#i have never drawn sokka before but he was a delight to draw

[fabdante]

im having a 'draw everyone with sky backgrounds and dramatic backlighting' kind of year

art only blog - insta - inprnt - redbubble (image description in alt)

[guileheroine]

hide and explode

In the middle of a party game, Zuko wrestles with his feelings about Aang and their time together in Republic City. / A piney one-shot written for @gemmica‘s Zukaang zine! 🧡 / 2.5k / ao3

“And then I said - I actually said - stay flamin’!”

The party roared and Aang slapped his knee, eyes twinkling, before lifting his chin to knock back more of the A.G. 16 vintage one of the clerks they frequently worked with had brought him earlier. Almost as old as I am! he had quipped when receiving it, beaming and bending — as he often did, because he was tall now — to give her a warm squeeze. 

Zuko marveled at how all of them were laughing with, not at him, despite the fact that Aang was regaling them with his own absolutely excruciating foibles. It was like things that should have been mortifying for anybody else just rolled off him. Avatar privileges, he’d probably grin, if Zuko brought it up, though Zuko was certain it was just an Aang privilege, and one that he couldn’t help but begrudge sometimes. In any case, the group here all found Aang’s tale of that one time he infiltrated a Fire Nation school and taught them the meaning of freedom boundlessly entertaining. It was a party with several Fire Nation delegates, and almost no one that wasn’t considerably familiar with their culture. He supposed the story had special resonance for this team, mired as they had been for years in cultural transition politics and wrestling with the legacy of the Fire Nation. Zuko had heard the whole story before, of course, so his laughter lacked the fresh delight of the others’. But he couldn’t pretend it had lost much of its charm even now.

Aang’s nineteenth birthday party was being held in the reception rooms of the Republic City hotel they were staying in. Zuko wondered when, if ever, there would be a time where they didn’t find themselves here every few months, sorting out the newest hurdle in the establishment of their new world order, as Toph darkly called it. Granted, it had been some ten months since the last time they were here — a record. In that time, the modest guesthouse that they usually rented had been swallowed up by some of the city’s new residential developments. This hotel here was far better suited to hosting a gathering of twenty-odd people, but it still had the cozy yet lively ambience that Zuko and Aang both appreciated. 

Though perhaps not tonight. The chatter rose quickly whenever Aang let a lull fall, bright eyes all around and sudden howls of laughter that chafed at Zuko’s temper more than they should have. It could have been the whiskey not agreeing with him, but Zuko found himself increasingly drawn to the door, to the stairway beyond, to bed. He hated that their time here was almost up, and the fact nagged at him — at his patience, his spirits, his conscience, more than he told himself it had any right to. And he never felt worse than when he caught Aang’s sunrise smile, which came all too easy tonight. It shouldn’t really have mattered. They had a little getaway planned with Sokka, Katara and Toph (and Suki, if she could make it) just next week, which Zuko was certainly looking forward to... But this was their last night together, just the two of them.

Somewhere out of Zuko’s line of sight, somebody piped up, “Hey! Let’s play a game!” 

Murmurs of enthusiastic agreement went up around the group. Somebody whooped, and someone else exclaimed — in a tone that didn’t tell Zuko whether it was a serious suggestion or not — “Let’s play hide and explode!”

There were a few sardonic groans. Zuko, for his part, groaned inwardly, completely in earnest. Hide and explode was the stupid Fire Nation game that Aang had played with the pupils in his undercover story. It was a kids’ game. Was this guy serious?

But Aang took up the suggestion, and a spoon to his glass, almost immediately. “Perfect! Come on, everyone,” he said, dinging for attention. “Let’s play hide and explode! There’s no one else here to disturb this time of year, and I’m sure the manager won’t mind if I slip him a tip before we go tomorrow.” He winked. 

As everyone stretched and made to stand, one by one, Bao, one of the advisers from Ba Sing Se, called out, “Wait, who’s going to be the seeker? We need a firebender, don’t we — what about you, Your Highness?”

Zuko had told him before there was no need to call him that, but now he shrugged evasively. “I don’t— “ He mumbled, looking for the easiest out, and then raised his voice a little to make himself clear, “I, uh, I’ve never played hide and explode.”

“You’ve never played hide and explode?” All of Aang’s attention turned to him like a ray, while a couple of other disbelieving whistles sounded around them. 

“I, uh, don’t like the explosions...” Zuko continued, trying not to trip over his tongue.

Aang didn’t take any pains to hide the skepticism on his face, but he still tried to take Zuko’s words in stride. “Oh, okay, um… Look, why don’t you stick with me for this round until you get used to it, huh? Come on, Zuko.”

Zuko didn’t know what else to do but take the arm he offered, and truth be told, he didn’t really want to blow Aang off. Explaining himself was more trouble than it was worth, and it would put a damper on Aang’s night, too. He stood to attention while someone sped through the rules a little drunkenly, and then, once one of their firebending colleagues had been appointed the seeker, he let himself be led.

Minutes later, Aang and Zuko were crouched into a tiny closet at the end of one of the public verandas. By the dank smell of it, this was a cleaning closet.

“You remember the rules, right?” Aang gave a short cough, like he was trying to hold his breath, before speaking. “Not sure Linh gave the clearest explanation back there, she was the first to get on the wine.”

Zuko sniffed. “So everyone hides and when the seeker finds them, they have to make an explosion with firebending, right?” He had, of course, played the game in his childhood with Azula and her friends. But not often, and he never really enjoyed it when he did.

“Right,” Aang coughed again. “The explosion alerts everyone else hiding nearby, so they can disperse and hide better if they think they need to. There’s strategy, y’know.” The last person to be found won. Zuko nodded.

