#RIP other people in Zuko's spring

[muffinlance]

Hi just wanted to let you know I’ve been think about Zuko in TtS leaving the fire nation and dissociating his way through his trauma responsibilities in Book 1 and how that parallels Aang in Book 1 of Atla running away from the temple to escape being Avatar and how Fall is associated with Air/Wind which is the element of freedom, and with Appa, one of the original Airbenders being present when Zuko realizes that he can just leave, embracing freedom, and the parallels are literally driving me insane it’s all I can think about I love it so much! Thank you so much for writing this, I have to keep resisting the urge to straight up write a book report on it and I have so much faith in you that the parallels are only going to get better and more in depth from here I love it soo much!

Oh I LOVE when people pick up on the subtle thematic things

Can confirm this trend in Zuko's mental state shall continue as the seasons/books advance back to summer

[princecosmosanon]

As of yet Untitled Omegaverse Zukka fic preview

This is the first scene in that Untitled Zukka fic, the one where Sokka is an Omega and Zuko is an Alpha and also they're arranged to be married. Just a soft, sad time for Sokka as he contemplates leaving home and what he'll never have again.

The sheer cliffs that overlooked the South Sea felt lonely the day the Fire Nation ship arrived. Sokka stood at the pinnacle of the cliff-face, his gaze fixed out over the gray waters, his mitten-clad hands clenched tight about the bouquet of greenery threatening to rip out of his grasp.

It seemed fitting that the day the Fire Nation once again blessed their shores the skies had deemed the sun unfit to shine. Cloudy skies stretched as far as the eye could see, and mist obscured the horizon leaving the South Pole isolated from the rest of the world. If only they could have stayed shunned, left to their own devices while the people of other nations celebrated the glorious end to the war. There was nothing to celebrate here, even eight years after the supposed “end” of the war.

Sokka breathed deep, his lungs stinging from the chill clinging to the early spring air still much too cold for anyone to be wandering out on the tundra for long, but Sokka couldn’t stay away. Not on a day like today.

He glanced down at his quivering bouquet, the handful of silver ragwort interspersed with bright pink dianthus, and clutched the precious greens all the closer to his body.

Surely, the ones who had sailed here hadn’t meant to arrive on this very day. Surely even the most boneheaded, bastardly captain of the Fire Nation navy would have known better…

Sokka’s exhale was shaky, skirting the edge of a whine as he held back tears.

Katara had it so much worse, Sokka reminded himself, his mantra beating itself to death against the tightness in his chest and the heat trying to escape through his eyes in the form of tears. I have to be strong, too, like Katara. Just like Katara.

It wasn’t a fair comparison, but as the older brother Sokka had to manage his emotions and beat back weakness. Biologically he was at a disadvantage but that had never stopped him from fighting against his nature before.

“Sokka!” His sister’s voice rang out, somewhat weakened by the gusting wind as it attempted to snatch her shout from the air.

Steeling himself, Sokka turned and forced a grin though he knew it shone more like a grimace. He cleared his throat, giving himself time to strengthen his own voice as she climbed the icy hillside to meet him. “You’re late, you know.”

Katara’s blue gaze stayed lowered as she approached even after the ground evened out and she no longer had to watch her steps, the path having been beaten down from years of dedicated trips to this very spot. She took her spot next to him, only raising her eyes ahead of her once she faced the open ocean. Sokka turned with her, giving her a moment to take in the view.

“… Dad isn’t coming, is he?” Sokka asked, though he knew the answer clear.

“You know he can’t,” was Katara’s tight reply and Sokka could just imagine her hands twisting into fists at her sides, fingers locked warmly in her sealskin mittens. “He can’t leave the village walls while they’re here.”

Katara had it worse, yes. A wound that had never healed, only festered and now was necrotic, bleeding hatred and venom. Bato had practically had to bar her inside her room when the Fire Nation ship had first appeared on the horizon the day before, and the only reason he had let her out was through begging her not to taint this day of all days with more unnecessary death. That had sobered her very quickly, though not enough to convince Katara to greet their visitors with more than looks of clear disdain.

Sokka no longer had it in him to rage like Katara clearly still could. Instead he had closed himself off for the day, remaining thoughtful as he listened to the talks between Hakoda and the captain of the ship, an older Beta by the name of Jee. After the initial meeting Sokka had went to Katara immediately and let her know all that had happened. About all that was going to happen. Then Sokka had left to prepare, giving Katara’s rage over to Bato to corral again. No one fought to keep Sokka there to help.

An arm curled around Sokka’s, Katara’s hand squeezing his bicep to offer comfort. “… You don’t have to go, you know.”

Sokka cut his eyes to the side but Katara remained facing out, seeing a completely different ship on the horizon than the one currently bobbing safely in their harbor.

“No,” Sokka said, taking a step forward, effectively sliding out of her grasp as he closed in on the edge, “I don’t. But how selfish would I be to not take them up on their offer?”

“That’s—” Katara gasped, and Sokka’s shouldered tightened, holding himself rigid against the hardness sharpening her voice. “It’s just not fair, Sokka!”

“Maybe not,” Sokka replied, stopping at the very precipice and lifting the bundle in his arms, “but life has never has cared about fairness, yeah?”

Sokka let go and the wind seemed to whip up all the harsher, tangling together with the bouquet of flowers and sending them spiraling out towards the sea. Stems, leaves and blooms untangling, scattering, then swallowed by the darkening sea.

[highladydawn]

ACOTAR Crew as ATLA Characters

Friends, romans, countrymen...The time is upon us to match ACOTAR characters with their Avatar the Last Airbender counterparts. This list will be equal parts detailed and chaotic. Also, this is purely for fun and you may not agree with all the matches! That’s okay! I’d love to hear your own takes in the comments. ✨

(Thanks to the pals this idea was born with. They make days working in a library feel less lonely ~ @gimme-mor @elains @xnightwolfx @symphonyofbleedingshadows​)

━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━

Feyre | Aang 🍃

Even though Feyre doesn’t have Aang’s comedic personality, she shares a lot of important traits with Aang. She’s the protagonist of the story who has to learn how to master a lot of power very quickly under the threat of war. As where Aang has to learn the four elements, Feyre has to learn to how wield the power of all the high lords. They also are both driven by their desire to “save the world” and put an end to the evil powers that seek world domination. Lastly, they’re both the heart of their found families. They both bring members that they’re related to and the people they find along the way! 

Rhysand | Katara 🌊

This one was tough, but stick with me! Rhysand is the one who provides Feyre with the most hope. He saves her from a situation where she felt trapped (like Katara saving Aang in the iceberg) and is very heavily involved in the ultimate plot to save the world. Like Katara, Rhysand is incredibly powerful at his special power and also loves his protagonist. Katara and Rhys are both characters that are good in a crisis. They think clearly, they manage to hold the family together, and are willing to make sacrifices to keep others safe. 

Cassian | Sokka 🗡️

This one speaks for itself! They both are hilarious, they both have great hair, they’re both ripped as adults. More specifically, they’re an important sibling who has a skillset that’s different than most of the other people in the group. Cassian is a powerful warrior and the General of the NC. Sokka is the group strategist who specializes in sword combat. They are also both extremely loyal characters who felt like they had to be a grown man too early. For fun, they’re both flirtatious and like to indulge in food. 

Azriel | Longshot 🏹

Hear me out! I know Longshot isn’t a main character, but these two have a lot of similarities. They’re both incredibly soft spoken, as if everything they say is meticulously planned out and meant to serve a purpose. They feel most comfortable about their found family and work to serve a spying purpose within that group. When Jet dies, Longshot refuses to leave his side and stays with him. Likewise, Azriel doesn’t leave Rhys’ side when shit hits the fan. Azriel would die for Rhys, whether the high lord wants it or not. Lastly, they’re both characters who know how to listen and say the right thing because of it.

Amren | Toph 🌏

What can I say? These two are small, tough ladies who are unconquerable forces of nature who help act as the “reality check” for their protagonist. Toph would rather die than sugarcoat things for Aang, and Amren is much the same with Feyre. They work well together, even if they butt heads sometimes, and ultimately their powers compliment each other really well. Both Amren and Toph have a certain finesse for intimidation that gets them what they want. 

Lucien | Zuko 🔥

These boys are Princes of Fire who both have a scar on their eye from incredibly traumatic experiences. Both of them begin their stories (at least when we meet them) aligned with the wrong team. They side with the people who they think will get them what they want. For Lucien, it’s a home to call his own. For Zuko, it’s his honor and...actually, he wants a home too! They both want families who accept them for who they are, without having to earn it (which is unfortunately what they end up doing). They both go through a “break up” with these attachments. Zuko decides to help Aang and Lucien makes the decision to leave the Spring Court. These decisions also help the protagonist, and ultimately, they both are characters that provide desperate support in moments where the heroes are losing. 

Elain | Yue 🌙

Now we don’t know a whooole lot about Elain right now, but I’m sticking to this one! Yue is a kind-hearted character, well-beloved by her people, and generally known for being selfless and more connected to beauty and the natural world. Elain is much like this, as attached to her “element” (flowers) as Yue is to her. They’re both in high demand by the men in their lives, but their priority is their family. Yue makes a drastic choice to save her people, just as Elain has the killing blow in the battle against Hybern. Overall, they’re just nice ladies that people underestimated, but really have a lot of power. Also they’re beautiful.

Nesta | Mai 🗡

Listen, Nesta and Mai are our girls that are generally not liked by the audience for being disagreeable, dark in aesthetic, and pessimistic. Both they are both incredibly loyal and protective over the people that are important to them. When someone they do care about is threatened, they unleash a power that is well-trained and sharp. Do not find yourself on the other end of their blades. As their stories are revealed, we discover that Nesta and Mai have been ignored by people they desperately wanted attention from (Nesta, her father and Mai, Azula). But ultimately, their hearts are so much softer than others expect and they are full of so much love.

Mor | Ty Lee 🌸

Mor and Ty Lee are the definitions of feminine badasses. The connection here probably isn’t as...close as the others, but I really like it. Mor and Ty Lee have both experienced gut-wrenching discrimination for being women, yet still possess an immense amount of skill and control that allows them to take down their enemies. Ty Lee seeks approval a bit more than Mor does, but they both support their friends and will follow them to the ends of the earth, even if it put them in uncomfortable situations (ie: Mor in the Hewn City). I also get strong queer vibes from Ty Lee, so I’m going to speculate that they’re both femme WLW. 🏳️‍🌈

Emerie & Gwyn | Suki 🤺

I didn’t want to put Emerie and Gwyn together because they are both women in their own right, but I couldn’t think of anyone else who would serve them the resepct they deserve. Suki is disciplined, a hard worker, and one of the most bad ass warriors in the whole show. She has endured the trauma of her home being attacked and burned and being captured against her will, which is something she shares in common with Gwyn. But she also has faced discrimination for being a woman in a “man’s” field, which is something that led to Emerie’s wing clipping. But all three receive training that teaches them that women are strong and that if they remain balanced and steadfast, they can conquer any enemy.

Helion | Iroh 🍵

Hang with me! This is more speculation, but I expect that Helion could be an incredibly good male role model in Lucien’s life. Provide him a new perspective and represent the “new home” once he cuts ties with the past that wronged him, just as Iroh did for Zuko. Helion and Iroh are stronger and more cunning than people expect because they have characteristics that distract people from their true power (ie: Helion is perceived as “sex obsessed” and Iroh is “fat and lazy”). Helion and Iroh also form love for a long time. They have endured the loss of someone they loved (Iroh’s son and Helion’s presumed mate), but that experience has impacted who they are during the story. 

The Lady of Autumn | Ursa 🌹

This is another one that speaks for itself. LoA and Ursa are moms who absolutely love their sons. They have faced domestic abuse and sacrificed much of who they are for the sake of their children. Yet this situation brings challenges for them that cause them to favor their son over their other children, which unintentionally causes suffering for the favored child (ie: Azula makes Zuko miserable in any way she can, Lucien is hated by his brothers). They both are queens of lands that are cut throat, fiery, and rooted in traditional ways. But they do find ways to break free (or at least, I really hope so for LoA) and reclaim their agency and self-worth. 

Koschei/King of Hybern/Beron | Fire Lord Ozai 🔥

These are just all the dudes who are obsessed with gaining a lot of power. Beron has a special connection because he literally rules a kingdom of Fire. Yet Hybern and Koschei are interested in seizing power over the world and do not care if they have to kill, hurt, steal, and cheat to do it. But all these bastards will/have gotten their asses handed to them by their “good” counterpart. So, rest in pieces, assholes. (Though someone in the chat did say that Beron and Ozai are both sexy older guys, so there’s a fun little connection).

Tamlin | Jet ⚔

Self-centered bastards with his good intentions in all the wrong places. They start out good guys—they experience a massive tragedy in their youth that traumatizes them and radicalizes them in all the wrong ways. Because of this, they engage in manipulation tactics to get those around them to not only remain loyal to them, but also participate in their twisted mission. Tamlin lords his friendship with Lucien over his emissary’s head, making it very difficult for Lucien to hold Tamlin accountable and subsequently leave. Likewise, Jet’s Freedom Fighters end up realizing just how far gone their leader is when he wants to sacrifice innocent lives. They both have also manipulated women, which, gross. And unfortunately for Tamlin and Jet, their quest for revenge and (their twisted) justice ends up in them losing their strength, their power, their leadership, and their sanity.  

Amarantha | Azula 🔥

Lads, these women are absolute psychopaths. They torture, they pretend they’re capable of actual empathy (spoiler alert: THEY’RE NOT), and their lust for power is what ultimately brings their demise. They both answer to a man with greater power than them who (quite honestly) abandons them when they no longer have “use.” The only difference is, you’re ecstatic when Amarantha dies, but Azula’s fall is really tragic in a lot of ways. 

Nyx | Momo ⭐

HAHAHA, just kidding. Any of Aang and Katara’s kids could be Nyx, depending on his personality when he grows up. 

The Suriel | Bumi 💪

These two are funky lil guys who offer the protagonists a new perspective that they desperately need. They pop up more than once to assist as the character progresses on their journey. And the Suriel, like Bumi, end up being more friendly and likable than you expect when you first look at them. The only difference is, you capture the Suriel with food and not an iron cage.

Appa | Bryaxis 🐃

You can blame Lacie for this one. Let’s hope the acotar team never hops on Bryaxis’ back and says “Yip Yip!” 

[lavienjin]

get to know me 💌

tagged by so many lovely pals thank you for thinking of me!!! @kithtaehyung @sunflwrxclouds @xjoonchildx @lovelytaes-blog

tagging: @writtenwhalien @pjmsdior @hobipaint @sunshinekims @yeoldontknow @sugaurora @sugasbabiie @jikookiekosmos @trustingofwinds and anyone else that would like to play along pls!

when is your birthday?

july 14th!

what is your favorite color?

grey and yellow!

what's your lucky number?

my family has a specific lucky number and it's 899!

do you have any pets?

nope and probs never will. i am not a successful adult! i don't eat vegetables and or take care of myself (name the quote and i will hold ur hand)

how tall are you?

170 cm!

how many pairs of shoes do you own?

a total of 6! two sneakers, a pair of sandals, two going out, and one office pair

favorite song?

i'll follow you into the dark (death cab by cutie)! if we're talking bts it has to be spring day!

favorite movie?

i don't like watching movies :C secret life of arietty & the cat returns is up there tho (studio ghibli!)

what would be your ideal partner?

i'm stealing ryen's answer: "kim seokjin".

do you want children?

nope im good :)

have you gotten in trouble with the law?

yes!

what color socks are you wearing?

i don't wear socks unless i'm going out

bath or shower?

shower. i don't like baths :C

favorite type of music?

indie! but i listen to a lot of classical music/piano renditions of bts/pop songs when i write

how many pillows do you sleep with?

1 + RJ

which position do you sleep in?

on me side, curled up like a cooked shrimp

what don't you like when you're sleeping?

heat T_T i don't like it when it's too hot!

what do you have for breakfast?

eggs and avocado toast! this was my breakfast almost every day. when i'm feeling fancy, i sprinkle everything bagel seasoning and oof delicious <3

have you ever tried archery?

YES! i enjoyed it a lot!!!

favorite fruit?

peaches! *cue jk singing* i got my peaches out in georgia

favorite swear word?

fuck me, cunt.

do you have any scars?

yep C: they're battle scars to remind me that i'm alive!

are you a good liar?

i'm good at acting. but i don't think i lie very well!

what's your personality type?

INFP-A :3

what's your favorite type of girl?

mean women that can kill me with one look

left or right handed?

both!

favorite food?

kbbq. marinated beef + rice + lettuce wrap + other vegetables? akfjsldjf my dream

are you clean or messy?

organized messy. i know where things are - they're just not super neat

favorite foreign food?

martabak (i mean it's foreign for most people) but probably sushi!

how long does it take for you to get ready?

give me half an hour and im' ready for met gala

most used phrase?

i had to ask a pal for help. here are my moonie-isms™:

one (1) ___ | e.g. you had one (1) job

oh, that fucks

the most beautiful thing about advice is you take it with a grain of salt

[strangely aggressive but positive message here]

emojis: >:C O:< C: :3

are you a good singer?

i don't think so! but i'm good at harmonizing :3

do you sing to yourself?

yus!

biggest fear?

spiders. it's the fact that my happiness could be ripped away at any moment because time is fleeting and just because i'm happy now doesn't mean i'm happy in the future and i'm afraid of that lmfao

do you like long or short hair?

for meself? short.

are you into gossips?

no :C but i will listen to you if you need to vent!

extrovert or introvert?

introvert to a damned fault

favorite school subject?

english!

what makes you nervous?

pretty people + crowds

who was your first real crush?

robin from teen titans + prince zuko with long hair lkdjflkjsdl

how many piercings do you have?

just me earholes

how fast can you run?

*taehyung voice* not...

what makes you angry?

inconsiderate people! >:C

do you like your own name?

yas!! my name is jade moon. you can say that i rock.

what are your weaknesses?

i always want to know what i can improve on instead of perfecting what i'm already good at! also i am a big hermit.

what are your strengths?

i think im pretty charismatic and can talk to virtually anyone! plus i'd like to think i'm a v good active listener!

what is the color of your bedspread?

it's gay today :) aka rainbows

color of your room?

beige :C

thanks for reading this far!! i hope you had a grand time reading about little ole me!

[visit-ba-sing-se]

My dreams are broken (but my promises I keep)

“I see so much pain, cruelty and grief. I see so many lives tossed way. And there is nothing I can do about it. Nothing but watch. And shine my light on them, hoping that they feel I am there.” My humble contribution to the last day of @yuekiweek, a fic for the prompt moon in which Yue and Suki talk a lot and feel less lonely afterwards.

