#i always knew i was an earthbender

[overtail]

hi!! can i req a toph x fem!reader with “you came….”, “you called.” (is it also fine if r is a firebender?) thank youu!! :))

OMG THIS IS MY FIRST REQUEST YOU DONT KNOW HOW EXCITED I AM???

I'd love to do that for you! hehe

Sorry if there are typos i was on a road trip 😔

...

"you came.." "you called."

Toph x Fem!Reader

⛰️🔥

Summary: After Toph's childhood best friend is banished from Gaoling along with her family, she finds out that all she needed to do was ask her to come back to her.

Trigger Warning: Implied Abuse, smooching

Reader Info: Female intended, Firebender, Lesbian,

Extra: Toph is aged up to 16! The story of Avatar takes longer in this AU

...

The letters were the only thing Toph had of her. She was the only person outside of her family that bothered to learn how to write braille, so it had more meaning that anyone else realized.

(Y/N) was the type of person you could never let go. She was kind, considerate, and still had the ability to be playful and hilarious. She never minded that Toph was blind, and supported her through all of the things she wanted to accomplish -- like being the blind bandit. She was like a fire, burning the passion in Toph's heart.

Toph met (Y/N) in school, before Toph was homeschooled. They were both seven, and the whole class was practicing their writing. Toph sat there quietly, listening to the snickers of her taunting classmates.

"We're going to practice our letters."

The teacher's voice was old, and Toph could sense that she didn't want to deal with the rowdy kids. A boy giggled beside her, before Toph heard the shuffling of his clothes, raising his hand.

"How is she supposed to write?"

The boy pointed to Toph, and the class laughed. Toph frowned, crossing her arms and scrunching her eyes closed. She felt her face become hot with embarrassment.

"Oh shut up Ying!"

A girl said aggressively, scoffing at the boy's remark.

Toph heard stomping growing louder and louder, until Ying was shoved roughly against the wooden floors of the classroom. Small gasps were heard from around, causing Toph to smile slightly.

"Ms (L/N)!"

The teacher yelled, running over to check up or Ying.

The boy held the back of his head, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. (Y/N) frowned, crossing her small arms and looking at the roof.

"Do not push people!"

(Y/N) groaned, crouching down so she was eye level with Toph.

She heard (Y/N)'s feet pivoting on the floor, causing her to turn her head in the direction of the noise.

"Don't worry -- i won't let them bully you."

Toph stopped writing her after her parents told her to, 'not write that evil girl'. It was only eight months after their family was sent away from Gaoling, but it felt like an eternity to Toph.

Toph didn't think she was evil.

The day was so unexpected, so sudden. Toph was the only person in the village that knew about (Y/N)"s family and their origin, who they were.

Two generations before (Y/N), her family arrived in Gaoling as refugees from the fire nation. Her grandfather, an ex-general, was sent away for treason. He took his people with him, ending up in Toph's village after a year of travel.

(Y/N) was born a firebender. Her family always encouraged her to hide the power, to act as a non-bender. It was easy, at first, since she had no one to teach her -- until Toph.

Even though Toph wasn't a firebender, she still told (Y/N) fighting tactics to be a bender from her classes. In secret, (Y/N) would practice. She would practice long and hard because she thought she might need it someday.

That was her demise.

"When's your next match?"

(Y/N) asked in the darkness of the cave, a small fire blooming from her palm. Toph thought for a moment, her fighting stand loosening. (Y/N) tossed the flame between her palm, the warm light reflecting on her face.

They were both ten years old. Toph was the youngest fighter in the secret earthbending matches, and (Y/N) attended all of them. She was the Blind Bandit's biggest fan.

"Tomorrow evening, i think."

(Y/N) hummed, leaning back on the rock she was sitting on. She winced as her left arm grazed against the rock, still raw from her injury.

"How does it feel?"

Toph asked, causing (Y/N) to look up.

"What?"

"The burn, how bad does it hurt?"

(Y/N) let out a small, 'oh', before looking down to her arm. It was bandaged up with a white cloth gauze, hiding the evidence of her parents anger.

She shrugged, flipping her arm over to inspect the bandages.

"I mean, it's fine. Doesn't hurt as bad as it did when mom got mad."

Toph nodded solemnly, huffing out an exasperated breath.

"You should really tell someone, y'know."

She was only greeted with a groan, knowing that meant no.

"I can't -- they'll wonder how she burnt me. It's kind of hard to lie when it's the shape of a handprint.."

(Y/N) laughed weakly, leaning back carefully so to not bump the scar. She sighed, closing her eyes and dropping the flame.

Toph dropped the rock she was levitating in front of her, hitting the ground with a 'thump!'. She turned her feet, walking over to where (Y/N) laid.

"You don't need to comfort me."

(Y/N) didn't need to open her eyes to see what Toph was doing. She would lay next to her, hold (Y/N) close. There was always something between them, something unidentifiable, something that normal friends didn't have.

They never really recognized this 'feeling', only letting it happen. Even if they did like eachother, their family would approve.

But they don't.

Right?

"Oh come on, you know you need it."

Toph crawled onto the flat boulder scrambling over to where (Y/N) was. She reached her hand over her torso, wrapping her hand around (Y/N)'s waist.

Even though she said she didn't want it, (Y/N) leaned in. Toph was significantly smaller than her, but she still placed her forehead on her collar.

"See. Toph is always right."

(Y/N) scoffed, roller her eyes under her eyelids. She sighed, thinking about what to say next.

Her face was horribly hot, and she was actually thankful that Toph was blind for once. Despite her 'luck', Toph could still hear her heart beating at a surprisingly fast speed.

"Hey, why's your hear-"

"Wanna hear about a new trick i learned?!"

(Y/N) quickly interrupted Toph, wanting to avoid the question. She removed herself from Toph's grasp, scooting off the boulder. She stood up, dusting off her uniform and clearing her throat.

Toph shifted, sitting fully. She felt a stab in het heart, confused as to why (Y/N) was so sudden to leave.

"Sure..?"

(Y/N) shifted awkwardly, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Okay so.."

As she described the move to Toph, rolling a ball of fire from the top of her hands across her arms and over her shoulders, making its way to her other hand, a rumbling feeling settled in Toph's stomach

She tried to listen to (Y/N), but every few seconds she swore she heard footsteps echo in the floor.

"Hey (Y/N)-"

"See, you gotta move your hair so you don't catch fire."

Toph was now sure that the sounds were footsteps. Her stomach sank.

"(Y/N) hold on-"

(Y/N) was too focused on trying to not catch fire to listen to Toph's worried plea. Toph stood up, walking quickly over to the firebender.

"Wait, stop for a moment-"

"Ms. Beifong?"

Oh spirits.

Toph turned to the voice, her face going pale. She grew sick at the voice, recognizing as one of her bodyguards.

(Y/N) let the fire fade out, also looking at the bodyguard. He looked at (Y/N), stepping back.

He looked back to Toph, beckoning her over to him.

"Ms. Beifong, step away from her."

Toph shook her head quickly, running a few steps forward to the bodyguard.

"Listen, shes-"

"She's a firebender!"

The bodyguard grasped Toph's wrists, shoving her behind him. She almost fell back out of the entrance of the cave, but caught herself.

She reached out, shooting up. a wall of rock from the floor in front of the bodyguard. He stopped in his tracks, turning around to look at Toph.

(Y/N) cowered, breaking a sweat. She was caught.

...

Toph sat on a log around the campfire, holding five pieces of paper in her thin hands.

She rubbed her thumb over the bumpy text, sighing softly.

A week ago, while the Gaang was stopping off in Ba Sing Se for a quick bite, Toph had an idea. It had been four years since she left her family behind, but this whole time, she never wrote a letter to (Y/N).

She thought it'd be stupid -- surely she wouldn't even remember who Toph was. There was a possibility that she also left her family, or, the worst outcome, she hated Toph for never speaking to her.

Toph had injured her ankle after hopping off Appa earlier that day, and Katara said that she should stay at camp instead of going out to find food with the rest of her friends. She was, of course, very angry by this, but it was four vs. one.

So, she listened to the crackling of the fire, petting a sleeping Momo softly and reading the letters. It was her guilty pleasure.

As she read the last letter she ever received from (Y/N), she heard a stick break in the woods. Both her and Momo looked up, ears perking at the noise.

Toph jumped up, limping over to where Aang left his staff. Momo chirped behind her hopping over to her hurt ankle and holding onto it.

"Momo, shut up."

She hissed, grabbing the wooden staff. Toph turned her head to hear all of her surroundings, trying to find where the noise came from.

Ruffling of leaves to her left.

She turned and limped towards the campfire, going around it and facing a cluster of trees.

"I can hear you! Give up."

She yelled, getting into a fighting stance. She hissed, her hurt ankle not used to the pressure.

The crunching of leaves turned into soft footsteps, growing louder and louder until Toph swung the staff in front of her.

Then it came to a sudden stop.

A hand had caught it in its motion, stopping before Toph could hit the perpetrator. She let out a few curses, taking a step back.

She reached her hand out, lifting a few rocks to the side of the figure. Before she could launch the rocks at them, a cold palm graced their cheek.

She stopped in her tracks, startled by the feeling.

"What the-"

"Toph."

She swatted the hand from her face, surprised at the fact they knew her name.

"Who are you?"

"Toph."

And then she realized.

She opened her eyes wide, a small gasp choking out of her throat. The voice was deeper than she remembered, more mature and aged. Toph tilted her head, trying to process what was really going on.

Toph reached up, touching the tips of her fingers to their cheekbone. She slid it down her cheek, touching her jawline and holding the knob of her chin. Her fingers graced her soft lips, touching the tip of her nose and sliding up to run her fingers though the taller's hair.

She felt a sob in her throat, realizing who it was. Everything felt so familiar all of a sudden, like she was a little kid playing in the sun again.

"(Y/N)."

It was one word, just a simple utter of a name, but it held so much meaning to both of them. Toph hadn't said that name since she was eleven, not even bothering to speak of her to anyone.

She launched forward, bringing (Y/N) in for a tight hug. She was much taller now, towering over Toph's small figure. Her hair was longer, and she had the body of a woman -- not like the ten year old Toph remembered.

"Y-You got my letter?"

Toph felt so weird talking so weakly like this, but life felt so simple with (Y/N) there.

"Yeah, I did."

Toph could sense the smile through her words, only hugging (Y/N) tighter. She hugged back, holding the back of Toph's head with her hand. Her other landed on Toph's waist, bringing the shorter against her.

When sending the letter, she asked (Y/N) to come to Ba Sing Se. Toph never believed that she would actually come, let alone find her way miles out from the kingdom to find her.

"You came.."

(Y/N) pushed Toph back gently, looking down at the girl below. She smiled kindly, leaning down.

"You called."

Before Toph could think, (Y/N)'s lips grazed hers, a soft kiss planted on her lips. She pulled back too quickly, and Toph already missed the contact. She grabbed (Y/N)'s face, bringing her back down and kissing her again.

...

BONUS!!

"Who the hell is that?"

Sokka said, looking to Toph and (Y/N) as they laid cuddled up in her tent. The morning sun peeked behind Sokka and Katara as they looked curiously.

"I have.. no idea."

[seetangus]

How about azula realizing she really likes the reader after they take a life-threatening injury for her?? Love me some angst

Fiery Care - Azula x Reader os

[masterlist]

Azula x gn reader, tw: blood, heavy injury

1.340 words, please tell me if you find any mistakes!

I hope I got the request right, enjoy :)

No-one had prepared you for this. Rocks were being thrown at you by an earthbender, accompanied by the combined magic of a waterbender, the treacherous, disgraced prince, some incompetent boy with a sword and the Avatar himself.

You had trained firebending a lot, because, even considering that you were born into them, one only got accepted in the upper circles of the fire nation if one was a good fighter, but normally you were kept far away from any actual, real fights by your family, as they valued you - or rather your appearance; they wouldn't want their "little prodigy" to enter the service under the fire lord with any "flaws" that originated from missteps in battles.

However, you had insisted on taking part in this battle for a very special reason.

< • ◇ • >

A few hours earlier:

Azula walked, or rather marched, through the courtyard, straight towards you. That was a very rare sight and an unnerving one too, as you had long been plagued by strong unrequited feelings towards the princess. You quickly arranged your armour to look even more orderly and clean than it already was, acting with a nervousness and anticipation that would have told anyone who saw you that it was not just, like with anyone else, fear, that Azula ignited in you, but also some much warmer feelings.

Well, it might have told anyone, but Azula wasn't anyone, was she?

Her two friends who always escorted her probably knew, but that was no matter to worry about as they seemed pretty reasonable and pitied you, because of your feelings, to a degree at which they didn't feel the need to worsen your emotional state anymore by telling Azula about your feelings.

Now Azula stopped pretty close in front of you - she could probably feel the heat your reddened face emitted, but she did not seem to care.

"Y/N. Our scouts have tracked down the Avatar. We will leave in a few minutes to confront him and his companions. Father says it would be a good first fight for you, but honestly I don't care wether you accompany us as it likely won't make any difference. So you can stay here if you want to."

With much more energy than fitting you immediately responded that there could be nothing more delightful for you than joining her in battle. Ty Lee grinned at you from behind Azula, making you blush even harder.

Azula seemed unimpressed at your enthusiasm, but you didn't care. What mattered was that you would be close to her - or at least closer to her than normally - for a little while.

Also, you should be able to convince your parents to let you go if you mentioned that the fire lord himself thought that it was a good idea.

< • ◇ • >

Well, maybe the reason you took part in the battle wasn't even that special. You wanted to impress Azula, that was about it. A pretty dumb thought, if you thought about it - she was more or less infallible, how was one, especially you, to impress her?

However, there was not much time to think about such matters, as the attacks coming from the people you were facing seemed to become faster by the second.

You dodged a fire bolt the filthy traitor prince sent towards you and melted a stone that flew towards you mid air, freeing you up for just one moment of looking around the battlefield.

The first thing you noticed was dramatic. A whip made from sharpened, magical water made its way to Azula and she, who was in any other moment completely aware of her surroundings, was just preparing to defend against an attack from the Avatar-boy - she could get killed by that whiplash!

From one moment to another, your brain was deactivated and your protection-instincts, and maybe a bit of love, took over: in an enormous leap you rushed over to Azula - for one moment, everything was red and pain, but soon relieving darkness enclosed you.

---

With an enormous wave of wind, the Avatar ripped two small trees out of the earth, throwing them at Azula. She laughed at that pathetic attempt to seize her, igniting the wood with such fire that only a drizzle of ashes arrived at her position. But that ominous rain not only consisted of the remains of the burned trees, but also of blood.

She quickly looked around herself to see from where the scarlet liquid could originate - the first thing she found was the origin of the terrible act: the waterbender-girl was retrieving a thread of water she had been bending for it to become sharp and deadly into the bottle she always carried around.

Continuing her search, she found, or rather stumbled upon you. You laid unconciously besides her feet, your shoulder bleeding furiously. Considering that you hadn't stood there a few moments ago and in which direction the whip had been flying, it did not take long for Azula to realise the whiplash had been meant for her.

Driven back by a continuously growing amount of fire nation soldiers, the Avatar and his partners fled the battlefield, giving Azula an oppertunity to lean down to you and inspect your barely breathing body further. The more she realised what had happened, the more irrational feelings rushed through her head.

Naturally, everyone would sacrifice themselves for her, right? She was Azula. She really should not feel bad for you, it had been your duty to save her. In fights, things like these happened. You had to live (or not, in some cases) with it.

Yet, she could not help telling the healers who soon arrived to be extra careful with you if they did not want to experience her wrath.

She also couldn't keep herself from waiting outside the healer's tent, anxiously expecting the moment you would leave it. You would leave it, after all. She demanded you did. There was simply no way you couldn't.

And, what was maybe the worst of all, your face did not want to leave her mind. The face she had seen so many times on the courtyard and that she had always taken for granted - and that had not lost any of its beauty even when tainted through your own dark blood.

Given the size of your wound the process of healing was a long and exhausting one, but each day Azulas hope of seeing you again grew with the increasingly positive reports of the healers she ordered them to bring her.

Quite a few times had Ty Lee told Azula, in a very subtle manner, that it was quite unusual for her to think about someone this much. To care about them, even. That it almost seemed as if she liked you.

Naturally, Azula refused to give such assumptions any credit. Romantic fantasies like this were for children, and she was the very confident princess of the fire nation, not some toddler, wasn't she?

Of course she had to admit that she valued your wellbeing a little bit more than everyone elses, but her liking you? How absurd. Ridiculous, even.

Anyways, the only thing she seemed to do the following days beside worrying about you was to emphasize that she did not in any way worry about you at all. Oh, she couldn't wait for the day you left the hospital so that she could ask you some serious questions about what you did to make her think about you.

When the day of your releasememt from the hospital came, though, any questions were quickly forgot. Alone the sight of your face made her see everything she could have ever asked for.

You too could not believe your luck when Azula was the first person to greet you after leaving the hospital; her inviting you to sit beside her at the royal dinner that evening exceeded all your dreams.

She stepped closer towards you, and your heart fluttered when you saw the same look in her eyes that you had been giving her for a long time.