They stood close together, alert. Aang’s chest rose and fell evenly as Zuko watched. He was wearing the ivory pendant Katara and Sokka had sent him for his birthday. It lay over the tunic Zuko had ironed for him this very morning, for the last time. 

He’d told the maids it was easier for him to do with firebending than it was for them to go to the trouble of heating the iron up. Zuko had never been one for domestic chores but he reveled in every feature of the morning routine he and Aang had made for themselves here. They would get up to have tea on the dusty roof adjoining their two rooms, meeting in the middle. Then they would stretch, the autumn dawn glowing like a halo on Aang’s head and over his bare torso. Sometimes he smiled when he meditated, his eyes closed, and in those moments Zuko drank him in like an oasis. Afterwards, Zuko ironed while Aang tended to Appa, before they went down to breakfast together, ready to face the day. It was mundane, but the kind of mundane that made you blind to how much you cherished it. Until it was gone.

“Hey, Aang,” Zuko blurted suddenly. “Let’s - it stinks here, let’s hide somewhere else.”

Aang nodded so vigorously that it should have made him dizzy. They crept out and slid into a fortuitously placed alcove behind it, out of view, but open to the cool evening air. It was empty save for a wicker broom gathering dust in the corner.

“Much better.”

“Much better.” 

After a moment, Aang slumped down against the wall. Zuko followed suit. The fresh air helped his stomach, but his heart was still uneasy with that unplaceable anxiety. Every time he looked at Aang, he felt their impending departure closing on him like a trap.

“Is Appa all ready for tomorrow?” he said, with an exhale that he tried to make as inconspicuous as possible. Just speaking was a fine distraction. In truth, he still had no idea what making Appa ready for travel even involved. 

“Oh, yeah. I deep cleaned his saddle this afternoon.” 

A minute or so passed, then Aang’s head flopped onto Zuko’s shoulder. Zuko startled, before schooling his breath. Aang’s neck had to bend quite a bit to fit into Zuko’s shoulder now, but it was such a practised move that the effort didn’t seem to register to him.

“I’m gonna miss you, Zuko.” 

From the corner of his eye, Zuko could see that he was pouting a little. “You say that every time.”

“That doesn’t make it less true,” Aang said, perplexed for half a moment before he shrugged it off. “Besides, I feel like we aren’t gonna be back here for a long time this time.”

“Yeah,” Zuko all but whispered. That was really what lay heavy so on him — why he felt like he was running out of time. He stared ahead. “Well, I mean… we’ll hang out next week,” he offered, feeling a strange instinct to draw away from the subject now that Aang was the one broaching it.

“I mean just the two of us. It’s... different with everyone else there, you know?” 

The questioning lilt of his words hung in the air. In the end, it was Aang who spoke again. “I like it here with you. I feel like we have a good thing going. And I hate that I never get to see you out of those stupid Fire Lord robes if I visit you back in the capitol. Now, I’m not saying I wanna see you out of your robes, Zuko, but it’s never really been a problem for either of us when I do. Wouldn’t you agree?”

He was being irreverent on purpose, but Zuko’s heart pattered even as his irritation flared. He saw from the corner of his eye that — wait, was Aang blushing? Maybe it was just the sunset. It definitely made for an interesting atmosphere up here.

Zuko was at a loss, which wasn’t unusual. But Aang was behaving a little strangely too, so he seized the moment. “Aang, I need to talk to you about something…” He was on tenterhooks beside him, it was probably plain from the tension in his body. Aang noticed, he raised a forearm as if to reach out. But before he could do anything with it, there was a boom!

The muffled explosion rang out from some way beyond the courtyard behind them. Aang’s head sprang from Zuko’s shoulder and the moment dissipated. 

Aang sounded almost sheepish. “Whew! Should we move? What do you think?” 

It was hard to tell what triggered Zuko’s heartbeat now. “No,” he said quickly, getting the word out before he second guessed himself. He cringed — it was painful, he knew it’d be, but Aang’s gaze meeting his was knowing, open, almost like a wound. And Zuko needed to dress it for both their sakes.  “I - I like it here, and I wanna talk to you. They’re not gonna find us till they climb a couple of storeys anyway.” 

“Okay,” Aang said. It was a cryptic okay. Zuko would need a moment to know how to proceed.

But he didn’t proceed, because the boom! that followed — thunderous and so close — shocked them both out of their moods, shrieking.

“Aw, what?!”

“How did they—”

There wasn’t time to waste. Aang sprang onto the parapet. It was simple enough to propel himself up over the next ledge using airbending. It was less pleasant for them both when he did it to Zuko, but nothing he wasn’t used to. And then there they were —

On their roof. 

Except this time they had to hide. The doors to their suites were locked from the inside, but under the awning of one wall, which overhung a narrow sliver of roof, there was a nook that looked like it’d provide shelter from scrying eyes. They tucked themselves in, between the wall and the rail, not much more than an arm’s width of corrugated tin above them. Chest to chest, there was barely enough space between them for Zuko’s breath, shallow with adrenaline. 

He tried to keep his eyes from meeting Aang’s, but the only other places for them to go were also various parts of Aang. When did he get so broad? 

“Aang, if the coast is still clear in a minute or two, we should try and get somewhere with more space,” Zuko whispered in a rush, for his own sake.

“Sure thing, Hotman.” Aang shoved his chest lightly. It was only then that Zuko noticed that Aang’s hand was indeed caught between them, so intent had he been to keep the sensation of him at bay. 

The hand stayed there. There wasn’t really anywhere else for it to go. Their breaths mingled. And when they bowed their heads to avert their gazes, it only helped their foreheads to veer dangerously close to one another.

