#Anyway I think Katara having her “oh no he's hot” moment before actually meeting the guy is the funniest thing ever

[demaparbat-hp]

Their actual first meeting in the Kyoshi Warriors AU!

Katara had her Oh moment before exchanging a word with Jian Li, and while she gets over it in time (or, at least, convinces herself that she's not embarrassed by her initial reaction to him) this quasi-interaction haunts her for the first couple of days of their stay in Kyoshi Island.

It's just not fair that the place is full of gorgeous people! Or that he's not only beautiful, but also kind and awkward and respectful and dorky and—oh, La—she's in trouble.

[azucanela]

being sokka’s s/o would include hcs?

BEING SOKKA’S S/O HEADCANNONS [GENDER NEUTRAL!READER]

being zuko’s s/o headcannons | being korra’s s/o headcannons

SUMMARY: being sokka’s s/o from the confession to the marriage

WORD COUNT: 2.3k

WARNINGS: mild lok spoiler, fluff, kissing, do these count as warnings, yeah this is pretty pg man, blood, stab wound, sokka being sokka

A/N: im sick and dying h e l p, but also interact with me im lonely, become and elusive anon idc <3 also wow i have 500 followers??? idk why you all followed me?? but thanks?? hi??

getting into the relationship

oh god 

i see him with a friends to lovers thing where he either flirts with you from the moment he meets you or progressively begins to fall for you and is far to flustered to flirt because woah there why are you so beautiful

if its the former, then he’s probably gonna be ‘joking’ for the most part and you know this, so you two are just playfully flirting all the time until one day he realizes that he wants this to be REAL and panics 

when you flirt the first time he’s flustered, because he’s really just not used to the same level of forwardness that he has himself, but after a while Sokka is gonna get used to it and he’ll just roll with it

but when he realizes he wants more? he’s gonna be flustered all over again, and he’s probably gonna flirt with you signifigantly less, which is gonna cause you to confront him, much to his dismay, because oh no he’s alone with you-

“oh! haha.. hey y/n. yeah i need to go sharpen my boomerang-”

“sokka that’s not something you can do.”

when you confront him, he’s probably gonna be honest with you and tell you how he feels because he really cares for you and just wants you to calm down because no he does n o t hate you

“do you hate me or something now?”

“uh.. it’s the opposite actually you see-”

if its the latter, he’s gonna go from really calm and chill around you, because of the friendly vibes and such like cracking jokes and such, to a complete and utter mess

you two are really close as friends and that isn’t something he wants to mess up but he’s definitely gonna confess at some point because he’s not one to bottle his emotions up and hates how weird things are between the two of you now that he’s realized he likes you

in general i see sokka as a mess around whoever he likes, until he comes to terms with the fact that he likes them, and this likely won’t take long, he’s pretty in tune with his emotions

he’s not gonna wanna ask you out at first, in all honesty, i see sokka’s whole confidence thing as a facade, because in actuality he has really low self esteem and genuinely sees himself as the “extra” member of team avatar because he lacks bending and everyone around him is so talented that he sometimes forgets he is literally super smart and makes all the plans that save their lives on the daily

just things you are too good for him, especially if you are a bender

if you start hinting that you like him too, he is initially gonna think it is a joke until you start getting bold and then it’s gonna hit him like everyone hits the cabbage man’s cart

i can see either of you confessing first, if Sokka does, he’s probably gonna be really bashful and flustered about it, but he’s also gonna try and act cool because thats like his trademark

if you confess first, he’s gonna be in shock temporarily, but then he’s gonna jump right into things because you like him BACK omgomgomgomg 

he’s gonna wanna kiss you right after the confession, and it’ll probably backfire because he got really excited and ended up headbutting you and now you have a bruise forming on your head and a very apologetic sokka oops

in general, quickly recognizes his feelings and confesses shortly after, because he just hates the weird tension even if he thinks he’s the only one feeling it, even though hes NOT

during the relationship

so

a really attentive boyfriend, you will never feel neglected, he’s a very clingy person who gets intimate with you all the time, so if you like affection you got it

kissing him is nice, he’s good at it 10/10 recommend, always wants to hold you as close as possible, prefers a hand on your hip/lowerback and another on your face or neck to pull you closer

if you don’t like affection, he’ll express his love in other ways

for example, cooking, i see sokka as someone who can either cook REALLY well, or not at all. there is no in between. 

genuinely just really wants to make you happy

the type to bully you if you’re in a relationship, pls bully him back, humble this man. he’s gonna roast you but he doesn’t really mean it okay, he’s just doesn’t want things to change between you

loves that his best friend is his lover, would not want it any other way

probably forgets to tell the gaang you are dating and like aang and toph are gonna catch you two kissing or smth and sokka’s just gonna be like oh hey guys and they are both like ???

"when did this happen?”

“wym lol”

if you two are together during the war, he’s gonna wanna be by your side like 24/7 because he does not want you to die, like this lowkey stresses him so much that he will subconsciously, when developing battle plans either put you in the safest possible spot or by his side, and its because he has literally lost so many people he’s care for and now he’s distressed

remind him that he matters and is important to the team, because he forget that sometimes and falls into a mood, where he’s all sad and stuff and it just makes you sad so like

tell him he matters, because he does, tell him he’s great even if he can’t bend, and tell him he is a fantastic and brilliant leader, this will serve as an ego boost though so be prepared to humble him

steal his hair ties and do all of us a favor okay, just steal them, burn them because no littering, just make sure he cannot find them! he will walk around with his hair down in confusion, searching for them before he starts the day

speaking of starting the day, you always wake up first, this man is not a morning person and needs his beauty sleep, definitely have a 17 step skin care routine, change my mind, he is big on self care and will make sure you participate with him because he cares about you

speaking of care he knows you so well since you are his s/o so if he notices something is up he will not hesitate to confront you, and will ask if you want solutions or just someone to listen to

prefers solving the problem though

back to mornings, um have fun waking up to sokka with his hair down that sounds HEAVENLY um

mild lok spoilers but sokka ends up chief, and gets involved in politics over time, so he kinda runs out of time for you a bit until he figures out how to organize his time better, then he gets kinda sad, but he still wants to take you out on dates as often as possible ok no more spoilers

so speaking of dates, sokka wants weekly dates, this is a must, does not care if it is a fancy restaurant, cooking at home, or a picnic. he loves picnics most though, and please notice how food is the common factor here

sokka would never cheat on you but if he did he would cheat with food

arguments aren’t rare, but they are mostly over dumb stuff and you both know its dumb stuff so for the most part its a joke, but sometimes someone takes things too far so then apologies are necessary

like actual argument arguments are mostly rare because sokka doesn’t wanna pick fights with you and he’s fairly passive unless he feels really strongly about something

he can be REALLY MEAN THOUGH AND PETTY like wow sokka will go days without talking to you because of a fight

he can and will apologize first when he realizes the toll its taking on your relationship, probably will apologize first

if you catch him being a misogynist put him in his place :)

 he thinks you are hot when you are angry and might pick a fight with you just for that reason, pls make out with him

marriage n’ stuff

im still waiting for someone to explain what weddings are like guys please

anyways he’s gonna realize he wants to marry you when he nearly dies and is like wow life is really short also lets discuss him losing all the important people he’s loved in his life one more time, he does not want to lose you!!!

ever!!!

so he’s gonna nearly die and then be like i need to propose, like now, i cannot die without being married to the literal love of my life so i should do that literally the moment i get home instead of getting medical attention first

yeah he is the smart one, but he lacks common sense, so i hope you got a LOT of common sense. y’all do be sharing a braincell

stops by a ring shop place, and the moment he just feels like he saw the one, price does NOT matter he has purchased it and is now heading home to you

you on the other hand are PANICKING because what do you mean sokka just ran out of the hospital with no explanation and is nowhere to be found katara

what do you mean you thought he would be h e r e

yes katara went over to your house to see if sokka was there and he is not!!!

yet ;)

there is like a manhunt for sokka and he has yet to notice because mans has tunnel vision and as he opens the door to your shared apartment he does not expect to see a crying katara and oh no-

“SOKKA! YOU’RE NOT DEAD?!”

hes like of course im not dead what the hell

you’re seated standing next to Katara trying to console her when you see sokka and wow you are relieved to see he is not dead or kidnapped

“SOKKA DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WORRIED I WAS-”

lol he’s kissing you to shut you up how cute, now leave katara you are infringing on an extremely pivotal moment of this relationship

honestly seeing you comforting his sister just makes him love you more and he kinda just wants to marry you 10x more now 

you pull away from the kiss looking at him like what are you doing, and katara is like, “Sokka where the hell were you??? you have a stab wound???” and now you’re like WOAHWOAHWOAHWOAHWOAH

“stabbed? sokka you need medical attention-”

“to answer your question dear sister, i was getting a ring for your hopefully soon to be sister in law.”

“EXCUSE ME?” you are so confused, katara is confused and is now realizing that she was probably not supposed to be here

sokka is already dropping down onto one knee and pulling out the just bought ring as saying, “marry me!” now he’s high on adrenaline and pain has yet to hit him and he’s kinda just sitting there beaming up at you despite the blood seeping out of him at a rapid rate

“im sorry what?” thats katara girl be quiet they are trying to have a MOMENT

anyways you’re like, “sokka. hospital.”

and he’s like, “answer me first” and he’s giving you a weak lil smile as he realizes how stupid he was and he’s about to stand back up but you put a hand on his shoulder and just nod.

now he’s back to beaming so brightly, and he’s putting the ring on your finger and oh no- he’s passed out. is it from excitement or bloodloss? idk

he also might pass out before hearing you answer and then at the hospital you’re kinda sitting there like, “ARE YOU DUMB STUPID OR DUMB. YOU COULD HAVE DIED.”

and he’s like, “not without hearing your answer” <3<3 heart eyes emojis everywhere

alternatively, he is one of few people i could see having a public proposal, with lots of flowers, a band, fireworks, the whole nine yards

he’s gonna want it flashy

something probably goes wrong and he nearly cries but you say yes anyways and he throws a party after

anyways the actual wedding is preferably public, but if you want a more private one then he does what you want because he loves you most

he is gonna be very active in wedding planning, wants to try the foods and desserts and appetizers and everything especially. wants to do the weird stuff like picking napkins with you and flower arrangements and all that stuff i think this happens idk someone please inform me

this stuff just makes him fall in love with you more tbh, and he’s just so so sure he wants to marry you 

his vows will make HIM cry, like he is going to cry when he sees you walk down the aisle, he’s going to cry when he reads his own vows, and he’s going to cry when you read your vows, it doesn’t matter if they are lowkey bad

makes jokes in his vows because he is a nerd but can barely reach the punchline because he is in tears

fr though he is just so happy to be marrying you and wow you look REALLY GOOD in whatever you are wearing um damn okay you really went off

married life with sokka is elite ngl, mans cooks for you, he probably cleans sometimes, but otherwise chores are fairly divided 

he spoils you

overall sokka is a real great s/o and he gives you everything you deserve and yeah marry sokka 2020 everyone deserves a sokka 

taglists[lmk if you wanna be added or removed via askbox or replies]

atla:  @bubblebars @jada-cleo @Art-flirt @the-deli-meat @wemissyou3000 @ajediherowitchrunner 

sokka: @iammello

[imnotusedtobeingloved]

THAT’S ROUGH, BUDDY.

(PLEASE DON’T REPOST/REBLOG)

Warnings: heartbreak, betrayal.

Pairing: Zuko x f!Reader

Characters: Zuko, Katara, Aang, Toph, Sokka, Uncle Iroh (mentioned).

Requested: I guess?

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, nor the gif. Credit to the owners.

Summary: Part seven of “destiny is a funny thing”.

previous part

A/N: Hey guys! It’s part seven already! Let’s see how long i can keep this up lol. Have fun reading!

The steaming hot liquid in the pot reminded you of a long time ago. Of a small tea shop in the Earth Kingdom to be more specific. And so did the boy that poured it.

“No one can make tea like Uncle, but hopefully I learned a thing or two. Would you like to hear Uncle’s favorite tea joke?” He balanced a tray full of cups as well as a kettle. “Sure,” Katara said. “I like jokes,” Aang agreed and Toph didn’t seem unenthusiastic either. “Bring it!”

“Okay,” Zuko nodded, serving tea to the Duke and Haru before standing up, holding the tray. “Well, I can’t remember how it starts, but the punch line is “Leaf me alone, I’m bushed!”

The group stared at him. Silently.

“Well, it’s funnier when Uncle tells it,”

“Right ...” Katara dragged out the word. “Maybe that’s because he remembers the whole thing,” And as the rest of the group started laughing, Zuko gave a small smile. “It’s nice to get a chance to relax a little. It hardly ever happens,” Toph said, grabbing the cup Zuko handed her, before he approached Sokka. “Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Your eyes followed the Water Tribe boy as he walked out, shortly followed by the prince. “What was that about?” You furrowed your brows, turning to Katara. “I don’t know,” She shrugged, sipping on her tea. “Hopefully my brother isn’t plotting anything stupid,”

The Team stayed gathered together around the fire until the sun left the sky and the night broke in.

Soon you were cuddled into your warm sleeping bag, the fire long since diminished. Your brows furrowed unconsciously upon a distant rustle, mind still foggy from your dreams. Drifting away once more, your features relaxed, only to be interrupted again seconds later. Sleepily you blinked your eyes open, trying to see through the dark with a cloudy vision.

It was probably nothing, you thought, turning around onto your other side, and the last thing you saw was the empty bedroll next to you...

Wait.

Empty?

You shot up, getting tangled in the sheets and tumbling over before you caught yourself. Careful not to wake the others, you stood up, looking around.

Where could he have gone? Had he left and betrayed you again? But how would he even get away?

You shook your head at the thought before it occurred to you. Appa! He wouldn’t, would he? You ran towards the bisons sleeping spot, heart beating rapidly, as if you didn’t know what to fear more: Finding Appa gone, or the prince.

Your lungs ached as you rounded the last corner, where you found the bison, fast asleep. A breath of relief passed your lips, walking up to him and crawling the soft furr next to his snout, to which he purred quietly. Suddenly a head appeared above the saddle, prompting a startled gasp from you. “(Y/N)?”

“Zuko!” You hissed, a hand over your chest. “What are you doing here?” The shadow questioned looming over you. “I’m the one that should be asking that question!” You pulled yourself up to the saddle, sick of him staring down at you. He grabbed your arm, pulling you up and finally explained when you landed next to him. “I have the feeling that Sokka might be up to something,” He drew his hood back and furrowed his brows. “Up to what exactly?” You searched his appearance for any indications, but he didn’t give anything away. “He asked me about the war-prisoners today. Where they would be put away,” Your eyes widened. “The Boiling Rock,” He nodded. “Exactly. I have the suspicion that he might try to-”

Your whispers where interrupted by silent steps in the distance and a quiet “Shhh,” from below. You and Zuko shared a look as someone climbed up, and eventually peaked over the rim of the saddle. “Not up to anything, huh?” The prince asked, arms crossed. Sokka fell, with a stiffled scream, his bags content spilling out on the floor. He gave you a resigned look. “Fine, you caught me. I’m gonna rescue my dad. You happy now?”

“No!” You exclaimed, while Zuko took an entirely different approach. “I’m never happy,”

"Look, I have to do this. The invasion plan was my idea, it was my decision to stay when things were going wrong,” The prince raised a brow at his words and jumped down from the saddle. “It’s my mistake, and it’s my job to fix it. I have to regain my honor. You can’t stop me, Zuko. And neither can you (Y/N),” He pushed Zuko aside, beginning to climb up to you. ”You need to regain your honor?” The prince questioned. “Believe me, I get it. I’m going with you,”

“No. I have to do this alone,”

You put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it softly. “No, you don’t, Sokka. We’re all in this together. We’re here for you,” Zuko nodded, motioning to the bison. “And besides, how are you going to get there? On Appa? Last time I checked, prisons don’t have bison daycares,” The boy looked between the two of you, before he sighed, shoulders slumping. "We’ll take my war balloon,” Zuko gestured for you to follow him, before leading the way.

The travel to the Boiling Rock remained silent for the most part.

Sokka had sat down on stack of boxes, while you leaned against the railing. Zuko blasted fire into the tank from time to time, making sure it kept moving. But eventually even the silence got deafening. “Pretty clouds,” Sokka spoke up. “Yeah ... fluffy,” You resisted the urge to slap a hand against your forehead, while Sokka whistled. "What?” Zuko said, giving him a look. “What? Oh, I didn’t say anything. You know, a friend of mine actually designed these war balloons,”

“No kidding,” The prince raised his brows. “Yep, a balloon ... but for war,” Zuko blasted more fire into the tank. “If there’s one thing my dad’s good at, it’s war,”

“Yeah, it seems to run in the family,” The firebender gave him a defensive look. “Hey, hold on. Not everyone in my family is like that,” Sokka held his hands up. “I know, I know, you’ve changed,” The prince lowered his gaze, shacking his head slightly. “I meant my uncle. He was more of a father to me. And I really let him down,” He gave you an indefinable look, but he redirected his attention so quick that you wondered wheter you’d just imagined it.

“I think your uncle would be proud of you. Leaving your home to come help us? That’s hard,” The boy argued, fumbling with his boomerang. “It wasn’t that hard,” Sokka’s head shot up. “Really? You didn’t leave behind anyone you cared about?”

“Well, I did have a girlfriend. Mai,” You bit your lip to keep quiet, waiting for his next words. “We tried for some time but it didn’t work out. It wasn’t what I wanted,” He seemed to have more to say, but Sokka interrupted with a sly smile. “That gloomy girl who sighs a lot?”

"Yeah,” Zuko confirmed, giving you a quick glance that went unnoticed. “My first girlfriend turned into the moon,” Zuko’s brows shot up before he briefly looked into the sky. “That’s rough, buddy,” He said, eyes landing back on Sokka. “What about you, (Y/N)?” You grew stiff, staring at Sokka’s face. “Me?”

“Yes, what about you? Any lovers in sight?” You crossed your arms, taking a moment to think. Zuko’s burning eyes roamed over your silhouette, but you didn’t dare meet his eyes. “No,” You answered eventually, lowering your head. “No one,”

By nightfall Sokka had fallen asleep, preventing you to do so with his loud snores.

Zuko was busying himself with keeping the tank full, while you took a look out in the distance.

“There it is!” You alerted the others, pointing towards the large construction. The Water Tribe boy awakened from his slumber, staggering over to see it. ”There’s plenty of steam to keep us covered. As long as we’re quiet, we should be able to navigate through it without being caught,” Zuko plotted. But as you entered the volcano’s steam, the balloon began to lose altitude quickly. “We’re going down! The balloon’s not working anymore!” Zuko blasted fire up into the balloon, but with no avail. “The air outside is just as hot as the air inside so we can’t fly!” You said, grabbing his arm to stop him. “So what are we supposed to do?” His gaze flew from you to Sokka. “I don’t know!” He said. “Crash-landing?”

The balloon skidded along the boiling water, splashing Sokka’s hand, which he shook while you put a hand over his mouth to keep him from screaming. Your aircraft hit the base of the rock, throwing you out in the process. You moaned, getting up and rubbed your sore hip. “How are we gonna get off the island if the balloon won’t work?” Zuko groaned, looking at the destroyed object. Sokka seemed to be more optimistic. “We’ll figure something out! I suspected it might be a one-way ticket,” The fire bender furrowed his brows. “You knew this would happen and you wanted to come anyway?”

“My dad might be here! I had to come and see!” Sokka walked towards the destroyed remains of the balloon. “Uncle always said I never thought things through. But this ... this is just crazy!”

“Hey, I never wanted you to come along in the first place! And for the record, I always think things through! But my plans haven’t exactly worked, so this time, I’m playing it by ear. So there,” He said gathering the balloon and throwing it into the water. ”What are you doing?”

“It doesn’t work anyway,” He shrugged. “And we don’t want anyone to find it,” You sighed. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” You turned towards the prison. “There’s no turning back now,”

By the time the sun came up, the three of you had found a supply room, stacked with reserve guard uniforms.

