Katara can feel it in the rush of her blood--he’s going to knock everyone out. As everyone in the room drops, Katara breathes and controls her fear. She stops the rush of her blood away from her head. She feels the hush and whisper of the water moving in her flasks, and when she pushes herself, she can feel the same movement in everyone around her, the push and pull of blood through their veins like the push and pull of the sea.

As much as Hama was dangerous, she was also right. Water is everywhere. Katara is surrounded by it, and when she is surrounded by her element, she cannot lose.

Yakone laughs and turns toward Aang, still frozen, and lifts him into the air. “Republic City is mine, Avatar. I’ll be back one day to claim it.”

The mobster makes a move to throw Aang into the stairs at the foot of the Council’s table, but finds himself quite suddenly stopped.

“Over my dead body,” Katara calls out, and steps out into the aisle between the tables, hands before her in bloodbending form. She can feel his blood flowing through his body, the shape of the circulatory system like a scarlet tree running through him, and it is hers to control.

Aang drops like a sack of flour, and Katara winces as he hits the floor.

“That could be arranged, Fire Lady,” Yakone growls, and Katara gasps and he wrenches himself from her control and the full force of his bloodbending hits her like a runaway wagon.

He is powerful. Far more powerful than Hama. The fear of being weaker than him slams into her again as he lifts her off the floor. The breath is forced from her lungs as her head is jerked backwards. She grits her teeth together, trying to wrest control of her body back, but he’s fighting her.

“You’re strong,” Yakone says, a touch of strain in his deep voice, “but not strong enough.”

She feels as though she is about to explode, but he is not stronger than her. “Funny,” she wheezes, “I was about to say the same to you! ” On her last word, she finally breaks her arms free of his control and hurls Yakone into a pillar. His back collides with the surface, and his head snaps backwards and cracks against the marble.

Katara drops, grunting when she hits the floor, but she finds her feet again fast. She’s gasping with exertion, but she cannot let her guard down now. She will not lose.

Unfortunately, the hit against the pillar wasn’t as severe as it sounded, as Yakone is already standing again.

“You little brat,” he says, and before she can stop him, he picks her up and returns the favor, sending her flying backwards, all the way to the doors of City Hall. They shatter under the force of her body, and shards of wood slice through her skin and clothing. She maintains the presence of mind to bend the water out of her flasks and create a wall of ice that she slides up against before she can go tumbling down the stairs.

She staggers to her feet, her head pounding from the impact and her joints reminding her that she is not as young as she once was.

Yakone follows her out, pace measured and slow--perhaps her throw had done more damage than he let on. Katara takes quick stock of herself--the cuts from her unpleasant trip through the door are superficial, and her head’s throbbing is quieting. Nothing is broken, though her ankle might be slightly twisted. Nothing that will make her unable to fight.

She prays that Aang won’t be down for long, and bends like her life depends on it.

She’s never been in a bloodbending fight like this. It’s always been the case where she was clearly stronger, like with Hama, or her opponent was not a waterbender, like when she and Zuko went after the Southern Raiders. But this is her seizing control of Yakone and trying to force him to his knees, and then him wresting back control and trying to dislocate her shoulders. Her joints and tendons creak, her heart heaves in confusion in her chest, and a pained groan forces its way out of her throat.

This is Katara managing to break free just before the joints pop out of place and throwing Yakone down the stairs to give herself a moment of respite. Sweat beads on her forehead as she bends the water she’d brought with her over Yakone, freezing him in place.

Her bonds don’t last long as he melts the water and sends it back in her direction. He bends it into a dozen daggers, razor sharp and coming at her fast. Taking control of her blood, Yakone holds her directly in their path.

With a pained shout, Katara manages to take control of her body back in time to dodge out of the way, tucking and rolling. She comes up onto one knee and reaches out to take hold of Yakone’s blood once more.

This back and forth is exhausting, the unnatural movements forced onto her body make her feel bruised and raw, and doing this technique under the sun is no small task.

She tries to do what Yakone did earlier, tries to force his blood away from his head and make him pass out like he’d done to the whole courtroom, but he manages to hold her off. She can see the strain on his face and is gratified that she’s not the only one struggling.

She grits her teeth, pushing at his blood harder.

With a tortured shout, Yakone takes his own blood back. Katara stumbles, and he presses his advantage. She finds herself pushed down onto the ground, first her knees, then her hands, Yakone pressing down against her back. If she cedes her ability to move, if he manages to get her face down on the ground, she won’t be able to bend. She will lose.

Kicking one of her knees up so she rests on just the one, Katara looses her arms from Yakone’s control. In a move that was adapted from firebending, she punches out with her arms quickly, one aimed for the blood in his chest and the other towards his knees.

The first lands hard, she can feel the blood shimmering under the impact as the breath is driven from his lungs and he loses his grip on Katara. The second is a lighter hit--less blood in the joints, but it is effective in breaking his root and knocking him off balance. Katara pushes forward, taking on the traditional bloodbending form as she forces him down to his knees.

“Katara!”

Thank the Spirits . Aang shoots out of City Hall faster than an eel hound, riding a ball of compressed air.

Her hands shake as she attempts to keep her hold fast.

“Aang, now!” she shouts.

The years haven’t dulled their ability to work together, and Aang understands exactly what she wants from him. The ball of air dissolves beneath him as he adopts an earthbending stance. With a jab upwards, he bends a tight funnel of rock up and around Yakone, immobilizing him.