The hand on Zuko’s chest twitched reluctantly, like it was sweaty. Or itching. Zuko forced his heart back down his throat. Repeatedly, trying desperately not to focus on the hand that was too heavy and too light at once.

Boom!

That one was pretty loud, but definitely farther out. Aang’s fingers curled in Zuko’s shirt as it hit, his shoulder curving instinctively as if to shield Zuko from the invisible blast. Zuko’s composure nearly crumbled.

“Zuko—”

“What, Aang?”  

When he finally met his eyes, they were wide and glossy. “Zuko, your heart is beating really hard. I thought you were just being a wet blanket when you said you didn’t like explosions, but if it’s actually affecting you, I swear you don’t have to be embarrassed —”

Zuko blinked. “Yeah, Aang, it’s the explosions.” He sounded exhausted to his own ears. 

Aang’s expression fell in knowing sympathy. Zuko fell against his chest, trusting this ruse to cover for him just this once. When he did so, the hand on his chest slipped around to his back and rubbed comfortingly. It helped a lot, more than Zuko could have anticipated. Not with the explosions, obviously, but with his... dilemma. It was hard to imagine that Aang — however he actually felt — would treat Zuko’s whole thing with anything but the utmost consideration. Here he was cooing over him like a baby because he thought Zuko was scared of an explosion quieter than the volcanoes he’d made in geology class, for crying out loud.

Eventually, Aang said, “Hey, what were you going to say back on the veranda?”

Zuko was about to say nothing but he stopped himself. 

“It can wait until tomorrow. Promise I’ll tell you.” 

[awkwardpenguinproductions]

Perspective

Part 11 of the Dragon of the Yuyan

Read on AO3 | Series Masterpost

Bato usually takes his evening walk a lot earlier than this, so that he can catch the sunset over the water and marvel (two years away from home and he’s still not used to the sun actually rising and setting more than twice a year). Tonight, however, a series of events have conspired to make him late, and the sun has just set when he finally leaves the Abbey and heads down to the beach toward his ship.

A month after the skirmish, and his burns are still tender and stiff, but the sisters are well-versed in healing and Bato knows it’s nearly time to move on. Hakoda and the rest of the Fleet should be somewhere in the Eastern Earth Kingdom by now, and Bato is just waiting for his Chief to send word so that Bato can rejoin his brothers.

As he approaches his ship, a flickering orange light pierces the darkness, and his heart stops for a moment. Firebenders? But the only sounds are the waves of the sea against the sand and the crackling fire, so Bato keeps his hand on his dagger and approaches cautiously.

As he gets closer, he can see the silhouette of someone sitting before a campfire, someone with what looks to be a shaggy wolf-tail. A stick snaps under Bato’s foot, and the person jolts, standing and whirling around with a weapon in hand.

“Who’s there?” Calls out an achingly familiar voice, and Bato can’t believe it.

“Sokka?” He asks, stepping into the circle of firelight. And so it is, his Chief’s son, relaxing from his fighting stance.

“Bato?” His voice has deepened, and cracks on the end where it turns up in question.

“Who the what now?” Another voice asks, male and young, and Bato can see a small body resting on one of the legs belonging to a huge furry creature the size of his ship. Across the campfire from Sokka, Katara sits up in her sleeping bag and calls out, “Bato!”

Bato braces himself as both Sokka and Katara run over to hug him, with the smaller boy and another one, nearly fully grown and shrugging a quiver over his shoulder. “Sokka, Katara! It is so good to see you! You’ve grown so much!”

“Hi, I’m Aang, and this is Zuko,” the small boy says, bowing and indicating his taller companion, who also bows. Bato is about to greet them, but Sokka speaks before he can.

“Where’s Dad?”

“Is he here?” Katara asks eagerly.

Bato hates to disappoint them, but there’s no point in prevaricating, so he tells them where Hakoda and the fleet are and invites them to the Abbey.

His niece and nephew are delighted with his room, while Avatar Aang grimaces in poorly disguised disgust and the silent Zuko glances around with an appreciative air. Bato wants to ask the boy about the massive burn scar on his face, maybe compare battle stories, but Sokka and Katara command his attention, and his relief and delight at seeing them and finding them well overwhelm his instinct to be a good host.

They eat their fill of stewed sea prunes and talk. Aang tries to participate in the conversation, while Zuko doesn’t say a word, but watches everyone keenly, and Bato could swear that his eyes flicker gold in the firelight. That’s impossible, though— Sokka and Katara more than anybody know better than to trust ash-makers . Bato puts the thought out of his mind, and conversation turns to Hakoda and the Southern Water Tribe fleet.

When he tells them about the message he’s expecting from Hakoda, the kids’ faces light up.

“Really?” Katara squeals.

“When?” Sokka demands. Between them, Zuko looks up from the arrows he’s fletching, a small smile on his face.

“Any day now,” Bato replies, almost as excited as them. “Your father said he’d send a message when they found the rendezvous point. If you wait until the message arrives, you can come with me, and see your father again.”

Sokka beams. “It’s been over two years since we’ve seen Dad! That would be so incredible! Katara!”

“I do really miss him,” Katara sighs wistfully. “It would be great to see Dad.”

“It’s been far too long, hasn’t it?” Bato commiserates. He misses his brother warriors like he would miss his limbs. “I’m not sure when word will arrive, but when it does, you’re more than welcome to come along to see your father.”

Both the kids deflate suddenly. “It would be great, but we can’t,” Sokka says gravely. “We have to get Aang to the North Pole.”

“Even if we do have time to wait for the message, who knows how far we’d have to travel?” Katara adds with typical pragmatism. “We don’t have time for a long detour.”