Even the sky was empty tonight. Suki was sitting on the hard floor of her cell, looking up to the small window.  She had been trying to meditate, but the only thing she had archived so far was feeling even worse than before.  “You know, I like it better when I can see you,“ she said into the heavy silence, still staring upward. “It makes me feel a bit less alone. And I am very, very lonely right now.“ 

Suki shook her head. Probably this was it. She was finally going insane. Talking to the moon. Or, more likely, herself. She did not even know which option was worse. She had been trying so hard for so long to keep herself together. She had forced herself to train every day since she knew that it would help her focus, but it had gotten harder and harder to tell what exactly she was training for. In the beginning, of course she had though about breaking out a lot. Made plan after plan, went through possibility after possibility in her head. Only to then damn each of them inoperable. It was not that she minded a risk, but the longer her imprisonment here lasted, the clearer it had become to her that the only way out would be a way into death. And she was not ready to die. Not yet. And then there was this small part of her that still hoped her friends would somehow come and help her break out from here. It was unrealistic, but she had to hold onto it. Even though that got harder with every passing day. Not because she was doubting them, but they did not even know she was here. Also, they probably had way bigger problems themselves. If they were even still alive. Suki had heard that Ba Sing Se had fallen to the fire nation. All the guards had been drunk that day from celebrating. Even the warden had displayed something that could have been called “a good mood.“ And there had been even worse rumors. Normally, Suki was quite good at shutting them out of her conscious. But now, in this strange moonless night, they started creeping back in with a force that they had never had before. “You know, it gets lonely at the sky as well sometimes.“  Suki jumped up instantly, moving into a fighting stance without any conscious thought. She did not even know who she had been expecting to see in front her, but all expectations would have been proven wrong anyway. In front of her stood the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. Only that she was not standing there but…hovering slightly above the floorAnd she seemed to be glowing. Suki had never seen a spirit before, but she was convinced that either she was doing so now, or had started having visions. Could it be…“Yue?“

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you Suki.“ The girl, if you could even call her a girl given the fact that she was a spirit, smiled. “I had wondered if you would recognize me.“ ”Oh, Sokka told me about you. I mean, he told me about a princess from the north who he was supposed to protect. But who gave up her life as human to save her people. And became the moon spirit.“ Suki knew that she was talking too fast, and that she definitely was not saying the right things. Not only was this very unusual for her, she also had no idea how to stop. “And the sky was empty tonight. So I figured that if I have a visitor who is very obviously a spirit due to floating and and shining in a white light, it should be you,“ she therefore continued, and then quickly added: “And I am very happy to meet you too. I just wasn’t aware you could-….“ “Leave the sky?“ Luckily,  Yue was still smiling. In order to avoid saying anything that could change that, Suki simply nodded. “I did not know either, but it seems that during new moon, I can.“ She shrugged. “I am still learning a lot about my role, but also my abilities. It is not like anyone or anything prepares you for this.“ Her face changed as she continued, now with a certain sadness in her eyes and voice. “But I guess that is true for the most of us. No one prepared Aang to be the Avatar and fight the firelord either, but he is doing it as well.”  Despite her serious words, Suki felt something warm growing in her chest. She told herself to not give into it to quickly, but just could not help it. “He is? So he Is alive?“, she blurted out, both afraid of and desperately needing the answer „I heard that Ba Sing Se was taken. And the rumor that Aang…“ Suki could not get herself to finish the sentence. She could not say that, not even in theory. But Yue did not need to hear the words to know what she meant anyway. “You are right that Ba Sag Se fell, but Aang is alive, and so is the rest.“ A small hint of her pretty smile returned. “And Appa is with them again, not least thanks to you.“ “Good. That is very….very good.“ Suki knew that good was a way to weak word to describe what she felt. It was as if a bit of the weight on her lungs had finally been lifted, so much that she could breath again. Of course it was not gone. The war was still there. She and her girls were still in prison. But now, there also was hope again. And the knowledge that it had not been all for nothing. “You know that because you are watching them from above, right?, she asked, with small part of her mind still skeptical. What if Yue was just saying this to make her feel better? “Yes. I can see everything my light reaches.“  “Wow. For someone who spends her day seeing walls and has to trust whatever gossip the guards exchange for news, that sound like a dream. “Yue took a while to respond, long enough to make Suki regret her words. “Yes, it is. In some way.“ She finally said. “In another, it is a curse.“ “A curse?“ “Yes.“ There was such pain in Yue`s eyes as she spoke that Suki wished she could cross the distance between them and embrace her. But she just stood there and listened as Yue continued: “It is not like there are only nice things to see right now. I do not think I have to tell you what the fire nation brought upon this world, you have seen plenty examples yourself.“ Of course Suki knew what she was talking about. A picture of her own home came to her mind. How it had looked after prince Zuko of the fire nation had paid it a visit. “I see villages burning in the night. I see lines of smoke I see mothers crying over their children and children begging their parents to wake up, not yet understanding that they won’t ever do that again. I see so much pain, cruelty and grief. I see so many lives tossed way. And there is nothing I can do about it. Nothing but watch. And shine my light on them, hoping that they feel I am there with them.“ Something else lit up in Yue`s eyes. Determination. Suki could not help but admire her. “Because that is what I owe them, and that is what I do. I see. I remember. I make sure no one dies alone, and no one is forgotten.“ And no one would forgotten. Suki had wondered about when the whole world would have forgotten about her here in this prison more than she ever would want to admit, but now she knew the answer. And she had gotten it without even asking. “Of course, I then also just see ordinary people sing ordinary things and all their tiny joys. And most of the time, I am happy for them. But sometimes…sometimes I just wish I was one of the again.“ Yue looked down onto her hands. It seemed like she wanted to say something else, but wasn’t sure if she should. Suki decide to take a shot in the dark and asked:  “What do you miss the most? About being human I mean?“ Yue looked up at her again, and from her face and the speed of her reply Suki could tell that she had asked the right question. “Well. My family of course. And my best friend. And eating my mother seaweed soup.“ She chuckled, a sound that reminded Suki of the flowing rivers in spring at home. “And many more of those tiny things that you just take for granted as long as your have them.“ Yue looked down at her hands again. “And then, I also miss the things I never had in first place. The things that I could have done, but didn’t.“ She sighed. “I kind of regret that I always did what I was supposed to do. I know it sounds strange, but I tried so hard to be a good princess for my tribe. I studied, I followed protocol, I even was going to marry a man I did not love. Of course, I did those things because I wanted to do them. I love my tribe. But I just never saw the other side of it all. That was least until Aang, Katara and Sokka arrived” . For a moment, Yue seemed to be lost in her memories, and Suki waited patiently for her to continue. “Katara had so much strength and righteous anger, and she  just challenged everyone and everything with no hesitation. She impressed me by a lot. And Sokka was just…Sokka. He funny and smart and just..cared about me. As person. Not as a princess. I enjoyed spending time with him a lot, and it left some impact on me. Even though he seemed to be completely blind for social conventions or protocol. Or rather especially because go that.“ She chuckled again, and  Suki now was convinced that hers had to be one of the most beautiful chuckles in the world. “ Do you know how he asked me on a date?“ “No, how?“ “He asked  if“ Yue paused, obviously fighting the urge to laugh, “if I would want to do an activity together“ Suki could not help but laugh. That really was a classic Sokka. Yue joined her in, and for a moment, things felt alright. For a very small moment, of course. Until Yue continued, again in a more serious voice: §And then, just when I was starting to experience this side of life, I was ripped away from it all. I am sorry, I am sounding completely self absorbed now.“ “No, I absolutely know what you mean.“ Suki protested, and it was the truth. “I was training to be a Kyoshi warrior since I was 8, and I have been their leader now for quite some times. Of course I take pride in that, and I love teaching the other girls and all of us supporting each other. And I believe that our cause, to protect our home and everyone else who cannot protect themselves from violence and injustice is the most important one there is.“ She took a deep breath. What she was about to say was something she had never told anyone before. No one at home. None of her new friends. Not even Sokka. But she felt that now was the moment to do so. “Still, I have always had a secret list of things that I told myself I would once the war was over. Other girls from my town went out to dance while I worked on perfecting a move. I handed out food in a refugee camps instead of spending my afternoon in a teashop with friends. And I told myself that, once the work was done, once I had did my duty, once the war was over, I would do all those things as well. And now I am trapped here in this prison, not knowing if I will ever see anything else but brickwalls again.“ Suki looked Yue in the eyes and saw that she understood. And it felt so good to tell someone who did. “Not that I regret any of my choices. I just wish I would not have had to make them. I do not mind being a warrior. I just wish I had had a bit more time to be a girl, too.“ 

“Don’t talk like that.“ Yue had taken a step toward her, raising her right hand and looking determined.  “You will have that time to do that. You will get out of here,“ she said in a voice that did not allow any protest. “Say it,“ she then demanded as Suki remained quiet.

“What?“ “Say: I will make it out of here.“ Suki wondered if Yue was joking, but everything about her attitude spoke against that. She decided to do her the favor, even if she knew that the opposite was way more likely. “I will make it out of here.“ The words tasted strange in her mouth. But, in a way she did not understand, saying them made them more real. And not just saying them, but saying them to someone. Someone who would care if she would stick to them or not. “I will make it out of here,“ she said again, this time with a firmer voice. Somehow, that felt good.Yue nodded and smiled a smile that alone would be enough to light up the sky not only during night, but also day. “And then you would have to visit the north! You have to see our spirit festival.“ Even though Suki would have believed it to be impossible, her smile got even brighter. ”And our food is good, too! You can ask Sokka about that.“ “You know, I will visit the north. But only if you meet me there.“ Suki grinned, around of her now idea. “Aang told me about the spirt Oasis.“ Yue looked first surprised, than happy. “That sounds like plan.“ “So we have a deal?“ “We have a deal.“ One more small moment that Suki just wished she could capture. And that ended way to fast. “But now, I am afraid that I cannot stay much longer. And you need sleep.“ “Can’t you stay a bit longer? Just a little?“ Suki knew that Yue couldn’t. But sometimes the things you knew and the things you wanted to realize were very far away from each other. Yue shook her head, and Suki could see in her eyes that she wanted to leave as little as she wanted to let her go. Suki told herself to cut it. She was only making things harder fro the both of them. “You are probably right. I just do not want to be so alone“ “I understand that. I do. But Suki, I am with you, always. Even you can’t see me. Please remember that.“ “Yue reached out, and Suki could nearly feel the hand on her shoulder. She wanted to close her own hand around it, knowing very well that that would be impossible. And even if it was, she did not even know if Yue would like that. Instead she just sat there, wishing that this moment would last, while the same time knowing that it would not. “Will you still come back?“, she finally asked, more afraid of the answer than she wanted to admit. “I will. The next time I can leave the sky.“ “Promise?“ “I promise. Now sleep well.“ Suki nearly would have said „you too“, but caught herself quick enough. She wanted to think of something else to say. Something meaningful. But then, in the blink of an eye, her cell was already empty again.

Only that it was not the same, hostile emptiness from before. It was still filled with Yue`s  presence, her words were still hanging in the air. “I am with you, always“, she had said. And Suki believed her. btw it is on ao3, too! (maybe küddos? böökmarks?)

[panda-noosh]

Hello! I saw that you might be taking requests, and I really hope that’s true because I don’t want to seem annoying or as a pest. You’re writing for ATLA is my favorite, so I was wondering if you could do a zuko x reader where he joins the gaang, but the reader still really hates him for what he’s done. Something happens, and unknowingly the two start falling for each other. Hope I’m not being annoying, and I hope you and your family are doing well!

  It’s quite difficult being forced to work with someone you can’t stand.

   It’s for the good of the world. You know this. You’re reminded of it constantly, Katara in one ear, Aang in the other. They try convincing you that Zuko isn’t that bad, that he’s changed and he’s a new man, and all of that might be true - you know it to be true, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s the most annoying person on the planet.

   You don’t hate him because he’s a bad person. You hate him because he’s him.

   He teases you to no ends, jabbing you in the side, taking your seat around the campfire just because he knows it’s yours. He makes noises outside your tent just so he can later laugh when you spring into the night wielding a weapon, only to find him kneeling nearby, bent double.

    He makes your blood boil.

   He’s also really attractive.

   Katara’s told you on multiple occasions that the only reason you feel such distaste for the prince is because you have feelings for him. She says the signs are there. You’ve never really humoured her, considering it’s the truth, and it’s messed up that it’s the truth. It was his nation that ruined your own, his people that ripped the world to shreds, and the entire time he was in support of it all. He stood behind his monster of a father and he nodded along, pretending everything was going to be alright as long as the Fire Nation reigned supreme.

   Just because he’s turned a new leaf doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t erase the damage that’s already been done. 

    You watch him now, because that’s all you can do when the others are out scavenging. You swear they do it on purpose, leave all together just so you and Zuko will be alone, forced to acknowledge each other’s presence. He’s stood in the river, trousers rolled up, hands submerged in the water as he tries his hardest to catch a fish. Steam rises off the surface, Zuko cursing when he pulls his hands out and cools them down.

    You lean back on your elbows. “Struggling?”

   “Yes.”

    “That sucks. I thought princes were meant to be good at everything.”

   Zuko scowls at you before dunking his hands back in the water. “You know, you could help me out here a little bit; you need to eat, too.”

    “I’ve already got my dinner sorted,” you reply, gesturing to the deer you and Sokka were able to hunt down a few hours prior, agreeing to split the meat for dinner tonight. 

    Zuko stares at the lump of meat for a second, and you can nearly see his mouth watering. He bites his lip, ducks his eyes back down to the water and continues his search for a meal of his own.

    “Can you not control your powers?” you ask, ripping grass from the floor, sprinkling it over your shoe.

    Zuko shrugs. “I can’t really feel my hands too well when they’re in the water.”

   “Why not?”

   “It’s too cold, makes my fingers numb so I can’t even tell when they’re coming to the surface.”

   You frown, clambering to your feet. Honestly, you should just let him suffer. He’s just going to tease you, and you can’t be bothered with that right now, but you also can’t just let him starve to death. And so, you clamber down the hill, roll the hem of your trousers up past your ankles before wading into the water.

    “What are you doing?” he asks. “The water’s too warm-”

   “Do you want to eat tonight or not?” You nudge his shoulder, very nearly toppling him over. He manages to catch himself only seconds before falling. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

    Zuko growls low under his breath, but you ignore him as you dunk your hands beneath the steady flowing waves and feel around. Zuko stands beside you, arms folded over his chest, eyes heavily lidded, because he’s doubting you. Of course he is. For his entire time with the group, he’s done nothing but doubt you. 

    But now he’s going to see just how wrong he was to do that. You know what you’re doing, have been doing it for much longer than him. You never had servants running to fulfil your every wish and desire. Not like he did.

    It takes only a few minutes for you to make a catch. The scales are rough against your fingers, but you recognise the feeling immediately. You curl your fingers around it, pulling with all your might-

    And that’s when you slip.

    It happens so fast. One minute you are breathing like a normal person, and the next you’re submerged, water filling your open mouth, stinging your eyes, and you try to scream because that’s all you can think to do when you’re in danger-

    Hands wrap around your waist and pull you back to the surface

    You gasp, flailing hair out of your face, swiping it back with trembling hands. Zuko stands over you, his own eyes wide, his mouth dropped open as he struggles to find anything to say that can comfort you as you wriggle in his arms, panic coursing through you.

    “I’ve got you,” he finally manages, pulling you closer. “What the hell happened there?”

    “I slipped. I just slipped.” You try pulling away from him, but he keeps a tight hold on your body, and suddenly the fact that you nearly just drowned doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. His arms are around you, fingers burning into your waist, and it’s all you can focus on, and you hate it. You hate that he can have such power over you, that he can conjure such feelings from you when all you’ve ever done is give off the illusion that you will and can never forgive him.

    But this is what Katara meant all along. There’s something there, something that’s been there from the day Zuko broke through that tree line and apologised for his wrongs. It scared the shit out of you, but now it’s rising again, and you’re too shocked to push it away.

    His thumbs come up, gently brushing the water droplets from your cheeks. You close your eyes, swallowing deeply.

   “I lost your fish,” you mumble. 

   Zuko shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

   “You - You can have a bit of the deer if you want.”

   “Are you being nice to me, Y/N?”

   You groan. “You just saved my life. I have to do something.”

   Zuko tilts his head to the side, a tiny smile playing on his face. That breaks you. You’re going to kiss him if you don’t get away now.

   You finally push away from him, for real this time, and start wading for the shore again. Zuko calls your name, almost a desperate plea, but you don’t turn back. Yes, he’s just saved your life, but how embarrassing will it be for you to run into his arms after spending months pretending you hate him?

    “Y/N! For gods sake, wait!”

    He grabs your wrist, whirling you around to face him.

   “What? Let go!”

   “Why are you storming off?” he demands, sounding almost angry. His brows are furrowed, lips pulled into a thin line. His grip is slack on your wrist, but it’s there nonetheless, fingers once again burning into your flesh.

    “Because I have - I have things to do,” you reply, refusing to meet his eyes. “The whole world doesn’t revolve around you, Zuko. Not any more.”

    “Why do you always have to give me some snarky response?” he asks. “What did I do to piss you off so much?”

    You scoff. “What did you do? Zuko, it was only a few months ago you were in full support of your father ripping the world to pieces!”

   “I didn’t support him! I explained everything to you! I apologised-”

   “Oh, an apology! Aren’t you a little Angel?”

   He scowls, dropping your hand. “What more do you want?”

   So much more. So much more. So much more.

    “I want you to leave me alone.”

    And then suddenly it’s silent, and neither of you are moving, which reveals the lie almost immediately. He’s no longer holding you. He’s no longer talking. The conversation is over. You have every opportunity to just. . . leave, to run in the opposite direction and do exactly as you always said you craved - to never see Prince Zuko again.

    But you don’t budge.

   “So go,” he says, voice soft. “I’m not stopping you any more. If you really want to leave, then leave.”

    You take a step back. Just one, testing the waters. It feels weird. He’s still standing there, and how can you possibly leave without kissing him first?

    He steps forward, gently grabbing your wrist, drawing your hand to his chest where you let it linger beneath his collarbone. 

    “Leave, Y/N. Nobody’s stopping you.”

   You kiss him.

    You kiss him because you need to. You kiss him because he’s him, because he’s Prince Zuko, the tainted little prince who was once locked under the spell of his father, just like every other little boy in the world. He’s Prince Zuko, the one who was able to break free, the one who suddenly grew a mind of his own and saw the light in the end of it all.

    He pulls you closer. Your hips crash against his, your hands trailing through his dark locks, pulling him closer, closer, closer until you just seem desperate, and he’s laughing against your mouth because he knows. 

    “How long have you been holding back on me?” he asks against your lips.

   You roll your eyes and jump. He grunts, catching you just as you wind your legs around his waist and the two of you stumble back into the water, Zuko hissing when the cold water laps at his ankles. 

    You pull away shortly after, dropping your forehead to his. You can’t even open your eyes, trembling in your excitement, your confusion, your nervousness all rolled into one.

    “I knew it!”

    Aang’s voice comes out of nowhere. Your head whips round just in time to see him leap in the air, throwing his fist up in victory.

    “Our plan worked guys! They kissed!” 

[writers-thoughts09]

True Mind, True Heart

Act 1 Chapter 2 (Part 1)

Title: True Mind, True Heart: Act 1 Chapter 2 (Part 1) About 5.7k words Pairing: Zuko x OC (or reader idk, mind you this is like a mega slow burn fanfic so i hope you’re okay with thaaaaat). I don’t own Avatar or the character’s except my OC. Rating: PG, maybe some 13 later on Warning: Mean Zuko, uuuuuh i think that’s it. A/N: I’m so sorry for the majorly late update! I’m doing my best I have a lot planned for this story and I plan to finish this, I hope you guys will follow Lila’s journey with me! :) <3.  I apologize if the fight scenes are choppy and unclear, I’ve never written or broke down a fight scene in writing before. I might go back and fix this later. Tomorrow I’ll post part 2. Anyway without further adieu enjoy the read :)

|Prologue| 1 | 2 part 1 | 2 part 2

*

Act 1: Salvation

The sunset was quite a breathtaking sight to see if someone were to take the time to stop and stare. With the sun warm and low on the horizon, lovely rays of orange light sprawled softly across the sky, creating pink orange and yellow hues. A gradient of shades, begging to be admired. The white clouds that slowly rolled by basked in the mix of colors as they too took some of the sun’s golden tinge. Of course, no one was around to witness this natural piece of art since everyone was busy going about their business, especially on Prince Zuko’s ship.

For hours Lila sat silently in her dingy quarters, no hitch detected in her breathing. Quiet and still like a swamp with dark murky water. Untouched and motionless. Ever since Prince Zuko’s morning lessons, no one’s asked for Lila’s assistance with anything, so, for the remainder of the day, she’s been in her room.

If anyone, say Iroh, were to see her meditating, they would’ve thought she looked exactly like prince Zuko during his meditation sessions. Mimicking what she remembered the night she brought him his dinner Lila sat with her back straight, eyes closed, accompanied by nothing except deep breathing. Even though she imitated the prince’s form and tried to follow Iroh’s teachings from this morning’s lesson, it was like there was a block between her and her element. Like her fingertips would come so close to grazing that certain feeling but were still out of reach from fully grasping it. No matter how hard she’d concentrate to connect with that energy lying dormant inside her, nothing worked.

But finally, after sitting on the uncomfortable floor for who knows how long, Lila began to feel an inkling of that same euphoric peace build within her body again. It was similar to what she felt earlier above deck but slightly different. It was softer, less…magnetic as it ebbed the presence of her emotions away. Specifically, impatience and frustration when lieutenant Jee came knocking and interrupted her a while ago.

With meticulous breaths, Lila drew a smooth inhale in through her nose, filling her lungs, traveling down, expanding her belly, and gently expelled the air from her mouth, the water in her cup rippling in sync. Her heart maintained tempo with her breathing, which was strong and consistent as each beat pulsed through her being.

Though her body was at ease, patience evaded Lila’s mind, blinding her progress as she huffed in irritation. Eyes still closed she shifted her bottom for the umpteenth time. Soft like a feather but sharp like a beak, she drew another breath in, doing her best to maintain what little connection she felt with her element while keeping her frustrations at bay. Just when she was about to exhale, that breath turned into a yelp when a loud boom exploded from beyond the ship.

Like the snap of a rubber band, Lila’s concentration was broken yet again as her eyes flew open. With a start, the sudden noise made Lila jump and pull a small amount of water, which she didn’t notice as she stood up in alarm. Confusion and fear clouded her as she listened for what could’ve possibly made a noise that loud. It sounded like a flare, but Lila wasn’t so sure. “Is it an ambush?...No it couldn’t be; we haven’t had any problems or run-ins with anyone for a long while.”