“I hope these disguises work,” Zuko said, voice muffled by the mask. “We just need to lay low and find my dad as soon as possible,” Sokka said, blue orbs peaking out of the slit. They were just as beautiful as Katara’s. Your head whipped around whe a series of guards ran by, one coming back to look at your team. “Guards! There’s a scuffle in the yard. Come on,” He gestured wildly. Prisoners were gathered in the yard, forming a circle as the guards moved through to the inside.

“I didn’t do anything! I’m going back to my cell,” A tall man called, as a guard whipped fire in his direction. “Stop right there, Chit Sang,” Zuko tried to approach, but your hand shot forward to stop him. “We can’t blow our cover,” You whispered.

“I’ve had it with your unruly behavior!” The guard yelled, getting more riled up by the second. “What did I do?” Chit Sang asked. “He wants to know what he did,” The guard gloated, looking at you. ”Isn’t that cute?" His face grew sour when none of you answered and your tongue felt tied, prompting you to nudge Zuko in the side. “Uh, very cute, sir,”

“Super cute,” Sokka added. The guard walked up to Chit Sang, getting into his face. “You didn’t bow down when I walked by, Chit Sang!” The man looked confused. “What? That’s not a prison rule,”

“Do it!”

“Make me,” The guard growled walking away, but not without whipping fire at the male. Chit Sang blocked it, redirecting the flame to its owner, who broke it with a kick. “Tsk, tsk. Firebending is prohibited. You’re going in the cooler,” He ordered. “You! Help me take him in,”

“Meet back here in an hour,” Sokka whispered to you and Zuko before following the command.

But you didn’t meet in an hour.

In fact, not even you and Zuko managed to stay together, soon being pulled into two different directions due to commands. While you ended up in the weaponry, you had no idea were the others went. “Not your first time doing this, huh?” A guard leaned against the wall next to you, arms crossed. You gave him a brief look, before you resumed sharpening the swords and knifes. “Not really,” He took his helmet off, raising a brow. “How come?” You shrugged, not meeting his gaze. “I’m a non-bender. You need to know your weapons if you want to defend yourself,”

“True,” he inclined his head, taking a knife of his own and starting to prepare it. “I’m impressed. Not many non-benders manage to get employed at the Boiling Rock. Normally they prefer fire benders,” You hummed, grabbing fire the next weapon. “Guess I must be special then,” The guard gave you an amused grin. “You don’t have to wear the mask in here by the way. It’s more of a representative part,” You choose to ignore his comment, instead trying to redirect the conversation. “Hey, can I ask you something? It’s all pretty new to me and I didn’t get to explore everything yet,”

The thought didn’t seem to bother him, featured remaining relaxed. “Sure, rookie. Ask away,” You subtily cleared your throat, attempting not to sound suspicious. “I know the Boiling Rock holds the Fire Nations most dangerous criminals. But what about war prisoners? Do they end up here as well?”

The man shrugged. “If they make it this far... probably,”

“So...” You swallowed. “Any Water Tribe inmates here?” He huffed a short laugh. “You’re pretty interested in those prisoners for a guard,”

“Am I? Shouldn’t I know who I’m watching over?” He shrugged. “I guess so. You’re just very specific about it,” It was time to shut up, you concluded, grabbing a knife. “Well, anyways, thank you for the-” The words god stuck in your throat when you saw Zuko passing by through the window in the door. If you hadn’t been convinced by his amber eyes, then for sure by the time you saw his scar.

“I have to go.” You muttered, subtly slipping the weapon into your pocket. “Hey! Wait up!” The guard yelled rushing after you. You’d just managed to slip through the door, when he grabbed your upper arm. A few seconds later and you would’ve managed to blend in with the others in the lounge. “You can’t just leave. Your work isn’t done yet,”

“Sorry,” you retorted, desperate to reunite with your group. “but I can’t stay.” You rammed your elbow into his ribs, knocking the air out if his lungs. The halls were empty, thanks to the midday meal everyone joined. If you’d manage to lock him into the weaponry you could leave undetected.

You grabbed him, shoving him back into the room and slamming the door shut, before sticking the knife through the handle and using your fire to heat up the metal, sealing it shut. You breathed a relieved sigh as he banged his fists against the door and turned around, colliding with a large chest.

“What do we have here?” The man grinned, locking you in a tight grip that made you squeeze your eyes shut. "I arrive late to the break one time, and there's already trouble," He produced a flame, melting the blockade. The guard you’d locked in opened the door, his face distorted in anger. “She locked me into the weaponry, asked a lot of questions and lied about being a non bender,” He spat, glaring at you.

“Well,” the male behind you said. “What do you want do with this imposter?” The guard snarled.

“Throw her into the cooler!”

tags:  @zvkonation​ @viva-la-millennia​ @randomness501​ @drheinzd​ @kaylove12​ @duh-dobrik​ @yeetscreetiwannaeat​ @ ashnkamfeun    @hailkyoshi​ @shortmexicangirl​ @animexholic​ @sorrythatspussynal​

[missturtleduck]

The Girls of Ba Sing Se - (Sokka x f!Reader) Pt. 7

Part Six│Part Eight

“See you later, pretty girl.”

TW: One instance of mild language

Y/N didn’t think Aang would have taken her seriously when she joked about taking a vacation. Of course, she was rightly traumatised after being chased and nearly eaten by an angry mother moose-lion. Maybe the boy didn’t understand her humour – she wasn’t sure she understood her humour most of the time – but they were nevertheless travelling around the deserts heading west, stopping off at every location Aang desired.

Misty Palms Oasis sounded nice on paper, Y/N had to admit, but they had wasted so much time so far. It was Sokka who was the most vocal about this fact, but Aang, ever the chill airbender, brushed him off.

“I’m trying really hard practising my bending with Katara and Toph,” He said, his usual smile in his face. “I’ve been training my arrow off!”

Sokka met Y/N’s eyes, exchanging near identical looks of incredulity. Their gazes lasted a moment too long, however, as they looked away swiftly, faces pink and eyes wide. She didn’t have to look back to know he had that stupid grin on his face.

With her feet propped up on Y/N’s legs, Toph let out a snort. She didn’t elaborate when asked, brushing her friends off easily as she closed her eyes, catching some lazy sleep in the sun.

As the oldest two in the group, Sokka and Y/N naturally began a partnership based solely on not letting the younger ones die in their training and travelling. And yet, she found that they were spending more and more time together when they really didn’t need to. There was always an excuse; Sokka had to sleep with his arm slung over her because it was ‘too cold’ and she was ‘always warm’. Y/N needed Sokka to come foraging with her because only he could control Qin if she got loose and decided to chase something.

Under the heat of the midday sun, it was too hot for Qin to carry Y/N, so she followed under Appa’s shadow as they ventured across the continent.  Even the reptile seemed to like Sokka, shuffling under his legs to sleep at night.

Leaning over the side of Appa’s saddle, Y/N watched as Qin panted, running underneath them as loyal as a hound. She frowned as the reptile sped ahead, clambering to Aang’s side; Qin had found the Oasis. Supressing a snort, she watched her pet lap up the melting water from the admittedly pitiful ice spring, the dog at her side edging away warily.

Aang laughed sheepishly as they came in to land. “Must’ve changed ownership since I was last here.”

The fine sand beneath their feet was warm to touch. A hand on Toph’s shoulder, Y/N followed their friends into what seemed to be the dingiest establishment she would ever set foot in. As she passed through the small square, she watched their surroundings with astute care; the sandbenders that had their eyes on Appa and Qin were hanging around outside the bar. One of them hacked up spit, launching it at Sokka’s feet with some extremely unpleasant words.

“I’d watch yourself, sand snake,” Y/N hissed back, her voice low and guttural. “You see my steed? Then you know who I hail from.”

Reluctantly, the sandbenders backed off, their mouths twisted into menacing scowls. Looking over his shoulder in questioning, Sokka frowned at Y/N, but she shook her head. He did not want to know, she was sure.

Inside the bar was even more grim than its exterior. The patrons of the bar looked more travel weary than any of her friends, though most of them seemed beyond tired. They looked haunted. Luckily, the bartender seemed friendlier and less traumatised than his patrons, his drinks looking very thirst quenching. Taking a seat, Y/N tapped the bar with two fingers, catching the man’s attention. Pulling out his twin blades, he smiled at her.

“What can I get you, pretty girl?” He said, gesturing to the overhanging fruit – a selection of mangoes and passion fruit.

Y/N grinned, resting her chin on her palm, leaning over the bar. “Those mangoes look luscious.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” The man said, slicing the fruit down, catching them from mid-air and dicing them up with incredible skill, “Because these mangoes are in fresh.”

Putting on a show, the bartender threw the diced fruit into a bowl, pouring what looked to be coconut milk in it – still with his swords. With a wink, he topped the drink with a decorative umbrella and straw, pushing it across the bar towards her. Reaching to her pockets to flick him a coin, the bartender put a hand up.

“Your name is all I need,” He said, obviously flirting.

“Oh,” Y/N flushed, taking a sip of her – very well made – drink. “I’m Y/N.”

He smirked. “Nice to meet you, Y/N. You can call me Jìngyi.”

Smiling at him, she turned to see if Sokka wanted a drink, only to see him sulking by his sister. What was that about? Y/N shrugged, thinking maybe Toph had been a bit too mean to the poor boy again. Catching his eye for a moment, she gave him her usual sweet look, beckoning him over. Pursing his lips, Sokka shook his head, leaving a frown on her face and a pang in her chest that made her drink seem bitterer than it had after her first sip.

“You’re a living relic!”

Aang was scratching the back of his neck, a bashful look on his face. Frowning ever deeper, Y/N necked the rest of her drink, flicking a gold coin over the bar anyway.

“An Air Nomad, right in front of me!”

Clasping Aang’s shoulder, Y/N’s hand hovered over her staff. “Do we have a problem over here?”

“Not at all!” The man professed, just as enthusiastic despite the subtle threat. “Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University. Tell me, which of the air temples do you hail from?”

“The Southern Temples.”

“Splendid!” Zei exclaimed, moving his gaze from Aang to Y/N. “And you! You, my dear, look just like someone I know. But tell me, where did you get that bō staff? The handiwork is excellent. I haven’t seen such craftsmanship since the siege on Ba Sing Se!”

Y/N flinched, expression cold. “It was a gift from my father.”

“Thank you,” He chuckled nervously, pulling out a pair of callipers. “Now, airbender, what was the primary agricultural product of your people?”

“Uh, are fruit pies an agricultural product?”

Zei muttered something enthusiastically under his breath, jotting something into his journal. No matter how nice the man may have actually been, there was something unnerving about him. It was likely his dissection of people, so loud and enthusiastic. If it weren’t for the complete innocence around him, the kind that reminded her of Aang, Y/N would be pulling her friends out of the door and the desert immediately.

Mood sufficiently ruined, she stalked back to the bar to the bartender who looked at her like she was the prettiest person in there. He seemed glad for the company as well, and as they spoke, she found out more about him; he was just over a year older than her, a non-bender, whose father owned the Oasis after the previous owner died.

“What do you know about the anthropologist over there?” Y/N asked, on her third mango drink; she had come to the conclusion that she was obsessed with the fruit drinks.

“Zei?” Jìngyi scoffed, grinning as he looked over her shoulder. “Harmless, mostly. He’s been scouring the desert for a hidden library for as long as I can remember.”

“Oh, so this spirit has attractive assistants, huh?”

Sokka’s voice was loud, carrying through the building and all the way to the bar. What in Agni’s name was that boy’s problem? Gritting her teeth, she turned to look at Jìngyi, who had an amused smirk on his face.

“What?” Y/N snapped at him, frustratingly only fuelling his amusement. “What is so funny?”

“Oh, it hasn’t clicked yet.”

“What in the Spirits’ names are you on about?”

He barked out a laugh. “You really have no clue, do you?”

About ready to burst, she reached across the bar, grabbing him by the collar. “You’re really pissing me off, and you don’t have the free passes that my friends do.”

“And if I told you that talking to me was annoying your loud friend over there?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

With a subtle glance, Y/N adjusted her glare towards Sokka, confirming Jìngyi’s words. As she went to drop the boy, he instead stopped her, clasping a hand over hers. He leaned in closer to her.

“Are you really gonna let him off that easy?”

Looking at Jìngyi up and down, she grinned for a moment as she considered his words, before dropping him completely. “You make a mean drink, love, but he’s far too nice for me to do that.”

Chortling lowly, the bartender began cleaning the counter, completely unfazed by their small encounter. She didn’t fully understand what had happened – with Sokka that was – but she was clued up enough to be equally amused and flattered at the situation. Perhaps she would’ve considered continuing the conversation if it weren’t for Professor Zei sprinting up to her side and tugging on her arm like a small child begging for a mother’s attention.

“You have a tamed Mongoose Lizard?” He said, eyes glistening with that childish wonder.

“Trained,” Y/N corrected him, eyes colder than the pitiful remains of the Oasis. “I’m assuming I’m to come outside and introduce the two of you.”

“Yes please!”

Sighing, she shot a look to Jìngyi of what could only be pleading, scowling at the response of, “See you later, pretty girl.”

As she was dragged out of the establishment, Y/N found herself already with her bō staff already out. With her sight filled with red, she charged the four sandbenders cornering Appa and Qin, spitting threats at them in their native language just as easily as the menacing looks she was giving. Recognising the one from earlier, she jabbed her staff to his throat quicker than the strike of a heron, pinning him under its end. Hastily, his buddies pulled him backwards and into two sand-sailers, fleeing under the cover of a sand tornado.

“Professor Zei, this is Qin,” Y/N panted, leaning on her staff slightly. “Qin, this is the Professor. Not food.”

Qin huffed as she sniffed the newcomer, him not seeming to mind the fact that such a large reptile was circling him and ready to snap her jaws around him with only a command. He continued to take notes even as she knocked his arm, begging for his full attention.

“Well, now that that’s over,” Sokka interrupted, his mood lower than it was earlier, “Should we find this library?”

TAGLIST: @lunariasilver @maragreene

[baegarrick]

idk if you've read/seen the book/movie but just... love, simon zukka au ?? sokka as simon and zuko as bram because blue spirit ( though if we r going for it personality-wise maybe switch their roles? idk ! ) — also in this one the friends are exponentially better

ok im so sorry I haven’t actually seen love, simon or read the book but.... I HAVE ACCESS TO WIKIPEDIA SO LETS GO

ok so I was considering Zuko as Simon bc of the musical thing/the loving parent (Iroh), the girl he sees Sokka (Bram) kiss is Suki.... but also bc I just love writing Zuko (maybe I’ll parse that out at the end)

BUT lets go with Sokka as Simon bc I also love writing the Gaang

Sokka is Simon

Katara is both Nora and Abby

Jet is Martin

Aang is Nick (but slightly also Abby)

Zuko is blue/Bram

Suki is Leah (but slightly also Nick)

Toph is Ethan (sorta)

Haru is Lyle

Ok so, obv this follows the plot of the movie/book. Sokka is a gay + closeted junior, not that his dad isn’t loving, but he’s in the military, and occasionally makes homophobic jokes, and Sokka feels like he has to be tough for him, esp. since his mom died. But he really likes making people laugh and so he joins the school musical, which is a comedy this year.

His best friend is Suki, who he’s known since he was a kid, but he’s kinda been withdrawing from her since he got to high school. He loves her, he really does, but everyone always thinks they’re dating, and it kinda makes him uncomfortable. He tried to like her, when they were younger, but he just... isn’t into girls. His friend group is Suki, Katara (his sister, and it was the two of them against the world since their mom died, but he’s pulled away from her too), Aang (a transfer freshman from out of state), and Toph (who spent up till 8th grade at a private school).

Also in the musical is Zuko, a hot senior who’s like.... super lofty. He gets really into theater, but he rarely interacts with people outside his friend group, like he’s better than them or something. (Mai and Ty Lee are also there, they’re Zuko’s friends.) Not in the musical, but in one of the other clubs Sokka is in, is Jet. He got kicked off the football team for being too rough with the other team last year, so he mostly just hangs out behind the bleachers smoking.

Sokka’s on the school’s tumblr one day (shut up, Katara, I don’t have a tumblr!!) when he sees someone posted an anonymous confession saying they’re gay but they really don’t have anyone they can talk to because of their family situation. Sokka gets their email (BlueSpirit) and start emailing (BoomerangDude) them for a couple of months. He learns that Blue���s family has really high expectations of him, and since he’s only a year away from college he can’t mess them up because if he does he’ll be cut off, and he can’t afford college if that happens. He’s got a sadistic little sister (who isn’t actually terrible, she’s just got her own shit going on, and if shoving Zuko in the warpath of their father takes the spotlight off of her, all the better) who would absolutely out him if she knew, a girl he’s pretty sure wants to date him (Mai), and an after-school job (the tea shop) thats cutting into his extra-curricular activities.

This is.... really similar to Sokka, actually, and he likes making Blue laugh (they switch to chatting online sometimes, like discord or some chat app), and Blue has a lot of insights on things Sokka likes (some of the same music,

Meanwhile, Sokka ends up going to this tea shop he heard about from Blue (it had been a slip, Zuko had NOT meant to say too many personal details, but he’d mentioned getting some kind of boba drink) and studying there with his friends. While he’s there, he’s surprised to see Zuko, who he’s never spoken to outside of the musical they’re working on!! (At some point, Zuko checks his phone and laughs, and Sokka’s like, oh no, I’m crushing on.... TWO DUDES???? BAD SOKKA). He starts to wonder if maybe.... Zuko is Blue?? it generally sorta fits, he knows Zuko is also a senior, and the tea shop Blue mentioned.... (to be fair, though, they see like three other kids from school there, so it’s not really a niche place)

Before Sokka can test out this theory, though, there’s a Halloween party which Sokka goes to with his friends. (They go as the Power Rangers.) He sees Zuko there (he’s in some some Kabuki costume), but with him is.... Mai from the play. They’re making out, and Sokka feels his stomach drop-- he’s not gay and Sokka’s crushing on a straight guy. He gets drunk. He throws up in the bushes outside, and Katara finds him, chews him out, and then sneaks him back home.

He emails Blue again, drunk, and says some stupid stuff like he wishes things were easier, and that he thought he knew who Blue was, but he didn’t. (Blue doesn’t reply.)

He’s checking his email on a school computer in the library when the bell rings, and he doesn’t log out properly, and Jet, who is skipping class, finds Sokka’s emails. He confronts Sokka about them, and says he won’t reveal Sokka’s secret... if Sokka helps Jet get with Sokka’s hot sister. Sokka hates the idea, but also, the idea of being outed is really terrifying. So he says yes, and tries to talk up Jet to Katara, who’s a little surprised bc while she thinks Jet is hot, Sokka was super against Jet whenever she mentioned it. Katara is involved in school politics, and convinces Jet to pretend to be interested to spend time with her. (he ends up running against her...)

Around Thanksgiving, with all their extended family there, ribbing him about getting a girlfriend (asking about Suki), Sokka leaves and goes to sit on the roof. Katara finds him there, and demands he spill whats up and why he’s acting so weird, especially about Suki. (she looks freaked out for a moment, and is like.... oh my god, sokka, is suki pregnant?????? sokka blanches at that) He admits he’s gay, and she hugs him, and they stay out there until their dad sticks his head out the window and calls them inside.

Feeling guilty about Jet, Sokka admits to Blue their emails might have been compromised. Blue starts to back away, taking longer and longer to answer emails.

At a football game, Sokka runs into Haru, who starts asking him stuff, and Sokka wonders if he’s Blue, but it turns out Haru is interested in Katara. Upset, again, that he doesn’t know who Blue is, he encourages Jet to “go big or go home”-- and so Jet asks Katara out by bribing the kid who does the scoreboard to switch out his campaign ad for asking Katara out. Katara is shocked, as she thought Jet was really interested in her campaign. She slaps him.

