#at which point zuko and piandao spar.

[discordiansamba]

Zuko's the one who suggests that Sokka train with Master Piandao for awhile in the avatar Zuko AU. After all, they're pretty close to where he lives. Don't count on me for an introduction though, I'm pretty sure he'd want to kill me.

(Sokka points out that he says that about everyone he used to know in the Fire Nation. Zuko counters by reminding them of the fact that his sister very much did almost kill him.)

But training under Zuko's swordsmaster? No way is Sokka passing that up. So he goes and trains under Piandao. Zuko helps him transport the meteorite to use as material for his sword but vanishes as soon as they get close to Piandao's place... only to pop out of the bushes after Sokka's duel with Piandao. Come out, Prince Zuko. I know you're there.

(everyone proceeds to jump out of their skin save for Toph, who just cackles.)

[aimlacely-sapphic]

🔥Fire Lord Zuko Headcanons🔥

My semi-canon compliant headcanons of Zuko after the war with a side of Zukka

Zuko's first few months as firelord are a bit of a mess. He's desperately trying to put together some semblance of functional governance in place of the corruption left in his fathers wake, while simultaneously trying to negotiate peace treaties and settlement agreements with nations his predecessors attempted to destroy.

He's overworking himself, not sleeping enough, forgetting to eat and overall just not doing a great job taking care of himself, convinced if he doesn't take care of things instantly then he's not doing enough.

It all comes to a head once the assassination attempts start getting out of hand. At that point Zuko is simply not sleeping so Sokka, Mai, Tylee and Iroh stage an intervention (you cannot convince me Iroh would stay in Ba Sing Se once things start getting out of hand)

His security get upgraded, Toph gets brought in to vet the staff (she can tell when people are lying!! why wouldn't she get to kick people out of the palace?)

And finally things start to settle down

Once the peace talks and negotiations are done he starts transforming the Fire Nation itself

A lot of people have written about this but I am absolutely convinced that Zuko spends the first year trying to get the palace staff to trust him not to hurt them

By the second or third year they are willing to speak to him and have more than small talk

He goes about making a lot of changes in policy but first he disappears for 2 days only Sokka and his head guard knowing in advance

He goes incognito through dozens of towns and villages

He visits schools (putting his blue spirit skills to use)

He goes to orphanages and homeless shelters

He goes back to the Sun Warriors to tell them about the end of the war and seek advice on how to reshape the way firebending is taught to everyone (and maybe he ends up adopting a dragon egg in the process...)

When he returns to the palace he is ready to transform the nation

He makes it a crime to use corporeal punishment

He brings back old traditions and rule for Agni Kais where they can only be fought by adults against adults provided they both agree to the fight. The Agni Kai stops when a person surrenders or at first burn.

He wanted to completely end the practice of Agni Kais but tradition could not constantly be broken by his reign (according to his advisors) so the changes just make them less common or harmful until they go obsolete

He puts in place programs for veterans to get the treatment and support they need.

He creates a fostering program where children who have been left behind can find love with parents who have lost children or veterans who want to bring love and hope to the world

He works with Aang and Sokka and Master Piandao to create new curriculum for the schools which is historically accurate, brings back culture and joy and teaches students to think for themselves

He includes some of the wisdom from the sun warriors in the new curriculum so that firebending, and really all fighting forms can be taught with their duality in mind. Fire burns but it is also life. Martial Arts can be use to kill, but they are also an art form.

Making the curriculum stick is a longer process but with help from people on the inside, slowly but surely schools start to teach in a better. kinder way

Its around the time of Zuko's 20th birthday when advisors start to bother him about marrying.

It is while trying to avoid their matchmaking that he start realizing that he likes Sokka (he's an oblivious biromantic asexual, why would anyone expect it to take less time)

Not much changes when they get together, they still spar and go to the gardens to feed the turtleducks together, Sokka still makes silly faces behind ambassadors backs, Zuko still goes down to the kitchens to make them a pot of tea to have together witting in his room (the kitchen staff are used to this by now)

But they start sharing more intimacies, finding what feels comfortable for them in the form of hugs that last just a bit longer and chaste kisses on shoulders and cheeks and foreheads.

And when the egg from the sun warriors hatches and a tiny dragon comes tumbling out, they name him Druk and take care of him together

Zuko continues to go on trips incognito a few times a year and it is on one of these trips what he finds a young child alone on the side of the road. When he learns that she has know family he tries to taker her to the orphanage in the town near by. She runs away and there is nothing Zuko is willing to do to get her to go.

She has a grittiness and fighting spirit that reminds Zuko of his younger self, an independent streak and impulsiveness that border on dangerous. And even though Zuko has to leave her that day he can't stop thinking about her as he returns to the palace.

Sokka notices right away and they talk about her, and adoption, and the fact that Zuko needs an heir and end up figuring out that they want a child of their own to raise now that Druk is all grown up

When Zuko next returns to the town he brings Sokka, a legal witness and adoption papers with him.

He introduces her to Druk and when she pets him and falls in love they start to talk to her. She begins to trust them, telling them her name is Izumi and that she doesn't like the orphanage because it reminds her too much of her past.

They stay for a few days getting to know her and when they ask if she wants to live with them she does say yes.

Over time Zuko comes to find balance and love in the peace he created in the Fire Nation<3

Note: I cannot take credit for all of these ideas, some of them come from a bunch of fanfictions I've read over the years and especially Post-Canon Fire Lord Zuko (and his staff) by RejectsCanon

[fire-lady-ilah]

Random Lu Ten Centric Headcanons

Because I love looking at the Fire Nation Royal Family in general, but Lu Ten holds a specific soft spot in my heart.

He’s ten years older than Zuko and was the fourth person to hold his new cousin, after Zuko’s parents and the Fire Lord but before his own father (who had fallen asleep before the baby was born). He does not feel an immediate love for him, but he does feel immediate curiosity at the way Zuko’s little face scrunches up.

He adores Zuko as he grows. To Lu Ten, Zuko is like the younger sibling he never got without the jealousy that stems from a little sibling getting more attention. After all, Iroh still has plenty of time for his actual son, and Zuko has his own parents. He tries to teach the baby firebending before realizing that won’t work (he’s just a baby after all) and resorting to simple games.

When Azula is born, Lu Ten already has experience as a doting older cousin and adores her just as much as he adores Zuko. He tries to help Zuko deal with the lack of attention from his parents by giving him attention— it only partially works.

Lu Ten has a complicated relationship with Ozai. The easiest way to picture it is to think of Simba and Scar before Mufasa’s death. Ozai resents Lu Ten for taking his place in the line of succession, though he tolerates the little prince. Lu Ten, for his part, can’t imagine someone hating him as a child and views Ozai as just a grumpy person in general. It is only when he gets older that he starts to realize that Ozai might hate him, but by that point he can’t avoid him because it would mean avoiding his cousins.

Lu Ten is also quite close to his grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon. While it may seem a surprise, Lu Ten is expected to inherit the throne one day. Azulon’s love of tea passes down to Iroh, which then passes down to Lu Ten. Grandfather and grandson spend long hours talking on night the full moon every month, starting when Lu Ten is only seven. When he’s young, it’s about topics like what he’s learned in school and how his hobbies are going. As he gets older, the topics become more serious and nuanced. This is another source of envy from Ozai— Lu Ten has a closer relationship to his father than he ever did.

All in all, he has a happy childhood and is viewed as the perfect prince. A prodigy firebender (Azula breaks all his records, but that’s okay. It makes him proud and he teaches her the next move in the set before her tutors will), knowledgeable in Fire Nation culture and history, an expert tactician. Everyone looks at him and knows he’ll be the greatest Fire Lord the Nation has ever seen.

When he is seventeen, he takes a season long break from his typical studies and duties to study under Master Piandao. He takes Zuko with him. He mentions the name to his grandfather, who sneers but does not forbid him from going. Under Piandao he discovers a love of painting. He also discovers the first thing he doesn’t immediately excel at. While Zuko’s dual swords flow as if they are an extension of his body, Lu Ten works from sundown to sunset to accomplish only half of what Zuko does while barely trying. He’s happy that Zuko has something he’s good at. It’s the only thing that keeps him from quitting swordsmanship. He knows that he’s the only reason Zuko is able to learn under Master Piandao. So Lu Ten persists so Zuko can flourish.

Lu Ten is a flirt, and in this he takes after his father. He’s also bisexual, although he keeps that fact carefully hidden from his family. He’s well aware of his Nation’s laws after all. Despite all his flirting, there’s very few people that he actually develops relationships with.

Lu Ten enlists at eighteen and insists on being trained with the other soldiers and treated the same. He regrets this soon after under two tutelage of Master Jeong Jeong, who he swears treats him worse because he’s a prince. It gets worse when he heards that Jeong Jeong is an old friend of his father’s and an old “friend” of Master Piandao— so he has no qualms about pushing him to his limits and forcing him to incorporate weaponry into his firebending. Yet despite it all, he’s still not Jeong Jeong’s star student.

The first time he kills someone, he throws up. He wants to quit. He wants to run away. He wants to go back to the palace and pull his little cousins into his arms and tell them to never, ever go to battle. He keeps fighting and kills again a moment later because it’s an active fight and the sky is grey and he doesn’t have anything left in his stomach but he’s still dry heaving again when his friends find him and the battle is done. He never quite gains the stomach for killing, preferring to make a killing strike and move away without ensuring they die. That way there is doubt in his mind.

Lu Ten takes his issued leave a few months before he dies, travelling to the Fire Nation and spending some time with his cousins. They are a balm to his soul and he finds years of battle induced ache begin to ease. He spoils them both, sparring with Zuko with swords (the boy beats him soundly) and Azula with firebending (she doesn’t quite beat him, but he knows he’s one of the few people she’s okay with being stronger than her... for now). He gives them their favourite treats until their stomachs ache. He gives them both paintings he’s done of the three of them together, even though Azula complains about Zuko being in the painting and Zuko complains about Azula. He meets with his grandfather on the full moon and talks through the whole night. He returns to the front happy and relaxed.

The next time he sees battle, he falls. He knows he will be mourned. He will be mourned by a Nation, by a father, a grandfather, and two little cousins. One will yell and cry. The other will hide behind her cold masks and clutch a painting so tightly it creases the paper.

Lu Ten sees his father from a distance in the spirit world. It might be a close distance, it might be a far one, the spirit world is tricky. He sees the way he hurts, but he also knows that his father is learning things he wished he learned before he died. He turns and walks away, hoping his father will forgive him when they eventually do meet again.

[alfredolover119]

zukka fic rec list (modern au)

howdy! i’ve been collecting zukka fics i like since uhhh june and now i am sharing my lists with the world. i’m splitting it into three posts so it hopefully wont be too long. this is the third and final one: modern au fics! the other two are canon era and post-canon. [side note!! if youd like a specific type of rec list,, i.e. soulmate au, fake dating, ambassador sokka,, hmu and i’ll post a list !!]

within this post, the fics are in word count order! also, if you’d like a soundtrack for your reading, i might recommend my zukka playlist :^) happy reading!

it’s the lack of creativity for me by @theboilingrock

-1912 words, teen

-soulmate au, humor

The point is, the concept of soulmates was simple on the surface, but the people in Sokka’s life all had special and unique stories surrounding soulmates. So of course Sokka would be the one stuck with only the word “Hi” tattooed on his arm. [In which Sokka overcompensates for his soulmate’s limited imagination in the greetings department (seriously? “Hi”?).]

