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#Zuko looks like Ursa
DOES AZULA LOOK LIKE URSA?
I've seen most people in fandom be like "OMG, Azula is a carbon copy of Ursa!" or "Wow, she's the spitting image of her mother!"
I mean yeah, Azula sure looks very much like her mother, indeed
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Yep! They sure are related
However, I wouldn't say she looks "exactly" like her mother. Because Azula also looks very much like Ozai too. She has the features of both her parents.
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You can see the family resemblance, right?
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Azula obviously has her narrow face, pointy chin and straight nose from her mother...
And she also has her father's widow's peak, hard angled eyebrows, and sharp eyes that could puncture a hull of an empire-class Fire Nation battle ship and leaving thousands to drown at sea...
Joke aside, I like how Azula doesn't look like a mini Ursa but has the features of both Ursa and Ozai, just like how it happens in real life.
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Eh, father-daughter...
And it's the same case for Zuko. He looks very much like Ozai.
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Genetics is crazy, isn't it?
But still, you can see the Ursa's features in Zuko too. The narrow face, straight nose, comparatively softer features...
And not surprisingly, Azula without make-up and Zuko without scar also look very alike
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Also, I love how Azula without her make-up and from side profile looks gender-neutral. Reminds me of the fact that she's only 14. It makes more sense for 14 year olds to look more androgynous than looking absurdly feminine. Nice touch!
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late-draft · 6 months
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I sketched out the Fire Nation royal family, it's curious to follow who resembles whom physically and which traits got passed
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i am disgustingly late but for women’s day i wanted to appreciate the mother figures of the world :)
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demaparbat-hp · 8 months
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Fire Half-Child
#atla#zuko#avatar the last airbender#atla zuko#zutara#halfblood au#zutara au#atla art#atla fanart#zuko fanart#prince zuko#zuko art#zuko alone#Halfblood AU art#katara#Here comes the Blue Eye Samurai art style influence rearing its pretty head#Gotta love that show's use of lighting#I know this looks like another good ol' Zuko Alone fanart... And it kinda is... But I swear it's also from the HalfBlood AU#I'm still figuring out Zuko's backstory in this AU but I know he was raised in the EK after escaping the Fire Nation as a child#It was probably Ursa who took her freshly burned son and left with help from the White Lotus#I'm... not entirely sure if Zuko remembers everything from his previous life. Flashes of memories and faces but that's it#He believes himself to be a War Child. Ursa loved him but she was also distant in illness and grief.#She taught him to hide his real name and his firebending at all costs. Agni only knew what would happen to him if he was found out.#The last thing Ursa said to him before pushing him out of the burning cottage was to search for his Uncle in Ba Sing Se#He would help him. Keep him safe. And he had answers.#He could tell Zuko of his past and his memories and shed some light over his strange dreams and his mother's sorrow#He just had to reach Ba Sing Se and find him. Uncle would tell him everything about the monster who had burned her mother's back and spirit#Then Zuko would find him#And no demon other than himself would ever roam the earth again#Change of subject. Am I going to keep dropping the full backstory and plot in the tags? Yes. Yes I will. Sorry guys
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Can I just say that the atla animators were absolutely genius when it came to family resemblances?? At first, I thought Azula looked like Ursa, but then I saw pictures of her without makeup, and she's basically ozai's twin??
Overall they emphasized her sharp features so much to the point I literally only see ozai when I look at azula.
The expressions, the frown lines, the lips, the hairline?
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(look at their eyebrows here, they're basically copies)
Like it's actually crazy how accurately they got the characters to look different but similar at the same time? They both have the same sharp edge to their eyes aswell
(credits of the triple collage image below)
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Even with makeup, over here, they have the same frown lines on their forehead and scowl like in the exact same way?
I'm never shutting up about how well the designs look
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jubilantmedusa · 2 months
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Untitled Zukka Hurt/Comfort Ficlet #1 (because practicing drawing means I need to write little mini fics I guess...)
“You’re sick.” Sokka’s voice was as calm as the surface of water on a still night. Not a hint of accusation or contempt. No softness, no sting. Only observation. Reflection.
Zuko took a breath, deep to sooth his limbs that were threatening to shake. “I’m fine.”
Sokka frowned, and Zuko felt a knot form instantly in his stomach. His shivered, vision swimming as he saw the flash of another frown, superimposed. A different frown. Harsh. Sharp.
Sokka’s movements were calm. Fluid. Gentle as he raised his hand to Zuko’s forehead and pressed with just the right amount of pressure. “You have a fever.” Zuko felt his heartbeat pick up as Sokka’s lip began to curl, but as his expression settled Zuko realized that Sokka wasn’t angry, just concerned.
Zuko breathed deeply, pinning his arms to his sides before the other boy could notice that he was shaking now. Only, he must not have been fast enough because Sokka dropped his hand from Zuko’s forehead to grab Zuko’s trembling fingers. 
“Your hands are freezing.” Sokka hand tightened around Zuko’s as he pulled it upwards, pressing it against his mouth. Zuko couldn’t stop his hands from shaking even harder as Sokka’s breath warmed his skin.
“I can do that.” Zuko reached to grab his sleeping bag. “I’m fine.” Sokka lifted it over his head like they were kids playing keep away. Zuko huffed, crossing his arms, but let Sokka keep it.
“You’re not fine.” Sokka spread of the blanket. “How long have you been feeling sick?”