Mad that Katara wasn’t interested after all, and from the slap, Jet outs Sokka anyway, posting the emails on the school’s gossip site. Katara, who was mad at Sokka, instantly forgives him and is on a WARPATH against Jet, but Sokka just wants it left alone. Suki shows up a few hours later, and finds him on the roof. She admits that she had a crush on him, which was why she never said anything when people asked if they were a couple, but she knew Sokka wasn’t interested in her, so she never pushed it. She’s sorry she made it difficult for him to come out to her.

Blue is upset their emails have leaked, and deletes his account.

He comes out to his dad later, in the car, on the way to school on the last couple of days before winter break. His dad takes it well, and apologizes for all of the jokes he used to make-- it doesn’t make it right, but it was the kind of things he and the other soldiers used to say to each other. He ends up taking them to this tea shop he heard about (it’s Zuko’s/Iroh’s shop), and while there, he comes out to the owner of the shop, Iroh, as sort of..... practice. It’s liberating and also terrifying. Iroh is super cool about it, and tells them about his own son, who passed away a few years ago in an accident, was gay. It’s way later than Sokka thought, and when he looks up from the conversation with Iroh, Zuko’s standing in the doorway. not wanting to deal with people from school, Sokka leaves the tea shop without waiting for his dad to follow him.

The next couple of days at school are rough. His friends stick by his side, but Jet’s friends are obnoxious and loud, and Katara punches one of them. She goes to the school, but they’re eternally unhelpful bc.... what can tey do... its not a school website..... Later, Toph tells Sokka she’s a lesbian, and it’s not that she’s hiding it, but... it’s already tough enough when people treat her like she’s glass because she’s blind. They all go home for winter break, and when they come back, Sokka is refreshed and determined not to be put down by a couple of assholes.

He’s wildly surprised when Blue posts on the school’s tumblr that he wants to meet Sokka at the school’s carnival. This draws a crowd, which makes Sokka worried he’s gonna be pranked, but when he sits down on the Ferris wheel, he’s surprised that Zuko from the tea shop/musical sits down next to him.

Zuko says he’s sorry for ignoring Sokka’s emails, and he’s sorry that Sokka got outed to the school, and it wasn’t his fault that Sokka was blackmailed, and he should have reacted better to it. Sokka apologizes too, because Zuko shouldn’t have to be outed either, which... is why they’re here? Zuko blushes, and says he came out to his uncle, who’s letting him stay with him, since he’s tired of going home to his shitty dad, and that he might go live with his mom while he’s in college. He admits the Mai thing at the party was a drunken misunderstanding, and that he likes Sokka. He thinks he’s funny, and they like the same things (theater, music, strange taste in food...), and he’s hoping after this... Sokka might like him too? (they kiss on the Ferris wheel, and Katara takes like, 30 pictures.)

....

alternatively////

Zuko as Simon au-- bc I just wanted to write it out. he lives with his uncle, who’s the loving parent here, not Ozai!! (or his Mom/stepdad but I kinda forgot they existed for like 5 minutes)

Zuko is Simon

Katara is Abby (she’s his lab partner, and they have the same temperment)

Azula is Nora, but she doesn’t really play a big role (she’s an asshole, but also she’s 14 and is Going Through Things. she’s also in the closet and in love with Mai, but she doesn’t know it yet. it takes her a couple of years to figure that out.)

Mai is Leah

Aang is Martin (but less of an asshole. just the embarrassing + frustrated bits.)

Sokka is blue/Bram

Suki is the girl at the party Sokka kisses

Ty Lee is Ethan

---

I HOPE THIS WAS OK, like I said I haven’t actually seen the thing, but now I actually know what the plot is about!! <3333

[dancingkirby]

Fanfic: The Morning After

Sokka and Ty Lee have a little chat about their mutual lover, and then Sokka has an encounter with Azula herself.  This is a direct sequel to the Sokkla scene I wrote for the Chapter 69 special.  Like most of what I post here, this is a right draft.  I feel that the ending still needs some work, but I think the rest of it turned out well.  Especially since this was my first time writing Sokka’s PoV!

WARNING: Referenced past sexual abuse/incest.  Kind of par for the course with this series.

Waking up in the mornings was so, so overrated…especially when it was this early. Sokka had been wrenched out of sleep by a strong urge to pee, but once that had been taken care of, he found himself unable to drift of again.  The birds outside his window were causing a racket, and even when he turned his head away from the window, he felt as if it the sunlight was drilling a hole in the back of his skull.  Resigning himself to the inevitable, Sokka sat up in bed and reached for the stash of blubbered seal jerky he’d stashed under his pillow, only to be severely disappointed when he found that the bag was empty.  That was right��he’d eaten the last few pieces last night.

Last night…what had that even been?

He had, of course, been hoping he’d get lucky that night, since it was a wedding and all, so he’d come prepared.  But he would have never guessed in a gazillion years that it would be with Azula.  Yes, he’d been aware that she’d been looking at him all day, but he’d assumed it was because she hated him and was fantasizing about his death.  It turned out that her fantasies had actually been about something slightly less violent…and way more sexy.

(He hadn’t been entirely blameless in this either…he’d stared right back at her, thinking about how hot she’d become.  And not in the firebending sense.)

And then…they’d had sex.  In a closet that was so tiny that Sokka hadn’t been quite able to stand up straight. Azula had proven to be a screamer, and when they’d left the closet, they’d had to do a Walk of Shame through a large and boisterous crowd to get to the sleeping quarters.  

He held his head in his hands.  If Zuko didn’t know yet, he certainly would soon.  And then Sokka was really gonna get it.  Well, he might as well go outside for a walk first, so he wouldn’t face the Fire Lord with all this metaphorical gunk clogging his thoughts.  It was a testament to his current emotional turmoil that he didn’t even eat breakfast first.

They hated each other, right?  That much hadn’t changed.  And yet…that sex had been something else.   He’d heard about hatesex, of course, but he’d never thought he’d actually experience it. What was more, Azula had evidently been satisfied enough with how it’d gone to suggest that this could become a regular Thing.  However, that was before they knew that everyone in the palace was aware of it.

Sokka navigated the maze of corridors more or less successfully, and flung open a side exit door leading to one of the gardens.  When the spring air, still cool this early and laden with the scent of flowers, hit his face, he thought he already felt a little better.  As he started walking around the perimeter, he thought that surely no one else would be out here at this hour…

Except there was.

He had thought, upon initially passing it, that it was simply an ordinary bush with biggish pink flowers on it.  Sokka had no idea what the flowers were called. (Hey, he was the meat and sarcasm guy…not the plant guy!)  Then, he had almost walked by it when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.  He figured it was probably only the breeze, but turned back to look anyway,,,and saw that the bush had grown large eyes that were staring right back at him.  

“Whoa!” he cried out.  “Please leave me alone, Creepy Bush with Eyes. I wasn’t doing any…”

He broke off his sentence, feeling more than a little embarrassed at himself as he realized that the eyes did not belong to the bush, but rather to the now-giggling lady sitting next to the bush, feet tucked behind her head. (How could that possibly be a comfortable way to sit?)  Her pink outfit had made her blend right in.

Wait.  Pink?  This was Ty Lee!  Shit. She and Azula were dating, right? What if Azula had cheated on Ty Lee with him?  

“Weeelllll…it was really nice seeing you, Ty Lee, or rather not seeing you, but this is a little awkward, wouldn’t you think?  I think I’ll just be…leaving, and then we can both pretend that this never happened. Sound like a plan?”

But Ty Lee lowered her feet, stood up, and said, “Wait.  No.   I wanted to talk with you for a bit.”

Oh fuck, he was in for it now!

“What about?” he replied.  He was trying to be casual, but the fact that his voice was currently an octave higher than it had been in about four years gave him away.

“I’m not mad at you, silly!” Ty Lee insisted, sitting on a nearby bench.  “Just sit right here...”–she patted the spot next to her– “And we can clear some things up, okay?”

“About Azula?” Sokka sighed.  Ty Lee nodded.

“Yeah.  About Azula.”

Sokka gingerly sat, crossing his legs just in case.  “I take it you know about last night?”

“M-hm,” Ty Lee said. “But that…what you probably think is the problem isn’t.  Azula and I have…kind of an arrangement.  We see other people.  I’ve been starting to do a bit of dating myself.  Not that anyone’s really worked out for me yet, but…well, anyway, you don’t have to worry about that.”  She flushed as she realized that she’d overshared a bit.

“Then what is the problem?” Sokka pressed.  Ty Lee’s gaze flickered down to her lap, and she seemed to be trying to figure out how to put what she wanted to say into words.  

“Be careful with her, okay?” she finally said in a soft voice, pleading gaze back on him.

Sokka shuddered. “No need to tell me that twice.”

Ty Lee shook her head, braid swaying from side to side.  “Not like that.  Well, I guess kind of…but what I was trying to get at was, she’s good at putting on an act, but she’s still really emotionally fragile.  She…you were at the meeting; you know what happened to her.”

Yes, Sokka remembered that meeting well.  No sooner had Katara and Sokka gotten back home with Dad than they’d received a message telling them to return to the Fire Nation for an urgent matter.  Sokka’s first thought was that Iroh had gotten sick, but that proved not to be the case.  

As soon as he and Katara had arrived at the palace, they had been ushered into a small conference room.  Somewhat oddly, metal buckets had been placed by every seat.  The two of them, Aang, Toph, Suki, Ty Lee, Zuko, and Mai had been the only people in the room, and the new Fire Lord had sworn them all to secrecy.

“I’m not sure how to lead up to this, so I guess I’ll just come out and say it,” Zuko had said, face pale and grief-stricken.  The entire room was horrified to hear that Ozai had raped his own daughter multiple times, and not only that…he had impregnated her.  

It had quickly become clear that the buckets had been placed there in case anyone had to vomit, and Aang and Suki had had to use theirs.  Sokka hadn’t, although it had been close.  But Ty Lee had taken it the worst of all of them.  After a few seconds of shocked silence, she had burst into tears and been utterly inconsolable.  The only things she had been capable of saying were, “I should have known!” and “It’s all my fault!”

For all he knew, she could still be blaming herself for it…

Sokka swallowed. All he could trust himself to say was, “Yeah.  I know.”

Ty Lee squeezed her eyes shut, as if she too was revisiting that memory in her head.

She said, “Azula’s had a lot of relearning to do. And she’s trying to be a better person in her own way, I think.  At the very least, she’s realized that she wasn’t happy the way she was before.  But sometimes, she’s not quite there yet.  Be patient with her, that’s all I’m asking. And if she starts doing something messed up, you have to let her know about it.  And if you ever, ever take advantage of her…you’ll have to answer to me.”

That last part sounded slightly ludicrous on the surface, coming from such a sweet-faced woman, but Sokka knew well that her appearance was deceiving.  He held up his hands.  “Hey, no advantage-taking going on here!  I promise.”

“It’s okay.  I believe you,” Ty Lee stated.  She gave him a crooked little smile, while simultaneously blinking away tears.  “I…I was happy when I heard last night.  I think you might be the person Azula needs right now.  So…friends?” She held out her little finger to pinky-promise.

Sokka smiled as he linked her finger with his.  “Sure. Friends.”   Naturally, his stomach had to choose that very moment to give an audible growl.

“Whoops.  Guess I shouldn’t have skipped breakfast,” he muttered.  “Well, I should go now.  It was nice talking to you, though!  Glad we set things straight.”

“No problem!” Ty Lee replied.

Once Sokka had gone to the kitchens and successfully begged for some grub (They had leftovers from last night!  Score!), he encountered none other than Azula on the way back to his room.  She was dressed in her training garb, but had looked like she had been in no hurry to get to the sparring grounds.  In fact, from the way she’d been leaning against a doorway, it almost looked like she’d been waiting for him.

He sidled up to her, and whispered, “So…are we still on for tonight?” She nodded.

He couldn’t help it; he winked at her.  After all, he was Sokka, and he had to uphold certain standards.  Azula looked taken aback at first…but then she smiled.  She had dimples, and it was strangely adorable.

Before she could speak, though, a shout rang out from behind them.

“There you are! Mai and I heard some really weird stuff about…”  Zuko rounded a corner, and the “weird stuff” was apparently confirmed when he saw Sokka and Azula standing so close to each other.

“Yes, Zuzu, we fucked,” Azula said, sounding impressively nonchalant.  “Do you have a problem with that?”

A long pause ensued. Sokka tried to follow Azula’s lead and act casual by whistling tunelessly, but his attempt was much less successful than hers.  At long last, Zuko shook his head.

“You know what? Fine.  I don’t want to think about it.  Just…be sure to use protection, okay?”  And off he went.

“I should be off, too,” Azula said to Sokka.   She strode briskly away, but not before discreetly dropping a folded scrap of paper on the floor at Sokka’s feet.  Once he was back in the privacy of his own room, he opened it and read the few characters printed on it.

Eight o’clock.  Don’t be late.

He certainly had no intention of letting her down.

[guymaito]

For the ask thing :3:

Top 5 animals? Top 5 fav/comfort movies? Top 5 fav cartoons/shows?

I’m honestly glad to know theres other people including you who actually like Pakku and his character :3 Yes he was a completely asshole at the start but he did change, it’s just that it was so subtle that not everyone saw it

Also random song associations with characters:

Fighter by Jack Stauber reminds me very well of Piandao, Pakku, and Jeong Jeong as their younger selves during the war.

Why do I associate Grace by Lewis Capaldi with Bumi? (the music video tho would give more context to why it might make sense)

Oh Klahoma by Jack Stauber reminds me of Piandao and his overall anxieties for his partners.

Consider some of these songs as sorta song recs? Idk but still :3

1. Giraffes!! the reason why their tongues look like That is cause of extra melanin and to prevent sunburn!!

2. Seals!! there are 33 different kinds of pinnipeds and there over 50 extinct pinnipeds

3. Dogs!! they can only see in shades of blue and yellow, so bright red roses look yellowish brown and lively green grass look dehydrated and dead

4. Crows!! a group of them are called a murder

5. Cows!! they’re actually colorblind, they can’t see red specifically, so male cows, bulls aren’t getting mad at the color, they’re getting angry at the movement

1. The Losers movie from 2010, it’s a action mystery movie about Clay and his team that are a part of an elite US Special Forces Unit and are approached by a mysterious woman to exact revenge on their handler, Max, who betrayed them and just,,,the characters, CHRIS EVANS, jake jensen and all of his kinda weird glory, THE ELEVATOR SCENE, also cougar!!

2. Captain America and The Winter Soldier movie, it’s a action movie, which makes me realize that a lot of my faves are prolly gonna be action something, but anyways, it’s about Steve Rogers, who now lives in the nation's capital as he tries to adjust to modern times. An attack on a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague throws Rogers into a web of intrigue that places the whole world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow, Natasha Romanov, and a new ally, Sam Wilson, Steve struggles to expose an ever-widening conspiracy, but he and his team soon come up against an unexpected enemy. oh my god,,,just,,,the fight scenes, the running scene at the beginning of the movie, steve meeting sam that way, just everything!! this was also my introduction to marvel so in my mind no other marvel movie can live up to this (other than spiderman away from home)

3. Spiderman Far from Home, again, it’s a action movie, i’m not gonna explain this cause the post is getting long, but!! mj and peter!! just,,,all of their scenes!! also jake gyllenhaal!! the fight scenes!! the soundtrack!! everything about it is amazing!!

4. Thunderforce, again, i’m not gonna explain, it’s an action adventure and comedy movie (ofc it is look at the other 3 🙄 /s), the relationship between lydia and emily!! the relationship between lydia and emily’s daughter!! the humor!! the fight scenes!! the soundtrack!!,,,,just everything about is good despite the bad ratings

that’s more like a top 4 than a top 5 but that’s like,,,,all the movies i genuinely like and will rewatch if given the chance and for that where’s a honorable mention: Hamilton (the movie version on disney+ that came out i think nearly a year ago), the soundtrack is amazing, the characters are better, got some funny moments and is mostly historically accurate, like yeah angelica did forget her name cause at the time of her meeting alex ham, she was married to a man named john church (or something church idk) so her last name was church but she introduced herself to alexander as angelica schuyler, not angelica church, so in satisfied she was telling the truth about forgetting her own name, but in the same song she said that her father had no sons even though the real angelica had 3 brothers.

1. Avatar the last Airbender, ofc or else i would have a blog (mostly) centered around it and it’s sequel /s but fr though?? it’s such a good show!! zuko’s redemption arc, iroh’s redemption arc (even though his more subtle than zuko’s) , aang!! love him and his character so much, especially when he gets to be a sassy little shit, sokka and his shit humor and brains, katara, toph, hakoda and HIS shit humor, the fight scene with hakoda (he fights kinda like a waterbender, using his opponent’s momentum against them), bato and his lovely, lovely voice, piandao, aang going ‘how about he get on YOUR back and you can fly us to the south pole’ or something like that to sokka after he complained about appa not flying higher, the boiling rock episodes, hakoda apparently being a good dad but a shitty prison riot starter (love that for him), just!! atla is such a good ass show, im not changing my mind. also!! i like the way they introduced ozai, not showing his face but still presenting him as not only a shit dad, but a shit person as well, like up until book three, we only saw him like, the neck down and in like, a flashback or two (i don’t really remember how many flashbacks ozai was in actually cause it’s nearly been a full year since i last watched it) and that’s it, so it made seeing his face for the first time all the more better cause you was already like ‘what the hell does this shitbag look like’ and then you see him and now ur like ‘oh!! THATS what he looks like!!’

2. The Legend of Korra, again, ofc or else i wouldn’t have a blog (mostly) centered around it and it’s prequel, just,,,,korra’s arc from being hot headed to calm is fantastic but also sad considering the way she went from that to this, korra’s book 1 character!! for whatever reason i really like b1 korra, just,,her design, her hair style (even though she had it for nearly the entire series) just!!! book 1 korra <3, also the entirety of book 1!! just amon posing as a anti bender nonbender despite being a waterbender himself, the scene where tenzin and his kids nearly lost their bending, which would’ve meant that, if tenzin did lose his bending but his kids didn’t, that would’ve meant the strongest airbender would’ve been his 11 year old daughter, the gruesome way to end the season finale episode by doing a murder suicide which was dark as fuck for what?? a kids show??, also the villains in this show!! their good as hell!! the backstory of the red lotus and how and why they were created?? amon and his anti bending?? kuvira and her plan to basically rule the earth kingdom (idk i haven’t finished book 4), unalaq and his spiritual stuff and wanting to become a dark avatar and fusing with vaatu?? also!! the other disturbing scene of korra basically getting tortured near the end of book 3, i mean?? it deadass left her hella traumatized and unable to walk, again hella dark for a fucking kids show

3. The Walking Dead, even though i haven’t finished it or watched in like, 4-5 months, i just,,,the way the presented negan!! practically foreshadowing him the entirety of season 6!! him appearing at the very end of the season 6 finale and pretty much having an entire episode dedicated to him in the very beginning of season 7 (which is why some fans argue he was introduced in s7 not s6 cause of the fact that he didn’t show up until the very end of the s6 finale but had an entire episode with him in it in s7, while others say vice versa cause the very the first time we see him was in s6 not s7), the fact that the walking dead logo was getting progressively more and more decayed as the series go on?? the fact that the WALKERS (the zombies) are getting more and more decayed as the series go on?? dale’s death scene?? shane’s death scene?? negan’s relationship with rick’s daughter?? the fact that this show also has what?? 11, 12 seasons?? which reminds me that i’m still on season 9 of twd

4. Sabrina the Teenage Witch, just,,,salem and his sarcasm?? sabrina’s aunts?? sabrina herself?? just!! everyone is just so fucking funny in this show it’s unreal, specially salem!! a lot of my favorite scenes have salem in them, the ‘are you on a women’s chat room again?’ (or something like that) and salem saying ‘i like the attention’ in response, that one harvey and salem scene that i don’t know how to describe without turning this into a giant paragraph like the ones before this one

5. blue’s clues, it was my favorite childhood show and i love the reboot of it so much!! especially p for pride moment in that song i don’t remember the name of, blue themself!! steve leaving which was sad but getting an equally amazing host in the process?? amazing!! the scene where salt and pepper introduced their baby, paprika?? just,,,it’s such good show and i loved it when i was younger and i still love it now!!