We’ll play hide and seek (to turn this around) by @engagedzukka

-5502 words, general

-bakoda-centric with background zukka, fluff, meet-cute (note: i had to include this one its just too good not to!! plus the ed sheeran title spoke to me)

Sokka has a plan to ask out the cute boy at the bookstore. Hakoda is a begrudging participant until he meets the boy's beautiful older coworker.

if the shoe fits by @bisexuallsokka 

-5742, teen

-college au, director!zuko and set designer!sokka, tooth-rotting fluff, mutual pining

The stranger is still there, and he doesn’t seem in a hurry to leave. Zuko, on the other hand, is anxious to wrap up his work for the night so he can meet his uncle for dinner. “Can I help you with something?” // The man laughs. “I’m actually here for you. Short-tempered, badass scar, soft looking hair? You must be the director. I’m Sokka.” // Zuko sputters. “What? I-I don't...who described me like that?” // “Well, Jet just said short-tempered, I added the rest on my own,” Sokka shrugs. “He said you were looking for some help designing your set.”

lighthouse beam by @incorrectzukka 

-7167 words, general 

-college au, hurt/comfort, semi-deaf zuko, fluff and angst, mutual pining

Sokka’s breathtakingly beautiful and he’s smart and makes other people laugh. Zuko has a half-burnt face and a deaf ear. It’s not rocket science. // Or, Zuko falls in love with the boy in his Philosophy class.

put your lips close to mine (as long as they don’t touch) by @celestialceci

-9470 words, teen

-college roommates, summer vacation, humor

Zuko hates his home. He likes college alright, but he likes Sokka even better, his assigned roommate turned best friend. Spending the summer with Sokka will be fun, a welcome change of pace he desperately wants. It probably won't awaken anything in him... right?

always a plus one (never a groom) by @hotdamnitszuko

-13133 words, teen

-friends to lovers, humor, sharing a bed, hurt/comfort

Zuko and Sokka decide that the best way to get through the late-twenties wedding rush is to do them all together. As it turns out, being surrounded by people in love all the time will make you want to kiss your single and hot high school best friend.

swords of fate, pride of heart by @zukkababey

-13531 words, teen

-college au, online romance, zoom meet-cute, fluff, bg piandao/jeong jeong

Yeah, attending university via Zoom sucks. But it sucks a little bit less when Sokka gets to stare endlessly at the pretty boy with the cool swords and the cute cats without him ever even knowing. [Or, Sokka and Zuko "meet" in Zoom class. Flirtatious shenanigans ensue.]

earth system history by @pianjeong

-14084 words, teen

-college au, coming out, first kiss, sparring

Sometimes, you just need to sneak into the earth science lab at three in the morning with your best friend whom you are in love with. This is far more of a formative experience for Zuko and Sokka than they originally intended.

Kiss-Proof Lipstick: Fact or Fiction? by @flammable-grimm-pitch

-14171 words, teen

-sephora employee!zuko, mutual pining, idiots to lovers

Sokka gets dragged along to Sephora by his sister and Toph; Zuko provides him with a makeup education.

The Road Between Action and Inaction by @donvex​

-17548 words, teen

-road trip, slowburn, comfort, mutual pining, first kiss

Sokka does a shitty k turn in the parking lot across from the bus station, pulls up to the curb where the boy is looking determinedly at his phone, and rolls down the passenger window. “Hey! Which way were you going?” He may die, but at least his conscience will be clear. // The guy blinks at him. “Don’t.” // Oh, he’s prickly.

There Is COVID in Ba Sing Se by @koala-otter

-17783 words, teen

-quarantine au, roommates, friends to lovers, domesticity

The whole world is under lockdown, and Sokka and Zuko move in together.

Mass Times Acceleration by Haicrescendo

-19417 words, teen

-roadtrip, bed sharing, idiots to lovers, pining, underage drinking

[Zuko calls at three in the morning and says, tears in his voice and rage through his teeth, “I want to run away.” // It’s Sokka’s turn to carry the brain cell in his household but he doesn’t waste a second before he’s saying, “Tell me when and where—I’m coming too.”]

Anything for You by beersforqueers

-23616, explicit

-fake dating, breaking up/making up, fluff, angst with a happy ending, humor

In which Sokka and Zuko have broken up but Sokka hasn't told his family yet. So when Katara and Aang's wedding weekend rolls around and he doesn't want to break Gran-Gran's heart, he asks Zuko to pretend to be his boyfriend for one last weekend. Things don't go as planned.

That Midnight Sky by @zukkababey

-103016 words, teen

-college au, fake dating, strangers to lovers, slowburn, mutual pining, fluff and angst, miscommunication

In Zuko’s strict family, needing a tutor is just about the worst thing you could do. Failing a class, however, is even worse. The only rational solution? Take up Aang on his offer to find him a physics tutor and have Sokka—beautiful, smart, handsome Sokka—tutor him in secret. // When Azula’s arrival threatens to reveal Zuko’s secret, it’s up to Sokka to convince her this definitely isn’t what it looks like. See, he’s actually… Zuko’s… boyfriend? // Hmm. There’s no way this could get complicated, right?

[nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice]

Ok modern zuko would be an expert at breakdancing and sokka would be the guy who just bi-panicks whenever he does

(whoops, my hand slipped and I accidentally wrote a modern au headcanon turned zukka karate au one-shot) 

Okay but consider this instead: Zuko doesn’t know how to dance for shit and has horrible rhythm, but he is a GOD at martial arts. He’s been doing some type of style since he was a kid and is a full black belt by the time he hits high school. Martial arts was always something he excelled at, but it was also something that made him feel more secure. It was something he could work on to help him protect himself from his home life, even if it wasn’t enough most times. He specifically excels in weapons forms (I’m thinking twin sais) and you DO NOT want to spar with him. Because he may be skinny and shorter, but he’s quick and can hit hard at just the right spots. 

When he was younger he was obsessed mainly because he felt that belt rankings and trophies from competitions were a way to prove himself to his dad, but when he moved in with Iroh (who encouraged him to keep it up and was so proud of how talented and passionate he was about it), he basically used it in place of talking about his feelings. He didn’t talk about his home life or the shit Ozai did, instead, he put all his energy into his black belt levels, learning new weapons forms, and eventually into teaching new students as a junior instructor. 

At school, he’s awkward and asocial and just doesn’t have the energy for people. Zuko has little patience for asshole classmates who ask intrusive questions about his scar or spread rumors about where he got it. He eats lunch in his English classroom and would be a complete shut-in if Iroh didn’t get him to work part-time at the Jasmine Dragon. But in the dojo, he’s focused and is able to direct his energy into improving his forms and teaching younger teens. 

One of his newer students transferred from a different dojo after moving from a different state. He’s actually a freshman at Zuko’s high school but it’s not as if Zuko really interacted that much with him. This kid, Aang, is as talented and dedicated as he is, but has a long way to go to learn all the new katas. Zuko’s been dubbed the ‘scary’ trainer at the dojo. He’s the serious one who will yell if someone is goofing off and everyone’s seen that he has no problem using full force in a demonstration (little kids love him and he’s super nice to them, but he teaches the 12-15 age range). Plus there’s that scar, which doesn’t make him the most initially welcoming person. But this new kid Aang just latches onto Zuko immediately. He says hi to Zuko in the halls at school and works on his katas outside of regular practice times. At first Zuko thinks this sickeningly positive kid is annoying as crap, but warms up to him. He likes that Aang cares about martial arts and isn’t nice as a show, he’s just genuinely nice. 

And maybe he sees Aang hanging around school with a sophomore girl and her brother who just might be in Zuko’s calc class and English class. 

And maybe Zuko thinks this guy is insanely attractive and somehow incredibly funny even though most of his humor consists of the worst puns imaginable. 

But obviously, Zuko hasn’t attempted to ever actually talk to this guy. The most that he could classify as ‘talking’ to the cute, funny guy on the robotics club is the one day in English class when he had to respond to someone’s dumbass comment about Macbeth with what ended up being a ten minute spoken essay about obvious motifs and symbolism. To which Mr. Puns and Ponytail was very obviously paying great attention to and even gave Zuko a smile and thumbs up for. 

Zuko knows it’s pointless to engage. After all, he’s a senior and he doesn’t have any friends anyway. There’s no point in making any this year. Crushing on this guy from the comfortable position of the other side of the room is totally good enough for him. Totally. This is fine. He’s fine.  

Besides, he’s got competitions and if he doesn’t secure the regional championships this year he’s never going to get the chance after he goes to college. And he’s got his kids to train. Aang in particular is gearing up for his first debut into this area’s tournament. 

The tournament’s in October and usually, Zuko focuses on his own matches and performances, but Aang really wanted him to watch his set. So on this day, he stands on the sides of Aang’s zone instead of obsessively going through his katas in a corner.He’s not going to be able to watch the whole set because it overlaps with his own weapons portion, but he stands on the side and gives Aang a reassuring look that, ‘don’t worry, you’ll do great, you’re a talented kid,’ when his student looks over to him nervously. 

And wouldn’t you know it? Aang brought some friends to come watch. And one of them is Mr. Zuko’s Big Gay Crush. 

“Oh, hey Zuko,” are the words that come out of this guy's mouth that give Zuko a near-stroke. And damn if this guy’s eyes aren’t blue and pretty and he usually wears his hair in a ponytail at school, but now he’s wearing it down and Zuko wishes he could take screenshots with his brain because holy moly. 

“Hey.” Is the best that Zuko can get out of his dumb mouth. “You’re Sokka.” 

“Aang invited us to come watch,” Sokka nudges his head to indicate the ‘us’ includes his younger sister, who Zuko doesn’t know the name of. “How do you guys not get heatstroke during these things? It’s like a million degrees in here.” 

“Oh the gi’s pretty cold, I mean, it’s got air and stuff.” 

Zuko decided right there that he would be completely fine with being struck by lightning. Of course, that’s what his stupid brain would come up with. Of course, that’d be the thing he’d say in front of one of the smartest guys in his class. 

They watch Aang perform his set for the judges. Zuko recognizes that Aang took his advice when he said that he wasn’t putting enough force into his hits. He’s never seen Aang be as, well, aggressive isn’t the right word, but he’s definitely putting more power into his form. Zuko wouldn’t admit it, though, but only part of his attention was for Aang at the moment. The other part was for Sokka, who was smiling bright and pumping his fists when Aang completed a row of kicks. 

The small part of Zuko’s brain that wasn’t being taken up by watching Aang or trying to act normal around his crush noticed the clock on the wall indicating that the weapons portion would be starting in five minutes.  

“I’ve got to go do a thing so I’ll just, um, go do that now.” 

“Are you competing too?” Sokka asked. 

To this question Zuko just holds up his sais and raises his eyebrow as if to say ‘it’s a tournament, what do you think?’ Because yeah, he knows Sokka’s super smart, he’s seen him churn out calc answers at the speed of light and noticed his name on the robotics club awards update on the school’s website, but he’d also seen Sokka eat 5 packs of fundip at once on a dare and unironically wear a ‘women want me, fish fear me’ t-shirt for most of junior year. Somehow he had managed to fall for the smartest dumbass on earth. 

“Oh yeah, right.” Sokka eyes the sais and then looks right at Zuko’s face, “Aang says you’re really good.” 

Zuko decides that thinking about Aang talking to Sokka about him was something he didn’t need distracting him during his set. That was something he could anxious about later. 

“Hopefully good enough for those five assholes,” Zuko replies, gesturing to the panel of judges in the weapons section of the gymnasium. To his shock, Sokka laughs. It’s a nice laugh, too. And Zuko really hoped he could blame the blush that was one-hundred-percent creeping up his face on the lack of AC. 

“You know, you’re pretty funny man,” Sokka tells him. Zuko has no clue how to take that compliment, but he really does need to go. 

“Right,” he grins nervously and shifts his left foot around to bounce away, “well I have to go do my thing.” 