Bato is disappointed, but also immensely proud, and knows that Hakoda will be as well, and says so. Sokka and Katara beam, and Zuko looks a bit relieved.

With the break in conversation, Bato turns his attention to the archer, and now that he has consistent light from the whale oil lamps hanging around the room, realizes that the boy really is just a boy, perhaps a year or so older than Sokka. The burn scar on his left eye dominates his pale face, despite being half hidden under shaggy black hair.

"You've been very quiet, Zuko, I'm sorry we've been so rude," Bato says, shooting a playfully scolding look at Katara and Sokka, who sheepishly smile and smirk respectively. "I'm Bato, first subordinate to Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe Coalition."

Zuko smiles, balls one hand into a loose fist, and taps the fingers against his mouth.

"Zuko doesn't talk," Sokka says with a shrug. "We don't know why––he's teaching us his hand language, but it's kind of slow going. He can write, but he hasn't really told us much of anything about himself. Can we tell him? He's trustworthy, he's basically my dad's common sense." Sokka has turned to Zuko, who is now eyeing Bato thoughtfully, and he can feel himself shiver as that gaze lays him open and reads him like a book. Those eyes glint gold again, and Bato has a bad feeling.

Zuko nods, short and sharp.

"Okay, so Zuko here defected from the Fire Nation, basically," Sokka states, quick and simple, like ripping off a bandage. "Aang had gotten himself captured by this seriously bad news Admiral, and Zuko got him out. As soon as Aang learns Zuko's language, Zuko's going to teach him firebending."

A firebender.

A firebender. Next to his kids. Traveling with the Avatar.

A firebender. In. His. Room.

The smoke from the cookfire is choking. Pain races up and down Bato's arm. The ash-maker is too close. Too close to the cookfire, too close to the kids, too close to Bato . The knife is in his hand before he even thinks to draw it.

"Bato!"

Katara sounds scared. She should be, she's sitting next to a firebender. Ash-makers killed Kya.

"Bato. Stop. Put it down."

Hakoda? But Hakoda's in the East.

"Bato." The voice rings with Hakoda's authority, and it pierces some of the haze that's settled over Bato's mind. "Bato. There is no threat. Put. The knife. Down. "

Bato blinks, and suddenly he's back, in his room at the Abbey, and when had he stood up? The knife falls to the floor beside his foot. Sokka stands before him, tall, so tall when did he get so tall, his own dagger drawn and held at the ready, half in front of a white-faced, kneeling Zuko being comforted by Katara.

"Bato." Sokka has never sounded more like his father than he does in this instance, and Bato almost snaps to attention on instinct. He drags his eyes away from the prostrate firebender to his best friend's son, who is studying him with a hunter's gaze, cool and assessing and sharp. When did Sokka transform from a goofy boy to this warrior?

"Bato," Sokka says again, steel threading his voice. "Zuko is under the protection of the Chieftain's Heir. He is not to be harmed by word or deed. Doing so is an affront to me, and to my father as Chief. Do I have your word as a Warrior of the Water Tribe?"

This man will make a great Chief someday, Bato thinks, as he drops to one knee and says aloud, "I swear by Tui and La as a Warrior of the Water Tribe that Zuko of the Fire Nation shall not be intentionally harmed by word or deed by my hand.”

Sokka nods sharply, sheathes his dagger, and turns to his friend, dropping to one knee and murmuring to him. After a few nods and headshakes, and one odd gesture where Zuko shakily places one loose fist palm out on his forehead and then stretches out the thumb and pinky finger, the firebender slowly gets to his feet and disappears out the door. Sokka and Katara share a look, and Sokka sits back down facing Bato.

“Okay, what in La’s name just happened?” He asks, pinning Bato with a hard look.

Bato shifts uneasily on his mat. “Where is he going?”

“That’s not the question right now, but he’s gonna go hang out with Appa for a while,” Sokka replies, waving a hand as though letting a firebender run around a peaceful Abbey was nothing to worry about. Sokka must have seen something of his worry on Bato’s face, because his blue eyes turned to sharpened ice. “Zuko has my trust. If it weren’t for him, Katara and I would have died, and Aang would be on a ship to the Fire Nation capital as a trophy. You’re on thin ice, though. What. Just. Happened?”

Bato bows his head. “Ever since your father brought me here, I’ve been… struggling,” he says quietly. “Fire is not the comfort it once was. Firebenders figure… prominently… in my nightmares. When you said that Zuko was going to teach the Avatar firebending… I’m afraid I lost my head a little bit.”

Sokka’s lips press into a line. “That’s not a good thing, Bato,” he says. “You need to get a grip on that, because to end this war we’re going to need Fire Nation allies. Including firebenders. We can’t afford to alienate people willing to work with us just because you can’t handle that they bend fire.”

Bato knows he’s right. Every word is exactly as Hakoda would have said, and Bato has every intention of telling his best friend exactly how much his son has grown.

“I suppose I should apologize to Zuko,” Bato sighs, running a hand over his face. He should probably talk to one of the sisters about his reaction, as well. They’re pretty well skilled in healing both bodies and minds, and he does not want a repeat of tonight when and if the issue of …firebending allies… comes up again.

Sokka nods, but Katara pins Bato with a frown. “It can wait until morning,” she declares. “Give him a chance to calm down.”

Aang returns, a bit obnoxiously cheerful in the solemn room, and Bato wonders at the Spirits who had seen fit to grant the world a child Avatar.

Zuko doesn’t return.

The next morning, Bato leaves his room and finds Zuko in the courtyard, practicing what look like bending forms. Aang sits nearby, watching with wide eyes. The older boy is stripped to the waist, even in the chilly morning air, and every movement he makes is controlled, precise, and calculated. There is no fire, most likely in deference to their current location, but Bato can easily imagine the flames bursting from Zuko’s strikes and trailing like ribbons from his kicks.