“Ugg.” Sokka paused. He looked up, holding  Zuko’s gaze until Zuko finally drawled, two days? maybe three.”
“Three days?!” Zuko felt his pulse quickening again, his shoulders bracing. “Why didn’t you say anything!” Even though Sokka’s voice voice was high he didn’t sound angry. In fact… Sokka’s eyebrows were scrunched, lips pressed thin. “You were training Aang this morning. Zuko, you shouldn’t be bending like that if you’re sick “ Sokka was worried.
“I’m fine.” How many times had Zuko said that now? “It’s just a fever. It’ll go away.”
“I mean, sure it will, if you rest. Can you, uh…” He gestured towards the sleeping bag, laid out and waiting.
“Oh.” It felt awkward to lower himself down when his legs felt so much like jelly, Zuko was sure it wasn’t graceful. But Sokka didn’t say anything, just stood there, eyebrow raised. Waiting. Zuko realized, then, that he was supposed to lay all the way down. So he did, somehow feeling boneless now that he wasn’t holding himself up. 
He blinked as Sokka settled a blanket over to his shoulders. It took Zuko and absurd number of seconds to realize that it was a blue blanket, one of Sokka’s own. Woven. Thick. Soft.
“Comfortable?” Sokka asked. When Zuko met his eyes he smiled.
It was nice, seeing Sokka smile. Zuko wanted to smile back, but he… there was a quivering in his stomach. Not sickness, just… waiting. “I’m fine,” Zukp said. When Sokka raised an eyebrow, he added, “I… feel fine.”
“I doubt that,” Sokka said.
“I do,” Zuko insisted. Yes, his body felt suddenly heavy. And his skin buzzed strange sensitivity that made event he gentlest touch feel like a scratch. But he was lying on his side, on something soft, and he was warm. “I… thank you.”
Sokka shrugged. “I didn’t do much,” he said. “Do you need anything else?”
Zuko thought for a moment. “Water?” He croaked.
“Coming right up, bud.”
Zuko let his eyes close for a moment, just listening to the sound of Sokka’s footsteps as he went back to the packs, the rustling of fabric as he was digging through something. Then there was a feeling, something hard brushing his fingers. Zuko opened his eyes to see a small, green glass. “A Ba Sing Se souvenir cup?”
“It was on sale,” Sokka said, chuckling. “Drink it. It’s medicine.”
“For what?” Zuko asked.
“The fever?” Sokka reminded him. “Do they… umm… not treat fevers in the Fire Nation or something?”
“Of course they do.” Zuko propped himself up just enough to tip the bitter liquid into his mouth before settling down again.
More sounds of shuffling as Sokka lowered himself, and then Zuko felt weight on his back as Sokka pressed into him, a hand settling itself onto his arm. Sokka’s touch was firm, but quiet. Soft. Sweet. “But not yours?” Sokka sounded sad.
Zuko swallowed. He remembered that feeling, tossing and turning as his skin crawled and his stomach churned. Waking up with a sweat drenched face but father still expected Zuko to do his katas. Run through his katas, go to school, sit up straight. There was punishment for slouching, even if he only slouched because he was shivering so hard he couldn’t mind his posture. “We were being trained to rule, Azula and I. Countries don’t stop because you have a cold.”
Sokka didn’t say anything, just started rubbing his arm. 
“You can rest now,” Sokka said after a while. “I can take care of you.”
Take care of him? Zuko tried to remember the last time someone had taken care of him. His Uncle had tried, of course, but Zuko had always pushed him away. He couldn’t let himself be seen that way - weak, sick. So he ignored the quiver in his Uncle’s voice when Iroh spoke to him from the other side of a metal door. And before that… before that his mother would, when father would let her. When Zuko was so sick that she’d block his bed with her body to keep father away, even if it cost her. Then sit with him and fuss his hair back with slender fingers.
“I’ll take good care of you,” Sokka said.
Zuko took a deep breath in. Not a sigh, just a breath, one to fill him up. He could feel his heart starting to race again, but... nicer this time, with Sokka so warm and solid against his back. He let the breath out. Slow. Controlled. Eyes still closed, he whispered, “Okay.”
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stardust948 · 1 month
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Adult Zuko styling his hair like Ursa >>>>
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poopiefart420 · 2 months
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Pls tell me more abt your divorced dad AU Ozai!! And his relationship with Ursa and his kids and how it all went down etc.! If you wanna :'D!
