#Zutara prompt

[ocean-breeze17]

Hiiii just saw you on Twitter, but I wanted to give you a fic idea here if that's ok! 🙈🙈 Here it is! Zuko braids Katara's hair every morning as a way to say he loves her

Of course!!! You can always dump all your ideas on me ( I feel so uninspired lately, so every idea is a blessing for me)

A soft breeze tickeled my skin as my conciousness slowly entered my body, the crickets hummed welcoming as I opened my eyes. The rays of the sun dazzled me until my eyes slowly adjusted to the light. Judging by the angle, the day had reached the 8th hour and was already blazing hot on my skin. Out of habit, I reached beside me to look for her warm body, but there were only cold layers of sheets. I quickly snapped to look around me, but then I heard her giggle softly. "Honey, I'm here." My vision was still blurred, but I would always recognise her slim silhouette, her long brown hair, her glowing brown skin and her mesmerizing blue eyes that reminded me of pure water of the ocean. Her hair flowed smoothly around her hips while she walked towards me as I sat up and rubbed my face. Her soft lips touched my scar. She smelt of wild roses and jasmine. She smelled like home.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." I felt her warm lips again, this time more intensive. It made my skin tickle where the kiss left and went down to my lumbar region.

"How are you feeling today? You´re an early bird again." I pulled her into my arms on my lap to pull her tight. I wanted to feel every inch of her skin again. She covered my face with caresses and saved my lips for last.

"I just felt a bit nervous to meet the chief of the Northern Water Tribe today," she told me in-between kisses, while I caressed her hair over her back.

"So you woke up and trained." This was not a question, more like statement, because I knew how she thinks. Katara looked at me in a way made her feautures become more softer, dreamy even. "Then go ahead tell me everything you want to tell the chief." She turned around and began to talk incessantly, while I brushed through her long hair with my fingers and braided them in her tradiotional tribal style.

Since then it became a habit. Even if she had nothing to tell, I relentlessly talked while I braided her hair. It felt spiritual, like meditation. I trained me to become more patiently in small things the days went on.

[blonde-bandit]

chapter 4 of the Bodyguard is up! finally!!!

[cutegirlmayra]

Zutara - Friend Request Prompt

My friend drew me something so I wrote her her fav ship xD

Prompt:

Katara sat at the back of the ship’s haul cell, slowly opening her eyes with a look of sheer restrained hatred at the Fire Nation Solider striding past her cell, moving to another room where they were playing Pai Sho, looking back at her before slamming the door shut.

Immediately, she jumped up and began to move her body and hands to try and locate any trace of water… The ship had water underneath it… but she could drown.

Frustrated, she grunted and swung her body and hands to another location.

Tea drinks… hot water. Perfect.

She began to move her arm back, having the bowl of piping hot water jostle and stir violently in the kitchen a moment before another hard slam was heard and her concentration broke.

She looked worriedly to the sound, before glaring her eyes at who it was…

Uncle Iroh’s hand tapped the kettle and the tea was settled… the water began to return to normal, and he smiled as if knowingly, and put his hands back within his sleeves in the kitchen… as though understanding what was happening.

“I’m growing impatient.” Zuko scooted the sliding door quickly to the side, walking in with little poise, but a pure show of aggression. “I’ve wasted countless cycles of wind and time. We’re going to make port soon, and I need to know something…” He leaned his head towards the bars, “Where is the Avatar? Aren’t you important to him?”

She formed a fist with her hand, “Why are you so obsessed with him!?�� She demanded to know, “Why can’t you just… leave us alone!” she gritted her teeth, before shouting out towards him.

She tried to sense the tea again, but for some reason… it was all just steam now.

“H-huh?” She looked at her outstretched hand… “The water…” her eyes trembling…

Meanwhile, Uncle Iroh was relaxing back in his chair, and burped as he rubbed his enlarged stomach, patting it lightly. “I simply couldn’t waste good tea…” he hummed in a lollygagging sort of buzz to himself.

“I won’t ask again!” Zuko gripped the iron bars, “Where is he!? Why hasn’t he come for you, yet!?”

Katara felt a sudden chill around her… that awful feeling settled as shakes from her neck down to her torso… and she turned away. “I don’t know what Aang is up to… but I know he’s on his way to the Fire Nation…” she sat down, “But you already knew that… didn’t you?” She tried to feign confidence.

“... You act as though he’s mastered all the elements.” Zuko’s eyebrows rose up.

Katara smirked, thinking she got him. “He has.” she lied. “You think he disappeared for so many years and wouldn’t have mastered them?”

She shrugged a hand up, “Beats me… He’s probably already chopped the Fire Lord’s head off by now-”

A gust of hot steam flew out of Zuko’s nose, before he spun back and kicked out a powerful heatwave that made Katara look up, her eyes watering, and with her mouth opening in awe and fright at the flames, her throat dried and she felt her courage shrivel up.

She instinctively fled across the back of the prison, her arms up as the flames never reached her, but caught some straw on fire for a moment before shriveling out.

It was all just hot air…

“This war isn’t over… but your lies certainly are.” He walked across the prison’s bars and kept his eyes fixated on her.

He stopped when he became directly in front of her, seeing her body shaking in soft beats, as though she was striving to keep her fear hidden.

His eyes… although trying not to, couldn’t help but twitch into softness.

“... Look,” he finally dropped the tough guy act, “I’m not trying to intimidate you anymore…���

“C-... Could have fooled me.” Her voice was raspy, as she looked between the gap of her shaking arms at him. Her mouth was still to dry to really speak… she could feel the water evaporating from her as though he had shriveled her body up like a scorched plant.