Lila’s thoughts were going in circles as she rushed to her drawer to grab a fresh piece of cloth she cut up weeks before, tied it over her marred eye before reluctantly opening the door. Silently, a tawny-colored iris peeped down the metal hallways, no benders or guards in sight. However, even if they weren’t down below they might’ve already been above deck when whatever it was went off.

Noiselessly and carefully, with nimble steps like an alley cat, Lila crept through the corridors and up the familiar set of stairs. Mangled fingernails trailed along the metal wall to aid her lack of sight. Once Lila climbed up to the main deck and felt fresh air ruffle the fallen curls from her bun, Lila’s suspicions were confirmed. A bright naval flare signal was falling far out in the snowy distance. She watched, her good eye following its downward path, musing to herself, “Where did it come from though?”

Noticing the absence of prince Zuko, Uncle Iroh, and their men who were usually out and about above deck around this time, Lila glanced around the empty ship then turned to the command tower. Squinting her good eye Lila’s gaze raked up the length of it and stopped at the observation deck’s balcony. As clear as the golden sky she caught sight of the Prince. Half of his scarred face obscured as he peered through the telescope attached to the railing in front of him. Although she couldn’t see gauge what he was feeling, she was certain he figured out what or who signaled that flare and was already directing his next course of action.

When suddenly that same foreboding sensation from before when they first saw the beam of light, roiled around her chest and stomach, leaving Lila uneasy. Why? Well, she didn’t know what to expect. Was it the avatar? A false alarm? She didn’t know and not knowing left a nasty taste in her mouth.

After Prince Zuko finished barking orders at his men, solar colored eyes caught a glimpse of the curly-haired servant below seconds before he continued looking through the telescope. The girl stood by herself with half her face covered, the setting sun illuminating her tanned skin, and looked up at him with -what he could detect- nervousness. Prince Zuko didn’t know as to why nor did he care. The entirety of his focus on capturing the Avatar.

A brown eye fluttered as Lila snapped from her thoughts. Hurriedly she turned and hastened down below to the kitchen. She knew now was not the time to get distracted from her work. Earlier the chef told her he was ill and asked Lila to fill in for him tonight. She agreed though something told her he was lying. Through the maze of corridors and staircases, a passing conversation of a few men could be heard as they rushed by.

One man bumped her shoulder as he hissed, “hurry, we have to dress the Prince, the Avatar’s hiding place has been found. We’re going to the southern water tribe.”

Lila’s eye widened as her breath hitched at the mention of her mother’s sister tribe. If the Avatar is truly alive and has been hiding there for the past hundred years…worry gripped her heart over the safety of the tribes' native people. Although prince Zuko hasn’t engaged in many battles with other ships or neighboring nations, the Fire Lord’s son was a wildly stubborn and determined boy who’d stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Lila didn’t doubt he’d probably leave a trail of chaos in his wake with no regard for the consequences or how it’d affect the lives of others.

Once she entered the empty kitchen Lila rolled her sleeves up and got to preparing dinner, the red dye of her uniform reminding her of the clothes she wore as a child in the palace. As she cooked, she blinked back thoughts she knew all too well. Red uniform

Screams of fear echoing in the palace gardens

A girl in royal garbs

“You’re useless.” ... “Holy-ow!”

A sudden stinging pain roughly pulled Lila from the haze of old memories. In her stupor, Lila didn’t notice how close the knife was while cutting the spring unions and managed to slice her pointer finger. Quickly, the girl staggered away from the kitchen counter, removing the steaming pots and pans with her uninjured hand, and flitted about the kitchen looking for anything to stop the bleeding. She checked all the drawers, cabinets, and pantries as bright red blood continued to ooze over her finger and onto her hand. The throbbing and stinging continued to intensify making Lila bite her lip in pain as she tucked her finger beneath her thumb. Unable to find any clean rags or towels-

“My eye cloth…”

A tug on her heart stopped her search momentarily.

To her, that cloth was like a barricade of some sort to Lila. Sheltering the small girl from being reminded of it…the day she lost-

In summary, her eye patch was the only thing that blocked out the reality of what happened that day. Regardless of how vulnerable she felt without the cloth now was not the time or the place to start feeling insecure or hesitant, she knew that. There was work to be done; rice and meat filleting.

With the cleaning basins for the dishes nearby Lila went toward it to clean her finger and avoid food contamination. It should’ve been cleaned and refilled now that it was close to dinner time. Ready to dunk her hand in the water and wash her bloodied wound she stopped abruptly. The whole bucket was still dirty from lunchtime. Bits and pieces of rice, chicken, and other scraps floated about in the water. With a rough sigh and a curl of a plump lip, Lila closed her eye for a moment.

“I can’t catch a break,” she groaned lowly. Never again was she going to fill in for the chef.

Still, she was a servant…what could she do? Nothing. Before she could change her mind, Lila briskly grabbed the knot of the cloth from behind her head and pulled it free, a few strands of curls ripping from her bun. The milky white of her blinded eye on full display, free of any covering but chained to inhibition. Gloomy hands of her past groped and reached for Lila, but she slapped their searching palms away as she began wrapping her wound. Gentle but sure fingers tied the end of her cloth into a firm knot and she inspected her handiwork with a wistful smile. The memory of her mother’s soft hands dressing the wounds of a child rolled like a movie, replacing the ones Lila usually remembered.

“Lila, you fell again?”

The playful timbre of her mother's low voice filled their backyard. Lila’s childish eyes bubbling with tears raised from the cut on her knee as her mother calmly squatted in front of her fallen form.

“I didn’t mean to mommy. The tree was in my way,” cried her indignant daughter. Laughter rang from her mother, a white bandage appearing in her dark hands, 

“Of course, but you also have to be careful where you’re stepping too, my love.” Knowing her mother was right but still unhappy with that answer, Lila huffed out a sniffle. Tenderly her mom cupped the back of her daughter’s freshly scraped knee and began lecturing, “Here, let’s teach you how to fix wounds, big girls are good at that-”

“Big girls like you, mommy?” A squeaky voice interrupted.

Nuna glanced up at her daughter’s question. Brown innocent eyes that held such curiosity reflected in Nuna’s blue ones she just had to laugh.

“Yes Lila, big girls like me and you.”

Lowering her newly wrapped finger, Lila’s lips fell back into a straight line. She had no time to get lost in her thoughts. Deciding to try and cover her eye with her hair, her uninjured hand pulled her hair free from the fire nation styled top knot. Onyx curls tumbling down the length of her back in one fell swoop, kissing the top of her hips. The overwhelming urge to moan in relief had goosebumps tickle Lila’s spine as the tension of her tight bun dissipated almost instantaneously. She brought her hands up under her hair and aggressively massaged her scalp, both eyes rolling back in pleasure.

“Ahh, yes…” A soft groan rumbled from the back of her throat.

“Ahem.”

“Oh, my goodness!” She gasped.

Whipping toward the kitchen door, hands tangled in her roots, the men from earlier in the hallway were standing there watching her as if they’d found an earth kingdom stowaway. Though the more she watched them with increasingly flushed cheeks, the more she realized they were staring at the eye. Tanned hands flew from her scalp to shake her curls and obscure their sight, but it was futile, they already saw the clouded pigmentation. Involuntarily closing her eye, the servant girl clasped her hands over her stomach and curled into a bow.

“Um, hello,” Lila stuttered but caught herself, remembering her place. Kind professionalism coating her soft question, “how may I be of service to you?”

The man who she heard speak in the corridor collected himself faster than the rest and cleared his throat before announcing,

“We are close to our arrival of the southern water tribe and Prince Zuko has requested your presence to dress him for the capture of the Avatar.”

Alarm colored Lila’s features when she recalled the last time she was alone with the prince. Streams of tears and memories he unintentionally triggered that night played before her. Swallowing down the building discomfort in her throat, Lila straightened up and schooled her worry lines into a controlled smile. She had to remind herself, “The Prince didn’t know.”

Apparently, for the men, Lila’s forced smile mixed with the ghastly mismatched color of her eyes was too much to handle, unable to hide their distaste. Faster than she could stop it, a pang of offense and hurt yanked at her heart, but she managed to stifle and shove the feelings away as she gave another trained bow. Though a question did come to mind.

“I beg your pardon, but may I ask why he requested me specifically? He has never requested this of me before,” words mousy.

Her question only seemed to cause the man to grow irritated, his eyebrow ticking in impatience as major attitude gripped his words, “The prince claimed to be displeased with our services in preparing him. Now, would you please stop talking and do what prince Zuko has asked of you? He’s waiting.”

“What about the food-”

“Servant girl, what did I just say?” The man angrily snapped.

With a flinch, Lila mumbled, “My apologies,” before bowing one last time.

Throwing an “Unbelievable” over his shoulder, he and his two companions turned to leave the kitchen.

His snarky tone made Lila frown and furrow her brows. Oh, this girl had no idea of the colorful range of words Prince Zuko used to describe him and his men! Comparing them to fire ferrets! Ha, the nerve of that prince! On top of a bruised ego, the man now had to deal with a servant who couldn’t even see right and didn’t know when to be quiet and simply serve! Lila watched them exit the kitchen, soft frown still intact as she cocked her head to the side.

With them gone, Lila moved the last bits of uncooked food away from the fire as she rushed to the prince’s quarters. With one hand on the wall, Lila hotfoot it through the twists and turns of the dim-lit hallways and up the main stairs. The frigid wind stung her cheeks, her servant's uniform doing nothing in keeping her warm as she speed-walked toward the command tower. However, it did help now that her hair was unrestrained, long curls shielding her arms from the nights southern cold. All but running into the tower, warmth immediately licked at her body. The fire emanating heat and light from the wall torches eased the stiffness of her shivering joints. Her relief was short-lived when she remembered that Prince Zuko’s room was still a few floors up. With a pout and a whimper, Lila began jogging the rest of the way toward her master’s room.

Once she reached his metal door, a winded Lila lifted her bandaged hand and softly knocked, a throb of pain shooting down her finger as she waited. Like usual, the gravelly voice of the prince commanded her to come in.

Using both hands, the petite girl turned the large cogwheel and pried the door open. Identical to last time, she peered into his room, took one cautious step in and hesitantly called out,

“You’ve requested my assistance, Prince Zuko?”

Mindful of the eye, Lila discreetly pushed some hair and hid it from view. The reaction of the men before told Lila it’d be better to keep her disability hidden if it was that distracting.

“Yes, come quickly. I want to be ready by the time we reach the southern water tribe.”

Judging from the clam raspy tone of voice, Lila concluded that The Prince wasn’t angry and carefully entered, closing the door behind her.

Near his meditation table, Prince Zuko stood like any fire nation soldier would with the usual scowl on his lips. As Lila inched in front of him she could already see that the straps holding his fire nation armor together were tied in all the wrong places. Being alone and in such close proximity to the brooding prince, Lila felt her nerves begin to quake. No way did she want a repeat of last time, anxiety sprouting from her chest. The tension was palpable in the room. The lack of conversation didn’t help either as she thought of what Prince Zuko and his men might do to the people living in that tribe. Though she’s never been to the northern or southern water tribe, they were still her mother’s people, thus making them part of her kin.

“Will they do what the fire nation did to my village, too? We didn’t even have the Avatar either and they still ravaged my village.”

In an attempt to silence her thoughts, Lila gingerly grabbed the chords holding the chest piece of his armor together and set to work. Her eyes trained solely on his battle wear. Cautious of her injury Lila made sure to keep her finger from touching him. Any bump or jostle hurt. Though her fingers, minus her pointer, were moving, her mind remained on the tribe's native people.

Zuko looked straight ahead as the shaky but lithe digits of the servant – Lila, was it? - untied and retied the straps in the correct places. The reason why he called for her specifically was that he figured she’d know how to do this from her years of servitude at the palace. Before his banishment, before that fateful day. As thoughts of his family started to prod the strongholds of his mind, Prince Zuko didn’t see Lila peek up at him from the side of his shoulder until he heard her low voice fill the thick quiet of his room.

“What’re you going to do to them?”

Like an arrow, sharp and precise, prince Zuko’s stare shot to her own, making Lila’s eyes widened in surprise. She expected him to be looking straight ahead if he were to answer her.

Breaking eye contact with him, Lila looked down and closed her blinded eye desperately hoping he didn’t see it as she went to fix the strings behind him. Erratic. That’s how Lila’s heartbeat felt. But yes, Zuko fully saw the milky hue of her eye. He too had a similar reaction like the three men, but not one of distaste or disgust. Just surprise, but he soon discarded what the feeling once he processed what she asked.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your concern, servant.”

Cold with an edge of warning. That’s all Lila could sense wrapped around his heated words. Especially when he said her name. Now onto the left shoulder greave, Lila peeked at him again. He was looking straight ahead, his face taut with contemplation? Lila couldn’t tell. With a beat of hesitation, she licked her lips. She could already tell he was beginning to lose patience. If she were to say another word, she didn’t doubt he’d snap. Her brain was telling her not to say anything, she was walking on thin ice that was melting fast, but her mouth felt differently.

“May I speak Prince Zuko?”

“No, you may not. Finish fixing this and go. I don’t need to hear what you have to say,” Prince Zuko snapped in restraint.

All while arguing with herself, Lila moved to squat in front of him and began tying the laces of his shin guards. She did not want to witness another fire nation attack on any village again, especially when innocent people are involved. Though she felt if she were to talk out of turn, prince Zuko would surely lose his patience and probably punish her. Besides, what could someone like her do, realistically? No one has ever listened to her. She has no voice, but still. They are my people, too. I have to try.

Opening and closing her mouth Lila fought to push the words out.

“The water tribe did nothing-”

Unnaturally warm hands cut through her sentence and seized her wrists as she was forcefully pulled up from the floor and against Prince Zuko’s armor-clad form. Strands of curls unintentionally tangling in his grasp. Chest to chest, with Zuko holding her wrists and hair between them, he glared down at Lila. Fear radiated off her body in waves. She felt way too exposed without her eye patch and a dull ache throbbed from her finger when her hands bumped against his armor. White and brown eyes flickered between golden ones before looking around the room to avoid his stare, but to no avail. Calloused fingers laced with hair firmly, but not painfully, gripped her jaw turning her face to his, thumb pressing into her cheek.

Patience completely evaporated, Prince Zuko ground out, “I told you not to speak, didn’t I?”

With shuddering breaths and petrified eyes, Lila could only nod faintly. Paralyzed by his overwhelming build the words on her tongue melted, sliding down her throat. Releasing her jaw, Prince Zuko let go of her wrists, strands of hair snagging on his fingers as he dropped his hand. Lila winced from the sudden plucks of her curls. Shaking the hair off he rubbed the bridge of his nose, shut his weary eyes and sighed,

“Finish the last shin guard and leave.”

No reply came from the young girl as she dropped and tied the shin greave. A slight tremor in her hands. Once she was done she stood up with her head hanging low.

“I’ve finished Prince Zuko, do you require anything else before I go?”

“No.”

Long hair cascaded over her shoulders as Lila bowed. Rising back up she somehow managed to calmly exit the prince’s quarters, his eyes narrowing on her retreating form the whole time. With the loud thud of his metal door closing, both Lila and Prince Zuko let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding.

Lila had half a mind to go to uncle Iroh’s room and talk with him about what his nephew was planning to do. Talk with him about how the Prince was nothing like what Iroh describes him as but decided against it since he was most likely napping. It was hard for her to believe there was kindness in the Prince’s heart when all she’s ever seen from him was anger and rage. You could see his brutality and hate in the way he bended, too. Once she exited the command tower the sun was still hanging onto the horizon, waiting for someone to look at what it created, but a thick mist now covered the expanse of the water the ship navigated. When out of the blue, loud crackling emanated below the ship. Lila ran to the front and hunched over the edge of the railing to see what was going on.

Squinting through the mist, she saw the ship’s hull was no longer sailing on water but breaking and cracking through solid ice. Snapping her head up Lila saw the ground splitting toward the water tribe’s village! One large jagged fault traveling right through the middle of it. Prince Zuko’s ship rammed through the iced floor like it were a piece of paper. Lila couldn’t help but panic internally, they were coming extremely close to the water tribe!

“If this ship doesn’t stop we’re going to run right through!” she gasped in horror.

From what she could see in the vapory haze, the southern water tribe was quaint. A wall made of snow circled the tribe, acting as a barricade. Small igloos littered within. From behind, the sound of the Prince and his men’s shoes clanked across the deck toward the front of the ship, preparing to disembark. Anxiety, fear, and apprehension swirled within her. This scene hitting way too close to home for her liking. She never signed up for this, well she didn’t sign up for this at all, but still. The three years she’s been on this ship she never really thought about what capturing the avatar looked like or being there to see it. All Lila knew was she didn’t like where this was headed at all. The prospect of the past repeating itself right before her eyes scared her.

When she turned to watch them pass Lila’s eyes caught prince Zuko’s for a brief moment. Again, he found nervousness swimming in her stare, and again, he didn’t care.

Finally, the ship came to a halt with an ominous screech. Powerless, Lila watched with bated breath. Her eyes flitting between the native people down below and Prince Zuko’s men. She swore her heart was going to pop out of her chest from how hard it was pounding it almost hurt. Suddenly the hull of the ship dropped, turning into a makeshift ramp, a loud thud resonating in the air. The ship's metal easily overpowered the tribe's barrier, the snow crumbling as it gave into its weight.

Faintly Lila could hear a feminine voice yelling for someone to get out of the way. The shrill scream making Lila’s heart drop and then kick up in speed, assuming the worst. It felt like her feet were bolted to the floor as she helplessly watched the Prince and his firebenders disembark the ship. Visibly shaking, Lila leaned over the front of the ship again to see, legs feeling like they were going to give out any moment.

From her spot, she could see Prince Zuko and his guards disembarking and a young water tribe boy with war paint coating his tanned skin, belt out a war-like cry as he charged up the ramp at Prince Zuko. The boy’s weapon of choice, a water tribe club, raised high over his head. He was easily overtaken. Lila winced when the Prince’s leg side swept the boy's club out of his hand, then kicked him in the face, sending the boy flying off the side of the ramp and into the snow. Lila could hear Iroh’s voice in the back of her head talking about how he knew his nephew wasn’t as corrupted as his other family members, but what she was seeing now proved otherwise. He was unlike what Iroh always tried to tell her. The Prince was brutal.

Zuko continued walking down the ship as if nothing happened. His steps were powerful and determined. The people of the tribe huddled up in one big group, trepidation and terror embedded in all of their blue eyes. With the men of the village off to war, Zuko was unsurprised to see the ones that remained were the women and children, except for the war-painted boy if you’d count him as a man. However, the longer no one spoke the more time was wasted in capturing the Avatar. The silence was so tense Lila felt it up on the ship. Zuko stopped in front of the crowd, his eyes sizing up each woman and child until his glare stopped on this one girl holding onto the arm of an elderly lady.

“Where are you hiding him?”

When no one spoke, both Lila and the young girl gasped when the banished Prince roughly pulled the elderly lady from the girl’s grasp.

“He’d be about this age? Master of all four elements?” Zuko demanded, shaking the woman by her for emphasis.

Again, no one answered him, they were all stunned in silence and fright. After a beat of quiet, Prince Zuko carelessly shoves the old woman back into the young girl’s arms. Both water tribe women gasping. Lila watches worriedly, praying up above that this village will be spared from the fire nation’s fury. Even from the ship, Lila saw the Prince tense up in frustration and knew what he was going to do next and whispered “no,” as he launched a wave of fire inches above the villager's heads. The women and children screamed and cowered before him.

“I know you’re hiding him!”

Below her, Lila saw the water tribe boy free himself from the snowy confines he was kicked into, the majority of his face free of paint as he picked up his club and ran at Zuko once more with another loud battle cry. At the last second, Zuko turned toward the annoyingly loud boy and dodges the boy’s attack, flipping him over his head when he swiped at the Prince. When he hit the ground Zuko punched another blistering fireball at him. Luckily, the tanned boy gathers himself rolling away from the blast, swiftly retrieving a boomerang that was strapped to his back and throws it at the Fire Lord’s son. It surprised both Lila and Zuko with how fast and strong he threw it, the air whistling as it narrowly missed the Prince’s face. Even where Lila was standing the boomerang would’ve whacked her in the face if she didn’t duck in time. All the while her eye followed the boomerang’s path. The boy was stronger than he looked.

“Even without bending,” Lila hopefully thought, “he’s handling himself well against the Prince. Maybe…this village won’t be ransacked.”