Zuko finishes his practice, spots Aang, and reaches the Avatar’s side in long strides. He makes a series of gestures, fluid and quick, to which Aang responds with his own slow, clumsy movements. Zuko corrects him, fixing the positioning of fingers and guiding the movement of hands, all with a gentleness that Bato would never have expected to see from a firebender. Aang tries again, and this time gets an approving nod. Aang beams and skips away. Zuko shakes his head, smiling wryly, and Bato takes the opportunity to approach.

As soon as he takes the first step, Zuko’s face snaps in his direction, his entire body going stiff and his expression wiping clear. The boy watches keenly as Bato comes closer, eyes darting here and there as though searching for weapons, but Bato had made sure to leave every weapon he has in his room this morning. No need to make the situation worse. He stops just out of his own arms’ reach, and is gratified to see Zuko relax just a little bit.

“Zuko, I would like to apologize for my behavior last night,” Bato says formally. “I do not know quite what came over me, but I will ensure that it does not happen again. I am sorry; I know I frightened you, and I sincerely apologize.”

Zuko’s posture slowly relaxes, although he never loses the military-erect stance. He forces a half-smile at Bato, shrugs a little, and makes a quick couple of shapes with one hand before striding off in the direction of the bathhouse.

Later that morning, Bato and the kids  head back to Bato’s ship, and Bato takes them “ice dodging”, if it can be called such when dodging rocks instead of ice. Despite Zuko’s and Aang’s obvious inexperience with sailing, the kids all work together flawlessly, and Sokka’s use of his crew’s bending abilities is inspired.

When it’s over, Bato takes a bowl of face paint and conducts the Marking ceremony.

“The Spirits of Water bear witness to these Marks!” He intones, and draws the first mark on Sokka’s forehead. “For Sokka, the Mark of the Wise. The same Mark your father earned. For Katara and Zuko, the Mark of the Brave. Your courage inspires us.” When Zuko flinches as Bato reaches to draw the Mark on his forehead, Katara takes the bowl from him and draws it herself. “Your courage is especially inspiring, Zuko,” Bato continues, smiling at the young man. “I know that I didn’t give you much reason to trust me, and your decision to bend despite your fear that I might attack you showed enormous courage and trust in your fellow warriors. That is truly inspiring.”

Bato takes the paint bowl back from Katara and turns to Aang. “And for Aang, the Mark of the Trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe, as is Zuko.”

He draws the Mark on Aang’s forehead, over the blue arrow, but instead of looking happy, Aang’s eyes are downcast.

“I can’t,” he says quietly.

“Sure you can!” Katara says brightly, while Zuko and Sokka look confused.

Aang wipes off the Mark and backs away. “No, you can’t trust me,” he asserts.

"What are you talking about?" Katara demands, and Zuko begins to look alarmed as Aang curls in on himself, and pulls a crumpled piece of parchment from his tunic.

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato," he says quietly.

Bato can only watch as the crew that had worked together so well just twenty minutes ago falls apart before his eyes.

Sokka shouts, Zuko pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs silently, and Katara stands staring at Aang with a heartbroken expression on her face until Sokka stomps away and demands, "Katara, are you with me?"

She pauses for a moment, but only a moment, and then her shoulders stiffen and she closes her eyes and replies quietly, “I’m with you, Sokka.”

As Sokka leads the way back to the Abbey, Bato glances back to see Zuko cuff Aang across the back of the head.

Everyone is packed and ready to leave within an hour, and after a brief goodbye at the Abbey gates, Aang and Zuko go one way with Appa and Momo, and Bato leads Sokka and Katara in the opposite direction.

They walk in silence for a long time, and Bato doesn’t really know how to lighten the oppressive sadness that surrounds the kids. He’s thrilled to finally be returning to his brother warriors, and he’s so excited to be bringing his niece and nephew to see their father. They’ve both grown so much, and Bato can’t wait to see the look on Hakoda’s face when he sees them.

A wolf howls in misery somewhere in the distance, and Bato feels his spirit howling in answer.

“That wolf sounds so sad," Katara says quietly.

"It's probably wounded," Sokka replies.

"No, it's been separated from the pack," Bato interjects. "I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the Water Tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family, and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds."

Sokka has a pensive expression on his face as he turns to study the path they had just walked.

"Sokka?" Katara asks.

Sokka takes a deep breath, and Bato knows what he's going to say before he says it. "We need to go back. I wanna see Dad, but helping Aang is where we're needed the most. And Zuko… he can probably take care of himself okay, but if he gets to the North Pole and the Tribe doesn't believe Aang when he tells them Zuko's on our side… We need to go back."

Katara smiles. "You're right."

Bato is so, so proud of them he could burst. He strides forward and puts a hand on each of their shoulders. "Your father will understand, and I know he's proud of you."

There's only the slightest shake in Sokka's voice as he says, "Thanks, Bato."

"I know where to go from here," Bato continues, and fishes the map out of his tunic to hand to Sokka. "Take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point."

The kids each give him a hug, and Bato continues up the path alone.

It takes a month and a half, three weeks of which are spent sailing, but Bato eventually makes it to the cove in Chameleon Bay where the Southern Water Tribe fleet is anchored. During this time, the moon actually disappears for about half an hour or so, and Bato is terrified out of his wits until it reappears. He doesn't want to think about how that could have happened, so he puts it out of his mind until he's reunited with his brother warriors.

Hakoda embraces him with tears in his eyes, the strength of his hug around Bato's middle a testament to his worry. The men tease him about his "vacation", and Bato gives as good as he gets, ecstatic to be back with his brothers.