“... Contrary to what you may think of the Fire Nation… We lead with honor, and we’re doing this for the betterment of the world.” He narrowed his eyes, “Unity… We’re not all after power.”

“... You may not be,” she breathily tried to get past the sting in her throat, and put her arms down, dangling them. “But it certainly seems that way for the rest of us…”

As she swayed forward, he looked suddenly to her feet. “... Whatever you’re planning… I mostly came here to talk.” he narrowed his eyes,... but the softness never left them.

“Oh?” She could barely chuckle, “You’re scared… of little old me?”

“I don’t ever underestimate an enemy.” Zuko took a stance, ready… if she did find any water left to use.

He had the whole ship barrel any water as tightly as it could possibly go, hoping to hold off her power.

“That’s all you’ve ever done!” She charged forward and slammed her hands against the bars, which actually did make him take a quick, reflex shuffle of his feet expertly back as though still ready to fight.

It wasn’t out of fear, it was calculated and precise, he was just stragedically placing himself at a fair advantage for a battle.

“I didn’t restrain you… I did cause your thirst, though.” He lowered his head, as a dish of untouched bread lay to the side of her entrapment. “You, and your brother–even the little Earth noble–can all go free once I capture and secure the Avatar.” He then hit the side of the bar with a jab above her hand, which made her look up as the bar got heated and she gasped at the steam from her hand.

She pulled her hand away and cradled it with her other, moving away.

He gently came out of his stance, moving the side of his hand where he swiped his hand into away and tried to use a different approach… “Why do you despise me? I never hurt a single member of your Water Tribe… I threatened, sure, but that was because you all became stubborn.” he was referring to her brother, wasn’t he?

Her eyebrow twitched in rage, “All of you… You’re all monsters!” she turned away, “My mother was killed by your stupid war for power!”

“I’m only after my honor… I am sorry about your loss.” He looked down, showing some empathy for the first time, “I, also,... haven’t seen my mother in a long, long time… I have no idea where she is.”

Katara looked over her shoulder, only with her eyes, not saying anything, her anger still heavily affecting her heart.

“... I… miss her, too.” Zuko closed his eyes, but then felt a shift in energy and flung his head back, seeing her trying to reach out at him while he let his guard down.

He smacked and slammed her arm against the bar, holding her there and locked her into place with his other, free-arm reaching through the bars as well to pull her waist against the holding cell. Now, the bars were protecting them from each other.

“I told you, I don’t underestimate you!” he stated boldly again… though bars between them, their bodies were still being pressed up against each other. “Where is the Avatar? If all you want is the war to end, that would do it!”

“Idiot! I’m not just gonna stand aside while you wipe out more than the Air Nation!” Katara barked out.

“What?” Zuko’s eyes flinched a little bit. He gritted his teeth, his eyebrows furrowing, turning his head to have his cheek against the bar where she was trying to break free… her cheek getting smushed against the other side. “The Air Nation refused to give up the Avatar, what do you think will happen to your merry band of bagibands if you keep up your little odyssey?”

“Errrrr..!!! We won’t give up! Aang will stop you! He has to!” She tried to lift a leg up and press it against the bars, but the banging only revealed her shoes made her slip repeatedly against the iron’s slick casing, and she had to abandon that notion.

“Give up, Katara.” He… spoke her name?

Her struggles stopped a moment, realizing he knew her name, and looked at him as though with disgust.

His grip on her bent arm tightened, “I am not after the last Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe!” he moved away a little bit, showing the effort he was taking to restrain her through the prison bars.

He… knew?

Her eyes shrank, the whites enlargened… “What..?” She was so taken aback, her strength all but left her, as well as her spirit.

He slowly felt that lingering shaking… and could feel her muscle under his hand’s grip give way on her forearm… he let her go as she moved back.

“I really won’t rule like my Father… but I have to restore my honor to him.” he stood as though already a victor, but also with a humility she wasn’t sure how to interpret. “If I deliver the Avatar–in chains–then there will be nothing to threaten my father’s reign… There may be some time after that… where the future seems certainly oblique,... but with the Avatar confined, his power weakened,... I’m sure my father’s might would cease in his grip. You, your people,... everyone wouldn’t have the same overwhelming force inflicted upon them. With the last threat to the Fire Nation over with… you’ll all live your normal, happy lives… and when I take back the throne… the flame of the Fire Nation can even be seen as a warm light… to a rather cold, introduced war…” He reached a hand up, a light warmth to it but Katara pulled away.

Her eyes were shadows as he stopped his metaphor… realizing he was trying to comfort her in the most obscure way possible.

“... Do you even hear yourself?” her shoulders bounced in her emotive response, too many emotions splashed against the other in the raging storm within her being… her very form wanting to unleash a typhoon… “You’re saying you’ll end the only hope the world has of achieving peace between the elements… I’d rather burn than ever give Aang, my last chance–our remaining flicker of free life!” her eyes… they were like the raging seas that he fought against in that lonely first month adrift the sea… cast out, abandoned… with nothing but his shame and guilt to cover himself from their furious, unforgiving, merciless punches against his only raft in their bowls…

“... A foolish attempt at a desperate, useless gambit.” He pulled away, also lowering his eyes to shadows… There was no mercy in her eyes either.

What had he hoped… to see in them, instead?

“Your backing the wrong horse… But that’s fine. I’m over dwelling on wasted pity for you.” He turned himself aside, putting his princely facade on and placing his arms behind his back. “If a quiet capture doesn’t lure the Avatar to you… then I’ll simply have to make the stakes higher than ever before.”