I’ll be completely honest I don’t have a full grasp on it I just apply my experiences with my dad and plaster ozai on it 😭 but I’ll try just for u PLS ADD IF YALL THINK ANYONES OOC OR LIKE ANY IDEAS YALL HAVE BC I SUCK AT WRITING
I ALSO HAVENT READ THE SEARCH SO BARE WITH ME
incoming yap sesh 🎉🎉
How Ursa and Ozai met and divorced (and Ozais side of things post divorce)
Ozai was in a completely different major to Ursa the fact they even saw each other in the cafe was a rare occurrence but Ursa caught Ozais eye
Being the kind of guy he is he would linger and watch her because he is cooked in terms of romance
Ursa made the first approach
Seeing Ozai and Ursa interact made Ikem uneasy because of the weird energy Ozai had but he let it slide after Ursa reassured him Ozai was normal (WATCH OUT IKEM HES MR STEAL UR GIRL)
Eventually, it came down to Ozai and Ursa becoming closer and Ozai finally growing some balls and asking her out (“Go out with me” “what”)
Since Ikem and Ursa still weren’t official but they had something Ursa asked Ozai to give her time and she chose to distance herself from Ikem and go out with Ozai ( NOOOOO URSA RUN)
it eventually became an official relationship with the whole meeting parents and family fun stuff (Ursa's family thought Ozai was ominous asf but they accepted their daughter's choices with a couple of complaints)
Ursa and Ozai's years before kids were pretty good until after they got married and Azulon started to pressure Ozai into his business (politics or whatever y’all want it to be) and the pressure to have kids
Ursa could see the way it was affecting Ozai but she made no comment because Ozai was impossible to get to talk about his emotions
When they finally had Zuko it changed them both Ursa looked at Zuko with love; Ozai looked at him looking for potential (despite the fact Ozai told Ursa he wouldn't be like his father)
On Ozai's part his mental health was lowkey in the gutter (but he never acknowledged that mental health is for losers not alphas like him) and he continued to compete for Azulons position in the company with Iroh
Iroh could give less of a shit btw he’s chilling with his kid
Ozai picked up smoking/vaping but he never did it in front of Ursa because he knew she would throw a hissy fit (in his eyes)
If anything by now Ozai and Ursa were drifting but Ursa decided to have another kid to see if that would bring them together and they could be a happy family
So when Zuko was 2 they had Azula and Zuko loved his new baby sister. As the kids grew up Ozai put pressure on them regarding school, martial arts, etc…
This made them grow distant and Ursa was becoming nervous because not only were her kids constantly fighting but her husband encouraged it
She tried to give Zuko as much love as she could to combat the harsh words he would get from Ozai and Azula, but in doing that she was losing Azula
She realized the source of the issue was Azulon and Ozai. She considered maybe killing Azulon but nowadays there’s forensic science so she just filed for divorce in hopes her kids can grow up without having Ozais influence
Ozai was sure she was divorcing him because she was cheating on him with Ikem. He signed the papers but the days leading up to the divorce were him arguing and trying to make her more miserable as “revenge”
Azula was angry with Ursa because she thought she was trying to take her away from her dad and she would ignore Ursa and latch onto Ozai (Zuko would latch onto Ursa but he was still hurt that they were going to leave Ozai because that's still his dad)
When they finally divorced Ursa took her kids to live in her parent's home and Ozai would drunkenly call her yelling abt how she’s Ikem's bitch and this and that
Eventually, things calmed down as time passed and Ursa was able to kindle some sort of relationship with Azula but Zuko was a mommas boy through and through
OH I FORGOT the whole Azulon dying thing doesn't really happen bro just dies of like falling down some stairs without his cane IDK LMAOOO and Iroh recently lost Lu Ten to a car crash so he just gave Ozai the company
Ozai's side of things post divorce
Ozai continued to live in the original families house but he would pick up Zuko and Azula on weekends.
He fought for weekend custody because like hell was Ursa gonna strip him of his company heirs
His nicotine habits worsened but when the kids came he would only smoke in the car (nicotine patches inside the home)
He continued to nurture the rivalry between his kids and let them do whatever they wanted as long as they didn't burn down the house (unlimited access to everything i wonder how bad that could go)
By the time the kids reached their tween/teen years Ozai just stopped picking them up as much; Zuko would feel so much relief when Ozai would call saying he was busy that weekend (also disappointment he wanted to prove himself to daddy dearest)
Zuko gaining his scar from Ozai was more of a Ozai going into a angry fit from being talked back to while he was by a source of fire (idk a candle i rlly dont know how a hand print would appear without magic fire powers)
When Ursa found out she immediately reported Ozai to CPS but as usual CPS lets Ozai off because he is a successful man (hush money...)
Ozai isn't allowed to have either kids over at his house because Ursa does not trust him in the slightest, but Azula still asks Ozai to pick her up for the weekends (she argues with her mom on this because in her eyes Ursa is trying to isolate her)
He stays awake at night wondering what he could’ve done better but then argues with himself that he was the best Ursa was ever gonna get (pov when your insecure but full of yourself at the same time)
I have nothing more to say sooo YEA sorry if its not like peak writing but ive never written a fic i just pace around my room and half of this stuff was made up on the spot
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picnicbitchsokka · 9 months
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does one ever individual that parents separated when you were young think about how when you were younger, if you looked more like the parent that was absent, the parent that you were left with would target you more than your other siblings?? like you’d get in trouble more and the consequences would just be more intense. and then when you got older, if you’d started looking less like the absent parent and more like the present parent, the consequences would get less and less frequent or intense???
so does one ever think about how zuko probably looked more like ursa when he was younger?? causing another reason why ozai burned half of his sons face off because not only did you speak out of turn at a war meeting but you also look like my wife that i hate deeply. let’s get rid of that pls. a lot of people say zuko looks like ozai (which is true) but what if ozai himself doesn’t see that and he only sees ursa when he looks at zuko because of the hatred he has for her. (not to mention ursa is a non-bender and zuko wasn’t very skilled in his firebending when he was younger) and vice versa for azula. ozai sees himself when he looks at azula. that’s another reason why azula (looking like ozai) is favored more than zuko (looking like ursa) in ozais eyes.
but plot twist! in reality zuko actually looks like ozai and azula looks like ursa. but again, ozai doesn’t see that nor wanna believe that zuko looks like him or resembles him in any way because he is not the strongest compared to azula. and for azula, because she is a prodigy and very very skilled, ozai wants to ignore the fact she looks like his ex, soo he gaslights himself to believe azula looks like him and zuko looks like ursa.
and in the end….zuko never stopped looking like ursa even with the scar in ozais perspective. when ozai first saw zuko when he returned back, he still saw ursa.