[rideboldlyride]

Perfect: Chapter 8

Like the Waves (Back and Forth)

Ao3 Link Here!

Zuko,

So I guess I should start now, huh? I mean, it’s only been a few days, but I have to start somewhere. We just skimmed Kyoshi Island, landing in Chin Village. Did I ever tell you about this place? They had planned to boil Aang in hot oil at one point. Now they have this day where they eat raw dough in celebration of … not…. boiling him? I’ll have to tell you the whole story in person one day. 

Anyway.

Chin Village is the first stop on our little crusade, it seems, since Toph already found the Triad here. (That girl has got a nose for sniffing them out). We followed them, but so far it’s been a pretty uneventful trip. I’ll have to wait to write when there’s actually something interesting to write about…

***

Dark. Black. Flash of inky nothingness flies through the air.

A heavy splash, followed by a guttural grunt. The sound of cloth whipping through the air. Followed by footsteps.

Men’s voices echoed down the hall, angry, confused. Moonlight streams through the windows, being caught up in an unnatural fog.

Silence eats up the heavy tread. 

Loud crash. Like a spirit of the damned, a beast straight from the Spirit World descends upon the throng. 

The screams are swallowed up by the night. Red, brown, blue, and water. So much water. The men could drown on the dry ground.

They fall like dead bugs around the phantom. 

One is still conscious, cowering.

“The Painted Lady…” his voice is reverant, trembling. 

“Where are you taking the children?”

***

… I seriously wish there was more to tell. The little bit of information I was able to snoop out of what Toph found seems to point us to Gaoling. She’s… not exactly pleased about it. I don’t think she’s talked with her folks in a while. I guess we’ll see if she’ll talk to them now. 

Doubt it.

How are the new settlement talks going? I heard you are playing a big role in that. I know I’m not really in any position to help, but if you want a fresh set of eyes, I’ll be happy to help.

Hope this letter finds you safe and as sane as being the Fire Lord is going to keep you.

Katara

***

Katara,

I’m surprised that you haven’t been up to mischief. That doesn’t quite sound like you. I guess I’ll have to take your word.

Sounds like Chin Village was going to be a quick stop. It’s a pretty small village, isn’t it? My Earth Kingdom geography is a little rusty. 

Aang boiled in oil- I don’t think I’ve heard that story before. 

I’m surprised to hear that Toph hasn’t seen her parents in a while. Well, maybe not surprised. But definitely sad to hear it. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to smooth any interactions. The Bei Fong’s and I have crossed paths multiple times, and they seem to listen to me. Do you know what direction you’re heading in, once you get to Gaoling? That is a bit of a step up from Chin Village. 

The settlement talks are going about as well as you might expect. Kuei thinks that the islands belong to his kingdom (or at least, his advisors do), and yet my advisors tell me there’s evidence of an old Fire Nation village there. I’m not exactly sure how far to push the issue - it’s a bit of a touchy subject, when my people are involved.

I’ve been trying to do some pushing on my end, about the Triad. I’m sad to report that I’m not getting very far…

***

A ring of steel on steel echoed through the alleyway. The grimace on the strained man’s face was hardly a match for the grotesque twist of a face on the spectre’s mask. At that moment, the opponent was doubtful of the nature of the man before him. 

Earlier, inside the building they had vacated, one of his gang mates had laid a blade’s edge upon the black skin of the spirit before him and drawn red blood. He had sworn that a man’s voice had bit out a muffled curse at the action. But as the blue and white mask leaned in, there was no sign of a man’s presence behind it. No hint of skin, no rush of breath. Just heat, unbearable, aggressive heat. With a twist, the man felt his blade slip through his fingers and clatter down the street. 

A pair of dao blades intersected before his throat. 

When he swallowed heavily, his Adam's apple scraped the blade’s edge painfully. One blade was removed, and with a switch of a grip, it came tumbling back down, it’s butt meeting the side of his skull. He plummeted into the darkness.

Over his body, the Blue Spirit stood tall. Returning his blades to his sheath, he bent down, patting down the pockets of the man unconscious before him. A sound caught his attention, and with a deft hand he withdrew a small piece of parchment from a pocket. Unravelling it, he scanned it before slipping it into a private pocket of his own. 

With one more look down at the man unconscious before him, he hefted him over his shoulder and disappeared into the night.

The next morning, he would be found bound, with a fresh piece of parchment pinned to his front, showing evidence of the small cell of the Triad in the region near the Fire Nation capital, discarded before the Head of the Guard of the city.

***

… But this does not mean I have given up trying. Anything you need help with, Katara, please, just let me know. 

By the time this reaches you, I’m sure you’ll be in Gaoling. Please be safe. I don’t think I want to explain to Sokka why his baby sister is being held by a group of gangsters. 

Speaking of Sokka, I hear that they’re planning to visit in the next few months. I won’t lie, I’m excited to see them. There’s something empty to this palace without you all here.

Be safe. 

Zuko.

***

Oh Great and Fiery One, 

Hi.

Sorry, couldn’t help myself. 

Those settlements, Zuko, how old are the remnants? I can understand why you’re nervous to push anything with Kuei, but if they belong to your people… If they’re old remnants, it might just make sense to strike a deal for some archaeological dig but if not- if they’re just from before the war, then why would Kuei want the islands anyway?

I’m sorry to hear about your work on the Triad. I could’ve used the help. As it is, we’re chasing a bit of an enigma. So far the SB (that’s all I’m going to call her, since I don’t want this falling into the wrong hands) has remained elusive. There’s a whisper, but it’s a quiet one. Supposedly, this is the first place she emerged on the scene. According to what I’m finding, she hadn’t intended to be used by them. They just found her…

***

“I do not suffer fools or liars!” A voice like a dark demon split the air, and the man before her cowered in the fog at her feet. 

“I would never lie to a spirit - especially as powerful of a one as you, my Lady!” Lord Bei Fong was shivering.

“Then tell me who she is!”

“I don’t know!” He crooned, his voice wavering, as if on the edge of slipping into unconsciousness. “She was found here, yes! We brought her in, but when they came for her, we knew nothing about them or her!”

“You took her in? You, Bei Fong, are not known for your hospitality to the weak and needy.”

“She was no beggar.”

Anger spurred the spirit closer. Red lips curled in disgust as she growled out her words. “Then who was she?!”

“Someone of rank -- that’s all I know!” He threw himself to his knees, prostrate, arms covering his head. There was no more to be known as to the Spirit Bridge’s identity, but maybe she could identify where she was taken to.

“Where did they take her?”

“North - North and east. I don’t know where exactly.”

The Painted Lady straightened, blue eyes glinting in the light. “These thugs prevail on my patience, pry on my good will. Tell me all there is to know about the Triad.”

***

… and they used her. Sounds like she’s a prisoner more than an accomplice. But she’s going to have to go on hold for a few days. (hopefully only for that long. Gaoling is taking too long to comb through, and I’ve got a feeling my road leads to Omashu, at least, and I don’t want to be sidetracked for too long.) There’s a village, Linpan, that is currently being plagued, like Yomi was. It’s out in the middle of the plains, where there isn’t much of a lawful presence at all. I wonder over it’s condition, but it’s better not to concern myself too much till I get out there. 

I won’t lie, I already miss Sokka and Suki. And Yuka. I worry that I’m going to miss so much of her life. Maybe when it’s all said and done, I’ll go ahead and let Pakku set me up. Just so I can settle down. 

Who am I kidding?

Please send my love to my family. I’ll see you eventually. Be safe too, Zuko. 

Katara

***

Very funny.

You call me that again, and I won’t send you Sokka’s leftover seal jerky. 

You asked about the settlement: It’s from just prior to the war. The only real reason we’re trying to settle it is to search for the little bit that remains of the Fire Nation culture prior to the war. Most of the settlers planned for are historians. The rest are just to keep the historians afloat. I’ve tried explaining this to Kuei, but I’m beginning to wonder if his advisors are only bringing him their own narratives. 

Can I go chase bad guys with you?

This SB… she’s interesting. Her being a prisoner - that changes the dynamics in a lot of ways. And we know it’s a woman? I wish we could figure out her identity. It might help us in the long run. 

***

Pitter patter, pitter patter. 

It was an easy beat to fall into. Feet on ground, as light as the fall of the rain. Wet shale tiles were like ice in the rain. The spirit would have scaled it effortlessly. The man, instead, slipped and cursed, but managed to find his footing again. 

A chorus of yelps and hollers came from the rooftop just vacated. He ignored them and the pain shooting through his arm and shoulder. The Blue Spirit rounded the edge, jumped into an alley, slid down an old open-aired drain, and was gone. 

He had retrieved what he came for. The man behind the mask smiled victoriously.

***

So you’re headed to Linpan? If you come across anybody named Gansu, Sela or Lee,... I don’t know. Thank them from me? You might want to wait till the end of the visit to say that, though. What’s taking you out there, anyway? Last time I was there, some of the authorities were not the … friendliest. Please be careful, and don’t pick any fights.

Rather, don’t let Toph pick any fights.

When Sokka and Suki arrive, I’ll make sure to pass along your love. Have you been writing them?

Please, Katara, stay safe. This isn’t an easy quest you’ve taken on. I worry that you’re not telling me everything. 

Zuko.

***

Zuko.

Yes, I made that a sentence. 

If you’re going to self-project here, I want to be abundantly clear that I know you aren’t telling me everything. I’ll start spilling when you do.

It was a bit of insanity when I got here. Seems the Triad had just struck. Mostly snagged kids, from what I could tell, but a few women too. Went looking for that family you spoke of, but the town told me that Gansu didn’t make it back from the war. His oldest kid did, though - Sen Su. Unfortunately, Lee and Sela were a part of the ones taken.

Don’t worry, though. I think you know what happened next…

***

The wheat faded under to black and desiccated under her foot. 

Gold withered to black. Nutmeg and blood. Blue and brown. White billowed around the spectre’s feet, face. 

If there were footsteps, it was only the promise of death behind her. 

The men cowered, some of the more devout falling to their knees, lips trembling out unheard prayers. Close association with the spirits led powerful men to paranoia, a constant gaze over their shoulders.

Funny that, the spirit considered. If one kept his eyes over his shoulder, they were less likely to see the pit before them. 

Red lips curled. 

Villagers stood tall. Avenging spirits did not come for the innocent, they whispered to the children. The Painted Lady was the most righteous of them all.

But what of the Blue Spirit, the children responded. The mothers hushed them. It was improper to speak reverentially of a different spirit in the midst of an avenging one. 

With the slightest whisper of cloth, arms were raised, fingers curled like talons. The fog seemed to still, hovering. 

She rose -

She waited -

She descended.

***

Lee and Sela are back home, along with their friends. Before we left, I mentioned you. I don’t think you realize how much has changed since you left. They insisted that Toph and I stay with them another night. Lee asked if you still had your dao swords -- Zuko, you should come see them. 

This cell of the Triad isn’t going to be coming back anytime soon. I think Toph and I scared them enough that they’ll be having nightmares for at least a few months. Hopefully. I didn’t come here expecting to find anything out about the SB, but I actually did! She was in Omashu for a long time, even though she’s been moved since. I’m not quite sure where to, but I’ve got a sneaking sensation that I’ll be seeing the walls of Ba Sing Se before this is all over with. 

I’m surprised about the settlement. I can’t help but wonder if Kuei isn’t getting the full story. What can you do about it? Is there anything you can do about it?

As for being safe: I’m doing my best, Zuko. But I wouldn’t go around being high and mighty - I heard that you fended off another attempt, this time without Mai. I think you might be in more danger than me. 

Don’t let that happen again, unless I’m there, okay?

I miss you, Hotman. And … thank you. Thank you for insisting we write. It’s keeping me sane between the bouts of Toph’s snoring at night. 

I’ll see you soon, Zuko. 

Katara

***

Katara, 

How did you hear about that? I guess I forget that you write to other people too. As for your request, I’ll do my best. 

I’m glad to hear about Sela, Lee and Sen Su, but I won’t lie that it hurt to hear about Gansu. He was a very wise man, and it’s a loss to everyone who knew him. I’ll… try my best to come see them. That was an awkward time in my life, so I doubt it’ll be easy. 

It’s surprising to hear about the SB in Linpan. I’m guessing that this side quest of yours was to rout the trade routes they have. It’s just odd to find out crucial information from a little town in the middle of nowhere. Please be careful...

***

The dock rolled slowly in the surf. Bamboo mats swayed under foot. Inky darkness filled the gloom. In the black night, a devilish white grin flashed. Curled fangs snarled silently. The boat moored bumped slightly against the rafts, echoing an unearthly scrape across the soft waves. 

The phantasm stole up a plank. 

Silence long reigned in the dark. A sudden smack of skin on metal rang through the empty dock. A crash. A scuffle. A stuttering cry. 

The hatch opened without care, and a woman in practical nightwear stumbled out. In the silver of the moon’s light, the bronze at the apparition’s arms glinted, the white that lined it’s face glowed, the swords in its hands reflected like two slivers of the moon. A line of red ran down the very edge of one sword. 

It loomed over the woman, staring down coolly at her. Her mouth worked without a sound. A single blade point was shoved under her chin. She whimpered. 

“I’ll leave!” she shrieked. 

A blue face shot forward, their stance readying for action. The woman cowered even more. 

“The children, I’ll leave them here. I promise! Just don’t -- don’t hurt me!”

The black pits of emotionless eyes stared a moment longer at the woman. They nodded, pulling back and away. With the grace of many years of practice, the twin swords swirled about him, sliding into the sheath at his back. 

He stepped away, just in time to hear it. 

A loud cry echoed from the hatch. Holding a vase like a club, he brought it down on the Blue Spirit’s head. 

The dark clad figure stumbled, but only for a moment, bringing a small dagger from his boot across the man’s chest. A line of red blossomed there, only a slight wound, but the man staggered away, clutching at it. Something inhuman escaped the wraith and it rounded, something feral in their posture. 

For the first time, the Blue Spirit spoke, it’s voice like wood tumbling over stone. 

“Leave.”

The woman bolted to the side of the injured man, but turned wide gray eyes back at the Spirit. 

“Yes! We will! Forgive him his impudence!” She fell to her face, sobbing. “We’ll leave! We’ll go, and you’ll never see us again!” 

She continued to sob into the night, but the offended spirit she placated had long since disappeared.

***

Don’t make me have to come find you.

As for Kuei, I wouldn’t be surprised. We all know he has a tendency towards poor decisions in regards to advisors.

I’m trying to secure a time with him in the upcoming months. I need to make a run to Omashu myself. Bumi has got something he needs to show me, he says, but for all I know, it’ll be more gemmanite crystal in a new color. 

Maybe he’s perfected red?

Either way, he’s now going through White Lotus channels. It’s starting to frustrate Piandao, and that’s never a good thing. Who knows? Maybe we’ll cross paths there. 

(I hope we do. I’ve been missing you too.)

Zuko

***

They readied themselves on their Ostrich horses, a small pack strapped to the hind quarters of the beasts. Before them, the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon, sending the flat lands aglow. Katara shuffled before the ostrich horse, trying to steady herself for the rocking ride that always left her backside screaming the next morning. Toph, beside her, was a surprisingly comfortable rider, even if Katara had to lead them both, Toph’s ostrich tied to the back of her saddle. 

“Please be safe on your journeys, Miss Katara.” 

The young woman turned to the older, a smile pulling at her face. Sela handed over two packs - she could tell they were laden with food.

“Sela, please don’t. You three need the food more than Toph and I do.”

A hard look crossed her face, and the older woman’s hand did not falter. “Do not deny my hospitality, Katara.”

The look melted as the waterbender wrapped her up into a hug. “Thank you.” 

From the homestead, two young men walked out into the morning. Sen Su shook his head vigorously. “I’m pretty certain that we should be thanking you. I would have tried, but I doubt I could have gotten them back without your help.”

There hadn’t been much more to say, Katara felt, so with one more press of a hug to the family, she mounted the ostrich horse. 

“Make sure to write, okay?”

All three nodded. As she started to spur her mount, Lee shot forward, a look of concern on his face. 

“Oh! Miss Katara?” She turned a friendly smile to him, and he continued. “When - when you see the Fire Lord again, can you tell him that I’m sorry?”

“Sorry? Lee…,” Katara sighed, dismounting. She placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Lee, Zuko is one of my closest friends --” Pointedly, Katara ignored Toph’s shot of laughter. “ -- so we write each other a lot. If I know Zuko at all, he would never feel that he deserved an apology for your behaviour. If anything, he’d be the one apologizing to you.”

“Still,” the young man pressed, “can you tell him for me?”

A wry smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Yeah, Lee, I can do that.”

***

[liw-the-melancholic-apple]

The first one  - Bonusscenes in traditional written word

This is a smau and a zukoXreader, although i haven't decided how this ends yet.

Y/n has recently transferred to Ba Sing Se from Omashu university and meets the gaang through a schoolproject they do with sokka and suki.

Masterlist

Bonus 3: Partytime

It was a short walk from the metrostation to the park in which the party was held. Suki and Sokka had explained to you that their friend Haru had helped organise it. Apparently, it was a thing the Psychology department threw every year – that was to say the students of the Psych faculty. Haru was one of them and deeply involved in Campus life.

Sokka had said that you were going to be gobsmacked and mind boggled by the professionality with which the party would be set up and you had laughed. Shame on you for not believing him. He had been right.

The park was obviously of the public variety and so you expected a couple speakers, and crates of beer strewn about. What you didn’t expect were fairylights in every last tree and bush, a DJ set-up of the highest quality and amazing sound from all the speakers one could imagine, or three tents with bars in them, where drinks were reasonably priced. You hadn’t been expecting the benches, couches and tables made from pallets used in warehouses or the abundance of cushions and pillows. You hadn’t expected the camping chairs and the make-shift firepit. It was insane and you stood in awe as you failed to follow Suki.

“You coming?”, Aang laughed before he grabbed you by the hand. You first made your way to one of the bars, then, equipped with alcoholic goodness, Suki introduced you to Haru, who turned out to be an ex-roommate of Zuko’s. He also played guitar in what he called an inappropriately ambitious garage band, which intrigued you. But before you really got to interview him on any of that, he was disappeared by a friend of his.

Suki found a couple of her Kyoshi sorority sisters and introduced you to them and their partners. It turned out that your initial idea of fraternities and sororities was wrong: They were not all terrible and not all ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’ were stuck up snobs. Suki was the best example of that. She was amazing and clever and smart. And very kind and not at all elitist. After all she was the one who invited you to this shindig. Her ‘sisters’ and their boyfriends and girlfriends, some of which were also in fraternities and sororities, were as kind and open as Suki was and you spent a good portion of your night learning names, trying to remember the history of the different organisations and their respective significance to BSSU, being taught simple fight stances and moves from the Kyoshi’s and laughing.

You laughed a lot. Only halfway through the night, hours later, after Sokka had joined you again, when you had lost all sense of being a stranger, you realised how desperate you’d been for this kind of interaction. This kind of laughing, dancing, making fun of people and talking bullshit. How much you had needed to be part of a group. How lonely you had actually been.

But at this moment, while you were trying to not spit out your beer as you listened to a story about Suki, expertly told by Mamoto, who was either someone’s boyfriend or someone’s brother – who knew? There were so many people and so many connections and a good deal of friends dating a friend’s ex – you didn’t think about what you’d needed for two months. You thought about … nothing? Everything? Really, you just let your thoughts drift, like you drifted yourself. From conversation to conversation, from person to person, from group to group, from subject to subject.

As nervous as you’d been standing in front of the dragon, as relaxed you were now. You didn’t really care about the music or the drink you had in your hand – you were not overdoing it, though, you were still new and needed to make a good expression – you cared about the company. And the company was excellent.

Bian, one of the Kyoshi-sisters, and her girlfriend Tuyet had claimed you after they found out about Gray Sky.

“A band? Like a proper band?”

“I mean that depends on your definition of ‘proper’ but, yeah? There were several people, playing several different instruments in order to create a coherent song.”

“Which means a proper band!”, Tuyet assured you.

“Have you ever played at a place? Or like an actual concert?”, Bian wanted to know.