Katara narrowed her sight, before it softened somewhat at the last sentence.

“What… what does that mean?” She gripped her hurt arm that was still up, certain to leave bruises… “Zuko!!!” she cried out, leaning forward to him as he steeled himself from her sight.

He just stared forward, “From now on, there won’t be any olive branches and peace-talks…” He seemed so void of emotion now… unlike before.

She noticed this, and her face shifted somewhat to stilled amazement. “What do you mean..? That was your attempt at peace-talks?!” She threw her arms down, “You’re insane! You can’t honestly call that a reasonable discussion!” she protested.

“Politically, she is right, Prince Zuko.”

The two suddenly halted as walking through the opened door, Zuko was amazed to see his uncle, who had single-handedly beaten the Fire Nation Soliders with them in that ‘friendly’ game and was tucking the tea leaves in his sleeves while showing off his white lotus tile by twiddling it through his fingers. “Techincally, this is no way to treat such a lovely guest.” He then smiled kindly to Katara, “My dear, would you like some very delicious jasmine tea?” He was so… passive?

Was that the right word?

“Uncle! She’s our prisoner! Not a guest!” Zuko turned into what appeared to be a small boy in front of this man, and Katara couldn’t help but be completely blindsided by the sudden shift in the young man.

She blinked her eyes, then looked to Iroh, “W-what… Tea?” she rose a twitching, although comical eyebrow up a few times in confusion, seeing Iron unlocking the bars and taking her hand while she was in her state of disbelief. “H-Hey! Let go of me!”

“Certainly… as soon as we get to know one another in a much more refined space for company.” He also grabbed Zuko’s arm, much more uncomfortably aggressive, as Zuko’s elbow was up in the air while the two struggled against him. “Now, now, both of you need to just-”

“Reeelllaxxx~” he now had them sitting quite properly on what looked like pillow-bags, as he poured the tea lightly and Katara glared at Zuko, who averted his eyes to her.

“He’s strong.” she stated under her breath, pouting.

“Yeah, you get used to it. Just leave him be and do what he says.” Zuko muttered, putting a hand under his chin in annoyance.

“Oh, yeah? And why should I?” She tried to get up to bend the tea, but Iroh’s expert eye saw the technique of her shift of hand and whacked it just as he did the kettle to cease it’s directional movement and pull on the teacup. “Ow!” she shook it back and held it in her mouth.

“No. So rude. That’s not how we stir fine tea.” he lightly sipped some. “Awh~ So refreshing… You know, if you still your mind like the calming waters of this tea… and breathe in the detoxing steam from it’s surface… you might find that boiling water can also be brought to a pleasing effect… like so.” He lightly took another drink, then sighed again in great relief from stress. “My muscles relax, my heart is soothed… thus is the nature of tea. Like a hot springs for your soul.” He seeped his whole weight back into his own, larger bag-pillow. “Now, you try.” He smiled goofily.

“Here, here!” he zipped quickly up and gestured for Zuko and Katara to try some.

She made a face, looking up to Zuko, “It’s poisoned.” she calloused herself, and praticed biased caution against the kind man’s odd but… somehow comforting and calming nature.

“Heh, if I wanted you dead, it would have been by burning stake!” Zuko stabbed the fruit salad on the low-riding table, as Iroh sighed.

“My Nephew isn’t used to having such a quiet get-together in a long while… nor with such a pretty lady.” he beamed over to her, “Please excuse his lack of gentlemenly manners… he still has much to learn about how to treat young ladies.”

“Hmph, I’ll say.” Katara folded her arms and cheekily smirked, raising an eyebrow. “He has certainly a long way to go… Wasn’t aware that Fire Benders could also completely break chivalry!”

Zuko had animated anger marks all over his head, pusling passionately from her words. “Some fine flower you are… Uncle, are you to have me believe she’s worth treating any differently than a common rebel!?” he hit the table again, shaking the tea as it stirred.

Suddenly, Iroh’s eyes looked hostile at the table.

Zuko and Katara suddenly froze in a flinched response of fear… when the table settled, a single drop threatened to spill.

Iroh’s face suddenly wrinkled into a terrifyingly serious expression.

Immediately, Zuko clumsily held the tea cup up, and Katara fumbled with her hands to manipulate the spilling corner and have the drop lightly, gracefully, return to it’s cup from which it came.

Iroh’s face suddenly unhardened and turned back to a bright, happy sun… fanning himself as though nothing was amiss, as Zuko and Katara lightly returned to their ‘proper’ placements with sweat drops on the side of their heads.

Zuko placed the tea down, “Sorry, Uncle…” He lightly whispered.

“Oh, that’s alright. No tears, if no spilled tea.” He lightly closed his eyes… before slightly opening them to show his subtle threat to the two of them.

Katara realized now that his kindness was conditional… if Zuko or her should ruin any of the nicely placed tea on the table…

She didn’t want to think of the consequences… she feared the nice old man far more than she did Zuko’s illusionary wrath!

“What a lovely tea party…” Iroh lightly picked up some more ingredients and sprinkled or dropped them lightly into his cup, stirring it gently. “When one respects all the intricate pieces that make up such fine flavor…” He lightly pulled the spoon out and tapped it against the luxurious tea cup expertly, waiting patiently for the last drop off the spoon to land and ripple into the tea. “Heat isn’t always dangerous… and an overflowing cup not always a negative sign.” He took the cup delicately, “But when we rise to accept all these overwhelmingly, usually unmixing substances together…” He brought it to his lips, and took a small sip. “Awww… what should have been a cacophony of opposite opinions and beliefs, suddenly becomes a rather delightful taste that is understood and admired by all as refined, elegant, and a perfect mixture of unified assemblance.” He then took another sip and peeked an eye out at Zuko.