A growl erupts from the Crown Prince’s throat before he can shoot more fire at the irritating boy who just won’t quit, a little water tribe child cries out,

“Show no fear!” Throwing a fishing spear made of bone at his opponent. Again, he charged at Zuko, the spear positioned like he was going to run him through, but the Prince was prepared. “He lacks training,” Zuko gathered, easily breaking the spear in half with his wrist guards. He then snatched the bone rod from the boy’s hands, poking him repeatedly in the head with the butt of it until he fell on his bottom, and broke it in half again before throwing it to the ground.

On the ship, Lila’s eye followed the boomerang as it curled back around and headed back to the owner who threw it. With her eyes still on the weapon, she gradually turned and watched it spin at dizzying speed before it slammed into the back of Prince Zuko’s helmet with a loud thwack. Her eyebrows quirked in surprise as she wondered if the water tribe boy planned for that to happen, but her face fell when she saw the Prince standing menacingly over the boy’s fallen form. Fire jet out from his tightly clenched fists, the orange embers creating a dagger-like weapon.  

For a moment, Lila feared for what Prince Zuko would do to him, but surprise quickly overtook her as another younger boy, maybe about twelve or so, with a bald head and peculiar clothing zoomed through the middle of the fight out of nowhere riding on the back of a penguin. In the child’s hands was a staff as the penguin flew right under Zuko’s feet, sweeping his legs out from under him. The young servant girl gasped when the Prince fell over, the village children cheering for the child all the while. The said child sped past the kids sending up a wave of snow splattering them all in the face, their cheers ceasing for a moment at the unexpected smattering, but continued yelling anyway. At this point, as much as Lila was concerned over the fate of the water tribe, she didn’t know if it was morally okay for her to laugh at the ridiculousness of what just happened.

Still, relief filled her heart knowing that Prince Zuko’s plan of capturing the Avatar wasn’t going according to plan. No village, town, citadel, or nation should be destroyed in finding the Avatar. Her heart and mind were conflicted. Although she did want the Prince’s banishment to end, she didn’t think this was the right way of doing it. She remembered the stories her father told her about Fire Lord Sozin killing all the airbenders to find and end the Avatar cycle.

Briefly, Lila faintly heard the kid happily greet the boy and girl, their names being ‘Katara’ and ‘Sokka’, with Sokka dryly thanking the child, who she heard him call ‘Aang’, for coming. Lila’s eyes flicker between Prince Zuko and Aang, both of them assuming a defensive fighting stance as Zuko’s men circle Aang, closing in on him. Suddenly the kid swings his staff, and with each swing, he sends snow at the guards blowing them away. With the Prince being the last one standing Aang sends another blast of snow at him, but he was unmoved, uncle Iroh’s firebending lessons paying off.

“Looking for me?”

Processing everything the child managed to do in under ten seconds, Lila’s brows furrowed. He managed to disarm and beat all of Prince Zuko’s men like it was nothing just by throwing snow at them. At first, she thought he was a waterbender but he didn’t move like one. His fighting style was different from what her mother tried to teach her and different from what she’s seen earthbenders and firebenders do. It was unlike anything she’s ever seen. On top of that, the arrow on his head and the unusual choice of clothing he wore was vastly unfamiliar from the clothes in her hometown and the fire nation. Her eyes widened in realization. No, this child couldn’t be- Prince Zuko voiced her incredulity, the snow Aang bent at him melting off his shoulders and fists, “You’re the airbender? You’re the Avatar?”

~

A/N: OKAYYYYY!!! Just so you know I want you guys to keep Zuko’s “Contemplation?” face in mind. There’s a few things I want you guys to catch in part 2. Sorry if it was slow paced. I hope you enjoyed it and please excuse any grammatical errors. Have a blessed day! Chapter three may come later cuz I have a zuko request I want to write!

Taglist (If i missed anyone PLEASE let me know :))

@bangtanboyswriting123 @bookedforevermore @agentsofblinks @lilmou5ie @eury-dice3 @shephard17895 @duh-dobrik @yourlivewire @luleck @oraclebirds

[volkswagonblues]

prologue to my zukka biopunk role-reversal AU

note: It’s technically a sequel to Through the Ice Darkly, but you don’t need to read it for this snippet. All that’s required to know is that it’s set in a world where the Northern Water Tribe attacked instead of the Fire Nation. Instead of ATLA’s steampunk world, the NWT and SWT developed biopunk technologies instead. Zuko, growing up in a conquered nation, is still obsessed with the Avatar. Sokka is still the son of Hakoda, chief of the SWT, though because his society isn’t ravaged by war, he has more time for his scientific interests. 

Though of course, in ATLA-verse, science and spirituality are two sides of the same coin...

They were great adapters, Sokka’s people. Clever and resourceful, they were hunters and dreamers and storytellers. Like ice, they knew how to move and reform with the seasons.

They called themselves the Southern Water Tribe, not because some among them had the power to bend water, but because they thought of themselves as water. They understood and respected the great flexibility of the world.

prologue - when Sokka meets Koh the Face Stealer - snippet under cut

The summer that Sokka was ten, Bato brought him to a hunting camp situated at the mouth of a wide bay, about two days’ journey away from Sokka’s normal home in the capital city. Sokka’s grandmother was there, along with a dozen or so families. They were there to hunt the enormous shoveller deer whose herds migrated to find food in the warmer months. Where the deer went, humans followed. And that summer, Sokka was one of them. 

The summer that Sokka was ten, Bato brought him to a hunting camp situated at the mouth of a wide bay, about two days’ journey away from Sokka’s normal home in the capital city. Sokka’s grandmother was there, along with a dozen or so families. They were there to hunt the enormous shoveller deer whose herds migrated to find food in the warmer months. Where the deer went, humans followed. And that summer, Sokka was one of them. 

He didn’t want to leave home, but that was what the adults had decided. It seemed a strange and mysterious decision to Sokka, but at ten, most things seemed strange and mysterious to him. Especially Sokka’s own dad. Sokka would have protested, but in the end he loved his dad too much to say anything that could make him sad. There was enough sadness going around already that summer.So when Bato came to take him away to join Gran-Gran and  the rest of the people in the Old Village, Sokka went quietly, like the good son he wanted to be.

They called it the Old Village, but in truth the Old Village wasn’t old or a village at all. The people of the Old Village didn’t stay in one place but moved around with the seasons. In winter they built houses out of snow and ice. In spring they traveled on long sleds made of wood boards that were lashed together, and when the temperature warmed they got off their sleds and moved into sod houses instead, or pitched skin-tents to follow animals for hunting. 

Once upon a time they would have built or sewed everything by hand or with waterbending. For instance, waterbenders would make the runners for their sleds out of ice, but if there were no waterbenders that generation, people put frozen moss or even frozen fish on the bottom instead, to make sure the sleds skimmed lightly over the terrain nonetheless. This was how it used to be done, but since then even people of the Old Village accepted a few modern conveniences, like sugar and steel Earth Kingdom knives and warm underclothes spun out of air bison wool, which kept out the cold antarctic air like nothing else.

They were great adapters, Sokka’s people. Clever and resourceful, they were hunters and dreamers and storytellers. Like ice, they knew how to move and reform with the seasons. 

They called themselves the Southern Water Tribe, not because some among them had the power to bend water, but because they thought of themselves as water. They understood and respected the great flexibility of the world.

Part of that flexibility meant that, a century or more ago, when some of them started building a great city out of snow and ice closer to the Pole, some of their friends and clansmen adapted. They moved within its great walls and started new lives there, trading and studying and putting their cleverness and resourcefulness to use inventing new contraptions and new ideas – new animals as well. Some of their friends and family did not do this, and they chose to live the way their people had always lived, adapting themselves to only the great machinery of nature. What was good for their ancestors was good enough for them. They shunned a city life for something bigger and wilder and free. 

Neither side lived a better life than the other. They were just different, that’s all. 

Sokka’s grandmother liked her life outside the cities; her son-in-law – Sokka’s dad – was content inside one. He was a very important man, and he was responsible for a lot of people, so he and his wife brought up their children inside the capital, where he was busy trying to carve out a future for all of his people. He was very concerned about their future, and because all things were connected that meant he was also concerned about his past. He often sent his children to visit his mother-in-law. He wanted them to sleep in sod houses and learn to cut deer hides and listen to old stories, so they wouldn’t forget the old ways. Where they came from. 

When Sokka becomes a young man, the past will become an interesting topic for him too.  But the summer that he was ten, he wasn’t thinking about any of this. He was too busy doing two things: the first was avoiding the other boys, and the second was watching the otter-penguins.

There was a colony of them a mile away from the hunting camp. They were all the company Sokka required that summer.

A mile’s walk there and a mile back wasn’t much distance for a ten-year-old boy with a lot of energy, and a few weeks after he and Bato arrived there, Sokka began sneaking away every morning to visit the rocky beach where the rookery gathered. No one accompanied him, and he found that he liked it that away. The otter-penguins were amazingly social creatures with one another, and they accepted their strange featherless visitor with a cool indifference. Sokka had arrived just before their eggs were ready to hatch, and the penguins were more concerned about diving for food than about him. 

So he spent those weeks observing them, sometimes mimicking their waddling walk for his own amusement, sometimes working on projects that he designed for himself. He built a little roofless house right by the rookery, and he built it by piling up driftwood and pebbles he found on the beach. Some days he sat there for hours, just watching the flock. He learned a lot about them very quickly. For instance, the male otter-penguins had excellent balance. Even an injured male could hold a round egg against his stomach, gracefully tumble over small precipices and trip across rocky slopes – and never drop it. And after the eggs hatched, the female otter-penguins took care of the pups in the water and held them close by wrapping them with strands of seaweed. And they each had their own names, just like humans did. The mothers and father made distinct noises to call their own pups back to them when it was time for feeding.

They did all of this, and Sokka watched. He listened. He observed.

At ten, Sokka should be doing chores around the camp: fetching and carrying, sharpening knives and harpoons, scraping the hair off hides, helping to repair and maintain the skin-canoes – that sort of thing. But he was no good at doing any of that. He was ten and going through that unfortunate phase where none of his limbs were the right length, and everything he did that summer he seemed to do wrong. He kept dropping knives and ripping up fishing nets by accident. The worse part was that the other boys didn’t even laugh at him; they gave him looks of pity instead.

Before long, he gave up on the chores and the camp altogether. He avoided the other boys, and after a while they avoided him right back, which suited Sokka fine. He’d found something more interesting to think about anyways. 

That summer he was ten was a time of sunlight, rocks, penguin calls, and the rushing tides. It was the first and last time he ever applied himself to anything with such purity of purpose. He was acquiring knowledge the same way that the otter-penguins dived for fish or hatched their eggs: instinctively, without questioning why.

The little otter-penguins were cute, with their soft fuzzy heads and their wobbling walk. Sokka liked them, and though he winced when some of them were eaten by the leopard seals who prowled the dark, frigid sea, he never interfered. The fish were food to the otter-penguins, just as they were food to the seals, just as the seals might one day be food for Sokka himself. His father called it the miraculous interchange that made the universe work, and Sokka believed him. But still, he felt sad. The poor parents that had worked so hard through the winter were left with nothing to show for it. It seemed unfair..

It was sad, but Sokka could bear it. He did bear it, until one day, when Sokka himself was busy repairing one wall of his driftwood house – the colony started yipping and fussing like nothing he’d ever heard before. 

Sokka ran to see what was the matter, expecting a seal or maybe even a particularly bold black whale. But when he got to the source of the commotion he nearly stumbled from the shock. 

One of the penguins was missing a face.

There were no smears of blood, no telltale signs of shredded feathers. This was no ordinary injury from a preying seal. Somehow, the dark eyes and the nubby beak was gone. There was nothing but a smooth patch of feather, like someone had wiped their sleeve across a patch of snow. It was a female penguin, and she was waddling sightlessly, trying to find its way back to its hungry pups.

Sokka looked around him wildly; the mother had left her two pups a bit farther up, on a great flat rock shelf. The pups whined, but the rest of the otter-penguins were calming down now,  returning to their placid business, diving and feeding and caring for their own young. He looked back at the faceless penguin, still waddling around in circles, unable to sense the hungry cries of her own children.  

What happened? Sokka had never seen anything like this before, but one thing was clear: the mother was ill, and she would not get better. He examined the pups: without a mother to teach them how to swim and feed, they would both die before the season was over. 

The world was very cruel to children without mothers.

“No!” Sokka screamed out loud. “No, no, no!”

All his grief and loneliness surged up at once from a small dark space inside his heart. All the sadness he’d been carrying exploded through him, and it was such an enormous feeling that, had Sokka been a waterbender, the tides next to him would have crested and crashed with powerful roars of foam.

But he wasn’t a bender, and something else that was stranger and wilder happened instead. The world shimmered; the air itself cracked down the middle, and everything that Sokka had been so calmly and so happily observing a moment ago became strange. 

Mist rolled by, even though it was a sunny day. Flying, glowing creatures zoomed around Sokka, and everything became brighter and richer in colour, even through the mist. Sokka stopped screaming, fascinated by the changes in the landscape. He wanted to chase one the flying creatures, but then something scuttled by him and left a chill running down his spine.

It was a massive being, many-legged like an insect, coal-black and plated with hard shells. It looked like a bug but it had the head of a human woman – a disconcertingly pretty one with sad grey eyes. 

“Hello there,” said the bug-thing in a rasp. Its face flickered, changed in rapid succession from the young woman to an old man to some sort of animal Sokka had never seen before.

Sokka stumbled backwards, fell, and cried out again when his palms scraped against the rocks. The thing changed its faces like a dancer putting on masks for a ceremony, except it when a dancer took off their mask at the end of the ceremony, the whale or seabird went away and the dancer became human again. 

Whatever this creature was, it wasn’t human.

It’s been a long time since I came this south, said the creature. But the Avatar has a powerful pull on all of us.

Sokka screamed. He tried to get up and he tried to run, but he couldn’t. One sharp pincer edged towards him. It came closer, closer–

And then a distant mountain peak, one that Sokka had seen a million times before, leaned down. It crossed the hundreds of miles between them like it was a single step, and the mountain bent its great heft over the creature, all its crag and weight bearing down with unbearable pressure, and then the mountain too spoke:

Not yet, Koh. We still need him. 

The creature hissed, about to object, but then the ocean, all salt and tumbling motion, also rose up and added its presence to the mountain’s. 

Leave him, said the ocean, and this command was echoed by the unseen moon and the distant aurora and the ancient rock under their feet.

“First it was the moon girl, now it’s this boy,” Koh said. “Mark my words: we’re intervening too much in human affairs, and you all know it.”

Koh gave one last look at Sokka, and then disappeared, scuttling back into the mists. Sokka was too terrified to speak, too terrified to move. All the spirits were focusing their attention on him now. He knew this instinctively,  the same way that he knew up from down, light from dark, the smell of burning deer fat from seal. 

The mountain shifted; the enormous and distant rock became a heavy weight hovering over Sokka's chest. It prodded him there, like a finger.

Hello, Sokka, said the mountain, and the greeting was echoed a hundred times. A million.

Hello Sokka. Hello. Hello. Hello.

Sokka didn’t remember running the distance back to the camp, but he must have, because the next lucid thing he remembered was throwing his arms around Bato, not caring that he was leaving blood and dirt over Bato’s clothes. 

“What’s wrong?” asked Bato, his brows creased with concern. “Sokka, what happened?”

Sokka shook his head. He was born and raised a city kid; he would always be one at heart. He could not describe how terrifying it was to discover that, the whole time he was looking at the world, the world was looking back. 

“Bato, please,” he sobbed. “Please. I want my mother. Where is she? Where’s Mom?” 

Bato patted his head and held him close. “Oh, Sokka,” he said – and nothing else.

Sokka’s grandmother was nearby too, running over from some task with her grisly knife still in hand. She clucked her tongue; wiped the blade off with a brisk motion. “Tell the boy to stop wailing and get him inside somewhere, I’ll bring him something to eat. Something warm will snap him out of it.”

Sokka raised his head from where it was buried in the material of Bato’s sealskin parka; he shook it. He wanted to stop too, but his body had other ideas. Water was running down his face: a mix of tears and snot, blood from where he had bitten his own tongue. The taste of it all was frightful, all coppery and salty, slick from the mucus building up in the back of his throat, which was too wet and too dry all at once. 

“Dad?” It was someone else who came to see what was going on: Ayaliq, Bato’s own daughter. She trotted over and cuddled Sokka from his side, wrapping her little arms around him and Bato at the same time. “Don’t be upset,” she said. “It’s okay, Sokka.”

One of Bato’s hands cupped the back of Sokka’s head, a warm protective weight. “Leave him be,” he said to Sokka’s grandmother. “This is the first time he’s cried since the day itself. It’s only been three months.”

“You think I don’t remember how long ago my only child died?” 

Sokka let out another howl. His vision was swimming; the force of his gasps made him light-headed. Gran-Gran gave him a sharp tap on the back of his head. The sudden jolt of pain stunned him, but it also grounded him back in reality. 

“You shouldn’t have brought him here alone,” Gran-Gran said in the silence. “He needs his sister and his father with him.”

“What could I do, Kanna? The Northern Water Tribe is here making threats again; Hakoda wouldn’t leave the capital. Katara wouldn’t leave her father, not even for her brother. And I had to take him here, Kanna – at least out here Sokka’s taking an interest in something. You didn’t see him in those first few days. We could barely get him to get out of bed. He grieves hard for someone so young.”

Gran-Gran sighed. “I grieve for my daughter too,” she said. “Every day. Every minute. But death is a part of life. My grandson will learn this in time.”

Sokka wanted to say that he had already learned plenty, but instead he spat weakly on the ground and watched the string of drool stretch, then snap in mid-air. It was disgusting. He felt disgusting. He had also wet his pants, he realized, and he was so embarrassed to be like a little kid again in front of Ayaliq, that he shoved his face back into Bato’s parka. Ayaliq was a year younger than him, but she had probably never wetted her pants.

“Be kind to your cousin, Ayaliq,” Bato was saying. “And give him some time, Kanna. Let him cry for now. Just let him cry. He needs it.”

--------

Later, as a young man, when Sokka’s sister would breathlessly tell him about meeting the Avatar, the bridge between their world and the Spirit World, Sokka would scowl. He would turn away with his heart pounding.

“I prefer things that exist in the real world,” he would say, and it would come out much harsher than he’d meant it to. Katara would take it as a sign that he was judging her somehow, that he thought she was a silly girl for believing in the extraordinary. She would react badly to Sokka’s disapproval of the Avatar.

And Sokka did disapprove, though not for those reasons. He disapproved because he was afraid.

He wasn’t good at explaining it, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the world of spirits was not necessarily friendly towards the human one. That his brief glimpse – hallucination? – of the Spirit World told him that it was brisk and insensate, that it was filled with impossible angles and geometric paradoxes. That its inhabitants were ancient and careless beings whose intelligence was beyond human, and obeyed rules set not by morality but by order and chaos. Those beings were sometimes benign, sometimes malicious, always incomprehensible. Sokka wasn’t sure he wanted to meet a person who bridged that world to theirs. 

He wasn’t like Katara, always with her eye fixed on some higher purpose. The everyday world with its speechless mountains and rolling seas, its everyday interchange of energies and motion: this was enough for him. Sokka didn’t need to meet Tui and La to appreciate the wonder of the tides and the moon. What spirits that existed in this world already were vast and incomprehensible enough. 

Sokka would prefer to keep the two worlds un-bridged.

He couldn’t explain this to Katara, and they would grow even further apart because of this. Piercing through to the Spirit World would be easier than crossing the chasm between them. It was as if Kya’s death had split some fundamental building block of the world as Sokka had known it: On one side, Sokka went with Bato; on the other, Katara stayed with their father. 

On one side, the radiance of discovery. On the other, the terror of what he might find. And then, much later, the horror of what Sokka’s discoveries would be used for.

By the Avatar.

[middleofnowhere92]

Jetka for @the-messenger-hawk for my ATLA Valentine’s Day Oneshots

Conversation Hearts

Chapters: 1/1 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Jet/Sokka (Avatar), Jet & Sokka (Avatar) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, College, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern Era Summary: It's Valentine's day, not that Jet gives a fuck. He almost gives a fuck about his midterm tomorrow, so he sits waiting for his new tutor.

Read on ao3 or below the cut 

Jet leaned back precariously in his chair in the athlete student center. He grabbed his pencil and flicked it at Longshot who was across the room with his tutor, some girl in engineering named Smellerbee. Pipsqueak and his tutor, Aang, laughed at Jet’s shenanigans as they packed up their things and left the study area. Jet huffed some of his unruly hair out of his face.  

He wished Aang was still his tutor, but the advisor for student athletes had switched around schedules with the spring semester. Now Jet was getting someone new. He chewed on the chalky heart candy in his mouth. It wasn’t the best taste, but it satisfied his incessant need to chew on something.