Katara stumbles backwards as she finally releases Yakone’s blood and a wave of exhaustion goes over her. She braces her hands on her knees as she watches Aang approach Yakone.

“I’m taking away your bending for good,” Aang says. Between one heartbeat and the next, Aang enters the Avatar State. His eyes and tattoos take on a familiar glow. His hands go to Yakone’s head and chest, and a few seconds later, it is over. Yakone slumps down as much as the rock prison allows.

“Katara!” Aang calls out again, rushing to her side. “Are you all right?”

She grunts as she puts a little bit of weight on the bad ankle. Definitely a sprain, but not severe. She bends the water across City Hall’s steps back into the flask, but saves a little over her hands and sets about healing the bleeding cuts across her body. Zuko would probably have an aneurysm if she came back bleeding. As it is, he’ll probably have at least a minor meltdown looking at the tattered and bloody state of her clothing. “I’m okay.” She looks past him at Yakone, whose eyes are closed as if asleep. “He’s down?”

Aang nods. “He’ll never bend again.”

Katara nods and bends the water on her hands back into her flasks. “Good, because I’d just like to go on record as saying I never want to do that again.”

Aang steps forward and hugs her tightly. He really can give some of the best hugs--he’s always solid and warm, his robes are soft and smell faintly of incense, and his height and long limbs mean she always feels surrounded by his affection and sincerity. There’s a part of her that misses when he was younger, when he was the kid that she was responsible for, the kid she needed to protect and take care of. But this? This is it’s own kind of better.

“I’m sorry you had to do it at all,” Aang says softly.

“Necessary sacrifices. It’s what needed to be done,” Katara says. She lingers in his embrace for a few more seconds before she pulls away.

“And you’re sure you’re okay?”

“I will be. I think I just need some rest.” She chuckles breathlessly. “I feel like I just ran a marathon.”

“Here, I’ll call Appa for you so you can get back to Air Temple Island--”

“No,” she interrupts gently. “I want to see this through.”

And as much as collapsing on a bed right now sounds appealing, it is not too much of a task to see Yakone off to prison and ensure that everyone who was a victim of his bending in the courtroom is unharmed.

Toph lets off some creative expletives when Katara revives her, and Aang hugs her desperately before she can go off on a rampage. Toph softens, and the pair kiss before they pull away from each other. Toph punches Katara in the arm in both greeting and gratitude.

Sokka comes back to in a similar fashion, and is livid in turn about Katara having to fight Yakone by herself and also about missing an “epic bloodbending battle.” She can sense that he’s a little hurt she never told him about her full bloodbending abilities, but he keeps it to himself for now. She owes him a full explanation later, when it’s just the two of them. She’s always hated keeping secrets from him.

(There’s also a part of her that knows he’s going to censure her for pushing to illegalize something and then continuing to do it behind everyone’s backs. And perhaps he’ll be right to be mad, but that’s just going to have to be a bridge she’ll cross when she gets to it. If there’s one thing she hates more than keeping secrets from Sokka, it’s him being disappointed in her.)

Aang eventually does call for Appa once the chaos of the day has settled and Toph puts her second-in-command in control of the rest of the cleanup, and the bison takes them all to Air Temple Island. Despite the ride only taking ten minutes, Katara nearly falls asleep on Sokka’s shoulder.

When they arrive, Suki is already there with a worried Zuko standing next to her.

“We heard what happened,” Suki says in explanation, and Zuko rushes over to Appa and helps Sokka get Katara out of the saddle. She feels a little pathetic that she can barely stand on her own and has to have her brother and husband practically lift her down, but mostly she’s grateful.

Zuko’s hug is tighter than Aang’s was, and she can feel the minuscule shakes going through him. A ball of tension lingering in her chest finally eases as she clutches him back. “It’s been so long since we’ve had to fight anyone,” he whispers. “I forgot how scary it is to send you off on your own.”

“I know,” she replies, stroking a hand through his hair. It’s completely unbound, a rarity he only indulges in when in the most intimate of settings, and it allows fingers to run through it without interruption. “But I’m alright. My whole body feels like a giant bruise and I want to go to bed in the middle of the afternoon, but I’m alright.”

His arms tighten around her again, and he kisses her hair.

All too soon, or perhaps not soon enough, reality comes rushing back in the form of their children.

“Mom!”

She’d expected Kyokani or Kya, their exuberance at seeing their mother still untempered, but to her surprise and delight, it’s Iroh who calls out to her. He runs up to her and hugs her with a similar degree of desperation as his father had, and Katara has to hold back tears.

It’s not that Iroh isn’t a loving, wonderful son (in spite of the brooding angst that had bloomed not long after he’d turned sixteen), but he’s going through a phase where hugging his mom is not exactly on the top of the list of things he wants to do. But Spirits, if he isn’t hugging her now like he had when he was six years old and was frightened by the Dragon Catacombs when he’d stumbled upon them while alone.

She supposes it makes sense--they hadn’t told their youngest children much beyond the fact that Mom needed to help Uncle Aang and Aunt Toph take down a bad guy. However, Iroh knows exactly who Yakone is and exactly how much danger his mother was just in. (Katara imagines she’ll be getting an earful from Izumi about her safety next time she sees her. Her firstborn is a lot like her father in that way.)

She’s hears a high pitched, “Mama!” and looks over Iroh’s shoulder to find little Kyokani with Kya hot on his heels racing to greet her. Katara can’t bring herself to let go of her oldest son just yet, and with a grin brings him down to his knees with her so that she can have all her kids in her arms at once. Iroh, surprisingly, doesn’t complain. “Did you and Uncle Aang and Aunt Toph get the bad guy?” Kyo asks.