Zuko looked resistant, but conceded and took his cup up to his mouth, looking at it thoughtfully. “... Katara… I…” He looked away, slightly blushing at being so abashed in front of her by his Uncle… but nevertheless, he gritted his teeth and tried to speak again, “I… will not abandon my duty to the Fire Nation. My royal blood must be redeemed to it’s rightful place… but I can… understand… your awful refusal of destined events.” he gulped down the tea fast, lightly putting the tea cup to his knee.

Katara twitched in offense, before picking up her tea cup and speaking out of the side of her mouth in vengeance, “Well, banished prince,... I can certainly see your unfortunate side of things… being on the losing team must be so horrible to endure…” she took a light sip as Zuko’s aura showed his own flames heating up at her words… “But I can’t wait to see your face… totally red from being proven wrong.” She took another sip, “Thanks for the tea, but I find I like mine slightly cold.” she put it down and began to get up.

Iroh looked sadly to her, then looked to Zuko as though disapprovingly, pouting and giving him a narrowed look with a ‘Hmmph’ as though he had to make this right.

Zuko took immediately to his own defense, “I am not satifying the foolish, desperate wishes of a on-the-run fugitive!”

“You will kindly ask for forgiveness. Honestly, how do you expect to woo her to wife if you don’t?” He took another sip.

Katara’s hand had already opened the door to exit when both her and Zuko’s body suddenly felt a physical response of a shot through their bodies at his sudden, bold claim.

The door slammed shut…

But Katara hadn’t left the cabin…

Iroh happily poured himself another pot of tea, spun it a bit, and enjoyed happily the yelling, bantering, flustered responses of both silly teenagers as they refused to leave the cabin without convincing each other and Iroh of their mutual hatred, disgust, and the audacity to think they would secretly have anything going on between each other.

“Ah~ I do enjoy when you bring women over for some tea, Prince Zuko.” Iroh blushed lightly, seeing how well they were communicating–even if it was extremely loud, and their faces were animatedly with white, large mouths and eyes like arrowed triangles bent in rage…

It wasn’t political anymore.

It was simply their two natures… and as the sun went down and the moon began to rise, the two finally panted out the last of their steam and sat down on the bag-pillows… the tea was mostly gone, and this was the second batch Iroh had made while they feuded and bickered the entire day away.

“Ha… Ha…” Zuko panted with sweat trickling down from his scar to his neck… curving along his masculine features.

His eyes flickered up to her.

“Had… enough…?” He finally asked.

“Of what? Tea? Hah… Hah…” Katara’s heart was racing, her hands on her knees to keep herself upright. “Oh, ho? Giving up already, Prince dragon-breath.” she glared.

“Water-drip.” He snarkily quipped back.

“Blowdry!” She leaned forward.

“Wetcloth!” he leaned in to willingly join that gap.

Iroh covered his mouth, holding in a strained giggle, finding this adorable as the two were literally forehead to forehead over the table.

“And now, we see?” He lightly put the tea cup down, and filled their cooled tea cups with the new warm tea he still had left. “Fire warms the water… and water makes the comforting heat of the flames gentle to the touch.” He lifed the tea cup into both their cupped hands… letting them feel the heat from the safety of the refined, old-fashioned tea cup he had swapped out while the two were gnashing their teeth at each other.

“Now… don’t you two feel better acquainted?” he held out sort of shrugged hands, palms up, to each of them. “What have you learned from your opposing viewpoints? What were similar, and yet, still so radically different?” He held up a pointer finger. “Prehaps you’re more alike than you realize… and maybe, just assuredly, the Avatar is not the only ingredient to making nice, warm, and soothing tea.” He placed both hands on their shoulders, helping them to cool off and sit down. “Like a gentle breeze from the lungs out the mouth, the two elements are now working together towards a common goal… peace. Both, to right the world,” he looked to Katara, “And the unfortunate mistakes and evils therein… and to bring peeeeeace…. To one’s spirit within.” He looked and softly urged with his voice for Zuko to be settled and calm, watching as Zuko took a deep breath in… then out, like in his training.

“How could the Fire Lord’s son bring about honoroable peace?” Katara gestured her hand to him, but Iroh looked back to her in great sorrow.

“Iced tea was never my favorite.” He lightly scolded her cruelty, and she just backed up a bit, as though suddenly feeling guilty for saying that… but looking down, she wasn’t sure why. “What you see is the flame burning the kettle black… but had it ever occured to you… that the kettle was already painted so?”

She had an epiphany by that analogy, and looked mercifully, for the first time, to Zuko.

“It is not the material of the kettle that made it black… but the hand that molded it to be so… Zuko’s father does not answer for his crimes… but Zuko’s heart takes the burden with each blaze of that painful flame.” Iroh’s loving eyes turned to his dear nephew, but Zuko shoved his shoulder out of his Uncle’s grasp.

“You’ve been out of your cage long enough.” He got up and held his hands in fists by his side. “Uncle, you have no right to speak about my father, your brother, in such a way.”

Suddenly… it all made sense.

The abuse… Katara could see the trauma… as her eyes rose from his trembling fists… to his melted scar.

“Some cracks are beautiful… and some are so obvious, that they go unnoticed.” Closing his eyes, Iroh had finally seen her still her own judgements in her raging waves… and allow a gentle heat of compassion to fill them.

Like tea to her heart.