Longshot and Smellerbee packed up too and soon Jet was left alone, waiting for some tutor that probably wasn’t even gonna show up. He glanced at the clock. He really should just leave. Tutoring hours were done. Jet guessed whoever it was had a Valentine’s date that was more important than tutoring him.

He should just leave, but he had a midterm tomorrow in his agriculture econ class. He needed at least a C to play on Saturday. He glanced down at his blank study guide that he should have been filling out throughout the semester. The stress gnawed at him, so he gnawed on more conversation hearts.

The door was calling him, telling him to just leave and sleep through tomorrow’s exam like he typically would, but finally someone walked into the room.

Jet immediately recognized Sokka.

He also immediately recognized that he was fucked for tomorrow’s exam.

Sokka barely looked at him, “Look, I’m not in the mood to deal with your fucking bullshit. Let’s just go over your study guide so I can get paid and we can both go home.”  Jet continued balancing in his chair, “It’s good to see you too, Sokka.”

The other boy didn’t even look at him. He unceremoniously dropped his backpack, plopped down in the chair and pulled Jet’s empty study guide towards him. Jet tossed up a few hearts and caught them in his mouth. Sokka’s gaze never left his unimpressively blank study guide.

Jet, always uncomfortable with silence, shifted the discomfort to Sokka, “I’m surprised Zuko isn’t taking you out tonight, or are you doing something later?” Jet wasn’t college smart, but he was people smart. He knew exactly how to push people’s buttons. He took a perverse joy in riling up Sokka, only because he made it so easy.

“I explicitly said I’m not in the mood for your fucking brand of bullshit,” Sokka gritted out. His hands were grasping the meaningless study guide, causing almost enough tension in it for it to rip. Jet hadn’t calculated on Sokka getting this worked up over a simple question about his boyfriend.

Jet wasn’t one to apologize. He liked Sokka enough to almost want to, but he popped another candy heart in his mouth instead. The chalky taste seemed more unpleasant, but he swirled the candy around his mouth anyway, lodging it in the back corner of his jaw right above his molar.

Sokka shoved the paper back in front of Jet. He looked exasperated as he said, “You should try to fill it out. See what you know.” Jet scoffed, “I’m at tutoring because I don’t know jack shit.” Sokka’s cheeks sucked in like he had bitten something sour . He hissed venomously, “Two hours of tutoring isn’t going to make you pass an exam.” “Woulda helped if you had shown up on time,” Jet drawled as he leaned back in his chair, tossing up another heart to catch in his mouth.

Sokka barely moved, but his knee twisted just so, knocking Jet’s off balance. He sat up on the floor and glared at Sokka. He got up, thankful that he had just swallowed a heart and didn’t choke. He stood leaning on the chair, “What the fuck?”

Sokka pushed away from the table, turning on Jet, his eyes glassy and red, “I told you I couldn’t take your bullshit today. I fucking walked from the other side of campus, because the buses aren’t running, because there’s a little fucking snow on the ground. Why can’t people handle a few inches of fucking snow? But then I get here and I have to fucking tutor you and I tell you I can’t deal with your bullshit, but you serve it up steaming hot, because you are the king of all the assholes in the world and you can't help but be a douche canoe. No, not today, let’s just press all of Sokka’s buttons-”

Jet climbed over his chair and sat in the one Sokka had previously been occupying. He squeezed the other boy’s smaller hand just once as tears started to fall down Sokka’s cheeks. Jet fumbled for maybe the first time ever, “Shit, Sokka I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-” Sokka hiccupped loudly, his one tear morphing into a full on ugly cry.

“Zuko-" He wailed as he cried. “Broke up with me today.” His body shuddered in an effort to breathe through the sobs, “He was supposed to drive me here,” the last part came out as a broken off wail, “but we’re not together anymore.” Jet still held his hand drawing circles with his thumb.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” the word and the genuine feeling behind it were foreign to Jet.  Sokka looked at him, his blue eyes still glassy and pink. He pulled his hand away from Jet’s and wiped his eyes, “S’not your fault. Sorry, we should really do your study guide.”

Jet cocked his head to the side, like an overgrown confused puppy. He chewed on a candy heart and asked, "You sure? I can say we did tutoring. You'll get paid and you can go home." Sokka shook his head, his chin length hair shifting with the movement, "No, that's okay." Jet rolled his eyes at Sokka's decency, but scooted back into his own chair.

As they worked through the study guide Jet couldn’t help but focus more on Sokka than the material. He was an engineering and business major, not an Ag major like Jet. But the material came easily to Sokka as he glanced over the textbook that Jet had never even cracked open.

At the end of the two hours, Jet shoved his completed study guide in his book and crammed both in his backpack. He didn’t miss the wince from Sokka at the sound of the paper crumpling. Jet smirked and slung his backpack over his shoulders.

He stilted his steps to be more in line with Sokka's smaller ones. He dumped a few candy hearts into his large palm. He glanced at the pastel candies, holding out one to Sokka that read Let's get busy .

Sokka glared at him as they pushed the doors and the cold February air greeted them. He pelted the heart back at Jet, who caught it in his big mouth. Jet raised his hands up in triumph.

Sokka just shook his head as they walked. Jet bumped his side into Sokka's shorter shoulder. The shorter guy looking over at the taller athlete, "Thanks." Jet tossed up another candy and caught it in his mouth, "For what?"

Sokka shrugged shuffling in the snow, "I don't feel as shitty as I did." Jet grinned, his teeth not perfectly straight, "See, you do need my bullshit."

Jet skidded with chaotic glee across the icy sidewalk in his slides, his socks soaking in bits of snow. He thought about offering Sokka a night to forget Zuko, taking the pretty boy back to his apartment. This could be Jet’s only shot at making Sokka his. But something in him made him keep his thought to himself.

He knew how in love Sokka had been with Zuko. They did seem dam near perfect for each other. Jet calculated as he tossed a snowball that purposefully just missed Sokka's hair.

He didn't want Sokka just for a night. If he got him he couldn't just let go. Tonight, Jet had actually gotten through the wall that always seemed to be between the two of them.

He jogged, not using his full speed as Sokka scooped up snow and flung it, hitting Jet on the back of his neck. Sokka's eyes were back to their normal clear blue. His laugh was enough to warm Jet, who was just wearing a hoodie as he brushed off the snow.

He put his hands up, "I surrender! There's a pizza place open up here. Wanna stop?"

Jet's heart seemed to stop as Sokka chewed on his lip, debating his answer. He nodded, "Sure. Can't turn down pizza." Jet followed him in the small dive. They ordered and sat. Surrounded by other couples, as they debated over whether pineapple was a viable pizza topping.

Their legs or elbows would inevitably brush as Jet swung on the stool he was perched on. He kept throwing out new topics for debate, getting a thrill over seeing Sokka's eyes get fiery over whether Pepsi or Coke was better.

As Jet finished off his fifth slice of pizza, Sokka glanced in disgust at the small pink box on the counter between them, "I don't know how you can eat those things."

Jet shrugged as he stuffed the last of the chalky candies in his mouth, "I'll put just about anything in my mouth." "Noted," Sokka quipped. The two of them burst out in laughter.

As they stepped back outside, Jet looked at Sokka through his shaggy hair. His slides scraped against the salted side walk, "Same thing next week?" The cold was making Sokka's cheeks tint a pretty shade of pink. He rolled his blue eyes, "You wouldn't need tutoring if you just paid attention."

Their bickering continued as they walked, lost in conversation.

[waithyuck]

extra elongated tag game

tagged by @gohyuck my love

tagging: @kwantified @honeyyu @jensungf @renjunwrites @neo-shitty @suingjaehyun

O N E

tell me the first song that made you stan your current fave group and why did your faves attract you so much?

okay so my ult group is nct and I can’t remember what song exactly but i remember not being a stan and LOVING back 2 u so much that I had to look into nct

for bts is was serendipity and blood sweat & tears

ateez was pirate king bc we stanned since debut 😔✊

T W O

rule: answer the ten questions and write your own!

favorite item of clothing?

I own a lot of hoodies but my fav is my dark gray we go up hoodie and it’s big n comfy....yeah

if you had to smell like one scent for the rest of your life what would it be?

I think I would want to smell like vanilla or lavender

favorite painter? why?

frida kahlo bc she embraced everything about herself and did wonderful self portraits

what’s your favorite horror movie (and if you don’t like horror, why not?)?

I don’t like jumpscares so most horror is not to my taste....however give a psychological horror and I’ll go off ab how much I love it (like idk if it’s considered horror but ‘a cure for wellness’ anyone???)

iphone or android?

iPhone dude

favorite tiktok trend (and if you don’t like tiktok, you can talk about how much influencers suck)?

i only go on tiktok for the kpop content I don’t know trends,,,,also can be talk about how most influencers on that app manipulate literal children into giving them money?? for doing absolutely nothing??

if you could wake up with any new ability what would it be?

the ability to read others emotions and make them happy no matter what (call me a corny ass bitch but it’s true)

favorite superhero/supervillain/antihero?

people consider her a ‘villain’ so I’m saying maleficent (from the movie maleficent) bc ??? she fell in love with a man and he fuckin just,,,,did her so dirty and left her broken-hearted and cut off her wings like ??? hell I’d be mad too I’d curse the little ass baby he had with another woman just as fast as she did. also how about that character development??? she cursed aurora but always looked out for her and eventually came to love her?? and that’s the kiss that broke the spell and woke aurora up?? call that motherly love we stan

if you could only dress in one color for the rest of your life which color would it be?

realistically black is prob the way I would go but gray is also a valid option

who’s your ult and give me five reasons why.

oof y’all already know it’s my boy lee donghyuck

1. his vocals??? the vocals alone are enough reason to stan

2. his dancing??? he is so incredibly talented and I love watching him move

3. his hardwork and dedication to his career, like he loves what he does so much and I love seeing him shine (but also like, pls let him sit the fuck down for a sec)

4. his aura and personality !!!!! is just so loveable !!! he brightens the room with his mood-making personality and I’m just in love with him god

5. okay okay now I’ll touch on the fact that he’s so fucking handsome??? a visual king ???? look at that face, look at those legs, JUST LOOK AT HIS BODY PROPORTIONS. PERFECT.

my questions:

what is your favorite memory from your childhood?

If you could travel anywhere in the world with just a snap of your fingers, where would you go and why?

describe your personality in three (3) words.

what is your favorite thing that you have ever read? (anything you’ve ever read counts! fanfiction, poems, novels etc.) why?

are you the studying type of person or the type to just ‘wing it’ when you have a big test coming up?

between bold colors and pastel colors, which do you prefer?

do you live life in the moment or do you plan every action you take?

what is your favorite holiday and why? (all holidays count! across all religions and cultures 😄)

would you rather stay up to stargaze in the middle of the night or wake up early to watch the sunrise?

what is your favorite eye color on another person?

T H R E E

rule: bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, then tag nine people.

AIR ༉⋆͙̈

i have small hands / i love the night sky / i watch animals and birds when i pass them by / i drink herbal tea / i wake to see the dawn / the smell of dust is comforting / i’m valued for being wise / i prefer books to music / i meditate / i find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE ༉⋆

i don’t have straight hair / i like to wear ripped jeans and overalls / i play an organized sport / i love dogs / i am not afraid of adventure / i love to talk to strangers / i always try new foods / i enjoy road trips / summer is my favorite season / my radio is always playing

WATER ༉⋆͙̈

i wear bracelets on my wrists / i love the bustle of the city / i have more than one set of piercings / i read poetry / i love the sound of a thunderstorm / i want to travel the world / i sleep past midday most days / i love simply lit dinners and fluorescent signs / i rewatch kids shows out of nostalgia / i see emotions in colors not words

EARTH ༉⋆͙̈

i wear glasses or contacts / i enjoy doing the laundry / i am a vegetarian or vegan / i have an excellent sense of time / my humor is very cheerful / i am a valued advisor to my friends / i believe in true love / i love this chill of mountain air / i’m always listening to music / i am highly trusted by the people in my life

AETHER ༉⋆͙̈

i go without makeup in my daily life / i make my own artwork / i keep on track of my tasks and time / i always know true north / i see beauty in everything / i can always smell flowers / i smile at everyone i pass by / i always fear history repeating itself / i have recovered from a mental disorder / i can love unconditionally

F O U R

the ultimate tag: answer whichever ones you want to because there are a lot and then tag a few blogs you’d like to get to know better!

PERSONAL

name: samantha

nickname: sam

birthday: march 9

zodiac: pisces sun

nationality: american

languages: english, currently learning korean

gender: female

sexuality: pansexual :)

height: 5’2” (157 cm)

BLOG STUFF

inspiration for muse: music, tv, movies

meaning behind my url: hyuck is doin too much he’s gotta just give me a break and wAIT A SEC = waithyuck

blog established: 2020 but I’ve been on tumblr since 2015

followers: 791

FAVORITES

favorite animals: pigs, cats, dogs, snakes

favorite books: lord of the flies, the great gatsby, hamlet even tho it wasn’t technically a book

favorite color: yellow, orange, pink

favorite fictional characters: gilbert blythe, prince zuko from atla idk who else

favorite flower: sunflowers, carnations, roses

favorite scent: vanilla, citrus, lavender

favorite season: spring or fall

RANDOM

average hours of sleep: like 4-5

cats or dogs: both

coffee, tea or hot chocolate: hot chocolate

current time: 2:23 p.m.

dream trip: seoul, rome, greece in general, london, dublin

dream job: teaching english as a second language, linguist, translator

hobbies: writing, drawing, singing

hogwarts house: hufflepuff

last movie watched: burlesque lmao

last song listened to: kick it - nct 127

no. of blankets you sleep with: 1

random fact(s): my fingers are double jointed lmaO idk

F I V E

10 things i can’t stop listening to

slow down - chase atlantic

watermelon sugar - harry styles

to die for - sam smith

we go up - nct dream

blue side - j-hope

god’s menu - stray kids

inception - ateez

love me right - rendezvous at two

renegade - aaryan shah

HER - chase atlantic

[bellatrixobsessed1]

A Flame For A Cabbage (Part 3)

Azula returns to her loft feeling delighted and dismal in equal measure. On one hand, she has coin enough for roast duck and pan-fried noodles and then some. On the other, she is down another crop of cabbages. She has no idea how she is going to get the wall sludge off of her stall. She pushes her stall back to its place at the edge of her cabbage field and sighs.

It looks like she is due for a trip to the public bathhouse. She hates the bathhouse, too many wandering eyes and clothing thieves. And that doesn’t even cover the occasional piranha-ray attack. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to replace the koi with those to cut back on spending is a fool.

She makes her way to the springs regardless. She scans the water for the piranha-rays, upon deeming the coast clear, she strips and slips into the water. She is going to have to do some laundry when she gets home. She exhales with the steam of the spring, a feeling like she will never be fully clean again begins to settle in. But she doesn’t have time to dwell upon that.

“Hey.” Speaks a low and raspy voice. And there it is, the other reason she hates the public bathhouse.

Azula groans.

“You owe me three fiddy.”

Azula grumbles and pulls out a few counterfeit coins and slides it to the Loch Ness monster. “Now leave me alone.”

The creature sinks back beneath the surface and swims away. Azula doesn’t put much thought into how little sense it makes for such an enormous creature to soundly occupy such a small space. She quickly shampoos her hair and soaps her body. She is growing hungry and that roast duck is sounding very good right about now.

.oOo.

Sie scowls. “I think we lost” echos in his mind. “Not kidding.” He frowns to himself. Not only did they lose but they are covered in wall juice. It comforts him little that TyLee remains outside building mudmen.

“I made you a mud pie.” She declares.

Sie doesn’t have time for these games. He doesn’t know how, but this is the fault of that cabbage merchant. She must have enchanted the cabbage with performance enhancing drugs. Yes, that is it. That is the only explanation as to how he might have lost. It doesn’t have anything to do with his own actions.

He finds himself a seat and pulls it into the corner. The left corner. That is his plotting corner.

“Hey, you’re going to have to leave now.” General Sung says. “We defeated you three hours ago.”

TyLee sticks out her tongue and spits at him.

“Listen, we can’t have you out here. There’s this secret government agency that is trying to keep the public from knowing about the war and if they see you…”

“What?” Sie asks. “What are they gonna do.”

“They’re gonna be really mad.” Sung says in a sing-song voice, one that lets everyone know why he is named Sung.

“How mad?”

“Seven.”

“Seven?”

“Seven mad.” Sung replies. He stalks off leaving Sie to wonder what exactly that means. Is it a rating scale?  Are they, whoever they are, going to be seven levels of mad? Are they going to be mad for seven reasons? “Mai, TyLee, what does ‘seven mad’ mean?”

.oOo.

Azula makes her way over to the Jasmine Dragon. On a normal day, she would offer the severs some cabbages. Ruefully this is not a normal day, they are going to be very disappointed. Azula finds her usual spot.

“What are you doing here!?” The waiter demands, furiously. He is always so angry, as though every ounce of teenage angst that has ever been put out into the world has come together and flowed into this boy.

“I am getting tea.” Azula replies. “And some roasted duck and pan-fried noodles.”

Through gritted teeth the scarred boy says, “really, what the hell are you doing here?”

What is she doing here? She ponders. What is anyone doing here. She was born, she supposes. By chance a cluster of cells had come together to form her instead of someone else. She wonders if it really is chance at all or if life has some sort of design. A design that intended for her, Azula, the cabbage merchant, to exist and exist as she does currently with the temperament that she currently has. By extension she wonders if any of her choices matter at all; would she still be sitting in the Jasmine Dragon no matter what decision she had chosen or was it already decided by the fates that she would end up here in this location. Perhaps in another life she would not be in the Jasmine Dragon. She might be dwelling in a drill. She might be something more than a cabbage merchant. But then, perhaps, even if she was the Fire Lord, she would still be waiting here, in the Jasmine Dragon, for some roast duck because that is life’s design.

Azula frowns, she hates it when people make her question her existence and the vast enigma of life and the delicate strings and laws of time and space that flow perpetually and primordially, keeping the universe together as it is now.

Having that train of thought so potent in her mind, she considers that maybe today should be the day that she finally asks the big question.

“Why are you here!?” The boy demands again. He hasn’t even asked her what drink she’d like to start with.

Yes, she decides. Today will be the day. “Can I speak to the manager?”

“My manager can’t change that your coupon expired ten years ago.” The boy growls.

“This didn’t even exist ten years ago.” Azula argues.

“It’s not my fault that your coupon exists on an entirely different timeplane!”

“Well you shouldn’t be handing out coupons that existed before your shop.” Azula replies. “I am a merchant myself and I would never give my customers time traveling coupons. I don’t give them coupons at all. Just cabbages. Only. Cabbages.” She pauses. “Anyways, that’s not what I want to speak with him about.”

“Sorry about my cranky nephew.”

“Uncle!” The boy says, “It’s--”

“He is going through a rough time. His father has sent him away, he’s trying to figure out who he is…”

“You’re only paying him minimum wage?” Azula puts in.

“...His date the other night didn’t go well…”

“And you’re horribly understaffed.” Azula notes.

“...And I made him clean out his sock drawer. Did you know that he only has one pair of matching socks and that those socks have pictures of Kpop idols on them?”

Azula tilts her head. “Pictures of what?” Before the man can answer she waves a hand. “I am not hear to discuss your nephew’s angst. I am here to discuss a business partnership.”

The old man blinks.

“I am cabbage merchant, Azula and I believe that we can help each other out. I know that you have just opened your shop about a month ago. I have been doing business here for years. As a well-established seller of cabbage, I know how to bring in clients.”

“Then why do I always see you with a full cart!?” The boy shouts from behind the counter.

Azula grits her teeth. “Because I work very fast. I replace a cabbage as soon as it is sold.”

“How does that work?”

“I simply tear a whole in the air around me, reach into the portal, and pull out a cabbage.” Azula shrugs. “That is how all cabbages are grown.”

“That was the worst lie I’ve ever heard.”

Azula narrows her eyes. She holds up a single pointer and cuts a small rip into the fabric of time and space. She leaves it there just long enough for the boy to see before sealing it up. “Why do you think I keep my nails so long and pointed?”

The boy only blinks at her. She understands his confusion, for he was right, she had been lying. She lifts her pointer again, this time she can’t seem to tear another rift. “Born lucky.” She mutters to herself. “What do you say…”

“Iroh.” The man fills in.

“What do you say Iroh, will you be my business partner? Together we will be the strongest small-town franchise in the world, we will dominate the earth!” Realizing that she might be coming on too strong she adds, more quietly, “or at least the food industry. We can try to weaponize our business in the distant future.”

Iroh strokes his beard as he considers her offer.

“Can we discuss it over pan-fried rice and roast duck?” She asks, realizing that she still hasn’t awarded herself for her hard work.