“Yeah,” Katara chuckles. “We got him.”

“Was there a big fight?” asks Kya, and their little group hug begins to disperse as it’s clear Kya and Kyokani want the story of how they got the bad guy.

Katara laughs. “Yes, there was a big fight.”

“Whoa,” Kya says with wide eyes. “And you beat him?”

“Well,” Katara says with a small shrug, “Uncle Aang helped a little bit.”

Aang gives Appa a parting pat and turns with his hands on his hips. “Hey, I did more than a little bit!”

“He came in at the end,” Katara stage whispers. When she moves to stand again, she loses her balance a bit. “Oof.” She’s steadied by Iroh’s hand on her back.

“Mom, are you alright?” Iroh asks.

“Just tired,” she tells him, and pats his cheek. “Thank you.”

“Mom you gotta tell us about the big fight!” Kya asks, tugging at her mother’s skirt.

“Hey, I can tell you about it!” Aang says, and then he crouches down. “Also, I want a hug too!”

“Me three!” says Sokka, and the youngest of the Fire Nation clan scatters to hug their favorite uncles.

Katara elbows Iroh, who is still standing next to her with a look of worry on his face. “Go say hi to your uncles and aunts. Aunt Toph also probably wants a hug, even if she’s not going to ask for one.”

Iroh nods and does as he’s told. (And yes, Aunt Toph absolutely did want a hug. Katara can almost hear Iroh’s bones crack under her grip from where she stands.)

Then Zuko comes to her side and takes her hand. He says, “They’re going to distract them for a while so that you can go get some rest.”

Suki, who’d been waiting to join the fray of hugs, says, “There’s a guest room set up for you just off the main hall. Zuko knows where it is.” She looks back at the Temple and then back at Katara, “You might want to go before Luna and Ukira get wind that you’re here. I trust Tenzin and Lin to be a little more restrained, but--”

“Wait,” Katara says, “they’re all here? I shouldn’t be sleeping while everyone is here.” She wishes even more fervently that Izumi was home. Then her family would truly be complete.

“Hey,” Zuko says softly, squeezing her hand, “everyone will still be here when you wake up.”

It takes a bit more cajoling to get Katara to the guest room, but once she lies down, Zuko sitting next to the bed and promising to stay until she falls asleep, it’s almost no time at all before she drifts off.

After all, she’d always slept best surrounded by the people she loves.

#zutara month #zutara #zutara fic #atla #my fic #tbh this was an excuse to write OP katara and by god i fucking took it #with a fast denouement because that's what i'm all about babeyy

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 3 years

Text

Protea (Part 9)

Snapdragon closes her eyes, leans back, and inhales the vapors. Lilac and firelily are the dominant scents. There is something about them. Something familiar. The way the way the scents intermingle brings her to a place that is both close and distant. She runs the bar of soap over her skin and tries to pull that distant thing closer.

She doesn’t dwell much...doesn’t dwell at all on the blank spaces in her mind. But there is an itch within those spaces and the scents tickle them. She counts the freckles on her arms after cleaning them of dirt and grime. And this time they seem foregin. Foreign as though she isn’t sure if they are supposed to be there.

She shakes her head and reaches for the shampoo. Her hair could use a very good scrub. She wonders if Mai well ask the servants to help her with that. Her hair is such a tangled mess that she isn’t sure she will be able to work with it on her own. She dips her head under the water and basks in the warmth it radiates. She is so very cozy. She wishes that her factory had a hot spring in or near it. She likes hot springs very much, she decides.

She leans her body against the rocks and inhales the lilac. She can’t shake the feeling of familiarity. She pushes it to the back of her mind; of course it feels familiar, she has done this once before. She stares at the hand that rests upon the spring’s rocky deck. It is rough and calloused. It is familiar.

One of several serving girls slips back into the room, “Mai would like to know if you’re done with your bath yet.”

Snapdragon nods and holds out her arm for the towel. The girl hands it over and she pats herself dry. She scampers around for her robe...granted it isn’t actually hers. She tugs it on and fusses with the sash. After a few moments of watching her struggle, the serving girl offers her a hand. “Tight enough?” She asks. Snapdragon nods again. “Where is Mai?”

“Waiting for you in the spa.”

Her eyes light up, “do I get to use it too?”

The serving girl smiles, “unless you think that you can fix this mess on your own.” She ruffles Snapdragon’s hair.

She shakes her head, “I wasn’t even planin’ on tryin’ to fix that.”

The girl leads her to the spa. With each corner turned, Snapdragon finds herself more daunted, the palace is so huge. It would only take getting distracted and falling behind for her to get lost within its expansive halls. She wonders if the Fire Lord even knows how to navigate it.

“Here we are.”

“I finished my bath, Mai!” She declares proudly. A few of the serving girls cringe and she recalls that these folks don’t enjoy loud greetings. They don’t seem to enjoy loud things in general. She mumbles an apology as walks towards Mai. Mai who doesn’t seem particularly bothered by her overly enthusiastic outburst. “I keep forgettin’ about the palace rules.”

“They aren’t official rules.” Mai rolls her eyes, “you should here Zuko when he’s frustrated.” She gestures for Snapdragon to sit. “His father too. That whole family is pretty loud.”

“Lean your head back.” The serving girl instructs.

“Oh yeah.” Snapdragon replies, “I’ll do that. Can you use the same shampoo that you used last time? I liked that smell.”