[theofficialpresidentofmars]

here’s a little piece I wrote inspired again by @strifentines ‘s Zuko-Azula roleswap AU! i’m posting it here because I can’t be bothered proofreading and posting on Ao3 rn

anyway I did this as a little creative writing exercise while procrastinating my media and statistics exam preparation. it’s an excerpt from the start of the S3 E16 Southern Raiders episode, my take on how I think it might go :]

———

The Western Air Temple was burning.

The Western Air Temple was burning, and Azula had woken to the sounds of three military-class Fire Nation airships firing explosives at them.

She didn’t have much time to assess the situation before the doors were closing, the room was shaking, and debris was falling from the ceiling, right above Katara.

“Move!” She knew the word wouldn’t register to the water tribe girl as quickly as it needed to, so she accompanied her command with a side tackle. The rocks hit the floor where Katara would have been standing if it wasn’t for her, but her rescuee didn’t seem entirely appreciative. Instead, Azula received an elbow to the side for her troubles.

“What are you doing?” Katara ungratefully yelled.

“Saving your life, genius.” At that, Katara rolled her eyes, which Azula supposed was all the thanks she was going to get.

“Life saved, you can get off me now.” Katara pushed herself up and out of Azula’s arms, not so much as offering to help her stand up.

Azula scowled. “Next time I’ll let the falling rocks crush you,” she bitterly replied, only half-sarcastically.

Behind her, the earthbenders were carving some sort of escape passage through the wall. She considered it for a moment, before her mind circled back to the three Fire Nation ships out the front.

They’re here for me. Why else would they be there?

The others were starting to flee through the passage, but Azula turned back, preparing to jump through a hole in the wall.

The Avatar’s voice rang out from behind her. “What are you doing?” So concerned, as always.

“I believe this is a family matter,” she responded. “Stay out of it, and I’ll meet you once I’m done.”

It didn’t sound like a happy silence, but Azula could hear from his footsteps that the boy had joined the others. She was expecting more resistance, more concern for her well-being, blah blah blah, but it seemed he was getting more used to her methods. Good. It was more efficient this way.

She vaulted over bent metal and jumped through an explosion, wrapping her bending around her, making it to the front of the courtyard. A fourth ship rose from the fog, carrying atop it a familiar passenger.

Wrapped in the royal regalia of the Crown Prince, hands wrapped around the railing atop the war balloon was her brother, wearing that stupidly creepy theatre mask. His hair was half up in a finely-crafted topknot, but the rest of it blew about dramatically in the wind. Azula half-wondered if it was a conscious choice, for theatrics. That entrance certainly seemed planned.

“Zuko,” she spat, keeping her voice loud enough to avoid her words being lost in the wind. “What do you want?”

Her brother laughed lightly, like a lilting melody, carried across the wind. It was not a genuine sound.

“Don’t worry Lala,” he almost sang, “I’m not here for you.” His tone was gently condescending, as if he were talking to a child who simply didn’t understand. It was infuriating.

It had also taken Azula a little aback to hear that he wasn’t here for her. If she was in any way disappointed by this, she wasn’t going to admit it to herself.

“Answer my question.”

Zuko sighed, and although Azula couldn’t hear it over the wind, or see his lips move to form it, she could tell because he’d used his entire body to accentuate the gesture. It was a habit he’d picked up from their mother, even if he didn’t know it anymore.

“If you must know, I’m going to capture the Avatar. If you don’t want to get blown up, I suggest you move now.”

Azula planted her feet into a solid stance. If he wanted a fight, he could come and get one. In return, her brother only sighed again.

“You make these things so needlessly difficult, sister.”

Zuko raised his hands and sent a brilliant burst of dazzling white light at her feet. She sidestepped quickly enough to avoid it, but the move had been meant as a distraction- and an explosion on her left sent her flying into a wall.

The ground beneath her began to crack, and Azula pushed herself up as quickly as she could. Around her, supporting pillars began to topple and fall.

She ran towards the crumbling edge, up the side of a titled beam, and threw herself over the edge, landing on the side of the balloon. She hadn’t managed to get a good grip upon landing though, and it only took a slight tilting of the vessel for her to slide off the edge, spiralling into a free fall.

To her eternal luck, she landed on top of another balloon, hidden beneath the fog. Azula looked up to see that Zuko had jumped down from his post, and was watching her rise up through the air. Her balloon stopped level with his, and she watched him take a step back- and then make a running leap through the air towards her position.

Towards her. She wasn’t thinking quick enough- and there was another white flash headed towards her face. She dodged, tucking into a roll, and returned with her own blue flame in a series of quick shots.

Zuko deflected them skilfully, and seemed to be preparing another attack. Azula knew she was at a disadvantage- these war balloons weren’t hers, she didn’t know where her allies were, and she didn’t know if she could take her brother in the state he was in- so her mind quickly flipped through a series of possibilities on how to avoid imminent failure.

Get him monologuing.

“Capturing the Avatar? Seems… beneath you.” Azula didn’t have to say much else, the implication was clear.

Zuko took the bait. He dropped his stance slightly, shifting to instead give her his

attention. He positioned himself in a way that would allow for the best vocal projection over the wind, rather than the best range for fiery attacks.

Azula couldn’t help but feel pleased with herself. Too easy. Even like this, I can read you like a book.

“My honour was called into question,” he began, making no attempt to hide a certain flavour of contempt in his voice. “This is how I can restore it.”

Azula couldn’t keep the shock out of her own voice. “Your honour? Your honour? What could you possibly-“

Zuko held up a hand, cutting her off.

Wow. Rude.

“You want to know what I, Father’s favourite child, could have done to warrant his displeasure.” Azula didn’t like that his tone of voice conveyed that he obviously expected her to know what it was, because she didn’t. She also didn’t like not knowing things.

“I wonder…?” he added, unhelpfully.

Azula was at a loss for words, which was a position she despised being in. Zuko took this moment to advance, taking measured steps forwards, hands behind his back like he wasn’t mere metres away from a fatal precipice.

“Father wasn’t too happy that you lied to him about what happened in Ba Sing Se. And he wasn’t pleased with my compliance in said… what was the word he used again? Treachery.”

Compliance? Please. Azula had only said that Zuko had fired the killing blow against the Avatar, and if her brother had chosen not to dispute that, whatever reasons he might’ve had, not one of them was treasonous. As much as she might like them to be.

No, her dearest brother seemed perfectly incapable of treason thanks to her father’s unethical interventions. She wasn’t even sure if he’d known what the word meant, anymore. Ozai knew that. And if he was really concerned about treason, he certainly wouldn’t have let Zuko remember it, much less live with the consequences.

Which meant that their father had sent the Crown Prince off on this silly quest purely because he wanted his son to suffer, and he wanted his son to remember suffering. To remember not being good enough.

Because even with all the mind control and conditioning in the world, Zuko could never be cleansed, in his father’s eyes, of the crime of simply being himself. He could be perfect, and still not good enough. Azula had once been foolish enough to be jealous of the attention he received from their father- bitterly though, she wondered if after everything, she was still somehow the favourite.

That was probably why Zuko hadn’t spoken out against the lie. Even as the gem of the Fire Nation, he still had to prove himself.

It might have been funny to her if her father had been anyone else, or if there wasn’t a scar on her brother’s face that he thought he’d given himself.

“You’ve got nothing to say to me?” His voice cut through her inner monologue. Azula looked up again, eyes meeting the forceful white of the mask.

“Take that thing off. I can’t hear you properly,” she commanded. It wasn’t particularly true, but it might help her case.

The smile in his voice made it seem like he’d been waiting for her to ask.

“Of course.” Carefully, and with both hands, Zuko lifted off the mask.

Spirits, he looks so much like our father.

Azula was not proud of her first thought, but he’d inherited the same sort of wicked smile, and the strands of hair he’d left undone framed his face in an uncomfortably familiar sort of way.

His eyes had once belonged to his mother, but they’d been empty for some time now, any trace of Ursa scooped out over a circling flame and scorched.

Azula had smiled when her brother was branded, regretted it since, but at that moment, she was almost glad for the scar- it broke the horrifying illusion and drew her mind back to the parts of her brother that were just that- her brother, and nothing else.

The next thing she’d noticed were the bags beneath his eyes, and the creases in his forehead that even a smile stretched far too wide couldn’t disguise.

Zuko looked terrible. He looked like the product of restless nights, of endless stress.

Not for the first time, Azula felt a pain in her chest thinking about how she’d left him alone in the castle with their father again after the eclipse.

But even still, he’d seemed fine on most other occasions she’d seen him unmasked. This seemed… rougher than usual. Rougher than she might even expect from only parental disapproval, even if that parent was the Firelord.

The third thing she noticed was how his scar seemed bigger than normal, etching its way down into his neck, fresher in some places than others.

“Do you like it? It’s beautiful, in some strange way. And it’s mine to keep.”

His words shocked Azula out of her trance. There was something strange about the way he said them, and it wasn’t just the implications of what he was actually saying.

“He doesn’t often give me gifts but this one’s here to have forever.”

It was then the diction clicked- Zuko was quoting something. Azula wasn’t sure what, but the rhythm and the barely hidden disgust-dripping irony in his voice suddenly made sense. It gave her the mildest relief that her brother hadn’t become a full-on sadist as a result of her father just yet.

“You’re staring.” Azula snapped her eyes up to meet her brother’s own uncovered pair. The very eyes his distorted smile never quite reached.

“You seem shocked,” he innocently observed. “What, you weren’t expecting this to happen?”

“It’s not your fault,” Azula blurted out before she could stop herself. It was a slip of emotion, and she immediately regretted it. But if Zuko was surprised at all by the sudden vulnerability, it didn’t show at all.

“I know,” he responded plainly, and surprisingly. “When Father gave this to me, he said that it was merely a consequence of my own actions, and that in that sense it was my own doing. But I know better than that. It wasn’t my fault.“

And then, something happened.

Zuko’s mask fell. Not the theatre mask that was hanging on his belt, but the mask he’d worn in place of his face for years. The one that Azula wasn’t sure could come off.

But in an instant, the creepy, uncanny smile of the Fire Prince vanished and was replaced by a scowl that seemed to reach into the depths of the soul, an expression of emotion that was actually real. It was visceral anger that felt right to look at on his features, if only for the fact that the brutality of the scar finally slotted into facial harmony. It was an expression that Azula had known on her brother as a child, when she’d stolen his snacks, or burnt his toys, or pushed him over, or anything of the sort. It was the kind of emotional reaction that was tended to with love and care by their mother, punished by their father, and suppressed by years of brainwashing. It was achingly familiar, and it somehow felt like home in a way that nothing had for years.

Azula’s breath was snatched away by the sight of her brother, her actual brother.

“It was yours.”

The anger was, as always, directed at her.

“You told Father about Ba Sing Se. You turned him against me, and you left me alone to deal with it. This is the result of your actions.”

And then almost as quickly as it had left, the mask reappeared. But something was… wrong with the way it was put back on. Like it had been dropped, and Azula could still see something shifting through the cracks. Beneath the horrid sterility of everything else.

“I’m not going to hold it against you, if you were worried about that,” Zuko offered, unconvincingly. “I know you weren’t thinking about what would happen to me when you angered Father on the Eclipse.”

His eyes narrowed. “No, you weren’t thinking about me at all.”

Azula had no words to defend herself with. She was still stunned, and couldn’t bring herself to even so much as move. Her brother unhooked the theatre mask from his belt, and moved to put it back on.

“That’s why you’ll never be Firelord, Lala,” Zuko concluded, matter-of-fairly. “You don’t think ahead. You don’t think about anyone else, either. It’s all about you in your little world, and when you ruin lives, you leave, and never look back.”

Then he leant in, until his mouth was only a finger’s width away from her ear.

“Mom would be proud.”

Somehow, the very words she’d wanted to hear her whole life were twisted into something that cut into her with the same pain as a small knife to the abdomen.

For once in her life, Azula couldn’t even think straight. Her brilliant mind conjured blank after blank.

She didn’t even notice she’d been kicked until the balloon disappeared from beneath her and she was falling, falling endlessly through the clouds.

She hit something with a softer impact than should have been possible from that height. Her vision swam as the clouds continued to rush around her, as if she was still falling.

“Are you okay?” A young boy’s voice. There was a face and a name that she couldn’t place in the moment.

“She’s fine. She’s still breathing, right?” Snarkier, female.

“She’s clearly not okay.” A third, male, older. “She looks like she’s in shock. And she hasn’t insulted us yet.”

��With any luck, it’s permanent.” The second one again.

“Katara!” Number three. Number two was Katara.

Her senses began to come to her, and Azula wiped away a traitorous tear that she hadn’t realised she’d shed.

“Are you alright? Did you get hurt?” The Avatar. Aang. He was looking at her with big eyes. He’d given her the opportunity to leave with them, he’d been right, and he wasn’t rubbing it in her face. He was never going to.

Azula shook her head, numbness starting to give way to a self-inflicted rage at the next few tears to desert her eyes.

“My brother,” was all she managed to say.

———

and then I remembered my exams are the day after tomorrow and stopped there. 2698 words

[m1ckeyb3rry]

── THE GLASS PRINCESS // ELEVEN

Series Synopsis: You wake up in a strange room with no memories, broken glass at your bedside, and a prince named Zuko as your only chance at figuring out who you really are.

Chapter Synopsis: Your evening with Lee is cut short by the arrival of a strange boy with hooked swords. Instead, you go to the fountain and reveal your greatest secret to the Blue Spirit.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 5.0k

Content Warnings: complicated relationships (strangers to friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers), amnesia, alternate universe, lots of secrets and lying and mystery

A/N: i hope you guys don’t think i’m insane for how often i’m updating

Something amazing had just happened to you, and there was no one you wanted to tell more than Kuei. Your brother, who you loved more than anything. You could envision his pride already, the way his face would glow when he saw it, the way he’d pick you up and spin you around and tell you how happy he was.

It was as you ran down the carpeted hallway towards his chambers that you heard hushed voices coming from the room where your brother’s council of advisors met. He was still young, of course, a child as you were, and so the daily goings-on of the kingdom were managed by these advisors, who were all specialists in their field and had advised your father before Kuei.

Always more interested than your brother in this type of affair, you rested your back against the wall by the door, holding your breath so that you did not alert the men to your presence. They were speaking quietly, but they had left the door ajar by mistake, and so it was not very difficult for you to listen in.

“That boy is no king,” the first said. “Do you think his father would let Long Feng walk over him like that?”

“He is still a child,” the second said. “We cannot expect much from him.”

“Even as a child, he has no interest in learning statecraft, nor the history of his kingdom. He’s far too busy playing with his sister and drawing pictures of bears in his lesson book to absorb anything of use. I fear his reign will lead to the end of the kingdom as we know it,” the first argued. At this, the second sighed.

“You’re right about that much, to be sure. He does not have the power to back up the few proclamations he makes. What kind of general obeys a king like that?” the second said.

You swallowed, for these were words you knew to be treasonous. They were speaking ill of your brother, of the King Kuei, and they ought to lose their stations for it. There was nothing you could do, though; even if Kuei would believe you, who else would? Who would discharge two premier advisors on the words of a little girl?

“If only he were born an Earthbender,” the first said. “Then he could be trained. Then there would be a way that he could eventually gain the respect of the rest of the council.”

“There hasn’t been an Earth King who could Earthbend in many decades now,” the second said. “At this point, I’d even take a queen, if she could just do that much.”

“What do you mean by that?” the first said. The second huffed.

“You know. That sister of his,” he said. “If she shows some promise…if she can lift even a pebble…then we will do what we must in order for the kingdom to have a strong ruler.”

“You’d kill the king in favor of a queen?” the first said.

“If she can Earthbend, then I’ll kill anyone for her to rule,” the second said bluntly. “It’s about time that the world was reminded of why Shan’s line is so feared.”

“You are more daring than I thought, old friend!” the first said. “Let’s vow to keep an eye on the young princess. The moment she gives us a hint that she can Earthbend, we will strike.”

“And if she doesn’t?” the second said.

“Then we’ve lost nothing but a few spare moments spent caring for our dear king’s heir,” the first said. “It’ll only make us look better in the eyes of the royals. We really cannot lose in this scenario.”

“You’re right,” the second said. 

You didn’t stay to hear the rest of it. Staring at your palms in horror, those very palms which might lead to your brother’s death, you ran back to your room as fast as you could, pressing your hands over your ears as you chanted the same thing to yourself under your breath, over and over like it was a mantra.

“I am not an Earthbender. I am not an Earthbender. I am not an Earthbender.”

“You know, I had a lot of fun with you,” you said, pulling on the end of Lee’s sleeve to get his attention. “Lee, I really am being serious. I enjoyed it.”

The two of you had spent the rest of the afternoon doing random things around Ba Sing Se. You had bought lunch for you both, and Lee had argued with the vendor until he agreed to give you the food for half-price, after which you had sat by the fountain and eaten together. It was surprisingly nice, even though neither of you had spoken much. Oddly, you didn’t mind silence with him. It was alright. It was nice, even.

“Yeah, whatever,” Lee said. “I guess you could say I had fun, too.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to admit that you like spending time with me,” you said.

“It might,” he said.

“Oh, save it. At the minimum, won’t you say that it was better than working the afternoon shift?” you said.

“That much is true,” he allowed. “But it’s back to work for me now. It’s just about time for the evening round to start.”

“For shame,” you said. “Let this not be the last time we do something like this together.”