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blorboazula · 9 months
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'cause I love "fire hazard siblings have a good relationship when they're not in a situation where they're enemies and Azula is the most annoying demonic little sister to ever exist": she keeps teasing Zuko about being an ugly fuck (not because of the scar)
in the same vibe of him realizing that "zuzu" can be applied to anyone who has "zu" in their name
bitch, we have the same face, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
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momos-servants · 7 months
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hyacinths-in-a-storm · 9 months
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Thinking about a tbosas atla au. Specifically Iroh as Tigris and Ozai as Coriolanus. And of course Ursa as Lucy Gray.
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danvssomethingorother · 9 months
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It’s funny to me that Ozai is so damn sure Zuko isn’t his son even though he looks exactly like him but Azulon never questioned Iroh being his son despite Iroh not looking anything like his family…
Starting to think Azulon just prefers his adopted son to his biological one.
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ask-ozai · 2 years
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Do you believe there is a physical resemblance between you and Zuko?
I always thought he looked like my father, my father always thought he looked like me, and Zuko never thought anything at all because Zuko doesn't think.
I guess there must be some undeniable physical resemblance. When Ursa wrote that stupid letter declaring him a bastard (did I already mention that there is no one more detrimental for Ursa's health than Ursa? What if my father had found that letter instead of me? Agni rarely makes someone pretty and smart and Ursa is beautiful) my first thought was 'this is totally ridiculous, Zuko is not ugly like Ikea, he at least was lucky enough to inherit my beauty'.
Maybe that's why Michi's daughter set her eyes on him. It's a bit shallow, but if his beauty is so intense that not even that scar can ruin it, he must look a lot like me.
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attackfish · 1 year
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Actual IRL abusive partners: "Look what you made me do! It's YOUR fault I'm doing this!"
Ozai: "Look what you made me do! It's YOUR fault I'm doing this!"
Way too much of the fandom, for some reason: "Wow, how dare Ursa cause Ozai to be abusive!"
I could complain about some of the writing decisions from the comics too, but that one is just people having terrible reading comprehension. Didn't the exact same comic also establish that Ozai tried to kill Zuko right when he was born? I don't think we're intended to take Ozai at his word when he says it's Ursa's fault he abuses Zuko!
Exactly! And what actually scares me about this kind of logic is that it makes me worried that a decent percentage of the people who look at Ozai and his self-justifications, and accusations that Ursa made him do it, and say, "yeah that tracks", respond to similar situations of real life abuse, the same way, by demonizing the victims of that abuse, and giving abusers the out they want so much. Like, seeing this logic used for fictional characters scares me because I'm afraid people use it for real people in real situations too.
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melzula · 6 months
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All I Ever Wanted
pairing: zuko x reader
notes: this was originally requested by an anon but i also took inspiration from mitski’s song “your best american girl” while writing this. give it a listen during your read !
summary: as a peasant and servant girl for the palace, you should have known better than to fall for the Prince
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The sun is warm against your skin and the grass is soft beneath you as you land on your back in a fit of giggles. Azula is unamused by your antics, but Zuko finds himself laughing right along with you. It’s a peaceful summer’s day in the palace gardens, and you spend it as you would any other day by playing with your friends.
“I caught you,” you tell him with a breathless laugh after turning your head to face him.
“No way, I was just going easy on you,” he argues with playful grin, his nose nearly brushing against your own due to your close proximity on the grass. Your heart beats fast in your rib cage as you try to ignore the rising heat on your face and play it off as a result of your exhaustion and not your nerves from lying with the Prince. You haven’t realized it yourself, but you have a crush on Zuko, a painfully obvious one that he hasn’t seemed to notice yet. What you also don’t realize is that he reciprocates the feeling, and he shares the thrill that comes with being your playmate.
“Are you two done yet?” Azula finally interrupts with a roll of her eyes as she offers you her hand and helps you up from the ground. “It’s my turn to hide this time.”
“I don’t think we can play anymore,” Zuko notes with a frown as his mother makes her way towards your group. You quickly bow in respect to the Fire Lady, but she waves you off with a smile.
“I’m sorry, y/n, but Zuko and Azula must attend their fire bending lessons now. I’m afraid playtime is over for today,” she informs you apologetically.
“Yes, Fire Lady Ursa,” you reply politely before turning to give both of your friends departing hugs. “Bye Zuko, bye Azula!”
“It’s too bad you’re not a fire bender,” Azula remarks after halfheartedly returning your embrace. “Maybe dad would let us play with you more if you were.”
Her words make your body hot with embarrassment and shame, and though you don’t voice your discomfort Ursa is instantly able to pick up on it. With a scolding glare, the Fire Lady quickly urges her daughter to apologize.
“Azula, that is not a nice thing to say to a friend.”
“But it’s true,” the girl mutters under her breath only to have her mother drag her away before she can get the chance to say anything else. Zuko hesitates then, giving you an apologetic look and promising to play with you tomorrow before rushing after Ursa and Azula.