“Which ones did we use the last time?”

Snapdragon looks at Mai who gives a little shrug. And then her eyes widen for a flicker. “Firelily and jasmine.”

“I dunno how you remembered that.” Snapdragon mumbles as the serving girl retreats to fetch the bottles.

“Uh...they used to be Azula’s favorites. You smelled like her…”

Snapdragon somehow gets the impression that this isn’t a good thing. “Well I can use firelily and…” she taps her chin. “And snapdragon! I am Snapdragon so I can smell like snapdragon!”

“That makes sense.” Mai agrees with a slight smile. “You think that you can handle being a lone for a bit, I’m going to go find Zuko and let him know that you’ll be spending the night here.”

Her tummy flutters once at the notion of being alone with only the servants and twice at the reminder that she will be staying here at the palace with several more hours of time to make both she and Mai look foolish. At least now she won’t be dirty and grubby when she does it.

“Okay, I’ll stay.”

Snapdragon shakes her head. The woman running a comb through her hair sighs and gives her another reminder to keep her head still. Snapdragon mumbles another apology. “It’s fine Mai, I can be alone for a bit.”

She regrets saying so as soon as Mai leaves the room. There may not be any uppity nobles about this time around, but even the serving girls seem to have more class and poise than she. Everyone is so elegant, they can bury her under as many fine silks and scents as they please but she doesn’t think that they will ever truly be able to drive out the scents of Capital City’s lower ring smog. “What is this?” The girl with the brush plucks a cluster of pine needles from her hair. But Agni, are they giving it their best shot.

“That must be from when I were trying to reach the bird’s nest. I were gonna take it down if there were no eggs in it.” Snapdragon explains. “I climbed up all the way to near the top of the tree…”

“The sap is practically gluing your hair together.”

That doesn’t exactly sound like an easy fix.

The serving girl sighs. “I hope that you’re comfy. This is going to take a while and if I can’t wash the sap out then I will have to give you another haircut.”

Snapdragon swallows. She wishes that she weren’t such a burden, if only she had nice, silky hair like Mai’s.

“Ami, you’re making her uncomfortable.” Snapdragon recognizes this voice. It is the serving girl she had met first. Yora, if she recalls correctly.

“She could use some discomfort if you ask me.” Ami mutters. “Look at this.” She holds up a clump of her hair. The strands are held together by a decent glob of pine sap.

Yora chuckles. “I’ll work with this, you just shampoo her hair.” She turns her attention to Snapdragon. “And you just relax, trust me you’ll feel much better after this.”

Snapdragon can believe that, she already feels better, more respectable now that she smells like firelily. Yora is a lot more careful than Ami, she still snags Snapdragon’s locks but she doesn’t yank at them. She closes her eyes, she must admit that it is relaxing to have the shampoos massaged into her hair.

Like the spring water, the steams that they pour over her head are kindly hot. She watches tendrils of steam twist and curl towards the ceiling. She thinks that she can nearly see the scents on them; she imagines that the firelily would take on a vivid orange and that the snapdragon would be a flashy red smoke.

“Cherries?” Offers a new serving girl.

With a grin, Snapdragon pops one into her mouth. She may not be able to get used to this, but she certainly enjoys it. She takes a second cherry and a third. And then she loses track of how many cherries she has eaten.

“We’re almost done.” Yora says. “I’m going to have to give you a bit of a haircut though. I can’t seem to get this one clump of sap out.”

“Okay.” Snapdragon agrees. She takes another cherry from the bowl and bites down. “Ow!” Momentarily forgetting her about her surroundings, she spits the cherry pit out. She hears it ping against one of the decorative vases.

Ami pinches the bridge of her nose, “someone pick that up.”

Snapdragon rubs the side of her mouth. She wishes that she hadn’t bitten down so hard. She supposes it could have been worse; she could have swallowed it and choked… The serving girl scrubbing the callouses off of her feet pauses.

The sense of deja vu comes over her again but with more potency. A headpoudning potency. To further spike Ami’s irritation, she shifts uncomfortably in the chair. This sense of familiarity itches at the back of her mind. Whatever it is, it is just out of reach. Just out of reach in just the same way that recollections of her time in the jungle are.

“Don’t let Ami bother you.” Yora leans in and whispers. “She’s a stern old flutterbat.”

Snapdragon allows the comment to wash away her unease. She gives a little laugh.

“I thought that it was funny.” Yora continues. “It would have been even funnier if you spit it out at one of those guards. They’re no fun.”

Snapdragon laughs again.

Ami inhales through her nose, “please. Sit still.”

“Sorry.” She mutters again.

She leaves the spa feeling quite refreshed, her head feels so much lighter now that it isn’t loaded with sap, pine needles, and twigs. She feels lighter in general. And the aroma of firelily and snapdragon leaves her with the sensation that she could levitate, could drift away on a cloud of their perfume.

She holds her sleeve to her nose. She expects it to smell like the shampoo but she finds that it has a scent of its own; firelily and jasmine with a touch of smoke. Her head begins to ache again.

.oOo.

“What’s wrong, you’re not acting like yourself tonight?” Mai frowns.

She doesn’t feel much like herself tonight.

“You’re all quiet again. Are you still anxious about being surrounded by nobles?”

That must be it. She is still nervous. She nods, “a little.” Though she isn’t sure that that truly is what is bothering her. She can’t think of anything else that it could be though.

“I’m surprised that you aren’t shaking with joy. You were really excited for another palace banquet.”