“Yes, let’s talk business over a fine meal!” Iroh declares. “Zuko, let’s prep a meal!”

Zuko groans. “You can’t partner with the Jasmine Dragon! Tea and cabbage don’t even go together, that’s like the toothpaste and orange juice of food service.”

Azula rolls her eyes. Zuko is such a child. A child and a pessimist. But she...she is a visionary. A conqueror. And she knows very well that the key to dominating the food sales industry is acquiring a formidable alley. Preferably one who has more than just a janky little stall.  

.oOo.

“Are we there yet?” TyLee asks.

Sie pinches the bridge of his nose. The question bothers him for several reasons. The largest reason being that it implies that there is a ‘there’ to get to, even though Sie as given no indication whatsoever that they have any one destination in mind.

“Where are we going, anyways?” Mai questions.

He likes that question even less because it implies that he knows where to go from here. That drill was supposed to have worked. Now he has no plans and no leads. He has nothing but the knowledge that his father is going to light him aflame if he doesn’t figure out something fast.  

“Are we there now?” TyLee speaks.

“Yes!” He throws his hands up in frustration. “We are! We’re exactly where we need to be! Right in the middle of an unfamiliar forest where we can hide from our shame and humiliation.”

Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal! Mai hits a button on her phone. “Sorry, forgot to put it on silent.” She pauses. “But in my defense, I didn’t think we would even get service out here.” Another pause. “Actually, to be honest, I didn’t think that I had one of these. What is this?” She holds up the phone before it fades out of existence and she forgets that she had it at all. To fill the void left by its disappearance, a kumquat is penciled into her hand.

Sie squints, he can’t shake the feeling that something has gone amiss. But what?

“I want to help you. You're hurt. We can help you feel better.” A voice in the distance keeps him from contemplating it for too long. “And we can help you find Aang.”

Sie creeps his way closer and pushes some brambles aside to have a better look. It would seem as if his aimless meandering has led him to a new opportunity. Surely it will end with just as much humiliation as his prior attempt but it is better than going to face his father without doing everything in his power to complete his mission first.

He takes a deep breath and turns to Mai and TyLee, “it’s disguise time ladies.”

.oOo.

Azula drums her fingers on the table. She is growing tired of staring at the graffiti on the table. An etching captioned, ‘my largge peengus by Toph’ had only been funny for a few minutes. She wonders if whoever wrote that had meant to spell the word wrong. She also wonders why the image itself is so squiggly. Moreso, she wonders why she is putting so much thought into such vulgar graffiti.

The more she sits there, the more she considers trying to cover up the vile artwork with something more tea-shop appropriate.

“You!” Booms a voice from the doorway.

Azula looks up. The boy seems to be pointing at her. Azula stands, he must know of her renowned cabbages and is trying to get one for himself. She sighs, “I am truly sorry, but I just recently lost…”

“No, not you.” The boy laughs awkwardly.

“Oh.” She also laughs awkwardly.

So does Ozai, for he has just been caught reading a hentai comic at his own war meeting.

“Yeah.” The boy rubs the back of his head. “I’m looking for a firebender.”

“Oh, yes, that is not me.” Azula replies. “I cannot bend fire.”

The boy nods. “That’s good because I’d have to…” he slashes his hook swords through the air “you too and I don’t want to have to…” another swoosh of his swords “you too.”

Azula nods, “I would not like to be…” she gives him time to make the gesture a third time.

“I think that the guys who run this place are firebenders so I have to get rid of them before they allow the war to get into Ba Sing Se.”

Azula perks up. “You know about the war!?” Finally, someone who isn’t a complete and utter moron. Definitely a moron, but not completely so. She can work with that. Especially since the moron is more charming than the soldier she had met on the wall.

“YOU!” Booms another voice, this one belonging to one of two uniformed men.

She is amazed by her own popularity tonight. “Sorry, my cabbages have been…”

“Not you.” The man clarifies. “Him.” He points to the boy next to her.

The man next to him nudges him and mutters something.

The first man clears his throat. “Actually, you as well.”

Azula grins but only for a moment before she recalls the bitter facts. “I’m sorry, but I can’t sell you any cabbages because…”

“Yup, that’s definitely the right one.” Mutters man two.

“Both of you are under arrest.”

“Arrest?” Azula furrows her brows. “Look, I know that I wasn’t supposed to be on the wall but those soldiers enjoyed their cabbages.” A strong set of arms attempt to pin her arms behind her back. She ducks under and sweeps her leg under the man’s. He topples and his companion is on her in seconds. She wishes with more fury that cabbagebending were a thing. The first man to attack her now wrestles with the other boy. They encase his arms in a prison of heavy rock.

“Are you sure that you don’t just want to buy a cabbage?” Azula asks as she ducks under a rock. She wonders why it is taking Iroh and Zuko so long to make her food. She gives the man a swift kick but he catches her foot in a cluster of rocks much like the ones around the boy’s wrists. It throws her balance enough to land her on the ground. “What do you want with me?” She scowls.

“To help you.” The man says.

Azula tilts her head, quizzically. “To help me? You know how to make a profit off of cabbages?”

“Enough with the cabbages!” The man shouts. “No. We’ve heard tell that you and that boy are trying to spark panic via vicious lies and rumors.”  He elaborates, “there is no war in Ba Sing Se and the two of you will soon realize that.”

Two things happen at once; another man walks in. She recognizes him as the first man she had attempted to sell to before trying her luck with the soldiers. He looks truly and unapologetically smug. The weasley little snitch.

At the same time she sees Iroh and Zuko emerge from the kitchen. She can only watch longingly as the uniformed man drags her further and further from her hard-earned pan-fried noodles and roast duck.

“No!” The boy cries. “No! You’re arresting the wrong people! You need to go after them! They’re the firebenders!”

“There is no war in Ba Sing Se.” The two men repeat in unison.

Azula does not quite understand, all she wants to do is sell cabbagges. Why is it so hard to sell a few spiritdamned cabbages!? They pass by the man who ratted her out, “that’ll teach you not to question my spending choices.” He folds his arms over his chest with a humph.

Azula narrows her eyes. Next to her the boy is still thrashing and screaming. But not her. No, she is not a screamer. She is an opportunist. Perhaps she can sell a few cabbages to these men. Surly they will need nutritious sustenance if they are going to try to overthrow their current government.

[romacharm]

title: the ways we say i love you chapter: 1/1 fandom: avatar pairing: zutara notes: for @goldenclasp and @zutaraexchange summary:

but this is wartime, dearest. only a few make it out alive. 

[ in which katara and zuko mend the breaks. ]

AO3

i.

zuko knows a number of things, like the smell of early-morning dewdrops dripping from leaves, the crimson glow of a fire fueled by rage, and that he is irrevocably in love with a girl who wants nothing to do with him.

he’s learned to track animal prints, and how to distinguish them; he’s learned tears don’t always mean sadness, and eyes full of affection can turn into something so twisted, so brutal, so vicious.

his mother told him, once, that love is a choice. love is being together after quarreling and spitting angry words, and love is dangerous dance that neither ever learned the steps to. improvise, zuko, and you’ll make it. he’s not sure when it became less about love and more about heartbreak, or survival, but his mother has always had a way of making things fit.

when he was too selfish to listen or understand, his uncle told him love isn’t anything. pure love is unconditional and selfless; that’s all. he said love is something we define for ourselves.

zuko has never thought much of love. and, even if he had, he would have thought love was a distraction, or something he couldn’t ever achieve.

he never thought about the way it could feel to imagine someone’s fingers intertwined in his, someone’s life intertwined in his. until he does, dreaming beside a crackling fire, and the reality of it is like a slap in the face.

to a scarred boy with nothing to call his own, love is a daydream. love is a fantasy. it is not, was not, a reality.

love has no place in war.

(still, he remembers kindness and the feel of her cool fingers against his scar. he doesn’t let anyone touch it. but she did.

somehow it feels right, that it should be her. even though he knows it’s not.)

he shifts in the dark and stares at twinkling lights centuries above him. they sparkle despite everything; they are a constant in a world that has known only injustice for far too long.

and he starts to think, no, love isn't for him. maybe what he's mistaken as love is a reaction, a normal emotion stemming from a super-charged moment surrounded by crystals and loneliness. until he sees her again the next morning, and the glare she shoots him makes his heart unexpectedly pound in his chest.

he knows her narrowed eyes and piercing gaze like the back of his hand, by now. he knows her mistrust and doesn't blame her for it.

but he also knows her soft smile when she cares, the fluid movements of her arms when she waterbends, the way she sleeps without moving, like she's ready to spring into battle at the slightest noise. he knows the ever-present fear in the back of her eyes, and how her expression is almost always guarded and unreadable.

this is wartime, and she was not born a soldier, but she was forced to be one. he knows he had a hand in that.

he has many regrets. but he will make them right again.

.

ii.

katara doesn’t expect zuko to understand. it was his people that took her mother away; how would he know that any kindness she offered him was like disrespecting the circumstances of her mother’s death? she extended to him an olive branch, once, and it turned out to be the worst mistake she’s made. to put trust in someone who rips it apart. to try to help someone who tears her apart.

she ignores his eyes over the fire. the temple is cold and drafty, and she knows zuko is warm, but she’s entirely unwilling to meet him with anything but scorn.

deep within her, she still feels some kind of call to him, some kind of siren song that pulls her toward him. it makes her body tingle with rage and something she doesn’t want to name, something that makes the anger in her even greater. katara tries her best to be a calm and parenting figure, but zuko… zuko.

so she’s surprised when he comes back with suki in tow. she’s surprised he didn’t sell her brother over to the highest bidder at the first possible chance. it’s not enough to trust him yet, but enough to make her think. she’s even more surprised when he helps sneak her out to the general who’d had her mom killed.

even more so when zuko stands back and lets her decide if she should kill. if blood should be on her hands, too. she drops the water around her and turns back to zuko, ready for the day-long flight ahead of them.

this is when she begins trusting him again.

she lets him help her collect food and water and overlooks the way his hand accidentally brushes hers as they walk. she’s not ready for the idea of it being intentional yet.

if zuko is a star she is the rest of night: inky darkness and silvery moonlight. she decides she doesn’t mind it so much.

.

iii.

being friends with katara is nothing like zuko imagined it would be. then again, he wouldn't let himself indulge in those kinds of fantasies much before he actually re-earned her trust; no point in entertaining thoughts that went straight to the pangs in his heart, anyway. they both wake early and sleep late, careful of the rise and fall of moonshine and sunlight, like a dance they tiptoe around together. they spar sometimes at night and in the morning, and they're evenly matched, depending on the time of day.

she opens up to him slowly. first it's a thank-you for helping her find closure. then it's the feel of her hand in his on appa’s back. as romantic as it feels to zuko, it's not meant like that; he knows it's katara’s way of being supportive, of understanding that he's left everything behind for their motley crew of teenagers and a cause to destroy the father he once wished could love. he doesn’t try to read between the lines of her palm.

he could, though. he could torture himself like that. he could let his dreams run away from him and imagine too much too early. she’s not obligated to like him at all, zuko feels lucky every time she doesn’t forcibly oust him from camp ━

then he jolts awake with the ghost of lips on his. his traitorous subconscious shows him scenes he can only wish become real.

by the time they’re safely on ember island, zuko’s hope has been only slightly rekindled. the girl-turned-warrior he’s fallen in love with still has a soft streak to her, like low tide, such a contrast from her sharp ice-rain. that morning after he’s tossed and turned for hours, he finally sits up. katara looks over at him.

“feeling alright?” she asks.

zuko rubs his head. “yeah, i think.”

she’s already finished making breakfast, is sharpening knives of ice using a rigid stone. the small smile on her fast juxtaposes the violent scraping of rock on ice.

“you look like you haven’t slept,” katara observes.

“i was thinking,” zuko says.

“penny for your thoughts?”

zuko stands and sits next to her on the steps, resting his elbows on his knees. “i just… i have my doubts. who knows how all this is going to end.”

katara nods but says nothing, pausing mid-scrape. she drops her tools and takes zuko’s hand, reassuring in her calm, steady grip. nothing like his hands that tremble as he combs them through his short hair. they sit for a while, resting, until the others wake up.

.

iv.

the ember island players are arguably the best part of their time on the island, but that’s not saying much. there was only one thing that the play got right: growing feelings, at least on zuko’s part. as they trudge back to camp, he can’t help but notice more acutely the slope of katara’s shoulders, the way she ushers them all along, the mother hen of the group.

he notices, over the next few days, the soft smiles that come to her face when she’s content, the stressed furrow of her brows, the slight downturn of her unimpressed mouth. he notices her mouth a lot.

but they are warriors, bred to hurt and kill, taught by powers beyond their control to hate and fight and never surrender. zuko only learns the true meaning of surrender when she stares into his eyes for a brief moment, affection in the undertones of her stunning blue eyes.

they’re alone one night when zuko finally begins to break. he looks at her lips for a beat too long, and katara notices. he’s afraid she’ll pull away from him immediately, terminate the friendship they’ve been growing ever since the abandoned air temple ━ but she doesn’t. katara’s eyes flit down over his mouth, his chest, back up to his eyes. she smirks like a challenge.

“is it okay,” zuko asks, “if i kiss you?”

“i was starting to think you’d never ask,” katara murmurs.

for once, zuko does not hesitate. he presses his mouth to hers quickly; heat overcomes the simmering fire in his veins, and he feels the cool touch of her water when she reaches up and splays her fingers along his cheek. he pulls her toward him with an arm around her waist, reveling in this, the intoxicating, beautiful feel of katara and zuko.

.

v.

when all is said and done, they move to the fire nation. katara wanders with wide eyes around peacetime festivals, no longer trying to reconcile the three versions of the fire nation she now knows: a band of cruel murders, a desolate people in search of hope, and a rowdy crowd filled to the brim with enthusiasm.

zuko links his arm through hers and pulls her toward a stand selling strange, blue drinks for a coin a cup. in the time that comes, he will be passing laws and treaties and orders to get the fire nation back on his feet. but zuko knows, he will not be alone. he takes a sip of sparkling blue magic and looks at the girl at his side, dressed now in red with the stab of her blue eyes. he sees katara and she sees him.

some say the love between them could only have lasted during the war. when they were both soldiers, fighting for the same cause. but zuko and katara both agree ━ the real story starts here.

[sassycassie-s-writing]

Lockets [Version 2]

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): Avatar: The Last Airbender/Zuko

Rating: PG-11/T- (for minor injuries)

Original Idea: Same as Version 1--- @welovegroot asked and I had two different ideas so I wrote it twice.

Notes: (Masterlist)(By Character)(About Me) This one starts the same as version 1, but changes after Zuko reaches the South Pole! I like this version better, TBH... This one is also over 3,000 words!

^^^^^

“What are you doing?” Zuko demanded. I looked over at him, strapping my dagger to my belt. He had a bandage over his left eye.

“Coming with you!” I replied brightly.

“What?! No you’re not!”

“Well I can’t let you go alone. Duh.”

“No, Natsumi. Listen to me,” he pleaded, grabbing my shoulders. He looked so different with his head shaved save the high ponytail and the terrible burns on the left side of his face. “You cannot come with me. You have to stay here. This is your place—here. You’re not coming.”

“Why not?”

“Because this banishment is for me. I’ve lost my honor. And when I find the Avatar, I’ll get it back.”

I put one hand on the good side of his face. “But I don’t want to be here without you.”

He sighed and removed my hand. “I know. I don’t want to leave you either. You’re one of my only friends. But… I can’t let you banish yourself.”

“You’ll be all alone out there—”

“No. My uncle has chosen to accompany me. Stay here. That’s an order.”

I sniffed, eyes watering a little. “Of course, Your Highness.”

“Be careful. Train hard,” Zuko said.

“You too.”

He moved to leave.

“Wait!” I cried out. I rushed over to my dresser and pulled out a small wooden box. I returned to Zuko and held it out. “Take this with you. I was going to give it to you on your next birthday, but I guess now might be my last chance for a while.”

He accepted the box and opened it. The gold locket glittered in the torchlight of my room.

With one fingernail, he popped the locket open.

I couldn’t see it, but I knew inside was a smaller version of the portrait that had been painted of us when spring had begun. The court painter had been out in the courtyard, capturing the blossoms on the trees, while Zuko and I had been out playing and enjoying the last vestiges of our childhood. I’d asked the painter to paint the same thing, only smaller, and put it in the locket.

Zuko looked up at me, but didn’t say anything.

“To remember me by,” I said.

“Thank you,” he said. “But I don’t need a trinket to remember you by. I’ll never forget you.”

“Well take it anyway. To remind you of the good times.”

He nodded. “Thanks.” After a moment, during which it seemed like he wanted to say something, he turned around, toward my bedroom door.

He slipped out of my room like a wraith and disappeared from my life.

I collapsed to my knees and broke down in tears.

^^^^^

Zuko reached under his tunic and pulled out the locket. He popped it open with his fingernail. The catch and the hinge were much looser than they’d been two years ago when Natsumi first gave it to him since he opened it so often. The picture inside was preserved behind the thin, small sheet of glass, and had withstood most of the damage that could have been done to it.

There were he and Natsumi, playing under the pink blossoms in the trees, smiling and laughing. He couldn’t remember the last time he really smiled since his exile began.

The portrait had been painted before he got his scar. It was strange to see the left side of his face with unblemished skin. Simpler times. Sometimes he and Natsumi would spar in the courtyard—easy stuff. Rarely with enough fire to do any lasting damage to each other or the flora.

Zuko stared at the portrait for a while, feeling the boat chug beneath him. He missed her. Not a day went by that he didn’t regret not letting her go with him. But he knew, now and back then, that he couldn’t bring her with him into banishment.

“Prince Zuko,” his uncle said. “We’re coming up on the South Pole.”

Zuko snapped the locket shut and shoved it back under his tunic. He knew Iroh knew it was there, but Iroh never commented about it and Zuko never brought it up.

“Wonderful. Hopefully there we’ll catch some luck,” he said.

^^^^^

My arm hurt. Left side. Shoulder-to-elbow. The pain drove out every other thought. I was vaguely aware of the fact that I was lying down on something hard and uncomfortable, but I had no clue what it was. A stretcher? The ground? Who knew?

“The sergeant is injured! We have to get her medical attention!” one of my crewmates cried out.

“She’s the Fire Lord’s ward. Better make it fast or he’ll have our heads,” someone else said quietly.

“I thought he wasn’t terribly fond of her,” a third voice remarked.

“The Fire Lord isn’t terribly fond of anybody,” the second voice agreed. “However, she’s the daughter of one of his best late generals. Both of her parents died in combat when she was seven. Rumor has it Fire Lord Ozai promised her father that he’d make sure she was well cared-for until she was ready before she was even born.”

“Huh. Never heard about that,” the third voice said.

My blood was roaring in my ears and I was in too much pain to comment on their gossip. Old gossip. Sure I’d lived a majority of my life without my parents now, going back to the Fire Nation palace on shore leave since I was fourteen. Did people still really talk about that stuff?

I didn’t have the brain space to ask.

After several moments, during which I know I moaned in pain, there was a lot of movement, and then a rocking sensation. The movement had lasted a while, and yet no time at all.

The rocking was familiar. The creaking around me was too.

A Fire Navy ship.

The one I served on, if I wasn’t mistaken.

“Get the medic. We’re taking her back to the capital to recover. That wound is too nasty,” the captain’s voice ordered.

^^^^^

“Prince Zuko!” a serving boy exclaimed, throwing open the door to Zuko’s chambers.

“What?” Zuko snapped as Mai pulled away from the kiss they’d been sharing.

“Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“Lady Natsumi is back!”

Zuko’s heart stopped. “What?” he asked.

“Yeah,” the boy agreed. He was probably fourteen. “Apparently she got badly injured on the battlefield. Sent back to the capital to recover. She was s’posed to be delivered here to the palace according to the other servants. Dunno if she made it. I just know she’s back in the Fire Nation.”

Zuko stared straight forward, hand crawling up to the locket he still wore but kept hidden. It had been a long time since he’d seen her.

Would she even remember him? Would she still care? Was she in any condition to see him?

He shook his head. “Thank you for informing me,” he said. The boy slammed the door shut again.

Zuko’s arm around Mai loosened slightly. He couldn’t believe it.

Part of him was mildly surprised she was still alive. Everyone else he loved once tended to get ripped away from him. Why should his childhood best friend be any different?

The other part of him was ecstatic. She was still alive! And she was coming home!

Mai looked up at him. “May I come with you to visit her? She was my friend too.”

Zuko nodded. “Sure.”

^^^^^

By the time the pain medicine had eased enough of the agony for me to open my eyes, I realized where I was.