“We used to play Friday nights at a bar.”

“Proper band!”, they both smiled at you.

“You should meet TaMing. She was a Kyoshi-sister before she dropped out of college. She plays in the same band as Haru.”

“Oh, I’ve met him. Seems nice.”

“Right, right. He is. Usually he brings his guitar to these things. At some point he will sit at the bonfire over there “, Bian explained, “and play some typical bonfire music. He’s good. You should go over there.”

“Not right now, though. I would first like to know what you think of Sokka!” Bian’s face was hard to read. You couldn’t tell if she liked or hated him but in a sense you also didn’t care. Your answer came instantly: “He’s great!” He was. A funny kind person with some brains. Admittedly, he didn’t look like a genius or ever put a lot of emphasis on how much excelled academically, but that didn’t take his intellect away. His jokes and nonchalant-ness were inviting and genuine and deceptively ‘hid’ his smarts. Sokka wasn’t intimidating when you first met him, but that didn’t mean that you shouldn’t be scared of him.

You were quite certain that you wouldn’t want to cross Sokka. You’d be dead. You’d be killed until dead. But it would look like an accident…

“Don’t you think he is a bit too goofy?”

“No, I don’t. I mean he sure is goofy, but I find that to be delightful.”

“Give it a couple more weeks.”

“You don’t like Sokka?”

“No, I like him! I just also find him annoying, I could do without all the dumb jokes. But he’s good to Suki and really, that’s the only thing that matters…If he makes her happy who am I to complain about some goofy puns, you know?” You liked Bian.

So, a little later you followed her to the camping chairs by the bonfire. This is where you met back up with Toph, who you now realised you hadn’t seen in a hot minute. Just like a bunch of the others. In the beginning of your little Kyoshi-session you had all but held hands with Suki and Katara, but Suki soon left you in order to wash someone’s head about their head – Wan is that you? In Ba Sing Se? – so you held on to Katara who vanished quickly after Suki with what looked like Aang.

Now you were reunited with Toph you brought out the bottle of Banana liqueur you got earlier that day. Toph tried some and declared you crazy. It was an acquired taste. While you were drinking your respective drinks Toph explained the general basics of the group to you:

“Well, you obviously know that Sokka and Suki are dating. That’s a nice spot to start. Suki is new, Sokka is old, meaning that I knew Sokka before I knew Suki. Suki just is Sokka’s girlfriend to me, you know. He went off to college and weeks later we were hearing about this badass girl he tried to get to like him. It was very entertaining.” You chuckled at the idea of Sokka trying to impress Suki before they were dating.

“Anyways, I heard about Suki because I was friends with Sokka in High School. Sort of. I was friends with Aang, who was friends with everyone in High School, because, well you’ve met him. He’s Aang. He’s friends with people. But he was pretty close to Katara and Sokka, after they met. And us four kinda became our own little core group.

So, Sokka, Katara, Aang and I are all old, while Suki, Zuko, Haru and you would be new.”

“Well”, you interrupted her, “I wouldn’t dream to compare my standing with you core group to Suki’s position. I just met you. She’s been dating Sokka for how long?”

“2 years 10 months.” That was quick. She just knew that. Off the top of her head. You made a mental note.

“And Zuko has probably been a part of your group for a while as well, right?”

“More or less since after he graduated. His time at uni did him well, I’d say. We ran into him around new year’s of his freshman-year here”, she whirled her arms around, hitting Tuyet in the face.

“Sorry, I thought you were further away. Anyways,  he started being nice and I think we ended up together on New Year’s. And after that he bonded with Sokka in his first year here. So, you know, Suki – Zuko – Suki -Zuko – about the same time they joined.

And back then Zuko lived with Haru, so that’s how we met him.”

You kept drinking and chatting until Sokka burst onto the scene looking for Suki. When he couldn’t immediately find her, he asked you for the bottle of rum you still had.

“Listen, it’s late and I’m not waiting for my illusive girlfriend to bring me a drink, to start catching up!”, Sokka yelled after you commented on how much of the bottle he had emptied in just his first gulp. “I asked Suki to get my drink ready and await me, but she ignored that… No, Toph. No.”

He held the bottle out of her reach and twisted his shoulder weirdly, so that she’d never guess where exactly the rum was. He kept cradling the bottle while Haru and some friends found their way to the bonfire and – like Bian had promised – broke out the guitars. They were good. Really good. You hummed along to some of the songs and joined the choir of Toph, Sokka, Suki, Zuko and a bunch of strangers in the choruses of most others.

Suki took the bottle off Sokka, nearly as soon as she arrived, but when the 90’s boyband hits sounded through the park, Zuko gave it back to him.

“Poor Suki, will not agree with that”, you grinned as he caught you watching him.

“Maybe, but you will. Believe me”, Zuko said with a smirk and a wink.

He was right. With another two gulps of rum, Sokka was ready to not only sing solos but also presenting his version of well-known boyband-choreographies.

“You still judging me?” Zuko leaned over and gestured for the bottle of Banana liquor.

“Yes, sorta. I’m still feeling for Suki. She will not have a good time tonight.”

“You really underestimate Sokka, you know. He’ll be just fine. And so will she. Maybe a little exhausted because he’s going to be full of energy all night.”

“What about the hangover tomorrow?”

“They don’t live together.”

“Sounds like a technicality…”

“Meh”

With a look Zuko asked permission to try the Banana liquor and, with a look, you gave it to him. His face twisted in various amusing ways before nodding.

“Not what I expected. Gotta say it. But I think I may like it.”

“Take like, two more sips. You should be a fan after.”

He followed your instructions and grinned at you. “It is unique, I give you that.”

“You can always give me the bottle back.”

He kept it. What happened to it, you didn’t know but it never found it’s way back to you. Zuko either emptied it or he passed it on to someone. Not that you cared. Suki had reluctantly joined Sokka in his choreography and, surprisingly, so had Bian and Tuyet and some other Kyoshi sisters. Tuyet was pulling you from your seat to join. Toph pushed you off the chair and when all said and done you had been dancing stupid choreos of Sokka’s for about 80 minutes and missed Zuko leaving. Thus was created the mystery of the Banana liquor. 

The night ended late. It was early morning and the birds were chirping when you carried the last of the boards that had made up the bars to the van. It would be locked and collected tomorrow by some Psychology student. Haru offered his parents’ house as refuge for the night as a reward for helping to tidy up. You all had gladly agreed. Sokka was still singing 90’s anthems to entertain you all and you weren’t the only ones tidying up. It was rather fun, really.

When you arrived at the house you didn’t really take in the details. You were shown a room and fell into the bed, fast asleep before your head hit the pillow.

[swishandflickwit]

a million nights i've lived this quiet (i need to know if you hear this too) — 1/1

Summary: “That looks dangerous.”

“I eat danger for breakfast,” he snits, tone dry as a desert and the effect just as unpleasant.

She raises an unimpressed brow.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Toph.”

He smirks.

“That one’s on your brother, actually.”

“Figures,” she mutters with a roll of her eyes.

zutara + haircut

Ratings: General Audiences

Words: 2.8k

Warnings: unbeta'd, fluff, fluff without plot, haircut, hugs, hand holding, canon divergence (i think?), sozin's comet, set somewhere in the old masters (because as usual, we throw canon in the blender), generally a lot of wholesomeness all around, gratuitous use of sun and water metaphors (as you do when it comes to zutara), basically zuko and katara share a quiet moment before canon hits the fan lol

AN: i see a lot of zutara post agni-kai but what about zutara pre-agni kai huh?

Title from: wanna know by sabrina claudio

Other song inspirations include: frozen also by sabrina claudio and this version of chasing cars originally by snow patrol, covered by the wind and the wave. highly recommended listening.

Also on: ff.net | AO3

Other writing

Tagging: @jerkbend by request! hope you enjoy this one bb <3

-//////-

"That looks dangerous." 

He doesn't chuckle, but neither is he quick enough to suppress the tug curling at the right corner of his lips—his mirth incontestable even through the warped looking glass from which she views him, stood as she is at the opening flap of his uncle's tent.

By the time she fully steps into the living quarters, his face is schooled into the deeply discontented, partly pained-to-be-alive glower he so favors.

"I eat danger for breakfast," he snits, tone dry as a desert and the effect just as unpleasant.

She raises an unimpressed brow.

"You've been spending too much time with Toph."

He smirks.

"That one's on your brother, actually."

"Figures," she mutters with a roll of her eyes. "What with half his brain being in his stomach..."

The laughter that the gibe yanks from the firebender is biting and brief, but Katara's breath hitches at the sound all the same. She latches on to it, holds it somewhere between her throat and chest, not too distant from the pitifully hollow space in her heart that she isolates from the bitter, ugly parts of her that are forged in battle and conflict.

"Should you…" is there a delicate way to phrase such a question? No, judging by the dirty look he throws her way, guessing at her thoughts, no there is not. She stifles the giggles bubbling at her throat with herculean effort, before remarking rather bluntly, "Are you qualified to handle that?"

He maintains his glare a second more before bowing his head and releasing a hot huff of air towards the ground in resignation. He places the mirror—from which the whole of their interactions had been exchanged thus far—atop the low table in front of him, then shifts so the entirety of his figure faces her. When he lifts his gaze, the veil of gloom that so frequents his visage has dissipated enough to allow a brittle smile to peek through.

"Probably not," he concedes with an amiability uncommon to his appearance. "Will you help me?"

But she likes the way the expression settles on him. It quells the ragged contours of his scar, somehow—his eyes seemingly unburdened by the sorrow he often declines to share, for once. As if in putting breath and voice to the request, he's quieted the ghosts of his troubled past for the moment to be fully present, here. 

With her.

So when his metal-ladden hand falls almost shyly towards her, his stare gentle but no less piercing in its signature, sun-blessed intensity—obscured as they are by his unruly, ebony tendrils—she smiles. It is a fragile thing, muscles straining as they pull from the recesses of memories she also staunchly refuses to be tainted by war, but there—its sweetness shaped after her mother's loving lullabies, built in her father's effervescent embrace, and fashioned from each of her friends' unconquerable spirits. 

She catches him, fingers winding into the shears in his grasp, and there is nothing for her than to accept.

"So what do you wanna do," she starts, eager to dispel the solemn atmosphere. "Some more layers? A buzz cut? Oh!" she nicks at the air experimentally, gleefully. "How about we just cut everything off?"

"You look way too happy to have an excuse to point that thing at me. That very sharp, very death-inducing thing."

"Shut up!" This time she lets her laughter loose, shoving at him playfully so that he's once again turned to the wooden chabudai. "Seriously," she cajoles until he picks up the mirror and through it, she glimpses his sedate mien. The levity in her demeanor fades, pitch dipping instead to match his contemplative stare. "What do you want?"

"I've been asked that a lot this past year," he sighs, bending his legs into a lotus position before slumping in on himself. "Yet I don't think I've ever really given a straight answer."

Task temporarily forgotten, she abandons the scissors at her feet to squeeze both his shoulders in reassurance. "Well whatever it is, I won't judge, if that's what you're worried about."

"I know. You're a great friend," he leans into her touch, and she beams at both the declaration and the rare show of guileless affection. "Fortune rarely sees fit to favor me but I'm really lucky I get to call you so."

The gravity of his proclamation has distress roiling like a tsunami underneath her skin, tempered only by the tinge of whimsy that weaves itself into his articulation. More curious than concerned now (although the stale taste of it lingers on her tongue), she lets her alarm abate at his unexpected resonance. She folds into a seiza at his left, fingers trailing the stalwart line of his back as she goes before placing them serenely on her lap, in absolute symmetry to their figures from last night. And just like she did then, she does so again now, ears at the ready and heart wide open so she can be the friend he needs, someone deserving of his reverence.

(Someone, she thinks as flickers of retrospection—of fighting against him slowly evolving into fighting with him—burst into brilliant clarity, worthy to be at his side.)

"You asked what I wanted," he rasps, low and tenuous.

He meets her stare and she hopes the encouragement in her chest burns soft like an ember through her eyes, enough to fuel the feeling of safety that ignites all too easily the more they orbit each other's presence. He inhales deep in a way that is familiar from his meditations then releases, a surrender in the exhalation—as if his apprehensions could drift away in the warm gale.

"Peace," he whispers, breaking their connection to look down at his fidgeting hands. The revelation is wrapped in such unfettered fear, as if in admitting the longing he has secured its impossibility instead of the inevitability she knows it to be, and she aches for him. "I want to put a stop to the bloodshed, an end to the suffering of both my people and yours and the rest of the nation. I want there to be a place for my soldiers to come home to. I want my mom," he sighs shakily, "and for no child to ever feel what it's like to lose a parent and for no parent to have to fear for the lives of their children as they're forced to this—this—needless slaughter. I want Toph's parents to see her for the capable woman that she is and for Suki's fellow warriors, her family, to be okay. I wish Sokka's plan succeeds, whatever it may be, and that I could guarantee your father's safety and that of your tribe. I wish my sister wasn't so messed up and that I didn't have to keep relying on my uncle to clean up after me when he's already lost so much to this fight. I wish the Spirits weren't so cruel as to put the fate of the world on the shoulders of a twelve-year old. I wish—I wish I could take back the past year, the past hundred years. I wish I could make up for all of it. I wish…" his gaze darts to her neck, digits hovering just shy of the luminescent pendant there, but not touching. 

"I wish I could bring her back for you." He drops his fingers before he can make contact. His whole body wilts with the motion before he tightens his hand to a fist at his thigh. He shakes his head, craning it towards the ceiling where he directs his smile, devoid of any humor when he adds, "But yeah, a trim should do it."

Her heartbeat is loud in her ears in the wake of the silence his confession inflicts. The weight of his monumental aspirations sits heavy on her chest yet strangely enough, it doesn't leave her shaky. If anything, it strengthens her, grounds her, lends fire to the ice in her veins so when she moves, it's with the lofty grace she knows she possesses but doesn't always feel—the skill of a master and the experience of a hardened soldier encased in her fourteen-year-old bones.

But she is grateful for it anyway, when she positions herself at his back and the scissors don't tremble in her grasp when she loops her fingers around it.

"Yeah," she murmurs right back, smoothing her digits through surprisingly silky locks. "Yeah, I can do that."

She doesn't deign to push her skill given how dim it is—both inside and out, the sun sequestered by its billowing companions like it's taken refuge because it knows the blazing, celestial wildfire to come—and that there isn't much to cut in the first place. His tresses are at that awkward length of too long to be considered short but too short to be tied up into a bun or tail. So she merely evens out what she can, tidying stray tufts and snipping at scraggily ends, grappling at any excuse to keep her hands on him. And when that same excuse runs thin—because there's only so much she can cleave before she makes good on her drollery and indeed hacks it all off—she summons the dew drops hugging the blades of grass from outside the former general's tent. She glides the ribbon of water where her hands cannot reach, siphoning the severed hairs from his person and his clothes, before discarding the soiled glob completely.

"Thank you, Katara," he mumbles, though his focus remains on the distortion his image projects on the once cast-aside mirror, particularly on his marred skin. She wants to do something about the melancholy etching his warped effigy—a stark contrast to the hue of near-tranquility that had painted itself beautifully across his pale, elegant features—so she resumes her place at his left, sitting side-saddle with her left hand propping her up and her legs curved comfortably behind him. She narrows her vision onto his profile—the pucker of his mouth, the acuate bridge of his nose, and the graceful sweep of his jaw—then lays down her query with dogged finality.

"Will you do something for me?"

"Name it," he vows in that inordinately earnest manner of his, his countenance brightening enough to keep the deceitful umbrages at bay, that she feels almost bad for asking. "Name it and it's done."

She tuts. "I can't promise it will make up for everything, and it certainly won't be easy."

"I'm used to the fight." There is no arrogance in his enunciation, only a steeliness and determination that is uniquely Zuko. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"You promise?"

"I swear it, on my uncle's life—my mother's, wherever she may be—my nation—"

"Your honor?"

He chuckles—a little broken, a little watery and not enough amusement—but does accede. "Especially on that."

"Then forgive yourself, Zuko." He drops the looking glass in shock, head abruptly swiveling towards her in a dazzling collision of blue and amber, though she does not cower—her own renowned stubbornness stoking her fortitude when she simply holds his scrutiny. "And live. Live to see your soldiers come home. Live to reunite families, to find your mother. Live long enough to create the peace you seek, and to revel in this new world you will help rebuild, help heal. Because Aang's going to save the world. But you? You're going to change it."

I hope I'm there with you when you do, she wants to say, for he may not be able to alter the past but the future—

The future will be his to shape.

So she blinks back the mysterious haze in her eyes and swallows against the lump in her throat, and teases him instead, "I mean, you're not half as useless as I thought you were after all, so you could definitely do it."

"Your vote of confidence is astounding," his inflection is wry, but she is an excellent student and he had fast become her favorite subject. She knows him, and sees the carefully cultivated rancor for the barrier that it is, hoarding all the anguish and the grief but all that overwhelming love, too, that he is so hesitant to give. And who could blame him? When he's been shunned to darkness for every moment he's attempted to part with his vulnerability. All that radiance too afraid to shine, and she wants to tell him to let the light in.

(If Aang won't kill Ozai then she will convince—not that it would take much—Toph to dig the deepest, murkiest, most rodent-infested hole for the monster who dared to smother his own son's flame.)

"And I guess," she toys with rescinding, then thinks better of it, trading banter for sincerity when she unfurls his still-clenched fist and slides her fingers in the spaces between his. "Maybe I like having you around."

And, oh, but there it is—the soaring of the dawn, and all the exaltation of new beginnings it brings with it, in the exquisite harmony of his golden gaze.

"So," he hums, twirling the tawny ringlet right by her collarbone round his pointer before tucking it behind her ear. She reels with the gesture, tilting into his space. "Forgive myself, huh?"

"And live, of course," she miffs, albeit wetly. "If not for yourself, then for your uncle who loves you dearly." She tips her chin up defiantly, daring him to contradict her. "For all of us, who love you dearly."

"Is that all?" He rolls his eyes but that elusive, frolic quirk toils with his lips. He inclines his head until their noses are but a scant few millimeters apart, buzzing impishly, "Anything else I can do?"

"Actually," she hems, stroking at a badly-hewn strand by his cheek with just a pinch of regret before resolving not to volunteer for the act of cutting his hair again in the foreseeable future. "There is." 

She bites her lip, wondering if she should request it at all before ultimately throwing caution to the wind. "We still have some time. Can we just pretend for a little while…" but no, the thought of ignoring the war even for a few minutes reeks too much of Lake Laogai so she amends. "Just stay here with me, please? Just—" 

She brings their joined hands to his chest where she can sense his heartbeat, as strong and as steady as the soul it vivifies. With the tip of her finger from her other hand, she traces the frame of his too-tense lips until it is slack with repose, trails a featherlight pathway to the outer ridges that make up the border of his scar. 

"Be quiet with me."

Those scorching orbs dance about her visage like the flickers of a candle—except he is more wax than flame when she cups his scabrous flesh, and he melts into her caress.

"I would do it just because you asked," he utters in the most dulcet of notes, and she is honored, for she recognizes the tenderness for the offering that it is. "Whatever happens out there, I'm glad it's you," he sighs, just once more. "I'm glad it's you with me."

"Together," she agrees, chin slumping onto his shoulder for purchase at the alluring giddiness his words incite. She is whirling, unmoored, until the digits of his own free hand anchor at the downy arch of her waist. He nudges, and she ebbs into a pool of untouchable calm on his lap, awash as she is in the current of him.

She closes her eyes, and when he follows suit, content to flow at her pace like he always does in return, a piece of her she hadn't even realized was aslant slots right into place.

They are hours away from the most important battle of their lives, one in which its outcome could very well destine the course of the next hundred years. Katara will not know the caliber of her entreaty, the importance of his promise, until the comet is at its zenith and her life is a paroxysmal brand seared across his middle like a supernova.

But for now, foreheads touching and their fingers seamlessly twined right above his vibrantly thrumming heart, she stows this moment beneath her ribcage, right in that war-untouched trove that pulses to the rhythm of his heart.