You’ve never really cared about being a non-bender, but there’s something about Azula’s words that has you questioning your worth. As the daughter of a royal family servant with no title or money to her name, you knew you were lucky to be able to grow up in the palace and play with the Fire Lord’s children. However, you never once realized that you weren’t their equal. They were royalty, a Prince and a Princess destined to become powerful benders and ruthless leaders of the Fire Nation, and you were simply a girl who would one day grow up to live a life of servitude. You had no real future or purpose ahead of you, not like they did, and yet you were the only one unaware of your unfortunate fate.
Perhaps it’s because they never treated you in such a way, and your mother did her best to shield you from your true heritage. For now you could grow up blissfully unaware of the fact that your friends would one day outgrow you.
“Mom?” Zuko asks once they’re safe inside the palace. “Do you like y/n?”
“She’s a sweet girl,” Ursa notes with a faint smile, “and she makes you both happy. So yes, I like her.”
“Then why doesn’t Dad?”
The Fire Lady’s smile fades into a remorseful frown, and she simply ushers her son forward with a shake of her head. “Let’s not worry about that now. You’re going to be late for your lesson.”
Zuko isn’t satisfied with her answer, but he isn’t give a chance to discuss it further with her. For now, he remains content with the fact that he likes you, and his mother likes you.
That is enough for him.
~~~
The day is calm as you carefully hang the clothes to dry and enjoy the warmth of the sun basking on your skin. It’s rare that you get tasked with the outdoor chores, so you savor the opportunity for as long as you can. Doing the royal family’s laundry certainly beats scrubbing the floors of the palace, and you are grateful the spirits have taken mercy upon you today.
You’re freshly fifteen and the summer is just beginning. You’ve grown into a well-mannered young woman, and you’re old enough now to be able to take on some of the work that once fell to your mother. One day you will take her place and continue to serve the royal family until you’re no longer physically able. You’ll never get to leave, but you consider yourself grateful to live on the palace grounds. You will forever have a roof over your head, food on the table, and, most importantly, your friends.
You take great care to pin Azula’s dresses down without getting any creases or wrinkles in the fabric, and you’re so lost in thought that you don’t notice the figure carefully creeping up behind you. You’re too busy reciting the words to an old Fire Nation folk song your mother had taught you to pay any mind to your surroundings, and it gives Zuko the perfect opportunity to catch you by surprise.
“Y/n!” He exclaims with a grin as his hands land firmly upon your shoulders. You nearly jump out of your skin at the act, and your reaction has the Fire Prince laughing so hard his cheeks begin to hurt.
“Zuko!” You scold with an irritated scowl as you chuck a handful of clothespins at him in retaliation. “You need to stop doing that!”
“I’m sorry, you just make it so easy,” he teases with a light nudge to your side before taking it upon himself to pick up the pins you’d discarded.
“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to leave for Ember Island?” You ask him with a quizzical look as you resume your previous work of hanging the clothes.
“That’s actually what I was coming to talk to you about,” he admits with a sheepish smile. “I want you to come with us.”
“What? You’re not serious, are you?” You retort apprehensively, halting your movements to gauge his reaction for any hint of insincerity or humor.
“I am serious. You deserve to have fun once in a while too,” he notes with a careful smile. You’re too oblivious to notice the look of admiration on his face and definitely too concerned with finding a way to let him down gently to realize he’s inviting you because he likes you. Despite your own feelings for the Prince you’ve developed over the years, you’re much too self-depreciating to ever believe Zuko could possibly feel the same. If only you knew.
“I can’t just up and leave! There’s work to be done, a-and my mother would be so upset with me if I abandoned my chores and-“
“Azula will tell our father she wishes to bring you along as a personal servant so you can come with us, and someone else will be tasked with taking on your work while you’re away. There’s no way your mom could be upset with you for serving the Princess, could she?”
“Azula would really do that for me?” You question meekly, a hopeful glint in your eyes as you hang on to his every word. You’re trying your best not to get your hopes up, but you wish for nothing more than to leave the capital city to see the ocean for the first time and feel the sand beneath your feet. As the daughter of a servant and now a servant yourself, you know you’d never get a chance like this if not for the fact that the siblings had grown fond of you over your years of friendship together. You’re lucky, because you know without them you’d truly be nothing more than a floor scrubbing peasant.
“Of course she would, she wants you there just as much as I do,” Zuko assures you. Gently taking your hands in his own, he gives them a comforting squeeze and looks into your eyes with a loving smile. “We leave tomorrow morning. Bring enough clothes to last you three days and a bathing suit.”
“I don’t own one,” you admit with an embarrassed frown, but your friend doesn’t display any sign of judgement in the slightest towards your shortcomings.
“Then I’ll take you shopping myself when we get there.”
Your heart melts at his words, your gaze falling to the ground bashfully as you try not to dwell on the fact that he’s still holding your hands. You’re in love with the Prince, and the Prince is in love with you, and everyone but you has figured out just how much you mean to each other.
Even Fire Lord Ozai, who odiously watches the scene unfold before him from the top of the palace balcony.
~~~
The shores of Ember Island are beautiful.
The waves almost seem to sparkle underneath the moonlight as they crash peacefully against the shore, and down below the lively chatter of your friends carries through the air and fills your heart with contentment. You’ve had the most perfect time here at the beach, and it pains you to know that tonight will be your last night of freedom before you must return home and resume your life as a servant girl.