“Good luck!” 

That’s where Zuko thinks the beginning and end of his interaction with Sokka would be. 

The weapons portion thankfully goes by age. And since Zuko’s one of the youngest competitions, he gets to go first for his sai katas. This is what literal years of training have prepared him for. At regionals last year, the second advanced kata got him placed high enough to qualify for states. This is what he’s good at. He tells himself that a thousand times before starting his set. 

There’s not a thought in his head as Zuko goes through the form. The sais glide through his fingertips with every jab, block, and hook. The imaginary opponent doesn’t stand a chance. He’s cool and competent and graceful. It’s therapeutic in a sense. There’s enough adrenaline to make Zuko feel like he’s worth something, but more importantly, he knows he’s nailing this. Whatever the judges say about it, he knows that he’s perfected this form after practicing it at least a thousand times over three years. 

The judges agree with him. He’s the first competitor of the weapons portion but there isn’t really a doubt in their minds about who’s going to place. 

Zuko zones back in to the gym after bowing to the panel. He walks off, feeling lighter and letting a satisfactory smile take over his face. 

He expects the hug from Uncle and the proud smile from Sensei Piandao, but what he doesn’t expect is to see Sokka, eyes wide as globes, staring at him from the other side of the mat. 

Because what Zuko doesn’t know is that the second he turned his wrists in his first form during his hooks, Sokka’s brain went into Full Bi Panic Mode. 

And Zuko thinks the one conversation where he couldn’t talk like a human and wanted to die for most of it would be the only time Sokka would decide to willingly talk to him. Zuko is dead wrong. Sokka, in fact, has decided that this, this is the guy his Disaster Bi Brain has decided to latch onto. Sokka’s brain and all his squishy feelings have apparently decided to attach to this aloof kid with the scar who reserved his voice for eloquent, impassioned speeches about dramas and was apparently an actual god with weapons. Sokka decides that Zuko could roundhouse kick him in the side and he’d thank him. And right now Zuko’s looking at him with a dumbfounded expression, prompting Sokka to remember how to function so he can go over to congratulate Zuko and maybe ask if his dojo provides a free trial. 

So yeah, that one conversation ends up decisively not being the end of anything. 

[su-univeralai]

GOOODDDD MORRNNNNIINNNGGGGG SUU 💛

I am here for your essay. Or yknow, just any dunebaby facts that you can spare.

*heavy breathing* oh no, she's come for my OCs exactly like she said she would.

lolol Ok, I've got bios on 9 out of 10 of my kids so far, but I wrote a quick blurb about them so hopefully you can't figure out who I didn't start until now lol. The older 4 (which 3/4 are legit characters in LOK, but tweaked to my liking) are grown-ass adults while the other 6 are probably between 14-21. So, our beloved Taang parents have been popping kids out from when they were 18 or 19 to 39 or 40 years old.

At some point I'll make a family tree for you, since most of the older dunebabies have their own families and that can be confusing. Some have more information than others, but more will be added on each of them as time goes on. I just haven't figured them out yet.

Also, gonna put a cut here, because it's a long post and I know not everyone wants to see my OCs lol.

Ok Onto the Dunebabies from oldest to youngest:

Gyatso (M) Airbender, 35: Named after Aang’s father figure, Gyatso is Toph and Aang’s first born and first of several airbending children. He has a knack for the art and excelled quickly with mastering it, narrowly falling short of beating Aang’s record of mastering airbending at 13. As he got older and his parents continued having children, he became like a father figure to the younger ones. That’s the best part about having tons of kids, right? At some point the older ones raise the younger ones and the parents can just have fun. Once Tiao Wu turned 13, Gyatso and his own wife, boyfriend, and kids moved away from home and resided in the Western Air Temple with some Air Acolytes.

Lin (F) Earthbender, 32: Lin is a straight arrow, always following the rules. Sometimes Toph’s jokes that her first born daughter is actually Katara’s because wasn’t as goofy as Gyatso and Tenzin. As kids, Lin and Tenzin butted heads like no other. They may have had a year or two when they got along, but that was when Lin was training to be a police officer and Tenzin was always out because he was dating Pema. They constantly bicker at family gatherings, but make a mean team when they spar against the other next gen kids. Their twin telepathy (yes, they are twins in my universe) comes into play and they are undefeatable. That is until the triplets becomes masters in their own right. While Lin is a talented earthbender and metalbender, she struggled with picking it up (perhaps because of Toph’s hardcore teaching style). She responded to a “more gentle approach” as Katara would say, and Aang helped her learn the basics until she was ready to take on Toph’s more intense lessons. Lin is definitely closer with Aang than she is with Toph, but goes to mom if something needs to be done quickly and under wraps. Lin works long hours as chief of the police force in republic city, so she doesn’t have much time for romance. When she finds a spare moment for intimacy, she frequents a bar that accepts everyone. She brought Songa with her before her little sis fell in love with (insert steambaby daughter name here).

Tenzin (M) Airbender, 32: Tbh Tenzin still marries Pema and has his four kids, like in LOK. Lol. Unlike the show, with the weight of the whole air nation not on his shoulders, Tenzin was not a serious kid. He played pai sho with the white lotus members and roughed it up with Lin. Tenzin had a difficult time mastering airbending, though. He lacked the spiritual connection that his father and brother easily had. He blamed being stuck with an earthbender in the womb for 9 months at his lack of skill with airbending. His masters airbending at 21 and is pumped to finally get his tattoos. Since Pema is an air acolyte, I'm saying that her parents were also acolytes, and she and Tenzin met as kids and got along really well. They started dating at 16. Tenzin wanted to wait to get his arrows before proposing to her, so they date for 5 long years as Pema cheered him on in the grueling training. Tenzin and Pema eventually move to the Northern Air Temple and kept Teo company.

Suyin (F) Earthbender, 26: Suyin was a troublemaker when she was a kid, always pranking her siblings. She spent way too much time with Sokka. At least that’s what Toph says. Her teenage years, that’s when things became dicey. With Lin on the streets as a cop and Su committing petty crimes, the two were bound to cross paths. After Lin brought her in for whay must have been the thousandth time and Toph had to bail her out, Toph sent her to the her old stomping ground: the Earth Rumble 6. Toph still had her ear in the stadium and stayed in touch with The Boulder, and she thought it’d do her some good to get beat up by other earthbenders. Su stayed with her grandparents and got the structure she needed and got her act together. She got pounded by her opponents the first few years, but she slowly moved her way up the food chain and eventually held her mother’s old title as champion. Once she turned 18, she left to travel the world, meeting up with Kya (can't decide if Kya will be a steambaby or a Sukka baby. Is there a cut name for Sukka babies?). Along the way she met Bataar and fell in love with him and together build zaofu and have all their kids from LOK.

Songa (F) Airbender, 21: The oldest of the triplets to be born. Songa is a calm spirit, she reminds Aang of Yangchen with her way of keeping the peace in their large family. She’s a true romantic like her father and catches the attention of a lot of men, but alas, her heart is won over by one of Katara and Zuko’s daughters, (insert steambaby name here lol). She sees the best in everyone and trusts a little too easily. Watch out though, if you get on her bad side or betray her trust one too many times, her mother’s sass and tongue come out and no one wants to be hit by her earthbending styled airbending. Songa is a talented bender and has a tendency to use her airbending like an earthbender, facing things head on. She can seemlessly switch between styles, but she'd prefer to take her opponents on directly.

Kera (F) Nonbender, 21: Kera is the heart of the triplets. She’s passionate like a firebender and meets conflict head-on like her mom. Being the first non-bender didn’t feel great coming from the lineage of the Avatar and Toph Beifond, strongest earthbender in the world and metalbender originator, but she found peace in being a non-bender when hearing all the stories of Sokka, Suki, Mai, Ty Lee, Teo, and their many other friends taking down bender and non-benders alike. Kera begged her parents to live in the Fire Nation to study under Mai and Ty Lee. Aang and Toph didn’t have any problems with her going, but Zuko and Katara did, fearing she (being a dunebaby) would cause mayhem in the palace. Only after swearing to Zuko that she wouldn’t make a mess did the Fire Lord allow her stay with them. During her time there, she mastered Mai and Ty Lee’s techniques and trained under the Yuyan archers. When she came home, she could beat the other two thirds of her triplets easily. Only when she teams up with the other two, can they take down Lin and Tenzin.

Choekyi (M) Airbender, 21: The last of the triplets to come be birthed. Choekyi is a free spirit, much like his father. He enjoys traveling and meeting new people. As a child (and an adult) he is easily excited and is a very charismatic guy, which gets him far with the ladies in his teens and early twenties. He’s never scared of trying new things, sometimes to his detriment, as he gets hurt a lot for someone light on his toes. His preferred method of transportation is air scooter. Choekyi gets along with Uncle Sokka the most, with his never ending jokes and letting him learn how to throw a boomerang even though he’s a bender. Choekyi spends some time in the swamp with the swamp benders just because he finds them to be hilarious and interesting. This is where he connects with his spirituality and returns to excel in airbending, and earns his tattoos.

Songa and Kera are idenitcal twins, so no one (beside Toph and Choekyi) can tell them apart until Songa earns her arrows. Choekyi looks similar to them, as he is their triplet, but since he came from a different egg, he turns out to be much taller than his sisters. Just imagine Toph's face when she feels three freakin' heartbeats along with hers. Idk if that's scientifically sound, but it's my universe, so I can say what I want lol.

Gyun (M) Nonbender, 18: He's a very musical guy. Gyun means music, but it can also mean germ or bacteria. So his older siblings make fun of him when he’s young. While his bending siblings practice and spar, he masters most musical instruments and even becomes a skilled singer. He’s a favorite of Uncle Iroh’s and spends time with him playing music and perfecting his tea making when he’s not training with Master Piandao and mastering different types of sword fighting styles. Gyun is a lover, not a fighter, and is recruited as the youngest member of the national opera company. He rises in fame, without having to reveal his high ranking connections to his family members. Gyun is a true renaissance man (you know if the renaissance existed back then). He looks up to all of his siblings and soaks in all the stories and advice his can get to perfect the art of storytelling and acting.

MeiLin (F) Nonbender, 17: MeiLin may be one of the youngest, but she’s definitely the sassiest of the bunch. With the personality like her mother, it’s no wonder she’s a bosslady even from a young age. She doesn’t take shit from anyone. While she’s the beauty of the dunebabies (but who really isn’t attractive in this family?) and can hold her poise better than any royal, from the tender age of three, she’s wanted to become the fiercest fighter in the world. After a lot of convincing, Toph and Aang let her train with Aunt Suki and learn how to fight like a Kyoshi Warrior. After she masters that, She begs her parents to send her to the Fire Nation to study under Mai and Ty Lee. By the time she’s 14, she’s already mastered the art of dagger throwing, chi blocking, and the Kyoshi warriors fighting style. Aang isn’t too pleased that she fights in tournaments like Toph did, but Toph watches every match she can get! MeiLin asks her to bet on her and they split the wealth at the end. Lin wants her youngest sister to join the police force when she turns 18, but MeiLin isn't sure she wants to enforce the law like Lin.

Tiao Wu (M) Earthbender, 14: The baby of the family, and loves it. Unlike MeiLin, Tiao Wu is a homebody and a huge mama’s boy, though really isn’t a mama’s boy in the Beifong Family? Like his name suggests, he’s a great dancer and for an earthbender, he sure is light on his toes. While Gyatso is called Twinkletoes Jr, Tiao Wu is known as the Fancy Dancer. Literally. That’s the stage name he chose for his bending dance competitions. When he’s not dancing or hanging out with Toph, he’s studying his cousin’s bending forms, wanting to incorporate it into his repertoire. Tiao Wu is also close to Aang, as he showed an early talent to be one with the spirits. As a six year old, he would meditate next to Aang and beat the freakin’ Avatar, master of all four elements and bridge between the physical and spiritual world, to the Spirit World. He’s also known to be the only human who is allowed to visit Wong Si Tong’s library there.