And she was. She thinks that she still is. Though, at the same time, she doesn’t have much of an appetite at the moment. Mostly she feels queasy? Foggy? Distant? She isn’t exactly sure what she is feeling. Other than unwell. “I feel…”

“You look pale.” Mai notes.

Snapdragon nods. “I feel sick.” That doesn’t quite fit either but it is the closest thing that she can think of.

“Do you want to skip dinner and go see the palace physician.” The Firelord offers from the head of the table. “They’re really good, I promise.”

She shakes her head, “I want food first. I came here for the food.”

Mai chuckles, “that sounds more like you.”

Snapdragon smiles. Maybe she’ll feel better after a gourmet meal. Maybe she’ll feel more like Snapdragon if she does things that make Snapdragon happy.

#Avatar The Last Airbender #Azula #Mai #Maizula #Fanfiction

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princessizumi · 4 years

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Prompt Fic

This was written for the prompts "Look at me okay, breathe" and "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere" that @unlimitedelations and @headcanonsandcupcakes requested. Thank you for the requests and please let me know what you think!

Izumi was eager to get back to the palace when her school let out. Her grandpa was visiting Caldera city and she was impatient to meet up with him. This morning over breakfast he had promised her that he would finally teach her the dragon’s breath technique, something she had been dying to learn for years.

The young princess nearly dragged her bodyguard the entire way back, urging him to pick up the pace. Once they arrived home, she unceremoniously dropped her things in her room and raced to the courtyard to meet her grandfather, only it was empty.

Disappointed that he had forgotten his promise, she set out to look for him in the large palace. Izumi asked the attendants if they knew where he was, but no one had seen him. She checked any and everywhere he could be. She looked in the dining room, his room, and even peeked into her father’s meeting to see if he was in there but she couldn’t find him.

The girl huffed as she sat down in the courtyard to practice her breathing like her father had taught her. Deep breath in, deep breath out. She tried clearing her mind but couldn’t help it, she was so looking forward to practicing with her grandpa.

“That is a good breathing technique you have there.” A voice interrupted. “As you know, the power of firebending comes from the breath.” Standing behind her was her Grandpa Iroh.

“I was trying to find you.” Izumi took another deep breath, “I looked everywhere.”

“Obviously you did not look everywhere my little Tea Leaf, because then you would have found me.” Iroh chuckled as he sat down in front of his granddaughter. “My apologies, I was busy and lost track of time.”

“Where were you?” Izumi pouted, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Iroh was quiet for moment before saying, “I was visiting an old friend.”

The girl scrunched her nose, “Who?”

Iroh considered his words before he spoke. The princess was 13 now, hardly a little girl anymore. As much as his nephew tried to shield her from the horrible parts of their family, Iroh didn’t see any good reason to lie to the girl. “Well, you don’t know him personally, but you do know about him. I was visiting my brother, Ozai.”

“Ozai?” She was taken aback, “But I thought he was in jail, why would you want to see him?”

Iroh stroked his beard. “Yes, he is in prison and for very good reasons. You can call me a sentimental old fool, but he’s my brother. There is no harm in sharing a cup of tea or playing a game of Pai Sho with him.”

Izumi pondered her grandfather’s words before asking “What’s he like? Is he nice to you?”

“I believe he looks forward to my visits. I’m think he gets lonely in there without anyone to see him so he’s a nice as he can be.” Iroh could see the girl turning that over in her head. “Now if I remember correctly you were very eager to learn the Dragon’s breath technique this morning, huh?”

Izumi forgot all about Ozai at the prospect of learning about the new technique. She spent the rest of the afternoon practicing her bending with her grandpa.

It wasn’t until much later when her, her father, and grandfather were eating dinner together and catching each other up on their days when Izumi remembered what her grandfather said earlier.

Izumi set her chopsticks down and announced, “I was thinking… I think I want to meet Ozai.”

Both men froze. There was a long moment of silence before Izumi said. “I’ve never met him before, and I think I should.” She looked between them, waiting for a response.

The old man looked to his nephew whose shocked expression hadn’t changed. He cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence that had come over the dinner table. “Well… I think that’s something for the Fire Lord to decide. Zuko?”

“Dad?” Izumi looked concerned at her father who hadn’t said a word.

Zuko broke out of his shock and addressed his daughter. “Let me think about it, ok, Turtleduck?” The topic was dropped for the remainder of their dinner.

“Absolutely not! I won’t allow it!” Zuko exclaimed as he paced back in forth in the sitting room while his Uncle drank tea on the couch.

Iroh sighed. He felt personally responsible for the princess’ interest in his brother. He was the one who brought up the former Fire Lord to her, thinking it would open up a line of communication between them. He thought she would ask him questions about the man, not want to outright meet him. And this whole ordeal was clearly causing his nephew a lot of stress.

“I don’t like this, Uncle. I don’t like this at all. Why on earth would she want to meet him?”

“The girl is curious, there is nothing wrong with that.”

“Nothing wrong? The thought of her even being in the same room as him is just- it makes me sick.” Zuko continued ranting. “I don’t want him even a hundred yards near her.”

“Zuko, you are overreacting. Nothing would happen if she were to see him.” Iroh took a sip of the hot tea. “The worst that could occur would be a few harsh words and we can easily put a stop to them.”

Zuko sat down with his head in his hands. “I can’t, Uncle. He’s so cruel and malicious and… she’s my baby. I won’t let her go through even an ounce of what he put me through.”

“And she won’t.” Iroh placed a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “You raised a strong young woman, she’s hardly a baby anymore.”