“We all have suffering… Don’t we?” Zuko turned to look back at her, and she could see the cracks in the tea cup…

He wasn’t evil or vile or any of those monsters she had known the Fire Nation to be…

She pursed her lips, not wanting her eyes to shake in unyielding sympathy, or tear up as though she had somehow bonded herself to a dying flame.

Dying… but invigorated with a false sense of purpose.

She got up, turning to Iroh, looking as though her core was shaken. “... Thank you for the tea.” she gave him a respectful, forward bow.

He smiled with a nod of sweetness to her, “Thank you… for your patience with my brewing.” He then looked fondly to her, “You are a great sweetener to what I usually have… it’s much appreciated, young Waterbender.” he looked to Zuko and nodded. “Do not contend with what aids you, Zuko… but merge and find unity within what ails you both.” he got up and dusted himself off, “I’ll go clean the dishes…” and began to clean up.

Katara walked along the boat… the creaking of the wood didn’t bother her anymore, as she looked out to the sky… at the white fluffy clouds… that seemed to echo Aang’s youthful, joyful laughter in them.

He ran from responsibility…

Zuko desperately chased it.

She thought of Appa’s fluffy body and then back to the back of Zuko, his ponytail flying in the wind.

He stopped a second… just before descending to the cell bridge.

“... He’s not coming, is he?” He inquired, his shoulders tensing up, broadening to their true height, as though a part of him had been slouching this whole time. “... What’s stopping you? Take your precious southern bending and leave… I don’t need you… if you’re nothing but useless bait.”

She knew, from having argued with him all day, that that wasn’t his normal speaking voice.

Her eyes softened again, sparkling light crashing waves of mercy.

She couldn’t say anything, just stared at him.

She then swiftly swung her body towards the boat’s front.

“H-Hey!” A Fire Nation Solider tried to stop her, but she bended the water to bash both sides of his helmet in, and then jumped on another one’s head and rode the water down before skimming through the cold, briny sea…

“Oh?” Iroh walked out of the cabin, having followed further behind them, having a cloth cleaning the inside of the tea cup he first used with the two feuding teens. “No more tea with a fine lady, then.” He disappointedly threw the rag over his shoulder, but smiled at the sea. “I’ve known many women in my time…” He then winked to Zuko, “And that one’s a keeper.”

“That’s enough, Uncle… you’ve embarrassed me enough as it is.” Zuko walked down to the bridge and then the haul, entering the cell… he bent a knee and touched one of the ashes of the hay… bringing it up for a better look, and pinching it between his finger tips…

“... I will find the Avatar…” He held the ash by his nose, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath… smelling her still as though her breezy, sea-air scent lingered as a chill up his nose and froze his lungs… “With…”

He then opened his eyes.

“Or without you…”

[demaparbat-hp]

I always think about Zuko having days when his head is just so unkind to him that he can’t get up. And all you can do is love him and be with him until it passes.

Zuko curled in bed and Katara holding him, kissing his shoulder. Or Katara sitting next to him and bending down to kiss him.

Thank you for these, they’ve been such a little flame of love and hope right now

Please don't go.

[pineapple-frenzy]

Dumb lil thing about them meeting up

[artsymephy]

I missed Zutara week 😩 Anyways have a sketchy sketch

[the-badger-mole]

Zutara prompts: Stepping in front of the other to shield them from something/someone.

Please ☺️

Zuko was shocked to see his father had actually showed up tonight. It wasn't the first time Zuko was being honored for an accomplishment, and this wasn't even a particularly big win for him. Last year, he had won a Phoenix Crown award for his work on the score of the Painted Lady movie. By comparison, a golden leaf at the Yangbaechu Awards for his tsungi horn album was the equivalent of taking home first place at a school art show. It was still an honor, of course, but far fewer people cared. Still, his uncle had insisted on throwing a party to celebrate, as he always did (though Zuko suspected Iroh had only really meant to provide an alternative to the wilder celebrity after parties that usually took place on these nights). Tonight, Ozai had surprised everyone by actually showing up.

Far less surprising was the look of disapproval permanently etched onto his face. Ozai's face was twisted as if he smelled something terrible. He cast a judgemental look around the room in such an obvious way, Zuko knew that his and Iroh's guests could tell exactly what he was thinking. Zuko could practically read his father's thoughts. So disappointing, his son. Zuko had managed to achieve his own fame and fortune separate from Ozai's political and business world, yet he wasted his time and talent on movies with no prestige, and concept albums that most people only pretended to understand. He was friends with mostly B and C list celebrities- certainly no power players who could help Zuko move up in the world. Never mind that Zuko was making a living- a very good living- doing what made him happy. Ozai had never cared for his son's happiness.

Right around the time Zuko was beginning to wonder why Ozai had bothered to show up at all, his father met his eye. Then to Zuko's surprise, Ozai came over. Zuko down the last of his lava whiskey sour and braced himself.

"You're wasting your time," Ozai said. Zuko fought the urge to lower his head. He was as tall as Ozai now. His father couldn't tower over him to intimidate him anymore.

"I've got an award that says otherwise," Zuko replied through clenched teeth. "Several of them, in fact." Rage flashed across Ozai's face, and in spite of himself, Zuko cringed a little.

"Still a mouthy little snot after all these years."

"Why did you come?" Zuko demanded. "Since I'm such a disappointment to you, why don't you just leave me to live my own life?"

"And let you keep embarrassing the family name?" Ozai sneered. "It was bad enough when my brother turned his back on the company to start his little tea shop, but now here you are making a fool of us with your antics. Your sister is poised to launch her campaign for governor, but all anyone can talk about is what actress you're dating, or what foolish little superhero movie you're making songs for."