ALRIGHT Joy, here are some basic facts about my dunebabies universe. If you or anyone else wants to send me asks so I can more deeply construct their personalities, feel free!

[pianjeong]

pianjeong??? i’m so intrigued

!!!! EVERYONE’S ON THE PIANJEONG TRAIN TONIGHT THIS IS GIVING ME MY SEROTONIN FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH AAAHH (shoutout to @itszukkatime and @beifong-bltch for being my og pianjeong cheerleaders) anyway hi ellie :) this ask made my night

so.....pianjeong = piandao/jeong jeong aka my emotional support background character ship i would Genuinely die for them

essentially: sword and fire gays need i say more? 

for me there is so much potential in the History (and also the fact that both of them are Clearly gay hermit icons *somebody to love plays in the distance*) we kno that jj was in the military and even tho we don’t get canonical confirmation i like to think that piandao was as well - perhaps mandatory military service; seems very imperialist fire nation of them 

and maybe they meet then (whirlwind summer romance anyone?) and like. having someone to support u in wartime is so peak and the number of small!pianjeong hcs i have is Astounding (fr example: piandao being the only one that a young admiral jj can let down his guard around bc he doesnt see him as any lesser for his age)

there’s also the bender/nonbender dynamic at work there...i have a hc of jeong jeong as something of a prodigy so he’s kind of reliant on his bending (which means that the resentment after he stops bending is worse) while piandao on the other hand bc he isn’t a bender but has turned the sword into an art and thinks a lot abt bending in relation to defending against it. and the concept of them exchanging ideas and sparring together is just incredible (this post sums up my feelings on the topic)

whether or not they actually dated before whatever it was that made jj disappear into the woods...well if they did there is Major Angst Potential (eyes emoji re: burns, jj hating his own firebending bc maybe...he hurt piandao....after he deserts he breaks up w piandao bc he doesnt wanna drag him down with him...more eyes emoji ok i’ll stop). but either way i like to think that piandao was the one that found jj wherever he fucked off to after the deserter - iroh is powerful but hes only one man, there’s no way he knew where every single member of the white lotus was. 

and then cue...the reconnecting...piandao being, yet again, The Friend that helps hermit!jj sorta reconnect with society. and i’m not sure if jj would ever really come to terms with his bending esp if we take the first hc of him having hurt piandao into acct but. perhaps the bender/nonbender dynamic makes a reappearance bc piandao is perfectly fine without bending and jj was always impressed w him and MAYBE he teaches him more stuff about working w swords - almost like zuko with the dao bc his bending was weak. and oh fuck oh shit maybe jj is falling in love w him (AGAIN OOPS)

and then they go and live together in piandao’s estate while jj is waiting for his pardon bc obviously zuko wld pardon him and are soft and happy bc it’s what they DESERVE

there’s also the thing where they’re basically just older zukka...i initially did not vibe with this but the more i think about it the more true it is...jeong jeong and zuko with the shared fire trauma and Dramatic Theatre Gay energy vs sokka and piandao with Sword Gay energy 

finally, i will leave u with this screenshot [image ID: a screenshot from the episode “sozin’s comet part 2: the old masters” showing piandao and jeong jeong, both in their white lotus outfits. they are facing front and seen from the waist up. end ID]. it speaks for itself. but also let me point out the height difference bc i m obsessed with it.

also....my pianjeong tag ....and if u want some modern au (side to zukka, but not for long there is a fic in the works) im gonna be That Person and rec my own fic earth system history ANYWAYS i love them with my whole heart and they bring me ridiculous amounts of joy <3

[airiustide]

forever young. forever you.

Chapter 5: Hesitancy

Summary: The gaang is all together now but sadly Iroh has not made it yet. Zuko uses this opportunity to make up for lost times but things do not go as planned when Sokka makes a taboo suggestion and the others agree, including Aang.

Katara's upset about Zuko claiming he had nothing to lose, but for how long when he always manages to tug at her heartstrings?

A/N: Sorry for the slow update but just to reassure everyone, this will get completed, with only two more chapters to go. It makes me happy to know that you all have loyally been following this story. I will not disappoint you. It's taken some time but here is chapter 5! I'll warn you, the feels only get deeper in this chapter, so prepare your hearts.

also posted on: AO3

***

" I tend to lose my sense of time and come the morning. Stayed aside. I know it's much too soon to tell you that I need you by my side. But who are we to call each other selfish lovers? We all need someone." - Hold by Dabin and Daniela Andrade.

***

Zuko stares incredulously at the burnt fish thrown in front of him on a silver plate. His brow bunches, looking at an angry Katara wiping her hands clean on the front of her robe and taking off to retrieve her meal which was perfectly cooked and neatly arranged for a nice dinner.

He looks at her, then back at his obliterated dinner, then back at her. She didn’t bother making rice for two so he was left with a fish that looked as though it were suffering severely, even in the afterlife. And Katara happens to be that mad, so Zuko doesn’t doubt she’s capable of making that happen.

“Is there, uh, tea?”

‘Yes, there’s tea bags in the kitchen cabinet and a nice kettle, feel free to make as much as you’d like.”

“Oh.” He’s in the doghouse. He’s definitely in the doghouse. “Would you like some?”

“Nope. I’m good.” Katara lifts the cup of tea she personally made for herself to her lips and takes a long sip. She had been short since the raid ended. Piandao had offered his residence to the couple to rest on their two week journey to Caldera. Just in case, Zuko had sent out letters via messenger hawk to all the gaang telling them of his and Katara’s whereabouts.

Katara argued that it was best to wait in person to tell them but time was not on his side. He went straight to the point and thought it a best to explain once they met. It would hasten things, though Zuko felt awful for telling his friends he was dying through a letter.

The worst part was sending one to his uncle. He was not straight to the point with this one. No. Zuko apologized in every way he could think of in the letter before diving deeper into the tragedy that befell him and if he was to pass from this world before he made it home, he wanted his uncle to know how deeply sorry he was and that he loved him more than someone who supported him, he loved him as a father.

Katara told him it was very genuine but afterwards left to pack and he could hear her burst out in a fit of sobs from the other room. She only spoke when necessary but deep down this was killing her and Zuko began to falter at the idea of being together. Despite this, his qualms did not outweigh his selfishness. Many things have changed about him, but not his possessiveness, not when he finally had Katara by his side.

“You’re mad.”

“I’m not mad.”

“You are mad.”

“Why would I be mad? It’s not like I have anything to lose.”

And that strikes him through the heart like an arrow. He pokes and prods at his dinner, charred and unappetizing. It didn’t matter because Katara made it, even though it was cooked to a crisp on purpose, she took her time to provide him a meal. So reluctantly, Zuko picks through as much of the fish as he could, downing a cup of water to get through what tasted like gummy tar. He pinches his nose to deflect the smell but that doesn’t stop it from gagging his refluxes.

Katara examines him from across the table, humming in feign satisfaction as she ate. “Don’t forget the eyes.” Katara mentions, “They're good for your health.”

I fear for my health , Zuko thought, staring at the blackened pebbles that used to be eyes. But he eats that too and the rest until there’s nothing but bone, head and tail left. All he has to do at this point is keep it down.

He ate it. He actually ate it. She thinks behind her disbelief.

Katara stays quiet through the rest of dinner, coming around the table to take Zuko’s plate to clean. He offers to help and she doesn’t reply. This is a sign that she wants to be left alone.

***

The bitter loneliness blanketed his heart. Katara lied next to him in bed, softly sleeping and yet he still felt alone. He tried to apologize, wanting to assure her that he was not referring to her when he said he had nothing to lose. In fact, he didn’t mean it because he had everything to lose. For him, it’s...easier to distance himself. Distance was the place to retreat when he didn’t have the guts to face reality.

Katara deserved better, much better. That’s why this uncertainty swelling like a ball in his chest ached.

She did not accept his apology nor did she discuss it further. Albeit, she stays by his side, providing him with whatever she thought he needed even when he doesn’t ask for it. She remains close, walking with him in silence and sleeping next to him.

She felt so good, so close yet far away. Katara was more than dear to him; she was his light. She possesses more fire in her spirit than the most powerful of firebenders. A depiction of everything he wishes he could be, if only a fraction.

Zuko really needs to reevaluate, determine just what it is he should do from now on. There’s so little time, so little time to figure it all out. His life’s mission is over. Ukano is dead and the only reason Zuko wasn’t turned in and jailed is because of Piandao’s and Jee’s sympathy.

They’ll find the former governor in his secret bunker, the very one Zuko tipped off to the lotus. They’ll see the ghastly wounds from his dao swords, pierced through Ukano’s chest and stomach and Piandao will come up with a lie to protect the former Fire Lord.

Zuko thinks of Mai in that moment; wonders if she is aware of her father’s misdeeds, and if not, how it will affect her. He gave Ukano a chance to turn himself in, to get another chance at reuniting with his family once again, but the man’s pride outweighed the desire to do right by his wife and children.

That’s why Zuko killed him. Ukano was beyond saving.

Seeing the light leave his eyes was a reminder that soon the light will fade from Zuko as well. That’s why he broke down in front of Katara. He’s rejected all the fear and desperation buried inside him for so long, it was bound to resurface. Pretending that death didn’t consume every aspect of his thoughts were easier than accepting that it ate at him every single second of every single day.

Then she showed up in the dark; his light.

Zuko’s gaze lingered down at Katara, who had now scooted closer to his side; one leg thrown over his and her hand rested on his chest at the very center where his scar lied. He smiles when she unknowingly caresses it, muttering his name. He can see her eyelids flutter while closed and her features twist. He kisses her cheek, Katara exhaling a soft sigh and her face relaxes into a serene state, a small smile appearing on her lips.

“I cant promise you the world.” He whispers against her cheek. “But I can give you mine, all of mine, and I hope that- I only hope, that that is enough.”

***

Day broke. Katara wipes the sleep from her eyes and turns on her side and bolts upright when she realizes the space on the bed next to her is empty. “Zuko?” He’s not there. Since knowing Zuko’s condition, Katara could only jump to the worst of conclusions. “Zuko?” She calls again.

No answer.

She throws the blanket from her lap. Hopping out of the bed barefoot she grabs a robe that had been thrown over the nightstand and jogs out the bedroom door. Katara forgets she’s stayed in Piandao’s estate the last two days. It may have been less if not for Zuko getting exhausted on their way here on the airship; unable to concentrate while maneuvering the machine. She has no clue where she is going but she has to get to Zuko as soon as possible, just to know he’s fine.

I swear to La if anything happens to him, I’m going to kill him!

She makes a strangled sound between a sob and a laugh, rushing through the halls to the kitchen, the living area, the study, the meatery, the weapons room. She swallows down the ball lodged in her throat, becoming frantic by the minute. Her surroundings whirling into a blur.

She’ll forget being mad, she made a deal with the universe, just give her a sign.

Her feet come to a screeching halt when she spots a torn parchment on the ground wondering to the estate’s garden that expands to a view of the stretched out river behind it. There’s something written in it, Katara approaching to investigate, otherwise she might have overlooked it.

Before I leave this world ... It says.

That’s it. Katara flips the parchment over and there’s nothing. She looks around and about ten feet away from where she finds the first one, there’s another. Katara quickly picks it up.

I wish to spar swords with Sokka

A smile broke on her face. Sokka certainly wasn’t the most skilled of swordsmen- okay, he wasn’t skilled- but he would appreciate the challenge. With a little more bounce in her step, she finds another lying in the grass and picks it up as well.