“Okay,” he said gamely. You were actually taken aback, not expecting him to agree so readily. Lee was one of those particularly contrary people, the type to refuse on principle, even if he harbored no real misgivings, so for him to just say yes was out of character. You narrowed your eyes at him.

“Did you like your lunch that much?” you said.

“Huh?” he said.

“It’s just that I wasn’t expecting you to acquiesce so quickly. Normally, you would’ve pretended to deliberate over it for at least a minute or two,” you said.

“You told me a good story,” he said. “Do you blame me for wanting to hear more?”

“Ah, so I’m your new theology lecturer,” you said. “You should’ve said so from the start.”

“Not exactly,” he said, staring at his feet as he walked. “You’re something else.”

“Something else! And may I be privy to what that might be?” you said.

“No,” he said. “It’s for me to know, not you!”

By his tone alone, you could understand what that something else could represent, but you did not force him to explain further. He always gave you these considerations, never made you talk more than you offered, never demanded you elaborate, so you did the same for him, only humming a song your brother used to sing to you as you entered the tea house.

“This is where we must part, then,” you said when you and he reached the counter. Lee pulled his apron down from its hook and tied it back on miserably, already dimming, though you had not noticed until it was vanished that he had been close to happiness the entire time the two of you had been together.

“Lee, Y/N! You’re back!” Mushi said as he exited the kitchen. “How was it?”

You arched a brow at Lee, jerking your head towards Mushi, indicating that he had to respond in his own words. It was not just because it was polite; you wanted to hear it, too. What would he tell his uncle about the outing? What had he thought of it?

He finished tying the apron behind his back in a neat bow and rolled his sleeves up again, revealing his sinewy forearms. It was something you had always taken note of: he was far more well-built than you would’ve expected of an ordinary citizen. It was closer to the lithe musculature of the higher-ranked soldiers, but you had never come up with a satisfactory explanation for why he was like that.

“We had a good time,” he said shortly. “Am I serving or washing this time?”

“That is great to hear,” Mushi said. “I told you you would! And I think they want you serving tonight.”

He said something under his breath that you could not quite catch, but then he nodded, ducking beneath the counter to produce a tray. And though it meant that you would be late to the lighting of the fountain lamps, where you might meet the Blue Spirit, you found yourself lingering, trying to squeeze out every bit of time you could spend with Lee until you had to go for good.

You weren’t sure why you wanted to. It was a realization you were on the brink of arriving at, but you hadn’t quite reached yet. It just remained that that was how it was, that you preferred arguing with him to speaking fondly with anyone else, that you’d rather sit in silence with him than have an avid discussion with another person.

“Hey,” Lee said, pausing before you with the empty tray in his hands. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N.”

“What a turn of events,” you said. “The very boy who tried to ban me from the shop is now inviting me back.”

“And the very girl who was once illiterate is now telling stories of her own,” he said with a wry half-grin. “Things change.”

The door slammed open, almost bursting off of its hinges, and you all but leapt out of your skin as a boy brandished a pair of hooked swords at you and Lee, a piece of grass sticking out of his mouth, incongruous with the rest of his regalia.

“That’s enough!” he shouted. “I’ve had enough of all of you! Since no one believes me, I’ll prove it myself!”

“What are you talking about?” one of the low-level militia members who frequented the shop said. “You have about ten seconds to drop those swords, boy.”

“That boy and the old man are Firebenders!” the boy shouted. “Judging by the girl’s closeness to them, she’s in on it, too! I bet she’s a Firebender as well!”

You thought it was ironic that he was accusing his own kingdom’s princess of being from another nation, but considering no one knew who you were, you could not share the humor you derived from the ridiculous declaration. Glancing at Lee, you saw that his mouth had set into a firm line.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about! You must be confused,” Mushi said.

“I saw you warming tea!” the boy said. Almost collectively, everyone in the shop rolled their eyes.

“Uh, yeah,” you said, speaking for the entire crowd when you did so. “He’s a tea-maker. They do tend to do that.”

“That’s not the point! How about this?” he said, jabbing his swords at the poor, defenseless Mushi, who backed away in concern. “I’ll just make you Firebend! If you do it in front of everyone, then there’s no way it can be denied any longer!”

As the boy rushed towards you, Mushi, and Lee, the militia man stood in your defense. Before he could do anything, though, Lee was taking the swords of the man’s back and pointing them at the boy.

“If it’s a show you want, then it’s a show you’ll get,” he said. You gasped as the two of them began to battle. Mushi took you by the arm, pulling you out of the way as Lee and the boy leapt atop the tables, slashing at one another with blows that were not meant to solely maim.

“What is happening?” you said as the clash made its way outside. “Since when can Lee use broadswords?”

“He’s a boy of many talents!” Mushi said as you followed the crowd outside. You hid behind him, peeping over his shoulder and clutching the back of his shirt when Lee sacrificed one of his swords so that the other boy would lose one of his.

“Will he be alright?” you said. You couldn’t understand the extent of your nerves, only that you were nervous. You didn’t want Lee to die, of course, but that was a natural reaction which any person might have. What was strange was that every time the boy’s hook whistled near Lee’s face, every time its wicked tip nearly caught on Lee’s arm, your heart leapt into your throat.

“He’s skilled, but this poor boy is confused. Someone, please help him!” Mushi said. “Oh, thank goodness.”

You weren’t sure why he was so relieved, but then you saw those familiar uniforms and squeaked before crouching behind Mushi. It was two Dai Li agents, come to take the other boy away — two Dai Li agents who, if they had turned their heads even a moment earlier, would’ve seen you and known that you had escaped the palace right under Long Feng’s nose.

“Are they gone?” you said as the crowd began to disperse. “Is everyone okay?”

“Yes, it’s all clear,” Mushi said. You looked around his legs, but he seemed to be telling the truth, so, straightening, you brushed yourself off.

“Thank Quynh,” you said with a shudder. “That was so frightening. Lee, are you fine?”

“It was nothing,” Lee said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he handed the militia man his swords back. His expression was still dark as he took off his apron and tossed it at his uncle. “I’m taking the rest of the day off, uncle.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” you said, reaching out and placing your hand on his shoulder to stop him before he could stalk back into the tea shop. He whirled around, and you preemptively cringed back, already feeling sorry for asking, but it was too late.

“I said I’m fine!” he said. Upon noticing how you had already shrank away, though, his eyes widened. “Just…it’s fine. You should go, Y/N.”

“Right,” you said. “I’ll, um, see you around.”

He nodded, and then, before Mushi could convince you otherwise, before anyone could tell you to stop, you were running towards the fountain, the only place where you might find some solace, even if said solace had not come in so long.

Finding that familiar bench, you collapsed atop it, the stress of everything compounding until you were close to tears. What if Lee had really been injured? What if the Dai Li had not come in time and the boy had bested him? What if he ended up in the same state as some of the people you had seen in the Lower Ring? If he lost his arm or his leg, if another scar was sliced into his face, then what?

You had not been crying for very long when there were those same footsteps in front of you, the soft, light ones that you had all but memorized from how frequently you imagined them. Though you did not take your hands away from your face, you opened your fingers, peering through watery eyes at the figure squatting before you.

He tapped your wrists, and you let him pull your hands down, even though you were more than a little embarrassed to be found in such a state by the Blue Spirit, who always seemed so collected. Using your neckline to blot away your tears, you ignored your rational mind’s warning and threw your arms around his shoulders, resting your face against the crook of his neck.

“Things are so terrible, Blue Spirit,” you said, holding onto him as if he were an anchor. He was hesitant in reciprocating, but eventually, his own arms settled around your waist, keeping you in place if not pulling you closer. “My — my friend, have I told you about him? My friend, his name is Lee…I’d never say it to his face, but he’s someone I really admire. He’s so certain of himself and his opinions, and he’s not like Kuei or the servants at all — he’s really very witty, he can actually keep up with me and argue his own points when we speak instead of constantly bowing to my whims or dismissing them in turn! He’s my friend, my only friend, except you, but today he was attacked. Attacked! In my own city, he was attacked!”

The Blue Spirit patted you on the back. It was a little too rough to really be considered comforting, but you understand the intention and found that the effect was not lessened despite his ineptitude.

“I was so worried he might’ve been hurt,” you said. “What would have I done then? Who would I have if not him? You might not believe it, or maybe you might find it depressing, but I’ve really grown attached to him in the short time we’ve known one another. Besides you, he’s the only person who’s treated me normally, without reverence. I’m not her royal highness the princess when I’m with him. I’m just the frustrating Y/N who likes books and distracts him from his work.”

The Blue Spirit pulled away and shook his head at you. You laughed, though it was a thin, brittle sound.

“You don’t know the half of it,” you said. “It’s a wonder he gets anything done at all when I’m there. A testament to his character, maybe. Anyways, I think I’ve upset him.”

The Blue Spirit shook his head once more, but you could only stroke the cheek of his cool mask.

“Thank you for that, but I really have. It’s alright; I will apologize to him tomorrow. I was in the wrong for bothering him when he had been in such peril only seconds previously,” you said. “I’m sorry to you, as well, for burdening you with my troubles. It’s only that I hadn’t realized the truth of Ba Sing Se until now. I was told that the city was more dangerous than I expected before I came here, but until I experienced it myself, I didn’t quite appreciate what it entailed.”

The Blue Spirit nodded, using his gloved hand to swipe away the tear tracks which had dried on your face. You caught his hand and squeezed it.

“I want to show you something,” you said. “It’s a secret that I haven’t told anyone else in all my years of living, but since you’ve saved me twice already, I think that it’s alright if you know.”

He cocked his head as you trotted over to the fountain, fishing around in the water, pulling out one of the little glass lanterns that floated along the surface in the night, when the turtleducks had gone away to wherever they slept. Blowing out the candle, you smashed it against the ground, careful not to cut yourself on the twinkling shards.

“You see, the reason why I’ve been kept in the palace is because I’m a nonbender like my brother, like my father, like most of my family, in fact. It’s because I’m defenseless — or at least, because I’m thought to be,” you said. “But it’s not entirely like that. Er, the second thing is true, sadly. I am defenseless, or nearly so, but as for the rest of it…”

Gathering the pieces of glass in your palm, you concentrated on them, or, specifically, the tiny particles of earth which they were made of. It was not a feat of strength but of precision, and though you held no claim to the former, the latter was something you could proudly call yours.

Shielded by the Blue Spirit’s body on one side and the fountain on the other, the jagged edges of the glass smoothed and curled on your palm, melding together until they formed the shape you wanted them to: a sparkling lily, which you presented to the man.

“That’s the extent of it, I’m afraid,” you said as he held it up to the firelight. “Glass flowers and other such sculptures. I’m not particularly strong, you see, or if I am, then I’ve never been able to cultivate that strength. Bending exercises, repeated forms…I could not practice things like that for fear of what would become of Kuei if I did.”

He was obviously confused; you did not blame him. It was a confusing statement without the context behind it, so, staring at the rushing waters of the fountain, you began to explain.

“I was fairly young when I discovered that I could Earthbend,” you said. “I ran to tell my brother, but on the way there, I overheard a pair of his advisors saying that if I turned out to be an Earthbender, they’d kill my brother so I could take the throne. That was something I could not allow — he is my brother, you know. My only family. I could not let him die, too, so I swore off bending forever.

“I was not entirely successful. Bending is something that those of us who have it must perform frequently in order to be fulfilled, so my compromise was making things like that flower. Little artworks, which were innocuous enough that no one was ever suspicious as to their true origin. I didn’t have a traditional teacher, but Quynh — yes, the bear spirit, the patron of the Earth Kingdom, the great mother, that Quynh. I’m the princess, aren’t I? It only makes sense that she guided me. Anyways, she taught me that, if I could not train my power, then I had to refine my senses, so that I was sufficiently challenged without making my prowess obvious.

“At first, I only bent crystals, which are harder than pure earth but easier than glass to work with. Eventually, though, I grew bored of making small pieces of jewelry for Quynh, no matter how lovely she looked draped in diamonds and rubies. After that, I graduated to glass, and that’s what I do when I’m bored of reading and studying — I practice.

“I suppose you could call me the world’s only Glassbender,” you finished. “Not the first, but the only remaining, as Quynh was the only remaining bear. It’s not a very practical element, but it’s not like I’ll ever need to use it for anything but aesthetics, so for my own purposes, it’s suitable.”

The Blue Spirit admired the glass lily, and you laughed as he turned it over in his hands — a real laugh this time, not a despairing one. He was like a child, filled with such delight at the simple toy you had fashioned. For a while, he played with it, tracing each edge and crevice with his slender fingers, caressing each individual petal, and then finally, reluctantly, he offered it back to you.

“No, it’s a gift,” you said. “You can keep it. It’s not difficult for me to make more, and no matter how pretty it is, it’s really only glass. It’s not in rare supply by any means.”

He did not think twice, carefully tucking the flower away in the folds of his clothing. You smiled at him before raising your finger to your lips.

“It’s a secret, remember? No one can know I’m an Earthbender. No one can realize the truth, lest they depose Kuei and install me in his place,” you said.

The Blue Spirit offered you his hand, and for a moment you stared at it unsurely. It was a strange form of agreement, but then you understood — it was not his hand he was offering but his pinky finger. You interlocked your own with it, so that the deal was made, the secret sworn, and then you let go.

“Imagine how the civilians would laugh,” you said, sitting on the marble edge of the fountain and dipping your fingers in the water. “If they knew the truth. That name they call me is more apt than they realize, isn’t it? The Glass Princess. I really am one.”

He sat beside you, though he did not dip his own hand into the water. He only observed you, and though it might’ve been intense, uncomfortable, awkward, were it anyone else, it felt reasonable with him. Like that was what he was meant to be doing.

“Can I see your hand?” you said. He gave it to you readily, and you cradled it in yours, arranging it so that the palm was facing upwards, before pausing. “Is it alright if I take the glove off?”

You waited. For a moment, the night was utterly still as he thought about the request, and in that time, you came to notice things about the world which you had thus far been blind to.

The precise shade of his mask, which was a deep blue like sapphire-paint. It was something that you could never erase from your mind, the visage of your savior, the color which had stood between you and your death — but it was also the color that had unmasked the truth of your city to you. If it were not for the Blue Spirit, wouldn’t you still live in that same ignorance? You could not yet say you understood anything, but now you knew that there was something there which needed to be understood in the first place. Before, you were not even aware of that much.

The exact scent clinging to him, which was the delicate fragrance of the honey that some used as sweetener in place of sugar. It was not overwhelming nor heady; it was a soft, warm aroma, as gentle and inviting as candlelight.

The shushing rhythm of the fountain in the background, which was melodic in its sameness. It was another one of those sounds, the type that easily faded away when it was not on your mind but which was omnipotent when you paid attention. The steady flow of the water lulled you into another state — not sleep, because you could not sleep when you were so close to the Blue Spirit, but the opposite, a heightened awareness of both yourself and of him.

That was why time passed both agonizingly slowly and yet dizzyingly quickly, up until the moment that he nodded in agreement and whatever trance you had been in was broken.

Anticipation rushed through you as you took your free hand, the one not supporting his, and tugged on the end of the glove. It came off with a swift motion, and for the first time, there was the sensation of your skin touching his own.

“They say you can tell someone’s future by these marks,” you said, dancing your fingers along the creases of his palm. “It’s an ancient art. Very esoteric. I never learned much about it, but now, I wish I had.”

You wished you could read his future, untangle those winding ways into something comprehensible. The roadmap of the Blue Spirit’s life. You wished you could read it, could know if that destiny was one that included you in its course, but you did not say anything along those lines. You didn’t know what that desire meant yourself, and you didn’t want to frighten him, either, in case it sounded like something it was not.

Though his hands were surprisingly soft, there were calluses formed in the places where he gripped his swords. They were incredibly warm, too, though it was in a pacifying way, not with the sickly sense of fever. They were the hands of a warrior, but also the hands of vanity, and it relieved you to see that even the perfect, infallible Blue Spirit was prone to this fault.

“If only I were more like you,” you said. “Ba Sing Se is in such a state of disrepair, and I can do nothing but offer coins to those I come across, in the hopes that I might alleviate their personal struggles. That’s not hardly enough, though. For every one person I can help, tens of others do not get the same chance. Tens of others continue to suffer from a problem that I cannot identify. What princess does not even know why her subjects are in such pain? What princess can do so little about it?”

The love for your kingdom or the love for your brother? If you were the queen, would things be any different? Would Ba Sing Se be in a better position, or would it all be the same? Well, it was a moot point now. You were not an Earthbender in any way that mattered. The advisors had longed to instate you so that you could remind the world of the power of Shan’s line, but as it was, you would only make a mockery of your famed ancestor. The man who had established the entire Earth Kingdom, left with a great-to-the-nth-degree granddaughter who could only bend glass. That was his lineage. That was his legacy.

“My forefathers must be so ashamed of me,” you said. “What have I ever done with my life? What is there that I can still do? I am the Glass Princess, and that’s all I will be remembered as. King Kuei’s sister who would’ve watched Ba Sing Se fall if it meant she could keep her pretty jewels and fancy dresses.”

Taking another lantern, removing its candle, you twisted the glass into a miniature replica of the Earth Palace. It was meticulous and perfect; such was the training Quynh had given you, after all. Form over function. Accuracy over mass. Mental fortitude over physical fortification.