The infirmary of the Fire Nation palace. I’d been in this room plenty enough as a kid—minor early Firebending training incidents, making mischief with Zuko and Azula and Mai and Ty Lee, that one time I fell off the courtyard roof—to recognize it on sight.

My arm still ached, but when I looked at it, all I could see was bandages.

“Good morning, milady,” the old nurse said. She’d guided me through a lot of pain in my life.

“Is it morning?” I complained.

The nurse chuckled. “You haven’t changed much,” she said. “I’ll tell Prince Zuko you’ve woken.”

I sat up so fast my head spun. “Zuko’s back? What happened? Did he find the Avatar? What has he said—”

“Relax, my lady,” the nurse soothed, gently but firmly forcing me to lie down again. “He can regale you with stories when he arrives. For now, you need to keep resting. Your body is trying to heal.”

I sighed. “Sorry,” I muttered, relaxing back on the bed. “I just… didn’t think he’d be here.”

“It’ll all be alright, young lady. I’ll go fetch him, but you need to drink this tea and rest.” She put a small earthenware cup into my hand. I sat up enough to sip at it. It was warm and spicy—perfect authentic Fire Nation tea. So much better than what we brewed on our ship. But there was a war on and luxuries were scarce out in the military.

The nurse slipped out of the infirmary. I set the cup down and peeked under the bandages. Yikes. The burn was gnarly and was definitely going to scar.

I resituated the bandages and tried not to gag. I’d seen worse on other soldiers. Maybe it was because it was my own skin that it grossed me out.

The door opened again. “Nice to see you’re awake,” a familiar voice said. “You’ve only been out for three days. That old bat wouldn’t let me see you.” I glanced over to the door to see a familiar figure dressed in long royal robes.

I smiled. “Hi Zuko.”

He gave me a tiny grin. “Hey,” he greeted.

“How… how are you?” That seemed like a really stupid question, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Better question is how are you?”

“Don’t do that,” I complained. “Don’t turn it on me.”

He shrugged and sat in a chair near the bed I was on. “Better than talking about me.”

“But I want to hear everything.”

“Later. I promise. But you’re the one lying on a gurney wrapped in bandages.” He sighed. “I, uh, brought you something.” He held out a small red box.

He helped me sit up and propped me up on a small pile of pillows before handing me the box.

I pried the lid open.

And gasped.

Sitting in the box was a beautiful, ornate gold locket. Like the one I’d given to him three years ago but much fancier. Gently, so as not to disturb my injury, I pulled it out and opened it. “Oh Zuko…!” I whispered, in awe.

It was the same painting as the one I’d given him when he left three years ago but updated to our current ages—along with the scar on his face. My hair was pulled up in a proper top-knot, rather than the ponytail of my youth. He was in his armor—and I was in mine. In the old one, we were in soft, loose tunics.

The smiles were smaller—and I felt my heart break.

I looked up at him. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

“I was going to send it to you before your birthday. But then I was told you were here.” He gently removed it from my hands and clasped it behind my neck. I tucked it down my patient gown neckline.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. I missed you.”

“Missed you too.”

The door opened. Mai stepped in. “Morning,” she greeted flatly.

“Morning,” I replied, trying for a smile and pulling more of a grimace as my injury throbbed.

“Heard you got pretty hurt,” she said, standing next to Zuko and wrapping an arm around his waist. I could have sworn the crack of my heartbreak was audible. Why was I surprised? Mai had always had a crush on Zuko. I’d never really noticed whether or not he liked her back—but I knew throughout our childhood that she liked him. It shouldn’t have surprised me that since his return they’d be together.

“Yeah,” I said, managing to keep any quivering out of my voice. “Kinda sucks.”

“So I’d imagine,” Mai said.

“Good to see you again, though,” I said. “Both of you.”

“Thanks,” Zuko said.

The nurse came back in. “Alright, alright! Shoo! She needs rest and healing, Your Highness, Lady Mai.” She waved them out.

Once they were gone, I stopped suppressing the pain in my chest and my injury. Tears flooded to my eyes and spilled over. I reached up with my right hand and held my injured left shoulder. That caused a spike in the pain, but it also brought comfort.

The nurse started attending to me. “Are you alright, my lady?”

I sniffed. “I don’t know,” I said. “Everything hurts.”

“I’ll make some more medicine for you. The pain should be dulled.”

“It’s not that kind of hurt,” I muttered.

The nurse glanced over her shoulder at the door. “Ah. Prince Zuko and Lady Mai. Yes. I always knew you had a special place in your heart for him,” she said as she started grinding up some herbs. “I'm sorry, my lady, for your reunion with such a dear friend to be so bittersweet.” She didn’t notice my hand curling into a fist around the locket he’d given me. A gesture of friendship. Nothing more.

I opened it again and removed the small glass panel to look at the back of the small painting. It was blank.

“He never even turned over the painting I gave him,” I muttered. “I thought he’d get bored and find it one day.”

“Pardon?” the nurse asked.

“Nothing. Never mind.”

^^^^^

“Alright. Something’s wrong,” Mai said after Zuko had been quiet for a long time.

“It’s nothing. It’s just weird… Seeing her again after… all this time,” he said. “She’s changed. But… so have I.”

“Hrn,” Mai grunted, sounding disinterested. “She gave you that necklace, right?”

“Yeah. The day I was banished. She wanted to come with me.”

“The two of you were always close friends.”

I knew it, Mai thought. She’d felt the disconnect between her and Zuko the moment that servant boy said Natsumi was home. It had only grown in the three days she’d been unconscious. The problem was: Mai wanted to hate Natsumi for it, but couldn’t. Zuko’s feelings weren’t her fault. She didn’t ask for him to like her.

Zuko reached up to his locket and pulled it out, gently prying it open.

In the glimmering firelight of the torch on the wall, he caught a glimpse of something through the painting.

Curious, he pulled the glass out and removed the painting. He flipped it over.

Dear Zuko,

Happy birthday! I’ll always love you with all my heart.

Your Natsumi

He stared at it, reading it over and over. There wasn’t much room on the back of the painting, but she’d always written really small.

Mai read the inscription over his shoulder.

She sighed and stode off.

^^^^^

Zuko and I laughed at one of his stories while I was recovering. I’d been moved from the infirmary to my old room, but my arm was still hurting and I couldn’t remove the bandages. “Seriously? Pirates?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. It was… a very strange day,” he said.

I laughed and leaned my head back against my pile of pillows. “Wow. I missed a lot,” I said.

He shrugged. “I missed a lot of what you did too,” he replied.

I waved my hand dismissively. “Naw. You didn’t miss much. Just military crap.”

“C’mon. Tell me.”

Knock-knock!

“That’s probably the nurse,” I said. “Come in!”

The door opened. Mai stood there. “Zuko, can I talk to you?” she asked. He glanced at me as he stood up.

“Sure,” he said. He followed her out. But the door didn’t close the whole way, and I could hear everything they were saying. “What’s wrong?”

“I'm not blind, Zuko,” Mai said. “I can see how much you care for her.”

“Well yeah. It’s like you said. We’ve always been close friends.”

“No. This is different!” Mai snapped. “Look, Zuko. Ever since she came back, it’s like a wall’s been put up between you and me! I don’t see you as much and it’s like I don’t even exist anymore! We. Are. Over. Until you figure yourself out, don’t bother coming to me.” I heard her stomp off.

Zuko stayed out in the corridor for several long moments.

When he came back in, there was a lost look on his face. He closed the door by falling against it.

I slowly eased out of bed and stumbled over to him. I was still weak from medicine and injuries and exhaustion. I staggered into his chest, letting my good arm fall around his waist. “I'm sorry,” I whispered.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and held me close. “I… I don’t know…”

“Shh. You don’t have to say anything. I understand.”

“Hey wait a second. You’re not supposed to be out of bed!” Zuko bent down and scooped my knees up. He carried me back to my bed and set me down. “You have to take care of yourself.”

“Is it true?” I asked. “Since I’ve come back?”

He sighed. “I missed you a lot,” he said. “I looked at your locket every day while I was banished. And I found your note on the back of the painting a few days ago. I…” He hung his head. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to know everything, Zuko,” I said, reaching out and taking his hand. The movement hurt my injury and I winced but didn’t withdraw.

He glanced up at me. “Thank you.”

We went back to telling stories of the time we spent apart. In the middle of one of his stories about a woman named June and an abbey that made perfume, his hand had found my injured shoulder. It throbbed where he touched it, but the pain brought a sharp clarity to the world around me.

I sat up. “Zuko?” I asked.

“Hmm?”

“Everything okay?”

“I… I think so. What Mai said brought something to mind that I haven’t dared think about in years.” He slid the locket out of the neckline of his robe. “I love you too, Natsumi.”

“Zuko. I'm not going to be your rebound.”

“No. No I understand.”

“Give yourself some time. If you still love me by the time I'm healed and you’re over Mai just barely breaking up with you, then maybe we can try to be together.”

He nodded. “I understand,” he said.

Wow. He had changed.

^^^^^

“Well, my lady, looks like you’re all healed,” the nurse said as she removed my bandages. Permanently. It was scarred but the burn no longer hurt.

I smiled at her. “Thank you,” I said. I gave her a hug.

When I left the infirmary, Zuko was waiting for me. “You’re looking better,” he said.

“I'm feeling better.”

He snared my waist. “So. Is the writing on the back of the painting you gave me still true?”

“Always,” I replied. “Are you over your breakup with Mai?”

“Yeah. She and I drifted apart before you showed up. Your reappearance just confirmed it.”

“So do you still want to try the dating thing?” I asked.

“If you’ll let me.”

“Oh with pleasure, Your Highness.”

“Ugh. Don’t call me that.”

“So stop me, Your High—”

I got cut off by him planting his lips on mine.

I giggled. Exactly what I had in mind.

[kalico-to-the-letter]

REVIEW // RWBY | 6.2 | “UNCOVERED”

AKA the moment when all the slashfic writers remember that these girls are still only in their mid-to-late teens. Awkward.

Welcome in to my review of Volume 6, Chapter 2, entitled “Uncovered”. 

In this episode: Confirmation for the great sages of the fandom who’ve seen promotional material, Why the magic lamp is a magic lamp, and A stupid new character.

Ah, this was fun. See, if this were my show, I would be digging deep into the “female who is mostly attracted to women” bag to write a scene like this. But it holds up on its own, I think.

SOME BIG THINGS BEING UNCOVERED, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN … SORRY

When was the last time any singular episode of RWBY posed so many questions of its primary narrative without a whole lot happening? Maybe at some point in Volume 4, but the show now is in a very different place compared to those days.

I would have to estimate that about eighty percent of this episode is spent on providing exposition for the heroes’ story, whether it be on what our crew of protagonists are attempting to do by taking the Relic (of Knowledge) to Atlas, what the Relic (of Knowledge) even does, or why everyone agrees this is a good idea. My initial thought is: “Gee, it would have been nice to have had this information earlier, and delivered in a smoother way than just heaping it on my plate”.

It’s not a negative though, not entirely. Yes, the delivery of information in this episode could have been better, but everything makes sense, for the most part. And even though, as always, it hinges on “let’s do this because Oz says we should”, this episode progresses in a way which cements Oz as the self-righteous, holier-than-thou dick I personally have come to see him as, ever since he inhabited the body of Oscar.

Not even a year ago, this show was constantly excusing Oz’s mystery and complete lack of transparency as just being a necessary thing – part of the deal. That way when he did engage and share with us, it made him seem like he wasn’t just navel-gazing, but actually digging deep. So it makes me satisfied to see that the show – and Team RWBY – are finally having enough of his bullshit. Bonus points to Ruby, for planting her flag and being decisive in this situation as well.

It is through this continued attachment and dedication to character that RWBY gets away with quite a lot, in fact. Exposition is far more interesting when it is tied to potentially conflicting character dynamics, and setting Team RWBY against bullshitting allies like Oz, who claim that they know what is best without actually contributing the depth of that knowledge, is an underrated way to define the collective personality and identity of the newly-reunited team.

The other twenty percent of this episode is spent on Cinder.

Yes, I know we saw her silhouette in the season poster, and we’ve seen her traipsing around streets as a mysterious, unidentified figure in the opening, but understand that there are so many ways to handle the non-death and return of a fairly major character. And the fact of the matter is that while yes, it was fairly obvious to everyone that has seen the promotional material, this is – for the most part – one of the better ways to bring her back into the fold.

What would you rather have? Her showing up as a complete anticlimax twist near the endgame of the season all of a sudden? Or would you rather have an actual story?

If your answer is a story, then this is one way you do it: bring her back early.

And consider this: Rooster Teeth know that we would have seen through the silhouettes and the hooded cloaks – it is the easiest thing to connect that mystery to Cinder, and it’s one they would have thought about. Otherwise, why even put the silhouette in the poster, or the mystery figure in the opening? They didn’t have to do any of that, and who knows? We might have asked the question if Cinder could come back, but none of us “figured it out” until we saw these promo materials, and then people started acting like they knew for certain, all along. But Rooster Teeth did make those choices, and it’s worth thinking about what that could mean. Why put her in shadow? Why have her walking around in a cloak?

Easy answer: Because (hopefully) it’s not the same old Cinder.

If you’re a long-time reader of these reviews (and bless you if you are), then you know that for the longest time, I was on Cinder Will Turn Good Island. I finally set sail from that island toward the end of last season, when she revealed her lovely Grimm-infused arm. I figured that was it for my idea, and I didn’t really consider it again until this episode.

And I’m not going back to that idea of a Zuko-esque hero turn, necessarily. At the core of their respective characters, the parallel doesn’t fit. But I am considering going back to the crux of that idea, which was of Cinder’s potential as a general wildcard. What if she split from Salem, and not to join the heroes, but to walk a new road as an anomalous, morally grey character?

That idea on its own is kind of what I had hoped for Raven last season, until she turned out to be the most blah and boring “important” character in the show’s history.

But with Cinder, someone who we’ve seen since Day One, I still think it has legs. During that time, she has become more and more of an antagonist, more crazed and sinking – until she literally was sunk. And this episode doesn’t cast her off the bat as anyone different than what we remember. She still (presumably) kills an innocent woman for her clothes, and still seems to be on the hunt for Starship Hero.

But like I said. You bring her back early, and you get the chance to see her story in full. I have great interest in how they handle this.

OBSERVATIONS:

I’ve seen her referred to as Steampunk Granny, but she now has a name: Maria. Let’s see if this character is any good or not.

Hey, remember that blonde lady from the new opening? Yep, hello, Salem. Just from how this ending came together, you know that Oz is going to get it in very short order. And hopefully that drives him to be better, because he is still important to the cause. 

A mystical entity springing from a Magical Lamp has the name of “Jinn”? This show is the opposite of slick with some of these names.

I cannot be the only one who thinks “Lil’ Miss Malachite” is already a terrible character. For one thing, she already comes off as such a blatant rip-off of Game of Thrones’s Varys that it’s laughable. Spiders, really? 

Beyond the mismanagement of Cinder herself, this element could threaten all the good stuff I wrote about above. When you put a character like Cinder in this position, separating her from her past tethers, you don’t need to introduce artificial stakes to make her story interesting – it becomes interesting on its own. It’s what’s called a “burgeoning subjectivity”, and it’s essentially when the focal character puts herself in positions to reflect and grow as a result of how she interacts with others and the world around her. Organic, reflexive development. But this Malachite woman already has all the red flags of being a hammy, cartoonish chess master with hammy, cartoonish goons, brought in just so that Cinder has some kind of foil to go up against. I know that a writer thought this direction would be a good idea, but that’s just what this character comes off as: a writer’s C-grade, clumsily-written pawn, here to threaten something that could be really good for Cinder’s development. If it ends up that I’m jumping out the window on this, then I’ll hold my hands up. But I’ve seen (and done) enough bad, bald-faced writing to know when it’s rearing its head. Consider yourself warned.

It’s weird, isn’t it, to actually see the Team RWBY girls confronted with such a … figure … as Jinn. And I know, part of their shock comes from seeing such a magic entity appear before them … but these girls in the show are old enough to understand what Jinn, just visually, represents. And if you don’t believe me, then just look at how that scene is cut together – close-ups of big-blue body parts cut against their reaction faces … mm-hm. You don’t have to be a film student to see the connotations in practice.

GRADE: C+

“Uncovered” is the heaviest episode of RWBY – in terms of delivering exposition and driving the overarching plot – in quite some time. But if last week’s premiere was “all-killer, no-filler”, this is very much the other side of the spectrum, as we learned a fair amount, but didn’t really go anywhere. Still, there are a number of bright spots, such as Oz being exposed in the eyes of Team RWBY, and the return and potential solo storyline of Cinder. All in all, there are enough character hooks to stay intrigued, but right now the bones and mechanics of the writing are too visible to be entirely comfortable. – KALLIE

[wickedwitch1997]

Katara, of the Fire Nation - Chapter 28

I know it’s been a while, I’ve had writer's block and I have started studying, but I’m back for another chapter and will continue to upload when I can. -Lots of Love your wickedwitch

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18   Chapter 19 Chapter 20Chapter 21 Chapter 22  Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27  

Colours swirl in Katara’s dreams, music sings out sweetly to Katara as she watches flowers bloom and people dance under the midnight moon.

Katara is woken by her court, they come bustling in and cluck around like a flock of chickens.

For the past few days Katara has been kept separate from Zuko, as per tradition, the couple are not allow to see each other until their wedding day. This tradition is particularly difficult to follow, especially when the bride to be is the groom’s chief advisor.

Katara drags herself out of bed and stretches her arms above her head as she yawns.

The ladies that cluck around her room are Katara’s ladies in waiting, they are all around her age and come from elite families that live in court and they were given to Katara the day after she and Zuko returned from the waterfall.

As the ladies help Katara get dressed, Katara looks to the two dresses hanging on mannequins, one in typical fire nation style, another in typical water tribe style.

“Have you chosen a dress yet?” one of the ladies asks as she catches Katara staring at the dresses, “The wedding is only a few days away.”

Katara purses her lips and tilts her head at the dresses.

If Katara chooses a water tribe dress, the fire nation could see Katara as clinging onto her tribe, they could see her as someone who will but her tribe first.

However, if Katara chooses the fire nation dress, it could upset her tribe; the tribe could assume that Katara is turning her backs on them.

As Katara stares at the fur lining of the water tribe dress, an idea pops into her head and she reaches up to touch her betrothal necklace that hangs around her neck.

Thankfully the wedding is taking place in winter and there is a stiff chill on the air, as Katara starts picking apart her dresses the ladies gape in horror.

“Katara!” they breathe, “My lady, what are you doing?”

Katara ignores her ladies as she unties the sash around the fire nation dress.

For the rest of the day, Katara stays in her room, ignoring all who come to her door. Katara utilises her ladies for the first time since they came into her service, she has them fetch her material, to their credit, the ladies are good, very good, they’re able to acquire almost a hundred yards of fabric for Katara in the span of an hour.

Katara, an average sewer at best, is saved when one of her ladies enlists the help of the royal dress maker.

“My Lady,” the woman gapes when she enters the room to find Katara up to her elbows in fabric, “What is it you are trying to do?”

Katara explains her plan to the dress maker and the woman pales.

“But… what about tradition?” the woman gapes.

“Lei, it’s not tradition for a fire lord to marry a water tribe princess,” Katara explains with a cocky smile on her face, “yet here we are, let’s start new traditions.”

…

Zuko can hear the commotion erupting from Katara’s room, and as the sun continues to rise, the commotion keeps building.

“My lord,” one of Katara’s ladies says, walking into the office through the hidden door.

“What is it?” Zuko asks, though his attention isn’t on the lady, he is trying to look around her, trying to catch a glimpse of his fiancée.

“My lord,” the lady gapes, she pulls the door slightly shut before Zuko can see anything, “May I remind you that you insisted on this tradition being met.”

Zuko frowns and then he looks to the lady who speaks so boldly at him, the lady emits a high pitched squeak when Zuko’s eyes meet her’s, she realises how she spoke and she looks to the floor and holds her tongue.

“What is it that you want?” Zuko sighs, he’s been tense since the separation from Katara.

“The princess Katara wants to know if she can use this room,” the lady says, her eyes stay trained on the floor and Zuko purses his lips and scratches at his scarred cheek.

“What for?”

“I… her room is becoming crowded,” the lady answers.

Zuko looks to the stack of papers on his desk, then he looks to Katara’s door.

Zuko sweeps the stack into a draw and locks the information away before standing and then telling the lady that they can have the room.

Zuko leaves the office and listens to the locks being slid into place.

…

Katara sits at Zuko’s desk and watches the other ladies as fabrics spill into the room.

She can smell fiancé’s scent lingering in the air, the office is entwined with the smell of sandalwood and cinnamon.