I wish to give Toph the life-changing field trip she’s always wanted

She chokes a laugh.

I wish to learn Kyoshi techniques from Suki

Katara is reminded how Zuko raved about the Kyoshi warriors after they were assigned to guard him upon taking the throne.

I want Uncle to know that he didn’t fail me. That he isn’t just a relative but everything I’ve wanted in a father. I only hope that I have made him proud

This one made her tear up. Every note brought out every piece of Zuko. A part of her is selfishly happy that she’s the first to know these many things about him. Her heart flutters with excitement, collecting the notes in her arms.

Katara slows when the next one she picks up she spots Aang’s name on it. There’s this momentary dread. Aang and her falling out isn’t because of mutual understanding. Katara soon learned the difference between what she held for Aang and what love actually meant to her and before she knew it, years went by. Moving to Republic City in hopes that they could mend only proved how different they were.

She sighs, closing and opening her eyes, and reads on.

I wish for Aang to forgive me for what I will reveal next

Oh. Katara twisted her fingers at the side of her robe. Her cheeks flush and her heart hammers in her chest as she treks closer to what she now realizes is the final note.

I wish to take Katara to that field of chrysanthemums, where the sun will set beyond the edge of the world and the moon is visible in the sky before night falls, so that in that perfect moment when I look in her eyes, I can finally tell her ‘I love you’

The notes fell from her arms, the only one she holds in the palm of her hands is the one about her.

“This-” She begins.

Zuko’s standing where the cliff overlooks the river, leaning against a boulder for support. “I love you.” He confesses, a bouquet of fire lilies in his right hand. He sounds weak and is flustered but the broad smile on his face made him look more alive than he had in years.

He takes a step and Katara sobs, running into his arms. It wasn’t the sunset, the moon wasn’t in the sky and they weren’t surrounded by a field of chrysanthemums. It doesn’t matter, because this very moment when Katara says ‘I love you too’ is better than any fantasy Zuko could conjure.

“I love you.” He says aloud again, his voice in a low husk and the warmth between them flares.

Her heart jump starts in her chest. A callous hand cusped the back of her head and Katara mewled softly, allowing Zuko to pull her halfway. All train of thought swept away.

***

Katara can’t stop kissing him; his lips, his cheeks, his neck, his forehead. A laugh bubbles in her chest as Zuko’s gasps and moans at her intense affection. She can tell he likes it, his hands gripping at her sides while she straddles his lap on the bed. Zuko thinks he should bring her fire lilies and tell her he loves her everyday from now on.

“Katara.” He tries to pause to no avail, having been in bed from morning until noon making out. “We should- mmm- probably have lunch.”

“In a minute.” She chuckles, grinning wolfishly when she bites his bottom lip and tugs gently.

“Oh, okay. In a minute then.” He concedes. Agni, he goes weak for her, bunching his fingers into the back of her robe. Zuko leans up, meeting Kaara in a hard kiss and rolls his tongue into her mouth and he loves the ways she mewls.

Suddenly Zuko spasms and his body is thrown back onto the bed. His eyes roll to the back of his head.

“Zuko!” She cries, reacting quickly and calling water from a nearby pitcher to her hand. She rips open his tunic, bending the water to his chest and manages to calm the seizure. He’s had at least two since coming here, so it came as no surprise this time. “Oh, Spirits, are you okay?”

It takes a bit before he’s coherent, his fluttering eyes finally opening to see a worried Katara. He hated seeing her like this, and so decides to ease the tension of him losing himself right when they were in the middle of kissing. “Sorry, I got a little too excited.”

His weak laugh is interrupted with an ‘oof’ as a pillow collides with his face.

She’s mad, the waterbender climbing off his lap and back turned. It wasn’t the least bit funny. Though, she will admit she liked hearing his laugh again but she was shaken, still distraught that in that moment he could have been lost to her forever.

“Katara.” He whispers, the stir of regret mixing in with his sincerity and she hates herself for forgiving him so easily. Spirits, she just wanted to kiss him.

“What?” She snaps, keeping up with her false anger, huffing.

“I’m sorry. I tried to make light of a situation and- that was uncalled for. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Katara’s shoulders stiffen and her breath stills at the warmth on her back. Large hands slide around her torso, settling gently on her stomach. His mouth settles nicely at the pulse of her neck and the waterbender closes her eyes as he breathes her in. Gooseflesh rose where his lips rested, leaving an imprint that would forever stay in Katara’s mind.

Damn it all to hell, she can’t stay mad at him. At least give me that , Katara thought, but there was no winning.

“Never again.” She frowns, finally giving him her attention. The tears stung her eyes, a stray one trickling down her cheek and Zuko sweetly sweeps it away with the pad of his thumb.

“Never again.” He promises.

***

Zuko can’t believe it. They’re all the same people he knew but they weren’t. Aang, Sokka, Toph, Suki...all of them were here before him, staring at him as though he was some sort of creature crawling out from the sea. He grips the hand of his lover and the cane she had crafted for him. Zuko’s choked, unsure of what to say now that everyone he loves is finally in front of him.

Zuko notes that Sokka closes his eyes in disbelief. They can see it all; his pale skin, his thin figure, his sunken cheeks, all of him. Zuko wants to cry because this was not how he wanted to reunite with his friends. Even with that in mind he can’t get over how intensely Aang is staring at him and his hand linked with Katara’s. How can he ever explain this to him.

“How long?” Aang asks, finally looking Zuko in the eye.

Zuko swallows. “Um- I…” Where should he begin? Just because he’s dying doesn’t mean that Aang will forgive him for being with Katara.

Aang walks up to him and stops only several feet. Their heights are the same, a reminder that the Avatar isn’t the scrawny little twelve year old he once hunted.

“Aang...I can’t begin to explain- Huh?” Aang pulls Zuko into a harsh hug. The Avatar’s body is shaking uncontrollably and Zuko’s hesitant on what to do next.

“Don’t- Don’t. You. Ever ...make us worry like that again .” Aang is crying, clinging to his best friend. Zuko buries his face in Aang’s shoulder as the rest of the gaang joins them one by one. He was not expecting this, to be enveloped in the love and support of his once newfound family. He should have done this sooner, he should have given himself and them that at least.

***

“You’ve known since the beginning.” Aang concludes, shadows darkening his features. Zuko had explained everything in Piandao’s living area. Aang sat crossed legged on the floor, Sokka and Suki held hands tightly next to each other on the lounge chair and Toph was leaning with her back against the wall. “How could I have not caught on? I should have guessed what you were going through- damn it, it didn’t feel right!”

Everyone’s brow shot up, having heard for the first time Aang swear.

“It would not have changed anything.” Zuko sighs. “I was stubborn. Getting away was the only solution I could come up with. And besides, Uncle and Koji were my drive behind me leaving in the first place.”

“But maybe I could have convinced you otherwise. Maybe we could have come up with a solution together.”

“Maybe.” Zuko dismisses. They can’t focus on the what-ifs of the past. They were all here now with the exception of Iroh, a family again. In fact, Zuko is becoming more frantic on how soon his uncle will make it here, having sent Iroh his letter first.

“Look, maybe there’s a cure or something. There has to be a solution?” Sokka suggests.

“I told you, Yugoda says there’s nothing more she can do.”

“That she can do. She’s not the only famous healer, Katara what about you?”

“Don’t you think I’ve tried, Sokka?” She snaps at her brother. “Sorry. It’s just been sinking in much longer for me. It’s been hard for me.”

“Because you love him.” Suki chimed in.

Katara stiffens as though she’s on the spot and unintentionally glances at Aang who’s hanging his head but nods. “Yes. Because I love him. Besides, I’m not as skilled as Yugoda and if she doesn’t have the power or techniques to save him, what makes you think I can?”

“Well,” Sokka looks around at his friends, “because you can bloodbend.” Everyone jumps out of their seats in horror save Toph.

“Are you mad?!” Aang shouts.

“Sokka, think before you blurt out something insensitive.” Suki reprimands.

“Why not? Katara’s the best waterbending master in the world and if anyone’s capable of saving Zuko, it’s her. Look, I’m not a fan either but bloodbending has proven to be a powerful bending form and who’s to say it doesn’t have healing benefits?”

“Katara never stuck around to find out and it’s probably for the best.” Aang argued.

“Snoozles is right.” Toph retorted, finally speaking up since listening to Zuko’s story. “It could save Zuko’s life. Just because Hama used it for evil purposes doesn’t mean the form itself should be used for evil purposes.”

Wow , Katara thought when Toph spoke, no nickname. That’s when you knew the earthbender was serious.

“Thank you!”

“There’s one problem.” Katara sighs. “I don’t think I can do it. The only two times I have, was purely out of anger. I don’t know if I have the ability to heal with bloodbending as the source.”

“Well, Sokka may be onto something.” Suki settles back in her seat. “You have great concentration, Katara. You can tap into things no one else can, it’s worth a shot at saving Zuko, you have to believe that. If it were Sokka, I know I’d do everything I can even if it happens to be taboo.” The Kyoshi warrior encloses a hand over her husband’s.

“I-” Aang starts, scratching the back of his head. “I mean, if it were to save him, I don’t know how I could ever argue with that.”

“See, sugarqueen. Everyone else agrees.”

Katara ponders over this. She could try, it's the least she can do. “There’s a full moon two weeks from now but, I’m afraid there’s the off chance of this hindering Zuko’s health, so it might call for several sessions. But if Zuko trusts me- ”

Zuko taps his cane hard on the floor. “No.”

“No?” Katara questions. “You don’t trust me?”

“No. It’s not that I don’t trust you. I don’t want to spend my remaining days alive like that. I want you by my side but not as my healer. I will not pass on with the memory of you taking care of me like a sick patient and I certainly don’t want you blaming yourself if anything were to go wrong.”

“But this could be your chance. Listen to Katara. Even I agree with this.” Aang tries to reason with him.

“I appreciate it, I do. Having you all here means the world to me but I called you here for your company, not a solution. There is no solution and if bloodbending happens to be that, I refuse to put Katara through it.”

***

They dropped the conversation for Zuko. Instead they all enjoyed a quiet meal Zuko himself had made for them out in the garden. Katara is anxious the whole time because she’s been kicked out of the kitchen and told to relax with the others. Everyone compliments the meal and Zuko is proud to admit that his time living alone forced him to work on his cooking skills.

During a quiet night of conversation and warm saki, the gaang updates Zuko on how they are currently doing. Sokka and Suki of course got married and have two beautiful twin girls, now being watched by Gran Gran during their time here. Aang raves on about Republic City and describes how it was everything he and Zuko had envisioned and Zuko wishes he could have been there to see it. And Toph proudly announces her metalbending school.

There’s so much to catch up on and so little time. Zuko’s overwhelmed by how much he’s missed out, excusing himself and leaving to wash the dishes. Katara follows him to the kitchen.

“Talk to me, Zuko.”

“We have been talking. We’ve talked all night.”

“Not about the others, about me healing you.”

“Kat, I told you. I’m done discussing it.”

“I’m not. You’re not giving this a chance, I really believe this is it. If it were the other way around, wouldn’t you do the same for me?”

His face falls into his hands, trying hard not to get worked up. This is Katara; his love, his life and she’s only being thoughtful. Zuko had to find a way to convey to her how this is making him feel. “Katara, you mean well, I get it. I understand where you’re coming from but this is what I want. I’m a dying man with no future. This,” he gently takes her hand, “is worth more to me than spending a possibility of a million days bedridden. I want to die seeing your loving eyes, not sadness on your face. I want to go in peace. I’m not asking you to accept it, I’m asking you to honor it.”