“I know but she’s still just a child. She’s so good and innocent.” His voice sounded desperate. The thought of Ozai hurting Izumi the way he used hurt him made Zuko’s blood run cold. “He can’t have her.”

“And he won’t. He cannot change your daughter’s good heart, just like he didn’t change yours.” Iroh handed the Fire Lord a fresh cup of tea, which he took, thanking his uncle.

Zuko glowered into the hot beverage. “He doesn’t deserve her.”

“Yes, you’re right. But he is not the one making demands. This is what Izumi has requested. So, you must decide if you want to be there for her or shut her out.”

Zuko stayed silent, staring into his reflection in the cup.

“You have to promise me that the second you feel uncomfortable you’ll let me know.”

“Yes, Dad.”

“And don’t be afraid, ok. I’ll be right there the whole time.”

“I know.” Izumi tried to swallow down her anxiety as they walked the path up towards the prison.

“And you don’t owe him anything. If he asks you something you don’t like, you don’t have to answer.”

“Ok.”

“And remember, he can’t hurt you.”

“I know.” She repeated.

Iroh smiled at the Fire Lord. “You worry too much my nephew. Your daughter is a strong little firecracker.” Iroh winked at Izumi and she felt her anxiety lessen.

The princess was flanked on each side by her father and grandfather as they made their way inside the prison. Zuko nodded at the guards as they stood at attention for him. They stopped in front of a metal door she assumed belonged to Ozai.

“Last chance. You sure you want to do this?” Iroh wasn’t sure if Zuko was asking his daughter or himself. Izumi nodded, the anticipation rising high in her stomach.

The cell was dark, the only strip of light illuminating the lone figure inside. The Fire Lord stepped in first and Izumi followed in behind him, practically hiding behind his larger frame.

“To what do I owe this pleasant visit?” His voice made it clear that the visit was anything but pleasant. Izumi peeked from behind her father to get a good look at the infamous Fire Lord Ozai she heard all about. He was old with long, graying hair and a shaggy appearance.

Zuko looked as if he wanted to speak but just stood with his fists at his side, frowning at his father.

“We brought some tea.” Iroh set down the tray, “And a new visitor.”

“Ah, so you finally decided to introduce me to my granddaughter, Zuko.” Ozai stood up, his eyes shining with interest.

“She already has a grandfather. She doesn’t need-” Zuko stopped himself from speaking. He promised himself he would try to make this as smooth as possible for his daughter’s sake.

Ozai ignored his son. “Come forward.” The way he said it made it seem like he was used to giving orders.

Izumi hesitated, unsure.

“It’s alright, Zooms. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” Her dad whispered over his shoulder, his face a lot softer than it was a second ago.

The princess stepped forward and faced the man in the cell. “Hello.”

Ozai didn’t speak at first. He looked her over with an intense gaze for a long moment. She made eye contact with him for a second but quickly broke it. He looked so much like her father, but his expression was all wrong. Her father never looked at her like that.

“Yes, I have been waiting to meet you, Princess Izumi.” Her name rolled off his tongue, smooth as silk.

Izumi stayed silent, completely forgetting what she was planning on saying when she met Ozai. He was a very intimidating man. His voice, his posture, his demeanor. His eyes. Everything about him commanded submission.

“You remind me of my daughter. How is your fire bending? Not like your father’s I hope.” He said with a condescending smile.

“That’s not- I-” Izumi looked back at her father who was scowling. “It’s good.” She said.

“Good?” Ozai frowned, raising an eyebrow. He made her feel so small.

“Yes, good. Can’t you hear?” Zuko interjected, stepping up behind his daughter.

Ozai sneered. “That answers my question then, you’re nothing like my daughter.” He looked down at her disapprovingly.

Izumi regretted coming here. Looking at this man before her she can see that he had no remorse. For all the evil things that he’d done, and she’d heard of a lot, it was clear he didn’t regret a single one.

The girl watched as her grandpa served the tea. Ozai picked up his cup without even a glance to his brother, as if he were a lowly servant. She watched him take a sip of the tea that her grandfather carefully brewed back at the palace specifically for him. She watched him place his cup down with his right hand. The same hand that he used to burn her father’s face. She is the same age her father was when it happened. She wondered if Ozai could still firebend, would he try doing it to her too?

Izumi didn’t realize that she was being spoken to until she was outside of the prison cell, her father’s face in front of hers.

“Izumi, look at me, ok? Breathe.” He instructed holding her face in his hands. He took deep breaths and she followed along with him, until she felt calm enough to speak.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

“Please don’t apologize.” Her father hugged her, “Are you ok?”

She nodded. “Can we go please?”

“Of course.” Zuko kept his arm around her as he told his uncle they were leaving. Iroh stayed behind, saying he had a few words he wanted to share with his brother.

The duo walked in silence on the way back to the palace. Zuko looked down at her, trying to think of the right thing to say.

“I’m sorry. He’s not a nice person.” That was an understatement.

“I’m sorry Dad, for making you go all the way over there.” Izumi didn’t look up, clearly ashamed.

“Hey.” He stopped walking and turned her to face him. “None of this is your fault, ok. It’s his. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Neither did you.” Izumi’s lip quivered as she reached up to lightly touch his scar.

Zuko took a deep breath, blinking away tears. “I love you.” He hugged her tightly, pressing a kiss to the side of her face. “I love you more than anything.”

“I love you too, Dad.” Izumi cried into his shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other. When they finally broke apart Izumi looked up at her father.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being the best dad in the whole world.” She sniffled, smiling.