"Well, I'm sorry Azula isn't more interesting," Zuko said. "Why don't you tell everyone what she got up to in college? I bet the people would find that a lot more interesting than what I'm doing. I know that would defeat the purpose of you spending so much money to cover it up, but it would take the attention off of me."

"I see your success has made your forget to be humble. I ought to remind you." Ozai scowled at Zuko. His hand flexed at his side, as if he were going to strike his son. It wouldn't be the first time, but would he really dare in front of so many witnesses?

"There you are!" Zuko and Ozai jumped in surprise when Katara appeared at his side. Katara had a wide smile on her face, but her sharp eyes were on Ozai in a way that Zuko knew was a warning. "You can't spend your entire party tucked up in a dark corner. At least not without me. So, catch me up. What are we talking about?"

"This is family business," Ozai sneered at her. "Why don't you go find some paparazzi to pose for."

"Maybe some other time," Katara's smile never wavered, but her eyes grew sharper.

"Do you know who I am?" Ozai sputtered, affronted.

"I do know who you are," Katara said, crossing her arms. She stepped forward, and drew up to her full height (which still left her a good half a head shorter than Ozai, even in heels), and glared at him directly. She stood in front of Zuko protectively. "I know exactly who you are, and I don't like you."

"As if I care what some tarty little slut thinks," Ozai sneered. "I'm talking to my son, so leave us alone, or I'll-" Before Ozai could finish his threat, Katara had grabbed his arm and thrown him over her shoulder. He landed on his back with a body rattling thud. The air left his lungs in a whoosh and all Ozai could do was groan weakly.

"I've taken Southern Tribe style martial arts since I was a kid," Katara said, leaning over Ozai. "I know exactly how to handle bullies like you. Now, I have on good authority that you're trespassing, so I'd suggest you leave before I really have to get tough on you."

Ozai managed to stumble onto his feet. He glowered down at Katara. She stared back at him defiantly. He seemed to be about to retaliate, but then he saw Zuko standing behind her with a dark, challenging look on his face. Then Ozai noticed that the other partiers had stopped their talking and dancing and were now watching him with various degrees of warning on their faces. Then he saw the security guards standing at the perimeter of the room as if they were waiting for a signal. For the first time in Zuko's life, Ozai looked a bit scared. Finally, he straightened his jacket and sniffed haughtily at Zuko and his friends, and left without another word.

After a few minutes, the party atmosphere returned. A handful of Zuko's friends came up and checked in on him to make sure he was okay, but after some brief reassurances, they returned to their conversations and drinks and Zuko was once again surrounded by the lively sounds of his friends having fun. Katara slipped her arm through his.

"I'm sorry if I went too far," she murmured. Zuko leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"No, you were spectacular," he assured her. "I didn't think I could be any more attracted to you, but I stand corrected."

[bythepen98]

Zutara || Sleepy Zuko snuggling a very indulgent Katara ❤️️💙

kofi ⭐https://tinyurl.com/2p99f6ba

[stargirl-judooz]

If u want to prompt 32 zutara💛

32. A kiss to wake up

Thanks for the prompt @monaiargancoconutsoy !

[broadwaybalogna]

Z&K smooching in a 'get along' shirt

They’re getting along alright

<the proportions of the shirt are wrong but just ignore that>

[blonde-bandit]

I didn’t want to wait to post day 2’s prompt-fic…🤭 so enjoy!

Summary (because I dont know how to link properly): The first time Zuko and Katara run into one another in the palace gardens, it’s a coincidence. They both are having a difficult time dealing with the new ‘normal’. The other times, however, not so much…

[nerdylizj]

Five years is a lot of life to live. A collection of moments from Lee and Kya's time together in Hua Don.

Chapter 1: On Loneliness

Four years after settling into Hua Don, Lee still doesn’t know what to make of Gira. The old woman wasn’t particularly welcoming when they first arrived at the village. She wasn’t part of the group of people who hemmed and hawed and patted at him and Kya, ensuring they had what they needed. Instead, Gira watched from the steps of the apothecary, her wrinkled face blank, as he and his wife bartered with the villagers to justify their excessive generosity. A trade. Kya’s broad scope of skills and Lee’s penchant for hard work and drive. Places to earn their keep.  After all, they wouldn’t take help for free. Their pasts ensured that they would never be caught unaware again, trusting the goodness of people instead of the lessons of pain. The only people they could trust ��� truly trust – in those early months of their marriage, were each other.

read more here

[sokkastyles]

AU where Aang is never freed from the iceberg but Katara finally sees her chance to go North to learn waterbending when a lone ship sails near her village one day. She smuggles herself aboard the ship, but only realizes after she sees the worn crimson uniforms of the soldiers that this is a Fire Nation vessel, and gradually learns that the captain is actually an exiled fire nation prince, which explains why this run down ship is by itself in the middle of the arctic.

Katara gradually learns more about Zuko by observing him from hiding, while Zuko becomes increasingly perplexed at why things seem to keep going missing around the ship, food supplies and blankets and little odds and ends. At first, Katara thinks she'll get off at the first Earth Kingdom port they come to, but then she thinks that this is her opportunity to sabotage whatever the Fire Nation is up to. She witnesses Zuko's tenuous hold on his men, though, and the way he's treated like a pariah by the other FN officers, this prince who is really no more than a boy close to her own age, and learns the story of his scar, and she can't help but wonder about him.

One day, she surprises him in his cabin, with an icicle at his throat, and ends up making a deal with him. He agrees to take her North in exchange for his life. Zuko at first tells himself he'll be glad when he's rid of her, but gradually the two form an odd, tentative truce.