“That’s where I am,” you said, tapping the minuscule window. “All of the time, unless I am with you or in the tea shop. That’s the extent of my world.”

Two finger lengths long. That was your existence in summary. You put the Blue Spirit’s glove back on and gave him the model of the palace.

“In case you ever visit,” you said. “So you don’t get lost. Come see me if you do, won’t you?”

He didn’t offer you his pinky this time, but you figured that when he nodded his head in acceptance, he still meant it as a promise.

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[heartilywrites]

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resume: where Korra finds herself wondering about you.

content warning: comfort ; Korra x fem!reader ; Mako and Bolin being wingmen ; no use of y/n

wc: 1.1k

a/n: HI HELLO 👋🏼 i reappear here with a short tiny spontaneous korra fic to thank you for 100 followers and also to thank all the love you give to my writes you have no idea how it melts my heart knowing you all like what i write <33 i had my doubts since english is not my first language, but you all really make me want to keep writing !!! this os goes also for the ones asking me for more korra content and for the ones that have requested and i haven't posted your request, know that i am working on them. HOPE YOU ENJOY AND I'LL REOPEN REQUEST SINCE I'M BACK <33

“ I can't help it, I'm just selfish, there's no way that I could share you.

Mako was almost sure he could hear the way Korra's teeth were grinding. Her blue eyes were fixated in one specific point and her jaw clenching, he followed her gaze and his own eyes met your silhouette laughing with some other girl who was a little bit touchy with your arm

Korra and you didn’t have a romantic relationship... yet, she always says, it's only a matter of finding the right time and place to tell you and it definitely wasn't in a party celebrating the probending championship.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “You'll hurt your teeth if you keep doing that.” the firebender called for the avatar, cutting her thoughts on how she could fight the girl for you. “You should maybe do something about it and stop killing people in your mind when they're with her.”

Korra looked back at him, he knew about the girl's crush on you, just as Bolin and Asami did. Everyone in the group were well aware of how she ogled you at every chance she had to look your way.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “I don't think here is the correct place, you know.” her eyes went back at the two of you, you now looked very interested in whatever the hell the girl was saying and that made her heart dropped.

That should be her making you laugh, that should be her having you look fondly and interested in anything she said. The avatar crushed her cup of water in her hand, Mako watched with his brows raised.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “I'm just saying, you should start working before someone else make a move on her.” he finished taking a sip of his drink.

And for you... Just one person was aware of how you would ogled her when she was distracted.

Bolin gave you the idea on making Korra jealous so she could action, you tried to be the one to take the first step before and were met with a one-sided flirt or an interpretation of a friend outing instead of a date, so you gave up.

You didn’t know if your flirting was just bad and sad or Korra was ignoring it since she didn’t feel the same way about you, but it was the earthbender accidentally being a wingman saying how Korra didn’t stop talking about you and how pretty she found you on one of your dinners with him that made you decided that maybe you would wait for her to make a move when she felt comfortable enough... But it felt eternal.

You knew the plan your friend gave you was working when in a quick glance of the place while the girl was talking about some weird bending move she claimed to create your eyes bumped into Korra's for a second and the way her blue eyes looked cold and electric sent chills down your spine, so you continued with the plan.

Your hand looked to caress the firebender's arm with what would be interpreted as a second intention which made the girl move closer to you and Korra stood up from her seat scaring Mako who looked at her.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “Uhh, Korra, I need you to think with a cold head what you'll do.” the guy at her side said and she moved her hand to shush him.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “I got this, fuck time and place.” she said before making her way to you.

You were way too focused on not looking away to not give another impression that when the avatar took you by the arm and pulled you away you stumbled a little bit with your own feet.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “What the fuck!? Who–” your exclamation stopped mid sentence when your eyes met the blue ones and your legs almost failed you. “Korra...” the calling of her name left your mouth as if you were out of breath.

And you kinda were; the avatar had this serious grimace painted on her face and her aura felt intimidating. You heard the girl you were talking with protest to the avatar on how she was speaking to you, her eyes shot at her and Korra straightened her posture.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “Yeah, well, she's going with me now.” she said tilting her head to the side. “Any problem with that?”

The firebender looked for help on your side but you were way too concentrated on Korra to notice anything else. She shrugged and went back to the bar.

Her eyes got back at you and you could actually see how they softened at your sight, non-verbally Korra requested to be out the place with you and you agreed.

The walk out was quiet, once the talks and music sounded distance you two took seats in the concrete stairs outside the place. Your eyes never left Korra, it was clear at how mesmerized and stunned you were at the scene, you imagined everything but that.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “I'm sorry if I was too harsh on you, I just...” her words mixed in the wind, she stopped to think of how to follow. “I was, uhm, I was jealous.”

Your heart skipped a beat, it worked.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “It's just... I couldn't bear to see you with anyone else that isn't me.” she continued, her gaze was avoiding yours until that sentence. That electric blue that made your legs shake met your curious eyes. “I've liked you for quite some time now... And I know this isn't the time or place to say it–.”

Your lips didn’t let her finish whatever she wanted to say as they were pressing hers, at first it was a shy tiny kiss which had Korra stunned at the action. When you pulled away, a flirty smile was growing in your face.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “You like me, you think of me, you couldn't see me with another girl, you were sooo jealous.” you teased her speaking over her lips. That gave Korra the courage to take you by the waist and place you on her lap, your eyes opened with surprise.

‍ ‍ ‍ ‍‍ “What if I am? You're mine now, I don’t have to share you with anyone else.” she attacked back, feels of tingles at the brush of her lips on yours. “You're mine, aren't you? Can I call you mine?”

It definitely felt almost like a dream, one which you didn’t to wake up anymore. A big smile began to grow in your own mouth. “Of course, I'm yours all yours.”

You had so much to thank Bolin the next day.

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

you once said that the ZK do not allow the canonical Zuko to show real, sometimes ugly signs of trauma. can you write more about this? because that's what I always felt when I came across their terrible takes, but I couldn't express it.

Gladly! But first, I need to mention the sign of trauma that Zuko usually lacks - and that, for some reason, the fandom insists defines his character:

Fear

Don't get wrong, I'm not saying Zuko never experienced fear. We all saw that poor boy on his knees, crying, begging his father not to hurt him.

But in "Zuko Alone" we also see 10-year-old Zuko get bitter that only his younger sister was expected to show off her firebending skills, and deciding that he would go against his father and demonstrate his own skills to the Fire Lord - that despite the fact that he knew Azula was better at it than he was. Even when it goes wrong, he is upset, but doesn't look afraid of the consequences.

That same episode shows Azula mocking him for playing with knives despite not even being good at it, and even though the fandom insists she was his worst fear ever since he was a child, Zuko responds with a "Put an apple on your head and we'll see how good I am." That little guy has exactly zero chill.

Let's not forget why he was banished either: Despite being considered too young to be in that war meeting, Zuko demanded to be there, eventually got his way, and despite having been told not to say anything, the second he hears a general suggest using their own men as "fresh meat" to lure the enemy, Zuko speaks out against it. And at the start of the Agni Kai, he looked 100% ready to fight a grown ass man with battle experience - until he saw it was his father/Fire Lord.

Let's not forget his Agni Kai with Zhao, which was his idea and that he actually won - and before that, he openly calls Ozai a fool, to which Zhao points out that banishment clearly not teach Zuko to watch his mouth. Or the time he openly challenged Azula in Ba Sing Se and they only didn't fight then and there because Azula knew she'd have the advantage by using the Dai Li. Hell, at the start of that very season, after she tried to lure him to a trap, Zuko's first reaction is to charge at her, fire-daggers in hand. That boy is the definition of "Fuck around and find out."

He has also done things like choosing to save his uncle from earthbenders instead of chasing Aang, crossing a blockade and going into actual Fire Nation territory even though he legally is no longer allowed to do that, and helped rescue Aang from Zhao as the Blue Spirit. It shows us that Zuko doesn't have an issue with temporarely deviating from his mission because of something HE deems important even though his father doesn't, openly disregarding Ozai's orders, and even basically saying "My father will have the Avatar as a prisoner only if I'm the one to capture him"

And, of course, on the day of the eclipse, Zuko grabs his swords and directly threatens Ozai, telling that bastard to sit the fuck down, shut up, and listen to his list of reasons why he sucks as a parent, ruler and person.

Zuko is brave. Unbelievably so. He is fierce, proud, and impulsive to the point of getting himself in situations that he should have known would not go his way (like fighting a waterbender in the snow, in the full moon) because he is very much a "act first, think later" kind of guy. So the fandom's insistence that he is constantly paralyzed by fear is a gross over-simplification of how his trauma affects him.

We only see him genuinely afraid of Ozai twice. During the Agni Kai itself, and then again when he WANTS to speak out against his father's plan to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground, but can't bring himself to because he remembers what happened last time he spoke out against that kind of horrible thing during a war meeting, at that very room. It took something THAT triggering to make him cower before a challenge.

However, fear wasn't the only reason why didn't speak out during that moment, and that takes us to the first "ugly" sign of trauma that the fandom as a whole likes to pretend Zuko wasn't repeatedly shown to experience:

"My father is right about me, actually"

Zuko doesn't think Ozai was wrong to disfigure and banish him. How could he? Nobody in that entire room stood up to at least try to support him, not even his uncle - who also once said "Why would your father have banished you if he didn't care about you?" because, surprise surprise, nobody in that family knows how to help someone through trauma because they're all dealing with their own shit. Even his crew, who WAS sympathetic to him after finding out how he got that scar, were still 100% willing to not only support Ozai, but risk their lives for him.

Zuko isn't just trying to heal from abuse, he is trying to heal from victim-blaming, and to go against YEARS of indoctrination that say the Fire Lord can do no wrong. That's part of why it was so difficult for Iroh and others to help him: Zuko didn't believe that he needed or deserved help.

And that is also one of his three major unhealthy coping mechanisms. Claiming that HE needs to prove himself to Ozai, that HE needs to make up for HIS mistakes, not the other way around.

It might seem strange that this could be a way to cope, but look at it this way: If it WAS his fault instead of Ozai's, then that means his dad is not an unfair, abusive piece of shit that is unbelievably cruel and impossible to please. Zuko just needs to accomplish this mission of capturing the Avatar and everything will be fine, they'll be a normal family again, and he won't have to be afraid of someone he thought he could trust.

It was like Iroh said: Things are never going to be the same ever agin, but the Avatar gives Zuko HOPE. And that hope that his abuser will one day have a change of heart and be a loving father to him again is both what allows Zuko not to give into despair - and what keeps him trapped in that awful situation.

Misplaced Anger

Another "unpleasant" sign of trauma that Zuko has is how he clearly has an anger problem. Sure, he's a moody teenager with a short fuse, but we see over and over again that he tends to blow things way out of proportion, and that when faced a fact or opinion he doesn't like, he is quick to lash out at someone with VERY cruel words (see him calling Iroh a lazy, shallow, jealous old man in "Avatar State", or calling him crazy and saying if he wasn't in prison, he'd be sleeping in a gutter in "The Headband").

Through the entire show, many people faced Zuko's wrath - Iroh, Aang and friends, his crew, Azula, innocent people of the Earth Kingdom, Mai, Ty Lee, that one rando that talked to Mai, and even Zuko himself.

The one person that usually escapes said wrath is, ironically, Ozai. In "Zuko Alone" he refuses to believe his father would ever be capable of harming him, in "Avatar State" he snaps at Iroh for doubting that Ozai really changed his mind about the whole banishment thing.

He is mad at Aang for being too difficult to capture, and at Zhao for stealing his one chance to come home. He never stops to question if it's fair that his father had him chase someone that was presumed dead, aka an impossible task, as the condition to bring him home. He also never addresses how he feels about the reason WHY said banishment happened until the Day Of Black Sun.

He is mad at Azula for lying to him and trying to take him home as a prisoner. He never gets mad at his father for not only wanting to lock him away forever because ZHAO screwed up at the North Pole, nor how messed up it was that he put Azula in charge of said mission.

For fuck's sake, in the day of the eclipse, we find out that Zuko legit believed his mother was DEAD - and the entire circumstance was shady as hell and put Ozai in a very bad light. Yet Zuko still wanted his love, still wanted to be a "worthy" son.

He HAS to direct his anger at other people, otherwise he'll realize that no, his father, the adult that was meant to care for him, is a complete monster.

Everytime Zuko lashes out at other people before confronting Ozai, he's basically acting like someone who is drowning and, in a panic, is trying to pull the nearest person under so he can try to breathe. It is one of the most accurate and honest representations of trauma and abuse, and it makes me SO mad when people erase it in their fics because "poor, innocent, helpless turtleduck that can do no wrong" makes Zuko look like less of a dick - and also completely strips him of his agency.

And that isn't even the thing that fans ignore the most. That "honor" goes to the simple fact that Zuko, as expected of a child raised to believe the Fire Lord can do no wrong, decided that Azula had the right idea and that the best way to avoid being a victim again was...

Copying His Abuser

Zuko has REPEATEDLY let his "inner Ozai" out through the show.

He is all manipulative by not letting the pirates know he was chasing the Avatar who was worth A LOT more than the scrowl they'd get as a reward for helping him, and by using Katara's necklace as a way to try and get her to say where Aang was.

He repeatedly steals stuff from innocent people (including some who helped him, like Song) because, in his own words "These people should just be giving stuff to us" - aka he's very much an entitled prince.

He betrays his uncle by joining Azula in Ba Sing Se, leading to Iroh being thrown in prison. He also doesn't give a shit when Katara says "I thought you had changed!" and he sends a freaking assassin after the Gaang. Even him refusing to tell Azula that there was a chance Aang could still be alive works both as a "Zuko doesn't trust Azula to not use that against him, and for good reason" and "Zuko did not even stop to think that, since Azula was the one who killed Aang, him coming back also puts HER in danger, because he's too focused on his own problems to notice anybody else's."

More importantly, he rejected a chance of a ceasefire with the Gaang three times (The Blue Spirit, The Chase, Crossroads of Destiny), much like Ozai refused his shot at ending the war in the finale before his battle with Aang, and not only did he challenge Zhao to an Agni Kai and seriously consider burning him, he also threatened one of his crewmen by saying he'd "teach him respect" - which we found out later that episode was what Ozai right before disfiguring poor Zuko.

For fuck's sake, Ozai was literally designed to look like an older Zuko. One without a scar, one that was never banished, one that never had to see first-hand all the death and suffering war brings and reflect on the role he plays in it.

Finally, we have the war meetings in "Nightmares And Daydreams", in which Zuko doesn't speak out against his father's completely inhumane plans to deal with the Earth Kingdom. When talking about it with Mai, he says "I was the perfect prince, the son my father wanted. But I wasn't me."

That is the turning point for Zuko for a reason. It's him finally being forced to acknowledge that, to become Ozai's ideal son, to earn his (conditional) love, to not be his victim he has to be just as bad as he is, just as cruel, just as unfair - and we see in Azula's breakdown how Zuko likely would have ended up if he accepted that path.

But he didn't, and that was not easy because even though it was the morally correct choice, it'd require him to sacrifice everything - his title as a prince, his right to be in the Fire Nation, his relationship with Mai, his (extremelly complicated, sometimes good, often awful) bond with Azula, the "easy" way to get literally anything he wanted at everyone else's expense, and, of course, accept that his father was never going to love him, was never going to change, and was never going to feel sorry for abusing him.

Erasing such a central conflict of his character for the sake of denying he ever did anything wrong is, ironically, removing one of Zuko's most noble character traits: his inability to just live with himself after doing something horrible. There's a reason he is in deep conflict even after getting everything he wanted after the fall of Ba Sing Se - he knows he doesn't deserve it after what he's done.

If you ignore his mistakes and the horrible consequences it had for other people, you also ignore Zuko's growth. This puts him more in the position of a good guy being held hostage by the evil villain, not of a troubled child that redeems himself as he matures.

No flaws, no mistakes, no growth, no arc.

Trauma Doesn't Just Go Away

This one is, by far, the bad trope regarding Zuko's trauma that Zutarians are the most guilt of: assuming that if he just gets enough comforting hugs (mainly from Katara), all of his inner turmoil will suddenly be healed. No more sadness, no more fear, no more of the ugly traits they never acknowledge in the first place. Just a happy, fully recovered Zuko.

But that's just not how these things work. Having the support of a loved one helps victims feel better, but it won't magically make everything okay. Trauma is a really difficult thing to handle. There's good days, bad days, relapses, bad habits that are difficult to move past from. And not only are there cases in which people take YEARS to recover, there are also cases in which they never fully heal, and instead just learn to live with that burden that is still very much present.

I understand the desire to show in fics and headcanons that Zuko will eventually be fully healed and happy, but the way Zutarians make Katara act as not just his girlfriend, but as basically his therapist that needs to find miracle solutions for every single one of his problems, comfort him whenever any minor inconvenience happens until he's gotten enough hugs to be magically okay doesn't just reveal how hypocritical they are, since they insist Kataang is about Katara being Aang's girlfriend/mom/baby-sitter, but also that they legit do not understand a damn thing about trauma and how it works.

Which takes me to:

How Mai Actually Did Right By Zuko

Poor, poor Mai. She gets blamed for "bring out the worst in Zuko", for not being "supportive", for being too cold and unemotional, for not "seeing the real him" - yet she's one of the characters that CONSISTENLY help put Zuko back on his track.