That night, around the campfire, Bato turns to his Chief.

"Hakoda," he says, "you'll never guess who I ran into."

Previous | Next

[bellatrixobsessed1]

From Chin To Yon Rah (Part 22)

She is sick with over-exhaustion, with starvation and dehydration when they find her. She doesn’t have the energy to lift her head. She barely has the energy to part her lips when the man brings a waterskin to them. The woman hoists her up and tilts her head and Azula practically inhales the water. Suckling from the waterskin until it is as bone dry as her throat had been moments before. The woman helps her lay back and drapes a cool rag over her forehead.

She falls in and out of sleep and sometimes she finds herself in a state somewhere between. A state where the steady rocking and bumping of the ostrich-horse drawn caravan makes her feel as though she is a drift in the ocean. It comes with a sense of dread to think that she is somewhere floating in a vast, deep blue nowhere.

Sometimes when she manages to open her eyes the tarp is down and she can see the stars, can smell the crackling of a fire and something sizzling over it. Each time she is too fatigued to ask for a portion. The woman makes sure that she has a drink from the waterskin, even when she isn’t lucid--Azula is certain that the woman does so even when she is out cold. She never wakes up to a dry throat.

The man informs her that she is running a pretty decent fever when she comes around enough to sit herself up.

“Where am I?”

“We’re nearly across the plains.” He answers.

She tries to rub the fog from her eyes, shake the delirium and tiredness from her head. She feels as though she may just topple again. At the soft rumble of her belly, the woman holds out an apple. Azula takes it with eager hands. Only after several bites does she ask, “are we going to a village?”

“Little lumber and fishing town called Badgermole’s Hollow.” The man answers.

She nods and chucks the apple core over the side of the caravan. “Why are you…” she gestures to the waterskin and the blankets they have her swaddled in.

“Well we very well couldn’t just leave you there!” The woman exclaims as though that explained everything. Because the fact is, they very well could have left her, it would have been less of a burden to them. She recalls how many others have just decided to take her in as though she were a dear friend that they have just reunited with.

And perhaps this is something that the Earth Kingdom--or, at least, the more rustic parts of it--do better than the Fire Nation.

“Who are you?”

The woman laughs, “Min-Ta and this is my husband, Hao-Bai.”

“And you?” Hao-Bai asks.

Her mind wanders between Rikka and Azula before she finally settles on, “Azula.” She is too tired to keep on top of even a small lie.

She expects a question or two and she gets one, but it isn’t the question she had braced herself for. “You trying to get back to the Fire Nation?”

Azula nods at the man. She holds up a bag of coins that she has managed to hold onto. “I can get myself to Yon-Rah.” She isn’t sure what she will do then; Earth Kingdom coin won’t do her anything at all in the Fire Nation.

She lays back down and rolls onto her side, her eyes feel so very heavy. Min-Ta hums softly and carefully drapes another cool rag over her head, “you just rest now, until that fever’s run its course.”

She rests until they come to a stop that night. On slightly wobbling legs she comes to join the couple at their little fire. Min-Ta’s face lights up, “good to see that you’re feeling strong enough to join us.”

“Have some ale.” The man offers.

Azula finds herself a seat and silently drinks. Though it is somewhat bitter, it warms her belly. She isn’t sure what sort of meat the man is cooking, but it smells rather divine. She finds herself looking around. The grassland, now mostly behind them sprawls out endlessly waving and undulating beneath the stars. Dew catches in the moonlight and it brings a unique sort of sweet smell.

For the first time she truly deserves the couple and their caravan. They are a clean and well put together duo--it only just registers to her that they have kept her very clean and tidy. Their caravan is well maintained and she notices a second cart next to it. A team of four ostrich-horses graze nearby alongside another two--likely to pull the main caravan. They have a set of well cleaned and undaunted pots and pans and several other tools.

They themselves are in good condition as well. Hao-Bai is a burly man with a tamed beard. His muscles are so huge that she can see him pulling the caravan on his own if he must. He has a tattoo of a badgermole sitting on a tree stump inked onto his rather hairy chest. He looks as though he should smell musky but instead she smells only a fresh pine resin and the smoke of their fire clinging to his clothes.

His wife is decently muscular as well, her eyes are the brightest green that Azula has ever seen. Her hair is short and braided and she smells of the forest as well. With a second glance, Azula realizes that she is pregnant. She swallows and tries to put her mind anywhere else.

“Do you travel a lot?”

Hao-Bai flashes a grin. “It’s part of how we make a living.”

“I like to think that we’re experts at crossing the plains now.” Min-Ta adds.

“I wish I had the skills.”

Min-Ta quirks a brow. “If you came from Chin then you made it quite far. Most people don’t make it more than a week or so on foot. You have to know at least a little something.”

Or she simply has a strange dash of luck to cut through her misfortune. She sets her glass of ale aside.

Hao-Bai leaves the fire for a moment and comes back with a pipa. “How would you like to hear an Earth Kingdom traveling song.”

“That sounds pleasant.”

Min-Ta smiles. “Hao just loves to show off his pipa skills.” She leans in and whispers, “his vocals can use some work.”

Sometimes lessons are simple and light. That night she learns old Earth Kingdom songs.  

.oOo.

She sits in the grass with a pipa in hand. She doesn’t know how to play it very well, but it keeps her mind busy and it seems to delight the servants regardless. She wonders if she can work out the words to say if she forms them as a song first.

She thinks that she is only stalling but it doesn’t seem appropriate to just pound on Sokka’s door so late at night, now that she has put off talking to him long enough for the sun to have fallen completely.

“You’re playing off key!” The man in question accuses. “You have to tune it before playing it.”