When they get to the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko's ship rendezvous with and is betrayed by Zhao, who plans to invade like in canon. Zuko ends up captured by the Northern Water Tribe, and Katara finds herself in the odd position of having to vouch for him, this boy who she's seen enough of to believe that he might be the one to help end the war.

[zukosdualdao]

i'm a worst case kid / in a plague pit town

zutara month, day 1: reluctant allies

summary: ever-slight canon-divergence in which zuko accepts katara's offer to heal iroh after feeling his too-weak, dying pulse, as his injury is bad enough zuko is unsure he will survive otherwise. not much else changes. it was never going to.

warnings: canon-typical depictions of injury, violence, and trauma responses.

other notes: title is a lyric taken from tommy lefroy's "worst case kid". starting pov is zuko's, ending pov is katara's. two pieces of dialogue are directly taken from the show.

*

The wind is whistling in this dry, abandoned, dead town, dead like—

Zuko does not shiver, and he does not cry.

He used to be able to tell himself things like that and mean it. When did that stop being true?

Uncle’s pulse is so faint, for a moment, he thinks it isn’t there at all. Even when he feels it, he knows it might as well not be. He might not have long at all.

Zuko hears the other footsteps approaching, their silence loud and almost mournful, but he bristles on instinct. They can’t see him like this, can’t see Uncle like this—how could he be so stupid as to turn his back on the enemy? 

“Get away from us!” he shouts as he looks back. They’re all staring at his uncle’s prone form, and Zuko turns back to him, too, heaving heavy breaths. He needs to do something, but he is weak, useless, outnumbered—

“Zuko, I can help,” the waterbender insists, and Zuko wants to snarl, yell, reach for his fire, and he raises his hand to do so—and frowns. 

What does she mean?

He looks back to where Uncle lies prone.

A heartbeat shouldn’t feel like that. The Dragon of The West shouldn’t go down so easily.

Uncle shouldn’t be able to seem so small and worn and fragile.

Slowly, Zuko lowers his hand and looks to her striking blue eyes. There’s no pity or malice there, he doesn’t think, she just looks… still cautious and unyielding, but sad and sincere, too.

He’s fallen for tricks like this before, though—Azula has always loved how easily she could fool him—and it feels a little like he’s standing on the edge of a steep precipice.

It would be naive to just… trust the word of an enemy. She has no reason to want to help him. He knows this.

The rest of them still watch his uncle’s maybe-dying form, but the waterbending girl stares at Zuko unflinchingly, almost as though in challenge.

Uncle groans brokenly, the noise like that of a wounded animal. 

“How?”

*

The world is dead silent.

The prince of the Fire Nation is staring at her with tears threatening to fall from his right eye, though not the left, which is twitching lightly. She’s never before noticed how he can’t seem to open it fully due to the scar tissue set against it. She’s never had much reason to take in his features as anything more than the face of their enemy. 

His gaze is still steely and untrusting. In this light, his scar looks violently red and painful. He asks after her offer with a voice that cracks, though he doesn’t seem to pay that any heed. His hair is short but growing in, and he’s traded out his Fire Nation attire for earthly green and brown robes. He looks so different from when they last saw him. 

He looks so… young.

It’s all a little bizarre.

“Be careful, Katara,” Sokka insists from behind her, though when she glances back, his focus is on Iroh, a complicated expression playing on his features. Aang is staring at him, too, eyes wide and verging on teary. She doesn’t yet know Toph very well, but Katara can tell her body is rigid, her feet tense as her toes curl into the dusty ground beneath them. Toph doesn’t know that Iroh has been their enemy. But Iroh also helped them at the North Pole, and again just now against that princess, Zuko’s sister, she supposes, with her calculating eyes and strange blue fire.

Katara nods but says nothing further. If Zuko was going to make a move against them, he could have done it when his sister vanished.

They had turned away from their futile attack against her, and he’d already been kneeling at his uncle’s side.

She approaches slowly, circling to the side opposite him. When she kneels and reaches for her waterskin, Zuko nearly growls and takes hold of the edge of Iroh’s sleeve tightly, like he might try to drag him away.

“I’m not going to hurt him,” Katara says, flush with indignation. The dirt beneath her chafes her knees even through her clothing. “I need space to heal.”

“I’m not moving, so forget it.”

Katara tilts her head and looks into his eyes as he glares back. He now looks every bit the angry, hateful prince that had tracked them around the world for months, but she can see something else filtering through his expression, too, something like fear.

She almost wants to laugh at the absurdity of it. Why should he be afraid of them?

“Fine,” she allows after a moment. “Just don’t get in the way.”

He nods tightly, and at the agreement, Katara opens her waterskin. She calls the water to her and sets it against Iroh’s the right side of his chest, his robes black and charred. Closing her eyes, she calls out to his chi and focuses her energy on it. She doesn’t know if she can do it, doesn’t know if Iroh is truly too far gone…

After a few long moments, his breathing evens, and Katara sighs. Across from her, Zuko’s features soften just a fraction, but when she meets his eyes, somehow, she knows exactly what they both are thinking, united in nothing but this.

It doesn’t change anything, Katara's thoughts insist as her friends draw closer. Zuko tenses again. It can’t.

[demaparbat-hp]

Fire Nation AU - a passionate kiss in the rain, they argued, tensions are high and Zuko is just about had it and bam they kiss

Rain kiss

[ok-boomerang]

Hey Lena!

Zutara Drabble # 5 & 8, please. ^.^

“Wait a minute. Are you jealous?” & “Wanna bet?”