They are steeped in stillness, disrupted only by the din of the busy camp, and even that fades away as their breathing syncs.

Somewhere outside, the sun coasts along the heavens, beams of brilliance wrestling against its adumbrate prison. 

The clouds part, feeble rays snagging at the canvas archway of their shelter.

The light pours in.

The shadows recoil.

And together, they shine.

-//////-

AN: okay this was supposed to be an exercise in brevity and restraint but uh, i don't think i succeeded?? but given that my goal was less than 2k and we're clocking this in at 2.8k, all things considered, i see this as an absolute win lmao so if you would be so kind as to let me know if you liked it, that would be stupendous!

come say hi to me!

[onigirisuna]

blue ivy

a contribution for @zutaramonth, quarantine edition, day 15: trust. view my other work for zutara month (quarantine edition) here.

this isn’t sad this time, i promise!

modern au. cw: cursing. long fic ahead.

“See those other morons over there?” Toph says; she lowers her voice down to a pseudo-whisper. “They’re stupid as fuck.”

Akira coos in response. Toph continues her rocking back and forth, tickling her belly as she says, “Yeah, that’s right. I’m gonna be the dopest auntie you’ll ever have. You know that bitch, Martha Stewart? She won’t even know what’s coming for her.”

“Two strikes, Toph,” Katara says with her arms crossed. “I gave birth three days ago and now my baby’s gonna say fu– the f word before she says ‘mama’ or ‘papa’.”

“No, Katara,” Toph says, still cradling the now-sleeping Akira in her arms. “She’s gonna say y’all are fucking wussies when she realizes how lame her parents are.”

Katara rolls her eyes, too tired to argue with the blind girl. Toph deposits the sleeping child in Katara’s outstretched arms; as Toph unfurls her arms from the infant, she says, “I’m tellin’ you, Sugar Queen. I’m out here being Solange Knowles while you guys fight over which Kardashian you are.”

Zuko walks in with a two mugs of coffee in hand. “I think Kourtney’s pretty cool.”

Without looking back, Toph points in his direction. “Exactly.”

Katara smirks. “If you’re Solange, that means Akira’s Blue – making me Beyonce.”

Toph pulls a face. “Your husband just walked in claiming Kourtney Kardashian, so that makes you Travis Scott–”

“Scott Disick,” Zuko corrects her, handing Katara a mug.

“–And he’s pretty problematic.”

“We’re all kinda problematic Toph,” Katara says, her voice muffled as her lips rest on the rim of the coffee cup. 

"Right,” Toph says, reaching for her wallet. “Anyway, gotta go. A precinct proposed another turnover to Major Crimes and I gotta go over it.” Toph gave both her friends side hugs before making her way to the door. Katara sees Zuko wince from the force of her grip and Akira smiles at the warmth.

“Thanks for breakfast, guys!” she says over her shoulder, closing the door behind her. Katara and Zuko stare at the door for a few moments.

“You want Toph to be Akira’s godmother,” Zuko says, raising his brow at her. “Do you really trust that she won’t drop our kid head-first?”

“Shut up, Jay-Z. Beyonce didn’t make a whole diss album for you to tell me what to do.”

Akira cooed, seemingly in agreement with her mother.

—

“Oh my spirits, Zuko, Akira’s lustration rites is three months away and we haven’t decided on her godparents,” Katara says, frantically pacing around their room. Zuko mumbles in response as he hunches over the latest bill on economic reform.

“Are you even listening to me?”

Zuko shoots his head up. “Kat, calm down – three months is more than enough time to choose her godparents.”

“No, it’s not, Zuko!” Katara says, pulling at her hair. “We still have to figure out the arrangements, the celebration afterwards–”

“The Fire Sages have that sorted for us, Kat. They’ve conducted thousands of baptisms of fire before,” Zuko says pointedly, returning to his work. He keeps his head down as he mumbles, “For all I know, they’re immortal and feed off of dying royals.”

“What? I didn’t catch that,” Katara says with her arms crossed. Zuko sighs and rubs his eyes, saying, “Nothing.”

Katara rolls her eyes. He continues, saying, “You know, the best set of godparents for Akira would be the ones we trust her life with.”

Katara huffs and keeps her arms crossed. “Well, I already have a list. Could you at least help me with that? I need to add more people.”

That wakes Zuko up. “How many godparents do you want our kid to have?”

Katara pulls out a sheet of paper from her own desk and slaps it onto Zuko’s. Zuko’s eyes widen.

“Akira‘s gonna have twenty godparents?” Zuko asks incredulously. “And you want me to add more?”

“You’ll never know, Zuko,” she says, biting her lip as she resumes pacing around their room. “We need more people to protect her.”

Zuko lets out a laugh. “We’re friends with the world’s largest leaders, Katara,” he says with mirth. “Three of them would be twenty to anyone else.”

Katara juts out her lip in thought as Zuko’s words sink into her; he gets up from his desk and gathers her into his arms. “Besides,” he says. “There won’t be enough people for the next baby.”

Katara untangles herself and places her hands on her hips. “Yes, there will.”

“No, there won’t, Kat. You’ve already listed my friends,” he says, grabbing her list and pointing to top. “All six of them.”

—

A few days later, Sokka bursts through Zuko’s office in song.

“Am I original?”

Sokka is met with silence.

“Am I the only one?”

The silence continues.

Sokka gives Zuko an exasperated look. “You’re supposed to sing yeeeeaaaaah after each question, Zuko.”

“I know.”

With that, Sokka starts laughing and Zuko breaks out into a smile. When Sokka comes up to Zuko’s desk, they bump fists and shake hands; Zuko leads Sokka to the chair in front of his desk. “So,” he says, settling back into his own chair. “What brings you back here? The lustration rites are still three months away.”

“I thought I’d stop by before I head over to Republic City for the Union’s Economic Council,” Sokka says, inspecting his boomerang. “You’re coming, right? Aang’s gonna be there.”

“I wasn’t going to,” Zuko admits. “I was going to send over my minister for economics. With the reform bill we’ve been reviewing, though, I feel a hell lot more inclined to go.”

Sokka hums and looks at Zuko when he says, “How bad?”

“They won’t let go of the dead war factories and they aren’t getting any cheaper.”

Sokka winces. “Yikes. Be careful, though, the Council might kill you if you raise that.” Zuko nods somberly with the thought.

“I won’t actually be there for the Council, Sokka,” he says, folding his arms over the table. “I’ll just show up because I have to. I’m actually going to Republic City because I need to have a talk with Kuei; they wouldn’t let go of the war factories because of foreign investors from his country.” Sokka nods his head in understanding.

An attendant knocks softly on the door. “Come in,” Zuko says.

“Dinner is ready, Sir,” she says. “Lady Katara and Lady Akira are already in the hall.”

“Is there an extra setting for Chief Sokka?” Zuko asks. The attendant blanches and wrings her arms behind her back. “N-no, Sir, I’m afraid we haven’t prepared for the Chief’s arrival.”

Zuko softens; Mira, the attendant, is new and was handpicked personally by Katara. “It’s fine, Mira. The Chief didn’t make his arrival known,” he says, throwing an accusing look at Sokka. Sokka shrugs. “Please tell Tako and the rest to prepare an extra setting and a room for the Chief. He will be spending the next couple of days here.”

Sokka starts. “Wait–”

Zuko holds up a hand. “That will be all, Mira. Thank you.”

Mira bows and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

“I already booked a hotel, Zuko,” Sokka says, leaning back on his chair as he feigns disappointment.

“Ask for a refund, then,” Zuko says, getting up from his desk. “I know your cheap ass is glad you don’t have to pay for accommodations.”

Sokka gets up from the chair. “You are the best brother-in-law.”

Zuko smiles. “And you,” he says as claps his best friend on the shoulder, “Are going to be Akira’s godfather.”

Sokka’s jaw drops and Zuko backtracks.

“I-if you wanna be, of course.”

Sokka throws his arms around Zuko in response.

—

Much later, Sokka runs into the common room carrying a wailing Akira in his arms. “I swear I didn’t do anything,” he says. “I promise it isn’t my fault that she hit her head with a boomerang.”

Katara and Zuko shoot up from the couch. “She what?!”

“She was playing with Boomerang! I was showing it off, but then she reached out for it and bonked her head in the process,��� Sokka says defensively. Katara picks up Akira from her brother, inspecting her for any injuries.

“In what world is it okay to play with a boomerang with a three month-old baby?” Katara asks, trying to soothe the crying baby.

“My world, Katara! Matok and Kira love Boomerang!” Sokka exclaims, throwing his hands up for emphasis.

“Sokka, she won’t even remember the names of her cousins because you shrunk her walnut brain,” Katara says, giving Sokka an accusing look. Sokka barks out a laugh.

“Kat, you’re being too generous. She’s related to me, remember? Her brain’s probably pea-sized, tops.”

Katara hurls a pillow at him.

Akira coos and smiles against her mother’s shoulder.

—

Aang visits the Fire Nation one month before the lustration rites.

“What’s up, little buddy?” he says, picking up Akira from her crib. Akira starts to giggle when she sees her uncle, and Katara smiles fondly at the sight.

“Are you here for another meeting with Zuko?” Katara asks, carrying a tray of durian tarts as she makes her way to Aang.

“Kinda?” Aang says, lilting his voice up. “I’m actually here to talk to his minister of economics, about the dead war factories.”

“Namato? Poor guy,” Katara says. “He’s smack in the middle of Zuko and Kuei’s hot shots.”

“I know,” Aang says, lightly pinching Akira’s nose. “Kuei’s not the bad guy though.”

“We know,” Katara responds, setting two durian tarts on a dessert plate. “That’s another poor guy.”

Aang hums in agreement; he starts reaching for a tart just as Zuko walks in. Aang takes a bite off the tart and pretends to offer some to Akira.

“What’s up, buddy?” Aang says, greeting Zuko with a bright smile.

“Could be better,” Zuko responds, sulking as he sheds his suit jacket. Sensing an incoming change in mood, Katara quickly attempts to brighten it by asking, “Aang, you’re gonna make it to Akira’s lustration rites, right?”

Aang brightens even more, seemingly oblivious to Zuko’s damp mood. “Of course, Katara! How could I miss the baptism of the first mixed-blood princess of the Fire Nation?” Aang lightly tickles Akira as he lilts his voice with every word. Zuko softens at the sight.

“Well, that, and the baptism of your first godchild,” Zuko says as he settles beside his wife. Aang almost drops the kid in surprise.

“Crap, Aang, watch it!” Zuko cries as Katara kicks his shin. “Ow! What was that for?”

Katara looks at him pointedly. “There‘s a baby in front of us.”

“Yeah, and our friend almost dropped her!”

“Aang would never drop the baby, Zuko. He can’t even drop a spider.”

The sound of sniffling cuts their conversation short; when Katara and Zuko turn around, they find Aang at the brink of tears.

“Y-you,” Aang starts, his voice shaking. “You want me to be Akira’s godpoppy?”

Katara and Zuko give him a look. “Godpoppy?”

—

Three weeks later, Aang is whizzing through the halls of the Royal Palace on an airball; as soon as he accepted his role as Akira’s godpoppy, he declared himself as the lead organizer of the celebration. “Mira, don’t forget to contact the caterer!” he says to the pair of attendants. “Tako, the decorators will be here in six days. You hear me, buddy? Six days. We need the plaza cleaned up before that, okay?”

“Yes, Sir,” Mira and Tako respond just as Aang whizzes past them. They bow respectfully to Katara and Zuko as they come up the hallway.

“What kind of sound system is this?” Aang exclaims, the echo of his disbelief reverberating through the walls.

Katara and Zuko laugh at their friend’s torrential barking, watching as Zuko’s staff scramble about trying their best to keep up with Aang’s incessant demanding. Akira laughs with them and Zuko brushes his nose onto his daughter’s. “He can hire Beyonce if he wants to, you know,” he tells his wife as Akira plays with his hair.

“What do you mean? I’m right here,” Katara says, the ghost of a smile on her face as she points a slim finger to it. Zuko laughs and kisses the top of her head.

—

The day of the lustration rites come, and Akira is placed in the center of a ring of candles. The ceremony is private, with only her immediate family, godparents, and the Fire Sages in attendance. 

The Head Sage says the invocation in ancient Fire Nation tongue, and the ceremony concludes with Zuko bending the candlelit flames; they briefly shoot up in streams of fire before Katara bends water around each stream, evaporating them into the air.

“Congratulations, my lord, my lady,” the Head Sage says, leading a bow. Katara and Zuko bow in response. As the Fire Sages head to the balcony doors to reveal the child to the public, the royal family’s friends and family begin to swarm them. Sokka starts taking photos with his phone.

“Calm down, guys,” Katara says, holding Akira protectively as Aang and Toph wrestle over her. “The people are waiting.”

When the doors open, Katara and Zuko are greeted by a miles-long crowd of Fire Nation citizens. The couple smile amidst the raucous cheer, gracefully waving at the crowd; cameras and reporters are dotted around strategic points of the plaza. 

“I present to you all,” the Head Sage bellows from the parapet. “Fire Lord Zuko, Fire Lady and Master Katara, and Princess Akira!” The raucous cheer magnified, causing Akira to stir uncomfortably. Katara and Zuko wave for a few more moments before being ushered back inside to the hall.

“Hey Kourtney,” Toph calls. Zuko turns around just as Aang and Sokka begin arguing who gets to carry Akira first. “If anyone dare touch little Blue Ivy,” Toph says, pointing her thumb towards the now-sleeping infant. “I will beat them up.”

Zuko smiles. “Okay, Rocky,” he says as he accepts Akira from his wife, who has since moved on to accommodating their guests.

“That’s right, Sparky. I’m Rocky fu–”

“Toph,” Katara says.

“–cking Balboa.”

[kashimos-hajime]

boy next door

Summary: Katara moves into the same apartment building as Sokka and Zuko happens to be her next door neighbour. Or, Zuko and Katara know each other better than they think they do.

A/N: For @zutaraexchange​ and @cobraonthecob​ who deserved this way earlier but I was so busy this week! My prompts were Painted Lady and Blue Spirit, Modern, Superhero AU, Element Swap/Different Elements. I decided to challenge myself with a modern AU. 

I write and I do have a taglist so send an ask if ya want ;)

WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF DRUG ABUSE, VERY, VERY BRIEF. also, bro there’s like some swearing i think.

Wordcount: 5.1k Pairing: Zuko and Katara (Zutara)

Zuko mostly kept to himself. It wasn’t that he hated people — no, he was alright with Sokka in the apartment across the hall in 1C despite how loud he could be, and the guy who owned a grocery store upstairs in 2D wasn’t so bad. He mostly tended to the gardens and when the harvest was good, they’d hold a barbecue. Yue and Suki, two girls who lived diagonally across from him in 1A didn’t do much more than make polite conversation when they bumped into each other in the hallways and that guy Aang could hold his own in a game of Super Smash. He and some old guy, Bumi, lived upstairs in 2A along with Aang’s huge dog, Appa. In 2B was another set of girls, Mai and Ty Lee, both Zuko had known since childhood, but they were never close.

That left two more apartments. The one next to Zuko, and the one left upstairs.

No one talked about upstairs ever since the last tenant had been evicted for illegal activity, not that Zuko ever paid any mind to that, not that he cared, not that it was Azula who was forced to move out and away. Not that Zuko drove her to the hospital himself after he found her OD’ed on the floor. Not that anyone knew.

All anyone ever saw was his scar. He saw it in people’s eyes, the way they tried to focus on anything else on his face. His eyes, maybe. His mother used to say he had lovely eyes. But she was the only one. Everyone saw the scar.

So Zuko kept to himself, sue him.

He went out for his job, which was a fun time as the CEO of his dad’s company which  he managed to build back up after a scandal way back when, which meant he didn’t have spare time to go to barbecues, even if he wanted to. He knew they judged him, probably talked shit behind his back. But he couldn’t help it.

“Oh, crap.”

Zuko looked next to him as he was locking the door that morning. Fridays were the only days he got half-off and he intended to get as much work done as possible before relaxing. But, it appeared that wasn’t gonna happen today when he caught sight of one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen in his thirty-years of being alive. Standing there, surrounded by boxes and a rambling Sokka, was a woman with chestnut hair pulled into a messy bun, frustrated, blushing cheeks, and narrowed blue eyes.

“Sokka, if you touch anything else, I’ll literally kill you.”

“Sorry, Kat! That time, it really was an accident.”

‘Kat’ didn’t say anymore. She picked up a box and stormed into the apartment, revealing a tumbled box at Sokka’s feet. The man looked up and noticed Zuko standing there, immediately traversing the boxy hallway and saying his hellos.

“Who’s she?” Zuko asked, trying to sound as disinterested as possible as he slipped the key into his pocket.

“My sister. She’s moving in for her neuro fellowship at the hospital nearby.”

“Oh, cool.” Smart. Check. Pretty. Check. Zukos’ boxes were all getting ticked off as the woman re-emerged, thoroughly disappointed but unsurprised by what her brother was doing.

“Isn’t that right, Katara?”

“What.”

“My little sister’s all grown up and moved across country all by herself.”

“Sokka!” Kat sighed in annoyance and Sokka quickly picked up a box with a wide smile, disappearing through the door as she finally noticed Zuko. “Hey, sorry about that.”

“No problem.” Their eyes met and she blinked once, then again. Zuko knew what she was looking at but her eyes stayed rather determinedly on his. Eyebrows elevating, he looked at all the boxes. “You need help moving in?”

“Oh, no, it’s fine.” She blinked again, and turned to look at the boxes. “Sokka’s supposed to be helping me and he’ll do fine once he focuses.” Stepping over the boxes, she extended a hand and offered a smile. “I’m Katara. I guess I’m your neighbour now.”

“Katara,” he repeated, knowing he’ll have no problem remembering it. “Zuko.”

“Nice to meet you, Zuko.” She was even prettier up close. Zuko swallowed hard, finding his mouth dry as he struggled to say more.

“Yeah, you too.” What a lame way to end the conversation. Katara smiled again and turned back to her boxes, and Zuko swore he didn’t look at her an extra second before he remembered he had work. Opening his mouth, he tried to say goodbye, but then shut it. She won’t notice, he thought as he turned and walked down the hall. She’d never notice someone like me.

.

Katara frowned, wondering if this was too much. Her first weekend at her new place had gone without a hitch and all the tenants had attended the BBQ the landlord hosted.

All except one.

She knew who he was — what reputation he had, and what he’d done to prevent his father’s company from going belly up. Still, she was determined to get him to notice her or at least be on amicable terms no matter how high up he held himself.

Katara had brought a specialty of hers — lychee ice cream — and stood outside her neighbour’s door. She knew he was at home due to the fact he’d slammed the door closed earlier that afternoon and that she could now hear him yell at Sokka.

Her brother had never mentioned the guy next door with the huge scar on his face. He was kinda good looking, in an unconventional kinda way. But Katara didn’t focus on that. Instead, she focused on his CEO status, how he lived in a second-rate apartment despite how loaded he must be, how she knocked on the door, and how she was gonna get through this.

So she knocked.

And the door opened.

Ask and you shall receive.

And what Katara received was a wonderfully puffy-haired neighbour, scratching his head and glaring at her though half his face was twisted in an eternal scowl. A far cry from the prim and proper, suited up man three days ago.

“Hi, Katara.’

“Hey, Zuko. I made lychee ice cream for you,” she said although words were running dry as Sokka popped out of nowhere and reached to grab it. “Not for you! It’s for Zuko.” Her brother pouted, complained about something, but Katara didn’t hear him. Zuko didn’t seem to hear him either.

The man looked at her for a moment, then took the carton with a soft ‘thanks’ and Katara found her cheeks warming under his stare. He was wearing nothing but a white tee and grey sweats but he still looked so good. Better than a suit and tie, that was for sure. His warm amber eyes scanned her up and down, and Katara noted the heavy eyebags and how pale he looked. That didn’t detract from how hot he was, though. Not that Katara really looked.

“You didn’t come to the barbecue,” Katara said, sidelining her concern for now, and Zuko nodded. “Why?”