The wooden doors behind you carefully slide open and closed, and soon a familiar warmth joins you out on the balcony. For a while you say nothing, simply enjoying the closeness of him as you watch Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai practice tricks in the sand below. You don’t know how to thank the Prince for all he’s done for you, for always looking out for you since you were children, for never once treating you as less than for your heritage. You don’t know how to tell him that you love him with your entire being.
So he does it for you.
“I got you something,” Zuko says after a moment’s silence, waiting for you to turn your gaze to him so he may pull out a small clam from beneath his robes. You raise a curious eyebrow at his offering as he gestures for you to take it.
“A clam shell?” You note inquisitively as you turn the gift around in your palms, carefully feeling out its grooves and intricate ridges.
“Open it,” he directs you quietly, anxiously watching your movements with bated breath.
You smile curiously at your friend before delicately pulling the top half of the shell open to reveal the contents inside. Your eyes widen in surprise at the gift that greets you, and you immediately look up to Zuko to ensure this isn’t some kind of joke.
Inside the clam sits a beautiful gold necklace with a dainty sun pendant resting in the center that shimmers under the light of the moon. It’s beautiful, and it’s certainly worth more than your own life, which is why you immediately try to hand it back to him.
“I-I can’t accept this!” You hastily insist with a quick shake of your head as you struggle to return the clam to him. “It’s too nice!”
“You can accept this,” Zuko reassures you as he carefully pushes the gift back towards you. When his efforts fail due to your persistent attempts to give back the shell, he lets out a sigh and carefully removes the necklace from the clam. “Y/n, I want you to have it.”
“But why?” You demand apprehensively, almost flinching away when he moves towards you with the necklace. You’re completely overwhelmed by his gift and unsure of what it means or why you’d ever be deserving of such a thing. You don’t want to take advantage of his kindness or his status, and you feel like he’s done more than enough for you by bringing you along on this trip, so it just feels wrong of you to take it.
“Because you deserve nice things too,” Zuko explains, and after giving you a pointed look you finally allow him to carefully put the necklace on you. The sun rests daintily along your neck, and he thinks it suits you perfectly. “I brought you on this trip because I wanted you to have fun for once, but also because… well, because I love you, and I thought a romantic setting might make it easier to tell you that.”
“You love me?”
“You haven’t noticed?” He retorts with a meek smile. “I’m not the best at words, but I know that I’ve loved you since we were children feeding turtle ducks in the pond and playing tag in the gardens. You have the purest heart of anyone I know, the sweetest smile, you are everything to me. I hope that by accepting this gift, you’ll be accepting me as someone worthy enough to be your boyfriend.”
“Oh, Zuko…” you murmur softly, eyes full of tears as you throw yourself into his arms and hug him as tight as humanly possible. You’re still shocked by the fact that the boy you love will all your heart feels the same, but you try to remind yourself not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Zuko is right when he says that you deserve to enjoy what life has to offer just as much as he does, so maybe it’s time you finally start allowing yourself the chance to finally let your guard down. You can be more than just a servant girl from the palace.
You can be happy.
~~~
You sit quietly before the vanity mirror as your mother tediously brushes through your hair to ensure not a single strand is out of place. The wrinkles in her skin crease with her nerves as she carefully begins to pin your hair back into the perfect top knot. Immediately after your return home from Ember Island, you were informed that the Fire Lord wished to speak with you. You were expected to drop your chores for the day and make yourself decent before presenting yourself to him. His request to see you surprised you considering the fact you previously believed he didn’t even know of your existence, but it made you nervous all the same. If anything were to go wrong during your meeting, you’d be jeopardizing both yours and your mother’s jobs.
“Make sure to sit up straight and no slouching,” she reminds you quietly while stopping to admire her work. “Hold your tongue until he allows you to speak and thank him for all he has done for us. It is a great honor to speak to Fire Lord Ozai, so you must treat it as such.”
“Mother, what could the Fire Lord possibly want to talk to me about?”
She doesn’t meet your eyes at first, looking away as if contemplating carefully what her next words should be. With a sigh, she sets the brush down and looks at you through the reflection. “Word has spread quickly about you and Prince Zuko, and I think he knows.”
You swallow nervously at her admission, absently brushing your fingers against the sun that hangs around your neck. You never once considered what Zuko’s father would think about his son’s choice of a partner; Ursa had always treated you as one of her own, and Azula considered you to be a good friend, but what would Ozai say of the peasant girl who had stolen his son’s heart?
You don’t have much time to mull over it further as a guard arrives to escort you from your quarters to the throne room. All eyes seem to follow you as you walk through the palace, the gold and red hues overwhelming your senses as you do your best to remain calm. You have no idea what awaits you at the end of the hallway, but there’s no escape now as the grand doors open and you’re pushed inside.
Ozai sits on the throne with a wall of flames roaring behind him. His features are stoic but his gaze is menacing as his eyes watch your meager form approach. You immediately bow in respect to the man once you reach him and kneel before his seated figure. Just as your mother instructed, you say nothing until you are spoken to.
“So you’re the girl my son has chosen to be his partner?” He drawls with a raised brow, obviously not impressed by the person before him.
“Yes, sir. It is an honor to present myself to you, my Lord,” you profess as earnestly as possible while adding another bow for good measure. You need his approval not only to continue dating Zuko, but also to ensure you and your mother are both able to continue living behind the palace walls. Even if you are there as servants tucked away in the peasant quarters, it certainly is a better place to be than out in the streets.