Zuko felt the swell of love in his chest grow a million times bigger, a large smile spreading on his face.

They never felt the need to think about Ozai again. He was insignificant.

#Zuko #Izumi #Iroh #Ozai #Fire Lord Zuko #Princess Izumi #Fic #Atla

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stoopsbookstore · 6 years

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Greaser!Wonwoo Part 1

(A/N) SO... I decided to do this. I finally got the courage to do this. I was debating if I should do this for Wonwoo or Jaehyun, like I was writing this for Jaehyun, but I have a different idea for him now. I have a massive AU that I've had in my head for a good year now and there's most likely gonna be little hints to it in all of these 😐 Please keep in mind that I'm on mobile 99% of the time so some formatting may be weird. Another thing... I might have Sims based on these scenarios that I might make another blog for 🤔

Reader - Female

Greaser!Wonwoo... no one knows who he was until he started to hang out with the Diamond Gang, Pledis Prep's local criminals

He just kinda appeared out of nowhere with Mingyu

Rumors has it he's a narc, but that doesn't make sense... he's.... in the gang... like Seungcheol has straight up said that if Wonwoo was a narc, ain't no one would know he even existed

What had happened was Minghao and Mingyu were partners with Wonwoo for an assignment

Wonwoo has dragged to a race one day and was just kinda thrown in the car after Mingyu get his head smacked

You know that scene in Grease where Kenickie gets hit in the head before Thunder Road?

Yea, that's Mingyu and Wonwoo right now

Seungcheol told Wonwoo if he wins, he doesn't have to join the Diamond Gang, he can just leave with no consequences and live his life. If he loses, he's now the group's running bitch

Take a guess at what happens?

He actually wins, but Jeonghan convinced him to stay with promises of getting to know how to break into the local library after hours

You wanna know how Jeonghan knows this? He's not only lazy, he's also the librarian's son, he has a key duh

Y/N was the stereotypical good girl

Follows rules? Check. Straight A's? Check. Always home at curfew? Check.

Wonwoo hates being called a Greaser and he finds the Socs name stupid

Wonwoo thinks the labels are just pretentious bullshit

Seungcheol has told Wonwoo horror stories about the Socs

How they treats their girls, how they have the cops wrapped around their fingers, how Jeonghan was put out of comission for 3 months just for walking on Soc territory

Wonwoo tries not to believe the b.s., but it's really hard when it seems like all there is, is just a bunch of hatred between the groups

So, he walks around the town, Masonridge, to just clear his mind, when he sees the Soc gang, Neo, at the baseball park, beating up someone who looks to be protecting someone else?

Wonwoo looks around for something to wave in the air to make himself look scary, seeing as he doesn't have the Diamond Gang leather jacket yet.

Right now he's in his glasses, a light yellow sweater with the cutest little sweater paws

He sees a bat left behind by the Pledis baseball team and he goes up to Neo and confronts them

He sees Johnny, Taeil and Yuta turn around and he gets a closer view of the situation

It's Dino... protecting Y/N... after she said she wouldn't sleep with Johnny

At this point, Wonwoo sees red and he starts swinging

The 3 memebrs of Neo seeing this haul ass back to S.M. Academy, but not before Yuta warns Wonwoo that Y/N is just a troubled slut in a poodle skirt

Dino helps calm down Wonwoo and they both help Y/N

Y/N is kind enough to let both of them come to her house, seeing as her parents aren't home, for some tea and so she can wrap up Dino's wounds

Wonwoo texts Seungcheol to let him know what just went down and Seungcheol texts him to stay at Y/N's, let Dino rest and don't let Y/N out of his sight

Tbh this takes place in one of those future of the pasts, like it's 1950s styled... but it takes place in the present

Anywho, all three finally get home and Wonwoo and Y/N patch Dino up and after a little bit, he decides to take a nap because as we all know, getting the shit beaten out of you hurts a lot and may or may not take a lot of energy out of you.

Wonwoo starts to douse off and he doesn't even notice that Y/N left the room until his phone buzzed and he got a text from an unknown number saying Y/N looks really good standing on her balcony right now, with a photo attachment of Y/N looking like a goddess out to the fading skyline

Wonwoo immediately shoots up from the couch, calling for Y/N

He sees her chilling on the balcony, swaying with her cat, Mochi, to some Michael Buble

He's just hypnotized... like he's not one to fall in love at first sight, so he'll call this love in the first 4 hours of knowing you

He finally speaks up, making sure you're okay after what happened

Putting Mochi down, you say you're fine, just a little shaken up

Wonwoo and you are quiet for a little bit, until he finally asks why Yuta called you what he did

You tell him about him the story of your father and mother. Your mom was a Greaser and your dad was a Soc

Within the first year of your life, your mom left with your dad's best friend, who was also a Greaser

Using the excuse she needed more freedom and adventure and that's exactly your dad's friend could provide

When you turned 16, your dad was super protective of you, but you decided to act out like your mother

You got wrapped up in the wrong group, you hung out with Neo and your first love was Yuta, as you were his. You gave your virginity to him, he gave his to you

After that happened, he started to act distant and become more of the Danny Zuko type of Greaser, flirted with everyone, tried to get into everyone's pants, he literally didn't give a fuck anymore

Turns out, while he originally did love you, he just kinda stopped, but he still cared about you... so instead of just ending it, he just led you on and continued to let you believe that he was in love with you1a

After that night when you both lose your virginities, he started to ghost you and you saw him less and less and even thought it was never offical, it was unofficially offical.