She offers him emotional support and lots of signs of affection over and over again - telling him not worry when they're arriving at the Fire Nation, pointing out she doesn't hate him when she says she's beautiful when she hates the world, explicitly saying she cares about him in The Beach, being incredibly sweet and loving to him during all of Nightmares and Daydreams, and then again in the finale by helping him get dressed up and acting all cute as they get back together.

But she also holds him accountable when he screws up. She doesn't let him use his difficult life as an excuse to be a jerk and calls him out when he's being unreasonable, or when she feels mistreated/like he's making a mistake (see The Beach and Boiling Rock Part 2).

But since the fandom loves to completely erase Zuko's mistakes AND to not let go of a stupid ship war, this completely changes the context, making Mai out to be this awful, bitchy girlfriend, when in reality, she did a great job handling Zuko - sometimes even better than the fan favorite and mentor figure Zuko had through most of his arc.

Uncle Iroh Fucked Up

Before all of you try to kill me, let me make one thing clear here: I love Uncle Iroh. He is one of the most awesome characters in the show, and I fully believe he was trying his best to help Zuko.

But he is still a human being that makes mistakes, and he was raised in the same dysfunctional family Zuko was, meaning he often had NO IDEA how to handle his deeply traumatized teenage nephew/son.

Him spending all of book 1 trying to help Zuko capture Aang so he could go back to living with the guy that disfigured him is already bad enough, but we also have the episode "Avatar State" in which Iroh asks "Why would your father banish you if he didn't care about you?"

Obviously he only did these things because he didn't want Zuko give into despair and depression - but he is still, at best, ignoring the issue, and at worst actively making excuses for Ozai's abuse of his own son. This backfires on him spectacularly, as Zuko sides with Azula over him both in the first and last episode of the season specifically because he believes that appeasing Ozai is the right thing to do, as he was only banished "for his own good."

But THE biggest mistake Iroh made when it came to helping Zuko was his refusal to accept that no, Zuko was never going to be happy by living a quiet, simple life in Ba Sing Se - even after Zuko explicitly said as much to his face.

Obviously, to some extent, Iroh HAS to make Zuko accept that he won't ever be able to come back home after Ozai literally ordered Azula to capture him, but he could have tried to find some kind of middle ground with Zuko, since being a waiter clearly wasn't making him happy.

"Oh, but what about how Zuko started acting after his metamorphosis? He was so happy about working on the tea-shop with his uncle, and that was supposed to reveal his true self!"

Yes, it was supposed to do that. But we saw how Zuko acted after actually dealing with his trauma and redeeming himself. He was obviously in a much healthier place, both mentally and spiritually, but he was still moody, still sarcastic, still as proud as ever, and even Iroh recognized that he was meant to be Fire Lord.

Zuko's arc has a lot to do with identity, with how he sees himself. At that point, the only thing he still had in life was his uncle - so he was acting like him, because there seemed to be no other role model, no other path. Seeing that weird, cheery, relaxed, always-seeing-the-good-side-of-things version of Zuko was honestly unnerving.

And Iroh thought that Zuko basically giving himself the Lake Laogai treatment was okay because he following in his footsteps, doing what helped IROH heal and change - he didn't realize it was never gonna be able to do the same for Zuko.

The very second Azula shows up, even when she's being hostile, Zuko drops the facade, because she's a reminder of both his old life and what he thought his future would be. And when she offers him "redemption" Iroh tried to advice Zuko against joining her by saying "The redemption she offers is not for you" (as in not for someone who is doing better and doesn't need to return to the Fire Nation) and "It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good." How is it a choice if Iroh is explicitly saying which option Zuko cannot pick, essentially making the decision for him?

Iroh didn't just get the way to help Zuko wrong - he didn't realize his nephew didn't believe he needed help. They were not on the same page at all, and that contribuited to Zuko betraying him.

Though, thankfully, it ended up being for the best, as Zuko found his own way to redemption by himself.

Conclusion

This fandom as a whole tends to not understand Zuko at all and just eat up a bunch of fanon while pretending to be so intellectual, which I very much resent it for.

[imagines--galore]

||The Thread of Fate|| Part Thirty

Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.

Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)

Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure.

Previous Chapters - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen, Part Seventeen, Part Eighteen, Part Nineteen, Part Twenty, Part Twenty-One, Part Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine,

A/N: A filler chapter, but I guess we all deserve one after all the emotions and turmoil and heavy stuff. And the next couple of chapters are also gonna be filler so.....yup! Hope you enjoy!

Zuko stared in amazement.

"So, you're telling me that you made your sword from a rock that came from space." The surprise and awe was evident in his voice as he lifted Sokka's sword at eye-level and inspected the blade. Sokka, who was sitting beside the Prince gave a proud grin.

"Yup! Toph even made an arm-band out of the leftover piece." The girl in question pulled off the only piece of jewelry she would probably ever wear and held it up, only to change it shape as she bended it to show her control over the space rock. "That's pretty amazing." Zuko commented, to which Toph gave a small shrug of nonchalance, a slightly smug grin on her lips.

There was no denying the pride in her voice as she added. "That's nothing compared to my invented metalbending." How exactly a thirteen year old had been able to do that, was still a mystery to him, but Zuko wasn't about to question Toph's age. None of them were of age to become Masters and yet everyone fighting beside Aang seemed to be powerful in their own right.

Aang was a Master Airbender and Waterbender. Not to mention his Earthbending skills weren't as abysmal as she had thought, according to Toph, and he was shaping up to be a pretty good Firebender too.

Katara was a Master Waterbender, and she was accomplished when it came to Healing Abilities. Not to mention Toph had told him how she had made her own water while in jail.

Toph was a Master Earthbender, while also having created Metalbending and mastering that as well. Zuko suspected it was a good thing he never had to face off against her in a battle.

Sokka was a good strategist and given that he had helped invent the War Balloon and other War Machines they'd used during the Invasion, Zuko had made the assumption that despite his rather clumsy nature, he was a formidable warrior.

Orora was a Master when it came to Healing Abilities, and, according to Aang, she was nearing the Master level as a Waterbender. She had really come a long way since he had met her.

And then there was him. A Master Firebender, with an expertise in sword-dueling from Piandao himself.

Guess it wasn't a surprise that he actually felt as if he were equal to all of them on every level. Something he had never felt before. With his peers or really anyone his own age, he had always been Advanced, so he hadn't been able to find a connection with them. With people older then him, other then his Uncle, they'd thought him to be too immature to give him the time of day. Plus most of them were just old gasbags who were more concerned about keeping their positions rather then let someone younger take their place.

For once, Zuko felt like he belonged with these people. Kids his own age.

And it felt nice.

Suddenly Toph sat up straight from where she had been sitting in a slouch and grinned. "Well look who's finally up!"

Though before the Earthbender had even begun to talk, Zuko knew who it was.

Since he had felt his string tug.

Sure enough, Orora was walking towards them, stretching her arms over her head as she did. "Morning." She managed to speak, despite the yawn that accompanied it. "You do realize that its nearly afternoon right?" Sokka asked the older girl who made her way towards the water pots they kept for washing up. "I mean I love to sleep in as much as the next guy, but this is a bit excessive for you isn't it?"

Glancing up from where she had been splashing some of the water on her face, Orora gave him a deadpanned look. "That's because no one else has a room mate who snores like a platypus bear." She shot back, glaring at Toph as she did. The younger girl grinned. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Orora simply rolled her eyes as she sat down between Sokka and Toph, which put Zuko sitting across from her, completing the little circle.

Glancing at the sky, the Waterbender sighed. "Guess I'll just have to wait till lunch to get something to eat." She muttered under her breath, reaching up to run a hand through her hair, which she had left unbound for the time being. Or rather because she'd left the strips she tied her hair with in the fountain room and hadn't been back to retrieve them.

She barely had any time to pout when a bowl of rice appeared in her line of vision. Orora blinked, staring at the hand holding it out for her.

"I saved some for you." Zuko stated, clearing his throat as he did. "Aang and Katara went off to practice Waterbending and Sokka and I were in charge of cleaning up so I figured I'd save the leftover for you." Why he felt the need to explain himself further was beyond him.

The gesture was enough for old memories to reawaken. All those times she had been the one to save food for him, and cover it so it would stay warm for him.

Reaching out, she took the bowl, cradling it between her palms as she looked up at him and gave a small smile. "Thanks." Sokka, who had pretended to go back to polishing his sword, glanced between the both of them out of the corner of his eyes. Meanwhile, Toph picked up on something that she had held back for so long, but wasn't about to because she knew it would cause chaos and embarrassment for both Orora and Zuko.

And she lived for it.

"Woah!" She exclaimed softly, grinning from ear to ear.

Zuko glanced at her, frowning slightly. "What?"

"Relax guys! It was just a bowl of rice, not a proposal. Your heartbeats are going crazy."

The result was instantaneous. Zuko went red in the face, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words for it. Sokka choked on his own laughter, fell backwards, regained his breath, before resuming laughing. Orora pursed her lips, her cheeks pink, as she glared at her friend.

"I can feel you glaring at me right now Ice Princess." Toph commented, not at all bothered by the heat she could feel behind the look Orora was giving her despite being unable to see. Smiling smugly, the blind girl raised her cup of water to her lips to take a drink.

Only to find it frozen solid.

"Hey!" She protested, glaring in Orora's direction who simply smirked before taking a bite of her rice. Having regained a little bit of his composure, Sokka managed to sit up straight once more, though he put his space sword back in it's sheath. "So............, did the two of you manage to talk things out?" He asked, glancing between the still red-faced and slightly annoying looking Fire Nation Prince and a Waterbender who was calmly eating her breakfast.

Obviously neither of them knew the two of them, along with Aang and Katara had been spying on them last night. Before the either of the concerned person could make a comment, Toph spoke up. "Course they did. Firebug's been chirpy all morning hasn't he? Must mean something good came out of yesterday."

All three of them paused.

"Firebug?" Zuko echoed, to which Toph nodded, looking way too proud of herself. "Don't worry. That won't be your only nickname. I also have Angry Guy and Prince Pouty." The last nickname had Orora clapping a hand over her mouth to muffle the snort of laughter that escaped her. Zuko threw an annoyed glare in her direction to which she shrugged. "Well not like you haven't been called that before."

Her words only prompted him to pout, which resulted in Orora and Sokka bursting out into loud laughter.

                                           ————————–

When she had woken up earlier that morning, Orora had expected things to still be tense between her and Zuko. Not wanting to deal with what was to come, and simply bask in the knowledge that she and Zuko were, for once, in agreement when it came to what they were for one another, she'd closed her eyes, and went back to sleep.

The next time she woke, the girl had forced herself to get out of bed. And yes, when she had stepped out of her room she had been nervous, unable to determine how things would be between her and Zuko.

Would they still be at odds and be awkward around one another, or would things be just as they had been in Ba Sing Se?

She found herself praying to the Spirits it was the latter.

And Zuko's simple act of saving her some breakfast and giving it to her, was enough to shatter a few of the residual reservations she had about her decision, while also making her see that perhaps, sometimes, prayers were duly answered.

Once she'd finished her breakfast, she dragged Sokka off to retrieve whatever she had left in the fountain room yesterday.

In reality, she had needed some advice.

Just one last bit of doubt before she could truly move on.

Sokka, sensing her hesitation, saved her by being the first one to speak. "So, are things alright between you two now?" He asked, peering at her face to make sure he saw any emotion that passed over her features.

Though he shouldn't have worried about her hiding anything from him, because quite honestly, Orora was sick and tired of hiding her true feelings. She had been forced to do it her entire life, and the past few months, the two times she had tried to keep her emotions in, she had, for lack of a better word, exploded.

And she was done.

"We talked." She revealed. "And he was ready to leave if his being here was too much for me." As they stepped into the fountain room, she spied her bag and walked over to retrieve it. "Sokka?" She called, clutching the pieces of blue she used to tie her hair back. "When did you decided that it was time for you to move on and put aside your grief for Yue?"

Turning, the girl watched as his expression grew somber and he pursed his lips, thinking over his answer. "I didn't." He finally revealed. "When we ran into Suki outside of Ba Sing Se, there was a point where she revealed she was my soulmate, but I didn't."

He sighed. "I thought I would be dishonoring Yue's memory by getting together with Suki." Sokka paused, allowing his memory of the girl to wash over him, before he smiled softly, Suki's face coming to his mind. "But then I realized that its not what she would've wanted. She would've wanted me to be happy." His smile widened. "So I told Suki she was my soulmate too."

Having walked over to stand in front of him, Orora gripped the strap of her bag. "But, didn't you feel any guilt or anything when you finally let go of your feelings for Yue?" She asked, wanting nothing more then to understand what he had gone through to move forward and carry on with his life.

The Warrior nodded. "I did, but Yue's sacrifice also made me realize that life is too short, and we shouldn't let things out of our control stop us from living our lives."

She blinked, his words settling within her and resonating more then anything. Sokka's advice were the very basis of her reasoning to let go of all that had happened between her and Zuko and move forward. And it did surprise her that Sokka had chosen to do the same because, she didn't think it would be easy to let go of all those feelings.

As he watched her expression change from uncertainty to realization, Sokka smiled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Seems for once I said something that didn't result in an ice mask." He joked, to which Orora smiled at him. "Don't get too confident about that. We still have the rest of the day." At his expression, she laughed.

"Thanks Sokka." He grinned, reaching out to wrap an arm around her shoulders as they began to walk back to where their friends were. "No problem. All I ask is that I don't have to walk in on you making goo-goo eyes at each other, or smooching. No smooching in front of me either, gives me the Ick."

He would've continued, if Orora hadn't allowed her wrist to snap and an ice mask to slap over his mouth, effectively shutting him up.

                                           ————————–

"Are you sure you should be doing this here?" Teo asked in a slightly nervous tone as he watched Toph crack her knuckles. The Earthbender scoffed. "Please this place has been standing a hundred years. A little bending match isn't gonna cause any harm."

Since Toph felt she hadn't appropriately kicked anyone's butt in the last few days she had offered a friendly bending match. And Sokka, being an ultimate Earth Rumble fan, his words, had volunteered Haru to face off against Toph.

And since the voices of reason, Katara and Aang, weren't around to stop them, and Orora had agreed because she had wanted a break from Toph's teasing, no one else had been opposed to the idea of a little entertainment.

Haru had quickly bended a large circular shape in the floor. The one to even step on the line would loose. It was a fairly large circle so enough for the two Earth benders to fight it out.

"And the person who uses any material from outside the circle looses." Orora called out from where she sat next to an excited Sokka. He looked almost as if he would vibrate out of his seat. She really didn't understand what was so exciting about two people fighting. Once both Earthbenders were within the ring, Sokka stood up.

"And begin!"

The best was two out of three.

As soon as Toph landed the first win, Sokka leapt to his feet, waving his arms in the air as he screamed and hollered. "Woohoo! Go Toph!" His sudden jump in the air included a knee in the face for Zuko who sat beside him, and a smack in the face to Orora as he waved his arms. She'd been sitting beside him, though on top of a rock giving her some elevation, and grumbled as she rubbed her aching nose.

"Calm down Sokka." She said, as Haru stepped into the ring once more. "Its just a bending battle."

The words seemed to act as a catalyst of some sort, since Sokka, The Duke and Teo, who were now just as immersed as Sokka was, turned to her with a look of utter aghast and shock. "Just a battle?!" Sokka shrieked as The Duke added. "This is the coolest thing I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of things." He stated his eyes never wavering from Toph's strong figure.

Alright so she couldn't fault The Duke for being fascinating. It did involve his soulmate after all. But Teo as well? He looked ready to jump out of his wheelchair as he waved his arms in the air.

As the second round of Earth Rumble began, Orora dropped her chin in the palm of her hand as she rested the elbow atop her thigh. "Its just two people throwing around rocks for the fun of it." Glancing at Zuko where he sat in front of her, she nudged him gently with her knee. "I don't see you going ga-ga like these three. Not to your liking then?" She asked, as Zuko glanced briefly at the three shouting spectators.

He shrugged. "I mean its interesting, but I kinda agree. Its just two people throwing rocks at one another." At that moment Haru delivered a particularly brutal attack that even Toph had a little difficulty in maneuvering. But she was able to at the last moment.

Though to save herself, she had to send a rather sizable boulder in the direction of the spectators.

"Look out!"

It was only their instincts that saved Orora, Sokka and Zuko from getting crushed.

The three of them jumped out of the way, leaving the boulder to smash into the place where, mere moments ago, they had been sitting. Orora, a little winded from throwing herself to the floor, raised her head to shout at Toph. "Watch where you aim those things!"

And by 'Watch' she of course meant watch with her feet.

Having landed on his feet instead of his face, Zuko stood, holding a hand out to help her up. Grumbling under her breath, Orora stood, brushing the dust from the front of her shirt as she did. "You okay?" He asked, the concern evident in his tone, even as she glared darkly at Toph. "I'm fine." She growled, blowing a strand of hair from her face.

Sokka wasn't even deterred, already on his feet and shouting at Toph to end the match amid Teo and The Duke's words of encouragement.

It would seem Toph had no desire to prolong the match any longer. A few minute later, Haru was over the line and on the ground. "Yeah! Go Blind Bandit!" At Zuko's look of confusion Orora quickly explained. "That was her name when she competed in actual Earth Rumbles."