“I know who you are, child,” Ozai scoffs callously as he peers down at you from his place on the throne. “You are the peasant girl who managed to worm her way into the lives of my children. You are a lowly servant with nothing to your name and nothing special about you, and yet you have managed to corrupt my only son."
“Fire Lord Ozai, I-I apologize if my actions have upset you,” you quickly try to interject, but he holds a hand up and signals you to halt your pathetic rambling. Ozai does not have the time nor care to hear your excuses or explanations. That’s not what this meeting is for.
“Do you know how poorly it would reflect on me to have Zuko galavanting around the palace with a servant? Do you know how poorly it reflects on him to be seen with you? It’s a disgrace, and it is something I will not tolerate.”
“I know,” you utter quietly, trying to make yourself appear as small as you feel on the inside. Despite what Zuko has told you, you know that his father is right. You are nothing compared to him. He is the sun, the Prince, the heir to the throne. His future ahead is bright, and there is much for him to accomplish. You have no future, no plans for your life, nothing as grand or important as him and Azula. You are not the sun or the moon or even the stars that hang in his sky, you are insignificant, and you will never be worthy enough to be his.
“A future Fire Lord cannot have a maid as a wife. You must break his heart so that he no longer wants anything to do with you, so that he can move on and find a girl more worthy of becoming the future Fire Lady. You must make it appear to be your own doing and not mine, otherwise it won’t work. Have I made myself clear, child?”
“Yes, Fire Lord Ozai,” you whisper softly, a single tear sliding down your cheek as you bow to the cruel man before you. “I understand.”
~~~
The clouds that hang overhead are gray as Zuko makes his way towards the servants’ quarters. It is unheard of for any royal to ever set foot on these grounds, and so all eyes watch the Prince curiously as he approaches your humble home and knocks gently on the door. Movement sounds from the other side, and after a moment he is met with the startled face of your mother. It’s clear that she hadn’t been expecting him, and he takes her by surprise when he bows to the woman in respect.
“I apologize for coming unannounced, but I was hoping I could speak to y/n,” he utters with a look of defeat on his face. His sullen features make his lack of sleep obvious, and his eyes are full of desperation. You’ve been avoiding him for weeks and he has no clue as to why, but he hopes to figure it out soon before he starts to spiral any further.
“She’s…” your mother begins to say, glancing unsurely behind her before looking back to him, “she’s not feeling well. You can come back another time.”
“But-“
“Please, Prince Zuko, we can’t risk you catching whatever it is she’s come down with. You must go.”
She gives him no time to argue before slamming the door in his face. Zuko is stunned, but his shock quickly turns to anger as he lets out a frustrated breath of flames from his mouth before stalking off to cool himself down.
His footsteps fade into the distance as he departs, and you can only sit by the window of your room and watch him walk away. There’s a tightness in your chest that makes you feel as if you can’t breathe, and once he finally disappears over the horizon you break down into an inconsolable mess.
You love Zuko with all of your heart, so it kills you to act as if he means nothing to you. You’re trying to do what Ozai has demanded of you, but it’s agonizing and difficult. You’re too much of a coward to face him and break it off for good, so you’ve resorted to avidly avoiding the Prince at all costs. You hope that by pushing him away he’ll take it upon himself to end the relationship; it would be much less painful that way, but he’s too stubborn for his own good, and he’s persisted despite your best efforts.
The days seem to blend together as you lock yourself in your room while your mother continues to turn Zuko away. You haven’t done any of your chores or worked in days, but Ozai has not faulted you for your incompletion of tasks. Breaking Zuko’s heart is your task, and so long as you keep your word he couldn’t care less what you did with yourself.
After another week has passed, suffocation finally catches up to you and you’re forced to leave your room in order to get some fresh air. You sneak out at nightfall when the palace is quiet and your mother is sleeping so that no one can detect your presence. You retreat to the well out in the back and stare contemplatively into the water below. Clutching the sun that hangs from the gold chain around your neck, you admire the moon’s reflection in the ripples and wish you could be anywhere else but here in the Fire Nation.
“I thought I’d find you here,” a voice utters quietly, causing you to jump in alarm at the intrusion. You turn to meet the solemn gaze of the Prince, and as your back hits the cool stones of the well you find that you are cornered. You can’t avoid him now, and it’s a fact both of you are aware of.
“Zuko, I… I was just leaving,” you stammer hurriedly as you try to push your way past him, but he catches you by the arm before you can get away.
“No, not until you talk to me!” He demands, his eyes full of desperation and despair. “You’re supposed to be my girlfriend, yet you keep avoiding me. Why? Was it something I did?”
“No, Zuko, you didn’t do anything,” you insist despite refusing to meet his gaze. You’re terrified that someone will see you both together and alert Ozai, and you wish he would just release you so you could go back to hiding away in your room.
“Then why won’t you even look at me?”
Slowly, you peek your head up to meet his exasperated face. It seems he’s not going to give up without a fight, so you’re going to have to resort to doing what you’ve been trying to avoid this entire time.
“I don’t love you.”
“W-What?” Zuko stammers in quiet surprise, his hold on your arm loosening slightly. He doesn’t believe what he’s hearing from you, and his mind is scrambling to process your words.
“I don’t love you. I want nothing to do with you,” you repeat firmly, your eyes hardening as you stare up at him and yank yourself free from his grasp.
“Y/n, you don’t mean that-“
“I do mean it! I feel nothing for you, Zuko. I never have. I just felt like I couldn’t say no to you because you’re the Prince, so I had no choice but to say yes to being your girlfriend.”