“I don’t like crowds.”

“It wasn’t that crowded.”

“I don’t like people.”

“Oh.”

Color spread magnificently over Zuko’s cheeks as Katara looked to the ground. His voice rasped and scratched and sounded like music to her ears. Not that she noticed.

“I was at work,” he added. Katara noted he was a pitiful liar. Fridays were his half-off days, according to her brother. Not that she cared. “Along with the not-liking people.”

“You like Sokka, though,” she pointed out and Zuko suppressed a scowl as they heard Sokka yell there was no more orange juice. Forgetting herself, Katara withdrew from the doorway. “Anyway, I should head back. You’re probably busy doing… whatever it is you’re doing.”

“We’re playing Assassin’s Creed, if you want to join,” Zuko offered and Katara shook her head. Not that she’d basically grown up with those games. Not that she played with Sokka before he moved away.

Not that she wanted to.

“Which one?” She found the question slipping past her lips before she could reel it back in.

“Origins. Just got around to playing it.”

The offer was enticing, but Katara wasn’t in the mood. “I thought you didn’t like people,” she said, because inviting strangers didn’t sound anti-friendly.

“I can make an exception.” He crossed his arms and Katara ignored the way his muscles bunched and how his shirt seemed too small for his frame. It was tight across his shoulders and when Katara caught his gaze, she shook her head.

“You should go put that in the freezer before it melts ‘cause it’s hot out.” Katara nodded to the carton of ice cream and excused herself quickly after that, going down the hall as quick as she could and entering her apartment.

Slamming the door behind her, she pressed her back against it and sighed. That was a such stupid thing to say before she left, and she couldn’t take it back now. What happened to a good-old fashioned ‘goodbye’? A regular old ‘see you later’?

Apparently, no longer options for Katara when she spoke to Zuko.

.

“Dude, stop checking your phone.”

“Just hurry up. I want to actually play for once,” Zuko growled back as Sokka saved his game on the PS4. Zuko already had Witcher 3 with Sokka’s game savefiles in the right folder and the two had planned to switch thirty minutes ago before Sokka decided to screw around and get two more viewpoints than said thirty minutes ago.

BlueSpirit94: would you believe it if i said my best friend is a complete waste of time

PaintedLadyXO: yes

BlueSpirit94: this is why we keep in touch

The chat bubble popped up again and disappeared, causing Zuko to turn off the screen and yell at Sokka again to hurry up. Then, a ding.

PaintedLadyXO: please

PaintedLadyXO: you need me more than i need you

Smirking at the reply, he couldn’t resist typing out one of his own. Ever since meeting on Discord with their apparent mutual online friends nearly three years ago, Zuko had hit it off with this other gamer despite having never heard their voice. What with Painted Lady’s crazy hours doing whatever they did and Zuko’s extreme reluctance to gather up courage to even talk to anyone outside of his friends, they still remained on close terms.

And they were right, as they often were. Zuko probably did need them more than they needed him.

Bluespirit94: that’s rude

Bluespirit94: but true

PaintedLadyXO: i didn’t mean it

Bluespirit94: whatever

Bluespirit94: how was your move btw? Read 2:49 PM

“Alright, get off. Time to cut off some heads.” Sokka shoved Zuko off the chair and the messy-haired man sat down on the couch instead, waiting for the reply. His thumbs hovered over the keyboard.  “Who are you even talking to?”

“It’s none of your business!”

Sokka’s grabby fingers scrambled to grab his phone but Zuko threw it underneath his legs to sit on, grabbing the controller and glaring at Sokka.

“Fuck off,” he hissed. “Some dick at work is slacking ‘cause he’s probably too busy being high.” Zuko grimaced, and slid the analog stick until Assassin’s Creed Origins was selected. “Not my problem.”

“You’re the CEO.”

“Hey, I came back from work and I’m looking forward to this afternoon off. If he wants to keep his job, he’ll show up tomorrow.” Zuko watched the screen blankly. Everything he said wasn’t a total lie. That dude, Jet, had come in earlier, asking if he could take a medical leave while stinking of weed. Zuko had given him the foulest glare he could muster, declined his request, and left it with a threat of ‘See you tomorrow morning.’

Sokka didn’t say anything much after that. They’d known each other long enough that when Zuko needed his silence, Sokka knew better than to argue with it. Sometimes, he could cure it with jokes. It was more often than not that he couldn’t, so he slapped on Zuko’s expensive headphones and loaded up his save file.

Zuko’s phone pinged. Amber eyes darted from the screen to Sokka, who was beautifully immersed in Witcher 3, and he deemed it safe enough to check.

PaintedLadyXO: great! the tenants are friendly and the guy next door is kinda hot ;)

Zuko’s eyebrows rose. His thumbs paused.

BlueSpirit94: didn’t know you swung that way

PaintedLadyXO: and.

PaintedLadyXO: jk who said i was a man lmao

BlueSpirit94: i can now add that to things I know about you

There was no response for a few more minutes, so he decided that maybe they — she — decided to continue the move-in. Zuko shook it from his mind. So what if Painted Lady was a girl? They were always close friends. This didn’t change that.

PaintedLadyXO: and what do you know about me mister

BlueSpirit94: probably more than you'd like to admit Read 2:59 PM.

.

Katara’s first few months at the hospital went by with ease, especially since fellowships were a breeze compared to residency. With two more aneurysms clipped, a few more brainbleeds fixed, and one more neuroblastoma diagnosed than the night before, Katara reached her apartment as the sun began to set. She fiddled with her keys, almost too tired to see straight. Finally slotting the right one in, she twisted with an irritated huff and threw all her crap down on the couch. Despite having moved in three months ago, there were still a few boxes left to open. She plugged her phone to charge.

Heading to the bathroom, she began a shower and shed all her clothes from the day before. She needed this break before her pager would inevitably go off and she’d be back in the hospital.

Luckily, she managed to snag her shower and came out ten minutes later, feeling more awake than she had before as her phone pinged. Suki, the girl in 1A who’d been the subject of her brother’s affections and vice versa, was one of the first who welcomed her. They’d become quick friends at the barbecue and Katara wasn’t surprised to see texts from her. She was more often than not the one Katara turned to with her problems.

Suki: hey!!

Suki: was just wondering if you're interested in having dinner or anything

Suki: we NEED to catch up on gossip

Katara: yeah sure

Katara: technically off shift but you know how it goes

The response was instantaneous.

Suki: totally. i’ll be there in a bit w sushi

Satisfied that she had dinner plans, she turned to texting her other favourite. BlueSpirit94 had been silent for the past few days but Katara had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before their next conversation.

PaintedLadyXO: how come i never hear anything about your lovelife? Delivered

It was a bold thing to ask but Katara felt comfortable with texting anything to her faceless friend, considering that they’d been friends for well over three years now. It was funny. She barely went on Discord anymore (that was back in the day with Sokka) but she kept the app around on her phone, both of them too cowardly to move. This little bubble they lived in was comfortable. Katara didn’t want to pop it.

BlueSpirit94: because i don't have one

PaintedLadyXO: complete bs

BlueSpirit94: no really. hbu? hows the guy next door situation?

Katara thought on that.

How was the situation?

Well, it wasn’t like Zuko and her often had time to chat. She spent most of her time in the hospital, and on the off-chance she was here, he was either at work or out. She never wanted to bother him to talk, and it wasn’t like he was inclined to talk to her either. She hoped he liked her ice cream and got some sleep. The man looked one night away from passing out.

PaintedLadyXO: gone radio silent

PaintedLadyXO: our times don't match so i don't see him that much

BlueSpirt94: that sucks

BlueSpirit94: hey do you ever think it's crazy were literally in the same city now

PaintedLadyXO: on my mind all the time. we could literally pass each other and never know

Katara’s fingers paused. The next question on her mind was one she had never proposed before, but she had imagined a hundred different faces and a hundred different lives behind BlueSpirt94 that she couldn’t help it.

Knock, knock, knock.

Katara looked at the little arrow that meant send and then to the door.

She threw her phone onto the opposite end of the couch and went to the door.

Later that night, when Katara was in her own bed for the first time in five days, she looked at the unsent text. Exhaustion weighed at her eyelids and she sent it before she could feel the wave of regret waiting to drown her.

.

Zuko stared at the notification. For a Monday night turned Tuesday morning, he felt relatively good. It was nearing 1 AM and he was working on the newest wave on hopeful employees and interns after a day at work. But he was still getting a bit tired. Hiring season always meant overtime for him.

PaintedLadyXO: so why don’t we meet up?? it’s rly been three years

He stalled. The thought had his heart hammering in his throat as he picked up his phone. Could he say yes? Then again, she was the only one who he ever told about his sister. He trusted her with a lot, but she could just be some faceless troll.

Something about that notion struck him false. She’d never do that to him.

BlueSpirit94: uh ok i guess Delivered

A wave of nausea rolled over him. It wasn’t a gut feeling per se, or regret, but he suddenly felt like he was placed outside his comfort zone. He trusted Painted Lady, but to finally put a face to the name…

What a crazy idea.

For so long, she was what he came to from work as they talked and pieced together parts of each other’s lives. They were each other’s confidant, their safe of secrets. Where would they even go? What would they say?

Zuko shook his head. The text had rattled him so far as to say he couldn’t exactly focus on the resumés. So he picked up his phone again, and texted all that nervous energy out.

BlueSpirit94: how about coffee? Delivered

Just as the text sent, he heard a high-pitched beeping and a thump on the other side of his wall. Looking up, he debated getting up to check the sound out as the beeping stopped.

Next thing he knew, there was the sound of the next-door neighbour opening their door. Katara. He hadn’t seen her much since she moved in, so Zuko got up against his better judgement and crossed the living room floor, hand stalling on the knob. Squinting through one eye, he peeked through the hole and spotted a brown head of hair dash by his door.

Zuko blinked. He opened the door and saw her running around the corner in slip on shoes and her still trying to poke her arm through a hoodie. Words failed. Her hair was flying everywhere and it was like a whole different person from that composed woman three months ago. No doubt she’d return in a few days, as was her custom. He’d probably be still awake by then, so he made a game plan to finish through the rest of the resumés, finish his coffee, and get ready for work because the giant pile on his desk did not scream sleep.

He closed his door and returned to his desk. He took another sip of coffee.

He sat down.

PaintedLadyXO: that sounds good

BlueSpirit94: friday work for you?

PaintedLadyXO: depends on work but friday seems perfect

.

Katara was brimming with energy. Ever since making plans with BlueSpirit94 Tuesday morning, she had been full of some nervous squirming feeling in her stomach that added a bounce to her step. Thursday morning meant the end of her week and she walked the halls of the hospital, wanting to head to the cafe for lunch.

Instead, there was a beep of her pager.

Checking it, she clicked it to turn off that piercing noise and blinked. E.R. She was just there. Katara spun around, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she walked into the pit, shrugging off her lab coat and heading to the nurse’s station where the screen behind it was constantly getting updated with the new intake of patients.

“I was paged?” she asked the nurse who helpfully pointed her in the direction of bed three. Nodding, she turned to it and picked up the chart, reading it over quickly. The symptoms — dehydration, overexhaustion, swollen ankle after collapsing down the stairs. Waiting for a CT to rule out any brain damage and internal damage. Cool. They just needed her to do a neural exam.

Pulling the curtain around, she slapped on a pair of gloves.

“Alright,” she announced with a smile. “Let’s look at that—”

“Hi, Katara.”

“Zuko?” Gawking, she raked her eyes up and down his body. He was in his suit, so he must’ve been at work, and his eyebags had gotten worse, if that was possible. There was blood dripping down the side of his head but he looked wide awake otherwise. Oh, man. Rolling up his pant sleeve, she saw that his sprained ankle was already treated and thanked god. All they were waiting for was her sign off.  “Hey! How’d this happen?”

“Was late for a meeting,” Zuko hissed as she flashed a lightbulb in his eyes. Pupils responsive. Good. “Took the stairs, didn’t make it. Everything got dizzy.”

“When’s the last time you slept?” she asked, rotating his head gently. “Any pain here?”

“Two nights ago, maybe? It was my one meeting for the day. I swear I was going to go home after.” Feeling around his head as he talked, Katara felt her fingers brush against something. “Ow!”

“Yeah, and you ended up in the hospital instead.” Katara arched an eyebrow at him, unimpressed and Zuko shrugged. “If you don’t like people, you must hate it here,” she continued, eager to keep the conversation going. “Hold still. You’ve got a minor cut here where you must’ve hit your head.”

“Place isn’t so bad with the present company,” Zuko mumbled. Heat immediately rushed to her cheeks and Katara kept her eyes on the suture needle as she tilted his head to the light. It wasn’t too deep, and she wiped away the excess blood, putting pressure on the wound.

“How do you feel? It says you fell down the stairs.”

“Just a bit battered,” he admitted and Katara’s lips pulled into a smile against her wishes. When blood stopped flowing freely, she began to stitch. “Any idea when I’ll get to go home?”

“As soon as your CT comes back clear. Are you sure you’ll be able to get back home by yourself?” she asked, frowning. “You can’t drive in your condition.”

“I can call a taxi,” Zuko said with a shrug and Katara paused.

“Don’t move, please.” And she dug the needle in again. “Don’t be silly. I was supposed to be off shift after lunch anyway. I can drive you back.”

“Wait, really?”

Katara’s eyebrows rose at his surprised tone. When she looked at him again, he had a pleased blush across his cheeks and a boyish smile upon his lips. He looked quite cute in that light. Finding one of her own smiles, Katara nodded and added butterfly strips to keep the cut closed.

“Of course. As soon as your CT comes back clear, I’ll get you discharged.”

“Thanks, Katara.”

“Yeah, ‘course.” She tore off her gloves, signing that she was the last one to check on him and patted his shoulder with a final ‘see you later’ grin. He was incredibly warm under his suit, and her hand burned at his touch.

She’d not taken two steps, when: “Katara?”

“Mhm?”

Zuko’s eyes lit up. “The ice cream was really good.”

.

PaintedLadyXO: u kno what's crazy??

BlueSpirit94: what

PaintedLadyXO: boy next door is where i'm working

BlueSpirit94: what? did you talk to him?

PaintedLadyXO: yep and he’s really nice

PaintedLadyXO: we still on for tmr? Starbucks on 49th, right?

BlueSpirit94: about that…

PaintedLadyXO: what?

BlueSpirit94: i might be in the hospital.

PaintedLadyXO: WHAT?

PaintedLadyXO: are you okay???

BlueSpirit94: i’m fine

BlueSpirit94: just minor injuries

PaintedLadyXO: are you sure???

BlueSpirit94: yeah

BlueSpirit94: sorry about tomorrow guess we’ll have to cancel

PaintedLadyXO: np!! Especially if you’re hurt

.

Holding up the CT to the light, Katara squinted in front of Zuko for extra effect. The man was getting a bit antsy with how long she was staring at the thing and Zuko didn’t know what else to say other than: “I’m fine, aren’t I?”

It was like a shift immediately. Katara put down the CT and painted on a smile. “Yep! Now I can sign off and we can go home!”

Home. Zuko tried to ignore the implications that they lived together and nodded, accepting her aid into the wheelchair.

Katara’s car was a nice minivan that was full of boxes that needed to be recycled, but Zuko didn’t mind that the busy woman next to him was still mid-move despite three months living in town. It smelt like warm chicken and food, and he spotted a salad with butter chicken in the front chair that Katara hastily shoved under the chair.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had someone other than me in this car,” Katara muttered, helping him into shotgun and buckling in.

“Thanks, Kat, but I’ve got it,” Zuko said with a gentle smile. The woman was so keen on making sure he was comfortable, she didn’t quite remember her own tasks. The nickname caught her attention though, and ocean blue met volcanic amber. They both cleared their throats when they realized their faces were almost touching.

“Right, right. Sorry.” She waved her hand everywhere and closed the door, making sure none of his bags were in the car door before running around and driving. “Do you mind if I play music?” she asked once she revved up the car and Zuko shook his head.

“How long have you been at work?”

“Since Tuesday morning,” Katara responded, adjusting her rearview mirror. “Patient had a rebleed and I had a shift on Wednesday so I ended up staying overnight.”

“Oh. You’re busy, then.” Pulling out his phone, he checked for any missed emails or calls. Nothing of import. Perfect. 

“Yeah, but I love doing it. Busy is good.” Hozier’s newest album came on and Zuko adjusted his chair, leaning back and looking at his phone as they began to pull out of the hospital. Opening his chat with Painted Lady, he felt a flicker of guilt.

She had sounded so excited, and now that their plans were cancelled…

Zuko should make it up to her. After all, he had been gaining nerves akin to what one would get on a date, and he’d even thought about his outfit. A nice dark red sweater, khakis... 

He had been excited. Looking out the window, he watched glumly as the trees passed by.

“Do you need anything to eat? It’ll be hard to get around with your ankle,” Katara piped up and Zuko glanced to her. She was worrying her bottom lip but her eyes were earnest.

“Thanks, but it’s fine.”

“Okay, but remember I’m next door. I’ll give you my number when we get back.”

She was very kind, a lot like how Painted Lady was. Not that Zuko would know. This was the most he’d ever talked to Katara ever.

Keeping his screen on, he looked down at her last text.

BlueSpirit94: we can reschedule if you’re down??

It took a moment, and then it delivered.

The music paused to allow a ear-deafening ring to bounce off the car walls. Zuko looked to the phone on reflex, then to Katara. She ignored the notification, keeping her eyes on the road and a clammy feeling snuck into Zuko’s palms as she crossed an intersection and turned right onto the road their apartment building was on. Her phone screen had lit up momentarily but Zuko couldn’t manage the sneak he wanted to get besides the Discord icon.

It could be coincedence, he told himself with closed eyes. Stomach in knots, he forced himself to look at the woman beside him. Then to her phone, and then to his own phone.

Only one way to find out.

BlueSpirit94: hi katara

Another resounding ding.

Zuko felt like he was going to be sick. A cold sweat settled over him as he stared at the gorgeous woman beside him. She was exhausted, with messy hair and two day-old clothes but still—

Katara swerved into the parking lot, parking into her usual spot (the space next to his car which was still at the office) and picked up her phone, turning off the ignition. Taking out her keys, she got out of the car and took out the wheelchair from the trunk. Unfolding it for him, she was about to help him into his seat when she remembered her phone in hand. The screen lit up as she rotated it towards her to briefly check who had messaged her and their notification previews.

Zuko watched her every movement.

Which meant he caught when she read the message and when she froze. Her eyes, wide as saucers, went from him, to the phone he still held and Zuko’s own gaze only stared at her, waiting. If he moved, he was afraid he was going to actually hurl. Whether from the pain of his ankle was starting to get to him or the fact that Painted Lady, one of his best friends, was his other best friend’s beautiful sister.

And his neighbour. And his absolute-certain crush (do adults even still get those?). And Sokka’s sister. Crap.

“Hi, Katara,” he whispered because it didn’t matter. This was his best friend right in front of him, with Katara’s smile and eyes, and the Painted Lady’s humour and wit. A myriad of emotions flickered across her face, and then she let out a relieved laugh and half a smile. He extended a hand because being half-in and half-out a car was extremely tiring, especially with a sprained ankle, and her smile grew to fit her whole face. A sun on the face of a woman just as radiant, Katara saw past his scar just as she did the first time they met.

“Hey, Zuko,” she whispered as she took his hand.

[azulamakesmeblank]

Moments. [Kataang]

Pairing: Katara & Aang (around 18 +16)

Prompt: none

Warnings: kinda major fluff (you’re welcome)

I haven't written a promptless kataang fic in ages!!!!!!! 

You know when you're in such a kataang mood and just can't find what you're craving? Yeah... well... when you can't find what you're looking for, just write it yourself! Apparently, this is what I was craving lol

Also, would it even be a fic of mine if I didn't even give you guys even the slightest suggestive ending????? no. no, it wouldn't

Anyway....... hope anyone reading enjoys!