She couldn’t fight that. It pains her but she couldn’t deflect his wishes. The stubborn side of her wants to persuade him but the empathetic side of her gets where he’s coming from.

“I want to marry you, Katara.”

Blue eyes widen. “Zuko…”

“Marry me.” He whispers, leaning his forehead to hers, reflecting the smile stretching on her quivering lips. A warm finger touches her lips and Katara closes her eyes. “Marry me tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes!”

Zuko pulls her into his embrace, laughing joyously, dropping his cane so that he could lift her by the waist and swing her around. Katara yelps, wrapping her arms around his neck, the world around them moves in slow motion. The light in Zuko’s eyes fade to dark and a confused Katara collapses on top of him as he falls.

“Zuko?” This isn’t a seizure, he knows it isn't. “Zuko!”

It’s too late.

“Sokka! Aang! Somebody!”

I’m sorry.

“No. No. No. No…”

Her voice fades and Zuko’s heart beats weak to a stop.

[youcancallmecirce]

Avatar AU, The Lost Firebender Ch. 6: Before the Ice

An interlude relating the story of Zuko's early life.

Ch 1 * Ch 2 * Ch 3 * Ch 4 * Ch 5 * Ch 6 on AO3

Zuko had never been his father’s favorite.  He’d never had a chance, as that role had already been filled when Zuko was born.  Azulon, first born son of Fire Lord Sozin,  was a bending prodigy, a tactical genius, and a natural born leader who would do what was necessary for the good of the Fire Nation.  Azulon was the perfect son-- had been the perfect son for ten years already-- and Zuko would never, ever compare.

Still, he might have at least gained acceptance had he not shown himself to be thoughtful, compassionate, and utterly unmotivated to master his bending.  

Sozin believed that these behaviors were a result of the Fire Lady’s cosseting, so he heavily restricted the time that they spent together when Zuko was quite young.  Instead, Sozin put Zuko in training with his brother.  Teaching Zuko would be a useful experience for the future Fire Lord, and hopefully, Azulon would kindle an appropriate level of fire and ambition in Zuko.

This strategy was successful, but only to a point.  Under his brother’s tutelage, Zuko quickly developed an interest in his bending.  Pain was a powerful motivator, as Sozin had so often remarked, and Azulon was not reticent about employing that particular tool.  Even more effective than the threat of pain was the never-kept promise of approval.  

Azulon touted his own successes in the course of each lesson, and held himself up as the standard to meet.  If only Zuko could perform a task as well as Azulon could, he would prove himself worthy of his family line and and finally earn his father’s approval.  In this way, Azulon inspired a deep competitiveness in his younger brother, but as he had no idea how to nurture that competitive drive, Zuko was taught to believe that he was inherently inferior rather than inspired to improve.  

Azulon, for his part, liked the arrangement no more than Zuko did.  He chafed at the necessity of working with his ‘deficient, useless baby brother’, and felt that his time would be far better spent pursuing his own studies or commanding his own unit of Fire Nation Soldiers, or even working on the clandestine munitions program, developing and testing weapons and equipment for the rapidly growing army.  He was wasted on his brother.

The situation came to a head when Zuko was 13.  

His temper, which had always been short-fused, ignited at last and he attacked his brother outside the sparring ring.  

Azulon, of course, was able to deflect him easily, but the damage was done.  Zuko had behaved without honor and would have to face the consequences of his actions: he would have to face his brother in an Agni-Kai.  

This was enough to make Zuko quake with fear.  Azulon, now 23, was a Fire Master in his own right,  but Zuko had grown to hate his brother and a large part of him relished the opportunity to truly fight him.  He prepared for the Agni-Kai with the same determination he brought to all things, only to discover that he wouldn’t be fighting his brother after all.

His behavior had been an insult to his entire line, and he would therefore be fighting its head: Firelord Sozin himself.

Zuko begged for mercy.  He did not have the hatred of his brother to insulate him from the reality of the fight, and his father frightened him infinitely more than his brother did.

“You will fight for your honor,” Sozin said,  his voice cold and hard.

Zuko sank to his knees and bent his forehead to the floor.  “I meant you no disrespect, Father,” Zuko cried.  “I am your loyal son.”

“Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!” Sozin snapped, losing what little patience he possessed.

Zuko rose to sit back on his heels, and stared beseechingly at his father.  “I won’t fight you,” he said.  

“You will learn respect,” Sozin snarled, “and suffering will be your teacher!”  

Roku looked away, unable to watch as the Firelord struck his son.  The scent of burnt flesh filled the air only a moment after Zoku’s agonized scream.

Roku was Sozin’s senior Firesage, and as such, attended council meetings to serve as Sozin’s advisor on matters of spirituality.   He had never liked Sozin, yet his position was a precarious one; he sought to temper the Firelord’s cruel reign in small ways, but was careful  not to overstep himself.  He certainly never revealed his personal feelings regarding the Firelord.  If he wanted to maintain his role in the royal house, even his very life, he had to remain in Sozin’s good graces.

For this reason, he had always felt a kinship with the younger Prince. It pained him to see the boy suffer at the hand’s of his family but there was little he could do to prevent it.  Zuko had grown into an angry, conflicted child with a burning desire to prove himself yet no hope of ever actually doing so.  Each day, the shining spirit of the very small boy he had been before tarnish just a little bit more.

 “Even if he’d been born first,” Sozin had said more than once in the boy’s presence, “Azulon would still be the next Firelord.”

Zuko no longer reacted visibly to that comment, offered as it always was as a statement of simple fact rather than an insult to the child, but Roku had no doubt that it cut the boy deeper each time he heard it.

And each time, Roku could sense the boy burying himself deeper within a callous shell of indifference.

Now, at last, Roku could watch no longer.  He decided to attempt the one solution that actually had a chance of succeeding: he volunteered to take on the remainder of Zuko’s training, to keep him from disgracing himself and their family further, and to attempt to help the boy regain his honor.

Roku feared that he had indeed overstepped himself when he proposed this idea to the Firelord.  It had taken him several minutes to respond, and during that time even the self-possessed Roku had begun to sweat.  Sozin was unpredictable at best; chaotically cruel at worst.  

To his relief, Sozin welcomed the suggestion.  “That pup is a disgrace,” Sozin had said from behind his concealing wall of fire.  “But he is still a Prince of the Fire Nation and must be treated as such.  You are of sufficiently elevated status as to be an appropriate mentor for him, and I trust you as I do not trust anyone else to give him the kind of education he requires.”

Roku wasn’t sure that was actually a good thing--did the Firelord expect him to be as brutal as Azulon?--but he was pleased with the outcome of that audience, regardless.  

Roku had Zuko’s things transferred to the Firesages’ wing of the palace immediately, and personally assumed the oversight of his recovery.

Zuko’s face had been badly burned; a grotesque scar was inevitable, and the healers feared that he would ultimately lose his left eye as well.  Roku did everything in his power to ensure that he did not.

They kept him sedated through the worst of it, both to spare him the pain of it and to prevent him from doing more damage by accident.  He set an acolyte the task of combing through the library at the temple, to glean every available scrap of information about healing, and made sure that the healers made use of the information.  It was a slow process, but the boy did heal without infection, and without losing the use of his left eye.

Zuko, when he was allowed to wake and learn of his new circumstances, resisted the change.  He felt that he’d received a demotion, and therefore an insult, in being given to Roku.  He perceived an even greater insult when Roku informed him that his bending lessons were to be suspended indefinitely, and replaced with traditional martial arts and blade work.

Sozin and Azulon were of the same opinion, and Azulon in particular made sure that Zuko knew it.   Zuko would have to earn the right to resume his firebending instruction, they said, since it had been his firebending that he’d used to attack his brother.

That was not at all Roku’s reasoning, but he let the misunderstanding stand.  He wanted the Firelord to mistake his motives.  It gave him more freedom to teach the boy as he saw fit.

Zuko had been all but paralyzed in his bending as a result of his brother’s cruelty and his father’s brutal attack.  Roku knew that if the boy were ever to overcome that, he would first need to learn confidence in a completely different arena. 

They began with tai chi to re-strengthen Zuko’s convalescent body, and to lay the groundwork for the intense discipline he would soon need.  

Zuko hated it.

“This is for children, and old men,” he shouted after losing his balance yet again.  “Azulon said that it’s useless to a warrior!”

“Azulon is no longer your mentor.” Roku said placidly, continuing with the exercise.  “Again.”

Zuko growled in frustration, but did as he was told.  Roku, he had learned, would not beat him as Azulon had done, but was inexorable in his teaching.  To resist him was an exercise in maddening futility.

In time, Zuko came to enjoy the slow, intent movements of their daily tai chi exercises.  He learned to control his breathing and blank his thoughts, focusing entirely on the duality of mind and body.  

He didn’t truly appreciate Roku’s months of tai chi until Piandao, renowned blademaster and bladesmith both, arrived to begin his instruction on the art of the blade.  He was, at last, fully recovered from his burns and back at full strength.  Piandao, who was still more exacting than Roku had been, challenged the limits of that strength from day one.

Zuko took to it immediately.  The sword moved as an extension of his body, and he found a freedom in its use that he had never experienced before.  In a matter of weeks, Piandao suggested that he learn to work with two blades at once and Zuko liked that even better.  

“It’s uncanny,” Piandao remarked one evening over a game of Pai Sho.  “And yet, there is nothing supernatural about the boy’s progress.  It is his discipline and his unflagging dedication which have allowed him to progress so quickly.”

Roku nodded thoughtfully, and placed his next tile on the board.  “He is a remarkable young man,” he agreed.  “But I am not so sure that it is his dedication alone.”

“Oh?” the bladesmith quirked a brow.  “You believe there is more to it?”

“I do.” He met the other man’s gaze levelly.  “I think that he is the next Avatar.”

Piando sucked in a sharp breath, knocking the board hard enough to ruin the game.  “Are you certain?” he breathed.

“Not certain,” Roku answered.  “Not yet.”

But he soon would be.  

Piandao left at the end of Zuko’s second year as Roku’s student, and Roku resumed the Prince’s firebending instruction at last.

Zuko was no longer paralyzed in his bending; the intervening year had served its true purpose, and Roku was satisfied.  After his success with Piandao, however,  Zuko was incredibly frustrated to find that firebending was as difficult for him now as it had ever been before the Agni-Kai.  

“Remember, Prince Zuko, that power in firebending comes from the breath, not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire.”  Roku sighed as Zuko went through the set once more, still making the same mistake and becoming increasingly angry with himself.

Roku shook his head.  “Have you forgotten everything that you learned in the last year?  Should we return to the study of tai chi, so that you can properly harness your breath?”

“No, Master Roku.”  Zuko bent himself into a stiff bow, giving the appropriate response without letting go of any of his anger.

“Very well,” he said.  “Again.  And this time, remember your breath!”

Zuko took the time to center himself before starting the set over, and he kept it throughout the exercise.  The difference in his bending was significant.  The boy’s face glowed with pride when he finished, and Roku indulged himself in a rare show of approval.

Sozin, after all, must never know that Zuko had become like a son to him--or that Zuko now regarded Roku as a father.  They’d never discussed it, but they hadn’t needed to.  Zuko was intuitive enough to know his father’s delicate ego would not tolerate being usurped in any capacity.

The dragon arrived a week later.

The dragon’s appearance was both a boon and a bane.  A boon, because Zuko found in Fang the friend that he’d never before been allowed to have.  A boon, too, because it confirmed for Roku that Zuko was indeed the Avatar. 

A bane, because it revealed Zuko’s true nature to Sozin as well.

The Firelord was far too astute to mistake the appearance of an animal spirit guide for anything other than what it was.  Given his plans for the future, Sozin was thrilled to discover that he had the Avatar--the only one in the world who could possibly stand in his way--in his own house, and loyal to him.  