"Anyone else up for a challenge." Toph called out, basking in the afterglow of her victories. She raised an arm, pointing to where Orora and Zuko were standing. "Since you both are the only other Benders around, I think it should be one of you."

Zuko shook his head. "Its not safe to use firebending in a tight space. I might accidentally burn someone." Orora looked at Zuko in surprise. "Wait....did you just...." She trailed off as Zuko turned his head to glance back at her.

Orora remembered a Zuko who would never have backed down from a challenge. Who would never have given up the chance to fight against someone.

A tender smile pulled at her lips as she reached up to playfully ruffle his hair. "You really have changed haven't you?" She laughed at his attempt to push her hand away, but he was smiling as well, because yes, he had changed. And he liked himself this way. Not because Orora liked him, but because for once he wasn't at war with himself about anything.

"Well since Firebug is out. Orora! Get your butt in here!" Toph called, sounding more then a little impatient. The Waterbender shook her head. "I'm not about to fight just for the sake of entertainment Toph." She said, to which Sokka made a strange sound of horror, as if he were unable to comprehend someone wouldn't want to fight for the fun of it.

But Toph, not wanting to stop just yet grinned. "I'll make you a bet. You fight against me, and if you win I don't tease you and Zuko for three days."

Zuko blinked, frowning as he glanced at Orora who looked as if she were actually considering the deal. Which she wouldn't take, he figured, she would rather-

"Deal!"

He stared at her, a little surprised. And he wasn't the only one. Though judging by the smile that pulled at her lips, she had something up her sleeve.

"But if I win, you will do what I've been asking you since we came to the Temple." Zuko smiled, shaking his head. He should've known his Soulmate would have an ulterior motive.

Toph scowled at Orora, and for a moment the Waterbender thought she wouldn't accept the deal. But then the blind girl nodded.

Orora smirked.

                                           ————————–

While Sokka and Haru quickly moved the two pots of water on either side of the circle so that Orora could draw from them anytime during the battle, the Waterbender quickly readied herself.

Which included quickly picking up sections of her hair from either side of her temples and pulling out the hair comb Zuko had returned to her. A little too busy gathering any spare piece of hair behind her head so it wouldn't get in her face, she missed the way Zuko's expression softened at the sight of the comb as it nestled in her dark brown hair once more.

Exactly where it belonged.

A stray piece of hair did land just above her right eye, but she wasn't bothered by it. The rest of her hair she allowed to hang free, thick dark brown locks settling in unruly waves just behind her shoulders. From her bag she pulled out her gloves, pulling them on as she stepped into the circle. If she was going to use all of her body to dodge Toph's attacks, she had no desire to cut her skin and get hurt necessarily.

For a moment everything and everyone stood still, watching with bated breath.

Toph made the first move, creating a row of sharp rocks protruding from the floor and towards Orora.

Inhaling deeply, Orora dropped into a stance, her arms creating twin elegant circles, pulling the water from both the pots and allowing it to create a whirlpool around her, elevating her into the air.

"Showing your hand early in the battle. A little over-confident there Ice Princess?" Toph called as soon as she sensed what had happened. Orora grinned. "Just want to end this quickly so I can get what I want." She called back.

Throwing her arm out, the girl shot a tendril of water towards the blind girl. Sensing the attack as it flew through the air, Toph quickly brought up a shield of earth. The water dissipated, dropping to the ground where the earth sucked it in.

Knowing she would tire herself out if she continued the whirlpool, Orora quickly dropped the intensity. And not a minute later several sharp rock projectiles flew through the air, right where her head had been a moment ago. Getting into her battle mindset was easy as she created a short yet wide circular pillar of ice and stood atop it.

The leftover water from the whirlpool was sent in a small yet strong tidal wave towards her opponent. Who avoided it by creating a ball of earth around her. "You're holding back Princess." Toph called once she had dropped her earth shield. "That's because I don't want any stray attack to hurt anyone else." Orora called back, gesturing to their spectators who had only escaped Toph's previous attack of sharp earth projectile because Haru had been there to deflect it.

Toph waved her hand. "They can take care of themselves." So saying, she attacked Orora head-on with a large boulder aimed straight towards her. Without even flinching the girl shot a bubble of water towards it, big enough to encompass and freeze it in midair. Throwing her leg out, Orora pushed a disc of pure thin ice to fly through the air, slicing the boulder in half before it had even dropped to the floor. But the disc didn't stop there. It flew through the air, landing just beside Toph who barely flinched.

Instead she created several steps, one higher then the next, as she climbed up in the air. Orora knew the next attack would be from the air, and the instant she skated away from her perch, Toph's earth clad figure came crashing down, sending her trunk of ice showering in each and every direction.

Orora pivoted on her feet, her arms thrown out as she caught each and every last fragment of the ice and instead directed it towards Toph. Though it did little damage as Toph simply created a pyramid of earth around her to defend herself from being pierced. One face of the pyramid flew through the air, sliding across the earthy terrain and would've nearly slammed into Orora if she hadn't somersaulted out of the way. She'd barely landed on her feet when her arms were coated with water. Hardly standing up from the crouch she had landed in, the Waterbender threw her arms out to try and catch Toph by the arms.

Of course that plan worked out as well as could be expected given that Toph felt the water coming halfway and counteracted it by kicking her foot out and sending Orora to the ground where the earth lurched under her feet. Getting the wind knocked out of her wasn't exactly a new thing, but then the idea that formed in her head next was certainly she'd never thought of before.

"Alright Toph." She grumbled, barely standing up from where she lay. "You wanna be like that then." Her hand shot out, sending a wave of water towards the Earthbender.

Freezing her feet in place.

"What the?!! Orora!" Toph called, not having expected her friend to play dirty like that. Rising to her feet, Orora grinned. "What're you gonna do now that you can't see?" She goaded, her blue eyes landed on the half broken boulder that was still laying there, each half covered in ice.

"Lets see you dodge this!" So saying she sent both boulders flying, the ice allowing her to control them both. What she hadn't calculated was the fact that Toph could sense the earthen halves of the rocks and while one was knocked out of the way with a swipe of her arm, landing harmlessly on the ground, the other wasn't as lucky.

The force behind Toph's bending was enough to send the ice covered boulder flying through the air, and landing with a resounding crash..............right where the rooms they had all been sleeping in were located.

Every eye turned towards the location in horror, minus Toph.

The boulder had taken out two pillars as it went, before crashing through, first Katara's room, going through Sokka and Aang's room, before landing halfway between Toph and Orora's and Teo and The Duke's.

"Katara is gonna kill us."

                                           ————————–

Suffice to say, it wasn't a pleasant conversation explaining to Aang and Katara what had happened. Toph and Haru had tried to clean things up a bit, but obviously they couldn't recreate the architecture the way it had been before.

With the rooms destroyed, and the remaining one's on the verge of collapse, it was decided that all of them would sleep in the courtyard outside instead.

Which meant cleaning up the debris from their impromptu battles, against each other as well as Combustion Man.

"Why did I agree to this?" Orora grumbled as she allowed a small stream of water to sweep away most of the dust and grime that had accumulated on the floor over the years. Toph, Haru and Aang were busy clearing away the bigger rocks and boulders. Katara was supervising Sokka, The Duke and Teo as the moved everything from the rooms to the courtyard. Zuko was stuck with preparing the everything for their lunch, which Orora would be cooking later. Of course this meant cutting a lot of vegetables.

A task he still hated.

Glancing up from where he had chopped the last of the carrots, Zuko shrugged. "You tell me. Normally you don't get goaded into taking bets." Orora huffed, as she sent another small wave of water to collect the dirt. "Yeah well this was one chance I could get Toph to do something shes been putting off for days. She may be a sneak, but she will always honor her bets." Washing away the last of the dirt, she smirked. "Kind of reminds me of you."

He rolled his eyes at her, trying not to show just how happy he was that she spoke to him so.........normally.

"You've gotten really good." He complimented. "And you managed to bend with your feet too, so I guess you figured that out." Trying hard not to sound too proud, Orora grinned. "It took me awhile to perfect, but I finally got the hang of it." She said, making a small circle on the floor with the tip of her shoe. The both of them watch as a small stream of water snaked across the floor and in a circle of ice, following the movement of her foot.

Though she wasn't able to keep her balance on one foot for long. She tilted to the side with a gasp, and would've fallen if Zuko hadn't reached out to grasp her arm and caught her. "Though maybe you should take some balancing lessons from Aang." The Prince suggested with a teasing glint in his warm golden eyes. Orora playfully smacked his chest.

He didn't let go of her arm, while her hand didn't lift from his chest where she had hit him moments ago. Everything around her seemed to fade away as she met his gaze, unburdened. Then again, the moment wasn't so dissimilar from what Zuko was feeling at the moment. Though while Orora felt a rush of contentment in the comfort of the moment, Zuko felt relief.

Relief that now when she looked at him, it wasn't with rage, sadness and uncertainty. But with silent surety.

"Thank you." He said, his fingers gently gripping her forearm. The girl frowned lightly. "What for?" She asked, her head tilting to the side.

He smiled.

"For giving me another chance." He revealed, his hand sliding down to where her hand was, only to link their fingers together.

The fingers that had the string tied to it.

The string that glowed with the respective colors of the other's Nation since last night.

Seeing the blush rise to her cheeks never ceased to make him smile, and that moment was no exception.

Was it strange that only yesterday it hadn't seemed like there was any hope for them, and yet now, standing there, looking at her, Zuko couldn't help but thank every Spirit, known and unknown, that he had his Soulmate back.

They still had a long way to go, still had to work out on some things.

But being civil to one another and actually speaking, being friends again, was one step closer to what they both wanted in the end.

"Why is the floor not clean yet?!"

The sudden exclamation broke the moment, and caused Orora to let out a gasp of surprise. She pivoted on her feet, smacking Zuko in the face as her hair flew behind her as she turned to smile sheepishly at a glowering Katara.

"Sorry. Sorry. I'm on it!"

                                           ————————–

"So who exactly won?"

Sokka asked once Katara had stopped chewing them all out and had assigned chores to everyone. Which included Orora and Toph making lunch. They'd only just sat down to eat, with Katara glaring at her brother over her bowl of food. Everyone glanced at the two girls who sat next to one another. Orora glanced at Toph who just shrugged. "We'll just call it even." She stated. "For now."

"But what about the bet?" Haru asked, leaning forward, eager to know the results. Aang, who had been more then a little miffed about being unable to watch the matches, intervened. "Well since no one won, I guess it means you'll both have to uphold your end of the bargain."

Orora grinned, while Toph let out a sigh. Turning her sightless gaze towards the older girl, Toph nearly shuddered at the way Orora's heart was beating with excitement.

"There's no getting out of it, is there?"

"Nope."

"Oh boy."

                                           ————————–

Tag List - @wavesofchaos​ @violet-potter​ @rennysketch​ @emma-andrea1 @lovesammikinzz @fuzzyfestcat @msrawog @notsaelty @lust-for-pan @aces-tattooartist @jinxxangel13 @lotr-got @bitterspoons @realrintaro @gatorgirl151 @inutheangel @heartfully10 @lucaaahhh @juniper-july19 @anuttellaa @gfksz @bussyvussy @punksnotdeadbutiam @ablofftoneverland-blog-blog @slut-for-menn @vyliie @army-moa75 @juwhls @aqlodun @lovelybaka @glowyruby @niktwazny303

[discordiansamba]

more scattered thoughts about the jazz era atla AU:

I think Yue should get to learn how to make bombs. as a treat. yes she is working together with two forces of destruction (zuko and toph) but never underestimate the power of a good bomb.

zuko and toph did not ask this of her. she just learned it all on her own.

lee from the tea shop of course, is sporting the classic Tea Shop Era Zuko haircut. he keeps it super short because he's a lot less recognizable this way.

in spite of actively trying not to be recognizable, zuko actually does not fully grasp how unrecognizable he is to people who knew him prior to his life as lee. azula looks at the wanted posters of 'lee' and only gets the faintest feeling of recognition.

ozai and azula know that zuko was injured in the attempted coup, but they don't know how specifically he was injured.

speaking of injures- iroh has burn scars on his back.

zuko's spent a lot of the past four years ignoring he own needs and wants. the attempt on his life by his own family really fucked him up, but he also has a deep sense of survivor's guilt since lu ten died protecting him. before he met toph, he basically never even made time for himself- he was always either helping his uncle or doing blue spirit stuff.

(iroh senses this. he saves up and buys his nephew a radio, because he knows how much he enjoys radio dramas.)

meeting toph changed that a little. toph coaxed him into making the blue spirit much more theatrical- the showier he is, she says, the more eyes will actually be on the fire nation and the more questions might end up raised. really she just thinks he's in desperate need of a way to blow off some steam. and what better way than violence?

(the tattoos are the first thing zuko really did for himself after the coup. he's not stupid. he knows how risky they are. but getting them with toph was actually fun.)

to team avatar, toph is a refined young lady who only occasionally has a bit of a potty mouth. they know she's an earthbender, but she hides just how good she is from them.

sokka actually starts to suspect something is amiss with the fire nation even before they learn the truth from zuko. it just feels like there's a few things that aren't adding up, but he doesn't have enough clues to actually start to piece things together.

despite the blue spirit's reputation as notorious terrorists, zuko tries to actually keep any casualties to a minimum... which does not mean he and toph never kill anyone. they're 100% killing people. they just try and keep it targeted.

this is something they'll never be able to see eye to eye with aang on- although he does understand why they feel they have to go that far- especially in zuko's case.

team avatar can't exactly openly work with zuko after the truth comes out- he's a wanted man. but they do start to quietly coordinate with him. aang wants to just expose ozai right away, but it is unfortunately not that simple. there's no real proof other than zuko's word. even if they expose one of the factories, ozai can simply claim that it's the fault of a rouge general- much like zhao's actions at the north pole.

if iroh got his memories back, though...

(they are starting to suspect that zuko doesn't want iroh to get his memories back. he's so afraid that lu ten's death will destroy him. lu ten, who again- died protecting zuko.)

ozai will eventually quietly hire combustion man to kill the blue spirits- and if he can take out the avatar at the same time, well. that's just a bonus. :)

[reaper2187]

Asami sato x earthbender reader

Asami Sato loved the freedom of riding her motorcycle. It was the one thing that made her feel alive in the bustling city of Republic City. In a world where technology and bending coexisted, she appreciated the simplicity of the open road.

One sunny afternoon, Asami decided to take her motorcycle out for a ride. She had no particular destination in mind, just a need to feel the wind in her hair and the roar of the engine beneath her.

As she reached for her helmet, a knock on her door interrupted her. She opened the door to find her friend, an earth bender named (Y/N), standing there with a helmet in hand.

'Hey Asami!' (Y/N) exclaimed, 'I heard you were taking your bike out for a ride. Mind if I join you?'

Asami's heart skipped a beat at the sight of (Y/N). She had always been drawn towards the down to earth bender, with her easy-going nature and mischievous grin. But she knew better than to act on her feelings. After all, (Y/N) was not only her friend but also from a different bending nation.

But Asami pushed away those thoughts and smiled. 'I'd love the company.' She took the helmet from (Y/N) and they both headed out towards her garage.

(Y/N)'s eyes lit up at the sight of the sleek motorcycle, and Asami couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. She had designed and built it herself, with no help from the Future Industries team.

Once they were both geared up, they hopped on the bike and rode off towards the outskirts of the city. As they zipped past skyscrapers and busy streets, Asami couldn't help but feel a sense of freedom wash over her.

The wind whipped through their hair as they rode along the coastline, with the sun setting in the distance. The atmosphere was serene, and Asami couldn't imagine sharing this moment with anyone else.

As they reached the edge of the city, (Y/N) motioned towards a dirt road leading up to the mountains. Asami hesitated at first, unsure if her bike would be able to handle the rough terrain. But (Y/N) reassured her with a wink and a smirk, and Asami's heart skipped a beat.

They rode along the bumpy trail, with (Y/N)'s hand resting on her shoulder for support. Asami couldn't help but notice the warmth of her touch, and the little butterflies in her stomach at the thought of (Y/N) being so close to her.

Finally, they reached the peak of the mountain, and Asami couldn't believe the breathtaking view in front of her. The city glittered in the distance, with the lights from buildings and cars reflecting on the water. The sunset was painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, making it the perfect backdrop for the moment.

(Y/N) took off their helmets and shook out their hair, letting it flow freely in the wind. Asami was transfixed by their beauty, and she couldn't help but stare.

'Isn't this amazing, Asami?' (Y/N) exclaimed with a big grin on their face.

Asami nodded, unable to find her voice. It wasn't just the view, but also the company that made it special.

They sat on the edge of the cliff, their feet dangling off the edge as they watched the sunset. Asami was lost in her thoughts, trying to find the right words to express what she was feeling. Before she could say anything, (Y/N) turned towards her and said, 'Thanks for bringing me here, Asami. I never knew this city could be so beautiful.'

Asami's heart fluttered at the mention of her name, and she couldn't hold it in any longer. 'I'm glad you enjoyed the ride, (Y/N). I've always loved exploring the city on my motorcycle, but I never knew it could be this special with the right company.'

(Y/N) turned towards her, their eyes filled with curiosity. 'What do you mean?'