Katara looks down to the locked draw and unlocks it with her own key, Zuko has put sensitive classified information in there recently, and by the looks of it, it’s nowhere near finished. While the others are distracted, Katara sets to helping Zuko with the paperwork, since the dress makers have turned up, Katara isn’t so occupied anymore.

Then comes the time to try on the new dress, Katara stashes the paperwork away and lock the cabinet after placing a note on top of the papers.

The dress is perfect, tears blur Katara’s eyes as she looks at her refection.

“We have perfection,” Lei beams, noticing Katara’s tears.

“Oh it is perfect,” Katara breathes, she turns as best as she can to look at the back, “Thank you, Lei.”

“Alright, just hold still,” Lei laughs as she goes down to her knees to finish pinning the hem, “We’ve still got a little ways to go.”

“Katara?” a voice calls from her bedroom.

Katara’s heart leaps into her throat as Sokka appears in the office.

“Sokka!” Katara beams, she steps down from the stool and then embraces her brother, much to the protest of Lei.

“Wow,” Sokka breathes, stepping back and taking in his sister’s appearance, “You look…”

“Thank you,” Katara beams, Lei pulls her back up onto the stool as she mumbles under her breath, “When did you get in?”

“Just now,” Sokka says, rubbing the back of his neck, “We hit some rough seas on the way.”

“Where’s Suki?” Katara asks, peering to the open door.

“She’s with Zuko,” Sokka says becoming distracted by a roll of fabric, “Damn this is a lot of fabric.”

“And?” Katara asks, turning back to face forward at Lei’s command.

“And, I don’t see why you need this much,” Sokka shrugs, earning a glare from Katara.

“Sokka, are you and Suki ok?” Katara asks, watching her brother through the mirror, “Have you sorted out your ‘complications’?”

“Yeah.”

“And?” Katara probes.

“And we’re getting married in spring,” Suki says, walking into the room and leaning on the door frame with a smile on her face.

Katara spies a betrothal necklace around Suki’s throat and a smile spreads across her face.

Again, despite Lei’s protest, Katara gets of the stool and embraces Suki.

“Congratulations!” Katara beams as she squeezes Suki.

“Ok, ok, I need to breathe,” Suki gapes and Katara steps back.

“This is not about our wedding day,” Sokka says when Katara turns to him, “This is about yours.”

…

It’s the night before the wedding and Zuko can’t sleep, his stomach twists in knots as he paces in his room.

Zuko makes his way into the office and puts his hand on Katara’s door.

“Zuko?” a soft voice calls.

Zuko’s heart leaps into his throat as he hears Katara run her hand over the other side of the door.

“I can’t sleep,” Zuko breathes, he presses his forehead to the door, unknowing that Katara is doing the exact same, “I want to see you.”

“It’s just for one more night,” Katara whispers, her heart racing at the prospect that Zuko is so, so close, “It’s tradition, right?”

“I hate it,” Zuko sighs, “Why did I say we need to do this?”

Katara laughs and the sound makes Zuko’s heart race in his chest.

“Agni, I just want to hold you,” Zuko grinds his back teeth as he uses all of his will to hold him back from ripping the door off its hinges and going to Katara.

“Only a few more hours, my love,” Katara soothes, “I’ll see you at the end of the aisle.”

The next morning, Katara and Zuko are found curled up on the floor next to the door that blocks them.

“Come on my lady,” the ladies say, helping Katara up, “Today’s the big day.”

Katara and Zuko are both pampered, they are served breakfast and then sent to their own personal spas.

After his bath, Zuko is anointed in lavender as per his request, he is dressed in his royal fire robes with his hair pulled back and half tied up. Zuko is then walked out of the palace to the courtyard where almost a hundred thousand guests are waiting.

“Zuko,” Aang says, approaching the fire lord with a smile on his face.

“Aang,” Zuko smiles, he embraces his friend, “I’m glad you could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it!” the avatar smiles, “Sorry I couldn’t get here earlier.”

“You missed one hell of a bachelor party,” Zuko says, standing at arm’s length, “But you’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

Zuko talks with the avatar while they wait, Aang will be standing right next to Zuko as his best man, Zuko was conflicted about the decision, but he’d figure that the avatar was over his crush on Katara, seeing how he was now dating and going steady with Kiki.

The musicians start playing and the crowd stands to their feet.

A hush falls over the courtyard and the world seems to go quiet as Zuko sees his bride appear at the end of the courtyard. Zuko’s breath catches in his throat and it’s almost as if he is seeing her for the first time all over again.

Katara walks down the aisle with a bouquet of fire lilies which stand out against the fabric of her white dress.

Katara’s dress is unlike anything Zuko has ever seen, it’s white, not Fire Nation white or Water Tribe white, just…white.  

Katara sleeves are lace that reach down to her wrist and ends as points over her hands, the lace continues over the white, sleeveless bodice. Katara’s skirts are layered tulle that puff our around her and drag behind her, but not nearly as far behind her as her veil does. Katara’s veil doesn’t cover her face, it is left to fall behind her from where it’s pinned into her hair with silver pins with diamond flowers attached to it.

When Katara walks up the steps of the palace, Zuko realises that he’s been holding his breath, he lets out his breath and tears blur his eyes for a second.

When Katara is standing right in front of him, there are tears running down his face as he smiles and takes his brides hands.

Zuko’s voice shakes as recites his vows and he cannot take his eyes off Katara. As Katara says her vows, tears form in her eyes as well and her voice shakes as she tries to blink them away.

“I love you, Zuko,” she ends, her words seem to fall out of her in a whoosh of air, “I’ve always loved you and I’ll love you until my heart stops beating.”

“I now pronounce you, husband and wife,” the fire sage says, he closes his book and smiles at the couple, “My lord, you may now kiss your…”

The fire sage doesn’t get the chance to finish, Zuko takes Katara in his arms and kisses her, he dips her in his arms and kisses her so passionately that the whole crowd cheers in admiration.

“I love you,” Zuko whisper, breaking the kiss for a moment to let those words bush past his lips.

Zuko stands Katara up and the couple kiss again and again as rice is thrown into the air in celebration.

The reception is held in the throne room, those closest to the Fire Lord and Lady are ushered into the room while others mingle in the hall and in the gardens.

Katara cannot wipe the smile off her face as she is congratulated, she spends the whole night practically joined at Zuko’s hip.

The couple dance together all night, Katara’s veil is removed before hand and as the night progresses, she lets her hair down.

When the party has died down and only the Gaang remains, Katara sits with her friends laughing and reminiscing.

“So what’s the plan for the honeymoon?” Suki asks, practically sitting in Sokka’s lap as the group sit around on pillows.

“I’ve been asking him that for the past week,” Katara says, poking Zuko in the ribs, “Mr Stoic here hasn’t told me a thing.”

“It’s a surprise!” Zuko says, trying to doge Katara’s finger while keeping his arm around her.

“Don’t they look so cute together?” Kiki sighs with hearts in her eyes as Katara and Zuko giggle.

“So cute,” Toph says with a deadpan voice, as she leans on her hand.

Kiki winces at her words and looks to Toph, but the earth bender grins before Kiki can become too worried.

“So when are we going to meet your man, Toph?” Katara asks, looking to Toph with a smile as Zuko places a kiss to Katara’s temple.

“When I see him,” Toph laughs, throwing back a shot of fire whisky, “It’s nothing serious.”

Katara rolls her eyes and Zuko squeezes her hand before she can continue to probe at the earth bender.

“Aang and I have been travelling to all the air temples,” Kiki announces, she leans into the avatar but he doesn’t project any affection towards her, “We’ve been cleaning them up, preserving them for the future airbenders.”

“So when are you two going to tie the knot?” Zuko asks, pouring a drink for himself and Katara.

“Airbenders don’t get married,” Aang says before Kiki could even react.

“They’re supposed to stay secluded in temples too,” Zuko teases, “And yet, here we are.”

“I’m not only an airbender, Zuko,” Aang snaps, Zuko raises his eyebrow and looks to Katara.

“So why can’t you marry?” Zuko asks, looking back to Aang as he takes a drink.

Aang just glares at Zuko with his fists clenched and the answer is blindingly obvious to everyone.

Aang doesn’t want to marry Kiki, he want’s Katara.

Zuko reads the Avatar’s mood and he kisses Katara, “Come love,” Zuko says, feeling slightly possessive as he stands and helps Katara to her feet, “We should retire for the evening if we hope to get away before midday tomorrow.”

Katara picks up her shoes and her veil and then bids her friends goodnight.

Katara and Zuko walk hand in hand through their palace, he takes them back to their room and closes the door behind them.

Zuko doesn’t say a word, once the door is closed he grabs Katara and pins her against the door, he cups her face in his hands and kisses her deeply.

Katara moans against Zuko’s lips as the Fire Lord ravishes her in warm kisses, his tongue caresses hers and his hands tangle in her skirts.

Zuko grabs Katara’s thigh from under the layers of fabric, he lifts her leg and rests it on his hip. Katara’s breath catches and she gasps as she feels Zuko’s erection grinding against her.

“Fuck,” he rasps, “I’ve missed you.”

Katara smiles as Zuko presses himself hard against her. His hand tangle in Katara’s hair and he trails kisses down her throat as he cups her breast with his other hand.

“Fuck,” Katara curses, her voice is deep and guttural as her husband skims his teeth against her neck, “more.”

Zuko reaches behind Katara and unzips her dress, he pulls down her top but stops when her breasts are uncovered.

“Agni,” he whispers, spying the scandalous underwear which is a bright crimson red.

“I thought you’d like this,” Katara smiles, she pulls her arms out of her sleeves and Zuko sets to kissing her chest.

Zuko almost dies of a heart attack when the skirts fall from Katara’s waist revealing a matching set of red panties.

Katara steps out of her dress and then pushes Zuko back by placing a hand on his chest and walking him backwards.

“Katara,” Zuko breaths, he loses his words as Katara pushes him down on their bed and starts undressing him, her hands quick as her eyes alight with need.

Zuko tips his head back as Katara starts kissing his exposed chest, she licks over a peck and then kisses Zuko’s lips as she finishes practically tearing off his clothes.

“I want you,” Katara says, as she wraps Zuko’s sash around her hand.

Zuko puts his hands on Katara’s hips, intending to flip her, but Katara is quicker, she grabs Zuko’s hands and pins them above his head.

“I want you,” she says again, she kisses Zuko’s neck and then ties his hands.

“Kat…”

Zuko watches as Katara straddles his hips and takes off her underwear, she rocks herself over her husband’s erection and Zuko lets out a string of curse words.

“Shh,” Katara says, she puts her finger to Zuko’s lips, “Unless you want to whole palace to hear?”

Katara shifts forward and then lowers herself onto Zuko, the Fire Lord curses and tries to catch his breath as Katara grinds against him.

“Agni damn it,” Zuko breathes as Katara leans backwards and plays with her breasts.

“Look at me,” Katara says, she caresses Zuko’s face until his brilliantly golden eyes meet hers, “You’re mine,” she whispers, keeping her eyes on his as her hips speed up.

“I’m yours,” Zuko says, desperately trying to buck his hips upwards.

“And I am yours,” Katara smiles, she feels Zuko’s cock twitch inside her and she presses down harder. As Zuko releases in her, he calls out her name and growls in the back of his throat.

Katara smiles down at Zuko as he catches his breath.

“Did you?” Zuko says through raggered breath.

Katara shakes her head, but before she can say a word, the sash around Zuko’s wrists catches fire and burns away while the Fire Lord grabs Katara’s hips and pulls her up to his face.

“Zuko… oh fuck!”

Zuko’s tongue flicks across Katara’s clit and she leans forward, her hands fisting in the sheets. Zuko buries himself between Katara’s face, he laps at her clit and wraps his arms around her waist.

Katara whimpers and moans loudly as Zuko laps down at her pussy.

“Now who’s being loud?” Zuko asks, he releases steam out of his nose and Katara’s hips buck as she grinds her back teeth to try and stifle her screams.

“I don’t want you to be silent,” Zuko laughs, his voice partly muffled by Katara’s thighs as she clenches around him.

Zuko flips Katara onto her back and he continues to eat her out, his fingers come into play and Katara’s hands pull at Zuko’s hair.

“Harder,” Zuko breathes between licks as he blows steam at Katara again.

Katara looks down to her husband, his eyes are already piercing hers and she pulls on his hair again as her heels dig into his shoulders.

Katara feels the pressure building up behind her pelvis, her moans become louder and she scratches at Zuko’s scalp as he closes his eyes and focuses on her clit.

Katara cums hard, it’s the type of orgasm that leaves her breathless, she feels pins and needles in the sole of her feet and her chest heaves as her thighs tremble around Zuko’s head.

Zuko continues to lick at Katara until she pushes his head away, she rolls over onto her side and her knees snap together as she curses softly.

Zuko curls up behind Katara, spooning her as she continues to convulse around her orgasm.

“We’re not sleeping tonight, are we?” Katara asks once she catches her breath and feels Zuko’s half hard cock pressing against her backside.

“What do you think?” Zuko smirks pressing his erection to Katara’s slick lips before pushing into her from behind.

@squishysuho @the-weird-fob-fangirl@thegaang6@pepewntz@solidaritree@waitingtillthesmilescomeback@miraculoushipping@auzlon@tiernanka@lovelylittleladyl@standby-reality    @beealexageek @danielslilangel, @azn-quxxn @delightfullyscreechingtyrant @killedinamascarade @pssyched @wingardiumqueen @amelie-not-amelia @airiustide13

[steampunkedseahorse]

Chapter 3 The poison

Katara fell into a bending stance automatically drawing water and encasing the girl in ice, who didn’t fight her at all. Sages and guards ran to her, one shouting “Get a doctor! Notify the fire lord!” Katara leaned against the steam tram, suddenly grateful for the current fashion requiring bone corsets, it had stopped the blade from sinking into too deeply into her belly.  The girl was being questioned when she smiled, “When you remove the dagger,” She said, Katara’s hands on the dagger, “It will put the poison to work.” That’s when Katara realized the girl’s teeth were covered in red.

“What’s the poison girl!” A man shouted, but the girl didn’t respond. Katara looked at the men around her, they were dumbfounded. Katara ripped out the dagger and healed herself with her free hand. A man reached down to take the dagger from her. “Don’t touch it! We don’t know how this was coated. Get some gloves so you are not exposed.”   The man nodded.

Katara straightened and looked at the girl, “The poison you swallowed will kill you before me won't it?”

“No loose ends.”

“How much time?”

“maybe 20 minutes.” She said softly.

“How old are you?”

“12….”

“Why?” Katara asked. The girl didn’t answer. A girl so young willing to throw her self to death for what? An opposition that had not even started? Katara was certain the girl hadn’t taken the task just for old nationalism.

“Who gave you the poison?” the girl was silent again she looked away then paled. Aang stood there his staff in hand, an expression crossing his face that he had only ever seen on Zuko’s face. “Avatar Aang…” the girl whispered.

“What is the name of the poison?” He asked quietly. The girl didn’t answer. Katara felt the toxin faintly running through her veins, her healing had only mitigated the power of the poison not quelled it completely.  “Aang…” She reached out to touch him then stopped, she had her blood on her hands what would happen if she touched the Avatar and he was poisoned. Katara didn’t want to risk it. He understood. “Take lady Katara in the palace, get her a bath and get someone to take that dagger away.”

Zuko was staring at a designed Sokka had brought him. The design was a way to make airships lighter to transport more goods to the outer reaches of his nation. “How much fuel…”

The door banged open and a guard bowed, “What is it?” Zuko asked no ever barged into his office…ever.

“The lady Katara has arrived…”

“Ah good.” Sokka said smiling.

“She has been stabbed.  Zuko launched from his chair the candle’s flame shot so high it scorched the ceiling. “Where is she?” Sokka asked.

“Guards Jing and Lee are escorting her to a room in the north wing.”

“Her room will be moved next to mine in the South wing.” Zuko said.

The guard nodded then bolted out of the room to arrange the move.

“I didn’t know there was another room in the south wing?” Sokka said his face stone as he mastered his emotions.

“There is.” Zuko said then grabbing Sokka ran toward the room in question.  Zuko ran to his mother’s old room and saw he was just behind Katara and her guards. She was still holding the dagger. Maids were rushing this way and that way airing the room and bringing water.  He heard Katara’s voice as he and Sokka rounded the corner to the large room.

“I don’t understand, why am I in here?”

“The fire lord commanded it.” An older Maid gave the simple answer.

“It’s the most guarded wing in the palace.” Zuko said. Katara spun around. Her red corset visible under her dressing robe, her skirt was splattered with mud. He walked closer to her but a guard stepped in front of him. “Move.” He demanded.

“The lady needs to wash; the dagger had poison on it we are not sure how it is transmitted.” Zuko paled, then caught Katara’s eyes. She was scared. He had seen the look in her eyes enough to not be able to stand it. He moved the guard aside and closed the gap between them. His heart hammering in his chest at being so close to her. He took the knife from her and set it down on a nearby table. “Kat.” He said before pulling her into a hug.

Katara felt his warmth seep into her. Her body relaxed into his and she felt the tears slip from her eyes. Her mind caught up with her, she had just been stabbed! A sob escaped her as Zuko held her. His touch made her stop, she didn’t have to be strong next to Zuko, he would always catch her.  The wound made her feel violated and angry, but right now there was nothing she could do but cry.

Zuko held her tight as she cried. Her small hands grabbed fistfuls of his robes as if to remind herself that he was not going anywhere.  He saw Sokka come around and want to soothe his sister. “Do you know anything about poison?”

“No, but we know an old witch in the woods who does.” He said. Katara looked up at Zuko, “Zuko the poison... what happens if…”

“It doesn’t matter Katara.” Her tears were still falling but she turned to her brother, “Sokka…” He reached out toward her then stopped like she had done with Aang. She understood and in no way wanted to poison anyone by proxy.

“I need water in here.” He yelled over his shoulder and the Maids were standing still in the room. Then he turned to her, “Katara, we’re are going to figure this poison out, we will stop it.”

“My healing didn’t even stop it Zuko.”

“There has to be an antidote.” He said refusing to believe that there was any other option. “You will have someone with you at all times now.” He ordered, Katara only nodded.

30 Minutes later.

Katara sat in the ornate tub that was situated in the corner of her spacious bathroom. She didn’t notice the stone floor or the massive mirror on the sun-facing wall illuminating the room with natural light. All she felt was the hot water that Zuko had heated himself with Suki fussing over her. The water relaxed her muscles and did wonders to help her relax and analyze what had happened to her. She had been stabbed yes; but why? The poison was supposed to kill her slowly. So, who was this supposed to affect more than her? Her brother and Father? Aang? Zuko?

If it was to hurt her brother and Father, shouldn’t it have happened earlier? There would be no gain in that. The Southern Water Tribe had no enemies and while people could get irritated with Sokka he didn’t have any real enemies other than Ozi. Sokka was well loved in the tribe. They understood he was gathering knowledge from other leaders to become the well-rounded leader that the tribe needed after her father passed. And they adored his wife, it really had no merit to hurt her for the sake of the tribe of her family.

If the goal was to hurt Aang it would be to stop their party from locating the Ozi, it made since. Hurting her would bring their party to their knees, she was their healer and a master bender. She had, with Zuko’s help defeated Azula. Without her Aang would be distracted and Sokka worried even irritable, that would cause a strife within the party.

But there could be several reasons it was to hurt Zuko, a master bender dying here was bound to put an unfavorable look in his reign, a banished Fire Lord giving the orders undermined Zuko’s authority and power. Katara had heard rumors that some citizens were unhappy about the shift in their ruler. Especially with the aristocracy being taxed more to help the poor and devastated areas of the war.

“KATARA!” Suki was at the foot of the tub, “Where you even listening to me?”

“….erm… how much trouble would  I be in if I said no?” She gave a weak smile.

Suki harrumphed. “I was saying that I want to wash your hair with this lily-lotus soap.”

“Oh…be my guest.” Katara scooted forward giving Suki enough space to wash all of her long hair. Once she was situated Suki began whispering to her.

“Kazza is doing great, he is healthy and is eating like a horse.” The statement left Katara’s breasts feeling oddly heavy. She had fed him while in the south pole and had terrible aches for 3 months after he had left. “There is another thing you should know.”

“What’s that?”

“He a bender Katara, you have to tell him. You can’t hide this, it’s not fair to him you know that.”

Katara knew, she should have told him before she left but there was still so much left to be said between them how should she spring a child on him like that. “How would I even tell him something like that?”

“I don’t know but your son is over a year old now, he is starting to look just like his Dad.”

“I want to see him.”

“Of course! Let me rinse your hair first.” Katara smiled, while she felt the poison running through her veins she, she knew there was nothing in her that would stop fighting to make sure her son was safe.