No one told Zuko.

Firelord Sozin embraced his second son as he never had before, and the sudden acceptance from his true father was a heady thing, indeed.  Zuko continued to work with Roku, but Sozin took a much greater interest in his son’ studies than he had before.  Zuko was delighted; Roku was wary.

Roku had not abdicated his role as senior Firesage.  He knew, from discussions he’d had with his leader and from the topics he’d been instructed to research, that Sozin was planning something unprecedented in their world.  He knew it centered around the comet that would appear in their skies in a few short years, and the fleet of Naval ships discreetly growing on the western coast of the Fire Nation’s capitol island.

He knew it would spell disaster for the other nations, just as he knew that Zuko was the key to stopping it.

Once again, though, his hands were tied.  He could not speak against the Firelord; to do so would be to end his own life.  Nor could he attempt to warn the Prince.  Zuko was zealous in his loyalty to his father, and would not hear a negative word spoken about him--not even if the word came from his beloved mentor.  Instead, Roku did his best to guide Zuko, to nurture those inherent qualities which had so repulsed his father all those years ago without revealing their continued presence in his character.

Two more years passed in this fashion.  Zuko was drawn further into his father’s sphere, and his relationship with Roku seemed to weaken apace.  In the privacy of his own quarters, Roku despaired.

Zuko turned angry and conflicted once more, because he could not reconcile the vital truths he had learned from his mentor with the truths his father lived by.  Roku’s influence had gone deep and he simply could not approve of his father’s cruel thirst for power no matter how loyal he was.  He sought to ignore it instead.

When his father at last revealed the true depth and breadth of his plans, Zuko could ignore it no longer.

Azulon, who had been deeply jealous of the favor shown to his little brother, had cautioned against it from the moment that Zuko’s role in the world had become clear.  “He is still too weak to do what must be done, Father,” he’d said, over and over.  Sozin, who was not blind to Roku’s influence over his son, had agreed until now.

“We have only another year before the comet passes over us,” Sozin said firmly, addressing his private council.  “It is time to bring Zuko fully into the family’s legacy, and secure his assistance in bringing it to pass.”

Azulon held his peace as a servant was sent to summon both Zuko and his mentor, knowing that to contradict his father now would be to earn disfavor for himself.  He had not remained the Firelord’s favorite for so many years by being stupid.  It was fortunate for him, then, that his brother had learned nothing.

Zuko entered the Firelord’s audience chamber a step behind Master Roku, as befitted their respective positions. Prince or not, Zuko was merely a student; Roku was a Master Firesage, and served as an advisor to the Firelord himself.

It wasn’t the first time that they had been summoned to participate in a council meeting, but it was the first time that they had been invited to attend Sozin’s private war council.  Zuko was filled with hope and fire and the heady rush of being admitted to his father’s inner circle at last.  Roku was full of dread, knowing that they had come to another pivotal moment, and that after this meeting, everything would change.

He was right.

“For hundreds of years, the Avatar has kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads,” Sozin began when everyone had taken their seats around the long table.  “As the master of all four elements, the Avatar has been the unbiased keeper of peace, and the undisputed authority on the spirit world.  The Avatar cycle has ensured an unbroken line of advocates from every nation on the planet, and with the death of Avatar Kyoshi many years ago, the cycle turned back to us, the great Fire Nation.

“Yet the years passed, and no Avatar appeared among our people.  No one manifested the ability to bend all four elements, and until recently we feared that the Avatar cycle had somehow been broken.  Now, we not only know that an Avatar has indeed been born to the Fire Nation, but we know that the spirits chose to show their favor by giving us an Avatar out of the royal line.

The flame-shrouded figure rose from his throne, and Zuko’s wide, unblinking eyes followed the movement. “My son,” the Firelord said gravely. “Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, it is time to embrace your destiny.”  A few moments passed in utter silence, and then the Firelord went on.  “You are not only a scion of our great family line.  You represent the culmination of our great family, and will serve to cement our place in the world.  You are the Avatar.”

Zuko stared at his father, unsure whether he’d heard the man correctly. This was not at all what he’d expected, and couldn’t possibly be true.  But his father wasn’t done yet.

“Your birth into our family shows that the spirits recognize our supremacy in the world.  That you were born to our family now, and coming into your power on the eve of the Great Comet, is a benediction of our rule.  You see, Zuko, it is not your destiny to be a mediator between the nations, as your predecessors did.  Your destiny is to unite all of the nations under a single banner: that of the Fire Nation!”

Roku felt the ice slithering through his veins as Sozin spoke, outlining his plans for the comet and his subjugation of the rest of the world.  Roku had been expecting something along these lines and so was marginally prepared.  He also had the benefit of decades of experience at maintaining a neutral expression, no matter what happened.  It had served him well in Sozin’s court, though never before so well as it did now.  He was sickened by the man’s avarice, and by the position in which he’d placed his son, but he remained as serene as he’d been while playing Pai Sho with Piandao.

Zuko, on the other hand, had not expected anything like this.  He’d been completely broadsided, and had hardly any experience to draw from at all.  His reactions played out across his face, broadcasting them as clearly as if he’d shouted them.

As the Firelord spoke of invading the Water Tribe on a massive scale, Zuko’s face went pale.  As the Firelord spoke of the ease with which they would annihilate the peaceful Air Nomads, Zuko betrayed his revulsion with a thick swallow.  And as the Firelord spoke eagerly of laying siege to Ba Sing Se, taking the Earth Kingdom stronghold no matter the cost in lives, Zuko began to shake.  

Azulon, who had been stony-faced through the entire speech, now began to smile.  It didn’t matter that Zuko was finally able to school his expression into passivity.  It didn’t matter that he said all of the right words, at exactly the right times.  The damage was done; they knew now that an Avatar Zuko would never fall in with their plans, and therefore would need to be neutralized.  

His father’s full favor would return to him, where it belonged.

Roku, too, knew what Zuko had unwittingly wrought.  It was a test of his will, that walk from the audience chamber to the Firesages’ wing of the palace, but he did it.  To his everlasting pride, so did Zuko.  They walked calmly, even slowly back to Zuko’s quarters, discussing matters of no import.  As soon as they were behind closed doors, however, Zuko’s calm fell away and he looked at his mentor with wild eyes.

“I can’t do this,” he said, panic clear in his voice.  “I can’t be the Avatar.  There’s a mistake.  There has to be.  And even if I were, I can’t--I won’t--not even for him.  I suspected something, Master Roku, but not this!”

“Be calm,” Roku said, placing his hands on the young man’s shoulders.  “Breathe.”

“But--”

Roku shook him, surprising him into silence, and said again, “Breathe!”

Zuko obediently drew in a deep breath and sought his center.  It was difficult to find but the doing of it was calming, as Roku had known it would be.

“Now you must listen, Prince Zuko.”  He paused, and Zuko nodded.  “You are indeed the Avatar.”

“But master--”

“You must listen!” He shook him again, this time raising his voice enough to make Zuko’s mouth drop open.  Roku had never before raised his voice.  “You are the Avatar,” he repeated, once more in his normal, placid tone. “ have known it since Fang came to you, and so has your father.” 

Zuko’s expression creased with hurt and confusion, and Roku sighed sadly.  

“I could not have told you.  I have known for a long time what your father is, and to reveal your nature too soon would have been to your detriment.”

Roku paused, allowing Zuko to realize the truth of that for himself.  “And now?” Zuko asked, and was proud of the calm control he’d achieved.  

“Now, you must leave.”

His calm disintegrated and his eyes widened with panic once more.  “Leave?”

“Your father and your brother are both too shrewd to have missed your initial reaction.  Everyone in that room knew that you would never be the puppet your father wishes to make of you.”

Zuko breathed deeply, seeking that control.  “He’s going to try to kill me, isn’t he?” he asked.

“No.”  Roku shook his head with a sad smile.  “No, he would undoubtedly go to great lengths to keep you alive.”

“Because he knows that if I die,” Zuko said slowly, “the Avatar cycle will continue and a new Avatar will be born to the Air Nomads.”

“Yes.”

“Where can we go?”

“Not we, Prince Zuko.  You.”

“Master Roku, no!” Zuko shook his head vehemently.  “You have to come with me.  If you stay, my father will know you helped me.  Your life will be forfeit.”

Roku nodded serenely, acknowledging the likelihood of that outcome.  “I have known this day would come since the moment I saw the dragon.”

“But--”

“You must take Fang, and flee as fast and as far as you can.”

Zuko stared at his mentor, feeling a cold numbness steal over him.  “I’m never going to see you again, am I?” he asked, as calmly as Roku.

“No,” the man confirmed.  “Now go.  You’ve stayed too long already; I don’t know how quickly your father will move against you, and I want you to have as much of a lead as possible.”

“My swords--”

“There’s no time, Zuko!”  Roku shoved a small pouch into Zuko’s hand, then pushed him towards the door.  “Just go!  Find Fang, and go!”

[poor-sickies]

If you were up for taking a prompt.... would you write sokka with a dislocated knee?

Okay, so it’s the first time in literal years since I’ve written anything for Avatar… I’m not sure if it’s too good, it does take me a while to get the characters right sometimes, but it was kinda nice to take a break from the Bingo prompts (which I’m trying to make long) and write something shorter for a change. 

I hope you like it!

Sokka had seen Zuko fight with his swords on countless occasions, and every time, he would be impressed. 

Due to Aang and Katara’s inability to pick up a weapon and use it decently, Sokka had always seen his own sword skills as a sort of substitute to compensate for his lack of bending. So even after feeling down so many times because of just being the “regular guy” in the group, he had slowly come to realize that it was somehow��a fair trade. Katara and Aang and Toph (even though she probably didn’t need that as much) could always work on their bending and Sokka could always improve his sword fighting. 

And with Zuko joining their group, how great was it to have a sparring partner now?

The Fire Nation Royal vacation house at Ember Island is proving to be an incredibly useful refuge for all of them, first and foremost for being the perfect hiding place, but also because of the large areas, ideal for their training. 

Zuko is a great firebender, that much is obvious, but Sokka doesn’t feel too knowledgeable in bending in general to fully appreciate it. Instead, he observes and studies the way he blocks an opponent with his swords, swinging with one hand, then the other, skillfully and naturally. 

So it’s only a matter of time until Sokka asks Zuko to train with him. 

“I could use the training and a skilled opponent to practice with,” he explains shyly, hand gripping his own meteor sword, “and you actually seem to know what you’re doing… I mean, you’re the heir to the Fire Nation throne, you must have had lessons as a kid or something, right?”

Zuko doesn’t seem to have been expecting the request, and considers it for a moment. 

“I learned from master Piandao when I was young,” he says, “and I always kept practicing on my own after that. It’s always important to have soemthing to rely on besides the bending.”

Sokka can’t hide his surprise, and shakes his head incredulously. 

“You learned from master Piandao?! He was my master too!”

“Oh.” Zuko frowns, but doesn’t look too surprised. “I guess it makes sense… You’re really good with your sword, Sokka.”

Sokka laughs. With Zuko’s slow and difficlut adaptation to their little group, Sokka was finding more and more everyday that Zuko is just a really nice guy, deep inside. Awkward and shy, dramatic at times, but they’re on their way to become really good friends. 

“You know, I really thought you’d be more surprised at us having the same guy teaching us somehow, but thanks.”

They agree on the central patio for their sparring sessions, every day before dinner. Toph likes to train with Aang at that hour, while Suki and Katara stayed at the house, so they’re on their own most of the time.

Sokka feels himself getting better, day by day. It’s nice to see some progression, and even Suki tells him he’s getting a lot better.