Asami took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to confess her feelings. 'I mean, spending time with you makes everything better. You make me feel alive and free, just like this ride.'

(Y/N) smiled, and Asami could feel their heart rate increase as they leaned in closer. Without any hesitation, Asami closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against (Y/N)'s.

It was everything she had hoped for and more. (Y/N) responded with the same passion, and for a moment, it felt like time stood still. Asami's heart was filled with joy and she knew she had made the right decision in confessing her feelings.

As they pulled away, Asami could see the smile on (Y/N)'s face that mirrored her own. (Y/N) leaned in for another kiss, and Asami knew that this ride would be one to remember.

From that day on, Asami and (Y/N) spent many rides together, exploring every corner of Republic City. And every time they took to the open road, Asami was reminded of the magical ride that brought them together and the love that grew between them.

[wilcze-kudly]

The Kuvira/Suyin parallels

So, this is piggybacking off my previous post about the Opal/Lin parallels, and to be honest I've always loved making this comparison, wince it's just so damn ironic and juicy.

Suyin and Kuvira are, of course, adversaries through a lot of the show, however, I think it's, mostly due to their similarities.

Both Kuvira and Suyin are, at their cores, leaders of their self made factions. Both also built said factions as coping mechanisms to the abandonment/neglect they experienced as children.

Both these characters garner the affection they lacked as children by having people depending on them. And also controlling said people. Suyin, by building a city and clan she was the matriarchal of. And closer to her, personally, keeping her family tight knit and her children isolated from the wider world and heavily dependent on her. As for Kuvira, it projecting her trauma onto a suffering nation and fashioning herself into being a hero of the people. Someone the people adored.

You don't really need to do a lot of mental gymnastics for this one. They were both isolated and lonely as kids, so they created environments where they were important and revered.

There's clear pressure from both these women for their "people" to conform to the rules they set. Suyin threatens Kuvira and Baatar Jr with banishment. One another occasion, she enables Korra's hunt for Aiwei, despite the obvious risk this endeavour would bring. While Kuvira's methods of control are more... barbaric? I'd call concentration camps barbaric but to each their own.

Suyin 🤝 Kuvira threatening poor earthbender himbos. God I wish that were me.😨👀Haha who said that?

They're fiercely protective of their carefully crafted status quo, since it is, essentially, a coping mechanism. The further it falls apart, the further their own psyche does too.

Suyin's qorst nightmare is her family and city falling apart, while for Kuvira it is when her Empire crumbles.

They can become increasingly manic and desperate the more danger their 'works' are, tossing any moral code or even sanity out the window.

They'll grasp at any straws to protect what's theirs. Suyin pressured Korra into going into the Avatar state, despite Korra's clear discomfort. Kuvira, meanwhile, harnessed the energy of the spirit vines and laid waste to Republic City.

There both even willing to endanger their allies, even those closest to them. Suyin taking her youngest sons on a dangerous mission to try and kill Kuvira (someone they most likely knew as children) while Kuvira herself nearly murdered Baatar Jr, her fiancé and closest supporter, just for the chance of taking out Korra. Rip Beifong brothers you really are the true victims here.

This desperation is understandable... its all they have. Both Kuvira and Suyin grew up alone, feeling unloved by their families. This led them to acting out. Be it for attention or any other reason, they ended up being too much to handle for their parents

We all know about Suyin scarring Lin, right? And this being part of the reason Suyin was forced to leave her home and dropped off at her grandparents. I find it interesting that it is implied that Kuvira too severely injured her mother, perhaps this also being the catalyst for her being given away by her parents too.

Perhaps because Suyin's second chance was so good for her, she wished to extend one to a troubled young girl. I firmly believe she saw a lot of herself in Kuvira (for better or for worse). The line about "hurting someone in this family" easily made me think of what Suyin did to Lin and see that she regrets it and doesn't want Kuvira to go through the same.

Regret, however does not fix all and neither Kuvira, nor Suyin know how to atone for what they've done.

It seems hard for either of these characters to understand the hurt they've caused nor that their actions have consequences. However, Suyin and Kuvira are treated rather kindly by the narrative. We've seen planty of people talk about how Su is coddled by the show's writing. And Kuvira is treated with a similar gentle hand. Redemption is a muddy subject for me, however I will say that bothese very complex and fascinating characters were done extremely dirty by shallow writing.

However, I will finish this long silly ramble by saying that it is very in character for Su to forgive Kuvira, despite this possibly making her children uncomfortable.

A huge part of Suyin's ideology is believing in second chances. However it runs deeper than that. As stated before, her family is the most important thing in the world to her. And Kuvira is part of that family. It's not surprising that Su is hurriedly doing damage control on everything after B4 and everything that happened.

I find Kuvira and Suyin fascinating characters. Their trauma, their drive and the mild insanity with delusions of grandeur is what really pulls together these two tormentors of the Beifong family together for me. ❤️

-

Also, on a side note. I find it very curious when people like one of these characters, but dislike the other, since they are so similair with their arcs and personalitywise. If you are a Kuvira stan and a Suyin hater or a Suyin stan and a Kuvira hater, could you clue me in a little on the thought process? Is it like. Just vibes? Or is it one of the small differences between Su and Kuvira that feels so jarring that it seperates them completely?

[nyamadermont]

When You Feel It

#FFF263 In the Meadows

@flashfictionfridayofficial

Avatar: The Legend of Korra

841 words

Now with art from @slowdissolve!

“Toph did this with me when I was very small, just after we knew I could earthbend.”

Lin draped an arm behind Tan’s shoulders, encouraging him to lay against the grass of the meadow overlooking the city below.

Lin knelt beside him, tall and proud as always. 

How can she smile without moving her face? he wondered. 

He folded his arms behind his head, the better to see her with. 

Her hand on his chest spread a warm relaxation out from her touch, and he just knew he could lie there like that for hours, looking up at her. Her hair rippled in the light breeze while she barely blinked. 

The long, soft grass tickled his arms as he spread them to either side, his palms up as if to absorb the sunshine. Above him, above her, the lightest, fluffiest clouds drifted lazily by. 

Unlike her, Tan smiled with his whole face. He gently clenched his hands, flexed his arms and then laid them back on the ground. 

“Open your hands,” she instructed. 

He uncurled his fingers, allowing himself to feel his muscles adjusting his skin and bones. 

“Now turn them over, and feel the ground.”

Slowly, he tipped his hands until they were perpendicular to the ground. The press of her hand against his sternum was warm and encouraging. 

He let his gaze wander over her face, down her arm until he had to lift his eyes again. There was just the slightest hint of focus in her face. Her whole body was still, except for the wave of her hair. Their eyes met, and he watched her take a deliberate breath.

Her hand lifted from his chest and was nearly on his skin as she said, “Close your eyes.”

The frisson he felt as she brushed her hands across his eyelids flushed down his entire body, and his hands relaxed against the grass. She traced down his chest with her fingertips before returning the flat of her palm to his sternum.

“Feel the grass against your skin. Feel the stems, feel where they emerge from the ground. I know there are a few tiny pebbles that you can feel.”

She paused.

“I can feel the warmth of your hand as it radiates through the earth under your grasp. Your heart is beating slowly. You are relaxed, almost asleep.”

The more he relaxed, the more he wondered how he wasn’t just melting away like ice in the sun. 

The complete safety he felt was so foreign, but so welcome.

“You may not know this, but the whole earth is just a big rock, flying around the sun. I don’t remember everything Uncle Aang tried to teach me, but I remember that. When I lay down on the earth, I can almost feel its curve.”

Her hand was gone again, but he heard the rustling noises as she lay down beside him. The back of her neck nestled against his elbow.

And that was definitely her hand, palm down, sadly enough, under his bottom. He felt it when she arched her knuckles just a little bit, and he resisted the urge to wrap her into a kiss.

“Below you are layers of soil, compacting into rock until it becomes bedrock. I’m not a geologist, but I can feel the layers below us.”

Her hand shifted so that it fit into the small of his back.

“Tell me when you feel it.”

He managed to keep the smirk from his face as his mind raced ahead. Oh, I’m feeling a lot of things right now…

His next breath felt funny. He held it, searching for the curve Lin had said she could feel. Even though he wasn’t holding his jaw shut tightly, he blinked rapidly and opened his eyes when he realized his teeth were rattling.

He snapped his head in her direction, where he met her eyes, waiting for him.

“That tremor is three layers down. Mom would make me lay there until I could feel it halfway down through the bedrock.”

He squeezed his eyes in thought, and she took pity on him. “You are feeling about as deep below the ground as you are tall. Toph wanted me to feel down as far as the tower on Air Temple Island is above sea level.”

He gaped, but she scoffed in amusement.

“She can sense further down than that, and out for a mile in whatever direction she wants to.”

Lin rolled onto her side, pressing her cheek against his arm.

“She taught me how to take the world in without using my eyes. It’s how I could decide to trust you.”

He wiggled his arm so that he could roll to face her but keep his arm under her head.

“So when do I get to thank her for that?”

Lin smirked and shifted her eyes over his shoulder.

“Is now good for you?”

Behind him, he heard an ancient voice say, “That’s my daughter you’re getting all oogie with. You’d better treat her better than the airhead did.”

[t3ag3rs]

g e n s o - 0 3.

its now or never..!

you ran in as the doors opened. you had to think fast and smart. these bots were obviously going to be pretty big, so going up in the buildings would be a smart choice to be able to see down below more clearer.

you jumped and propelled yourself upwards using the wind and landed on the roof of the tallest building you could find. you looked down and saw that there was a three pointer way ahead that no one had gotten to get.

using wind again, you put yourself in front of it and got ready to destroy it. you stomped your foot on the ground while raising your hands up to create a boulder, and throwed it at its neck causing it to fall over. using this to your advantage, you propelled yourself upwards again and dropped the same boulder over it.

you landed on the other side and sighed out, time to go find a bunch of others..

you ran to the other side of the street and found yet another three pointer, but this time you didn't attack it but instead got it to follow you.

i could gather up a couple of these and then destroy them all together, so i won't waste too much energy.

you ran yet again and found another two, catching their attention you now brought the three to an empty lot near a fountain.

you let out a smirk when you realized you were surrounded by enough water for you to use and destroy them. moving your hands, you took the water out from the fountain and used it to surround the biggest one you had rounded up.

freezing it, you had caused it to stop and be at its most vulnerable state. you threw yourself forward with the wind and landed a good kick on it, causing it to break apart.

you let out a grin and looked at the last two running towards you. you stood still and waited until they got close enough to create a huge wall of flames and burn them.

as they drop you wince slightly at the burn starting to form on your arm. at that moment it didn't matter though, you were only focused on gaining more points.

you smiled, you felt stronger then ever. never would you have been able to burn one bot, let alone two. all this hard work was starting to pay off.

you ran to the sound of explosions, gaining more and more points along the way. wherever theres explosions theres bakugou, and where theres bakugou theres always trouble..!

you quickly ran to the noise and found bakugou hunched over with a bunch of pieces surrounding him. there were many other bots coming up to him, and your mind finally clicked.

the noise is what they're attracted to!

if you stuck by bakugou you were bound to get even more points. your body was growing more and more worn out, but you couldnt give up now.

taking the attention to another three pointer you created a bunch of boulders and threw it at it. with every hit of the boulder, the bot slowly broke down.

you let out a pained groan as your body doubled over in pain. you were pushing the limits of your quirk, and you knew it.

suddenly there was a big sound and a bunch of smoke appeared. you forced yourself to look up, and you felt your jaw drop.

in front of you was the biggest bot you had seen all day. those have to be the 0 pointers..! why are they so big?? you readied yourself and turned to the side to see bakugou staring at it with a smirk.

you let out a breath and narrowed your eyes. you knew that if you used your earthbending your body wouldn't be able to do much after, you only had the other three elements left.

i could use my airbending to let myself up to its face.. so far all of the weak spots for the bots are near the face... using the remaining amount of water, i have i should be able to freeze it and create somewhat of damage to it. then blast it with one powerful flame and hope it will be enough...

you jumped and pushed yourself up to the bots face only to be hit by an explosion causing your remaining water to spill out. you winced and looked down at bakugou "watch where you aim your explosions retard!" you spat before turning back to the bot, ignoring the spew of curses bakugou was yelling at you from below.

you only had one option left to create water.

you had to use your blood.

usually you never use it unless you don't realize you're low on water and your body unconsciously does it, but now you had no other choice, you had to do it.

closing your eyes and moving your hands in a circular motion, you heard the water form and felt lightheaded. pushing through, you held back your groans of pain and continued creating more, quickly you froze the water knowing if you went any further you would've passed out. sending the water forward, you covered the head of the bot. with one last force, you put both your hands together and shot a flame as big as you could make it.

the last thing you heard was "times up!" and then saw black as you fell.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you woke up and groaned in pain. blinking your eyes, you saw a short old lady sitting besides you, "how are you feeling sweetie?" she asks, you sit up slowly and give her a soft smile. "i feel fine.. just bit sore.." you muttered.

"well your free to go and finish the written part of your exam. i just healed you up with my quirk " she paused, "you really pushed yourself out there.. your body was real beat up and your blood was really low.. take it easy today and get some rest after" you nod as you grab your stuff and walk to the room to take your written exam.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

as you walked home you couldn't help but think of how izukus exams had went. you looked at your arm to see bandages wrapped around it.

i guess i had burned myself pretty bad..

you saw bakugou walking in front of you, but decided not to acknowledge him. he had probably gotten a good score, his quirk was pretty powerful and was destructive. he must've been able to make it to the top 20 in the mock fight.

you let out a sigh as you remembered he must've seen you fall after overusing your quirk.

ahh... thats so embarrassing..! how did i even end up in the nurses office? did they know i had gotten injured from one of the students?

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

you gasp as your mom hands you the letter from UA, and run into your room quickly. placing the disk down, you let out a quick prayer before the hologram of all might pops up. you let out a soft smile and reminded yourself to thank him for the training the next time you saw him.

you listen as he speaks, "now before i get to your results i would like to say that i am now a part of the UA faculty!" you cant help but let out a big grin. the worlds best hero is gonna be at UA, helping to train us..!

"now to your results! you passed your written test and got 47 villain points on your practical exam! well done!" you let out a sigh when you realized you passed the written exam. "now there was another grading system for the practical exam based off of rescue as us heroes not only beat up villains, but we have to rescue civilians! In this section you received 28 points, placing you in the top 5 with a ranking of 2nd! congrats!" you let out a gasp, i made it that far up in the leader board?

"but thats not the most important result to hear.. i'm proud to say that you, y/n l/n, have passed the entrance exam! welcome y/n.. you are now part of UA high school!" you let out a yell of excitement.

"i made it in! i actually made it in into goddamn UA!" you felt your mom and dad wrap their arms around you and hug you tight. "i knew you could do it y/n! we're so proud of our baby!" your mom sobbed as she held on to you tight.

"i have to go thank someone for training me!" you announced, grabbed your jacket and heading out, "ill be back soon!" you ran to the beach to hopefully catch all might and thank him.

once you got there you were pleased to see not only all might, but deku as well. you ran up to them, "thank you so much!" you let out a deep bow in all mights direction, "i wouldn't have been able to do as good as i did and make it to the second place in rankings if it weren't for you!"

you head all might chuckle, "dont stress it kid, you both did well and i'm glad to know you both got into UA high school" you smiled and looked at deku, "congrats izu!" he rubbed his neck and laughed, "i should be saying the same to you..! you got second out of all the students!"

"speaking of which.. i was surprised to hear you're becoming a faculty member now! what brought you to the school?" asked deku, you looked at all might questioningly. "well.. i was planning on finding a successor through the school, but meeting you gave me other plans." he explained.

"you'll be able to learn how to be a better vessel for my quirk through the hero program because as you experienced, your body is overflowing with energy at the moment.. you need to train you body to be able to handle the energy. nothing you wont be able to do!" he explained changing into his muscular form.

suddenly the couple on the other side of the beach caught sight of all might, and had caused you three to run away. you laughed at the giddy feeling inside your chest.

you had made it in..! now it was time to face the challenges it would bring head on!

previous parts: pt. 00 / pt. 01 / pt. 02 next parts: pt. 04 / pt. 05 / pt. 06 / pt. 07 / pt. 08 / pt. 09 / pt. 10 / pt. 11 / pt. 12 / pt. 13 / pt. 14 / pt. 15 / pt. 16

[overtail]

hey queen it’s me sawda with another toph ask </3 (im toph content deprived literally crying) but!! can i req a toph x fem!r where toph’s s/o is literally mulan but in the firebending army?? Thank you!!!

YES ILL DO THAT HEHE I LOVE TOPH!!

ALSO just wanna make yall aware my pronouns are they/them

I'm also so sorry for the delay. I've been on the worst writers block due to a lack of motivation. my whole family was sick, and we've been unable to pick up my anti-depressants 😭

...

Little Soldier - Toph x F!Reader

Summary: When Toph's lover turns 13, she tells her that she has to fight alongside the fire nation to protect her family.

Trigger Warning: Sexism, Implied racism, Forbidden love

Info: Pre-Book 2, long hair reader

...

'We're not gonna lose anyone else close to us again

We swore that we would always be there for each other

No matter what happens though, I promise that I'll protect you

If you were a boy

I would have actually have fallen for you if you were careful

Oh, c'mon, well maybe I'm the one who should have a crush on you'

...