So to cope with your heartbreak, you ended up throwing yourself into studying and this is when you met Dino

Yuta didn't like that you were talking with another guy even if it's someone like Dino who you saw as a brother.

Yuta was pissed so he started to spread a rumor about the reason y'all broke up was because you were sleeping with everyone at all of the schools around Masonridge

Yugyeom from JYP Prep, Hyuk from Jellyfish School of Music, and 4 of the other members of Neo were just a fraction of the names that were thrown around. All of them denied it except the Neo members of course

Your father was pissed and while you apologized about treating him the way you did, he didn't fault you because you realize what you were doing

Wonwoo, sensing your tears and against his better judgement, immediately hugged you and held you while you cried

While this was happening, your father came down and saw Dino on the couch, curled up like a cat, using his Diamond Gang jacket as a pillow and Mochi's favorite blanket to cover himself

Knowing Dino, he didn't question this , but still your father goes looking for you and finds you asleep on the bench, while Wonwoo is pacing, trying to stop himself from destroying Yuta

Your dad speaks up asking who he is

Wonwoo introduces himself as one of Dino's friends

Turns out your dad knows exactly who he is because you talked about the tall cute brooding guy who sits in the corner of the library and you're too scared to ask him to move so you could get a book you needed for class

Wonwoo blushes at the fact that you told your father you think he's cute

Your dad shakes you awake because he doesn't want you to fall asleep on the bench when it looks like a storm is coming oh if he only knew

Dino and Wonwoo are offered to stay for dinner and they won't turn down free food like ever

While your dad and Dino are setting up the table, you and Wonwoo are cutting the vegetables and doing the prep

Wonwoo keeps taking peeks at you wondering if you still thinks he's cute or if you don't even like guys anymore or has your shirt always been unbuttoned to the 3rd button and are you getting hot because he is and are yo-

In the middle of thinking, he slices his finger and Nurse Y/N is needed one again hmm... nurse Y/N with Patient!Member? 😏 but what kind of patient is the question

You bring him to the guest room because your dad is very queasy when it comes to blood it makes that time of the month SO MUCH FUN

Wonwoo is sitting on the guest bed while you're cleaning the wound and wrapping his index and middle finger together and Wonwoo just can't stop thinking about how cute you look so focused

You put the final touches on and before you get up to the first aid kit away, Wonwoo sees his chance and kisses you

At first you were confused but then you melted into it

He tasted like coffee and mint and your lips had a light tinge of strawberries

He didn't want to scare you or your dad or Dino. So, he just kept his hands down by his side

Much to his shock, you decided to straddle him and kiss him a bit harder

Wonwoo was in a state of pure bliss until Dino knocked on the door causing you to stand straight up and Wonwoo to fall back in disbelief

Dino, totally oblivious to what was happening beforehand, cheerfully told yall it was time for dinner

Cue the most awkward dinner for Wonwoo, sitting there thinking about the kiss and all of his feelings because he's been thrown for a tailspin in the past month between becoming a member of the Diamond Gang and falling in love after 4 hours with a Soc

Seungcheol finally comes to pick the two after dinner and he thanks you for helping, even shaking your father's hand

You asked your father why he was so chill with the Greasers in his house. Not only Greasers, the notorious Diamond Gang

He said that in his years of being a cop, he noticed that the Diamond Gang hasn't done anything wrong except for drag racing

Other than that, they're just a group of guys who found the real home in each other and anyone who hangs out with Dino is a good kid

And he already likes Wonwoo miles ahead of Yuta

The next day, Yuta confronts you about being with Wonwoo, saying what does Wonwoo have that he doesn't?

You started to list everything about Wonwoo, even the little things about him, that made Yuta furious because you never talked about him like that

Yuta challenged Wonwoo through you, you could say

Yuta tried to pull that whole if he's so good why won't he race me bullcrap and before he could say the last word, Wonwoo accepted

Yuta marched away and you looked at Wonwoo like what the hell

Wonwoo gets up all this courage and says that he knows that he can and will win if you're there with him, cheering alongside the Diamond Gang

You told Wonwoo that Yuta plays very dirty and he's not one to be taken lightly

You smack his arm but also tell him that you'll be there with Nayoung and Roa

The day comes and you couldn't be anymore nervous, you kept thinking what if Yuta does something drastic to hurt Wonwoo and holy shit you've felt this way about one other guy and that was Yuta and you don't like this feeling but you like Wonwoo and has Wonwoo always had that nice of a chest in a white t-shirt?

Nayoung shook you off of your thoughts as the guys got in their cars, Yuta shooting you a wink and Wonwoo blowing you a kiss you know that snarky kiss Xiumin did? with the two fingers? Yea it's like that just with more love instead of snark

Xiyeon stated the rules... there was no rules... and started the countdown

3.... Wonwoo looks at you, 2..... he mouths I love you, 1..... he hits the gas pedal

Both taking off like a rocket, Wonwoo was behind for a good chunk of the race

The turn was coming up and Yuta has going well over 70 while Wonwoo was going to drift

Yuta takes the corner....

But he takes it too wide and crashes

Wonwoo stops, just lead foot on the brake and he unbuckles and runs to Yuta's car

He's shouting and trying to get a response from Yuta, anything, a groan, shout of pain, something

#jeon wonwoo #wonwoo #seventeen headcanons #wonwoo headcanons #seventeen scenarios #wonwoo scenarios #seventeen #seventeen au #sleepy sloth #my writings

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