But it’s still hard to be a match for Zuko and his dual swords.

Advancing quickly, Zuko gains on Sokka, who has managed to block his blows fine so far. 

But Zuko is attentive, and notices when Sokka looks away for an instant, calculating his possibilities. When he’s about to step sideways with a low crouch, to get Zuko by surprise, he hits Sokka dead on, throwing him backwards as he’s about to turn. 

In the end, it’s probably a combination of his whole body weight on his knee and the fact that Sokka‘s leg is turned sideways when he falls, but none of them sees it coming. 

After a loud crack, Sokka drops his sword and crumbles to the floor with a grimace, holding his knee. 

Zuko discards his swords as well, quickly lowering himself next to Sokka with a panicked expression on his face. 

“Are you okay?”

Sokka squeezes his eyes shut, gripping his knee harder. His right leg lays awkwardly on the ground in front of him, off to the side from the knee below, the joint starting to swell, and he’s scared to try and move it. Zuko looks at him, then at his leg, and back at him. He seems absolutely clueless about what to do, and Sokka doesn’t miss the guilty look on Zuko’s face. Well. He would have to deal with it later. 

“Just… go get Katara,” he grunts out. 

Zuko nods quickly, determined to help, and sprints inside, calling for help. 

*

It doesn’t take too long until Zuko is back, with both Suki and Katara. 

Suki runs for him as soon as she sees his on the floor. 

“Sokka!” She kneels beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “What did you do to your knee?”

Sokka is still gritting his teeth, hunched over himself. “I think it’s twisted… it‘s probably nothing too bad but it really hurts…”

“Aww, Sokka,” Suki shushes him, one of her hands rubbing circles on his back, and the other holding his own hand. He leans onto her, and tries to take deep breaths. The longer he was going without moving his leg, the more it seemed it would hurt terribly as soon as he did. Despite it all, Suki’s touch manages to comfort him a little. It’s a good thing she came with them all to Ember Island, Sokka can tell he’s gonna want to be cuddled tonight. 

Katara, on the other hand, isn’t happy at all, and for a moment, Sokka thinks she may actually start lashing out at Zuko.

But instead, she examines Sokka’s leg carefully, before bending some water out of her pouch and working it around his knee.

“I can’t heal it much right now… it’s better to bandage it for now after I’m done here and rest, and I’ll heal it a bit more tomorrow. You really ought to be more careful, Sokka.”

Sokka‘s face relaxes as soon as the cool water swirls around his knee, feeling the pain slowly lessening. When Katara stops, it’s still sore and stiff, but not nearly as bad.

Katara gets up, looking at Zuko and Suki.

“Help me get him inside, I need to bandage that knee.”

Zuko promptly helps Sokka up, with Suki on the other side, and with slow, wobbly steps, they make it to the living room of the house, where Sokka plops down on the sofa, wincing when his leg moves too much. Suki takes a seat beside him, still holding his hand, and he leans backwards, closing his eyes. 

Katara bandages around his knee, making Sokka hiss when she pulls too tight, but he has to admit, it does feel a little better when she’s done. 

Suki helps him lay down and fetches some pillows to put under his knee, and sits back down next to him. Sokka has already taken off his ponytail, an attempt to feel more comfortable, and Suki keeps stroking his hair away from his face, gently.  

“So, how long until I can train again?” He asks, tapping the edge of the bandages on his knee, his voice soft with a hint of stubbonrness in it. 

“Maybe in a couple of days…” Katara considers. “I’ll do my best to heal it all tomorrow… as long as you rest, it shouldn’t take too long.”

Aang and Toph come back from the beach eventually, and between the five of them, they manage to find an old pair of crutches for Sokka. Suki stays with him until it’s time to make dinner.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?” She assures him with a soft kiss to his forehead. 

He winks at her. “I’ll be okay, don’t worry.”

When she leaves, Zuko takes a seat on the chair across him, and stares in his general direction. He seems like he wants to say something, and Sokka can easily guess it’s something related to the guilty face he was making when he got hurt. 

Sokka sighs. 

“Man, if you’re going to just stare at me feeling sorry for what happened and looking at me with pity, you can just stop. It’s not like you cut my arm off or something,” he says.

Zuko seems rather surprised with his choice of words, and instantly straightens up on his chair.

“What? I - no, I just - I’m sorry…���

“Yeah, yeah, it’s okay,” Sokka waves it off, with a smile. “Don’t worry, accidents happen. It doesn’t even hurt that bad anymore. It just sucks that I can’t do anything…”

Zuko looks down, considering. 

“Is there anything I could do…?” He offers with a shrug. “You wouldn’t be laid up like that if it wasn’t for me.”

For a moment, Sokka is about to reassure Zuko again, that it’s okay. After all, this situation is, fortunately, extremely temporary, and he can see Zuko feels bad enough about it. But a wonderful idea comes to mind, when he’s remembered of Zuko’s ease while he was carrying some heavy water pots when they first arrived. 

“Actually… there is something you could do…”

*

No one is exactly surprised to see Zuko carrying Sokka on a piggyback ride to the dinner table, but everyone chuckles. 

“Onward, Hotman!” Sokka laughs, resting his chin on top of Zuko’s head, his right arm pointing ahead at the table. Zuko rolls his eyes, silently pleading Katara to heal Sokka’s knee quickly. 

[astrodances]

Danielle: The First Ectobender

Vengeful Babes Week - Day 4: Sparring

Day: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

Woohoo! Almost done! I’m super excited about this shot, because I’ve had the idea of ectoplasm bending for a while. It’s basically what ghosts do, right? (Also I have been watching waaaaay too much Avatar lately. That might’ve had something to do with this.) ;P

"Man, I am so pumped up right now!"

Danielle bounded up from the couch as Valerie came into the living room through the front door. She took a fighting stance and threw a few spirited punches into the air.

Val laughed, shrugging off her backpack onto the floor. "I take it you're enjoying Avatar?"

"It's not just that!" Dani exclaimed. "During this last episode I realized that my ghost powers are basically ectoplasm bending! I'm a bender!" As if to prove her point, she summoned a ball of ecto-energy in her palm, its green glow casting eerie shadows over the apartment.

"Whoa, cool! I never thought of it like that," Valerie replied, impressed.

Dani quickly stepped forward into a punch, letting a small puff of energy leave her fist and evaporate in the air. It looked like one of the firebending stances in Avatar, but her form was rather sloppy.

Valerie's grin morphed into a smirk. "I think you need some practice there, young Avatar."

The ghost girl relaxed back into a standing position. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, your form. You have the power, but your form is...unrefined. It's too loose, too quick." Valerie walked towards her and took up her own fighting stance, throwing a few jabs. "You need to keep it sharp and under control."

Dani's eyes lit up with renewed wonder. "Ooh, I get it! What you're saying is I need a master!"

Valerie rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway. "Not exactly, but sure, okay."

"Now I just need to figure out which style to learn..." Dani pondered, crossing her legs under her so she was floating mid-air. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I am partial to firebending. Do you know what style it's based off of in real life?"

"How should I know?" Valerie nudged her girlfriend's leg, making her float closer to the couch before sitting down herself.

"Well, you know taekwondo. I figure your guess is better than mine."

Valerie perked up at this, exclaiming, "Wait that's it! Why don't I just teach you taekwondo? Add to it the ecto-energy and bam! You have your own completely unique bending style!"

Dani nearly did a back-flip as she landed on the couch and grabbed Valerie's shoulders with excitement. "That would be the coolest thing ever!" she said, leaning forward to give Valerie a kiss. "Let's do it!"

It had been two weeks since Valerie had suggested that she teach taekwondo to Dani. And while the half-ghost was picking up the techniques rather easily, combining them with her powers into a seamless form was proving to be a bit of a challenge. That's why Valerie insisted Dani clear away an entire Saturday. They were going on a spirit world journey.

And by "spirit world journey," Val meant a trip to the Ghost Zone.

When she told Danny they'd be stopping by Fenton Works to use the ghost portal, Danny had been downright suspicious. Even if Val had eased up on her hatred toward ghosts, an impromptu trip to the Zone seemed awfully intentional.

His mindset changed however when Valerie promised him she would have Dani teach him ectobending, which would benefit everybody. But for that Saturday, it was just Dani, Valerie, and the endless void of the Ghost Zone.

Valerie brought Dani to a pre-chosen floating island. It was covered in spectral trees, similar to Skulker's island, but it had a clearing in the center and was overall much smaller. The perfect spot to practice.

As the girls landed in the clearing, Valerie willed her jet sled back into her suit. She surveyed the area then said, "Okay, this is where we're gonna be for the next few hours. We'll do some meditation, and then get down to business."

Dani nodded, and they sat down on the ground, facing a section of trees. While meditating, Valerie peeked over at her pupil every so often. She noticed her aura glowing stronger the longer they were in the Ghost Zone. With luck, hopefully the increase in power would benefit their practice.

After a good fifteen minutes of meditation, Valerie stood back up and did some light stretches, prompting Dani to do the same.

"Well, I'd say we're warmed up," Valerie noted. "Let's go through your basic drills."

"With ectoplasm or without?" Dani asked, settling into her first stance.

Valerie walked over to the side of the clearing, her arms crossed over her chest. "Without. That'll come in a bit. Okay, first drill, go!"

The duo fell into the rhythm of their drills, and Dani punched and kicked through the moves like she'd been doing them her whole life. Her aura was thriving off of her environment, and it only seemed to bolster her actions.

When she finished the last set, Valerie nodded, highly impressed. "Excellent. That's the best you've ever done!" she praised, strolling back over so she was standing across the clearing from her girlfriend.

"Thanks." Dani was leaning forward on her knees, taking a breather, but she showed no signs of true fatigue.

"So, now let's try it with ectoplasm. Let the muscle memory of the drills control your form. You just focus on adding power to them. The energy is an extension of the move, not a change," she explained.

"Thanks, Piandao."

Valerie had to resist sticking her tongue out at the reference. "You're Zuko, and I'm supposed to be Iroh in this case, young pupil."

"Sorry, Master Iroh," Dani laughed, pretending to bow with the fire nation hand gesture.

"That's more like it," Valerie approved, returning the bow. From the bow she jumped into a fighting stance, her mind focusing in on her training from years of lessons. "Okay, now show me what you got! Time to spar!" A small ecto-gun unveiled itself on each of her wrists, prompting her to add, "And just so you'll focus more on adding your powers to your moves, I'm going to use a little power myself."

Dani visibly gulped at Valerie's challenging smirk. She knew what that look meant on the ghost hunter's face, and it seemed like she was about to be its victim. But she could do this. She just had to focus...

She took her own stance, and when Valerie gave the signal to start sparring, she put all her effort into channeling a ghost ray through the end of her punch. Her eyes were closed, but when she opened them, she saw green smoke coming off her fist and Valerie laying in the distance, propping herself up on her elbows.

Dani immediately ran to Valerie's side. The hunter coughed a few times, but was still smiling through it. "Wow...I need to take you to the Ghost Zone more often."

"Did I do it right? With the ectoplasm and all, I mean?" Dani asked, placing a hand along Valerie's back to support her.

"It was perfect! Perfect form and perfect power!" Valerie then looked down at her side, where a section of her armor was charred. "I just don't think my suit was expecting it." Another chuckle.

Dani hid her face in guilt. "Sorry. Do you want to stop for now?"

"Take my hand?"

Dani did as she was told and grabbed Valerie's hand, expecting to help her up. However, Val pulled her down to the ground instead and flipped her over, pinning her to the ground effortlessly.

"You wish," she finally answered, leaning forward to give Dani a kiss before standing up to offer a hand to help her up. "Now come on, sparring's just beginning, young ectobender."