“Have you ever played a pipa?”

“No, but I watched Aang play a few times.” Sokka smiles. “He, Katara, and Toph are gonna be here soon.”  He notes more to himself.

“Exactly how soon is soon?”

He shrugs. “I guess that depends on the sailor.”

Azula once again finds herself at least slightly perplexed. He has approached her with such ease as if nothing has happened between them at all. As if there were never any tension. She looks up from her pipa and into his soft blue eyes.

She wishes that he would just get it over with, that he would demand to know why she had been leading him on. Instead he asks, “want me to try to tune it for you?”

Azula nods and passes him her instrument. He twists a peg and gives the pipa a strum, repeating this several times until she finally asks, “shouldn’t you be mad?”

“Why would I be mad?”

Azula shrugs. “You haven’t talked to me since…”

“I thought that you’d want some space to think about things.”

She nods.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Did you think about them?”

She nods again.

“And…”

“I have decided that it isn’t fair.”

Sokka’s brows scrunch and he sets the pipa aside. “What isn’t fair, Azula?”

Absently her fingers reach for the stone until she remembers that it is safely sealed up in Bao. “I still think about Hajime when I’m with you.” Even if she doesn’t mean to she often finds herself drawing parallels between the two of them.

“I don’t mind.” Sokka reassures, his hand comes to squeeze her shoulder. “Hajime is important to you, he isn’t just going to go away.  Yue didn’t, even when I was with Suki.” He pauses. “She’s still here and so is Suki. They were both so different from each other and you’re much different than both of them.”

She doesn’t think that she is different is a good way. And yet Sokka holds her as though she is. “I don’t want to compare you to Hajime all the time.”

“I don’t mind, Hajime was the first person to really love you, wasn’t he?”

Azula nods affirmatively. There was Seyhyuk, but that was much different. An example of forced love that was meant to be a friendship. That isn’t how Sokka feels.

“You can compare your relationship with him if it helps you navigate a new one.”

She is quiet for a while, simply staring at Sokka with parted lips. He laughs and tucks her hair behind her ear. “It you need some more time to think about it…”

“I don’t.”

He gives her the most delighted grin. “Great, I was hoping that you wouldn’t because I’ve been meaning to give you something.”

She tilts her head, “and what would that be.”

He tilts her chin up and offers her lips the softest kiss. When he pulls back he is still stroking her cheek with his thumb. She thinks that her face might be slightly flushed. “If you want to take it slower, just let me know.”

Azula nods again. “This is fine.” More than fine really. It is nice to be loved again. Nice to be kissed again. Nice to have someone who is willing to wait for her and work through her hesitations.

Sokka motions for her to sit on his lap. She picks up her pipa and makes herself comfortable with her head resting against his chest and her hands resting atop the pipa. He cups a hand over hers. She makes a point of ignoring TyLee and Mai creeping about in the bushes.

[crushzone]

Hi Nin! I know this might be weird of me to ask because you are an artist yourself, but I am rather new here and was wondering if you have any other artists you'd recommend? If not that is ok!

Hi there, not weird at all! I LOVE supporting fellow artists, I find their wonderful talent and dedication incredibly inspiring, seeing their beautiful works on my feed constantly reminds me to take a step back from my exhaustion and to simply remember why I love to draw to begin with: because it’s fun.

I’m usually really picky about artists I follow and their style, but when I find the ones that I enjoy, I go ALL OUT with my support. So without further ado, the following artists listed are those I am not only in love with, but those who I genuinely look up to. 

So make sure you stop by their page to show them some love and appreciation for their hard work (because hard work extends beyond the individual pieces they’ve made, it’s also for the countless hours they’ve spent on practicing and perfecting their craft, constantly challenging themselves to learn new techniques). 💛

👇🏼👇🏼 Nin’s Artist Recommendation👇🏼👇🏼

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@aku-jumbi - HQ!!, Various, You all had seen me share a BUNCH of their works on my blog, but it’s just because their art is so SOOOOOOOOO good. Your style leans toward photorealism, while still maintaining its painting-like quality, so if you had ever wondered how your favorite characters may look like irl, they’ve got you!!! Watching your speed painting is so fascinating, idk how you do it, but you’re always killing it every time (Like our process is so different, so it was really interesting to see how you approach your works you know?). This piece of Kei Tsukishima and Oikawa Tooru are two of my favorite works you’ve done!

@achieve-the-sun - HQ!!, Various, Let me start off by saying that I love Morghy’s art so much, that they are the first and only person I had ever commissioned from so far. They drew Keishin and I sooo adorably, it brings me so much joy to look at it on the daily. Your style reminds me of freshly baked cookies, or the warmth of bakeries, I can’t help but feel a sense of coziness whenever I look at your adorable artworks. This piece you did of Kageyama and Hinata was what had drawn me to you. Everything from your color choices, fluid gestures, and expressions are such a delight to look at!

@chaotickatts - HQ!! I am so in love with Katts, you all. I had never seen anyone draw like this, her style is really unique. I can go on forever about why I love your art, but one of the biggest things that drew me to your style is the way you draw bodies. I like the variation and realistic details you include, for instance, I absolutely adore the way you gave Sakusa more moles on his body, and the way you drew dad bod Osamu. Idk, I think there’s so many different types of body shapes and details out there, and it brings me joy to see you being so inclusive of them in your art.

@namusw - Hunter x Hunter. Was drawn to their Hunter x Hunter works and I don’t even watch/read that manga. Honestly, just check them out, I love everything about their works, they are also a killer at both traditional and digital styles. This piece of Hisoka, Illumi, and Chrollo was the one that made me fall in love.