Autumn had always been Aang’s favourite season. When he told Katara, she countered that she had always just assumed it was spring ‘because, you know, new life and all that!’ Not knowing exactly why he laughed at the presumption, Aang explained that just because he respected all living things didn’t necessarily mean everything in his life revolved around that principle. His life kind of revolved around Katara nowadays. Well, Katara and being the Avatar. They both tended to overlook that last bit as much as possible, though when duty called, there wasn’t much room for avoidance.

“Why Autumn?” She piped up, pulling Aang from his thoughts as she lifted her head from his stomach to address him with curious blue eyes. He offered her a look and the slight shake of his head that said ‘I don’t really know,’ returning to gaze at the amber leaves of the oak tree right above. Today, the sun’s rays were soft and the breeze was just right, skating across his skin soothingly and the odd time blowing through the tail ends of her hair even from where she lay. Her head would rise and fall atop his stomach with each levelled breath he took. At first, he thought it must be annoying for her, but she insisted the motion relaxed her ‘to no end,’ explaining that she had held him lifeless in her arms once before and had every desire to know he was alive; even if that meant feeling each and every breath he took at every opportunity she had to do so. Sometimes, he noticed how she would place her hand over his heart when they lay together. Aang never could have guessed that was why.

Shutting his eyes, he brought up a hand to toy with a strand of her hair that was fanned out over his chest. “What about you?” He asked quietly.

“Hm?”

He opened one eye with a smile, glancing down at her face for a moment and noticing the cute little arch her brow made when she raised it. “What’s your favourite season?” 

“...Oh.” She gave a small laugh, turning back to face the leaves. “I guess I’ve never really thought about it.” She furrowed her brow in thought and he couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “What?” 

“Nothing.” He shook his head and felt her relax again. “...You have time to think about it now?” Aang suggested, but she sat up, a hand landing on his chest. And even though she was very clearly annoyed, her voice was laced with a laugh. “I am not spending one of our very rare moments of alone time thinking about my favourite season.” Even with the tinge of irritation icing her tone, his wide grin won her over.

“Seemed like a pretty good idea to me...” She rolled her eyes, moving to lie down beside him, her head now laying on his chest and her hand taking its rightful place over his heart. 

“Let's just enjoy this while it lasts...” She sighed almost resentfully and let her eyes drift shut. The girl had learned never to get too comfortable: disaster could strike at any minute and Aang could be called at any time. Taking their stolen moments as they came seemed to be the best way in order to keep a level head. There was no use in getting angry when the magistrates and whoever else pulled him from her arms - she knew what loving him meant, and she loved him enough to put up with it.

While Katara thought about all this, Aang pondered over what she had said with his fingers gliding through her hair. 

He hated that they couldn’t just enjoy their time together, they had to enjoy it while it lasted.

“What’s your favourite season?” He asked again. Her scoff was a hard protest.

“Aang-”

“Come on. I wanna know.” He said quietly, no hint of mischief in his voice whatsoever. So she decided to give him what he wanted and fell quiet as she took a moment to think.

“Autumn.”

He let out a heavy sigh and teased. “Very original...”

“I mean it!” She giggled, tilting her head up to see how much he was struggling to keep from smiling.

“...Alright.” He relented and she settled against him again with a smile bright on her face. “Why?”

The girl gave a leisured shrug. “I like the colours.”

“You mean the colours you see me in almost every day?” He teased again and she just took to slapping him playfully on the chest, a giddy sound spilling from her lips as he laughed heartily with her.

“You’re so annoying.”

With that, a calm, serene silence washed over them, her fingers drawing patterns across his chest dreamily as his nails raked across her scalp, applying pressure in all the right places. She hummed in content to let him know he was doing a good job, her hand eventually slowing to a stop when he took all of her attention. She allowed herself to relax completely, feeling her eyes flutter to a close while his fingers massaged the tension away. It was a talent of his - and the best part was, he didn’t even have to try all that hard. He just did whatever came natural and all of a sudden she’d be melting in his arms. “Not so annoying now, am I?” He remarked under his breath confidently and she could hear the smirk loud and clear in his voice. It wasn’t enough to rouse her out of her melty state, however. She only managed to hum a laugh with a slightly wider smile on her lips. it’s all she could manage. Quite frankly, it was all she could be bothered to give. His fingers felt too good in her hair to move.

She could let him do this forever... and, actually, he could do this forever. Without blinking an eye.

Well, maybe not forever. There were other things he liked to do with his girlfriend. “Don’t fall asleep yet.” He breathed into her hair, his fingers stopping for just a moment as he placed a kiss to her head and she let out a little whine, but soon he was back at it with a cocky smile and Katara settled again, shaking her head lazily.

“I won’t,” She replied with a voice that sure sounded like it was on the verge of sleep, he thought almost sadly. And as if she had some psychic link with him, she muttered with a smile, “You’ll get your kiss, sweetie, don’t worry,” while rubbing her hand slowly over his chest.

Aang almost felt embarrassed, his cheeks tingeing a light pink and suddenly he was glad she couldn’t see him. Imagine being embarrassed in front of your girlfriend of four years? It was positively pitiful. Toph would probably come up with a new nickname for him and Sokka would never let him live it down. Anyway, this wasn’t the time to think about Sokka and Toph, so he lay his head back on the grass and returned his full attention to the task at hand. As a passing thought, Aang wondered how it would feel if Katara did this for him. If he grew out his hair (like she secretly hoped he would) and did as he was doing now, would it really be this relaxing? She seemed to adore the gesture like nothing normal. Thinking back to the war when he had no other choice but to grow out his hair, Aang found it to be annoying and itchy and too hot. Basically, he didn’t get what the big deal was. Being bald was great! Although... he couldn’t lie and say he thought Katara should join him in his baldness: Aang loved her hair and found that he could and would easily run his fingers through it for hours on end; to which she would eventually tell him to stop because apparently doing so for too long made her hair ‘greasy’ and that was, supposedly, a bad thing. The silence as he drifted deep in aimless thought led him to believe his love was sleeping - a theory that was soon proved wrong when she stirred against him.

“Mmmm, okay...” She sighed with a stretch, her voice sounding more than pleased as she lifted her head, his hand coming away from her hair at the motion. Attempting to fix the wild tresses, she combed her own fingers through her slightly knotted hair with a tired groan and as he looked at her content and terribly beautiful face from his place on the grass, Aang decided he really liked her hair like this. It was a sexy mess, not an unkempt mess.

And he had seen it so many times before. 

In waiting, his hands hovered in the air, keen eyes following as she threw a leg over his lap and sat back confidently on his thighs, splaying her fingers out on his chest as she leaned her weight on him with that look in her eyes. “Well?” She started. “How do I look?”

Aang was already shaking his head at her in that disbelieving manner, eyes raking over her features and hands finally settling on the curve of her hips. “Completely hypnotising.” He sat up, feeling to urge to get closer to her, Katara almost coming eye to eye with him and she giggled, bowing her head shyly at his unabashed reply that would have meant only half what it did now without that look in his eyes or their intimate choice of position - or rather her choice of position. With her arms now wrapped around his neck, she took a composing breath in through her nose before meeting stormy eyes again.

“Does that mean you’ll do anything I say?” She arched a brow.

“In a heartbeat.” He replied swiftly, flirtatiously, flashing that charming smirk of his that never failed to tint her cheeks a rosy hue. He was simply too handsome for her not to blush, though if he noticed, he didn’t let on. He did notice, on the other hand, that it was a kind of defence that she would joke around after getting embarrassed, hence why she said what she said next.

“So... if I asked you to eat stewed sea prunes with me for dinner tonight, would you?”

He laughed, not even the slightest trace of irritation that she changed the dynamic of their flirting. “I’ll do anything you say, but that.”

Katara smiled, shifting a little closer and coaxing him to wrap his arms around her waist tightly. “I’m fine with that...” she purred.

“So am I,” he winked.

Feeling playful, she rolled her eyes, still noticing how her impatience grew stronger the longer they sat like this, staring at each other, basking in the other’s allure. Besides, it was no normal staring contest, it was the ‘I want you but I want you to say it first’ stare. She had initiated it.

But in the end, Katara was the very one to give in.

“Just c’mere...” She whispered with her eyes on his lips.

And she kissed him. Sweetly. Savouring him. Using her fingertips to trace his jaw and neck and collar bones. 

This time, he tasted like an autumn breeze and it instantly became her reason for favouring this season over the others. At first, she had said Autumn on a whim, but now she decided she liked Autumn the most because of that and the fact the colours reminded her of her favourite Airbender - the love of her life who she would enjoy every single second with to the fullest, not considering when the moment would end... and instead focusing on making every moment last.

This one? This one would last.

Most definitely.

[words4bloghere]

Scars that Define Us

I missed the proper Day 3 because I am sick. So Day 3 is a day late. Day 4 will also be late. This is a continuation of Days 1 & 2 so I recommend reading them. Once again, I am obsessed with story telling so that plot to smut ratio is disproportionate. My apologies.

On the balcony, Katara could see the stars. She traced the vague lines of the constellations with her eyes. They were unfamiliar stars, and Katara felt a little lost when looking up at what should be the same sky.

 It made her think that she had crossed into another world. One in which she did not completely belong.

 “Hey.” Katara cringed and then let her head fall forward.

 “What do you want Aang.” She said, more of a resigned statement than a question.

 “Geeze, I just wanted to say hi.” Aang came forward till he was standing beside her, his hands clasped behind his back. He was starting to grow a beard as his face lengthened and thinned out. Adulthood looked better on him than she had expected.

“I think you wanted to say much more than that.” Katara said as she lifted her head to glare at him. Aang raised a brow and looked back at her.

“What does that mean?”

“Why did you bring Pema?”

“She’s, well, she’s my girlfriend now Katara.”

“But why did you did you bring her here?”

“Katara, it’s been like two years. I’m allowed to bring my girlfriend.”

“I just don’t appreciate you bringing the woman you cheated on me with to a dinner you knew I’d attend.”

“I didn’t-.” Aang sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he lowered his hands, he looked at her evenly. “It’s been two years.”

“It’s still a scar Aang.”

“Then I’m sorry it hurt you. I didn’t intend on doing such a thing.” He held out his hand and Katara hesitantly put her own out. “You still mean a lot to me and I would never intentionally hurt you.”

Against her better judgement, a slight hiss escaped her mouth. Aang sighed again but squeezed her hand.

“I am done being sorry Katara. It’s up to you now whether you hold onto this scar or let it heal.” Aang let go of her hand and walked back into the hotel ballroom. Katara’s hand curled into a fist and she let it fall to her side.

“Well that was fun.” Katara whirled around and nearly jumped. Zuko was climbing over the railing of the balcony and Katara watched in amusement as his pant leg got caught on one of the pegs dotting the top. Zuko scowled as he tried to maneuver his leg high enough to get it uncaught. Katara, chuckling slightly, walked over and pulled the fabric up and over the peg.

“How long were you watching?” She asked genially as Zuko brushed off his pants.

“Oh, man, the whole time. What a train wreck.” He said and Katara laughed.

“Well, first, what were you doing crawling over the railing?”

“I obviously had to sneak around the long way so that no one saw me joining you. Next?”

“Why did you call it a train wreck?”

“Because Aang is an idiot. Scars don’t heal, they define you.”

“Yours doesn’t define you.” Zuko grabbed her hand and placed it on the center of his chest.

“You’re not thinking of the right scar.” Katara felt her face flush and she stayed quiet. She remembered the winding branch-like shape of scars that radiated out from a spot on his chest.

“So how does my scar define me?” She asked, her voice unexpectedly soft. Zuko kept her hand on his chest but used his other to pull her closer. Having his hand resting on her hip, so casually, caused her pulse to race.

“Right now, it makes you defensive and untrusting.”

“I trust you.” She whispered and Zuko lowered his face to hers.

“Because you know I would give my life for yours.” He whispered back and kissed her, softly. Katara felt herself melt a little, and his hand went from her hip to her back, holding her a little more firmly.

“I love you Katara.” He murmured when he broke the kiss. Katara’s eyes fluttered open and she found his golden eyes searching hers.

“I love you Zuko.” She moved her hand away from his chest and threw both arms around his neck. He responded by wrapping his around her middle and they clung to each other as they kissed again. Now, when they broke away, each seemed to be breathing a little faster.

“Where’s your room?” He asked.

“Second floor. Room 218.”

“You head up. I’ll wait thirty minutes and meet you.” A quick kiss and Katara stepped away.

“See you soon.”

~

Katara found herself almost giddy as she walked up the stairs from the lobby. It wasn’t until she had gotten to her door and pulled her key out that she paused to think.

She had worried for weeks about whether or not Zuko had been faithful while she was away. Yet the first moment they’re alone, she could only think about getting into bed with him. Katara scowled as she slid her dress up and over her shoulders. Standing with only a pair of panties - a bold new fashion accessory that didn’t feel totally comfortable to her yet - Katara regarded the bed.

Surely, she thought to herself, if he had found someone else then he wouldn’t have kissed her.

Unless, she countered, he had only decided to have someone to keep him company during her absence.

Katara scowled and shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts. She trusted him. She loved him. And he loved her.

Muttering wordlessly, Katara went to the adjacent bathroom to wash her face.

When Zuko made his way into her room, Katara was sitting on the bed, her legs drawn up to her chest. Zuko took one look at her, raised his eyebrow, and started to take off his shirt.

“What’s on your mind?” He asked after he removed the piece of clothing. Katara pulled a pillow from beside her and clutched it to her chest.

“I don’t want to ask.” She said.

“You’re bothered by something though.” He stated as he sat on the bed and began to untie his shoes. Katara, staring at his back, nodded.

“It’s something you don’t want to talk about because….” Zuko paused and pulled off a shoe. Katara stayed silent knowing that he was thinking, not pressing her to say anything. “Because you think I might get mad?” Katara huffed out a breath and put her face into the pillow. She kept her eyes up to watch him.

“Okay, not mad. But, you think I might get upset with you somehow?” He asked as he pulled off the other shoe. Katara let out a small grunt.

“It’s something that bothers you because it exists and it might upset me.” Zuko said and stood. He turned and found that Katara had buried her whole face into the pillow. “Are you feeling jealous that Aang brought Pema?” Katara’s head snapped back up.

“No!” She felt her face flush again and she clutched the pillow tightly.

“I just, was worried…” She drifted and looked away.

“What were you worried about beloved?” Katara’s eyes watered and she leaned her cheek on the pillow.

“I was worried that you would have, found someone else. While I was away.”

“What.” Katara looked quickly back at him and found his face blank.

“I don’t want to think like that, but I do.” She muttered. Zuko sighed and his shoulders fell. But then he gave her a small smile and her tears threatened to spill over.

“Katara, mistrust isn’t a good thing. Especially in a relationship like ours that has to rely so heavily upon it. But look,” Katara had buried her face in the pillow again as he spoke. “Look at me.” Katara raised her gaze up and found Zuko sitting on the edge of the bed again. “I love you. But more importantly, I respect you. And I wouldn’t betray anybody like that who I respected.”

“I know that Zuko. But the thoughts still come.” Katara said and began to cry. Zuko crawled up the bed toward her and reached out a hand. He wiped away her tears before sitting cross legged in front of her.

“That’s because the scars you hold are defining you wrong.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your mother died and she left you. Your father went to war and left you. Your brother went chasing love and left you. Aang couldn’t love you the way you needed and you felt like he left you. These are all scars. One day you will learn that they didn’t make you afraid, they made you stronger. That you understand what bonds are important. That you understand loyalty. And that when someone leaves you, it doesn’t mean all or nothing. But right now, you’re just frightened about being left again.” She had begun crying harder now and Zuko put a hand on the pillow. “You felt like you had left me, and you know how bad that feels, so you think I did something to make myself feel better. And that you deserved it for leaving me.” Katara pushed the pillow away and fell into Zuko, sobbing against him.

“I’m sorry.” She choked out and Zuko pulled her into his lap. He stroked her hair and kissed her hot wet cheek.

“There is nothing to apologize for. You can’t help the way you feel Katara, only how you act upon those feelings.” He held her, one arm over her legs to keep her close, and one hand still stroking her hair. Katara had her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder.

“I love you Katara. And there isn’t another woman on earth that I would rather be with.”

“I don’t know why you want me.” She muttered into his neck. “I’m a mess.”

“Oh, there are a few things.” He stopped stroking her hair and instead began to stroke the side of her breast. Katara shivered and smiled.

“You only want me for my body.”

“Okay, one, no one would blame me if that were true. And two,” Zuko lifted her as he rose to his knees. “I actually only want you to get closer to your brother.” He tossed her to the head of the bed and Katara squealed.

“Please do not seduce me and talk about your strange man love for my brother at the same time.” She said and tossed the remaining pillow at him. Zuko deftly swatted it aside and looked down at her.

“Fine. I’ll just have to occupy myself.” He bent over and ran a finger over the front of her panties, lightly touching her clit and the lips of her pussy. He then tucked the finger under one edge and pulled the fabric off to the side. “There’s better conversation here anyway.”

Only half of her was exposed but Zuko slid his tongue between her and the fabric, gently touching the inner pair. His tongue moved upward and flicked her clit, which caused Katara to gasp and twitch. He then pulled her panties completely to the side and thrust his tongue into her.

He moved deftly. He would probe into her, part her lips with a flattened tongue, suck on her, tease her clit with the barest touch of his teeth. When he thrust his tongue into her, it was like he was trying to consume her. In and out, up and down, his mouth worked her till she came, her hands clutching fistfuls of his hair.

Then he moved, putting his head next to hers. As he kissed her, his tongue was moving again. She tasted herself just as his fingers slipped past her panties and went inside of her. She groaned into Zuko’s mouth and he grabbed her, two fingers in her, and his thumb on her clit. Katara gasped and he rolled his thumb. He lifted his head to watch her, his fingers moving in and out of her in a circular motion as he rotated his thumb over her clit. Now she came and clutched the sheets.

Without a word, Zuko stopped and slid off the bed. As Katara watched him undid his pants, taking a moment to shimmy out of her panties. Just as silent, Zuko returned to her and knelt between her legs. His hands, slightly calloused but warm and gentle, ran up her sides, across her chest, and then down her front, resting on her stomach.

His hands moved up again and as his palms brushed over her breasts, her nipples hardened, and Zuko smiled. He had hardened already and the length of his cock rested on her swollen lower lips.

“I would say that no other woman could compare, but that would mean that I was looking. You are the only one I want Katara.” He said as he slid his hand up, up her neck and around to the back of her head. He massaged her scalp and she closed her eyes, happy.

“I have the love of the Fire Lord.” She chuckled and Zuko’s hands moved down the back of her neck, his fingers pressing firmly into her skin.

“And I have the love of the most powerful Water Bender in the world.” He murmured. His hands now went across the back of her shoulders, around, and to her front. He rested them on her breasts.

“Don’t you know what happens when water meets fire?” Katara asked, her voice tinged with sadness as she thought of it.

Zuko had no time for melancholy.

“Let’s find out.” He said and pushed into her. Katara gasped, her back arched, and Zuko squeezed her breasts.

“Looks like,” He said as he pulled out a little. “It makes steam.” He thrust back into her and Katara gasped again.

Putting both legs over his shoulders and both of his hands on either side of her chest, Zuko braced himself over her. His cock, when he thrust, was buried completely in her. She could feel the head bumping into the end, and she moaned each time.

“It’s been a long time Katara.” Zuko said and kissed the inside of her thighs. “I don’t think I can last long.”

“We have more time. Just fuck me hard.”

Zuko sat back up, her legs still over his shoulders, and he hammered into her. As her breathing became more shallow, Zuko began twisting and rolling her clit. Biting her lip and clawing at the sheets, Katara could feel a need coiling between her legs. Every time he rolled her clit, he rolled the need tighter. Every time he thrust into her, it added more pressure.

When it snapped, Katara arched her back and cried out. A moment later, Zuko pulled himself as deep as he could go and spent himself inside of her. She could feel him pulse, feel her insides warm.

Then he collapsed on her, burying his face in her neck and pressing his lips to her skin.

“I cannot hold out when it’s been so long.” He said. Katara smiled as she moved her legs off of him and back onto the bed.

“It’s a lot like our first time.” She replied.