Hurt flashes across his features and you’re dying inside at having to be so cruel to him. The heart of your childhood best friend is in your hands and you crush it with every word despite how much it pains you. But it’s better for both of you this way, it must be. Ozai will never let you be happy together, but apart he still has a chance to capture the promised future ahead of him. You’re doing him a favor, and you hope one day he’ll be able to see it that way too.
“I don’t understand,” he murmurs weakly, tears beginning to well in his eyes. Then, with frustration clear in his tone, “This doesn’t make any sense!”
“Did you honestly think we could actually be together?” You retort in disbelief. “Azula always said you were a fool, but I didn’t think you were this naive. A servant and a Prince don’t belong together, and you’re the only one who can’t seem to get that!”
“Alright, fine,” Zuko mutters indignantly. His sadness has quickly morphed into anger, and you hate the way it makes you feel. “Can I just ask you one thing?”
You say nothing in response, and he takes your silence as a sign to continue.
“If you don’t love me, then why are you still wearing the necklace?”
Your eyes widen slightly as your hand immediately flies to your neck to clutch the pendant, and your heart slowly begins to sink to your stomach as you realize you’ve been caught in your lie. It’s your turn now to be at a loss for words, unsure what to say as you simply stare up at him with your mouth slight agape.
“You don’t mean what you’re saying,” Zuko says firmly as he moves closer to you. “Someone else is speaking for you, aren’t they?”
“I…”
“What’s going on, y/n?” He presses gently, carefully resting a hand upon your cheek. “Why are you acting this way?”
“I can’t tell you,” you argue weakly, your own eyes becoming full of tears as you allow yourself to melt into his touch. You’ve missed the feeling of his warmth and the comfort of his closeness, and despite your mind screaming at you to remove yourself from him your heart keeps you planted in place.
“That’s nonsense, of course you can. You’ve always been able to tell me anything, so why can’t you now?”
“Can’t you just believe me when I tell you it’s for your own good?” You plead emphatically despite the wavering of your voice.
“How can this possibly be for my own good?!” He retorts in exasperation. “I’ve been miserable without you. Life feels empty when you aren’t around, and I don’t know how to deal with the fact that the girl I’ve loved all my life can’t seem to stand me.”
“It’s not like that!” You cry defensively as the tears finally begin to fall.
“Then what is it?!” Zuko demands, and you can’t seem to take any more of this torture. The lies are killing you, and you can’t help but to finally crack under pressure.
“I’m not good enough for you!” You finally exclaim as you pull yourself away from his touch. You try to choke back your sobs but the ache in your chest makes the task difficult, and you can do nothing but let your words flow freely after keeping them bottled in for weeks. “I-I have nothing to offer you, nothing that makes me special, nothing ahead of me like you do. It’s an embarrassment to the Fire Lord for you to be with me, and it will be an embarrassment for you to have me as your Fire Lady.”
Stunned by your admission, it takes Zuko a moment to process your words. He steps towards you and you flinch, effectively breaking his heart in the process. It’s clear you’re frightened, but not of him. Your fear is geared toward someone else, and the culprit must be responsible for you now feeling this way.
“Who told you such nonsense?”
“Your father,” you admit quietly much to Zuko’s dismay. His eyes immediately harden and his chest is immediately tight with anger, but he does his best to keep his emotions at bay so as to not upset you further. “He spoke to me when we returned from Ember Island and told me we couldn’t be together. Ozai demanded I break your heart so that you can move on and find another girl more suited for this life than I could ever be. I didn’t want to, I still don’t want to, but I’m doing this so that you can have a better future. I’ll only hold you back, Zuko.”
After taking a moment to digest your words, Zuko carefully steps towards you again. You don’t reject his advances this time, so he allows himself the opportunity to carefully wipe away the steady tears that fall down your cool cheeks. Despite how much of a mess you assume you must look like, the Prince still sees you as the most beautiful girl he’s ever laid eyes on.
“I don’t care what my father says,” he assures you gently as he takes your hands in his own. “You’re not an embarrassment, and there’s no other girl that could ever compare to you. I love you, y/n, and I’m not going to let anyone ever get in the way of that.”
“You mean that?” You ask with a quiet sniffle, holding his hands tight as if he’ll leave if you let go.
“Every word. Let my father and anyone else who disapproves of our relationship say what they want to say. I want to be with you, and I hope you still want to be with me too.”
His looks to you with pleading eyes that seek your reassurance, and for a moment you hesitate. Being with Zuko is all you’ve ever wanted, and now he stands here before you professing his loyalty and his love to you. The boy from your childhood had stolen your heart, and you’d be lying if you said you wanted it back.
You know being with him won’t be easy, especially not with his father’s adamant disapproval of your relationship, but you trust Zuko, and so you have to trust that everything will turn out okay. You meet his desperate gaze and gift him a faint smile, and despite knowing you’ll regret this, you wordlessly lean in to meet his lips in a kiss.
You can worry about Ozai’s wrath later. But for now, you allow yourself to melt into his embrace by the moonlit well as you share your first kiss in weeks. It feels right being in his arms once more after spending so much time apart, and you hope you’ll never have to be without his touch ever again.
| zuko tags: @ilovespideyyy @yiyibetch @eridanuswave @lammello @a-monsters-love @taeeemin @livelaughlovekuni @lovialy @alexatiu
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