@cranbearly - HQ!! I really adore the way they draw expressions and their coloring style (inspired me to attempt some flat coloring). This piece of Oikawa and Iwa made me follow them instantly. Expressions are so difficult to nail, and you’ve done such an amazing job conveying every emotion the characters are feeling, I’ve learned so much just from looking at your works, so thank you for blessing us with your craft.

@a-zebra-was-here - HQ!! Their art has a very carefree type of vibe and their coloring style brings me so much joy. I’ve really enjoyed your drawings of the Miyas’, this piece of the twin was what got me, and this other piece, the first image of young Miyas’ was so SO well done, I am in love with the way you colored that. 😻 

@erionmakuo - Various, dude....I want to cry, I don’t even know what to say, EVERY SINGLE PIECE of your artworks just BLOWS ME AWAY. The way you color your art is just so ethereal, the color schemes you had chosen, the way you mix the color of your lighting, textures, and everything in general, I can go on about this all day but just hop on to their blog and you will know exactly what I mean. I don’t have a particular piece that drew me in because I was blessed by all your works at once.

@uranarino - HQ!!, Your artworks bring me so much joy. If I have to describe your style like an experience in life, I would say it reminds me of how it’s like to fall in love with someone for the first time, if that makes sense. That sudden overwhelming feeling you get when you’re doing the most mundane things with someone you care about, only for time to stop as you realize how in love you are with them? Yea, your art captures that really well. These two pieces of Kuroo returning home with his groceries and of him taking a day nap with his cats was what had drawn me to you.

@queenoftheantz - HQ!!, Various, Their style is really unique, it kind of reminds me of an adventurous graphic novel or something you would see on Cartoon Network (idk, I thought of Chowder, but please, I really mean it as a compliment, I just really love the fun cartoon style you have.) They also do some animations! I really love this piece of Kyotani you did, the landscape and colors look SOO GOOD!!

@noodlemanjpg - HQ!!, Various, love LOVE your style and the way you draw expressions. I also really love how you color, your works “appear” effortless, but I know a lot of knowledge and precision is put into crafting it. This piece of Kuroo x Yaku being all cozy at the couch was what had drawn me to your blog, it makes me smile every time I look at it. Kuroo’s smitten expression is just...ahsdl;adjs I can’t help but smile with him.

@diabolism666 - HQ!!, c’mon, you can’t be in the HQ!! fandom without at least seeing one of their artworks. In fact, I had seen your art even before I’ve gotten into this show, and it was love at first sight, lemme tell ya. EVERY. SINGLE. THING. you had drawn are so good, it doesn’t even matter if it’s a more simplistic drawing or elaborate one, I am just always staring at it in awe. Thank you for being so incredibly active about it too, idk how, but you’ve produced so many amazing drawings and we’re just incredibly grateful for it. You draw some of best Tendou, Reon and Toshi out there. Your works have so much range, I really feel like you can draw ANYTHING hahaha.

@viria​ - Various, Viria *sobs* your works are so good. The way you draw faces and affection just gives me butterflies. I don’t even watch Fullmetal Alchemist, but this piece you did of Edward and Winry made me fall so deeply in love with your works. Your style has a certain softness to it, even when it is of an angry character, and I love it.

@nipuni​ - Various, another artist that I am incredibly nervous to tag because your works are just out of the world. You also seem so so nice and is always incredibly helpful whenever anyone sends you an ask. Just...I have the biggest crush on you and your works. EVERYTHING you had drawn is so stunning, and I mean it. The details, pose, composition, and coloring, it is just so perfect, I could pull up particular artworks, but I was really blessed by it all at once. If you are into fantasy-esque realistic looking portraits, check her out, she exudes so much knowledge and talent.

@hinamihere - HQ!!, Your artworks are soo stinkin adorable. Your color choices, expressions and the way you draw hair is just so cute, your art always bring the biggest smile to my face. This piece you did of Akaashi and Bokuto was what drew me to you, when I saw it, I “awhhh”ed so loudly, my hubby had to ask me what’s up, and when I showed it to him, he had the same reaction, even if he’d never seen Haikyuu!!

@oxxuri - BNHA, so SO good, the way you color, light, and draw is so beautiful. Every single detail, down to every lashes and strands of hair is so beautiful. You draw some of the most attractive faces I had ever seen, these drawings of Aizawa and Midoriya brings me so SOOOO much joy, and I don’t even know anything about BNHA.

@amezure - HQ!!, their comic strips always make my day, I was giving their blog a peep so I can pull up specific examples and my statement is instantly confirmed when I stumbled across their newest comic art of Kuroo and Bokuto and started laughing HAHA. 😂 Your self study sheets are incredibly informative and I find myself referencing them often, it’s so nice to see my favorite artists continue to polish their craft through endless amounts of studying, practice, and analysis. It serves as a constant reminder for myself to do the same. I love the way you draw people (check out this piece of Bokuto x Akaashi), but I ESPECIALLY love the way you draw animals. (Specifically anything that has to do with lil owl Bo and Akaashi 🥺)

@obobro - Avatar the Last Airbender, HQ!!, I am absolutely in love with the way you color and draw portraits. Your drawing and detailing has so much range; you have a series of hand drawings, and that alone already displays so SO much range. I was really drawn in by this drawing of Tsukki, Zuka + Azula, and of Sokka + Katara, you can really tell they were related and I love it so much. Your art has so much life to it, it’s truly fascinating. 

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I have a couple more artists to recommend, so if you’d like a part 2 to this, please lmk.

But yes, I genuinely stand by my recommendations, these guys are so SO good at what they do and I am currently sweating because the thought of tagging all my artist crushes in one post is actually kinda scary lol.

Hope this helps! ✌️