"Watcha doin?" Toph feet dug into the dirt of the valley's grass, trying to identify (Y/N)'s action. Her delt held a look of confusion as se did so.

"Im just.." (Y/N) began, glancing back at Toph as she thought. "Thinking."

She held a clump of hair in her fingers, combing her digits through the strands. Something was obviously on her mind, like she was stuck in a loop up in her little head.

"About what?" Toph shuffled over, crouching down so she was eye level (if you wanted to say that) with the other. She smiled softly while (Y/N) thought: only if she knew

"You know how theres news of the Avatar returning?" (Y/N) whispered, letting out a shaky breath. Toph hummed a quiet 'yes', letting her feet slip so she would fall on her bottom. "And you also know how they're drafting men from the fire nation?"

Toph wondered where this was going. She modded carefully, feeling the floor to hear (Y/N)'s heartbeat. It was fast paced, causing the earthbender to worry.

"Yeah. Are people in your village getting drafted?" Toph questioned, thinking about all the possibilities. She heard (Y/N) sigh.

"Worse. My dad was given a note specifically by the current general." Toph's eyebrows raised at her words, realization hitting. (Y/N)'s father used to fight a long time ago, starting when he was just a boy. This was before she was born, before he met his wife.

He was regarded as one of the most intense, bloodthirsty, and brutal generals in history - behind the Dragon of the West. Though, he was old now; not fit for war.

Toph didn't know what to say. She wasn't particularly fond of the fire nation, but she was fond of (Y/N).

The girl across from her sighed, continuing to comb her digits in her hair. How would she tell Toph?

(Y/N) looked up, her face flushing red at the sight of Toph's oblivious face. She looked so calm in the moment, the valley wind ruffling up her hair. During these secret meetings, Toph would let her hair down. The soft locks ran down her back, some falling over her shoulders.

(Y/N) thought she was beautiful.

"Well, I was thinking," (Y/N) let go of her hair, moving to pick at the nail of her index finger. A sickness caused from nervousness settled in her stomach. "of pretending to be a boy."

Toph laughed, not quite knowing what she meant. "Why would you want to do that?" She smirked, before the smile faltered.

Oh.

"Wait, you're not saying-"

"I'm going to take my fathers place as his eldest son." (Y/N) interjected, her breath hitching at the words. Saying it out loud made the reality hit her light a train - realizing that it wasn't just an idea. This was happening.

Toph stayed unusually silent. She wasn't too expressive when it came to her face, but even now (Y/N) couldn't read her. Was she angry? Happy? Scared? What. was she feeling?

"How?"

(Y/N) raised a brow, confused by the question. "What do you mean?"

Toph pursed her lips, her eye brows knitting together. "How are you going to pretend to look like a boy?"

Even though Toph couldn't see her, she knew that boys and girls looked different.

(Y/N) let out a shaky breath, gripping at her hair lightly. Her family always forced her into the ideal of a perfect, feminine woman - but in secret, she was strong, aggressive, and messy. Even though her personality was changed, her looks were still influenced by her family's wants. Her hair was long, and she wore fancy clothes and makeup.

"Oh, uhm.." (Y/N) was hesitant. She knew, but she sounded like she was protecting herself from her own words. "I'm gonna cut my hair.."

Toph raised an eyebrow, intrigued by (Y/N)'s response. "Cut your hair, huh? That's a bold move. How short are we talking?"

(Y/N) swallowed nervously, fidgeting with a loose thread on her sleeve. "I-I don't know... Short enough to pass as a boy, I guess."

Toph nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, let's do it."

Later that day, the two sat in her bedroom, Toph listening to the sound of (Y/N) snipping her hair. The locks fell onto the floor, sticking to clothes and to skin. After some time, (Y/N) found herself spaced on on Toph's bed, watching her every move.

As Toph unraveled her hair, the room was filled with the sound of gentle brushing, the rhythmic motion soothing in its familiarity. She worked through each tangle with practiced ease, her movements fluid and deliberate.

(Y/N) watched in silence, mesmerized by the way Toph's fingers danced through her hair, untangling knots with effortless grace. There was something intimate about the moment, a quiet exchange between friends bound by unspoken understanding.

"Your hair is beautiful," (Y/N) said softly, breaking the silence.

Toph glanced up, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Thanks. It's a pain to manage sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

(Y/N) hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Do you ever wish you could cut it short, like mine?"

Toph paused, her expression thoughtful. "Sometimes, yeah. It would be easier, especially when I'm training. But... it's a part of who I am, you know? Cutting it would feel like losing a piece of myself."

(Y/N) nodded, understanding flickering in her eyes. "I get that."

Toph set down the brush, turning to face (Y/N) fully. "I get that you're worried. I can sense it. Your heart is racing." Toph walked over to her bed where (Y/N) sat, sinking into the mattress. "I'm gonna miss you, but I also believe in you, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) felt a weight lift off her shoulders, a sense of freedom washing over her. With Toph's unwavering support, she knew she could embrace her true self, messy hair and all. And as they sat together, basking in the warmth of their friendship, (Y/N) realized that sometimes, the most beautiful thing about a person isn't their appearance, but the authenticity of their spirit.

(Y/N) turned her head to look at toph, her face going red at the sight of her graceful face, She wanted to kiss her. Yeah, she did.

As (Y/N) gazed at Toph, her cheeks flushed with a warmth that had nothing to do with embarrassment. She was captivated by the gentle curve of Toph's lips, the sparkle in her eyes that hinted at hidden depths. And in that moment, a realization washed over her with startling clarity – she wanted to kiss her.

The thought sent a shiver down (Y/N)'s spibe, her heart pounding in her chest as she wrestled with her emotions. It was a risk, she knew, to confess her feelings, especially when their friendship hung in the balance. But the longing in her chest was too powerful to ignore, a flame that refused to be extinguished.

With trembling hands, (Y/N) reached out, cupping Toph's cheek gently as she leaned in, her heart pounding in her ears. And then, their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss, a silent affirmation of the emotions that had been brewing beneath the surface.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as they savored the sweetness of the moment, their hearts beating in perfect synchrony. And when they finally pulled away, their breath mingling in the air, (Y/N) found herself smiling, a sense of peace settling over her like a warm blanket.

Toph blinked in surprise, her lips curved in a soft smile. (Y/N) chuckled nervously, her cheeks still tinged with pink. And as they sat together, their fingers intertwined, (Y/N) had already started to realize what she was committing to. She's leaving. She's leaving to fight in a war that seemed as if it was never going to end to save her family.

As the reality of (Y/N)'s impending departure settled in, a somber silence descended upon the room, casting a shadow over the warmth of their shared moment. Toph's smile faltered slightly, her eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation.

(Y/N) squeezed Toph's hand tightly, her own heart heavy with the weight of her decision. She had made up her mind to fight in the war, to confront the forces that threatened her her homeland. But with each passing moment, the prospect of leaving Toph behind grew more daunting.

"I... I have to go," (Y/N) murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Toph nodded slowly, her expression a mixture of understanding and sadness. "I know," she said softly. "And I'll be here waiting for you when you get back. No matter what."

Tears welled up in (Y/N)'s eyes as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against Toph's. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Toph wrapped her arms around (Y/N) in a tight embrace, holding her close as if trying to shield her from the harsh realities of the world outside. "You won't have to find out," she promised, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart.

And as they held each other in the quiet of the room, (Y/N) found solace in Toph's arms, knowing that no matter how far apart they may be, their bond would endure.

Toph was her best friend, Toph was her girl. Toph was, well, Toph, and how could anyone forget someone like her?

...

should I make a part 2

[thetreefairy]

Platonic!yandere!Aang using the prompt Hydrangea please? Remember to drink water❤️🌼🕯️

Warning: Aang convinces the gaang that Reader needs him, airbender Reader, the gaang is also kinda starting to become yandere

Since pronounced were not specified: they/them reader

Hydrangea - "Perhaps we adore you too much to be just friends, family might be a better word." also can I just say I am terrified to start school again, this isn't my best but I hope you like it!

Kofi - 700 rules - 700 masterlist

Aang couldn't believe it, he had heard from Zuko that there was an another airbender.

So the gaang couldn't help but agree that they needed to rescue the unknown airbender. They were kept at a remote island, surrounded by fire benders, they had to investigate the routine in place.

Reader hated their abilities, they hated that they could bend air. The firebenders around them often ridiculing their abilities, yet the fire princess treated them kindly.

Azula had just visited and had given them a book about airbending traditions, as she knew how desperate Reader was to reconnect to their roots. The reason for this gift? Reader had been a good pet.

Aang couldn't help but feel a pit grow in his gut, how dare they harm his sibling. How dare they ridicule our culture. But most of all, the audacity Azula has to treat you like a pet.

The gaang had to formulate a plan, and it didn't take long for Aang to start visiting them sneakily.

their first meeting went as expected. Strange.

Reader was reading the book on the air nation, scoffing at some parts that were obviously altered to suit the fire lord's point of view. "The book isn't trustworthy." A boy said, you looked up in shock, ready to scream until you saw what he was wearing. 'He has to be the avatar, or is there perhaps another airbender?' Reader thought, they couldn't speak, they didn't trust their voice.

"I'll get you out of here." He promised. "I'll teach you about our culture."

He was rambling. "Are you the avatar?" Reader interrupts, causing his eyes to widen with joy. "Yes, I am, my name is Aang." He introduced himself. "Zuko told me about you, you are Reader right?"

Reader nodded. "The fire prince?" They asked softly. "Did Zuko finally find himself?"

Aang chuckled at Reader's wording. "I'll tell you all about it when we get you out of here."

After that it didn't take long for Reader to be rescued, it went quietly and Reader sighed in relief when they were at a cave with the gaang. Shaking as they hugged Aang.

"I am Katara, this is my brother Sokka." Katara introduced herself and her brother. "I am Toph." The earthbender introduced himself.

"Hi Reader, it has been a while." Zuko started as he bowed slightly. "I apologize for my sister's behavior and my past insolence."

Reader then hugged Zuko and introduced themself to the gaang. "Thank you for rescuing me, I'll make sure to be out of your hair quickly." Reader added to their introduction, causing Aang's eyes to harden.

"You can stay with us for a while." Katara told Reader, Toph hummed in agreement and said; "Yeah, twinkle toes was so excited to find another twinkle toes, you can't just leave right away."

Alarm bells rang in their head, but they chose to ignore it.

How wrong that was of them.

During one of their stops at a village, Reader had made a lot of money with their story telling. Toph was always with them when they told their stories, and quite frankly she enjoyed them.

Aang wasn't allowed to stay with Reader during story telling because he would scare everyone off with a glare.

'At least he thought them about their culture' Reader thought whenever they saw unusual behavior from Aang.

When Reader saw that they had enough money to make it on their own for a while, they announced it to the gaang causing an uproar. "No." Aang said right away. "You can't.

"Twinkle junior, you need Aang." Toph would say. "You aren't as tough as me yet."

Reader had looked at Zuko for back up as the gaang gave them the reasons to stay and why they are too weak to live on their own, but he shook his head as well. So Reader decided to confront them.

"Why are you guys acting like this, this isn't how friends are supposed to act."

"Perhaps we adore you too much." Aang started. "To simply just be friends."

A nervous chuckle left Reader's mouth

"Family might be a better word."

[slaymbo]

more yan!class 1a with earthbender readerr :3

y'all know the sports festival where they had to fight eachother in the ring? yeah, if y/n got to the point where they have to fight todoroki its gonna be INSANE

HEAR ME OUT, OKAY

because technically earthbenders can bend certain oils, riiight?

and it would be hilarious if y/n threw oil at him right after he finally lets himself use his fire

Todoroki steps into the ring, feeling electrified after his victory against Izuku. He knew you were strong, but as the festival went on he realized he was stronger. Or so he thought

"This is it, Y/N. It's impressive that you've made it this far, but I will be the one to end your winning streak once and for all." He says with a bit of melancholy in his voice, wanting to hurt his darling as little as possible.

You said nothing as the cameras focused on you opening a bottle of what seems to be water. Todoroki tilts his head in confusion "I thought you couldn't control water?"

You smile knowingly, shaking your head right before you force the viscous liquid out of the bottle and onto him.

As soon as it hits him, so does realization. This isnt water...it's oil. He runs towards you in an attempt to freeze your precious body in place, but he's too late. The earth around you both starts to rumble and get hot as parts of the ground begin to break apart. Shoto looks into one of the cracks...

Holy shit

That's lava

You strain your muscles as you bring up the hot magma slowly, obviously not wanting to hurt your classmate. Frozen in fear (or awe?), he doesn't even realize that it has already surrounded him. He's fucked.

"I-I...how...huh???" Shoto tries to form a coherent sentence, but all of his words have seemed to fall into the cracks of the earth and burn.

You smile as Midnight declares you as the victor of the match, pushing the lava back from were it came with your quirk and walking up to Shoto, giving him what was essentially a "good job" hug.

that day is when the whole class went crazy over you

yeah, shoto was a bit embarrassed that he was defeated so quickly, but he was more proud of you than anything

your classmates always want to train with you now, you becoming their first pick whenever they must partner up (the rest of them get jealous, but who cares)

izuku not only has ten pages dedicated to you and todoroki's fight (if you can even call it that), but he definitely has multiple videos of it.

bakugo ALWAYS wants to fight with you now, claiming because he 'needs to show you that he's better' (he just loves your attention fr)

denki and sero take any chance they get to flirt with you and put you off rhythm when you fight with them

unrelated rapid fire hcs GO!!!

the bakusquad helps you with vocal tolerance training (itll make sense if you read the other post), it started with far away whispers and now they can yell with you only being slightly overwhelmed!

jirou has totally eavesdropped on you singing in the shower b4, damn near dying because of your angelic voice (you could literally sing like you have nails in your throat, you still sound like an angel to her)

also i feel like she understands being overwhelmed by noises bc of her quirk, so you guys have both had cuddle sessions to calm yourselves down while listening to each others heartbeats

shoji's mask accidently came off one time, and he was ashamed bc he didnt want his darling to think he was ugly!!! but when you gasped and your eyes started twinkling, his heart damn near stopped. you thought he looked good!!! and ever since then he shows his face around u

momo, iida, and shoto all try to compete with each other to see who can get you the most elaborate gifts.

alr thats all i got rn. dont be afraid to send asks! :3

[some-beans]

Saw the Zuko reader and came to request again *lipbite*

Could I request! A Fem!Gaara!Reader (Naruto)? With the hmmM, lemme request individually

With Leona, Jamil, Azul, Vil, Kalim and Jack?

The whole shebang (kazekage title included 👉🏼👈🏼) if not could I request a Fem!Toph!Reader instead?

Here have a pic of my (non-biological, non-adopted) baby brother when he was a kid, he's a whole mood honestly

gdfhgdcgfh his a mood and i'll do toph cuz i have not watched naruto 😀😀

✎...pairing: leona, jack, azul, kalim, jamil, vil x toph!reader ✎...themes: blind reader, blind shenanigans, reader is fem with she/her in mind ✎...enjoy !!

𝐋𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐀

y'all. . .

i feel your first interaction with leona would be exactly like toph with the boulder

100% that's how it happens

but shifts his view once you fold his ass when he overblotted

like

he goes to create his unique magic, but it instantly gets flung back at him with your bending

it also didn't help when you used surrounding metal to cage him

felt stupid ngl

also gets very annoyed cuz he can never skip class bc you always manage to find him with your seismic sense

does respect the fact you treat him like everyone else and not, like, just the second prince

𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊

respect

that's jack, straight up

he finds your seismic sense so fascinating

like, he tries to sneak up on you a lot and fails

still, he tries

he does ask you, though almost like a tsundere, to train with him

he did at some point ask you if you could teach him earthbending

. . .

that didn't work out

cuz yk. . . from different worlds and shit

also

don't tell him that i told y'all this, but. . . jack do be loving those head scratches you give him

𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐋

listen

the amount of blind jokes and pranks you pull on this mf is astronomical

like

your go-to move whenever he offers you a contract is to accept, hum and then wave your hand in front of your face

if only you could see the embarrassed blush on his face

it also doesn't that he has to deal with the mess made by your bending whenever floyd tries to squeeze you

it fails

and he now has to try and fix the lounge's walls

however!

he almost cries when he watches you easily bend it back to its original state

𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐌

oh, sunshine baby

he 100% reminds you of twinkle toes back home

bc of that

blind shenanigans ensue

tho

he will cause a flood if you pull one and accidentally offends you

you two cause jamil so much stress

cuz you're an enabler

through and through

pray for jamil y'all

𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋

this poor man

someone help before shit hits the fan again

the best way to describe the relationship you two had was when toph and katara fight

that's how you two are around each other

even after jamil overblotted

especially when he tried to hypnotise you bc you couldn't make proper eye contact

lowkey getting grey hairs and wrinkles

however, he is secretly grateful when you help bend broked collums back into shape whenever the dorm's parties get too out of hand

𝐕𝐈𝐋

oh boy

the amount of stress you give him

he's praying he doesn't get wrinkles or grey hairs

you're the epel

but worse

and yet

you never cease to amaze him

with your earth bending, you casually mentioned that a branded deal with some jewellery company was lying about their product being gold

it was not

vil was understandably angry, yet, he was curious about how you knew

something about the pure metal a.k.a. less earth the metal has, the harder to bend