Katara knocked once, briefly, on the Fire Lord’s office door before pushing it open and inviting herself in. She and Zuko had worked together for so long—had been friends for so long—that they no longer had the need, or the patience, for a semblance of formality.

Katara supposed that on some unlucky day in the future she might walk in on him practicing his Iroh impression, or worse (better?), with his pants down. But per usual, the Fire Lord was merely at his desk, head in hand, as his glazed-over eyes scanned some boring parchment.

“Hey Zuko,” chirped Katara, feeling herself almost expand upon seeing him, upon seeing the transformation of his face when his eyes fell on her—the subtle widening of his right eye, the easy smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth.

“Hey,” he said in response, setting his parchment aside and giving her his full attention. A piece of hair had fallen out of his top knot. “My favorite ambassador—"

“Mhm, whatever,” she joked back. “Funny how I become the favorite every time the fishing waters treaty is up for renewal—"

“You’re always my favorite, I just happen to point it out at specific times.”

Katara rolled her eyes, even though she felt her cheeks warm a little at Zuko’s words.

“Anyway,” she said, shrugging off that impossibility, “I’m just delivering the report on the healers in Fire Fountain City.” She handed him another piece of parchment, which Zuko took with some hesitation.

“The report on the healers—?” he muttered, eyes scanning the page. “But I didn’t need this for a couple more days—”

“Yes, well, Tanriq invited me to the Fire Lantern Festival tomorrow evening, so I got it done early.”

She watched as Zuko’s eyes stopped scanning the parchment, but he didn’t look up.

“Tanriq?” For some reason, his voice had gone up in pitch.

“Do you know another Tanriq?” Katara asked, curious at Zuko’s confusion.

“The—the ambassador from the Northern Water Tribe?”

“Of course,” said Katara slowly.

“You’re—together?”

“No,” she said immediately, and then chided herself. “I mean—I’m giving him a chance. So…maybe in the future? We’ll see how it goes—”

“It’s not going to go well,” Zuko interrupted her.

Katara blinked at him. “Huh?”

“I mean,” Zuko said, bringing his hands in front of him on the desk and rolling them together. “I just mean—it’s just a little odd, the two of you—the Fire Lantern Festival—"

“What’s so odd about it?” Katara asked, half surprised and half curious about the issue Zuko saw that she couldn’t. “I like festivals.”

“Right, but do you like them with Tanriq? I—I dunno you will.”

“Sure, he’s a little boring—”

“He doesn’t know you at all!” Zuko interjected, and then quieted, shifting his eyes. But he continued. “I mean, will he know to take you to the food stalls that sell ocean kumquats? Will he take you dancing early enough so you don’t miss the tsungi horn players?”

Katara laughed. “I can tell him not to!” she pointed out. “You don’t need to be worried for me, I’m sure we’ll have a fine time—”

“Wanna bet?”

Katara stared at him. “Do I want to…make a bet about whether I’ll enjoy myself on a date?”

“Um,” said Zuko, shifting in his seat so that the chair squeaked. The panic on his face did not match the regality of his formal robes. “No, that was uncalled for, sorry,” he said. “I—I—”

And as Zuko stuttered, and Katara stared at Zuko’s rapidly reddening cheeks, she came to an unlikely—but perhaps possible?—conclusion.

“Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

She hadn’t meant to say it out loud. She had to fight the urge to clap a hand to her mouth in horror. And if Zuko had looked skeptical whatsoever, she would have curled in on herself and scurried out the door like a goat dog with its tail between its legs. And then possibly quit her job and moved to the Foggy Swamp.

But Zuko didn’t look skeptical. Zuko did not calmly and coolly reject her suggestion. Instead, he noisily backed up his chair, stood, buried his hands in his hair, and yelped, “Me?! Jealous?! No—no, definitely not!” And then he laughed like an unhinged hyena leopard.

“I—” Katara started, over what sounded like the beginnings of a panic attack. “I—um,” she said, reminding herself that she was a waterbending master and teacher to the Avatar and she was not scared of anything—“I won’t go with him. If you—um—if you don’t want me to,” she said, knowing that her tone had drastically changed from teasing to serious.

Zuko’s laughter died down and he matched her serious expression. “Katara, no—I would never try to insert myself in your personal life—I’m sorry, I just got, um—” he paused, but didn’t finish his sentence.

“Can I take your bet then?”

“What?”

“But for the other side. I bet you I won’t have a nice time with Tanriq.”

“I—look—I was being childish—of course you’ll have a nice time—”

“Maybe,” she said, and Zuko’s face fell for the briefest moment before he schooled it to one of impassive regard once more. “But I think I’ll have a nicer time with someone who knows me better, like you said.”

Zuko looked away from her and stretched his arm behind him to rub the back of his neck. “I think you should go with whoever you want to go with,” he muttered.

Katara wanted to scream. But…she did want this more than she wanted to scream. “You,” she said, only a smidge of frustration in her voice. “I’d rather go with you.”

Zuko’s eyes snapped to hers. “Oh? Is that—is that—is that right?”

“If, um, if you want to,” she murmured, suddenly feeling her mortification rise. What if she’d gauged this wrong? She did get along with Hu in the Foggy Swamp. She could totally start a new life there.

“Yes,” Zuko said immediately. “I mean—yes. I do want.” His eyes were boring into hers.

“Um, great,” she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “So…I’ll tell Tanriq nevermind…and you’ll just need to tell your guards—”

“No,” Zuko said, leaning forward now, and Katara felt her blood thrill. “Many of the festival goers will wear masks. We can too.

“Really? But I don’t have a mask—"

“Don’t worry, I have an idea for us.”